#and they all think theirs are subtle and doesn't seem judging

[valoale]

I'm quite convinced Draco uses half of his time staring at Harry like this and wondering how he can be so dumb (he loves it and knows they'll smash later so he won't complain)

[llamagoddessofficial]

LLAMA. HOW DARE YOU POST SOMETHING SO SWEET AND ADORABLE AND HEART MELTING.

Now all I’m thinking about is the boys preening you back. Picking through your hair, getting upset when a cow lick doesn’t wanna go down properly. Picking lint and dirt off your sweater after a nice long romp through the forest. Imagining skull trying to pick through your hair, getting rid of any pieces of debris that doesn’t belong. Dust fixing the collar of your jacket, because you might get cold. Killer wiping dirt off your face. Nightmare plucking dirt off your clothes.

You preen their wings, and they do their best to return the favour. Because that’s what you do when you trust someone. That’s what you do when you’re trying to say “I love you too.”

Dust only preens you when you're alone together. He doesn't like an audience. If someone walks in on him preening you something in him snaps; it's straight to the kill. You've had to rescue Killer once or twice because he stumbled in on Dust nuzzling you and Dust (who easily overpowers anyone in the team when he really puts his mind to it) went right for the throat. Dust is a goshawk, so you can't outrun him, overpower him, or outmanoeuvre him. You're his human, and this is his private time to be as loving as he likes. He's usually just gentle and affectionate when preening you. But with no one around to judge, he occasionally gets a bit... silly. He'll blow a raspberry on your shoulder, or pinch your nose, or suddenly tickle you. Don't ask him, he's just as confused as to where it came from. Maybe it's the Sans in him.

Horror is... well. He's Horror. He's not subtle about anything, let alone his affection. He'll regularly drag you into his arms, or kidnap you from whatever you're doing, so he can sit you on his lap on the couch and pick knots out of your hair/lint off your clothes. You'll probably end up getting into the habit of just carrying a book or laptop around with you so everywhere you go; that way, when Horror kidnaps you, you can just cosy up and relax for a while. He's especially possessive when preening, and the others won't bug you for a while, not really willing to get on the nerves of someone as big as Horror - sure, vultures are 'just' scavengers. But he's still twice their size... and vultures specialise in breaking bones. Dust might go for the throat when interrupted, but Horror? Horror goes for the spine.

You'd expect Killer to be constantly following you around, harassing you to let him preen you. But surprisingly, he doesn't. It seems like he knows better than to randomly brush his fingers over your hair or play with your clothes. Over time, you start to think that maybe he doesn't even want to preen you, maybe he just doesn't like you that much... he never brings it up, he never broaches the subject. He doesn't even try. ... Until you're alone with him when he's sleepy. Then all he wants to do is touch you, touch your face, smooth your cheeks, interlock his fingers with yours. Part of him feels very strongly that he's a terrible person. He thinks he's untrustworthy, unlovable, and shouldn't try to bond with you like that, because he'd be a terrible partner and it's unfair on you. But when he's tired, he just doesn't care, and instinct takes over. Be sure to make the most of it.

If you're not looking for it, you won't see Nightmare's preening. Especially considering the others are so obvious about theirs. But once you start looking for it, you realise it's everywhere, a constant and endless stream of affection - when you turn to face him while you're talking, he traces his claws over your hair, as if brushing away some invisible piece of lint. If you make him laugh (to everyone else's shock) his hand naturally finds itself lingering on your shoulder where he picks something off you. He'll stop you so he can button your shirts properly, he'll adjust your scarf, when he stands beside you he traces your back looking for something to fuss. It might seem like nothing. But coming from someone as emotionally withdrawn him? It may as well be a marriage proposal.

[narhinafan]

A redditor dismissed Hinata and Orihime's crushes on both Naruto and Ichigo that it is an unrealistic way for both men to eventually fall in love with them because both women have feelings for them. That same redditor even insisted that western sensibilities favored Rukia and Sakura more than Orihime and Hinata. Well, that redditor seems or intentionally forgot that both Naruto and Ichigo's feelings for the girls started with compassion and empathy. Naruto can't stand seeing Hinata getting bullied and Ichigo empathetic with Orihime's situation are the foundations that set up their relationship. Moreover, the focal point that eventually led to the boys' growing feelings for the girls took root in Hinata's "proud failure" speech to Naruto, who from what we know, doesn't want people to see him weak, and Ichigo hearing Orihime's concern for him after the Byakuya fight, where we first see his "puppy eyes", which is marked departure from his usual grumpy look. From here on out, Kubo and Kishi showed us, the readers, how the men act with both women. As I mentioned earlier, both men have their trademark characters that they usually show to other people, even those to whom they are being shipped with. However, both authors, in defiance of it all, still kept with their visions and showed the other side of the men when interacting with the women they fell in love with.

You can never see Naruto lighten up quick when he was with Sakura or Ichigo removes his usual scowl when talking with Rukia. However, you can see that when they are interacting with Hinata and Orihime. Also, never once in the series did Naruto or Ichigo insulted, called out and/or argued with Hinata and Orihime. On the girls part, while both Hinata and Orihime were shy in front of both Naruto and Ichigo at first, over time, they learned to let go of it. That is natural and this is where I always say that look at the cultural context. The Japanese are mostly reserved and being comfortable with other people usually takes time for the most part. Naruto and Bleach are Japanese and reflect their culture so judging their story and their characters based on western sensibilities are useless per se. Also, Kubo and Kishi made those primarily for the Japanese audience but the story also impacts other audiences as well. That being said, we cannot judge the story on one sensibility without taking note of the other.

Sorry this became a long rant but sometimes, I can't help it but cringe at people who still think that NaruSaku and IchiRuki should have happened despite the fact that both Kishi and Kubo already killed their ships way before both series ended and nailed their coffins when both series ended with NaruHina and IchiHime getting married and had kids that looked like their mothers (Boruto has Hinata's face, Kazui is Orihime except for his hair). I feel Kishi and Kubo gave Boruto and Kazui their mother's looks so that delusional NaruSaku and IchiRuki can't claim those kids as theirs.

Again, sorry for this long rant.

It wasn't just cause they had feelings for them, but also said feelings were requited and developed more over the series. Early on in the series the way the two treat the girls is different and like you would expect of a love interest. Naruto did not treat Sakura like that his crush was shallow over a rivalry and how he acted with her was no different then anyone else. Now Ichigo did treat Rukia differently, but that was more due to the bond formed from having given her powers to him its different from a bond between love interests and more comradery then anything else.

As you said both tend to lighten up around Hinata or Orihime and this was shown all through out the manga they are at ease and the way they treat them different compared to everyone else comes naturally. This also matches Japanese culture cause as you they tend to be more reserved when it comes to affection and hence more subtle.

[crystalaris]

Mini story: Depressed Reader Gets Killed By Dust

Warning: Death, hints of abuse

AN: it’s not really sad, just more how you look at it. Currently oneshot, may become more.

———

Dust didn't know if he regretted killing you.

Really, you were an enigma when he first laid his eyelights on you.

It was just another AU, just another place to destroy and gain LV, another mission, simple as that.

These types of AUs, the ones where the monsters were still locked underground, the fear the humans gave off always left Nightmare satisfied.

Stars, he was too.

The humans screaming. Completely at the whims of the monsters they oh so fucking 'feared'. (Hated more like)

It Satisfied an itch with a scratch, just a hint of vengeance for producing such arrogant asshole humans.

Extremely Satisfying for the humans to be at the 'monsters' mercy. (Really they should look in a mirror)

Stars knows they were at the mercy of the humans for so long. It has twisted him, twisted them in the worst possible ways, but it was their (his) 'fault' for the actions that led up to the twist. Not.

He killed his brother, Paps was his first kill.

His first mercy.

He spared Paps the continual pain of false friendship. The loss of fellow monsters to that demon.

As a judge, he granted the underground mercy.

As a monster filled with love (not LoVe) he granted them mercy.

It was fast, it was painless, it was mercy.

Unlike the demon, who derived pleasure from its slow kills, loved watching the despair and the loss of hope as they died

Every

Single

Fucking

Time (reset)

So he enjoys granting mercy to (certain) monsters and death to (all) humans.

Sure he has Paps here, constantly encouraging him to kill kill kill kill-kill-kill-kill. The need, want for more exp and LV.

But he still has his brother.

He loves his brother. He will always love his brother.

It hurts, but that's his punishment.

His atonement.

He lives, he keeps his brother alive and by his side. Is it selfish?

Maybe

Maybe not, He tries not to think about it.

So the rush of killing humans, the pests is satisfying. The sight of them running and screaming in terror? Justice at its finest.

The fact that this AU was dying anyway?

Delectable.

Killing humans is a mercy, though theirs are just a little 'bit' drawn out, some more than others.

So when he notices a human girl watching instead of running? Curious.

Her eyes hopeful instead of fearful? Confusing enough to let her approach.

He's not stupid, his guard is still up, besides Paps wants this exp, even if this measly human is a LV 1 it'll never remain like that for long. The hypocrites.

What surprises him however is where she stops, she's just an arm reach away, like she's standing by someone familiar but not too close, even though the road is now a ghost town.

"what?" Is all he can think to say, even with Paps berating him.

"Are you a grim reaper?"

He'd expected an insult or at the very least had something asked in fear not Hope.  There's a upturn lilt of her lips, her eyes shining every so slightly.

It threw both him and Paps for a loop. So he observes just a bit more.

Her left eye has yellow around it, scratches small, thin, horizontal scratches. Some visible skin poking out from her collar is a faded shade of blue. Multiple Crescent scares along the sides of her throat.

"Will you let it be quick?" His eyes flicker to hers. "Will you make it stop hurting?"

His frown is answer enough.

"Oh," he doesn't care about the disappointment in her voice "I guess harvesting souls is painful then." It's her turn to frown. Still, she steps forwards arms wide open.

For once Paps is silent, watching her. The two glance at each other, a subtle nod, a raise of his knife and they are on their way.

For the first time in what seems like forever Paps silent.

... and thoughtful.

He's normally berating his brother... oh well he'll take what he can get. Something about gifted ketchup and what not.

The blood on Dust's knife dripping from the final strike. Unlike the other times, he doesn't flick off the blood.

Too lazy to really care, or that's what he'll tell paps later.

He wasn't stunned by the small smile on her lips or the thankful look in her eyes.

Like that would ever shock him.

Even now he looks back, thinks back, those eyes keep haunting him.

And he doesn't know if he regrets killing you.

[antisocialxconstruct]

"Do you drink?"

It's an innocuous enough question, but you still feel like there's a right answer. You hesitate, just long enough that you feel like their expression begins to drift toward something sharper than idle curiosity. Given the choice you really would have preferred a cigarette, but that wasn't the question, was it? "Only socially," you offer cautiously. You'd love for it to sound like a joke, but you're pretty sure you didn't sell it.

Hollow Ground studies you a moment longer, revealing nothing through their demeanor, before finally turning away toward the dry bar. "I think we can confidently call this a social meeting," they say, turning over a pair of glasses and decanting a bottle of whiskey. One of Eli's preferred brands. Do they know? Does that mean anything? With their back to you, with the dampeners in full effect, you can't get a beat on them at all. They must know that too. "Even under the circumstances," they finish, turning back around with both drinks in hand.

"Very generous of you." You do mean that, you know full well they didn't have to risk this. Not again. You lean forward and reach out to accept one of the glasses, but they pause, still holding it just out of reach.

"So tell me about your relationship with Julia Ortega."

You freeze. Your gaze darts up from the glass to their still impenetrable face, and you'd like to think you keep your own expression schooled into something similarly neutral, but it doesn't seem to matter. Maybe you still hesitated too long, judging by the way Hollow Ground's lips curl into a subtle smile a moment later.

"Please, how long did you really think you were going to stay anonymous? I would argue you haven't even been trying all that hard." They stop to take a sip of the other drink, while yours still hovers at a carefully calculated distance, keeping you waiting anxiously for some unspoken signal. For a fleeting second your mind conjures up the image of a dog, dutifully holding out for a scrap from the table, before finally they take a step closer and offer up the glass more plainly. "But you can be honest with me, I just want to know where we stand." Your fingers graze theirs as you accept the drink, and the momentary sensation makes your skin crawl. Everything about them makes your skin crawl, but it's fine, you tell yourself. You don't have to like someone to capitalize on them. You don't have to enjoy their company to trust that you know their motives.

More importantly, they've made a fair point. If someone in their network has already ID'ed you, you stand to gain nothing by being coy, and far less by lying. They're not asking you to confirm anything, just to elaborate on what they already know to be true. Now the pressure is on you, you need them to believe you're not a double agent. To believe that you know where your loyalties lie.

"There is no relationship," you admit, wishing you could believe the grimace that plays across your features is just the aftertaste of whiskey, and not the bitterness that immediately boils up unprompted in your chest. "Not anymore."