#I figure it's 4K I might as well get everything I can out of it

[forgotn1]

My NAS that I use as a media server now has less than a terabyte of space left out of 4TB. I still have a couple hundred movies to put on it so I think it's finally time to get more drives. I think I'm gonna see about getting a couple 6TB drives this time.

[elaofarc]

oh-honey-moon | NANAMI K.

๋࣭ ⭑⚝⭒ content; —mdni. husband!nanami. honeymoon shenanigans. face sıttıng. pūssy eating. spıttıng and slappıng mentioned only once. f!orgāsm.

๋࣭ ⭑⚝⭒ word count; —4k

๋࣭ ⭑⚝⭒an; —i planned this to be something soft and all about married life, but here i am, providing you with this. this is all i got so please praise me, thanks. ૮₍ ˃ ⤙ ˂ ₎ა

Nanami's brows furrowed involuntarily, if he was aware of his own expression he'd definitely hide it. His index finger tapping a restless rhythm on his crossed arms while his eyes heavily rest upon your figure, standing on the chair in front of your laptop, he finds all of this even more annoying. Despite his attempt at a distant demeanor, the audible tap of his foot on the carpeted floor betrays his impatience—even though you can't catch the way he stomps the floor, it's still there. It almost seems as if he is unconsciously trying to divert your attention from your work, his looming shadow casting a presence behind you as he hovers over your seated form—if you were aware of him, you'd probably be laughing and finding it endearingly cute how demanding he is. The sense of neglect gnaws at him even though he knows that you're not doing this on purpose, it's a result of your relentless dedication to your work that keeps you apart. This is supposed to be your honeymoon, for goodness' sake, and yet here you are, still engrossed in tasks at one o'clock in the morning even though you can handle them very well when you get back. Nanami grapples with his reluctance to voice his concerns, fearing he might come across as overly needy if he is to express how overlooked he is feeling right now. Leaning in close, he rests his head against your shoulder in silence, his hands sneaking underneath his own shirt that's completely oversized for you, tenderly tracing circles on your stomach as he breathes in your scent deeply, a low, guttural sound escaping his lips. "Bed, love, now," he urges firmly, his voice carrying a blend of longing and insistence as he speaks.

If you knew that you'd have a doting husband, a happy marriage and a shitload of money; maybe you wouldn't think money was the most important thing in life during your teenage years. Money meant everything for you, probably because of how you experienced your parents' stress about not having enough income to get by. So, that's why you chose a job like this. Your job wouldn't recognize holidays or off-days; even though you mainly work from home, you're just constantly on your laptop, phone and tablet.

You know that you promised to never touch any work related thing during your honeymoon, yet, the paycheck is good, and you just can't slack off. When Nanami's big and strong arms sneak up on you, his veiny hand on your stomach under your shirt and his forehead on your shoulder; you softly chuckle without peeling your eyes from the bright screen. "I know, baby," you murmur, fingers typing the words out at an inhumane speed. "I will be in bed, give me a min."

Nanami exhales with a frown, his warm breath fanning your neck. He's upset that you prioritized the laptop instead of him. He places a gentle squeeze on your soft stomach, and his hands slowly slide underneath your loose t-shirt, causing your skin to tingle from the feeling of his warm, large hands.

"It's two in the morning. We both know you've been working your ass off while we were supposed to be enjoying our honeymoon." His voice is hoarse and low.

And he is right and you can't deny it; this is your honeymoon. What kind of an asshole works on their honeymoon? Well, definitely not Nanami, but you sound like you fit the type. With a soft sigh escaping your lips, you give in. Yeah, this work and the deadline are definitely not your problems, especially not now. You can deal with them once you get back from your honeymoon.

So, you gently lean back closer to your husband, feeling the warmth of his touch envelop you as you close your eyes and rest the back of your head against the crook of his neck—right where his shoulder meets the curve of his neck, right where you fit perfectly. "I'm sorry," you whisper, your arms wrapping around Nanami's arms even though his strong hold has already crept under your oversized t-shirt the moment he approached you. "You're right, I'm being an annoying workaholic. I'll deal with it later."

A small smirk appears on Nanami's features as you lean back against him with a murmured apology. He releases a deep purr when you rest your head against his neck where you fit seamlessly. He places a tender kiss on the sensitive part, his large hands gently rubbing your warm stomach.

"Mm," he hums in acknowledgment and presses another kiss on your shoulder. "No need to apologize. I just wish you'd stop treating the job as a priority over your own well-being," he whispers, his chest rising and falling against your back.

One of the thin straps of your top slides down to your shoulder since Nanami shuffles a lot while holding you, embracing you; or more like caging you in between those strong arms. His thick biceps and veiny hands... you would've never expected him to be this muscular underneath those expensive suits. Everytime he kisses you, it has a fuzzy and warm feeling to it; filling you up to the brim with such intense emotions.

You slightly turn your head around to face him, and you're glad that those dark-circles are long gone. He used to be the same workaholic as you, but after starting to date you, he made you his priority. You place a kiss to where you can reach, under his jawline. His warmth and scent make you dizzy as you let out a content sigh. "I'll do better from now on," you murmur, feeling all too pliant enveloped by his embrace. "I love you. Let's get back to bed, hm?"

Nanami's sharp ears catch your response and he releases a deep, satisfied groan at the vow you made. His lips gently touch each side of your shoulder, and then he leans into your touch when you place a kiss along his jawline.

"I know you will," he murmurs back, his tone filled with a warm affection. He presses one final kiss behind your ear before he slowly withdraws, tugging you away from the desk and in the direction of the bed. He gently guides you towards the comfortable sheets, a quiet anticipation present in his eyes.

You leave the big chair placed in front of the big desk in your suite hotel room, tall windows let the most of the light cast upon the vast room. It's really dark outside except for the faint city lights coming from the distance. The bed is placed in the middle as a classic; two bedside drawers on each side of the bed while the sliding door to the balcony is on the left side of the room. The room has everything in it, and you think that you can stay inside this room during your whole stay here.

With your hand getting lost in Nanami's veiny, big hand, you follow him to the bed. His t-shirt looks like it can fit two more of you in it, your hair is messy since you've interrupted your own sleep with your work. The sheets are messy, too, both of you shuffle a lot during your sleep. You immediately plop yourself onto the bed, and Nanami's scent mixed with yours makes you close your eyes and bask in it. God—you truly love him.

"Better?"

Nanami releases a gentle hum as he settles into the plush mattress, wrapping his strong arm around your waist, his thick biceps flexing under your touch. His other arm beneath your head finds a home in your hair, gently stroking and playing with the soft strands. His chest rises and falls underneath you with each breath, and his muscular body radiates a heat that seeps into you. His fingers glide over your skin, drawing invisible patterns on his chest as you do the same to him.

He chuckles softly at your question, the sound reverberating deep in his chest. "Much better," he murmurs, his voice a low and soothing rumble. "You have no idea how good that feels, love."

You feel drowsy, probably due to the warmth that seeps into your body from Nanami. It's already pretty late, too, so it's only natural for your eyelids to feel heavier and heavier as you listen to his deep and raspy voice. Even when he talks in a low tone, his voice shakes you to your core—full of tenderness and love for you. You pull back slightly to look at his face, his sharp features appearing softer than ever under the faint lights coming from the tall windows. You can't help but softly laugh; his eyes are closed but he's not sleeping, you know that. "I bet it feels good," you say, fingertips gently tracing the outline of his face. "What's up with you tonight? You're extremely clingy, I'm surprised."

A small smile creeps onto Nanami's chiseled features as your fingertips gently trace the contours of his face. He opens his eyes and meets your gaze, his expression filled with an intense and burning desire. He shifts his body to face you and captures your hand, intertwining your fingers with his own. His thumb strokes the back of your hand, the touch gentle yet firm. "Am I?" he asks with a hint of amusement. "Perhaps I've been craving your presence," he murmurs, leaning in to steal a tender kiss from your lips.

It's always an intense feeling whenever your eyes meet his, and it'll always be like that, very likely. As if you're not his wife and just a girl who has a crush on him, you always get the need to avert your gaze when his strong gaze catches your eyes. With your eyes that shine like a sky adorned with stars, always reflecting what you feel even without trying—Nanami doesn't have to ask you questions to know what or how you feel, he already knows by staring into your eyes. All of it feels suffocatingly warm and fuzzy after you pull back from the kiss, and you realize this is where you've always wanted to be. "Oh, you definitely are," you murmur, fingers habitually finding their places in his soft hair. "I like this side of you, a lot."

A low sound almost like a groan resonates deep within Nanami's chest as you tangle your fingers through his hair, his eyes closing involuntarily in relaxation at your touch. His muscular frame is pressed close to yours, his heat wrapping around you like a warm, comforting blanket. He nuzzles his face into the nook of your shoulder, his lips pressing gently against the sensitive skin with a tender kiss.

"Good," he murmurs softly, his voice low and husky with affection. "Because I plan on being extra clingy."

The way your bodies act on their own with a magnetic force whenever they touch has always been mind-blowing for you, really. Whenever Nanami wraps his arms around your waist, your body presses against him on its own. Whenever his hand cups your cheek, you nuzzle against his big hand. Whenever his lips find solace in the nook of your sensitive neck, your head drops back to give him more room—almost as if you're completely offering yourself to him.

"Oh?" You murmur softly, eyebrows raising slightly as you can't hold in the chuckle escaping your lips. "How so? You're spoiling me too much, I might get addicted and demand more and more."

A low groan vibrates within Nanami's throat when you tilt your head back, giving him access to your sensitive neck. His lips gently press against your exposed skin, planting languid and wet kisses along the curve of your shoulder, causing chills to ripple down your spine. His palm rests against your cheek, his thumb caressing the smoothness beneath his touch. "You have no idea the things you do to me," he whispers, almost inaudibly. "Well, if you ask me; you deserve to be spoiled like a goddess."

"Besides," he whispers again, his voice husky and seductive, "Is that such a bad thing?" He pauses his affections for a moment and gently nibbles on your earlobe, his warm breath grazing your skin.

"I quite like indulging your every whim."

"Ah," you sweetly whisper back, eyes closing in tranquility as you softly smile. Nanami is always taken aback by your beauty, everytime he sees you it feels like it's his first time seeing you. His heart never fails to flatter in his chest just by seeing you; rather you are reading a book while cozily curled up in a couch, or furrowing in front of your laptop, or embraced in his arms like this, you are always a sight for sore eyes. "The addicting high of being turned into a brat by my very beloved husband," you say, the slightest sly smirk spreading across your face.

"You're a handful," he responds, amusement laced in his voice as he gently tugs on your earlobe with the slightest bit of teeth, his grip on you growing firmer. His large hand gently squeezes your waist, pulling your body even closer to his. Every inch of your body is pressed against his, his heat and weight enveloping your form tightly like fine linen. Nanami continues his ministrations on your neck, his tongue lightly trailing along the column of your throat, his warm, skilled mouth gently nipping at your sensitive skin. His sharp teeth playfully graze you, creating tantalizing sensations that send electricity humming through your body. "How did I fall in love with you? You're driving me insane," he teases, and it only fuels that sly smirk plastered across your beautiful face.

The warmth enveloping you turns into something hotter, even heavier when you feel Nanami's teeth coming in contact with the sensitive skin of your neck. With your eyes closed, you let out a pleased hum—and that's probably all he needs from the very beginning, to be honest. You find yourself straddling his lap, your body being moved with such ease by his strong hands as he places you on top of his own body. You're stimulated by how he feels underneath you; ready to give you everything you ask for and more. Feeling him pressed against you has your head spinning as he slightly gets up from the bed, getting into a sitting position as his lips leave no place on your skin untouched. He explores you as if he never did that before, and you find yourself needily clawing at his back. "Nanami," you breathlessly whimper his name, head thrown back as it gets harder and harder to sit still. His large, talented hands roam your body with a possessive need, his touch leaving trails of heat and desire in its wake. He moves with purpose, gently pinning your hips down onto his clothed lap, preventing your squirming body from escaping his heated touch.

Nanami's breath catches in his throat as your fingers dig into his back, the sound of his name falling from your lips like a sultry melody. He can hear the slight strain in your voice, the need evident in your tone. His own body responds involuntarily, a low groan rippling through him as he presses closer. His heart races, pounding against the confines of his chest, as his lips explore every inch of your body with a mix of passion and reverence. His hands hold you firmly against his body, supporting you as you sit on his lap. But as you claw at his back, trying to get even closer to him, he can feel himself unraveling. Feeling your thighs squeezing, his fingers grip your skin, his breathing grows ragged. "So pretty," he groans against your neck. "You sound so pretty, love."

Nanami's mouth trails a path down to your collarbone, his kisses alternating between gentle and possessive. With hungry need, he worships every inch of your skin like a hopeless devotee. He revels in your reaction—the way your back arches and your voice trembles. His breath is hot and heavy against your skin. "Hm?" comes his low, gravelly voice, a sound full of desire. "You like it, don't you?" he asks, his hands gently lifting your shirt up. Your bodies practically molding together, you feel yourself suddenly growing needy, desperate to be touched and explored even more. The hungry kisses and determined bites to your skin feel like they don't do enough justice to your burning body—you relish in the way his big hands sneak under the oversized t-shirt you stole from him, causing the hair on your nape to stand up in its wake. "Yeah," you breathlessly reply without wasting a second, head nodding with a little bit too much craving.

The thin fabric feels unnecessary as Nanami worships every inch of your skin within his reach, probably saving what's underneath the pieces of clothing for the last. You grow impatient, body slightly jolting forward when his big hands cover the whole small of your back. "Nanami, please," you whimper, eyebrows furrowing as it gets almost impossible to stop yourself from grinding against him. You feel your shorts getting wet, and it's kind of embarrassing—just by being kissed... Your body tenses, pussy begging for any kind of friction as you feel him growing hard in his sweatpants. If you could just—if you could, God, it'd solve all your current problems if you could just grind against his growing erection. With a low groan, he pulls you closer. "Look at me," he commands, his breath hot against your skin. "Please what?" he whispers. "You need to tell me exactly what you want, love." His hands slide from your back to your hips, slowly guiding you closer and bringing your body in contact with the hardness growing beneath him. All his words are barely a whisper, but the deep tone of his voice tells of his own desperations.

A sound like a soft, broken soft falls from your lips as Nanami shifts in his place, sliding down to lay on his back completely—he bucks his hips up, and it doesn't help. It rips another delicious moan from you, body jolting in his lap again as you hold onto his thick biceps for support; nails digging into his skin. "Don't be mean," you whine, lips pouting momentarily. "You know what I want."

"Do I?" His response is breathless as his big hands hold onto your hips, helping you grind against him, practically riding him through the fabric of these annoying clothes as your body slightly trembles. "Yeah," you immediately reply, eyes getting glossy since the vast suite feels smaller, hotter than ever. Your fingers find the waistband of Nanami's sweatpants, eager to free him from it, yet he holds your hand—causing it to get lost in his big palm. You realize that his hands are actually cold, but it burns when he touches your skin. "Careful," he warns, voice low and husky as he stares into your eyes—his usual neat hair is messy, some strands falling over his forehead, it looks fluffier and softer than usual. "I'm in charge here."

You part your lips to protest, but it’s cut before you even have the chance when Nanami softly smacks your ass with one hand—urging you to lift yourself off from his lap, to inch closer to his face. “Go on,” he says, causing your breath to hitch in your throat as you feel nailed to where you are. “Come on, doll, don’t make me say it twice.”

When you lift your hips up, Nanami doesn’t waste any second; his fingers hook around the waistband of your poor excuse of shorts, that’s what he’d probably say, and he throws them somewhere. God, he loves it when you don’t wear anything underneath; he’s immediately welcomed by your glistening folds as he pushes you a little bit further, lips parting and brows knitting as soon as he has you pressed against his mouth. Your knees pressed against the bed on both sides of his head, one hand holds onto the head of the bed as the other tugs on Nanami’s messy hair—he’ll be the death of you, that’s for sure. 

“Fuck,” the moan is long and drawn-out as your legs tremble, you’re glad that he’s supporting you with his big hands as the bridge of his nose nuzzles against your clit and his tongue laps at your weeping cunt—everytime your body jerks away from him, he has you pressed against his mouth. His low groans send vibrations throughout your whole body, making you cry in pleasure. “Fuck, Nanami—wait,” you breathlessly protest, feeling like you’re losing a piece of your sanity whenever his lips press kisses to your clit and his tongue delves into your pussy; tasting you and eating you out like a starved man. The slick sounds fill the room, hypnotizing, mixing with your breathless whimper and soft cries as well as Nanami’s deep and muffled groans against your pussy. “Can’t wait,” he replies, as if he’s heard you just now, and his gaze meets your eyes, holding your gaze captive. It gets you even wetter, if that’s possible, causing your juices to drip down to his chin and smear all over your inner thighs as his tongue keeps working on you. 

“Please, if you—fuck, fuck, if you don’t wait, I’m just gonna—,” you avert your gaze, feeling embarrassed by the intensity of his gaze as your vision becomes blurry—you’ve forgotten everything that led up to this. Nanami’s face buried in your pussy, tongue desperately lapping, his nose nuzzling against where you need it the most, hands kneading the soft skin of your thighs as his muffled moans and groans send shivers down to your spine. You feel his body twitching, too, hips bucking into the emptiness, he must be painfully hard—pre-cum leaking, staining his sweatpants as he eats you out. 

Without having the chance to say anything, that coiled up feeling explodes—causing you erratically grind against Nanami’s tongue, probably stealing his air, yet he doesn’t seem like he’s complaining even a bit. As you cum, letting him taste you on his tongue and your juices dripping down to his chin, you softly sob—the intense feeling stealing the breath from your lungs. It takes you some time to come down from your high, slowly keeping up your movement. Nanami serves you like the queen you are, letting you tug on his hair and sticking his tongue out, you even hear him gulp, slick sounds becoming slightly louder.

You finally pull back, sliding down until you’re sitting right on top of his painfully hard and sensitive cock, he hisses when he feels your warmth and wetness even through the fabric of his sweatpants. Your legs tremble, and you’re overly-sensitive, but feeling him growing hard just by having you sitting on his face washes you over with that oh-so-familiar feeling. Mind in a haze, you bring your hand up to your husband’s chin and gather all the wetness smeared all over his mouth and chin before you push your thumb into his mouth. Nanami obliges, parting his lips and sucking your finger clean before he presses a soft kiss to the tip of your finger.

“Nanami,” you let your chest meet with his, your hand trailing down on his body until you reach his cock—he gently takes your hand in his, pressing kisses to your knuckles. “No, love,” he is quick to deny you, more like deny himself, and your eyebrows knit together.

“Huh?” 

“Just wanted to make you feel good,” he says with that hoarse tone of his voice. “Wanted to show you what you missed while spending your hours on that fucking desk and ignoring me.”

Your cheeks get flushed now that you know he has been thinking about this all day, how can you let your husband go to sleep with a painfully hard erection? You kiss his jawline before sliding even lower on the bed, eyes peering through your eyelashes as your head moves lower and lower. “I should apologize appropriately, then,” you murmur, fingers hooking around the waistband of his sweatpants. “That’d be only fair, given the circumstances, right?”

Breathlessly, Nanami chuckles—arm lazily thrown over his eyes for a minute or two before he sits up on the bed, helping you get down on your knees on the ground before grabbing you gently by your chin. “Fuck,” he murmurs, seeing your lips parted apart as you tug on his sweatpants. He leans down, spitting in your mouth as you’ve asked, and a gentle slap across your flushed cheek follows shortly after. “What am I going to do with you?” 

[psychedelic-ink]

𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐌𝐄 𝐖𝐑𝐀𝐏 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐇

pairing: miguel o'hara x f!reader

genre: smut, minors dni

word count: 4k

summary: after finding him wounded in an empty alleyway, against your better judgment, you decide to patch him up in your apartment. you expect that to be the end of it, never to see him again, that is, until you do.

warnings: piv, rough sex, dirty talking, biting, claws make a brief appearance, mild degradation (he calls you slut once), mention of female masturbation

You live in a world without heroes. Yet, the villains roam free. 

You’re used to it by now, walking through the damp alleyways. You hear a shout here and there, always keeping your head bowed as you walk past whatever might be going on. Once upon a time, this bothered you. But after a knife to your stomach and a punch to the cheek, you learned to look the other way around, no matter how painful it might be. Sometimes you find yourself wondering why this might be. You always assumed some type of ying yang situation should be in place, making everything right, but you seem to be living in a world without good. Without light.  

You don’t know what prompts you to do it. You’re walking back from work, the scent of rain and the stench of exhaust thick in the air. All you want to do is get to your cramped apartment before the downpour. 

You think it’s the wind that makes you turn your head, you hate when your eyes water and dry out. When you do turn, you stare into the familiar abyss of the alleyway behind your apartment. It’s truly pitch black. Despite the darkness, you see a faint movement in shadows, a loud sound, a crash. You see a flash of red, blue. Your eyes narrow—what the? 

You know well that you shouldn’t, that whatever was lurking in the shadows would be bad news, but you do it anyway. With a grunt, you open the flashlight of your phone and take a step closer. There’s a man laying on the cold ground, he doesn’t seem to be moving. 

“Hello?” you call out. No answer. “Um, are you drunk or high? Should I call an ambulance?” 

The broad figure groans and your heart nearly lurches. “No,” he mumbles. “No doctors.” 

With a slight tremor in your step, you come closer. You shine the light into his face, his brows furrow, an annoyed scowl etching into his handsome features. Your lips part with a soft exhale. He’s so handsome. 

Then you get a good look at the rest of him—what the hell is he wearing? 

“Do you need help?” you ask, unsure. He doesn’t seem to be bleeding, his eye looks a bit swollen though. Wait, scratch that, you think you spot some blood on his lips. “Should I get you anything?” 

Maybe you sound foolish, but you know better than to just call 911 for a random person. Everyone is a criminal these days. Fuck, if he was a criminal you should call the cops, this city is seriously starting to cloud your better judgment. 

“No cops,” he chokes and coughs, as if he can read your thoughts. “Go away, I’ll be fine.” 

No, he won’t. 

He knows it. You know it. 

“I live right next door,” you answer against your better judgment. “I have a first aid kit. I can patch you up if you want? I don’t wanna brag, but I am a nurse in training.” 

He makes a sound that is similar to a chuckle but the sound quickly fades into a vicious cough. You tuck the phone into your pocket and lean over, “Alright big guy, you’re coming with me,” you attempt to throw his arm over your shoulder but that proves to be more difficult. “Can you stand? Even a little.”

He nods and straightens up a bit. You’re still carrying most of his weight but you manage to get him past the door and onto your couch. 

You must’ve thrown him a little too hard because he lets out a loud grunt, teeth sinking into his bottom lip to stifle the sound. 

“Sorry,” you mutter. “Just wait for me here, I’ll come back with water and the first aid kit.” 

The man makes another sound. You’re starting to think this is his only form of communication. 

When you come back, he’s still where you left him. Albeit looking a bit more alert now, eyes constantly scanning your humble apartment. You can’t really blame him though, you would do the same thing. You eye him warily, then place the glass of water on the coffee table. He glares at it like it’s poison. 

“I’m not going to hurt you.” 

He scoffs, “I don’t think you could even if you tried,” he answers, tongue moving over his bloody bottom lip. He points at the table. “And there’s a coaster right there.” 

“Who are you, my mother?” 

Despite your sharp tone, you place the glass on the coaster and sit on the coffee table, the small first aid kit in hand. “Does that thing have a zipper, or. . . ?” 

His right brow and lip cock up simultaneously. You’re acutely aware that no matter what you do, you’ll never be able to understand what’s going on in that head of his—Not that you want to. He’s a stranger. A man that looks strong enough to hold you by the neck before you can reach the pepper spray nestled in your bag. 

The silence makes you uneasy, and when you finally open your mouth to speak, he leans forward. “Don’t freak out,” he grunts. 

“Why would I freak out—” The rest of the sentence dies in your throat, his suit glitches—glitches—like a damn video game. It blinks once, twice and you swear you can see little particles glimmering on his skin, fading away from reality. Panic flaring in your gut, you look down. 

Pants still on. And here your thought that the entire thing was a one-piece suit. 

“I said don’t freak out,” he repeats, eyebrow raised and head tilted to the side. You snap your mouth shut. 

“I’m not freaking out,” you say, voice shrill. “Who’s freaking out? Not me.” 

His shoulders are broad, arms muscular with thick veins meandering down. You’ve never been a fan of veins popping out but whoever this man was made it look good. You swallow over and over in a weak attempt to wet the inside of your mouth. You fail helplessly. You’re not even aware that you’re holding the first aid kit with an iron grip, knuckles aching from the pressure. His torso is completely bare now.

“I don’t have a zipper,” he says unhelpfully, unaware of you behaving straight out of a 1950s cartoon. 

“I can see that.” 

God, he is the weirdest stray you ever brought over. 

He points at the box, “So do you actually know how to use what’s inside or were you just bluffing when you said you were a nurse?” 

“A nurse in training,” you quip. “And no, I wasn’t bluffing.” 

With great strength, you finally drag your eyes down his torso. There’s a splatter of blood, some of the drops rubbed into his skin and the crimson trail is followed up by a giant slash across his stomach. The bleeding had stopped which was a good sign. You lean closer, your fingers fiddling with the box at the same time, narrowing your gaze you notice the wound is deeper than you had initially thought. 

“Whoever it was that attacked you got you good,” you murmur. Without a second thought, you slide off the coffee table and kneel in front of him, you miss the glint in his eyes as he looks down, miss the way he spreads his legs so you can fit better. 

“How do you know it wasn’t me who attacked them?” 

The rough tone of his voice prompts you to look up. For someone who’s been stabbed, he’s eerily calm. His arms are spread over the backrest, chest slowly rising up and down as his eyes flit across your face, searching. The muscle in his jaw twitches, lips stretching into something resembling a snarl. Suddenly you’re hyper-aware of where you are, the position you’re in. The sound of danger rings in your ears—you don’t even know this man’s name. Your breath catches in your throat, stomach jumping. You don’t know why you initially felt so comfortable with him, as if you were long-lost friends, but you aren’t. You were being reckless. 

“Scared?” he asks, venomous, hunching over your frame, caging you in. Heat radiates from his thighs, a stark contrast to the cold fear gripping your insides. He hooks two fingers under your chin, lifts your head up. Your bottom lip quivers. “You should be. You live in a dangerous world.”

“And you don’t?” you counter, your voice barely above a whisper, your words hanging in the air, challenging his assertion. The question slips out before you can fully comprehend its weight, and you see his jaw tighten as he ponders for an answer.

You meticulously cleanse the wound, removing dirt and debris with steady hands. The sting of antiseptic fills the air, intermingling with the charged atmosphere. You’re not shy with the way you touch him, a simmering annoyance warming your gut. He can take it, you think applying further pressure. He doesn’t make a sound. 

The dim light of the room accentuates the harsh contours of his face, and his piercing gaze feels like it's cutting through your soul. You drag your teth against the smooth surface of the inside of your cheek. You’ve never had a patient stand this still. 

Finally, just as you complete the final wrap of the bandage, he gives you an answer. 

“Not the same one as you do.”

Miguel O’hara was his name. He told you just before disappearing into the neon lights of the dark and cold city. You didn’t think much of it, you were sure you wouldn’t be seeing him again, which meant remembering his name was useless.

But your mind wouldn’t let him go. You tasted his name in the dark hours of the night, hand between your legs, coming as you thought of scenarios where instead of dousing his wound in antiseptic, you took his cock into his mouth, helping him in a different way. His suit left little to the imagination and now that your imagination roamed free, you’re glad that it was. 

Convinced that he’ll never show up again, you continue on normally, half in fear due to the chaos around you, trying to do your best. 

That was until he did show up. 

You step out of the shower, water trickling down your skin, softened by the warm steam. The towel hangs loosely around your chest, on the verge of slipping off. You never quite mastered the art of securing it tightly, but living alone means you don't have to worry about walking around naked if it happens to fall off.

The window cracks open, cold air seeping through, chilling your freshly warmed body. Tension instantly builds in your body, your eyes slowly moving to the window. You see him then. Miguel. He pushes the window open and climbs in, not saying a word. You hold the towel tightly around you—a dream, you think, it has to be. 

With quick, large steps, he crowds your space, forcing your back against the wall. The air is knocked from your lungs, your throat convulsing with a sudden panic. He’s not touching you. 

“M-Miguel,” you whisper. “I didn’t—I didn’t think I would see you again.” 

“Neither did I,” he answers, large hands cupping your waist and pinning you to the wall. “I’m tired,” he adds, words dropping from his lips more like a punch than a plea. Like someone is squeezing the words out of him. 

“What do you need?” 

His eyes drop to your lips, a hungry gaze that sends shivers up your spine. You hold your breath. He’s so close, close enough that you feel his breath on your damp skin. He tilts his head to the side, eyes closing. 

“I need to not think,” he answers painfully slow, tasting every word. “I need to not feel. I need to not worry. I need to disappear for a while.” 

Miguel takes a long, languid breath. Filling his lungs with the scent of your watermelon body wash. His tongue pokes from between his lips, moving over the bottom one. “Can you give me that?” 

His fingers tighten, the soft fabric of your towel bunching in his palm, you swear you feel the bite of nails despite the fluffy exterior. Your eyes search his. You know nothing of him. Only his name that he’d begrudgingly given you. Your pulse quickens, the rush of blood loud in your ears. He’s not here for you, that’s something you need to keep in mind before going any further. He’s here for the release, for the simple act of having another’s warmth surrounding him. You’re an escape. Something simple and easy he doesn’t have to think about when he runs off to deal with whatever he deals with. 

After seconds that feel like hours, you decide you want to give that to him. You don’t mind the hurt you’ll feel after. Letting him take what he wants knowing that’ll affect you more than him. Something about him makes you not care. 

“I can,” you breathe, instinctively searching for his lips with your own. “Do your worst Miguel O’hara.” 

You drop the towel, damp fabric pooling at your ankles. His eyes widen briefly before smiling something wicked. His forehead touches yours, nose brushing your own as his lips ghost an inch away. Your breath catches in your throat, the need growing between your legs. A chuckle drops from his lips reminding you of gravel. You don’t share his humor, you just want to feel him. 

“You don’t want my worst,” he grunts. “You’ll break.” 

“I won’t.” 

He scoffs but doesn’t argue. Miguel doesn’t attempt to probe you wrong, breaking things is meant to have consequences. You either try to fix it or ponder over what you’ve done, he wants none of that. Instead, he presses flush against you, body firm in contrast with the soft swell of your chest and stomach. Your nipples tighten. He crashes into you, tongue hungrily slipping between your lips as his mouth moves greedily.  You feel hands on your chest, kneading, squeezing, pinching. You moan into his mouth, he swallows the sounds, grinding himself hard into you. You’re shaking, his body suffocating. 

“If I touch you,” he says into your mouth, fingers skimming the outside of your thighs. “Will you be soaked for me?”  With a whimper, you nod. He grins, canines looking sharper compared to what they did before, “Such a good little slut,” he growls. 

Contrary to what he’d said, he doesn’t slip his fingers between your legs to see if you’re telling the truth. Instead, he slots his thick thigh between your bare legs, pushing the muscle up until you’re left gasping, your hands flailing as you wrap them around his broad shoulders. The pressure makes you dizzy, the fabric of his suit softer than what you expected, a delicious friction over your aching clit. You moan openly into his neck, teeth scraping against the vein. 

“I’m going to fuck you like this,” he murmurs. “Up against the wall,” his suit fades away, cock hard against the soft planes of your stomach. You shudder as precome smears over the skin. He continues, licking your lips. “Then up against the window, want you to be loud. Want you to scream and tell me to take. . .” 

The emphasis on the “t” sends a million tiny needles biting into your skin. Your chest heaves with the brush of his lips, you want to feel it again, the plush feeling of faux softness on your mouth. But he doesn’t give you that. He smiles a cruel smile, one that chills your skin but lights a fire in the pit of your stomach. He tilts his head. 

“And take. . .” 

You chase his lips, he refuses to give you what you want. 

“And take. . .” 

Your frustration grows, a desperate sound twists through you, and your fingers curl around his neck, knitting through his hair as you give the curls a warning tug. He doesn’t seem to be affected in the slightest. He drags his lips down your neck, hitches your one thigh up his hip, and positions his length against you. He doesn’t look at you, nor say another word. He fills you with one hard thrust, knocking you back against the wall, your body sliding up the rough interior. The stretch of him lingers on the line of being painful. There’s a bite to it, but also a deep pleasure that makes your legs shake. 

“So fucking wet,” he rasps, sinking his teeth into your neck. It feels sharp enough that you think he breaks the skin, blood filling his mouth, but that’s not the case. The feeling quickly passes when his mouth crashes into yours in a messy kiss. He doesn’t wait for you to adjust, he doesn’t care. He takes what you give him and he does so violently, splitting you into two with every thrust. 

He grabs handfuls of your hips, lifting you off the wall before slamming you back down with renewed fervor. He angles each thrust to the point of almost pain. You cry out, a long, desperate noise that almost drowns out his own, panting gruffly. You can feel the heat in your veins coursing through you as pleasure builds, the almost unbearable sensation sending you into overload. Your toes curl, your nails dig into his skin as his name leaves your lips in a plea for him to not stop. His hands grip you tighter as his movements become more violent, eyes locked together as they both reach the brink of ecstasy. 

The look in his eyes, the furrow of his brows, the parting of his lips, the damp curls at the base of his scalp—it does something indescribable to you. You arch your back to give more for him. All your focus narrowing on the feeling of him. 

Suddenly your body strains as he stills, the thunderous rumbling of your orgasm hitting you full force as you feel yourself tighten around his shaft in an attempt to prolong the blissful pleasure. His grip slackens and you fall forward against him, boneless as you feel the last throes of your orgasm lingering in your veins. You lick the salt off his skin, your body grinding sloppily against him. 

“Fuck,” he hisses between gritted teeth, still achingly hard inside of you. “Already?” 

“I—I never came that quick before. . .” you answer with a slight slur of speech, you’re tingling all over. 

You’re not sure but you think you see a hint of pride in those dark smug eyes, “Don’t think you’re off the hook,” he says. “You’re mine until the sun comes up.” 

Miguel is a man of his word. 

He fucks you up against the window, just like he said. Your breasts pressed up against the cold smooth surface as he takes you from behind. It burns. It burns yet you can only beg for more. You scream his name, fog up the window, the rough drag of his cock forcing the roll of your eyes every goddamn time. The feeling of being stretched wide never passes, each thrust like the first time. 

He holds you by the nape, pushes you forward, the pressure only adding to the fire. You figure out soon he likes holding you like that. He enjoys shoving you up against things, adding to the idea that you’re just a fleeting moment and nothing more. When he pulls out you instinctively search for him with your hips. His cock lays heavy over the curve of your ass, he spreads you and presses his cock between the globes, rocking until thick ropes of come land on your back. You shudder, breathless, your vocabulary reduced to only his name. 

You feel a grip on your chin and he turns you enough so that he can slot his lips against yours. Your neck aches but your part for him anyway, allowing the taste of him to flood all your senses. When he parts only a string of saliva connects you, your breathing coming  in heavy pants. 

A second later the world around you blurs and you quickly find yourself straddling him above the bed. The old furniture creaking in protest. You forget how nervous you would be if it were someone else, how self-conscience you would be riding a man but Miguel doesn’t give you a chance to think about it. His feet planted firmly on the bedding, he snaps his hips, burying himself deep into the tight fist of your cunt, over and over, until you’re stupid for him. 

His name rips from your throat, you can’t even think of saying anything else. You attempt to muffle yourself with the back of your hand but he’s quick to yank it back down. 

“No” he utters a low, guttural sound, hands coming up your back. “I said I wanted you to scream.” 

He sounds unhinged, like something snapped inside of him. You feel teeth on your collarbone, nails dragging down your back, sharp, leaving long lines of irritated skin. A pleasurable pain blossoming over your skin. 

You begin to unravel as you thrust your hips against him, his movements setting off white-hot sparks of pleasure like incandescent lightning. Moans rush from your lips as his name is repeated in a mantra and you cling to him desperately, your hands clawing at his back and your nails digging into his skin as you spiral ever faster into oblivion.

Miguel is relentless in the way he drives into you. You can feel him swell inside you, every thrust pushing you closer and closer to the edge. He moves his hands to your hips, pushing and grinding against you as every muscle in his body strains. 

His breathing is quick and harsh against your ear, his voice a hungry growl, “That’s it, take it. You were waiting for this, weren’t you? Hungry for a cock no matter who it belongs to.”  

You can’t answer. 

Miguel’s hips thrust harder, faster—his orgasm crashes through him, his hands gripping your hips painfully as he spills his hot seed deep within you. You find yourself trembling as aftershocks of pleasure ripple through you, your body feeling like electricity as you come down from the high. You clench tightly around him, your own overwhelming orgasm ripping through you, overstimulation making you cry out. 

He spins you both, bringing you to lay underneath him. Miguel collapses against you, breathing heavy as his grip on you slowly relaxes. He holds you for a moment, your heart thrumming as his forehead briefly rests against yours, breaths mingling. Then, with a satisfied groan, he pulls away. You let out a hiss. It feels achingly empty. 

You’re surprised when he starts pushing your legs apart, watching his spend trickling down your folds and making a mess on the sheets. He pushes globs of cum back into you with thick fingers. Your head falls, back arching into his touch. “You made such a mess,” he says, sounding almost transfixed. Cramming fingers inside of you and curling them, your body seizes. 

After that, you’re not sure when he leaves. Sleep takes you and when you wake, he’s gone. No note, no message left behind. The only evidence that he was here is the ache between your legs, and the taces of him still lingering on your thighs. 

You’re sure you won’t be seeing him again. He got what he came for. 

The next night he’s back, climbing through the window for more. 

[dira333]

If we have each other - Kazekage Family

Summary: Shinki finds a Mother Figure by accident, or how two people falling in love looks like from a 4-year-old's perspective

Shinki and Shikadai are about 4 years old in this...

Words: 4k

Shinki didn’t mean to get lost. Father will be upset.

All the trees look the same now, and he knows it’s because he’s panicking, but that realization doesn’t help ease his nerves. His breathing is coming faster now, iron sand swirling around him.

There’s movement in the bushes. He holds his breath, hoping, wishing for someone to come and find him.

But it’s a deer, looking at him with dumb empty eyes before returning to where it came from.

Shinki sits on the damp ground, fighting the tears that threaten to spill.

He practiced hard to get his kekkai genkai under control, to make his father proud. And now he’s ruining their celebration, his first visit to Konohagakure to meet extended family, by getting lost in the woods. 

To his left, he can hear movement. He doesn’t look up this time, expecting the deer to be back again.

When instead a voice speaks up, his iron sand reacts without his incentive, shooting forward.

He turns just in time to see a woman deflect the hit, jumping out of reach. The sand drops, returning to him as he stands, scared and relieved at the same time.

“Who are you?” Shinki asks, voice shaking lightly even though he makes sure to carry a threatening tone.

“You’re Shinki, right?” You ask, eyes surprisingly warm for someone who just got attacked. “I’m Shikamaru’s cousin, Shikadai might have told you about me.”

Shinki thinks back to their conversations. His cousin isn’t that talkative. Shikadai mostly prefers to nap. 

But you look like Shikamaru, he thinks, the resemblance calming him down. You’re family too.

“Are you- are they looking for me?”

“Probably,” you tell him with a smile, “I was out collecting antlers when Mosabi came to get me. That’s the deer that spotted you. You wanna get back to the house?”

“Yes, please.” He carefully dusts his clothes off before looking at you for further clues. To his surprise your hand is outstretched.

“Wanna take my hand? It’s okay if not.”

“No,” he grabs it, relishing in the contact. He’s never too sure when he’s allowed to touch others and the iron sand makes it impossible for others to touch him without his explicit permission. Perhaps that’s why Father isn’t as touchy-feely as his uncle is with Shikadai. 

Your hand is warm around his and you don’t seem afraid of him at all. Do you not know his powers? How dangerous he is?

“So you’re visiting from Suna, right?” You ask just as he readies himself to address the topic. “What’s it like? I’ve never been there.”

“It’s a desert village.”

“I know,” you smile warmly. “But what’s it like? What do you like about it?”

“Like… about it?” 

You point above you. “Konoha has a lot of forests. That’s my favorite part of the village, going to a place where you can’t see the sky anymore, where everything above and around you is all the shades of green you could possibly imagine. I have a lot of plants at home too.”

“Father does as well,” Shinki exclaims, the words spilling from his mouth without his intention. “He collects Cacti and he even gets them to bloom.”

“He does?” You ask, showing interest. It’s the first time someone’s asked him about Cacti in a while and though he tries to respect others for not caring enough about them, he can’t help but judge them a little. Cacti are great. And Father, able to get them to bloom, is even greater.

“Yes! Cacti are very delicate plants, you know, and they only bloom in perfect conditions. Every species has different wants and needs, so you have to know them well.”

“And your father does so?”

“Yes!” Shinki nods eagerly, “Father is very knowledgeable. He is teaching me as well and I’m a good student.”

“I believe you are,” you smile, moving as if to brush through his hair. The iron sand immediately rises to stop you and you freeze, hand in the air.

“I’m sorry,” Shinki apologizes immediately, “It’s my Kekkai Genkai, I don’t mean to attack you-”

“It’s fine,” your smile doesn’t falter. “I should remember to ask before I move to touch. It’s only polite after all. May I mess up your hair?”

“I suppose,” Shinki offers, not sure what the purpose of this kind of touch is. 

But then you do it, and he can feel it. He shivers, warmth spreading through his cheeks.

“Can you do it again?” He asks before he realizes that the words slipped out. But you don’t look taken aback by his request, instead ruffling his hair softly for a while until you tuck a strand of it behind his ear, the gesture warm in a way he hasn’t experienced before. It feels like getting a bath or getting tucked into bed, like Uncle Kankuro making his favorite soup for dinner and pretending he likes it as well.

“Let’s get you home, huh?” You say, sounding just like Father when he takes him to bed.

“Can we visit your aunt?” Shinki asks the next time he’s in Konoha. 

Shikadai blinks at him in confusion. “I don’t have an aunt.”

“Your father’s cousin,” Shinki explains and Shikadai blinks again.

“Sure, I guess. I’ll ask.”

“Ah,” Uncle Shikamaru makes a face. It looks like he’s about to yawn, but then he doesn’t. “She’s at work boys, I’m sorry.”

“Where does she work?” Shinki hadn’t gotten another chance to talk to you the last time he’d been here, but he remembers the warmth of your touch and the way you kept smiling at him.

“At the hospital. She’s a poison specialist and cultivates herbs and medicinal plants for them.”

“Oh,” Shinki considers it for a second. “Can we visit her when she’s back from work?”

“I’ll ask her to come around but don’t be disappointed if she doesn’t show up, okay? Her work hours are pretty long.”

Shinki’s familiar with not being disappointed. He thinks he’ll manage.

The day drags on after that. He manages to convince Shikadai to train with him for a while until he gets too tired. Father comes in around Lunch time to sit and eat with him, before disappearing to another meeting with Uncle Shikamaru, leaving Aunt Temari to look after them. He likes Aunt Temari. She never hesitates to give him something to work with, teaching him stuff Father might think him too young to learn.

“Aunty,” he asks, as Shikadai naps yet again and he’s working on his latest embroidery project, “what do you like about Suna?”

She laughs softly. “Where’s that question coming from?”

“I’m not sure, but-”

“Don’t worry,” she picks up Shikadai’s head and drops him in her lap, carding her hand through his hair in a gentle manner that makes his own scalp tingle, longing for the sensation. “I’ll tell you. But it’s a long list.”

Shinki looks up at that.

“There’s the sunset. The sunsets are not the same here. How the night sky is so clear at night, barely any clouds to cover the stars. How you can breathe freely because no trees are blocking your sight. Do you want me to go on?”

He considers it for a second.

“I really like how warm it is,” he answers a question he’d been asked months ago and not by Temari. “as if the sun’s settling in your bones.”

Temari smiles. “You got that right. What else?”

You show up right after Dinner, exhaustion pulling at your body. He can see it in the way you walk, slow steps, back a little hunched.

But you smile at his sight and your smile is just as warm as it was the last time he saw you.

“Hey there,” you wave at him, “how was your day?”

There are a lot of things he wants to tell you. From the question he still needs to answer to the questions he has for you - not to mention the present he’d been working on for weeks at home - but now everyone’s eyes are on him and he can hear his panic in the rustling of his iron sand moving around him.

“I am fine, thank you,” Shinki says stiffly, wishing for himself to be different. Father’s hand rests warmly on his shoulder, no doubt to calm him down. In the time it takes him to gather himself you’ve exchanged pleasantries with the other adults. Father has his arms crossed now, cheeks a little reddish. Did you say something that made him upset, Shinki wonders, looking from the Kazekage and back to you. But no one else seems upset, there’s even a grin playing around Uncle Kankuro’s lips.

“I forgot,” you say, sending him a look and a poorly veiled wink, “I have a present for Shinki at my place. Do you wanna came with me and get it?”

“Can I?” He asks immediately, thinking of the time he’ll get alone with you, able to say some things without being the center of attention. If he plays his cards right he can give you your present too, without anyone watching.

Father hesitates for a second, exchanging looks with Temari before nodding.

“It’s alright. But I want him back here in an hour, is that okay?”

“More than okay. We’re just going to get a plant or too, nothing too serious,” you promise before turning to him. “Do you need to get your bag first?”

You take his hand on the way over, soft warmth in the cool night, listening as he tells you all about Suna, all the things he likes and learned to notice.

“When you walk through some streets,” Shinki recalls fondly, “the sky disappears too. Everything around you is different shades of brown and red and yellow, depending on the minerals used. It’s like in the woods.”

“That sounds mesmerizing,” you point out, a faraway sound to your voice, “I’d love to see that someday.”

Desire tugs on his heart. He could show you around. He could have you and Father and Suna at the same time.

“You could come-” He starts, cutting off for a second. “Visit me, you know?”

Your eyes flicker over and you smile. “I could, couldn’t I? Maybe I will one day when my work allows.”

He squeezes your hand on accident, thinking about that. You squeeze his hand back.

“I made this for you,” he exclaims in the safety of your apartment, after he’s done three trips looking at every single plant there is. There are so many, despite the small space, making it feel more like being in the woods than indoors.

It is a tapestry, barely big enough to cover both your hands. He’s spent weeks agonizing on what to put on it until he decided on something you’d already talked about.

The bloom of Father’s Cacti had been plentiful that month, each blossom a different, vibrant color. 

Now he’s carefully watching your face, not wanting to miss any hints. Do you like it? 

“Oh Shinki,” you breathe out, “it’s marvelous.”

His face blooms with heat.

“Can I hug you?” You ask and he nods, lump in his throat. You pull him in, warm and safe and oh so different from all the other people who have hugged him before - not that there are many. 

Father is tall and strong, and touching him often means touching another layer of protective sand. He’s careful in his approach, giving, but never taking. He smells like Cacti and the dessert and his hair always tickles Shinki’s neck when they hug.

Uncle Kankuro and Aunt Temari hug him quickly if they hug him at all. More often than not they move as if to mess up his hair before deciding against it, offering him their hands to a high five instead. They’re not the cuddliest people, he thinks, and that’s okay.

But hugging you feels like sinking, like being drawn in, like giving and taking. You’re warm and soft, yet sturdy enough to keep him upright, swallowing him whole yet leaving him be. Shinki doesn’t want to let go. 

“You know,” you tell him on the way back, his arms heavy with the two plants he got to pick out, “if you want, we can write to each other. Shikadai mentioned that you wrote him too.”

“Yes, I do,” Shinki nods, “Shikadai knows a lot of words. I like writing him.”

“You know, most children your age don’t know yet how to write,” you muse. “How do you feel about that?”

The question comes out of left field. How does he feel about it?

“What are they doing instead?” He asks, wondering. Are they napping with their parents, like Shikadai? Do they get to play with their friends, like he’s allowed to do when he’s visiting Konoha?

“I’m not sure,” he answers eventually.

“That’s okay. You might figure it out later.”

“How do you feel about it?” He asks, looking up at you. A shadow travels over your face.

“I am very proud to know such an intelligent child,” you tell him, lips pulling into a smile. “And polite, too.”

His lips pull up as well, unable not to smile back at you.

“Are you going to work the whole week?” Shinki asks, shifting the pots in his arms. He’d wanted to carry them himself, but he’s now regretting it. If you’d taken one, he could have held your hand on the way back too.

“Sadly, I do.” Your smile turns into a frown. “I’d love to spend some more time with you. But if it’s not too late for you, I can show up after work, like I did today. If you want, you can show me how you made this embroidery and I’ll teach you how to take care of your new plants.”

“I’d love that,” he admits.

You stay true to your promise, showing up each evening after work.

At first, the grown-ups seem a little confused by your presence, though Shinki wastes no time dragging you into the room he’s sharing with Father and Uncle Kankuro.

“I prepared everything for today’s lesson,” he explains, showing you the fabric, needles, and the different colored strings. “Today I’m teaching you about the different stitches.”

“Do you want something to eat?” Uncle Shikamaru asks from the doorway. “When did you get Dinner?”

“Oh, I’m not that hungry,” you wave him off, smiling when Shikadai settles in your lap without question, eyes closing instantly.

Shinki’s a little peeved that his cousin’s taking up the space in your lap. If he’d be more forward or if his Kekkai Genkai would allow it, he could- but then again…

“How does that look?” You ask, turning your project for him to see. “Is it good, Shinki-Sensei?”

He blushes at the formal title.

“You don’t have to call me that,” he insists, though it feels good. 

“Shinki,” his Father’s now standing in the doorway, dressed in his proper Kazekage uniform, the hat in his hands. “I’m leaving for tonight. Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes,” he gets up and walks over, torn between wanting to properly say goodbye to father and wanting to cherish every minute he gets with you.

Father gently pats his shoulder. “I see, you have company. Don’t stay up too late.”

“I won’t.”

And there it is again, a quick exchange of words between you and Father that ends with a hue of redness tinting his Father’s cheeks. And your face has changed too, your smile different now. 

“Do you like Father?” He asks as soon as the front door has closed behind him. He knows not to ask questions like that with other people listening in.

Your shoulders pull up to your ears.

“What makes you think that?”

“Because you smile when you talk to him.”

“He’s hard not to like, don’t you think?” You ask and Shinki doesn’t know how to answer that, so he falls silent instead.

Shinki likes getting letters, but he likes getting letters from you best.

You usually start answering his questions before you ask him your own, always following up on the important stuff. How he’s settling in, how his experience is with training, how the Cacti are growing… And then, on a separate page, you add information about yet another plant, poisonous or not, that he can add to his collection. He likes your drawings of the plants, the detail you put into making sure that the petals have the correct color so that he can safely identify them in the future.

Sometimes you write Father letters too, though those have no added drawings and he usually reads them in private. They’re not that interesting, Shinki, thinks because you mostly just talk about your day-to-day.

They’re planning their next trip to Konoha when the letter arrives, from Shikamaru this time.

It arrives out of the ordinary, on an otherwise normal Tuesday, and the way Father’s brows furrow has even Uncle Kankuro stop what he’s doing.

“What’s wrong,” Uncle Kankuro asks.

Father says your name and Shinki turns, a weird feeling in his stomach.

“What is it?” He asks.

“Apparently, she’s fallen ill. A surgery was necessary, but her recovery is thwarted by the amount of work that needs to be done. Shikamaru asks if we could take her in for a few weeks, keep her from her work so that she can fully recuperate.”

“Can we, Father?” Shinki asks, mind racing. He’s going to be able to show you Suna, isn’t he?

Father exchanges a look with Uncle Kankuro, who grins and folds his hands behind his head.

“Don’t look at me, Gaara. You’re the one who can’t keep his eyes of her when she’s around.”

Shinki furrows his brows. “Do you suspect her to spy on us, Father?”

“What?” Father turns. “No, nothing like that, Shinki. I-”

“Your Dad likes her,” Uncle Kankuro grins. “Probably as much as you like her, Shinki.”

“So she can come?”

Father sighs. “She can come. But-” He raises his hand. “Don’t overwhelm her. I know you want to show her everything, but first we have to make sure she’s resting.”

Your skin is paler than he remembers, the white of your eyes a sickly yellow. You walk a little hunched and your bags are being carried by another Konoha-Shinobi. Shinki remembers him, the telltale green of his uniform, the thick eyebrows and the bright smile.

“Friend Gaara!” He launches into an excited tale, but Shinki steps to the side, a little unsure on how he’s supposed to be greeting you.

“Can I get a hug?” You ask, sinking to your knees. He nods, dropping himself into your arms. 

You might look a little different, a little worse for wear, but you still feel the same, warm and safe.

“Are you excited to show me Suna?” You whisper into his ear. “I bet Gaara told you that I’m supposed to rest first, right?”

“He did. But you really don’t look good.”

You laugh softly, flinching at the same time. “I’m going to be as good as new in a few days, don’t worry.”

Back at the Kazekage residence Shinki shows you your room.

“You should lie down,” he insists, pulling back the blanket. “My room is right next door if you need anything.”

“Do you wanna lie down with me?” You ask, flinching again as you stretch out on the mattress.”

“Am I allowed to?” He asks, the words slipping out before he can think twice about them.

You blink slowly. “I’m allowing it,” you tell him softly. “But only do it if you’re comfortable with it. You can try and if you don’t like it, I won’t be hurt if you want to leave again. I’m sure you have a lot to do.”

Curious, he slips out of his sandals and under the thin blanket. Your body is warm and it feels like a hug, but different.

“Where did they do surgery?” He asks, turning onto his side a little.

Your eyes are closed but you raise an arm and point at the side of your stomach.

“Here. You want to see the scar?”

“Can I?” 

Instead of answering you pull up your shirt, revealing puckered skin that’s an angry red and hot to the touch.

“I think it’s inflamed,” he points out, a little worried now. 

“That’s probably right. I’m going to rest a bit now and by nightfall, it’s going to be better, I’m sure. I’ve just been on my feet for too long.”

“Okay,” Shinki turns onto his back again, looking up at the ceiling. “Can I stay with you until then?”

“Sure.”

Shinki’s supposed to be in bed, he knows. 

But you’re just a room away and he can’t sleep, skin itching.

So he slips out of bed and out the door, unheard, unseen.

Though, you’re not alone.

He can hear soft voices through the door, both of them familiar.

Father is with you.

For a moment he thinks about stepping through. Sure, Father sent him to bed, but he’s just saying “Good Night” one more time. 

That is, until he hears his name.

“Do you want me to talk to Shinki?” You ask and Shinki freezes, doorknob in his hand.

Talk to him? About what?

“I think that’s my job, is it not?”

“Perhaps, but I can tell you’re having problems with it.”

“I’m not sure if he understands.”

“He’s smart. He will understand.”

Understand what? Shinki shivers, the coldness of the stones around him seeping into his bones.

“Gaara,” you say now, your voice now different from before. It reminds him… it reminds him of Uncle Shikamaru when he calls out to Aunt Temari, that smile on his face that Uncle Kankuro calls lovesick. “Rest. We’ll talk about it in the morning. You’re thinking too much.”

“No one told me that starting a family would be this difficult.”

“It’s not. You’re just making it difficult,” you laugh softly. There’s the whisper of linen. Did Father just slip into bed with you?

Slowly, carefully, Shinki unwraps his hand from the doorknob and takes a step back.

He’s not sure what he just witnessed, just that it’s something of importance.

Father eyes him over the breakfast table.

“You did not sleep much last night,” he concludes. “Do you want to stay home and rest? Keep our guest company?”

“Father,” Shinki swallows around the lump in his throat. If he wants to ask, he needs to ask now, before the rest of the house wakes up. “Did you spend the night… with her?”

Bright red bleeds into Father’s pale cheeks. His eyes widen.

“How-” He takes a deep breath. “You know?”

“I wanted to say Good Night one more time,” Shinki confesses, staring down at the table. “And I overheard.”

“I suppose,” Father sighs softly, “I suppose this is as good time as any. We were talking… We’re considering… What do you think about having a mother?”

-x-

“Mother,” Shinki calls out to you, “Hurry.”

“I’m here, I’m here,” you laugh, catching up to him. “Incoming,” you warn him just seconds before your hand messes up his hair. “It’s just Shikadai.”

“Yes, but he’s been training,” Shinki insists. “And I want to know who of us has gotten better.”

“Ah,” you smile. “I’m sure you’re going to do great. I’m proud of your growth.”

Shinki grumbles something, turning away when you move to mess up his hair even more.

“Stop,” he insists. “I’m not a little child anymore.”

“No, you’re not.” You smile, squinting at the Horizon where the Thunder Train is starting to appear. “But you’re always going to be my favorite son.”

“I’m your only child,” Shinki reminds you, nose curled. He likes being called your favorite, even though he opposes it every time.

“Oh, I don’t know,” you whistle an innocent tune. “That might change, you know?”

Shinki freezes. “Are you saying-”

“No,” you smile, shaking your head. “And if I were, I wouldn’t tell you like that. But what are your thoughts about it? Would you mind?”

He considers it, watching the Thunder Train approaching.

His hand finds yours, squeezing it. You squeeze back, no words needed.

“No,” he announces eventually, just as the Train halts in front of them. “I wouldn’t mind.”

part 2

[epicbuddieficrecs]

Weekly Recap | January 29th-February 4th 2024

Ao3 history still fucked :/

Repeating again: if I've ever reblogged one of your WIP fics, consider this my permission to tag me in them!!

Complete

🔥 Say You Were Made to Be Mine by ElvenSorceress/ @elvensorceress (Canon Divergent - Different First Meeting, Soulmarks AU | 11K | Teen): It's Valentine's Day 2018, and Eddie saves a man from choking to death in the middle of a restaurant. It's only after the man is rushed away by paramedics that Eddie realizes his hands are green. The man he saved is his soulmate. And he doesn't even know his name let alone how to find him.

For hope I'd give my everything by dragon_rider/ @evanbdiaz (Post S1, CW: Eating Disorders | 8K | Mature): After the disaster of his first date with Abby, Buck’s relationship with food changes rather dramatically.

where would you rather die by tempestaurora/ @tempestaurora (Pacific Rim AU | 4K | Teen): “Care to explain why you’ve brought a child to a military base?” Bobby asked when they returned. The base was alight with celebration; the day had been saved, the world was safe for a little longer. “Uh.” Buck glanced back at Christopher, currently talking to Karen Wilson from the research division. “He was an unaccompanied minor?” “So we leave him with the social workers, with first responders,” Bobby said, a pointedly raised eyebrow in his direction. “His dad’s a cadet at the PPDC,” Buck replied. “And his grandmother probably died in the attack, so it just felt… I don’t know, morally right?”

i've been dying to catch you dizzy by diazbegins/ @evanbegins (Esablished Buddie, Fluff | 2K | Teen): Eddie and Buck go ice-skating. Oh, and Chris is there too!

🔥 The Aftermath of Liberation and Love Confessions by ElvenSorceress/ @elvensorceress (Post-S5E9, Getting Together | 17K | Teen): Still, Buck says, “Yeah, Eddie. Why don’t you teach us. What would you say if you were professing your love?” You mean something besides, “In the event of my untimely death, I made you legal guardian of my child”? ~ In which Eddie comes out, sexuality is complicated but coffee is not, Buck makes an excessive salad and is also roasted, everyone has a love confession, and December is the most dramatic time of year.

let the choir bells sing by foxwatson/ @eddiediazes (Madney Wedding, Getting Together | 3K | Teen): All at once, Eddie has an idea. It’s definitely the stupidest idea he’s ever had in his entire life, but he has it all the same, and there’s no time to come up with a better one. He puts his hands on Buck’s elbows, tugs him in closer, and says, “Kiss me.”

When You Broke Her Heart, I'm Watching it Burn by ElvenSorceress/ @elvensorceress (Post-S5E11, Buck/Taylor Break-Up | 4K | General): When Buck confesses he kissed someone, Taylor makes an assumption about who. Eddie deals with what all of it means for his own future while picking up the pieces for both Buck and Taylor.

🔥Plus or Minus by ElvenSorceress/ @elvensorceress (S5 | 10K | General): “Why are you cleaning out the kitchen? Why is my stuff in boxes?” Eddie slows, then stops. “Figured you’d want it back.” It’s quieter. Pained. When he says it. “I haven’t decided anything. So unless you’re kicking me out—” “Buck. Come on.” He’s not angry or snapping. It’s still quiet, and somehow that hurts even more. He’s resigned and defeated, and Buck is a scooped out, gutted, hollow shell. “I know how this ends the same way you do. You want to be loved, you want to be married. You’re going to leave. Might as well…” His voice cracks before he can finish and get it under control. “Shouldn’t drag it out.” ~ Taylor is offered a job across the country and asks Buck to go with her. Buck has to figure out if he wants to start over or if he has a reason to stay right where he is.

Color Him Father, Color Him Love by ElvenSorceress/ @elvensorceress (Post-S6E12 | 3K | General): “Connor was worried he wouldn’t feel like it’s really his kid. But I put him back in Connor’s arms, and I could see the way his face changed. The way he lit up and teared up and might have cried because that is his son. And all I could think was that I know that feeling. I know what it feels like to hold a kid and care about them and want to protect them. But it’s so different when it feels like they’re yours. It’s so much more. Even if you didn’t— Even if it’s not biological and you’re not. You’re not really the father. Because I hold Chris— I hold him and I feel like he is part of me.” ~ Buck has a revelation about what he is to Chris. And to Eddie.

turns out freedom ain’t nothing but missing you by Daffi_990_ao3/ @daffi-990 (Post-S6, Getting Together | 4K | Not rated): To protect his heart, Eddie pulls away from Buck when he starts dating Natalia. When he decides to move to B-shift, Buck finally confronts him and certain feelings finally come to light.

with blood in my nose by hammersmiths/ @henswilsons (Canon Divergent, S4E14: Survivors | 9K | Teen): The spray of blood hits him, first. And then Buck drops like a fucking stone. or, Buck is the one who gets shot instead of Eddie.

🔥 3 Men 1 Baby by Tizniz/ @tizniz (Canon Divergent, Accidental Baby Acquisition | 21K | General): It’s a good thing the groceries have made it to the table, because the eggs would certainly have cracked from Eddie dropping the bags to the floor. Because Evan Buckley was standing there holding a baby. A baby. OR: Buck, Eddie, and Chim get a baby. Here's what happens.

you can see it with the lights out (you are in love) by wikiangela/ @wikiangela (Post-S6, Love Confessions | 5K | General): Turns out, Natalia does see Buck, though maybe not in the way he expected. In which Natalia realizes Buck's in love with Eddie and help him see it, too.

we could be corny by devirnis/ @devirnis (Established Buddie | 1,6K | General): Or, Chim and Maddie have Buck and Eddie over for their first official couples’ game night.

🔥 Facets of a Diamond by countrygirlsfun/ @acountrygirlsfun (Canon S1-S2 | 35K | Teen): Southern California is where Buck has spent the most time since leaving Pennsylvania. Of all the places he’s lived and worked over the last few years, this place is where he decided to stay. It’s why he picked LAFD: to put down some roots. It’s warm, has the ocean, and it’s the opposite coast of his parents. So if he’s going to be here for a while, he thinks he’ll need to make an effort to let people in.

a little of that human touch by devirnis/ @devirnis (Established Buddie, Secret relationship | 1,5K | General): Buck closes his book and places it on the coffee table, pushing himself up a little more as Eddie trudges over to him. “Couldn’t sleep either?” Buck asks quietly. He wanders over to the far end of the couch and Buck moves his feet out of the way so Eddie can sit down. “Woke up and you were gone,” Eddie murmurs, pulling Buck’s feet into his lap.

you kiss me in a way that's gonna screw me up forever by heartbeatdiaz/ @loserdiaz (Getting Together, Valentine's Day | 2K | Teen): The LAFD throws a Valentine's Day charity event, there's a kissing booth and Eddie is definitely not going insane with jealousy.

🔥 Winter Prayer by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Road Trip, Buck&Bobby&May | 18K | General): When a work conflict prevents Athena from accompanying Bobby to Minnesota for the ten year anniversary of his family dying, Buck and May offer to go instead. Over the course of the trip, they all learn more about each other, and Bobby faces his grief.

Fractals from the Lightning Bolt by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels/ @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (One Shots Collection | 47/54 | 87K | Not Rated): A collection of oneshots, some originally posted on tumblr. Each chapter is individually rated.

47. But What if They Were Secret Dating (S4, Explicit)

You Can't Surprise Evan Buckley by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Established Buddie, Fluff | 5K | Mature): Ten months into their relationship, Eddie has not been able to execute a romantic surprise for Buck. But on Buck's birthday, things are about to change. (Part 2 of Birthday Surprises & Other Shenanigans)

WIP

because we'll all arrive in heaven alive by callmenewbie/ @puppyboybuckley (Post-S6, Disaster Fic | 1/9 | 7K | Explicit): During a search and rescue, Eddie disappears without a trace, leaving Buck to grapple with the sudden possibility of a life without him.

🔥 Things We're All Too Young to Know by Daisies_and_Briar / @cal-daisies-and-briars (Canon, S1 through S6 | 111/? | 315K | Mature): This is a love story. Even if it doesn’t always look like it. Even if it doesn’t always feel like it. A look back on Eddie and Buck's lives up to now, and what led them to each other, interpreted from the current 9-1-1 canon.

🔥 A Minor Delay by rainbow_nerds/ @rainbow-nerdss (Post-S6/S7 Spec | 6/11 | 21K | Mature): Almost a year after the bridge collapse, a lot has changed. The team are scattered—Bobby and Athena on their Honeymoon, Hen on adoptive parent's leave, and Buck and Eddie... They may still work together, still have movie nights with Chris whenever they can, but things have changed. With Maddie and Chimney's wedding around the corner, Buck tries to make it perfect. And maybe, along the way, he might figure out why everything still feels... wrong.

if i need to rearrange my particles — i will for you. by dylaesthetics (Post-S6, Social Media fic | 1/16 | 4K | Teen): OR Buck joins a support app for first responders and matches with a firefighter who has PTSD and a kid who likes giraffes, apparently.

[fallingdownhell]

hiii, can i be called 🧸 anon?

i'm new to your page and really liked some of your works! especially the "when your sister is the favoured child" one! i hope it's not too much to ask, i don't think I saw a rule against it in your rq rules, but could you make a part to for it with kaeya, dainsleif, and baizhu, if it's not too much of a bother?

i completely understand if you can't and i would say more about it but this request is already getting way to long, heh.

have a good day/night/evening !

Definitely! Gonna do my best with it as always!

Characters Included: Kaeya; Dainsleif; Baizhu

Content: gender neutral reader; reader has a sister; jealousy themes; slight cursing; estranged relationship with family; metions of cheating; mentions of assault

Word count: 4k words

Thanks for your request, 🧸- anon! Hope you enjoy<3

Kaeya

Having a relationship was never really a top priority for Kaeya or on his "To-do-list" at all.

It was more or less coincedence that he stumbled upon you, continued to have conversations that evolved into dates, which, in the end, led to the two of you to start dating.

He expected it, but it was a welcome turn of events for him. Kaeya never knew how much he actually enjoyed the domestic side of a relationship. He loved coming home to you after his work was done, he adored how you spoiled him with your cooking if you were home earlier than him.

Everything about your relationship just seemed so natural and right to him, like something he would never want to miss out on again. And he was sure that he would never get something as special as this with any other person.

You were the only one for him. At least, in his eyes. But even having said all that, it‘s still hard for him to open up about his past and what he has experienced in the past. It‘s not that he doesn‘t trust you or that he doesn‘t want to open up… he just feels like it‘s never the right time or he just doesn‘t know how to talk about it, since the one time he did do it didn‘t end too well for him.

You have a general idea though, as he told you very basic stuff that he feels comfortable with. But even then, you never pressure him to open up to you, and he can‘t even begin to tell you how much he appreciates you for that. It‘s hard for him, so he needs some time to figure himself out before he can openly talk to you about everything.

Likewise, he would never pressure you to talk or open up about a topic that you don‘t feel comfortable sharing with him yet. After all, that would be quite hypocritical of him if he were to do that..

Like you, he has a general idea though, about the stuff that weighs on you. You told him little pieces about your past, mostly that your childhood wasn‘t the best which was the reason why you weren‘t having much contact with your family, especially your older sister. And he‘s fine with that. Kaeya is sure that you had your reasons for that decision, after all, he can imagine that it wasn‘t one lightly made.

Which is why it surprises him all the more when one evening, you ask him if he wanted to meet your family.

Apparently, your mom caught wind about you dating the cavalry captain of the Knights of Favonius and now, she wanted to officially meet him, have him meet your family to introduce everyone.

Kaeya is honestly pretty indifferent about this. „As long as you want to. I don‘t mind whatever you want to do. It‘s your family after all.“

After thinking about it for a few days, you decide that you want to give them a chance, giving them the opportunity to meet your boyfriend and maybe, if all goes well, let them more into your life again.

So, after some back and forth, it was decided to meet over lunch at your parent‘s home. As the meeting came closer each passing day, you grew more and more nervous, while Kaeya remained calm as always. He really didn‘t have too many doubts, knowing that you loved each other, and that was all that mattered. No matter what opinion your parents might have of him, it won‘t change that fact, so what could they possibly do?

And now, the day was finally here, and you were nervous. Your mind was filled with doubt, thinking that maybe you made the wrong decision. Kaeya tried his best to reassure you, even telling you that neither of you had to go if you didn‘t feel comfortable, but you still wanted to see it through. „If things get too out of hand, we‘ll just leave, okay?“, you said to him, offering a way out to which he obviously agreed.

Actually meeting your parents wasn‘t all that bad to be honest. The first hour or so was going by really good, you were all having a good time and Kaeya seemed to be getting along well with your mother and father.

That was, until the front door opened again and in came your older sister. Kaeya immediately noticed how the energy in the room shifted, but decided not to comment on it.

He planned on standing up up going over to introduce himself to her, but immediately thought differently as soon as she opened her mouth. Upon seeing you, she instantly started to boss you around, giving you tasks to do even though you and him were the guests here. It almost seemed like she was treating you like her personal slave.

„What are you waiting for, get to it already, you slowpoke!“, she started to insult as you didn‘t move to do as she said, which seemed to irritate her.

„Darling, please? Can‘t you help your sister out a bit since you‘re already here?“, your mom then chimed in. Kaeya was speechless as he witnessed this. He was about to say something, but then he felt your hand on top of his and as he looked at you, you softly shook your head at him.

Then you got up and did what your sister demanded asked of you, which irritated your boyfriend even more. But per your request, he kept his mouth shut, but did keep a close eye on you.

He watched as for the like next ten minutes, your sister continued to berate you, insulted you even, while your parents didn‘t seem to care about that at all. In fact, they cheered her on from time to time, especially when they were comparing the both of you and how much better your sister was apparently doing, unlike you.

„Honestly, I don‘t know why this guy is even dating you. Look at you, you have nothing to offer to him! I bet he‘s just with you out of pity. Maybe he lost a bet and has to do this now, but he can‘t be dating you of his own free will. That‘s ridiculous!“, you sister laughed as she berated you again, your parents laughing right along with her.

And Kaeya has heard enough at this point. He clearly saw how hard you were gripping onto the nearest surface, knowing you had to be holding back tears at this point. All eyes were turning to him as he suddenly stood up from the table, looking over each of them slowly.

„I won‘t stand for this disrespect of my partner any longer. Up until know, I was wondering why (Name) didn‘t have much contact with their family, but I‘m starting to understand now. This is your own child you are treating so horribly. I honestly can‘t believe you‘re able to treat them that way.“

He walked over to you and gently took your hand as he led you towards the front door.

„We‘ll be taking our leave now. Thank you for the invitation, but I can promise you, you‘ll never hear from either of us ever again.“

And with that, he walked out the door with you, no protest to be heard from any of them. The walk back to your shared home was quiet as you were trying to hold back, to not break down in public still while Kaeya focused to get you both back as quickly as possible.

As soon as you were in the comfort of your own home, your dam broke down, tears started to flow uncontrollably. Kaeya held you through it all, gently stroking your hair and back, whispering sweet words into your ear.

One time, when you were calm enough to form some sentences, you just looked at him with a blank expression as you said „Thank you.“

He just smiled at you and kissed your forehead, continuing to hold you. You might not have the best relationship with your blood related family, but he would make damn sure that you would never miss anything from this point forward…

Dainsleif

Managing a relationship with Dainsleif is definitely easier said than done. Most of the time, he is gone, travelling all over Teyvat without telling you what he was actually looking for.

It‘s not easy but the two of you somehow manage to pull it off. Neither of you is exactly aware how this works, but you‘re both glad that it does. Maybe, you sometimes like to think, maybe there is no big reason or solution to anything at all. Maybe, just loving each other was enough for it to somehow work out.

Because, dating Dainsleif and just being with him feels… just right to you. Like it was always meant to be that way. Like to pieces of a puzzle that only work with each other, no second thoughts about it.

Ironically, he felt the exact same way about this relationship. For far too long had he wandered the lands of Teyvat all by himself. Though he longed for companionship, he never, not in his wildest dreams, had thought it possible to find a lover for himself. But after meeting you, it felt like there was finally meaning to his life again.

He wouldn‘t go so far as to claim that he „only waited for you his entire life“, those were lies told in fairytales to little kids. But loving you just came natural to him and just felt right. And he could only hope that, starting with you, his life would finally take a turn for the better again.

Dainsleif has actually come clear to you about everything about him pretty early on in the relationship. He didn‘t dump everything on you right at the beginning, but he also didn‘t want to wait too long with it, fearing that your feelings for him would take a turn for the bad were he to withhold this from you. You were bound to find out sooner or later, and he wanted to be the one to tell you everything, on his own terms.

Surprisingly to him, you took it quite well. He was not expecting that, but was pleasantly surprised with that outcome. Another thing that he didn‘t expect was for you to open up to him as well. Up until this one evening, you‘ve never really talked about your past or your childhood, but now you were. And what he heard made his heart break for you.

You told him about how, growing up, your baby sister was always favoured by your parents.

It would start out small. When your parents denied you a toy you wanted only to spend that money on your sister instead. How every time time your sister broke something, it got blamed on you and you had to take the punishment for it. How you were burdened with all the household chores while your sister was lazying around the entire day, doing nothing.

It would grow into your parents and other family forgetting about your birthday. They never bothered to congratulate you, much less buy you a gift on your special day. Meanwhile, your sister got showered in presents every year, large parties with all her friends were thrown in her name.

All of that led to your own sister starting to bully you. Your parents never believed you when you told them about it. After all, their dear angel could never do something like that. She was too innocent for something so lowly like that.

Which only enabled her to do even worse things to you. Even after she switched to physically attacking you, your parents still defended her, so the bullying never stopped. It got worse and worse the older you both got, yet your parents always took her side even if they were directly witnessing the abuse. But what else could they do? They praised your sister into the sky to every person they met, she was the pride of your parents, so they simply turned a blind eye to her missbehaviour.

The final straw was when you caught her in bed with your then boyfriend. She seduced him, getting him to cheat on you since she couldn‘t stand the thought of you having a relationship when she didn‘t have one. You were heartbroken when you found out, crying and telling your parents about it, hoping they would finally come to realize how much of a monster your sister truly was.

Yet, they took her side again, defending her actions. Telling you that the boy was a much better fit for her than he would ever be for you, completely disregarding your own feelings.

That was the point where you decided you wanted nothing to do with any of them anymore. As soon as you were able to do so, you left your home and never looked back. You cut all contact with them, moved to a different nation altogheter to minimize the risk of running into them.

Dainsleif sat there and listened to your story, just as you had done for him moments prior. He could tell that you had a hard time talking about it, so he did his best to make you feel safe with him, gently holding your hand, reassuring you that he was here with you. It did comfort you greatly and appreciate his silent support.

Then, sometime later, he had returned from one of his travels again. He noticed immediately that something was wrong with you, yet you refused to talk to him about it. It took him some time and gently reassurance, but he eventually got it out of you.

Apparently, while he was gone, you had recieved a letter from your parents. You had no idea how they had found you, but you were scared. You cut contact with them for a reason, you didn‘t want anything to do with them. The whole reason of you moving to a different nation was so that they would never be able to find you again. But they somehow did find you…and it scared you to no end.

Dainsleif wasn‘t sure how to best go about this situation. When asked, you told him that you didn‘t want to leave behind this life you build for yourself, yet you also never intended to ever meet with your family again.

For now, the letter was simply to be ignored, hoping that no further ones were to arrive ever again. But if they did, he promised you to pay a visit to your family… a nice little „talk“ never hurt anyone, right?

But for now, your comfort was his first priority. So, he went out and got you your favourite food. While eating, he made sure to say glued to your side, always making physical contact with you in some way, shape or form to remind you that he was here with you and that you didn‘t have to deal with that all on your own. Wether that be holding your hand, placing an arm around your waist, brushing your cheek, stroking your back, you name it. He is willing to do everything in his power to make you feel better.

Afterwards, he picks you up and carries you into the bedroom, where he cuddles you the entire night. Wether you fall asleep in his arms or stay awake the night with him, he keeps whispering sweet words into your ear, telling you how much he loves you, that you are the only one for him, that he‘ll never leave you, no matter what. Everything that comes to his mind, he just says it, hoping that it brings you comfort while being held close to his chest.

Dainleif is absolutely whipped for you. Your comfort and well-being is and will always be his number one priority. Everything he has to do, he will do without a second of hesitation. No matter what you ask of him, he will fulfill your every wish just to make you happy…

Baizhu

Baizhu is a very caring person in a relationship. Even though he has to be away from time to time due to unpredictable work hours, he always tries to make up for it to you right away.

He tries to spoil you the best he can, every single chance he gets. He cares for you, always asks about your day, tries to spend as much time with you as possible, just overall very attached to you.

And it‘s the same for you, honestly. You love to look after and care for him, especially when he puts himself on the line for his patients again. You, along with Chansheng, always tell him to be more careful and look out for himself. You‘ve often scolded him, yet he always does it again. You get him, but still, you wished he would look out for his own health a bit more.

For Baizhu, loving you came easy to him. It wasn‘t some big thing that felt like a responsibility, like a chore he had to complete. It was just natural to care and look after you, like you had always been there by his side, always with him throughout his entire life. He already noticed this as he was only getting to know you, but didn‘t talk about it to you since he thought it to be weird this early on.

Yet for you, it was much the same. Like you had known him your entire life but only know did you realize that you were missing each other.

Though it wasn‘t always easy. As Baizhu soon learned, you had some issues from past events, mostly related to your childhood, but some also happening more recently.

Even though it felt so natural between the two of you, it still took some time for you to completely trust and open up to him about certain things from your past. Now that you looked back at it, you felt silly for worrying about his reaction, but back then, it was a valid fear of yours. After all, many people would leave someone over less, not many are willing to deal with a partner who‘s gone through than much shit in life already.

And yet, he never judged you for it, always offered you his support and reassurance. When you first opened up about your assault, it was very difficult for you. Despite your family, he was the only other person you have ever told about this. It was hard talking about it, but his gentle smile and the carresses of his hand on your back gave you the comfort you needed to continue talking.

When asked about your family, you told him that you pretty much had no contact with them anymore, except for an occaissonal letter every other month or so. But you were fine with that. And as long as you were okay with that, that‘s all he could ask for. He might not know the details of what happened between you and your family, but he also didn‘t want to pressure you into telling him.

However, when one day a letter arrived from your parents with the request to see you again and meet your boyfriend, you were perplexed. You had no idea how they were aware of your relationship situation, but you also didn‘t want to think too much about it. After all, Baizhu was pretty well known within Liyue, it was possible that people talked about the two of you and your parents just so happened to catch wind of this.

You thought about their request for quite some time and in the end, with confirmation from your boyfriend, agreed to meet with them over dinner in one of Liyue Harbors many restaurants.

You were quite nervous to see your parents and your sister again after such a long time, but the same could also be said about Baizhu, who would be meeting your parents for the first time. Even though the relationship with your mother and father might not be the best, he still wanted to give them a good impression of him, reassuring them that you were in good hands and that he was taking care of you.

When you two arrived at the restaurant, your parents and sister were already there, seated at the table and waiting for your arrival. Once they spotted you, your mother waved you over. She then stood up and pulled you into a hug which you awkwardly returned after your initial shock. Your father simply gave you a nod while your sister smiled at you. You smiled back, taking a seat next to Baizhu after you introduced him to your family.

The first few minutes went by uneventful, everyone settled into comfortable conversation, questions were asked and answers were given, until the waiter came and took everyones order for the evening. Once he was gone, everything went downhill from there.

„So, Baizhu.. I hear you run the pharmacy here in the Harbor.“

„Indeed I do.“

„That‘s very impressive. And at your age as well! You certainly already achieved more than (Name) ever could!“

That comment didn‘t sit right with Baizhu at all. And he saw by the way you shrinked a bit into your seat that you were feeling uncomfortable as well.

„…Excuse me?“, he asked, a smile on his lips, but his voice was dripping with venom.

„(Name) always was very stubborn. They were supposed to take over the family business. Always refused, saying it wasn‘t what they wanted from life. As if they have any idea about what they want from life in the first place. Marrying them off was almost impossible. And after their little escapade, their… unfaithful incident, no one wanted to be married to them anymore.“

Every word your father spoke you shrunk more into yourself, feeling more and more uncomfortable as Baizhu‘s resentment for this man grew more and more. How dare he talk about his significant other in that disrespectful way. You were his own child, god damn it!

„Honestly, that child never did anything right. You could have really taken an example from your sister, (Name). Younger than you but she always does as she‘s told. You were always the difficult one. You should have-!“

„With all due respect Sir, but please shut up!“, Baizhu then interrupted, still smiling, but his tone was far from friendly. Everyone looked at him in shock at his words, including you.

„..What did you just say to me?“, your father asked, getting mad at being interrupted in such a rude way.

„I said to shut up. I don‘t think I speak that unintelligibel, do I? But I‘ve listened to enough. I won‘t stand for how you talk about my partner, your child, any longer. I see now why they chose not to have contact with you anymore. Such an environment can‘t be good for anyone and I‘m glad they made it out of there.“

Standing up from the table, Baizhu looked at you as he extended his arm for you, waiting for you to take it. You glanced over at your parents one more time before taking his hand and standing up as well. Your family only looked after you, too stunned by the situation to actually say anything to that. But it‘s not like either of you would have waited for a response from them.

As soon as you were out the restaurant, you sucked in a deep breath of fresh air. Glad that you were able to escape the situation, but it also left you hurt from the words your father spoke about you, and the way your mother so eagerly nodded along to everything your father said. It hurt to see that after all this time, nothing had really changed.

„Are you alright?“

„Yeah… Yes, I am. Thank you“, you mumbled softly, looking down at your feet.

„What for, exactly?“, Baizhu asked, genuinely confused on why you were thanking him.

„For standing up for me. No one‘s ever done that for me before.“

Hearing that, his heart both swelled and broke at the same time. He smiled as he gently placed a hand on your cheek, carressing it with his thumb. „For you, gladly. And I would do it all over again the next time, as well. You are the most important thing to me, never forget or doubt that, even for a second.“

[corroded-hellfire]

How would like and Ryan be when the baby kicked for the first time? Can you write a teeny blurb for it? I can imagine Eddie calling them over to feel! They’d be so happy

You say “tiny blurb,” and suddenly @munson-blurbs and I have no idea what those words mean and come up with almost 4k words hehe. We hope you all enjoy this adorable family as much as we do 🩷

Words: 3.7k

[As You Wish masterlist]

“Babe, can you sit still?” you ask with a laugh. Eddie seems to be fidgeting with everything in the examining room that’s not bolted down. He’s moved the jar of cotton balls around the desk, took a part the model of the female reproductive system, and played with the spiral cord attached to the blood pressure cuff. And you’ve only been in there for a little over five minutes. “My morning sickness finally stopped, and you pacing around the room is gonna start it up again.”

“Just nervous,” Eddie mumbles, twisting his wedding ring around his finger. “What if there’s something wrong with the baby, y’know?”

You pat the space next to you, paper crinkling below your hand. “C’mere, worrywart.” You offer a small smile as he sits down. “I’m nervous, too. But everything is gonna be okay. And Baby Munson will be perfect no matter what.”

“Yeah, I know.” But he doesn’t look fully convinced, continuing to pace until the ultrasound technician finally walks in. 

“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Munson,” the tech greets you with a cheery smile. She’s a woman in her mid-to-late forties and has a dark brown bob haircut. “My name is Linda. Looks like we’re taking a peek at your baby today. How are you both feeling?”

“Pretty good,” you tell her. “Second trimester has been much better than the first so far.”

“That’s usually the case, so I’m glad to hear it,” Linda says. “And what about you, Dad?”

“Um, I’m good, yeah,” Eddie says, slipping his hands into his pockets. 

“Nervous?” Linda asks with a knowing smile. “Your first?”

“No,” you say through a bout of laughter. “My first. This is his third go-around.”

Linda gives Eddie a kind smile as she sets up the ultrasound machine. “I understand. Worrying about wife and baby at the same time is a lot.”

“Thank you,” Eddie says, giving you a pointed look. You giggle and hold your hand out, which he gladly takes into his own. 

“I’ll be doing a checkup on your baby today,” Linda tells you. “Seeing how organs are developing, things like that. Are you interested in knowing the sex?”

You and Eddie had discussed that at length. There were pros and cons both with finding out now or waiting until the birth. It didn’t matter one way or the other if the baby is a boy or a girl, so you figured you might as well learn today. That would also satisfy the two curious boys at home. 

“Yes, we’d like to know, please,” you say, giving your husband’s hand a squeeze. 

“No problem.” Linda tucks her hands into latex gloves and picks up the bottle of the cold goo she’s going to be spreading on your stomach. “We ready?”

“Ready,” you say. As much as you were anticipating the coldness of the gel, it still makes you jump when it touches your skin. Eddie chuckles and rubs his thumb along the back of your hand. Linda moves the ultrasound wand around your lower abdomen, trying to get the best view of the baby. How she could tell, you’d never understand. It all looks like a bunch of wavy lines and differing shades of black and white. 

“Ah, there we go,” Linda says, pointing to the screen. “There’s your baby.”

Eddie leans in to look at the screen, the brightest grin on his face. Your gaze keeps moving from the image of your baby to your husband; his former nerves now forgotten as he looks at the child growing inside of you. The angle changes on the screen and you know even less of what you’re looking at now. A little thump thump thump sounds from the ultrasound, and your eyes suddenly fill with tears. That’s your baby’s heartbeat. This little being inside of you that you and Eddie created. It’s half him and half you. You’ve always known how life was a miracle, but having it happen inside of you makes it even more miraculous. 

“That’s a nice strong heartbeat,” Linda says. “Very good. The heart looks good. Kidneys look good. Liver, yes. And that beautiful little brain. Proud to report that the baby has ten fingers and ten toes, as well.” 

You squeeze your husband’s hand, and he bends down to kiss your forehead. “Look what we made,” he murmurs, voice catching before turning back to the technician. “Do—do you know…”

Linda moves the wand, keeping it pressed to the swell of your belly. “Seems to me like you’re having a little baby girl. Congratulations!” She beams at you both. 

“Oh, my God,” Eddie manages. Concern floods your senses as you feel him tremble slightly. “Babe, it’s a girl. We’re…we’re gonna have a daughter!”

Linda cleans the gel from your stomach, excusing herself and leaving you and Eddie alone. 

“Are you upset?” you ask, pushing yourself up. “I know you’re used to having boys, but—”

“Upset?” Eddie cuts you off with an incredulous chuckle. “Absolutely not. I always wanted a daughter, and now I’m having one with the love of my life. It’s just…a lot to take in.” He pulls his chair closer to yours and sits so he’s at your eye-level. “You’re the mother of my daughter. Do you know how goddamn happy that makes me?” 

The last sentence makes the dam burst, and a tear trickles down his cheek. “All I ever wanted was someone who loves me, who loves my kids, and now I have her and she’s giving me a baby girl.” His lips press against yours, hand cupping your face gingerly. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” you whisper, resting your forehead against his. “And speaking of loving your kids…how should we tell them about their new sister?”

Eddie taps his finger to his chin. “I feel like they’d appreciate something edible. Like a cupcake or something.”

“Are you just saying that because you want cupcakes for dessert?” you tease. 

“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.”

Eddie picks up Ryan from the junior high and Luke from the elementary school, trying to keep the newfound secret. Ryan’s at an age where he doesn’t say much, and Luke is buzzing with excitement about an upcoming field trip to the zoo, so neither boy says anything about their dad getting them from school. 

“You guys wanna swing by Family Video and grab a movie for tonight?” Eddie asks, leg bouncing anxiously. “I think we’re gonna order pizza for dinner and have cupcakes for dessert.”

“Cool,” Ryan nods, going back to gaze out the window. 

“Dad, if you were a pizza topping, which one would you be?” Luke doesn’t even stop to let his dad answer before saying, “I think you’d be a mushroom. ‘Cause you're a fun guy!”

Ryan shakes his head, but Eddie can’t help but let out a snort of laughter. “That’s what they’re teaching you in public school these days, huh?” he asks his son. “Anything in particular you think you want to get at the video store?”

“I dunno,” Luke says with a shrug. “Oh! Can we rent Attack of the Clones?”

“I don’t think that one’s available yet, bud,” Eddie says. “Anything else? Ryan?”

“Shrek?” Ryan offers, though it sounds more like a question. 

“That’s a good one,” Luke says. “In the morning, I’m making waffles!” Luke’s Eddie Murphy impression leaves something to be desired, but it makes Eddie smile. 

Corralling the kids inside Family Video, they instantly take off in different directions and Eddie has to decide which one needs more supervision. Luke. He follows after his youngest son, watching as he scans the VHS and DVD covers that he passes. 

“Spiderman?” Luke asks, picking up the DVD case.

Eddie wrinkles up his nose and shakes his head. “Nah, not tonight.” Luke sets it back and continues down the aisle. Ryan comes over, holding a DVD in his hand. “Whatcha got, pal?”

“The Master of Disguise,” Ryan announces proudly, holding the cover up for his dad to see.

“Dana Carvey, huh? Well, isn't that special?” When Ryan looks at his father like he has three heads, Eddie sighs. “Shit, I’m getting old. Yeah, that one looks great. Luke? Find anything?”

“The Wild Thornberrys!” Luke gasps, snatching up the orange VHS tape. “This one!”

“That’s with the talking monkey and the babbling kid?” Eddie asks.

“Darwin. He’s the monkey, Dad. And the boy is Donny,” Luke informs him.

“Right, sorry,” Eddie says, though he knows he’s not going to remember it. “We ready to go?”

The Munson men arrive home just as the pizza delivery van pulls up. Eddie quickly hands him some crumpled bills from his wallet, determined to get his hands on the biggest slice before one of the kids does. 

You and Eddie can barely contain your excitement, exchanging giggling glances as the boys obliviously eat dinner. 

“So, Kyle bet me that I couldn’t climb to the top of the swingset and jump off,” Luke is saying, “and I was like, ‘duh, of course I can!’ But then our teacher caught me before I could get all the way up and I had to sit out for the rest of recess.”

Eddie rests his head in his hands. “Y’know, Wayne warned me that karma would come back to bite me for all the stress I put him through,” he mutters, but there’s a smile on his face. “When I asked, ‘what happened in school today?’, I was thinking more along the lines of tests and homework, not scaling the playground equipment like a spider monkey.”

“And just think; in about five months, there’ll be a new little Munson to test your patience,” you tease, clearing the empty plates from the table. “Are you guys ready for dessert?”

Ryan nods, wincing when Luke cheers directly into his ear. “You’re so loud,” he complains, shoving his brother away from him. 

“It’s good practice for when the new baby comes,” Eddie jokes. “Seriously, though, Luke—take it down a notch.”

“At least the new baby will have an excuse,” Ryan points out. “Luke just can’t shut up.”

“Hey!”

“Fair point, but don’t tell your brother to shut up,” Eddie says, watching as you bring out a tray of pink-frosted cupcakes. His leg bounces with anticipation. 

The boys dig in hungrily, with Luke not even bothering to peel off the wrapper until his dad reminds him. They’re too focused on the dessert to notice that you and Eddie are anxiously awaiting their reactions. 

“So,” Eddie says slyly, “why do you think the cupcakes have pink frosting?”

Luke jumps out of his seat to answer. “You’re a vampire and you put blood in it!”

“Okay, seriously? What are they teaching you in school?” Eddie muses incredulously. 

You break into the conversation in an attempt to steer it in the right direction. “Where did we say we were going today?” you try, watching as they wrack their brains. 

“To the doctor to see…” Ryan starts, eyes widening as he makes the connection. “IT’S A GIRL?!”

“We’re getting a sister! We’re getting a sister!” Luke singsongs, dancing around the table. “Now I won’t have to share with her.”

“It’s a girl,” Eddie confirms. “But you’ve still got to share, bud.”

Ryan slips out of his chair and starts to jump up and down, the most infectious grin spread across his face. “A baby girl! A little sister! Gah!” His little body looks unable to contain all of his emotions as he hops around. 

You chuckle, eyes misting over slightly. Eddie reaches for your hand and laces his fingers with yours. Luke grabs his cupcake and goes to continue his dancing with it, until Eddie stops him.

“Butt in the seat if the cupcake is gonna be in your hand,” he tells his son. 

“Is there a picture?” Ryan asks as he takes his as well, wanting to partake in the dessert. “Of the baby?”

“There is,” you tell him. “But let’s wait until we’re done eating and our hands are clean before we get it out.”

“Do you have a name yet?” Luke asks, face somehow already smeared pink. 

“Daddy and I have been talking over some names for a few weeks, but we haven’t decided yet,” you say. 

“How about Matilda?” Luke asks, making you giggle.

“Luke, do you think she’s going to be a little witch?” you ask.

“Could be,” he answers with a shrug.

“I’m veto-ing Matilda,” Eddie says. You raise an eyebrow at him.

“Is that so?” you challenge.

“The only reason you’d want it now is because I said no,” Eddie says, wrinkling up his nose and sticking his tongue out at you. 

“I like Rachel,” Ryan says. “It’s a pretty name.”

“It is pretty,” you agree. “But how about we finish these cupcakes so we can go watch a movie?”

“Madeline?” Luke suggests.

“Eat your pink dessert, you rugrat,” Eddie tells him. 

As Eddie stands up to begin collecting dirty plates, you go and grab the sonogram picture out of your purse. You sit back down at the table, and a boy stands on each side of you as you show them the image. 

“What am I supposed to see?” Luke asks. 

“See that little white spot right here?” you ask, pointing with your pinky finger.

“Uh huh,” Luke says.

“That’s the baby.”

“Looks like a peanut,” Ryan says, making you laugh.

“I guess it kind of does, doesn’t it?” 

“Cutest peanut I ever saw!” Luke announces. 

Eddie cleans off the table, throwing away any garbage, and wrapping up the remaining cupcakes to be eaten at a later time. He shooed you out of the kitchen, insisting you go sit on the couch and make the boys entertain you until he returns. Honestly, he’s just curious as to what you’d ask of them in terms of amusement. When he walks into the living room, Luke is sitting on the ground, shuffling between the few movies he’d rented at Family Video with them today. You’re sitting down, Ryan tucked up between you and the arm of the couch. Your bump has just started becoming noticeable through your clothes, and Eddie took every opportunity that he could to stare at it. Seeing the reminder that you’re carrying his baby made him so giddy. 

Luke seems to have settled on a movie, so Eddie crosses the room and takes a seat next to you. He immediately lifts his arm and you snuggle up against his side. Your husband’s soft lips press against your temple, and you let your eyes slip closed with an easy smile on your mouth. 

“What’re we watching?” Ryan asks.

“The Wild Thornberrys movie,” he replies. Once the movie is in, Luke grabs the remote and settles down on the other side of his dad. He presses play on the remote and tugs the blanket that’s resting on the top of the couch into his lap. You feel a weight pressed on your side, and look down to see Ryan leaning against you, cuddling in to get comfy. 

“What about Ariel?” Luke asks as he fast forwards through the previews. 

“What?” you ask. 

“For the baby,” Luke says. “What about Ariel?”

“First a witch, now a mermaid,” Ryan mumbles from the other side of you.

“There’s plenty of time to talk about names, Luke,” Eddie tells him. “Let’s just watch the movie.” Secretly, he’s pleased that they’re both so happy to have a sister. 

A warm, cozy feeling floods your body when he instinctively rests his ringed hand on your bump. You’re so relaxed and surrounded by so much love—and completely exhausted from being pregnant—that you start to fall asleep twenty minutes in. 

Your eyes are fluttering shut when you feel it: a tiny kick in your lower abdomen. Both you and your husband sit up straight, suddenly wide awake. 

“Was that—” he starts at the same time you say, “Did she—”

“What happened?” Ryan asks, drawing his attention from the Thornberry family’s chaos. 

Eddie smiles, rubbing the spot where he felt the baby. “I think your little sister is trying to show off her karate moves.” 

Luke wrinkles his nose. “How did she learn karate?”

“He means that she kicked me,” you explain with a giggle. Eddie just tucks his head into the crook of your neck, nuzzling into you. 

“Does it hurt?” Concern is written all over Ryan’s face as he scoots over a little, now unsure of his proximity to you. 

“Not really; kinda feels like a little flick from the inside,” you say. “But she still hasn’t fully developed her feet yet. I’m sure I’ll really feel it then.” You watch as he nervously plays with his fingers. “Do you wanna see if she’ll kick for you?”

Ryan hesitates at first, glancing at his dad. 

“It’s okay, bud,” Eddie tells him. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Totally up to you.”

“No, I wanna see. As long as you promise it doesn’t hurt,” Ryan says, turning to you. 

You hold up your pinky and he does the same so you can pinky-swear on it. He gingerly puts his palm near your belly button, frowning when nothing happens. 

“Maybe she’s sleeping,” he muses. 

“Try this,” Luke says, bounding over to you and leaning in close to your stomach. “Hi-yah!” He punctuates the sound with something resembling martial arts, making everyone laugh. 

And then you feel another kick. 

“Hey,” you say with a chuckle. “That worked, Luke.” The little boy gives you a triumphant smile.

“I didn’t feel it,” Ryan says, a frown pinching his features.

“It was a little more this way,” you say, sliding Ryan’s hand closer to the spot where movement is occurring. “Why don’t you try talking to her, too?”

“Can she hear me?” Ryan asks, looking up at you.

“Last time I saw the doctor she told me that the baby can hear my heartbeat. That must mean her little ears are growing. Go ahead, give it a try,” you encourage. 

Ryan nods and lowers his head to be closer to your belly. “Um, hi. I hope you can hear me.”

“She doesn’t speak English yet,” Luke says. Eddie reaches out and tugs his younger son into his lap.

“She can tell by the sound of your voice,” Eddie says. “So hush.”

“I’m your big brother,” Ryan continues. “Well, the older one. I can’t believe you’re my baby sister in there.” 

You turn your head to share a look with Eddie. Though you’re both feeling the same warm, loving feelings about this tender moment, Eddie’s reaction is a beaming smile, while your hormones are making you react with tears. Your husband reaches up and gently wipes your tears away. There’s another kick, and this one makes you giggle. Ryan’s face lights up in delight. He stares at your bump, then up at your face.

“I felt it! She likes me!”

“Sweetheart, she loves you,” you tell him, moving some hair off his forehead. “You’re her big brother.”

“Hi, baby,” Luke says, leaning down in Eddie’s lap to talk on a more even level with your belly button. “I’m Luke, your other brother.” He pauses and looks up at you. “Can I feel?”

“Of course,” you say, and guide one of his small hands right next to Ryan’s. “Go ahead, keep talking to her.”

“I know you’re a girl, but maybe you’ll like my Hot Wheels, too.”

“Thought you weren’t going to share with her?” Eddie asks, raising an eyebrow.

“This is between me and my sister,” Luke says, causing you to slap a hand over your mouth to keep from laughing. “If Dad’s too old, I can teach you lots of fun stuff. Like sports and bikes and different games.”

“How old does this kid think I am?” Eddie mumbles to you. You press a kiss to his cheek just as the little lady decides to make her presence known yet again. 

“I felt it! I felt her kick!” Luke grins, his little hand rubbing over the spot on your tummy where he felt it. “That’s so cool! I think she’s gonna be a soccer player.”

“You ready to be a soccer mom?” Eddie teases, and you flick his nose. You’d be giving him a much different gesture with your finger if the boys weren’t around.  “Gonna trade in your sedan for a minivan?”

After the excitement of the baby’s movements has calmed down, everyone settles back into their spots on the couch to watch the movie. Ryan shifts a bit before speaking up. 

“How about Eliza?”

“Hm?” you ask, running your fingers through his hair. 

“For the baby’s name. Like Eliza Thornberry,” he elaborates, a sweet smile on his face. “She’s good with animals and nice to people. And it’ll remind us of the first time we felt her kick.”

You and Eddie exchange amused glances. “I actually kinda like it,” he says with a shrug. “Let me try it out: Eliza Munson, did you finish your homework?” he bellows in a deep, dramatic voice before grinning widely. “Yup, that works.”

“I think it’s definitely a contender,” you tell Ryan. 

“Or,” Luke pipes up, raising his eyebrows. “We could name her Donnie.”

“Yeah, that’s gonna be a no,” Eddie laughs, ruffling Luke’s curls when the boy starts to pout. “But you can help brainstorm a middle name.”

That seems to placate him long enough to finish the movie. Everyone is yawning by the time the credits roll; you can barely find the energy to stand up and brush your teeth. 

You’re getting into bed when Eddie walks in the room. He’s wearing a thin white undershirt and flannel pajama pants that sit low on his hips. If you weren’t about to pass out, you’d rip them off of him. 

“So, the boys seemed happy to have a sister,” he says, twisting the rings from his fingers and placing them on his nightstand. 

You nod. “I was worried that they’d be upset about having another girl in the house.”

“Nah,” Eddie shakes his head, sliding in next to you. “They already have a brother. Now, if the next Baby Munson is another girl, we might have a problem.”

“The next Baby Munson?” you echo incredulously. “Can I just get through labor with this one first before we talk about another?”

“Aye aye, captain.” Eddie kisses your forehead and pulls you in towards him, automatically assuming the big spoon position. “Good night, Mama Munson.” His hand travels to the swell of your belly as he adds, “and good night, Eliza.”

[henrioo]

I hope the following request isn't too much to ask:

Can I please have a Law x trans!male!reader story with hurt and comfort?

Plot: Reader's binder accidentally got put in the dryer and is ruined now. Reader therefore has a crisis and doesn't want to leave his room anymore. Law is extremely worried about his boyfriend.

Thank you very much in advance! 💙

°•*⁀➷ ANYTHING FOR YOU: LAW

꒰ SYNOPSIS ꒱ : "When your binder is ruined the only person you know that will always be at your side to help you is Law, your boyfriend"

꒰ WARNINGS ꒱ : TRIGGERING TOPICS!!! TRANS MALE READER!! THE READER DOESN'T HAVE A TOP SURGERY!! MENTIONS TO GENDER DYSPHORIA CRISIS, ANXIETY CRISIS, SENSITIVE TRANS TOPICS

꒰ WC ꒱ : 4k

꒰ NOTES ꒱ : Me just delivering a ask after months? Nha... I would never... Hm... Well, then enjoy! I really loved writing this one, besides I have some blocks in some parts so take several days to really finish the story, but I hope you like! Thanks for making a ask with me and sorry for the delay! :D

Law knew it was time to stop working when he blinked his eyes and in the next moment all he could feel was his head hitting the wooden desk in his office. He yawned as he stretched, his muscles were all sore and his body was extremely tired from hours of working without a break, he knew that now not only did his body need a rest, but his mind as well.

All he wanted was to drink some tea and lay on top of you wrapped in soft blankets, being able to sleep for hours on end listening only to the sound of the ocean while you stroked his hair. A smile instantly appeared on his face. Law might be a man known for his rigidity and even for being extremely rude, but when it came to you — his boyfriend — things were very different. Law could never yell at you, much less be rude or aggressive, even when you did something that irritated him the most you would get would be a worried lecture instead of pure anger.

He couldn't help it, after years of having everything he loved taken away from him, he became extremely paranoid that every night with you could be his last. Determined to never again regret not saying or expressing enough to the one he loves — especially when he entered into a serious relationship with you — he worked hard so that he could make it obvious with every word, action or even a look that he loved you deeply and would do anything for your happiness.

Even if he didn't like to show it publicly, it wasn't too difficult to figure out that he had an extremely soft spot for you.

Soon he was walking through Polar Tang, determined to get to the room you shared and simply sleep until they reached dry land. However, he was stopped when he found Penguin and Sachi fighting right in front of the room, they had extremely worried and nervous faces and seemed to be arguing about something very intensely. They had done something wrong. Law had lived with and been captain of these two for enough years to be sure of that.

“What did you two do now?” He said and his voice was probably more hoarse and scary due to tiredness.

"Captain!" Penguin squeaked in terror at the sight of the man and they both looked as white as the polar bear that sailed with them.

“What did you do wrong?” He raised an eyebrow, getting angrier by the second. Now was not the time Law wanted to spend dealing with those two, all he needed was a hug from his boyfriend, not two crew members who were always getting into trouble.

"Wrong? Haha, who did something wrong? Nobody did anything wrong! Pfff, everything is fine, very fine… extremely fine” Sachi said, giving the biggest smile he could while laughing so nervously that he looked like he might faint at any minute.

Law decided he wasn't going to deal with that now. Regardless of what they had done, he would find out after resting, so he just walked past the two and approached the door, trying to open it to find his objective. The problem was that the door was locked, which was strange since you never locked your room without Law being in there with you. Getting a little worried, he knocked on the door a few times trying to figure out if something was wrong.

“(Y/N)-ya? You are here? Can I enter?" He asked, maybe you were just changing your clothes. Law knew it was still difficult for you to do this in front of him regardless of how long you had been together.

The silence was making him increasingly nervous, when he called your name again — a little louder this time — he was greeted by you screaming.

"GO AWAY! I DON’T WANT TO SEE ANYONE!” Law could tell when you were crying from miles away, and that shaky voice as you screamed told him clearly that you had been crying for the last few hours at the very least.

"What?" He stuttered confused and worried “What’s wrong?” He asked, getting nervous.

“EVERYTHING IS WRONG! I'M WRONG! MY BODY IS WRONG! I HATE EVERYTHING! I HATE MY BODY! I HATE MYSELF! I HATE BEING BORN!” You screamed again, but this time a tearful scream was heard at the end. Your scream was so agonizing that Law felt his body shiver, now you were crying so loudly that it seemed like you were being attacked by someone.

Law's first thought was to use his devil fruit and force himself into that room, but he clenched his fists until he cut himself and forced himself to calm down. Taking a deep breath he quickly analyzed everything before making a wrong decision, if he forced his way into the room you would probably hate him for not respecting your privacy, besides, you hated being disturbed during your sensitive or crisis moments. As much as you needed support, you liked to calm down on your own first, crying and venting until your body got tired. So when you calm down a little, then you would allow other people to come and give you support so that you could remember that you were safe and loved.

So Law couldn't insist on helping you before making sure you were calm and ready to accept the help. That only left one last option: finding out what had triggered your crisis and finding some way to resolve it so that you could calm down more quickly. Of course, the trigger of a crisis wasn't always something that could be resolved, but most of the time a little logic always helped your brain calm down and decide better how to deal with your feelings. That's what he always tried to do, be your stable rock of logic when your feelings overwhelm you to the point where you're unable to think logically.

As soon as his mind calmed down enough, which wasn't particularly much, Law went in search of what had caused his crisis. And with that said he just turned with a death glare at Penguin and Sachi as his entire face silently said, “what the fuck did you two do this time?”

If the two men weren't panicking before, now they were feeling their life draining from their bodies. The two didn't even have saliva to swallow, and as Law glared at them deathly but silently they stared at each other trying to decide how to explain the situation in a way that wouldn't make their scary captain steal their hearts and throw them into the ocean and then use their bodies as a snack for the kings of the seas. After a silent debate and desperate tears, Penguin appeared to be the loser in the debate between who would be the first to sacrifice himself.

“W-Well… C-Captain, you see? Haha… Today… Well, today is laundry day… Right?” He stutters more than a girl going to confess for the first time and Law would have laughed mentally if he wasn't completely irate.

"And?" Law asked not understanding exactly where this could be going. Had they stained your shirt? Stolen underwear? In fact, these two possibilities were impossible, as everyone knew not to touch their clothes on wash day. There were two members who washed individual clothes, Law for valuing his privacy and Bepo for having too much hair and needing individual washing, when you quickly came out you became the third member. After all, everyone understood that someone touching your clothes could give you a crisis or paranoia, so you wouldn't need to be nervous about someone seeing something you shouldn't have. In the end, when you and Law started dating it got even better, as you started washing your clothes and his together.

"And huh... Today was Ikkaku's day to take care of it... but well, you know, we kind of made her take care of the clothes last time and she got really angry this time..." Sachi laughed nervously as he continued his friend's story.

“So she made you guys come out this time, right, what’s the problem?” Law could think of many possibilities, he just hoped no one had come out wearing pink clothes like the last incident.

“And it's kind of huh… We were like, you know… We took everything and just threw it into the machine… You know?” Penguin laughed again and now he was cowering and trying to use Sachi as a human shield.

"And?" As long as the uniforms weren't covered in Bepo's fur he couldn't imagine such a bad scenario.

“And we kind of took some of (Y/N)'s things by accident... Like his binder” Sachi gave a huge desperate smile as he silently begged his captain not to kill them.

“What the fuck did you guys do?!” Now all of Law's 'friendly' aura was gone. His face was serious and his voice couldn't control his anger, he felt his fist clenching as he became more nervous. Now things started to make sense about why you were so bad that you locked yourself in your room and even prevented your boyfriend from entering.

“It… shrank… a little” Sachi whimpered nervously seeing Law's anger “And it kind of… It doesn't fit anymore”.

Law stopped. His heart stopped beating and his head was dizzy, so that's what happened. It made so much sense now about the phrases you shouted and the way you acted.

It turns out that one of the things you admitted bothered you was your breasts, although Law called them pecs you still hadn't gotten used to it. You hated the size and hated even more that they made your shape very feminine, initially the surgeon offered the removal surgery, the famous top surgery — of course it wasn't something he had done before or had experience with — but Law liked to call himself one of the best surgeons in those seas for a reason, he studied what he did.

Of course, if he were to perform the surgery on you, he would study as much as possible and if you still didn't trust him, it wouldn't be difficult to find an island with a doctor specialized in this. Money wasn't a problem, your boyfriend would steal a king if that would buy something that would bring you happiness and comfort with your own body. The issue was that you didn't feel ready for surgery, it was an extreme change and you weren't taking enough hormones for it. In addition to being a very difficult recovery, you thought it would be difficult to have peace to recover when you were a pirate and sailed through dangerous seas.

You could be attacked at any time and you were incapacitated on the bed without being able to move your upper body. So for now you considered surgery to be out of the question.

Said that, you didn't give up, both Law and you wanted to find a solution to this issue that bothered you so much. It was when on an island you heard about them, it was a type of elastic top with a lot of compression that helped reduce the volume of the breasts, as well as giving them a masculine appearance. They were sold for all kinds of purposes, for women who had too many breasts, for people with chest problems... Or for men like you, who needed physical support to deal with some discomfort in their appearance.

Law did some research and he agreed that you could use it on the condition that he constantly checked you, as the band was really tight, you both agreed that you wouldn't use it for many hours a day, in addition to not using it to sleep, much less using it in battles. So if you were attacked immediately you should run away instead of trying to fight with something that could break your ribs. You were too happy to deny whatever condition your doctor boyfriend had, all you wanted was to experience it and feel comfortable in your body for the first time in a long time.

You would have the memory of that moment forever. When you put on your shirt and looked in the mirror, your chest was flat, no curves or feminine volume. Your chest was extremely straight and smooth like that of Law, Penguin, Sachi or any other man in the crew, it was smooth exactly like a man's chest.

After that day everything was like flowers, you followed Law's orders and could wear your headband for most of the day, walking around smiling without being insecure about your appearance. On the islands everyone could see that you were confident, you were confident in yourself. You even wore more clothes now, nicer clothes with fewer layers that used to feel like armor to protect yourself from possible judgmental looks. Trafalgar could thank the gods for how happy you were, the way you smiled and spoke and acted. You were even having more physical touch, letting Law lay on your chest when you used the binder or cuddling more knowing that your breasts wouldn't get in the way.

So knowing that your binder had been washed incorrectly and now made it unfit for use justified much of your actions. You had only bought one out of fear that you wouldn't adapt, and besides, you had already left the island for days and were even more days away from another island. Which meant you would be without the binder for days on end until they could dock and search again, even if they turned around now they wouldn't get to the last island quickly. Everything seemed perfect for you to continue with an unresolved crisis.

Breathe and inspire. Law calmed down a little and thought about what he could do, you might even be able to calm down, but you would still be fragile and sensitive because you were without his protection, without what made you feel capable of living with dignity. He needed to do something or you would go back to that dark, insecure bubble of not being able to validate yourself.

“You two” Law said looking at him deathly “Cleaning the ship for the next three months.”

"But!" Sachi was going to argue until his mouth was covered by Penguin's hands, who told him to shut up, probably grateful that they would only have to clean the submarine rather than be thrown overboard. Now it was time for Law to find a solution to his problem.

You felt bad for yelling at Law. You really did, if it was in another situation you would have immediately left to apologize and resolve the situation. However, at that moment it wasn't just any situation, you were having a panic attack and you couldn't even think logically, your head felt like a minefield where every second a bomb exploded right in front of you.

You had to fight and control yourself a lot to not do something bad to yourself, thanks to many “therapy” sessions with Law, you gradually learned to control yourself during crises so as to at least not hurt yourself physically. So you did exactly as he taught you, you screamed into the pillow, punched the bed mattress, threw the pillow from side to side, Las had even said that you could break the entire room if that could stop you from getting hurt.

You cried a lot, looked at yourself in the mirror to the point of screaming in anger and shrank in a ball thinking about never leaving the room again. When his body started to feel tired and even more nervous after yelling at Law, you slipped into his clothes and lay down on the bed trying to calm down. Now you had woken up much better and without being panicked, who knew that sleeping could solve almost all problems, you decided it was time to look for your boyfriend and apologize for what happened earlier. Besides, of course, you obviously want a little comfort and want some kisses and hugs.

The problem was finding him, how was it possible for that tall man to get lost in such a small submarine? You looked in the control room, his office, the kitchen, even the dorms together! Damn! You were lucky everyone was asleep so you didn't need to be embarrassed about your swollen face and Law's baggy clothes, but now you kind of wished someone was awake so you could have help looking for him. How was it possible for him to disappear like that?!

Luckily giving up isn't in your blood, so you took another deep breath and thought about where Law could have gone if he wasn't in any of the main locations on the submarine. A little fear and insecurity at the thought that your boyfriend could have really been upset with you even crossed your mind, but you knew Law better than that, he would never do something like that and you would rather die with a false faith than doubt him. So as you thought more deeply about all the existing rooms you remembered the storage rooms, they were about three very small rooms where everyone kept various things that were not being used or that were useless for now.

There were some crew overalls in general sizes for new members, there was plenty of fabric and makeshift sewing supplies, there were some weapons if anyone wanted to learn how to fight, lots of books on geography or history of specific islands. Practically any trinket that no one really needed urgently was there, there was another storage room with really necessary and useful things, so now other small rooms were more of a trash deposit or mess room, call it what you want.

It didn't take long for you to get to them. The path was basically to the bottom of the ship where the repair and machine rooms were, then through a narrower and unused corridor you would reach the three rooms. Thinking about it, just considering the difficulty of getting there, it was pretty obvious why no one used those warehouses to store useful things, you couldn't blame the crew.

The first warehouse had a broken light and even in the darkness you didn't find Law, the last one seemed to have its door closed and there were even some boxes in front of it, so the obvious answer was the second warehouse which had its door open a little. . You opened the door completely and stuck your head inside while looking for your boyfriend, but the scene you found was definitely far from your expectations...

Law was sitting on the floor with a weak lamp near his lap, it seemed that that warehouse also had a broken light and he had improvised his light source, he was under a shelf and there were so many things around him that just looking you imagined how uncomfortable it was for Law's big body to be stuck in the middle of so much junk. He had a serious and focused face as he sewed something in his hands, there were some sewing supplies around him, needle balls, threads and pieces of fabric. The thing is, you've never seen Law sewing before and you were pretty sure that wasn't one of his hobbies.

“Law?” You called out to him worried, maybe that was the real Law? A soft boy who likes sewing and knitting? You laughed at the idea, but now you were curious to know what he was doing.

Law jumped when he heard your voice calling him, which made him hit his head on the shelf just above his head and also pierce his finger with the needle he had in his hand. He quickly cursed as he patted his sore head and placed his bleeding finger in his mouth, he lifted his head to curse whoever it was when he saw it was you. Immediately his eyes widened in surprise and shock, soon mixing with concern, you had left the room! He couldn't help but be more relieved seeing that you looked fine, even with your face swollen and red you had a simple smile which perhaps showed that you weren't so bad now. And well... he couldn't hold back the heat rising in his body and his red cheeks when he saw you wearing his clothes as pajamas, damn you were so cute...

“(y/n)-ya!” He exclaimed happily and considered getting up, but realized that was impossible in his current state. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? I can-” he decided he should get up and check you up, but as soon as he hit his head on the shelf again he fell into a sitting position and decided it was better to stay that way.

When you just laughed at his clumsy manner, Law felt like a teenager discovering his first crush, his heart was beating fast and his face was burning, damn you with all that power over him. When you calmed down you moved closer, kneeling as close to him as possible so that you were together side by side.

“I'm fine... I just overdid it a little, I ended up falling asleep I think...” you admitted a little embarrassed and guilty as you fixed a place for you to feel close to him amidst all the mess.

“You never exaggerate, we have no control over that” he said sincerely and in his eyes there was only empathy, making you remember again why you loved him so much. “I'm glad you managed to get some sleep, I didn't want to disturb you so I couldn't check if you were better afterwards…”

“I'm fine... I... I'm sorry... Sachi and Penguin must be very disappointed in me, I would understand if you three were angry” you sighed hugging your legs as you looked at him, in Law's view you looked perfect wearing his clothes, he would definitely make you repeat it later.

"What?!" He looked at you with an incredulous smile “Do you think they are disappointed or angry? In fact, they were worried that you would never forgive them for ruining your binder, besides, your reaction was completely consistent with the situation, don't cover yourself too much” he said, poking your forehead as a loving way of scolding.

"Really? I… I thought I overreacted, since it wasn't their fault” you sighed, but you already felt a little better.

“Yes it was” Law said with an irritated snort. “They never do things right when they have to, at least now they will be twice as careful if one day I allow them to take care of the clothes again” he said bitterly. “And I could never be mad at you, not even if you stole my heart and stepped on it.”

“I would never do that” you smiled at him.

“I know…” he said, smiling along and going back to sewing, you shifted your attention to his hands and what he was working on. It was a long strip of fabric with a skin tone somewhat similar to yours, although not quite. Law seemed to be sewing zippers into it, that piece was strangely familiar.

“What is that…” you asked, confused and curious.

“Your binder, we only bought one and it was ruined... I'll see tomorrow about going back to this island, but I don't know if we'll make it due to the distance” he sighed as he finished sewing “I'm not that good at it... But I tried to copy yours old, someone here must know how to sew better than me, but… I… I wanted to do this for you” he admitted with red cheeks as he handed you the strip of fabric that now looked extremely similar to your old binder.

Of course it wasn't perfect for numerous reasons, the size probably wasn't ideal, the tone of the fabric was also different and it wasn't the same fabric as your old binder. The elastic on the edges and the zipper were improvised, but hell, even if it was the worst thing ever sewn before it wouldn't be any less perfect in his eyes. There was something that your boyfriend had made with his own hands just to help you, he had done it because he understood your limits and discomforts, he understood that you needed that. And he really stepped out of his comfort zone doing something he wasn't used to just for you.

“(y/n)-ya?” He asked and only then did you snap out of your trance, you saw tears as you looked at your boyfriend. His face showed just everything you felt for Law, the purest and most genuine love possible.

“Thank you” you smiled “It’s perfect…”

Law smiled embarrassedly as he scratched the back of his head, he reached for your hand holding it lovingly, he caressed yours fingers as he felt his own heart calm down. You're okay, you were there with him and everything was okay.

“You are perfect… The perfect man and boyfriend” he admitted looking at you with love and you were sure you would never want to be anywhere else but with Law.

[mirisss]

Fated To Feel

Part 2 of Fated No More

Enhypen OT7 x afab! reader

Wordcount ≈ 4k. 

Warnings: talk of depression, angst, manipulation, cheating, slight sexual innuendo, sleep deprivation, panic attack, I think that’s it, let me know if I’ve missed anything. 

Summary: After (Y/n) moved away her soulmate marks began fading while Enhypen was being punished for their actions by experiencing constant itchiness from their marks. Will (Y/n) find someone else? Will Enhypen realize their mistake? Can they be reunited? And most importantly, can (Y/n) forgive Enhypen for everything they said and did? 

Because of popular demand, here is part 2 of Fated No More. Thank you for all the support on part 1, I hope you will like this one too. Fated No More is one of my personal favorites so I’m very happy to see so much positive response to the story. 

I jump around a bit in the timeline so it might be a little confusing but I hope it makes sense. 

There will be a third part as well, but I felt like this was getting quite long so I decided to split it up. So this turned into a mini-series, hope you like it!  

Perhaps fate was punishing them for the way they acted toward (Y/n), the truth might never be known, but the thing that is certain is that they are fated no more.

Third Person POV

As Enhypen left (Y/n) in the HYBE building they didn’t care about the possible consequences that would follow as they all were too in love with (name). As they arrived home, they told (name) of what had happened and that (Y/n) said she would leave them alone from now on. (name) was very satisfied with this, she knew Enhypen wouldn’t leave her now that they had rejected their true soulmate. (name) had found her true soulmate not too long after Jake mistook her for their soulmate, at first she was going to leave them but then she realized that if she stayed with Enhypen she could get money from them and she wouldn’t have to work. And with their packed schedule, she could spend plenty of time with her true soulmate while the boys were working. Her true soulmate agreed to the plan as they figured some extra easy money wouldn’t hurt. (name) always feared that the boys would leave her if they found their true soulmate but now she had proof that they wouldn’t, that they couldn’t. All she had to do now was make sure they didn’t find out about her true soulmate whom she said she had rejected for them.

It was a shortlived victory though, as only a month after rejecting (Y/n), Sunghoon had left their practice earlier than planned due to feeling a bit unwell, and as he came home, he was expecting to find (name) in front of the TV watching the drama she was currently obsessed with, only to find her in bed with another man. (name) was freaking out and didn’t know how to handle the situation, screaming at her soulmate to get out. Sunghoon quickly called the others telling them they needed to come home ASAP. (name) told them parts of the truth, leaving out the bits of her only really being with them for the money. All of the boys told her to pack her things and leave. They couldn’t believe that she would hurt them like that. Soon Enhypen found themselves thinking over everything that happened and they began mourning the loss of (Y/n). Their true soulmate.

“We really hurt her, what we did was worse than what (name) did to us,” Jay said as they all sat on the floor with tears running down their cheeks. The more they thought of (Y/n) the more their soulmate marks itched and burned. “We were idiots, it was obvious (name) was only using us. She never struggled being away from us even when we had to go overseas without her. Even if she wasn’t our soulmate she should have hurt a little if she truly loved us,” Jungwon said before he tried wiping away his tears. “Do you think we can get (Y/n) back?” “I don’t know Riki, She left HYBE and we don’t have any way of contacting her,” Sunoo answered. “Not to even mention the low possibility of her forgiving us for everything we said and did,” Heesung added. “Please Fate, give us a second chance, so we can at least apologize to (Y/n),” Jake said, soon after the seven boys got up from the floor and began cleaning their entire apartment. Throwing away anything that reminded them of (name), once they were done they realized that half the things they owned reminded them of her so they disregarded it all. They made a promise to themselves and to fate that if they got the chance to see (Y/n) again, they would apologize and do everything they could to make it up to her, even if that meant spending the rest of their lives saying sorry. 

* Time skip * 

(Y/n)’s POV

It’s been two years since I left South Korea and left my soulmates behind. Every once in a while I stand in front of my mirror searching for the marks, hoping to find a new one, praying that fate had blessed me with a second chance soulmate. When I do this I only ever feel a stabbing pain in my heart, reminding me of everything Enhypen said to me. Their words tainted my world into a darkness I can’t even describe. I began believing that they had done the right thing, that I wasn’t worthy of being loved. Moa however reminded me constantly that I was worthy of love and that it was the boys who weren’t because of what they had done. I often wondered if everything would have been different had I met them first. Was that the only reason they chose her, (name), over me? Would they have loved me if she had never met them? Or were they just incapable of loving me?

“(Y/n)? Hello? Earth to (Y/n)?” “Huh? Oh, sorry, Moa, what’s up?” “You’re thinking of them again, aren’t you?” I let out a sigh before covering my face with one of my hands. “Yeah, I try not to but every once in a while, my mind wanders back to them,” “I get it, or, I don’t, but I know that I think of my soulmate so many times each day it’s normal to do so, even more so for you because of what happened,” “I know, I just keep wondering over what would have happened had I met them before (name),” “Things would probably be very different but we will never know because this is the reality we live in, I know it hurts, but maybe you can find someone who has lost their soulmate and find love with that person,” “Yeah, maybe, I don’t know, let’s talk about something else, I’m already depressed don’t need to make it worse,” “Mm, right, that’s why I originally came in here, we’ve been invited to Jaehyun’s wedding!” “No way, Jaehyun’s getting married?” “Yeah, can you believe that he’s getting married before me? He used to be such a douchebag, and now he’s like everyone’s dream guy,” “I guess he grew up, maybe pouring that smoothie over his head when he insulted you helped him realize that he should change,” “Ooh, I remember when you did that, he was so angry with you first but then he was following you like a lost puppy, being all ‘(Y/n), my sweetie,’ he totally fell in love with you,” “I guess he did. When’s the wedding? And where?” “It’s in six months, and it’s in Seoul. Do you feel okay with going? If not, we’ll just send him a really good gift,” “No, let’s go. I miss Seoul, we have so many friends there and I don’t want to let Enhypen keep me away from them,” “You go girl! YES! I’ll respond right away that we’re coming! Jae’s going to be so happy!” “Are you bringing Kyle too?” “Of course, I’m bringing Kyle, I have to show him off haha,” “Okay, if you respond to the invite I’ll look up a good hotel we can stay in and book two rooms, one for me and one for you and your lovely soulmate,” “Cheer up, (Y/n)! Who knows? Maybe you’ll find someone at the wedding!” “Yeah, maybe,” I gave Moa a small smile, the slight burn in my heart spiking up at the thought of love.

Sometimes living with Moa and her soulmate Kyle was difficult as I knew I could never have what they have. I remember the fight Moa had with Kyle when they first met and he didn’t understand why I had to live with Moa, thus meaning, he now had to live with me. Moa said that either he accepts it or he can walk away because I mean so much more to her than he ever could. I told Moa that she didn’t have to do that and that I would be fine moving to an apartment close by, but Moa didn’t want that, worried I would fall deeper into my depression if she wasn’t by my side. Now months later, Kyle and I are good friends and he understands the situation after hearing what happened to me. Seeing the way they act around each other and hearing them talk of one another, hurts because I wish I could experience that, but I know I never can, not truly, even if I would find someone some time. Of course, I’m so happy Moa found her soulmate and that he treats her well, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit jealous. I took a deep breath and went to my computer to find a good hotel, you can never book those things too early. Especially knowing Jaehyun, the dude knows everyone and their grandma so the hotels are about to be overbooked. I was really looking forward to seeing Jaehyun again, after the smoothie incident we became really good friends (even if he had feelings for me) and we stayed friends through everything. I never told him who my soulmates were, all I said was that it didn’t work out and fate or destiny made a mistake. He was sad to see Moa and I move away but we kept in contact and he was very supportive of our choice. I decided to send him a text even if Moa answered the invites, I wanted to assure him that I would come and it wasn’t Moa giving him false hope. *Hey Jae, it’s been a while. Congratulations on the engagement! Of course, I am coming, how could I not? I just might have to throw another smoothie at you if you don’t behave. Looking forward to seeing you,* In his response he let me know how happy he was that I would come and so was his soulmate. I took another deep breath, let’s go back to Seoul where my whole world collapsed 2 years ago. 

Third Person POV (same time as (Y/n) received the wedding invite)

After coming home from a concert, the Enhypen boys were met with seven cute envelopes in their mailbox. They opened them to find invites to their good friend Jaehyun’s wedding. “Wah! Jaehyun is getting married! That’s crazy!” “We have to go! It’s in six months so if we tell our manager tomorrow we can make sure our schedule stays free for that day,” “It’s going to be so much fun!” The seven boys were ecstatic and couldn’t wait as they hadn’t seen their friend in a while. No one said it, but they all thought the same thing: This could have been us and (Y/n) if only we hadn’t messed up. They still lived with the constant itchiness of their soulmate marks and every once in a while, their marks would burn, a reminder of their actions. Sometimes they wondered if (Y/n) also lived with this discomfort or if it truly was a punishment that only affected them. They hoped (Y/n) didn’t have to go through it as they felt they had hurt her enough as it was. 

* 6 months later, the day before the wedding *

(Y/n)’s POV

Moa, Kyle, and I had been flying for a couple of hours but we finally arrived in South Korea. My back felt quite sore from the flight and I was very tired so I couldn’t wait to get to the hotel and just lay down in bed and sleep. “WAHH! We’re finally back!” Moa was loud and cheery as ever, I swear, the girl can’t be sad. “Come on, let’s get a taxi to the hotel. I’m dying to get some sleep,” Moa just smiled and nodded, Kyle offered to carry my bag for me saying ‘You look like you’re gonna lay down on the floor and sleep here if we don’t get going,’ I mean I definitely look like a zombie, the last few days have been nerve-wrecking as I was a bit anxious of going back here so I haven’t gotten that much sleep. Finally, we arrived at the hotel, not a second too early. We checked in and got our separate rooms, a smaller one for me and a larger one for the couple. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, good night,” “Night night, (Y/n)! Don’t forget, breakfast at 8 tomorrow, we have to leave at 2 pm to get to the ceremony in time,” “I won’t, night night,” I went inside, changed into my pajamas, and then laid down in the bed, I remember setting an alarm on my phone but after that, I was out like a light. 

Third Person POV

The Enhypen members didn’t have to stay at a hotel as the wedding was held close enough for them to just head to their apartment once the wedding and party were over. The morning of the wedding, they all woke up and began preparing everything they needed. They were meeting up with Jaehyun a little earlier than most guests as Jaehyun had asked them to sing a song or two so they were heading over for a soundcheck and to check when they were supposed to sing. “Jaehyun! My man! Congratulations!” “Heesung! Guys! Nice to see you, it’s been too long since last,” The friends caught up a little for a while but at the same time helped Jaehyun around the venue. Jaehyun was a bit nervous but Enhypen assured him that Yujin wouldn’t get cold feet. “Thank you guys for doing this! Yujin is such a fan, she’s going to freak out seeing you here and then you sing a song I wrote for her,” “No worries man, the song you wrote is so good. It’s an honor being allowed to sing it,” And so they continued with the preparations before Enhypen headed into a room where they could change clothes and get ready before the rest of the guests arrived. 

(Y/n)’s POV

I woke up in time, changed into some comfortable clothes, and went outside my room to meet up with Moa and Kyle, once we located one another we went down to eat breakfast. Once we had finished eating we went back to our separate rooms to shower and get ready for the wedding, Kyle called and booked a taxi for us that would arrive at 1.45 pm. The dress I had chosen was a beautiful (insert color of choice) long sleeve, it was the type of dress I had dreamt of wearing to a homecoming or something like this as a child. I almost dared say I felt like a Dinsey princess in it. I fixed my hair and did some makeup. I hadn’t shown Moa my dress because I wanted it to be a surprise, I knew she would be proud of me for slowly going back to the me I was before the rejection. We decided to meet down by the taxi so when the time came I went down to the entrance and saw that Moa and Kyle had made it out before me. When Moa turned to the doors of the hotel and saw me, her jaw dropped before she quite literally shook with how happy she was and how much she was squealing. “(Y/n)! OMG, YOU LOOK SO GOOD I THINK I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU!” “Thanks, Moa, you look really beautiful, That pink looks so good on you, oh, and on you too Kyle,” “Thank you, you look really good (Y/n), mostly because you’re finally smiling,” I hadn’t realized how much I was genuinely smiling until Kyle pointed it out to me. “Thanks,” And then we got in the taxi, heading over to the wedding venue. 

About an hour later we arrived at the wedding which was beautifully decorated even on the outside. This definitely fits the theme of the invite. Because of the long sleeves on my dress, I didn’t notice my soulmate marks slightly becoming more visible once again, alerting me of my soulmates’ presences. We walked inside and were greeted by flowers and a large room packed with people. I couldn’t even guess how many people were attending but from how packed the room was I guess closer to 300 or perhaps even more. I wasn’t kidding when I said that Jaehyun knows everyone and their grandma. While we had a little look around we ended up running into Jaehyun who enveloped all three of us in a hug expressing his happiness over us attending, The meeting was short-lived though as he had to rush to look at the final details. After a couple of minutes, we found three seats beside each other on the groom’s side of the venue and sat down, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

All too soon the beautiful ceremony itself was over and it was time to begin the festive part of it with dinner and dancing all through the night. As the first dance was to begin, Jaehyun took a microphone and turned toward his bride, explaining that he had prepared a very special surprise just for her. He had written a song for her and some good friends of his would sing it while Jaehyun and Yujin shared their first dance. Everyone cheered as the lights were turned off, some footsteps and some clothes ruffling was all that was heard before the lights turned on. In the spotlight in the middle of the dance floor were Jaehyun and Yujin, they looked so beautiful. A slow but powerful ballad began playing as the couple began dancing, the voices singing were very beautiful, and they seemed almost familiar. The couple dancing was so beautiful together that I couldn’t move my eyes from them, the love between them was overflowing in the venue. The song that Jaehyun had written brought tears to my eyes as it described the fairy tale love he had found with Yujin. The song soon ended and everyone clapped as the couple kissed, shortly after the lights were turned back on and my eyes traveled around the venue searching for the owners of the voices that had just sung the love song. The second my eyes found the seven boys holding a mic each, my heart stopped beating, and my breath seemed to be caught in my throat.

Enhypen. No, this couldn’t be happening. Why were they here? I thought I was hallucinating so I looked down at my hands, pulling up the sleeves of my dress to reveal the initials P.J. and S.J. slowly becoming stronger and also more and more of a vibrant golden glow. Moa who had been standing beside must have seen and heard my reaction as I heard her gasp in surprise before she hugged me. “It’s okay, they probably haven’t seen you. Do you want to leave? We can go right now if you want to,” “I can’t breathe,” I felt like my chest was closing up. My whole body was trembling, my knees were getting weak. I was about to have a panic attack, that would surely just attract attention toward us. “Kyle, help me get her out of here now. Fast but without anyone noticing,” Kyle didn’t question it, instead he put an arm around me and began walking with me toward the doors. A few people asked us if we were okay, I tried to find my voice to say something but I couldn’t, fortunately, Kyle answered that I had eaten a little too much and needed some fresh air. With that, everyone moved out of our way. I was praying, hoping, that Enhypen hadn’t seen me nor felt me being there. If they had, they would probably scream at me again, thinking I was stalking them or something. How could I know that we had common friends? As soon as we got outside I managed to take a deep breath, my body was still trembling badly and my breathing was irregular but at least better than what it was inside the venue. “I’ll call a taxi, don’t worry, everything is okay,” “(Y/n), wait,” 

Third person POV

As Jaeyun took the microphone to tell Yujin about the song he had written, the Enhypen members slowly got up from their table and picked up their mics. As the lights were shut off, they walked over to their position. They gave it their all, singing as if the words of the song would somehow reach (Y/n). They imagined (Y/n) standing in front of them, hearing them singing the heartfelt words as an apology to her. They were all wearing suits so their soulmate marks were all covered, so they, just like (Y/n), hadn’t noticed the glowing initials either. Once the song was over and the lights were turned back on, Sunoo had an inkling feeling to look up and toward the left, as he did, he felt his heartbeat picking up, without even seeing her face he knew it was (Y/n). He noticed that she seemed to feel sick and that an unknown man was wrapping his arm around her, leading her away. “Guys, (Y/n) is here, but she’s leaving,” The others looked up and frantically looked around, searching for the girl. “Come on, we have to go after her, This might be our only chance to apologize,” Sunghoon said and the others agreed, and so they hurried to get out of the venue. A lot of people were hindering them as they wanted to speak to the singers but Enhypen only said that they unfortunately didn’t have the time to speak right now. They rushed out of the doors to find the unknown man embracing (Y/n) in a hug. Their hearts sank. Had she found someone else?

“(Y/n)! Wait!” Niki couldn’t help but shout out, hoping the girl wouldn’t leave without speaking to them. (Y/n) looked toward them after Niki’s exclamation, taking note of them being alone, (name) wasn’t with them. Perhaps, she was still inside. “(Y/n), do you want us to go further away?” Kyle asked, (Y/n) was frozen. She looked at Enhypen, their faces were filled with regret and sadness, they looked very different from how they looked the last time she saw them. They looked softer now, perhaps because now their eyes weren’t filled with disgust as they looked at her. “(Y/n)?” Kyle tried again, but yet again, he was left without a response. “(Y/n), please, can we talk?” Jay tried asking, hoping she would say yes. 

~ To be continued ~

Please reblog!

[bruisedboys]

congrats on 4k mal!!!! so so deserved ily!!!! for HONEYBODY can i request a meet cute moment with mechanic!eddie <3

omg hi anna babe! I’m so sorry this took me so long, it’s also really short and kind of awful but. I tried <33

super embarrassing but I don’t know a thing about cars so I’m sorry if this is vague or inaccurate

mechanic!eddie munson x gn!reader

The walk back to your car from the telephone box feels dehumanising. You’re embarrassed, you’re frustrated, you’re hot. Your car refuses to start and you’ve had to call the local mechanics to come and pick up you and your useless hunk of metal with wheels. As if you weren’t embarrassed enough, stuck on the side of the road while cars whiz past you in both directions.

By the time you get back to your car you’re sweating and irritated. The guy on the phone said his coworker would be here in five minutes so you get back in the drivers seat in search of some shade. It’s warm and sticky inside the car but at least the sun isn’t taunting you anymore.

A few minutes later a truck pulls up next to you. A younger guy with a head full of wild curls and tattoos all up the arm that’s draped over the car door sticks his head out.

“You’re Y/N?”

You nod. “Yeah.”

“‘Kay.” He flashes you a grin, pearly whites blinding in the bright sun. “Lemme park and I’ll get to checking out your car.”

You get out of your car while he parks in front of you and then you watch him get out of his truck. He’s in a graphic tank with grease stains all over it and dark grey coveralls tied around his waist. His curly, wild hair is tied back in a messy knot at the back of his head. He’s wearing more jewellery than you are, a big chunky necklace and a cool spiky earring, a dangly silver earring on the other ear. He’s really quite handsome, and you don’t have time to process this information before he’s standing right in front of you.

“Hey,” he says, toolbox clanging where it dangles from his hand. He smiles at you warmly. “I’m Eddie. Wayne sent me to come check your car.”

Wayne, the guy you’d talked to on the phone. You nod and try not to stare at Eddie’s arm as he sets the toolbox on the hood of your car. It’s covered top to bottom in black tattoos, inky designs stretched across his pale skin. You swallow.

“Uh— yeah. Yeah, it stopped and then wouldn’t start,” you explain, a bit uselessly but it’s hard to think when your mechanic is so wildly attractive. “I tried everything, but it’s kind of a piece of junk so I’m not surprised.”

Eddie grins at you lopsidedly. “Right. Well, let me have a look at it and see if I can figure out the problem. If not, we’ll tow it back to the shop. Sound okay?”

You nod. Anything would sound okay coming out of his mouth, you think.

Eddie pops the hood of your car while you stand to the side, unsure what to do. You could stand here and watch him, his arms as he turns knobs and screws, tattoos stretched taut across his bicep muscles. But you’re melting in the hot sun, and you think you might pass out from reasons other than the sun if you watch him any longer.

Eddie must sense your awkwardness. Or at least, see the sweat collecting on your forehead.

“Do you want to go sit in my truck?” He asks you, emerging from under the hood sweaty and grinning. “Y’can put the air conditioning on, it’s hot as balls out here.”

“Oh, um. No, that’s okay. I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” Eddie looks at you from under his lashes, concerned. “You look like you’re melting, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart. Your heart does a funny jump to your throat that makes it difficult to speak. To breathe, even. You find yourself being led over to the truck by Eddie, his hand on your wrist, thumb at your pulse point. He opens the passenger door and lets you climb in, then rounds to the driver’s side. There’s a miniature red guitar keyring dangling from the rear view mirror. Eddie sticks his keys in the ignition and hits the aircon button, humming to himself all the while.

Immediately you’re hit with a cool wave of air and you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding.

“Feels good, right?” Eddie asks, grinning.

It’s impossible to miss the implication, even though you know he didn’t mean it to be there at all. Your chest goes tight and his ears go bright red. It’s kind of adorable.

“I mean the aircon,” he says quickly. “It’s nice. I just got it installed last weekend, Wayne made me pay for it myself, but, um …” He trails off, ears a hot red and his cheeks dusted pink. He meets your eyes and grimaces. “You don’t care. I’ll be out here, if you need anything.”

He gives you an awkward two fingered salute and then disappears. You hear him groan to himself as he walks away.

You laugh to yourself, totally charmed. For once, you’re glad your car is such a nuisance.

[miyahchan]

Yuji Itadori x Reader: Protector (Jujutsu Kaisen) (Part 3)

Part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/miyahchan/683632993653407744/yuji-itadori-x-reader-protector-jujutsu-kaisen

Part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/miyahchan/690357281008844800/yuji-itadori-x-reader-protector-jujutsu-kaisen?source=share

Author’s Note: It’s been a super long time since I’ve posted on here and I know this part is wayyyyy overdue. Life and college has been whooping my ass but now I’m finally at a point where I can focus on doing what I like to do :) So here’s part three of the “Protector” series! This part is definitely the longest part so far since it’s more plot heavy.

Synopsis: Yuji finally convinces you to take a trip to see your parents after years of no contact. However, the day takes a turn for both the better and the worst.

Warnings: 18+, NSFW, Toxic Relationship, Disturbing (?) Content, Smut (ofc), Oral Sex (F receiving), Vaginal Penetration, Multiple Orgasms, Creampie, Fingering, Manipulation, Vulgar Language, Alternate Universe, Reader Insert

Word Count: 4k +

Taglist: @lilithlunas @thesunxwentblack @coffee-on-a-rainyautumn @k0rndogz

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

          The drive to the outskirts of the city was a long one, one where you spent the entire time staring out the window and listening to whatever song came on the radio. 

          Yuji drove the entire time – even though you insisted on the two of you taking turns – seemingly enjoying the ride more than you were. He was always the one to find joy in the mundane things in life and, in a way, you envied it. While he seemed content with the situation at hand, you shifted in your seat with every mile that passed by. 

          You weren’t exactly sure how Yuji convinced you to do this.

          You remembered his words from that one night, the night you tried to push to the back of your brain: “Your parents hated you, you were all alone, and your life was just one screw up after another!”

          Those words only made this situation even more ironic, especially considering Yuji’s sudden change of opinion regarding your parents.

          “Seeing your parents again might help you get over everything in the past. And I’ll be there to support you, so you don’t have to worry about anything.” Was what Yuji said a few days ago and, while you did find the switch up odd, you chalked up his past remarks to pure desperation at the thought of you leaving him.

          That’s how you found yourself here, on a road trip to go visit your parents. 

          You arrived at the motel first; it was a shady place on the side of the road, but the two of you figured it would do for one night. You two checked in and Yuji brought the luggage in, like the true gentleman he was.

          You remained quiet, finding yourself stuck as you sit on the edge of the crusty bed. Of course, your boyfriend noticed your disposition.

          “Are you okay?” Yuji dropped a suitcase at the foot of the bed and took a seat beside you.

          Instinctively, you rested your head on his shoulder and let out a huff. “What if we just turned back around?”

          “It’s a little too late for that, don’t you think?”

          “We could go back to my place, cuddle up and watch a movie, and… other things.” Your mind wandered to a scenario that was much better than the one you two were currently in.

          Yuji hummed. “While I would love nothing more than to be cuddled up with you right now, I would just be helping you run away from your problems.”

          “Well, technically, we’re running to my problems.” You got up and started pacing back and forth in the room. “I don’t even understand why I have to do this.” 

          Yuji just watched you pace, not wanting to add to your distress. “If we’re going to be together for the rest of our lives, we should get rid of our baggage. I don’t want you stressing about your family situation forever.” 

          Now that you thought about it, you never knew anything about Yuji’s past. You figured he wasn’t close to his parents since he never mentioned them, but he’d never mentioned anything about who he was before he met you. It was like Yuji just appeared one day, crafted specifically for you. You figured he was right about this situation though, like he always was. You had to face your fears, even if those fears caused you years and years of trauma.

          The 30-minute drive to your childhood home felt like 30 hours and your dread only grew when you finally pulled into the front yard. In front of you was a blue, country home surrounded by an acre of land. A beat-up truck – one that you instantly recognized as your father’s – was parked in front of the house also. Everything was exactly how you remembered it, down to the dirty white fence that surrounded the house and even the tire swing on the tree in the front yard that laid unused for years.

          Yuji got out of the car first and you followed begrudgingly, all the way to the front door that you had to force yourself to knock on. You prayed that no one opened the door, that no one was even home, but that prayer fell on deaf ears when the door slowly creaked open and revealed a familiar face – your mother.

          Like the house, your mother looked the exact same as you remembered, though a bit more aged. She looked just like you, down to the eyes and the hair, like you’d walked through a time machine and got transported a few decades into the future. She was the first one to break the silence between the three of you.

          “(Y/N)?” Her voice was soft, a tone that felt so foreign to your ears. 

          You weren’t exactly sure what to say, so you squeaked out a mere, “Hi… mom.” But you weren’t expecting to be pulled into your mom’s sweater as she engulfed you in a hug. You were stiff at first, but you let go and let yourself melt into her touch. 

          “Come in. Your dad’s gonna be so happy to see you.” She murmured into your hair and, before you knew it, you and Yuji were being escorted into the house.

          The house seemed cozier than you remembered. It was adorned in warm tones of brown and as you walked through the living room, the couch was littered with cozy blankets and the walls were decorated with framed photos, a few of them being some pictures of you growing up. Yuji trailed closely behind you with an almost childlike fascination, his brown eyes taking in every detail of your childhood home. It was an intimate experience, to say the least, letting him dive headfirst into your past.

          Your mother brought you two into the dining room before leaving you two alone and wandering off to another part of the house. A faint smell of meat wafted in from the kitchen, and you remembered how hungry you were from the long drive there.

          “So,” You looked at Yuji, who was still taking in the environment. “How are you feeling?”

          “I think I’m supposed to be asking you that.” Yuji leaned closer to you. “How are you feeling?”

          “I feel… good, I guess.” That wasn’t necessarily a lie. Seeing your mother was nice and being back here was even nicer, but you couldn’t get rid of the nauseating feeling in the pit of your stomach. While your brain attempted to forget all the things you went through here, your body made sure you remembered. “It’s so much different than I remember, though. Mom used to hate decorating, but now she’s made the place her own.” Your eyes scanned all the knick-knacks that she had placed on the shelves, and you wondered why everything changed after you left. 

          Before you could entertain that thought, the sound of footsteps on the wooden floors echoed through the house –two pairs of footsteps, to be exact. Your mother entered the room, followed by someone else – your father.

          Your father, like your mother, looked the same as you remembered. You didn’t resemble your dad at all, though you did pick up your more reserved, independent nature from him. You didn’t have many memories with your dad, as he spent most of his time working, a trait that you inherited as well. 

          “(Y/N).” Was all he said before he focused his attention on Yuji. “You brought a guest.”

          You realized you hadn’t properly introduced Yuji to your parents and figured this was the perfect time to do so. “Yeah, um, this is Yuji, my boyfriend.”

          “Nice to meet you two.” Yuji reached out to shake your dad’s hand, which your dad surprisingly accepted. Perfect, you thought, work your charm.

          Your dad took a seat at the head of the table and your mom excused herself to the kitchen. “So, how long have you two been dating?” You never imagined that you’d be in a situation where your father would be interrogating your boyfriend, but here you were.

          “We’ve been together for almost 10 months.” Yuji took initiative in the conversation. “She’s a great girl.”

          Your father let out a grunt of approval and, though you expected more questioning, he didn’t continue. It was odd. Your mother ran back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen, bringing in plates, silverware, and, finally, pots of food.

          “I wasn’t expecting company today but thankfully, this should be enough.” She went around the table, fixing everyone their own portion of food. She’d made pot roast and mashed potatoes, one of your favorite meals coincidentally. 

          Yuji dug into his meal before you could even pick up your fork. You couldn’t remember the last time you had a homecooked meal like this, especially from your mom. Dinner began with everyone eating in silence except for the sound of clinking silverware. Mom’s pot roast melted on your tongue, and you let out a sigh. This was nice.

          “So, how was the ride?” Your mother asked, taking the tiniest nibbles from her plate.

          “It was nice.” You hated small talk.

          “I’ve never been out the city before so it was a pretty cool experience.” Yuji, on the other hand, was a master at it. “I’ve seen more trees today than I’ve seen in my whole life.” He rambled on. Your mother giggled at his response and your father only stared him down.

          “Never took my daughter for the city type.” You heard your dad mutter. 

          Like you would know anything about me, you thought. “I love the city. You get tired of grass and bugs, y’know?” You rubbed it in, and you felt even more gratified when your father only cut his eyes at you with no rebuttal. 

          “You did always have big dreams.” Your mother said. “I’m sure you’ve been making them come true out there, haven’t you?”

          “Well, I’m a nurse now. It was a hard road with school and everything, but I did it.” You glanced at Yuji, who stared at you with adoring eyes. You could be talking about yourself all day and his admiration wouldn’t waver.

          “Nursing?” For a second, shock was spread across your mother’s face. If you blinked, you would’ve missed it. To be fair, a lot of people who faced the things you faced in this house wouldn’t be in such a good position, but you worked hard, even if that hard work was driven by hatred for your parents. Though, as much as the hatred for your parents had been burning in your soul for years, in their presence now, you couldn’t find it.

          By the time dinner wrapped up, the sun was starting to set in the sky and everyone dispersed from the dining table. While your parents stayed in the kitchen, you had Yuji by the hand as you took him room to room. You showed him the room with the grand piano that your parents wanted you to learn so bad, the backyard where you used to have chickens until they escaped from their pen and ran away, and finally, the two of you went upstairs and you opened the door to your childhood bedroom.

          It was exactly how you left it all those years ago, though it had clearly been cleaned up, making you wonder who was spending time in it after you left. For a teenager, your room had been surprisingly bare. There were no posters, no artwork, not even curtains on the windows. There was just a bed, a tv stand, and a rigid bookcase with books that you didn’t even remember reading. You’d begged your parents to let you design your room the way you wanted to, but they were always too busy to accommodate you. And, after walking through a house decorated from top to bottom, seeing your drab room was a slap in the face.

          “I can’t believe this is where I spent all my time growing up.” You sighed, letting yourself crash onto the mattress. At least your bed was comfortable. Yuji crashed beside you and let out a yawn.

          “Yeah, this country stuff kinda sucks.”

          You laughed. “That’s not what you told my parents.”

          He laughed along with you. “I wanted your parents to like me, ok?” He propped himself up on his elbow. “But I’m enjoying myself. Sure, it’s a lot of bugs and it stinks a little, but I like seeing where you grew up.”

          “Well, next time we go on a trip, we’re visiting your parents.”

          Yuji paused for a second, and you feared that you accidentally hit a sensitive spot in him, but he returned to his normal, happy demeanor and, instead, placed a kiss on your lips. “Whatever you say.” He whispered against your lips. He tried to pull away, but you cradled his face and brought him in for another kiss. You then placed your hand on his chest and pushed him onto his back and then straddled him. It felt great having someone as strong and built as Yuji under you, letting you do whatever you wanted.

          You slipped your tongue into his mouth with little resistance and the kiss grew even more passionate. You felt yourself start to grind against Yuji, almost against your will, and his hands gripped your hips, only encouraging your movements. You felt him harden beneath you, and this only spurred you on.

          Finally, he was able to pull away and he groaned. “Are you sure you wanna do this? Here?”

          “We can be quick.” You punctuated it with a slow roll of your hips and Yuji’s eyes rolled back. “I promise.”

          “Fine. Just… let me touch you.” He peeled your shirt off your torso, and then your bra was next. He fondled your breasts, using his thumbs to rub circles over your perky nipples. You let out a soft sigh at these little movements, but your sighs turned into moans when he latched his mouth onto them, sucking and licking at the soft flesh. He flipped you over, pinning you underneath his body as he continues his assault on your chest. Your panties were getting wetter by the second, and your prayers were answered when his mouth traveled down your torso and to the edge of your pants.

          Your pants were the next to go and soon, Yuji was face to face with your clothed pussy, your wetness already soaking through your panties and leaving a sticky stain. Yuji’s eyes went dark as he licked a stripe up the fabric, teasing both you and him. You knew he wanted to dig right in, but he held himself back. He kissed your clit through the cloth, his eyes staying on you as you whined and writhed around on the sheets.

          “Baby… please…” You breathed out, wanting – no, needing – more. 

          Yuji slid your panties to the side and dipped his tongue between your folds. You let out a yelp and then clamped a hand over your mouth, muffling the moans that spilled out as Yuji finally gave you what you needed. His tongue slid up to and over your clit, lavishing it with slow, purposeful licks. 

          Oh god…

          He threw your legs over his broad shoulders and his hands stilled your shaking legs, gripping your thighs so tight that you knew he would leave bruises. He alternated between licks on your clit and capturing it between his lips and giving it a harsh suck, both of which had you seeing stars. Your words and moans turned into an incoherent mess, and you pressed your hand even harder onto your face, so hard that you feared you would accidentally suffocate yourself. Yuji released one of your thighs and brought his hand between your legs. He slipped a finger into your pussy and then a second when you grinded against his mouth. The hand that covered your mouth shot down to grip his pink hair as you felt pleasure building up within you. His mouth working on your clit and his fingers rubbing against your g-spot was enough to push you over the edge.

          You came all over his mouth and fingers, your body shuddering as the overwhelming feeling of pleasure took over it. You didn’t know what noise escaped from your mouth but you felt Yuji rush to smash his lips against yours with a light chuckle. “We have to be quiet, remember?” He whispered. You didn’t even respond – you only closed your eyes and let yourself relax in Yuji’s hold. He cradled the back of your head as he kissed you passionately. “You taste so good…” He hummed, and he slipped his tongue between your lips to let you taste yourself.

          Your eyes fluttered open as you felt your legs being thrown back over your boyfriend’s shoulders and you let out a gasp as you felt Yuji’s dick slide into you. You were surprised every time – he was so huge, but a perfect fit at the same time. You let out a breathy moan as he pulled all the way out and then filled you up again. This position lets him hit the perfect spot effortlessly, and you let out pitiful whimpers as he makes love to you. 

          He folded you in half as he leaned down to capture your lips yet again, swallowing your moans, and when you arched your back, he bullied himself deeper inside of you. At this point, your mind was numb and your body was on fire. Every touch made your body go crazy but, as overwhelming as it was, you couldn’t get enough. He fucks you faster, making the bed creak beneath your weight, but the thought of getting caught is pushed to the back of your brain. His tip prods at your g-spot with every thrust and, with a particularly hard one, you find yourself falling apart yet again. You creamed all over his dick as another orgasm overcame you, your toes curling and your thighs shaking underneath his firm grasp. 

          Yuji comes right after you, the feeling of your pussy twitching around him pushing him to his limit. A harsh breath escapes him as he fills you up, so much that his cum seeps out from your pussy and ends up on the thin sheets beneath you. He leans down and plants soft kisses on your neck as you both come down from your high, and your hand travels to fiddle with the pink hair on his nape. 

          You really didn’t want this moment to end.

          After tossing your clothes back on and sneaking back downstairs like nothing happened, the rest of the night goes relatively well. Everyone ended up in the living room, where your mother whipped out some photo albums and passed them around, and your father even made conversation with Yuji and they talked about typical guy stuff that didn’t interest you in the slightest. You couldn’t imagine the last time that you had talked to your parents without yelling or fussing – maybe right before you turned 15 – but this was nice. 

          Nighttime came quickly and as you and Yuji prepared to leave, you felt a hand wrap around your arm and you turned only to see your mother. “Just a minute of your time before you go?” She asks. You turn to Yuji, who is preoccupied talking to your father, then turn back to your mother and, with a simple nod, you’re following her to the foyer.

          “I’m so glad you came to see us.” She speaks so low that she’s almost whispering.

          “I’m… glad I came. Really.” You rub the back of your neck awkwardly, but before you can react, she’s hugging you for the second time that night. She smells sweet and citrusy, like a perfectly ripe tangerine. It reminded you of summertime as a kid, when you would run around in the backyard and entertain yourself for hours on end.

          “I’m so sorry.” She whispers into your ear.

          The words catch you off guard and you stiffen up.

          She takes a wavering breath and you feel a wetness on your shoulder. Was she-?

          “I didn’t mean to push you away. We didn’t.” Her voice shakes and you feel your eyes begin to sting. You bury your face on the sleeve of her dress. “I didn’t realize how much we messed up until you were gone.” She continues. “This house is empty without you here. We need you here.” 

          The material of her dress muffles your soft cries. “I… I forgive you.” You breathe and then take another sharp breath. You didn’t realize how much you needed to hear those words until now, and the words hit you hard. Your mind went back to the little kid who only wanted her mommy, and the teenager who hoped her parents would beg her to stay instead of leave. “I forgive you, okay?” All the years of arguing and butting heads didn’t exist in that moment – all you wanted was your mom and dad.

          The ride back to the motel with Yuji was quiet and the silence remained all the way to bedtime. He was already in bed when you joined him, slipping under the cheap sheets and immediately snuggling up to his muscular frame. He didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around you and pull you closer.

          “So, how did you like it? Today, I mean.” His voice is lower than usual, and you know he’s about to fall asleep soon.

          “It was better than I expected.” You said. Yuji lets out a soft “mhm”, urging you to continue. “But I need to talk to you about something.”

          “I’m all ears.” His response was slow. 

          “So, I talked to my mom before we left. She apologized for everything, which is crazy to me. She cried. I cried. The whole shebang.”

          “I figured.” He shifts under you. “The two of you wander off and then come back with puffy eyes. I knew something had to happen.” He kisses your forehead. “That’s great though, babe.”

          You let out a huff. “That’s not it.” You sit up to look Yuji face to face. His eyes are half closed, but they’re still focused on you. “She said they need me there and… I’m not sure how to feel. What if I…” You pause for a moment and then shake your head. “Never mind.”

          “No, tell me.”

          You take a moment to process your thoughts. “What if I moved closer to them? So I could see them more often? I know it sounds crazy but I felt so good about today.” 

          At this, Yuji is silent, and you think he finally succumbed to his sleepiness. Then, he speaks. “You would uproot your entire life and move out here?” Oddly enough, his tone isn’t judgmental, but genuinely curious.

          “Honestly, I’m thinking about it.” You admit.

          “I know it’s not about me, but what about us? We’d have to do long distance. I’d barely get to see you.”

          “It’s not that long of a distance.” With every second that you entertain the thought of moving closer to home, the better the plan sounds. “I think we could do it.”

          Silence fills the room yet again, and you prepare yourself for a rebuttal from your boyfriend. But, instead, he mutters, “Whatever makes you happy. We’ll figure it out.” 

          You can’t stop yourself from kissing him in the dark and when you hear his breath become heavy, you know he’s asleep. You crawl off him and rest on your own stiff pillow before sleep overtakes you as well.

          Yuji woke up that night at 3 in the morning, drenched in a cold sweat. He didn’t know what woke him up, but he felt restless, despite falling asleep fairly quick earlier. He glanced at you. Your sleeping frame rose up and down with every soft breath you took, and your barely audible snores were the only thing to be heard in the motel room. Even in your sleep, you were perfect. 

          He remembered the conversation before he fell asleep. He remembered the joy laced in your voice as you revealed your plan to move back home. He remembered the way you dismissed his feelings toward it. He remembered how he held back on how he really felt, and just went along with it.

          How could you jeopardize your relationship for your parents? Parents that didn’t want a relationship with you? Parents that didn’t bother to make amends until you showed up at their door?

          He regretted bringing you there and, while he acknowledged that it might be irrational, he was angry that you would be so willing to throw him away for them. 

          Yuji didn’t know why he threw on his clothes and snuck out the motel room. He didn’t know why he cranked up the car and drove back to the farmhouse. And he didn’t know why he popped open his trunk and pulled out a crowbar before sneaking around the house and slipping inside through a window that was oh-so-carelessly left open. 

          The house was entirely different, now adorned with shadows and moonlight that slipped in through the windows. Yuji was careful with his steps, remembering how the old floorboards creaked when walked on with too much pressure. He passed through the dining room first, the table that was covered in plates and pots of food now bare and wiped clean, and then he passed through the living room, which was less homely at night, before he tip toed up the stairs.

          The upstairs was quaint compared to downstairs, so your parents’ bedroom was a breeze to find. Yuji pressed his ear against the door and held his breath – an almost comically loud snore could be heard inside, but nothing else that alarmed him. He turned the doorknob and slowly slid the door open. Your parents were statues in the bed, blissfully unaware of his presence. He crept to the side of their bed and stands over your mother. You even sleep the same as her, he notes.

          He raised his crowbar and prepared to strike her, then he lowered it again.

          This felt familiar.

          It was familiar, he remembered. A memory flashed in his brain, but it wasn’t his.

          He stood on the side of a bed, but instead of your mother being the one in bed, it was a little boy. The boy slept peacefully, the covers pulled over his head and the only thing peeking out being strands of pink hair. He looked down at his hands. Well, they weren’t his anymore. Thick black stripes – tattoos, he assumed – circled his wrists and, instead of a crowbar, the hands held a knife, which was already drenched in blood. He knew who these hands belonged to – his father.

          He – no, his father – runs the knife across the bedsheets, over the boy’s sleeping form. The blood stains the sheets as it travels up to the boy’s head and when it reaches it, the hand raises the knife for a second, but it shakes and drops the knife. The knife, thankfully, lands on the floor and there’s no attempt to pick it back up. The boy was spared. His father sits on the floor beside the bed, watching as the boy continues to sleep with no knowledge of the horrors he was almost succumbed to. His father glances at the knife and retrieves it again but he doesn’t turn it on the boy this time.

          The out of body experience comes to an end and Yuji stumbles back as he comes back to reality, and he catches himself before he can crash into the wall. He tries to catch his breath as he looks around. Your parents are still in bed, the crowbar is still in his hand, and he’s still at the farmhouse. Why did that happen? He didn’t remember much about his father, except…

          His grip on the crowbar tightens and he focuses on the task at hand. He had to do this. It was in his blood.

          He raises the crowbar over your mother and, unlike his father, he brings it down.

          The next morning, Yuji wakes up in the motel room. He doesn’t remember how he got there, but he’s glad nonetheless. You’re not in bed, but he hears movement in the bathroom. He’s happy that you’re not there to see him; he doesn’t know how he’s going to look you in your face after last night. 

          He heard your phone ring in the bathroom, and he heard you answer it. Your voice was inaudible through the bathroom door, but he heard you gasp and your tone became serious. He heard you hang up the phone and the door swung open. You stood in the doorway, your face blank.

          “What’s wrong?” Yuji asked.

          You hesitated before saying, “You remember my coworker that stood me up?” 

          Yuji’s face dropped and he felt his heart hammering in his chest. “Yeah, I remember you telling me about him.”

          “Well,” You started putting on your clothes and packing your suitcase. “He got attacked. They’re saying he’s been in a coma for a few days.”

          He… survived? 

          The next sentence you spoke spiked Yuji’s nerves.

          “And…

           He’s asking to talk to me.”

[buckera]

2023 Writing Round-Up 💫

• 15 fics / 138.6k words posted; out of which 8 fics / 67.8k were buddie

Phew, it's been such a productive year, especially the second half, thank you for everyone who tagged along for the ride!! 🤗

(also I'm doing it in reverse order because... well if you know, you know 😪)

•December•

we’ve got something permanent (i mean in the way we care) [buddie, 7.1k, Explicit]

Buck has baby fever and it’s Eddie’s job to give him what he wants. Kind of.

Keep My Heart Warm In Yours [buddie, 18.5k, Mature]

Christopher decides that he wants to go skiing, Buck makes it happen and the cabin at the foot of the mountains turns out to be quite the romantic backdrop for their little getaway.

Of Love, Hospital Jitters And Christmas Lights [buddie, 6.3k, Teen + Up]

Eddie and Buck end up in the hospital waiting room a few days before Christmas.

You Ring, I Drool [buddie, 8.6k, Explicit]

5+1 times Buck reminds Eddie of a dog // alternatively; the one in which Eddie accidentally conditions Buck to beg for treats

If This Is What The Season Is Bringing [buddie, 2k, Teen + Up]

Buck and Eddie made a promise after Eddie decided to leave the 118 and they finally make good on it this Christmas.

•November•

Out Of Order, Still In Line [buddie, 6.2k, Explicit]

When Buck finally gets to the Clinic, the long awaited release doesn’t seem to come; cue Eddie to the rescue.

'Cause I'm still seeing colours that are red (If I close my chest and let it take me) [steddie, 11.4k, Explicit]

Ever since they came back from the Upside Down, Steve has been struggling on rainy days, but Eddie’s there to provide support and a maybe even a little more than that. - Project #182 of Steddie Bigbang 2023

How It Was Meant To Be [steddie, <1k, Gen]

Steve's casually calling Eddie 'baby' all the time, without even registering what he’s doing.

•October•

I Was Betting On Forever (But Forever Comes And Goes) [buddie, 4k, Teen + Up]

Eddie gets a call from Buck in the middle of the night and it’s about as bad as one would expect.

It gets better, it gets worse [steddie, 52.7k, Explicit]

Steve tried to tell Eddie how he felt, only to get shut down immediately. Now meeting for the first time in a year, they have to figure out how to be around each other.

Coming On Ever So Strong / Coming Off Ever So Soft [buddie, 14.7k, Explicit]

They get drunk, Eddie makes a move and then there is the next morning.

•July•

But where they lay, they cannot stay [radskier, 4.3k, Explicit]

Jaskier comes to Tretogor and meets Radovid for the first time in months, but their reunion is bittersweet given how much everything has changed since they’ve last seen each other.

•May•

Helping hands (are better than praying lips) [steddie, 5.5k, Explicit]

Eddie breaks his arms and Steve is on nurse duty. [cw for watersports]

•February•

Who we are in the dark [steddie, 3.4k, Explicit]

It's their first anniversary and they go to the cinema.

•January•

It might walk like a duck [steddie, 10k, Explicit]

Eddie Munson is a busy man, busy enough to have a planner. Steve misses his friend so he hijacks said planner, learning something unexpected in the process.

Aaand that's all, folks! 💛 Now, here are some tags:

I was tagged by the lovely @wikiangela and @jamespearce9-1-1 thank you~ 💛

(these guys went in so early and I left it for the last minute lmao but just in case you missed their round-ups, you can read them: here and here)

✨tagging (if you've already done it, no worries and still no pressure otherwise either): @malewifediaz @spagheddiediaz @jeeyuns @eddiebabygirldiaz @hippolotamus @daffi-990 @disasterbuckdiaz @nmcggg @thewolvesof1998 @watchyourbuck @theotherbuckley @fortheloveofbuddie @ladydorian05 @rainbow-nerdss

[epicbuddieficrecs]

Weekly Recap | February 12th-18th 2024

No thoughts, head empty except for that new S7 trailer.

Complete

all things go, all things go. by dylaesthetics (Post-S5E10 Wrapped in Red | 11K | Teen): “He doesn’t hate you for transferring,” says Hen, as though reading his mind. “But the guy thinks everything’s his fault. He probably blames himself for it.” “Why would he? It was solely my choice,” says Eddie. It doesn’t make any sense. “I’m the one who got shot and had to live with the consequences.” Hen considers him, her eyes a bit sharp. “And he’s the one who watched that happen to you, and couldn’t do anything to prevent it from happening. It might be your trauma, Eddie, but it is also his.”

🔥 the distance to the stars by cloudydaisies (Didn't Know They Were Dating, Post-S3 | 27K | General): or, everyone knows eddie is dating buck except for eddie, literally.

Fractals from the Lightning Bolt by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels/ @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (One Shots Collection | 49/54 | 91K | Not Rated): A collection of oneshots, some originally posted on tumblr. Each chapter is individually rated.

48. We Objectify One (1) Man Here, Sir (Honeymoon, Explicit) 49. It's Called Stress Release (PWP, Explicit)

🔥 A Minor Delay by rainbow_nerds/ @rainbow-nerdss (Post-S6/S7 Spec | 43K | Mature): Almost a year after the bridge collapse, a lot has changed. The team are scattered—Bobby and Athena on their Honeymoon, Hen on adoptive parent's leave, and Buck and Eddie... They may still work together, still have movie nights with Chris whenever they can, but things have changed. With Maddie and Chimney's wedding around the corner, Buck tries to make it perfect. And maybe, along the way, he might figure out why everything still feels... wrong.

come back by lecornergirl/ @clusterbuck (Christopher POV, Tsunami | 1,6K | Teen): “Okay, Christopher,” Gabriella says. “Let’s try and find your dad, huh? Or your mom?” “My dad is a firefighter,” Christopher says. “He’s helping people. And my mom—” he blinks. “My mom isn’t here. We have to find Buck.” “I haven’t seen him,” Gabriella says, her voice a little sad. “There was nobody else with you when we saw you. But we can look for him together, okay?”

🔥 hey baby (i think i wanna marry you) by asteriasera / @asteriasera (Post-S6, Established Buddie, Proposal | 13K | Teen): Two months into officially dating Eddie, Buck begins to plan the perfect, extravagant proposal that his boyfriend deserves. As usual, nothing goes according to plan

🔥 finally found what i’ve been looking for by fleetinghearts/ @shitouttabuck (S7 Spec | 5K | Explicit): or, buck's good at basketball, eddie's trying really hard not to commit an act of public indecency about it, and maybe, just maybe, a slightly bloody beachside pick-up game can be the start of something new

paradise under a pine tree by Maira / @carrierofthepaperclips (Valentine's Day | 4K | Mature): ... or, the one where Eddie brings Buck a gift and ends up with a fiancé.

quiet my fears with the touch of your hand by devirnis/ @devirnis (S7 Spec | 1K | General): Eddie comes to with a burning in his chest and Buck’s name on his lips.

might as well be drunk in love by fleetinghearts/ @shitouttabuck (Madney Wedding, Bed Sharing | 2K | Teen): or, getting little-spooned by his drunk best friend was not on buck's maid-of-honour checklist, but. it's happening

WIP

🔥 Any Other Way by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Canon Divergent, S2 | 3/18 | 20K | Mature): In a switcheroo alternate universe, Buck spends young adulthood in the military, while Eddie, who has no idea Christopher exists, spends his twenties messing around, finally enjoying freedom away from his family’s expectations. When they both end up in Los Angeles, at the 118, some things are different, and others will be the same in any universe.

🔥 because we'll all arrive in heaven alive by callmenewbie/ @puppyboybuckley (Post-S6, Disaster Fic | 5/9 | 33K | Explicit): During a search and rescue, Eddie disappears without a trace, leaving Buck to grapple with the sudden possibility of a life without him.

🔥 Things We're All Too Young to Know by Daisies_and_Briar / @cal-daisies-and-briars (Canon S1-S6, S7 Spec | 115/? | 339K | Mature): This is a love story. Even if it doesn’t always look like it. Even if it doesn’t always feel like it. A look back on Eddie and Buck's lives up to now, and what led them to each other, interpreted from the current 9-1-1 canon.

Kiss Me Once Cause You Know I Had A Long Night by I_still_dont_understand_13 / @sherlockcrossing (Prompt collection | 26/? | 17K | Teen): 100 kiss prompts.

27. 51. Spinning your lover into a kiss on the dancefloor

[a-libra-writes]

Apologies if requests are not open, but could I please have some headcanons (long or short, whichever you prefer) about sleeping in the same bed as Mordecai Heller? Like how long it would take to get to that point and how he sleeps maybe?

Sooo uhhh I went a bit overboard so uhhhh, enjoy this fanfic of the 3 times you and Mordecai slept next to each other. its nearly 4k and also GN reader lets goooooo!

The first time you slept next to each other.

You peeled yourself out of the car, your clothes sticking to the soaked seat just as they stuck to your skin. The rain was unending, beating down on your face and your eyes. The door slammed shut, the sound muffled by the storm. There was no point in pulling your coat over your head. The window shield and passenger window had long been shot out, exposing you and your fellow triggerman to the elements.

With his dark colors and clothes, Mordecai almost disappeared in the night. You felt around the car, trying to make your way to him. You still had to shout over the rain and thunder. "Over there!"

"Where?"

"A house! I'll show you!"

It was so dark, you couldn't figure what Mordecai was doing until he turned on the flashlight. The beam was pathetic against the night and the rain, but it was something. He shone it toward the car so the guns could be retrieved, and a filthy briefcase. You took the latter. Then you pointed off into the distance.

"There, I saw a farmhouse," You said. "Still has a roof, I think."

"You think?"

"Most of it. Come on!" You didn't pull his arm, but you walked on ahead. The flimsy light was only a few inches ahead of your face, even with Mordecai two steps behind, so you walked carefully through the sodden grass and dirt.

The door wasn't locked, but stuck. It groaned painfully as you kicked it open, and the whole house seemed to creak and shudder with your violent movement. You stepped in at once, your body shivering even if it wasn't that cold.

"At least it's not snowing," You said. "Just, ah ... muggy. And humid."

"Anything is better than cold," Mordecai grunted. He peeled his coat off, just as you did, but he was far more bothered by how thoroughly soaked everything was. The house was musty and surely filled with mold, but there was a roof, and a smattering of furniture.

You walked about, surveying the pitiful place. "Stairs aren't worth the risk, but the sitting area works just fine."

Your fellow gunman's green eyes danced around the room. He took it in just as swiftly, and came to an immediate conclusion. By this point, you could knew the way those green eyes glared, his ears flattened and his shoulders hunched. The scowl really sold it, though.

"Obviously, not the couch. Or the chairs. I'm fairly certain there's all sorts of little rat surprises in them -"

"And in the walls," Mordecai said, looking toward the one closest to him. He stepped away. You didn't doubt there were probably dozens - well, maybe hundreds around this place.

"It's just for the night - not even that, a few hours -"

"Absolutely not."

"Mordecai," You tried not to let the exhaustion come across in your voice. "We left St. Louis at the crack of dawn, it's nearly dawn again, we can't see a damn thing in this rain and we're both -"

"I can hear them in the walls, there's probably black mold all over the ceiling, I know there's all manner of - of vermin, raccoons and whatever else -"

"We're both too exhausted to drive, and our windshield is ruined. The storm -"

"-- If you think I'll stay one more minute in this dilapidated excuse for a shack, let alone rest -"

" - I know for a fact you can't drive through this, because last time -"

Your overlapping voices were completely drowned out by a massive clap of thunder. The whole house rattled, and you felt the noise deep in your chest, like a hundred drums. Faintly, you wondered if the roof might come off; but this wasn't a tornado. You could swear you heard scurrying and squeaking under the floors, but didn't bring it up.

"One hour," The exhaustion was there now. You didn't bother to hid it. Just holding your shotgun and the briefcase and soaked coat was proving to be too heavy. "Just one hour, Mordecai. Even if the weather was peachy keen, I can't drive like this."

Mabye you really did look pathetic, or he was finally feeling his own fatigue. The shadowy cat looked just as bad, his clothes soaked and disheveled, nearly all of his hair out of place, his glasses threatening to slip off. He sighed heavily.

"One hour."

You let him determine where the place would be. It was beside the fireplace, a section of the living room that was far away from the couches and rugs, nothing but an empty table beside it. You easily moved it aside, cleared the cobwebs and attempted to dust off the floor with a rag Mordecai found in the kitchen. You both hung your coats up on the rickety stair railings, not thinking for a moment they'd actually dry.

Your gun was still at your side as you sat down, your back against the wall. It was an old habit, keeping it close, even for just a few minutes of shut-eye. You flicked the safety on and laid it across your lap, the muzzle facing away from Mordecai. Eventually, very slowly, he carefully lowered himself beside you. Your head pressed against the wall as you leaned back, closing your eyes and taking a breath.

There was no need to look at him to know he was tense. He was probably stiff as a board, his ears twitching as he looked around, hearing who knows what in the walls and the floorboards. You knew he had a thing about rats, and spiders. You made sure he didn't see the cobwebs.

"Try to sleep," You muttered. "I won't let you nap in the car back to the city."

He scoffed. "You're better worrying about if you'll fall asleep at the wheel."

"I won't, because I'm sleeping. The thing you should try."

You heard him shift his weight. The wet clothes made it easy to perceive, but anything else was difficult. The fatigue was hitting hard, weighing down your eyelids and settling over your sore, cold body. You'd feel stiff and miserable when you woke up, but the storm would be gone. At some point, you may have felt a weight against your shoulder - something wet, and not that heavy, but it was hard to say.

By the time you woke up, that sensation was gone. You awoke with a start, grasping your gun and looking around. It was bright. The sun was leaking through the broken glass windows. Your bleary eyes darted all around, looking for someone - and your heart finally settled when you saw him.

Mordecai put his glasses back on his face. Somehow, he was even more of a mess than before. Maybe it was just easier to see it in the morning light -

"... What time is it?" You asked, your voice hoarse.

"Time to go," Mordecai said. He'd retrieved his coat, as well as your own. The briefcase was in his other hand.

On the way out of the house, you rubbed your shoulder. For whatever reason, you were especially sore there.

The first time you slept in his bed.

For the past few hours, you’d done nothing but look at ceilings. First was the shithole you’d barged into, though looking up at that was better than the angry mug that was looming over you, ready to put a bullet in your head. He would’ve done it, if not for Viktor’s spectacular tackle. Then the ceiling — roof? — of the car. Then … the garage, you thought. It seemed like a garage, but maybe not the one you were most familiar with. Did they take you back to the Lackadaisy? No, the drive was too short … Well, whoever’s ceiling it was, it was leaking. Now this ceiling — simple, clean, blissfully not leaking.

You blinked at it several times, unsure what time it was. Your stomach was churning, your head was hammering. It was hard to tell if you wanted water, or food, or something to put you back asleep. Something itched at your eye — you realized only one was open, strange — and you reached for it.

“Stop that,” A voice. A familiar one that made relief wash over so quickly, it was dizzying. “Don’t fuss with it.”

You tried to say his name, but it was too many vowels. They came out in a jumble. “Where’m …”

“You’re back at the cafe. I just said to stop touching it.” Mordecai scolded. His dark figure came into your blurry vision, reaching for something you couldn’t see. Oh, it was your hand. He put it back on the bed. With your good eye, you scanned your surroundings, even lifting your pouding head. There was a lamp with a soft glow, some kind of dresser-table-thing. That desk looked familiar. You groaned and fell back on the pillow.

“Wha’s th’ damage?”

“Stitches on the side of your head, a black eye, and probably a concussion.” He said. You could see his tail swishing behind him, and it was hard to tell if it was quick agitation or slow annoyance. It was hard to tell with your addled mind.

“Oh.”

“The morphine is wearing off by now.”

“Yeah.”

He turned away, leaving your bedside. No, this wasn’t your bed. You didn’t live in the Little Daisy’s building. You squinted, recognizing that desk and that plant in the corner. You noticed the dark coat hanging on the door.

Oh, this was his bed. For a crazy moment, you thought you were dying. ... No, not dying. He’d just leave you in the car if that was the case. Still, it was strange being here on this bed in this position. Normally you hung around the doorway, or sat by his desk if you wanted to pester him.

“You need… n’ ‘prtment,” You slurred.

“What was that?”

“App- ‘artm’nt… you.” Your finger pointed to him, though it was hard to keep it straight.

Mordecai sighed and turned back to whatever he had been doing. “Go back to sleep. You’re more incomprehensible than usual.”

The words were all jumbled in your mouth, just as much of a jigsaw as the thoughts in your head. You wanted to explain that if there was a couch, you could take that. You could’ve gone to your own home, though recovering alone with an apparent concussion didn’t sound pleasant. Where would he sleep? Was this alright? Would he burn the sheets, or wash them three times then painstakingly get a magnifying glass and tweezers and pick up every strand of hair you left behind?

“What are you smiling about?” He asked, utterly exasperated. You giggled.

“Nothin’. M’ sleepy.”

You rolled over to your good side, and pain immediately shot up the other side of your body. You groaned, clutching the sheets as you waited for it to pass. Mordecai immediately reached for you, anticipating you’d roll right off the bed, but you didn’t. His arm slowly dropped to his side. He waited, watching the smile slowly slide off your lips. Your breathing slowed, and your hand relaxed. You released the sheet. The bandages were still in place, no blood staining them yet. He needed a way to keep you from tossing in your sleep.

Exhausted from both the night’s illicit activities and then the frenzy to get you to an ex-nurse Viktor insisted on, he dragged his desk chair over to his bedside. Your bedside now, maybe. He was trying not to notice the stray hairs on the sheets — his own black ones bothered him enough. He sat down, figuring how he might keep you from turning. If the morphine was still in your system, you might not feel them if you scratched in your sleep or turned too much … He rubbed his eyes and rested his elbows on the edge of the bed.

The bed was always cold when he eventually laid down each night, but it was warm this time. It struck him as unusual, out of place, not part of the routine, but … not bad.

At some point, there was a knock. He may have dreamed it. Mordecai’s whole body tensed, and he flew to his feet, nearly tripping over the chair he was seated in. It teetered, but chose not to clatter to the floor. You were still asleep in the same position, not the slightest disturbed. Then his eyes flew to the actual source of the noise — the young gunman’s body had been running on adrenaline for hours, only relaxing in the past hour — wait, had he fallen asleep? — but it shot back up as he turned on the intruder in the doorway.

Mitzi gasped. She put her hand to her chest, startled by his sudden movements. “Oh — sorry, sweetie. I would have knocked, but …” She glanced over to the bed. “I didn’t want to disturb the two of you.”

Mordecai said nothing, but his face heated painfully from both embarrassment and panic. His heart was still racing, and the distinct, strange agitation he always felt around Atlas’ new bride was crawling up. She was intruding, on multiple accounts. His room, the disheveled state he was in, the state you were in. Something about someone seeing you like this was raising his hackles, even if he was certainly she wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Mitzi wasn’t deterred by his glare, fearsome as it was. Her worry was too strong. “It was a close one, wasn’t it?”

“… Not especially,” Mordecai eventually replied. Yes, it was a lot of blood, but that was the nature of head wounds. And yes, it was a metal pipe, and the fact you didn’t get up right away, but — you were here now, sleeping and breathing with all your brains inside. He didn’t like the way her eyes fell on your prone body, full of pity.

“Poor thing. First thing in the morning, I’ll call the doctor —”

“The horse doctor?” Mordecai didn’t even want to say that charlatan’s name. “Absolutely not.”

Mitzi’s perfectly arched eyebrows raised just so. “You’ve already arranged treatment, then?”

“Yes, a friend of Viktor’s. It’s been dealt with, there’s no need to call a charlatan. He’ll just change the bandage and overcharge us on morphine.”

“I see you feel strongly about it,” She said. It was a simple statement that dug at him, and he couldn’t place why. Why did she have to hang around all the time? Why did she care to talk to her husband’s triggermen? Mitzi stopped leaning on the doorway, knowing full well she was unwelcome. “Well, tell me if you need any more pillows, dear — for either of you.”

He could have grit his teeth — he did, but his utterly exhausted and rattled expression completely lost on Mitzi. She’d already turned her back and left, walking with a grace that made her footsteps almost imperceptible … especially when she wasn’t wearing her heels. Mordecai moved the chair back into place, trying to will himself to calm down. You were still blissfully unaware, still in the same place as he left you, before he… dozed off. Granted, it was just his arms and head that were on the bed, but it still bothered the black cat. His heart still wasn’t settling down; he almost felt jittery.

Mordecai thought he was used to all this — the shooting, the running, the close calls. He didn’t understand why the fear was hitting so hard, why now it was all rearing up. Hadn’t there been closer calls? Maybe for himself. Maybe for you — he never asked. It was hard to imagine you getting in a worse scrap than this.

He didn’t want to look at your relaxed sleeping form anymore. It contrasted too sharply with the bruises growing across your face, and the bandages wound tightly around your head. With a sigh, he stood, moved the chair back to his desk and tried to occupy himself with some paperwork. Better to fall asleep here, than the … other option. Even if the other option was much warmer.

The first time he slept in your bed.

Upon returning from the bathroom, you discovered that Mordecai was both dressed and still staring at the bed.

That was a little worrisome. The past hour or two had been … well, a lot. For him, especially. You hadn’t considered what how Mordecai might act after it all happened. You were so focused on helping him through the present, you hadn’t thought that far ahead.

This didn’t seem like an oh-god-what-have-I-done kind of 1000 yard stare, though. You knew this expression. His ears were a little flat, his tail twitched, he was focusing very hard on… something. A specific something. Your partner (could you call him that now?) was trying to problem solve.

You walked over beside him, quickly puzzling what the issue was. You kept brushing your teeth, glancing over to him. Those white eyebrows were totally furrowed in concentration. God, it was like when he’d get worked up over a chess match with Viktor. It was painfully endearing.

You knew he knew that you were standing there. You also knew he was trying to avoid looking at you, even though you were no longer naked. You’d thrown on nightclothes for his sake, assuming he’d do the same … and yup, he did. Finally, with your tail swishing and speaking around your toothbrush, you offered, “It’s alright. Happens a lot.”

Mordecai nearly flinched. “Do .. Do people just … ignore it? You can’t tell me they … sleep on it ..."

“They'll sleep around it, if they notice. Sometimes there’s not a mess, because clothes are in the way, or position, or they aren’t on the bed at —”

His fur was completely standing on edge, his tail puffed out like he’d seen a spider. Mordecai threw a hand up. “Don’t - that’s enough. I don’t need to hear any more. People are repulsive. They’re animals.”

“Mmhm.” Talking around your toothbrush made some toothpaste and spittle run down your chin. Mordecai was mortified. He turned on his heel and walked over to the dresser, where at some point, he’d folded his and your clothes. That was also painfully sweet, and ridiculous. He was getting something out of his coat pocket.

“I’ll get new sheets,” You said.

But first, you went back to the bathroom to spit in the sink, wash off your toothbrush and gargle some water. You spat again, idly rubbing at your chin. Back in the room, Mordecai had already stripped the bedding and was handling it like it was covered in plague. He was obviously mentally debating between leaving it rumpled and tossing it out the window, or folding before the tossing.

You made the decision for him, taking the sheets off his hands. “Clean ones are in the broom closet, down the hall.”

“The one you haven’t dusted in months?”

You had to laugh. “Excuse you, I did it last week. I dusted the bookshelves too, and scrubbed the kitchen tile, and the bathroom — I know how you like things.”

His sharp expression softened. “I noticed,” He said softly, all the prickly anxiety and nerves slowly melting. You wanted to touch him, to express the affection that was building up — no, it was always there, and it was wanting to spill out again. But after the huge chasm you two just jumped over, you wanted to be careful.

While you went to setting aside the dirty laundry, Mordecai brought in the clean sheets and fitted them over the mattress. It was better and neater than you’d ever seen it, like a hotel. You went ahead and changed the pillowcases, even if there was no need, and you felt his eyes on you as you did so.

“All done,” You said. “What do you think? Do you want a clean blanket, too?”

It was a genuine question, not a mocking one. You’d been considerate like that all evening — how is this? Is it okay? Should I stop? Do you need to breath? — and the tall cat was trying to come to terms with it. As much as it bothered him, he had needed to stop, and breath, because sometimes he wasn’t okay. He didn’t know why, and it hadn’t been a problem — well, much of one, before you. But it wasn’t you treating him like a problem, it was himself.

It was difficult, all of this. Rather than thinking any further, he pulled out a hankerchief and cleaned off that damn toothpaste you left.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” He grumbled, but you only smiled.

“Thanks.” You turned off the nightstand lamp and climbed into bed. You knew he’d take some time to join you. If he really lingered, you’d offer to move to the couch, but eventually you felt the bed shift and you felt the covers move. Then his body shifted — you could tell he was facing away from you.

Your brain was telling you to be careful, to slow down, but sometimes it hurt you to stay so far apart. It physically ached to have to linger right on the edge. So you risked it, slowly turning over and moving yourself closer. You pressed your face to his back, lightly, and rested your hand on his side.

Mordecai’s whole body tensed up. His tail froze against your legs, and you watched his ears stick up. You waited. After a few seconds, he slowly settled. You pulled your hand away, and you watched the outline of his body relax.

You wanted to say something. He did good. Great, even. He tried hard, for your sake, to overcome a great mental hurdle. You knew that, and you ought to be more respectful of his space. He’d already given so much to you. So rather than wrap him up and overwhelm him with all the kisses and touches and affection you had, you stayed there, your tail gently brushing against his.

“Thank you,” Your voice said quietly, barely disrupting the darkness. Some moonlight was peaking through the blinds, just enough for you to make out Mordecai’s dark silhouette. “We don’t have to … you know, anytime soon. Or ever, if you want. I’ll — regardless, it won’t change my feelings. I like being close to you.”

It was maybe a fraction of how you truly felt. That physical ache was back, but you had to stop here. You weren’t ready to say it all, not yet. There wasn’t an immediate response, and you didn’t expect one. You listened to his steady breathing, feeling solace in it.

Mordecai reached behind him, carefully taking your arm and putting it back over his middle. You pulled him in, just so, nestling your body against his. He didn’t flinch, even as your legs brushed each other and you pressed your face against his warm back, taking in a deep breath. Of course he’d immediately showered right after, but you didn’t mind in the slightest. He smelled like your soap.

[inairbinad]

maybe together we can get somewhere

Written for my lovely, talented, and frequent brainworm-sharing friend @stobinesque! Happy birthday, I hope you have the best day!! 🥳💙 This one is also affectionately known as stobin: codependent delivery drivers. Featuring the soulmates soulmating, some Rockie fluff, and just a dash of Steddie. rated: T | wc: 4k | cw: none [read on ao3]

Robin slaps the classified section in front of Steve as he’s making their morning coffee. It’s been another long night of tossing and turning, of holding each other through anxious dreams thanks to the latest round of shit they’ve been through. It’s exhausting, but they’re figuring it out together. Again. Because if all they can do is stay attached at the hip, share a bed, and tell each other everything’s okay as long as they have each other? Well, Robin’s more than willing to do that for Steve. And after two times around this ride already, Robin knows Steve’s more than willing to do that for her too.

So she uses the time not sleeping to scour the paper for job leads. It’s not like she’s dying to work again, but if she and Steve ever want to realize their plans of getting the hell out of Hawkins and moving to the city, they’re gonna need something. If they can’t sleep without each other, they certainly can’t be expected to work without each other. 

Luckily Robin thinks she’s finally stumbled upon something that could be great for both of them.

“I think I found our next excursion through the perils of capitalism,” she grins and takes her mug from Steve, who always knows just how to make her coffee. She’s actually pretty sure they could do each other’s morning routines in their sleep, by now. 

“Yippee,” Steve says with all the enthusiasm of someone on death row. He knows as well as Robin does that they need to find another job after the Family Video quite literally crumbled to dust, but neither of them is exactly eager to dive back into the hells of minimum wage labor. Not to mention that Robin’s more than a little worried that they’re cursed, and the total destruction of both of their previous workplaces might precede them.

“Come on, as long as we do it together it won’t be that bad,” Robin tries to persuade him before telling him what the actual job is.

“You said that about the last one!” Steve points out, looking so scandalized that Robin’s a little annoyed.

“Are you saying you don’t want to work together anymore?”

“No,” Steve course-corrects so quickly that Robin can’t help but laugh at him. “I whine about work about five-hundred percent more if you aren’t there with me, Robbie. You know that.”

“I’m familiar,” she chuckles, thinking back to every single time Keith scheduled Steve to work without her at the video store. And every time they’d come back to work together at Scoops after a few days apart, Steve would have countless tales of people-watching and bizarre customers to share, even before they considered each other certified soulmates.

“So what is it?” Steve asks.

“How would you like to be one of the newest faces of Surfer Boy Pizza?”

“I thought you couldn’t drive,” Keith narrows his eyes at Robin before going back to inspect her newly acquired driver’s license. She figured it was time to get one after the shit hit the fan for the second time in less than a year, so that’s exactly what she did…after a few tries, anyway.

Steve would argue that she still can’t drive, actually looks like the words are poised on the tip of his tongue before he thinks better of it.

Robin can’t exactly blame him, not after all he went through trying to teach her. She has to hold back a wince as she relives the time she popped one of his tires like a balloon just from rolling over a curb. But by some miracle—arguably her impeccable parallel parking skills, which might be the only thing she’s actually good at, go figure—Robin finally did manage to get her license.

So the way Keith is looking at it like it has to be a fake is a little bit insulting.

“It’s newly minted, I’ll admit,” Robin sighs and leans across the counter to try and level with him. How he managed to snag up a manager’s spot here so quickly baffles her, quite honestly, since they just opened. (The rumor is that the owners saw Argyle driving around in his van so frequently that they were inspired to open a franchise. Robin isn’t sure what that says about her potential new employers, but she’s trying not to think about it too hard.)

At least she knows how to talk Keith into things he doesn’t necessarily want to do by now.

“But I’m super careful and am an excellent parallel parker,” she continues. “You won’t find any scratches on your shiny new delivery vans when I’m working, or get calls from customers saying I left a dent in their bumper like the infamous kid that used to drive for that other pizza joint in town.”

“We don’t mention that place in here,” Keith grumbles, knowing full well that he is that infamous kid. It’s another reason Robin is shocked that someone hired him to work at a pizza place again, even if he isn’t driving this time around. Keith passes her license back over before glancing at Steve, who knows to stay quiet and let Robin handle things. He merely shrugs and gives Keith a look that imparts so much confidence in Robin that it makes her heart swell. “Fine, you’re both hired. Again. But—”

Robin cuts him off with a soft whoop, surprised at how excited she is to be able to make a mixtape and drive around town without a manager breathing down her neck for her entire shift. She doesn’t really care much about the handing pizzas off to people part, more so the independence. And then to come back to the store and gab with Steve about it while they wait for their next call.

It maybe doesn’t promise quite as much togetherness at work as they’re accustomed to, but Robin has a feeling they’ll find a way to work around that.

“But—” Keith says again with his supposedly stern face on and points at Robin specifically. “You’ll deliver by bike until I trust you with a van.”

Robin feels the way her shoulders slump like she’s sinking into quicksand. “It’s about to be summer, Keith—”

Steve kicks her ankle and clears his throat loudly before he sells her out like a Judas. “Deal.”

Robin stares daggers at the side of his head like the good old days when he was just the douchebag who left bagel crumbs everywhere he went. He doesn’t look at her, though, just shakes hands with Keith and seals her to her sweaty fate.

Robin doesn’t speak to Steve again until they pull up in front of her house. “I can’t believe you threw me under the proverbial bike like that, dingus.”

“Do you want to hear my plan, or do you want to go back and quit before you even get your little yellow visor?” he asks as he shuts off the Beemer.

“I’ll hear your plan,” Robin sighs, glad he seems to have one at all. “But I reserve the right to reject it out of hand. Visor be damned.”

Steve smiles and twists around in his seat to face her, like whatever he’s come up with excites him.

“Okay, so every time Keith sends you out on your bike, you ride around the corner and wait, then I’ll pick you up in the van. That way we can do all our deliveries together until Keith trusts you to drive on your own.” Steve crosses his arms and grins at her like he’s some kind of evil, work-avoidant genius.

Robin thinks he just might be.

“I guarantee we’ll still cover just as much ground if I push the speed limit, Hawkins is so small,” he continues. “Then we’ll both basically be getting paid to do one job, and Keith never has to know.”

“You’re a genius Steve, you know that?” she figures it can’t hurt to tell him. It breaks her heart a little to watch the shadow of disbelief that crosses his face to hear it.

“I don’t know about that…”

Robin claps a hand over his mouth before he can say anything self-deprecating. “Nope. Take the compliment. I only have one question.”

“Shoot, Bobbie,” Steve says. He’s probably trotting out one of Robin’s favorite nicknames to counteract the fact that his lips are moving against her palm as he talks, which he knows creeps her out. How she understands what he’s saying anyway is beyond her, but she does.

“What do we do on nights that I’m scheduled to work, but you’re not?” Robin asks as she drops her hand.

Steve shrugs and gives her such an easy smile, Robin thinks his knack for scheming is one of her favorite things about him.

“Help cover the gas, and I’ll drive you around anyway,” he says. “But you’re pretty good at convincing Keith to schedule us together already.”

Robin wonders if maybe this job will actually be kind of fun.

Robin’s pretty sure Keith catches on to their little routine after about a week of doing it. But she’s already plotted a route around Hawkins that maximizes the ground they can cover, and Steve’s had all the best places to speed memorized for years, so every customer ends up singing their praises to the point where Keith can’t really bring himself to do anything about it.

She thinks she might never have to drive a delivery van herself as long as they keep this up. That’s fine by Robin, because even if the pay is shit, it’s probably the most fun she’s ever had at work.

It beats slinging ice cream in a sailor outfit, anyway.

People actually seem happy to see Robin when she’s the one who rings the bell, delivering their dinner with a smile and a little bit of a clumsy lilt to her gait. It always gives her an extra dose of confidence when the particularly hot moms of Hawkins are thrilled to see her—whether it’s for closeted sapphic reasons or just gender solidarity, Robin can’t help but enjoy the attention and praises heaped upon her.

“Robin, you look almost as adorable in that uniform as you did in the sailor outfit. Yellow really is a good color on you,” Mrs. Wheeler says to her one night, and Robin nearly faints from it.  

Eventually she starts flirting a little—not with Nancy’s mom, but maybe with some of the others who didn’t birth her friends—just subtly enough to make getting out of the car to talk to the babes on their route worth it. Steve grumbles about letting Robin talk to all the pretty girls at first, but it’s good natured and really Robin can tell that he’s proud of her for being a little charmer.

He doesn’t mind flirting with the dudes instead, anyway. Especially not when Eddie starts ordering pizza way more frequently than is strictly necessary, even for someone still recovering from his first stint in the underworld.

“Why don’t you just ask him out?” Robin asks when Steve climbs back in the van with a goofy smile on his face for the fourth time in one week. Between the kids hanging out at Max’s and Eddie calling so often, they spend more time delivering to their new, unearthquaked end of the trailer park than anywhere else.

“Why don’t you just ask Vickie out?” Steve counters, just like he always does. Robin tries to flick some of her Coke at him (that she may or may not have snagged from the work fridge behind Keith’s back), but she fumbles the execution and ends up spilling the whole can on Steve’s shirt. Then Steve’s laughing, but also glaring at her as he whines about his work shirt being sticky now.

Robin tries to stifle her own laughter with apologies, chooses not to point out that Eddie’s laughing from his door, too. She strips her own Surfer Boy tee off, leaving just the white tank top she’s wearing underneath, and hands it to Steve to change into. They share clothes like it’s their lot in life anyway. Robin’s actually kind of convinced that one might’ve been Steve’s shirt to begin with.

“Thanks,” he grumbles and changes hastily. He finally notices Eddie’s still watching once he’s trying to fix his hair in the rearview mirror.

Robin revels in the way his neck flushes, just a teeny bit. Steve waves shyly, Eddie waves back, and she wonders how long they’ll continue to be dumbasses as Steve finally pulls away.

“Where to next?” he asks, and Robin checks her list.

Her groan tells Steve everything he needs to know.

“Vickie’s it is!” He sounds entirely too cheerful about it.

The drive from Eddie’s to Vickie’s is vanishingly short, especially with Steve and Robin’s System of Fast and Efficient Pizza Delivery, patent pending.

“Gimme my shirt back,” Robin implores as Steve pulls up to Vickie’s, feeling exposed all of a sudden in just her tank top. She anxiously looks towards the front door as she waits. The porch light’s on for them, because Vickie is always one of the more courteous customers they’ve got—and one of the best tippers.

“Oh so I’m supposed to sit here shirtless because you don’t want to show off your arms to a pretty girl?” Steve asks, and Robin whips her head around to realize he’s not planning on giving her shirt back at all.

“It’s company policy not to approach a door without your uniform!” Robin shrieks, not because she cares much about company policy, but because Steve should have her back on principle. “Plus, you enjoy being shirtless, you flirt!”

“I don’t think Vickie’s going to mistake you for a missionary,” Steve says blandly, ignoring the mild-slut shaming completely. “Plus, you’ve still got your visor on.”

“Steve,” Robin tries, but he just grins at her without moving a muscle.

“You look great. Go get ‘em, Tiger.”

“Oh god. You did not just say that,” Robin sighs, delaying further just to make fun of him a little. She thinks it’s deserved.

“I did, and I meant it,” Steve raises an eyebrow at her. “Unless you want me to drop this one?”

“No,” Robin tells him with all the annoyance she can muster. She might be awkward, flailing, and hopelessly pining over Vickie already, but she’s not gonna let any of that stop her from going up to that door. “Gimme the damn pizza.”

Steve reaches to get it out of the back and hands it over to Robin with a shit-eating grin. She really regrets not giving him more hell over Eddie back there, but she takes the box and squares her shoulders before making her way up Vickie’s front stairs.

Robin rings the bell and does her best not to fidget the entire time she’s waiting. Which isn’t very long at all. Vickie opens the door with a wide smile in greeting, looking almost angelic in the way the light behind her frames her fiery hair, her eyes bright and excited just because Robin’s there. 

Or maybe she’s just really hungry, a more cynical part of Robin’s brain corrects.

“Veggie pizza?” Robin asks, and Vickie nods.

“Thanks,” Vickie says, already moving to exchange pizza for money. “That was really fast.”

“Oh, well. Steve and I have a system. I kind of buried myself in maps for a night while I worked out the quickest routes around town, then we spent the next couple of days figuring out how to drive them quickly without hitting any pedestrians or breaking too many traffic laws,” Robin says without thinking. No matter how many times they talk, Robin doesn’t seem to be able to stop blurting things out around Vickie.

Vickie just laughs though, leaning a little around Robin so she can wave to Steve who is very obviously watching them from the car.

“That’s a whole lot of dedication to the job,” Vickie comments, and Robin can feel her ears turn pink.

“Sometimes I just plan stuff out when I can’t sleep, even if I never actually end up doing it,” Robin admits.

“Me too,” Vickie says with such soft knowing in her voice that Robin wants to wrap herself up in it like a blanket. For the first time she wonders if maybe Steve isn’t the only person who can calm her nerves enough to help her sleep. She doesn’t have much time to get caught up in the thought, though, because Vickie keeps talking.

“Is that your normal uniform?” she asks, and Robin hopes she’s not imagining the way Vickie’s gaze lingers over her bare shoulders, her chest, her neck. She feels exposed, still, her skin alight with any attention Vickie is willing to give, but it feels nice. So nice, actually, that Robin doesn’t remember how to respond for a moment. “Or did you just want to show off your tan?”

Vickie bites her lip and flushes ever so slightly, like maybe she hadn’t quite meant to say that part out loud. Robin can’t think of anything but how desperate she is to kiss her.

“I really don’t tan,” Robin admits. “Freckle, mostly. Sometimes burn if I’m not careful. Which I guess isn’t surprising, given the history of skin cancer in my family—” Robin hears herself and wants to die. She snaps her mouth shut before she can say anything else horrifying.

“Oh, I burn too! Even with all the sunscreen in the world, sometimes–” Vickie cuts herself off with a nervous laugh. “Well, the freckles look very good, anyway.”

“Thanks,” Robin murmurs, and she thinks maybe she’s blushing enough to look sunburnt now.

“Robin?” Vickie asks, still holding the pizza between them like she’s afraid if she moves the moment might break.

Or maybe that’s just what Robin’s scared of.

“Yeah?”

“Can you help me with something real quick, or are you super busy tonight?” Vickie asks. The hopeful way she tilts her head is so precious Robin might implode right there on the spot.

Robin doesn’t care how busy they are, there’s no way she’s not following Vickie inside. “I can help. What’s up?”

“It’s just that my VCR is jammed,” Vickie says, already leading Robin inside and talking over her shoulder. She puts the pizza down on the coffee table and nods toward the TV. Robin ambles over, not sure there’s anything she can do to fix it, but she’s willing to try.

“You worked at Family Video for a while, right?” Vickie asks. Robin nods and tries not to relive every time Vickie came in to rent something and Robin acted like a fool. “Thought maybe you’d have the magic touch with it.”

Robin doesn’t think she’s imagining the flirtatious way that Vickie says magic touch, so she pours all of her focus into the malfunctioning machine in front of her before she malfunctions and melts into a puddle on Vickie’s floor.

She feels Vickie’s eyes watching her as she works and thinks she might melt anyway.

It doesn’t take long to figure out the problem. After some fumbling, Robin manages to untangle some loose tape from inside the deck. She can’t help but think it looks haphazardly shoved in there. “Were you babysitting, or something?”

“No?” Vickie says, voice inexplicably laced with questionable guilt.

“Just seems like it got stuffed in there,” Robin says as she turns around with the tangle on display. “Like maybe a kid was playing with it.”

“Oh. Well. Weird.” Vickie’s biting her lip and looking at her feet all of a sudden. Robin can see the sheen of freshly applied gloss on Vickie’s lips. She wonders what it tastes like.

She also wonders if maybe Vickie put it on just for her.

“Vickie?” Robin’s voice is whisper quiet.

“Yeah?”

“Did you really need my help with the VCR?”

Vickie’s eyes snap to Robin’s face, worried, like she’s been caught out. But then Robin smiles at her, so gently she feels like it might break her own heart just to feel it on her face, and Vickie relaxes her shoulders.

“No,” she admits.

Robin doesn’t know where the courage comes from, what comes over her or how, but one minute she’s standing in Vickie’s living room thinking she might pass out from nerves, and the next she’s cupping Vickie’s cheek with all the casual smoothness Robin’s ever mustered in her life. Then Robin leans in to kiss her.

It’s heady, the power Robin feels just from being the one to move first. It’s like her body was made for this, for gently holding Vickie’s face and tasting the strawberry flavor of her lip gloss, feeling the soft pout of her lips slotting between Robin’s own like puzzle pieces fitting together.

But mostly Robin is soaring because Vickie is kissing her back, fiercely, like maybe this was actually what Vickie was hungry for instead of pizza in the first place.

Robin isn’t entirely sure what being a good kisser entails, at least not when you actually want the person you’re lip to lip with so badly you’re seeing stars. There’s no universe in which Robin thinks this can’t be good, though, because her whole body is tingling from the way Vickie presses up against it, the way she gently slips her hand into Robin’s hair and tilts Robin’s head just so.

Robin feels her visor come tumbling off her head, but she can hardly care when Vickie lets out a delicate moan that leaves her absolutely weak in the knees.

“Vickie,” Robin breathes out when they separate, already wanting to dive in for more. Vickie smiles against Robin’s mouth, kisses the corner of her lips again like she’s worried she missed a spot.

“Yes, Robin?” Vickie asks, suddenly sounding much more confident than she’d looked just a moment before—almost teasing.

“That was really good,” Robin says plainly.

“I agree,” Vickie hums. She pecks Robin on the lips one more time, gentle and quick about it. “And as much as I want to do it again, I think Steve’s waiting for you.”

It’s only then that Robin even hears the distinct sound of the van’s horn honking—two quick beeps to remind her that there’s still two more deliveries they need to make.

“Damn him,” Robin mutters, and Vickie just laughs. Her breath against Robin’s face is minty fresh, and Robin can’t really be expected to function when she knows Vickie planned this whole thing, can she?

“Call me later?” Vickie asks.

Robin nods, but not before kissing her again, deliveries be damned.

“Your lips are swollen,” Steve says first thing when she gets back in the car, dazed and floaty like she’s just taken the best drugs of her life. (This is something Robin actually has a point of reference for now, and she’s easily putting ‘Kisses From Vickie’ at the top of the list.)

“I kissed her,” Robin says, staring straight ahead. Steve squeals like a little girl and bounces in his seat.

“Finally!” he cheers, giving Robin’s shoulders an excited shake. “Are you comatose over there?”

“A little,” Robin admits, but she feels the smile break out on her face like an explosion of fireworks. She sucks in a deep breath and finally looks at Steve. He looks so happy for her she thinks her heart might burst all over again. “I kissed a girl.”

“Was it everything you imagined?” Steve asks, not bothering to hide the hopeless romantic that lives in his chest and pulls all of his heartstrings.

“And then some,” Robin says, hearing how dreamy she sounds and just rolling with it. Steve starts the van up again just as Vickie waves at them both from her front window. She blows Robin a kiss, and Robin thinks she’s died and gone to a heaven she’s not sure she believed in until now.

“Seems this job was worth it after all,” Steve admits.

Robin really can’t disagree.

[dracothedeatheatingcupcake-ao3]

Luigi and the Beast Chapter 14

Hi!!!

Ha. Somehow, I have returned. How long will I remain here??? Hard to say honestly, this might be the last chapter I ever post of this fic, if I can't find motivation to finish it. But this chapter was like... 95% done, and someone commented on a few chapters of L&TB and I was like... hey why don't I at least finish the last chapter I have written, huh?? So, I did. And I posted immediately so I didn't forget, or run out of energy/desire to post later.

Anyway, it's late, and I want to start rereading this fic to see if I can figure out where to go from here, so I'll leave y'all with this. The fabled chapter 14 of L&TB. Warning, it's short (for me), about 3-4k words, since it's just an interlude from Mario. But... it's something at least? I do have part of a potential chapter 15 written, we'll see if I can finish it or not.

You can find the chapter here

Summary:

Luigi is a simple man who lives a simple life. Every day is the same as the last, with nothing ever happening that changes the status quo. While some may think his life is boring, Luigi enjoys it well enough, relishing in the simple monotony, not needing endless adventure and excitement to make his life have meaning.

Unfortunately, everything changes when he gets the news that his beloved brother, Mario, has been kidnapped by a fearsome beast in a far off kingdom that he’s never heard of before. To make matters worse, in his endeavor to save his brother, he ends up making a deal with the beast where he has to stay as a prisoner in his brother’s place. Will he be able to survive his captivity in the castle of a beastly king? Or will he find that maybe there is more to life than simplicity, and that sometimes the best things in life require a little risk?

Chapter 14

From the beginning