#he’s such a little gremlin i missed his screams so much

[midnightradio]

NO

WHAT?

[rninies]

✮ a measure of his love

౨ৎ gojo satoru x reader. fluff, gn!reader, short reader (because im short) — wc: 761

notes. self indulgent because !!!

gojo satoru is a tall man. like, an insanely tall man.

that’s one of satoru’s most annoying traits, you could say. he takes pride in the fact that he’s taller than you, and will not miss a single day to make fun of you for that.

to add to that, most of the cupboards in his apartments are pretty high up, so whenever you come over, you always have to grab a chair just to get a glass or ask satoru to come get it for you (though you’d rather do the latter because satoru takes five minutes just teasing you about how you can’t reach the cups).

today was no different. satoru had asked you to come over because he misses you and wants to cuddle with you (same excuse every time, but you find it cute). you complied, of course, because it’s been a while since you guys have spent any alone time together — satoru has been super busy with jujutsu high lately.

you are currently on satoru’s couch, his long arms wrapped around your body as a movie plays on his television. satoru wasn’t even paying attention — he was too focused on trying to not fall asleep and was quite literally holding your hostage.

“toru, can you let go?” you asked, trying to pry his hands off of you. “i want to grab a cup of water.”

“no way. i’m comfy already,” he replies, snuggling his head deeper into your chest.

“toru i’m serious! i’m really thirsty,” you exclaimed, and satoru eventually lets go with a huge sigh. “thank you.” you stoof up, stretching your limbs.

“fine, but hurry.” satoru orders, and you nod. you seem to have forgotten how high up the cupboard is because once you were in front of it, you stared up at it, a dejected look on your face.

right… the cups i use are on the highest part of the shelf. you thought to yourself sadly, grabbing a chair and dragging it over to the cupboards.

“why’re you taking so long?” satoru asks, appearing behind you. you screamed, jumping.

“what the actual fuck, toru?!” you exclaimed, holding a hand over your chest. “you scared the shit out of me!”

satoru laughs, making you frown. “what? did you not hear me walk?”

you shake your head. “no!” after taking five seconds to calm down, you sigh. “anyway, can you help me grab the cup on top?” you point at the white cup with flower patterns on it (satoru had bought it for you because you were staring at it for ten seconds straight). a mischief look appears in satoru’s eyes, and you know exactly what he’s thinking. “don’t you dare pick me up, you hear? don’t even try i- hey!”

satoru was already lifting up by your waist, making you eye level with the cup you were pointing at. “this is easier, no?”

“in what world is this easier?! isn’t this just more work for you?” you asked in disbelief, actually surprised that he finds this much more easier than just grabbing the cup for you. when he doesn’t reply, you sigh and grab the cup, tapping his arms to let you down.

he doesn’t, though.

“what are you doing? let me down!” you exclaim, looking at satoru who looks like he is holding back a laugh. “why are you laughing? let. me. down.”

“no it’s just-” he pauses, letting out a laugh. “it’s weird seeing you this tall. i’m so used to having to look down when talking to you.”

“wha-?!” you almost choked on your own spit “what? i am not that short, toru!”

“oh, but you are.” satoru hums. “i mean, compared to me, you’re only able to see my chest when standing in front of me, right?” he teases, and you can’t help but become embarrassed because you know he’s right. “see? i’m right.”

“oh shut up!” you whined, covering your cheeks with your hands, careful to not drop the cup.

satoru lets you down gently, but still holding you tightly in his arms. “you’re like a cute little gremlin.”

“what the fuck? a gremlin?!” you are staring daggers at him, but satoru only smiles at you. “can’t believe i’m dating a literal giant who does nothing but tease me about my height every day.” you had to wiggle your way to the water dispenser because satoru just wouldn’t let go.

“but you love this giant, do you?” satoru asks, resting his head on top of your head.

taking a sip from your cup, you smiled. “yeah, i do.”

taglist: @planetnini @xintre @kyoghurts @sad-darksoul @iminlovewqr0w (send an ask to be added!) <3

[dragons-hoard-of-fandoms]

(Murder Drones Episode 7 spoilers!)

THEY CHANGED THE INTRO V IS OFFICIALLY DEAD FUNERAL'S ON THURSDAY

Cult. It's a cult. This is definitely a cult. They probably don't even realize it but it is undeniably some kind of cult.

Nori what are you doing. Nori why are you like this.

The cross is a USB??

They're keeping the Drones themselves in the lockers??

Of course the unpaid intern whose opinion doesn't matter is the only one with any sympathy for them.

Pink Solver core?? SOLVER LIZZY?!?

Ah great, the Envy shippers are gonna be using this as "proof" that he's still in love with V.

HE IMMEDIATELY APOLOGIZED HE LOVES HER SO MUCH

Tessa. Stop. I was willing to give you the benefit of a doubt but you're not doing yourself any favours.

And now she's being racist. Way to go.

"The power of a black hole in the palm of my hand."

SEE TESSA ALL YOU DID WAS MAKE EVERYTHING WORSE

THEY'RE BACK THAD AND LIZZY ARE FINALLY RELEVANT AGAIN

Did they change Thad's VA? He sounds different.

Was that V? Is she already back?

N BABY NO DON'T SAY THAT YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS

Eldritch V??

I can't wait for people to meme about his perfectly cut scream there.

Not going near the corpse. Smart move.

Cyn stop. Cyn stop. CYN STOP PLEASE I'M BEGGING I WANT YOU TO BE SYMPATHETIC

She hugged him. That's probably a good thing, right? That's probably proof that the real Cyn is still in there somewhere, right? THAT PROBABLY MEANS SHE MISSES HIM AND IS GENUINELY SORRY RIGHT

Nothin' like a good old-fashioned Robot Uprising Apocalypse, eh? In other news, Skynet is suing the Solver for copyright infringement.

Those admin privileges comin' in handy. Unfortunately they don't do much in the physical world.

Uzi has absolutely no reason to be crawling and scuttling around like a creature right now except for the simple fact that she wants to. Never change, little gremlin.

Oh I don't think you should watch that. N was right, y'know, there's probably stuff down here you don't wanna see.

Why does this remind me of the garbage maze in FNaF Security Breach?

Okay so it's not some kind of disembodied Solver Lizzy core. Don't blame me, the lights looked pink before and the cat ears headphones reminded me of Lizzy's bow.

Familiar?? Nori??? DID N ACTUALLY KILL YOU AND WHY AREN'T YOU BRITISH/MOMMY LONG LEGS

Khan? A hunk? In the words of Professor Membrane, NOT SCIENTIFICALLY POSSIBLE!!!

"How do you know my daughter?" "Well y'see, it all started when we tried to kill each other..."

Oh it was J. Is it bad to say I'm kind of relieved?

Are we getting the cool edgy Khan from the concept art??? Bro why are you so nonchalant about it being the end of the world.

INB4 people go frame-by-frame through the list looking for the most Russian-sounding name and say "THERE, THAT'S DOLL'S DAD"

Tessa was that really necessary? You're giving really bad vibes right now.

Patch? So the Solver can be removed? And she knows? Again, major bad vibes.

*FNaF 2 Foxy jumpscare*

I'm starting to suspect Yeva either can't or chooses not to talk.

Is she saying the Solver wiped her memory of the labs? I guess that would explain a few things.

N being so polite and cute as always.

What do you mean, "found its way back?" Where did it go? Is the timeline completely wrong? Did it start on Copper-9 then go to Earth then return to Copper-9? I'm so confused.

Nori why are you so casual about the prospect of your own daughter being a planet-eating eldritch abomination. This is exactly why I'm worried about the fandom giving you the Rose Quartz treatment.

I told you not to watch it, Uzi.

Welp, so much for Doll. Consider this karma for killing V. But "fight back?" Does that mean it can be resisted?

So now we know where Uzi gets it from.

Tessa no. Tessa stop. Tessa STOP. TESSA STOP YOU'RE NOT EVEN TRYING TO PRETEND TO HELP ANYMORE

YEAH N SAVE YOUR GIRLFRIEND

Whoa, didn't see that coming. No face reveal?? Does that mean she really is a Drone???

WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LET THEM BE HAPPY

Imagine meeting your daughter for the first time and she's currently being possessed by an eldritch abomination masquerading as her boyfriend's dead sister.

Every time I think this episode's about to end on a cliffhanger it doesn't.

EVEN WHEN SHE'S BEING POSSESSED BY AN ELDRITCH ABOMINATION MASQUERADING AS HIS DEAD SISTER HE WOULD RATHER DIE THAN LET HER BE HURT AND IT WAS ENOUGH TO SNAP HER OUT OF IT FOR LIKE HALF A SECOND HOW COULD ANYBODY SAY THEY'RE NOT IN LOVE

Oh no, now people are gonna write fics about Nori being vored by her own daughter.

"Hang out" is code for "date." "Hang out" is code for "boyfriend and girlfriend." "Hang out" is code for "madly in love with each other." "HANG OUT" IS CODE FOR "WE MAKE SWEET AND PASSIONATE LOVE TOGETHER EVERY SINGLE NIGHT WE'RE ALREADY PLANNING THE WEDDING AND I'M GONNA WEAR THE DRESS AND WE'RE GONNA NAME OUR KIDS GLOCK AND BAYONET"

Literally smacked the sense back into her.

Imagine meeting your mom for the first time and you don't know who she is and she's a gross little fleshy crab-spider-thing similar to what your boyfriend's jerk boss turned into so you punt her into a bottomless pit and she makes a dodgeball noise.

LOOK AT HER REACTION SHE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT "HANG OUT" IS CODE FOR SHE JUST DIDN'T REALIZE HE THOUGHT OF IT THAT WAY TOO

My last two brain cells while watching this episode. Now would be a really good time for you two to kiss.

Oh good gosh she's not dead. Okay it wasn't at all necessary to put your head on backwards.

CYN IS HUMAN NOW??? OR IS SHE WEARING TESSA'S BODY LIKE ENNARD DID WITH MICHAEL

NO JUST LEAVE THEM ALONE ALREADY

Sorry J but you're still not plot relevant yet, you're not allowed to participate.

J: *sees the railgun* *has war flashbacks*

UZI YOU CAN'T SACRIFICE YOURSELF RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM AND TELL HIM TO "DIE MAD" AS YOUR LAST WORDS THAT IS LITERALLY NOT OKAY

*Uzi falls* *screen fades to white* *UNDERTALE*

The Void???

Glitch I beg of you please don't make us wait another half a year for the next episode. And Liam please don't let it end after one season.

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

How would the Horror bois react to their crush surprising them by taking them to a buffet?

Horrortale Sans - He's very very happy, purring very loud to the point everyone is looking at him wondering what is making tractor noises in the diner room. For once, he doesn't care about the people around, he's too focused on you and the food. You're going to stay there all night long though as you made the mistake of saying "I don't know" after he asked you what they were doing with the food once the building closes.

Horrortale Papyrus - He's happy, he always is when he's hanging out with you, but he's a bit nervous too. It's just... He's not 100% comfortable with having normal food habits yet, and all these people going and taking the food he wants is making him a bit defensive. He can't stop staring at the buffet to make sure there is still food :( He knows it's ridiculous since when there's missing something, employees bring another plate, but he can't help it. He might have growled at the little girl who steal the last chicken wing he wanted so bad too. He felt bad about this, but he still did it.

Horrorswap Sans - You have the feeling he's going to get sick the next day. Nugget is a bit overwhelmed by all the food and he can't stop going to take more. It's just... There is food. And it's food. He thinks that as long the buffet is not empty, people will get mad, and he's getting more and more distressed about it. It takes you a few minutes and him apologizing to you for eating too slow, calling you Alphys, to realize he's having a panic attack. You drag him out to breathe.

Horrorswap Papyrus - He's nervous about all the people around, constantly moving to fetch food. He's jumpy, clinging to you everytime someone is coming too close and he's hyperventilating when someone is looking a little too much at his missing jaw. You're here as his service human to comfort him and calm him down though. He slowly relaxes as time passes, focusing on you and the food. In the end, he even liked this a lot and is up to give it another try wich means it's a huge success.

Horrorfell Sans - Hum... He's acting like a food gremlin. He's near the buffet, holding to his ham for dear life, biting it and he won't give it back despite the employees begging him to do so. He saw it first, it's his now. He keeps growling and hissing at the customers and the employees, showing his very pointy teeth to dissuade them to get closer. You ask the employees to let him be, he'll calm down eventually once he ate his damn ham. ... Before doing the same with the salmon lol. That will be this all evening.

Horrorfell Papyrus - He's exasperated about everyone asking if he needs help to reach things from his wheelchair, or moms telling the kids to get away from his road to not upset the scary-looking skeleton. URGH. Let the scary skeleton live his life and look at your plate already. He can do things by himself and if someone try to help him one more time by "pushing his wheelchair to his table", he swears to Asgore he's going to SCREAM. Let him eat in peace, he just wants to have a good time with his S/O!

[yve-barr]

Promise braids -part 2

Just wanna say I hate this so much but y'all deserve something.

Part one is here 👇

https://www.tumblr.com/yve-barr/721480354297495552/promise-braids?source=share

I might right a part 3 but honestly part 2 took a lot out of me.

@goose-gremlin love you gurl! Tysn for hyping this up for me❤️

@maeriel-arnosel you too 🤗

I'm so sorry everyone else who wanted tagged it's just not working 😞

Warnings: legolas, injury, shitty writing on my part, adult theme?, lil rushed, violence, smut, public sex,

When the time came for you both to rise from the floor and say goodbye you felt your heart sink into your stomach. So little time had been spent between you two.

You both walked to the door, a fresh braid in your hair.

"I shall miss you my love," you whispered to him in elvish.

"as I shall miss you," he hugged you tight and snuck kisses along your neck.

Then he joined Gimli and Aragorn outside.

"you know I happen to own a certain cloak that makes the wearer completely undetectable to those she does not wish to find her."

"and what about an unbetrayed heart? Because I happen to be in need of one," you sighed.

"no I don't however I do have a spare horse if one was to need it."

"I can't go with you," you looked him dead in the eye.

"why not?"

"because he needs to know I'm safe," you replied honestly.

"then stay safe with him," the old wizard smiled, and you returned it.

"he wouldn't let me leave," you could feel giddy butterflies in your stomach.

"then wait for us to be out of sight then head northwest."

"thank you," you grinned before dashing off to gather your things.

By the time you had everything together and changed into riding clothes the others were well on there way. Checking you had everything you glimpsed the bow legolas had trained you with many years ago.

Grabbing it you brought everything outside.

Just as you packed everything onto the horse Gandalf had left you, you heard a horn blowing of in the distance. Your stomach dropped.

The orcs had arrived.

Your heart in your ears you quickly mounted your horse and directed her north west.

You could hear the beginnings of fear as screams rang through the town.

You felt sick to your stomach as you kicked your horse's sides and galloped off.

Praying you'd made it out in time you glanced back at the town which was gradually being ingulfed in flames.

You let out the breath you'd been holding.

You rode faster up the steep hill, when you turned around you saw them the orcs unlike any you'd ever seen.

Bigger, stronger, scarier.

They had swords the size of ponies and spears to match.

The archers had bows the size of saplings. The arrows as sharp as broken hearts.

The same arrows that were souring through the sky.

Quickly you forced your horse faster, but not fast enough.

You could hear the others. They had stopped in a valley with a lone tree near the edge and a small stream gurgling around.

There chatter blurred almost as much as your vision as you slipped from your horse. Hitting the ground with a thud.

***

Legolas turned his head picking up his bow as he went.

"what are you doing?" Asked Aragorn.

"I heard something," legolas answered simply.

Quietly Aragorn, and Gimli followed him.

Then legolas saw you lying on the ground your breath coming in uneven gasps.

"Y/n," he rushed towards you dropping his bow and arrow to the ground. He picked you up in his arms.

Then he saw the blood streaming from the arrow wound in your lower back.

"She's hurt," Aragorn called to Gandalf.

"Bring her to me," Gandalf called and legolas sprung to his feet almost running over to the wizard.

Your eyes fluttered open as legolas placed you down on your stomach.

"I have something that may help," said Gandalf and he took a small bottle filled with a clear liquid out of his pocket.

"will it hurt her?" Legolas asked.

"extremely," replied Gandalf. "I need to access her back."

Legolas undid the laces at the back of your dress top, leaving your back exposed but he made sure your breasts would be mostly hidden.

"elavate her head and chest so she can breath," Gandalf said.

Legolas shifted so that your top half lay across his lap, his legs crossed.

Then Gandalf removed the cork from the bottle and poured a little of the liquid onto the wound.

It smoked and sizzled. And you screamed.

Legolas tried to comfort you by holding your hand and stroking your hair but it did nothing.

Pain racked your body as the liquid entered your blood stream and ripped its way through your entire being.

Gandalf flinched away momentarily before pouring more liquid onto the gash.

You screamed louder.

"STOP!" You screeched. "PLEASE!" Legolas bent over you holding you tight to him.

Gimli turned away and Aragorn stared at the ground.

"please make it stop," you whimpered tears stinging your eyes.

Gandalf looked at you simpatheticly.

Your wound had disappeared leaving nothing but a faint red mark.

Legolas tied your top closed and sat you up in his arms cradling you into his chest.

"I'm sorry my love," legolas muttered to quietly for anyone else to hear.

"why did you leave?" You murmered before losing conciousness.

Legolas felt tears escape his eyes for the second time that day as he sobbed over your unconscious form.

When you awoke you were on a fine white horse with someone riding behind you.

As the horse jostled you about you felt yourself sliding right but the person behind you quickly righted you pulling you into his chest.

"legolas?"

"I'm here," Legolas replied from behind and stroked the side of your face with the back of his hand.

"where are we going?" You asked sleepily.

"into the mountains," he answered leaving a sweet kiss on your neck. "Don't worry you will be safe there."

"Your leaving me?" You turned to look at him.

"We have to my love," he whispered his name for you in elvish.

You sighed and looked at your surroundings, you didn't want to argue with him right now.

You could see the level path gradually steepening, higher and higher until it disappeared amongst the trees.

Once you had traveled for what seemed like hours you reached a small cave in the mountain side. The cave extended about 5 meters back and 3 wide.

Silently you all dismounted your horse's.

"here we are," said Gandalf jesturing to the cave.

"and I'll be safe here?" You asked unsure. Trying to resist the urge to cling to legolas even with his hand in the small of your back. Especially with his hand on the small of your back.

"yes," said Aragorn, "no one will pass through here and if they do they shalln't see you."

"ok," you smiled and you took your small amount of luggage with you into the cave.

"oh and y/n, if someone does happen to come this way do not make a sound. Even if you are bleeding out onto the ground do not let anyone find you. They cannot enter this cave unless they see or hear you. You understand?"

Slightly taken aback you agreed and the company moved on.

"GOODBYE!" Called Gimli and legolas waved.

Wishing legolas was there you searched through your bags for the book you knew you'd packed, as it was your favourite and you had often spent whole nights with your nose stuck in between the pages.

Finding said book you settled down in a small alcove at the back of the cave with your bags resting beside you and began reading.

The story was on old one written by the first elves to travel to middle earth. It was about valinor, a place so pure that many elves were now traveling back to it.

Alas you could not return, not because of your human father. But you could settle for your imaginery version.

You would love to hear how it was now but no elves ever returnes from valinor.

The last thing you heard before drifting of to sleep was a horn blasting through the still silence.

When you awoke it was mid-day and the sun was streaming into the cave.

Rubbing sleep from your eyes you looked out at the lone tree gaurding the exit to your cave you saw shadows moving across the entrance.

Stiffling a gasp you shot back into the alcove.

You could hear bustling around outside before it all went silent. Peaking around the rock you could make out vague shapes lingering by the door.

Hurriedly you ducked back down reaching for the double recurve bow at your feet.

A voice came from outside and you let out a shaky breath collapsing your head into your hands.

"I swear she was right here," said Gimli.

"She was, she was right here," added Aragorn.

"maybe something happened?"came gandalfs voice.

"hopefully she's close by," said Gimli.

You made to stand up but froze. There were four shadows, three voices.

Legolas was there but hadn't spoken.

Silently you sat back down.

"where is she?" Gimli asked.

When you realise your name hadn't been mentioned you thanked your lucky star you hadn't walked out.

"where is she?" Gimli's voice asked again.

It wasn't them.

"probably gone," said Gandalf.

Suddenly you felt a sharp twing of pain in your head and you massaged your temple.

"I can feels it," whispered a wet voice.

Clasping your forehead you curled in on yourself. Wishing for the pain to end. You could feel your consciousness disappearing.

"it's in here," rasped another.

Then you heard the twang of a bow string and the thud of an arrow finding its mark.

Then three more times, before silence.

The throbbing in your head stopped and you straightened your back. Tempted to peer around the corner you shuffled further back against the wall.

You could hear footsteps outside quickly closing in.

"Y/N! Y/N ARE YOU OK?" Came legolas's frantic voice.

You peeped around the wall of the alcove and saw him walking inside the cave.

"yeah, I'm here," you called back meekly.

"oh thank god," legolas rushed to your side and knelt before you, "are you alright are you hurt?"

"no, I'm fine," you replied truthfully and he sighed in relief.

"I was worried."

"where are the others?"

"they sent me ahead, they are just coming," he said but his eyes didn't meet yours.

"legolas?" You raised an eyebrow.

"I ran ahead when I saw you weren't alone "

He helped you to your feet. Then he peaked outside seeing that the others were quite far off legolas turned back to you.

"we have five minutes," he said before slamming his hand beside your head and pulling you into him, kissing you agresively.

Melting into him you trailed your hands up his side's, resting them on his cheeks.

Legolas pushed your back up against the wall, his hand which was previously gripping your waist found its way to your breast, slowly needing it.

You moaned into his mouth and you felt his tongue lick your bottom lip before he took it in-between his teeth and rolled it around.

You pulled him impossibly closer and rapped your arms around his neck.

Panting he stopped gazing into your eyes. His own filled with longing.

"I love you," he whispers you tried to reply but he silenced you with his mouth. You gasped and opened your mouth wider, this must have been what he wanted because seconds later he had his tongue in your mouth.

The sounds of footsteps haulted your kiss.

"Y/N!" Called a voice much to close.

"I thought you said five minutes?" You whispered to legolas. He merely shrugged and walked out of the alcove.

"we are here!" He called out and suddenly Aragorn was upon you checking you to see if you were ingured.

"are you hurt?" He flustered about you.

"I am unharmed Aragorn," you assured him and pushed him back.

"I told you so," said Gimli as he hobbled up to you a humungus grin on his face.

"what bet did you win?" You asked him cheerily.

"Forty three!" Cried Gimli before he turned to see if Gandalf had arrived.

You turned to legolas for an explanation.

He merely looked at his feet and mumbled "one, it was one point," before sneeking his hand into yours looking for simpathy.

You gave it, squeezing his hand tight and rubbing your thumb across his nuckles.

Aragorn watched this exchange closly.

"so you two are really close then?" He asked.

"oh god yeah," you smiled back. "We're like siblings."

"Ah Y/n you are alright?" You nodded in response to Gandalfs question, "good, then we must make hast too Isengard."

"wait what about me? Legolas said I shan't be going to Isengard?" You pointed out.

"oh did he?" Said Aragorn. "Legolas failed to mention that."

All three looked to legolas sternly.

"in my defense," legolas trailed off unable to think of an excuse.

"well I suppose you could stay with the woman if Rohan," suggested Gandalf.

"Then I must stay aswell, harm befalls her whenever I leave," legolas objected.

"yeah, or legolas who is needed could go and I can fight with you guys?"

"No way," they all responded in unison.

"Tch," you tutted and walked too the entrance whilst the others discussed what to do with you.

Hopping down over rocks you walked further away. Following a small burn trickling down next to you.

That's when you heard it a rasping choking sound. The throbbing in your head returned.

"Gots you," gurgled the thing at your feet.

"Legol-" you tried to call out but you fell to your knees the pain in your head intensifying.

As the thing slowly crawled towards you, you kicked out landing a solid kick to its eye making it squeal in pain as it rithed around.

"Help," you cried a lot quieter but the thing at your feet heard.

"No helps for you," it said before lurching forward knocking your head against a rock. Blood poured into your eyes and you fumbled around for a weapon.

Finding a loose rock your turned to the creature bringing the rock down around its head. In the back of your mind you heard the twang of an arrow. But the creature seemed unbothered as it sunk its teeth into your calf.

You screamed an ear piercing scream and attempted to kick off the thing. Holding your rock more tightly you brought it down a second time this time hitting its jaw.

With a sickening crunch the creatures eyes flicked up to yours.

"Fiesty it is," a mix of saliva and blood pooled on your leg. You squeeked and tried to shuffle backwards but the pain in your leg was unimaginable. "Oh it's not leaving, it's not leaving," it laughed.

"Yes she is," cried Aragorn bringing his sword down splitting the creature's head in two. You let out a weak gasp.

Catching your breath you let your head fall back against soft moss.

"Thank you, I owe you one."

"You owe me nothing," he said pulling you into a tight imbrace.

"Where's legolas?"

"You know he heard you scream and ran out with naught but a single arrow and his bow."

"Then why is he not here?"

"Isn't it obvious, he missed,' Aragorn gestured to a singular arrow in the wood of a tree a few feet away.

"Oh," you said momentarily forgetting the pain in your leg but it was remembered harshly when you attempted to move.

Cursing Aragorn lifted you up holding you tight against him.

Tears soaked your cheeks as you cried in agony.

Aragorn started to run back up the mountain. Calling out as he did.

The blood loss would have knocked you unconscious but the pain kept you awake.

The cold stone of the cave floor did nothing to cool the hot pain searing through your body.

"Y/N!" Legolas knelt next to you but didn't touch you.

"Legolas," you reached your hand up to his face and he held it there.

You could hear gandalf ordering the other two around but your pain deluded mind didn't register it, you couldn't take your eyes off of him.

"Y/n I so sorry, I should have brought more arrows I should have helped more," his tears streaked his fave and landed on yours.

"It's ok, it's not your fault," you could feel someone wrapping bandages round your leg and you squeezed your eyes tight shut so you didn't scream. "Can I go with you know?"

"I am never leaving your side again."

"Thank you."

The road was rough everyone was tired as you trekked through marsh and forest alike.

You were camping out in a small gorge fire crackling and spitting.

***skipable smut from here till the next cut***

Everyone lay a few meters away from were you and legolas were sitting, all fast asleep.

You were proped up against a tree whilst he was leaning on your shoulder.

You were quite a bit away from the others so it came as no surprise to either of you that they hadn't heard you yet.

Legolas's hand was buried beneath your skirt, 'checking your bandages'.

His face was nestled in your hair his fingers working a silent apology on your clit.

You struggled to stay quiet his long fingers spreading your wetness around your folds.

you squirmed slightly and he picked up the pace rubbing circles around your sensitive bud making you whimper.

His fingers moved faster as you ground your hips against them desperate for more.

His other hand moved from your thigh up to your breast slowly massaging it and pinching at your nipple.

Wet squelching sounds erupted as he slipped his finger inside your soaked entrance quickly adding a second as you clenched around him.

His fingers pumped in and out of you in time with his hand on your breast making you moan and grip his thighs your legs spreading outwards.

He slowly let go of your breast his hand joing his other between your things only this one drew slow circles around your clit.

Your breathing quickened as his hands worked you faster.

suddenly you came letting out a silent moan.

He kept going through your orgasm until you had finished and her slowly pulled his fingers out of you and popped them in his mouth sucking them clean.

****end smut****

silence rung loud through the clearing broken only by gimlis uneven ear splitting snore.

The moon was high in the sky casting long shadows, and the cold air hung like a weighted blanket.

you fell asleep leaning against Legolas his breathing luling you to sleep.

Even with the ground poking you uncomfortably his arms were like a weighted blanket on your thoughts.

[laundrybiscuits]

(continuing the MLP GURPS snippet)

“You what,” says Erica flatly.

“I said…Jester the Pegasus slits the chief Seapony’s throat. You said he was letting me pin the bronze seashell to his mane, right? So I shouldn’t have to roll for it, I can just use the edge of the seashell ‘cause his neck’s right there.” Dustin leans back with a shit-eating grin.

Eddie has to cover his own smile, because he recognizes the panicked look that Erica’s trying to hide. She’s the same kind of DM as Eddie is: she’s got a massive binder and detailed scripts for every possible way the story could go, because she likes to be prepared for anything. She just hasn’t learned yet that players are always, always going to try something you never saw coming because you assumed they were reasonable human beings and not chaos gremlins from a nightmare dimension.

She rallies like a champ. “Uh, sure, I guess. The hundreds of Seaponies around you go wild, because that was a super dumb thing to do. They’re gonna tear you apart if you don’t do something right now.”

Lucas leans in, eyes all lit up. “Okay, but, did the blood get onto the altar? I mean, the Moonlight Circle?”

Erica’s starting to grin too, lacing her fingers together as she catches on to what they’re after. “It sure did. Um, so…Jester the Pegasus Pony is standing over the fallen chief with a bloody shell in his teeth. The crowd of Seaponies is screaming at you, but the blood is already dripping onto the Moonlight Circle. It’s turning black as it reaches the salt water, and you can hear something real big coming up from the deep sea, wa-a-ay far down below.”

She’s pivoting with barely a stumble, going off-book to follow the story, and Eddie can’t keep from doing a thrilled little wriggle in his seat. A familiar laugh sounds from behind him, and he startles, flushing.

“Having fun?” Steve asks, resting his folded arms on the back of Eddie’s chair. Eddie has to tip his head all the way back to look at Steve.

“Hell yeah,” he says. “The Lady Sinclair is a demon incarnate.”

Erica beams. “Maybe you could keep up if you weren’t such a senior citizen. Need to get your walker from the nursing home, grandpa?”

“Youth of today have no respect.” Eddie wags a finger at her. “Keep that up and Steve’s going to swoop into the game like an avenging undead Seapony.”

“Steve is not involved in any of this,” says Steve. “Steve is a very generous and patient guy who lets unholy terrors take over his kitchen table and eat all his food.”

Eddie stretches up to pat his cheek. He misses slightly and ends up basically smacking Steve in the face. “Thank you, Steve,” he coos. “Say thank you, unholy terrors.”

“Thank you, Steve,” chorus Will and Lucas, who are precious angels too good for this world. Dustin and Mike pull grotesque faces that may or may not be based on faces Eddie has pulled in the past; Erica just sniffs in an unimpressed way. Eddie is going to keep these kids forever.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt…whatever this is.” Steve waves a hand at the piles of paper and dice and empty ice cream bowls. “I’m just gonna heat up some pizzas for dinner. Everyone okay with four-cheese and supreme?”

“Sounds great,” says Eddie. “We’re about ready to wrap up this session, I think.”

“What, no we’re not,” says Mike. “We’re about to kick the Seapony god’s ass.”

Erica wrinkles her nose. “As much as it might pain me to admit it…the senior citizen’s right. Fighting the Seapony god would be way too complicated a battle for your puny minds to handle right now. You dweebs don’t even know the insane twists I have planned.”

“Plus,” says Steve, “You dorks have been playing since before I got home like three hours ago. Give Erica a break, huh? You can pick this up another day.”

“I don’t need a break, you need a break, old man,” Erica says immediately, but she’s already starting to pack up her notes.

———

With the game mostly packed away, Eddie gets up to stretch; maybe he really is getting old, because he’s suddenly feeling the effects of sitting in a dining room chair for five hours all through his back. He’s gonna just keep blaming the bat venom for any aches and pains, though.

The boys are already busy trying to strategize for the battle ahead, even though Eddie would bet good money that Erica’s listening in and adjusting her own plans based on theirs. He thinks about saying something, but Erica’s earned this, and the little shitheads will never learn to keep their mouths shut if they don’t get burned once in a while. Instead, he wanders into the kitchen to help Steve out with the pizzas.

Steve’s staring thoughtfully into the freezer. “Think four’s enough?”

“Better make it five,” says Eddie. “Six if you got ‘em. I think Will grew another eight inches since yesterday.”

Steve groans. “Okay, but one of them’s going to be mushroom. Maybe if I do that one in the first batch, they’ll be hungry enough not to complain.”

“What are you talking about, Steve, mushrooms are the crowning glory of the forest. They are the simple food of the common man, yet rich and complex enough to adorn the plate of a king.” Eddie hops up to perch on the kitchen counter, narrowly avoiding smacking his head on the cabinets.

“Of course you like mushrooms, freak,” grumbles Steve. He freezes, looking pained. “I didn’t mean—”

Eddie scoots along the counter to kick him lightly. “Yeah, I know, Steve, don’t spin out. Just put the mushroom one in the oven for me and we’ll call it square.”

Steve smiles up at Eddie as he goes to do just that, dropping his hand to Eddie’s knee for a moment.

“I’m—gonna go make sure the kids aren’t murdering each other yet,” says Eddie.

[fangirl--writes]

Jerome Valeska x Reader Drabble

Authors' Note: Little drabble based on this video: here.

It made me cackle.

________________________

You tiptoed down the hall the padding of your fuzzy socks absorbed your step as you snuck to the bathroom.

A sing song sort whistle  floated in your ears your grip on the pitcher tightened.  You almost felt bad…He was singing now at the top of his lungs, off key… your boyfriend was lost in his own world in the shower.

Too Perfect.

You could barely contain  the shit eating   smirk that started to overtake your face he was so in for it.

He, being Jerome Valeska, your boyfriend who had just  “returned” from a very brief stay in Arkham Asylum just last night bragging about his new record for shortest visit yet.

His ginger locks were a mess face full of grime and sweat and he smelled like a dumpster fire by the docks. Yet his ever present grin was there as he slung his arms around your shoulder nuzzling  in to kiss your cheek feverishly.

His hands sneakily drifted lower and lower stopping to squeeze your sides eliciting a squeak of surprise  before going to play with the zipper on your pants.

You shivered dropping your dish in the sink as his rough lips went down to work your neck starting to suck the tender spots in your nape.

“J..jer..ome~” you whined with a flushed face trying to wriggle free from his iron grasp. “you were only gone a few days..“

With a twist you slipped under his arm grabbing the counter corner for support.

“Ah but honey I just missed ya’ so much.” He stalked forward with his arms outstretched intent to wrap you up in his chest again. You recognized the haughty glint in his dark eyes swirling as he approached in your small kitchen.

Then it hit you again; the smell of low tide, wet dog and trash that REALLY needed to go out.

Your shoulders shook as you gagged.

“Sir. …No. No sir when was the last time you showered?” You retched holding a spoon out in defense.

At this the red head froze you could see  the hamster wheel working overtime  behind his eyes.

“Listen. You take a shower or a bath I’m not picky. Then we’ll talk.”

Needless to say he slept on the couch that night much to your dismay, you were going to have to deep clean the next afternoon .

The scream was abysmal, high pitched squeal of surprise that if you didn’t know any better was from a young child and not your manic red head who laughed in the face of death.

Your low snicker erupted into a fit of laughter your shoulders shaking  as you pulled the pitcher back stepping down from the stool you’d carefully hidden away earlier just for the occasion.

Your face flushed  rich crimson hues as you held your aching side hearing Jerome curse and squirm at the temperature change.

Payback

“AH Ah you little shit-“  Jerome growled acknowledging you directly his hand ripping back the shower curtain enough to peak out to reveal you red faced and howling.

With a quick breathe you poked your tongue out flashing a grin to match before  quickly turning to run  fully expectant to get away in victory until you felt the sudden pull of his soaking strong arms on the back of your damp shirt.

The pitcher fumbled from your hands hitting the floor as you shrieked “nA-NYOOOOOOOO” you grasped weakly at the counter top in attempt to save yourself from a watery grave.  

The edge slipped out from your fingers as a soaking wet hand wrapped around your middle further drenching you as he pulled you back into the shower still laughing like a maniac.

A wicked grin lined his lips his brows arched as he cackled at your poor misfortune-

“C’mere you..”  You heard him tease as your whole body fell back into his waiting arms.  Between abrupt giggles you squeaked feeling a tickle on your ribs. “NyOOO- No NO JEROWME.”

Escape was futile.

✨Gremlin Taglist✨:

Want to be added drop a comment down below!

@gabile18​

@oreosplease

@theunquenchablethirst

@maria-akira

@kpopgirlbtssvt

@glowingatdawn

@mrsfullbuster500​

@peterpanouat​

@miss-fantazmagoria​

@darkmoviesquotespizza​

[giggly-squiggily]

she's baaaack *hops around in glee* miss squiggles i'm afraid i need your opinion on the ocean saga

Eeee, thank you! *hops with you in glee* I’m happy to be back! 🥰

*pulls out a long list* Rey- OH REY- I have thoughts! Most of them are just mindless screaming but also- HANZNWNDNSNSNWJNSNSNS IT WAS SO GOOD??? Even though there’s only four songs, they all hit so well???

I can’t stop listening to Ruthlessness- the singer for Posideon: his voice is so toe curling good AHH! (The part where he’s all “That cyclops you made blind…was mine.” AHHH! I can’t wait for the “Get in the water” song to drop NWNSNWNDNWNDNEN 😍😍😍😍😍) It makes me wanna go fight in the shower wjsnwns 🤣

Keep your friends close is also an incredible song! My sister and I can’t stop quoting the “It’s treasure!” Part; also the wind spirit’s little giggle before she sings is just qhnxnwnznwndnsnsnmsd 🥰🥰🥰🥰😭😭😭😭 It’s so gremlin like and so cute and I just- AH! 🤣🤣🤣🥰🥰🥰

Luck Runs Out is also such a banger? The part where Odysseus is all “Yo dude I need you to work with me and not question my authority” and his friend (I literally cannot remember names forgive me) is clearly resigned as he says “Okay.” OOF I LOVE THE ANGST! (Also mood- I’d be over Odysseus’s BS to at this point qnznwnnsns)

Storm is also an incredible opening song! I won’t lie- I haven’t listened to it nearly as much as the other three but it’s still so good??? It’s stuck in my head the “Storm” part just- 😭😭😭😭🥰🥰🥰🥰 I love this musical so much awbsbwnzns

I’m likely gonna listen to this album for the next several days cause I just love this arc so much- I can’t WAIT for Circe’s saga: she’s such a mythological icon and GOD I’m so ready! 😍😍😍 Thanks for asking friend!

[imagionationstation]

I’ve seen a few AUs now where the baby turtles where like, actual baby turtle sized or at least palm sized, so I wanted to know; how would your ‘12 Leo react to a baby Donnie who could fit in the palm of his hand? (I know the ‘12 turtles were a little closer to actual toddler sized, but just imagine)

*squints at you and wonders how much you know about my “In Which” activities on A03*

Anyway. That- is a very loaded question.

So let’s keep imagining.

Imagine discovering this little turt. Imagine him being scared and confused. Imagine him desperately clinging to your attempts to comfort him, despite him not truly knowing who you are.

Imagine if he was completely untouched by harm, and every time he leaned against you, it was like he was trusting his whole body and soul into your care. Every time he smiled or giggled, it was like that little piece of happiness was reserved for you alone in ways that you could never hope to deserve. Every time that he cries, he looks so helpless and heartbroken that all you can do is frantically search for a way to make it better.

Now.

Imagine if this tiny, precious green gremlin of a creature could fit in a single hand. Imagine watching him getting stuck on his carapace and trying to roll over, only to fail over and over. Imagine realizing just how tiny and dependent he is. Imagine that ever time he shifts in your arms, you remember that if he fell, he’s so small that his shell hitting the ground might crack it. Imagine watching him try to crawl and realizing that anything could very easily crush him.

You’re a powerful ninja that can break his arm simply by holding him too tightly. He’s fragile, so fragile that any everything around you is a potential danger that could hurt him.

Imagine if every instinct in your being is constantly on edge and screaming- protect- protect- PROTECT- PROTECT- PROTECT-

Saying this would disrupt things would be an extreme understatement. Forget any kind of self-care/training/patrols, this kid wouldn’t be able to take his eye of lil’ Dee for a second. It would be almost obsessive, the way he can’t stand the thought of putting him down, much less handing him off to anyone else. As long as lil’ Dee is in reach, he’s safe.

Leo will make sure of it.

“Hey, Leo?”

The brother in question doesn’t look up from where his gaze is trained on the braced form of their tiny brother, who is busy trying to figure out how to eat the teddy bear that is several inches taller than him. The leader holds the toy as he lays propped in the crook of his other arm, and Donnie consents to chewing on the fingerless hand, furry arms clasped in six fingers that don’t quite understand how to release yet.

Mikey steps forward and drops on the other side of the couch, repeating his name for the tenth time. “Earth to Leo!”

With Mikey’s insistent voice next to him and hard to miss, he starts and glances to the side. “What?”

Used to his random space-outs by now, Mikey reaches out a finger to curl around the teddy bear’s arm, putting very little force into prying it from Donnie’s mouth. Donnie kicks his legs and growls, playful and determined, unconsciously locking his jaw as tiny fingers dig into the fur. Leo flinches at the sudden movement, but other than shooting him a wary side-eye, says nothing.

But maybe that’s because Mikey had yet to stop talking. “So we talked about it and April says that she’s cool to help take Donnie tonight. I know you don’t want anyone else messing with him, but it’ll only be a few hours. And he likes me and he likes her and we all talked about it, and Raph and Casey’s going to be doing Vigilante stuff far away from here and I know what you’re thinking, but we-”

“Wait, wait, wait, stop.” Leo mutters as he shakes his head, worn-out gaze moving to train on Mikey. “What’s happening tonight?”

Leaving no room for argument, Mikey raises a finger to the sky and then pokes his plastron. “You. Are sleeping.”

“I… Already sleep.” Leo argues anyway, already disengaging from the conversation to let go of the teddy, returning his attention to the turt. The furry head covers the small plastron, stuffed body in Leo’s lap, and Donnie releases his jaw, looking curiously at it.

“I haven’t seen you sleep once since Donnie got small.” Mikey argues as Leo sets a finger on Donnie’s side, preventing him from being able to roll around when he squirms.

“I never said I did it a lot.” Leo mutters reluctantly.

“How about yesterday? How many hours? Six?”

“Mikey…”

“Five? Four? Three?”

“I know my limits.”

“Tell me you at least got an hour.”

A heavy sigh as his shoulders slump, and he somehow seems more tired than before. “I don’t know, Mikey. It’s not like I’m counting.”

“And that’s going to change as soon as April gets here.” Leo looks up as if just queuing into their plans, and Mikey reiterates. “She’ll take Dee, you’ll set an alarm, and go to sleep. If anything happens, which it won’t, I’ll-”

“No!” Leo snaps, both turtles look equally startled by his proclamation. His eyes harden suddenly. “No, Mikey, I’m fine. Seriously. Leave it alone. I’ve got him.”

“Dude, you’re barely eating and you’re not sleeping.” Mikey argues firmly. “We talked about it and we think-“

“Thank you for making plans for me behind my back, but I’m fine.”

The sharpness of Leo’s tone can slice like his katanas. It only further proves how tired he is, as normally he would understand their concern rather than jump to the conclusion that they were working against him. He’d be annoyed, rather than angry.

Mikey stands his ground. “You’re tired.”

“I’ll survive being tired until Bishop’s team finishes the cure!”

“We don’t know how much longer that’ll take!”

“I don’t see why that matters!”

“That’s because your brain’s mush cause you’re tired!”

Donnie’s face scrunches with uncertainty as he looks between them, and Leo catches onto his unease, taking the forgotten bear and flinging it at his brother. Mikey catches it before it can hit him square in the face and Leo gently cups Donnie in his hand, standing up and stating, “If I wanted to sleep, I would sleep. So back off.”

“Leo-”

Leo’s already leaving. “Not up for debate!”

“Leo!”

Mikey stands up and waves his arms in a vent of frustration at the turned shell, but Leo ignores him, heading for the bedroom and slamming the door behind.

“You’re kidding!”

Mikey’s hushed gasp draws April’s attention from her studies, closing the laptop to set it to the side and joining him in the hallway. She stops by Leo’s door, peeking over his shoulder curiously.

From the light spilling in, she can see Leo curled up on the floor, his side leaning against a pillow to keep him from rolling left. His left arm hangs over it, hand slack over a tiny body like a shield, and Donnie cuddles into the blanket nest underneath him. The only form awake is Chompy, sitting near the nest like a little guard, tail tapping the floor as he blinks sleepily at the both of them.

“Chompy. Really?” Mikey whines, completely aghast. “Chompy?”

“At least he’s sleeping?” April offers off-handedly, trying to pretend she’s not equally as upset to be robbed of a chance to play with the hand-size turtle infant. “That’s something?”

“Yeah.” Mikey admits with a sigh. “Guess he really was tired if we haven’t woken him. And Chompy’s a pretty good alarm system…”

She places a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. “We’ll try again another time.”

He groans playfully, and then grabs hold of her hand, tugging her arm back the way she came. “Fiiiine. But we got all evening free and someone’s gotta watch Chris Bradford reruns with me!”

“Mikey.” She laughs as she plants her feet. “I have an essay-”

“Aprriiiiilll!”

“Shhhh!” She glances into the room as Chompy chirps. “Alright, alright. But I’ll have to multitask.”

“Deal!” Mikey hurries into the main room, and April turns to grab the door knob. She watches the tense hand over Donnie’s shell relax again, a sigh leaving his lips as the area quiets, and she wishes them and the watchful alien a soft, “Sweet dreams.”

Chompy settles to sleep as the door shuts, and April heads to the pit.

“So, how many times have you seen this episode?”

“Only seven!”

“Only seven, huh?”

[error-pleaseleaveamessage-error]

A request for @trans-breadbelike for Ninjago Movie Lloyd tickle headcanons! I really enjoyed writing these, Lloyd in the movie was so precious!

To begin, Lloyd has only had affection from his mom. Once The Secret Ninja Force started, he realized how much he missed out.

It took him a while to be completely comfortable with touch, even if it was positive and if he was touch-starved. It was all overwhelming. Kai had to restrain himself so much because he wanted to swarm Lloyd with many hugs.

When he adjusted, the invisible wall collapsed. Lloyd has never experienced so much care like this, he still gets teary-eyed. 

A part of that affection was tickling.

Usually, when Lloyd gets poked it’s not a good thing. (Heavily considering how much negative attention Lloyd receives, specifically thinking about Chen the Cheerleader in this case.) So the first few times he was very on-guard and gave no reaction, much to the squad's disappointment.

That changed one day when Kai and Nya started rage quitting over a board game, and Zane followed after them like the agent of chaos he is. This left Jay to run around helplessly, while Lloyd and Cole watched from the sidelines in amusement. Cole had leaned over to whisper commentary in Lloyd's ear, his breath so soft and talking so lightly it tickled Lloyd’s ear. Poor guy was so startled he squeaked and yanked himself away, covering the targeted ear. Lloyd has never seen Cole’s face make such a curiously mischievous expression before.

He has no experience in a tickle fight. He can battle shark mechs and fist-fight generals but can't hold his own in a tickle fight. He doesn’t know what to do!

I headcanon Luh-Loyd as the second most sensitive ninja, but he had no idea he was so ticklish.

So many squeaks. One of the squeakiest laughs to ever exist, and has lots of hiccups between giggles.

Lloyd's laugh begins as a loud scream and then dissolves into bubbly happy laughter.

But if he's tickled on a few specific spots, then he starts cackling very similarly to Lord Garmadon. (This is a reference to when Lloyd was a baby and copied Garmadon's laugh. The scene in the movie where Garmadon monologues a dramatic flashback of Lady Iron Dragon taking away tiny Lloyd.) Even after when he makes up with his dad, he hates it when he starts cackling like a supervillain.

At first, the team were surprised but reassured him that just because he cackles doesn't mean he's going to grow another set of arms or something.

(Ironic, as I headcanon Lloyd to have tiny horns and sharp teeth.)

Garmadon was elated to find out his son laughs like him! It became the main reason why he starts tickling Lloyd, the passive way (The only way, for that matter.) to win a fight against the green ninja.

He gets teary-eyed so quickly with tickles too, but happy tears of course!

He blushes really quickly, and can't do anything to stop himself from doing so.

The Ninja are, of course, aware that Lloyd has gotten little to no experience in the friendship department. They're nice enough to him whilst also being gremlins.

Well, sometimes Nya doesn't play nice. Nya really loves to see Lloyd smile, as he beats himself up far too much. She gets brutal with her teasing. Even if Lloyd wasn't acting out, she'd see him frown and squeeze his sides without stop.

Speaking of, anytime Lloyd starts berating himself - and the reassurance doesn't work - they resort to poking him until he either takes it back or says something nice about himself. Lloyd would rather be fired out of a volcano then do either of those things, it's THAT flustering.

He's not the best at tickle related games, but if he gets competitive then he'll risk it for the biscuit.

The tickle spots go from underarms to ears to tummy to feet to thighs. Those are all gold mines.

He melts when someone tickles his back. Even if it's a little embarrassing, he's totally content to become a puddle of soft giggles.

That's him on the receiving end, but when he's giving it? Oh, he's still precious.

He dishes out the compliments, always being sweet and making sure they're still having fun. Afterwards he gets water and asks if they need anything else to relax.

If someone starts to run away, he will chase after them but slow down to keep an even pace.

"Hey! Get back here!!"

The type to laugh along with someone's giggles.

He can and will get devious. (He is the son of Garmadon, after all.)

"I won't let you go until you promise to sit on the couch instead of the floor!"

"This spot tickles? Huh. Then I guess you better apologize quickly!"

Oh, right, he can usually say tickle. When he gets nervous and shy, he cannot.

He enjoys giving people massages. (It originates from him being protective over his team, his friends, because he refuses to loose him.) This happens when everyone gets sleepy, and with a second thought, he starts to trace people's hands and arms. He loves hearing people's sleepy hums and titters, it's adorable.

Lloyd definitely tickles people awake. He'd let them sleep in, but they'll miss out on school. (And, being around chaos has influenced him to be more silly.) This ends up being Cole, Kai, and few times Jay. Even fewer times has he gotten Nya, but he knows the ticklish consequences far too well.

He gets worried about tag-teaming people, as he doesn't like to fight his team, but he really does enjoy the banter and the bonding.

Besides, two birds with one stone! He figures he shouldn't let the opportunity go to waste.

If he's being accidentally tickled, it's extra flustering for him, because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself but goodness gracious he may just about burst.

He tries to be serious, and succeeded most of the time. He makes awkward jokes, but his smiles seem more like grimaces - like he's cringing. He can't ever seem to smile genuinely for pictures either. A few scribbles help him out no problem!

He can't hold in his laugh, not at all.

Cuddle piles are some of his favorite things, and he really likes tickle hugs too. He giggles so hard when he gets trapped in a hug, because he knows what's going to happen next.

His favorite tease to receive has to be, "Uh oh. I think I see a smile! Are you giggling, Lloyd?"

Lloyd has walked in on so many tickle fights, and he's quick to make an escape before he's dragged into it. But one time he see's Nya pinning Kai down, and she asks for help in order to destroy her annoying brother, and he decides... he may as well join if he's going to be dragged in anyways.

He has never heard of the tickle monster bit before, and thinks it's so stupid it's funny. He attaches onto it, and instead animates life into inanimate objects. Like feathers! He gives them silly names.

"Uh oh! You better tell Mrs. Fluffy to get away, she's getting really close to your stomach..."

Hypocritically, he can't handle when people pretend to turn into a tickle monster. Koko does that a lot believe or not.

Master Wu has poked him before when correcting his fighting stance, and pretends to be none the wiser.

He's a dork, I love him so much.

[howaboutcastiel]

Make Your Acquaintance IV (Jake Lockley Steven Grant x Reader)

Summary: Steven has finally returned after over a week of being stuck in the headspace. You don’t have the heart to lie to him. It’s a lot for him to take in. (two out of three boys ain't bad)

Content: Angst. So, so much dialogue. Marc is Protective™, Reader is kinda an unreliable narrator.  

Word Count: 3.5K

Listen, guys… I did not plan for this to become a chapter fic. In fact, I didn’t even plan the first part out, I just kinda wrote it without thinking. So YES you hungry gremlins can have more content, but I can’t promise you that it's QUALITY content.  

Make Your Acquaintance Masterlist

Steven Grant was a stress cleaner.

It’s one thing that’s hard to believe about the man. He was an absolute mess most of the time, leaving books and little knick knacks strewn about on every surface that he touched. He would leave a half-eaten sandwich on the counter for days and he’d forget to close cupboards while he cooked himself dinner. During his normal routine in the calmest parts of his life, Steven was a whirlwind of messiness. 

Not today though. It was the first time he’d fronted in ten days and no one could understand why. When he opened his eyes and found himself at home, in his own bed, with no recollection of the past week and a half, he was filled with absolute panic. There was an unusual silence in his head, as if for once he was all alone in there. He’d had to call for his alters just to make sure that they were, in fact, still around. They couldn’t explain to him why he’d been gone so long, and he couldn’t explain it back to them, either. So he did the only thing he knew how to do with all those racing thoughts fueling him; he began to deep-clean the apartment.   

His nervous energy startled you as you walked through the front door. You came home from work expecting Marc-or even half-expecting Jake- as Steven had been gone for so long. A wave of relief washed over you as soon as you heard his energetic rambling; the familiar British accent assured you that your sweet Steven had returned to you. Apparently, he had gained a desire to organize his entire library while he was away.

“Oh! Hello, love,” He looked up at you for a second before returning to his task. He was sat criss-cross on the floor, reading glasses on and surrounded by at least a hundred books. “Sorry about the mess.”

“Steven?” You were relieved to see him. You had missed him quite a lot while he was away and he was beginning to worry you. “Where have you been?”

“I’ve no bloody idea.” Steven scrambled to stack the books out of the way as you walked deeper into the apartment. He looked like he hadn’t moved in hours; he probably hadn’t eaten anything either. There was tension in every inch of his body, evident in the pitiful look of panic on his face. 

“Well… are you okay?” There wasn’t really anything more important for you to ask. You helped him lift a stack of books up onto his desk. Despite the chunk of his library that was strewn about the room, the apartment was otherwise spotless. He must have been at this all day. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I didn’t want to bother you at work.” He sheepishly got to his feet, stiff from sitting on the floor for so long. You took him into a hug, wrapping your arms underneath him to support his weight as his expression made you fear he might crumble beneath you. “I’m alright, darling. Just a bit confused is all.” 

“Maybe I can walk you through some of it. Have you talked to the boys?” He raised an eyebrow at the way you said the boys. Normally, you only referred to Marc when you asked Steven about the other voices in his head. Prior to ten days ago, he was the only other man inside that you were worried about. Not anymore, obviously. 

“Actually, yes. The two of them have been having a screaming match all day.” You sat him down on the couch. He was unusually clingy, but you supposed that was fair after the day that he’d had. He leaned his head on your shoulder, wrapping an arm around your back as he sank into your touch. 

“A screaming match? About what?”

“About you.” 

Your cheeks immediately flooded with heat, a sinking feeling overtaking your chest. How much would you need to fill Steven in on? What did he remember from that night and what had the others told him? And where on earth had he been for the last ten days?

“They’re very loud and quite hard to understand. From what I’ve gathered, though, you’ve met Jake while I was away.” Steven’s voice was soft and his hands shook a bit. If he was willing to let you go for a few minutes, you wanted to make him something to eat. 

“That’s right. I have.” You couldn’t tell if Steven was upset or not. Obviously he was stressed, but was that stress directed at you or just to the world in general?

“That must have been quite a scene.” He laughed softly into your hair, obviously nervous but also unwilling to say much else. You didn’t want to pry, but you were worried about him. 

“Why have you been gone so long?” 

“I’m not sure, love. I don’t remember much of anything since we checked into the hotel. Marc was asking me some questions I think… a few days ago.” 

“Yeah, I thought I’d be seeing you about that time. Do you remember much of what he was asking you?” There was a pained look in his eyes, but he pondered an answer to your question. 

“Not really. It felt like a dream. I feel like I’ve missed so much.”

“Would you like me to talk you through it, then?” This conversation would go much easier with Steven than it had with Marc. 

“I would. I really need someone to fill in the gaps.”

So you spend the next hour laying down the missing pieces for him, starting with the armored men who had broken the hotel window. He listened more patiently than you had expected, though he couldn’t hide the constant look of shock on his face. You told him pretty much everything, except for the cuddling outside the barn and the make-out session with Jake two nights ago. 

You led him into the kitchen and continued your story while you made him a nice, hot meal. He denied that he hadn’t eaten all day, but you knew how Steven could be when he was focused on his work and his distant weakness further clued you in. He sipped on a mug of tea while you cooked, his body slowly releasing some of its stress as the warmth washed over him. 

“No wonder the body is so bloody exhausted.” He scoffed once you finished your spiel. He was skeptical, you could tell, and he appeared to be listening to someone on the inside who had a problem with your retelling. “I think you’ve left some bits out.”

“Have I?” It was better for the boys to talk amongst themselves about this. At least, that’s what you told yourself. It was a bigger deal for them than for you that Jake had joined this odd relationship of yours. 

“What do you suppose they’ve been yelling about all day? Apparently, you’ve been playing the field, love.” He didn’t look mad, but he did look intrigued and slightly short-tempered. 

“I wouldn’t put it like that.” You defended, taking a pot of rice off of the burner. “I’m exploring a new dynamic, is all. Do you have a problem with that?” 

“Is ‘exploring a dynamic’ what you’d call snogging a mass murderer, then? That’s certainly one I’ve never heard before.”

“Hey! You’re the one who told me never to be scared of Jake. You’re not jealous of him, are you?” It was true. Steven had spent a lot of energy trying to convince you that Jake was less of a threat than his reputation implied. He respected Jake, he accepted him, and he understood that he was more than his violence, even when you didn’t understand. 

“Should I be jealous?” Steven’s cheeks tinged with red. A little part of you felt guilty, of course, but you had been involved with Marc for many months, and Steven hadn’t had a problem with that. 

“I need you to tell me straight up. Is this about Jake being the ‘violent’ one, or are you scared that our relationship is at risk if I have one with him?” You knew the answer before you asked it, but you felt you needed to talk this through with him. This did not need to be more complicated than it already was. 

He didn’t say anything. Steven’s silence effectively answered your question for you as you handed him his hot bowl of food. He scrunched his nose at it at first, but he must have realized just how hungry he was as he took the first warm, savory bite. 

“Steven, baby, you don’t have to be worried.” You talked softly as he practically inhaled his meal. His eyes were wide and pleading, but he let you talk. “You know that I love you more than the world itself. Jake is not endangering any of that.”

He avoided your gaze as he pondered your words. You figured there were other words—from Marc and Jake’s screaming match, perhaps—that he was pondering as well. He looked shy and sad as he peeked back up at you.

“What does he have that I don’t?” Ice ran up your spine as he muttered the words. He was already having a hard enough day, you couldn’t let his insecurity make it even worse. 

“Nothing, baby. You give me everything I need.” Steven was fine with you having a relationship with Marc because the relationships were so different. He knew that Marc was in need of care and affection just as much as he was, but he asked it of you in such a foreign way to the manner that Steven did. Marc had trouble feeling that he deserved love, so caring for him sometimes felt like it started as a business transaction. You had to push the affection to him, whereas Steven was eager to draw it from you.  

But Steven didn’t know what kind of lover Jake was, and that terrified him. 

“Listen, Steven. Do you know why I fancy him? For starters, it's because he looks like you. He wears your cologne, he has the same lovely curls, the same brown eyes. The same handsome smile.” It was true, that’s what had gotten Jake in the door with you. The familiarity peeking out of the unknown. “But he isn’t you, is he? He’s someone else. Someone who’s become a part of my life, just like he’s a part of your life. I can’t really have him without you, can I?”

“I guess not.”

“So what are you worried about, baby?”

Steven had finished his food by now, meaning there was nothing to distract his gaze from your own. He looked hesitant to say whatever was on his mind, but you were determined to draw it out of him. You couldn’t let him torture himself with the wrong idea about your loyalty and your need for him. 

“I guess I just don’t understand why things have to change.” That was a start. A good start. You could build on that. 

“Things have already changed, love. There’s no way to undo that. Jake can’t really go back in the dark now, can he? I promise, though, it doesn’t have to change anything between me and you.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“See? Nothing to worry about.” You gave a half-smile to him, satisfied that you could somewhat ease his mind. He didn’t look so chuffed himself, though. In fact, he didn’t look like himself at all. He scowled at you as if there was a sour taste in his mouth.

“Don’t do that.” Marc. 

“Do what?”

“Lie to him. Don’t you dare lie to him.”

“What are you talking about? I’m not lying.” Your heart beat faster at the tone of his voice. Marc was obviously angry, but you couldn’t tell exactly why. You were just trying to ease Steven’s mind. 

“You’re making him feel guilty for being mad. He has a right to be mad.” He was clenching and unclenching his fists in an effort to remain calm and composed. It scared you a bit.

“I didn’t know he was mad. He just seemed jealous to me. I wanted to ease his mind.” You stood your ground. You had to make Marc understand, too. Otherwise, this had no chance of working out. 

“You lied to him.”

“Yeah, you keep saying that. What did I lie about?”

“You told him there was no reason to worry.” You shot him a confused look—as well as a slightly offended one, but he only countered with a persistent glare of accusation.

“There isn’t.”

“Don’t bullshit me.” He started to raise his voice. 

“There isn’t one, Marc.” You persisted, though the look of rage behind his eyes had you faltering a bit. He wouldn’t ever hurt you, of course, but you hated to hear him yell on the few occasions it ever came to that. 

“Listen to me. I know Steven can handle himself, but he’s been gone for ten days. He’s fucking terrified already and you’ve made it even worse by sweet-talking him into thinking he shouldn’t be mad. If there was no reason for him to be upset, then why didn’t you tell him yourself? No, I had to tell him that you were making out with Jake while he was gone. Lucky for you, I left out the part where you’re triggering him on purpose, behind my back, just so you have more time to snog him.”

Your breath was stolen from you. Marc was not supposed to know about that. How did he know about that? Surely he had the image twisted in his mind, though. You hadn’t meant to hurt anyone, you just wanted to learn more about Jake. 

“That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it? Why else would you be going behind my back?”

“I needed to break it to you slowly.” Marc rolled his eyes. He was almost shouting now and tears were welling behind the anger. Disgust bred in his voice. 

“Break what? You were kissing a stranger! A stranger that, mind you, used my body to murder people by slitting their throats with a shard of glass. You were hiding it because you knew it was wrong.”

“You don’t know that! You don’t know anything.” The words came out broken and you realized now that there were tears streaming down your face. Your breath hitched in your throat as you drew in a heavy, shaky breath. “You don’t understand.”

“You’re right. I don’t.”

He walked away without saying another word, letting the tears silently fall. 

~~~

Despite his anger and his protective instinct, Marc didn’t stick around long. Steven wanted to finish organizing his books and he was tired of being in the headspace, even if he couldn’t remember being there for the last week and a half. He needed to stretch his legs, so to speak, and he made sure to let Marc know that he could handle himself just fine. Thanks for the help, mate, but I don’t need your protection.

You gave him space, nonetheless. It took him another hour and a half to find a spot for each remaining book on his numerous bookshelves, and another half-hour to catalog them. The task was a perfect distraction from all of the racing thoughts, though he couldn’t silence them entirely. You heard him murmuring to himself and the others as he finished the organizing ritual. When he was finally done, he plopped down on the couch, satisfied with his work. He seemed thoroughly exhausted by the day, watching the sunlight fade along with his remaining energy. You wandered bashfully into the room.

“Hey, baby. Can I talk to you?” You started in a slow, quiet voice. He raised his eyebrows lazily.

“Depends. What do you want to talk about?” He dawned a wary look, decidedly less shy and confused than before, but cautious nonetheless. 

“Can we talk about you? I want to talk about you.” 

He patted the cushion next to him resignedly, scooting his knee toward himself so that there was room for you to sit. You settled lightly in the seat, making sure not to get to close to him. 

“I want to know why you were gone for so long.” He seemed surprised by this. He didn’t know what he was expecting you to ask, but it wasn’t this. He didn’t know what to think.

“I already told you. I haven’t a clue.” Steven had spent all day seeking answers to that thought, why would he suddenly be enlightened now? He grit his teeth a bit.

“I think we can figure it out.” Your puppy-dog eyes were lost on him. Even without Marc’s defensiveness, he had a shield up of his own. Marc was right, he was allowed to be angry. 

“Why are you doing this?” He pulled away as you reached out to him. His voice was heavy with offense, though he tried with great effort to mask it from you. Steven never raised his voice. 

“I missed you, babe. I don’t want that to happen again. Plus, I can see that it upsets you that you don’t know what’s going on. I want to help.”

“I’m not so sure that you do. I think you’re trying to distract me, actually.” His voice was level and assertive, calm as ever, and slightly lower-pitched than was normal for him. Turns out he could handle himself just fine. 

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you feel guilty about what you did. That, or you just don’t want to admit that this is a bigger deal than you thought.”

He let out a short breath, watching your face for any sign that you agreed with him. You turned to face him properly, a slow sigh escaping your lips. 

“You wanna talk? Let’s talk.” You were tired of defending yourself. If someone had something to say, they needed to say it outright and completely. Only then would you address this again. 

“It’s a really shitty feeling, you know. To wake up with no idea where you are or how you got there, and suddenly a voice is screaming in your head that you’ve been betrayed.”

“Steven, that’s not—”

“No, darling. Let me finish what I’m saying.” There was an unfamiliar tinge of annoyance in his eye. “I’m not going to ask for a pity party of course. We both know I’ve been scared shitless all day, but you owe me at least a bit of fairness. You haven’t given me that, though. Honestly, Jake Lockley himself has been more frank with me today than you have, and he was busy for the most part fighting with Marc. By the way, if you’ve been unfair to me, you’ve been downright nasty to him. No wonder he’s so bloody pissed.”

“I didn’t mean to be unfair.”

“Didn’t you? You must have known it wasn’t right to go behind his back like that. Hell, even Jake felt it right to come clean. The poor bloke spilled his guts without a second thought. Marc was furious.”

“Jake told Marc about the kiss? I didn’t think he would do that.”

“The kiss? Honey, Jake told him everything. Every minute detail you thought it best to leave us in the dark about. Got to give him credit for that, at least.” Steven seemed to be letting off steam, growing calmer with each word that he uttered to you. It was obvious, though, that he was resigning himself to the idea that his anger toward you was well-deserved. You didn’t like the thought of him being so righteously upset.

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry? Are you really? Or are you mad that you got caught?” You hated how genuine he sounded and you hated the guilt growing in your chest. What an utter moron you had been.

“I’m really sorry! I messed up, I lied to you and to Marc and I did things with Jake that I shouldn’t have done without discussing it with you first. I am really sorry. I never want to hurt you.”

“Yeah, well, it’s a bit late for that innit? You hurt us both.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m really sorry. I am.”

He lifted slowly off the couch, wringing his hands in a way he hoped was too subtle for you to see. As Steven got to his feet, you could see in his eyes that his mind was elsewhere, though the hurt was still on his face. His Mr. Knight suit began to apparate on his skin as he walked slowly to the front door. He didn’t look back.

“Of course you are.”

~~~

~~~

@n1ght5h4d3-24 @magicwithaknife @rmoonstoner @nervouslaught3r @unavoidabledirewolf @sarcasm-n-insomnia @kbakery @mccn-bcys @gingermous @dennyreadsfanfic @rosequinn121 @avatarofseshat @damreonsgirl @dragons-are-my-favorite @k8esilver @competentpotato @theconsultingdoctor10 @notsochillnerd @rayrlupin @moony-artemis @nerdory10 @valkyrieace @kezibear143 @ahookedheroespureheart @mt2sssss @loki-hargreeves @starfirette @celeste412 @avengersinitiative2012

[kedsandtubesocks]

<clears throat> hi, I’m jo, super shy and in these parts I’m sometimes a menace in inboxes. a secret bird @julesonrecord told me you were so lovely (and you really seem it too btw) and said you’d like a bit of menace in your inbox.

so, I’ve just enjoyed book!joel 🥹 but I also see you also like cowboys ;) so, would you rather (with the cowboy of your choice: but please tell me) like to enjoy a night in a tent in the middle of nowhere, horses outside that you can ride to a river the next morning OR a ranch cabin that you two can explore, ride horses and have your wicked way with one another in many places 🌶️

HI HOWDY JO 🥹💕 oh wow it’s so wonderful to meet you!! I read your Javi P Coming Home Fic and absolutely ADORED it (literally probably embarrassed myself with how badly I rambled about it omg pls forgive me) so I’m extra giddy and excited and honored that you enjoyed writer!Joel and wanted to come chat with me 🥺

And omg Jules is the real lovely one here, I’m a simple gremlin so I’m honored she said that about little ol me wow 😭 Really grateful she guided our directions to each other!! (ily @julesonrecord) I LOVE little having a little sweet menace in my inbox and plus from a lovely new friend like you I’m welcoming it with open arms!!! 🥹🌹✨

But also -

JO WHY!!! My poor little heart heart maybe can’t handle all the MENACE LOL

But ugh what utterly beautiful choices to pick from and I’m crying (in both tears of joy & pain LMAO)

So I’ve been missing our dear Din and especially because cowboy Din just hits differently, and even though my Texan Joel Miller heart is screaming at me to pick the cabin - I’m gonna go for that first option because can you imagine it?!

The tent that he set up for you? The absolute tender way Din is always making sure you’re protected and given shelter even within the watch of the wilderness?? Plus I’m also blaming the eclipse making me feel so in awe of the cosmos but getting to enjoy the stars with and feel so small yet so grand with a sweet gruff cowboy like Din?

Also let’s not forget how tender he would unravel and cherish you within the safety of his watch and under the protection of the vast desert sprawling all around you with its magnificent wildness? You and him simply melt into that and become one with the wilderness and its just so Din and so pure cowboy 😭

Plus I’m such a sucker cliche water sign wanting to always be near water so that plus the steamy adventures that can happen in the river is just so 👀

Wow why did I ramble so much about this pls ignore me svgsgsvsusisjwdgyd

But JO! AHHHH!! Now I need you to tell me which one would you pick so we can suffer together thinking about cowboys lol 😤

Thank you so much beautiful for taking the time to drop by and have such an adorable chat! You’re so lovely and brighten my day with your presence! Here’s to more giggles and chaos about the Pedro boys lol

I’m wishing you the most sweet and kind rest of your day take care!! 🌙🌹✨

[write-and-buried]

Celestial Navigation

Part 3 - First Quarter

(gif by the magnificent @pedropascalsx)

Summary; ....well, at least your boss knows your name

Warnings; drug use (marijuana), casual touching - F!Masturbation, the raunchiest nastiest, dirty talk, Dieter being a chaos gremlin, some descriptions of a really terrible workplace environment.

A/N; Once again, the love, support and kindness you all have shown this fic has truly blown me away and I cannot express how much I appreciate all of it. This has been a rough week for me, so thank you for being my safe space <3

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Well… at least she knows your name now.

Leaving the office at 5pm on a Friday is a cardinal sin. The other interns watch you with a curious expression as you gather your wallet and phone, shoving them hastily into your handbag. You hope they aren’t looking close enough at your face to see the tears gathering in the corners of your eyes. If you get out of here in under a minute, you can cry safely on the street.

There’s no crying in this office. You made it through the first round of layoffs, the relief an itch in your chest as you watched co-workers pack their desks, move their little succulent plants into cardboard boxes and vanish. All their work was farmed out to all of you, 100 people whittled down to seventy with the same amount of papers. It was inevitable that something would get missed.

And you missed it. A line in one of the thousand spreadsheets, not updated, the formula not copied over. Ones and zeroes that caused the math to implode, for everything to grind to a halt until they found your error, fixed it and resumed the churning pace, each of you glued to screens with headphones and mouths set into a grim line.

She didn’t yell at you. It was in the raise of her eyebrow, the twitch of her finger over her keyboard, the way you watched her manicured nails hover over the “delete” key, as if it would have real world consequences. It was an hour of dressing down, of explaining the mistake in its simplest terms, as though you were an infant, your first class of your first year. No sympathy for the late nights or caffeine fuelled mornings, where you dragged yourself into the office mere hours after leaving it.

“I want you to take the weekend and consider your future with this company.” She sniffed, her eyes narrowing as she looked over your attire. “We certainly will”

There’s nothing waiting for you at your apartment except a Lean Cuisine and a dead plant. The streets are full of people in the same business attire as you, listening to podcasts and talking on headsets, they part around you like a rock in a river, barely noticing the tears that are now flowing freely down your cheeks. Nobody would stop if you were screaming, it doesn’t matter that it’s silent.

You start to walk.

*

Fall meant blankets for Dieter. He pulled them from the linen cupboard in his kitchen with something akin to glee, emptying the shelves of the rainbow of fleece and thick comforters, spreading them around his apartment as he walked in and out of the balcony, breathing in the air that chilled his lungs.

Summer had left without a goodbye, no final send-off of scorching heat or sticky sidewalks. Instead, the sun rose one morning on air that felt crisp, that chilled lungs and demanded steam in a hot shower, for the tea to be steeped a moment longer, the mug to warm your hands. Taking on an orange hue as the stores changed from bright colours to warm earth tones, the occasional pop of Halloween peeking through as hemlines got longer. Dieter reached for sweatpants most mornings.

He called you once a week. He saw you once a week. That was the baseline established. You would come in on a weekend in the mid-morning rush, and he would get a call, Owen, or sometimes Molly letting him know of your arrival. It was his wakeup call some days, just a few steps away from opening his eyes to see you first thing. He fell down the last stair most mornings. You would sit and talk with him, people watch in his carved out corner as you drank your coffee, ate a muffin. You asked him about himself, and he answered you honestly.

You seemed wholly unsurprised about the drugs, the women, the men. He had only made oblique references, a highlight reel of parties and tabs of LSD, you even laughed when he told you about Bertha, the strawberry-banana weed plant growing in the abandoned bathtub on his balcony. You guessed correctly that he preferred to grow his own, no pesticides or interference. He’d used the seeds from his last harvest, grown her again and marvelled at the cycle of life. Owen brought up the used coffee grounds once a week for fertilizer. He got the jars from goodwill.

You admitted your own indulgence was a glass of good Chardonnay. He’d stocked his fridge with Chablis right next to the blueberries, his whiskey remaining on top of the fridge, bottles emptied and repurposed, growing flowers out of makers mark on his nightstand.

The phone calls were his favourite. The shyness about you disappeared, you were more willing to admit things, less willing to suffer the silence as he waited for you to expand on an answer. If you didn’t want to answer something, you told him and he asked a different question. Your favourite colour was of ruby grapefruits.

He smoked and painted while you talked, bowls of fruit and tidily rolled joints accompanying your laughter. He loved to make you laugh. It tugged at his insides when you said you rarely did otherwise. On the weekends you chatted with Owen and Molly, lingering at the counter while Owen ground and pressed, and Molly doodled on your receipt. They knew better than to charge you, so you compromised by buying someone else’s.

You had no tattoos, the only piercings simple studs in your ear. You’d looked interested as he slowly filled in the triangles on his forearms, but didn’t ask him. He was still resisting the urge to push, to unfurl his fingers and reach to touch you in those quiet lulls of conversation. Feel your skin again under his thumbs, as if he could ever forget the sensation.

The scent of melted dark chocolate and cannabutter was thick in his kitchen. He could feel a mild contact high as a fuzz in his limbs as he watched them blend together. A floured pan was waiting for the brownies off to the side, and so far he’d only burned the tip of one finger on the cooktop. His lungs were too old for the crispness of the air, and after a few days of sobriety in the guise of a tolerance break, he found the scribbled brownie recipe in a Julia Child cookbook he had been given more than a decade ago.

He would call you tonight. Your last call had ended with his honesty. You still seemed to hedge whenever he opened, this delicate dance of advance and retreat. Every time you asked a question, you knew the answer, but seemed surprised when he gave it to you anyway. It was well past two am, the streets quiet as he watched the fan spin above him, listened to you talk again about ambitions and goals and plans that had more steps than the recipes he followed.

You hesitated, faltering at the finish. He wanted to ask you “What then?” what happens when you check every item off your list, when you’ve undoubtably achieved everything you want to and there’s no moon left to reach for – which lofty star would gain the focus of your new pursuits. But he let the silence linger, waiting for the question he could taste in the air, smoke curling from the ashtray at his bedside.

“Dieter… do you ever wonder what the rest of your life looks like?”

“No Loulou… this is the rest of my life. Talking on the phone with you.”

*

“Sorry we’re closed”

The bell creaks your arrival, groaning under the pressure of the day as you shove the door open. You don’t know why you’re here, why your feet brought you, protesting the impractical heels that carried you blocks and blocks in the dwindling sunlight. Everything hurts from crying, your face angry hot from the tears. The reasons left you in the smog from screaming cabs, catching in the choking pollution until you were blind with it, left with nothing but a hollow despair.

“Did you hear, I said… oh fuck!” Owen turned and blanched as he looked at you, dropping the rag he was using to polish the gleaming machine.

“I’m ok, everything’s ok, I’m sorry, I just…” you start, shame creeping up your spine as you watch the colour drain from his thin face. He scrambles, beads clinking merrily as he ducks behind the curtain.

“DIETER!” His voice booms, loud and echoing around the empty shop as you jump, holding your elbows as you glance at the door, wanting to run, to go home to your dead plant and sad dinner and pretend you didn’t have a breakdown. To glance nervously at your phone with a glass of chardonnay and hope he calls.

Instead he appears, dishevelled in sweats and a bathrobe that’s at least three sizes too big. He’s wearing sunglasses, there’s a stain that looks like chocolate on his cheek. He carries with him the same frantic energy, spiced this time with fear as he sees you, takes stock of your appearance and points at the chair, the faded mustard yellow that’s unofficially yours.

“Owen, grab one of those veggie pastries, make a hot chocolate and fuck off” he says, his voice stricter than you’ve heard it before, a glint of danger as he watches you, the painful shuffle as you make your way through the mismatched desks and tables.

He crouches rather than sits, close enough that you can smell the air on him, the crispness of fall and spices that cling to his clothing. Close enough you could count the greys in his beard. He watches as you fold in on yourself, shoes dropping to the floor with an echoing thunk as you curl into the familiar softness of his company. He doesn’t say anything, his eyes darting frantically around your features as you hear Owen in the background.

There’s a clink, a steaming cup and a plate placed beside you, as Owen offers you a smile, palms Dieter’s shoulder as he leaves in silence. The lock sounds heavy as it clicks behind him.

“Eat, Loulou” he says, his hands splayed wide on the armrests of the chair. You watch as his thumbs tick like metronomes as he strokes the fabric. This is the closest he’s been, since that first day. He doesn’t touch you, besides the accidental brushing of clothed knees as you sit in the mid mornings. He gestures when he talks, tugging at his clothes or his hair, watching your own limbs as you sit still, pen poised in your grip, hovering over the journal you always intend to write in.

The pastry is good, full of rich vegetables and buttery soft flakes, the hot chocolate steals the heat from your face, distributing it throughout your body as he waits patiently for you to finish. He brings you an extra napkin, you dry your eyes.

“Owen can’t deal with crying women. We had this woman once, who would come in and read these tragic romances, and sob over her latte. He went to this bookstore in Hell’s Kitchen and bought her all these bodice ripping pirate novels and told her she was banned from reading anything without at least two nipples on the front cover.”

You hiccup a laugh.

“Her names Mallory, they trade Kindle recommendations for books with aliens with blue dicks now”

“I’m sorry Dieter, I didn’t mean to… I should just go, this was stupid, I’m sorry, I’ve worried you for nothing and it’s stupid really. Honestly, I’m fine, it was just a bad day, I made this mistake, and it was completely my fault and I should have known better and I shouldn’t be crying, I should have just done it properly the first time”

“Can I give you a hug?” He asks. “Would that be okay?”

He waits. Perched on the balls of his feet as though his knees aren’t screaming in protest, as if his whole body hadn’t been jolted by electricity from the sight of you in pain. The roar of primal rage that flooded every sense the minute he saw the tears glistening on your cheeks brought him back to his youth, to the cocaine fuelled bar brawls and waking up with sticky fists. He gave it up in his twenties, but found he felt the need to scorch the earth to find those that caused you pain. You nod. Just a tiny jerk of your chin, your eyes filling again as he watches your fiddle with the hem of your shirt, looking down to try and blink them away.

He's stronger than he looks. The baggy clothes hiding a thick frame as he lifts you, depositing you back onto the armchair, curled exactly the same with him beneath you. He wraps the bathrobe around you both, bringing his arms around your middle as your head rests on his shoulder. He’s warm. Soft and broad beneath you as you feel his body still when your hair brushes his cheek.

Its easier, to bury the words in his skin. To talk into his shoulder, your eyes on the pulse of his throat as you explain your day. The dressing down from your boss, the judgemental eyes on you as you left the fluorescent lighting of the office, the pain in your feet from walking here. That you weren’t even sure why you were here, just that you didn’t want to go home. His thumb smooths a steady rhythm on your hip, rubbing tiny gentle circles over the robe and your clothing. You can feel him breathing beneath you, his warmth floods your senses.

“You don’t have to go home” he says quietly.

He still thinks you’re soulmates. He still thinks that this friendship you’ve fostered is the kindling to a blazing inferno. You don’t tell him about the coffee dates you sometimes go on throughout the week, about the men you swipe right on Tinder, the hopes you pin to white smiles and JDs.

“I can’t”

“I have a batch of weed brownies cooling on the counter. A stack of movies and very comfy couch. Nothing else.” He says, shrugging so you look at him. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes” its an answer without hesitation.

“I’m not going to use your shitty workday as an excuse to tempt you into bed. We can get high and watch movies and fall asleep. That’s it – we’re friends right now Loulou, this is what friends do. Promise”

He hooks his pinkie into yours, nudging his nose against your cheek as he nods, waiting for you to agree. When you do, he lifts you to your feet, grabbing your shoes as you wander slowly behind the beaded curtain.

*

Everything is green. There are plants in every corner of the apartment. Apartment is generous for the room you’re standing in. Shaped in an awkward rectangle with a sliding door, a small kitchen is crammed into a corner, shelves sit uneven, their contents sliding drunk with gravity. A huge deep green couch in front of a large television, looking every bit as soft and comfortable as promised. Hiding behind a wicker screen is his bed, which is when you start laughing.

“Like it?” he asks, grinning as he flicks off light switches, darkening the hallway leading to the stairs. Its round. Huge and sprawling, pillows piled against the wall with crisp sheets tucked awkwardly on the rounded edges. You can see where he sleeps with the comforter, puddled in the middle and your brain provides you with an absurd image of him, a frog on this lily pad, talking on the phone with you as the ceiling fan spins above.

“It’s very you” you shrug, gravitating towards the corner, paint and canvases stacked like pizza boxes, a tower almost as tall as you. The easel is propped on a brick, the work only half finished as you look at it. Its streaks of midnight, deep rich blues as you look closer, the tiny speckles of the universe behind a moon made of spun lace, glued to the canvas. In the foreground, two tiny figures sit hand in hand, as if observing the webbing above them.

“This is beautiful” you say, reaching your hand towards the texture, stopping yourself at the smell of fresh paint. He hasn’t finished it yet, some white canvas peeking through the edges.

“Thank you” he says, grabbing your hand and pressing forward. Your fingerprints are left on the sticky surface, they come away streaked purple. “I’m going to suggest something that’s going to freak you out a little bit. Take a shower. I’m going to give you some of my clothes to change into – you can’t be comfortable all buttoned up like this. Half a brownie and a shower, and then we’ll watch some movies”

He wipes your hand on his shirt, taking most of the pigment with it as he strolls to his cluttered counter, a tray of half cut brownies waiting on the edge, balanced precariously. You can see the jars behind him, half full of buds of weed in mason jars. There’s an orchid growing out of a bottle of Makers Mark.

He grabs dark sweats from a haphazardly folded pile, pulls one shirt, then another, before settling on a third and giving them to you. From his pantry he gives pulls a towel in jewel tones before opening the door to his bathroom, depositing them on a cluttered vanity. You catch a glimpse of more plants before he skitters back to the kitchen, a knife held loosely in his grip as he ponders the slab of brownie.

“Have you…”

“I went to college Dieter” you reply, rolling your eyes.

He cuts two pieces, cutting one in half before offering it to you. The chocolate smells rich and heavenly, decadent in the weight of it as you take a bite, the flavours exploding across your tongue as you taste cinnamon and brown sugar, just a hint of the vegetal weed exploding across your senses.

He eats the other half, and then another piece as you finish yours. You notice the way he lingers on your lips as you suck the chocolate from your thumb. He points to the bathroom; you enter to another jungle. There’s a plant in a terracotta pot in the corner of his shower. All the soap is cluttered on the floor.

But the shower itself is a marvel. You lock the door behind you and stare, the giant square head protruding right from the ceiling, and you know it will rain down on you like that first day you met him, heavy and warm and soothing. You fold your clothes neatly, rolling them to fit in your handbag as you turn the water on, immediately jealous of the hot water streaming from his taps.

It washes down the drain at your feet as you turn under the heavy spray. The tension that had been slowly leaking from your pores turns to a gush as you relax, allowing your eyes to drift shut as the hot water hammers your shoulders, your palms braced on the tile. Idly, you wonder if Dieter had ever placed his hands here, if he stood in this same position.

It was cold enough to stand outside and will himself to calm down. The sound of the shower had his cock perking up with interest. It had been silenced by your tears as you moulded yourself onto his lap, but the idea that you were naked mere feet from him had brought it back to life with a roar. He forced himself into the cold, tucking himself into the waistband of his sweats as he looked over his apartment. He shoved the toys into the bottom drawer, wincing at the stickiness of dried lube as he made note to run them through the dishwasher in the morning. He turned off the overhead lights, grabbing a weighted blanket from the bed and throwing it with a grunt onto the couch.

The lava lamp on the coffee table gave off a blueish softness, making him feel as though he was underwater, his limbs heavy as he loaded up a bowl with salted cashews, grabbing a few sodas from his fridge as he scrolled through the DVD menu, waiting to hear the water stop.

Oh. Oh.

Oh, you look so good in his clothes. Your hair is still damp as you exit, clouds of steam billowing with you as if you’re a goddess come to earth, shoving your handbag into a corner with his laundry. His brain is static, all white noise and lust as he watches the way his shirt stretches across your tits. You’re wearing fabric that has touched his skin, that smells like him. You’re going to smell like him. His cock twitches dangerously at his hip.

“Dracula first” he says, amazed he found words other than begging you to let him taste what you taste like mixed together.

*

Everything is so deliciously warm. You’re under a blanket that presses on your thighs, the weight making you feel heavy. Everything is clouds and deep breaths, blurry and hazy, a film left too long exposed. Your fingers are salty from cashews, the texture on your skin making a pleasant hum as you shift closer to Dieter again. He’s blurry too, as though you’re looking at him underwater, and your palm, swimming in and out of focus makes you giggle, as you trace the lines he did, trying to recreate his steps.

“Mount of Venus” you say, your tongue thick and warbling as you press into the padded flesh.

“Mhm” he replies, deep and rumbling, an ancient carving next to you. You rest your head on his shoulder, your palm in his lap and wait.

“Pleasure” he says, his fingers twitching across the blanket. “Love of beauty, and expression. Warm and open, giving to others. Intimacy, sexual expression”

“You said mine was pronounced.” You grab his hand, flipping it in the mirror of your first meeting, trailing your fingers across his palm. You feel him shiver next to you. “Yours is too”

“Mhm” he repeats, his head lolling to look at you. He’s beautiful really. The blue shadows dancing across his features. His skin is soft, the lines deep in his face. There are mismatched patches on his beard, he’s greying around the jaw. You want to scrape a finger across it, but your arms feel too heavy to lift.

“I’m not going to kiss you Bette” he says, flipping his hand onto yours, matching those movements with a delicate touch. It races up your spine, flames licking at your senses as you sigh, shift even closer to him.

“Why not?”

“We’re high. And I made a promise. And I haven’t gotten tested, and you haven’t gotten tested, so even if I was going to kiss you, I’d have to deny myself everything else. And if I did kiss you, you’d vanish so fast in the morning, and it would take months to get back here. And if I want you like this by the New Year, it’s better to be patient”

He sounds sober in the moment. A determination in his voice as he presses his thumb into your pulse. You know he’s right. The tiny voice that’s drowned by weed shouts agreement. You would run from him in the morning – you’d know immediately it was a mistake.

“And if we weren’t?” you ask, edging yourself over the flame.

“Are you sure you want to know?” he asks, nodding to the TV, where Boris Karloff follows the Ave Maria to find a friend.

“Tell me what I’m missing”

“Have you ever been properly fucked beautiful girl?”

He watches the way your pupils’ contract. The tremble in your lip at the hitch in your breath. He feels your pulse jump beneath his fingers, feels the twin twitch beneath his own sweats. He’s thought about nothing but properly fucking you, of taking apart every put together piece of you and rearranging them between his sheets. Of finding every spot that makes you giggle, squirm, moan. Of what you look like covered in a thin film of sweat, of the way you swallow when you cum.

“Yes” you whisper.

“Liar” he accuses. “You’d be thinking of them right now, not wondering what I mean. Do you know what I mean Loulou? When I say I want to properly fuck you?”

“No” its breathy and soft, and he knows that’s exactly what you’ll sound like when he finally buries himself to the hilt inside you.

“I’ve thought about it a lot.”

He’s throbbing, thankful and mournful for the weighted blanket not betraying the weight of his cock pressed into his hip. He can feel it, the first sticky bead as it seeps into the waistband. You’re watching his mouth, your eyes focused on his tongue over teeth as he sucks in a breath, tries to calm himself.

“I’d start at your neck. I know someone in college probably got it right on accident. Found the spot where if you scrape their teeth just right, you’d whimper. That spot, and then the others, under your jaw, right down the middle of your throat. I’m going to mark you; my beard alone will leave you red. But I want my teeth as well, I want to brand it right over your pulse, watch it bloom like an opening flower. I want you weak kneed, grinding up against me because you’re already soaking wet.”

“Do you think you’re that good?”

“I know I’m that good. It’s the getting you naked part that will be a problem the first time. Because I don’t know if I’ll be able to control myself. I think I’m going to destroy a bit of your clothing, my clothing, to begin with. I’m a fan of a good striptease, but I think that will have to wait until later. Once the ravenous hunger has died down a bit.”

You squirm. Just enough that he knows you’re pressing your thighs together, that some of the lazy warmth has concentrated right between your legs.

“I have to taste you. I’m desperate to taste you. Some days I lay on that bed and think about all the different ways I want to. I want to have you spread open on that armchair downstairs so I can see just how wet you are – I want you on my face, I want to pull all your weight on me, so I can feel how your whole body twitches when you cum. I want to watch you open for me, watch the way your clit swells every time I wrap my lips around it, the throbbing of your cunt before I even work my fingers inside.”

You whimper. Its enough to make him hiss. A strain against his muscles as he grinds his hips into nothing. You’re both unsettled now, shifting to find comfort against your own skin. His cock hurts, and you’re right here and you smell like him, and all he’s touching is your palm.

“You’d take one finger for me, easy. Two and three might take more coaxing, but I know you’ll take them for me. You’ll be so out of it by the first time I make you cum that the second and third will feel like a wave, crashing and breaking and not stopping. I think three might make you squirt; I hope it does. I want to be drenched in you, drink it down. I think you’re going to taste like blueberries, sugared and sweet and dripping. I want my palm soaked in you; this mount of Venus pressed right up against your clit. If you’re good for me, if you do what I want, I’ll share. I’ll gather all of you onto my tongue and spit it right in your mouth. Ill make you cum again with my tongue halfway down your throat.”

“Jesus…”

“You need stretching Loulou. I need to take my time, even though I’ll be fucking the sheets like a wild animal, getting them sticky and wet with how much I want you. If you’re sitting on my face, you might see me fuck my fist to take the edge off – a poor substitute as I’ve discovered”

“Why?”

“You know why” he replies, flipping your wrist to press against him over the blankets. He watches as your eyes widen, the thickness of him matching the delicate bones in your wrist. He pulls your hand away before you can curl your fingers in the fabric. He watches your free hand disappear beneath the blankets, the way your eyes glaze over as you press your fingers between your thighs.

“Once you’re ready, you’ll have to get used to it. It’s going to take time, for me to cram my cock inside you. You’re going to feel like heaven, and I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to hold off from pounding your slick little cunt. I’ll need you to help me, rake your nails through my hair, down my back, mark me up like I’ve marked you. If you need toys, I have them. If you want to watch the way you fit me I’ll film it.”

“Then what” he can see your hips rocking beneath the blankets. The lazy slow fucking of your own hand over his clothing makes him groan. He’s dangerously close himself, the weight of the elastic on the head of his cock enough to have him dribbling, he can feel it sliding over his skin, seeping into his shirt as he closes his eyes, willing himself not to cum.

“You’ll get fucked properly beautiful. I’ll fuck you until you can’t form words, until you’re drooling from my fingers in your mouth, until you can’t hold yourself upright. Until all your body knows how to do is submit to it. To give in and sink under and cum again, so hard you squeeze my fat cock out, so I can run it across that swollen berry of a clit and make you scream. Wherever I cum, you’re sharing. If its in your pretty little mouth you can’t swallow, I want to kiss you till its dripping all over your tits. If its inside you I’m going to fuck a dildo into you and lick it off. I want it on your skin, I want it on my skin. I want every time to be so fucking filthy we need to change the sheets. I want you as ruined as I am, for anybody else but me.”

“Dieter…” you whimper, your nails digging into his palm as he watches you stiffen, the little shudders across your skin as it breaks out in goosebumps, your mouth falling open in a moan. The bite of pain across his hand strikes the match and he cums, panting and untouched into his own skin, threading his fingers through yours to hold your hand, both of you squeezing in time.

He shifts, wrapping an arm around your shoulders as he drags you to lay in the deep couch, curled up against his chest. You can smell the mingled scent of your release in the air as you press your face into his shirt, suddenly embarrassed as his hand rests between your shoulder blades.

“Then… we do this. You lay in my arms, or I lay in yours and we catch our breath together. There will be some differences, if you’re wearing a shirt, my hand will be up it, I can already tell I’m going to be obsessed with your tits”

You smile, some of the embarrassment shrinking at the matter-of-factness in his tone.

“And then we fall asleep, and when we wake up, we do it all again. That is the rest of my life Loulou.”

You can’t think of what to say. Shifting to place your hands on his hips you allow yourself the luxury of relaxing into his arms, his thumb stroking the same metronome on your spine as you close your eyes and let the exhaustion pull you under, a deep and dreamless sleep.

You wake before him in the morning. The sobering light coming from his balcony makes you stiffen. Fear boils like filtered water through your blood as you taste salt on your lips. His hold on you has slackened in sleep, allowing you to slip free without waking him, searching for your shoes, grabbing your handbag from the corner. Processing the night before isn’t an option. You need some distance to put it in a box, and label it as something other than the emotion coiling in your belly like an angry viper. You find your shoes on his counter.

As you walk past the couch he grabs your hand. You look down at him, his eyes bleary with sleep as he smiles at you. He says nothing, hooking his pinkie into yours and nodding. He lets you go, closing his eyes as you stand like a statue in front of him.

You don’t give yourself time to second guess the decision before you crawl back under the blanket. He reaches over you and presses play.

[kitkatscabinet]

Hello, I saw that you’re accepting Quarry x reader requests, so I was wondering if you could write a Dylan x reader where they became a couple during the summer camp and are the children favorite Consulars. Also, so please mix Ryan, Kaitlyn, and some of the Consulars in there, I really love their characters.

I'm sorry, I didn't end up including too much of the other counsellors but I hope this was still ok.

Word count: 721

Genre: fluff

Dylan’s voice ringing out over the PA system had you smiling to yourself as a bunch of overexcited kids jeered good naturedly at you. Some of the younger girls had taken to enthusiastically tugging on your or Dylan at any available moments, desperate to know all the details of how you’d gotten together. You weren’t sure why the kids were so interested in your dating life but it was better than Emma’s constant suggestive looks. Finally managing to wrangle the kids inside the lodge to eat you sat in anticipation waiting for your boyfriend to arrive. Your boyfriend, even the just thinking the word made you giddy like a child with their first crush. The dorky counsellor had wormed his way into your heart embarrassingly fast and obviously. Between the kid’s insistence that you kiss the nerdy counsellor and Kaitlyn constantly pushing you together it hadn’t taken long for the both of you to hook up. An arm wrapping around your shoulders alerted you to the fact the man in question had arrived, and the chorus of giggles from children confirmed the multiple pairs of eyes watching your every move.

“Hey babe” he said in greeting, planting a kiss on the top of your head. Causing you to smile in response

“Hey, I missed you,” you grinned back with a lovestruck impression, purposefully ignoring Nick’s groan of annoyance. Snuggling into Dylan’s side the two of you lost yourselves in conversation as at that moment no one else existed outside of him. Only being broken out of your little bubble by Nick clapping his hands down on your shoulders, informing the pair of you that lunch was over and the little hellions needed herding.

Now as the second month of the camp was drawing to a close Kaitlyn found herself groaning in disgust at your pathetic lovesick staring. “It’s been over a month, how are you still in the honeymoon stage?” Kaitlyn asked incredulously, her voice vaguely registering in the back of your mind but you tuned it out in favour of watching your adorable boyfriend interacting with the kids. You could hear the joyous laughter from where you were sat, sighing at how perfect he was. “Oh my God” Kaitlyn’s exasperated voice finally pulling your eyes from the man you had fallen so hard for to her disturbed face. “If I had known how disgustingly in love you were gonna be the whole time I wouldn’t have pushed you together” she rolled her eyes, but you knew her well enough by now to detect the fondness.

“Oh please” you scoffed “you know you love us” you singsonged, finally swinging yourself onto your feet to jog over to the group of kids surrounding Dylan. His face lighting up when the kids had pointed out your arrival and reaching out a hand that you happily grabbed. Content to just watch, you stood by his side as he returned to regaling the kids about the various times Jacob had screamed at the sight of a spider. Feeling a little bad for him as you knew the little gremlins kids could be you interjected, starting to tell the group embarrassing things about Dylan. Including the time he had sleepily tried to pull you into a kiss and misjudged the distance, accidentally knocking a bunch of books off the shelf and gave himself a nose bleed. At this point he was desperately pulling you away from the laughing children, trying to regain any dignity he had lost in their eyes.

“Why would you tell them that” he whined out “I’ve totally lost all my coolness in their eyes.”  

“Don’t worry babe” you assured “you were never cool anyway” your serious façade breaking as you burst into cackles at his offended face, making a run for it as he chased after you. The kids all cheering for their preferred counsellor as you waved at an incoming Ryan, laughing in delight as some of the kids joined the chase wanting to be included. Eventually you slowed to a halt allowing two of the older girls to tackle you to the ground, lying in mock defeat under the slowly growling pile of kids. Making eye contact with Dylan from where he was jogging up to you, you decided that nothing was going to ruin your memories of this Summer.

[legendofzoodles]

The Chain in an Escape Room

Crackpot modern AU version of this post. 

Time helped set this up as a team-building exercise and starts regretting it seconds after the door shuts behind them. He knows most of the solutions and tries to hint at them as a passive observer but lord help him no one listens. Or if they do it’s in the complete opposite way he meant. Trying to keep things together is outside his range of skills, so whatever happens, happens. 

Warriors bragged that a friend of his did it and it was super easy, but doesn’t end up contributing much. In fact he’s the opposite of helpful. He would call the friend who’s completed it for ‘hints’, but would end up having them tell him everything and use that knowledge to mess with the team. Adding red herrings and false clues, drawing attention away from the real solutions and more importantly, wasting time. Don’t worry, the rest eventually catch on and end him, if Time doesn’t put a stop to it first.   

Twilight would be the theorist. He doesn’t actually try anything or do anything practical, he’ll just throw ideas out there based off the most irrelevant stuff and look for a deeper meaning in everything he sees. “Is that painting of a cat playing with string a clue?” “This shelf is missing a ledge could that mean something?” “That mirror has a crack in it...maybe...”

Sky, bless him, will leave helpful notes for the next group of people. He’ll have post-it notes out and ready (just because), so whenever the chain finally makes a breakthrough he’ll jot it down and leave it somewhere not to obvious. He’d also write down little compliments and motivating things like: “You can do it!” and “Almost there!” though it would get confusing when they inevitably backtrack:

Legend: [picking up a post-it note] Guys I found clue!

Note: You look nice today! :)

Legend: [scrunching it up] Dammit Sky!

Legend, will hoard anything and everything he thinks ‘might’ be useful. That random chess piece, that picture frame, maybe those marbles, all vital items. The others will help him break stuff without him even needing to ask. So long as they’re not damaging anything too expensive, Time will allow it. 

Wild will take pictures, selfies and videos of everyone suffering. He wouldn’t help since Time won’t let him cheat or break themselves out, so he’ll just enjoy himself by documenting the chaos for everyone to look back on and cringe. Or maybe he’ll live-stream the whole thing to his 10 followers.

Four will constantly remind people of the time. If they’re taking too long on a puzzle he’ll be literally counting down the seconds insisting they think faster. He won’t take any kind of goofing around because that’s wasting valuable time. When they do eventually figure something out he’ll be the one to lament how easy it was and how it shouldn’t have taken them that long.

Hyrule, the oddball, will try to get into the mind of the creators. Start psychoanalysing them from the word ‘go’, and try to figure out the thought process that went behind the puzzles. He’ll look at suspiciously places objects and clues and think, “That has Time written all over it” or “Yeah I can see him doing that”. When that predictably fails, because he’s terrible at it, he’ll ask Time roundabout questions to try and see into his mind. That doesn’t work either. 

Wind, when he isn’t co-hosting Wild’s livestream, helping Warriors mess with the chain or collecting items for Legend’s hoard, like the tiny gremlin he is, will be opening the nearest window and screaming for help into the street. 

This, to Time’s horror, actually works and a random pedestrian hears the boy and calls the fire brigade thinking they were actually trapped in the building. 

~~~

Thanks for reading!

Masterlist 

Headcanons: Parkour team, Honorary Gorons, How each member of the chain laughs, Flora is Feral, Is Malon Real?

AU Ideas: Midsommar AU, Hyrule centric idea

Short Stories: Smoke Signal (LU Wild x reader), Ancient Masonry (Sky and Wild), Blunt Crown (Wild and Flora)

[kelpan]

So…. did I vastly underestimate how hard the holiday season as a whole would weigh on my mental health? Hoo boy yes I did. Did I also bite off more than I could chew in a single chapter, and end up splitting it into two so I didn't go mad? Also yes. Did I take into consideration any of my personal health issues throughout all this, and prioritize them amidst an uptick of work in order to avoid crashing and burning? No, no I did not.

Needless to say, sorry for the bit of a delay in an update, but please enjoy what I have so far for you all! Hopefully I'll be able to get the next one edited and posted soon.

And as a personal note, please don't be like me. The holidays can be unduly hard sometimes. Please don't forget to eat, drink water, and get some rest. There is no shame in taking care of yourself. I hope for anyone else struggling right now, you find some tiny moments of joy to help carry you through <3

Credit for the OC Chrysanthemum headshot goes to wwispie on Etsy/Instagram!

Ao3: Petals on a Stream of Stars

Act 1, Chapter 10: Storytime

Wednesday

4:30 pm

Chrysanthemum

It was almost too easy to stay on the sidelines while Sun and the kids ran about, weaving in and around as they screamed their little heads off. As caretakers, they’d naturally fallen into a good working dynamic together, their individual care styles complimenting the other; Sun, with his never-ending energy, kept everyone up and playing, a veritable fountain of excitement. Whereas Chrys, when the inevitable would occur and a lone child would tap out, out of breath, she would step in, meeting each one with grace and keep them occupied until their little batteries recharged enough that they felt ready and able to rejoin the group. 

The party progressed well, managing to make it to a third round of “Princess and Gremlins”, a tie-breaker to determine the fate of the kingdom. In an unforeseen twist, the kids decided to forge an alliance in order to defeat their true obstacle, the mighty dragon, who ensured not a soul could reach the princess. Gremlins and Knights alike swarmed Sun’s feet, their war cry valiant and determined. 

“Ack, what is this??? Betrayal! Betrayal most foul! Run my princess, run while you still can!”

Using his superior reach to his advantage, Sun took Marigold off his shoulders and placed her outside the swarm of kids, before collapsing to the ground, surrendering to their tickle attack.

“No! You are too much for me! I… I have been… defeated…”

With over-dramatized flair, Sun breathed his last, and the kids cheered, standing triumphant over their slain foe. 

“Ha, alright you little monsters, you’ve won, you’ve won. Let him get up.”

There was little resistance as they followed Chrys’s instructions, the whole group a mess of sweat and smiles. He’d succeeded in tuckering them right out. 

“It seems to me like everyone could use a break,” Sun asked, head raised. “Would anyone like to sit and listen to a story?” 

Shouts of “Yes!” and “Yeah, yeah!” followed. 

“Wonderful! Head on over to the reading corner then, Sunbites, while Miss Chrys gets you all a little something to drink.”

The children needed no more encouragement, and finding their second wind, pushed their little legs as fast as they could go to claim the best spots on the rug first. Chrys sauntered over, stopping at Sun’s head, arms crossed as she loomed over him for once. 

“You doing alright down there?”

His smile faltered, and for a moment she worried something actually was wrong. His face held a seriousness she wasn’t used to, at least not from him. She tucked a strand of hair that fell out of place behind her ear in an effort to mask her growing concern.

“Uh, hello? Earth to Sunny? Those kids didn’t knock your motherboard out of place, did they?”

Still, he didn’t answer her, but sat up on his elbows, rotating his head on its axis so he still faced her head on, despite his torso remaining angled in the opposite direction. There was a look to his eyes she couldn’t place, something intense yet… sincere. The lack of levity she normally saw there sent a rush of goosebumps across her skin. She could do nothing to break the tension while he continued to stare, grateful then once he finally spoke. 

“The lights make your hair look like you have a halo around you. It’s… stunning.”

His tone held nothing but awe, a dissonant thought for her to comprehend directed at herself. Heat snuck into her cheeks against her will, and she turned away, unable to stand to meet his gaze any longer. If such a comment would have come from anyone else, she’d have denied it without a second thought. But from Sunny… her instincts misfired. She cleared her throat to break the silence.

“Oh, s-stop kidding around, ya goofball, the kids are waiting.”

She booped his nose, the easiest way she could think of to get them back to the casual ease she was used to with him, and give her a chance to hide her cheeks. Thankfully, he took the hint. 

“Right you are, sunshine! You mind grabbing the juices?”

“Not at all. You get going.”

True to form, he flipped his head around and curled himself into a rolling tumble, popping himself upright to dismount before jogging over to the group of waiting kids, bells jingling mirthfully. Chrys watched him leave, a smile worming its way onto her face even as she shook her head. 

Don’t read into it too much Chrys, he probably doesn’t realize how things like that can be misconstrued. Get your head on straight…

She’d learned the day before that a small fridge sat just behind the security desk, which housed all their cold refreshments. While meals weren’t usually their responsibility, it was good to have some water and juices on hand for certain situations. Using the loose fabric of her shirt to make a pouch with, she filled up on little juice pouches and tiny bottles of water and made her way towards the back half of the room where everyone else waited. 

Sun’s voice cut through the cacophony of childish voices, heard all the way from where she was. It sounded as if someone was having an argument over their spot selection. She wasn’t surprised, not with how easily amped these kids were. Sun was a saint to have handled this many kids on his own before. 

She hurried back, managing to reach the group just as everyone seemed to settle down. While she handed out the drinks, Sun called out to Marigold, asking her to come up front. 

“As our birthday girl and honorary princess for the day, why don’t you pick out the story? Go ahead and choose whatever you want from the bookshelf.”

She smiled wide, and ran to search the collection. It took her hardly a minute to find the one she wanted, and soon came bounding back, book in tow. 

“Why thank you!” Sun took her selection from her. “Let’s see… Oh. “The Gardener’s Daughter”. I don’t recognize this one. Well, we can just discover it all together then!”

 Trailing a finger down the edge lengthwise, he flipped the book open, and pulled out a small microchip embedded in its blank pages. He then inserted the chip into a hidden port at the back of his head, eyes glowing entirely white while the information transferred. The kids waited with bated breath, their anticipation mounting once his pupils returned to their normal sky-blue color. Chrys found the perfect place to sit, where she could still keep an eye on everyone, and made herself comfortable, sitting crisscross on the floor. With a squeal of glee, Marigold hurried to rejoin the group, but chose instead to plop herself down on Chrys’s lap rather than return to her original spot. Chrys gave a small “oof” as her body adjusted to the child’s additional weight, and the girl relaxed against her.

“Alright, is everybody ready?” Sun asked.

“Yes!” Shouted the crowd in unison.

“Fantastic!” Soft, subtle woodwind music began to play through the loudspeakers at his command, adding a touch of magic to the atmosphere. Chrys made one last quick visual sweep over the group, just to make sure all was well, before letting her attention fall completely under the spell of Sun’s dynamic storytelling. 

“Once upon a time, there lived a young prince in a magnificent castle. His life was a blessed one, full of all the luxuries one could imagine. But for all his riches, there was one thing he lacked, something he desperately longed for. Companionship. His father was a stern, serious ruler, his smiles saved only for court. His mother, lost to childbirth. The boy was alone, with not even the servants willing to care for him more than their duties demanded.  

For weeks upon weeks, months upon months, the boy pleaded for a friend to any who would listen. He’d willingly go to every magic lesson with the cranky old wizard, would never refuse to eat another vegetable again, whatever it took. For just as long a time, his wishes fell on deaf ears. Until one day, the fates decided to grant his request.

The boy awoke to find that they had lost their best gardener in an unfortunate accident, killed while protecting his father. As a means to reward the man for his valiant service after death, the king appointed the man’s widow as the new royal nanny, providing both security and sustenance for his family, including that of his only child. A girl, of about the same age as the young prince. 

He had his playmate at last. 

From then on, the two spent every spare second of the day together. Playing. Exploring. Growing. Learning. The years passed quickly for the pair, though their time together dwindled as they grew older, pulled apart by their individual studies. Though the responsibilities of life kept them apart, the prince thought of her often, his heart always yearning to be by her side. 

With the dawn of the prince’s 20th year, the time finally came where he’d mastered his studies, earning him the right to be considered of age, and the entire kingdom ran atwitter with excitement. The king sent invitations far and wide for all to come and celebrate the prince with a glorious ball. The servants decorated, the chefs cooked, and after months of preparation, the night of the ball arrived. 

Family and honored guests of all kinds arrived in droves, all dressed in their finest in the hopes of attracting the eye of the newly eligible young royal, though none would be able to. The prince had his sights set on one person, and one person only. He searched the ballroom high and low for her, failing to find even a glimpse. That is, until the band started to play a new song, capturing the attention of all. 

There she stood, the Gardener’s Daughter, singing alongside the band with a voice that stilled the entire ballroom, no longer a child but that of a beautiful young woman, as bright and inviting as any flower bloom. The prince, mesmerized, knew then and there who his future queen would be.   

But as quickly as the fates could give, the fates could also take away. 

Black smoke filled the room, pouring in from every window and doorway. All the guests choked, and the prince faltered, unable to see his beloved in the onyx haze. An evil chuckle resounded, and like the wind, the smoke disappeared, revealing to all that though everything appeared the same, something was very, very wrong.

The Gardener’s daughter had disappeared. 

In a fit of rage, the prince—”

The sharp creak of the entrance gates cracking open disrupted the illusion, shattering the story. All eyes drawn to the front, two human staff-members entered the daycare, their uniforms identifying them as part of the Atrium’s food team. Any chance the new guests might have had of a warm welcome crumbled as the children registered what had happened, their shouts of disapproval instant.

“It’s alright my little sunspots, it’s alright! We can finish the story another time, I promise!” 

Sun did his best to console the children, but they were having none of it. Chrys attempted to nudge Marigold off her lap in order to help him get the situation under control, but even she fought with her. 

“No! I wanna hear what happens next! What is the prince gonna do, what happened to the gardener’s daughter?”

“Yeah! We were just getting to the good part with all the spooky stuff!”

A little boy shouted in support of Marigold, prompting others to follow suit. Sun sighed, and popped the microchip out from the back of his head, making it clear that the time for storytelling was done. A chorus of dejected “awww’s” rang out. 

“Now kids, don’t you know that stories are meant to be read in bits and pieces! That’s why we have bookmarks, after all.” He stood, gesturing for everyone to stand. “Right now it’s time for pizza and cake, and presents! Aren’t you all getting hungry?” A few kids nodded their heads. “So, let’s all go put our shoes back on, and keep the fun going! I promise the story will still be here when you get back.” 

At his word, the majority of the kids obeyed, their frowns slowly dissipating as they scuttled towards the cubicles by the front doors. Marigold gave one last pout before climbing out of Chrys’s lap and followed behind the others. Having had the extra weight sitting on her for some time, Chrys struggled to stand, grunting like an old lady as uncomfortable tingles flowed through her legs. 

Sun stopped and reached a hand out, to which Chrys took eagerly. He pulled her to her feet with hardly any effort at all, another reminder of how much hidden strength those gangly limbs held.  

“Thanks,” Chrys said, wiping the wrinkles from her pants. “Interesting uh, story there, Mr. Narrator. Can’t say I heard that one growing up.”

“I believe it! You know, I’ve read each and every book we have here dozens of times over, and this one is completely new to me! No idea where she found it.”

Chrys laughed. “Watch it be some creepy magic book or something, poofed here out of nowhere to haunt the daycare.” She wiggled her fingers and made a parody of a spooky sound.

“Oh, don’t put that extra responsibility on me. I don’t know how to count inventory for a book that can vanish at will.”

They followed behind the children’s trail, the majority having already gotten their shoes on and standing in a line by the door, likely a habit from school. The few who remained hurried to catch up, struggling to tie their laces. Chrys and Sun split, assisting all who needed it until everyone was ready to go.

“Alright my little sunbites! Off you go! Eat all the things! And when you come back, there will be a special surprise waiting for you all! Now have fun!”

The staff waiting at the entrance, arms crossed and faces painfully bored, slunk off the door frames they leaned on and started the line moving out of the daycare. Sun waved them all off before turning to face her. 

“Chrys, why don’t you go with them? Get yourself something to eat too. I can handle the changeover here.”

She furrowed her brows. “Wait, you sure? I’m alright, I ate already, remember?”

Sun sighed, and cocked a single, swirly brow at her, his face and voice uncharacteristically deadpan. “A protein bar, a cheese stick, and a cup of fruit do not a meal make. You need something more substantial, and we won’t get another break before the party is over. So no butts!” 

He booped her nose, a reflection of her tactic from earlier, and ended the conversation with a smug smile. She made a humorous, mouthy sound, and playfully batted his hand away, prompting an even cheekier grin to plaster Sun’s face. He wasn’t giving her an inch. She rolled her eyes with a smile, but still acquiesced to his demands without fuss. Truth be told, she wouldn’t have thought to deny him anyway, but he needn’t know that. 

“Alright, alright. As you wish, good sir.” She walked backwards, giving him a spirited bow with a forehead salute before returning to a normal posture, and picked up her pace to catch up with everyone else as the last few kids rounded the corner.