#I have a bird to take care of dammit

[skyloftian-nutcase]

If the seasonal depression could stop making me just ✨exist✨ outside of work, that would be great. 👍🏻

[metranart]

“Even if I have to repeat myself a million times, I will do it…” Hawks reached for your strand of hair again, and this time the feather around your wrist, halted your aggressive motion. “You have to let me take care of you.”

ft. Hawks centered, Hawks x reader, Slight! Bakugo x reader, Slight! Dabi x reader.

Hawks x UA Student! Reader (Part 6)

- Warning tag: obsessed! Hawks, possessive! Hawks, naive! student reader, violation of trust, dubious consent, mating cycles, rut response, obsessive behavior, uncontrollable thirst for reader, manipulation, forced, thigh riding, hormonal minds out of control, sexual content, first time, cock riding, teenage fuck, Dabi's toxically interested in you, Bakugo bestie yet secretly inlove wit you, love confessions, cock-drunk, Hawks trying to be good but failing miserably, gaslighting, HEAVY plot, lots of smut. -

The aftermath was without a word, after what felt like an hour strapped with Hawks rooted inside you, he finally pulled out and you weren’t able to look him in the eye. 

The young Hero on the other hand, was more than desperate to have eye contact with you, kept chasing your gaze when helped you dress, you kept swatting his hands away, didn’t want him to touch you, not EVER again. Yet, he seemed committed to ignore your disgust for him and his less than human actions. 

Slowly, arranged your shirt buttoning it up and even went as far as to kneel to rearrange your skirt around your hips, doing his best to be gentle and tender, nothing rough or unpleasant came from his working hands. He just wanted to make it up to you, he knew that the silence enveloping both wasn’t a comfortable one, not like what a loving couple or a first timer would share with his first sexual partner, Oh no! There was no love share between you, not even familiarity and Hawks itched to correct it, yet refused to break another of your boundaries. 

All his hopes of the rut ending and that helping him dissuade this awful feeling of possessiveness were gone. He wasn’t even a little bit ready to part ways with you, and hated to think he would be banned from be near you, he wanted to be glued to your hip, tattooed on your skin, Fuck! Don’t vanish him from your side, dammit! He couldn’t take it.

“Baby Bird,” he cooed, “There’s no number of words to make you—” 

“Don’t.” The finality on your tone, halted his speech but his body openly rebelled to obey him, and when you tried to step away from him, his hand quickly latched itself to your forearm. 

“Don’t.” He mimicked, whole different sense in the same words. Keigo wasn’t ready to part ways with you, at least no right now, “just—… I don’t have any right to ask, I KNOW this, but please…. Please, let me be near you….” he spelled, thinking every word very well, “I-… I just please…. Let me take care of you.”

The fear reflecting on your blown pupils told him, he had overstepped his welcome and when your mouth opened just a tad, his hand landed on it. 

Shushing your possible refusals, hate words, sarcastic comments, curses or fit of cries, he annulled them all, even when knew he deserves each single one like a medal of honor for his awfully torrid misbehaving, he was a monster, yet wasn’t ready to hear it out from your mouth. 

“Fine-…” he sighed, looking a little defeated “I will take you home, you will eat, hydrate, bathe, sleep and then… I will—” Only his fingers remained on top of your lips, tapping them ever so slightly. The way his eyes narrowed telling you he was pondering the next word, to what you end up saying. “—leave.”

He sighed and swallowed. “I… I promise, I’ll think about it—” 

You stilled. Shock ruling your body before numbly, repeat. “You—you w-will think....think about it?”

The numb, abused girl slowly started to fade, all your patience and understanding blurring away by the uncomfortable and constant palpitating sensation between your thighs, throbbing the wrongness of what had transpired between the two. Slowly, your feeble voice began to raise in volume, “You said once your rut was over, this will end!” you snapped and bit hard at the fingers tapping your lips, feeling very proud when his brows creased, and he muttered a quiet ‘Ouch’. 

“You are a liar—!”

“I’m your MATE.” Keigo didn’t even need to raise his voice for your aggressive stance to stop immediately, the authority with which he said it was enough, as if your body remembered who it was dealing with. “YOU need to understand that this has to follow its flow in order to end, baby bird.” Those golden eyes shone differently, somehow sharper and you saw with disgust how he licked his bitten fingers. He looked disappointed, almost angry with himself, with you, but mostly with the entire situation… pushing him to make a point clear. 

“I didn’t ask you to kiss me on the lips and then use your quirk on me without notice or permission, kid—” Keigo was having trouble coping, too many mix signals, his rational brain urged him to fix things while his reptilian brain stressed very loudly how his mate just bit him like a brat… and unfortunately, was still too drowned in hormones not to listen. He´ll make it right, he knew how to deal with brats, he considered himself a brat tamer. “—YOU chose to do that and I’m really sorry, I really am…” he managed to sound remorseful, yet so scary as well, “I know you didn’t have bad intentions… but as a Hero-to-be you must learn to deal with the decisions you make.” Genuine displeasure leaking into his voice. 

Your eyes watered. You knew he was right, even Aizawa sensei repeated it every single time he could, but at that moment Hawks words tasted like corrosive acid, your pussy was still throbbing thanks to him, your entire body felt like a truck had run over it…. your first time, your first everything had been brutally taken from you—… and here he was giving himself airs of superiority, genuinely and blatantly trying to turn this entire shitstorm on YOU, and you weren’t going to fucking stand for it. 

“You just raped an underage student, Number Two Hero of the country—” you sneered, voice cracking. “… I guess I’ll be seeing you in court-…. or do you want to go straight to jail?” from the corner of your eye, glimpsed his fists tighten, and you openly sobbed trying to force a grin onto your lips as venom dripped down, “—you know, now that we are making ourselves responsible from our actions, like the Pro Hero’s we are, Hawks.”  

“Keigo.” He reminded; stare firmly set on you.  

“Hawks.” You repeated. Holding back angry tears.

Keigo barked out a humorless laugh. “You are not a Pro Hero, kid” he growled, “-not yet.” You were frustrating him, sparking a rut response out of his more primitive side, he wouldn’t fuck you like before, no…. he was more in control, even so, this wasn’t how a mate should behave, like HIS mate should behave. “What you are is MY mate, and as such, you are going to let me take care of YOU.” He stated, taking a couple of steps towards you. “Please… please back up.” You muttered out of your control, you could feel yourself shaking as he towered over your petite form, until he motioned one finger up and one of your arms raised in the air, making you notice the red feathers still wrapped around your wrists and ankles, like shackles. Hawks leant closer until his breath caressed your face and closing your eyes, felt him place a soft kiss on your cheek to then say. “—So, lead the way, so I can do just that.”

Even printing all the strength, you had in you, you could not lower your arm, making you remember who you were dealing with. You knew you weren’t match for his strength or impressive speed. You knew that—So, you took a deep breath to tame the anger enough to let you think straight again, and clenching your jaw, swallowed back the tears. Snorting soundly to make your repudiation for him clear.

“If with this I get rid of YOU-” you spatted at him without look him in the eye, “-it’s this way, Hawks.” Added between clenched teeth, resigned and tired. Holding onto the hope that maybe if you follow his stupid demands, he’ll leave, for good! 

“Call me Keigo.” His voice sounded strained but hide it well enough, keeping a smile on his lips.

You pretended not to listen and walked half a block in awkward silence, from time to time you felt his hand bump yours, as if he wanted to hold it, to what you crossed your arms expecting to make him angry, but he just smiled at you, unfazed, almost as if he was expecting it, which made you internally fume. 

Arriving at your parent’s house, snatched the keys out of your backpack and felt a little relieve knowing there would be no one until nightfall.  

Without waiting for you to invite him in, Keigo stepped forward taking a furtive look around, grinned, glancing back through his shoulder at you.  

“S’ Pretty.” He praised, and began to snoop around, grabbing things to inspect them up closely, bending down to smell a flower arrangement your mother set in the living room. You even saw his wings flap excitedly when grabbed a frame with a family photo in… your parents, you and your little brother, all smiling, all happy. Hawks scanned the picture with clinical fascination, and then put it back in its place, to then do the same with each single picture.  

“Now what, Hawks?” You broke his reverie, happy trance interrupted by the mention of his Hero name, instead of his actual name. An eyebrow rose in your direction, but you didn’t care.

“Eat, hydrate, bathe, sleep—” One finger on his hand stretching out at each activity mentioned, “easy peasy, baby bird.”

Rolling your eyes at him, you turned sharply to head towards the kitchen and immediately, a pang of pain doubled you over. Adrenaline had evaporated, and you didn't have the slightest energy to use your quirk on yourself. This Hero had sucked every ounce of strength out of you.

Hawks was at your side in seconds, his hands cupping your shoulders way too greedily for your liking. “Your body is exhausted, don’t exert yourself…. Let me—”, your face whip at him way too fast, judgment and uncertainty in your features, but before you could decline, added. 

“You know what I’m going to say,” Keigo aimed to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear when you slapped his hand away, making him sigh, “even if I have to repeat myself a million times, I will do it…” reached for your strand again, and this time the feather around your wrist, halted your aggressive motion. He shook his head, disapprovingly, and then calmly continue.

“You have to let me take care of you.”

Clenching your jaw, you boiled with rage. God! He was probing to be difficult, and so were you, your defensive stance didn’t let you realize he was truly slave to hormones, instinct ruling his behavior, all his thoughts and demands, right at that moment he would rather be fucking you to a pulp, but he was really trying to keep himself rooted to coherency, resisting the mischief his biological body suggested. He was a predator, designed hunt, he loved to hunt small things... like YOU. It was awful to know he could break you, if he slipped back inside you just to feel those unused walls sucking him in, squeezing so tight- as a vice.... yet, now that he felt more in control, also knew that if he did, he would be a true villain.  

His thumbs started rubbing circles over your tense shoulders, and you felt exhausted to keep fighting. Realized that there were only two options left. One, fight him throughout the entire process -him more than ready to submit you and take care of you- or two, play along and finish this weird after-intercourse ritual as quickly as possible.

Sighing deeply, you choose number two. Fuck! Up Lately you’ve been choosing number two in all the sense of the word, how awful! —But if this made him leave. 

“Please, let go...” you shook your shoulders brusquely, to no avail “… agh! so I can go to the kitchen and—” you pulled away trying to gain space, but his feathers stilled you, as he spelled, soothingly. 

“It’s not necessary. I prefer that you don’t move anymore.” Hawks said and in the blink of an eye forced you into his arms, carrying you bridal style to gently deposit you in the nearest couch. “Wait here,” he grinned down at you, and without letting you react, flew towards the kitchen as if he knew the place by heart.

A ruffled of red feathers came out of his back like an explosion and began to work around him as he just stood with his hands on his waist, watching. The control he showed was amazing, so many tasks were carried out at the same time, literally like magic. You saw the preparation of an entire menu. Boiled rice with vegetables, butter chicken and mashed potatoes with wide black pepper, a large glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade, and what looked like a banana pudding with almonds. 

Holy shit! How the hell does he do it! Hawks seemingly hadn’t moved a single muscle, even so each single dish landed gracefully on the little center table in front of you. 

“Voila! My Lady.” You heard him boast right next to you as a napkin was place on your lap. Hawks stood at arm's reach, all smiles and soft eyes, holding a set of cutleries inside his palm. 

Inner sighing at his theatricals -which you used to love, you tiredly reached to take a fork from his hand, never expecting him to snatch it away. And without giving importance to the question reflecting on your face, spooned rice into the fork and directed it to your mouth.  

“Say Ah, baby bird~” requested warmly, and you scooted away.  

“I don’t need you to feed me—” 

“—you are too exhausted, Its better this way.” Swiftly replied, leaving no room for discussion, golden eyes locked on you, narrowed, waiting, no doubt, for you to contradict him, and forcing yourself to remember your goal, tightened your fist and opened your mouth. 

“That’s my good girl.” He triumphal announced and you felt like slapping him, but instead reduced to eat. Him feeding you like a baby; you hated each minute. 

“One more mouthful, baby bird,” he insisted, “it’ll help you regain strength faster.” Said, holding a spun full of banana pudin in front of your mouth. 

You felt full, even so, opened your mouth and the spun entered, a pinch of food peeking at the corner of your lip and before you could lick it away, his thumb wipe it clean to then dip in his own mouth. Making sure to keep eye contact during the whole motion. Your cheeks turned red like the feathers adorning his back, but at the same time, your eyebrows furrowed sending him a mix message. 

“I’m fed and hydrated….” you broke eye contact to say between mouthfuls. “I’ll go to sleep, you can leave—” 

“First, you bathe, then you can sleep.” Hawks instructed, making you roll your eyes, vividly. 

“Yes, mom!” You spatted between clenched teeth, dripping sarcasm. 

“Not mom-… Mate.” He corrected, ignoring your biting attitude, “or Keigo…. I’ll even take, Takami—” 

“HAWKS-” you emphasized the Hero name and took a twisted pleasure at seeing his eyebrows knit together, “I’ll go upstairs, there’s the shower—…. make yourself scarce.”

The young Hero grinned humorless, a mix of irritation and disappointment perturbing his composed facial expression. 

You stood, and instinctively he was next to you, his arms hovering around you to carry you up. 

“Please don´t,” you swatted his hands away, “I assure you that—”

“—I assure you the opposite.” He growled, the timbre of his voice giving away his displeasure. Keigo was getting tired of you swatting him away, and in an agile twist, lifted you up in his arms, you pushed at his chest but stopped the same second his hard stare fell on you. 

This time you felt conflicted, part of you knew you were being unfair to him, since in a way this had been partly your fault.  But another part, angrier and more violated, felt with the right to make his life impossible, since you refused to believe that he never had the ability to control himself. He was not an animal, he chose to continue abusing you and even if you started it, he should have stopped it. But maybe right now wasn’t the time…. so, you yielded. Obeying your survival instinct, since the way he looked at you screamed danger. There was little time left for this to end, you could allow him this before he was banned from touching you ever again. So, you put your arms down and let him take you.

Leisurely, Keigo took his time getting to the top, it almost seemed like he wanted to bother you or at least that's how you perceived it, but it was the opposite, he just wanted to lengthen the moments to be close to you, touching you and not being openly rejected by you.

Once upstairs he deposited you gracefully in the hallway.  

“Go get some clean clothes, while I’ll run the bath.”  He instructed and spying you out of the corner of his eye pointed to the last door at the end of the hall, you nodded corroborating it was the bathroom, and rushed inside your room, slamming the door in his face.

You heard him clearly sigh from the other side of the door, and then you heard him stroll away.

Served him right, you thought annoyed. Being in your room brought you a certain sense of relief and security until your eyes collided with the wall next to your closet, the poster of Hawks greeted you from there, the figure of the winged Hero making the peace sign while urging you to achieve your dreams... That bastard! tears began to flow down your eyes without you being able to contain them, God! You hated him! everything that had happened... in a fit of anger you hit the poster on the wall, punching his heroic face with your fist, unworried by the sting on your knuckles, you only kept hitting him non-stop, no matter the pain or the blood staining the paper, you just kept going, letting out your pent-up frustration against the poor poster. Not even five seconds passed before your door was kicked down by the Hero in question.

“Baby bird—” Keigo rammed inside your room, alarmed, and his heart painfully throb at the pitiful act you displayed, bloodied knuckles and tears-stained cheeks contorting your pretty face. His golden eyes focused on the target of your ire, just to find himself printed on the bloodied poster. God! He was a villain, a Monster! And you were just a poor civilian he was so desperate to own. 

Using the feathers around your limbs stopped you, he didn't dare to touch you, the Hero didn't feel worthy.

“I´ll make this right to you, -I swear, baby bird. I´ll make things right.” You heard him murmur more to himself. 

A couple of minutes passed when suddenly you heard him swallow hard and sigh, sitting back on his heels next to your hunched body as you sob and hiccup, uncontrollably. You felt the warmth that emanated from his wings as they surrounded you making a sphere without touching you. 

"Finally....” he sounded relieved, “everything is fine, I'm here." Hawks said, and for the first time, you felt like you were talking to the real Hawks, not Takami Keigo the hormonal bird, but the Hero you admired and respected. The Hero whose posters and t-shirts you had was back and looking straight at you.

“...May I come closer?” 

He asked, Oh my fucking God! He ASKED! not intending to approach without your permission and that lead you to rush towards him, hugging him. This was all you needed, a little control and respect... it was what Keigo had taken from you.

“Hawks-s..” You sobbed into his strong chest immediately feeling safer, “I'm so sorry, it was my fault... my quirk, I shouldn't have used it-...I just wanted to help you...I-...I-" 

The young Hero hushed you, rocking his body from side to side paternally, “I'm the one who's sorry, I should have been able to control myself.... it's just-...it's a nasty thing, this rut....is ruthless and floods my brain until I can't think straight—…. it doesn't excuse my actions but... I wanted you to know.” 

And taking your hand in his, asked.

“…Are you alright?” He inspected your injured knuckles up close, and you shook your head, even so, you felt safe now that he was back and soon exhaustion began to close your eyes, slowly snoozing you away inside his warm embrace. “Kid… come on… Dammit! I need you to stay focus, this is merely a glimpse... I won't be able to stay lucid for long—” Hawks shook you a little, but your eyes kept closing, too exhausted, too tired, too drained.

“Please.... please, at least remember THIS!.......” He pleaded, desperate and inclining his head, kissed the tip of your nose, then your left cheek, then your right and finally your forehead. “Remember to do THIS in that exact order...” his words sounded slurred, “Bring...ME... back—” you heard between drowsy dreams, “.......... —Remember!” 

It was the last thing you hear before you fainted in his arms, arms which became too tight at the end, too greedy and possessive, setting a red flag in your unconscious brain, perhaps you might wake up and NOT find Hawks again.

COMING SOON PART 7....

⭕️ In this PATREON LINK you will find NSFW art of this story and more spicy MHA NSFW art and exclusive smut fanfiction (also JJK, Demon slayer, and Tokyo Revengers) .... Plus more fascinating rewards, check it out and if you got some extra bucks around, join our community. My eternal and vast gratitude for your support!!!

@dreamlessnight @wtvbabes

[noahsresources]

PROMPTS FOR MUSES WHO ARE LITTLE SHITS™ !

for all the muses out there who like to mess with others!! mainly meant for platonic relationships, but can be used for romantic & antagonistic relationships as well! feel free to modify any pronouns, descriptor words, & objects for your needs!

FROM THE LITTLE SHIT.

words. ❝ how'd you like the fake spider in your room? ❞ ❝ hang on a second, i'm gonna record this — ❞ ❝ i took 20 bucks out of your bag last night. ❞ ❝ alright, that's it, time for the tickle monster treatment! ❞ ❝ oh, yeah? and what are you gonna do about it? ❞ ❝ i think i might have accidentally just hurt myself again. ❞ ❝ what makes you think you can possibly take me? ❞ ❝ outta the way, i was here first! ❞ ❝ sorry, i lost that a little while ago. ❞ ❝ hey, come on! it was just a prank! ❞ ❝ i'm seriously thinking about forcing that secret out of you. ❞ ❝ wait, did YOU say you wanted the last piece of pie in the fridge? 'cause i kinda just ate it ... ❞

actions. [ SING ] — sender starts singing raunchy lyrics around receiver [ WRESTLE ] — sender attempts to start play-fighting with receiver [ FINGER ] — sender flips receiver the bird [ LAUGH ] — sender tries to make receiver laugh [ LEAN ] — sender puts their full weight on receiver [ COLD ] — sender puts their cold fingers under receiver's shirt [ DRIVE ] — sender begins to drive very fast with receiver in the car with them [ FOOD ] — sender steals a bite of receiver's food when they're not looking [ BLANKET ] — sender pulls receiver's blanket off them while they're half-asleep [ PRANK ] — sender pulls a prank on receiver (bonus points if a type of prank is specified!)

FOR THE LITTLE SHIT.

words. ❝ hey, stop that! ❞ ❝ careful, i just got that new furniture. ❞ ❝ okay, okay, i'll do anything, just please stop tickling me ... ! ❞ ❝ god, you're such an asshole! ❞ ❝ i swear, if you do that one more time ... ❞ ❝ i didn't actually think it was that funny. ❞ ❝ aw, dammit, you broke it! ❞ ❝ you can't go 24 hours without having some kind of accident, huh? ❞ ❝ you just cheated! i watched you! ❞ ❝ if you even think about messing with me today, i will end you. ❞ ❝ are you drunk or something? because that was some of the weirdest shit i've ever heard. ❞ ❝ okay, i won't lie, that was actually pretty funny. ❞

actions. [ HEADLOCK ] — sender puts receiver in a headlock [ CHASE ] — sender chases receiver around in frustration [ RUN ] — sender runs from receiver to avoid being pranked/scared [ NUDGE ] — sender briskly nudges receiver in response to a snarky comment [ IGNORE ] — sender pretends to ignore receiver [ PULL ] — sender is dragged into pulling a prank with the sender [ CLEAN ] — sender begins cleaning receiver's mess [ WIPE ] — sender begins cleaning receiver's injuries after pulling a stunt that doesn't end well [ LEAVE ] — sender storms off in frustration after being messed with by receiver [ REVENGE ] — sender pulls a revenge prank on receiver (bonus points if a type of prank is specified!)

[a-fandom-reimagined]

< PREVIOUS PART

"Diana, you have exhausted valuable resources and the skills of our healers for one woman. To what end? She will die anyway. Maybe not today or tomorrow. Maybe not a year from now or ten but she will die. You're just delaying the inevitable."

Diana had few moments in her life where she could truthfully say she was angry with her mother. But in that moment she almost hated her. The Amazons were supposed to be messengers of peace and truth and justice. What happened to her mother while she was away? What happened to the fearsome woman who raised and taught her to stand for what was right? This wasn't the first time they'd had this argument and as your life hung in the balance, Diana doubted it would be the last.

You hadn't uttered more than a few sentences since arriving on the sandy shores of Themyscira and that was two weeks ago. You'd been in and out of consciousness every since. Never awake longer than a second or two and no one could tell Diana why. The healers had done all they could. The rest was up to you.

Diana gritted her teeth and rose from your bedside. "You and I are not having this conversation again, mama. Y/N is staying here until she wakes up. The healers will attend her for as long as she requires their attention and that is final. You gave me your word and you will stand by it."

"Perhaps I gave it too hastily."

Fire and hatred burned in Diana's eyes but the Queen of the Amazons did not--would not--falter. "I know you've formed something of an…attachment…to this girl--"

Diana laughed, tearfully. Attachment. What a paltry word to describe what she felt for you. This all-consuming yearning and devotion that kept her up nights and drove her to kneel at your bedside for hours with no regard to her own hunger and comfort. "Attachment," Diana repeated, laughing again.

"She is not like us, my daughter" the queen continued. "She is not like you--"

"She doesn't have to be! I don't need her to be like me. I don't need her to do anything but live, mama!"

"I do not mean to be cruel but if this is what her ailing has done to you…I don't want to know what would become of you if she perished."

Diana for the first time since coming home was inclined to agree with her mother. She opened her mouth to speak, some of her earlier anger dissipating, when a sharp breath stole away her words.

Diana whirled.

You rubbed sleep from your eyes, wincing as you struggled to get comfortable in the narrow cot on which you lay.

Diana stumbled to your bedside and fell to her knees.

You gave her a weak smile, bleary-eyed smile. Your hair was a bird's nest atop your head and yet to Diana, you'd never looked more beautiful.

You hit the ground hard not for the first time today.

"Dammit," you hissed.

Diana leaned into your line of sight with an apologetic smile. "Are you alright?"

"No I'm not alright!" you snapped. "A toddler could have blocked that kick and I just…I just," you screwed your eyes shut and breathed through the pain, the embarrassment, and frustration. "I'm not the same, D. My body…it's not the same."

She dropped to her knees and gently straddled your waist. Taking your face in her hands, she kissed your lids again and again until you opened them. "It's only been a week, my love. It could take months even years to remind your body of what your mind never forgot. Give it time."

It had been four months since you woke up in Themyscira's infirmary. Four long grueling months spent trying to remember how to walk and care for yourself. Fighting off pain and infection with strange herbs and medicinal techniques you'd never heard of and you were tired. So, so tired of being weak and fragile on an island surrounded by women who were the very definition of everything you used to be.

"But I don't want it to take months or years!" tears of frustration filled your eyes.

"I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice." Diana carefully rolled off of you and into the grass.

"Someone did this to me, Diana. I could have died."

"I know… And when you are well my love, we will find them and you will have your justice. But whether you like it or not it will take time. And if you will have me, I will be here with you. For every step of the way. And every step after that."

REQUESTED! | REQUESTS: OPEN | REBLOG DON’T REPOST | GIF?

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

The Lonely Souls Club 5

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as stalking, loneliness, noncon, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Two lost souls cross, but not all those are lost, want to be found.

Characters: Bucky Barnes

Note: can't stop today.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

Bucky

“Dammit, that smarts,” Sam rubs his shoulder as he pulls of his mask, “you didn’t say she’d be armed.”

Bucky can’t help a snort. She’s even tougher than he thought. He never thought of the cane that way but it makes him happier to know she has it.

“Sorry, buddy, I’ll make it up to you,” he promises.

“Make it up to me? This isn’t exactly how I pick up girls,” Sam scoffs. Bucky gives him a look. Sam shrugs and chuckles, “I gotta give it to you, it’s creative, but did you ever think of just looking at her with those baby blues,” Sam narrows his eyes and squares his jaw, “give her the Zoolander–”

“I don’t know what that means,” Bucky grits and bites down.

“That’s the look,” Sam points at him, “anyway, dude, you owe me big time. Cap can’t be going around committing misdemeanours.”

“I told you, I’ll make it up to you,” he sniffs and rolls his shoulders, “I should go check on her.”

“Oh yeah, go play hero,” Sam winks.

Bucky tilts his head wryly but only gets another snicker in return.

“Hey, who knew you were such a softie,” Sam teases, “but you do strike me as the type to scoop up a broken bird from the gutter and help it fly again.”

“She’s not broken,” Bucky crosses his arms.

“I didn’t mean that–”

“Go,” Bucky snarls.

Sam sighs, “alright, just… I really hope this isn’t something weird.”

“I just… I want to talk to her.”

“Just talk,” Sam nods knowingly, “alright,” he raises his hands, “got it. I’m gonna go get some sleep. Do you remember what that is?”

Bucky just growls and glares. Sam snorts and struts off, rubbing his shoulder as he disappears onto the street.

Bucky turns and heads back down the alley. He slows his step as his lips move in silent conversation. He’s trying to figure out what to say. He goes to the door and hesitates, knuckles hovering by the grate.

He looks down at his gloved hands. He switches to his real hand and taps on the iron door, rattling it.

“Hello,” he calls through, “I… I got rid of that guy.”

He waits and sees the curtain move. There’s a lull as he stands anxiously, wondering if she’ll even face him. The locks twist back and she inches open the door, peeking through a narrow slit.

“Hello?” She squeaks shakily. He can hear the fear quaver in her voice, hear it thumping in her heart.

“Sorry, er, he ran off,” he explains, “but… but I scared him.”

She looks at him. Her eyes are doelike and gleaming in the moonlight.

“Who are you?” She asks.

He stretches his hand at his side and takes a breath, “Bucky. Bucky Barnes…” he answers. If they don’t recognise his face, they know his name.

“Bucky?” She repeats, then offers her own name, “thank you, sir.”

“Yeah, it’s my job,” he says coolly.

She’s quiet again before she replies, “it is?”

She doesn’t know him. She doesn’t know Bucky Barnes; howling commando, Cap’s henchman, the Winter Soldier. She has no idea and why would she? She has bigger worries.

“Kinda,” he answers.

“You’re a cop?” She asks.

“Not exactly.”

She lets the inner door open all the way and she uses the cane to get herself closer to the iron grate. She peers through at him, blinking in the darkness. He must be a shadow to her.

“You saved me,” she ekes out, “do you… I don’t have much, but do you like tea?”

His heart lurches. He has to keep from jumping and dancing. He has to stay calm. He swallows.

“Thank you, miss, that’s very nice–”

“I feel like… I owe you,” she says, “I can’t…” she looks down, “I couldn’t have done it myself.”

“I’m happy I heard the commotion,” he intones, “what kinda monster breaks into a nice girl’s place, huh?” He rubs his fingertips together, “if it isn’t too much, that tea sounds good.”

“Sure, uh,” she twists the inside handle but struggles to get the heavy door outward. He grabs it from the other side. She looks so frail the closer he gets. “Sorry, uh,” she retreats, backing up with a hand on her hip as she looks sheepishly around, “erm… small place…” she’s embarrassed, “I… I’m a bit slow, so give me a minute.”

He enters as she maneuvers herself with the cane. She wears a pair of sweatpants and a loose tank. She's stiff as she moves around, stopping to turn on the lamp before she goes to the kitchen. He closes the doors, securing them before he faces her again.

She puts the kettle on to boil and leans on the counter. He hears her laboured breath. She's in pain.

"I could take care of the tea," he cross the room, "just tell me where everything is..."

"No, I got it," she insists, pivoting as she plants her cane, "I'm fine."

He winces. He doesn't want to come on too strong or for her to think he doesn't know she can do it on her own. That's she has been.

"Yeah, no problem," he backs off. "Uh, rude awakening, huh?"

She doesn't answer. Nervously he watches her turn her back to him. She hangs her head and sniffles. Oh, she's crying.

"Sorry," she croaks, "I just... it's sinking in..." she shivers, "I... what would he have done if... if you..." She shakes her head, "you said this is your job. What does that mean?"

"Um, well, I... I'm supposed to protect people, you know?"

"But you said... you're not a cop."

"I work with some," he offers, not knowing how to explain what he is.

"So like... CIA?" She angles herself around.

"Something like that," he shrugs.

She nods, her eyes sparkling with confusion and unspent tears. She touches her hip again and hunches. She returns her attention to the counter as the kettle clicks. She pours a single cup of tea, "do you like anything in your tea?"

"No, I'm okay," he says.

He knows she measures out her milk and sugar particularly. Even then, she hasn't brewed a cup for herself. He feels bad but he doesn't want to make her feel worse, so he accepts it.

He goes back to the door and flips the lock back and forth. It's loose. He blows over the mug and hums.

"Looks like he did a number on the door," he says, "I can fix it... have to wait until something's open and I can grab a new latch."

"I'll call the landlord," she groans and he hears the metal frame of the pullout creak.

He looks at her, "well, I'll stay for a bit. Can't have someone else just waltzing in."

"Yeah," she shudders and grips the top of the can with both hands.

They stew in silence. He doesn't know what to say. He can hear her heart thumping still. His isn't much calmer.

"Do you mind if I lay down?" She asks with a sniffle, "my... my hips are... well, you can see me."

He does see her. He sees how beautiful she is. He sees how much she needs him. He sees them together. Taking care of each other.

"Yeah, that's fine," he retreats to the window, "I'll just keep an eye out."

The couch whines as she spreads her weight out. She suppresses a sob and it escapes her in a moan.

"Thank you," she ekes out and he hears her roll over. Despite her efforts to hide it, he can hear her weeping.

Her

Your head swells as your tears dry up. The sleepless night adds to the aches in your body and leaves you hollow. You let yourself onto your back, unable to repress a groan as your hips pang.

He's still there, standing silently at the window. It's been hours by now. You feel bad that he's stayed so long.

You sit up with effort, dragging your self against the back rest. You're dizzy from crying and the lack of sleep. You rub your temples.

"You don't have to stay, it's getting light out."

He looks at you. His blue eyes shine in the shadowy circles that surround them. He must be tired too.

"I could fix the lock..." he suggests again.

"I can't... ask that," you turn your legs over the edge of the mattress and reach for your cane, your fumbling fingers sending it to the floor.

He's quick. He strides over and picks up your cane, offering it to your reaching hand. You accept it and get yourself to your feet, sensing how he holds back from helping you.

"Thanks," you murmur.

He nods as you try to stretch your legs out, taking an uneven gait around the cramped space. He goes to the kitchen and rinses his empty mug. You glance over at him. He's strangely familiar.

His jaw is square and chiseled, he's broad and well-built. You can't help the glint of envy in you. You can hardly remember what it's like not to be this way.

"You okay?" He asks, catching you staring.

"Look," you rasp through your dry throat, "I appreciate it but... you don't needa feel sorry for me. I manage--"

"I don't," he insists.

"You must," you deflate, "I get it, but... feeling bad doesn't help me."

He lowers his chin. He moves his hands, watching his fingers open and close as he brings them before him. You didn't notice before the gloves he wore. Odd.

He grips the left one and tugs it, slipping it off as he takes a step towards you. He shows you his fingers, metal digits in black and gold.

"I don't feel bad," he says, "I just know what it's like."

You lean in to look at his hand. Not really his, it's metal but it moves like it's real. You marvel and peek up at his face.

"You can touch it," he says.

"Oh, I..." you give a soft chuckle, surprised by the suggestion.

"I can feel it," he wiggles his fingers.

"You can?" You blink at his shiny palm.

"Yeah, I know it's... insane," he says.

"Is that... part of your job?"

"Yeah," he keeps his hand out, "guess it is."

You consider his hand and shyly reach, touching his pinkie before quickly recoiling. How amazingly strange. You've never seen anything like that.

"You know, that lock will take me like twenty minutes to fix," he retracts his hand and points over his shoulder. "There's a hardware store close by..."

"I don't know," you scrunch your lips up.

"I can't leave you with a broken door," he clucks.

You rub your neck and heave, "I suppose... but I... I can pay you. Erm, I think..."

You go over to the draw and fish out the little tin labeled thumb tacks. Your emergency fund. You flinch as he approaches you quickly, holding his hand out over yours.

"Please, no, I don't want your money," he says.

"But..."

"Keep it, please," he insists. You look around, it's plain enough to see you need it. You put the tin back in the drawer. "Not that you owe me but you could do me one favour."

"Oh, sure."

"Will you have lunch with me?" He asks and your brows pop up in surprise. Huh?

"Lunch?"

"Sure, there's this noodle shop I love but... I'm starting to get stares, you know?"

"I..." you bite down on your cheeks.

"My treat," he chuckles nervously, "I... It's been a while since I had someone to eat with."

You swallow and let your hand drift down to your stomach, "I guess I could do that.”

[googleitlol]

So… saying Dove is a little antsy to find Wukong and get out of Red Boy's cave may be an understatement.

With many of Red Boy's men injured, it takes about a full day to clear the rubble blocking the entrance. Having nothing to do but wait only drives Dove mad with worry. The second enough is cleared for her to leave, she says goodbye to Red Boy and goes. They do have a little talk first about maybe finding different methods to controlling the Samadhi Fire, or at the very least controlling his temper so something like this doesn't happen again.

She'd stay to help him if she could, but in the moment, all she can think about is finding out what happened to Sun Wukong.

Dove Masterlist:

Oh

There’s a space through the blockage. Too small for a person but just enough for your dove form, and that’s all you need. With nothing else keeping you here, you make your way to the entrance, Red Boy following from behind.

“Take care, Red Boy.” You give the boy a smile once you reach the entrance.

The kid doesn’t look up at you, his eyes focused on the ground in front of his feet. “Are you sure you can’t stay?”

A quiet huff of air escapes from your lips, strings pull at your heart as you watch the boy. If only you do more for him, but that just isn’t possible. You can’t put off returning to your friends any longer, and you have to figure out what happened to Sun Wukong. The thought of having Red Boy join you did cross your mind, he certainly would be helpful if he could learn to control the Samadhi Fire. But if you’re able to find Wukong and others, there’s no way they would want him to join. Not after, well, everything.

Still, he needs better guidance than what is here for him in this cave. You just aren’t able to be the one to do it. “My friends are waiting, and I need to know what happened to Sun Wukong.” You crouch down and rest a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry you had to go through that fight, try to take it easy from now on, okay? Try putting an end to all that eating-people thing.”

“…I’ll think about it.” He groans. A little worrying, but you feel as though that’s as good of an answer as you’re going to get.

Standing back up, you pat the boy on the head, ruffling his hair a bit. “Goodbye, Red Boy.”

He grunts in response, and with that, you take flight and squeeze through the opening amidst the rubble. The land before you once you emerge from the cave is a depressing sight. The water seems to have gone down a bit, but the ground alongside it is a muddy mess. Forgotten arrows and blood-stained weapons stick out from the ground and mountainside, scattered across the battlefield. Some trees have fallen over, others that still stand have burnt branches and scorched trunks.

You don’t spend much time taking in the aftermath of the battle, determined to get moving as quickly as possible. Sun Wukong must have drifted downstream, so that’s where you have to go. With any luck, you might run into the rest of the pilgrims on your search. This is the same direction Tripitaka went to find Pigsy and Sandy, after all.

Staying close to the river, the trek down the mountain is quiet, oddly so. Not a single animal crosses your path, there are no birds in the sky nor is there a single buzz of an insect. It might have worried you if not for your thoughts focused on one thing and one thing only.

Your eyes constantly scope out the surrounding area for hours, looking for any trace of Sun Wukong. It’s like you can still see him falling into the river, that moment playing in your mind over and over. Never did you think you’d ever see him like that, like he could actually be… no, he isn’t.

Come on, this is Sun Wukong you’re thinking about. He’s the Monkey King, Great Sage Equal to Heaven! Maybe that hit only surprised him. After all, nothing can hurt him. At least, not physically. You hope so.

Dammit! Your thoughts are getting the better of you. How can they not? If Wukong really was okay, why haven’t you seen him? Why didn’t he get out of the water? The thought of finding his body washed up along the riverbed sends a shiver down your spine. What if he’s unresponsive? If you hold him up only for him to slump back like dead weight? If you try and feel for a pulse–

Before you can spiral any further, an odd scent disrupts your thoughts. Why… Why can you smell saltwater?

The ground begins to shake, and you quickly take dove form and fly up to a nearby tree. The roar of the river grows louder, even more so than during the thunderstorm. It’s coming from uphill, and when you look back, you see it isn’t the river growing louder.

A tidal wave crashes down the mountain, a massive wall of water falling downhill towards you. Smaller trees are knocked down by the rolling force and you quickly take off to a higher vantage point in the sky. The mass of water rushes past, drowning the surrounding land and rising exponentially.

Where did all of this come from? It isn’t slowing down, if anything, more water is coming, but the question of its origin eludes you. It smells like ocean water, but how did it get here? It’s encompassing the mountain at an impossible rate, the trees that still stand barely have a moment left in the air before the water rises to swallow them completely.

Damn, how are you meant to find anyone in this?! Who could be doing this? Did the dragon king’s army return? But they couldn’t have made it rain saltwater, there isn’t even any rain clouds overhead! But then who could be responsible? Who could turn an entire mountain into an ocean?

…Wait a moment.

You look out over the water, a hint of nostalgia flashing through your mind. It is almost like the Southern Sea, by Potalaka Mountain. It couldn’t be… surely, not.

As if you had the capacity to take in any more sudden events, a boy’s scream pierces through the sky. Was that Red Boy? You look out in the direction of the cry and notice three figures in the distance where you came from, by Red Boy’s cave. One of them is on a strange mass, the other two hovering just above on some kind of platform.

You fly over, as fast as you can. What could have happened now?! When you get closer, you’re able to recognise the figures and realise– oh, shit.

The figure sitting on the mass is Red Boy, and the thing he’s sitting on is a collection of swords??? How does that even happen?! What surprises you even more are the two figures in front of him on a lotus platform. Your fellow disciple, Moksa, and Guan Yin herself.

All one thousand of her arms are revealed, her gaze cold as she narrows her eyes at the demon boy before her. You’ve rarely seen that look from her, brows pinched together and her glare sharp enough to pierce metal. You only ever saw that expression when you got into serious trouble as a child.

She holds five golden bands up into the air before sending them towards Red Boy. Four bands fly to his wrists and ankles with the last one falling around his neck. “Listen to me well, child. Under normal circumstances, I would have given you the opportunity to surrender yourself without the constriction of the golden bands. However, you have made a mistake. Have your men release my disciple and I may spare you.”

Shit shit shit shit–

Pushing yourself to go faster, you fly towards the three to disarm the situation. You don’t have to get much closer before your master raises her head up and turns in your direction, Moksa quickly doing the same. “Squab?” She calls out to you as you approach.

Once you’re close enough, two of her arms pull you close into a tight embrace. “Thank goodness you’re safe, my child. Are you hurt?” She loosens her grip a bit once you change back to your human form and stand on the platform with her, but more of her smothering hands begin checking your face and arms, focusing on the wrappings on your arm while you try to speak.

“No– I mean, a little, but it’s alright! I’m okay.” You quickly pull your arm back, but before you can say much else, she wraps you in another hug.

“I was told what happened, I came as soon as I could.” She explains, finally letting you go and giving you the chance to breathe, her arms slowly fading with the reassurance of your safety.

With her check-up over with, you look back to the demon child sitting on the mass of swords. “Please, let Red Boy go. I have already resolved the problem, he let me leave without issue.”

Moksa shoots you a surprised look. “You did?”

“Yes!” Red Boy shouts out on your behalf, the poor boy on the verge of tears.

Guan Yin looks over to the demon child, and the swords vanish in an instant. Red Boy manages to catch himself with his fire cloud, quickly shooting your fellow disciple and master an irritated look while Moksa steps closer to you to give you a hug. “You had us worried, Sister. We were told that you were able to negotiate the freedom of the Tang Monk, but you were still trapped in the demon’s cave.” He explains with a frown, and you mirror the look. Who could have told them that?

“She isn’t in there!” Your head whips back when you hear his voice.

He’s there, crouched on his somersault cloud and looking back in the direction of the cave as he flies forward. “I went back to the brat’s home, but–”

He isn’t able to finish before you jump to him, tackling him into a hug. “Wukong!”

“WoOAHH–!” He lets out a shout as he loses his balance and falls back, sending the two of you crashing into the sea below.

The splash of salt water isn’t enough for you to let go, not until you notice your friend sinking deeper into the water like a rock. A hand grabs onto the back of your shirt as well as Wukong’s, Moksa pulling the two of you out of the water.

Wukong is quick to jump back onto his cloud, barely shaking off the water before taking you out of Moksa’s arms. “Dove, you’re okay!”

“Are you?!” You hold his arms in your own. He looks a little beat. From what’s exposed of his chest, you can see wrappings that go around his chest and back. “I saw you fall in the fight but you didn’t surface! I know you’re immortal but I thought you might have– I thought that…”

You pull him close, holding him tight in your arms. You let your head rest on his shoulder, that faint scent of peaches more comforting than you ever thought it could be. “You scared me.”

He’s quiet for a moment, stiff before returning the embrace. “You’re one to talk.” He chuckles, one arm wrapping around your back while the other cradles the back of your head, his fingers tangling in your hair.

“Usually, when it’s just Master that’s been taken, I can handle things with just my brothers and you.” He mumbles, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance. “I had to bring an entire army and a bodhisattva for this! You are exhausting to rescue.”

“Me?! I negotiated Tripitaka’s freedom and my own after your first fight!” You release him from your hold with a laugh. To think you even spent so long worrying about this stupid monkey. “ You’re exhausted? I’ve been following the river for hours, terrified at the thought of finding your corpse washed up on its banks!”

“That doesn’t make any sense, I can’t die!” He scoffs, rolling his eyes at the thought.

“Explain all this, then!” You take the idiot by his lapels and pull his shirt down a bit to expose the wrappings, how badly was he hurt when he got hit??

You reach out to turn him around and check his back when he lets out a hiss. You retract your hand when he pulls back and shoots you with a look. “Sorry.”

“Wow, Sister, leave the injured man alone. Or at least wait for us to leave.” Moksa scolds with a smirk, and it only hits you now that you have an audience watching you pull your friend’s shirt down.

Guan Yin laughs softly under her breath, clearly amused despite your face growing more and more red. “I see that you really are alright.”

You nod, turning to face the bodhisattva while Wukong fixes his shirt. “Yes, Master. I apologise for any worry I may have caused with my absence.”

“Miss, you have a lot of friends with very violent tendencies.” Red Boy frowns, his arms crossed.

Before you can respond, Wukong put an arm over you and gives the boy a glare. “Says the one who was planning on eating her.”

“I didn’t want to eat her, just your master.” Red Boy scoffs. “I’m not so terrible as to do harm to the people that are nice to me.”

“Yeah, because locking them up is so much better.” Wukong bites back. “You’re lucky I didn’t swat you halfway across the continent!”

The boy laughs. “Like you could! Remind me, simian, who was the one that lost both fights?”

“You mean after you pulled those dirty tricks with the fire?!” He sneers, his cloud moving the two of you closer to the boy before you pull his arm back.

“Okay! Let’s all take a breath.” You hum, giving your friend a smile. “I think it’s about time we got back to the others, yeah?” Wukong looks over to you as you speak, the anger on his face receding before giving the demon boy one last glare.

“Yeah, you’re right.” When he looks back at you, he returns your smile.

Your master hums. “Give your companions my regards, I’m afraid I will have to stay back.” She glances over to Red Boy, who shrinks back a bit under her gaze. “There are some things I would like to discuss before returning home.”

With that, Sun Wukong scoops you into his arms. You let out a bit of a surprised noise when he does, and he takes off before you’re able to say a word. Hopefully, your master goes easy on the boy.

Soon it’s just you and Wukong soaring through the new sea, and you give the demon a worried frown. “Here, I can change back into a dove–”

“No, it’s alright.” He grunts, his eyes facing towards the horizon.

Your brows furrow, discomfort itching at your limbs. “But you’re hurt, I don’t want you to strain yourself.”

“Ha!” He grins, shaking his head as though you said something amusing. “I can still lift my staff just fine, and it weighs several tons more than you ever could.” Wukong looks down to you, noticing the worry on your face and frowning. He hums a bit as he looks back up, silence stretching for only a moment before he continues.

“I just… it’s been a long couple of days, and I want to.” He admits. “You’ve had me worried sick and, I don’t know– I feel better like this. Is that okay with you?”

Wukong looks back down to you, his eyes almost… you’re not sure what to call it. The look he shares with you, it’s soft, gentle. You’re taken aback a little by the sincerity in his voice, and even though you feel an immense relief to see him safe– to see him alive– you still feel your heart quicken its pace the longer you share this look with him. Perhaps it was because you haven’t had a peaceful moment with him in the last two days or so, but his red and golden eyes stun you in the moment. Those golden irises, they’ve always taken you a little by surprise.

Eventually, you remember he asked you a question, and turn away into his shoulder in hopes to hide the flushed red growing over your face. You’re not even sure why you can feel any heat in your cheeks. “Sure, Peaches, I don’t mind.”

“Peaches?” Your eyes go wide as he echoes the nickname.

Now you have a reason for your face turning red. “I mean, you are what you eat.” You mumble, as though any sort of reasoning could make this any less embarrassing. You didn’t mean to say any of that out loud! Gah, what is going on with you?!

He laughs a bit, clearly amused. “No, I like it! You’re right, I am what I eat.” His chuckle rumbles through his chest, and oddly enough, you can feel his heartbeat become a little faster. “Does this mean I get to call you Love-Do–”

“No.”

His laughter fills the air, and you can’t help but smile a little when you hear it. Knowing he’s safe, that he’s with you now, it feels as though a weight has lifted. You’ve never felt so afraid for him before, have such panic rush through you over the thought that he was in genuine danger. Hearing his laughter, you can’t help but feel this sense of relief, of joy.

Wukong sighs, and you feel his hold tighten just slightly. “I’m glad you’re safe, Dove.”

Your smile refusing to fade, you tuck your head into the crook of his neck and sigh. The scent of peaches is so calming. “I’m glad you’re safe too, Peaches.”

Sun Wukong giggles, and you grin. He sounds like he really likes that nickname, huh? Maybe it wouldn’t be so embarrassing to use it more, if it got that sort of reaction from him. Maybe not in front of the others, though.

~~~~

She called him Peaches. It’s… it’s cute. Sun Wukong didn’t expect that from her, though her embarrassment is making it all the better. With the stress of these past days, he nearly forgot how much he loves it when she gets all flustered like that. It’s just… he can’t think of any other way to describe it other than cute.

The sage can feel his heart racing but he tries his best to ignore it and play it cool. Damn, how does she do it? When she was gone, he was beyond stressed, and having her in his arms is so calming, yet his heart is going a mile a minute. How does she do this to him?

She’s the only one who ever can. It felt like some sort of magic, but not her usual magic. Not her gift, it was… it was something else. That ‘something else’ has been bugging the sage for some time now. He’s not sure when it started, but whenever he’s able to see that smile, when he caught a glimpse of her in the heat of battle– sometimes when she was the way she is now, all flustered– that something else prods at him.

Wukong looks down at her again, safe in his arms. He could stay like this forever, if he could. Her warmth encapsulates him, making his injury nothing more than a faded memory. It feels so right, so perfect, having Dove in his arms.

Her calming aura and that something else continues to pick away at him. It makes him feel light, and when it’s there he can’t help but smile and tighten his hold slightly. He doesn’t want this to slip away. What a nice feeling, this something else. “I’m glad you’re safe, Dove.”

She smiles before nuzzling her head into his neck, and the action is enough for Wukong to believe his heart might burst from his chest. He feels his face flush as she lets out a little sigh of content. The small sound is enough to make his chest constrict. “I’m glad you’re safe too, Peaches.”

The giggle that comes from him is completely involuntary, as though it’s an automatic reaction to her name for him. This woman… That something else, it’s almost eating away at him.

That something… else…

Oh. Oh, wait.

No… wait, no… oh.

Oh.

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

Oh these two idiots are both so gone.

Ooh, "creating art is about exploring what you like" is a nice line. So often we put too much into feeling like creativity has to end up with a good product, and less about what it can teach us about ourselves.

I like how this show talks about art. And New is making it so clear here that he does put a part of himself in all of his shows, whatever people might think. Respect.

And we're normalizing taking breaks and that you can't be productive and creative all the time! Fabulous.

We love a queen who makes the most of her background time.

I mean, valid question Peem, but also - pot, kettle, etc, etc.

Oh god, their actual boyfriend era is going to end me.

You know what I really love about this Phum/Peem scene? They're making it clear that mutual attraction is just one piece of the relationship puzzle. But the friendship still needs to be there, the caring when someone is having a bad day, and being there to pick them up. So many BLs gloss over the mutual support part of romantic relationships in favor of the swoony bits, but this is the kind of thing that makes a couple seem likely to actually last.

Also what does it say about BLs that I was so relieved they actually rolled up their pant legs at the pool? (Of course they still end up wet in the end, but it's the principle of the thing!)

Phum is just 100% always thirsty for Peem and I respect it.

Haha, love Q being all "hands off my baby, stat".

And they're communicating so openly! My sweeties.

Omg, omg, Fang trying to teach himself to express tenderness to Tan, I cannot.

Just go slow Fang, or you may kill this man with happiness!

Aaaaaah, not Pun finding a little bird and wanting to help it, going to Chain (of course), AND naming it Penguin.

I am already at lethal levels of cuteness overload, and we haven't even gotten to the FangTan scene yet.

Staawwwp.

Lolol, of course he got sick, he got wet for 30 seconds. But again we get the subversion, we're paying tribute to the sick trope, but not fully engaging! Heh, this show is so fun.

Has anyone else noticed the slight tone shift for Phum when he's talking to Peem? There's a new softness to it and it's adorable.

Toey, no, no crying wolf to your boyfriend!

But the pencil case thing is adorable.

I think the Peem and Q friendship chemistry might be my favorite in the whole show.

Lol, not Peem letting slip he slept with Phum last night!

Beer, you are such a champion. Good wingmanning, while also not excusing Phum's bad behaviors.

Oh, baby Phum being sent away, that's heart-breaking. No wonder he has walls like that.

I am loving these reveals with Fang. He's such an internal character, so we are unpeeling the layers slowly. But seeing how annoyed he is to not be able to reach Tan, and how fast Tan is able to make him smile again, makes it so clear how much he really needs him.

And the way he smiles so big when he thinks no one can see, but goes right back to pouty face with Tan because it gets him the attention he craves...

Whoever dressed Q for this series, I love you.

Phum going from self-doubt to full steam ahead the moment he gets reassurance his feelings are returned is delightful to see.

Omg, domestic Fang and Tan. But also Fang, you can learn to cook other things, y'know?

Lolol, Fang absolutely loves Tan's antics, it's so freaking adorable.

Aou and Boom always frickin bring it, we thank you for your service boys.

Also more trope play! Tan holding Fang down in the cliche way, but Fang still showing agency and not playing the blushing maiden. Perfect.

Ok, I liked the Kluen scene. He's being shown as a real person with a life of his own, he's not just the "rival". And Peem is being more straightforward with him.

Hahaha, Chain short-circuiting more and more as Pun gets closer.

MATT, WHAT THE HELL?! You do not interfere with my crumbs, dammit!!

Omg, not Chain just blurting out that he likes being shipped with Pun.

I love that everyone is shocked by Phum except for Beer, who is just like "yup".

I do typically hate public declarations, but I will let it go here, because the friend group is the key to the whole series.

Also, Pun is drunk again, so Chain better be ready for some biting! Chomp, chomp.

[theonceandfuturequeenoftarts]

Harry wandered back from Dumbledore’s office in a daze. He continued to question what he could possibly learn about how to defeat Voldemort by taking a trip down memory lane, as he had since these meetings had started, but now he felt added stirrings of discomfort. Like his skin was a size too small or he’d walked through an invisible spiderweb.

Voldemort, back when he’d been Tom Riddle, was… very much like Harry. Dumbledore could say that their choices defined them and made them different or whatever, and maybe he was right. But seeing how Riddle was talked about by the matron, how Dumbledore treated him in that first meeting – it made Harry realise how very easily he could have been the evil outcast, if anyone had listened to the Dursleys’ lies, or found out about his parseltongue abilities, or if he hadn’t already been lauded as some hero since he’d been a baby. As much as he didn’t like the fame and the wild mood swings of the magical population’s attitude towards him, Harry knew those expectations had guided his path and moulded who he was becoming.

Dumbledore’s actions were… well, unkind was possibly the nicest way to put it. He had instantly judged an eleven-year old as irredeemable, pretended to light all his worldly possessions on fire, and didn’t seem to find anything wrong with how he’d acted even sixty years later. Yes, Riddle hadn’t exactly helped his case with that talk of hurting things, but Harry had seen that desperation for connection, for belonging, that he’d once felt.

And then there was the added fact that he was being shown private moments from Riddle’s history. Harry knew how he’d feel if someone was shown his memories of life at the Dursleys. He still hadn’t told anyone about the cupboard under the stairs, and the rest his friends only guessed at.

Maybe he was reading too far into things, or projecting his own situation. Maybe Ron and Hermione were right and his saving-people-thing was showing. After all, hadn’t Riddle grown up to be a megalomaniac who led a hate group that murdered and tortured muggles and muggleborns? Maybe there should be limits to Harry’s empathy.

But Harry’s secret power was love, according to Dumbledore. If caring was what differentiated him from Voldemort – and especially since he couldn’t seem to stop it even when it left him gutted, cold and alone – then dammit, Harry was going to care.

So, Harry did what he did best (?) and leapt headfirst without looking.

Ducking into a dusty, moonlit classroom, he leaned against a desk, pulled out a bit of parchment and quill, and started to write.

Voldemort,

So, on a scale of one to ten, how pissed would you be

Hope you haven’t murdered anyone lately oh wait it’s you

Hey. I wanted you to know that Dumbledore showed me the memory of you receiving your Hogwarts letter. At the orphanage. With the whole fire wardrobe thing. 

I feel like I should apologise. It definitely seems like an invasion of privacy and I didn’t want to know, but now I do, and I’m sorry?

Is this weird? This is weird.

Anyway, I also saw the matron talking about you, but I know that sometimes people lie for stupid reasons, so here’s a one-time opportunity of me asking for your side of the story. If you want.

You probably don’t care.

– Harry (Potter)

Before Ron or Hermione found out or he could think better of it, Harry snuck up to the owlery and tied the letter to a nondescript school owl. (Hedwig was incensed that he would use another bird and pecked at his head a few times before flying off to the rafters to give him the cold shoulder, but there was no way he’d send his beloved owl off to Voldemort. Sorry, school bird.)

He returned to the Gryffindor common room as soon as the owl flew off, putting the letter as far from his mind as possible. After all, it wasn’t like he’d receive a response.

(thus, friends absent speak)

[red-jaebyrd]

A New Bird in the Nest

Summary: What if Jason survived Ethiopia and Bruce adopted Tim early? Jason has many insecurities about the new addition to Wayne Manor and it doesn’t help that Bruce has been avoiding Jason since he came back from the hospital. The fear of being replaced and pushed out looms over Jason and it all starts when a kid named Tim Drake moves in. This fic was inspired by this beautiful piece of art by @ky-landfill

It had been almost three months since Ethiopia and Jason was still walking on eggshells around Bruce. Lately Bruce was all clipped tones and clenched jawed whenever Jason attempted to start a conversation with him.  After a while Jason gave up trying to talk to Bruce altogether. With a heavy heart Jason came to the harsh realization that Bruce was obviously still mad at him about Ethiopia.

Bruce was always busy now that Jason was home from the hospital. And while Jason was no longer confined to a bed and could now get around with the help of crutches, Bruce was hardly home. When he was home, Bruce was either holed up in the Cave or his study at all hours. At mealtimes he was constantly hiding behind a newspaper or hyper-focused on a tablet to avoid talking to Jason. Whenever his eyes would wander and meet Jason’s, it was always met with worry lines and a furrowed brow. It got on Jason’s nerves. He didn’t want Bruce’s pity. He just wanted Bruce to talk to him without snapping.

The only time they had talked was in the car on the way to Jason’s PT or to various doctor’s appointments. The conversations always mainly focused on the progress and recovery of Jason’s leg and nothing else. Jason figured it was probably easier for Bruce to talk to him if he didn’t have to actually look at him.

Since Jason had come home from the hospital Bruce had restricted Jason’s access to the Cave. He had told Jason that he didn’t want him to be in the Cave using numerous excuses like the flooring was unstable and would interfere with his crutches. There were also no handrails or any feasible way to install them.

Bruce’s cutoff of Robin spoke volumes to Jason without Bruce ever having to say much to him.

Continue on A03

Dick was visiting at the Manor today. Jason always looked forward to Dick’s visits, but he would never admit that to his older brother. When Jason had arrived home from the hospital, Dick had temporarily moved back into the Manor to help with Jason’s care.

At first Jason resented the gesture, mostly because he thought Dick was doing it out of guilt, but after a while it didn’t matter why Dick decided to stay at the Manor, Jason liked having him around. Not to mention Dick was a great buffer between him and Bruce.

Last week Dick had moved back to his apartment in Bludhaven. It was time for Dick to go back to his city and as much as Jason didn’t want him to go, he knew Dick had responsibilities he needed to get back to. Jason missed hanging out with his older brother every day, but Dick had promised to stop by and visit at least every other weekend.

This weekend Dick came, and they were hanging out the kitchen munching on Alfred’s delicious chicken salad sandwiches when Dick surprised Jason with a question.

“Have you and Bruce talked at all about what happened in Ethiopia?” Dick broached, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

“No,” Jason swallowed, putting his sandwich down and grabbing some chips. “We haven’t talked about that day. He doesn’t really talk to me anymore. Not that he ever talked a lot before, you know, but this is different. He snaps at me sometimes and stops mid-sentence. It’s like he wants to say something to me, but then he doesn’t.” Jason’s shoulders were inching toward his ears. “I think – I think he’s still mad at me.”

“He’s not mad at you,” Dick sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration and muttering a ‘Dammit Bruce’ under his breath. “Believe me. He’s – he’s just overwhelmed with what could have happened and he’s bad at communicating that fear to you.” Dick rubbed his hands together over his plate to discard the crumbs. He put his hand on Jason’s shoulder and squeezed. “You almost died, Jay and for him it wasn’t the first time he’d almost lost his kid to a rogue. He’s not upset with you. Give him time.”

Jason scowled at Dick. How much more time did Jason need to give Bruce? It had been at almost three months. Jason pushed his plate away from him and rubbed the crumbs from his hands onto his jeans. The sandwich now felt like stone in his stomach.

“He won’t let me back in the Cave. Do you think – do you think he’ll take Robin away?” Jason inquired, picking at his sandwich just to give his hands something to do.

“The truth?” Dick asked, leveling a look at Jason.

Jason nodded.

“He should. At least for –,“

“But I didn’t mean to –,“ Jason interrupted, his eyes wide at Dick’s answer.

Dick held up his hands in a placating manner “Let me finish. He should take it away at least for now. Maybe allowing a kid at 13 to fight dangerous criminals wasn’t the brightest idea on his part.”

“You did it at 9 years old,” Jason argued, clenching his fists at the table.

He couldn’t believe the hypocrite Dick was being when it came to Robin. He thought Dick would understand.

“Our situations were different,” Dick countered, raising his voice a little. “I didn’t give Bruce a choice in the matter. I was going to find my parents’ killer with or without his help. Robin was a way for me to be out there making a difference and seeking justice for my parents.”

“I don’t know why I even asked you,” Jason snapped, crossing his arms. “You never liked me being Robin in the first place.”

“No, I didn’t,” Dick retorted, his jaw clenching. Jason recoiled at the quick response. “Robin was mine. It was my mantle to hand over to a successor, not Bruce. I was replaced before I even got a say in the matter.”

Jason lips parted to say something but all he could do was glare at Dick. Dick had never let him forget that he had been replaced.

Dick got up from the table and placed his plate and glass in the sink.

Jason chanced a look at Dick who had his back turned to him with his arms braced at the sink edge. His shoulders tense. After a while Dick turned on the faucet and began to wash his dishes.

Now Dick was going to give him the silent treatment just like Bruce. Jason sighed and rubbed his forehead. He really did have a knack for messing things up and pissing people off. He couldn’t afford right now to have yet another person in his life not speaking to him; especially Dick. They just started getting to know each other again.

He never should’ve said anything to Dick about Robin.

“I never liked that he made you Robin, but…” Dick admitted, breaking the silence and turning off the water.

Here we go, Jason thought, bracing himself for Dick to lay into him.

“I quickly saw in you what Bruce did, that you were the right choice for the mantle,” Dick continued, his voice gentle and even. Jason blinked and looked up at Dick. The older man was now facing Jason drying his hands on a dishtowel. All signs of anger gone as the brightness returned to Dick’s eyes.

Jason gave him a small smile. Dick didn’t have to say that last part to him. Jason picked up his plate and limped to a drawer next to the sink for a Ziploc bag. He placed the reminder of his sandwich in it and hobbled to put it in the fridge. Dick took his plate, turned on the water, and began to wash it. Jason headed back to his chair at the table.

“Do –,” Jason hesitated, steeling himself for his next question. He padded his finger against a scratch on the wood. “-do you think he’ll replace me too?”

It was a question he hated asking out loud, especially to Dick, he didn’t even know why he asked it. Maybe he was hoping for some support, a counter argument in his favor, a lie, or a platitude. However, Jason knew deep down Dick wouldn’t sugar coat his words.

“Not unless he decides to adopt another kid,” Dick snorted, turning off the water and drying his hands. “And I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”

“Thanks for the reassurance, Dick,” Jason retorted, rolling his eyes.  

“Jay, I’m kidding,” Dick teased, throwing a dish towel at Jason. “He’s not adopting another kid, okay?”

Jason nodded. He wanted to believe Dick, but Dick had now planted a seed of doubt. Considering Bruce’s track record there was always the possibility of Robin being replaced looming over Jason.

Two weeks later Jason was blindsided by the introduction to Tim Drake. A boy he had met briefly at a gala that Jason had attended with Bruce last year. He remembered trying to make conversation with the kid, but the interaction was awkward. The kid hadn’t been very talkative. While he had an overly friendly smile and gave Jason his full attention, the kid only nodded and gave Jason one word answers. Jason wasn’t sure if the kid was just shy or stuck up. Jason had concluded that the kid likely didn’t want to be seen talking to a street rat from Park Row and was just humoring him.

Bruce informed Alfred and Jason that Tim’s stay was a temporary emergency foster placement until a relative could be contacted.

Jason could deal with having a stranger in his house for a week or two, it didn’t mean he had to like him or spend time with him.  

For the next several days, Jason avoided the new kid at all costs except at meal times, which were unavoidable. Alfred and Bruce wouldn’t allow him to take meals up to his room. Bruce even stopped hiding behind newspapers and tablets at the table futilely trying to engage the kid in conversation. The kid hardly talked but answered questions when asked. Bruce still sometimes stayed in his study, but he now started opening the door again. It was something he hadn’t done since Jason had come home from the hospital.

The changes in the house were obvious, and it stung that the kid was getting Bruce’s undivided attention.

Whatever.

The kid had exceptional table manners, which was expected considering where he came from, but it still rubbed Jason the wrong way. What was this kid trying to prove anyway, that he was better than Jason? No shit, Sherlock, that much was obvious.  But it didn’t matter, the kid was soon moving out of Jason’s house and in with relatives. Jason would soon be rid of him.

It didn’t help matters that Dick and the new kid got along perfectly. Dick came over to the Manor right away to meet the new kid. The kid was completely enamored with Dick soaking up the frequent hair tousles and side hugs that Dick had always reserved for Jason.

First, the kid had stolen Bruce’s attention away from Jason, now he was stealing all of the time Jason would normally have with Dick.

About a week and half into the new kid’s stay, Bruce dropped the bomb that plans had changed, and the kid would now be staying with them at the Manor permanently. The kid was soon moved from a bedroom in the guest wing to a bedroom in the family wing next to Jason.

Jason’s stomach dropped. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Bruce had actually done the very thing Dick had teased him about almost two weeks ago, ‘not unless he adopts another kid’. It was actually happening.

Jason was being replaced! It was only a matter of time before Jason was completely out of the picture and the new kid became the new Robin.

He phoned Dick right away yelling at him that Bruce was replacing him with this new kid.

“This is all your fault,” Jason barked on the phone, slowly pacing his room.

“What’s my fault?” Dick asked.

“’Not unless he adopts another kid’ bullshit. Well it’s happening, because you’re the one who said it out loud,” Jason argued, clenching his jaw in frustration. It was a weak argument, but it was all Jason had at the moment. He had to blame someone.

“Jay, you can’t speak something into existence,” Dick snorted.

“I – I know that, dumbass,” Jason growled, irritated that Dick wasn’t taking him seriously. “I just didn’t think he’d –.”

The lump in his throat cut off his words and made his breath hitch. This was all happening too fast for Jason. Bruce wasn’t supposed to get another kid this fast or at all. The kid was supposed to move in with relatives. Jason knew he wouldn’t be Robin forever, but he thought he’d have enough time to get used to not being Robin before Bruce went and replaced him.

“Jay, are you still there? Talk to me, bud,” Dick said, breaking the silence, all teasing gone from his voice. “Bruce isn’t replacing you, Little Wing. He’s simply giving a kid something he needs right now, a home and a family. Nothing more. Besides, Tim is harmless and a great kid. I hope you’re being nice to him.”

“Why does he need my home and my family?” Jason whined, sagging onto his bed. His leg throbbing in time with his heartbeat.

Jason knew he was being unreasonable. This kid had done nothing wrong except existing, yet Jason couldn’t bring himself to be nice because this kid was getting the one thing Jason had been wanting for the last two months – Bruce’s undivided attention; and now stealing the only thing he had left - his brother’s devotion.

“Because his family failed him, Jay,” Dick replied, his tone matter of fact yet gentle. “You know what that’s like. Just talk to him and try to get to know him. He’s a great kid.”

Jason couldn’t bring himself to start a conversation with the kid, not yet anyway, but he no longer glared at the kid at meals or slammed his door in the kid’s face. He’d nod whenever the kid said, ‘Good morning’ and no longer avoided the library when he saw the kid sitting in his favorite chair. He even kept his mouth shut when he saw the kid sitting in Bruce’s study just feet away from the Grandfather clock entrance to the Cave.

The more Jason paid quiet attention to the kid, the more he saw things that reminded him of his own upbringing with Willis and he didn’t like it. The kid knew how to stay out of the way. When he was not occupied elsewhere with Bruce or Alfred, the kid spent most of his time in his room. The kid never really ventured within the Manor by himself beyond the library or kitchen, even though he was given permission and encouraged to explore his surroundings.

At first, Jason actually liked it. It meant he didn’t have to run into the kid or spend any time with him. But soon Jason realized that the kid’s avoidance of everyone was a definite problem.

The kid was quiet and never brought any kind of attention to himself. He never complained about the food given to him, ever; and ate everything on his plate, even the gross under-seasoned brussel sprouts and cauliflower. Bruce didn’t even eat the brussel sprouts on his plate. Jason knew the kid hated them because he noticed the kid struggling to swallow every single one, but he never said anything to Alfred or Bruce. Bruce eventually told the kid that he didn’t have to eat anything he didn’t like, but it was like the kid didn’t hear him. The kid also never asked for seconds but would say yes when they were offered to him.

The weirdest thing of all, the kid never initiated any conversation with Bruce or Alfred unless they spoke to him first. The kid was literally the poster child for that saying, ‘children should be seen and not heard’.

He didn’t even speak up one particular evening when he started breaking out in hives at dinner.

Jason was the first one to notice something was wrong with the kid. It was only for a split second and the kid must have realized something wasn’t right either because he instantly put his head down. But it was too late, Jason had seen the red raised splotches on the kid’s neck and face. The kid was white-knuckling his cutlery, a piece of Alfred’s Pesto Penne was still dangling off his fork.

If Jason had the height and the strength, he would have kicked the kid under the table.

Say something, kid!

Jason wasn’t sure why he was getting so mad, but it was pissing him off that this kid was going through what looked like some sort of anaphylaxis episode and staying quiet. Jason still might not know how to talk to the kid, and maybe he was still a little angry at him for stealing Bruce and Dick, but he didn’t want him to die.

Could it be that the kid was genuinely afraid to disrespect adults that he’d put his health in danger and eat whatever was put in front of him?

Didn’t the kid know by now that Bruce wasn’t going to be mad at him for speaking up about an allergy? Hadn’t the kid spent enough time with Bruce to know that he’d never be shamed for something he couldn’t control.

“Bruce!” Jason yelled, finally getting the man’s attention. Bruce gave him a puzzled look. “Your new kid needs you.”

Just then the kid cleared his throat and made a weird and alarming wheezing sound. Bruce’s fork clattered on his plate the moment he laid eyes on the kid.

“Tim, are you okay?”

The kid’s eyes went wide. His eyes scanned frantically at Jason, Bruce and then Alfred, but he didn’t say a word.

“Tim, I need you to answer me, okay,” Bruce asked, keeping his voice low and calm. “Are you allergic to pine nuts?”

“No, I…I don’t know,” The kid swallowed, tears pooling in his eyes. “I’m…I’m allergic to almonds, but I’m…I’m okay.”

It was obvious to Jason and everyone else in the room that the kid was anything but okay.

“Alfred, get two epi-pens and call Leslie,” Bruce ordered, making his way to a chair closer to Tim to examine his face and neck.

“Right away, sir.”

“I’m okay,” The kid wheezed, moving his face away from Bruce. “Really, it’s f-fine.”

Jason couldn’t take it anymore. The kid was obviously not okay. Nothing about this was fine. The sooner he realized that the better.

“You’re not okay, you dummy! You don’t fuck around with food allergies!” Jason bellowed, banging his fists on the table to emphasize his point. “If you’re not feeling good because the food is making you sick, you fucking say something.”

“Jason,” Bruce warned, keeping his voice even while also leveling Jason with a glare.

He could see Bruce clenching his jaw as he went back to examining the kid. Jason ignored him. He didn’t care that he was making Bruce mad. Jason needed to finish telling the kid what he needed to hear.

“If you’re still hungry, ask for more food,” Jason continued, his voice getting louder. “If you don’t like the food, don’t eat it. Either way Bruce and Alfred won’t get mad!”

“Jason, you’re yelling,” Bruce stated, his voice low and gravely. “Lower your voice or you’ll need to leave the table.

Jason didn’t even know why he was yelling at the kid, but it felt good to get it out. A part of him was frustrated that the kid still didn’t see what he had here with Bruce – safety. Another part of him was irritated at himself for acting like a complete asshole hating this kid for no reason other than existing and taking up space. Realizing too late that this kid was just like him when he first came to live here, scared and mistrustful of adults.

Jason wasn’t done yet. There was one last thing Jason needed the kid to hear and understand about the way things worked with Bruce and Alfred. Something Dick actually told him when Jason first came to the Manor.

“No one here is going to make you do what you don’t want to do,” Jason emphasized, grabbing his crutch, and getting up from his chair. “But they won’t know what you want if you don’t fucking say something.”

He added that last bit.

“Jason, that is enough,” Bruce scolded, his voice loud enough to make the crying kid next to him jump and Jason flinch.

Before Bruce could tell him to go to his room, Jason was already making his way to out of the dining room.

“I’m sorry, Bruce,” the kid sobbed, his breaths hitching, while Bruce continued to examine the hives on his face and neck. “I’m so sorry for making a scene. Please…please don’t be mad. I’ll…I’ll do better. I promise.”

The last sentence was said in a whisper, but Jason heard it loud and clear. It felt like a punch to the gut. He couldn’t get out of the dining room fast enough. If only his stupid leg would let him run. He made his way out of the dining room and into the hallway. He leaned against the wall taking deep breaths.

What kind of parents did this kid have that he was scared of adults and knew nothing about his own food allergies?

Jason saw the signs once he had started to pay more attention. The obvious signs of abuse. They were right there at every meal, every encounter, plain as day, but Jason was too preoccupied with his own paranoia of being replaced, and blinded by Tim’s rich kid status and upbringing to think that someone of his background was being mistreated by his own parents.

Jason was an asshole.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as Alfred walked briskly passed him into the dining room with the two epi-pens for Tim. Jason proceeded to head for the stairs.

Jason made it as far as the bottom of the stairs. He sat down on the steps and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the banister. The familiar throbbing of a migraine radiated from his left temple to the back of his head. After a while he heard familiar footsteps approaching him. It was Bruce.

“How’s the kid?” Jason asked, squinting at the harsh light of the chandelier above him.

“The epi-pens helped. Alfred is monitoring him in one of the downstairs bedrooms,” Bruce answered, sitting down on the step next to Jason. “Leslie is on her way to check on him.”

“Good,” Jason replied, nodding his head. “That’s…that’s good.”

They sat there on the steps in companionable silence. Jason could feel a lecture coming from Bruce. The migraine made it hard for Jason to care. Right now, all the fight in him had left.

“You can’t yell at him like that again, Jay,” Bruce warned, breaking the silence. “He didn’t deserve that from you at all.”

“I know,” Jason groaned, leaning his head against the banister again. “And I didn’t mean to yell, but the k-,“ Jason stopped himself, the kid had a name and he should probably start using it. “Tim needed to hear it. I’m not sorry for what I said.”

“You need to be nicer to your brother, Jay,” Bruce sighed, his shoulders sagging in exhaustion. “We need to make him feel welcome here.

Brother.

Jason let the word wash over him. He hadn’t really allowed himself to think of Tim in that way even though it was obvious that he’d be staying at the Manor permanently. It was all too much for Jason to think about at the moment.  

“Bruce,” Jason breathed, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead. “I don’t want to talk about him right now. My head is killing me.”

He knew he needed to talk to Bruce about Tim, but he couldn’t do it tonight. Right now his throbbing head wouldn’t let him think straight.

“Okay get some rest,” Bruce suggested, brushing Jason’s bangs from his forehead. “We definitely need to have a conversation. We’ll do that in the morning when you’re up for it.”

The next morning Jason took his time making it to Bruce’s study.

He had most of the morning to think about what he was going to say to Tim and Bruce. Jason wasn’t sure if he’d actually have the guts to admit out loud certain thoughts that had been rummaging around in his brain the last few weeks. Especially the big one concerning Robin.

Would Bruce take Robin from him and give it to Tim?

Before Jason realized it, he was in front of Bruce’s study. The door was opened. Bruce had always told Jason to feel free to come inside if the door wasn’t closed. His door hadn’t been opened in the months before Tim came to the Manor. Jason peeked inside from the doorway.

Bruce looked deep in thought as he perused over various papers from different file folders stacked on his desk. Jason was starting to have second thoughts. 

“Hey Jason, what can I do for you?” Bruce asked, not looking up from what he was reading.

It always weirded Jason out when Bruce knew it was him without even looking at him. It was likely the squeaking sound from his crutch that gave him away.           

“You look busy,” Jason observed, giving Bruce an out and hoping that he’d take it. He turned to leave. “I’ll come back.”

“I’m not busy, have a seat,” Bruce acknowledged, motioning to the sofa. He took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He closed the file folder he was reading, stood up from his desk chair, and stretched. He soon followed Jason to the sofa. “How’s your head, kiddo?”

“Better. I think I just needed to sleep it off,” Jason answered, sitting down and leaning his crutch against the arm of the sofa. Once he got a closer look at Bruce he could see dark circles under the man’s eyes. “Have you been here all night?” Jason gestured to Bruce’s desk.

“Pretty much. Though I did spend some of the night looking in on Tim,” Bruce sighed, sitting down on the sofa with Jason and rubbing his tired eyes.

“How’s he doing?”

“He’s much better, just tired. He’s back in his room if you wanted to go see him later and talk.”

Jason nodded. It was Bruce’s way of telling Jason that he needed to apologize to Tim. He had planned on visiting Tim after this, though he’d understand if Tim wasn’t up for it considering the way Jason yelled at him last night.

“Anyway, I’m just trying to see if I had missed something in any of Tim’s records,” Bruce continued, leaning back on the sofa. “They’re all pretty vague and don’t go back that far. There aren’t any details about any known allergies or yearly well checks, no documentation about any allergy testing except the most recent one that revealed an allergy to almonds. His immunization record stops at 5 years old.”

“But his parents have money, right? If they live in this neighborhood,” Jason snapped, folding his arms. “How could they just not take him to the doctor?”

“You’d be surprised by the priorities some people have in this town,” Bruce criticized. “Sadly, their children are not on the top of that list.”

Jason shook his head. It didn’t make any sense to him. Tim’s parents had money. Maybe not as much money as Bruce, but they could afford to take Tim to the best doctors for yearly check-ups and specialists to help him with his allergies. Instead, they chose to prioritize their jobs and lifestyle instead of their kid.

“Is that the reason he’s living here with us now? Because his parents didn’t take good care of him?”

“Among other things, yes,” Bruce answered. “Tim’s home life wasn’t great. From what little he told me his parents left him home alone for extended amounts of time at a fairly young age. For his safety and wellbeing, it was necessary for him to be removed from his parents. He needed a home with stability and most of all a family. I felt that we could be all of that for him.”

Jason’s shoulders dropped hearing all of this from Bruce. Tim was a lonely and abused kid, just like Jason had been. Bruce opened his heart and his home again to a boy in need. It now all made sense why Bruce had been spending so much time with Tim. He wasn’t trying to replace Jason. He was trying to make Tim feel at home; just as Jason should have been doing instead of slamming doors in the poor kid’s face.

“I realize now that the timing of his arrival was awful, and I’m sorry,” Bruce continued, interrupting Jason’s thoughts. He placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder and squeezed it. “I know this type of major change was the last thing you needed while you are still recovering.”

Jason nodded. He leaned his head back on the pillows to process everything Bruce had just said. Bruce wasn’t wrong, the timing of Tim’s arrival did suck as it played on Jason’s already frayed emotions. But after last night it made it easier to understand Tim’s sudden placement with Bruce.

Bruce saw a kid in trouble and did what came naturally to him. He did the same for Jason four years ago, of course he would do the same thing for Tim. Jason rubbed his face harshly. He felt like an idiot for not making this connection much sooner. Bruce had reached out to be Tim’s family, just like he had done for Jason, because Tim needed a family. Bruce didn’t need another kid.  It was all about helping a kid in need.

So, he’s not here to replace me.

“What? No, Jason, I would never do that– what made you think I would –,” Bruce stammered, his wide eyes searching Jason.

Oh shit.

Jason didn’t mean to say that out loud.

But before he could think of something else to say, all the thoughts that had been festering in his brain since Tim had arrived came pouring out of his mouth.

“– because you weren’t talking to me. I thought you were still pissed at me for running away. And when Tim came you were spending all your time with him that you used to spend with me,” Jason blurted out in quick succession. His vision started to blur with tears. He really didn’t want to cry, but the tears were already flowing down his cheeks. “and – and maybe I thought that you liked him better because – because he’s a good kid with perfect manners who never talked back or complained, and he’s not – not a mouthy screw up like me who messed everything up.”

Jason’s eyes widened as his brain caught up to the words that had just come out of his mouth. Every thought and fear that he had been dwelling on these past several weeks came out faster than he could contain them. There was no taking it back now.

“Jason, you’re not a screw up and you didn’t mess up anything.” Bruce affirmed, gently pulling Jason into a hug. Jason held on to Bruce like a lifeline, his tears continuing to fall. “Son, you didn’t mess up anything.”

Jason shook his head, but who was he kidding. He made a pretty big fucking mistake that almost got him and Bruce killed. How is Bruce not furious with him?

“It’s true that choices were made by both of us, good and bad and things took a serious turn, and – and for a second I thought I’d lost you,” Bruce sniffed, breaking the embrace to look at Jason. “But I didn’t. You survived and I’m so grateful every single day that you are here with me.

Bruce moved his hands to cup Jason’s face. He gently wiped away the tears from Jason’s cheeks with his thumbs. Jason kept trying to calm his breaths but they were still hitching with every sob. Why couldn’t Bruce have said all this to him sooner?

“I’m so thankful I get to watch you grow and see the person you will become,” Bruce continued, embracing Jason again and rubbing soothing circles on Jason’s back. “I’m so proud that you’re my son, and I love you just the way you are so please, don’t think for one second that I would ever want to replace you with someone else.”

There was still something that Jason needed to know from Bruce. A question he needed answered because he was tired of the subject being avoided and ignored. He was ready to take responsibly for his actions. He just needed Bruce to be straight-forward with him.

“Are you still mad at me?” Jason stammered, his bottom lip trembling. “About Ethiopia? It’s my fault –,”

“Oh, Jay, lad, no,” Bruce interrupted, his shoulders sinking. He hugged Jason tighter resting his cheek on the top of Jason’s curls. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I made you think that I was ever mad at you.”

Jason straightened in surprise at the words ‘I’m sorry’ coming from Bruce. Not that Bruce wasn’t capable of apologizing, but did Jason deserve it? It felt misplaced. He was the one that ran away and got himself in trouble. He was the one that nearly got himself killed and needed rescuing.

“I don’t blame you for what happened,” Bruce continued, interrupting Jason’s thoughts. “I blame the people who hurt and betrayed you. I’m mad at myself for not giving you the answers you needed at the time that you were seeking them. I feel responsible for making you think that you had to go halfway across the world in search of those answers. I’m angry that the one person who should have cherished you for the gift that you are betrayed you to a madman.

“I allowed my anger toward them to fester and instead of talking about what had happened in Ethiopia with you, I internalized it. I’m sorry, Jason,” Bruce apologized. “I am so sorry for pushing you away at a crucial time when you needed me; that will never happen again. Understood.”

“Understood.”

Jason blew out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. He wasn’t expecting Bruce to say all of that to him, but it was a relief to hear that Bruce’s anger wasn’t because of him. It felt like an invisible weight had been lifted from Jason’s shoulders. Bruce wasn’t mad at him, and he didn’t blame Jason for what had happened in Ethiopia.

“I’m so grateful that you’re alive and here with me,” Bruce repeated, pulling Jason in for another hug.  

They still hadn’t discussed Robin, but right now Jason felt that Robin could wait.

“I love you so much, Jason.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

Later that afternoon Jason headed to Tim’s room. Jason still wasn’t sure what he was going to say to Tim. The kid was likely scared of him now from all the yelling that had happened last night. He couldn’t blame the kid if he now hated him. Jason kind of deserved whatever attitude the kid gave him.

Jason took a deep breath before knocking on Tim’s door.

“Who is it,” a faint voice answered from inside the room.

“It’s Jason. Can I come in?”

“Yes,” Tim answered almost immediately.

Jason wondered if Tim had ever said no to anyone. He felt it was best to give this kid a way out just in case he’d rather be alone.

“It’s okay if you don’t feel up for visitors,” Jason added, still not opening the door. “I can come back whenever you’re up for it.”

“I’m okay, you can come in.”

Jason opened the door and hoped the smile on his face looked genuine and didn’t scare Tim. It appeared that just him being in the room was enough to have the kid sitting up, hiding behind his knees and blankets.

“You’re not going to yell at me again, are you?” Tim asked, hugging his knees.

“No, Tim,” Jason laughed, making his way closer to Tim’s bed. “Not unless you give me a reason too.”

Tim’s eyes went wide.

“That was a joke,” Jason interjected quickly, before Tim burst into tears. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Let’s try this again, how are you feeling?”

“Better, just tired. I’m not itching anymore, so that’s a relief. This one hit me harder than the almond reaction.”

Bruce had told Jason that it was only a few weeks ago that Tim had experienced anaphylaxis while home alone. This incident had prompted Tim’s removal from his parents and placed with Bruce.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Jason said, shifting his weight off his bad leg. It started throbbing in its standing prone position. “Allergic reactions suck.”

Just then the pain in his leg radiated from his hip to his knee. Jason couldn’t hide the hiss of pain that escaped between his clenched teeth. He looked up to see Tim looking at the long scar on his face and then his leg. Jason hated it when people stared.

“I think you need to sit down. You look like you’re in pain,” Tim suggested, gesturing to the armchair next to his bed. “This chair is really comfortable. I like sitting in it while I’m reading.”

“Thanks,” Jason breathed, trying to ignore the throbbing in his leg while making his way over to the chair. He noticed a familiar copy of ‘The Lightning Thief’ on Tim’s nightstand and picked it up.

“Bruce bought me the entire series. I just started it when I came here,” Tim explained. “I really like the story. I wasn’t allowed to read it before – before I came here.”

“Let me guess, your parents think gods and goddesses are evil?” Jason smirked.

“No, mother said ‘fantasy books are frivolous nonsense and not becoming of a future businessman.’”

Jason scowled. He was deeply insulted that the adults in Tim’s life had disparaged Jason’s first favorite genre of books. How dare they. It appeared that Jason had some work to do.

“I can recommend other fantasy books if you like the genre,” Jason offered, setting the book back on the nightstand. “When you’re feeling better we can go to the library. I’ll show you the fantasy section. It’s huge.”

“Thanks, but you don’t have to do that,” Tim shrugged. “I know you don’t like me.”

Hearing Tim say it like that, so matter of fact and accepting, wiped the smile off Jason’s face.  It sucked to know that he had left such a horrible impression on Tim and that Tim was giving him a way out. It was a pre-emptive strike to avoid the disappointment of rejection.

Jason was all too familiar with this tactic – he used to do it all the time to Bruce and Dick when he first came to live at the Manor.

He wondered how many times Tim had been hurt by the people closest to him to easily brush off simple offers and attention from others. It didn’t help that Jason’s actions over the past few weeks solidified Tim’s assumption that Jason really didn’t want to spend time with him.

Jason needed to fix this fast.

“I know I don’t have to show you the library, but I want to,” Jason cleared his throat, stretching his sore leg. “We can make up for lost time, okay?”

Tim nodded.

“Is there anything you want to ask me?” Jason offered, sitting back in the chair. Tim wasn’t lying, this chair was comfortable.

Jason’s brain was screaming at him for daring to open himself up like this to Tim, a kid he hardly even knew. But deep down in his heart, Jason knew this was the right thing to do. It was a fair exchange. He couldn’t expect Tim to open up to him, if he didn’t budge himself.

“Um,” Tim hesitated, wringing his hands and looking anywhere but at Jason. He took a deep breath and returned his gaze to Jason. “What happened to your leg and –,“ Tim gestured to the left side of his own face which was the same place as Jason’s noticeably long scar.

Jason took a deep breath to steel himself. He knew this was going to be a question Tim would ask. He was hoping he wouldn’t ask this question right out of the gate, but he did open himself up to be asked any question. Jason wasn’t stupid enough to give Tim details but since this kid was his new ‘little brother’ Jason should probably be somewhat honest with him.

“It’s a long story, but the short version is I went and did something I shouldn’t have, and this happened,” Jason explained, gesturing to his face and his leg. “Can I ask you a question?”

Jason wasn’t sure the kid was going to answer his question once he heard it, but he had to give it a shot.

“Sure, what do you want to know?”

“I want to know why you didn’t say anything to anyone at dinner when you were having a serious allergic reaction?” Jason asked, maintaining eye contact and using his best Robin voice.

Tim stayed quiet and Jason realized that maybe he had pushed too far with his first question. Part of him definitely wanted to give Tim an out, but the other part of him felt it was important for Tim to answer the question. Jason strongly believed that Tim needed to know from him that Tim would never be shamed or scolded by Bruce for speaking up when something was wrong.

“Mother says,” Tim swallowed, fisting his blankets and then hugging his knees again. “That making a scene at the dinner table in front of guests is rude; under no circumstances should I bring any kind of attention to myself.”

Jason had to take a few deep breaths to calm his rage and quiet a few choice words he wanted to voice out loud about these absurd rules and Tim’s parents.

“Tim, you were going into anaphylactic shock,” Jason explained, keeping his voice level like he does when talking to victims as Robin. “Saying something is always okay. Especially if you are in danger, or you just don’t feel good. You wouldn’t have been making a scene. Bruce doesn’t care about decorum all that much just as long as you don’t say ‘fuck’.”

The last sentence made Tim giggle. It was nice to know he could make the kid laugh.

“You’re safe here, Tim. I know firsthand that concept will take some getting used to but believe me. This place is safe. Bruce and Alfred like having you here and so do I,” Jason confessed. “It’s true. I know I didn’t show it in the beginning, and I’m very sorry about that. So, if you want, we can start over.”

Jason held his breath, pleading internally that Tim would forgive him for how Jason had treated him. He truly wanted to start over with Tim. Jason was looking forward to having a little brother.

 “I’d like that”, Tim smiled. It was a smile that reached his eyes and brought out the dimples in his cheeks. “I just have one more question.” Tim hesitated, biting his lip. “It’s sort of a favor. It’s no big deal. You can say no if –,“

“Tim, I’m not going to say no unless you want me to move furniture,” Jason joked, trying to make Tim laugh. “What do you need?”

Tim looked longingly at the book sitting on his nightstand and then back at Jason.

“Can you read a bit of the book to me?” Tim begged. “I’m still dizzy from last night and every time I try to read, I get a headache.”

Jason blew out a breath and smiled. This request he had no problem saying yes to. He was just glad Tim didn’t ask him to leave.

“Of course,” Jason accepted, taking the book and thumbing to the page that had the bookmark. “How are you liking this book so far?

“I like it. I already liked Greek mythology, but this makes me like it even more. I don’t trust Luke,” Tim voiced off handedly. He looked at Jason nervously like he was waiting to be shut down for his opinion. “I know I probably should, but I don’t. I don’t care how much he’s helping Percy. There’s something not right about him.”

“I’m liking you more and more, Timmy,” Jason praised, giving him an easy smile. Tim definitely had a future in this family with those deduction skills. “Maintain that energy and sit tight. We’re gonna be here a while.”

Jason and Tim hung out more and more dividing their time together in the library, playing video games in the den, or hanging out in the kitchen baking cookies with Alfred. Jason helped Tim slowly come out of his shell around Bruce and Alfred. A red-faced Tim eventually confessed to Alfred that he hated fish, couldn’t tolerate the texture of carrots or brussel sprouts but loved broccoli, chicken, steak and pasta.

Having Tim around became the very thing Jason had needed all along. Hanging out with Tim kept him more active, which in turn helped the mobility in Jason’s leg. Even his physical therapist was impressed with the progress Jason had made over the past couple of weeks.

Jason liked being a little brother, but he liked being a big brother even more.

[thecatduet422]

All I Want

hawks x reader one shot

Rating: Teen

Tags: romance, fluff, holiday themed

Summary: You struggle to come up with the perfect gift for Keigo...

xmas fic exchange for @lou-struck!

word count: 2k

All I Want

He hated flying in the snow. Keigo never said it, but you could tell.

He would walk through the door and the first thing you noticed was his wings, slumped down with fatigue, feathers falling out everywhere. And even then, Hawks seemed to not care. He would just step inside with a hidden smile.

It was small, but there was more feeling in it than any other smile he's ever had on patrol. You could see it lying underneath; soft, calm, almost vulnerable, now that you think about it. 

You told yourself, He's just happy to be inside.

Selfishly, you liked to believe you're the only one who's seen it; the subtle glow of light that waves through Keigo's face when he takes that first step in.

You know it's a fantasy, but you've long decided that it didn't matter anyway. The smile alone was enough, and you would do anything to keep seeing it.

But then your eyes would travel to the dark circles under his eyes. Then to his hair, wild and damp, sprinkled with snow. Then finally, the wings, with the lower feathers dragging on the floor, the upper half ruffled from the cold.

It was enough to break your heart. Especially when you knew Keigo didn't need to be here.

So you tried to make it as easy as possible for him. You always had towels folded neatly by the door. You added more blankets to drape over the couch. You started plating cookies on a regular basis, and you even started making hot cocoa around the time Keigo always showed up.

And despite the teasing persistence of your friends, you honestly weren't trying to win him over or anything. You really just wanted him to do nothing. Nothing but eat, drink, and relax. Breathe.

You had a feeling Keigo was catching onto you, but he didn't say anything, at least not yet. He would act cheerfully sly, play along with your game, and when you peeked a glance at him, you would catch it- the smile again, full and unhindered.

You told Keigo to take it easy, to take more breaks in between patrols. You even told him he didn't have to visit so much, if need be. He could just go to his own place after work. You would understand.

But he didn’t listen. Instead, Keigo just pinched your cheek affectionately.

Don't worry about me, little bird. I'm doing just fine.

And of course, that only made you more stubborn to make things easier for him.

One particular night, you noticed his wings were particularly droopier than usual, and so you suggested using a blow dryer on them.

And oh, how that will live in your brain.

Keigo, sighing and melting against you, as his feathers ruffled with bliss, absolutely entranced by the hot hair breezing through his wings.

And even though the sheer memory had you fluttering into little pieces, you told yourself, it's nothing. 

You would go to do simple things; toss him a blanket, grab him a mug, a cookie. And through the actions, you found yourself begging again, Take a break. Just one day off.

And Keigo would pat your head, telling you again.

It's the job, chickadee. I'm fine.

Just the curse of being Number Two.

But then, again, you would see the self-sacrifice harboring within him. The lines of exhaustion etched onto his face as Keigo passed out on the couch, too tired to wake up.

Your decision was made as you threw the blanket over him, his feathers fluttering slightly as you did so. 

You were getting him something for the holidays. Something just for him, dammit.

You asked Keigo about it once, and of course, he just smiled, saying your company more than enough…

Fuck! How was that supposed to help you?! 

You guess you could try something for the cold; a scarf, a hat, a jacket… but then, Keigo had more than enough of that stuff from his agency. Maybe there was something you could buy for his wings?

You tried searching on the internet but of course, everything you found would just affect his flying. There was nothing you could get that would help him. And then again, if there really was something, wouldn't the agency have come up with it already?

You could try getting his favorite coffee or candy. That would be a safe bet, but… you wanted something sentimental. He's Hawks, the Winged Hero, dammit. What the hell could you give him that he didn't already have?

Diving into your regular holiday rituals of decorating and baking, you pondered over it helplessly, until you got to the point where you were absolutely, completely and utterly, stumped. Brain dead.

You couldn't think of anything.

Getting your home ready for the holidays suddenly felt sour. You finally had someone to share it with, and you couldn't even think of anything to get him. All you could do was just, be there, bumbling around like an idiot while Keigo-

"Ack!" you screamed, cut out from your own mumbling thoughts as Keigo perched in front of your window, scaring the shit out of you.

He smiled at you and waved.

You huffed, grumpily taking off your apron before going to meet him at the door.

And yet, you still found yourself smiling when opening the door.

"Hey."

"Hey!" he called back joyfully. 

And again, that smile was almost enough to brighten your mood. You felt yourself start to relax, sink into the fact that Keigo was here again.

But then you caught the mischievous look in his eye.

"What?" you asked suspiciously, crossing your arms.

But Keigo just moved around you, heading into the kitchen for cookies. His wings were tucked securely behind him, shielding his back, the bottom feathers dragging on the floor.

You sighed defeatedly and followed, heading into the kitchen to find Keigo already polishing off a cookie.

His one arm was precariously hidden behind his back.

You leaned against the wall. "So… whatcha got there?"

"Oh, nothing much," Keigo told you with a mouth full of cookie, crumbs falling down the corners of his mouth.

And then he set that stupid smile on you again, making your stomach flip with excitement but also churn with dread.

Keigo got you a gift.

And you had nothing for him.

Fuuuuuuck, you could facepalm yourself right now.

"Keigo, listen-" you sighed, deciding to confess it now before the real embarrassment began, "- you really don't have to get me anything. Really. I couldn't even get anything for you!"

"But I already bought it!" he defended, holding up the box for you. It was small, fitting easily into the palm of his hand, wrapped prettily in shiny red paper- as red as his wings, you noted- and tied together with a glittery gold bow.

It was way too small to be something like a candle, or a new set of kitchen utensils, or anything else you would freely accept as a gift.

No, you thought, feeling your stomach drop.

 It's jewelry.

"Really, Keigo. You don't have to. It's too much," you told him, shooing away the gift.

"You haven't even seen it yet. At least open it first," Keigo reasoned, charming his way in. "I did wrap it myself, you know…"

And even though he appeared cocky, the look in his eyes was so pleading, you found breaking. You hesitated.

"Okay," you finally sighed, holding out your hand for the gift.

Keigo looked so proud of himself as he gave you the box, but all you could do was catch the sad sight of his feathers again, now noticing that he was missing quite a few. There were also some tears in his jacket…

"Do you want to change first?" you offered. "I'm sure it was a long patrol. Don't you-"

"You're not getting out of this, little bird," Keigo told you affectionately, but there was also a tone of finality behind it. He was putting his foot down.

You unwrapped the gift, eyes still warily glued to the wings. Then you felt the velvet box in your hand, it's smooth surface prompting you to admire it for a moment before opening it cautiously.

You were pleasantly surprised to see it was a necklace, the slim gold chain swooping down to reveal a small pendant of a songbird, small and reflective, matching its link effortlessly. And, you had to admit, the bird looked cute, with its tiny little body in mid-flight.

"Thank you. I love it," you honestly told him, relieved to see that it wasn't some extravagant, overly expensive piece infused with diamonds or whatever. You really did love it. You could imagine yourself wearing it everyday, actually.

"Here." Keigo gently took the box from you, watching with amusement as your smile naturally grew across your face. He worked through the paper and ties holding the necklace together and held  it out for you when it was finally free, motioning for you to turn around.

You followed, feeling the cool metal drape around your collarbone, Keigo's fingers brushing the back of your neck lightly.

You turned back around, but he stayed in place, still close to you as he admired his gift proudly, cautiously adjusting it so that the bird rested on the center of your chest. As he did so, you caught the warmth radiating from in eyes, even though the rest of him was cold. You knew. You could feel it. But Keigo didn't show it nor did he care, his eyes staying on you dearly. Lovingly.

And you couldn't even get him anything. You're such a terrible friend.

"Aw, crap," you cried, guilt instantly crushing you. You turned away from him.

"Hey, hey, hey! What's wrong, little bird?" Keigo asked, panicked yet gentle as he moved to grab your shoulder, getting you to look back at him. He huffed softly in amusement. "Is it really that bad?"

You shook your head, eyes stinging slightly with tears. "I really couldn't get you anything. I'm so sorry, Keigo."

"C'mon now," he crooned, tucking your head into his chest as he trapped you in a hug. You had a feeling if his wings weren't in the state they were in, he would hold them up around you, securing you in him. "It's alright, little bird. Really. It's a gift just to come home with you."

"Home?" you asked timidly, muffled by the hold he had on you. Keiho loosened his grip so you could look up at him. You suddenly felt shy, hearing the word.

He really didn't mean that, did he?

"Yeah, home." Keigo smiled fully, tightening his arms back around you. "More so than my place anyway."

And the almost sad, almost pained strain on his face made you realize, Keigo wasn't just coming over for company. He actually felt at peace here, with you. It was what you wanted all along. And now that you actually had it, it all suddenly became clear.

You moved out of his grasp to go to a nearby drawer. You opened and rummaged through it for a moment before you found it.

And there it was

You held it out for him to see, your own proudful smile gracing your features.

A key, shiny and silver. A perfect opposite to your necklace.

"Since you like it here so much," you joked shyly, carefully placing the key into his palm.

And the secret look of happiness Keigo always wore suddenly magnified. It was warm. Real. No longer was the cool facade of Hawks there. Right now, you were just seeing Keigo. One hundred percent.

The smile you were fighting for. 

You don't know who moved first, but suddenly you're wrapped up in Keigo. You, holding onto the lapels of his jacket, and him, wrapping his arms around your lower back. The both of you felt your lips clash together desperately, deeply, the both of you finally expressing all of your worry and needing and love into this one final move.

It was a dream come true for you.

Eventually, you both broke away,  almost timidly, but you still remained close, foreheads touching as Keigo smiled down at you and you up at him.

'Thank you for the present, little bird," he murmured to you.

"No problem," you joked quietly before moving to kiss him again. "Welcome home."

[chaoskirin]

Things About Owning a Parrot

I researched for intensely before bringing her home. The next day I was STILL overwhelmed. But suddenly I had this little dust bunny to take care of:

She BITES. She bites when she doesn't get her way. She bites when she's scared. She sometimes bites just to test boundaries.

I have been removing the newspaper every 3-5 days and replacing it. Last night I decided to scrub the tray. Now, she's a tiny bird, so her poops don't make it through the paper. I just wanted to do it. This is a glazed steel tray, and the area under where she eats (where she poops the most) is corroded. How much shit must have sat there (and for how long) to cause that? This poor girl was neglected, and she's still a sweetheart. :( I don't blame her former owner, because said owner was a child. But this is a plea to not purchase animals to teach a child responsibility. The animal will always suffer.

Similarly, she did not know how to play with toys. Since she currently spends most of her time in the cage hanging from the bars, it was clear she didn't know how to entertain herself, because no one ever taught her how. She is learning, with small toys which she chews when she's with me, and I've now caught her starting to explore and chew on her toys in the cage when she's on her own.

She WANTS to learn. It took her a while to learn how to learn, if that makes sense. She was never trained. But now she's ON FIRE. Once she realized that behaviors earned rewards, man, she DOES BEHAVIORS. She tries things to see what earns her treats. She can already differentiate between "touch target" and "touch toy." She knows "step up" and "step down." She knows when I say "no biting" that I'm unhappy with what she's doing. She's learning that chewing on my fingers hurts.

Preening her is an amazing bonding experience. She trusts me to remove the pin feather sheathes on her head and neck. Sometimes I mess up (because she's very tiny) and she gives me a quick "don't" look and we go back to it.

I know she was surrendered for screaming. The day I brought her home, she would scream every time she couldn't see me. She would scream for a solid hour, or longer. I knew how to train this out of her, but it involved intense patience and the willingness to be stuck in any given room in my house until she stopped. I've been stuck in my bedroom (OK), the bathroom (less OK) and in my garage (god dammit.) As soon as there's a few seconds of quiet, I come back. She had an extinction burst about a week in and I was literally stuck in my bedroom for almost two hours. When she's quiet and I come back, she gets praise and a handful of treats, which I always carry with me through the house. Now that she understands screaming won't get her what she wants, I'm teaching her how to ring a bell if she wants my attention. She's doing very well. She still screams when I leave, but only for a couple seconds. This is acceptable. I can't believe this natural action cost her a home.

I. LOVE. This creature. I can't even describe how much, or how proud of her I am, or how sometimes I want to cry thinking about how awesome she is, and how she's mine. When I'm home, I want her with me all the time. I'm sad when I have to put her to bed. I NEVER WANTED A PARROT. They are wild animals and tend to suffer in homes. I was so sure I'd fail at this. But she fucking chose me, and I'm so glad she did. I can't imagine life without her.

[metranart]

“I know it sounds weird” Hawks chuckled breathlessly, “—but it's something instinctual....” You frowned at his lame explanation. You were a little sick of that excuse. “Right now, I am very overprotective of you, baby bird.”

ft. Hawks centered, Hawks x reader, Slight! Bakugo x reader, Slight! Dabi x reader.

Hawks x UA Student! Reader (Part 8)

- Warning tag: obsessed! Hawks, possessive! Hawks, naive! student reader, violation of trust, dubious consent, mating cycles, rut response, obsessive behavior, uncontrollable thirst for reader, manipulation, forced, thigh riding, hormonal minds out of control, sexual content, first time, cock riding, teenage fuck, Dabi's toxically interested in you, Bakugo bestie yet secretly inlove wit you, love confessions, cock-drunk, Hawks trying to be good but failing miserably, gaslighting, HEAVY plot, lots of smut. -

Finally, finally! Hawks was back, peering at you, unrestingly worrying about the whereabouts of his feathers. 

There could only be two options, one: there was a nest, an actual bird nest built out of his feathers somewhere in the house waiting for you to inhabit it along with him, and two: his feathers were scattered in every inch of the house, acting as motion detectors to keep you safe from any possible threat.

Either option was a nightmare to Hawks, the hero, and a blessing to Keigo, the mate.

Gaze less foggy, Hawks could see the damage he’d done. You were covered in bites, scratches, bruises. The mark of his fingertips was printed all over your young and delicate skin like a brand of his felony. 

Dammit! DAMMIT! he grimaced.  

He should have stop sooner- he just hadn’t thought you could infatuate him this badly. He could have avoided this sort of damage, but you were just so fucking inopportune, not to mention awfully tempting and mouthwatering for someone who possessed a rut. He wasn't even able to be gentler. It was your first time. He was legitimately a piece of trash! The number two piece of trash because without a doubt he knew the number one on that category and compare himself to the incinerator was too much to handle right now.

Even now, Shit! Even now, he itched to grab you, keep you close to him, inside his greedy grasp-... where you belonged— Ugh! he couldn’t avoid thinking of you as HIS. The rut was over, and the next one was half a year away, so, you were supposedly safe or at least, that was what he was trying to force himself to believe... because, HOLY SHIT! was really having a hard time seeing you as someone other than his partner, his mate.... he had a mate. Takami Keigo now had a MATE, someone to call his, someone to care for and pamper and HIS.

He had never had anything, much less someone. God! please protect you from him, because right now he was dangerous... dangerously close to hug you against his chest and kiss you till air ran out, at risk of sweeping you off your feet and take you straight to his penthouse to never be allowed to leave ever again, in hazard of becoming your willing slave, you wanted someone dead, you got it! Just say the word and he’ll do it. Belonging, excited him a lot, skyrocketing him to cloud nine but now had to dial it down and try to keep his mind at ease. 

Breathe Keigo! Focus Hawks! 

Finding you sticking to the other side of the tub really broke his reverie, you looked distrustful, nervous, hurt.... he did that.... there weren’t words to describe how sorry he felt for what he had done to you. He was torn between his blinding happiness and the shameful way he got it …. he couldn’t… he couldn’t even begin an apology because didn’t even remember your name. Somehow, he knew baby bird, love, sweet thing, or darling wasn´t appropriate right now, but you´ll have to bear with him. 

“Ehmm—…. I feel like a jackass for having to ask this…. But….” Hawks could not look you in the eye as he spoke. “What was your name again, baby bird?” 

You blinked at him in disbelief. Wow! you nailed it, Keigo! You nailed making you feel like a whore. Nevertheless, you refused to let the hurt show on your face, instead taking in how sheepish and miserable he actually looked, and somehow, you felt less uncomfortable... just a thad.

“Y/N.” You conceded, looking elsewhere except him.

“Y/N.” He repeated, each syllable rolling down from his tongue like if he was memorizing the secret code to disarm a bomb. “T-Thank you, (y/n).”

Your eyes rose to stare at him from the other side of the tub, bubbly semen floating on the water in between the two. You could only stare. Watchfully waiting for him to snap again. He told you that you were safe now, but you had heard those same words before and yet had inevitably woken up in his arms, naked. So, you still wouldn't fully trust.

“Baby bird—”

“Please use my name.” You brusquely cut him off, ignoring the withering look that flashed way too fast over his features to then soften. He hid a heavy sigh under an awkward chuckle and hoisted his elbow over the edge of the tub to rub his chin with his palm.

“Sorry-…(y/n), I can't seem to stop apologizing...” he muttered, burdensomely but quickly recover clearing his throat, “o-okey.... as far as I remember we are at your house-” 

“My parent's house—If we are being specific, I already live in the UA dormitories." Quickly corrected, very prone to interrupt him and him very prone to let you, never dropping that infuriatingly stupid sympathetic grin.

“Right.” He nodded, “-Is there anyone else in the house besides my mother-in—” 

This time he cut himself off, -if he were a cartoon, you would be able to see a drop of sweat run down his forehead- it would be funny, but it wasn't, the glare you shoot at him felt like a hot knife slicing through his skin and he hurried to apologize, yet again. 

“Sorry, sorry baby bird-…. Oh dammit! Sorry about the baby bird too! God! I´m really sorry, is just that my mind is still a beating mess-”

You didn’t like that statement one bit. It made you feel in danger, on high alert. Was he going to get out of hand again?! Your body reacted automatically, lunging out of the tub, wet and slippery straight to the floor, desperately trying to get away.

Hawks watched the whole thing from his spot, didn’t move to stop you, only restricted you with the feathers still adorning your wrists and ankles trying to prevent more damage on your body. He knew that any sudden move from him would be misinterpreted. He wanted to swear for his life that you were safe.... but if he was honest, he wasn’t sure... still didn't trust himself, wasn't sure what he would do if your naked figures got close again.

The raw power of your scent was imprinted on every cell of his body, every breath he took was filled with you. It was intoxicating to smell like you or smell you covered in HIM. You were still ovulating, still ready to be breed.

He could tell, he could even hear your heartbeat-... far too fast for comfort. You were making him anxious, unknowingly activating in his mind a mate-response from his body.

“Your heart is pounding.” Hawks pointed, soberly, doing the extra mile for you not to notice his hands clenching the rim of the bathtub, tightly “I need you to try and calm down, (y/n), or you’re going to make me—” 

“Stay away from me!” 

You did not know where that roar came from, you had never heard your voice so fierce. Everything was getting out of hand. 

“I didn’t mean-” He interrupted, calmly. You were not listening. He sighed, hanging his shoulders. If you weren’t so fucking terrified, you would’ve been impressed by how in control he actually seemed.

“Just stay away from me, Keigo!” You grumbled, for a moment forgetting you were awfully naked and at his utter sight. His name had slip out of your mouth so naturally, that even the biting tone wasn’t enough to stop Hawks from feeling a delicious tingle ravish his skin, wishing to hear it again. 

“Fine-” he said under his breath, standing up and stepping out of the tub. Wingless back displaying powerful muscles that could crush a little thing like you without even blinking. You rushed to take whatever you could find and saw how he had to bite a giggle when turning around found you threatening him with a deadly toothbrush.

“Easy there, baby b-” he cleared his throat soundly to cut out the petname that insisted to slip out, “-As lethal as that toothbrush is for the cavities, I still need you to calm down.” Hawks spoke slowly, he was forcing himself to stay calm. You weren't making it easy on him. 

Your little body trembled, cold or fear, he didn't know, and it was driving him insane. He wanted to hug you and nullify either option, the heat of his body and his feathers could warm and dry you better than any cloth and the devotion of his claim... well, it was useless to think about it.

“.... Are you calm?” He ventured taking a step closer and hearing the clear drumming of your heartbeat going wild, stepped back and waited. Once you seemed less tense, he mused. “So, I'll ask again. Is there anyone else in the house? besides your mother, perhaps.... another male?”

Your eyes squinted at his weird word selection. “Another male...?” You repeated, “which cave did you come out of?” you continued, bitingly.

“I know it sounds weird” Hawks chuckled breathlessly, “—but it's something instinctual....” You frowned at his lame explanation. You were a little sick of that excuse. “Right now, I am very overprotective of you, baby bird.” You snorted at the use of the petname but he ignored you, apparently it was here to stay. “I'm not even sure how to explain it but...” he scratched the back of his head sheepishly to then continue.

“If another male so much as looks at you, I’m liable to hurt him, BADLY. Like `straight to emergency´ badly, I won´t be able to control myself or my actions,” his tone was soft, apologetic. “Keeping you safe, comfortable and close are my priorities right now, that's why I fed and bathed you and now I need you to sleep.... hopefully with that-” he seemed nervous and that push you to pry.

“...Yes?” 

“Hopefully with that I'll be able to... leave.”

He was telling the truth. He was fucking telling the truth, you could tell. Holy Fuck! He´ll leave you alone. YAS! 

“REALLY?!” you were unable to control the volume of your excited howl.

“Shhhh!” Hawks pressed a finger over his lips. “(Y/N), you're being too loud,” he cautioned in a low voice, back turned to you while searched for something to cover up. “At any time, your mother can—” 

“—Sweetie, is everything okay?” 

FUCK! Now he was one hundred percent sure where his feathers were because unless your mother was a trained ninja, he would have felt her approaching.

You both froze, even the toothbrush slipped from your hand and without preamble, Hawks rushed to your side hovering behind you as if your petite figure would cover him from your mother. His warm breath right next to your ear.

“Answer her, baby bird.” He said in a whisper too low. “Do you think she knows I'm here?” He stressed, hands absentmindedly squeezing your shoulders the longer you took to reply.

“Sweetie...?” you heard your worried mother call again. 

The heat emanating from Hawk´s body was very distracting, not to mention nerve-wrecking, especially now that his uneasiness made his limbs forget about your number one rule: ‘hands off’. 

Neither of you could stop him from wrapping his hands around your waist or pressing his hips distractively against your bottom. Keeping you anchored to him, as if he was trying to protect you from the intruder on the other side of the door.  

That closeness, the heat of your skin under the pads of his fingers was more than enough to throw him back to the memory of him knocking the breath out of you as you received him. As he slammed inside that haven between your thighs, like knocking on heaven’s doors. The way you squeezed so tightly around him, desperately trying to push him out... just as now.  

“Let go...” you choked out as quite as you could, peeling his hands off, but he was stronger than you. He’d always be so much stronger than a little, helpless student like you. You feared him before he even did anything more than breech your personal space.

“S-Sorry,” he spelled, being thrown out of his musings, sweat rolled down his forehead and he shook his head, trying to calm his own blood pressure, he needed the blood to go north, not south. 

In a studied motion, stepped back. Enough to be at arm’s reach but gift you as well a sense of freedom. “Answer-… go on.” He breathed out. 

“E-Everything’s okay, mommy-” You hurried to reply in an even tone. Trying to ignore how close Hawks still was, invading your personal space as if were nothing wrong. “I just slipped... but I didn’t hurt myself.” You openly lied, the last thing you wanted was to alarm your mom. As Hawks claimed to be overprotective of you, you knew yourself the same to your family.

“Ummm... are you sure, sweetie?”

“Yes, mommy, I'll be out soon.” You faked mirth.

“Ok, if you need anything, call me.” Your sweet mother offered and then you heard her go downstairs.

Hawks sighed, long and soundly. “Hell, this is wrecking my nerves—….” he said, “and your heartbeat is not helping either.” This time he had to bite at his lip, “TRY, please, try! to slow down your heartbeat, dammit.” He almost growled.

“Can you blame me?” you to spat out, “why did you have to touch me...?” you grumbled, quickly stepping away, ignoring his hands reaching out, “—being this close to you certainly isn’t helping me to lower my goddamn blood pressure!” You fumed, and Hawks snorted, loud and childish. It pissed him off, how you avoided him. How you repelled your own mate. He had marked you, but you had marked him as well. Did you know that?

Right now, he was at the loser’s side, he wasn´t allowed to play the victim. He had already done too much to you. So, swallowed his frustrations like a big boy and chuckled, uncomfortable and fake. 

“I´ll do my best to stay away from you.” He forced those toxic words out, it felt wrong, like corrosive acid burning his throat.

“You better do.” You sulked.

It was awful to Hawks -the number two hero of the whole country, the player, the golden boy, the number one bachelor- to be denied of something he deemed his. To be this near you, cock out and half-hard already without the power to slide inside his own partner. Helpless to start any kind of affection, intimacy or familiarity... shit! even a simple brush of his hand was out of the question.

“What´s that slipping down your thigh?” you suddenly asked, curiosity making you squint your eyes at the viscous, jelly-like fluid that turned watery the more it dripped.

Hawks peered down, finding the big stain dripping down his thigh and gathering the weird substance on the tips of his forefinger and thumb, smelled it. It was slippery and he was accustomed to see his lovers covered in it. It was cum, his cum being pushed out by gravity's force from your tight and recently deflowered pussy— How many times did he have to come inside you for it to still come out, even after you took a bath? He lost count when passed from five.

“ ‘s fine…” He cleared his throat uncomfortably- God damn it, you were waiting for an answer. “Not- ah, not your f-fault.” He stuttered, hips twitching before hurry to clean himself on the sink. 

“—Why would it be my fault?” you mused, and then it hit you. 

The moisty sensation between your legs wasn´t water or soap as you wrongly believed, you slipped one finger inside and it came out dripping till the knuckle. 

“Gross-s...” your mortified whine made Hawks glance back over his shoulder. 

His fists tightened, too embarrassed, too pleased as well. Splashing water over his chest and face to lower the temperature of his body, struggling to keep the blush from spreading, and as soon felt the shove you gave him to take his spot on the sink, it felt like a breeze more than a shove, but he still moved aside, to let you wash yourself the evidence of his crime.

He had stuffed you—had left you full of possible chicks, his brood swam inside your belly. It didn't matter how far you pushed him. He lived inside of you, that was his actual residence.

“Why- Why are you smiling about?” 

Hawks stared at you, blankly. He had been caught daydreaming about his happy family. The day he could get to come home to you, his pretty lovely wife making dinner for him, a bunch of kids bouncing excitedly to his arms, eager to receive him and talk to him about their day at school. Yes, he wanted that.

“N-Nothing...” he stuttered, absentmindedly. “I-…. I just space away.” He said way too fast, disturbingly stretched grin and ashamed golden gaze betraying his jovial tone.

“Sure,” you scoffed.

For the first time you were both as calm and docile as you could be around each other, you finished cleaning up what you could, but you were still too tight so most of the day you would be dripping. You sighed in defeat and leant against the sink, letting your eyes wander, without knowing some golden eyes were wandering as well.

The nakedness that your bodies sported became impossible to ignore. Hawks was shredded as hell-... he was unfortunately a handsome bastard, his body was muscular and strong and so thick in a good way, not lean muscle like the boys at your class, but well-defined. A bunch of well-developed muscles aimed that way to be strong, fast and lethal. His hero costume really dwarfed him, and even so, he was immensely popular among the female population.

You saw his hands suddenly came together over his crotch and your face lit up, damn it! you had been absentmindedly staring at him! You spat out a quick apology and immediately turned away, hiding your face with your hands.

Hawks choked down a giggle, it was nice to be on the side you apologize to for once. 

“—Could you... could you please cover up with something?”

“No.” 

“No?!” you repeated, incredulous. Hugging yourself tight.

“There’s… there’s nothing around, baby bird, I-I already looked.” 

His throat felt dry. The heat wasn’t subsiding. It was hard to breathe, let alone speak coherently while having you all naked and pretty in front of him, you were unquestionably custom made for Hawks, every bump, every curve, every dent was mind-blowingly gorgeous to his eyes, you were sculpted just as he liked woman. Your breast was still developing but damn! Didn´t you have a nice rack already? Once fully developed, he´ll be unable to keep his hands away for even a second.

FOCUS HAWKS! You stupid horny bird!

Clearing his throat, turned on his Hero side. He needed to look for options, but none would work without having his feathers, sighing, resigned to ponder out loud.

“We need to get out of this bathroom, your mother will begin to suspect that something strange is happening if you keep stalling...” Hawks mused, deep in thought “I'm afraid our most plausible option is to run to your room... there we will surely find our clothes-”

“Why are you talking like you don't know what YOU did with our clothes? You were the one that stripped me naked.” You blasted, feeling quite vexed with the development of things and his lack of acknowledgment to his actions.

“Because I don't know, (y/n), my rut—”

“STOP! Just stop with the rut bullshit!” your voice rose, and Hawks hand itched to cover your mouth, but he refrained. “Why are you making up this kind of lies-”

“I'm not lying to you, baby bird!... is this, the RUT... won't let me get away from you for long enough, I know it sounds ridiculous but I'm being one hundred percent honest with you.” Hawks swear, he sounded genuine enough. Perhaps, he was a victim of this series of unfortunate events as well... but the throbbing stretching sensation coming from your crotch refused to accept that truth.

You blinked back the tears of frustration that pricked your eyes and breathed. Now was not the time to argue, time was running low. The longer Hawks stood in your house, the dangerous it was for your family.

“My room is at the beginning of the hallway next to the stairs,” you instructed, “I'm going to peek out to see if there’s no one around and when I give the signal, we run.” Hawks nodded.

You carefully opened the door and making sure it was desolated, both ran down the corridor, entering your room to slam the door behind. You pressed your forehead against the door feeling your heart hammering hard. Only one mistake was needed, and the situation would be easily misinterpreted. Your parents would think you were toying with the Number Two Hero in the country, running naked around the house like an easy gal. 

You slammed your fist against the door, and it shook beneath your hand. 

“-Baby bird?”

You heard him call but there was something different in his tone, something sweeter and mellow. So, you opened your eyes, you hadn't even realized that you had closed them in the first place and glancing at Hawks you noticed a strong blush covering from his neck to his ears. At least, his pants were back on, even so, he looked more sheepish than when was naked.

“I really hate myself for having to keep asking you to do things.... you don´t owe me anything, far from it.... but—I need you to lay down....” your eyebrow arched, incredulously, “PLEASE, lay down inside the nest with me!”

COMING SOON PART 9....

⭕️ In my PATREON you will find NSFW art of this story and more spicy MHA NSFW art and exclusive smut fanfiction. ;)

@wtvbabes @dreamlessnight @naomi1247e @alicecil87

[dairy-farmer]

i think abt groomer dick grayson all the time. he’s in the EXACT perfect place to take advantage of tim- all of his family is either too sure of his morality or too blinded by their own that they’d never even consider it.

just.. tim is so young, so earnest and sincere with his care. it starts as a comfort thing, with dick sweeping him out of his house for a day in the town for doing such a good job of taking care of everything. for taking care of bruce- of dick himself. he’s the perfect little brother! his hands are so little, and his eyes are so soft, and he’s just the right height to completely disappear into dicks bear hugs. he even gushes about how cool dick is!

dick adores his baby timmy. they watch movies together, and he cuddles up all close to tim’s heartbeat, right over his soft little tits. hearing it and knowing he’s real, alive and safe and healthy and dicks, is just divine. he starts to hold tim more. starts to get closer; he just NEEDS to have tim as close as possible. he basically makes tim into a comfort blanket, and then he treates tim so softly. like a pet, or like a particularly sweet little girlfriend- tim doesn’t even notice it the change is so slow. bruce.. kind of sees it, but he’s really just relieved dick comes around more. he’s not concerned about the little neighbour kid- not yet.

it gets to the point where tim is seeking out dick to purposefully act as this comforting, mother/wife/pet role, letting dick hold him and squeeze him. letting him eat him out when dick has a bad day, petting his hair and filling his job as “perfect little brother” because that’s what he thinks he’s doing.

dick, at this point, has an actual goal in mind: keep tim forever. keep him happy and soft- he’s so sweet no matter how hard dick goes at him!!! he decides that he’s going to marry his precious little timmy the second he turns 18. he gets bolder- fucks tim all sweet behind some of the larger hedges in the garden, bites pretty patterns on tim’s breasts through his tank top during sparring, keeps him between his knees in the home theatre.

the only person who actually notices is jason. who is, to put it blindly, fucking horrified. he only figures it out because while he’s preparing for the tower, stalking the little bird, he sees dick visiting tim almost every day. he’s angry and jealous at first, because that’s his big brother, dammit! but then..

dick is pent up about the red hood case. nervous and unsettled. lately, he’s been spending less and less time with his baby-brother-future-wife than he’d like. what if someone else gets to tim, while he’s not there? so he clears one day for them both, to spend together in the drake manor. he’s getting impatient, too!! he wants to marry timmy now :(( but he has to wait for that, so he figures the next best thing is putting a pretty little miracle right into tim’s cunt!! a grayson-drake baby!!!

he and tim spend a whooolleee day outside, fucking like rabbits next to a picnic they never even got to. with jason watching, horrified, frozen and disgusted as he sees his beloved 23 year old brother tell a very pliant 14 (almost 15) year old how well he’s gonna breed him. all his plans are kind of fucked now. he sees this happen over and over again, little (and HUGE) acts between someone he once respected and the kid he was going to hurt.

the worst part is.. he can’t ever look away. some deep, sad part of him wants to share that comfort tim obviously brings his older brother- why else would dick do this? tim is something special, and jason is so disgusted with himself for wanting a part of it.

!!!!! dick grooming tim and developing this long term plan where he makes tim his wife as soon as he's 18. but he isn't able to resist because tim is such a sweet, perfect little brother. always speaking sweetly and always happy to see dick. tim's mouth is so soft and sweet and he always puckers up for dick to kiss that sweet little mouth that tastes as honeyed and sweet as candy.

dick can't resist groping and touching tim. tim is young and gets horny with the wind and its not hard to convince tim to let dick teach him how to stop his 'princess parts' from tingling. dick can't keep his fingers and tongue out of tim after that, tim is just too sweet. his hole sweetly wet and clenching around him. the day dick finally convinces tim to let him press his cock inside is the best day of dick's life. he fucks tim for hours, gets him used to the feel of a nice hard cock inside and of dick's cum pumping him full. bruce put dick in charge of sex ed because he was too embarressed to give tim the talk himself.

tim is on birth control that dick is planning to remove as soon as he's 18 and legal. but for now it allows dick to fuck tim without a condom and coat his pretty baby pussy in his cum, training his little cunt to squeeze and clench down on dick just the way he likes. tim's pussy is so good at taking dick's cock and he loves how it feels that's why anytime that dick gives him a look and starts crawling closer tim's response is to just lay back and spread his legs like a well trained little pet.

he's dick's precious little pet which is why he's not very willing to allow jason to have a taste of the little piece of paradise that is his timmy.

[ddollfface]

Just a little LoveSick!Poet wip ;)

Today was a long day, and I mean a long long long day. It felt as if the world was against you, but you know that's not true. That's just the struggle of living in the most populous city in the United States. Moneys tight and the struggle is real, but hey, at least there's ice cream, yeah?

There's nothing better than a creamy shake in the late hours when you're supposed to sleep. It was calming, sitting on the roof of your apartment building, something that's easy to do in New York. The wind swirled and flowed through your hair and pressed against your back, almost like a comforting hug. The air was crisp and caused goose bumps to prickle on your skin. Your nose and cheeks were ice cold, fingertips freezing over. Though the ice cream didn't help you feel warm, if anything it worsened it, but it did act as a door to your childhood. When you and your friends would all go out to the local ice cream parlor and buy each other a cone of ice cream. Sometimes, you'd guys even split a sundae if there was enough money to go around.

You took them for granted. And, God, did you wish you could go back in time, to a time when everything was so simple, and where you didn't have to worry about taxes and all of the things that an adult needs to do. It's mentally draining, but you know you have to get through it. You know you will get through it. You have to, for your Mama and Pa.

You take another sip of your shake, enjoying the sweet taste of the drink. You let your gaze wander through the shining lights of the city, jumping from one car to another. Everything was loud and quiet at the same time. The honking of cars, shaking leaves, and the quiet patter of dress shoes were all background noise. It only soothed your brains, letting you forget all of your worries, if only for a moment.

And all of that serenity is left when you hear the creak of the door. The door's heavy, made of metal and bolts. It's hard to miss. You don't bother to look around at who it is, not really caring too much. Though you did find the interruption quite annoying, you can't really complain. It is a public space and everyone's allowed to come and whatever. But all of that grace you had disappears when you hear the sound of a lighter. God dammit, is this motherfucker really going you pull out a cig,? You mentally groan at the thought. You have a great disdain for cigarettes, not necessarily smokers. Hate the sin, not the sinner, y'know?

A little curious, you look over your shoulder, wanting to see who this guy was. To your surprise, it's your neighbor, Simon O'Brien. Huh, never knew he smoked, you thought with a raised brow. You took the time to look the guy over, seeing as you never really see the guy for more than a few seconds. He's always hunkered down in his apartment, never coming to the "neighborhood" cookouts and such. All you really know about him is that he's an independent artist, Kinju always gossips about him.

But you've always thought that he was alright, though he did have a staring problem. You've always just pushed it off as him being socially awkward, which, hey, how can you complain? Everyone has their own struggle. You can't even imagine what people must think of you when you're walking around in your mix-match socks and bird's nest of a hair. You really can't judge.

Your breath hitched when your eyes made contact with his. You quickly looked away, letting your gaze drift down to your shake, you swish it a little. The air wasn't tense, but it was awkward. Clearly, the guy wanted to say something to you, you could tell by the longing look in his eyes, but you didn't know what to say,

"Hey,"

.

.

.

God dammit, you're an idiot. Why would you say that? That sounded so awkward! You hope that the ground, or ceiling, depending on how you think about it, would swallow you whole. You cleared your throat,

[echantedtoon]

Everyone Wants A Brother Like You Part 1 A Brother In A Different Way

Everyone wants a big brother, especially if it's one as caring and kind as Tanjiro. They all think so but it's too bad they can't have a brother like him-...Or can they actually in a different way?

(DISCLAIMERS!!: This is gonna be a little story based on the art by feshnie on deviantart and an au based on the same picture by @yuki2sksksk on Tumblr. It'll just be cute little Oneshots because honestly I think all these ships involving Nezuko are cute. Although Inosuke's route will be written up for interpretation as platonic or romantic. This is just an au I'm doing for fun so things aren't going to be cannon and might be ooc. All art shown with the Chapters (minus the coverart which is by Feshnie on DeviantArt) was either taken from the anime, from the Kimetsu No Yaiba/Kimetsu Gakuen mangas, or are sketches by Koyoharu Gotouge. I don't own demon slayer, the characters, art, etc. Demon Slayer/Art/etc. belongs to Koyoharu Gotouge.

Links to both content creators are below please support both artists and their own content.

Feshnie

https://www.deviantart.com/feshnie/art/BNHA-Brother-in-law-Tanjirou-818234170

@yuki2sksksk

https://www.tumblr.com/yuki2sksksk/718220290228961280/inspired-by-a-fan-art-i-saw-on-pinterest-sometime?source=share

Also everyone is alive because I said so. This takes place after battling Muzan for the final time and everyone is currently recovering.)

The beautiful morning sun gazed over the earth with a golden glow and cascaded through the window making the glass glow with a shine. The cherry blossoms outside swayed gently in the breeze as soft pink petals and perfect green leaves fell from their branches and floated down onto the ground outside of the Butterfly Mansion. Birds sang and fluttered about the breeze. The peaceful quiet settling in with the silent morning.

Until a flurry of giggles and squeals interrupted the air as three little girls ran past the window in play kicking up petals and leaves.

"Dammit! Can't they wait until later in the day to start playing!?"

The once silent room was alive with grumbles and groans of others waking in their beds. One in particular cursing the sun and turning around to plop back onto his stomach shoving a rather fluffy pillow over his head. However one of them was energetic enough to sit up and stretch out smiling at the window with a yawn and smile. 

"Oh, come on. It's not that bad. It's a beautiful morning today!"

"HA!! I WAS AWAKE WAY BEFORE THE SUN WAS!! TAKE THAT YOU WIMPY FIREBALL!!"

"Would you be quiet?! Your yelling is worse than your snoring- OOP?!"

"HAHAHAHA!! TOO SLOW, MITENFU!!"

Red eyes turned over and sighed. Tanjiro had been hopeful it would be a nice morning before any training but it seemed like that wouldn't be the case. Inosuke had woken up in typical Inosuke fashion by yelling and declaring his righteous toughness over anything he randomly decided to challenge that day making Zenitsu yell back complaining. Unfortunately the blonde hadn't been fast enough to duck the incoming pillow their friend had thrown right at his face knocking Zenitsu back onto the bed.

"THAT'S UNCALLED FOR!!," the blonde furiously tore the pillow from his face sitting back up and pointing right back to him. "And it's Zenitsu! Got that?! You've known me for how long and you still can't get my name right?!"

"Oh, give it a rest both of you!! You're annoying as hell!!" Tanjiro looked next to him. Genya was still laying on his stomach and had the pillow over his head still. On his other side Muichiro blinked silently as his brain slowly became ungroggy to the world. "Next time I'm sleeping outside! At least the birds are quiet at night!"

"Says you!" Zenitsu dared to point at Genya next as the black haired boy glared at him from under the pillow. "You both snore so loud you can attract an army of demons from a hundred miles away!!"

"Guys." Tanjiro rose a hand to no avail.

"HUH?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN PENTA IS LOUDER THAN ME?!" In an instant Inosuke was standing on his bed pointing one hand at Zenitsu and one at Genya accusingly as both turned to now glare at him. "MY LUNGS ARE SO POWERFUL I CAN BEAT BOTH OF IN YELLING!!"

"Fucking hell. Can't you get my name right at least?"

"See?! I told you you're always getting everyone's names wrong!"

"I wasn't talking to you, Sunflower!!"

"Guys?" Tanjiro asked slightly louder as Zenitsu whipped back to Genya.

"SUNFLOWER!? DO I LOOK LIKE A PLANT TO YOU?!"

"No. At least plants are quiet." Genya finally allowed the pillow to fall from his annoyed face having given up on sleeping in that morning.

"At least sunflowers are nice to look at! You look like a piece of coal that got hacked up by a mangy cat!!"

"What the hell did you say to me, Blondie?!"

"HEY!! IM STILL LOUDER!!"

"WE WEREN'T TALKING TO YOU!!" "SHUT UP, PIGHEAD!!"

"GUYS!!" All at once the three of them stopped whipping around to stare at Tanjiro who gave a stern look back holding both hands up... before sighing allowing both his arms to plop back down to his sides. "Let's not fight. It's too early in the morning to fight like this."

Both Zenitsu and Genya looked at one another and scowled but otherwise didn't argue again much to Tanjiro's relief. Inosuke laughed loudly in triumph.

"HA!! That means I beat both of you in loudness!"

"You certainly do, Inosuke." Tanjiro smiled happily. "Let's all save the next contest for later."

"None of us were in a contest," Zenitsu mumbled under his breath but didn't start an argument again.

"Ok. Hey, Misthead. Where are you going?"

They all turned to Muichiro whom had just gotten up silently, tossed off the blankets, and walked off towards the bathhouse area. Rubbing his eyes and yawning as the others followed him with their heads.

"To get dressed. All of you are too noisy."

"Hey! That's not a bad idea!" Tanjiro smiled at him and quickly followed Muichiro's lead in tossing off the blankets and following after their friend. Making a motion at everyone else to follow. "Come on. Let's all go get breakfast! We'll feel better if we eat something."

More grumbling was had. Eventually one after one they followed after the cheerfully smiling boy. At least it would stop the grumbling and put everyone in a better mood and hopefully stop them all from fighting. Twenty minutes later and the whole group of them found themselves just outside the door leading to the garden. Shinobu had suggested they should get some fresh air while waiting for their food to be made but to in her own words-

"Mind your injuries. You're still healing from very serious injuries from a very serious battle. I'd hate to confine you all to bed."

Shinobu's threats were to be taken very seriously as experience has taught them. So they gathered just outside of the garden and watched the peaceful day go by. Not a single thing to be worried about now. Just then all and the peaceful morning air-

"TANJIRO!!" That was until three little girls came running right up to the red eyed boy looking almost worried.

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong!," one of the three girls spoke up smiling at him. "Nezuko just needs your help with getting firewood!"

"Oh! Of course! Where is she?"

Nezuko. Finally after so long she was human again. After so long and after so much stress and effort, his beloved sister was finally able to walk in the sunlight again and live out her life. Human. It's still as if he'd wake up one day and it'll all be a dream but it was his reality. One they had to keep.

Tanjiro scanned behind them but didn't see any signs of his sister. "Where is she?"

"Outside of the garden with Aoi." Another pointed to just outside the garden and near the treeline. "She's waiting for you."

"Alright then! I guess I better go help them." He turned a smile right back to his friends just as another new face appeared in the doorway behind them. "I'll be right back. Save me a bowl of udon when the food arrives. Alright?"

Then he left quickly leaving everyone else to wait standing there.

"WWWWHHHHAAAAA- Why didn't Nezuko-chan ask for my help?! As her future husband, don't I get some consideration from her?!"

"Oh put a sock in it, Sunflower!"

"What's going on?" A new voice asked as a boy the same age as Muichiro stepped out holding a broom in his hands looking confused.

"Senjuro," one of the girls greeted him. "Tanjiro's gone to help Nezuko and Ali with the firewood!"

"Oh." The flame haired boy smiled. "That's nice of him. Nezuko's lucky to have such a kind brother."

Muichiro glanced curiously at the other boy, a look of slight concern in his eyes. "Senjuro, how's Kyojuro?" Senjuro jumped and blinked taken aback in surprise at Muichiro of all people addressing him. But Muichiro only tilted his head further. "I heard as of lately he was still recovering from his battle wounds, but I have yet to see him around. How is he?"

Senjuro blinked again before sighing. "You mean despite the missing eye and hole in his stomach?" He nodded glumly. "He's ok. Not great but ok. Ms. Shinobu says he'll live but..I'm still worried about him." He looked uncomfortable to say the least and decided to change the subject. "How's your brother doing? Last I heard, Yuichiro's waiting for you at home right? I bet he'll be happy to see you again after so long!"

It was Muichiro's turn to frown with a hum. "I.. suppose so. It's been so long-"

"You two shrimps have brothers?," Genya questioned raising a brow and crossing his arms although not in a rude way, he looked more lightly surprised than anything."

"Why is that so surprising?" Genya paused as Muichiro pointed at him and uttered his next sentence. "Don't you also have a brother in the corps? I'm pretty sure it's Sanemi."

"Sanemi? Wasn't he the jerk who tried to kill Nezuko-chan?!" Zenitsu tossed another dirty look directed at the sweating Genya as Senjuro gave all three of them a look of alarm.

"He tried to do what?!"

"OH DROP THAT SUBJECT!! IT'S IN THE PAST!! Besides didn't you have a brother too or something that went into the final selection before you even did?" Genya half challenged half changed the subject to Zenitsu who flinched. HARD. "Yeah. He trained under the same master you did right? What was his name?....Kai or something like that."

Zenitsu stared wide eyed at them all.. before turning away with a quick sad look. "We weren't really brothers....I don't want to talk about it."

"I DON'T HAVE ANY BROTHERS!!" Of course Inosuke had to proudly and randomly yell it like it was something to be proud of.

A tense and awkward silence fell over the group as no one felt the urge to talk about their brothers or lack there of. A small cough was given to the group as they shuffled about...until the trio of girls looked at one another and the one with braids decided to change the subject.

"Nezuko-chan has a really cool brother," she said trying to lift the mood.

"Yes! Tanjiro's a really good brother! Nezuko is so lucky to have Tanjiro! I bet every wants a brother like him!," one of the other girls agreed making a small murmur of agreement pass through.

Yes...Nezuko was lucky to have such an amazing brother like Tanjiro. Anyone would be lucky to have a brother just like him. They all knew it... It's just a shame they couldn't have a brother like him, and Tanjiro wasn't related to them anyways. He was a really good friend however.

"Zenitsu, you're going to marry Nezuko-chan aren't you?" One of the girls asked curiously tugging gently on the blonde's sleeve careful to not jostle his still healing injuries.

Zenitsu was certainly surprised at the sudden question but still gave the girl a soft smile. "Yes, that's right!"

The middle girl who had asked the previous question hummed in thought and rubbed her chin. She was the only one who wore her hair down instead of in braids or pigtails. "But-...If you get married to Nezuko-chan, Tanjiro-san would be your brother-in-law wouldn't he?"

Zenitsu paused, blinked, before shrugging. "Well yeah. But that's not a problem with me. Do you want to know how our wedding will be?"

A silence had fell upon the others. Whatever else Zenitsu and the butterfly girls said was lost to the other four as at least of them went blank. Eyes wide open as a realization of what was said before them rang true in their heads.

"Tanjiro-san would be your BROTHER-in-law right?"

Right....

.... right-....

"WHAT'S A BROTHER-IN-LAW?!," Inosuke demanded looking confused by the term and three of his friends spacing off. "Can I fight it?  I'll fight it and win!!"

"Calm down will you? Jeez! A brother-in-law is what you call a girl's brother when you start taking her out!"

Inosuke tilted his head at the blonde. "Are you saying I can get a brother just by taking out a girl?"

"Well...Yeah? I guess that's one way to put it. You weirdo."

"HA! The Great Inosuke then shall use this tactic from his underlings to extract this brother! If everyone else can get one then I will too!"

Zenitsu only deadpanned at him but couldn't get another word out as three familiar figures came around the corner. Aoi looking annoyed carrying a basket and the Kamado siblings. Tanjiro looked absolutely happy just carrying firewood joyfully and next to him just as joyful as her brother and more pretty was Nezuko. Laughing at something her brother said. Zenitsu instantly gushed out seeing her, Inosuke still proclaimed his soon to be victory, and meanwhile the three others remained silent. Staring. Idea swirling about in their heads taking glancing at one another 

.... Maybe there actually was a way to gain a brother like him.

[omnicenos]

There are animals, dammit

I know Pokemon officially retconned everything to try to pretend normal animals don’t exist in the world but I have several issues with that.

-You can’t call a Pokemon the (fill in the blank with real animal here) Pokemon if you don’t have that animal somewhere. You can’t have this both ways.

-The implication people eat these at least semi-sapient (and sometimes fully sapient) beings is horrifying. It’s bad enough that I’m accepting that they sometimes eat one another, like Mareanie with Corsola.

-There are not enough Pokemon by far to make functioning biomes and food chains. Like seriously, it takes hundreds of plants and animals in even just a small area to make these things run smoothly. There have to be mundane plants, beasts, birds, insects, and others in this mix or it just won’t work.

-The world has normal trees, grass, and other plants? They’re not all Oddish and Trevenant. So if you’re not going with the idea that all the flora is just Pokemon, you can’t tell me it’s different with fauna.

There will always be plenty of real animals and references to real animals in my Pokemon fics and RPs and I don’t care what canon says, it’s nonsense. No apologies.