#it’d be similar to the butterfly AU

[applepiesinajar]

demon slayer swap au: pt1 Gyokko

So a couple ideas to note. Hes kinda like shinobo in this au in the sense that her butterfly mansion girls and kanao are instead the demon vase fish he summoned during the swordsmith arc. (I saw a tiktok with a similar idea and really liked it) He uses water breathing obviously. I haven’t counted how many hashira there are so idk out of them all where he’d land power-wise. Design wise I made him black (or blasain) with vitiligo. I figured it would be a cool way for his face to be pale white and for his hands to be a different color like how in his og design it fades to blue. I think in his og design his “hair” was supposed to be like fish fins, but i thought they kinda looked like dreads or box braids. (Another reason I decided he’d be black/blasain) He has scars all over his body that look similar to fish scales so lots of people joke he’s the “fish hashira” even though he is the water hashira. He’s not the fish hashira that’s stuipd ok.

Back to the children thing. He is not the bio father to any of them, but because when he was a child his parents died in a demon boat accident he has great sympathy for orphans. (Unlike in cannon where he hates kids and kills them) (also the demon part was added on idk) I think he has 4 different fishy guys so it’d be four kids too. Likely all of various ages. (I still need to think through them)

so I think after his parents died (he didn’t know it was a demon that killed them he was just told an accident accrued at sea), he was left on his own. People thought he was bad luck bc his parents died and racism probably. Later in life (8 when parents died 12 when this happened) his parents died more people he knew were killed by demons and at that point is when he also learned his parents where actually killed by demons. So he joins the demon slayer corps (he does finally deletion when 16) and eventually becomes hashira(mid-20s). Present day mid-30s.

I can’t think of other ideas rn but when i do I’ll edit/add them.

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 38

 Imagine a Hollow Knight inspired AU. Everyone is bugs, with magic or weapons or both. 

Gotham I wanna say gives off a deepnest vibe, mixed with a lot of void because the place has been cursed so many times, is built on top of a lazarus pit, and has had a door to hell opened at least two separate times just in Arkham. Metropolis is probably more in line with the surface, seeing as it’s so bright and sunny. Like the city of tears if it was built above ground instead of under a lake. 

 Now while I’m not sure what everyone would be, I like to think that Jason revives as something similar to a bug of the grimmtroupe. Maybe he’s let go, maybe the batfam have to rescue him and help return his better memories. Honestly up to the writer. Speaking of the batfam, Cass is definitely something like a butterfly- actually they might all be butterflies or similar creatures. Long cloaks and perfect for their Wayne/civilian personas, perhaps with a bit of vessel inspiration as well. Look, they deserve shadow powers. 

 The flashfam are some sort of crickets with lightning-shaped antennae, because those things are energetic little things that are constantly chirping. Plus they’re incredibly quick too. 

 Wonder woman is definitely some sort of beetle forged from clay and brought to life by magic, an heir and guardian all rolled into one. Just to name a few ideas of course, it’d all be up to the writer and what you all think. 

If DP crossover, I mean, ghosts as shades made via void would work well, no? And Halfas would be bugs corrupted by void into vessels, similar to the Hollow Knight or the player character (who is named Ghost so what d’ya know lol) Also Tucker as a scarab beetle would be so fun, no one can convince me otherwise

[butterflyeffectiveless]

rambling, random, ship

I have no idea why i am talking about this but had random impulse to say anything. I don’t think what i’ll be saying is actually what I believe in, maybe it’s a random thing, my mind is always wandering. Maybe some people will judge me but i no longer care tbh.

Reasons why I ship Ludoffee:

- Nostalgia. Perhaps my longing for old days and that ships takes me closer to those days that felt better back then. Pretty much personal selfish thing. It’s like keeping an old stuffed animal from childhood , to give the analogy.

- Both are villains whose stories were not fullly realized in canon.

- A cool composed and self-restrained man in a suit likes a short and emotional awkward guy - it’s kind of cute. (ok not “kind of”.. deep down I like this dynamic because that difference is kind of wholesome)

- Many ways to explore the dynamic in unusual ways (aka the “stereotyped as incompetent” guy turns out to be more emotionally mature in ways the cool guy isnt and can do great things which impresses the “cool” guy)

- Its pretty much Venomous and Boxman but as monsters.. (if they were not the way they were in canon)

- There was a lot of canon detail in season 1 (confirmed liking from Ludo toward Toffee. But uh, it wasn’t actually great tbh (including Ludo’s attitude; if Toffee were not manipulative and geniunely worked for him Ludo would be the problematic one I feel))

___

I kinda ship Eclipsafee, but the reason I do is probably because I thought that Eclipsa would date him and her personality would go in interesting ways with his. It’s also kind of a “sweet x goth” dynamic which is like a blueprint for a cool ship (”is toffee the goth and Eclipsa is sweet or Eclipsa is sweet and Toffee is goth?” - yes) .

- They Both give off a vibe “cool uncle or aunt”. Both are grown adults who seem mature (but aren’t)

- Making up their banter and dialogue would be fun (one is gloomy and other is sassy)

- A “used to know each other in teens years and met again years later and found out how much they changed” dynamic is cool. + Potential for writing: changes caused them to develop new perspectives on one another.

- Dark purple + dark purple

- Eclipsa could bond with Toffee because she was seen as monster too

- A dynamic where they don’t end up together because Eclipsa has her true love Globgor sounds interesting as well. All hail lone Toffee (a cool mysterious man in a suit who is not married and is single and likes it that way but sometimes stares at a lady he used to love and her husband being happy.). Also it’d be bittersweet to headcanon (in an au, Not canon) that Eclipsa does have some feelings for Toffee despite her living her new life fully.

__ Moontoffee

I used to avoid it at all costs for reasons i have already said in past. Mainly bc of second had embarrassment and fear that it will sink. But after everything ended I felt more free in trying to look at it.

- I wouldnt ship them as a royal Butterfly family but I would ship them as rivals from different peoples who stayed that way but somehow changed their views on one another.

- I would rather ship them in an au where Toffee didn’t kill Moon’s mother. But still.. I may be hated for this but I’ve seen dynamics where one character killed other’s parent and still at the end they made amends and worked out as a team. So I don’t know. I understand that in Moon’s case her mother’s death greatly affected her and I have hard time seeing her ever forgiving that so its better to make an au where Toffee had nothing to do with it.

- The fact that Toffee can be drawn in Moon’s color palette is kind of sus.. Their palettes are almost the same..

- I always liked to associate Toffee with the moon (not Moon Butterfly but.. moon, the moon) and water. And knowing that water is associated with the moon, it feels almost symbolic in my imagination that he would look interesting with Moon (even as a platonic duo)

- They are.. pretty similar (both are leaders who are ready to become the devil for their own people and who want to keep their status at all costs). Also in canon they turned into less likable characters at the end.

- Funny headcanon of mine: Many monsters liked to call Toffee “Moony” and that caused a lot of confusion and some monsters ( and Toffee  as well ) thought they mockingly called him after Moon Butterfly - a princess they all hated. But in reality “Moony” among monsters means “Lunatic who is dependant on the moon”, so they mockingly called him a lunatic who is obsessed with Moon (by obsession I mean that Toffee couldnt let go of resentment and remembered what Moon did to him)

“Oh hello general Moony”

“It’s Toffee. I am Not like that mewman princess”

“No, I dont mean Moon. I mean Moony.”

- In all honesty I dont want to ship them in canon universe. I’d ship them if they were not as violent to one another and had to unite against greater threat. (i.e. they both disagreed with their bosses and superiors and bonded over that. Also a nice potential for them changing their views on each others’ kind and learning that the other is not evil)

- I think I would ship them platonically, as friends. Enemies to friends. It’s kind of hard for me to imagine them as a romantic pair who’d caress another’s cheek.

[casitafallz-a]

Decay AU | Metamorphous (rewritten)

Isabela sat boredly against her headboard, arms wrapped around herself as she moped. She knew she shouldn’t but… it all ached.

Her heart ached for things to go back to normal…for the little knocks at the door every morning, for her parent’s smiles and compliments on her dress or the flowers she made… she longed for Abuela to look at her with pride…her warmth and affection. She missed Abuela… she missed it all and she had no idea how to claw any of those little things back.

The distance felt like she was on another planet set adrift. Isabela knew she couldn’t keep moping; she needed to try and do something. Maybe Abuela wouldn’t be so cold with her? Isabela couldn’t fathom of what could she possibly do? Her punishments were clearly a base level and nothing of that would impress Abuela… she needed to do better. Do more.

Isabela was already through her second week into her confinement now; she couldn’t go out into town and help… and even if she could, Isabela realised, she wouldn’t be able to help much without her gift.

She looked down at her hands.

Her gift that had played a part in her entire fall from grace. Flowers, vines and pretty things because what else was she actually good for? What use was her gift with those sorts of limits? Her eyes rose to the mess.

Not all of it was pretty, she noted.

Not all were pink either… in fact, colours were way easy to change. She had always kept to the pinks and warm pallets for them because people enjoyed that. Men loved romantic colours for their wives or girlfriends.

Her eyes traces over a few of them; the whole room’s vibrancy was…gone. Most of the colour was only a portion of what it used to be…and Isabela found she didn’t care. This whole room felt like her personal prison. It was in a real sense; confined from 8 pm until morning and often, Isabela didn’t know when it was the appropriate time to leave in the morning so…she often left when she heard Luisa leave.

Abuela had told her to clean her room up and…Isabela felt bad that she hadn’t… still hadn’t for that matter and it ate at her a little. Perhaps that was a starting point?

Isabela eyed the dead and decayed flowers before she closed her eyes, letting them vanish and the watery mess seep away. It’d take some time before the smell would vanish, even if she was already used to it. She didn’t like seeing the slight wrinkle on her mother’s face when she hadn’t changed her shoes.

A dull thud outside pulled her attention from replacing the empty patches. In fact, it was multiple echoes that…didn’t sound like Casita’s normal movements. It was late afternoon, there were no chores left to do and clearly, something was happening that she hadn’t been informed about. Curiously, Isabela went to investigate and poked her head out around her door frame.

Outside, it was busy with a good number of people from town… like the cute carpenter boy that had the hot sister, Papi and Tio Felix were down by where Luisa’s door used to be… wait.

She stepped out, craning to see… a whole new doorway that…was very different to magical doors but it stood in the place where Luisa’s door used to be. Now, Isabela realised, Luisa’s door had moved down to the centre where Mirabel’s door had been before it faded. The cabinet that had set there since been there was newly settled between her doorframe and Luisa’s. Even the pictures had moved down as well.

The busyness was from the new door, Casita’s tiles shifted and rolled; and the thumps, she noticed was the new furniture that was being lifted in.  Her head tilted even more though in the gaps of people to peek inside, she noticed a brand new bedframe.

The metal frame was still very similar to the old one but almost a polished bronze. Unlike the nursery bed frame that had blue and yellow balls, the tops of the new frame poles were little iron cast butterflies and the bed was missing its covers and a mattress for now. A new wardrobe…probably. The thing making the thumps looked to be Mirabel’s desk with her sewing machine. She couldn’t see much more before the door was shut. A beautiful dark brown door though could make out pencil markings of what looked to be measurements and a basic sketch to go on front; far from completion but a stand-in for the real thing.

Isabela blinked, her head turning to the nursery door that was open.

“Oh…” her voice cracked.

The last week had been…quieter. Even with the family getting back to work in the town; almost normal but the family members were much more around than they used to be but Isabela had noticed the adults talking a lot more hushed and together. Nothing she caught except talks of wall colours… she had just assumed someone was redecorating.

But no, it seemed now she understood the context.

They were moving Mirabel…

A sharp inhale filled her lungs before she stumbled back into her room though…she felt the familiar ache that had long since taken up residents between her ribs return to squeeze with weight at her heart.

It made sense, Isabela could see the logic; they wanted Mirabel far away from her. Her room and the nursery never did have too much space between them. Clearly…clearly too close. Now Luisa truly was stuck right there between them… and Mirabel was close to their parents.

Did…did they think she was that much of a threat to do this? Did they continue to see her as someone on the verge of snapping again? Did…they not trust her any more to have Mirabel’s room a few meters away? Were they scared she’d sneak in there and—

Pop

Isa let out a shaking breath, making a move to step forwards, only to be met with a sharp pain that rang through the arch of her foot. She yelped, jumped back and hissed in pain before pulling her foot away from the source, a—

“Cactus? Really?”

Isabela glowered at the offending plant, though bent down and picked it up before hobbling back towards her bed. Ignoring the slight blood from the punctured on her foot. The spikes pressed into her skin and she could see the flecks of lingering blood on the spikes but that mattered little as she turned it around.

She had made…a cactus.

Mirabel’s room lay forgotten in her mind as she examined the…new creation. She had never made a cactus before.

Her heart pumped a little faster, swallowing nervously. If…if she could make a cactus… what else could she do? What plants was she capable of creating?

Her eyes flickered around her room, touching along the vastly different flowers. Not ones she had ever really done but… while still flowers; they were very different. She set the cactus down, licking her lips.

If she could do much more than flowers; she could show Abuela she was capable of so much more than décor…. Surely Abuela could then…allow her to use her gift outside the tight limits she had been living under the last two weeks.

She could almost feel the potential tingling as she felt the wash of excitement; one of the first few positive emotions she felt in the last two weeks. A whole space where she could play with her gift... Her lips curled up into a smile.

Let’s see what else she could do!

-

Mirabel knew something had been up the moment Dolores and Camilo, and Antinio for that matter joined her in town, though it made her anxious, she felt content with their presence, Antonio, as shy as he was with the town kids happily ran off to play with them. Leaving Camilo and Dolores with her as she took a seat by the fountain and the glances Dolores shot towards Casita didn’t lessen her concern.

Dolores winced once.

“What happened?” Mirabel asked.

Dolores's attention returned though smiled softly. “Nothing serious. Isabela stepped onto a cactus.”

Camilo was the first to snigger, “Good.”

“Camilo.” Mirabel gave him a look though he didn’t look at all put off before she snorted herself. She could see the humour there; she doubted Isabela would be really hurt. Nothing Mama’s food couldn’t fix. If she fell down a flight of steps…then she’d be concerned but again, Mama’s concern; the notion of going near Isabela made her heart beat too fast and she hated the anxiety the thought brought.

“So, think Antonio will make friends with these children?” Camilo decided, “He’s a quiet kid but…too quiet”

“I know those three. He’ll be fine.” Mirabel smiled. “He should be around kids his age anyway so nothing bad should come from this. Maybe he’ll convince them to like animals. Cecilia has a tarantula—“

“Ugh!” Camilo jumped up in disgust, “A tarantula! Why?!”

“She says they’re cute.”

The look on her primo’s face suggested he was convinced something was wrong with the girl before he shuddered and began muttering under his breath. “Ugh, who gives children things with eight eyes and lots of legs… that’s no pet… that's what you use to scare people—”

Dolores gave him a look at he looked like he had been struck with an idea.

“Isabela likes tarantulas, Camilo.” Dolores pointed out before his face fell in disappointment.

Mirabel gave him a soft prod in his arm. “Please stop finding ideas to scare my sister with. She’s being punished already.”

Camilo’s head tilted to her but made no comment but a sniff of discontent with her half-hearted plea.

“Anyway,” Mirabel hoped to distract the two, “What’s going on? I’ve barely seen anyone today. Even Luisa who’s gotten back to work and normally, this is part of the new schedule where she’s helping”

Dolores’s posture straightened up, a squeak echoing which only really validated her suspicions though Camilo looked far too relaxed.

“You know, I’m hungry. I wonder if Mami’s got any Arepa’s left—“

“Or,” Camilo interjected smoothly, “we can treat you to one of Señorita Rios’s goods at the bakery.”

“Oh, so you can ogle her, Camilo?” Mirabel teased.

Camilo’s face dropped. “This isn’t about me, Mira, this is about your empty stomach.”

“It’s Señora Rios working today, Alita is with her father talking to the farmer.”

“See, and I am not all bothered by that fact.”

Mirabel raised an eyebrow. Not really believing him because…Camilo was just as much as a teenager like her with less restraint. It was no surprise he had a crush and on someone who made food for a living.

“What are you hiding from me? What’s happening at home?” Mirabel asked again, “I have a feeling it’s something to do with me… and I don’t know if I should be worried.”

“It’s…it’s a surprise!” Dolores piped up, wincing. “Look, Tio and your Abuela have agreed about this…surprise and they’re just getting it sorted.”

“What…could they possibly be doing to be a surprise? My Quinceañera was eighteen days ago—“ she didn’t have to count far given it was…4 days before what Isabela had done to her two weeks ago— “and there’s a lot still left over. I don’t need a surprise.”

Dolores smiled softly. “You’ll like this one.”

Mirabel looked to Camilo, only to find his space vacant and his running form pelting up towards Casita.

“Should I pretend to be surprised entirely or just go with it?” Mirabel asked.

Dolores shrugged, “Up to you. Either way, I’m not spilling.”

“I take it you’ll let me know when the surprise is ready?”

“Of course.”

-

Luisa moved the furniture easily as Abuela surveyed the space.

The room Casita had made was just as big as the nursery, as it wasn’t a magical room, it had it’s limits. Without Antonio’s bed like the nursery had, there was double the space and much more open with a window out towards the tree line. Its base colour had been white but the walls were now a soft blue and teal.

There had been a debate about if the colour should be green like the Nursery before Julieta overruled on the matter and settled for the bluer colours to match the family’s colours until Mirabel decided herself.

Luisa was glad though that it wasn’t green; this was a new step in her life; she shouldn’t have call-backs to the nursery and she was happy to move all the new furniture into the new room as well, a new bed, wardrobe and a whole new chest of draws. Abuela had also ordered another set for Mirabel’s spare fabrics; they had found too many to be put into a single draw with her normal clothes. Her desk, they had to move given her machine was very much part of the desk but Luisa doubted Mirabel would mind too much.

Though as soon as the furniture was set and the townspeople had left, moving Mirabel’s belongings in were fairly simple though a few things, Luisa was glad to leave at the foot of the bed for a better option for Mirabel to choose though she felt a welt of excitement as Abuela deemed the room done before everyone cleared it.

The door, the real door would take a longer to get but the carpenters would take another week to get it carved and painted but again everything else was ready and they didn’t want to wait too long to show Mirabel.

Luisa knew they should have done this a long time again. 10 years and yet, it hadn’t occurred to anyone that they could get her her own room; that the nursery was still suitable for a teenager. Everyone had only focused on the fact she didn’t get a door, not that she was still living in a baby’s room.

This… this shouldn’t have come from Isabela’s actions but…they had to start being better. She did. Because now they had to rely on her to be the protector… they couldn’t pretend everything was perfect… couldn’t shove anyone aside for that they didn’t have. Luisa felt guilty that she didn’t step in sooner to see to the small things with her little sister… but time and availability had been so few between.

At least now, Luisa felt relief that she had to come home more. The demands were present as ever but echoing Abuela’s words had been what she needed to turn a few down. The Donkeys, as such have been removed as her chores given Abuela hadn’t been pleased to find the cause was a broken fence lock and Luisa couldn’t deny the freedom that had given her. She didn’t have to do stupid things.

She could hang around with Mirabel, help her mother or father or even…have time for herself. It felt odd but…she’d take it to be around more for when the family needed her.

“Dolores, time to bring Mirabel back,” Abuela called.

Luisa shut the door after her but immediately helped with putting up the curtain over the doorframe with her Papi’s help, securing it before the rest of the family seemed to appear to them. Tia’s cloud disappeared with an echo of a rainbow

“Did you really have to take my glasses?” Mirabel’s voice echoed. “I can barely see”

“Would you rather I covered your eyes and not see at all?”

The pause made Luisa smile before she looked over to see Dolores walking next to a near-blind Mirabel, glasses in hand but Mirabel looked to be squinting, using whatever sight she had to pick out shapes that she wasn’t going to trip over. Casita though seemed to help along the way before they began to make their way up the steps. Though Tia Pepa and felix moved further around towards Abuela’s door just to give more space, Felix tugged Camilo along as well.

“Where’s Antonio?” Tia Pepa asked.

“Playing in town.” Camilo answered, pulling free from his mother’s grip, “I figured he was making friends…”

Pepa’s face melted into a soft smile before she looked at Tio Felix. It was no mistake that Antonio was a shy boy and barely had friends outside the family, though it seemed like he’d miss this; Antonio would no doubt have fun in the room as well once he got back.

“What’s going on?” Mirabel sounded exasperated before she almost tripped up the top step. Luisa stepped forwards but Dolores caught her before handing the girl her glasses back.

Mirabel blinked once the glasses were back on her face before she took in the crowd along the balcony. “Hola, familia?”

“Mirabel!” Julieta was the first to move, pulling Mirabel into a hug before kissing her cheek. Abuela and the others hung back though to not overcrowd the girl, even if Luisa itched to lean down and hug her as well.

“Mama?” Mirabel pulled her head back, “what’s this all about? Kinda…weird. My birthday was over two weeks ago.”

Julieta smiled at her. “Call it something we should have done a long time ago.”

Mirabel’s confusion didn’t leave until Julieta led her towards the covered door.

“Here.”

“This?” She pointed to the fabric, though hesitantly reached forwards after an encouraging nod and pulled the curtain down.

Luisa’s heart thudded in her chest, watching as Mirabel’s eyes grew wide, her jaw slacking and it tugged in almost an endearing way to see the tears well up in her eyes as she set sights upon the door, as rough as it was.

“You…you gave me a door?” Her voice wavered before she looked straight at their parents. “I have a door?”

Julieta moved forwards, pulling Mirabel back into a hug. Mirabel threw her arms around.

“It won’t be magical, Corazon but—“

“I don’t care! It’s a room! My room!” Mirabel pulled back but turned her attention back to the handle before she opened it up and ran straight in. Luisa’s heart lifted with hearing her sound of happiness…

But before she could fully enjoy seeing Mirabel’s reaction, another sound echoed and almost seemed to interrupt.

“Abuela!”

The mood dampened for the people outside the room if a little though Luisa’s head turned behind her to see Isabela slinking out of her room and Luisa felt her jaw drop at the sight.

Isabela was coated head to toe in…what she could only assume was pollen of various colours; her hair and skin were stained and her clothes took the brunt of the colour and yet, Isabela seemed completely oblivious as she held what looked to be a plant pot with a large cactus in.

“Look! Look what I made!”

Luisa winced if a little in pity at the look on Abuela’s face as she too realised that Isabela looked like a complete, colourful mess and was not even aware of what was going on or the sheer weight this had only for the interruption...

Isabela’s excited face dimmed as she noticed, taking in Abuela's expression and the darkening of Tia Pepa's cloud though Felix rubbed her back. “What?”

Deciding not to get involved, Luisa ducked into Mirabel’s new room but hung by the door though she was relieved to see her parents talking to Mirabel; keeping her distracted before she could have a clue about what was going on outside. She didn’t need to know and Mirabel certainly didn’t need any sense of unjustified guilt about Isabela right not either.

She didn’t feel envious of her older sister right now either.

tbh... I'm not entirely convinced about the ending.... like... i don't know if it feels a little out of place or if it's too early for this? Like, I wanna balance the good times, neutral with the bad times for Isabela bc having it too heavy all the time is boring, and the deep stuff needs to be validated; i don't want to villainize Abuela or anyone.

What do you think?

I figured...I'll keep the chapter up for now while i work on the next chapter. I think maybe the next chapter will balance out the whole Isabela discovering her gift a lot more. I know a few said it was weird and i do agree but i think isabela just...got lost in the moment of discovery if how I justify a little on her behavioural response. if the next chap doesn't work, i'll redo :) Thanks for all your feedback tho, i love hearing about it

[crowfeatherwolf]

Erskine’s formula issues - theory

So, I’m not jewish, so I’d need to do a TON of research and interviews to see if this is even possible within the culture. Therefore, anyone with the knowledge, feel free to edit and use if it gets your plotbunnies working. So this would be either a timetravel au, or just needs Dr. Strange to find whatever is left of Erskine’s notes during his tenure as Sorcerer Supreme. Could be something wrong with Cap OR Bruce, if this is post CW and Tony would only want to do stuff on Bruce’s behalf. Could also be an OC or lesser used super soldier serum receiver instead too. Whoever is needed isn’t too important. The big important bit is that Strange notices from the notes that Erskine was double dipping magic and science the way he sometimes does. Erskine, as according to the wiki, married into a jewish family if he wasn’t jewish himself. My HC is that he was using kabbalah and alchemical principles to make the serum. Thus red skull, since he’s a nazi, is gonna get a minor smiting seeing as he would not fit the role of protector (of the jewish people.) And THAT would be one of the big reasons why every attempt afterwards has not worked. No other scientist had a magical background that could recognize there was a fine print to the serum working right. Erskine was screening not just for personal honor (why Bruce gets green but relatively stable) but also for social honor and ability to work towards the safety of his people (why Bruce’s version doesn’t work right. His mind isn’t focused on the intent and mental state Erskine required as part of the magical calculations of making the serum work.) Red hulk is unstable because as a yt soldier guy in the contemporary US army, he either got picked by a Hydra plant who wouldn’t be too keen on any jewish sympathies, or just got the general US racism issues. He also had desire for personal power, and so got the double zap into berserker. Erskine knew other people were gonna try to copy his formula, and he doesn’t have to be Moses to plant some bad side effects on an assumed enemy’s camp. Instead of getting a super soldier you get an uncontrollable rage monster set to destroy their own lab to ensure no one else tries that again. But of course, since Erskine never says any of the magic side stuff out loud, you get ethical scientists like Bruce getting zapped by minor smity for not fitting the magical requirements.  If Erskine had survived, Steve would probably have gotten a rundown of how it’d all work, and if there’s a similar concept to shabbos goy outside saturdays (or something like having to follow extra commandments to non jewish people while still not having to convert) Steve would probably fall under that umbrella as legal issues and definitions seem to be half the fun of jewish informed magic systems. Other big reason for failure could be alchemical in nature. There needs to be an exchange or balance from the serum maker to make the process work. I’m guessing Erskine would have structed it as a lifetime of duty, or similar act for the jewish community, but the assassination and losing his life in service would have followed the intent of the spell as well to keep Cap from getting any backlash from Erskine not being able to put the rest of his natural life span in service to his people. Butterflies from there. Evidence that Cap and any serum recipients can be classified as magical issues could allow for a lot of aid with issues like Bucky if it’s before CW, or else with getting the serum magically classified to keep extremis 2 electric boogaloo or similar from happening. Bucky, as a soldier POW who helped raid and free some of the camps would be the only other safe person because though intent matters, Bucky having been logged as freeing and aiding jewish people during the war would weigh more, along with the rebound against the hydra scientists forcing him to take it. Having actually done the stuff specified by Erskine would allow for a lot more leeway with intent clauses. I’m writing this at 2am. Hope this is coherent and not done already. Haven’t seen it in any fics I’ve read yet at least.

[childotkw]

Jordan, I've an idea and I wanted to see what's your take on it: Potters and Tom Riddle are neighbors and little seven year old Harry is Tom's worst nightmare. He somehow always ends up at Tom's house while his parents are at work and Sirius and Remus are watching after him. While they're trying to control the situation and fail miserably, Harry is busy making Tom's life living hell while he is trying to plan a world domination. He is convinced that Dumbledore is behind all of this, using a child to distract him and, as much as he doesn't want to admit it, Dumbledore is winning. He hasn't been in this house more than a month, he already wants to move out. Or kill them all.

I didn't put any details because I'm curious of what your mind will make out of this if you even give a try (which I hope you do, I really like your sense of humor). Have fun😀

Hmmm. It’s not normally something I’d vibe with, but I could definitely see the appeal…

I’d probably do it as canon Harry is reborn into an alternate universe where everything is slightly off, but similar enough. Harry, naturally, retains his memories - and while he enjoys the first seven years with his parents, the second he realises Tom fucking Riddle has moved in next door, Harry’s brain instantly switches over into Chaotic Gremlin mode because like hell is he letting this chance slip through his fingers.

Tom Riddle is unprepared for this Kevin McCallister level of bullshit. The Potter’s seven year old son is clearly an eldritch being capable of untold amounts of carnage because he can slide right through Tom’s wards like they’re not even there. He just turns around and the kid is standing two feet from him, staring up at him with terrifying, adorable, knowing eyes.

This is only the beginning of a full-on siege against him, though. What he had originally mistaken for some accidental magic shenanigans is soon revealed to be a series of clever, cunning, downright diabolical plots to drive nails through his brain.

Harry Potter is obviously some kind of experiment Dumbledore and the Potters cooked up to ruin him. And it’s working.

[loud-whistling-yes]

... So, turns out I did end up writing a part 2 to the oneshot after all, considering im pretty sure red techno anon has now birthed a new au. hooray...?

@wildcardjoey good morning! this thing is 2400 words long. god help me.

(tagging people last i knew wanted a part 2: @parchmentengineer @dragongobrr @carbonated-roses @sunny-is-in-the-void @offcameras @cc3204 ​)

Edit: now available on Ao3! 

.

“The fuck are you people doing down there?” Tommy hollered, voice echoing down the canyon. The group — five people, he counted, all looked up to him.

“Watch your language!” One of them shouted back, and Tommy snorted, a grin creeping up his face.

“Dick!” He cupped his hands and yelled down at them. “Ass! Fuck! Shit! Bitch! Cock! Dick, dick, dick, dick-”

The one with the red helmet and a stupid backpack stomped their foot. He burst out laughing. Oh well, things were getting a little boring around his house anyways, he could use some entertainment.

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

“How did you get here? Pretty sure this server is private or some shit. Y’all just gonna-”

“Why won’t he stop swearing.” Grian complained through gritted teeth. Pearl laughed. 

“You’ve challenged him into a battle. I don’t think you’re gonna win anytime soon.” She grinned, studying the funny boy up the canyon. He had blond hair, tied into a short and messy ponytail behind him, and was that a butterfly clip in his hair? Around his neck was a faded green bandana over a white t-shirt with sleeves as red and loud as his voice was.

The boy squinted. At least, Pearl was pretty sure he was squinting — it’s hard to tell from the distance. 

“You guys need a rope to get out? No one dug a staircase down yet.” He hollered at them. 

“We’ll be fine, thanks!” Grian replied, pulling off his dummy suit. The rest did the same. Pearl stretched her wings. Hers were nowhere as bulky as Grian’s or Impulse’s bird and demon wings, but moth wings are unfortunately a lot less foldable than theirs. The hard backpack Scar made for her might’ve saved her wings from tearing, but wow was her back sore.

Impulse raised an eyebrow, eyeing Grian’s head. “Grian, buddy... looks like your horns got bigger...”

Grian looked over to him, hands reaching up to touch the side of his head, before humming in amusement. Ever since he first got the Tegg at the start of Season 8 (wow, that felt like ages ago) little horns had poked out from the top of his head. They grew horrendously slowly throughout the season. In fact, Pearl was pretty sure his horns barely grew over an inch over the course of six months? Now though, his horns curved up from his hair, much more similar to Impulse’s than before. It must’ve grown at least an inch- no, two inches since their escape.

How long had they been in the void?

“Your wings are changing too,” Mumbo pointed out, gesturing at his molting wings. Grian’s red-yellow-blue feathers of a parrots’ scattered in a mess on the ground, his wings currently in awkward patches of black and the old colours. He unfolded one of the limbs, revealing that the wing was almost completely covered in black scales, turning purple at the tips. Small clumps of parrot feathers clung stubbornly onto the leathery skin, refusing to come off no matter how hard he shook. 

It was silent for a moment. Even Grian himself stared in shock.

“Holy shit, you people have wings?! Where the fu-”

“Grian, when did you have dragon wings?!”

“I mean-” Grian squeaked, everyone electing to ignore the screaming teen above them- “They were molting a bit on the last week before the moon big thing happened, but I thought it’d take forever for them to change completely, not-” He turned his backpack upside down, an impressive amount of brightly-coloured feathers were dumped onto the floor- “this!”

“Well, we did spend like a week’s time floating through the void.” Scar scratched his head. “Maybe that kicked off your dragon puberty?”

“Scar, I love you, but never put those two words together like that ever-”

“Are you guys gonna come up or what?”

“Coming!” Impulse replied for the rest, stretching his own wings. “Grian, you take Mumbo and I take Scar?”

“Sure,” Grian shrugged, trying one last futile attempt at patting off the last of his feathers before grabbing onto Mumbo by the armpits, Impulse did the same with Scar. Elytras were banned on the ship to save space in the suits. Unfortunately, that meant that both Mumbo and Scar will probably have to rely on Grian and Impulse for the foreseeable future. Pearl wished she could help, but alas, having wings as thin as paper was not suitable for carrying the weight of more than one person (she tried it with Gem once; it took her respawning to fix that nasty tear through the back). 

Grian flapped his wings. Once, twice, and the two of them lifted up into the air. Then Grian titled to his side with an awkward turn and before they knew it there was a sharp yelp and Mumbo was back on the ground with Grian collapsed onto him. 

“You guys sure that you don’t need help?”

“I’m fine,” Grian grumbled, pulling himself and Mumbo up. Pearl turned to the blond boy up the crater and gave him a thumbs up, laughing awkwardly. 

“I think the feathers are throwing me off-balance..” Grian dusted himself off, yanking at one of his feathers before hissing in pain when it stayed on the leathery skin. He massaged the area he pulled at, probably regretting his decision. 

He flapped his wings again, testing his flight abilities. Once, twice, thrice, he was well over their heads by now, the wind sending the feathers he dumped on the ground flying as well — then he took a sudden swerve right. Pearl ducked as he crashed onto the floor yet again, feathers fluttering back onto the ground and over him. 

“I could’ve braided the goddamned rope needed to get you guys out by now with the time you’re taking to fly.”

Pearl giggled, watching as Mumbo pulled Grian off the floor, dusting off his feathers in the process. She cupped her hands, yelling at the general direction above her. “We’re stuck, could you go get the rope?”

The boy sprinted off, presumably to get the aforementioned rope. 

“If dragon wings are anything like demon wings,” Impulse chuckled, folding his own wings back down, poking at Grian’s scales. “Then you’ll have to wait till all those feathers drop before you can fly again. They’re really fussy about balance.”

Grian groaned, wings folding out and raised fully like they do when he gets distressed. Back when his wings were feathered they would’ve puffed up as well just to get the point across. Now though the remaining strands of feathers stood up awkwardly amongst the unfazed dragon scales — it was quite a pathetic sight to be honest. 

“The horns took forever to grow out,” Grian complained, head in his two hands. “How long is shedding a few damned feathers gonna take?”

“Oi!” The voice Pearl had begun to grow accustomed to echoed down the crater, interrupting their current conversation. The boy from earlier returned, hand full of a large bundle of rope. Beside him was another person, dragging a hammock behind him.

The person- what were they, actually? They looked almost translucent, as if light went through them without any acknowledgement from their part. They wore black-and-white all over, cloak floating and fluttering in odd ways unlike the wind would do. Even their skin was black-and-white, split down the middle, and they were tall, taller than the other boy by a head, if Pearl had to hazard a guess. 

They turned to the boy, nodding as he seemed to give them some instructions, before he turned away and disappeared from the ledge with one end of the rope with him. The person sat down, taking the rope with one hand and the other holding- were they tying it to the hammock?

They got up after a while, both hands full of the now stringed-up hammock, peering over the ledge and looking over at the group. Pearl was pretty sure they had green and red eyes.

“Oh, hello!” They— oh wait, it’s a he— he greeted, head tilting as he studied the group. 

“Hello!” Scar broke into his characteristic smile, waving at him.

“Tommy’s tying the rope to the fence over there,” The person— ghost?— pointed his chin at the general direction of where the boy had gone. “He said you guys can’t fly? I don’t really know why he said that, considering the only two-”

“Boo!” The boy — Tommy, Pearl now knew him as, hollered from somewhere she couldn’t see. The ghost turned to look behind him. “Yeah?”

Soon enough, Tommy came back in sight, hands now lacking the rope he was holding onto from earlier. He muttered a few words to the ghost— was his name Boo? That’s a cute name— before being handed over the hammock. 

He threw the hammock down towards them, the fabric landing on top of Grian, much to his annoyance. A shriek-like laughter rang from above.

“Very funny.” Grian muttered, pulling the green hammock off him. The rest bit back their own laughter.

“Who’s the lightest of you bunch down there?” Tommy tugged at the rope, causing the hammock to jump up-and-down. There was no hesitation; they all pointed at Grian.

“Get in there, we don’t have all day!” He ordered. 

Grian crawled into the hammock, grumbling all the way. “This kid is gonna be the death of me.”

“Oh come on, he’s helping!” Mumbo laughed, patting him on the back. The hammock suddenly shot up, and Grian yelped, almost falling off. He swung side-to-side like an out-of-control swing.

“Don’t fucking move!” Tommy’s voice rang down again. “Boo, pull harder- You’re really fucking heavy, you know that?”

Grian gritted his teeth, probably resisting the urge to inform Tommy that if even Mumbo could toss him over the shoulder with one hand it probably meant that Tommy had the physical strength of an endermite soaking with a weakness potion if he found him of all people heavy. Then the hammock suddenly dropped and Grian screeched, before catching his heart halfway up his throat when the falling stopped. 

“You guys need help up there?” Impulse asked, hands cupped together and looking up.

“I thought you people- oh my god this was a fucking mistake- coudn’t fly?”

As if on cue, both Pearl and Impulse opened up their wings. Impulse tilted his head at the others. “Are you guys gonna be okay down here?”

Mambo nodded, before continuing his concerned spectation of Grian being dangled up the canyon walls. Scar gave them a thumbs up. “We’ll be fine, I’ll make sure Grian doesn’t go splat on the ground!”

Impulse shook his head, hiding his smile, and the two of them were off. Pearl landed first, earning a startled yelp from Tommy and an amused “Hello!” from Boo, followed by an extremely distressed Grian screaming as Tommy loosened his grip on the rope. The line went taut suddenly, and the screaming stopped. 

Pearl turned behind her; Impulse was gripping onto the rope, chuckling awkwardly. “Hey guys…”

“You’re telling me only that guy can’t fly even with wings?” Tommy blinked, before looking over the cliffside to stare at Grian.

“I heard that!” Grian yelled from somewhere below. 

The rest of the process went a lot more smoothly afterwards, Grian back on solid ground after several quick tugs with Impulse on the team, followed by Mumbo, and Scar was picked up by Impulse while the rest focused on getting Mumbo up, just to speed things up a little. 

“So,” Mumbo started, after everyone had managed to pull him up the cliffside. “Asking on the behalf of everyone else here, who are you guys, and where exactly are we?”

Just as the same time Tommy mutters “Shouldn’t I be the first to ask?” under his breath, Boo answers cheerfully. “Oh, I’m Boo — Ghostboo is my full name, this is Tommy, and you’re on the Dream SMP!”

“I’m sorry, we’re in the what-” Grian cutted himself off, head spinning towards the sky above the canyon, eyes snapping into full attention. “Our stuff!” 

The entire group stared at the sky, Boatem searching wildly for whatever Grian picked up, Tommy and Boo squinted at the sky, puzzled at the reactions. A flash of dark colours appeared in the sky, from afar it looked like random objects on parachutes. Pearl focused harder at the spots, a cow, a horse… Nugget!

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

“Is that a fucking horse in a parachute.” Tommy deadpanned, watching as the demon and the moth hybrid sped through the air to catch the slow-falling animals mid-flight. At the other side of the L’Manhole the other three people yelled from the ground. The guy in the red sweater in particular — was his name Grian?— danced around like a headless chicken, staring up into the sky and screeching whenever a weird black object swayed in the wind.

“I think the girl is holding an egg.” Boo shielded his eyes from the sunlight, observing the scene like it was a drama spoken in a different language: you can kinda tell what the people are doing, but sure as hell ain’t gonna know what the fuck is going on in the bigger picture. “Oh wait, no, it’s a black cat- oh wait no it’s a black cat and a big black egg.”

“Why the fuck, in the two damned dimensions, would there be a big black egg.”

“Don’t look at me, I don’t know ei- oh! The demon guy is shoving the cow and the horse towards the water.”

Tommy looked down at the crater. Sure enough, there was the shadow of a horse and a cow slowly growing larger over a pool of water down below. “I think he also has a white cat with him,” Boo added, watching as the girl swooped back down to the ground near the three other people. The guy in the red sweater scooped up the gigantic egg, black wings wrapping around himself protectively like a goddamn mother hen sitting over her eggs. 

“Pretty sure the cat is yellow, Boo.” Tommy argued, studying the scene across the canyon. “Also, did the red guy lay that fucking egg or something? Why is he so… like that with it.”

“Incoming!- Oop, the horse is in the water now… and the cow. Do we have to pull them up with the hammock too?”

He sighed, watching the five new lunatics scramble around one of Eret’s towers, rescuing the random animals that fell from the sky. Again, they never told him how they got here?

“What the fuck…”

[sincerelychifuyu]

cat! (a whisker away au)

kazutora x gn!reader

– 1681 words

– hurt/comfort

– not proofread

note: i didn't exactly follow the whole plot and scenes of the movie and the ending was rushed

story belows the cut! hope you enjoy!

“you like him, right?”

“huh?” you stopped walking and turned you head only to meet a cat who was sitting upright, you titlted your head as you pointed your index finger towards the cat and asked, “where y-you talking to me...?”

to simply answer your question, the cat nods, “mhm! you like him, kazutora, right? and you know he likes–no, loves cats, am i right?”

you didn't wanna question any further so you wouldn't complicate the situation more and simply said, “yeah! he has told me multiple stories about the cats he's taking care of... yeah...” your voice slowly getting lower at the end of your sentence, you didn't even know why you were telling a literal cat about your liking towards kazutora. but it wouldn't hurt, right?

“well, [name], would you kindly accept my offer–you give me your mask and i'll grant you the power to be able to transform into a cat anytime you want?” the cat grins, showing its sharp teeth, its eyes held a mysterious glint for a short amount of time and you would've missed it if you blinked.

you were willing to accept the cat's offer because you already have a plan in mind with what you were going to do first in your ˝cat form˝, but you were confused about one thing, “m... mask? what kind of mask exactly?”

the cat was well aware of your tone, it knows you were willing to accept the offer but still cautious, “i'd say it's similar to a human body,”

“h-ha–?!” you shrieked loudly which resulted in accidentally cutting off the cat's answer, “vessel for vessel, get it? if i offer a cat vessel, you offer me your human vessel. it's only a fair trade, do you not agree?”

“you have a point there...” you scratch your head and the cat explains more thoroughly, “simply shake my paw and that'll mean you accept my offer, if you need more time to think–”

“i need a week! give me a week to think!” you intertwine your hands together while show a pleading look towards the cat and it sighs, “...fine, just repeat the word ˝milk˝ three times and i will appear once your mind is made up,”

the cat was already preparing to leave before it stops and tells you, “if you do agree, you have five months before your human vessel is completely stripped away from you, there's no turning back and you'll be a cat for the rest of your life.”

you shivered at the thought of not being able to be a human again, “i see... i'll go now! bye...?”

“yam, you can call me yam. looking forward to our meeting again, [name]” the cat grins once again and dissapears out of thin air, as if it wasn't there in the beginning.

you continued your way back home and immediately laid down on your bed. you looked at your window to see the sun was setting down, you sighed and closed your eyes thinking about kazutora for the nth time that day.

‘would kazutora pay attention to me more if i was a cat?’ you didn't tell yam earlier that you had countlessly thought about turning into a cat just to get noticed by kazutora, but yam could have possibly knew about it hence why the feline offered you a cat vessel.

‘will it be worth it?’ you asked no one in particular and slept.

you woke up in a messy state. realizing you were late for the second time that week, you rushed with no second thoughts. quickly getting on your bike to get faster to school.

you saw your friends by the school gate and approached them full of sweat because of the exercise you recieved from your bike. you greeted them nonetheless and pretended you didn't hear them scolding you for being late.

you opened the door to your first class and saw kazutora sitting while doodling something. you went to your assigned seat which was next to his and asked, “oh! you're drawing a cat? as expected from you, kazutora.” you smile at him and your classmates cheer for you.

“thank you, [name].” he smiled back at you and you felt butterflies in your stomach. you were gonna do everything for kazutora even if it meant you had to give up your human vessel.

your week went smoothly. you thought about yam's offer for a few more days, five days to be exact. finally making up your mind, you repeated the word ˝milk˝ three times.

“oh? you finally made up your mind? it's not even a week yet.” the cat asks you, eager to hear your answer.

“yeah... i didn't think it'd take me just four days to make up my mind, too,” you looked away from yam.

“mhm, continue, don't keep me waiting for too long!”

“fine, fine! um, i'll accept your offer but...!” the cat extends its paw and grins.

you groaned and just told yam, “ok, i'm really, a hundred percent, completely sure that i will accept your offer!” you shook his paw and the next thing you new was that you passed out.

you woke up the next day, to eat breakfast and saw yuzuha at your table. “yuzuha? what are you doing here?” you neared the table and sat down. “i just wanted to visit you and since your door wasn't locked i went in!” she replied with a mouthful of cereal.

“hm, yeah but swallow before talking!” you giggled at her behavior and continued talking, “also, what day is it?”

“don't worry, today is saturday, i would have woke you up if we had school today.” you were thankful for yuzuha, you truly are.

you almost forgot about the agreement you and yam had yesterday and excused yourself, “wait! i'll go outside real quick i just need to do something!” yuzuha just nodded.

yam didn't tell you how to turn into a cat and you mentally cursed yourself for not asking.

you closed your eyes and pictured yourself as a cat, opening your eyes, you realized your vision look funny, you looked down and saw your paw.

you celebrated in your mind and ran to kazutora's house, he has invited you numerous times already. you went to the second floor, it was a little tricky but you were now face to face with kazutora's room window. you slid it open and was met with him drawing something once again.

you meowed so he could notice you, it looked like it worked because now kazutora was playing with you. you had lots of fun but you didn't forget you told yuzuha you'd be out ‘real quick’, you looked at kazutora's clock and went for a run to your house.

you opened the door and saw yuzuha watching a show, “i'm back!” you shout with the largest grin on your face.

“why do you look so giddy? where did you go to?” yuzuha raises a brow suspiciously and you just waved her off, “hmmm, nowhere in particular! by the way, you can leave anytime, just tell me! i'm going to my room.”

you went upstairs and squealed, you haven't even confessed to kazutora and yet you're already acting like he accepted your feelings.

it went on for months, you visited kazutora in your cat form and always spent time with him, cherishing the moments you spent with him even if you're just a cat.

you'll never forget the smile he sends your way, the sweet words that left his mouth, the way he takes care of you–you wonder if he'd do this if you were in your human form, you hope he would then you wouldn't have to visit him and rely on your cat form.

it didn't go unnoticed by you when you realized it was getting harder to transform back to your human form.

you didn't even realize that the five months you had before your human vessel was taken away from you was already over.

your friends put up missing person posters, you saw that they were grieving over you. you thought in that moment that you were so selfish, you didn't even think about the people around you and just accepted yam's offer just to get noticed by a person.

you didn't know what to do now and just weeped in the middle of a street. kazutora heard a cat meowing and walked towards it. it was raining that night but kazutora dropped everything just to cradle you in his arms.

kazutora's always like this, caring and kind, he may look like he doesn't care about anything at all but he's the opposite. that's what made you fall for him.

tears continued to fall at your eyes,

more,

more,

and more.

you were now crying over kazutora, you were such a hopeless romantic, you were so stupid, so reckless, so careless.

“[name]...?” kazutora questioned.

your sobbing stopped and you slowly understood the situation you were in.

you have turned back into your human form–but how?

you could see from your peripheral vision the cat that offered you your cat form. you could see its grin but before you could ask something to the cat, you felt kazutora's hold on you go tighter than before.

heat went up to your face upon the realization that kazutora hanemiya, the person who you have the biggest crush on, is hugging you like there's no tomorrow.

“i thought i lost you.” kazutora whispered.

“i'm... sorry, kazutora. i shouldn't have done that.” you said as you hugged him back just as tight.

“it's alright, [name]. you don't have to apologize for anything.” kazutora suddenly backed away after he said that but both of your hands are still entwined, he continued, “well, now that's settled, do you wanna go anywhere?” kazutora grins and tilted his head, his earring jingling at the action.

“are you... asking me out?” you teased him and laughed. “you could say that.” kazutora replies and you froze.

“how could i say no when you're the one asking me that?”

[juleswolverton-hyde]

Not by the Moon | 05

Genre: Smut, Romance, Strangers to Lovers, Drama, Tragedy, Werewolf AU, Supernatural AU, Bookshop AU

Pairing: Bookshop keeper!/Werewolf!JB x Reader

Warnings: A sprinkle of grumpy jealous werewolf!Jaebeom who gets a wee bit violent, tooth-rotting domestic fluff, werewolf courting, sexual tension, werewolf!Jaebeom acting like a pup, and poor yet adorable attempts at coming across as human.

Summary: Every story has a purpose or goal it is dedicated to, their authors at times going to great lengths to see the project they once started to completion. Nevertheless, the things the writers swore on to see their latest art piece to completion are static.

Unchanging.

None of them swore by the Moon nor Love because they can solely genuinely swear on all that changes like themselves.

And yet, a wolf in love foolishly swore by the moon.

That is when Time truly started ticking.

Author’s Note: This chapter is from Y/N’s POV. Bam and Jinyoung make a cameo.

Previous Chapter / Next chapter

Masterlist

Wonderful as a trip abroad might be, there’s nothing that can compare to the secret feeling of relief when returning home. No longer there is luggage to drag along, languages to swap between, or cultures to assimilate to. While it is in good fun, it’s also physically and mentally exhausting. Henceforth, coming home is like a cozy blanket to wrap around your shoulders by the fire on a cold November day. And once you’re bundled up, it is time to breathe easy and rest.

Although, home is not necessarily a place. In fact, mine has made good on his promise and puppy dreams, standing in the crowd to pick me up.

“Y/N,” a familiar voice calls out as we enter the hall of arrivals, “over here!”

Manes tucked away under a dark red beanie and wearing a simple black jacket over an oversized black shirt, Jaebeom waves to pull attention to himself.

“Who’s that?” Bam follows my gaze to the adorable tall man as we make our way through the crowd of trolleys, suitcases, hellos and goodbyes. “Is that the dude you’ve been texting and calling?”

“He is,” I whisper in reply as we approach him. With every step, the storm of butterflies in my stomach worsens although I feel light as air at the same time. Happiness in Love is a strange thing. 

“So that’s your boyfriend,” my colleague purrs. He sounds pleased in the way I imagine he’d sound if he was my older brother.

I whip my head around, tongue-tied but not enough to protest the assumption. “He’s not my boyfriend!”

Bam merely chuckles to himself, grinning like the Cheshire Cat as he continues. “Sure he isn’t, Y/N. After all, you’ve not been touching your lips and turning into a blushy mess afterwards. Or keeping those books you have with you close at all times, looking at them fondly.”

“Of course I am.” Jaebeom jumps into the conversation when we’ve reached him, acting as if he’s heard our conversation perfectly through the ruckus of the crowd. The sparkle in his eyes dims and turns into a poisonous glare when he notices the guy besides me. “Who are you?”

“JB, this is Kunpimook.’’ I gesture from one to the other, jaw clenched in the hope the wolf man won’t actively show the hostility harboured in his gaze. ‘’The colleague I told you about.”

“Just call me Bam.” Politely, he holds out his hand.

“Im Jaebeom,” the other man introduces himself, fortunately accepting the gesture howbeit with a strained expression. “Her boyfriend.”

“Hey, you must be Y/N.” Holding a tray with three coffee cups in it, a young man joins our company. 

Like Jaebeom, who has proudly proclaimed himself my boyfriend, he is tall, slender yet muscular in build and has black hair. Nevertheless, whereas Jaebeom has a flair of being unapproachable, the stranger has a boyish air around him that’s open for contact.

He moves the carrier from his right hand to his left for a handshake. “I’m Jinyoung.”

Immediately, bells start ringing at the mention of his name. After all, there hasn’t been a single call the past week wherein he wasn’t mentioned. “Jaebeom’s told me about you. You’re a professor at the university here, right?”

“I am,” he beams, his proud tone indicating how much he likes his job. “I teach Mythology. It’s a course that encompasses folklore around the world, so it’s fairly broad.”

“You teach only one course?”

“I do, but I’m also a doctor. Well, still studying to be one officially, but I’m allowed to work at the university’s clinic already.”

 “Wow.’’ A professor and a doctor. There’s little else I can say as a mere travel journalist, so I just try to remain casual despite being utterly gobsmacked. 

“I know, it’s a lot. Nevertheless, somehow I manage to do it and occasionally write an article.”

How does he do it? He’s likely not that much older than I, but he’s evidently busier than I am.

“Show-off.” The grumbled insult interferes with the friendly conversation. The focus of Jaebeom’s glare has changed targets from Bam to the professor. However, the latter doesn’t seem to notice his friend’s chagrin.

“I’m simply introducing myself, Jay. Here,” Jinyoung hands him one of the paper cups from the carrier, “your apple and cinnamon tea.”

“You drink tea now?” I raise an eyebrow, surprised. It sounds like a strange concept because I’ve never seen him drink anything but black coffee.

“Doctor’s orders,” JB murmurs in response, discontent and keeping a close eye on Bam as he nips the warm beverage.

“I’ve put him on tea, preferably green, to lower the caffeine levels in his blood. Otherwise, he’ll be staying up all night reading and trying to cook. Oh,” he reaches for something in his pocket, pulling out a small bottle like the one JB showed me in the park and handing it to his friend, “you forgot your meds.”

“You’re on medication?” Bam asks without any implications or judgment. The funny thing is, despite being extroverted and extravagant - extra, in general - he actually studied psychology and thought about becoming a psychiatrist for a while. Therefore, he has a general interest in medicine and its function of helping the human psyche.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Jaebeom sneers sarcastically, his voice closer to a growl than human speech. Then, he turns his attention to Jinyoung, who continues to hold his calm. “Why are you giving this to me now? Couldn’t you wait until we’re back? I’m not gonna take them in front of some stranger, especially not someone close to her. Besides, what does skipping one time or by a few hours matter?”

“Jay, don’t be like this,’’ the young professor sighs. ‘’You know how important timing is, especially with this new treatment.”

“You’re embarrassing me.”

“I’m not.”

“You are!”

A nudge against my shoulder distracts me from the fierce bickering, Bam lowly whispering he’s leaving for home as well as an apology for what he has unleashed. I answer in a similar fashion when promising to call him later and apologizing for putting him into this situation. He merely waves dismissively, unbothered, and disappears in the crowd of trolleys and journeying strangers.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough,” I intervene lest the situation gets out of hand. A hand on his chest, I try to distract Jaebeom by shifting his focus to me. “Let’s go search for somewhere quiet around here where it’s just us. It’s important to me too you take your meds.”

“Let’s just go home.” His features soften, compromising like I did that day in the bookshop and didn’t want to eat. “I’ll take them in the car, alright?”

“Why do you have to be cross with me about it when you readily accept to take them when Y/N tells you to?” Jinyoung crosses his arms in defiance, lips pulled into a displeased pout.

 “Because she’s my mate,” Jaebeom argues, sure to show his teeth. Withal, he turns into a gentle giant again once he wraps an arm around my waist and looks down at me with so much adoration I feel my cheeks burning up. “Girlfriend, I mean. We’re dating, so she’s my girlfriend.”

“We’ve only been out together once,” I sputter. It’s wonderful to hear the affirmation we’re an item, although I still think it’s a bit too early to claim we are.

“Twice after today. And we’ve kissed,” he corrects me, tone indicating there is no use in protesting. Nevertheless, the sternness wavers as it warms into merriment. “I got you something. I’ll give it to you once we’re home.”

Jinyoung leans in as we head to the exit, whispering. “He went kinda overboard.”

“I didn’t,” Jaebeom growls. “Stop embarrassing me. Know your fucking place.”

“Boys,” I sigh in warning.

Both lower their head and let out a whimper in apology. “Sorry.”

“This is where you live?” Jinyoung parks the car in front of the tall white brick building overlooking the quay at the edge of town.

“Wow...” Jaebeom murmurs in the passenger seat, awed by the fact I live on the east side of town. It’s a recently redeveloped area, the warehouses refurbished into apartment complexes to help combat the growing housing issue.

“I do. Not for much longer, though.”

Both men turn in their seats, looking at me as if I’m insane.

 “You’re moving out?” The professor asks, although it’s more of an exclamation than a question. “Why would you leave this place? It’s one of the most desired places to live within the city.”

However, JB doesn’t care about the reason which makes me want to leave the neighbourhood behind. Instead, he’s anxious to know where to find me. “Where will you go?”

“Do you know those orchards on the outskirts of town? With the old cottages?” Both nod as confirmation. “Well, that’s where I’ll be moving to. I’ve been meaning to get out of the city for a while. Granted, the harbour district isn’t as busy as the city centre. But, despite being only twenty-two, I crave the silence of the countryside. Or, rather, its tranquility which I can also find in the suburbs.”

“You’re twenty-two?” Jaebeom asks, head tilted to the side.

 “I am,’’ I admit as I pull my knees up to make myself as small as possible. ‘’I never mentioned it because I didn’t think it’d matter. Does it, though?”

My voice is hardly audible, a frog stuck in my throat. Why did I have to be the one to bring this up?

“No, not at all! I still like you. A lot. A lot, a lot. But, I’m older than you. Quite a bit, I think.”

“How old?” The question barely rolls off the tongue, pale with dread.

Please, don’t let there be too big of an age gap.

“I’m twenty...” He looks at Jinyoung, brow furrowed.

“Twenty-eight,” the good doctor whispers, unconscious of the fact that the well-meant reminder is loud enough for me to hear.

“Twenty-eight,” Jaebeom confirms, staring back at me in anticipation. “Six years difference. Does it matter? To you, I mean. In how you see me?”

“It doesn’t. Do you see me differently?”

“I never did.”

“Age is only a number, after all,” the professor pitches in to cheer us up further. “Anyway, I’m dropping you off here.”

“Can’t you stay?” Surely I can’t let him leave without at least thanking him with a cup of coffee or tea.

“I’d love to, but- Don’t you snarl at me.” He points an accusing finger at JB, who’s showing his teeth and lowly growling like he did at the airport.

Caught red-handed, the wolfish man feigns ignorance and stares out the window. However, his sulky expression and scoff betray his true feelings.

“As I was saying,” Jinyoung continues after an exasperated sigh, “I’d love to, but I get to attend an interesting transplant operation today and have a bit of research to do for a new article.”

“That’s a shame. I owe you a cup of coffee, then. That’s the least I can do to repay you for driving me home.”

“I’ll make good on that promise soon. But for now, go on, you two.” He motions for us to get out of the car. “Don’t make it awkward by making me the third wheel.”

“Jinyoung.” Hesitantly, the big wolf man holds up his fist.

“No hard feelings.” He bumps his fist against JB’s.

“Good.” The seat belt comes undone, but Jaebeom doesn’t move to step outside yet. Instead, he leans in towards Jinyoung and takes a whiff, squinting as invisible question marks float in the air. “You smell weird, though.”

“Really?” The other man sniffs the collar of his jacket, shrugging casually in jest. “It’s not that bad.”

“Jinyoung.” Despite still looking a bit pale with remorse, the wolf man says the professor’s name harshly, his voice deep as he chastises the turn to humour. He grows still, gaze focused on his friend as he tries to look for what’s unspoken in the other’s body language.

However, there is nothing to see. Although, if there actually is something off, the professor hides it well. But Jaebeom doesn’t get the chance to scrutinize him long enough to see for himself because Jinyoung turns back to the wheel and waves dismissively. “I’m alright, Jae. Go. Have fun with your girlfriend.”

His friend nods, a strained look on his face, and opens the door. I follow behind, having silently observed the conversation from the backseat.

What’re you worried about? Jinyoung looks fine. Nothing wrong with him whatsoever.

Nevertheless, barely have we opened the trunk when the doctor hangs out the window. “And don’t forget your present!”

“Got it right here.” In confirmation, Jaebeom holds up a neat-looking paper bag, chique enough to originally have been used in a boutique.

“That’s my boy,” he chuckles before he resumes his seat.

With a dull thud, Jaebeom closes the trunk again. 

The engine roars to life and the car pulls out of the parking lot, Jinyoung honking a few times as we see him off.

I look from Jaebeom to the bag, leaning in to try and sneak a peek of its contents. “What did you get me?”

You promised me a shirt, but do you really need this big of a bag for one?

“I’m not telling you,” he muses.

I straighten my posture, a smile building as a golden opportunity presents itself. “Aw, what’s in the box?”

“Box? Y/N, it’s a bag.”

“I know, but- Never mind.” I wave the apparently obscure allusion with a dismissive gesture, disappointed he doesn’t get the reference. “Let’s go inside.”

“Are you upset?” he asks as we walk to the entrance of the building.

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Another reassuring question burns on his tongue, but before he can ask it I stand on the tips of my toes to peck him on the lips and nose. “I’m not going to get upset simply because you didn’t understand me. Besides, it’s just a trivial matter. Come on, let’s go. I’m hungry.” 

Though I failed the first time, I again try to get a better look at the mysterious bag. As before, the attempt is in vain. “And curious.”

“I think you’ll like it. In fact,” his lips pull into a smug smirk, “I’m fairly sure you’ll look pretty in it. More pretty than you do now.”

It’s prettier.

I let the mistake slide.

To let him have his little moment of triumph.

There is no place like home. Truly, not a single hotel room or bed and breakfast in the world can substitute the small studio with its minimalistic interior in shades of white and grey.

I breathe in deeply, glad to stand in the familiar narrow hallway leading to the kitchen and space beyond. A faint musty smell cuts through the fragrance of the Nordic leather diffuser sticks I bought before going to Belgium.

Guess I’ll be cleaning tomorrow.

Luckily, it’s been only a few days so the level of dust isn’t too bad. Notwithstanding, the place could do with a little clean-up.

“Well, this is me.”

“I know,” Jaebeom replies sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with his eyes on me.

“No, I mean, this,” I gesture around as I walk into the apartment, “is my place. My house.”

He murmurs something under his breath, seemingly contrasting two words as he tries to understand them or, rather, the difference between them.

“It’s nice,” he remarks when he has figured out his train of thought, looking around appreciatively.

“The cottage will be nicer, I think. I can’t wait to decorate it, make it cozier than this place. Maybe get some plants, hang up a few photos-’’

“A few of us together, maybe?” He proposes as he, too, takes his shoes off and follows me into the living room.

“For example.” I nod at the bag when we settle down on the couch next to the window overlooking the quay. “Can I open my present now?”

“Say ‘please’.” Arms crossed, he leans in so our faces are mere inches away from each other. His breath ghosts warmly over my lips when he continues in a tender yet playful babying tone. “Life is short, but there is always time for courtesy. Manners, young lady.”

“Can I open my present, please?” Regardless of the chance to finally satisfy my curiosity, I don’t dive into the gift directly. Instead, I stay my hand, bothered by a nagging feeling his words are familiar to me. “What you just said, isn’t that a quote?”

“It is, but,’’ Jaebeom bites his lip, eyes averted to the ground, ‘’to be honest, I can’t remember who said it.”

Funny, how you can remember quotes. Maybe that’s how we can communicate in the future if your condition gets worse. Although, let’s hope that’s not the case for a long time.

“Ralph…’’ I start, trying to recall who originally said it. ‘’Ralph Waldo? No, that’s not right. He went by his middle name. Wait, his middle name was Ralph so it was him.”

“Have you read his work?”

“Honestly speaking, I haven’t. However, I have a friend who studies American literature and poetry and she sends poems, quotes and the occasional snippet. I think I’ve seen him in passing. Anyways,’’ I pull the bag onto my lap, giddy as a child in a candy shop, ‘’let’s see what’s inside.”

The present catches me off-guard because the bundles of clothing are both what I expected and yet not. “You...” I trail off, checking and double checking the amount of shirts. “Seven?”

“One for every day of the week,” he beams, proudly barking his reasoning.

These will last me two weeks if not longer. Minimalism isn’t his thing, is it?

I pull out a big grey hoodie and hold it up to my nose to sniff it. A wild forest of which the air is faintly scented by a cologne with fruity undertones and the musty smell of books. I hum contently, enraptured by the scent. By him. 

From the corner of my eye, I see Jaebeom grinning in unadulterated amusement. Albeit not without effort, I lower the article of clothing. “I know this is likely stupid to ask, but eventually they’ll have to be washed so what if your scent fades?”

“I’ll just scent them again.’’ He shrugs casually before he points inside the bag. ‘’Also, what’s in the little box on the bottom might help with that too.”

In my astonishment, I missed the cardboard square at the bottom which turns out to be the packaging for a bottle of cologne. “You can spray it on. Sure, it’s not really purely my scent but hopefully it’s still rem- remi- a reminder of me.”

You meant reminiscent, didn’t you?

“Or I can go to you and have you scent them,” I joke, only half-serious.

“If that means more time together,” his mismatched eyes sparkling with gleeful stars, “sure, why not? I’d be glad to help.”

“Thank you.’’ Absentmindedly, I fidget with the folds of the hoodie. ‘’I really like it.”

Jaebeom ruffles my hair, letting out a chuff. “You’re welcome. Now, why don’t you just sit tight and I’ll make us something to eat?”

“Don’t set my kitchen aflame, though,” I warn him as the wolf man gets up from the couch.

“I won’t,” he answers smugly before leaning in to steal a kiss. “I promise.”

With a spring in his step, JB sets off for the kitchen with the bag of groceries he pulled from Jinyoung’s trunk. The two must have dropped by the supermarket before coming to pick me up.

A pillow propped up against the armrest and the blanket formerly draped over the couch now covering my shoulders, I lie down for a nap.

As consciousness fades, a warm affectionate wolfish smile pierces through the growing haze. Jaebeom murmurs something unintelligible and turns his gaze back to the chopping board.

I am home.

Dreaming of two little pups running around an orchard.

“Dinner’s ready!” The loud remark barely filters in until it’s repeated up close, the merry bark lowered in volume. A hand shakes my shoulder, but what does the trick in waking me up is the warm wetness nibbling away at my ear. However, it doesn’t stay there, but travels down the side of my neck and ends its journey at the hem of my shirt, giving it a gentle yet fierce tug.

“Y/N, come on. Get up,” JB whines, the words distorted thanks to keeping the fabric firmly between his teeth. He tugs at it again.

What on earth?

I turn onto my other side, causing the big wolf man to let go. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to get you to eat.” He makes himself smaller, gaze briefly averted to the side before looking at me again, continuing in the same tender yet stern tone he uses whenever food is involved. “With me. This is my first time cooking for you and I practiced really hard while you were away. So, please, eat with me. I want to know whether I did a good job.”

“Do you have to drag me by the collar for that?” I reach out to scratch him behind his ear, tracing his jaw as my fingers work upwards.

Jaebeom’s eyes mist over, his expression turning dreamy as he leans into the touch. “Want- Don’t know… know how to- Come to… kitchen. Although, maybe, just...”

“Feels good?”

A hasty sheepish smile flashes on his lips as he nods in agreement, eyes closed and speechless.

You really are a wolf. Weirdo. My weirdo.

A whine slips out when I stop. JB slowly opens his eyes again, blinks a few times before he clears his throat. “Can we do that again? After dinner, maybe?”

 “If I liked what you made, sure. However,” I kiss his forehead, “since you asked so nicely, we can do this again after we’ve eaten. So, will you eat with me?”

Will you stay with me?

“What’s wrong?” Picking up on the worrying thought, he tilts his head to the side and scrutinizes my face as he did Jinyoung’s earlier today.

“Nothing.” I shake my head, dismissing the thought since we’ve already said everything there is to say about it. “Just a silly thought.”

His expression falters. “I’m being over- overbear- too much.”

“No, not at all! Don’t say that, silly.”

Jaebeom nudges my nose with his, his tone sweet in an attempt to make me confess what’s bothering me. “Then what is it?”

“I’ve never done this before,” I admit at last. “No one’s ever cooked for me aside from my mom and grandmother or had a guy proudly proclaim himself as my boyfriend. This is simply new to me so it makes me feel, well, a bit awkward. It’s unreal, like a dream that might go up in smoke any second. That’s maybe a better way to put it.”

“I’m really here. Also, remember what you promised me? You’d stay by my side until you can’t anymore and I promised you the same. I’m a wolf, after all. Loyal to my pack or, rather, my- uh- my bi- no, that’s wrong. My lady,” he grabs my hand and lifts the fingers to his lips for a chaste kiss, “I am your gentleman and I won’t go anywhere without telling you first. And, if possible, I’ll take you with me because I refuse to leave you behind. But for now, let’s go eat. Together. I’ll try not to make a mess.”

Don’t cry, Y/N. Don’t you tear up right in front of him.

I take in a shivering breath, swallow hard, and try to regain composure.

We’re here together and wherever it is we’re going next, we’ll be there as we are now.

Side by side.

Even though I’m hungry and the table is literally three steps away, I groan as I get up from the couch. Travelling takes its toll, no matter how short the distance might be. All the same, I shuffle towards the chair facing the kitchen and plop down on it, watching JB plate up. “What are we having?”

“Steak with blanched vegetables and sweet potato mash,” he proudly announces while serving the food.

“Uhm, that’s very nice. However- it’s alright if you don’t remember, but I’m vegetarian.”

“I remembered.” A bright smile forms on his lips, eyes alight with triumph and joy. “That’s why your steak is soy-based. I found it while doing groceries or, rather, Jinyoung pointed it out. He’s been teaching me how to cook and bake. Well, we’re still working on the latter, but I did bring homemade cheesecake for dessert. I still wonder why they call it cheesecake when what’s going in it isn’t really cheese.”

“Beats me too.”

“You got slapped by cream cheese?” Visibly gobsmacked, he leans in with an expression that holds the middle between curiosity and utter confusion. “How did that happen and was it painful?”

“I mean I don’t understand either,” I reply, shaking my head with a low chuckle, and cut into the steak. As the knife sinks into it, a rosy fluid oozes out of it as if it’s been cooked medium-raw which is exactly how I liked it back in my non-vegetarian days. “But baking hasn’t been a success?”

Jaebeom sits back, shoulders hunched as he pokes the carrot on his plate with his fork. “I burned a cake, pulled it from the oven as black as charcoal. Then there’s the case of the exploded soufflés and marble cake that turned out to have no marbling at all. Not to speak of the melted... what’re they called again? There’s also a song that’s got to do with them. Jinyoung sings it a lot. Rocky road! Melted rocky roads and millionaire’s breads.”

“Maybe stick to cooking instead of baking. Not everyone has a knack for both.”

He sighs in defeat. “Maybe I should, but I’ll still try to make you something every once in a while that’s actually good.”

“As long as you don’t blow up one of our kitchens.” I include my kitchen as well because the mere thought of baking together spreads a rosy flush throughout my body that leaves me warm with affection. Besides, it’s another excuse to see him wear an apron, maybe pull some shenanigans myself and have something to eat with a cup of tea or coffee and a good book.

That would make for a nice date. We should do that soon.

“I’ll try.” He holds out his pinky. “Promise.”

The adorable genuineness of the determined gesture is what drives me to seal the promise by wrapping my pinky around his. “I’ll hold you to it.”

While eating the simple yet well-made dinner, the conversation is about novels, the shop, Jinyoung’s cooking lessons and the weary stories of how Kunpimook and I crossed Bruges in search of the best chocolate. Jaebeom hasn’t done much in the time I was away it seems. The bookshop’s been quiet, so he’s had plenty of time to read and work on his cooking. Nevertheless, his expression turns dreamy when I show him the pictures from the trip, but right beneath the surface of it floats a form of sad longing which is too unclear to be certain of or to be properly described.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m glad you got to see this,” he murmurs as he takes my phone from my hand to leave through the collection again. “I’m kinda jealous, though. It’s been so long since I went somewhere other than here. I’m not sure if I’ve ever been somewhere else.”

Brows furrowed, he tries to remember the last time he travelled. Withal, he comes up short, the melancholy of missing memories staining his voice. “I’ve been nowhere except here. Chained.”

“This place clearly is your home, that’s why it’s keeping you here. It knows you belong here and I’m glad you’ve remained.”

He lets out a breathless laugh which oddly holds the middle between a growl and a giggle. “I’m happy you showed up at my doorstep, then. But, the cottage you’ll be moving to... it’d- it’d be nice if I could make that my home too.’’ His cheeks grow pink like rose petals. ‘’Well, maybe not literally, but it would be nice if it would become our little somewhere.”

“Our little somewhere,” I repeat, charmed by the sound of it.

“Our home. Well, concretely speaking. Abstractly, and most importantly, you are my home.’’ He gets up to move to my side, where he crouches at my feet. Foreheads rested against each other, he easily nips at my nose and nuzzles it affectionately with his. ‘’You are what breaks the silence, makes me able to hope for better days.”

“The same goes for you because even though you sometimes still intimidate and freak me out a little bit, you make my days more interesting than they have been in years. So, thank you. For being here, spending your time in my company.”

“Thank you for the same reasons. Now,” JB leans away to get up and starts to clear the dishes, “how about dessert?”

Before either of us is aware of it, the clock on the wall notes it’s already ten past eight when we finish off the homemade cheesecake. Naturally, partially to also do my fair share, I stand up from my chair before the big wolf man does in an attempt to clear the table and do the dishes. However, when I’m about to walk to the kitchen with them, Jaebeom unapologetically takes them from my hands.

“What’re-? JB, you don’t have to do everything! Let me at least do the dishes.” Flattered yet a tad annoyed by the kindness, and poorly conveying my appreciation, I protest in a harsher tone than I intended to use.

Fortunately, though also a bit comically, he remains unperturbed. Notwithstanding, an unyielding sternness underlines his voice when he responds. “You’ve had a long journey, so sit down and relax. I’ll be right with you after cleaning up.”

Henceforth, unable to protest and rendered comatose by the delicious food, I plop down on the couch. Nestled into the corner, I have a proper view of the man who’s claimed my kitchen for himself.

Although it’s an intrusion to a certain degree, it’s quite soothing to watch Jaebeom defy classic gender roles. Contently humming a song and barely shy of skipping, he cleans up the mess with a tea towel tucked into the side of his pants. 

When he’s done, he hangs the tea towel over the stove’s handle, washes his hands, and settles down next to me. On a whim, though it’s maybe because of instinct, I get up from my little corner and nestle against him. He wraps an arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer as I drape my leg over his thigh to get into a more comfortable position.

Situated snugly in his safe presence, I close my eyes and sigh in pure content. “Can you stay here tonight?”

“Are you sure? Don’t you want to be alone and rest?” he murmurs into my hair.

“I can recharge with you. Besides, you’re nice and warm.” I snuggle up to him more, basking in the mixture of wild wood and cologne. “A perfect pillow.”

He pulls me on his lap, wraps his arms around my body and pulls me flush against his chest, which feels sculpted but not hard with muscle. Abs are nice and all, but I prefer the softness of a defined though not hardened chest. 

“If it brings you rest,” he curls his finger under my chin and lifts it, compelling me to look at him, “I’ll stay.”

I run my fingers along his jaw and up to his ear, immediately reducing him to the puppy-like state he tends to get into apparently when being touched like this. “Thank you.”

“My pl- pleasure.” What would have been a normal response is lost in a growl when I accidentally brush against his crotch as I shift my weight and sit up a little.

His eyes snap open, the hazelnut brown and ocean blue irises darkened, devoid of any sense of their former satisfied tenderness. With his thumb he traces the outline of my lips, lowly purring. “Pretty.”

“Jaebeom,” I place my hands on his shoulders, maintaining a bit of distance between us. We shouldn’t rush this, but the sensation of his growing bulge against my thigh, throbbing against the inside of it, convolutes every thought. Somehow, his scent seems to have gotten stronger too, overwhelming me with the same clear message the firm grip on my hips has. 

I don’t push him back as he leans in, bridging the emptiness I initiated. Foreheads rested against each other and his calloused hands on my cheeks, he guesses what’s essentially withholding me. “Scared?”

“A bit,” I whimper against his palm, the words muffled by the rough warm skin.

“It’s me, Y/N. I won’t hurt you.” Feverish yet sweetly with persuasive conviction, he kisses me. “I’m your gentleman, your boyfriend.”

“I’m afraid it’ll hurt. That we’re going too fast.”

“We’re not. I want this. I want more of you. With you. But,’’ lips pulled into a straight line, he clears his throat while looking as if he is restraining a wild beast that can easily get the better of him if he lets go, ‘’I’ll leave it up to you.”

So, what you’re asking is… 

Jaebeom takes a deep breath to regain his composure, though it has little effect. His breathing remains heavy, close to panting. Nevertheless, the gentle stars return to his eyes as the strained expression softens. “Will you have me?”

[katsuhera]

chapter 6: counterattack [keep it on the low series]

this is: ch6 | chapter 7 | series masterlist

pairing: levi x female reader (y/n)

scenario: it’s your first day of your sophomore year of college and you’re anxiously waiting in your seat in your first major-related class! in walks the ta, and he’s the cutest guy you’ve ever seen, but you’re already intimidated by his piercing stare. what could possibly happen!!?!?

genre: fluff, modern day college au

wc: 1.2k

a/n: MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS Y’ALL🥰✨and more importantly, happy birthday to our mans captain levi 😌❤️

you enjoyed talking to eren. you actually had a lot of common interests - you had the same music interests and similar hobbies, and not to mention your shared major. he seemed genuinely friendly and like a down-to-earth guy, so you were comfortable around him and opened up easily. you had even introduced him to your friend group so that he could accompany you during study sessions. finally, you had an ir study partner.

there was another exam coming up, though, and you and eren were stressed. particularly eren, who hadn’t done that well on the first one.

“should we go to office hours?” you mentioned one day, when you and he were studying.

“when’s the next one?” he asked, looking at his google calendar. “oh fuck, i have class during office hours.”

“damn, that’s the last one before the exam, though,” you said, worried lines creasing your forehead. “honestly, i can just go and take a lot of notes on whatever the ta says, and then we can go over them together.”

“yeah, that works,” he said, and it was decided. the last few times you saw levi in class weren’t anything special - he did his role as a ta, and you attended class as a student, so that was all and normal. still, you couldn’t shake the feeling that something had somehow changed.

the next day when you prepared for office hours, you noticed that subconsciously, you were again dressing up just a tad in preparation for your visit. the weather had gotten slightly cooler in the past month, so instead of a skirt, this time you opted for some straight leg jeans, a black lace cami tucked into them, and a loose blazer.

you wondered if the blazer was too much, but shook off the thought. the looseness made it more casual, and besides, you had plans to go out to get brunch later with your friends. it’d been a while since you last dressed up, so you decided to just go for it. with a dust of perfume, you went off to office hours, bag and laptop in tow.

approaching the door, you reminisced about how nervous you were about speaking with him. you had none of that anxiety now, and you smiled to yourself at the silliness of your past emotions. you knocked, and that familiar “come in,” rang out from behind the door.

“hi! it’s me again,” you said lightheartedly.

“hey y/n, how can i help you?” he said. it wasn’t like he was hostile, but he wasn’t overly friendly either. just doing his job as a ta, you noticed.

“i just wanted to review some material before the next exam again,” you replied, opening your laptop.

“sure, let’s do it,” he said, scooting in, angling his face across the desk so he could see your screen.

those familiar butterflies were starting to rouse in your stomach, once again taking in the scent of his cologne. he always looked and seemed so put together, and the cologne was like the perfect, fluffy icing on a cake. he smelled of burnt wood and fresh… nature? but in the best way possible. he just smelled fresh and appealing. it fits him, you thought absentmindedly.

the review session went well, overall. you were mostly just proud of yourself for paying attention to his responses to your questions this time and actually understanding what he said. you were starting to catch up with the pace of the class anyway, and the analyses you had to do for the readings came more and more naturally.

“thank you so much for your help!” you said, genuinely pleased with today’s review. you had just closed the lid of your laptop when you stilled, feeling a hand on your shoulder.

“of course, y/n,” levi said. you looked up, and immediately were caught in the hold of his gray eyes. “are you cramming for these exams? you can come to office hours and catch up on material in advance of exams, you know.” he chuckled and squeezed your shoulder lightly before lifting his hand.

it felt as though your heart had stopped beating. you thought you were over your little schoolgirl crush, but it’s like his touch brought it all back. you were back to being that shy and meek girl you were from a month ago, except now your armpits were getting sweaty in your blazer.

your thoughts raced to think of things to say to fill the pause. you laughed weakly, “yeah, you’re right. i shouldn’t cram.”

“my door is always open to you, just come in whenever you have a question,” he said lightly. “no need to make an appointment. i’m here most of the day, anyway, even during off hours.”

you looked up at him. today, he wore a plain gray top under a black blazer.

it’s like we’re matching, you thought to yourself, a flush creeping to your cheeks as you imagined how embarrassing it would be if he could read your mind.

hesitantly, you brought your eyes to match his.

“sounds good!” you stammered. “if it doesn’t bother you.”

he laughed. “it would never. come visit anytime. anyway, i hope i was able to help today. email me if you have any other questions.”

taking that as your cue to go, you stood up and grabbed your things.

“sure, today was super helpful! thanks again,” you said bashfully, and hurried out.

levi had made a spur of the moment decision to drop the neutral act and start flirting with you about halfway through the review session. the more he looked at you, the more annoyed he got at how comfortable you seemed with eren - clearly different from how you were acting with him. the past couple of weeks made it clear to him that he was somehow jealous of eren - who was clearly hitting on you that time in class, even if you didn’t realize - and the only way he decided he could relieve himself of this shitty jealousy was to flirt with you too.

he wondered if his flirtations were too obvious. he didn’t want to make it evident that he was flirting with you, but he couldn’t help himself from making some moves.

he had to be careful, though - he wasn’t exactly sure of any repercussions that could come back to bite him in the ass if someone caught him flirting with one of his students. however, seeing the way that you immediately blushed and got nervous at his touch made him pretty sure that you wouldn’t say anything.

levi had to admit - you were really cute. you were cute to him in your casual class outfits, and you were just as cute in the outfits you wore to his office hours. he smiled subconsciously, thinking about how you both wore blazers today. a fleeting thought of how cute you’d look in one of his blazers darted across his mind.

he sighed. in any case, he was just happy that he got to see you alone today, and that he seemed to have some effect on you. he grimaced at how for the past few weeks, when he wanted to look at you, he had to look at eren too, who always sat next to you.

whatever, he thought. i’m better than that stupid boy anyway.

[TAGLIST OPEN] dm me if you’d like to be added! @strawberryakaashi​ @berrijam​ @starstruckkittensweets​ @selenasoftly @sakuramadae​

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[dabiismainhoe]

Dabi HC 18+

TW I guess? Idk also kinda out of character/ not canon and basically just what I imagine happening in some AU type of thing idk oh and SPOILERs

(Edit: I just looked it over and damn it’s a lot lmao ups)

He’s intersex

He’s one of those skinny bitches that are obsessed with chubby/ big girls

Either bisexual or no label cuz he thinks everyone and everything can be hot

He also likes dad bods, doesn’t care about muscles but doesn’t mind them either

Would probably be into almost everything ( except piss and shit cuz that just screams infections, oh and also feet bc feet are disgusting)

Has hardcore/ violent s*x even tho he actually likes it soft and careful (but he doesn’t do it bc he feels like he doesn’t deserve care and love thanks to trauma)

Love/ hate relationship with shoto (goes from wanting to protect him to wanting to harm him)

He feels awful and disgusting for feeling that way tho

Might have some sort of DID like twice ( Touya being the child alter and Dabi being the persecuter/ protector) and Dabi was slowly being created as the years passed and where touya was losing control over himself and the situation he was in but Dabi ultimately manifested right after the incident in which touya almost burned himself to death (or in other words where touya „died“). So now Dabi is in control while touya is hidden away deep inside his mind

During the war arc, specifically after his revelation Dabi slowly starts losing it and touya ends up „breaking free“ and Dabi is then having kind of a fight with touya trying to keep him locked inside but fails

Dabi ends up being caught and his DID is starting to show

Depending on who talks to him he’s either acting like 13 year old touya or 24 year old Dabi

His mother and siblings get Touya, the police and other pro hero’s get Dabi while endeavor and hawks get both

Endeavor bc duh Touya got hurt by him and Dabi now wants revenge for what happened to Touya

Hawks bc he killed Twice who was one of the few ppl Dabi liked/ accepted and for working with him but also Touya bc Touya is hurt that hawks doesn’t understand him and sides with endeavor despite going through similar abuse hoping he’d have at least one person feeling his pain and anger

He has mixed feelings about his mother and sister

On one hand he missed his mother and understands her and doesn’t blame her but on the other he’s hurt that she didn’t try hard enough and just let him be on his own

Fuyumi bc she tries so hard to get endeavor to like her and is nice to him and forgave him and that makes Dabi/ Touya feel like she’s just dismissing his feelings and pain and what he went through but he also gets why she acts like this bc she was also neglected and only wishes to have a „normal“ family ( as normal as it gets at least)

Dabi does feel awful about the fact that ending almost killed natsuo bc that wasn’t his intention at all. He wanted to get at his father and not the only person that has ever been there for him

He still loves natsuo a lot even if it’s hard for him to show it like ppl normally would

Dabi has lost sense of taste and smell bc of overusing his fire

Probably developed asthma at one point

I feel like he once randomly coughed up a piece of his lung and just stared at it for like 10 seconds before kicking it

His stamina used to be okay-ish but now it’s just shit and he’s only able to burn and do all that crazy shit bc of adrenaline and drugs

He only let hawks top him bc his stamina kept decreasing and he was also sick of getting accidentally whacked by hawks wings during freaky deaky time

(I hate hawks now but I’m still a sucker for dabihawks omg I hate it but I can’t get enough of it 😩)

Has some sort of father/son suga Daddy/suga baby relationship with Giran

Lives of daddy’s money (wether it’s Girans or his actual dads money idk lmao probably both but endeavor doesnt realize it cuz shoto and Dabi buy similar shit or just draw money out of an atm if it’s something that shouldn’t be known by endeavor)

Dabi is into consent and protection and no one can tell me otherwise

He cannot risk getting an infection or any stds

Might drop dead one day from organ failure

He hates hawks interior decor and burned half of it

Touya is usually locked away but there were a few moments where he came out and those always involved a butterfly bc Touya loved butterflies

Dabis fav animals are butterflies

Calls hawks birdshit

Hes overly dramatic for No reason

Probably did it with almost the whole league except for shiggy (he’s too crusty) spinner (reminds him too much of ninja turtles) and toga (she’s a minor). At first he didn’t wanna do it with twice bc twice kept contradicting himself and that confused Dabi and he didn’t know wether twice was actually comfortable or even wanted it to begin with. It got better after a while tho

Burns abusers, rapists, pedophiles and molestors on the spot bc they hit a certain nerve inside of him

Gets made fun of by the leaugue for getting knocked out almost every time

He likes slushees and always buys himself one at exact 2:38 am in the morning

Giran was the one who found him after he burned himself and got taken in by him

First two years after the incident everything is a blur in his memory and he doesn’t know what exactly happened there (either from drugs to relieve the pain or Girans quirk)

Dissociates a lot

Sometimes it gets so bad he physically needs to be slapped hard to come back to reality

Insomniac

Coke head

Uff this is more than what i thought It’d be and it’s not even all. Anyway not everything is correct or canon and it’s what I think of Dabi. If you have anything to add or discuss please tell me

[demetriandelibinaryboyfriends]

So I was thinking about the parallels between Cobra Kai and Fight Club--mainly that macho dudebros who idolize Tyler Durden and/or the entirety of the “Hawk” persona are entirely missing the point and the general commentary that toxic masculinity is like...bad--and before I knew it, my mind wandered to an Elimetri Fight Club AU and I realized it’d be like...beyond perfect??? I’m shitting myself with excitement so y’all get to hear about it, buckle up!

BIG BOI SPOILERS FOR FIGHT CLUB BELOW, DON’T KEEP READING IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT YET AND YOU WANT TO

Anyways just imagine Eli as the protagonist, “Hawk” as Tyler Durden, and Demetri as Marla (genderbent, obviously lol). Like maybe Eli stays in Cobra Kai under Kreese’s influence and as a result, his mental health just COMPLETELY tanks to the point where his grip on reality itself starts slipping (which isn’t really THAT far-fetched, considering that not a single goddamn person has tried SENDING THIS POOR KID TO THERAPY and every adult in his life is FUCKIN USELESS) and he’s in a bad enough place a few years down the line to actually start seeing Hawk as a completely separate person. Of course, before this happens, he eventually feels like he has to “grow up” and give up the “Hawk” persona--he stops taking karate, he goes to college, he gets a “normal,” well-paying, respectable job. But even escaping from Kreese, even assimilating into what seems to be a peaceful and stable life, it doesn’t make him happy--he figures all his bridges are too far burned to mend, and his old friends who he alienated now probably hate him too much to ever want anything to do with him again, after all the shit he pulled while in Cobra Kai. Never having the best social skills, Eli is certainly no natural at making new friends either---he’s decently friendly with some of his coworkers, but that’s about all he has in the way of a social life. He’s lonely, he’s frustrated with his repetitive, empty life, he’s bored with his job, and perhaps worst of all--the remnants of his Hawk personality never really left. That aggressive streak, that thirst for violence, that burn for a fight--it’s still there, no matter how deep he’s pushed it. Then one day, on the way back from another dull business trip, he meets a guy about his age who wears his hair just like Eli wore it back in high school. He even goes by the same old nickname Johnny Lawrence once gave to Eli--how about that? Hawk encourages Eli to get back into karate to get out some of that pent-up aggression, but isn’t interested in doing it with all the “suffocating constraints” of a normal adult martial arts class. Before Eli knows it, he and Hawk have started an underground “Karate Club” where basically, anything goes.

Demetri, meanwhile, has gone off the deep end arguably just as much as Eli--his grief at losing his friendship with Eli sent him spiraling into a deep depression, and he ended up feeling so numb and unmotivated that he dropped out of school, turning to drugs and alcohol to cope and to just be able to feel something again. His new self-destructive tendencies and crushing depression have completely exhausted and driven most of his old friends away--Miguel, Sam, Chris, Nate. Now, scraping by working at a dingy convenience store, Demetri is nearly as alone as Eli. He starts going to random support groups just to have someone to talk to--imagine his surprise when he runs into his old friend Eli Moskowitz, infiltrating support groups for exactly the same reason. He’s ecstatic when Eli reaches out, wanting to reconnect and try being friends again after all these years. However, with as much as both their minds have already spiraled, it’s hardly going to be rainbows and butterflies for Demetri just because Eli is back in his life. And the same Hawk who once snapped his arm in half is not nearly as gone as Demetri thinks...

As relieved as Eli is to have Demetri back, his new friend Hawk...complicates things. Hawk treats Demetri with open scorn and contempt, chastising him for being a “weak pussy” whose relative maturity and logical senses (which, Eli can’t help but notice, have seemed to increased back to what he remembers from high school since Demetri started spending time with Eli--almost like the self-destructive habits and drug and alcohol abuse stopped as soon as Demetri had something to live for) are “suppressing” the violent, primal urges Hawk so much revels in. And yet, somewhat unexpectedly, Hawk lusts for Demetri like Eli never expected. Before Eli knows it, Hawk and Demetri are regularly fucking like the world is on fire and they’ll never get the chance again. And Eli doesn’t know what to think--he can’t imagine why Demetri would want to sleep with someone who treats him like utter filth the rest of the time. And Eli doesn’t much like the way Hawk treats Demetri, either--to the point where he questions if he really wants to be around his cool new friend as much as he thinks. And of course, there’s the fucking awful icing on the cake to top everything off--Eli is falling in love with Demetri, and he knows it’ll end terribly.

Demetri is...concerned, to say the least. It’s starting to baffle him, how Eli is flipping back and forth seemingly at random between the timid, meek best friend he had for years and the hyper-masculine asshole with spiked hair who made his life hell in high school. But he vows he’s going to get Eli through...whatever this is, and he’s not going to let Eli lose his mind. Demetri refuses to lose him again, no matter what it takes. But that might be harder than Demetri thinks, given the fact that the karate club Eli’s started with “Hawk” is already getting WAY out of hand...

But Demetri can’t say anything about that, can he? After all, the first rule of Karate Club is you don’t TALK about Karate Club. Well...unless you’re talking to yourself about it where you think Demetri can’t hear, anyways. Things are just getting more insane by the day.

~~~

Legit SO HYPED about this, like I can’t stop thinking about how similar the Eli/Hawk and Narrator/Tyler dichotomies are??? Like we’ve got this meek, timid, rule-following guy who just does what other people want him to for the most part and tries not to stand out, and then we have the side of him that has all this explosive, repressed anger at the world and the society he’s forced to live in (even if it’s just the “society” of high school lol) and this destructive hypermasculine energy and it’s lowkey FASCINATING to me??? And Tyler even has flashy, flamboyant clothing the same way Hawk has flashy, flamboyant hair!!! And of course Demetri tries to be the “Marla” in that he’s the Voice of Reason who’s the only one who really tries to help this guy battling his own head. And some of Marla’s dialogue to the narrator/Tyler sounds EXACTLY like the kind of thing Demetri would say when Eli is flipping back and forth between “Hawk” and “Eli,” it’s PERFECT. Like I am SO DOWN for this AU, if someone writes this I will sell you every limb on my body. It’d be dark as shit and probably can’t really work without both Eli and Demetri being a LITTLE insane, but ohhhh baby, that’s what I love about it <3 THE ANGST! THE DRAMA! THE PAIN! I live for it!!!</p>

Anyways Fight Club AU with the Binary Boyfriends 2021 please and thank you

[lexpressobean]

Parent/Teacher Night

In which Shikamaru steps in as Mirai's guardian to help her complete her unofficial assignment of the night and subsequently suffers from nostalgia induced shock from unforeseen circumstances.

**Modern AU, Mild Swearing, late 20-something adults who simply care about the same 10-year-old kid lol

Edit: Now available on AO3 too!

•••

Shikamaru had gladly accepted Kurenai's request for him to attend Parent-Teacher night with Mirai in her absence. It had been his day off after all, and he hadn't planned anything anyway. Plus, it'd only take, what, half an hour at most back and forth? Maybe he could even treat Mirai to dinner, just 'cause it had been a while. Normally, Kurenai would have skipped it all together due to her schedule, just this one time, but apparently Mirai's teacher was offering extra credit to the students as an incentive for them to have their parents come. And Mirai was very adamant that she shouldn't waste such an opportunity. Not for this teacher.

Shikamaru wondered what seemed to make this teacher so special to Mirai anyway. When he asked, Mirai seemed confused.

"You don't know, Shikamaru?"

"... Well, it's not like I've met the teacher either Mirai. But this teacher must be really good at their job if you like them that much already."

Mirai gave him a gleeful grin, "Watch, you'll see!"

And see he did.

Shikamaru wasn't expecting to run into such a classicaly "tall, dark, and handsome" form in the classroom. He certainly wasn't expecting that man to BE the teacher.

"Shino-sensei!" Mirai called, running over to greet him.

And at that, something froze Shikamaru in place. Something almost urgent... Wait... Shino? Shino... Why did that name sound familiar...?

The teacher turned just in time to take her glomp's impact with a deep, "OOF!" into his abdomen, and Shikamaru got distracted by the sound of his voice. Wow, deep... but then Shikamaru noticed his glasses misaligned in the process, and Shikamaru then realized they were... sunglasses? Indoors? Ha, this guy... Shikamaru wasn't necessarily gonna dock him points for that. But the only other person Shikamaru remembers doing that unironically was-

...

... Oh wait...

Oh... Wait.

OH. OH, HOLY SHIT!?

WAIT, THAT'S SHINO!? AS IN "SHINO ABURAME" SHINO!?!?!?

...

W H A T ! ?

"Ah... Mirai, hello. I thought you and your mother weren't coming. I told you it's okay, sometimes people can't come."

"Shikamaru came with me! I didn't want to miss the extra credit!"

"Shikamaru?"

"He's technically my godfather, so it counts, right?"

Shino stayed quiet for a moment and looked over towards the doorway where Shikamaru was still standing. As he recognized Shikamaru, Shino straightened up, gave a brief wave and... a smile?

Shikamaru was dumbfounded. Just a minute ago, he would've simply held up an open hand in response as he subtley and respectfully checked him out. Seriously, how could he not? But, now the movement of Shino's wave snapped him out of his thoughts and Shikamaru probably waved more than really needed to acknowledge the teacher. And he cursed at himself inwardly as soon as Shino looked back to Mirai. Was he blushing? It was feeling kinda hot in the classroom all of a sudden...!

"Alright Mirai, thank-you for coming, but for now please wait your turn, okay?"

"Alright!" Mirai walked back to Shikamaru, smiling widely proud of herself.

From far away, he could hear Shino's voice, "Sorry for the interruption. You see-"

"Surprise, Shikamaru!"

Mirai knew. This whole time. And the more he thought about it, Shikamaru at one point knew too. He just... simply forgot... Wow, what a thing to forget. Damn it, why didn't Shikamaru ask more questions earlier? Why didn't she just tell Shikamaru? Hell, why didn't KURENAI tell Shikamaru!?

"Yeah, I guess you're right..."

As Mirai led Shikamaru around the classroom, he started to try and recall more about Shino. It was all coming to him, slowly but surely. And if what he recalled was correct, this neat and organized classroom definitely would scream Shino. It was decorated with the typical posters meant to be both fun and helpful, and colorful and eye catching. Shikamaru even recognized many of the books in the shelves, though most he never actually read any of them. But there were traces of decorations here and there that were definitely conscious choices. Namely pictures of worms in apples, ladybugs, ants and bees symbolizing teamwork, things like that. Shino was a fan of bugs afterall.

Then Shikamaru found some board games and noted shogi was among them. He was tempted for a split second to pull it out and challenge Mirai to a game, but thought better of it. But what Mirai was most eager to show Shikamaru was her seat. Or rather, what was nearly right next to her seat.

In a terrarium, no doubt from Shino's collection if Kiba told him the truth, held a black and white worm. Except the worm had these orange like eye markings all along either side if it, and black dots in each eye shape... Shikamaru thought it looked kinda goth for a bug.

"We all decided to name it Daidai! Shino-sensei says this one will turn into a moth. Before Daidai, we had a catepillar we all named Marugao, because it's head was so big! But when he became a butterfly, he was so pretty, he almost shimmered!"

As Mirai gushed about how she got to sit next to Daidai, Shikamaru stole a glance at Shino once more. He was still making rounds, and it looked like no one else had come into the classroom either. Hm, looks like they were gonna be last.

Sunglasses had always hid Shino's eyes, ever since they were kids. Shikamaru couldn't quite recall if they were actually prescription or not, but up to this point, they had always been a constant. Otherwise... his former classmate really was virtually unrecognizable. And now that he thought about it, Shikamaru recalled that Shino had graduated from university with a teaching degree some years back, but this information had only been secondhand from Kiba on social media. Shikamaru wasn't even sure if Shino had social media...

Meanwhile, Shikamaru had barely been back in town for still less than a year. It wasn't his fault if he didn't know Shino's business. Medical school was gruelling, and anesthesia was no joke.

But still... Shikamaru had been expecting something similar from Shino. Maybe not a medical doctor, but a doctorate? Hadn't he been in the Environmental Club in high school? He seemed like he would've been very interested in the natural sciences, and definitely had the means... It was just kind if odd. He was an academic star that was always competing with both Ino and Sakura for top of the class as far as he could remember. And those ladies had gone to school to become a Pediatric Psychiatrist and Pediatric Surgeon respectively too. They were all a smart bunch, no doubt about that.

Yet, Shino had always been... different too. He had looked like a troublemaker with the beanies he wore, and his messy, nearly kinky curls always managed to find a way to stick out in the back. And he always had baggy looking clothing on in layers during any kind of weather. Plus he had a bad case of RBF Syndrome too, which would alarm a few others because he was always so good at blending into the background, yet when noticed, he looked like the kind of guy that would mess you up for just breathing funny. He had always been taller than most too, that probably didn't help.

But he wasn't a bad kid at all. Not like Naruto and Kiba anyway. Acording to Kiba, Shino's loner tendencies were due to simple shyness. And he would know, as Kiba and Shino seemed to grow close after they opted to join the Environmental Club separately in high school, which happened to be run by Kurenai-sensei. And that's all Shikamaru really knew, because when Kiba would come out and about Shino hardly ever came. Kiba could be pushy, which is how Shikamaru suspected the pair became friends in the first place, but apparently not enough to enjoy a party or things like that together outside of school... Maybe once or twice? Not even at Naruto's insistence could make him a regular, as Naruto was... an "unofficial" member of the Environment Club. Meaning he'd just crash the club's outings when they did plant specific activities. Naruto had a green thumb after all.

Actually, it always seemed like Kiba and Naruto were those extroverts that had the habit of adopting introvert friends so to speak. Funnily enough, their respective adoptees had already known each other too. But Sasuke was even LESS friendlier than Shino, and even Shino seemed annoyed with him, one of those rare times he let his thoughts show in his expression...

But today, in the yellowish glow of the classroom lights... something was definitely different. From his smoothed out hair tied up into modern bun on his hatless head and his open, light duty trenchcoat that really... accentuated his very... broad, adult figure... It was most definitely different... but the most dynamic change of all had to be that Shikamaru had never seen Shino so soft in the face before. Behind those shades, he looked... relaxed, and when he spoke, it sounded so... nice? Definitely not a bad thing at all...

And suddenly there was a hand in front of Shikamaru's face.

"-kamru...Shikamaru?"

"HUH!? What?"

... Oh... Hell, he spaced out.

"... Shikamaru, are you okay? Busy day at work at the hospital maybe?"

HUH!? How did Shino know that? "Uh! Yeah, kinda..." he shook his head, "Well no, that's not it, today was actually my day off. I worked yesterday. Still a little out of it looks like," he added with a casual chuckle. At least he hoped he sounded casual.

Shino frowned, eyebrows knit into concern. Ah man, how embarrassing! Had Shikamaru been caught starting with a dopey look on his face?

"... I'm sorry, maybe extra credit was a bad idea this time around. Mirai is so dutiful, I didn't mean for anyone to be dragged here."

"What? No way, I wasn't dragged here. Mirai is my Goddaughter, Shino, so I'm perfectly ready to be informed about her progress. I agreed to come, it's no big deal."

The now teacher looked at Shikamaru with a slight head tilt to the right... And then another small smile. Wow, he really had to stop doing that!

"Well, all in all, Mirai is actually doing very well. She already excels in her studies and is easily one of our most engaged and top students at this time. She's still young, but she shows a lot of scholarly promise."

"Ah, I see. Do... do you see any areas in need of improvement?"

"Well, there's always room for improvement of course. But in Mirai's case..."

Shino looked over at Mirai who was at the snack table. She had walked over to get a couple of cookies and was seemingly cornered by a classmate into a chat.

"... I think, she could benefit from some encouragement to be more social."

"More social?"

Shikamaru followed Shino's gaze and saw Mirai talking to her classmate, her expression showing patience more than anything... It looked like the other little girl was chatting up a storm.

"Don't misunderstand, she's definitely a team player and is very respectful. However, her maturity level is above many of her classmates. As a result, she tends to prefer to study on her own..."

Well, that rang a bell. Shikamaru could've sworn that Shino was the same way back then. But Mirai didn't resemble Shino at all.

"Is she quiet?" Shikamaru asked.

"Oh, no, thankfully she's still quite engaged. If anything, sometimes she may overthink things. I've noted she's a bit of a perfectionist, and so is actually a little slower on average during tests, but she's an avid question asker too. If she just had some more confidence in her self and would... relax a little more, I think it'd be good for her. She's still a kid after all, she should feel allowed to act like one."

That was a strange thing to say... Did Mirai... not feel okay?

"... She's Kurenai-sensei's daughter, so I try not to favor her. It's kind of hard when she used to ride on my shoulders during reunions and things like that though."

Shino gives a small, warm smile in Mirai's direction. And Shikamaru is kind of touched. Despite the shades, his fondness for Mirai is so obvious. It makes Shikamaru glad to know she has Shino to come to during school time. At least that was something....

Then, Shino turned back to Shikamaru, who was TOTALLY not staring just now.

"But it's necessary. She's... too comfortable with me... If earlier didn't make that obvious."

Shikamaru did have it in his mind to scold Mirai about that, but that was a talk for later. More private.

"I had meant to bring this up with Kurenai, but Mirai also... has had a habit of staying in the classroom during lunch and recess. I've had to move to the teacher's lounge during just to get her outside..."

"What? Really?"

Shino nodded, eyebrows knitted and a smile that showed a regretful sympathy.

"... I wonder what that could be about..."

"I suppose some kids find it hard to socialize, but she needs a more... balanced perception of boundries. In no time, she'll have her own mother for a teacher too. Otherwise, she's generally doing pretty well."

Shit. Shino was thinking way ahead, Kurenai was a high school teacher. But... he was right, this couldn't be allowed to go on.

"Shikamaru?"

"Hm? Yes?"

"Did you have any more questions?"

"Uh... No, I... don't think so. But, even though I'm sure you don't have to be asked, please, continue to take care of her."

Shino perked up a little at that before smiling at Shikamaru again! It made it hard to stare him in the face, "Of course."

... Damn... Was Shino's smile... always this cute?

"Shikamaru! I brought you a cookie."

"Oh, thank-you."

"Did you want one too Buggy... I mean... Shino... sensei?"

"... Buggy?" Shikamaru repeated.

"... Ah, Sensei I'm sorry, I did it again...!"

Shino pat Mirai's head, and gave a small chuckle even. Shikamaru was all ears, "It's okay Mirai, I'm know you're trying. No offense taken."

"I really am, I promise!" she assured, "So did you want one?"

"No thank-you Mirai, it's for the guests. You go ahead."

"Okay, sensei."

Shikamaru couldn't help it. He just had to say something.

"Hey Shino."

"Yes?"

"You must be pretty suited to teaching."

"Oh? What makes you sat that?"

"I mean... It's been a while. Actually it's been a long time, but... well, I don't think I've ever seen you quite like this before..."

"Pardon?"

"I dunno, you just seem... Very much in your element here. I'm glad the whole instructor thing really worked out. You've been here for a few years already, haven't you?

"Oh... Thank-you, Shikamaru... And yes, I have. I appreciate that."

This time Shino GRINNED. And Shikamaru suddenly was very aware of his... jawline... uh...

"Y-Yeah, of course! Well, I'm sure there's other parents you need to talk to..."

"Right, that is true." A couple more stragglers had come in.

"But here, hold on a sec," Shikamaru pulled out his phone, "I don't think we've ever traded information before. Wanna trade now? I'll send you a text back."

"Oh," Shino was a bit surprised, "Um. Okay, sure."

After getting his number, Shikamaru sent a text and could hear one of Shino's pockets vibrate.

"There, all set! Thanks for talking with me, Shino."

"Thank-you for coming. And if you're not terribly busy, I trust you will be the one to come when Kurenai-sensei is unavailable?"

"Yes. Yes, that'll be the plan," Shikamaru decided right then and there.

"Alright, thank-you Shikamaru."

"No, thank-you. C'mon Mirai, let's go. Goodbye, Shino.

"Bye Shino-sensei!"

"Goodbye."

-

"Shikamaru! Can we go eat something? I'm starving!"

"What do you want?"

"Yakisoba!!"

"Haha, alright, sure."

Mirai gave Shikamaru a sudden and huge hug.

"Whoa, what's up?"

"I'm just so happy you came, Shikamaru! So thank-you!" she beamed.

It tugged on Shikamaru's heartstrings a bit. She really had missed him, huh? "You don't have to thank me, Mirai, but your welcome anyway. C'mon, let's go."

"It was nice that you and Shino-sensei got to see each other again too, don't you think?"

"Uh, yeah, it was quite the surprise. But a welcomed one."

Hmmm... It looks like Kurenai was gonna have to be unavailable for the next few parent-teacher nights....

••

I kept tweaking it and tweaking it until I decided to simply stop. So sorry for any grammar or syntax errors, but I just needed to get this out of my system haha

[changeling-rin]

If the DLinks were to be in a Miraculous Ladybug AU, what would each of their miraculous be?

(vaguely wonders how many there are now, pulls up the fan wiki)

THIRTY-SIX!? WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN!?

Last I checked there was, like, seven or something hot dang they've been busy

Anyways, as per previous asks of this nature I'm going to pull from canon, because yet again canon is far stranger than I could ever hope to be. I mean really, there's a Rooster. I'm really not sure what being a Rooster entails as canon has yet to clarify it to us but I doubt it will make sense in tandem with being a chicken

Gen: Apparently there's a Thunderbird and that seems to work well enough

Speck: There is a Mouse who shrinks. Boom, done

The Four: For some reason the mouse is the one who gets the cloning ability, so... uh, Deer? There appears to be a Deer kwami

Ocarina: The Rabbit, probably, for time travel reasons

Mask: The Snake, for similar-but-different time travel reasons

Dusk: There appears to be a Wolf and that's good enough for me

RGBV: Fox, I suppose? Not sure that the power of illusion fits them but I made them foxes and I'm sticking to it

Lore: I have regrettably already used the rabbit and I'm questioning that choice but! There appears to be a Goose and I hope with all my heart that it will be a reference to the Untitled Goose Game and really if Lore would choose to be anything he would be a Horrible Goose

Realm: There is a Horse and it can teleport, it's made for him

Sketch: I thought there was a paint-based Miraculous but then I realized I was thinking of That One Akuma instead so whoops, but in the meantime I think he'd have the Butterfly for no other reason than I think it'd be neat

Wind: The Dragon appears to be like two steps shy of having full-on weather manipulation so my work here is done

Steam: Apparently the Peacock can just, summon an embodiment of the wielder's emotions and charge it at people? Sounds like the Spirit Train to me

Shadow: Cat seems the most destructive and therefore the most up his alley

Oni: The Bee, due to the ability to completely immobilize and thus overpower one's foe and I think he'd enjoy that

[yandere-daydreams]

Omg requests r open! Ummmm... more Dabi and his traumatized darling? Maybe seeing more of Dabi’s history of abuse and how that affects their relationship?

I can’t even remember how long I’ve been writing for this AU anymore. Here’s the masterlist, if you need it, but I think Dabi comforting Deku’s traumatized Darling is as engrained into this blog as actual Yanderes.

TW: Implied Past Trauma, Touch Aversion, and Mentions of Past Physical Abuse. 

~

It wasn’t like you’d never started a conversation, before.

Dabi wasn’t a social butterfly, you knew that better than most. He would linger for a few minutes and let people talk to him, but it was rare that he contributed to the conversation, offering little beyond a few snarky comments if it wasn’t just the two of you. You couldn’t count how many times you’d caught him standing outside of the League’s hideout, staring at nothing just to get away from the noise, or simply not bothering to hide his disinterest when a discussion ran on too long for his liking. It was kind of like that, now, except there wasn’t a group of people and he didn’t seem disinterested and you two weren’t in public.

You were just sitting silently on the edge of his bed, as quiet as two strangers.

As quiet as you were the first time you’d met him.

Your arm still hurt, not that you would let it show. His flames had barely grazed you, but the pain was like nothing you’d ever felt before, not just burning but stinging and throbbing and spreading, too, growing a little stronger whenever you glanced towards Dabi. It wasn’t like when Izuku hurt you, those wounds festered, aching more whenever you thought they’d disappeared and only working to fuel your utter loathing for the man who inflicted them. This wasn’t any better, but you didn’t hate Dabi for causing it. You felt bad that he was scared and you felt guilty for being the one to provoke him, he’d never hurt you if he wasn’t terrified. You knew he wouldn’t, you trusted him enough to know he wouldn’t.

It was a privilege Izuku could only dream of having. One he probably had dreamed of having, in a sense more literal than you cared to linger on.

In the end, you were the one to break the silence, moving to rest a hand on his shoulder before you thought better of it. “I didn’t… how are you feeling?” You asked, the words coming out disingenuously, despite your best efforts. “I can leave, if you need some time alone. I wouldn’t want to see my face either, right now.”

“If you offer to do something considerate one more time, I’m going to actually burn you.” The reply was past deadpan, bordering on hostile, but it was Dabi’s sort of hostile. A collection of violent tendencies you knew would never see the light of day, not if you were on the receiving end. He didn’t face you, still bracing himself on his knees, glaring at the ground like it’d personally spited him. You were thankful for his aversion, though. You wouldn’t have lasted two minutes if his gaze was boring into you. “It’s nothing, I’m fine. I don’t need you to treat me like I just threw a fucking temper tantrum.”

“No, no, only toddlers throw tantrums,” You dismissed, waving defensively, more for yourself than for him. “You’re a grown man, and that was a panic attack.” You paused, forcing a laugh to break the tension. “I mean, the signs were all there. I should know, right?”

There was a second of stillness, a blink, a moan on Dabi’s part as he bowed his head, bringing his hands up to cup his face. “So I’m a tall toddler,” He groaned, voice muffled by his sking. Part of you felt bad to him, part of you felt sympathetic, but more than anything, you wanted to help him. You knew you couldn’t, not easily, but it was a hard feeling to repress. You wondered if he felt something similar when you were in his situation, but Dabi could never be that kind. He helped you because he liked you, not some deep-seated sense of responsibility, you were sure. 

Noticing your distress, he continued, talking if only for the sake of keeping you out of your own head. “I don’t have a problem with you. I guess I never thought you’d… I don’t have a problem with you, (Y/n). It’s just… I don’t like being touched. That’s it. I like my personal space.”

“Are you sure?” Another question, another small muttered threat. “You didn’t look annoyed–”

Dabi grit his teeth, at this, speaking a little louder just to talk over you. “That’s it.”

He didn’t want to talk about it, you cursed yourself for even considering that might be an option. Burrowing your nails into your palms, you pursed your lips, fighting not to say the obvious. He was afraid of a man who couldn’t reach him anymore. Enji wasn’t a threat, he’d never be! His siblings were safe and Dabi knew that, he knew they were doing fine, better than a villain risking his life on a daily basis was. Dabi was so strong, too, no one could do so much as scratch him. He was powerful, he was tough, he was amazing.

But, the last thing he wanted to hear was how perfect you thought he was.

Instead, you reached down, grabbing the towel laying uselessly on Dabi’s floor. He wasn’t used to having guests, and the habit of throwing whatever he owned wherever he wanted was harder to kill than you thought it’d be. He didn’t relax as you draped the fabric over your forearm, but he watched you carefully, even perking up as you turned back towards him. Of course, you didn’t take his hand immediately, hesitating despite his clear acknowledgment, but your reluctance was cured with a scoff and a roll of his eyes, his fingers soon entwined with yours out of his own resolve.

Still, he chuckled as you beamed, something lighting up in his eyes. Even if it was only the tiniest of glints. “You’re an idiot,” He reminded you, pulling you forward just enough to catch you off guard. “I’ve held your hand before. You don’t have to use a damn rag.”

“I wouldn’t want to upset the big baby, now, would I?” You laughed and he growled, starting to berate you about all the times you cried in front of him or asked your host to spend the night in your room, but you didn’t care, not if you got to seem him smile again. 

It was the least you could do, really, but it was everything he seemed to need.

And that would have to be enough, for now.

[sonxflight-a2]

Ultimate Ship Meme for Northern Lights <3

☯ Ultimate Ship Meme ║ @kathexismania​​​ ☯

✧❄ General:

Rate the Ship: Awful | Ew | No pics pls | I’m not comfortable | Alright | I like it! | Got Pics? | Let’s do it! | Why is this not getting more attention?! | The OTP

How long will they last? As long as they’re able to, the bois are not quitters and treat each other with devotion and respect.

How quickly did/will they fall in love? It took some time, but their similarities helped to develop the general connection rather quickly.

How was their first kiss? Soft, cautious and deliberate; likely happened during yet another treament of each other’s wounds.

✧❄ Wedding:

Who proposed? Both almost simultaneously, with Kuai being a bit faster here.

Who is the best man/men? Probably Smoke on Kuai’s side lol

Who did the most planning? They would plan it alongside each other, it’s a special day for both of them after all.

Who stressed the most? Neither, or Kuai was a bit nervous at first but his worries were prompt to dispell.

How fancy was the ceremony?: Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big.

Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? Any bastard who’d be intent to ruin this lmao

✧❄ Sex:

Who is on top? Both are dom leaning switches, but Ryou tooks the lead at first, only for Kuai to show oneself being a quick learner even when it comes to such intimacy.

Who is the one to instigate things? I see them both being a coqquetish™ lil shits who are teasing the heck out of each other aka either do lol

How healthy is their sex life?: Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now

How kinky are they?: Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head (they’re closeted kinksters for sure but nothing too extreme)

How long do they normally last? Depends, but Edenian blood allows them to have rather prolonged sessions :^)

Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? Yep; the bois like it to be fair and would ever aspire to come simultaneously.

How rough are they in bed?: Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it (tho  a g a i n  it depends on their joint mood)

How much cuddling/snuggling do they do?: No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory (bois are touch-starved af, tho they mostly avoid any public displays)

✧❄ Children:

How many children will they adopt? One or two, can see both wanting to raise a dotter tbh

Who gets stuck with the most diapers? They attend to the kid in equal measure.

Who is the stricter parent? Oddly enough, but Ryou; Kuai is a bit softer / more lenient here cos he wants his kid to have a fulfilled joyful childhood in contrast to what he had to come through.

Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school? Both would be hella worried dads and would strive to protect their kids from any unwanted recklessness and danger.

Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)? Either, and they’re likely to discuss who packs at which day of week.

Who is the more loved parent? That would depend on the kid’s character, but they’re quite similar men so there wouldn’t be strong preference.

Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings? Both would in Modern AU, they care about their kid’s environment.

Who cried the most at graduation? Neither; didn’t mean they wouldn’t be happy for their kid tho

Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law? Either would, the joint reprimand is sure to follow the whole bailing out process.

✧❄ Cooking:

Who does the most cooking? Somehow, I see them both being pretty decent cooks???

Who is the most picky in their food choice? Neither when to comes to each other’s cooking lol

Who does the grocery shopping? Most often, it’s Ryou when it comes to Modern AU

How often do they bake desserts? Occasionally??? Can see Kuai baking moon cakes at times tho

Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? Seafood gourmets, both of them.

Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? Either is able to.

Who is more likely to suggest going out? Can be Modern Ryou when the mood strikes him, he’s certain to pick the place with quiet environment and enough privacy.

Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking? Neither lmao

✧❄ Chores:

Who cleans the room? They do this together once necessary.

Who is really against chores? Neither.

Who cleans up after the pets? Both would.

Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? Neither, they aren’t some lazy slobs lmao

Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? Neither actually would???

Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? Neither, they’re too tidy to leave the money where this not belongs.

✧❄ Misc:

Who takes the longer showers/baths? Depends; they would take their time once it’s shared, bath especially :^)

Who takes the dog out for a walk? Ryou is likely the one to have a dog in the first place, so it would be him.

How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? Not too often, but they would likely put the decorations on more frequently once there are kids.

What are their goals for the relationship? To have the one who understands. To gain the support and grounding point in the face of each other. To find the solace in another while being blessed to experience the presiousness of deep reciprocated love and devotion. 

Who is most likely to sleep till noon? A rare occasion either can experience once being in each other arms, however, they’re usually the early birds not always at will tho.

Who plays the most pranks? Kuai??? Something harmless and puerile perhaps, abd only once he’s comfortable enough to exhibit such playfulness.