#it's funny cause I so rarely get frustrated to the point of anger

[purplesaline]

I was getting frustrated with my video game so Lance came and flopped on top of me

"Get squished"

[tarjapearce]

Hey, I wanna say i really really like the way you write fics. It feels??? Natural?? To read it?? Always an adventure everytime I read a fic of yours.

How do you write so good?? I'm a writer as well and I'd love to hear your tips and tricks ^^

First of all, I wanna thank you for liking the crap stuff I write. (Cause I'm genuinely amazed some times that people just like it and I'm not saying this because.)

⚠️⚠️LONG AND POSSIBLE CONTROVERSIAL ANSWER AHEAD ⚠️⚠️

It's kinda funny, ngl. Lemme tell you something, I don't know if you guys struggle with Impostor Syndrome a lot like me, but everytime someone gives a compliment like this my brain just goes into self sabotaging mode.

In the outside its :

But in the inside, my brain immediately goes:

Cause I'm aware that I can do better. (And we will ~) it's weird. I'm always striving to do better.

As for the tips and tricks, I'm surely not the right person to ask advice from 😅, but Imma just tell you this from what I experience and from my perspective (Hopefully won't get backlash from this, if not, R. I. P. me jsksj) Be warned though, it's kinda contradictory cause writing is hard yo!

1. You gotta read. Either books or whatever your favorite genre is, but you gotta read. I consume fan fics and non fanfics cause you learn from other people too. I read fanfics mostly to know new words, how the character develops and the like.

I read more spanish stuff than anything. Which I try to transfer to what I write.

2. I try to keep it as simple as possible. With that I mean to not over embellish words cause it gets boring and weird. Sure, everyone wants to make their fanfics pretty (nothing wrong in that) but sometimes I feel that less is more. Like, nothing wrong if you wanna poet the f- out of your fic. (THIS IS A DOUBLE EDGED ONE SO BE CAREFUL!!)

I mean there is a huge difference in reading:

"The anger and frustration on her way of living was taking a toll on her mind"

and:

"Her nemesism had muddled her mind into an endless spiral of what ifs and what not, and frankly if her mind could speak, it'd beg for a break."

It's hard to pick one style, but as long as you keep it consistent, I guess it's all good (?) (Funny cause I always aim for the second one and end up in the first jsksj and I dont even know myself if I'm keeping it consistent)

3. Get yourself a beta reader that doesn't coddle you. It helps alot!!!! Cause again, compliments sure are nice, but they don't tell you where you could get better. ✨( Unless the reader provides puntual feedback on what they liked and what not. Those are my favorites and a rare gem ❤️)

4. I know this one is hard because everyone at some point have done this. But IF YOU COMPARE yourself to other writers? You'll lose yourself. Not only you'll lose motivation cause you seem unable to write like them, but you will fall into this... vicious circle of self deprecating and burnout. And the self doubt sky rockets nonstop.

Everyone is different. Everyone learns in a different pace. Trust me, I wanted to make great stories with a good looking writing when I had the slightest idea of what I was doing (Still do!) 😂. Writing fanfics is not a competition to who writes more beautiful/good/professional than others. Or who has more notes or the most canon-stuck character, or the cause let's face it, none will get a character's personality to a 100%!!! (And that's ok cause it's fanfiction and we all have a different approach to the character either emotional or mental) .

Personally for me, the cockyest thing someone can do is to claim to know a character more than the creators themselves. Kinda rude for me, if you ask . Like, sure feeling a deep connection with a character doesn't mean it'll grant us instant access to their whole self. Characters just like us evolve. Either for the good or the bad, but they don't remain the same, so knowing them completely is a big fat lie. Unless stated by the creator. (But we're delusional in this site, so~)

I mean, sure characterization is something we all struggle since we guide ourselves by some of the character's most prominent traits and make them their default personality. (I've sinned in this jsksj so don't worry)

5. HAVE FUN AND TAKE BREAKS. I mean it. The favorite things I've written is where Im genuinely having fun writing it. But also after a well deserved rest. Cause if something doesn't feel right, it won't be right. And burnout is easier to get at than we actually think.

6. I recently started to follow writing advice blogs, one of my favorite @heywriters.

@she-who-fights-and-writes. (They have amazing writing resources, so does Pinterest and YouTube. Seize them!!!)

But yeah, I'm still an amateur on this, I make emphasis in the 5th one tho.

Hope this helps you? ;w;.

Love you❤️✨

Thanks for stopping by. ❤️

[marcspectrr]

I posted 1,030 times in 2022

That's 6 more posts than 2021!

125 posts created (12%)

905 posts reblogged (88%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@mrs-steve-harrington

@marcspectrr

@moonlayl

@msaudreyanne

@themandaloriandaily

I tagged 761 of my posts in 2022

Only 26% of my posts had no tags

#moon knight - 313 posts

#marc spector - 183 posts

#steven grant - 146 posts

#layla el faouly - 107 posts

#moonlayl - 67 posts

#moon knight fan art - 64 posts

#star wars - 49 posts

#obx - 39 posts

#jake lockley - 38 posts

#the mandalorian - 37 posts

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Reasons why the way in which Marc and Layla's relationship was physically depicted is so special.

380 notes - Posted June 29, 2022

#4

Something that's interesting about the way Steven keeps his space in comparison to Marc's...

571 notes - Posted July 19, 2022

#3

It's this one word that's got me reeling a little bit this time. Someone come join me in this rabbit hole.

We've heard Marc's voice when he's angry, right? And seen his face, when he's frustrated and upset?

You should really quickly rewatch this scene right here, specifically 30:32-30:45, right before we hear Layla's hesitant"Marc?" , then we get her looking at him, reading him, at this point having just seen another suit.

Because none of those things are in his voice or on his face here.

Marc's eyes finally find her, watching him so carefully, and it's not anger that causes his voice to come out so quietly, it's not frustration that causes it to shake. His breathless "Yeah" sounds like both a reassurance and a question, directed at her and himself, and it's filled with unease, his "I blacked out" holding so much fear.

I just feel like this being the most explicit acknowledgment of Jake we get and pairing it with Marc not holding back actual fear (a very rare thing, no?) is so...perfect. Showing how Jake just...emotionally disarms Marc before even really meeting him. Both of them being so scared to meet, Marc realizing what exactly Jake has been doing for him, Jake realizing that Marc doesn't actually hate him for always pulling them back from the edge ahdjfkfkfk

658 notes - Posted October 2, 2022

#2

It's funny because Steven will stand there, physically trying to take up the least amount of room possible, making himself seem small with his postures and his gestures but he won't hesitate to spill his heart out about the most mundane sentiments, being unapologetically himself no matter how much space that means he takes up. Then you have Marc, who will keep his chin up only so people can't see how much he truly wants to drop it and hide instead, who will stand tall even though all he wants to do is disappear, knowing that being himself means being deemed as an ungrateful waste of space.

793 notes - Posted November 2, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

sometimes I think about the instances where Marc genuinely smiles

1,415 notes - Posted September 2, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[cyclonesyndicate]

sinners never admit their sins || fantasia || trial 3.3 || re: beowulf, null, alphard

If he's honest, this isn't the reaction Fantasia had expected. It wasn't like he was looking forward to getting yelled at or anything-- not really. It would have been interesting, though, to see such an outpouring of emotion. One he didn't have to care about, either. It wasn't like he was emotionally invested in anyone else's anger. ...But, sympathy?

How fascinating, that they find themselves showing it to a murderer. Just moments ago they had been at his throat, and now they vote incorrectly and cry and express frustration, all because he had admitted his motivations and they had been deemed, apparently, acceptable enough. It wasn't as if Fantasia needed the validation, but still. People truly were fascinating after all. That was why he loved them, though. 

It was perplexing to think of a response, despite this. Should he thank them? Probably not. He wouldn't have cared if it had been anger, but should he care about this? Probably. Can he?

It causes that same feeling he'd had during investigation, watching everyone mourn him. His chest feels squeezed in a way it usually doesn't. He elects to ignore it, and instead answer concrete questions from Beowulf.

"...No." Simple enough. "I would not have asked any of you for assistance. First off, very few of you are capable of combating whoever NO7 would send. And second, I simply don't trust any--" A brief pause. He hesitates and rethinks. "...Most of you? ...Enough."

What a straightforward answer. 

"My life remains in my own hands, no one else's. In telling anyone else about my situation, I would be placing it in theirs. Even if it resulted in me taking another's life, I will control my own from now on."

And he had. After weighing his options, he had decided this was the appropriate end for his life, if it were going to happen. And that was why he was shocked, perhaps-- that people were, while not willing to forgive, able to see the point of view of placing others' lives before his own. 

"...But, ah. Thank you, I suppose. I do not expect any forgiveness, so never fear~! I am just grateful to have been able to share my time here with you all, as myself~!"

For a moment, he sounds like his usual self, wiggling his fingers in a little wave at Beo. 

'As himself' was a funny concept, when he'd just decided on that recently. Maybe he'd change it later, but... if he were to die, then he would be happy with the 'him' he was dying as.

The continued outpouring of emotions throw him for a bit of a loop, and so he continues to disregard them until he hears another question leveled at him. He looks up at Null, eyes sparkling. This answer, too, is simple.

"Of course I would want to live! Life is the most beautiful thing there is in the world! If I could prolong it for even one more day, I would take any opportunity to do so!"

He laughs, brightly for someone doomed to die, and then shrugs. 

"But, well, if I cannot prolong it, then I have made sure that every day I lived prior was one I was happy with. So while it is disappointing, certainly, I have no regrets!"

...No regrets at all, right?

He smiles at Null for another moment, and then he turns to look at... Alphard. And he pauses. To die without regrets, hm... was he missing something, here? Was there anything he could do? It seemed that he had caused some irreparable pain, in his bid for survival. It wasn't a consequence he had considered, but... Fantasia feels...

Hm. Well, he feels uncertain. How unusual. 

"K-- Alphard."

He catches himself quickly, and then opens his mouth and hesitates again. He's never had particular trouble with words before, but then, he wasn't used to the peculiar human sensation of feeling things. 

"...I'm sorry. If I have... disappointed you."

Hmm. Maybe not quite right, he thinks, but for now it would have to do. It was rare he apologized at all, let alone meant it. And there's more he could say, certainly, but he figures he should wait until his death is truly confirmed. So he gives what he hopes is an encouraging smile, and then leans back in his chair again.

[narutogwriting]

Ruin the Friendship

⋇✦ Pairing: Naruto Uzumaki x Reader

⋇✦ Genre: angst; fluff; oneshot

⋇✦ CW: none

⋇✦ Length: 2.5k+

⋇✦ @gaarasandpit just a angst/fluff naruto x reader request if you’re up for it 🥰 maybe where the reader and him are somewhat close friends and he notices she’s drifting from him because her feelings get in the way? he’s oblivious and hurt about it then confrontation happens ending up in a good old love confession

“Cmon! Open up!” Naruto called from outside your house, pounding on the door like he had been incessantly for the past five minutes. “I know you’re in there!”

He did not, in fact, know whether or not you were in there, but he couldn’t imagine where else you would be.

All week you’d been missing; Naruto couldn’t find you anywhere. Sometimes he would see the flick of your hair from the corner of his eye or his ears would pick up the sound of your laugh, but by the time he turned to find you, you’d be gone.

Your absence in Naruto’s life wasn’t something of a minor inconvenience; it was a constant pain, as if he was missing a part of his own body. Iruka had joked that Naruto missing you was akin to that of a phantom limb, like there was something of him that should be there and it wasn’t and he ached because of it.

“No, Naruto. We haven’t seen her,” Shikamaru shrugged. Ino nodded her agreement.

“Sorry. Maybe she’s on a mission or something.

Naruto frowned, sighing in frustration. “Alright, well, thanks.” He muttered before he sulked off. Shikamaru and Ino watched him go, waiting until he disappeared before Ino gave you a kick under the table.

“Ow!” you whined as you crawled out from underneath, rubbing your shoulder.

Ino rolled her eyes at you. “You’re lucky Naruto’s an idiot, or he definitely would have seen you.” She told you as you slid yourself down into the seat next to her. “Remind me: why are you avoiding him again?”

Propping your elbows on the table, you rested your head in your hands as you gave a forlorn sigh. That was a loaded question. You were avoiding Naruto because the absolute worse thing that could ever occur had happened.

You’d fallen in love with the idiot blond.

And how could you not? You’d been best friends with Naruto for the longest time. He was a constant in your life, always at your side. It was rare that one of you was seen without the other.

There was no one in the entire world that could make you smile or laugh the way that he could. Whenever you were sad or hurt, he always had the words to make it all better. Naruto had the type of smile that could save people, and you were no exception. There wasn’t a person in the world that could meet someone with a heart like Naruto’s and not walk away changed.

It had been a slow thing, a soft, unsure growing. It wasn’t a feeling you’d recognized at all once, because you always loved Naruto.

It wasn’t totally strange for you to get excited when you saw him or miss him when he was gone. It wasn’t unusual to think about him before you went to sleep.

But when you began to wake up and your first thought was, “my god he’s beautiful” when you looked at the picture of the two of you on your night stand, that was a little strange. You never used to spend extra time in the morning doing your makeup when you knew you were going to see him soon.

And you never used to blush when he smiled at you. Even you could tell you laughed a little too hard when he said something even remotely funny.

It was one day when the two of you were taking a walk that it happened. He was telling you a story, his motions large and exaggerated. Of course, he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going. As he turned to you, arms raised high over his head, his foot hit a rock. Naruto went sprawling to the floor, rolling across the ground and landing flat on his back.

You burst out laughing at the scene, hurrying to kneel at his side. “Are you okay!?” You asked him between giggles.

Naruto’s face was bright red with embarrassment as he laid on the floor. He looked up at you, smiling sheepishly. “Oops…”

It was such a simple thing, but you’d looked at Naruto and thought, “I love him so much.”

Nothing had ever startled you more.

Of course you loved Naruto; that was a given. It was never anything that needed to be thought or said. It was just a fact. But as soon as you had thought the words, you knew that it was different this time. You didn’t just love Naruto.

You were in love with him.

You’d hoped that the feelings would fade. Maybe it was just a fluke or a passing crush. Day in and day out, you waited for your feelings to go back to normal, but now that you’d acknowledged them, they only seemed to grow stronger. It got to the point where you couldn’t even look at naruto without turning into a blushing mess. It was pathetic.

So you’d decided there was only one reasonable solution: you would have to avoid him for as long as it took for the feelings to go away.

And of course you didn’t want to stay away from him. Being with him was as natural as breathing. But the way you saw it, if he found out about your feelings, your friendship could be ruined forever. This way, you could take some space, move on, and resume your friendship like nothing happened.

But Naruto wasn’t making that easy.

You hadn’t realized just how much time you and Naruto spent together until you were trying to distance yourself from him. He was everywhere. Every meal, every free moment, he was by your side or trying to be at least.

“Wanna go eat?” “Wanna go train with me?” “Let’s watch a movie!” “I heard there’s gonna be a festival in the next town over!”

You couldn’t get away from him. So this past week, you’d taken to hiding from him every time you saw him, deciding it was easiest to just avoid him completely. In all honesty, you couldn’t believe just how much time and effort Naruto was putting in to trying to find you.

But of course he was putting in effort. Because you were his best friend and he couldn’t understand it; where you’d gone or why you weren’t talking to him. Had he done something wrong? Were you mad at him or something? Your absence in Naruto’s life was drawing out every insecurity he hadn’t even realized he still had. He was worried, drowning in anxiety.

What if you’d decided you didn’t want to be his friend anymore? Maybe you were annoyed with him, found him to be too much. When you and Naruto had first become friends, he thought it was too good to be true. There was no way that someone as nice and pretty and cool as you would want to be friends with him. No one had ever wanted to be his friend before.

But there you were with your sweet smile and calming presence. You had accepted Naruto, every piece of him, without question or reservation. You meant everything to him, so the thought of losing you had sent Naruto into a panic.

You’d managed to avoid Naruto for a full week and a half. The past three days, as far as you knew, he hadn’t even made an effort to find you. It was a relief and heartbreaking all at once. You needed your space, but it hurt to think that maybe Naruto didn’t miss you at all anymore.

These were the thoughts racing through your head when you crawled into bed that night. You doubted you’d be getting much sleep; you’d barely gotten any since you had started avoiding Naruto.

Pulling the covers over yourself, you closed your eyes and tried to get comfortable. It seemed like hours you laid there awake before tiredness finally started to drift over you. You could feel yourself slowly dozing off to sleep when a sudden loud noise startled you awake. Sitting up quickly, your eyes darted to the window where the noise had come from.

Naruto had forcefully pried open the window, shoving himself not-so-gracefully through the opening and crashing onto the floor.

He quickly jumped to his feet, rubbing his head with a small wince before his eyes landed on you, widening slightly.

“Ah ha! I got you!” He shouted victoriously, pointing his finger in your direction. “You can’t hide from me anymore, believe it!”

God, he was too cute for words and that was exactly the problem. Your heart practically burst just looking at him as he appeared so accomplished and excited.

But the triumphant look on his face slowly vanished as he stared at you. When he spoke, his voice came out quietly, dripping with dejection. “Where have you been?”

Quietness settled over the room as the two of you stared at each other. Naruto made no move to get closer to you, and you likewise stayed strapped in your seat. “I’m sorry…” You offered weakly, unsure of what else to say.

“Don’t be sorry!” Naruto snapped, anger quickly replacing his despaired features. “Tell me why! What the hell? You think you can just avoid a guy? Cut me off like I’m nothing to you!?” He was trembling, his usual happy grin twisted into a broken grimace so despondent it took you off guard. You had caused that hurt that Naruto was feeling. The thought made you sick.

“If you don’t want to be my friend anymore, at least say something!” Naruto spat. “Don’t just run from me like a coward! If you have something to say, say it to my face!”

There was a harsh edge to Naruto’s voice that he never used with you before. Not in all of your years of friendship. You realized suddenly just how badly you’d hurt Naruto by avoiding him. It wasn’t something you’d considered; you’d only wanted some space so you could get back to normal with him.

But you saw it clearly now, the damage that you had done. Suddenly, in this moment, he was the lonely, isolated child that he had been before you met, feeling alone and abandoned in the world. And this time, it was because of you.

The regret was like bile on your tongue, and you wished fiercely that you could take back the past week and do it differently. You couldn’t stand the thought that it was you who had caused this damage to your best friend, the guy you loved so much.

You didn’t have any words to fix it. All you had was the truth.

“I love you.”

The words slipped from your mouth before you could pull them back in. And once they were out, they couldn’t be taken back.

Confusion quickly settled on Naruto’s face. It was as if you could see the anger dissipate from his body. He stared at you, mouth slightly agape, while he tried to process what you’d just said. “You… What?”

Turning bright red, you pulled the blanket back over your head in embarrassment. You couldn’t believe you’d just said that! Now there would never be any going back to the way that things were, but you had to tell him. You couldn’t just let him think that you were cutting him off without reason.

“I said I love you…” You muttered from under the blanket. “I’m in love with you, Naruto. I have been for a while now, and I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. So I thought if I just took some space and didn’t see you for a while, then maybe I would get over it, and then we could just keep things the way they were…”

It was much easier to get the words out when you were under the blanket and couldn’t see him, but you were still nauseous with anxiety as you told him how you felt. Your heart was steeling itself for rejection as you waited for his response.

The only noise was shuffling as Naruto came to your bed. You could feel the indent as he sat down next to you. He grabbed your blanket, slowly peeling it off of you and despite your reluctance, you let him.

You didn’t look at him as you pushed yourself back up into a sitting position. You’d never been so embarrassed before.

“Did it work?” He asked you quietly.

Fidgeting with the hem of your night shirt, you mumbled, “Did what work?”

“Are you over me?”

The question took you off guard, lingering between the two of you, and you couldn’t help but flicker your eyes to his. He was staring earnestly at you with those wide blue eyes you loved so much. You wanted to lie to him but you just couldn’t.

“No.”

Naruto’s focused expression stretched into a wide grin as he wrapped his arms around you, hugging you to him. You were too startled to respond, so you just stared at him, confused, instead.

“You scared me!” Naruto laughed happily as he rested his cheek against your head. “I thought you didn’t want to be my friend anymore! You didn’t have to completely avoid me, ya know.”

There was a mix of relief and disappointment at his reaction. So, he wasn’t weirded out about your confession? Things didn’t have to change. The two of you could stay ‘just friends.’

“So, we’re okay?” You asked him nervously. “We’re still friends?”

Naruto gave a puzzled hum as he pulled away from the hug to stare at you. He raised his eyebrow as he studied you for a moment. You could almost see the light bulb go off above his head as he realized.

“Oh!” He laughed, grinning sheepishly and rubbing his neck. “I guess I forgot to tell you it back, huh? I thought it was obvious! I love you too, believe it!”

You blinked as he giggled embarrassedly, that signature smile of his on his lips. “Naruto!” You snapped at him, lunging and knocking you both off the bed. He landed on his back with you on top of him as you rubbed your fist into his head. “You dummy!”

“Hey! Cut it out!” Naruto whined, squirming under your touch. “Is that any way to treat your boyfriend!?”

The question was enough to make you stop, your mouth frozen in a surprised “o” shape, just like he hoped. He laughed, sitting up and holding you to him before he placed a happy kiss to your cheek, making your face flush over red.

You placed your hands on his shoulders, looking at him as it finally sunk in what he said. He loved you too. He called himself your boyfriend. “Is that your way of asking me?” You questioned.

Naruto nodded earnestly. “And my way to get you to stop giving me a noogie! It’s a win win! Well, if you say yes, that is…”

Shaking your head, you laughed as your whole body softened in relief. Your arms slipped around his neck as you hugged him tightly. “Yes, obviously!” You told him. “Yes! I love you.” Naruto hugged you back just as fiercely. When he finally pulled away, he didn’t hesitate. His hand reached up to cup your cheek as he leaned forward, pressing a sweet, soft kiss to your lips.

Well, you guessed your friendship was officially ruined. But suddenly, you didn’t mind so much.

[curmudggeon]

An Unexpected Encounter (Arthur Morgan x Female Reader)

After receiving an invitation to the mayor's Gala party, you encounter the one person you despise the most, Arthur. Just when you thought your rivalry would get any more infuriating, he comes along and one thing leads into another or maybe even into something more...

“Fuck it.”

Word count: 3.1k

Warnings: Minor spoilers of 'The Gilded Cage' Mission, Vulgarities, Alcohol, Guns, Violence, and Sexual intentions

A/N: Honestly, I didn't know where I was going with this. It's been quite a while since I've written. While playing through this mission, I was thinking of an enemies-to-lovers type of banter with the whole glitz and glamour of the situation. I hope you enjoy it or maybe not...

The grand music by the string quartet swelled into the elegant ambiance of the evening. With Saint Denis’ high society gathered together into one establishment, being invited into these types of conventions was a rare opportunity. You managed to get in the mayor’s party through close connections within the city. It was a chance to get your hands on valued pickpockets from pompous rich people; away from the hassle of collecting useless bounties.

The mansion was rather extravagant as you entered; unique architecture and expensive pieces of artwork looking out into the outskirts of the city. The scent of liquor, cigars, and the deep aquatic plants of the Bayou was intoxicating.

Defying all the odds of 1899 fashion, you wore a dress that had a slit on the slide of your right thigh that was high enough to hide the spare gun that you managed to sneak in despite having to surrender the rest of your weaponry at the entrance.

The mayor’s servants eyed you closely when you laid out your revolvers in front of them, since it was apparently absurd to witness a woman carrying such hefty guns. Winking at them as you moved away, you scowled under your breath at their suspicion and avoid being further searched. It was your only option of protection in case a fiasco had broken out in the middle of your pickpocket adventure.

Conversations started to tune out the music in the background, the heads of married men turned towards your direction as you made your way through the party, striding with utter grace and elegance to catch the eyes of your potential suitors to steal from.

Grimaced expressions were coated on the faces of the women while examining your revealing choice of clothing. You stood beside the refreshments, holding a free glass of champagne, as you glanced at the group of women engrossed in conversation regarding the lady that came into the establishment. You.

Raising your eyebrow as you sipped on the champagne, you gave them a firm nod headed their way, causing the litter of southern belles to widen their eyes at your acknowledgment and quickly disperse from their conversation. Real smooth.

It was the kind of attention you had gotten used to. After all, being the only woman bounty hunter in the city wasn’t normal in the present day’s context. Opting for a more reckless and freer lifestyle gave you a sense of adrenaline; to escape every expectation of conservative American society. You felt entitled to be who you are and wanted to be. A free woman. You started making a name for yourself in this city, bounty after bounty until one particular man decided to show up and defeated all your means of survival on the jobs you took on...

Arthur

The sound of his name left a sour taste in your mouth. He was the reason why it started to get progressively difficult collecting bounties. When you showed up for a $100 bounty for the leader of the Lemoyne Raiders, Lindsey Wofford at the abandoned fort, that is how you met Arthur. You were outnumbered. Deciding to team up with him, was the last thing you should’ve done. He was charming at first, but then came the point when he handed over Lindsey’s body to the police, betraying your efforts to help attain the bounty as he kept the prize to himself. So much for being handsome.

The moment bounty posters were displayed, it became a competition to get to them first. He would capture or kill them before you did. The feeling of immense frustration struck you as he flashed that lazy, crooked smirk of his. Arthur tipped his hat to you while collecting his reward for the day.

“Asshole.” You muttered under your breath, unable to contain the urge to lunge at him for beating you to it. The glimmer in his eye resembled the commencing of his mockery towards you.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Princess.” His eyes shined with amusement along with that stupid grin of his slowly widening at your reaction. Oh, he is so not going to see the light of day any time soon.

Your anger was at its peak, ready to set off and wipe that smug expression off his face. You couldn’t let him have this, not this time. Within a blink of an eye, you reached for your pistol and aimed it at Arthur’s head with ease.

“You take that back.” His face slowly turned south as his grin disappears upon my demand. I thought so, too.

“Woah, Woah, young lady. Put the gun down,” The policeman warned as he stood with his hand out to coax you into dropping my line of fire and from blowing Arthur’s brains out in front of him.

Ignoring the warning, you focused on Arthur, waiting for his apology. After a long pause of silence, his face slowly distorts, as if he can’t control the outburst of emotions flowing within him.

He’s

He’s laughing?

Your eyebrows furrowed even further as he slowly bends his arms onto his knees as blurts of laughter simultaneously start to escape his mouth. The policeman was surprised at the sudden change of atmosphere, as he stares at Arthur like a madman. He walks away, shaking his head as he retorts lowly, “I don’t get paid enough for this job”.

Rolling your eyes, you were annoyed at the fact Arthur doesn’t take you seriously. Even as your rival, it was unbelievably childish of him to do so. He continued to wheeze as if I’m the biggest joke in the whole wide world. “Ha ha. Very funny, Arthur”

A small smile crept up your mouth as you lowered your aim of fire and place it back into the holster at the round of your hip. You had to admit, he had one of the most contagious laughs you have ever heard, but that doesn’t mean you should lose your guard against the one person you despise the most. In defeat, you left the police station before he had anything else to say to mask yourself in humiliation.

“This changes nothing, I’m still going to beat you.”

-

A few glasses of champagne and pickpockets later, you managed to get your hands on some gold rings, silver-plated watches, and money off drunkards that made their way to you. They were easily wrapped around your finger to steal behind their back. The men surrounded the area as they unwind into the evening with very little knowledge, of what’s coming to them. You secretly stashed the contents of your pickpockets into your purse while walking away from endless conversations about politics and the weather.

Getting bored by the events occurring before you, in the corner of your eye you spot the mayor; Henri Lemieux by the fountain.

Hoping to make a name for yourself in this city —and probably pickpocket him, you make your way to his location. With elongated and purposeful sashays, you stopped in your tracks when you heard footsteps following behind you.

“Hey, little troublemaker.” His voice resonated through you.

Within a split second, you knew that warm, gruff voice anywhere. Frozen in your tracks, you closed your eyes and mentally cursed to yourself as you just got caught red-handed.

In front of you was your shadow cascading on the brick flooring of the garden as Arthur’s tall and burly figure enveloped yours under the dim moonlight. He was directly behind your back, just barely touching the exposed skin of your shoulders. You could feel the warm heat radiating off of him, making you shudder.

Slowly turning around to acknowledge his presence, composing yourself with utmost annoyance to resist the intoxicating proximity in between.

"Oh, it's you." He chuckled at your sarcastic remark as you admired his ravishing appearance. He donned a well-fitted Tux that hugged his biceps perfectly, along with the slicked-back hair from the usage of pomade to style it.

The view of him was a refreshing sight. Seeing him in such a way, despite the usual boyishly rugged blue shirt of his, that shaped his figure well tingled on your skin. He smelled of musk and wildflowers. The scent caused an involuntary sigh out of you before you could realize what you had just done.

"It's nice to see you." Slightly grinning, he stared at you closely. Holding eye contact as he took in the sight of your appearance. Before you stared at each other longer than the both of you had anticipated, fireworks had burst in swirls up in the sky. It caught the attention of guests as they watch the beautiful night sky be painted with streaks of vibrant colors. Comments of amazement filled the air.

Shifting your gaze back to Arthur, you felt like your heart had stopped for a mere second. What?

Arthur had already been staring at you, and your face started to slightly warm at the realization. As if on cue, at the side of the fountain was the mayor and his servant, quietly arguing. You eavesdrop only to hear the contents of the discussion 'Cornwall' and 'horse's ass'. Bingo. You knew anything that had to do with the wealthy man was a big deal to make out of. And definitely would come with something worthy to steal.

As the servant departs away from the mayor, Arthur was already making his way towards him to find out more information. Oh no, you don't.

You follow behind discreetly with the same intention before he finds something more useful than the already invaluable pickpockets in your purse.

Making way back through to the entrance of the Mansion, Arthur makes his way upstairs to the staircase leading towards the mayor's office, as you follow shortly after.

He enters the office quietly as he jams to open the locked drawer with a letter opener on the table. Slowly, you make your way to lean against the door frame, crossing your right leg over the left one to increase the view that revealed your exposed skin with a revolver strapped to your thigh. Preparing to display your disapproval of his actions, you fold your arms as he voices out the contents of the letter. "Mr. Leviticus Cornwall... Top secret… Extremely confidential. Very interesting."

"Very interesting, huh?" His head quickly turns in my direction upon the sound of my voice. His eyes widen. Gotcha cowboy.

Smiling innocently at his reaction, you slowly tilt your head the opposite way of the door frame, awaiting his response.

He pauses for a while as his gaze reaches your face as it makes its way through the revealed skin and revolver coyly making an appearance to him. Breaking off his stupor, It takes him a few seconds to process your actions as you walk towards him.

“What’s that?” He turns his back to prevent you from have a closer scan of the confidential document. Trying to reach it from out of his hands, he turns in another direction, holding the document up in the air far from your reach.

“Nothing useful,” he says in a matter-of-fact tone as he remains amused at your multiple attempts of stealing it from him. He looks away from you, dodging any suspicious allegations you might get just by narrowing your eyes at him.

“If you’re trying to hide it from me, sure as damn means it’s useful.” You hiss at him to hand it over as you continue trying to get up to his height to retrieve the ‘useless’ document out of his hands. Giving up, you stop your actions as an idea had come to mind. A stupid one.

Removing the revolver off your thigh, you pointed the gun at his foot to threaten him into giving you a glimpse of the contents of the paper regarding Leviticus Cornwall.

“I’d love to see you try,” His deep blue eyes sparkled as he challenged you with delight. Arthur knew you wouldn’t dare to pull the trigger and risk another catastrophe to happen at the mayors’ mansion.

Fireworks outside the window started to quieten down and conversations start to resume back to normal.

The sound of a key unlocking a door from another part of the office fills the room.

You look at Arthur with a slightly panicked facial expression. He folds the document neatly and places it inside the inner breast pocket of his tux as you quickly strap back your gun to the side of your thigh.

Arthur moves swiftly past you and grabbing you by the wrist before both of you get caught.

We make our way through the hallway and down a few steps down the staircase to get as far away from the office as possible. The soft tones of speaking at the end of the stairs traveled just at the rounded corner of the wall, nearing the both of you. Heavy stomps became louder and louder at the top of the staircase. You and Arthur were dead in your tracks, standing in the middle of the staircase, as your only two options of escape were far from reach. It was a dead end. This was a day you would go to jail, the both of you.

“Fuck it.”

And he kisses you. Hungrily and ever so desperately.

Pushing you against the wall as his hand cups the back of your neck bringing you close to him while the other was lowering to grab the exposed leg through the slit of your dress and cling it to the side of his hip. Your heart was beating out of your chest, ringing into your ears. And you were pretty sure he was able to hear it too. Not being able to grasp the situation, your stunned eyes fluttered shut, forgetting the entirety of your surroundings with his lips crashing on yours. Arthur’s lips.

There was no denying your attraction towards Arthur, from his physique to that annoying smirk of his that kept you on edge, it was hard to pay attention to the rivalry the both of you shared. Sometimes neither of you noticed the longing but yet despising looks you and Arthur exchanged. You thought you were being delusional, but It always seemed to be so much more. An indescribable magnetic force, pulling and pushing away from each other.

His stubble along the sides of his jaw skimmed the surface of your chin, inviting a light hum to alight from your lips from the contact. It made him smile against your lips, enjoying your compliance with his actions. Unable to resist, you grabbed the ends of his suit into fists, bringing him closer as his hands explored the map of your skin. Just like a predator devouring its prey, you lightly moaned as the warmth of his skin against yours created an inexplicable connection. A grunt escaped his mouth at your reaction to his touch. Kissing you harder, his hand gently slid up the exposed skin of your leg and over your—

"Ahem,"

Breaking off your kiss, a look of disgust was plastered onto the face of the servant, stumbling upon a couple who can't seem to get a room.

Regaining consciousness, you realize the highly scandalous position the both of you were in. You against the wall, arching your back with your hands resting on his heaving chest. You look down, noticing the strap of your dress that had tipped of your shoulder, which revealed your cleavage a bit more than it had already displayed. And his hands, at your waist and up your thigh reaching, Oh. Your face turned bloodshot red.

In a protective stance, Arthur leans forward closer to shield the tantalizing sight of your appearance to the man who had caught both of you at the top of the stairs. Furrowed eyebrows and eyes of infuriation were headed his way.

"Oh, heavens" a group of maids that reached the staircase, quickly shuffled away to busy themselves with other things than going through the second floor of the mansion.

“Pardon me for the intrusion, but this area is strictly out of bounds.”

“Well, I don't see any signs suggesting, so”

The servant raises his eyebrow higher with arms crossed, emphasizing how ridiculous his comment was.

Arthur grumbles, “We’ll be on our way”

The man’s heavy footsteps move past us, giving you privacy to freshen up whatever articles of clothing that was out of place

Hesitant to make eye contact, you observed the bow tie that hung around Arthur’s neck like it was the most interesting thing you had ever seen. You could feel his intense gaze drilling holes into you as his eyes did all the talking. The air was thick, making it hard to breathe as each second passes by. There wasn’t an inch of space left between the both of you, except for the slight distance aching to be met at the lips. His fingers lifted your chin to divert your attention back to him.

You could see the reflection of yourself drowning in the deep seas of his cerulean blue eyes. His gaze lowers down to the swell of your lips. Momentarily, time stops moving, it was the climax of something different. Something exciting, that the hatred you had spent building up for him was collapsing. Something you couldn't quite pinpoint.

There’s a gravitational pull pulling us closer and closer…

The basis of physics was no match for the two of you.

Lips barely grazing onto yours as light music soars in the background,

“Arthur!”

He stops, painfully closing his eyes to the familiar voice that constantly put him to work.

The tension breaks like a gunshot piercing through the air, pulling you out of your daze and back into reality.

What the fuck just happened?

Arthur groans and smothers his face into the crevice of your neck. His arms tightening around your waist, holding for dear life like you were going to slip away from his fingers. Gibberish left his mouth, whining like a child being awoken from his slumber, as the voice that yelled for him gets louder.

You couldn't handle the position you were in, he was so close to you. Your heart could burst any time soon from his touch. It was nothing you had ever imagined with him, nothing you had ever experienced before. This feeling was new.

“I have to go” her murmurs barely under a whisper, only for you to hear. Arthur lightly kisses the skin of your shoulder to signal his departure. The sensation tingles as he separates away from you.

The initial distance that was so close between the both of you was now a little too far away for your liking. Leaving you at the staircase, he looks back at you.

Our eyes meet, and it’s only the two of us, and from this point onwards, everything changes, and you find yourself longing after his lips.

Maybe for once, things could change.

Maybe we can change.

Us.

part 2-?

[mandoalorian]

Javier Peña SFW Alphabet

Because the world needs more soft!Javi.

Warnings: 16+. allusions to sex, depression mention, cigarettes mention, alcohol mention, food mention.

Masterlist

Reblogs appreciated!

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

So, Javi hates PDA. It makes him cringe. Javier can be pretty affectionate but only when you two are alone and spending private one-on-one time with each other. However, if he sees another pair of eyes on you, he can get protective pretty quick. He’ll guide you around with his hand placed on the small of your back, and he’s not afraid to slap your ass if it means he gets to assert his dominance.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

I mean, just look at Javier & Steve. Javi is an amazing best friend. He’s hilarious, and always jokes around, although most of the time, his humour can be quite dark and self deprecating. None the less, he’s super funny and never fails to make you laugh. He’s perfect to have around when you need to be cheered up. He’s also super supportive and will constantly look out for you. If you’ve fucked up and made a mistake, Javi will take the blame and have your back. You don’t even have to ask him. He really steps up for you.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

At first? No. Javi struggles to show his feelings, and he’s not the biggest hopeless romantic, as you might’ve guessed. He’s never really given out cuddles (or hugs for that matter), but if you’ve been together for a couple of months and you’re going steady, he doesn’t have an issue with getting into it. He learns to really like cuddles. Especially after sex.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

He has no interest in getting married. Never has, never will. He doesn’t see the point in a piece of paper from city hall to confirm that you two love each other. As long as he can feel it, in his heart, that’ll be good enough for him. But if you absolutely want to get married, he’ll allow it. It won’t be a big ceremony though. Maybe just a few guests and a store bought cake. He doesn’t like the fuss. He doesn’t cook, ever. He had a pretty bad diet that consists of snacking on chips at the bar or ordering take-out. He has a cleaner too.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Honestly? Javier can be pretty brutal. If you’ve hooked up just a few times and he’s lost interest, he’ll probably just not call you back. If you’ve been together a while, he’s gonna be really torn up about breaking up with you. He’ll be sulking and moody for a few days and you’ll know that somethings up. Then he’ll go distance and ghost you, hiding out in a few motel bars leaving you worried about where he is. When you find him, there’s a big fight and he snaps and tells you he wants to end it all. When he misses you, he’ll pick up a girl from the brothel who looks similar enough to you, and he’ll think of you while he fucks her. He feels gross about it, but it’s just what he does.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Oh Lord, Javier has the biggest commitment issues. He’s terrified, as we seen with Lorraine. It’s gonna take a lot for him to settle down. He tries to reassure you that it’s not your fault and it’s a problem he needs to work out himself. It might take Javi a few years of steadily dating before his commitment issues become resolved, but as long as you’re willing to wait for him, he’ll be happy.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

He’s definitely rough at first — in every way you can imagine. But you teach him how to be more gentle and considerate, both with yourself and the people around him. He can be pretty blunt which can cause a lot of hurt sometimes. When he sees that you’re upset though, he will show a surprising softer side. He’ll wrap his arm around you and smooth out your hair, and he’ll lull you to sleep by whispering sweet nothings into your ear.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

The first time you hug Javi, he stiffens up completely. He has no idea how to react. The last time he received a hug must’ve been from his mom when he was still just a young boy. He often gives you hugs though, especially when you’re seeking comfort. Javier has big strong arms and he holds you so right. He runs at your flesh in soothing motions and he nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck. You can always smell the honeyed scent of his cologne, and cigarettes, when he hugs you. But you wouldn’t trade the feeling for the world.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

You’re probably going to say it first... and that’s okay! Javier does love you, he knows that for sure. It’s just... it can be hard for him to actually admit it and come to terms with it (with his commitment issues and all). You assure him it’s okay and he can take his time. But he ends up not taking long at all. Once you tell him you love him, his whole world feels complete and it’s suddenly pretty easy for him to tell you that he loves you back.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

To be honest, Javi is pretty confident in a relationship. No woman has ever left him before. So, he doesn’t get too jealous. Besides, other men know better than to get too close to you because Javier isn’t afraid to throw a punch or two. He is, by nature, extremely protective, though.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

So passionate. A clash of tongues and teeth. He often moans into your mouth and the vibrations from that alone are enough to send shivers down your spine. When he kisses you, he struggles to keep his hands to himself. With Javier, kisses often lead to making out which often leads to sex. He loves to kiss you anywhere. Along your jaw, down your neck and the valley of your breasts. He’s a biter too (this is canon). He loves to nibble at your skin and give you little lovebites.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Surprisingly decent. Kids aren’t his favourite thing in the world, and he does his best to avoid them, but on an occasion where he finds himself with a child, he can handle them pretty well. Olivia Murphy loves her uncle Javi.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Weekdays are the worst because Javi has to head to work pretty early. Weekends though? You and Javier will sleep in until around midday, just lounging in each other’s arms and basking in the morning sunlight as it seeps through your curtains. It’s soft and sweet and almost always results in morning sex. You and Javi find yourself indulging in tired conversations and soft touches as you both fall in and out of sleep.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Javier will be drinking beer or whiskey and the two of you will mostly likely be on his sofa, watching a movie together. Fancy dinners aren’t his style but he likes to treat you to them now and again on date night. And trust me when I say you two will be going at each other until the early hours of the morning.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

He’s an enigma to everyone he meets, and this doesn’t exclude you. It can be exhausting at first— how much he keeps to himself. He doesn’t talk about his childhood, or what he did at work today. He talks about very little. But once you express to him that you wish he’d be more open and vulnerable with you, he tries. He really does try. In the end, he’s a lot more confident and can talk to you about practically anything.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

He has 0 patience, as we see on stakeouts. He gets angry and frustrated super fast. He’s not too loud and he’s rarely a shouter, but when he’s pissed, you’re sure to know about it.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

It’s going to take him about three years for him to remember your birthday. But he remembers the exact shirt you were wearing the night you and him met. He forgets your mom’s name, but he remembers the brand name of the perfume that’s displayed on your dresser. Point is, he remembers very menial and silly things about you. Sometimes, he’ll bring up a random fact about you that he’s remembered and it’ll truly surprise you. Even though he struggled to remember the important things, you find is so endearing how he remembers the smaller and finer things.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

The first time you and Javi slept together, something just hit him like a ton of bricks. He’s slept with plenty of women, that much is clear, but with you, it was different. Right from the start, something felt different, and he couldn’t quite place his finger on what it was. Truth be told, it terrified him... this unknown feeling. But it excited him too, and only spurred him on more. It takes him a while to realise, but that feeling was love. That was the night he fell in love with you. And so for that reason, yours and Javi’s first time is his favourite memory.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Very protective. There’s no reason to elaborate. Due to the nature of his job and the shit he sees on a day to day basis, he makes you his number one priority. If anything ever happened to you, he couldn’t ever forgive himself. So he’s constantly at your neck and call. Anything you need, he will provide.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Javier is pretty low maintenance. Like I said, he will occasionally take you out for a meal at a fancy restaurant, but this is usually for anniversary dates. He’s taken a liking to going to the movies with you, and he also loves to go dancing with you in nightclubs. Javi’s job is well paid and he has a surprisingly good eye for jewellery. He always picks you out the most beautiful diamonds. You worry about him spending too much on you, though.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Smoking. You don’t like the smell of it. And when he has one too many beers. He tries to cut down though, for you.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Yeah, he looks after himself. He keeps himself well groomed. He even has a little toothbrush he uses to comb his moustache.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

He really, really would. Say you and Javi have had a big fight and you are both spending some time away from each other... he’ll be really struggling. You’re always there to ground him and make him feel safe. He never realised how much needs you until you’re not with him anymore. He’d probably cry himself to sleep, but he’d never tell anyone.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

He has a vision. It’s a pretty distant vision, well into the future. But once he retires from the DEA, he’d love to take you back to Texas and show you his fathers farm. Maybe even have a farm with you someday. A suburban house with a white picket fence and dog. It’s the last thing you’d expect from Javi, but in a sense, he craves the normality of it all.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Uh, he doesn’t like drugs? DEA agent and all. He doesn’t like the rain because it ruins his hair and he hates the way his colourful shirts stick to his skin. You tell him it’s sexy, though. He doesn’t like big events where he has to see and interact with a bunch of people.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

He snores so loud. For the love of God, he needs to see a sleep therapist or some shit. Thankfully, you grow used to it, but you don’t know how he doesn’t wake himself up!

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[imagine-a-life-like-this]

Idiot (J.JK)

Warnings : swearing, mentions of cheating, mentions of fighting

Synopsis : they were childhood friends, but now they hate each other. so why did he fight her ex for breaking her heart? 

Word Count : 1969

I met his eyes after the words left his lips, and I could tell a part of him regretted it, but he stood his ground. All of our friends fell silent as they waited for either one of us to say something. So many things bounced around in my head; so much dirt I could spill about him. But I took the high ground and decided to be the bigger person. “That was low, even for you.” He opened his mouth to say more, but I stormed out of the apartment, deciding it was a Netflix alone kind of night.

           “Hi!” A young boy, about my age, greeted me. His smile was bright as he held out his hand for me. I took his hand and introduced myself. “I’m Jeon Jungkook. You just started today, right?” I nodded. “Come play with me then!” He ran away from the school wall I was standing by and towards the playground. I wasted almost no time as I followed behind, excited to make a new friend on my first day at a new school.

           I curled up into my bed, looking through the scrapbook Jungkook made me as a graduation present, 1 year before he decided I was the worst thing that ever happened to him. It happened so suddenly, one day we were the best of friends, and the next he avoided everything to do with me. I just wanted to go back to the days where he was the one who protected me.

           “Just leave her alone.” As always, Jungkook showed up as a group of guys surrounded my desk. He had stepped in between me and the leader of the group.

           “Or what?” He smirked, cocking his head to the side. “You going to make me?” He was instigating and I knew if I didn’t step in, Jungkook was going to do something he’d regret.

           “Jungkook, it’s fine. Just sit down.” I reached up and grabbed his wrist. When he turned and met my eyes, the anger quickly disappeared and he did as told, taking the empty seat beside me.

           “Ooh little Jungkook takes orders from a girl.” The bully instigated again, causing Jungkook to stand abruptly from the seat he had just taken and grab him by the collar of his shirt.

           “You shut your mouth before I knock all your teeth out.” He threatened before throwing him back against the lockers behind our seats. Jungkook turned to sit back down, but the bully jumped him from the lockers, the two of them landing on the floor and going at it, throwing as many punches as they could. The rest of the class stood from the seats and gathered as close as they could without interfering in the fight.

           As the two stood and continued to throw punches, I stood from my desk and got in between them, grabbing Jungkook by the shoulders. “Stop fighting, you idiot!” I yelled at him and turned to give the bully a piece of my mind, just as he went to punch Jungkook again, missing and punching me instead. It knocked me off my feet and all I remember is Jungkook screaming my name, picking me up and rushing me to the nurse despite his own injuries.

           I smiled at the memory the picture of our matching black eyes brought me. All three of us got expelled that day, and I wasn’t surprised. Mine and Jungkook’s parents on the other hand, were furious. Friends who get expelled together, stay together. Jungkook wrote under the picture, and my heart ached at the thought that we were no longer friends.

           “Just leave me alone. You’re nothing but a nuisance.” His words rang through my head, bringing tears to my eyes just as it did the day he said them.

 Jungkook’s Point of View

         Before I could say anything else, she was out of the apartment. The guys just looked at me with disapproving stares and shook their heads. “What? She’s just being sensitive. She’ll get over it.” I shrugged my shoulders and went to the balcony for fresh air.

           “You fucked up, and I know you know that.” Namjoon said, stepping beside me and leaned on the banister, looking between the night sky and me. “What even happened between you two? You said she used to be your best friend.” I scoffed and looked down to my hands and laughed at the memories of our friendship.

           “We just grew apart.” I shrugged, sparing him a quick glance.

           “That doesn’t cause this kind of animosity. You know the real reason; you’re just scared to admit it.” With that, he clapped me on the shoulder and went back inside, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

           We sat across each other at the library, our books spread out in front of us. Despite taking different majors, we decided to study together as a way to keep up our daily hang outs. I looked up at her as she let out a quiet but very frustrated sigh and threw her pencil onto the table. She brought her feet up and curled up on the chair, wrapping her arms around her legs and placing her head on her knees, pouting at me. She looked so cute, so beautiful, and I couldn’t stop these growing feelings. “Can we stop for today and go get something to eat?” She asked, still pouting at me.

           “Let’s go, my treat.” Her face brightened at my answer and she quickly packed all of her study materials into her bag. How is it possible for one person to possess so much cuteness? I took her bag from her before she could sling it over her shoulder and the two of us made our way to our new favourite diner just off campus.

           I snapped a picture of her as her face lit up at the food placed in front of her. I smiled at the picture, basking in just how absolutely adorable she is. As we sat across from each other in comfortable silence as we ate, I came to terms with the fact that I was falling in love with my best friend.

           I fell in love with her. And I was okay with that fact until Mark came along and stole, then later broke, her heart. I thought I could watch her be happy, but knowing it wasn’t me she loved tore me to pieces and I pushed her away.

           I walked into Jin’s place just wanting to raid his fridge for something to eat besides ramen. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Y/N crying into Jin’s chest. The smile on my face quickly faded at the sight and I went to sit on the other side of her, but I had to remind myself I pushed her away. I had to keep her at arms length. “Ah, if it isn’t our least favourite drama queen.” I sneered and made my way to the kitchen.

           “Not today, Jeon.” Her words were barely coherent, but I knew her, I knew exactly what she said. Jin shut me up as I opened my mouth to say something else.

           “Seriously, Jungkook. Today is not the day.” Hearing his aggressive tone, which was very rare coming from Jin, I apologized and made my way out, deciding to go to Namjoon and Yoongi’s place.

           “Anyone know what’s going on with Y/N?” I asked as I entered and went right to the fridge.

           “Went to Jin’s?” Namjoon asked from the couch. I nodded as I closed the fridge, some leftovers in my hand. “Y/N found Mark with her roommate, in her bed.” The container of food fell from my hands as shock and anger took over my body. “Yoongi, Taehyung, and Jimin went to her dorm to pack up her things. Hoseok is setting up his spare room for her. I was at Jin’s with her, but I too got kicked out.” He updated me on the happenings of our friend group, but I couldn’t calm the anger flooding through my veins.

           I stormed out of the place before Namjoon could stop me and went on the hunt for Mark. No way was this piece of shit getting away with what he did.

           I looked down to my hands again, my right hand bandaged from the fight I got into with Mark two weeks ago. He had the most beautiful, kind-hearted, caring, smart and funny girl I had ever met, and he threw her away. She’s the kind of girl that always puts her friends first. She even cares about me, even after all I’ve done to her. She’s the girl you bring home to your family, and they end up loving her more than you. But that’s okay because you love her too. She’s the girl you picture your future with. A wedding and a family. Coming home after a long day at work and all your troubles disappear as soon as you see her.

           And I looked at her and said Mark cheated on her because she’s annoying. All she asked was why I fought him. I couldn’t tell her, so I ignored her, as impossible as that is. She kept pestering and the words fell from my lips before I could stop them. I regretted them as soon as they were in the air, but I had to stand my ground. “Fuck.” I said to myself.

           I stormed back into the apartment and then left out the front door before anyone could say anything. And then I started running. I ran as fast as I could all the way to the apartment she shared with Hoseok. I banged on the door as I caught my breath, yelling her name, not caring about the neighbours hearing me.

           “What the fuck, Jeon Jungkook!” She exclaimed as she threw open the door. As soon as I saw her, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I cupped her face and kissed her. I put in all the feelings I’ve been holding in into the kiss, expecting her to push me off any second, but she didn’t. Slowly, I pulled away from the kiss and brought her into my arms.

           “I am so fucking sorry.” I whispered.

           “Again I ask, what the fuck, Jeon Jungkook.” She said, a lot calmer than before, as she pulled away from me and looked up at me in confusion.

           “He had the girl of my fucking dreams and then had the nerve to toss her away like she was nothing, when she’s my fucking everything. That’s why I fought Mark. He wasn’t getting away with breaking your heart, not on my watch.” I spit out the first thing that came to mind. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at me.

            “You are probably one of the dumbest people I know, Jeon Jungkook.” Her words were harsh, but her tone was soft. “Did you really revert to a child who shows he likes someone by teasing them?” I gave her a shy smile as I casually shrugged my shoulders.

           “I didn’t want to see you with Mark.” I admitted and she started hitting me in the chest lightly. I chuckled as I grabbed her hands to stop her and make her look at me. “I’m sorry I’m an idiot. An idiot in love with his best friend.”

           “I missed you. You hurt me over and over again. Yet any time anything happened, I wanted to turn to you.” She told me and I apologized again before bringing her in for another hug. “I guess I’m also an idiot who’s in love with her best friend.” She whispered into my chest. I kissed the top of her head and held her tighter, whispering to her that I wasn’t letting her go.

[nona-piccolo]

Princes of Hell AU

Princes of Hell AU

Warnings: none, unless the mention of “hell” and demons bothers you

This is my own little AU where Obey Me brothers are genuinely princes of hell, and each of them occupy a Circle of Hell where the damned come to be eternally punished; there is no school, there is no RAD, and there is no funny banter 😈 When I had first played Obey Me, I always imagined a more darker story to the brothers, ones that involve fighting and action, and less of the romance aspect, especially since they are in fact demons, and each of them possess the burden of a sin. I always just thought it would be interesting to view them in a reign of power for a territory of their own. I also really really wanted to speak about the boys’ abilities and powers, so their strengths and combat is also talked about.

Please enjoy my little indulgence!

Okay so hear me out, there are seven rings of hell that occupy the space of the underworld. The worse of a person you had been on earth, the further into the ring you get placed in--- this also deals with the punishment that is endured. To put it simply, the rings are formed from 1 to 7: 1 being the least terrifying, while being placed in ring 7 is reserved for the worst and scummiest human beings. Taking off from there then, that leads us to the very first prince and owner of the 1st circle of hell:

Leviathan - 1st Circle of Hell:

They call this place Sheol. One thing that greatly differs Leviathan’s circle compared to the others is that fact that his circle is not a physical layer. There is no land. In fact, Leviathan's layer is almost sea-like, with spirits floating through the sky and composed of a sea of high whines of envy. The misty green layer is also the largest part of hell, considering it is the outer-most layer of the circle and takes up the most surface area. Leviathan is comfortable in his true form here (a giant beastly Leviathan) with eyes filled with envy to roam his territory. Leviathan is a powerful being, able to summon and control hideous demonic ocean creatures to do his bidding. His brothers are cautious if ever caught in a fight with him; Leviathan’s control can absolutely crush and overflood the other circles of hell. Many are terrified of him, and rumors had gone around saying he has the potential to become 2nd, maybe even 1st strongest of the Devildom, but his downfall and probably biggest weakness, is the time he spends moping about the things he doesn't have. The feeling of envy has crippled him to a pathetic and whiny ruler. Still, he appears to be one of the best of his brothers, as he doesn’t need to do much to care for the crying souls that wander around lifeless.

Asmodeus - 2nd Circle of Hell:

They call the 2nd Circle of Hell Dis--- the most laid back circle of all of them. Yes, even more so than Leviathan’s. Now you may think it would be odd, especially for Asmodeus’s circle to be placed where it is. But the people bound here for all eternity have the guilty pleasure of what Asmodeus finds entertaining. All demons and humans there are not tortured, with no laws, and given the ability to do whatever it is they desire. He likes to be surrounded by succubi and incubbi almost constantly. Asmo hates humans the least, and feels no need to want revenge. Being in hell and stripped of everything is punishment enough for him. Talking about abilities, Asmodeus himself would say that he isn’t fit for physical combat. Instead, he was given the ability to charm any creature or non creature he sees fit. With just a look in his eyes, he commands every bone in their bodies. Very few people are immune to this charm, but every once in a millennia he will meet someone who doesn't fall to his charm. This bothers him immensely.

Belphegor - 3rd Circle of Hell: 

Gehhena. That is the name of his circle. Opposite to his twin brother Beelzebub, Belphegor has a barren land of almost nothingness... Everything is shrouded with sloth, to the point where not even the air moves. Too lazy to make changes to his kingdom, there is a constant stagnation within his circle. His followers are left sitting there with nothing except constant loneliness and nothing to ease their boredom. Belphegor, the ruler that he is, sleeps on his throne any moment he can, and the crazed state he left his followers in have caused them to struggle with each other on who will get the throne. They feel they will go crazy if no one takes up Belphegor’s place. And so they plan to take his throne. Acting like he doesn't know about the plan to overthrow him, Belphie is pleased to spend all of eternity with the entertainment of watching his underlings argue to no end on who should sit on his throne. Belph doesn't seem like the brightest, especially due to his dozing and sleeping, but perhaps that's where he and Mammon are able to catch opponents off guard. Being underestimated is what Belph depends on, and frankly he seems to enjoy it just as much. He is the youngest of his brothers, and therefore the weakest physically, but his ability can be powerful in controlling what happens in other's dreams. This demon does his dirty work in the dream realm, having full and complete capabilities to cause disaster in his enemies through during their most vulnerable moments--- sleep. His constant state of sleep can ease others into a sleeping death, where the dream realm becomes Belphegor's greatest strength. He feels no need to try and climb the ranks higher. He is content where he is.

Mammon - 4th Circle of Hell:

Pandaemonium is the name of Mammon’s circle. Perhaps the greatest designed circle of hell, Mammon's image of what he wanted hell to look like is what came true on his land. He has complete control of what he wishes his kingdom will look like. As a great architect, he believes that hell could be just as great as heaven, and tried to prove it to Lucifer by designing Lucifer's very castle. Mammon’s land is filled with enormous landmarks and sky scrapers that appear to touch the stars. His circle of hell has the most impressive buildings and works of art, truly impressive to look at, but... as a ruler, Mammon isn't too good. There are still so many unfinished buildings and projects that he has abandoned in order for his subjects to mine and work in labor for eternity, finding the greatest diamonds and jewels within the ground to bring back to Mammon's castle. They needed to keep their master rich somehow. The work loads for his followers keeps increasing with every little thing Mammon craves for. More and more buildings, more and more diamonds, he can never get enough of it. Although rarely any violence ensures, his underlings constantly screw each other over in order to survive. And like his followers, Mammon is not particularly violent. In fact he shows more of a masochistic side, letting other people take out their frustration on him. This is ironic, due to Mammon's main ability being his luck. Among other demons and humans, his sheer luck and ability to gamble come in handy for him; getting him out of situation after situation. In the battlefield, he is often used as a decoy, his luck coming in handy to miss fatal wounds and strikes. It is also said Mammon's speed can rival Beelzebub's, yet he seems to run even faster if it's to get away from trouble. 

Beelzebub - 5th Circle of Hell:

Beelzebub’s circle was named Tantarus, or better yet the Tantarus Pit. It is a massive swamp, and with basically an "eat or be eaten" policy. His people are desperate in getting whatever they can in their search for sustainability. Although not particularly strict, Beel's attitude of eating whatever he wants can become a scary factor. He has many good cooks enslaved, whom make meals for him almost constantly. Much like Mammon, the people in the 4th circle of hell are forced into an everlasting workload. Yet unlike Mammon, Beelzebub has been known to get impatient, sometimes swallowing up the nearest thing he can find--- whether it’s a person, or the dinner table. He does not purposefully seek out trouble though, and prefers to keep to himself--- or with Belphegor. His circle is too far from Belphie, much to Beelzebub’s dismay, but Lucifer had simply brushed it off and told him he needed to deal with it. With super strength and speed, Beel is by far the physically strongest of his brothers. His frightening stature, height, and gluttony puts him at the very top of the list for being intimidating. Along with the constant intake of food, he makes sure to exercise and keep the bounds of muscles he has solidified on his body.

Satan - 6th Circle of Hell:

Satan owns the circle of Malebolge. There are two sides in Malebolge, and both sides are at constant war with each other. The pain and horror of war is everlasting and perpetual. Satan trains his people for the day they get a chance to attack the Celestial Realm. It is by far the most violent and frightening circle of hell. Satan is a monster fuming with hatred and insults. His control over his wrath had been let go a long time ago; he had let it overwhelm him and take control. To the point where Satan’s very presence on the battle field freezes opponents up in their tracks. Continuing to fight Satan for more than a few minutes will trigger his ability. He had all of eternity to practice thinking clearly through his anger and wrath--- it is no longer a roadblock to him. But he uses this as his greatest weapon. Fighting Satan for longer than a few minutes will provoke a growing rage inside of you; like the pressure of a dam against the heavy weight of water. His opponent will begin to think unclearly--- they will feel frustration and rage, giving Satan a chance to strike them down. Skilled and precise, he taught himself to suppress anything other than the rage he feels in order to kill more efficiently. Unlike his brothers, Satan prefers to use a sword in battle, and he can do so both methodically and elegantly (particularly Archangel Michael's sword that had fallen into Heaven with his other brothers).

Lucifer - 7th Circle of Hell:

Of course, the last and most dreadful circle of hell is reserved for Lucifer himself. Cocytus is what he had called it. This circle occupies the smallest space, taking the very center of the ring he and his brothers had formed. In the very middle lies Lucifer’s giant castle he had built just for himself. Lucifer's castle Helviti is where he stays, and where his most valuable followers and favorites live. The castle is all Lucifer really needs to be content. There are dreadful winds here, the cold and winter storms are drastically below freezing temperatures, keeping and reminding him that he could never ascend to the warmth of the Celestial Realm. So he is glad to have a warm place to stay in order to keep out the numbing weather. His people however... are left in a biting state of paralysis from the freezing cold; left out of the castle to rot. The most powerful of his brothers, Lucifer's cunning behavior and strict attitude are just added weapons alongside his ability of energy manipulation. Two of his six wings were disintegrated from his fall from Heaven to hell, and turned from a pure white to a rich black. He is also the only one who can control Cerberus, an enormous three-headed dog he keeps right by his side.

[alloftheimaginesblog]

Be My Date {Blaise Zabini x Plus Size Reader}

Plot: Requested by anon: Blaise Zabini finds you (Slytherin!Plus Size!Reader) fascinating and asks you to the Yule Ball. You reject him thinking that he’s making fun of you but he goes out of his way to show you that he’s serious.

Character: Blaise Zabini x Slytherin!Plus Size!Reader

Note: probably OOC of Blaise’s character

Part of my Plus Size Character x Reader series!

As the Yule Ball grew closer, your dread grew larger. Your friends and the majority of the people at Hogwarts were excited for it, there was rarely ever an event like this so it was pretty major. Girls excitedly whispered in the hallways about who would ask them to the dance and you... well, you tried to not think about it. You believed that no one would ask you. No one, especially not any of the boys, had ever paid much attention to you before so why would they start now?

That was until you heard someone clear their throat behind you in the Common Room. It was Blaise Zabini. You were in the same year as him and sat beside him in a couple of classes but you’d never really spoken to him. He was one of Malfoy’s crew and you tended to stay away from them. Malfoy was a bully so you expected all of his friends to be like that.

“Hi,” Blaise smiled. You raised your eyebrows, it was odd to see him smile for a change, “How are you?”

You looked around, waiting to see Malfoy and cronies laughing but instead saw no one, “I’m alright, thanks.”

“Have you finished Flitwick’s essay yet?” He asked, fiddling with the watch on his wrist, “I haven’t but if you wanted to study together and do it then-”

“I’ve just finished it,” you told him. It was a lie. You hadn’t finished it and the idea of a study partner actually seemed quite nice but you were suspicious of why he was suddenly talking to you now. Surely it was some sort of prank?

“Oh, right... Have you got a date for the Yule Ball yet?” You shook your head, “Would you like to be my date?”

You couldn’t hide the surprise on your face, “Your date?” You asked incredulously. Why now, out of all the months and years you’d been here, had he just decided to ask you out? Why not speak to you before now to build some sort of rapport before just blatantly asking you out? You looked around, once again waiting to see Malfoy laughing in the corner but no one was there. You didn’t believe it though.

A pang of hurt ran through you. You figured he was asking you out to make fun of you, it had happened before with a Gryffindor boy and you wouldn’t fall for it again. People teased you about your weight, making snide comments behind your back (or some to your face) so you wouldn’t put it past Malfoy and Parkinson to send Blaise over here to ask you out as a joke. 

You scoffed, “Think I’m gonna fall for that?” Your voice was angry and Blaise knew that he’d upset you instantly, “Bugger off and tell Malfoy that he’s a prat.”

Blaise shook his head, “No, no, you misunderstand me. It’s not Malfoy’s idea-”

“Okay so tell Parkinson or Goyle or whoever the fuck it was to leave me alone. I’m sick of you all thinking you’re so hot and thinking I’m the ugliest thing just cause I’m fat. Grow up, Zabini!” Anger ran hot through you and angry tears burned at your eyes. You grabbed your belongings and stormed off to your dorm room, you’d finish your essay in peace.

Blaise sighed as he watched you leave, “It’s not a joke...” He muttered feebly, “I fancy you.”

The following day, Blaise decided to try something else. He’d gotten up early that morning, knowing that you were usually one of the first people awake and in the Common Room, and went to the Great Hall where breakfast was being set up. He grabbed a mug and poured it full of hot chocolate, knowing that your favourite drink in the mornings was a cup of hot chocolate. Surely, you’d get the point now that this wasn’t some sort of sick joke.

He was back in the Common Room as you were just walking down the stairs. You groaned when you saw him. It wasn’t that you didn’t like him, you never knew him, but you didn’t trust his motives. You didn’t trust Malfoy. Blaise gave you a warm smile, when he smiled it changed his face completely, and placed the warm mug on the table, “I know you like hot chocolate in the mornings, I thought I’d go get some and bring it to you.”

You eyed the boy suspiciously, “How do you know I like that?”

“I see you every morning head straight for it.”

You peered over the mug of hot chocolate, grasping it tightly, loving the warmth, and raising it to your lips; the smell was tantalising. You opened your eyes, “Have you poisoned this?”

To be honest, he was a little offended, “What? No, no way. You didn’t believe my intentions were true so I’m trying to show you that they are.” He sighed, “Look, I know we’re not friends but I’m hoping to change that. I... I fancy you.”

Your face softened as you looked at him, he looked like he was telling the truth but... you slammed the mug down causing it to spill onto the table a little, “Tell Malfoy that this act this morning was more convincing but I’m not falling for it.”

“(y/n), please!”

“No, Blaise!” You yelled, probably waking up some of the dorms, “You expect me to believe you like me when for the last few years, Malfoy and his friends has made fun of me day in and day out because of my weight. Do you expect me to believe that this isn’t some sick trick? I don’t know you, you’ve never spoken to me before so how can you like me? You don’t know me! I don’t know you so no. Stop this stupid act and leave me alone!”

You stormed out of the Common Room. You’d skip breakfast today and try and clear your head with a walk around the grounds of Hogwarts. Blaise puffed out a frustrated breath as he watched you leave, “How do I convince you I’m telling the truth?”

A few days later, the Yule Ball was fast approaching. Blaise had stayed out of your way so you figured you’d finally gotten through to him. You figured that he’d told Malfoy to stop it, that you weren’t playing now. You felt bad that you’d chewed him out like that but if you were right about your suspicions then he deserved it. It was a Saturday so it was Hogsmeade day. Everyone would be shopping for dresses. You were in two minds whether or not to get one, you weren’t even sure you wanted to go now.

You’d been walking in silence along the streets of Hogsmeade when someone grabbed your arm and tugged you into an alleyway. With a yelp, you grabbed your wand, pointing it into the person’s face, “Blaise?! What the hell?!”

He held his hands up, “It’s only me, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You thought yanking me into a dodgy alley wasn’t going to scare me?” You pocketed your wand, “What do you want?”

“I wanted a third chance,” he said, “I wanted to show you that I’m being serious about liking you.”

You scoffed and rolled your eyes. You were about to speak when he pulled something out of his pocket, “What’s that?”

“Veritaserum.”

“The truth serum?”

He nodded, “I pinched it from Snape’s cupboard. I didn’t know how else to convince you that I’m telling the truth.” Your eyebrows furrowed as you looked at him and then the bottle, “I need you to know the truth.” With that, he opened the bottle and took a swig.

“You did not just do that,” a bubble of laughter came from your lips.

“I did. Let’s go for a walk and you can ask me all the questions you like, yeah?” You agreed and began walking in silence, “You’re not allowed to ask about embarrassing stuff.”

“What were your intentions when you asked me to the Yule Ball?” You asked looking down at the ground.

“I wanted you to be my date. I fancy you. I asked you because I felt it was time to tell you.”

“Did Malfoy put you up to it?”

“Malfoy told me not to ask you out that you weren’t worth my time, I told him to shove off. He told me he’d tell his dad.”

A smile pulled at your lips, “You like me?”

Blaise turned to you, “I’ve liked you for ages.”

“Why’d you never speak to me before now then?”

“I tried. I slipped that note into your Potions book last year anonymously telling you to meet me in the Astronomy Tower, I overheard you say to your friends about it but you thought it was them winding you up. I should’ve told you then but... sometimes you’re a bit intimidating.”

You couldn’t help the laughter, “I’m intimidating?!”

“(y/n), the other day when you ripped me to shreds was terrifying. I thought you were going to hex me!”

“I’m sorry,” you laughed, “that’s too funny.” You fell into silence before you asked, “Why me?”

“I think you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve seen. You’re funny, kind; you’re feisty and intimidating but it’s hot as hell.” Your cheeks burned as he continued, “You think that you’re undesirable because of your weight or because some idiot asked you out as a date. He’s a dick, Malfoy’s a dick. You’re so beautiful, you don’t even realise how gorgeous you are!”

“You mean that?”

“Every single world.”

“Ask me again,” you said quietly.

“Ask you what?”

“Ask me... to the Yule Ball again.”

Blaise grinned, “(y/n), be my date to the Yule Ball.”

With a breath, and a leap of faith, you nodded, “Okay, I’ll be your date.”

Blaise’s smile was wider than you’d ever seen as he thanked you for trusting him, “I promise I won’t let you down.”

[unlocktxt]

↬ prompt: #15 “walk out that door and we’re through.”, #27 “you should’ve loved me when you had the chance.” ✧˖°

one | two

member: yeonjun

genre: angst, fluff

word count: 3k

warning: minor cussing, mentions hospital and passing out

it had been almost two years since you’ve last seen yeonjun. it had been a year since that first breath of fresh air. you were living a much better life and moved on... at least that’s what you initially thought.

you were working in your newly owned cafe that took a while for you to open... and used up all your savings. it was worth it though because you were living your dream and it was going well.

the fresh aroma of newly made coffee filled the air as the small quiet chatter decorated with keyboard types added to the modern cafe. you loved welcoming new people and having conversations with your regulars.

when the day wasn’t busy you’d sit down behind the counter reading a book, like you were now. it was a new hobby you picked up after watching people in your cafe read during a busy day. they just seemed so... peaceful. now you understood why. it sucked you into a whole new world.

you were so intrigued by the book that you nearly missed the small cough to get your attention. you must’ve missed the door opening.

when getting up off of the stool you set the hard book down on the counter. you grabbed some hand sanitizer at the front after fixing your hair and finally walked to the counter slowly before wearing a small genuine smile.

the first thing you happened to see was the blonde hair... the second being the face of your ex best friend that broke your heart. your heart could’ve given up on you right then, feeling it drop to your stomach before alerting you of life with continuous beating.

you made eye contact with the same coffee brown eyes that could warm anyone on the inside. everyone except you in this very moment.

“i- y/n?” he questioned as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. you were frozen in place, shocked at life trying to force you to face your past head on.

all he brought you was an empty feeling- a pit in your stomach. whether that be from nostalgia or a bad memory... you couldn’t tell.

“ah...” your smile was no longer genuine, kind of awkward as you looked down, “hi yeonjun.”

“right... sorry. i heard this was a new cafe that makes some killer coffee, so i wanted to stop by...”

he was rambling and you were zoning out. staring at your fingers that played with each other, staring at your brown apron that didn’t do a very good job at hiding you. unlike a year ago, you weren’t filled with anger that gave you confidence.

“um... how much will that be?” you were snapped back into reality, looking up at him with wide eyes. shit.

“sorry... could you repeat your order.” you laughed nervously as yeonjun softly smiled at you nodding politely.

he was acting completely different than the boy he used to be, but you couldn’t trust it.

“can i get a caramel-”

“macchiato.” you smiled typing it into the computer in front of you before realizing what you just did.

“you still remember.” he looked at you with big hopeful eyes that could lure you in at any given point.

“lucky guess,” you lied, “i like to connect with my customers.” you shrugged, watching the hope in his eyes only grow. maybe you shouldn’t of said that.

“that’ll be three dollars and sixty-four cents. are you paying with cash or card?” it was your basic line that everyone got, but it was different because you knew he would be paying with cash.

“cash...” he handed you the five dollar bill, “so when did you start working here?” he asked trying to start small talk- anything to get you to talk to him.

“i actually opened this place a month ago.” you explained while opening the cash register.

“keep the change.” he stopped to look at your hands, which stopped grabbing the change, before looking back up at you. “oh? it looks amazing.” he looked around, taking in the people around him and the plants that were scattered around. he took notice of the bar area that sat in front of the coffee machines.

“thank you. your coffee will be right out.” you let out a breath of fresh air when he walked away. you just wanted him gone as soon as possible.

you walked away from the counter to grab a cup before adding two pumps of caramel syrup. when you filled the ports filter with the powdered coffee you felt eyes on you, leading you to meet eyes with yeonjun who sat at the bar watching you peacefully. it was as if he was daydreaming and he happened to cause you to press down a little too hard on the coffee.

you ignored his watching eyes as you finished making his coffee, rolling your eyes as you added the caramel drizzle. you now regret not calling anyone into work today, but you were closing early today.

you were careful not to spill the hot cup of coffee when you walked over to yeonjun.

“thank you.” he smiled warmly before grabbing the coffee from you.

you were going to walk away after nodding until he called you back.

“yes yeonjun.” you seethed through a tight smile as you looked at him. now you were getting irritated.

“can we talk?” he asked with pleading eyes that stared into your soul. it could break you, but you wouldn’t let it.

“i’m working right now yeonjun. remember it’s called being professional.” you couldn’t help the attitude that escaped you. he hurt you and it wasn’t that easy, but the way shoulders dropped as his eyes stared at you in longing still made your heart sink.

he was quiet after that, finishing up his coffee before leaving you to read your book. even when he left you couldn’t focus on the words that were spread across the pages.

it was finally six in the afternoon and the cafe was empty, only occupied with you. it was already getting dark out, so you hurriedly closed up the shop- not forgetting to grab your beige coat.

you closed the door behind you, finally locking the door. you looked up at the small lights in the sky, reminding you to take some time to appreciate the night sky.

it was chilly out, so you didn’t have time to sit and look at the stars this night.

“it’s cold out. take my jacket.” you jumped away from yeonjun’s sudden voice. he was leaning against the building while holding out his jacket.

you stared at the jacket. even though you were cold you would never give him the satisfaction of helping you out. not again.

“i have my coat on. how long were you out here?” you watched with cautious eyes as he threw the jacket on once more. he was looking at you with a serious look.

“now can we talk?” he asked with his pleading eyes that shone in the moonlight. how could the moon be on his side?

you sighed, you already knew your answer, but despite what he did you still cared. “i don’t know yeonjun... it’s cold out and i need to get home.” you could tell he just wanted a chance, but you knew better. you don’t know if you were strong enough to look him in the eye and leave him again.

“please y/n... i can drive you home.” he reached out for your hands, but stopped before looking at you hesitantly. you backed up a bit.

“i’m sorry yeonjun... i drove here myself. have a good week.” you turned around only to be stopped by his words.

“just... let me walk you to your car.” his voice had lost all of its hope. you just hoped he wouldn’t talk to you on the way to your car.

you sighed before nodding. you didn’t wait for a reply before walking to your car. it was a short walk, but yeonjun had been quiet the whole way. you weren’t used to his silence, but then again you haven’t seen him in a year.

he stood beside your car while you hopped in, ready to leave him behind. when you turned your keys and your car made a funny sound you couldn’t help but cry to the sky. why me? why now? you had tried to start your car repeatedly to no avail.

“i... i can take you home.” yeonjun offered in a quiet voice as he watched you take out your frustrations on your car.

you huffed. “fine...” you stepped out of your car, slamming the door to try and tell your car to get its shit together.

yeonjun had to bite his lip to hold back his victory smile. oh his luck, but he knew that luck wasn’t enough to get you back in his life.

he led you over to his tesla that caused you to roll your eyes. you really had no reason to roll them other than you “hated” him and he was rich.

his car heated up quickly, so you were able to take your coat off and relax despite the tense air that you probably created. he was quiet as he drove away from the parking lot- causing you to groan. anything was better than this silence.

“what did you want to talk about?” you asked looking out the window at the street lights and people roaming around the city streets. from your peripheral vision you could see yeonjun quickly turn his head to look at you and then back at what was ahead of him.

“i wanted to say i’m sorry for what i did.” he licked his lips- a nervous habit of his that you picked up on years ago.

“thank you for your apology, but i can’t trust it.” in an attempt to stay strong you didn’t look at him... even if it was the one thing you wanted to hear from him.

“i know and you have every reason not to trust me, but i’d like to prove it to you.” he gripped the steering wheel tighter trying to keep his courage.

“i don’t know about that yeonjun...” you sat still, but you couldn’t help shifting your feet.

“y/n please look at me. just one more chance. i’ve changed... i’ll prove it to you.” he was waiting for you to look at him. he knew your weakness with him and he was using it against you. despite knowing this you looked at him.

his eyes were glistening from the tears forming in his eyes. it caused your heart to clench because you rarely ever saw him cry. thinking that you were the cause of it... you don’t really know how you felt. you’ve waited for this moment, but why couldn’t you tell him to go fuck himself?

you took a deep breath knowing you would regret this, “okay. one more chance and just friends.” yeonjun’s shoulders relaxed immediately, staring back at the road.

“thank you.” he wore a soft smile... almost like the yeonjun that you became friends with in the first place.

you awoke to your door ringing. you didn’t have to work today, so you were looking forward to the day. instead of letting yesterday ruin your day today, you decided to avoid the topic as a whole.

when you opened your door though, you had to face it head on. yeonjun stood at your door in a hoodie and sweats with red carnations in his hand. the flowers looked lovely, but they confused you.

“sorry... is this too much?” he smiled with a nervous look on his face. at least he was trying.

“just a little... but it’s a nice gesture.” you took the flowers from him and invited him inside.

“sorry i actually have something to do today, but i wanted to say hi.” you didn’t even have time to say goodbye before he was out the door. it was odd, but you didn’t mind it. you had other things on your mind.

the red flowers looked nice in the vase, but you resisted the urge to feel any certain way from his gesture.

you were waiting on your couch for your crush to come and watch a movie with you. you had cooked popcorn and baked some cookies for tonight, so you definitely were prepared.

the blankets were nicely placed on the couch and you wanted to let him pick out the movie. the two of you had been on plenty of dates, but never made it official... you were hoping today was the day.

when the doorbell rang you jumped up from your couch and scurried your way over to your door. when you opened it you were met with his charming smile to which you returned.

“soobin! here come in! it’s getting chilly.” you step aside for the tall boy who dressed comfortably for today. despite his lazy clothes he looked even more amazing and you wished you could call him yours.

when he walked in he took note of the flowers that he didn’t bring you on the counter. you noticed his eyes, so you laughed.

“don’t worry about those. they’re from an old friend.” you grabbed his hand to reassure him and lead him to the couch. he smiled, trusting you and letting you lead him to the couch.

“so what are we watching?” he asked you while wrapping his arm around you. he was warm and similar to a teddy bear.

“that is actually for you to decide.” you handed him the remote, which caused him to evilly grin as he skipped right past the horror movies. you were slightly grateful that he was a scaredy cat.

after scrolling through many many movies, the two of you were now watching lady and the tramp. any chance you got the two of you would point of your favorite parts, including the siamese cats that had you laughing on soobin’s chest.

“hey y/n...” you hummed at his melodic voice.

“i really-” he stopped as your phone vibrated on the table. an old picture of yeonjun showed up with his name causing soobin to look at you questionably. the two of you started out as friends, so he knew what had happened.

you hung up the phone almost immediately before urging soobin to continue, however, the phone vibrated once more. you apologized to soobin before picking up the phone as he looked at you in disapproval.

“y/n i need you... my mom’s in the hospital and i don’t know what to do.” your heart dropped to your stomach as your eyes widened. you looked at soobin before getting up.

“okay yeonjun i’ll be right there just send me the hospital.” you hung up before looking at soobin apologetically.

“i’m so sorry soobin, but i really have to go.” you were still in your pajamas from this date, but you didn’t want to waste any time so you only grabbed a coat.

“i see... you’re with yeonjun again.” soobin looked down at the ground. “you know he’s not good for you.” soobin looked back at you in disappointment, but it was obvious he was hurt.

“it’s not like that. i really have to go. i’ll call you later.” you opened the door, letting soobin let himself out later.

“walk out that door and we’re through.” soobin hated to do this to you, but he didn’t want to see you hurt again. he wanted to be the one that you would drop everything for.

“soobin... i really can’t do this right now.” you walked out the door with a feeling all to familiar. despite feeling guilty for leaving soobin like that... you still cared for yeonjun. he was your friend for years.

you rushed inside the hospital, immediately spotting yeonjun’s blonde hair. as soon as he saw you- you pulled him in for a hug. he held you right and you held him even tighter.

his eyes were red so you rubbed his back to provide some type of comfort before the two of you sat down.

“what happened yeonjun?” you asked while holding his hands. you were looking into his glazed eyes that looked frantic.

“i don’t know... i found her passed out on the floor.” you squeezed his hands trying to reassure him that things would be fine.

it wasn’t long before the nurse called for yeonjun and you were stuck in the waiting room alone. taking this time alone, you tried to call soobin, but he didn’t pick up. you would’ve been worried if yeonjun didn’t distract you almost immediately from his quick return.

he had still been crying, but he had a smile on.

“she’s going to be okay.” he choked out sobs as he looked at you shaking. it was in this moment that you realized you still loved him. it was this moment that you realized that you would drop everything for him... including your heart.

“that’s a relief.” you smiled lovingly at his red face.

“y/n... you came here for me.” he brought it to your attention, but you already knew why. the fear set in quickly.

“i-”

“i think i’m in love with you y/n” his words covered your body in ice. you were frozen. the words that you wanted to hear years ago...

“you should’ve loved me when you had the chance.” you sighed before shaking your head. “that’s what i planned on telling you for months, but i’ve realized that... i’m still in love with you.”

yeonjun’s face lit up. he wasn’t expecting something like this, especially given the circumstances, but he was just glad that you still loved him. he didn’t miss his chance.

“however... i don’t know for sure if you’ve changed.” you fiddled with your hands trying to knock some sense into yourself.

“that’s okay... all i need is some time.” he grabbed your hands once more before looking in your eyes. his eyes were still red, but they were determined.

perhaps you would let this man drive you to hell and back.

[inkribbon796]

My Favorite Human Ch. 1: Blood and Fears

Summary: When Henrik gets in trouble someone unexpected comes to his rescue.

Chapters: 1, 2, 3

It’s rare that Henrik is ever grateful for Anti presence, or even his mere existence. These days he had resigned himself to Anti’s almost unceasing stalking and nothing coming from it.

Half of the time, Henrik wondered if this was some long von to pull him into a false sense of security. It had been going on for so long, however Henrik seriously doubted he wanted anything that dangerous because Anti had done anything more than startle him for months now.

Today, Henrik was very grateful, but Anti had pissed off a lot of the wrong people this week, and because the universe hated him four thugs ambushed him outside the hospital instead of Anti. Usually Henrik had his lunch in the hospital cafe, but today he wanted a change of pace and paid for it. He was heading through the parking lot to grab something from one of the nearby food trucks.

A man in a hood walked up to Henrik as he was heading out, double checking his pager. He noticed how suspicious the man was, right before he decked Henrik right across the face. The hit broke his nose and almost knocked his glasses off his face.

In anger, Henrik started cursing at him before the man tried to punch him again. Henrik was quicker to dodge. Both Henrik and Iplier had been taught self defense, so Henrik was able to defend himself until three other people walked up and one of them pulled out a gun.

Henrik pulled up his arms in surrender as he was punched again. The German doctor braced to get shot but before he could Anti came out of nowhere and slashed his claws across the gunman’s arm. He was glitching and screaming in fury.

The gun fired, slicing through only the empty air before the gunman screamed and dropped it. It caused the doctor and another thug to scramble for the gun but eventually Henrik had punched him and kicked the gun away.

After the gunman went down, the glitch jumped to another assailant and began slashing out another one while Henrik was just trying to disarm and knock out opponent.

By the end the four men were on the ground and Henrik was gasping to calm his racing heart and pull air back into his lungs. Adrenaline coursed through his veins.

Unfortunately for the doctor, Anti was still pent up from the fight and turned to the only other thing still standing: Henrik.

Henrik was starting to get his breathing back to normal before he was thrown again the side of a nearby car and a pair of clawed hands gripped around his throat.

It wasn’t enough to cut open his throat . . . yet! But Henrik could feel all ten points of Anti’s claws on his delicate human throat.

“HGHKKK!” Henrik choked out in alarm as Anti’s eyes locked with his and Henrik felt a shiver of paralysis start to come over him. Like some primitive vestige of his brain was trying to compel him to play dead.

There was a low, almost inaudible growl coming from Anti. Henrik felt it, instead of hearing it.

“Fook yeh,”[1] Anti told Henrik, Henrik’s neck starting to tilt at an awkward angle. “I could snap yer[2] neck. It’d be easy. Yah’d[3] be dead. Just . . . like . . . that.” At the last bit of his threat, his hand gripped onto his neck just a little tighter.

Henrik waited, for the snapping of bone and slicing of flesh.

But after a beat, Anti let go and air returned to Henrik’s lungs all at once. Henrik gasped and coughed as his brain and lungs fought for air again. His body sagging slightly against the car.

As Henrik coughed, Anti was just glaring at the wall next to the doctor in frustration.

“Vhy[4] did you do zat[5]?” Henrik coughed, his voice ragged.

“It should be fookin’[6] easy ta kill yah[7],” Anti told him instead. “I almost did it before. Yer[8] as human as they come.”

“Ja,”[9] Henrik agreed, massaging his neck. He dug around in his pockets for something to help the blood coming from his nose. “Zank you fer ze reminders. But vhy let me go?”[10]

“I like the idea ‘a yeh bein’ alive,”[11] Anti admitted, naturally getting back in Henrik’s personal space. He was looking for fear or for the doctor to flinch. He didn’t. “The others are so fookin’ borin’, but yer not.”[12]

“Me?” Henrik pointed to himself, confused.

“Yeah,” Anti scowled. “Yer[8] not afraid ‘a[13] me anymore.”

Henrik wasn’t sure if Anti wanted reassurance that he was someone that Henrik thought was absolutely terrifying, or if he should try and show the least amount of fear possible. “Vell, if you vere going to do some’zing to me, you vould have done it by now.”[14]

“Watch it, still got time ta[15] make yah[7] scared ‘a[13] me,” Anti threatened.

“Vell, it better be some’zing drastic zen, mine glitch,”[16] Henrik boasted, adjusting his glasses. The lack of attacks making Henrik brave and careless.

Anti had a plan, to really bring fear back into his eyes, but at the personalized nickname, his brain short circuited. He was just staring at Henrik’s smug face and he froze, forgetting what he was doing for a second it . . . needed to be drastic . . .

The glitch demon leaned in, and Henrik’s confidence wavered for a bit, sure that Anti was going to bite him. But instead, impulse crossed with some distant memory.

And for the second time that day, Anti stole Henrik’s breath away when their lips met.

Henrik froze and Anti quickly realized what he’d done, pulling away first. Henrik and the glitch just staring at each other.

“Uhhh,” Anti stalled.

“Scheiße,”[17] Henrik hissed, mostly to himself, before yanking Anti back in for a proper kiss before the glitch could think to disappear and not have to face Henrik directly after kissing him.

Anti glitched in surprise, causing a funny feeling along Henrik’s lips.

At first, Anti didn’t know how he felt about what was going on around him. This was sparking something in him. Some distant, time destroyed memory. Of lips against his and trouble on his heels.

While that memory was tickling his brain, it made Anti feel uncomfortable and vulnerable. A feeling that was slowly building until Anti couldn’t take it anymore.

“. . . Someone’s gonna[18] see . . .” There was phantom breath against his neck. Henrik’s lips were still against his, and the dual sensations were confusing his brain.

“. . . No one’s gonna[18] see if we’re quick, pretty boy . . .”

It was too much!

Anti grabbed Henrik by the front of his coat, pulling away and breathing heavily. His form glitched erratically.

“Anti?” Henrik asked in concern, noticing the wild and almost scared look in the demon’s eyes. “Are you okay?”

The demon met Henrik’s eyes before he shoved the doctor away. His form finally broke apart into pixels and disappeared into the night, Henrik left standing next to the unconscious, probably dead, thugs. Henrik quickly sent a text to Abe and waited long enough for a couple officers to show up.

Then Henrik went back into the hospital, mostly because he expected someone else to get hurt from one of the city’s many literal demons again.

He was right, but the day wasn’t nearly as busy as he feared it would be. Henrik even got to go back to the base on time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Post A/N: I might have just lost a bet with the Host. Anti made the first move, did not expect that. (No Host! That does not mean we’re canceling next week’s short! That’s not what we agreed on!)

Accessibility Translations:

1. Fuck you

2. your

3. You’d

4. Why

5. that

6. fucking

7. you

8. You’re

9. Yes

10. Thank you for the reminders. But why let me go?

11. I like the idea of you being alive

12. The others are so fucking boring, but you’re not.

13. of

14. Well, if you were going to do something to me, you would have done it by now.

15. to

16. Well, it better be something drastic then, my glitch

17. Shit

18. going to

[wherever-the-chaos-is]

Lan Wangji’s communication skills and other misunderstandings

I think Lan Wangji is good at talking and can express himself well. But he restrains himself from speaking his mind and his heart for various reasons or would prefer to express his intentions through action. Just because he’s quiet and introverted, doesn’t mean he’s bad at communicating.

I know there’s already a post explaining how Lan Wangji’s speech works in Chinese in terms of syntax and pragmatics, and I think that this can be translated well in English (or in other languages). To be able to pack as much meaning in as few words as possible and to be able to adjust your speech according to the receiver are such huge signs of intelligence, wit, and skill in any language, which is something Lan Wangji is able to accomplish.

Some of my favorite descriptions related to Lan Wangji’s way of expressing himself are the following:

Chapter 73:

"Lan WangJi rarely spoke when he was outside. Even when they debated cultivation techniques during Discussion Conferences, he only answered when others questioned or challenged him. With utmost concision, he overcame, without fault, the lengthy arguments of others. Apart from this, he almost never spoke up."

Chapter 120:

"It definitely wasn’t out of cutting corners that Lan WangJi’s comments were short. He wouldn’t slack off in the slightest way, no matter how simple the task was. Rather, it was his habit to be as concise as possible, no matter in words or writing." 

Chapter 94:

"Looking at him, Wei WuXian felt a place in his heart go soft. He also thought it was funny. This one’d been like this ever since he was young. When he wanted something, he never said anything on the surface, but rather chased after it as much as he could in his actions."

Chapter 64:

Wei WuXian, “If he doesn’t wish to talk about something then I won’t ask.”

Lan XiChen, “But, with WangJi’s personality, how could he say anything if you do not ask? There are some things that even if you ask him he would not say.”

Chapter 126:

Wei WuXian, “That’s more like it. Just say it if you want some. You’ve really been like this ever since you were young, holding everything in and never saying what you want.”

In chapters 54 and 55, Lan Wangji talks so much after having been pushed to his physical and mental limits, answering Wei Wuxian’s remarks in anger and frustration. Lan Wangji also talks at length when he tells a story or relays information like when he tells the public version of Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, and Xue Yang’s story in Chapter 29 and when he tells Wei Wuxian all about the Xuanwu of Slaughter also in chapters 54 and 55 (Seriously, go read those chapters. I can’t even quote it because Lan Wangji talks a lot and they have probably their longest conversations in the book in those chapters.)

Lan Wangji is also perceptive enough to know when he will not be understood the way he intends and can adjust himself well. 

Chapter 74:

Lan WangJi, “Speech is forbidden when dining.”

For Wen Yuan to understand, he repeated it again using simpler language, “Do not talk when you are eating.”

Wen Yuan quickly nodded and buried himself in the soup, not saying anything anymore.

When he is nervous, he can get a bit tongue-tied like the average person:

Chapter 111:

Lan WangJi stared straight at him. Something strange glowed in his eyes. He started, “Then…”

Wei WuXian, “Then what? Stopping in the middle of the sentence isn’t your style, Lan Zhan.”

To offer some comparison, Wei Wuxian who is even wittier, more verbose and just generally more talkative, also gets tongue-tied when nervous:

Chapter 95:

The surging heat finally began to retreat. Wei WuXian’s head was still dizzy as he rambled on, “In these two lives, you’ve helped me a lot. I know you’re… really nice to me. You’re really great! Apart from thank you, I don’t know what else to say to you… Anyways, towards you, I feel… I feel…”

But this wasn’t the point at all. Wei WuXian had never confessed like this to anyone before. Even someone whose face was as thick as his felt a bit embarrassed. He could only first pick a few random things to say. Just as he was thinking how to explain himself to make it sound sincere and serious when Lan WangJi suddenly pushed him away.

But once he is comfortable with someone or when his reasons for restraining himself are gone, he will speak his mind and heart. We can see this when he freely talks to Lan Xichen about the things Wei Wuxian has shared with him in Chapter 125. He can also be witty and a bit sassy, especially in the present time, as we can see everytime he throws Wei Wuxian’s words back at him or even makes subtle digs at Wei Wuxian:

Chapter 21:

After a few moments, the strings played two notes on their own. Wei WuXian quickly asked, “What did it say?”

Lan WangJi, “I do not know.”

Wei WuXian, “What?”

Lan WangJi replied in an unhurried manner, “It said, ‘I do not know’.”

“…” Wei WuXian looked at him, suddenly remembering a conversation about “whatever” a few years ago. Touching his nose, he was at a loss for words, and thought, Lan Zhan is so bright. He even learned how to make me speechless.

Chapter 25:

Suddenly, one of Lan WangJi’s arms wrapped around his back and, as Lan WangJi bent down slightly, another went toward the back of his knees.

[...] Carrying him, Lan WangJi both walked and replied to him steadily, “You said that you didn’t want to be carried on my back.”

Wei WuXian, “I didn’t say that I wanted to be carried like this either.”

Chapter 45:

Wei WuXian was also shocked. He turned to Lan WangJi, “Your sect makes disciples do handstands while copying? That’s awful.”

Lan WangJi replied calmly, “There would always be someone who did not learn their lessons by simply copying the sect rules. Handstands not only guaranteed better performance in the future but also benefited cultivation.”

Of course, Wei WuXian was the someone who never learnt his lessons. He pretended as though he didn’t know what Lan WangJi was talking about. (Chapter 45)

. He can even be smooth as shown in Chapter 126:

“Be honest about whether or not you thought about me in the same way.” In a solemn tone, he spoke, “Rejecting me like that so coldly every single time—it really made me lose face, don’t you know?”

Lan WangJi, “You can try, now, to see if I would reject you over anything.”

The sentence so suddenly struck his heart. Wei WuXian choked, yet Lan WangJi was still as calm as ever, as though he didn’t at all realize what he just said. Wei WuXian put his hand to his forehead, “You… HanGuang-Jun, let’s make a deal. Please warn me before you say something so romantic, or else I won’t be able to take it.”

Regarding his feelings for Wei Wuxian, apart from that moment in the cave after the Nightless City massacre, I don’t think he ever intended for Wei Wuxian to know his feelings since Wei Wuxian already told him he was straight (Chapter 54: "Don’t worry—I don’t like men, I won’t take advantage of the opportunity and do anything to you.”) and then kept giving him mixed signals wherein Wei Wuxian would flirt with him but then pass it off as a joke. Unfortunately, Wei Wuxian did not remember that one time Lan Wangji wanted Wei Wuxian know how he felt, which causes much of their misunderstanding in the present.

I would also like to point out that Wangxian didn't really have a miscommunication during that time as Wei Wuxian would acknowledge Lan Wangji's concern and basically go "Thanks, but no thanks. You’re wrong and I have everything under control." In fact, they actually reach an understanding in this conversation in Chapter 75:

A moment later, Wei WuXian spoke up, “Lan Zhan, you asked me if I intended on staying like this from now on. To be honest, I’d like to ask something as well. What can I do apart from this?”

He continued, “Give up the demonic path? Then what about the people on this mountain?

“Give them up? I won’t be able to do it. I believe that if you were I, you wouldn’t be able to do it either.”

He continued, “Nobody can give me a nice, broad road to walk on. A road where I could protect those I want to protect without having to cultivate the ghostly path.”

Lan WangJi gazed at him. He didn’t reply, but both of them knew the answer in their hearts.

There was no such road.

Look how smooth he is after he and Wei Wuxian got married. He finally knows and feels that he can freely express his love to Wei Wuxian in words, and he does just that in his elegant manner of speech

We can see here that Wei Wuxian has made his decision and all Lan Wangji could do is to respect it as a mere outsider in Wei Wuxian’s life.

In the present time, they have a misunderstanding but it is not borne from the lack of ability to express themselves. Rather, it is due to Wei Wuxian's impaired memory. Add to that the fact that Wei Wuxian has already made assumptions about Lan Wangji that are actually not completely true as we are shown throughout the novel. At this point also, Lan Wangji has already been rejected and pushed away many times and is under the impression that Wei Wuxian already knows his true feelings.

In conclusion, Lan Wangji can express himself well. It’s just that he’s quiet and prefers action over words. Communication or expressing one’s self is more than just the skill of being able to put your thoughts and feelings into words. There’s plenty of other reasons why someone might not be saying something. Conflicts in the novel are much more complex and aren’t just because of mere miscommunication or inability to talk and express themselves properly. Not all problems are resolved in a way that both parties unite and end up on the same side. Differences in judgments and views happen and the only resolution is just to agree to disagree.

[cinanamon]

ticket to hell — ml (m)

pairing | mark x reader

genre | fluff, smut, church!au

word count | 4.3K

synopsis | You knew he couldn’t be perfect because all humans sin; you just wanted to know how he did.

warning | smut: fingering, penetration, loss of virginity, unsafe sex

“Oh my God,” Mark gasped as he mouthed at your thigh, his lips glossing over the heated skin as he traced his way up from the limb and over your abdomen till he reached your lower neck. He sighed gently as he trailed butterfly kisses along your throat before kissing under your jaw sensually.

You smirked and let your hands wander over his forearms and snake under his open button-down to explore his torso. “Taking the lord’s name in vain now, I see,” you cheekily teased, quirking your brow at him.

He raised his head and chuckled as he kissed the corner of your mouth. “You’re acting like you haven’t said the same thing like ten times by now.”

You shake your head gently and linger your lips above his by a fraction as you look up into his eyes with your own lidded ones. “Well you’re just good between my legs.”

You see Mark go red before he presses his lips to yours firmly in retaliation. You feel his hands snake behind your back and you move your hands down to his belt, unbuckling it to release—

Your gaze snaps up to the stage where the priest was as everyone around you began to sing Hallelujah and stand up, leaving you to hastily copy their motions.

With a quick glance around your vicinity to make sure no one noticed your mental absence from the priest��s sermon, you realize you’re in the clear and become relieved, yet you’re annoyed that your daydream was interrupted. Sure, maybe church wasn’t the best place to have such dirty thoughts (you’d be the first to admit that), but this was also the only place you see the object of your dream’s affection. You let your gaze wander over the faces of the churchgoers before you finally see him with his parent’s in the set of pews to your right.

Mark Lee.

You had known him all your life; seeing as how his dad was choir director and your parents were the charity organizers, you’d come in contact quite often.

From playing in the church yard as children to having to sing together in the pews, he was there. Picture perfect; whereas you would try to be a good example of a child—damn, you always tried your best—Mark was always better. The lead male in the choir, the first to volunteer for the offerings or to help at the charity events.

You remember distinctly how much you hated him in middle school, the rivalry you believed you had with him (he never noticed) that caused your blood to boil whenever he was praised as the best child in the church, the most virtuous.

By now, that feeling of anger and dislike was nowhere near as strong or without reason. You weren’t as religious as you were back then, and Mark wasn’t actually that dislikeable. Quite the opposite, actually. Mark Lee was kind, helpful, responsible, funny—to anyone on the outside, he was picture perfect. But you knew one thing for certain, one thing you would prove if it was the last thing you did.

Mark Lee was no angel.

His eyes were always set on the pastor every mass, mindfully flicking to each bible verse. But you never missed how his eyes would unfocus, how’d he bite his lip, the way he’d readjust his pants. Picture perfect, they’d say. Was he? You knew he couldn’t be perfect because all humans sin; you just wanted to know how he did.

You knew you committed a sin—a heavy one at that—every time you came to church just to get lost in the idea of fucking him. Your deadly sin had to be lust, but you weren’t just going to stop fantasizing about him now; you were too far gone to be saved. Even if you did harbor a crush on the poor boy, it did nothing to lighten your sentence of a deadly sin.

And to think that you were still a virgin thinking like this? Then Mark definitely had to be. Because if you were still so frustrated even after letting yourself indulge in these thoughts, then Mark had to be close to a breaking point if he preached so much about leaving sexual urges and thoughts till marriage.

And sometimes you thought that maybe your assumptions are wrong, or you’re just reading too much into it. But, truly, Mark made eye contact with you a lot. Paired with a quick smile, but not too long after the quick interactions, a little “problem” would arise for him. And since you didn’t have as high of a reputation to maintain, you’d let your eyes linger.

Sometimes he’d catch you and he’d flush, settling the Bible squarely on his lap and bending his head deeply to read it intently. It’d cause you to smirk and your assumptions about him to gain traction which would only fuel your desires for him. You knew he still had humane urges like you, and your goal was to crack through his saintly disposition and make him yours.

But after some time of these quick suggestive looks, exchanges of smirks and raised brows, Mark finally did begin to crack.

It was subtle at first; at your simper, he’d hesitate and try his best to ignore you, forcing a frown as he faced forward and tightened his grip on his bible. Soon enough, even that resolve crumbled and he would glance at you often nervously, a smile playing at his lip and a rising fiery blush crossing his cheeks. And finally, Mark began to tease you too.

It was a few months of these fleeting moments of flirtation before Mark grew confident in returning the affections, in letting his hands linger on yours during greetings, how he’d ghost his lips over the shell of your ear during hugs, or how he’d stare at you during church, waiting for you to meet his gaze. He was into you too; you could see it. If he wasn’t ready to crack before, he was now.

Mark was more than willing to reciprocate your seductive motions and partake in your sexual, flirtatious faces and after any risky lip bite or lidded eye, he’d always look back up at you excitedly for a reaction. And if you were honest, you liked it. You liked that the star church boy wasn’t as pure as they thought, and he seemed to realize this; he only had eyes for you. It was obvious that Mark liked it too; he got a thrill out of falling from God’s grace to enjoy the worldly pleasures with you.

You began to convince your parents to sit with his family, so when you sat together, his hand would subtly linger by your thigh, gracing over it quickly— over the edge of your skirt, slipping under it briefly—before he’d snatch it back to his bible. If anyone were to see, he’d flush terribly and quickly retract, but you got a thrill out of it that you were able to get past his good boy image, as you’d stealthily meet his gaze with a secretive smile.

So the next Sunday was no different. Quick shake of the hand with the deacons then into the church you went, sitting in the pew across from Mark. You sat a few seats back, but he was in the front; only the stage was separating you. Your families smiled at each other across the distance, and Mark’s eyes glimmered as they met yours. You jokingly quirked a brow, pairing it with a playful smirk and he chuckled under his breath, sending you a knowing look as you both sat.

It’s what he did that made the service torturous. His eyes rarely left you, and you only wondered where this bout of confidence came from. You crossed your arms, ignoring the priest before you in favor of challenging him; take it farther than what you have before. He quickly glanced to his parents beside him, to the others in the row, but thankfully he was on the far end, hidden from the view of others if you didn’t look to the side of the priest.

You saw him hesitate, bite his lip, and then he looked up at you. That boyish energy vanished and he furrowed his brows, drawing his lip in farther and, with only a fleeting thought of warning, he placed a hand over his crotch. Your eyes bulged and your jaw dropped in a quiet gasp. A shiver shot down your spine, and you couldn’t believe the Mark Lee, son of the music director, was posing so lewdly in a church pew, where anyone who looked would see him. He was only in such a position for a fleeting moment, sitting back up quickly with a clearing of his throat, no evidence of what he’d done to show. The only reason you knew it happened was because of the quick smirk he shot at you; you glared, but couldn’t deny the effect it left on you.

After service ended and you entered the entrance way with your parents, your eyes instantly locked on Mark and his family coming up to you. He stood with them properly; no crease in his shirt, a belt around his pants, a polite open expression of his face, not a hair out of place. And when his eyes slid to yours, you felt a burning urge to make a mess out of him; you wanted to take it further. His pupils dilated and he seemed to have the same thought as you as he faced your parents.

“Would it be alright if your daughter came to confession with me?”

Your father smiled and patted him on the shoulder. “Of course, my boy! Rub off your good qualities on her, would you?” He laughed at that, and the other adults quickly joined in. But Mark didn’t care, neither did you, as he quickly grabbed your hand and hurried down the hallway away from the front room. You knew you weren’t really headed to confession—though you probably needed it, with the thoughts you’d been having—but it still surprised you when he made a sharp turn in the wrong direction, passing the small room. Your head was spinning; after several months of sexual innuendos and interest; were you and Mark actually about to act on it? “Mark, where—“ And he pulled open one door and pulled you in. It took your eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dark before you took notice of the tables and whiteboard. “Bible study?” You hadn’t been in here in years. You turned to look at him incredulously, causing him to flush but he didn’t let go of your hand.

“What, would you rather do it on the altar?”

He managed to quip back. It was your turn to blush as you pressed at his chest.

“That’s not what I meant!” Your confident demeanor waned as you took another glance up at his face; you tried to ease the sudden dryness of your throat. “Are you...are you serious though?”

He hesitated and you caught a glimpse of his ears turning pink, his hot breath fanned over your face as he tried to form a response. “I-Isn’t that what you meant? With all the looks, I thought...”

You nodded vigorously, heat rising to your own face. “Y-yeah! But I just.. aren’t you a virgin too?” Where was the old, vixen-like you from before?

He groaned and dropped his head onto your shoulder. “Look, I’m just going to say it but I’ve liked you for a while and I really didn’t think I’d confess to you when we’re about to have sex, but—“

Your eyes widened; so he did like you too. You felt like a teenager again; nervous, awkward, giddy. You managed to clear your throat and find a response. “You like me?”

Mark’s eyes widened and he raised his head. “Yeah? I thought you’d guess because you know I wouldn’t just do this because I could…”

You shook your head, a chuckle rising in your throat as your nerves began to dispatch. “Please just kiss me.” With a sharp intake of breath, he nodded and connected his lips with yours.

It was explosive. His lips were tentative at first—you almost wondered if he had never kissed anyone before—but he quickly took ground, adding force into the kiss and tilting his head, his hands coming to anchor your hips. You locked your arms around his neck, letting him lead the kiss at first, to get a feel of how this would go. He backed you up as you kissed, shuffling your feet till your back hit the edge of the table.

Mark disconnected from you to hoist you up, placing his hands on the edge as he dove for your neck. You instantly reached for his hair again, tugging at the dark strands as he kissed down your jaw to the curve of your neck, stopping where your skin met your blouse. This was definitely better than anything you could have imagined before, and your body began to buzz with a dull sense of pleasure.

His hands came up to the bottom of your shirt, shocking you when his hands crawled under the material and circled around your bare waist. You blushed and lifted his jaw to kiss him again; he happily obliged. This time you led, opening your mouth and conjoining your tongues. It was sloppy, granted, since neither of you had much experience, but it was a comfortable pace. You parted for air, meeting his eyes in the dark as you panted before his hands ran over your hips a couple times.

“Can I.. can I take off your shirt?” His voice was timid. You hesitated—this was real now—but nodded slowly, waiting with baited breath as the material was lifted from your torso and over your head. His breath caught as he stared at you, and you held back the urge to cover your chest. He glanced between your breasts and your face multiple times. “Can I touch you?” Your hasty nod beckoned him forward, his hand softly cupping your bra before dipping under the lace. He let out a shaky breath and you bit your lip as he played with your nipple. “Does it feel good?” His hesitance was lowering once more, instead looking at you curiously, arousal evident in the depths of his eyes.

“Y-yeah,” you managed, still not wrapping your head around what was happening. “It’s fine.” He pulled his hand away, the material slipping back into place over your breast and you almost missed the warmth of his hand.

“What would feel better?” He asked the question so openly, and it left you completely red. A fleeting question of whether he enjoyed seeing you tongue-tied now like how you did him crossed your mind, but it left just as soon as it came. You glanced down at your skirt and he seemed to get what you meant. He cleared his throat, his hand coming to squeeze his neck before he ghosted a hand over your thigh. This wasn’t like how it was in the pew; the tension was beginning to eat away at both of you. He glanced up at you for any sign of discomfort and slowly lowered to his knees.

“Getting on your knees for me now?” You stuttered a jibe.

He looked up at you in surprise before he recovered and smirked; he regained his confidence quickly, didn't he? “Just like how I do at church.” You choked and lowered your hand to tug at his hair. He quietly gasped and lifted his head towards you and before you could stop yourself, you raised him to his haunches so you could kiss him hard, biting at his bottom lip as you dragged his head away from your own. His gaze was hazy as he finally settled back down in front of you.

“Just do what you said you were going to do.”

“Of course.” He replied, coming back to his senses and with renewed confidence in both parts, he pulled at your skirt. It came off your hips as you lifted yourself, watching for his reaction at the sight of your revealed panties. He bit his lip at the sight, curious hands coming up to pet at the exposed clothing. You whimpered at the sensation, grasping at his hand before slowly letting go, letting him explore your body. He glanced up at you briefly, and since you didn’t object, he slid your panties to the side.

He seemed to hesitate, bringing his mouth close before his face flamed and he leaned back, studying your core as his fingers thumbed at it. “I’m...not sure what to do.” You relax your shoulders and chuckle at him lightly, picking up his hand tenderly. He grinned at you bashfully, and you tried not to get embarrassed and retract into yourself.

“Um, s-so this feels best, if you just flick at it, I guess?” You directed his hand to your clit, and he automatically did as you suggested and reveled in your sharp inhale. Your hand went lower and it felt harder to talk. “And here is where…”

“I got it.” He smiled at you, sensing your nervousness. He held his breath and let go of your hand, carefully placing one of his fingers on the edge of your folds. After a second, he pressed in slowly. You gasped again and he paused, looking up at you anxiously. You nodded him on, bringing a hand up to your mouth to stop yourself from scaring him again; he seemed nervous enough as it was.

When he got one finger in all the way, he waited a few seconds before trying a second. You gripped the table with your other hand and he seemed to know what to do; pulling his fingers out and pushing them back in a few times before he scissored them. You let out a mewl and you swore you saw his pants twitch from his place on the ground. That’s when you remembered he still hadn’t taken off any clothes.

“H-hey,” he slowed his pace to look at you. “Stand up.” He followed your orders cautiously, but you were surprised by the fact he still hadn’t removed his hand from inside you. Without a word, you unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it off his shoulders and over his arms, his fingers’ temporary absence leaving you feeling empty. They returned quickly and with a quick kiss to his newly exposed skin, you let your hands run over his stomach to palm him through his dress pants.

He grunted in surprise, his hips jerking into your touch and he whined in embarrassment. You giggled against his chest as you finally undid his button and zipper, the material dropped down his legs and he stepped out of them. You could see how he grew confident by touching you; by pleasuring him, that vixen in you was beginning to renew.

You tried to ignore his continuous efforts to your core as you settled a hand over his boner, evident now that the only restricting article of clothing was his black boxers. He dropped his check against your head as he watched your hands work at each other’s respective parts. You could hear his pants in your ear as you ran your hand over his clothed erection before abruptly drawing your hand under and pulling him out. He squeaked and almost backed up, but your slightly tightened grip silenced him with a whimper. He let you give him a handjob for a few seconds, watching with an open mouth as you circled your finger over his tip.

It was only when you lowered his member so it rubbed against his fingers in you that he moaned. Your eyes snapped to his and he blushed but you quickly kissed him again, even more turned on now by his voice. Pulling away, both of your gazes dropped to where his fingers left you and his member greeted your opening. “I’m guessing you don’t have a condom?” You inquired shyly, the realization beginning to make you uncomfortable.

He shook his head regretfully, a wince crossing his face. “I don’t think I would’ve been able to get away with it.”

You bit your lip, and debated it in your head. You sighed, steeling your nerves. “It’s fine, just pull out. I’m trusting you.”

He nodded and positioned himself in front of you. You felt his breath hitch as the tip slid in. “T-tell me if it hurts, okay?” And he slowly sheathed himself in you. Your hands dug into his shoulder as you hissed. He paused, biting back a moan of his own as his head dropped over your head and into your hair. You took a deep breath and gave a curt nod, and he smiled briefly as he started to move. He groaned at the feeling and maintained a slow pace as you both adjusted. After you reopened your eyes to meet his gaze, something in him snapped and he suddenly gripped your thighs and picked up speed, albeit sloppily.

You squealed, your hands blindly grasping at his chest.

Mark chuckled and winced, picking up his head, a smirk starting to play on his bruised lips as he diverted his attention to you than his pleasure. “You’re such a vixen, getting me to do this.”

You managed to lift your head and scoff. “You’re really questioning my morality as you’re fucking me in a church? You have no room to talk.”

He chuckled into your neck, kissing the skin. “Yeah, well,” You tried to ignore his hip movements as to focus on his words. “I think I’m fucking you pretty good right now.”

You tried to ignore how him cursing sent another jolt through you, instead hitting his chest. “You’re—you’re so shallow.”

“You say that,” he snapped his hips and you gasped, your grip tightening on his shoulder. “But I’m only getting deeper.”

You tried not to laugh and forced a glare at him. He looked so good like this. For a moment you felt tender, and you brushed his sweaty bangs away from his face. He met your gaze briefly and his gaze was filled with something different too as he kissed your palm, trying to maintain the faster pace while maintaining eye-contact. The moment passed and the room filled with your pants and moans until a coil started to build in your stomach.

“M-mark,” He grunted in question, too transfixed on where your body’s met to spare you more than a glance. “Mark, I think I’m gonna c-cum.”

“God I see heaven every time you say my name.” He moaned in your ear and if he didn’t give you sass earlier, you wouldn’t have managed a smirk.

“Well that makes for an awkward encounter with God, now doesn’t it?” He laughed into your ear—a sweet and airy sound compared to the atmosphere—as he pulled your sweaty torso closer to him, and you laid your head on his shoulder and kissed his throat as both of your climaxes built. He brought one of his hands down and clumsily searched for your clit and rubbed it to the best of his ability to match the pace he’d set.

It wasn’t long before you felt yourself tense and sigh in pleasure into his neck, your grip tightening subconsciously as you dragged your nails down his shoulders. He whined at the sensation of your climax, but in his haze, he managed to pull out and release onto your stomach. It took a few seconds, watching each other in complete admiration as you came down from your highs before he jumpstarted, his boyish side coming back out.

“I-I’ll go get some tissues, I’m so sorry—“ he rushed in all his naked glory over to the desk where he picked up some tissues and came back over to you, wiping at his release on your abdomen.

You giggled and delicately placed your hand on his jaw, gently lifting his head so you could kiss him.

He pulled away and blinked, leaving you to grin lovestruck. “I never thought I’d lose my virginity in a church, much less the Bible study room.”

He flushed again and disposed of the tissues in the trash can before he came back to you to readjust your undergarments. “I know it’s not very romantic…”

You shook your head and ran your fingers through his hair. “It was nice. I’m glad I lost it with you.” He smiled his dorky smile, and if you didn’t know better, you wouldn’t have believed you just had sex with him. You shakily stood up and you both redressed. He helped you over to the door before you stopped him in the threshold. “And for the record, Mark, I like you too.” His eyes gleamed and he leaned down for another kiss, this time not driven by a lustful want.

On your way back to the front, you both tried to fix each other’s hair and clothing while giggling, but maintained a respectable distance when your parents came in view. He watched you leave longingly to your parents side but quickly hid the look.

“How was confession?” His father asked you two. Your eyes snapped to his and he offered a knowing smile.

“It went fine; we definitely had a lot to say.” You didn’t break eye-contact with Mark as you dismissively made up the excuse to your father, and it made your heart swell that the boy was trying his best not to smile.

Both of your parents continued their conversation about how proud they were of both of you, and you couldn’t help but sneakily slip your hand into his as you followed your parents out of the church.

And as Mark covertly pressed a kiss to your cheek with a barely-contained laugh, you couldn’t help the giggle that rose in your own chest as you tried to push him away. This was surely better than any dream or anything you could’ve asked for.

Mark Lee was no angel, but you surely tasted heaven on his lips.

[lady-tortilla-chip]

Any zukaang headcanons?

Ask and you shall receive! :D Sorry it took me a couple days to write this, lol. I ended up having quite a lot to write so uh, buckle up. XP

1. Zuko and Aang get together because Sokka couldn’t watch the pining anymore. Though for Aang it wasn’t pining so much as waiting for Zuko to come to him. In contrast Zuko pined loudly for Aang. So Sokka, who was tired of it couldn’t help opening his mouth one day and expressing his frustrations over it. (I have alternative versions of how they get together, this is just mah fave thought atm. Let me know if you’d like to see those alternatives tho!)

2. Zuko deeply enjoys meditating with Aang, though typically their sessions are just Aang meditating while Zuko simply watches him. He enjoys the way Aang’s whole body loses every bit of tension and how peaceful his expression gets. Aang usually teases him about it but Zuko doesn’t mind as much as he claims.

3. When Aang gets a bit taller than Zuko he immediately starts cracking jokes about it. Zuko doesn’t really care all that much about their new height difference, though sometimes it surprises him to have to glance up rather than down, and he does occasionally return the sarcasm and sometimes even likes to demonstrate how inconsequential that height difference really is. ;)

4. Aang’s favorite thing to do when he’s not busy and doesn’t want to meditate is sit and braid Zuko’s hair. It was something he’d started doing soon following the end of the war. The first time he did it Zuko was confused and not quite happy about it. Though he dealt with it because then Aang wouldn’t interrupt him while he was trying to work. Eventually though, Zuko came to deeply enjoy having Aang’s hands in his hair and the braids he styled his hair into.

5. Aang insists on teaching Zuko old Fire Nation dances and Air Nomad dances! Zuko is not happy about it at first. The only dances he learned were the stiff formal ones expected of him to learn as a prince. He remembers hating every second of learning them and the music to which they were traditionally danced to was boring. But....Aang seems so excited at the prospect of getting to share such fun parts of both their cultural histories with him and he just can’t say no. So, he goes along with it. And...he does deeply enjoy watching Aang demonstrate for him. The movements, particularly for the Air Nomad dances, are fluid and beautiful much like the bending style. It’s incredible to watch and makes him feel somewhat connected to the Air Nomads through Aang.

However, watching is one thing. Mimicking said beautiful and fluid movements, is another. Zuko hates it. At first. It’s frustrating for him to screw up the steps and while he knows Aang’s not going to mistreat him like the person who had taught him the formal dances, he still doesn’t like failing. His frustrations lighten though with every bit of history Aang shares regarding the dances and their meanings and eventually he starts having fun. And the smile Aang flashes at him when he finally does a half decent job of mimicking him makes any other frustrations disappear as easily as they came.

6. Zuko and Aang both work with Azula through her rehabilitation. I have a very specific idea about how this works but I’m not going into all of that right now because it would be....long-winded. Lol. But during that time Azula becomes especially fond of Aang and even gives Zuko a serious shovel talk when Zukaang become a couple. With Aang she just tells him to take care of “Zuzu”. What she doesn’t say is that she’s, in her own way, happy for them.

7. Zuko and Aang travel back to the Air Temples together at some point before Sokka got them to work out their relationship. Aang is excited to show Zuko his home but it’s bittersweet for both of them. Zuko because of the intensely visceral realization and understanding of Aang’s loss that he has upon arriving. Something that had never quite connected for him was Aang’s status as the last Air Nomad with the fact that he’s also the Avatar. In his head those two parts of Aang became nearly separate entities. But being in Aang’s home, listening to him talk about his childhood, brings these two facts about who Aang is crashing together. And Zuko has to really deal with the reality of all that. Before, the Air Nomad genocide was merely a fact of history that virtually everyone knew. The horror of what Fire Nation had done to the Air Nomads had worn away with time even to the rest of the world. In the Fire Nation particularly, they were all taught it was a victory. A conquest. The first of many.

Zuko was taught no different. So seeing Aang standing among the remnants of his culture and the utterly empty spaces of his home, wearing the saddest smile Zuko’s ever seen on his face while retelling stories from his upbringing...it fills him with so much guilt and anger and grief for Aang he nearly suffocates with it. He nearly cried. He nearly shouts. But that is not his right. He doesn’t get to cry and scream over the injustice. Because the loss of Aang’s people was directly caused by Zuko’s family. So all he can do is lend an ear to everything Aang tells him. Soak in every word and remember every tale. Because Aang won’t accept the amount of apologies he wants to express.

That’s not hard though, because he’s glad to hear all about the true history there. And while Zuko listens he recalls every time he’d belittled Aang’s people and their beliefs, can’t help wanting to apologize to them all. So he does, quietly.

Then there’s Aang who’s most recent memory of being there was when he’d found Gyatso’s skeleton. A memory he imparts to Zuko later during their visit. Once again the reality of what he lost, and everything that was taken from him, hits him. He’s not sure he’ll ever stop being surprised at the utter quiet in the temple, or the emptiness in its halls, or sheer lack of life that used to abound. But he’s glad to have Zuko there, who listens intently as Aang tells him all about the temple and the wonderful people that had once resided there.

8. Aang inspires Zuko to become a vegetarian. When Zuko found out people ate turtleducks he was shocked and horrified. Then Aang brought up the fact that all meat was originally some kind of cute animal. Zuko was never able to eat meat again. Sokka hates Aang a little bit for it because he likes meat and the traditional Fire Nation dishes that featured it were some of his favorites. Now, it’s rare for meat to be served when he comes by and that is a tragedy he hasn’t forgiven Aang for causing.

9. Aang is not a fan of the servants. They’re fine as people it’s just...he doesn’t want to be served. At first, it was funny. Their insistence to “help” entertaining because they were just so SERIOUS about it. But eventually he grew tired of it and prolonged visits to literally anywhere else were appreciated for the break away. Zuko thinks it’s hilarious and even subtly reminds the servants to be extra caring towards the Avatar because he simply works too hard.

10. Even when Aang grows taller than Zuko, he prefers sleeping with his back pressed to Zuko’s chest. He likes aligning their scars, likes imagining himself as a shield against any further harm to Zuko’s front, and sleeps better when he’s held firm in Zuko’s arms. Zuko, while he didn’t say as much and teased Aang for his reason, likes the position because he likes being in place to protect Aang’s back. He didn’t before and though Aang doesn’t hold any of that against him, he still feels the need to make up for that in every way he can.

[free-pancakes]

couldn’t sleep last night and decided to elaborate more on this prompt! thanks again for the ask, @agoldenheartedsnkfan​! i ended up changing my original answer a bit as i kept writing

it’s a bunch of levihan fluff and banter and it’s not very exciting, so you are officially forewarned lol

Summary: Levi confronts his feelings about Hange after the Sawney/Bean incident

cross-posted to ao3

“Levi, do you mind holding these for me?” Hange shoved her papers into Levi’s hands and ran back into her office. “Moblit couldn’t carry all my stuff, so this is a huge help, thanks Levi!” “Oi, four-eyes, what’s all this shit for?”

Hange ran back out of her office holding more tools and notebooks. “I’m doing some more experiments on Sawney and Bean tomorrow and I’m setting it all up! Remember, I’ll be meeting up with your squad and Eren later!”

“Hmph. Well you might as well just move your entire office out towards those damn titans, then. Carrying this stuff back and forth is a waste of time.” Hange threw her head back and laughed. “It would take ages to move my entire office out here, shorty! And THAT would be a waste of time!”

Levi rolled his eyes at her comment, and they started walking together to the tents outside the compound where the titans were held captive.

“Thanks for your help, Levi!” Hange smiled widely, and dropped half the things she was holding just to hug him, causing him to do the same.

“Oi four-eyes, we just got here and you’re already making a mess,” he muttered as he immediately started tidying up all the papers strewn across the floor. “Wow Levi, you can’t let a mess sit for even a second before you have to clean it up!” As she bent down next to him gathering the notebooks on the floor, the sweet scent of lavender reached Levi’s nose. “Yeah well good thing you started using the shampoo I bought you, because then this shit wouldn’t be the only mess on the floor I’d have to clean up.” Hange let out a small giggle, “Aw Levi, stop being so uptight! That’s why you have that permanent, constipated look on your face all the time!”

Nifa looked at Moblit. “God you were right, their weird little banter and bickering really doesn’t end, does it?”

“SHHHH NIFA they might hear you! I’d be caught dead if Levi finds out I’ve been ranting to our squad about the two of them! I’m glad Hange’s happy when Levi’s around but honestly I’d like some peace and quiet sometimes,” Moblit sighed.

Nifa whispered, “Hm, well if we said something, maybe they’d finally realize they actually do like each other, maybe they’ll stop fighting all the time!”

“Oh Nifa, with my luck, their banter will never end no matter what happens. Come on, we have a lot of work to do.”

“Ughhh fine,” Nifa said, defeated.

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

Levi stood with his arms crossed in front of Erwin’s desk. “Moblit said you wanted to see me?”

“Yes. I’m a bit, concerned about Hange. I haven’t seen her since we completed the ODM checks. I’m not entirely sure who really killed Sawney and Bean at this point, but I have some feeling that Hange is still blaming herself over it. I haven’t heard or seen her for the past couple days—I know it’s your day off, but do you think you could find her and see how she’s doing, Levi?”

“Sure.” Levi turned to walk out the door.

“And Levi?”“Yes?”

“I asked you because well…I know you’d be able to bring her spirits back up. It’s been awfully quiet without her around.”

Levi nodded, and left to find Hange.

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

Levi searched all throughout the barracks—the lab, Hange’s office, the mess hall, and all her usual spots he’d find her sitting and scribbling notes. He checked with his squad and Hange’s squad, and no one knew where Hange was.

It was getting late, and the sun began to set lazily in sky. Levi was about to leave to look through their usual hangout places in town, when he heard Nifa jogging to catch up to him. “Hey Levi! I did notice one thing—Hange’s ODM gear is missing! She must have it with her!” Levi was grateful for how observant Hange’s squad members were, because now, he knew exactly where she was. He reached out to ruffle Nifa’s hair, and headed out.

Levi scaled the wall with his ODM gear, and started walking through the path of walkway around all the supply boxes and materials stored up by the center looking post. He wandered around for a few minutes until he turned around a tall pile of supplies and saw Hange, sitting with her legs dangling off the side of the wall, holding her face in her hands. He was entranced by her appearance, tears streaming into her hands, traveling slowly down her arms. He had seen Hange cry before, mourning over dead comrades and failed experiments, but this was different. Hange was sunshine personified—a fierce fire ever present in her eyes, a person radiating energy and self-confidence every minute Levi had known her. But in that moment, it was nowhere to be found, and it made Levi feel so cold that he shivered where he stood. He woke himself out of his trance, and stepped silently towards Hange. As he got closer, he heard Hange muttering to herself—

“God, Hange. It’s all your fault, you’re such an idiot. You just keep on letting everyone down don’t you? Why can’t you just stop being so goddamn useless?”

Levi stopped at hearing those words and felt nothing but anger—“How could she even think that?” he thought to himself. He was overwhelmed with fierce feelings to protect her and wanted nothing but for her to know how important she was to the survey corps, to those 104th brats, to his squad, to their friends, and more importantly—to him. His chest swelled with emotion, overwhelming his senses. He closed his eyes, took a moment to breathe and calm himself.

He avoided dwelling on these types of feelings, but to his annoyance, he was constantly pestered with comments and questions on the nature of his relationship was with Hange. However, the more Levi let himself simmer in these thoughts, the more he realized that he couldn’t just keep denying how he truly felt. Three years was long enough.

He walked towards her until he was standing directly behind her, looking down at the top of her head, mesmerized by the purple-orange glow of the sunset illuminating the tears on her face, and her flowing locks of hair draping softly over her shoulders—he rarely ever saw it out of a ponytail. “God, even when she's sad, everything about her is still beautiful,” Levi thought.

Hange didn’t notice Levi until she suddenly felt his hands gently cupping her cheeks, which then carefully pushed her chin upwards to look at him. She was startled at first, as she thought she was alone, but she recognized it to be Levi fairly quickly. She found herself staring into Levi’s face, his bangs barely brushing the tip of her nose. She was angry at first, upset that anyone would find the scout’s section commander crying and doubting her own abilities. But as she frowned and opened her mouth to yell and project her frustrations onto him, Levi wiped away the tears on her cheeks with his thumbs and sat down next to her, his actions calming her sudden surge of anger. They made eye contact, and Hange knew exactly what was on Levi’s mind—he didn’t need to say a word.

Hange laughed, and placed her hand on Levi’s shoulder. “You always know what to say… without even saying it, don’t you Levi?”

A few moments of silenced passed.

“Hm. Well, your eyesight might be trash, but other than that, you do know you’re not useless, right?”

Hange looked down with embarrassment, surprised he had heard her talking to herself. She opened her mouth to speak in protest, but Levi gently placed his hand on her head and pulled her into his gaze. “I don’t want to hear any of that nonsense ever again, Hange. Focus on what lies ahead, and I’ll be right here by your side to hold your shit, or whatever you need. Okay?”

Hange’s eyes widened. Levi might not be great with words, but Hange was always good at “translating” for him, or at least understanding what he really meant. “Levi, are you saying… what I think you’re saying?”

Levi was at a loss for words, and beads of sweat instantly started forming on the side of his brow. Hange noticed this immediately and laughed so hard that tears started welling up around her eyes. “Oi four-eyes, this isn’t funny!” Hange kept laughing and laid her head on his shoulder. It took all of Levi’s energy to suppress a smile—he hated to admit it, but her laughter was contagious. “Hange I’m serious, okay? I—“

“I love you too, yknow?” Hange whispered.

Levi’s expression softened at her response. Minutes passed before either of them could say anything. They sat, dwelling on the words they just exchanged, staring out to the vast land in front of them, the last rays of sun peaking over the horizon.

“…How long have you known?” Levi asked curiously.

“Well Nanaba really just pulled me aside the last time we all went drinking about a few months ago, and pushed me in the right direction, I guess. It’s funny, in retrospect, I think the moment I knew that you might be a little more than just my best friend was—“

“At the Sina military ball 3 years ago,” Levi and Hange echoed simultaneously.

“W-wait, you started having feelings for me the same night I did for you?” Hange exclaimed.

“Pfft, pulling those pranks on all those dumb military police morons with you wasn’t bad.” Hange smiled as she reminisced over the trouble they got into that night, the laughter they shared, and… their first dance together. “Hey Levi, the two of us make a pretty good team, don’t we?”

“Yeah, all 3 of us.”“Oi what do you mean by 3 of us? What are you talking about??”

“Yeah, 3. You, me, and your shitty glasses.”

Hange laughed heartily, and kissed Levi on the cheek. He immediately blushed and she giggled more at his embarrassment. She stood up, and said, “Hah, well I guess it’s time to head back. Erwin’s probably wondering where we are, and the debrief meeting is gonna start pretty soon.” She excitedly held her hand out towards Levi to help him up. He couldn’t help but smile at her goofy grin, and grabbed her hand.