#Lip and dia are the actual loves of my life

[99musings]

jack of all trades, rúben dias

genre: fluff, domestic fluff.

summary: when rúben declines your help to paint your baby's room, you can't hold back your tears. luckily, rúben not only knows how to paint a room, but also stop your tears.

warnings: none.

this fic is a repost of my old previous work on 808heartz.

The straps of his denim overalls sat loosely on his toned shoulders, slipping occasionally and he couldn't be bothered to fix it, focused on the strokes of paint that he was applying on the primed walls.

Rúben was pleased with himself: he didn't consider himself a painter or a carpenter, and hell, he knew he wasn't a journeyman, but he was convinced that he was in another life. He had built the crib, not from scratch, but damn near close, and he made sure it was sturdy-something that was of equal concern to the both of you, but especially for him. He had even learned how to paint the walls, and the process, making sure it was plastered and primed before he even dragged the coated brush against the wall.

"You're full of surprises, you know that?"

He turned to you and grinned, feeling his cheeks flush as the sight of your belly— almost eight months, yet you looked as if you were ready to pop at any moment, and he still couldn't wrap his head around at how quickly time had went by in your pregnancy. He thought everything he's been told about time flying was a lie, as it only felt like just yesterday you told him that the two of you were expecting.

"How'd I get so lucky with you?" You smiled as you waddled into the room, feeling as if getting to where he stood took hours from the seconds it actually was.

Your hand rested on the small of his neck and he looked down at you, brown eyes soft and full of light as he reached down to press a kiss against your lips.

Ruben's cheeks were still full with a sweet warmth, getting shy at your praises. "I got lucky with you," He sighed in content, and of course, he couldn't forget about your baby-setting down the paint brush, so his hands could caress your belly. "And you, too."

The kicks against your belly were no longer a shock to you, but they always took him by a surprise; swearing that there was a world class footballer in-the-making cooking in your stomach right now. The baby always seemed to love the compliment whenever Rúben would make it, as if she knew what he meant already, and took it literally, kicking restlessly whenever his hands laid on your stomach.

"You always know how to get her riled up."

His smile was cheeky, yet embarrassed: this was like a dream to him, something he'd only seen once and knew he had to make happen the moment he knew loved you. He's a father now, and his joy was uncontrollable-something that made the experience of carrying your baby even sweeter.

"What can I say?" Rúben shrugged, picking up the paint brush again. "She already loves her daddy."

The brush moved with a swift and gentle purpose, coating the walls as you watched him in awe.

You didn't know how he picked such a perfect color.

Of course, his newfound extensive knowledge on the most stimulating room colors for babies must've helped him a ton, but his attention to detail and all the handy work was beginning to make you feel as if you weren't doing enough now.

Granted, the forty-weeks were catching up to you, and bed rest was something your body craved nowadays, but you felt bad about Rúben doing this on his own.

Even if he didn't mind.

"Do you want me to help?"

Ruben's head cocked to the side as he sent you a knowing look, one that told you to not ask that again.

It's not that he didn't want your help, but there was no need, and as much as he tried to shout that from the rooftops, the two of you knew that you were too stubborn for your own good. Though, that wouldn't stop him from trying to get you to rest, just for a single second: you carrying his baby was enough for him, you didn't need to do anything else.

"Actually, you can help me with something." He smiled, and with one final swipe of the paint brush, he set it down before grabbing your hand. He carefully escorted you over to the rocking chair-that he built-in the corner of the room, where the rest of the decorations waited to be put to use after he finished painting, and ushered for you to sit down.

"Sit down and rest."

He laughed softly when the beaming smile on your lips fell, replaced with a scowl full of annoyance.

"I'm not gonna break from lifting up a paint brush, you know." You scoffed, plopping down on the rocking chair-a sturdy chair at that, just another thing to be in awe of Rúben and his talent. You could feel your mood changing though, and you damned your hellish pregnancy hormones, letting the tears drip down your cheeks. "Why won't you let me help you?" Your voice was meek, but the quivering of your lips and heavy breaths made your crying sound more intense than it was.

Rúben's hand fell onto your jaw, his thumb brushing over your chin, and he kneeled in front of you with a soft sigh. He made your teary eyes meet his gaze, a look that broke his heart instantaneously, and he felt like a piece of shit, despite him only wanting the best for you and the baby. Your name fell from his lips in a gentle whisper, as if he were trying to bring you right back to center.

"I'm sorry for not letting you help, meu amor," He spoke softly, tone filled with an astronomical amount of empathy and understanding that only he could ever possess. His other hand grabbed yours, intertwining them, and he held it close to his clothed chest. "I just wanted you to rest, like the doctor said. You've been so tired, and our baby girl isn't making it any easier for you... I thought me taking care of the room was going to help you relax more."

"I just feel like you've been doing all the work and I've done nothing but sit here…. and be…. be pregnant."

Your sniffling made his heart ache; he was ready to give you every single paint brush and let you work, but his desire to take care of you and carry every stressor of yours on his shoulders was stronger than he could fight. That's just who he was, and you couldn't help but love him for that.

"I'll tell you what, anjo," Rúben began to propose, and thanks to his soft grin, you suddenly felt better.

"How about you help me with this wall? And if you feel okay after, we can paint the next one together."

The gentle nod in response of yours resulted in his toothy grin, and he helped you up from the rocking chair, even walking you over to the half painted wall.

He was too courteous: coating the brush with paint, knowing that you could barely bend over now, and he handed it to you, smiling when you took it.

As your hand inched towards the wall, his eyes never left it. He was whispering gentle affirmations, soft compliments, when you would brush the paint onto the wall, just wanting to make you feel important and included. He didn't even care that you would hand him back the brush when you needed more paint—he'd be your cheerleader and get all the paint for you.

"You're gonna be an amazing dad, Ruben."

Your soft and sudden murmur made his cheeks flush, an unexpected comment that left him speechless.

That's all he wanted to be, in your eyes. He felt his heart quicken up as his lips turned up into an appreciative smile, the thought of your daughter arriving so soon, and how he'd take care of her just like how he takes care of you: him, and his heart, couldn't wait.

tag list: @lettersofgold @afterpills

[gadriezmannsgirl]

dad!ruben plissss🥹

You ask and I deliver😌 However, I'm sorry if this not what you wanted nor expected, did this at 3am😭 sorry. Let me know what you think, please!

O Meu Pai -R.D3

Summary: Vitória is daddy's little girl and her daddy, Rúben, loves her

"Toya, c'mon baby" You spoke lightly "C'mon we've to get you ready para irmos ao aniversário da avó Bernadette!" (so we can go to grandma Bernadette's birthday!)

"Are you and Pai matching?" You smile nodding

"And so are you, dear" You kiss your babygirl's four years old hair before getting out of her closet a light blue dress to match outifts with you and your six years husband, Rúben.

You listen to her sing some children's songs as you got her clothes on her, as soon as you turned around to grab her shoes a knock on your door came in.

"Como estão as minhas meninas?" (How are my girls, doing?) Rúben asks pecking inside the room "Meu Deus!" (My god!) He gasps "You are so pretty!"

"Pai!" Vitória yelled in your ear as you were putting her shoes on

"Don't yell in mamã's ear, baby" You tell her with a small smile getting behind her to do her hair

"Sorry, mommy" She said softly kissing your hand.

You smile looking at Rúben who has a loving look on his face, whenever he tells you "Sorry" he gives a kiss on your hands or cheeks and your daughter picked up on it.

"No worries, baby" You kissed her cheek too and start working on her hair.

"Vitória, did you get your present for avó Bernadette?" Rúben asks, sitting next to her

"I did! I did a drawing for her!"

"Where's is it? Let me put in the bag so we don't forget about it"

"Right there!" She lifts her arm and points to her small table.

Rúben gets up from the floor and goes to her table to grab the drawing she made, you see the smile on his face and instantly smiled to yourself. You finished her ponytail and secured the small braid you did at the side.

"Vitória, baby. Why don't you go to the living room and play for a bit with Simba and Nala?"

"Is everything alright?" She asks seeing her dad silent

"Yes, babygirl." You say "I gotta talk to daddy really quick"

"But make it quick 'cus we're going to be late!" She says before getting out of her room.

"Just like her dad" Rúben laughs softly "Everything good?" You get up and stand right next to him

"I just can't help but think our baby's growing so fast. She used to draw the big and happy sun at the side of the paper, now she does it on the middle!"

"She's still young, Rú" You giggle "Also, she's learning that the sun comes out from one side and hides from the other, maybe she drew this in the early afternoon?"

"Or maybe she's just growing up?"

"Well, that's life and it's cyrcle" You kiss his shoulder "You're still going to be the man of her life, always. You know it, right?" He nods

"Until she gets married"

"No. You'll still be" You shake your head "But there's a long way until that happens. So let's enjoy her and her early life before she turns 18, starts brining guys home and wants to do a piercing"

"That will not happen!" You laugh kissing his lips

"You're cute. C'mon, grab the drawing and let's go. We'll be late if we stay here and missy Vitória Y/L/N Dias, doesn't like being late"

"She really doesn't"

"I'm telling you, just like her dad" He wraps his arm around your waist, pull you closer to him and kisses your lips softly

"You look gorgeous"

"And you look extremely handsome, love"

"My wife picked this outfit for me"

"She's a fashionista" You whisper before kissing him once again

"Mãe! Pai! Hurry up, we'll be late!" You open the door from her room as you both went out

"Toya, come on babygirl! Let's get to grandma's!" Rúben says before you hear a small "Finally!"

°°° °°° °°°

"A mãe e o pai estavam a demorar muito tempo!" (Mom and Dad were taking too long!)

"Guys" Iván, your brother in law says looking at you and at Rúben "Keep it in your pants"

"Jeez, we weren't doing anything!" You reply "We were actually talking about Vitória's boyfriends?"

"Do you have boyfriend's, Vitória?"

"No! They are little ugly monsters who will only infect me!" She said before running to her dad's legs

"That's right, baby" Rúben says, you give him a look but he doesn't act on it

"Boys will not infect you, Toya" Beatrix, one of your in-laws, says with a small smile

"Either way! I don't wanna be contaminated" Toya says nuzzled in her dad's shoulders, her small arms wrapping around his neck

"Jesus Christ" You mumble to yourself before taking a deep breath

"That's my girl!"

"Rúben!" All of you scolded him as he opened his eyes and mouth

"My daughter, my ways to evite her heartbreak"

"Filho" (Son) Joao, Rúben's dad, says softly with a small smile "You're just like me"

"Like father, like son" Bernadette says making you all laugh.

"Hey, Vi" Carolina asks "Want for me to paint your face?"

"No. Pai"

"C'mon, minha filha" (my babygirl) "I bet you'd look pretty with a pretty drawing and some glitter on your cheek. Would you like that?" She nods

"But I want to cuddle with you, pai"

"You behave like a good girl with your tia and then we will cuddle while watching some cartoons and eating some food mamã and avó did, what do you think?"

"Yes, please" Rúben put her down watching Vitória run towards her tia and then laughing with her.

"I think she's too spoiled by you" Your voice comes in through the now empty living room

"Nah, I don't think so" Rúben smiles "She's just my babygirl"

"And you're her pai. She definitely preferes you over me"

"That's not true" You give him a look and after some silence he answered. "She's just a daddy's little girl, that's normal"

"She is"

"I love it"

"I know you do"

"I love you"

"And I love you too, Rú" You smile

"Can we start practicing for a sister or brother for her?"

"You want another one? Right now?"

"I do" He nods "You?"

"I do" He smiles getting closer to you so he can kiss your lips "How do you think she'll react to a sibling?"

"Mad because you are hers, I'm hers and nobody else's"

"We will have to explain that to her" You nod

"But let's wait 'till baby is in the oven" You mention your tummy "once that happens we can start planning everything"

"You're getting lucky as soon as we're getting home" You laugh blushing. Thank heavens you were the only ones in the room.

"Mãe! Pai!" Toya's voice gets closer "Look at the bee, tia made!"

"You look so pretty!" Rúben says impressed "So you're the queen bee, right?"

"I'm princess Bee, mãe's Queen Bee and you're King Bee, pai" She gave you a kiss on the cheek and a kiss to her dad.

"That's correct, love" Rúben kisses her non-draw cheek. "Ready to cuddle for a bit? What do you want to watch?"

"Barbie Princess and the Pauper!"

"You always know my favorites, don't you?" Rúben asks underneath his breath as he gets into the couch finding a nice and comfy spot

"That's why I ask for them, they're our favorites!"

"We need to sing our hearts out!" Toya laughs shaking her head

"Pai, this isn't our house to yell"

"Well, I'm sorry. But we can't watch a Barbie movie without feeling it at it's fullness"

"You're right, pai; so let's sing it then!"

°°° °°° °°° °°°

Taglist: @gaviymarcsbride @stuckinaf4nfiction @elijahslover @azzpenswrld @http-isabela

[caraetdeul]

Checkmate, I Couldn't Lose

Jeon Wonwoo x fem!reader

You have a secret to tell and what's a better way to confess than through a toast during your wedding's reception?

TW: none other than Wonwoo's killer looks cuz that's a warning on itself.

A/n: this was supposed to be posted weeks ago but I never got to finishing it. And now that I have to cram on so many projects, my brain has decided that its time for the creative juices to push through my writer's block. This was also a sort of reprieve from the amount of angst that I wrote in Tolerate It so hopefully I did good. Anyways, enjoy reading caratdeul!

~Main Masterlist~

The cheers of your loved ones as they dance on the floor. The clinking of champagne glasses together as they congratulate you on a new life. The cold breeze on your white gown as you sway to a waltz rhythm with your husband close to your chest. Your arms around his shoulders and his hands settled on your hips.

It was the night of your lives and it was perfect.

You were well into the reception of your wedding. And honestly, you were having too much fun that you were sure you wouldn’t have a detailed recollection of everything that happened so far. It was a blur of happy faces and celebrations. But if there was one thing you will remember the most, it was the feeling of walking down the aisle, bouquet in hand, slowly inching towards the wonderful life that you will have with Wonwoo as your husband.

Now here you were, in each other’s arms as you swayed to the wedding playlist you both had a hand in creating (he knows that it was 1% his songs and the other 99% was yours but he also knows that you’ve been dreaming of a perfect wedding since you were a kid and he won’t be a hindrance to that). You can see the reflection of your wedding bands on the corner of your eye and you swear that you’ve never seen something shine as brightly as the ones you always see in your lover’s eyes up until now.

You would’ve danced the night away but alas, the event’s host has other plans. The music slowly faded to make way for the host to announce that it was time for some toasts.

Wonwoo huffed, “Do we really have to?”

“Oh honey,” you giggled, kissing the pout on his lips which made him smile, “We both know we won’t be leaving this place without hearing your drunk aunt’s speech about how you were so little when she first met you and how cute you looked in your little dia—”

“Okay, you can stop now,” he blushed, hiding his face in the crook of your neck, “Please tell me she actually won’t say any of that tonight.”

You just shrugged teasingly, earning another groan from him. Hand in hand, you led him back to your seats, laughing as he begged you for any reassurance that he wouldn’t be embarrassed any time soon. You then promptly shushed him when he tried bribing you with something about your honeymoon that you would rather not say in public.

That little shit, you thought as you narrowed your eyes at his smirk. You stopped yourself from slapping the smug look off of his face when he saw your face warming up, fully knowing where your mind had gone the moment he said it.

You were cut off from your thoughts when your sister went up on the stage, officially starting the toasts. You both settled in your chair with Wonwoo’s arm around your shoulder. Inhaling deeply, the two of you start to brace yourselves from the onslaught of inside jokes and nostalgic memories from your closest family and friends.

As each loved one went through their speech, you slowly started to feel your hands clam up with nerves. You didn’t even notice your leg bouncing until you felt Wonwoo’s hand on top of it. You glanced at him only to be met with his brows furrowed in concern. You shook your head with a smile, silently reassuring him that you were fine. He nodded in response before turning back to his father who was currently giving his own toast.

Ending with a lovely note to the wedded couple, your father-in-law gave the mic back to the host before going down the stage. You took multiple deep breaths to calm your nerves as you reached for the glass of water in front of you. Wonwoo watched in concern as you gulped down every last drop before putting the glass down.

“Hey,” he whispered, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

You nodded, “Yep. Just stage fright getting on my nerves.”

He raised an eyebrow, tilting his head in confusion, “What do you mean stage fright?”

You were about to answer him when you heard the host finally call you up on stage. You could feel Wonwoo’s eyes following you as you stood up and got on the stage. You thanked the host as they gave you the mic before finally facing everyone.

“Hi,” you started nervously, chuckling when everyone actually responded hello back to you. 

“First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you for giving us your precious time to come here and celebrate with us on this very special day. This ceremony wouldn’t have been as happy as it is right now if any one of you were not here tonight.” you smiled, doing your best to make eye contact with as many people as possible.

“To all of those people who know me best, it’s probably a huge shock for them to see me standing here on stage and actually talking in front of a huge crowd,” you laughed, “To be fair though, I’m trying my best not to actually jump off the stage and run out of here. One of the two reasons that’s stopping me from doing that right now is the fact that I can’t really run in these heels and I would rather die than actually let you all see me trip and fall.” 

A chorus of laughter echoed throughout the hall. As the laughter dies down, so do your nerves a little bit. You thanked the heavens above for still having humor as your coping mechanism before continuing with your speech.

“As for the other reason, well…” you said, your voice gradually softening. You faced Wonwoo properly as you announced, “It’s because I have a confession to make.”

You licked your lips nervously. You watched as Wonwoo glanced at your parents, puzzled over what was happening but he was only met with the same uncertainty from them. He looked back at you with worry written all over his face. You have to stop yourself from swooning over the fact that you knew he was more worried about your well-being than whatever you were about to say.

“Love, I haven’t really been honest with you,” you sighed, “In fact, I haven’t been truly honest with you ever since we first met.”

~~~~~

You were late.

Well technically, you weren’t but you only had about 10 minutes before the movie starts and you’re still 2 blocks away from the theatre. Now, you were running for your life just so you could arrive on time and frankly, you didn’t really want to die in the hands of your best friend if she ever caught you late again.

You were nearing the entrance to the theatre when you saw your best friend Lila standing with 2 guys in front, the three of them seemingly distracted with whatever they were talking about. Once you were close enough, Lila finally looked up from their conversation. Her face lit up upon recognizing you, greeting you with her iconic bear hug. You were about to return the hug when she suddenly smacked you on the arm.

“Ow! What the hell?” you exclaimed, rubbing your arm.

“You’re late,” Lila grumbled, crossing her arms.

“I know, I’m sorry,” you whined, “I accidentally fell asleep watching Netflix and by the time I woke up, I knew that I would have to run to actually get here on time.”

“Fine, but you’re paying for the popcorn,” she huffed.

You groaned, “Okay, fair enough.”

Taking out your wallet, you were suddenly reminded of the fact that you two weren’t alone when one of them cleared their throat, successfully catching both of your attention. You looked up from your bag to the taller guy among the two.

“Well, Lila?” he asked, “Aren’t you going to introduce us to your lovely friend over here?”

“Oh right,” Lila chuckled. She then introduced you to the two and vice versa. The guy that just spoke was Mingyu and the other one—

Oh my fucking god.

The other one was breathtaking.

Is it possible that you were just so out of it from running that you were hallucinating an angel? You’re probably just hallucinating things but you were sure that actual flowers and hearts were floating around him like some cliche rom-com anime scene. Maybe the lack of oxygen was finally getting to your brain. That’s definitely more plausible than whatever is actually standing right in front of you. Because goddamnit, that face is too immaculate to be a real human being.

Now, that’s just fucking unfair to the minority.

“What’s unfair to the minority?”

“What?”

“What?”

And that’s when you actually notice that Mr. Born To Kill Me With His Face—you think his name was Wonwoo as far as you can remember before you got too caught up with your thoughts—was already looking at you with a smirk. Your face warmed up with embarrassment when you realized that he caught you staring at him, amusement written all over his face. Thankfully you were saved by the bell when Lila tugged you towards the theatre complaining about the movie already starting without you and you still haven’t bought any popcorn yet, effectively stopping you from making more of a fool out of yourself.

Dazed, you let her pull you towards the snack bar but not before you glanced back at Wonwoo, walking behind you alongside Mingyu. Catching his eye, you immediately turn back to face the counter. If you didn’t know any better, you’d say you were the one who caught him staring at you just now and not the other way around. You smiled to yourself at the thought.

Once you got the food and drinks, you then made your way inside. Getting to your seats, you sat between Lila and Wonwoo. A mere coincidence to everyone but you. And as you gaze at him from the corner of your eye, his face being illuminated by the rainbow of colors from the screen, you have decided right then and there that you are getting this man one way or another and no one can stop you.

So if you accidentally brush hands with him as you reach for the popcorn you share, if you mistakenly take his drink instead of yours which was on your other side, if you subconsciously lean towards him as you laugh at a joke made by the actors in the movie, there’s nothing to say except it’s all just a mere coincidence.

~~~~~

“And that’s just the beginning of a long and tedious process of stealing your heart,” you grinned.

You started sharing memories of you two where you deliberately changed the course of your relationship. Throughout your speech, you tried your best to avoid looking directly at Wonwoo. The fear of seeing any trace of disappointment and disgust on his face from your actions kept you from making eye contact with him. But that didn’t stop you from confessing to every move you ever made. In fact, it only urged you to be honest more knowing that this is the only time you’ll have the guts to say all of these things. To be fair though, you probably should’ve said this in a more private manner but you can’t really do anything about it now that you’re almost done with sharing your stories.

Laughing as you shared a fond memory of you tricking your husband—then, boyfriend—into letting him think that his idea of your living room arrangement was all from him and not at all a perfectly timed series of suggestions from you, you raised your glass as you finish your toast, “Some of you may call me a genius and others may just think of me as some long con artist. But in all honesty, none of these would’ve ever happened if there wasn’t a single drop of love in between the both of us,. And with that, I want to toast to our married life. May this be a life that will serve as the epitome of our love for each other.”

A round of cheers and applause echoed across the hall as you stepped down from the stage and walked towards your seat beside Wonwoo. Biting your lip, you gazed at him, trying to gauge his reaction to your speech/confession. You didn’t know what to expect to hear from him after all of that but a wide smirk on his face as he whispered his own confession to you was definitely not one of them.

“I knew.”

“What? How?”

“You may be a mastermind but you definitely aren’t subtle enough.”

Wonwoo’s smirk widened even more as he witnessed your cheeks heating up from embarrassment, amused at the way you tried defending yourself. He chuckled before kissing you on the lips, effectively shutting you up.

Once he felt you relax under him, he pulled back a bit from you, far enough for him to watch as you tried to chase after his lips but not too far for you to not hear what he had to say next.

“I love you, my little machiavellian.”

You grinned widely, pecking his lips once more before replying, “I love you too.”

Taglist: @moonwonuu @belladaises @porridgesblog @sasaapportela @allys-reads @clownprincehoeshi @yoonzzziino @gyuguys

[inhuman-obey-me]

Hello! I want to say that I love your guys work and I’m always excited every time you post something. This is actually my first time requesting so, I would like a barbatos + mc 🚪thank you! Keep up the good work and I can’t wait for your world-building and analysis posts!

Ahhh thank you so much!!! ;//u//; We hope that this can at least somewhat live up to expectations especially as your first time requesting here!!

"I feel a sickness for a home I've never been." - Barbatos/MC

Your fingertips brush the intricate pattern on the door before you, a strange sensation running across your skin as if something was trying to cocoon you in its embrace and pull you in.

“Careful, dear.” 

Barbatos’ voice in your ear nearly makes you jump, your body moving quickly to turn around and face him. He’s amused at your reaction, clear in the way his lips subtly upturn in a smirk. 

“Don’t scare me like that,” you scold, looking back over to the door. It was one of the several in Barbatos’ room, a labyrinth that seemed to slightly shift every time you entered. “...What’s on the other side of this door?”

“Always so curious,” Barbatos murmurs, his gaze briefly lingering on you before turning to the door in question. “Another world, another timeline, another universe. It depends on the day, or my mood. Wherever I will it to go, it will lead.” He pauses, turning back to you with an inquisitive look. “...But you already knew that. What is it about this one that has you so enraptured?” 

“Well,” you hesitate, controlling the urge to reach for the door again. “I…I’m not sure how to explain it, but it’s as if I feel a sickness for a home I’ve never been. Another me, another life.” You pause to wonder about the timelines you’ve jumped, of where you no longer existed. Then, quietly, you ask, “...Have you ever felt that way?” 

He doesn’t answer at first, but you can feel his dark eyes weighing on you. After a moment, he takes a few steps towards the glass wall, looking out into the Devildom night. His horns and tail have an almost iridescent sheen to them as he stands there encased in moonlight, and it is in that moment of ghostly beauty you are reminded of all that he is. 

“I do not have a home outside of this one.” 

“Is this your true timeline, then?” You dare to ask, having always pondered what it meant to be a demon that held the very threads of space-time in his grasp. How easy it would be for him to jump from one reality to the next. 

“True timeline?” He echoes with a hint of mirth. “I suppose you could say that.” 

Furrowing your brows, you move towards him. “What do you mean, you suppose?” 

“Insistent tonight, aren’t we?” There’s a hint of wariness in his tone, and you wonder if you might be pushing too much. He sighs, but continues, “I could not tell you where I truly came from, even if I wanted to. Many years have passed, and I’ve lived many lives. But, this is the only place that has felt like home.” 

You know you might be pushing your luck, but there are so many questions on the tip of your tongue, so you step closer to him and gingerly take his hand in yours. He stiffens for a moment, but soon relaxes into your touch. 

“What does home feel like to you?” You ask. 

Barbatos hums, and you can see he’s trying to find the right words. “...It’s constant, the droning of the universe. If I’m not careful, I can hear the many discordant sounds of space-time all at once, and it’s enough to drive someone mad.” A somber chuckle. “After some…particular events, I found myself facing a harsh reality. Consequences of my actions.” You remember him once speaking of atonement. “I realized what I had to do, even if it meant dealing with those maddening sounds and feelings that haunt my every step. I was prepared for it.” 

He then motions to the world outside, and you swear you can see slivers of silver running through his fingers. “And yet, here is where that cacophony of the universe turned into a melody, and I knew then that this is where I belonged. Serving Lord Diavolo, assisting in making his vision come true. Stewarding a brighter future for the Three Realms alongside the others. I found my purpose.”

There is so much more you want to ask, but before anything leaves your lips you find your gaze locking with his, and a warmth spreads through your chest at the affection held in his eyes. 

“And more recently, I heard the melody like never before. It sounds more complete, more sweet.” He lifts your hand in his, placing a gentle kiss to your knuckles. “And that’s because of you.”

[brightlight-dazzlingeyes]

i found you | rúben dias

💘 synopsis: it's rúben's and isabella's first valentine's day together. warnings: fluff and gratuitous valentine-cute-themed smut becasue why not. (can be read as x reader cause i forgot to mention the oc name in the story) (this is a sequel to between the lines, but can be read as a standalone; since there's no actual smut in the original story, i figured i should give my oc a nice epilogue) (W.C. 1.5K)

Once upon a time, I was convinced that romantic love was nothing more than an annoying distraction. It was like a stubborn pebble in my shoe, constantly irritating me and diverting my focus from what truly mattered.

With great ambitions driving me forward, I embraced the life of a workaholic sports journalist. I'd dreamed of this career for as long as I could remember, and I was determined to make it to the top. Nothing and no one could derail the carefully plotted course I had set for myself. Or so I thought.

But then, love snuck up on me when I least expected it, turning my world upside down. I found myself falling for someone who challenged my carefully constructed plans and made me question everything I thought I knew about myself. And as much as I tried to resist, I couldn't deny the magnetic pull drawing me closer to him.

As Valentine's Day approached, I reflected on how much had changed since that time when I thought love was nothing but a nuisance. Now, it is the very thing that brings color to my life. 

And as I prepared for a romantic dinner with the person who had stolen my heart, I felt nothing but gratefulness for the delightful chaos he had brought into my life.

We stepped into a cozy restaurant, the aroma of delicious food enveloped us, and I felt a flutter of excitement in my stomach. Valentine's Day dinner with Rúben – it is still surreal, like something out of a cheesy rom-com.

We plopped down at our table, and Rúben dove into the menu like it was a puzzle. Couldn't help but poke fun at him.

"Can't make up your mind, huh? Let me guess, torn between the steak and the seafood pasta." I teased, a smirk playing on my lips.

He glanced up, "Actually, I was thinking of going all in and ordering the entire dessert menu. You know, for research." He joked, his laughter contagious.

After dinner and a couple drinks, we decided to head back to Rúben's place. As we walked out of the restaurant, the crisp evening air hit us. We strolled side by side, our steps matching in rhythm, exchanging playful banter along the way. 

Eventually, we reached Rúben's apartment building, and he held the door open for me with a charming smile. I followed him inside. As we stepped into the elevator, the atmosphere shifted, a sense of excitement mingled with nerves. Our eyes met, and in that silent exchange, we both knew what was coming next.

The elevator ride felt like it lasted an eternity, the anticipation building with each passing floor. And when we finally reached Rúben's floor, the door to his apartment swung open, and we stepped inside. 

We stood there for a moment, taking in the scene before us, the air thick with anticipation. And as Rúben turned to face me, his eyes sparkling with desire, I knew that this was where I was meant to be.

"I'm so happy." He whispered, his voice barely above a breath.

"Yeah?" I replied, a smile spreading across my face. "Well, there are plenty of ways you can show me just how happy."

"I'll do my best." He answered, his eyes twinkling with excitement as he leaned in and planted a tender kiss on my forehead.

His touch sent a shiver down my spine, igniting a fire of desire within me. I nodded, unable to find the words to express the storm of emotions raging inside me. 

The atmosphere was charged with electricity, every glance and touch sending jolts of excitement through my veins. Rúben's eyes sparkled with desire as he guided me further into the room, his hand warm against mine. Our lips met in a passionate kiss, igniting a fire between us. We lost ourselves in each other's embrace. This was where I belonged – in Rúben's arms, surrounded by love and desire.

We surrendered to the intensity of our connection. Rúben's hands moved with purpose, exploring every inch of my body as if committing it to memory, each touch igniting a new wave of desire within me.

With practiced ease, he lifted me off my feet, his strong arms holding me close as he carried me towards the bedroom. I wrapped my arms around his neck, lost in the sensation of being so close to him, my heart racing with anticipation.

As he gently lowered me onto the bed, our eyes locked in a silent promise of passion and devotion.

His kisses became more intense, I could hear the rhythm of his breathing growing more rapid. His fingers curled around my hips, pulling me closer, pushing me further onto him. I whimpered as pleasure surged through me.

His hands continued their journey southward, tracing the curves of my body with skillful precision. The look in his eyes told me he was feeling the same wild need I was.

I arched my back, grinding my hips against him, letting him feel my desire. And the sensations only intensified as he teased my clit with his tongue, coaxing it into bloom. With every touch, with my body under his mercy, the room around me began to spin.

He parted my legs with his knee and buried his face between them, moaning as he kissed my inner thighs. In that moment I realized I could reach orgasm with just his lips caressing my most intimate flesh. I lost control. I cried out as ecstasy overwhelmed me.

Without warning, his mouth descended on mine again, seeking out the sweetness of my lips, inserting one finger inside of me. Then another one. I cried out in delight, pushing myself deeper onto his digits. His fingers worked relentlessly at their task. I let go of my inhibitions and gave myself over to his expert ministrations, gasping as wave after wave of pleasure coursed through me.

Finally, after several moments of total bliss, I collapsed under him, breathless and spent.

He pulled away and smiled, cupping my cheek tenderly, gazing deeply into my eyes. 

My eyes were heavy as I stared into his; dark pools that bore an intensity I'd never seen before. There was a strange expression on his face, a combination of curiosity and wonder. It didn't take me long to realize that he was looking at me with complete adoration.

Cuddling with him, I could feel just how hard he was, laying on top of me. I smiled, still feeling a bit shaky after such a harsh orgasm, and placed my hand on his member. He looked at me with wonder.

"Are you sure you're ready to go on?" He asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Mmm, not really." I admitted, rubbing the bulge tentatively.

"Maybe I should give you a rest first." He leaned forward and licked my earlobe playfully.

"Oh, but I've been dreaming about this all day." I breathed into his ear.

He whispered back, "Well, who am I to deny you your dreams?"

His words sent a shiver down my spine, turning my knees weak. I reached up to pull him closer, craving the feel of his skin against mine. Then, before I knew what was happening, he grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head.

It was like he possessed me. With just one swift motion, he pushed me backwards, then pressed himself firmly against me. He let out a low moan as he lifted my leg higher, curling me around his waist, penetrating me with one forceful thrust. The sensation was incredible. He reached behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me tight.

As he slowly moved in and out of me, I heard the same soft sound of pleasure escape from both of us. I found myself getting lost in his deep brown eyes, forgetting where I was and everything else around me. My head fell back against his shoulder as he moved ever so slightly faster. It wasn't long before I came again.

But instead of slowing down or stopping, he picked up speed even more.

My heart raced as I surrendered to the whirlwind of sensations coursing through me. With each powerful thrust, I felt myself edging closer to the brink of losing my mind, my body trembling with ecstasy.

He whispered my name like a prayer, his breath hot against my ear as he drove me to the edge and beyond. I clung to him desperately, my nails digging into his skin as I rode the waves of pleasure crashing over me.

And then, in a crescendo of bliss, we reached the pinnacle together, our cries of release mingling in the air. 

We lay entwined in each other's arms, spent and breathless. In that moment, there was no past, no future, only the intense connection between us, binding us together. With him by my side, I was ready to face whatever challenges life threw our way, knowing that our love would always be our guiding light.

[greyyson-but-no]

PEACE: death family

just something I felt like writing, this is my headcannon for the end of death family. it just felt most calming for me, the perfect end. it's very long, 1.4K words I think, it's also been a while since I posted writing too. hope you all enjoy. rip death family - how ironic lmao

As the children fell asleep, curled up beside their father that had spent the past few hours apologising over and over again, they could feel her coming. Chayanne felt her presence first, the warmth, the calm that washed over him. Just a second later the same safety settled in Lullah's heart, too and they figured out who it was. There was no one else who had this sense of calmness, who made them feel as safe as this. It was immediately someone they could trust because the two had heard their father mention her name several times. Not as someone dangerous, but instead the most loving person they could ever come in contact with. In fact, Philza had stated that he loved this person more than anyone else, well, no one came above his children, but the point still stood tall. They knew she could be trusted.

Chayanne and Lullah's eyes fluttered open, and while they didn't know where they were, the black endless void that they stood in wasn't scaring them. At the end of wherever they were stood the most beautiful deity they had ever seen. Though her face was masked by a purple laced veil that hung from a large, black dia de muertos-esque hat, a warming smile curled into the deities lips from underneath. Lullah grabbed Chayanne's hand, smiling at the goddess that looked over them.

The Goddess of Death took a couple steps closer. "Oh, my dear children. I didn't expect it to be you two, not yet, at least." She spoke, her voice smooth and clear, and a comfort to Chayanne and Lullah as they went through something that no child should have to endure.

"You're-" Lullah was the first to speak, Chayanne too bewildered to neither understand nor process what was actually happening. "Are you Kristin? The Goddess of Death?"

The deity nodded. "Yes, my loves."

The younger one turned to the older, tugging on his hand and smiling. "Chay, it's okay. Dad told us about her, remember? She's nice, she's okay. Remember, Papa said that if he could no longer take care of us that she could." Lullah explained, Chayanne slowly piecing together what was happening.

"Our dad-"

The goddess cut Chayanne off. "I've known your father for a very long time, dear ones. You don't have to worry anymore."

Lullah dropped Chayanne's hands, moving closer to the goddess of death with a hope that somehow deep down, she knew was false. But it was worth the try anyway. "Is there any way we can see him again?" She knew what everything meant, she knew that they had- they had moved on.

"I can take you to see him but he won't be able to see you. You wouldn't be able to talk to him or communicate at all. Well, there might be leeway with the communication part but he won't be able to understand you or know that you're there." Kristin explained, moving her hands around to her back and clasping them there. "He's in a different plane of existence to you and us, right now. The most I can do is morph the two of you into crows. you'd be able to mix in with his murder as he lives his life."

Chayanne nodded, not knowing how to understand he would never be able to talk to his dad again. all those years, being brought up by him, the child being who he was because of philza, all that gone in all matter of minutes. No communication ever again. But then again, it was bound to happen. They always knew it would happen at some point. All they were were experiments, hatching into what they were supposed to be wasn't possible, passing on was the only option. Looking around, Chayanne weighed up his options, spending the rest of eternity with his sister and watching over their father as he continued with no acknowledgement of their existence or: nothingness.

There was truly only one correct choice. He looked over to Lullah. "I'll do it, if you do too, hermanita."

Lullah turned, eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

Chayanne shrugged, looking over at the Goddess of Death again. "I'd like to see dad, if I'm being honest, and it also means we can stick by each other's side."

The younger one nodded, taking Chayanne's hand again and turning towards the goddess, a large smile brimming on her face, nodding. "We want to see him again. If this is our option then it's the best afterlife i could have asked for. por favor, help us see our dad again."

"As you wish, children." And as she was about to morph them, she smiled, squinting to try and figure out if she had gotten it correct. "Actually, wait, I just remembered something."

The two children opened their eyes again. "What?" They both spoke in unison.

The Goddess grinned, kneeling down to be at the same height as the two children. "You met Rose, didn't you?" And when they both explained she had saved them several times over, Kristin nodded again, laughing a little. "That little demigoddess has a little trick up her sleeve, let me call her over here."

And so the Goddess of Death called over the one that ruled over nature in the world that Philza was from, and soon enough the comforting face of Rose stood beside the goddess, looking over to the two children with a solemn look etched on her face. While she hadn't been expecting them just yet either, the demigoddess understood what Kristin wanted from her. The two children didn't quite understand what was happening just yet, but they had two familiar faces in front of them and with the notion of seeing their dad again and knowing they would be able to stick together forever, they would be okay. They knew it. Soon enough, Chayanne and Lullah found themselves standing on an island, looking over a large, gorgeous area. There were hundreds and thousands of crows flying around the area, diving in and around the floating islands around the edge, cawing with a happiness that the children hadn't seen in anyone for a good while. Chayanne looked upwards, greeted with a large diamond sword, a cape wrapped around it that flowed daringly in the wind, never faltering, never having a risk of falling. Lullah spotted the quartz wall, broken up and cracked, floating up with the islands.

Then yet another crow came flying round, diving with an adrenaline unknown to them before, his wingspan being larger than ever before. His hat, green with white stripes, somehow not falling off even when he flew straight down. The old crow was holding moss, and just a second later he was down by the beach on the other side of the island they were standing on, placing it around. The children were too far to specify what he was actually doing, but they didn't care. That was their father, that was for sure. The same version of him they knew, but completely different. Had no knowledge of them, of ever having children, nor ever knowing Missa. He looked… happy. Not worried, not overwhelmed, just content.

The Goddess of Death took a step forward having been previously stood behind the two children, looking over her husband with a warm look. "He can't see us right now. Thanks to Rose, whenever the two of you choose, you can morph into crows, then he'll be able to see you. Lullah, you'll have little pink flowers mixed into your feathers, Chayanne, you'll have Missa's eyes. He'll be able to differentiate the two of you from the rest but he won't understand why."

Chayanne nodded. "It's better than never being able to see him again." and Lullah nodded in agreement.

And so, for as long as they wanted to, the two children could choose how they wanted to live. If they wanted to hear their father once more, all it took was for them to morph into crows, they would be able to fly to him and speak to him through the mouth of Brian. He wouldn't be able to recognise them, or understand why they were saying what they were, but it meant a lot for the children that he had heard their thoughts once more. It meant everything to them. If they simply wanted to relax, they flew up to Techno's memorial and while Lullah was reminded of the one she had built, she much preferred this one. The Death Siblings would sit on the cross-guard of the sword, watching over their father's world, finally understanding what he had been hiding from them all these months.

Eventually, Philza came to recognise their voices. He started to spot them within a whole murder of his crows. He still couldn't figure out why they were different or why his heart could have burst whenever he caught sight of them, but he soon enough came to terms with it. Whenever he saw them around, a larger smile curled into his lips, a sense of comfort washing over him at the sight of them both safe. Maybe he would never figure out why, but after a while, that didn't matter to Chayanne and Lullah.

They were safe and content, all three of them were. Peace, at long last.

[oh-saints]

Hi. I loved your last Ruben one, could you do a Ruben one of him suprising you on Valentines Day?

thank you, nonny, and have a blessed valentine's day to you! here's my lil vday choco for you

surprise

rúben remembers you never bother valentine’s day because you’re always busy with work, so he decides to do something out of your character for your first valentine’s day together. it’s always good for a change, no?

rúben dias x you

word count: 1.1k

note: happy valentine’s day, lovelies! <3 this is actually inspired by real-life happenings between me and my bf, whom accidentally had requested something to be inspired by him for my mini vday gift for him. so ofc, only fitting to fit the scenario with the only one he’d approved me cheating on him with. but as usual, i happen to write at dawn so this is yet to be proof-read.

“gatinha,”

rúben hears your whisper from above, just like an angel calling for him from the sky. he smiles involuntarily as he felt your hand grazing his broad shoulder, down to the scapula and lower to the spine. he always loves when you trace the silhouette of his back, something you’re unable to do when standing because he towers you like the giant to the goliath, and there’s also something in your touch that comforts him like no other.

“wake up,”

and he swears can hear your whisper above everything else, no matter how loud and obnoxious the world they’re living in might be. the clarity hidden behind your voice is unmistakable, so pure and rare, and he feels so privileged to be able to hear them. because you use an entirely different set of tone and voice to everyone you consider as colleague, as if you tuck away your wholesome personality under the sleek shirts and pristine suit jackets you always don to work.

“baby,”

the moment rúben feels you’ve placed a featherlight peck on the back of his neck, he’s a goner. he can no longer pretend to be asleep anymore. if there’s one thing that can fight the 1st place that belongs to your touch, it’s your pecks that you like to place all over his skin.

he groans at the sensation of your mouth. he has to, because he has to think of a way to make his blood rush back to his head and not down south. it’s too early in the morning and too early for what he has in mind for the rest of the day.

“good morning, my love,”

but of course, you don’t know what he’s planning so you kiss him breathless anyway. as much as he wants to complain you for taking the carpet off his feet, he’s not going to refuse the way your hands move up gently to cup his face and feel his stubbles underneath your palm. interesting how the soft skin and dainty, french nails contrast his unshaved facial hair.

“bom dia, meu anjo,” unlike rúben who’s into physical touch, you’re a puddle of water whenever you hear rúben’s morning voice. it’s rugged, rough and everything you imagine his voice is like from how he looks like. and that includes sexy in the list. “leaving me so soon?”

“you know i have to.”

you have to shut rúben up before he lets out another word from his beak. you can’t take it, not until you stand up and make distance between the two of you, so you kiss him again before he can speak again. slow and deep this time, your lips are goading him good, knowing you won’t get another dose of this until the day ends, and he growls inwardly at you nipping the bottom of his lips.

wrong move.

you pull away rather harshly and rúben’s momentarily shocked at your sudden movement. only when he notices the growing rose pink tint on your cheek does he realise you have to stop yourself before you have to explain to your boss why you’re late into a client meeting this morning.

“alright, sweetheart. you have a good day at work, yeah?”

but good is understatement to what you have, so far.

as soon as you arrive at work, a huge bouquet of colourful flowers has sat prettily on your desk. too pretty that you don’t want to move it anywhere else, but have to because you don’t have any space left to open your laptop. everyone openly throws playful jealous comments towards you, saying “sorry we don’t have a specific centre back to receive flowers from.”

and you wish they never do because goddamn, that specific centre back surely has a way with words.

Meu anjo, my angel,

I surely have lived thousand lives before this, one that have asked for you, but I thank God everyday that He only gives me you now. Happy Valentine’s Day, minha vida <3

the note succeeds to make you giddy from head to toe, like you’re celebrating this cliché day as if it’s your first.

well, technically, it is. it once slipped from your tongue, the fact that you never think of celebrating valentine’s day. somehow, life cruelly doesn’t give you a chance to celebrate it. it’s either your relationship doesn’t last till february the 14th or there’d always something that came up on that day that makes you have to cancel all your other plans. so you just gave up one day and think of it as any other day. if it’s weekend you sleep it off; if it’s weekday you go to work.

rúben vowed to make your first valentine’s day memorable, once he heard about your behind-the-story, and you know he keeps his words—he always does, like a perfect gentleman he is. but you never expect anything of this grandiose scale because it turns out, the flowers aren’t the only thing on his mind.

as soon as lunchtime grazes its presence to the world, your boss calls you into his office, only to let you know that you’re dismissed for the day. for whatever reason, you don’t know and he doesn’t want to blow the whistle. you have to ask him if he’s firing you.

thank god he’s not. he says, “enjoy the rest of the day,” though, which makes everything more peculiar than it is that you have to pray for the world not to end any moment, despite knowing that you have yet to apply for annual leave for the past year. but that is so you can hop on the jet and fly to spain on the summer, like what you plan with rúben.

but you have the answer as to why your boss is super nice to you on this special day when you’ve descended the building. your humongous boyfriend is already waiting by his car, sunglasses perched on his nose like it’s a sunny february in australia. his smile when he sees you might as well be considered the sun, at this point, and you can only take pity to your boss because rúben must’ve flocked him with his overwhelming persona so you can have a half-day off.

he basks you in his warmth that he radiates from his big, muscular body and you always like it when he bear-hugs you like that. it makes you feel small and short, yes, but it also makes you feel loved and secure—something you truthfully have been missing a lot in life, due to the hardworking life you lead to provide for your family.

“ready to go?”

“where to?”

“do you trust me, my love?”

“always, rúben.”

[xoluvx]

hi. your girlfriend hereeee

just quickly dropping in your inbox for a list of things i most like about you 🤭 enjoy!

the way you always text me before you sleep, the way you are always with excitement with the slightest bit of chisme, how you talk about the little things that get your attention, the random i love you’s, the feeling that our souls are so linked together, the way every one of my favorite love songs remind me of you, how the world seems to stop with your words, your love for halloween, “that’s such a dia thing” is one of my favorite things to say only because i feel like i know you well enough to determine what you are like and i love that, how i’m somehow in your dreams, your affection, the way you always fight to win who loves who most, how you’re the most understanding person ever, how you feel like home, the way you talk so smoothly, how you make me want to pray for us to stay forever and ever, your pure heart, kind soul, how you never want harm to anyone, the way you’re the cutest human being, your love for cats, the way you love me, the way you can say the simplest words and make them feel like the most important thing in this world, how you keep the little things in mind, the way you care, the way you loved me until i loved myself, your little taylor swift lyrics that fit into every situation, your cute halloween fits that you match with your cat, your lips that always look so kissable, the way you sometimes quote twilight lyrics, the way you talk so seductively, the way you’re literally the hottest being alive, the way you’re my everything, the way you leave little notes in my inbox, how you have the most silly shirts one can have, your little things as in like tote bags and stuff that are the most fun ever, the way you make jokes, the way you can say something slightly funny and i will laugh to that too, the way you’re so comforting that people find you as a comforting area, the way the lyrics “cause i don’t wanna be in love with another, even in another life” reminds me of you, the way you’re the best to be around, the way you’re actually the hottest girl, the cutest girl and the silliest girl at the same time. and most importantly, i love the way you love. i love the way you take care and i love the way you act so precious around me. i love you, and i love loving you.

anywaaaays girlfriend duty’s (i’m just saying girlfriend because i love that i’m your girlfriend omg!!!!!!) i gotta make my girl’s day at least a little betterrrrrrr. i love you roomieeee

everyone thinks that they know us but they know nothing about all of this silence and patience, pining in anticipation.. my hands are shaking from holding back from you💖

you’ve given meaning to every taylor swift love song that exists ✨

[mageofseven]

The Brothers & Dia Walk in After a Fight

This is based off of this song, which I've been listening to a lot these last few days. This was a very random bit of writing I did. I had urge to write it so I did. I meant to write for all of the Boys, but then I got really emotionally exhausted so I stopped at Dia.

Scenario: MC and their boyfriend get into a fight, ending with the human breaking up with them and abruptly leaving the room and the man utterly confused and in pain.

He eventually goed looking for MC and finds them playing the piano and singing this song. He waits for the song to end before talking about things with them.

TW: child abuse, neglect, and a gore-y description in Satan's section.

•▪︎▪︎◇°●♡●°◇▪︎▪︎•

Lucifer:

"Love..." The pride demon watched them from entrance of the music room.

The human's hands were still floating over the piano keys. Their head hung low and their eyes stayed glued to the instrument.

"It's not you..." MC said softly. "I thought...I thought you were like him. And that was comforting for a while...and scary."

Lucifer pursed his lips and listened. He knew who they were talking about: their father, a man with an high and mighty opinion of himself, who always put himself first, but in truth was a man broken by life.

MC has told him about their father before. Lucifer had pledged to treat them better than he ever did, but no matter what he did, the past had its claws dug deep into his love.

"I'm sorry..." A tear slid down on onto a white key. "The problem isn't you; it's me. It'll always me."

The pride demon strode over and leaned down before hugging them from behind.

"Love, you aren't a problem--"

"Lucifer--" MC turned around to meet his eyes. "I'm...I'm broken. You know this."

The human put a hand on one of his arms and squeezed it.

"I don't know how to have a healthy relationship. I-I just see my parents in my head...see how he treated her. I don't know else to be than how I've seen."

"You can still heal from it all." Luce told them. "Your childhood is not a death sentence. You can be different than your parents; we can be different from them."

MC shook their head.

"I don't know..." They whispered. "Lucifer...I need time."

The demon watched his love for a moment longer before kissing their head.

"Understood, Love."

Mammon:

The second brother just stood awkwardly in the doorway. After he got his head screwed back on right, he ran after them, but didn't expect...this.

"Mammon...just go." MC kept their eyes down at the piano as they shooed him away.

"Hell no!" The demon rushed over to them them and leaned in to try to meet their eyes. "Babe, we aren't ending things like this."

MC closed their eyes, refusing to meet his gaze.

"You're just like him and I can't keep doing this to myself..."

Mammon has been trying to handle his debt situation, mostly due to MC's encouragement. They even started working part to help him clear it, despite his protests

And Mammon went and fucked it up by charging another 5k to his card and hid the invoices under his mattress, as if the human couldn't see the corner of the papers stick out.

Not only did he rack his debt up higher, he tried to hide it from his partner.

This set MC off and scared them into thinking he's just like their father.

Mammon knew about that scumbag. He chose to spend his money on alcohol and expensive watches while his wife worried how she was gonna get food on the table for three kids and wore raggedy, holey clothes.

But Mammon wasn't like that! Yeah, he has his issues, but if actually had a wife and kids depending on his income, he'd be way better with his finances!

"Babe..." He stared at them. "I'm not like that scumbag. I would never let you starve like he did."

Tears fell down their cheeks as MC had a flashback from their childhood. They probably weren't even in kindergarten yet or maybe they had only started it, when MC looked up at their mom and told her they were hungry, only for the woman to scream at them, saying 'What do you want me to do? We have no food!'.

"Babe. Babe!" Mammon had both hands on the sides of their head and leaned in close to meet their eyes. "It's okay. C'mon, you're not there, Babe. You're here with me. Everything's gonna be fine."

MC stared up into to their boyfriend's blue eyes before jumping from their seat and throwing their arms around him.

"Promise me." They said softly in his ear. "Promise me you won't turn out like him."

Mammon squeezed them tight.

"'Course not." He told them. "Imma put you first. Always."

Leviathan:

The envy demon was frozen in the door way. He didn't know why he ran here; he should have just ran to his room like always. The fear of losing MC took over his body though and he found himself following the music.

If MC knew he was there, the human showed no signs of such. Even when the song ended, they just hung their head and occasionally shook it.

Finding the courage within himself, Levi stepped forward.

"Henry..."

"You know..." The human began. "He wasn't always who is now...he just let his insecurities corrupt him till...till my mother didn't know who he was anymore."

Levi winced. He knew what they were implying. The envy demon's jealousy and insecurities have been pretty bad lately. The man just couldn't help it though. He still couldn't believe that out of all his brothers that MC chose him and as much as that made him happy, it also felt like bad judgement on the human's part.

After the childhood they've had...Levi couldn't blame them for comparing him to their father. Maybe he really is as bad as that bastard or maybe he's sliding in that direction with no brakes in sight.

Because of these thoughts, the man couldn't bring himself to say a single thing for the longest minute of his life.

MC sighed.

"Go back to your room, Levi." They told him, fingers back on the piano keys. "I don't think we have anything to talk about right now."

Satan:

The wrath demon was sitting on the bench next to the human. When he enter the room and saw them playing this song, he felt no need to hand around the edges of the room. His place was right next to his Kitten after all.

When the song ended, MC neither spoke nor looked at the man next to them despite his eyes on them.

"I know what's going through your head, Kitten." He said softly. "I scared you and now you are comparing me to...that man."

Devil, he hated that man. If Satan was allowed to, he would hunt his Kitten's father down, rip his spine from his body and shove it down his throat.

MC's father was a drunk and an angry one at that. Anything had the potential to set him off and send him on a rampage. Punch holes in the wall, dent appliances, throw the computer around till I was a just a broken box of loose pieces. His destruction was mostly to his environment, but occasionally he would actually dare to hit MC and their siblings, just to randomly calm down and suddenly to hug and kiss them on the couch, like none of it ever happened.

Satan's...lost of control had scared MC and reminded them of their childhood. By the time he cooled down, he saw the look in their eyes. His Kitten was no longer there. They were relieving the past, a memory too traumatic for them to function with. When they came back to, they screamed at him to stop, that they were over, and ran away.

"I-I had a flashback." MC said in a shaky voice. "We...were in my mom's room watching TV. We heard the front door of the apartment open and a bunch of crashing, slamming, screaming, cussing..."

MC started crying and the blonde rubbed their back in comfort, causing them to lean into him.

"We all jumped out of bed, even Mom." The human sniffled. "The three of us hugged Mom's leg and cried. Eventually, she left us alone in her room so she could go out and try to calm him. The screaming got worse. He threw a chair against the wall...I thought he was gonna hurt Mama."

Satan lifted the human up and sat them on his lap, holding them tightly.

"I know it was very scary for you, Kitten." He kissed the side of their head and rubbed their arm. "But I'll never hurt you like that, you know this."

MC sniffled.

"I don't like seeing you angry."

"I know. I'm working on it though. For myself and you."

His Kitten was delicate. He always had to keep this in mind.

Asmodeus:

"Dolly!!!"

After the final note of the song, Asmo launched himself at the human, hugging them close.

The man didn't realize just how bad of a headspace they were stuck in today. He didn't know and continued to talk about himself all day and it triggered so much pain within them.

"Doll, I am so, so sorry!" He squeezed them.

MC didn't even have to say it; the lust demon remembered just how self-centered their father was. He knew how sensitive they could be about this sort of thing and he didn't blame them at all for their outburst.

"Azzy..." Tears poured down their cheeks. "Don't leave me. I'm sorry..."

"Doll..." The demon started peppering kisses all over their face. "I could never, ever leave you so don't go thinking such bad thoughts."

The couple obviously had a lot to work through. Asmo was willing to help his Dolly work through all of it though.

Beelzebub:

Beel stood right behind the human as they played their song. When the music ended, the big guy slowly and gently reach out to the human, laying his hand on their shoulder.

"Muffin?"

"I'm sorry." MC whispered before sniffling. "I'm so sorry..."

Beel bent down and picked up his human from the bench. He held them close, even rocked them gently.

"You don't need to apologize."

"I shouldn't have talked to you like that..." MC said softly. "It just hurts too much. You're too good for me, I-I..."

"Shh." He continued to rock them. "It's okay."

The demon has heard this all before. With how they grew up...well, the human wasn't used to having a healthy relationship, to say the least. They've seen so many awful things...but never again.

Beel was here for his Muffin. Trauma isn't something easy to recover from, but he'll be here for them every step of the way.

Belphegor:

Belphie laid on the ground behind the human, arms outstretched and staring up at the ceiling. He listened to the whole song like this.

Once the last key was hit, MC lowered their hands and let silence hang between them. Slowly, the human slid off the bench and joined him on the ground. The demon wrapped his arm around them and let them lay their head on his chest.

And still, the two said nothing because what was there left to say? The couple has been stuck in this cycle for so long at this point. They're good then suddenly they're not, MC lashes out and cries else where, Belphie comforts them and then the're good again.

It was an exhausting cycle...but that's how it went. It wasn't MC's fault they went through what they did as a child. It wasn't their fault that they felt it's affects to this day.

All the seventh brother could do is be there for them each time. After all, he loved his Human more than anything. Plus...he owes them. Majorly. After all, he added to their trauma the night he killed them and he can never take it back.

Belphie was gonna take care of them. No matter what.

Diavolo:

Dia only recently bought his Queen the piano and had not heard them play it till now.

And what a way to hear them play. After a fight, as they sing about their deep seated trauma that plagues them to this day.

He knew about his Queen's parents, how they fought their whole marriage, how their father would talk down to and emotionally abuse their mother, how their mother would take out all of her pain on her children...

Both of their parents grew up in abusive households and let that abuse trickle down into how they treated their kids. Human life...it sounded so complicated to the prince.

Because of all of this, Dia knew the human only lashed out because they were in pain.

Before MC even finished the song, their boyfriend came up behind them and set both hands on their shoulders. The human just kept playing.

When the song ended, Dia gave their shoulders a gentle squeeze before sitting next to them on the bench.

"Do you feel any better?"

The human shook their head and avoided his gaze.

The pince reached out and took their hand in his and gave it a soft squeeze.

"Take all the time you need. I'm right here."

The human looked over and gave him a small, sad smile.

MC hoped a day would come when they wouldn't be so afraid. What they had with Diavolo though...it felt like a dream. So they were waiting to wake up, to have their heart crushed, to discover that things were not as they seemed.

MC was used to heartbreak. What they weren't used to was love.

[xxmyhomexx]

SONG OF THE CRIMSON NILE: Reunion, Part One

Just played the new update and...OMG! I'm partially attracted to Ash, but Amen's still my main and I think I'll experiment. However, this is a post of when they have children (Bahiti and Zahur) and Ash manages to revive after years of silence. AU and no connection to the game!

Eva is worried, especially now that she is a mother herself. She gathers Ramesses, Titian, Remmao, and Dia together, discussing the imposing threat that looms over them. Amen argues that they took him down before, but Ramesses points out that he has more power, and it's been fifteen years.

"Ramesses' right," Dia agrees. "We have to take measured steps."

"Measured steps?" Amen sneers. "He's a monster that needs to die!"

"And risk your children's life?!" Remmao glares back. Everyone grows silent at his words.

"If it were different, we could face him head on. But he has more power, more stamina, and loyal followers. Eva was an orphan before she came to me, and now she's a mother to your children! You are a father! Who comes first, Epistates? Vengeance or family?"

Amen wants to retort, to say that he understands where Remmao is coming from. Ramesses is his brother after all, he should know! However, his children...his dear son Zahur, running around their house, swinging his makeshift sword laughing at life. His daughter Bahiti watching reading a book occasionally throwing him annoyed glances.

They were his pride and joys. He pursed his lips, nodding in grim understanding. Eva squeezed his shoulder as they all declared they'd meet again tomorrow to start a plan of action, as there's been no actual threat of a possible war.

Eva and Amen exit Remmao's home that evening, Amen thinking about his words. Eva interlocks her fingers with his, assuring him they'd be prepared with a smile. He smiles back, but that pit of nervousness is still in his stomach. As they make their way back home, they settle in for the evening.

Eva cannot sleep, so she kisses her husband goodnight opting to stay awake for a little longer. She decides to go through the house to check on her children. First, she goes to Zahur's bedroom.

The eleven-year-old is fast asleep, blankets tossed around his bed in a messy, comfortable fort, snoring loud. He's only wearing a pair of brown trousers, hugging a wooden sword to his chest. He is her exact carbon copy, unlike Bahiti, who inherited the condition her father was born with.

Eva smiles and closes Zahur's door, sighing with relief. When she walks to Bahiti's room, the door's half open revealing candlelight. She knew her daughter liked to stay up and read, rare for a fifteen-year-old. She opens the door slowly, intent on having her blow out the light and sleep.

"Bahiti, my moon, it's time to-oh!"

What happens next is like Hell on earth for the poor woman. In her daughter's room sits the copper-haired, red-eyed monster on the edge of her daughter's bed, eyes lit up like fire. Bahiti stands motionless, dressed in nightrobes. Tears run down her cheeks, strands of white hair falling from the messy bun on her head. Her milky blue eyes fall on her mother, silently pleading for help as dark energy circles her, snaring around like a rope.

Eva tries to scream and rush toward her, but Ash holds up his hand to silence her, standing from the bed and pressing his torso against Bahiti's back.

"I wouldn't make a sound or move, Evthys," his voice is dangerous, soft. The girl's eyes blink as Ash cups the back of her neck, leaning in close to her ear. His lips brush her cheek, and the tendrils of darkness creep up her throat. Bahiti whimpers in terror.

"Or else..." his voice is ominous. "I'll kill your lovely daughter."

A choked sob escapes Bahiti's throat. "M-Mother..."

Ash chuckles darkly, admiring her. "I never knew a desert flower like her could resemble their father instead of their mother."

"Ok, ok!" Eva closes the door and edges closer, not taking her eyes off Ash. "I'm here."

He doesn't move as she locks it, standing to full height. She shows him her hands and body, not daring to sneak away or try to attack.

"I'm unarmed, now let her go."

Bahiti shudders as Ash considers. He grins as the darkness disappears around her, and her body relaxes. Ash gently nudges her forward, and Eva's daughter sprints toward her, collapsing in her arms. She sobs as Eva rubs her back, tears streaming down her own eyes. She didn't leave her children alone that night, and they were perfectly safe with guards around their house!

"Ssssh, it's ok," she comforts her. Bahiti's eyes are red and swollen.

"Mother, what's happening?" She asks. "I was reading, and he came in through my window. I-"

"It doesn't matter," Eva shook her head. "Just focus on me now."

A low chuckle interrupts them, causing their heads to shoot toward Ash.

"I can sense energy radiating from her...my, my, my. You're training her to be a sheshmu, aren't you?"

Eva growls and clutches her daughter close. How in the Isfet does he know this? Bahiti clutches at her tightly, and Eva shields her from his vision as best as she can.

"It's me you want, isn't it?"

"Correct," Ash nods. "Let's talk."

Eva nods to Bahiti, and the girl goes to unlock the door before Ash clears his throat, shaking his head.

"She stays."

"No!" Eva snaps. "She has nothing to do with this."

"I know," Ash agrees. "But there's a chance she'll go tell someone...like her brother or father."

Eva's eyes widen in fear. How the hell did he know about Amen and her precious baby boy? Bahiti glares at him as she sits back down next to her mom. She nods at her indicating she'll be fine, and Eva hesitantly lets her sit next to her. Both mother and daughter stare at Ash, waiting for the moment to be over with.

"Now," he smiles. "Let's talk."

[cheemken]

Okay last body swap au thought for tonight before I pass out hahah

Leon and Diantha dynamics my beloved who just loves to kill me

Like imagine after their lil impromptu meeting, everyone else was like going on what to do to make it less suspicious, Wallace and Cynthia were at each others throats really, even threatening the other to ruin their image if they so much fail, empty threats yknow, but still hahah

And just cnmdnxmd

Leon and Diantha at the far end corner of the room, just standing next to each other, they already know what to do. They know each other so goddamn well but they won't ever admit that. There's just silence between them, before Diantha finally spoke up, "your family was nice.."

A sad smile crept its way on his lips, "thanks, it's nice being with them again, yknow. Not having to stay at my own tower at Wyndon anymore."

"yes, I figured."

Silence again. Then this time, it was Leon who broke it. "Do you.. not live with your brother?"

Diantha didn't answer. She sighed. Looking away. Then she spoke, quietly, he almost missed it, "I barely see him anymore. He's always so busy with his studies, and not that I fault him for it, it's always been his dream to be the regional professor. Your brother, he wants to be a professor too, does he not?"

"yeah, ever since he lost to his rival, he decided that maybe being a professor would fit him. Sonia was more than happy to take him under her wing."

"that's nice. I'm sure he'll be a great professor one day too."

"of course he'll be, he's my brother, he'll be the best professor there is."

And god that kinda fucked her up, bc she said that once too. How she was so sure her brother will be the region's leading professor, and he was. And to hear it from Leon too, how he had the same faith in his own brother, man it's just cndmdn your honour they make me so fucking insane for real

And just cjxmd Dia going "your mother was nice as well. She reminds me of Drasna."

"one of your Elites, yeah?"

"yes. She became a mother figure for me and for Augustine. She was so kind and caring, it was a nice feeling, yknow. For the first time in our lives, we finally know what a mother's love feels like."

"..what about your actual mother?"

"I'd rather.. not talk about her." And Leon could feel phantom pains on his back, he doesn't know why, then he hears Diantha say, "I'd rather forget that part of my life." She then looks at him, "your father wasn't around, is that a normal occurrence or maybe it was timing he wasn't around."

He laughed at that, hollow, empty, "the same way with your mother, really. I'd rather not talk about the man who just left his family and only returned when his son became a famous Champion."

Ofc, she understands, she knows that feeling all too well.

And then silence once again, watching the other champions talk and plan and even try their best to impersonate the other. Leon and Diantha didn't have to try that hard. Of course they didn't. They realized how similar their lives were, they realized how lonely the other was, they realized that despite it all, they found someone who shared the same pain. In that silence, they somewhat found comfort, knowing someone truly understands them, as painful as it was.

[razieltwelve]

Interview (Final Rose)

"You know," the old woman said. "We used to put bets on which one of us would die last. It was pretty funny back then." Her lips twitched. "But it's a lot less funny now."

The interviewed wasn't sure whether or not she should laugh. In the end, she decided to press on. "How do you think history will view you and the other heroes from the past few generations?"

The old woman chuckled. "They're already mythologising us. I wish they'd at least wait until I was dead, but I can't really blame them for getting on with it since I've been sticking around a lot longer than anyone expected." She grinned. "The thing about people is that they go from heroes to legends remarkably quickly. Just look at my parents and siblings."

"Oh?" The interviewer leaned forward. "Could you clarify?"

"Take my sister, for example. Yes, she basically wrote the book on logistics and how to combine disparate social, political, and military systems, but nobody ever talks about how she killed just about every plant she ever owned. Nobody ever mentions the grumpiness, her tendency to approach social situations with the delicacy and subtlety of a bazooka, and her soft spot for people in her family that could just as easily give way to tyranny."

"Some people might say that her contributions to logistics and overarching civilisational systems theory were more important."

"And those people would be idiots. Those are things she did. They weren't who she was. A thousand years from now, people will be poring over all the stuff she did and wondering how the hell she pulled it off. I can guarantee you that basically none of them will consider the possibility that who she was played a large part in allowing her to do the things she did."

"What do you mean?"

"Ever wonder why she came up with ways to combine disparate systems? She was sick of having to deal with everybody's crap. Developing a way to control the entire thing let her spend more time with her family and less time stabbing people who couldn't get along."

"I... see."

"And don't even get me started on my parents. I love my mother. She was an absolutely amazing parent. But people are already glossing over or ignoring her early life and how much of a jerk she was back then."

"You're calling Lightning Farron a jerk?"

"Absolutely. I'm her daughter. I get to do that. My mother was a jerk for much of her early life. Her idea of leadership was terrorising people into doing what she said. It took throwing her onto a team of equally stubborn idiots for her to change. Even then, I'm not sure she ever would have if she hadn't met my mom, who was basically the first person in her entire life that she couldn't just kick the crap out of."

"You want people to remember those things?"

"Of course! I don't want people treating us like we were gods! I want people to remember us how we actually were because how can you possibly appreciate all the good properly if you just ignore all the bad? How are people going to learn anything from our lives if we just pretend that we were perfect to start with?"

"That is one way you can look at."

"And it's not just my family. It's all of the others too. My Aunt Lumina hasn't even been dead for more than a few decades, and people outside of our family are already trying to downplay her role in my Aunt Vanille's success."

"But your Aunt Vanille was arguably the greatest genius in Remnant's history, wasn't she?"

"She was, but she never would have done as much as she did if my Aunt Lumina hadn't been with her all those years. Who do you think she bounced ideas off? Who do you think proofread her papers and got her to clarify herself? Who do you think got her to put her thoughts to paper in a way that other people could actually understand? If my Aunt Vanille had her way, her papers would have been written in supremely compressed Ancient Dia. There would have been maybe ten people in the world who could have understood them. But now you've got a whole bunch of historical 'experts' proclaiming her some kind of isolated, solitary genius. That's bullshit. My Aunt Vanille was a genius, yeah, but she didn't do all of her work alone. What do you think Raine and I did all those years? Just hang around and drink coffee? And the less I say about how my Uncle Hope's contributions have been minimised, the better. Honestly, if it weren't for Penny, people would have written him out of history already."

"That's a very strong stance to take."

"I take it because some of you people are idiots. Some people would rather spin some fanciful story than actually talk about what really happened. That's fine, but don't call it history."

"Is there a lesson you'd like to pass onto the future?"

"Yeah. People need to remember that we weren't the first major civilisation on Remnant. There were others before us. Each and every one of them got wiped out by the Grimm. Our victory was built on a foundation of blood and sacrifice that stretches back millennia. We cannot forget our past because we owe it not only to ourselves but also to all the people who dreamed of victory over the Grimm to build a brighter future. I'll be kicking the bucket in a few years, ten at the most, and then it won't be long before there isn't anyone else left except Penny and the lawnmower, that old curmudgeon, who can remember everybody else. People are going to forget. That's inevitable. But I want them to keep the past in mind because without it, we wouldn't have a future ahead of us."

"I... see."

"Look, we shouldn't chain ourselves to the past, but we shouldn't forget where we came from either. Cherish the past, savour the present, and brighten the future. Look to the stars, but don't forget to keep your feet on the ground."

Excerpt from an interview with Diana Yun-Farron given approximately a decade before her death. Diana notably outlived every single major figure from the previous generation and her generation and most of the major figures from the following generation as well. She remains the oldest known bearer of Ragnarok by a considerable margin.

[juliedrawz]

Cancíon de Vida

Summary: Héctor's afterlife had been traversed by tragedies until one fateful night on Dia de los Muertos in the year 2017 changed it all. Not only his road to recovery begins. While Miguel is trying his best to bring justice to his great-great-grandfather, unknown mysteries start to unwrap themselves. Things that will not only impact and completely change Héctor's life forever. What if some things aren't quite the way they seem? And how do you pick up your existence after so much hurt?

Main Characters: Héctor, Imelda, Ernesto, Ceci, (Miguel)

Rating: M

A/N: A very special thanks to my besties who have been the first to support me, are regulary beta-reading and keeping up with the insane rollercoaster of emotions, which is this journey of writing that book. I love you guys ❤ - Will I keep tweaking? Perhaps? I don’t know ... before I print the thing I surely will but that’s in the future. (I will only print it for myself and a few special persons I will choose later on!)

                 ~ Prologue ~

With a cry and a twirl of glowing marigold petals, Miguel was gone.

The Rivera family stood frozen in shock, watching the scene in front of them with great sorrow. Each of them held their very own emotion deep inside. It was painful, all of it. Both, the newly found knowledge and the situation they were in. The man they had been told to hate and forget, had all along been innocent and was now about to fade away. It felt like a cruel joke, a sick twist of fate. Each of them wished that there would be something that they could do but there was nothing. Their only hope now was Miguel. If he would succeed, Héctor would live. But most likely, that was too late.

“Héctor!” Imelda clutched her husband’s hand tighter, voice heavy with desperation and panic, “Please hold on! You have to hold on! Don’t leave me again! I cannot li-”

“Imelda,” with the last strength he could bring up, he lifted his hand to her left cheekbone, “it’s ok!”

“No!” she choked, lips trembling, “nothing’s ok! You are fading and it’s my fault!”

“No! Don’t blame yourself! I ... I don’t want you to!”

“But it’s true!” she wailed, “all my life I’ve thought ... I’ve believed this lie and I should have known better! I should have known that you would never abandon me!”

Héctor managed a small smile. His eyes were filled with so much love, it drove daggers into her spiritual heart. How could he just forgive her that easily after all she’d done?

“I‘m so, so sorry Imelda!” He said. Deep regret and sadness in each of his words. “I should have never left Santa Cecilia, I - Augh!” Another painful seizure of orange, glowing light, shook him.

“Héctor!” Imelda cried, bending down further, “No! No, no, no, please!” tears welled up in her eyes. “Please! Please ... you have to hold on a bit longer! Miguel will-”

He turned his head back to her, taking deep, heavy, rattling breaths. “It was my dream to make music and share it with the world once. But I never left because I wanted fame. I left because I wanted to provide for my family. You and Coco!”

“I know! I know.” Imelda moved his hand to her lips, letting the first tears fall. Normally, she wasn’t the kind of woman who would cry easily, and usually, her pride would keep her from succumbing to it. But ever since her husband hadn’t returned, she had cried more than she had ever thought she could. All in secret. Even in the land of the dead. Never had she let her family catch her but now was different. Now she didn’t care anymore who saw her. “I ... I was so heartbroken a-and angry and blind!” She sobbed, “Oh Héctor, I should have listened to you earlier! If only I-”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. You’re here now!” Héctor tried to push himself to smile again but with each second, he felt weaker. He wanted to hide how bad he actually felt. Awfully tired and brittle. He knew he was seconds away from fading. He could feel it. Yes, he wished he could have seen his daughter one more time and spent more time with his beloved wife and family. Yes, he didn’t want to fade and yes, he was scared. But through it all, he also felt confident. He knew that everything would be fine, even with him gone. Who knew, eventually, whatever awaited him would one day reunite him and his wife, his soulmate, his one true love. “I love you, Imelda. More than anything! - Argh!” His body shook and glowed worse than all the times before and his face scrunched up in pain while the sun climbed higher and higher over the couple’s shoulders.

“No!” Imelda pushed her hands under her husband’s back, pulling him onto her lap. “I love you too! I’ve never and I will never stop loving you!”

The brightest smile Héctor had smiled in the past decades spread on his lips. “You ... you forgive me then?”

“I already have!” She leaned down to touch his forehead with hers. “Though there is nothing to forgive! You did everything right, mi amor!”

“When Coco arrives ... tell her ... tell her I’m sorry! Tell her ... how much I love her!” He received a nod.

“I will! I promise you, I will!”

“I’m glad. At least I get to see you one last ... time.” With a deep breath, Héctor’s eyes closed, his smile faded, his body faltered and the markings on his skull started glowing faintly.

“No!” Imelda cried, “No!”

The sun had risen over their heads. Her warm, golden light stretched out over the horizon and illuminated the whole backstage.

“Héctor?” Imelda whispered hoarsely, “mi vida?”

He didn’t respond anymore and with the silence, Imelda felt a cold come over her that she had never felt before. A pain spread through her whole being, worse than any wound. Worse than any pain she had ever felt. A crushing sensation that took her breath away. It burned and choked her. She couldn’t bear to watch her true love fade, so she pulled him closer to her chest, hugged him tightly, and then let out a bone-chilling, heart-wrenching wail. A scream full of sorrow and grief. A cry that mirrored all her frustration, her anger, her bitterness, her hurt, her desperation, and her regret. But mostly, her pain of losing him.

Oscar and Felipe turned their heads away. It was too painful to watch their sister bawl over her, soon-to-be-gone, husband. Rosita and Victoria comforted each other by hugging while Julio just placed his hand on his daughter’s lower arm. There was nothing they could do or say.

By now the sun had risen entirely. Time passed and each second felt like an awful eternity. Imelda didn’t dare to move or look. Too strong were her grief and pain. There were no words that could describe how much she hated herself at that moment. How much she wanted to turn back time and reverse her mistakes. And if it only was for the time Héctor had first found her and aimed to explain himself.

He had been overjoyed to see her. He had run up to her, picked her up, and spun her around. And what had she done? Before he could even try to explain himself, she had smashed her boot into his face so hard, it had sent his head flying straight across the street. Then she had yelled at him and had called him all kinds of ugly names. Her heart had broken into yet another thousand pieces, even though she had believed it couldn’t break any further. Each time and each year she had chased him away. Oftentimes not only with her boot but with Pepita, and he was presistant. Deep down, she was well aware that she didn’t want to, but she couldn’t help herself. No matter how hard she had tried to suppress the feeling that something wasn’t right, she couldn’t. She had tried to ignore it, tried to forget it, forget him. She had tried to hate him with all her might but she never could. He was her amor verdadero, her true love. She could never hate nor forget him. But forgetting was just what was killing him a second time.

Imelda had also thought that she had time. That had been her biggest mistake up to this day. She had thought that she had enough time to eventually, one day, find the courage to jump over her pride and hear him out. That’s when Miguel had come. It had been a wink of fate. He had solved the problem and unveiled the whole truth and all that in one night. And now that she’d finally realized the truth, now that she had the chance to get her husband back, it was too late.

“Urgh ...”

Her thoughts got interrupted by a weak groan that came from below. Immediately Imelda’s eyes shot down, finding her husband still in her arms, leaning against her chest. He hadn’t faded? He was still here? Coco remembered? “Héctor?” She breathed, a glimmer of relief tingling in her chest as she blinked tears. “Héctor?”

The heads of her family turned back around, gaping in astonishment. Another groan followed and his eyes slowly opened.

“Héctor!” Imelda repeated, still in shock.

His eyes lifted, an expression of pure confusion followed, “Imelda? Am I dead? Is this heaven?”

“You are dead but ...” She blinked, confused herself, “not faded. Coco she ...”

“Remembered me!” Héctor beamed. “Our Miguelito made it!”

“He did!” She started beaming as well, laughing in relief.

Héctor’s eyes opened further. As he realized his position, they trailed down to his wife’s chest on which she had him pressed and he grinned. As soon as she noticed, she pushed him away with an offended gasp. That Fool. The nerve he had. There he had been at the edge of Nirvana and the first thing he did after surviving that, was boldly and shamelessly flirting with her. He didn't need words. And she hated herself for liking it.

“Ay!” he dropped down full force, bones clattering on the ground. 

“Dios, I’m sorry! Are you hurt?” Her gasp was drowned out by Héctor’s laughter, which got her angry again and at the same time filled her with indescribable happiness. “Stop laughing, tonto! You almost faded!” 

“I know!” He winced as she pushed his shoulder, causing her to flinch away and straight up apologize a second time. He chuckled once more before growing serious again. “I’m still here.”

“Sí.” she crossed her arms.

“Now what?” Lifting himself into a sitting position, he felt his chest and then looked at her expectantly.

Now what? His question caught her off guard, just as the loud cheering of her family behind them. Suddenly an overjoyed Dante came rushing toward them. Heckling, he leaped between the couple, licking Héctor’s skull and hands wildly.

“Ah! Dante, no! Stop it!” He laughed, trying to twist himself free. But Dante didn’t think of stopping. Instead, he turned around and ran his tongue over Imelda’s face next. She tried to push him off but to no avail.

“Augh! No, not me!” She groaned.

Dante wagged his tail back and front seemingly in lightspeed, causing funny sounds on the couple’s bones. He kept on licking Imelda until she was finally able to push him off. “Enough!” She told him strictly. Intimidated, he retreated to the side, causing her to topple forward, crashing onto her husband’s chest.

His laughing got exchanged with his goofy grin. “Still falling for me, eh?”

Imelda’s mouth opened, closed, opened, and closed again. She was certain that if she still had skin, she would have blushed furiously. That foolish grin that had made her fall in love with him in the first place all those years ago, made the tingling feeling in the area where her stomach had been, reappear. Then, as soon as the grin had come, it vanished again. Now his expression was entirely different. His pupils enlarged as he gave her a look of absolute adoration. It had been decades since she had looked that deep into his eyes. Quickly she shook herself out of her trance and scrambled away from him.

Sighing, she got up, holding out a hand for Héctor to take. He hesitated for a moment, searched in her eyes if it was really ok, and then took her hand, letting himself get pulled up. Suddenly shy and bashful again both looked away. Héctor‘s brow-bones furrowed and his right hand grabbed his left arm like he always used to do when he became flustered. Imelda on the other hand pressed her lips together and wrung her hands. Words itching to be spoken but left in silence.

Felipe and Óscar both wanted nothing more than to run to them and hug them but they kept themselves from doing so. It was still weird after all those years. They had never truly believed that Héctor had left their sister on purpose but running up to him now seemed inappropriate. Rosita and Victoria just as much as Julio kept away as well. None of them dared to come too close to the couple. Or Héctor for that matter.

Héctor thought. He wondered how things were now between him and his wife. They had somewhat reconciled but that was because both had thought that he was about to vanish to dust. Now he was alive. Well, as alive as one could call it.

“Erm ...” he dared a glance to the side, finding his wife looking just as emotionally conflicted as he himself. “Imelda?” His voice was reduced to an unsure whisper.

Just as she was about to say something, Pepita came flying back above their heads. Circling for a moment, she landed right next to her master. Her big head instantly turned to Héctor, her pupils became slits and she lowered herself down, stalking towards him just like she had moments ago with Ernesto.

Gritting his teeth, Héctor slowly walked backward, lifting his hands in defense. “Uh, Pepita? You’re not angry with me anymore, are you? Nice kitty! ... Good kitty? Please don’t eat me!” He lifted his arms to shield himself.

“Pepita! Déjalo ser!” Imelda demanded but this time her alebrije didn’t listen. She kept walking until she stood right in front of Héctor, who grimaced and leaned away.

Fearful he closed his eyes and waited for the biggest, most rough, and wet tongue to swoop over his whole head. Wait ... tongue? Pepita licked Héctor with so much force, it lifted him a few inches from the ground, a deep, loud purr erupting in her chest as she looked at her owner’s mate with great satisfaction. Her lick had ruffled his, already messy hair and caused it to now stand in each possible direction. 

Imelda couldn’t help but snort a laugh at her husband’s expression. A mixture of dumbstruck surprise and disgust. “Ay, mi amado tonto,” She said, still with amusement in her voice. “Vámonos a casa!”

[lyranova]

Hey my dear🤭

I just wants too ask ida and Discordia interaction wo Discordia commen Ida’s coffe Konsum

have a good day 🤭

Hiya Marune! Of course you can, I hope I portrayed Ida well, I had so much fun imagining her and Discordia just sitting and talking (And Dia trying to convince her not to drink so much coffee 😆) and I hope you enjoy~!

Word Count: 714

Warnings: None

-----

Discordia smiled softly as she sat at a table in the garden of House Faust, it was just a normal summer afternoon. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining brightly, and a gentle breeze swept through the Faust garden.

“ Hey Dia, what are you doing?” Ida Faust, Nacht and Morgen’s sister and Discordia’s cousin, asked curiously as she looked over the older woman’s shoulder.

“ I am drinking some tea while…contemplating life,” Discordia said mysteriously as she took a sip of her tea. She watched the young girl walk around and sit down in the chair opposite her, and she raised a brow. “ What are you drinking?”

“ Coffee,” Ida responded simply before taking a sip of her drink, and Dia’s brow raised a little more at her words. Coffee was Ida’s drink of choice most days, while Discordia’s was tea. The two had laughed about being opposites when it came to their drinks, while their personalities were actually pretty similar.

“ How many cups have you had?” Discordia asked with a slightly raised brow, and Ida shrugged.

“ I think this is my 5th?” Ida said as she suddenly tilted her head, and Discordia blinked in surprise.

“ Your 5th? Ida,” Discordia started with a sigh and the younger girl groaned. “ You know you’re only supposed to have one cup.” She continued in a scolding tone.

“ What’re you, my mom?” Ida asked as she crossed her arms and sat back in her chair. Discordia shook her head as she crossed her arms and sat back in her chair.

“ No, I’m not your mom, but I am someone who loves, cares, and worries about you.” Discordia pointed out as she watched Ida pout and look away. “ So could you please not drink so much coffee?”

“ But if I only drink one cup of coffee, then I still feel tired,” Ida said with a dramatic sigh. “ How about…I drop it down to four cups of coffee a day?”

Discordia’s brow raised once again, and Ida groaned and threw her head back.

“ Please, Dia? I’m trying my best to compromise here!” Ida said as she leaned forward and rested her arms on the table.

Discorida made a humming noise, she knew she couldn’t ask Ida to quit coffee completely, or just drop automatically from five cups to one. So they did need to find a compromise, just like Ida said.

“ How about two cups of coffee and one cup of tea?” Discordia suggested, and she watched Ida's face immediately contort into a look of disgust.

“ Dia, you know I don’t like tea!” Ida said as she shook her head, and Discordia chuckled before she leaned forward as well.

“ Alright, alright, how about you drink…2 and a half cups of coffee, and if you still feel tired then you can drink the other half? Does that sound fair?”

“ Not really,” Ida said bluntly, before she gave the older woman a small smirk. “ But I guess I can try and drink only two and a half cups. But it’s only because you asked!”

Discordia smiled before she reached out and gently patted the girl on the head. Ida stuck her bottom lip out in a pout, but didn’t try to stop her.

“ Hey Ida,” Discordia began softly as she continued to pay her head. “ Promise me something,”

“ What?”

“ Don’t ever change. 5, 10, even 20 years from now, I hope you always stay the same sassy and bright Ida that I’ve always known.” Ida suddenly snorted before she turned to look at her.

“ I don’t plan on changing anytime soon, but why are you making me promise? Are you going somewhere?” Ida asked, her tone serious but with a hint of sadness in it. Discordia quickly shook her head.

“ No, I’m not going anywhere, at least not anytime soon. So don’t worry,” Discordia assured the girl, and she watched Ida smile a bit.

“ Good, because Faust Manor would be very boring without you here,” Ida said softly. “ I don’t know what any of us would do if we didn’t get to hear you and Nacht’s bickering every day,” Ida added with a chuckle, and Discordia laughed as well.

The two laughed and talked more over their tea and coffee as the afternoon turned to evening and the two would have to part.

-----

Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you all have a good day~!

[becaexists]

I have been waiting actual months to be able to talk about my Night Shift OCs and @green-eyes-and-orange-ties has given me a reason with their 30DaysOfEchor challenge so here is their info for the week 1 prompts:

Character 1: Ino Aristos

Full name: Leucothoe Diana Aristos (maiden name: Jones)

Nickname: Ino, due to her parents being big classics nerds, as Ino was the original name of the Sea Goddess Leucothoe ("white goddess"), Loco, Dia, birdbrain

Pronouns: She/They (FtNB)

Age: 22 (Birthday: 6th August, Leo)

Disabilities: auDHD

She was born Veil-Touched after her mother got stuck in a veil anomaly while pregnant with her. She was born with black wings, though they are barely usable, she can flap them, often doing so subconsciously as a stim. As she's aged, feathers have began to grow on other parts of her body, such as her ankles and chest and the back of her neck. She also has a small magic where her hair can move like a limb, which she can use to pick up small objects.

Her mother and father are happily divorced, as they were in a lavender marriage and ended up with Ino after a very emotional night where they decided they both wanted a kid, and her father is now married to another man, and her mother is happily single. Ino's cousin happens to be one Miles Beaumont on her mother's side, they grew up in the same area so were quite close before Miles went to study law. Ino is also expecting a baby in late may/early june with her partner Atlas.

She considers home to be wherever she finds her people: her family, her wife, her friends, even the veil itself, but physically her apartment is in Downtown Echor, just about in the cheap enough for the two of them when only one can work (her VT traits make it a bit hard to get a job)

Character 2: Atlas Aristos

Full name: Atlas Kore Aristos

Nicknames: Kore, Kora, Crabcake, Nebula

Pronouns: She/Her (MtF)

Age: 22 (Birthday: July 9th, Cancer)

Disabilities: Autistic, has a slight lisp due to weird teeth (I'll elaborate later)

Became Veil-Touched aged 13 after her father, who disapproved of her transness, locked her outside during a veil event (he has since lost custody of all three of his kids and is serving time for child-abuse and neglect). She has spikes on her arms and ankles, tiny horns on her head (which she hides with up-do's), blood that glows when it reacts with oxygen, all of her teeth are sharp + her canines stick out over her lip, and has "nebula hands", where her hands, which are usually a sort of soot black due to being VT, become covered in blue fire that sparks, making it look like a nebula, with the sparks as stars and the blue-fire-on-black being the space holding it together

Eldest of three sisters. Her parents are also divorced, her father getting full custody of her but not her sisters from age 10-13 because "he wanted a son to carry his bloodline on", saved by her mother after the Veil incident. She is married to her partner Ino, who she met online on Tumblr after Atlas started a "life as a teenage shade" blog, which Ino related to as another teenage VT. They are expecting a baby together later this year in late May/ early June. She has always wanted a cat and a border terrier after Ino showed her pictures of her dads' border, but none of the apartments she's lived in have allowed pets.

Home is her partner's arms. Home is the dancefloor at secret VT clubs and bars. Home is the bathroom at her mom's house where her sisters taught her how to do her makeup. Home is under the veil lights, dancing with the love of her life. Home is the tucked away apartment in downtown Echor she shares with her wife, which she's going to share with their child, where she can be herself and happy.

I hope you like them!!! You might recognise Ino's description from the November chapter of LRPD, I threw her in as a fun way to torment my favourite punching bag Angelo Volta. So excited to do this again next week!!!

[bisexualbumblebee-writes]

Carrying the Banner Chapter 17: Good Changes- Spot Conlon x Quinn Harper

Word Count: 1.1k

Five Years Later

Quinn sat at her desk silently staring at the paperwork in front of her. She had a pen in her hand that sat stationary in her hand. She glanced up and across the room at Spot, her eyes said that she was ready, but she was searching for affirmation from him. 

“Well?” She asked softly, her large green eyes locked onto his. She had almost completely changed in the past few years. Her days of running around wild and free had settled into a life of content and happiness. Her now long golden hair sat pooled around her shoulders and she dawned a humble skirt and shirt of muted colors.

Spot smiled encouragingly at her. He’d changed a bit over the years. Like Albert, he now wore pants that actually reached his ankles and no longer cut off the sleeves of his shirts, switching his muscle shirts for button ups in the process. His hair had grown out just a bit now that he no longer wore a hat as often, allowing it to be curly and free when he didn’t wish to do anything to it. 

“Go for it,” he nodded softly, he’d already signed his portion of the paperwork, all the city was waiting for was hers so they could officially file the lodging house as their property. “You can do this.” She smiled lovingly at him, letting her gaze fall down onto the line that was calling her name. Her hand hovered over the paper in front of her, then she signed the paperwork and set the pen down. A sigh of relief left her lips as she admired how her name looked on the paper for a moment. 

Never in a million years would she have guessed that she would be able to own anything, much less the lodging home that kept her safe for years. Every girl that cycled into that home was like a daughter to her and she now understood the impact that her and Spot had amongst the youth of New York. She looked back up at him with the biggest smile. 

“It’s settled, then.”

Spot grins and walks over to her, leaning down to press his lips to her forehead. When he was younger he never thought he’d do anything with his life. A boy growing up on the streets of Brooklyn selling newspapers to barely make ends meet. And now here he was, signing the papers to own a home that shelters homeless kids- like he once was- with the love of his life. Quinn had truly changed him for the better, and he couldn’t be more happy about it.

“I’m so proud of you, Quinn,” he muttered against her forehead. The woman took both of his hands and squeezed them tightly. 

“We’re going to make such a big difference,” she said with a smile. “I’m so happy to be the change that we wanted to see.” He smiled at her and nodded in agreement, internally taking a deep breath as he squeezed her hands gently.

“Speaking of changes, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you,” he started softly, crouching down so he was eye level with her still sitting form. She stared at him for a moment, blinking perplexedly, but ultimately nodding. 

“Alright, go ahead,” she said cautiously, ready for a couple of different scenarios that could occur after words like that. The man nodded and cleared his throat before speaking. 

“You know I’ve never really been good with words, so don’t laugh at me” he started nervously, almost laughing at how nervous he felt. His hands shook ever so slightly as he gingerly let go of her hand to dig into his pocket. 

“When we first met, I knew you were special. I knew that you weren’t gonna be just another person that entered and exited my life quietly, that’s never been you. And that’s one of the many things I love about you. You’re fiery, and you’re passionate, and you’re the most caring and kind hearted person I’ve ever met. I know without a doubt that I want to spend the rest of my life with you if you’ll have me. So, would you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?” He asked softly, pulling out a ring.

The band itself was golden and looked like two vines twisting around each other with smaller diamonds variously embedded around it, and an oval moissanite sat on top of it. Quinn’s cheeks flushed a deep shade of red as she smiled fondly at him. Her cheeks flush a shade of red as she smiles fondly.

“Sean,” She trailed off softly, moving the chair aside and sitting on the floor so she could be on the same level as him. She took a moment to admire the ring, then moved past it to hug him.

“I would love to marry you. You make my life so complete- you make me a better person every day,” She whispered, squeezing him tightly. Spot laughed emotionally, trying not to tear up. He was failing, however, as he returned her hug. 

“I love you so much, Quinn, it’s hard to articulate into words,” he muttered, kissing all around her face. The woman laughed softly. 

“I know, and I’m so proud of you. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk that much in one go,” she teased, running a hand through his hair. “You make me so happy.” 

“Don’t make me regret proposing,” he joked, hand moving to cup her cheek so he could kiss her. They paused just before their lips touched when they heard several giggles from the other side of their office door. Quinn gave him a look, trying to hold back a smile. 

“Are they in on this?” She asked, pressing her forehead to his.

“Maybe,” he shrugged noncommittally, though that was thrown out the window when the door opened with a quiet creak to reveal Judy, a little redhead girl no older than seven that had been there for roughly a year now. 

“Did she say yes?” She asked curiously, her voice quiet as usual. Quinn looked at the door, realizing there were no less than fifteen girls peeking their head through the doorway with huge huge smiles. She let out a small laugh and sat up on her knees so she’s about the same height as the small girl.

“I did, I said yes,” she answered with just the brightest smile of love as she held out her hands for all of the girls. Judy squealed excitedly and ran over to Quinn, knocking her into Spot and nearly making all three of them fall over while Spot burst into laughter. The rest of the girls ran in and followed Judy’s lead in all but tackling the adults to the ground. Spot couldn’t help but laugh as he was  finally knocked over but he attempted to hug back as best as he could with so many people on top of him. He didn’t care though, he could handle it. And he would handle it, for Quinn and all their kids.