#chicken coat looks extra fluffy here

[marimayscarlett]

Richard during the "Deutschland" performance on 20th of July 2022//Tallinn

[video source]

[honeesucker]

Gliding Into You

Pairing: Keigo Takami (Hawks) x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 4,024

Content Warnings: Hawks calls the reader ‘Chickadee’, allusions to past relationship violence/PTSD, Hawks injured by a window / wound tending, mentions of blood, soft descriptions of intimacy (feelin’ dreamy).

*For @frostthecupcake​ ‘s collab!  💐

Click here for the rest of the collab! ♡

The snow-covered streets of Musutafu were a pristine white after the new snow that fell in the late afternoon; you had watched with excitement as you wrapped up your workday at a prestigious Hero Recovery Center – a perfect fit given your quirk that allows for healing at a cellular level. This new job in the city center of the Pro Hero capital of Japan, and your newly found freedom after breaking free from your ex-partner and their controlling, manipulative hold over your life for the last six years left you feeling light enough to float off down the street.

You were currently walking home from some post-work holiday shopping, bundled up in a thick jacket with a plush scarf wrapped around your neck pulled up high enough to cover your mouth and nose, fluffy earmuffs and mittens added for extra warmth, leaving only your eyes exposed to the icy air – evident by the dusting of snowflakes landing on your eyelashes. However, none of the discomfort of the chilled weather dulled your good mood as you carried two bags – one with steaming, crispy chicken for the Christmas holiday and the other holding a small box that had a perfectly delectable looking strawberry shortcake from your favorite bakery. This was the first time in a long time that you've been able to partake in the regular traditions of the Christmastime holiday and you practically skipped down the road that led to your apartment – you on the top floor of a 60-floor luxury apartment high-rise. Your apartment was also something new that you weren’t used to having to yourself, but your job gave you a hefty sign-on bonus due to your skill and their desperate need for people with healing quirks, allowing you to gain one of the best overlooks of the city. Your building also came with heavy security given the status of many who lived there, and that security was worth the cost alone to you.  

Your night doorman was there to greet you before you even walked up the snowy steps, holding open the door for you as he gave a bright smile with his greeting as you passed him to enter the heated lobby, snowflakes already melting off you. One of the lobby security guards had already gone ahead and pressed the elevator button for you, and within a few seconds the melodic ding! announced its arrival. You bid both men goodnight as you entered the elevator and within a few silent minutes, save for the gentle instrumental Christmas music playing from the elevator speakers, you were already being greeted by the sight of your door – you walking swiftly to reach it and punch your key code in so that you could finally unwind and enjoy your night. You sat your bags down atop the thin, sleek table in your entryway as you pulled off your scarf and coat to hang, your mittens and earmuffs being hung on your coatrack with the other snow-dampened items, and finally your shoes as you slipped your feet into the comfy house slippers you had waiting for you. You grabbed your bags and walked across the open space that led to your kitchen adjacent to your living room, unbagging and setting the cake box and the chicken on the countertop of your kitchen island, the steam filling your apartment with the mouth-watering smell of fresh fried chicken.

While you couldn’t wait to eat you knew you had to get out of your work clothes and shower to truly feel relaxed, so you rushed to your room to grab your favorite soft, black pajama set consisting of a baggy long sleeve top and soft, cheeky shorts. You left the fresh clothes sitting on your bathroom counter as you turned on the shower, stripping the day away as you put your worn clothing in the hamper, and finally stepping into the warm spray of water and steam. The feeling of the water nearly being hot enough to burn your skin felt nice compared to the icy chill you walked home in, the scents of your shampoo and conditioner and body soaps helping to relax you as you made your way through the familiar routine. You had spent an extra five minutes or so in the water before relenting, getting out of the shower and drying off with one of the fluffy towels hanging on the wall. Once dry you slipped on your fresh clothes and walked into your bedroom to grab a pair of fluffy socks, and your house slippers, and after slipping into both you sat on your bed for a moment to check the messages on your phone you had plugged in to charge on your nightstand.  

It was this moment of peace you were ripped from as your whole body reacted, jumping back onto your bed with your back against the wall. Your ears were ringing from the shattering sound of glass and splintering furniture and soon, aside from the new chill taking over your space and the howling of the wind, you weren’t picking up any further sound. Your heart was beating like a hummingbird’s wings against your chest as the edges of your vision blurred into a narrow tunnel, anxiety gripping your whole body.

If it was him, he would have made himself known by now.

You decided there was no avoiding whatever the fuck awaited you outside of your bedroom, finally scooting to the edge of your bed as you carefully set your feet on the ground, taking tentative steps toward your bedroom door in case the situation called for a stealthier approach. As soon as you gathered the courage to peek around the corner to see the destruction of your living room and balcony sliding door, glass and splintered wood scattered across the expanse of your living room – what you saw lying in the middle of the room was truly the last thing you expected.

“Hawks?” You whisper-shouted. Surprise erased your anxiety as you stepped carefully out of your bedroom. Hawks wasn’t moving as you took in the mangled look of his ice-covered wings, even in their current state they were unmistakably the iconic red wings the number two Pro Hero was known for. You saw that his tan pants and jacket were shredded up, probably from crashing through the glass, and your eyes zeroed in on the first signs of pooling blood beneath his wings and head.  

Immediately you went into action, kneeling beside Hawks without a care for the glass or splintered wood digging into your knees as you began to assess the damage before you. You didn’t want to move him in case there were more severe internal injuries that could be made worse with the wrong movement, so you elected to leave him in the half-fetal position he was in as you activated your quirk. Glowing tendrils of soft electric blue began to extend from your fingertips out toward the unconscious hero, your fingers making quick contact with his body. You shut your eyes as your quirk helped you to visualize what you were feeling in his body. He was out cold, so luckily there was no need for pain management now. You focused initially on closing the wounds that were causing the largest blood loss, reducing the wound size of the laceration to his scalp and his left side where glass had sliced across his abdomen. Smaller tendrils of your quirk broke off and continued to work on the cellular structure of his skin, pushing out any embedded glass and working on the smaller cuts – your larger focus was now on Hawks’s wings. His wings suffered damage that you knew didn’t come from just flying through the glass door of your balcony, he was missing a lot of his primary feathers and there was serious damage done to the body of his wings; extensive internal damage that was pushing your quirk to the limit of what you were capable of, to stich the inner fibers of him back together so that he would be able to fly again. Your mind was racing, the internal structures of Hawks’s body in your mind's eye as your quirk worked its way through his body. You pondered what caused this kind of damage – nothing naturally occurring that you could think of in your years of treating emergent medical cases – no, this had to be the cause of a quirk... the question left is what kind of quirk causes this much cataclysmic destruction in the body?  

“Fuck,” the word was a harsh, breathless whisper between your teeth as your body continued to be pushed closer to the edge of your limits than it ever had before. “Almost done, need you to keep pulling through this, Hawks.”

“M’doing mhh’bst-” the words were mumbled, dreamy and quiet like when someone talks in their sleep, words mushed together but you can still make out the meaning. Your heart stopped in your chest as you realized he was back on the living side of things – you wanted to sigh in relief but feared that the second you relaxed even a little your body would give up on itself.  

Just a little more!

A last push of your quirk extending within Hawks’s body and repairing the final bits that would ensure his successful recovery, and you could rest yourself.

Finally!  

The final damaged structure within Hawks was repaired, a snap! felt throughout your body that told you it was all completed.  

He would be okay.

He would be okay.

He would- your vision blurred and narrowed, black dots and twinkling blue specks dancing in what remained in your diminishing vision.

“Fucking called it,” you mumbled, body slumping to the floor beside the now-healing Pro Hero. Your eyes closed to the sound of his steady breathing.

Breathing.  

You could allow your body to rest knowing that Hawks was breathing and would continue to breathe – although not without consequence. His body would ache like nothing he had ever experienced due to being put back together at the cellular level the way he was, due to the unknown quirk's damage, and the regular bruising and scrapes from coming through a window would be present and heal as they normally would – but at least he would be left with no open wounds.  

The last thing you saw before your vision totally blackened was the steady rise and fall of Hawks’s chest, crimson plumage fluffing up in his sleep as the color returned to his face.

Darkness enveloped your consciousness as you succumbed to exhaustion, the weight of the intense healing process taking its toll on your body. It was a deep, dreamless slumber that seemed to last an eternity until the repetitive beep, beep, beep of the heart monitor became clearer the more your surroundings garnered more clarity. When you finally regained full consciousness, you found yourself lying on a soft bed, the aroma of disinfectant and the low hum of medical equipment filling the room. You blinked a few times, your vision slowly adjusting to the sterile white room with daylight filtering in through the large windows. It didn't take long for the events of the previous night to flood back into your memory—the shattered glass, Hawks crashing through your balcony doors, his damaged wings, and the mysterious quirk that had caused such devastation to his body.  

You turned your head to the side and saw Hawks sitting in a chair beside the bed, his eyes fixed on you. His wings, though wrapped in bandages in a few spots, appeared to be in a better state than before. Relief washed over you as it dawned on you that he had made it through the ordeal with only a few aches and bruises.

"Hawks," you managed out with your voice a weak, hoarse whisper. He immediately leaned forward, his expression a mix of concern and gratitude.

"You're awake," he said softly, his voice filled with genuine relief. "How are you feeling?"

I managed a small smile, my body still aching but the worst of it subsiding. "Better now. How long was I out for?”

“About three days,” he said, a worried expression overtaking his handsome face.

“Damn...” You whispered, settling back against the paper-covered pillow, albeit a bit crunchy sounding it was more comfortable than the floor you lost consciousness on.

Hawks nodded, a hint of weariness in his eyes. "Your quirk... it saved me. I've never experienced anything like it. You're truly amazing."

"It's just my quirk doing its job. But I'm glad I could help." You couldn’t help it as you blushed, feeling a surge of pride mixed with a touch of embarrassment at his words.

Silence settled between you both for a moment before Hawks spoke again, his voice softer this time. "I owe you my life. I can't thank you enough for what you've done." A warmth spread through your chest as his words sunk in. Hawks, the number two Pro Hero, expressing such gratitude towards you—it was overwhelming. But more than that there was a bond between you both forged through the shared experience of that night.

"You don't have to thank me, Hawks," you replied, your voice filled with sincerity. "I'm just glad I was able to help. Besides, healing others is what I do."

A few hours after you woke up you were allowed to leave the hospital’s care, Hawks offering to walk you home. The night air was cool, and a light snowfall dusted the streets, creating a serene atmosphere. Hawks draped his arm around your shoulders, drawing you closer to his side as his wings shielded you both from the bitter Winter night air. The two of you walked in sync, matching each other's steps as you made your way back to your apartment.

“D-Do you...” Your voice trailed off softly as you thought your idea over again, wondering if it was too inappropriate to offer... finally you settled on asking Hawks back to your place. “You know, I never got to enjoy my friend chicken and the strawberry cake I bought for the holiday... I’m sure the food went bad by now. Do you wanna stop on the way back and come up to eat, if you’re not too busy?”

Hawks was taken aback as he stared at you, a bright look in his eyes. “Really? You want to eat Christmas food with me?” Hawks couldn’t stifle the laugh as you turned away from him quickly, not missing the blush on your cheeks as an embarrassed look took over your face.

“Yes, I do,” you stated simply, not playing into his teasing.

Hawks looked ahead, still leading you both back to your apartment as he smiled to himself, his plumage fluffing up as he grinned. “That sounds amazing, I’ve never had a chance to sit down for Christmas food like that.... I’d love to, with you.” His admission made you pause, and you glanced up at him, seeing the light blush on his tanned cheeks as he smiled. You couldn’t help the flood of butterflies taking over your gut as you just nodded, mumbling a ‘good’ under your breath and walking on with him. You made the same quick stops at the same places you had that night, grabbing fresh friend chicken for the both of you and a small, decadent Christmas strawberry shortcake.

The anticipation grew as you reached your apartment building, the savory smell of fried chicken growing stronger with each step. With an open door as your doorman greeted you, you entered the lobby together. Hawks glanced at you, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I can't wait to dig into that fried chicken. It’s honestly one of my favorite foods.”  

“I’m glad I got a double portion just for that very possibility...” You grinned up at him, winking as he smirked, impressed with your forethought.

You rode the elevator to the top floor in comfortable silence, the soft drone of Christmas music playing in the background. As the elevator doors opened you led Hawks to your apartment, the delicious aroma growing stronger with each passing moment, and the moment you stepped inside the tantalizing smell of fried chicken enveloped the room, making both of your mouths water.

Hawks shrugged off his coat, revealing casual street attire underneath, and you followed suit, hanging your coat on the rack by the door. Excitement radiated through the air as you entered the kitchen, placing the boxes of crispy chicken and the cake on the countertop... your eyes trailing over to your living room, refurnished as if nothing ever happened.

“You... replaced my furniture?” You stated simply, confused and appreciative.

Hawks looked a little nervous as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Y-Yeah, I hope you don’t mind but I had a sidekick help me track down the item numbers and replaced everything that could be replaced... there’s a box in the living room of some little trinkets that got shattered, that it didn’t seem right to throw away until you went through it.

“Thanks, I appreciate that a lot... you didn’t have to go to the trouble, though,” you mumbled out, amazed he even arranged it almost exactly how you had it before.

“I kind of crash-landed into your living room,” Hawks sighed, looking in the living room as his eyes clouded over with the memory. “I’d say it’s the least I could do to repay you.”

You quickly brushed off his words and without hesitation you opened the cake box, revealing the perfectly crafted dessert. The sight of the fluffy layers of cake and creamy layers of whipped icing, topped with vibrant red strawberries brought a smile to both of your faces. Hawks's eyes widened in delight, his mouth watering. "It looks incredible, Chickadee. I can't wait to taste it."

Chuckling, you retrieved a knife and started slicing the cake, carefully placing a generous slice on each plate. The sweet smell of the cake mixed with the tangy freshness of the strawberries was a heavenly combination. Meanwhile, Hawks began unpacking the fried chicken, setting it out on a large platter. The golden-brown crust and the savory aroma of the chicken and spices made your stomach growl even louder. You couldn't resist reaching out and snatching a small piece, savoring the crunchy texture and the burst of flavors.

“Oh wow,” you breathed out with a mouthful between your cheek. “This is even better than I imagined... or is it only this delicious because I didn’t have it for three days?” You both laughed as Hawks grabbed his own piece, practically moaning as he bit into the crunchy skin of the chicken leg, his eyes rolling back into his head.

“I don’t even have words,” Hawks whispered, looking at you with a dreamy expression. “This has to be the best fried chicken I ever ate, how have I never stopped at this place before?”

You smiled, winking. “It’s a hidden gem, but now you know my secret... guard it closely, number two.” Hawks laughed, saluting you with a nod as he took another bite, savoring the taste... and with that, you both dug into the feast before you, savoring each bite of the succulent chicken and indulging in the delicate flavors of the strawberry cake. The room filled with the sound of contented sighs and the occasional expression of delight as you enjoyed the meal together.

Between bites, you shared stories and laughter, finding comfort in each other's company, even in silence. The stress of your guys’ meeting slowly melting away, replaced by a warmth that came from being surrounded by good food and even better company.

As the night progressed the plates were emptied, and the cake was devoured, leaving only satisfied smiles and contented hearts.

As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, Hawks and you had found yourself falling into a comfortable routine. It all started one evening, when Hawks soared through the darkened skies of Musutafu, his crimson wings beating rhythmically as he approached your apartment building. The sight of your balcony, adorned with twinkling lights, had become a beacon of solace for him.

Landing gracefully on the railing, Hawks peered through the glass doors looking into your living room. He could see you curled up on the couch, engrossed in a book and with a mischievous grin he tapped lightly on the glass, startling you out of your reverie. You jumped at the sudden noise, your eyes widening as you spotted the familiar sight of Hawks outside. A mixture of surprise and delight washed over your face, and you hurriedly unlocked the doors for him to enter. The chilly night air followed him in, causing goosebumps to rise on your skin as his chilled feathers brushed against you.

"Hey Chickadee," Hawks greeted you with a playful twinkle in his eyes. "Mind if I join you for a while?"

“Do you even have to ask at this point, Hawks,” you muttered playfully, motioning to the balcony door. “Or knock? You know I leave it unlocked for you.” Hawks only laughed, smiling his signature smile as he took off his boots, and coast, and settled down with you on the couch. Your bodies close yet comfortably distant. Conversation flowed easily between you both as you discussed your respective days, shared stories, and exchanged laughter. There was a natural chemistry between you, a connection that grew stronger with each passing encounter.

As time went on, Hawks found himself seeking solace and comfort in your presence. In you, he found a respite from the pressures of hero life, a space where he could be himself without judgment or expectation... and you cherished your time together, reveling in the opportunity to learn more about the enigmatic hero with the scarlet wings, trying to quell your growing feelings as you level yourself with the reality of him being a popular Pro Hero, and that you were just friends.

Just friends... but on clear nights, Hawks would take you on exhilarating flights through the starlit skies, the wind rushing through your hair as you soared together above the city. You would laugh and shout, feeling the thrill of freedom in each breath so high above the city. In those moments, it was as if nothing else mattered—the world below faded away, and it was just the two of you, connected by the shared experience of flight.

Back on your balcony, you would sit side by side with each other, your fingers gently intertwined as you watched the city lights sparkle below. Hawks would talk about his dreams, his aspirations, and his fears. And you would listen, your presence a comforting balm to his weary soul... he had never had such a freedom to be himself more than when he was with you. But it wasn't just the adventurous nights that bound you together. You both found joy in the simple moments as well—a cozy movie night with popcorn and blankets, cooking together in your kitchen (it was you cooking and Hawks snatching up still-hot, half-cooked pieces of food), or simply enjoying each other's company in comfortable silence. You discovered shared interests together, exchanged secrets, and offered support in times of need. Through your time together, you both learned to trust, to open your hearts to one another, and to embrace the vulnerability that comes with true connection, not just friendly banter and polite half-truths.

And on this starlit evening, as Hawks stood on your balcony, his wings stretched out wide behind him, he turned to you, an unusual softness in his eyes. "Chickadee, you've become such an important part of my life," he confessed, his voice filled with a mixture of sincerity and adoration. "I never expected to find someone like you—a person who understands me, who accepts me for who I am. I'm grateful for every moment we've shared."

Touched by his words, you smiled as you bit your lower lip to keep from blurting out your own feelings, a soft blush on your face as you just nod. “Me too, Hawks, me too.”

A couple of weeks later you found yourself in a situation you never imagined, as the moon cast a gentle glow over the room as Hawks and you found yourselves wrapped in a tender embrace, seeking comfort and closeness in each other's arms. The events of the day had been overwhelming for him, and now, in the quiet solitude of the night, he sought comfort and reassurance in the presence of the sweet person he came to love.

Hawks massaged his fingers gently against your scalp, his touch soothing and filled with unspoken affection. The utter softness of his touch sent shivers down your spine, grounding you in the moment. You leaned into his warmth, feeling his steady heartbeat against your chest, syncing with the rhythm of your own as your bodies pressed against each other, limbs tangled together. His scarlet wings, usually a symbol of strength, were now tenderly draped around the two of you, creating a cocoon of safety. The soft plumage brushed against your skin, their gentle touch like a whisper of assurance that this was all truly real.

With a soft sigh, Hawks pressed a gentle kiss to the top of your head, his lips lingering against your hair. "You mean everything to me, Chickadee," he whispered, his voice filled with sincerity and vulnerability. "In a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, villains and heroes... you are my anchor, my sanctuary." You couldn’t find the time to reply before Hawks leaned in, capturing your lips in a gentle kiss. It was a kiss expressing a depth of emotion that mere words couldn't convey. The softness of his lips against yours ignited a fire within, warming your entire being. It was a kiss that held promises and unspoken devotion, a testament to the bond between you.

As the kiss deepened, the world around you faded into the background, leaving only the two of you entwined in a moment of raw intimacy. Time seemed to stand still, allowing you to explore the planes of each other’s bodies. Hawks’ touch almost clinical as if he were trying to memorize each bump, scar and curve to you as his mouth continued to dominate yours... Eventually, the need for air forced you to break the kiss, but the connection remained. Hawks rested his forehead against yours, his breath mingling with yours.  

"I love you, Chickadee," he whispered, his voice laced with such adoration it almost made you cry.

You could only press one more soft, sweet kiss to his lips as you whispered back to him. “I love you, Hawks.”

[mothytheghost]

Small sun and Rgb story for the au lol

Rgb wandered around the streets. Trying to find the perfect person to take with them and help them finish this one and for all. The story can't keep going. He needed to find someone. He just needs someone to help him. Though finding a hero is a difficult task. Many heroes fell. He couldn't count how many heroes he lost. Because of it, he was in distress. His last hero was a little girl. He forgot what she looked like. But she was in green boots and a large red coat. He lost her. He's still distressed about it. Everything he did was all of his fault. He knew. She wasn't strong enough. She was just a little kid.

Two little boys soon pushed him out of the way. Getting him out of his thoughts as he heard one little boy.

"Out Of The Way!. I wanna see Freddy!.,"

Rgb seemed confused at first. He didn't know who this fellow 'Freddy' was. He was in the United States. The only Freddy he could think about is people named Freddy. Maybe a singer?. He doesn't know much about the culture here. He was so used to finding a hero back where he was normally. He went around the world to find one, since he knew there were other places to be.

As he walked with his cane. There was a long line of people. Full of children cheering and crying. What in dear heavens is going on?. He walked quickly as he looked across the crowd. Seeing loads of people surrounding a giant building with neon lights and palm trees decorated on the outside. With posters of a Bear. a Chicken. A Wolf. And an alligator. Decorated in these pop looks and outfits that burned his vision. Not used to the extreme fashion they had to them.

There was something the kids liked about the Animals. They seem to be mascots. Especially with how crowded it is. He was in awe of the building.

Freddy Fazbears Mega Pizza Plex.

He was interested. He was sure he could find a hero here. It's perfect.

Rgb passed a crowd of people who had tickets and children holding dolls of the characters. Teenagers were snapping glow sticks and putting them on as bracelets and necklaces. Some dressed up with fluffy hair and bows to match the theme. It's packed here. It made him feel a bit overwhelmed. But he had to do his part and find the perfect person.

Before he walked in. A lady with blonde pulled up hair and a grey security outfit halted him.

"You Need tickets sir to pass. You need to go back line! "

Rgb sighed. Holding his cane. He didn't have any change. So he ended up trying to get in. Luckily, he had an idea to wait it out to sneak in.

"miss. Could you tell me why are people are going everywhere over animals?" He looked at her as yellow dripped from his mouth. Watching her as she smiled.

"Freddy Fazbear has been an icon since the eighties. They are animatronics built to perform for kids at birthday parties."

Animatronics?. Rgb has never seen what an animatronic looks like. He remembered back then it's all about films and dancing on stage. But a living animal that is human like. Sounds very off and strange to him.

"What are the Characters here?" Rgb was having many questions. What are they? Where do they come from? Are they real animals or people in costumes?.

"The Robots here are Roxanne Wolf. Goes by Roxy. Montgomery Gator. Monty, Glam-rock Chica, and Glamrock Freddy. We also have extras like DJ Music Man and Sun. But those are backgrounds for other entertainment while Freddy isn't performing." She looked and smiled at him.

"Oh... They're robots. Like..."

Rgb froze. Not expecting robots. He never really liked the idea of futurism. The idea of technology taking over concerns. Yet, people seem to enjoy it. So there couldn't be harm in that. Right?.

The Security woman smiled. "That's correct!" Looking at Rgb proudly. "I like your costume, by the way!" She crossed her arms. Rgb looked confused to her. Does she mean his outfit? There's nothing wrong with it.

"Thank... You?." He tried to make a smile. But it failed as he grew more confused.

The guard looked at him before walking away. "See you around!. " she trailed off as she looked around the line to make sure nothing bad was happening. Everything seemed fine. Just kids jumping around with the dolls of the characters.

Rgb waved shyly at her. She was a kind person. He didn't know why he asked her if she wanted to be a hero. She seems nice. But Rgb decided not to. He has to think best in a hero. Not weak. Not too strong. No errors. He can't keep messing things up like what he did in the past. He has to find a right hero. Someone that is well and is a kind-hearted person. Like what he learned from his past hero. His Hero. Thinking about her made him feel guilty. He can't mess up this time.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

It's now midnight. Rgb has planned to break in. Yes, it sounds stupid. But he's hoping those robots can do something for him. If everyone loves them. They have had the right role.

It took a while for him to get in. He crawled through the vent. This was ridiculous to him. He forgot why he's doing this. For a hero. Of course!.

Rgb crawled out as he made it to a giant room with a long hall. With windows. He looked around quietly as he came to one window. There was a white chicken in a pink outfit. With green triangle earrings. Wild cat prints on her legs. Playing on her guitar. This was a robot. She felt too real to look at. Looking at the room as looked decorated. The only mess there was just pizza boxes everywhere. Like she doesn't clean her room. She wasn't well mannered.

Rgb looked into another as he saw a wolf with long white hair and a tail. She had a red outfit, and she was looking at herself in the mirror. A well clean lady that loved to compliment herself. Telling herself she was the best. Rgb liked this attitude. But looking at a game with a seat and a car wheel. Seemingly a race game. Had a large dent on it with glass shattered everywhere. Seemingly, she's easily angered if she doesn't get what she wants. Rgb didn't want a hero to think they're in the spotlight. He wants someone to treat everyone equally and not focus on themselves.

There was another window.a green alligator with a red mow hawk and star glasses. He looked too strong for his fit. Seeing a lot of dents on the walls and a boxing bag to get his anger out. He seemed too much for a hero.

Then there was Freddy. Sadly, the lights are off. And the curtain is closed. He couldn't see much of his room. It was too dark. And it was difficult to see him. Rgb grew upset. He was going to get Freddy. But it failed on him. Then again. The security lady said there were more. So Rgb carefully took a trip around the Plex. Trying not to get caught by the Security bots, and carefully closed doors behind him.

Walking around as he was walking down a hall with posters. Looking at the ground as he saw a little card.

'Super Star Daycare Pass'

Someone left this. He picked it up and examined the colorful card with a rainbow. He smiled. Looking at the Plex map on the wall to find the Daycare. There it was. Just a few more rooms till he's there. Not too long like going down and up.

It a bit to get here. But here he was. Looking up at a giant statue as he smiled. Hoping this is the right place. He looked down through the window to look at the Daycare. the place was shockingly big. With three structures of the play area and a few tables. He felt shocked. How on earth are people able to create a place like this? It made him feel like a kid again. Though his childhood differs greatly from this. He still had a strange sense of nostalgia.

Looking down as he saw a little jester like animatronic with rays on his head that looked like a sun. Rgb watched the animatronic and examined his actions. He was jumpy and cleaned very well. Collecting papers of children's drawings, and stuck them to the wall happily. Rgb was interested. Watching the animatronic went the other direction. Rgb tried to figure out how to get down there. Seeing a blue slide as he sighed.

"I'm getting a little too old for this..." He whispered to himself. Taking his hat off, and held it to his chest with his cane. Carefully getting inside as he was hoping he got through it.

Thankfully, he did and landed in a colorful ball pit as he got on his knee carefully. Putting his hat back on, and tried to look professional. Getting out of the ball pit as he looked around for the animatronic. Strangely, he didn't see them and thought he lost them on time. Rgb frowned, fixing his hat. Hoping there will be someone else-

"HELLO NEW FRIEND!!!"

The Animatronic happily lifted Rgb up from behind as he screamed. Rgb tried to calm down as the animatronic faced him. He was a sun like animatronic dressed as a jester. His orange rays spun happily as Rgb looked into its white eyes. The animatronic had a happy grin on his face.

"WHY ARE YOU UP THIS LATE ARE WE HAVING A SLEEPOVER!? ,"

The animatronic shouted. Rgb was finally on the ground again. Holding his cane tightly to keep himself balanced. He took a breath. " I have a special request for you!. Rgb smiled.

The Animatronic got close to him as his smiled grew wider. " OH, OH!. ARE WE GOING TO DRAW TOGETHER!? "

Rgb backed up from the robot. Trying to fix himself. "No, not exactly.. " he watched as the Animatronic frowned. Watching as he stood proudly.

"Would you like to be a hero?"

The Animatronic froze. Smiling as it got jumpy again.

"A Hero!?. I Wanna Be A Hero!" The animatronic grew happy. His rays spun as he got up close to the smaller man in-front of him.

Rgb smiled. "Come Along Now!. We Must Hurry!" The Animatronic looked at him happily as he followed the man. Watching as he got a key and used it to unlock a door on a wall. The animatronic was shocked. There was never a door there. How did he do that?.

"After You!."

Rgb said to the sun animatronic. As the robot gave him a big hug as he happily jumped into the light.

This was so fun to write hhshjdkdkdkd

[myindoreonline]

5 Health Benefits of Indori Poha: What Makes Poha a Breakfast Staple?

Do you know the many health benefits of Indori Poha? Discover why this traditional Indian breakfast dish has become a staple in many households.

Indori Poha! Originating from the heart of India, in the bustling streets of Ujjain, Indore, this dish has become a beloved breakfast item across the country. And the best part? You can easily buy poha online and enjoy this delicious dish from the comfort of your home.

It is not just any ordinary breakfast. It’s a dish that carries with it the rich culture and tradition of Indore. The unique flavours and the ease of preparation have made it a popular choice for breakfast. The poha price is also quite affordable, making it a cost-effective and nutritious breakfast option.

In this blog, we will discuss the health benefits of poha and why it should be a part of your daily breakfast routine.

5 Health Benefits of Indori Poha

1.     Carbohydrate Content and Energy Supply

Indori Poha, made from flattened rice, is a rich source of carbohydrates. It provides a quick and steady stream of energy, making it an ideal breakfast option to kickstart your day. It’s light on the stomach and can keep you satiated for a long time, aiding in weight management.

2.     Packed with Essential Vitamins and Minerals

Poha is packed with essential vitamins and minerals. It’s a good source of iron, which can help prevent anaemia. It also contains vitamin B1, which aids in carbohydrate metabolism. This makes poha an excellent choice for those looking to maintain a balanced diet.

3.     Low-Calorie Breakfast Option

Poha is low in calories. Despite being filling, a serving of poha is relatively low in calories, making it a popular choice for those trying to lose weight. Plus, the added vegetables in Indori Poha increase its fibre content, aiding in digestion and further contributing to its weight loss benefits.

4.     Easy to Digest

Poha is easy to digest. The light and fluffy texture of poha makes it easy on the stomach, making it a suitable option for people of all ages. Whether you’re a child, an adult, or an elderly person, poha is a safe and nutritious food option.

5.     Versatility of Poha

Poha is versatile. While we’re focusing on Indori Poha, it’s worth mentioning that poha can be prepared in numerous ways. You can add a variety of vegetables, spices, and even proteins like paneer or chicken to your poha to enhance its nutritional value and taste.

How to Make Delicious Poha at Home

Here are the steps to prepare Indori Poha:

Step 1: Preparation

Start with a hasty tasty poha packet, which can be easily found online at Indore.Online.

Wash the poha thoroughly under running water until it’s clean.

After washing, leave the poha in a colander to drain.

Step 2: Cooking

Heat some oil in a pan. Then add mustard seeds.

Once the seeds start to splutter, add finely chopped onions. Slowly saute them until they turn translucent.

Now add other vegetables, like peas or carrots, if you wish. The more vegetables you add, the more nutritious your poha will be.

Step 3: Adding Poha

Once the vegetables are cooked, add the poha to the pan along with turmeric, salt, and the special ‘Jeeravan Masala’.

Mix well to ensure that the poha is evenly coated with the spices.

Cover the pan and let it cook on low heat for a few minutes.

Step 4: Garnishing

Finally, garnish your poha with freshly chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon for that extra tang.

And there you have it—a plate of hot and delicious Indori Poha, ready to be served!

Bottom Line

Indori Poha is more than just a breakfast staple. It’s a dish that embodies the simplicity and flavour of Indian cuisine, promotes a healthy lifestyle, and brings the taste of Indore right to your dining table. So, the next time you’re planning your breakfast, consider visiting Indore.Online and get the authentic Indori poha at your doorstep. Your body (and your taste buds) will thank you!

[foodvips]

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches How Can I Make It?

Are you craving a delicious and flavorful meal that's easy to make? Look no further than slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches! These mouthwatering sandwiches are the perfect choice for a weeknight dinner or a game day snack. With their bold and tangy buffalo sauce, tender chicken, and soft buns, they are sure to satisfy your taste buds. Making slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches at home is a breeze. All you need are a few key ingredients, including chicken breasts, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, and buns. Simply marinate the chicken in the buffalo sauce, add it to the slow cooker, and let it cook to perfection. The slow cooker does all the work, infusing the chicken with flavor and ensuring it's tender and juicy. One of the great things about slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches is that you can customize them to your liking. Add some blue cheese crumbles, sliced onions, and pickles for an extra burst of flavor. Serve them with coleslaw, potato chips, or a side of sweet potato fries to complete the meal. If you're looking to switch things up, there are plenty of variations to try. Make buffalo chicken sliders for a bite-sized version of the sandwich. Add some avocado or bacon to take it to the next level. You can even experiment with different types of bread, such as ciabatta or pretzel rolls, for a unique twist. So why wait? Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with these delicious slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches. Whether you're enjoying them on a cozy weeknight or cheering on your favorite team, these sandwiches are sure to be a hit. Follow our easy recipe and enjoy a flavorful meal that's packed with excitement and explosion!

Ingredients

When it comes to making delicious slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches, it's important to have the right ingredients on hand. Here are the key ingredients you'll need to create this flavorful dish: - Chicken breasts: Tender and juicy chicken breasts are the star of this recipe. Make sure to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for easy shredding. - Buffalo sauce: The tangy and spicy buffalo sauce gives these sandwiches their signature flavor. You can use store-bought buffalo sauce or make your own at home. - Ranch dressing: Creamy ranch dressing adds a cool and refreshing element to balance out the heat of the buffalo sauce. Feel free to use your favorite brand or make your own homemade ranch dressing. - Buns: To serve the buffalo chicken, you'll need some soft and fluffy buns. Choose your favorite type of buns, such as hamburger buns or brioche buns. These simple ingredients come together to create a mouthwatering combination of flavors in every bite. Whether you're hosting a game day party or looking for an easy weeknight dinner, these slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches are sure to be a hit.

Preparation

Preparing delicious slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches is easier than you think. Follow this step-by-step process to create a mouthwatering meal that will leave your taste buds begging for more. 1. Marinating the Chicken: Start by marinating the chicken breasts in a mixture of buffalo sauce and ranch dressing. This will infuse the chicken with incredible flavor and ensure it stays moist during the slow cooking process. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. 2. Adding the Sauce: Once the chicken has marinated, place it in the slow cooker and pour any remaining marinade over the top. This will ensure that every bite is bursting with buffalo goodness. Make sure to evenly coat the chicken with the sauce for maximum flavor. 3. Cooking to Perfection: Set your slow cooker to low heat and cook the chicken for 6-8 hours, or until it is tender and easily shreds with a fork. The slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld together and creates incredibly tender chicken that practically falls apart. 4. Shredding the Chicken: Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and transfer it to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to quickly and effortlessly shred the chicken. 5. Final Touches: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and mix it with the remaining sauce to ensure every morsel is coated in delicious buffalo flavor. Allow the chicken to simmer in the slow cooker for an additional 15-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Now that your buffalo chicken is prepared to perfection, you're ready to assemble your sandwiches. Grab some buns, load them up with the buffalo chicken, and top with your favorite toppings. Whether you prefer blue cheese crumbles, sliced onions, or pickles, the choice is yours. Get creative and make it your own! With this simple yet flavorful preparation process, you'll have a batch of slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches that are sure to impress. So gather your ingredients, fire up the slow cooker, and get ready to enjoy a delicious meal that will have everyone asking for seconds. Slow Cooker Tips When it comes to using a slow cooker, there are a few expert tips that can help you achieve the best results. One important tip is to adjust the cooking times based on the recipe and the size of your slow cooker. If a recipe calls for 4 hours on high, but you have a larger slow cooker, you may need to reduce the cooking time to prevent overcooking. Another key tip is to ensure even heat distribution throughout the slow cooker. This can be achieved by layering ingredients properly and avoiding overcrowding. It's important to leave some space between the ingredients to allow for proper circulation of heat. Preventing overcooking is also crucial when using a slow cooker. To avoid this, it's recommended to check the internal temperature of the food using a meat thermometer. This will help you determine if the food is cooked thoroughly without being overdone. Additionally, it's important to resist the temptation to lift the lid and check on the food frequently. Each time you lift the lid, you release heat and extend the cooking time. It's best to trust the slow cooker and let it do its job without interruption. Overall, these expert tips will help you use your slow cooker effectively and ensure that your meals turn out delicious and perfectly cooked. By adjusting cooking times, ensuring even heat distribution, and preventing overcooking, you'll be able to enjoy the full flavors of your slow cooker creations.

Shredding the Chicken When it comes to making the perfect slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches, one of the most important steps is shredding the cooked chicken. This step ensures that the chicken is tender and easy to bite into, creating a mouthwatering texture that complements the bold flavors of the buffalo sauce. There are a few different techniques you can use to shred the chicken, depending on your preference and the tools you have available. One popular method is to use two forks to pull the chicken apart. Simply hold one fork in each hand and use them to pull the chicken in opposite directions. This method allows you to control the size of the shreds and gives you a more rustic texture. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can also use a stand mixer to shred the chicken. After the chicken has cooked in the slow cooker, transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low speed and let it do the work for you. In just a few minutes, you'll have perfectly shredded chicken that is ready to be piled high on your sandwiches. Regardless of the method you choose, be sure to let the chicken cool slightly before shredding it. This will make it easier to handle and reduce the risk of burning yourself. Once the chicken is shredded, you can mix it with the buffalo sauce to infuse it with that spicy, tangy flavor. So whether you prefer the traditional fork method or the convenience of a stand mixer, mastering the art of shredding chicken will take your slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches to the next level. Experiment with both techniques to find the one that works best for you and get ready to enjoy a sandwich that is bursting with flavor and has the perfect texture. Adding Toppings Adding toppings to your slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches is a great way to enhance their flavor and add some extra texture. Here are some delicious topping options that you can try: - Blue Cheese Crumbles: Sprinkle some tangy blue cheese crumbles on top of your buffalo chicken for a creamy and savory addition. - Sliced Onions: Add some thinly sliced onions to give your sandwich a bit of crunch and a hint of sweetness. - Pickles: For a tangy and refreshing twist, add some sliced pickles to your buffalo chicken sandwich. These toppings not only complement the spicy buffalo flavor but also provide a contrast in taste and texture. Feel free to mix and match or experiment with other toppings to create your own unique combination. Remember, the toppings are what make the sandwich truly special!

Serving Suggestions Serving Suggestions When it comes to serving your slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches, there are endless possibilities to explore. Here are some creative ideas to enhance the flavor and make your meal even more enjoyable. - Pair with Coleslaw: The creamy and crunchy texture of coleslaw perfectly complements the spicy and tangy flavors of the buffalo chicken. You can either serve the coleslaw as a side dish or add it directly to the sandwich for an extra layer of deliciousness. - Top with Potato Chips: For a delightful crunch, consider adding a handful of potato chips on top of your buffalo chicken sandwich. The combination of the tender chicken, spicy sauce, and crispy chips creates a mouthwatering sensation. - Serve with Sweet Potato Fries: If you're looking for a savory and satisfying side dish, sweet potato fries are an excellent choice. The natural sweetness of the fries pairs well with the spicy buffalo chicken, creating a balanced and flavorful meal. These serving suggestions are just the beginning. Feel free to get creative and experiment with other toppings and side dishes that you enjoy. Whether you prefer a classic combination or want to try something completely unique, the choice is yours. The key is to find flavors and textures that complement the bold and delicious taste of the slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwiches.

Variations

Variety is the spice of life, and when it comes to buffalo chicken sandwiches, there are endless possibilities to explore. While the classic recipe is undeniably delicious, why not switch things up and try some exciting variations? Here are a few ideas to take your buffalo chicken sandwiches to the next level: - Buffalo Chicken Sliders: Instead of using regular-sized buns, opt for slider buns to create adorable mini sandwiches. They are perfect for parties or as a fun appetizer. - Adding Avocado or Bacon: For an extra burst of flavor, consider adding slices of creamy avocado or crispy bacon to your buffalo chicken sandwich. The combination of the tangy buffalo sauce with the richness of avocado or the smoky goodness of bacon is simply irresistible. - Using Different Types of Bread: Don't limit yourself to just plain buns. Experiment with different types of bread to add a unique twist to your sandwich. Try using ciabatta, pretzel rolls, or even a baguette for a crusty and flavorful alternative. These variations allow you to customize your buffalo chicken sandwiches according to your preferences and create a personalized culinary experience. Whether you're hosting a game day gathering or simply craving a tasty meal, these creative twists will surely impress your family and friends. Remember, the key to a great buffalo chicken sandwich is the perfect balance of flavors. So, don't be afraid to get creative and add your own unique touch. Let your taste buds guide you and enjoy the explosion of flavors that these variations bring to the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to cook the buffalo chicken in the slow cooker? The cooking time for the buffalo chicken in the slow cooker is typically around 4-6 hours on low heat or 2-3 hours on high heat.Can I use frozen chicken breasts for this recipe? Yes, you can use frozen chicken breasts. However, make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. It may take longer for the chicken to cook through.Can I use a different type of sauce instead of buffalo sauce? Absolutely! If you prefer a milder flavor, you can use a barbecue sauce or a honey mustard sauce instead of buffalo sauce. Feel free to experiment with different flavors to suit your taste.Can I make the buffalo chicken sandwiches ahead of time?Yes, you can prepare the buffalo chicken ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. When you're ready to serve, simply reheat the chicken in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. This makes it convenient for parties or busy weeknights.Are there any vegetarian options for this recipe? If you're looking for a vegetarian option, you can substitute the chicken with tofu or tempeh. Marinate the tofu or tempeh in the buffalo sauce and cook it in the slow cooker as instructed. It will still be delicious and packed with flavor.What toppings go well with buffalo chicken sandwiches? There are plenty of toppings that complement the flavors of buffalo chicken sandwiches. Some popular options include blue cheese crumbles, sliced onions, pickles, and lettuce. Feel free to get creative and customize your sandwiches with your favorite toppings.Can I freeze the leftover buffalo chicken? Yes, you can freeze the leftover buffalo chicken for future use. Make sure to store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. When you're ready to enjoy it again, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. Read the full article

[jensownzoo]

The latest stage of replacing part of my front lawn with a garden bed has completed stages (rows) 3 & 4.

Stage 3 was easy since all I had left to do was dig up the pavers I wanted from the side yard and get them situated in row 3 so I had a walking row. Planted the Kentucky Colonel mint in the center (I’ll be rooting multiple cuttings from this and putting them between all the pavers eventually). Also planted some nasturtium seed and oregano seed here. Ordered the white Dutch clover seed that will fill everything in and make the bees ecstatic.

Stage 4 was a bitch and a half. It took 3 days of work to get done. Apparently some time in the past, a fence lived in this row and when they took out the fence, they left the concrete holding the posts behind. I had to break out the sledgehammer :-( Got 2 out of 3 completely out and enough inches knocked off the top of the last one that I called it good. But in addition to the concrete, being a former fenceline meant that the clay soil never really saw any action—so about 6 inches down it turned into very heavy very solid red clay...which I then had to crumble with my hands. My poor, sore hands. However, I did finally remember I had a whole bale of rotting straw which since I didn’t want to give it to the chickens for their run (being that it was growing unidentified mushrooms), I could use to thoroughly amend this terrible clay soil. Tilled a mineral mix and a general fertilizer into the top 4” and added plants.

Was originally going to make this row eggplants, but realized their size would work better next to the sidewalk so did a final row of tomatoes instead. Mix of varieties including Paul Robeson, a Japanese black slicer, Heinz 1350 VF, and three different cherry tomatoes (a red, a yellow, and a blue). I did a row of old mammoth dill seed mixed with orange French marigold seed that I scavenged last fall (from the green waste dumpsters in the alley). Also threw in a row of scavenged Liatris (blazing star/gayfeather) seed, but I’ll be surprised if the seed is any good. I’ve still got three homeless tomato seedlings left, but I may guerilla-plant them since I now have 24 tomato plants in front and another 18 in the back as I have planted up another one of my raised beds.

The overwintered Nicotiana went in previously, but now it’s been joined by three tomatillos (and purple cage support) and 6 tomatoes. This bed is partially shaded in the afternoon so three of the transplants are Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes. Even if their production isn’t as good in part shade, it’s still going to be significant. The fluffy straw is working wonderfully for keeping the wildlife from digging up the beds (mostly after earthworms since I’ve got GOOD soil in them) and tossing seeds/seedlings about. Plus the extra insulation at night. Will probably pull it off and chop it up for a proper mulch in late May sometime since a hot dry summer is forecasted again.

I impulse-bought two rhubarb seedlings at the neighborhood grocery and have been dithering about where to put them. Got them in-ground today and have already changed my mind, but here they are presently. They’re planted too close together for the long-term, plus that spot gets too much afternoon shade.

My earthboxes are doing really well! Looks like I’ll be having salad for lunch for the next week on the thinnings. The boxes aren’t hovering, btw. I’ve got them supported on metal beams running between some cinder blocks—less bending over makes for a happier back.

I pulled out a bunch of old containers and have been giving the ones that are still sound a coat of spray paint to freshen them up throughout this past week. Most of them are over 20 years old and were pitted and faded/stained enough to show it. I had a large collection of spray paint that I’ve picked up on clearance over the years, so I picked some of the brightest shades. Here are the window boxes I did today, but I also have larger containers that I did in bright yellow, aqua/teal, and a pinky-purple.

And here’s a random picture of the hawthorn in my side yard because it looks neat right now.

Only one more row of the front yard gardening bed project to go, but I am dreading it so much right now after the last row. I am going to have to put something in as an edger or everything will end up on the sidewalk after a good rain, so maybe I’ll procrastinate by poking around in the garage a bit...

[dulceateez]

𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡!𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐳

𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘫𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘨 

it wasn’t anything extraordinary, nothing out of the ordinary from him. he’s a gentleman. always has been and always will be. he treats everyone with the same amount of respect and love, but this time was different. after a surprise practice fire drill, you rush along with your classmates into the bitter fall wind, hugging your arms close to your chest. your legs shivering and lips trembling. you mentally scold yourself for wearing such a thin outfit. but here comes your hero; with a big hoodie in his hand. you slip into the clothing and wallow in his cozy, floral, manly scent. you look up at him to thank him but his arm wraps around your shoulders and brought you closer to his body. your cheeks turned crimson and you melt into his warmth, forgetting about the harsh cold; “y/n-ah, how can you wear such an outfit when it’s so cold outside! you need to dress warmer now, keep my hoodie for when you walk home today.” 

𝘴𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘩𝘸𝘢 

you didn’t know him prior to this interaction; heard of him. yes, of course you’ve heard of him. everyone has a crush on this boy and you understand the appeal. still, you’ve never felt the butterflies in your stomach when he flashes a smile in the direction of you and your friends. at least not until that subtle touch you felt on the small of your back as he passed by. who knew the crowded hallway could feel so empty after experiencing the seonghwa effect. what made your heart race was when he turned to flash you a smirk so devilish that it sent you straight to heaven. did you just fall for the more unattainable guy in this school? yes. do you regret it? no. you felt your mind warp into one like his followers.’ perhaps you dressed yourself up more and paid extra attention to your actions after the encounter; something you’ll never admit to yourself or anyone else. you want to feel his effect once more and that’s exactly why you fell for him. 

𝘺𝘶𝘯𝘩𝘰 

he’s the sweet boy next door, an eager puppy that always awaits your arrival, stalking your movements with child-like admiration. he finds you absolutely beautiful, since the day he moved in, but you’re taking longer to come around. but tonight changes the way you view him. your day was stressful, tear inducing even, and you just want to lay in bed and snuggle your favorite stuffed animal. the puppy analyzes your movements from afar and springs into action when you stomp right into your room as opposed to going into the kitchen for a snack like always. you lay in a puddle of your own self-pity when you hear thuds against your windowpane, you pull back the curtains and look down to see the homey boy smiling up at you with a bag of your favorite chips in hand. he gives it a shake, as if he’s coaxing you, you open the window up for him to climb into and he wastes no time in engulfing you in a bear hug. you replace the golden retriever plushy with him. as the two of you lay, not saying a single word, your heart starts to beat fast against his stomach; “y/n? are you nervous? do i make you nervous! you make me so nervous but i love it.” 

𝘺𝘦𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨 

how can someone not fall for such a sweet little human? his hair is fluffy like cotton candy, cheeks puffy like mochi, eyes shinning brighter than the hard chocolate coating on candies. while his voice is as deep as the ocean it seems, his kind words contrast his tone. you often dreamt about the feelings of his lips; are they soft like clouds or do they send you to them? there was never one moment that solidified your attraction to him. from the first time you saw him, you’ve only had eyes for him. however, when you saw him giggling softly with his group of loud friends. the stark contrast between their bold and loud behavior and his gentle nature makes your heart go crazy. you suddenly became jealous--wanting to be the reason behind his laughter and his smiles, wanting to be the reason why he’s so bright and cheery. perhaps one day you will be. 

𝘴𝘢𝘯 

dimples. his cute little dimples. a dimpled boy like him never goes unnoticed. that’s how you noticed him, his cute smile and even cuter dimples. he sat across from you in the library once, taking notes from his textbook and writing them down on notebook paper. you admired him from afar. he was doing the same thing, raking his eyes over your body and face. finally, you built up the courage to introduce yourself to him and your fixation on his grew into a crush just by the way his eyes looked up at you: charming and hopeful. he removed his backpack from the seat next to him and invited you to sit down with him, a welcoming smile the whole time. while the two you studied independently, he kept sliding silly drawings under your fingertips. that’s when you knew for certain that you fell for the dimpled boy. and you fell for him hard after he asked you, “wanna go out and get a coffee or something after?” 

𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪 

who knew being burnt by your newly bought cup of coffee could end so sweetly? you’ve long forgotten about the burning sensation when you locked eyes with the empathetic set of eyes that stared back at you. annoyed? yes. but  how can someone stay mad at an innocent face like his? you’ve seen him around the campus, always thought he was attractive, but a handsome face doesn’t leave and impression on you. however, him stripping out of his hoodie to give to you, leaving him in a very thin white t-shirt, made your heart swoon. he panicked upon seeing your skin turn into red. not knowing what else to do, he gently took your wrist and guided you into the nurses office where he stood by you every step of the way. even offered to take you to the hospital; but you two settled on him buying you a new cup of coffee...of course he joins you as well. 

𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 

the cockiness he has drives you crazy in the worst way possible. you hate his smirks and hate his abrupt laughter. what you don’t hate is how friendly and social he is--you’re envious of those traits. he treats everyone like he’s their buddy and makes sure everyone is included somehow. you’re more on the shy side and an easy target for bullies to pick on, that’s why you didn’t believe him when he spoke so kindly to you. but the moment that made you realize that your heart has fallen for him? when he scared off the bullies. you’ve never seen this side of him; snarling teeth, fist balled, veins on his neck prominent with anger. after seeing you on the brink of tears after having insults thrown your way, he can’t just sit around and enable this behavior by not saying anything. the friendly, but somewhat annoying, facade disappears. he shakes the guy by his collar, venom being spit on his face. once he scared the man out of his wits, he turns to you and approaches you softly, gently grabbing your hands; “has he been bothering you lately? i’ll make sure he never even looks in your direction.” 

𝘫𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘩𝘰

such a sultry voice with high notes that reach the gods surrounding the earth, how can someone just move on from this type of singing? it was an immediate attraction to the anonymous man behind the honey voice. you began to wonder what he may look like--setting your expectations higher than the notes he is able to sing. you never built up the courage to peek into the music room and steal a glance and you always chickened out on staying after to see who leaves the room. it wasn’t until the day of the school’s choir when you found out who the voice belonged to. the quiet kid steps up to the mic and begins singing; your ears perked up instantly. the voice so familiar and you knew from exactly where. he stared at you as he sang the sweet lyrics, never breaking eye contact despite his solo ending. you felt alone in the audience, like everyone has disappeared and now it’s just him serenading you, warmth is all you felt. 

◌ 𝐭𝐚𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ◌ @blaqpinksthetic​ @tinkerbellwoo​

[soupbabe]

Stardust Crusaders w a Chubby s/o!

Gender neutral reader babey!! Also added Iggy (platonic) to replace Old Joseph because the most I got was sugar daddy Joseph. He has that Speedwagon Foundation money, that's it.

Also this really do be showing who my favorites are out of them skdndkkd

~ Jotaro Kujo ~

He doesn't care what you look like, but that doesn't stop him from checking you out occasionally. You look different compared to a lot of students he's seen at his school and he highkey low-key likes what he's seeing

Looks just aren't that important to Jotaro in my opinion, he knows what it feels like to be given unwanted attention or people only wanting him just for his looks and nothing else. Why would he act the same way to you?

That being said, if you are in a relationship with him he's surprisingly sweet.

When y'all are alone he likes to give you little complements while you're cuddled up beside him or on top of him, playing with his hair.

Not the biggest on pda because he knows that the rest of the group *cough cough* Joseph and Polnareff *cough cough* would tease him to hell and back, but sometimes Star Platinum would be sneaky and give you surprise hugs from the back while he rubs his cheek against your chubby ones

It never fails to make you let out a little chuckle and you kiss him on the cheek to show appreciation to both Joot and Star <3

I fully believe that his favorite part of your body are your big arms. Like they're so soft omg and when the group can rest for a bit he likes to rest his head on them and silently enjoy how soft they are

You like to tease him about how soft he can be and you'll get one out of three reactions: Him pulling his hat down to hide a flustered Jotaro, a playful (but still scaring looking) glare, or a flick to the forehead

~ Noriaki Kakyoin ~

I feel like he wouldn't be too shy about his attraction to you, complimenting you at random times but it wouldn't be overbearing. It's mostly just to see how cute your face looks when your face heats up and you try to quicky push away the flustered feelings

How couldn't he not find you attractive? I like to think that he's a huge art nerd and your figure reminds him of those people in paintings who radiated beauty and gracefulness

Uh yea doesn't matter if you literally go feral in fighting, that's all that comes to his mind when he sees you sjsnsjsk

Somewhat shy when it comes to pda, but he is touched starved so he'll always link his slim fingers with your soft and chubby ones while you guys travel

Loves to lay his head on your fluffy stomach, twirl his lil hair noodle and he'll fall asleep within 5 minutes

This is a very good thing to exploit when he's up late playing on his Game Boy that sneaked in while preparing for the trip to Egypt

Just fuckin uh y a n k him into cuddle time and he'd probably won't complain too much. You're warm and it's very nice.

His favorite body part is your thick thighs, he likes to lay between them while he plays his game. You're his favorite gaming chair technically.

Eh don't worry though he gives lil celebratory kisses to them everytime he wins a game

~ Jean-Pierre Polnareff ~

Absolutely adores plus sized bodies! There's more to love and hold onto, you know?

Your biggest supporter, supplier of confidence, and the booster of your ego

"Oh Mon cheri/Ma Cherie! You look so amazing in those new clothes! Your curves look wonderful as always!~"

He's beefy as all hell and he will lift you up. Literally doesn't matter how heavy you think you are you are getting treated like royalty

Squeezes your soft frame like a teddy bear sometimes.

Enjoys pda, but like it's mostly having his arm around your squishy waist and if you aren't comfortable with it he'll respect it 1000%!

Will absolutely show you off to anyone and everyone! He almost got decked by Star once for annoying Jotaro because he kept going on and on about you and you just laughed at it

Enjoys having you lay on top of him, ngl it's like his own weighted blanket and you get to be able to bury your face in his big bara tiddies

He likes to touch you a lot and enjoys holding you close at night. I just think it's because he wants to double check to see if you're actually real. He's lost a lot of loved ones and has been learning to cherish them more before they're gone and having you here with him and staying for as long as you have makes him fear that he'll lose you for a tiny bit so he takes any opportunity to get to be with you.

I think he'd just admire your stretch marks! It makes you unique and he loves the way you laugh when he places lil smooches all over them

~ Muhammad Avdol~

Absolute sweetheart the love I have for this man is immeasurable ajdjsksjsn he's so gentle with you it doesn't matter how you look he would love you regardless your size

He seems like a man who is proud of his knowledge and appreciation of other cultures, his favorite thing is to feed you his favorite foods, watching your eyes light up while he tells you interesting facts about how they make it and where it comes from

Really not one to go wild on pda, hand holding or draping an arm around you around you to keep you close is what he's comfortable with

He seems like he'd know how to bake omg he'd absolutely lose it if you baked with him because he can just sneak up behind you, wrap his arms around your tummy, while just acting like the close proximity between your faces isn't making your face show visible signs of your mind going 'y/n.exe has stopped working'

His robe is absolutely huge on you and it's your favorite blanket when the group has to sleep in the desert.

I can imagine it smelling so nice like what comes to mind is white sage?? Anyways, his coat is definitely a comfort item you wear on those days where you do feel a bit insecure. It's big, soft, and smells like the man that brings you the most comfort.

His chickens adore you so much!! Literally they would have to or else Muhammad would not be in a relationship with you lmao, he believes they have good judgement and they're like his kids.

They love to be by your side and they love to be in your lap, you're just so soft it's like heaven to them

Yea his favorite body part is your plush tummy! He just finds it cute and it's his favorite thing to either rest his head on or grab onto while cuddling! If you wear a crop top (or shirtless if you're a masc person and crop tops aren't your thing :) ) and his face just burns up omg you're so handsome/beautiful how did he ever get so lucky

~Iggy (Platonic. Of course.)~

(IM SO SORRY BUT I'M LAUGHING AT THIS PICTURE SO MUCHS SKSHSKNSKSKS)

You're his owner, the only one who can pet and dote on him like the little feral baby he is <3

He lets you take a piece of his coffee gum and occasionally steals treats for the both of you to share sometimes

Although the majority of it goes to Iggy because it's all covered in dog drool

When it's car ride time he loves to lay in your lap or sometimes he forces has you carry him around because he enjoys being able to relax in your big arms

If people start staring at you inappropriately, including any of the Crusaders, expect them to get barked and growled at

If anyone decides to make rude comments surrounding your weight, enemy or not, they're getting their hair ripped out and their left shoe shit in <3

You make sure to buy him extra gum and call him a good boy

He's like your furry little bodyguard, if anyone does or talks some shit, they're going to get hit

[tartagliove]

One Last Night ✧ Bakugou Katsuki

Summary ✧ You spend your last night of freedom out in the markets. You meet a stranger from a foreign country, and surprisingly have a lot more fun than you thought you would. If only you didn���t have to get engaged to the prince of Yuuei the next morning.

Pairing ✧ Bakugou Katsuki x Reader

Word Count ✧ 2.3k

Tags and Warnings ✧ Royalty au, arranged marriage, fluff.

Note ✧ Due to many complicated circumstances, this is a five month late fic for @tspice283​ as part of Attack on Academia’s winter fic exchange! I hope you enjoy it Tala, despite the tardiness >.< Thanks so much to @ererokii and @etegomanere for betaing this fic!

–

It’s your last night of freedom, so you want to enjoy it to the fullest. With a simple black mask concealing the upper half of your face, you’ll be anonymous among the sea of people in the marketplace. No one will recognize you for who you are—for what you are.

They’ll never know their princess is among them.

You blend seamlessly with the crowd, moving with the flow until you see stalls that catch your interest. No one here will judge you if you have one too many snacks in your hands, so you follow delicious scents in the air, purchasing candied fruits, fluffy bread, crisp pastries, and skewers of seasoned vegetables and meat.

Something interesting happens when you’re at the skewer stall. As you’re waiting for your order to finish grilling, someone steps up beside you and slams two copper coins onto the counter.

“I want a chili glazed chicken skewer, with extra spicy dipping sauce on the side.” The rough voice is demanding, and the stall owner nods quickly, putting another skewer on the grill.

You huff a quiet laugh. Someone really likes the heat. “Trying to burn yourself from the inside out?” you ask, glancing at the stranger out of the corner of your eyes.

He’s tall, and his shoulders are broad, though the black cape draped on him conceals some of his figure. The hood is pulled over his head, casting his face in dark shadows. Though when he turns slightly to look at you, there’s a flash of red as lamplight makes his eyes shine.

“That? That probably doesn’t even have much of a kick.”

You eye the bright red glaze that the stall owner coats the chicken skewer in. “Right…”

The stranger scoffs, but doesn’t say anything. His weight shifts and he rests his forearms on the edge of the counter, body turning slightly toward you, gaze heavy as he takes in your mask. You can’t help yourself from touching the edge of it, making sure that it stays put.

“So,” you start, trying to take his attention off your face, “where are you from? Not from around here, I think; your clothes don’t quite match the current fashion.”

He doesn’t respond right away, but “Yuuei” eventually slips past his lips.

Your eyes widen, then a bit of fire starts to burn in your chest. “Oh. Yuuei,” you say, rather meanly.

He snarls. “You got a problem with that?”

“Yeah,” you spit back. “Of course I have a problem with Yuuei. Of course I have a problem with the country that wants to ally itself with mine, by taking away my freedom!”

The stranger straightens up, and his voice is dark and full of fury. “Well your country is taking mine away, too! When the fuck did I sign up for getting married? Who the hell wants to ‘grow connections’ by such shit conditions, anyway?”

You find yourself sympathizing with him the more he speaks, the anger that had flared up in you settling back down into embers. He sounds like he’s almost in the same situation as you. Though you’re a princess, stuck marrying the prince of Yuuei for the countries to become allies, so you’re probably a bit worse off than he is.

But then he ends with, “So get your head out of your ass, princess, you aren’t the only one with problems,” and you freeze completely, eyes wide and lips parted.

How did he figure it out?

Fingers snap in front of your face, and he leans in toward you. “Oh?” he asks, a smug lilt to his voice, his anger draining away as he finds amusement instead. “A little nickname gets you flustered, hm, princess?”

You’re relieved that he doesn’t actually know who you are, but a scowl turns down your lips at his teasing. “I’m not flustered,” you hiss, turning your head away from him.

The stall owner is a welcome distraction, handing your cooked skewer over as you slide two coppers across the counter. He seems a little nervous though, shifting, probably because the two of you had just started arguing right in front of his stand. You smile at him, apologetic.

As you start eating your food, your eyes flicker toward the stranger.

“So, uh, since you’re not from around here, want someone to show you around the market?”

Bakugou mulls your offer over as he accepts his own spicy skewer and dips the first piece of chicken into the hot sauce. He normally would say no—he probably should say no—but “sure” slips out of his mouth instead.

And so, you find yourself accompanying this hooded stranger for the rest of the night.

–

He introduces himself as Katsuki after you prod him relentlessly for a name to call him by. You introduce yourself in return, only giving your first name for fear of him recognizing you as royalty from your surname.

His stomach seems to be an even deeper pit than yours; he’s put away twice the amount of food you’ve ordered every single time you stop at a food stall. He’s also skilled enough to beat the rigged stall games, throwing beanbags with such force somehow manages to shatter some of the heavy bottles. And when he wins the grand prize of a giant stuffed wolf, he shoves the thing into your arms and stalks away. You look down at the wolf plushie, grinning when you notice its red eyes, and hurry after him.

Later in the evening, you take him by the weapon stalls when he mentions that he’s looking for a new sword. Various blacksmiths from the area display their wares on long tables, each piece gleaming under the soft lantern light.

“What about this one, Katsuki?” you ask, pointing at a double-edged sword.

Bakugou barely spares it a glance. “Too small,” he replies, and your jaw drops.

“How big of a sword are you even looking for?” The one you had pointed out is as long as one of your arms, though the blade isn’t too wide.

He doesn’t respond for a moment as he glances further down the table. “One like... one like this.”

He looks to the blacksmith, who gives him a nod, and Bakugou lifts up the claymore, one hand on the hilt and the other palm supporting the blade. It’s at least half his height, and you’re in awe of the strength it takes to carry it, let alone to wield it in a fight.

“That one?”

Bakugou steps back from the table and gives it a few experimental swings, moving slowly so the blade doesn’t get too close to anyone passing by. He likes how it feels in his hands, and a pleased smile spreads across his face. “Yeah. This one.”

–

So, not only do the two of you end the night with full stomachs and pleasant moods, you have a giant stuffed wolf in your arms, while Bakugou has an equally large sword strapped to his back.

The two of you make your way to the edge of the market, each knowing that the night is over and it’s time to return to your duties. You wish you could tell Bakugou that you wanted to meet again, but tomorrow morning you’ll sign away your freedom and become engaged to Yuuei’s prince.

All you can say is, “Thank you for tonight. I had a lot of fun.”

The bittersweet smile on your face makes Bakugou choose his words carefully, for he also feels that slight ache in his chest. “Yeah. Me too.”

You stand there, staring into his glittering red eyes. He studies your own eyes framed by the mask, and his gaze trails down to the curve of your lips.

He wants to- he wishes- but oh how he shouldn’t, not when he knows he’ll never see you again. So Bakugou doesn’t let himself do what he desires in the moment, and speaks again instead. “If you ever come to Yuuei and we somehow meet up again, I’ll repay the favor.”

A brilliant smile lights up your face, and you nod eagerly. You don’t think about how unlikely that will be. You don’t think about the responsibilities you have. You only think about him, and hold out your pinky.

“Pinky promise?” It’s a children’s thing, but you want to tease him and see if he’ll actually do it.

Bakugou sighs and rolls his eyes, but links his pinky with yours anyways. “Promise.”

Your fingers stay linked for another moment. When you’re about to break the link, Bakugou turns your hand over, and ducks his head down to press his lips to the back of your hand. His movements are smooth; well practiced, as if he’s a member of the nobility who has to do this often.

He looks up, red eyes piercing as he smirks at your flustered expression. “Goodnight, princess. Get home safe.”

You nod, and he straightens, hand slowly withdrawing from yours. The back of your hand feels hot in one spot, and your palm is warm too. “Y-yeah. Stay safe yourself.”

Bakugou nods at you before turning away, long legs carrying him away from you and off into the night. You watch him until he disappears from sight, before sighing and making your way to the carriage you arrived in.

One of your maids hops out of the carriage and immediately fusses over you, smoothing out the layers of your dress that had started to wrinkle from hours of walking around. You let her do that for a couple of seconds, before hopping into the carriage. The giant wolf plushie is soft and warm in your arms, and you can barely peer around the side of it at your maid.

“What did you do while I was at the market?” you ask.

She starts talking, and you let your mind wander. It drifts to thoughts of ruby eyes and a sharp blade, and a rough voice that warms you from the inside out. It’s a voice that you’ll miss, you decide.

You can only hope that the prince of Yuuei will be half as interesting as the stranger you met today.

–

Funnily enough, it turns out that the prince of Yuuei is exactly as interesting as the stranger you met last night.

Your day starts off at the crack of dawn, which isn’t exactly great since you were out late in the markets. But you let your maids dress you up in something fancy, stringing a gemstone-embedded necklace around your neck. You’d much rather be in the lighter gown you wore yesterday, but foreign princes are pretty important and your parents would scold you if you showed up in anything less than what royalty should wear.

By the time you’re dressed and have shoveled something down for breakfast, it’s time for the Yuuei representatives to meet with you and your parents.

You sit down just moments before the people from Yuuei are announced, and enter the room. You look down at the table, stubbornly keeping yourself from looking at any of them. If your fiance-to-be is in the room, you’d rather not acknowledge him until you have to.

Your parents and the representatives exchange pleasantries for a bit, before they grow more serious and start discussing terms of the alliance. Their voices pass through one ear and out the other, and your mind only snatches little phrases here and there.

Suddenly, a new voice joins the conversation; a rough and deep and familiar one that makes your back stiffen and your heartbeat quicken.

“Is my fiance so opposed to this arrangement that she finds the table the most interesting thing in the room?”

The insult prickles, but is overshadowed by the fact that you recognize the voice. You lift your head slowly, and scan the people in the room. Your eyes stop on a male around your age, sprawled in his seat with one leg dangling over the armrest. His fingers tap steadily against the sheath of a giant sword that leans against the side of his chair.

And ruby eyes glitter at you from across the room.

Your own eyes widen, and you shoot to your feet. “Katsuki!” His name spills past your lips, and the joy in your voice is obvious to all in the room. This is so much better than all the other possibilities your mind had conjured up in the weeks leading up to today.

Bakugou frowns. Why do you sound familiar, even though you haven’t said anything in this meeting before now?

You reign yourself in after your mother shoots you a concerned look. You’re a princess, after all, you better act like one in front of all these people—regardless of how Bakugou is acting, though he’s a prince.

A prince that you’re to marry, a voice inside of you whispers.

You clear your throat. “Prince Bakugou,” you say, realizing why he only told you his first name last night, “I have no objections to this arrangement. After all, I believe you promised to show me around Yuuei’s markets someday, and I intend to hold you to that.”

The more you talk, the more the pieces click together in Bakugou’s mind. And by the end of your response, Bakugou is on his feet, mirroring your stance from across the table.

A genuine grin stretches across his face, and he nods at you. “I don’t break my promises. Looks like you’ll be stuck with me for a long while, princess. Hope you don’t mind.”

You wink. “Oh, I don’t mind at all.”

Yes, the prince of Yuuei is just as interesting as the stranger from the market. And you are so glad for it.

[fruitcoops]

if you are still taking request I think that it would be so cute if lily convinced remus to go to the nail salon with her, and he was going to just get like a manicure and clear coat, and he changes his mind and comes home with his nails done sirius' favorite color as a surprise and sirius is just like dumbstruck by how much the little things remus does makes him fall even more in love with him and fluffy cuteness ensues

This is adorable! Enjoy some Loops and Lily, ft. fluffy Coops on this lovely Monday. SW credit goes to @lumosinlove!

“Remind me why I’m coming with you again?” Remus sighed as they turned the corner. “It’s just going to chip off in two days anyway.”

“Because you had a shitty weekend and deserve a hand massage,” Lily said briskly. She looped her arm through his and tucked her hand into her pocket, tilting her face up toward the sun and trusting him to guide her along the sidewalk. “You don’t have to choose colors if you don’t want to.”

“If I have to go, I’m not going to half-ass it.”

She grinned and cracked one eye open. “There’s my Remus.”

A gentle bell jingled above his head as they ducked into the shop—Lily called it a ‘salon’, which he didn’t really understand, but it sounded fancy. One woman looked up from a client’s nails and waved, then pointed to the far wall. “Pick whatever colors you’d like! I’ll be with you in a few.”

Remus stopped in his tracks. “That’s…a lot.”

Lily rolled her eyes and dragged him closer. “You’re not chickening out on me over some colors, Lupin. Which one do you like?”

“I don’t know! There’s too many!”

“There’s green,” Lily huffed, planting him in front of about three dozen different shades. “Go nuts.”

“I’m not putting green on my nails. It’ll look weird.”

“Then do red and gold!”

“That’s lame. Can’t I just watch you get yours done?”

“No,” Lily groaned. It wasn’t the first time he had asked, and likely wouldn’t be the last. “It’s about the experience, Re. If you want just a clear coat, that’s fine, but you said you—”

“—didn’t want to half-ass it, I know,” he finished with a grumble. Colors. Colors aren’t that difficult. Green would be odd, orange would be worse…

His eyes caught on a little bottle near the base of the racks. It was a plain, pretty blue; nothing special, yet calming. Sea You Later! the base read when he picked it up. Lily made an approving noise over his shoulder. “That’s cute.”

“It’s not bad.”

“Looks like Sirius’ shirt, actually. The one with the dogs on it?”

Remus rolled the bottle around for a moment. “It really does, now that you mention it. Huh.”

She patted his hip and went back to the shiny, shimmery ones on the right. “You should give it a shot.”

---------------------------------------

Painting nails took a really, really long time. Much longer than Remus was anticipating when he hesitantly rested his hands on the towel and tried not to think about how much bigger they were than Lily’s. He felt awkward in a place like this, where everyone seemed so put-together and comfortable.

His worries were quickly dispelled when the nail artist began rubbing the tension from his joints with peony-scented lotion; he immediately relaxed into her touch, letting the calluses from sticks and weights be soothed. Judging from her pleased hum when she inspected his nails, he hadn’t accidentally been butchering them his whole life—the scrape of the nail file made him grimace, but she didn’t have to do much before a coat of clear polish went on.

“It’s a protector,” Lily said at his confused look. “So your nails stay healthy and don’t turn yellow.”

“This is a lot more complicated than I thought it would be,” Remus muttered as he stuck his hands underneath the miniature fan.

The nail artist laughed as she rolled her chair to Lily’s station. “First time?”

“Yeah. I can’t imagine you get a lot of guys in here.”

She shrugged. “More than you’d think, I bet. There’s nothing wrong with wanting your hands to look nice, and a pop of color never hurt anybody.”

“Good point.”

The clear polish—base coat, Lily said with a teasing smile—dried quickly, and soon two perfect layers of blue shone under the bright lamp. Lily’s design was much more complex than his own, with shimmery bits and spiraled paint, but he liked the simplicity. It even matched his socks.

Lily and the nail artist chatted the whole time, swapping stories about summer activities and everything that had happened since she last visited; Remus waited patiently with his fingertips under the fan and people-watched as the sun grew higher in the sky.

After an hour, they were finally done, and Remus couldn’t stop rubbing his hands together as they headed back outside until Lily smacked his arm. “Stop it, you look like a Disney villain.”

“I’m sorry, they’re just so soft!” He brought his hands to his face and breathed in the soft floral scent. “Here, feel.”

“I’m not going to feel your hands.”

“Feel them.” When she shook her head and kept walking, he jogged ahead and held them out, palms-up. “Lily! Feel my hands!”

“Alright, fine!” she laughed, grabbing them both. Her eyebrows rose. “Damn, they are soft.”

“Told you so.”

“That color looks really good on you, too.”

“Yeah?” Remus looked down at the polish again, smiling to himself. There was just something about them that made him happy. “They match my socks.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope.” He reached down and pulled his pantleg up, startling a snort out of Lily.

“You’re ridiculous,” she said as she linked their arms again. “Did you have fun?”

“It was nice,” Remus said with a shrug. “I don’t know if I’ll go back a lot, but I had a good time listening to you two talk.”

Lily nodded, looking quite self-satisfied. “Good. I bet Sirius will get a kick out of them.”

“You think so?”

“For sure. He always likes mine.”

Remus thought back to the many, many times Lily had displayed her freshly-done nails to them with great pride; Sirius did have a penchant for colorful and sparkly things, after all. Why should his ordinary blue nails be any different?

Lily made sure to take an obligatory Instagram photo of their hands before they entered the house, then immediately laid out in front of the fan by the back door while she uploaded it. “Hey, Lily, it’s good to see you, too,” Sirius said drily as he came in from the backyard. “I’m good, thanks for asking. It’s pretty hot out there, but—”

“Shut up,” she laughed, grabbing the back of his ankle when he stepped over her. “Where’s my lover?”

“Your husband is tormenting my dog,” he called over his shoulder before winding his arms around Remus’ waist for a kiss. “Bonjour, mon amour.”

“Hey, you.” Remus bumped their noses together with a grin he could never even try to hold down. “You know how I never half-ass things?”

“Mhmm.”

He held his fingers up. “Ta-da!”

“Oh, pretty.” Sirius’ eyes went wide as he took one of Remus’ hands. “Your hands are so soft!”

“I know, right?”

“He made me feel them!” Lily groaned from the floor. “It was so weird.”

“You love it!” Remus shot back before leaning onto his tiptoes to kiss Sirius’ forehead. “I figured you’d like the blue.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t do green.”

Heat rose to his cheeks, and it had nothing to do with the sunshine. “It’s your favorite color, right? Not too green, not too purple. Reminded me of you.”

Sirius’ eyes grew impossibly soft and he cupped Remus’ jaw, pulling him in for an unhurried kiss that melted his brain into his toes. “Je t’aime.”

“Love you, too,” he breathed. His face was definitely redder than a fire engine by that point, but he hardly cared.

There was a light squeeze around his hand. “These look really nice.”

A spark of joy lit in Remus’ chest. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Ugh, love,” Lily scoffed, despite the fact that James was pressing a million and one kisses to her neck as he hugged her from behind. 6

Sirius thumped his forehead on Remus’ collarbone. “You are the worst sister-in-law of all time.”

“I know,” she said with a smug smile, tilting her head to kiss James’ cheek. “Hi, lover.”

“Hi. Your nails are so beautiful.”

“I didn’t get them in your favorite color. Sorry.”

“I’ll never recover,” James sighed. “Well, at least we’re not a terrible rom-com cliché.”

Remus flipped him off over Sirius’ shoulder; the nail polish gave the gesture a little extra oomph that certainly canceled out the grin that made his whole face ache.

[rocorambles]

A Skulk of Foxes

Pairing: Kita x Reader

Prompt: Fantasy

Genre: SFW, Fluff, Fox Shifter Kita, Fantasy AU, Shifter AU

Summary: You moved to the woods to start fresh, begin a new chapter in your life. Little do you know just how much your world is about to change because of a skulk of foxes.  

Author’s Note: This is my contribution for my HQ Discord Server’s SFW collaboration. There are so many talented writers on the server and I highly encourage you to check out the collaboration masterlist here to see how everyone decided to run with this prompt. (Masterlist goes live Thursday, October 29th 11:00pm U.K. time!) 

You sigh with relief when you finally finish unpacking the last box of your possessions, stretching your aching muscles as excitement finally begins to bubble inside of you when you proudly look at your new home you’ve made for yourself. Reality is finally sinking in and your giddy with the feeling of a fresh start, a new beginning. The quaint little cabin is certainly different from the cramped modern apartment you had in the heart of Tokyo, but different is exactly what you need and you nestle into the cozy armchair by the window in your new living room, a cup of hot tea in your hands as you enjoy the silence of nature and the view of swaying branches. 

If anyone were to have told you that you’d willingly choose to live in the middle of the woods by yourself a few years ago, you would have laughed. You were a city girl through and through and the idea of not being surrounded by the noise of traffic and crowds of people was baffling. But after your long-term relationship had taken a nosedive into the ground and crash and burned, suddenly the city felt suffocating, filled with too many memories, too many mutual acquaintances and when you had seen this listing on your way back home from work one night, you had jumped at the opportunity to escape it all and start a new chapter. 

Your new way of life takes some adjusting to, but you don’t mind as you pull on your new hiking boots, eager to explore the acres of wooded lands you’re surrounded by. The air is crisp and fresh, and you inhale deeply, soaking in the peaceful quiet only interrupted by the crunching of dirt and grass under your feet. And that’s how your days idle by, you scoping out the area in the early mornings as the sun is rising with your trusty nature handbook you’d bought in one hand, a basket in the other hand as you look back and forth between the herbs and plants you see and the painted illustrations and tips in the book, returning with a bundle of freshly picked produce before signing onto your work computer and dutifully putting in your hours. It’s a tiring grind, but when you finally get to power down your laptop and sit outside under the bright night stars with a glass of wine in your hand, it doesn’t seem so bad after all. 

You get savvier and more adventurous, really leaning into country living as you begin to grow your own vegetables and fruit, set up a fire pit, plant flowers that you use to spruce up your living space. It’s a wonderful life, but there’s only one slight concern in the back of your mind.

The foxes. 

Growing up in the city, you’d never learned how to handle animals other than the rats and roaches the concrete jungle was infested with. Sure, you love your share of fluffy dogs and cats that you’d pet and play with, but there’s a big difference between domesticized pets and wild animals and you had noticed early on that your neck of the woods seemed to be rampant with foxes. You wonder if it’s just the fact that you’d never seen a fox in real life before, but you can’t help but think these foxes seem much larger than your usual fox, their fur and eye colors ranging far more than you thought was biologically possible. But even though they seem to like hovering around you and watching you intently from a distance, they never draw near and they leave your gardens alone, so you dismiss their presence, letting them do as they please as you go about your own business. 

The weather’s getting colder and you figure now is the time to test the fire pit you’d built. It takes a bit of fumbling around, but you beam with pride when you get a flame started, mesmerized by the flickering light and warmth beginning to billow. And although the wind has a bite to it, the radiating heat keeps you comfortable as you roast the chicken you had bought in town, mouth already watering as the smell of cooked meat begins to permeate throughout the air. But you’re startled when two furry bodies suddenly brush up against you and you stay perfectly still, unsure what to do when a gold fox leaps into your lap, curling into a fluffy ball as he stares at you while a silver fox calmly sits next to you, nudging your hand with his head in a silent order to pet him and you tentatively scratch behind his ears, staring in awe as he leans into your touch. 

For wild animals, they’re oddly well behaved and affectionate and you’re frankly stunned that they hadn’t just pounced at the raw meat and ran away with your dinner. But you’re not complaining and you continue petting them as your meal continues cooking, only stopping to their dismay when the chicken is ready to be cut up. Your heart breaks a bit when you see them staring expectantly at you and you swear they're both pouting as you make a move to bring the chicken inside the house, but their ears perk up when you leave your door open and beckon them inside and they’re quick to race towards you, rushing between your legs before making their way to your dining table and jumping up on the extra chairs you have set. It’s certainly an odd sight to see two large wild foxes easily make themselves at home, but you can’t help but fondly smile at them when you prepare three plates of food and they eagerly dig in. 

They’re surprisingly neat about eating and it’s almost eerie how they seem to purposefully keep the scraps and bones on their plate, almost human-like the way they grab your napkin, using it to wipe their mouths and paws. Maybe they used to be someone’s pets? But you don’t dwell on it, enjoying the company they provide as they curl up by your feet as you wash the dishes, as their feet pitter-patter after you as you do some errands around the cabin and you’re almost sad when they nudge you to the door, waiting for you to let them out before you go to sleep. 

You quickly realize there’s nothing to be sad about, not when you have a furry entourage that walks beside you whenever you’re outside, not when bodies are weaving in between your legs, almost threatening to trip you with how excited they are to play with you, not when heads are constantly butting against you, begging for pets. It seems like your two friends had spread the word and now you have a whole slew of friendly foxes wanting to get to know you better and you love every second of it, even building a little door for them to easily walk in and out of your cabin and it becomes a common occurrence for you to wake up to fluffy bodies curled around your body, for foxes to be perched on your dining room chairs at meal times, for you to have a lap full of needy foxes wanting your attention when all your bellies are full.  

But there’s one fox who keeps his distance from you and even though he’s not the largest of the bunch, even you can sense the quiet authority he has as the other foxes are quick to lower their heads submissively and run to him when he barks at them. Even the golden fox who you’ve come to pinpoint as the troublemaker of the group seems to quiet down a bit around him and one day when he’s being just a tad too rowdy with you, nipping you harder than usual as he excitedly pounces on you, he immediately whines and sinks his head into the crook of your neck in apology when the light gray leader harshly growls at him. You affectionately pet the sad gold pile in your arms and verbally assure the gray fox that you’re fine even though you’re sure that he can’t understand a word you’re saying, but to your surprise, as if he comprehends exactly what you’re trying to convey, the gray fox relaxes a bit and lies back down, going back to quietly watching his pack and you. 

The weather’s becoming frigid and you know it’s silly to worry about clearly healthy and strong wild animals who’ve fended for themselves their whole lives, but you can’t help the pang of concern you have for your furry friends as snow begins to creep in. However, in hindsight, maybe you should have been more concerned for yourself. It’s an especially brutal day and you really shouldn’t be outside at all, not with the wind whipping at neck breaking speeds and torrential amounts of snow pouring down, but like a true city idiot, you’d procrastinated about restocking your wood supply and now with nothing left to keep you warm, you have no choice but to venture out and collect as much as you can to at least keep a fire going on during the worst of the snow storm. 

You pride yourself on knowing the woods like the back of your hand now, but the pain of the wind whipping your face and the never ending white in your vision as the snow keeps on coming down makes it hard to concentrate, makes it hard to orient yourself and as the frost begins to get to you, making you shiver, making you lose all train of thoughts other than the fact that you’re literally freezing to death, you panic. You’re frozen stiff as you wildly circle around, trying to calm the swirling dark thoughts in your head as you try to make sense of where you are, but it’s no use. Everything looks the same now and you think you might be sick from the rocketing anxiety inside of you, but you’re pulled back to reality by a harsh tug at your coat sleeve and you almost sob in relief when you see a familiar light gray pelt tipped with black. 

Brown eyes look imploringly at you as he gives your sleeve another harsh tug and that’s all the encouragement you need to stumble after him, trusting him to bring you back to safety. Your legs are numb and there’s not a hint of grace in your steps and for a second, you’re afraid of falling behind, but your heart warms at the way he makes sure to never be more than an arm's length in front of you, always turning his head back to make sure you’re still right behind him, nipping insistently at you when you pause for too long. And even when you finally reach your cabin, he practically shoves you through your door with his whole body, almost ripping your clothes as he rapidly helps you remove your soaked through clothing. 

You’re shocked to see him still standing outside your bathroom door when you finally step out of the warm water, but still overwhelmed and exhausted by the day’s events, you only briefly acknowledge him as your body barely makes it to your bed before collapsing. And as your eyes shut and you slip under a heavy cloud of sleep, you swear you feel arms and hands rearranging you, carefully tucking you underneath your blankets, propping your head up on a pillow. You swear you hear a male voice scolding you for putting yourself in danger, telling you to rest. But too exhausted to open your heavy lids, you chalk it up to your imagination before completely drifting off. 

You’ll never be able to fully explain what happened as you finally wake up only to find that a fire has been started, a healthy supply of dry wood set up by it, your wet clothes hung up to dry, but unable to really remember much after you’d been guided back to your cabin, you think you must have just been working on auto-pilot before you passed out. (Never mind that you certainly don’t remember collecting that much wood.) But with no better explanation, you let it be, just glad to be safe and warm. And it seems like you’re not the only one happy to still see you alive and kicking as familiar visitors come by to check in on you and you have a strange suspicion that they’re worried about you, even the gold fox being more docile than usual as he cuddles with you. To your surprise, their leader also pays you a visit and you can’t help but feel chastised when you thank him for rescuing you, only to get a sharp nip and a growl in return and you swear he’s glowering at you. But it seems that all is forgiven when he shoves the gold fox out of your lap and regally takes his place, curling up and falling fast asleep on top of you. 

They never let you leave your cabin alone again that winter and it’s almost comical when they let out a series of howls as you climb into your car when you refuse to let even one of them ride with you. You wonder if an outsider would think you’re crazy as you speak to them, telling them you’d be right back after you pick up some much needed supplies and food from town that you can’t get by yourself in the woods. But eventually they quiet down and you chuckle when you see them all sitting outside your cabin through your rear car window, watching you leave, and you have a strong suspicion that they’ll be in the same exact position waiting for you when you return home. 

The town’s small, but everyone’s so friendly and helpful that you don’t mind waiting a tiny bit longer in line as the sole cashier takes care of everyone, enjoying the friendly chitter chatter and catching up on what’s been going on. The sheriff greets you and you smile at the handsome man. Daichi had been one of the first people to go out of his way to greet you. “It’s a sheriff’s duty to know everyone in town,” he had said, but you had a feeling that sheriff or not, he’d still be friendly enough to try and get to know the new person in town. Conversation is pleasant as both of you share what’s been going on in your lives, but your heart drops when he warns you to be careful of poachers in your area. His team is still trying to find and arrest them, but until then, he cautions you from wandering too far from home. He continues rambling on, but you’ve completely tuned him out, your mind only thinking of your new furry family and everything is a blur as you shakily pack your car trunk and race home. 

Relief floods through you when you see the foxes still lazing about and lounging in your yard, perking up at the sight and sound of your rapidly approaching vehicle. But their fur stands up and their tails rise in agitation at your distressed state as you usher them into the safety of your cabin and before you know it, you’re surrounded by multiple bodies whimpering and trying to jump on you to soothe you. You know it’s silly to talk to them and try to explain what’s going on, but with no other way to relay your feelings, you tell them what Daichi had told you, tears pricking at the corners of your eyes when you beg them to be careful, telling them they can use your house as a safe shelter whenever they need, and you don’t even realize that you’re almost completely sobbing until their light gray leader leaps into your lap and gently laps away your salty tears, nuzzling his face against your cheek as if he’s trying to comfort you. And whether or not that’s really what he was intending, you do feel better as you hug his large body close to you, burying your face into his soft fur. 

You feel lighter after that night, still a little wary and concerned for your newfound friends, but days pass and life seems normal. You don’t hear gunshots. You don’t see strange men roaming through the woods. Daichi and you keep in contact and although he tells you they still haven’t caught the perpetrators yet, slight hope rises in you and you wonder if they’ve moved on to a different area. But your hopes are instantly dashed when you’re abruptly woken by paws frantically clawing at you, loud distressed howls right in your ear and with your heart thumping out of your chest you stare with wide bleary eyes at the gold and silver foxes nudging you out of bed, one leading the way, the other repeatedly rushing you, his head pushing against the back of your legs. 

You have a bad feeling about what has them in such an uproar and you hate that your apprehension was warranted when you see their leader crying in pain, an ugly sharp metal contraption digging deeply into one of his front legs and suddenly you’re moving even faster than your furry companions as you lunge towards him, quickly, but carefully trying to assess the damage, trying to figure out how to untangle him from the horrid trap. You’ve just managed to pry open the trap enough for him to free himself and limp a bit aways when you hear the sounds of men's voices and approaching footsteps. And there’s nothing friendly about the way they’re shouting, nothing welcoming about the glint of their guns in the flashlight beams bouncing around, so before you can even strategically think about what you’re doing, you pick up the injured fox, careful not to jostle or touch his wound as you run as fast as your legs can move, not stopping even when your lungs are burning from exertion, even when you want to keel over from exhaustion, urged on and not allowed to slow down by the nips to your ankles the gold and silver foxes give you as they run alongside you. 

Gunshots are whizzing around you, but you have the knowledge of the terrain and expert guides on your side and the angry screams get quieter and farther away the longer you race forward before soon enough there’s only your labored breathing and the tiny cries of the fox you’re holding to your chest. But despite that, you don’t slow down, throwing your front door open as you slowly lay the gray fox on your bed, rushing to grab your first-aid box while simultaneously calling Daichi, putting him on speaker phone as you wash the bloody matted fur. You know you must sound frazzled, distracted as you fumble with words, trying to give him the best approximate location you can of where you’d lost the poachers while you tenderly pet the whimpering fox who’s hissing with every wipe you give to his bleeding injury, but you thank whoever’s listening that Daichi makes sense of your stuttered words and tells you he’s on his way to scan the area and for you to get some rest before hanging up and leaving you to give your sole attention to your patient. 

You whisper sweet encouraging words in a soft tone, apologizing and stroking his stomach everytime he winces as you continue cleaning his wound, but he stays perfectly still, not budging even an inch despite his discomfort and when you finally bandage him up, you smile as you see him finally slumping into your bedsheets, exhaustion finally catching up to him now that adrenaline isn’t amping him up and you can’t help the affectionate kiss you plant on his forehead as you tuck him into your bed, unaware of the way brown eyes stare at you in shock, unblinking as they process the intimate gesture you’d gifted him. And when you get ready for bed, shooing the other foxes out of your room to give your special guest some space and peace to fully relax, you’re still oblivious to the way a wet snout tentatively returns your gesture when you close your eyes, making light contact with your own forehead before curling his furry head underneath your chin and basking in your natural warmth. 

It’s warm when you wake up, which is welcome when it’s frigid outside of the safety of your blankets and you instinctively lean into the source expecting to feel the familiar plush fur of the foxes who come to share your bed sometimes. But your eyes shoot open when you feel warm skin underneath your fingertips and you have to fight back the scream when you come face to face with a man you don’t recognize who’s groggily opening his brown eyes, your body scrambling backwards. Tangled in the sheets, you don’t get far and fear lances through you as you stare wide-eyed at the stranger beside you who’s...panicking even more than you are? 

You pause in your escape attempt as you take a closer look at the man who’s frantically wrapping your blanket around his bare body, brown eyes staring at you in fear which is strange considering this is your room he’s intruding in. Common sense tells you to be wary and yet there’s something familiar about his eyes and when you finally take note of his light gray hair tipped with black and the bandage around his arm, disbelief runs through you as you tentatively approach his huddled form. 

“Are you- are you the fox I took care of?”

Brown eyes warily observe you as you draw near, but they widen in surprise when your hand gently runs through his hair and you give him the same sweet smile you’ve always given him when he was in his fox form. 

“You’re not scared of me?” 

You laugh. “If anything, I’m more surprised than anything else. Care to explain?”

And spurred on by the hope that the human he’s come to love might actually accept him for who he really is, he is quick to tell you everything and anything and you listen in amazement as he tells you about shifters, how him and his pack are all fox shifters, how there are different types of shifters all over the world, how they’re much more common than humans realize. He tells you his name, Kita, and the names of every fox shifter you’ve met. He tells you about the awful history of humans hunting them down to sell on the black market which has led them to live as foxes, deep in the woods, away from any living soul. He tells you about how you’re the first human his pack has interacted with for years, the first human to gain their trust after years of loneliness, never being able to access or connect with their human side. 

There’s a brief moment of silence as you take everything in, still softly carding your fingers through his hair. But the lingering question in your head finally slips out. 

“Why did you reveal yourself to me now?”

And your lips quirk at the shy flustered expression on his face as he buries deeper into your cozy blankets. 

“I was too exhausted to keep my fox form after everything that happened last night.”

But before you can tease him a bit more, there’s a knock on your door and you panic, unsure how to explain the unknown man in your cabin. However, it seems that you have nothing to worry about when you spin around, only to see Kita’s fox form nonchalantly curled up in your bed, looking at you with his own smug amusement at your gaping mouth. You rush to the door, Kita padding after you, a slight limp from his front leg and upon seeing the sheriff through your peephole, you greet him, giddy with relief when he tells you that they’ve managed to apprehend all the poachers thanks to your tip last night. 

It never crosses your mind how strange it was that Daichi so easily arrested all the men despite your extremely vague directions and despite it being pitch black, but unknown to you, it’s easier than you think to maneuver through the dense night woods when you have wings. However, Kita’s more perceptive than you and when he scents the air, he looks in interest at the man who smells like a crow and brown and black eyes lock for a second as a hint of acknowledgement runs through Daichi’s eyes when the shifter inside of him sees the fox for what he really is. But it’s only a fleeting glance, too quick for your human eyes to notice, and Daichi parts ways, subtly nodding to the fox who’s currently laying on your feet before waving goodbye to you, leaving Kita and you alone once again. Well, maybe not that alone, you think, as a group of familiar foxes come racing towards the both of you once Daichi is gone. 

Life is chaotic, in a good way, but chaotic nonetheless after that. It’s a new dynamic for all of you as you try to merge your two worlds and ways of life together. It no longer phases you when you see glimpses of naked men running here and there as they shift between their human and fox forms and you’ve learned to always have spare sets of clothing on hand to quickly throw their way when they do decide to take their human shape for a spin. Atsumu has finally stopped whining about not being allowed to sleep in your bed with you anymore after Kita had put him in his place and your face goes hot when you remember exactly what had transpired during that conversation. 

When you had found out they were shifters, you found yourself being a little more self-conscious and self-aware around them. It seemed unbecoming of a woman to be sharing the same bed or changing in front of foxes that turned into handsome men and soon Kita was the only one allowed in your bedroom. Atsumu had howled and complained the first night that Kita slipped into your bed next to you, demanding to also be let in, questioning why Kita was allowed to sleep with you, especially in his human form. And suddenly feeling like a parent who suddenly has to explain the birds and the bees to their child, you grow flustered, unsure how to broach the subject. But sensing your panic, a large hand gently grabbed your chin, turning you until you were facing the serious countenance that you’d come to love, and in front of the still wailing younger man, he had captured your lips in a searing kiss before pointedly looking at a suddenly silent Atsumu. 

“That’s why,” he had calmly said, but before he could even fully voice those two words, Atsumu had quickly retreated, closing the door behind him and leaving the two of you alone. 

The two of you had skirted around directly talking about what was going on between the two of you, but that kiss had officially sealed the deal and you both stay up late that night, talking about your future life together, as his mate, as your boyfriend and it seems like unsurprisingly, Atsumu has run his mouth off and the whole pack is there waiting to congratulate you two on finally getting together the next morning. 

And now here you are, living in a recently expanded cabin, loud and full of bodies, both furry and human. You take a sip of your coffee, rolling your eyes as you hear the twins bicker, a slight smile on your face when you see Aran and Suna in their fox forms, napping on the couch, the others sprawled out here and there as they cook and eat breakfast. But it’s the strong arms that wrap around your waist from behind, the mouth stealing a sip from your piping hot mug before burying his face in the crook of your neck and shoulder that makes your heart flutter and you turn to kiss Kita, melting into his hold as you both survey your new family, your new home.   

[mxchellesworld]

𝟑 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐝 𝐱 𝐂𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: smut, oral (male receiving), unprotected sex, praise

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 | 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫

***

It had been a little over a month since the last time you went to the club. Work was starting to pick up for you and they had the same situation. However that never stopped you guys from seeing each other every so often. Time was either spent out for dinner or at their place.

Although you stuck to the ‘no dates’ rule you could tell there was a little more going on. You and Cat would always walk around holding hands which always warmed your heart. It was good to see her let go of the hard demeanor she held onto. 

Spencer was as kind and gentle as always. He would always put his hand on the small of your back as you walked. He loved to help you get dressed, buttoning up your shirts, and helping you into sweatpants when your legs were entirely too weak to stand. 

They never failed in taking care of you, not just sexually but emotionally as well. You’d spend nights on a call with either one of them talking about your lives and what was going on. They’d even send you good morning texts which would always make you smile. 

The weekend was coming up so you texted in the groupchat to ask if they were busy, you had planned to do something nice for them. Since your apartment was now styled to your liking, you wanted to cook and have them over. 

“What do you guys think about dinner at mine? Maybe Saturday night?”

Spencer responded first, “Yeah that works princess, can’t wait :)”

You giggled at the smiley, he was never one for emojis. Somehow you could always picture the little smile he gave whenever he typed one of those. 

Cat responded a minute later, “What an amazing idea angel. We’ll be there lets say 5:30?”

“Perfect! See you guys then,” you sent with a red heart emoji. 

You spent the rest of your day at work on cloud nine. Abbie had made a comment on how you were in for it tonight. Even your boss had noticed the way your shoulders seemed a little lighter as she bid you goodnight. 

_

Saturday rolled around and you pulled out everything you needed to make dinner. You decided to make your aunt’s famous mac and cheese recipe along with roasted chicken and brussel sprouts. It was quick and easy but you took your time to make sure everything was cooked to perfection. You set up your dinner table with cute placemats and new plates you had bought. 

Looking at the time you saw it was 4 pm which gave you just enough time to get ready. Turning the oven off but leaving the food inside to stay was, you made your way to the shower. You hopped out and grabbed your fluffy towel for your body, letting your hair air dry. 

You settled for jeans and a silk tank top, not trying to dress up much but still look nice. You topped everything off with a belt and your everyday jewelry to add some spice to the outfit. 

You made your way back to the bathroom where you did your makeup. Just a natural glam. Checking your phone you saw it was 5:15. That gave you enough time to clean up your kitchen and lay the food on the table. 

Always one for being punctual, Spencer knocked on your door at 5:30 on the dot. You opened the door and he swallowed you in a big hug. 

“Hey Spence, come in. Make yourself at home,” you said widening the door so he could get inside. 

“Thanks,” he said shrugging off his jacket. He was dressed differently then you’d ever seen him. Jean jacket on top of a grey v-neck and blue jeans. You had always seen him in suits he wore for the lounge and when he was teaching. This was a good look on him too. 

“Where’s Cat, I thought you’d guys would be here together?” you asked taking out some wine glasses. 

“She was at her office earlier today, they got a new case so I think she was looking over it quickly. She’ll be here soon though.”

You motioned for him to sit on the couch and you came over with the glasses and a bottle, “Red okay?”

“Perfect,” he sighed. 

You popped off the cork and poured him a glass then one for yourself. He reached over to clink your glass with his and you giggled at his actions. You both took a sip then set your glasses down. 

“So what tricks are up your sleeve for tonight?” he asked raising his brow. 

You opened your mouth in shock, “Me? Tricks? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

He gave you look telling you he knew you were full of shit. 

“Fine. It’s nothing bad,” you sighed, “You guys do so much to take care of me so I wanted to be nice and pay you guys back. Ya know take care of you for once,” you said picking the skin of your nails. 

“Aw princess come here,” he said pulling you to straddle his lap. You wrapped your arms around his neck as he put his warm hands on your cheeks. 

“We are so grateful to have you and that you want to take care of us,” he paused and you searched his honey eyes, “i - we really like having you around.” 

You smiled and he pulled you in for a kiss. His kisses were always intense compared to Cats more delicate ones. You could feel the passion radiating off of him. You guys were stopped by a knock on your door. 

You pulled away and ran a hand through his hair to comb it down, “Let me go get that.” 

He nodded and you stood from his lap, walking over to your door. You opened it to see Cat holding another bottle of wine. 

“Hey come in,” you said letting her through. 

She set the bottle down on your table and pulled off her coat, “It smells great in here angel.” 

You knew you’d be blushing so you looked down, “Thanks Cat.” 

You turned into the kitchen to start pulling out the food. Spencer and Cat greeted each other with a nod. You looked at them questioningly but then quickly changed your expression. You had noticed that they never kissed in front of you. 

“Do you need any help y/n/n?” Spencer asked. 

“No don’t worry. Just bring our glasses over,” you turned to Cat, “let me get you a glass babe.” 

“Babe?” she said questioningly. 

Since when was that name off limits? you thought to yourself, you had used pet names before. 

You turned to look at her, “Oh shit sorry. I didn’t mean-” she cut off your rambling. 

“Y/n/n it’s fine, a glass would be great angel.” 

You smiled at her then took out a glass and set on the table, filling it up halfway. You set it down and went back to get the chicken. Once all the food was at the table you took your seats. 

“Alright dig in guys,” you said excitedly. 

You all took turns serving yourselves the various items. Spencer was the first to take a bite of the mac and cheese. He let out a moan at the taste, “Where have you been hiding these cooking skills Y/n?”

“Hey they were not hiding. You guys just love to order out,” you defended. 

“You need to write down the recipe for me later,” he said. 

“Why so you can burn it,” Cat jabbed. You could tell it was meant to be light hearted but came off a little more hostile. 

You quickly changed the topic to clear the tension in the air. 

_

Dinner went by and the food was mostly done. A new bottle of wine was popped open mostly drank by you and Spencer. However he was holding it better than you were. You guys migrated over to the couch and had a movie playing in the back. Mostly you spent making conversations about work. Spencer was talking about his grading and lectures he planned. Cat couldn’t say much about her cases for confidentiality reasons. 

10pm came by and they stood to leave. 

“Hey um, do you guys wanna stay? I mean with the wine I just would feel better if you stayed later or maybe the night,” you looked at them hopefully. 

“Sure” “No I should go”

They answered at the same time. You looked between the both of them. Cat spoke up first, “I should get going. I only had a glass and I need to be in early tomorrow to review the case. Spence you can stay though.” 

“Aw ok. Well it was great having you Cat. Let me make you a plate to go,” she nodded and picked up her coat. 

You walked over to the kitchen and pulled out some tupperware for her food. You looked over to see them silently talking. You tried not to listen in and instead focused on packing the meal. 

Why was Cat acting so hostile all of a sudden? Everything was going fine and you thought maybe there could be something growing between all of you. Maybe she was having second thoughts about having invited you to play with them. 

She walked over to the door and you handed her the box then wrapped her in a hug. 

“Thanks for dinner. It was really great Y/n,” you slightly frowned at her use of your name instead of calling you angel. 

She opened the door and didn’t look at Spencer as she walked out. You locked the door then turned to walk back over to him. He pulled you down onto the couch, picking up the remote, “Have you ever watched Doctor Who?”

_

You guys had made it through an episode before you both ended up asleep slumped on one another. 

You woke up to the television still playing. The time on the cable box read 4 am. Looking over at Spencer you saw a curl splayed over his forehead and moved it out of the way. You lightly shook him awake, “Spence cmon lets go to bed.”

He stirred then his eyes opened and he looked at you with a smile. You stood up then held your hand out for him. He eagerly took it as you turned off the tv and made your way to your room. 

“Alright I have a pair of your sweatpants I can pull out for you and there should be an extra toothbrush in the bathroom for you to use,” you said digging in your closet. You turned when he never replied, “Spence?”

You stood up and he stepped towards you smashing his lips on yours. He walked you over to your bed, never once breaking apart for air. His hands trailed up inside your tank top, gliding up and down the smooth skin. He separated from you to slide it over your head. 

“Wait Spence,” you said. 

“Are you alright? Did I do something wrong,” he said searching your eyes. 

“No no. Cats not here and we’ve never done this alone so I don’t know if its... I don’t know allowed. I don’t want her to be upset.” 

“Don’t worry about that princess. She won’t be mad and even if she is I’ll take the heat. It’s just us right now, okay? Don’t worry about anything else.” 

He put a strand of hair behind your ear. You searched his eyes and saw nothing but comfort. You nodded, satisfied with his answer, “Alright.” 

He smiled then leaned back in to kiss you. You felt him rock his hips between your legs. You let out gasps at the feeling of friction where you needed him most. Mustering up some force you flipped him over and nodded for him to slide up to the pillows. Your crawled over him and slid your hands up his chest before removing his shirt. 

You leaned in to kiss his neck. Trying not to leave marks as you went. You trailed kisses down his abdomen and saw it flex under you. 

You looked up at him as you went to unbuckle his belt, “Told you I wanna take care of you this time.” 

You went to undo his zipper and pull down both his pants and boxers. He lifted his hips to help you then put his hands under his head, “Yeah you wanna make me feel good princess?” 

You nodded eagerly, licking a stripe up the base to the tip, “Yes Sir.” 

You wrapped your hand around his shaft, using your thumb to swipe over the precum leaking out of the top. He shuttered at the feeling. You licked the tip then started to take him into your mouth, sucking at he top. One of his hands moved to your hair, gathering it into a pony tail. He helped you bob your head and take him further down your throat. 

He let you to catch your breath. A trail of split fell down your chin. He used his thumb to swipe it away before speaking, “You look so pretty like this princess.” 

You went to start pumping his cock when he grabbed your hand, “Get the rest of your clothes off baby.” 

You stood from the bed and went to your belt to pull your pants off. You reached behind you to unclasp your bra and let it fall to the ground. Spencer was laying bare in front of you, stroking his long length, just weeping with arousal. 

You bit your lip as you slid your panties down then got on the bed straddling his hips. You lined his cock up with your entrance and slowly slid down. You both let out moans at the feeling. His hands moved to grab your waist your placed yours on either side of his head. 

After getting used to the stretch you starts to move your hips with his hands aiding you. Your head fell forward and your eyes scrunched closed at the feeling. 

“Look at me pretty girl, Look in my eyes as you ride my cock,” he gritted out. 

You moaned at his words, speeding up for motions to start bouncing on his thick length. You could feel every vein along your walls. You looked into his lust blown eyes, coffee rings were the only thing visible around his dark pupils. 

The grip on your hips got tighter as he started meeting each of your thrusts. You moaned his name as he started hitting the spot inside you that made you see stars. He flipped you guys back over and started drilling into your pussy. The sound of skin slapping vibrated throughout the whole room. 

He leaned in to press his lips against yours. You swallowed each others moans as he kept pounding into you. His hand intertwined with yours, “Fuck you’re so perfect y/n. You’re taking me so well baby, m’so proud of you,” he gritted in your ear. 

“I’m so close Spence,” you whined in return.

Your legs wrapped around his waist pulling him closer than he already was. There was no way to tell where you started and he ended. The way his pelvis was perfectly rubbling your clit was enough to set you off. You came with a silent scream. The knot in your tummy bursting as you trembled. 

“That’s it cum for me princess. You’re doing so well. I’m right there with you.”

“Want you to fill me up Spencer. Cum inside me,” you moaned tugging on his hair. 

That was enough to set him off. The way your walls contracted, milked him for all he was worth. He stilled his motions and his head fell in the crook of your neck. One of your hands was still interlaced and he brought to his lips. 

He pulled out and you sighed at the loss. You got up slowly to head to the bathroom. Meanwhile Spencer laid in bed thinking about what he was going to do. He was starting to catch feelings for you and he knew Cat knew it too. He knew she was cleaver enough to figure it out and sometimes he swore she felt the same way about you as well. So why had she been so distant all of a sudden?

He was pulled out of his thoughts by you walking back. You pulled the shirt you had out for him over your frame and opened the covers to get under. 

“Go clean yourself up,” you said looking at him, “but do it quick I want cuddles,” you pouted. 

He laughed then pecked your pouted lips as he got up and took the sweatpants with him. 

When he came back you were dead asleep on your side facing where he would lay. He slid under the covers and pulled you into his arms. He played with your air and kissed your forehead as you let out soft snores. 

“I think I love you princess,” he whispered into the dark room. 

𝐚/𝐧; 𝐨𝐨𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲! 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐫, 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝:)

[t-lostinworlds]

Babied (Tom Holland)

A/N: This will be the last of the requests for now since I have my own works i need to get too aha, so the anons who sent a few, I hope you don’t mind waiting a little longer <3 anyway, here’s another fluffy piece that’s made me want to cuddle with Tom even more. Short but extra sweet. Hope you guys enjoy!

Pairing: Tom Holland x Fem!Reader

Requested:

@ anon, first off, thank you so much you sweetheart! second, thank you for waiting love, hope you like this one <3

Warnings: Just pure wholesome fluff & maybe typos

Word Count: 1.7k

Masterlist in Bio

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"Where is he?" You asked the moment you stepped inside the boys' house, worry etched on your features due to the faintly morbid text Harrison has sent you.

Said lad who was sat casually on the couch with a guitar in hand, head turning once he noticed your presence to greet you with a sympathetic smile. "He hasn't left his bed unless it's for the bathroom or food."

You sighed, muttering a quick 'thank you' to Harrison before you went into the kitchen to set down your bag of goods. Once done, you filled a tall glass of water full, holding it in one hand with the meds on the other. You went straight towards Tom's room right after, silently prying the door open as you made your way inside.

You felt your heart ache at the sight of your boyfriend, all curled up into a ball under the covers. You can just hear his heavy breaths, a soft groan following suit once he shifted from lying to his side to flat on his back. You made your way towards him, handsome face now in full view, brows furrowed as he squeezed his eyes shut, unaware that he had company until you set the glass of water and medicines gently on the nightstand.

Peeking an eye open, Tom stared at you in pure surprise, blinking rapidly to see if you were actually real. "Y/N? What're you doing here?" He grumbled, voice deep and hoarse as he sniffled.

You frowned at him—at his state to be specific—in utter concern, the bed dipping as you sat on the space beside him. "Haz said you've been groaning and moaning like you're dying so I came as soon as I can."

Tom shook his head with a scoff, gradually pushing himself to sit up—a slight task given that all his muscles were sore and aching—until he was close to eye-level with you, arms resting behind him to support his weight. "That's a bit of an exaggeration."

"I don't think so. You look like shit."

Tom's face was all puffy, hair going on different directions, unruly on top of his head. His eyes looked too tired with the bags under them to match, lips all chapped, nose red due to him always rubbing it with a tissue, irritating the skin, and his whole complexion is just downright pale, drained from any color making him look sickly, still handsome of course, but sickly.

He tilted his head at you with a pout. "Well, thanks darling, I love you too."

You felt your lips quirk up at that, hand going to cup his face, the heat of his skin searing on your palm. Your frown was quick to make a comeback at the feeling.

"Have you checked your temp?"

Tom nodded with a hum and a soft sniffle, leaning into your touch like a cute puppy, wearing a tired yet soft smile, brown orbs staring at you adoringly that's made your heart melt ten times over. "Hmm, it's just a fever love, don't worry too much."

Stroking your thumb softly on his warm cheek, you gave him a knowing look. "I care about you Thomas, I'll always worry a bit more."

Tom lets out a soft chuckle, turning his head to place a sweet kiss on your palm before pulling away from your touch reluctantly. "I know. I don't want you to catch it too though."

You stood up, Tom's eyes following your movement as you took the glass of water off the nightstand and handed it to him. "I'm going to be fine Tom. Now, let me take care you."

He grinned widely at that, corners of his eyes crinkling. "Are you going to baby me? I love getting babied by you." You shook your head at him with a laugh, leaning forward to give his forehead a loving peck, Tom letting out a soft sigh of content at the gesture.

"Drink up bub, you've got to stay hydrated." You thought his grin couldn’t get any wider but it did, a cute giggle coming out of Tom as he followed your instructions, lifting up the glass to his lips and emptied it out, eyes never losing that sweet crinkle.

He truly does love being babied.

Turning to catch a glimpse of the meds, you asked. "Did you drink any medicine today?" Tom shook his head no with a sheepish smile, handing you the empty glass in the process. "I thought I could just sleep it off." You couldn't help but roll your eyes at your boy. "Of course you did."

"I'll go get you some food so you can drink some meds." After earning a soft 'okay', you made your way out of his room, and back in the kitchen to heat up the broccoli and chicken noodle soup you've already made beforehand, and as if moths on a flame, the boys came rushing in the kitchen, nose upturned to see what the tasty smell was.

"Can I have some?" Harry asked, eyes hopeful, Harrison mirroring his expression as they leaned on the kitchen counter. You knew making more than one serving was the right call, especially when Tom lives in a house full of always, hungry lads. "Yes, but don't eat it all up and leave some for your brother later."

Both boys shouted in glee at that, fussing around the kitchen to get their own spoons and bowls, lining up on your right as they waited, like kids at lunch time. You let out a laugh, head shaking at their antics.

With a tray filled with a hot bowl of soup, some ginger tea, and another glass of water later, you made your way back to Tom's room, his head perking up from the pillow the moment he heard your footsteps. A lazy smile was plastered on his lips as he watched you place the tray on his bedside table, sighing at the heavenly smell that managed to slip through his stuffed nostrils.

"I'm such a lucky guy aren't I?" He hummed as he pushed himself back up. Once his back was rested on the headboard, his whole face crinkled, one second pause before letting out a loud, hard sneeze. Tom groaned, hand reaching on the opposite nightstand towards his box of tissues, wiping himself clean and then throwing them in the bin just in front of said nightstand.

You shot him a sympathetic smile. "Bless you."

"I love you." Tom responded with a beam, extending the last vowel, voice soft and sweet with the glow in his eyes to match, and by the gods above he never does fail to make you fawn over him, even when he's ill.

"You're so adorable you know that?" You gushed, running your nimble fingers through his hair comfortingly.

"Thought I look like shit?" Tom raised his one messy brow at you, tone playfully accusing. You giggled. "You do, but still adorable nonetheless. Now scoot."

You sat on the bed once he moved, taking the bowl of soup in your hand, scooping a spoonful and lifting it up to his lips. Tom couldn’t erase the love-struck look he had on his face, his eyes boring into yours, coated with nothing but fondness, humming at the warm, comforting feeling once he ate.

"I thought you just had a fever Tom, didn't know you lost a hand too." Harry joked as he pop his head inside Tom's room. "You're just jealous 'cause you don't have a girlfriend who'd baby you." The older brother mocked, Harry letting out a loud laugh before disappearing back outside.

Once he finished as much soup that he could, you handed him the ginger tea and the meds, a sweet thank you coming out of his lips as he drank. Tom sighed in pure relief, body feeling lighter, fever slowly dropping. It filled your heart with comfort just seeing the color gradually seep back into his skin.

"Warm bath?" You offered, smiling sweetly at him and Tom stared at you, features covered with awe, utter wonder as to how he's managed to have someone like you in his life. "God, I'm so in love with you. I so badly want to kiss you but I don't want you getting sick too and argh the struggle is real darling."

A hearty laugh erupted from your chest at his input, smile all wide as you placed a chaste kiss on his temple, whispering on his skin ever so tenderly. "I love you too, you dork."

You took the dirty dishes back to the kitchen, and after that, you went straight to the bathroom to run him a bath, helping him up and off the bed next. Giggles and laughs bounced off the white tiles as he slowly undressed himself, teasing jokes thrown about before he finally slipped into the bath.

Countless times of begging, from Tom's puppy-dog eyes to his adorable pout, you gave in to his request with a sigh, stripping out of your own clothes and joining him in the tub. You talked about anything and everything, deep thoughts to something silly with Tom situated comfily between your legs, his back rested against your chest, your fingers rubbing at his temples soothingly.

Once the water started to turn cold, you two got out of the bath. Tom gave you a loving hug from behind and a sweet just below your ear, so smitten and in love before letting you go to change into fresh sets of clothes.

Now, both of you were cozily tangled on his bed, the television playing some random show just to fill up the room with soft noise. Tom laid right on top of you, his face pressed on the crook of your neck, warm air tickling your skin as he lets out a gratifying breath.

"Feel better?" You cooed, hand running up and down his back comfortingly. Tom nodded, snuggling closer to your side, placing a warm kiss on your collarbone before murmuring, voice soft and sleepy. "Loads better."

You hummed all satisfied. "Now, get some rest you big baby."

"Your baby." Tom grumbled, breath slowly steadying, indicating that he was slowly drifting off.

You giggled, nodding in agreement and giving him a loving squeeze, turning your head to press your lips on his head sweetly. With tone laced with adoration, completely enamored with the boy in your arms, heart full and oozing with pure love, you whispered,

"My baby."

-:-:-:-:-

Like, Reblog & Leave a Comment if you enjoyed! Lemme know your thoughts! <3

Tom H. Taglist: @spacebitch2​​ @hollanddolanfangirl​​ @keepingupwiththehollands​​

[captainjanegay]

someone holds me safe and warm | Stucky | Sickfic, Hurt/Comfort, Canon Divergent, Timelines, 4+1 | 5.4k words | Ao3

Summary:

Four times Steve was sick or hurt and Bucky tried his best to care for him and one time the roles were reversed.

A short trip through Stucky timeline with loads of softness and care on the way.

A/N: It's here! My Secret Santa gift for the loveliest @snarky-drabbles​ ♥ I was so worried I won't be able to finish it and it turned out much longer than I wanted it to be but I really hope you'll like it :') I was so happy when I've heard you wanted some nice and soft sickfic and I hope I was able to provide you with exactly what you wanted ♥ I wish you the happiest holidays season, love! Despite the stressing, it was such a pleasure to write it for you ♥ Also big thanks for @metalbvcky​ for hosting this event, it was so much fun :’) And thank you my sweetest Luisa @its-tortle​ for giving it a read and being your incredible, supportive self :’)

.

1. December 9th, 1928

The snow has been falling all night. Bucky’s mum had to almost forcefully drag him away from the window, because Bucky couldn’t stop looking at the tiny snowflakes making layers over layers of fluff on the ground. If he could, he would stay up all night, just to make sure the snow won’t disappear before he wakes up. The only argument that eventually makes him go to sleep is the threat his mum makes, saying that he won’t get to go out with Steve tomorrow if he doesn’t make it to bed in the next 20 minutes. He makes it in 15.

When his mom finally lets him go to the Rogers’ house the next day, it’s well past 11 o’clock. Luckily, the snow is still there and Bucky’s pretty sure there’s more of it than he remembered. On one hand he wants to take the longer route so he can spend more time kicking it up in white, fluffy clouds, jumping into snowdrifts or making snowballs. He doesn’t throw them at anyone, his mum raised him better than that, just drops them back onto the ground. The most fun was in creating a perfectly round ball anyway. But on the other hand, he wants to get to Steve’s house as soon as possible, so they can go out and do all of those things together. Eventually, he decides to take the shortest route possible but he kicks the snow around even more to make up for it.

Ten minutes later he runs up the stairs of the old tenement house and knocks on the door. Two slow and three rapid taps, as always. Bucky bounces on the balls of his feet, waiting for Steve to run to the door to let him in, as always.

But this time it’s not Steve who opens the door. It’s Mrs. Rogers, her face pale and with dark circles under her eyes. But as soon as she sees Bucky a big, genuine smile brightens up her face. It’s the exact same smile Bucky has seen on his friend many times.

“Good morning, James,” she says. “It’s nice to see you.”

“Good morning and likewise, Mrs. Rogers,” Bucky grins, taking off his cap. “Is Steve here? It’s been snowing all night and I was hoping we could go play outside!”

Mrs. Rogers sighs, her smile getting a bit sad. Bucky senses that something’s wrong, and his excitement melts like the snowflakes he tried to catch on his tongue.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” Mrs. Rogers says. “Steve’s sick. He won’t be able to go outside for a while. I guess you’ll have to face all this snow by yourself today.”

Bucky's face falls upon hearing that. He was really excited for today and he spent long minutes before he fell asleep last night thinking about all the fun he and Steve could have. But Steve’s sick and the idea of doing all of them alone doesn’t sound fun at all. So instead of saying goodbye and heading home, Bucky looks at Mrs. Rogers with hopeful eyes and asks, “Would you mind if I came in and stayed with Steve for a while?”

The warm smile is back on Steve mother's face as she ruffles Bucky’s hair in an affectionate gesture and steps to the side, letting him in. “Of course, I don’t mind. Steve will be so happy you’re here.”

Bucky quickly shrugs off his coat and kicks off his shoes. Just as quickly, he apologises for all the snow he’s brought inside and picks up his shoes to put them on the rag by the door. Mrs. Rogers only waves a hand at him. Instead of running straight to Steve’s room, Bucky follows Mrs. Rogers to the kitchen when she asks for some help. Tongue sticking out in concentration, Bucky takes a careful hold of the bowl of hot chicken soup and slowly walks after Mrs. Rogers who is carrying an armful of meds and a glass of water.

As soon as they enter the other room, a small, blond head peeks out from under a mountain of blankets. As soon as it notices Bucky, a smile splits its face.

“Bucky!” Steve says, his voice all raspy and weird.

Bucky only grins in response, sending a quick look Steve’s way before he focuses back on the bowl in his hands. Only when it’s safely set aside on the bedside table, Bucky jumps towards the bed. Mrs. Rogers stops him when he tries to give Steve a hug, saying he might get sick, too, so it’s better if he keeps a bit of distance.

Steve's smile falters. He tries to convince Bucky that he should go so he won’t catch anything from him. In response, Bucky calls him a dimwit and drops onto the floor next to the bed. 

Mrs. Rogers checks Steve’s temperature, rubs his back with something with a very strong smell and gives him some medication. Steve looks miserable and a bit embarrassed through all of it. Seeing his friend’s discomfort, Bucky tactfully looks away and starts babbling about the snow, about mean Mr. Flanagan slipping on the icy pavement in front of his house today and falling onto his butt while shouting obscenities. He tells Steve how pretty the park looks with trees and bushes all covered in snow. He asks if Steve would be able to draw them if Bucky describes it to him with all the details he can remember. When he glances up at his friend, Steve’s eyes are finally bright and happy again, and he’s really excited to try. 

Mrs. Rogers leaves a few minutes later, dropping a kiss to Steve’s head and ruffling Bucky’s hair before she walks out of the room. Steve adjusts his pillows so he can sit more upright and takes a small sketchbook from the bedside table. Bucky rests his folded arms on Steve’s bed and places his chin on top of them. As soon as he starts talking about the snowy park, Steve starts drawing. It looks just like the real thing. Soon enough, Bucky starts making up details, at first some believable ones but then he comes up with more and more ridiculous things. Giggling, Steve dutifully puts them on paper. It’s really nice, knowing that Bucky managed to make his best friend laugh despite the misery and terrible cough that escapes his mouth every so often.

The snow might be nice but there’s still plenty of winter left, so Bucky’s sure he and Steve will have a chance to play outside soon. Bucky is more than happy to sit by Steve’s side if it means he can save him from boredom this way.

Besides, their version of the snowy park is so much better than the real thing.

.

2. December 14th, 1936

It’s cold. The old stove is not giving as much heat as it’s supposed to. They’re slowly running out of things to keep the fire running and Bucky should probably check if there are any old wooden crates or something he could take from the docks tomorrow. It’s not freezing yet, but the nights are supposed to get even colder. He has to do something. The coughing fit from the other side of the room makes Bucky take another log from the quickly disappearing pile in the corner, before he goes back to stirring the soup.

He didn’t make it, just heating up a portion of what his mom gave him when he came by for a quick visit earlier today. It’s better than anything he could make, but it’s not as good as Mrs. Rogers’. God, there’s no way anyone could compete with her in terms of cooking or baking. Bucky was pretty sure her chicken soup had some actual healing powers, considering how quickly it was able to get Steve back on his feet.

It’s easier to think about Mrs. Rogers' soups and their magical properties than the fact that each time Steve gets sick, it seems to be worse than the last time. Thinking about that won’t do anyone any good. And Bucky would rather swallow a log than let Steve see how worried he gets sometimes. 

So he stirs the soup extra vigorously before pouring it into a bowl when it gets nice and hot. It’s filled to the brim, so Bucky furrows his brows in concentration as he slowly makes his way across the room.

When he’s halfway there, he hears a laugh from the pile of blankets on the bed. It’s a bit wheezy but it’s a laugh nonetheless. When he looks up, Steve is already looking back at him with a soft smile on his face.

“What?” Bucky asks defensively, feeling flustered all of sudden.

“Nothing,” Steve says. He looks tired and pale but his lips stretch in an even bigger smile. “When you’re concentrating on something, you still stick your tongue out. Just like when you were a kid.”

“Oh fuck off, Rogers,” Bucky mumbles, placing the bowl on a stool that serves as a makeshift bedside table. “You’re not getting any of the soup for being an asshole.”

“How am I an asshole?” Steve asks. “I just think it’s cute that you still do that.”

Feeling that his blush is only getting worse, Bucky turns around and pretends to be very busy putting away the food from his mom. After taking a deep breath, he gets a grip on himself and walks back towards Steve.

As he approaches, Steve tries to slowly pull himself up into a sitting position, his arms shaking with effort. When Bucky reaches out to help him, Steve sends him a warning look so fierce that Bucky just raises his hands in surrender and backs away. He sits on the chair by the small table, stacked with books, old newspapers, letters, some of Steve’s sketches and who knows what else. While Steve eats, Bucky tries to tidy it all up, putting it all into nice piles and filling the quiet with mindless chatter. He tells Steve about the new Christmas tree they’ve put up at the docks, and about Becca’s new guy who seems decent enough to get Bucky’s approval of going out with his sister. Every once in a while, he throws Steve a quick glance. He tries not to sigh at the sight of Steve’s shaking hands or at the fact that he needs to take a little break every few sips as if even eating tired him out. Bucky doesn’t offer help, no matter how much he wants to. Steve would probably strangle him with his bare hands if he did, even in his current weakened state.

So Bucky doesn’t say anything about that, just keeps babbling nonsense, getting an occasional hum or a chuckle out of Steve. After a few more minutes, Steve buries himself back under the blankets.

“It’s very tasty but I’m full,” he says. “Give your mom my thanks when you next see her.”

“How do you know I didn’t make it?” Bucky asks in mock offense, putting away the leftover soup. “You were asleep for most of the day so you can’t be sure.”

“You’re a decent cook, Buck. But that’s way out of your league. You’ve reheated it like a champ, though!”

Bucky narrows his eyes at him and shakes his head. “You’re such a punk, Rogers. Now scoot over - for such a small person, you’re taking an awful amount of space. I’m cold and you have all the blankets.”

They both know it’s just a guise. There’s a perfectly good cover on Bucky’s bed on the other side of the room. Steve doesn’t protest though, just move forward a bit, leaving space for Bucky to slide between him and the wall. As soon as Bucky’s settled, Steve’s body goes lax next to him and he presses his back closer to Bucky’s chest. Automatically, Bucky wraps his arms around Steve’s middle. He rests his head on top of Steve’s, the soft fair hair tickles his cheek. Soon enough Steve’s breathing evens out. Bucky closes his eyes, but it takes him a bit longer to drift away, as he anxiously listens to all the hitches and rumbles in Steve’s breathing. At some point, still deep in his sleep,  Steve in his sleep wraps his long, delicate fingers around Bucky’s wrist. The touch soothing enough to let Bucky calm down and allow the sleepiness to finally take him.

As long as he holds Steve close to his chest, nothing bad can happen.

.

3. December 20th, 1938

There are blood stains on Steve’s white shirt. Some around his collar and some on his cuffs, which means that he managed to pack a punch or two before he got beaten up by whomever he started a fight with this time.

Bucky’s lips are set in a thin line as he tries to get a better look on Steve’s face to assess his injuries. Which wasn’t that easy considering that Steve is currently looking anywhere but at him. 

“Oh, for God’s sake, can you just—,” Bucky says angrily, gripping Steve’s chin and turning his face up. He might be furious that Steve has gotten into another fight, but his grip is gentle. The last thing he wants is to cause Steve more pain. But God knows how badly he wants to punch that reckless punk himself, sometimes.

Steve jaw is set and at first, he looks like he wants to free himself from Bucky’s grasp. Changing his mind, his eyes gaze right into Bucky’s, a challenging expression on his face. Bucky would laugh if it wasn’t for the state of said face.

The blood is most certainly coming from Steve’s split lip. Or maybe it’s from the deep cut on his left cheekbone, surrounded by a darkening bruise. There’s some dried blood under his nose, too. He doesn’t have a black eye this time, so that’s good. Although by the way Steve flinched when squaring his shoulders to look up Bucky thinks it’s a safe bet he got punched or kicked in the ribs. Bucky prays none of his fragile bones are broken.

The anger he felt dissipates, at least a bit. What’s left is worry — which Bucky tries to hide, knowing that Steve would just get annoyed at that – and affection. He stopped trying to hide the latter ages ago.

“Who was it this time?” Bucky sighs, absentmindedly swiping his thumb across Steve jaw, careful not to put pressure on any of the bruises.

“Some asshole, as always. He was shouting obscenities at a girl who didn’t want to go dancing with him or something and he tried to follow her home,” Steve says with a shrug, followed by a wince.

Bucky can’t stop another sigh that escapes his mouth. He really wishes the world would be a better place. A place where people weren’t harassed for no reason, so Steve didn’t feel obligated to help them. Damn Steve Rogers and all his righteous anger and his heart of gold.

“Sit down. I’ll clean you up, punk.” Bucky puts his hand down and takes a step back. When he sees that Steve opens his mouth — to protest, most likely — Bucky points a finger at him. “Don’t argue with me. I will kick your ass. Don’t think I won’t.”

Steve rolls his eyes but there’s a hint of smile tugging at his lips before he turns around and walks toward the bed. Bucky goes to get something to clean up Steve’s cuts.

“I can do it myself,” Steve says when Bucky’s back, reaching out for the wet cloth Bucky brought.

“Oh, I know you can. Just let me be useful since you’ve stolen all the glory, being a hero who saves ladies in distress and all,” Bucky responds, taking a gentle hold of Steve’s chin again.

“If getting beaten up and kicked like a dog is glorious, then yes, I guess I have. You’d be more of a help than I was, if you were there.” Steve’s smile is full of irony as he tries to look away but Bucky’s hand keeps him in place.

Bucky drops the hand that was gently wiping at the cuts on his face and waits. Eventually, Steve’s eyes land on him, probably wondering why Bucky stopped.

“You are worth dozens of men, Stevie. Dozens of me. You’re half my size but you saved so many people already. You’ve stopped that asshole from doing who knows what to this girl and gave her time to get home safely,” Bucky says, his voice steady and sure and his eyes never leaving Steve’s, no matter how Steve wants them to. “You always know the right thing to do, and I swear your heart is made of pure gold. If that’s not glorious, I don’t know what is. You’re incredible, Stevie and help me God, I’ll beat the shit out of you if you keep putting yourself down like this.”

Steve chuckles at the last part and opens his mouth as if to respond but closes it a second later. The smile he gives Bucky is shy and soft. Bucky’s heart aches to just lean down and close the remaining space between them. Instead, he lets go of Steve’s cheek and goes to wet the cloth again. It’s not necessary, but he needs to take a grip on himself before he does something stupid.

A few moments later all the blood is cleaned from Steve’s face, his nose turns out not to be broken this time and most of his cuts have mostly stopped bleeding. Bucky counts that as a win. 

“Take your shirt off,” Bucky says, trying not to blush. “Gotta make sure your ribs are in one piece.”

“Just admit you want to get me naked,” Steve replies without missing a beat. When the words leave his mouth, his eyes widen in shock, as if he wasn’t expecting to say them out loud. “I mean— I didn’t—,” he stammers.

Seeing how the blush colours Steve’s cheeks, still visible despite the bruising, and travels down Steve’s neck and past the collar of his blood-stained shirt, Bucky admits to himself that he is not as strong-willed as he liked to think. Sliding his hand down, Bucky traces Steve’s delicate collarbone with his thumb.

“To be honest, I’d prefer to do that for purposes other than checking if your ribs are intact,” he hopes he sounds nonchalant, but he can feel his cheeks are heating up. 

“Oh really?” Steve asks, cocking an eyebrow up. The challenging look is back, and Bucky is going to lose his mind if Steve doesn’t stop looking at him like that. All cocky and sure of himself, like his face is not beet-red at the moment.

Bucky clears his throat and picks up the cloth. “I guess we have to wait until your cuts and bruises are healed and check.”

Steve laughs, gripping a handful of Bucky’s shirt and tugging him lightly. “Can you— Just come here, you jerk. I’d get up but it really hurts, I think you should kiss it better.”

And Bucky does. He kisses Steve’s split lip and then very gently swipes his mouth across Steve’s cheekbone and jaw to go back to his lips a moment later. A giddy laugh escapes his mouth and he thinks that there’s no other thing he’d be doing. He is not naïve enough to believe Steve will stop coming home with bruises of all sorts, but Bucky will always be there to kiss them better.

.

4. December 1st, 2024

The room is quiet. Or relatively so, considering that Brooklyn rarely gets completely silent, even at night. But it’s quiet enough for Bucky to hear the change in Steve’s breathing, where he lays asleep next to him. He opens his eyes and turns around. Soon enough, Steve starts tossing and turning, his breathing becomes more erratic. All those sleepless nights, spent on anxiously waiting for Steve’s next breath, praying the next one would come are flooding Bucky’s memory. He’s not sure if it’s better now. Steve might not be physically fighting for his life now, but the night terrors that haunt him, certainly make him feel like he does.

Carefully not to startle Steve, Bucky places his flesh hand on his arm. He squeezes lightly and whispers Steve’s name. When it doesn’t help, he tightens his grip for a moment and speaks a bit louder. Steve breathing hitches and he goes still for a moment. But then a strangled cry escapes his lips and he tosses hard enough that it wakes him up. Immediately, he sits upright almost knocking Bucky down in the process and he pants heavily, looking around the room with wide, terrified eyes.

"Steve," Bucky says, trying to keep his voice calm. "It's OK. You're OK. We're in Brooklyn. It's 2024. You're safe, we're safe. Everything's fine, Stevie."

It's like a mantra that Bucky keeps repeating until Steve is able to take full, big breaths again. When he finally turns his head to look at Bucky, he looks scared and lost and it breaks Bucky's heart into pieces. Bringing his hands up, Bucky wants to stroke Steve's cheek in a comforting gesture. But before he has a chance to do that, a grimace crosses Steve's face and he quickly gets out of bed and rushes towards the bathroom. Bucky sighs at the sounds of retching he hears a moment later. He gets out of bed and follows Steve. With a voice no louder than a whisper, he repeats over and over those little affirmations he knows Steve needs to hear and believe anew as he gently rubs his back. 

It doesn't take long for Steve to calm down, but Bucky would gladly sit there all night if needed. Soon enough the dry-heaving stops and only a tiny sob comes out of Steve's mouth.  Bucky helps him to brush his teeth, since his hands are shaking so much it makes it impossible to get the toothpaste out.

After that, Bucky tangles their fingers together and walks out of the bathroom. Instead of going back to bed back to bed, he leads them to the kitchen. He turns on the small lamp by the couch as they pass it,mostly for comfort, since with their respective shares of the serum, navigating in the darkness is not much of a problem for them. The dim light softens the dark edges of the living room and open kitchen space.

Bucky puts the kettle on, his hand not leaving Steve's for a second. He smiles — a bit sadly — as Steve comes closer, and plasters himself to Bucky's back, wrapping his arms tightly around him.

Steve hides his face in the crook of Bucky's neck, right palm coming up to lay flat on Bucky's chest, right over his heart. Bucky takes slow, deliberate breaths, knowing that his calm will help Steve. So without a word, he lets Steve see and hear and feel that they're both alive and safe. That whatever haunted him in his nightmare is not real. At least not anymore.

Bucky brings Steve's left hand, the one he's still holding, up to his lips and places a kiss after kiss on  each of his knuckles. More reassurances are whispered right into Steve's warm skin. 

It's hard to tell how long they stay like this. The water starts boiling and the electric kettle turns itself off at some point but none of them as much as flinch at the sound. It could be hours and it could be mere minutes before Steve's muscles relax and his breathing finally steadies. While he doesn't let go of Bucky, he doesn't cling to him like a lifeboat anymore.

Slowly, Bucky turns around in Steve's arms. His hands gently cup his face and he rests his forehead against Steve's. 

"You're here," Steve says. The statement is just a shaky whisper and Bucky's not sure what to make of it, but he gives a small nod.

"I am. And I'm not going anywhere,"

"It's—," Steve starts, and then swallows. "You were— I thought—"

Leaning away just the slightest bit so he can look at Steve's face, Bucky shakes his head. "Shhh, Steve. It doesn't matter. It wasn't real. Don't torture yourself, love. We can talk about it in the morning if you want to, yeah?"

After a second, Steve gives a small nod. Even though the unease still hides in his eyes, he tries to muster a smile as he shifts his head and presses a kiss to the inside of Bucky's palm.

"Now, I'm going to make you a cup of tea because as Mrs. Rogers used to say—," Bucky says.

" 'A cup of Earl Grey always does more good than harm'" Steve finishes and closes his eyes but the smile grows a tad bigger.

"Bless her Irish soul," Bucky says with a smile of his own. "So I'm gonna make some and then we'll go back to bed. Or cuddle on the couch, or take a walk or whatever you want to do, OK?"

Steve looks up at him, his hand stroking lightly across Bucky's cheekbone. "I love you, Buck. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"And you'll never have to know. I'm not going anywhere, my love. I'll be right by your side for the end of time because that's where I belong. And we've proven enough times that there's not a damn thing that could change that.”

.

5. December 5th, 2025

Bucky was never the one to get sick. When he was a kid he had a bad cold maybe once or twice but it was all forgotten within a week or two. Which is pretty surprising, considering that he was hanging with Steve all the time but never managed to catch anything from him. Later, he has gotten the serum so getting sick stopped being a real issue for him.

So why does his throat feel all scratchy, his nose is too stuffy for him to take a single breath and he feels both hot and cold at the same time?

It's because the world hates him, that's why. There's also a teeny tiny chance that it has something to do with his and Steve's last mission.

They were trailing someone who aspired to create a biological weapon, as one does. It wasn't hard to locate this mad scientist's secret lair or to capture him. Overall it was a pretty simple mission and it was going really smooth. At least until they were to extract the highly reactive bio-bomb that — quite literally — blew up in Bucky's face. It was good he was alone in the room when that happened because as the Avengers-issued doctor has later told him, the substances implicit in the bomb would be lethal to regular people in the dose that attacked Bucky. But to someone enhanced the worst case scenario would mean a heavy case of flu that the organism would be able to fight, eventually.

So, of course, the worst case scenario is exactly what is happening now. Every single muscle in Bucky's body is aching, including the ones he wasn’t even aware existed. The sheets are drenched with sweat and he's still shaking under his layers of covers.

"Steve?" he calls miserably. His voice feels like sandpaper in his dry throat.

Not even a second passes before he hears footsteps and Steve enters the room.

“Are you okay?” Steve asks. There's a worried wrinkle between his brows.

Instead of answering Bucky let's out a little whine and pouts, looking up at Steve from where he's buried under the covers so only the upper half of his face is visible.

And what Steve does? The fucker laughs at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be taking a nap?" Steve asks, looking amused.

"I can't sleep," Bucky rasps out. "I'm uncomfortable and everything hurts and can I just die already?"

Steve laughs. Again. Really, Bucky can't fathom where people got the idea that Steve Rogers is all polite, nice and righteous all the time. He's the biggest asshole Bucky ever knew. 

"I figured you'd be dramatic when sick, but I didn't expect that," Steve says as he sits on the side of the bed. He reaches out with his hand and places it on Bucky's shoulder. It's pleasantly cool against his skin and Bucky closed his eyes and sighs.

"You're a dick," he mumbles. "Absolutely no compassion for the weak and hurting, I don't know how you can live like this."

As Bucky says that, Steve leans over and peppers his face — or at least the part not covered by the duvet — with little kisses. It's nice but Bucky's point still stands. Steve's a monster.

"You need anything?" Steve asks, gently stroking Bucky's hair.

"Yes." When Steve makes a questioning sound, Bucky continues, "the sweet relief of death, please."

Steve sighs heavily but when Bucky opens his eyes and looks at him, his face is both amused and fond. 

“I’m gonna make you some tea and soup, how about that?”

“Huh, so you are going to kill me?” Bucky raises an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t go for poisoning but if that’s—”

Not letting him finish, Steve just gets up and leaves the room. Bucky tries calling after him but he doesn’t get any response and he has a coughing fit after raising his voice, so he gives up.

.

This time Bucky might have actually fallen asleep. He’s not shaking as much so he figures the fever must’ve gone down a bit but now his head is throbbing so he’s really not sure which option he preferred. When he confusedly looks around the room, his eyes land on Steve. He’s back, sitting on the bed by Bucky’s side.

Did Steve wake him up? Now that Bucky thinks about it, he vaguely remembers someone shaking his arm. His point about Steve being a monster still stands.

“Why d’you wake me up?” Bucky whines. “You said I need sleep and now you won’t even give me fifteen minutes.”

“You’ve slept for over two hours, love,” Steve points out, his hand on Bucky’s cheek. “I’m only waking you up cause you’ve barely eaten today and I’ve made some soup.”

Bucky narrows his eyes at Steve. He looks at the clock on the bedside table, but since he has no idea what hour it was when he last talked to Steve, it’s pretty useless. He’s not really hungry, but he figures it’s a reasonable thing to do. So, with a loud groan, he pulls himself up into a sitting position. The monster beside him chuckles at that but actually helps him arrange the pillows so Bucky can sit comfortably and places the small bed tray in his lap.

Despite what Bucky said earlier, the soup is good. Recipes are probably the only rules Steve knows how to follow so he’s a decent cook and knows his way around the kitchen if needed. Bucky gladly eats the whole bowl, enjoying the way it soothes his sore throat. 

When he’s done, he thanks Steve, who takes away the bed tray and gets up, probably to take it to the kitchen. Before he can get up, Bucky grabs his hand.

“Stay with me for a bit?” he asks.

Steve’s face softens. He puts the tray down on the floor and gets in bed, lying on top of the covers next to Bucky. Soon enough Bucky is tucked safely into Steve’s arms and under his chin and he lets out a content sigh.

“You’re feeling any better, sweetheart?” Steve asks.

“I don’t know, I’m so miserable and tired all the time. I hate it so much,” Bucky whines. “Is that what you’ve been going through every time?”

“Mostly. I guess I was too used to this to complain much.”

“And too stubborn. You’ve never let other people see how bad it was,” Bucky points out.

“That, too,” Steve chuckles, pressing a kiss to Bucky’s forehead. “You always were able to make it easier, though.”

Bucky smiles, tucking his face further into Steve’s chest. He feels sleepy again but this time the warmth he feels is not caused by the fever. He mumbles into Steve’s shirt, not sure if the words his brain is trying to communicate are the same ones that his mouth says out loud. But judging by the way Steve’s arms tighten around him and by the “I love you, too” whispered into his hair, Bucky thinks they are. 

[sharkbarkinnit]

𝕿𝖊𝖈𝖍𝖓𝖔 𝖝 𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗

𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻'𝓼 𝓟𝓞𝓥

It was a very chilly day today so I sat curled up in a fluffy blanket on the sofa. The fire crackled as I turned the page of my book ever so gently as to not ruin the page. It's been about an hour since Techno had left to go the market in the village near by. We needed some new cups since the last ones broke from the cold. I decided to end the chapter and get ready for the day. Techno didn't know but I was going to make dinner tonight and needed to get some things in order to prepare for tonight's feast. I set the book down gently on the side table and head upstairs to change.

I put on a sleek black button up and some thick black pants. I tend to wear thicker clothing considering that it's the temperatures are very low out here and it helps protect against any unwanted brawls with mobs. I grab my lighter armor pieces and tie them on into place. As I'm fumbling with the strap I hear the bedroom door open. I turned to see the tall pink haired man staring at me. I flash him a smile and continue to adjust the leather straps.

"Where you going? If you needed something why didn't you ask?"

"It's a surprise."

"A surprise?"

"Yes."

I felt his strong arms wrap around me from behind. "You never have surprises?" the tall man says sounding almost as a question. I giggle and look up so I could see him. I pat the side of his face and break loose from his grip. I slip on my boots and tighten the straps. Techno drapes my grey cloak around my shoulders and hooks the chain on the other side. We both walk out of the room and towards the front door. I grab my sword and some potions just in case and begin to walk to the door. I felt Techno grab my hand and turn me around. He places a soft kiss on my head and smiles. "Be careful. If anything happens come straight back. You get spotted you lead 'em to me ok?" He says worriedly. I nod and smile, "I know Techno, I'll be careful I can handle myself."

I walk out the door and begin the journey to the village. It's a cold day but still beautiful. As I walk through the snowy biome I notice it becoming dark and quicken my pace as to make it there before the shops close.

Finally after what seemed like forever I make it to the village and into one of the shops. I look around and pick out things I would need for the dinner. I decided I'd make chicken marsala tonight. Not many know this recipe since it's a fancy dish and only royal families eat it but I was taught by my father who was once a royal chef. (A/N I know chicken marsala isn't in minecraft but yk I'm putting it in it's my favorite food and that's why not many people know the recipe.)

After paying I start heading back hand on my sword since it was almost completely dark. I quicken my pace seeing the house come into view. I was nearly to the door and took out some extra meat I had bought and threw it to Ed, Baba, and Steve. Techno loves those bears and I can see why they're very sweet and protective. I walk up to the door and was immediately greeted by the pink haired man. I watched as he checked to see if I was ok and giggled as he sighed with relief to see that I'm perfectly fine.

"What's in the bag?" He says reaching for the brown paper bag. I swat his hand away gently and frown.

"It's a surprise remember," I say and slightly hug the bag to my chest and walk towards the kitchen.

"Right right, surprise!" He chuckles follows me to the kitchen.

I set the bag down and pull out the food. I quickly notice he's watching over my shoulder and turn around. "Out! Out out out! Out of my kitchen!" I shout playfully.

"Your kitchen? Since when did this become your kitchen?" Techno questioned laughing.

"Since you let me move in." I answer plainly. "Now out!" I giggle and lightly shove him out of the kitchen. I turn back to the food and start to prepare the dish for the oven. Once finished with that I make the wine sauce and mushrooms. As soon as the sauce is finished I coat the chicken and pour the rest into the dish and place it in the preheated oven. I pull out some of our fresh potatoes and start to wash them and cut them up. I place the diced potatoes in a pot and boil them. Once they were finished I drain them and season them placing them on a plate and just in time my timer goes of for the chicken and I take the chicken out putting the two chicken breasts on a the plates and pouring some sauce on top.

"Techno go into the dinning room for your surprise!" I shout to him. I hear him get up a move to the dinning room and take it as my que to take the drinks in. I grab two wine glasses and some fine wine I had bought while at the shops. We don't drink often but when we do it's usually just a glass of wine. I walked into the dinning room with the drinks and sat on down in front of him and one down in front of my spot across from him.

"Wine? We don't usually have wine with our dinner." Techno questions.

"Just wait!" I smile and say proudly.

I walked back into the kitchen grabbing the plates and taking them back into the dinning room.

"Close your eyes" I said behind him. He nods letting me know they're closed and I set the plate in front of him and move over to my spot and sit down with my plate.

"Okay now open them!" I said smiling. He opens his eyes and gasps.

"You made this?!" He says shocked.

"Yep! My father taught me when I was younger! It's one of my favorite dishes and thought you would like it!" I smiled and looked up at him. His eyes fixated on the chicken in front of him, mouth watering. I giggled and began to eat. After a few bites I noticed he hadn't touched the food.

"Are you ok? You haven't touched your food." I said worriedly.

"It's to beautiful to eat." He said solemnly.

I let out a little giggle and nudge his leg a little with my foot telling him to eat it. He lets out a sad sigh and began to take a bite. He groans in satisfaction and relaxes in the back of his chair. I laugh.

"It's that good huh?" I asked jokingly.

"Good?! It's heavenly!" He announces loudly.

"Good! I knew you'd love it!" I smile

We both continue eating and making small talk occasionally he'd make a comment about how much he loved the food. After eating we continued to sit at the table sipping our wine and joking about random things. It was getting late. I got up and yawned stretching my arms and grabbing our dishes. I quickly wash the dishes putting them away and walk into the room upstairs. Techno already ready for bed and waiting. I chuckle lightly quickly change into my pajamas and crawl into bed next to Techno. He wraps his arms gently around my waist and gives me a soft kiss. I smiled and looked into his gorgeous red eyes.

"Thank you for dinner. It was amazing." He says softly and smiles. I smile back and snuggle up against the warm man.

"You're welcome my love." I replied softly.

Tonight was a great night and I only hope for more of them.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you guys for reading! I really enjoyed writing this so I hope you liked reading it just as much! Have an amazing day/night and remember to hydrate!

-Sharkie

(also if some how you also saw this on ao3, wattpad, or quotev don’t worry this is mine! :) )

[nuttystrawberrysalad]

All About Knitted Hats

Quarantine has sparked plenty of new at-home hobbies. Maybe you picked up a paintbrush and tapped into your inner artist. Or, you might have transformed your kitchen into a bakery. For some, perfecting their knitting and crocheting skills even led to a business — which is why you're likely seeing the knit hat trend unexpectedly taking off on Instagram.

For Delsy Gouw, founder of Brooklyn-based label Its Memorial day, crocheting started out as a fun activity. "[It] originally started as an online Depop vintage shop [in 2019] but when Covid hit, I wasn’t able to source any goods," she tells TZR. "I also lost my job and found myself with a lot of time on my hands." Gouw picked up the old hobby of hers and began making items for friends, and then her friends' friends were requesting pieces, too. She then began crafting knit hats because she believed the demand was there. "I started with bags but when I posted them so many of my friends and followers asked when or if I’d be open to making hats and taking customs for hats," Gouw tells TZR. While trends typically fade away and come back later on, Gouw hopes this style will stay long-term. "[I] can’t speak for knitting, but the way crochet is done is truly so intricate, unique, and is made to last," she explains. "Crochet can only be done by hand so I think there is something special about having an accessory that is unique and handmade." Fans of Gouw's emerging brand include influencers like Reese Blutstein, Jo Rosenthal, and Ella Emhoff.

Who knows when the first person decided to put something over their head to keep it warm, but knitters know that knitted hats for women are some of the most fun and easy things to knit.

When they’re worked in the round there is little in the way of shaping, except when you get to the crown.

Most hats are worked from the bottom up, with stitches cast-on and worked in a snug stitch pattern such as ribbing, or in stockinette for a rolled bring hat, using a smaller size needle than is used for the head portion of the hat.

In many hat patterns, the hat is worked straight for the desired length of the crown, then nearly all of the stitches are evenly decreased over the course of just a few rounds.

The yarn is cut, the tail threaded through the remaining stitches, pulled tight, and fastened off to the inside of the hat.

The hat can be topped with a pom pom, i-cord, tassel, or whatever embellishment strikes your fancy.

A great book for learning to make hats is Ann Budd’s Handy Book of Patterns, from which some of the material on this page is excerpted. There are chapters on basic hats as well as the type of hats called “tams.”

There are several types of hats, but the most popular knitted hats for men are beanie-type caps, tams (sometimes called “berets”), slouch hats, earflap hats, and tuques.

Beanies: These hats can be super simple or dressed up with a lace or cable patterns. In cooler climates, they’re wonderful gifts for knitters to make.

Tams/Berets: There are so many different stitch patterns to use in this style. Tams and berets can be plain stockinette or intricate Fair Isle. This style of hat is really flattering on just about every face shape, too.

Earflap Hats: These hats are popular in cold climates. They’re great for keeping ears warm and they’re fun to knit. The knitters of Peru specialize in these hats, as shown in the photo at right.

Often a knitted hats for children will have a finished size that is smaller than the average adult head. That’s because hats meant to fit closely at the brim need a bit of negative ease to help them fit snugly and keep them on the head.

The amount of negative ease refers to the difference between the finished size of the object and the size of body part on which it will be worn. A hat that measures 19″ (48.5 cm) around and is worn on a 22″ (56 cm) head has 3″ (7.5 cm) of negative ease.

A beret-type hat might have negative ease at the brim, but a few inches of positive ease in the body of the hat. The extra fabric is what creates its loose, flowing shape, while the tighter brim keeps it fitted to the head.

Hats are a natural for circular knitting (or knitting in the round). This project for circular-knit adult hats offers three brim styles: hemmed, ribbed, and rolled stockinette. Whichever brim you choose, the directions call for shaping the top. Work this hat in plain stockinette stitch in a colorful or fashion yarn, or customize it by working the colorwork pattern included here. But don’t feel tied to those two options — use this hat as a canvas to express yourself.

If you knit the hat on one 16-inch circular needle, you’ll need to switch to double-pointed needles (or one of the other methods) at some point during the crown decreases because the stitches will no longer reach comfortably around the needle. It is easiest to knit hats using the magic-loop method with one long circular needle.

Choose a size

Determine the circumference you want for the hat. Most hats should be knit with negative ease (. Measure around the widest part of the intended wearer’s head and subtract 1⁄2 to 1-1⁄2 inches from that measurement to calculate the hat circumference.

A hemmed brim is not as stretchy as a rolled or ribbed brim, so it’s best not to include too much negative ease when using this hem.

Choose yarn and determine the gauge

Yarn for adult hats can run the gamut from practical to frivolous and fun. If you want a warm winter hat, for example, choose a yarn that is warm and durable, and knit it at a tighter gauge than recommended on the ball band. This results in a denser fabric that better retains heat. If, on the other hand, you are creating a fun accessory, you might choose a fashion yarn that adds a little flair. Because this hat is such a simple shape, it’s a great way to show off variegated or self-striping yarns.

To keep cool but stay warm during winter, you can’t skimp on great outerwear or outfit-making boots. The same goes for cold-weather accessories too: Because for the majority of the season, coats, boots, and, in this case, winter hats do most of the talking when it comes to bundling up while keeping things stylish. In order to break free from your standard winter-outfit formulas—and to keep your looks from looking like, well, everybody else—consider accessorizing functionally and fashionably this season. Here, find four headwear trends not to be missed, and shop 24 of the best winter hats, inspired by the most stylish women on the streets, from New York to Paris.

Buckets and Beyond

After runway debuts at Fendi and Loewe, the winter-ready hand knitted hat took over the streets last February—and this season the ’90s trend has continued to gain momentum. From shaggy faux furs to fuzzy angoras, from shearling to sherpa styles, the winter bucket hat is one of the cutest and coziest accessories of the season.

The ribbed-knit beanie has earned its place as a winter style staple for everyone from downtown urbanites to alpine skiers. New Yorkers might prefer sleek styles in a neutral color palette like black and speckled gray. Meanwhile, a pop of color would bring the perfect amount of joyous street-style-inspired Scandi chic to any drab winter look. And for those who wish to channel a bit of après-ski flair in their daily commute, look no further than one with a floppy, fluffy pom-pom.

The trapper hat is no longer just for the rugged outdoorsman or Elmer Fudd. Not convinced? The trapper has been deemed stylish enough for even the Parisians—in fact a black faux-fur version was spotted on the streets topping off a geometric-print coat, leather pants, and blue ankle booties for the ultimate in warmth and style. Et voilà! Not to mention everyone from classic winter-weather brands to It labels are backing the trapper trend—Heurueh, Kule, and R13 to name just a few. You heard it here first: The trapper is the ultimate winter hat for women this season.

On the tiny Peruvian island of Taquile, a man's worth isn't measured in his ability to hunt or fish, but in his ability to knit.

Alejandro Flores Huatta was born on the 1,300-person island, which is located on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca, a three-hour boat ride from the nearest city of Puno. The 67-year-old learned how to knit the iconic chullo (a tall, floppy Andean hat) as a child, with his older brother and grandfather teaching him by using the thorns of a cactus as knitting needles.

"Most of the people learn by looking, watching. Because I don't have a father, my older brother [and grandfather] taught me to knit. So by watching, I learned little by little," he said, speaking through a Quechua translator.

Taquile is famous for its textiles and clothing, and while women weave and tend to the sheep that provide the wool, men are the ones who exclusively produce the island's knitting cap for baby. The chullos are seen as culturally significant, playing a key role in the island's social structure and allowing men to show their creativity while also displaying their marital status, dreams and aspirations – some men even use it to show their mood. It's a tradition that islanders are working hard to preserve.

Residents were relatively cut off from the mainland until the 1950s, and the island's isolation has helped to keep its heritage and way of life intact. Locals abide by the Inca code of "Ama sua, ama llulla, ama qhilla", (Quechua for, "Do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy"). Taquileans are farmers traditionally; the six island communities take turns to rotate crops of potato, corn, beans and barley in terraces on the mountainsides. They raise sheep, guinea pigs, chickens and pigs on the land and fish in the lake. Tourism kicked off in the 1970s, giving locals a source of income with tens of thousands of visitors drawn to the island annually to tour the villages and surrounding lake. Visitors typically stay with locals in humble, family-run accommodations; lend a hand-harvesting crops; try local specialties like fried trout and potatoes with rice, beans and mint tea; and purchase the island's famous handmade textiles.

Hats reveal men's marital status, dreams and aspirations

In 2005, Taquile's textile art was deemed so valuable that Unesco deemed it an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Alejandro is one of the seven men on the island recognised as a Master of Textiles, along with the island's president, Juan Quispe Huatta.

The tradition has been around for the better part of 500 years, with roots in the ancient civilisations of the Inca, Pukara and Colla peoples. The Inca in particular, used their headdresses in a similar way to the Taquilean chullo, to display the specific insignia of their particular province – but that’s where the similarities end. The Taquilean chullo and the Inca headdresses look vastly different. The elders of the island tell of the chullo design arriving with the Spanish conquest in 1535, and Alejandro's grandfather passed on stories of the early conquerors wearing similar hats that were white with ear covers, "but not the same patterns or symbols," Alejandro said.