#i know these two amazing humans will thrive and are happy and so loved and i know they also know it <3

[heartcravings]

.

[goodnightoilcountry]

don't overthink when you could be loving me - sebastian aho

summary: Your inadvertent friendship with some of the Canes players was not something you advertized in your day-to-day life. But an evening of Friday night drinks changes that when you find yourself trapped in the same bar with your co-workers and one love-struck Sebastian Aho who’s determined to make it known that you’re spoken for… well, tentatively that is. 

word count: 6.2k

author's note: one month in the making and i'm not even convinced that this is of any quality. but if i don't put it out now, i never will. i'm going to do another proofread but don't worry, if there are going to be any edits, it'll just be fixing up typos / grammar.

tag list: @kashee-h

You won’t lie. You weren’t always the biggest believer in keeping your personal life and work life separate. 

Despite the numerous warnings about how “your colleagues are not your friends”, you couldn’t help but merge the two words into a synonymous figure. By this point in your life, you could probably ballpark that half of your closest friends were acquired from the various roles you were appointed. You’ve always felt like you’ve lucked out in that department. 

The moment when your luck seemed to wear out was at your very first grad role. 

With a newly minted finance degree in one hand and just about $50,000 in the other, the bar wasn’t set particularly high in terms of quality for a grad role. So when you received the congratulatory phone call from human resources, you didn’t care about the questionably low pay or how weirdly vague your interviewers were about overtime practices, you were just happy to finally have something substantial splashed across your resume. 

Your first month wasn’t anything to write home about. As expected, everyone was cordial, you were given grunt work, and you would routinely eat tune rice and veg for lunch - something that was weirdly unique to the corporate world. 

Where the comfort flipped was the night that the firm hosted its annual Thank You Dinner. What was announced as a company event hosted by the executives to say thank you to its employees for their efforts was actually disguised as a night of debauchery at the expense of the firm’s bottom line - but you didn’t know that yet. 

So when a passing comment about the Canes turns into a full-blown conversation piece at your table, your wine-induced lips couldn’t help but let something slip. 

It’s not like you ran around advertising the fact that you were family friends with Seth Jarvis growing up. But hockey culture was thriving in Raleigh and moments where a mention of the Canes wasn’t thrown into the mix rarely occurred. 

More often than not, you were happy to pass on any unused tickets that Seth had reserved in your name every year. Of course, generally, nobody questions where the tickets came from the first time around - free tickets are free tickets. But by the fourth round? Who would still believe that you just accidentally purchased lower-bowl seats not knowing you already had plans? 

You would eventually let up that maybe you were better acquainted with the Canes than on just a last-name and number basis. And the reactions that followed usually panned out the same way. You’d receive looks that crossed between amazement and disbelief, followed by thirty minutes of inquisitioning, and then the excitement of the news would eventually fade before moving on to something salacious that had happened earlier that week. 

But the news of your affiliation that night was volatile. 

Suddenly, your tickets weren’t viewed as a generous offering but rather as a right. People in different departments whom you had never met started taking you out for lunches with a casual mention of how they hadn’t ever been to a live game; your boss expected you to give them up for the sake of appeasing potential clients; girls would invite you out with the hopes of them showing up to wherever you were. 

You handed in your resignation six months later. 

So when you signed your letter of offer for your new role, you made a silent promise to yourself to keep that portion of your life separate. So, you distanced yourself. 

Seth had noticed. He had known that you would occasionally give up your tickets when you knew you weren’t able to make a game. But as more and more weeks had passed, he had maybe seen your seats filled twice: once by a few of your closest girlfriends and the other was when your parents had come to town for a long weekend. 

Outings with him and the team became infrequent as you declined to attend any sort of public event that would bear the risk of you being caught out by your new colleagues. And when you were eventually questioned why, you simply excused that your new job had you locked down. 

The second person to notice your increasing absence was Sebastian. 

Since Seth’s rookie days, you had been, on more than several occasions, his plus one to team events. And over the years, you had gotten to know some of the younger members who were able to keep up with Seth’s redbull-fueled energy. That included Sebastian. 

The first time you had actually properly spoken to him was at a Canes charity gala. Seth and KK had been swept into a conversation by a few board members, leaving you to quietly people-watch from your assigned seat. 

****

“Refill?” 

You turned to find Sebastian with an arm extended out; a glass of champagne delicately sat between his fingers. You returned a grateful smile as he sat down in Seth’s seat. 

“You manage to avoid the noise fest?” you lightly poked, looking over at Seth where Andrei and Jack were now caught. 

He let out a laugh and shook his head while looking down, “I’ve definitely done my fair share of the sucking up.”

“You didn’t feel like joining your boyfriend?” 

You choked on your drink as soon as the assumption left his mouth. You couldn’t help but begin laughing as you coughed up a response, “Oh my god, no. Seth and I grew up together back home. Our parents were close friends.” 

His cheeks flushed red at the revelation. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just assumed because you’ve come to a few of these things with him before and you’re at our games a lot,” he tried to reason as he rubbed the back of his neck to ease the embarrassment. 

You shook your head with the same amused donned across your face, “he’s really never mentioned that we grew together as kids?”

“I’m sure he’s mentioned it but it’s hard to catch everything he says. He talks… a lot.” 

You couldn’t help but giggle at the blunt statement. 

You had found it easy to talk to Sebastian. The conversation flowed seamlessly, from the standard questioning of each other’s jobs to the shared ache of missing home. Before you knew it, Seth had returned with a sheepish look on his face; apologetic for his disappearance but not missing the flash of disappointment across his teammate’s face when you said goodnight. 

After that, the trajectory of your relationship with Sebastian had shifted into something more. Sure, you both became closer as friends, growing comfortable in the presence of one another. But as time went on you couldn’t help but feel like the line between you two would occasionally go hazy; blurring completely on a night out following a hard-fought win. 

****

Every summer that comes around reminds you of how incomprehensible the energy can be in Raleigh. 

The city came alive as holidayers passed through, the nights drew out longer, and the cool drinks were more than welcome from people who were looking to escape the heat. Which is how you found yourself sitting at a beer hall three blocks from your office in downtown Raleigh.  

Unsurprisingly, the bar was packed on a Friday evening and you could only expect it to ramp up even more when your eyes fell on the sight of a band setting up stage for the night. 

“Here, grab these first and I’ll bring over the rest.”

Maddy slides over 3 glasses to you and pulls out her card to start a tab for the table. You met Maddy on your first day when you were doing the round with HR. They had introduced her as your “office buddy”, to which Maddy later rolled her eyes at and reassured you that she wouldn’t be as micro-managing as they had made it out to be. 

She took you to lunch and gave you her version of the onboarding special which basically involved giving you the run down of who you didn’t want to piss off if you ever wanted to be promoted. 

It wasn’t long before you both became each other’s go-to person at work when things went to shit and sometimes the occasional debrief session at Thursday wines where she updated you about how her dating life was tracking. 

You pull together the glasses and place them into a firm grasp between your hands before turning around to make a beeline for the table with Maddy trailing behind you. There are a few familiar faces from your team and some that you don’t think you’ve ever met before but you know that Maddy is a big fan of getting into the good graces of other departments. 

Your phone screen lights up before you can even take a sip from the glass causing you to divert your attention. 

Last weekend before we’re due back for pre-season training. Come out with us tonight? - Jarvy 

You feel a pang of guilt with the sudden reminder that Seth just unintentionally gave you. 

Your MIA-ness had begun a month before the playoffs started. Granted you still followed every game from the comfort of your home, but your continued in-person absence did not go unnoticed. Even more so after the 4-0 Conference Finals loss to the Panthers, where Sebastian wanted nothing more than to feel the comfort of your presence to ease the heartbreak. 

Instead, he had to settle for an “I’m sorry.” text. 

And in your defence, you had tried to see him when they returned home but the timing was never quite right as Sebastian took off for Finland a few weeks later as a last-minute guest for his cousin’s wedding. 

You were able to catch Seth a handful of times before he also took flight: Winnipeg for home, Chicago for Lollapalooza, and Cabo with KK and Svech from the look of his Instagram stories. 

He waved away your apologies and said he understood that you were flat out with work and that he hoped you weren’t working yourself too hard. All you could do was return a meek smile and be thankful that he didn’t press about it further. 

Your fingers hovered over the keyboard, trying to rack your brain for an excuse that wouldn’t leave any room for further persuasion. 

Sorry :( feeling too run down from the week. Next time though! 

You take one more look at your phone as Seth sends you the ‘Boo, You Whore!’ gif from Mean Girls, causing you to crack a small smile. 

“Better offer somewhere else?” 

Your head snaps up and meets the eyes of one of the unfamiliar faces sitting across you. 

“I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Charlie, I just joined the legal counsel,” he offers with a smile. And it’s a pretty damn good smile too.

You’re quickly swept up into a conversation with Charlie. You learn that he recently relocated from Boston, he has a labrador named Ollie, and that he’s heard of a fantastic restaurant down the road that he’s been “dying” to check out with someone. That last part is followed with a mischievous glint in his eyes.  

He’s not bad-looking, you’ll give him that much. Maybe a year ago he would have been your type. But lately, you’ve seemed to turn away from the sharp jawlines and blue eyes, and instead look for softer and warmer features with maybe a small scar carved into the bottom of their lip...

Wait, what? 

You shake the thought out of your head and instead focus back on Charlie’s current story: some embarrassing run-in with your boss, on his first day. 

You’re shaking from laughter at this point, “No way! Did she say anything to you later on?” 

Charlie grins as he places his head in his hands, “Yeah, it was such a shame job. When I got my first official meeting with her, it was-” 

You watch him trail off as his eyes dart to look at you. No, not at you. Behind you? 

“Well, well, well. Feeling better, eh?” 

You recognize that shit-eating tone anywhere. 

“Oh Jesus Christ,” you mutter under your breath. You turn around and find Seth smirking down at you like he’s found a deer in the headlights. 

“Must have been a pretty quick recovery considering you were sick only two hours ago,” he derides, sliding into the empty spot next to you. You’ve only just realized that your whole table is now empty besides you and Charlie. A quick whip around tells you that they’ve all moved to the nearby pool tables. 

“Seth,” you say calmly, “what are you doing here?” 

“I told you. Last weekend before practice starts.” 

“Yeah, but you don’t even like it here. I’ve literally heard you call it the worst bar in the world,” you argue back.

Seth’s about to open his mouth for some quick retaliation but Charlie beats him to it. 

“You’re Seth Jarvis,” he says. The look he gives is nothing short of bewilderment as he puts together that Seth Jarvis knows you. 

“Hey man, how you doing? Always nice to meet a fan,” Seth nods with an outstretched hand to Charlie. 

Charlie slowly shakes his hand, still reeling in from the newfound piece of information he’s just learned. “Oh, well I’m from Boston so not exactly a fan of you.” 

Seriously? Who even says something like that? 

You refuse to meet Seth’s side eye in an attempt to dodge the embarrassment you feel from Charlie’s unwarranted dig. He’s unsure how to respond to the hostility but the moment of awkwardness is cleared by a second voice appearing. 

“Jarvy, Burnsie found a table outside - let’s go...”

Your head snaps towards the voice and you find Sebastian looking right back. He’s taken aback and stumbles on his words for a second but recomposes himself just as quickly. 

“Hey, where have you b-,” he begins to step forward but falters as his eyes properly assess the scene before him. You and Charlie. Together. Alone. 

“Oh. Are you in the middle of something?” he hesitates, flickering between you and Charlie; unsure of what to make of the situation. 

Your eyes widen slightly before clearing your throat, “Oh, um no. This is Charlie. He recently moved to our office from Boston.” 

God, you feel so small right now. Here you were, seeing Sebastian for the first time in months and you can’t even muster up the courage to properly say hello. 

“Well, we’re gonna go back to our table. Find us at some point, yeah?” 

Seth gives Charlie a final cautious look before he pats Sebastian on the back, guiding them both to a table on the veranda. 

The rest of your group comes flooding back to the table having witnessed the sight unfold from afar. If Charlie keeps his mouth shut, surely you can play it off as a lucky fan interaction?

“Holy shit! Do you know who they were? Tell me you do because I will seriously freak if you tell me you don’t know,” Maddy furiously whispers with wide eyes. 

“I don’t know, Maddy. Seemed like she’s more than well-acquainted by the look on Aho’s face,” Charlie said dryly, bringing a bottle to his lips with a raised eyebrow. 

You’re a bit taken aback by his insinuation. 

“Um, Seth and I grew up together back home,” you slowly let out, “it was just a coincidence that we both ended up in Raleigh.” 

“Wait, so you’re telling me that you’re friends with Seth Jarvis? Are you kidding me? You’ve only heard me talk about the Canes like a thousand times,” she gapes at you with an incredulous look. 

Here we go. 

The rest of your group wasn’t privy to your admission, being too caught up with the sight of the team being mere yards away from them. 

“Look, I don’t know. I just don’t like using his name like that. It makes me feel gross.” you sigh, rubbing your arms. 

“I’d just rather we drop it. Please?” 

You shoot her a look to which Maddy softens; understanding that the topic has hit a bit of a sore spot for you. 

“Okay yeah, of course. You don’t owe anyone an explanation.” 

The mass intrigue of the boys’ presence soon dies off as people slowly realize that they’re about as interesting to watch drinking as the next table is. Conversations resume back to normal and you try your best to feign interest but the knowledge that he’s the closest that you guys have been in months won’t leave you alone. 

So twenty more minutes pass by and you’re ready to throw in the towel. You’ve decided that you’ll deal with the situation another day - preferably when you can string together a proper sentence. After a quick goodbye and the promise of a home-safe text to Maddy, you gather your things and start making headway for the exit. 

The weakness in you can’t help but take one final look at Sebastian before you step out for the night but he’s beaten you to it. His eyes are already fixed on you with the same look you had become all too familiar with. 

****

Saturday night. Seth’s Birthday. Shut-out win over Vegas. No game scheduled until Wednesday. 

Individually, they’re considered lawfully good events. Combined? It’s as if someone was testing to see if Carolina even knew the definition of chaos. And when have they ever backed down from a challenge? 

You let out a huff of air as you fall back into the booth. You had finally managed to escape Seth and Jesperi from the dance floor. If there was ever a case to be made about the negative long-term effects of Redbull, those two were it. 

“Oh my god, how were you even out there for that long?” 

Martin’s girlfriend, Nykki, opens up her arm and lets you lean in. Her leather jacket is a cool contrast to your warm and flushed body. 

“Don’t let them take me again,” you whine as the ache in your feet comes flooding in. She giggles and affectionately pats your head. 

Your eyes skim over the crowd, taking count of where everyone was. Brady, Kuzy and Martin by the bar. Andrei, Jack and Pyotr occupied with a group of girls. Seth and Jesperi still unabashedly dancing but now sporting a pair of shades that you had a sneaky suspicion they found on the floor. As if your eyes knew before your brain, they’re scanning the room again to find what’s missing. 

“He stepped away to the bathroom.” 

Your eyes tear away from the crowd and you sit yourself up, pulling the closest drink to your lips to avoid the direction Nykki is heading.

“He was watching you all night, you know? Didn’t listen to a damn thing I said,” she nudges with a knowing smirk. You didn’t think it was possible for your face to heat up anymore. Your continued silence doesn’t deter Nykki though as she decides that she will get you to admit something that you’re not even sure you’re ready to admit to yourself. 

“Why are you both dancing around this? It’s obvious that he likes you. And maybe you won’t ever admit it to me but I can tell that you like him,” Nykki softens, acutely aware that Sebastian could return to the booth at any moment. 

“Do you…” you hesitate, swirling the remnants of your drink in the glass. “Do you ever feel like you’re too exposed sometimes?” 

She furrows her brows, “What do you mean?” 

“There’s this thing that happens, and maybe it’s not often but it happens, where people expect things just because of who you know.

And if it’s true for just simply being friends with Seth, will it be worse if you’re involved with them?” 

“A hockey player definitely wasn’t my first choice,” she says after a moment. “And maybe I wish I knew what it would have meant to be with him.” 

“But,” she quickly recovers, watching your expression fall, “I wouldn’t change anything. It’s not about the world that he can offer me like everyone thinks it is. It’s how he always shows up for me, even when he’s 3000 miles away. It’s those private moments that are enough to make me forget the world is watching us.”

You catch the glowing adoration that’s etched into her face when she gazes across the room, watching her boyfriend laughing with Brady. You’re so wrapped up in ruminating over Nykki’s words that you almost don’t feel the way the cushion sinks next to you. 

“Are you done with that?” 

Sebastian’s voice grounds you back to reality. “Oh, I am but I’ll get another soon.” 

Before you can stop him, he slides back out of the booth again and flags down a bartender. And Nykki doesn’t take a beat to do the same, “I think I’ll join the others,” sending you a small wink. 

Sebastian slides back in setting down three glasses, two for you and one for him. “I thought you’d want some water too. Jarvy didn’t look like he was going to let you leave at any point,” he offers with a smile. 

You let out a laugh and shake your head, “The trick is to run the second he turns his back. Trust me, works every time.” 

“Did you have fun tonight?”

“Me? What about you? 3 assists and a goal? Surely that’s what we’re really celebrating tonight,” you whistle as you twirl the straw between your fingers. 

You don’t miss the way he almost immediately shies up, turning away with the crack of a smile threatening to take over.

“I couldn’t have done it without the guys, they make all of it happen,” he notions. 

You roll your eyes immediately, “I forget how well media-trained you guys are sometimes.” 

“You should be able to enjoy your successes. It’s not about the other guys not being talented, it’s about being able to reflect on how far you’ve come. All of this is the culmination of your dedication, Sebastian. It’s important to remember that.” 

The silence he returns suddenly fills you with regret. Did you say too much? Was it even your place to say anything at all? You need to backpeddle. 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have -” you sigh, pushing away your drink. 

“No,” he quickly cuts, “I guess I’ve just never thought about it like that. But it does feel good to hear it.” 

“I like having you at our games” he smiles. “You know you’re part of my warm-up routine?” 

“I am?” 

“Yeah, I play this little game where I try to spell people’s names as fast as I can with the puck. I tried yours once and we won, so I did it the next night and we won again. Now I do it every game to put a little luck into the ice.”

Fuck. His confession renders you speechless. If there were any more doubts about your feelings for Sebastian, they were well and truly effaced now. And suddenly you gain a partial understanding of what Nykki meant. For every game, whether you’re there or not, Sebastian carves a part of you into it. 

You swallow, giving yourself a moment to recollect. “I didn’t think that I was such a game changer,” you softly let out.

You’re not exactly sure when or how it happened but you notice the proximity between you two has significantly lessened. And the arm he has strewn behind you on the top cap suddenly feels misplaced - like they would feel more at home around you. 

And for a brief moment - between the silence you’re both too afraid to break - his eyes break away from yours and flick towards your lips.

He inches closer, “You are… everything.” 

Your breath hitches. Before you can even stop yourself, your hand rests against his neck, gently pulling him in and Sebastian is more than willing to follow. This is it. 

“Guys! KK said his friend can get us into this new club!” 

Your eyes close shut and your hand drops down Sebastian. An agitated sigh leaves him as he reluctantly pulls back. You both look at each other, still caught in the moment that’s now fleed at the sound of Seth’s voice. 

Seth shakes Sebastian, forcing him to break away from your gaze. 

“Did you hear me? KK’s calling us an Uber,” Seth bounces. Not a beat later, Nykki appears and attempts to forcefully pull him away. But it’s Seth. And of course, rightfully so, he wants two of his best friends to come with. 

You quickly down the rest of your drink and step out of the booth, not wanting to bask in the awkwardness any longer. As you step outside, the chill of the wind grounds you back into reality, and you instinctively wrap your hands around your arms. In the peripheral of your vision, you see Nykki rush towards you. 

“I’m so sorry. I tried to grab onto him but he just moved so quickly.” 

You return a small smile, “It’s fine. Really.” 

You link arms with her and she guides you to the Uber that Martin is standing by with the door open. As Nykki climbs in, you turn your head and find Sebastian watching. 

He almost looks hopeful that you’ll follow him. That you’ll both leave the mess of the group behind and find solitude someplace else.

But you don’t. 

Instead, you give a small shake of your head and follow Nykki, with Martin firmly closing the door behind you. 

****

In the years you’ve watched Seth play in Raleigh, you’ve never once seen a game from the suite before. 

But the Monday morning after your run-in with the group, you find yourself opening a calendar invite from your boss to the first home game of the season with a few key clients. So now, you’re perched by the glass, watching the spotlights dancing around the ice and the crowds of people getting settled in for the night. 

“You know we’re meant to be chatting up the clients, right?” 

Of course, Charlie managed to be invited too. 

“I still haven’t been able to swing by that new restaurant I was telling you about. Could be fun to check it out afterwards,” he says, looking out towards the rink. 

“Thanks, Charlie but I think I’m just going to head home the game’s done,” you respond dryly.

He cocks his head with a raised brow, “You know they organized a meet and greet after the game right? The whole reason why we’re here is because the CEO’s son is a huge fan.” 

You don’t love the way your body freezes up at the newly shared information. You appreciated that your friendship with the team hadn’t made it past Maddy and Charlie’s lips, but you weren’t confident that would stay the same after tonight. And that’s the only thing that runs through your mind through all three periods. You can barely converse with the clients as you’re half-distracted by the get-away plan that you’re attempting to draw out in your mind, and it leaves your boss shooting you looks of “get your shit together”. 

The horn sounds off as soon as the clock hits zero. It’s evident that you’re not getting out of this and the only prayer you have left is that the players who join you are the younger rookies who have little to no idea who you are. But you know the chances of that are slim to none. 

You try to push away the anxiousness by listening to a conversation between your boss, Charlie, and the client. 

“All I’m saying is that the reason Boston didn’t make it past the first round was because of how shit some of the calls were against them,” Charlie rambles, oblivious to the unimpressed faces. 

The door of the suite swings open and you find Jordan, Brady, and Sebastian filing in. They’ve all clearly come straight from the showers, still dripping droplets of water from their hair onto the floor. They make their way around the room and shake everyone’s hands, thanking them for their support. Brady is the first to spot you as he gives you a surprised look followed by a welcoming smile. But he reads the panic in your eyes and - being classically perceptive - nods in understanding. 

It doesn’t take another second to pass for Sebastian to register your appearance and amongst the earlier crowding, you’re only now able to fully take in the way he’s dressed. His compression shirt sculpts against him, with the soft lines of his muscles pressing against the fabric. Shorts barely hanging loose against his thighs. A backwards cap sported to tie it all off. It’s enough to make you want to break your silent promise. 

Your eyes can’t help but fixate on him the entire time they circulate with everyone in the room. And while Sebastian tries his damn hardest to remain polite and focus on the conversation at hand, he can’t help but flicker his eyes towards you, making sure you won’t disappear on him again. 

“Thank you so much for your time. We won’t keep you guys any longer, but best of luck with the season ahead. Bring one home for us, hey?” your boss beams. Everyone else has headed home, leaving just you and Charlie waiting for your boss to let you go. 

“Goodnight guys. I’ll see you Monday.” 

And with that, it’s just the five of you left in the suite with a few people on the Hurricanes team off to the side. 

“Well, we better get going if we want to make it to that restaurant,” Charlie says turning towards you. 

Sebastian tenses at this and you see the way Jordan and Brady shoot each other a look. 

“I said I’m going home, Charlie.” You’re shutting this down. 

“I’ll give you a lift then,” he presses. 

Before you can open your mouth to counteract, Sebastian interjects, “You’re not far off from my place, I’ll take you.” 

“Yes, please!”

You’d be embarrassed with how quick you are to jump at his offer if it weren’t for the fact that you so desperately wanted to avoid being confined in a car with Charlie. 

“Thanks bro, but we’ve got it from here.” 

“Actually, I don’t think you do, bro.” 

Charlie looks between you two. Growing annoyed at the situation, he grabs his coat and retreats out of the suit. “Whatever. See you Monday.” 

A sigh leaves your lips and you don’t realize how taut your body is until it eases under the feeling of Sebastian's hand on your shoulder. 

“You guys all good if we take off?” Brady asks, expectedly. Sebastian nods and you all bid goodnight. 

“I just have to grab my things but if you’re tired I can just come back for them tomorrow,” he offers, as Brady and Jordan make their way out. 

You shake your head, “I can hold on, you’re doing me the favour.” 

It doesn’t take long to get back to the locker room, and you can’t help but think about how good he looks when he emerges with his hockey bag hung over one shoulder and a garment bag thrown over the other. 

As you lean against the passenger door, waiting for him to throw his things into the boot, you can’t help but start to grow nervous at the realisation that Sebastian may want to talk about that night. But your nervousness is cut short by Sebastian moving in front of you with a small disc in his hand. 

A puck. 

He looks down at it, fiddling with it between his hands, “It’s from the warm-up. I thought you might like it.”

It’s the puck.  

Your mouth falls open slightly, as you gingerly take it, as if you’re afraid it’ll break if you handle it too hard. 

“I can’t believe you still do that,” you breathe, turning it over, feeling the ridges where the ice has chipped the edges. 

“Of course I do. It changes the game.” 

Your eyes dart up at his choice of words - he remembers. 

“Why did you stop seeing us?” he puts forward. 

You sigh and lean back against the car, turning your head away. 

“Was it because of that night at Jarvy’s birthday? Did you not want to…” he trails off. Even he’s not sure what that night was meant to be. 

“This world that you’re in Sebastian, I just don’t know if it’s for me.”

“I know that we’re away a lot but I-” 

“It’s not that,” you quickly cut off. He returns a confused look and you know, as his eyes search you for an answer, that you owe him this explanation. 

“Before you came back to the table, I was talking to Nykki about how difficult it can get to be involved with a hockey player.” 

“But you’re already involved with us? You were friends with Seth already” he presses.  

“And look where it got me last time. I was forced to leave a job after six months because all anyone cared about was being closer to the Canes than me,” you lamented. 

“I just don’t want to spend the rest of my life feeling like I’m second to the person I’m with; I want to feel equal to them. I want to know who is genuinely trying to be my friend. I want to exist outside of my relationship. I don’t want to have to hide in public because I’m scared to run into people from work.” 

You close your eyes, feeling exhausted by the flood of words leaving your mouth, and you half-expect Sebastian to get into his car and drive off. 

“I didn’t know.” 

You nod in understanding. How could you expect him to know? 

“I would never put you in a position where you wouldn’t feel safe,” he says softly.

“But if that’s what you really want, we can move on from everything. But I need you to know how I feel first.” His hand wraps around the side of your jaw and pulls your gaze towards him. 

“I wanted to know you the moment Seth pointed you out our game for the first time. And then we spoke at the charity gala and I only wanted to know you even more. And then you were around us more, and I got to know you beyond just being Seth’s friend. And what I know I know is that you’re smarter than you let on but you’re still kind. You’ve remained so grounded that you see me as more than just this job. You make me think more deeply than I ever have with anyone else and I don’t want to go back to a life before I had that.” 

You don’t know whether to cry or charge forward. Because after the endless rounds of almosts and what-ifs, you’ve finally caught each other. And the confessions that pour from his mouth left you knowing one thing for certain: you had both waited long enough.

And for the second time, you bring his neck down and finally close the gap between the two of you. Sebastian presses you against the car with his hand wrapping up to rest on the back of your neck, his lips deepening against yours. You never doubted it but his arms feel secure around you, afraid to let go and let the moment be over. 

But you pull away just long enough to let out a murmur, “Take me home, Sebastian” 

****

Six gruelling months pass by and you find yourself at a potential playoff-clinching game with your colleagues. 

Granted your relationship with Sebastian was still very much under wraps, but you had learned to navigate your feelings of discomfort towards the publicity of his job. Sebastian had accommodated your cautiousness. Careful to never spend too long in your section during a pre-game warm up. Made sure to drive around the quiet side of the arena to pick you up afterwards. He had never pushed you to do more than you needed to. 

But even though he’d never tell you, you know he’s quietly envious of the way the guys can openly skate with their partner at family skates. Or how they can sit and openly touch at company events. He had afforded you comfort at the expense of his wants. You wanted him to have more than this. And more importantly, you wanted to show him that you wanted more. 

So when the buzzer sounds off and the Canes skate away with another return to the Stanely Cup Playoffs, you can’t help but let go of the discontentment you have about being found out. So before you even know it, you find yourself moving towards the ice where Sebastian is wrapping up his post-game interview, ignoring the calls of Maddy asking where you’re going. 

And when you reach the board that separates you and your boyfriend, he doesn’t hesitate to skate over, collecting a puck from the equipment manager on the way. 

“Always nice to meet a fan,” he winks, offering his pre-game puck. 

You grin, pulling him forward by his jersey, “I appreciate it but I’ve gotta tell you that I’ve got a boyfriend.” 

His eyes melt at the sound of your public announcement and he catches your lips against his, “I love you so damn much.”

[redheadspark]

Hi! For the request: Barry K and 5? 💐

A/N - I love this for Barry, thanks for requesting this!

Lazy

Summary - Barry needed a lazy day in, and you were happy to oblige

Warnings - Just some fluff :)

“Okay…no thank you I appreciate it…alright talk to you later, bye.”

You hung up your phone and placed it on the table, sighing in relief as the body that was curled up in front of you tightened its hold on you a pinch, you chuckling as the body finally spoke.

“You called off work?” The voice mumbled against your shirt, you grinning as you rubbed the tinted back with your fingertips and eased yourself back into bed, your head hitting the pillow and the cool blankets bunched around both of your waists.

“I did,” You replied.

“You didn’t need to—“ He was about to argue with you but you tutted and kissed his brown hair.

“I’ve saved plenty of hours to take the day off, they don’t need me tomorrow,” You reassured him as he held you a pinch tighter.  He said nothing else, only keeping you in his hold and almost suctioning to you like an octopus.  It was now morning, though the clouds were hiding the sun that had already risen.  With the shades drawn to only being in a small beacon of light from the outside world, it was the perfect day to simply sleep in and not do anything on your to-do list.  That list could wait as your boyfriend was still pressed against you and slowly drifting in and out of sleep.  

Barry’s schedule was daunting, almost to the point of madness since his recent projects have become insanely popular.  Needing to fly all over to press conferences, the several hours in interviews, and TV spots and appearances on plenty of channels and outlets, it was constant and never-ending.  Barry never minded it, but you could see he was losing steam and needing just a day or two of simply resting and needing to be in bed. 

You were going to make sure he had just that.

He came trudging to your apartment the night before, duffle bag in hand and bags under his eyes as you engulfed him in his arms.  He sunk into the hug, pulling you in a pinch deeper as you simply kept him close.  He sighed, almost deflating himself as you finally got him inside the apartment.  Stripping down to the pajamas he brought, you both went to bed simply embracing one another and before you knew it Barry was sleeping within seconds of hitting his head on the pillow.  

You felt relief seeing him in a deep sleep, running your fingers in his soft hair and your other hand running up and down his arm.  Although it was amazing what he was doing with his career and how he was thriving, getting the recognition he deserved as an actor, he was still human and had his moments of exhaustion.

“Let’s order in today,” you suggested as Barry was slowly blinking his eyes and moving up to rest his head on your neck, “I know a great pizza place down the street that has good pizza and pasta,”

“You tryin’ to get me fat?” Barry asked against your neck, though you felt his lip move into a smile as you giggled and shook your head.

“I’m trying to get you fed with great food, as I should as your girlfriend,” You answered, Barry then moved so that he was nose to nose with you and showed his bed head and sleep smile.  You saw he looked well rested, the bags that were under his eyes no longer there along his skin, and his eyes even seemed a bit perkier.  He always took your breath away with his blue eyes, they seemed so rare in color and in brightness.  

Ever since you two were introduced back at a small dinner party through a mutual friend, his eyes always made your heartstrings tug.  It took some convincing on your part to date him since you’ve heard so many stories of dating actors that ended badly.  But not with Barry, he made you feel like you were on top of the world and then some.  Always a gentleman, never one to push when it came to your comfort and consent and made you feel like the luckiest woman in the world.  

“You always take care of me when I need it,” Barry hummed, his voice laced with sleep but still a bit light.  You smiled, pushing some of his soft hair from his eyes as you kissed the tip of his nose.

“I think that’s what a girlfriend does to her boyfriend, don’t you think?” You teased Barry, who was rolling his eyes, “Come on, Barry.  Let me take care of you for once, okay?”

Barry hated having people wake at his beck and call.  He would rather do a lot of the tasks himself, not wishing to be one of those actors who wanted people to cater to him constantly.  In fact, he was more private with his life than most other actors his age, and he wanted it that way,  Even with you he tried to do it all himself, both because he loved you and because it was his own way of simply functioning.  That did bother you from time to time, only because you wanted to love and take care of Barry too.  

Barry, seeing that you weren’t going to cave anytime soon, sighed in defeat.  But you were smiling from ear to ear, kissing his lips lightly and pulling him back in your arms again.  Barry had to laugh while he plopped back down in your hold and in bed.  It started to rain, the soft sounds hitting your bedroom window and on your roof, as you grabbed your cell phone again, pulling up the menu of the pizza place to show Barry the menu.  He took the phone, humming to himself as he was still suctioned to your side with a leg draped over yours and his chin on your chest.

“How about an extra large cheese to split?” He suggested.

“Let’s get that with breadsticks, and don’t say a word about bread.  Bread is a gift from God,” You comment as Barry laughed.

“I have no hate for bread,” He replied.  You both laughed as Barry was putting in the order for you two.  It ended up being the best lazy days of your life together. 

The End.

February Prompt Session

[misslavenderlady]

The Lost Boys x Chubby Fem!Reader Headcanons 💕

Big thank you to @wowisksksj for this request! As a chubby lady myself, I was very happy to do this and I hope I made it truly special!

Enjoy~!

Now it’s no surprise that being immortal vampires, the boys have seen quite the variety of body types and shapes. Humans change their minds on what they think is “attractive” so fast, and they find that to be silly. There’s beauty in every kind of body.

The flings and crushes they have all look incredibly different from one another. It’s all a matter of who they’re drawn to at the moment, and what kind of personality they have to keep them wanting more.

So yes, they find bigger women to be quite stunning. They'll stare in awe without any shame, totally entranced by the beauty walking down the boardwalk. If they see something they want, they'll get it~

When they say “bigger”, they don’t just mean hourglass figures with small waists, large breasts, and an ass (though they do like that too). You could be apple-shaped, pear-shaped, have a small cup size, not much in the back, or quite a bit of belly in the front. They’re well aware that everyone isn’t going to look the same, and they’re totally fine with it. 

The boys are all incredibly handsome men with amazing bodies. They know they have pretty privilege and use it well to woo whatever lady they have their eye on. 

If you're more shy and worried they're just trying to tease or play a mean prank by asking you out (cough totally not speaking from experience cough), they'll subtly use their powers to ease your mind and enjoy the attention they give you. 

If you're more confident, then they boost your ego as high as it'll go. Compliments and flirty touches galore. You live for the attention, and they're more than happy to give it. 

They're a pack so if one of them finds you beautiful, they're all drawn to you. Even if you prefer one boy over the others, you might as well accept the fact that you're pretty much gonna date them all. That's not a problem though. More love to go around. 

Your own personal hype squad! They thrive on making you feel good about yourself. Your joy is their joy, so they will shower you with compliments without even having to be asked. 

They're supportive whether you're more prone to covering up or flaunting some skin. David with his two coats totally understands the former while Dwayne, Paul, and Marko are more for the latter. Either way, they'll be sure to tell you how stunning you look in your outfit (and how it would look even better on your bedroom floor~)

The boys are already very touchy-feely with one another, but they'd be even more handsy with you. An arm around your waist here, a subtle grab at your ass there, they just can't keep their hands off their beautiful lady. 

Each boy has their own unique way of appreciating you and your body. 

David likes putting you in front of mirrors. Even if his own reflection isn't there he'll stand behind you and whisper sweet nothings about the goddess he sees before him. He'll trace his gloved fingers over every curve and make it clear he finds you ravishing. 

Paul loves taking pictures of you. You're his muse and he loves setting you up in stunning poses so he can capture your best angles. He'll praise and cheer you on the whole time, getting you to smile widely. "That's it, sugar! Show off for the camera! You're so hot". He also has a few telescope keychain pictures of you in your birthday suit for his eyes only~

Marko is just as upset as you that plus-size fashion is such a joke. If you're tired of cold shoulder tops and endless floral prints, he offers to be your personal stylist. He knows how to sew, so all it takes is a few measurements from you to make exactly what you want. He knows just how to make the wardrobe of your dreams and help you feel like a fashion icon. 

Dwayne will sweep you off your feet-LITERALLY. If you worry about your weight and size, he'll immediately silence those thoughts by picking you up in his arms. No matter what you're doing or where you are, he'll take the opportunity to lift you up. Sometimes he'll even do it with one hand or lift you onto his shoulders. It always surprises you. If you start worrying about hurting him, he'll shush you and say "you feel like a kitten to me"

They proudly show you off in public. Usually, you're right in the middle of all of them, giggling while holding onto them. Sometimes other girls will give you a thumbs up and an encouraging smile as if to say "you go, girl!"

If anyone is rude to you in any way, they are on the boys' hit list. Anyone is fair game. Rude catcallers on the sidewalk, stuck-up workers at department stores, restaurant-goers who comment on what you order, ANYONE. Even if you don't hear the mean things, they do. And they'll make sure nobody bothers their lady. 

They make a show of loving every single part of your body. Stretch marks are caressed, curves are worshiped and rolls are kissed. They have all the time in the world and will take as long as they please to map out your beautiful body. 

If you like having sex, then be prepared to get your goddamn world rocked. They can lift you into their arms with no issue and have plenty of energy to fuck all night long. They each have their own style of love-making, but all equally ravish you (Paul and Marko especially love the saying "more cushion for the pushin'")

Each boy has their own favorite body part. 

David loves to take your face in his hands and stroke your soft cheeks while making you gaze into his eyes. It lets him appreciate what he’s claimed as his own.

Dwayne adores your thighs and hips. He’ll either rest his head on your lap while spending time with you or grab onto your sides to pull you in close for a kiss. 

Paul is a sucker for your breasts. No matter what they look like, he’s drawn to them like a moth to a flame. He cannot and will not keep his hands off of them. He may even offer to get you a mesh shirt of your own to show off your goods more.

Marko is an ass man. He has no shame. He’ll smack your behind at any goddamn chance he gets. If you’re bending over to pick something up, he’s going in for the kill. If you’re ever on a date with him, his hand is always in your back pocket, giving you a squeeze.

Since you’re not the same size as the boys, you feel sad about not being able to wear their jackets like other girls with their boyfriends. So to make it up to you, the boys each pitch in to help make your own custom jacket. They all add their own flair to it to show you’re their girl. They’ll even add patches with their initials or have the words “Lost Girl” written on the back. 

They’ll also indulge you in wearing those cheesy couples t-shirts from the shops on the boardwalk. The ones that say “If found, return to Y/N” and “I am Y/N”.

If there’s ever a day you’re feeling self-conscious about your body, they’re by your side to help cheer you up. No matter what it is that made you feel such a way, the boys will do anything to put a smile on your face again. They would never make you feel ugly or unwanted. They may be vampires, but they’re not monsters. 

[helpallthenamesaretaken]

EPISODE 6 (just realised no one is asking me to do this too bad) spoilers for series up ahead

ITS NOT A MUSICAL EPISODE 😭

Disney was too broke to show us the animals in the zoo truck WHYY

why am i so happy for the second seaweed brain, man the things being a pjo fan does to you

The way you could see luke’s smile drop when they say that they found the lightning thief (:) —> :/)

The way luke didn’t even let them finish he was like “CLARISSE YES CLARISSE SHE MUST BE THE ROBBER”

No one’s talking about “Chiron should arrest her” Not the mental image of chiron holding a gun saying “ANY WORD CAN AND WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU IN COURT” while clarisse is pushed into a police car lollll

Old married couple im falling out of my chair plsssss if luke did something right in his life it was this

i love annabeth’s face like she knew this was coming the older brother-sister dynamic is POPPING

Disney really needed a way to show that grover liked animals and had convos with them without actually showing them lol

cue the “omg animals are so elegant” speech which served nothing at all

WHATS THE POINT OF ZEBRA TO VEGAS IF THERE AIN’T NO ZEBRA MR HOUSE OF MOUSE????

Idk but i kind of miss the trio action so far this show has only been percabeth + grover instead of percy + annabeth + grover you can tell they’re focusing more on fan service and developing percabeth than developing the more important dynamics which are the three of them having fun

oh HELLO RANDOM CAMEL WHO ISNT EVEN A ZEBRA BUT WHATEVER

“You are two seconds ahead of meeee” the simp eyes the simp eyes

The lotus casino from the outside is so COOL

LEVITATING BY DUA LIPA (some of yall still stuck in poker face era so im leaving it at that)

WISE GIRL I REPEAT WE GOT WISE GIRL (i was honestly expecting it to sound super corny on screen but walker pulled it off like he always does)

look im so mad about the fact that there’s no montage of them being silly little kids and having fun at arcade games. It hits so hard since percy has never afforded to visit fun places, annabeth has never left camp so is absolutely thriving with her architect games, grover is hunting down humans which was so funny and cool and they decided to make it more serious and plot centred

”ill take percy this way” WHY CAN’T GROVER TAKE PERCY THAT WAY HUH ANNABETH? 🤨 (girl just say you want to spend time with him)(and disney say you just wanna write more percabeth scenes)

I love the ‘if you dont know, i dont know either 😄’ mentality that percy has, he knows annabeth wants to be in charge now so he’s just feeding into the hubris

The augustus plot was so weird ngl but it was a great way to introduce the pan stuff

“Biaannncaaaaa biancaaaaaa” NICCOOOOOOO

He sounds so little and innocent and cute 🥺 im so sad now

GROVERRRRRR REMEMBERRRRRR

i gotta say, i guess that i was taken away by the people making fun of lin manuel miranda, but his acting was really really good

We got some may castellan exposition early

Percy thinking that the only thing he could do to sally was hurting her 🥹

i really hope they talk about that later on, you know we love some angst around here (especially with the dreams of the headmaster which was from the books!!! I was thinking that they’d cut it! But they didnt!! But it speaks volumes about percy that he has nightmares of headmasters)

I WANT ANNABETH FLASHBACK ANGST

annabeth pickpocketing the god of thieves will forever be her girlbossiest moment

”Im multitalented” percy: 😍💙🥰🥹 🤩(walker’s acting be that amazing is it not obvious by now that percy likes annabeth)

“Who’s grover ☺️?” “Wait, i know grover 😅!” Walker is cementing himself in the percy throne every single episode

”wow grover got really old😃”

“you lose sight of what’s important when you’re alone” “we weren’t alone 🥰” poor grover

The eons long wait to see how percy was hugging while falling the way down is finally over

The way that you can see percy’s empathy shining through his eyes as grover talked about pan>>>> (honestly tho, hug!)

the way they focused on percy’s reaction, i know this is going to be something he brings up as a reason for him to sacrifice himself for hades

Percy and annabeth looking at grover like “ ok mr. 24 DRIVE US”

Percy trying to drive a car will forever be cinema and comedy peak

The road rage this child has its so funny BEEP BEEP

annabeth: 😁 percy: 🥹 *cutely crashes car and almost kills her* PERCY IS TRULY GIVING A LOSER BOY WHO HAS NEVER HAD A GIRL LOOK AT HIM AND THATS SO PERCY OF HIM

the heartbreak in percy’s eyes alexa play the moment i knew by taylor swift

Four pearls?? *cue that one meme where that girl is calculating*

the way my smile faded when i saw annabeth hanging over the cliff TOO SOON RICK TOO SOON

[shimmerbeasts]

NAME :　Miss Tantabis, usually called Miss T or T for short.

PRONOUNS:　She/Her, might wanna see how I feel about Them.

PREFERENCE  OF  COMMUNICATION: Discord. While I can use the Tumblr IM and use them as icebreakers, I have gotten more used to using Discord nowadays as it is far more reliable.

NAME  OF  MUSE(S): My primary muses are Jinx, Silco and Vi. My secondary muses are Naafiri, Sevika, Vander/Warwick and Kindred. When it comes to my secondary muses, they are not all equal and sometimes one goes more silent while the other one is far more awake. I tend to go where my muses lead me when it comes to replies.

EXPERIENCE  /  HOW  LONG  (  MONTHS  /  YEARS? ): I started rping around the time I finished my A-levels aka my school graduation. That is nine years now. I started on Facebook and forums during these three years when I was in the advanced levels of high school. However, I quickly moved over to Tumblr. I think that was either already in 2014 or at the very least 2015. Though, if we wanna go by writing alone, I have been telling stories since I was six. That means over twenty years worth of writing by now.

BEST  EXPERIENCE: God, this is a hard question. I had many experiences in so many different rp communities. Not all of them were pleasant. However, I believe what I would deem my best experience, is the fact that through rp, outside of meeting amazing rp partners, I also made some very close friends. Some of these people, I have known for years, and they helped me through strife and tribulations. I cannot thank them enough for being the awesome human beings they are. At the same time, I am just so happy with how rpers give me a chance and how they have helped me so much with my ability to world build and finally embrace my own creativity. It may be an ongoing struggle, I still sometimes have, but I know I have people here who adore my ideas and my style and for that I cannot thank them enough.

RP  PET  PEEVES  /  DEALBREAKERS: I think the only real dealbreakers I have are things like blatantly expressed homophobia/racism, etc. Basically, people being dicks. Though that isn't really a surprise and not really RP-related. I think, in that regard, something I really despise is when people try to tell you how to write your blog, your muses, what you curate on your dash. I am not a big fan of one-liners either and normally, prefer multi-para replies. At the same time, if you can give me something to work with and the passion is there, I can also do shorter stuff. I also do not like it if communication does not happen, even though I know I too have to work on that sometimes. RPing is a two-way street and many of my pet peeves relate to that street being disrupted.

MUSE  PREFERENCES  FLUFF,   ANGST  OR  SMUT: I tend to say that I am predominantly a horror writer. Both due to my themes, my choice of characters and my writing style. Because of this, I absolutely love angst, whether that be heavily emotionally taxing angst or gory and violent angst. However, I am not opposed to fluff either, though I prefer if it is coming out of angst. I think that is called hurt/comfort. Smut is something, that while I do enjoy writing it sometimes, is not my biggest strong suit. I can normally only do certain types of smut and even then only with people I trust deeply and where my muses really have chemistry.

PLOTS  OR  MEMES: While I love using memes as an ice breaker just to gauge how our muses would interact with one another and whether our writing style mashes, I am more of a plotting kind of person. I still have to practise this craft a bit more. However, I prefer to have at least an idea of the dynamic we attempt to build with our muses and I always enjoy discussing potential scenes and plots we can do with that dynamic. If we manage to do the proper groundwork, most plots write themselves.

LONG  OR  SHORT  REPLIES: I prefer long threads and replies. I thrive on multi-para to novella roleplays. Threads, which are filled with details and characterisation. I love it when I can really sink my teeth into what has been written and when the reply challenges me to bring forth my A-game. Longer threads keep my passion going and usually make dropping things harder.

BEST TIME TO WRITE: I normally write in the early morning hours or afternoon. I do not think there is a best time to write. I am trying to learn to be able to write at pretty much any time. However, I also always check what I am in the mood for. Or I plan to try to finish specific replies. It does not always work.

ARE  YOU  LIKE  YOUR  MUSE(S): From my primary muses, the one I relate to the most and the one who is the loudest and easiest to write for me, is without a doubt, Jinx. While I may not have psychosis or the tendency to commit acts of murder, when it comes to Jinx's personality like her creativity, her wrathfulness and her tendency to overthink, those are elements, with which I deeply connect. By now I have written Jinx and built her and the world she inhabits in a way, which makes her both similar and different to the version of Arcane. This version of Jinx is very dear to me and in my eyes indeed shares some of my qualities.

Tagged by: @knifvd, @ferinehuntress and @tealsteel

Tagging: @the-rogue-dragon, @thenextchapterbegins, @demacianhcart, @blackrosesmatron, @moxxee, @moxxietude, @hexcoremagician, @jynxd, @powdied

[quills-of-freedom]

Levi Ackerman ~ Relationship, vibe and various 💕

💀

💣

💥

🧟‍♂️

🦝

🦂

☕

🍵

🍶

🧊

⌚

🌪

👔

🪔

📃

🖇

🧴

🧽

🧼

I think we all know about Levis cold exterior. It’s pretty blatant and he doesn’t try to hide it. So I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise to know he’s a hard one to get close to, especially romantically.

It’s not only his stoic, stone self that makes it difficult, but it’s hard for him to find the time for romance. He’s a busy man, both in AoT and a modern AU.

You have to be pretty special to catch his attention, not to mention be amazing enough for him to work you into his hectic lifestyle.

Low-key huge worrier. He’s lost so many people in his life that the thought of losing someone he cares about again is one of the many things that contributes to his insomnia.

Levi is a perfect yet broken man. He needs so much patience, love and space. He’s definitely far from clingy and yet he has his own special ways of showing he cares.

Ideal dates

Levi feels the most comfortable somewhere quiet. Away from hustle and bustle, noise and, well… people.

Thrives in solitude, so somewhere where its just the two of you is probably what would go down.

His chances of asking you on a date if you just met are pretty slim. He’ll have to know you for a little while. He’s just not interested as he has other things on his plate right now. A plate that just never seems to empty.

A walk in a quiet park. Stargazing. Maybe even hosting you at his place. It’s so casual and he’s so normal about the whole thing, you’ll probably second guess if it’s even a date.

But, if Levi Ackerman is spending alone time with you and its not work related… its probably a date. His independence is very precious to him, so he choses his company with precision.

Always smells and looks good. As we know, he’s super clean. You just aren’t human if he picks you up for a date and you don’t get instant butterflies from his aura alone.

Won’t ever make a move on the first date. He’s testing the waters.

Have a kind heart and he’ll adore you. He definitely doesn’t do PDA except maybe placing his hand on the small of your back.

Modern AU

Totally see him being a snazzy business man in a modern AU. His dream of having his own tea shop always on the horizon. But Levi has to keep himself busy at all times, else the darkness within his mind will catch up to him. It always will be one day, with Levi.

Perhaps you’re the one to get him there, to help piece this broken man back together as best you can.

In a modern AU he is beyond happy that vacuums and anti bac exists. He doesn’t know how he’d cope without it.

Total fuck boy in his early 20s. He doesn’t know how to fill the void within him. Has so much healing to do, it’s so sad.

Erwin is destined to be his mentor, and helps him see the light more. Their bond stretches across multiverses.

Drives a black car with leather seats. A good collection of watches. Levi likes to look good and he pulls it off so good.

Gets acupuncture to help with his insomnia. A lot of herbal tea too. It helps a little but nothing substantial.

NSFW

Post fuck-boy phase, Levi is a gentleman when it comes to between the sheets. He inherently knows a way around another humans body. He’s an extremely passionate and sensual lover; he’ll absolutely blow you away.

If you want graphic detail of Levis junk, you can read and see it here.

Always, alwaaaays has a nice, thick load for you. And there’s plenty of it.

He’s the most vulnerable both when he’s tossing and turning trying to sleep and after sex.

Amazing with his mouth and fingers, very attentive to what you like and don’t like, all from the reactions you give him, no matter how subtle he can pick up on it.

Stamina is out of this world.

Heavy panting, the odd grunt and a bark when he cums is what you can expect to hear while he’s fucking you.

Kinks

Levi has a praise kink, certainly. He adores telling you how beautiful you are. He thrives off making you feel like the king/queen you are.

On the flip side, with how hard he has it, he loves it when you take care of him. Let him relax. Give him oral. Ride him. Massage his aching neck and back. He’ll be putty in your hands.

Shower sex. Obviously. You know.

Ride his face. His groans if you do are out of this world. His slender finger tips will dig into your ass and his sighs are like music to your ears.

Has a thing for watching you touching yourself before stepping in and taking over. It really revs his engine.

Aftercare

If Levi loves you, his aftercare is second to none. Soft kisses, embraces, whispering how gorgeous and perfect you are.

Will carry you to the shower and will change the sheets while you’re in there.

Brings you a tray of food too. Fruits, yoghurt and tea.

Massages if he was a little more rough than usual. Usually after a particularly stressful day.

Levi is a beautiful person inside and out. He’s just in so much pain and anguish. You need to take extra special care of this lovely human being ❤

[mysticfemme]

Love , it seems like you and your ex were just fundamentally incompatible in ways that I’d neither of your faults </3 but them stringing you along isn’t fair , please try to detach from the idea that ‘maybe it’ll be better in April’ or whatever nonsense they’re telling you. You deserve to live your life , to grow , to love whoever you can as much as you want whether it be a friend , family or a pet. To thrive , to get to know and love yourself better and your desires - all without the weight of your ex possibly maybe coming back to you looming over you. If they ever do decide to come and do whatever they’re planning with you in the future , well they can do it with a improved , self loving and glowing version of you that isn’t waiting around for them to sort out their stuff. It’s only been a few months so understandably you can’t foresee a better future , a fruitful future where you’re happy and not thinking of them much at all but trust me love it is coming. It starts with you deciding to keep living your life with it holding onto their evidently false promises, let them feel how they feel about you prospering, let them feel how they feel about you living your life abundantly without s thought of how their opinion on it. It’s not your problem how they perceive you anymore , neither of you two owe eachother anything but basic clarity (which they’re not giving) and human decency. You’ve got this babe , give it three more months and you’ll be amazed at how far you’ll be 💗

I feel like I really just want to move and grow because I'm so so tired of being strung along and disappointed each time. It's just trying to remember that I can't go back is hard, because I feel like I'm constantly worrying what I did wrong even though I know it wasn't anything because they're the one who messed up.

Anyway, I'm trying my hardest and I'm hopeful for the future 🥹🩷

[pdaliceliveblogs]

So.

That was a hell of a thing.

I’m honestly impressed by how many times that managed to punch me in the heart, in different ways— with love, with fear, with fury, with achy mourning.

This wrap-up post is super belated, and some of it was written right after I first watched the ep, and some a good two months later, so I apologize if it’s a little scattered. What an episode, though.

There are definitely places where you can feel the pain of the compression. Both montages felt like they could have filled whole episodes on their own, and the map in a box under the floorboards is weirdly convenient— I’d love to know why it’s there, who put it there, why it’s encoded as a rebus, why there are apparently a bunch of rebuses in Old Gravesfield, and I know that stuff is all going to be left up to speculation. Speculation is fun, and I don’t think everything ever needs an explicit explanation— in fact, it’s a pet peeve of mine when people treat “wasn’t spelled out explicitly” as equivalent to “plot hole”— but this does feel like something they could have gone into more deeply if they’d had time.

That said, damn it was good. They didn’t just make the best of what they had, they made something genuinely fantastic. The kids settling in— everything from Amity’s awkward tea attempt to Willow becoming a Polaroid nerd (hey, didn’t I have in my headcanons/designs post that she’d keep a meticulous journal to show her dads when they got back?) was fantastic, Gus’s conflicting joy at seeing the realm he’d been so curious about and achy sadness missing his dad, there’s so much rich loam there for both wacky shenanigans and angsty character exploration and they managed to hit on both at least a little in the time, which, damn. Kudos.

Luz is such a good protagonist, such a good character, I really love her. Her depression throughout this episode hurt in a really accurate way; she was spiraling and hating herself while at the same time loving her family and her friends, she was struggling to work up the energy to be excited about a couples’ cosplay that would have had her bouncing off the walls a couple months before, she was trying to do what she thought was right even though that was dramatically warped by where her brain was at that point. It would have helped no one for her to stay in the Human Realm. If she was thinking clearly, she’d have known that, and she was very obviously not thinking clearly. It’s, uh, relatable. Not to put too fine a point on it, but the belief that the ones you love will be better off without you is one that’s really hard to shake.

The whole possession thing with Hunter… god. It’s such a visceral horror, being taken over from the inside out, dragged forcibly back into the old you even after you worked so hard to become someone better, someone you like to be. That Little Blond Puritan Clone Boy Cannot Catch a Break, except that he did, for most of the episode, and it was really wonderful to watch him being happy. Let the boy nerd out and cosplay and wear a homemade three wolf moon tee and and cherish the fuck out of his pet bird and fuck around at a thrift store wearing a goofy cardinal kigurumi and pick up a hobby. He’s a seventeen year old kid, he’s spent most of his life as a child soldier for his abusive uncle, and he got to flourish, for a bit. He got to thrive. He got friends, and a family, and a break.

Gus was awesome with him all episode, by the way. Repeatedly dropping hints that he already knows about the Grimwalker thing, not pushing him to explain, just being there for him and encouraging him. What a good friend.

(Side note, I love it when characters who have spent a lot of time together have similar speech patterns, so even though it’s painful as hell when that’s not a healthy relationship it was kind of amazing to hear Hunter go “up-bup-bup-bup spoileeeers!!” and think about Belos doing the dismissive “up-bup-bup” back in YB,OS)

The possession itself (ha, I got off track, sorry) was so well handled to build the slow dread, the pierced finger, the eyes, the creep up the back of his jaw, the layering of the voice. I mentioned it as I was blogging, but the fact that Hunter’s voice remained present the whole time was a fantastically terrifying choice. The whole battle was so gorgeously done, not just the sequence with the incredible animation (though that was definitely a highlight) but the way Belos gloated, his skill at saying exactly the right thing at the right time to fuck with his opponents, and Hunter’s desperate push to tell him exactly what he wanted and try to get rid of him, his own safety notwithstanding.

Honestly, Camila was the MVP of the episode. I loved the deeper dive into her character, the fact that she’s so much more like her daughter than we thought, the issues she had in school and how they were used to manipulate her with her desire to give Luz a better life… but more than her backstory, what made her so wonderful is the woman she is now. Her immediate acceptance of the witchlings, her steady research to try and figure out how to best care for them and for her queer daughter, putting in the work, the coupons, oh ow the coupons, her blasé willingness to find some blood if that’s what they need, her fierce protectiveness, her strong will. It was honestly a delight to get to know her better, and I’m so glad she’ll be there for what comes next.

I think that’s all I have to say right now— one of the side effects of it taking me so dang long to write a proper wrap-up is that I’ve made posts (and written fic) about several of the other things I was thinking about, ha.

I was holding out on checking with my screener about asks until I made myself write this up, so I’ll do that now; if y’all sent me any, I’ll answer them soon <3

[crystalflygeo]

i was thinking about you (and ovipos!morax...again) earlier, and i just want you to know that your writing inspires me to throw caution to the wind.

like, i used to hesitate and ask myself how will this be received? will ppl get mad or offended if i write my wildest fantasies? will i alienate certain readers if i go too far?

but i've realized while writing this zhongli scent thing that you've given me the courage to just let it all hang out. to write what i'm passionate about and put it out there. it takes courage (or is it madness?) to throw your creation to the wolves in hopes that it won't be torn apart. i've also taken a few pages from your book, as it were, and fkd,dmdjdkddk CRYS? my depravity has graduated to a whole new level and it is exhilarating.

so...just...thank you. for being a fearless writer and an amazing human! i give you kitheth mwahmwah! 🧡

hahaha omg I really did give you brainrot huh welcome to my world//HIT

I mean I would say it depends on what you want to do, what you hope to achieve or what direction you wanna go with your blog, most people write sfw with a dash of nsfw around or half and half. I specifically just do nsfw and hyperfixate on zhongli only (hehe) but that's bc idk I never expected to have "an audience" even less actually find friends!

I genuinely just expected to like leave my weird ass posts and stories here floating in tumblr and get no notes just oh I'm anon I can do whatever I want just go wild go feral LOL and if ppl like it cool, if ppl don't like it cool too, not my problem.

I never though I'd found this lovely precious community and I LOVE it!! <3 I love everyone here.

And tbh finding friends here is both an incentive but also quite honestly it makes me a little scared/self conscious bc yeah like you say what if these ppl I now care about get upset or something. I actually made a small rant exactly about this some months ago (not me bringing attention to my own cringy rant acfsxgsavbhjabj)

point is, I TOTALLY get your. for reals. 100% but I've learned people here are so welcoming and nice and accepting and we all just have fun being chaotic and horny and loving our characters and our writing in the craziest ways!!

And like you say it's just idk it's fun!! All liberating and exhilarating LOL I just ask minors not to follow me/interact why is that so hard sckbjasnclxa

and like

idk

you'd be surprised....

ppl really do enjoy the craziest things we write like I made two versions of the same story more or less and to my absolute SHOCK the one tagged with rape/non-con has DOUBLE the amount of notes as the angsty/bittersweet one. HMMM??? Dark content enjoyers be thriving I guess???

also not your piss post getting almost 100 notes LMAOOOOOOOOO

I've seen enough weird shit to be desensitized at this point (I mean even before coming here, genshin shippers community in general be SOMETHING ALRIGHT and Zl just attracts all the kinks HAHAHAHA)

Anyway GODS this got so long I'm sorry but I just wanna say I fully 110% support you and I'm suuuuper happy we're friends sharing the same one braincell that's horny for zl 24/7 it's so much fun!! Do what makes you happy, don't feel pressured, and I know you have a genuine passion for writing so yeah follow your heart go wild!!

Love ya!! <3<3<3

[uknowyato]

Hatori Yoshiyuki no baai volume 1: chapter 1

This is a repost from my old blog. Old chapters will be coming every Thursday until I catch up. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer:‌‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌do‌ ‌not‌ ‌own‌ ‌Sekaiichi‌ ‌Hatsukoi,‌ Hatori Yoshiyuki no baai ‌and the characters within the stories. Please support Shungiku Nakamura by purchasing the official emerald releases. Thank you!

Raw cre‌dits go to the lovely youmeandteddybears ‌on tumblr

DO NOT REPOST THIS OR SHARE WITH ANYONE ELSE.

Vera, Cammie, Rose and Isaac I love you so much <3 <3

It was late December, and the world was enveloped in the spirit of Christmas. Hymns and Christmas songs were being sung here and there, and the lights that decorated the streets were gorgeous. The products on display in the stores were also in line with the season, and they were crowded with customers choosing gifts for friends and family. Although it had become much colder in the past few days, today was a relatively pleasant day. There was no wind even after dark, so it was perfect for walking outside.

It’s a perfect day for a date… 

Looking up at the twinkling stars in the sky, his thoughts went to the meeting and interview he went to in Yokohama today. Since he was walking around the city with his lover, he supposed he could call it a date.

Hatori Yoshiyuki was thirty years old. Ever since he joined a publishing company called Marukawa Shoten and was assigned to the girls' manga editing department, he had been a dedicated editor.

He was not particularly interested in becoming an editor. However, since seeing his childhood friend, who had been drawing and submitting manga since he was a child, win a rookie award and make his debut, Hatori became interested in the publishing industry. He was quite happy when he passed through the narrow gate of publishing companies and got a job offer.

A publishing company was not just a place where editors work.

Between a publishing company and your average company, there was no difference in terms of human resources, general affairs, and sales. So he thought that there might be a job that he could do.

When he entered the company and was assigned to the editorial department, he was a little worried, but surprisingly, the job seemed to suit him. Of course, it didn't mean that everything always went okay.

There were times when he had trouble with work, and there were times when he had trouble with personal relationships.

However, he had gained a good amount of experience and achievements, and now he was in charge of sub-editing a girls’ manga magazine called "Monthly Emerald.”

"This month's progress has been amazing. I haven't seen it this good in years.”

"Do you know when the usual deadline is? Some of the authors are already almost finished.”

The reason Yoshino wasn’t in a dire situation was because, as he said, they usually had plenty of time to get things done. He was in the process of putting in the rough sketches, but from the looks of Yoshino, things were going well.

Yoshino was the type of person who took longer to pick a name than to make a plot.

Even after it was completed, Yoshino would go over it several times, rework it, and then ask for feedback. Hatori's job was to give him his rough and frank opinions. Whether the story was funny or not, he told them straight.

Of course, every writer responded differently.

Some writers, like Yoshino, thrived on being clearly told what to do, while others were more suited to theoretical and detailed pointers.

“I know what you mean. I do things at my own pace!”

“I’m going to die because of your pace.”

“Uh…I’m sorry…But! This time, things are going well.”

Yoshino had a big mouth and said many things as he struck his chest. He must have a lot of self-confidence to say that much.

"If you get carried away like that, isn't it going to be hard to make up for it in the end?”

“Since I’m doing so well, don't you think I should be praised for it?”

“Alright then. I'll believe you when I see it. I'm counting on you.”

“Leave it to me!”

Even if things were going well between the two of them, you never know when things might start looking bleak. The trick was to take Yoshino's big talk with a grain of salt. It was essential to be prepared in case there was a delay.

"Oh, Tori, wait a minute. I'm going to take some pictures there too!”

"Hey, Yoshino! Don't run, you'll bump into someone.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful!”

Hatori watched the back of his lover, Yoshino, as he ran off. He couldn’t help but feel his mouth slacken at the sight of his back, but remembering that he was outside, his face quickly tightened.

“Yoshikawa Chiharu” was Hatori’s childhood friend, along with being the author he was in charge of. It was a little over a year ago when they were able to add another category to their relationship.

After a long period of unrequited love, they were finally able to become lovers. But he still regretted that he got desperate and hurted Yoshino. 

He had done something that could have ruined their relationship. Oddly enough however, instead of getting angry, Yoshino had forgiven him.

His generosity was something that was truly unmatched.

He was a very easygoing person but shouldn’t have forgiven him so easily. At the beginning of their relationship, he couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong. Yoshno didn’t show it on his face, but he could sense it.

If he was being honest, there were times when he wondered if he would wake up from this convenient dream at the drop of a hat. One day it may come to an end, but until then, he was going to hold on to this happiness.

Even if the day was to come when Hatori would have to put an end to it, he had experienced so much happiness. Hatori would not have any regrets if he were to wake up from his dream.

If I were to tell Yoshino this, he would be appalled at my negative thinking.

Hatori smiled at his own thoughts. Of course, he wanted to stay with Yoshino for the rest of his life. As long as he was allowed to be by his side, he wouldn't leave. However, he had a desire for that and Yoshino’s happiness.

But there was another thing.

If by chance, Hatori's existence became a burden or had a negative effect on Yoshino, he had every intention of leaving him. It would be a punishment for himself.

“Wait a minute,” Yoshino quickly returned, with a camera in his hands.

He would be turning thirty in a few months, but he was still restless. He was curious about everything and had lots of feelings. Many freelance people were of unknown age, and Yoshino fit the bill. With a baby face and big eyes, he also had a petite physique. When he was wearing casual clothing, he looked like a college student. When Hatori was with him, he felt like he was getting older.

“Did you take a good picture?”

“It's perfect! There was a really strange figurine in the storefront over there, and they let me take a picture of it.”

“Well…” Yoshino came back with a smile, showing him the picture on the camera monitor. He was happy to see it, and he wanted to take pictures of the background.

The single-lens reflex digital camera he was using now was a new one bought just the other day. Looking at the fact that he was using it quite well, he thought he must be using it often. He was passionate about escapism.

It was an old promise that he would improve what he did. 

He recalled back in the day, Hatori had a hard time getting Yoshino to concentrate on his studies. There was not one textbook that didn’t have a doodle drawn inside of it.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to get here today. Would it have been better to take the pictures at a brighter time?”

It would have been better if he had arrived at an earlier time, but Hatori’s work dragged on which resulted in him being late. 

It wasn’t as though he had any work he had to immediately complete, but Hatori took Yoshino’s word that he didn’t care he was late.

I know I have to keep my work life and personal life separate...

Perhaps it was because they have known each other for so long, his relationship with Yoshino caused that line to blur.

He had completed proofreading and had some spare time, but the detailed work kept stacking up and it ate up his time.

“These are good materials. The sky at night is beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Well, that’s good to know…”

“I was able to snap a picture of the Ferris wheel earlier. When it’s more empty, I want to get on the Ferris wheel and take a picture at the top, but two guys on a Ferris wheel at this time would stand out too much.”  

“Oh, if you wanted to get on the ride, why did you say anything? I would have waited at the bottom”

At the time now, they should still be able to make it just in time. He was sure the night view would be more beautiful than earlier when the sun was almost down.

“You’re asking me to stand in a line alone filled with couples?!”

“I have a SLR, so I can carry it and get on while collecting data.”

Being in such a date spot with his lover could make them stand out like a sore thumb. However, the camera and notes in his hands certainly mitigates this.

“Absolutely not! Oh, Why don’t you stand there Tori?”

“Why would I do that?”

“You’re still wearing a suit, it looks like you’re still working.”

Hatori had to work until noon, so he was still wearing his suit and coat. He couldn’t help but think that they help him in the midst of working.

He was often told that he didn’t look like the average editor upon the first meeting. But, that was probably because he would wear a suit just like any other company.

When meeting with other companies, it wasn’t uncommon for him to be mistaken for someone in sales.

Editors don’t normally wear suits everyday.

Since being an editor was a relatively flexible job, everyone usually dressed in more casual clothing. Hatori would wear suits because of his own personal commitment. 

When he put on his suit and fastened his tie, he felt more and more serious. For Hatori, the suit was his on and off switch and initially, he decided against wearing a suit, but realized he couldn’t keep it up for long.

He tried to keep work to a minimum, but when he found himself in a pinch, Hatori would take work home with him.

Even at home, he couldn’t help but look over the plots and storyboards from the authors he was in charge of. He would read through the materials and reach out to them when there was something in front of him that needed to be completed.

Even then, Hatori didn’t want to contact them on his days off. He would particularly refrain from communicating with the writers he was in charge of as much as possible.

The only exceptions to that were the writers with significant delays, and Yoshino.

"Hey, are you trying to make me do something I don’t want to do? I don’t know how to properly use this camera in the first place.”

If he was being honest, he didn’t want to handle such delicate equipment without first looking at the manual. He was sure he wouldn’t break it, but it would be disastrous if he deleted the photos Yoshino took today.

“No luck. Well, let’s come back on a free day. There won’t be so many people first thing in the morning on a weekday.”

“What’s with that face? Do you really not want to ride the Ferris wheel with me?”

“No, it’s not like that…” He was quite surprised that Yoshino agreed to go on a date with him.

...Does Yoshino even grasp this concept?

He would promise he would play the next time, just like when they were kids. That was all it must have been to him.

“Ah, Tori, stand right there.”

“Don’t move!”

“If you’re collecting background materials, wouldn’t it be better if people weren’t entering?”

From the way he was holding the camera, it seemed that Yoshino wanted to use Hatori as a model.

“It’s easier to draw the background with people in it when I can compare them to the characters.”

“....I understand.”

Hatori didn’t mind being photographed for collecting materials, but he didn’t like himself being photographed.

He didn’t know what kind of face he should make when Yoshino pointed the lens at him, plus he didn’t think the photograph would look good.

“You need to smile more.”

“That’s impossible.”

Since his mother loved events, he would have his picture taken from time to time until he became a senior. There were still many photo albums in his childhood home.

No matter at what age the photo was taken, Hatori’s facial expressions always remained the same. He was quite impressed at his lack of expression.

Most of the time, Yoshino, who was also in the pictures with him, was very expressive. Laughing, crying, pouting, etc. it made Hatori feel more unsociable.

“Move a little closer to the right.”

“Like this?”

"Don't just stand there with your whole body facing away from me, give off this feeling like we're meeting.”

“Don’t complain. I’m not a model.”

He sighed while Yoshino gave him detailed instructions. As much as he wanted to cooperate with him, he just couldn’t meet his high demands.

“Well then, how about you imagine you’re waiting for my late manuscript?”

Just by imagining what he just said, the frustration came flooding back. Though he knew that it was simply fabricated, that very feeling he had experienced countless times was very real.

Yoshino pointed and gave a drawn out laugh as he stared at his wrinkled eyebrows.

“...I’m sorry. I’ll leave you as is. Now, say cheese!” Yoshino adjusted the zoom and pressed the shutter button several times after his shout.

“Hurry up and finish it.”

Even though it was a weekday, every place was crowded with people on a Friday night.

Everytime the flash went off, it drew the attention of passersby. It was quite awkward seeing as everyone was looking at him, wondering what he was doing?

“Wait a minute while I take another picture.”

Yoshino moved to take another picture of Hatori from a different angle. Oddly enough, in his imagination, it seemed as though he was happy. 

“That’s enough.”

“Yeah, thank you. This helped a lot.”

Hatori was relieved to be finally dismissed from his modeling duties.

“So, where to next?”

They found themselves nearing the station. He wasn’t aware of it, as they were occasionally stopping, but they must have been walking for several hours.

“Let’s go eat Chinese food! I'm just hungry. After all, if you're in Yokohama then you must get Chinese food.”

“Isn’t it a little early for dinner?”

It had been some time, but they still had a couple of hours before it was their normal dinner time.

“I’ve been to all of the places I wanted to go, took lots of pictures, so I think I’m done. It’s been a long time since I’ve walked this much and my legs are killing me.”

“You really should exercise more often. And didn’t you say you bought a meat bun and ate it? And didn’t you say you had a big meal before the meeting?”

Before meeting up with Hatori, Yoshino arrived early and wandered around aimlessly to kill time. He said that he had eaten lunch at a cafe that had recently opened.

In addition, the meat bun he bought on his way to the meeting was quite large, along with the hearty bite he took to sample it.

"I've already digested what I've eaten of the bun before I met up with you. Plus I have a dessert stomach.”

"Isn't that an expression you use when you want to eat something sweet…?"

"Don't worry about the details. You've only had one bite of the bun, you must be hungry.”

"Not that I'm hungry but…”

“Then it’s settled!” With that said, Yoshino pulled at Hatori’s arm enthusiastically. 

“Hey, where are we going?”

“If I remember correctly, there’s this restaurant on the cross street that looked really good. I think it’s over here.”

“You’re good when it comes to these sorts of things…” He was good at taking photos and looking for great restaurants.

“I have a gourmet taste because I grew up with Tori’s cooking.”

“I don’t remember you growing up with that.”

The moment he corrected him, Yoshino laughed out loud. He didn’t know if it was because of that, but Yoshino seemed oddly excited.

Is it because he got hit with the Christmas spirit?

Confused by the change of the atmosphere, Hatori reluctantly followed Yoshino.

He stepped into the alleyway as if he was being dragged, Yoshino eyeing up a Chinese restaurant in front of him.

“Look, this place looks great doesn’t it?”

“Sure.”

As Yoshino said, it was a restaurant with a great ambiance to it. Hatori was rather amazed that he managed to catch sight of the sign in such a narrow alley.

When the two entered the store, they were greeted by a cheerful voice.

“Welcome.” The restaurant was small, but clean and quaint.

“A table for two?”

“Ah, yes.” As soon as they were shown to their seats, Yoshino pondered over the menu in his hands.

“Everything looks so amazingly good~”

“Keep it moderate.”

"I know. Ah, what will I order? Let’s see, stirred-fried shrimp in chili sauce, Peking duck and stirred-fried water spinach. Deep fried prawn wraps, xiaobo bao, juicy buns... Oh, please let me have the seafood soup.”

Yoshino ordered from every menu item that caught his eye.

"Are you sure you can eat that much?”

"That's about it for now. We can order dessert later, right?”

“You’re going to order more…?” Normally if Yoshino was hungry, he would feel a sense of uneasiness as he was picking up all kinds of food.

"Don't worry. We'll eat together.”

“I'm hoping it's…”

While he was reasonably hungry, he thought it’d be better to be prepared today. Hatori tightened his tie a little and sipped the tea that was offered to him.

“Are you going to finish your work by the 27th?”

“Yes I will.”

“What are you going to do this year?”

“Well, my mom and dad are going to spend New Year's Eve at a hot spring, so I'm going home after the New Year.”

Every end of the year, Hatori would usually return home to help with cleaning and make *Osechi Ryori with his mother.

"I see. I think I'll go back at the end of the year too~. I have to work on my manuscript, and if I slack off at my parents' house, they'll nag me.”

“You don’t have to slack off.”

“But, you know there’s not much to do at home.”

“Really? Then maybe you can come spend time helping me clean up.”

“...I knew you’d say that. I’d rather clean my room than clean my parent’s home.”

“You’re right. I should polish every nook and cranny of my home myself at least once a year.”

He wouldn't go so far as to call it a dirty house, but Yoshino's room was terrible.

The kitchen and dining room were always neat and tidy, as Hatori defended it, and Yoshino was dying to clean up his work room before he called in his female assistants.

However, the walk-in closet called the library was piled high with manga and materials. Lately, what he couldn’t fit in there was starting to invade his bedroom.

“You vacuum sometimes!”

"I do that on occasion. You should sort your mangas. And I was wondering why the windows were fogging up. Give me one day free before the end of the year and I'll help you, get rid of the large mangas.”

“Ser~iously…”

“You know I don’t owe you any help, right?”

“Oh, sorry! I’ll do my very best.” Glaring at him, Yoshino straightened his back. While he was making plans in his head for the cleaning, the food he had ordered was brought to the table.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting. Here you go, seafood soup, *xiaolongbao, and fried water spinach.”

"Wow, that looks delicious!” Feeling uncomfortable, Yoshino quickly changed the subject.

In truth, the aroma coming from the freshly steamed xiao long bao stimulated Hatori’s appetite. Saliva started to well up in his mouth.

“Ah, I'm going to eat it. Ah, it's hot...it’s delicious! Tori, eat it quickly before it gets cold.”

“Oh.”

He put the piping hot xiaolongbao aside for later and took a sip of the seafood soup. The soup gradually began to permeate within his cold body, and the fried water spinach was so chewy he couldn’t stop eating it.

All the dishes that came one after another were delicious. For a while, the two concentrated on eating the meal in silence.

Yoshino, who was eating the chili prawns that came later, suddenly stopped eating.

“What’s wrong?”

"It's really good, but I like your shrimp chili better. What's the difference?”

“I guess your tongue is just used to it.”

“I guess that's how it is. There are so many delicious foods in the world, but I don't think I could survive without Tori's cooking.”

He looked at Yoshino, trying to suppress his agitation at his casual remark. He tried to reply in a casual way.

“You’re exaggerating.”

“It’s true.”

“Flattery won’t get you an extension for the deadline.”

The reason he couldn’t give a straight answer was partly because of his shy personality, but it was also because he had a crush on him for so long that he tried to hide his feelings from him.

He wondered if one day he would be able to "flirt" with him like other lovers do.

He might call me gross…

He tried to imagine it, and raised his eyebrows at the uncomfortable feeling.

"Hey, is your phone ringing?”

“Looks like it.”

He was rather upset that he didn't notice the incoming call on his cell phone. It must have been a work-related call. Since he was in a “meeting with an author”, he would just call them back later.

Just to be sure, he took out his cell phone from his pocket and raised his eyebrows at the name on the display.

The caller was Nakahara, a new writer who had started working with him a while ago.

What’s going on?

She was currently in her sophomore year of college, and Hatori was assigned to her because she won the Rookie of the Year Award.

After her award-winning work was published, she aimed to complete her second work. This was the first time she and her editor, Hatori, had worked together on a story from the ground up.

The plot was OK’ed a few days ago, and he believed she was working on the storyboard now.

She told him that she would let him check it when it was finished, but Hatori was in no particular hurry. He was sure she knew that.

Even so, the fact that she was calling him on the cell phone he had given her for emergencies suggests that she may be in some kind of trouble.

There have been many times in the past when he had been asked to help an author who was in trouble.

No matter how well prepared you are, unexpected misfortune can strike on any given day. A leak in the apartment building can destroy the physical manuscript, data on your PC can blow up, or you could fall ill with the flu just before the deadline.

The important thing was to make sure you have enough time to get things done and to take care of things without panicking. As long as you keep those two points in mind, most things would work out.

“Is it from the company?”

"No, an author.”

“Maybe it's that newbie again?”

“……Yeah.”

He told Yoshino that he was going to be in charge of the rookie, just to keep him in the loop.

This was not the first time she had contacted him when they were alone. What was different was that it was a phone call, not an email.

The fact that she didn’t stop calling him may indicate that she was in a desperate situation.

“Sorry, it might be an emergency. I'll be out in a minute.”

“Hatori here.” When he turned on his phone, he heard a nervous voice.

“Um, it’s Nakahara!"

“What’s wrong?”

“I'm working on a storyboard right now, but I'm having trouble with it, so I was hoping Hatori-san could give me some feedback. I called your editorial department, but they said you were out of the office, so I had to call you here.”

“Are you asking about the storyboard?”

"Yes! Yes, I'm confused about-”

“You're not in some kind of trouble, are you?” He softly interrupted Nakahara’s words to confirm.

“Huh? Ah, yes.”

“I'm sorry. I'm having a meeting outside, so I'll call you back.”

He would love to consult with her, but he was out with Yoshino. His mood was half private, but as the writer in charge, he couldn’t make Yoshino wait any longer.

“Oh, I'm sorry! I hope you didn't mind that I called you for advice. It didn't work out and I got anxious. I'll think about it a little more on my own.”

“There's no need to rush. There's still time, so let's take it slow.”

“Hatori-san…” When he said that gently, Nakahara seemed to calm down a little.

“Can you please send me an email with the part you need help with? That would be great.”

"Okay, I'll email it to you right away.”

“Thank you very much. I'll call you back from the office on Monday.”

“Huh, Monday...?”

He could hear the disappointment in her voice. He understood the desire to move on quickly, but Hatori was simply a company employee.

In that sense, I'm too soft on Yoshino.

It didn’t matter if it was the weekend or a long vacation. He would do anything for Yoshino. In a way, he guessed you could say that he was driven by his own selfish desires.

Hatori didn’t indulge him when it came to work, but when it came to other things, he usually listened to him because he wanted to see Yoshino's happy face.

“I’m sorry. The company is closed on the weekends.”

"Oh, yes, of course! Well, I'll be waiting for your call.”

“Then, excuse me.”

He hung up the phone and let out a breath. He had planned to return to Yoshino immediately, but it took him a while to end the call.

It had been quite a while since he had been in charge of a rookie.

At first, she seemed wary of Hatori, who didn't seem like a typical editor, but gradually she came to approve of him.

Or rather, does she cherish me?

Of course, it was good that she was willing to talk to him about her problems, and Hatori was willing to think about and solve them with her.

However, he felt as though their contact was a bit too frequent. If he gave the OK for one thing and moved on, he was immediately asked for advice again for the next thing.

Well, I guess that's the way it is in the beginning…

He didn’t think there was any artist who didn’t worry about how his or her work would be perceived by others.

Yoshino, who had been an author for almost ten years, was both happy and sad to receive fan letters and awards. 

In fact, the pressure may be greater now that he has become an established and successful writer.

He thought the job of an editor was to steer the ship, so to speak.

Of course, as a commercial work, they order the colors to match the published colors. Hatori asked the writers to show their individuality within that framework.

As the editor in charge, he would give his advice and offer ideas when necessary, but he cannot dictate every step of the way.

The reason why she asked Hatori for his opinion on everything was probably because she felt insecure. He understood the desire to seek someone’s approval.

However, if everything was done in accordance with the editor’s opinion, the work would no longer be her own. He wanted to lighten her nervousness. 

Nakahara was a skillful artist who had lots of talent. Her prize-winning work was published and was very well received. He thought she had a lot of room to grow, but the problem was that she lacked confidence.

For Hatori, who had no interest in drawing, just being able to create a story from scratch was a great talent. He had been doing everything well since he was a child, but in other words, he was average at everything.

Since he didn’t have any outstanding talents or inspiration, he had to do what he could do.

Throughout his life, he had rarely been so obsessed with something that he forgot who he was. That had helped him to develop an objective viewpoint.

Fortunately, he felt that this perspective had been put to good use in his current line of work. He was trying to calmly judge how he could better convey the goodness of his work, but when it came to Yoshino, everything was an exception.

Even before he realized he was in love with him, Hatori’s world revolved around him, and after he realized it, the symptoms became even more severe.

 Now that they were lovers, it was nearly impossible to look at their relationship objectively.

He tried to think as calmly as he could, but the negative part of him got bigger and he only thought about the bad things.

I can’t help myself it seems...

It was difficult to control his romantic feelings with reason. If he was in a position to give himself advice, he would tell himself to calm down.

It had been said since ancient times that love made people go crazy, and Hatori was no exception to that rule.

When he returned to the table, Yoshino, who had been in a good mood earlier, was now in a bad mood, drinking sake.

“I’m sorry, I’m late.”

“No problem. I’m working.”

“You ordered a drink?”

“You didn't come back, so I thought I'd have a drink alone.”

Yoshino usually doesn’t drink much alcohol outside the house. Today, however, he was gulping down a bottle of *Shaoxing wine.

He had never been so pissed off about Hatori sitting on the phone for work, and he knew the contents of Hatori's work better than anyone.

“So, are you okay?”

“Yeah, she wanted to talk about the storyboard to me, so I called her back.”

“She went through the trouble of calling you to ask about the storyboard?” Yoshino seemed to become annoyed when he explained the situation.

“I guess she got impatient because she couldn't do what she wanted. She called the editorial department and they told her I was on, so she called me."

“Hmmm.” Yoshino continued to eat in silence with an unamused look on his face.

He wasn’t sure what to make of that. He knew from experience that leaving Yoshino alone in a situation like this could be troublesome later on.

“What are you angry about?”

“I'm not mad at you." Yoshino replied to Hatori's question without hesitation and gulped down the wine.

“I'm not even mad at you.”

“I'm sorry I left my seat.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. It's your job.”

“Then why did you...?” The waitress put an end to their argument with her words.

“May I bring you some dessert?"

“Oh, yes, please.”

“Are you sure you can eat that much?”

“I told you, I'm fine. I ordered one for you, so don't leave any behind.”

“......"

Yoshino seemed to have changed his mind and was happily eating the Almond jelly that was brought to him. If he pursued him further, it would only lead to more trouble. Deciding that, Hatori also silently reached for the spoon.

As if his previous moodiness had been a lie, Yoshino was as normal as ever after leaving the restaurant. In fact, the tension seemed to have risen somewhat.

....Come to think of it, I wonder what he'll do for Christmas this year?

Christmas Eve was in a few days. They hadn't talked about how they would spend it, but they didn’t do anything special every year.

Christmas was a day for Yoshino to eat chicken and cake. If Hatori put a big pile of french fries on it, he would be overjoyed.

It wasn’t that they hadn’t spent time alone together, but that was before they started dating. And so far Hatori had been working his butt off on work that he was behind on, or being interrupted by Yanase.

Bad memories came flooding back… 

Hatori put the not-so-pleasant memories out of his mind and composed himself.

No promises meant business as usual. If he went to Yoshino's house with a gift, Hatori would probably spend the night.

Since this year’s progress wasn’t urgent, there wasn't any assistance coming in and out and Yanase was stuck at *Seinenshi sensei’s place.

“Well then. Go to bed early and don’t stay up late. Good luck with tomorrow’s manuscript.”

“……”

For some reason, Yoshino didn’t try to step out even though Hatori tried to see him off on the road to his home. On the contrary, he picked and held Hatori’s coat.

“Yoshino?”

Yoshino’s slightly red cheeks were looking down. It didn’t look like he was drunk, but was that the afterglow of alcohol?

“You know, normally you wouldn’t go home on a day like this?”

“?”

He didn’t understand what exactly Yoshino was saying, and the former had a perplexed face. In response to Hatori’s dull reaction, Yoshino stamped his feet on the ground.

“So! You’re on your way home from a date!” He looked wide eyed at Yoshino who raised his voice in frustration. Hatori couldn’t hide his surprise at the fact that Yoshino perceived today was a date.

“What’s with that face! You can add embarrassing scenes to a plot, but you can’t do it in real life…” Yoshino murmured those words with dissatisfaction. Hatori rubbed his eyes, trying to see if he was in a convenient dream, but it seemed to be real.

“That is to say, I just want to confirm---”

“In times like this you have to read the room!”

He held his breath while Yoshino glared at him with a flushed face.

Is it…is it okay for me to accept this invitation?

In retrospect, Yoshino was always somewhat strange. He could say it was about to snow, but it would be troublesome if he got angry.

“Can I stay the night?”

“…”

When asked straight, Yoshino’s blush dyed to his neck and he slightly nodded. They were both silent on their way to Yoshino’s house.

The tension rose with every step he took, even with the cool air brushing against his cheek, his body temperature only grew.

“Huh? Where did I put the key?” Yoshino was panicking in front of the door. He looked in his coat pocket and his trouser, it seemed that he forgot the bag on his shoulder.

“Is it in your bag?”

“R-right."

His trembling hands were trying to open the door. Yoshino, who had no sense of control, dropped the key. The sound of the bumpy metal crashed into the hallway. 

“I’ll open it."

Hatori picked up the key and opened the front door. At that moment, Yoshino looked small and he seemed to be holding his breath.

“Th-thank you."

He opened the door and encouraged Yoshino to enter first. Yoshino’s movements in front of him started to look shaky.

The voice asking the question was trembling. Even though Hatori was just as nervous, it seemed as though the tension was infectious.

Hatori assumed he should have gotten used to this, since they had done it so many times in the past, but he didn’t want to look so dismayed in front of the person he loved.

“No.”

“Ah, then how about we take a shower.”

“Ah…”

His pink nape caused the little amount of his reason to dissolve. Hatori held Yoshino’s shoulders, turned him around and forcefully kissed him.

“Nnn…”

Perhaps because of Hatori's brute force, Yoshino’s eyes were wide open. However, immediately, the tension was leaving his body and his eyelids fluttered close.

Eating his lips and twisting his tongue, Yoshino put his arms around Hatori’s back. As the kiss deepended, the more they clung to each other.

“Nnn, n, nn…”

He embraced Yoshino’s body -which was gradually melting- Hatori caved in and engulfed his lips.

He heard a wet sound every time their tongues entangled. He teased Yoshino’s tongue, which was trying to entangle awkwardly and enjoying his mouth that was hotter than usual. Hatori wanted to continue further but when he noticed Yoshino was suffocating, he broke the kiss, feeling his hair getting pulled.

“Idiot, we’re still in the hallway”

Yoshino complained while out of breath. Hatori roughly pulled Yoshino’s waist as he glared up at him with a flushed face and whispered in his ear.

“It’s your fault for enticing me. And you were responding, too.”

“Huh? That’s just a conditioned reflex…”

“Is that so?”

“What do you want me to say!”

“It’s written all over your face.”

He was sulking but there was a sweetness in his gaze. Yoshino showed a sullen face due to Hatori’s embarrassing and sadistic desires.

“What is written, can you carefully tell me?”

“Eh? ---uwa!”

Holding his waist, they headed to the bedroom and fell on the bed, entangled together.

“Hey Tori---”

Fueled by Yoshino’s wet eyes, Hatori kissed him like he was drawn in. He continued the deep kiss and ran his hands over Yoshino’s clothes.

While singing and moaning into the sealed kiss, Hatori pinned him down and felt around his thin body. Rolling up his thin shirt, he touched Yoshino’s bare skin.

Hatori managed to get rid of his coat, and while he was distracted with the difficulty of removing his belt he realized he hadn’t even taken off his jacket.

I seriously can’t keep calm

Internally, Hatori laughed at his own impatience. He roughly stripped off his jacket, which would normally be dutifully hung up, and pulled out his tie.

“Hey, slow down a bit……”

“No way.”

“Then try harder!” If he were to immediately answer, all he would get was a retort from Yoshino.

When he caressed the area where Yoshino’s ribs had previously been, Yoshino stirred underneath Hatori. He was still a bit thin, but he had gained some weight after all of his efforts.

“I’m deeply moved that I’m allowed to caress this.”

“Hey! Hey, don’t rub that…!” When Hatori grabbed his side, Yoshino squirmed ticklishly.

“Then, how about here?”

“Hya-”

He moved his hand up further, gently caressing the top of his nipple with the pad of his thumb and crushed it, hearing a high pitched voice escape from Yoshino’s lips. Yoshino was sensitive there as well. When stimulated, it hardened easily.

“Ah, nnn, ouch, idiot not so hard.”

“You like it when it hurts, don’t you?” When he pinched it, his body jumped.

“Ahh, nnn…!”

When he kneaded it with some force, it became red like a fruit and Yoshino rubbed his knees together as if he was frustrated. It looked like his nipples weren’t the only thing getting hard.

Hatori felt something hard and alluring when he forcibly split his knees apart and pressed his knee against his groin.

“Uh…ah, wait ah ah!” Rubbing it with his thigh made it even harder. Hatori pulled down Yoshino’s pants -which had been loosened at his waist- and his underwear had changed color at some point.

“You’re already wet.” Yoshino blushed to his ears when Hatori told him that fact.

“W-well, I’m not the only one…ah.”

“Maybe so.”

“Ahh……?!”

Hatori ran his index finger over the elastic part of Yoshino’s underwear and lightly pulled it down, revealing his hard member. Hatori traced the underside and scooped the moistened tip with his fingers.

“Ahh, ah…” When he wrapped his fingers around his entire cock and gently rubbed it, Yoshino let out a sweet and seductive voice. The appearance of him clutching the bedsheets and enduring the pleasure was lovely.

How cute.

Yoshino was quick to whine, and he was usually sloppy. But at the root of Yoshino’s character was a stubbornness that absolutely hated to lose. Once he had made a decision, he was not going to change it no matter what.

“Yoshino, take that off.”

“You idiot, get ready first…” While scolding Hatori, Yoshino reached into the drawer on the nightstand.

He had found what he was looking for and was embarrassed to present what would be used against him. He carelessly pressed it against his chest.

“Thank you.”

The bottle of lotion and the box of contraceptives that were ready were new. Hatori wondered what Yoshino’s face looked like when he was buying those things.

Resisting the urge to pursue an answer, he took the contents on the palm of his hand. Making sure to spread it all over his fingers, he wrapped his fingers around his cock again.

“Hya…ah,ah…!”

Yoshino’s moans became even sweeter when Hatori spread it up and down. After feeling its tightness, he probed behind with his wet fingers.

“Mmm, mmm.”

Yoshino moaned when he forcibly pushed the tips of his fingers into the tight opening. He didn’t realize he was making it even tighter, but he still pushed his fingers deeper and deeper.

“Ngh, nghh……”

Yoshino clenched his teeth as he endured the sensation of his fingers probing inside his body.

His opening was not originally designed to accept foreign substances, but as lotion was added several times along the way, he slowly got used to it.

Every time he pulled his fingers in and out, a lewd squelching sound was heard.

“Ah…ah, ah…mm.”

Yoshino’s hands wandered around the bed looking for something to cling to. Eventually, he grabbed a pillow and pulled it over his face, burying himself. Realizing that he didn’t want to let out his voice, he moved his fingers even deeper.

“Ah, ah, ah…!” With more fingers inside him, he pushed hard against the inner wall and Yoshino’s body jumped like a fish on land. He could tell that he was getting pleasure from his pleasured moans.

Hatori already knew all of Yoshino’s sensitive spots. He couldn’t afford to tease him today. Just severly torture the spots where he would surely react.

“No, not there, ahh, ah!”

Yoshino wasn’t opposed to getting pleasured, but when he felt too good, he suddenly got scared.

He couldn’t understand the uneasy feeling like he wasn’t himself. But he had no intention of toning it down.

“Aahh, no, ah, ah--!”

The root of his arousal that was about to burst was suppressed. Yoshino -who was about to come- stared at Hatori with an agitated expression.

“W-why.”

“You can hold it in a bit more, right?” If he made him come first on a tiring day, he would often fall asleep immediately after that. As expected, it would be a problem if that were to happen today. He was already painfully hard and it wouldn’t be easy to take care of it by himself.

“You have to take responsibility for the invitation.”

“Ahh……”

As he pulled out the fingers that were probing inside, a sweet, trembling voice escaped. He had feared it might still be a little tight, but his patience had already reached its limit.

“Are you ready?”

“……suit yourself.”

With Yoshino’s permission, he spread his knees apart. He restlessly loosened his pants and pulled his excited self out of his underwear.

He quickly put on the condom and when he pushed into the prepared spot, he could vividly see his cock throb.

“Ah---” He pushed the tip in with a huff. Running out of patience, he shoved it in mercilessly.

Although it was still as tight as he thought, it had already learned Hatori’s shape and accepted him without refusal. He secretly let out a moan from the pleasure of being wrapped around his tight entrance.

“Nghh…why…why is it so big…ngh.” Yoshino glared at him resentfully with tears in his eyes.

That might have been him whining rather than him complaining. He was embarrassed to hear him complain about his body’s physiological reaction. It wasn’t something that could be controlled by will.

“Of course it's because I want you. There isn’t any guy who’s not excited about holding someone he loves.”

“Idiot……ngh.”

It was unreasonable for him to be verbally attacked like that even though he answered his question. In a fit of anger, he forcefully pushed it to the root, and cloudy whiteness was scattered by the force.

“Ahh……ngh.”

He seemed to have come just by stimulation because he was made to endure it earlier. The bodily fluid overflowing from the explosion was scattered across his thin abdomen.

“I didn’t say you can come first right?”

“B-but……” He wiped the overflowing bodily fluids with his fingers and smeared it on Yoshino’s arousal. He rubbed it hard, and with Hatori inside, it got tighter.

“Ahh, ah, no, I’m gonna come again……”

“That won’t do. It's better if we come together right?”

“Yeah ... but ...ngh.”

“Can’t you hold it in for me?”

“You’re so mean Tori……Uh, ah, ah, nghh, ngh!” 

When Yoshino said not to do something, it was really him saying what he wanted you to do. The reaction inside changed depending on the intensity of the stimulus. As he was enjoying the change, Yoshino was complaining, while he was on the verge of tears.

“No, idiot, don't play anymore……ngh.”

“You want me to focus more here?”

“Ahngh!?” He gave a hard shove at the place where their bodies connected.

“No, ahhh, ah, ah……ngh.” He put himself into the root and shook up their connected bodies. Every time he sent his hips in, Yoshino's body jolted and trembled.

He grabbed Yoshino's waist and held him up, bending his back, and mercilessly stirred his lotion-soaked insides.

“Ahhngh, ahh, no……ngh” While greedily gouging out the tight entrance, he drilled into the back again and again. When he sent his hips into the right place, Yoshino gasped as if to cry.

That voice and expression further fueled him. Hatori threw his self-control away and within in his lust, he thrusted into Yoshino. 

“Agh,ahh,ahhng,aah!”

At first, Yoshino was at his mercy, but gradually he started to move. It was unintentional, and probably unconscious.

It was a pleasure that threw away all reason, and he was trying to get more of it. Even if it was an act of instinct, it didn’t change what the expectation was.

What Yoshino wanted, he just gave him exactly that.

I’m really cunning

Every time he held Yoshino like this, he felt an indescribable elation and guilt.

All Yoshino must have felt for Hatori -until the later revealed his hidden feelings- were the feelings of comfort, friendship, and trust of his childhood friend.

There might have been some sort of monopoly, but it probably wasn't that of love. He dragged Yoshino to this side, imposed his not-so-pretty desires on him, and instilled his lust.

Even if Yoshino had had such experience, it was with the opposite sex and he was not in the receiving position. As a man, there must have been some confusion for him.

Nevertheless, it was thanks to his generosity that he had accepted the position of being embraced on the receiving end.

He might not be aware of it himself, but Yoshino was the one who had the courage when the time came. Hatori's prudence was a mask to hide his mean, negative and cowardly self.

“Ah! Not there, no, aghn, ah, aghn!”

“Can't you say anything other than denial once in a while?”

“Sh-shut up…..nghh.” When Hatori pointed out his lack of vocabulary, he glared at him with wet eyes.

He usually had a face that didn’t seem to have anything to do with sexual things. But when they were having sex {t/n: embrace is the orginal translation. Embrace= to have sex}, he had such a face, so he couldn’t stand it.

As he repeatedly thrust into the back, the connected part became looser. At that moment, he pulled himself out as much as he could and pushed back in.

“Aaahhh……ngh.”

With each extraction, the voice that spilled out became sweeter and sweeter. As he continued to gouge out the tightly-clung inner walls, Yoshino's face became distorted with pleasure.

“You like it here right?”

“Yes, it feels good……ngh.”

The reason why he deliberately asked the question when his reason had failed was because now he could hear an honest answer.

“Here?”

“Ughhh, ah,ah, ah….ngh.”

Yoshino, who was writhing and gasping, was driven into even harder. When he squirmed and swayed, his thin body slid up on the bed.

“No, nghh, agnh, ah, ah……!”

Vigorously pushing his hips closer and thrusting even deeper, Yoshino also tangled his legs around Hatori's waist and his hands clung to his back.

Yoshino’s lips came close to his as if they were pleading. Biting and kissing, he devoured them on impulse.

“Nn,n,n,nn……ngh.”

As he rocked his hips with their bodies close together, Yoshino's erection -which was overflowing with semen- rubbed against his abdomen. It seemed that his limit was already in sight.

When he parted their lips, there was a face that looked like it was about to burst into tears right then and there.

“Tori……ngh, already, I’m coming, please……nghh.” In the blink of an eye, a single tear fell from Yoshino's eyes. He thought he’d tease him some more, but looking at his facial expression, he changed his mind.

“I know.” Immediately, he increased the pace and caught up with Yoshino.

“Ahh, ahh, ah……ngh.”

“----Chiaki.”

“Ah------!”

After an intense urging, they came almost simultaneously. Yoshino's lower abdomen quivered sporadically, overflowing with white turbidity.

“Ah, nn……ngh.” Then, after Hatori poured all the proof of his desire into Yoshino, pulling himself out.

They remained silent, waiting for the heat to recede from their bodies. As he closed his eyes and surrendered to the pleasant exhaustion, Yoshino opened his mouth, roughly breathing.

“……I've been meaning to tell you this for a while.”

“Hm?”

“It’s foul play to call out my name like that!” Yoshino caught his breath, then paused, and grudgingly complained in Hatori's ear.

Footnotes: 

Xiaolongbao: A is a type of small Chinese dumpling that gets its name from the basket it’s steamed, a xiaolongbao.

Osechi Ryori: The traditional food enjoyed during new year’s in Japan. They come in an assortment of colorful dishes packed together in special boxes called jubako, which resemble bento boxes. Every dish of these traditional foods has a special meaning in welcoming the New Year. (Taken from this site)

Shaoxing wine: A traditional Chinese wine produced in Shaoxing (eastern China). Mainly used as a cooking wine and a beverage in Chinese cuisine.

Seinenshi: Magazine for adult men

[twinklecupcake]

I don't wanna go in TOO obvious a direction, so for 1 and 2 how about ChimeraShipping and Ao Lie respectively?

Alright!

Chimerashipping when I started shipping it if I did: Man, I don't even know… I think I'd seen a few fanarts before officially starting the series, and being like "Huh, if a huge part of the fandom just says 'fuck love triangles/demonizing the girl, let's make an OT3' that must be a well-written trio." I don't know when I actually got on board with it, but I think I was just sorta nodding along while marathoning the show and going "Hm, yep, I see it." my thoughts: Thank god people just say "What a healthy pair of platonic besties and a demon who has two hands," instead of just demonizing Mei or ignoring her. What makes me happy about them: They all bounce off each other in the best ways, and can always support each other. Also I love the various 'cuddle pile' fanarts. What makes me sad about them: ALL OF THEM NEED THERAPY. things done in fanfic that annoys me: I don't think I've actually seen anything that annoys me in Chimerashipping fanfic? things I look for in fanfic: Mei and MK being open about "Just because someone dates me doesn't mean they can ignore my bestie." Red Son being honest about liking both of them. Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Dragonfruitshipping + aroace MK My happily ever after for them: They all get some therapy, are happy and thriving. Red Son is an inventor/engineer, Mei is a hobbyist racer and streamer (she knows the professional world for both careers is rough), MK is just vibing and doing what makes him happy. who is the big spoon/little spoon: They're a sandwhich. Mei and MK on either side of Red. what is their favorite non-sexual activity: Snuggling. Also Mario Party/Mario Kart.

Ao Lie

How I feel about this character: HE IS A JUST A GUY. LOOK AT THE GUY. Also holy hell, what a great friend + literal embodiment of 'little screentime, huge impact.' Also I've seen people say he and SWK were like Mei and MK, and I definitely agree. All the people I ship romantically with this character: N/A My non-romantic OTP for this character: Ao Lie + SWK = besties for lyfe My unpopular opinion about this character: I do NOT think the Samadhi Fire killed him. Leads to some amazing angst fanwork, but I don't think it happened. Simply because I'm pretty sure Mei would have been aware if her great x a thousand grandfather had spontaneously combusted, or if people in her bloodline had a tendency of dying via fire-splosion. I think it just hopped to his own child instead, and so on and so forth. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: Wish we could've had more scenes of him and SWK. my OTP: None. my cross over ship: None. a headcanon fact: I like to think he did a very fairy tale thing and married a random human farmgirl (I think there must've been a lot of humans in Mei's ancestry) and everyone was surprised.

"Ohhh, right, I didn't tell you I got married!" Baijie: "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU GOT--"

[petsolution]

Essential Tips for First-Time Pet Parents: Your Guide to a Pawsome Journey

9 Essential Tips for First-Time Pet Parents: Your Guide to a Pawsome Journey Hey there, soon-to-be pet parent! Feeling excited and maybe a little nervous about welcoming a furry friend into your life? Don't worry, we've all been there. At Pet Solutions, we're here to help you navigate this amazing adventure. So, let's dive into some tips that'll make your first-time pet ownership a walk in the park (pun intended)!

1. Choose Your Perfect Match

Ever tried on a sweater that just didn't fit right? Well, choosing a pet is kind of like that, but way more important! Think about your lifestyle. Are you a couch potato or a marathon runner? Do you live in a tiny apartment or a sprawling house? 

Dr. Sarah Johnson, a veterinarian with 15 years of experience, says, "The most common mistake I see first-time pet owners make is choosing a pet that doesn't match their lifestyle. An active dog in a small apartment with a busy owner is a recipe for disaster."

What kind of pet do you think would fit best with your lifestyle? Take a moment to imagine your ideal day with your new pet.

2. Pet-Proof Your Palace

Time to channel your inner pet and crawl around your house! Look for potential hazards like loose wires, toxic plants, or small objects that could be swallowed. Remember, curiosity didn't just kill the cat – it can harm dogs, rabbits, and other pets too!

3. Stock Up on Supplies

Shopping for pet supplies can be overwhelming. But don't worry, we've got you covered! Here's a quick checklist:

- Food and water bowls

- Appropriate food (ask your vet for recommendations)

- Collar and ID tag

- Leash (for dogs)

- Bed or crate

- Toys

- Grooming supplies

Pro tip: Buy a variety of toys to see what your new pet prefers. Some like squeaky toys, others prefer puzzles!

4. Find a Vet You Trust

Your pet's health is a top priority. Find a vet before you bring your pet home. Ask friends for recommendations or check online reviews. A good vet is worth their weight in gold (or should we say, kibble?).

5. Patience is a Virtue

Remember when you started a new job or moved to a new city? It took time to adjust, right? The same goes for your new pet. They're in a new environment with new people, smells, and sounds. 

Did you know? According to a study by the ASPCA, it can take pets anywhere from a few days to several months to fully adjust to a new home.

6. Training Starts Day One

Whether you're bringing home a puppy, kitten, or adult pet, training should start immediately. Consistency is key! Use positive reinforcement – treats and praise work wonders.

7. Socialize, Socialize, Socialize

Expose your pet to different people, animals, and environments early on. This helps them become well-adjusted adults. But remember, always prioritize your pet's comfort and safety.

8. Regular Exercise is Crucial

Just like us humans, pets need regular exercise to stay healthy and happy. It's also a great way to bond with your new friend. How about making a fun exercise routine for both you and your pet?

9. Show Lots of Love

Last but definitely not least, shower your new pet with love! Pets thrive on affection and attention. Plus, those cuddles are good for you too! Studies have shown that petting animals can lower blood pressure and reduce stress.

Bringing a new pet home is an exciting journey filled with love, laughter, and maybe a chewed-up shoe or two. But with these tips, you're well on your way to becoming a pet parent pro!

We'd love to hear from you! What other questions do you have about first-time pet ownership? Or if you're already a pet parent, what's one piece of advice you'd give to newbies? Share in the comments below!

Remember, at ThePetSolutions.com, we're always here to support you on your pet parenting journey. Here's to many years of wet noses, wagging tails, and unconditional love!

[sophiesicelebblog]

Week 13: Trees, Mycelial Networks and Community

What can we learn from the trees?

Prior to watching Suzanne Simard's TED Talk, I knew that trees were connected beneath the surface, but I had no idea the extent of it! It's amazing that trees can communicate and share carbon and nutrients with each other. I think there is so much we can learn from the trees; in particular, I'm interested in how what we now know about trees and how they are "super-cooperators," as Simard phrased it, can be used as a sort of antidote to Darwinian individualist notions of "survival of the fittest." The whole group not only survives, but thrives, by working together and taking care of each other. It also reminds us to appreciate those who have helped and supported us - no one individual can do it alone.

I think Simard's humanization of the trees is an approach that makes it much more relatable for those who are just learning about these wonderful facets about trees: for example, older, larger trees that support the younger, smaller trees around them are what Simard calls mother trees, sharing nutrients with her saplings. Perhaps if we can learn to better relate to the forest and see all we have in common with trees and their familial interconnectedness, the more we can both care for it and take inspiration from it.

Why do you think trees have entered human consciousness to such a degree in recent years?

I think there's been a lot of pushback against capitalist thinking, a burgeoning rebellion against this "hustle and grind" culture that keeps us trapped inside offices or tethered to our computer screens all day. I think as a society we want to be in nature again! Additionally, after months-years of quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were reminded to appreciate nature and its mental health benefits.

I've also noticed a lot of content being shared online in recent years that reject colonial/western thinking and are looking instead to indigenous knowledge, which is inextricably linked to nature! Climate activists are also doing a wonderful job advocating for the environment, bringing trees to the forefront of our minds. I think nature documentaries and travel shows that encourage viewers to connect with nature are building upon these social media movements.

“The forest was like the Internet too—the world wide web. But instead of computers linked by wires or radio waves, these trees were connected by mycorrhizal fungi.”—Suzanne Simard

I love this Suzanne Simard quote because, like I said earlier, it breaks down the connections between trees in a way that makes it understandable for humans. I feel like it expresses the vastness of the network between them (and makes it easy to picture what it looks like beneath the surface), and by comparing it to the internet it invites us to relate to the trees, to see them as living, connected beings as ourselves.

Reflecting on my interactions with trees...

I grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is a lovely town abundant with trees (I suppose the word 'arbor' in the name of the town makes that clear though)! That makes it a little difficult for me to recall any specific memories of trees from my youth, but I do have a recent memory that feels significant. I went to visit my parents down in southern Delaware a few weeks ago. They live in the middle of nowhere almost two hours away from the train station in Wilmington, and as soon as we got close to their home we drove down a quiet country road, where the tree branches meet above you, creating a canopy through which the light comes shining. It was so peaceful, so quiet, and just so beautiful. It honestly filled me with such joy in that moment to feel like I'd left the insanity of city life for a while. It felt like I could jut relax and take a breath. I don't know what else to say other than the sight of the canopy of trees above me made me really happy.

My Digital Detox experience wasn't exactly surrounded by trees, just the handful that are planted along the sidewalks in the city, but in a similar way I did really enjoy spending some time walking by the East River and I feel like the natural element still had a relaxing effect for me.

[demonicheadcanons]

How the OM! Brothers React to MC Pulling Them Down To Their Height For A Kiss

AN: Kind of just how the title sounds. I’m quite ill at the moment including brain fog and a fever so excuse typos and general idiocy. No proof reading we thrive like fools.

Lucifer

The one I’m most torn about because I feel like he would be the most torn inside.

Lucifer loves any form of affection from you so long as its not in front of his brothers. But in some way, being pulled down both feeds and sparks against his ego. Please, MC, if you wanted a kiss that bad you could’ve just asked him. Also he really doesn’t appreciate that now his collar is all rumpled, and makes a show of straightening it out again before he presses a kiss to your forehead.

If he’s in a good mood he might just laugh. And not a little chuckle, but something a lot more than that. In fact, you’ll be able to kiss him again a lot easier because he’s doubled over with the force of it, not quite meeting your eyes as his mind replays what’s just happened - you seriously just full on pulled this man down by the collar to kiss him? Out of nowhere? And even then, you were practically still stood on your tiptoes? Lucifer knows realistically that he’s tall, even amongst his brothers, but that’s hilarious.

If he’s in a bad mood, you can hear the growl from his throat that stops the second your lips are against his. He’s not in the mood to be yanked about today, MC, but he supposes a few more kisses might make up for it. However, it might be best to let him take the lead now - his neck will hurt if you keep pulling at him like that.

.

Mammon

Hey human! What are you doi- ohokay

He never said stop, did he? He absolutely wasn’t protesting, he doesn’t know what you’re talking about. If anything, Mammon thinks you should just continue with what you were doing, and maybe don’t stop please?

He levels you with puppy dog eyes once he’s at your height and within easy reach. He’s also blushing furiously, and his hands are shaking with nerves until he cups your face in them or wraps them around your waist to keep you close. You can tell he’s practically holding his breath as you litter his face with more kisses, but Mammon very quickly relaxes into it, adoring the shower of affection - he needs it. He needs someone to show their love, because all too often its hidden behind the harshest of words and actions.

If he was in a bad mood before you did it, he seems almost ready to push you away at first until he holds you as close as he physically can, in a hug so tight its amazing it doesn’t hurt (Mammon knows. Mammon’s the brother who’s learned just how tight he can hold you, who’s memorised the best way to do it to keep you close to him without causing you any harm, who knows exactly where to put his arms so they’ll fit perfectly around you. Of course he has, this demon who has so much love to give and no one else who’ll accept it.)

Kind of likes being pulled, kind of doesn’t - he needs something softer sometimes. Put your hands on his shoulders or neck and gently guide him instead and he will thrive.

.

Leviathan

Hah! What do you think you’re doing? What kind of normie act is that?

But then again, didn’t that one character do that in that one show with the way-too-long-title Levi somehow has memorised? Did you do that just to make him happy, then, because you two watched a few episodes of it once a few months back?

Any act of affection is overwhelming for Levi, but he has a sense of pride that he’s the one you’ve decided to pull this on. And that he’s tall enough you have to physically pull him down to your level. Levi isn’t one to show off his height and actually sometimes wishes he were smaller so that no one would pay any notice to him, but for this moment alone he’s actually almost happy with himself as you reach up and get the best grip you can on him before planting your lips against his own.

That doesn’t stop his brain from short-circuiting, though. Nothing could, really. He stumbles back and detaches himself from your grip before covering his mouth, face redder than some of Henry’s scales. He’s stuttering out some kind of question, or asking if maybe it was an accident and you were just trying to get something out of his hair, or-

Finally, he mumbles something about not hating it even though you probably did, tone thoroughly defeated. Go ahead and do it again, keep trying! Levi will learn to accept your affections someday.

.

Satan

Quite immediately, Satan decides he is perfectly fine with this. He’s probably the quickest person to reciprocate, putting his arms around you before you could even hope to pull away.

He does chuckle though, and makes comments on how that was adorable and thoroughly charming. As open as he is, Satan makes it known that he doesn’t mind this one bit, that you’re free to do that any time his brothers aren’t around. Or maybe do it in front of Lucifer to make him jealous - Satan would love to see his expression.

Despite keeping a tight lid on his feelings, Satan can’t help but escalate things if you kiss him at all. He keeps so much held in, so if you initiate kisses you’re doing it at your own risk. Of course, he never pushes you any further than you allow, but just be aware that he is so very often in an affectionate mood.

Also, Satan unfortunately develops a habit of standing up straight around you and smirking knowingly. If you want a kiss from now on, you’ll have to work for it. Bring him down to your level - you’re the only person who’s allowed to, after all. Thankfully, though, there’s absolutely no resistance from him, and he will move with you if you cup his face or put a hand on his shoulder. Want a kiss, kitten? Well, you know what to do.

.

Asmodeus

Oh, MC! That is just so CUTE! Do it again, do it again!

Watch his clothes though. Don’t try to pull him down by the collar unless he’s said its fine in this outfit. His scarf is fair game so long as you don’t tear it or leave any bruises on the back of his neck - its fine another way, but not like this. Yes, he winks as he says that.

Honestly Asmo is pretty much nearly always fair game. If you want to kiss him you need only ask, but there is something he finds thrilling about being forcefully pulled down to your height first. It excites him and makes him happy, hands quick to find your hips and rest there, or to sling across your shoulders and ask what’s next, what more do you want? You’re taking charge today and there’s no one he’d trust more to, no one else he’d so willingly play along with, no one he gazes at and wonders just how happy he could make them instead of the other way about. You need only say the word - he is so entirely at your disposal, dear MC.

So? What will it be?

.

Beelzebub

This is probably your third or fourth time trying to pull Beel down to your height. Its hard to get a good grip on him and he’s eating so often you’re not even sure you’d want to kiss him.

When you do finally manage, Beel responds fairly well, all grins as he beams at you and lifts you off the ground in a hug. If you wanted a kiss that bad, he could’ve just as easily picked you up, don’t be afraid to ask!

Beel doesn’t really like being pulled about, though. He likes kisses, but he’d really rather pick you up or just lean down by himself. He’ll make this more known only if you attempt to do it again first, not one to bring up his concerns without being asked.

With that, he’ll probably come up with some sort of system instead - tap his arm twice and he’ll lean down, reach your arms out to him and he’ll pick you up, and so on. He wants to make you happy, but he doesn’t want to do it at his own expense. He also gets into the habit of tapping your arm or shoulder twice, gentle as can be, if he wants something from you.

.

Belphegor

Unfortunately, you manage to catch Belphegor off guard with this act and he makes a kind of surprised noise against your mouth. From now on, he decides to make that your problem.

Want a kiss? Try and pull him down to your height, go on! You’ve done it before, so why are you struggling now?

He’s actually fine with it, potentially even enjoys it, but he’s also an asshole who likes to make things as difficult as possible. Belphie will continue to stand tall and won’t stoop down to your height until it looks like you’re about to give up trying. He’ll then smother you with an overwhelming amount of affection, intentionally trying to take your breath away and charm you completely. If he catches you off guard he grins against your mouth, feeling entirely victorious.

Eventually, Belphie will let up and he’ll work on side with you, stooping down to let you do as you please, but it will take a while to get there. He’s going to milk this for all its worth before then.

[shimmerbeasts]

I think that Jinx is the one among your current muses I've written the most with so far, so I feel kind of entitled to give you my opinion on her xD I think I've voiced some of the stuff I'll be saying already in other occasions, but I believe they are worth repeating.

First of all, as someone who has tried to write Jinx too without really being able to get somewhere with her, I admire how deeply into her character you've been able to dig and also how much you have built for your portrayal starting from what canon gave us. You build her (and the other muses) and the world around her at the same time, so one influenced the other and vice versa. That has allowed you to keep Jinx coherent with her setting and also to have a strong setting that fits the roots of the character perfectly.

The other thing I really envy of how you write her is that you did such a great job portraying her psychosis. Considering that it's given to us mostly visually in the show, transporting it into words is not an easy task. Plus, it's a very hard condition to portray in general, so kudos just for having been able to write a proper, serious, realistic description of it!

On a "less serious" note, my muses adore your Jinx xD Summer and Morty in particular, but Rick too, even if he shows it less. It's amazing how we have found a way for her to connect with each of them and I'm really excited to see how she will drag them into her world (the Smith siblings especially), and also vice versa!

All in all, your Jinx is a lot of fun to write with. She's a solid, well-built character, with tons of flaws and qualities that make her tangible. Yet, at the same time, she also feels alien under some points of view, but that's just fitting her Zaunite origins. It's a well kept balance between the traumatised teenager she is and the beast she has been shaped to become.

If you ask me, everyone should feel lucky to have the chance to enjoy your portrayal of her! As for those who decided to discard her and you, well, their fucking loss 😤

Positivity for Jinx||Accepting.

I think it is a split between Silco and Jinx, though Jinx wins a bit more so yeah. *laughs* Either way, you know I am always happy to hear your opinion, Scotty. And hey, I too often repeat myself because sometimes you do something so well, that it is absolutely worth pointing out.

I remember that and I feel a bit guilty that I didn't write with your Jinx that much. However, I could always see that Rick and Morty was where your passion lay and where you thrived. But I get what you mean: Jinx is not an easy character to get into and dig deep. I am glad that you feel the way I built Jinx and Zaun around her helped her stay a balanced character as well as coherent with her setting to explain who she is and why she is the way she is.

I am not gonna lie: I actually never really researched how her psychosis works and I am very careful not to label it so I can take the creative liberties to tell the story in the way I want it to. I mostly just paid attention to how Jinx's psychosis manifested and her triggers and tried to translate that into words. And well, I also go from there. So the fact that you feel that I did a really good and realistic job with it means a lot.

Jinx adores Morty and Summer too. I am so happy that she connects with the Smith family in this unexpected way and I cannot wait to see how that develops for them all in the future. I agree: It is incredible how much these two very different verses and story worlds managed to connect as insane as that sounds. I especially love how Morty and Summer are just chill with Jinx's antiques. It is like Rick almost made them Jinx-proof. ROFL.

I do not think anybody has ever described my Jinx as alien and yet it feels very fitting. Her Zaunite origin absolutely makes her a less-than-human character, despite looking like one. I am grateful that she feels tangible, flawed and nuanced, despite how screwed up her culture and morals are. For me, it was always important that her unpredictability, chaos and craziness never felt random or funny but grounded and frightening while still surprising. I am glad to have you as a friend and writer.

Thank you, Scotty.