#I just need to get back into routine with the new year

[hungermakesmonsters]

(Once Bitten) Twice Shy

Chapter Six

Plot summary : Desperate to get away from your controlling family, you take a job in New York as a wealthy vampire's blood source. A million dollars awaits if you can make it through a year, but life with Billy Russo is not going to be as simple as you think.

Pairing : Billy Russo x Reader

Story Rating : R  Chapter Rating : R

Warnings : [This is a fic for 18+ only, minors DNI] Smutty behaviour in a semi-public place. All chapters will contain mentions of blood. Please check the warnings on each chapter if you choose to follow this story. 

Word Count : 4.7k

A/N : I think I've finally sorted the tagging issue.

CHAPTER ONE | CHAPTER TWO | CHAPTER THREE | CHAPTER FOUR | CHAPTER FIVE

MASTER LIST

Chapter Six

It felt like you were in a daze, like the night before had just been a fever dream. You’d almost been willing to write it off as a dream before you saw a note in your kitchen from Billy, telling you that the leftovers from dinner had been put in the refrigerator for you. There was no telling if he’d brought them through himself or if he’d had the maid do it, but you appreciated the gesture nonetheless. 

After your usual morning routine, you headed to the library to finally return Billy’s copy of Dorian Gray, exchanging it for Jane Eyre, another book that you’d never been allowed to read growing up.

By the time Billy emerged at sunset, you’d finished the leftovers and you were sitting on the sofa, with your nose buried in the book and your stuffed beagle on your lap. You’d even put tonight's blood in his thermal travel mug, hoping to keep it warm for him.

“Good evening,” he said as he joined you on the sofa, eyeing his travel mug before turning his attention to you and smiling all the more when he noticed the stuffed toy. “I hope I’m not interrupting the two of you.”

“Not at all, me and Bill were just reading.”

“Bill?” He laughed. “You can’t call him Bill.”

“But he’s Bill the Beagle,” you told him, biting your lip and trying your damnedest to stifle your own laughter. “It’s too late to change it, he’s used to it now.”

The both of you sat for a moment, trying to fight back the laughter but it didn’t last. You cracked first and, soon enough, the pair of you were laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Just the sound of his laughter had you smiling. It was nice, precious even. It was only then that you realised that you didn’t hear him laugh very often, at least, not properly. He seemed happy, honestly happy with no hint of smugness.

“Is this for me?” He asked, reaching for the mug.

You nodded, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious at how much thought went into the gesture. “I just thought…”

“Thank you,” he offered, obviously sensing your discomfort and not wanting to force you to finish the thought. After taking a slow drink, his attention turned to the book on your lap. “So, what are you reading now?”

“Jane Eyre,” you answered and caught a questioning look from him. “What?”

“Nothing, it’s just very... apt.” 

“Is it?

“I wouldn’t want to spoil it for you,” he answered. Then, a beat later, he changed the subject. “I’d like to ask you something; I’m throwing a party here next month, and I’d very much like you to come. It’ll mean taking you for a new dress, of course, but -”

“A new dress?” You repeated, barely keeping up with all the information he was throwing your way. “But I already have so many.”

“I want you to have something special, something you picked for yourself. And it means an evening out of the penthouse,” Billy explained. You didn’t need to answer, he could tell just from the look on your face that you wanted to. “We can go on Wednesday.”

“Okay,” you smiled.

“Great, now that that’s settle, what do you want to do tonight?”

You fell silent, wondering if it was a trick question, if there was an expected answer. It’d be a lie to say that some part of you wasn’t hoping for a repeat of the night before, but you couldn’t say that.

“We could watch something?” You offered and Billy almost seemed taken aback by the simplicity of the suggestion. “Just - you know, because we talked a lot last night and I haven’t exactly done anything interesting today...”

“If that’s what you want to do,” he shrugged.

“We don’t have to, if you’d rather...” you trailed off, cheeks starting to warm.

Billy reached for you, fingers ghosting your cheek as he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. “No pressure or expectations, remember?” He told you softly. “If you want to watch a movie, we can watch a movie, okay?”

The only response you could give was a meek nod before quickly excusing yourself. When you returned a couple of minutes later, you had a blanket and a bowl of popcorn, explaining to Billy that they were crucial for a TV night. He nodded while fighting back a laugh and you realised that, while you’d been out of the room, he’d been and grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses. 

“Why don’t you find us something to watch?”  Billy asked, handing you the remote.

And then began five minutes of mindless scrolling through Netflix, watching trailers, and trying to find something that you’d both enjoy.

“What about this one?” You asked, lingering on Black Sails, a show that caught your attention because it was about pirates and you’d been interested in pirates ever since you’d  secretly read Treasure Island as a child. “It’s a series but... well, we’ve got all year, right? Maybe we could watch TV together more often?”

For a moment, he just looked at you, the smile on his lips growing, like you were offering him far more than the occasional night in front of the TV.

“Okay, let’s watch some pirates,” he agreed, filing the two wine glasses and handing you one of them.

When you’d chosen the show, you’d thought that you’d be able to watch and talk but, within five minutes, you were hooked. 

It wasn’t long before Billy was awkwardly reaching across, trying to steal your popcorn, prompting you to edge closer and closer until you were pressed against his side. You were so caught up in the show that you barely noticed Billy draping his arm around you or the way your head had ended up resting on his shoulder. 

One episode finished and another started, then another. You made little comments to each other, but after the popcorn and wine were gone, you were mostly silent. There was more sex and nudity than you’d expected and you felt your cheeks warm every time. If Billy noticed, he was nice enough not to say anything about it. But, aside from that, you were enjoying it; you were enjoying the whole night. It was nice. And Billy seemed to be enjoying it too.

“Oh, now I see why you’re watching this,” Billy joked when a particularly muscled and shirtless pirate appeared on screen. You pulled a face. “What? He not your type?”

“I don’t have a type,” you confessed, playfully nudging him with your elbow. 

Billy retaliated by nudging you back and things seemed to escalate from there. You gave him a shove and he pushed back, his hand discovering a ticklish spot on your side and, once Billy realised you were ticklish, it was game over. You squealed as he started to tickle you, laughing and pushing against him but, somehow, you ended up on your back with him above you. The tickling continued for a moment, but it soon turned into kissing.

“What is it about you?” he asked softly. “How do you make me want like this?” 

Before you could answer his lips were on yours again, the kiss more eager than the last. He pressed closer, his hips between your thighs, and you soon felt the increasingly familiar press of his erection against you. A soft sound slipped from your lips and into his, your heart hammering in your chest.

“The things I want to do to you,” he muttered, lips pulling from yours to your neck, kissing and sucking, leaving little marks in your skin. “The ways I want you,” he continued. “I’d ruin you. I’d make you feel things you’ve never felt before.”

It sounded insane but that didn’t stop you from wanting it, craving it.

Your hips pushed up against his while your fingertips pressed against his spine, holding him against you. A loud moan spilled from your lips when he pressed back, causing your body to tremble, your back arching against him of its own accord.

His head lifted from your neck, his dark eyes looked down at you, his jaw tense. 

“I want to make you mine,” but this time it wasn’t Billy’s voice, it was something closer to the way he’d sounded that night in the kitchen when he’d been hungry.

Every fibre of your being suddenly tensed, your heart stuttered and your breath caught. Your eyes were wide as he leaned to roughly press his lips to yours, his tongue dominating the kiss. His hips pressed down against yours again, grinding his clothed cock against you.

“I want to make you scream my name.” He growled before sinking against your lips again.

The whimper that escaped you next wasn’t one of pleasure, it was shock and, if you were honest, a little bit of fear. But that little sound seemed to be enough to snap Billy out of it.

His lips pulled from yours suddenly, and he buried his face against your neck. He was still and silent for a few seconds. All you could hear was your own panted breaths and the echo of your pounding heart in your ears.

The shock lingered but the fear was quick to dissipate. He’d stopped. You hadn’t even had to ask him to. He’d stopped the moment he realised that you were uncomfortable, even though you could still feel how unfulfilled he was. 

“I’m sorry,” he muttered against your neck, then again; “I’m sorry.”

Your mind was racing, between this and the night in the kitchen, you didn’t know what to think. He’d been hungry that night - at least, that was the excuse you’d given for his behaviour, but now it was starting to seem like it might be something else entirely.

“Are you -” you dared to quietly ask, “- okay?”

“No,” he answered and that one broken syllable shattered your heart.

Without hesitation or pause to think, you started to run your fingers through his hair, wanting to soothe whatever it was inside of him that was hurting. You heard him take an uncomfortable breath, but you didn’t stop. 

After a few minutes, he finally started to relax a little.

“It’s okay,” you muttered. “You didn’t hurt me.”

His head lifted slowly and the look on his face caused your stomach to knot.

“I could have,” he told you, looking almost sick at the thought.

Finally, he moved, pulling away from you and sitting up, his head in his hands. You followed suit, sitting beside him, giving him a moment of silence to think.

But that silence quickly felt deafening and you felt worse for the part you’d played. You hadn’t expected the things he’d said and they’d unsettled you a little, but that was all. You weren’t used to men being so forward and borderline aggressive about their desires. But he’d stopped. He hadn’t done any of the things he said. He hadn’t hurt you. He certainly hadn’t forced you into anything.

“You could hurt me right now,” you stated. “You could’ve hurt me last night, or that night in the kitchen, but you didn’t. And I don’t think you will. I get that I’m fragile and weak, and that worries you, but -”

“I don’t think you’re fragile or weak,” he told you, lifting his head and fixing his gaze on you. “You’re not either of those things.”

It was your turn to drop your gaze, cheeks warming as you shook your head.

“Hey, look at me,” he said, and you did as he asked. “You being here is proof that you’re not

weak. Taking this job, being stuck here with me for a year, there’s nothing weak about any of that.”

Your head shook again. “You don’t understand. You were right, I am running away. I’m here because I wasn’t strong enough to do anything else.”

“Everything you’ve done since you got here - standing up to me, the night you helped me, that was reckless and dangerous. It was brave.” He told you, not giving you a chance to argue. “So, no, it’s not because I think you’re fragile and weak. It’s me, I...” he sighed, “I told you, control is an issue for me.”

Cautiously, you reached for him, taking his hand between yours and holding it tight. 

“I didn’t even have to ask you to stop, Billy,” you told him softly. “You stopped yourself before you took things too far. You were in control. And I - I don’t know, it’s not like I was scared, I’m just not used to things being that... intense.” You watched him swallow awkwardly and decided to cut him off before he could speak. “Why don’t we rewind this episode and finish watching?”

He gave an uncertain grumble and you reached for the remote, winding back the last fifteen minutes of the show, back to the last thing you remembered. Sitting back, you grabbed Bill the Beagle and pulled your blanket back up over your legs, and when Billy finally sat back, you snuggled into his side again. And, eventually, he wrapped his arm around you again.

The rest of the night passed without incident. Your eyes started to close and, for a few minutes, you even drifted off. Billy woke you with a gentle kiss on the forehead.

“Bedtime, sleepyhead,” he muttered softly, and you reluctantly agreed, stifling a yawn as you got to your feet. “I should see you briefly tomorrow, but I’m needed in the office pretty early.”

Nodding, you headed for your rooms, saying goodnight before leaving him.

True to his word, the next day you saw him at sunset for a few minutes on his way out. On Tuesday, he was almost late leaving because he pulled you into a hot and heavy makeout session in the kitchen that seemed to suggest he was frustrated about not getting to see you. But then Wednesday rolled around, and it was time for Billy to take you dress shopping.

The moment you stepped into the elevator with him, he took your hand in his and kept hold of it all the way down to the parking garage below the building, leading you to his car and opening the door for you. You’d never been in a Rolls Royce before, and you caught Billy smiling as you looked around the car in wonder as your fastened your seatbelt.

It wasn’t a long drive to the dress shop - a large boutique affair, filled with bespoke pieces as well as off-the-rack gowns and dresses. And, while you’d been in fancy dress stores before, you found yourself taken aback. Usually at times like this, you’d have your mother at your side, and she always had an idea of what you were supposed to wear; what colours were acceptable and how much skin a decent woman should show.

“Mr Russo, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” one of the assistants said as she approached.

You watched as she approached Billy and he kissed her cheeks in, what you could only describe as, a Parisian fashion. He introduced you and she took a step back, looking you up and down. Next to her you felt more child than woman - she was obviously a vampire, with perfect skin and hair that fell in natural tight ringlets, framing her face. She was another example of the stunning women who seemed to gravitate around Billy.

But it was her looking at you in an appraising way that really caught you off guard.

“Your pictures really didn’t do you justice,” she remarked and you quickly looked at Billy for clarification. 

“Hannah picked your wardrobe,” he explained.

“Oh.” Suddenly you found yourself looking down, thinking about the outfit you’d put together - jeans, a blouse and boots - wondering what the person who’d chosen all the items thought of how you’d decided to wear them.

“Why don’t you have a look around, see what speaks to you?” Hannah offered.

Billy gave a wave of his hand, indicating for you to do just that and, slowly you started to move towards the racks of dresses. It wasn’t long before you were looking at the sorts of dresses your mother might have picked for you; a-line dresses that showed a hint of your waist and with necklines high enough to cover any and all cleavage. You could practically hear her voice in your head telling you how no respectable man would ever want you if we went around showing too much skin.

While you looked, a bottle of champagne was opened and two glasses were filled; one for you and one for Billy. He kept hold of your glass while you looked around.

You pulled one dress out and looked at it front and back. It was like every other dress you’d had since you’d started to grow into your figure. It felt safe but boring, like it wasn’t really you but what you thought was expected of you. But you weren’t that person anymore - at least, you were trying not to be.

“If you don’t mind me saying, with your figure, I’d suggest something a little more fitted, something with some slink.” Hannah offered.

“Slink?” You repeated, looking at Billy, wondering what he thought.

“I think you’d look lovely in a slinky dress.”

“Can you help me choose?” You asked Hannah. “I don’t know where to even start.”

Rather than the expected look of judgement, Hannah just smiled. “Of course. Why don’t you and Mr Russo go sit down and I’ll put together a collection for you to try.”

“That would be brilliant, thank you Hannah,” Billy answered for you, handing you a glass.

Fifteen minutes later, you were in a fitting room the size of a small bedroom, looking through a whole rail of dresses. You started with a black dress, but hated it the moment it was on, then you half pulled on a short red dress but decided that you couldn’t stand the colour. Then you started to rummage through the rail again.

Your attention was quickly drawn to a  silver number, and finally you understood what Hannah had meant by slink. It had thin spaghetti straps and a neckline that plunged to a couple of inches above your belly button, and a slit running up one side from ankle almost right to your hip. Even the back of the dress hung low. 

You pulled it on and looked at yourself awkwardly in the mirror. Because of the way the dress was cut, you had to remove your bra to get a real idea of how the dress was supposed to look. You stood on tiptoes and turned this way and that, not sure what to think.

“How’s it going?” Billy called from outside.

You stayed silent for a few moments before sighing. “I don’t know,” you called back.

“Need a second opinion?”

You poked your head around the door, the awkward discomfort on your face drawing a sympathetic smile from Billy. He waited a beat before getting to his feet, you felt your cheeks warming as he approached you. You remained hidden behind the door, not sure you wanted him to see.

“I look ridiculous,” you pouted.

“Are you gonna let me see?” He asked, a hint of laughter in his tone. You shook your head and he gently pressed against the door with his hand. “Come on, let me see.”

For a moment more, you held the door in place before finally stepping back and letting the door swing open so he could see you. When he didn’t immediately say something, you took another step back.

“You hate it.”

“What? No, I’m speechless,” he told you, stepping forwards, closing the gap between you. “You look amazing.”

“I feel like a kid playing dress up.”

He kicked the door shut behind him as he stepped into the fitting room, his gaze roving up and down your body. Clearing the distance between you, he placed his hands on your hips, turning you to face towards the mirror.

“Look,” he instructed in a low voice, spoken into your ear, and you did as you were told, looking at your reflection. “You only feel like a kid because that’s how you’ve let people see you. But that’s not what I see. I see a sexy, elegant woman. I see curves and tits that get me hard, and it kills me that you don’t realise how amazing you are.”

His lips pressed to your neck before you could respond and your breath caught, watching your reflections. 

Whether it was his words or the way he was touching you, he made you feel more confident, like you really could wear the dress and not be seen as ridiculous. You pressed against him and felt his cock against your hip, and that felt like all the proof you needed that he meant what he was saying.

His hands began to move, one pressing against your stomach while the other moved to rest over your racing heart. You took a breath, filled with a sort of wanting that only he seemed to bring out in you. Not giving yourself a moment to second guess, you reached behind him, palming his erection through the fabric of his dark jeans.

“Can I -” you started quietly, voice little more than a whisper, cheeks starting to heat. Billy stared at you in the mirror, expectant but patient, letting you find the nerve to finish. “Can I touch you?”

He smirked at you through the mirror as he undid the fastenings of his jeans and pulled his cock out. Your eyes widened, watching everything through the mirror because you were too embarrassed to look down. Billy took your hand in his and wrapped it around his shaft, and you started to stroke him slowly. And, when your gaze dropped, you found Billy’s fingers beneath your chin, urging your head up.

“Don’t be shy,” he muttered in your ear, his breath catching as your thumb brushed over the tip of his cock. “See how amazing you look right now, taking what you want?”

You bit your lip, watching his reflection, seeing the way his jaw went slack as his breathing got heavier in your ear. Once he was certain you weren’t going to look away, his hand moved from your chin to your breast, slipping beneath the fabric of the dress. 

“You look so fucking good in this dress,” he groaned, returning his lips to your neck, “so confident and sexy. You’ve got no idea what I want to do to you right now.”

His hand moved, slipping one of the thin straps down your arm, causing the front of the dress to fall, exposing your breast to him. Your hand faltered for a moment, cheeks burning hotter.

“Don’t you dare look away,” he husked in your ear, his eyes meeting yours in the mirror. There was a seriousness about him that sent a shiver down your spine despite the smile on his lips.

Your hand started moving quicker as his cold hand moved to grope you again. And, finally, you started to see it; when you looked at your reflection, you didn’t see the shy, embarrassed girl, you saw the woman who had Billy Russo, desperate and groaning, in the palm of her hand. You felt almost powerful, filled with a kind of confidence you’d never been allowed to feel before, and it was all thanks to Billy.

“Fuck, that’s it,” he grunted, face pressed against your neck. Your hand moved quicker as his body started to tense. “Oh, shit...”

You felt him twitch in your hand and watched him come undone. It was a beautiful sight, even if you did go straight back to feeling embarrassed once it was over.

“Are you going to try any of the others?” He asked, pulling the strap back onto your shoulder and straightening the dress, before tucking himself back into his jeans.

“I don’t think I’ll like any of them as much as I like this one.”

“I don’t think I will either,” Billy agreed, smirking at your reflection. “Why don’t you get changed and we’ll have Hannah help you find some shoes.”

You nodded and Billy pressed one more kiss to your neck before pulling away from you. He left to speak to Hannah and, for a moment, you couldn’t even move. You kept your eyes on the mirror and the woman that was staring back at you; was that really you? Could you be the confident woman who took what you wanted? Eventually your gaze dropped, realising that Billy had managed to get cum on the mirror.

That got you moving.

You quickly, but carefully, dropped the dress and started to pull your clothes back on when, suddenly, the door opened and someone stepped in.

“Sorry, I -” you started to speak but stopped the moment she lifted her fingers to her lips.

“We don’t have a lot of time,” she explained in a hushed whisper. “My name is Agent Madani, I’m with Homeland Security, and I believe you’re in danger.”

“What? I -” you took a step back, head shaking. 

“Are you being kept against your will?”

“No, I - it’s my job, I -” you didn’t get to finish.

“Your parents believe that you’ve been kidnapped,” she sounded almost confused at the revelation you were there of your own free will.

“No, I left home. It was my choice,” you told her. “They don’t know I’m here, do they?” Your voice quickly turned frantic, trying to make sense of what was happening. Surely your parents wouldn’t have been able to get Homeland to look for you.

“No, they don’t know yet -”

“Yet? They can’t know at all,” you pleaded. “Please.”

“Your parents aren’t why I’m here,” she continued quietly. “Has Russo said anything to you about the other women who’ve worked for him?”

“No, I just know that they quit because they didn’t want to work for him anymore,” you tried to explain, your mind racing.

“Three of them are missing. All presumed dead,” she told you. “Each went to work for Russo and haven’t been seen since.”

“Billy wouldn’t, he’s not -” you stopped abruptly, noticing her eyes finding the mess Billy had left on the mirror and obviously putting the pieces together. When she looked back up, you could barely hold her gaze.

“Have you seen anything suspicious? Has he tried to feed from you without permission?” She asked. “Is he forcing you to sleep with him?”

“No - no, nothing like that. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you told her, so confused by everything she was trying to tell you.

“You need to be careful. He can’t know that we’ve had this conversation. He’s dangerous -” a noise outside the fitting room seemed to spook her, “- I’ll be in touch again soon. Don't worry, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

And, then, just as quickly as she’d appeared, she left. 

Your mind was reeling over everything she’d said. It seemed insane, ridiculous. Billy had been nothing but kind to you, nothing but careful and considerate. You couldn’t imagine him hurting anyone. There had to be some other explanation.

You must have been taking too long because, soon enough, Billy appeared at the door again. 

“Are you alright? You’re not having second thoughts about the dress are you?” He asked with that soft smile that caused butterflies in your stomach.

“N-no, sorry... I guess I just got distracted,” you told him, deciding not to mention Madani to him, not knowing how he’d take it.

“Come on,” he offered you his hand, “Hannah’s picked out some shoes for you to look at.”

There was something about him in that moment, something about the way he was smiling at you that made you want to believe the best in him. After all, you’d met monsters before, and Billy Russo just didn’t seem to fit the bill. 

Grabbing the dress, you took his hand and let him lead you across the store to look at shoes. Agent Madani was nowhere to be seen and, for that evening at least, you decided to try and forget all about it. Tomorrow you’d be having lunch with Karen, maybe you’d be able to find out something then. But, in that moment, you were content to hold his hands and look at shoes, trying to forget the stain on an otherwise amazing evening. 

End Note : Dun-dun-duuuuuunnnnnnnn. I have nothing to say because I don't want to potentially spoil what I've got planned. But, yeah, I decided that reader and Billy should watch Black Sails together because it's been showing up on my dash a lot and it's an a+ show if you haven't seen it already.

As always, thanks so much for reading (and also thank you so much for all the new followers) I've really loved all the feedback from this fic and for my last fic, and you've all just been wonderful.

Let me know if you'd like to be tagged in future chapters! If tagging doesn't work for some reason (aka Tumblr being dumb) I post most Fridays around 7:30 gmt. (I think I've found a way to get tagging to work properly again, please let me know if it doesn't tag you.)

Tag List : @vaguekayla @thdcre @rensolodriver @house-husband-of-castlemurdock

@snowkestrel @danzer8705 @noortsshift @aoi-targaryen @lincerad

@vxnity713 @readerinsertsaremyguiltypleasure @dreadfulxives18 @fireeyes-on-teller-dixon-grimes @glamourbabe17

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[multifandom-worlds]

Missing in Action

Genre: angst

Word count: 2.8k

Warnings: Suicide, mental health struggles, grief, death (in passing), violence, bullying.

Authors Note: Hi everyone! This is going to be a bit of a heavier fic. If it's to much for you to handle, that's okay! Take care of yourself. This does have a bit of a happier ending. If I missed anything in the warnings, do let me know!

Ape - Bee

Bellissima - beautiful

Tagging: @slytherins-heir @simplyholl

The Battle of Hogwarts -- one of the bloodiest battles in the Second Wizard War, and you lived to tell the harrowing tales. You were one of the lucky ones.

 A year and a half had passed since then, the castle had been rebuilt, and the dead were laid to rest. It took a year for classes to resume, but here you were again, going through the routine again with your closest friends - Draco Malfoy, who bravely fought against his parents on the side of good, Theodore Nott, Lorenzo Berkshire and Regulus Black. Although things were getting back to normal, a significant part of your group was missing. Mattheo Riddle, son of the Dark Lord himself but, more importantly, your beloved, was gone. 

Mattheo was not among the survivors at the end of the war, nor was his body found within the ruined castle rubble. The professors and Ministry of Magic alike scoured the school grounds in search of anything, but nothing could be seen of him. The mystery of his disappearance deepened, with rumours of what happened to him beginning to spread. One thing all the rumours had in common was painting Mattheo as a hero - the prodigal son of the Dark Lord, standing up against him, holding off the death eaters while many students fled. He was one of the many unsung heroes of the war, his fate uncertain.

As the months progressed and nobody ever found any trace of Mattheo, the hope of his survival began to drop. First, it was the Ministry. A few months later, the professors gave up hope that he was alive. Just recently, Theo had finally given up hope that he was still alive. You heard him talking in the Great Hall about it.

“What do you lot think? Is he actually coming back?” Theo asks, his voice calm. It was not quite a whisper, but it was not his total volume. “Do you believe Matt was actually able to survive the war? Survive all the shit he endured? Are we just kidding ourselves and holding onto false hope?”

Draco shook his head, looking around for you, hoping you weren’t in earshot. “There’s no way. He could not possibly have survived. I heard that on the second anniversary, they’re going to add his name to the In Memory speech. It seems as though everyone has accepted it now, except her.”

“I’ll tell her,” Theo says dejectedly. He didn’t want to break your heart even more. “It’s best it comes from me. I don’t want her to get blindsided by the news when it happens; she already has nightmares every night about the war. Like the rest of us, she carries those scars, mental and physical. She won’t like it.” he trails off with a deep sigh, placing his head in his hands, mentally psyching himself up to go have this conversation yet again. 

He leaves the Great Hall in the direction of the Slytherin dorms. It wasn’t hard to know where you would be - you spent all your time in his bed, wearing his clothes and, in Theo’s mind, prolonging your hurt.

“You’re wrong, Theo!” You whimper, staring at your boyfriend's best friend standing at the door to his and Mattheo’s dorm. “He can’t be gone! There’s no way he's gone! We killed his father! You were the one who cast the curse!”

He opens the door of the dorm, seeing you sitting on his bed, reading your book, his pillow between your arms. “Hey, we have to talk.” He says, leaning against the doorframe. “They want to add his name to the list of students who died. I think it's time, Bellissima. I think you need to let him go. He died protecting the school, its students and you.”

Theo sighs, running his fingers through his curls. “Ape, he’s gone. There are so many places his body could be that would have been hidden. Yes, we killed his father, but that does not mean he didn’t have a hand in his death. I miss him, too. I miss him like you wouldn’t believe it, but you need to accept that he’s gone. He would want you to move on, apa.”

Your tears began to slide down your cheeks as Theo carefully sat beside you, wrapping his arms around you protectively. It didn’t take long for your whimpers to turn into full sobs as you hid your face against his chest. Words can not describe how terrible Theo felt at that moment, holding you once again as you sobbed into his chest. He wanted you to move on, to move on from all the pain and memories that place had, but until Mattheos body was recovered, he knew it was impossible. He held you as you cried, resting his chin on the top of your head, just as he has done almost nightly since the battle ended. 

Theo pulls you away from him once all your tears dried up.  “Please come for dinner, ape. The others are asking about you, and I want you to eat something, please.” He brushes your hair from your face, looking at you earnestly.

You nod softly, wiping your eyes. “O-okay. I do miss Reggie and Ferret Boy.” you chuckle at the nickname. Draco absolutely hated it, but he begrudgingly accepted it from you. “And obviously Enzo.”

Theo stands up first, taking your hand and carefully helping you to your feet, his hands on your shoulders to keep you balanced. Once you finished mentally preparing yourself, you take his arm, leave the dorm, and make your way upstairs to the Great Hall. You keep your eyes down, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. Theo keeps you close; his imposing height and proclivity for fighting keep everyone away from the two of you. 

“There she is.” You could hear Draco say as you and Theo step into the Great Hall. Tentatively, you look up, meeting the eyes of your favourite ferret. He smiles, waving you over. You and Theo make your way to the Slytherin table before joining your friends. “You look good, Bee,” Draco says once you’re sitting between him and Lorenzo. 

“Fuck yeah, you do,” Enzo says next, pulling you into a side hug, and Theo rounds the table and sits across from you, beside Regulus. “I missed having my favourite Slytherin around. It’s not the same without you.”

“You see me in class every day, Enz…” You mutter, looking at him. You had no idea why they missed you because you still went to all your classes with them. “I’m still around; I don’t know what you mean?”

“I just mean...” Lorenzo begins, but a second voice interrupts him. You look up and see Cormac McLaggen standing just behind Regulus and Theo, a stupid, cocky smile plastered on his face. 

“He means your depressed ass isn’t worth being around,” Cormac says, his friends laughing at the face you were making, your eyes welling up with tears. “Fuckin’ crybaby. If you miss that cunt so much, why not join him? Just do it in front of me so I can enjoy you.” 

Within seconds of the last sound leaving Cormac’s mouth, Theo was on his feet, colliding his fist into Cormac’s nose, sending him sprawling against the empty table behind him. Before anyone realized what had happened, Theo was on him, landing punch after punch into his face. 

Regulus joins in, the two of them taking turns being Cormac’s face until he is 50 shades of black and blue. His nose bent at a noticeable angle, his eyes were actively swelling and already turning black, and his cheek caved in. Several of his fingers bent out of shape, and he most certainly had several broken ribs. He lays motionless on the table, barely conscious as Madame Pomfry and McGonagall come rushing over.

“Mr. Nott, Mr. Black, what is the meaning of this!?” McGonagall demands, looking between Cormac and the two Slytherins. 

Theo looks up at her, his lips pulled into a tight line, his whole body tense. “He called Mattheo a cunt, called his girlfriend a crybaby and told her to kill herself in front of him so he could fuck her dead body.” He stated matter of factly. He knew he was justified in his merciless beating. 

“And I meant every fucking word. She’s a depressed bitch who needs to join her” beloved” if she missed him that much” Theo, Regulus and McGonagall could hear Cormac's strained laughter after he finished speaking. 

Theo grabs him by his collars, hauling him up so their faces are inches apart. “If I hear you say anything about her or Mattheo, I will cut out your tongue with a pair of rusty scissors and watch you bleed to death. Got that, Cormac?” Theo drops him back on the table, spitting in his face before turning around and seeing you hiding your face against Draco’s jacket. 

“Detention for you both! And 50 points from Slytherin. Each.” McGonagall states, looking between Theo and Regulus before turning her attention to you. “As for you, dear. This really is not good for you; you need to accept that Mr. Riddle is no longer with us. You need to move on and focus on your academics.” 

“Excuse me…” you mutter, pushing away from Draco and running out of the Great Hall. You blink away tears as you navigate through the school. You didn’t know where you were going; you just needed to know you had to get away. Away from everyone who believed he was dead, away from everyone who told you to move on. Away from it all. 

You found yourself at the top of the Astronomy tower, looking out over the grounds of Hogwarts. You sigh, remembering all the blood and carnage that decorated the grounds years before. You look over at the Forbidden Forest, the last place you saw Mattheo alive. He saved you from a death eater’s imperious curse by casting his very own Unforgivable curse - Avada Kadavra. You didn’t even have a chance to thank him before he was snatched up and dragged away by Fenrir Greyback. The last thing you heard from him was him yelling that he loved you and that he would find you again, in this life or the next. 

You could hear a commotion below you on the grounds, but you paid it no mind. You were tired, tired of everyone telling you he was dead, tired of everyone bringing it up, tired of looking at your body in the mirror and seeing all the scars from that cursed battle on your skin, forced to relive it day after day. The PTSD was too much for you to handle, so you decided to jump, to end everything once and for all. You knew Theo and Regulus would be in detention; Draco and Enzo were probably tormenting them, so there was no one to stop you. 

You pull your robes off, folding them neatly on the ground before grabbing your phone and writing a quick note, an explanation of why you did it. You carefully place your phone on top of your robes before stepping back up to the railing, intending to throw yourself off it when your phone rings. You picked it up again, only to see Theo’s name pop up. Odd, he should be in detention right now; you decide to answer it, acutely aware it could be one of Cormac’s minions ready to continue what he started. 

“Hello…?” You answer timidly, walking back to the railing. The commotion happening below you was getting louder. Clearly, you were about to have an audience.

“Don't do it, my love. I need you!” The voice on the phone sounded too much like Mattheo, but you knew it couldn't be. He was dead; everyone believed it, and you were going to be next.

“Who are you, and why do you have Theo’s phone? He’s in detention right now.” You say, anger beginning to surge to the surface. 

“You know who I am, love. Please, please don’t. Don’t listen to Cormac, he’s a scumbag. I need you; Theo and Reggie need you. Draco and Enzo need you to. We all need you. Please, my love, don’t do it.”

Your hand grips your phone, trembling. “I'm going to do it. Cormac was right. I'm going to jump and put an end to everyone's misery.”

The voice began talking again, sounding frantic. “Please, baby. Please don't jump. I can't bear to watch my only light extinguish herself. Please, Theo's on his way to get you, but please, please step away from the railing.”

“I don't know who I'm talking to, but it's not Mattheo. I don't believe you! You're just made up, a figment of my imagination. You're not real! He’s dead, and everyone believes it! But I'm going to be joining him soon!” You step forward, swinging one leg over the railing, tears streaming down your face. 

“Mon Coeur, please….” 

You swing your other leg over the railing, looking down at the dizzying height, ready to let go, when a pair of strong arms wrap tightly around your waist, pulling you back to safety. 

“No! Let me go! I want to do it! I want to end it all! Please just let me join him!” You cry, fighting with whoever it was that grabbed you. 

The arms wrap tighter around you before a familiar Italian accent hits your ears. “Ape, he's alive. You were right. He's at the bottom of the stairs. Come down, come with me, and we can see him together.” 

“You're wrong, Theo! You told me he's dead! You and everyone else kept telling me he was dead and I needed to move on. Why are you tormenting me like this? Why are you doing this? Please just let me die.” You sob, fighting against Theo’s grip. 

Theo rests his chin on your head. “If you're not going to walk down these steps, I'm going to carry you down, but we are going,” he says, very matter-of-factly. You give up, knowing Theo is serious. He notices the call is still connected, so he grabs the phone from your hand and puts it to his ear. “I have her; she’s safe in my arms. We're on your way down, Matt.” 

“Oh, thank Merlin. Okay, I'll see you two soon.” Mattheo says a wave of relief washing over him. He was so thankful she believed he was still alive. If only he had gotten to you sooner, maybe you wouldn't have fallen this far into the darkness. All that mattered was he was about to see you again for the first time since the battle.

You and Theo slowly begin to descend the stairs; he has his arm wrapped securely around your waist, keeping you stable since your anxious trembling makes each stair dangerous. The closer to the bottom you got, the more your heart pounded in your chest. Theo wouldn’t lie…right? He wouldn’t pretend Mattheo was alive and the voice on the phone sounded so much like him, but it couldn’t possibly be him. You knew what Greyback was capable of; there’s no way Mattheo survived that.

You and Theo arrive at the bottom of the stairs, and there, standing right in front of you, is Mattheo - an older, more scarred and more traumatized version of Mattheo, but it is still Mattheo, your Mattheo.

You let go of Theo, nervously walking towards him. “Matty…?” You ask, gently touching his cheek. He cups your hand with his, leaning into your touch, his eyes meeting yours. You knew those soulful brown eyes anywhere; this is your Mattheo.

He smiles, taking your hand and kissing your palm, just as he always did before. “In the flesh, Mon Coeur. I missed you so much. I dreamt about you every night when I wasn’t plagued with nightmares. I was so scared you had either died or moved on, and I would never have you in my arms again, never wake up with your perfect face, never listen to you talk about everything you loved. Draco told me you never gave up hope, even when everyone else did. Thank you, baby. Thank you for not giving up on me.”

“But how…?” you question, meeting his eyes, pleading with him. “How are you still alive? E-everyone believed you died…I saw you! I saw Greyback take you! A-are you really him?” You ask, step away, your suspicions growing. This has to be some sort of prank.

Mattheo’s face fell, his smile replaced by a heartbroken frown. “I promise, I am who I say I am. What can I do to make you believe me, amour?” 

You look at him, wanting so desperately to believe. “How did you survive? Where were we, and what was the last thing you said to me?”

“We were in the forbidden forest; I told you I love you, and I would find you in this world or the next.” He smiles, seeing the doubt melt away from your eyes. “And as for how I survived. My brother. Tom.”

[cloveroctobers]

JEY USO x BLACK! READER — Spring Writings 🩵

A/N: I took a stab at writing for roman and now here I am doing the same for jey? Except this one isn’t strongly plot based…Wish me luck! I’m new to the scene so I apologize if this isn’t in his character…But I think I got it? We’ll see 😆

PROMPTS ARE FROM HERE + HERE & I’m using:  “did you seriously use the last of the milk for this?” “i thought it would taste good!” +  “well i put it on the grocery list!” “i didn’t think i needed the list!” “you clearly did!!” +  “i can’t find the remote.” “i’m actually going to kill you.” 1. “But look, this is on sale!”

WARNINGS: language + just doing typical bickering couple things.

☀︎༄·❅☘︎ ☀︎༄·❅☘︎ ☀︎༄·❅☘︎ ☀︎༄·❅☘︎ ☀︎༄·❅☘︎ ☀︎

In the near future, you wanted to advocate for detaching your head (not on some Black mirror type shit, although you knew there was a 70% chance that it could go that route) and leaving it to get any protective style for yourself, sisters, brothers, and non-binaries while you went about your business before you came back to collect your freshly did head. You originally wanted to go in with some straight backs with the water wave left out towards the ends but switched to boho locs last minute.

Thankfully you had that type of relationship with your stylist so she didn’t mind much.

You were always down to try something new and been contemplating getting some locs after a few of your family members been on their journey for years now. Tending to your head nearly everyday was a hassle especially as a routine to go into the world and work. Hair had a mind of its own and it didn’t need to be explained, if you know, you know.

The last thirty minutes of your appointment, you were reaching out to your husband to see what was on the menu at home or if you needed to pick something up. The snacks your go to girl provided only held up for so long and when Jey told you that he had a taste for Kopai, basically hinting that would be for lunch or dinner—when Jey threw down he made enough for both occasions—you sat up a bit in the driver’s seat, one hand on the wheel, while you floated through the streets to get back home.

When you unlocked the white security gate to the bright russet orange home (Jey picked the exterior color and you weren’t crazy about it but at least it stood out from the other homes, which was his main goal), you were already hit with a whiff of spices, thanks to the breezy San Francisco spring air and found the petal pink front door wide open. Which made you quirk up a brow but you were too famished to think too hard about it as you quickly made your way through the small entry way into the master bedroom to toss your things onto the bed.

You sighed with a shake of your head as you made your way up the stairs, hearing Jey listening to Kendrick’s disses on loop again but you also ignored that as you made your way to the right where the kitchen and living room sat. Sneaking behind the man on your toes like swiper, you slapped a hand and squeezed his backside in greeting while Jey legit yelped and yanked himself away.

Grinning at him innocently you say, “why are your clappers clenched?”

Jey sucked his teeth while you attempted to hide your laughter, “yo, what I tell you about doing that man? That’s my job to do to you, not other way around.”

“I thought we believed in equality in this house?” You placed your hands on your hips while Jey just huffed.

You moved towards the stove, where Jey was hovering over. The soup pot was there, steaming but the aroma wasn’t giving Kopai. While jey was distracted on his phone again, mumbling to himself and nodding his head—possibly the lyrics—you snatched up a spoon to dip into the pot.

Wincing against the temperature on your tongue, you managed to get the food down after chewing and sucking air into your mouth. That was enough to get Jey’s attention as he looked at you with a straight face, annoyed that you went and sampled.

“This is not giving dumpling…where are the dumplings?” You managed to get out after your last chew.

Jey folded his muscular arms honestly replying, “that’s because there isn’t any.”

“Huh? But it’s Samoan Sunday.” Which meant each Sunday included something from Jey’s culture, sometimes combined with soul food, depending on what y’all were in the mood for.

Jey lifted his chin, “turns out it’s a whatever’s in the fridge day. That you just rudely sampled behind my back without giving me any proper love by the way, it’s spicy chicken and rice chowder.”

Scrunching up your face, you popped your tongue in distaste at the aftermath. Now that you knew what it was, it could explain this foul after taste because something wasn’t adding up.

“Joshua.”

“Oh here you go,” Jey threw his hands up in the air, “If I wanted another food critic, I’d just call your damn father.”

Your father has his own successful restaurant here in California and back up North where you were originally from. Majority of the time if your family was over, Jey did everything in his power not to be the one who was solely on food duty because your father was very critical especially when it came to food.

That’s that Virgo shit.

“Chowder includes milk right?” You didn’t get the culinary trait but you watched enough cooking competitions and attended plenty to know the basics. You weren’t the biggest fan of seafood, although that was the common type of chowder, there was no seafood in this dish.

It still didn’t taste right to you.

And Jey usually knew what to do in the kitchen, more so on the grill but still he got by and knew Gordon Ramsey would approve of at least a few of his dishes. If not? His bitch ass could certainly see Jey’s hands. Not your pops though, he wasn’t messing with him at all.

Jey scoffed, “yeah.”

“Hey, I’m not feeling your attitude.” You addressed over your shoulder as you went to the fridge to open up.

Jey shot back, “well I’m not feelin’ you sneaking and holdin’ two handfuls of my ass but here we are.”

It was one hand but whatever fed his ego.

He was really about to bring the hangry out of you if he kept it up to be honest. Your hands went to the top shelf, immediately spotting the now empty glass milk bottle. Yanking it out, you held it up in the air for your husband to see.

“Did you seriously use the last of the milk for this?” You questioned, one hand on your hip now.

He blinked between you and the glass and then back again, “I thought it would taste good!”

Your eye twitched, “With expired milk, Josh?!”

He scrunched up his face at this news, “be for real,” he starts as he makes his way towards you to grab the glass, “…how was I supposed to know?”

Jey’s fingers quickly unscrewed the silicone dispenser cap to take a sniff of the inside and recoiled.

“By doing that like you normally do.” You respond, “also there’s a label on the back that aways gets written with the expiration date.”

Jey snarled, “Why can’t we just keep the damn carton instead of this aesthetically pleasing bullshit?”

“That’s rich coming from Mr. Leo the flashy asshole himself.” You tilted your head to the side, sending him the same type of energy.

“Why am I catching strays?” Jey pounded on his chest, voice naturally booming off the walls, “it’s my fault I like nice things?”

‘And that I tried to cook us a meal?’ He thinks to himself.

“No but it’s mine?” You repeat his motions, pointing at your own chest while Jey sighs, “I tried to remind you this morning before I left, that the milk needed to be dumped.”

Jey scratches at his ear with his lips pushed out in thought, “I heard none of that.”

“Well, I put it on the grocery list!” Your voice went up now and you can only blame your hunger.

Jey slides the bottle onto the white surface of the pale blue counter, “I didn’t think I needed the list!”

“You clearly did!” You laugh humorlessly at the fact that you just ate partially spoiled food.

It was funny how your husband picked and chose what he wanted to remember. Granted it was pretty early when you told him this, waking him up from his snoring slumber as you pecked his cheek on your way out. Last night in bed he said he would hit the store for a few quick items you needed for the house and milk was the first thing on the list. He didn’t remember that but he knew you had a hair appointment since he insisted on paying for it, he always loved your fro and didn’t mind seeing you change it up.

He was very vocal if he didn’t like a look either, even if you were pranking him a few times with stiff wigs from Tyler Perry Amazon, which caused many more lashings from the both of you that it sometimes got personal. The both of you could take the shit talking from each other but once it actually stung just a little too much? And if it happened to occur in front of family? Oh the silent treatment was more lethal than the actual words.

“Now I see why your ass was so clenched when I came in here. You were trying to poison me, or encourage me to go vegan, my own got damn husband.” You scoffed while Jey rolled his eyes at your dramatics and that was saying a lot, since he was the number one Thespian.

He makes the noise of a buzzer, “wrong answer forehead! My fatty is too well rounded for it to be clenched. Especially if it was glute day yesterday. There’s no high booties around here and I’m highly offended that you think I would do that to you when you’re my whole heart.”

You stuck your tongue out giving him a thumbs down, “don’t try to butter me up, I’m still aggy and I’m trying to big my back, not make my stomach touch my back.”

And just like that he grins as he moves to grip the sides of your face, “I’m sorry ma, you know I always got you and already have a back up order for dinner if this didn’t turn out too well. Plus, I got something else that could feed your appetite. A appetizer if you really think about it.”

His smile turns devilish now as he moves to place his hips on yours to feel exactly what he’s serving up. You shove at his chest as he goes even further to try and kiss up your neck, “Nope, if you don’t get off me! You’re not getting none of that.”

“Why not? We got at least twenty-five minutes before option B is ready and I can make it work.” He’s chasing after you now.

You’re on the other side of the white and blue island with a shake of your head, “for one, I have no nutrients in my body and it’s really sounding like you want me to cross over to the other side.”

Jey interrupts as he stares at you in all seriousness, “never.”

Holding up fingers you continue, “Two, my laser appointment isn’t until Wednesday.”

Jey caressed his beard in thought licking his lips, “oh word, hump day? That’s even better but fuck all that we grown! Let me get you that jug of fruit water you made and then that ass is mine.”

You laughed, “you think I’m gonna just fold after you deprived me of Kopai? You really done lost your mind and it’s all KDot’s doing.”

“Nah, leave my boy out of this.”

You gasped, “That switch up is crazy.”

‘Guess we know who Jey’s shaking that ass for and it’s not just for me,’ you cackle internally before focusing back on what your husband’s response would be to picking with him. You knew better than to let that slip through your lips because you wouldn’t hear the end of it and your body was already going through it okay!

From getting your hair done and WORKING OUT!

Get your mind out of the gutter you hoes.

“I mean I didn’t say I was going to completely cut BBL—

Your eyes went wide as Jey smacked a hand over his mouth. You pointed at him and hopped up and down to prove your point.

“Be quiet.” He hissed before he made his claim, “I mean sure if im in the car I’ll bump Drake over Kendrick but he had something on his chest so some shit talking needed to be said.”

“And did.”

“Exactly but Drake’s still my guy.” He shrugged.

You shake your head as you pace the floor as if you were analyzing Jey like you were in some courtroom instead of your kitchen, “That’s just like you, taking up for the light skins.”

“Aight now you dragging it.” Jey sent a glower in your direction.

You laugh as you leaned against the counter feeling like a nap but not without facing the issue here, “so…what’s actually on the menu since you lied to me about the Kopai and then flopped the chowder.”

“It wasn’t a complete flop!” Jey argued with a deep furrow of his brows, “the flavor was on point, I just messed up with the dairy portion.”

You stated, “Goat milk would have been superior.”

“Oh hell no, wait until I tell your father about that one.” Jey’s shaking his head in disgust, goat milk was only great for a skincare routine and he could say that based on experience but far as consuming? Jey was good on that.

“Wait until I tell him that you tried to give me food poisoning.” You countered with a heated stare.

Jey deeply inhaled and sucked his teeth, “aight let’s roll before you get my blood pressure up to the point I need to be hospitalized.”

He turns the stove off and moves the pot to the side while it’s your turn to make your way over to the tatted man. You nuzzle your head into the back of shoulders while hugging him, “it’s only fair that we get on each others nerves.”

“You’re lucky I love yo ass.” He mumbles, resting a warm hand on top of your clasped ones.

“And you’re lucky I love you right back and didn’t take a bite out of your behind for depriving me of food.”

Jey scrunched up his nose at that and side eyed as he turned to face you a bit but you held his stare, letting him know that you weren’t joking. “See, I knew it in my spirit that you were one of those kids that liked to bite. I’ve seen baby pictures and that’s something I’ll have to keep in mind when we’re blessed with children.”

“Says the fighter out of the marriage.” You quirk up a brow but Jey just shrugs.

“I own my shit.”

“Whatever bro…where’s your keys?” You remove yourself from Jey to look around the kitchen while the said man follows you.

He buries his forehead against the side of your temple bumping you, “i’m not your bro so I don’t know who you think you’re talking to.”

You push him from your space, “stop playing with me, Joshua. We don’t have time for this!”

“Come correct then.”

You roll your eyes with a flick of your hair, “keys or I’ll go get my own.”

“I’m driving, I don’t need you acting like the streets are Mario kart like you probably did on your way here.” He states before he sarcastically jokes, “You’re not you when you’re hungry.”

Let’s not talk about driving skills…of course you didn’t say that but Jey could tell you were thinking it. So he steps to you, holding out his hand but kept his eyes on you until you placed yours in his. He led the way back downstairs to the front level of the home, keys already in his pocket as he locked up the front of the house before heading to the garage.

There was tension on the first five minutes of the drive but not to the point where you two knew you wouldn’t get past it. You fumbled with the radio as the wind whipped across your profile and before you both know it, you’re both singing along to music from 2018, which was reminiscent back when things were starting to heat up between you two. Back when Jey was inviting you to family barbecues and being too afraid to ask you to be his girl and making an ass out of himself to his family when they questioned what you were.

It was all trial and tribulations that led to your marriage a year later. This bickering was nothing compared to what the both of you dealt with prior. And what’s a perfect marriage?

“By the way, the new look is sexy.” Jey comments as the both of you sit in his car digging into your food.

He chose Japanese…which was satisfactory since you loved the Wagyu beef tacos here and he was tearing into the BamuBamu wings, licking his fingers and everything that you knew his mother would be slapping the back of his head if she was in the backseat.

“Thanks baby, we’ll call this look: Gaia or Alani.” You posed, hands still holding a taco.

Jey nods, “ooo, Gailani is fire! See how I just did that?”

“Hope you come up with better earthy names for our future crotch goblins.” You told him while Jey frowned at you mid-bite.

“No way you just said that.”

Shrugging you say, “I mean I don’t know how pregnancy is going to make me feel so that’s their potential nickname.”

“I mean…how would you feel if I referred you as a gremlin?” Jey questioned, not liking how you were picking on your unborn children already.

Listen to him being the sensitive parent! He cared deeply for his niece and nephew, he also didn’t play when it came to them either so he can only imagine how he would be with his own.

“…I’d blame the children you played a part of helping create. Like child like father.”

“That’s cap and not exactly how that works, that’s right, I paid attention in biology class! You’ll probably start taking it out on me, I’ll have to have doc on speed dial for tetanus shots.” Jey winked at you while you elbowed his arm, “but nah I’ll love y’all through it regardless because like it or not I’m a pretty great guy.”

You snort, “You say that now.”

“I mean it though and I know you know that. I couldn’t have picked a better person to ride through this rollercoaster of life with and the world deserves to have mini versions of us roaming the earth, plus I’m always down to get to practicing.” He winks at you while you shake your head.

“I can tell, you almost leaped over the counter to take me down.”

He pointed, “You started it by grabbing my ass and the new look isn’t helping my urges.”

“Well,” you shrugged with a smirk on your lips, “it’s definitely not happening since you like to pull hair and you didn’t buy the milk.”

“There’s a farmers market right up the street, they got to have some and then will you chill?”

“I’m chill now.” You chew with a smile as you slump into the passenger seat while Jey deeply exhales.

“Yeah, cause you’re spoiled.”

“You made me this way.”

“I know.” Jey smiles at you adoringly before shaking his head, “my own personal pain in my butt.”

“But I do appreciate the effort…although my stomach might feel different in a few hours.” You pout a little, feeling it flip just a smidge.

Jey widens his eyes at you, just hoping that didn’t happen, “nah we getting probiotics or some type of cleanse at this market, let’s go before they close. Seatbelt please.”

“I’m eating.”

The side eye he gives you makes you do so but you hold onto your taco a little tighter in the process. Driving across the street to the open parking lot that sat to the side of where the market was set up, he’s ready to hop out the car, door tossed open, without you since you were still eating but you call out to him to wait for you.

The farmers market was one of your favorite places to be, especially on a Sunday and there was no way he was going without you. He was the main one that said the both of you were always going to be by each other’s sides wherever you went. When it came to grocery shopping, Jey was the type of shopper that wanted to get in and get out. Anything else? Clothes? Cars? He could spend all day there.

Yes he was huffy as you took your time, knowing they were about to start closing up in the next fifteen minutes. You had to search his car for your gum, lipgloss, and micro wallet that you stored in here just in case you didn’t have your purse (which was sitting pretty back at home on your bed) and stole Jey’s car for the day.

“C’mon,” Jey says your name impatiently, “what’re you doing?”

“Where’s my green mini wallet I had stored on the side of the rati?” Your hands are going along the pocket of the black Maserati.

Jey answers, “that little thing? I been took that out and threw it somewhere in your drawer back at the crib. What do you need that for when you’re with me anyway? Let’s go, ma.”

Then he questions why you’re a pain in his butt!

Checking your lips once more, you get out the car dusting off any crumbs from your lap before you circle around the car to intertwine your fingers with Jey’s. You huddle closer to him as the wind is at your backs before you enter through the tarps of set up sections. He’s on a mission while your eyes are wide, trying to look at any and everything to the point he lets go of your hand to keep searching for what you’re mainly here for.

Usually it’s mostly food here but occasionally they’ll have a few clothing, accessories, and even home decor shops set up as well. It really was the best of both worlds when that happened. Jey already knew that you would search for one of those while he stayed where the food was at. He chatted with the elderly man who had his own farm about forty miles from here, got three jugs of milk: oat, goat, and coconut. Along with a nice tip before he bid his farewells then began checking for you around the sizable space.

“Hey baby,” you greet as he eventually finds you at a vendor that wasn’t selling food yet you’re holding a few fruits and fruit juices in your hands, “I got us some more papayas and pineapples. It’s already paid for since the lady took Zelle but I want to show you something else.”

You finally shift the items into the netted bag onto your other wrist as you reach out for Jey’s wrist to drag him back to a few vendors over. It was some shop that was selling antiques and he’s now standing in front of two figurines.

“Wouldn’t this be cute for the mantle above the fireplace?”

Jey glanced at you, “yeah if we wanted to be murdered in our sleep at some point.”

“Joshua!” You shushed him, “I thought they would add more color to the mantle since the fireplace is black.”

“And the marble on the bottom is white along with the rest of the furniture that’s light and the walls except for that one kitchen wall that’s a chalkboard.” The man blinks as he vividly remembers your shared home, “We don’t need anymore unnecessary stuff, especially no dolls that look like annabelle and her possessed friends.” Jey tells you while you frown as he grabs your wrist now.

You’re being dragged away while the woman laughs and sends you a wave as you attempt to persuade him one last time on one other decor piece sitting on a table, “But look, this is on sale!”

Jey mutters, “there’s a reason why majority of her items are. I know evil when i see it.”

“Not the judgement. You don’t know that lady, Josh and you need to stop watching so many scary movies lately, they’re making you so paranoid.” You sassed while you two made it back to his car.

He peeked at you before he grabbed his seatbelt, “did you see her pet possum on the leash sleeping underneath that dusty red chair?”

“Her what?!”

“Uh huh.” He nods, starting the car while going into detail about how the vendor felt off the moment you dragged him closer to it.

By the time the two of you get home, you’re heading into the master bedroom to grab your floral bonnet while Jey heads up stairs with the food. He does the clean up of the soup, finishes up his wings while you eventually make your way upstairs to eat your own food. When you meet Jey’s brown eyes across from the dining table, the both of you share a laugh at your matching low-lidded eyes. The Itis. You’re the first to move, discarding your food since Jey finished way before you and pull at his hand for him to stand.

Wrapping your arms across his shoulders before moving one hand to play with the end of his hair, he leans down to grasp your back before slipping his hands down to your ass to lift you against his hips. “That’s how it should be,” he tells you as you kiss his lips and he makes his way over to the couch.

You warn your husband, “Watch my head, we know how heavy handed you are.”

“I got it, I got it.” Jey mocks as he protects your head, laying you down first before he climbs over you to rest against the couch.

He loops an arm across your shoulders as you move around trying to get comfortable thanks to your new do. Finding that your left is less painful than your right, you face the coffee table, two living chairs, and tv instead while Jey lightly wraps his arm around your neck instead.

And you’re fine just like this, well fed and in the arms of your man ready to get a nap in until…

“I can’t find the remote.” Jey breaks the silence that makes your eyes peel open with a flare of your nostrils.

You want to fling your entire body back but your neck said different, leaving you to only side eye Jey as he sheepishly smiles at you.

“I’m actually going to kill you!” You inform him, “i said leaving the remote in the drawer of the coffee table makes it easier so we don’t have to go crazy looking for it.”

“And I may or may not have done that.” He says nonchalantly, not bothered that he was pushing a button again, “I like to leave it tucked in the cushions along with my leg in there because you know how that stupid thing likes to overheat sometimes and it’s always cold in there.”

Only Jey y’all.

Only Jey.

Once you go quiet and manage to face the brown eyed man again, you smile softly at him as you caressed his face, “that lady at the market that you were shook over, ain’t got shit on me.”

“Whatchu mean? Aye!” Jey yelled as you started to playfully ring his neck.

The only way to get you to stop was for him to slap his hand right on top of your sore head and wiggle it and what did he do that for?

“OW! Why would you—I’m done.”

You hop off the couch and circle around it but not without yanking a pillow and slamming it against Jey’s stomach, “disrespectful ass.”

“So I’m just supposed to take you son-ing me?” Jey sat up on his elbows, grunting at the attack before shoving the pillow to the floor.

You snapped over your shoulder, “I don’t know, I thought you might like that since you like your ass grabbed, although you try to deny it as much as possible.”

“What?! Now you just saying shit.”

“And you’re always doing shit!” You yell back, out of sight now and heading back downstairs.

Jey sighs as he settles back against the couch again, “Where you goin’?”

“To bed!”

“It’s 4pm.”

“Goodnight mullet! You play too much.”

Jey felt his chest bubble with some laughter but said back, “I LOVE YOU!”

“So?!”

“I SAID, I LOVE YOU!” Jey called back out but when he didn’t get any response, he jumped up to his feet and raced down the stairs just to see you laughing waiting to slam the door in his face.

Yet you were too slow, making Jey barge into the room to latch onto your body to pepper your face in kisses.

It was the little things that he did that he knew would get on your nerves (which was mutual) but ultimately you loved that man down no matter what.

Jey could say the same even if you got on his case majority of the time.

You were his everything and more.

☀︎༄·❅☘︎ ☀︎༄·❅☘︎ ☀︎༄·❅☘︎ ☀︎༄·❅☘︎ ☀︎༄·❅☘︎ ☀︎

[smilingangel582]

Yo yo... ik I don't take requests and all... but I have my reasons... im really sorry! I just have a lot on my plate! But writing is all I need and I would like to write as much as I want! That's all, thank you 👉 👈

Anyway! Wind breaker is the new hot topic for me! Idk about u guys but im loving the mc

Haruka sakura! Love his name, style, antics, and cuteness overload when he gets flustered and shy!

Possible lers! Suo, Umemiya, Togame!

I want more of these guys srsly!

Ok, so warning spoilers alert! Anime and manga

Sakura's Dilema!?

Sakura ate Kotoha's omelette rice as usual. She would smile fondly at him throughout and began her unusual newspaper routine about town.

"...so that's what granny sato said..."

Sakura licking his fingers clean shrugged, "Hm, good..."

Somewhat a little impressed, "Your improving. You don't get flustered anymore when someone compliment you?"

Sakura scoff, "That's a hundred years ago... im not that weak"

She smiled warmly, a hand resting under her chin as he looked at Sakura, "Well i guess everyone should compliment you more now, if that's the case..."

A small heat crept up to his cheeks, Kotoha giggled teasingly, "Ah ha! There's that cute blush we all like..."

"S-shut up! So you guys are praising me because you like to see me reaction??" He snapped, getting flustered.

She grinned looking sideways, "Maybe? Or maybe not but... granny said its adorable... and so do I" winking back Sakura gritted his teeth, a shade of red growing uncontrollably on his face.

She chuckles, thinking, "Maybe I should stop teasing him..." Then she speaks with a calmer tone to relax Sakura's tensed embarassment.

"Oh, Sakura... I almost forgot..."

Looking up from his plate, his face back to his normal colour gradually, "Yh what?"

"Ume told me the shishitoren buddies are coming over at Furin high..."

Almost choking on the eggs, Sakura looked up with a surprised frown, standing up with a daring grumble, "Huh? Why? Are they here to pick a fight?"

Kotoha sighs, "No, that's not it... its-"

He cuts in, "Maybe they wanna fight me again! Hah! I'll show them!" He quickly stuffed his mouth with the final bits of rice and eggs, but deliberately ignoring his veggies and sets out.

Kotoha was too surprised to protest as she couldn't even finish, as the bell tinkled upon his leave, "E-eh? Sakura! Hold up! That isn't what I... meant..." she murmured the last part as he was already gone, smiling confusedly, she sigh again, "That idiot..."

Meanwhile, Sakura hurrying towards the school began to notice a large crowd of bofurin and shishitoren looking at each other. Suspecting it's a fight, Sakura lets out a growl, "Oi! Do u wanna fight?"

The others stared, and half of shishitoren lunged towards him. But not in the way he expected. They crowded him like a flock of fan boys.

"That's the first year that beat our second in command!"

"Wow! He's got a funny but cool look!"

"Is he strong? I can feel it!"

So many ushering and laughter comes from the usually wild shishitorens. Sakura gets flustered and shocked. "H-hey, what's going on?"

"Sakura-san, didn't kotaha-san tell ya?" Nirei finally steps forward, smiling as he helped him out from the crowd, "Shishitoren are here on Umemiya-san's orders for a casual get-together..."

Silent, Sakura stared, "Eh... rly? That's it?"

He nods now, grabbing his hand, "Come, they are all at the auditorium!"

Past the hallways, Sakura could tell the room is less tensed than it should be if it's back those days. There... he can see Togame, Toyama, Umemiya and Suo standing in one pack -oh and Sugishita glaring at Sakura.

Sakura smirks, "Well well... I thought it was a battle but its just a silly tea party..."

Togame played along, feigning meance, "Oh? would you have preferred us thrashing your butt, Sakura?"

Eyeing him challengingly, "Ah... the second in command himself, Togame, wants to lose again..."

The older guy steps in with his geta clattering on the ground. He has a much mellower appearance in contrast to Sakura's first impression of him. Sakura says he prefers the other and colder Togame, but... who knows what a tsundere actually says and means?

Togame clapped him in the back, "So, Sakura... how have you been?"

"Hmph! Mr. Sloth himself... what a surprise"

Togame smiles, genuinely happy, as he continues this banter, "Well, you are still that brat who almost got pummeled by me,"

Sakura scoffs, "As if! I never lose..."

"Togame and Sakura have history to share..." Umemiya grins gleefully, and Toyama has his arms around Umemiya, very buddy-like and close as expected. Its ironic to how things used to be. There's more liveliness and strength in Shidhitori.

Everyone had a harmonious atomosphere compared to how they met the first day. Even Sako has a reserved but amiable relationship with Hiragi. Sakura felt somewhat... relieved...

Suo mentions slyly as he crept behind Sakura, "Well, Togame-san? Want to have another fun fight with our grade captain?"

Sakura's ears turn red as he snaps at Suo, "Oi, don't push it..." however he looks at Togame expectantly, "Well, I don't mind a bit of fighting and all..."

Nirei squeaked, "B-but... Sakura..."

"Dont worry, Nirei... look, " Suo pats his back with assurance. They both watched Togame smile more openly, not in the prior meancing grin, "Yaa... It's been too long, Othello-kun. I hope you learnt something from me that time..."

"Oh? You mean other than how I punched you?" Sakura provoked, which Togame narrowed his eyes playfully, "Don't get cocky..."

Toyama brightened up, "Ne,ne Ume-chan, are they gonna fight?"

Umemiya sighs but not in dismay, "Seriously... alright, I suppose, but don't go too far, or else Hiragi needs another stock of gas-kun ten"

"Oi!"

Soon, Togame was in his usual stance. Instead of glaring, he was looking forward to it. Nirei grabbed his notebook, and began scribbling on a new page.

Suo asked, "Are you gathering information on Togame?"

Nirei grins, sticking his tongue as he concentrated, "Not quite... It's for Sakura-san as he told me to write down his flaws so he can improve himself, I want to know what's his weak points are, too, anyway..."

Suo gives a brief laugh, "Other than the fact that he's so easily red when someone compliments him?"

Nirei conceded with a chuckle, "Well, yh that too... but something else..."

Togame lunged just the moment Sakura moved. It expected that Togame strives for grappling more and he's more intent on grabbing Sakura instead of punching him

"Ugh, I hate this fighting style!" Sakura sneered as he dodged perfectly. Regardless, their hits are serious despite the playful nature. Sakura could feel Togame grab his shoulders to push him down, but he's too flexible as Sakura slips away.

"Whew close!" Toyama mentioned and Umeniya agreed with a smile.

Sakura managed to dodge and yet...

"Gotcha..." Togame slipped under his arm to judo flip him from behind. Sakura felt the force as he made contact on the ground, yet Togame carefully made it less forceful and used his hand to protect the back of his head. Nevertheless Sakura twisted himself to avoid being pinned down. Instead, he spun himself with his leg wrapping around his opponents waist now switching sides.

Togame slipped a bit but latched on to his waist a bit unexpectedly.

The touch caught Sakura off guard despite it being an obvious grapple. Surprising everyone, Sakura stumbled down on his knees.

This was noted by the shishitoren second in command. Then, getting an idea, Togame slowly poked his waist while using his body weight to pin the shorter guy down, "Hm... interesting discovery..."

"H-hey! Wait! Dohont doho that!" Sakura flinched now, arcing his back as Togame's touch became gentler and swift around his sides, a light giggle slipping out of Sakura's grinding teeth.

"Oh my, is the little delinquent a bit sensitive?" Suo teased from the background, beating Togame from saying a similar phrase.

Sakura gets flustered again, now trying so hard to keep his laughter under control. Togame's nimble fingers began to crawl up his stomach, which made Sakura shriek and quickly scramble away from him, "Ack... NOHO?!"

A frivolous yet sinister grin was plastered on Togame's face. He raised his hands, tauntingly wiggling his fingers, "Uh oh, someone's in trouble... too bad I found out this weakness first..."

Nirei, mildly shocked, immediately began jotting down notes, giving a serious nod to himself, "Intriguing indeed, but a guy like Sakura is bound to be ticklish..."

Nirei flinched when Sakura yelled. Snapping his head with an aghast look, "Huh? Whohoho's sihihide ahahahahare youhuhu ohohohon, boke?"

"Now now, you can't even keep your giggles to yourself, Sakura..." Suo snickered.

"Y-YOHohou bahahastard!" He raised a hand to try and punch Togame and use a leg to kick his face.

Togame took this chance to lunge forward, dodging them effectively. Like the tackle from last time during the fight, Togame pushed himself forward towards Sakura's midriff. He managed to use his strength to get him down again, "You shouldn't let your guard down... even at friendly spars"

"Ah!" Sakura yelped, trying to turn on his stomach to escape, as this is no longer fighting but play fighting, "S-shit!"

Togame instantly grabbed his shoulders to stop him, "Uh uh uh~ Sakura... where do you think you're going...?" He dug his nimble fingers into Sakura's sides, suddenly eliciting a squeal and contagious giggles that sounded so unlikely of the tough Sakura. It went crescendo to decrescando at each sensitive spot he targeted.

"EEEh! DohoHOHOho noHOHOt! HahAHAHAHa, thiHIHIHIHIs iHIsn't fahAHAHAHAHAIR!"

"Who said fighting is about fair play?" Togame snickered mercilessly, almost like an evil older brother, "You of all people should know that, little Othello. Plus, it's cute when you lose control..." That earned a beet red blush from the victim as he kicked and thrashed, not even coordinating his defences.

Toyama and Umemiya grinned at this, and the others watched how their bonding went on through this 'spar' session.

Still the leader of Furin sigh, "Honestly it's dangerous if anyone finds out about his weakness..."

Toyama laughed, "Yes! Isn't he like strong as you? It's crazy how he's trying to fight back like this..."

Nirei chuckles, "I never expected this side of him, its... surprisingly cute"

"You mean unsurprisingly Nirei-kun," Suo winked, now pointing towards the fight with a gleeful look. Sugishitha, who's been eye rolling as he watered the plants, took multiple glances back at the little one-sided tickle fight.

Sakura tried to kick him (half-heartedly) but instead felt a suddenly electric tingle spread down and up his leg as Togame sqeezed his knee -whether it is accidental or intentionally was unknown.

Shocked beyond anything...

His laugh kicked a knotch as Togame began to tickle under his knee, unable to use his hands as they uselessly failed. They just hit the wooden floor instead, "AHAHA! NOHOT THEHEHERE! DAHAHAMN IT!"

Togame laughed at that, not stopping as Sakura couldn't place his attacks properly, "Oho? I should've gone for the knees before... It's funny how you got restrained by a mere touch there,"

"AHAHA BAHAHASTARD! NOHO WAY I'M LOHOSING!"

"Then... what about... heeere?"

Togame used his bodyweight to pin his shins and then squeezed his upper thigh. This made Sakura go wild, "GAH! N-NOO! HAHA SHIT! YOU AHAHAHASS!"

Seeing him slightly going red, Togame decide to give him a break. But... just a break.

Just five seconds at least... Togame thought menacingly.

5...

"Haah haaa..."

4...

"J-jeeheeez, thehehe heheck?" 3...

Togame got ready as he cracked his fingers. 2...

"U-uh eek!"

1...

Sakura's voice hit an octave as he let out a startled shrill when Togame pounced forward to get his ribs, a giggly reaction that melted his heart. It's not as strong as his knees and thighs, at least.

Suo has his usual smile, which stretched widely as he said mysteriously, "I wonder if I can get a turn?"

Nirei gulped, inwardly thinking he should never leave Sakura alone from now on-

"NOOO! HAHAHA, P-PLEHEHEASE NOHOT THEHERE! I TAHAHAKE IT BAHAHAHACK! AHAHA YOHOHOU'RE AHAHA DEHEHEMON!" A surprised squeal from Sakura made Nirei look in bewilderment. Where was Togame tickling to make the tough and cold Sakura to actually beg for mercy?

"Ahhh~ found it... your actually weak in the armpits? How predictable, its so adorable" Togame is, as Nirei will note down, the possible second worst tickle monster... first place being Suo.

Suo chuckles, "You say it's the worst but he's ticklish everywhere"

Togame laughed, still tickling Sakura, "Oh yh... it doesn't matter... his knees are as bad as here..."

Sakura kicked and thrashed weakly, now cackling like a mad man, closing his arms, "NAHAHAA! Y-yohOHOHOU AHAHAHAASS! LEHEHEHehet gOHOHOHo!"

"Mmmm~ nope..."

Panicking instantly, Sakura let out a flustered cry, "FIHIHINEHEHE! FINE! I GIVE UHUHUP!"

His voice raised another octave at the end, and Togame chuckled with amusement, letting his hands leave his armpits, "You are so ticklish there, who would've guessed..." he added with a pinch yo his thighs, making the other squeak weakly jolting, "aaaand there too..."

"It's good enough, that he's a tsundere, but being ticklish one is better," Suo proudly stated.

"Q-Quhuhuiet y-yohou dihihick!"

Evidently, Sakura is catching his breath, still pink in his face, sweating as if he had an actual one-sided 'battle' of blood-lust.

Nirei hummed in consideration as he looked at his notebook, "Hmm, so being ticklish is Sakura's weak point eh? Even I could win against him,"

"Shaddap!" Sakura managed to choke out angrily.

Umemiya gives a laugh, scratching the back of his head, "Oh, I doubt you can cuz Sakura will knock you out cold before you could try. He's a proud guy after all..."

"Oi! Quit talking like I'm not here, dumbass"

Sugishita sneered, clenching the water kettle tightly, "That's Umemiya-san to you, weaksauce!"

Getting up on his elbows, Sakura growl, back to his old self, with remarkable stamina, "Ah? Do you wanna pick a fight mop-head? Cuz I'm game..."

"Ma ma..." Suo stepped in between them, elegantly skimming his eyes over the taller guy, "Sugishita-kun, do you want to upset Umemiya-san?"

The tall guy turned to a radiant happy Umemiya and huffed angrily as he backed away easily. Now Suo turned to Sakura with a much eerie smile, "And Sakura-kun, do you want round two?" He mischievously wiggled his finger, "Instead of Togame, I can step in for him?"

Fear struck him, he blushed, yelling as he swatted those fingers, "H-hohow dare you threaten me! Ugh, whatever... fine, I won't pick a fight with him"

Suo heard Togame speak with amusement from the corner, hands restinf behind his back, "and here I thought you were looking forward for round 2 Sakura..."

"W-why would I?"

Suo answers this time, leaning forward towards his ear, "You never resisted... now did you?"

Sakura instantly turned red, eyes widened with surprise, his golden and black eyes dilating like a cats pupil, "H-huh? I was too concentrated! T-to even fight back!"

"Mmm~" everyone hummed teasingly, not believing him obviously.

This time Toyama grinned childishly, nudging Sakura playfully, "So then, does that mean you admit that you are weak to tickling then?"

"Ah? N-no I didn't say that-!"

"Theeeen, you pretended not to fight back and let me tickle ya?" Togame added... the two shishitoren leaders were putting Sakura in a helpless position.

Silent... Sakura looked away, Suo added, "Quite the bind your in, Sakura-kun"

Debating on what was more embarassing... either he should say that he liked being tickled and pretended not to fight or say he's too ticklish to handle it and fight back.

Sakura fumed for good five seconds before replying with a mutter, "U-ugh fine fine, fine! I'm weak to it so I cant fight back! Happy?"

Everyone grinned fondly, Sakura covered his face, both in shyness and rage.

"Good boy!!" Umemiya ruffled his hair, now making Sakura snap and growl like a little savage puppy.

In a corner with Suo, Nirei, however, chuckled to himself, "I bet he doesn't mind it much..."

Suo grinned, looking at the scene with a glimmering passion, "You guessed it... he's our fearless, cute, tough tsundere grade captain... Sakura-kun"

[welcome-back-to-hoimycraf]

It wasn’t uncommon to find a strange structure out on the sea. Ships sunk in shallower waters and coral grew far out of the waves. There were multiple ways the same route could be different from one day to the next. Gem didn’t think this was normal. 

She peered out of her cabin window, watching the sea crash around a blue-ish, barely even visible bit of… stone? coral? She couldn’t really tell. She’d gone out to this spot plenty of times throughout her life, growing up catching fish from these waters, yet this was new to her, unfamiliar. 

Gem gripped the steering wheel, putting the boat on course for home. She could deal with this later when she didn’t have a boat’s worth of fish sitting out in the hot sun. 

The rest of Gem’s day went by as usual: sell fish, keep up with friends, keep the lighthouse in check, etcetera. Still, she couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d found. Something called her to it, something deep in her subconscious, begging her to explore. To know.

Gem sat up in her bed, rubbing her eyes. She could already see the sunlight peeking out around the edges of her curtains. Had she really not been able to sleep at all? Well, there was no sleeping now; she’s got a routine to stick to. The lighthouse keeper begrudgingly stood from her bed, deciding to get ready for the day. Funnily enough, a knock resounded through the house as she fastened the last button of her coat. Perfect timing, she supposed. 

On the other side of the door was a sight she’d grown quite familiar with over this past week and a half. A thick red sweater accompanied by dark, dark eyes stood out from the monotonous background.

“Oh! Hi, Grian,” Gem greeted him as friendly as she could muster for the hour. She hadn’t been expecting visitors this early in the morning. Even Pearl wouldn’t be awake at this time!

“Where did you see the monument?” Grian asked, with Gem finding a hint of desperation hidden in the man's voice.

“What?” The fishmonger was taken aback by his question. No "hi," no “hello," no nothing? What was he even talking about?

"The monument," he repeated as if that would help her understand. Seeing her only stare at him blankly, he groaned, rubbing his hands down his face. "The thing you found on the ocean yesterday, the monument."

"Oh, that thing?" Gem raised an eyebrow. "How do you even know about that?" She was certain that she hadn't even seen Grian yesterday, let alone had she told him about what she'd seen out on the water.

His eyes darted to the sea before fixating back on Gem. "Don't worry about it."

She was definitely worrying about it.

"Listen," Grian trained his eyes somewhere past her head, twiddling with his sweater sleeves, "just tell me where it is. Please?" He tacked on, almost as an afterthought.

Something in Gem's gut begged her not to tell him anything, but she squished it down. She trusted Grian not to do anything horrible. Mostly. "I'm not sure I could really give directions-"

"Could you take me?" The hope in his voice surprised her. She'd never seen him in this high of spirits before.

Gem bit her lip, shifting on her feet. She glanced at the river, at Grian's fishing hut. It was overflowing with barrels upon barrels of fish, rods, and other junk he'd pulled up nearly nonstop. She sighed. "Yeah, I'll take you."

The fisherman's face lit up, a wide grin blooming on it. "Oh- thank you, Gem!" He surged forward to grab her hand, shaking it violently. "Let me go grab my things!"

Before she could get another word in, she'd been released, stumbling across her porch just to watch him run off. She stood up straight once more, brushing her overcoat down. Weird.

Sailing with the Brit was surprisingly smooth. She'd gone out on the sea with many people over the years for multiple different reasons, yet Grian seemed to be one of the few in the “more experienced than most” category. While she may not have needed help with navigation, he made sure to keep himself busy by cleaning a good bit of her equipment, which the sailor greatly appreciated.

Time passed quickly, and soon she could hear a muffled "Land ho'!" shouted from outside the captain's cabin.

Sure enough, the strange building from yesterday sat in the same place she’d seen it in last time. It seemed more... visible than it was before. Maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her before?

Gem turned to Grian, who'd already gotten to work untying his shoes for whatever reason. "So..." she trailed off, "what are you planning to do here, exactly? You said this was a monument?"

He hummed in confirmation. "Yup! I'm hoping there might be something I'm looking for down there."

"Wait-" Gem pushed back from the railing she'd been leaning on, eyeing him up and down. "You're going in it?"

Grian stood up, setting his shoes aside. "Yeah?" He looked confused. "I can deal with it, they shouldn't be that hard to take care of."

Gem elected to ignore who "they" were. "No, no- you can't-"

"Bye!" She barely registered him jumping, a sizable splash erupting from the waves. 

Gem ran to the rail, leaning over to find him already swimming down. "Grian!" Oh no. This was bad. She hastily started to unbutton her coat and take off her boots. Why did he have to go into what was surely a death trap and have her drag him out? She threw her garments to the floor of the boat, hardly thinking as she jumped off the side. 

She pried her eyes open, stinging from the salty water. She couldn’t see much through the bubbles she’d made, but could see the bright red of Grian's sweater swimming farther and farther away. God, did she wish could scream at him from under the water. 

Gem kicked after him, following him deeper and, consequently, further into the strange monument-building-thing. The inside was made of the same blue-green material she’d seen before, all twisting and turning in ways that didn’t make sense to her. Grian didn’t stop swimming, even once inside, so she continued on after him. At least it was lit up, she supposed.

The corridors were like a maze, and she quickly lost her sense of direction despite her best efforts. Panic swelled in her lungs, crying out for oxygen. She swears, if she drowns in here, she’s coming back to life and killing Grian herself. 

Luckily, the never-ending hallways eventually opened into a room. Weirdly enough, it was completely devoid of water. She surfaced into the air pocket, crawling onto the floor, gasping and spluttering. 

“What-” she heaved, “is wrong with you?” Grian stood next to her, wringing seawater out of his sweater. “How are you completely fine?”

The man shrugged. “Wasn’t a problem for me.”

Gem groaned, flopping onto her back. Her skin brushed against the weirdly scratchy and rough flooring, grimacing at its texture. “What is this place again?”

“Ocean monument,” he responded like it was the easiest thing in the world to deduce. 

“Yeah, yeah, definitely know what that means, not cryptic at all,” she grumbled sarcastically.

No response came her way.

She glared at him. She was trying so hard to be nice and make friends with Grian, but god did he make that difficult sometimes. “Could you at least tell me what you’re doing here?”

A devious grin spread across his face as he turned to look at her. “Exploring, of course!”

She was gonna kill him.

She didn’t end up killing him.

As it turned out, the place was just as empty as it had been when they entered. In one of the many air pockets they found throughout the temple, Grian commented that it was uncommonly peaceful. She didn’t want to think about what that implied. 

They kicked around the place a bit longer before deciding to give up. It didn’t seem like there was anything of note beside the oceanic stone, which Gem decided to harvest a bit of at a later date when she had the right equipment.

Right as they were about to leave, in the last air pocket, they finally encountered something. Gem entered first, taking a big gasp of air, and paused when she saw it. On the far wall, a slimy, squishy creature with a large shell sat suctioned onto the stone, leaving a trail of slime from where it had been inching along. A snail? It was huge for a snail, if it was one, about the size of the average dog.

Grian let out a sharp gasp when he spotted the unusual creature. Before she could warn against it, he rushed to the snail and pried it off the wall with a loud POP. “Can we keep it?” He asked, cradling the thing lovingly in his arms.

She blinked at him in shock. This was probably the happiest she had ever seen him. Besides, it wasn’t like she had any say in the matter, as he’d already claimed the thing as a pet and dived back into the water. Gem couldn’t find any reason to tell him not to.

>Previous<

[cerealforkart]

Ugggghh my new job is making me miss all my favourite streamers. And when my streamers are streaming is when I'm drawing. And that's just one of an assortment of reasons why I haven't gotten basically any art done lately sorry

[goldkirk]

I opened Pinterest for the first time in months.

That made me realize a lot about how bad I was actually doing and how much of a Waffle House Index use of Pinterest is for adult me, apparently.

I hadn’t realized it had grown that foundational to me in a healthy-brain-exercise-and-hobby-joy way. Nice to know moving forward! It’s another sign I can keep track of and use to spot correlation/indicator patterns earlier my behavior.

I love this kind of thing, it makes me so excited!

[pettyprocrastination]

Signed up for a charity meet in June. Time to hit legs harder

[slippery-minghus]

thinking about joining a local jiu jitsu class.... i'm SO not athletic and have always had a pretty negative relationship with sports, ambivalent at best, but i WANT TO feel good in my body and maybe even learn how to use it a little better? maybe even get a little stronger?

there's a free "see if it's for you" class i can do tomorrow and the guy was super nice.... so maybe. just maybe an autistic fat queer like myself can go out in the world and get a hobby that involves moving my body. maybe

[nektaarr]

.

[h2wl]

im actually fine w missing him

[just-jordie-things]

if you look, you can tell - fushiguro megumi

word count: 6k warnings: swearing, i think that’s it summary: megumi finds himself eavesdropping a conversation between the rest of his classmates when he hears his name pop up.  the way you jump to his defense and have only sweet things to say about him has him second guessing the way he feels about you. ___

“It just doesn’t really make sense to me.  I get you guys are friends and all, but how can someone like you be friends with someone so…. Cold?”

Megumi was never really one for eavesdropping.  Not only because it was immature and would only cause drama, but because he’d never really felt a need to.  He can’t recall a conversation he’d ever stumbled upon that he deemed interesting enough to listen in on.  In fact, he’d rather find that everyone else was busy with conversation so he could slip out and do his own thing unnoticed.  A habit he’d picked up in his younger years when he still shared a living space with the white haired special grade sorcerer.

But for some reason, right now was different.

Maybe it was because he was the topic of conversation.  Maybe because Itadori, Kugisaki, and (y/n) were the ones around the corner.  Or maybe it was because something tugged on his heart strings when he heard Nobara’s admission.

He was headed to the common room to retrieve the book he’d left in there this morning, and hadn’t even realized all three of his classmates had the evening off from training and assignments.  He’d heard that they were talking as he’d approached, but didn’t halt in his steps until he realized they were talking about him.

“I think he can be nice,” Itadori defended weakly.  “I mean… I just met him, I guess,” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, realizing he didn’t actually have much evidence to back up his statement.  But he was too nice of a guy to straight up gossip about his new classmate.  “Maybe he’s just quiet?” 

(y/n) nodded thoughtfully, knowing this to be true.  She figured she knew him better than the two newbies, and that was why they’d come to her with their curiosities about the stoic shikigami user.  Having been born and raised in Tokyo, she’d been introduced to Megumi long before they enrolled at Jujutsu Tech.  Although their friendship hadn’t truly sparked until their enrollment, she’d known him enough to understand him, his mannerisms, his fighting style, his strict routine- all of these things that she’d never really thought twice about before, she now realized sort of made her the on site Megumi- Expert.  She even chuckled a little bit at the thought.

Because back then, back when she first met the grumpy boy that was thrust before her by one Gojo Satoru, with an eager grin and the promise of “Look Megs, a friend your age!” She would have never thought she’d be in this position now.

“Megumi has always been reserved” She agrees to Itadori’s comment, but her voice is distant, clouded with something else as her mind grows too occupied.

It took some time after their first meeting for Megumi to grow on her.  Understandably, because he wasn’t exactly looking to grow on her.  He wasn’t looking for friends his age- he wasn’t looking for friends at all, really.  Whatever disease that had riddled his guardian’s mind in order to have him setting up playdates with this girl must have been fatal.  Or at least he’d hoped.

Time and time again she was dropped off at the Gojo-Fushiguro residence, or at the park where they were expected to play.  Time and time again Megumi barely spoke, barely looked at her, and hoped his blatant disinterest would be enough to deter Gojo from setting up anymore of the stupid playdates.

And honestly, (y/n) never really knew when that changed, or understood why it changed.  Her lip was caught between her teeth now as she thought it over, trying to trace back her steps to find the point in time where their acquaintanceship blossomed into true friendship, which she could confidently call their relationship now.

“Yeah, does he ever let anyone in?” Nobara scoffed, but she didn’t mean for it to come across as harsh as it sounded.  She had just felt awkward whenever she was around the raven haired boy, not knowing how to fill the silence as easily as Itadori.  “It just doesn’t make sense to me,”

From where he stood around the corner, Megumi slumped against the wall.  This is when he should have walked away, and forgotten he’d ever heard anything.  He shouldn’t have cared what they were saying about him, and he shouldn’t have been surprised that the new students didn’t feel buddy-buddy with him.  But there was some invisible force keeping him firmly in place, and intrigue won over logic in his mind as he waited to hear the rest of the conversation.

“I get you guys are friends and all, but how can someone like you be friends with someone so…” Nobara trailed off, and Megumi felt his heart drop to his stomach.  

He shouldn’t care.  This shouldn’t matter.  But then Nobara finally found the word she was looking for, and Megumi had never felt an ache in his chest quite like this before.

“Cold?”

Cold? His mind clung onto the word, picking it apart viciously.  Is that really what everyone thought of him? Is that really the image of himself everyone perceived? Again, he supposed he wasn’t the most expressive person, it wasn’t like he expected them to be singing his praises, but he certainly hadn’t expected that.

Before he could convince himself that he was being silly, he found himself frowning.  Never before had he cared what anyone thought.  As someone who actively kept people at arm's length, Megumi couldn’t think of a time he ever thought twice about someone else’s opinion of him.

And just as he’s ready to scoff and walk away, forgetting his book once more and deciding to never think about this moment of weakness again.

But then (y/n’s) speaking up.

“Cold?” She repeats the word, and Megumi stops in his tracks again at the tone of voice she takes.  His brows furrow and he’s leaning against the wall again, trying to decipher what the emotion that riddled her tone was.  Anger? He wondered, puzzled.  Humor? 

Raising from his stomach like it had been brought back to life, his heart stutters in his chest.

“Megumi’s anything but cold,” (y/n) argues, in that same tone of voice that he’d never heard before.  She follows it with a chuckle that sounds anything but humored.  “He’s the warmest person I know” 

Really? Megumi almost laughs to himself before remembering he was trying to stay hidden.

“Really?” Nobara gapes back at her, and (y/n) nods furiously.

“Absolutely,” She declares, firm in her stance.  “I’ve never met anyone like him.  He’s one of the kindest, most caring people I’ve ever known, you just have to know him, I suppose,” 

Honestly, hearing her argument, Megumi’s not all that sure what she’s talking about.  But he continues to hover in the hallway, now dying to know more.

“Megumi’s not like everyone else,” (y/n) says, her voice softening as she tries to explain her old friend’s habits to her new friends.  “He’s quiet, yeah, he’s always been that way.  But he’s not cold.  He’s quite the opposite.  He… he has a really big heart…” She trails off, chuckling to herself a bit.

I don’t know about that, Megumi thought bitterly, only for his face to heat up at such a sweet accusation.

“He probably wouldn’t say the same,” (y/n) speaks his thoughts exactly.  “But it’s true.  Megumi shows he cares through actions, not words” 

“Ohh..” Nobara and Yuuji spoke in unison.

(y/n) giggled a bit at the both of them.

“He’ll grow on you,” She tells them kindly.  “It takes time, but… Megumi’s one of the greatest friends anyone could ask for.  I’m certainly lucky to have him in my life” 

If Megumi wasn’t blushing before, he certainly was now.  Even though no one was around to see, he found himself tucking his face into the collar of his jacket to hide the way his cheeks flushed with color at her openly affectionate words.

“Wow, (y/n), that’s really sweet,” Yuuji cooed.  “You must be very close, how long have you known each other?” 

“Well, a while,” (y/n) thought it over.  “Gojo tried to set us up as best friends when we were younger.  But I wouldn’t say it really worked till a year or so ago.  But I mean what I said, I respect him a lot.  He’s a really good person,” 

Really? Megumi smiled to himself at such a blatant lie.  She would think that.

“He always helps me when I need it, especially when it comes to training, or studying,” (y/n) goes on to explain.

Well, he supposed that was true.  But he just wanted her to excel in their field, she had so much potential, it was only right to help her when she needed it.

“And he is kind of a secret gentleman,” She goes on, dropping her voice as though sharing a secret.  “Even before we were close, he’d carry my things for me, or open the door, pull out my chair…” She trails off as she recalls all the instances.

Megumi nodded to himself, confirming that she was telling the truth.  But that was just the right thing to do, Gojo had raised him right in that area, after all.  You treat women with respect, but he also believed in treating people the way he wanted to be treated.  Those two things seemed to overlap when it came to her.  So again, he realized that (y/n) was right about him.  He was starting to wonder if she knew him better than he gave her credit for.  Or even better than he knew himself.

“There was one time when we were younger…” She smiles at the memory.  “We stole a cookie out of Gojo’s stash, he broke it in half for us, and then gave me the bigger piece” 

Nobara and Yuuji take note of the way her eyes glaze over with fondness as she remembers the day.  They hadn’t even been friends yet, it was one of the instances where she was dropped off and left with him for hours in the hopes of the two of them becoming friends.  In fact, that particular day, she’d spent most of the time flipping through magazines with Tsumiki.  Thinking about it now, however, (y/n) wonders if that was the first bridge between them.  The uneven halves of a chocolate chip cookie being a shared secret from the white haired man knocked out on the living room couch.  She makes the mental note to ask Megumi if he remembers it that way.

“Aww!” Nobara clasps her hands together as she fawns over the simple memory.  (y/n) can’t help but laugh a little at the way her classmates treat Megumi’s soft side.  “He must’ve had a ‘widdle crush on you!” She teases in a cartoonish voice.

Megumi’s eyes widened upon hearing the declaration.  Had he come across that way? His heartbeat picked up with anxiety, and he worried about what (y/n) would have to say next.

Because he certainly didn’t have a crush on her.  All those nice things he did for her, he did because they were friends, they were all things friends would do, right? Helping her with training, carrying her bag when she complained about her back hurting, cooking her dinner when she said she hadn’t eaten all day, taking her to that movie she wanted to see even though he thought it was predictable and cheesy- Megumi was sure that was just being a good friend.  Whether or not he wanted to do those things for her was out of the question.  

Just as she’d said- he showed he cared through actions.

Nevermind what he thought.  Nevermind if she was the prettiest thing he’d ever laid eyes on.  Nevermind if she had the kindest heart he ever had the pleasure- or luck- of meeting.  Nevermind if she proved time and time again that she was the most wonderful person through and through- 

Megumi thought he was going to throw up just thinking about it.  But he couldn’t help himself.  He thinks about her most hours of the day, he realizes now.  He waits for her to text him back, he wonders what she’s doing when he’s not around, tons of things reminded him of her.  That flower she pointed out in the garden, anything that was her favorite color, when it rained, when the sun was shining, hell, even his own shikigami made her cross his mind.

Fuck.

He shakes his head as he tries to ground himself back to reality.  None of that was really evidence of him having deeper feelings for her though, was it? He could care about her strongly as a friend, couldn’t he? How stereotypical was he for second guessing himself as soon as he cared about his friend who was a girl.  A pretty girl.  They were capable of being friends without romantic tension.

But then again, if she were to make a move, he wouldn’t exactly push her away, would he? 

His face feels impossibly hotter at the question he raised to himself.  What a tricky answer that was, indeed.  The gears in his brain began to malfunction and break down over how simple the answer that came to him was.

“I don’t know about that…” (y/n’s) voice softens as she trails off.

Something unfamiliar bubbles up in Megumi’s stomach.  It feels like he’s eaten too many sweets and washed it down with pure alcohol.  It’s bubbly, and sickeningly sweet.  It makes the tips of his fingers buzz and the corners of his lips tug into an uncontrollable smile.  He’s not sure if he hates the feeling or wants to chase after it.

“Well, you should ask him out!” Yuuji cheers.

“Wh- what?” (y/n) stammers back.

“I bet he’d say yes,” The pink haired boy says with a bright smile of affirmation.  “You’re definitely his favorite, and he stares at you a lot” 

I do?

“He does?” (y/n) asks, sounding a little breathless.  

Was she surprised? Horrified? Megumi couldn’t tell.  He was dying to see the look on her face, so he could get a proper read on how she was processing all of this.

“Oh yeah.  I see him staring at you all the time” Yuuji confirms.

“Me too” Nobara chimes in.

“Honestly, I thought you guys were dating when I first got here” Yuuji adds.

He did?

“You did?” (y/n) can’t help the small chuckle that comes out of her.  “Why?” 

“Dunno,” Yuuji shrugs.  “He stands close to you.  And most of the time when he talks it’s just to you.  I just thought it was flirting” 

No you idiot, I just don’t need anyone eavesdropping on- oh… Megumi drags his hand over his face, tugging on his skin as his eyes roll back.  Fuck, he was the biggest idiot on the planet.

Of course he had a crush on her.  How long had he not noticed? Or had it always been there? 

(y/n’s) giggling pulls him out of his train of thoughts.  Cute and bubbly, he can tell from their sound that she’s shaking her head in disbelief.

“No, no, you’ve got it all wrong,” She tries to deter her new friends from going down that path, but her voice has that same soft and sweet tone that Megumi hopes he’s not reading into when he thinks she’s hopeful that they could have it all right.  “We’ve known each other for a while.  I think if something were to happen it would’ve happened already” 

It’s quiet for a beat, and Megumi’s heart is pounding so hard in his chest now he can feel it in his ears.  It’s upsetting and distracting, as he’s dying to hear more of this conversation.  He worries he might’ve picked up a real knack for spying, but he can’t think of anything more interesting than this.

“You say that like you want something to happen,” Nobara teases.  “Are you the one with a crush?” 

With every second that passes before (y/n’s) response, Megumi frets he’s going to pass out.  He’s sure his body is going to hit the ground giving away his embarrassing eavesdropping.

“I…” (y/n) starts but trails off.  Megumi wishes he could peek around the wall and watch the scene unfold.  He’s sure that if he could see her, he could deduce her answer for himself.

If she was fidgeting, then he could confirm that she did, in fact, harbor a crush on him.

If she was standing still out of shock from the idea, then he’d know she thought the idea was preposterous, and there wasn’t a chance she felt anything more for him.

“I haven’t thought about it” She finishes quietly.

There’s some shuffling of feet and a distant hmmph from Nobara’s disbelief, or intrigue, maybe.  Either way, the conversation must’ve been done.  Yuuji was shouting goodbyes as he left the room to meet up with Maki for rigorous training.  Nobara followed suit shortly after, claiming she had nothing better to do so watching Maki train was the perfect way to spend her afternoon.

(y/n) laughed and waved goodbye to her friends.  Once they were out of sight she let out a shaky exhale.

Jesus, that was close, she thought as she finally made her way to the couch, ready to collapse and relax.  Her heart had been racing in her chest for the last few minutes and she needed a break from Yuuji and Nobara’s prying eyes.  She was sure they’d seen right through her, sure they’d been able to tell she was lying through her teeth.

Just as she was about to fall onto the cushions and let the couch take her into a much needed afternoon nap, she noticed a thick hardcover book had been left behind.  There was a bookmark sticking out of it halfway between the covers, but all of the pages before it were littered with small sticky notes.  She’d recognized it right away, if not for remembering this was the book Megumi had been reading all week, she’d deduce it was his from the heavy annotations.  She’d never met anyone who took reading as seriously as he did.

With a small smile she picked it up, deciding she could nap a little later.  He was likely wondering where he’d left the book after all, she was pretty sure he had the afternoon free.  On a mission, she heads out of the common room, while flipping to the first page marked by a skinny pink tab.

She’s so lost in reading the little comments he’d left on a larger note inside of the page- rather than actually reading any of the actual text- that she didn’t notice Megumi in the hall until she practically ran into him.

“Oh- sorry!” She yelped quietly upon seeing the tall figure in her peripheral.  When she looks up to see it’s Megumi, her shock melts into a small smile.  “Oh, Megumi! I was just coming to look for you,” She beams brighter, closing his book and extending it to him.  “This is yours, right?” 

Not knowing what to say, he gives her a shaky nod before taking the book from her hands.  He settles for a small thank you.

“No problem,” She replies.  “It was in my nap spot” She adds sheepishly.

Megumi chuckles, and he’s unable to keep himself from grinning.  (y/n) tilts her head at his bright smile, intrigued by the pure joy seeping out of him.  Her fingers latch together as a group of butterflies in her stomach begin to flutter in her stomach.

“Hey, I was wondering…” She starts, her brows pinching with uncertainty, but Megumi gives her his undivided attention.

“Yeah? What is it?” He asks, tucking the book under his arm.

He watches the way her fingers begin to fiddle.  He’s distracted by the nervous habit of hers, and his heart swells in his chest.  She was fidgeting.

“Uh, ah- it’s silly-” She starts to change her mind, but he shakes his head at her, too eager to hear what was on her mind to let her back out of it now.

“I’m sure it’s not,” He says boldly.  She must catch the way he looks at her in complete seriousness, because her eyes widen in the smallest amount.  “What is it?” He asks again.

Her cheeks feel warm, and Megumi watches in real time as a rosy tint flushes her face.  He can’t believe it took him so long to realize just how deeply he cared about her, because seeing her fidget and blush before him now, he thinks it could be his favorite sight of all time.

“D’you remember when we were little, and Gojo always made us have those playdates?” She asks with a small laugh that dies quickly as she’s overcome with bashfulness.

“Yeah, how could I forget that?” He chuckles back at her, his lips lifting into a fond smile, even though in most of his memories of that time, he was an irritated, angry little thing.  “What about it?” 

(y/n) opens her mouth to explain, but quickly shuts it and shakes her head.  A soft smile adorns her lips as her eyes fall to her hands, still fidgeting nervously.

“I dunno, I guess I…” She’s never struggled for words more than this moment, and she curses herself for acting like a shy little girl when she’s known Megumi for years, and she’s never quite felt like this.  “Do you remember when we became friends?” She rushes the question out, afraid that she’d say forget it and walk away with regret rather than feel a little embarrassment now and actually get an answer.

Megumi nods.

“I do” He responds right away.

“Like, actual friends,” (y/n) clarifies, sure that he spoke too soon.  “Not just kids dropped off at a playground for three hours and being expected to play together, I mean, like, real friends” 

Megumi nods again.

“I do,” He repeats, this time with a small chuckle.  “You don’t?” 

(y/n) chews on her lip as she shakes her head.  Her brow furrows in the slightest, curious as to how he has the better memory of the two of them.  Amused, he smirks at her.

“Well?” She asks impatiently.  “What changed?” 

“I can’t believe you don’t remember,” He teases softly, making her roll her eyes.  “You’re hurtin’ my feelings, (y/n/n)” 

“I didn’t know you had feelings, ‘gumi,” She retorts playfully.  “But c’mon, tell me” She pleads sweetly, her eyes glittering with anticipation.

His eyes flicker between hers for a moment, swept away with the way she looked at him.  It dawns on him that if she asked him any favor this way, he’d comply without hesitation.  Her complete attention was on him, and he swore there was something in her eyes he’d never seen before.  Or perhaps he’d just never noticed it.  It was soft, but there was a depth there that he was aching to explore further.

“It was right before we came here,” He finally indulged her, his voice quiet like he was revealing a well kept secret, rather than a memory they actually both shared, even if she’d forgotten it.  “The weekend before, actually.  When we were moving into the dorms, you remember that?” 

(y/n) nods at the general memory.  She thinks she recalls making fun of him for listening to Weezer while unpacking in the room right across from hers.

“Gojo let us stay one night early.  Probably so he could have his place to himself,” The thought dawns on Megumi a little late, but he chuckles realizing it now.  “But at the time it was cool… cause we’d never been on our own before” 

“Right,” (y/n) smiles as she thinks about it now.  That first night on her own in her own space had felt so special, so exciting.  It was almost humorous how normal it felt now.  How her space felt completely her own.  “I almost forget how it was just you ‘n me for a bit here” 

“But you don’t remember the first night?” He asks.  A smile line creases between (y/n’s) brows as she racks her mind for the rest of the memory.

Making ramen noodles in the kitchen far too late in the night because she couldn’t sleep.  Pacing around the corridors and snooping where she shouldn’t have.

“You woke me up,” Megumi chuckles.

Realization dawns on her in the form of an embarrassed smile.

“Oh,” She muses softly.  “Right… I couldn’t sleep and… I was bored” 

“You begged me to get up with you, it was torture,” Megumi reminded her.  “And then you made me watch a movie with you, that dumb 80s movie you like that was way too long- and you didn’t even stay awake through it” 

“Okay okay-” (y/n) tries to dismiss him with a wave of her hand, but Megumi continues.

“But you talked through most of it anyways,” He speaks over her before she could get him to shut up.  “You said you were scared” 

Her eyes widen, and the story he’s telling sounds vaguely familiar, but truthfully she’d been so exhausted that night she couldn’t really remember the specific details all that well.  But she did remember waking him up in the middle of the night, so she’s surprised he’s able to recall this random moment from a year ago so easily.  Maybe his memory was just better than hers.

“I… I did?” She mumbles.

Megumi nods back, with his focused eyes set on hers.

“You said you were scared of failing,” His voice grows quiet again.  “You said you… you were scared of not getting stronger,” 

Despite this event having happened so long ago, (y/n) feels embarrassed now, and she can’t believe that Megumi’s clung to this memory in particular.  She almost wished she hadn’t asked, because she could’ve lived in peace never having known she’d revealed such a massive insecurity to him.

“And then you told me that you thought I was strong,” Megumi continues, a smile curling on his lips.  “And you asked if I’d help you get strong like me, too,” 

She’s sure she must be seeing things when she notices color flush his cheeks.  Because there was no way Fushiguro Megumi was blushing in front of her right now.

“Then you passed out on me and I was stuck watching the rest of the dumb movie so you wouldn’t wake up” 

“You watched the rest of the movie?” She asks softly.  He chuckles at her, and nods his head.  “I can’t believe I don’t remember any of that” 

“You were pretty tired,” He shrugs back in understanding.  “And it was a while ago, I wouldn’t have expected you to remember all of that” 

“I see…” (y/n) mumbles to herself.  She drags her lip between her teeth as she stays quiet for a few moments.

“And by the way,” He steps forward, catching her attention again as her eyes snap up to meet his, suddenly aware of the small space left between them.  “I do kinda stare at you a lot” 

Her face lights up with so much heat she thinks she’s going to combust.

“You- you heard that?” She squeaks out.

“And then some,” Megumi nods back.  For some reason, he doesn’t feel weird about shamelessly admitting that he’d been listening in on her conversation.  “Did you mean all of that?” 

Her mouth opens and closes a few times as her previous conversation comes back to her in waves.  The longer she thinks about it, the hotter the back of her neck grows.  He’d listened to all of that? He heard her ramble on about him? And had he heard that last part-? 

“I mean, y-yeah, yeah,” She stammers over her answer, accompanied with an awkward nod of her head.  “Of course I did” She says surely, but her voice is a mere whisper.

“Even that last part?” He asks, shuffling forward again.  Her eyes track the movement, bewildered by his sudden closeness, but she doesn’t dare put space between them.

“Last part?” She repeats, dumbly.

“Yeah,” Megumi nods, and he can’t help but reach out and trace his thumb under her jaw, ghosting over her skin with a touch so light she almost leans into it to feel it properly.  “You know, the part where you said you hadn’t thought about it, about me,” He reminded her, even though she remembers fully well what he was referencing.  “You meant that too?”

She swallows thickly.  The intensity of his eyes on hers was too much to bear, she could almost crumple to a heap on the ground, but her body is rigid, firmly planted before him by the pad of his thumb under her chin.

“No,” The word comes out in a whisper so soft Megumi wouldn’t have caught it had he not watched it fall from her lips.  “No, I didn’t mean that”

A smile twitched on his lips, and he could see her hands fidgeting again.  Just as he thought, he beamed as he met her eyes again, she felt it, too.

“What did you mean to say, then?” He asks the question that’s been lingering on his mind like poison being held in the back of his throat.

Her eyes wander to his lips as she realizes he’s been moving in impossibly closer.  She’s hoping, no, she’s sure he’s going to kiss her, but he wants his answer first.  Rightfully so, she supposes he’s been waiting to hear it, and if she was honest she was dying to get it off her chest.  But the prospect of so blatantly telling someone how you feel has her shifting her weight nervously.

“I meant…” She mumbles, snapping her eyes up to his when she thinks she’s stared at his lips for too long.  “I meant I have thought about… something more…” Her voice raises and drops in volume as she makes her confession weakly.  It’s certainly not a bold, romantic movie moment, like she always thought she’d have some day.  It’s timid, quiet, and a bit awkward on her end.  She clears her throat.  “But they didn’t need to know that” She says, a small giggle escaping her.

“No, ‘spose not” Megumi’s lips curled into a smile that had her nerves settling, comfortable again in his presence.  Although she’s sure she could never be truly uncomfortable with him.

“So… spying on your friends these days, hm?” (y/n) asks, tilting her head at him curiously.  She means for her tone to be playful, but it comes out in a whispery soft.  “That’s a bit out of character for you, Megumi”

Despite his warm face and stuttering heartbeat- he might need to go to Shoko, the irregular pace was becoming a concern- Megumi chuckles at her, and his smile doesn’t falter.

“When else was I gonna get to hear you say all that nice stuff about me?” He hums, effectively burning up her cheeks as well.  His thumb traces gently over her chin, his eyes following the movement fondly before meeting hers again.

Megumi had never really been a touchy person.  (y/n) could probably count on one hand the amount of times he’s ever touched her, and the first three instances that pop up in her mind revolve around him rescuing her ass when she was being reckless on an assignment.

“I liked the part where you said I was a gentleman,” He beamed a little brighter, and (y/n) had to grind her teeth into the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning like an idiot.  “But for the record,” He moves closer, and her eyes grow so round as she stares at him that they almost burn from her lack of blinking.  “I’m lucky to have you, too,” 

Her jaw loosens and her teeth no longer have a grip on her cheek, allowing for a sweet smile to stretch across her lips as she takes in the fond words.

Just as she thought.  He was the warmest person she knew.

“And,” He continued, his eyes moving between hers as he took in how pretty she looked when she was in a state of surprise, “You are my favorite” 

She laughs again, breathless and quiet before she rolls her eyes with nothing but fondness.

“I know,” She murmurs, narrowing her eyes in mock annoyance.  The smile on her lips was too sweet for him to think she was giving him anything other than her entire heart on a platter.  “Must be a side effect of your staring problem”

He tilts his head down, simultaneously lifting her jaw with a tender pull of his thumb, but just as his nose brushes over hers, he seems to remember his manners, and he can’t have her go thinking he’d dropped the gentlemanly side of him she seemed to appreciate so much.

“Can I?” He murmurs, his lashes rising and falling as his eyes travel between her gaze and her lips.  “Kiss you?” He clarifies.

And she almost laughs.  She wants to giggle and grab him by the shirt and smash her lips against his in a feverish, passionate kiss.  But her breath is caught in her throat, she can’t quite find her voice, and her fingers seem to have magnets clinging them together because she’s frozen before him.

So all she can do is shut her eyes and give the faintest nod of her head, barely pursing her lips before his are pressing against them.

Every muscle in her body relaxes as she’s flooded with warmth.  Her posture loosens up and even her hands pry apart as she finally finds the strength to lift them, setting them gently on his shoulders.  

His lips are surprisingly soft, even when she presses closer and kisses him deeper, they feel nothing but tender.  She feels light headed from how sweetly he kisses her, his free hand, the one that isn’t holding his book, splays across her cheek.  The tip of his index finger barely ghosts along her earlobe, before tracing down her jaw, and back up again.

She was damn near about to raise her foot like the girls in the movies do when they’re swooning over their true love’s kiss.  That shit was no joke.

When they part, she’s smiling at him again, and he’s mirroring her expression.  It takes her a minute to will herself to open her eyes, and her hesitation makes Megumi chuckle.

“Next time, I’ll let ‘em know you’re a good kisser, too” She mumbles, in a bit of a daze, as he could tell.

“Oh will you?” He teases quietly.

She nods, leaning her cheek into the comfort of his palm.  Her cheeks flush before she crinkles her nose, second guessing her previous statement.

“Well, maybe not right away” She mumbles, and he chuckles at her.  

The apples of his cheeks are bright, his smile is toothy, and his eyes sparkle with every lovely feeling humanly possibly, all held for her.

“Maybe not right away” He agrees in a soft voice, before tilting forward again, his thumb swiping gingerly across her cheekbone.  

She swears she could melt into the way his low voice comes out in a whispered husk against her lips.  Her eyes are already fluttering shut again.  His lips brush over hers sweetly, gently, as though for the first time.  She returns the tenderness, her fingers reaching up and ghosting along his sharp jaw, twitching with anticipation to touch more.  The desire to grab him by the face and crash their lips together is still a thought in the back of her mind, but she sets it aside for now.  She thinks he’ll make the time for her to do so later.

And suddenly Megumi believes her.  He believes all the kind things she’d said when coming to defense.  He believes he is warm, and he is caring.  But he only believes it because she made him so.  He thinks he’ll have to tell her, at some point, but it could wait for another time.  They were bound to have time ahead of him where he could spend hours on end returning the favor, and sing her praises until his face is blue and hers is pink. ___

xoxo ~ jordie

[luveline]

omg jade i heard you asking for hotch reqs and i RAN to your inbox

what about hotch taking care of r after they have a lil baby?? i think if i saw that man hold a new baby id die!!!! he could hole their whole head in the palm of his hand 😭😭😭

Every time you move, your hips and more intimate regions hurt like a hot poker. You probably won’t cry, but you require some tylenol and some sympathy to carry on. “Hotch?” you ask. 

Silence. You tip your head back over the armrest to find him. Even upside down, he looks handsome, sitting in the two seater with your little bundle of agony in his arms. Or, arm. The baby rests neatly in the curve of his forearm, his free hand dedicated to the baby’s small back. 

“Hotch?” 

“Who is she talking to?” Hotch asks your baby gently. You know what he’s doing immediately. 

“You get so hung up on the Hotch thing, if you didn’t want to be called Hotch, you shouldn’t have introduced yourself as Hotch.”  

You’ve been calling him Hotch for years, you aren’t going to suddenly kick the habit now. 

“She was my subordinate,” Hotch tells the baby. “She couldn’t have special treatment, even if she is the prettiest subordinate I ever had. It wouldn’t have been fair.” 

“I wouldn’t mind some more tylenol.” 

He raises his gaze. You twist into a painful but better suited position to watch him move the baby closer to his collar, his hand covering the entirety of the baby’s small head. Hotch said Jack was a little baby too, but you’d been terrified regardless, and no matter the size, it was too big for you to come out of the ordeal unscathed. Tylenol isn’t so much wanted as required. 

“I’ll get it for you,” he promises. 

“Thank you, Aaron.” 

“Oh, you’re welcome, honey.” 

He stands and shifts your tiny baby further into his chest, little snores pressed to his collar. “You okay to take him? I’ll make you some lunch at the same time.”

“I can’t eat.” 

“Just chips and a sandwich, honey. You can manage that.”  

You open your arms, letting Hotch lower your baby down into your arms and the surrounding nest of blankets. “You need to go see where Jack is,” you say. 

“I know,” Hotch says, kissing your cheek quickly. “I’m gonna make his lunch too. I’ll be right back.” 

You cuddle your baby to your chest and lean back. Your baby Hotchner is, as previously stated, so tiny, but he’s a nice weight against you, and he sleeps like a champ. You thought easy babies were a myth until now. So far he’s done nothing but sleep and stare at you whenever you talk. You think it’s love, or the surprise of seeing the voices that talked to him nonstop while he was in your belly now out in the open. He does the same to Hotch whenever he’s awake. 

You haven’t named him yet. You asked Jack for help, but he’d recommended you name your new baby Mister Awesome, so you’re at a loss for now. It doesn’t matter, though. He’ll have a name eventually. Until then, he’s the baby. And he’s very well loved. 

You wish he hadn’t hurt so badly to bring into the world, is all. 

Somewhere deeper in the house, Jack tumbles down the stairs, to Hotch's audible horror. “Are you alright? What are you doing, buddy?” 

“I’m being quick!” 

“Please be careful!” There’s the sound of a kiss. “You sure you’re okay? Yeah? Gonna go and keep Y/N company?” 

“Yeah, dad.” 

“Okay, thank you. I’m gonna make your lunch now, any requests?” 

“Peanut butter. And chips. And pretzels. And orange slices? And–”

“How about I bring you lots of everything, bud?” 

“Yes. Please. Hug?” 

They must hug, though you can’t see or hear it, as Jack walks into the living room with wildly tousled hair and a smile. He climbs over the back of the couch even though he shouldn’t, dropping onto your feet, a tangle of arms and legs. “Hi, Y/N.” 

“Hi baby. You hungry?” 

“Dad’s gonna make me a sandwich.” 

You reach over to collect his hand in yours, squeezing his fingers gently. You’d thought for sure that having a baby in the house would upset him, if only because his usual routine was disrupted —he’d had to make room for you first, and now suddenly there’s a new baby taking all the attention? it’s not what only kids usually want— but Jack’s an easy kid too. He squeezes your hand back, shimmying up the couch to lean on your leg. It aches, every touch to your lower half a reminder of the pain further inward, but he’s not rough. He climbs further onto your leg and rests his cheek on your shoulder. 

“Is this a cuddle?” you murmur. 

“Pretty please.” 

“No please required.” You frown to yourself, trying to juggle the baby into the opposite arm so you can wrap the one closest to Jack around his shoulders. You manage it poorly. “Dad makes this look so easy.” 

“He has longer arms,” Jack says with a shrug. His nose jabs the skin just above your chest. “Don’t worry about it.” 

“I won’t. Thank you, babe.” 

Jack touches the baby’s back. “He’s sleeping?” 

“Yeah. Must be weird getting to sleep all the time and then suddenly being born. At least he’s not crying.” 

You and Jack lay with each other for a while, watching the baby snore as you whisper about what Hotch is making for lunch. You wish he’d brought you the tylenol before he started, but he’s got a lot going on. You’re glad he’s the one making lunch (though you can’t be expected to right now, considering). The idea of having to stand there and butter a sub roll sounds like a low level of torture. 

“Don’t let me fall asleep holding the baby,” you tell Jack, your eyes drifting closed as Jack snuggles closer to your face.

“I can go get dad.” 

“I’m here,” Hotch says swiftly. You drag your face to the side to see him in the doorway, two dinner trays balanced with ease in his hands despite their obvious weight and full glasses on either side. “Don’t fall asleep, I’m coming. Sorry about the wait.” 

Hotch puts your trays on the coffee table and scoops the baby from your chest, leaving behind an awfully warm patch of skin. 

“Tylenols on the tray,” he says, smiling at you lovingly. “You okay?” 

“Fine. Jack’s gonna feed me.” 

To his credit, your lovely stepson offers to really feed you, but you’re not so tired now there’s food in front of you. Your stomach groans in want. 

Hotch stands looking down at you, baby somehow even smaller looking in his arms. “Need anything else?” 

You hold half of your sandwich up to him. “Eat that.” 

“I’m fine. My hands are full.” 

“I’m not asking, Aaron. Take it.” You force the sandwich on him. “We both know you only need one hand.” 

He’s cautious not to rain crumbs down on the baby. You make no such fuss, bread and lettuce falling down into your lap as you eat. Jack can’t stop giggling, “You’re not s’posed to eat like that!”

“Sorry!” you say, “I’m just so hungry!” 

“It’s okay,” he says. “Dad will vacuum you.” 

Hotch’s mouth is full to bursting, but his nod is vehement. He swallows hard. “I’ll mop you, too.”  

[suntoru]

✧˖°. PRINCESS TREATMENT ONLY!

summary: genshin men being huge simps and spoiling u every chance they get &lt;3

feat. diluc ragnvindr, kaeya alberich, childe, kazuha kaedehara, scary mooch, xiao, thoma, ayatoe, al-haitham, kaveh

a/n: i swear i was working on the masterlist but the brainrot finally got to me hnghhhh

warnings: gn but feminine implications (ie. princess treatment, reader wears heels and makeup, passenger princess), simping for reader, maybe ooc? swearing, fluff, some are modern aus, maybe innuendos?

─ ✰ DILUC is the gentleman we all deserve in our lives. if it’s raining outside, he’ll make sure to protect you from the wetness! he makes sure you’re fully bundled up in his coat, and that when he’s walking you home, the umbrella is fully covering you. oh, his shoulder’s getting wet? that’s fine, a little bit of water never hurt anyone. but if it happens to you? all hell breaks loose. what if you get sick from the rain? are you feeling alright? do you need medicine? a doctor? and if you’re in a modern au, he’ll definitely let you be the passenger princess 🥰 you can take naps, eat snacks, and pick all the songs! you don’t ever have to worry about giving him directions, you can just do whatever you want. he even installs led lights in his car so you can take asthetic pictures <3 if you’re tired, don’t worry about him, he’ll be fine alone, take your beauty sleep :) he drives you anywhere you want, no questions asked! you want to go to his mansion? you’ll be there in ten. grocery store? sure. nail salon? he’ll even accompany you to get your nails done just so you won’t be alone, pays for everything too!

─ ✰ KAEYA is absolutely whipped for you. to most people, he’s the town flirt, and a drunkard, but to you, he’s the most caring and softest person you’ve ever met, even if it’s hidden under layers of hurt. if you go out drinking with him, and come back drunk, he’ll carry you bridal style back home. pressing your body closer to his, he makes sure to prop your head so your neck won’t get sore. and if you wear makeup, he won’t put in the low effort to wipe your face with a makeup wipe, he’ll do your whole skincare routine for you! first, he uses makeup remover to take everything off, then, gently, he massages the cleanser into your skin and washes it off. he applies your creams and serums, making sure to be as tender as possible, even if you whine that all you want to do is go to sleep. he soothes you, whispering that all he needs is ten more minutes to brush your teeth and get you changed so you’ll feel clean in the morning. and for the hangover in the morning? he makes you special soup and showers you himself so you don’t even have to lift a finger.

─ ✰ CHILDE loves spoiling you whenever he gets the chance to. other people might think it’s just another sugar baby dynamic, but in truth, it’s far from it. it’s a selfless love, not just based on materialistic items. but even then, he’s willing to sacrifice his time and money for you. you’re his baby and his top priority always, no matter what. are you hungry? well, get ready, because he just booked a reservation at the highest star restaurant in town! you’re having a bad day? no problem, he’ll send one of the lower ranking fatui members to do the dirty work and he’s coming home early! he’ll bring home a large bouquet of flowers and a cute stuffie to match. you need new clothes? he’s driving you to all your favourite stores on his card <3 his wallet is practically bottomless, so don’t be afraid to spend what you want! a couple thousand mora is nothing to him if he can see your frowning pout turn into the pretty smile he loves so much. he even carries all your bags for you without asking! he can’t have his darling getting tired after all :(( just as long as after you give him a smooch on the lips and an hour of cuddles, the only payment he’ll accept (´∀｀)♡

─ ✰ KAZUHA, even after years of being in a relationship, still finds ways to give you butterflies in your stomach. when you come back into your quiet home after a long night, too exhausted to take care of yourself, he leads you to a chair and sits you down. he ever so delicately unlaces your heels for you, taking his time doing so, but don’t worry! you won’t ever be bored. if the silence is too much, he’ll ask you how your day was, talk about his, and spill all the tea that happened on the crux. and if your feet are tender, he’ll massage them gently so they won’t be sore in the morning :(( he’s putting the utmost care and effort into whatever he’s doing for you, and that never fails to make your heart skip a beat. he still opens doors for you, dedicates hundreds, if not thousand of poems and haikus to you, and never fails to make you feel loved. he’d never forget an important date, even if you don’t mention it for months before! he always asks for your hand, and when you place it in his with a knowing smile, he gives you a fairytale-like kiss on the top, making sure to peck every little fingertip in the process.

─ ✰ SCARAMOUCHE never thought he’d bow down to anyone again in his lifetime. he’s trained every little bit of himself to be the most powerful, the strongest being he could so he’d never have to go through that humiliation. but yet here he is, tucking away his ego and pride, bending down on the ground for you. yes, he may grumble, telling you to hurry up, and that he doesn’t have all day, but the fact that he’s basically submitting to you speaks for itself. you taught him what love meant, healing, and promised that you’d never leave him, and for that, you have his eternal loyalty. as you climb on his back, he gently hooks your legs against his arms as he stabilizes both of you. the proximity of your face resting against his neck causes him to go up in flames, throwing his oversized hat on your head, telling you to hold on to it for him. but really he’s hoping the large structure obstructs his rosy cheeks. he does every little ‘embarrassing’ thing for you, from painting his nails barbie pink to being shrek for your matching halloween costumes. if his younger self were to look back at him, he simply wouldn’t believe it, but now, he wouldn’t even consider the possibility of even saying no to you.

─ ✰ XIAO never, ever, takes you adventuring with him, simply because he believes someone as precious as you shouldn’t risk getting hurt and scuffed up. so instead, he brings you little gifts that he sees while adventuring. a glaze lily, protective adepti charms, and almond tofu are all gifts that he’s brought to you before. he’s also much softer with you, never raising his voice and being cautious about his choice of words. if you ever get caught in a physical situation with him, automatically he moves to stand in front of you, one arm protectively circling your waist, pulling you closer to him. being xiao’s s/o, you also get special privileges. while he answers most who call his name, if you even utter his in a whisper, he’ll be there in a heartbeat, no matter if it’s an emergency or not. whether you called him to join your tea party, or if you are in the slightest bit of danger, he’ll be there. he also trusts you more than his logic, even if everyone else is against you. if you’re in a scuffle with other humans, he makes sure to hear both sides, but his heart already knows who’s right. whether there are 100 witnesses who all say you’re wrong, he’ll still believe you anyways.

─ ✰ THOMA is absolute malewife material, no questions asked. sometimes, if he’s not busy in the mornings, he’ll surprise you with breakfast in bed without a special occasion. he’ll peck your cheek and give you a soft ‘good morning’ as to not break the sleepy trance you’re in, carefully placing the tray onto the nearest nightstand. whenever he’s around, he does all your chores too, from washing the dishes, to dusting the house and sweeping the floors. you wom’t even have to lift a finger, he goes as far to make lunch too! since he’s not home by then, usually somewhere in the kamisato estate, he leaves handwritten sticky notes on each lunch box he gives you. he fills them with messages like, “the perfume you wore smells good today!” “your smile is blinding, my ray of sunshine” or “you’re gorgeous always, my lovely.” never once is a message repeated, he believes someone as special as you deserves to hear something unique each day. he even goes as far to make your food cute! he’s made panda shaped onigiri’s, cat-like dango’s… all because you asked him once, it’s become a tradition now.

─ ✰ AYATO never leaves you bored when he goes to one of his meetings. his maids set up a spa day, complete with a makeover and evening gown to go with it, but it’s just not the same without your husband :( thankfully, being the significant other of the head of the yashiro commission has its own perks. for instance, you can walk around like you own the place and join in on in his meetings, albeit later you might get punished by ayato for interrupting, but really, he doesn’t mind. seated on his lap, you play with his fingers and let out a quiet huff. why did you think this was a good idea again? what they’re talking about is so boring, you’re beginning to regret your desicion to join ayato, wishing to be soaking in the tub with a face mask again. thankfully, shortly after, he cuts the conference short, apologizing and telling them he has more pressing matters to attend to. you lead him straight home holding his hand, giddy that he’ll join another one of your salon days. he makes sure to pamper you, giving you a massage and washing your hair for you, praising you for being so patient, even if you were the reason the meeting ended early.

─ ✰ AL-HAITHAM, i headcanon, thinks he’s being subtle with putting up with your shenanigans, but he couldn’t be farther off. he might seem indifferent on the outside, but he cares much more than you might think. can’t sleep? just wake him up at 3am, he’ll wrap you in a blanket burrito and read to you until you fall asleep! just got your nails done? he’ll carry all of your books, what else would he need his giant man boobs muscles for? he revolves around you, as if you are the sun and he the earth. and god forbid if you’re ever mad at him, his whole life comes tumbling down. although if you can’t see it in his facial expression, all of his rationality goes flying out the window. he’s snappier than usual, getting annoyed at the littlest of inconveniences. even if you’re in the wrong, he’ll still apologize first, he just wants you to start talking to him again 😢 if you have conditions to making up, he follows them all to the tee. give you one kiss for every hour he’s made you upset? done. buy you the newest line of makeup or skincare? absolutely. cook dinner for the next two weeks? he already does that.

─ ✰ KAVEH is placed 1st on the list of simps. just pout your lips and whimper a “pretty please?”, he’s down bad. he lets you braid, curl, and play with his hair whenever you want, even if it was already styled in the beginning. he lets you steal all of his clothes, who cares if he’s worn the same thing five times in the past week? you look so adorable in his white shirt, he can’t complain. oh, and if you don’t like his style? he’ll let you pick out his clothes and style him yourself, he’ll stand there patiently for you like a mannequin <3 technically it’s not allowed, but he shows you all of his top secret projects and all the cool things he’s doing, you’re the only one allowed in his office! oh, what’s this? you want him to do your makeup? just give him a week, he’ll perfect cat eyeliner, lip liner and blending eyeshadow colors for you! after you’re done, he lets you do his makeup too, praising you for your talent. even if the blush is patchy, foundation cakey and lip gloss smudged, he still thanks you endlessly with unlimited cuddles and a new handbag matching his briefcase!

©hawkssimpsblog 2023.

[livinghostly]

i will hold on to you for as long as you let me — megumi fushiguro x mom!reader, satoru gojo x reader

a/n: sorryyy the fushiguro-gojo family dynamic was rotting my brain and i needed this out of my system. LOTS of projection of my fear of growing up in this one soz. this was fully meant to be a drabble and it just kept going idk wc: 3.1k angst/fluff. mom!reader has a lot of bittersweet thoughts about megumi growing up and satoru is there to comfort <3 lots of parentheses and lots of repetition

you put on a brave face all day. all week, even. despite the burn in your chest that engulfed your lungs and squeezed unrelentingly. despite the tears that burned the corners of your eyes delicately balancing on the your waterline, one blink away from breaking the surface density and opening the floodgates to pour down your cheeks. despite the non-stop ache of your stomach, churning what you ate every day but still holding the same emptiness as anxiety consumed you.

megumi didn’t pack much, he never held on to many things to begin with. (you always prayed for that to change, for his comfort your home. you prayed he would see it as his own, as well). he neatly folded his clothes into his suitcases and stacked his hangers on top. he purchased a new sheet set for his bed in the dormitory because the one he was used to was much bigger, much softer. 

he packed most of his books, carefully picking out the ones that tugged at the nostalgic parts of him, frayed along the edges after many years of re-reading, as well the ones that still had vibrant covers and stiff spines he hoped to finish. you noticed the leather journal he kept tied together– the ink-blotted pages bursting at the seams –sitting on the shelf before he tucked it into his box of personal belongings. it was his third one since living with you, all filled to every last page and used beyond ruin. the rest were hidden between his headboard and the wall. you pretended not to know, after stumbling upon them while changing his sheets.

closing the door to your home felt eerily empty. it looked the same as every day. the couch was cleaned and the floors swept. dishes rinsed and promptly put away. but with your lingering gaze your mind fixated on the dining table set for four, two adult pairs of shoes at the door, one pink backpack slumped on the hook of the closet door with an empty space below. your chest twisted at the lack of clutter, though it’d been like that for some time, with tsumiki and megumi growing older and cleaning up after themselves properly like you taught them. like you wanted. the pride you initially felt with those memories of parenting were becoming eclipsed with resentment and despair.

the ride to school was quick and familiar, megumi knew well what he was getting into after visiting there to train. satoru liked to call them little getaways from megumi’s civilian life, claiming he wasted too much time around non-sorcerers when he could be on missions with his ever-loving benefactor instead.

satoru, who was whining while he laid himself across the three seats in the back of your car. you’d banished him there for such a special occasion, and he threatened to transport himself to the school alone. an empty threat, at best. he didn’t want to miss this. 

megumi had sparred with the older students and found himself thrown around the field many times already. he knew his way to the infirmary by heart, he knew where gojo tucked away his most powerful curse-imbued weapons (that were supposed to be under the surveillance of higher ups), and knew what letter-number combination granted him the ginger chips nobody else seemed to like. 

you were glad he was comfortable. you were glad he would fall into routine easily after the repeated trips to jujutsu high and developing a rapport with his upperclassmen. you’d waited for the day that he’d truly be part of the jujutsu world and welcomed into a better suited environment for people like him. and you knew he would be great, he already possessed an incredible technique and wielded it like he’d been fine-tuning it since birth. far ahead from most kids his age, you were proud.

still, your gut was sinking, sinking, sinking into the floor with each passing second.

megumi picked his room in one of the far-away corners of the boys dormitory, leaving inumaki and panda heartbroken (panda said he would find a way to organize sleepover. megumi said he would drop out before that happened. inumaki cried– no, wailed at the rejection). yuuta fell into step with you, slipping one of the boxes out of your hands and insisting on helping instead. it was sweet, if it didn’t feel like he was ripping precious time away from you.

but you smiled, and granted his wish. megumi wasn’t complaining, he liked yuuta more than the others. it was a good chance for them to talk more. all of this, a chance, a new chapter, the rest of his life. the thoughts weighed on your shoulders with a disgusting strain traveling to your fingertips.

you were painfully aware you were in your own head, doing this all to yourself. he wasn’t going away, you would still be seeing him, more than you used to when he went to his other schools. he would always be here.

satoru found you in your classroom, while you were organizing the stationary with an unnaturally stiff composure. your arms were tense, he could see the muscles constantly flexing with each of your movements.

your jaw was clenching and unclenching again. you made a point not to look outside, where the second-years were training brashly after successfully moving their things back into their dorms. you made a point not to meet satoru’s dangerous stare as he shut the door to your classroom, as if it granted any privacy with the seven large windows running along the wall that showcased the hallway. 

“what are you doing all by yourself, beautiful?” his tone was soft and inviting, begging you to open up and let yourself fall against the cushion of his words. 

“um,” you exhaled, voice shaky. you scrunched your face to break apart the tension that had hardened your expression. “i figured i would get a few things ready for tomorrow.”

it took satoru’s long legs two-and-a-half strides to meet you at your desk, where you gently shut the drawer. there were a handful of dated photographs in there, signed with his name and the chicken scratch of two children. 

“it’s all ready, baby. we did that last week.”

(correction: you did it. he tagged along for the shopping trip).

“there’s just… a few things...” you mumbled, not finding the strength to finish your own sentence. 

satoru gently placed his hand on your shoulder, emitting inhuman warmth that spread across your skin. you leaned into him as he dragged his hand down your arm and intertwined your fingers with the care of handling fine china. his presence brought you solace, effortlessly bringing the walls down that you desperately wanted to wait until you got home to break.

he kissed the back of your hand and rubbed the skin. “you know you’re going to see him every day, right?”

it was embarrassing how well satoru knew you, knew your thought process like it was an extension of his own. he knew your doubts and insecurities, your fears and desires. he could predict the words before they came from your mouth, more in tune with the way you spoke than his mother tongue.

“mhm.”

“you know we’re going to be the ones chaperoning his missions, right?”

you closed your eyes and looked away. “i know.”

“do you remember when he said he’d like to go home some weekends, and have dinner?”

“he said that to be nice.”

“when has he ever been nice?”

you opened your eyes to glare at him, though he was right. megumi was not nice. he was polite. he was too self-aware for his own good, too perceptive of others and their emotions. in all the time that you’d known him, raised him, he made himself smaller for the convenience of others. he walked on his tiptoes for a year and a half so no one else would wake up because of him. he made his own breakfast and bit back his tears when he burned himself. he didn’t ask for things or food and didn’t offer his input unless asked directly. for some time, he was a ghost in his own home. 

it seemed as soon as the bits of his shell started to break off, he was being swept away from you by the jujutsu world, leaving you with looming fears that consumed your mind and disrupted your sleep for weeks.

satoru smiled, though it was weighed down with your sadness. “hey, he’s not going anywhere, you know that. just because you’re not driving him home everyday doesn’t mean he’s gone.”

it’s funny, it’s nearly the same speech he gave you when tsumiki started middle school. and when megumi followed those same steps.

tsumiki didn’t make it this far, though.

the thought makes your lip wobble again, and you bite it back pathetically.

“i know. i know that. it’s just that…” your voice cracked, and you shoved your head in your hands. your palms squeezed your eyes in a desperate attempt to stop the already-flowing tears. “he’s not my little boy anymore.”

satoru’s soothing hands pull you into a tight hug, and you don’t have it in you yet to move your hands from your face. his embrace makes you sob harder, louder as all your emotions from the last week begin to pour out at once. his chest rumbled with your cries, and he tucked you further under his arms as if to shield you from what was making you hurt so much. it was all you.

“baby…” he chuckled, without a hint mirth or mockery. he squeezed you with compassion and adoration. “you know that’s not true. he’s still pretty short, he’s got another growth spurt coming.”

a small laugh slipped through, but was quickly drowned out by your cries.

“he’ll be okay. he’s still here.”

he was so, so warm. he gently began to rock back and forth with you, the heels of your shoes gently clicking on the tile floor. a small hiccup erupted from you as you found the strength to wrap your arms around him, burying your face into his chest. the familiar thrum of his heartbeat welcomed you.

“i know, i’m sorry. i know he’s not leaving, or anything… i just… i thought i was ready.” you blubbered into his button-up. surely, there’d be two wet spots where your eyes were when you pulled away.

he swayed side to side with you, staring at the blackboard ahead of him. he nestled his chin on the top of your head, wondering if you could hear the cracks tearing through his heart. “it’s okay if you’re not ready. but you’re treating this like it's goodbye.”

“but what if we don’t get a goodbye?”

“okay, you really are overthinking this,” he pulled away from your embrace, your fingers still digging into the material of his shirt. he brushed away the hair covering your eyes, stuck to your skin by the wetness of your cheeks. streaks ran through your foundation and the corners of your eyes were smudged. “there you are. so pretty.”

it was silly how he believed he could make things better like that. it was silly that he was a little bit right.

“don’t think for a second i’ll let megumi be sent on a mission he can’t handle. he’s going to be fine.”

satoru’s love ran deep. for you, for megumi, for all his students. he fought curses everyday for you, rotted himself with his technique and stitched himself back up in a moment’s notice to fight for you. to come home to you. all of humanity be damned, those closest to him were the ones he fought for, and he would do everything in his power to preserve their lives.

he already towed the line with the higher-ups and their conservative rules and regulations, but he would tear them down if you asked. for megumi, he’d fight tooth and nail to see that he wasn’t being sent off on a mission ill-prepared. under his watch, things would be different for his students. 

you nodded meekly, wiping away your tears with one hand. “i hate when you’re right, toru. it’s really annoying.”

he smoothed down your hair and grinned. “i know, just let me have this one, though.”

his sweet murmurs filled your ears, along with the gentle shuffling of your clothes as you made yourself presentable again. you balled up your sleeves and patted the corners of your eyes gently, and he straightened out the hem of your shirt. it was wrinkled, a reminder of how harshly you clung to him.

you smiled at the water stains on his shirt now, and he claimed it was in need of dry cleaning anyway.

neither of you noticed the eyes of megumi and yuuta, both stuck in place at the very corner of the windows leading to the hallway. they had training staffs with them, megumi’s grip becoming tighter as he watched you wipe your eyes and knock your head into satoru’s chest lazily. your shoulders low, clearly drained from the amount you cried. 

yuuta was frozen, eyes flickering from you to megumi repeatedly. he found his courage in placing a hand on his shoulder, a feather-light grip. “hey, let’s go through the east wing. i’m pretty sure it’s faster that way.”

it wasn’t. but megumi nodded anyway, begrudgingly tearing his gaze from you and turning around with yuuta. 

you stared down the red light of the intersection with a blank face, blank mind. letting it all out of your system had successfully flushed out your emotions, taking the rest of your energy along with it. the car was painfully quiet, but no part of you wanted to listen to anything.

satoru was whisked away by yaga, being delivered another mission he swore would take less than a day. ‘less than twelve hours’, he promised to be back for megumi’s first day. he would make it.

it was dark, and you milked all the time you could on school grounds. speaking with yaga and shoko, running through the still-developing information of missions to be sent on. cleaning the classrooms. the lockers. stocking the teachers lounge. dusting the armory. before you knew it the curfew ushered the students into their dorms.

a ringtone broke through your thoughts, making you jump. though the tune was soft, the sudden intrusion made it much more shrill. you fumbled with your phone in the passenger seat, seeing megumi’s contact on the screen.

“hello?”

“hey, mom?”

it took everything you had left not to gawk. he said it before, sparingly in desperation for comfort. his voice was quiet, a near-whisper despite the fact he was alone in his dorm. like he was nervous.

“yes, megumi?”

“um… are you home?”

you wondered if he forgot something. “no, i’m still driving. are you okay?”

“i’m fine, i just… can’t sleep, i guess…” he trailed off, hoping for you to fill in the gap.

“oh. okay. did you take–“

“do you think you could pick me up?” he interrupted. “and i just stay home tonight? you could drive me in the morning.”

you were quick to dissolve into a smile, pointed at the streetlamp on the sidewalk. sadness struck your eyes but you were too occupied by the warmth of his question to feel it.

“yeah. i can be back there in a few minutes, just let me turn around.”

“thanks.”

he didn’t hang up. neither did you. the silence lived on for a few seconds.

“mom?”

“yeah?”

“… gojo’s on a mission, right?”

you laughed, your hand sliding across the steering wheel as you reouted back to the school. “yeah, megs, he’ll be gone tonight.”

“he’s back tomorrow?”

“yeah, we can leave before he gets home.”

“thanks.”

bonus:

satoru tiptoed through the entrance of your home, brushing his blindfold over his hair and peeling it off his head. he hung it up with his keys, lax arms nearly missing the hook on the closet door meant for him. it was beyond late, and he was tired, but he was home like he said he would be.

he bent down to tie his shoes, buffering momentarily as he caught a glance of well-worn sneakers at the front door. they were as clean as they could be, though scuffed rubber turning gray and the laces becoming frayed where they were tightened most.

satoru made a grunt in acknowledgement to no one but himself, as he tossed his shoes down. he glanced around the living space, cautiously bringing himself to each room with a curious itch to scratch. a third pair of shoes. both backpacks on the door. dishes for two placed on the drying rack. 

he was expertly quiet by nature, but found himself avoiding the squeaky floorboards on the stairs and all the way to the hallway. he was greeted with a blue sign, corners covered with dog stickers. the frilly handwriting of tsumiki warding off unwanted visitors with the phrase: “megumi’s room. keep out!!”

the door opened quietly, satoru pushing it open to the limit and stopping before it would let out an ungodly squeak. he insisted on never getting it fixed, knowing it bothered megumi.

megumi had his face shoved in his pillow, a desperate attempt to block out any light creeping through the crack of his bedroom door or the streetlamp just outside the window. he was always a light sleeper, always on edge, sleeping with his back to the wall so if something barged in the night he was ready. it was horrible he thought that way, you always said. 

his duvet covers were black and white plaid, per his request three years ago when he begged to be free of the puppy sheets. still, he seemed small, curled up in a ball. his face was released of the usual tension and his light breathing filled the room. for a moment, he was little again.

satoru smiled, taking a step back and closing the door gently.

[nitewingbabi]

↳ please respond…I showed you my cock            ⚤ ghostface x female!reader  【 18+ ONLY — Minors DNI 】 ✉ taking requests part 2 ▻ a pretty mouth

2023 was a different year for everyone. Covid was 2020's big killer, and now ghostface seemed to be claiming 2023 as his year. You were one of his taunting targets. Text messages, phone calls, notes in your locker or mail. He had even been in your room once to leave a message on your mirror.

‘I like the red ones’ which was referring to your panties that you were trying on the other day after doing some much needed retail therapy with some friends. 

Your group was getting smaller and smaller as more students were murdered, kidnapped or not heard from in weeks. Curfew was getting shorter that soon enough school was sure to be cancelled until the police solved whoever was running around killing everyone. 

It’s Tuesday night and you just finished showering, you had been blowdrying your hair for the last 20 minutes. The recent news far from your thoughts, the truck load of school work that was due was giving you a migraine. Finally your hair was dried and you were ready to slip into bed and start your assignment. You turned your TV on, immediately putting on your current Netflix show that you were binging. 

Eyes flicking back and forth from your laptop screen to your TV. You hadn’t checked your phone since you started to shower and noticed you had multiple messages from an unknown number. But it wasn’t unknown to you. You knew exactly who it was. 

Unknown Number +1**********

➤ quiet night? 

➤ parents aren’t home. 

➤ neighbours are out of town. 

You had only had one actual physical contact with ghostface which was two weeks ago. He chased you around your house until your neighbours came barging in and he ran away. Ever since you had your parents change the locks and debate whether or not to send you across the country to live with your aunt and uncle until it was all over. You pleaded that they didn’t and instead they paid for a self defence class for you. 

Your phone buzzed again, drawing your attention away from the TV. 

Unknown Number +***********

➤ i liked the little show you put on for me the other day. 

➤ wish i had been there to ruin those little red panties 

You weren’t sure what to write back, you sat there debating if you should even write anything back and entertain this creep. 

Just as you put your phone down, the screen lit up and the room echoed from your ringtone. 

Unknown Caller 

You weren’t sure if you should pick up, but something inside you made you do it. 

“Hello?” You hesitantly asked as you held the device up to your ear. Waiting to hear that deep voice that you couldn’t recognise. 

“Hello y/n. Enjoying your show?” Your eyes met your TV screen to see your show playing still on low volume. You turned the TV off, quickly standing to your feet to look out your window. It was barely lit outside from the streetlight and nothing seemed to stick out like a sore thumb. 

“Who is this? Why are you tormenting me?” You had asked the question too many times that it was just routine, you’d hope that one time he would budge and just tell you. 

“The question isn’t who I am. the question is where I am.” You heart began to race, eyes searching endlessly out your window, he had to be close by. You suddenly felt the booty shorts and crop top that you had slid into wasn’t the best attire to be wearing at home alone whilst being stalked by a psycho. 

“Look asshole, you wanna play games. I can play.” You weren’t sure what you exact plan was, but it was the first thing to pop into your head. Were you terrified of ghostface? Yes. But did it also arouse you how much he called you, texted you, the fact he had probably seen you naked countless times, even possibly pleasured himself to the sight of you. 

“Oh yeah? In the mood for monopoly?” He chuckled darkly on the other end, you could only hope he was still watching you from where he was. With your free hand you danced your fingers down your torso, dipping into the waistband of your shorts and panties and itching your way to your centre that was throbbing. You could hear a deep growl on the other end. 

You chuckled into the phone, knowing he was definitely watching you now. You breathed a soft moan as your fingertip circles your juicy clit, using your arousal as lube to slick your finger around the bundle of nerves. Your moans grew louder and your mouth fell agape as you began walking backwards onto your bed, allowing yourself to fall back into the plush mattress and send yourself into a bliss. 

You had forgotten about ghostface, your phone falling from your ear to beside your head. 

“Hey!” Your eyes popped open as you remembered he was still on the other end. You quickly grabbed it, slowing your circles to keep yourself on edge. 

“I want to hear your pretty cries when you cum, I want you to cum to me and only me. You got that princess?” His words were sharp and threatening, just like the blade he used to murder your friends. God you were getting turned on and touching yourself to a psycho killer. The unexpected happened next. A snapchat notification came through. 

Gfce23 added you on Snapchat! 

It was him. It had to be. You accepted, still working yourself and slipping a finger inside your dripping cunt to get more arousal on your clit. 

Immediately a video came through, along with a few photos. You bit your lip as you thought about what could possibly be on the other end. You had to take the chance though, you were too far down the rabbit hole. 

“Open them, I want you to see what you fucking do to me.” His voice was hoarse and breathless, you could tell he was jerking himself on the other end or something. You clicked on the purple square. Your eyes met a hard cock, veiny and thick. The tip an enraged red with a slight purple tinge. A single drop of precum oozing out the slit and his black leather glove wrapped around his cock. 

The video began playing and his hand jerked his cock slowly, throaty moans echoing as the video continued to play and that drop of precum dripped down his pinkish shaft. A small bush of pubic hair that led to a faint snail trail and a set of what you could only guess were abs. 

His hand got faster and his moans got faster as he pumped himself hard in his hand, but before you could view more you heard your parents car pulling into the driveway with their faint music blaring. 

Ghostface was in the back of your mind as you quickly closed your phone and got settled into bed. Ghostface didn’t call you back, didn’t text you and didn’t send anything else to you that night. But that does’t mean he let you off easy. 

It had only been a few days since you last heard from ghostface, but when you did you were surprised to see the message he had sent through was not his usual taunting, threatening approach. 

Unkown Number +**********

➤ i want to see that pretty pussy spread out tonight 

➤ leave your window unlocked

➤ i know your parents wont be home

➤ hope you like it rough princess