#How long do magnetic bracelets last?

[kombuuuu]

ONGOMG I saw a Tiktok and it has Miles webbing up your hand while hand holding bc he’s so clingy and I can def imagine it 🥺

Also particularly weak for Pavitr doing the “pinky finger hook” thingy instead of hand holding bc he’s too much of a cutie

OWHHHH MYYYY GOD ANON IM INSANE FOR THESE MEN!!!!

1610 would SOOO web you together omg that’s such a cute headcanon. He’d be the type to grab the straps of your bag, or the bottom of your shirt just so he doesn’t get lost in crowds — or vise versa.

if he couldn’t web you, like you guys were in a civilian setting — hed sooo get you guys those bracelets that like connect to one another,, not the magnet ones, but the ones that clip. so there’s actually no way you could leave his grasp

he’s so clingy it’s unbelievable, you makes jokes with him about getting those leash backpacks at this point

he gets one — spiderman themed.

“Miles Morales, what the hell is that.”

“It’s… a gift?”

“I’m not putting that on.”

“Conejita, please!”

“That’s humiliating!”

“I think it’s romantic.”

“You’re insane!”

/

“Miles! How long does this last?!”

“Oh about two hours., why?”

“I have class in 40!”

“Oh… Skip?”

“I swear on my momma—“

“Okay— okay, i’ll find the dissolvant >:(“

—

42 is more obvious with his attachment. not only holding your hand, but is a huuuuge fan of you linking your arm with his,, he gets so flattered when you hold his arm, subtly flexing under your hands while you hug his bicep to your chest

when it’s not that — a hand around your waist is a given. or maybe he’d be the type to do the cliche ‘hand in your back pocket’ just to be cheesy

we all know he’s a goofy bitch he’s just in denial

“Ma, C’mere.”

“Wh— Yeah, what’s wrong?”

“Pay attention to me.”

“Miles I’m talking to—“

“I don’t care >:|.”

“You’re being so subtle.”

“Shush, I like showin’ you off.”

“Pff.. Whatever.”

“Pout all you want mamas, I know you love it.”

—

Pavitr, my boy my love

god he would SO link pinkies with you

he’d see you getting all nervous around his family and just hook his pinky around yours. sending you a cute reassuring smile

he’d give you goofy grins when you walked like that in public, and if you walked in front of him, he’d grab your belt loop, trying to match his feet with yours so he didn’t bump into anyone

ALSO ALSO !!!! he’d be the type to not want to let go at all for anything, so he’d just try and do tasks with one hand

and if your holding his dominant, he’ll fumble around trying to do things and watch you giggle

you’ll kiss the tip of his nose and tell him to finish up while letting go of him, and he’ll pout and grumble but eventually get things done quicker — so he can get back to you

“Baby, just let go for a second.”

“No, I’m doing fine, Thithli!”

“Pav.”

“Mmm, fine fine. Whatever It’s not like i’m sad about it or anything.”

“Your pouting.”

“You’re laughing!”

“I’m sorry!!”

“My heart is shattered.” :C

“Oh— I’m done. Yippee!” C:

[essenceofelegance]

new year’s day

Luke Castellan x aphrodite!reader

m.list

warnings: angst </3

There's glitter on the floor after the party,

He’s giving her that smile.

The one reserved for you.

The one you adored so, so much.

Girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby

Luke took her hand in his larger one, leading her back to her cabin.

He laughed at something she said.

You directly your attention back to cleaning up the Aphrodite cabin after a party, alone.

Luke used to do it with you.

Candle wax and Polaroids on the hardwood floor You and me from the night before, but

While you were cleaning you own bed, you found a polaroid picture of you and Luke from a year ago, probably.

You were wearing a pink, feathered cowboy hat, you were leaning into the camera, a bright smile on your face.

Luke’s hands were on your waist, he had a pink fur boa around him to match your hat.

You would give anything to have him hold you just one more time.

Don't read the last page But I stay when you're lost, and I'm scared, and you're turning away

Of course he would like an Athena girl.

They’re smart, they can fight, and they’re pretty.

Sure, she doesn’t have that radiant glow around her like you did, but she was still pretty.

She had h/c hair, like you did.

She also had e/c eyes.

But her’s… looked so much better than yours. It glowed.

She looked better, she could fight better, she was actually smart.

Your siblings reassured you, insisting that you were a daughter of Aphrodite, there was no way she was prettier than you.

But that wasn’t the way you saw it.

And in your eyes, that wasn’t the way Luke saw it either.

I want your midnights But I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day

You were teaching your usual archery lessons, when you spot Luke and his new girlfriend in a sparring match.

He looks happy.

Only, a different kind of happy.

Sure, you were good with a dagger, but not sword fighting. You were never good at sword fighting, you were only good at archery.

Maybe Luke wanted something who appreciated the things he liked to do.

You squeeze my hand three times in the back of the taxi I can tell that it's gonna be a long road

"It's not you, it never was, its just that I feel like we don’t get each other anymore." Luke said.

"Yeah, I get it." you looked down to hide your unshed tears.

"Thanks for... everything," you gave him a forced smile.

“You were great. You were a great experience,” Luke said, as if to comfort you.

‘You were everything!’ you wanted to scream at him.

But you just smiled and walked away.

I'll be there if you're the toast of the town, babe Or if you strike out and you're crawling home

You watched as Luke celebrated his capture the flag victory with his new girlfriend.

You weren’t jealous,

you just felt replaced.

How could he replace you so easily when you felt like your heart would be empty for years?

Did you really mean that little to him?

You couldn’t bear watching them anymore.

Don't read the last page But I stay when it's hard, or it's wrong, or we're making mistakes

A total of 17 guys sent you flowers.

If you were a logical person, you would have at least hooked up with them, but little old you decided that you should wait for Luke.

So, you rejected every single guy that came up to you.

All your siblings are just straight up worried about you now, they knew how important Luke was to you, but not to this degree.

You still cry yourself to sleep every night,

they find you in the middle of the night going through a photo book of you and Luke.

I want your midnights But I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day

Hold on to the memories They will hold on to you

You still wear the matching bracelet he gave you for your second anniversary.

He’s wearing a new one with his girlfriend.

You see them connecting their magnetic heart charm on their bracelet at campfires, while you’re here playing with yours that no longer had a match.

Hold on to the memories They will hold on to you

You still have his favourite hoodie under your bed.

You still have his favourite shirt under your bed.

You still have one of his camp t-shirts on your bed.

He caught you wearing his hoodie on you way to the bathroom in the middle of the night when you bumped into him.

He never questioned you or asked for it back.

Hold on to the memories They will hold on to you

You still have everything he gave you.

And I will hold on to you.

Everything reminds you of him.

That one bench where the two of you used to hang out on everyday,

ever your own bed, where he used to sneak in to talk to you at night.

Please don't ever become a stranger Whose laugh I could recognise anywhere

You hate it when she makes him laugh.

You hate it when you hear that damn laugh.

You hate it because it didn’t happen because of you.

Please don't ever become a stranger Whose laugh I could recognise anywhere

You hate him because he’s not yours.

-

There's glitter on the floor after the party Girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby

It’s been a couple of months.

You still wear his hoodie to sleep.

like this? or want something better? City of Stars is much more heartbreaking </3

author: yay

Copyright © 2024 essenceofelegance. All rights reserved. 

⋆

Please do not re-upload my work on any platforms without permission.

Any reblogs, comments, likes, shares, and follows are appreciated.

[nepxnth3]

Wally Darling Headcanons

Most Headcanons are romantic ( this is an x reader, this is my first time writing so I’m sorry this isn’t good ( ཀ ʖ̯ ཀ), anyways continue)

Wally probably has matching bracelets, you picked them out, and they were hearts with red laces. you have one half while he has the other, they’re magnetic. He finds it cute and sometimes smiles at the bracelet thinking of you

He loves dancing to old songs wit you, (if you don’t know how to dance he’d 100% show you) he just loves slow dancing with you to old romantic songs

He 100% paints his nails black, he allows you to paint his nails if you want to and he knows he looks good with painted nails. He doesn’t mind other color but he feels like he just looks good with black nails (bros a girlboss)

He 100% wears eyeshadow as well, he sometimes lets you do on him

He probably has a sweetooth, I feel like he prefers sweet over salty, he likes cakes, cupcakes, pastries, basically anything sweet

He cannot bake well, like even if he’s life depended on it but he’s learning from a cook book. Since he doesn’t need to eat, he doesn’t really cook, but ever since he met you he’s been trying to learn how to cook so he can make you food to try. Sometimes it’s good and sometimes it feels like it was made in the pits of hell.

He loves being called nicknames / pet names and calling you petname / nicknames. He just loves you calling him “sweetheart” and he loves calling you the petname “darling” mostly because it’s Wally’s lastname and it makes him blush thinking about you having his last name, as if you guys were married

Random headcanon , he’s just curious of pineapple, he nor hates or likes it, he’s just very curious. When you brought a pineapple he kept eyeing it and basically had a staring contest with it, he just doesn’t understand why it looks like that. He kept asking why was it so pointy, why it does it look like that? Why was it green ish? He has so many questions, some you couldn’t even answer.

He’s very affectionate and he’s just is very clingy, he’s independent around everyone and acts so confident but when he’s alone he sticks to you like glue and he constantly wants your love and affection

He does get jealous easily, he won’t ever show it or say it he rather keep it to himself. He gets jealous easily because he was never given this type of attention before and he doesn’t want you to share it. When Wally gets jealous he does get more clingy without trying to show it, he gets more possessive. He just doesn’t like it when people try to steal your attention while your supposed to pay attention to him. He doesn’t like how people over do their welcoming. But he tries to be patient and he does glare at them once in a while.

He likes taking you out on dates, it’s usually picnics or dates at home, movie nights, etc. Sometimes you guys bake / cook together on date nights and you guys laugh and tease each other during the progress. He always loves them. He loves dates more than anything he loves how much time he gets to spend with you.

He does stares at you, like a lot, sometimes it’s cute sometimes it’s the most horrifying thing, for example on on one of your dates while you were star gazing he was staring at you with lovey dovey eyes which was cute but another time at the middle of the night we was watching you sleep which scared the shit out of you, it felt like your soul left your body

He has a hate love relationship with rainy days, he loves them because they’re so calm and relaxing and he can stay in with you and do inside activities but he also hates them because sometimes when he has to go outside it messes up his hair and you sometimes tease him about it and he gets flustered about it. Since Wally’s hair is so long, it takes him so long it takes longer for his hair to dry not just that he just takes a long time to do his hair.

He loves it when you do his hair, he doesn’t really show it but he enjoys it, he likes how gentle and soft you are with him, you sometimes put his hair in funny hairstyle and he can’t help but laugh but likes how you softly and compassionate you are with him

Hello, this is the author, this is my first time writing, so I apologize if this doesn’t make sense or isn’t really good. But here these are my Wally Darling x Reader Headcanons, hopefully you enjoy them (tbh I want to improve my writing more so I will try to write more soon) (ﾟヮﾟ)

[uwurakax]

-> HQ AS TAYLOR SWIFT LYRICS +

summary just the vibes of t.swift songs/lyrics and who (i think) match with the haikyuu guys ♡

-> i srsly missed them sm omg, clownin (also im rusty pls cri), maybe one day we'll write more on t.s songs bc dang she's killin it rn

(also edit bc i just came back to check this again before posting but, i thought it was fitting bc ya girl got eras tour tickets!)

(( edit two - you can see from above when i started working on this, came back and came back again rn, bc sis is making friendship bracelets rn for next month aa! and i got inspired by this lol - i also just have impeccable taste ))

featuring kageyama || oikawa || akaashi || kenma || atsumu ♡

+ i got other stuff ready to post promise, i just needed this out there +

KING OF MY HEART

"and we rule the kingdom inside my room, 'cause all the boys and their expensive cars... never took me quite where you do and all at once you are the one i have been waiting for, king of my heart, body and soul"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

it's not easy moving on. you'd been scorned before, and had your heart broken. it wasn't a secret to know you'd been on guard, had your heart under lock and key. created a tall, ivory tower that you made sure no one else would think of scaling. that was before you mer him. it was implausibly easy. how everything fell into place when you were just within his vicinity. maybe being hurt wasn't so bad, because if you didn't face them, they wouldn't have led you to him, here and now. he wasn't just the king of the court anymore, another invisible crown bestowed onto him as he climbed; holding the key to you.

- kageyama ♡

LOVER

"i take this magnetic force of a man to be my... my hearts been borrowed and yours has been blue, alls well that ends well to end up with you, swear to be overdramatic and true to my... lover"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

you knew he was a star, anyone with eyes could see. he was destined for great things, and you were a planet following, orbiting around his sun. you'd always follow, for as long as he wanted. your greatest pleasure though was with the mundane. you'd take the stardom, the fame... but you lived for the monotonous. where it was just you and him. you hoped it would last forever. hand in hand, nothing would stop you. whether it was cheering for him on the sidelines, or laying beside him at night, you'd love him for eternity.

- oikawa ♡

GORGEOUS

"ocean blue eyes, looking in mine, i feel like i might sink and drown and die, you're so gorgeous i can't say anything to your face, cause look at your face; gorgeous"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

starstruck, awestruck, wonderstruck. any and every 'struck' you could think of, and thats the feelings that grew the moment you locked eyes on him. it was such a cliche, a crowded room with a bunch of other bodies, and yet you seemed to naturally gravitate towards him. love at first sight. a concept so wildly unbelievable and yet so captivating, that the most famous love story revolved around it. yet here you were, stunned into silence, because this was what you were experiencing now. completely out of your comfort zone, never had anyone ever made you feel like this before; but what could you say? he's gorgeous.

- akaashi ♡

YOU BELONG WITH ME

"i'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry, i know your favourite songs and you tell me about your dreams, think i know where you belong, think i know it's with me"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

it's not easy being in love with your best friend. you knew practically everything about him. so why was he with her when you were always in his corner from the beginning? the late night gaming sessions and text messages. she just wasn't good for him. she didn't understand him like you did, and his calls and conversations all but proved how much better you could be for him. so why? you didn't need to ponder long, because soon enough he was at your doorstep late into the night, confessing how it was a mistake, how he ended things with her and if he could come inside to talk.

- kenma ♡

CRUEL SUMMER

"and i snuck in through the garden gate, every night that summer just to seal my fate, and i scream for whatever it's worth 'i love you! aint that the worst thing you ever heard?' he looks up grinning like a devil"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

you had heard about him. heard about how he wasn't good enough for you, and that you shouldn't get involved. you never were a good listener, and soon enough you became involved with him. despite the little voice in your head telling you to let go, you couldn't. it wasn't supposed to be forever, and you were okay with that. initially anyway. catching feelings for something that would end in disaster... but you couldn't end it. not yet. just how deep did you dive into whatever this was? you couldn't pinpoint when it went south, but did that matter? you were too far gone. the anticipation grew the longer this lasted, and in a bout of stress, you blurted out your confession. not your finest moment, and you were sure he'd shun you for good. turn his back on you and walk away, leaving you to mend your broken heart. he didn't though. he just stood there, with his stupid smirk that made you fall for him to begin with, confessing the same words you all but screamed at him moments ago.

- atsumu ♡

[goldenfawnwriting]

New Man- Izuku Midoriya Drabble part 2 (?)

Summary- After a hard breakup you end up breaking down and meeting up with Izuku even though you're dating his colleague. But how could you assume he would just forget it ever happened?

Warning:

A/N: Part two, sorry it took so long!

It had been a couple weeks since he'd seen you. No texts, no calls, nothing but radio silence from your end. As Izuku moped around his apartment he wasn't sure what to do. He had tried to call and text to no avail; your social media hadn't even been updated at all. He was growing worried as he peered over at the gala invitation hanging by a magnet on his fridge.

It was like a bolt of lightning hit him. You would have to be there. If what you said was true and Todoroki only cared about you when there was an event, then you would most definitely be there.

It was in just a few days' time, on Saturday. He dialed a number on his phone, his publicist.

"Can you tell me who all is gonna be there?"

He asked slyly. He heard his agent moving around some papers.

"Uh, let me see here.... It looks like most of your old classmates are attending. Bakugo, Asui, Denki, and Mina..."

"Is Todoroki attending?"

He mumbled into the phone. There was more noise of things being shuffled around.

"Um, yes, he RSVPed a few days ago."

"Awesome thanks, can you send in an RSVP for me also? But don't let any of the others know, I want it to be like a surprise."

Perks of being the number one hero meant that he could basically crash any party, whether he was invited or not.

"I will get right on that Mr. Midoriya. Would you like me to also contact the stylist team to prepare you something?"

"Yes please, and could you tell them I'd like something black."

^^^^

He fixed his neon green cufflinks and dabbed on cologne, looking into the mirror as he straightened his suit jacket. He couldn't lie, the stylist team had really outdone themselves.

A slim fit, black suit with a corresponding black shirt and tie, he was completely void of color aside from his cufflinks and hair. It made the green pop out wonderfully and he was buzzing with excitement.

He had even had a gift sent over to you in secret, although he's sure you would know it was from him.

With one last look he headed out the door, ducking into the car that would be taking him to the event. It roared to life as he turned the engine over, pulling off into traffic.

The drive was nothing to brag about before he pulled up to the entrance, paparazzi surrounding the roped off walkway. This was perfect, exactly what he was hoping for. You only stood a few feet away, having just arrived, Todoroki dragging you around for the paps to snap pictures of him.

Izuku stepped out of the car, handing his keys to the valet as the paps went wild, instantly forgetting Todoroki as they scrambled to photograph him. His smiled smoothly even though his heart was pounding. He never did like this part but, it was all worth it to see you.

Speaking of you, his eyes caught yours as he looked up, your face ghost white. Wouldn't you know it though, when he grazed over you, he spotted the emerald tennis bracelet around your left wrist, the same one held by his colleague.

A smirk graced his face as he looked back up at you, giving you a knowing look. If you were wearing the bracelet, then you must've read the note it came with. The note telling you that by the end of the night that bracelet would be the only thing you were wearing.

Todoroki seemed completely oblivious to what was going on and Izuku wasn't surprised. He was so worried about the popularity polls that he didn't even notice the way you were looking at him the whole time he spoke to the interviewers. Izuku rolled his eyes and took his time walking up, speaking to the media and taking photos so that you and your date could enter the building before him.

Once he was inside though the game began, his eyes searching the crowd to find you picking a champagne flute from a waiter's tray, nodding and mumbling a thank you before the waiter moved on. You took a sip, your eyes searching the crowd also. Todoroki had left you at a table to mingle, but Izuku didn't want to end the night too early.

He found a group of his classmates, Sero and Denki smiling as he started conversation, always glancing back to you every now and then. He wanted to play the long game, watch what you did. He knew you weren’t very interested in these functions as much as all the pros here. For the dates it was nothing but showing off. It was important what dress you wore, how your hair was done, if your makeup was just slightly smudged after you came back from talking with a close friend out of sight of the crowd.

He had to be careful or the media would definitely figure it all out. As if the green bracelet wasnt hinting enough. It was thrilling though, the risk of it all being brought to light, that Todoroki wasn’t the doting, caring lover that everyone pegged him as. Everyone assumed he was attentive and secretly the golden weeping heart. He was the opposite and Izuku had just recently made the discovery himself. When you two became public he almost thought he would be better for you. What a joke.

It was him you needed, him you craved. And he was all but too happy to oblige, tailing you through the crowd midway through the night. As he kept watch over you he noticed the flush that came over you every time you two locked eyes. You were just as excited as him about the chase. This cat and mouse game you two played secretly, everyone else oblivious for now. You had been alone most of the night, Todoroki too caught up socializing and trying to make himself the socialite his father never really was. It was grossly obvious that his priority was the poll.

He laid a hand on Todoroki’s shoulder, catching his attention.

“Hey Shoto, how are you enjoying the gala?"

"Oh uh, Izuku! Great, it’s great. Have you tried the champagne? I heard it’s a French deal they had shipped over, it’s authentic."

"Oh wow, ya I noticed."

People started filtering away from them, slowly branching off into their own conversations, just as he’d hoped.

"How’s y/n? I haven’t seen her around with you?"

"Oh ya she’s here somewhere, she likes to branch off… why?"

"Oh I was just wondering. She was always anxious in public with me, I guess you really brought her out of her shell ya?"

He glanced around and Izuku could tell he was getting anxious. He ran a hand through his hair before flashing a quick smile.

"What is this about Izuku?"

Despite the warmth in Izuku’s chest he flashed a confused look and sipped from his champagne.

"What do you mean?"

Todoroki huffed and rolled his eyes.

"I know you don’t want to just chat Izuku. Aren’t you and her over with?"

Izuku smirked.

"You could say that."

He turned, walking away then, not bothering to glance back when he knew Shoto was fuming. He was sure this would look great for his public image. An innocent chat that left him angry. He was sure the media would be raving, wondering what they spoke about. If he wanted publicity Izuku could give him that and a lot more. Making his way across the room, he took you by the arm, spinning you into his arms just as a waltz started.

"I-Izuku wh-“

"Just having some fun, you looked bored."

He mumbled into your hair, the hand at your waist gripping almost a little too possessively.

"Izuku he’s gonna figure it-"

"I’m not worried about him."

He cut you off as he spun you around. He’s skin was sparking at the contact with yours, his neck getting warm with a flush.

"I’m worried about you."

You’re face contorted in a confused look. Why would he be worried about you? You swallowed before running your hand down his shoulder.

"You have nothing to be worried about. "

You mumbled back coyly.

"I’m all yours."

You assured him, glancing over his shoulder at Shoto to see him glaring holes into Izukus back.

"He’s angry."

"Let him be."

Izuku chuckled.

"He’s gonna be even more angry when I send you back to him dripping with my-"

"Can I cut in."

It was a more of a demand that came from behind you as Izuku grazed you ear with his lips. His head lifted slowly, without so much of a care in the world that your boyfriend was less than two feet away.

He was half tempted to say no when Shoto grabbed your hand from his shoulder, yanking you away from him and off the ball room floor. It happened almost instantly, his hand reached out and grabbed your other wrist and stopped the both of you. Shoto turned around and you could see the green in Izuku’s eyes darken as he gave Shoto a look.

“We weren’t quite done talking Todoroki.”

He growled. Shoto met his gaze and you looked between the two, anxiety rising.

"Ya well we actually have somewhere to be-“

“Actually y/n was just saying she wanted to come with me for dinner. I already made the reservation.”

Shoto bit his cheek. Izuku knew Shoto wouldn’t make a scene. His poor reputation would be at stake. He turned and stalked off, leaving him with you and a sly smile.

“Let’s get out of here…”

He trailed off, grabbing your hand and leading you out to the valet. You couldn’t help but giggle behind your hand, the whole situation seeming childish. Still, it made you feel jittery, like you all were in high school again and you were the toy the two were fighting over.

Izuku was groping your thigh as he drove, no restaurant anywhere in your plans. You two went straight back to his apartment, just making it in the door before he had you up against the wall, thighs wrapped around his waist as he shoved your gown up. He huffed at all the layers in your skirt as he kissed down your neck. The next second he had ran his hands up to the zipper, ripping it down before lifting the gown over your head and off, throwing it over to the side.

You were left in just your panties, a dark green lace catching his eye immediately. A small tear drop shaped emerald hung from the waist band, the crotch completely open. He was drooling, fingering the little gem, his eyes grazing up your body. Your curves had him rock hard before you guys were even started, his hands gripping your waist and his fingertips pressing into your soft love handles just enough that you were aware of his touch.

“Izu~”

He groaned lowly, his lips going to your neck, leaving mark after mark, all the way down to your pretty tits. You moaned the whole time, slick gathering quickly.

“Izuku please, I can’t wait any longer..”

He smirked up at you before carrying you over to the couch and laying you down, returning to your soft skin, kissing down your stomach until he came to your hips.

“You wore these just for me didn’t you?”

He whispered and you nodded in reply, looking down at his head of green curls, your thighs clenching unintentionally.

“All for you ‘Zuku.”

You promised him. His eyes darkened as he spread your knees, slotting himself in between them. You stopped him though; you had plans of your own. You pushed him back onto the couch, moving in between his knees before unbuckling his dress pants and pulling them down with his boxers. He watched you the whole time as you stoked him gently, leaning down to kitten lick the tip of his cock, precum tangy against your tongue. He groaned lowly as he stroked your hair, your mouth finally enveloping him as you took him in, sucking down on him as you hollowed your cheeks. His head fell back as you continued, making your way down farther until your eyes teared up, his cock hitting the back of your throat.

He couldn’t take it anymore, he was gonna bust if you continued. He wanted to enjoy this though, his hand gripping your hair tightly as he guided your head down on him. He moaned loudly as his cock twitched in your mouth. You pulled off him and pushed him back when he tried to get off before straddling his waist. He was more and more taken aback and you were on a power trip, sliding his cock between you and gathering the slick that was nearly dripping down your thighs. As you slid down onto him you both moaned in unison, his cock feeling so deep you almost couldn’t catch your breath.

He smirked up at you, grabbing your hips and starting to pump up into you, slowly at first and then picking up the speed. You were a moaning mess above him and then he pulled you down on top of him, wrapping his arms around you in almost a hug as he began pounding up into you.

The coil in your stomach snapped instantly, gushing around his as he groaned into your neck, huffing as he pounded into your cervix.

“I’m gonna-“

“Fill me ‘zuku please fill me~”

You stuttered out as your thighs trembled. It was only a few more pumps before he was filling you to the brim, his cum gushing out of you from the force he was pumping into you at. He groaned loudly before he sighed, pulling out of you and turning to go to the en-suite bathroom. You watched him from the bed, your mind racing. He just was done huh? No comment, no glance. It almost hurt your feelings. He came back with a wet rag before throwing boxers on as you cleaned yourself up.

“Uh… wanna watch a movie or something? Order pizza?”

You looked over at him, surprised.

“Uh sure sounds good.”

You thought he was gonna send you on your way after that but then, that wasn’t much like him at all if you thought about it. He went to his dresser, pulling out a tshirt and a pair of sleep shorts you must’ve left behind when you guys broke up. You took them gingerly and slipped into them, the shirt coming almost to your knees. It was his, obviously, the front showing off a picture of a random hero you didn’t remember the name of.

As you guys watched some random comedy and waited on the pizza Izuku kept his distance. He didn’t want to ruin this comfortability. He knew you’d split if he was too pushy but he wanted to bring up Shoto. He wanted to address the elephant in the room. You took him by surprise by bringing him up first.

“I wanna leave him..”

You mumbled, and he almost didn’t hear it.

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“I just didn’t know if you honestly wanted to or if you were doing it for me.”

“I just don’t want to hurt him.”

“Y/n I don’t think he honestly cares at all.”

You gave him a look and he shrugged.

“I’m just saying, it’s obvious.”

“Well what do I do?”

“Don’t ask me, that’s up to you. If you don’t want to be with him don’t be.”

You looked unsure and Izuku found himself a little irked. Wasn’t it obvious at this point? Why was this such an issue for you?

“The media would have a hay day.”

You mumbled, slouching back into the couch after grabbing your phone off the table.

You guys filled up on pizza as the movie played, Izuku with his legs spread for you to sit between on the floor as he pulled pins out of your hair. Nearly a million pins later, he massaged your scalp to relieve it from the tight braids and updo. You typed on your phone quickly and he had half a mind to peak over your shoulder but he wouldn’t. He wasn’t that type of person. But just maybe….

He was floored. You were texting Shoto, big long paragraphs, quick typing. You must be angry for that big of paragraphs to grace your screen. He was almost excited to see it, he wanted you two to break up but, he wouldn’t say that. You huffed and through your phone down beside you on the floor. He wanted to ask what it was about but he also wanted you to want to tell him, if that makes sense. His mind was jumbled, he didn’t know what to do, to leave it be or say something.

“I can’t believe him.”

He looked down at you and licked his lips.

“What’s going on?”

“He’s mad at me for leaving with you cause it made him look bad but, he won’t even acknowledge the fast he ignored me all night. It’s like we literally aren’t even together unless it’s to take pictures for magazines. And I don’t even know why, cause the media doesn’t like me, they think I’m a slut anyway.”

“Well I think it’s mostly for him, he’s not worried about your image.”

“ I’m just so over it, it’s annoying he’s putting all this responsibility on me when I’m not even a pro hero. My image doesn’t matter so why do I have to make a ridiculous effort to be someone I’m not?”

“So he looks better.”

You groaned loudly and picked up your phone again.

“I’m breaking up with him, I’m done.”

His heart soared. His stomach dropped. He was buzzing.

“I hate him. I can’t stand this anymore.”

He had done it, he had brought you back to him, he was sure of it. You had no intention of getting back with Izuku though, you were still under the impression that he didn’t have time for you. You still thought he was too immersed in his hero work to have time for a relationship. You didn’t want to be inconsiderate to the amount of effort he put into his career, so friends with benefits would be good enough.

When the deed was done you signed, standing up as the credits to the movie rolled.

“Well, I’m gonna go ahead and head home.”

“Oh, I mean you don’t have to you could stay the night.”

He didn’t want to rush this, if you needed space he would give you that. But you were his, and he’d remind you as many times as it took.

“Oh Izu, I don’t want to bother you, you probably have work to do-“

“I don’t.”

He assured you. You gave a confused look but relaxed back into the couch with him, memories playing of the days spent just the two of you, living together and sitting on this same couch, playing board games and watching movies. You missed it a lot.

“Well, why don’t you come see my place? I know you haven’t been there since I… got it.”

You mumbled the last part, not wanting to bring up the breakup.

“Besides, I need to grab some stuff if I’m gonna stay the night.”

He smiled at you, getting up to grab his car keys. He didn’t want to admit it but, this would definitely give him a chance to figure out his next move. See how you were really doing.

“Let’s go.”

He called, grabbing your hand before you went out the door.

[wetwaluigi]

I've been studying up on these idiots from sonic lost world, and I decided it would be fun to document some stuff (and fill in some of the many blanks the writers left for them eventually) along with some scribbles!!! i will now hand you over to this rabbit i found on fiverr

The Zeti are a race of oni native to the Lost Hex, each with similarly colorful designs and yokai-like characteristics. The only Zeti I have met so far were the Deadly Six, so what I've learned will be based on them alone. However, it can be inferred that there are plenty of other Zeti based on the architecture in the Lost Hex and lines from both Zavok and Zomom.

It looks like it's a part of Zeti culture to be inherently malicious, and find enjoyment in the suffering of others. They do not care what happens to other people as long as they can get what they want, but this does not apply to the rare people that are close to them. All of them exhibit extremely obsessive behavior about the things they enjoy or value(Zavok and power, Zazz and violence, Zeena and fashion, etc.), and this selfishness motivates the majority of their actions.

In terms of their appearance, one thing I have not been able to figure out is if the black parts on the Zeti are clothing or skin patterns. I think it's clothing, since Master Zik's 'black parts' flow off into a robe(I'm too nervous to ask any of them). Zeti claws usually are the secondary color of their bodies, with the exception being Zeena's painted nails and Zik's darker talons. The last part to the way they present themselves is the spike bracelets present on half of them, likely for intimidation.

The Zetis' most powerful ability is Magnetokinesis, which allows them to manipulate magnetic fields with their minds. This allows them to control technology, and as the Lost Hex is likely held together from magnetic fields, allows them to move freely around their world as well. Other abilities all of the Zeti possess are extreme strength and agility, and what appears to be some form of energy manipulation. Each of the Deadly Six also have their own unique powers, which I will mention some other time. For how powerful they are, they don't seem to win very often.

The last thing I'll mention is that the Zeti seem to be a fairly closed off race, only leaving their home planet whenever the opportunity is given to them. They are not seen very often, and rarely receive tourists. They also seem to have a unique communication system between each other, which is likely controlled via Magnetokinesis as well. Seeing as they can live extremely long lives (as Zik is well over 1000, and still perfectly agile),  it's impressive that the Lost Hex has enough room to contain the species(and even more impressive we haven't seen ANY OTHER ZETI!! rgh). 

[rafent]

a dominating kiss to end an argument 

Soren probably meant to punch Rafal when he grabbed the other's collar, last syllable of their argument on his lips. He thought it was clear who was right (himself, as usual) and who was delusional, but when it seemed Rafal was going to protest—

It was like magnets snapping together, black and white colliding with force as Soren gave a harsh, consuming kiss to Rafal, not even bothering to say shut up when he could take the shortcut and make him.

He didn't even regret it- yet? Tacticians understood ruses came in many necessary forms.

𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓

Emblem Soren. Real Soren. He found that what few differences existed between the two did so with striking transparency. Without the boon of levitation the true Soren was even shorter than the already diminutive Emblem who once floated at his side, whose relic wrapped in the form of a bracelet around Rafal's very wrist. A smaller and seemingly feeble body, however, did not qualify for the Fell Dragon's mercy and- by the look of things- didn't need it in the slightest, either.

"If you mean to strike then do it." He glared coldly down at the shorter- weaker- man when he seized his collar, knowing just how to twist a knife even when he rested beneath one himself. Tension commanded his form as he made to move; to protest, or to push Soren away, to attack him or- "I will relish in the knowledge that you could never best me in words!! Instead you must resort to—"

But there was no impression of weakness as he originally assumed. Not a single drop of it in the collision between them as the Fell Dragon was hauled down for a bruising match of mouths that earned his startled hiss. If the goal was his silence then Soren had seized it successfully in a decisive maneuver, but one could wonder whether there was any meaning to one battle lost when another one had just begun.

Did you think this was your easy victory?

He kissed him back. Of course he did. Knocking their teeth together and striping his nails across all the fleshy spaces they could reach. Because Rafal never backed down from a challenge. Because he would ensure doubly that a flimsy mage ever regretted ambushing Rafal in such a way. With a bite he would ruin his expectation for victory; with mussing hands he knew the dedication that went into tidy long hair equal to his own, so he would ruin that too.

By the end when they pulled apart in a tumult of tired breathing, he pressed his thumb against the corner of his mouth. Come away with something wet, red, and salty smeared across it. Not his own. In noticing that, the white dragon's ensuing smirk glowed like a dragonstone.

[ssparksflyy]

leo valdez dating hcs !

pairing : leo valdez x gn!reader warnings : itty bitty cursing , maybe spelling mistakes but ill fix em later a/n : yoyoyo starting this at 1:06 am. not sleeping til im done <3 ilysm for reading this, nd hopefully i write something again soon 😭 perhaps a pt.2 to the last time? 😋

leo is literally the most perfect bf :(

hes very much a gentleman

holds ur things, opens doors for u, asks u about ur day, holds ur hand when ur walking, and comforts u when ur sad

omg nd idk if u guys have seen this one video where this guy is dragging his foot through the snow so his gf has a clear path and doesnt step on any snow

but he'd 100% do that if it snowed

leo's always making sure u get the best treatment and nothing less

now, its a known fact that this boy will def make things for u

have u guys seen those cool flowers made outta scraps nd stuff? yea expect at least one of those every day. all in different colors.

he'll sneak into ur cabin every afternoon, doesn't matter if ur in there or not, nd leaves them on ur nightstand with little notes

like u could just be having the most shit day

nd then u walk into ur cabin and find a cute little flower, always a different color from the day before with a note that says something like

'i saw you laughing at something (ur friend's name) said. i love the way you throw your head back laughing like a little kid <3 love, leo'

like AW

u dont know how to tell him ur running outta room for the flowers, but at the same time, dont want him to stop ♡

i feel like leo would also make matching bracelets that connect with a magnet

he asked piper for help since she's got a BUNCH of beads, nd spent like 2 hours trying to make them bcs he kept dropping it 😭

nd once he FINALLY finishes them he literally SPRINTS to show u all like

"y/n! y/n! look! i made us bracelets!" nd has the biggest smile on his face as he shows u that they connect

u give him a big ol hug + a kiss on his cheek and his grin somehow grows even bigger

leo loves loves loves holding ur hand

his hands are warm ofc, nd the fact that their rough makes it 10x better

he loves fidgeting with ur hands

like ur used to it at this point

he'll ask u how ur day was nd starts to play with one of hands as u tell him abt ur day

if u dont like that / ask him to stop, ofc he will, he'll just start fidgeting with something else

IT'S ME, HI

he FOR SURE wears one of those adhd rings that spin when he isn't working

IM THE PROBLEM ITS ME

if u let him play with ur hands and wear rings, he'll take em all off and rearrange them, sometimes putting one of them on if he thinks its cool

after u tell him abt ur day, he'll tell u about his as he puts his arm around u and u lean into him

its apart of ur nightly routine, you'll either meet in urs or his cabin, depends on who finds who first

sometimes the other person'll stay the night

leo's a big cuddler, nd since he's so warm, u end up staying the night in his cabin pretty often

can i just say

leo's the typa guy to have the SLUTTIEST waist EVER

like he is SNATCHED

u often find urself wrapping ur arms around his waist bcs of that

its not fair :(

movin on

leo loves dancing omgg

if u dont know how to itll be his #1 priority to teach u how

sometimes when ur hanging out in bunker 9 he'll put on a slow song nd just starts dancing with u

in that moment he rlly doesnt care about anything else. he's with you, and that's all that matters.

UGH I JUST THOUGHT OF DANCING WITH OUR HANDS TIED

in short

like him

leo is literally the most perfect bf ever nd i love him

a/n (pt. 2) : yooooo, hope u enjoyed! its 3:25am. im tired. but now have motivation so aint that fun :,) also idk why it takes me so long to write i literally just get distracted

BUT BASICALLY tysm again for reading, ily, nd goodnight <3

peace from manhattan,

percy jackson

[beomslover]

gimme ur hybrid txt thoughts :)) anything in general. i really love to hear others ideas !!

(I’m a new follower and I love your account so far! Keep it up :)))))

FIRST OF ALL TYSM???!?!?!! this is so encouraging and kind, i’m truly glad you enjoy my work :(( thank you so much for this, and i hope you enjoy baby

secondly i have so much to say about hybrid!txt and idk how to organize my thoughts so let’s go :)

yeonjun

- first of all he’s a fox hybrid, nothing more nothing less

- ik everyone says that but choi yeonjun is such a fox. he’s more fox than an actual fox actually.

- i feel like you would meet him as a pup and he’d immediately imprint on you and stick to your side like a magnet literally for the rest of your life

- your little dog-cat boy will be all over you all the time :((

- he’d build comfy nests for the two of you, surrounded by your (his) favorite articles of your clothing, blankets, and teddies :(

(a lot more under the cut)

- he’ll get pouty and sulky if you leave your little nest so don’t leave :( he’s building a home for you, be nice

- did i mention that he wants your attention all the time

- he may seem like he’s all grown up but he’s still a clingy, playful pup inside

- loves to play fetch with you too

- even though he’ll always use his “old dog” excuse when you ask him to wash the dishes or pick up after himself

- imagine jjun is pestering you while you’re trying to do your work so you toss a bouncy ball to distract him but he returns it to you with a playful glint in his eye <//3 how could you say no to that face??

- buy him chew toys to play with while you’re busy :”) they’ll keep him occupied long enough for you to get some work done

- but it never lasts too long because he’ll get tired of playing soon enough and want to cuddle you again :((

- needy pup will just sit in your lap, attempting to tuck his long legs away so they won’t be too much of a bother

- “is this okay?” jjun would ask, and you’re mildly uncomfortable and a bit warm for your liking but you’d better say yes anyway

- tldr; clingy feline canine boy

soobin

- i tried to think mildly outside the box a bit so hear me out alright

- wolf hybrid

- everything about soobin screams wolf pup to me right??? like yeah he’s big and definitely not a pup but isn’t he such a wolf pup though??

- the answer is yes btw

- he can definitely be clingy but he’s a lot more quiet and calculated about it

- soobin will pretend he’s just hanging out in your space and patiently wait for you to give him the physical attention he so desires

- he’ll lie across your lap silently and patiently and then pretend to have no reaction when you scratch behind his ears

- a protector for sure

- but again, a quiet protector

- he’s no crazy possessive alpha but he’ll definitely guard you from other hybrids and gently tug you away if he notices someone making you uncomfortable

- always makes sure you’re okay before worrying about himself :(( just wants to know his beloved is safe and comfortable at all times, his needs can wait

- soobin will also trail you like the loyal puppy that he is

- no matter where you go, he’s right there with you, either with his arm wrapped around your waist or trailing closely behind you

- you never have to worry about him seeing anyone else because he only ever has eyes for you

- sometimes soobin can get too lost in you and you have to remind him to maintain his other relationships though (same)

- it’s never too extreme though, he just needs gentle reminders that you’re not the only person alive :)

- wolf hybrid!soobin loves having his hair brushed and will give you the biggest, most pitiful puppy eyes until you do it for him

- will probably make you wear a matching bracelet so everyone knows you’re his :) nothing too flashy though, he’s subtle about his possessiveness

- tldr; idk basic wolf hybrid things

beomgyu

- OUR BABY BEARRRR

- big-little baby bear boy with little baby bear ears :((

- he gets insecure because all the boys have bigger ears than him so make sure you pat his head and tell him you love his little ears!!

- gyu will giggle like crazy if you play with his ears :(( but no one else gets to do it or he’ll get mad

- a biter

- he just likes to gently bite down on your arms or legs for no reason in particular

- sometimes gyu bites too hard and draws blood but he profusely apologizes and helps you clean up right away </3

- poor boy doesn’t know how strong he is

- will get excited to see you and give you the tightest hugs before quickly remembering that you aren’t a bear like him

- beomgyu fiercely protective of things that are his :)

- his family, his friends, his things, his love, you name it

- it takes him a while to get used to your friends and make sure they’re good enough for you, but after that no one else is allowed to talk to you without receiving the coldest death glare from him

- grumbles under his breath about how ugly they were and how “they probably don’t even have pretty ears like me right?? ‘m prettier right??”

- sighs </3 he’s so cute when he’s jealous </3

- gyu would prefer if you relied on him for protection but he ends up needing your protection more often than not :’)

- baby bear is adventurous but very clumsy

- he really really loves when you lay on his chest or curl up in his arms </3 makes him feel needed

- which he is obviously

- you need him as much as he needs you (which he’ll never admit is a lot)

- tldr; protective boy who wants praise and reassurance sometimes!

taehyun

- i must say i was conflicted about this one due to my desire to be unique

- but taehyun is just such a cat hybrid

- i think he’d be a deep grey chartreux for some reason, it just makes sense to me

- he’s elegant and quiet, and doesn’t mind spending most of your time together completing separate activities in the same room

- tyun also likes to sit at your feet while you’re occupied with work or whatever show you’re interested in at the moment, resting his head against your knee as he reads a book or watches along with you

- he loves socializing with you, contrary to popular belief

- even if you aren’t as social, he loves to go out with you on his arm because he loves to show you off </3

- tyun does prefer to spend alone time with you though

- his fav couple activity has to be curling up together in a sunny spot on the carpet and napping the day away

- sunny cat naps with tyun </////3

- he also loves loves loves scenting you

- because he’s totally not possessive but you need to smell like him because you belong to him, in his words

- imagine your kitty tyun curling up on your lap and nuzzling his cheek against your neck, gently purring and mewling as he “subtly” marks you as his :(

- he’ll get fussy if you’re ticklish though so stay still!!

- he won’t ever directly ask to you to pet him :) instead he’ll nudge you and poke you and head butt you until you get the message

- can and will cat nap directly on top of you and will definitely grumble if you wake him

- another biter but in a very different way

- tyun simply uses your arm as a mouthrest in stark contrast to gyu’s full on biting

- his little chompers get tired sometimes and he needs a nice warm cushion so deal with it :’)

- actually i think he might nip you sometimes just for fun

- kitty tyun is actually more playful than he seem, but he loves to play innocent if ever he does pull a little prank on you

- his best practical joke (in his opinion) is tickling your nose with his tail while you’re sleeping so you wake up sneezing :)

- he can barely stifle his laughter pls he really thinks he’s funny

- his pranks are lame but he’s cute about it so laugh with him <3

- tldr; i actually don’t remember u gotta read this one

hueningkai

- PENGUIN!!!!!

- idk if this is an uncommon headcanon but he’s definitely a little penguin

- first and foremost he trails you like a lost chick no matter what :((

- holds onto your sleeves and waddles so closely behind you that you can feel his unnatural warmth radiating off of him :((

- clinging to you always

- keeps the temperature very low solely for the purpose of wearing sweaters indoors and snuggling with you

- if you thought yeonjun was too cljngy you have another thing coming with hueningkai

- he’s always either holding your hand inside his sweater paw, snuggled up on your stomach napping, hugging you tightly as you sit on his lap, or following behind you with your pinky securely intwined with his :(((

- i love clingy!kai can you tell

- he loves when you rub his tummy or play with his freakishly soft hair

- mainly because he loves the way you compliment him </3

- tell him how soft his hair is and how much you love his squishy tummy, he’ll melt on the spot

- your sweet little penguin lives for your praise

- hyuka also loves to speak to you in “penguin” just to make you laugh :)

- “peng!! peng peng peng, peng peng!! peng peng peng!! …. that means i love you in penguin :>”

- and no matter how many times he says it, you’ll still laugh fondly at his adorable half smile and rosy cheeks as he tells you for the millionth time

- “peng peng peng peng!! that means i love you more”

- gets pouty if you don’t feed him like a baby

- sure, hyuka is much bigger than you now but he’s still your baby so you should still take care of him!!

- he gets jealous of hybrids who have pretty ears so often asks you to make ears for him out of his hair and decorate them with pretty ribbons :)

- sorry this is getting too damn long i need to end it here

- tldr; i love hybrid!txt

[chaosromanoff]

Stay close (Natasha Romanoff x Fem!Reader)

Summary: Natasha comes back from a long mission and you, being her clingy girlfriend, just want her to be close to you.

Warnings: Not really, it's mainly fluff. English it's not my first language, sorry if there are any mistakes in this.

Today was the day. Natasha would finally arrive to the compound after two long months.

Her mission was supposed to last only a couple of weeks, but Fury required more information and Natasha had to obey.

You took a quick shower and got dressed with one of your girlfriend's t-shirts. You are aware that you will see her in a few hours, but you missed her and her scent. Wearing her clothes was something you used to do whenever she went on a mission, and sometimes she did the same thing with your clothes when it was your turn to go on a mission.

You left your room and went straight to the kitchen to eat something, finding Wanda right there. "Good morning!" You greeted.

"Aren't you supposed to be training?" Wanda asked you when she saw you making yourself a sandwich.

"I got injured, so Steve told me I could have some free days." You explained.

You trained everyday and always spent several hours in the gym. Three days ago, while you were lifting, you felt a cramp in one of your arms. It was usual but this time the pain was terrible, so you went to Bruce's office. He told you that your body needed some rest and you would be fine in a week or so.

You didn't feel pain anymore, but your teammates wouldn't risk your health and safetyness. And at some point it was because, yes, they cared about you a lot, but also because Natasha would kill them if something ever happened to you.

After eating breakfast with Wanda, she went to the gym to train. Usually, you trained with her and Natasha, but since you couldn't train and your girlfriend was on a mission, Wanda had to train with Bucky and Sam for a few more days. And it was because Natasha refused to train everytime she came back from a mission, she just wanted to stay close to you whenever she's back, and so did you.

It was almost 6 p.m. which meant Natasha should be in the compound at any moment.

You had prepared a little surprise, you bought her favorite candies and got a nice bracelet for her, which had a magnetic charm that connected with the one you were wearing to, forming a little heart.

"I think it's too much." You sighed and Wanda shook her head.

"She's gonna love it, I promise. Besides, you know her more than everyone else, you should know she's gonna be excited when she sees the bracelet."

You smiled and nodded, Wanda was right. Behind her cold shield, Natasha was actually adorable and sweet, she was so romantic and a little bit corny sometimes, but you loved that about her.

"Y/N?" Wanda called you.

"Yeah?"

"Stop thinking about Natasha, you didn't even listened when I told you she has just arrived."

"Of course I was listening to you!" Wanda raised her eyebrows at your words and you went silent. Did she just...? "She's here? Like right now?"

"That's what I was sayi-" You didn't let her finish because you started running to the hangar outside the compound. "Should've seen it coming."

Natasha smiled when she got off of S.H.I.E.L.D's jet as she saw you running towards her. She opened her arms and you huger her, envolving your legs on her waist and your arms around her neck.

"I missed you too, detka." You both got separated just enough to share a loving kiss. Damn, you really missed her.

You woke up next morning and smiled instantly when you felt Nat's arms aroun your waist, hugging you tightly. You put your hand over the wirst that had the silver bracelet you gave her and played with it a little bit. You felt happy remembering how excited she was when you gave it to her, she instantly loved that bracelet and wasted no time putting it on.

"Morning, babe." She said kissing your head.

"Morning, Nat." You turned around so you could bury your face on her neck and she laughed a little when your breath hit her skin.

"It tickles." She told you and you smirked. You started kissing her neck and her breath hitched on her throat. "Y/N, baby."

"Yes, Natty?" Just when she was about to answer, you both heard someone knocking at your door. "Come in."

"Are you both dressed in decent clothes?" Wanda asked and you and Nat laughed when you saw her covering her eyes.

"We are. You're safe, Wands." She uncovered her eyes and waved her hand to greet you.

"Breakfast's served, hurry or it'll get cold... or Thor's gonna eat your food."

Natasha started getting up, but you stopped her. "Stay close to me." You told her, a pout forming on your mouth. Nat chuckled.

"I'm right in front of you, malyshka." She said and you got up, hugging her by her back. "Y/N! Thor is going to eat our food if we're not there right now." She said laughing.

"Let's go then."

Natasha put her arms under your thighs and got up with you still on her back. And all of your teammates' eyes were on you both when you arrived to the kitchen.

"Finally, the lovebirds are here!" Tony teased.

"Shut up, Stark." Nat said and you got off of her and started walking towards Wanda to help her and Nat took a seat next to Steve, who was a little bit nervous. "All good?"

"Y/N got injured under my supervision, I'm sorry!" Steve shouted and Nat frowned her eyebrows before looking at you.

"I'm fine." You assured. "My arm doesn't even hurt anymore."

"That was all?" Nat asked, containing her laugh. Steve sighed and nodded. "Ok, Cap."

You and Wanda got back with napkins and some mugs for the coffee and tea, and before Natasha could even move, you stared at her with puppy eyes. "What's up, detka?"

"Can I sit on your lap?" You murmured so only she could hear you. She smiled and nodded. As you sat, Natasha's arm circled your waist and kept you close to her body, just how you liked it.

The end, hope you liked it :) I'm thinking about a 2nd part tho.

[sixofpomegranates]

The Dove and the Agent | Ch.17

✨My Main Masterlist | 18+ | AO3 | Wattpad✨

🕊Masterlist | Soundtrack | Aestethic Trailer🕊

✨previous chapter✨

Chapter CW: Mentions of canon typical violence/TOXIC family/anxiety/, gaslighting, cheating, talks about Sex/Pressure/Consent/Virginity, alcohol consumption, massive pining, Protective!Spencer

**********

"The most confused you will ever get is when you try to convince your heart and spirit of something your mind knows is a lie." — Shannon L. Alder

Pretty girl.

Incredible just how accurate Derek's nickname for Dove was...

I had seriously tried not to, but my eyes always seemed to snap back at her like she was a magnetic force capturing me with her long, straightened white-blonde mane, pink puffy lips, and – since three hours – with those beautiful, in velvet dressed curves.

I wasn't one to stare, yet sitting next to her in the club, watching over her drink when she and Penelope went dancing...

She was so beautiful. Every. Singly. Inch.

This girl was perfection. Her laugh, the way her nose twitched when Penelope got her to drink tequila, how she – although already tipsy – always came back to me and tried to have a somewhat sober conversation so I wouldn't feel left out.

How lucky I had been to have her forgive my stupid words that had hurt her so much. I never ever wanted to make that mistake again. The tears and the fact that she wasn't even surprised that she had gotten hurt made me vow to think of how I was behaving more.

It wasn't a secret that during the last months, while my relationship with Max had fallen apart and after we parted ways, I had become bitter and – as Emily said – often could be a petty bitch.

Dove had cashed in a fair share of my petty behavior. I swore to myself that I would make it up to her even though she wasn't even holding a grudge.

I was lucky to have such a kind-hearted little bird in my life.

"Professor, I'm a little drunk.", she announced sitting down next to me, and I chuckled.

"Now is that so?", Dove nodded, and I handed her the bottle of water I had gotten earlier. "Drink some water. It'll help." "Kay.", she chirped, doing as told and looking at the music video playing on one of the TVs mounted to the walls. "Why don't you drink?", she suddenly asked, making me shrug.

She was clearly not sober or ready enough to hear about my history with addiction.

"Because I can't watch out for you when I'm drunk.", was what I settle for as an answer instead. "You don't need to always watch out for me." "But I feel better knowing you're safe."

Her eyes became soft, cheeks a little pinker, and she nudge me with her shoulder.

"That makes me feel special and important.", she joked, making me look at her. "Because you are."

The longer I stared into these beautiful blue oceans, the soberer she seemed to become solely through the honesty I had given her with my words. She sat up straight and shook her head a little, laughing at herself.

"Ew, look at me getting all emotional and flustered by that."

"Feeling a little soberer?", she nodded at the water bottle, eyes falling onto her bracelet. "Yeah. I liked your magic tricks by the way.", I grinned. We hadn't really gotten around to talking about it since Rossi's. "Was the whole point."

Looking at me again, I couldn't help but notice her tongue wetting her lips before they parted into a kittenish smile.

"Next time I'll perform one for you.", I raised my brows at this promise. "That takes some practice, Sweetheart.", she blinked a couple of times. "Yeah, so?", Dove asked as if it was nothing, like the effort was worth it for me, and I nodded and grinned.

"Okay. Can't wait then."

The proud and excited smile on her lips melted my heart as she closed her water bottle.

"Kay. I'm think gonna dance with Penny again. If that's okay, I mean? I can stay and talk if you want?"

Moving my head in the direction of the dancefloor, I smiled. "Go have fun.", this made her smile.

"I'd have fun with you too but okay.", she giggled and got up, leaving me again.

I knew that alcohol stifles reasoning skills and contemplating repercussions. That was why people were more likely to tell the truth while intoxicated, offering up brutally honest, unfiltered opinions, or do something dumb like almost kissing your student while watching a teen rom-com.

Watching Dove, alcohol seemed to give her the courage to do or say things she ordinarily wouldn't. She jumped around with Penelope, sang along, and clearly enjoyed herself. Not overthinking every single movement like anxiety liked to force her to.

The team, minus Dove who had gone to the bathroom, had come back to sit with me and have another round of drinks. Laughing and being extremely proud of having gotten Dove to let loose a little.

At Rossi's, it hadn't looked like it at first. After Penelope, JJ and Emily had dressed Dove and put makeup on her like she was a little doll, she had seemed terribly nervous.

Sweetheart had already told me she wasn't going out a lot but she seemed to stay home alone more often than she was willing to admit.

I caught her smile as she made her way across the dancefloor to us and then watched it disappear as she looked to the side as if somebody had just called her name.

I had to force myself to not run up to her and become overbearing. Just a vanishing smile didn't mean danger. Yet, I already hated whoever had made it disappear with the fire of a thousand suns.

The second I saw the tall, chubby redhead the number of suns increased.

Dove's ex-boyfriend. The idiot who didn't respect her boundaries, the asshole that had cheated on her. The one guy she had allowed to be her partner and he had thanked her by proving that he wasn't worth her affection.

Dove seemed to get annoyed, telling him something while shaking her head and pulling away her hand as he tried taking it.

"Who's that guy?", Emily asked as the whole group seemed to quickly have fallen out of drunkenness and into observing mode.

"Dove's ex.", I answered, eyes not leaving Dove as she seemed to get more and more frustrated in the conversation Logan was capturing her in.

Luke lifted himself a little from the seat to have a better view. "What does that dude want?" "I don't know."

Their conversation got audible as Dove walked into our direction, having him grab her hand so she'd turn around harshly.

"Leave me alone, Logan.", she said clearly upset, pulling her arm from his grip again.

"C'mon, Babe. I just want you back.", of course, he wanted her back, moron had tossed gold out of the window without realizing how irreplaceable and precious it was.

"I'm not interested." "Why not?", Logan asked, getting irritated because she didn't come back to him like a little dog.

His question earned a sarcastic laugh and rolling eyes from Dove. "You cheating on me and getting that woman pregnant just seems like a red flag."

JJ looked at me, touching my arm carefully as if to figure out if I knew more than the others about this situation and if they needed to get worried.

"Spence?", she asked, my eyes still fixed on Dove as she now started walking towards our table again. "Last time she saw him I had to intervene."

I stood up, welcoming Dove with concern. "Hey, little bird.", I cooed as Logan promptly walked up behind her.

"Oh, fuck me. The Suit-Ninja. 'Sup my man?", he greeted me, having me shake my head and rather focus on her.

"Are you okay?", I asked, while she nodded and turned to her ex. "Just leave, Logan."

"Women.", he shrugged in my direction, before starting to gaslight my little bird. "Dove, you know I love you so much more than any of the women I sleep with."

"You have a pregnant girlfriend at home.", Dove told him, eyes becoming full with angry tears. I somehow knew that if not for the pregnancy, Dove would've already been his again.

But her words didn't stop Logan. Gaslighting seemed to have worked on her before since he tried it again, sounding so genuine and soft I felt like either throwing up or throwing fists.

"We're just fuck-buddies. You know that men have urges and-" "She told you to leave.", I interrupted his manipulative nonsense.

He looked at me confused for a split second before eyeing my little bird again.

"Are you serious? C'mon, Sugar. Talk to me.", Dove turned away from him, thinking she would get him to understand that she didn't even want to look at him anymore. "No. Leave me alone."

There he did what I had feared he would. "Okay, that's bullshit. Come here.", he said angrily, grabbing her left wrist with a force that made his knuckles turn white and harshly pulled on her arm, wanting to force her to come with him.

Red. Fuming anger and murder filled my vision as Dove cried out in pain.

I had tried to let to let her fight her own battles, tried not to be too much but this, this right here was where I drew the line. I instantly stepped in, removing his hand from her, and rammed him with full force onto our table, pinning him down and his arm on his back.

"Seems like you're going to learn a very valuable lesson tonight and that is 'No means No'. Don't you ever dare touching a woman again after she told you multiple times that she isn't interested in a fat, embarrassing excuse of a man like you are.", I growled just waiting for him to resist and give me a reason to truly hurt him.

"You're breaking my arm, man.", he whimpered like the pathetic coward all abusive and manipulative men were deep inside.

I almost grinned at his weakness, indulging in the groans of pain as I made sure to twist his arm some more, barely noticing the shocked looks of my friends.

"I promise you, if you don't leave her alone I will do much worse to you than just breaking your arm. You will now leave the premises and never touch, contact, or even think of Dove ever again. Else I make sure your child grows up with two mommies. Did I make myself clear?"

He nodded at my threat, cheek scraping on the table. "C-Crystal."

As I let go of him, he removed himself from the table, wincing and rubbing his arm. I watched him like a lion lurking in the high grass, ready to attack. Faster than his pitiable slow mind would've ever been able to process.

He walked away a few steps and then turned around once more, sluggishly smiling at me like he hadn't almost pissed himself a few seconds ago.

"Hey, Suit.", he called me, looking once more at Dove before back at me. "If you think that whole alpha male act will get her to fuck you, good luck. I tried getting into these prude little panties for six years. If you're not a quarterback she isn't interested."

Launching at Logan, I was ready to commit a brutal murder. The only thing saving this useless, fat fuck's life was Luke, who grabbed me by the shoulders and held me back.

"Hey, he isn't worth it.", he told me, turning me in Dove's direction, who stared at me shocked, trembling like a leave. "Better take care of Dove. I'll make sure he leaves."

Grabbing Logan by the shoulder and beeing accompanied by Tara, both obviously just as done with him as the rest of the table, Luke escorted him outside.

As I could feel the adrenaline in my blood drop, I just took Dove in my arms, hoping to make the both of us stop shaking.

"It's okay.", I cooed while firmly rubbing her back. I certainly didn't want her to have an anxiety attack. "I'm sorry.", she whimpered into my chest.

"You have nothing to be sorry about.", I assured her before pulling her away from me to look at her arm. "Did he hurt you?"

God, if the answer was to be yes, Logan wouldn't be save in all of DC.

"My arm hurt before already.", my little bird shrugged. "Thank you.", brushing her hair behind her ears, I left my hands to cup her face while I caressed her cheeks with my thumbs.

"Always, Sweetheart. Really."

Dove nodded, hands holding onto my wrists before removing herself from my touches and looking around.

"Hey, can you go outside with me for a bit? I need fresh air.", I nodded in response, grabbing her jacket as I followed her through the crowd.

*****

"N-No, don't sit on the-", I started as Dove sat down on the dirty, red metal staircase on the side of the club.

"They're just stairs.", she said, having me raise my eyebrows. "Dirty stairs." "Germophobe.", she snickered before becoming more serious.

"I'm sorry for saying 'Fuck you.'. I really like you, Spencer."

I quickly sat down next to her, my name from her lips had made me become a little lightheaded. Not only that but also, she liked me. After all the things I said and did, she still found it in her heart to like me.

"I like you too, Sweetheart.", I replied, making her grin. "I love it when you call me that." "You do?", I asked gladly, and she nodded.

"But 'little bird' I like better because I still remember when you called me that for the first time.", I looked at her, wondering if she really did, so she carried on. "After I almost drowned. You were the first thing I saw and you seemed so happy that I didn't die."

"Because I was. Still am."

She did. I also remembered it still. Although I played this game with an unfair gift, having me remember every second since I saw her. I had gotten so close to losing her without ever having the chance to truly know her. What a loss that would've been.

"Isn't it crazy?", she spoke into the silence between us. "What?" "About two months ago you didn't even know my name and now you're my favorite person."

Favorite person. I had never been somebody's favorite – except for my mother's... Maybe. Hard to tell.

"I am?", I asked, having a hard time believing it.

"Not that hard since I have nobody... But you set the bar really high when it comes to people being nice. Thank you for being nice to me.", I nodded as if it wasn't obvious that she deserved this treatment. Curling her nose, she giggled at me. "But it feels weird using your name. Think I'm gonna stick with Professor."

I wrapped an arm around Dove and chuckled at that statement. "You know that once you graduate you'll have to start using my name eventually, right?", she shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Maybe I just switch to Doctor."

Our both laughing ceased and we just sat there in the cold, dulled down music the only thing to hear.

"I- I was a cheerleader in high school. M- My mom wanted me to be one at all cost and she was really nice to me when I told her I would do it.", Dove whispered into the silence, suddenly all teary-eyed and shaky again.

My little bird, a cheerleader. It sounded nothing like her. Given that it was her mother's wish she probably forced herself to make it work for her approval. Forced herself into somebody else's mold, no matter if she would break herself by doing so.

"My school had this thing where cheerleaders belonged to the football players and although it made me very popular it messed me up really, really badly. There were no boys even looking at me after I became one... But Logan didn't care about all that. Not fair that he now uses it against me."

Shaking my head and wiping away the tears running down her cheek, I sighed. "Why did you even date that guy anyway? He's a complete waste of oxygen."

"He liked me.", Dove mumbled, and her words just struck me with confusion. "The bar can't be that low, Sweetheart.", that was when she looked at me whimpering. "That isn't low."

My heart hurt. She genuinely thought of herself as hard to love, settling for a gaslighting asshole who treated her as worthless as she thought herself to be.

The happened situation still sat deep within my bones. I still heard her say no, I still remembered her ex ignore it and just pack her roughly and force her to follow him. I couldn't – didn't want to – imagine how far this behavior had gone before, at times where nobody was there to step in...

His final words had caused also a different worry in my mind. Just remembering me once more of how fragile the little bird was.

"Dove?", I asked her, having to have this next question answered.

I took her hands, making sure she looked at me, hoping I was able to read it in her behavior should she try to lie.

"Logan said something I found quite worrisome... He never forced you into anything, now did he?", she shook her head, making me lean closer just to be sure. "Are you sure? You know you can tell me."

"Because of that thing with me being prude, huh?", I nodded, and Dove became a little fidgety, looking at our hands, cheeks starting to go red. "I-... Sex and stuff just aren't for me... I- it makes me really uncomfortable, so I don't do it.", she stuttered.

I had known Dove was innocent, she just had this aura to her, but I hadn't thought she was that innocent. I was surprised but didn't wonder about it at the same time.

Her stuttered explanation seemed to have been embarrassing for since she quickly continued speaking.

"That wasn't even Logan's first affair. I think this was number five or six... Just the first time he got somebody pregnant."

"I can't believe you took him back every time.", I said, shaking my head.

"I- It was kinda my fault too because I didn't want to-", before she could say anything more defending this idiot, I interrupted her.

"Don't ever say that again. If he would've truly loved you he would've waited. In a relationship, neither the pressure nor obligation to have sex with the other should exist. Just because you're not ready for sex doesn't mean that he had the right to cheat on you."

"You're sweet.", she told me, nudging my arm. "Even though you can be a real pain in the ass."

I looked at her grin, raising my eyebrows and she started laughing.

"I try to better myself.", I promised, her nodding approvingly at that. "That's good because I don't like the mean Spencer you can be. He's too much like everyone I've ever known."

Inevitably I asked myself with that meant that I, when simply being myself, was special in her eyes. I liked that idea.

"I can bring you home if you want.", I offered, making her shake her head. "I kinda wanna get drunk again and dance with Penny. Also, we only have one apartment key and I'm scared I don't wake up when she comes home and she has to sleep in the hallway."

I didn't know how good this was as a coping mechanism but Dove's plan seemed be unchangeable. So I let her do what she wanted, staying at the club with her and waiting to take her and Penelope home once she decided she had enough for the night.

*****

At around 2 a.m. was the next time that I saw Dove. Emily and Tara had dragged her off after JJ and Matt had gone home to their families.

Wrapping her arms around my neck, she held onto me as she was too drunk to keep her balance.

"Well, hello.", I greeted her surprised, and she looked at me frowning.

"So drunk.", Dove babbled, having me sit her down while pushing her hair out of her face. "I can see that. When did it escalate that much?"

"Emily made us have a drinking contest with shots and I didn't win.", she pouted. "Trust me, Dove, I don't think any of you came out of that a winner."

She nodded slowly, seeming a little more exhausted than drunk when looking at her long enough. I handed her the new water bottle I had gotten her and opened it for her as she didn't manage to put up enough force to open it.

"I wanna go home.", she told me taking a sip and closing the bottle again.

"Sure. Where is Penelope?", I asked, and she shrugged. "No idea?", shaking her head almost childlike at me, I realized Dove must've searched for me because I had promised to watch out for her.

Looking around for Penelope, I saw Tara on the dancefloor. I told Dove to wait for me and drink her water.

"Tara? Tara. Where's Garcia?", I asked my dancing friend. "She and Luke left an hour ago.", great.

"Okay. I'm gonna take Dove home.", still mid-sentence, Tara waved at Emily and ran up to her, leaving me standing there and talking to no one. "Are you guys ok- And you're leaving. Great."

As I had thought on multiple occasions tonight, I didn't like partying.

I checked again but Tara and Emily seemed to be doing fine and then decided to rather take my drunk student home. Calling neither Luke nor Penelope worked, always going straight to voicemail.

Seemed like I was having a sleepover guest again.

"Where's Penny?", she promptly asked as a approached her. "She left with Luke."

"Rude.", she squealed a little huffy. "What a traitor."

I tried my best not to chuckle, yet still did. She was frowning but so cute doing so.

"Sweetheart, I think you'll have to sleep at my place tonight.", Dove looked at me with big eyes. "Why?" "Because neither Luke nor Penelope pick up and I don't know if she's even at home.", I sat down on the chair in front of her. "Is that okay for you?"

If not, I would've checked in with Rossi to have her stay at his place but thankfully she nodded, frowning at her dress.

"But you need to borrow me some clothes. Can't sleep like that... Look like a hooker." "No, you don't. You're very beautiful.", I told her, making her smile. "Charmer.", she snickered, and her mind quickly lost focus on me. "I think I'm gonna dance again."

"You said you wanna go home.", shrugging at me, Dove already stood up. "Yeah but I just can get more blackout drunk instead. I've never done that before."

"Why would you?", I asked standing up as well. "I had a really bad day and I feel like a shit because I will stay alone forever.", a terrible coping mechanism.

"That is an awful reason.", I told her but got a very sudden mood swing from her, getting too depressive and too careless for my taste. "Everything in my life is awful. Right now, I'm having fun... Maybe I just go home with someone, get at least one issue out of the way..."

Over my dead body, I would have her leave with a stranger. Over my dead body, she would have a drunken one-night stand, losing her virginity just because she thought it to be an 'issue' having to be dealt with.

"Okay, that's it. We're leaving.", I ordered, my tone clearly not working with Dove. "I don't want to.", she whined as I grabbed her waist hindering her from running off.

"C'mon, Sweetheart.", I cooed. "Doesn't a nice warm bed and eating fast food with me after waking up sound better than staying here and drinking?"

Not that I would've cared much if the answer would've been negative but she nodded a little pouting and was cooperative when I helped her put her jacket on.

*****

"Home sweet home.", I announced, opening my apartment door and letting Dove in.

She had been sleeping in the cab for a few minutes and the cold air had sobered her up a little. She was still drunk, don't get me wrong, but at least she was able to walk on her own.

Kicking off her heels and hanging her jacket on the coat hanger, she watched me do the same.

"Spencer?", I hummed at her. "I wouldn't have gone home with someone.", she mumbled. "I know. I wouldn't have let you.", I assured her as she wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me.

"I would only ever go home with you.", my brain told my heart to not interpret it in any other way than friends taking care of each other but her next sentence made it so difficult for my heart to listen. "You make me feel safe.", chuckling, I patted her head. "Now we kinda accomplished that. Let's get you to bed."

Dove stopped hugging me and stretched her arms in my direction. "Carry me.", at my raised eyebrows she gave me her best rendition of puppy eyes I had ever seen. "Please. I'm regretfully drunk and everything is spinning."

I had a massive soft spot for her, no use in denying it. I lifted her up, making her giggle, and carried her to my bedroom.

"There we go.", I cooed as I sat her on the bed.

Trying to get up formed itself to become difficult as Dove let herself fall back onto the mattress, pulling me down with her.

"Very funny, little bird.", I laughed over her amused giggles, laying on top of her. "Now let me get up."

"Nope.", she said with a kittenish smile, pulling me further down as I tried getting up, accidentally tickling me in the process. I tried grabbing her hands and pulling them off me, not able to hide my laugh.

"Dove.", propping myself up on my hands, she propped herself up on her elbows following me.

My face was now only inches away from hers, my right leg between hers. This had gotten too sexual all of a sudden. We both realized this as our laughing quickly stopped, eyes locked on each other, and breathing became heavy.

When her hand gently cupped my left cheek, my heart skipped a beat.

"You're so hot.", she whispered softly, and it felt as if it was poetry leaving her lips.

I had absolutely no right to see Dove in this way. This was unacceptable. After being frozen in place for a while, she let herself fall into the pillows and looked at me.

"I'm sorry. I- I'm a little drunk.", she stuttered as I came to terms with the fact that the picture of her underneath me was going to stay in my mind forever.

This time I was able to get off her and walk to my closet without her protesting. From it I grabbed clothes.

"Okay, Dove?", she looked as I handed them to her. "There's a shirt and some sweats for you to wear. Hope that is okay?", she nodded. "I'm gonna let you get changed and come back in a few to tuck you in."

*****

Five minutes I had given her to get changed. Having calmed my heart down and told me to be realistic in the meanwhile.

Dove had only said those things because she was drunk. She probably hadn't even realized the context under which she had done it.

The reality was that I was her professor, her mentor. Maybe I was her friend but I was nothing more. I had no right to be more.

Dove was so innocent. It was foolish and unethical of me to want her. This desire had no right to exist within me.

For this young woman, I was probably just a caring friend coming closer to a parental figure than someone she wanted, in the same way, I caught myself wanting her from time to time.

I loved having her around as a friend too much to ruin it by wanting more.

It was better this way. Healthier. We both would be happier this way.

"Are you dressed?", I asked, knocking on my bedroom door. "Yeah.", answered her soft voice, and I came in handing her a glass of water.

"Hi.", Dove greeted me. "Hi.", I replied. "I brought you some makeup wipes."

She took them, thanking me quietly, and began cleaning off her makeup. Like the last time I had watched her do so, she left dark circles of makeup underneath her eyes.

"How do you always end up looking like a little raccoon?", I laughed, taking one of the wipes, helping. With thumb and index finger I lifted her chin and made sure to clean everything. "There's my pretty girl.", I cooed, making her blush. "Let's tuck you in.

Dove sat back on my bed and I covered her up, pressing a kiss on top of her head.

"Goodnight, Sweetheart."

"Night, Spencer.", she mumbled tiredly, rolling over as I grabbed one of the pillows and my spare blanket, walking outside into my living room.

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[mimiwrites2000]

What Does White Mean?

Chapter ONE / two

(completed)

AO3 ~~

Pairings: Armin x Annie

(side pairings: Pieck Finger x Jean Kirstein, Reiner Braun x Hitch Dreyse, Mikasa Ackreman x someone new)

Words count: 3416

* spoilers for chapter 131 and up

Summary:

The ocean lulled them to sleep, and the sun woke them up with mild kisses. Tangled with each other, in their cabin by the beach. After the war ended, they moved together, ever since, they faced obstacles, issues, and misunderstandings. One of them was Armin’s seashells. Stubbornness got in the way, but no matter how much they tried, they couldn’t keep their hands to themselves.

He already filled two boxes to the rim. Pieces falling out from them, the wooden edges of the boxes barely holding them in. 

Sea shells in necklaces, bracelets, rings. But nothing was good enough, nothing was perfect.

He didn't know what the perfect one looked like, but he knew that none of them was it.

In his small workshop, that was, in fact, just a tiny storage room before he started this hobby, Armin worked his way through another piece of jewelry.

A seashell with streaks of pink, light as Annie's lips. Dots of sparkling white adorning it, just like the sparks in her eyes.

He put the final touches on the necklace, twisting the clasp in its place, giving it two tugs to insure its firmness, then opened the cabinet in his desk, and pulled out a third box.

Imperfect piece number one went in the third box.

Great.

The storage room— the workshop had a small, triangle, frosted glass window, but Armin didn't like it, it made the small place even smaller. After he moved in with Annie, he changed it immediately, to a clear transparent glass. 

Their ocean-view cabin met Armin’s dreams to the smallest detail; one bedroom, one bathroom, a living room, and a kitchenette were enough to satisfy them and convincing enough to buy it without second thoughts.

He spent most of his mornings either strolling by the beach or in Annie's arms, and his nights by a bonfire or under the sheets with her.

They had their breakfasts on the porch, with the salty wafts drifting with the ocean breeze, the crooning of seagulls their only companion.

Everything seemed perfect.

Except for the nights when he woke up in cold sweat, screams rupturing his lungs, Annie’s hands trying to calm him down, embracing him and running through his hair. Or mornings while Annie took longer in the shower, while he sat outside, listening to her silent sobs.

But they were ok. Armin always hugged Annie when she stepped out of the shower, and whispered that they're ok, they're alive, healthy, together.

They're ok.

But this jewelry crafting thing came out of nowhere. And Armin wished he learnt about it long before.

It was Annie who suggested it, when she saw his seashells collection accumulating to the ceiling, she said he might as well make good use of it. She didn’t specify jewelry crafts, but he found that these delicate shells needed a delicate use.

And there he was, in his former storage room, picking through seashells, twisting wires and knitting in beads.

He had been trying to make her the perfect piece. He still didn’t find the perfect one.

He eyed the two boxes — the newly third one joining them. He never thought about selling them, or giving them to anyone else, or throwing them away…

He wondered why.

Maybe because he clutched onto one seashell for more than four years, and the habit was born with the many nights he spent eyeing it, whether it was in his room at night, or in front of a crystal in an icy cold basement.

Knock knock!

“Don’t come in!” Armin’s words overlapped, he was so immersed in his daydream that the knocks on the door made him jump in his seat.

“I won’t, I promise,” from the other side of the door, Annie grumbled. Armin felt bad, he never let her in his workshop, mainly because he didn’t want to spoil the surprise that he still didn’t figure out, and secondly… well, he wasn’t ready for any judgment on his poor jewelry crafting skills.

“Armin?”

“Y-yeah?”

“It’s getting late, I was wondering if you can… you know, get dinner ready? I don’t feel like burning the kitchen.”

“Oh right,” he got up and opened the door, only to be met with an arms-crossed Annie, a passive look on her face. He didn’t know if she was upset because she was hungry, or because he was, once again, keeping her away from his workshop. “We don’t want a burnt kitchen now do we?” he asked, half jokingly

Annie tried cooking once, on his birthday. She tried baking a simple cake. They ended up with a piece of a circular char, on top of it one single candle.

“I don’t think we have-” the rest of the sentence was swallowed down Armin’s throat when he saw groceries lining up the kitchen table.

“I went out an hour ago, I didn’t want to disturb you, but don’t worry, I checked everything on the list, twice.”

“Ah, yes, thanks.”

Guilt swelt in his guts.

She didn’t want to disturb him…

She was upset with him.

He rolled up his sweater’s sleeves, washing his hands, before he started opening the groceries bags, emptying them on the counter.

Annie on the side crossing her arms.

“What do you want for dinner?” he asked, trying to ignore her glaring eyes by inspecting a head of lettuce in his hand.

“Anything, it doesn’t matter.”

One 

Two 

Three-

“Maybe something fast so you can get back to your small workshop-”

“Okay Annie listen-”

“No you listen!”

The lettuce head froze in his hands.

“You’ve been doing this for weeks! Even- even I don’t know how many months!”

Armin slowly put down the lettuce on the counter, looking down at his feet.

“And you never let me in! Like, ever! I don’t understand why!” she continued, her arms flailing around, before resting on her hips, “every single day, every fucking day you lock yourself up in that room for hours! And I know you’re playing around with your shells but why are you hiding like this?! I’m not gonna pretend that something is not up,” she was pacing around the kitchen, Armin watching her from the corner of his eyes. “I know I’m the one who suggested it, but- but-” she sighed, “even when we go out on the beach, your eyes are always down, searching for even more shells! What is up with you?!”

“Annie-”

“I don’t understand what you’re hiding, I don’t understand why you’re hiding it,” suddenly she stopped, Armin looked at her, “we moved in together, Armin, we live under the same goddamn roof.”

“Annie-”

“What?Annie what? You’re sorry? Keep it to yourself! You’ve already apologized twice before but nothing ever changed,” she turned, and before he could stop her, she stormed into their bedroom.

And he was left alone in the kitchen.

The ocean waves swayed in a symphony, but when he looked outside, all he saw was a dark mass that swallowed him whole.

Armin huffed, he knew this was coming, he knew it so well.

Annie wasn’t wrong.

But she wasn’t right either.

He was doing it for her. He was locking himself up to make her the perfect jewelry.

Armin kicked the heel of his shoes against the cabinet. Thud thud thud. Putting a rhythm to his mind and his thoughts.

Maybe... she was right. She didn’t know what he was doing, she felt left out.

They only have each other.

No one should leave the other in the dark.

No matter what.

Armin pushed himself off the cabinets, and walked towards the room.

He stood at the threshold, watching Annie curled on her side of the bed under the duvet.

He pressed his lips together, but he didn’t dare make a sound, even though he knew she was aware of his presence. 

He sat on his side of the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight. 

Annie didn’t move.

Armin sighed. He fucked up, and he must fix it. 

He kicked off his shoes, and slithered under the duvet.

His face confronted her back.

One

Two

Three-

She turned around-

“I’m sorry,” they both said at the same time.

Armin bit his lips to stop himself from smiling, while gazing at Annie’s stoic face, with a slight dip between her eyebrows.

They talked, confessed, together at the same time, their words overlapping.

“I know your craft means so much to you-”

“I’ve been leaving you out of this-”

“I don’t mean that you should spend every single moment with me-”

“And I want to spend more time with you-”

Then the last sentence, they breathed it together, “I promise to be a better person.”

Their eyes on each other, blue meeting blue.

Magnetic force pulled them towards each other, capturing each other's lips, hands running over each other's bodies.

Their clothes were stripped and thrown on the floor, while the groceries in the kitchen were left untouched.

~~~

The most valuable times for Annie were these moments when she woke up beside him, heads on the same pillow, skin on skin, under the blankets.

The warmth like an aura around his body made her alive, incomparable to soft rays of early morning sun filtering through the window.

It was so early and everything was quiet, even the ocean fell in a quiet slumber.

Without moving, she checked the time.

There was still a couple of hours before Armin's usual wake up time.

She usually got up before him, went on an extra walk, or maybe a dip in the ocean.

But getting up from bed and leaving this beauty behind would be as bad as a crime.

So she stayed, watching his face. His breath warm on her face, his lips slightly parted, bangs ruffled on his forehead. Mildly, she caressed them, brushing them off his forehead. Before she cupped his cheek, and she held the world and the sun and the ocean— all together in her palm.

His eyelashes fanned upon his closed eyes like sun rays. She tilted her head up, and kissed his eyelid, soft, like a feather.

Armin was a light sleeper, the last thing she wanted was to ruin his sleep.

A cold breeze wafted through the window, Annie shivered. She noticed Armin hunching his back, he must be cold as well.

She inched closer, cautious, wrapping her arms around his frame, over his shoulder, nesting her head on his chest. The warmth radiating off his body relaxed her muscles, and in those moments, deep inside, something would stir in her, feelings she wasn’t aware she would experience one day.

Arms wrapped around her, and she tensed, did she wake him up?

She peeked up at him, he was already watching her, his eyes barely open.

He tried to speak, but no voice came out. After he cleared his throat, he tried again, “Good… morning.” his voice deep, hoarse.

She rubbed her feet against the mattress, “Did I wake you up?” she whispered.

He squinted his eyes, deep in thought, “If I said no?”

“Good.”

“And if I said yes?”

Annie runs her tongue on the inside of her teeth, “I can make it up for you.”

At that, Armin props himself up on one elbow, raising an eyebrow, beckoning her to continue.

With one finger pointing at his chest, she said, “I’ll make you breakfast.”

He snorted, the voice vibrated through Annie’s body, and she had to swallow.

“No,” was his simple, predictable answer.

“Your lose,” She said, swinging her legs off the bed, but before she could stand up, arms wrapped around her, rolling her in bed.

~~~

Breakfast time was long gone, so, after Armin went through the groceries from the night before, he made a light meal for both of them. While he cooked, Annie watched him, sitting on the counter, her legs swinging.

She enjoyed watching him cook, muscles of his arms flexing as he cut tomatoes, brushing his bangs away from his face, wiping his hands on the towel.

By that point she could blindly sculpt a statue of his body.

He also enjoyed catching her off guard, catching her eyes every now and then. When they first moved together, she would blush furiously and avert her eyes, but now, even though she still blushes, sometimes she would pay him back with a sudden kiss, or sometimes she would dare him with more than a kiss.

It was the privilege of a peaceful life, the result of going to hell and back, tolerating an agonizing pain for years.

A slow-paced life, where everything was in place, everything was right.

They reached the end of the labyrinthine, they might as well celebrate their victory.

Post afternoon, and after a meal with their legs tangled under the table, they strolled along the shore.

Annie never imagined that she would settle down in a cabin by the beach, every day the seagulls waking her up, and every night the ocean waves lulling her to sleep.

Hand by hand, shoes off, the sand tickling her feet, like walking on a pile of feathers.

The sun above them soft on their skin, a chilly afternoon, perfect for a walk.

Armin tried so hard to keep his gaze on the horizon, fighting the urge to peak down and hunt for shells.

He wouldn’t rest until he found the perfect shell for Annie’s piece.

However, he remembered his promise to Annie, wanted to spend more time with her, she wanted to spend more time with him.

An especially shiny shell caught his attention, tempting him to kneel down, and plunge his hands in the sand and go back to the cabin with a bag full of new shells. 

“I was thinking of going to town for a few days,” Annie said, catching Armin off guard, “my father wrote to me and said he’s holding a dinner, and we’re invited.” 

“Oh, yeah sure,” Armin answered. Her father lived only half an hour away, in the town, alongside a couple of their old friends as well.

They lived with him for a couple of weeks before, as they went hunting for their own place. He was an old nice man, but he certainly had a temper.

Armin was exceptionally nervous around her father for the first few months. For what reason, he still didn’t know, but something about that man made him rethink everything he wanted to say twice.

But after all, her father accepted their relationship, if not a bit too dramatically, for he cried and hugged Armin for the first time.

In the end, they had to move out, Annie was adamant they had their own house.

Armin smiled, “You can move out and live with your father.”

Annie raised an eyebrow.

“You know, I can move with you-” his voice got muffled; Annie’s palm on his mouth.

“No.”

“Whyyyy?” he asked, his voice choked up with a laugh, he wanted to try biting Annie’s hand on his mouth.

“If each of us would get a different room, then yeah sure,” she answered, lowering her hand, and continuing her walk.

“Not my fault you’re too loud-”

Annie started running.

The nearby village could hear Armin’s howling laugh. 

~~~

Annie waited at the cabin longer than Armin would need to catch up to her. She wondered what was taking him so long, though she had a clear idea what was holding him off.

She waited by the door, but then the sun got a little uncomfortable, so she went inside. She hated that the first thing she thought of was checking Armin’s workshop.

She immediately shook her idea, shoving it away. Intrusiveness wasn’t her trait.

But the door glowed in her sight. Walking to it, and turning the knob seemed like the most tempting thing ever.

No

“No,” she said it out loud, to convince herself to stop.

She would certainly be upset if she was in his shoes. She would never do that to him.

Nope.

Never.

One 

Two 

Three

She walked to the door. An old, small door, compared to a standard door, Armin had to bend to get through, but Annie bet she can walk through it, with her head brushing the door frame.

A tiny place for a workshop, she thought, she wondered how he keeps his tools there, the dozens of seashells bags going there, never going out again.

She was burning to know what was in there.

She was in front of the door, she could lift her hand, and turn the knob, and she could see it all for herself.

Finally,

She reached for the antique door knob.

Her palm rested on it.

Turn it turn it turn it turn it-

She twirled and walked away, right to their bedroom, without even a glance back.

A minute or two after, she heard the door of the cabin open and close. Annie got up, not thinking much of it, “Hey what took you so long-”

Armin stood there, with a handful of seashells in his hands.

Annie threw her head back…

One

Two 

Three

“Listen-”

“It hadn’t even been a day, not a single day had passed,” Annie said, frustration evident in her voice, which was as rare as the sky turning green.

“Annie, I can explain.”

Annie crossed her arms, waiting for him to explain.

Armin sighed, he didn’t want to spoil the surprise, he had to come up with something.

“I’m making something.”

“Yeah no shit.”

“No no no I mean I’m making something,” he said, his closed clutch on the seashells flailing around.

Annie sighed, “Try again.”

“I’m honest, I’m making something.”

“And?” she inquired.

A moment of silence passed, Armin trying so hard to come up with something, anything.

Annie knew that face very well, the face Armin makes when he’s trying to come up with a good fight in a debate, the face he does when he would lob a few words to hypnotize a whole crowd of people.

But not on her.

Never on her.

She knew him too well for his own good.

Without waiting for an answer, she turned around, returning to their room. She threw over her shoulder, “Tomorrow is the dinner at my father’s house,” before she vanished from sight.

Armin, left alone, stared down at the seashells in his hands.

~~~

Armin spent most of the night in his workshop, his hands working, but his mind somewhere else.

He didn’t talk to Annie since their confrontation, nor did any of them eat.

Embarrassment gnawed at him, he promised her, yet he broke the promise.

He must be a terrible partner.

Armin sighed.

He wondered why he was even trying to make Annie a piece of jewelry, to win her heart? 

Pfft

She was better off without him anyway.

She could leave him at any second and he wouldn’t even question it. She was smart, pretty, skillful, talented, gorgeous, sweet, and... nice.

And what was he? He couldn’t think of one good trait about himself. Not good enough to match hers.

And he fucked up.

He groaned, letting his head fall on the desk.

The pile of the new shells sat in his sight line, waiting to be cleaned of the sand, but he had no intention of doing so. He wanted to cage himself in his workshop forever, rather than facing Annie again after he broke his promise.

Armin swallowed, wondering how he would meet her father the next day.

Mr. Leonhart was protective, way too protective. Armin knew he wouldn’t hesitate to cut off Armin’s head if he hurt Annie.

Naaah.

He thought. Annie is much more mature than that.

He snorted at himself, he had some stupid thoughts sometime, but this one was the stupidest of them all.

Annie ranting to her father about her boyfriend.

Pffft

Armin straightened his back on the chair, thinking of what he should do.

Then, at that moment, a glimmer caught his eyes.

Armin shook his head, peeking outside the small, circular window.

He wasn’t sure if it came from outside or from the inside, but then it happened again, this time, he was sure it came from the inside of the workshop. Armin looked around, trying to find it.

The moon light filtering through the glass, gleaming upon the pile of seashells accumulated on his desk.

The glimmer happened again.

But that time, Armin caught it.

It came from one of the seashells. 

Armin scattered the pile on the desk, going over each shell, rotating it under the moonlight, trying to find that one seashell.

On his seventh try, he found it.

Something clicked, and Armin knew exactly what he had to do. Everything cleared in his mind, and he found it absurd that he only saw it now.

Locked in his small workshop, with his back bowed down. Armin finished his perfect piece when the first ray of sunshine broke the night.

.

.

.

uwu thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed! next chapter (which is much much longer) will be posted in a couple of days or so can't wait for the other ships to make their cameos hahhaaa thank you for reading! like always, feedback, kudos, all is much appreciated

[dizzydancingdreamer]

The Daughter of Aphrodite | Leo Valdez

Hello Lovelies! So I was inspired by my classics class and figured hey, what better than to write about Leo Valdez to make the cravings go away? This is my first Leo fic and I decided to take up a third person perspective because it felt right. It’s really fluffy and I hope you all enjoy! Until next time, all my love!

Description: Leo and y/n have been pining after each other for too long. Her friends help her come up with a plan to get close to him, now she has to cross her fingers that her mother, Aphrodite, doesn’t step in.

Pairing: Leo Valdez x Female!Reader

Warnings: Absolutely none

Word Count: 2.7k

Tags: FLUFF

(Pics not mine but mood board is :) )

Her hands were covered in dirt, a trait most uncommon to a daughter of Aphrodite. Somehow, though, she wore it like a pair of silk evening gloves. Her hair was messy, thrown in a bun atop her head, but every strand that fell around her face seemed as though placed by the gods themselves. Even in chaos she was perfect.

Leo leaned precariously against a two by four, watching the daughters of Aphrodite and Demeter replant the gardens around camp. Well, more like the daughters of Demeter and one daughter of Aphrodite. The rest of the Aphrodite sisters were lounging in the sun, avoiding the mud. He couldn’t help but smile when one of her friends gingerly rubbed some dirt off her face. He could almost hear the girl scold her. Always getting your hands dirty, hun.

“Just talk to her already man.” 

“I have, multiple times. At least a couple times a day.” 

Jason ran a frustrated hand through his hair, watching as his friend watched the girl he loved from a distance. Everyone at the camp knew how Leo felt, everyone except her. She was every bit as pure as she was kind. Not to mention loving, gentle, and patient. She was everything he knew he needed and, even more so, everything he desperately wanted. 

“You know what I mean.”

Leo turned to his best friend, a lazy smile plastered on his face, “I know, man. I will.”

Jason only grumbled before heading off. Leo always said that. Clearly he hadn’t followed through yet. Not that it mattered. No one was exactly raring to go head to head with the boy who could light his entire body on fire. His girl would remain his girl until he could work up the courage to, well, make her his girl. Still, Jason just wanted his friend to be happy. 

Leo watched her for another moment before heading off to do what he was supposed to be doing; fixing the door for the sons of Ares. 

Across the green, musical giggles filled the spaces between the chatter. Her laughs were contagious, the Demeter girls rolling around in the plots they were supposed to be filling with hydrangeas, clutching their stomachs with red faces. The other girls, her sisters, also laughed, just a little more contained. They sipped on pink lemonade, twirling the straws in dainty fingers.

“So you’re telling me,” Arabella, a Demeter daughter with wayward curls, barely contained a chuckle, “you have never been kissed.”

Dawn, one of y/n’s sisters, chimed in with a few of her own runaway giggles, “don’t forget the best part: she’s never been kissed because every time a boy gets close, mother steps in!”

They collapsed again in another fit, filling the camp with some much needed life. She smiled sweetly, cheeks blushed like an angel, giggling right along with them. It was funny after all. She liked making her friends smile, it made her feel warm inside. 

“Is it really true? Every time a boy has gone to kiss you Aphrodite has stepped between it?’

Her voice was pure honey, slow and sugary, “oh yes. One time, right as a boy leaned in, a bolt of lightning struck the ground, right at his feet. I’m not sure what she told Zeus to get him to do it. Mother has her ways, I'm sure.”

“Well,” the giggles died down but the atmosphere remained light, “if you could kiss any boy here, without Aphrodite striking him down that is, who would it be?”

Her eyes widened a touch at the question. One boy immediately swam to her mind but she brushed it away quickly, her smile still neatly in place. She knew for a fact that he wasn’t interested in her like that so there was no reason to offer his name to the group. Regardless, though, her heart still fluttered for a certain son of Hephaestus. 

She coiled a loose strand of hair around her finger, her charm bracelet jingling gently on her wrist, “hmm, I’m not sure.”

Her sisters eyed each other cheekily before peering around the camp. When their gaze landed on precisely who they had been looking for, they giggled a collective hum. 

“How about him, hun? Would you kiss him if you could?” Daisy nodded her glass across the field.

Her eyes wandered with her sister’s gesture, past a couple of younger campers playing a game, to a boy fixing what looked like the door to the Ares cabin. Silly boys, always rough housing. That cabin had to have the window fixed just last week. Her eyes lingered on him a little longer than they should have considering she was trying to convince her sisters that she didn’t like him. Her soft lip pulled between her teeth as he ran a hand through his hair. 

Giggles erupted around her again, pulling her from her daze with heated cheeks, “Leo? He would never kiss me.”

The giggles only increased. Her eyes shifted quickly to the Ares cabin, hoping to Zeus that her group wasn’t causing too much of a scene. She wasn’t so lucky. Her eyes met Leo’s brown ones from across the lawn, her nose instantly burning. She tried to look away, she wanted to. Well, she thought she wanted to, at least, but his eyes held hers in a way that made it impossible to look anywhere else. 

She bit her lip again and he smirked, his lips pulling tight in a way that should be a crime. His skin caught the light like a gem, shining from his labour in the hot sun. When he noticed her eyes, drawing over his face and arms, his grin widened and her heart stuttered dramatically. When he winked at her and went back to work, her heart stopped. 

“Oh, hun,” Arabella’s hand swept under her chin, pulling y/n’s focus from the fire boy, “you’re clueless, aren’t you? Have your sisters taught you nothing? That boy is smitten.”

Sarah Beth, her eldest sister, huffed indulgently, a teasing smile on her rosy lips, “oh we tried, Ara, trust us we did. Sis is helpless. Blame it on mother.”

Y/n whined, the sound like one of Apollo’s harps, “what do I do? I’m cursed!”

Even in her torment she giggled, rubbing her cheek affectionately in Arabella’s palm. Arabella smiled lovingly, an idea sparking as she pulled y/n’s face back up. It was a foolproof one, too. Arabella looked at her wide eyes, watching them dart across the green to the boy she was clearly head over heels for. Yes, it needed more than anything to be foolproof.

Arabella poured a fresh glass of lemonade, taking extra care to mix enough ice with the pink liquid. She plopped a straw in it, stirring it once, twice, three times before shoving it in y/n’s perfectly polished nails. 

Her eyebrows scrunched, a cute confusion laid over her features, “I have lemonade, Bella.”

Arabella had to stop herself from rolling her eyes, “it’s not for you,” her eyes tilted to Leo, “he looks thirsty, hun. I think he wants a drink.”

“I don’t think lemonade is what he’s after,” Sara Beth didn’t look up from her own drink but her cat like grin said it all.

Her sisters had to stifle another wave of giggles as she gingerly passed the lemonade back and forth between her hands, contemplating whether or not to go to him. When she looked over at him for the hundredth time in an hour, she made up her mind. It was now or never.

She stood, much too gracefully for a girl with a heart racing a mile a minute, and took a deep breath, “please, mother, do be nice. He’s a lovely boy. I really like him.”

“Go get him, tiger,” Arabella nudged her gently towards the mechanic, a proud smile on every girl in and around the flowerbeds.

The walk across the green felt like it was never ending and much too short all at the same time. Every step that she took towards his crouched figure she debated downing the liquid herself and then running away. But no, she couldn’t. He was like a magnet, drawing her towards him with ridiculous ease. He didn’t even know he was doing it, that was the worst part. The tips of her ears felt hot, her feet stopping a few feet away from him. Oh, gods, what did she get herself into this time?

Leo’s hands stalled, a flowery scent curling around his face and clinging to his skin. He closed his eyes, breathing in as much of it as he could. That had to be what heaven smelled like, he just knew it. Like chrysanthemums and honeydew. Yes, he knew for certain. He drew another breath. Gods, he couldn’t get enough. 

“Hey, Leo,” her voice went high, her words like unintentional poetry, “whatcha working on there?” 

Why did she say that? She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. So silly, what did it look like he was doing? When she opened them Leo was looking at her, a loose grin on his lips, a glint in his chocolate eyes. Her chest squeezed fervently.

“I’ll give you one guess,” his eyes glanced to the door before landing back on her, peering at her from his seat on the ground.

She scrunched her nose at him, trying not to giggle as he stood to face her, “oh ha ha, very funny.”

Leo laughed easily, a sound less honeyed than her own but still so sweet, “that’s my job. Well, when I’m not picking up after Ares’ sons. Can you believe they split the door in half?”

She glanced up at him, her doe eyes dancing over his tanned skin and black curls, unable to fight the butterflies that bounded inside her chest. He really was something. She held the glass a touch tighter when she breathed in his motor oil and nutmeg scent. She was certain this was what Olympus smelled like, not that she’d ever been.

“Honestly yes, I can,” she met his eyes again, sucking in a small breath when they drew down her body to the drink she had yet to hand over.

His eyes flitted back to hers and darkened a touch, a knowing smirk plastered on his lips, “say, is that for me, cariño?” 

Her cheeks flamed and she knew if she lifted a hand to them they would be hot to the touch. How fitting. 

“Erm,” she stalled, pulling her lip between her teeth once more, her eyes shifted to the grass at her toes, “I thought you might like some lemonade? If not that’s ok! It was silly of me, I’m sorry, I can just-”

Leo’s hand closed around hers, pulling the glass, and by default her, closer to his heady nutmeg chest, “I’d love some, thank you.”

His voice had lost its playful edge, only the soft warmth remained. He lifted the glass to his lips, drawing her hands with his as he took the first sip. She could practically hear her sisters swoon from across the grass. Wow, she’s really doing it isn’t she? Way to go, sis! Her whole body heated this time, her neck to her toes consumed by lapping flames. It was intoxicating.

Leo took the glass from her hands and set it on the step beside him, the taste of strawberries pungent on his lips. When he glanced back at her, he ran his tongue across his lip. The light hit her in a way that was entirely ethereal, clinging to her skin in a way that defied the laws of physics. It was maddening, like standing next to one of the muses themselves. God’s when did this ever happen to someone like him?

“It’s my sister’s recipe,” she fiddled with her fingers, lost with what to do without the glass to hold onto, “I hope you like it.”

He closed the small gap between them even more, pulling her fingers into his. Her heart skyrocketed, his hand was warm and calloused. His fingers fit too perfectly into the spaces between her own. Was it normal to be this breathless?

“It was sweet,” he squeezed his hand in hers, his voice carefree but low.

He slipped his other arm around her waist, thanking the gods for wherever his courage was miraculously stemming from. She practically buzzed in his arms, her melon and flower perfume melting around him. He bit the inside of his cheek. Was it perfume, or was it just her supple skin?

“I like sweet things,” he mused, revelling in the way her eyes widened, catching his innuendo without missing a beat. 

Her mind was stuck on his hand. It was on her back, low on her spine, his fingers lightly tickling up and down. She avoided arching into his fingers. It was heavenly. He was good with his hands and it showed.

Her eyes brushed over him once more, stopping on his lips for a millisecond too long, “she makes muffins too.”

He tightened his arm around her, drawing the daughter of Aphrodite against his chest. Gods, she was soft.

“I don’t want muffins, cariño.”

Now or never, Leo. He leaned his head down, his nose brushing hers sweetly.

Please, mother, let me have this. She tilted her head up, her hands sliding up his chest. 

Leo’s lips found hers at the same time her hands circled his neck. His lips were slow, testing to see if she would kiss him back, as if it was even an option for her not to with the way the flames, his flames, were licking at her skin. How did he do it? She felt like the sun; his lips tasted like fire and recklessness. And strawberries, a bushel of them.

She took his sweet kiss, savoured it, and then slammed her lips back against his, slipping her hands into his raven locks and tugging-- hard. He moaned softly against her sweet lips, giving in to every demand her mouth challenged. How could her lips be sweeter than the lemonade? He clutched her harder against him. 

She pulled back only when her lungs demanded it, leaning her forehead against his heaving chest. She took the staggering lack of lightning as a good sign as a dizzying warmth filled her chest. He pressed his face against her hair, nuzzling against her sweetness lovingly. He had been waiting forever for that and he wasn’t about to let her go just yet.

Her fingers slid back down his chest, curling around his shirt, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to distract you, Leo.”

What? He pulled his head away from her hair, staring into her doe eyes confused. And then he laughed, a full laugh that had his whole chest shaking and hers as well, before drawing his lips back to hers. He tugged her bottom lip between his lip, his hands squeezing her hips fiercely. She’s mad, beautiful but out of her mind. Gods.

“Cariño,” his lips brushed over hers, his words mingling with her breaths, “I kissed you. And trust me, I wanted to. Believe it or not, I don’t owe anything to the Ares’ brothers. You, on the other hand, have all my time at your disposal.”

He didn’t wait for her to answer before closing his lips over hers. There was a lot of lost time he was more than ready to make up for.

Meanwhile, across the green stood Jason, Sarah Beth, and Arabella, their heads close together but their eyes glued to the Ares cabin.

“I’m taking credit for this,” Jason and Arabellas’ voices mingled, proud and in sync.

Their eyes flashed to each other, “no, I did this!”

Sara Beth just giggled lusciously, twirling the straw of her own lemonade in lazy circles.

[novelconcepts]

Looking forward to whatever you`ve been writing on! I always wondered what Judy`s reaction would have been in `on the hunt (for who I’ve not yet become)` when they eventually told her. Like how did that go down. Or something to do with their story after the fic finished idk I just really loved that story.

“I can’t do this.”

Dani glances over her shoulder, frowning. They had been, until this moment, walking in more or less perfect tandem--Dani trying to whittle down her usual stride, Jamie moving at twice her natural clip--a steady flow of forward until just now. Now, with Jamie pulling up fast, her hand in Dani’s performing a sort of rubber-band-snap trick to keep them both on the pavement.

“What do you mean, you can’t do this?”

“This.” Jamie, grim-faced, gestures down the block. The house is still just out of sight, the car parked a truly ridiculous distance away. Jamie’s idea; If she sees us, she’d muttered, we won’t get a moment’s peace to figure it all out. 

“We have to tell her sometime,” Dani points out. “I mean--we do, don’t we?”

“Yes. No. Doesn’t have to be now, does it? Why don’t we just--just wait until we’re sending out wedding invitations. Or invitations to my funeral. Or never.”

Dani, despite herself, grins. It’s not that Jamie doesn’t get nervous--it’s just that Jamie doesn’t tend to show it. Not like she does, all sharp intake of breath and tight-clenched fists. Jamie’s nerves are quiet, smoothed over, tucked into the motion of hands which are never left idle. Jamie’s nerves are an unexpected kiss, a fumble of motion, the constant urge to put those feelings somewhere productive.

Now, she’s standing stock-still on this too-familiar street, one hand loose in Dani’s. Stock-still, looking for the first time in years like the child who had gazed balefully around a foreign living room. 

“Christ, she’s gonna fuckin’ disown me.”

She looks like she believes it, the only thing that keeps Dani from laughing outright at the idea. She believes it, and there’s a small, simple hurt on her face at the idea--her jaw held tight, her shoulders hunched. Dani presses a hand to her cheek, leaning in until their foreheads meet. 

“She won’t. You know she won’t. You’re her kid.”

“He’s her kid,” Jamie corrects, breath skidding across Dani’s lips in a way that--even at this inopportune moment--makes her pulse race. They’ve been building this beautiful thing together for a few months, and the heat of it never quite seems to fade. “I’m just the baggage.”

“Stop.” Dani kisses her once, softly. “Stop doing that. No falling back on bad habits, Jamie. She’ll be happy for us.”

She says it, and she means it, as if there isn’t a tiny spark of absolute terror kindled in her own heart at the idea of telling Judy O’Mara the truth. That Dani has not moved all the way to Vermont to share Jamie’s little apartment out of friendly camaraderie. That Dani has spent the last few months shaping a life around not only school and new friends, as she’s told Judy over the phone, but around learning just how well she and Jamie fit together. 

They do. They fit so well. Jamie’s bed--their bed--has become the kind of safe haven she hadn’t known she could find anywhere. Jamie’s fingers toying with the braid of a worn old bracelet is like coming home. 

“Come on.” She squeezes Jamie’s hand, kisses her again, lets the warmth of Jamie’s body steer her toward courage. “Like a band-aid, Jamie. Just rip it off.”

“Better idea,” Jamie says, though her legs are moving reluctantly forward again. “We go back to the hotel, I rip other things off instead, we forget this whole stupid idea.”

Tempting. “After. Come on, you haven’t seen her in how long?”

Jamie doesn’t answer. Hand in hand, they walk, and with every house they pass, a few more years seem to cycle back. They are twenty-three, newly bound, and they are seventeen, unaware of one another, and they are twelve, camped out under too-few stars. 

They are on the front step, Jamie’s hand falling away, tucking restlessly into the pocket of her jacket like she’s terrified to be seen gripping Dani’s. Dani presses the tips of her fingers lightly to Jamie’s back for a moment. 

“Deep breath. She loves you.”

“Gonna fuckin’ find out,” Jamie mutters. 

The door swinging open feels like a portal to the past, Judy O’Mara’s small frame somehow seeming as expansive as it had when Dani had been eight years old. Her face wears a few more lines these days, but wears them well--the pride of a woman who has loved hard, raised good kids, made a place for herself in the world that feels warm and right. Her eyes are wide, her mouth falling open in a delighted grin, even as Dani raises a hand in a small wave.

“Surprise?”

“You didn’t tell me you were coming to town!” She pushes through the storm door, hugging them both in a single sweeping motion that nearly knocks Jamie off the porch. “Oh my god, you should have called, I’d have made a feast!”

“It’s eleven in the morning,” Jamie mumbles, but Dani can see her smiling. The Judy O’Mara of her anxious mind can’t withstand, even for a second, the truth of the woman. 

“A feast for lunch, then,” Judy says without missing a beat. She leans back, takes Jamie by the chin, turns her head gently from side to side as though looking for new scars. “You look good. Healthy. You finally learn to cook?”

“She did,” Jamie replies, tilting her head toward Dani. “Sort of.”

“I make an excellent roasted salmon,” Dani proclaims, “and...very little else.”

“Well, come in! Come in, tell me--I mean, you have to tell me everything, right? Oh, I wish I’d known, I would have moved some things around, told Mike the game could wait.”

“Game?” Jamie seems frozen on the porch, her face unreadable. Judy is moving deeper into the living room, her back to them, and Dani takes the opportunity to slip an arm around Jamie’s waist to guide her over the threshold. 

“Baseball. You know how the boys are.”

Never interested in baseball, Dani thinks wryly, remembering all the times Eddie had complained that nothing ever happened in a sport that slow. 

“They won’t be back until tomorrow, they drove all the way to Indiana for the thing. Silly,” Judy is saying. “Come on, into the kitchen, I can at least get you girls something to drink.”

“That’s, uh. That’s all right, actually,” Dani says, following the familiar path back to the big kitchen table. It feels a little less expansive now, a little more worn; the wood is pocked in places, scuffed and weathered by decades of plate and fork and cups laid down without coaster. “We really just came to see you.”

“Oh, that’s sweet to say.” Judy makes a flapping gesture without looking, busy at the kettle. Jamie, grimacing, sinks slowly down in her old seat as if pulled by magnetic force. “But I know how much you must miss Edmund. Even after it all...you know. He still loves you so much, Danielle.”

"I’ll bet,” Jamie says in a low voice. Dani kicks her very gently under the table, amused when Jamie arches a brow that says oh, there will be consequences for that later. 

Can’t wait, she thinks with a dizzy, rather inappropriate burst of desire, her hand creeping over to rest on Jamie’s knee. There’s a stabilizing sensation to the act, reminding her in no uncertain terms: this is who she is now. This, not Eddie’s long-lost girl, but someone lucky enough to be so in love with Jamie, it sometimes puts an ache into her chest. 

“Not to say you should be getting back together,” Judy says, running steel straight up Dani’s spine. 

“You--you aren’t?”

“Oh, Danielle, it’s been such a long time. I’d be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, you know, when it happened--but I always thought, in the back of my mind, how many childhood sweethearts really work out? You grow up. You grow apart. It’s natural.”

Jamie is grinning, biting the inside of her cheek, her knee beginning to shudder under Dani’s palm as her boot rocks against the tile floor. Dani squeezes harder.

“Well, that’s--that’s sort of the thing,” she says. “The reason we wanted to visit. We, um. We’ve--well--”

Judy is doing that mom thing she’s always admired, carrying three steaming mugs to the table without spilling a drop. She takes a seat across from them, beaming with every inch of her face, and Dani thinks, Love. This is what love looks like. This will be okay. 

“Judy, I--I wanted you to be the first to--I mean...”

There are words here, she knows with frustration. Words, not even so big or so complicated, if only she can pluck them from the air. Just say it, Dani. Just say--

“I never thanked you properly,” Jamie says. Her voice is impossibly steady, her face passive. Beneath the table, her leg has stopped its jittering dance at last. Judy looks surprised, Dani’s teeth clacking shut on her own stammering. 

“Why do you say that, dear?”

“’Cause it’s true,” Jamie says simply. “Never did. All those years of feedin’ me, keeping clothes on my back, never once making me feel...unwanted. Didn’t have to do that, Judy. No one was making you.”

Judy’s surprise is inching toward some emotion Dani can’t quite pinpoint--pleasure, that Jamie is saying this now, or pain, that Jamie thinks for a second she wasn’t worth it. “Sweetheart, of course I--I mean, you’re my kid. You know that.”

“Wasn’t, though,” Jamie says, almost earnestly. She’s leaning across the table, her hand moving to press Judy’s. “Was just some wee mess stumbling into your life, wasn’t I? And not always grateful, besides. I was--I don’t know what I was, half the time, but I was always lucky. So fucking--sorry, sorry, so utterly lucky. Was smart enough, at least, to figure that out.”

Judy’s cheeks are bright, her eyes brimming. She seems quite unable to speak, which Jamie seems to take as a relief. Her voice is rolling with surprising emotion, pushing a little faster than is normal, save for her most vulnerable moments. 

“I was lucky you took me in, and lucky your family was willing to open up for one more. And I was...really lucky for this one.” Her eyes cut to Dani, her foot curling beneath the table around Dani’s ankle. “You brought me to her. Don’t think I can ever be grateful enough for that.”

Judy looks almost puzzled, though she’s smiling. “I’m glad to hear it. I always had a feeling, you know. That...you were a good match, somehow. You balance out. It’s important, having a friend like that.”

Friend, thinks Dani with a mouth gone dry. Best friend, sure. Best friend I can’t imagine ever being without again. 

“You brought me to her,” Jamie repeats, almost stubborn, though she’s smiling. “I’ve never loved anyone more. Don’t think I could, given all the time in the world.”

The air seems to go still, the kitchen suddenly rife with small noises Dani’s never noticed before. The hum of the refrigerator. The trickle of water down the drain through a leaky faucet. The tap of Judy’s slipper against the floor. 

“Please say something,” Jamie says. “I don’t honestly know how to--”

“Eddie had an idea,” Judy says quietly. “When you were all still, gosh, back in high school. Long time ago, it seems now.”

Dani is nodding reflexively. Jamie isn’t moving at all.

“There was...a party? I think. Almost didn’t let you all go, it was against my best judgement, but--I figured, if you were together, what harm could come of it? And then Eddie came home early. Tried to pretend he wasn’t drunk, like he’s ever been good at lying, and wasn’t angry.”

Her voice is almost dreamy with memory, her back leaning against the chair as she raises the mug to her lips. She isn’t quite looking at either of them.

“I asked him where you two were. I remember being furious that he’d leave you alone. And I remember, very clearly, him saying something strange. Danielle doesn’t need me when she’s got her. I remember that so well. Danielle doesn’t need me when she’s got her.”

Jamie swallows audibly. Her hand is still resting on the table, inches from where Judy’s was not so long ago. She looks as though she’d very much like to give in to the oldest Jamie-urge in the book, to push up and bolt from the house without looking back. Dani traces her kneecap through her jeans, fingers pressing firmly until Jamie draws a deep breath. 

“I thought it was so odd,” Judy goes on. “That he’d say something like that. But he wasn’t in his right mind, and by the time I heard you sneak in--yes, Jamie, you were never as subtle as you thought, dear--he was fast asleep. No one said anything else about it, and I thought maybe you’d just gotten into a fight. Young love is like that. It can be so jealous.”

Not always, Dani thinks. If Jamie was jealous--and she’s sure she was, to a point; there are some feelings too big and too natural to ward off completely--she tried not to let it show. Jamie’s love has always been sunlight, reassuring and steady and there even when clouds roll in. 

“This is why,” Judy says, looking Dani in the eye. “Isn’t it?”

“Why he was mad?”

“Why you broke it off.” Her eyes never blink, never stray, her gaze as solid as the table. “You said it was because you didn’t love him the right way. I didn’t understand what that meant, but I knew you knew. Always knew your own mind, Danielle. It’s one of the things I’m most proud of.”

Dani breathes, trying hard to quell the dizzy rush in her head. “Judy, I--”

“She doesn’t think she needs anyone taking care of her,” Judy goes on, like she hasn’t spoken. “Never did, even when she barely came up to my hip. Always thought she had it handled.” Her gaze slides to Jamie’s face, her lips curving. “Isn’t that right?”

“Right,” Jamie says, sounding breathless. 

“But you took care of her anyway. Every step of the way. Wouldn’t listen to me or anyone else, but she always listened to you, didn’t she?”

“Right,” Dani says, a helpless grin working onto her face. This feels like a dream. This feels like a story not quite within her own control. Judy sighs, sips her tea. 

“Well. There’s nothing more to it, then, is there?”

“There isn’t?” Dani asks. Judy pushes up from the table, shaking her head. 

“I only have one question.”

The silence is too loud, punctuated by hum and drip and tap. The silence is going to drive her crazy, Dani believes, and drive Jamie to run, and this is all going to fall apart because she so desperately needed for Judy O’Mara to know them--

“Will you be staying the night?”

“What?” Jamie says, in the same moment Dani blurts, “Sorry?”

“Staying the night,” Judy repeats. “Jamie, we’ve converted your room into a sort of hodgepodge storage-guest combination, but you can just throw all those boxes into the hall. I don’t suppose you’ll be needing the sleeping bag.”

“I--” Jamie is shaking her head very slowly, as though trying to clear water from her ears. “I--no, we’ve got...a hotel...”

“Oh, that’s just silly.” Judy waves a dismissive hand. “You’ll take the room. No sense spending money, you already came home.”

Home, Dani thinks, her heart pounding. Home, here, in the O’Mara house--an address she’d never quite claimed, but the place where all her fondest memories live all the same. The place she grew up. The place that brought her to Jamie. 

“Have you stopped in to see your mother yet?” Judy asks. “I can invite her to dinner, if you like, I haven’t caught up with her in...months, now, probably--”

“You’re not,” Jamie begins, the words drying up before they can truly escape. Judy pauses at the sink, her hand tipping the remnants of her tea toward the drain. 

“Not what, sweetheart?”

That word, more than anything, seems to unbind Jamie’s calm. That word, a simple endearment spread back through their lives like so much love in two syllables, belonging to Judy and Judy alone. Jamie swallows again, presses a hand to her jaw, closes her eyes.

“Upset,” she croaks at last. Judy raises an eyebrow. 

“My kids are happy. What on earth would I be upset about?”

It’s not a good time, Dani thinks as Jamie slumps against the table in mingled relief and exhaustion, to say I told you so. Later, she thinks--when they’re nestled in a bed just a little too small for their adult frames, when Jamie is looking up at her with glazed delight, when they’re trying their best to make a kiss sound like silence. Maybe she’ll do it then. I told you she loved you. I told you. 

Now, watching Jamie slide from the table, move across the kitchen in a daze, slip her arms around Judy in a firm hug, Dani thinks--not for the first time--that family is as much a choice as it is a gift. That Judy has always chosen well. That Jamie has learned from the best. 

Told you, she thinks, feeling perfectly at peace. 

[alchemistbee]

Souvenirs

「Five Hargreeves x Reader」

Words: 1964

Warnings: None

Summary: you like to buy souvenirs from every place you visit after the missions; Five doesn’t.

A/N: this was originally going to be a hc list but I somehow ended up writing a really shitty fanfic. If you guys are wondering what the figurine looks like, search “Wooden cow Switzerland”. They are really cute! Sorry for grammatical errors! Hope you guys enjoy this one ☺️☺️

If there was something you found more important than the mission itself, it was stopping at the nearest gift shop in the area before leaving. It was a priority for you, a small tradition you had begun after working for the Commission for some years. It was a way for you to forget the violent acts, to calm the adrenaline and do something nice for yourself for once. It was also a way to remember the places you had visited, you didn’t want to brag, but working for Commision definitely included traveling to some quite fascinating places in the globe.

The first times you got partnered up with the old man, Five, you had to relentlessly convince him to stop at the shops before leaving. At first, he would always mention how it was a waste of time, but after two missions together, he started to notice you took a little too long looking through the objects, which caused you both to always arrive late at Commission Headquarters. Now, he tagged along to make sure you didn’t roam off to any other shop after having picked something.

After having finished your latest mission, you and Five were on your way to the small shop you had spotted while studying the town upon your arrival. Five drove down into the town with you, and parked the stolen car the closest way possible to the shop while trying to ignore the smile plastered on your face. It was something he found to drive him insane, not in the way he had expected. He hated the way it made his heart accelerate, but he did take pride to know some of your smiles were caused by him.

You pushed the door open, the hanging bells at the doorway making your presence known to the young woman who was stationed at the cash register “Try to make it quick, we are already supposed to be back” Five said, his eyes boredly glancing the shop as he followed after you with the black briefcase in hand.

“Yeah yeah. We finished the mission successfully, I am sure they won’t mind us missing for a few minutes” You shushed him with his hand, to which Five rolled his eyes with a long sigh. These were the strange moments he would find you in absolute silence, and sometimes he would comment to see if you had already chosen, but you would only ignore him, making the old man slightly agitated.

“What do you think of this one?” The silence was finally broken when you spotted some funny looking magnets

“I don’t care. Just pick one and let’s go” he replied, his eyes glancing at you and the magnets. You rolled your eyes, and after a few seconds of watching the magnets you decided to go with one of them. To your surprise, Five chirped in with his opinion “That one is ugly”

“I thought you didn’t care” You put the magnet down and picked another one. Five’s eyes were enough to tell you that you shouldn’t pick that one. The search began to feel more of a quest now that Five was here, silently judging the things you considered taking back with you. You couldn’t even explain why you cared about him not liking them, but if Five Hargreeves himself thought something was not worth taking, it was probably because it was true.

Atlas, you were able to pick one of the many magnets after being sure that Five’s eyes didn’t roam the magnet with a look of disgust and judgement. It was his way to tell you that what you have chosen wasn't all too bad. You took the small magnet with you and headed towards the cash register in order to make your pay, there, you asked Five if he was sure he didn’t want to take anything to remember your visit; he said no.

“Are you sure? Dolores is a fond of mines, I am sure she’ll be very happy you bought her something” You added softly

You heard Five grumbled something under his breath then, but he essentially turned around to look through the objects in search for something to take with him. He knew you were right, Dolores does always take your side after all.

Five came back with a beaded ball bracelet, a little shiny, and that’s when you remember Dolores likes sequin. He chose the closest looking thing to it in the shop. He placed the bracelet on the counter, letting the young woman examine the objects you had chosen before announcing the final payment. You pulled your wallet from your pocket and proceeded to pay for both souvenirs no matter how much Five stated that he could pay for what he had chosen.

The following day Five was instructed to go to another mission, this time around you weren’t partnered up with him. You were on your own mission, which left the 55 year old man to handle the case on his own. Usually, he enjoyed the silence and solo missions, it made things easier, no distractions, but now he just found himself missing your annoying rambles. Not to mention, he had to study the town alone and that was always your task.

He hated the fact he had gotten to care for you so much, he hadn’t originally planned for it but you had managed to somehow make it to a place in his cold heart. Even Dolores liked you. That made it even harder to detach from you.

Five didn’t originally planned to stop at the gift shops, it was just his luck that when he was about to head back to Commission his eyes spotted the shop not too far from where he stood. He debated internally whether he should enter and take something. He recalled you saying how it was important to remember the places you visited, he also recalled the smile on your face whenever you convinced him to stop at the shops. He exhaled sharply, even when you were not around he managed to make decisions based on your input.

He entered the shop, figuring that buying something to remember the place wouldn’t do harm. He was greeted by a young man, offering his help if Five needed, the old man only hummed before walking through the store. He didn’t need help, he could choose a gift for you, how difficult could it be?

It was more difficult than he thought. No wonder you took so long to pick

He had spent at least thirty minutes looking through every souvenir the store had to offer and trying to pick something out. He didn’t know why it was taking him such a hard time to pick something and move on, but every time he thought he found something he would put it back after finding it not enough for you. Everything in the store had suddenly become mediocre to his eyes, inducing him to become visibly stressed.

“This is so dumb” Five protested to himself after throwing back, a little to harsh, a magnet to it’s rightful place. There was nothing here that caught his eye now, nothing that he could tell you would be pleased with if given. Five was losing his patience, and by that, he decided that doing this was going to do nothing but waste his time and tire his mind. A simple postcard would do.

Five picked the one he thought looked best from the rest and casually made his way over to the cashier, who smiled politely at him “Did you find everything you were looking for?” The young boy asked, taking a hold of the post card to scan it’s value.

“More or so” Five shoved his hand into his pocket to grab his own wallet, carefully flipping through the dollars and coins to pay for the postcard. All of a sudden, his eyes glimpsed down to the glass cases beside the cash register counter, there he spotted one thing in particular that caught his eye “How much for that?”

He stopped the young boy from processing the payment, now focusing his attention to the small handmade wooden cow he saw on display.

“Fourteen”

“Fourteen dollars?!” Five said baffled, you had to be kidding. Fourteen dollars for that piece of wood? What was it? made it out of gold? There was no way in hell he was going to “—I’ll take the one with the red spots” He stated blandly before handing the right amount of money to pay for the damn cow.

It was small, the texture was soft, and it fit inside his hand. He could tell that whomever made it that put a lot of work into it. He just hoped this hadn’t been a total waste of money, he would probably burn the cow to the ground if he noticed any hint of dislike towards it.

Back in Commision, Five felt quite anxious even though his demeanor said the opposite. He dropped the briefcase at it’s station before looking all over the building for you, his fingers slightly fidgeting with the cow he held inside his hand. He had no idea whether you had returned from your last mission, and he found himself asking for your whereabouts, to which he got nothing but the same answer of you still being out.

He waited for you the entire day until there was an hour left for closing, and you were still nowhere close to arriving. Five walked to the cafeteria, taking a cup of coffee to continue roaming around the building in hopes of finally bumping into you. Finally, after what was eternity, Five spotted you from across the hallway, and if you hadn’t been looking the other way you would have caught the short-time smile that plastered on his lips upon seeing you.

“Y/N” His voice caught your attention, making you turn your head around and face the old man on his way to you. He easily noticed how exhausted you looked, the circles under your eyes said that you hadn’t had the best time on the mission, there were still a few drops of blood on your dark suit from the job.

“How was—“ Before you could ask how his mission had gone, Five extended his hand to you, revealing the wooden figures of the red spotted cow. You raised your brows, smiling. Guess he finally bought something to remember the trip by “That’s a very cute cow. I never took you to be the animal lover type of guy” you chuckled.

“It’s for you” He stated rapidly, feeling as his ear tips suddenly became warmer with each passing second. He watched your expression shift into confusion, something that made him think it meant that you didn’t like what he had brought. He felt a sudden regret and sadness set inside his chest, but that was until your lips managed to curve into that one smile he always was driven crazy by.

“Wait—For me? Are you sure? You didn’t buy this for yourself?” You asked hesitantly, watching as Five shook his head

“Don’t be stupid. I don’t collect silly objects like you do. They are useless” He let you take the cow into your hands, taking in every second of you smile towards him and the figurine. You were absolutely in love with it, and that was enough for him. He felt satisfied to know that his money hadn’t gone to waste. Which reminded him,

“You owe me fourteen bucks for it” he remarked with a rather solemn expression.

You punched his arm, recognizing that he was only joking around to get on your nerves. Yeah, you were definitely the only thing he was going to miss from here, but for now, he would do nothing but enjoy the moment.

[sserpente]

Synopsis: After his lucky escape, the Tesseract takes Loki on new adventures--but unfortunately, his journeys through space do not go unnoticed and he soon ends up on TVA’s radar. The deal is a simple one: Become a recruit and help the Time Variance Authority fight time crimes to earn your freedom again eventually or die. Loki accepts the challenge. It would not be long until he could use their own weapons against them, after all. If only that, however, were his only concern. Least of all did he expect that with his reluctant arrival at TVA, a woman would step into his life and wreak havoc in his heart. He does not know what it is about her that he seeks her presence like a bee hunting for honey--but he is determined to find out.

A/N: Gaaaah, I haven’t nearly pre-written as many chapters as I would like to have pre-written before starting to post but I just can’t wait any longer! I finally want to share this story with you guys, I am so hyped about it! So, without further ado--enjoy the first chapter of “Pastel Blue”! I hope you like it! ♥

Chapter 1

Tick Tock. That clock on the wall was driving her crazy, it had been ever since she had been assigned to this dull office. She spent most of her time in the lab, working in midst of dangerous and highly sensitive equipment and delicate devices.

Tick Tock. She was going to smash it—with a big hammer, perhaps, or even better, a jackhammer. It was ugly too. Made of wood and obviously antique, late 18th century probably. What had Mobius been thinking?

Oh yeah, him. Mobius M. Mobius, her I-am-not-your-father-but-I-will-treat-you-like-my-daughter supervisor and babysitter, thank you very much. Granted, he was old enough to be her father, taking into consideration that in her mid-twenties, there wasn’t much need for a parental figure in her life anymore.

Tick Tock. She sighed. The pile of paperwork she had been handed this morning had seemingly not shrunk by even an inch. She could swear she had not been stalling today. Breakfast, work, lunch break, work… Tick Tock. She rolled her eyes. No. This was unreasonable. Grunting a few not so decent swear words, she gathered the spreadsheets and dozens of handwritten notes, sending the calming ruffling of paper through the air and exited the room without so much as thinking about what Mobius would think about her wandering places around the TVA during work hours again.

Besides, the kitchen and common room right around the corner of her desired destination was equipped with the best coffee machine modern technology had to offer. Hot chocolate with mint and a hint of vanilla? Oh yes, please!

At this time of the day, the lab in question was deserted. Pens, pliers and other small tools lay scattered all over the metal tables as if someone had just finished their work for the day. Some of the devices in here could cause major damage if activated accidentally or even at the wrong time. Now there was the thrill, the proximity to endless possibilities.

After turning a few laps around the tables to see if anything had changed or improved at all since the last time she was here (which would be yesterday), she eventually made herself comfortable at the huge desk fully equipped with a cup holder, sockets and a fancy table lamp. The chair was the best part, enabling her to swirl around whenever she felt like she needed a refreshing spin.

She had just pulled out her burrow from her hair, having twirled it around one of the lighter strands. Her guess was the sun had bestowed its warm kisses upon her chocolate brown hair in the summer. Leaning over her papers, she got back to work.

But it was only five minutes until she heard the heavy metal door with the see-through glass panel being pushed open, followed by someone clearing their throat.

“Jess, do you have a moment?” Mobius asked. Jess tilted her head, the slightest frown accompanied by a gentle smirk decorating her face. What, no chastising for changing work locations today? She swirled around on her chair, expecting to see the man in question in his grey suit and the signature scar across his nose stare her down with arms akimbo. Instead, he was holding on to the door tensely, right next to him, seemingly out of place in the threshold, a man with raven hair and the most stunning pair of blue eyes she had ever had the pleasure to lock her gaze with. Her eyes were blue as well—Loki’s, however, seemed to shimmer green in the artificial light of the lab. She didn’t get much daylight, all the way down here.

“M?” Jess smiled. She rose, ignoring the slight trembling of her knees as she approached the two, keeping a safe distance. Her heart skipped a beat with every single step, her chest resembling a magnet pulling her towards Loki like a powerless needle.

“I’ve told you, repeatedly, to stay in your own office.” Ah, there it was.

“I have asked you, repeatedly, to re-locate my office here.” She retorted with a smug expression, eyes darting over to Loki. Mobius shook his head. “An introduction is probably redundant. Jess, this is Loki.”

He was wearing the orange prison clothes TVA had manufactured a few years back. She had to admit, orange suited him rather well, bringing out his cheekbones and the dark hair framing his flawless face. His lips were thin, his jawline to die for. She would be lying if she denied his attractiveness. Loki was a god, after all. Most prominent to his appearance, however, were the shackles around his naked wrists and the metal collar hiding most of his long neck—a chunky but firm reminder his powers were all but a myth as long as the light was blinking bright red like a traffic light screaming stop at him like a sleep-deprived police officer.

Loki lifted his chin, allowing pride and confidence to flood his aura. Out of all the people he had encountered in this strange place so far, alterations of his very own self on an old-fashioned projector included, she was by far the oddest. Jess, so he learned, wore a colourful choker around her neck as well as two bracelets of the same kind. They reminded him of sugar pearls. If he had asked her about them, she could have revealed to him that they were indeed candy necklaces—and that she wore them because Mobius had stressed there were no edible snacks allowed at work. The elegant pieces of jewellery hanging down her earlobes, however, appeared to be non-edible. Two delicate silver charms, holding what Loki identified to be moonstones. They suited her, complementing the long brown hair and the outstanding colour of her eyes. Blue—just like his.

“The God of Mischief.” She completed, the fraction of a second after he had studied her conspicuous appearance. She added a court but polite nod. “I was kind of hoping to meet you one day.” And so she was. The rumours had spread across the entire facility like wildfire, reaching even the Minutemen based in different timelines. Loki, the Norse God of Mischief, had stolen an Infinity Stone and escaped his respective timeline—a timeline reaching all the way back to 2012—creating a new branch of reality entirely. Unsupervised, he could have caused serious damage to the very fabric of time and the multiverse. He had to be stopped, had to be captured, had to be persuaded.

Mobius had expressed his interest in getting the infamous Trickster to work for him frequently. Loki was skilled, intelligent, witty, a talented fighter and most of all, one of the most capable users of magic the multiverse had to offer. His stories of victory and defeat were known to most of the TVA and yet, they resonated with her to an extent her colleagues could never fathom. Above everything Loki had had to experience—above all Loki will have had to experience—there was a thick layer of loneliness clouding his aura like a blanket of ice-cold snow. It was a suitable comparison, given his heritage.

“I didn’t just hear that.” Mobius intervened. He sized her up like an unpredictable teenager. “The God of Mischief has retired. Loki here has just agreed on working for us.”

“With you,” Loki interrupted. “Not for you. Reluctantly.” That would leave her wondering what exactly it was Mobius had offered him in return.

Jess chuckled. “Now that is a matter of opinion, trust me. I would know.” Raising an eyebrow, she gave Mobius a challenging glare.

“I need you to cover a shift.” He responded matter-of-factly. Jess’ eyebrow rose even higher. “Reese just jumped back from 1792.”

“And?”

“He almost made his personal acquaintance with the guillotine. They’re patching him up in the hospital wing right now.”

Sucking in a deep breath, Jess took a step back, realising just what kind of favour, no, requirement Mobius would ask for. Reese had been in the TVA for more than three decades—he had not aged a day since his accession as a matter of fact—and his experience and excessive excitement over the Avengers had made him the perfect candidate to keep an eye on Loki while he was still not to be trusted—if he was ever going to be trusted, that was. He was the God of Mischief, after all.

“I’m on probation, remember? What makes you think I should cover for him of all people?” Loki rolled his eyes and for a moment, you almost felt sorry for excluding him from a conversation that was clearly about him.

“Call it an experiment. Prove to me that we can rely on you and I’ll end your probation.” Jess resisted the urge to shake his hand off her shoulder when he leaned forward to touch her in a fatherly manner.

“Sir, do you have a moment?” A Minuteman had appeared behind them. Jess had never quite figured out how they moved so quietly. Their shoe soles must have been made of feathers. In turn, the stilettos she usually wore to smuggle a few more inches to her height were loud and made satisfying noises ricocheting through the hallways when she walked, emitting confidence and even smugness. She needed that boost every once in a while.

Mobius nodded. As he released Jess’ shoulder and pushed past Loki—who did, much to her amusement, not move an inch for the senior manager—he pointed a finger at him. “Behave.”

The lab door fell shut behind him, drowning all noises from the outside like a soundproof recording room. Jess gaped at Loki for a second, her body once again threatening to overwhelm her with the magnetic pull she felt towards the Trickster, fascination setting her veins ablaze.

“You do not look human.” Loki suddenly said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Jess pouted.

“Excuse me? I am hoping you meant that as a compliment, I am as human as I’ll ever be.” Loki frowned, then responded with a hum.

“I take it you hop timelines for him too then, fixing the damage others have done.”

“Me? No.” Jess shook her head. “I am not a Minuteman. I wish I was, trust me, but I have got nothing to do with that, unfortunately. I work in the linguistics department, spending all day translating protocols and time recordings from all sorts of languages. Now I know what you’re thinking. With its technology, shouldn’t TVA be able to translate everything using a smart computer program?” She shrugged. “Well, technically you’re right. But there’s a bunch of languages out there that simply don’t exist either here on Earth or any other known realm. We’re only human—and a computer program is only as smart as its creator. It can’t translate a language that does not consist of words, for example, that would go against the very human comprehension of its programmer.”

“Then how do you speak them?” Loki probed.

“That’s my superpower. I don’t know why I can understand them, I just… do. And what did it get me?” She raised her hands in a dramatic motion. “Paperwork. Lots of paperwork. The only way for me to get in on the real action is this place here. Take a look at this.” Loki watched her move towards what resembled a toaster, shaped like a metal suitcase that had been left open. Smiling, she reached for a shining red apple on the table and placed it on the black surface before activating the switch. She had seen the scientists do this dozens of times before. In fact, she was sure she could handle most of the devices in here in her sleep. As the small machine hummed to life, it sent a deafening vibration through the room and then, just like someone had hit fast-forward with a remote, the apple shrivelled and rotted.

“Pretty cool, huh? It works the other way around too once it recharged. They haven’t figured out how to make it work for living beings, including humans, just yet, though. This is just a prototype anyway, the real thing is supposed to help re-animate the dead for a short amount of time to solve time crimes and shit. I swear I’d get a major in science if I lived another life. My father was one. Before he died, that is.” Jess wasn’t quite sure what made her open up to the God of Mischief and tell her about her personal family drama. She usually babbled when nervousness got the better of her but this was a new level of openness entirely. They all knew her story, after all, but apart from Mobius, they all pretended they didn’t. “You see? TVA is not all bad, even if it may seem so at first. M can be an arsehole sometimes, I know. He calls our main timeline in which everything began,” Jess continued with a dramatic voice, “the Null-Time Zone. I never figured out why and he won’t tell me.”

“Because you don’t listen, Jess.” Mobius answered, holding the door open with the Minuteman who had asked for his advice impatiently but mutely waiting for his turn again behind him.

“So?” She probed, pointing at the God of Mischief with her chin, her arms crossed. “If I am to play babysitter for a while, where am I staying? Where is Loki staying?”

“Your place.” Jess blinked, incredulousness spreading on her face like a clean swipe of butter on warm toasted bread.

“My place?”

“Your residential unit is supervised and equipped with modern alarm systems, just in case you decide to make trouble again, remember? We’ll position security outside the door in addition to that, killing two birds with one stone. Besides, it’s only temporary. Reese should be up and on his feet again in no time. The blade only grazed him before he made the jump back.”

“That does not sound reassuring!” Jess stood up straight to prove her point and yet, even compared to Mobius, she was nowhere near tall enough to make an impact with her body language at this time.

“You can take the rest of the day off as compensation. Show Loki to your unit. Make yourselves acquainted. I’ll send security to collect him in five minutes—to the second!”

 ~*~

She seems familiar almost… like part of me has known her forever. It was a thought which jumped into Loki’s mind and implanted itself in his head like a parasite. A mere mortal, how could there possibly be a connection between them? But it wasn’t just magnetic fascination and intrigue. Loki felt a need to keep her in his presence much like she was about to be his cherished bride. Irritation crept up the back of his neck as he followed her through the branched corridors and back to the modern lift he had had to use upon his arrival.

He would only love to know just what it was that had gotten her on probation. Abuse of machinery for her own selfish purposes, perhaps? A prank which had gone too far and done damage to the organisation? Murder? No. Despite her toughness, he could not imagine the delicate mortal standing next to him in the elevator being capable of killing anyone.

When the elevator doors slid open again, the young woman gave him an almost sheepish smile. She hardly appeared worried by having to escort him all on her own, across empty hallways which were only too inviting to overpower her and escape. Something held him back. She did, so he realised with another wave of irritation electrifying his body.

“…the most dangerous missions they usually leave to Justice Peace and Death’s Head. Ever heard of them? They are like celebrities around here.” He heard her say just then. But Loki couldn’t possibly take less interest in this so-called Time Variance Authority. All he needed to know was that it was yet another, partially human-led secret organisation imagining with the naivety of a child that they held power over him. SHIELD had made this mistake in the past and they had paid the bitter price. TVA would be no different.

“The units here are labelled with our initials and the department number. This one.” Jess pointed at the first door coming into sight to their right and quite apparently, Mobius had not made any empty promises concerning Jess’ safety and surveillance. As they turned around the corner, they were greeted by a grimly looking security officer clutching one of those small devices Loki identified as a Taser, one which of the like Darcy Lewis had once used on his brother. He kept a straight face even as Jess unlocked the residential unit using her fingerprint and entered but gave him a provocative smirk before following her.

His own chambers back on Asgard—another life entirely, so it seemed now—were a reflection of who he was with their green accents, the countless books, the tidiness and the ancient parchment rolls on his dark mahogany desk from Vanaheim. If anything, analysing her personal living space to the very last grain of dust would satisfy his need to learn just why he felt so drawn her, perhaps.

The first item of furniture he took in was the long bookshelf towering all the way up to the ceiling, every inch filled with clearly read books about as thick as his wrist. He made a note to study the titles later. A coffee table full of empty peanut shells and a new package of peanuts still sealed neatly in their plastic bag, a caramel sofa on which he found more sealed peanut bags as well as a golden cushion with cheesy pom-poms. A drawer, a TV with large speakers and another electronic gadget resembling a fridge and two separate doorways which led to a bathing area, so he presumed, and her bedroom. Even with the overall lack of more furniture in the room, Jess had somehow managed to add her very own personal touch to the sterile residential unit.

“The bathroom is to the right, you’ll find refreshments and snacks in the fridge next to the TV. My bedroom is out of bounds. I hope you enjoyed the tour.” She chuckled, grabbing a blue leather jacket from the hook on the entrance door behind them. “Big meals are eaten in the cafeteria at certain times of the day though. Mobius wants to strengthen the team spirit but the cooks never say no to a late breakfast or a midnight snack if you ask them nicely.”

Loki narrowed his eyes at her. “Don’t you feel like a prisoner in this place?” A lackey for someone else to take the credit for your hard work, he added silently. He knew two of that kind—one being his brother, the other his alleged father. Loki suppressed a begrudged growl. Just in that moment and before she had a chance to reply to his provocative remark, there was a vigorous knock on the door.

“That’ll be your cue.” Jess announced. Loki had to force himself not to turn his head and catch one last glimpse of her as the grimly looking security man escorted him back to Mobius and, other than Jess, kept pushing him forward like cattle and yet, he was convinced he could feel her curious gaze resting on his back long after he had turned back around the corner, stepped into the elevator and even when he was reluctantly reunited with Mobius near the lab where they had first picked her up.

He was speaking to the same Minuteman who had interrupted them earlier—quietly, vividly and so engrossed in the seemingly heated conversation that he noticed Loki and his new bodyguard approaching only after his exceptional hearing had picked up shreds of information he made another mental note of using against them, sooner rather than later.

“You do realise that they’ll come after us with a vengeance, right? That could be the end of TVA once and for all, you know very well what he is capable of.”

“Let that be my concern. This is just a temporary solution—one which I am very curious about.”

“But it already—“

“I realise it already happened and that’s exactly why I’m doing this. All we need to do is stop it from happening again by observing the situation intently, stitch up the loop and we’ll be safe. This isn’t my first rodeo, Dave, you of all people should know this.”

“And what about the Tesseract? Wouldn’t it be smarter if we—“

The security officer cleared his throat, announcing their arrival.

“The Tesseract,” Loki interrupted with a glare, strutting towards them like the king he was born to become and despite his shackles, “belongs to me. It called out to me, it is mine.”

“You’ll find a lot of people in this facility who will disagree with you on that. Trust me. We’ll make sure you won’t get your hands on that cube again.” Dave snorted. “I hope you like your new lodging. Now come on, mischief maker. You’ve got a lot of work to do.”

~*~

A/N: And Scene! So what do you think, what do you think, what do you think? 🤯 I’m so excited to dive into this story! I literally recorded myself on my phone in the middle of the night a while back when all the ideas I had finally came together so I hope I’ll be taking you on an exciting journey with me!

Chapter 2