#i hope its sufficient enough lol </3

[itoshi-s]

Have you ship ur moots yet? If you haven't I kinda wanna see it :)

hi nonnie !!! UH OH i had to let it marinade in my inbox for a lil but it's here finally ˃̵ᴗ˂̵

considering i'm moots with quite a few people on here,, i included just these that i interacted w the most / followed for the longest !! </3 i love each n every single one of u tho MWAH bbies !

@garoujo & nagi ,, they're endgame </3 i don't make the rules they come in a pack ! sweetest gamer couple ever !!!!! have u seen them at the gym 2gether !! @_@ u cannot tell me otherwise n if you think any different,, you're delirious LOL

@haitanisbug keelo my beloved ,,,, u belong w the haitanis in a poly ship </3 PLEASEEEEE you'd rock their world. and make them do the filthiest most insane shit 2 each other. MHM MHM i am rooting for this . also: shinichiro >_< keep that boy on a leash !

@tinymaru & reo !!!!! OBVIOUSLY DUH ! reine makes his rich boy ass so whipped i know it . reo's told me himself he's so in luv ong o_o also have u seen them on a double date w/ seishiro & emmie .. THE CUTEST ever !

@yaakultt n loser isagi ........ the pretty sassy girlfriend w her lame golden retriever bf .. >_< BUT ALSO ever since i picked up hq i SOOOO definitely get ur selfship w kags. it just works. i see it so well kayla i am a BIG fan !!!!

@katasstrophy RIVER hear me out.. let me tell u soMETHING LET ME TELL U SOMETHING ... sae .. it makes SOOOOO much sense. he'd LOVE u and your snarky ass. constant teasing but he smiles at u when you're not looking. PLSSSS also. ever since u outed urself as a ushijima kinda gal .... yeah.. i see it vividly he adores u. somethin about u being an aspiring writer ,, abt u being all crazy n fun and him just @_@ falling head over heels for u bc you're similar in a way but then again,, there's some differences that make it so much more enthralling. SOBBING i have sm more to say abt both of these ships

@ryudoll *slams fists on the table* RYUSEI !!!!!!! i don't take any criticism @_@ the sweetest shy gf w/ her clinically insane boyfie ??? HELLO ?? jae you'll always be the otp in my eyes ! always forever ! he's your crazy doberman boyfriend BUT u keep him on a lil pink leash and he always comes crawling back </3 PLEASE this is so cute. i am biting my fist as we speak

@lalunanymph DAWN PLS .. KAKUCHO.. i remember reading ur works back in my tokrev era and you were the one (1) single content creator on here to make me see the potential in this man !!!! how else would u do that if u weren't literal soulamtes o_o y'all just. belong together. all classy but sweet. thinkin of u two in the bonten timeline....... how you'd ABSOLUTELY turn heads ........ you're the IT couple you're the moment ! </3

@iitoshi ALL THE RINS !!!!!! all of em ! pls the way i can't wait to get to hq s4 just to meet suna n see the yet another rin that bagged u ! >_< but also !!!!! idk how u feel abt him but your vibes make me think of mitsuya sm </3 you're both the sweetest n I KNOW he'd be obsessed. i wanna see that happen mhm mhm

@saetoshis KUNIGAMI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NNGHHHHHH or or or tengen OR ANY BEEFY MAN U DESIRE MOSHI ! cuz u would bag them 100000000%. i think of you and i think of big juicy sturdy men ! kuni is my 1st choice tho <3 you're his biggest fan n he makes sure he shows gratitude in ... various ways........ some filthier than others ADKLHK but you're the sweetest couple ik it </3

@no3tis LALA HEAR ME OUT .. bachira ............. @_@ I KNOW you'd be the most fun couple 2 be around and i'd most probably piss myself laughing around u two LOL you're both insane n i lub u <3 you give me such similar vibes but it WORKS i can see you together so well !!!!!!1 one of these couples that u glance at and just FEEL that they're perfect for each other !

@haithamuse ESTHER i might not know the al haitham guy just yet but. BUT ! he gives me v smart vibes and so do u and IT WORKS in my mind !!!!! idc if i got it wrong cuz it's 1000% true to me (>_<) !! but also. let me just suggest ....... the man himself that you'd DEF bring down on HIS knees instead !!! kaiser @_@ pls you're already like past the language barrier n almost neighbors too. just fall in love already i wanna see that happen KDAJHAK

@dark-mnjiro n barou !!!!!! PLSSSS lee. sigh you'd make this man reach his full malewife potential that we all KNOW he has. you're the couple that makes everyone heal !!! the couple that makes all ur friends feel like you're the parents of the group LOOOOL the vibes are immaculate n u always make me feel so giddy whenever we interact ! it only makes sense u make shoei feel the same & put his guard down around u ! </3

[thedragonagelesbian]

Okay since your asks were so fun, I’m going to do the same for you and ask the LI classes for the dnd character class asks:

Barb, Druid, and Warlock for Cyrus

Paladin and Cleric (👀) for Yiseeril

eee thank you!!!

d&d character class asks

Cyrus (answering for pallybarb for the first two and ranger for the third)

barbarian: What makes your muse angry? How do they manage their anger? Has their rage ever led them to destroy something important?

In typical lawful good fashion, the things that make Cyrus the angriest are things like injustice, cruelty, indifference toward others, greed, etc. Above all else what makes him furious is hurting the people he cares about.

Initially, like a lot of his negative emotions, instead of managing his anger, Cyrus just kind of swallows it (unless he can easily smite its source). It's only through meeting Karlach and having her teach him how to be a barbarian that he learns how to make that anger productive, but it takes a lot of work. No matter how hard Karlach pushes him to get him to rage during their sparring sessions, he can't unlock his emotions until someone else is at risk (I usually imagine Halsin as the one who volunteers to be Karlach's prop). The first couple of times Cyrus does rage, it's very overwhelming and disorienting, since it undoes so much of the self-possession and self-control that he prides himself on... but Karlach & Halsin call him a good boy, which makes everything better.

And. You know. The dialogue option that broke Cyrus' oath was a barbarian option. So there's always that :)

druid: How does your muse interact with the natural world? Are they good with animals? Plants? Do they keep any pets?

I don't think pallybarb!Cyrus had a ton of thoughtful interaction with nature pre-game. He'd do some adventuring in the woods around Baldur's Gate and along the Chionthar, but he hadn't yet discovered his love for gardening. The Grove was a... mixed experience. On the one hand, I think it sparked a very starry-eyed admiration for druidic magics. On the other, their treatment of the tiefling refugees and Kagha's dealings with the Shadow Druids upset him greatly.

So meeting Halsin and hearing how he talks about nature and being able to help him heal the Shadowlands are pivotal for Cyrus, laying the groundwork for him to (centuries down the line) become an Oath of the Ancients paladin at Halsin's side.

As a wild heart barbarian, he can cast speak with animals and does so constantly. I think he and Halsin get some little planters going in the Elfsong Tavern in Act 3 so being stuck in the city doesn't feel quite so maddening for Halsin, and that's how Cyrus discovers his green thumb.

Re pets: Avernus isn't a. Great environment for that lol. I think Scratch stays with Shadowheart post-game (Cyrus has always had a mild phobia of dogs anyway...) and the owlbear goes with Halsin until Cyrus and Karlach return and take it on their adventures across Faerun.

warlock: Has your muse ever made a deal to get something they wanted? Is there anything your muse wants enough to broker for it? What would your muse sacrifice to get what they want?

Cyrus' preoccupation with being self-sufficient (ranger!Cyrus even more so) gives him a decent measure of resistance against temptation, but FUCK does he come close to making a stupid deal with Raphael after the Emperor threatens to make him a thrall. Raphael offers him not just a night of respite from the Emperor's omnipresence--pervasive and heavy even when the Emperor isn't exerting its will over Cyrus--but as many nights and sweet dreams as he wants until the Elder Brain is defeated... in exchange for Cyrus being Raphael's locus of control on the Council of Chosen through influencing Duke!Wyll. And Cyrus would sooner damn his soul to the Hells than compromise Wyll, so the deal is functionally equivalent to condemning himself to the House of Hope, and as panicked as he is, Cyrus is cognizant of that fact.

...And he seriously considers the deal anyway.

And even though he ultimately rejects it, he does still make the deal to trade the Crown of Karsus for getting the Orphic Hammer immediately. And it's never far from hand.

Self-sacrifice is still instinctive for Cyrus, even if he's tried so hard to break himself of that habit.

Yiseeril

paladin: What does your muse fight for? What tenets or oaths drive them? Have they ever had to break a vow, and if they have, why?

Yiseeril fights for herself, for her friends, for power, and for the bit. The closest thing to a tenet or oath that drives her is power good, but even that is. Flexible, given that there's very much a timeline where that pursuit is tempered.

I think if Yiseeril makes a vow, she either (a) is being a lying liar about it & thus breaking it doesn't hold any moral weight for her or (b) believes it with her whole irradiated chest & thus would never want to break it (i.e., her vow to Minthara that she'll stay with her & that they'll take over the Absolute together).

The one exception might be the vows she took when she became a Haruspex of Oghma. Certainly post-tadpole-ing she's stopped observing any rituals or complying with the strict mandates of her abbey or even praying to Oghma except in moments of crisis, but I think she's still following the spirit of those vows to protect, preserve, and pursue knowledge and to embody the voice of creativity.

cleric: Does your muse believe in any god or follow any religion? What drives their faith? Or, if they're faithless, why? What would it take for them to find faith in something or someone?

/big flashing neon sign that says IT'S COMPLICATED/

Nothing is so emblematic of Yiseeril's fundamental uncertainty and unmooring like her relationship to faith. She was (obviously) a follower of Oghma, raised by an order of monks called the Children of the Passive Voice who trained her relentlessly from birth to undergo the rite for which the sect was named-- one that would make her the one 'true' conduit for Oghma's divine and infinite knowledge on the Material Plane.

The ritual succeeded somewhat but left her mind broken and her divinity fallen until the tadpole returned some measure of autonomy to her, and now....................................

?????????????????????

Yiseeril hasn't had any time to grow out of the 'world's best sacrificial lamb' mindset that she was raised in, feeding an aching desire to be loved by a god any god it doesn't have to be Oghma she flirts with the Absolute's love with Shar's love with anything that will have her.

But. She is also painfully aware of how divinity has ruined her. And the only thing she hates more than Oghma--for failing her, for allowing his followers to destroy her, for not saving her--is the fact that he seems to be protecting her now. The fact that every time she reaches out to him--for spells, for blessings, for shelter in a moment of panic--he answers. The fact that everything she does feels like service to him. Her curiosity. Her thirst for knowledge. Her music and her bard magic and her creativity and her inspiration, she wants it to be for herself, but it still feels like worship.

Like the engraving you find the Chapel of Jergal: through knowledge comes atonement.

She finds faith more readily in her new friends, and in Minthara in particular (gay). It gives her something to hold onto when the cognitive dissonance of her relationship to Oghma gets too overwhelming.

[gunsatthaphan]

Bed friend tried to bite off more than it could chew and ended up being basic. Like neither the ‘sexy’ scenes or the trauma really went anywhere or elevated the show. The pacing was so sloooooow too and they didn’t need 10 episodes, they could have stopped at the planned 8 eps since the last two eps were useless. Domundi is in desperate need of some better writers and directors. I’m scared for the rest of the projects they have planned for 2023.

yeah. the FWB concept per se isnt bad its just that it kind of deflated after the initial setup lol.

It sounds bad when I say the trauma storyline was basic but it just was lol. having seen so many bls with the exact same trope and the exact same execution, this just felt like a copy paste kind of situation. and not just that but why overdo it? as if the SA story with the stepdad wasn't enough, they threw 3 more toxic people into the mix. unnecessary and unrealistic. so that being said you're right, 8 episodes definitely would've been sufficient for this. The fact that the screenwriters responsible for this are the same as for Unforgotten Night...... explains a lot lmao.

I do wanna be excited for ML but considering it's the same director,.... I'm not so sure. Let's hope for the best.

xxx

[agnesmontague]

Hi! Sorry if this is forward, but do you mind going a bit more into detail about what made you drop BD?

hi there! the most precise answer i can give, at least one that isn't completely riddled with my own ideals and brainworms, is that i was expecting something of the premise that i don't think the writers ever wanted to deliver. it happens! it just doesn't feel great when it does.

when i saw an anime that was pitched as "assassins + two men + parenting", i was somewhat expecting a more equal balance of the three elements. if not explicitly gay/queer, then some strong relationship drama/development btwn the guys in question; a heavier focus on the high stakes of being assassins; and of course, the parenting. what i've come to realize, as of the latest ep, is that the anime doesn't seem all that interested in any element except the parenting.

sure, there are hints here and there of the other two, just enough to give the anime some of its color, but in ep 7 (which, in the previews, seemed like a more drama/plot-heavy episode), everything still mostly revolves around Being A Parent and returning to domestic life without any real weight given to what being an assassin meant for kazuki. nor was there, i thought, sufficient emotional resolution between him and rei, who's supposed to be his partner and co-parent; nor any meaningful exploration of what kazuki's absence taught rei other than... he doesn't know how to call a cab to the hospital, i guess? at age 25?

this turned into a grievance fest about ep 7 lol but it's really just the culmination of some complaints i've had quietly growing in the background for a while now. so far i've been willing to overlook them in hopes that the anime will pick up its pace in the second half, but now that we're officially past the halfway mark and the show seems to have squandered (in my opinion) what could have been its pivot towards a more thoughtful exploration of all three elements, i figured it would be a good time to distance myself from it and avoid further disappointment.

i could be wrong! i might be jumping the gun a little too soon and the anime could deliver in the upcoming eps! but to be perfectly honest, i have my doubts on how well a heavier plot could be handled in the 5 episodes we have remaining even if we do get one. at this stage i think it's time i just admit to myself i was probably on the wrong page about where i thought this was going. i will still likely keep an eye on developments through the friends i made while watching (shoutout to Clown Town server <3) but yeah. towel mostly thrown in for now.

[one-abuse-survivor]

hi i kinda need some advice on how to deal with everything but dw if its too much to help with

i live with my abusive parents, but despite them being very 'chill' the past year or so im still constantly on edge around them, my dad is practically nonexistent to me, i ignore him and have cut myself off from him emotionally, and im still pretty close to my mom as i kinda have to talk to her so often but she can get angry really quickly and want to hurt me so im constantly making sure my tone and wording are always correct and that can be exhausting in itself ngl lol. i work nights, im only slightly on edge around my coworkers as im still a little unsure of them but ik thats just 'fake news' and its just my anxiety talking. the issue is that, when i saw my boyfriend a few days ago, (i left the country and travelled alone), it was heaven. i felt safe 24/7, i got hugs, kisses and affection AND got to give that to him too and honestly, i was the happiest i think i have ever been in my life. i felt so free. then i had to go home, and once i saw my mom at the airport and getting in the car with her, it all crashed down and it was hell. ive only been home 3 days and ive only just managed to settle it down in my head lol its crazy. its just so opposite to being with him. my brain was just acting as though it had been shocked very hard and it was hard to just focus or be happy and i got suicidal pretty quick. i did start my period too, and i get bouts of depression whilst that happens so it really really did not help my situation at all and it sucked lol. i leaned on him a lot for support and it was so so hard to process and i just dont fully understand why. its so confusing as to why i practically had a breakdown when i got shoved back into that environment like i mean ik it makes sense like going from safe to unsafe very quickly can do that ig but i mean more like its just weirding me out a lot lol. i just cant believe i have been so on edge with my parents and how high my stress is all the time at home. id gotten very used to it, and ig a few days without it was enough to make my brain forget about it all. but idk. ik i need therapy or something like that lmao but i was wondering if you could help me understand it a little more and if youve gone through this before and like if i can get some advice on how to get through it a little more smoothly. my bf and i had a talk earlier and he wants me to try learn how to do all that by myself as it exhausts him when he has to help so much even though he wants to help as much as he can. i understand that fully and dont blame him at all for feeling that way, cos yk, hes my bf not my therapist so ik i can go to him for help but sometimes, like the past few days, hes not the best helper for that haha but im just struggling to know the steps i have to take to get to the self sufficient person we both want me to be lol. ik this is probably a lot, im sorry about it, but i hope your day is going the best it can go, thank you for helping us all out 💕

Hey, nonnie! Sorry for the late reply.

I'm sorry this happened and you had such a strong reaction to going back to an unsafe environment after feeling safe around your boyfriend. This used to happen to me too, and I can really relate to your experience.

When I was still living with my mother, my dad lived half a country away, and every year on summer and Christmas, I would travel alone to spend a few days/weeks with him and his wife. Being with them always felt like an oasis in a desert, and at the same time, it made me forget my mother's abuse. It was... Blissful, but also numb? I don't really know how to describe it. But, if I combine that with my experience with cutting out my mother for good, I can tell you that traumatised brains are experts at repressing all memories of the abuse the moment they feel safe so that you can keep on living without having to process all of it at once, which would paralyse you.

So then of course, going back to the unsafe abusive environment can be really distressing. It's like getting slapped in the face with all of the fear and horror that your brain had already locked away the first chance it got. When you're consistently feeling unsafe, you barely even notice it because your whole being is focused on surviving. But being able to lock that away in the back of your mind, only to have it shoved in your face again? It's absolutely going to mess up with your mind. It's how I felt every time I returned to my mother's house as well. And, in my experience, the longer you spend away from the abusive situation, the more your tolerance for abuse decreases, and the harder it hits you if you're exposed to it again.

I think just knowing that this is a thing that can happen can help you a lot. I'm assuming this was the first time you went through this, or at least the first time you noticed it. First times in any context can be tough, because you can't know what to expect. But, now that you already know this can happen, it won't take you by surprise, and that in itself might lessen the blow a bit.

And now that you know this can happen, you can also plan ahead so you have ways to ride the wave of emotions when it comes. Can you think of anything that helps you during bad trauma moments? Talking to friends, being outside your parents' house? Writing, reading, listening to music? Hiding in a safe-ish space? Personally, it used to help me to talk to friends and vent to my diary about the trauma back when I was in this situation, and also being away from home as much as possible.

I hope you can find things that help you! But I also want you to know that these trauma reactions probably won't go away for as long as you're living with your parents. Brains aren't wired for happiness—they're wired for survival, and it's not realistic to demand them to stop trying to help us survive. So please, be gentle with yourself if you continue having this (or any other) trauma reaction while you live with them. Being self-sufficient is a great long-term goal, but it's absolutely not worth punishing yourself for if you can't get there while you're still actively living in an unsafe environment.

I also want to say that I, too, went through still having trauma reactions around my abuser even after her abuse had "calmed down". I know it can sometimes feel like trauma reactions to being around our abusers aren't justified if their abuse isn't as bad as it used to be, or if we feel like it's stopped altogether. But, nonnie, they are. They're completely justified. Again, it's about survival. These people have shown they can hurt you, so the possibility of it happening again is always going to be there. And your brain isn't going to risk letting its guard down and being defenceless around them.

Hope some of this helps. Sending a big virtual hug ❤️

[ihatebnha]

Hi, I heard you were feeling a little sick, hope ur feeling well!! I've been working these past couple months and I've finally been able to look through ur recent posts so I'm a little behind. I'm embarrassed to say that I've been counting the days and kept writing in my notes app abt what I would send lmao. Ur really my comfort blog. <3 Anyway before this gets long and I end up embarrassing myself more I was scrolling through pinterest and found this:

https://pin.it/6OQSLYI

This is giving me very much izuku vibes. Someone might think that it's bakugo however

I think he's more clear cut in the way he loves and I think it's pretty much agreed that once he decided he's with you, it's already in his head that he's marrying you. Not that any other character wouldn't ( or that its his goal but it might just be the most sinple way of saying this is forever) but going through those (emotional) milestones with bakugo might be easier since once you break through his exterior and he's decided on choosing you there's no hesitation afterwards so while he's a little rough around the edges,midoriya is a completely different story . Its like trying to pull teeth out, trying to get him to admit he needs help or to let him know that ur there for him. Bakugo is very much, "I don't deserved to be loved because I'm not good enough", whereas midoriya is, "I don't deserve to be loved unless Im paying for it." And he has!! His body is a monument of all the times he's given himself away freely simply bc he doesn't see himself as worthy of anything unless he's bleeding for it. Unless he's kneeling and putting his neck through a guillotine. So standing in the shower and letting himself be vulnerable enough not flinch when you touch him and letting himself feel loved without a price ughhhhhdbjsbsjs 🥺. Thinking about how hard he's trying not fall to his knees and sob because he only dreamed about someone loving him the way he's loved others.

Um anyway 💀 thinking lots of thoughts lmao,lmk if the link isn't working lol

(link!)

cookie🥺🥺🥺 sorry for the late response! don’t ever feel bad for being or getting behind cuz (clearly) it happens to everyone... it’s really sweet of u to even want to check back in at all AND KEEPING NOTES FOR ME? please, you are *cries* too kind. 

it’s funny tho cuz i always, always, notice when ur in my notifs. i think because maybe sent me an ask i don’t remember but also mostly the time u responded to my hc about bakugo liking the black eyed peas LOOOL and i’m still grateful <3 

anyway lalala that’s just to say ur so sweet and i think of u too !!! let’s get into this tho a bit ;’)

-

i for sure agree it’s deku!! like you point out, i definitely think the whole... confusion + being overwhelmed aspect is a lot more him than bakugo, who definitely skirts around being blatant w/ affection but isn’t all that opposed to both giving and receiving. deku, on the other hand, really... waits for you to lead, and because he’s him... is happy to wait forever. So when you suddenly reach out and care for him in a way he’s never experienced before... AHHH.

and just... that specific kind of intimacy too, i see as being very deku. you know, bakugo likes washing himself, so when you do it... it’s more of a vulnerable act. deku... can sometimes (and often) neglects these aspects of self care bc again, he believes his body is for The People... so when you to take control of it and provide? it’s this whole different level of softness and gentleness and love because it’s not related to anything painful or outside of just... showing ur love for him and him alone, as a person. a lover. 

(does that make sense? not that it isn’t all that for bakugo... but he’s more self sufficient in that the washing doesn’t make him fall apart. he falls apart for other reasons and then you’re there to help after)

but uh... yeah. i’m melting thinking about it! and esp because he has such nice hair in general, too. Can you imagine giving him an olaplex or oil treatment for fun and him just... tearing up and then falling asleep in ur lap LOL? he wakes up with the nicest, shiniest curls. i adore him to bits :((

and you, too! thank you so much for this <3

-

also i just want to highlight: 

“His body is a monument of all the times he's given himself away freely simply bc he doesn't see himself as worthy of anything unless he's bleeding for it. Unless he's kneeling and putting his neck through a guillotine.” 

WOWWWWW!!!

[confinesofmy]

3 and 4 for the succession ask meme!

hi anon hi, thanks for the ask! 💕

3. favorite rarepair

i already answered rava/stewy here but i also like brian/roman. they just make sense, their chemistry was really interesting. i hope roman loses all of his money and moves into brian's apartment and has to start pulling his weight around the place so he doesn't embarrass himself in front of his normie crush. <3

4. which kid is most like logan?

i would say that at face-value kendall is most like logan but it's usually play-acting. it doesn't come naturally to him at all so the veneer is constantly slipping. but he's spent decades pretending to be just like his dad and that has its effects i'm sure. he seemed a lot like logan in mass in time of war, like maybe if he acted enough like their dad they would line up like soldiers for him.

i think shiv is the most like logan without directly trying to emulate him, she's fairly calculative, very ambitious and goal-oriented, she'll do what she needs to do. but when it comes to his more negative traits like vindictiveness and impulsivity she doesn't quite measure up thankfully.

meanwhile roman inherited a lot of his dad's gut instincts and charisma (matter of fact i think he's better at social moves than logan currently is), he's very empathetic and can smell when a situation is going south from a mile off. he can even act on those instincts if he has faith in his own judgement, which he often doesn't. so he's quite a bit like logan as well, at least in theory.

i don't think enough about connor to respectfully compare him to their terrible abusive father lol. though he does seem less like logan than any of the trio, idk if that's due to less early childhood exposure, or if it's bc he was discarded and is now ignored so he feels no need to act like logan, or what.

so i guess my answer is shiv by a very narrow margin? i'd say being the most independent & self-sufficient of the kids gives her a big edge over the others, she seems to consistently have more confidence and self-assuredness than they do, which is a very logan trait.

[chil2de]

Hii! It's me again, the "teasing mom's broyfriend" anon. I just- you about killed me with that sequel. Hot doesn't even begin to describe it, really 🥵🥵

I have more :))

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

Megumi knows. He knows what a slut you are, knows you've been fucking his father behind his and your mom's back. He knows you only got with him to provoque his father. He knows all of that. And yet, he can't let go of you. He won't do his father this favour.

He avoids going to your mom's house with you as best he can, bc he just can't stand the two of you doing this to her, the poor woman doesn't deserve it. He never touches you when you come back from your mom's, bc he just knows you've been with him. There is, however, an exception. The only thing that can make him help you tease his dad is when they fight.

When it happens, Megumi goes visit your mom with you, and whenever she can't see it, he makes it a point to touch you a little more than would be appropriate in front of Toji. The mix of Megumi's hands all over you and Toji's warning glare could probably make you cum right then and there. Once, when your mom was out doing grocery shopping and Toji stayed behind with the two of you, Megs was all to eager to fuck you, make you scream his name, all for Toji's benefit.

Oh, you do so love it when they fight. You know you should hope for peace and harmony between father and son, but you have much more fun when they are at each other's throat.

You wonder what you would have to do to have both of them filling you up at the same time...

ugh okay sorry if this post is just a massive wall of text i had to cut down on spacing because i kept reaching tumblr’s limit on characters, and uh... incase you couldn’t tell, shit’s about to get serious if i wrote this much LOL this probably looks so clunkyyy :(( i apologise but i have like a line left or two? so i’ll compress everything by saying a massive thank you because this would not have been possible without your sexy ass intellect. i was seriouly fucking dying writing this, it might be the first or second piece i’m genuinely proud of and i thank you :) i hope you enjoy it as much as i did writing it

this piece makes sense as a standalone, but works a lot better if you read the previous piece! read my disclaimer here if you’re new <3

w.c: 2.8k / characters: 15k (incl spaces) and a special thank you to my beloved anonie. couldn’t have done it without you ❤️

day and night: two.

your bedroom door shuts with a quiet ring. you can only slump down against it, knees held into your chest. your thighs are still quivering like a poor little lamb.

as you move to type out a text for megumi to not come over, there’s a faint knock at the window. your heart burns, throat clogged and knees weak.

you don’t know if you can get up. hell, you don’t know if you should get up. there’s another few delicate rips against the glass and you manage to stumble over in fear of attracting toji’s attention.

“megumi?!” you mouth his name in alarm, dismay crawling onto your features.

your boyfriend gives you a dead once over, noting your matted hair, smeared mascara and weak posture.

of course he knows.

you can discern it clearly from the way he refuses to meet your gaze.

“can you just let me in?” he whispers, tone flat as his index motions over to the lock of the window.

you don’t know what to do.

after all, you’ve still got toji’s cum flowing inside you from earlier.

you fumble backwards, moving to allow his lanky figure to slip inside. megumi manages to hoist his leg up and over, squeezing inside with ease. he closes the window shut behind him, pulling the curtains.

“m-megumi? what are you doing he-“

he doesn’t have time to waste.

megumi knocks the wind out of your lungs as his cold hands seize the sides of your head, stealing your lips for a kiss. he tugs at your bottom lip, tongue drinking you in for a couple of moments like you’re the last meal he’ll ever eat.

“shit.” he hisses, pulling his face back and screwing his eyebrows in mutiny.

oh, but if you didn’t love the way he looked at you like you were pure filth.

“you taste like him. it’s disgusting.” he spits, wiping his delicate lips with the back of his hand.

he knew, but there was always a part of him that wished you wouldn’t submit yourself to the likes of toji. he just had to see it for himself.

“come on, megumi-chan~ thats no way to talk to your girlfriend, is it?

your mother doesn’t deserve this. megumi doesn’t deserve the heartache, either.

megumi can’t see anything but the spitting image of his father all over your body, licking and fondling all the same crevices that he has. but he can’t get enough of you. he can’t stop, can’t turn away from you. he knows that at the end of the day you're spoon-feeding him phrases he wants to hear.

but you’re so good to him.

your pussy fits him like a glove. your hand intertwines with his perfectly. your head is the perfect size to cuddle onto his chest.

there’s something about you that makes you more addicting than nicotine.

bony and slender fingertips ghost over your thighs. you can’t help the squeak that hiccups from you. megumi raises an eyebrow in scepticism before flipping the hem of your miniskirt up.

he scoffs, slicking his long middle finger against your hot cunt.

“don’t hold it in.” he reprimands you, flashing a grimace as you squabble with him.

“b-but toji-“

“but what? am i not good enough for you?”

you swallow thickly, chanting a small prayer before allowing toji’s cum to drip out of your pussy. you shiver, goosebumps licking your skin when you can feel the warmth of his seed ooze and coat your soft thighs. you can’t avoid the burn of megumi’s regard as he watches the cum slowly flow out of you.

he’ll make you want him.

megumi can’t fully comprehend why you keep running back to his father instead of him, why you choose toji over him. like father like son, it evokes a bubble of magma in the form of competition and jealousy.

he’ll make you beg for him. that’s for sure.

“get on the bed.” he whispers, tone cold and even. there’s no warmth to his voice, even with his usual monotonous tendencies you can tell you struck a nerve. it makes your stomach churn, butterflies swooping in and adorning your vital organs.

like a moth drawn to a flame, as though you have no mind of your own, you step backwards until the back of your knees kiss the metal frame of your bed. megumi towers over you, pushing you backwards as he crawls in between your thighs.

the crisp ring of his zipper sliding down clashes against the room. why should he undress himself properly for the likes of someone like you?

“there’s no point in prepping you. i think you know that.” megumi sighs, relieving his twitching cock from the confines of his painfully tight boxers.

you can feel the avarice swirl in your abdomen, cold fear stilling in your veins at the mere thought that you could get caught by toji at any second. it makes your fingertips tingle and stomach churn. when you wail a needy whimper, megumi only shakes his head before plastering his icy cool hand against your wet lips.

a part of megumi wants to let all hell break loose. if he allows you to moan as you please, it won’t be just toji hearing your cries of ecstasy. knowing your mother, perhaps she’d be a little glad to know that your boyfriend is meeting your needs sufficiently. whereas toji?

it puts him in a predicament. from a bystanders point of view, toji has no right to storm in here and to shriek at megumi for blowing your brains out.

why?

because he’s not your dad.

he’s not a paternal figure in your life. there’s no right for him to say what you can and cannot do. he won’t hold that kind of reign over you like your mother does. and megumi likes that. he relishes the idea of toji being forced to listen to you babble megumi’s name, to mewl and cry for him to hit it deeper whilst he can’t do anything but complain.

it’s not like you haven’t heard your mother with other men plenty of times. it’s only natural, right? hell, she’ll probably gossip with you about it.

a carnal desire glosses over megumi’s steel blue gaze. like a wolf waiting to pounce onto a hare. he can see the way your thighs squeeze, how you gulp before him with those doe eyes of yours. you’re practically purring underneath him. for once, megumi gathers the reasoning to understand why his father finds you so intriguing. there’s nothing better than having your own toy melt and oblige under every command.

your boyfriend’s hand finds its way to your chest, where he rests the palm flat underneath your breasts. he steadies himself, using you as leverage as he guides his dick through the cum stained mess of your cunt. your heart pounds in anticipation, drool coating the back of your tongue as your pussy throbs around him. he manages to fit his tip in, dragging the enlarged and sensitive muscle against your walls. your ankles flutter around megumi’s waist, lower body strength trembling as you attempt to pull him in further.

“m-megs- please..”

“what?” he screws his eyebrows, staring you down. you can’t find the words in you to plead for him.

“what the hell? why act all coy now?“

“that’s not how we do things around here, is it? so spit it out. i won’t get what you’re trying to say otherwise.”

megumi slips his dick out, grinding against your clit as his torso flushes against yours. he pulls you in for a quick kiss, enough to relinquish his appetite, but not enough to taste the filth that corrupts your sweet and innocent lips.

“those cute little whines of yours won’t help you, either.” his breath flickers against your skin, sticky tongue licking trails as he works to mark up your neck. you can feel the tears prick your eyes already. you’re suddenly hyper aware of your heartbeat pounding in your ears, how it throbs against your cunt and the droplets of perspiration trickling along your skin. you can feel megumi’s pulse heavy against your clit, the way his dick twitches as he smears the tip through the folds of your slick. it’s slowly driving him insane. but that’s okay. even through the static that bounces around in his skull- he knows that you hate it more.

after all, your boyfriend knows best.

your fingernails soar around to megumi’s back. you want to scratch him, but you can’t access his toned skin through the layers of his jacket. instead, you’re left fumbling and scrunching the fabric like a feline with an insatiable desire to itch its claws.

“megumi- please, it’s too much-“ you huff through laboured breaths, peering up at him through tear stained eyelashes.

it’s almost enough to make him melt. almost.

“what is?”

“this?”

he shifts himself back up, grabbing his dick and slipping only the tip in once more. he allows you a few centimetres extra before dipping back out and repeating the process again. megumi’s gaze locks with yours, as though he’s asking ‘is this what you want?’

“s-stop teasing me.. just put it in alreadyy~” you choke out a groan of frustration, ready to slam your hips down onto the full length of his shaft.

“why should i?”

“megumi, i swear to god- if you don’t fuck me right now-“

“-or what? you’ll go to my dad? good luck, when you couldn’t even fulfill your duties as being his toy.”

so fucking humiliating.

the way megumi instantly stands up and proceeds to stuff his still hard and leaking dick back into his boxers.

he’ll deal with it later.

you’re left stuttering, unable to form any coherent words, thoughts or insults to spew back at him. legs wide open, cunt empty and glistening in the blue tint of the moonlight.

he leans over, swiping some of your excess drool with his thumb before dipping it into your mouth. he half expects you to lick at his thumb, convince him to stay a little longer, but his skin sits in your mouth like a forgotten thermometer for a couple of seconds.

“if only you could see your face right now.” he hums, tone flat with a certain mockery.

sometimes, as the days pass, you can notice his resemblance growing closer and closer to toji.

-

the following day

you haven’t left the quarters of your room for the entire day. you’re stuck in bed, face mushed into the confines of your pillow. you’ve always held high regards of the fact that your libido isn’t necessarily extremely high, but when you’re promised dick just to be neglected of it? shit feels like you’re in heat. you can’t go to toji, because you’re mother’s home. not only that, but he’d be sure to teach you one of his lessons. you’re already shivering thinking of the conversation with him, how you’d even try to dig out of that hole you were already so deep in.

you can’t call megumi either… at least not for now. you sigh wistfully into the pillow, kicking your legs about on your bed as you hiss a groan of turmoil.

there’s a sudden knock at the door that snaps you out of your haze. it leaves you pumped, blood coursing through your veins and you shoot up like an attentive little puppy about to be taken for a walk.

“it’s open!” you clear your throat, humming.

the disappointment rocks your features so clearly that it’s embarrassing. it’s just your mother.

“you okay? thought you died in here, baby. lunch is ready, and your lovely megumi-kun came to say hello.”

what?

“megumi? that’s nice. did he leave a message or anything? like he just dropped by to say hello or-“

“hm? oh, no. he’s having lunch with us.”

“is everything okay, dear?”

“yeah! yeah, i’m good. sorry, i spaced out a little bit. small headache, that’s all. i’ll change clothes and i’ll come out to eat.” you dismiss your mother, keeping in the hyperventilation you’re about to undergo. she gives you a small glance of concern before returning to the dining room to serve her guests.

“(y/n)! we were just talking about you!” your mother hums, gifting you a smile of warmth and radiance as she pours drinks into some cups.

you can feel toji’s mocking stare dig holes into your skin.

you can fucking feel it.

you can imagine him saying it.

“slut.”

at the six chaired table, you scurry to sit the furthest away from megumi and toji. your mother shoots you a sideways glance, motioning for the seat between toji and megumi. you swallow thickly, awkwardly striding over to take a seat.

your knee accidentally knocks into toji’s and you instantly utter an apology.

“you should be.” he mutters underneath his breath, disguising the words as a sigh.

“so? you said you were talking about me?” you straighten yourself, perking up a semblance of cheerfulness and perfect innocence.

“oh, right! toji was just telling me how stuffed you were yesterday!”

your lids flicker in shock and you abruptly stare at toji, whose half lidded jade green eyes slowly land on yours before locking to meet your attention for a few seconds.

“sorry, what?” you stutter, finding it difficult to believe the situation.

“you know, the food? are you sure you’re alright, honey? you’ve been acting strange since this morning.”

“i’m fine, i swear. just some painkillers would be nice.”

when your mother turns around to rummage for some painkillers, she emits a squeak of alarm at the lack of them.

please. you’ll do anything to get out of this predicament.

“are we out? i can go grab some-“

“-no, that’s okay. i’ll head out. i need to grab a few extra things for dinner anyway. you three, make nice with each other!”

sure.

when the door shuts, you realise you’re out of options.

you can’t run away.

“so, megumi. how’s eating up after my leftovers feel?”

“leftovers? because one woman wasn’t enough for you?” megumi scoffs, averting his gaze.

“it’s not my problem that your woman came running to me. doesn’t that say something about you?”

“like what?”

“like, you can’t fuck her properly?”

“i can’t fuck her properly? but you’re telling her to keep your cum inside her? don’t you care what’ll happen if she gets pregnant?”

“see, megumi. she’s on birth control. you didn’t know that? and besides, if i didn’t know any better-“

toji finally allows you his undivided attention, staring right through to your soul.

“-i’d think your little girlfriend here likes walking around with my cum inside her.”

you’d be able to run a butter knife through the tension hanging in the air. the room holds its breath, and as do you in compliment of trying not to set things off into a piping hot mess.

“isn’t that right-“

“-princess?”

your fight or flight response kicks in at the malicious tone that coats toji’s tongue. you swallow thickly, throat parched and lips cracked.

but fuck.

if it isn’t the most arousing thing- the two of them squabbling over you.

toji screws his face at you, features lighting in a mix of awe and delight.

“really? you’re seriously enjoying this?” toji hums with mockery, eyebrows perking at your unusual behaviour. he can smell the sweet nectar of your arousal slicking against your underwear.

you abruptly stand up, ready to leave.

megumi’s hand curls around your wrist. he slings your hand behind your back, slamming you over the table. some silverware and plates clatter and dash against the hardwood floor.

“answer the question, (y/n).” he hisses.

you whimper a soft whine. there’s no way you’re answering that.

“get your fucking hands off of her.” toji barks, kicking his chair back.

“try me.”

something washes over you. a premonition, say. that if you don’t speak up, someone will end up seriously injured.

“i can’t choose between you two. i just can’t. so i think it’s the best option if we just stop this completely.” you sigh, prying megumi off of you. his stance relaxes and you wince at the pain in your spine. you rub your wrists in slight agony, refusing to meet either of their gazes.

“it’s been fun, but i think it’s time to draw the line-“

“no.” toji remarks offhandedly.

“huh?” you contort your face in offence. there’s something thick on megumi’s face, too. it almost looks like determination?

“i said no.” toji reiterates, taking a stride towards you.

his index and thumb caress your chin, tilting your jaw up to look at him.

“i don’t care how long it takes. whether it’s me or him-“

“-i’m making you choose.”

[shoichee]

part 4: hcs dedicated to reactions: seirin (their precious lil manager going out with that scissor-wielding emperor bastard!?) and rakuzan (their captain was in love with that girl who cussed at him near the vending machine?!? ITS SO FUNNY) ++ angst where akashi gets jealous of readers teammates (IZUKI kuroko kagami furi... but mostly izuki bc point guards with eye powers) because he still feels bad about what happened and thinks he doesnt deserve her -- teiko anon

OUR LEGENDARY TEIKO ANON HAS SPOKEN OF AN EPILOGUE, alright y’all the finale FINALE 🧘🏻‍♀️ OKAY, i don’t think I hammered too hard on the angst, but enjoy the fluff and subtle crack😌

OOH, looks like another anon wants a pt. 4! :0 Since it is primarily the Teiko anon’s request, I will be prioritizing the first request, but I will combine a few aspects of this request to make a fuller headcanon epilogue! Hope everyone enjoys this! part 1 here // part 2 here // part 3 here

Akashi x Reader

Part 4: Epilogue

[Teiko!manager Headcanons]

in the aftermath of the Winter Cup, your relationship with Akashi has certainly gotten much better, and dare you say, more intimate and romantic; though you were still healing a bit from the emotional scars from Teiko, they seemed to be going away faster than you realized, especially when everyone gathers for Kuroko’s birthday party

you were with Seirin, helping with the decorations and setting up the plates before Kuroko comes in the evening, but what no one expected was for him to bring in the GoMs

YOU’RE SHOOK AND YOU’RE BASHFUL SEEING AKASHI IN HIS WINTER ATTIRE, you’re getting MAD butterflies, but no one seems to notice because everyone’s attention is on the GoMs and Kuroko

of course Akashi was scanning the room for you first, and you immediately look away from his affectionate stare because you were still not used to the old Akashi, let alone his sweeter side for only you

Izuki notices how quiet you got and nudged your ribs with his elbow before telling a stupid pun… the thing is, you were one of the few people who genuinely found his jokes funny LOL

Akashi widens his eyes, staring at you laughing so unabashedly, and he feels really, really bad that he never got that level of a reaction from you whenever you were with him even despite knowing you for longer

now as the party goes on, Akashi is seeing your dynamics with Seirin for the first time and he’s just really grateful that you found an amazing support group during your low times; he’s not particularly someone to get jealous, but he’s getting a BAD case of FOMO because he’s thinking of all the “what-if’s” and all the times he could’ve made you happy and stress-free

“Akashi-kun?”

“Ah… yes?” Akashi snaps out of his daze to see a mild smirk coming from Kuroko on his right side, and Kuroko was about to ask a question about who he was looking at before a shout of “Watch out!” and a ceramic plate came FLYING across the table to hit the Rakuzan captain square on his face

CUE SCREAMS OF PANIC AS MOMOI PUNCHES AOMINE ON THE HEAD AND RIKO JUMPS TO STRANGLE KAGAMI, AND YOU LITERALLY ZOOMED TO HIS SIDE TO CHECK ON ANY INJURIES

see, he could’ve easily dodged it, and he supposed that it’s his fault for not paying attention and dodging on time

thankfully, the plate didn’t break because Kuroko caught the plate before it reached the floor and placed it back on the table

Akashi still has a bruise or two on his face though… and ngl, everyone gulped when they saw him checking out the injuries with a handheld mirror, ready to get their ankles broken

you were so worried over his safety, he finds it really endearing… but he wants to elicit an expression other than looks of worry or tears or anger (flashback to when you cussed him out)

“Wait, but (y/n)...” Koganei said. “Since when were you so close to Akashi that you didn’t hesitate to touch his face?”

a few moments of silence for everyone to register his words

“EHHHH?????!!!!”

everyone is throwing QUESTION after QUESTION at the two of you, and Akashi just has a neutral face with his mouth parted while you were so embarrassed LMAO

Kise being a real best friend, tells them:

“Alright, alright, everyone! Let’s not forget about the birthday boy! Kurokocchi should be the center of our attention today!”

“Kise, that’s…”

“Anywho! Let’s light up the cake and find those party poppers…”

after the party though, when you all return to school, Seirin was READY to jump on you for interrogation, and you do reluctantly tell them that you and Akashi are a tentative couple

Riko: “SERIOUSLY? I mean… that’s kinda cute though…”

Hyuuga: “I mean… yeah, as long as you’re happy, it’s none of my business.”

Teppei: “I hope he treats you well, (y/n)-san.” and of course he gives you his signature head pats

Furihata, Tsuchida, Kawahara: “??????????????????? But why?”

Koganei: “Huh, guess that explains a lot.”

Kagami: “???????????? pt. 2 LMAO” and also “What do you even see in him?” in genuine curiosity

Izuki: “ I guess you two dove into this relationship without hesitation, eh? Get it, get it? Because doves are a symbol of lo—”

“Izuki, shut the fuck up.”

“It means that you love (Ai)kashi—” [Ai means love]

“IZUKI.”

Kuroko simply pretends that this is the first time he’s heard of you dating Akashi, and he gives you his heartfelt congratulations, and as long as Kuroko approves of it, you feel like you’re on the right track (he’s such a good judge of character!)

you and Akashi actually live VERY far apart, considering that your schools are equally just as far in distance, but that being said, for our rich boy Akashi, distance isn’t much of a problem when he can easily find ways to come visit any time

he can also pay for your transportation to visit Rakuzan if you ever felt like visiting him too (although, you insist to pay for your own things, but he’s not having it because he says it’s a treat for him to see you too)

whenever Akashi stops by the Seirin campus to visit, he’s just kind of awkward standing there like the prince that he is, waiting for the perfect opportunity to walk in, but every time, he’d ALWAYS notice how you’re so happy being with everyone here, especially with Izuki, and his guilt just comes back full force again

he wonders if this was right of him to date you when there’s so much people who can easily do a better job in getting you to smile and be completely yourself, especially since he’s been the source of your anguish for all these months (maybe even a year or two if he was counting the duration of your entire crush on him that you assumed to be unrequited)

“Seijurō!” your voice rang out, beckoning him to walk towards you and the group

all of the Seirin teammates are so wary of him, and are all hyper aware of his movements LOL, and Kuroko is just like “hi, you’re back” very casually

Kagami uses this as a chance to challenge a one-on-one on Akashi

Kagami gets destroyed in a few minutes flat

the whole time you’re just watching Akashi with heart eyes, unbeknownst to him while he was focused on Kagami

after the interrogation and Akashi passing the “first stage” of acceptance, you and him find time to have a cute date at a local shopping district to walk around and sightsee

Akashi finds it fun, he really did, but there’s a part of him that thinks you’d have more fun with people who know you better… a.k.a. Izuki, or legit any other Seirin member

he’s visibly distracted by his own thoughts, and you wave a hand to his face, asking if this was too boring for him

“No, no, of course I’m enjoying this with you,” he muses, putting a gentle kiss to your temple. “Shall we get moving?”

“Something’s bothering you isn’t it.”

“No,” he chuckles, giving a gentle smile, but you only frown at him… once again he sees that you weren’t smiling at him

“I’m serious Sei, I want to get to know the real you,” you softly chastise, pinching his cheek. “So I also want you to speak your mind around me.”

“Oh ho… I see that your boldness is still very present here,” he says in referring to your touch.

“Oh my god, can you drop it already? That’s so embarrassing—I cussed you out one time… hey don’t change the subject!”

“Hmm…” he hums for a bit before he comes clean. “I’m afraid that I might not be the right person to be worthy by your side after hurting you for so long.”

“... What makes you think that?” He hesitates, for the first time, not being so sure of himself and his emotions; he immediately thinks of Izuki and your good chemistry with him but dismisses the thought

“... I just do not think I’m capable enough to make you happy.”

“But you are. I’m very giddy to be with you right now.”

“Even happier than when you are with… your teammates?”

“Huh?”

“I apologize,” he hurriedly says. “They are your friends. I was out of line to question them.”

“No, no, it’s okay. Talk it out to me.” He’s uncharacteristically quiet as you both continue to walk and browse through the shops, and you carefully watch Akashi while he’s examining a few souvenirs on the display, patient for him to continue talking

“... the point guard.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Seirin’s point guard.”

“Izuki-kun? What about him?”

“While I’m aware that you only spend your time with him as a good friend… I want to spend just as much of a koala-ty time with you whenever we have the chance.”

he... says this with the straightest face, and you’re utterly confused before you saw some animal plushies on the store window, and the the koala plush, and then the cogs started turning in your head

“... Did you just say a pun?”

“Was it not sufficient?”

a few moments of silence pass and Akashi thinks he did something wrong because he wanted to make you smile (HELP poor captain), before you break into hysterics

between your fits of broken laughs and wheezes, you managed to ask if he was jealous of Izuki, to which he wholeheartedly kept denying until you wouldn’t stop being persistent

you reassure him over and over that he doesn’t need to act like Izuki to make you happy, but it was a pleasant surprise to see Akashi crack a “joke” nonetheless

he’s a bit new to the concept of dating and is still quite unsure of how to navigate this PLEASE GIVE HIM TIME

the date that day was a success (some of the Seirin teammates TOTALLY weren’t spying on you mid-date or anything…)

while Seirin is okay with you dating, visiting Rakuzan ALONE with the scary-ass captain and his “CROONIES” (hint: the rest of the team LMAOO) IS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT STORY

RIKO AND HYUUGA are just like:

“What’s wrong with him coming here to visit you? Why do you gotta do the effort to visit him?”

“Uh… because I want to…”

“Yes, but who would you call to help over if something wrong happens? You’d be too far!”

“Uh, Akashi can help me if something happens.”

“With what, his scissors?” Kagami gives a deadpan look, and everyone turns to look at him in utter confusion LMAOOO like what does this redhead mean by SCISSORS???

Kuroko immediately jabs Kagami’s sides to silence him and smoothly changes the conversation before anyone asks any more questions about the “scissors” and potentially make them more reluctant to let you go

oh Kuroko, being the mediator and negotiator as always, trying to set some safety protocols for you to follow before everyone finally agrees to let you go see the infamous team alone

you know, Teppei is honestly just like, “Just go! Don’t worry about our (y/n) too much!”

Furihata is so concerned for your safety for valid reasons, but you reassure him that you won’t “die from the trip,” and no, this wouldn’t “be the last time” they’d see you before you leave

so when you stopped by Rakuzan’s gym after school after looking at the online maps, Hayama lets out a screech of terror before he starts pointing at you and calling you the “crazy ass chick” who tried to have a first-row seat ticket to death LOL

Hayama’s commotion brought everyone else’s attention to you, and Akashi was very surprised to see you all the way here

but he’s just standing at the back to watch how his teammates are reacting to you

Reo is the guy who would welcome you very warmly and would introduce you to the other team members who aren’t the starters, and he would actually ask if you were okay from last time

Nebuya is very laid back and throws a few muscle jokes much to Reo’s dismay, and he makes a comment about not you possibly not eating enough because at the time, he saw you almost tripping up your feet after you cussed out Akashi… he offers you his extra bowls if you ever feel hungry VERY SWEET GUY

Mayuzumi thinks you have balls, like who the fuck would come out alive after cussing out his captain but then COME BACK to said school of the captain… like why would you willingly walk back into the lion’s den??? so he thinks you’re dumb, but he has a shred of respect for you

Akashi is so amused at the spectacle and finally walks over to you after you noticed him

and he gives you an embrace and a chaste forehead kiss, and the entire gym goes silent

“Sei! I wanted to drop by as a surprise! Did you expect me?”

“Hm, I may have expected you to come sooner or later, but definitely not this quickly. Were transportation fees too much of a hassle?”

“Nope! I got everything covered! Do you want me to give you any chiropractic massages if you and your teammates need it?”

“You don’t need to do that, (y/n). You came here as a guest, not as a manager.”

“But…”

“Shhh, as soon as practice is done, I’ll take you anywhere you want in Kyotō. How does that sound?”

“Er… captain?” Reo holds up a hesitant finger to interrupt the two of you, while everyone else looks horrified at the sight of their captain looking serene

“Get a room, will you?” Mayuzumi only tuts in irritation while turning away to grab a nearby water bottle to down in one go

Nebuya merely stares in astonishment at the two of you, and his mind is thinking how the hell did you reel in this guy?

nah man, Hayama is GONE at this point: his brain has stopped functioning a while ago, and he’s standing there as stiff as a statue, scratching his head like a lost monkey // like he’s thinking how the fuck did this shit add up?? in his mind, he’s taking 2 plus 2 but it somehow ends up 94… that’s how he’s processing what he’s witnessing

the rest of the benchers and lower-string players are confused? who ARE you anyways?? Akashi?? dating??? that’s Rakuzan gossip of the century

TLDR; your first trip to Rakuzan may be awkward because the two of you stick out like a sore thumb, but eventually after multiple trips, the team slowly begins to consider you as one of their own

as per Akashi’s “suggestion” (hint: not a suggestion, but a strong recommendation), you were to be retreated with respect and kindness

why? Because Akashi never wants a repeat of the situation at Teiko ever again :(

as long as he is captain, and as long as he has the power and authority, he will do everything he can to make you happy and comfortable

don’t worry though, the Rakuzan starters are more than willing to punt any kid who talks shit about you

surprisingly, once Hayama comes around and accepts the fact that you were dating the captain, he’d be the most adamant and vocal protector, and he’s the one who shares the “inside tips and tricks” about the captain EEEE it’s so wholesome !!

the Rakuzan team is your certified bodyguard group, no debate

Reo might be the nosy mom who asks about who confessed first and the like…

the END, and I DO MEAN THE END THIS TIME

[calmlypanicking]

Heyyyy!! I love being included! I promise I'll interact with you more, I'm just in a rut mentally.

Anyway!! I love your writing-- do you think you could write something for the prompt "glowing" (I can't remember the number rn.) with maybe some Logicality or or whatever the ship name is for Logan and Roman?

Have a great day!! <3

Here it is @apricots-and-dynamite! Sorry its so late, I didn't realize when I signed up for one of my classes that it would be so much writing, and that took a lot of time and its hard to write after writing an essay lol. I hope you enjoy!

917 words

Lee! Logan Ler! Roman

“Logan!” Roman shouted, far too loudly for the time of night. “Come here come here come here!!” He chanted excitedly, even as he walked himself into Logan's room and toward where he sat in his bed reading.

“Roman, I hope this is as important as you've decided to make it seem.” Logan said, setting his book aside and sitting up towards the creative side.

“It is! Look, i made this stuff, and, and-”

“Stuff?”

“Powder, and when it touches you it will, like, it starts to-”

“When it touches me it…” Logan helped. He knew that at times Roman could get so excited he couldn't talk as fast as the words came and it would get jumbled in his head.

“When it touches anyone it glows!”

“It glows?”

“Well, yeah, kinda. It glows when you're happy, like the emos eyeshadow! I think I finally made his eyeshadow Lo!!”

While he hadn’t known that was a current goal, Roman was clearly very proud of what he had done. “Well done Roman, may I see it work?”

Roman nodded enthusiastically, shifting to grab the small jar from his pocket with an eyeshadow brush. “Hold still, pocket protector,” He began, dipping the brush into the jar. “I know you don’t like stuff on your eyes, don’t worry,” He said, seeing logans apprehensive look at the brush. “I'll put it on like highlight powder, just on your cheeks right?”

“I suppose that should be sufficient, yes.”

Roman leaned forward and began dusting the powder onto Logan's face, smiling when he saw the plain white powder turn a slight blue. “Yes! I was hoping it would follow our colors like Virgil’s does. I wonder how yours would compare to pat-” he stopped, startled by a small giggle. Looking at Logan, he realized in his creative thoughts he had lost track of his hand, and the brush had dusted his ear.

Logan held a hand over his mouth to keep his smile at bay. “Roman, pl- please move the brush.” He said.

Hesitating, Roman decided to keep the brush there. He moved it around to brush his ear, “Like this? Move it like this Lo?”

“Nohohoho,” Logan giggled, covering his face further but not before Roman saw it. The powder was glowing, a brighter blue and easy to see in the lamplit room. Roman was quick to remember, while his powder was caused by joy, it didn’t work with forced joy, or the example he had next to him, if Logan was laughing purely by force, it wouldn't glow. He had to be enjoying himself and happy on the inside too. That paired with his nervous giggles and unstoppable smile were all Roman needed.

Logan noticed Romans expression turn from playful, to thoughtful, to predatory, and knew what he knew. “Wait, wait wait Rohohman,” he began, “your powder wohorked! It’s glowing! That's all we neheeded!”

“That's all I needed, however if your body language wasn't enough evidence, the powder is. You clearly need me to continue.”

“WhAt?” Logan squealed midword as roman brought the brush down his neck, leaving a thin streak of glowing blue in its path. “What do you mehehean I need this?” Logan asked. (he knew. Roman knew he knew. Logan knew Roman knew he knew. I could go on).

Roman simply shook his head, smirking, before continuing his brush down to Logan's collarbones. He continued swirling the brush around, reaching around to the back of Logan's neck, which gave him the sweetest snorts he had ever heard.

“Lolo, cmon, lay down for me.”

“Nohohoho..'' Logan giggled, happy with the neck tickles he was receiving but refusing to make that fact known.

“Do i need to make you?” Roman asked, easing the brush into the back of Logan's shirt and tickling his shoulder blades.

“noHOKAY,” Logan squealed, arching his back. Roman adjusted to let Logan move, telling him to lay on his stomach, to which he complied very easily for someone grumbling about it as much as he did.

Sitting on his lower back, roman could see the blue powder drawn in random patterns across Logan's neck and into his shirt. “Ok if I take this off, nerd?” he asked, pinching at Logan's shirt.

“I guess..'' Logan whispered, squirming, but the way the powder brightened slightly at the idea couldnt be hidden. Roman snapped the shirt away, watching Logan shiver once beneath him.

Leaning down, he gently blew on Logan's spine, knowing how keyed up he already was. Logan giggled immediately, squirming slightly side to side, but happy to not fight back. That was until,

“Pppbbtthhtb” roman blew a raspberry, right under is right ribs, where he KNEW it would tickle like heck.

“roHOMAN!” Logan shrieked, twisting and pulling his arms into his sides, doing nothing to stop the tickly vibrations on his back.

Sitting up, Roman saw the light glowing even brighter, and smiled triumphantly. “Awww, lo, I didn't know you liked raspberries so much!” he cooed, much to Logan's verbal dismay (but the glowing didn't falter, suspiciously enough). “Man, we're gonna have so much fun, pocket protector!”

And as much as Logan wanted to argue, he knew it would be useless. The powder would give him away anyway, so he resigned himself to the fate he knew he wouldn't mind, and got comfortable for the long haul. He knew the powder wouldn’t fade anytime soon, and he knew roman would keep going till stopped, or he himself asked. He was excited, nervous, but safe, and he knew that.

[slashingdisneypasta]

Okay this may be pure filth of a request. But I have an idea. Slenderman x female reader, where his kind have heats/ruts, they have been happily together for a while and she has been wanting to help him with his rut/heat, but she doesn't know that his tentacles become very active during heat/rut sex (possibly because they excrete an aphrodisiac???). Honestly I'm asking for pure tentacle porn, but with feelings lol.

I hope this what you wanted!! Hope it is sufficient! I’m sorry, I’m not versed in the ways of tentacle porn, but I assumed they’re utilised like that of a dick, fingers, or Venoms tongue, haha. I’m not sure if I included the aphrodisiac part, but there is certainly plenty of tentacle activity and certain haze of sex involved. 

Warnings: Well, its tentacle and rut smut. So yeah. No violence though- it is completely consensual and affectionate. 

Breathy moans can be heard clearly - you would say too clearly, if you were in any state that’s aware enough to care, which you aren’t right now through the erotic haze of being fucked literally brainless,- through the cracks of the bedroom door. The room is too hot, your cheeks and chest, and probably everywhere else because all of your skin feels burning hot as you hope and ride for a blessed release, are pink from the warmth. 3 tentacles, twisted around each other, are between your legs and the ends disappear inside your leaking pussy, making the soft black, tubular appendages slick with your juice from the multiple - how many? You have no clue. You didn’t even know how good his would feel before you walked in here and agreed, so you’re overwhelmed with pleasure, -orgasms already.

Still, your legs clamp around the snakelike lengths, feeling them fill you up completely already and just lazily, but heavily roll and move up and down in your used pinkness slowly, in gradual waives like the ocean. The monsters rub your insides beautifully, and you roll your hips upwards, selfishly, greedily chasing your release. A sigh escapes you as you remember the actual, true meaning for you to be here and you look to Slender, astride your legs just watching you as his tentacles do their work with you. “Slender… come- come on, let me- “

‘Let me do anything.’

You just want to help in his heat. You remember the painful way his, legitimately huge cock was straining against his suit pants earlier when you originally came in and he was still trying to resist, and refrain, and although you can’t see it now you know it must still be growing strong despite the orgasm’s he’s enjoyed.

You want to do something for him, you vaguely want to pull his tentacles until they relax and slither out of you but the pleasure is also too overbearing and you know that ultimately, you won’t do it. You’re only human, and pleasured and selfish. He has to do it- he has to rip his girths out of you, leaving you empty, and push your head down to his cock. Then you would be gaping open, of course, but you’ll be happy to wrap your lips around his cock and suck like the secret whore you’ll regret letting free tomorrow, but he has to do it. It’s up to him. But you know he won’t.

You’re in a predicament.

“Sweetheart, you’re… doing just… fine… “He reassures you, lips long ripped from each other already, multiple rounds ago. He’s slowly rolling his crotch against the mattress at a steady rhythm, watching you like in a trance. A heated, rut-crazed trance where even the littlest amount of stimulation, like the rush of watching you in such a completely lude position like you are, and the gentle rub of the mattress against his balls and the underside of his dick has him ready to blow. Just the simplest of additions would have him adding to the mess you’re both in. It wouldn’t stop him from continuing to use you, like you want him to, asked him to, but it would be glorious.

“Don’t you want… ahhh, don’t you want me to… oh… jesus… do something?” God, the 3 noodle-like masses move forward, deeper inside you, rubbing along all your most pleasurable spots and more. You feel connected to him, completely and entirely.

“No… love, you’re being perfect. I love you so much.” Vaguely through your brainless state, you think ‘Puh. It took a heightened sexual state for him to say that so sincerely to me. Figures,’.

“I love you too.”

Another tentacle appears, fans out smoothly from behind him, and he slowly tilts his head slightly to the side as that one moves forward… and starts lightly brushing your pussy lips. So soft its like lips, and butterfly wings, and it sends you over the edge shockingly quickly. “-OH MY GOD- “

Your back arches up so Slender can see your clit from a better, more open angle which he watches intently, letting out a noise of his own, as you both cum once again.

Finally, after who knows how long, the tentacles slowly slither out from you, warm and squeezed from your tightness clenching around them so many times, and dripping at the ends, and go to your mouth instead. You let it happen, running your tongue languidly over the smooth surfaces as Slender readjusts you both so your thighs - which are covered in bite marks and bruises,- sit on either side of his hips, setting you in his lap and gathering your just as exhausted top half to his chest. His, again, painfully hard cock buries itself swiftly in you and you start to go all over again.

With Slender’s long, thin fingers running gently, soothingly up and down your bare back.

[nose-bandaid]

the trees, the grass, the stars

Hi tiny!! I've been reading your stuff... and I love it 🥺 I'm a sucker for royal AUs and the masquerade one with Shinwon was lovely, I was wondering if I could request a Royal AU with Wooseok? I like the idea of rebel prince/princess!! But you can write whatever you like💛💛

Prince!Wooseok x (gender neutral) Reader | royal AU fluff + a little bit of comfort? | 2k words

synopsis: getting engaged to someone you barely knew, getting lost in the forest and tripping over a talking stump. none of it made sense, and yet they all added up to one of the greatest meetings in your life.

a/n: hihi !! @raspberrymuffings​ this is for you<3 prince wooseok hgngngn i loved writing this, sorry it ended up getting a little emotional, idk that’s just a habit of mine LOL, but i hope you enjoy:)

image from pinterest !!

=====

Did you mean to get lost? Of course not. You swore you saw something flash in the forest nearby and decided to follow its trail. That was it. A little curiosity never hurt right? 

Though it turned into an unintentional adventure when you traveled a little too deep into the woods.

Were you upset that you were lost? Not particularly. Being lost meant that you were away from the party and even better, you had a valid excuse to be absent.

Was it a big deal that you weren't at the party? Perhaps, because the whole purpose was supposed to celebrate your engagement with some prince from a nearby kingdom. The two families had finally decided that they wanted to come together, and they decided that the best way to do that (supposedly) was to have the two heirs married. 

But yeah, to you, it was still just a prince from a nearby kingdom because you've literally never met this man before.

Sure, you knew of him. That his name was Jung Wooseok, that his parents frequented your place for dinners. You've seen him milling around the town square sometimes — it's hard not to notice him when he towered over pretty much everyone else. And you’d say he was pretty good looking, if you had to give an answer, though you were usually distracted by the fact that his actions were the embodiment of youth. Last time you saw him, he sprinted by with 10 baguettes in his hands as curious whispers and frightened shouts followed him. They didn’t stop the boy in the slightest bit.

So hopefully this Wooseok was a really good guy, or else you'd had to do some major convincing to get yourself out of the engagement.

But that wasn't the concern right now because you were truly, genuinely, very much lost at the moment. You were certain that you've passed the same tree almost six times by now and all the mossy stumps looked the same.

You’ve never explored the forest on your own before, and now you regretted all the missed opportunities you had to play outside with the other children when you were little. Instead you thought your studies were more important.

You bit back a yelp when you tripped over something and almost face-planted into the tree in front of you.

"Ouch."

That was not your voice. That was most definitely not your voice.

The ground does not talk, the ground does not talk, the ground does not talk.

"The ground does not talk..." You whispered the mantra to yourself and dared to look down.

Your eyes followed the pair of shoes up to the mysterious man's face. His eyes bore right into yours and you finally came to terms that he was, in fact, laying on the ground, white suit and all.

"What?"

"Geez, I really did think that no one would bother me here, but I guess I was wrong." He sighed and rubbed his neck, bending his legs to make more room for you.

"What are you doing on the ground? In the middle of a forest no less?" 

He held a hand up and began lazily counting on his fingers. "Resting, relaxing, thinking... sleeping."

You didn't even hear his answer when you scanned his face once more and realized why he seemed so familiar. "Aren't you my fiancé-to-be?"

"I suppose so." He got up, brushing off the leaves that had fallen onto him and you wondered just how long he had been laying on the grass for. He then held a hand for you to take and he bowed. "A pleasure to meet you officially, my name is Wooseok"

"Likewise, I’m y/n." You replied and pondered over your next question before deciding that you didn't have to filter yourself so much in front of him. "Don't you care about your outfit? You have a party to attend."

"I could just get someone to clean it or replace it." He answered nonchalantly without missing a beat.

"So that's what it's like to be rich, huh." You deadpanned. "No pressure to keep an image? Lucky."

"Oh, I'll probably get scolded like hell when I get back, but I couldn't care less about my image. The only time I did was when I had my portrait done. They painted my eyes perfectly, and that's all that matters." Wooseok mentioned that last part haughtily.

"You do have nice eyes...." You admitted quietly, though you quirked your eyebrows at his odd fixation on that specific memory.

"What was that?" He teased way too obviously.

You decided to humour him and repeated, this time a little bit louder. "I said you have nice eyes."

He blushed and you watched him lick his lips in nervousness. It's as if he wasn't expecting you to give in so easily and you took note of that. You could definitely take advantage of his true shyness in the future.

"Th-thanks." He stuttered and you laughed. In the distance, you heard cheers coming from the party and the music started up again. Food must’ve been served.

You looked at Wooseok and tried to break the awkwardness. "I take it that you don’t really want to be here either. How long do you think we have until they come to hunt us down?"

His eyebrows furrowed as he went into deep thought. "28 minutes, on the dot."

You tilted your head. "And how are you so sure?"

He dropped a hand onto your shoulder. "Just trust me on this one."

You pursed your lips but didn't argue with him. "And what should we do during those 28 minutes?"

"I don't know about you, but I don't mind getting to know you better. At least, as much as I can, before our families force us to kiss in front of the crowd or something." He threw that out casually as he stretched (it was the truth, after all), but his voice wavered a little.

"True that..." You replied softly. The atmosphere grew a little awkward again as he kicked around the stones near his feet in silence.

"What were you doing before I tripped over you?" You asked to strike up yet another conversation and he let out a laugh at your question.

"I was looking at the stars."

"The stars?" You echoed as you strained your neck to look at the decorated sky. It wasn't often that you got to be outside at night, much less all alone, and you quickly realized how much you've taken the stars for granted.

They were beautiful.

"Yeah." Wooseok let out a huff as he returned to the ground to lay on his back again. He patted the spot next to him. "Want to join me?"

"Sure..." Your voice dwindled off when you touched the damp grass and then looked down at your outfit. There was no way you're going to get out of this without staining the fabric and you paused at those thoughts. What's a good excuse for a bunch of grass stains on your back? Would a clumsy trip cover it?

Sensing your hesitation, the other sat back up and began taking off the white coat that covered his suit. He then settled it onto the empty spot beside him. "Here, you can use this. I really couldn't care less about the stains, but I know you still got a reputation to hold."

"Unfortunately, I've already lost mine." You heard him quietly add to the side.

"Thank you, I appreciate it." You said.

He was a tall boy, so it made sense that he also had a long coat and you never would’ve thought of the benefits of that fact until today. Though it still wasn't enough to protect your entire outfit, it was sufficient damage control and you reasoned that you'd be able to come up with some kind of excuse for the few, inevitable stains.

For a while, you both laid on the grass in silence, watching the stars and occasionally putting the music history drilled into your minds to the test, naming the new song each time the band at the party switched pieces. The conversation then drifted back to your hobbies and you listened to Wooseok talk about his stargazing again.

He pointed a long finger at the sky and you tried your best to follow his gaze. "That's Aquila over there. Its brightest star is Altair. That one."

"I honestly have no idea which star you're pointing at, but you sure know a lot about stars." You commented lightly.

"I have a friend who loved space." He chuckled. "He always wanted to be an astronaut and wouldn't shut up about it. Then he got caught up in all his 'princely' duties and suddenly disappeared with his studies." He hummed. "I wonder where he is now, probably looking at the sky the same time we are. He always likes to keep his habits a secret."

Your expression softened at his wistful tone. "Maybe one day you could visit his place and see how he's doing? I could come with you if you'd like, keep some company. It could be another adventure, invite him along with us."

"That'd be nice. I think you would be good friends." He clicked his mouth and you waited for him to say more.

"You ever feel like everyone's growing up and you aren't?"

"Definitely." You replied.

"I know I'm immature, that's a well-known fact about me, but it's really because I'm clinging onto the childhood that I feel like I missed out on. All those classes and formalities, looking out the window and watching other kids play — why couldn’t I do those things too? Now that I'm all grown up, I have the freedom to do whatever I want, but suddenly all of my friends have turned into the person I was when I was little. They're grown up and stocked up on responsibilities and it feels like I missed out on my only opportunity to have fun..." He trailed off and cleared his throat.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to put that load onto you so suddenly. All this thinking has, well, got me thinking, I guess. And the fact that I'm getting engaged today is a little off-putting, no offence. It's a big responsibility and I worry that I'm too immature to commit to it." He let out a deep breath and waited for your answer.

You never really thought about your life that way until you heard Wooseok put it into that perspective. Perhaps it’s because you’ve always begrudgingly busied yourself with your royal duties, but you suddenly found yourself agreeing to everything he said. The two of you were more similar than you initially thought, now that you've witnessed what's underneath his childish persona.

"If it makes you feel better, I understand what you're saying." You didn’t know why, but you felt the need to whisper. "I couldn't care less for titles, sometimes I wish I could live life as a normal person. Sounds more exciting."

Your conversation was interrupted by someone shouting your name, followed by Wooseok’s. That shout was followed by several more from different voices and you perked up, realizing that they were beginning their search for you. It must've been time for the actual highlight of the party.

Had it already been 28 minutes? That went by faster than you would’ve liked.

"They're finally coming for us." You looked over at Wooseok. 

All of the downcast emotions he was pouring out before were absent and a small smile was planted on his face instead. He took one of your hands into his and planted a soft kiss on the back of it. 

"How about we run away?" He suddenly suggested, and you choked at his words, not even having the chance to wrap your head around the fact that he kissed you. Even if it was just on the hand.

"You want us to run away?"

"Like not, run away, run away. I'm not going to pull a Romeo and Juliet on us, but we should mess around for a little while longer; get them to chase us." He smirked. "It'll probably give us about an extra five and a half minutes or so."

"You seem to be really confident with your numbers." You responded, hesitantly standing up to return the jacket which he slipped on without a second thought.

He shrugged. "If I sound confident enough, eventually someone will come along and believe me."

"Are you implying something here?" You laughed, appalled at his impudence.

"Maybe." He cheekily smiled and you felt your cheeks heat up. You couldn't tell if it was because of his jab or because he looked quite stunning under the moonlight, hair dishevelled and clothes stained.

The shouts got louder and the music stopped, but you ignored them and continued to laugh.

"Alright then, Sir Wooseok," You held a hand out to help him off the grass.

"Lead the way."

[cutieodonoghue]

dark gray (1/?)

summary: Killian Jones operates a lighthouse in the middle of nowhere, preferring a life of isolation, until one day a woman and a baby wash up on his little island and change his life forever.

read it on: ao3, ff.net

a/n: Hi! I know what you’re thinking… I’ve seen this story before, haven’t I? Yes. Yes you have. (Though, if you’re new to this story, hello and welcome, please enjoy!)

I deleted it a while ago thinking it wasn’t fair to leave it up unfinished if I had no plans to continue writing. But, literally out of the blue the other day, inspiration hit me and I was able to actually finish it! Can you believe it? I can’t.

So, rather than keeping it for myself and my own enjoyment, I thought I’d share with anyone who still wanted to see how this tale ends. I know it had a bit of a following and I still get questions about it to this day.

As an added benefit of this reposting, I’ve made some grammatical changes (because sometimes you re-read and you go, wow yikes I messed that up lol) and added some extra bits here and there to add some color and zing. May as well, right?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! And I swear it’s going to be finished this time. I have an actual ending written and ready to publish!

If you just want to read the new parts, tune back in for chapters 14 and onward :)

Love you friends! <3

///

One

He slams the front door closed and it squeaks on its hinges, swinging and clattering against its cracked and broken frame.

He shoves his fist into his jacket pocket, straightening his gaze ahead of him with a white huff of his breath in the frigid air to mingle with the fog that has descended onto the island.

His boots crunch on the rocks as he carries himself onward and he takes note of all the things he has in store for his day. It isn't much, never is, and he curses his sailor's blood for the ungodly hours.

The ground is still damp from last night's storm and the air still smells of it. It had been an unruly thing, the storm, and he'd woken several times at the sound of lightning spiking nearby.

As he walks toward the lighthouse, he shifts his gaze to the ocean that's lapping up against the shore nearby. The water sprays at him and he grits his teeth, breathing in salty gusts of air through his nose.

He narrows his eyes, stopping dead in his tracks the instant he notices a lump lying at the shore, the foaming water washing over every few moments.

The blood drains from his face and his heart begins to pound just a little bit faster, a throbbing beginning to sound in his ears.

He stares for a moment longer, then shifts his gaze a little further up the shore to a brown basket nestled in seaweed and wet sand.

Curiouser and curiouser.

His brow furrows slightly and he pulls his hand free from his jacket so he can comb through his hair nervously.

He starts for the two washed up mysteries quickly, breaths coming out in nervous, shaking huffs, and when he reaches the blue lump, he kneels down beside it.

It's a woman.

She appears to be a few years his junior with sopping wet blonde hair and fair skin. When he examines her, she's breathing, but she's passed out cold. There’s blood oozing from a wound in her forehead and he's sure something's wrong with her leg, because it's twisted obscurely.

He winces a little, unsure of what to do. He's about to stand and lift her over his shoulder to help her when a high-pitched squeaking and crying emanates from a little further down the beach in the brown basket.

He can hardly hear the ocean now with how loudly his heart races in his ears.

He rises slowly, cursing under his breath as he makes his way toward it.

"Bloody hell," he mutters, looking down at the basket.

There is a baby, not a small baby, but a baby nonetheless, lying inside, wrapped tight in a blanket, squirming and crying. It's cheeks are red and it looks absolutely miserable.

He can't blame him. A day like today leaves much to be desired.

Killian Jones crouches down beside the child and holds out his arms, glaring briefly at his hook for a left hand, then, with a shake of his head, he reaches in and carefully lifts the child into the crook of his arm.

Having never held a screaming baby before in his entire life, he hasn't a clue of what to do. He bites down on his tongue and grimaces.

"Quiet down," he tries, "You'll get nowhere crying like that."

The child, miraculously, stops.

Killian sighs. "Let's get you inside then. Can't have you out to freeze, hm?"

He stands again, reaching down for the basket with his hand before turning to trudge back to his residence. Worry fills him from head to toe as he looks at the woman again.

Since she's out of it, she can wait until he's settled the child down. He thinks he knows better than to leave such a small human being out in the cold of the morning with no nourishment or comfort.

The baby squirms in his hold and he winces again in fear, because it isn't as if he has a firm hold on the fragile being. He finds his pace quickening almost instinctively.

Killian pulls the door open with his index finger and it slams behind him loud enough that it makes the child cry again. He starts hushing it as he sets the basket on the table in his kitchen, knocking over a bottle of beer from last night in the process.

He doesn't bother to clean up his mess, deciding to take the child into the small living room off of the kitchen where he builds a cradle of sorts out of blankets and pillows he can find.

He settles the fussing child down into the center of the mess and goes to stoke at the fire that's dying out in the fireplace. While it's warming up, he goes into the kitchen for milk.

He thinks that's what babies eat, right?

He isn't sure if it should be cold or warm and hesitates with the milk glass for a few moments, struggling to even find something to use that will fit in the child’s mouth. He decides on using a cleaned beer bottle for the time being and warms up the milk in the microwave before pouring it into the bottle and carrying it into the living room.

"Here we are," he says gruffly, setting himself down next to the lump in his couch. He awkwardly shifts the baby and uses his thumb to cut off the flow as he settles the lip against the child's mouth. "In we go. You're hungry, aye?"

It takes a few moments and some of the milk dribbles out on the baby's chin, but eventually, all of the milk goes straight into the hungry child's stomach, the baby's eyes falling closed as it continues to suckle.

Killian figures he'll have to find something to use as diaper cloths. He'll do that after bringing the woman inside.

It's a mystery to him how two people could wash up on his island.

It isn’t as if he’s in a highly trafficked area. It's not even in a shipping lane. In fact, ships rarely come along- only for his monthly supplies.

After the boy finishes the milk, Killian puts the beer bottle on the floor and looks down at the child with a furrowed brow.

He hasn't spent nearly enough time around children to know what to do with him now that he's eaten, and Killian sighs as he decides to strip him of the damp blanket and outfit he's sporting.

Killian tucks the boy into the pillows and blankets again, covering him up so he thinks he's warm, and then carries the wet and cold items over to the fire, hanging them to dry.

With one final check on the sleepy child, he nods to himself and zips up his coat to go grab the mystery woman.

He isn't a horrible man. He likes to think himself rather good on his better days. But he isn't a man who enjoys the company of others. In fact, one of the reasons he's still on this island is because he can't stand himself around others.

He can't trust himself around others.

Killian takes a sharp breath of the cold air and lets it back out of his nose, eyes set determinedly on the blue and yellow lump on the shore.

When he reaches her, he sighs, balling up his hand tightly into a fist before leaning down to scoop her up and onto his shoulder. He's careful with his hook and he grunts a bit when her weight is added to him. She's not very heavy, but he's not used to carrying much weight, so he is quick when he makes his way back to his home.

He moves with expertise through the small residence to his bedroom, the only bedroom, and settles her down on his bed.

She's absolutely soaked to the bone and incredibly cold to the touch. Her blonde hair fans around her head, some of the strands sticking to her peaceful cheeks and forehead.

She's still blissfully unaware of anything that's happened, so Killian hesitates for a moment longer before deciding to start the fire in his room.

As soon as the flames breathe warmth into the small room, he goes to the trunk at the foot of the bed and pulls out blankets to cover her with.

He decides that he should take her dress off to try to avoid hypothermia, so he takes a deep breath, leaves the blankets at her feet, and sets to peeling the wet article from her flesh.

Luckily for him, she's out enough that she doesn't wake as he's taking her britches off, and he purposefully covers her with blankets before he goes to find her something of his to wear in place of her dress while it dries.

Carefully, Killian puts a long sleeved shirt over her top and a pair of loose-fitting pants over her bottom, then slides a pair of socks over her feet and covers her with three blankets, ensuring her entire body is tucked safely and securely beneath them.

Her teeth have begun chattering, a new development that’s somewhat assuring.

In the process of slipping the pants on, he'd noticed bruising around her right knee and his thoughts easily drift to wondering what could've happened to her, but he can't know until she wakes, so he stores his curiosity and continues to ensure she's sufficiently warmed.

He figures he'll have to tend to her wounds later when she's awake and can tell him more and decides to go check on the child instead while she sleeps.

Killian leaves his bedroom after draping the woman's clothes over the fire to dry. His boots clump along the hardwood floor noisily and he sighs as he settles onto the couch beside the sleeping babe.

If there was anything he'd imagined his day as being like, it wasn't this.

He was supposed to check on the lightbulbs and make note of what needed fixing after the storm, get started on the list, and then drink himself to sleep after a supper of whatever he might scrounge up.

He isn't sure he can just leave the child and the woman here, not when they might wake up at any moment, so he watches the tiny being as he breathes before nodding in affirmation and carrying the tentative baby bottle into the kitchen.

Killian goes about fixing a stew from what he's got in the pantry and figures a way to feed the child with things in his cabinets.

He's sure the woman will be quick to mother him. Perhaps the child belongs to her- he isn't sure.

And anyway, he won't be stuck with them for very long. Just four weeks before the supply ship comes and he'll send them out and away from him again. He'll just have to deal with them in the meanwhile.

He settles back against the cabinets as the stew cooks on the stove, thinking about what he'll do about sleeping arrangements for the coming few weeks, when he hears the child erupt into a screaming cry.

He springs to work, grabbing the already heated milk from the stovetop and bringing the new bottle with him so he can comfort the infant if it's what it needs.

Killian sits beside the lump of blankets and pillows and lifts the child, whose fussing comes to hiccups as he settles him into his arms.

He frowns at the baby. "'s that all?"

He doesn't enjoy holding the child. It's awkward and uncomfortable and it reminds him all too much of a past he'd very much like to forget, so he sets the boy down again and is greeted by his wails once more.

He growls a little, shaking his head.

"You don't understand," Killian says sternly. "I can't hold you."

For a moment, they're sitting there in a stare-off of sorts, and Killian locks his jaw, shaking his head again before opening his mouth to reprimand the shrieking child when his bedroom door opens.

His gaze shifts immediately to the woman, who looks pale and sickly, leaning against the door jamb with all of her weight.

He stands, holding his arms out as she staggers a little.

She swallows and opens her mouth, looking down at the screaming bundle of flailing limbs on the couch.

Killian hastily lifts the boy into his hold to quiet him again and it works. It's overwhelming to hear his cries, to say the least, and when he moves to go to her, she follows him with her emerald eyes.

"Where am I?" she asks, voice wavering.

He shakes his head. "Don't worry yourself with that. You need to get back into bed."

Killian sets the child down with a wince of anticipation, receiving what he prepared for when the child bursts out in upset. He herds the woman back into the room and watches her cautiously as she limps back to the bed.

She groans and pain creases her forehead when she lies back down. "I heard... crying."

He nods and somehow tucks her back in under the blankets.

"Aye. Apologies. The child appears to have quite the set of lungs." She blinks a few times and he finds himself without words. "Is he… um, yours?"

The woman shakes her head, wincing a little. "No."

Killian runs his eyes down to the base of the bed and shakes his head again, a sigh slipping from his lips at the development. He looks back to her face.

"I'm Emma."

Killian hesitates, shifting a bit on his feet while he examines her sick face. He doesn't know what to do about her. She's clearly running a fever and it's not like he can force her to rest if she doesn't want to.

"Emma, why don't you get some sleep? You don't look well."

She scoffs, closing her eyes. "There was a storm and I fell from the top deck of the ship. I think I broke my leg."

She winces, then reaches down to pull the blankets away.

Bloody maddening woman.

She examines the leg with pain written in her features and he mentally groans, because he certainly is no doctor and she's stranded here with him for another few weeks.

"I could... try and set it," he tells her quietly. Her gaze flits over to him and he sees apprehension in those solid green eyes. "I set many bones in my time in the navy."

She studies him for a second before falling back with a loud sigh.

"Fine."

He eyes her warily, unmoving.

From the other room, the child is still screeching and sobbing and it's making his blood boil angrily, because he is no longer on his own. He no longer has the stability and security of being by himself. He has two people, two needy people, that he's responsible for.

In all of his time as caretaker of the lighthouse, it's been task after task and menial chores, followed by drinking and television- if the damn satellite worked.

It gets lonely, but he's better that way. He can't hurt anyone if he's by himself.

As his hand settles against her bare leg, he searches for the break. He gives her no warning, which in hindsight was a bloody awful idea, and she screams when he sets the bone with a loud crack.

Two screaming strangers in his tiny home on an island in the middle of nowhere. Bloody perfect.

[fromthewifecage]

Travelling with Erron Black (aka: Take me home, country roads)

Anonymous asked a question I’ve been stuck at the airport for hours now :( so due to that could I have some headcanons of what it’d be like traveling around with Erron please? I’m sure it’d be more fun with him around lol

First off I must apologise that I couldn’t do this when you sent it. It was my birthday. and I was really rather drunk, so oops. I hope you can still enjoy it even though it’s a couple of weeks later, and I hope you were able to board that flight and get home very soon after you sent this to me x

Erron Black has been around for a long, long time, so he’s been to many places through both work and pleasure. If the pay cheque is large enough he’ll go wherever you want him to.

Younger!Erron Black:

During his youth he travels on horseback. He can ride a horse with the best of them, and will love to go riding with you/teach you if you’re willing. If you can’t ride for whatever reason then he’ll try to get you into a carriage/cart. He loves horses and loves to spend time forming a bond with a horse and if you do too it means not only does he think you’re a decent person, but it gives him an excuse to spend more time with you (because this (idiot) man is going to find it super awkward to tell you exactly how he feels for you).

If Erron is on a job that takes him further than a horse will find comfortable, he’ll use the railroad. He enjoys the noise of the wheels spinning on the track whilst he lies back against the side of the railcar and relaxing by cleaning his guns. After he finishes tending to his guns he’ll watch the countryside changing as the train rides through each county. If he has time he’ll jump off the train and explore any of the towns that caught his eye, getting back on the next train through the town.

As he gets older and technology advanced, he tries automobiles, motorbikes, flying and public transport, but finds nothing beats riding a horse.

If he has to travel by car, then he wants an open-topped one. Not only does he miss the outdoors and nature, but he’s a really rather tall man and those long legs of his need some room to move and stretch. He especially hates flying or the underground, he feels like a “Goddamn sardine in a Goddamn can”. If he has the time he’d rather go by boat than fly to his destination.

Black Dragon!Erron Black:

Going from the warmth of the South to the chill of Russia is a huge shock to his system. Kano pays Erron enough to actually make that move, but that doesn’t stop Erron from constantly complaining about the cold. This much snow comes as a huge shock to the system and Erron’s ponchos do fuck all to block out the windchill. Kano is walking around with a shaved head and a sleeveless Gi (and over the years he wears less and less, the exhibitionist, tut tut) and doesn’t bat his eye at the cold, but Erron suffers.

Still, when there’s sufficient coin he takes that job in the Ural Mountains. He doesn’t sleep under the stars as he will if it’s a warmer climate, instead he’ll find a thickly walled log cabin and wrap himself up in furs. If he’s on vacation/holiday with a partner then he’ll ensure the cabin is stocked with enough firewood to last the entire length of the stay, after all, you’ll both be naked pretty much the entire time.

He knows next to nothing about Russia before he moved out there, but takes the time to learn the local area, then the myths and legends, so he has something to talk about when wrapped up in the blankets by the roaring fire. He talks of Baba Yaga and her chicken legged hut. He’ll tell you of Silver Hoof and present you with a necklace with a beautiful peridot pendant, the stone appeared where the goat stomps his right hoof. Erron Black may play the loner, but inside his chest beats a deeply romantic heart.

Outworld!Erron Black

Shao Kahn makes Erron an offer he can’t refuse, so the outlaw then moves to the warmth and beauty of Edenia. Erron never really feels at home anywhere, but when he arrives in Outworld with its myriad of inhabitants, especially those working at the Kahn’s Palace, he realises maybe they all feel like he does, an outsider in a strange new world, and so Erron slowly finds himself feeling at ease with his surroundings for the first time in his life. He soon considers himself an Outworlder and will introduce himself as such. After all, what is left back at home in Wickett save the bones of all those he once knew?

Using portals is a novel experience, but as it’s such a quick and convenient journey through one he can brush aside any ill effects such as nausea. He doesn’t feel squashed into a tin can or claustrophobic, so he’s now happy travelling from Outworld to Earthrealm or anywhere Shao Kahn demands of him.

None of this changes once Kotal becomes Kahn, only Erron is now less worried he’ll end up with a massive hammer through the skull.

Any flavour of Erron Black:

If Erron invites you travelling with him, whether accompanying him on a job or a holiday, then be prepared for going off the beaten track. He’s been there, done that, and if you seriously suggest a holiday to Benidorm or a regular package holiday, then he will not be impressed. He researches meticulously, he’ll find that cute little hideaway that is not going to be featured in ‘Traveller's Guide to Outworld’ or ‘Tripadvisor’. He wants time to relax, explore and fuck.

He’s like Bear Grylls, only not a wanker. He knows how to survive in the middle of a desert for as long as it takes to get back to civilisation. He can make a canoe for two out of 3 shoes and a sock. He can build a still out of a juice box and a toilet roll if you run out of booze. It’s only an emergency if he’s fallen down a wall and broken every bone, not just most of them (and he’d still insist he was ok to fight the bear).

He will however wake you at 4am to start the trek up the mountain or keep you going with “Just one more mile, sweetheart, you can do it”, even if you’ve got blisters upon blisters.

[fencer-x]

1. Hii, do you still post Drarry fic recs? I've only recently started shipping these two and the fanfic side of HP is entirely new to me, and if I'm honest it's slightly overwhelming lol. So I was wandering if you could perhaps help me find or rec the kind of fic I'm looking for because I have trouble finding them myself in this sea of fanfics. (This is probably going to be a really long ask so apologies for that).

2. So what I'm looking for is the Hogwarts era, and not eight year or post war but before the war, the Voldemort era if you will, from the 5th year and onward when Draco and his family are still involved in being Death Eaters and stuff. If there are fics set in that time where eventually romance blooms between Draco and Harry could you rec me some please? I have no idea what kind of search criteria to apply to find them unfortunately.

3.And another thing I'm looking for is some slow burn in general where the build up and transition to romance between Harry and Draco isn't too sudden which is the case in most fics I've read. It would be good to really see their annoyance and hatred towards one another before the romantic feelings appear, cause I much prefer that kind of dynamic rather than the one where one of them is already feeling a secret attraction toward the other almost from the start or where it escalates too quickly.

4. I have nothing against some silly, dorky Draco with some really funny inner monologue but I'd also much prefer seeing his less fluffy, unapologetic and callous self, and I feel like in most fics that part of Draco's personality disappears too easly and too fast to be in character for him. :/ I hope this isn't a bother and that my requests aren't too specific, and I hope you could point me in the right direction with this. P.S. need I say the E rating is much desirable? :3

First off, WELCOME TO THE SHIP. You’ll have a fantastic time searching for recs, because given the JUGGERNAUT status of this ship, there’s absolutely something for everyone. That can understandably be overwhelming, but this ship’s been going strong for 20-plus years, so no need to rush into things! Take your time and find something that works for you.

For recs, I’ll first give you a great resource: capitu’s Masterlist. It’s great for when you’ve got some certain theme or something you’re looking for (like non-8th-year Hogwarts, for example). AO3 is easily searched using tags, but sometimes you want a list a human being put together! Capitu also has a tumblr where you can trawl through the tags to find posts advertising fics you might like.

I also cannot recommend @drarryficrecs highly enough. Here’s their carefully tended masterlist! And another from fyeahdrarry!

If you want to look on AO3 and sort by, for example, kudos or bookmarks, try using the tag ‘Hogwarts Era’ to narrow down the timeline, and then other tags as you see fit.

As for personal recs, I haven’t made a new post in a while (because I haven’t had time to read much lately, though I intend to rectify that soon), but I’ll see if I can find a few that might appeal to you based on your criteria. I love slow burns and almost only read explicit fics for these two, so that shouldn’t be a problem :) I also adore snarky, crass, rude little shit Draco, so again, NOT a problem :)

However, I confess, pre-8th year isn’t something I usually see written too much now, so 95% of what I read is 8th year or later. I have a couple of recs, but only a couple, alas. 

The If Sieve by cest_what - [An If Sieve lets you see how things would have unfolded if somebody had made a different decision at a particular time.] My thoughts: pretty much what it says on the tin! Draco gets hold of an If Sieve, and things go about how you’d expect as he dives down the rabbit hole of how his life might have changed if he’d made different choices at crucial points along the way.

Men Who Love Dragons Too Much by fencer_x (yes...me XD *shameless self plug*) - [Extensive re-telling of Deathly Hallows - ‘Kill Albus Dumbledore’ is less a challenging task and more a suicide mission, so when Draco Malfoy is presented with the option to either dispatch his Headmaster or suffer an excruciating and most ignominious death of his own, along with his parents, he reaches deep into his black little Slytherin heart and manages to scrape together enough courage to go with option C instead: Spend Sixth Year secretly studying Animagecraft in the hopes he’ll turn into something sufficiently imposing even the Dark Lord himself won’t be able to keep Draco under his thumb. But just his luck, his Animagus form turns out to be a dragon, and a rather randy juvenile at that, intent on finding its mate: one Harry James Potter.] My thoughts: So, I’m not sure if this would count for you; it’s not 8th year, but they aren’t really at Hogwarts either? Not for most of the fic lol. Because like it says, it’s a retelling of Deathly Hallows. However, it’s...big. I beefed the heck out of that book in order to weave Drarry into it. At 480,000 words, it’s the slowest of burns, there is snark and hate aplenty, and oh yes there is definitely some porn. Eventually. But not gonna lie it’s gonna take a while to get there, the boys being who they are. Still, perhaps you’ll enjoy it!

And that’s all I have on-hand! Like I said, I don’t tend to read pre-end-of-the-war stuff too much these days, if only because most of the stuff I see written is set a little later. I can recommend everything to meet your wishlist EXCEPT that time slot! However, others might have some suggestions, in which case by all means, feel free to tack on to this admittedly short list!

[profiler-in-courage]

I am humbled 16 people have read my Claes Bang detective bullshit lol. Here is Ch. 2 & 3. Long af as always.

(I have yet to think of a title. Someone send me suggestions plz)

Chapter 2. 

The 7th Precinct was a media frenzy when Emerson pulled up. By 8 am, all the local news outlets had received some tip about the latest murders and it looked like all of them had sent a reporter. 

Emerson scanned the outside of the building, trying to find an entrance that wasn’t guarded by media. He stuffed case files he had taken home into his messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder, ready to walk-sprint. 

He lowered his gaze to the ground. Eye contact was what got you. 

As he reached the sanctuary of a door, he mentally congratulated himself on  avoiding the bombardment of questions he quite frankly, wasn’t prepared to answer. 

He sat his bag on his desk and headed over to Burnham. His sarcastic best friend of seven years always made the morning after a murder less dark.

“Hey Emerson,” Burnham sipped through a mug of milk. 

An unusual quirk about him was that Jacob Burnham simply drank plain milk. Never coffee. 

Whole, 2 percent, 1 percent, nonfat, whatever was in the back office fridge was good enough for him. 

Forty or seven-years-old? Nobody knew Burnham’s true age.

“Forensics came in,” he waved a file at Emerson. “No prints or DNA of any kind, same as always. Christ.”

Burnham shook his dirty blonde head and handed the papers over.

“Fuck Em, we are never going to catch this guy unless he leaves us something.”

Emerson flipped through the forensics report. Like Burnham had described there was nothing of significance. 

“He will eventually slip up, they always do,” he said, trying to be the positive one.

“Did the families have anything to offer?” 

His friend shook his head, “Just the usual. Victims never got into any trouble, well behaved, no enemies. Nothing out of the ordinary. Can’t imagine why anyone would want two 15-year-old girls dead.” 

Emerson’s mind flashed to Abigail. He was afraid for her. She was smart, but he was sure Halley Reece and Melanie Myers had been smart too. Hell, they may have even known his niece. Same high school. 

The image of Abigail lying in a ditch somewhere creeped across his mind. He shut his eyes.

The feeling of dread was slowly worming its way back into his stomach. 

He went back to his desk, dropping the very thin report onto it. 

It barely made a sound. 

He pulled his phone out of his bag. It was the first time he was checking it this morning. 

He was bad at that. 

One text from his sister and one message from Gwyn. 

He opened his sister’s first.

Emerson, the girls they found last night went to Abigail’s school….this just became a little too close for comfort. I almost made her stay home today.

He sighed, not knowing what to say to Eve. Obviously she couldn’t lock Abigail up in the house, the girl had to go to school and have a life. 

You can’t stop living just because of horrors, he thought.

He sympathized with his sister though, he was just as worried for his niece as she was. 

He scratched his eyebrow and opened up Gwyn’s message next. 

G: 203-637-1366

Was that her phone number? He scrolled to see if she had said anything either before or after, but she had not. It was just her phone number. Or so he assumed. 

Quite bold, he thought. But he oddly liked the cut to the chase showing.

“Any luck in that department?” 

Burnham was standing over his shoulder looking down at the open Tinder app.

Emerson slipped the phone into his front pocket, “Not really.”

“I told you to go on that date with Kate’s sister. Who knows, you could be getting laid every night.” Burnham shrugged. 

Emerson scoffed, “Your wife’s sister is 59 remember?”

A stupid smile flashed across Burnham’s face, “Hey but she’s single! And how do you know you don’t like older women?” 

Emerson blinked, at a loss for words. 

“All I’m saying is we could be brother in laws. Take one for the team Em!”

Emerson swiveled to his computer screen.

“I see you enough already,” he grumbled.

Burnham slapped him on the back, laughing softly. 

Emerson poured over the photos on his desk. One of a woman with the soles of her feet skinned to the point where you could see the bone, another with such horrendous strangulation marks around the neck the purple coloration was almost black. Both were women who had been killed by the Creekmore Serial Killer. 

He was deep in thought, trying to see some connection between all the victims, something he did routinely with no success for this case. 

It was like looking at a math problem he didn’t have the formula for. 

The pocket of his dark blue wool button-up buzzed. It was a text from Gwyn. 

G: So what are you looking to get out of a dating app?

Emerson paused before answering, trying to find sufficient words to make “looking to date” sound less horrendous. 

E: Looking to date. What about you?

He figured he may as well just tell the truth. 

G: I’m looking to get absolutely wild in the bedroom. Nothing more, nothing less.

Emerson’s eyebrows sprung up. Maybe he had misjudged Gwyn. He wasn’t looking for just sex. 

Burnham always joked that Emerson should be a priest.

He figured he would wait to respond if he responded at all. The excitement about his new match had been all but snuffed out after her proclamation. 

He pushed his glasses up so they rested on the top of his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He felt the pang of loneliness he sometimes felt when thinking about his love life. 

He missed his wife. He missed having someone to come home to, talk to, feel beside him as he slept. He missed how he was before. 

Ever since Lyla had passed he had been different. Not as cheerful, not as funny, he actually used to be somewhat of a practical joker. 

He had thought his old self would return after the grieving process was done, yet here he was years later and no relief. 

Lack of female interaction certainly wasn’t helping either. 

Emerson sighed. Maybe he should try the one-night-stand thing. Though the thought of it had always felt awkward. 

Why have sex with someone you hardly know? 

His phone vibrated, pulling him out of his thoughts. 

G: Did I scare you off? I was joking btw. 

He let out a small sigh of relief. Ashamed that he was so bad at the whole dating thing that this one match seemed to be the end all be all. 

E: Sorry, was working. He fibbed. But I am glad to see you won’t objectify me for my body.

G: Well, that’s only because I haven’t seen your body. 

Emerson chuckled. He liked her witty remarks. 

How soon was too soon to ask someone on a date? Were there Tinder rules? Did he care? 

Not really. 

E: How would you like to see it? Fully clothed of course. 

He felt his heart rate pick up. He hadn’t felt excited like this in a long time. 

Of course, that’s when Burnham decided to interrupt.

“Those photos telling you anything yet?” he asked. 

Emerson shook his head, “No unfortunately.” 

His friend sat on the edge of the desk, “This fucking bastard leaves no trace. No DNA. Nothing.”

With the lack of info they had that was all Burnham really ever said about it.

Hard to do, thought Emerson. 

He saw his phone vibrate on the desk.

Burnham’s eyes followed his friend’s. 

“So…you sure Tinder isn’t working out for you?”

Emerson rolled his eyes, “Oh Christ.”

After enduring more teasing from Burnham than he would’ve liked, his fellow detective finally left to go bother someone else. 

Despite the torture that had felt like he was being waterboarded, Emerson had not let anything slip about his potential date. 

Not all things were meant to be shared among friends, not yet anyway. Besides, he had only started talking to her last night. Everyone needed to relax, him included. 

He opened her message. 

G: I would love to. Name a time and place and I’m there.

Chapter 3. 

Coffee. That wasn’t too casual and not too formal right? Or so Emerson hoped. 

So here he sat at some local place downtown. Waiting and a bit nervous. 

He heard the door open and he saw her. His eyes followed hers as she looked around for her date. 

He lifted his finger slightly. 

“Well isn’t this a pleasant surprise,” she said as she sat down across from him. 

Emerson tilted his head in confusion, “What do you mean?” 

She smirked, “That you look exactly like your photos.” 

“Oh,” he chuckled. “Have you been on many dates where that wasn’t the case?” 

She ran a hand through her long hickory colored hair, “More than I’d like.” 

Gwyn looked exactly as she had in her photos too. Emerson hadn’t even considered the possibility that she wouldn’t. 

Which he probably should have considering he met her online. 

He studied her. She was staring at him, looking him up and down. He smiled, amused. 

“Would you like a drink?” he asked. 

“I would,” she said. 

Emerson waited for her to say what she wanted. A few seconds went by. 

This is awkward, he thought as his eyes darted from side to side. 

He cleared his throat. 

“What would you like?...” he asked.

Gwyn smiled mischievously, “You're a detective. Read me. What do you think my order is?”

Interesting, he thought. 

He tilted his head slightly, finally drinking in everything about the woman who was across from him. 

She was wearing a tight black turtleneck, dark blue jeans, and a silver chain-linked bracelet. 

Her makeup was simple, she didn’t need much of it. She was naturally beautiful. Her hair had a shine to it and it curled into a slight wave. 

She had with her a plain black satchel. Big enough to fit only a wallet and a phone and possibly a few other womanly essentials. 

She was simple. But, sophisticated. At least that is what her appearance told him. 

Emerson remembered that her bio had said she was an artist. Which must mean she was somewhat serious about coffee. Not the frappuccino type. 

But, there was a softness to her. She didn’t appear to take herself too seriously, judging from her text messages. 

So probably not black coffee. 

Gwyn waited patiently for him to finish his assessment. A hint of a smile on her lips. 

“I think I got it,” Emerson said as he turned to walk towards the counter. 

“Hi, can I get one iced hazelnut latte and one hot Americano with cream please,” he told the barista. 

Emerson turned to look back at Gwyn. She was far enough away so she wouldn't have heard the order. 

He wanted to see her shock when she found out he was right. He was certain he was. 

He smiled to himself. 

He walked back to their table with the drinks. Gwyn was sitting looking bemused. Her legs crossed, her eyes following his every move.

“So, what did you decide for me?” she asked. 

Her voice was soft. He liked it. It reminded him of the way a stream sounds in a quiet forest.

Emerson said nothing. Just simply handed her the drink. 

Her eyes sparkled as she took it from his hand. Her gaze holding his. 

For a moment, he thought he might have gotten her wrong. 

Gwyn took a sip of the Americano and raised her eyebrows. 

He could tell she was trying to hide her amazement. She didn’t want to give him complete satisfaction and he liked that. She was fun.  

“Well Detective Woods, I suppose you are very good at your job then,” she smiled. 

Emerson beamed.

“Only a little,” he said as he took a sip of his latte. 

Gwyn let out a small laugh, shaking her head, “Is it too soon to say I already want to see you again and this date has been what, 10 minutes?” 

He looked at her over his straw. He felt the same. 

He felt something. For the first time since his wife.

“Now let me do you,” she said. 

Emerson paused, “What…”

“Let me read you,” said Gwyn, sipping her coffee. 

He sat back, trying to hide a smile, “Alright.”

Gwyn rubbed the bottom of her chin with her thumb as she studied the man across from her. 

He was handsome, that much was obvious. Rugged around the edges but not sharp, which was good. It made him look kind. 

He was wearing a grey quarter-zip pullover sweater, the beginnings of a burgundy collared shirt peeking out. His tortoise shell glasses made him look like he could be walking the halls of Oxford and be at home. 

Faded dark green pants with...were those cowboy boots? Interesting. 

So he wasn’t from Connecticut. 

The eyes behind the glasses were dark yet welcoming. A few days old stubble coated his face. 

His hair, thank god he had a full head of it, was dark. Perfectly styled in the ever popular comb over. 

It was too long for him to be ex-military but short enough that she could tell he liked things neat. Gwyn couldn’t quite tell if it was black or just a very dark shade of brown. 

Luckily they were seated by a window and he moved ever so slightly so that a ray of sunshine hit him. 

Midnight brown, was that a color? It was now. Silver bits were beginning to show their glint throughout Emerson’s hair.

If she was being honest he didn’t look like a police detective. They usually were only this good looking in movies. He could have been a writer or a professor that female students day dreamed about. 

The cowboy boots were throwing her off. 

Was he Texan? 

She didn’t remember hearing an accent, but then again they had only said a few sentences to each other. 

And yet, she knew she wanted a second date. She needed to impress him. She didn’t know she already had.

“Judging from your boots you aren’t from here, I’ll be generic and guess Texas?”

He nodded, waiting for Gwyn to continue. 

“You’re smart, otherwise you wouldn’t be a detective and you most certainly would not have gotten my order right. You're patient, you would have to be to be willing to sit here right now and listen to me.” 

Emerson chuckled, taking another sip of his latte. 

Gwyn continued, “Your eyes are hard but your face is gentle. You have seen and been through monstrous things but you don’t let it affect your character. You’re quiet, which leads me to believe you’re polite. Which is good because I can’t stand loud boisterous men.” 

Emerson leaned forward. He hadn’t expected her to be this good. 

“Between the way you look and my expectation that you are a good man, you must be single for a reason. So, I am guessing your ex either was unfaithful or died.” 

Gwyn was blunt. Emerson didn’t know how he felt about that. 

He scratched his cheek, “She passed away.”

Gwyn looked down at the table, confidence leaving her for only a moment. 

“I’m sorry,” she said. 

Emerson shrugged, “But you were right.” 

Gwyn smiled softly. 

He could tell she enjoyed being right. Though not with a haughty arrogance. He respected that. 

“And how did you learn to read people so well? Are you an ex detective?” he asked, amused. 

Gwyn twirled a strand of hair in her fingers, “It’s not hard to see what people project.” 

Emerson smirked, nodding. 

Oh she’s very smart, he thought. 

They talked for hours after conducting their own way of breaking the ice. Gwyn could now hear the hint of an accent. 

They discussed movies, music, food, books, especially books. 

She liked nonfiction. He preferred fiction. 

Emerson was entranced with the way Gwyn spoke. Her words were light but intelligent. And she held eye contact. 

She had already assessed why he was single. So why was she?

He continued to study her. 

Her posture was welcoming, her sentences were flirtatious, but her expressions were guarded. 

Guarded meant she had been hurt before. Most likely multiple times. 

Though with an open posture, not physically. 

He couldn’t detect anything to signify she was nervous. She hadn’t been the entire date. She was confident. She could have anyone she wanted. 

So why didn’t she? 

“Figured me out yet?” she asked, pulling Emerson out of his thoughts. 

He looked down, embarrassed. 

“Not quite,” he smiled.

“Good. I need you at least intrigued enough for a second date,” she said. 

“Possibly more,” said Emerson, playfully reaching.

“Possibly,” Gywn responded, her eyes dancing.

She leaned forward on the small circular table. 

“Emerson Woods you are something.”

He winked. It made her laugh. 

“As much as I would love to talk with you all day, I should be going,” she said. 

Emerson nodded. He probably should too. They had spent nearly three hours in this coffee shop. 

“I’ll walk you to your car,” he said, wanting every second he could with her. 

She turned to him, placing her hand lightly on his shoulder. 

“Oh there is no need. I took an Uber, car’s in the shop after a very nasty old woman felt the need to rear end me.” 

Emerson laughed. He could offer her a ride. Should he?

“Would you like me to track her down for you? I could probably find something to pin on her,” he said, glancing down at where her hand had just been. 

She giggled, rolling her eyes, “Could you please? She’s costing me 400 dollars.”

They walked outside. It was overcast and there was a slight breeze. Emerson watched her hair lift in the wind. 

Before she could take out her phone to call an Uber, Emerson walked over to the passenger side of his car that was parked along the curb. He opened it. 

“I promise you’ll have a more enjoyable experience with me rather than someone you don’t know. If you’ll allow me.”

Gwyn bit her bottom lip, raising her eyebrows, “But I don’t know you. Not really.” 

Emerson paused. She was right. Three hours of conversation didn’t exactly mean they knew each other. And with the Creekmore Serial Killer making headlines for months, she was probably wise to refuse him. 

“I suppose that’s true,” he said. “Though I am a policeman,” he kept his hand on the door handle. 

She bopped her head from side to side, feigning weighing her options. 

“Can I rate you if you're a bad driver?” she joked, stepping over to the car.

Emerson chuckled, “I promise to be extra careful with you.”