#and realizing how I haven’t let myself be present

[yearning-butch]

starting to realize i’ve spent so much of my life longing for and working towards the future and now i struggle to just. live in the present sometimes

[artists-ally]

Hello sweetheart 😘 I really really adore your writing so much ! So, I dare to send in an idea as well 🥰 maybe you're dating Harvey but he barely had time for you lately, so one time he wants to surprise you with dinner at his apartment and you enjoy your time together. Then you both end your evening with lovely passionate smut and lots of cuddles afterwards. In the morning he wakes up before you and takes time in admiring you, realizing how happy he is to have you ? Hope that's not too cheesy ❤️ thank you so much in advance!

{Warm} Reader x Harvey Specter

This has been sitting in my inbox for god knows how long. I thank you for your patience my dear. I love this idea so much, and this song Warm by SG Lewis is just perfect. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. P.S. nothing is EVER too cheesy for me to write <3

Word Count: 3,998

Warnings: Just some good ole fluff and smut, some very soft dom!Harvey.

Tagging: @rosedpetal @blacktreacle22

Summary: After a particularly brutal month in the office, you've noticed some changes. Harvey is just... not present. Rather than demanding his attention, you just simply float by, knowing eventually he'll return his negligence. And boy does he ever.

~~~~~

“Yn, you really just need to grow a set and tell Harvey he’s being a jackass,” Donna scolds through the phone.

I roll my eyes, “Donna, I told you before. I don’t mind. He’s focused on winning this case, and it quite literally is the life and death of this firm. So, while I appreciate your ‘words of affirmation’, I didn’t ask for them.”

“I know, I just hate to see you so neglected.”

“Oh please,” I pff, flipping my head to move a chunk of hair out of my eye. “Neglected is probably the last thing I am. I can entertain myself. I actually haven’t minded the space. Every once and a while it’s good to go back to the basics. I’ve finally learned how to take care of the plants, I can make a mean lasagna too. I’ve even gotten back into reading. For fun.”

“Sheesh, clearly something is wrong if you’ve been reading voluntarily.”

I snickered. “I don’t know, I saw a book recommendation on instagram and fell in love. Childhood penpals turned strangers, turned back to penpals and she found out he’s the world's biggest rock star and he’s been writing songs about her the entire time.”

“Sounds exactly like the fairytale mushy-gushy shit you love. How you found Harvey to fill those shoes I’ll never understand.”

“He’s just… I don’t know, exactly what I need? My life is perpetually disorganized and he’s too organized. We balance each other out. It just works, and I love our life. I love our dynamic, and I love him. Since he’s so busy, and I have the energy and mental space to, I don’t mind picking up the slack. Again, things will balance themselves back.”

Donna sighed, and I knew that flat line was on her lips. “I know, you’re always so insightful. Optimistic bitch.” I cackled a laugh. “But in all seriousness, Harvey needs you. You’re right, he is too organized. He needs you to unwind him. I know how he is, and he needs a kick in the ass every once in a while. So, if by the end of the week, he doesn’t come around a little, just push him. He’ll fold. Especially for you, and that ass of yours.”

A smile bloomed onto my face, the door of our apartment building coming into view. “Thanks Donna, I’ll let you know how tonight goes. Maybe I’ll stop by the office in the morning and bring the crew some coffee, a few bagels as well.”

“This is why you will always remain my favorite. Now go eat that Chinese food, you sexy son of a bitch.”

“How did you know I had Chinese food?” 

“Because I’m Donna.” Then the line went dead.

Psycho. My psycho, but still a psycho. 

I did indeed have a takeout bag hooked in my elbow filled with Chinese food. Sesame chicken and wonton soup for me, beef and broccoli with pork lo-mein for Harvey. I got a small order of pork fried rice and some scallion pancakes to share. I was about ten seconds away from crouching in an alley and eating myself into a coma. 

The city streets were just beginning to fill up with Friday night festivities. Those heading to lavish dinners or exotic clubs, dressed to the nines with pristine hair and outfits. I looked down at my beat up orthopedic sneakers that kept the never ending foot pain of being a museum tour guide at bay. Here I was, surrounded by the most eccentric and busy place on earth, with absolutely nothing to do.

And that felt amazing. 

I scurried up the steps to the apartment building, greeting our doorsman with a smile and a wave. He gave me one back, pulling open the big glass doors. The mild April chill vanished and the comfortable, still air caressed my cheeks. The elevator door chimed open, chimed closed, and ascended to the top. 

21… 22… 23… the floors climbed and climbed. What was I going to watch? The new season of Bridgerton was out, I could watch that. No, the next season can’t possibly be as good as Charlottes. Maybe a movie? Didn’t that second Dunne one come out? I’m not sure I understand the first one enough to comprehend the second. 

The ding sounds, and I step off, juggling my keys as I rattle off more ideas in my head. 

There's always The Big Bang Theory, maybe Two Broke Girls? Nah, I’ve seen those a thousand times. Maybe I should watch something new. No, nothing sounds interesting. I could try to read, but I don’t wanna risk spilling anything on my book. Once in third grade, I was eating a bowl of cereal in the morning, and I spilled the entire thing on my book. If You Give A Mouse A Cookie was never the same again. 

When the door opened, I toed off my sneakers, kicking them in the corner. I threw the keys in the bowl and hummed a song aimlessly. In the kitchen, I pried a plate out of the cabinet and began to spoon food onto my plate. I won’t tell Harvey, but I stole some of his lo-mein. 

“Yn,” a voice spoke. 

I spun so hard I knocked my hip into the kitchen island corner, a scream bubbling out. “Jesus fucking christ Harvey! You could warn me next time, fucking hell.” 

My heart thrashed in my chest, my eyes going a little wonky from adrenaline. I swallowed, bending at the waist to catch my breath.

“Sorry, my love,” he smiled, coming to raise me from my hunched over position. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“A simple text would’ve been lovely,” I sighed, rising to my full height. “What the hell are you doing…”

All words died on my tongue as I looked around. The table was decorated with a white cloth, candles skewed about. There were flowers in a vase on the counter, beside it a card with two small boxes. There was champagne chilling in a metal bucket of ice, a box of chocolate covered strawberries and cherries next to it. 

“Harvey, what’s all this for? Our anniversary isn’t for two months.”

He grinned, that smirk going right to my chest. “No, it’s not.”

“Then what's all… this?” I waved my hand around, noticing a few balloons blown up and taped to the archway. I somehow completely missed the rose petals lining the floor. 

“It’s because I love you,” Harvey grabbed my hips, pressing our fronts together. “You’ve been… dealing with me for weeks now. My absence, my constant mood swings and lashing out. And I know what you’re gonna say-”

“That I know you’ve been stressed and need some time to focus on the case?”

Harvey tilted his head, a flat expression on his lips. “Yes. That.” 

“It’s not a big deal, Harvey. I know how important work is to you, and I know that you’ve really needed to focus so the firm doesn’t crumble and-”

“But I need you to know that you are a thousand times more important than work,” he says, placing his palms on my cheeks. He kisses me softly, stealing the air from my lungs. “Then the firm,” another kiss.  “And anything that has to do with that hellscape. I love you, Yn. And I don’t know what I would do without your constant flexibility with my chaotic life. So this is a very small token of my appreciation. The first part, at least.”

I hummed against his lips, letting my arms lay across his shoulders. I kiss him deeply. “The first part?”

“Mhmm,” he nodded, hands falling down my back, a less than PG-13 flex of his hands on my ass. “First, I want you to open those little boxes. Then, we’re gonna eat and have some dessert.”

“I feel like there's more to this list,” I smile, making my way back to the counter to get our food. One second to the next, Harvey gripped my arm and pulled me back into his chest. I could feel his desire pressing into me. “Looks like I’m right.”

“You’re always right,” he whispered, breath tickling my ear. He kissed the side of my neck, leaving a little bite below my ear. “Go sit, I’ll get the food.”

A new thrill fueled my body, propelling my steps to the dining room. I sat, playing with the end of the table cloth as Harvey brough everything over. The champagne, the card, the boxes and the food. Before he made his way to his seat, his palm cupped my neck and he tilted my head back. His deep, lust filled eyes locked with mine before he kissed me again. 

“Open whichever you’d like, darling,” he sat opposite me, tucking the napkin across his lap. 

“Just because I did what anyone would for their love doesn’t mean you need to shower me with gifts, Harvey,” I said, giving him a pointed look. 

“And if I bought them just because I wanted to?” 

Point taken. I read the card, a picture of a polar bear wearing sunglasses on a beach with a coconut in its hand plastered on the front. 

Classy. It made me giggle nonetheless.

To my Yn,

Thank you. I’m sorry. I love you. Thank you for being here, even when I wasn’t. I’m sorry for my absence, I promise I’ll be more conscious of my time spent at the office. I love you, more than I ever thought I’d ever be able to love anything. You are everything I’ve always wanted, and everything I never knew I’d need. After this last month, I didn’t understand just how badly I craved you. Your smile, your laugh, your warmth. The taste of you in the morning, and those adorable snores at night. No matter how many times I do it, I’ll never get tired of kissing you. Never tire of taking your breath away. I’ll never get sick of you being the first thing I see when I wake up, and the last thing before I sleep. 

You are forever entwined in my soul, Yn. And I wouldn’t dare to imagine it otherwise. 

I love you. <3 Harvey

I looked up at him, tears lining my eyes. He just winked at me, fork scraping his plate as he shoved a mouthful in. 

“Fuck you for that,” I sniffled, brushing away the tears as I blinked. “That was so uncalled for, you didn’t need to do that to me. That’s so unfair.”

He smiled, “I know you love that shit. And before you ask, Donna didn’t come near me when I was writing that. It all came from up here.”

I laughed as he touched the side of his head. “Good to know all those years at Harvard Law taught you something other than corporate jargon.”

“Open the boxes, little devil,” he sipped his champagne, nudging the boxes towards me. 

Both were a dark blue velvet, unlabeled. They were closed with a silver ribbon. The first one I grabbed was about the size of a book, and something rattled inside. I undid the bow, lifting the lid. Inside was a Kindle. I gasped, pulling it out and looking it over. 

“Harvey,” I grinned, mouth falling open. “You did not.”

“But I did,” he smiled brightly. “Unlimited.”

I could jump his bones from across the table. “Have I ever told you how much I love you?”

“Well, after you find out I got you a case, a Pop Socket, and one of those stands with the remote clicker so you don’t even have to hold it, you might love me a little more.” I squealed, pushing out of my chair as I crashed into him. We nearly tipped backwards. Harvey laughed, rubbing my sides as I latched onto him. “I knew you’d appreciate this. I know we haven’t been together much, but I remembered you showed me a video of some girl who had one.” “You remembered that?” A new set of tears choked my voice. 

“Of course I did. And I also remember you telling me that if I bought you another set of earrings you’d use them to pierce my ears, so that option went out the window.”

I swatted his chest, Harvey’s smile easy as he eased me off of him. “This is perfect, thank you so much.”

“Of course, my dear. Now open the next one.”

What could be better than a Kindle Unlimited? With a stand AND a remote to turn the pages for me. Harvey has no idea what he’s done, I’ll literally never get out of bed again. 

Practically ripping the box in half, I take off the lid and peer inside. 

I blink a few times, looking from him to the box. “My passport?”

“Yup.”

“I feel like there is something I’m not getting here.”

“There is.”

“Are you gonna tell me or make me guess?”

“I’m not that mean,” he rolled his eyes. 

“I mean you have been ignoring me for the past month,” I feigned being upset, letting out a little yelp when he threw a piece of broccoli at me. “You're literally four years old.”

“We’re going to China.”

Everything stopped moving. I dropped the box, my small, navy blue passport skittering across the floor. My ears buzzed, my fingers buzzed. “I- What?”

Harvey grinned. Fuck, I missed that grin. “We’re going to China. We won the case last night, and I am desperate for some time with you. You’ve always wanted to go, so why not now? I have everything set up. We’re gonna stay in the mountains, we’re gonna go hiking and see some shows. I also know you’ve wanted to-”

“We’re going to China?” I had to make sure I heard him right? I’ve been learning the language for years now, engrossed with their rich culture and history. The cuisine, the art, the music… everything. Had I been in a different timeline, I would’ve moved there. 

“Yes, my love. We’re going to China. Two weeks.”

“Two weeks?” My eyes nearly fell out of my skull. “I can’t take two weeks off of-”

“Yn,” he cut me off, knowing I was going to spiral into a never ending list of reasons of 'why this and why that'. “It’s all been taken care of. All you have to do is pack a bag and get you cute ass in my car on Sunday morning. Don’t worry about anything else.”

“But-But Harvey… what the FUCK? WE’RE GOING TO CHINA? Oh my god, I have to call Donna.”

“Can you call Donna tomorrow? I have other things I’d like to do before you go blabbering to her about how amazing and awesome I am for planning this.”

I eyed him suspiciously. “Donna planned this, didn’t she?"

“She did find the panda place. And the art festival. But everything else was my doing. You can applaud now.” Cocky, arrogant son of a bitch. My cocky, arrogant son of a bitch, but one nonetheless.

I looked at him, dumbfounded. He did all this for me, just because he had a crazy workload. I feel like it should be the opposite, me pampering him, congratulating him on his huge win. Not him fueling my book obsession and planning my dream trip. 

But it was yet another reason I loved him more and more every day. He just did these things, without prompting. Without need. He felt like he was neglecting me, leading to… all of this. 

We ate our dinner, chatting about anything other than the case. I asked about it, twice, and he completely side-stepped my attempt. I wanted to know, but if he didn’t want to talk, I wouldn’t push. I told him the plot of this terrible Mafia romance book I finished earlier in the week, and he listened to every grating, awful point I made about it. All with a dopey smile on his face. 

Harvey cleared the plates, setting them in the sink. He brought more champagne, the strawberries and the cherries. In a calm silence, we devoured them, eyes raking over each other. I risked a look below the table, seeing just exactly where he wanted the next phase of the night to go. 

“You looking at it makes it worse, you know,” Harvey leaned back in his chair, my legs propped in his lap. He stroked his hand up and down, fingers dipping into one of the holes in my jeans. 

“Good,” I smiled, a sinful intent in my eyes. 

He looked from my smile to my eyes and back down. With a curse, he threw my legs off his lap and pulled my chair close to his. Harvey enveloped his mouth with mine, the sweet taste of chocolate mixed with the sour berry and tarte champagne. Every flavor on his tongue became my own. 

I was in his lap the next second, legs folded against his thighs. Harvey kept me firmly planted. Steady. He wouldn’t dare let me fall. I got lost in him, suddenly aware just how long it had been since I truly had him. Truly tasted him. Truly craved him.

He stood, taking me with him. The familiar route to our bedroom whirled by. I landed on the bed with a soft bounce, tugging on the collar of his shirt until he laid on top of me.

“So demanding,” he whispered on my lips. I wrapped my legs around his hips to emphasize my need. “Fuck… I love it when you get like this.”

“You made me this way, Harvey,” I pleaded, eyes catching him. 

“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to give you what you deserve,” Harvey sighs. It’s not heavy, but it’s noticeable. “Let me take care of you, Yn.”

“I just need you to-”

“I know, my love. Let me worship you. Treat you how you deserve. You’ve been so patient with me, now let me return the favor.”

Well, I’d be stupid to deny him.

Delicately, he kissed down my torso, lifting my shirt over my head and throwing it for tomorrow's problem. He removed my socks, then my jeans. From ankle to knee, he kissed and bit my skin, making me squirm against the sheets.

Every nerve ending in my body was on fire, the tips of my fingers and toes pulsing with anticipation. With the last remaining pieces of my clothes gone, he spread my legs, kneeling to the ground. 

The sight of Harvey Specter on his knees between my thighs was… empowering. Not that he hasn’t tasted me with his tongue, I’ve just… always been on top. Never so… exposed.

A heady sigh left my lips, body going lax with the first pass of his tongue on me. I clenched my legs against his ears, muffling my whines. He pushed them against the mattress, eyes pinning me as he sank his teeth into the muscle of my thigh. 

“You know better than to hide those pretty moans from me, my love.” Yes, I do know better. “Scream my fucking name if you want.”

I just might. 

He made quick work of me, practiced movements easily sending me up and up and up. He’d slow back down, torture me with more bruising marks on my thighs while I writhed and begged for him to let me release. I arched up off the bed when he added his fingers.

I was so close, a month's worth of pent up desire threatening me all at once. My mind and body were on fire. I couldn’t hold off any longer. I chase that high, circling my hips against his face. His hands, firmly planted on my inner thighs, I shook, that month long ache finally subsiding before roaring back to life. 

When I thought he’d stop, he kept going. Around and around and around his tongue went. Teasing and sending an endless supply of pleasure through my body. 

“H-Harvey,” I gasped, my body up in flames over his never ending devotion.

“I’ll stop when I want to. Fuck Yn, you taste so sweet. Almost as sweet as hearing you beg for me to let you cum. Can you take one more?”

Again, I nodded, content to let him spend however long he wanted at my aching core. My second release came much sooner than the first. He didn’t bother teasing me, knowing it would ruin all his hard work if he stopped. With a few more sweeping passes, he licked me clean, sitting back on his heels to look at me. He wiped my cum off on the back of his hand, giving me a wicked grin.

“You are so fucking beautiful, all laid out for me to do as I please,” Harvey said, beginning to strip. 

“Please Harvey, have me. Any way that you like.”

He chuckled, kneeling over me. “I will, but like I said, I want tonight to be all about you.”

“Well I want you to fuck me.” I am not very good at being subtle. 

“How can I deny you when you ask so nicely,” he purred, closing our lips together, I parted my legs for him, desperate for the friction of his body on mine. His chest, his stomach, his hands lacing with mine. I needed all of him all over me. 

It didn’t take long for him to slip inside me, every inch of him stretching me in the most desirable way. I hummed as he stilled, his need clear in the way his arms shook to keep still. 

“Move, please please move,” I begged, threading my hand in his hair. With a reluctant drop of his head, he rolled his hips into mine, our bodies finally meeting in full. 

“I was trying to be gentle,” he reasoned. 

“Fuck gentle, I need you. I’ve missed you so much.”

“I know my love, I know.”

With each thrust into me, a new sensation bubbled inside me. My toes curled, my back bowed, my eyes fluttered shut. He quickened his pace, heavy breaths falling from his lips into mine. His air was mine. Every muttered curse and moan and praise went straight through me. He needed me as much as I needed him.

~~~~~

With my mind not fully awake, I lazily fling myself off my stomach and onto my back. My arm knocked into something hard, and I squinted against the morning sun. Oh, Harvey.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, crashing back down against the pillow. 

He chuckled, kissing the hand that accidentally hit him in the face. “It’s okay.”

“Are you going into the office?” I asked, still keeping my eyes closed. Man this bed is so comfy…

“No?” He said, a question in his tone. “Why would I?”

“Why else are you up so early?”

“I was just looking at you, my love. It’s been a while since I’ve just… looked at the love of my life. Taken the time to appreciate just how fucking stunning you are.”

My heart melted, a lovesick feeling welling up in my chest. I turned over, facing the handsome lawyer and grinned ear to ear. “I’m sure I look fabulous after last night.”

“You’ve never looked hotter. Lips swollen from mine, hair a mess from my hands… your body covered in my-”

“Okay,” I snatched his lips between my fingers, silencing his next words. “I did just wake up, at least let me shower before you destroy me again.”

“Only if I can quote on quote destroy you in the shower before I cook you breakfast and fuck you again on the counter.”

My eyes snapped open, meeting his blown out pupils. “You certainly have a vivid imagination for…” I looked over at the clock on the side of the bed. “... eight thirty-seven AM.”

“Wait till you find out I’ve been awake since six. With nothing to do but plot all the ways I could ruin you.”

I rolled my eyes playfully, offering my lips as a peace offering. He quickly accepted, kissing me deeply. “Man, I missed this.”

“More than you could ever know.”

[kiss-inthekitchen]

favorite insomniac | spencer reid

a little warm-up exercise i just finished <3 you can't sleep, so you decide to call the only other person you know who would be awake at this hour. ~500 words

You don’t get insomnia. Usually, you fall asleep quickly and easily, and then devolve into any number of nightmares or vivid dreams or somethings that cause to you wake up feeling like you hadn’t slept at all. 

Obviously not great. But not insomnia.

Tonight, however, is not a usual night.

You roll over once again, after what feels like hours but is probably only twenty minutes of lying as still as possible and trying to will your body to be tired. You check the time on your phone; 3:14 AM. 

Ugh. You have to be at work in less than 6 hours, awake in less than 5. Closer to 4, if you want to actually look presentable. 

You groan, scrubbing your hands over your face and barely resisting the urge to start punching your pillows. 

And then you give up. 

There’s one insomniac you know who’s got a pretty good chance of being awake right now. You've dialed the number before you can even think about it. The line rings once, and you realize what an inappropriate, quite possibly disrespectful choice this had been. You’re about to hang up, hovering over the red button, when you hear him. 

“Hey,” he says, voice raspy. 

Oh god, oh god. “Please tell me I didn’t wake you up.” 

“No,” Spencer chuckles bitterly, “You didn’t. What’s wrong?” 

“I can’t sleep?” 

His eyebrows raise halfway to his hairline. “So you called me?” 

You and Spencer are coworkers. You’re friends. You just don’t really hang out much outside of work and work-related events. Not that you haven’t wanted to, you just… don’t really know how. Or if you should. Or if it would be particularly smart. 

“I’m so sorry. I figured if anyone was liable to be awake right now, it’d be… I wasn’t thinking. I’ll let you go, I’m–” 

“Hey, it’s alright,” he says, amused. You’re the only person he ever gets the opportunity to calm down; he’s usually the most nervous person in the room. “This doesn’t usually happen to you though, does it?” 

“No,” you huff, flopping back against your pillows. “I’d ask you for tips, but whatever you’re doing clearly isn’t working.” 

“That’s nice.” 

“Am I wrong?” 

“No, you’re not wrong.” 

You make a self-satisfied little “hmph” sound. 

“What did you call me for then?” 

Something in the timbre of his voice makes your heart speed up. “I don’t know, human connection across the ether that is 3 AM?” The sense that you’re the only two people in the universe. The sound of his voice. Not that you could say that part out loud.

“Wanna go for a drive?”

Huh? “Wh– We have work in, like, 5 hours.” 

“Oh, you haven’t been counting, have you?”

“You mean like thinking ‘if I fall asleep right now at this moment I could get 5 hours of sleep’ but then I still don’t fall asleep and I watch the minutes go by until it’s only 4 and a half hours and then I get angry at myself for being awake and then I’m somehow even more awake?” 

He chuckles, dark and rich through the phone. “The classic trap. Never count the hours.” 

“Now you tell me.” 

“Alright,” he grunts, and you hear him shuffling around, “I’m picking you up.”

“You're what?!"

"I'm picking you up," his voice lilts up, almost like a question. But not like he's asking for permission, more like he's teasing you. Like he knows your answer anyway.

"Now? You have a car?” 

“Yes, now. And yes, I have a car,” you hear jingling on the other end. “You’re gonna like it.”

[i314flix]

the one where jake seresin likes to call it ‘welfare checks’ whenever he’s checking how you are—but let’s be real, everyone knows that it’s only an excuse he uses because he can’t seem to erase the uneasiness he feels whenever he knows you’re not fine.

pairing: jake seresin x fem!reader

word count: 5.8k

rating: NC-17

content: fluff, light angst, enemies to lovers au; ft. naval aviator!reader

warning/s: swearing, alcohol consumption, making out, sexual innuendos, daddy issues(?), mentions of feeling pressured, mentions of drunk driving (nobody drunk drives here though), mention of a near death experience, most likely wrong info about naval aviators and the nature of their job sksks i'm sorry this is strictly fiction okAY

opening note. idk how this ended up being almost 6k LMAO. but anyways, i was so inspired to write this one scene (which you can read below) and ended up just adding so many details and back story that now here we are???? hope you guys like it though! jake seresin brain rot is real and i'm admittedly a goner for—as glen once put it—navy draco malfoy 😭

Jake knocks on your door three times, patiently waiting and looking around the street as if he’s afraid that someone followed him here. He knows that it’s unwise to be at your doorstep at this hour, but he was done eavesdropping and subtly asking around about your absence, bothered that it’s been almost a week and you haven’t been attending training like you should be. He heard Phoenix tell Bob that you were taking a short break because of the near-death experience you had while flying along the course last time, in fact almost quitting entirely if it weren’t for Maverick who instead offered you to breathe for a few days and then come back to see if you still wanted out of the mission. You were considered by your fellow TOPGUN graduates to be one of the captain’s top candidates to lead the mission, so Jake understood why Maverick didn’t let you off the hook that easily.

A few seconds pass and he contemplates on knocking again or leaving, deeming this idea as ridiculous—but then he sees the lights open and you’re peeking through the curtain of the small window beside your front door, disappearing again only to unlock the dozen locks on your door and opening it to greet Jake who meets your gaze immediately.

“What the hell are you doing here?” is the first thing you say, flummoxed by his presence. You and him aren’t exactly the closest among the crew, and there have been several times in which you’ve displayed how annoyed you were by everything Jake either says or does.

“I’m visiting you,” he answers, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“Why?”

“Because you haven’t been in training for a week now. Are you quitting or something?”

You stare at him, appearing in deep thought or perhaps attempting to read his mind, and suddenly, you’re closing the door.

Jake widens his eyes in surprise but is quick to extend a hand out to prevent you from doing so.

“Really?” he complains. “You’re going to slam the door in my face?”

“Look, Hangman,” you begin, sighing and making your tired state known, “if you’re here to give me shit, don’t, because I have no will to show you the patience I typically have on a normal basis.”

“I’m not here to give you shit.”

“Then what are you here for?”

“I told you—I’m visiting.”

“For what? To make sure that I’m not going back so that Maverick can assign you as team leader?”

He rolls his eyes. “No, I’m here to make sure you’re doing okay. I heard you’re doing fine, but I just wanted to see it for myself.”

You’re quiet again, and you revert back to staring at him, as if you’re waiting for him to admit that this is just some prank. Jake doesn’t say anything though, he just returns your stare, appearing sincere for once, worried and waiting for you to realize that he’s not aiming to piss you off every time an opportunity presents itself.

You open the door wider. “Now you see me.”

“You doing good?”

“I’m doing good,” you affirm. “Just… I don’t know. Going through some stuff. Mixed thoughts—feelings—I don’t think you’d understand.”

“Try me.”

“I don’t want to bother you.”

“I’m here and it’s past 11 p.m.,” he says. “If I didn’t want to be bothered, I would have done this welfare check another time.”

You snort at the term he used in visiting you. “Are you sure? You don’t peg me as a good listener, to be honest. I don’t want to pour my heart out and end up listening to your life story instead.”

“I’m not like that. I could be a good listener if I tolerate the person enough.”

“You hate me, though.”

He laughs. “I don’t hate you, Goldie.”

Goldie. Jake liked your call sign because he liked the way you scowled whenever he was the one who utters it. The story behind the name was that your very first squadron saw a picture of you wearing these ridiculous platform gold sneakers when they were snooping around your Facebook profile, finding a photograph taken years ago by your mother at some family gathering you no longer remember. Eventually the joke turned into them calling you Goldie, and when the callsign review board was held, every member of the squadron voted for it to be your call sign and got it approved.

“I find that hard to believe,” you say. 

“I just like driving you insane,” he admits with a smirk, and now you’re more reminded of the Hangman you know. “It gives me great pleasure to get under your skin. You never know how to fake that look on your face whenever you’re mad—it’s very funny.”

“You’re a dick.”

“Sure.” He shrugs.

The edges of your mouth twitch. “Fine, come in. I have beer. Or wine if that’s what you prefer.”

Jake contemplates about it—because like what he thought of earlier when he arrived on your porch, it’s unwise to be here. It wasn’t like in TOPGUN or the Hard Deck wherein there were other people around you for him to always be cautious of his actions; he’s afraid that he slips up or let his repressed romantic interest in you get the best of him since he has you alone.

At the same time however, he just didn’t care enough about the consequences for him to miss this chance of getting to know you better. 

“Beer would be nice,” he tells you as he steps inside.

You nod and turn to head to the kitchen.

The house is a standard bungalow. When you walk in, you’re met with the living room, and then a few steps away from that is the kitchen. On the left side of the house, there’s a hallway leading to what Jake assumed to be the bedroom and washroom. He takes a seat on the sofa upon your instruction, scanning his surroundings and taking in the actuality of the situation he allowed himself to be in.

“Here you go.” You hand him an opened beer and he mutters his thanks, watching you go to the chair near him and plop down.

There’s silence, the two of you just drinking. You engage in small talk for a while, conversing about the most trivial things and matters that he’s not that even keen to know. The topic bounces on and on, until he can’t help but finally break it, impatient now and wanting to know what’s really been going on with you for the past few days.

You smile, amused by his little outburst. “You really want to talk about what’s bothering me?”

“I'm certainly not here to drink and talk about how hot it is on the beach.” He points out. “Just get on with it. You don’t have to tell me your whole life story. Just tell me why you’ve been gone since the accident.”

He catches you wince at the mention of an accident. “I’m resting.”

“You’re resting?”

“Yeah. It’s what Maverick wants me to do. He insists that I take a breather and then go back once I’m feeling better.”

“And have you been feeling better?”

“No,” you admit. “Actually, I…” you hesitate, flickering your eyes to Jake who’s listening intently. “Fuck, I don’t know why I’m telling you this. You’re the last person I should be—”

“You don’t have to tell me anything if you’re not comfortable with it.”

“I know. But that’s the thing, Hangman,” you say. “I think I have to tell someone about it or else I’ll end up more conflicted about the whole thing. And you know what? You might actually be the right person for this.”

“How come?”

“Because I don’t give a damn whether I have  your approval or not.”

He scoffs out a laugh. “Wow. Thanks, I guess?”

You grin; you loved teasing him as much as he did the same to you. “I’m planning to quit.”

His hand halts as he’s raising it to get another sip of the beer. He didn’t expect you to drop the bomb that quickly. “What?”

“I want to quit.”

“Because of what? Because of a near death experience? I know your record, and this isn’t even the first time you experience an occurrence that involved—”

“It’s the third time,” you clarify before he’s even done speaking. “I promised myself I’d quit if I almost ended up dead three times.”

“That sounds ridiculous. You know that, right?”

“I never wanted to be a fighter pilot, Hangman.” You confess and he’s stunned by the revelation.

It seemed impossible and untrue. You graduated at the top of your class and you have the reputation of being one of the best in the field. Your leadership skills were top tier, your flying was superb, and you were fearless in the face of danger. He didn’t understand how a person who didn’t want this occupation to have all those qualities and be an overall amazing naval aviator.

“You’re lying,” he says, not knowing how to reply to that other than accusing you of being a liar.

You lean back on your chair, bringing your feet up and holding your knees together. “It’s because of my dad. It’s the typical shit you hear about a daughter wanting her dad’s approval. He’s just… he used to be a fighter pilot himself—and then he got into an accident, lost one of his legs after it happened, and got forced to retire.” You bring the rim of your beer bottle to your lips. “I think he was depressed for a while. He didn’t talk that much anymore and when he did, he was always so angry. Mom always encouraged him to talk to a therapist, just to release all the pent up frustration he must be feeling about what happened, but he refused. He didn’t believe in therapy. He was convinced that he could solve it all on his own.

“Anyway, I don’t know what I was thinking, but I thought if I could live the life he couldn’t continue and be a naval aviator myself, he’d feel better—or at least, he’ll be the father I used to have. Turns out I was right. Do you know how much he changed when I told him I sent an application to the Naval Academy? He was so pleased. He did a complete 360. Suddenly, it felt like I was his daughter again. It was clear to me then that if I wasn’t Goldie, I wasn’t anyone worth knowing.” You bite your lip, trying not to get emotional. Jake can see that, noticing how your lips are slightly quivering and how you’re avoiding eye contact. “But in a way, I still had some self-respect left. So that’s why I told myself that if I almost get myself killed in three different instances, I’d quit and I wouldn’t care about what Dad thinks. I’ll just go and live my life how I’d want to live it.”

“And last time was the third time.” He reiterates.

“Yep.”

He nods and downs the last gulps of beer.

There’s that silence again, but it’s not awkward. Jake is absorbing everything you just shared to him and you’re trying not to regret the fact that you told all of that to Jake. It’s a story you’re not used to disclosing to just anyone, especially not to someone like Jake who before this night was the reason why your temper was often brought to its highest limits. Yet you can’t deny that a huge weight has been lifted off your whole body thanks to the impromptu venting session; you appreciate the manner in which he stayed quiet and let you finish talking, not once interrupting and not once taking his attention away from you.

“Does Maverick know about this?” he asks.

“Yeah. I’m already drafting my request for resignation.”

“You know that most of the time, those requests get rejected, right?”

“Yeah.” You groan, finishing your beer as well. “But I don’t care. I’d at least try. Then if they won’t allow me, maybe I’ll just orchestrate a fourth near death experience and—”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” Jake cuts you off and you raise your eyebrows at him. “I don’t like what you’re implying.”

“I was just joking.��

“It’s not a good joke. You know better than to joke about things like that.” He’s serious, the most serious you’ve seen him in a long time.

He’s right. You know he is and it pains you to admit it to yourself. You swallow hard, abruptly ashamed. “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’m just all over the place these days.”

“It’s fine.”

“I was being stupid.”

“You’re going through a hard time.”

“I’m sorry for trauma dumping.”

“It’s alright, Goldie.”

You stand up, getting his empty bottle and trudging to the kitchen to place them on the counter. “If you want to go, you’re free to. It’s late.”

“I can stay here if you need company.”

You laugh humorlessly. “I don’t need babysitting.”

“It’s not babysitting.” He pushes himself off his seat and follows you. “I just don’t feel good leaving you in this state. You’re clearly not okay.”

“I’m okay,” you correct him. “Like I said, I’m just all over the place these days. I need time alone to think and be sure of what I want to do.”

“For what it’s worth, I think you’d be a great loss to the Navy if you quit.”

You snort. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do. Why do you think I like pissing you off? It’s because you’re competition. You’re almost as good as me.”

You’re leaning on the counter and Jake’s standing beside you, his hand a few inches from your waist. 

“Actually, I’m better than you, Hangman.” You smirk. “And maybe so is Rooster. He’s certainly better than you when it comes to being a leader.”

“Yeah, but I’m faster than him.”

“You’re reckless compared to him.”

“I can beat him in a dogfight.”

“He doesn’t leave his teammates behind.”

“Yeah, he forces them to go as slow as he is.”

“It’s not a bad thing. He’s being careful.”

“Slow doesn’t equate to being careful.”

“It doesn’t matter. I like him better than you anyways.”

“You like him better? You sure about that?”

You don’t know how it happened but you’re suddenly standing very close to Jake, your faces tilted towards each other that you’re certain if one of you moves any nearer, you’ll end up kissing. You’re reminded of how the squadron often teases you both, saying that the reason you bickered a lot was because of the sexual tension that both of you shared, but you always made an effort to deny it, declaring that there was no way in hell that you saw Hangman in the sense and you’d rather make out with a frog than the said cocky pilot.

Being in this situation with him right now though? After sharing a beer and letting yourself show your most vulnerable side to him? Seeing how genuinely concerned he is for you? How he actually see you as a highly skilled and capable naval aviator? It messes with your head a bit, makes you think that maybe you’re just really excellent with pretending that you’re not affected by his stupidly handsome smile, or drawn to gazing at his toned body whenever he’s in his uniform, or distracted when he’s sputtering off nonsense meant to rile you up and instead you’re noticing how pink his lips are, how soft they must be, how dozens of girls have fallen victim by his charm and how good he must at working those lips of his…

“You’re staring,” he whispers.

Your eyes move up. “What?”

Jake grins, like he understands what’s happening at this second. “You’re staring at my mouth, Goldie,” he says. “Is there something on my mouth?”

You shake your head. Your cheeks are warming up. Your heart is beating faster. You’re aware that he’s teasing, that he wants to get a reaction from you, and you’re annoyed that he’s getting what he wants. “It’s late,” you repeat your statement from earlier. “You should head back. Get some sleep.”

He thankfully steps back and you exhale.

“When are you coming back?” he asks.

“I’m not sure.” You start leading him to the front door. 

Once you’re there and opening the door for him, he stops for a second, looking at you. “Hey, if you need someone to talk to… you can call me, alright?”

You find yourself smiling in amusement. “Tonight doesn’t make us friends, Hangman.”

“Good.” He returns the smile, sly and that teasing glint still in his eyes. “I don’t want to be friends.”

Before you can quip back a reply, he’s saying goodnight and marching down the steps of your porch, going inside his car and driving off.

****

You came back two days later and returned like you never left.

He didn’t talk to you again after that night. You didn’t call if ever you did need someone to talk to, and he didn’t approach you unless he really had something to say. You two weren’t avoiding the other per se; there just wasn’t a need to be within the other’s vicinity nor the obligation to initiate the conversation that much. However, in Jake’s case, he wanted to check on how you were doing, especially after being briefed on why you were having second thoughts about your position in the Navy—he just didn’t think it was okay for him to do so, not when he had a feeling that you didn’t want acknowledge the fact that you did tell him your story out of everyone in the squadron.

Eventually, it was decided and announced by Cyclone that Maverick would be appointed team leader to conduct the mission, seeing him to be the most fit among the graduates he was supposedly training for the job. Maverick chose Phoenix and Bob to accompany him, picked Rooster along with Payback and Fanboy to head the second strike team, and assigned Hangman as the emergency action pilot.

Jake saw how you were disappointed not to be given responsibility for anything for the mission, which didn’t make sense since you didn’t even want to be here in the first place. He figured you must have been looking forward to being appointed nonetheless, maybe driven by your desire to make your father proud still that you were willing to go on this dangerous operation to please him.

“Hey,” you called just as he was about to hop on his aircraft. “Be careful out there, okay?”

He grinned, tilting his head at you in a mocking manner that makes you regret for saying anything. “Are you going soft on me, Goldie?”

You scoffed, but you were flashing him a grin in an instant. “You wish. I just don’t want you to get yourself killed so I can do it myself.”

“Yeah, that’s totally why.”

“Shut up, Bagman.”

He gave you a wink before carrying on with what he was doing while you made a show of rolling your eyes before walking away.

After that, despite how the events weren’t as smooth sailing as you liked, nobody ended up arranging anyone’s funeral and Jake was even hailed as one of the heroes since he successfully saved Maverick and Rooster when they were heading back to the carrier. 

And now, the whole squadron is doing some kind of post-mission celebration. It’s held in the Hard Deck, the bar near the naval base, and as Jake drinks with the rest of the crew and secretly relishes how everyone no longer saw him as only an arrogant pilot but an arrogant and reliable pilot, he finds himself trying to spot you among the crowd of aviators and every significant staff that made this mission successful, wishing he can know what are your thoughts about what has happened today.

“You see Goldie anywhere?” Jake asks Javy, placing the empty bottle of beer on the counter.

Javy scans the area and shakes his head. “No. But I think I saw her going out earlier.”

Jake nods.

Without further ado, he decides to go out of the bar and try starting his search there. He’s grateful he doesn’t need to explore the whole seaside to spot you plodding to where he’s guessing your car is parked, your legs wobbly and all, appearing you’re preoccupied with no regard to your surroundings that allow him to catch up beside you inconspicuously. As soon as you notice him though, you’re blinking multiple times, pausing for you’re surprised to see him here when you know he should be with the others.

“Jake,” you say, and he ignores the odd feelings that erupt in his chest upon hearing his name from your lips. “What are you—”

“Welfare check,” he explains. “Where are you going?”

You laugh out loud. He realizes you’re a bit drunk. “These welfare checks are becoming frequent.”

“It’s the second time. Don’t exaggerate.”

“Two times is too much for you.”

He changes the subject. “You’re not planning to drive home when you’re drunk, are you?” 

“No, I’m not that stupid.” You scoff. “But I was planning to sleep in my car, just until I’m feeling okay to drive.”

“I can drive you home.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Let me do it anyway.”

You stare at him and he holds the stare, green eyes piercing through yours that you can feel right in your core. You’re mesmerized, caught in the moment, similar to that time in your kitchen, and before you understand your actions, you’re handing him your keys and going to the passenger’s side.

****

You don’t verbally invite him in but he follows you regardless, taking the sign of you opening the door wider for a few seconds as he walks from behind the invitation itself. You allow him to act as some shadow as you cross the living room and go to the kitchen to get a water bottle from the fridge, no words spoken from the both of you, and it’s only when you turn around to say something that it’s dawning onto you how it was maybe a bad idea to have him over.

You trust Jake as a man who won’t take advantage of you, but you don’t trust yourself with the thoughts you’ve been having about him lately. After that night when he did his first ‘welfare check’, you couldn’t shake him off your mind as fast as you usually could; you’ve spent a lot of your free time thinking of him and how you don’t exactly hate being in his presence like you’ve been telling yourself. Worse, you’re considering how you might truly be attracted to his infamous charm, captivated by that Texan accent and confidence whenever he went, steering the attention of everybody in the room.

You watch him take slow strides in your direction. You’re not moving, you’re not attempting to get away, and when he stops directly in front of you, your heart is doing that thing again—palpitating and striving to burst out of your ribcage.

“Are you going forth with your resignation?” he suddenly asks.

“Not yet, I suppose. I talked to Maverick about it today, and he’s offering to endorse me to the Admiral and Vice Admiral to make me an instructor in TOPGUN.”

“And are you taking it?”

“Maybe.”

The lights inside the house aren’t open. It’s only the lamp you had beside your sofa; its warm hue illuminates your faces and creates this sense of intimacy that you can’t brush off. Jake’s expression tells you he’s in deep thought, as if he’s having a dilemma of his own, and you’re under the impression that perhaps he’s confused with what’s going on right now as much as you are.

“If you take that job, then you’re staying here, aren’t you?” he guesses, and you shrug.

“Most likely.”

“Then there’s no chance we’ll be deployed again in the same squadron.”

“I wouldn’t say there’ll never be a chance again but—it’s a high possibility,” you say. “Why? Can’t stand to be directly in the same team as me anymore?”

He chuckles. “Partly.”

“Partly?” you exclaim. “You really don’t like me that much, huh?”

“It’s not that. You think I’d be here if that was the case?”

“You said the other day you didn’t want to be friends.”

“Yeah, and being friends is still the last thing I want with you.”

“Fine by me. My feelings are very much mutual, I assure you.”

“Are you sure? Maybe you’re not understanding what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean?”

“I mean I’m glad we won’t be placed in the same squadron again because there wouldn’t be a conflict of interest.”

You’re left speechless, the implication of his words causing you to overthink. Is he telling you what you think he’s telling you? Are you completely missing his point? Is he just messing with you? Playing mind tricks to have you wrapped around his finger? Whatever it is—whether your suspicions are right or not—you don’t let yourself think about it further, for this tension between the both of you is heightening and there’s a voice in your head that tells you to kiss him to find out what he really sees you as.

So you do. You kiss him, closing the gap between your lips and throwing your arms around his neck to tug him closer. It’s probably because you’re drunk that you’re brave enough to execute such a crazy gesture; you think how liquid courage indeed does wonders to your brain and your ability to know what’s wrong and right. And you can literally hear the gears in Jake’s brain moving as he stands there, hesitant at first to reciprocate, but eventually succumbing to it with an intensity you didn’t know he’s capable of giving, a hand falling on your hip while the other presses against your cheek, his fingertips inching forward to your hair that you quietly moan at.

Every sense you have is enhanced as the two of you make out. You can discern the pounding of your hearts; you can hear every pleased sound he makes as well as yours; you’re aware of every action he does, what he decides to do with his hands which moves to your waist, to your back, and lower… and even lower than that… 

However, it ends as fast as it starts, and before you can properly react, Jake’s already breaking the kiss.

 He looks grudging. It’s clear that he didn’t want to stop. “You’re drunk,” he whispers, an explanation to why he still did.

“Just tipsy,” you correct, about to try kissing him again but he dodges it, instead placing a lingering kiss on your cheek that spreads chills all over.

“We’re not sleeping together unless you’re sober.” His lips are on your ear, and you’re awfully getting mixed signals. It’s like he’s saying no yet continuously seducing you.

“I’m not that drunk.”

“I drove you home because you are.”

“No, you insisted on driving me home.”

“Because you were planning to sleep in your car, Goldie. Come on, are you seriously arguing with me on this?”

You groan, frustrated. Your head is starting to hurt because of the aftermath of the kiss and the thinking and the analyzing when it comes to what he’s saying to you and the actions he’s showing tonight.  “Am I getting the signals wrong? Isn’t the reason you went here because you want to sleep with me? You just told me you didn’t want to be friends—because obviously, friends don’t fuck.”

Jake’s laughing once more. It certainly doesn’t seem you’re sober from the way you’re talking to him, too blunt and careless. “You didn’t read the signals wrong. I do want to sleep with you.”

“Then why are you rejecting me? I’m practically begging here. It’s goddamn embarrassing.”

“____,” he utters your name, still grinning in amusement yet his features are softer now as he stares at your half-lidded eyes boring into him, “if you were any other girl who’s asking me, I’d gladly sleep with you. You’re not some girl though—and I don’t want to fuck this up.”

“What?”

“I want to date you.”

“Okay, hold on.” You whip your head back in shock but you’re not pushing him away which Jake takes as a good sign. “Are you kidding? You better not be messing with me right now.”

“I’m not messing with you.”

“There’s no way in hell you want to date me, Hangman.”

“I’m pretty sure I do.”

“You don’t even know me that well.”

“It’s not like I’m asking you to elope and run away with me.” He chuckles and steps away, giving you a bit of room to breathe. “I’m just saying I like you and I want to get to know you better.”

You stare at him, waiting for the punchline that’s never going to arrive. “You’re nuts.”

“Hey, you’re the one who kissed me.”

“Yeah, ‘cause I thought you only wanted sex!”

“I still want sex.” He smirks and you squint at him in distaste. “But after a couple dates maybe. I take it slow with women I actually like.”

“You take it slow? You?”

“In relationships and in bed—if that’s your thing.”

“God, you’re giving me a migraine.”

You head to the part of the kitchen where you have a pouch of medicine for instances like these. From your peripheral vision, you see Jake already getting your unfinished water bottle to hand it to you as soon as you popped the aspirin in your mouth. 

“We can talk about this tomorrow,” he says. “You should rest.”

“I should wake up from this nightmare.”

“I didn’t know jumping on me and begging for sexual intercourse was part of your nightmares, Goldie.”

“Fuck you.”

He grins. “Go to bed. I’ll leave right after.”

“How are you going back to the Hard Deck?”

“I’ll book an Uber.”

“Okay.”

You let Jake usher you to your bedroom, saying that he’ll visit you first thing in the morning. You tell him that he doesn’t have to bother but he replies that he needs to do another welfare check which you roll your eyes at, reckoning that it was cute the first time but now it was getting old and corny. He just laughs at you, for what seems like the nth time that evening, the reality of what happened between the both of you is beginning to sink in—and you’re not freaking out anymore. You think you kind of like it; you like the idea of Jake taking you seriously and conveying how serious he is by making his intentions clear.

“Good night, darlin’,” he says, brushing a portion of your hair away from your face.

You take a deep breath. You still kind of want to jump on him still but you immediately push those inappropriate thoughts away.

“Good night, Jake.”

****

The next day, a huge part of you genuinely thinks that everything that transpired last night was only an infuriating almost-sex dream. 

You would have slept all day if it wasn’t for the heat of the sunlight seeping through your windows. When you opened your eyes, you saw that it was past 11 a.m. and your head was already killing you, causing you to sit up and head groggily towards the kitchen to wash your face, brush your teeth, and find the aspirin that could help with the headache. You’re the type of person who prevents a matter from worsening while it’s still possible, and you don’t want to spend the rest of your day wincing and complaining about your condition when it could easily be solved.

The moment you swallow the medicine, your brain thinks it’s the perfect time to bombard you with memories of what commenced the day prior. In an instant, you’re remembering the drinking, and then Jake driving you home, that odd tension between you two, and—oh, God. The kiss. The conversation after the kiss. Jake confessing what he felt for you and what he was going to do about it now that he said it out loud.

As if on cue, a knock pulls you away from your thoughts and like a robot, you mechanically go to your door to greet whoever it is that’s on the other side. You don’t even have the energy to peek through the curtains first like you usually do, and you realize that it’s a huge mistake that you forgot that step because once you’re swinging the door open, there’s Jake on your porch.

“Woah, not so fast.” He puts a firm hand on your door as you attempt to shut it on his face, very reminiscent of the other night. “I see you’re not planning on using an amnesia card on me because of yesterday.”

You grimace at the reminder. “Go away. My head hurts and I can’t deal with you today.”

“Good thing I bought hangover soup then. Can I come in?”

“No.”

“What if I say please?”

“Still no.”

“Alright, come on,” he’s still resisting the force you’re putting on the door to close it, “at least take the soup.”

You glance at the paper bag he’s holding and reach for it. However, he slyly moves it to the opposite direction.

“Hangman.” You grit your teeth.

“If you’re taking the soup…” he trails, “then that means you’re agreeing to a date. Will you still take it?”

It’s ridiculous. It’s such a middle school tactic, you think—yet there’s a little something fluttering inside your chest, a bit amused at how Jake is approaching this. There’s truly nothing like a man who goes out of character for the woman he adores; from the manner in which he’s acting, it’s apparent that he’s not afraid to show you a side of his personality that isn’t the usual macho, cocky, and self-absorbed one. Somehow, even if you’re aware that he’s going towards the cheesy route, you’re digging it.

With a roll of your eyes, you snatch the paper bag from his grasp and saunter back to your kitchen.

“Are you coming in or what?” you call, noticing that he hasn’t stepped in.

He strides to where you are, this cheeky look on his face as he reverts to his standard overconfident self. You remark how he goes after you, soon caging you by the sink while you’re getting the utensils from its designated cabinet to use for this so-called hangover soup he brought with him. You’re not fazed despite the proximity and how this scene mirrors last night when you face him, even raising your chin a bit higher to appear further composed.

“I knew you couldn’t resist me,” he says.

Jake makes a familiar show of his eyes flashing from your eyes to your lips, smirking, and just when you think he’s leaning down to continue where you left off, you tease him by placing a palm on his face and gently shoving his face away.

“Shut up, Bagman.”

gentle reminder: this author is a sucker for validation so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts about this! ♡

[waitimcomingtoo]

just the way you are

Pairing: Peeta Mellark x Reader

Synopsis: Peeta finds you crying when you’re feeling insecure and comforts you

Masterlist

“Hey. Effie wants us in the dining room to go over some of the…“ Peeta trailed off when he opened your bedroom door to find you crying as you read something on a piece of paper. You folded the paper and quickly faked a smile to appease him as you wiped the tears from your face.

“Oh. Hi, Peeta. Sorry, what were you saying?”

“Were you just crying?” Peeta asked as his big brown eyes filled with concern for you.

“No. I wasn’t.” You lied and wiped the rest of your face on the back of your hand.

“Yes you were. What’s wrong?” Peeta asked and sat beside you on your bed.

“Nothing. I wasn’t crying.” You insisted. “What did Effie say?”

“Forget about Effie. You’re not okay. How can I help?” Peeta asked and placed a hand on your knee. You stared at his hand and felt comforted by his presence but you didn’t want to admit what was weighing on you.

“I’m fine. Really.”

“You don’t have to lie. Not to me.” Peeta said in a soft voice and gave your knee and squeeze. The kindness in his voice was enough to move you back to tears so you looked up at the ceiling to keep them from falling.

“You wouldn’t get it.” You said quietly and shook your head.

“Maybe not.” He agreed. “But it might make you feel better to talk about it.”

You looked over at him to see if he genuinely cared or was just being nice. But the look in Peeta’s eyes told you he was fully present and ready to receive anything you had to say. You sucked in a sharp breath and smiled sadly.

“Cinna said that Snow asked if they could fix my body before the press tour for the Quarter Quell starts. And by asked, I think he means demands.”

“Fix your body?” Peeta frowned. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know. Make it better. Trim a little here. Add a little here. I could show you the list he gave to Cinna of what he wants me to have done. I haven’t even heard of most of these procedures.” You said as you handed over the paper list of procedures Snow requested of you. Peeta’s eyes widened as he took the list from your hands and read them one by one.

“Snow wants to do all of this?” He asked. “To you?”

“Mm hm. And he said he could “not understate the urgency” in getting them done. Apparently the doctors in the Capitol can do it all in one day. On the bright side, Snow said I’d be so high on pain meds during the press tour that I won’t have to feel nervous about the Quarter Quell. So. I guess that’ll be nice.” You nodded and wiped your face again. Peeta looked up at you and quickly pulled his sleeves over his thumbs to dry your tears.

“I don’t get it. Why would Snow want you to do all of this before going into the games?”

“Because, Peter. He said I wasn’t desirable. And that makeup isn’t enough.” You repeated his words and felt the same dagger in your heart as the first time you heard them. Peeta let out an abrupt laugh and looked at you to see if you were serious. When he saw the lost look in your eyes, he felt an anger grow inside him over someone making you believe that you weren’t pretty.

“Well who cares what you look like before going into a death match?” He asked and tried to keep a calm tone.

“Sponsors do.” You insisted. “Sponsors will root for the most desirable tributes and send them things to help them in the arena. Snow said that no one wants an ugly girl to win. And that if I want people to feel bad for me, they also have to want to sleep with me. He said these procedures would help.”

“You don’t actually believe all of that, do you?” Peeta asked when he realized you agreed with Snow’s words.

“I don’t know, Peeta.” You sighed in exasperation. “I’m from District 12. Everyone knows that’s most unsought district. We have nothing to show for ourselves, myself included. The girls from the other districts literally glow from the inside out. You saw them on the television the other day. With their perfect shiny hair and perfect shiny teeth. And they all had these incredible bodies and dazzling faces and bubbly laughs. And then there was me. Who everyone could tell had never been in a dress that nice or worn heels higher than my hunting boots. Snow was right when he said they can put all the makeup in the world in my face but I still look the same. So maybe…maybe he’s right. I don’t know. Maybe I could benefit from a few of these procedures.”

Peeta was quiet for a long time after you spoke. You started to feel embarrassed thinking that he agreed with everything you had said but didn’t know how to break that to you gently. You finally heard him suck in a a breath as he was about to speak.

“For a smart girl, you just gave the most idiotic speech I have ever heard.”

“I knew you wouldn’t get it.” You rolled your eyes to the ceiling as you shook your head.

“No, what I don’t get is how such an intelligent girl can believe any of that utter bullshit for even a second.” Peeta said, sounding angry with you. Your eyes welled up with tears again at the sound of him raising his voice.

“You don’t understand.” You whimpered. “I just want to be a pretty girl.”

“Pretty? Thats ridiculous. I would never do you the disservice of calling you pretty. The sunset is pretty. The flowers that grow by the fence are pretty. But you, you are fucking bewitching. You really don’t know that by now?”

You blinked in surprised as you turned to look at Peeta. You’d never heard him swear before in his life with this conversation being the only exception.

“Why are you yelling at me?” You asked him. Peeta abruptly got off the bed with the list in his hand.

“Because I’m angry. How dare he make you feel like you need to change anything about yourself? Fuck this list. You’re not doing any of this.” Peeta shouted and tore the list in half before crumpling it up and throwing it all the wall.

“Peeta.” You said surprise. He calmed down at the sound of your voice and panted a few times. He rubbed his face in his hands before taking a seat beside you again. You sat in silence for a moment as neither of you knew where to take the conversation next.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to raise my voice. That just really upset me.” Peeta said quietly after a minute.

“I can see that.” You laughed softly. “Why do you care so much? Or, at all?”

“Because I hate hearing you compare yourself to those other girls. Or put yourself down. I meant what I said. I think you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. Your beauty stops me in my tracks when I see you. So it upsets me that someone so striking has been made to feel like she needs to fix herself.”

“You don’t have to say that.” You told with a timid smile over all his compliments.

“I used to agree with you. I never thought I had to tell you that. I assumed you knew. But now that we’re sitting here and I’m listening to you doubt yourself, I realize I should have told you everytime I thought that. Which was just about everytime I saw you.” Peeta said and put his hand back on your knee. You looked into his big brown eyes and smiled softly before putting your hand on top of his.

“Just about?”

“Sometimes you come back from the woods looking a little rough.” He replied, making you laugh.

“I’m only playing. Even covered in mud, you are a sight to behold.” He said with a cheeky smile. You smiled sheepishly and intertwined your hand with his.

“Well according to Snow, no one wants to behold me unless I’m skinnier. But at the same time, he wants me curvier and more “womanly.” I’m pretty sure half the procedures on that list contradict each other. But that’s only the half I’ve heard of.”

“It doesn’t matter because you’re not doing any of them. Not even one. Everyone I see in the Capitol has scary little skeletal noses and giant lips that look like they might explode at any moment. And the skin on their faces is stretched so far back that they can’t even blink. And when I look at them, all I can see is that they all look the exact same. They go to the same doctors and copy and paste the same face. But you, you have the kind of face they can only dream of those surgeries giving them. They could never obtain this level of beauty.”

“Peeta. You’re just saying that.” You insisted as you toyed with his fingers.

“I’m serious. All the stars aligned when your face was made. You have a perfectly unique set of features that I have personally grown to love very much over the years. I thought you were beautiful when we were kids and I think you’re beautiful now. So please, don’t change a thing.”

“But I could be better.” You insisted. “If I just fixed a few things. My body could be better. And my face could be prettier.”

“You can’t fix something that’s already perfect.” Peeta shrugged and wasn’t having any of what you were saying.

“I’m far from perfect.” You said with a slight roll of your eyes.

“I know. But that’s why I love about you. I like that your teeth aren’t perfect and that your nose curves the way that it does. And I like your, you know, body.” He kept his eyes down as he confessed this with a rosy blush covering his face.

“You do?” You asked skeptically.

“Yes. And believe me, I could list about 100 reasons off the top of my head about what I specifically like about your body but I won’t do that. Don’t want to make things awkward.” He replied, making you laugh once again.

“I mean, you can, if you want.” You joked. “I won’t stop you.”

“Well in that case, I would be left absolutely devastated and unable to get off my knees if you were to change a thing about yourself. Especially your body. I love every part of you. Every part. I love the way your eyelashes curl and the way your limbs bend when you’re stretching. I love the way you carry yourself when you walk and when I can see in your face that just remembered to sit up straight. I love the arch of your fingers and how they feel sliding into mine. I love all the dips and rises I feel when I run my hand along your side when you’re asleep. And I especially, more than anything, love your face. Every single feature makes me weak. You still get my heart racing the way it did the first time I saw you when were kids. When I look over at you and see you’re already looking at me, I lose my breath. Because I can never believe someone who looks like you is looking at me.”

“Peeta.” You said softly with a coy smile on your face.

“That’s another thing I love. Your voice. Thank you for the reminder. It could pull me out of any sleep or stupor. Sometimes I ask you things I already know just to hear you explain them to me. I could listen to you all day. And on the rare occasions you let me catch you singing, well, I’m not sure if the English language has made words yet for how that makes me feel.”

Peeta felt relieved when a content smile crossed your face following his proclamation. You’d never been described in such a way and the list fell far from your mind. All you could think about was the way he was looking at you. Peeta reaching out and put a hand on your cheek to which you leaned in to.

“What I’m trying to say is, it would be a crime to alter anything about the way you came together. I even sometimes miss the dirt on your face or under your nails when I see you all done up. Because, well, I like you just the way you are.”

“Thank you, Peeta. I really needed to hear that.” You said and pressed a kiss to the palm of his hand. Peeta’s face heated up at the touch and he gulped.

“I wish I could show you how I see you. You’d be just as enchanted as I am. And I always have been. You’re just used to your features because you see them all the time. And I mean, I see them all the time too. I guess I just never get used to you.”

You stared at him for a moment and felt yourself being pulled towards him like a magnet. You blinked a few times before slipping a hand behind his head and pulling him into a kiss. His eyelashes tickled you as his eyes fluttered shut and he found his hands making their way to your back to rub up and down. You tangled one hand in his blonde hair and kept the other on his cheek as you kissed him until you ran out of breath. When you pulled away, you were both a little dazed and embarrassed.

“Sorry. I don’t know why I just did that.” You laughed nervously and touched your fingers to your lips. Up until that moment, you’d only ever kissed for the cameras. But he had said all the right things and looked at you in the right way so you felt the only natural conclusion to the conversation was to kiss him.

“It’s okay. I don’t mind.” He replied with a shy smile. You let out another sheepish laugh and fixed his hair since you had messed it up.

“I, um, I like you the way you are too. You looked really handsome when we were on Caesar’s show but I like you best when you’re covered in flour with your hair all messy from giving it stressful tugs. And I like that your eyelashes are blonde but look like they’re made of gold in the sun. And I like how your hands are always chapped from how often you wash them.”

“You like that? Don’t they feel rough?” He asked and flexed his hand. You caught his hand and held it in yours as you stared into his eyes.

“That’s what I like about them. It makes me think of all the work you do to get them that rough.

“The work being frosting cakes?” He asked with a dry laugh.

“Hey. Don’t make fun.” You said warningly. “You make beautiful artwork on them. You should be proud.”

“Well, thank you.” He blushed. “I’m glad you like them. I’ll make one for you when we’re done with…all of this.”

“Good. I’m looking forward to it.” You smiled fondly as you stared into his brown eyes. Peeta smiled back before taking your hand back into his. He brought your hand to his lips and looked you in the eyes as he kissed the back of your hand.

“I really do think you’re beautiful. So I don’t want to hear any of that nonsense coming out of your mouth again, okay? You’re sensational. Don’t let anyone tell you different.”

“Thanks for talking me down. It made me feel better to see a glimpse of myself through your eyes. So you don’t have to worry about me changing anything. I wouldn’t do that to you.” You said teasingly.

“Good. I’m glad to hear that. And you know, you can talk to me whenever you want.” He assured you.

“I know.” You nodded. He gulped as his eyes dropped from your eyes to your lips for a moment.

“And you can kiss me anytime you want to, too.” He said in a quieter voice. A smiled tugged at your lips and you found yourself cupping his face to bring him into another slow kiss.

“I knew that too.”

Tag List 🍞

@ilovetoomanymen @kittimbo @sipsthecoffee @ohmyhuenings @ilykitwalker

@mayemperess @scenesofobx @imaegonstargaryenswife0

@basicb1tchboy @planetevermore @bellasfavbisexual @kochothehoe

🗣️AND WHEN YOU SMILE THE WHOLE WORLD STOPS AND STARES FOR A WHILE

[fcwoso]

Coffee shop crush · Alexia Putellas

Summary: Alexia and reader finally meet each other in a coffee shop (fluffy)

MASTERLIST

This has been the fourth time in a row this week, seeing her in my local coffee shop. I walked in with my hands in the pockets of my coat, looking around hoping to find my usual seat by the window empty. But to my surprise it was taken. Taken by who, you might wonder. Taken by the pretty blonde who’s been staring at me since I’ve walked in.

I tried to keep my composure knowing that if I looked back and returned the glances, I might make a fool out of myself. She was holding a cup of coffee in one hand while holding a phone in the other, frowning at whatever she was watching on the screen in her hands and shaking her head every few seconds. I felt a frown creeping on my own face after realizing her attention had shifted to something else, something other than me. I continued my secretive glances hoping she wouldn’t notice how I’ve almost analyzed her entire existence.

‘'Miss? Would you still like to order?’’ I turned my head after hearing the barista in front of me trying to get my attention. ‘’Yes, sorry.’’ I began, internally swearing at myself for being so caught up in this stranger. I tried looking for another seat after making my order, a bit sad at the fact that I won’t be sitting in my favorite seat. I still hoped the blonde was enjoying the amazing view instead of me, but I doubted that. The frown on her face was still present, frustrated eyes replacing the sneaky ones she had when I walked in.

I saw someone getting up from their seat once I retrieved my coffee, right in the front next to the woman my eyes have been glued on for the past minutes. The empty seat was calling for my name. The blonde put her phone down once I walked past her to take place. A shy smile grew on her soft face, her hair was loose around her shoulders, and she was fidgeting with the gold rings she had on her fingers. I returned the smile and turned around. Did I just turn around?

‘'Joder (fuck)’’ I raised my eyebrows after hearing the blonde woman behind me curse softly. I haven’t been living that long in Barcelona, but I certaintly knew what that meant. I hesitated before turning around, not sure if it was my business to ask her if something was wrong. But I did. Her hazel eyes were wide open, and a playful smile replaced the shy one she had given me a few seconds ago. ‘’This is your seat, isn’t it?’’ She giggled.

I wasn’t sure if she was talking to me, even though her eyes were literally staring into mine, and looked around to make sure. ‘’I’m talking to you’’ She said, the smile on her face growing wider as her pearly whites were on full display. I shook my head while hoping the blush on my cheeks wasn’t that visible. ‘’I mean, it’s not my seat.’’ I replied. ‘’I’ve seen you around here a couple of times, I wanted to see what’s so special about it.’’ The blonde admitted while looking past me. The roaming streets of Barcelona were right in front of our eyes, the windows of the coffee shop separating us. Everyone had their own thing going on.

‘’I hope you’re enjoying it’’ I sincerely said while looking in her warm eyes, the lines around them made her so much more charming. She smiled down at her phone ‘’I must say I haven’t really been appreciating it.’’ She replied and turned her screen to show me. She was watching a football match from what I was able to see. Pretty random if you ask me, it was a Wednesday morning. I didn’t know they played matches this early.

‘’That looks nice as well?’’ I hesitantly said not really knowing if she indeed was having a good time. She let out a soft laugh, ‘’Nice’’ She murmured before she took a sip of her hot drink. The blonde extended her arm after putting the green cup down. I shook her hand, feeling her slightly larger hand engulf mine firmly for a second or two. ‘’My name is Alé.’’ I nodded and gave her a smile before giving her my name. We continued sipping on our coffee as we sat in the small coffee shop in the center of Barcelona.

‘’Feel free to take a seat’’ She proposed as she was pointing to the empty space next to her. ‘’I still feel bad for taking your place.’’ The mischievous look on her face was telling me she wasn’t that sorry about it. Her eyes were fixed on the almost empty cup of coffee while she was waiting for me to move. I of course did without a second thought, our knees brushing as I sat down. I felt her warmth radiating off of her making me instantly feel at ease. The nerves I had were completely gone now. I attentively listened to Alé as she was sharing stories about the place she grew up in, a place not so far from here. She said that she was visiting it later today and asked me to show her pictures of home, something she was really curious about. I guess my accent threw her off a bit.

The atmosphere between us shifted. The sneaky glances turned into shy, warm ones as the time went by. Her hand brushed my shoulder while she was laughing at a confession I made. ‘’Hey, I have a confession to make as well.’’ Her flushed face got closer to mine and I leaned in mimicking her. I felt her warm breath on my neck as she got closer and whispered in my ear. ‘’I knew this was your seat. I just didn’t know how to approach you.’’

I rolled my eyes at her distancing us to give her a little shove. She let out a small laugh and squeezed my hand that was resting on the table. ‘’So, you made me feel like a psychopath over nothing?’’ I asked, referring to my creepy staring. She shook her head and shrugged ‘’I mean, I was staring pretty hard as well wasn’t i?’’

[cowpokeomens]

Can you imagine Noah being nervous the thirst time he meets ✨Her✨?

Hi this has been sitting in my asks for awhile but today it is heavy on my spirit so let’s go!

Because Noah, my sweet baby boy, is a DUMMY. He’s a DUMBASS. So when he sees ✨Her✨ for the first time, he doesn’t even register that it’s any kind of love-at-first-sight situation, just thinks “oh yeah she’s really hot and I wanna sleep with her that’s what this feeling is” even though someone (jolly) points out that Noah has slept with more than a few hot women before and has never had this visceral of a reaction, okay, whatever! In my little pea brain I looooooove an opposites attract kinda situation, so I think it would be really sweet if Noah didn’t end up with an all-black-and-chains metalcore girly, but someone who presented themselves in cozy sweaters and keeps their nose in a book or someone who always checks to see if <clothing item> comes in pink and uses glitter on the daily (I’m not projecting you’re projecting it’s my post!!!) or even someone who’s very tradgoth versus just alt yknow? Like obviously hotness transcends aesthetics but there’s something visibly different about ✨Her✨and I think that’s why Noah does a double-take and shrugs it off as good ole fashioned lust. But then :-/ things escalate right :-/ because Noah goes in with intentions of seduction! But you won’t be fooled by hot band boys! You are grown! You know ur worth and you refuse to be another notch in this boy’s belt and I think that would be the nail in the coffin for our guy Noah. Bc he goes back to someone in the band (Nicky <3) and is like “she… said no?” And he’s VERY confused you see because He’s Noah Sebastian and he doesn’t do well with rejection and you were very kind but refused him and so Nick is like “did you try asking her to lunch before propositioning her with sex?” And Noah is like hmmmmm…… a concept, Nicholas……. So he returns to you, asks you to lunch, you say yes because you know you’ll be able to resist the call of him bending you over a table in a public cafe at noon (stronger than me tbh), and Noah is so PLEASED. He is giddy. He realizes he’s more excited about your lunch (baby does not know it’s a date) than the possibility of getting to have sex with you bc he desperately wants to know more about you, stalks your Instagram on his burner, finds your headshot for your work on their website and proceeds to tell anyone who will listen (Folio) about how photogenic you are. Anyways! So yeah you go on a date lunch outing and it’s in your neighborhood so you show him the cute shops up the road and he buys you a book you’ve been wanting but haven’t invested in because you have no room on your shelves (“do you want to go to IKEA?” “For what?” “For a bookshelf, I can build it for you-“ “Noah.”) and he thinks he’s never gonna be happy again until he sees that sparkle in your eye when he handed you the flimsy sack containing the tome you so desired! And maybe he gets brave enough to hold your hand as he walks you back to your car! And maybe you’re not just another notch on his belt so you invite him back to your place for coffee! And maybe! Maybe he shyly asks if he can kiss you in your kitchen and you say yes and he tastes like cream and sugar and his hands are on your hips but not your ass and he’s smiling into the kiss and it’s making you giggle and maybe I’ll light myself on fire from where I’m watching outside the kitchen window! The end good morning everyone.

[astarionancuntnin]

Undisclosed Desires (Chapter 2)

summary: its the day after you and astarion indulged in each other's embrace. it shouldve been a once done deal, nothing more, but that last night ended with you questioning your feelings for the pale elf. you struggle to come to terms with those and the day might prove more difficult as you get trapped alone with him in a secluded dungeon

or in short:

rating: E

word count: 4k

pairing: astarion x you (fem!reader, sorceress tav)

cw: 18+. smut, porn with little-to-no plot, karlach gets hurt for the sake of the porn (shes doing her part o7), denial of feelings, sexual tension through the roof, dom!tav/reader, teasing, dry humping, begging, ear licking, vampire bites, kinda praise kink, sorta breeding kink, your honor- theyre both brat switches fighting to top the other.

a/n: at long last, chapter 2! i had so much fun with the dialogues, i hope you enjoy them as much as i did uwu. also, inspo song at the beginning is the same as chapter 1, but a different part of the song, and end of chapter song is a different one (that i linked at the end). let me know how you feel about the dynamic in this chapter 👀

Masterlist

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or keep reading down below ~

I shut my eyes

You call but I just cut the line

I know your style

I know that you want one more night

And I'm backsliding

Into this just one more time

-

You wake up this morning to the sound of your companions talking nearby. Instinctively, you reach for the spot next to you, only to find it empty. Figures. If it wasn’t for the aching pain in your muscles and the dizziness of your mind, you’d think what happened last night was just a dream.

The way Astarion had ravaged your body, how feral he was, the taste of him on your lips, how he felt between your legs…

Instinctively, you rub your thighs together, chasing the feeling from the previous night. You already feel that warmth between your legs as a result of those memories flooding back to you. You hear laughing outside your tent and it brings you back to the present moment ; your companions are probably waiting for you.

You quickly push aside any thoughts of him and reach for your clothes to get dressed up for the day. You take some time to prepare for what your companions have to say about the sounds that came from your tent last night. They had to have heard.

As you take your first step outside, Karlach is the first to greet you.

“Hey Soldier! Slept well? Doubt it was restful but it looks like you had the time of your life!” She nudges you.

“You can say that again! Those screams made me believe she was dying in there!” Shadowheart shouts, sitting near the campfire, before her and Karlach start laughing.

You feel yourself turn redder after each remark. Hells, I didn’t realize how loud I was.

“It did sound… intense. Are you sure you’re alright?” Wyll speaks up, more worried about you.

You lift your blushing face which was hiding in shame between your hands. “Oh, yeah no, I’m fine just- um,” you turn to Shadowheart, “Can I ask you to cast lesser restoration on me, please?”

She looks at you puzzled, “Can’t you cast it on yourself?”

“The only thing I wanna cast on myself at this very moment is eldritch blast, now, can you please cast the damn spell?”

“So much for the ‘great sorceress with limitless talents’,” she mocks you, reminding you of the very words you used back when you introduced yourself to her.

“SHADOW.”

“Fine, fine,” she scoots over the log, making space for you. “Come here, I’ll take care of you.”

You walk over to her and you sigh as you sit down, completely slouched over.

“Gods, he really did a number on you, huh,” she casts lesser restoration and you straighten up, instantly feeling much better. 

“Yeah, you should see the other guy,” you say, smiling, proud to have gained back your wits.

“Speaking of,” Wyll interjects. “We haven’t seen him all morning. We fully expected him to come out of your tent.”

“Huh, I did wake up alone,” you confess. “I just assumed he went back to his tent.”

“Heh! Maybe he’s still in there recuperating from your night together!” Karlach shouts, before laughing some more.

“Alright, alright, I’ll go check up on him,” you roll your eyes as you get up to walk towards his tent.

You’re glad it’s placed far enough from the campfire to be out of your friend’s sights. You didn’t want to give them more ideas if they saw you with the vampire this morning. You call out his name before opening the flap of his tent, only to reveal it to be empty. 

“Looking for something?”

You slightly jump, as if you were caught doing something you shouldn’t have, and quickly turn around to face him.

“Gods, you startled me.”

He walks towards you, shirtless, with his hair still damp from his morning bathing and his trousers hanging loosely around his hips.

“Terribly sorry dear, I would never do this to you intentionally.”

His little smile is unnerving. Your heartbeat quickens, and you frown at yourself; You can’t allow yourself to falter this early in the day. You take a deep breath, your way to gain back control over yourself. 

“We’re almost ready to leave, so I came looking for you,” you try to look elsewhere but you’re mesmerized by his sight.

“Well, here I am now. Can I… help you with something?”

He raises his hand and strokes your cheek gently with the back of it, his face dangerously getting near yours. You feel your face burning hotter and it takes everything in you to push yourself away from him.

“We should really go, just– get dressed. I’ll uh, I’ll wait for you around the campfire with the others.”

You turn around completely flustered and walk back to your companions.

“Again?!” Karlach exclaims as she sees the state you’re in. “At this rate, you’ll turn redder than me!”

You wanna crawl into the depths of the hells and never come back up.

—

Today’s quest brings you to a secluded dungeon. Your findings from the previous days led you there in search for more information about an artifact you previously found throughout your adventure. If you’re correct, you should find here what’s missing for it to work. Now the only thing left to do is actually finding that missing piece.

With a swift flick of his wrist, Astarion opens the door to the lower grounds. As the door opens, you’re greeted by damp air and a musty smell. The place is dusty and covered in spiderwebs. Whatever you’re looking for must be here judging by the fact that no one has been down here in ages. You all walk in and notice that the place is a damned maze filled with countless rooms. You split up from the group, starting the search on your own, and the first room you walk in greets you with an absurdly obvious trap. You sigh, discouraged, as you fall back against the wall next to the entrance. Guess I won’t be able to avoid him much longer.

“Astarion? A hand?!” Your voice echoes through the hallways, followed by the sound of his footsteps.

He makes his way towards you nonchalantly, “You called, dear?”

“Can you take care of this?” You point towards the device.

He leans over you, his arms caging you between him and the wall, “I could, if you were to ask nicely.” His face hovers dangerously close to you, you can feel his cold breaths ghosting over your lips. It would be so easy to just tilt your head up and close the gap… No, you can’t let him win this. Last night was just a mutual agreement. An exchange of sorts. Nothing more, nothing less.

You cross your arms over your chest, creating some distance between the two of you, “Don’t push your luck.”

“Oh well, I assume you know how to deal with such an intricate mechanism then, if you’re so much better than I am?”, he wears his typical shit-eating grin.

You roll your eyes and step over your pride, “Fine. Can you please disarm this trap so we can carry on?” 

“See? Now, was that so hard?” He gives you a playful look before getting to work.

You stand next to him as he fickles with the machinery when you hear a loud commotion from afar.

“FUCK!”

You recognize the voice from your fiery friend and waste no time running towards the source of her scream, only to find her in a terrible state with Shadowheart kneeling next to her. Her leg is barely recognizable. Whatever got her rendered her unable to fight from now on.

“What happened?!”

“Godsdamned trap got me, shit!” She keeps groaning in pain.

“Alright, Shadowheart, do you think you can take care of her wounds?”

“I can stabilize her, but she won’t be able to carry on with her injuries, we need to head back to camp as soon as possible so I can tend to her,” she explains.

“Okay, okay,” your eyes wander between your friends as you’re thinking of a solution. “Yeah, okay, you’re right, I’m not risking Karlach’s life on this,” the cleric nods in agreement, “But we can’t back track now. Who knows what else this trap triggered, it might’ve alarmed someone. We are so close to finding the answer, I can't risk letting it slip past us.”

Shadowheart raises as she’s about to argue but you cut her off, “Don’t worry, I still believe you two should head to the camp. Astarion and I will carry on.” You feel Shadowheart’s glare of disapproval. “I swear we’ll be careful and we’ll run back to you guys should we encounter a situation that's too much for us.” You try to reassure your friend.

“Oooooooo, keeping Fangs all to yourself?” Karlach never missed an opportunity to tease you, even when in insufferable pain. You could respect that.

“Oh please, if it were up to me, he would be the one in that trap.”

“Rude,” Astarion remarks from behind you. You can’t help the smirk creeping up on your face.

“Fine,” the half-elf frowns in resignation. “We’ll head back– but don’t do anything stupid.”

“We wouldn’t dream of it,” Astarion adds sarcastically, as the two walk away.

With half of your party gone, you lose no time continuing your research. You didn’t want to spend any more time than necessary with half the manpower in unknown territory. You pass a few halls and rooms, each containing an absurd amount of traps for what little they were hiding, slowly getting discouraged from your lack of findings, when you hear rumble afar.

You both still, listening to the sounds, when you realize they are making their way towards you. 

“Hide!”, you barely whisper.

Before he can react, you roughly drag Astarion with you in the next open room and slam the door behind you. You acted faster than you could think ; the sound of the door was loud and the footsteps are now getting faster and louder. You try to remain calm to avoid drawing any more attention than necessary when you see the expression change on your companion’s face, followed by him yelling.

“What in the sweet hells is wrong with–!”

You don’t give him time to finish his sentence as you push him against the stone wall by his waist with the force of your whole body, while your other hand covers his mouth. You stare intensely into his eyes and mouth a “shh”, as silent as you can, to convey the urgency for him to shut up as the rumble of the footsteps get even closer to your location. He blinks rapidly and nods, understanding your motion, but brings his hand up to remove yours from his mouth. You hear the footsteps stop nearby and your heart pounding in your chest as your breathing stills. Your eyes dart towards the door, anxiety building up in your chest. Anything could be outside. You cannot risk getting into a fight you couldn’t handle. Against his own good, Astarion speaks up yet again.

“Let’s just kill–”

And you shut him up, again. 

This time, with a kiss.

It’s a surprise to both of you. It was sudden, instinctive. You’re not sure what took over you, but at this moment, it seemed to be the best course of action. You stay motionless for a moment before pulling away, slowly. You hear the sounds outside your room getting further away and you finally breathe out in relief. He looks at you with an annoying smile painted over his face.

You notice him observing you. “You really need to learn when to shut up,” you say, a poor excuse to try and justify your actions, as a blush takes place over your cheeks.

His lidded eyes observe your lips before making eye contact again, “And you think you know better?”

“I know I do,” you frown slightly. 

He keeps smiling, that damn annoyingly confident smile. “I’m afraid you’ll have to teach me, then. I’ve been known to be awfully loud.”

You scoff. The audacity of this man.

Initially, that first kiss was never supposed to lead to anything else. It was spontaneous, a means to an end, just like your last night spent together. Anything to stop him from talking, whatever would save you from being found. But you couldn’t deny the feelings that fluttered in your stomach, the butterflies in your chest. 

He continues, his words dripping with sarcasm, “I’m sure a sorceress of your expertise must have some way to silence a noisy rogue like myself.”

You realize then : all along, you didn’t hate him, you hated the fact that you were attracted to him, to that damn attitude of his. Truth is, you couldn’t have enough of that banter between the two of you. Every morning, that was the thing you were looking forward to. There was no denying yourself anymore ; you chased the feeling of arguing with this overblown, pretentious asshole. You wanted him, in more ways than one, and in any way he would offer himself to you.

“I can think of a few tricks,” you lean over him the same way he did you earlier, your faces barely an inch apart.

“Try me,” his voice is barely a whisper by now.

You let your feelings guide your next move as you pull him in by the collar of his armor, crashing your lips against his. If he saw this as a game, you intended to win. As the kiss depends, you’re taken back to that scenario you played in your head the night before, prior to Astarion’s visit.

At the next corner, you would’ve pushed him by the waist against the nearest wall and shut his pretty mouth up. 

Your kiss started out rough, but it quickly became passionate, it engulfed both of you into a world of your own. His hands roamed up your back and down your waist, pulling you in closer, reaching for more contact. Your sorcerer robe allowed for you to feel how tightly he grabbed you and yet, it didn’t feel like enough. You wished for nothing more than having your skin being ravished by his touch.

You would’ve taken the chance to let one of your hands roam through his silky smooth, curly hair, pulling it enough to get a moan out of him. 

Oh, and how soft it was. Freshly washed from this morning, his curls felt like silk through your fingers. You let your hands linger in his hair, combing through it, before lightly pulling it back. He groans in your mouth as a response, not parting from your lips just yet, and you smile through it.

How you would’ve parted his legs with your own, and grinded against his crotch, feeling his growing bulge.

You easily push yourself between his legs and grind against him. He pulls back from your kiss then, gasping in surprise. With the threat outside the room being long gone, you welcomed any noise you would get out of him. You feel his cock getting harder against your leg and you keep rubbing him up and down, creating more pressure over his member. He rests his head on your shoulder, breathing hard, his hold on you getting tighter. 

“Hells, darling, I didn’t think you had it in you,” he pants.

“Mmh, seems like I’ve got a lot more to teach you then.”

You reach for your trousers under your robe, letting them fall down after loosening  your belt, before reaching for his, pulling them down just low enough to expose his cock which is already leaking with pre-come. He hisses when you grab a hold of him, your mere touch sending shivers down his spine.

You smirk at the visible reaction he has to you, feeling powerful over him. Such a contrast compared to your last night tryst. This time, you were guiding this dance.

You guide him towards your entrance, only to grind yourself over him. He slides so easily between your wet folds and you can’t help the moan escaping your lips. The friction over your clit is nothing short of euphoric. You swing your hips back and forth, coating his length with your arousal, as he holds onto your waist for dear life. You grab his face and pull him closer so your foreheads touch, then take a moment to admire the mess you’re making of him, and by the Gods, what a pretty mess he was. His parted lips, gasping between each stroke you would allow him, his eyes fluttering open, lost in the feeling of your thighs squeezing him, his roughed up curls from the sweat building up on his forehead. 

He was beautiful.

You feel him moving on his own, trying to change positions so he has more control, but it's not something you will allow this time. You take his hands from your waist and push them against the wall he was leaning against, never stopping the rhythm you had going on. 

“What do you think you're doing?” Your voice is coated with desire.

“Please, let me in,” he begs.

“Do you think you deserve it?”, you say, playfully.

“Gods, I– yes, yes I do!”, he whines.

“Beg more.”

“What?! I will not–”, before he can finish his sentence, you reach for his ear with your tongue and give it a lick from the base to the tip. “Mmmgh ah, fuck–” 

“What was that?” You nibble on his ear.

“I– Ah–,” his entire resolve crumbles. “Please, love, I need you please,”  he begs again, his voice faltering.

You continue to lick and nibble on his ear. “See? Now, was that so hard?” you tease, using his own words against him.

“Oh, you little– ah–!”

You cut him off as you raise your leg to hook it to his hips allowing you for a better angle as you push him inside you slowly. You’re so wet from teasing him that he slides in without any resistance.

You throw your head back, taking in the feeling of him filling you, and at the vision of your exposed neck, Astarion leans in the crook of your neck, bared fangs scratching the spot he previously fed from you. You feel his cold breath along with the wetness of his tongue, lapping at your healed wound. You sense what he wants to do and although you crave it and you would let him do it, you don’t wanna give in so easily.

You stop all motion and with him buried deep inside of you, your hand lingering in his hair grabs a handful of curls to pull him back, away from your prized neck, holding him in place. 

He growls insistently, his true nature coming back to him.

“Give me one good reason,” you tug harder.

Through his ragged breath, he smiles playfully, “I just wanted a snack for the road.”

“You drank last night, you don’t need it,” your tone comes out raspy and aggressive despite your enjoyment of the situation.

“But you want this,” he pauses, watching your reaction. Your answer isn’t spoken, as much as it’s seen : your chest rises higher with each panting breath you take, your eyes flutter, drunk on lust, and your core is dripping wet, your combined fluids leaking against your leg. “Don't you?” He knows both of you know it's a fight for control. 

You thrust roughly, once, to reassert your position over him, making him whimper. “And just what makes you think that?”

He locks eyes with you, a grin painting over his face. “You seemed to enjoy it last time.”

“Hardly.”

“My dear, you can deny it all you want, but I can read you like an open book.”

You hated how he always managed to have the last word. One day, you tell yourself, It’ll be me. But for now…

“Shut up and bite me.”

The second you let go of your grasp in his hair, Astarion dives in the nook of your neck, plunging his fangs in your pulsating vein. You cry out at the sharp sting you feel and once the initial pain settles in, you pick back up the rhythm you had earlier, making the elf groan as he drinks you in. He was right, his bites had the effect of an aphrodisiac on you. You would never tell him though, his ego was inflated enough as is, admitting it would only make him more insufferable than he already is.

His hold on you became tighter and the more he drank, the less your strength allowed you to keep your position, but the build up down your stomach only grew. You didn't want to falter so close to the end.

“Astarion…” you warn him.

He growls against your neck and takes one last sip of your liquid gold before removing his fangs from you, licking off the new wound he created to clean you up. That's something else you could appreciate from the vampire ; no matter how selfish you found him, he did seem to respect the boundaries you established. He would absolutely push all of your buttons but when it came to sex he seemed more attentive, responsive. You never wanted to fall for him, but your heart had other plans.

You cross your arms around his neck, closing any remaining distance between your two bodies and with all the energy left in you, you thrust harder, and faster, letting yourself get lost in the overwhelming feeling he provided between your legs. Now that you had experienced him once, you craved getting filled up by him, only him, as much as possible, as much as he wanted to. You wanted to be his. 

“Darling, I’m close–”

“Come, let go for me,” you breathe in his ear before licking him again. “You’re so pretty when you come inside me.”

Your last words combined with the stimulation you’ve given him trigger his collapse in your arms. He grasps your hips vigorously, pulling you flush against him, allowing him to unload himself deep inside of your womb. You fall over the edge shortly after, drinking in the feeling of his semen filling you up. You fantasized constantly about being filled to the brim by him. Used over and over again, leaking from his seed, the act merely done to defile you in his image. You clench around his length, your legs shaking as you picture yourself overflowing with his come and ride out the wave of electrifying pleasure that courses through you.

As you come down from your high and let your leg down, you reach for something to grab a hold of so as to not completely fall over. Astarion had completely slouched over the wall you fucked him over, he was not an option. The nearest thing that seemed solid enough was an empty torch holder placed right next to the door which you grab without second thoughts. The last thing you expected was for it to pull down as you grabbed it. Even less that it opened a secret trap door in the middle of the room, from which a pillar came out of. You stay in place for a moment, piecing together what just happened, with Astarion making eye contact with you, just as puzzled as you were.

Before you now stands an altar with a very clearly placed piece of dark metal, shaped strangely like the pattern you remember being described in the previous document you found. You put your trousers back on, dismissing the mess between your legs, and grab the missing piece, connecting it to the artifact you held, to see it click in place.

“No fucking way.”

Astarion smirks, as if he was responsible for your discovery, proud of himself, “Wouldn’t have found that out with Karlach now, would you?”

He will never let you live this down.

-

When you're around me, I'm radioactive

My blood is burning, radioactive

I'm turning radioactive

My blood is radioactive

My heart is nuclear

Love is all that I fear

[sharksupermacy]

sweet love

sweet love-mina x 10th member! reader

synopsis: you love mina genre: fluff, cute little date, a 3DS????, making myself feel single

you love mina.

a statement you would stay by forever. even though the inventible might happen with her as such almost every such relationship hits you have come to exist to be happy with the now.

despite not being able to proudly claim that you were in a relationship with mina due to the stigma of two people in the same group. you were always able to show affection through gestures and hints when you were both together. linger touches far and definitely not few, giving random objects to each other, and missing items from each other closets???

safe to say miny/n stans were fed well almost 1000% of the time. even your members who supported you and mina relationship couldn't take the constant back hugging and hand-holding. all gagging (jokingly) at how much love you had for one another.

both yours and her favorite things to do with each other is to snuggle up and play a random game together. it didn't matter to either you or her that the game was well made or just really bad as long as you could both play it together.

this led to both of you agreeing to play the classic game Pokémon X and Y together on one 3DS in bed. It was nice mina back hugging you as you both booted up the screen together. you held the game in your hands as mina wraps her arms around your neck and kisses you on the cheek. both of you silently agreed you would trade anything in the world for another moment just like this.

you could hear the room almost in complete silence as a nice cozy feeling settled over the both of you in dim lighting. in the room over you could hear your members screaming playing mariokart on the switch you had just bought a month ago.

she silently watched as she saw you getting excited over the game letting the warm feeling take her over. with you playing a game as she felt just pure happiness in the moment.

"i love you," is what you said that broke the silence of the game and the quiet(ish) dorm. you tilted your head as you received no response back from the penguin. you were met with a passed-out mina from exhaustion from the schedule all of you had today.

you smiled as you got up from your place as silently as possible. saving the game progress so far, and turning off the lights in the room. smiling quietly at how much you loved her while putting the 3DS down on the drawer across the room. looking at the faint outlines of all the souvenirs, and memories you and her had made over the entire relationship.

"y/n where are you-" was slurred out from across the bedroom as you smiled to yourself more. (liking how mina called out for you.) "coming," was the word you replied back with as you made your way over bed. crashing into mina arms as both of you giggled at your antics. both of you laying in each other arms, as sleep washes over you.

"i love you," is the words that you had said to her as you felt yourself drifting off into dreamland.

a small fleeting response was said by the other, "i love you too." as both of you cuddled closer peacefully sleeping. realizing it didn't matter if you and mina had fights or even broke up in the future. you were content with just peacefully loving her in the present.

chaeyoung pov:

I was just entertaining chat where they brought up that they hadn’t seen mina and y/n in a while. I thought huh I haven’t either. “let’s go see them, shall we,” as I snatched the camera when the others were distracted by the rage-inducing game mariokart.

I made my way down the messy dorm hallway and stopped in front of the couple's door. knocked on the white door twice before calling out to the gamer couple if they were awake. no response. i knocked again and cracked open the door. where i was met a very snuggly penguin and y/n. “ew,’” I said while the camera faced me as. I turned the camera toward the love birds for a second as the comments went crazy.

twiceslaying: miny/n???? besties?????

hyofuturewife: MINY/N FTW!!! 

momodancemachine: MINY/N NATION WAKE UP! WE’VE BEEN FED AGAIN!!!!

I smiled at the comments of support as I closed the door behind me. making my way back down the hallway again lovingly complaining about how I have to put up with these two every day.

safe to say both you, mina, and miny/n was trending the next morning.

a/n: been a little bit a lot dead for the pass week or so but good news smau preps all finished! bro.. actually why is either way so good-(AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH)

[lynzishell]

The Past 💛 Atlas

We end up talking for hours, completely losing track of time, and before we know it, we’re blinded as all the lights flick on at once, our dark corner suddenly bright and exposed.

“I think that’s our cue,” Ash says, squinting in the harsh fluorescent light.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

As we stand to walk out, Ash stops and asks, “So, you’ll do it? You’re in?”

“Definitely. I think it’s brilliant!” And I mean it. I haven’t been this excited to work on a project in years, his passion suddenly reigniting my own. He looks so thrilled by my response that I can’t help but smile back at him. I think I’d do just about anything if it would make him this happy.

We step out into the cool fall air, both of us still buzzing from the alcohol and the possibilities of what we can create together, walking so close that our shoulders brush up against one another, and yet it’s not close enough.

As a kid, I used to play with magnets, always fascinated by the fact that when you flip one of them around the force drives them away rather than bringing them together. I always felt like that was me, the one flipped the wrong way, forced to keep separate from everyone around me. But with Ash, I feel pulled toward him, and if there was nothing holding us back, I’m certain we’d snap right to each other. 

It would be so easy, now, to lift my arm around his shoulders and pull him closer. He’d probably let me, but then what?

I’m so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t even noticed we’d reached the edge of the sidewalk, so abrupt and final, like the night is trying to end. But we rebel, both of us unwilling to say goodbye. Instead, we hesitate, turning towards each other. He looks up at me, his eyes practically silver the way they shine in the moonlight, and asks, “Now what?”

“Good question,” I say, “What do you wanna do?”

His usual smirk plays at the corner of his mouth as he steps closer, close enough now that I can feel the heat from his body radiating in the cold. I consider taking a step forward too, it wouldn’t take much, to lean in slightly and brush my lips against his just to see. See what it might feel like. Ash’s eyes draw a slow triangle from my eyes to my mouth and I realize he’s thinking about it too.

The thought seizes my body with a mix of anxiety and desire, and I’m frozen in place as he raises his hand slowly, letting it come to rest on the side of my face, just as warm as I imagined it to be. He pauses for a moment, perhaps waiting for me to stop him. When I don’t, something flashes behind his eyes, a decision.

“I want you to kiss me,” he says, the playful smirk on his lips daring me, bold and confident. But I see him. I see the way his shoulders rise and fall with short, nervous breaths. I feel the way his hand, warming my cheek, trembles just below the surface. Even still, the statement catches me off guard and a renewed storm of anxiety arcs through my entire body. I’ve never been so acutely aware of something as I am of Asher’s hand now, of the nearness of him, the way his breath feathers over my jaw and how it smells sweet, like whiskey and something else, something uniquely him. He’s so close, all I have to do is move a little, an inch maybe. His long, delicate fingers stroke the side of my face softly, reassuringly, keeping me grounded in place, keeping me present in this moment with him, and saving me from being lost in the sea of my own thoughts.

I shift my gaze down to his mouth and lift my hand to his jaw, running my thumb along the ridge of his lower lip, causing him to part them slightly and let out a small shuddering sigh. Then I look him in the eyes, giving him a slight, almost imperceptible, smile as I lean in.

Taking my time, I brush my lips lightly against his before kissing him softly. Holding myself back, not because I’m unsure, but because I’ve never been more certain of anything. I want to savor this moment, commit it to memory so I can revisit it tomorrow, and every day after.

A thrill runs through me when he kisses me back, not that I doubted he would. It was his idea, after all.

He follows my lead at first, but he’s not one to be cautious or restrained, and soon he’s pulling me closer to him, wanting something more. He drags his teeth along my lower lip in a surprising move, but I suppose this is what it’s like to kiss him, wild and overconfident, passionate and assertive, just like him.

The sensation makes me weak, and a small moan escapes me which seems to ignite something between us. We yank each other closer, snapping to each other, as our kisses become deeper and more desperate, and the world around us falls away until there is nothing else. Nothing but this, feeling, sensation and touch and taste and smell. Lips, tongues, and hands under the shimmering glow of the moonlight.

Prev // Next

[sanyu-thewitch05]

F! Yuu’s Dad in Twst Wonderland pt. 5

Pt.2 Pt.3 Pt.4

Please save Yuu’s dad from the boys in this world.

Turns out the boys at RSA are a different type of annoying

Instead of selfish brutish boy, it’s selfless boy polite boy who lives in a fairytale and doesn’t have the self awareness not to be handing out pre-engagement rings to the first person they fall in love with.

Like he has to give Yuu the “Don’t be a Disney Princess talk”

🦀: Yuu, what’s on your fingers?

🦐: My platonic engagement rings.

🦀: You’re what? W-what’s a platonic engagement?

🦐: They said I was really pretty and could tell I had a nice personality and warm spirit in need of help and a permanent place to stay so they slipped a ring on my finger and said that if I still needed help I could stay with them in their manors and castles and all they wanted in return was my love and companionship.

🦀: That last part doesn’t sound pretty platonic.

🍎🐦: Ah, Yuu, here’s the rest of your platonic engagement letters.

Yuu’s dad snatches a letter and opens one.

🦀: My dear Yuu, I crave your presence and companionship wherever I am. Would you please do me the honor of living with me after your graduation?! Oh God, I’ve made a terrible mistake!

Yuu’s dad shakes the rings off her fingers, grabs Grim, and runs out of RSA.

🦐: Dad, where are we going to go?

🦀: Well we haven’t tried NBC?

~~~~~~~~~~

Spoilers: It didn’t last an entire day due to Rollo’s obsession with Yuu not having magic.

Yuu’s dad literally found Rollo on his knees, hands clasped with Yuu’s, begging her to be with him forever so she’ll never have to deal with those “magic freaks” again.

And so, the father, daughter, cat crew is back at Ramshackle.

Which is also where they see a pile of cards on Ramshackle’s doorstep.

🦐: They’re all Valentines Day cards! I completely forgot today was Valentines Day! Malleus’s card is so sweet!

🦀: Lemme see that. “Dearest-“ ugh- “My thanks for such a truly wonderful present. It is only fitting that I should give you something in return. How about the gift of beauty? Perhaps the gift of song? Or…Well, never mind. Just a joke based on the legends, you know. I shall give you something I picked out myself. -Malleus Draconia.” Sweetie, you do realize he indirectly called you ugly, right?

A/N: Real talk, do not accept the feelings of someone who offers you the gift of beauty. Please do not accept the feelings of someone who says they love you but is indirectly calling you ugly at the same time. I am telling you your self-confidence will plummet if you do.

🦐: Well…you know what it does sound like he’s saying I’m ugly. He thinks I’m ugly…HE THINKS I’M UGLY!! *Wails*

🦀: Don’t worry baby, he wouldn’t know what a pretty girl looks like if she hit him. Hell, his father probably abandoned his mother when he found out what her face looked like and realized it passed onto his son.

🦐: Dad…

🦀: No boy is going to insult my baby directly or indirectly and get away with it.

And so your dad storms out of Ramshackle, leaving you alone.

🦀: Malleus, come here!

What ensues is your dad grabbing Malleus by the collar and giving him this interesting sentence.

🦀: Malleus, I swear to God that if you ever make my daughter cry like you did with that stupid fucking letter, I will cut your horns off and have them displayed as a trophy.

⚡️: Let go of Waka-Sama!

Your dad drops him to the ground and gets a phone call from you.

🦐: He’s here and I lost sight of him.

🦀: Who’s at Ramshackle?

🦐: Rook! I saw him in the bushes with a pair of binoculars, and when I looked back he was gone!

🦀: Oh for fucks sake! Honey, don’t worry, I’m coming back as soon as I can.

🦐: *the phone call suddenly ends*

🦀: Shit, this is so not good. Maybe the cat got him and burned him to death. I hope the cat burnt him to death.

When he returns to Ramshackle, he finds you dancing, albeit very uncomfortably, with Rook in the backyard.

🦀: Hey! Hey! HEY! Hands off my daughter, French creep!

🏹: Non, Non, don’t misunderstand my intentions. I was simply inquiring her status about a visitation to Pomefiore. Vil wanted to see if she wanted some of his unused makeup.

🦀: But why are you dancing with her? Why were you in the bushes? Why didn’t you text her? You have her phone number! All of you do actually!

🏹: well quite frankly because you blocked us, and who wouldn’t want to spend time dancing with such a girl under the moonlight while waiting for an answer to a questi-Ah!

Yuu kicks Rook in the crotch and your father couldn’t have been happier

🦀: Good job, sweetie! Though you might want to kick a bit lower next time so instead of hitting the base of his penis, you hit his testes. Lemme show you.

Your dad picks Rook up and stands behind him so Rook’s body isn’t sliding downward.

🦀: Take another chance, honey!

You take another kick hitting Rook in his balls. You squeal in delight that you accomplished your dad’s helpful tip.

🦐: Yay! I did it! Did you see that?!

🦀: Sure did! Let’s bring the cat for a night time treat out in the town.

Your dad goes inside to get the baby carrier and Grim.

Meanwhile your first and second year friends are slowly walking up to you out of fear for what they just saw.

🦐: Oh, hi! What are you guys doing here?

♥️: Umm…💧💧💧….we were going to invite you to a beach party *sees Yuu’s dad walking out with Grim in a baby carrier strapped to his chest* but now I think we should leave and let you get a good nights rest for tomorrow’s academic activities hahaha!

🦐: Oh no, I can totally come to the party! I’m just going with my dad to the town for a snack!

🦀: *mouthing: you better not try anything or let anything happen to my daughter or else everyone will find you like this* *moves his hand to Rook’s body on the ground*

♥️: ….Yessir!

🦀: Come on, Yuu, let’s take you out for a snack and then you can enjoy your party.

You laugh and skip along with the your first and second year friends while your dad squishes Grim’s toe beans.

[general-fanfiction]

Don’t Trust Him. (Wally Clark x Reader)

Summary: With Rhonda, Charlie and Wally trapped in the fallout shelter, Y/N is their only way out.

Word Count: 2,727

Gif Not Mine. Requests Are Open!

Warnings - Violence, Swearing?

A/N - So I know technically the ghosts don’t bleed but I felt like it was slightly better in this situation if they did so let’s just pretend they do. I also apologise for how rushed this is, I really just wanted to get something posted.

Before I died, my knowledge of ghosts was based on what I’d seen in movies. Completely fictional. Turns out there is no way of communicating with the  living, nor any way of possession or torment. Not even a way of leaving the place you died. Unless you’re the exception. Which in my case, turns out I am the exception. It’s funny, in life I was very much average, no different from the other thousands of kids attending Split River High. Though in death, I’m powerful. Able to leave the place that the others are stuck, able to speak with the living if only for short periods of time. Mr Martin tells me I’m a vessel. That I should be careful because other ghosts may attempt to take advantage of my unique skills. However, I haven’t had any issues so far. In fact, I’ve done my best to help those trapped here to heal old wounds. Allowing them to forgive.

I’ve been here since 2007, over a decade and yet I’m still the newest ghost. Rhonda died in the sixties, Dawn the seventies, Wally the eighties and Charlie the nineties. Not that I mind, as much as we’re a weird bunch, we’re friends. Hell, I consider them family at this point as we have done nothing but support one another since dying. Wally even more so. He made a point of helping me get settled when I died. Sticking by me through all my meltdowns and the struggles I faced when coming to terms with the powers that I held. It’s safe to say we grew close.

So close in fact, that we’ve been dating for the past seven years. Contrary to popular belief, Wally is fairly shy and so it did take a good few years before either of us dared to confess our feelings. I can’t complain though, we’d been going to homecoming together for years at that point and as we lay on the field gazing up at the stars, he finally asked me to be his girlfriend. What followed was a pretty eventful night fuelled by passion and desire. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Which brings me to the present day, returning from my trip to the grocery store, I wander aimlessly around the hallways. Hoping to find Rhonda, Charlie and Wally, however, they are nowhere to be found. I must admit, the empty hallways are pretty eerie, with Dawn gone the air feels heavier. She brought a certain lightness to the school that can’t be replaced.

Entering the basement, I find myself swinging the shopping bag slightly. Attempting to give myself a confidence boost by acting as though it’s a happy, cheery place to be. Despite residing here for all the years, I’ve never once found myself in the basement, so as much as I am creeped out, I do use this opportunity to be nosy and explore everything on the shelves. Nothing peaks my interest though. Dusty old paint pots and garden tools aren’t exactly my idea of entertainment.

At that moment I begin to hear yells and shouts for help. My head spins in the direction it’s coming from and only then do I notice the huge metal door tucked into the wall. Hesitantly stepping towards it, the shouts get louder, pleading for help. The voices sounding very familiar to those of my friends.

“Wally?” I ask, feet pushing me towards the door a lot faster as I realize who is yelling. “Rhonda? Charlie? Is that you?”

Pushing on the door, I try to move the latch but for whatever reason it is completely sealed shut. No movement whatsoever. It doesn’t matter which way I attempt to pull or twist, the latch isn’t budging. My brows furrow in confusion as I try to work out how this could have happened. The door is old but not old enough to become so stuck that it is impossible to open.

“Y/N!” Wally calls out, relief evident in his voice. “Y/N, we’re completely stuck, the back hatch is locked too.”

“It’s okay. I’m here, I’ll get you out.” I tell them, still pulling on the door, though my eyes shift around the room, hoping to find a crowbar or any sort of object that may help me.

“Y/N, be careful! You can’t trust him!” Rhonda shouts, her voice panicked, the first time I’ve heard her sound genuinely scared.

“Trust who?”

Before my question is answered, the basement door swings open and I see a shadow looming over me at the top of the stairs. The shopping bag slips from my hand, glass bottles smashing against the floor as I realize who Rhonda was warning me about. Mr Martin’s friendly demeanor is gone, appearing menacing and dangerous as he makes eye contact with me. Shuffling backwards slightly, I keep my eyes on him. Trying to calculate his next move.

“Y/N, do you remember our little chat?” Mr Martin asks, slowly descending the stairs with his hands clasped together, truly looking like a villain.

“I’m not sure which chat you’re talking about, but I’m sure you’re going to enlighten me.”

Each step Mr Martin takes towards me, I take a step back, putting as much space between us as I possibly can. Unable to contain it, I feel my body trembling, the sounds of my friends pounding on the door simply heightens my nerves. Their shouts fill me with dread and I do my best to remain calm, to remain observant. Mr Martin feels like a predator, stalking me as if I’m prey. Was he always like this? Were we all fooled by his supportive teacher act?

“A short while ago, I talked to you about your uniqueness.” He starts, throwing a sharp glare towards the metal door that my friends are trapped behind. “You told me that you wouldn’t use your gifts to benefit others. Clearly you are not a girl of your word.”

He talks slowly, I’m assuming to get some sort of reaction out of me. If I react on impulse, he is in control. I can’t let that happen. If he gains control of this situation, there is no way I can help Wally and Rhonda and Charlie.

“I don’t think I’ve really used it to benefit anyone other than myself.”

“Peach iced tea. Is that not Rhonda’s favorite beverage? Plus, I know for a fact that pack of jelly doughnuts is for Wally.” Mr Martin points out, reaching down to the shopping bag on the floor and rummaging through it to see its contents.

“If I’m going to the store, I’m going to pick up their favorite things. That’s called being a decent person.” I respond, feeling my back touch the shelves that line the walls as I continue to step away from Mr Martin. “They’ve been stuck here long enough, they deserve good things.”

He smiles, though it doesn’t reach his eyes and ultimately feels incredibly forced. Continuing to make his way towards me, I know he thinks he has me cornered. He thinks I am trapped in the room with him. Little does he know he has made one major mistake. If there is one thing about me, it is that I am insanely loyal and I will do whatever it takes to protect the people I care about. Right now, those people are trapped behind that stupid metal door, and there is nothing I won’t do to get them out.

“You know Mr Martin, I think you’re just jealous.”

“Y/N what the fuck are you doing?” Wally shouts, the banging on the door becoming more frequent as I sense he is becoming increasingly more panicked.

“Jealous?” Mr Martin questions, an expression of confusion on his face as he obviously didn’t expect me to steer the conversation in this direction. “Jealous of what Y/N?”

My hand snakes behind me at a snail’s pace, ensuring that he doesn’t catch the movement and spoil my plan. I just need to stall slightly, catch him off guard and then if all goes well, I should have them out in no time. Then I can stop worrying, especially about Wally. I know he’s only on the other side of that door but it feels like he is one million miles away.

“Well, you’re the only teacher here. Stuck with a bunch of teenagers, must be hard right? I’m sure you feel isolated and alone. Especially when one such teenager has powers that you can only dream of having. Powers that she uses to get her friends and boyfriend their favorite snacks or new books and films.”

“You think I’m jealous that you use your gifts on something so trivial?” Mr Martin questions, stepping towards me once more so we are practically inches apart. “Trust me Y/N, if I had the gifts that you hold, I would be using them to guide myself to the light. To cross over. Not you though, you’re just a stupid little girl that wastes talent on a bunch of people that do not care about you and are only using you for your gifts. I mean do you really think Wally would be sticking around with you if you weren’t able to bring him little treats? Though I suppose you did spread your legs for him the moment you arrived so who really knows.”

With a sigh, my hand takes a firm hold of the paint pot handle. “I really wish you hadn’t just said that.”

With a sharp swing I aim the paint pot directly at Mr Martin’s head, hitting him right above his ear. A pained groan escapes his mouth as he is knocked off balance, planting his hand against the wall so that he doesn’t fall to the ground. Sure, he can’t die twice, but I’m certain that I can at least knock him out for a while. As I go to swing the pot again, his forearm blocks my blow. Sending the pot clattering to the floor.

“Well now I’m angry.” He states, giving me no time to react as he grabs the end of one of the smashed glass bottles swiping at me with the sharp end.

Despite finding reassurance in the fact that I can’t die twice, I still wince at the feeling of the glass drag directly across my cheek. Cut opening, I feel the blood dripping down my cheek and in the one moment that I reach up to hold my wound, Mr Martin strikes again. Blunt end of the bottle hitting the back of my head sending me crashing to the ground. Grunting softly as I hit the floor with a thud.

“Y/N!” Wally bellows, worry laced in his voice and guilt floods through me as I hate to put him through this. “Y’N be careful, please. Y/N!”

Rhonda and Charlie are shouting as well, pain in their voices as they are evidently stressed out not knowing what is going on and only being able to hear the sounds of our fight. It must be hard having no indication of who is winning.

Flipping myself so that I am no longer facing the ground, I watch as Mr Martin stands over me. Dropping himself into a crouch, his fingers brush a stray hair out of my face. A wicked smirk settled on his face.

“Such a pretty face, too bad nobody else will get to see it.”

A rush of energy pulses through my body and with all the strength I can muster, I manage to stretch my arm out to grab the paint pot. Repeatedly hitting the teacher over the head with it and I feel little splatters of blood coat my face and body as he collapses to the floor. When I see no sign of movement, I begin to search through his jacket pockets. Whether that’s for a key or a key code, I’m not too sure. Though, I’m hoping when I find it, I’ll know.

With just my luck, a key slips into my hand, just in time for me to watch his body disappear as he resets to wherever he died. I’m unsure of how long he will be out and so for now I ignore my injuries focusing on finding any sort of lockbox.

“I’ve got a key. Any idea where it’s supposed to go?” I ask, hoping I can find some sort of answer from the three behind the door.

“I’m pretty sure there’s a little box to the right of the door, just above the ground.” Charlie answers, allowing me to search quickly.

Within no time I have found the box, twisting the key to find a switch which completely resets the lock on the door. This time when I try the door it pushes open with ease and I’m greeted by a swarm of tight hugs. Even Rhonda wraps her arms around me, squeezing slightly.

Wally hangs back, waiting for the other two to finish their greetings first. As soon as he gets the chance, he’s sweeping me off my feet, hugging me so tight that I feel as though my ribs may shatter. He’s twirling me around clearly happy just to see me again, and no doubt to be out of that room.

“I hate to break this up guys but we should probably head off before the evil teacher decides to come and take his revenge on Y/N.” Rhonda states, already beginning to make her way up the stairs.

Once we make it to the library, Wally is immediately all over me. Tending to my wounds as best as he can with the limited medical supplies we picked up from the nurses office on the way. He has a slight frown on his face as he wipes away the blood and I can’t help but place my fingers under his jaw, pressing a sweet kiss to his lips as a way of cheering him up. Yet the frown remains.

“Hey, what’s wrong? We made it out didn’t we?” I ask, cupping his face with my hands, thumbs stroking his cheeks.

“Yeah but I should have been out there to protect you. If I was there you wouldn’t have been hurt. You would never have been in that position.” He tells me, eyes not meeting mine as he speaks and I have a feeling that it’s because he is embarrassed and ashamed that he couldn't do anything.

Smiling softly, my lips press against his forehead, followed by both cheeks, then his nose, chin and lips. As I’m peppering kisses all across his face, he finally begins to crack a slight smile. His hands wrap around my forearms as he tugs me into a slow, heated kiss. Lips moving against mine at a relaxed pace and I find myself pulling at the hair on the nape of his neck. He groans quietly, hands moving to carefully pull me onto his lap as we get caught up in the heat of the moment.

“Can you guys please be gross somewhere else?” Rhonda asks, tilting her book down slightly to make sure we hear her.

I giggle as a soft rose blush tints Wally’s cheeks, pink from ear to ear. It’s cute, and he’s the most relaxed I have seen him since leaving the basement.

“Not to kind of spoil the mood, but what do we do about Mr Martin?” I ask, sharing a worried glance between the three other ghosts sitting at the table.

“I mean, we’re already dead, he can’t hurt us.” Rhonda states, a logical answer though I’m sure he’d still find a way to make our lives hell.

“Yeah but he still trapped us and look at Y/N’s face.” Charlie comments, clearly nervous by the entire situation. “No offense.”

“Not to mention he’s been studying us.” Wally adds in, to which he receives a questioning look from me. “I’ll fill you in later.”

“I guess we just avoid him and maybe brush up on exorcisms and ridding ourselves of negative spirits.” I say, smiling at Wally as I feel him reach for my hand under the table.

As eventful as today was, and as scary as today, I’m no longer scared. Mr Martin may be big and tough but I know that the four of us are able to take on anything. Besides with Wally by my side, I know I’m able to accomplish anything.

[m4rried2the-moon]

⁽ 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘤 ⁾ 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴

this is a reading i recently did for myself, it’s basically just to take a look at what your fears are, how to overcome them and the outcome of that.

please only take what resonates, listen to your intuition closely. don’t second guess that gut feeling!

pile 1 - king of swords, five of swords, ace of swords, two of cups, five of cups (overcome: seven of cups outcome: two of wands, nine of swords and six of swords)

okay pile one, are you struggling with feelings of defeat and mental guardedness?or maybe you fear someone/something around you who is making your life harder in some way. you’re very in your head, pile one, and your feelings. there could be hesitation to start something new or take action on an idea or project you’ve been thinking of. have you been hurt in the recent past? i see that you may fear starting a new relationship or putting your faith in a new one, letting go of past failed relationships/hopes may be difficult in this moment.

to overcome this, allow this opportunity to be a blessing. this is not a trick, this is not a test. it’s an opportunity to open yourself up to new adventures, friendships, a new major success — whatever resonates for you! the outcome of this is more options, seeing that if you take a chance on this beginning, you’ll see that your fears were in vain and you’ll be able to find peace in this transition.

pile 2 - five of swords, queen of cups, ten of cups, two of wands, three of cups (overcome: three of swords, six of pentacles outcome: seven of cups and nine of cups)

pile two, have you been struggling with loneliness? feel like the folks associated with this pile are very sensitive people, you may have experienced trauma in the recent past (issues with betrayal, unnecessary conflict, grudge holding maybe) and your fear may be of never being able to find true fulfillment. an emotional guard is present with this pile but it’s clear that your desire is pure in wanting what seems to simply be more emotionally fulfilling and engaging relationships/interactions. do you feel trapped by stagnation?

to overcome this, when reflecting on your trauma, past regrets or fears of loneliness, remember that just like stormy weather, this too shall pass. be open to sharing, to generosity with those around you. engage with someone you wouldn’t typically engage with or pause to be gentler with yourself. give yourself and others grace as source will grant you. this heartbreak will not end in vain. the outcome of this is a realization your dreams are directly in your grasp and you aren’t only deserving of receiving them but you may be already.

pile 3 - queen of swords, two of wands, king of swords, the fool, eight of of swords, six of pentacles (overcome: four of pentacles, ace of pentacles and three of swords outcome: queen of pentacles, ace of cups and queen of cups)

pile three, are you struggling with discouragement? it feels like there may be multiple factors (people, responsibilities, self) weighing in on your life. these things are making you feel like you’re not able to be happy or free. are you easily influenced, pile three? it feels like while you are able to dream and hope for better, it seems like you haven’t been able to get back to positivity or optimism in a while. this may be an effect of these varying factors discouraging you. there may even be an opportunity for a new start if you have the confidence to pursue it. do you fear there is nothing or worse for you beyond this?

to overcome this, look past your stronghold on your own solitude. look ahead into ‘what if?’ there seems to be a chance here to create a new perspective, a chance to grow from whatever kept you stagnant. what if the road less traveled leads to happiness beyond like any you’ve experienced before? the outcome of this is the opportunity to love — the gift of realizing abundance is endless once you accept this as fact. in my opinion, life is supposed to be enjoyable and easy; without feeling alive, life is purely existence.

that’s it for now, hope this helped and you got everything you needed <3 please remember to like/reblog!

[avatarkv]

(My heart is,) squeeze it apart, it’s fine. 

✎ Synopsis ! The clan could sense Ao’nung’s brooding figure from a mile away, more hostile than ever. What more could he handle once he figures out you’re already spoken for?

Content & warning ¡ Ao'nung x Reader! They are both idiots in love. Second part to (Uh-oh! I think you're holding the heart of mine!)

“You have been out more recently,” The voice of your mother startled you, making you immediately stop dead on your tracks with a groan. You had not expected her to be home so early, especially that the day was just about to set. You sharply turned to her, shoulders tense, and tight-lipped. For a second, you felt younger– remembering the nights you stood the same after being caught red-handed for sneaking out and returning home late, but it was different this time and you know it. 

“Eywa had blessed me lavishly,” You presented her your woven satchel full of banana, yovo, and a handful of other fruits. There wasn’t much meat, however, but you’ve caught enough that could last for days. You let it sit outside to clean later on, “Father won’t have to hunt for a few weeks.” 

“Ao’nung had visited,” She eyed you knowingly, trying to put two and two together. “Again.” 

You rolled your eyes and dropped your satchel from your sore shoulder. You were desperately trying to avoid him and while you have been successful in doing so, you could never escape your prying mother. Weeks had passed since Ao’nung apologized back at your safe place and you haven’t looked back since. You fled– feeling the weight of his words burn like acid rapidly spiraling out your stomach instead of the relief you’ve been yearning all these years.

Let me grow old with you and I promise to be wiser.

The way your face grimaced after, retracting from his touch so hurriedly was another punch to the gut. 

Don’t go there, Ao’nung. You don’t know what you’re saying.

He said it so sincerely– so heart-wrenching that you would have given yourself right there and then, but you knew better than to quell his sorry conscience. You fled, leaving him with his bare heart in his hand with nothing but the whistling wind to accompany him. Only then did he realize how lonely it was to be there without you to fill in the spaces; how this sanctuary was just any other place without your presence. He left hours later.

The olo’eyktan’s son was still hopeful, despite the many blisters on his already red fingers and the sharp slaps from his sister– who knew weaving was this difficult? Tsireya was an unforgiving mentor, immediately scolding him for every wrong pattern and shaming him of his poor choice of color and beads. She was keen on helping him work on his apology; it would have been a big fat lie if she said he didn’t improve tremendously. (she’s pertaining to his development as a whole, not his weaving skills. he sucks ass, but he’s trying!)

He delivered the various handcrafted accessories himself as well as the tops and loincloths he made, hoping that you’d answer him personally– but he was always greeted by his mother and her sorry smile. She’s out hunting. I have not seen her since this morning. She left to train. Ao’nung would immediately slump his shoulders, bidding her goodbye with a frown gracing his features. 

“You tire the poor boy,” 

“And I am worn out myself, mother.” You argued.

“Then at least tell him,” She gave you a stern look, “If it’s not him, it’s Ts’ute.” The people were no stranger to gossip; their eyes could tell even the smallest of changes amongst the clan and they’re quick to spread it like wildfire, so it was no surprise either that you and the olo’eyktan’s son were the subject of everyone’s whispers. The usual shadow that trailed behind Ao’nung like a second tail was nowhere to be found anymore and he grew more hostile and impatient– it didn’t take long for everyone to take two and two together.

You weren’t just known for your obvious fondness towards Ao’nung– you were top of your class; strong-hearted and skillful, you’d be the talk amongst the men your age. The moment people got the memo, they were quick to advance– to knock on your door with their hearts to offer and your mother did not turn a blind eye to any of it, Ts’ute included. He was a fearless hunter himself and loved by many.

“Why must you determine my heart?” 

“Because you cannot speak of what it desires most. You’re holding yourself back and you know it very well.” 

You couldn’t think of any more reply because you knew damn well she was right, so you headed right for the exit. On your way out, you were face to face with an eager Ts’ute. His ears lifted in surprise and you fought back the groan that threatened to leave your mouth. You gave him a tight-lipped smile, slightly nodding to acknowledge his presence. “Ma __, I come bearing fruits from our hunt.” 

You walked past him, hands tightly gripping the satchel that bore a few fruits you wished to give Tsireya. “And have you forgotten I was a part of that very hunt, Ts’ute? I’ve brought enough for my family, share it with others instead.” 

He hurriedly ran beside you, “Then allow me to walk with you, please.”

You let him join you, eyes scanning the place for your friend while you walked. You could feel him stealing glances, admiring the way your forehead would slowly crease or how you bit your bottom lip when you were deep in thought. “You are meaner to yourself than he ever was, have you realized that? You still seek for him” Ts’ute suddenly said, head turning to look at him.

You sighed, already knowing where this conversation would lead. “It is not my intention. You cannot just undo years of me pining over him, it’s not easy to just– unlearn something you have terribly lived for all your life.” your head hung low in shame as you rambled. It was wrong for you to vent about another man to your suitor, but you couldn’t help but pour your frustrations out on him. 

“Believe me, I know.” He grabbed your wrist to stop you from walking any farther. His hand caressed your cheek and as much as you tried to appreciate the warmth of his calloused palm, it was foreign and distant. He wasn’t him and you resented the fact that you still did seek for him. You felt extremely guilty with the way he looked at you; still full of anticipation– of hope and you hate to be the one to crush it completely.  “Tell me you want this, __, or you’ll never hear from me ever again.”

You thought about it. You really did. Ts’ute was an absolute catch, the clan’s golden boy. You’d be happy with him and you know it, but the thought lingered on the back of your mind— Ao’nung. Oh great mother, even if he was nowhere to be seen, he was still able to become a pain in your ass. You appreciated Ts’ute, truly, but the olo’eyktan’s son was a different kind of stubborn that you couldn’t just shake off.

You loved him— adored him to no end and while you hated him for it, Eywa makes no mistakes. With a solemn sigh, you could only give him an apologetic look, borderline embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Ts’ute.” You took his hand that caressed your face, “You deserve a love that could reciprocate, but I believe I have been spoken for all my life.”

He retracted his hand from your hold, much to his dismay, and only nodded his head in defeat. “Tsireya is just near the shore. You should find her there.” 

He left you there completely unmoving. Unbeknownst to you, the same gaze lingered from a far, watching the scene unfold. Ao’nung’s grasp tightened around the necklace he had just finished and knew there and then that he was a lost man already and he was the only one to blame. He couldn’t bear how his heart sank, but he also couldn’t walk away, almost like it anchored his entirety down.

He left an hour later, necklace buried somewhere on the sand and his heart near it.

You had not heard of Ao’nung for weeks and it confused you terribly– no sight of him nor any news. It was like he vanished from your eyes, never to be seen again. The gifts stopped coming as well and although you never properly acknowledged it, you kept one of his hand-crafted bracelets around your wrist. It felt right to have something of his near. You hoped for another chance to rekindle inside, even just a tiny speck of light that could encourage you to keep holding onto the already seeping warmth of fondness– to tell you that turning Ts’ute down was a good thing and you had not just doomed your romance forever.

And right now, you felt ridiculed– on top of that, alone. You were back at your safe place after all the time you’ve neglected it, peacefully washing your hair and removing the braids and beads. You hummed while you got rid of all the little shells and situated them between the rocks, not noticing the approaching figure behind. 

“Congratulations,” You visibly flinched, immediately turning your head to the devil itself. Ao’nung sat on the edge, slightly swinging his feet on the water.

“Congratulations? What are you doing here– where have you been?” You couldn’t help the questions. This very man was gone only to reappear with a congratulations. You were out of your mind, even going as far as saying that his presence was only a hallucination from all the days you kept wishing for him.

“I have heard.” His vague responses were only drilling further your curiosity and it did not help the growing frustration that slowly spiraled from your stomach. 

“I do not know what you mean, Ao’nung.” 

“You’ve chosen,” his lips would close tightly and his shoulders would slump from every sharp short breath he took. It was an impulsive decision for him to march here, to finally have the guts to face you. He couldn’t run from it anymore– he had to face the consequences of his own stupidity. “And I wish you happiness, really. I really, really, really do,”

“Ao’nung–”

“I hope you get everything your heart has ever yearned for and I hope to never hear a thing about it,” His voice was shaky, words tumbling over one another. Ao’nung had lowered his body down the water to come near you and you moved not even one bit. You took in the raw emotions written all over his face; the desperation in his tone, his vulnerable stance– he came bare and absolutely miserable. “It’s selfish of me, __, truly selfish of me, but I will never be satisfied.” 

“Ao’nung, please let me talk.” 

“My title, everything– I would have let it be damned. I would have gladly stepped down to take your hand instead.”

You exhaled deeply and frustratedly reached up to cup his face, finally closing the gap between you and Ao’nung. For a moment, he was too stunned to respond, breath hitching and heart entirely warm to the core– the kiss spoke of all the things left unsaid. He held your nape to deepen the kiss and  it was like a dam had burst inside you. Your lips were soft and he was a starved man– you were everything he had terribly craved for and he wanted nothing more than to feel every inch of you against him. You could feel your heart pounding against his chest and you knew that his was racing just as quickly.

He was wrong– so wrong. To push you away, to embarrass you, everything. It didn’t matter if it took him forever to make it up to you, didn’t matter if he had to bleed out and show you his heart himself. He was an idiot, an idiot beyond grateful that you still took him in.

“I declined Ts’ute,” You said, breathless. 

“I think the kiss explained enough, alright.” He chuckled and you could only push him away in embarrassment, the confidence completely leaving your entirety the moment his cockiness returned. Ao’nung pulled you back in an embrace, his eyes never leaving yours and you swore the butterflies inside your stomach fluttered violently– he looked at you like you had hung the stars yourself, so delicate and full of love. “I see you, __. I mean it.” 

“You better.”

☆ mauve here! i know i said i was gonna include neteyam BUT MY HEART COULDNT CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM bec yk im running to neteyam in an instant. not edited nor proof read so feel free to point out any mistakes! i am extremely tired and it's quarter to 4 in the morning. idk if this felt rush augh

tags: @aonungsmate @dearstell (it felt appropriate to add you in the tag, but if it bothers you i will gladly put it down immediately !!)

[mysticmunson]

Maybe some Alpha!Eddie x Plussize!Omega!Reader comfort fluff/smut? Acquaintances to Lovers, she didn't think Eddie looked her way until it was discovered she was an omega. Reader is feeling low wondering if Eddie actually has feelings for her or if it's just because she finally presented. Turns out he always had a crush on her. He shows her he would've chosen her regardless.

from the sidelines: alpha!eddie munson x omega!reader

authors note: hi darling! thank you so much for the lovely ask, i'm a bigger girl myself so these hit close to home. i hope you enjoy! i also want to note that my work can be interpreted as any body type, but this piece does reference being bigger. i'm not sure how i feel about this so feedback is welcomed as always. (not proofread whoopsies)

warnings: mentions of being bigger than others, insecurities, brief smut (18+)

When going through a turbulent time, a good friend can be the remedy or the impairment, but you weren’t sure which one had occurred with your relationship with Eddie Munson. 

Being the outcasts in middle school meant you stuck together, hushing the boys who teased him as he scared the girls who belittled you. Watching him grow was an unexplainable experience, not knowing the exact day when your platonic connection became romantic.

Change knowingly came when you both presented, him as an alpha and you as an omega. The knowledge of one another was by pure happenstance, but he didn’t hesitate to come to your house, assisting your situation. Already in a state of blatant desire, all his attributes became more prolific, noticing every line by his eye or fainted freckle on his shoulder.

The next few days were spent beside each other, comforting the other through affirmation or unspoken caresses. But as you faded from your heat, the knife in your chest began to twist, that there was a future beyond what was in front of you.

The delusion brought by nature during this time had blindsighted you to the impact this could have on your friendship, on your other friendships, and your mental health. The thoughts swarmed in your brain once Eddie pulled on his Metallica tee for a final time, kissing your head and going to his van.

The warmth of his skin still left you shuddering, recalling it like a forgotten song as he played every string of your body, a one sided symphony being left in its wake. His duty as composer satisfied his need to create as you reeled in the masterpiece at hand.

You hadn’t spoken to him since, taking every opportunity to avoid those soft brown eyes that were once so close to your own. However, the game of cat and mouse could only go on for so long, especially when he wasn’t one to beat around the bush. 

Trudging to the door, it was the first knock you heard on your door all day, the sun now set as the star just began to shine. The pounding increased as your steps went in sync, prepared to politely scare away whoever decided to ruin your night of somber. As you threw the door open, the tall man with a mane of curls was before you with an unamused look, stepping inside without saying.

He looked at you, crossing his arms over his chest with furrowed brows, clearly not entertained by your avoidance. It made you feel two feet tall, glancing down at your feet, only to realize your state of undress in only small shorts and a thin tank top.

“Shit, Eddie, let me get changed.” You mumbled, walking quickly, but he followed right after you. Cutting you off to your room, he went in first, flopping on your unmade bed.

“Not like I haven’t seen you in less,” He sassed, propping himself up on his elbows, “Now tell me why you’ve been ignoring me.”

The silence laid thick enough to cut, emotions swirling around you as you tried to think of any congruent thought. His attitude would typically amuse you, but now it felt too real. As if this were an interrogation, the bright light beaming down on your face as you broke a sweat, barely able to see him under the pretense that you had been caught. An unspoken crime.

Walking to your dresser, you pulled on a baggy sweatshirt, despising the heat while aching for the coverage. The same eyes that were looking at the back of your head had seen every crevice and crease of you, but you doubted he truly perceived you as you did him.

The detail in which you find yourself yearning for him goes beyond skin, but it’s the part of him you can touch. The self-given tattoos that took residency on his arms, the dimple in his back, the way his hair poked through the pores of his face. 

“Hey,” He broke you from your daze, “Talk to me, you’ve been ignoring me since last week.”

He sat at the edge of the bed now, pillow in his lap and, seemingly, much calmer. What you hated was the way it made you feel even lower, that your longing was so blind to him.

Rubbing your hands down your face, the burning within your skull made you curse yourself, struggling to control your emotions. The hitch in your breathing made his attention heighten, standing to pull your hands away to see your distress. 

The combination of loneliness, affection, anxiety, and all the other unexplainable sensations brewed into anger. Pulling from his loose grip, you pointed at the door while looking towards your feet, tapping one to show your lack of patience.

“I’m not leaving, not until you say what’s wrong. What we did was completely natural.” He sighed, flopping his hands against his jean clad thigh, wishing things would resume to how they were.

But the past was as painful as the present for you, maybe even more so now knowing he had touched you. It irked you that maybe the past was so easy for him to go to because nothing had truly changed.

“Eddie, stop, you don’t get it.” You spoke with a waving voice, trying to reign in the racing beat of your heart.

He scoffed, making you lose your grip on the invisible rope, blood flushing to your cheeks in a mix of embarrassment and pain. 

“What makes you think I don’t? We’re going through this together!” He emphasized, “I know it's different for alpha and omega’s, but we have each other.”

The band of false serenity snapped as your fists clenched, biting your lip for a brief moment before letting your words loose. 

“Eddie! You don’t get it because you didn’t have to watch you leave!” You sighed, his eyebrows furrowing in momentary confusion, “You went into your van and you drove home, but I’m still there. I’m still at the night you arrived, the night you left, and every fucking minute since.”

Your usual calm tone was exchanged for a fierce one, but through the frustration, the agony rose to the surface. He felt frozen in place as you continued your rant, wishing he could take a peek inside your brain.

“I have spent years watching you look at girls and I supported you every single time even though it made me want to die. These girls looked perfect and only had to worry about if your personalities matched, not if they even liked bigger girls in the first place! And I was there every single time. Shit, I was here when you presented!”

The tears rolling down your cheeks cascaded like the words streaming out, losing any bit of secrecy you had from him, hoping the feeling of relief would wash over you soon.

“I was here and I felt so beautiful and amazing and worthy. It hurts like hell knowing that was a natural instinct for you when it was so much more for me.” 

Before you could continue, arms wrapped around your body, securing you firmly to a warm chest you knew too well. One that you would fall into without hesitation, greeted by the familiar aroma that infiltrated your senses.

A palm stroked your hair, hushing your cries as you nuzzled into his neck, inhaling as if this were the last time. As if this were a pitiful action to cease the awkwardness, but there was nothing that could make Eddie seem anything less than accepting of you.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, swaying you both to soothe you, but you tensed at his response. 

All the years of friendship seemed to be dripping from both of your hands, piling into a mess on the floor that would dissolve without a trace, just a memory. The thought of letting him go and never seeing him again terrified you, enough to humiliate yourself just to get one more minute of his love.

“You mean so much to me and I fucking mean that. I wanted you before we presented and even more now, it felt like destiny, like a plot twist in DnD.” He gasped, his nerdiness making you laugh as you smacked his chest, looking up at him, “I didn’t want to ruin our friendship, but the thought of you here, so needy, made me insane. More insane than usual.”

Hands gripped your hips as he pulled you to his body, “I need you, I wanted to ask you to be my omega, but I chickened out. I think you’re magnificent, like a beautiful princess from those old fairy tales.”  

Unexplainably dorky and with a hint of self depreciation, nothing could have been more genuine from your curly haired knight in shining armor. The cracks in your confidence would take a while to patch up, there was now assistance in the job as mere words helped mend the destruction.

“I have thought about you every day. How gorgeous you are, how perfect we are when we- uh- made love? Fucked? Whatever, that was great.” He laughed walking you both over to the bed, having you lay down as he threw his shirt to the floor.

Noses skimming across one another, his brown eyes pierced your own, his own breath tickling the hairs above your cupid's bow. There was no time for insecurity as his lips met your own, melting together into an entanglement of words left unsaid. 

As the clothes came undone into an accumulation on your childhood rug, your bodies mended as the doubt washed away, flooding into the forget worries of only minutes previous and longer. 

“I love you, I’m sorry I’m shitty with my words and didn’t say it sooner.” He breathed out, stretching you as he rutted into your cunt as you elicited a moan.

“I love you too.” You whimpered, cupping his face while your thumbs ran across the hair protruding through, scratching the pads of your fingertips. 

It felt like you were creating a work of art as he made love to you, as if no one had felt so strongly about one another as the two of you felt right now. That no matter what occurred in the world outside of your home, it wouldn’t amount to the pure passion filling your bodies.

Finishing quickly with him right behind you, his body felt limp against yours as his arms shook, making you giggle that was music to his ears. With a wet kiss to your nose, he stared into your eyes and wondered why it took him so long to ask in the first place.

He had never felt this close to anyone, ever since joining forces in middle school, and he didn’t plan on anyone else. He had considered others, but no matter what, he couldn’t wait to run home and call you. To hear your voice on the opposite end of the fuzzy phone line, reminding him that you were always there. 

Truthfully, even if you hadn’t presented as an omega, he thinks he would’ve done anything in his power to adapt. He wasn’t ready to move through adulthood without you and if there was anything he could do about it, neither of you would have to find out.

tagging some who were interested in my other alpha content :) @elizabethmidnight2017 @iheartyouyou @forksloree @fantastic-fantasy-fanfics @sillypurplemurple

[essycogany]

The Apology - Sonic Prime Alternate Ending

Just a heads up, this story is different from what happened in the last episode. Characters know things they didn’t before, the Chaos Council are not present, and stuff like that. Enjoy!

Sonic landed on his stomach, coughing as he tried to regain his sense of awareness. He seriously needed a 12 hour nap after this. Maybe more, depending on how things go. He was in Nine’s now polished lab after a huge fight between them ended. Shaking his head, Sonic stared up at a hammock that wasn’t originally there, being held up by fresh and healthy palm trees. It swayed back and forth by an unexpected breeze from a hole in the shield that protected the shatterspace. Crystals collided together in a storm of destruction. Which also caused parts of the shield to break. Perhaps The Grim was starting to decay now that Nine was losing control of his powers. Sonic was too brain dead to tell.

Standing up, Nine was already on edge and no amount of sanity was left in his brain. The little fox snarled at the hedgehog. Ready to pounce like a wild beast, charging at its opponent. But an instantaneous thud distracted him, causing him to flench. The uninvited guest charged at Nine defensively. They didn’t touch him, but made sure he didn’t attack Sonic. Shadow came into view from behind the group. His hands were already curved into fists. “Sonic, quit stalling. We don't have time for this. We have to take him down,” he demanded. Sonic stood up quickly but didn’t leave his post. “I can reason with him, okay? Just trust me.”

“Didn’t you already try that? And failed,” Rebel asked in annoyance. Her ears flattened as she slapped her face in frustration. “That’s it, the kid’s gone insane,” Knucks stated bluntly, holding onto Rebel’s arm to comfort her.

Nine’s eyes and ears twitched in fear and his head jolted every time someone spoke. His lips dried and his heart rate increased, but his smile was cunning. He slowly approached Sonic with a freshly baked condescending comment ready for him. “As usual, Sonic The Hedgehog only cares about himself and what he wants.” Nine sounded as if he regained his confidence, but Sonic wasn’t fooled. He knew Nine well enough to understand he was still hurt. He hardly heeded his comment. Not because he didn’t deserve it, but because it wasn’t true. He walked forward with his ears down and put a hand to his chest. “Nine, I’m sorry I hurt you. I really am. But there’s people out there…” He pondered his words. “A you out there with a Sonic who’s failed to keep him safe.” Sonic struggled to not sound emotional but the lump in his throat wasn’t getting the message. Nine scoffed. “How many times do I have to embed into that stupid head of yours that I am not Ta-!”

“You’re right,” Sonic admitted. “You’re not him and you never will be. You are your own person and I shouldn’t take that away from you.” Nine chuckled awkwardly and tramped backwards. “What was with this guy? His stubbornness could've been admirable if it wasn’t at my expense.” Nine thought as his mechanical tails shifted. Was he starting to believe him?

Sonic realized Nine's attitude lightened up, but braced himself for his next words. “You said I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try to be the hero, am I right?” He looked at Nine for confirmation and he didn’t move an inch. He only gave an agitated grumble under his breath.

“Well, I can’t live with myself now because I still haven’t fixed the mistake I caused. My home is still gone and my friends…m-my friends…” Sonic stuttered. Then pulled his face away from everyone, staring at the now bigger crack in the shield. His eyes marginally felt wet. Shadow noticed this and unclenched his fist. “Sonic, you don’t have to…”

“They’re the reason I’m still fighting. If I couldn’t protect them before, maybe I wasn't the hero they deserved.” Sonic put a hand to his eyes as his face fell. He let out a breathless laugh, forcefully keeping himself together.

“That’s an understatement,” Nine spat out with a snicker. He didn’t exactly know why he said that. Nine didn’t even know if he felt bad or not, but immediately regretted his reply once Sonic’s body aggressively tensed up. The crystals started hitting the shield severely, helping the intense ambience of the room increase.

Sonic quickly wiped his eyes and marched towards Nine assertively. “But I’m not stopping until I’m able to see them again.” Sonic glared at Nine and the others joined him, walking behind him despite little room being left in the area. Shadow stood next to Sonic. “And we’ll do everything in our power to ensure he does.” Sonic gave Shadow an addled look. He stared back and uncharacteristically softened his expression. It wasn’t quite a smile, but close to one. Nine’s eyes fired up and his mechanical tails bolted out from behind him. His hair spreaded out as if lightning struck it.“Y-You’re crazy. You seriously think a stupid disquisition is going to make things better?”

“A dis-wha?”

Nine turned to Shadow with a humorous grin. “Sad that this is the one you got stuck with, isn’t it?” Shadow rolled his eyes while folding his arms like a disappointed dad. Sonic retorted with his arms raised in vexation. “The point is yes, I’m the reason all of this is happening. But Nine you have the ability to bring our worlds back together.”

“You see what he’s doing?! He’s manipulating me into bringing his home back! Without thinking about the consequences or what could happen to us in the process.” Nine’s turbulent eyes couldn’t believe what was happening. Suddenly Thorn jumped in front of Sonic, feeling offended on his behalf. Her hammer was up and ready to strike at any given moment. Sonic just needed to say the word, and she’d defend him. “All we know is he’s at least trying to bring back a world where all of us are connected. That is what you’re doing, right Sonic?” Thorn turned to him. Sonic gave her a sad smile and nodded slowly. She nodded back and loosened the grip on her hammer. Sonic mouthed a thank you for keeping her temper in check.

“So that’s it? You’re willing to give up your own existence for some stranger because he told you to?! Are you kidding me?!”

Knucks came in front, hitting his mitts together every few seconds.“If it means we don’t have to constantly fight the Chaos Bozos to get our homes back, sure. I’m willin’ to trade.”

“Unlike you…” Rebel said with authority. “Sonic has done more than enough to save each of us. We should return the favor.”

Sonic’s eyes widened. “Really? All of you are willing to…” He trailed off.

Gnarly stood behind everyone else and nervously scratched his hat. “Are you guys sure we shouldn’t vote on this?” The other scavengers growled at him.

“This might be our only option,” Thorn sighed. Then she inadvertently held Sonic’s hand. “You might think you’re not the hero your friends deserve, but I definitely believe if they were here, they’d be just as proud as we are. And angry at you for giving yourself a hard time,” she added while tightening her grip to admonish Sonic. The rest of the shatterverse crew nodded in agreement and their stances grew less rigid. Sonic smiled at them sweetly. These guys may not be his original friends, and it might’ve taken him forever to realize that, but he still felt their spirits within his new ones.

“Idiots! All of you!” Nine lashed out, gritting his teeth. His fangs stuck out in front of his lips and he bit them with every word he was ready to unleash. “And Sonic, you might as well accept the fact that you lost because…”

Sonic gritted his own teeth and pressed his own words furiously towards Nine. “I’m not finished!” Shadow for once was proud of Sonic and slightly smiled in approval. It’s about time he silenced this crazy fox. Knucks on the other hand, tilted his head to the side. “Are you sure about this, kid? Because he seems pretty finished,” he warned, trying to calm Sonic down. Luckily, his temper fell and he let out a heavy exhale.

“Friends don’t force each other to stay with them forever. That’s not how friends work. Neither of us gets to choose our futures. I’m sorry I didn’t explain that to you sooner.” Nine backed up again. This hedgehog is full of surprises. He could admit that. “I also appreciate how you wanted to create a place for the two of us, but Shadow and I can’t be stuck here forever. The longer we’re trapped is the longer he’s not home and I’m not with Tails and the others.”

Tails. Sonic must’ve really cared about the kit. Tails might appear to be nothing like Nine, but he felt a familiarity to the name whenever it was called. It was the same feeling he felt on his first meeting with Sonic. Then he swallowed it down. Sonic was still wrong. Though Nine didn’t know why this time. He turned his head from Sonic, but couldn’t break their gaze simultaneously. Sonic stared into Nine's sad blue eyes. He wasn’t looking at Nine with anger but leniency. A few minutes passed and the audience behind Sonic grew impatient and muttered bitterly to themselves. “Look outside Nine and tell me your actions are any better than mine. If you can do that, I’ll back off.” Nine laughed, but for seemingly no reason in particular. “We’d be doomed.” Sails huffed and kicked a rock on the ground with a pouted lip.

Nine’s ears twitched again and he almost retorted. Until he saw the cracks of the broken shield tearing apart like glass. Then he noticed a bit of light from the prism growing darker. He turned back to Sonic. From Nine’s perspective his face was full of anger, pain, exhaustion, and determination. The dude was so stubborn. So annoyingly stubborn. He’s putting everything on Nine’s shoulders and it wasn’t fair. The fox had nowhere to run. No one else to blame. Sonic already admitted his faults as if it was the most unpretentious confession in the world. Nothing. That’s what was going to be left of his own shatterspace. Nine took a breath, walked towards his computer, and began to type.

***

Surprise! A Sonic Prime alternate ending! I wanted to make a short rewrite of the apology and address things I felt needed to be addressed. Why did I leave on a cliffhanger? Because I wanted others to have their own conclusions. While I do like the idea of Nine not quite “becoming good” but just gaining a respect for Sonic, you can interpret however you want. Thanks for reading!