#even though he’s sometimes grumpy and always socially awkward

[writerfae]

Today’s Aiden fact of the day is that his customers from the village regularly try to set him up with their daughters and that he’s not as thrilled about that idea as the daughters are.

And that he doesn’t want to ever get married cause he’s afraid to end up heartbroken like his father.

(@briannaswords you said you’d be up for another Aiden post? Here it is 🙈)

[ultravioletrayz]

So my idea for degradation fic involving Miguel would be something like this- (also please keep an open mind this idea is kinda out there)

So lets say Miguel is your mentor and you are so eager to please and do good work. You have always been kinda good at everything so people complementing you and telling you how great you are is nothing new. But Miguel is different, he's hard to please. So when you do something right he's not complementing you and that is odd for you, and when you mess something up well...he's quick to criticize you. this stirs something within you.

So you keep trying to please him and he's not into it he just keeps bringing you down and reader is starting to like it, sometimes wanting messing up. So lets say reader makes a big mistake on a mission and Miguel is ready to yell and degradant them but reader is getting turned on by it and Miguel noted it so he starts to degradant them more and it starts getting into NSFW territory. while he's getting into it he's just saying filth to you. "your so such a needy slut" "look at you getting turned on while I bully you, pathetic" "you want to be a good girl? you want me to praise you? too bad...now open..." *spits in readers mouth*

then if you can end it off where reader in passed out and thats when he's sweet in the aftercare when she dosn't know. he will open up to her one day just not yet.

Not even gonna lie, if Miguel was a meanie towards me i wouldn’t know whether to cry or cum.

Pairing: miguel o’hara x f!spiderperson!reader

Warnings: 18+, degrading kink, rough sex, fingering, orgasm denial/mild edging, getting bent over miguel’s desk, marking, clit slapping (like, once), pull-out method, absolutely terrible and rushed ending, miguel being mean, horny, and ultimately just socially-awkward

Summary: you strive for perfection in all areas… until the opportunity arises where doing the opposite will give you access to the perfection inside your mean boss’s boxers.

A/N: before anyone tries to come for me for making miguel seem like an asshole in this fic, ik that this isn’t entirely true to miguel’s character. however, i’m horny and dgaf. enjoy!!

Word Count: 3K (unedited)

For as long as you could remember, people would refer to you as ‘gifted’. It was as though everything you attempted to achieve was accomplished with ease. In your world, on the days when the Society was a distant memory and you were given the opportunity to act as a true Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Person, you practically lived in a bubble of praise. Surprisingly, the media worshipped you, recognising you as the hero you are. Locals chanted your name, asked for autographs, and even demanded you accept gifts and tokens of appreciation every time you were spotted in your costume on the streets. 

Although you forced yourself to stay humble within the public eye, you would be lying if you tried to convince yourself that the compliments and special treatment didn’t make you feel good, didn’t push you to be a better superhero for the sake of the citizens who practically worship the ground you walk on.

Which is the primary reason why having to tend to work and assignments at the Spider Society caused you so much misery. When you were first recruited, a few other Spider-People had mentioned how short-tempered and cold the boss is, but you had expected to win him over with your natural, over-achieving flare. That goal was quickly crushed when you met Miguel O’Hara for the first time. He had immediately lectured you on certain habits he had observed from footage of you fighting crime at home, giving you strict instructions on how to be better at your job. From then on, you’ve tried your best to view his constant criticism as a positive and value his (poor) attempts at mentoring you. 

It didn’t take long for you to realise that he wasn’t really trying to help you, and he was just a grumpy asshole as everyone had warned and wanted you to follow orders rather than going out and trying to prove yourself constantly. Lately, you’ve been slipping up, making mistakes. You had come to terms with the fact that Miguel wasn’t interested in showing you any appreciation or praise for your hard work, and it had begun to affect your performance on missions, bringing you to this point. 

“What the hell was that?” Miguel snarls at you, his platform lowering as he slams his fist on his desk and glares at you, his sharp red eyes burning holes in your pretty, sad little face. You had almost let an anomaly get away, blinded by your insecurities and Miguel’s lack of interest in your skills, you would have destroyed an entire universe if it weren’t for the backup Miguel had sent you.

“Miguel, let me explain-” You start, being cut off by an angry huff from Miguel.

“I’m sick of the excuses. I don’t care about how you handle shit in your own dimension. When you come here and are trusted to keep the multiverse stable, I expect you to do as you’re told. Unless the small task of containing the minor anomalies I assign you is too much to handle?” Miguel scoffs, shaking his head as he looks you up and down.

The look of disappointment on his tan, chiselled face would usually have you on the verge of tears, but as you’ve grown accustomed to his harsh beratement, it’s begun to have a very different effect on you. You can just imagine him, brushed back curls dishevelled and clinging messily to his face as he pounds into your needy pussy, whispering absolute filth into your ear as he uses you to get off. The thought has you practically soaking through your Spider-Suit, causing you to instinctively squeeze your thighs together as you force yourself to keep your gaze from dropping to Miguel’s broad, muscular physique. As his glare intensifies and he rolls his eyes at your subtle movements, you know he’s got you figured out.

Miguel’s heightened senses pick up on your current state of arousal, the scent of your slick making him dizzy as it clouds his mind. He had always beaten himself up about how harsh he could be towards you, reflecting on his cruelty to such a pretty girl with shame and regret. But finding out that you liked being treated so poorly by him, it has him going fucking crazy.

“Por el amor de Dios,” (for fuck’s sake) Miguel hisses, taking a step towards you, looming over your smaller form with a judgemental scowl plastered on his face. “You’re pathetic. Risking everything we work for here, just so that you can imagine me yelling at you while you finger-fuck yourself at night?”

Your eyes widen, his words reigning true as they hang in the air of the room. Yet, you make a miserable attempt at denying the accusation by shaking your head softly and taking a step back. Miguel only moves closer to you, intimidating you with his mere presence as his scowl curls into a cruel smirk.

“No me mientas, hermosa,” (don’t lie to me, beautiful) He whispers, one of his large, calloused hands grabbing your face and pulling you back towards him, fingers squeezing your cheeks as his breath hits your skin, sending shivers up and down your spine. “You’re usually so eager to please me. Did you think I was stupid enough not to notice when you started messing things up?”

“Miguel-” You whine, voice muffled due to the way he squishes your cheeks together, making your pretty lips jut out in a sad little pout.

“It always annoyed me how bubbly and determined you are,” He admits bluntly, sharp red eyes scanning your face, before trailing down to watch the way your thighs rub together in a pitiful attempt to alleviate the arousal coursing through you due to his relentless disparagement. “But I didn’t think you’d resort to acting like a dirty whore just because I’m not impressed by the ‘Friendly Neighbourhood’ act.”

His free hand trails down your body, fingers gliding between the valley of your breasts, down your stomach, and stopping just above the crotch of your Spider-Suit. He chuckles lowly as he watches the way you squirm in his grasp, hips attempting to roll against his hand for any kind of friction. 

If we had to be completely honest, he actually enjoyed watching you work. You really are gifted, always applying yourself to missions. When he heard you would be handling an anomaly for him, he would feel relieved, even proud. But he knew that any compliments he gave you would just be lost in the sea of praise you already received. So, in order to set himself apart, he decided he was going to be a complete dickhead to you. He figured bullying you would motivate you to seek him out in a crowd, make you strive to impress him and show off to him, and ultimately bring the two of you closer. It was shameful, how awful he is at making first impressions, that he’d rather hurt a beautiful young girl’s feelings as opposed to being a reliable boss and potential friend. But now knowing that he hadn’t completely ruined his chances at getting closer to you, he was certainly going to take full advantage of this new development.

“Now look at you, you don’t wanna be a good girl for me anymore, nena?” Miguel teases, grinning as he sees the need and innocence in your eyes as he releases your face with a harsh push. “You wanna be a dumb little slut for your fucking boss, instead?”

You want to say no, want to deny his harsh words and hopefully gain back some of the dignity he was stripping away from you, but your body yearns for Miguel’s touch, his degradation fueling your most carnal desires, and you nod your head frantically. Miguel sighs at your eagerness, tapping your cheek firmly as he wraps a hand around your throat, not applying any pressure but allowing his thumb to lazily stroke the side of your neck.

He leans in to bite your bottom lip hard, causing you to cry out in pain and open your mouth. He takes the opportunity and slams his plump lips against yours, tongue intertwining around yours inside your warm mouth as he groans into the sloppy, demanding kiss. His hand drops from your throat as his bulging arms tuck themselves underneath the fat of your ass and he lifts you up, carrying you over to his platform and dumping you on top of his desk, lips never leaving yours. Miguel’s razor-sharp claws protrude from his fingertips, slicing through the material of your Spider-Suit and prompting a startled yelp from you as he rips your clothes right off your body. 

The matching set you have on underneath has his dick thrumming in his suit, and he almost loses sight of his initial plan in a desperate temptation to worship your gorgeous body and shower you with the praise that he knows you deserve. But he wants to be different, wants to hold a special place in your heart, and this was the only way to do it. 

“You wore these for me, didn’t you?” He hisses flippantly against your lips, throwing the rags of your once cute little Spider-Suit across his office, before tearing your bra open from the middle with just the strength of his grip, claws retracting back into the pads of his fingers. “Puta de mierda.” (fucking whore)

Miguel flips your body over on his desk with ease, your face now pressed against the cold, hard material as Miguel leaves a trail of deep bite marks and hickeys across the exposed skin of your back, making his way down to your clothed pussy at an agonising pace, your ass wiggling enticingly to try and convince Miguel to give you what you want, what you need from him. Miguel peels your soaked panties off of you, tossing them onto his desk chair for later, as his fingers run up and down your already dripping folds, causing him to chuckle to himself.

“I never would’ve pegged you for a girl who gets off on this kind of thing,” Miguel whispers as his fingers explore your wetness, his tone much softer as his sharp, red eyes admire the way your body looks bent over his desk. He snaps himself out of his trance, opting to tap on your clit harshly with his fingers to bring himself back to a place of lust and callousness, and to tease you further.

Miguel dips his two fingers into your cunt, making you moan and cry out, your hands gripping the edge of Miguel’s desk as you push your hips back to fuck yourself on his thick fingers. He pumps his digits in and out of you at a leisurely pace, curling them to hit that sweet, gummy spot inside of you each time they delve deeper into your pussy. Miguel groans at the way you clench around his fingers as he thrusts them into you, his knuckles drenched in your arousal as he watches the way you grind against his hand when his thumb rubs your pulsing clit to stimulate you further. 

You’re completely falling apart at his touch, the way his fingers deliciously stretch your hole making you see stars as you approach your climax. Just as you’re about to cum, Miguel pulls his fingers out of your cunt and gives your clit a harsh slap, making you whine as your entrance twitches at the sudden loss.

“Sluts don’t get to cum ‘til I say so, muñeca.” Miguel taunts, disabling his nano-tech suit, the holographic material dissolving and revealing his tall, tan, muscular, the mere feeling of him towering over you from behind making you moan against his desk. He holds his fat, stiff cock in one hand, dragging it between your folds and gathering the slick trickling down your thighs as he scoffs at the way you tremble and spasm at his touch. “Especially sluts like you.”

Miguel plunges his dick into your pussy aggressively, bottoming out in one harsh slam of his hips against your ass and causing you to scream, his hand coming down to cover your mouth and muffle your echoing moans as he delivers fast, disciplining thrusts into the depths of your core, tip kissing your cervix with each frenzied movement. His cock rams into you mercilessly as he digs one hand into the plush of your waist while the other holds your head up, the two fingers he was using to play with your pussy forcefully entering your mouth. On instinct, you wrap your lips around them and suck the remnants of your essence off of his skin, moaning and choking on his thick digits as Miguel’s length stretches you to the brink of what is possible for your tight little pussy to handle and his balls slap against your puffy clit.

“Pussy was fucking made for me,” He grunts, delivering a smack to your juicy ass, the sting making you whine against his fingers, saliva dribbling down your chin and saturating the desk below your face. “Squeezing me so tight. It’s a shame that this pretty cunt can’t make up for how shit you are at your job. Maybe I won’t bother assigning you missions anymore? I’ll just call you in when I need a hole to fuck.” 

Wow. He really did think of you as useless. You had always considered yourself to be good at what you do. At home, you were a hero. Here, bent over your boss’s desk and being fucked so mercilessly, you felt like nothing but a whore. You cry, tears rolling down your cheeks as you moan and squeal with each thrust of Miguel’s thick cock into your hungry pussy. Despite your underlying feelings of shame for your recent failures as an employee, being fucked like a slut by the very man you’ve been fantasising about since the first time you had the displeasure of meeting was able to snap you out of your sadness and overwhelm you with passion.

Hearing you sob around his fingers fills Miguel with a sharp pang of guilt, but he brushes it off and pounds into you harder to remind himself of his end goal, breaking you down until he can make you his. If you really were as into his cruelty as you seemed, he was going to give you exactly what you so desperately needed.

“Mig-Miguel, I’m- fuck! I’m so close.” You whine, his fingers in your mouth making your voice come out as a spluttering cry. 

Miguel pulls his soaked fingers out of your mouth and holds your waist with both hands, fucking his cock impossibly deeper inside of you as the sound of skin slapping against skin and both of your desperate, breathy sounds of pleasure fill the dark office.

“Beg for it, amor.” He whispers against your ear, his chest pressed flush against your back as he nibbles at the smooth skin of your neck as his dick moves in and out of you at a brutal pace, the veins of his thick length caressing the warm walls of your pussy as he smushes his tip against your sweet spot with each thrust.

“Please, Miguel! I promise I’ll do better. I won’t make another mistake again, I’m gonna be so good, I swear! Better than I’ve ever been!” Your breathless pleas make Miguel feel a conflicting surge of both guilt and power. He watches the way your back arches and your thighs shake as you try so so hard not to cum, to be a good girl for him and follow his orders. At the end of the day, you just wanted him to like you, to see how good of a hero you are, and he knew that. Which is why he’s finding it so fun to toy with you like this.

“Shh, I know. I’ll let you cum, sweetheart.” Miguel coos, tugging on your hair so that he can reach your face and plant a kiss on your tear-stained cheek, his soft, long-awaited act of reassurance contrasting the lewd sounds of squelching as he fucks you with mind-numbing intensity. 

He reflects on his words as he listens to the way his unexpected words make you cry and whimper, and part of him regrets the way he approached your relationship, wishing he had just been honest with you and praised your efforts from the start, rather than being cruel and bending you over his desk to fuck you so harshly. But the way you tighten and pulse around his sensitive dick brings him back to the present, and he gives your waist an encouraging squeeze.

The tiny action of consolation has you spiralling, your vision going spotty as you squirt around Miguel’s fat cock, squeals and moans leaving your glistening lips as your whole body twitches with the all-consuming sensation of your release. Watching as you come undone, Miguel feels himself rapidly approaching his own release. He curses and pulls out of your sopping cunt, watching the way his leaky tip shines with your juices. It sends Miguel over the edge. He lets out a sharp whimper as he cums all over your round ass and your spine, thick globs of his climax staining your sweaty skin and making you exhale shakily. 

The sex and your crying make you pass out on the desk, and Miguel quickly covers you up and carries you to his quarters, laying you down in his bed and tucking you in. He whispers a quick apology to you, letting his cruel persona disappear and showing you how much he actually values you as a colleague and person when he thinks you’re asleep, but you hear everything. 

Maybe you didn’t really need to be praised by Miguel to know that you were good enough. And maybe he didn’t need to be so afraid of showing you that appreciation. For now, though, the angry sex would be a pleasant memory for both of you, in an odd way.

“Get some rest, cariño. You deserve it, for being such a good girl.”

I FINALLY FINISHED IT OMG. Thank you all for being so patient 💜💜

[cynarisgayass]

helloo! I have a req for the to scream or be silent. (I'm really sorry if u are already full of requests)

could you do Xiao and Scara/Wanderer (up to u!)?

I think it would be quite interesting to see what they'd do in this scenario

Thank you sm!

𓍊𓋼~To scream or be silent PT 3~𓋼𓍊

Type: Headcannons

Description: HELLOOO!! Dw, you're currently my only request so I'm happy to have you! Hope you don't mind I added Venti and I hope you like dis~ So for anyone who doesn't know, this is a series where genshin characters react to a reader who will go completely mute or talk 3,000 miles a minute. Mostly a comfort type of fic!

Part 1, Part 2

Rating: Comforting fluff

Reader: GN, Slight autism/adhd vibes

Includes: Wanderer/ Xiao/ and Venti

Wanderer:

To scream:

He can get a little overwhelmed when you're in a hyper state, maybe even a little annoyed, but he's trying his best to be better about it. It's not that you are actually what's bugging him, he's just not used to so much talking, he doesn't know how to react when you want to tell him every detail about a book you just read or a show you just finished. To him this is whole new territory that he's not really comforting with yet.

However, when he does find a way to sit and listen to you patiently and you give him that smile of finally being heard...he finds it very very cute. He'd never say it aloud though...

To be silent:

He's the king of the silent game, the second you no longer want to talk, he no longer wants to either. He may look grumpy while he sits across from you or lays in bed staring aimlessly at the ceiling, but this is the time you both use to unwind. He loves those moments with you because it calms him, calms both of you and it's easy. If you're hyper fixating, he's not far away, destressing about social interactions and classes at the academia. If you need a break from speaking cause you just can't anymore, he's feeling the same...and ever so often he lets you closer to him to cuddle, but it's so sappy to him that it only ever rarely happens. When it does though, it's very enjoyable.

Xiao:

To scream:

He's always happy to hear your voice, to hear that excited fast tone you get when you're talking about something you're currently obsessed with. For so long he'd gone without much conversation that now he craves it from you, to the point that he'd sit on the roof with you all night while you went on and on about everything. Till you eventually fall asleep on him that is, then he'd carry you to bed and hope you'd find him the next day to do it all over again.

To be silent:

He understands everyone needs a break from socialising sometimes, but he struggles with how big of a break you want. It's difficult for him when you're hyperfixated and he wants to know wether or not you want him nearby, he can't exactly ask because he doesn't want to disturb you. When you go mute just so you don't have to talk, he finds himself feeling awkward cause he's not sure if you want to be alone or not.

More often then not he's very gentle with his voice and movements, tiptoeing around you because he knows better then anyone that alone time is alone time. If you do initiate a cuddle when you're in a silent phase, he will gladly accept and pet your head to comfort you.

As a god he's met all different types of people and has came up with many a ways to make them feel cared for. You are no exception. The second you start telling him about about a song you've just heard that you're in love with, he will learn it just for you. Say you are obsessing over a new item you've just bought, he wants to know all about it. He gets just as happy as you, if not happier because he loves how bright your smile is.

Venti:

To scream:

To be silent:

Just as before, when someone's silent around him, he understands completely. He will get out his quietest instruments and provide gentle background music, improving on his lyrics or coming up with new tunes to play later, all while you're hyperfixated on something or another. He will sing you songs when you don't want to talk so you won't ever feel awkward about lack of noise. And when you truly want pure silence, he sits by you and holds your hand, letting the quiet settle in.

Felt a little extra sappy with this one hehe. Also 20 followers now!! Woohoo!!

[hier--soir]

under the night | one

summary: joel miller is a grump, but he likes to think old dogs can be taught new tricks pairing: joel miller x f!reader, set in jackson after the end of tlou part I warnings/tags: [18+ only, minors dni] language, nightmares, discussions of sex, slow-ish burn, age gap [20ish years], grumpy!joel, potential jealousy word count: 7.3k series masterlist | main masterlist a/n: first time i've posted any of my own stuff in ages, but i've been loving writing for joel so thought i'd share!

Wyoming was a state you had never visited before the outbreak, so it was strange that 22 years on, it had become your home. It was Summer when you and Cal arrived in Jackson, and six months on, you could feel Winter’s grip steadily descending upon the town. The area seemed to be cloudy year-round, but the way the air had begun to chill as of late was something you’d not quite experienced before. Cold as it was, living there was quiet, and peaceful.

The settlement was led by a strong woman named Maria, and her husband Tommy, who had welcomed you and Cal with a wary kindness. Offered you safety, and a place to live, in exchange for hard work and your dedication to supporting the community. After so many years travelling the barren, infected country alone, the pair of you were awkward, and fumbled your way through meeting so many new people.

Jackson wasn’t the first place you’d tried to settle down in. Over the span of a decade, you’d crossed the country what felt like twice over, relying solely on each other, but never quite feeling like anywhere was home except for when you were alone together. This place proved you wrong though – the people proved you wrong. They were self-sufficient here, a working community, where everyone was equal, and the leaders were kind, and trustworthy; two characteristics that you and Cal hadn’t encountered in other people in a long time.

The home Maria and Tommy provided you was modest, and a fixer-upper if you had ever seen one. God, the day they’d arrived, you’d let out an exhausted laugh when Tommy pulled on the knob of the front door, and it cracked off its hinges.

“Nothing a good screw won’t fix,” Cal had chuckled, wanting to appear optimistic in front of Tommy.

Regardless of the state of the place, you and Cal made it your home in quick work. Cal made friends quickly, the way he always had. He was tall and gangly; all long limbs and sandy blonde hair, and he had a crooked toothed smile that endeared people to him almost instantly. You, on the other hand, were blunt, your body lean and strong as a result of years of physical exertion, and you were always the more stubborn of the two. You were a perfect dichotomy beside each other; sweet and salty. Stony, and withdrawn, you had always used your closest friend as a crutch during rare social interactions. You were familiar with all of the violence, and pain that came with the world, and as you grew up, had become so delightfully unsure when it came to being shown warmth.

Maria took you under her wing, introducing you to the people at the stables you would be working alongside, and encouraging you to find solace in the group of warriors that made up the women of Jackson. For the most part, people were kind and welcoming. With time, they didn’t pause and stare when you walked along the street, unsure of the newcomers.

People shared stories about others who had come through Jackson before you and Cal, and about the histories of those who still lived there. Sometimes, as you sat on the porch of the house, you’d watch people walk by, share a polite wave, and try to pin the stories to the faces you were seeing.

“I met Tommy’s brother today,” Cal started one evening. “Bit of a prick.”

Your eyebrow raised slightly, amused that someone could piss off one of the more jovial people you’d ever known. “What’s wrong with him, was he wearing double denim?”

Cal lifted his bowl of soup to his mouth and slurped down the last few drops. Wiping his mouth messily, he shook his head. “I don’t know about that guy. Remember Tommy told us about him?” You did remember Tommy vaguely mentioning that his brother had arrived on the settlement a year or so before you and Cal arrived.

“He keeps to himself for the most part,” Tommy had jested, his eyes glazing over for a moment as he thought of his brother. “But he’s a goodin, does good work for this town.”

“Whatever,” Cal changed his tune. “I shouldn’t let it bother me, he was just rude is all. Called me newbie twice, even though he knows my name. Seems to like being a big dog around here.”

You hummed to show you were still listening, tearing off a piece of bread and stuffing it in your mouth. “Seems only fair that if Tommy is kind, his brother would’ve turned out an ass. Isn’t that how we work?” He snorted out a laugh, and that was the last you spoke of it.

It wasn’t for another week or so until you met the man yourself. It’d been a long day spent at the stables, basking in the beating sun while working alongside a few others. The horses were huge creatures, and it took you a while to get used to their nature. It’d been so long since an animal hadn’t been a threat to you, but a few weeks on, and you’d found yourself ending the workdays by taking a ride around on your favourite mare Dot.

You and Cal’s home was on the opposite side of town, and on your walk through you passed faces that had become familiar. You small talked and smiled until your jaw ached, and by the time you bumped into him, you’d already reached your pleasantry quota for the day.

He had a bag of vegetables hung over his shoulder in a linen sack, and was making quiet conversation with his brother, when you walked by.

Tommy called out your name, waving you over to them. Your feet and shoulders ached, but you slapped a half smile on your face as you sidled up to the pair. “I’d been hoping to catch you, Maria’s wondering when you’re free for dinner this week.”

“Oh, whenever she wants me,” you nodded, chest warming in an odd way at the invitation. Your gaze flitted curiously to the tall man standing beside Tommy. You’d seem him around before, many times actually, but never realised he was the infamous brother.

Oftentimes, you’d noticed him because, 7 times out of 10, the same young girl would be plodding along beside him, chattering away incessantly. You had assumed they were a father and daughter on those occasions, but now understanding this was Joel, you knew better. Cal had explained it to you when he found out, about how Tommy’s brother had a kid living with him, but it wasn’t his. The idea of it didn’t seem too strange to you, considering most of the people living in Jackson were found families, not blood. 

He was tall, taller than Tommy, with a more wrinkled and tanned face. Dark hair with streaks of grey, and a short beard. Obviously. the older brother. Thicker than Tommy too, the invasive thought flashed through your mind, as your eyes glanced over his arms.

Ignorant to your curious eyeballing, Joel jerked his head in your direction, and asked, “The other newbie?” He had a distinctly husky Texan drawl, and his voice was deep, as if he spoke from the very depths of his stomach.

“Yeah,” Tommy nodded, and introduced the two of you with a smile. “She’s doing some great work for us round the stables, the horses have taken a good liking to her already.”

You shared a polite nod and held out your hand for greeting. Joel barely met your eyes, before gripping your hand once. One firm shake, before dropping it like it stung him. You thought you noticed him even wipe his hand off on his jeans. Rude motherfucker.

He didn’t say anymore, and seemed to just wait for you to go so he could continue his conversation from before you showed up.

“Well,” you said. “I’ll get out of your hair boys. Be good.” A short laugh fell from Tommy’s mouth, and you thought you caught a surprised expression on Joel’s face as you turned and continued walking in the direction of home.

You crossed paths a few more times that Summer, but always briefly. He constantly had somewhere to be, or a job he was on his way to completing – never without an excuse to cut a conversation with you short. You didn’t particularly mind his disinterest in small talk. In fact, you found it somewhat refreshing after a few interactions with him. Finally, one other person in this town who wasn’t friendly, or willing to fake interest in you just because you were new in town.

One day you and Cal went on a ride along with Tommy as he patrolled the area surrounding the settlement. Nothing serious, just him showing you both around the area, telling you about what abnormalities he kept an eye out for when he went out of the safety of the gates.

The trio had been out for an hour or so before a rustle in the woods a hundred metres back caught their attention. Your hackles rose, and you reached for the gun strapped to your hip instinctively, prepared to see an infected emerge from the brush. But Joel Miller rode up to your group quickly, a deep scowl settling on his face when he spotted his brother’s company.

“What’s wrong?” Tommy asked his brother.

“Maria wants you back home,” he said gruffly. “Said it’s getting late; said if you’re not back in time for dinner she’ll lock your ass out.” His gaze twitched quickly over to you and Cal, who were watching him curiously. “Why are the newbies with you?”

Joel wasn’t afraid to talk about you two as if you weren’t there, didn’t care how it came across, and you understood this was probably why some people in Jackson weren’t very fond of him.

“Just showing them the area, they oughta know what we get up to out here every day,” Tommy said amiably. “The real question is, why are you doin’ my wife’s bidding?”

He huffed in response, shaking his head ever so slightly. “Maria’s the boss,” is all he said, before gripping the reins and encouraging his horse to take off in the direction he came from. When it was just the three of you again, you felt your shoulders sag, and let out a low whistle, as if to say, jeez, lighten up.

Not a week later, Cal told you, “His face has the same thing yours has, you know.” You were sharing lunch outside the stables, when Joel had shown up to take one of the horses for a patrol.

“What the fuck does that mean?” you’d asked incredulously. He held his hands up in defence, coughing lightly around his mouthful of food.

“No, no, don’t bed mad,” he paused, laughing more. “But… c’mon, I couldn’t help but notice…”

“Notice what? Why the fuck can’t you finish your sentence.” You were impatient, and the sun was beating down on you, and Joel was only 10 metres away, saddling up.

“You both have this set of wrinkles in between your eyebrows,” he finally admitted, smirking. “I’d say it’s because you’ve both been frowning for the past twenty years straight, if I had to guess.” You relaxed the frown on your face instantly, making Cal laugh harder. A warmth rose in your face as you realised you’d attracted Joel’s attention, and he was glancing at you from across the grass.

“I don’t frown all the time,” you muttered under your breath, giving Joel a courteous nod goodbye as he rode out on the horse.

“Of course you don’t, sunshine, my mistake,” Cal had agreed sarcastically, waving a hand at Joel in farewell.

After that, whenever you saw him, your lips twitched as you noticed the wrinkle in the middle of his forehead, and you reminded yourself to relax your own. Not enough room in Jackson for two permanent frowns, you thought to yourself, and his takes the cake. ‘Grumpy’ was a good descriptor for him. On the rare occasion you saw him smile or laugh, it was when the girl was around.

You had noticed the way she’d tell him a joke and a begrudging smile would grace his face, only for him to cough, or reach up and place a hand over his mouth, to avoid anyone else taking notice. Of course, you would notice the girl grinning with glee at making her companion laugh. It was sweet. The fondness between them was palpable, and you had to fight the curiosity inside you that wondered what had brought them together.

When, at long last, you finally met Ellie, it all made sense. The girl was insufferably chatty with some precocious snark to boot, and she had an impressive attention to detail; a 5’4” spitfire with a mess of mousy brain hair. She was no bullshit, and you trusted her instantly.

“I was wondering when I’d meet the newbie I’d been hearing about,” Ellie had smirked, holding out a sweaty hand in greeting.   

“Sorry it took so long, everyone wants a piece of the me these days,” you feigned a sigh, smiling when the young girl laughed.

“Do you like it here?” she asked inquisitively, and you nodded. “I’ve seen you a few times, but you always seemed busy, or were with that other guy.” “Jackson is great, me and Cal are happy to be here,” you confided. “I’ve seen you round a lot too, with your-“ you cut yourself off before the word ‘father’ came out. “With Joel.”

“Oh, you know Joel!”

“No, not really,” you clarified quickly. “He pops up here and there… what a laugh that guy is.” For a moment you were worried the joke wouldn’t land, but when a squeaky laugh pealed out of Ellie’s mouth you relaxed, and laughed with her.

“You’re telling me!” the girl barked, shaking her head.

Through those first six months in Jackson, life slowly started to make sense again for you. For the first time since the outbreak happened all of those years ago, you found yourself with a proper home, and a community of people around you who you had come to know and respect.

But even with newfound light in your life, the darkness inside of you wasn’t going away quickly. Even a friendly place like Jackson couldn’t stop the nightmares that plagued you. After spending over a decade traversing the United States with Cal, seeing death and decay and infection firsthand, you had to train yourself to focus on the good.

When you passed by a group of kids on the street, you urged yourself not to see the faces of Cal’s late brothers, whom you grew up with. Had to fight the memories of the settlement not unlike Jackson that you spent years in, only to watch it burn to the ground. Not everything ends badly, you would whisper to yourself. People can be trusted.

As insistent as you were with opening yourself up to the light, the nightmares still came fast and hard. It was the same one, most nights. The same memory. In time, Cal had begun to sleep through you crying out for help in your sleep, after learning years ago that being woken up by him sometimes scared you just as much as the dream itself. Sometimes, solitude after an awful night was the only remedy.

You woke slick with sweat, your shirt sticking uncomfortably to your skin. Heart racing, you stumbled out of bed and gulped down some water in the kitchen. Through the light fog outside, a warm orange glow lit the street, as the sun rose slowly over the town. Thank god, you thought. Early, but not too early to rise without worrying Cal. You dressed slowly, limbs heavy with fatigue, and walked numbly toward the stables. Winter had crept into Jackson like a thief, and the morning’s icy cold breath licked at your hands and face, stealing all the warmth you had to offer.

A few of the horses startled awake when you arrived, and you soothed them quietly, your voice hoarse from crying only an hour prior.

“It’s just me,” you murmured, kissing Dot’s speckled nose.

A morning ride seemed a good way to wake up all of your senses, so you set to saddling up. But only a short while after your arrival at the stables, a sound outside made you start. A flash of the nightmare shot through your brain, and your heart stuttered. Footsteps, padding softly through the grass outside, could clearly be heard. Dot’s ears pricked up, and her large head swung toward the stable doors to watch. Although you had been sure you heard someone approaching, when he stepped into view, you still let out a yell of surprise. 

“Woah,” Joel held his hands out in alarm, eyes wide. “I didn’t expect anyone to be here.” His arms lowered as he recognised you, warily noting your defensive stance, positioned half behind Dot with tensed fists.

You didn’t say anything immediately, breathing heavily out of your mouth, and still trying to calm your racing heart. You watched each other from across the space, and he took a few slow steps inside. “I’m sorry I scared you,” he apologised genuinely, in a tone gentler than you’d ever heard him use.

You ignored his apology. “What’re you doing out here so early? The sun’s hardly up.”

An eyeroll. “I could ask you the same question.”

You contemplated lying, but exhaustion wore on you heavily, and you found yourself unable to think of a fib worthy of his time. “Bad dreams,” you settled on, not caring how childish it made you sound.

He nodded slowly, looking unsurprised by your admission. After a measured pause, he offered, “I get those too, sometimes.”

Your heart, which had only just slowed down, found itself beating out of time again, although you weren’t sure why. This was the longest conversation you and Joel had ever had, and by far the most private one – if you didn’t count the horses listening in. When you didn’t answer him quickly, his hand raised to scratch awkwardly against his beard. Not for the first time, you were hit with an unwelcome thought about how handsome he was.

“You look cold,” he changed the subject quickly, and with a down turned mouth. He was wearing a thick brown jacket, which made the thin jumper you were wearing look like a sheet of paper in comparison.

“Cal’s been borrowing my good jacket these days, since it’s gotten cold.”

Joel watched you speak, and it seemed like he didn’t how to respond. His hands settled on his hips, and he mumbled something under his breath that you missed. When you prompted him to repeat it, he just said, “You spend a lot of time with Dot.” You were happy to finally shift the topic of conversation away from yourself, and agreed. 

“Yeah well, Percy over there isn’t too fond of me,” you gestured behind you to a tall grey horse, who you had discovered months earlier would huff loudly and rear his head up whenever you stepped near him. In that respect, Percy reminded you somewhat of Joel when the two of you first met.

“Percy’s old, he’ll warm up to you with time,” he advised.

“I thought the saying goes that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?”

A small huff of air escaped his mouth, and if you weren’t so sleepy, you would’ve sworn it was the start of a laugh. Quietly, he said, “I’d like to think that’s not true.”

It was the next morning, after you’d awoken from another nightmare, and stepped outside to head to the stables again, that you saw it. A gift, or maybe a token of understanding.

A large black jacket, folded neatly on your doormat.

Winter kicked in like a punch in the gut, but you decided you liked the festivities that the cold weather inspired in Jackson. Suddenly every morning your windows had a delicate layer of frost over them, hiding the view of the street, making every day a new surprise, waiting for you to discover when you finally stepped outside. It didn’t rain often, but you could sense how the clouds seemed to sag, and knew that snow wouldn’t be far around the corner. You wore Joel’s jacket most days, and appreciated how the cold made your face tinge red, so that when he spotted you in it, he wouldn’t notice you were blushing.

To celebrate the changing of the season, Maria had organised a bonfire night to bring the town together. She enticed you to come along with promises of mulled wine and live music, but the truth was that you had already promised Cal you’d go along.

“She is going to be theeeere,” Cal had sung dreamily from the kitchen, a week before. You had been lounging on the chair in your living space, drowsy from an impromptu afternoon nap, and it took you a moment to understand who he was talking about.

“Luisa?”

“Luisa,” he confirmed wistfully, sipping a cup of tea as he stepped into the room. “She invited us, and you have to come along, you know. I can’t go without my wingman.”

“If she invited you, you probably don’t need a wingman,” you laughed, but agreed to go nonetheless. It was sweet watching Cal talk about Luisa over the past few weeks, and watching his crush develop more every day that they spent time together. Not for a long time had either of you been romantically involved with someone, and it made your heart sing for him. Of course, you would go. For Cal, you’d probably go anywhere. 

Jackson was a hub of excitement when the day finally rolled around. During your shift at the stables, the women you worked with chatted keenly about wanting to dance to live music, and it caused a bubble of excitement to form in your own chest. It had been so long since you’d seen a musical instrument, let alone seen someone play one with any skill. On your walk home, people were toting around decorations, headed towards a big open dirt field, where you knew a set up effort had already begun. You passed Joel’s place halfway through town and smiled upon spotting him on his porch, rugged up and chatting away with Tommy and Ellie.

Since that morning in the barn, you and Joel had settled into a sort of comfortable ease with one another. There was less rigidity when you spoke; less apprehension when it came to sharing things about yourselves, and your days. Being around him became a source of calm, rather than tension. You never sought him out for conversation, but you found yourself quietly elated when he appeared on one of your aimless walks, or passed by the stables unexpectedly and chatted to you while you worked.

The more you came to learn about him in those quiet moments, the more you appreciated him. You felt that you had formed a kind of mutual understanding between you; that you wanted the same things. A shared desire to enjoy this quiet life that neither of you felt you deserved, but were both lucky enough to have fall into your laps.  It was true that you hadn’t made friends there the way Cal had – people gravitated towards his energy naturally. But with Joel, you felt understood.

“Well don’t you lot look cosy,” you called from the street, and were met with a round of friendly waves. “What’s on the menu?” you pointed at the mugs they all gripped, eyeing the hot steam that rose out of them.

“Just a second.” Joel disappeared inside for a few minutes, before returning with a cup of coffee for you. You leaned against the banister and sipped at the hot liquid greedily, nodding in appreciation.

“How are you doing?” Tommy asked you genuinely. You liked the sweet crow’s feet that appeared next to his eyes when he smiled. You chatted absently about work and patrols, and how one of the families in town were expecting a new baby in a few months, before finally the topic of the bonfire came up.

“Oh, you’re coming right?” Ellie pondered eagerly, sitting up in her chair.

“Only if you’ll be there, kid.” Her face lit up at this, grinning smugly at Joel and Tommy. You could feel Joel’s eyes on you, but held your gaze steadfast on Ellie. It felt like your skin burned a little when he was looking at you – you could always sense his stare.

“And Cal too?” Ellie asked. She always asked you about Cal, and you’d just come to understand that she liked to be in the loop about most things. She held that teenage curiosity to know about everyone, and all their comings and goings.

“Yes,” you smirked conspiratorially. “He mentioned wanting to see Luisa.” The younger girl raised her eyebrows suggestively, garnering a chuckle from even Tommy.

“Can you believe,” Ellie suddenly chuckled out, sticking out a hand and placing it on Joel’s shoulder. “That Joel thought you and Cal were married or something?”

As you and Tommy laughed, you thought you noticed Joel gently kick his boot against Ellie’s shin, as if to say, shut the hell up kid. He didn’t quite meet your eye when you looked at him, and appeared somewhat embarrassed as he turned to glare at Ellie.

“Well, he wouldn’t be the first to think that,” you conceded. “With the amount of years we’ve known each other, we might as well be married at this point.”

Joel looked at you properly then, his curiosity getting the better of him. Tommy asked the question that seemed to be on his lips.

“Remind me how many years you’ve been together? I can’t remember what you told me all those months ago.”

“We’ve known each other for something like two or three decades.”

Ellie let out a low whistle, eyes wide just thinking about that many years. She was so young, and you felt a quick pang in your heart to remember it.

You drained the last of your coffee, and placed the mug softly into Joel’s outstretched hand before stepping off the porch. “Speaking of the old ball and chain, I’d better get home to make sure he hasn’t burned the place down in my absence.”

“See you tonight,” Joel shared a half smile, and you nodded, before turning and heading in the direction of home. As you walked, you listened to their conversation start back up again.  “Oh kiddo, I almost forgot. Tommy told me this joke yesterday that reminded me of you. You’re gonna love this…” And then you were too far gone to hear the rest.

After giving Cal advice on which shirt to wear, the pair of you made your way toward the field where the party was being held. He was adamant you had to arrive casually late, so that he didn’t seem too eager. You went along with his ideas amiably, happy to please him. And although you didn’t tell Cal, you could admit to yourself that you weren’t going just for his benefit anymore – there were other people looking forward to seeing you. You couldn’t help but wonder if you would get to spend any time talking to Joel, and your heart squeezed in a way you chose to ignore.

The sun had set hours ago, and the party was in full swing when you arrived at the gathering. Flames blazed high into the air from two huge bonfires, crackling loudly and lighting the wide-open space with a warm orange glow. Small twinkling lights had been strung up through the surrounding trees, providing more light. A small group of musicians stood off to the side, playing soft folk music that flowed beautifully into your ears.

Busy marvelling at your beautiful surroundings, you were shocked back to reality by Cal thrusting a warm mug into your hands.

“Liquid courage,” he winked, taking a swig. You stared at the deep red steaming liquid in your own cup, and sipped it tentatively. Soft notes of cinnamon and star anise hit your tongue, mixing with the tart red wine, and you hummed happily. “Oh, there she is!”

Cal bid you a quick farewell and wandered across the field to sit beside Luisa on a thick log. You watched as the pair embraced, but averted your eyes quickly when Luisa leaned in and pressed a kiss against Cal’s cheek. He would tell you these things in his own time, and deserved his privacy. Allowing your eyes to flicker over the rest of the crowd. It seemed everyone in Jackson was there. Families talking and laughing, couples and friends swaying together near the band. A feeling of intense loneliness hit you in a sudden wave, but as quick as it came it was gone, as you spotted Joel sitting alone, staring into the fire.

Before you could convince yourself not to, you found your legs meandering in his direction, as if out of your own control. You half hoped someone would stop you for a conversation along the way, but everyone was distracted, and you seemed to blend into the crowd without drawing much attention. Ellie could be seen watching the band play with some other people around her age and hadn’t noticed your arrival. In less than a minute, your black boots were stopping a metre behind where Joel sat.

He wasn’t aware of your presence yet, leaving you with a moment to take him in. Although you couldn’t see his face yet, you admired his broad strong back, and thought absently that either all his clothes were too tight, or he must’ve been built like a brick house underneath them.

Unsure of yourself, and feeling awkward in your own skin, you hesitated for a moment too long. A quiet crack sounded as you adjusted your footing, and crunched onto a wayward twig, making Joel’s head tick ever so slightly to the side.

“Hey there,” you rushed, not wanting to spook him, and he turned fully to see you. He looked handsome, wearing his normal brown jacket, and holding his own mug of ruby red liquid courage. The corner of his mouth quirked up and those earthy brown eyes took her in quickly, flicking from her head to her feet, and back up again in an instant.

“You gonna sit down or just stand there all night?” You were torn abruptly from your reverie when he spoke, and you hoped that the darkness hid your blush. Stepping over the log he was on, you sat down beside him heavily, holding out your free hand to feel the warmth of the bonfire. You were close. Not enough to touch, but enough that the sleeves of you jackets brushed ever so slightly when one of you moved your arm.

“You havin’ a good time?” you enquired quietly, realising that from this vantage point, you could actually see Cal and Luisa, on the other side of the fire.

“Better now, I’ll admit.” You turned her head to look at him, surprised by his forthrightness, and he held your gaze evenly, still doing that half smile that put you at ease. “The people in this town are so friendly, but you run out of things to talk about after knowing them all for a year and a half.”

“Well lucky for us,” you suggested. “I’ve only been here 7 months. We haven’t exhausted all avenues of conversation yet, have we Joel?”

From behind the rim of his mug he chuckled quietly, his eyes shining with the fire’s reflection. “I’d say we haven’t, no.” Considering his height and broad stature, he always held himself in a naturally authoritative manor. But sitting there beside him, you enjoyed seeing him look so relaxed, lounging comfortably, with a few drinks in his system. It was a version of him that you hadn’t met before, and you liked it.

“How is he?” Joel asked, nodding in Cal’s direction. You looked over to see him and Luisa chatting together, their foreheads knocking together as they leaned into one another. You smiled.

“He’s good. Fitting in like no one’s business,” you snorted, shaking your head in a sort of wonderment. “Doesn’t surprise me though. People always liked Cal, everywhere we went.”

“And they didn’t like you?” His tone was disbelieving. A prickling heat tickled across your face, and you knew he was staring.

“Not that they didn’t like me, I’m just…” you trailed off, trying to choose your words carefully. “More of an acquired taste, I suppose.”

“An acquired taste.” He repeated gruffly, and made a scoffing noise from deep in his throat.

“Ah, you know what I mean.”

“I don’t think I do.”

“Well, even then, I suppose the saying goes... about acquired tastes getting better with age… or something like that.” You looked at him out of the corner of your eye and relished in seeing his large frame shaking with silent laughter.

“We can agree to disagree on this one, but I’m happy to let you chop together sayings to fit your idea of not being likable.”

You stared at him a little longer, enjoying the tight-lipped smile on his face. Gaze locked onto his mouth, your brain suddenly filled with ideas about his lips, and what they would feel like. He was so rough, so brawny, but you liked to imagine they’d be soft, like he was now that you had gotten to know him more. His tongue darted out to wet his lower lip and your eyes drifted up, to find he’d caught you staring. Joel exhaled heavily and reached up to scratch at the little scar on the bridge of his nose. You wondered how he’d gotten it.

You’d noticed plenty of scars along his arms, during the warmer months in Jackson. It seemed he had a long history of violence that you knew nothing about, but you certainly wasn’t surprised by it. Even as you grew closer to him, and to Ellie, nothing was ever revealed about how they came together, or what led them to Jackson. It almost made you want to keep your own history private, until he shared more with you. But then he smiled at you, and your heart did that skipping a beat thing it was always doing these days around him, and your defences would lower again.

Across the fire, your attention was caught by the sound of Luisa laughing loudly at something Cal whispered to her. You and Joel watched them silently for a moment, both entranced by the giggling couple across the field.

Joel raked a hand through his hair and cleared his throat quietly. “You and Cal…”

“Me and Cal what?” you prompted.

“You two, did anything ever…” he seemed to hesitate; his eyes boring into the dirt in front of you while he struggled to articulate himself. It was bizarre to see such a strong man seem so unsure. “You never… anything more than friendship?”

A beat of silence. you wondered how much to tell him. Certain memories of you and Cal ran through your mind and you shivered a little. It had been a long few years since you’d thought about that time in your lives.

“It’s complicated,” you spoke slowly, not wanting to lie to Joel. “We were alone for so long. Sometimes there would be other people with us while we travelled around, or when we lived in other settlements, but…”

“But they were temporary?”

“Temporary,” you nodded. The band were playing an upbeat song, and you were momentarily distracted by the contrast between the group of people lively dancing a few metres away, and you and Joel sitting there talking in hushed tones.  

“They would get themselves killed, or infected, or…” you paused, feeling your eyebrow twitch at the thought of some of you and Cal’s past acquaintances. Of one in particular, whom you was still plagued with visions of while asleep.

Embers from the fire were floating through the foggy air, and you inhaled a deep breathe, watching as they disappeared into the night sky. Little pieces of crackling sparks, shooting up and evaporating. The smoke from the fire burned your eyes and throat. Don’t think about it.

“Or…” he pressed. He might as well have poked you with a stick to bring your attention back to the conversation; his curiosity rolling off him in waves. Joel with a few drinks in him proved far nosier than sober Joel. 

Your gaze stayed on the sky. “Or prove themselves untrustworthy.”

Joel was smart enough to read between the lines, and not push any further on the matter. You observed fondly that when you were speaking to him, Joel angled his head ever so slightly to have his left ear closer to you. Upon noticing, you remembered it was true that whenever he’d approached you in the past few weeks, he’d position himself on your right side. You figured the hearing on his right side was a little shoddy. 

For a few moments you just sat and watched the people around you. Some of the families started to leave, herding little ones away from the band, and in the direction of town.

“So?” Joel prompted, with a deep wrinkle in his forehead that let you know he wasn’t happy about having to ask again.

“You really want to know?”

You couldn’t read the expression on his face. He fiddled with the mug in his hands and nodded once.  You didn’t like the way he’d gone from relaxed and boozy, back to his regular grouchy countenance.

Your tongue clicked against the roof of your mouth in acquiescence.

“We’d been friends for twenty years before it, and we’ve been friends for a decade after it. It happened twice, or… or maybe three times. It gets a bit hazy in my memory. We figured we knew each other so well, and after so many years alone, it had started to seem like there would never be anyone else to…” you trailed off, uncertain of how much to reveal. Joel waited.

“As much as we wished it was more it just wasn’t. It never could be.” It was impossible not to picture those times, as you talked about them. Your stomach rolled remembering the way you and Cal had stood awkwardly together, skimming stones over a lake you’d stumbled across, agreeing to never do it again. It was one of the worst moments of your friendship; both fearing you were about to break your only friend’s heart. “We love each other but… there’s a barrier there, in our heads. All the memories of us as kids, of playing soccer on the weekend with him and his brothers, of watching each other grow up and become the people we were going to be…” You rubbed the itchy corner of your eye with grimy fingers, taking a breath. Joel’s eyes flicked over to see Cal and Luisa standing up, and the pair began walking away from the bonfire hand in hand.

“When we fucked, the first time, it was just a tension release, I suppose.”

Joel flinched beside you, his shoulders tenser than they had been a moment before. A twinge of regret tickled in your chest, for using such matter-of-fact language. You weren’t trying to push him away, but it felt sneaky if you were to lie about your past with Cal. There was no denying what had happened; not if you wanted Joel to know you, truly. It was a part of your story, and neither of you could afford to be ashamed of it. 

“And after that, we tried again but it just… didn’t work. We couldn’t be together that way, as much as we longed for the connection. He may as well be my brother. Thankfully, the sibling sentiment was mutual.”

You turned to watch Joel’s face. His stoic expression was hard to read, but the wrinkles around his mouth were made prominent by how he clenched his jaw, and you could sense an undercurrent of thoughts and emotions clearly rolling under his skin. Yet he stayed silent, brooding. Jealous? You shook the invasive thought off. No.

“I don’t say it lightly, that I would die for Cal,” you said quietly, your voice as firm and wary as the day you arrived in Jackson, eyes glancing away for a moment to watch Cal’s back as he disappeared out of the field. “Him being here, happy and safe… it’s all I’ve ever wanted for him.”

Silence swelled around you, heavy with the weight of all that you had revealed. Goosebumps rippled over your skin as the band started to play a song you recognised. One from before outbreak day, that your mother used to sing to you on the settlement, in those early years after everything changed. If Joel noticed your demeanour shift, you didn’t care, letting your eyes fall closed as you gently sang along to the opening of the old song.

Oh, Kentucky, I miss you

Your night sky, black and tired

But wild like a live wire

The horse is never leaving the pond on its own

You got to open the gate and let it loose to run

Faster than the clouds on a windblown dawn Faster than you left me alone to long

You trailed off slowly and reached up to wipe a stray tear from your cheek. An image of your mother’s face flashed through your memory, but you shoved it down, unsure if it was even an accurate idea of what she had looked like. After a decade and a half without her, you couldn’t be sure your memories were trustworthy.  

“And what do you want now?” Joel finally spoke, his voice hoarse. “Now that he’s happy, and safe. What do you want?”

“For myself?” you whispered, voice thick with emotion. “I haven’t let myself want anything in a long time now. There’s no use; nothing good comes from it.”

Your cheeks were warm and red, and little bits of ash were dotted through your hair. Joel’s mug had been abandoned to the ground, and his fingers fiddled together in his lap, the way they always did when he was trying his best to actively listen. He was present, and this way his way of showing it. No messing around, no object or weapon in his hands to put a barrier between himself and another person. Just his hands, scratching and tracing each other, to calm himself. It made your heart beat out of time for a second, whenever you noticed him doing it. Until one of his hands lifted and held in the air for a second, and then he reached over to place it gently on your knee. Your heart stuttered as he gave it a gentle squeeze, and left it to rest there.

“I felt the same way for a long time. Thought there was no use in hoping, or wanting anything good, or feeling like I deserved to be happy.”

“And now?” you asked, staring down at his large hand on you. You wished you had the confidence to reach down and take it in your own. “Do you still feel like that?”

His thumb made one slow stroking movement along your knee, making the skin underneath your jeans tingle sharply.

“Jackson changed things. Ellie… Ellie changed things. And…” He paused, and his forehead finally relaxed. You pursed your chapped lips and didn’t look away from him, urging him to continue. “Jackson continues to change things.” Is all he said.

And it’s all he needed to. You understood. 

Take me to the track, I want to lose all my cash

This beating in my chest is all I need to stash

And why shouldn’t I?

Cause when I’m alone

We’re still looking at the same moon

Under the night

Are we two people never getting together?

I will follow your roads

As wide as the air, as wild as a storm.

part two

[hoejosatoru]

Got Game? Haikyu edition !

Ranking Hiakyu characters on how good they are at hitting on people. Basically does your fave has rizz or nah? 

A/n: there are sooo many haikyu characters so if I forgot your fave I'm sorry feel free to add them in wherever you want & if you disagree be nice about it or I'll bite you this took a long time there’s SO MANY OF THEM

33. Mad Dog

He’s scaring hoes. No explanation needed.

32. Aone

He was dead last until I remembered mad dog existed. He is scaring hoes as well. But like if someone could give him a chance I think he does have a good heart. He really needs to be introduced to someone or something, bc cold walking up to someone is never going to work for him I fear.

31. Ushijima 

More intimidating that scary, but still makes people nervous. He’s just like super dry and has bad social skills. Does not know how to be flirty at all. He’s cute so I think on occasion there’s girls that want him enough to look past all that but honestly he will almost always strike out unless he has a wingman (Tendo) to help balance him out.

30. Sakusa 

Bro is mean and grumpy. I also feel like he doesn’t really care for random hook ups anyway so he is not trying to pick up people a lot. On the occasion he does see someone he wants to approach, I just struggle to see him being flirty. Like you almost get the sense he is judging you when he’s talking to you. Which, to be fair, he probably is. He is another person who would benefit from having a wingman, though he won’t admit it. He’s getting past Ushijima by the skin of his teeth just because he isn’t as imposing.

29. Kita

Another one who I don’t see trying to approach too many people. I think he would come off as disinterested even if he did find you cute. Would probably try to flirt by asking weird philosophical questions. Does better than Sakusa bc his energy is slightly less intense. 

28. Yamaguchi

He’s just too awkward. He gets super shy and flustered around anyone he thinks is cute. Sometimes gets lucky when he goes for someone who finds his shyness cute, but often is shit outta luck.

27. Tsukishima

Of course Tsukki and Yams are next to each other. Tsukki is another grumpy one, but not as intense as Sakusa. He too doesn’t approach too many people, but more than Kita or Sakusa would. I could totally see him being one of those dudes that relies on being tall for getting girls. Like he thinks he doesn’t have to try that hard since he is over 6 foot💀 I think he flirts by being mean but it comes off too mean or condescending at times. Definitely tries to be more selective with who he approaches though, won’t approach anyone he doesn’t think he has a good chance with.

26. Goshiki

Talks a big game in front of his friends, but gets really nervous in front of the person. Blushes like crazy and trips over his words. Can get past that at times, but flirting definitely doesn’t come as naturally to him. 

25. Tendo

Tendo is fearless, which does help his success rate because he just will walk up to anyone he thinks is hot. Doesn't really get nervous at all. However, he is a little weird (I say that affectionately) so he's definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. Strikes out a decent amount bc of that, but honestly it doesn't really bother him at all. Will just move on to next one. He’s really just there for a good time.

24. Yamamoto

Gets very nervous around girls he thinks are hot. He gets loud when he is nervous which can freak people out. Tries his best, but either comes on really strong or really stiff. Sometimes can get past that if gets hyped up by his friends beforehand.

23. Kunimi

He’s okay at it. He’s quiet and a little snarky, which doesn’t alway connect well. I think if he is able to break the ice and get a conversation going, he has a good success rate. But if he isn’t able to get the person hooked into the conversation quickly, he fizzles out.

22. Asahi

He is like 50/50. He’s the guy who comes up to you and you get super excited because he’s cute, but he can fumble it. If he is in a nervous mood, it is really hard for him to get a convo going and be natural. Those days he is striking out more. If he is feeling confident that day, he has a really good success rate. Again, 50/50.

21. Oikawa

I know this is low but hear me out. Because girls were crazy over him in high school he really never had to try to get someone to like him. Therefore he really doesn’t have good skills in that area, especially when just approaching someone random. I think he would learn fairly quickly, but it would be a tough start.

20. Kenma

He’s kinda shy and doesn’t like approaching people bc he’s a lil lazy( but mostly nervous). However, he’s super smart and if he can figure out a way to get you to approach him, he’ll definitely do that. Can have trouble standing out to people since he is on the quieter side. But circling back to the smart thing, I think he is good at zeroing in on his type & what will get that person hooked on him. Definitely spends some time observing you before he makes a move. His success rate does go up a lot if he has a wingman, but he doesn’t NEED one like some people on this list.

 19. Tanaka

He’s very similar to Yamamoto, but I think he is just a bit better at staying calm. Just a bit. Definitely is nervous to start& can come off a little strong at first, but if you give him a chance he’s able to show he’s a good, genuine guy. Also feel like if he is with a friend his success rate goes up like crazy. Like he doesn't need the wing man to intervene for him, it’s more like having his friend there makes him feel confident and takes away his nerves. This is why he is always begging Nishinoya to come out with him.

18. Matsukawa

Middle of the road guy. I feel like he is bad at opening conversation, which hurts him. However, if someone gives him a chance for a longer conversation he does a lot better. 

17. Daichi

He’s not bad, but he’s also not amazing? Like I don’t really see him as someone who gets very nervous around people he finds cute. However, he’s not super flirty and can struggle to hold people’s interest if that makes sense? Just kinda mid tbh.

16. Koganegawa

He has like puppy dog vibes. He has a lot of fun flirting. I feel like he is a lil bit of an air head, so he doesn’t even realize he should be nervous. But since he has such positive, easy going vibes it’s super easy to talk to him. His down fall is that he can be a little too spacey and forget to follow through, ex forgets to ask for your number or tell you he thinks you’re cute.

15. Kageyama

He’s not super flirty either. But I feel like as he gets older he grows in confidence and gets better at approaching people. Let’s be honest them beautiful fucking blue eyes has him picking up most people he wants. His weakness is sometimes he’s too reserved and the other person thinks he’s not interested. Either than that a pretty solid success rate

14. Akaashi

Honestly bro is so fine he really doesn’t have to try that hard. Similar to kageyama in that he can struggle with coming off too aloof. Still, I think he’s super polite and engaging which makes him charming without even really trying

13. Lev

He also has some puppy dog vibes but I think he is more in control of it. Especially as he gets older he mellows out more. Being a professional model gave him a lot of confidence, but he still is a lil goofy on the inside, so it never comes off as cocky or anything. I could see him trying a little too hard to be suave at times that it works against him. Like it comes off a little disingenuous. But he’s a 6′4 model, he’s not struggling THAT hard to get numbers lets be real.

12. Nishinoya

He’s higher than Tanaka bc I think he comes off slightly less strong. Maybe it’s just because he’s small 💀. But he doesn’t feel intimidating even though he does come on strong. He’s able to do it in a way that’s very endearing. Also once he gets talking he’s able to reel himself in more. He’s also super funny which helps his success rate a TON.

11. Kuroo

Idk why but I can see him wanting to use like pick up lines 💀 like he thinks he’s being smoother than he really is. Kenma tells him he’s being a dork(which he is). He’s hot enough that most people will give him a chance, though. Once he gets past that he genuinely charming and doesn’t struggle to get someone’s number

10. Bokuto

Another one that can come on strong but in a way that works for him. I can deadass see him just walking up to someone and flat out telling them they’re gorgeous. And it feels so genuine(bc it is genuine) and not just like someone trying to get in your pants (even if he is trying to get in your pants). If he strikes out tho it totally kills his mood and it’s hard for him to recover.

9. Atsumu

He’s the opposite of bokuto where him calling you gorgeous sounds like he’s just trying to get in your pants 💀 but he is SUCH flirt oml. I think that can hurt him at times bc he’s laying it on a little too thick. But usually finds a good balance. Can charm the pants off most people if you give him enough time.

8. Aran

Solid flirter. Confident enough to approach you and make conversation without being overbearing. Chill and easy to talk to. Even if you don’t end up going out with him after, you still enjoy the talk you had. Also doesn’t make it weird if you decline him.

7. Sugawara

Suga is so good at getting your guard down. He’s just sweet and genuine you feel at ease with him (it’s those big brown cow eyes). So easy to talk to and is surprisingly funny. Plus when he tells you he works with kids it makes him seem even sweeter.

6. Terushima

And then we have to total opposite. Honestly he should be lower. He comes off strong to the point of being cocky but somehow makes it work. Let’s be honest it’s the tongue ring(he definitely makes suggestive jokes about it). I also hc that he’s super tatted as an adult. I think he does well because he’s superrrrr good at picking out the girls who would be into his vibe. Also like who doesn’t wanna hook up with a bad boy every now and then?

5. Hinata

Listen. This may be high but I truly believe Hinata has good game. So good that at times he doesn’t even realize the effect he is having. I think his favorite way to flirt is getting you to do something competitive with him. Has no issue walking up to you at the beach to ask if you wanna play volleyball with him or even just asking to play beer pong at a party. He doesn’t even really have to try once you agree because he is super good at everything he does (which is a turn on) and you have a lot of fun. Great at asking you on a date without even realizing you’re being asked. Like he’ll say you should go get something to eat after playing together and you immediately agree. Then you’re like wait a second... this is totally date. And you’re very happy about it.

4. Semi

I feel like we don’t know that much about his cannon personality, but he has such a cool vibe. Liken effortlessly cool so you’re naturally drawn to him. Plus he’s super good looking like come on. Really just knows how to curate his look. He’s someone expect to be a little mean but he’s actually a sweetheart. Has you head over heels in no time.

3. Osamu

Atsumu is punching the air rn. He’s got Atsumu’s confidence but is able to keep from being too much. Subtle flirt, but super good at it nonetheless. Loves flirting with costumers who come to his shop because it gets him extra tips but also you keep coming back to order shit just so you can talk to him more. He knows he’s got you right where he wants you. He gets soooo many numbers left on receipts and absolutely will call them if he liked you.

2. Suna

God. This man. He was born to flirt look at him!! He’s so fucking smooth. He’s sorta aloof but he is really able to work that to his favor. Definitely confident enough to just walk up to you and start a convo. He is a good talker but he almost doesn't need words??? Like he can just look at you a certain way and god you’re sweating (in the best way). Easily gets anyone he sets his sights on.

1. Iwaizumi

Iwaizumi has the best game idc. He’s equally hot and approachable. Has plenty of confidence but is never cocky. Truly has a kind, warm aura that makes you feel so comfy talking to him. He’s super smart and funny. Like you just feel like you’re having a conversation you don’t even realize he’s flirting with you but you’re absolutely developing a huge crush on him. The type you talk to and immediately feel like you’ve known him forever. He truly never strikes out. It’s a gift. 

Bonus: Coach Ukai

It didn’t feel fair to compare Ukai to everyone bc he is a few years older and definitely more experienced but I couldn't leave him out. He has INSANE game. Like just look at him. He’s fine, a lil bit of a bad boy vibe, has a heart of gold (LOVES dropping in that he is a volunteer coach with kids). I think he would be sexy n fun flirt like it’s just too easy for him.

[animeomegas]

Headcanons for omega kankuro, hidan, and omega asuma plzzzzz

(I don't write for Hidan or Asuma, but I can give you some omega!Kankuro headcanons for sure!)

GENERAL OMEGA!KANKURO HEADCANONS

(There's some n-sfw at the end :D)

Kankuro didn't really think about nor care about his secondary gender when he was young.

As far as he was concerned, his secondary gender was puppets and trying to avoid getting murdered by baby Gaara.

Once he's approaching chunin, he does kind of feel grateful that he's an omega because his shitty father was an alpha and Kankuro looks a lot like him. It's helpful to have a layer of separation with different secondary genders.

When he's an older teen/young adult is the first time he starts feeling uncomfortable with being an omega. He just feels wrong and it stresses him out a lot for a while until he figures out what's wrong.

Basically, Kankuro is super not okay with the idea of being pregnant, it really freaks him out, he feels like he wouldn't be 'him' if it happened, so having a functioning reproductive system was affecting his mental health.

Once he yeets the womb, he's back to being very chill about being an omega once more.

No pups for him, he lowkey hates children. (But he's the weird chill uncle for Gaara and Temari's pups though, family is important to him.)

However he will only babysit very young pups in an emergency.

...

When Kankuro gets married to you, he takes advantage of social convention and retires from active duty. He likes to call himself a house husband.

He is not really a house husband though because he spends all his time in his workshop, working on his puppets.

((n-sfw warning for this bullet point) one of his puppets is a sex puppet he based on you from before you got together because Kankuro is kind of a freak ngl) but I digress.

He also helps out Gaara when he can, and he might take on an apprentice if he can find a child who's good enough for him to mentor.

So yeah, he's not a traditional house husband, which is good because he lacks several of the key skills, like cooking. He can make some of the best sandwiches you've ever had in your life though. Sandwich king!

...

Omega!Kankuro's scent is very herb-like, like rosemary.

He almost never whines. He hates omega whines, thinks they're so annoying and insipid, so whenever he feels the urge, he gets irritated, which turns the would-be-whine into a growl lol.

He's not really a nesting guy. Until he's sick that is. Then he needs a nest so bad it hurts.

He always ends up building the nest while he's sick though, because he's the sort of person who denies being sick when he first starts to feel the symptoms.

His nests when he's sick is always in the coolest part of the house, even if that ends up being the bathroom or something. This is so he can pile blankets on himself without getting heat stroke.

Sometimes he has cooling packs, heat packs and blankets on all at the same time, it makes no sense, but he gets very grumpy and upset if he can't have them all.

He needs cooling packs on his neck, feet, and in between his legs, and then hot water bottles on his stomach and chest, then a pile of blankets on top keeping everything in place.

Just imagine that, but also Kankuro is laying in the bath tub and his grumpy little flushed face, free of face paint, is sticking out from all the blankets haha. So cute.

some n-sfw hcs

Kankuro is into somnophilia, but not on him. He wants to have his way with his alpha while they're asleep.

He 'jokes' about introducing puppets into the bedroom a bit too often. If you ever give him permission, he'll drag entire boxes into the room, filled with stuff he prepared but was too awkward to bring up himself.

On a similar note, he's a big fan of toys. Especially those that vibrate.

He's an evening sex guy. Comes with living in the desert.

He's kind of a voyeur too. He likes to perve.

His hard nos include anything associated with pregnancy, like breeding, lactation etc. and also he only ever spits if he gets a mouth full of cum.

Man, I don't talk about Kankuro enough! I love this asshole 🥺

[armorabs]

I will admit, I never did watched Avatar before but I have seen Nick's many crossover games.

I do have to wonder though, how exactly do you believe Zuko and SpongeBob will get along well? Considering that they're like Fire/Water (which I am somehow interest in)? 👀

honestly - you should watch atla sometime! i know the fandom can be insufferable at times, but it really is a well-written and heartfelt story with complex themes while still being fun to watch and appropriate for children. its never been like a major fixation for me but i do really like the characters a lot and the world building is fun

anyways - well it certainly depends on where zuko is in his character development because the thing about zuko is that he's not even a bad person or anything just a deeply traumatized child who is incredibly desperate because of his circumstances so he's often angry and grumpy and lashes out a lot... so in books 1 and 2 he does come across as someone who could never get along with someone like spongebob. but consistently from the beginning he is truly a largely empathetic and compassionate person who is just often oblivious and impulsive! which is how he got into his situation in the first place. he starts to calm down toward the end of book 2 and by book 3, imho, it becomes very apparent that... honestly? zuko has a lot more in common with, like, spongebob, than squidward for example. he's socially awkward. he's eager to please. he's geeky. he loves the arts and dramatic stories. he's passionate. he wants to do what he thinks is right, always! its just that he initially has a skewed sense of what is right and wrong.

so like a book 1 or 2 zuko would likely be as receptive to spongebob as he is to his dear uncle iroh, but since you can tell where he is in terms of development based on his hairstyle and nicktoons mlb uses the hairstyle he has toward the end of book 2 and the majority of book 3 id say he'd be a lot more amenable and at peace - so zuko would be receptive to spongebob's... spongebobiness, you know. aang and sokka are two of his best friends by the end of the series so he has a degree of tolerance and even fondness for energetic goofy weirdos. and while spongebob is also often oblivious and socially awkward and excitable, he's also compassionate and caring in ways i think zuko would appreciate. and theyre both geeks so i think spongebob would show zuko his comic books and itd ROCK his world. plus theyre both martial artists so they could spar for funnn

[lilithblackwood]

Lan’s Relationships

The poll results have officially declared my next post be lore about “Lotus of Rebirth”, so I figured what better way to give you just that than Lan’s relationships with the show’s cast! Keep in mind that I will purposely keep some vague to avoid spoilers, and even redact those that will contain too much information, so read carefully ~

MK: One of her best friends for as long as she could remember, Lan’s always acting as the voice of reason when it comes to being dragged into his antics. She’s always overwhelmed by all the crazy situations she keeps finding herself in thanks to his uncontrollable ability to find danger, but if push comes to shove, she’s perfectly willing to step out of her comfort zone to lend him a hand.

Mei: Her best friend along with MK, Lan is a polar opposite to Mei because of her meek and socially awkward nature contrasting against the dragon girl’s optimistic and outgoing attitude. One way to describe their dynamic is the popular girl to Lan’s quiet girl. Despite the differences in their auras, Lan is always more than happy to have Mei’s back and vice versa, even if it means allowing herself to be filmed on her livestream to “show off her cuteness” (Mei’s words, not hers). However, it doesn’t exactly stop Lan from being the tiniest bit jealous of her when it comes to family matters…

Pigsy: As the adoptive father and boss of one of her best friends, Pigsy is similar to that of a grumpy uncle figure to her. She occasionally delivers him vegetables she’s grown herself for his cooking, which the pig demon appreciates immensely to the point where he uses her as an example of hard work to MK whenever he slacks off his job…which is a lot. Even she’s not spared from his constant yelling when it comes to all the recent chaos she’s dragged in, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s just as protective of her as he is of MK.

Tang: Lan easily bonds with Tang when it comes to trying not to get dragged into danger as much as possible, the two sometimes acting as the brains of the group when it comes to being the only sane people in general. Though, it doesn’t really stop her from actually getting annoyed at him whenever he suggests running away when things get too messy.

Sandy: Lan immediately befriended Sandy on their very first meeting when she saw that not only was he a true pacifist, but also incredibly therapeutic with the number of cats he owns and the exceptional tea he brews. Whenever she gets too stressed or is simply having a hard time trying to find peace with herself, she’s always quick to go to him for comfort, and the blue giant’s more than happy to brew her a fresh cup of tea for her issues (even if she can be a little too…intense with her anxiety).

Sun Wukong: At first, the Monkey King was perfectly casual with her when they first met and even let her play with his fellow monkey friends on Flower Fruit Mountain when he saw how attached they were to her. But as Lan’s powers get stronger and her dreams get weirder over time, it’s not long before she starts to suspect that he may have some kind of connection to her previous life…

Red Son: To say that they did not have the best first impression of each other would be a major understatement. Only five seconds in, the demon prince proceeded to burn her beloved flowers in front of her, right before he started chasing both her and MK around all over the city like a lunatic during the pilot. Fire and plants were never meant to mix well, but who’s to say things will turn for the better over time? (Fans of the “Opposites Attract” trope here?)

Demon Bull King: Was not above including her in his targets to destroy when she accidentally awakened her powers and used them against him as soon as he was freed from the Underworld. The only reason he decided to spare her and instead focus on capturing her in the beginning was because of his wife’s suggestion…along with her history with the florist’s previous life.

Princess Iron Fan: The former celestial maiden seemed to recognize Lan upon first sight, her suspicions being confirmed when she accidentally awakens her powers in front of her. Whatever history she has with whoever Lan was in a past life seems to be important enough for her to convince her husband not to kill her, instead urging him to take her as a hostage instead to utilize her powers for themselves. At least, in the beginning…

Macaque: [HEAVY SPOILERS; WILL BE CONFIRMED IN LATER CHAPTERS]

Mayor: [HEAVY SPOILERS; WILL BE CONFIRMED IN LATER CHAPTERS]

Nezha: [HEAVY SPOILERS; WILL BE CONFIRMED IN LATER CHAPTERS]

[joonasslut]

I got inspired of the previous ask, this might become long text possibly but i’ll start with how i see Joel being in a relationship with you. 👀 (I am basing this on the stuff he has said and also some stuff i have heard but can’t also confirm that are 100% true so don’t take this too seriously)

Let’s start with the fact that he has been cheated on in the past and he has himself also said he has big trust issues to get in a relationship in the first place. So getting in a relationship with him, you have won. He has jealousy issues, and would most likely be suspicious and paranoid sometimes because he just can’t help it. (Patience and reassurance needed for this poor boy) So if you are hanging out with other males he most likely would get paranoid about it because he isn’t a home lot. :( (I can see him constantly asking where are you and with who etc.)

He is always on his phone so he’d be texting and videocalling you a lot. He has also stated in the past that if he indeed falls for someone he halls HARD. So especially when you are physically together he’d be physically close to you as possible. I can see him also actually really loving skinship with you and just hugging/cuddling/kissing/making out, anything just to be close to you and feeling you.

Even though people might think he is just awkward and grumpy (which he is a bit but it’s cute) he would give his all for you. I think he’d be really thoughtful, caring and loving, he’d do anything he can for you, as long as you understand that his career does come first. He needs someone to support him, and he definetely would support you, as your number 1. fan/hypeman. (If you have social media he’d be the first one to like everything and hype you up) Also him hyping you on his IG with couple photos of you two. (the ”love doesn’t exist” joel would be gone and turn into the most lovey dovey man on the planet with you)

Also based on how i have seen him being defensive easily about the smallest things, he would definetely be there to defend you for anything. He wouldn’t be afraid to confront anyone and fight for you. In general i see him also as protective (he let’s you do anything but is watching over you still)

He most likely does have hard time speaking feelings / anything in words but he’d make songs for you and it will be just so… ❤️ everything would come straight from his heart.

This become so long and could go on even more :D Tell me what you think!

first of all i love you. second i love joel hokka. third he should give me a chance.

i bet he would be extremely clingy, he’d almost be annoying if he wasn’t that cute and awesome.

i bet that when he’s grumpy it is impossible to crack what’s wrong (maybe he doesn’t know either) so you’d just have to let him be, give him his space but while also checking on him every once in a while. and maybe at some point he might crack and ask you to stay close.

his career does come first!! besides it being obvious he would make it clear from day 1. it might seem harsh but it’s the truth and it’s a great thing that he’d be so honest. either support him or leave.

tbf i get just as defensive and grumpy over the tiniest things so i totally get him but imagine him being so protective that even if you’re like him you’ll have to ask him to let it go because it’s not that important.

and yes!! he would have a hard time talking about his feelings but he would be good at expressing them via songs and gestures.

bestie this was so nice and well done and now all i can think about is how similar i am to joel, and how i’d be the perfect gf, i might need to lay down or get institutionalized

[misssakuramochi]

Balders gate matchup please! Im a straight girl with brown hair and hazel eyes, I wear glasses but dislike wearing them because im rather shy about it. Im very insecure about myself but will protect the ones I love,mostly im cheerfull but i also can be very sad quickly. INFJ sometimes grumpy ( mostly in the morning) I will always do my best and always want to help people Kinda goofy and derpy sometimes. I also like to tease , I can be very pervy also and sometimes am a little socially awkward. Favorite animals are bats, cats and squids (also love moths)! Sucker for Horror stuff! Oh and I have Epilepsy and Migraine sometimes :'( thank u!

I match you with....

GALE

○ You sound very much good aligned, trying to do what's good and right. Gale is very drawn to the kindness and light in your heart. Your kindness and compassion had Gale falling head over heels faster than he'd like to admit

○ Gale is so sincere, even your insecurity struggles to tell you he's not being genuine - because it's so obvious that he is. Gale knows you can be insecure, but he sees so much in you, he'd do anything to show you. He constantly showers you without and praise, and he's always happy to lend a reassuring word. After all, he knows how it is to feel unworthy.

○ Goofy? Pervy? AWKWARD? That's a trifecta of perfection to this wizard. He loves that you're playful, and loves even more that he can 'win' At teasing you by getting you too flustered to speak.

○ In a way, Gale admires your ability to lead by feeling as an INFJ. As a wizard logic has always been the key to any lock. The way you follow your heart and express yourself is wonderfully curious to him - even if infuriatingly perplexing at times. Your heart on your sleeve becomes one of his favourite things about you.

HEADCANONS

○ Gale LOVES your glasses. Lowkey tries to make you more comfortable with them both because you deserve to feel beautiful, and because he thinks glasses are hot. He jokingly steals them and says cheesy shit like 'if they look this good on me imagine how good they must look on someone of your status' or smth. Please put them on he will eventually beg.

○ Doting mans alert. Gale is desperately working on a cure for your migraines, and if you would want it, your epilepsy. He hates to see you fatigued or in pain and he's spent countless nights researching to find even the slightest relief. Sometimes you actually have to comfort him when you're well, because he feels like he's failed you each time he's been unsuccessful

○ That bring said, Gale has taking care of you down to a science. Actually literally. The second you start feeling auras (if you do,) or otherwise feel that something is coming on, he's prepared. Bed fluffed, blankets heated, herbal medicine on the table and anything else that helps good to go in minutes. Sun too bright? He's got Darkness just for you.

○ Gale is NOT a sucker for horror. That being said, he is willing to suck it up for you. Even though it often ends in bad commentary and/or Gale ultimately hiding behind you mid-show. It's actually quite endearing once you get used to it.

[onlybeeewrites]

Hi! Can I request a ship for The Maze Runner with male preference?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 20 years old, 5'1", Southeast Asian. Chubby with brunette bob cut hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a small beauty mark on my forehead. My style is in between soft grunge and soft punk but loves to wear Korean makeup style

𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: Muggleborn Ravenclaw with a patronous spirit of Hummingbird, an INFJ (last time I checked at MBTI test), my enneagram is 4w5 and my moral alignment is Neutral Good. I may have a slight introverted tendencies and awkward nature, I describe myself as fiery, swears like a sailor, confident, jokester, and, passionate. Religious, super talkative, sometimes hyper (because of excitement), giggly (I always laugh for stupid reasons), nerdy, actually sweet and nice though I can be aloof, intimidating, and scary when I get so angry. I tend to become really fiesty, stands boldly on what I believe (claiming myself as a realist though some of my views doesn't makes sense), and unbothered to be true to myself, clumsy, stubborn, young-at-heart, unfortunate and inattentive. I have "no bs" towards the people that I hate, sarcasam and savagery is my main language. But on the other side, I overthink a lot and cry over small things many times, small mistakes leads me to provoke me even more that sounds like a drama queen, yet recognizes a soft spot for dumb jokes, cheesy pickup lines and prefer people with a good sense of humour who see myself as equal. Chill in academics, but very competitive that manages to the top even for my dreams---I'm very dedicated on what I want for my life, and have modesty towards some people that deserves respect. One notable feature about her is her multi-potentiality due to being naturally gifted in artistic fields (this includes singing).

𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗦: Arts, choir, poetry, karaoke, literature, history, makeup, beauty pageants, fun/deep/dumb conversations, expanding my knowledge in Christianity, documentaries (about saints), reading interesting stuffs, talking about social issues, and creative writing, chilling both indoors and outdoors.

𝗛𝗢𝗕𝗕𝗜𝗘𝗦: Drawing, singing, dancing when nobody's around (I'm very bad at it), sharing nerdy or opinionated thoughts, walking like a model (if I ever feel so confident), sleeping, listening to music (from rock to kpop), chatting or browsing on social media, watching videos on YouTube, making terrible jokes/puns, watching cartoons, writing, reading interesting things, and conceptualizing my artworks. I also used to study Italian language a bit

First if all I would like to apologize for how long this took me to get around to. The last few years have been crazy but I hope this is still alright! <33

But I would pair you with…

Thomas!

I think the two of you would be an amazing couple. I see a sort of sunshine and grumpy sort of vibe with you two. I think he would be super protective over you but once he saw how you can handle yourself, he’d be impressed and would know that he would only help when it would be needed. And also considering how clumsy he is too, I can see you both teasing each other of or tripping over yourselves or something like a tree root. He would love your laugh and sense of humor, bringing out that laugh that he would just adore. I also think he would think your dancing is adorable and pull you in for one of those romantic dancing moments when no one else is around.

Again, this was the first ship I have done so I hope it was alright, and I sincerely apologize again for such a long wait

[contentloadingandstuff]

Genshin Impact Necro AU: Sakurai Denki - Personality, Appearence, Quirks

Made in Picrew, because I couldn't draw to save my life. I'm working on it as well, but the internet will have to do for now.

A/N: I know, I know, this is the worst possible way of describing a fictional character - an info dump. But integrating all of this into a reasonable story with coherent plot and the proper developement would take a very long time (exactly 3.9 days of constant writing. Average pace is 4 sentences per minute, average sentence is 10 words, average chapter is 5000 words long, 45 chapters to do all the content justice [in my opinion, could be less]). So while work happens on the proper fics, have this.

Physical appearance

Height: 192 cm/ ~6.3 ft

Weight: ~90kg

Age: 23 (vessel age appearance) 21 (actual age)

Eye colour: Originally green. His new body, however, mirrors the state of his soul, also in the eyes. The iris is normally light grey in colour, and switches depending on his emotions. It is dark purple when he is angry, yellow during Necro core malfunctions, blue when he is in mental pain/discomfort and everything switches back to green when he is happy.

Hair colour: Brown. It used to be a healthy shade, but after the soul transplant it got brighter (stress-related graying). He wears it short.

Skin colour/race: White, Caucasian.

Physique: Muscular, but not beefy. Attractive by all means (Sunqu didn't make the vessel to leave Denki maidenless, now did he? Everything he creates is held up to a high standard). The original Denki was slender and of average height.

Unique features: Scars, scars, scars. His old body may have been abandoned, but some injuries have been ingrained in his very soul - and that reflects on his vessel. Over time traces of his past reappeared, now as fully healed white scars. Every single one of them carries an especially painful memory. The one on his right eye, for example. It was the second to be removed, leaving him completely blind. Even though he can see again, the trauma remained. Other scars include:

around the neck,

long and symmetrical on his arms,

a few long gashes on his back,

a flurry of small, thin and irregular cuts on his forearms,

a half-moon scar on his stomach,

around his upper chest,

on the inside of the thighs.

Tattoos, piercings and jewelry: None.

Personality

Original Denki was fun to be around, all in all. Outgoing, outspoken, friendly. He had a lot ideas for fun activities, and often dragged his few friends along. Despite that he was slightly introverted, enjoying alone time a little more. He loved reading and drawing landscapes of his home - Narukami Island. Denki liked to train swordfighting, but prefered doing things in a way of avoiding direct conflict and bloodshed.

The new Denki is very different. He's cold, unfeeling even. Denki is the only mortal The Watcher respects. He is reliable and direct, working with others with no greater issues.

The problem, however, starts to become visible when he finally relaxes, the doors close, the curtain drops. Denki is awkward in social situations, remaining silent and somewhat absent, always standing on the sidelines, not speaking unless spoken to. He sometimes comes off as dull, other times mean and harsh. A lot of the subtleties of conversation, like flirting and teasing, just makes him confused and angry - why won't they just tell me what they want? Mood swings are a problem. Even thought the Necro core stabilises his soul greatly, the spirit still is an unpredictable thing. Best case he gets grumpy or sad, worst case - an entire psychotic episode occurs. The major malfunctions happen rarely, but small short-circuits are common. He is snappy, but his frustrations never result in injury to bystanders. His jokes are confusing and untactful (the undead he got used to have a very different concept of what's funny). Once more or less a pacifist, Denki got more violent. He no longer strays from killing or harming others, but still dislikes the job he was forced into. The targets of his cruelty are almost exclusively the Fatui, armed or unarmed, innocent or guilty. The mangled, rotting corpses are a tell-tale sign of his presence.

After he reunited and got together romantically with Kuki Shinobu, his best friend from his childhood, Denki started slowly improving. His mood always lightens up when she is around. He talks more, is overall happier and more upbeat. He got used to talking to living people again. His sense of humour remains dark, but lightened up enough to not attract worried glances from bystanders. Teasing stopped annoying him - he even started to bother Shinobu on a daily basis (mainly about their height difference, which is about 30 cm apart). Breakdowns still occur, but they got less violent over time, thanks to his soul finally healing. Denki started slowly coming back to parts of his old self, but got more mature and masculine. His intense protectiveness over Shinobu is also to be noted.

Issues

Body image - Ever since his soul got moved, he felt that his body didn't belong to him any more. All of the nooks and crannies he was used to were gone, replaced with artificial flesh. It is attractive, beautiful and perfect from the outside, but it's not his. It feels like a golden cage for his soul. At first, Denki couldn't even blink correctly. It took what felt like years to get the new flesh puppet into the rhythm of being alive. All of the natural functions, like breathing, walking, sleeping or speaking had to be done with outside help at first. Only after a long time was he ready to fully use it as intended. Every day felt awful. The vessel was cumbersome and clumsy, and it hurt. Everything hurt. Speaking, moving around, breathing. It felt just as a too tight costume. But he got used to it over time. He has to maintain it regularly, just in case something is wrong. That made him enjoy taking long, thorough baths. Yet he doesn't feel the same type of worry at seeing it injured, like one would with their own body. It is unimportant to him. It was, actually, before Shinobu got into a relationship with him. She adored it's beauty, helping him clean off the blood and grime on many occasions. She hated seeing it hurt, and urged him to be careful. If Shinobu values his vessel, then why should he not? It won't be that bad. Probably.

Allignment - Every time he cleans the blood off of his hands, he can't help but question himself. Is he good, or evil? How come his fingers are so gentle and full of love on Shinobu's, but so hateful inside of his opponents' eye sockets? The beings that saved him are objectively evil - they torture, kill, raid and destroy, but to achieve a goal of world order and create a paradise at the command of the Creator. Do the ends justify the means? They showed kindness and understanding, offered him a chance to live again, but forced him into a job of murder all the same. Is killing the guilty really a good deed? Is giving payback to those who hurt him in an equally cruel way a crime, or a justifiable action? And finally - after so much wrong-doing, this much cruelty and hate - does he even deserve to be hers?

Identity - If Denki's soul remained unchanged, he would have ended himself or gone off-the-rails long ago. Because of this, Sunqu had to piece together whatever was left of him, and fill the gaps with fragments of others' life essence. His memories are still there, but the mood swings certainly beg the question: is Denki really one person? When he looks into his grey eyes in the mirror, does he see the old Denki, the one who smiled and laughed without a care? Is it the weak, pathetic, scared and whimpery shell of a human Beleth rescued? Or the new Master Denki - the same man on whose hands is the blood of hundreds? Which one gets up, which one eats, which one cuddles with Shinobu to avoid nightmares? Which one does she actually love? If he is, indeed, one individual, that brings forth even more concern.

Trauma - It's not like the memories suddenly vanished from his mind. The seven years of agony left permanent imprints in his mind, resulting in many quirks and habits reflecting that. Examples include:

Constant nightmares, up to a point where he has to sleep in short, three hour bursts to get any rest,

Brief 'jamming', resulting in zoning out or randomly snapping at anyone around,

Occassional flinching at sudden movements during relaxed moments,

Dislike towards salty and dry foods,

Dislike towards turpid soups - because who knows what's really inside,

Picking apart purchased meals with cutlery, subconsiously looking for needles, razors, broken glass or similiar "surprises",

Eating quickly, as if someone was about to take his food away,

Absolutely despising being restrained in any way,

Reluctancy to undress or show is bare body in other ways,

Scratching at his neck and forearms whenever he is uncomfortable or sad,

Disrespecting most authority figures, excluding the Legion,

Unwillingness to submit in any way, be it major, minor, or even as just a joke,

Paranoia; always standing in a way to observe the most people around at once,

Desperation not to get sick and become dependant on others, even if for a day only,

Tensing up at sudden physical contact...

... and the list goes on and on. Most of the stress is made more bearable with his girlfriend around. She is an expert at calming him down and comforting him whenever he needs it. With the smaller woman in his arms, every pain seems to dull - even the nightmares subside.

(Feedback is always welcome! :>)

Thanks for reading!

[hi-i-love-u-bitch]

I want a disgustingly cute JonDami fic but their both still like 8-9 yrs old and Damien is still a grumpy demon child that threatens people with a katana but put him in a social situation where there is NO fighting involved he just becomes a shy, awkward child that constantly clings to Bruce/Batman, occasionally peeking out from behind his father's cape/pants leg and glaring at people. Then he meets Jon who is a goofy, excitable puppy Boi (much like his father) and who's sweet yet sassy nature charms every one around him. And there first meeting is basically like that scene from Bambi where he meets Feline for the first time.

Jon: 🤭He's kind of bashful isn't he dad?

Clark: Well maybe he wouldn't be if you'd say hello

Jon: Hello, Damien 😊

Damien: 😠*retreating further behind his father's cape*😠

Jon: l said hello 🥺🥺🥺

Bruce: Well aren't you going to answer him?

Damien: 😤😤😤😤 *huffs and looks the other way*

Bruce: 😏 You're not afraid, are you?

Damien: 😳*aggressively shakes head*😡😡😡

Bruce: Well then, go ahead *gently pushes Damien forward*

Damien: 😡...😶...😳

Bruce: Go on, say hello

Damien: 😳

Jon: 😊

Damien: .................................👉👈😖Hello

Jon: 🤩💖💞*vibrates in excitement*💝💕🥰

So then like Jon has this little kid crush on Damien and is always teasing him cuz Damien always gets super flustered when ever someone who is NOT his immediate family is even remotely nice to him. And our poor boy Damien has no idea how to handle it, he tried putting up a front with his usually snarky and rude persona but that apparently did nothing to dissuade the youngest superboy. In fact it probably just encouraged Jon to be even more sweet and affectionate.

Jon, every time he sees Damien: *giggling as he gives a tiny wave* Hiii Dami~ 🥰🥰🥰

Damien, without fail: *furiously blushing as he hides behind his father or whichever older sibling is nearby* 😡😡😡

Everyone thinks it's super cute; the batkids tease Damien about it relentlessly, though not too much, as they don't want to dissuade their little brother from making friends. The superkids tease Jon as well but it's a lot less successful since Jon isn't as embarrassed by it. Clark at first had been weary of Damien's abrasive nature clashing with his son's more gentle demeanor but he soon realized that their whole relationship was just him and Bruce in their early days, with a lot more blushing and heart eyes involved. Bruce was just happy that Damien was making friends and despite his son's outward annoyance he was actually enjoying the attention.

Jon: We make a great team, right Dami? 😊

Damien: -tt- You're a distraction at best 😤

Jon: So are you but I still manage to get the job done 😋💕

Damien: S-shut it Kent! 😡

It's like witnessing a grumpy kitten interacting with a happy puppy and trying so hard to pretend that it doesn't enjoy the puppy's company. Like it's just the cutest thing to witness the wholesome relationship growth between the children, weather platonic or romantic, and such a refreshing thing to see in-between the everyday hero grind.

Damien, getting ready to leave on an important mission with Bruce: 🤔*intense focus*💭

Jon, giggling through the coms: Oh Dami~💕

Damien: 😳What do want Kent?😤

Jon, even more giggling: Good luck 🥰🤗😚

Damien, immediately flustered: 😳😵��💫😖 S-stupid farm boy! Stop playing around when there's still work to be done! 😡😡😡

Like they'll be sitting in at a meeting along side their dads and Jon will (not so) sneakily pass little notes or pieces of candy to Damien across the table. Sometimes Damien is too short to reach so Bruce, without even looking or pausing what he's saying, will carefully slide the offering a little closer so Damien can reach without fussing about how: he didn't need any help. Eventually Damien gets a little braver and meets with Jon under the table, still passing notes so as not to disrupt the meeting and doodling little stories together in Jon's notebook.

They eventually start interacting more outside of hero work especially when it is discovered they go to the same school. (Shut up it's my AU and cannon means nothing to me 😤) Damien takes more advanced courses so they don't have any classes together but they do have the same lunch/recess period. So they sit together during lunch and hang out a recess with Damien always making a big show of being super annoyed about it. It's hard to take him seriously with his face always turning red anytime Jon smiles his way. After school they either go to the park or the corner store to buy snacks while they wait to get picked up, Jon holding Damien's hand as he leads them around cuz:

🥺🥺What if we lose each other in the big crowd, Dami?🥺🥺And we have to be sure to stay safe while crossing the street!🥺🥺It's super dangerous and scary being alone in the city!🥺🥺

Damien, who has seen this boy take on an entire alien army by himself: 😳You're probably right. We are much safer staying together. 👀👉👈

Like I need this okay!!!😤😤😤 I need this to be so fluffy and sweet that my teeth rot out of my mouth 😭❤😭❤️ Idk if I'll write it one day since I'm busy with work but if anybody has any fanfic recommendations like this please comment and tag me 🙏🙏🙏

[raggaraddy]

Mouthy

Prompt: You say to Yandere BTS "Oh my god! Just shut up!"

A/N: Couldn't sleep, so I wrote this laying in bed. I hope it's not some sleep-deprived nonsense ^-^

Trigger warning: Yandere themes, violence, emotional manipulation, choking, non-con, D/s themes, examples of a bad D/s dynamic.

Alpha! Namjoon

"Oh my god! Just shut up!" You scream it through your bedroom doorway. Storming to the railing of the stairs, you lean over and scream again. "Shut up!"

The sea of people on the ground floor go quiet. Only the music dares to keep making a sound in the background. You skulk back to your room, slamming the door loudly behind you. You had had a long, disappointing day. You were tired and grumpy, and moody and sad. But the dozens of uninvited pack members couldn't care less as their party raged on into the night.

Not allowing you enough time to even climb back into bed, Namjoon storms after you to address your outburst.

"Y/n, go downstairs right now and apologize." He orders.

"No." you mope. Feeling it's a wildly unfair request. All these people are in your house making so much noise when you're trying to sleep. How is it you that's in the wrong?

"Do you think I am asking you? I'm telling you. Get downstairs now." He says sternly. His strict tone making you even more emotional. You just wanted him to be on your side for this.

"But- But I," you sniffle, with tears in your eyes.

"No," Namjoon cuts you off. "I've asked you all afternoon what's wrong. And you wouldn't tell me. So right at this moment, I don't want to hear it. You have been disrespectful to me and my people. So you are going to put some more clothes on and cover-up, and you will go out there and apologize to every single person." He growls, leaving no room to argue. "And you will do it sincerely, or I will give you something to cry about."

King! Seokjin

You didn't say it to his face. You would never be that stupid. But still, you clearly weren't smart enough. While gossiping to a friend, someone you thought was a confidant, you're complaining about a seemingly endless, boring meeting you had to serve today.

"And I just wanted to tell all of them; Oh my god! Just shut up!" You laugh. 

But hours later it's no longer a laughing matter.

"How did you enjoy serving me today, Princess?" Jin asks his tone giving nothing away of what he already knows.

"I enjoyed it. Thank you, your Majesty" You politely smile, thinking his question to be a kindness.

"I often find these meetings so dull. Many of the Lords do like to ramble on. Sometimes I would enjoy telling all of them to just shut up." He speaks the words so purposefully that you know at once you've been exposed.

"My Lord, I-"

"If you are smart you will not say another word." He speaks softly, with a grin on his face. "I want to thank you, Y/n.  I have an endless supply of other people I can hurt. Each one of them is freely at my disposal, but you are my favourite toy." He fills the space in front of you. "However, I am a man of my word. I swore to you that you will be unharmed if you are obedient, and I would not dare to break this vow. Of course, I have sorely missed playing with my beloved little dol, though."

Towering over you he sets off your instinct to get to your knees and grovel, begging his forgiveness for your carelessness. But that would only be a wasted effort.

"So thank you, Princess, for giving me the possibility to hear your pretty cries of pain again. I will make sure to use this opportunity to its fullest."

Assassin! Yoongi

He had been in a hyper mood for 2 days straight. His energy and enthusiastic interaction was something you always craved, but you had never dealt with it this long before and you were losing your sanity and your composure.

"Oh my god! Just shut up!" You shout at him as your last nerve snaps.

"Okay, Y/n." He gives little to no reaction. "Remember you said this in a month from now when you're begging me to speak to you."

But it didn't take a month. In two weeks you were in tears apologizing. He left you free to roam the house, but he revoked all communication from you. The only times he gave you any attention, was when he forcibly made you stop doing something he didn't like. Or when he wanted you for sex. But still, he wouldn't utter a single word, only bending you over to take what he wanted.

After 5 weeks, just as you thought you'd never hear his voice again, he finally broke his silence. Only to break your heart.

"Listening to you these past few weeks, I realise how much you talk. It's time you take your own advice and shut up. Y/n, I don't want to hear a sound out of you until I say. 5 weeks was easy enough for me. So let's start with that, and then I'll see if I want to hear from you yet."

Vampire! Hoseok

Hoseok was always so animated. Normally it didn't bother you, but he was talking and reacting through yet another movie and you were sick of it. It might have been because you were PMSing or maybe because Hoseok had forgotten to feed you all day, but when he yelled at the TV, you yelled at him.

"Oh my god! Just shut up!" And right away you were teeming with regret.

"I'm sorry baby. Am I being too loud?" He laughs with an unexpectedly harmless reply. Playfully but roughly slapping his hand on your thigh. "I'll keep it down."

You're not dumb enough to think that your eruption would go unanswered. So you sit tensely, anxiously waiting to see how he will repay you.

"Baby," he whispers in your ear, after sitting in silence for 20 minutes. "You know I have very strong hearing right?" You nod nervously. Chewing your lip. "Well, your breathing is too loud and very distracting. I can hardly hear the movie. Can you please fix that?"

You know this is going to lead to something horrible, but you have no choice but to do as he says. For the next 10 minutes, you're completely distracted trying to inhale and exhale as softly and shallowly as possible.

"Hmm baby, it's really too much. I can't concentrate on the film." He stands, pulling his belt off. "Here let me help you."

He wraps his belt around your neck, pulling and setting it so tight that it's biting into your skin. Your throat constricting, barely letting you breathe.

As you wheeze and splutter and cough, he holds the end like a leash. Sitting back on the couch, he turns his focus back to the movie without letting you loosen the strap or get away. Your whole body is shaking, your eyes starting to roll back as you struggle to inhale. The belt is cruelly not tight enough to have you pass out though. Only allowing you to sit in your suffering. The sound of your gasping filling the room.

"Ahh, there you go baby. That's much better. Don't worry, it's just while we're watching movies. And there's only two more left in the trilogy."

Playboy! Jimin

He was telling you over and over how sorry he was. How he didn't mean to kiss that girl. That he was drinking. And that she kissed him. It was every excuse and lie he had spouted 100 times before.

"Oh my god! Just shut up!" You yelled at him. And for a moment it worked. He sat in stunned silence. But as you got off the bed to leave, taking your car keys with you, he chased after you.

"Where are you going?"

"Out Jimin. I need some time alone to think." You scowl.

But he refuses, blocking the door. Holding his arms to either side to barricade you in.

"No, you can't leave! I said I'm sorry."

"Fuck off Jimin, your apologies mean nothing." You say shoving him.

He doesn't accept that. With a roar, he grabs your shoulders throwing you down onto the bed. Quickly straddling you, using far too much force to keep you pinned beneath him. Tearing off the pillowcases, he makes some shoddy but effective restraints. Tying you to the bars on the headboard.

Ignoring your screams and how you struggle he starts to kiss down your neck, pulling at your clothes, rubbing his hands down your body.

"I'm gonna make you feel good Y/n. I'll show you that I only want you, then you'll have to forgive me." He says sounding desperate and unhinged.

You cry and yell for him to stop, trying to buck him off you, but his hand covers your mouth, his other successfully tearing down your panties from under your dress.

"Don't fight me, Angel. Just let me in. And I'll prove I love you the most."

Dom! Taehyung

Finally, Taehyung had agreed to spend some time with you in a social environment. He and you went out to a movie and dinner with some of your friends. They were vanilla friends though, so as an exception, for the day he loosened a lot of the restrictions and formalities you normally had in place.

You, however, you were getting a little too relaxed. While you joked with you're friends, you started to speak to him the same manner. As you and he were playfully arguing about trivia facts you realized you were losing the debate.

"Oh my god! Just shut up!" You joke. But in the company of your friends or not, Taehyung was not about to let you disrespect him. Even in jest.

"Is that how you should talk to me girl?" He asks loudly and in front of everyone, bringing the group conversation to a grinding halt.

His change in tone and his use of the possessive pet name, right away have you back in your place.

"No," you whisper. The sting of embarrassment hot upon your cheeks.

"No, what?" He pushes it.

You can't stand to look up. All of the attention is on the two of you. And even in your peripheral, you can see your friends looking at you judgementally, wide-eyed and in shock.

And he was making it worse by having you use his title around them.

"No, Sir." you surrender, your head hung low.

"Shouldn't you also apologise to the other people at the table? For interrupting our night with your rudeness." He keeps piling on one shame after the other. Stretching out the ordeal.

"No, it's fine." One of your friends tries to laugh off the awkwardness and speed the discussion away from this point. "She doesn't have to."

"Y/n," He prompts you, disregarding what your friend had said.

Thoroughly humiliated, you can't imagine how you are going to repair these relationships or explain this treatment away.

"I'm sorry for interrupting the night with my rudeness." you swallow heavily, hands shaking.

"Good girl. Now mind your mouth. Before you make me embarrass you further."

Mafia! Jungkook

"Oh my god! Just shut up!" you say in a hushed voice. More of a prayer said to yourself than an actual demand you expected Jungkook to hear.

"What did you just say to me?" he lowers the phone, gawking at you.

You really didn't mean to, it just slipped out. He was talking on the phone, going into too graphic detail about how he and his men dealt with a threat recently. You couldn't handle the gruesome details he was recanting anymore and the words just fell out.

"What did you just say? Did you just tell me to shut up?" He repeats again through your nonreply. His tongue running through the inside of his cheek, his jaw and muscles tensing. His voice jumping rapidly from stunned to aggressive.

You're at home alone with him, so you weren't paying much mind to what you were saying. But this afternoon he's been dealing with work. And right now he isn't Kookie, no the person in front of you is Jeon Jungkook. The temperamental Mafia head, who would as likely hit you as he would speak to you.

"I'm sorry," you squeak.

"You're sorry?" He scoffs, slamming the phone down. "If you had said it and meant it, that would be one thing. I could respect that. But you really just can't control your stupid little mouth can you."

"I-" you start a defence, or more a plea for mercy.

"Shut the fuck up!" He growls leaning forward in his seat making you flinch back. Darting his hand out he grabs you by the hair, pulling you back to where you were. "Don't flinch. I'm not gonna hurt you, I'm gonna help you." He smiles.

You wriggle in his clutches, mewling the same trifle apologies under your breath.

"Shhh, my brainless little Kitten. I'm gonna give you a gift." He smirks. "For your own safety, you don't need to talk for the rest of the day. I just need you to come when I call. Sit on my lap when I tell you. And purr for me like a good little pussy." Grabbing your arm harshly, he yanks you off your chair and onto the ground. "There you go, where you belong." He laughs. "You think you can remember to do all that? I know you can. Otherwise, I'll buy you a kat collar to remind you how my Kitten should behave."

[teyvattherapist]

Hello, hello~ I see you opened your requests and I LOVE it.

Can I request a gn!reader with Diluc, Xiao and Albedo who are trying to confess to the reader, but always failed because reader is too busy and is like "sorry need to go." or "I have something to do."?

In the end they confronted them and won't let them go so they finally can confess properly!

I hope you know what I mean ^.^

Have a nice day, have fun and thank you🙌

-Anon (because I don't want my friends to find out I read stuff like this ;-;)

Haha, I'm glad! Sorry for the wait and welcome to my blog! I hope you enjoy<3

tags: gn!reader x Albedo, Diluc, Xiao(separate), fluff, tsundere Xiao, flustered Diluc, Albedo is the only normal one for once wow, busy busy bees.

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

Albedo

-The least annoyed over this as the others. Still kind of annoyed. But not nearly as much.

-Albedo is also really busy, so trying to clear his schedule to meet your schedule and then you're even more busy its.. He doesn't do good with relationships as is.

-The last to assume you are avoiding him tbh. He's smart but he doesn't understand social cues well enough to draw that conclusion.

-This is why he has lured you to dragonspine because he "needs help".

-cant run now bitch -Khoi Dao as Albedo probably.

Teal eyes watch you as you place the appropriate items where they need to go in his little camp. He had asked you to aid him in organizing his camp, every time he does it it just gets messed up minutes later anyways, he said. You reached up, placing some assorted trinkets on one of the shelves in the small camp. When you turn back towards the alchemist he’s holding his pencil to his pad of paper, but his eyes are trained on you.

“What else do we need to do here? I need to get back to Mond-”

“Ahem, I do believe myself to be in love with you. And I would like to pursue a romantic relationship should you feel the same.” Albedo sounds so casual about it you almost didn’t process what he just exclaimed. He gave you a moment, setting his notepad down on the small wooden table while he waited.

You let out an awkward laugh as you examined him, his expression remained as it usually did. “You’re not kidding?” He shakes his head. “Oh well-” You clear your throat, stepping closer to him and reaching out to him. He takes your hands in his, intertwining your fingers. “I do really have to get back to Mondstadt, but I feel the same.” You squeeze his hands and he returns the gesture.

Thankfully Kaeya’s advice paid off..

Diluc

-Help him. He’s tried so many times. What do you MEAN you need to go to Liyue for a weekend? Why do you need to take on Bennett’s commissions? Can you stand still for two seconds.

-No. No you can’t. Straight up thinks you’re avoiding him for some reason. Too salty to ask anybody for assistance in this matter. Just kind of broods.

-Sees you while he’s out doing his darknight hero duties and decides now is a great time to corner you in, what normal non Diluc people consider, the weirdest way possible.

-Aka he just kind of drops down from wherever the hell this Batman impersonator was hiding.. Directly in front of you. This was not how he intended to do this but it was getting ridiculous and Kaeya was making fun of him so here he is.

"Ah! Diluc! Archons, my heart." You press a hand to your chest as you meet his gaze. His jaw is set and he somehow seems more annoyed than usual. You lower your hand as his eyes flick away from your form, glancing down the dark streets of Mondstadt. "Is something wrong? You're out quite late." You smile at him and he finally looks back at you.

"Pardon my boldness, but given your recent schedule I have been unable to find a better time for this." He steps closer and you tilt your head, waiting for him to continue what he was going to say. "I would like to take you out to dinner sometime." He adjusts his gloves as he waits for the momentarily stunned silence to pass. Did he always do this when he was nervous…?

"Sure! I'll be free this weekend. Is anybody else joining us?" His smile is awkward, forced maybe? At your words.

"I meant romantically." Diluc clarifies, clearing his throat as warmth spreads to his cheeks. He could only hope his face didn't match his hair. Spoiler alert, it does.

You rub the back of your neck, not expecting this of all things on your walk home from commissions. "I'd love to, Diluc. I'll see you at five on Saturday." You pat his chest as you walk by him in the direction of your home. Leaving a stunned, very flustered wine tycoon.

Xiao

-THIS GUY. The most annoyed AND the most broody.

-He has never felt like this before, and so he’s stepping out of his comfort zone to even tell you! And then you just? Cut him off? And run away?!

-Tries only once, the moment you’re out of his line of sight he just sort of up and disappears from Wangshu Inn? He just leaves!

-You find out from Verr, because she wants to know if you’ve seen him. "Last I saw him he was going to tell you he likes you." She says with a smile as if she didn't know he disappeared because he didn't manage to say it. Sneaky.

-So this is how you end up trying to lure him in with offers of almond tofu and annoyingly calling out ‘Adeptus Xiao!’ over and over again like he’s a grumpy cat(he is.)

Black and teal swirls of smoke appeared before you and you could only sigh in relief, this had taken the better half of your day. The smoke soon dissipated, Xiao replacing it with his typical scowl. “What do you want?” His tone is harsh, harsher than usual. But at least he isn’t dead or whatever, so you had that going for you.

“I heard some very interesting information from Verr Goldet!” You inform him, holding up the container of almond tofu, it jiggled. His amber eyes snap to the almond tofu, reaching out and snatching the container from you with a huff. A grumpy cat, indeed. “I have a few days off from commissions, would you like to tell me anything?” You clasp your hands behind your back, bouncing on the balls of your feet.

“No.”

“Okay! Well, guess I’ll go then- Check in with Verr Goldet ok?” Xiao grabs your wrist before you could take more than a step away from him, polearm disappearing to make room for your arm. “Hm? Something wrong, Xiao?”

“Do not make me say it.”

“Say what?”

Xiao huffs but doesn’t let go of your wrist, this was so embarrassing. He knew you knew, you knew he knew you knew. Why bother with this charade? Though, he supposed, this humour of yours is partially what had drawn him to you. Xiao mumbles something under his breath and you lean in closer to hear him. “This is stupid, I like you.” He mumbles, again.

“There we go, was that so hard? I-”

“It was.”

“I like you too, Xiao. Let’s go back to the inn and enjoy that tofu.”

[witchthewriter]

Hello there, may I have a male matchup for The Maze Runner, Game of Thrones, and Merlin?

𝗦𝗘𝗫𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬/𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗦: Biromantic Pansexual and Genderfluid; He/They (though I'm biologically woman irl)

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 20 years old, 5'1", Southeast Asian. Chubby with messy shoulder length brunette hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a small beauty mark on my forehead. My style is in between soft grunge and soft punk (not a big fan of dress except for occasions) but loves to wear Korean makeup style

𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: Muggleborn Ravenclaw with a patronous spirit of Hummingbird, an INFJ (last time I checked at MBTI test), my enneagram is 4w5 and my moral alignment is Neutral Good. I may have a slight introverted tendencies and awkward/anxious nature, I describe myself as fiery, swears like a sailor, confident, jokester, and, passionate. Religious, super talkative, sometimes hyper (because of excitement), giggly (I always laugh/snort for stupid reasons), nerdy, also sweet and nice though I can be aloof, intimidating, and scary when I get so angry. I tend to become really fiesty, stands boldly on what I believe (claiming myself as a realist though some of my views doesn't makes sense), unhinged to be myself, stubborn, young-at-heart, clumsy unfortunate and inattentive. Would don't give af towards the people that I hate, sarcasam and savagery is my main language. But on the other side, I overthink a lot and cry over small things many times which I sound like a drama queen, and a perfectionist that provokes even more, yet recognizes a soft spot for dumb jokes, cheesy pickup lines and prefer people with a good sense of humour who see myself as equal. Chill in academics, but very competitive that manages to the top even for my dreams---I'm very dedicated on what I want for my life, and I display modesty and gracefulness towards some people that deserves respect. One notable feature about her is her multi-potentiality due to being naturally gifted in artistic fields (this includes singing).

𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗦: Arts, choir, poetry, karaoke, literature, history, makeup, beauty pageants, fun/deep/dumb conversations, expanding my knowledge in Christianity, documentaries (about saints), reading interesting stuffs, talking about social issues, and creative writing, chilling both indoors and outdoors.

𝗛𝗢𝗕𝗕𝗜𝗘𝗦: Drawing, singing, dancing when nobody's around (I'm very bad at it), sharing nerdy or opinionated thoughts, walking like a model (if I ever feel so confident), sleeping, listening to music (from rock to kpop), chatting or browsing on social media, watching videos on YouTube, making terrible jokes/puns, watching cartoons, writing, reading interesting things, and conceptualizing my artworks. I also used to study Italian language a bit

Want one? Here be the rules 🦋

Thank you for participating! You sound like an awesome person x

What each ship has in common:

⋆ Noble ⋆ Gentlemen  ⋆ Good-natured ⋆ Loyal ⋆ Brave

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐳𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫

𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

I ship you with Gally! With your fiery nature, but open-mind (Ravenclaw) and INFJ tendencies, you would make such a great partner, but also friend, for him.

𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑠

・Not wanting anything bad to happen to you, so he tells you not to go with them on missions - but you can’t help it, you HAVE to go. So he’s super grumpy until you give him a sweet kiss on the cheek

・Playing with each other’s hands when you’re bored or nervous

・Being a really intimidating couple because both of you have strong opinions and always stand your ground

・The absolute BEST hugs ever; he’ll wrap his big arms around you and pick you up. Probably spin you around as well

・ Gally loves having someone he can rely on - you’re his family, and he’s yours. You wouldn’t want to do life without the other

𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬

𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

I ship you with Gendry! I think you two would have a very teasing relationship; slowburn, mutual pining but outwardly pretending to hate each other. Over time you realise your feelings and things are awkward, not until before a battle he kisses you deeply.

𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑠

・Teasing each other relentlessly; even when you get together there’s a lot of making fun of each other 

・Bumping each other’s shoulders, rolling eyes at the other, playing harmless pranks 

・Not wanting to show your true feelings, but when there’s a chance he might be taken or leave you - you do everything you can to stay with him 

・Having a lot of inside jokes 

・You’re the only person who gets him, he knows you understand him and he, you. He actually loves being in your company and talking about things you’re both interested in 

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧

𝐷𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

I ship you with Arthur Pendragon! I think you two would make an absolute POWER couple! With your strong beliefs and good-nature, Arthur wouldn't be able BUT to fall in love with you.

𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑠

・He can be very charming and it often leaves you blushing. You try to hide it but can’t 

・He smirks at you A LOT 

・Grabbing you by the cheek and kissing you deeply 

・Always having Merlin’s back when Arthur is ‘mean’ to him

 “Hey!” You look sternly at Arthur and he shrugs. 

       “Merlin started it!” 

・He constantly buys you new things; the finest clothes, jewels, weapons. And he’d be totally up for teaching you how to fight