#drable

[dreamsteddie]

I think Steddie both have pretty high levels of rizz, just never with each other

Let me explain.

When Steve is flirting with someone he's usually able to strike that balance between embracing himself just enough for them to be endeared and suave enough to compliment them in sweet, charming ways. While he does strike out from time to time, he's mostly able to score the dates he wants.

Eddie is too much of a freak for anyone in Hawkins to take him on, but he can lean into the theatrics and "bad boy" image enough to charm some people against their better judgment, similar to how he flirted with Chrissy. He doesn't usually get the date, and usually isn't even angling for one, but he does get himself out of some potentially sticky situations (as well as create some new ones).

When they start trying to flirt with each other? They both enter their flop eras hard.

Steve becomes clumsy and bumbling in a way he's never experienced before. He's tripping over imaginary runs in the carpet, smacking into door frames, and biting his own tongue whenever Eddie is around. He tries to lean over the counter at work to look up at Eddie when he comes into the store and his elbow lips, leaving him with a busted chin for almost a week.

Eddie, on the other hand, who prides himself on his eloquence suddenly can't get a correct sentence out of his mouth to save his life. He goes to Steve's house with a complete choose-your-own-adventure style script ready to woo Steve, he's prepared for every possibility, but when he gets there he accidentally implies that Steve's sweater is ugly and that Eddie can't do simple addition all in one disaster conversation.

Their lack of ability to flirt with each other delays their inevitable admittance of feelings by at least three months. If not for the heavy intervention of all the party members plus Corroded Coffin, they may still be pining to this day.

[k1ng-ej]

vincent often makes you pose so he can draw you. you’re stuck in awkward positions for a few hours while he studies and memorizes your body to draw. he notes all of your curves, the slight dip in your hips, a few long scars that line your back and your thighs. he briefly wonders how you got them, and plans to ask you later if you’re comfortable sharing. he makes sure to add the barely noticeable freckles across your face, and the birthmark that was so delicately placed on your jawline.

vincent is very satisfied with his work, he thinks he has captured you perfectly in his drawing, and he is excited to show you. you’re glad to finally be able to move and stretch. your heart flutters in your chest when he shows you the drawing, to see how someone else views you through their eyes feels surreal, you are so used to seeing yourself through mirrors, or cameras, that you overlook details about yourself that vincent didn’t. you didnt notice the tiny freckles on your collarbone, or the small moles on your mid back. you were sure vincent had memorized all these physical details about you. he already had your favorite foods and drinks memorized, he knew what toppings on pizza you preferred, how many ice cubes you liked to have in your drinks. he was a man that paid close attention to detail, but that wasn’t surprising given how he made such beautiful but intricate wax sculptures, he was talented, and you praised him every day for that.

he was also very caring toward you, a trait his brother, Bo, didn’t exactly possess. vincent always made sure to include you in things so you wouldn’t feel left out, he would let you draw in his sketch book, something he didn’t even let his brother touch— for some reason. you’ve looked through his sketches, and found nothing bad, so you weren’t sure why he guarded it so much. if anything, his sketches were beautiful, you even found a few he did of you, and you could easily tell that he did these on a whim when sitting near you. they weren’t as detailed as others, just a quick something to busy his hands, or maybe he just wanted to capture your face in that moment.

vincent loved you dearly, and you could feel it through his actions and words… or letters. that was another thing he did. late at night, when he was left with nothing but his thoughts, he would write you heartfelt letters explaining all of the traits he loved about you. these letters were often multiple pages, to make up for all of the things he doesn’t say.

in conclusion, he is an amazing partner, and you love everything about him, and everything that comes with being with him, which includes his brother, who can be a bit mean sometimes, but you’ve learned not to take it to heart.

[cian-meimei]

Commander Xia.

Pairing: Caleb (Xia Yizhou) x Reader

Tags: ancient times, duke's daughter x commander of the imperial guards, ancient arrange marriage, secret identity, love at first sight, childhood friends to lovers to stangers to husband-wife, Li Shen (Zayne) x reader if you squint.

Word count: 3k words

wordbank: commander of imperial guards = leader of the guards protecting the emperor, the three bows = done during wedding ceremony for filial piety etc, Imperial Medical Bureau = the one that handles the matters regarding health, chinese medicine, acupuncture etc of the imperial family, gege = older brother, meimei = lil sis

NOT PROOF-READ OR EDITED.

divider credits to @/thecutestgrotto

You are the Duke’s only offspring, meant to inherit your father’s mantle and be a duchess of your own right. You are an esteemed noble lady with extraordinary features and admirable skills, with many people vying for your hand in marriage. With your status and qualifications, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Emperor decreed your marriage with any of the Prince as the Princess Consort. In fact, it was the topic of every gossips in the Capital. Why haven’t the Emperor decreed your marriage with a Prince yet? It was no secret that the Emperor covets your father’s power, and wants nothing but to control your family. For this to happen, he could simply marry you off to one of his sons.

Everyone thought the Emperor gave up, so they dared to dream. Every bachelor dreams for a chance with you, but not everyone fancy you for you. What they have been aiming for is the power in your name, the influence of your father’s Dukedom.

Even as a child you know this, and you can easily discern anyone with the same intentions. You also knew why the Emperor chose not to betroth you with any of his sons.

It’s because the Emperor is a coward. He didn’t dare marry you off to one of his sons, because it means that the Dukedom would be closer to the throne and that son to take advantage of your power to go against him. He’s afraid that he won’t be able to control his wayward sons and allow you and your family to gain even more foothold in the Capital. So everything’s in stalemate, with the Duke and the Emperor playing a chess game under false pretenses.

You hated being a part of this chess game, so you have to do something to gain the upper hand. “Jiang Nan (Tara).” You called gently, exiting your chambers with a determined expression. Within a second, Jiang Nan arrived in front to you, with hand warmer in hand. She already knew of your plans today, but didn’t expect it to be at this moment so she could only grab the hand warmer and nothing else.

“My lady, we should take this. It might be cold outside in this weather. Do you need other things to bring?”

You hummed and gave her your jade pendant. “Bring some gold ingot with you. We shall depart within a stick of incense.”

Jiang Nan nodded like a chicken pecking at rice before scurrying over to the treasury. Within half of incense, she came back holding an inconspicuous pouch. “Let’s go, my lady.”

Jiang Nan has been your companion since you were a child. She’s your reading companion, and the third daughter of a lower noble. Since then, she has been serving you as your personal companion, taking care of your daily needs. You know where her and her family’s loyalty lie, so you trust her.

When you arrived at the agreed meeting place, the person you are meeting was already there, leisurely sipping tea as he gazed outside, unfazed by the cold weather. When he saw you and Jiang Nan enter the room, he stood up and gave you his salute.

“Grand Physician Li.”

“A pleasure to see you, Esteemed Noble Lady.”

Li Shen (Zayne), your childhood friend, and now the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau. All these years you have been friends with him, raising eyebrows of the masses due to the closeness of your relationship to each other. Some malicious enough to make assumptions that there’s more than friendship between the two of you. Both of you really didn’t care about some petty rumors and let it go. Aside from being friends, you have been in contact with him to gather intel about the Emperor, your meetings are under the guise of checking for your health.

Pouring you tea, Li Shen cleared his throat and put a talisman inside the room, isolating whatever conversation that will unfold in this room from anyone who dare to eavesdrop outside. Once the talisman became effective, your tense back relaxes and Li Shen’s stoic face softened.  

“How have you been, meimei? Anything wrong with your health?” Gone was the stiffness in his voice, replaced with fond familiarity.

With a smile, you waved your hand. “I’m fine. Anything in your end, perhaps?”

“Straightforward as ever, I see.” Li Shen smiled, not offended at all. Setting down his cup, he began to recount the information he had gathered with serious face. As he slowly revealed everything, your smile slowly fell off and was replaced with a frown.

“Simply speaking, there’s a change in power inside the Capital, meimei. I don’t know the specifics, but it might have to do with the elusive Commander of the Imperial Guards, Xia Yizhou.”

“Xia Yizhou…” You whispered the name in daze, feeling a spark of familiarity inside you but simply cannot name it. Li Shen hummed, continuing with his revealation.

“The Emperor hasn’t been in good health recently. Trusted and even lower ministers come and go in his chambers. It isn’t hard to guess that he’s about to stir a storm in the Capital. I advice you to be alert, because this might be about your family.”

Taking a deep breath, you nodded. “Thank you for the warning, Shen Ge. You as well, please do not let the Emperor doubt you. I don’t to get you in trouble for helping me.”

Li Shen gave you a small but reassuring smile. “Even if the Emperor doubts me, he cannot replace me easily. I’m the only Physician he can trust in the Capital. Removing me in the game would only be a death warrant to him. As for you getting me in trouble..” His voice trailed as he looked at the snowy scenery outside. “Take it as me repaying the Duke’s kindness all these years. After all, I wouldn’t be in this position without you and the Duke’s help.”

Li Shen came from a commoner’s family. He and along with another boy, were victims of the snow disaster in an obscure town many many years ago. You and your father happened to see the two boys in the brink of death at the side of the road and helped them. Your father might be prideful but he’s not unkind. When he reported it to the Emperor and the Emperor did nothing about it, he took the matters into his own hands and buried the victims, including Li Shen’s deceased parents. In the process, you got close with the two boys. You begged your father to help them, so the Duke then sent the two boys to a humble house, giving them a fresh start. But only Li Shen remained. As for the other boy…

“Now for the other matter,” Li Shen’s voice brought you out of your memories. You perked up.

“The investigation I did finally bore some fruit. It seems that our childhood friend, xiaozhou…never left the capital. Meimei…he’s always been here in the Capital.”

You have been in dazed the moment you left the restaurant, Li Shen’s words kept echoing in your mind.

Xiao Zhou, the other boy your father saved along with Li Shen, many many years ago. In fact, you and Li Shen wasn’t the closest back then. Li Shen is a quiet child who never smiles and often prefer reading medical books than to play with you. Xiao Zhou on the other hand, was a loud and cheerful little fellow. You and him has been the closest, he was like a brother you never had, Thought you a lot of things as a kid, even climbing a tree or catching a fish, things that a lady of your station should not do. Because of that, your father often scolds him. It was also because you almost died due to an allergy caused by eating a fruit given to you by Xiao Zhou that your father had decided to send the two boys out of the Duke Estate into the house of a trusted right handman of his.

You cried the whole night, begging your father to take them back, but your father only said. “Let them prove their worth, baobei. You’re a woman of power. You do not chase men. Instead, let them prove they’re worthy of you.”

You didn’t understand it back then, and only thought your father is punishing you for befriending someone of unequal status. You felt wronged, but grew to accept this arrangement as Xiao Zhou would still write to you constantly, and Li Shen too, sometimes when he’s not so busy studying medicinal herbs. It remained like that for years, until Xiao Zhou suddenly stopped writing to you, giving you his final letter dictating his farewell.

“This is my farewell to you as Xiao Zhou, for when the next time I come back to the Capital, I will be someone deserving of you.”

Li Shen told you that he had escaped in the middle of the night, never to be seen again even when the Duke ordered a search party. And even until now, you’re still searching for him.

“Meimei…he’s always been here in the Capital.”

You tried to control the tears that fell from your eyes, Jiang Nan scrumbling around trying to comfort you. But you became deaf to the noises everyone around you. The implication in Li Shen’s words became clear to you.

Xiao Zhou has always been here in the Capital all these time, but he refused to see and meet you, not even once. Why? Does he not want me anymore? Is he even planning to come back to me like he promised he would?

“My Lady, may…may I say something?” Jiang Nan mumbled, somewhat hesitant.

You simply nodded, not really in the mood to care what she would even say.

“I grew up with you, and also saw the bud between the you and Xiao Zhou grow. I believe he is sincere when he said he would come back for you. Perhaps…it’s simply not time yet, that’s why he’s still not coming back.”

“But I’ve been waiting for so long!” You yelled at the top of your lungs, spooking the horse and the horseman, making the carriage shake. You didn’t care about it as you cried and yelled. “That goddamn of a useless Emperor is already making moves to marry me off to deal with my father. How long do I have to wait?! Father is also starting to pressure me, I hate this!”

“MY LADY, THE STREETS HAVE EARS!”

In the next few weeks, a lot been happening inside the Capital, and like what Li Shen told you, it has something to do with the elusive Commander of the Imperial Guards. Some officials has recently been arrested, and what made you nervous was the fact that some of those officials are your fathers’ allies. It seems that the Emperor is truly getting desperate as his health continue to deteriorate. And it seems that the Commander is someone you couldn’t underestimate. This storm upon the Capital’s nobility is likely his doing. What fueled your suspicioun even more is that the Princes has also been making a move recently, with some showing good will to your father.

Due to this, your father has been extremely busy these days. In turn, you also became nervous and vigilant. You knew that to weaken your father, the Emperor would likely target you, the next in line to inherit the Dukedom. It’s either he’s going to marry you to some old geezer, or grant you a title of a princess and send you off to another country to become a hostage princess. Worse comes to worst, he might even kill you off. Which would be foolish, really. Your father might not be an Emperor but he had a lot of people on his side. Killing you off would only make the people’s opinion of his already destroyed reputation even worse. Even though people likes to gossip about you and your ‘unchaperoned’ meetings with Li Shen, the people generally has good opinions about you, that you knew so you aren’t worried for you life. It’s either you submit to the Emperor, or rebel against the Emperor.

Your father is a prideful man, but he won’t rebel and incriminate innocent lives in the process. It’s a tough decision, really.

So when your father was called to the palace, you couldn’t help the panic rising in your heart. You knew it’s gonna be you who’s going to take the fall, but if you don’t, then it might be your father’s head who’s going to be put on a spike the next day. You barely ate, waiting for the expected bad news. When your father returned from his private meeting with the Emperor, his face wasn’t good. The gloom in his face makes him a lot older than he actually is. You stood up, chest heaving. You braced for impact.

“Father…”

“Daughter,”

You stiffened at your father’s resigned but serious tone. He rarely calls you like this, as he often calls you baobei. You wrapped yourself with your arms, looking down. In this moment that felt like a death sentence, the name that kept popping in your mind is Xiao Zhou.

Xiao Zhou… Zhouzhou…

“The Emperor has decreed that you marry…the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Xia Yizhou.”

It felt like you plunged into an icy lake, your mind freezing as you blanked out. Commander? Marry?

“Anyone but him!” You screamed, “I’M NOT GOING TO MARRY SOME OLD GEEZER, FATHER!”

Fuck the Emperor! Fuck the Capital! If possible you will even lead the rebellion yourself!

Your father’s face twitched, complicated expressions flashing in his face before he walked closer to you and held your shoulders. “Listen to me, daughter. You know I��d rather lose my life than to use you as the sacrificial lamb for this family. In your mother’s death bed, she made me promise to not trade you with anything. Power, position, connection, anything. I promised her, and I wouldn’t break it even if she’s been gone for so long already. I was ready to defy the decree but…sigh, you’ll understand when you meet him. I’m sure you’ll understand.”

Confused by his roundabout words, you demanded for clearer answer. “What do you mean, father? I cannot understand!”

Looking at you straight in the eye with a helpless look, he smiled. “All I’m trying to say that this arrangement, is perhaps not bad at all. Whatever you decide, baobei, I will support you. But I advice you to save your decision until you meet him, alright? Also, he’s not old. Young, vigorous. Around Xiaoshen’s age.”

After saying those words, your father retired to his chambers, gloom still covering his whole figure, but his steps were lighter. His words left you confused and in shambles. In the end, you have no choice but to do your own digging about the matter the next morning.

Not even a week later, His Majesty the Emperor officially decreed your marriage to the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Xia Yizhou. It caused a huge commotion in the Capital. Some where unhappy, some happy.  Many lamented your misfortune. But you were desperately searching for someone else, not even bothering to care about your future spouse. Li Shen had also asked to meet up, but you didn’t have time to meet up with him when you whisk back into the Duke’s Estate to prepare for your wedding.

In the end, all your efforts were futile. You were in daze the whole ceremony, and the fact that you have your veil all the time prevented you from seeing your groom’s face.

“Bow to Heaven and Earth!”

You mechanically bowed, countless thoughts running around in your mind but none of those thoughts seems clear enough. Your mind is wrapped in a fog.

“Bow to Parents!”

You bowed facing in front, knowing that your father is standing there, watching with a resigned look. You felt the man beside you do the same, chuckling when you almost stumbled due to the heavy garment you’re wearing. His hand held your arm to help you, but you pulled your arm out of his grip forcefully.

The nerve of this man!

“Now, bow to each other!”

When the ceremony ended and you were escorted inside the wedding chamber, you released a sigh of relief. In your hand was a blade given to you by Xiao Zhou before he left, for self-defense. If this Xia Yizhou really forced himself on you tonight, you will stab him in the heart, then stab yourself so your father wouldn’t be implicated.

Although Xiaozhou had abandoned you, you’re still not willing to let some other man into your life. Much less a manipulative man like Xia Yizhou who were able to manipulate even the Emperor. You can’t tolerate a man completely controlling you all your life.

As the sound of celebration outside slowly receded, footsteps were heard, heading to your direction. You clutched the blade in your hand tightly, nervousness peaking the moment Xia Yizhou entered the chamber.

“It’s funny to see you so guarded like this,” You heard him say, sounding amused and sad at the same time.

Snorting, you retorted. “We doesn’t seem to be that familiar, Commander Xia. As a matter of fact, I believe this is our first meeting.”

Xia Yizhou sat on the chair in front of you, and you can feel his intense gaze burning holes into your veil. You cannot see his features clearly, but your father was right. He looked younger than what you had expected him to be.

“Oh, really?” Xia Yizhou hummed and poured the alcohol into the cups, no longer caring about the ceremony or tradition. Turning back to you, he said. “You seem to be very against this marriage. May I have the reason why?”

“I believe the Commander himself knew the reason, but since you want me to say it, then I’ll say it. First, my heart is already taken. I have no desire to marry another person other than him. Second, you manipulated the Emperor to marry me, and for whatever reason you have, I simply do not care. Third, you threatened and coerced my father. Are these reasons enough, Commander?”

Xia Yizhou began to laugh, so much joy in his voice that it made you felt insulted. You gripped the blade in your hand so tight you thought maybe you should just stab him right now and end this farce once and for all. Kill this crazy freak and then kill yourself. But before you can make up your mind, Xia Yizhou pulled your veil off in one swift move, meeting your gaze with a fond expression.

“Looking good, pipsqueak.”

Looking at your frozen expression, his smile widened. “Why, don’t you recognize me? I didn’t make you wait long, did I?”

“Meimei, xiaozhou is back. Won’t you give him a welcome kiss?”

[meteoramp3]

The counter was cold against the skin of your hip, as you leaned against it.

“Love, just in time.” Jace said as he looked up from the bottle. “I need some help here." His hand gestured to the baby on his arms, Visenya.

“Oh.” Your hands gently gripped her sides as you craddled her little form on your chest, her head against your shoulder.

Jace looked one last time before continuing to prepare the bottle for his sister; he started to shaking, waiting for the formula to dissolve.

“She’s restless... And hungry.” Jacaerys chuckled softly before checking the temperature of the milk. “Here."

He watched as you grabbed the bottle, guiding it towards the little baby. She gripped it tightly as she latched on.

“I promise I’ll make it up to you...”

“Well, you better, ‘cause I’m nobody’s babysitter... But I’m glad I could help you. How’s your mother?”

As Visenya continued to drink, Jace brushed his fingers against her tufts of hair softly. “Exhausted, the birth was tough on her.”

“I supposed it. You gripped my hand too tight that day.”

He watched as the baby finished her bottle, her eyelids struggling to not close. He kissed your forehead softly before resting his hand on your cheek.

“Thanks again, you didn't have to.”

“I know, you owe me fifty bucks, and an ice cream.”

sorry if I'm posting too much about jace, I got a neuron activation (?) ps: I know this is too short but that's all I could get from my silly brain and making it longer would've ruined it lol.

[kwilquib]

Ex and Woes

Minnie - (G)-IDLE x Male reader

100 words

Deep into the woods, sunlight streaks through gaps between the palm leaves, yells from your group barely audible— just like the crashing waves by the shoreline.

You’ve been lured away. Away from your lover. Back into the grip of your past.

Minnie pressing you against the rough bark. Your hand grips your phone, still flashing the debauched photos in her bikini she sent you. Bait you had been too weak to ignore

Smirk forms as she parts from your lips, her fingers roams you, perfume, whispers—she invades every sense.

“Did you think I invited you–my ex with pure intentions?”

[rafes-slut]

[imkinddassus]

If you're a worm I eat u

[izumkay]

—TOJI FUSHIGURO♡

Warning- MDNI.

Toji doesn’t do soft—he devours. The second he has you under him, it’s raw, rough, and relentless, his massive hands gripping your hips so hard they’ll leave bruises, his teeth sinking into your neck, marking you up like you belong to him. He doesn’t ease you into it—he slams into you in one deep, brutal thrust, knocking the air from your lungs, making you arch and claw at his broad back.

"Fuckin’ take it," he growls, voice thick with lust, a cocky smirk playing on his lips as he watches you struggle to handle his size. His pace is feral, unforgiving, his hips snapping against yours in deep, punishing strokes, the sound of skin slapping filling the air, mixing with your breathless moans and his low, filthy groans. He grips your throat, cutting off your air just enough to make you lightheaded, his dark, hungry eyes drinking in your wrecked expression.

"Look at you," he taunts, "already fucked stupid, and I’m not even close to done." His fingers find your clit, rubbing hard, fast circles that have your body convulsing beneath him, pleasure crashing over you like a violent wave. But Toji doesn’t stop—he fucks you through it, his own release slamming into him, his body tensing, growling as he spills deep inside you, stuffing you full of his cum. And when you’re lying there, trembling, barely able to move, he just chuckles darkly, flipping you over onto your stomach.

"Nah, sweetheart," he mutters, lining himself up again, pressing his chest against your back, "you ain’t done till I say so."

[1heartfanfics]

fic idea

A and B are dating but they’re keeping it a secret for whatever reason. But then A gets super sick while they’re with family/friends/whoever they’re hiding it from. And sick A is really out of it and they just want B and are being super clingy. So B is trying to take care of A but also trying to play it off so as to not give them away. But A gets super worked up and upset and the only way B can calm them down is by holding them, which outs them (even though everyone already had their suspicions).

just a thought I had today. Who should I write this for?

[usagi-chwan]

And it is the turn of our beloved Chuchu, at least the first part! The second one will be posted as soon as possible.

I use random first names to replace the reader's, but you can read by replacing with your own, as it was originally thought~ Reader's name is Kumiko in this chapter, and the reader is female.

English is not my first language, so it's possible that I made some mistakes in this book! If so, please let me know.

(The images used do not belong to me).

Chuuya x Reader - A new world (1/2)

He didn't really know what had made him enter this particular bar, of all the ones at his disposal. Maybe because of the calm and distinguished atmosphere that came from the sign, with its elegant charcoal and gold-colored scrolls, and the facade with its lightly smoked windows, who knows.

A chime had sounded when he had pushed the double glass door open, and a roasted scent had reached him almost immediately, far from being stifling, with a few hints of alcohol here and there. The bar was decorated in dark, sober tones, starting with the black oak floor, passing through the iron chairs and tables of the same color, and ending with the wooden bar, a little lighter in color than the floor.

Lights scattered their warm, subdued glow over the entire room, and some plants provided a discreet and welcome touch of freshness. A few customers were seated here and there, in a serene calm as he had rarely experienced in the other bars he had visited.

The aroma of coffee and alcohol filled his nostrils, and he immediately felt transported to a whole new world, far from the chaos that was his daily life. Here, he felt that the blood on his hands and the atrocities in his eyes were a distant memory.

Slowly, almost as if he feared the magic of the place would fade if he took the next step, he walked over to the counter, looking at the chalk-covered slates to see what the establishment had to offer.

While the prospect of a glass of wine was all that had brought him into this bar, he decided at the last second to change his mind. As a man with greying hair and a virtuous moustache came to greet him and ask what he wanted, he finally opted for a coffee.

The waiter told him that he could sit at one of the free tables, and that his order would be brought to him directly. The young man threw his devotion on a place apart from the others, in a quiet corner along the smoked window giving on the street.

There, he discarded his jacket and hat on the chair facing him, sitting down on the other one and breathing a sigh of relief. Looking at his watch, he noticed that it was now a little after 1:30 in the morning. He was used to working nights, with his job in the Mafia, but he was much more exhausted than he usually was. And yet, he had even finished much earlier than usual today.

Fortunately, as soon as he thought about it, he was pleasantly surprised to see, out of the corner of his eye, someone coming towards him with a tray in their hands. However, instead of the waiter from earlier, whom he had expected to see, a completely different person was now facing him.

A girl, who couldn't have been more than his age, with a beautiful smile. So beautiful that he felt his cheeks become slightly red, so much he did not expect such an expression from the stranger, nor even such thoughts coming from himself. He was certainly much more tired than he thought at first...

The waitress was dressed in an elegant black, with a jacket, a tie and a skirt, which came a little bit above her knees dressed in tights, accompanied by a white shirt and dark shoes. Her hair was tied back, so that nothing would obstruct her vision as she served her customers.

"And here's your coffee!" she said with a sweet smile that radiated joy. "Thank you for waiting!"

"T...Thank you..."

He didn't have the opportunity to add anything else, too busy trying to control the blush on his cheeks to do so. Fortunately, the orange lights of the ceiling lamps were not strong enough to betray his sudden weakness.

"Oh! Is it yours?"

The young man turned his attention back to the waitress, who was pointing at the chair in front of him, where his things were placed. Without understanding, he nodded his head up and down, one eyebrow raised.

"It's beautiful!" the girl exclaimed. "I am sure that it must fit you like a glove, you have an excellent taste in clothes if I may say so!"

It took him a few more seconds to realize that she was talking about his hat. Was she serious, or was she making fun of him like a certain insufferable colleague with equally annoying suicidal tendencies?

From the stars that shone in the waitress's eyes, as she clutched the tray to her and bent over to get a better look at his hat, he could tell without batting an eyelid that the woman's contemplation was genuine.

And this realization made him blush even more, so much so that he was convinced that his face should be the same color as his hair right now. He thanked her again, cursing himself for not being able to find what to say to this girl without risking looking either bitter or ridiculous.

"My name is Kumiko, by the way. I'm the manager of this bar."

The young man's eyes widened at this sentence, staring at Kumiko without moving. Manager of this place? So young? Wasn't it the man from earlier who filled this role?

The young woman laughed slightly.

"I know, it's hard to believe, isn't it? Everyone has the same reaction as you, if that makes you feel any better."

"... Indeed, I didn't expect it to be you... So your colleague over there is actually your employee, if I understand correctly?"

"That's right!" she confirmed with a smile. "His name is Kobayashi."

She was about to add something else when a customer called her, who obviously needed her services. So she turned back to the young redhaired man with an apologetic smile.

"Ah, sorry... Duty calls, I guess! Take your time to drink your coffee, if you need anything don't hesitate to ask... Mister...?"

"Nakahara. Nakahara Chuuya."

The smile of the waitress didn't move a millimeter as she turned and went to continue her work,not without bowing slightly in greeting. He looked at her for a few more seconds, as she laughed at what two other customers were saying to her, their eyes slightly clouded, no doubt from the alcohol.

She really did have a beautiful smile, he thought as he took a sip of his coffee to distract himself from these thoughts. He noticed, as he did so, that there was a tiny wrapper next to his cup, which he opened curiously.

A piece of dark chocolate was inside, which he gladly ate, letting it melt under his tongue. Enjoying the slight bitterness that came out of it.

   

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

 

He certainly didn't expect to come back to this place one day or another.  And even less a few days later.

It was not so much because of the coffee he had drunk that he had repeated his visit, but rather because of the calm and soothing atmosphere that reigned in this establishment. And it was definitely not because of any other factors, he thought as he sat down at the same table as last time, while watching a certain waitress hurry to serve the other few customers, a tray in her hand and a smile on her lips.

This time, it was a glass filled with a dark red liquid that was presented to him, while the waitress welcomed him. He was surprised to see that she remembered him from the last time he was here.

"I have a very good memory", she said with a smile. "And I recognized your hat right away."

Once again, a few words from this young woman were enough to make his cheeks turn red. He didn't put up any kind of resistance when she asked for permission to sit at his table, which she happily did, placing her tray on the metal surface and letting a sigh escape her.

"Are you tired?" asked Chuuya without knowing why.

"Ahah, a little bit yes,"she answered with a guilty smile as she covered her mouth with her hand, almost letting a yawn escape her. "I am however accustomed to work at night... And yet I haven't stopped yawning for several hours. Maybe because there is not much agitation tonight, who knows."

Indeed, there were few customers that night. But it was not to his displeasure. Not only because of the calm that it caused, but also because of the availability of his interlocutor that it implied...

Which made him close his eyes in embarrassment. Damn it, he was not going to start doing like Dazai, drooling after the first girl that came along!

"You also work late at night, if I understand correctly? It's not too hard?"

He turned his attention back to the waitress, who had put her elbows on the black iron table before putting her chin in her hands, looking at him with a curious and innocent look, waiting for the answer to her question.

This question had the merit of bringing him back to reality. His job? Of course it was difficult. But he couldn't tell this stranger exactly what it was all about, lest he say too much about it. The less she knew, the better.

"It is... complicated, indeed..." he replied, remaining deliberately evasive.

"Do you like your job?"

He felt his eyes widen slightly. He had never asked himself such a question before, so much it was now normal for him to live in this dark and sinister world that was the Mafia. Did he like killing, torturing and executing? Not really, if he was to be honest.

"More or less."

Kumiko looked at him for a few long seconds, studying him in silence as if to get the answers to her questions just by watching him. The next moment her smile returned, as if nothing had happened.

"I see. If you had the opportunity to change your path, would you do it?"

"No", was the answer he gave without hesitation. "I couldn't leave what I'm doing now, even if I wanted to."

He was playing with fire, he knew it. But he was always so evasive in his answers, so no one would suspect anything, right?

"What if you had the power to cut off all contact with your work, without any consequences or anything? As if you never exercised it in the first place?"

He stood still, not knowing what to say to this umpteenth question. What kind of strange question was that? He, cutting all contact with the Mafia, without fearing that they would come to make him pay for having deserted?

He was cut off from his thoughts by Kumiko's laughter. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there, lost in thought, saying nothing.

"Don't worry, I often ask questions that don't make sense. You didn't seem very happy when you talked about your work, so I thought you didn't like it... Don't hold it against me, I didn't mean to offend you!"

The tension that had descended upon him, without his knowing why or when, evaporated in a flash. For a moment, he had the unpleasant impression that the young woman knew how to read thoughts. The smile she sent him was enough to reassure him, and he surprised himself by smiling back at her, although it must have looked more like a grimace than anything else.

This time it was Kumiko's employee who called her, ending their previous conversation. With an apology, the young woman got up from her chair, repeating the same things to Chuuya about her services.

He watched the waitress walk away for a moment more, before turning to his glass filled with a dark-colored wine with a sharp aroma, a slight smile on his lips. However, he regretted his choice of drink this time, preferring a thousand times more the flavor of the coffee of the last time to that of the alcohol... Without forgetting the chocolate that went with it, of course.

Kumiko, on her side, finally reached the counter from where her colleague had just called her. She went behind the bar, putting her tray on it without a sound. Now, with her back to the room where her customers were, her smile suddenly fell, replaced by a neutral expression in only a few moments.

"So?" asked her colleague in a low voice, pretending to polish an already impeccable glass.

"It's indeed him", she answered in the same tone, all trace of lightness swept away like a dead leaf caught in a breath of wind. "That looks rather well, I intend to make him speak a little more. We'll see how it goes."

Then, as if nothing had happened, her smile returned as a new customer entered the bar, announced by the sound of the chime.

"Good evening, welcome! How can I help you?"

To be continued...

⚠️The writings here remain my sole and unique property, and any reproduction or distribution without my agreement is therefore strictly prohibited.⚠️

[konohaironfist]

The Covey - The forest and the freedom.

""Just a little drabble I wrote for Twitter, decided to post it here too because why not?

Sometimes it's the small moments that mean the most. 💭✨

──────

Lenore Dove loved springtime: the songs of birds in the forest, the wildflowers bursting open in the meadows, her geese running free under the sun.

But it wasn’t just the warmth on her skin or the unmistakable smell of cedar, smoke, and roses.

It was that rare, precious moment when she could sit by the wagon doors, surrounded by her family, feeling their hearts beat as one with the world around them.

Tam Amber, Clerk Carmine, Aunt Barb Azure — they had all taught her stories older than memory, passed down from mother to daughter, father to son.

They were not just tales.

They were the songs of the Covey, their people, their blood.

Their music wasn’t just music — it was a home, a language, a survival.

And that, no Capitol, no Peacekeeper, no cruel world, could ever take away.

As the sun sank behind the hills, her uncles lit a campfire, tuning their battered old violin and plucking a worn cimbalom.

Lenore Dove danced, swirling in a circle, skirts flying, arms lifted high, feet striking the earth in time with the beat of the fire.

“Sastimos le Lenore Dove…” Tam Amber chanted softly, tapping his tambourine like a heartbeat.

Lenore smiled. What must it have been like, long ago, when all the Covey traveled together, when they weren’t just these four souls clinging to each other in District 12?

“Sastimos le Covey.

Sastimos le Burdock, our mother.

Clerk Carmine, blessed with lucky hands.

Tam Amber, our mother.

Let good fortune come between our palms.”

She whispered the old blessing, imagining laughter, imagining music, imagining a spring evening long ago.

Lenore opened her eyes — and there was her cousin, Burdock, who had always been more like a brother.

She grinned wide, grabbed his hand, and pulled him toward the fire.

“Come, Burdie! Clerk Carmine’s making stew and ash-bread,” she whispered, eyes gleaming.

For a few heartbeats, she could forget they were in Panem.

Forget the cold, cruel districts, the Games, the Capitol’s watching eyes.

For just these few hours, Lenore Dove could feel the freedom her soul had been born for.

And as the smoke rose toward the starlit sky, she thought — maybe, just maybe, hope was something you could hold between your hands, like a tiny spark, if you guarded it close enough.

[dreamsteddie]

Eddie is a notorious biter when it comes to Steve. He gets cuteness aggression hotness aggression and competency aggression so pretty much any time Steve does anything Eddie is chomping down on some part of his boyfriend's body. He does it so often that people don't even react to it anymore. Steve just pats his head and lets his boyfriend do what he needs to do. He knew when he started dating Eddie Munson that there would be some oddities.

One day when all the older kids are handing out, Steve sitting between Robin and Eddie on the couch, he leans over with every intent of giving Eddie a little kiss on the cheek. Eddie is rambling to the room and Steve tends to get a little sappy about how passionate and outgoing his boyfriend is so Steve just needs to give him a little smooch.

Only he doesn't.

Before Steve realizes what's going on he's sunk his teeth lightly into the meat of Eddie's jaw. He stops, Eddie stops, the whole room is staring at them both with bewildered eyes because this is so out of character for Cool Guy/Boyfriend Steve and no one knows how to react.

After a few beats of hoping everyone will just look away and Steve can hide his embarrassment away with some dignity, he releases Eddie's jaw and pulls back. Eddie's eyes are bigger and more confused than Steve thinks he's ever seen them and suddenly Steve is just laughing, cackling like he never has before and the whole room is laughing with them. Robin and Johnathan are ribbing Steve hard about whatever the fuck that was and Nancy is just giggling and shaking her head and Eddie gets with the program too and pulls his boyfriend's head in for a little noogie.

Just Eddie's oddities rubbing off on Steve.

[buzzyandbadatmath]

Bucky and DnD

First MCU fic/drabble/idk, but I had this idea after I remembered how he read The Hobbit literally the year it came out and how proud he looked when he said it. My favorite thing about Steve and Bucky is the fact that they’re both huge nerds. Anyways enjoy😁

Warnings: none, can be interpreted both platonic or romantic

Wk: 437

It was a quiet evening at the Stark tower, the tail end of a movie night and most of the group had gone to their rooms. Meanwhile, you made your way to the kitchen for a snack some time ago, but got distracted by your phone along the way and was leaning against the island watching videos while snacking on some pretzels.

Bucky was halfway paying attention to the movie playing, it was The NeverEnding Story 2. Suffice it to say, it was understandable why no one was paying attention. Poor Banner, when he noticed people starting to filter out while the movie was still playing he leaned over to you and muttered, “I am never picking a movie for these shmucks ever again.”

As you scrolled through your feed, a meme about dnd popped up, which wasn’t uncommon for you. Outside of busting the heads of bad guys in real life, busting the heads of bad guys in dnd was your main hobby. You’ve played ever since high school and intend to do so until you die.

The image of you and your friends in a nursing home rolling a nat one for an attack and trying to convince the DM why they should give them advantage popped into your head and you chuckled.

It was one of those things where anytime the opportunity came, you were going to talk about it in agonizing detail to the first person who would listen. One of those hobbies that gripped your mind body and soul. Stark always called you a nerd for it, which was rich coming from the guy who gave you an unsolicited lesson on quantum mechanics and their applications while the both of you were drunk.

After a moment, you liked the post and kept scrolling, glancing up for a brief moment to see Bucky across the room from you nodding off while the bird was looking at Sebastian’s lost memories. You snorted and popped a pretzel into your mouth.

A sudden realization hit you like a truck, making you slam your hand down onto the counter and calling Bucky’s name louder than you intended. It startled him awake and he scrambled to stand up, “what the hell happened?” When he saw you alone in the kitchen and not being ambushed, his shoulders relaxed and he gripped the back of his neck with a pained groan.

“Sorry, I just need to know…” you rounded the counter and made a beeline for him, grabbing his shoulders and looking at him with an intensity that did not fit the situation, “have you heard about Dungeons and Dragons?”

[wowstrawberrycow]

My Lord of the Rings drabble is done!

Gifts Given at Dawn

Hi there! I would like to shout out to @bugstuff4ever! Thank you for answering my prompt call on one of my previous posts! I hope you enjoy this one. However, I will admit Gimli is not as fail epically as I intended for him to be lol (I think. He's sappy. I canon him to be that way with his lovers). This is what naturally flowed out with the music I was listening to. I was shooting for a Disney princess in the woods vibe with this piece. Hope you like it! Although I intend to try playing around with the idea of being so love-struck he fails in flirtation in the future. I might need different music to pull that out of me.

Pairing: GimliXLegolas - Gigolas

Warnings: none, just a pair of adorable gays.

If you would like to listen to what inspired this writing here are the links! I take no credit for these playlists, only the writing that came from them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qbdxfu3Onw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWibYLygiGM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi7tiTg-OnY

🌹Everyone has a prince, princess or royal inside. I hope this inspires my readers to let that shine.🌹-me!

Modest winds in the early morning blew kisses across the land outside the bundle of which they slept. With fluttering lashes lofty with the dreams of the night before they hesitantly lifted to greet the delicately shining light of the sun. Their ever open eyes through the night were caught off guard by the crisp air. But, for all of its nipping touches, they couldn’t help wanting to leave the warmth of their blankets. The birds and their leafy companions were calling to the golden haired royal. They had no choice but to heed the tranquil calls.

Mornings such as this one were a novelty to the royal elf. Since leaving the somber forest they called home, they chose to bask in the sun's rays each day. This was a grace that Legolas dared not omit from their sight. With each second beams of magnificent light fell over the land, drenching it in colors of gold, silver, and hues of spiced pumpkin. The elf drew in a deep breath taking in the liquid rhythms of a stream near them. Even with the daunting tasks that lay later in their path, the morning was still perfect. They carefully exited the camp feeling a strong need for nature's embrace. With footsteps as light as wispy clouds, Legolas tread closer to a nearby patch of trees. They simply walked humming softly enjoying the echoes of the wilderness. All its whiles made them feel at peace.

Little did the royal know, their solitude was silently interrupted by robust eyes. Gmili had caught sight of a beauty that morning too. Alas, it was not the breathtaking sunshine. It was a different gift. Perhaps, for the first moment in his lifetime he could appreciate the majesty that an elf could carry. Legolas did so without arrogance as they sat up in front of the dwarf. Their golden locks flowed with elegance against the canvas of the sky. It was then that he felt his heart pulse. How had he been so blind? Was it that he took his new friend for just another pretty face before now? Beauty as fair as this surely coveted so much more. This lesson, he learned in the Lothlorian woods, seemed to be slow to sink. Regardless, the two had found an unexpected friend in each other there. It was this mysterious connection that beckoned him from his comfort against the pillowed grasses. In search of his fascination, which now was basking in the light within the trees, he troted. Legolas’ divine voice was Gimli’s lead. Though once he had the elf in sight, the lovely tune stopped.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company,” Legolas’ demeanor shifted to one of little expressions. Such was the way they appeared to everyone. Though, internally they felt a tug of anxiety. Being caught embracing vulnerability was not what they needed. For, this was the second time the dwarf caught them off guard. They strode backwards feeling stripped with nowhere to hide.

Gimli noticed the change right away with a raised brow. He smirked, quite pleased with the elf’s meek nature. He was a learned man, now wise to Legolas’ deceptive habits.

Legolas took in a stabilizing breath, “you ought to get more rest master dwarf.”

“And miss this moment?” Gimli looked gingerly upon the elven flower in front of him.

Legolas merely stared at the stout man. Their mind clearly attempted to grasp what the other was in reference to.

Gimli kept his suave grin now moving to the royal’s side.

Startled by the man’s bold disposition, Legolas flinched slightly out of reach. Their eyes shifted side to side, “ Can I help you?”

Gimli respectfully took a reasonable distance back, so as not to spook the gentle deer of a soul that Legolas was. “I think so. Sharing a simple moment with you is all that I wish.” he bowed his head as if the elf was a lady of the court, “ Will you not bless my ears with your graceful voice?”

Legolas was at a loss for words before shaking their head, “ D-don’t speak s-such lies. It is unbecoming of you to tease on such a lovely morning,” Their cheeks then flushed with astonishment.

It was too late, Gimli heard the sweetness that hung below their words. That blasted wall would need to come down eventually.“ It isn’t a lie,” he offered the beauty a small smile. feeling gallant he locked eyes with the elf, “ Fairest flower, would you please bless the morning with your song if not for my own ears?”

Legolas gasped in a stream of stammering, “ Pl-lease… do-n’t.. You’re making fun of me and I don’t a-a-appreciate that. Wh-y se-eek me just to to-y with me for your own amusement,” pain filled his eyes. Anxiety began to rise in their chest again.

Gimli shook his head, before bowing low to the elf in earnest, “Again I say, I dare not speak a lie. Your presence this morning is what my heart yearns for,” He then took several steps forward in order to tenderly take the other by the hand. He pressed his lips to its silken top.

Legolas surged with disbelief. They could feel a well of emotions ready to burst within their chest. They could not control the trembling that rippled in their hand he held. The sensation traveled up their arm and through their body. “ please…I-I-I… your joke has gone too far.” as much as they wanted to ignore the feeling, this man’s words spilled into their inner void.

Gimli sighed, massaging reassuring circles into the elf’s hand before leading them to a log to sit down. Legolas didn’t fight it, although they had not the faintest notion why. The royal’s skittish eyes jumped around disoriented. They could feel their breath picking up. They tapped their feet jittered by the situation.

All of this was of course interrupted by the dwarf taking a knee in front of the cherry-faced royal. “Please, my deer. Honor me with your heavenly song.” he again took Legolas’ hand kissing it.

Legolas stared at the man speechless with trembling lips under his gaze. A nod was all that they could manage while being stared at with such intensity. With a shaking breath, they opened their mouth only for gorgeous, melodious, words to escape. Gimli’s soul began to sing in time with the elf’s mellifluous voice.

[halbrands]

- UNHINGED

gore, abuse and dark themes after the cut.

Human!Halbrand/Lost Heir AU. Canon divergence? OG BACKSTORY I just love the idea of Halbrand using his hands for something other than crafting woah;; WC 822

The taste of metallic blood festers beneath his teeth. Iron and salt, thick on his tongue, settling in the crevices between molars, clotting in the back of his throat like a swallowed oath. He does not spit. He does not swallow. He lets it sit there, lets it burn, lets it remind him.

Breathe in. The air is damp with the sea’s rot, brined with something deeper, older—like it carries the weight of drowned things. It sticks to his skin. It makes his ribs feel tighter. It makes him feel like a corpse that forgot how to die.

Breathe out.

A man cannot outrun his own mind.

He had it coming.

Hadn’t he? Hadn’t he earned every jagged inch of the blade? The bruises, the broken bones, the spit and the curses—all paid back in one clean stroke. But oh, it had not been clean. The blade had caught on ribs, he had to twist, had to tear.

There had been a time when he was not a king, not even close. A boy, crouched in the filth, blood dripping from his knuckles as he fought for scraps in the gutter. Hunger had been his oldest companion, pain a language he had learned before speech. His father’s voice, thick with drink and disappointment, haunted his every step.

“You are nothing,” the old man had sneered. “Nothing but the rot in our blood.”

Some nights, Halbrand had believed him. Other nights, he had clenched his fists so tightly that his nails bit into his palms, drawing thin crescents of blood. He had sworn, again and again, that he would claw his way out of the dirt, that he would become something more.

He remembers the moment the fear snapped. The moment he realized the body before him was just that—a body. A sack of meat and bone that bled just like any other beast. He remembers the way his father’s body twisted when he drove the blade in, like a puppet with its strings cut. How his father’s lips parted in a silent gasp before the first wet gurgle spilled free.

The blood was hot, steaming against the cold air. It had gushed in a thick, obscene river, soaking his wrists, his tunic, seeping into his skin as if it sought to root itself in him.

He remembers the feeling of digging his fingers into the gash he had made, prying the wound wider, watching as the heat of his father’s life gushed over his hands in waves of crimson. The way the body jerked, twitched, tried to fight.

The way the ribs cracked under the force of his grip when he dug deeper, deeper, until he could wrap his fingers around the slithering warmth of his father’s insides. He had pulled and pulled until the slick ropes of the old bastard’s insides stretched and snapped like sinew-strung bowstrings.

That night, his fingers dug too deep. Touched things no man should touch. Held things no man should hold.

A king must know the shape of a heart.

It is softer than one would expect.

His fingers had curled around it, nails biting into quivering flesh, and he had squeezed. Just once. Just enough to feel the final, shuddering pulse before it stopped.

Nothing changed. Not then. Not now.

A scurrying. The cell door groans with rusted metal, and a guard shifts outside. Halbrand presses his skull against the clammy wall, sighs slow. The air hums with the weight of what it hides.

The voices are getting louder.

They tell him to listen, to count the footsteps. They tell him the man is tired, lazy, careless with his blade. That he could be split, torn, emptied like a pig at slaughter.

Not now.

“Shut up,” Halbrand murmurs, to himself, to them, to all the things gnawing at the edges of his mind. His fingers twitch against his thigh.

Night tastes of rust and echoes. It drips slow, pooling in the corners of his cell, seeping into his marrow. In his mind, the walls breathe—exhale the past.

He was a boy when he learned that breaking a body is easier than breaking a will.

But to kill a man?

To unmake him? To crack him open and spill his wretchedness like overripe entrails across the dirt?

That took something else entirely.

He tilts his head, listening to the steady drip of water in the distance. His fingers itch, he could tear this place apart if he wanted to. He could snap the bones of the guards like twigs, pry open their ribcages and feel the last warmth of their lives seep between his fingers.

The thought is almost comforting.

But he is so tired.

His fingers flex, curl, tighten into fists. His lips part, just barely. A breath, a sigh, a whisper lost to the dark.

“The sea is always hungriest at night.”

[kwilquib]

Lazy Morning

Seoyeon X Reader

100 words

You feel it before your eyes even open.

That unmistakable wiggle.

Warm curve pressing into your hips, slow, intentional, and just a little too casual to be innocent.

“Mmh… baby,” slumbrous, by instinct your arms wrap around Seoyeon’s waist. “This again?”

“What again?” giving another slow roll of her hips.

“You’re evil,” giving in, nuzzling into the crook of her neck, already hard and trapped. “Do you want me to ruin this peaceful morning?”

“Shouldn’t have slept next to me,” sliding her hand over yours, resting on her stomach. Her fingers guide yours lower, slow. “Just making use of it…”