#but to get into such drowsiness and yawning without control

[halinski]

is it possible to be too tired to cry/feel emotions?

[amoressb]

───── COZY NIGHTS 西村 力 N. RK

ꪆৎ ⋆˚࿔ you falling asleep watching riki play his little games ｡｡ bf!riki x reader .

FLUFF & wc. 900 + ; skinship, petnames ｡｡

──── ARCHiVE

the soft glow of the saturday afternoon sunlight spilled into the cozy apartment, dust motes dancing lazily in the air. riki sat cross-legged on the floor, controller in hand, preparing to dive into his favorite game. behind him on the couch, you lounged with a fluffy blanket draped over your legs, a glass of hot chocolate nestled in your hands.

“you’re not even gonna try co-op?” he asked, glancing back at you with a grin. “c’mon, we’d make a killer team.”

you smiled, shaking your head. “baby, you know i’d just end up getting us both killed. you’ve seen me try to dodge enemies, i run straight into them.”

he chuckled, “fair, but that’s what i’m here for, right? i’d carry my princess to victory.”

“you’re already enough of a show off without me dragging you down,” you teased, taking a sip of your hot chocolate. “i’ll just watch and cheer you on. you’ve got this, player one.”

he raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “player one? you’re just gonna demote yourself to spectator like that?”

“absolutely,” you replied with mock seriousness, tucking the blanket higher around your shoulders. “now go win or whatever it is you do in this game.”

he chuckled and turned back to the screen, the sound of the game’s opening music filling the room. you settled into the couch, your hot chocolate warming your hands, and for the first few minutes, you watched intently, occasionally asking questions or making little comments about the game’s graphics.

“you’re so focused,” you remarked, watching as his character dodged and attacked in perfect rhythm. “gotta be,” he replied without looking away from the screen. “this boss doesn’t mess around.”

“you’re really good at this,” you said softly, your voice quieter now as the blanket and warmth of the room began to lull you into relaxation.

“thanks,” he replied, glancing back briefly to flash you a smile. “told you i’d carry you if you joined.” you laughed lightly, but it ended with a yawn you tried to stifle. “might have to take a rain check on that, this blanket’s too cozy…”

“oh no,” riki teased. “don’t tell me i’m losing my beautiful audience already.” you smiled sleepily, resting your mug on the side table and shifting to get more comfortable. “i’m still watching…just resting my eyes.”

“uh huh,” he said with a smirk, turning back to the game. “sure you are princess.”

moments later, he felt your presence closer than before. glancing back, he realized you had slid forward on the couch, your upper body leaning toward him. before he could say anything, your hand found its way into his hair, your fingers absentmindedly playing with the soft strands as you settled into a new position.

“what are you doing?” he asked, though his tone was far from annoyed. “hmm?” you murmured, your voice thick with drowsiness. “your hair’s soft…don’t stop playing…” you smiled, your eyes still closed. “plus i’m really comfy…and your voice is so soothing when you talk about the game.” he chuckled quietly, his heart swelling at the gesture. “you’re really something, you know that?”

but your response was a faint hum and as he played on, your movements grew slower until your hand stilled entirely, resting gently in his hair. he shifted slightly to glance back at you and saw your head leaning against the armrest, your eyes fully closed, your breathing slow and even.

“you actually fell asleep,” he whispered, a soft laugh escaping him. carefully, he moved his head just enough to press a quick, feather light kiss to your hand before turning back to his game.

riki could feel the warmth of your hand on his scalp. his heart fluttered in his chest, his focus entirely shifting from the game to you.

he didn’t want to disturb you anymore, so he remained perfectly still, his hand instinctively reaching up to rest gently on yours, fingers curling around yours ever so carefully. “you’re so sweet,” he whispered, a soft smile tugging at his lips. he let your hand stay there, not wanting to move it, as if the closeness of the moment was too perfect to break.

as the game progressed, he paused every so often to check on you, noticing how your grip on his hair seemed to grow just a little firmer with each minute that passed, like you were holding on to him even in your sleep. a soft sigh escaped your lips and you snuggled deeper into the cushions, your hand still resting on him, providing a grounding warmth that made him feel like the luckiest guy in the world.

when you finally drifted completely into sleep, a peaceful smile on your face, riki couldn’t help but feel his heart swell with affection. he carefully paused his game, leaned back against the couch, and shifted slightly making sure you were comfortable. your hand stayed nestled in his hair, your breathing even and soft, the quiet sounds of the apartment around you two blending into a perfect harmony.

riki closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of your hand on him, the soft touch of your fingers in his hair. he allowed himself to savor the calm, content in the quiet intimacy of the moment. he didn’t need words to express how much he cared for you, this simple, shared silence said it all.

he glanced down at you once more, a soft laugh escaping him. “even in your dreams, you’re the most beautiful thing i’ve ever seen. you better be dreaming of me,” he let out a soft chuckle. “sleep well, my love i’ll be right here when you wake up.” he kissed your forehead and laid his head next to you. indeed you did dream of him.

⋆｡°✩ @cheruphic @liwinly @chrrific @hyukabean @ijustwannareadstuff20

[grandline-fics]

Terms of Endearment

DESCRIPTION:  You call them by a term of endearment without realising 

WARNINGS: just fluff, mentions of alcohol in Luffy's

CHARACTERS: Ace, Sabo, Luffy | Law, Kid, Shanks, Marco, Zoro

WORDS: 1,933

A/N: The next part in this in honour of reaching 500 followers. Hope you all enjoy

*REQUESTS ARE OPEN*

MASTERLIST | PROMPT LIST

���——————

ACE

You knew nothing would ever happen between you and the Division Commander. You knew he was just a likeable guy who was friendly and warm with everyone. Countless times you told yourself that he was just nice with everyone and yet still you couldn’t help but feel your heart beat just a little faster when he smiled at you and you couldn’t stop yourself from liking him a little more each time he spoke with you and spent time with you outside of chores and tasks being done onboard the ship. It didn’t matter though, even with the knowledge nothing romantic would happen you were happy to be considered a close friend of Ace’s.

One morning you were perched on the edge of the ship’s railing and keeping a critical eye on the thick wall of cloud draped over the entirety of the sky above the next island you were approaching. It made a stark difference to the clear blue you and the rest of the crew were currently under. You were no stranger to the absurdity of the ever changing weather and separate climates certain islands had but seeing what you were going to be greeted with was starting to sour your mood. It wasn’t as fun stopping at an island if there was a storm to endure.

“Glaring at the clouds won’t make them change you know.” You looked over your shoulder to see Ace hop up onto the railing and sit down beside you. Glancing out of the corner of your eye you were jealous of how relaxed he was and let out a long sigh as you returned your stare to the clouds you could now see were darker than you had originally thought. 

“Who knows, stranger things have happened on these seas.” You mused, scowling harder now that the idea was in your head. “Maybe I have the ability to control weather and neither of us knew it? Don’t know unless I try.”

From beside you Ace laughed, reclining back to support his body on his elbows and grinned up at you. 

“If that were possible, that’d be a pretty dumb gift. Glaring at clouds to make them obey you? You’d get a headache all day.” You rolled your eyes and laughed, getting more comfortable too, lying down and tucking your arms behind your head. 

“Look we can’t all be super amazing and control fire like some people, Ace.” You teased, a small yawn breaking from your lips as your eyes closed. You were still a ways away from the stormy island so you may as well make the most of the sunshine and warmth until then. “Some of us are just boring.”

“I definitely wouldn’t call you boring.” Ace told you. Safely in the knowledge that you couldn’t see him, he could observe you carefully with softened gaze. “You’re one of my favourite people to hang out with.” 

“Aw thank you love, you always know just what to say.” Your relaxed smile brightened considerably but you were too drowsy to open your eyes again to look at the man beside you. It was also why you hadn’t realised your slip of the tongue. Ace however tensed and sat up a little straighter from his once relaxed position. His eyes were widened and a soft pink was dusting his freckled skin. All this time he’d thought his feelings were one-sided and now he was hit with the reality that it might not be the case. Overcome with a burst of excitement and hope he quickly lay back down and used his hat to hide his giddy expression and began to think about how to subtly broach the subject when you were awake.

SABO

“You’re not going to improve if you don’t keep your focus.” Hack lectured, swiftly knocking Sabo back with ease. Sabo managed to recover from the attack and retaliated with one of his own that was completely dodged to the point it made the attack look so pitiful. Hack paused in the sparring match to frown at the younger Revolutionary. “Seriously, what’s with you today? Do you need to take a break?” Quickly Sabo shook his head and forced himself to keep his attention on Hack but even then he couldn’t help but feel your presence silently calling to him. 

You were oblivious to the power you had over the Chief of Staff, even from the very first day you joined the Revolutionary Army you’d somehow managed to make Sabo immediately endeared to you. Given Sabo’s personality he was able to pass off his momentary slips and lack of concentration when you were around and for the most part others hadn’t made the connection. Most being the word. People like Hack, Koala, and Dragon however knew. Normally Hack wouldn’t mind and ignore it but this was the third time in the short amount of time of the sparring match that he’d seen Sabo zone out and look your way as you were speaking with Dragon about a recent mission you’d been on. Enough was enough. After knocking Sabo onto his back, Hack turned and called you over. You finished your conversation with Dragon and approached the sparring pair with a soft, expectant smile while Sabo got to his feet. “I want you to spar Sabo with me. Perhaps having two opponents will help sharpen his dulled senses.” 

You became concerned to hear Hack’s less than complimentary tone at the blond and you looked to Sabo with a light frown, scrutinising his features carefully. Could it be he was sick? Was something else be bothering him? It wasn't like the Chief of Staff to be so distracted especially when it came to his training. At the suggestion of you fighting along with Hack, Sabo’s expression became a mix of uncertainty and irritation. He didn’t want to spar against you but he couldn’t outright deny Hack requesting you join them given he had no real reason to oppose it. Sabo could only take a breath and adjust his stance while praying he didn’t make an embarrassment of himself.

At first having you as part of the fight helped Sabo when it came to focusing on the fight, by having two skilled fighters attacking he didn’t have the ability to pay attention to his personal feelings. However when he kept his sight on Hack as the priority he’d slipped up and forgotten you. You took the window of opportunity and ducked under Sabo’s arm, your face less than inch from his. Quickly you hooked her arm around his and tucked your foot around his ankle, twisting and knocking him to the ground. You kept a firm hold on Sabo’s wrist and pressed your knee into his back. “Give up sweetie?” you asked innocently, unable to see Sabo’s eyes widen. Before he could respond you were abruptly called for by another Revolutionary to go out on a mission. Pouting you released Sabo and left him and Hack. 

“Please tell me I didn’t imagine that…” Sabo uttered, almost begging Hack. He looked up to see the Fishman grin at him and help him to his feet. 

“No I heard it too. Funny thing is I don’t think they noticed they did it.” Sabo watched your retreating form and brightly smiled. 

“Interesting.”

LUFFY

For the most part Luffy can be considered fairly clueless about a lot of things if they don’t involve his ambition to be King of the Pirates and obtaining the One Piece, doing whatever he wanted and eating all he wished. That included his own deeper feelings at times. However no matter how complex Luffy’s emotions were about certain things he found it easier to break them down into more simplistic views and gain a better understanding about them. He found he had to do that with you and the longer you were part of his crew the more he had to take an inward look at his feelings. So far he was able to discern that he liked you, he liked being around you and it was mutual because you’d been all too eager to join his crew. For the longest time it was simple as that. 

Things however became complicated one night after he and the rest of the crew helped free another town from a corrupt ruler. As always the celebration was a large affair with plenty of food, music and drink. While Luffy wasn’t a drinker and happily indulged in all the food he could get his hands on, you were pulled into a drinking contest with some of the locals along with Nami, Zoro, Franky, and Usopp. You’d managed to hold your own for a respectable amount but when you felt the world being to tilt and your mind grow hazy you knew you wouldn’t be able to handle anymore. 

Staggering from the table you somehow managed to wander to the only spot you knew you’d feel completely safe and content with. You didn’t know how you managed it, call it instinct or sheer will but you stopped beside your Captain and slid down to sit on the soft grass beside him, leaning against his back for support. Luffy looked over his shoulder to grin at you before continuing to eat. “You lost huh?” he laughed before taking a large bite of a meat skewer.

“It’s cheating when Zoro plays.” You grumbled, shifting to get more comfortable against your Captain. “He’s so smug too. Didn’t even wanna win anyway.” You fell into soft laughter with Luffy and then drifted into content silence. Subconsciously Luffy moved while he ate, seamlessly turning so you were leaning against his side and neither of you seemed to even notice the new position.

When morning came and you woke with a hangover and lack of memory you let out a worried groan, hoping that whatever you’d done wasn’t too embarrassing or at the very least you hoped that everyone else was also too drunk to remember too. Wincing you pushed yourself up to see that you were in your own bed. Hazily you tried to force your brain to work and managed to pull out the image of Luffy which made sense, he was your go-to for anything. Knowing he didn’t drink, you knew you could also rely on him for the truth on what you failed to remember. You found Luffy sitting on Sunny’s head just as you knew he’d be but you became worried to see him frowning, deep in thought. “Everything okay Luffy?” you asked, flinching when Luffy’s head swiftly snapped around to look at you intently. 

“No! You’re not allowed to call me that.” Immediately worry and guilt took hold. What had you done? Would he ever forgive you? Oh no, what if it was so bad he’d kick you off of the ship for good. 

“Wh-what do you mean?“ You asked panicked and feeling sick which was not from the hangover. “Whatever I’ve done I’m sorry but I don’t remember. Please tell me what I did wrong. I can fix it.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” Luffy’s expression became confused. “I’ve just decided that you can’t call me Luffy anymore I like what you called me last night after I helped you to bed better.” 

“Oh…” you couldn’t tell what you were feeling in that moment exactly. Desperately you tried to think what you called him, silently thankful that whatever it was hadn’t offended him. “Well if you want me to call you that instead you have to remind me.”

“You called me dear.” Luffy grinned while your face reddened.

[itwdoris]

I'm a gamer and sometimes the game goes on for so long that you just can't go to the bathroom and all I can think about recently is yuji being your under desk support and being your personal toilet IM GOING CRAZY YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND

itadori yuuji x afab reader.

author notes; all characters are aged up.

tw; piss drinking, not revised.

★

you just needed to stay there a little longer to break another record, with your eyes glazed over the colorful screen and a controller in your hand being guided with quick gestures, a headset to keep out any noise from outside the game and a small bottle of water on the table.

the same one that once belonged to your boyfriend; yuuji, and that has held a lot of your piss when you couldn't be away, even if you don't tell anyone about this part. it was already too "complicated" and embarrassing.

just like that moment, where you scream as quietly as you can while frantically pressing the buttons, because itadori was right there in your bed and you no longer knew if he was asleep or not. sometimes he was in the middle, anyway, you just didn't want him to be far away.

and you had drunk almost the entire bottle and your bladder was begging for redemption, your legs were restless and so were you until you found a better position to hold on just a little longer, even if it wouldn't do any good. you ended up having to kill yourself in the game just to get time to position yourself well and maybe use the bottle.

with just a few seconds to think about it; even though the screen shows you that it would take a considerable amount of time to paste until you came back. you didn't need to tell any of your colleagues that you were currently raising your knees and putting your feet up on the chair, open legs, a small wet spot being revealed on the panties you were wearing under the itadori's big blouse.

holding back a few sighs as you reached out to grab the bottle from the table, at least until noticed a figure with your peripheral vision, not needing to turn around to discover that it was him who was coming to hug you as tightly as he could. needy needy, as always when he wake up.

he stood over you and mumbled some incomprehensible things, burying his face in your neck to smell and kiss your skin, rising almost slowly in a wet and needy trail of kisses and smells to your mouth, which he almost devoured, even though he was still drowsy.

you sighed softly, trying to hold on for just a second longer, squeezing the bottle as you moved your legs slightly. "y-yuuji-" he held your knees as if to stop you from moving, because he had now noticed your position, and soon his hand went to your panties.

with thick, slow fingers sliding down until he found the wet spot on the fabric, his eyes opened curiously to you, who could only feel your face getting hotter and hotter. but somehow, itadori's mind began to work in some questionable ways, looking at the almost empty bottle of water in your hand, feeling something too wet on your panties, too ashamed face.

so he turned away for a few seconds only to yawn and bend down to get under the desk, approaching you to get very, very close, between your legs, placing his hands on your hips to pull down your panties and give him more space.

you couldn't quite work out what he was doing or what was going on, but it seemed to be quite clear when a moan came from your lips as he opened your folds and left a kiss, fitting his mouth on you, looking at you as if he expected something.

because he was. and with the computer screen counting down for you to start again, yuuji ran his soft, wet tongue over your folds, repeatedly stroking your urethra with the tip, the bottle in hand but useless at that point...

that's how you discovered things.

"yuuji!!" you whimpered softly with your hand covering the microphone of the headset you were wearing, without having to look very far to see the pink-haired man coming at you quickly, getting under the desk to do the job. "please.."

and you didn't even wear your fucking panties anymore, because you drank so much water and every time you had to pee, it was very difficult to have to take it off every time so that he could help you while you keep playing and breaking your records.

ah, he really was the best boyfriend, wasn't he? being the best urinal for you.

and oh, itadori loved to feel the warm liquid filling his mouth, going down his throat as he heard your sighs of relief at finally emptying your bladder, small drops turning into a weak stream and then into an almost endless flow.

love how you hold his hair when you're holding it for a long time, how you bite your lips and your cheeks turn red, still concentrated on the game.

pressing your bladder just to hear you moan and make the piss spurt into his mouth, swallowing every drop with pleasure because he loves it, you can hear him gulping, to see how his eyes look at you so pleased that he's being useful, that he's being good to you, making you look so pretty that his semi-hard cock throbs inside his boxers wanting attention, maybe wanting you to get him wet too.

the flow comes to a close and inevitable end, making you sigh and lean back in your chair as ends the game in victory, but he continues his work, cleaning your folds with his tongue, leaving wet kisses on it before turning away a bit.

"you won?" yuuji asked with a grin when he noticed the lightly bluish light on your face, wet lips and chin dripping a little.

oh i miss you guys so much!! i saw this yesterday and i just wanted to do it, think its a bit rushed and kinda meh cause i had to stop several times during the process, but yeah, hope you like it! <3

i loved this prompt sm, bc hes so cute, like waa the best urinal!! IM GOIBG CRAZY TOO

[snexy-the-snail]

Where Nightmares can't Reach

So- setting this up after this upcoming chapter in Godhood Tastes like Marshmallows. @notmyprey yippie finished! I did say tonight!!

Godhood was not something Percy had exactly planned on. He hadn't slain a titan lately, hadn't saved Olympus a third or fourth time, and hadn't even properly cleaned his room in weeks. Apparently, if enough kids at Camp Half-Blood believed in you hard enough, like really prayed to you when things got scary or confusing or nightmare-ish and started making offerings? That small little mortal puddle inside of you turned into an ocean.

So now Percy Jackson was… kind of a god. Not officially; well, officially, he just didn't have domains or anything else in titles. He was sure someone in Cabin Nine had accidentally built a shrine to him out of scrap metal and blue Gatorade bottles. The food offerings, he got those a lot. Sweet and salty, sometimes it was something some kid obviously made because there was no way camp food tasted. Well off.

It was weird.

He was still figuring out how to hear prayers when one cut through the usual chaos like an arrow through water.

"Um… hi, Mister Percy? I know you help with monsters and stuff. I had another nightmare, and I know we're supposed to be good at dreams here, but I'm scared. Can you help me, please?"

The cabin shimmered into view before he even realized he'd answered the prayer.

He was standing in Cabin Fifteen, Hypnos' cabin, full of soft golden haze, cozy beds, dreamcatchers swaying slightly even without a breeze. Incense hung in the air, calming and drowsy. One bunk was lit by a nightlight shaped like a floating cloud, and beneath it sat a little girl, maybe seven or eight, with tangled curls and tear-streaked cheeks. She clutched a plush pegasus like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.

She blinked at him. "You came!" She had prayed and hadn't even expected him to show up, which was...mildly sad. Percy blinked back, still in his Camp Half-Blood tee and pajama pants.

"Uh. Yeah. Totally planned that."

"I prayed to you," she whispered. "Mom said Papa can help with dreams, but he doesn't always answer... And you fight monsters. Even the ones in dreams."

He crouched by her bunk, glancing around like someone would pop out and tell him this was all a prank. "Right. Yeah. Fighting monsters is kind of my thing." He agreed, nodding his head. Everyone else seemed to be asleep at the very least.

She nodded solemnly. "The nightmares are big. They crawl in from the shadows and whisper stuff. I try to push them out, but it doesn't work. I thought maybe you could fight them with your special sword."

Percy reached into his pocket and pulled out the pen. It clicked into sword form with a faint shimmer. He gave it a quick twirl, mostly to impress her.

"Well, I've never used it inside a dream before… but I am a god now, sort of. So why not?" He was sure it wouldn't work at all, but he could pretend, just for her sake. His stomach gurgled in protest, saliva already starting to build. Great. He was going to need to get that under control sooner rather than later.

The girl giggled just barely, but then her expression shifted. "Do you have to leave right away?"

He softened. "Nah. I got time." He murmurs. He could see the soft glow against her face anytime his mouth opened. It was starting- gods..maybe he could do this fast and avoid having a kid stuck in his gut.

"Alright, dream warrior," he said, tucking her in like he remembered his mom used to do. "You've got Hypnos blood in you, a celestial pegasus guardian, and a half-asleep god of sea stuff standing by. Those nightmares don't stand a chance."

She yawned and cuddled her plushie. "You're the best god." That only made the bitter feeling in his chest bloom, almost demanding he tuck this little one safe inside him. The instinct really was hard to ignore; he'd have to thank his dad the next time he saw him.

"Don't tell Zeus." he teased softly instead; as she drifted off, Percy sat on the edge of the bed, watching the shadows just in case. Who knew sometimes the nightmares were true.

He hadn't asked for this role. But if believing in him gave the little ones peace… he could be their god for a little longer. He smiles, watching as the kid slowly starts taking deeper breaths and drifting off to sleep. Percy thought she had fallen asleep. For a few moments, the cabin was completely still, soft snores from a few other bunks, the ever-present hum of Hypnos' dream magic curling through the air like invisible lullabies. He let himself relax a little, leaning against the frame of the bed. Just taking a moment to calm down for himself.

Then he heard the whimper. He turned quickly, looking for the sign of distress, his gaze falling on the girl; he still didn't know her name, who was curled into a tight little ball, clutching her pegasus plush to her chest. Her eyes were squeezed shut. Her breath came quick and shallow, panicked in a way Percy recognized far too well.

"No, no, go away," she murmured, voice trembling. "You can't come back, not again…"

Percy was beside her in an instant, the way he would've rushed to a friend on the battlefield. "Hey," he whispered gently, brushing the hair from her forehead. "It's okay. You're not alone." Her eyes fluttered open glassily, still caught halfway in whatever dream world had clawed at her.

"Was it the same nightmare?" Percy asked quietly.

She nodded, tears already sliding down her cheeks. "They said... they said I don't belong here. That I'm not a real demigod. That everyone's pretending to like me."

Percy felt a knot tighten in his chest. It wasn't just monsters. The worst dreams always knew how to say the things you feared most.

He exhaled slowly and looked around, then made a decision.

"Okay. Scoot over."

She blinked at him, confused. "I'm climbing in. Nightmare-fighting gods work better close-up," he explains, pretending to act official. It seemed to work as she giggled wetly and shuffled over in her bunk without questioning him. Percy gently lay beside her, careful not to crowd her, letting her tuck herself under the blanket again. He pulled it up to her chin and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, light enough to let her breathe, strong enough that she knew he was there.

The plush pegasus squished between them like a barrier against the dark.

"Do you want me to stay until morning?" he asked softly.

She nodded, already sounding sleepier now like the fear was starting to ebb. "Can you sing?"

Percy snorted. "Absolutely not. Unless you want your ears to have real nightmares." The girl smiled for real this time, her eyes drooping. The hunger in his chest continued to spread. This was stupid. She wasn't in danger; she was fine; he just needed to get over himself. He takes a small breath, trying to calm himself.

"Your mouth is all glowy." She comments, struggling to keep her eyes open. Wait.

Nightmares were the thing keeping her awake.

His thoughts were drawn to his own struggle with nightmares about the pit, how nothing could soothe them other than divine energy. He shifts awkwardly before clearing his throat. This wasn't even his kid. Wasn't that sort of thing taboo?

Not if it's helping them. Just judging from the rumble, it was Mr. D. The god had lightened up a bit after their talk, for which he was grateful. Unfortunately, that did not come with the fact that he was looking out for him now.

Percy jolts at the answer before ducking his head in embarrassment. Right, broadcasting his thoughts was a thing he also had to focus on. He rubs his face tiredly and takes a breath before smiling at the girl. "It's just something I got from my dad." There. Not even a lie; he did sorta get it from Poseidon.

She nods, pressing her cheek against this chest with a pleased hum. "Is it true gods swallow their kids?" She asks innocently. Percy blinked.

Of all the questions she could've asked—like "Do you live in the ocean?" or "Can you talk to dolphins?" or even "Why are you glowing like a lava lamp?" that one hit like a trident to the ribs.

"Uh… well. That's... technically true," he admitted, trying not to wince.

She didn't flinch. Kids at Camp Half-Blood heard a lot of weird myth stuff early, plus the joys of the film. That explained everything. This one just nodded solemnly, like he'd confirmed something she already suspected.

"My Papa says swallowing is how gods protect their kids. That sometimes it's like… putting them somewhere safe, where they can't be hurt." Her voice was so small. "Like hiding them in a treasure chest. Just until it's okay."

Percy felt a shiver race down his spine. That wasn't wrong. Hypnos put it in a way that sounded sweet, rather than what Percy was scared of doing, to traumatize the kids.

"Yeah," he said softly, choosing his words carefully. "Some gods… they do that when they're scared. When the world's too dangerous. Or when they love someone so much, they don't know how else to keep them safe." His voice cracked just a bit, and he cleared his throat. "It's not always the best solution, though."

She fiddled with the ear of her pegasus plush. "But it's not bad, right? If it's done with love?"

Percy hesitated that low divine hunger still curling in his belly like a tide drawn by something deeper than thought. His mouth still glowed faintly, and he felt the pressure in his chest, the instinct, the power, the pull. She wasn't his. But she had prayed to him. Believed in him. And that connection sparked something primal inside him, something ancient even though he wasn't.

"I don't think anything done with love is all bad," he said at last. "Even if it's weird. Even if it's swallowing." Poseidon kept him safe and warm. He had to admit that even the times Triton snagged him made him feel like he belonged like everything would be perfect once he was tucked inside.

She nodded again, eyes heavy now but not frightened. "If you did it… it wouldn't be scary. I think it'd be soft. Like this bed."

Her trust hit him like a wave. He swallowed hard and wrapped his arm around her a little more snugly, pulling her gently against his side. His other hand pressed lightly over her back, steady and sure. She was safe. He'd make sure of it. Whether that meant staying beside her all night or, if it ever came to it, something more.

"Thanks for trusting me, dream warrior," he murmured into her curls. "But you're safe right here. I won't let the nightmares get you."

"Promise?" she whispered, on the edge of sleep, but she kept jolting awake, whatever nightmare haunting her, making it near impossible for her to sleep.

"Promise."

"Then..then I think I need to be in your tummy." She whispers. It puts the fear into him, terrifying. He had swallowed Annabeth, sure; Leo and Nico, yes. But he knew them. This was a little girl, someone who was putting all her trust in him without even knowing him at all. He takes a small breath in, ruffling her hair.

"you feel that way, yeah? What if it's scarier than the nightmare?" he prompts, lightly bopping her nose. A giggle is his response as she shifts closer. She shakes her head instantly, lifting her hands up.

"No, it won't be! It's gonna be soft and nice." She whines, pressing her little fingers against his lips. That burst something inside of him, that little puddle he clung to for his morality exploding into an ocean. His head hits the bunk with a solid thump as he groans, feeling the pressure rather than the pain.

He hated that he couldn't even control it. But the girl squealed with delight, so he gave her a smile.

"Okay, okay, fine. You know how to do it, right?" He murmurs, giving in quickly. She calms down from her laughing fit, nodding as she presses her fingers more against his lips as he opens his mouth, allowing her to slip them inside. His tongue is instantly safe, guarding her from his teeth.

She tasted- gods, was he really tasting her?

Less of a taste and more of a feeling, then. It was like TV static but warm, like being snuggled in a blanket. He guides her in further until he feels her fingers hitting the back of his throat, swallowing out of relaxation. Her forearms were drawn into his mouth and her head shortly after. It was uncomfortable at first, the stretch, but soon, he got used to it.

With the others, he hadn't really focused on how it felt; this felt.. different, more slow. He swallows again, feeling her body sliding deeper inside his own, his hands lifting her body slightly to take some pressure off his waist. Awkwardly, he moves to the floor, feeling his body expand a bit more, swallowing again and again, feeling his throat expand as she was guided by his muscles to his stomach. There was a sudden, intense feeling before he felt his middle filling. The feeling of her sliding inside was odd- warm... protective. It felt like bundling her up tightly in a blanket but inside.

He lifts her legs up, his lips quirking upwards as they draw into his mouth as well, waiting until he could close his mouth before moving his hands to his middle. She was sorta upright, so he pressed in, helping her move upwards as he swallowed, her legs soon joining her in his stomach.

"Bet no nightmares can get you now, huh?" He murmurs, lying on the cab floor. Huh, the ceiling was actually nice, like clouds and space. It was oddly calming. The kid squirmed in his gut, and he had to huff, pressing into her with slow, measured circles.

"No, m' sleepy now..thank..thank you." She mumbles, her voice muffled through the layers of muscle and skin. He closed his eyes, resting his hand on his middle as her breath evened out and then slowed.

Maybe he could do this and be a god.

[crying-fantasies]

Zookeeper

Masterlist

Activating in the early morning was easy, Earth and its beautiful sunrises were more than enough to activate movement protocols to catch on to the first rays of sunshine, the apricot smell in the air, the tinted particulates of water still not settling in the dirt, birds flocking above to catch their first meal, dogs yawning in the households’ gardens or the cats stretching in the windows, this was life, it was, his armor trembled slightly by the chilly air entering all systems, followed by the unmistakable scent of your body, taking your image in his processor to his spark, snuggling his face plate over your messed up hair, making it worse by the electric pull of his field and spark; your sleep at these hours has always been the deepest, and Hound takes no offense in it, relishing in the way your arms try to loop around his neck cables, fighting to not let go, “I need to go to the crops, just let me-”, he gives into temptation, snuggling you a bit more as his engines are showered in your warmth, “okay, five more minutes”.

30 minutes go by, and he fights his way out of bed with at least five kisses on his jawline and pressure under his modesty panel as incentives to stay and a still drowsy you in the covers, he feels slightly guilty for leaving you to fight off the cold by yourself but things need to be done already, who knows if the crows are already waiting for their first fuel schedule of the day? Better to go if he doesn't want the rage of the whole gang against him or you.

Easy to say, not to realize, “Ouch”, he has to mimic your onomatopoeia of getting hurt if he wants his work partners to believe they're exacting justice over his tardiness as he fills their feeder to the max, as fast as he can so they can stop the beak attack and avoid getting injured while at it, pretty sure the vet next town will have some questions if it happens again, “ouch, I’m sorry”, his digits open the external terrarium, the aurora snakes as sleepy as you, only one raising its little head when he is noticed, taking the slithering animals and putting them in his neck cables to help it raise the temperature until the sun reaches a good heat.

Once the troublemakers are well-fed for the morning he looks at the plants, thankful as all is intact, crops growing healthy at a healthy range with no snails or insects, took long enough, but no one can deny how nice it is to partner up with the fauna, still, he does believe the lasting fear of humanity in the long run of evolution has a great part in why Mrs. Parish keeps screaming when she catches a glance of the domestic aurora snakes he adopted to control the rodent's increased population, he does feel bad for the rats and mice but it is the way of life, Hound just hopes someday the little mammals would stop assaulting his crops and finally settle in the terrarium he has already done from a few weeks ago, maybe then he could try to manage a positive agreement with them in the same way he did with the crows and the snakes, even when he still isn't sure if the snakes got their benefits in real consideration in the same way the birds did, but yeah, Hound does the best he can to provide a fair place for them.

Hound takes a glimpse at the rising sun, his vents expulsion heated air as his panels retract a little, the early morning sun is finally above, and one aurora moves more energetically so he lets it go to do the job, the snake is smart and experienced enough to move away from the alien plant that is in the center of the crops; Hound mimics the sound of the crows to say “no harm” as he points at the snake and the plant “no touch”, some look at him once their fill is completed, soon going back with their flock to impart the message, with that done he begins to tend to the most delicate plants he can handle without damaging, watching absentmindedly at the pitch of land he hasn't touched yet, maybe he could use it for more crops, or maybe a rice paddy, he can go to the local library and download some knowledge, ask Mister Alunga as he has some on his place, Hound knows that books are good and that he can download, but it is also very important to learn from the people, and mister Alunga may be a tad bit grumpy but he has more experience than most as he is an elder, oh, the crows are over him now, especially the older one, leaving a shiny pebble over his helm, if she does that, then he is forgiven, his digit does its best to give little scratches over her head, “thanks”.

Meanwhile, with coffee in hand and bleary-eyed, you can only sip on the mug while watching Hound play Disney Princess blended with Steve Irvin, and yeah, that's the alien you want to marry.

[mwolf0epsilon]

Summary: There was something strange on the tracks...

Prompts: The Departure | Dusk

[And so ends my very first crack at Traintober! I hope you've all enjoyed my quickly little drabbles, and Happy Halloween!]

---

~~~🌕~~~

When he was younger and still considered a relatively modern engine, Edward used to work at any given time of the day.

From the very crack of dawn to the tail-end of the witching hour and beyond, he'd been able to withstand some of the most arduous working schedules an engine of the time could ever be bestowed with.

Something which he'd greatly prided himself in.

But his time in the limelight had certainly come and gone, and as trains grew longer and heavier it became very obvious that his class was far too outdated to keep with the turn of the century. The modern commute far too much for an engine of his rather respectable age.

That grueling schedule belonged to both Henry and Gordon now. Sometimes even James. All three of them larger, stronger, and considerably younger engines than Edward. And this was fine by him, as he greatly enjoyed being able to take things slower these days.

There was, however, the rare occasion where Edward would find himself slotted to do extra work outside of his usual schedule.

The fat controller would either entrust him with exported goods trains that went outside of his usual route (including to the mainland), or he'd request that Edward inspect the lines at certain dates when there was sure to be some wear and tear from the past couple of months of service.

The latter had been what he was set to do, on this perfectly calm yet oddly eerie full moon night...

Charlie and Sidney had approached as the sun began to set. Still a little drowsy from their four hours of rest in the breakroom, but alert and chipper enough that Edward knew their yawns and bleary-eyed looks wouldn't be much of a problem.

He could have been assigned a replacement crew to do the inspection, but the two had insisted that they take the job instead. Reassuring their boss that, if Edward could do it, so could his trusty crew.

Besides, they knew the route by heart, and they also knew the parameters of the job. It'd be easier that they just do it themselves than leave Sir Topham Hatt to scramble in search of a crew with nearly as much experience, on such short notice.

The two men drank their respective caffeinated hot beverages to help wake them up a little more, and then set off to work getting Edward ready for the trip.

They wouldn't be pulling anything today. It was just Edward, his full tender, and his crew with a trusty clipboard and flashlights in hand. They'd jot down their findings, compile a report, and then swiftly deliver it to the fat controller's office.

And then they'd all get the morning off. A fairly simple in and out job made even easier by the bright shine of the full moon's light.

A win-win scenario!

They departed at dusk. Edward calling out one last farewell whistle to the kindly guard as he left the station, and enjoying the sensation of stretching his wheels without the burden of coaches or trucks to weight him down.

It wasn't often that Edward got to enjoy the thrill of a run all around the island. His age and his responsibility over his branch line, keeping him far too busy to go on joyrides. But it also wasn't like Edward was one to want for things anyway. He loved his work, loved his crew, and above all else loved the railway he served under.

The NWR having become both a home and a family to him.

Still, self-indulgence wasn't a crime. And he greatly enjoyed indulging in some guilty-pleasures. No one was perfect, after all!

Besides, the beginning of these inspection runs were quite dull. It was best to find some enjoyment out of them before the real work began.

"So far so good chaps!" Sidney called out, as he temporarily put his shovel down to wipe at the sweat on his brow. "Smooth rails, no overgrowth, and not a single fallen branch on the line."

"The lads have been keeping this part of the island nice and tidy." Charlie responded, as he kept a keen eye out. Occasionally reaching out of the cab window to give Edward a light pat. "And the weather's been perfectly docile... Odd for this time of year, but not unwelcome. Means there's less to clean up."

"It's been calm, yes." Edward added his own thoughts without hesitation. His crew rather loved involving him, which he greatly appreciated. "Even so, I've heard that Old Bailey has been complaining about the lines down by Hawkin Lake..."

"Ah..." Charlie scratched his chin in thought. "Yeah, people are wont to complain about the Peel Godred branch... Lots of odd happenings there."

"At the very least, the ghost is friendly." Sidney quipped as he went back to shoveling. "But I have to admit, the whole area looks pretty spooky after dark..."

"Shouldn't tonight." Charlie dismissed. "With how bright the moon's shining, you could almost mistake it for daytime."

Indeed, the full moon that night was rather bright. And as Edward made his way through the various tracks and stations, he couldn't help but to be somewhat enthralled by it.

The silvery sheen it cast upon Sudrian soil making everything look dazzling and almost enchanted.

Down to the piles of fallen leaves that had been raked during the day to be collected in the morning, to the very shapes of the hills and trees that they passed by.

The clear lakes looked the most stunning of all, reflecting the gorgeous sights surrounding them.

So entertained was he in taking in the beauty of the night, and his crew so busy with their tasks, that none of them noticed a figure darting from the woods and onto the tracks. Not until Edward glanced back up, only to find a living obstruction in front of his path...

"DRIVER!" He shouted in alarm as he instinctively applied his own breaks in a panic, before his entire world grew painfully askew...

Charlie and Sidney coughed and spluttered as they crawled and then climbed out of their poor engine's overturned cab. Broken glass cut into the palms of their hands, and where their knees met the wall (now temporarily serving as the floor).

The spilled hot coals had to be stamped out quickly before they threatened to cause a fire.

It was a chore, getting out and onto solid ground. But one that they managed surprisingly well, as they were lucky enough to not be as injured as they could have been in this situation. Edward on the other hand, was in much worse condition than them...

The old engine had been completely derailed, his tender twisted in another direction with it's cargo of coal spilled out on the tracks, and the rest of him half buried in the ground by the sheer strength of the impact.

It was hard to believe.

One moment everything had been fine and dandy, and then the next they'd suffered a rather brutal and unexpected accident.

It was almost unthinkable.

Never in their years of service had this ever happened to them. But that was a thought for later... Right now, Charlie and Sidney needed to do right by their friend.

"Oh dear..." The driver climbed onto a pile of upturned soil, noting how one side of Edward's buffer beam and footplate were fully interred. The one visible buffer was bent out of shape, and the twisted railing looked almost painful.

Worse yet was his friend's face. One side scratched up and reddened, as well as covered in copious amounts of dirt. Harder to ignore were the tears welling in Edward's eyes as he came to. Moaning in clear pain.

"Oh dear... Oh you poor lad..." Charlie mournfully put a hand to the undamaged side of Edward's face, trying his very best to comfort the frightened engine. "What a disaster..."

For what it was worth, the K2 class did his best to blink away tears and look to his driver and friend's face, before whimpering sadly.

"T-There was something on the tracks..."

There had been. Otherwise Edward would not have stopped nearly as abruptly. But whatever it had been, it had vanished back into the night. Likely a deer that had come inches away from death.

"Hey... Charlie...?" Sidney called out from the other side of the wreckage. He sounded confused. "You might wanna come have a look..."

Charlie hesitated in doing so. Not wanting to leave Edward by himself right now. But, on Sidney's insistence and their engine muttering that he'd be fine for a few minutes, he climbed back down and went to meet with the fireman.

What he saw made him pause.

There, on Edward's tender, were some rather odd scratch marks. Not the same as the ones caused by the crash, but rather... Well, they looked very much like claw marks.

"What in god's name...?" The driver stared at the deep gauges in disbelief.

"The hell did we hit...?" Sidney muttered to himself as he felt just how deep the scratches were. Stopping only when Edward yelped in response to the sudden jolt of pain.

"I don't know.... I didn't see any blood." Charlie admitted. "Whatever it was, we probably just... Grazed it...?"

"These are too deep to be a graze... But... Oh, it doesn't matter." Sidney groaned, dismissing the topic completely. "We need to get help..."

"We're not too far from the next station. Just 5 more miles... Can you make the trek, or should I go?" The driver offered.

"I'll go, you're limping." Sidney pointed out. "Keep the old chap company... He's in a bad way."

"I don't blame him... Poor thing." Charlie shook his head and made his way back to the front of their fallen engine. Hoping that rescue would arrive swiftly. For Edward's sake, more than their own.

Fortunately for all parties involved, the breakdown crew came remarkably quickly.

Henry had been on his way to do his Kipper run, when news of the accident had reached him and his crew. Ted had thought fast and called in to send someone to replace Henry (likely a disgruntled James), and then they'd promptly gone to help pull Edward out of the dirt.

The older engine's state was rather poor, as Charlie had previously assessed. But the damages were thankfully repairable, and Victor's prognosis was a very positive one!

Honestly they'd all been fairly lucky. Too lucky...

~~~🌕~~~

After being repaired and put back into service, things should have gone back to normal. Except they hadn't. As the days crawled on by, Charlie and Sidney quickly began to notice a rather odd shift in their friend's demeanor.

He was a little more impatient than usual. And not just when he was left to wait on someone else's connection points.

His boiler and firebox were also unusually temperamental, being either alarmingly noisy (the sound of boiling water and steam rumbling in such a way that it almost sounded like the gurgling belly of a great big beast), or spitting out the occasional hot coal (Sidney had almost been hit on the leg more than once, where nothing of the sort had ever happened before!).

Most startling of all was how grouchy he had become overnight. Grumbling and glaring as he went about his days, with the most sour disposition anyone had ever seen in him...

Needless to say, Charlie and Sidney were more than a little concerned for their engine.

"I don't feel well..." The K2 class would whimper to himself, only to then bark out an aggressive retort if anyone asked him what it was that he was feeling. "I don't know! Leave me be!"

His crankiness had gotten so bad that he even put Cranky to shame. Something which lead to the other engines attempting to avoid him to the best of their abilities (even Thomas and the twins).

No one was fond of being yelled at after all...

"Do you think it's trauma related...?" Charlie asked Ted one day. Knowing that Henry's fireman certainly had experience dealing with short-fused engines.

"It could be... It could also be pain related." Ted offered thoughtfully, as they discussed the issue. "Before his rebuild, whenever we got Henry's fire going, he felt a lot of aches and pain that wore his patience thin... It made him snappish. But he also felt bad about snapping at others, which ultimately only made him even more irritable..."

"He's been complaining of feeling unwell..." Sidney mused. "But we've taken him to the Steamworks repeatedly... No one can find anything wrong."

"Well... Edward is a rather old engine. Even if he's in tip top shape, perhaps he has the equivalent of engine arthritis?" Ted again suggested, trying to give them a different perspective. "The accident could have exacerbated it..."

"If that's the case.... Then there's really nothing we can do." Charlie looked down at his feet miserably. "You can't cure arthritis..."

"No... But you can try to manage the pain." Ted gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Talk to the fat controller... He'll understand."

And talk to the fat controller they did. For the foreseeable future, Edward was to have a lighter workload until whatever was wrong with him could either be pinpointed or (if they were lucky), sorted itself out.

Needless to say, the old engine wasn't happy about being confined to the sheds. Giving his crew the silent treatment for 'going behind his back', or so he muttered to himself whenever he thought they were out of earshot.

Charlie and Sidney were crushed by this, of course, but still did their very best to be there for Edward. And their efforts paid off.

With more rest, Edward's mood did improve slightly. And with continued patience and affection, he forgave both of them for pulling him from his usual services.

"I'm sorry I've been such a nuisance..." The old engine apologized sadly. "I just... Haven't been feeling like myself..."

"It's ok... You went through something awful old boy." Charlie very gently patted the bridge of his friend's nose. "We don't blame you for feeling a little off after that."

"And besides, we're made of tougher stuffs..." Sidney beamed happily, chipper as usual. "Now rest up. We're pulling a goods train tonight! Gonna be smooth rails all throughout, and another pretty moonlit night to boot!"

"I'll try to be on my best behavior, I promise." Edward smiled tiredly as he let himself rest in his berth. Tonight would be a good night.

Or so he thought...

The morning and afternoon came and went. Engines and crews alike going about their business and then settling in after they'd completed their shifts.

Charlie and Sidney, fully rested and ready for their late night train, made their way towards the lonely shed where they'd left their dear friend to rest peacefully without any intrusion.

Only to find it empty...

Flabbergasted, they both immateriality went to the stationmaster to ask if a replacement crew had been called in to take Edward instead.

Only to be met with even more bewilderment.

"No one's wanted to work with Edward as of late, other than the two of you that is..." The stationmaster explained. "As a matter of fact, no one's gone near his shed for fear of being yelled at..."

"But... But he's gone!" Charlie insisted, pointing to the very obviously empty shed. "He's not there!"

"....That can't be right... No one took him, I swear..." The man peered into the shed himself and stared in disbelief. "The hell...?"

"Do you mean to tell us someone stole our engine right under your nose?!" Sidney glared angrily.

"I'm telling you two! No one went near the sheds all day or night! I would have seen!" The stationmaster insisted. Clearly taking offense to Sidney's accusations.

"So what, Edward just rolled off on his own? He'd never do such a thing!" Sidney retorted, crossing his arms impatiently as he regarded the other man with suspicion.

"Oh sod off Sidney... I'm gonna go make a call to see if anyone's spotted him. I'm getting to the bottom of this..." The stationmaster snapped back before angrily stomping off into his office to do just that.

Leaving the two alone to stare at the impossibly empty shed. How in the world had an engine just seemingly vanished without anyone noticing?!

"I swear to god..." Sidney kicked a pebble and made his way towards the empty berth. Hoping by some miracle that there was any sort of clue as to what had happened to their engine.

"Nothing we can do about it... I mean... Someone would have noticed the old boy going around..." Charlie tried to placate his friend's clear irritation. "He's not exactly small."

"Yet, somehow, someone vanished him out of his shed without being noticed... I mean. It's not like Edward would have just sprouted legs and--" The fireman paused.

"And...?" Charlie raised an eyebrow.

Sidney remained quiet. He seemed to blink a few times while keeping his gaze glued to the floor, then looked to Charlie with absolute astonishment in his eye. Then, without so much as a word, he pointed down to the ground.

On the unpaved soil next to where the rails met the track, was a rather large imprint in the mud. An imprint that looked vaguely like a dog's paw print. Only, neither men had ever seen a dog quite as large enough to leave prints of such a size...

It looked like it could have easily dwarfed a bear.

"....What...What is this...?" Charlie stared at the impossible sized paw print, noting the presence of others that surely enough lead towards the outskirts of the station. Into the woods.

"...I have no clue... But we're about to find out." Sidney proclaimed, before going into the nearest utility shed to get a flashlight.

"I... Don't think that's such a good idea..." Charlie pointed out.

"Don't be daft Charlie." Sidney grumbled. "This is clearly some stupid kids playing a silly prank... Honestly..."

"I mean... It could be. But..."

"Charlie. Are you really gonna pretend whatever is going on in that superstitious mind of yours is anything but silly?" The fireman raised an eyebrow. He knew exactly what Charlie was thinking, and even the driver himself had to admit it was silly to think such things. But still... Something felt off about this situation.

"I suppose..."

"Then it's settled. We're getting our engine back."

The two men went into the woods, a single flashlight between them, following the tracks that could only have been faked by some punk kids with nothing better to do than bother the railway.

The large dog-like prints almost seemed like they went on forever. Taking them deeper and deeper into the woods, where both felt incredibly exposed and yet so utterly alone...

If something were to happen to them, no one would be around to help.

"I think we should go back..." Charlie murmured uneasily, feeling more and more unsettled as they kept following the tracks.

"Not until we get Edward back and show those brats what for..."

"Sid, I really don't think a bunch of kids would go quite this far with a prank..." Charlie insisted, trying to call his friend to reason.

"Kids get up to elaborate mischief if they think they're being clever and funny. Well, guess what you punks! This is neither!" Sidney hollered into the woods, waving his flashlight about.

"Sidney!" Charlie barked, before shushing his friend.

"Oh come off it Charlie! There's nothing to be afraid of! There's no big animals on Sodor that would pose any--"

A loud crack, akin to a snapping twig but larger, startled the two men out of their conversation. Instinctively, they turned towards the source of the noise. The fireman quickly bringing his arm up to illuminate it... Only to be met with something out of a bad horror movie.

"S-s-s-Sidney!"

"Oh my god..."

The stench of sulfur and the low growl of a monster, chilled the two to their very core, before raw instinct drove them to flee. A horrifying whistle that sounded more like a distorted howl, fallowing them to the very edge of the woods where they hoped they'd find refuge from the beast.

Edward had been right. There had been something strange in the tracks that full moon night...

And it had done something unspeakable to him.

[snowcandyz]

Days With Your Lover: Belphegor

Summary: Spend a day with Belphie! Pairing: Belphegor/MC Genre: Fluff, hurt/comfort

Dating the seven Lords of Hell wasn’t easy; it’s even harder when you add a member of the royal family, his butler, a sorcerer and an angel into the mix. Every day is filled with surprises and joy because you can't really guess your boyfriends’ next moves. And let’s not talk about the jealousy and misunderstandings that come along with it.

The hardest part was to convince them that you love them all equally and wouldn’t want to break their heart. Some find it hard to share—especially Mammon and Leviathan—but some were willing when they heard the idea. Some were reluctant to agree, while some decided it was better to tolerate the other parties.

After all, they’re all close to each other. And to be able to date you? Who wouldn’t want that? The years you shared with each other deepened the bonds between yourselves, and by now, none of them was willing to let you go.

You are a part of them just as much as they are a part of you.

So you’ve developed a schedule where everyone gets to spend the day with you. That way, all your beloved will get their chance to be alone with you. 

-------

The clock struck midnight, and the Avatar of Sloth dragged his feet to your room. The house was quiet except for several mumblings from his third-oldest brother’s room. The light from his eldest brother’s study also suggested the demon wasn’t asleep yet.

Belphie yawned once again, eyes ready to shut themselves and just let his body fall down to this comfy-looking hallway. 

But no! He couldn’t! It’s his turn today, so by right, he should be there by your side.

No longer bothering to knock, he opened the door and shut it behind himself as softly as possible before walking in the dark to his destination. 

You were sleeping soundly on your bed, with the comfy blanket he bought for you covering your body. The temperature for the night was a bit chilly, so Belphie could imagine how comfortable you were under the blanket.

Smiling to himself, he laid down beside you with his arms wrapped around your waist.

You must have felt the bed dipped beside you because you shifted your position to face him, “–love ‘startin’ the round wit ou, Belphi...” Your words were slurring, a clear indication that you were not fully awake to greet him. Your movements were sloppy and clumsy as you draped the blanket over his figure.

Battling his own drowsiness, Belphie gave you kisses on your eyebrows, instinctively pulling you closer.

His body pillow; his natural body warmer; his love.

“I love you.” 

“Love you too, Belphie.” 

And so he slept without a care in the world, except for the presence of his beloved snuggling up close to him. Even the clanking sounds of kitchen equipment beside your room the following day didn’t bother either of you. 

But time is ticking, and as much as the others want to let Belphie control how long you two spend the time sleeping in, a little bit of sympathy reigned upon them for their dearest baby brother.

“Wake up, sleepyheads! It’s 12! Aren’t ya supposed to be somewhere later?” Mammon harshly tugged off the blanket covering your and Belphie’s body.

“Screw off!” Belphie whined before pulling you closer by the waist, hoping you could warm him.

“And what? Ya planned to spend the day in MC’s room till nighttime?”

Upon hearing Mammon’s comment, Belphie shot up from the bed, wide awake. 

“I almost forgot about that.” He slipped off your bed and told you to shower and get ready.

His sudden shift in actions made you giggle as you stretched your body and greeted Mammon good morning—or good afternoon, to be exact. 

Mammon reciprocated the greeting before planting a kiss on the crown of your head, “Breakfast is on the table. Be quick before Beel notices.” 

-------

Knowing Belphie, he won’t go too far from the House of Lamentation for your date, right? 

Wrong!

For the first time ever, Belphie invited you to a camp date near the deep forest behind R.A.D. 

“Don’t worry, Lucifer and Diavolo know where we are. I told them about this place. And we’ve checked the surroundings before Lucifer allowed me to take you here,” he explained, a smile still plastered on his face at the fact that he got to spend the whole day with you without any of your other lovers around.

At his words, you laughed, “Alright, I trust you, Belphie.”

Belphie had chosen a lowland area near a stream or river for you two to set up the tent. Around two metres from the camping site were the famous fields of glowing spider flowers. The glow from the flowers lit up the whole field, and became the source of light to see under the dark sky of Devildom. The scene was breathtaking and it’s very Devilgram-worthy.

After successfully setting up the tent together, Belphie began laying down a large mat for you two to sit on. He then looked back to see his lover taking several photos of the glowing spider flowers. 

“Do you like my surprise?”

“Very.” The sight of you beaming never failed to bring his heart into a skip.

“If you’re done taking photos, come lay down with me.”

After a few minutes, you joined him. Laying your head on his arm, Belphie brought you closer to him before giving you a quick kiss on your cheeks. 

“Did you know Devildom has its own constellations?” 

“Yes, but tell me more,” you said, snuggling up close before extending your hand to play with his hair. You massaged his scalp gently, an action you knew he loved dearly.

“Devildom’s stars weren't like the stars from the Human World. It’s there because of Lord Diavolo’s magic. He was intrigued by the stars from the Human World, so he planned to create a sky like those. You can probably guess this though, but he gave each of us brothers the privilege to have our own stars,” Belphie then pointed to the far right above the sky, “That one’s Lucifer’s. And beside him are Asmo’s.”

Belphie faced you once again with a smile before continuing, “Mine is right there, beside Beel’s. And in the middle are Mammon’s, Levi’s and Satan’s. So if we put all the stars together, it creates a constellation.”

The connected stars gave out the shape of some sort of wings.

Wings to remember that they are fallen angels.

Wings to remember that they have one another as a family.

And wings to remember that they’ll protect the star who’s aligned directly in the middle of the wing shape.

“So whose star is that in the middle, Belphie?”

“Guess.”

“Diavolo?”

Belphie chuckled instantly, “It’s you, MC.”

His statement must have surprised you, so he continued, “You see those four stars around the corner of your star? Those are Diavolo’s, Barbatos’s, Simeon’s and Solomon’s. It portrayed them as your guardians.”

“That’s… I–” tears starting forming in your eyes, “I never knew you guys loved me this much. Thank you… really…”

Belphie brought his hand closer to your cheeks to wipe those tears away. He then leaned in and gave you a kiss, wanting to hold you close. The one lying beside him held his heart dear and at the sight of you crying—even though it’s tears of joy—made him frown slightly. 

You; the human who set him free from the attic.

You; the human whom he had let anger consume his rationality.

You; the human he once killed.

You; who was kind enough to forgive him for his action.

You; who found a place in your heart to love him like he loves you.

You; the one he can’t live without.

And now he finally understood why Lilith did what she did. 

Because love is beautiful and fragile. He can never guess when it’ll end; but for sure, he will fight the hardest to get his love back.

“My star, thank you for loving me.” Belphie wasn’t one to share his emotions with anyone. In fact, you’ve never once seen him cry before. So, this sight in front of you shocked you to the core.

“Belphie–”

“Shush, it’s okay, just listen,” Belphie grabbed your hand and pulled it closer to his chest, “I know I’ve done many unforgivable things to you in the past. You were only trying to help, yet I did the worst thing to you. I’m really sorry… My actions may have questioned you further because I was quick to accept you when Diavolo told us you’re Lilith’s descendant. To be truthful, I did calm down after listening to his explanation, but not because I saw you as Lilith; no. It’s because I realised my sister lived a happy life with her love. And for once, I want to see her point of view, too.”

Belphie then took your hand from his chest to his lips, kissing it softly before continuing, “I didn’t expect to fall in love with you because… well… I did that to you… But this feeling can’t be contained anymore. And I’m starting to think you’re the crazy one for accepting me.” This earned a laugh from you.

“But in all honesty, I really am grateful to meet you, fall in love with you, and have you by my side like this.” 

Belphie took something out of his pocket, revealing a shiny silver necklace with a star pendant. He then unchained the necklace, wrapped it around your neck and chained it back, causing the charm to dangle freely above your chest. 

“My Star.”

He earned a warm hug from you and a thank you while you were sobbing on his chest. His grip on you tightened, never wanting to let you go too. 

Under the starry sky of Devildom, Belphie professed his love time and time again to the human who stole his heart.

A/N: 🍊- Me and Meowz actually wrote this and wanted to make this project as our first collaboration when we first became friends on 2021. But it's harder than we thought because we had to write 13 chapters of different characters and capturing their personality is so hard. So, to not make it as waste, I'll be uploading the chapters that 'survived', and maybe, if we have enough motivation and inspiration one day, we will finish this series. Sorry for that.

Thank you for reading! Feedbacks are highly appreciated ✨

| Masterlist |

[witch-of-the-world]

Warmth

Just a little thing after the end of s3. Mei is having the Samadhi Fire taken out of her.

“Is everyone ready?”

Mei looked around herself.

Wukong, who'd asked the question, stood to her right, hands on his hips and tail swishing back and forth.

To her left was Nezha, arms folded, once again quiet and serious, having left behind the lightheartedness he'd shown at their little picnic last night.

Behind her, she knew, was DBK. Redson stood a little ways behind his father. She smiled at that. She knew she couldn't have gotten this far without him.

In front of her was Tang, looking like he was trying very hard to seem like he knew what he was doing.

She knew the others were nearby too, but she looked straight ahead. This wasn't going to be easy.

“No mistakes this time?” Nezha asked, a tinge of annoyance in his voice.

“No mistakes,” Wukong said, no usual teasing in his.

“Let's get on with it, then,” said DBK. The three of them raised up their arms. Tang unrolled the map, fingers nervously tapping its edge.

“Mei, whenever you're ready,” said Wukong.

Mei closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

Flame.

Fire.

Ignite.

She didn't open her eyes, but she could feel the warmth around her. Warmth she had learned to control, to contain. She was calm. She could do this. She remembered each one of Redson's lessons.

Be the flame.

She only vaguely felt her feet lift off the ground. She hardly noticed Tang beginning the ceremony.

Heat. Fire. Flame.

Be the flame.

Control.

Let it flow through you. Don't let it control you. Don't let it burst out. Don't fight it.

Calm.

Heat.

Fire. Flame.

The thoughts circled around in her head until they became all that she was, all that she had ever been and all that she ever could be. Deep, slow breaths made their way in and out of her mouth on their own.

Heat.

Fire.

Flame.

And just when it began to overtake her entirely--

Flash.

A scream was torn from her lungs as the fire erupted. The heat rushed away. It felt...cool. Like a cough drop in her mouth, like tiger balm on sore muscles. Like all the heat inside her had flowed out all at once.

She opened her eyes and looked up at the sun.

She let out a breath, floating in midair.

The world dropped around her as she began to fall.

She felt her body caught in arms. Warm arms, familiar arms. Safe arms.

She looked up into MK's relieved smile. Gave a tired one of her own.

And closed her eyes again, suddenly too exhausted to hold up her head.

It was done.

“You feeling okay Mei?”

She nodded sleepily, still a bit drowsy, but fighting to stay awake long enough to eat the dumplings Pigsy was bringing her. When the plate reached her lap, she gobbled them down despite her exhaustion, then leaned on MK's shoulder as the two of them sat side-by-side.

“How are you feeling, dragon girl?”

She looked up and smiled. “Hey Redboy.”

“Redson,” he corrected, though it no longer held its past anger. She thought he was beginning to like the nickname.

“I'm good,” she replied. “Just tired.”

“I'm not surprised,” said Redson, taking a seat on her other side. “Father said that I slept for an entire day when the fire was removed from me. You ought to rest.”

“Aww, you care about me,” she teased, though it came close to a mumble. Even through half-closed eyes she could see him blush.

“I-It's not like that!” he insisted. “I just...don't want you suffering any ill effects after all the work we put in training you.”

“You do care,” Mei said with a smile.

MK laughed softly. “Give it up, Redson. We're friends now, remember?”

“Yes, yes, whatever,” Redson said, though he couldn't hide a little smile of his own.

“Hey, that's new.” Keeping one arm around Mei to support her, MK reached over to tap a golden earring on Redson's ear. “That the ring?”

“Yes, that's it,” Redson replied. “Father thought that I should have his.”

“The others better--” Mei yawned in the middle of the sentence “--hide them real good this time.”

“You really ought to lie down, dragon girl,” said Redson.

“Mmhmm,” she replied, barely keeping her eyes open now. Redson moved closer to her and she snuggled between her friends as she fell asleep.

Even without the fire, she would always have this warmth.

[ruiniel]

This storm

II. Silver lining

Fandom: Jujutsu Kaisen | Rating:🔞| Geto Suguru x fem!Reader | Count: 2.2K | Summary: This AU was a oneshot at first. More or less out of my control it's now a multichapter, not least because I wanted a Geto POV in here, and I'm a sucker for pining. | On AO3 | Tags & Warnings: my first fic for JJK, fem!reader, Second Person POV, Geto didn’t defect AU, But still has it rough, Set four years after Hidden Inventory, Friends with some benefits, Light angst, Feels, Mutual pining, Geto Suguru POV, Alternate Universe - Canon divergence, Sex pollen-ish eventually

< I

Just friends:

he watches my gauze dress

blowing on the line.

—Alexis Rotella

Morning light shivers across your eyelids, warms your cheek, and consciousness returns from its restful seclusion. The sheets and pillow cozily hug your naked form, as does the arm coiled about your waist and the body curled around yours. Memories from the night emerge, and your eyelashes flutter as you bask in this element of intimacy: his face hidden in your hair, nose touching the nape of your neck; his soft, regular breathing tickling your skin. As far as you can tell, Suguru’s not awake yet, his arm resting heavily around your middle. 

But when you try to rise, that arm slowly pulls you back in, accompanied by a low voice, roughened by sleep. “Stay… a little longer…”

You’d be lying if you said this awakens nothing in you, something safe, peaceful, and tender—but neither of you signed up for any of that. “Working early today,” you say through a smile. “Have to get ready, Suguru.”

“Mm… right,” comes a drowsy mumble, and his hold weakens as you slip off the bed. 

In the shower, you remember more fragments, aided by the aching muscles in your thighs and the bruises on your hips. You like that side of him, more than you thought you would. The subtle, controlling notes in his voice as he drove you insane, that ‘please’ spoken so eagerly by the end… 

You turn the water temperature even lower. That was then, this is now. Wake up. Nothing will change between the two of you, just like it didn’t last time—you’re aware enough to realize that, and you know he feels the same. Or, you think you know. Right, no use dwelling on that.

When you enter the living room and kitchenette area, Suguru’s there too, standing with his back to you, handling the glass water boiler. He’s pulled on his dark house pants and a gray t-shirt, his loose black hair draping over his shoulders. 

“Hey,” you yawn, dressed and ready, sitting at the table with your bag and trying not to groan at the slight muscular ache felt with each movement. He didn’t spare you at all, damn it.

But what are you going to do? Complain about giving you what you asked for? ‘Harder’, huh? The thought makes you smile and roll your eyes at yourself. 

“Tea or coffee?” Suguru asks, looking over his shoulder at you. “... what’s the smile for?”  He’s visibly relaxed, unburdened by the restlessness of the evening.  

“Oh, umm… nothing. Tea please… hibiscus! If there’s any left.”

“As long as I’m around, there will always be stock of that,” he turns back around. 

The lightness of his tone feels good, the choice of words less so. You choose not to ponder too much on it, though, instead rummaging inside your bag to ensure you have everything for work. “Heh, forgot you love the stuff.”

Suguru comes over and takes a seat opposite you at the table, pushing a cup of crimson tea within your reach.

“Thank you,” you say without looking his way, fiddling and arranging this and that object inside your workbag. 

Feeling watched, you pause and raise your eyes. Sun rays filter through the open blinds, softening his features with a warm glow. He’s propped leisurely against the backrest of the chair, cup of tea in hand. You find yourselves in the same position at the table as the night before, though the mood is wildly different.

“... what?” You like the geniality of his stare, an infrequent sight lately.

Suguru shakes his head, then drinks from his tea and leans forward, setting the cup aside. “We’re fine, aren’t we?”

Oh, is that what this is about? “Of course we are. I am. You…?”

A faint smile. “Never better.” 

You raise an eyebrow. “... then why ask?”

“Just… checking,” his gaze drifts towards the balcony, the smile still pulling at his lips. 

Suguru, ever the thoughtful one. You think this fondly, though with half a mind to make a joke about what he’s done to certain parts of your body. You’re not sure how he’d take that, though, so… better not. You’ve known each other for years, sure, but this was only the second time you’ve had sex, after all.

Distance means safety. 

But ever since you’ve started benefiting from each other this way, as much as you’d like to not think about it… there is a subtle, barely discernible change in that liminal space that separates you and him. You realize you’d been lost in thought as the door to the balcony closes, and you turn briefly to see Suguru outside, lighting a cigarette.

Suguru watches you rise and continue to prepare, arranging your shirt and going back to your bedroom—likely having forgotten something. He follows your silhouette with his eyes, taking a long drag of smoke into his lungs and holding it. On an exhale, his hand grasps the rail, eyes closing. 

Not for the first time he wonders what the hell he’s doing, and why. Last night, when he came home, he wasn’t tired; he was angry. Some curses he subdues do cause states he has to purge somehow afterward to regain his balance, but this was not one of them.

No, he was at the end of his tether, again. Nothing, nothing has ever been the same since his failure four years ago and he’s tried so, so hard and for so long. He tried to accept the consequences, to keep to his principles after Riko, even after finding Mimiko and Nanako. He often returns to that evening in the village, to that sight that made his heart drop to his feet, wondering how it could’ve been different. He’d done the right thing, he’d called Jujutsu officials that very moment to take the girls away but… 

He clenches his fist, turning briefly to the streets, where endless streams of people rush about. Is this all for them? Fear makes monsters of people. Fear of the unknown, of things they envy or can’t understand. 

He’d been alone for most of the time since those days, year after year. But he understands—like him, both Shoko and Satoru have their hands full with the ever-rising tide of curses, and sometimes the sinuous side of dealing with Jujutsu Tech politics. He doesn't envy Satoru at all in that respect.

Suguru raises his head, staring at a clear blue sky. It all used to be different, but then... change is the only constant. He does miss those moments with his old friends, sometimes painfully so. A sunny spring. Satoru. A chance missed. But then he forgot about all that when a girl's blood splattered his tunic. Sometimes, he still hears the gunshot and the clapping, intermingling in a mocking symphony. In his dreams she dies over and over again; and they all smile wider and applaud, hovering over her lifeless body.

He grits his teeth, shakes his head as though to free himself of his own mind. Is this all for… them… 

Suguru takes another drag of his cigarette. Yes, he’d been angry last night, his mind fogged with the taste and slime of negative emotions being absorbed by his cells and his spirit. And then he saw your face, and your worried glance depleted him of that helpless, overwhelming fury. Someone who cares, who knows nothing of his failures. You thought he was exhausted, and he let you. He took what you were willing to give, let himself be cleansed by your nearness, the scent of your skin and the heat of your body. Even now his heart beats faster remembering the way you cried his name.

If only he could freely express the relief he felt and tell you all that lies beyond it, but a part of him is ashamed; you hold him in so high esteem, you’ve let him so close, trusting him with so much, most of all your friendship. Suguru chews on his lip. Luckily for him, it appears you didn’t actually hear what he said to you at the end. That might’ve uselessly complicated everything.

He sighs. 

“I’m off, then.”

Your voice has him looking up. You’re standing there, on the balcony threshold. 

“Who are you working with today?” he asks.

You snap your fingers. “Haibara-san.”

“I see. That’s good.” He’s dependable enough. “Be careful.” 

You roll your eyes, nodding. “Am I not always? And right back at you, all right? See you today maybe—in one piece, hopefully.” 

“Hopefully,” Suguru snorts. “Hey, wait!” he calls after you, remembering. “Are you heading to the campus at all today?”

“I am. Setting out from there, why?”

He follows you inside, returning with two small satchels. “I might not make it. So, will you please stop by the dorm, and hand these over to Mimiko-chan and Nanako-chan for me? Small gifts from my trip to Nagoya.”

Your eyes smile. “Of course! Suguru, you…”

He tilts his head, expectant. 

You stare at him for a moment longer. “Those girls care for you deeply.” 

“As I do for them.” 

“You’re really something else.”

Oh, if only you knew. But his eyes turn to crescents as he smiles that benign, cheerful smile. 

“Well…” you stuff the satchels inside your bag. “See you later!” 

“Yes... later.” 

Each day either of you leaves for a mission, there’s no certainty of tomorrow. He’s never pulled you in, to urge you to be prudent in other ways, to show you his worry and embrace you like he wants to lately, outside the bounds of mutual convenience.

Hah… coward.

“Haibara-san… Haibara-san! Can you hear me?” 

The signal is never the best due to interference caused by the veil but it’s never failed like this before. Someone answers the phone. All you hear is static. 

Damn it. 

You stare anxiously at the dark barrier you’d lowered more than an hour ago over a funeral hall in Setagaya. Just the place for curses to gain momentum, you think. The brief said ‘semi-grade 1 cursed spirit’. Haibara dealt with those before over the past year, but you have little information to go on when it comes to this one’s abilities.

After several moments of hesitation, you reach a decision. Losing contact with the assigned mission lead usually warrants a call for backup, but you’ve been out with Haibara before. There is a level of trust and collaboration between you and despite being an auxiliary manager, you have enough cursed energy to support him if need be. Sometimes you wonder if you should’ve tried harder, aimed for graduating as a sorcerer yourself. Well, bygones. You also know just the person who’d be none too happy about that—which shouldn’t matter to you, not as much as it does, anyway. “You keep harping on about the dangers of being a sorcerer, Suguru, but what am I to do?” you mutter. It certainly would have helped now, you think, crossing through the veil.

The building is silent. “Haibara-san!” you call, your weapon at the ready—a tessen, a special grade cursed tool obtained via Satoru from his family stash. Suguru insisted, vehemently, that you accept it as a gift ever since you began heading out alone. It pulses in your hand, the cursed technique vibrating through your nerves. 

Cold sweat drips down your spine at the unnerving silence: you could never completely shed the fear from your body in high-strung conditions. Principal Yaga once said that’s healthy, a sign that you’re prepared to fight. 

Roof shingles are falling everywhere. You jump back, waving the tessen just in time to repel the debris and violet-tinted fumes bursting through the caved-in structure. 

You see the apparition, just barely, before a bright slash culls the creeping tendrils, turning them to dust. 

Haibara. 

“Are you hurt?!” 

“The tessen, use it now!” He yells back, both hands clamped together in a seal. 

Right. You snap the fan open, its metal ribs singing in your grip. You wave it in a pattern, focusing the aim of the cursed energy blow towards the apparition, through sheer luck timing it with the sorcerer’s strike. 

The curse withers to a strangled mess before you both, and you’re trapped there, watching as bruised fumes slither towards you—it’s not long before you’re gagging, eyes watery and lungs burning. You’re being dragged away by someone.

“Thank you… that was close… so-so close…” Haibara murmurs. “Thank you… we did it. Are you fine? I’m sorry, it was a stubborn one…”

“I’m fine.” You feel as though you've bathed in a pool of warm sake and drunk just as much while still coughing your lungs out. “Well...a little out of sorts... ”

You reach the car outside the dispersing veil, both leaning against its metal body and sighing in relief.

Haibara glances at you. You glance back. All things considered, he appears unhurt, maybe a bit ruffled.

“You don’t look so good,” he says.

Huh. “How do you mean?”

Haibara squints, then rubs at this right eye and observes you closer. “Your pupils look… strange. Maybe you should visit Ieiri-san for a check-up, just to make sure?” 

Your hearing is shot. Your vision is tinged with violet at the edges, and your legs feel weak at the joints. A peculiar taste is in your mouth. “... yeah. Yeah, that might be a good idea.”

“Come on,” he urges. “I’ll write up the mission report this time.”

The weather is far from hot. You pull at the collar of your shirt. You’ve struck a fever, or so it feels. “... t-thank you.”

tessen - Japanese war fan used as a weapon or for signalling

III >

[semicolonsspace]

thomas just like fluff? maybe him cuddling with his gf or something

BITCH IM SORRY I FORGOT ABOUT THIS! I LEFT THIS SHIT IN THE DRAFTS- this is short but I think its so cuuuttee

Y/n lays there in her bed trying to back to sleep. She's been up almost all night and she was exhausted. She always had trouble going to sleep, always having night terrors during the night waking everyone up. She felt bad about it but she couldn't help her Terrors. That was out of her control.

She throws her hands up, giving up to sleep. Thomas had seen her, as he was right next to her. He lifted up his cover, patting his chest so she could get the hint. "C'mere, baby," Thomas whispers.

Her heart gushes at the nickname. No matter how many times she calls her this she always blushed. She adored the sweet name.

Y/n hurriedly gets out of her bed, dragging her stuffed animal that she always slept with since it arrived here. She lays on him, wanting to feel his warmth, she cuddles him and her teddy, squealing in happiness at how cozy she felt against him.

She claimed the teddy bear as soon as she saw it- that was months ago. None of the boys argued, letting her have it without any problems. Thomas found it cute, often using it to cheer her up when she was upset at one of the boys for being hard at her. Later he would go have a nice talk with them.

"Next time just join me, baby doll," Thomas whispers against her temple. He kisses it, pulling the hair out of her face and behind her ear.

Y/n yawns, nodding against him. "I love you, Tommy," she whispers. Thomas rubs her back in response, "I love you more, baby."

Y/n shakes her head. "Nuh uh, not possible."

Thomas scolds her to his best ability in the dark. "Sleep." Y/n pouts at the demand from her boyfriend. She snuggled her teddy into her chest, her head lying on his. She listens to the music of his heartbeat thumping against his ribcage. She yawns again, feeling drowsy at the relaxing sound. Next Thomas, rubs her back, scratching it slightly. He'd always done this when she couldn't sleep. The same if he couldn't. "G'night, Tommy," Y/n mumbles as her sight fades into darkness. Thomas smiles small and kisses her nose. "Goodnight, babydoll."

[cuddlepilefics]

Enhypen - Jake (short)

Jay woke up to painfully held back coughs and sluggishly turned on his reading lamp to find his roommate sitting up in bed, desperately trying to muffle his cough into the pillow in his arms. “You okay”, Jay yawned, watching the younger gasp for air. Seeing the other had already woken up anyway, Jake nodded and abandoned his pillow to instead lift his arm to his face. He had woken up to this unbearable itch in his throat and hadn’t been able to draw a full breath of air without it catching in his throat. Considering he still wasn’t able to rid himself of the itch to answer his roommate verbally.

Jake was still busy trying to force air into his lungs and barely noticed how Jay slipped out of their shared bedroom. He looked up with watering eyes when he felt the mattress dip next to him. “Try having some water”, Jay whispered, handing him a glass. With the younger’s hands trembling from the struggle, he had to support the bottom a little, so nothing would get spilled. Gulping down a few sips, Jake tried to clear his throat but it still felt dry, no matter how much water he drank.

With the occasional sip of water, Jake was eventually able to catch his breath, tiredly rubbing his eyes before resting his head on Jay’s shoulder. Gently stroking the Aussie’s back, Jay hummed: “What’s going on?” – “I don’t know”, the younger rasped, “I woke up and it itched so bad but now it hurts an’ I’m exhausted.” His voice was completely shot and his throat ached, as did his head. He couldn’t help the pathetic sniffle as Jay reached up to touch the back of his hand to his dongsaeng’s forehead. “You feel a little warm to me”, the older commented, motioning for Jake to sit up. Getting up, Jay grabbed the glass to refill it while fetching the thermometer to confirm his suspicion.

“Alright, turn your head please”, Jay instructed, inserting the thermometer into the other’s ear. When it was done, he handed Jake the water, instructing: “Drink up. You gotta stay hydrated, especially with a cold like this. Your fever’s not that high, so I wouldn’t say you need medicine yet but please tell me if you start feeling worse.” Taking a small sip, Jake cleared his throat and placed the glass onto the nightstand. He rubbed his face and lightly massaged his temples, the headache really starting to set in now.

Taking in the pitiful sight, Jay sat down next to Jake and smiled when the younger curled up with his head in his lap. “Do you wanna go back to sleep?”, Jay whispered, running his fingers through his dongsaeng’s disheveled bed-hair. Giving a stuffy sigh, Jake sniffled: “I dunno if I can sleep. Everything feels weird.” – “Weird how?”, the older wondered, trying to figure out how he could make the boy more comfortable. Jake just shrugged, closing his eyes.

“Can you keep doing that?”, Jake rasped, his throat already starting to itch again, “It feels really nice.” Jay hummed softly, tangling his fingers in the Aussie’s hair. Lightly grazing Jake’s scalp with his nails, Jay chuckled when the boy shuddered, goosebumps spreading down his arms. The younger grew increasingly drowsy from the affectionate touch. He wasn’t nearly awake enough to fight his body anymore, the urge to cough finally winning. “Come on, laying down obviously isn’t  doing you any good”, Jay cooed as he helped his dongsaeng sit up.

Even with Jay patting his back and helping him drink some water, Jake needed a couple of minutes to catch his breath. The rising fever was wearing him down, his chest and back aching from the cough. His eyes were starting to gloss over and Jay could tell the younger was getting worse.

“Can you let me get up?”, Jay asked softly, “I’ll make you a cup of tea to soothe your throat and when we got the coughing under control, I’ll play with your hair again. Don’t worry. We’ll get you back to sleep and I’m going to stay up with you however long it might take, yeah?” Nodding miserably, Jake picked up his pillow and hugged it to his chest. He closed his eyes and sniffled back tears as he waited for his hyung to return.

Jake didn’t even know why but he felt like crying and every minute that Jay wasn’t there made it worse. It was probably the fever but he really couldn’t stand being alone right now. “Hey….Ssh. You’re okay”, Jay breathed when he found the younger with silent tears running down his cheeks, “I got your tea. Added lots of honey for your throat too. Plus, a cold washcloth to see if we can ease the headache a little.” Hearing the other talk in English felt so incredibly comforting, so Jake whimpered: “Please keep going.” – “Hm?”, Jay hummed confused.

“Tell me something. Anything, I don’t care what”, Jake mumbled weakly, “Just keep talking, please.” – “Alright”, Jay agreed, offering his dongsaeng the steaming cup of tea, “Careful, it’s still hot. I’ll drape the washcloth over the back of your neck for now, okay?” He gently wiped the Aussie’s tears before folding the cloth and draping it over the back of the other’s neck. Tracing Jake’s back with his nails, the older whispered: “When you finished your tea we can cuddle. You remember how we did that back before this one performance. I’m not sure which one it was anymore but you were so nervous and you couldn’t sleep.”

Jay kept recalling different memories from the early days of their group and could tell by Jake’s responses that the boy’s thoughts were slowly drifting off. “Can you finish the last few sips of tea for me?”, the older whispered, “Good job. Let me place the cup on the nightstand, while you get comfy.” Jay carefully moved the washcloth to Jake’s forehead, turning it so it’d be nice and cool against the feverish skin. “There we go”, Jay smiled, running his fingers through the Aussie’s hair, “Now you can go to sleep, hm? Hyung is here.”

[sugarrushproductions]

Elena and Sofia: Royal Trouble Teaser

Mateo had been all too thrilled to learn about the amulet’s new powers, questioning Sofia almost non stop. His excitement was palpable, but it made it hard for her to focus on trying to figure out the problem she was supposed to help with. The kingdom was doing fine, no big problems to solve. Elena’s relationships with her family and friends were fine, so nothing to fix there.

Shortly after dinner, Luisa had to shoo Mateo away for Sofia to go to sleep and give her some privacy. She led the younger princess to one of the spare rooms in the castle. The room was adorned with beautiful tapestries with the Avalor crest and had a large window overlooking the forest and the adjoining waterfall not too far off, providing a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

Luisa handed Sofia a lovely silk nightgown, soft and luxurious to the touch. "Thank you, Miss Luisa," Sofia started to curtsy, but the older woman waved her hands dismissively.

"Please, there’s no reason to curtsy, Sofia," she said with a small smile. "It’s a pleasure to have you here."

The girl looked down as she folded the gown over her arm, a hint of apology in her voice. "I’m sorry this visit was sprung so suddenly on you." Then, she muttered slightly bitterly, "It’s not like I can control everything the amulet does."

Luisa regarded Sofia carefully, studying her as the girl held the amulet. Though the lights were dim and her makeup done carefully, there were small stress lines around her forehead and dark bags under her eyes. Luisa’s heart went out to the young princess, who had been through so much in such a short time.

Gently, Luisa tilted Sofia’s chin up, meeting her gaze with a warm and understanding smile. "You rest, Sofia. I’ll let everyone know to let you sleep in as long as possible. Ah!" Luisa held up a finger to stop Sofia’s protests. "This is not up for discussion. A young girl like you needs her rest."

Sofia hesitated, but Luisa’s firm yet gentle tone convinced her. "But it’s not fair to everyone else," she protested weakly.

"But it is fair to you. Get some rest, Sofia." With those words, Luisa left the room, leaving Sofia alone with her thoughts. The girl sighed, feeling weary and overwhelmed and wanting to go home to her own bed. But until she fixed the problem, she was stuck here.

Sofia undressed and put on the silk nightgown, feeling the soft fabric against her skin. As she slipped beneath the covers, the plush pillows and thick comforter enveloped her like a warm embrace. The soft mattress welcomed her weary body, inviting her to surrender to the gentle touch of slumber. Gradually, her eyelids grew heavy, and her consciousness began to drift away into the tranquil realm of dreams.

Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the persistent buzzing and glowing of her enchantlet, startling Sofia awake. Disoriented, she sat up and groggily rubbed her eyes, then flicked the device to activate the call. To her relief, it wasn’t a protector but rather the familiar face of her royal sorcerer appeared on the screen. The protectors had been hesitant to grant him access to her enchantlet without one of his own, but at the insistence of her parents and Cedric, they had found a way to make it possible.

"Princess, where have you been? Your family and I have been worried sick," Cedric scolded her gently, his concern evident in his tone despite the mildness of his words.

"I'm okay, Mr. Cedric," Sofia yawned, her voice still thick with sleep. "I'm in Avalor. My amulet brought me to Elena." Even in her drowsy state, Sofia couldn't help but smile at the inquisitive expression on Cedric's face.

"Really? I thought it only took you to help princesses," Cedric replied, his tone a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

Sofia shrugged, a gesture that was both dismissive and weary. "I don't know. But it hasn't taken me back yet, so I haven't helped her yet."

"Did you figure out the problem?" Cedric asked, his voice laced with concern.

Sofia sighed deeply. "I thought I did, but it's never that easy." She started to tell him about how she was going to head to Fantasia tomorrow, but her words were interrupted by another yawn that she couldn't suppress. Luisa had been right—she desperately needed some rest.

Cedric noticed her fatigue immediately, and his voice softened to a gentle whisper. "You get some sleep, Sofia. I'll let your parents know that you are safe and sound. Goodnight, Princess."

Sofia wanted to object, but the gravitational pull of the bed was becoming irresistible. "Okay. Goodnight, Mr. Cedric," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

As the connection between them was severed, Sofia allowed her body to sink back into the soft comfort of the bed, her head cradled by the feather pillow. Almost instantaneously, she was enveloped in the embrace of sleep once more.

. . .

Yeah, I can't help myself. Here's a teaser of the first chapter!

[ilearnedthistodaysblog]

#1230 Why do we yawn?

Why do we yawn? There is no single clear reason why we yawn because we yawn at many different times for many different reasons. Yawning is an involuntary response, in that it happens without us thinking about it and we cannot stop once we have started, just like sneezing. In a yawn, we gradually open our mouths as wide as we can, breathing in slowly while we do it. Once our mouths are at their maximum range, we pause, stretching the muscles, and then breathe out. The whole yawn takes a few seconds. Yawns are said to be contagious, in that if you see someone yawn it is likely to make you yawn as well. All people yawn, and even fetuses in the womb have been observed yawning.   Yawning is not only a human trait. Mammals, birds, reptiles, and even fish have been seen yawning. That means, whatever the reason for yawning, it is something that has to span all creatures. It might not necessarily have the same functions and could be a case of convergent evolution. That is when several different organisms evolve to have the same characteristics. Flight is a good example. Birds, bats, and insects have all evolved to fly, but not at the same time. Flight obviously has such an advantage that all these different species evolved to have it, and yawning could be similar. Let’s look at the popular theories of why we yawn. The first theory is that it wakes us up, or rather it wakes up our brain. We are most likely to yawn when we are tired or when we are bored. If we are getting sleepy, or are becoming bored by a specific task, our ability to concentrate will decrease, which could be dangerous. When we yawn, our heart rate increases, we take more oxygen in, and we stretch the muscles in our face. All of these things could serve to wake us up and make us more attentive. It could be a safety feature. This would be a far more necessary feature in animals that are at risk of being eaten. We are generally safe if we get drowsy, unless we are driving, so yawning might be a feature that we don’t need much anymore. Prey animals might yawn to wake themselves up so that they are more aware of their surroundings and more able to run away if a predator appears. However, you could argue that predators, like lions, also yawn. That might be because they always need to be alert and on the lookout for prey. This could also explain why yawning is contagious. If one animal is becoming sleepy and inattentive, it is likely that the whole herd is feeling the same way. A yawn that spreads through the herd will wake them all up and be advantageous. This theory could also be supported by the fact that many people yawn when they are nervous or stressed. Paratroopers about to exit an airplane have been observed yawning. When we are nervous, our bodies know that we need to jump into action and yawning could make us more attentive. A second theory is that we yawn when we have a buildup of carbon dioxide in our blood. When we yawn, we breathe in slowly and deeply, taking in more oxygen. However, experiments have shown that people yawn just as often no matter how much oxygen or carbon dioxide is present in the air. This would also mean that people climbing Everest would be more likely to yawn than people at the bottom. I wonder if that has been tested. A third theory is that we yawn to control the temperature or pressure in our brain. When we yawn, we take in excess air, which will cool our heads down. We also move the muscles in our face, which alters the blood flow in our faces. Opening our mouths wide may also alter the pressure in our brains. This is hard to test, but experiments where someone wore an icepack on their head reduced the amount of times they yawn. That would mean that people who live in cold countries yawn less than people who live in warm countries. I don’t know if that could be proven or not. It also wouldn’t explain why cold-blooded animals yawn. A fourth theory is that yawning is a way of communicating. When we yawn, or see someone yawning, our emotions tend to sync. A herd of animals could be syncing their moods or sleeping patterns when they yawn. It is often said that contagious yawning is more common the more empathetic someone is. Experiments on children with autism show that they don’t yawn contagiously, so there could be some evidence for that. Ultimately, there are several theories, but no single answer. And this is what I learned today. Try these next: - #361 Why were alarm clocks the first consumer goods to stop being rationed during World War 2? - #568 Why don’t we move when we’re dreaming? - #393 Why do we get jet lag? - #178 How many species of human have their been? - #651 Why do stick insects look like plants? Sources https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/yawning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yawn https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-fish-birds-animals-humans-yawn-expert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convergent_evolution Photo by Isaac Taylor: https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-yellow-labrador-retriever-1557254/ Read the full article

[spaceumbredoggos]

So much for stardust chapter twenty three.

I woke up to Bee rubbing my head. I was drowsy and nauseous, my lungs heavy. I didn’t panic at the oxygen mask on my face. “Good morning, Kenz.”

“Did you have to dress up in the sexy Nurse Joy outfit?” I noticed Bee blushing a lot, petting my head. “How’s Dipper?”

“He’s been trying to visit you every day, bringing you flowers and chocolate.”

“Did you check the color of his eyes?” Bee froze and snapped her fingers. “Yeah, maybe we should do something about Bipper thirsting after me after literally dragging me to who knows where and almost drowning me. Bill keeps possessing Dipper and getting away with who knows what. You might wanna catch him. And does Ford know how frequent Bill has been possessing Dipper? I assume not.” I tried to get up, but I collapsed and almost threw up. “Rest. We’ll catch Dipper.” Bee rubbed my head as I laid down on my side.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. I gazed in the direction in a gaze. “Wah? Dipper?” I immediately started to snarl, but then I realized that his form was more translucent and he was floating mid air. “Dipper? Is it really you? In the mindscape? How can I see you?” I gazed around for anyone else in the room. Bee must’ve left to Chad rafter Bipper. I wonder if Vortex is around.

“Kenz, you have to help me!!!”

“How long have you been possessed for?” I felt my heart tear in half for Dipper. “Since I got sick a couple weeks ago.”

“Wait what?” I noticed how translucent Dipper’s form was, as if it wasn’t even there. “So that’s why you’ve been acting so… so different. Like an arrogant asshole who doesn’t need anyone at one moment, then some thirsty fanboy who wants to—“

“I don’t need a graphic description of whatever the fuck Bill has been doing to you.” Dipper sighed, laying his ghost down beside me. “How is your body still even alive? And can transform into a weredego. That’s something you have to get used to. Like I have to get used to the Umbredoggo thing. I still can’t control when I transform half the time. At least you’re cured of rabies and you can make out with Pacifica again. The virus won’t be in your system anymore because of the herbal treatment Jayfeather prepared.”

“You were kidnapped by feral cats for an entire week. How did you survive without freezing to death?”

“The older and younger cats piled on top of me and kept me warm. I need a long warm shower and a warm breakfast of fluffy pancakes.” I started coughing, feeling the water rise in my throat. “Kenz. I’m so sorry about this. I’ll figure out a way to get my body back.”

“That’s what Bee’s tryna do as well. We’ve both had a rough couple of weeks, haven’t we?” I sighed, gazing at Dipper. “How do you know about me and Pacifica, Kenz?”

“I’m surprised you haven’t woken up the whole town at this point with your wet dreams. ‘Oh harder Pacifica. Yes mommy.’ It’s like she fucking pegs you.”

“On the topic of relationships, what’s going on with you and Bee?”

“What do you mean?” I yawned, thinking about how much Bee has been giggling and blushing whenever she’s in my presence. “Look. There’s nothing going on on my end with Bee. At least when I’m in my right mind. Bee’s with Vortex anyways.”

“Is it really one sided when you mew in your sleep like I do.”

“Shut the fuck up. You watch me in my sleep? When did you last sleep?”

“I immediately regret having this conversation.” Dipper sighed, laughing. “The first thing I do when I get my body back is telling Ford that you need your own room.”

“The feeling’s mutual.” I grabbed my phone, seeing a lot of get well soon texts from Loona. She immediately sent me a link, which I clicked on. Big mistake. I rushed to click out of my phone, as the link was to a satire Yiff video. Dipper screamed as I rolled my eyes. I texted Loona. “What the fuck was that?”

“Sorry. Missclicked.”

“Loona’s into you, Kenz.” Dipper said in a matter of fact tone. “I thought she was fine to keep things as just friends.”

“See all those heart emojis?”

“Great. It’s the perfect thing I need. Romantic drama. What next? Wendy is gonna start sending me her hentai collection? How about a bunch of Pokémon x reader fics from Mabel? Might as well lump in Vortex while we’re at it!”

Dipper was blushing as I checked in on the Discord including all my middle school friends that I’m still in touch with. It was business as usual, kids complaining about the bus and assignments. I realized in that moment that I hadn’t checked in ever since I had moved to Gravity Falls.

“Who are they?”

“Just some old friends from middle school.” I sent a message in the discord telling them that I was okay, and that my birthday excursion to NB2 was canceled due to the move.

Bee trudged in, holding a feral Bipper. “It wasn’t easy catching him but I got him.”

“Unhand me!!!” His demeanor changed as soon as he saw me. “Oh hey Kenzy Wenzy. Why don’t you rip—“

“Not gonna happen.” I sat up, trying to right myself. “So how do we get Dipper his body back? His mindscape form is right here. I mean, we can tickle Bill out of him, but how do we stop future possessions?”

Bee tied Bipper down to a bed akin to a scene from The Exorcist. “We have to break the deal.”

“That can’t be easily done!!!” Bipper burst out laughing as he squirmed against the ropes.

“The deal’s off.”

“You can’t do tha… Fuck!!! He can.” Bill left Dipper’s body as Dipper returned to his. Bee untied him as Dipper laid on the bed, panting from exhaustion. “Oww. Everything hurts. I can’t fucking move.” Despite saying that, Dipper crawled over to me. “Kenz.”

“Get off of me!!!”

“I’m so fucking tired.” He nuzzled my neck as I shoved him off. “Can you call Ford? He absolutely reeks of alcohol and weed. I think Bill drugged his body.”

“I also detect a heavy aphrodisiac.” Bee noticed Dipper pass out on my chest, cuddling me. Bee was almost glaring at Dipper. “You’re not jealous, aren’t you?”

“I’m pissed that Bill would do this.”

“Let it go. Bill can’t hurt Dipper now. I’m just as irritated as you. And not just because he’s not getting up. He smells like death, he’s covered in bugs, and there’s so many cuts. He needs a fucking doctor. Not cuddles.”

“You don’t smell that good either.”

“I know!!! I haven’t had a fucking shower!!! How are my lungs doing? I feel shitty.” I coughed up bright green phlegm on Dipper. “Sorry buddy.”

“I need to get Ford here.” Bee grabbed her phone, calling Ford. I took off Dipper’s phlegm covered shirt and put it aside on the night stand. I noticed a network of horrendous wounds from various sharp objects. Some of them were cat bite wounds from the warrior cats. There were scars from past fights and from forks being stabbed into his arms. I have a feeling that this isn’t the last we’ll hear of Bipper. His skin was stained scarlet with blood. At least there’s no infection or maggots like last time.

Dipper started twitching in his sleep, screaming out my name. “Dipper buddy. It’s okay.” I rubbed his head, only to find it covered in ticks. “Eww. How does someone accumulate that many ticks?” I started hacking coughing again, shivering with fever. Dipper woke up to the sound of my coughing. “Hey Kenz?”

I checked his eyes before answering. Still dusty brown. I breathed a sigh of relief. “Yeah?”

“You don’t sound too good either.”

“I got pneumonia from the Moonpool drowning. My lungs are pretty fucked up. But at least my gills are fully healed. Might have to be on an antibiotic. I’m so fucking tired. And feverish. But at least I didn’t get fleas and ticks from those cats.”

“You reek of cat urine.”

“You smell like you just woke up from your own grave, which happened to be in an old brewery.” I gazed at Dipper, who was weak and still heavily intoxicated. “You drunk and stoned?”

“Really.” Dipper threw up on the bed. I noticed several poisonous insects and a bunch of Lego bricks. “Fuck!!!”

“Yeah, Bee’s gonna have to clean her sheets with a hazmat suit between the two of us.” I started to feel sicker and confused. I immediately backed away from Dipper. “I think Bill got into some harder stuff. I’m starting to feel some of it. Might wanna have Ford do a drug test.”

“Fuck…”

“You’re oddly coherent. Maybe that’s because your soul hasn’t caught up to your body.” I started to cough. “Ford should be here soon.”

Sure enough, as if on que, Ford arrived with Bee. I was loaded into the front seat whilst Dipper was loaded into the back.

I was laid down on the couch as Ford took Dipper to his private study. Bee laid with me, petting my head. “How are you feeling?”

“Shitty.” I leaned into Bee’s touch as she rubbed my shoulders. “I’m glad he didn’t get arrested or charged with felonies.”

“The cops here are pretty stupid.” Bee looked uncomfortable thinking about Dipper. I held back the tears. “Hey hey. Dipper’s gonna be okay.”

“How could I let this happen?” I buried my face into the cushions. “The rabies? The kidnapping by cats?”

“It’s not your fault.” Bee stroked my hair as I started purring. Why am I feeling this way? Why do I want to be petted and loved on? Why do I crave the cuddles?

I nuzzled Bee, unaware that I was doing so. Bee started nuzzling me back, stroking my back. I pressed my lips on Bee’s, her tongue slipping in. She tastes like sugar and honey.

Suddenly, Ford walked in and cleared his throat. Bee and I scrambled off each other as I hid back into the couch cushions. “What the fuck was going on?”

[capricious-bastard13]

Comfort and Motto

AO3

Rating: General Audiences

Words: 967

Tags: Fluff without Plot, 9-year-old Sanji, Brief Mention of the Straw Hat Crew, Sanji’s Favourite Movie is Ratatouille

                                                       == ==

There's the sound of bones cracking along with a deep, guttural grunt. Sanji grimaces for a split second, his attention focused solely on the screen in front of him.

"C'mon, Eggplant, stop sitting so close to the T.V." The words are registered however it takes a couple moments more before the child does as he's told, planting tiny hands on the floor and pushing himself back. A satisfied huff coming from behind him.

On the screen, Remy is slowly falling asleep, his big eyes looking through the window, the Eiffel Tower and Paris' city lights reflected upon his face. At Remy's sigh of contentment, Sanji lets out a sigh too, elbows on the meat of his thighs and palms cradling his face.

One day, he thinks to himself, One day. He'll live next to La Seine and whenever he looks out the windows, he'll see the Eiffel Tower, enjoying his breakfast or just reading a book.

Unbeknownst to him, his old man's lips are quirked up in an amused little smirk, fondness and endearment residing in the depths of his gaze for his boy.

Throughout the movie, Sanji hides his yawning behind his hand, and from time to time, would discreetly look over his shoulder at the man sitting on his recliner to check if he was caught only to get sucked back in to the movie in the blink of an eye. Scenes all too familiar and memorized by this point, yet Sanji still feels the adrenaline that courses through his veins each time Remy and his brother steal from the kitchen, more and more rats coming and the up-coming fight between Linguini and Remy moving him closer and closer toward the screen.

Face nearly planted against the glass, hands grab him by the sides and he's picked up, placed on his father's lap, squirming in an effort to be let go. But no matter how much energy he exerts, the hands around him would not budge. Cheeks puffed out and huffing, he glares at Zeff who looks back at him with a raised brow in challenge. Huffing much more dramatically, he settles against his father's chest and continues watching from the distance.

The movie is nearing its end and Sanji's eyes are drooping, lids getting heavier and heavier with each blink. Even through his ever increasingly drowsy sight, he still tries his best to keep watching, eyes stinging a bit from the exertion, his body telling him to rest which he refuses to do unless the movie has come to its conclusion.

Zeff is careful to reach for the remote only for the boy to whine someone incoherent. Drawing his hand back, he cradles the boy closer against him, burying his nose into blond hair, his own gaze upon their television. Neither of them get to see the conclusion, their eyes closed, and breathing deep and soft.

                                                    - - - - - -

By this point, it's safe to say that Sanji will watch Ratatouille at every chance he gets, eyes glued and dialogue memorized, speaking them along with the characters, knows them by heart, even mimicking their gasps of breath and exclamations. However, there is one thing that Sanji always returns to whenever he watches the movie.

As he lays on his bed, tucked in and staring at the glow-in-the-dark studded ceiling, he comes a starting realization. He has never seen the old man without his chef's hat! With it's long length, he wonders, how many rats reside in the comfort of his toque? Are they all stacked on top of each other in a tower, each being controlled by the rat sitting on top of them? Or, perhaps, and this is one that Sanji is much more partial to seeing as the previous theory just sounded so dumb, there is only one rat under his toque, however, considering how long Zeff's hat is, the rat must also be long and lengthy, a torso that captures nearly the entire length of the head chef's toque.

Determination now flowing in his veins, Sanji makes it his goal tomorrow to snatch the toque, early in the morning too because as he'd seen in Ratatouille, Linguini gives Remy breaks during less busy hours.

Turns out, there is no rat under Zeff's toque, much to Patty and Carne's raucous laughter and Zeff telling him that he's not allowed to watch the movie for a week.

                                                     - - - - - - 

It's movie night and everyone's finally settling in, after much coaxing from everyone that "yes, Sanji, we're okay on snacks, drinks, popcorn, candy and whatever else you can think of, please sit down".

Inserting the disc into the player, Sanji moves to sit on the couch, only to hear Zoro's groan of exasperation.

"This movie again?"

"What?" Sanji feels indignation rising from his chest, "It's a good movie! It teaches you a lot of values about being truthful, relationships, and the downfall of what having a massive ego can do to a person!"

"It's a movie about a cooking rat."

"Because anyone can cook!"

"Shut up, the movie's starting!" Nami snaps at them both, the duo quick to stop and face the screen.

Remy has just been separated by his family, has just discovered he's living under Paris and has stumbled upon Gusteau the restaurant, and he's talking to Gusteau, talking about the different chefs in the kitchen and their roles that makes a kitchen a well-oiled machine. Clutching at the blanket draping his legs, Sanji holds himself from sniffling, which becomes unsuccessful because not too soon, tears are running down his cheeks, his words a mere whimper in time with the Apparition of Gusteau, "Anyone can cook", Zoro's bored sigh and roll of the eyes going by completely ignored.

As does the arm that slithers from behind him, wrapping around his shoulders, a hand squeezing in comfort.