#a little bit of a compliment in there yes

[phoward89]

Masterlist

Stepcest, Stepson!Coryo x Stepmother!Reader, Sub!Coriolanus, Switch!Reader, Crassus Snow x Younger!Reader

WARNING ⚠️ Coriolanus Snow is a warning in and of itself. Crassus Snow is a cold hearted asshole, but he's a hot asshole... Stepcest, older man/younger woman, arranged marriage, cheating, affairs, secrets, cussing, secret love child, Coryo is a bit selfish and too ambitious, Crassus decides to try and be a better husband/father

Part 5:

Crassus' secretary was nervous as he wracked his brain for what to tell his boss. Where should he start when it comes to giving the cold, stern, and very imposing man advice about the little things he should do for his wife. Leo doesn't want to overstep. He doesn't know anything about Crassus' marriage to you, so he's afraid to give any advice.

But as Leo felt his boss’ stare pinning him into his desk chair he decides to give the imposing platinum blonde some simple, but vital advice of, “If you really want to make your wife smile then just ask her about her day.”

Crassus nods, only to say, “But I already know how her day is, she takes care of the baby all day.”

“I didn't know that you have a baby, General Snow.”

“Yes.” The stern man with slicked back platinum hair proudly grins. “He's a week old.”

Leo nods, feeling a bit awkward with the conversation he's having with his boss. How is it that Crassus has a week old baby with his wife, but is seeking advice on how to make his wife happy? He made the miracle of life with her, shouldn't he know how to interact with her? Or is it an arranged marriage full of surface level interaction?

Yea, it must be an arrangement lacking social interactions past the expected ones in the marriage bed.

“Well, Sir, I don't want to overstep, but I think that your wife would appreciate you asking about her day with the baby even if you assume you know how it went.” Leo told Crassus, hoping that he wouldn't offend his boss since he really needed his job. He has bills to pay, you know.

“Hmm…” Crassus nods.

“Oh, and don't interrupt her even if what she's talking about sounds mundane and boring. Just nod and wait for an opening to compliment her story with a ‘that’s nice’, or an ‘oh, really’.” Leo adds in, figuring that Crassus seems like the type that needs the reminder.

“And this’ll work, make my wife happy?” Crassus asks, his voice as hard as stone.

“Most women like feeling important and letting them talk about their day uninterrupted does that.” Leo Davis explained what all husbands should know. But, as it turns out, Crassus is the exception to the rule.

“Ah.” The imposing war hero half-nods. “My first wife and I didn't live together for more than a few weeks at a time; I was deployed in 12 as the Commander during that marriage, so I'll take your word for it when it comes to communicating with my current wife.” Crassus remarks before turning his back to his secretary and returning to his office to work on something vital to Panem's national security’s budget proposal that's due to be sent to President Ravenstill for review soon.

Meanwhile, deep in the bowels of Dr. Gaul’s lab that's housed in the Citadel…

Coriolanus followed Dr. Gaul inside of the sterilized white room, bright fluorescent lights revealing that the test subject wasn't a rat or even a new mutt, but a human. A girl to be exact.

The blonde boy's baby blue eyes widened slightly at the girl, who was all skin and bones, that was tied to a metal lab table with 4-point restraints. Looking between the girl and his mentor, Coriolanus curiously asks, “What're we going to do to her?”

“Bibity, bobity, Snow’s first lobotomy.” The mad scientist sing-songed, gesturing towards an instructional guide, a drill, and a tool that looked like an ice pick that was on the surgical tray table by the subject’s mental bed.

Coriolanus was a bit confused. He learned in psychology class that the lobotomy procedure is controversial and banned. “But I thought that medical practice was banned by Panem's founding fathers?” He asks his mentor, wondering why she was going to have him perform it

“Yes, the procedure has been banned on civilized humans, such as the people residing in this very city, but your test subject today is nothing more than a lab rab- a rebellious little girl that was caught rummaging in the woods outside of District 12 like an animal.” Dr. Gaul told Coriolanus while going over to a cabinet on the other side of the room and grabbing a pair of blood red latex gloves for her protege to perform the operation on.

“The sooner you realize that the people of the districts are no better than animals the better equipped at ruling and controlling them you'll be.” The salt and pepper frizzy haired woman told her pupil while walking over to him, red gloves in hand. “I see a greatness in you, Young Snow. A greatness to be even more successful in ruling over others then your father, Crassus.” Dr. Gaul tells Coriolanus while stopping in front of him and handing him over the gloves.

“You think I could be greater than my father?” Coriolanus asks, taking the gloves from his mentor.

“Oh, I know so, Coriolanus Snow. In fact, I believe that you'll make Panem proud with all the wonderful things you're capable of.” Dr. Gaul told Coriolanus, inflating his ego. “I'll be leaving you alone with the test subject to perform the procedure. I’ve left instructions; I'm sure you can handle this on your own.”

“Of course I can, Dr. Gaul.” The ambitious young blonde assured the mad scientist. Even if the thought of performing a lobotomy on a little girl turned his stomach, he'd do it to prove himself to his mentor.

His mentor who thought he'd be a greater man than his father, the war hero General Crassus Snow.

“Make sure to keep your rest subject talking during the procedure; if she stops talking then you either drilled in too far or cut out too much brain matter. But either way, if she's damaged I'll have you dispose of her.” Dr. Gaul told Coriolanus, acting as if she was giving him instructions on how to remove an ingrown toenail, before walking out of the room and leaving her protege alone with the little girl from 12- the poor test subject doomed to be a lab rat because she wasn't viewed as a human in the mad scientist eyes.

“Please, stop, it hurts! It hurts!” The girl, whose golden pigtails were tangled and matted against the metal examining table, screamed at the top of her lungs as Coriolanus was drilling a hole into her skull.

“Shut up or else I could kill you, fucking animal.” Coriolanus snapped at his test subject while continuing to drill thru her skull.

“The things by my eye and it hurts.” The little girl cried as the drill moved right next to her eyeball, breaking thru the skull bone in her eye socket.

“Damnit, you cry more than my son does and he's a baby.” Coriolanus grumbled as the bit of the drill hit a small piece of the test subject’s brain while breaking all the way thru her skull.

Meanwhile on the Corso in the Snow family 12th floor penthouse…

You're sitting in the main room of your penthouse, watching Grandma'am rocking Cassian in her arms while cooing at the baby. The sight of your mother-in-law holding your son puts a smile on your melancholy face. It made you feel like you weren't alone in taking care of your baby; made you realize that you had support during your motherhood journey.

“I’m glad that you're a hands-on grandmother, Grandma'am.” You honestly tell the old woman as your son's icy blue eyes start to flutter heavily from being rocked.

“Oh, my sweet dear, I must admit that I'm happy to have a new baby in the house to breathe fresh life into it.” Grandma'am told you while gesturing that she wanted to pass the baby back to you. Since you're sitting next to each other on the sofa, it'll be easy to take the baby back from her. As you extend your arms for your mother-in-law to place the baby into, she tells you, “Cassian Xandros is just what you and Crassus’ marriage needs to grow and evolve into something more than a surface level bond.”

Cassian blinks his icy eyes at you and smiles before closing them. Your son reminds you so much of his father; your lover- Coriolanus. You can't help, but feel a hollow feeling inside of your soul as you think about how Coriolanus seems too worried about himself then you and the baby. That his studies and internship seem to mean more to him than the family he created with you.

A family he begged you to have.

Honestly, you and Crassus never discussed the possibility of having children. You got married shortly after graduating the Academy and he usually pulled out whenever he did fuck you. And since the subject of children never came up, you just assumed that your marriage would be childless. You even told Coryo that once or twice, which is why he was so desperate to give you a baby. Coriolanus wanted to give you something he knew that only he could give; something to tie you and him together forever.

But now that you're home with Grandma'am and the baby all day with a lack of support from both your husband and your lover, well…

Let's just say that you'll be talking to your doctor about birth control options during your 6-weeks postpartum check up.

“I don't think Cassian's going to fix my loveless marriage with your son." You bluntly tell your mother-in-law while gently rocking your son in your arms. “I doubt he truly even wanted to become a father again either.”

“Oh, Y/N, don't say that.” Grandma'am firmly tells you. “Crassus comes across as if he doesn't care, but he does. He's just a stern man, my dear.” She assures you while patting your shoulder in a motherly fashion.

“He threatened to get rid of Cassian if he was born a girl instead of a boy, Grandma'am.” You remind the old woman, who's bejeweled turbin shines like a disco ball in the bright light of the sun. “Cassian’s just a spare male heir for Crassus, nothing more and nothing less.”

And now you wonder if Coriolanus even loves your son. He rarely spends time with your baby, always using his studies as an excuse not to help with diaper changes or settling the baby down. Hell, it seems like Coryo spends more time at the University’s library than he does in Cassian's nursery.

“Y/N, dear, you have to understand that Crassus' first wife, Demeter, died in premature labor brought on by the first rebel bombings. That along with Demeter, their daughter Calla was too tiny to survive and died less than an hour after being born.”

“I'm not Demeter and my baby's not hers either, Grandma'am. I think Crassus is smart enough to know that considering he works for the Ministry of War as the Minister of National Security.” You state with a slight edge to your voice. Rising from the sofa, you announce, “I'm going to put him down; then I'll make some cucumber sandwiches for our tea time.”

“Despite looking like your mother you act awfully a lot like your father, so I hope you won't write off my son because he thinks he doesn't deserve an ounce of happiness in his life due to his previous failures.” Grandma'am tells you as you begin to walk away from the sofa and towards the hallway.

You don't respond to her, just keep walking away. Honestly, you don't want to think about let alone talk about her last words to you. You can't because they give a plausible reason for your husband's cold and indifferent attitude.

Crassus walks inside of his penthouse determined to put the advice Leo gave him to good use. He even came home at a decent hour instead of right when dinner’s being served. The sound of your husband's loafers echoing on the marble floor makes you furrow your brow. Crassus never comes home before 7 and it's nearly 6:30, so you're a bit startled.

You're watching your son as he sits in his swing when your husband comes in, briefcase clutched in his hand. But, instead of taking his briefcase to his office he places it on the glass coffee table and takes a seat on his sitting chair, which is caddy cornered to the sofa you're on. The stoic platinum blonde looks around, only to ask, “Where's mother and Coriolanus?”

“Grandma'am's visiting Pluribus; I'm sure she'll be home within the next 15 minutes.” You tell Crassus, earning a nod from him. “And Coriolanus never came home, so I assume he's in the University library burning the midnight oil in preparation for his upcoming finals.” You add in, since he did inquire about his firstborn son after all.

“I imagine once he graduates and officially becomes an Assistant Gamemaker under Dr. Gaul that he'll be keeping odd hours since the scientist practically lives in her lab.” Crassus knowingly remarks. But before you could make a reply, he gives you a thin smile and asks, “So, Petal, how was your day?”

What? Did he just ask you how your day was? What's wrong with him? He never asks you that? In fact he rarely talks to you at all if it isn't about something mundane, something that needs discussing.

“Um, I talked to Grandma’am and tended to the baby.” You tentatively answer your husband. In a way, you think it's a trick and Crassus is just going to chuckle and leave the room. It's not like he sits around chatting with you, far from it.

‘What did you and Grandma'am talk about?” Crassus pries, hoping that you'll smile or something if you relay to him what you and his mother spoke about.

But you just wave him off with a simple, “Ladies things, nothing you need to worry about.”

And then Crassus remembers that a mother's joy is her child, so he asks, “Well, how was our son today?”

“Oh, Cassian’s been good today.” You answer with a smile. A smile that your cold, unfeeling husband can't help, but wants to see permanently painted on your face. “But he's always a good baby.”

The fact that your husband was now showing an interest in your week old son had your head spinning. You're taken aback that he seems concerned about Cassian. You thought that the baby was just a spare heir to Crassus, so him asking about the baby made you wonder what was up with him. Did he suddenly decide to step up as a father or did he get abducted by aliens?

You hope it's the former. You really do. “Do you want to hold him?” You ask Crassus before you can think better of it.

“I'll get him from the swing, just sit down and tell me about what you and our boy got up to today.” Crassus told you, rising to his feet.

Watching him walk the few yards to collect your son from his baby swing, you begin to tell your husband about your day with the baby. Albeit, you think you'll probably bore him out of his mind, but you tell him anyway.

And a few minutes later when Grandma'am comes home from visiting Pluribus, she sees Crassus sitting on his sitting chair, cradling Cassian while you're telling your husband about being peed on while changing a shitty diaper. Crassus was laughing, causing you to tell him that it wasn't funny before bursting into a giggle fit of your own.

And the sight made Grandma'am hopeful that you and her son would work things out. She doesn't interrupt the family moment, instead she goes to the kitchen to inquire about dinner from the cook.

But your family moment with Crassus and Cassian does get interrupted by Coriolanus when he storms into the main room. He's got a hauntes look in his icy eyes as he scoffs, “Oh, father, I see you're acting like you suddenly care about mommy and the baby. How nice of you to act like a family man for once.”

“Coriolanus, unless you want me to cut off your allowance I advise you to watch your tongue.” Crassus scolds his firstborn, his icy eyes narrowed in warning.

“Dinner should be ready soon, I better put Cassian down.” You announce, cutting the tension in the air like a knife, as you bolt up from the sofa and rush over to Crassus.

“Mommy, can I see him before you put him down?” Coriolanus asks, watching as his father hands his son over to you.

“If you wanted to see him then you shouldn't have spent the entire afternoon in the library. It's dinner time; he needs a nap.” You tell Coryo before walking by him and going to the nursery.

“That’s not fair, Y/N-” Coriolanus begins to shout while starting to follow you, only to be cut off by Crassus jumping up to his feet and stopping him with a firm hand around his arm and the order of, “Leave my wife alone, Coriolanus. If you want to see your brother so badly then see him after dinner.”

Coriolanus yanks his arm out of his father's hold, only to give him a pissy look and storm off towards the dining room. The younger Snow thinks it's ridiculous how he has to bow down to his father when it comes to you and the baby. He hates how he has to watch his family be claimed by his father, who in his opinion doesn't deserve you or the baby.

Coriolanus swears that once he becomes successful he's going to take you and the baby away from his father. In fact, the young man with the light blonde curls is certain that he'll be successful sooner rather than later given how well his first lab experiment went. He successfully did the procedure without any harm to the lab rat and since he did so well, Dr. Gaul has agreed to let him monitor the vitals on it; to conduct more experiments as well.

As long as he keeps impressing the mad scientist and soaking in her beliefs like a sponge he's certain that he'll become a bigger success than his father. That he'll have the power to make you his and to claim your son as his.

Tags: @kuroosbby001 @purriteen @poppyflower-22 @meetmeatyourworst @whipwhoops @bxtchopolis @readingthingsonhere @savagenctzen @ryswritingrecord @erikasurfer @tulips2715 @universal-s1ut @thesmutconnoisseur @squidscottjeans @sudek4l @wearemadeofstardust0 @mashiromochi @gracieroxzy @belcalis9503 @shari-berri @aoi-targaryen @whiteoakoak @spear-bearing-bi-witch @gisellesprettylies @loverandqueenofdragons @qoopeeya @mfnqueen1 @permanentlyexhaustedpigeon88 @v-love @swiftieblyth @joyfulyouthlover @princess-harvey @chxrrybomb22 @marvel-hiddles-stark @xjinnix @devils-blackrose @zombicupcake3 @jacesvelaryons @tempt-ress @nayveetbhh

[vampzity]

Shoot! | P.SH

—✫ pairing: basketball player! seonghwa x cheerleader! gn reader

—✫ genre: fluff, basketball au, ateez, headcanon, bit of angst, park seonghwa, NOT PROOFREAD!!

—✫ description: just seonghwa as your basketball player boyfriend because me and @yyaurii are delusional as heck & i love her and wanted to write this for her <3

—✫ wc:

basketball! seonghwa who’s first encounter with you was basketball & cheerleading tryouts

basketball! seonghwa who felt it was love at first sight and tried to find anyway to see you, meaning he had to try 2x harder just to make it on the team.

basketball! seonghwa who can’t keep his eyes off you whenever he sees you. he makes it a routine to stay back 10 minutes after practice just so he can see you walk into the gym for cheerleading practice.

basketball! seonghwa who admires the way your cheerleading outfit hugs your body, and the way the colors compliment your skin.

basketball! seonghwa who glances at you every time he makes a shot and scores a point for the team.

basketball! seonghwa who smiles as he watches your squad perform during halftime. it always amazes him how well you cam flip mid air.

basketball! seonghwa who makes an effort to talk to you after the first game, complimenting your team and your skills in the hope you won’t find him weird.

basketball! seonghwa who blushes when you accept his compliment, finding you to be a sweet boy.

basketball! seonghwa who lets you borrow his personal basketball, just so you and your friends can take a picture for instagram.

basketball! seonghwa who leaves little secret admirer notes in your locker after practice, so that you can find them the next day.

basketball! seonghwa who takes notice of your liking to the notes and is surprised when you begin to write back to him.

basketball! seonghwa who falls for you harder than he did before and plans to ask you out to homecoming even though you have no idea he is your secret admirer.

basketball! seonghwa who leaves small notes around the school at the end of the day, where you would finally meet him in the gym, surprised to see the team and the squad waiting for you.

basketball! seonghwa who nervously stands in front of you, as your shocked to see that he was your secret admirer all along. of course you say yes to his dear proposal.

basketball! seonghwa who eventually makes the move in starting a relationship with you.

basketball! seonghwa who smiles from ear to ear at hearing you cheer for him at games. whether it’s away or home you always make sure to be there to support him.

basketball! seonghwa who makes sure to watch your halftime performance, despite needing to be at his team’s huddle during that time.

basketball! seonghwa who worries you when he gets injured mid way through the season, resulting in him unable to finish out strong.

basketball! seonghwa who turns you away for a few days after finding out about his broken ankle, too embarsssed for you tos we him in this way.

basketball! seonghwa who eventually lets you in after some convincing, still slightly embarrassed for you to see him in such a vulnerable state.

basketball! seonghwa who pouts whenever you call him a big baby, only because you were tasked with taking care of him and making sure he healed.

basketball! seonghwa who appreciates your need to make sure he’s okay, even if that means spending extra time with him after school.

basketball! seonghwa who gets sad and vents to you about how he cannot play for the rest of the basketball season, and will miss your halftime performances.

basketball! seonghwa who curses himself for not being cautious and letting his pride get the best of him when playing.

basketball! seonghwa who loves your words of reassurance, as you keep him balanced when he feels out of place.

basketball! seonghwa who attends your cheerleading competitions, even if he can’t play basketball. he still loves to show his support to you.

basketball! seonghwa who thinks you’re a star. he likes to call you his star whenever he gets a chance, because you outshine everyone else on the squad.

basketball! seonghwa who feels he’s behind in basketball, solely because he can’t practice with everyone else.

basketball! seonghwa who shoots hoops in his backyard as soon as he’s healed and gone through physical therapy, despite being told to “take it easy.”

basketball! seonghwa who likes to teach you some moves as you watch, putting you on his shoulders so you can shoot into the hoop.

basketball! seonghwa who spends any of his summer free time playing badketball, just so he can catch up for the next season’s tryouts.

basketball! seonghwa who gets you a matching jersey just so you can wear it to any games where the cheer squad won’t be.

basketball! seonghwa who always looks forward to your small postgame dates where you go to a diner in pjs rather than postgame parties.

basketball! seonghwa who purposely wears grey sweats whenever you come over, just because he likes teasing you. just for him to snuggle you in bed.

basketball! seonghwa who lets you ice his legs and give him small massages after practices, just so his muscles don’t tire out.

basketball! seonghwa who makes sure you rest when he realizes you overworking yourself even after cheer practices.

basketball! seonghwa who goes with you to the spa so you can both wind down and relax from a long week of practices.

basketball! seonghwa who makes sure you stay ontop of your homework, but is willing to lend you a hand when things get too overwhelming.

basketball! seonghwa who always keeps a basketball at your home, in case he wants to go to the park and shoot hoops with you.

basketball! seonghwa who jokes around about doing your cheer moves sassier than you

basketball! seonghwa who is grateful that you gave him a chance, despite being a quiet sports kid, as he always thought you were out of his league.

basketball! seonghwa who wouldn’t trade you for the world. he understands that you’re his #1 fan, but he’ll always be yours <3

—✫ taglist: @skzline @rvereri @evidive @xoxkii @vrtualsins

@sanslovesblog @dvrktvnnel @scarfac3 @honeyhwaaa @sundaybossanova

@kittykat-25 @losrpark @yyaurii @hwasddeongbyeoli @joonezra @woojirang

@roomsofangel @mingtinysworld @minghaoslatina @vnessalau @cara-rey

@sanshairfollicles @tiredlittlevirgo

[jawxme]

Tuesdays.

You were almost asleep when your phone buzzed against your pillow, causing you to wake up in a bit of a shock. You hated falling asleep watching TV…but you did it almost every night. You reached under the throw pillow to find your phone. The lock screen was too damn bright, so you squinted your eyes to read the notification.

New Message: Carmy - Are you up? I know I said I didn't but I think I need you tomorrow. Can I count on you?

You read the message a few times over. You started working at Carmen Berzatto's restaurant a few weeks ago and quickly became enamored by the chef. He was handsome and smart, you couldn't help it! Between the small compliments on your dishes and the way you seemed to always give each other little smirks... you felt something. You typed back.

Yes, I can make that happen. You caught me before I fell asleep.

The little bubble popped up to show that he was typing. You couldn't help but imagine him in his own apartment, sitting on the couch or lying in bed, texting you. You held back a smile at the thought. Your phone buzzed in your hand.

Yes what? And I need you to be on time. 9 AM.

You rolled your eyes, picturing Carmen at home and smiling at his own text. You were never late. Never. And he always made fun of you for it. He said you must sit outside the door until the exact moment you are scheduled. And of course, he expect you to say Yes, Chef.

No shit. Heard. And Yes, Chef.

You smiled at your phone, rolling over onto your back. You checked the clock. 11:52pm. Damn. It was later than you thought. Your phone buzzed again.

Good. See you tomorrow.

You didn't want to say goodnight. You and Carmy had a few nights where you would text and joke around just slightly. You wanted to initiate more. You wanted to keep talking to him. You inhaled deeply and typed a response.

Carm, I have a question for you. You can tell me to fuck off and go to sleep, but I want to ask... What do you really think of me?

Your finger hovered over the send icon for a moment. You considered deleting it, but you pressed send. You watched the bubble appear as he was typing. You kept re-reading your message as he typed, feeling embarrassed you even asked. Then, you saw his message come in.

Sometimes you can be reckless and impulsive to a fault. You have a tendency to push my buttons and get on my nerves, but I appreciate your willingness to speak your mind. Overall, I’ll keep you around.

You started typing immediately before you could even think.

I'll keep that in mind. I sometimes like getting a reaction out of you, if I'm being honest. Sometimes it is nice to know I can get under your skin. I like it. Goodnight, Bear.

*************** the next day, after work ******************

Work kicked your ass. It was a very long day and Carmy was stressed and frazzled. You didn't really have any time to have a personal chat with him, it was all work-related. The only bit of reality you two had was when you dropped a pan that had been searing chicken and you looked up at him when he yelled at you. A few minutes later, he gave you the "I'm Sorry" sign language motion, and you moved on with your day. A million things went wrong during service. You wanted to talk to him again. You pulled out your phone as you sat down on the couch.

Hey, Chef. Service was crazy today. Sorry I didn't have a better grip on things. Hope you're ok. Today was chaotic.

You started making yourself a PB&J sandwich, your usual go-to when you would rather die than cook something. You were spreading the peanut butter when your phone buzzed on the counter.

I appreciate you. Chaotic is one way to describe it. But we made it through. What are you doing?

You finished your sandwich and took a bite. You stared at his message on your screen and contemplated what to say. You held your sandwich in your mouth as you started typing. Fuck it.

Making a PB&J sandwich. Don't laugh. It’s my comfort dinner... Maybe this is stupid and I am just tired, but I need to know. I know you look at me differently than you look at others like Tina. Do you find me attractive?

Send. You felt your stomach curl as you re-read your message. Fuckkkk. What if this ruined your chances of working for him for a long time? Ugh. You couldn't help it, you just had to know. You saw him typing and then not. Typing again, and then not. Shit. You flipped your phone over, you didn’t want to watch. You flipped it back over. Of course you needed to watch. You bit your lip as you saw the text come in.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't.

Christ. You felt your stomach do a few more curls as you took in what he sent. He was still typing and you waited anxiously, your thumbs hovering over the screen.

…But we have to remain professional. Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if Richie found out? We would never hear the end of it.

You knew he was right. You smirked as you typed a response.

Oh, Nat would be so smug too. We can just keep it between us.

You walked to your bed as you waited for his response. You felt high, knowing that you and Carmy were finally acknowledging this attraction. Your phone buzzed.

That is for the best. We can keep it under wraps for now. And as long as you don't push my buttons too much.

You chuckled as you responded. For now. For now. For now.

Hm. No promises on the button situation. I like to press them.

He heart-reacted to the response, a signal that he was fading away on the couch most likely. You couldn't blame him, you were exhausted.

******** the next day, after work************

The Beef closed at 6pm on Tuesdays. It was the only day that you didn't close at 10pm. Thank God. You enjoyed being able to have a little bit of evening before you collapsed in bed. You got home and jumped in the shower. You heard your phone buzz as you washed your hair. You smiled, hoping it was Carmy. You hadn't even been apart for an hour, but you secretly hoped he missed you already. You finished washing yourself before stepping out of the shower and reaching for your phone.

Today took a lot out of me, not interested in cooking. I think I'll make a PB&J. Heard you like those. Wanna join?

You held your phone close to your chest as you felt a warmth spreading through your neck and face. This was moving faster than you thought, but you weren't mad about it.

Absolutely.

You responded. You hurried to your closet and threw on leggings, a purple sweater, and your boots. You dried your hair and threw on a bit of makeup. Carmy sent you his address along with another text.

Let's keep this low-key. I've got sweatpants on and don't plan on changing.

Carmen Berzatto in sweatpants. The thought made you blush.

*************later that night, Carmy's apartment***********

You walked up to the door and knocked three times. You were so nervous it was almost unbearable. The door swung open and you saw him. Carmen was standing at the doorway and slightly leaning on the doorframe. He had on grey sweatpants and a light blue long sleeve. His eyes were complimenting the shirt nicely. Damn, was he gorgeous. He grinned as his eyes dropped to your lips and then slowly back up to your eyes. It was a slight glance but you noticed it. “Hey..." He was so quiet with his greeting you weren't sure if you imagined it. He stared at you and your eyes glanced behind him into the apartment. "Fuck, right, um...come in.” He said with a furrowed brow, his voice so low it was almost a whisper. When he wasn’t screaming in the kitchen, he was a quiet guy. He stepped to the side so you were able to step in the doorway.

You smiled and slowly looked around his apartment. It was bare. Naked. Horribly white and empty. You felt Carmen’s eyes tracking you as you looked around. “It’s not much but it serves its purpose f'me.” He brought his hand to his mouth and rubbed his chin. While you took in the apartment, he helped you take off your jacket. He tossed it onto a lamp by the front door. You cleared your throat and turned to him. “Hope this is okay…” you motioned to your outfit.

He smiled and looked down at his own outfit. “Yeah, yeah, definitely okay. When I’m not at work, I just want to…um… to be comfortable.” He tugged on the sleeves of his shirt. You stood around somewhat awkwardly as you watched him get a drink of water for you. He noticed your awkwardness and chuckled. “Sit down! You don’t have to act like a guest. Make yourself comfortable, chef.” He was trying to hide his awkwardness as well.

You sat down in the kitchen on the single stool at the bar top. Carmy started pulling out the bread, peanut butter, and jelly and assembling the sandwiches for the two of you. You still felt awkward and he knew it. “You can relax, y’know. The atmosphere here is different than the restaurant. I’m not gonna…” he sniffled, pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. He raised his hand to the air trying to find the rest of his sentence. “I’m not gonna uh, yell at you or anything.” You blushed hard when he said that. Of course, it filled your mind with the image of him pounding into you against the countertop and barking sexual instructions at you. You tried to stay grounded in the moment when you responded. “Right. Sorry. Those look good.” You looked at the messy sandwiches.

Carmy chuckled, his eyes glancing up at you and then back at the messy sandwiches on the bare counter. “Shut the fuck up.” He tossed the sandwiches on paper plates and put one in front of you. “Eat up, a Berzatto special.” He began. He leaned forward on the counter, only having the one stool forced him to stand. He had his elbows on the counter and leaned forward to you as you took a bite. “I’ve, uh...gotta ask… smooth or crunchy?”

You chewed your bite and covered your mouth with your hand as you licked the peanut butter from your teeth. “Oh, crunchy for sure.” You muttered. Carmy gently slapped the counter and brought his tattooed hand up to his curly locks and raked his fingers through. His arms looked so muscular and perfect… “Correct answer! Didn’t know you were a peanut butter aficionado.” You grinned. “Of course. You’ve gotta have some texture in the sandwich, or else it’s just-“ “Too fuckin' mushy. Yeah, yeah.” Carmen nodded as he finished your sentence and also his sandwich with a huge bite.

Carmy’s eyes were glued to you as you finished up your sandwich. He wasn’t afraid of staring, that’s for sure. The edges of his mouth curled up slowly, he enjoyed watching you eat the food he made. Even if it was just a PB&J.

After you finished, Carmy took your paper plate and threw it away. “I, uh... Couch?” He mumbled, his arm outstretched to you as he stood on the other side of the kitchen. You wanted to grin at the way he couldn't formulate a proper question, but you didn't think you'd be able to either. You nodded, standing up. He kept his hand reached out, so you took his hand. He led you to the couch. You were obsessed with the fact that you were holding hands with Carmen. It was a ratty old couch. His setup was pretty awful. His little TV was balanced on a card table and the cords were a mess.

He flicked the television on to a random cooking show as you both sat down and then tossed the remote onto the coffee table that was covered in old bills and paperwork from The Beef. The couch was old and sunken in, not ideal for sitting apart from each other. His body immediately slid closer to you and he tossed his arm over your shoulders. “Comfy?” He asked, peering down at you from the corner of his eyes. He didn’t turn to face you, or else your faces would’ve been almost touching. You felt a surge of confidence and you turned your head towards him, gently placing your chin on his shoulder and cuddling up to him. He peeked down at you with that grin once again, the sides of his mouth curling up just slightly. “Very comfy.” You answered him.

You studied Carmen’s face. He had very strong features. His eyes sunk in a way that made him look perpetually sleep deprived. His nose and jaw were both chiseled to perfection. His lips had the perfect “M” curvature. You loved his lips, you would frequently catch yourself staring at them while he smoked cigarettes in front of you. The way the cigarette clung to his upper lip while he spoke would never fail to mesmerize you. He had a slight stubble, but not a beard. His hair was always so fucking messy and disheveled looking, but in a sexy way. Carmen didn’t have to even try to look good. Your thoughts were halted by Carmy placing his hand on your knee. “You uh... See something y'like?” He asked, referencing the way you were just completely staring at him. You felt your face flush. “Sorry, Carm. I am just not used to seeing you in this type of environment. It’s so different. Like… I’m just seeing you as Carmy, not Chef Carmen Berzatto. It’s different for me.”

“Is it, uh....Good different?” He asked, tilting his head slightly as he turned to look at you. You softly nodded. “Okay.” He whispered. He gently placed his left hand on the side of your face, turning you to completely face him. His thumb gently grazed across your soft skin on your cheek. Your breathing stopped as you looked into his eyes. His stare was almost like a begging, his eyes speaking a language without even trying.

He studied your face, his eyes lingering on your mouth for a moment before sliding his hand up slightly to cup your jaw. He ran his thumb across your bottom lip in a gentle but firm swipe. You felt yourself melting under his touch. You inhaled sharply, your eyes fixed on his face as they slowly swam around your facial features. He smiled slightly when he heard your breath catch. His other hand was still on your knee. He gently tugged on your leg, helping your body pivot towards him.

You leaned in close to his face, the tension thicker than you thought possible. He slowly and carefully touched his lips to yours. You were surprised how gentle it was, but that didn’t last incredibly long. As soon as your lips touched, he pressed his tongue into your mouth. You felt how desperate he was to be close to you. The hand on your jaw moved to the nape of your neck and he kept you pulled close. He tasted like cigarettes and cologne. His grip loosened and you whimpered into the kiss, “I’ve wanted to do this for so long…” You felt him smile into the kiss as he replied. “Me too, but uh...stop talking now?”

He dropped his hands to your waist and gave you a playful squeeze. You continued to make out with Carmy for who knows how long. His strong arm wrapped around your waist as your body twisted on the couch. He pulled you in even closer, his other hand tangling in your hair. He nibbled your lip gently as he let go of your waist. “Lie back."

You did as you were told and leaned back so you lay flat on the couch. He crawled on top of you without breaking the kiss for more than a few seconds. He placed himself between your legs as his kiss deepened. You’ve never had a kiss like this. It’s like your brain was able to completely shut off, the natural rhythm you both shared was exactly synced up.

You arched your back slightly in efforts to draw yourself closer to him. You peeked your eyes open to see Carmen’s face, completely relaxed and soft. His eyes were closed softly, his eyelashes fluttering lightly. His usually furrowed brow was relaxed for the first time that you had seen. Carmy broke the kiss as he pushed himself up slightly. His curls fell and his upper lip was wet with saliva. “Fuck me.” He whispered as he grinned.

You weren’t sure if that was meant as a compliment or…a request? Carmen cussed a lot. Sometimes it was because something was bad, but sometimes it was because something was really good. You hoped the latter. He slid his hand underneath the hem of your sweater, his fingers grazing over your bare skin. He moved his hand up your stomach and rested it right below your breast. His mouth hovered so close to yours, but far enough that you couldn’t kiss him. “You’re wearing too much.” He whispered as his fingers danced circles on your skin.

You both sat up, Carmen ripped his long sleeve shirt over his head, tousling his hair. You pulled your sweater off and unhooked your bra before throwing them both to the floor. Carmen took a moment to admire your naked chest. “Fuck, you’re uh... you're beautiful.” He mumbled. He reached behind you and laid you down again on the couch. He started placing soft kisses along your neck. His upper lip dragging along your skin between kisses. He left a trail of kisses down to your right nipple before sucking on it softly. You felt yourself melt even further into the couch.

He continued kissing lower until he passed your bellybutton and reached the waistband of your leggings. “Fuck, Carmy…” you whimpered as he dipped his tongue under the waistband, teasing you like crazy. You looked down and saw his nose pressed against your belly as he kissed your skin so desperately. You lifted up your lower half and he immediately grabbed your leggings and slid them down, your panties too. His hands found your upper thighs and he spread your legs slightly.

He kissed the soft skin on your inner thighs and looked up at you. The curls were tickling your skin as his eyes met your gaze. “Do you want me to go down on you?” He asked. Obviously. Duh. Please. Fuck yes. Now. You wanted to scream but all you could do was mutter “Yes…” between gasps. He kissed the spot right above your clit, humming as he did so. “Yes what?” He asked with confidence.

This made you inhale sharply because you knew exactly what he wanted you to say. Your mouth opened slightly as you stared down at him, his eyebrows raised but his eyes focused. “Yes, Chef.” You whispered. He smirked and slid down lower between your legs. He pushed your leggings completely off and grabbed your knees, placing them on his shoulders. “That's right...” he softly praised you as his lips met your core.

Instinctually, your hands grabbed Carmen's curls. You couldn't help it. The way his tongue repeatedly stroked you was driving you insane right away. You tugged on his hair and held him as close as you could. You felt his thumbs on either side of your opening, pressed into you and holding your legs open for his face. His nose was nuzzled against your clit while he ate you out, and you had no complaints.

Two of his fingers dipped between your folds and sunk deep into you. You whined loudly, craving more of him. Usually, you were fairly self-concious about your body and any noises you would make during sex... but with Carmy, you just didn't care. The pleasure was too overwhelming. He was still his shy, awkward self... but during this, Carmen had a surge of confidence, almost like he knew how good he was. He scooted up so his face was close to yours, his fingers still working at your core. "My fingers feel fuckin' good, hm?" He whispered as his lips hovered over yours.

Your face suddenly flushed with embarrassment as you opened your eyes and saw Carmy watching your facial expressions. You reached your hands up and covered your face, but then you felt his fingers stop moving inside you. "No, no, no don't...don't uh, don't cover your face, okay? I like to watch you enjoy it." Carmy whispered, nudging your hands away with his nose. You moved your hands from your face to the sides of his neck and played with his curls. "Yeah, like that...I dunno, it's uh, it's sexy f'me to watch." He grinned and blushed, and so did you.

You felt a surge of your own confidence. "Now you lay down." You whispered and pushed against Carmy's chest. He did not struggle as he quickly leaned back and flopped backwards on the couch. He watched as with wide eyes as you stood up off the couch and found your place on top of him.

You liked the view of being on top of Carmy. His hair was messy, his cheeks were flushed, and his lips still shiny. His hands immediately found your thighs and hips. He gave them an affectionate squeeze and ran his hands up and down your thighs. He reached his hands towards your face and placed them on your cheeks and sides of your neck. "C'mere..." He whispered. You leaned down and he closed the gap between your mouths. He captured you in a deep and passionate kiss. You rocked back and forth with the kiss, creating some friction against the hardness you could feel in his sweatpants.

He broke off the kiss for a moment and held the sides of your face softly. "You're driving me crazy, y'know that?" He whispered before he went back to kissing you. His tongue was stale with cigarette smoke mixed with your own juices and he was an excellent kisser. Carmen looked down, his hands finding his waistband and tugging at his sweats. "Gotta get these off..." He started pulling them down. You realized he didn't have any boxers on, so when you began helping him pull them down, his hard erection popped out and lay against his lower midsection.

With his waistband now down at his knees, he pulled your hips back down on top of him. He groaned when he felt your wet folds against his cock, they slid up and down on him so perfectly as you shifted your weight. You wanted to tease Carmy.

You began grinding against him, letting your wet folds slide the length of him. Each time you reached his perfect pink head, you paused, wanting to drive him up the wall. You were succeeding. His cheeks flushed more with each glide against his length. His head fell back against the couch cushion as he let out a low groan, his hands desperately gripping your waist in an attempt to adjust your hips for him to enter you. That same feeling of confidence spilled out as you spoke. "Fuck, Carmy, you really want me, don't ya?"

He was growing more desperate with each moment that passed, but hearing you say that made his cock twitch. "Fuck, yeah I do, I really want ya..." he groaned as he reached up to your chest and his hands cupped both of your breasts. "Please, I..." He begged, sighing.

You lifted your hips slightly as you wrapped your hand around his length and held him vertical as you slid down on top of him. The moment his head fully entered you, you both let out a moan. Carmy's moan was desperate and whiny. He was melting. He needed you so badly. His fingers were digging into your hips as you settled back down on top of him, his length stretching you out. He lifted his hips barely to make sure all of him could be inside you. "F-fuck... feels so amazin'..." He whispered between breaths.

He couldn't tear his gaze away from you. He was so submissive for you. He watched in awe, his lips parted as you started riding him slowly. His hands were strong against your hips, but not hurting you. He was attempting to let you set the pace, but his begging grip was speaking for itself. "C'mere..." He exhaled, wanting to kiss you. You leaned forward as you kept riding him. Your mouths met in a messy, desperate kiss. His hand tangled in your hair. His voice was ragged and breathless as he whispered, "Y'feel so fuckin' good. Don't stop ridin' me."

He groaned as he felt you move faster, his cock sliding in and out of you easier. You slowed your pace as you grinned, wanting to torture him a little bit. You bit your lip as he looked at you. That desperate look was gone from Carmy's eyes though. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around your waist and shot up, picking you up and stumbling over to the kitchen counter. He sat you on the countertop, his cock still inside you. He pulled your hips down until you were hanging off the edge, just perfectly so he could fuck you.

You felt your heart pounding in your chest with the sudden power swap. Carmy stared into your eyes as he thrust once, his cock going all the way inside you before sliding out.... and then he did it again. He started fucking you on his countertop. You moaned with each thrust, being completely filled up each time. Carmy was out of breath, but he whispered, "Feels so good, yea?" You nodded your head and exhaled, "Yes.... yes..." Carmy's tattooed hand grabbed your chin roughly which made your eyes shoot open. He was still fucking you at a decent pace, but he held your face still. His eyes wandered to your lips as he softly exhaled "Yes what?"

Fuck, he was so sexy like this. "Yes, Chef." You whined, throwing your head back as he picked up the pace. He loved your compliance, the way you whined your responses. His breath hitched as he felt you wrap your legs around him, pulling him in closer. He grabbed your hips, pulling you even closer to the edge of the countertop, begging the space between you two to dissolve. "Fuck." He grunted.

You felt a heat rising in your lower belly. You knew once you felt this, you weren't going to last much longer. "Carm, I'm... I'm gonna cum..." You mewled as he grunted as a response. His thrusts were irregular and needy, you knew he was close to his orgasm as well. You clawed at his neck, begging for a kiss. He leaned forward and your tongues met in an incredibly sloppy kiss. Carmy's breath was hitching and shaking as he got closer, which made you focus on yours.

You felt the wave building up, the heat growing in your belly, and you snapped your eyes open to watch Carmy start to come undone. "Oh, fuck!" He grunted as he let his orgasm loose. This caused you to teeter over the edge and plunge into the depth of your orgasm as well.

Your brain felt fuzzy. The sound of the both of you breathing heavy was filling the air. Carmy was still inside you, almost holding you in a hug as he caught his breath. He placed kisses against your neck as he took deep breaths through his nose. "Ssshit, that was good." He hissed, taking a step back and allowing his now limp cock to slide out of you. You giggled at the sight of him, all disheveled and exhausted. His eyes were wide and sunken as he rubbed his face, droplets of sweat falling from his brow.

He reached for a dish towel and wiped himself off before gingerly cleaning you up. You sat on the countertop, allowing him to wipe you clean. He took a step back and you hopped down from the counter. He grinned and looked down at the floor and started softly laughing. "What!" You gasped as you started giggling yourself. "Nothin', that was just... really fuckin' good." You loved the way he looked when he laughed, his wrinkles by his eyes and the slight crinkle of his nose.

You giggled as he brought you a blanket to cover yourself with. "Well, fuck, I didn't know if we would go all the way tonight or just dip our toes in..." He said, still chuckling as his hair fell over his forehead. "Me either." You agreed. Carmy reached his hand out and helped you walk over to his bedroom. Again, a pathetic room with no decorations, just a plain bed against a plain wall. "Sleep with me tonight? I'll set an alarm bright and early so uh, you can get home before we gotta work...and maybe we can do this every Tuesday, if y'want." His hands raked through his curls again as he blushed softly. God, he was so cute. "Sure. Yes." You smiled. Carmy's eyes shifted as he got serious again. "Yes what?"

You rolled your eyes and laid down on his bed. "Yes, CHEF." You laughed. He snickered as he laid down beside you, reaching his arm over to cuddle you. "Ok, good..." He confirmed. "Tuesdays."

[wisecrackingeric-2]

Serennedy Pride Week day one- First Date/Raccoon City!!

He’s nervous for his first date ok!!!!!!!!

Bonus Drabble I wrote for @hamartia-grander under the cut!!!!!! :DDD you can also read it here!! https://archiveofourown.org/works/56844493

“Thank You for taking me out today”

“Of course, ¡quierido! It’s been my plea-“

“I really mean it, Luis…”

Luis was cut off by the sudden, gentle lilt in Leon’s tone; a sharp contrast to the easy, usual flow of laughter that erupted from their conversations. Luis paused, just outside of the water fountain that sat square in the middle of Raccoon Cities park- the bubbling of water just loud enough to hide the quiet gasp that escaped his throat when he turned to face Leon.

His face was flushed, more so than usual; Cherry-pink cheeks accompanied big, wide darting eyes and wringing hands to paint a picture of nervousness Luis had never seen on Leon. Regret sunk deep in his chest- had it been a bad idea to ask Leon out for a walk about the city? Had he regretted saying yes, and was too shy to speak up hours earlier?

Or…. Had he caught onto Luis’ more…. Nuanced intentions?

Had he finally caught on that it seemed rather odd for an Umbrella scientist to take the entire day off of work just to hang out with a rookie cop he’d met only a day ago? Or that his flirting and warm touches went a little further than just friendliness and foreign charm? Had Leon seen straight past his confidence, his bravado, flamboyancy and his charm to stare down the secret he kept buried deep between his ribcage like a hawk circling its prey?? Had Leon figured out Luis was-

“You, ah… you're easy to talk to, and, um…”

Luis was snapped back to reality when he realised oh. Leon was trying to compliment him.

If his heart wasn’t racing before, it sure felt like he was running a marathon now.

Luis couldn’t lie to himself- he adored Leon. That boyish smile and scruffy blonde hair and uniform that looked too heavy on his shoulders caught his eye the second he met him. He wanted to give the man the world and more, if he’d let him. Unfortunately, a tour around Raccoon City was all he could afford for the time being- but not once did Luis ever even consider that Leon might like him back.

He held his tongue as he waited for Leon to finish. He didn’t want to get his hopes up… not yet.

“I-I’m really grateful that you, um, wanted me t-to, uh, I mean- that you-“

Luis’ heart squeezed tight when he saw the way Leon hung his head in defeat, kicking the rocks beneath his heels all the while.

“ Fuck, sorry, I’m messing this up-“

“No, nonono, look at me,”

Maybe it was a little bold, but without thinking, Luis brought his fingers to Leon’s chin and tilted his gaze up to meet his own; his big blue eyes going wider than Luis had ever seen them. He couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re not messing anything up, ¿sí? Nothing at all…”

He didn’t know why, but Luis felt compelled to lower his voice. He let his eyelashes droop a little and chose to ignore the way Leon seemed to instinctively copy him.

Mierda he wanted to kiss him so bad.

“I’ve had a lovely day with you, too, Leon. I’m grateful I got to spend it with you”

If Leon’s face wasn’t flushed before, it sure as hell was now.

He opened and closed his mouth multiple times before Luis chose mercy and let go of his chin, still holding back giggles like his life depended on it. Leon took the opportunity to take a step back, still stuttering over his words and scratching the back of his neck awkwardly but at least this time with a little bit of space between them.

“U-Uh, t-thank you very m-much-“

“There’s no need to thank me,”

Luis made a show of opening his arms out and resting his weight on one foot, jutting out his hip a little.

“Just another day of changing lives for Doctor Luis Serra Navarro, ey?”

That made Leon giggle. Messy, boyish and terribly contagious- finally giving Luis the opportunity to let go and laugh alongside him. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d laughed so freely, but it felt warm in his chest and even a little bit like home.

“W-Well!! Maybe you’ll need to come back and, uh, ‘change my life’ again sometime??”

Poor Leon cringed at his own attempt at flirting. Luis, however, was totally enamored.

“¡ Por favor!! I think I may die if I never see you again!!”

“Hah. Yeah, ah, don’t do that. That’d be a bad idea”

An awkward silence hung between them. That lucid, in-between state of needing to leave but not wanting to weighed the both of them down like sinkers to a fishing line.

Luis (while desperately fighting against his body to do otherwise), looked away and coughed awkwardly to break the spell.

“Well, my dear Leon, I guess this is adiós for no-“

Luis was cut off by Leon’s lips against his.

He almost didn’t even notice it’d happened. Leon was so soft and so quick with it, it was over before he could even blink- his gaze being greeted with an incredibly red, incredibly sweaty and incredibly trembly Leon standing in front of him. He was wringing his hands out like crazy and his eyebrows seemed to be permanently knitted together in concern.

He was staring at Luis like a frightened deer; each second that passed only fuelled the anxiety and concern clawing away at his chest.

“O-Oh my god, I-I-I’m s-so sorry, Luis, I don’t- I didn’t know what- I-“

“ Hey,”

Luis was quick to place gentle hands on the rookies shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze

“ Sssssshhh, está bien, Alright? Está bien…”

“I’m so, so so sorry I shouldn’t have assumed-“

“Leon,”

Luis cut him off again. A little more stern, this time.

“It’s OK. I liked it”

“ What??”

Leon looked as if Luis had just confessed to a murder. He tried his damndest not to laugh, but the relief in his chest that Leon wasn’t here to snitch his queerness out wasn’t helping.

“I, hmm, how do I put this-“

“You’re gay?”

“Well that’s one way to be blunt about it”

The two of them burst into inevitable laughter; joy, solace and relief filling their stomachs like a drug they couldn’t get enough of. If Luis felt like his laughter could be free before, then he sure as hell felt like he could fly now.

“ Dios mío, Leon, you have no idea how grateful I am right now-“

“ You’re grateful?!”

Leon blurted out with a smile,

“How do you think I feel right now!! I was convinced I was so dead!!!”

“Lo siento, cariño, I didn’t mean to scare you-“

“No no, it’s okay,”

Their laughter eventually died down, but at least for Luis, the adrenaline never really left his body.

“I just feel a lil bad now I didn’t give you a proper kiss…”

“Don’t be! How about I strike you a deal,”

Luis handed Leon a little Umbrella business card with his number etched on the back,

“Meet me here again same time tomorrow, and I can take you home and show you how to kiss proper, deal?”

“ Proper? You mean-“

Leon cut himself off and blushed profusely.

“ Ooooooohhhhh-“

“Soooo, is that a deal…?”

“ Please.”

Luis threw his head back and laughed, giving Leon one last kiss on the cheek- that he was sure left the poor blonde short-circuiting- before spinning around on his heels and waving him goodbye.

“ I’ll see you then, cowboy!!”

“Uh- yeah!!”

Leon shouted back, still recovering from his own kiss.

“I’ll see you then!!”

[ystrike1]

Watakushi no Koto ga Daikirai na Gitei ga Goei Kishi ni narimashita - By Tatara oi (7/10)

Misunderstandings can drag out a story and make it awful. In this case it's used to show how naive our protagonist is and how awkward the yandere is. It's all about an escort knight and his lady. They both live in a coddled little bubble and the plot stakes aren't very high. It feels a bit forced.

Nigel is not her brother.

It's a misunderstanding.

Willemina thinks she's a bully, but she's just strict. She thinks Nigel is an illegitimate child who will eventually take her place because he's male and extremely talented.

Nigel adores her because she's smart and a good teacher. His feelings grow into something more twisted and he decides to become her escort knight to stay by her side....all the time. Even though he's a secret royal heir she is his priority.

Nigel makes the misunderstanding worse because he's a bit weird. He wants Willemina to trust him so he lets her mistakenly believe they are related. Perhaps it's for her safety as well? Maybe the royal inheritance is a bit dangerous?

It's clearly not an issue though. The children are well cared for. Nobody gets abused. Willemina thinks she's a bully because she doesn't compliment her genius brother all the time. They feel like very sheltered and awkward kids.

Her father is great.

He even reassures her there is no competition. He would never try to replace his child with a new heir.

Willemina has no awareness. She ALSO believes she's plain and even somewhat ugly....because Nigel is so gorgeous...yeah that's somewhat understandable I guess. Nigel makes her feel insecure. So naturally she doesn't assume her "brother" has a crush on her either.

He is jealous of her fiancé and the brother thing starts to get weird. Nigel is a very awkward and sweet yandere. He's not really trying to be manipulative. He just wants to be her only confidant. Very toxic, yes. Violent? No.

Very, very toxic.

As they grow she does figure out some things. She's unable to distance herself from Nigel because he becomes her knight WITHOUT HER KNOWLEDGE.

He kinda sneaks into the position, but she does agree willingly in the end.

She saved him once too.

It makes him more devoted.

Willemina misunderstands AGAIN. She thinks Nigel is serving her because he feels he owes her. It is understandable because Nigel constantly lies, but it does get annoying.

He insists he has a pure love he won't let go of.

I assume the romance part will be extra sweet.

[cumulo-ghoulll]

Ghoul Pack HCs

Love languages!!

Dew

At first, you'll be almost sure he doesn't like you

Tries to hide his feelings for you but eventually caves in and confesses

Starts small with things like gift giving, maybe something like a pick he doesn't use anymore or a flower he found in Primo's gardens

As he starts to find out what you like, he will bring you a gift every time he comes to see you, anything from chocolates to new clothes

He allows himself to be more vulnerable around you the longer you date

He likes to curl up next to you while you work like a cat and let's you play with his hair

Definitely the little spoon and refuses to sleep in any other position with you

Rain

Similar to Dew, he is a big gift giver (as are most ghouls) , but he does it the second he realises he has feelings

He also loves seeing you wear his clothes and if you ask his opinion on your outfit he'll often respond with something along the lines of "you look great but you'd look even better in my shirt"

He will infodump. A lot. You just caught a crucian carp in AC? Be prepared for a 15 minute Ted talk about them (Rain's chirps of excitement included)

Goes out of his way to surprise and please you

He'll make sure he finds out what your favourite song is, learn it, and come seek you out and show you

Constantly checks in on you to make sure you're okay

Always offers you food when he has any but is worried about you if you decline

Takes you down to the pond to show you his koi carp and promises to name his next one after you

Aether

Very big about acts of service

Had a rough day at work? Don't worry, he sensed it and has already run you a bubble bath, lit candles, and ordered your favourite food

Feeling sick? He got you! Uses his quint powers to make you feel better (although he's been told off for using his powers for such things)

Loves treating you no matter the occasion

Will constantly offer to help you out with anything from work to washing laundry

All he wants at the end of the day is to see you fulfilled and know that he was able to keep you satisfied

Phantom

Relationships aren't really something on his mind but he loves spending time with you

All he wants is someone who's able to match his energy but also keep him out of trouble

It takes him a while to realise he's fallen in love with you but struggles to hide it

He constantly blushes and stutters around you but continuously denies having a crush on you when the other ghouls bring it up

Starts by asking you if you'd like to come to the record store with him (while vigorously mentioning that it is not a date)

Elated when you say yes and has to have a quick zoomies session

Walks down every aisle and picks up a bunch of vinyls and is quick to recommend you bands when he notices you're empty handed

Later confesses over lunch that he might just possibly maybe be in love with you a bit

Gets the zoomies again when you reciprocate the feeling

Drives you home like a girlboss (he rides the curb half the time)

After that he CONTINUOUSLY shows you off to everyone and makes sure you receive a minimum of 10 compliments a day (he keeps count)

Swiss

Spoils you rotten

Is very upfront once he realises he has feelings and doesn't have time to chase after you if you're not interested, he'll get over it pretty quick

Even before you start dating he loves to just appear next to you no matter where you are

Takes you to the fanciest restaurants and orders expensive wine (with Copia's card)

Loves going to clubs but hates losing you in them so he constantly keeps his tail around you as you both dance

He really loves getting matching jewelry and he usually finds a way to get loc jewelry that matches your rings or bracelets

He loves cooking for you and likes to bring you breakfast in bed

He does all of this regardless if you're dating or not because he just likes spending time with you

Mountain

Is very shy at first but plucks up the courage to ask you out

Hides in his greenhouse even if you accepted his offer

He likes to leave small potted plants in your room with little notes like "you looked stunning today" and "meet me in the woods, 6pm"

He loves to take you mushroom picking in the woods and showing you what you can and can't eat

After a week, he officially invites you to the pack minecraft world and puts your bed next to his

He starts to grow your favourite flowers in his gardens (while using a bit of his earth magic to keep them healthy and vibrant)

He gifts you perfumes/aftershaves with floral scents "so you always smell of me!"

Once you're super close, he lets you decorate his antlers with paint or makeup and even keeps your rings on the thinner parts of them while you're in the shower

Cirrus

Very similar to Swiss and Aether

She'll ask you straight up if you'd be interested in going on a date with her

Spoils you absolutely rotten if you agree but isn't too upset if you decline

She's very helpful and likes to do everything for you but, unlike Aeth, you have no choice if she offers to do something for you

Even if you're just trying to turn the page of your magazine, if Cirrus is around all you'll get it "let me do that for you doll! No really, let me get that for you." as she bats your hand away from the page

She picks up a little side job so she has more money to spend on you

She loves taking you to expensive restaurants and buying the most expensive wines

She loves having you lay on her stomach/chest and running her fingers through you hair while you fall asleep

Cumulus

Presents, presents, presents!!

She loves making clothes for you or having you model things she's making for others

She also makes you stuffies and blankets and really anything you ask for

She also loves doing your makeup if you agree to it

She has you lay down so she can straddle you and lean close to your face as she does your eyeliner

She'll do your nails too, sometimes when you're asleep so you wake up with rainbow nails

She sends you random texts throughout the day, usually 0.5s of her and whoever she's with

She has her mice come and find you to lead you back to her room where she's prepared a rose bath for the both of you

[keikakudori]

He starts when his name is called. Not quite as inconspicuous as hoped, then. He slowly shakes his head; the brightest of blue eyes following those long fingers as they touch along the captain's cheekbones. Heat creeps into his cheeks. "No... Nothing like that.." He finally mumbles, when he feels staying silent any longer would be impolite. He hardly thinks Ichimaru-taichou will have anything to complain about where Aizen-taichou's features are concerned. He chews his lip, teeth finding the dent in the flesh where enamel digs in regularly. His gaze dips, traveling the other's chin, the graceful arch of his neck, and what little he can discern of his collarbone. A shame Aizen-taichou is not one of the captains that chooses to take uniform regulations with a grain of salt..

Ah.. He shouldn't be thinking of such things. Izuru often thinks he ought to try to keep his thoughts in check, lest someone eventually finds some way to read them.

mind reading was, fortunately, not one of his abilities -- yet sometimes people did seem to wonder. after all, the captain had a habit of seeming to know exactly what another person was thinking. that, however, came down to merely finding almost everyone around himself dreadfully transparent, to some degree or another as well as keen observation. there was one individual, however, who always remained opaque to him and ever made aizen's head turn to follow him with those keen depths of sorrel. the moon's allure remained strong, yet how elusive the full face of it could be. but that was simply part of their dynamic and their dance. gin allured. aizen smiled and offered his own allure in kind. for without the sun's light, how else would the moon shine so brightly in the evening sky? right now, though, he found himself smiling that slightly indulgent and faintly whimsical smile which had caused weakened knees and flushes alike to izuru as he lowered his hand from his face, hands tucking into his sleeves as the younger shinigami was regarded overall. his gaze lingered briefly on that badge of age-dark wood before rising to the gaze of blue once more, his shoulders shifting briefly beneath the layers he wore. well, there were times when word would race around the seireitei whenever aizen deigned to remove the glasses and strip down to the waist in one of those sessions he used to teach younger or newer members of the division; the summer months did draw considerable crowds. beyond that? the layers of kosode and shitagi were left to show a slice of collarbone and tanned skin alike, a shadowed dip of the groove between firm pectorals; no, he did not bare his arms but he certainly did show off an expanse of skin down to his sternum and that certainly could cause quite a bit of titillation for others.

❝ well, that's good to know. did i interrupt you running an errand for your captain? don't let me keep you, if so. ❞ not that he imagined that gin would exactly be prone to keeping izuru on a tight schedule, of course. yes, he knew very well just how hard working his former lieutenant was - but he was not strict.

❝ still, i hope that you are setting into your new role as lieutenant. i've heard nothing but good about you so far. ❞

[thelostgirl21]

Me: *Humbly attempts singing "Burn Butcher Burn" during my singing lessons.*

Teacher: Okay, first, that song actually really suits you and your voice. Just be careful not to force it on some of the higher notes...

Me: *Internally*

[victorluvsalice]

The "Valicer In The Dark Meets Baldur's Gate III" Not-Incorrect Quotes/Shitpost Collection

(Don't worry too much about spoilers -- most of this is early-game stuff, with just a couple of things relating to stuff in Act II)

--

Alice: [having just met Lae'zel on the Nautiloid and been informed of the situation with the parasites] And who are you, exactly?

Lae'zel: Who am I? Your only chance of survival.

[later, after the imps have been fought, and everyone's met back up and freed Shadowheart:]

Victor: [introducing himself as they get back on the move] I'm Victor.

Alice: I'm Alice. [pointing to Lae'zel] And this is Only.

Lae'zel: ?

Alice: Well, you've given me nothing else to call you.

--

Shadowheart: [after being informed the trio live in a world without a sun and that's why they're being so weird about the sky being blue] I -- are you Shar's Chosen? Is this some sort of test? Am I not supposed to believe you when you say you like sunlight? I can totally not believe you if that's the case!

Alice: ...I feel like we've missed something.

Smiler: [lying down and sunbathing] Yeah, it's in the sky above us.

--

Withers: What is the worth of a single mortal's life?

Victor: I -- I would say priceless. You can't put a value on life itself.

Alice: I say it's worth whatever you're willing to pay to defend it. Only the owner of said life can set the value.

Smiler: I'm pretty sure the standard rate of assassins in Duskwall is four Coin minimum -- not sure how that translates to your money.

Victor & Alice: [look at Smiler]

Smiler: What? It's a legitimate answer!

--

Withers: I shall be here, in thy camp, for whenever thou has need of my services.

Alice: Oh? What kind of services do you offer?

Withers: A mending of the threads between life and death. Should thou or any of thy compatriots perish, I will cleave soul to body once more.

Victor: Cleave soul to -- wait a minute, isn't that how you get vampires?

Astarion: [rearranging his tent, pauses and gives them a really weird look]

--

Alice: [during one of the meetings with Raphael] You do seem like a very powerful devil.

Raphael: [preening] I consider myself no slouch, yes.

Smiler: [cheerfully] I bet your blood could power an entire city block for a month!

Raphael: [blink blink] ...thank...you?

--

Strange Ox: Ah, you're addressing me. A humble ox. How...quaint.

Smiler: [tilting their head] What are you?

Strange Ox: As I said, a humble ox. I don't know why you're --

Smiler: No, I mean, what's an ox?

Strange Ox: ...

--

Smiler: [standing behind a table lined with eight samples of the same Potion Of Glorious Vaulting, with Victor, Alice, and the companions all gathered around the front of it] Thank you all for coming to this blind taste test, where we will be disproving the idiotic notion that you only need one specific ingredient per potion to create something that does what you want it to. In front of you are eight individual Potions of Glorious Vaulting, each made with a different type of Ashes -- I would like you each to drink one, test the effects, then rate it based on how strong the effects were, how long they lasted, and how tasty it was.

Wyll: You care about the taste?

Smiler: Of course! If we're going to be making potions, the least we could do is make them pleasant to consume! We're working toward maximum happiness here! Now everybody pick one and let's get jumping!

--

Gale: [realizing the trio isn't with them as they move through the mind flayer colony under Moonrise] Hold -- where's Victor, Alice, and Smiler?

Karlach: I think I saw them looking at a cage in the last room.

Lae'zel: Chk -- they should know by now that we cannot pause and look at every little thing that --

Smiler: [rejoining the group carrying a certain intellect devourer, beaming, as Victor and Alice come up behind them] Hey everyone!

Lae'zel: [stares at the brain] ...

Astarion: Why are you carrying an intellect --

Lae'zel: THAT. THING. SURVIVED?!

Us: Hello Angry Friend!

Lae'zel: I'M NOT YOUR FRIEND

--

Aylin: [after everyone's agreed to meet up with her and Isobel again later at the camp] Now -- you will leave us. We must take succour in one another's bodies and words.

Isobel: Aylin. We'll see you later.

Victor: [hiding a smile] Of course.

Alice: [biting back a chuckle] Later.

Smiler: [big beaming grin and a double thumbs up] Enjoy the hot lesbian sex!

Victor: Smiler!

Aylin: I intend to.

Isobel: AYLIN.

[crossbackpoke-check]

hi! i do not particularly go here (hockeyblr) except through proximity (moots) but i just wanna say that i LOVE your tags. every time i see you in the notes of a post i’m like “i did not know this man’s name until approximately two moments ago but i Will read and enjoy every tag as if i know what’s going on”. i’m having a blast. anyway, thank you for sharing your thoughts!!!! have a good one <3

that’s what i’m here for!! treasuring this message and i’m so happy you’re here having a blast with me 🥹

[dangoulains-devotion]

I'm too socially awkward and inept to know how to make it known I've read people's tags on my art but if you have left nice tags and happen to see this please know you give me so much strength 🥺 I feel like I'm always fighting an uphill battle with art but every little compliment or joyful reaction to the content makes it feel like the hill is just that little less steep, even if only for a little while

[torgawl]

unpopular opinion but a ship being queer coded doesn't make it compelling

[mystery-star]

Those of you that know Mystery, Alaska surely remember that 'word poem' John does for his wife.

Now I need you to take a close look (click image to make it bigger)

Anyone see it?

Floodgate. Dear John forgot to black out the word floodgate and it's sending me.

[joonas-curls]

One thing I will miss from my old job: the customers who complimented my hair

[epersonae]

just gonna have a little cry (again) at how good it is to have friends, how good it is to share art and experience, to all keep learning and trying and dreaming together, to pass on the gifts we've been given and to bring new things into the world

[loveofastarvingdog]

HIIII I hope ur having a good day :) love u forever and also I miss u and I hope slept great last night and I love u :)

i stayed later at work again because my favourite coworkers were there and they asked me to and i had SO much fun (<- made a silly weird drink that wasn’t actually bad) and i miss you and i love you and i hope your day has been so good so far ☺️🫧💫