#but i don't really see a problem with the red. it's fine to me. weird

[cepheusgalaxy]

ughhhhhhhhhhh why am i so prone to complaining

[evie-sturns]

ɢᴇᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ - ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ꜱᴛᴜʀɴɪᴏʟᴏ

summary: you're spending the weekend at the sturniolos house, you've never had feeling for matt, but this weekend has been different, he just looks too good, the sexual frustration builds up to the point where you just have to get yourself off, but matt walks in on you..

Warnings: swearing, smut, f!masturbation, caught gettin freaky w yourself, fingering, p in v.

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i'm spending the weekend with my best friends, the sturniolos. i've never had any feelings for them, but this past week matt has been looking.. different. he's recently got more tattoos, his facial hair has grown out slightly, giving him a subtle moustache. matt's been wearing different earrings, longer ones, i've never thought about him this way, it weirds me out, but i can't help myself. i've had no privacy for the past 3 days though, constantly with a triplet. i've wanted to touch myself, but i physically cant.

i open the trash can, throwing in me, matt, nick and chris's empty solo cups, which were filled with rootbeer.

"im so fucking tired what time is it." chris yawns, standing up from the dining table.

"1:30am." nick mumbles, rubbing his eyes.

"okay guys, i'm going to bed yeah? gotta be up early for the beach tomorrow" chris says, doing stupid claps with a wide grin on his face.

i scoff, waving him goodbye as he disappears upstairs. nick runs over to me, giving me a quick hug "i'm gonna sleep too, love ya y/n, see you in the morning."

me and matt stand in the kitchen, i lean on the countertop slightly, scrolling on our phones. his face is lit by his screen, highlighting his features. i don't even notice the fact i'm squeezing my thighs together until he looks up at me.

"you okay, mrs. staring problem" he jokes, giving me a smile. my cheeks flush, i uncross my thighs and wipe my face quickly. "sorry." i say, quickly.

"i'm gonna go watch a movie okay? my rooms always open." i say, giving matt a hug.

i get butterflies, why the fuck did i get butterflies?

i feel a heat grow between my legs, i run upstairs, going into the spare room which im staying in for the next few days. i lock the door behind me,

atleast i think i do.

i flop down on the bed, my hand reaches under my waistband, tracing soft circles over my fabric of my panties. "fuck." i whisper before shimmying my shorts and panties down in one motion to my ankles.

im left with my bottom half revealed on the bed, i use one finger to trace my clit in circles. i squirm on the bed, restraining my moans. after a few minutes i plunge two fingers into my hole, pumping in and out.

my mind subconsciously flicks to matt, his tattoos, which crawl up his arms, his hair, his hands, i wonder what they would look like around my neck-

the door opens, my eyes bulge open, me and matt make direct eye contact, i instantly yank up my shorts,

"get out please!" i say, my voice shaking, as i sit up quickly

"oh fuck im so sorry!" he yells slamming the door shut, his face pale.

i fall back on the bed, covering my face with a long groan.

embarrasment.

is the only thing i feel, my heart pounds as i bring my knees to my chest.

after 10 minutes, i hear a quiet knock on the door, i sit up off the bed, walking towards the door and opening it.

im met with matts guilty face, his cheeks are flushed, a few strands of hair stuck to his forehead.

he opens his mouth, nothing comes out execpt for a small noise. he clears his throat "sorry."

"i uh, sorry um, i really shouldve knocked." he says fidgeting with his hand. i stay silent, my cheeks cherry red. "i swear i didn't see much." he assures, i look up at him, raising an eyebrow in a 'really?' way. he stares at me "maybe thats a lie, but i swear ill blank it out of my mind!" he says, his voice frantic.

"its fine matt, i shouldve locked the door okay? lets go watch a movie in your room." i say, giving matt a warm smile. he nods, walking towards his room.

i follow close behind him as he jumps into bed, laying an arms out, i jump in beside him, cuddling close into his side.

my heart beats again, when im nervous words just come out.

"i was thinking about you when i was touching myself." i blurt out, slamming a hand over my mouth. the room goes silent. im frozen in shock.

"what?" he says in confusion.

"not true." i mumble out. my hand glued to my mouth.

matt tenses up under me. "y/n.. you have to tell me right now what your were thinking about.." he says, calmer than expected/

i stay silent.

"y/n." hes cut off by my voice.

"you it was you, i don't know!" i say, my voice trembling from embarrassment.

"what about me?" matt teases, rubbing my shoulder comfortingly

"tattoos, hair, hands" my mouth is moving faster than my brain.

"is that so now?" he says, looking down at me.

i nod quickly, matt sits up on his knees before hovering over me. i look up at him, my eyes submissive.

he smashes his lips into mine, holding the back of my head. "matt" i whine into his mouth. "i know, i know." he says, pulling my shorts down. "can i?" he says, toying with the waistband of my panties.

"please." i beg, lifing my hips up to help him. he leans down and whispers into my hair.

"whats gonna happen is you're gonna ride me, and you arent going to make a single noise, nick and chris are right next door."

i nod, flipping us over, straddling his thighs with my bare lower half.

he pulls down his sweatpants, his large erection springing out. "you ready?" he says, tearing open a condom with his teeth and rolling it on him. "i really like you.." i whisper, hovering above his tip. "you need help sweatheart?" matt speaks, holding my ass.

i didn't, i just wanted to feel his hands on me.

"yes,- yeah please.."

he lowers me down onto him, halfway down. suddenly he drops me, my ass colliding with his thighs, i let out a gasp as he smiles, he lifts me back up to his tip, before dropping me again.

i let out a shaky moan, matt holds a hand over my mouth. "can't stay quiet can you baby?" he teases, lifting me up and down.

i squeeze my eyes shut, pushing myself up and down with my hands on his collar bones. i let out muffled whimpers, his hand clamped onto my lips.

"so good princess." he praises, lifting me up and down faster.

"you're clenching, gonna cum for me?"

i nod frantically,

"go on." he says, i instantly comply, orgasming on his length.

he groans before pulling out of me, his cum spilling into his condom. i instantly collapse on his chest. matt whispers praises in my ear.

i place a long kiss on his neck.

"pretty glad i didn't lock the door." i say in between breaths

—-———-----┗━•❃°•°❀°•°❃•━┛------------------

had a shitty day today so i wrote matt smut LMAO

[lohotine]

BET I SHALL HEREBY REQ AZURE × READER SMUT

˘꒷꒦˘꒷꒦꒷˘꒦꒷꒦˘꒷꒦˘꒷꒦꒷˘꒦꒷꒦˘˘꒷꒦˘꒷꒦꒷˘꒦꒷꒦˘꒷꒦˘꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷

ﾟ ｡ ﾟ∘ ° ｡ﾟ ﾟ ｡ ﾟ∘ ° ｡ﾟ

``Want To Love You, Want You To Feel Good.``

In which Azure (gently) fucks you with his tendrils ♡

Cw: NSFW, Tendril play, not heavily proofread

AN: You didn't specify any specific time period or gender, so I chose post-stab Azure w/ afab reader. (They're still GN.) Also I hope this isn't too weird for you? I can make a more vanilla smut of this if it's a problem ^^ I've just been thinking about this situation for a while now-

A needy whimper escapes your lips as you feel the large muscle resting in-between your thighs, prodding at your already slick entrance. Your mind starts to go hazy as you feel the tendril sliding in deeper and deeper-

"Tell me if it's too much..." he'd murmur against your neck, lips barely grazing your skin. His body traps you against the bedframe, yet it's not suffocating. It's soft; safe. "We can stop if it ever feels uncomfortable."

Should something like this really feel so good?

"Is this okay?" He asks, gaze locked onto yours. You feel one of Azure's hands coming up to cup your cheek; it's a comforting touch.... an anchor.

The question takes a while to register in your mind, and you almost don't respond.

"It's... fine- I'm okay. ....You can move.." you mumbled, voice so quiet it's almost inaudible. Oh goodness, how red were you already? He's barely even started and you're already so worked up...

At that quiet conformation, Azure nods and begins to move the tendril in and out of you... slowly, at first, to give you a chance to get used to it.

After all, he only wants you to feel good.

"Does that feel alright, dear? It's not too much for you...?"

Another one of his tendrils comes to snake around your waist. You're not even sure if he's aware of the movement, but judging by that calculating look on his face, he most likely is.

You shake your head, almost feverishly. Too much? Well, yes... yet, at the same time, it isn't nearly enough-

You continue to let out sharp breaths and quiet whines. Your hips grind in time with each thrust, trying to feel even an inch more friction.

You feel it then; the slight curl of his tendril, hitting that spot inside of you that Azure knows has you seeing stars.

Azure leaves a small peck on the corner of your lips, your head leaning backward slightly at the sudden action.

You don't miss the slight curl of his lips either when he hears your breathless moans.

"Azure...-" you'd squeak, a hand coming up to cover your mouth. It's embarrassing how Azure can do so little and have you feeling so much.

His thumb gently caresses your jaw until his fingers wrap around your wrist, pulling the hand away from your mouth.

"No, dearest. Please don't cover your mouth. I want to hear you, please... I want to make sure I'm doing a good job..." Azure coos, lips pressing lightly against your cheek before trailing down to your neck.

You instinctively lean your head back, more moans and gasps spilling from your lips. He continues sliding that tendril in and out of you, faster now.

Your walls flutter and squeeze around the invading peice of flesh, desperately.

Each little flick, each little writhe is intentional. That fact has you absolutely reeling.

"Ngh... A- Azure... more-"

You'd blabber mindlessly, cheeks flushed and eyes glossy with want. With need.

Azure's eyes remain on you, examining each moan and each shudder.

It's a sign he's doing well, right? Azure then presses his lips to yours, tongue gently swiping against your bottom lip.

Before you know it, he's kissing you, open mouthed. It's passionate, slow... the room feels hot.

"You're doing so well," Azure would praise, the words being mumbled into your mouth.

His thrusts get slightly faster. It's harder, deeper. Your moans are muffled by his mouth. Both of your breaths mingle and mix with one another's.

And you are close. So close, to that mind-numbing orgasm you've been chasing after.

Azure must have noticed it too, considering your increasingly needy pleads.

"That's it... just like that," he'd whisper into your ear. His inactive tendrils curl behind him with anticipation.

"You're so close... Don't try to hold back, love. Let me make you feel good, yeah?"

His words were always so soft. So sweet. A stark comparison to the way he thrusts into you with an almost feverish haze.

Azure's next thrust is different. It's deeper, the tip of the tendril kissing your cervix, and he leaves it in for slightly longer.

A broken moan escapes your mouth at that, an overwhelming feeling of heat washing over you. Your juices cover the muscle with a coat of your slick, and Azure can't contain the somewhat satisfied smile on his lips.

Azure withdraws it from your quivering sex, earning a small mewl from you, and he begins admiring the slight glint of light that bounces off the ring of cum.

"You did so well." He praises, purple eyes finally locking onto yours once more. "We should do that again sometime."

Azure presses a chaste kiss to your forehead.

"I love you, my Nightshade."

[inkpetrichor]

Nasty Dog! | Kuroo Tetsurou x f!reader

6.- Part six

masterlist here<3

cw. MDNI. fem! reader. delinquent! reader. use of yn. rumors. punching(?. a little blood. lemme know if i missed anything! wc. 5.3k an. i changed the dividers (｡•̀ ,<) lemme know what you think<3

Emi wore a satisfied smile as she paced with her arms behind her back like a proud army general.

"So. Since I basically did all the work, it's safe to say I'm the MVP in this situation. I expect you to take me to a Korean BBQ or an all-you-can-eat as a thank-you. Either is fine."

Kuroo snorted. You rolled your eyes affectionately.

Emi scrunched her nose like she'd just realized something.

"Wait... If the three of us go, I'll be third-wheeling the entire time. Forget about it."

"It's okay," Kuroo said, chuckling. "You guys can go. I don't wanna get between a girls' outing. Girls are scary."

You sighed and gave your friend a fond, grateful smile. "Thank you, Emi. You're the best."

A mischievous glint crossed her eyes, and in less than a second, she threw her arms around your face, rubbing her cheek against yours like an elated kitten.

"There she is~ My soft Y/N. Thank you, Kuroo, I missed her~"

Kuroo let out a small laugh through his nose. "I missed her too."

"You guys are having too much fun with this," you groaned.

"Of course we are~ You're so cuteee~"

Kuroo raised a brow. He wasn't sure if he should be jealous or just weirded out.

Then the bell rang.

And as you said goodbye to Emi, your eyes lingered on her.

You really looked at her this time. The kind of look that made everything else slow down for a second.

Her uniform was a little rumpled like she'd slept in it. Her hair wasn't done the way it usually was, no clips, no little ribbons. Just messy.

And those eyes—

Unfocused, ike she'd dropped into a darker thought without meaning to. Red-rimmed like she hadn't slept at all.

She looked… tired.

Not just sleepy, but worn. Like her night had been long and unforgiving.

Your stomach twisted.

"All good, babes?" you asked, gently.

"Yeah... it's just…"

She glanced at Kuroo, then back at you. That alone said enough.

"Hebinuma?" you asked, your voice sharper now.

She didn’t answer right away. Just gave you a weak little smile—the kind that tried to be reassuring but never made it past her lips.

"It's all good, Y/N. Don't worry."

But you knew her better than that.

You knew the way she got quiet when she didn't want you to fight someone. When she was trying to protect you instead of the other way around.

And you hated that she thought she had to.

You weren't stupid. You half-expected Hebinuma to retaliate after what happened on Monday.

But if she was taking it out on Emi—

That was a whole different kind of war.

"We'll talk about it at lunch, alright? Rooftop."

"It's not necessary, I—"

"See you at lunch, babes."

You turned without giving her a choice.

Kuroo followed close behind you like a shadow, silent.

But from the tightness in his jaw, you knew he noticed too.

Your fingers curled into fists inside your blazer sleeves.

You already knew Hebinuma's M.O. Whispered rumors. Smiles with knives behind them.

You just didn't know yet what she'd said, or what she'd done—but you had a feeling this time, it wasn't going to be as easy to get her to stop.

You tried to shake it off as you headed to your next class, but the pit in your stomach wouldn't quit. Emi's expression was making you nervous. And if Hebinuma was involved again, it meant things were already worse than she was letting on.

You didn't like walking into situations blind. You liked knowing where the punches were coming from.

So, when you ducked into the girls' bathroom before going to class, you weren't expecting to find answers—

But you sure as hell weren't expecting this either.

"...I mean, c'mon, how else do you explain it? She's dumb as bricks, a problem kid, and suddenly top of her class? Does so good she gets transferred to Class 5?"

"Guess tutoring her came with extra credit."

The words hit you like ice water down your back.

"Yeah, and extra trouble. I bet she's just using him. Poor Kuroo."

"Why would he screw around with someone like her?"

"Yeah, I thought he was responsible, more mature than that."

"Well, you can't blame him. I bet Y/n forced herself on him or something."

"I know right? What a little slu—"

Your steps echoed too loud on the tile as you entered the bathroom. The girls looked up, faces blanching just a little when they saw you—but they didn't bolt. Not yet.

The silence that followed was somehow funny.

"Oh, don't stop on my account," you said coolly, leaning against the edge of the sink. "I was just starting to enjoy the fucking fanfiction you're writing about me."

One of them tried to scoff like she wasn't scared.

"If it's not true, then why so defensive?"

You smiled. The kind that didn't touch your eyes.

"Sweetheart, if I were being defensive, you'd be on the floor."

That shook them. Not completely—but enough.

"I—I'm just saying, it's suspicious. The way you suddenly got all smart? Sounds like a setup to me."

"Oh, so I can't study hard and get laid? Damn. Set the bar a little higher for yourselves—maybe you'll have both too."

They blinked, caught off guard. The other one opened her mouth, probably to say something even dumber.

You stepped forward.

"I don't care what you say about me," you said, voice low and razor-sharp. "But the second you drag Kuroo into it, we've got a problem."

They didn't reply.

"You wanna hate me? Fine. Get in line. But the next time I hear you dragging his name through your pathetic little tongue—"

You leaned in close, gaze flat, unblinking. Then slowly, almost gently, you raised your hand and pressed a single finger to your lips.

"I'll give people an actual reason to talk about you next. These rumors will make sure your dentist gets a bonus this month."

"We— we didn't start them," one of them stammered.

"I know, love. I know exactly who did. But you're spreading them. And that's enough reason to beat the shit out of you too. So keep your mouth shut before I punch it closed."

That was the last straw.

They practically scrambled past you, one of them muttering, "Let's just go before this bitch goes crazy…" under her breath.

Everyone knew it—your punches were somehow infamous. And you and the guys were the only reason why no other school ever touched a hair on a Nekoma kid's head. Even rival schools avoided causing problems when they saw the uniform.

They weren't about to be next.

You didn't follow them. Just let the silence settle.

And then stared at your reflection in the mirror, jaw clenched.

You didn't care about rumors. You never did—at least, not when they were about you.

But you were a little scared Kuroo might.

It was the first time the locker room felt tense before a practice.

The air was thicker than usual—shirts half-on, sneakers squeaking against the tile, the usual chatter muted into uneasy glances. Kuroo was mid-change, shirt in hand, when Yaku spoke—too casual, like he didn't realize he was lobbing a grenade.

"They're saying she's fucking with you for grades, man. That you're—what was it?—letting her 'suck her way to straight A's.' "

The words landed with a dull thud.

Kuroo froze, shirt bunched around his elbows. For a moment, he just stood there—chest bare, breath caught somewhere between inhale and exhale. Then, slowly, he pulled the shirt over his head. Deliberate. Like forcing his body to keep moving would keep his mind from spiraling.

Kenma looked up from his phone, voice flat. "The internet says stupid stuff every day. Doesn't mean it's true."

"No," Yaku added, watching Kuroo's back carefully, "but it does mean people are talking. And if the principal catches wind of it..."

Kai let out a low whistle as he laced up his shoes.

"Nekomata might hear of it too."

"He won't." Kuroo's voice finally cut through—quiet, but heavy. It didn't have its usual edge. It wasn't enough to shut anyone up.

No one argued. But the silence that followed was loud in all the wrong ways.

Yamamoto shifted beside his locker, scratching the back of his neck.

"Not that it's any of our business, but, uh... you like her, right?" he asked, tentative.

Kuroo blinked, like the question had caught him off guard. Or maybe like he couldn't believe it needed to be asked.

"I mean, for real. It's not just... a thing."

Kenma, still scrolling, glanced up again. "He cried about her on the train, Tora."

"Bro." Kuroo groaned, burying his face in his hands.

Yaku snorted.

"You what?!"

"You little snitch," Kuroo muttered, voice muffled through his palms.

Kenma shrugged, like it wasn't news. "Just letting them know it's serious. Might be good if the school knew that too."

Kuroo exhaled slowly and sat on the bench, elbows on his knees. The room moved on around him—laughter, chatter, the shuffle of shoes and bags—but he didn't join. He just stared at the floor, quiet, distant, like he was watching something fall apart in slow motion.

Serious?

That wasn't even close.

He hadn't even told you yet—not the full weight of it. Not how serious he really was about you.

But now, people were dragging your name through the mud. Twisting everything into something cheap. And that—

That made his blood boil.

Not just because they were talking about you—though that alone was enough to push him close to the edge.

But because they were talking about him, too. About who he was. What kind of captain he was. What kind of man.

And the worst part?

He did care. More than he wanted to.

He hated that it mattered. But it did.

He knew how fast things could spiral when it came to reputations, especially at a school like Nekoma. A captain entangled in scandal, even just rumor-level bullshit—it wasn't a good look. If the administration started asking questions, if Coach Nekomata caught wind of it...

That thought made his chest tighten. He admired Nekomata too damn much.

That man had believed in him. Pushed him. Trusted him. Kuroo had spent years trying to live up to that trust—on the court and off it. And now this stupid rumor had the power to smear all of that.

He wasn't afraid of being misunderstood by random classmates.

He was afraid of disappointing someone who mattered.

You wouldn't care. He knew you wouldn't. You never seemed to care about rumors, not the ones about you at least. As long as they were nice to Emi, most people in Nekoma were safe from your fury and your fists. Even the ones who whispered of you.

If it were reversed, you'd punch someone in the teeth and tell them to choke on their own gossip.

And maybe that was the part that got under his skin most of all—that you would throw a punch for him in a heartbeat, tear someone down with that sharp tongue of yours, just so they didn't talk about him anymore.

But he didn't want that—not this time.

He didn't want to see your knuckles bloodied, or your name crawling through whispers and smirks in the hallway because of him.

And there was also the weight of his own shallowness pressing on his shoulders.

You didn't care about your image. You never had.

But he did. And that difference between you—that you were willing to be hated and he wasn't—it made him feel like a coward.

You weren't bulletproof, even if you acted like it.

But he definitely wasn't.

And the fact that he cared about some stupid rumor made him feel weak. Selfish. Small.

He wished he could be more like you—unbothered. Untouchable.

But he wasn't.

You inhaled the smoke deep into your lungs, let the wind steal it from your lips as you exhaled.

You'd missed the rooftop. Missed the loud crowd of boys too. But Emi was nowhere to be seen, and that made your stomach twist.

"So let me get this straight," said Taiga, popping his gum. "They're saying you fucked your way to a better GPA?"

Kiba narrowed his eyes. "Who exactly said that? Give me names. I'm not asking twice."

"It's Hebinuma," you said simply, lighting a second cigarette, and holding the flame a little longer than you needed to. "Classic Hebinuma shit. Whisper campaign, fake sweet voice—and I think she's harassing Emi again. With the pictures."

"Not the fucking pictures again," groaned Taiga, leaning in. "Didn't you make her delete that shit when you beat her up in first year?"

You shook your head. "Don't know if she really has them this time. But Emi's not answering my texts. Anyone heard from her?"

Kiba shook his head, slow. "She's spooked. And if she's spooked, it ain't good."

"Oh, hell no." Taiga turned to the others. "Y'all remember when she pulled the same stunt with Sato's cousin? Almost got the girl expelled. The teachers called CPS."

Inuzuka nodded solemnly, Junpei, on the other hand, didn't even look in Taiga's way. His jaw tight as he stared at a spot on the floor, eyes narrowing like he was thinking about something and his thoughts were too loud to hear the conversation at hand.

Kiba cracked his knuckles. "We gonna pull up or what?"

You exhaled, smoke drifting slow and steady. "Not yet."

Taiga tilted his head. "Yet?"

"If we move too fast, she'll know we're onto her," you said. "Let her talk. Let her dig herself deep. Then we bury her."

That made him grin. "It's kinda cool when you get all schemy."

You smirked, but it didn't reach your eyes.

"She messed with Emi," you said. "She dragged Kuroo. This is personal now."

"Is it true, though?" Junpei's voice came out too sharp.

His gaze flicked to you, then snapped away like it burned to hold. His posture was locked tight—arms crossed, shoulders drawn in—like he was trying to contain something ugly. Anger, maybe. Or jealousy. Probably both.

"You with the nerd?"

It wasn't a question. It was an accusation.

You nodded, calm. "We're dating. Yeah."

"You? Dating?" Taiga whispered with a crooked grin. "That wasn't on my bingo card."

"Yeah, well, add it then," you snapped defensively, a little sharper than you meant to.

Junpei muttered something under his breath and stood, movements jerky. The scrape of his chair echoed against the rooftop concrete.

"This is some bullshit," he spat. Bitterness dripped from every word. He didn't wait for a response—the door slammed behind him before you could even open your mouth.

Inuzuka, always the little bitch, followed after him without a single word.

You watched them go, brow raised, then looked to Taiga and Kiba for answers.

Taiga snorted and looked away.

Kiba, easier to break, sighed under your stare.

"I don't think he ever got over you," he admitted.

"Bullshit. That was forever ago. And it was once," you said, frowning.

"Yeah, well. I don't know." Taiga stood up, smiling. "But he's been like this ever since the rumors started. All pissy and weird," he added, mockingly. "Dude's acting like someone stole his bike."

"Well sounds like a him problem." You stretched your arms overhead, the weight of everything still thick on your shoulders. "I've got my fair share of shit going on. Let me know if Emi shows up or texts back."

You stubbed your cigarette out against the concrete with a practiced twist of your boot, the embers dying without a fight. Grabbing your bag, you stood, the familiar heaviness settling back in your chest like an old friend.

You needed to find Kuroo.

He was probably still at practice—but you had to see him. Had to know if he'd heard. What he thought. What he felt.

And what the hell you were supposed to do next.

You found him behind the gym, the quiet sound of water hitting plastic the only sign of his presence. He lifted his water bottle to his lips just as your gaze found his, and he looked up before you even spoke.

You crossed your arms, leaning against the wall with a playful smile, but the edge of concern was still there in your eyes—no matter how hard you tried to hide it.

"Aren't you supposed to be playing?"

He smiled, lifting his bottle with a casual shrug. "Water break."

The air between you thickened, heavy with things unsaid. You sighed, tilting your head slightly as your gaze searched his face.

"You heard, didn't you?"

He nodded, his expression unreadable at first. Then, finally, he spoke. "Yeah. Team told me."

"I didn't do it for grades," you said—too fast. "Not that it matters, 'cause—well. It's true. I did get better because of you. And we are fucking."

A dry laugh slipped from his lips. He looked... tired. Not angry. Just a little worn down, like the weight of everything had been sitting on him since morning.

"I know you don't care about rumors," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, gaze drifting to the ground. "But... I kinda do."

You knew it—of course you knew it—but hearing it out loud still added a layer of complexity to the situation you hadn't anticipated.

"Right," you murmured, your voice softer now. "You want me to fix it?"

He looked up then, meeting your eyes with that sharp, perceptive gaze of his—like he already knew where this conversation was headed.

"Does it involve you beating people up?"

"...Dumb question."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck again before glancing away. But when his eyes returned to yours, there was something gentler in them. Resignation, maybe. Understanding.

"Then don't," he said, low. "It's fine."

You stepped closer, heart drumming. Both his and Emi's dismissal bothered you.

It hurt for them. And it was your fault. Why were they trying to protect you?

"It's not fine," you said firmly. "It affects you... Then I gotta fix it."

He looked at you—really looked. Like he did the first time he touched you softly. Like he was seeing past your walls, past your usual sharp edges, down to something raw and unguarded. 

It made your chest tighten.

"I just... If you beat them up, you kinda confirm it. And I don't want people thinking that's all this is."

Without thinking, you reached up, thumb brushing the corner of his mouth.

"You think I'd let people reduce you to that? Some idiot with a good dick and answers to a math test?"

He raised a brow, lips quirking into a half-smirk. "I mean... I am both of those things."

"Yeah, but you're also way more." You said it like it was the most obvious truth in the world. No hesitation. No bullshit.

Then you got on your tippy toes and pressed your lips to his. Soft, steady.

And when he kissed you back, it was slower than usual. Deeper.

Like he needed to believe you. Like he was searching for reassurance in the way your lips met his.

You let him take the lead, let him pour whatever worry or doubt he had into the kiss—and you gave it back, steady and sure, hoping it was enough.

It lingered, soft but weighted, until the sound of footsteps echoed from the gym.

You stepped back, instinctively raising a hand to your lips.

Yaku's head popped out.

"Oi, we're startin'—Oh. Hi, Y/N."

"Hey, Yaku. Practice going alright?" 

Your voice came out gentler than he expected. Yaku raised a brow, clearly surprised, but just nodded—something like quiet understanding flickering in his eyes as he glanced between the two of you.

You turned back to Kuroo, your gaze steady.

"I'll fix this. Won't punch through it, just... Don't let it mess with your head. Keep the blood flowing." You winked, and the smile he gave you was a little steadier this time—lighter. "See you after practice?"

He nodded.

You turned to Yaku. "Good luck at practice."

"Thanks. Bye, Y/N."

As you walked away toward the school gates, your phone buzzed in your pocket.

Kenkiba: We found Emi. She's at the karaoke.

You didn't even hesitate. Without replying, you turned on your heel and began walking, your steps purpose-driven, each one taking you closer to whatever came next.

Manekineko Karaoke was a worn-down joint tucked between a dentist office and a pawn shop, with faded idol posters on the glass door and a neon cat sign that flickered like it had asthma. It was nothing special, but it was yours. Cheap, close-ish, and full of booths with busted mics and shitty acoustics that never stopped your crew from screaming their lungs out on bad days.

Taiga found it first, back when he got dumped and tried to drown his heartbreak in three straight hours of UVERworld. The staff didn't card, didn't care who came in or how loud you were, and they had decent fries. It became the spot—a place for hiding, healing, or hiding the healing.

Your boots thudded against the pavement as you crossed under a viaduct, hoodie pulled low. The 40-minute walk gave you space to think, but not much comfort.

Rumors weren't new to you. You'd been called worse than a grade-chasing slut in far less creative ways. What scraped at your nerves now was that Kuroo seemed to care, and how exactly was Emi involved. 

Sweet, soft Emi who didn't lie unless to save her life (or yours) and didn't have the stomach for fights.

Hebinuma knew exactly where to stab. She never aimed to kill—just to make it bleed slow.

That thought made you pick up your pace.

By the time you reached the karaoke, the sky was softening into early evening gold. The guys were already outside, loitering by the railing.

Emi was there, clinging to Kenkiba's arm a little too tightly, her smile small and her eyes unreadable. Her usual brightness was dimmed—like someone had unplugged a light behind her ribs.

But your gaze locked instantly onto Junpei.

Taiga and Inuzuka were hauling him out between them like dead weight, arms slung across their shoulders as he mumbled into the collar of his shirt.

"C'mon man, it's like 5 p.m. still..." Inuzuka grunted, sweat clinging to his brow.

Inuzuka rarely talked, but when he did, it was with a quiet disdain—like he'd already figured out how the scene would end and wasn't impressed. 

He was Junpei's ride-or-die, had been since middle school, when Junpei moved in next door and taught him how to shoplift.

They'd been sprinting barefoot, running from cops through rice fields ever since. But lately, even Inuzuka seemed worn thin with his bullshit.

Kenkiba spotted you approaching, relief flooding his face like he'd been waiting for backup.

"Oh, Y/N. Help us out with him, would you?"

You didn't move.

"Who let Junpei drink?" you asked, voice flat, your expression twisting in disgust.

Taiga shot you a look, frustration crackling in his jaw. "Hah?! What are you on? He was like this when they got here."

"Yeah, Y/N," Kenkiba added quickly. "You know we don't let him."

Inuzuka let out a long sigh. "I tried to stop him. But I'm not his babysitter. Let him fuck himself up if he wants."

You rolled your eyes, approaching.

It wasn't exactly a secret that Junpei had a problem. 

His dad owned a liquor store, the kind where you could slip a bill across the counter and walk out with a bottle of shochu and no questions asked. Alcohol had earned him his spot in the gang years ago when he'd rocked up to a fight against a group of fuckers three years older than the rest of you. Buzzed out of his skull and still knocking a dude's tooth out with a tire iron while laughing his ass off.

But these days, it was less cool and more... sad.

Junpei's feet stumbled to a stop when he heard your name. The guys thought it was just the alcohol slowing him down and gave him a gentle push. But he didn't budge. His head lifted. His eyes locked on you.

There'd been one time.

A night when you were bored, and he was kinda charming—in that cocky, dangerous way that made girls overlook the stink of liquor on his breath. He wasn't ugly, and you were curious—but once was enough.

You'd seen the red flags even through the haze, decided he was more trouble than he was worth, and moved on like it never mattered.

You thought he had, too.

He hadn't.

"...Fucking hell," he slurred. "There she is. Queen bitch herself."

You narrowed your eyes, unmoving.

"You think you're better than everyone, huh?" he sneered, barely upright now, spit gathering in the corner of his mouth. "Fuckin' that nerd. Used me once n' tossed me. Typical."

Your jaw flexed. Patience running thin.

"Women like you..." he said, pointing at you lazily. "They'll ruin your fucking life. Can't trust any of 'em. Only out for themselves, only ever fucking to climb. Used me, and now she's got her claws in that poor idiot, Kuroo."

Then his hand swung toward Kenkiba, who stiffened under Emi's hold.

"You better watch out too. Especially with these two—Emi and Y/N? They're just a couple of sluts."

Alright.

"Oh, now you fucked up," Taiga deadpanned, ducking under his arm and letting go of him at the exact moment you moved. Practiced ease.

Your fist cracked into Junpei's face like thunder.

It was a perfect punch—your father taught you how to rotate from the hips, how to square your stance, how to find the angle between pain and power. 

But in your anger, you misjudged the follow-through. The crack of your knuckles against his chin was clean, sharp—satisfying. But the skin split open across them, and you could feel you'd fucked up a finger or two, the pain blooming hot and fast.

Junpei crumpled to the pavement, stunned into silence. Unable to stand.

"Knock out~" whispered Taiga with a smirk. Inuzuka elbowed him.

Blood smeared faintly across your knuckle, and your chest heaved.

"You piece of shit," you spat, flexing your hand and wincing slightly at the sting. "You don't EVER talk about Emi like that, you hear me?! Call me whatever the fuck you want. I've heard worse. But say her name like that in front of me again and I'll fucking kill you."

You turned your glare on Kenkiba, still frozen, Emi gripping his sleeve.

Your voice didn't rise. It dropped, dead serious.

"And if I ever hear you let anyone talk about her like that in front of you," you growled, voice low and deadly, "I'll kill you too."

Kiba blinked.

Then nodded.

No one moved for a beat.

Then, with a collective sigh and the clumsy coordination of boys who'd done this a dozen times before, they went about the business of dragging Junpei's limp ass off the ground.

"Jesus, he's heavier than he looks," Taiga muttered, rolling his shoulder.

"Fat with disappointment," Inuzuka deadpanned, grabbing Junpei by the collar and hauling him up like a sack of rice. 

Kiba stepped in without a word, and between the three of them, they propped Junpei up and shuffled him toward the railing, depositing him gently against the wall like setting down a drunk friend at a festival.

Junpei groaned low in his throat but didn't stir.

Emi let out a shaky breath.

You turned to her, your voice still edged but quieter now.

"Has Hebinuma been bothering you? Yes or no."

Emi hesitated. Her fingers twisted in the hem of her cardigan, knuckles white. Then, with a reluctant nod, she spoke.

"Yeah... Not directly, but the whispers are hers. Same crap as last time, just louder."

Of course it was. That snake didn't have the guts for a frontal assault—just the poison to slip under skin and rot you from the inside.

"And the pictures?"

She hesitated again before nodding, avoiding your eyes. "She sent them to me yesterday. Just sent them... To remind me they exist I guess..."

"Fuck, man. Where does she fucking keep them?" Taiga muttered, joining the conversation.

You sighed, pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth.

"Can you hang in there for a little while?" you asked her, tone surprisingly soft. "I'll handle it. Just not with fists this time."

Kiba cocked a brow. "Since when do you care about that?"

You didn't look at him. "Just trust me."

His frown deepened. Kiba had always been your watchdog, ready to bare teeth for you even when you didn't ask. Especially when it came to Emi. But after a beat, he exhaled through his nose and gave a short nod.

Emi nodded too, quicker. "I can handle it," she said, then looked at you with the ghost of a smile. "If you're handling it too."

You met her gaze. "I am."

The promise sat heavy between you.

You turned to Kiba. "Can you walk her home?"

"Obviously."

Then to Taiga and Inuzuka. "Can you two take him?" You jerked your chin toward Junpei, who had slumped over against the wall like a passed-out raccoon. "I don't care if he drools on your jackets. Just make sure he doesn't choke on his own tongue."

Inuzuka gave a slow shrug and a click of his tongue. "We got him."

"Yeah," Taiga added with a grunt, already moving to lift Junpei again. "We'll dump him on his front porch and ring the bell. Let his old man deal with him."

Inuzuka turned to you, honest. "I'm sorry about him, Y/N."

You gave a short nod, flexing your bruised hand once before tucking it into your hoodie pocket.

"I gotta go back to school," you said, already turning toward Nekoma.

Emi blinked. "You're going back?"

You just nodded.

Didn't say who you were going to see. Didn't have to.

"Stop dodging my texts. I worry about you."

Emi snorted, but her eyes were warm, her smile fond.

"That's rich coming from you, bitch."

You walked off without waiting for goodbyes, footsteps steady as you descended the narrow stairwell. The sky above was deepening, the early gold fading to bruised lavender.

Your hand throbbed, blood sticky on your knuckles.

But your thoughts were already somewhere else. All the way back to Nekoma. Back with him.

Kuroo was leaning against the school gates when you got back. Long legs crossed at the ankle, earbuds in, his phone in one hand. His bag sat at his feet, hair damp and messy from a rinse after practice, collarbone peeking where he'd unbuttoned the top of his shirt. He looked like he'd been there a while.

He looked up the second your boots hit the pavement.

Relief flickered across his face, then settled into something gentler. Softer.

"You're late," he said, voice casual.

"Sorry," you muttered, rubbing the back of your neck. "Shit came up."

He pushed off the gate and started walking beside you like it was second nature, hands shoved into his pockets.

"How's Emi?" he muttered, already knowing what the 'shit' was about.

"Better."

"The rumors?" he asked quietly, not looking at you.

You exhaled through your nose. "Still flying, apparently. I'm still trading blowjobs for extra credit."

Kuroo gave a small shake of his head. "People are idiots."

You didn't say anything. The silence stretched between your footsteps, broken only by the soft scuff of your boots and the squeak of his sneakers.

After a beat, he glanced down—and stopped walking.

"What the hell happened to your hand?"

You froze.

You shifted to hide your knuckles, but not quick enough. He caught your wrist before you could hide it, fingers wrapping gently around it. 

Your knuckles were split open, dried blood flaking at the edges. The base of your middle and pointer finger was starting to bruise.

"It wasn't because of the rumors," you said quickly. "I promised I wouldn't fight over that shit. And I didn't."

His eyes flicked up to your face. "But you still hit something."

"Someone."

He didn't ask who. Didn't press. Just looked at you for a long moment—eyes sharp, mouth set—and exhaled through his nose like he was counting backwards from ten.

"Come on," he murmured, thumb brushing lightly across the bruised skin. "Let's clean this up."

Next chapter↪

tags. @themoreeviltwin @taylordenae @rhea-sylvea @iluvikeu @tgnvhp @adangerousbalance @orphicarchive @tammytaamm @iluvmusicxoxo @rvm1ne @kuzoq @espressocandies @ashley95943734 @jayathelostdragon @kyokoyya @crystal-lilac @kuzuven0208 @lblackwood @evilari111

[leclercsluvs]

CL16/DR3 | Already Over | smau

part 6 | masterlist

an: i'm not really sure who she should end up with in the end, so if please do let me know if it should be charles or daniel pairing: charles leclerc x fem!reader, daniel ricciardo x fem!reader

(time stamps aren't that important)

yourusername

liked by danielricciardo, landonorris and 2.985.572 others yourusername got a few photos this weekend (don't let him tell you otherwise, he was NOT asleep in the last photo) tagged: danielricciardo

danielricciardo now why woud you lie? i very much was asleep.

yourusername no one looks that cute (except for maybe lando) asleep. dont deny it. you asked me to take a photo of you pretending to sleep danielricciardo wow why dont you go be with lando then 💔 landonorris well you can't deny, i do look adorable when i sleep danielricciardo do not start, or i'll take away your trophy. landonorris yourusername i don't look cute when i sleep yourusername fine danielricciardo we can pretend you were asleep

ricsbestglam he's literally shining! haven't seem him this happy since he was in red bull with max

wrldof3 no literally like they seem so happy! i love them so much 🥹

yourusername

liked by charles_leclerc, danielricciardo and 3.736.193 others yourusername went on a nice little vacation in between races, he got us matching hoodies 🥰 tagged: danielricciardo

danielricciardo couple goals fr 🤗

yourusername the exact reasoning you gave me to get permission to buy the hoodies (i don't know why you felt you needed permission LMAO) danielricciardo i'm just very considerate :) landonorris unlike other people 👀

sharlslvr charles is back in the likes????

f1wagsupdates

liked by leclvr, sharlswiftie and 825 others f1wagsupdate charles has been looking extra happy lately, however his girlfriend has not been seen lately, though he's always smiling at his phone. do we think they're texing? tagged: charles_leclerc

leclvr want me to be honest? i think they broke up. she went to every single race before, and now she doesn't? if my sources are correct, she hasn't been to 4 races atp, which seems a little weird since she went to all the previous ones.

scfty/n my theory is he's texting yourusername trying to win her back. he started liking her posts again. i even caught him using a song of hers in his story. leclvr wait are you fr?? no way!! lowkey praying it's her i loved seeing her support him 😍 y/nswrld no because same!! and her and daniel does look happy, but i miss seeing her in ferrari and red 😔

charles_leclerc

liked by carlossainz55, arthur_leclerc and 2.364.923 others charles_leclerc sent some flowers to my favorite girl today. hope you like them <3

carlossainz55 they are lovely mate! who were they truly for?

charles_leclerc my girl. as i said carlossainz55 not girlfriend? charles_leclerc if she would let me, i'd call her my wife, but i probably need to put in some work for that carlossainz55 you did not answer my question 🤨 charles_leclerc can't call her my girlfriend yet 🤷‍♂️

sharlswrld GUYS ARE WE SEEING HIS AND CARLOS LITTLE CONVO???? does this mean he sent flowers to someone else? someone he want to call his WIFE?? him and his girlfriend like JUST broke up and he's already moved one?? good riddance LMAO

scfty/n omg now stay with me. what if he's talking about yourusername???? like he's been back liking her posts (which he stopped during after their breakup) and he broke up with his girlfriend who we never got a name for? were they even that serious? y/nsnonsense omg no because we all saw the posts he made for y/n and he never made any for his girlfriend after? and he did never take those photos down. i'm thinking pr relationship 🤷‍♀️ y/nswrld omg you're so right! but heres the problem.. y/n and daniel are still together. so why would he be sending flowers to her? scfty/n to win her back ofc duuuh

yourusername

liked by landonorris, charles_leclerc and 3.729.391 others yourusername got sent some beautiful flowers in my favorite color the other day. couldn't resist making a little photoshoot. 📸 yourbff tagged: yourbff

danielricciardo god how do you manage to look so gorgeous all the damn time? 🤩

yourusername i was just born like that i guess yourbff we love a supportive boyfriend yourfriend do you not remember him literally chanting and hyping her up behind the camera? yourbff i do indeed

landonorris those look suspiciously a lot like the flowers from charles' post 🤨

yourusername are you being fr right now? landonorris wait you didn't know who sent them? yourusername no clues at all landonorris you have to go check out his post. they're like identical

scfty/n did lando just confirm that charles did in fact send these to y/n???

sharlvr i think he did. i don't know how to feel about this ngl y/nsleclerc omg omg omg it's happening THEY'RE GETTING BACK TOGETHER scfty/n hmm think about the fact y/n has a new boyfriend and charles treated her horribly while they were together. chill a little lmao

-

part 7

[girlgenius1111]

always enough for us

barca femeni x reader

r gets kicked out of her house. her teammates find out. protective barca at it's finest.

cw- bad parents... referenced homophobia?

Your back hurt. Really, this was the least of your problems. A few days ago, your parents had kicked you out. It didn't really come as a surprise to you; they'd never been very good parents, and you knew it was just a matter of time before they found out about... you, and decided they were done. You'd been crashing at your friend Sofia's house since then, on the couch. You couldn't complain, considering how kind it was of your friend to let you stay with her, but the couch was killing your back. This is what you forced yourself to think about as you climbed out of her car at the training grounds, instead of, well, any other part of the situation.

You were fine. You didn't need your parents, not at all. You didn't need their help, their house, their love, any of it. You had just turned 18, and you were sure you'd be able to find an apartment soon considering your salary at Barca. Everything was fine.

Of course, you forgot to factor in your nosy, nosy teammates. And how bad of a liar you were. Combined, your secret was out before you wanted it to be, which was never.

-----

You were walking quickly from Sofia's car, hoping that you'd arrived early enough that no one was there to see you get dropped off, instead of driving your own car. It wasn't really your car, it was your parents, and while they had let you take a lot of your stuff, the car was not one of them. You thought you were safe, seeing no one ahead of you, when you heard your name being called from behind you, a distinct British accent ringing across the parking lot.

"Y/n!!!!! Wait!!!" Lucy called dramatically. Rolling your eyes, you turned around, motioning for her to hurry up. She arrived by your side, falling in to step next to you.

"Who was that dropping you off? What happened to your car?"

"Oh. That was my friend, Sofia. I... we... my car is.... broken. It's broken and it's getting fixed. So Sofia drove me. Because my car is broken," you stuttered out, honestly surprising even yourself with how bad of a lie you'd just told considering you'd been practicing the lie all week.

"Your car is... broken?" Lucy asked, shooting you a weird look.

"Yeah, the engine or something," you say, trying to act casually.

"Why aren't your parents driving you?"

"They have work."

Lucy is quiet for a moment, before she stops you in the hallway, turning to face you. "Is something going on? You're being weird."

"Weirder than normal?" you try to joke.

"Y/n." Lucy says. She was so rarely serious off the pitch, it was kind of intimidating.

"Nothing is going on."

"You are really one of the worst liars I've ever met. Your whole face is red right now, do you know that?" Lucy asks, not a hint of humor in her voice. Instead, her eyes are squinting at you inquisitively, and you feel like they're burning right through you.

"I'm not lying!" You protest, feeling your cheeks heat up even more.

"It just got redder. Tell me what's going on."

"No." Lying wasn't working, but you were stubborn, and you're sure you could out-stubborn Lucy.

"Fine. I'll go ask Mapi if she knows what's up with you. Or Irene. Or Alexia," she threatens. You hadn't expected her to go there so soon.

"No, Lucy, please don't," you beg, reaching out to catch her wrist as she begins to walk away.

"Then tell me what's happening. Did you crash your car?"

"No I- I didn't crash my car, Lucia, seriously." Lucy smirks, crossing her arms though, ensuring that she's standing between you and any viable exit from the conversation. You take a breath. "I'm just staying with Sofia for a bit. It's not a big deal."

Lucy's smirk is gone. "Why? Did something happen with your parents?" Your poor relationship with them wasn't really a secret to anyone on the team. They hardly went to any games before they'd kicked you out. Your older teammates silently disapproved of them, you knew, but they were careful never to say anything in front of you.

"I told you what was going on. Can I go now?" You ask, ignoring Lucy's questions.

"Hey, wait," she tries, but you slip past her, walking down the hall towards the locker room.

"I wouldn't tell mention this to anyone, if I were you. Otherwise word might get out about what you and Ona were doing in the showers last week," you tease, enjoying the way Lucy's face heats up at your words. You're pretty confident she won't risk getting ratted out just to get to the bottom of what's going on with you.

Apparently, you underestimate how much Lucy cares about you.

-----

You've managed to take your mind off things during practice, and you completely miss Lucy quietly talking to Alexia during a water break. You also miss Alexia talking to Irene and Mapi during the next water break. You take your time showering and changing, knowing that the fewer people around when you leave, the fewer people to realize you're walking, and in the complete opposite direction of your house. You don't really think about your conversation with Lucy again until you're on your way out of the locker room, and Alexia calls you to stay back. You're one of the last ones in the room as it is, and you turn slowly, eyes finding Lucy's. You glare at her, and she shrugs, patting you on the shoulder before leaving the locker room. You turn, finding Alexia, Irene, and Mapi all sat on a bench, looking at you.

"Yes?" You say.

"Is there something you need to tell us?" Alexia asks firmly. She's not fucking around, you can tell, nor is Irene. And, a rare occurrence, neither is Mapi. You look to her, hoping she'll crack a joke or something and ease the tension in the room, but she's staring at you with a matching searching gaze.

"You all had a great practice!" You try, shooting Alexia a smile. It falls off your face when she only raises an eyebrow at you.

"Want to try that again?"

"Alright, Mapi's penalties could use some work." Mapi frowns, but Alexia ignores your comment.

"Y/n."

"Alexia," you say, trying your best to look like nothing was going on, like nothing was bothering you. Like the longer you stood in front of them, it wasn't getting harder to collapse into the fits of sobs you'd been fighting for a week.

"Enough, y/n. Talk." Alexia replies. Mapi and Irene are fighting smiles now. Watching you and Alexia go back and forth was always entertaining; a real battle of wills.

"I'm staying with one of my friends. I'm assuming that's what Lucy told you."

All three of them were surprised when you give up so easily. It only worried them more, the way your eyes fall to stare at your shoes, and the way you clasp your hands together, trying to hide how they're shaking.

"Why?" Alexia asks. Her voice is softer now, more gentle, but still, she leaves no option for you to refuse to answer. You can tell, by a quick glance to her face, that she's losing patience. You're scared, suddenly, that they'll give up. On you. They'll stop caring, because you try so hard not to let them. This is what prompts you to be honest, really. The fear of no one, no one at all, caring for you anymore.

"My parents kicked me out." Your voice is just more than a whisper. The older girls' faces fall instantly. They feared this, when Lucy told them about your conversation, but they hoped they were wrong, that it wasn't this.

"What happened with them?" Irene asks, almost like she can't help herself. You're sure she's thinking of her son, of how she couldn't imagine doing that to him.

"I don't really want to talk about it." You say. Mapi opens her mouth, surely to push you further, but to your surprise, Alexia lays a hand on her arm, cutting her off. Your captain looks at you for a minute, eyes searching yours, before she speaks.

"Okay. You're gonna stay with me. I have an extra bedroom, and Mapi and Ingrid live almost right next door. We can go get your stuff from your friends now."

"No, Ale. No. I'm fine at Sofia's, really."

"Well I'm not fine with you there. You're a kid, you need adult supervision. Besides, it makes more sense. I can drive you to practice and everything. And make sure you're taking care of yourself."

"Alexia. No."

"Y/n. Yes. This isn't up for discussion," Alexia has raised her voice, just a little, and you take a step back. Alexia notices, because of course she does, and she calms herself down instantly, whole face softening. "Look, I know this isn't ideal, but this is what we're doing. Please, just trust me, y/n? If you hate living with me, we can figure something else out, but just give it a shot, okay?"

You almost laugh, because really, Alexia thinks that the problem is that you don't want to live with her. That couldn't be further from the truth- you would like to, deep down you admit it. It would be easier. It would make you feel safe. You just can't impose like that, can't do that to Alexia. She'd get tired of you, eventually, just like your parents had. You didn't want that.

You take too long thinking all of this, apparently, because soon she's ushering you out of the room and towards her car. Her and Irene walk ahead, quietly discussing what you can only assume to be how much they hate your parents. Mapi hangs back, walking with you.

"You know that Alexia wouldn't offer if she didn't really want you there, right?" The defender says, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. You look at her in surprise, not expecting her to understand your reasoning when no one else did. She just gives you a wry smile, waiting for you to answer.

"Why would she want me there, Mapi? You ask. Mapi frowns.

"Because you're you. And we all love you. Alexia especially, I think you're her favorite. But seriously, y/n, any of us would take you in without a second thought." Mapi says it so matter of factly, you're thrown for a loop. It didn't make sense, really. That these people, your teammates, who owed you nothing, were willing to drop everything for you, when your parents... well.

You aren't really sure what to respond to her, and you don't have to, because Alexia is gesturing you towards her car, and Irene is pulling you into a tight hug, telling you to come over any time. You return the hug, hearing the echo of Mapi's words in your ears. Maybe she was right.

-----

Sofia had been surprised to see you packing, but she understood. You're sure she's relieved to have you out of her hair, even if she doesn't say it. The tight hug she gives you tells a different story, and you could swear there are tears in her eyes as you walk out of the building. Once again, you're left completely speechless at the care your friends are showing you.

It's not too late by the time you arrive back at Alexia's, all the stuff you brought from your parents, and then from Sofia's, in tow, but you feel an interrogation coming on from Alexia, so you slip off to shower, needing a few minutes to yourself to process the day. By the time your done, you've cried a fair amount in the shower, and you're sure your eyes are red and puffy.

Still, when you appear in the living room, quietly taking a seat on the couch, a safe distance away from where Alexia sits, scrolling through her phone, you promise yourself that you won't cry again. Not in front of Alexia. She looks up when you enter, brows immediately furrowing at the sight of your tearstained cheeks, and you pretend you don't know what she's looking at.

"How are you feeling?" she asks kindly, after giving you a minute to start the conversation, if you felt like it.

"Fine." you say shortly. Alexia doesn't say anything. After 2 full minutes of silence, you realize she's trying to make you so uncomfortable that you talk, knowing you hate awkwardness.You wish she didn't know you so well, as you open your mouth to finally let it all out, but a part of you feels so loved, so cared for, by it.

"My parents are... my parents. I shouldn't have expected anything different from them, when they found out."

"Found out what?" Alexia asks casually.

You take a big breath. No one on the team knows. Really, only Sofia and a few other people know. You want to tell, you want to be open about it. You wish it was as easy as just doing something you want to. You know, realistically that the team won't care, that Alexia won't care. Still, you can't seem to forget your parent's reactions, and you feel your heart clench with fear.

"I'm... um... They caught me, kissing a girl. I'm gay." You say, eyes blurring with tears as you stare at the table in front of you. Your throat burns with the effort of keeping your sobs in, but you can't cry. Not when Alexia hasn't even said anything. Not when you'd be crying about a different reaction.

The blonde woman scoots closer to you, until her shoulder is pressed up against yours. Still, you keep your eyes on the white wood table in front of you. When Alexia speaks, it's the gentlest you've ever heard her be.

"Y/n, I'm sorry your parents didn't respond well. You deserve more than that." At this, you shrug, ignoring the way your bottom lip is trembling. A few tears escape, and you wipe them away quickly, like they were never there. "Can you look at me?" Alexia asks. You turn to her, biting your lip to keep your emotions in check when you see the way Ale's eyes are also watery.

"I'm really proud of you, cariño."

"For what?" you respond, before you can stop yourself, sounding more like a sob than actual words.

"Oh, pequeña. For all of it. For talking to me when I know being vulnerable is difficult. For telling me, when I know it couldn't have been easy. For turning into this incredibly good person, despite the people the raised you."

There's no chance for you, after that. The cries fall out of your lips, and you are powerless to stop them. Alexia is steady next to you, even as your body trembles with emotion. She pulls you into her, arms holding you tightly against her.

"I know, pequeña, I'm sorry. It's gonna be okay. I promise." If you weren't preoccupied with sobbing into your captain's shirt, you'd notice that she's also crying, just a little.

"I don't understand why they can't just love me. It's all they're supposed to do, but I'm not good enough for them," you cry, all the feelings you'd been pushing down now pouring out of you.

"No, cariño. They are the ones that are not good enough for you. You have so many people in your life that love you, that have no obligation to love you, but they do anyway. That means that you are good. Your parents... it's their problem, not yours." Alexia can tell you aren't fully convinced. She pulls back, tilting your chin up to look at you.

"You are good, cariño, so good. You'll always be good enough. We'll tell you that, everyday until you believe it, if that's what it takes."

"We?" you ask, confused.

The blonde woman looks a little exasperated. "The team. Y/n, Irene and Mapi were ready to fight me to get you to live with them. When the rest of the team finds out, I'm going to have some serious competition. We want you around, y/n. We really do."

"Oh." you say, because you're starting to believe her, and you aren't sure how else to respond to that. "So... you really don't mind me staying here?" you check.

"No. I really don't." Alexia promises. You nod, weakly smiling at her. She's glad to see something on your face that isn't a frown. Her phone buzzes in her hand, then, and she picks it up, expecting it to be from Mapi or Irene, asking how you were doing. Instead, it's from Lucy.

"Y/n?" she asks.

You're drying your eyes with your shirt sleeve, and you miss the amused expression on her face. "What?"

"Why did Lucy just text me that 'y/n is lying, whatever she tells you.'"

You gasp, a real smile lighting up your face. Alexia laughs at your expression. "I almost forgot! I told Lucy if she told you what was going on, she'd regret it."

You guess that maybe, Lucy was just looking out for you, and maybe you don't need to tell Alexia what her and Ona were doing, but then again, the shower is a public space, and you'd been scarred for life. You'd thank Lucy for telling Ale later, after you enjoyed watching her get scolded by Alexia. You're starting to think most of the team would forgive you for almost anything.

-----

[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

how would you go about having a humanoid character not originally built to have wings, grow wings? like, they were originally just a regular human, but through magic stuff they grow functioning wings?

there are two main ways to do this. Limb alteration (arms into wings) or limb addition (adding wings on the back)

regardless of which transformation happens, I think it doesn't need to be as "perfect/balanced" as the anatomy of a humanoid species that evolved to have wings. magic transformations can be a little wonky, a little uncanny. especially if you're adding wings instead of turning arms into wings, and this all goes even more for feathery wings on a humanoid as opposed to bat wings.

Personally I enjoy magical transformation that gets a little gruesome. I never owned the Animorphs series as a kid, read only a part of the series quite out of order depending on what was available in the school library, but I think reading those full body transformation sequences kinda stuck with me lol. It's fine to have magical transformations that just kinda make the wings show up no problem, but if the genre/plot/setting allows it, I think the weirdness and body horror can really enhance the transformation! flesh being reshaped, musculature and bone being added or moved around. etc.

and then of course, I think the person who just gained wings needs to struggle with them for a while, you know? I wanna see the difficulty of learning how to fly and figuring out how exhausting it can be.

as for the actual anatomy, I don't care as much about it being "good" because it's a weird transformation putting wings where they should not be! which is a perfectly reasonable explanation for any unusual placement or lack of body feathers or a tail, etc. I mean I still have my personal limits and pet peeves, but there's more flexibility here than for naturally developed wings.

(image description: two simply drawn humanoid figures gaining wings by transformation, both crouching in agony with red lines drawn to emphasize the painful reshaping of their bodies. the first one is having their arms turned into bat wings. the arms are growing longer, their fingers are curled and crooked, and membranes of skin are stretching out from their body. the second figure is growing feathered wings from their back, which are protruding from their flesh like they're breaking free of it. narrow feather shafts are growing out of their new limbs, looking sharp and painful. they also have new lumps of muscle forming within their torso. end description.)

[shortbcofkoffee]

Little extra from chapter 2 my fic Disgusting on ao3

.

Duke hated being called for emergencies at night. For one, it meant he lost sleep, which sucked because he still had day patrol. For two, it meant there was an emergency that needed a meta, which meant it was either a real shit situation or hyper-specific to his abilities. Either way, he didn't want to be up this late.

When Red Robin had contacted him, he'd been in bed, peacefully sleeping. Black Bat and Spoiler were already there when he got to the scene. Tim explained the situation with Damian sticking weirdly close to his side. Like closer than he usually would voluntarily. The objective of the night was simple:

Batman was under the effects of fear toxin, lure him to someplace abandoned and find a way to knock him out.

None of them could really truly beat Bruce on fear toxin if the reports Duke had been forced to read for Batman contingency plans had been anything to go by. But they could knock him out. Duke's job was something he could do easily, tricks of the light. Basically, guide Bruce to some warehouse by putting moving shadows at the edge of his vision. Cass sometimes dropped in to make the shadows seem more real. It worked like a charm and only took them thirty minutes once Bruce gave up punching random shit because of the hallucinations.

Frankly, it was terrifying to see Bruce like this. His movements were wild and uncalculated and so not like him. Duke actually thought he was facing someone else for a while. Only once did Bruce spot him, not that he registered that it was him, but he'd been spotted nonetheless. When he met Bruce's eyes, even through the cowl Bruce looked terrified of him. He didn't like seeing that, it wasn't an expression Batman wore well. Hopefully he'd never have to see it agian.

Once they got to the warehouse, the actual problems started. Knocking out the Batman was much easier said than done. He was a tank of man on his worst days, his pain threshold was so high Duke was pretty sure he wouldn't notice if his arm got ripped off. This was where Red Robin's plan started to fall apart a bit.

"Guys, I'm gonna be honest, we just have to start throwing shit at him," he said over comms.

Steph cackled for a moment before pausing. "Oh, wait, are you actually serious? Dude, I thought there was like an antidote here, like this was a safe house or something."

Damian scoffed. "Look around you, Spoiler, this place is dilapidated. It'd be a disappointing safehouse."

"Wait, so do we just throw rubble at him?" Duke asked. "Is that safe, I don't think that's safe. What if we seriously hurt him?"

"Batman will be fine, just don't throw anything too big and aim for his head. The cowl is padded enough that it won't kill him," Tim instructed.

"Oh!" Duke said.

And so a sort of very messed up game began. To see who's shot would knock Bruce out. This took another fifteen minutes until he was finally actually down. The first few times he fell, he got back up seconds later. A few times, someone had gotten too close and Bruce had violently thrown them against a wall. Duke was sure he'd wake up with sufficiently bruised ribs if not fractured ones tomorrow. The adrenaline right now kept the pain a bit down, but they still hurt. Ultimately, it was Steph's shot that took Bruce down, much to her glee.

"I win! I got him out, I won!"

"Ah, yes, the age-old game of stoning an old man. Quite the accomplishment." Damian rolled his eyes (probably, Duke couldn't really see through the domino mask) and dropped to the ground next to Tim.

Again with the weird closeness, Duke thought to himself. Don't they hate each other or something?

"Don't be pissy because you couldn't throw hard enough," Steph's eyes smiled. She turned to Cass. "Can I have a prize?"

Cass gave a small huff and pressed her mask to the side of Steph's like a kiss.

"Thank you, babe," Steph said.

"You two disgust me and I want to go," Tim groaned.

"Don't be jealous because you're single," she teased.

"Don't be jealous because I have a job," Tim said, just as quickly.

Duke yawned. He should really get to bed so he doesn't half-ass it tomorrow.

[wolfiesmoon]

Making exceptions

Baji x fem!reader

yikes i need copium AND LOTS OF IT (reminds me of a certain long-haired cult leader, or something)

Here's to a good tokyo rev fic debut🙇‍♀️🥂

Warnings: delinquent style™ hurt/comfort to fluff and lots of swearing (but that's on brand for tr anyways)

"Where the hell were you?! I was-" Baji practically broke down the rooftop door, pausing when he noticed your red, cried out face.

You quickly looked away even though you knew he already saw your tears. You've been avoiding him all day, knowing that he'll realise something is up with you straight away if you talked to him.

You thought you finally got him off your trail by sneaking onto the rooftop to cry it out but somehow he saw you leaving.

"Who do I need to kill?" The ominous tone of that question both completely surprised you yet felt completely on-brand for him.

"Don't... go beating up people... please..." you forced out, trying to overpower your hiccups.

"That's not what I was asking. Who the fuck do I need to kill?"

You flinched a little. "I know *hic* you wouldn't..." you knew the basic gist of Toman. That isn't what they do. You wiped your tear-stained cheeks, finally looking up at him. He looked livid, or atleast it looked like an angry face with your blurred vision.

He sighed. "Just tell me."

You can't possibly do that, because the person who made you cry is him. You see, you are hopelessly in love with Baji Keisuke. But the only thing he seems even remotely interested in is his gang. Which is fine, but it really does get to you sometimes.

You've tried everything to stop crushing on him but unfortunately for you, your stubborn heart refuses to let up.

"It's me..." you lied, making up some excuse of failing a test you studied really hard for.

"Did you really think I'd fall for that, idiot?"

You figured. He's too smart for his own good sometimes. It always takes you by surprise, considering his abysmal grades. Definitely not book smart. Or maybe his gang activities just keep him too busy to consider picking up a book.

You looked away again and heard the sound of him sitting down next to you.

"You seriously piss me off when you don't tell me what's wrong. You're lucky you're a girl, or I would beat your ass when you do that."

You laughed somewhat dryly, wiping away the tears on your cheeks. "Lucky me..."

A short silence followed, only interrupted by your ocassinal hiccups and sniffles.

"Are you gonna tell me or do I have to break my 'no-hitting-women' rule?" You could feel his eyes on you. You don't want an innocent person to recieve a beating and saying it's your own problem clearly didn't work, so your only option is....

"Listen... this isn't the best situation to say I'm about to say, but hear me out." You looked up, staring at the bright blue sky. Your vision was starting to clear up.

You didn't see it, but he raised an eyebrow in question.

"I like you. No, I'm in love with you." It simultaneously felt like there was a weight lifted off your shoulders and that ten more were placed on top. You're just desperate to ruin your friendship with him, aren't you?

"I knew that! Why the fuck are you crying over me...?" His words brought your still slightly red, glassy eyes to his, and a sentence jumbled in your throat, coming out as a strange groan.

"You k-knew?! This whole time?!" You tried again, clenching your shirt in your hand.

"You were making it pretty fucking obvious. Even Chifuyu noticed you acting weird." Baji still looked angry, this time at you, but you had a feeling he was very relieved deep down.

"Then... why didn't you say anything?" You held your hand against your forehead in embarrasment. Were you really being that obvious?

"I was waiting for you to confess, did you expect me to casually say 'it's real obvious you're crushing on me' one day?" He raised a brow, moving a part of his hair away from his eyes.

"Fair enough..." the fact he waited for you to confess on your own accord sparked a certain feeling in your chest. Speaking of confessions...

"So, uhh, what's your answer...?" you're not sure why you're even asking. He's made it clear multiple times he isn't interested in girls and relationships.

It is the entire reason you've been on the verge of tears all day.

"Why the hell not. I've been looking for new thrills lately anyways." Your eyes widened, taking a few seconds to properly process his words. You must have looked spaced out of your mind at that moment.

He said it non-chalantly, like he couldn't care less if it was you or another girl but somehow you knew that wasn't the case. You knew he was glad that it's you.

"Well, I'll be damned." You were honestly in too much shock to properly react to the fact he just agreed to be your boyfriend.

He smiled at you widely, showcasing his sharp teeth. "What's up with that reaction? You want me to beat your ass?"

"I'm happy! Trust me, I'm happy!" You yelled out as if you were scared but you knew he didn't mean it.

Does this mean you'll be the primary target if Baji gets into trouble with another gang and they decide to take revenge? How will your life change now? Will your parents approve of a boyfriend like him? Somehow, you never really thought about things like that until that moment.

...Hmmm, maybe the danger is worth it.

[chihiro-mcdonaldz]

meh meh meh, "I won't subject you to-" Yeah? Yap about watazaki, I don't see enough of it these days. Give me some hcs, pls&ty (I'm very unoriginal and people making hcs is my lifeline)

Also, what are your pronouns? I wanna know if I can write "bbg" addressing you. /lh /hj

using this as a break from my hair 🙏 my pronouns are she/they and idrm any pet names as long as it's not like "sexy" or something cus that's kinda weird but yeah id giggle at that

and headcanons you say? heh.. must be my lucky day... as you wish!

ok so first of all I really like to think that sometimes when okazaki designs masks, after she met watari, there were a lot more themes of orange and red in them

perfect duo for cuddling. watari would 100% be super warm while sleeping, and I feel like okazaki would always be cold.

on the topic of this^ okazaki probably accidentally (accidentally my ass..) scared watari with her cold hands.

we saw this in canon but I can't elaborate on this enough 🙏 watari hiding in Okazaki's coat on cold days. I will never change my mind on this

if we're going for a normal highschool au, I feel like watari would try different hairstyles on okazaki cus she has shorter hair. some girls on the fire dancing team have shorter hair, so she would obviously wanna make sure team hairstyles stay universal, no matter the length! (or so she says...)

watari regularly reminding okazaki of certain social queues (idk how to spell it) in daily life. I don't make the rules.

okazaki has probably made a mask for watari once or twice, but instead of being like "hey I made this for you", she would just leave it on watari's bed or desk with a note

similar to this: watari would probably think gifts from okazaki are cute, but be a little distrusting towards any of it due to Okazaki's stealing habits

similar to this²: watari would try (key word: try) to help limit okazaki from stealing as often. ...doesn't work very well, considering how sneaky okazaki is

arguments between them would probably be resolved either really quickly, or be healed with time. no in between, either apologizes first.

messy bathroom counter. okazaki got this habit from watari, and it kinda just stayed. neither bothers to clean it unless it's SUPER bad, but it's usually just cluttered

I like to think about failed cooking dates that just end in getting takeout. after a certain amount of tries, they both know damn well what'll happen and try regardless because it's fun (plus, who the hell would pass on an opportunity to get take out?)

however.. if it's watari cooking alone? it's fine. sometimes okazaki just.. forgets to leave her room when working on a mask, so watari would remind her with dinner on the table.

sharing clothes is something that would happen often

over all I give them a 10/10 rating on my absolutely blind to any problems in a relationship scale!

thanks for the request guys!!! back to doing my hair... I got this, trust!

[snexy-the-snail]

Flower Gardens are Neat, Trauma not so Much

This is sorta part one of two, second on tomorrow for sure XP, shoot me some more ideas if anyone has them! For PJO, LMK, anything really!!! ))

Percy had been to the Underworld more times than most demigods could say without bursting into tears or setting something on fire. This time, it wasn't supposed to be a problem. Just a quick message delivery from Chiron to Hades, some ancient centaur/dark lord diplomatic stuff Percy hadn't really listened to. All he knew was he needed to get the scroll to Hades and then leave. Fine.

Percy had listened to Nico's warning about not touching plants, So naturally, five minutes into the obsidian-themed garden, Percy touched the weirdest thing he could find. It was a glowing flower with black petals and veins filled with gold. The petals seemed to hum slightly like it was alive with power. He wanted to touch it; there were worse things he touched, but the ground opened instantly beneath him like a hungry mouth, swallowing him into thick roots and cold soil. Really wasn't a pleasant experience, and he had plenty of experience being eaten.

He barely had time to yelp before he was tangled, upside down, in a mass of enchanted vines, slowly being dragged into the deeper layers of the Underworld.

"This is why I hate plants! Why is it always plants?!" Percy hisses out, though he figured this was somewhat on him for touching. He wriggles in the vines, trying to get to his pocket. It was hard when the roots of the flower were literally dragging him deeper into the earth. He glances up, doing a double take, when he sees a flowing red dress sparkling above him. He manages a sheepish smile and would have waved if his hands were free. "Hey! Uh. Fancy seeing you here." he greets, falling still in the roots.

Persephone stood over the hole Percy had fallen into, hands on her hips, watching with raised eyebrows as vines lazily looped around his legs and arms like overenthusiastic pets. A flicker of amusement tugged at her mouth, one that he was used to seeing on his mom when he told her his weird quests.

"Percy Jackson. Let me guess, Nico warned you not to touch anything?" Her voice flowed smoothly, like a river cooling and refreshing. It soothed his nerves more than he cared to admit.

"Yes. Yes, he did," Percy grunted. "But, in my defense, it looked dangerous."

"And so you touched it." She laughs, kneeling in the dirt. Part of him wanted to assure her he was fine and not to dirty her dress, but partly, he knew she probably gardened in it, and dirt was the least of her worries.

"I'm not proud of my methods." He grumbles, relieved when the vines recoiled as Persephone reached down. Itchy, spidery roots un-spooled from his and slithered back into the earth with apologetic rustles. She reached down, effortlessly lifting him out of the hole by looping her hands under his armpits. He felt like a misbehaving toddler whenever gods stayed at their usual heights or throne heights.

Percy stumbled a bit, brushing off dirt and muttering, "Thanks. That was... an experience."

Persephone looked him over like a mother who couldn't decide whether to scold or hug a particularly stupid child. "You survive Titans and giants, and yet a flower nearly eats you." She gingerly plucks a root out of his hair, setting it aside.

"It was glowing!" Percy protested. "And humming! Plants don't usually hum!" At this point, he should be better at recognizing when things wanted to eat him; then again, plants didn't really have great tells.

She shook her head, smiling. "That one sings in forgotten tongues. It's a soul-rooted bloom. It responds to reckless energy. Like yours."

"Awesome," Percy muttered. "Next time, I'll just trip over a rock." It would be less embarrassing, at least.

Persephone leaned down slightly, her larger form casting a long shadow. Her voice was gentler now. "You are lucky, Percy Jackson. Not many things in my garden let go so easily." She smelled like spring, like warm dirt and blooming flowers. It was a nice contrast to the cold, earthy scent that surrounded them.

"Are you saying you like me?" He shoots back with a grin. He hadn't interacted with Persephone much, but she seemed more approachable than most gods.

"I'm saying," she replied with a playful smile, "you amuse me. Which is why I'll let you live." Ah, there it was, the touch of divinity that really separated mortals and gods. He felt like a lot of gods just found him cute, like a pet.

She turned, vines and flowers parting before her like the Red Sea. Percy scrambled to follow, still brushing dirt off his shirt. Persephone had nothing on her dress; it somehow hadn't left a smear on her dress, but he learned long ago not to question how God's clothes stayed clean.

The walk towards the dark Olympic-like structure wasn't too far, a nice stroll away. They passed by statures Percy had definitely seen in Medusa's lair; he really tried not to think about it, actually.

The obsidian corridors of Hades' palace echoed with the click of Persephone's heels and the softer scuff of Percy's sneakers. Torches along the walls flickered with pale green fire, casting dancing shadows. Percy followed a few steps behind the queen of the underworld, still brushing at his shirt like he could get the embarrassment off him. Dirt in the underworld seemed to cling, just like the shadows.

The throne room was cavernous, cut into the bones of the Underworld itself. Stalactites hung above like ancient teeth, and pools of silent black water lined the walls. At the far end sat Hades on his throne, slouched sideways with a look of divine fatigue. It was oddly human-looking, like adults who were way too stressed.

The Helm of Darkness rested on a side table like he'd taken it off halfway through a tantrum. It was weird seeing it again, not in baseball cap form, at least. Hades' robes were also slightly disheveled, one sleeve pushed up in a very un-Hades-like fashion. He guessed it had something to do with the scrolls scattered around him, and the Lord of the Dead looked one step away from banishing them all to Tartarus for paperwork crimes.

He rubbed his temples without looking up. "If you're here to file another underworld visitation form, I swear on the Styx I will-"

"It's just me, Lord Hades," Percy said, hands raised. Seriously, at this point, he just needed to stop coming to the underworld, or he might need to get a room next to Nico's.

The god's dark eyes lifted. He blinked once. Then sighed. "Oh. It's you." Though there was a tinge of what Percy hoped was fondness.

"That's what everyone keeps saying today." Percy shoots back, still hesitating to step fully into the throne room. He wasn't exactly fond of the memories he had here.

Hades waved a hand. "Come forward. Let's get this over with before I turn into a wraith out of stress."

Percy walked toward the doors, Persephone gliding past him and taking her seat beside Hades. Her presence on the god, as always, seemed to lighten the oppressive air slightly. Spring within death. Life among bones. She really should be topside, considering it was summer, but Percy learned not to take the myths literally anymore. He couldn't after reading some of his dads. Plus, having her here really helped with Hades' mood.

Percy pulled out the scroll from Chiron and held it up to the massive gods, huffing when it grew to full size once in Hades' hands.

Hades didn't even unroll it. "Diplomatic nonsense, I assume?" He asks, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Yeah. Something about the boundaries of spirit traffic between demigod camps and ancient territories. Honestly, I think Chiron just wanted to make me go outside." At least, that's what Percy was going with. Really, Nico would have been the better candidate, and neither would Hazel; they wouldn't actually get trapped down here.

The god grunted, still not looking at the message. Instead, he glanced sideways at Persephone, his expression softening the tiniest bit before switching to something a bit amused. "He got himself caught in the garden, didn't he?" Which rude. There was no way Hades' should have known.

"He did," Persephone said, a sparkle in her eyes. "By the soul-root bloom."

Hades blinked. Then, surprisingly, chuckled. "That thing? You didn't let it digest him a little?" It was teasing and warm, something Percy had never expected to hear.

Percy threw his hands up. "I've had enough experience with almost being eaten than you."

Persephone reached down and brushed a bit of underworld soil from his shoulder, her fingers glowing faintly as the dirt actually left his shirt. "You're lucky it wasn't in bloom season. You'd be halfway to the Forgotten Vale by now."

"Great," Percy muttered. "That sounds so relaxing."

Hades actually smiled. It was a small, crooked thing, but it was genuine. "You always bring chaos, Percy Jackson. But I suppose... you also bring honesty. And a ridiculous amount of persistence."

Persephone leaned forward, resting her chin on one elegant hand. "It is rather sweet how dedicated he is. Risking everything just to deliver a message properly. Most mortals wouldn't dare. Or care."

"I'm a pretty good delivery boy, I've been told."

"Yes," Hades said dryly. "And in the process, nearly turned yourself into compost."

"I'm consistent," Percy offered. Thinking of his many, many trips involving near-death incidents.

"You are," Persephone said, voice amused and oddly warm. "You've always been more heart than sense."

Hades made a noise like he might object, then just sighed. "Fine. Message received. I'll send something back through Nico. You-" he pointed at Percy, "-do not wander into any more dangerous gardens. Or mystical wells. Or cursed labyrinths."

"No promises," Percy said, grinning. He decided not to comment on his uncle's concern.

Persephone stood, her form briefly shimmering again with divine power as she gestured for him to follow. "Come on. I'll walk you out before you pick another fight with the decor."

Percy followed her out, only mildly struggling to keep up with her long strides. Persephone smiled down at Percy as they stepped into the corridor. "You're a storm in a boy's body, Percy Jackson."

"Is that good or bad?"

"dangerous, though I suppose every flower needs its thorns," She says thoughtfully. Her gaze casts down to him again, Percy feeling like she was seeing too much. He manages an awkward laugh.

The path back to the surface was long and winding, carved through black stone and dimly lit by glowing flowers. Truthfully, he wished they had been there on his first quest. They seemed so inviting.

Persephone walked beside Percy, having apparently taken pity on his shorter legs. Persephone occasionally glanced sideways at Percy as if trying to understand him without asking too much.

When they reached the Field of Judgement, the screams weren't great, and the atmosphere shifted. The air grew colder, thinner. The trail led near the edge of the Pit - Tartarus. They weren't even going that way; they would head to the right, away from the path.

The vast black chasm in the distance, rimmed with jagged stone and a wind that wasn't really winding but more like the sound of endless teeth grinding.

Percy's steps slowed.

Then stopped.

He stared across the dead plain. The edge of Tartarus was maybe a hundred yards away, but he felt it like a rope around his chest, pulling tighter. Memories flashed through his eyes at a pace that made him stumble.

He faintly heard Persephone ask him something, but a steady ringing in his ears made it impossible to know what was said. Air didn't seem to fill his lungs; he took quicker breaths, trying to ignore the memories of burning water sliding down his throat, making his stomach ache.

The air suddenly felt wrong, like it was too close to his skin. The edges of his vision trembled, blurring, peeling like he- he was

Memories surged forward like a broken dam- falling, endless falling, the crushing presence of chaos, the stench of monsters that never died, Annabeth's scream echoing, his own voice raw from shouting her name-

"Percy?"

Persephone's voice sounded farther away now. He dropped to his knees, arms wrapped around himself. His breathing turned sharp, uneven. He needed pressure to feel solid- no, he needed to breathe- he needed

"Too close," he whispered. "Too close- I can't-"

A rustle of silk and shadow, red blurring his vision

Panic made words impossible. Percy curled forward, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to push the chasm out of his mind, the darkness of shutting his eyes not helping in the slightest.

. His hands trembled, his fist clenching tighter, trying to feel the sting of his fingernails on his skin.

Something pressed lightly to his back; it was warm and heavy. He kept his eyes shut, feeling bile creeping up his throat. The fiery hot liquid of the river of literal fire burned through his body.

Pressure surrounded him suddenly, and a blissful, stable temperature encircled him like a crisp spring day. The air was sharp and filled his lungs like soothing seawater did. He took greedy gulps of air, gasping heavily. He was moving; he quickly realized that his eyes squeezing tighter shut.

He couldn't get his body to obey, and soon, he spiraled into a thoughtless, dreamless state.

Persephone kept a hand in her middle. If she had a heartbeat, she knew it would be elevated, as the mortals said. "Percy?" She tries again, keeping her voice soft. There was no response, no movement, and for a terrifying moment, she thought no breathing either.

Relief washes over her when a soft exhale sounds form inside her.

"Poseidon's appearance lately makes more sense now, little hero." She murmured, closing her eyes. A demigod. She had actually swallowed a demigod. Having such a delicate life inside her was exhilarating; it was like watching and coaxing a seedling to grow. Delicate but capable of being great.

Something had triggered this, and she intended to find out what it was. She turns on her heel, swiftly walking back to the throne room. Hades right where they had left her, on his throne in exasperation. His expression smooths out once the sound of her footsteps echoes in the chamber.

"My love, thank you for seeing him out safely. I would rather not have Poseidon on my case-"

"I hate to interrupt, but we didn't make it topside."

There was a beat of silence before Hades gave her a look to continue, sitting on his throne more. The area darkens as he extends his godly presence as if searching for the soul of the mortal. Her hand wanders to her middle again.

"He is safe...I just..you know something about this, don't you? We passed the fields of punishment, and he simply couldn't breathe. It was like those little attacks Nico gets." She murmurs. That was also something Hades hadn't been inclined to tell her. Nico and Percy's actions were tied to that path; she just knew it.

An exhausted gaze crossed Hades' expression.

"He couldn't breathe, Hades. I've seen panic before. That wasn't just fear. That was a memory." She snaps. She had a right to know that Percy may not be their child, but he was a guest in their realm, a child. Nico's friend.

Hades was quiet for a long moment. His shadows deepened, curling around his throne; he was struggling to hold form, that much she knew. If not for the mortal nestled in her core, she may be struggling as well. Finally, he sighed, slow and heavy, his voice lowering to something reverent and old.

"Tartarus leaves its mark," he said. "It is not merely a place. It is… the wound at the bottom of the world."

"What do you mean?, Hades tell me that it's not what I'm thinking."

"Nico...he was the first, the stubborn child walked there himself." Hades murmurs, sounding distraught at that. Nico. Her stepson, the little pale child, may have been the underworld's child, but Tartarus was different. More anxious, more evil.

Hades leaned forward, lacing his pale fingers together. "Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase. They fell. Into Tartarus. Together."

The silence between them shattered like glass. Persephone straightened, horrified. "Fell-? And Nico he.."

"But they survived it." Hades' voice held no pride, only a grim

acknowledgment. "For days. Weeks. Time behaves strangely in Tartarus. I cannot...I do not know what they have gone through; I only know what Nico speaks of." the God of the dead sounded less than thrilled that his child, or any of the children, had been there.

Persephone's hand returned instinctively to her middle. Percy was silent, unconscious, The flickering shadows within him, the bone-deep exhaustion, the sharp edge of survival. The wild look shone deep in his eyes like he would bite anything that tried to touch him.

"You should have told me," she whispered, voice tight. "I felt something, but I didn't know. I didn't know it was that." She turned away, hands shaking.

Hades stood. "We are hell, my love."

She spun on him, fury blooming in her chest. "Not like that. We have order, rules, and structure. Tartarus is… it's chaos. You let children climb out of that abyss and said nothing?"

"He is Poseidon's," Hades said, his tone carefully measured. "And he came out of it alive. That alone is a miracle. But do not mistake my silence for carelessness. Nico is mine; I tend to his needs..they have their own parents."

"He was suffocating. Drowning on land. That place—he's still there, Hades. Inside. I do not care if he is not ours." she growls, stilling when she feels Percy stir within her.

They both stood still.

Then, Hades approached her with unusual gentleness. He placed a hand on her shoulder, but she didn't look at him. Couldn't with the fury of injustice curling inside her chest like a viper. Flowers bloomed from her skin and wilted just as fast with her frustration.

"You were right to bring him back," his voice softer, just as soft as when he spoke to Nico on long nights. Persephone nodded sharply, turning her gaze to her husband.

"He's more than just Poseidon's son." He had many titles, some that she hadn't bothered to pay attention to. She had no mortal children of her own, no demigods to stake claim to. This was..different.

Hades hesitates before agreeing with a small nod. "Made him a room next to Nico's...I believe he should stay tonight." He murmurs. Persephone tried to ignore the flutters within her, the movement of a being so much more fragile than her; it was odd.

"I will take my leave then, my husband." She exits at a smooth pace, not accustomed to having the extra weight. She could see why her husband did it; however, the warm curl of knowing she was keeping the demigod safe was..addicting. Hades normally would disappear with Nico snuggly tucked within him, and now she could see. Percy wasn't even hers in any shape or form; she had no claim to him, and yet it felt so right.

A melody draws from her as she strolls through the halls, pausing occasionally when there is shifting from within.

The room next to Nico's was rather bare, having a bed, a dresser, and a desk. Bland. But Percy wouldn't be staying all that long; at least, Persephone doubted that Poseidon would allow it.

Then maybe he should have kept a better eye on him. A thought she couldn't help slip into her thoughts. No matter, she had the boy for now.

She sat on the bed with a sigh, relishing in the movements and soft breaths of the kid.

Time passed, and the fluttering feelings grew until it was shifting movements.

Percy woke up feeling like he was lying on the grace after a rainstorm. It felt like dew dewdrops on his skin, easily willing the wetness to dissipate. He blinks in surprise as he looks around. The space was like being in a hole, well, a hole that had blades of green grass and flower buds surrounding him. The area was like the meadow at Camp Half-Blood. Peaceful. Who was he in?

He sits up, trying to remember what would have gotten him here to begin with. Memories of walking by the path and panicking slowly came back to him, his cheeks flushing.  

Ah. Right.

"Ah..um. Lady Persephone?"

The space shifts, flowers blooming in a crescendo, and gods, he was so thankful he didn't have allergies. It was oddly beautiful, and he had never been the one to stop and smell the roses before.

"You're awake; how did you rest, little wildflower?" her voice was like a windchime, well, her normal voice with a chiming undertone. It was weird that most gods, well, all gods he had been in, at least always had something in their undertone of voice. The nickname, however, made him laugh in disbelief.

"Wildflower? That's new, but um..yeah I... I'm doing alright, thank you." He brings his knees to his chest. He let a breath out, surprised at how,, earthlike the stomach space really was. he wondered if Demeter was the same.

Silence settles over them, Percy resting his head against the plush grass-like surface of the stomach lining.

"Well, I suppose you'll want out; I've run a bath for you and gotten some comfortable clothing."

Percy opened his mouth to ask what he should do. He stumbled when he suddenly appeared on the floor in a flash. Okay wow. Normally, it was less drastic, or he was out when he started to wake up, but this was fine.

He felt like a wet cat as Persephone led him down a hall where the bath was. He stepped inside, expecting a small room, not.. a massive in-ground bath that looked more like a hot tub. Still..He got undressed, took a breath, and set his clothes aside.

Steam curled lazily from the surface of the bath as Percy stepped in, the warm water instantly calming his frayed nerves. The scent of lavender and something sweet, maybe pomegranate? Floated through the room. Persephone clearly had a knack for aesthetics, even in the Underworld. The marble floor was veined with gold, and a gentle, bioluminescent glow pulsed through vines climbing the obsidian walls. Percy sank into the water with a groan, letting it wash away the tension in his shoulders.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but eventually, a gentle knock tapped against the bathroom door.

"Your clothes are just outside. Take your time," Persephone's voice called, kind but never overbearing.

Once dressed in soft pj pants and a very soft shirt that felt like woven shadows, Percy stepped out and blinked in the low light. Persephone stood waiting, holding a delicate brush made from what looked like carved birchwood and polished bone. The handle had little vines winding around it, forming loops at the end.

"Sit," she said simply, gesturing to a cushioned bench beneath a flowering olive tree that had no right blooming this far underground.

"... You're going to brush my hair?" He hesitated, standing by the bathroom doorway.

She arched a brow. "Would you prefer Cerberus do it?"

That made him laugh, a genuine one that snuck out before he could think better of it. He hesitantly walked over, taking a seat on the bench. He couldn't think of the last time he did something so... domestic.

He jolts at first, not used to the feeling of someone else brushing his hair. She didn't pull or rush. Each stroke was measured as smooth. He felt himself unwinding again, shoulders lowering another inch.

After a long moment, one where Percy swore he was about to fall asleep. she set the brush aside.

"You know," she said, "the gardens are in bloom. Even here. Would you like to walk with me?"

He glanced away, fidgeting with the seam of his sleeve. The idea of wandering through any kind of garden should've been comforting. Safe. But something inside him recoiled. Maybe it was the lingering fog of anxiety or the fact that being anywhere close to that path might make him panic again. Either way, the thought of walking through unfamiliar paths, even beautiful ones, left his chest too tight.

"...Thanks," he said quietly, "but I think I just want to sit here a little longer."

She nodded as if she'd expected that. "Of course. It's your pace, Percy. It always will be down here." She didn't walk away. Just sat beside him, hands folded in her lap, content with the quiet.

She didn't leave for a while, not until she heard something over; however, gods communicated and stood. "I'm needed somewhere at the moment. Do pray if you have any concerns." She says, pausing at the doorframe. He offers a small smile and wave.

"Sure, will do."

If anything, he would probably try to head back to his cabin. His dad was bound to know he wasn't topside eventually, or at least Annabeth.

He got up after she left, taking a breath and heading to the balcony.

[bouquet-of-flow3rs]

!Pairing: Loser!Jake x Cheerleader!Reader!

Genre: Strangers to lovers, mutual pinning, fluff.

Synopsis: You have been pinning over a boy you repeatedly see in the hallway on Fridays and one day you finally get to meet him.

Warnings: Swearing, make outs. [Let me know if I missed anything!]

Jake Sim loves a lot of things.

He loves his dog, Layla.

He loves his family. 

But he especially loves School Spirit Fridays, In fact, those are the days he looks forward to most on school days simply because It means he gets to see you all dolled up in your cheerleading uniform.

You are [Y/n] [L/n] the cheer captain you were the kind of girl that guys wanted and girls wanted to be. Jake believes you came from another planet simply because you were able to pull off the hideous school color combination of red and yellow, now normally, these colors together would be fine but the problem was all people could think about was McDonald's when looking at the cheer team. While you managed to pull it off others looked like they should pull it off since it didn't suit them. On these specific days Jake makes sure to show up in rooms or hallways he knows you walk down simply so he could catch a glimpse of you and if he was fortunate enough he’d catch a whiff of your strawberry-scented perfume. Naturally, his friends make fun of him for this and tease him relentlessly, especially Niki the youngest of his friends, “Dude, you really need to stop with the [Y/n] obsession.” The tall boy teases, “It's seriously embarrassing for you.” He finishes but Jake just brushes him off “You don't understand Niki.” He sighs blissfully, “It's not an obsession, it's love.” Jake states, staring at you with heart eyes as you walk past him once again, “Listen, Jake,” Niki chuckles at his hyung, “You should try just talking to her,” Niki shrugs, “Besides the worst that can happen is she’ll reject you.” This makes Jake whip his head towards the boy with a scowl on his face, “What! No way dude!” He refuses, “What if she thinks I’m weird or something? Or what if she laughs in my face!” He spirals his fingers tugging at his hair in worry.

Meanwhile, you walk into your next class and search the room for the familiar head of your friend Mina. Once you find her you quickly rush over, “Mina!” You squeal, “Guess who I saw again!” You giggle girlishly, and she rolls her eyes, every Friday you do this. you walk down the same hallways so that you can see the boy you for some reason think is cute. She sighs, “Was it your little hallway crush again?” She guesses gruffly, you sequel again and nod your head violently, "Yes, I saw him again!” you smile widely, she laughs at your actions and pats your head making you pout, “You should seriously just go up and talk to him.” she tries to reason with you “Besides no guy could turn the cheer captain down.” She encourages but this just makes you pout more, “But what if he only says yes because I’m the cheer captain?” you cry out “Nah, I’m sure he wouldn’t do that.” She tries to comfort you.

Later you’re sat in class staring at the clock as the minutes tick down until lunch begins. You groan and place your head on the cold surface of your desk glancing over at Mina who is paying attention to the lesson up front. “Psst!” You hiss out trying to catch her attention “Mina!” You whisper shout in her direction finally gaining her attention from a few seats away, she side-eyes you before rolling her eyes and finally paying attention to you, “I'm so boreddd~” you moan out quietly so you don't get in trouble with your teacher, “And what does that have to do with me.” She whispers out sharply, and you groan again, shifting positions “Nothing, I guess but I need you to cure me of it.” You say your voice muffled by your desk, she chuckles at you before turning back towards the front. After she stops paying attention to you you start thinking of random things like what your next cheer choreography should be, and the one you spend the most time thinking about, your hallway crush. 

On Fridays you always see him heading down the same hall as you and your heart skips a beat, you’ve always thought he’s rather cute and you like the glasses he wears, not to mention his accent, gosh do you love a man with an accent. When you stop daydreaming you glance up at the clock and see there's still a whole five minutes before class ends, groaning you place your head back on your desk and jump at how cold it is you hate how cold this teacher leaves his classroom so you try to pull your skirt down lower on your legs to try and stay warm, your saving grace being your long-sleeved uniform top but even the fabric was rather thin and didn't fight well against the elements, but you always made sure to wear it on School Spirit Fridays since you are the captain. You somehow manage to fall asleep and abruptly wake up when you hear the bell go off as you jump to your feet and rush out of the classroom and towards the cafeteria unfortunately for you, you're not watching where you’re going, and end up crashing into some poor individual sending you both down crashing to the cold tile floor. When you look down to who you’ve crushed underneath you you’re mortified to find it's your hallway crush.

Jake’s eyes widen as he sees the incoming floor after somebody had rudely shoved him, when they both fell to you floor the person had somehow managed to fall on him, I mean the nerve of some people, but when he glimpses over his shoulder to see his attacker he catches a whiff of perfume he could never forget, his eyes trail up and land to see your blushing face. No. Fucking. Way. He nearly combusts, but before he can even say anything you’re quickly rushing to get off of him spouting out intelligible words and all he can catch is “I am so, so sorry!” He smiles at you and pushes himself up too before speaking, “N-no worries.” He tries to calm you down but keeps stuttering over his words, you giggle at how cute the boy in front of you is but you immediately regret it because his face looks scared and you immediately apologize again “Sorry, sorry I promise I’m not laughing at you it’s just you look really cute.” You accidentally blurt out the last part, at hearing your words Jake’s face feels like it’s on fire, he can’t seem to get any words out of his mouth, you being the overthinker you are think his wide eyes mean he’s taken offense to your rushed compliment and you immediately try to apologize but his face begins to show a large grin and he starts to laugh you stand there confused but you then join him laughing at the ridiculous moment you shared. Jake’s laughs slowly die down as he wipes an imaginary tear away “Sorry I didn’t mean to laugh it's just that I think you’re really cute too.” He smiles at you and suddenly it feels as if your whole world is brighter, you shyly thank him and offer to buy him lunch as an apology, Jake swears he's dead and has  gone to heaven, “Oh, Uhm sure.” He agrees trying to act nonchalant but you can still see the flush on his face, you then grab his large hand in yours and walk off towards the cafeteria leaving both your friends and his standing there in disbelief at what just happened.

Back at the cafeteria you and Jake sit and start to get to know each other, you talk about a lot of different things, and he ends up showing you a picture of Layla and you instantly fall in love with her, “Oh my gosh!” You squeal, “She is so adorable!” you take his phone from his hand and start admiring the photo up close, Jake laughs at your reaction and grabs his phone from your hands brushing his fingers against yours in the process, causing the both of you to blush, “Uhm, If you want I could introduce you to her someday.” He says shyly avoiding eye contact with you and rubbing the back of his head, You quickly grasp his free hand leaning over the table and pressing it against your chest “Really? You’d do that!” You ask excitedly, his eyes dart down to where his hand is and immediately looks away nodding his head, “Y-yea.” He gulps, and you smile brightly at him, “Oh,” you gasp, “I forgot to introduce myself, I’m [Y/n}.” you say sweetly, he smiles back and you mumble a quiet “I know.” you ask if he said something but he shakes you off and says “Oh, I said I’m Jake.” You mentally congratulate yourself on figuring out your hallway crush’s name “You have a nice name, Jake.” You compliment, he stutters out a meek “You too [Y/n].” causing you to giggle.

After that day you would always seek the boy out during lunch so you could talk to him more, the more you got to know him the more you fell for him, little did you know he felt the same way, he couldn’t believe the girl he’s been crushing on since sophomore year was actually talking to him, he knew you were pretty but you also had a great personality on top of that? God, he's in love. You’ve been hanging out for a couple of weeks now when he finally offers to have you meet Layla. 

Jake stands there next to the gate of the school waiting for your cheer practice to end and for the two of you to walk to his house together, he waits there for a few more minutes before he sees your figure in the distance jogging towards him and shouting his name, he thinks you’re so adorable your school uniform is neat and you somehow still look perfect even though you've just finished jumping around for an hour, when you finally reach the boy you practically jump him wrapping yourself around him like a koala, as he rushes to catch you, you both stand there for a moment giggling to yourselves before you finally let go and grab his hand to start dragging him away from the school, “Come on Jake, we can’t keep Layla waiting.” You laugh out, he smiles at you as you drag him away chuckling at how perfect he believes you are.

After Jake stears you the correct way to his house he pulls his keys from his backpack and unlocks the door, the first thing you’re greeted with is the golden border collie jumping up onto Jake and the sweet sound of his laughter, you coo at the scene and immediately drop your things to rush over and start babying the good girl, she definitely enjoys the attention and starts to jump onto you making you laugh as she tries to lick your face, Jake is nervous that you won’t like that so he tries to assist you in getting her off of you but you glare at him and he puts his hands up in surrender and lets the puppy continue to tackle you. After playing with Layla for a few hours you both decided to watch a movie, you wanted Barbie movies but Jake insisted you watch the Andrew Garfield Spiderman movies, after playfully arguing and a game of rock paper scissors to see which movie you’d watch the winner came out to be Jake, so as he opened the app to watch them, you sat on his living room couch cuddled up with Layla laying over both of your laps.

You were now on the second movie and you had shifted over closer to Jake and laid your head on his shoulder, Jake felt that he needed to stay perfectly still but that made you more uncomfortable so you looked up at him and when you did, you noticed him already looking at you. Your faces are inches apart, he could feel your breath fanning over his face, your noses brushing against each other, Jake’s gaze drops to your plump lips and he gulps his Adam's apple bobbing, you stay there staring at him for a couple of seconds before closing the gap and pressing your lips against his, you can feel his glasses bump into your face and your nose brushing against his flushed cheek,  your lips splitting as you hear a wet pop, all the color drops from your face and you start to sputter out an apology “I’m so so sorry oh my god,” You panic, “I should definitely not have done that I’m so sorry I-” “[Y/n]” Jake tries to butt in “I’m so so-” you’re suddenly cut off by Jake placing his hands on your flushed cheeks and pulling you in for a second kiss, this kiss is more passionate than the one you shared before and it pulls you in deeper and deeper, it's dizzying the way Jake kisses you it's messy and desperate but more than anything it perfect.

After kissing for a few minutes you finally pull apart from each other and Jake rests his forehead against yours both of you stilling trying to catch your breath eyes closed but holding each other tightly in your arms, After catching his breath Jake finally works up the courage to ask you out, “Uhm,” He breathes out his voice hoarse, You stare at him with your foreheads still connected, “c-can I be your boyfriend?” He asks, his voice hesitant but filled with hope, you quickly pull your forehead away before tackling him to lay down on the couch, your arms wrapped around his neck and your face on his chest breathing in his cologne, “Only if you’ll let me be your girlfriend.” You giggle out, “It’s a deal.”

Please reblog and like if you enjoyed this!

[strangerthings-haventhappened]

Batman x AFTG pt 2.

continuing on from this post

Neil uses the fact that he is from Gotham to explain away anything the team thinks is weird about him. Why does he have so many scars? Well this one on his ribs is from when he got mugged on his way home from school and the iron burn was from that time with the Riddler. The bullet wound? Did he ever tell you about how he met red hood? The foxes don't know that he is a Wayne and only know that he got adopted by someone he calls B and that he was homeless after his mom died. A lot of the weirdness about him is wayne weird not Gotham weird. The couple of other students who came from Gotham keep trying to tell people that he isn't normal for Gotham but nobody believes them.

When the monsters take him to the club and try to drug him he's very condescendingly like I'm from Gotham do you really think I'd have survived this long if I were that easy to drug? He leaves them there and walks/hitch hikes his way back to campus like in the books but this time in the dark. He gets back and everyone is panicking like Neil you could have died. Neil: why are you so worried there isn't even any real danger here and I had my weapons on me.

When they go on Kathy's show and he insults riko and everyone is like why would you do that he is going to kill you. Neil's response is to say riko is just a nepo baby throwing a tantrum he can't compare to the average Gotham goon much less the rouges. Neil will be fine.

Neil is fine. Seth is not.

After Seth dies Neil is like oh okay i guess I'm taking on the Moriamas. I was going to stay out of it but they just made it my problem. He knows that he could use the bat resources to get the adults arrested but he really wants to take down riko in the way that will hurt him the most. So obviously the foxes need to beat the ravens. He motivates and unites the team the same way he does in the books except this time he has his family helping him take down the rest of the family in the background and getting proof of everything that is happening in the nest.

Unfortunately the monsters go to see nicky's parents the same weekend that there is a major arkham breakout so they don't notice it's a set up in time. Fortunately Neil is a Wayne and he is able to make sure that Andrew is going to a good place where all the doctors have been thoroughly vetted so he doesn't get assaulted again. Neil because he is a martyr still goes to the nest over Christmas so that he can collect more evidence. Does riko know that Neil is Nathaniel or not i don't know that's up to you. What's important is that Neil and Jean bond and that Neil still gets a bit tortured. Dick and Jason are ready to storm the nest and kill everyone when they find out what happened. Neil gets back to palmetto and acts like what happened is fine because he has had worse. Allison is ready to help him with makeup to cover the bruises on his face but Neil tells her he can do it himself because it's not the first time he has had to cover up injuries like this.

The team had already thought that Neil's adopted family was abusive because he doesn't really talk about them much and he has all those scars. After Christmas in the nest they are convinced that they must be. But then some of his siblings show up (Jason and Duke as the ones least likely to be recognized as Wayne's) and they basically smother him and make sure he is taking care of himself. The foxes are so confused. Like sure Jason is weirdly violent about forcing the kid into self care and may have threatened Kevin for being the reason Neil got draged into all of this, but it doesn't seem like either of them would let their brother be abused. So why is Neil so cagey about his family and how does he keep ending up with such horrific injuries? The betting pool is getting intense because nobody can figure out what is going on.

Neil still ends up getting kidnapped just before spring break. He knows that he could probably keep them from taking him if he fought back immediately but he also knows that his teammates will get hurt if he does that so he lets his father's men lead him outside. It's not until the riot separates him from the rest of the foxes that he starts to fight and since he has vigilante training it's more effective than in the books but it's not enough. They end up drugging him which has the upside of meaning Lola doesn't spend the car ride torturing him since he's unconscious but downside is that he can't try to escape before they get to Nathan.

When Neil wakes up he is already in the basement chained to a chair. Nathan does the whole torture thing and Neil is trying to figure out the best way to get out and incapacitat Nathan and also if this justifies braking Bruce's no kill rule. Neil is morally fine with killing Nathan but he also realy doesn't want his real dad to be disappointed in him because Nathan isn't worth that. In the end it doesn't matter what he wants because uncle Stewart show up and kills Nathan for him.

When he is getting questioned by the cops Bruce shows up and demands that they let Neil go see his family and team. The cops try to argue that Bruce has no authority because technically he isn't Neil's dad since he was using a fake identity when he was adopted. It does not go well for the cops Bruce isn't going to let anyone sy that he isn't his kids dad especially not right after one of them has been tortured and needs to be with family.

Neil gets taken to the hotel where his team is waiting and Bruce and all of his siblings follow. Neil explains to the team about being Nathaniel and how he had been running from Nathan since he was ten and everything that came with that. He explains ending up in Gotham after his mom's death and how he ended up being taken in by Bruce when he was 14. He tells them that he kept quiet about being a Wayne because was worried that the media attention that would come with that would lead to Nathan finding him. The team understands but also they are tiny bit upset because none of them won any of the bets about his past or his family.

They go on their team vacation. Jean gets rescued from the ravens and Neil decides it's time to enact the final stage of operation take down riko. He and his family gather all of the evidence that they have on what's been going on in the nest and give it to their favorite reporter(Clark) so that an article revealing all the abuse and the police cover ups and everything gets released just before the championship game starts. Neil has full faith in the teams ability to beat the ravens and he knows that riko will be upset enough about loosing that he won't be able to even try to cover up the article. Neil expects that when riko is asked about the article right after the ravens loose he won't be able to hide his hatred and violence. Neil does not expect riko to try to murder him on national t.v. before he even finds out about the article. Andrew saves him and hey it got the point across so he counts it as a win.

The Moriamas are scrambling trying to do damage control knowing that they won't he able to use the ravens as a front for their illegal activity anymore. They try to use the whole Kevin, Jean, and Neil are Moriama property thing to regain control and Neil tells icharo that he was able to do this much damage to the family's business in only a few months and that he won't stop until either they let him Kevin and Jean go completely or he has destroyed their entire operation and the family has nothing left. Icharo tries to call Neil's bluff at first but Neil reminds him there is a reason their organization has never even tried to touch Gotham. In the end all three boys end up free to heal and live their lives completely free of mafia ties. Neil tells Kevin and Jean that if they have any issues in the future to let him know and he can call someone to deal with it.

The foxes + Jean all end the series a little bit happier and a lot more scared of Neil than they originally did, but it works out.

[lucy---lou]

Part 15 Lucys-hdg-story

My brain feels really fuzzy. I try to stretch, nope not possible I ehm oh Ellie and Misst... miss... miss... Miss Duralis. Weird why couldn't I remember her name, odd. The vines I was sleeping on move so I go and stretch, "mmmmrrrrrrp"

My eyes sheepishly open. Weird

"Wwwhy aaree wee outsiiideee?", yep words are not functioning properly. Probably high as fuck.

"Is my sleepy blushy kitten awake again. We are still in the park where you fell asleep", miss Duralis answers.

"But I shouldn't sleep in public. It's not safe to sleep. Scratch that silly thought"

"I see it's still working, everything alright my petal?"

"I eh think so, that was real wasn't it?", I say with a blush.

"Sure thing my cutie"

"Oh I ehm - I"

My stomach grumbles. I giggle.

"I think I'm hungry", saved myself.

"You did sleep through lunch. Ellie knocked you out, she already had something to eat. What would you like?"

"Some pizza please,misst- Duralis", I squirm in place at the embarrassment.

"There should be a take away near this park. Are you alright staying alone with Ellie, while I get something?"

"Should be. A margherita please", I chirp. Wow I'm realy hungry.

"Alright my little kitten I'll be back in ten minutes. Be a good girl"

"Yes, Miss"

Miss Duralis unravles from underneath me and Ellie and I are placed on the picnic blanket. We continue to cuddle for a few minutes. My eyes drift of a little, not sleeping but also not awake. I open then again and I'm outside.

outside is not safe

outside is dangerous

my heart starts to race.

I need to leave

sophonts are dangerous

I musst leave

I push Ellie harshly away, get up and run in the direction my old hab was.

I begin crying

something yellow flashes at me

I run

something red flashes at me

I run for dear life

somthing beeps at me

somebody tries to talk to me

"beeeeeeeeeep", my vision goes blurry, everything fades away. Somebody moves in my direction. I fall. I -

********************************************

<Sorry I don't know what happend. I saw her runnning looking terrified. I tried talking to her. Her collar beep loudly as it injected her, atleast I caught her before she fell.>

<Thank you Renor. She was completly fine before I left, to get her pizza. I feel like such an bad affini, she has had so many panic attacks under my care. Ellie was so much easier. Lucy is just so scared of anything that isn't our hab>

I heard talking but couldn't understand it, but that didn't matter. Miss Duralis was here and that meant I was safe.

<She looked terrified, maybe she didn't feel safe once you left>

<DIRT, she's got a hypnotic trigger that lets her feel safe while she feels my biorythm and I left my poor kitten alone. I....>

My affini was sad, so I pawed at her and smiled. I'm so fucking high.

"I'm so sorry my little kitten this won't happen again"

I got obliterated with pets. unable to form any coherent thought. So I did the next best thing and grabbed a vine and hugged it.

"awww she is really cute", the unkown affini said.

"She really is, especially cuddling with Ellie. They are sooo going to be pinnates. The problem is that she is so tame and then the second you're not looking she's either running away or hurting herself. She is going to make me rebloom"

I'm hurting my affini, she is sad because of me, it is all not my fault. But there is still one question.

"I still don't know what a pinnate is, this time I insist"

"If you insist, florets become pinnates when they love each other very much and we deam it cruel to seperate them. So they're guaranteed to be able to stay together for their rest of their lives."

"El- Ellie, she, she wants me forever?", I blush hard, "but that's for florets"

"Yes you are still only a ward, but I think today showed again that you are not fit to live as an independent"

I should be angry, shouldn't I ? But I'm not. I don't want to leave Miss Duralis or Ellie. I don't think I -"kitten?"- could sleep without her. I would be lonly. I'd have nobody -"Lucy? "- to cuddle. I'd hurt my self. I'd be -"Lucy kitten ?"- in danger. I would be kissed - what? - I'm being kissed. What I -

I shake my head.

All three of them are looking at me, I blush at the kiss.

"What!?"

"Lucy you were unresponsive for two minutes.", Miss Duralis says.

"Yeah and you only woke up at your saviours kiss", Ellie beams.

"I-I enhm, - I - I'm still waiting for my pizza", I distract.

They laugh at me.

"Sure thing, Renor can I have the pizza?"

"Sure thing, I'll be on my way again, please send me photos of your cuties"

"Did you just copy me. Will do, thank you again. Good bye, have a nice day", Miss Duralis laughs.

"Sure thing byeee", Renor grins.

"Sure thing, he's a silly affini", Ellie adds.

"Oh my please make it stop", I beg to the stars.

A vine taps my cheek. "wha-" pizza is delivered in my mouth, the stars have saved me with delicous pizza. I go to close my mouth and a vine taps the bottom of my chin. I chew, enjoying the pizza.

A tap - pizza

A tap - close

A tap - I forget and pizza is on my face. Ellie laughs at me and I pout. I open my mouth and delicious pizza is delivered.

A tap - close

A tap - pizza

A tap -close

The rest of the pizza is soon fed to me. Miss Duralis cleanes my face and I look at her confused.

"You still had pizza in your face", she smiled.

"I know", I pout.

"Adorable. Lets get you two back. It's time for a bath and this time you're even awake. I'll make it special for you"

"But I - I can clean myeeeeeeeeeep", yep got yanked of the ground again.

"Don't be silly we both know you want it."

[izzyyaps2much]

Chapter One - The One Who Stayed

It's strange how distance can make two people strangers, even when we share the same blood.

I look out at the driveway, my rain-streaked window blurring the faces I see below. I found a lot of things peculiar in this place. For one, it was weird that it was always raining in Forks. It used to make traveling to my old school extremely difficult. Especially since it used to be an hour away from here. I also found it odd that Mom preferred that I not go to Forks High growing up and really fought hard to place me into a private school, even though it meant being farther away from Dad during the day. 

Another thing I found unusual was how she dropped Bella off so easily. I mean how selfish can you be? Dropping off your daughter so you can go chase a new life with your new man? But then again, she'd always been like that. Even back then...

Mom was rushing to the car while I held Bella in my arms. She was crying, bawling in tears. "Shhh.. don't worry Bells.. Just put your hands on your ears... like this.." I smiled, holding back tears, gently guiding her hands to muffle our parents' screaming.

"Renee, don't do this.. I- I'll do better I promise.." I could hear Dad plead while Mom threw our things in the back of the open trunk. I tried not to listen. I couldn't do much back then anyways.

When she went to take Bella's hand, I stood up and instinctively pulled her closer to me.

"I'll, um... I'll take her," I said, noticing the red mark on Bella's wrist from Mom's grip. I walked her to the car myself, trying to reassure her.

"Don't worry.. Everything's gonna be fine.." I said it with a straight face, trying to be strong for her. She was only a year younger than me, but I'd basically raised her myself thanks to Mom. I wanted to tell her the truth. But I wished the truth was much sweeter than it actually is... Who knew life would be this cruel?

I glanced back at Mom and Dad. Something she said must've really hit him. Mom told us to get inside while she turned the car on, and Bella followed without hesitation. I could see it in his eyes. The despair, the shock. He looked broken. He stayed quiet and stopped fighting. That's when I found myself standing still. I couldn't move my feet. Not even when Mom screamed for me to get in. I was meant to leave with Mom, but something in Dad's eyes made me choose to stay. I couldn't. I couldn't just leave Dad behind like that...

I looked at Bella one last time. Her hand was on the window, waiting for me to come in and yet I closed my fists and stared at Mom. "I'll stay, Mom..." I said, nodding. "Take care of Bella for me, will you?" I asked. No, not asked. I told her to.

Mom only stared for a second before taking a breath and nodding her head as if she knew deep down I was always closer to Dad. What she didn't expect was for me to stay behind, leaving Bella in her care. That day was when everything changed. We went from singing along to the radio during sunny days, to just me and Dad. 

It wasn't all that bad. Dad was always there. He didn't hover much though. He kind of just gave me my space but was always there when I needed him. And as for Bella... Well, I tried keeping in contact with her after that but it was hard... I sent her letters and images, but after a while, she just stopped responding. Maybe they moved. Maybe Mom just tossed the letters. Who knows?

"Honey! Why don't you come say hi to your mom?" I could hear Dad yell for me from downstairs.

And now they're back. Well, not Mom. But at least Bella's back. I placed my book down and stepped down the stairs, each step echoing like a heartbeat. I had to keep it together. It's been a while since I've seen Bella.. I wouldn't want to create problems this soon.. 

She just came back. We just got her back.

As I stepped down, I finally saw her. She looked so much older. I laughed a little to myself—well, obviously she did. It's been years. Still, she looked different. More closed off. Headphones in and a few awkward smiles. I gave her a smile back, but I knew it would take more than that to bring back the bond we once had.

Mom came in for a hug, and I politely shrugged her off, giving her a tight-lipped smile before turning to Bella. "Need help with your bags?"

Dad yelled from outside that he'd get them. "I got it!" and for a second, I smiled. He sounded so happy to have her back. There was a glisten of hope in his eyes, a giddy excitement behind the tone of his voice. 

I'm glad to see him like that.

It was awkward between me and Mom though. Maybe a part of her knew I resented her for leaving but a part of her tried to act as if I didn't.

"Hey, uh... Dawn?" Bella asked, halfway up the stairs. "Where am I supposed to sleep?"

Crap. I forgot the new bed hadn't arrived yet. The house was too small for an extra bedroom, and honestly, no one ever expected to need one. She'd have to stay in my room. Our room.

"I—I'll take you," I said, voice cracking a bit. Why did it feel this awkward? She's my sister.

We went upstairs, and I tried to smooth it over. "So... Dad ordered a new bed, but since it hasn't arrived yet, you can take mine. I don't mind. I'll—"

"No, uh—it's fine," she cut in, clearly uncomfortable. "I can... I don't have to sleep on your bed." She stuttered. 

She probably thought of sleeping on the couch or something. I chuckled. As if I'd ever let that happen. She looked confused, and that's when it hit me. She hadn't really changed. That sweet, shy girl I used to play tag with around the house was still there.

"Bella, don't worry about it," I smiled. "There's an extra mattress. I can take the floor. It's really fine."

"Yeah, but it's—" She raised her concern. She was probably worried for me. How cute.

"Don't worry," I cut her off. "It's just for a few days. Besides, didn't you always love being on the top bunk?" I smiled, remembering the old bunk bed we used to have.

She nodded, knowing whatever protests she may have, I wasn't going to take no for an answer.

The rest of the night went surprisingly well. It took a little time to open up again, but something about being in that room made the years melt away.

"No! No way!" she gasped, eyes wide, grinning.

"Yes way! Jacob so had a crush on you when we were little," I said, thinking about that one kid we used to make mud pies with.

"No! Billy Black's kid?? He did not."

"I'm telling you. He did!"

We burst out laughing after that. It was times like this that I missed with Bells... I just hope it continues on like this..

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I hope you guys enjoy this little Twilight fanfic ^^ And yes this is gonna be a story about Jasper Hale and Bella Swan's sister, Dawn Swan. This is sort of like an AU, where the plot sort of derails a bit. So I hope no one minds that. For more chapters, check out the link-it leads you to the wattpad book <33

I hope you guys enjoy!! MWUAH!!! 

[lostmotivation2draw]

1st Semifinal ✨Opinions✨

So yesterday was Eurovision's first semifinal and I just wanted to give my opinions on it

For starters the big 5 did amazing. I don't really like Spain's song but the staging was really good. Italy was AMAZING like I know they've sent better things but I love how the put subtitles so people understood the meaning of the song and THE HARMONICA?? LIVE??? Like he played it LIVE I'm dying. And Switzerland was so good, I like the song and Zöe really defended it well live, I do feel bad because of the camera malfunction but that's not really a problem if the final goes well so yeah, fingers crossed.

✨Opinions about each country's performance✨

• Iceland!? Hello!? The level up they had from the National!? I love this song so much and I was worried that the staging could be way too simple or way too overboard (You never know with Eurovision) but no they did AMAZING

• Poland was something. To be honest I only watched half of the performance because of personal reasons I wasn't able to see all of it and I'll just take advantage of that and wait to be surprised this Saturday. So yeah no review for you yet :D

• Slovenia did amazing, I'm not really a fan of ballads but Klemen does it so well this is one of my favorite songs this year. I am glad they kept the weird upside down part, do I know why it's there? The symbolism? Hell no I just find it cool and I don't need more reasons

• Estonia was good, I like the little gag with the stage invader thing, that was funny. Kind of disappointed by Tommy Cash's vocals but luckily this song doesn't really need them so it's totally fine.

• Ukraine actually did better than I expected in the best way possible. I do like the song a lot but the rehearsal photos didn't give me a really good vibe BUT BOY WAS I WRONG! I loved this from start to finish, the whole performance felt like a fever dream and I'm here for it

• SWEDEN YES MY WINNERS KAJ YOU'RE AMAZING I'VE HAD THIS SONG ON REPEAT SINCE IT CAME OUT. Now getting serious I'm glad the kept the staging almost the same as in the NF, don't fix what's perfect. I love you Mäns Zermerlöw but this guys NEEDED to go for Sweden

• Portugal did good, the song is nice and somehow when I saw their performance I felt like I knew this guys my whole life. Like I almost cry when the audience cheered in the middle of the song and I saw the way the singer's face lit up, like, I want to hug the whole of NAPA just let meee

• Norway was great as expected, Kyle Alessandro is a legend, he's iconic and I'm totally not biased in the fact that he's Spanish nono. But yeah it wasn't revolutionary, there was fire and usual Eurovision stuff (Because lighter duh) but overall I liked it.

• Belgium was another that did better than I was expecting. Mostly cause I thought I would fucking get epilepsy for life when I saw it but that's not the point. Red Sebastian really defended the song and the choreo was cool. I would say the only thing I didn't really like about it was THE RED. Like I know you're RED SEBASTIAN and that's like your thing but my eyes dude. Apart from that really good.

• Azerbaijan wasn't bad. I expected it kinda, again I like the song but the staging was sure something. To be honest my full attention was on the dancers cause tf were they doing. The song itself, good, the staging, weird.

• San Marino had me worried to be honest. I know they aren't exactly the richest country in the world but damn I don't know a couple dancers would have been cool. But yeah happy cheery lighthearted performance that'll get people dancing and representing a culture, that's what Eurovision's about.

• Albania was amazing. The color scheme, the vocals, everything. It was perfect Albania learned from last year I was worried they would do a weird English revamp of the song but NO and I applaud them for that

• Netherlands was the typical Eurovision song performance and song wise. Not mad about it though, what works works and it did for them so that's good

• Croatia's song is SO UNDERRATED in my opinion, I loved the vibe, I loved the song and I loved everything. But yeah I guess people had enough of half creepy half cute stuff with Ireland last year

• Cyprus was INCREDIBLE. The staging? 10/10, Theo Evan? 10/10, song? 10/10. Loved it start no finish. I was worried for the staging because Cyprus the last years has been really simple BUT THEY WON WITH THIS IT'S SO GOOD

✨ Interval opinions✨

I'll talk about the opening and ending too but yeah

The opening was nice, I don't have a lot to say about it something you would expect from Eurovision. It was cool but not something you would remember for years.

THE INTERVAL. It's was GREAT, I'm not joking when I say that I was watching this with my family and I said "omg they're trying to pull a Petra Mëde" AND FREAKING PETRA MËDE APPEARS A MINUTE AFTER. YES. QUEEN. I LOVE YOU. COME BACK EVERY YEAR. Apart from that cool interval, it was fun and silly. I like fun and silly

The ending was something to even take seriously? I knew he was going to appear at some point BUT DUDE. My boy was not the first to win IN THE MILLENNIUM for you to only place him in the stage BY HIMSELF AT THE VERY END. I feel like that was kinda rude from their part

✨Results opinion✨

I LOST A FREAKING EURO

GUESS WHO I VOTED FOR

THAT'S RIGHT

CYPRUS

I'm cryiiiiiiing

Anyways I actually like the new way of saying the finalists from an audience pov. I do think it's way too stressful for the artists but for casual viewers for example is much more easier to recognize people if you see them three times, you know what I mean?

Apart from that I like the choice of songs that went through, except for Poland not because it's a bad song and the singer has a really powerful voice it's just not my thing

THEO EVAN YOU ARE A FINALIST IN MY HEART

ALSO I ALMOST CRIED WHEN PORTUGAL WENT THROUGH

NAPA IS MY FAMILY NOW

THEY JUST LOOK LIKE GUYS WHO WOULD GIVE YOU CANDY IF THEY SAW YOU SAD 😭

PLEASE ADOPT ME I'M SPANISH I CAN UNDERSTAND PORTUGUESE TO SOME DEGREE

Also tf was the reaction from Ukraine to being in the finals? I don't know if it was a joke, if his soul left his body or if he didn't want to go. I just know that it has meme potential

Anyways those were my ✨opinions✨ for the first semi.

See you for the second semi!!