#like we don't see him open up about his past often yet he'd still do anything for his family

[moltage]

Been thinking about that cardigan *you know whoch one*. It's so soft and cuddly. So I guess that is the closest we get to the real Mick. Like w/o his demeanor or acting of a womanizer and arrogance behavior. Idk if that even makes sense. But yeah. I'm pretty sure that he would be even a little bit*a lot* insecure when he at some point falls in love. I'm seeing so much longing and big eyes a little bit sad a little bit hope and so much devotion. He would't openly approach them. He would think of some strategic and really comlicated even a long shot plan. Slightly manipulative. Unpopular opinion but I'm sure he is a romantic deep in heart and is kind of dreaming of that special someone who would give him peace.

Yeah I get I'm profiling a cardigan but I can't unsee it. And the way he is a little bit ashamed when he phones that girl and we found out he had something with her and everyone is like ofc he had BUT I'm sure he wants to be seen as more than just this by them. Bc he cares about them.

Goshhh that's too long

Will anyone even read it🤣🤣🤣don't care had to share it

anon. thank you so much for sharing this with me i am going to kiss you

and yes, i know which cardigan you're talking about and yes, i agree with you. i loved seeing *that* side of him even if it was short. almost vulnerable, a not often seen side of the usual "mick rawson" persona he keeps up. I mean, they were called for a case in the middle of the night so of course he's gonna be too tired to care 😂 it was sooo soft and I wish we'd gotten more of that look. 🥺

and love the way you profiled the cardigan. you're %100 right about mick being a romantic deep down. like have you seen this man and how much he cares about the people around him, but doesn't openly admit it often? you can see it in the way he treats his teammates, the way he'd do anything for them but he doesn't directly make it obvious.

i feel like there's a little bit of fear in there too. you know the whole "snipers feel invulnerable. they choose to keep people at a safe emotional distance" thing. which is why i also agree with the part you mentioned about seeing so much longing, hope and devotion in his eyes. because yeah, this man would absolutely give it all for the person he loves.

i think that's part of why he keeps up the whole "serial dater" persona instead of settling down for someone or letting anyone get close to him. I feel like he's scared. That's what he's used to, what he taught himself so it's easier for him to.. play around. pick up women or men as he pleases and all that.

also love the part abt him making a long strategic plan if he was in love bc YES. absolutely. 😭 this man's a MESS hahsjdh

and u didn't have to hurt me like that w the "he wants to be seen as more than just this by them" but ill let it slide bc ur observation was on point. ;]

anyway, mick rawson is a lover no matter how much he tries to hide it. we know what u are mick. i love the family dynamic in the show but it's even more precious when you look at it separately, from Mick's perspective. Just how much he cares about them and how much they care back. I love them so much.

sorry if i got off topic or talked too much but yeah thank you so much for sharing this with me, i really appreciate it. you get mick rawson so well!!!!!!

[kat-thepoet]

Veins of Violet

Logan Howlett X Female Reader

Part 3: The Throuple Fantasy

A/N: I hope you guys are enjoying this series as much as I enjoy writing it. don't forget to leave a like and comment down below if you have any questions. Enjoy!

Previous Chapters ☞ HERE ☜

3.8k words

It was time for dinner. Tomorrow was my day off, which meant I had to go on a mission with Wade. He has been killing people for money long before I met him. Vanessa wanted me to go join him so I could be some sort of side kick. I still don't understand why, since that motherfucker can't die. 

A few hours has passed since I was drooling over Logan and I was in the kitchen preparing dinner as I always do. Tonight's menu was spaghetti and meatballs. The rich aroma filled the air as I mixed the pasta with the tomato sauce, and I couldn't help but think it would be nice to have some company. I wiped my hands on a towel and walked over to Logan's door, hoping he'd join me for dinner. He'd been in there for hours since our little interaction, and I was curious to see if he was in the mood to talk—or eat.

Just as I raised my hand to knock, the door swung open, and there he was. We stood there for a moment, and I couldn't help but notice the stark height difference between us.

Logan towered over me, his presence as imposing as ever, and I had to tilt my head slightly to meet his eyes. He had that rugged look about him, all raw strength and brooding intensity, and it was impossible not to feel small next to him.

"Uh, hey," I said, a bit flustered by how close we were. "I was just about to ask if you wanted to join me for dinner. I'm making spaghetti and meatballs."

Logan raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "Dinner, huh?" he replied gruffly. "I could eat."

His tone was nonchalant, but I caught a hint of interest in his eyes as he glanced past me toward the kitchen.

"Alright," he said finally, stepping out into the hallway and towering over me like a mountain. 

I nodded, trying not to seem too eager. "Great! It'll be ready in a few minutes."

I have yet not to come to a conclusion about how I feel about him. Yes, he makes me nervous and flustered, but I'm looking for more than lust, and you guys know that too. Even though Adam lied to me, I still think about him and what we used to have. He was my first, and I loved him. I haven't had any sexual relations since we broke up, and I think that's why I feel a little flustered when I'm so close to Logan or when I meet his eyes. Nonetheless, I don't even think he could like me. From the words that Wade told me about how his one and true love died, he is still feeling pain about it. But, to be honest, Wade can be a little dramatic when it comes to love and such. 

After I finished mixing the meatballs and pasta, I grabbed two plates and served dinner for both Logan and myself. I sat the plates on my four-seat table, across from each other, and he was already sitting down, waiting patiently.

"Thanks," he managed to say when I handed him his plate, a hint of appreciation in his voice despite his usual gruff demeanor.

Before I sat down, I went to the fridge to get something to drink. "Do you want anything to drink?" I asked Logan, holding the fridge door open.

He looked up from his plate, pondering for a moment. "Got any beer?" he asked, his tone neutral.

I nodded, spotting a couple of bottles on the shelf. "Yeah, I've got a few. You want one?"

"Sure," he replied, not bothering to elaborate. "Could use something to wash this down."

I grabbed a beer for Logan and a soda for myself, setting them on the table as I took my seat. He cracked open the bottle, taking a long sip before setting it down with a satisfied sigh.

"So, you cook often?" Logan asked, eyeing the meal in front of him.

"Yeah, I find it relaxing," I said, twirling some spaghetti around my fork. "Plus, it's nice to have a homemade meal now and then."

Logan nodded, digging into his food. "Not bad," he grunted, which I took as high praise coming from him.

We ate in companionable silence for a few moments, the clinking of forks against plates being the only sound in the room. It was a surprisingly comfortable silence, and I found myself appreciating his presence, even if he wasn't the most talkative dinner guest.

"So, I have some things I want to talk to you about," I said, waiting for Logan's eyes to meet mine. He looked up from his plate, eyebrows raised, signaling that I had his attention.

I cleared my throat, trying to phrase things correctly. "You know, since you're going to be staying here rent-free for a while, I thought it might be logical for you to help out around here—or maybe find something to do."

Logan leaned back in his chair, taking another sip of his beer. "You want me to get a job?" he asked, his tone neutral, but there was a hint of curiosity.

"Yeah, just to keep busy and maybe contribute a bit," I replied. "But no pressure or anything. Wade might have some ideas, too."

He tilted his head, considering my words. "Wade, huh? What's he got in mind?"

I grinned, excited about the prospect. "Well, wade is in this group called Special Forces. He gets paid to kill bad people and recently, I joined him too. We do a lot of interesting stuff, missions, undercover stuff, travel and you know, things like that. And I think you'd be perfect." I said, meeting his gaze earnestly. 

"You've got the skills, and I know you'd be great at it. Plus, it might be nice to have something to do; keep you out of trouble."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Trouble seems to find me regardless."

"True, but at least this way, you'd have a purpose. And it's not like we have uniforms or anything," I added with a teasing smile.

Logan took another bite of his spaghetti, chewing thoughtfully before nodding. "Alright, i'm in." 

"Great," I replied, feeling a sense of relief that he was open to the idea. 

But little did Violet know that the Wolverine had been looking for jobs all day. 

Who the hell was going to hire a guy with a past like his? All he had were a bunch of scars and a history that scared people off. He'd been looking all day, and every place he walked into just gave him that look—like they knew he didn't belong. He didn't know what this Logan did but from the looks of it, they are all the same.

It's not like he had any real skills they cared about. Sure, he was good in a fight, but telling that to some HR manager wasn't going to get him anywhere. "Can lift heavy stuff and knows how to handle himself in a brawl" wasn't exactly résumé gold.

He'd tried a construction site earlier. They took one look at his hands—probably noticed the calluses or maybe just sensed something off—and told him they were fully staffed. Next was some mechanic shop, but the moment he mentioned his last job was over a decade ago, they practically shoved him out the door.

Logan knew what folks saw when they looked at him. They saw the claws, the rough edges, and the attitude. They didn't see the guy who was just trying to make a living, trying to stay out of trouble. He got it. He'd been through some shit, seen a lot of bad things, and done a few himself. It's not like he could just walk into an interview and tell them he was good with teamwork because he'd saved the world a couple of times.

And here he was, sitting across from Violet, who was looking at him like he had some kind of purpose. Maybe she was right. Maybe Wade had something he could do. But it wasn't just about the money. It was about finding a place where he didn't feel like a monster every damn day.

Maybe being part of a team again could help. Hell, at least they wouldn't care about his past. It might even give him something to fight for—a reason to stick around. Besides, being around Violet wasn't the worst thing either. She had that look in her eyes, like she believed in him, and God knows he could use a bit of that right now.

It was 10 am  when I heard someone at the door. I opened it to see Wade standing there in his suit, looking unusually enthusiastic.

"Oh, Hello Vi!" Wade said, pushing me aside as he walked through the door with a mischievous grin. "We leave in 20 minutes for our undercover mission. And guess what? You're going in as a stripper!"

I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Oh, about that... is it okay if Logan joins our team? He needs a job, and I thought this would be perfect."

Wade's eyes widened with excitement. "Logan? My peanut? Fuck yes! Can you imagine him trying to be undercover? It's like asking a grizzly bear to blend in with a flock of pigeons."

I shrugged, closing the door. "He's got the skills, and he needs something to do. Plus, it might be good for him to be part of a team again."

Wade practically bounced on his feet, clearly thrilled. "This is the best news I've heard all week! Logan, you and me, together. My throuple fantasy. This is going to be so much fun!"

I rolled my eyes, a smile tugging at my lips.

Wade winked, turning to leave. "Tell him to suit up. We've got some serious ass fucking I mean, kicking to do. And you," he added, giving me a once-over with a playful smirk, "better be ready to shake that fine ass of yours. We're gonna make this mission unforgettable."

With that, he skipped out the door, still chuckling to himself, leaving me to break the news to Logan.

I got ready and put on my suit that has been sitting in my closet collecting dust for two months. The suit is sleek and form-fitting. It has a deep V-neck zipper front that accentuates the neckline and is paired with long sleeves and high-cut shorts. The suit is predominantly black with intricate dark purple piping that outlines the contours of my body, adding a touch of elegance, which I really like. I also pair it with knee-high black boots, adorned with multiple straps and buckles that extend from the legs, giving my suit a rugged and battle-ready appearance. The boots seamlessly integrate with the suit's design, maintaining the streamlined look. This was made by one of the scientists at one of the research compounds that I was in when I was working with Strucker. 

As I quickly put my hair up because I don't understand how some of the women in X-men, who I've seen over the years, keep their hair down as they're fighting, I knock on Logan's door.

"Logan, get ready to leave. We are out the door in ten minutes." I said trying to find my phone. 

Where the hell is it? I said to myself as Logan opened the door. He comes out in a yellow and blue suit that I first saw him in. From that time until now, I don't remember him looking so good in it. The way that the upper half of his suit contours his abs and his boobs struggling to pop out of his hard upper chest armor. His huge, veiny, and muscular arms are naked, and his pants cover his legs really nicely. I look at him as if time were in slow motion, and he looks at me but quickly walks into the bathroom. I keep looking for my phone, as he's in there.

He gets out, and I finally find my phone, which was stuffed between the couch cushions. I get my backpack, which is filled with snacks, and my stripper outfit, and I give him a jar of overnight oats.

"Here." I said as I handed him the oats. Holding the other one for myself in my other hand.

" We don't have time to eat here, so we will eat on the way. It's a long drive." I say with a smile. 

He looks at me and mumbles. " Thanks." My eyebrows crunch at his sudden coldness, but I don't say anything about it. We both walked out quickly and I locked my front door.

As we are walking in the hallway, Wade walks out. "Well, well, well. Look at you, Vi," he said, giving me an exaggerated once-over. "If it isn't the fiercest, hottest superhero to ever rock a suit. Seriously, that outfit never stops doing wonders for you."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile at his antics. "Wade, we don't have time for this."

He stepped closer, his eyes glinting with amusement as he took in the details of my suit. "Oh, come on. You have to give me a moment to appreciate the masterpiece. The way that black and purple hugs every curve... It's like the suit was made to showcase your ass-kicking potential and your, well, other ASSets."

Logan grumbled something under his breath, clearly not amused by Wade's commentary. "Can we get going now?"

Wade raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I'm just hyping up my bestie here."

He paused for a moment, then his eyes twinkled with mischief. "Oh, is someone jealous?" he teased, looking between Logan and me.

I felt a flush of irritation rise, and I shot Wade a sharp look. "Wade, enough. Is Dopinder here with the taxi?" I snapped, trying to divert the conversation before it could get more uncomfortable.

Wade's grin only widened at my reaction, but he wisely decided to let it go. "Yeah, yeah. Dopinder's waiting outside. Let's move, people! Time to save the day, one sexy superhero at a time."

We walked briskly down the hallway, Wade's playful banter still hanging in the air. Despite the irritation, I couldn't help but wonder why Logan cared so much about Wade's comment. He's never cared before. 

We walked out of the building, and Dopinder was outside with a smile waiting for us. " Hey guys." I walked over to him and hugged him. I pulled back with my hand still lingering on his shoulder. 

" Hi Dopinder. How are you? Did you finally get together with Gita?" Before he could answer, he was interrupted by Wade. 

"Listen, my slender brown friend, I need you to take us to this address, pronto." I rolled my eyes at his interruption. We all got in the taxi, Wade in the front and Logan and me in the back.

The mission was on the other side of the town, and we had two hours ahead of ourselves to endure in the small taxi. I felt my stomach grumble, so I decided I wanted to eat my oats. I tried to open my bag so that I could get my spoon, but the zipper was stuck. After moments of struggling, I finally was able to unzip my bag, and one of my lacy underwear landed on Logan's lap. Logan looked down at the lacy garment, his eyes widening slightly. He picked it up between two fingers, his expression a mix of surprise and mild embarrassment. "Uh, I think this is yours," he said, his voice gruff but with a hint of awkwardness as he handed it back to me.

I snatched the underwear from him, my face flushing with embarrassment. "Thanks," I muttered, quickly stuffing it back into my bag. Wade, of course, didn't miss a beat.

"Well, well, well," Wade said, glancing back at us with a devilish grin. "Looks like things are getting spicy in the back seat! Should we give you two some privacy?"

I shot Wade a glare, trying to regain my composure. "Wade, can you just focus on the mission for once?"

He laughed, turning back to face the front. "Alright, alright." he said, changing the subject to the misson. 

As the taxi continued its journey to the stripper club, I couldn't help but feel a bit of tension again, just like earlier when we were in Hallway. It was eating me up, and I didn't know what to do or think.  

"Okay, Violet, here's the plan," Wade said, pulling his mask up. "You and Logan go in there, work your magic, and seduce Thriller. Get him all hot and bothered, then lure him outside. That's when I'll make my grand entrance and take him down."

He turned to Logan, his tone mock-serious. "And Logan, buddy, your job is to make sure he doesn't pull a Houdini on us. Keep him in one place, but no claws; we don't want to scare him off."

Wade winked at me, adding with a cheeky smile, "Remember, it's showtime, Vi. Make it unforgettable."

I took off my robe. The lack of clothing left me shivering slightly, but I brushed off the sensation. The stripper outfit clung to my curves, a daring ensemble of black lace and sequins designed to catch the light and draw attention. A barely-there bra and a short skirt so short you could see my thong, both adorned with intricate patterns, left little to the imagination. The high heels added a touch of elegance to the provocative attire, making my legs appear longer and more defined. I gave my robe to Wade, and he tossed it inside the taxi car and waved Dopinder off.

I could feel Logan's eyes on me for a second; his gaze was intense and unreadable. 

We both walked inside, and I went to look for Thriller. He is a bald man with dark features who apparently owed some bad people money, and he needed to be shown a lesson. As I scanned around the nightclub, I noticed Logan looking at me. He was standing in front of an exit. He gave me a small nod, looking behind me. I turned around, and there Thriller was, sitting around some other strippers. I took a deep breath before I walked up to them. 

"Hey ladies." I said with a seductive tone and smile. "How about I take your place while you girls get freshened up?" I said, smiling at Thriller while he was practically eating me with his eyes. I felt disgusted. The three girls looked at me with relief as they got up, each giving him a kiss on the cheek. I sat next to him, waiting for him to make a move on me. He placed my hand on my thigh as I smiled at him. Wanting this to be over, I got on top of him and sat on his lap. He wasn't bad-looking; he looked like the off brand version of Jason Statham. As Lady Gaga played in the background, he started kissing me. Honestly, he wasn't a bad kisser, and I didn't mind the smooches. We made out for about 2 minutes when I suggested we go to his car to have sex. He looked at a guy sitting in the bar, and he singled him with his fingers to get up.

"Okay, but my guards have to come with me, sweet heart. I can't risk going out alone." I looked up at the mirror, and there were about ten guards surrounding us. I kept it cool, but I needed to get out of here. "Okay, they can watch." I said with a smirk as I perked my eyelashes at him. He beamed at the idea, feeling his bulge under me. We quickly got up, and he led me outside through the same door that Logan was standing in front of, but he wasn't there anymore. We walked outside and started to walk to his car, but out of nowhere, Wade and Logan showed up. 

Thriller's guards took their guns out and started shooting at Logan and Wade. Thriller hid behind me as the fight was happening, still thinking I was on his side. I didn't move, keeping my cover. As Wade and Logan fought, Wade was slicing their limbs, being super dramatic with it. Logan on the other hand, was making them feel pain by punching his fists into their chests with his claws. I couldn't help but notice the way he fought. I mean, I've never seen him fight before, so I was so intrigued and couldn't look away despite the blood and the yells of the guards. Logan made it look so hot, and the blood splattered on his suit made him look desirable. I didn't know why I was thinking like this. But I didn't mind.

After the fight was over, which lasted like 5 minutes, but watching Logan fight felt like a lifetime. Logan and Wade came walking towards me and Thriller. Thriller took out his gun and aimed it at my head. Everyone froze.

"Don't come any closer, or I will shoot her pretty little head," Thriller threatened. Logan clenched his fist, his eyes darkening with rage. Wade, on the other hand, winked at me. I took that as a sign to use my powers on Thriller. I used my telekinesis to grab his gun, threw it across the alley, and elbowed him in the nose. He looked at me in shock.

"What? You thought I was some weak whore? Think again" I said, walking next to Logan and Wade.

Wade clapped his hands in delight. "Oh, I love it when you show off, Vi! Can we talk about that elbow move? Ten out of ten, would recommend."

Wade glanced at Logan, "See, Wolvie? Told you she's not just a pretty face. She's got the moves, the powers, and the brains. We're like the ultimate team of sexy justice."

Logan just grunted, his eyes still fixed on Thriller, who was nursing his broken nose. "Let's just get this over with," he muttered.

Wade walked up to him and decapitated him with one of his blades. 

As we waited for Dopinder to come back, I felt the cold wind hit my skin, which made my nipples hard and very visible due to the thin fabric. Wade was throwing rocks at the wall, while Logan was across from me, leaning against the brick wall. I looked to my left and saw the limbs of the guards all covered in blood. It made me nauseated. "I'm going to go inside and see if one of the girls can lend me one of their sweaters." I said, looking at Wade. I walked inside and asked one of the girls if they had a sweater that I could use. She took me to where the loss and found was, and I thanked her as she walked away. I found a pair of sweat pants that looked clean, along with a pink zip up jacket. I quickly put the clothes on and headed towards the exit. As I was walking through the crowd, I accidentally bumped into a man. "I'm sorry," I said as I looked up to meet his eyes. He looked at me, recognizing my face as I did his. Fuck, it's Adam. 

Next Part: part 4: Under the surface

[icycoldninja]

Promised (Sephiroth x Reader angst)

You, a youthful, yet extraordinarily sad teenager, were perched atop a cliff, feeling lonlier than ever. Your boyfriend, the young SOLDIER prodigy, Sephiroth, had been sent away to war and you had no idea when he would be back. If he would be back. Every day you traveled up to this precipice, where you two often met in the past. You found yourself curled up on the grass under the tree where you and he had carved your names into the bark.

Sephiroth x Y/N, forever.

Bringing your knees up to your chest and burying you face into them, you began to sob, worry and fear overwhelming you again, as it tended to do so every day.

"Y/N! Hey!" You turned and peered at the source of the voice with teary eyes, surprised to see a familiar, short teenage boy running towards you.

"Seph?" You sprung to your feet, dashing towards him and wrapping him in a tight hug. "You're back! I...I missed you so much." The young boy pulled away from you, standing on his tiptoes so he could plant a kiss on your forehead, all while smiling that sweet, calm smile he always did. You chuckled, remembering how you always teased him for being shorter than you.

"I'm back, you giant," He chuckled, gazing up at you fondly. Hope rising in your chest, you asked if he would be staying long, as there were so many new developments in your hometown; so many things you wanted to show and talk to him about. The look he gave you in response was answer enough; the way his eyes temporarily lost their shine and his mouth curved into the tiniest of frowns told you that the answer was negative.

"I'm...sorry, Y/N," He mumbled, fidgeting with his fingers. "I must go back next week. They're sending me to Rhadoran next." You nodded, crestfallen, though you tried to keep up a cheerful front.

Unfortunately, there was no fooling Sephiroth. His watchful, neon green eyes saw everything.

"I know it's tough," He whispered, taking you by the shoulders and pulling you close. "But you have to hang in there. I promise, when I get back, everything will be different. Just trust me."

You nodded, knowing that this wasn't easy for him either. You had to stay strong, like he was, and take comfort in the fact that soon, the war will be over, and then you could spend more time with your beloved.

"Don't worry," Sephiroth assured you, wrapping his arms around you and resting his head against your chest. "I'll never forget you." You nodded, biting down hard on your lip to keep yourself from bursting into tears. Sephiroth rubbed circles into your lower back; his touch cold because of the leather gloves he was wearing.

"I love you, Seph." You murmured, tightening your hold around him. "I always will. Forever." A faint smile tugged at the corners of Sephiroth's mouth. He pulled away again before fishing in his pocket, soon producing a tiny black case.

"I know we can't officially get married cause we're both still legally children, but..." He opened the case, revealing two simple, yet beautiful silver rings. "I got these from a jeweler who lived in a town we happened to pass through. They're promise rings, kinda like engagement rings, but for kids."

"They're beautiful," You whispered, causing a light dusting of pink to appear on the boy's pale cheeks.

"Really? You really like them?" He sounded uncertain and neverous, yet giddy at the same time. You nodded excitedly as he took one of the rings from the box and slipped it onto your finger.

"I love them, Seph--I love anything you give me." Sephiroth smiled, handing you the box so you could slide the other ring onto his finger.

"We're officially engaged now," He stated, once you were finished. You couldn't help but giggle at how matter-of-factly he'd said it.

"We are!" You cheered, hugging him tightly. Sephiroth let out a quiet sigh as he stood there, trapped in your hold, and silently wished that this moment could last forever.

Unfortunately, nothing ever did. After just one day of relaxing with you, he was once again shipped off to Rhadoran to fight in the front lines. Watching him leave was painful; the joy that had recently filled your heart quickly evaporated into despairing emptiness. He'd only just left and you missed him already. When would he be back?

You asked every soldier that came to your town, "When will Sephiroth be back?" Every time, they never gave you a straight answer. It seemed that they didn't know either.

You soon gave up inquiring and simply observed the passengers of each truck that arrived. Every time one arrived, Sephiroth was nowhere to be seen, and you lost more and more hope; the only thing you had to remind you of him was the promise ring he'd given you, which you wore every day without fail. You would treasure that ring; it was a symbol of your love and dedication, one of the few things that comforted you during these depressing times.

Several years later, you were perched atop that very same cliff once again, curled up under that tree where you and Sephiroth had carved your names, though the words had long since faded from view as bark, moss and flowers had grown over them. The only thing you had left of Sephiroth now was the ring, which still resided on your finger. Just looking at that simple silver band filled you with despair; you were soon sobbing into your arms, the many years of loneliness, worry, and sadness finally taking it's toll.

"Y/N?" A deep voice unfamiliar to you called, followed by the sound of jingling metal and heavy footsteps.

"Go away!" You shouted, thinking it was one of the village folks come to comfort you or persuade you to give up on Sephiroth and date someone else, as they frequently attenpted to do nowadays. The person sat down next to you; a sudden fruity scent filling your nostrils. A cold, gloved hand made its way down to yours, raising it up so that your ring shone in the sunlight.

"I see you still wear my ring." Your head snapped up; eyes widening in shock.

Beside you sat a familiar young man with silver hair and neon green eyes, though he was no longer the short, cute little boy you once knew. He was a tall wall of muscle, with a waterfall of gleaming silver hair; an imposing, threatening aura surrounding him unlike anything you'd ever seen. Was this really the boy you'd exchanged promise rings with all those years ago?

"Miss me?" He inquired, smiling that familiar, quiet smile. He chuckled after you failed to respond, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Do you not recognize me? I'll admit, I have grown," He pulled off one of his gloves to reveal a silver ring identical to yours sitting neatly on his finger. "But I have never forgotten."

Something clicked inside you, prompting you to throw yourself into his arms and pepper his face with kisses, all while tears of joy and relief streamed down your face

"I missed you so, so, so much!" You declared, squeezing him with all your strength. Sephiroth chuckled, pulling you into his lap and kissing your cheek.

"I know, I missed you too. But now, I am home, and now, we can get married. Just as I promised."

[gazspookiebear]

I got a skirt a while ago and felt inspired to write smt for it 🫶🫶 I just KNOW Gaz is the biggest hype man

Fluff, gn reader

You sit impatiently on the couch waiting for your boyfriend to arrive. It's been almost three weeks since you'd seen him last, and you have something to show him.

Your hands play with the bottom of the skirt you bought recently. It sits in your lap, unworn and fresh out of the dryer. It's been years since you last wore something traditionally feminine, unless you count the crop tops you had hidden away in your closet. You can't deny the anxiety creeping into the corners of your mind. For the past few weeks, butterflies have made a home in your stomach.

What if you don't look good in it? What if you don't like it?

What if Kyle doesn't like it?

Your whirlwind of anxious thoughts is interrupted by the opening of the front door.

Kyle steps in, a long sigh escaping him. He lets his bag hit the floor, relief flooding his body at the sight of your shared home. There's nothing in the world that he'd rather do right now than be here, home, with you.

"Love? I'm home," he calls out into the house. Unsurprisingly, you come bounding out of the living room to leap into his arms, the skirt left abandoned on the couch for the moment.

His strong arms wrap around your torso as he buries his face into your neck. "Feels good to be back. Missed you," he mumbles into your skin as you plant gentle kisses on his cheek.

The two of you stand like that for what feels like hours. Eventually you pull back, softly cupping his face in your hands as you look into his eyes. The adoring and lovesick look that he gives you is enough to make your face warm up. You decide now is as good a time as ever to mention the skirt that you'd left waiting on the couch.

You plant a soft kiss to his lips, your head suddenly feeling light as the anxiety kicks back in. "Ky? You remember how I mentioned that I wanted to start wearing more feminine clothing?"

He hums in acknowledgment, raising an eyebrow at your sudden change in demeanor. You let go of him for a moment to retrieve the skirt from the couch.

"Well, while you were away," you hold up the skirt for him to see "I might have bought a little something?" You grin nervously at him, waiting for some kind of rejection, or for him to tell you that you shouldn't wear it.

Instead, his face lights up. "Dove, that's- it's gorgeous," he gawks at it.

"Well? You should put it on! Give me a show, doll." he grins at you, planting a kiss to your forehead as he ushers you to the bathroom to try it on.

In the bathroom, you take a minute to admire it as you put it on. It's simple, yet still eye-catching. A plain black skirt that goes halfway down your thighs once it's fully on.

You step out of the bathroom and shyly walk over to Kyle. He whistles at you, beaming like a little kid who was just given candy.

"Well, well, well, who is this? Didn't know we had such a smokeshow in the house." He grabs your hand and lifts it, twirling you around once. You preen under his gaze, and you can't help but giggle at his antics. Why were you ever so nervous?

"I take it you're a fan?" You playfully tease.

"The biggest. The real question is, do you like it?" He asks, moving his hands to hold you by the waist.

You think about it for a minute, then nod.

"Good. Hope to see you in it more often," he whispers in your ear. He starts showering your face in kisses, running his hands down the length of your skirt. You fake your annoyance as you swat Kyle's hands away from the bottom of your skirt.

"Quit it," you scold him, your voice full of affection. You can't help the way your heart soars when he engulfs you in his arms, still staring at you with boyish adoration.

Needless to say, you both loved the skirt.

[fairytsuk1]

Hello I am in the delusional Bakugo is okay reality and was wondering if we can get a soft request where his girlfriend’s mom thanks Bakugo for continuing to take care of the reader (as if he needs to be asked) when he visits her bedside (despite his own injuries) after the fight with Shigaraki?

bakugou hadn't really realized his way of thinking may not be very healthy when everyone said he spoke more about you than his own horrific injuries. even then, it still doesn't click for him.

"where is she?"

"bakugou," a nurse begins slowly but quickly rushes as he begins to sit up, "please, wait! don't take any of those off!"

the blonde practically snarls at her, and winces before sighing, "did ya' hear me? or do I have to repeat myself?"

the nurse looks at him with an agape mouth before nodding, "she's in room 533. do you... would you like some regular clothing? we weren't expecting you to—"

"i'm fine! i'd like to get out of here as soon as possible," and he swigs some water as if to end the conversation.

eventually, she brings his clothing and he grimaces at the baggy, lack of structure within him. he even gives her an incredulous look, what kind of nurse brings the patient the wrong clothin'? he worries his lip as she describes how, due to the nature of his injuries, it was best not to wear form-fitting clothing.

he has a flashback to when his head whipped backwards and pain shot through his limbs, and he remembers seeing you suspended in air with rods shooting through your stomach.

bakugou is quick to rush out of the room after that, brushing past her and chugging his meds once given them. in his mind, there was only one thing to do which made this a pressing matter. the matter of making sure you were okay was more than pressing, you could call it his life's purpose.

...

you're breathing, and it helps bakugou breathe a little easier too. his apparent disappearance had quickly been reported on by his designated nurse, so he'd heard the story of how "we're doing everything we can" and "she's got a huge chance at recovery."

he hated that these things were becoming all about "chances" and "trying." was it that hard to say that, yes, she would be okay? he'd angrily spat this out of them as they tried to demand he leave the room.

your hand held in his said it all.

bakugou stayed with you all day and night if possible. sometimes he was torn away for physical therapy, regular therapy, federal investigations... the list goes on. you were comatose, with a loose range in movement.

you didn't have to deal with it all, but sometimes he wished you would just so he could hear your smart remarks or hilarious quips. you weren't dead, thank god, but you weren't alive either.

and then one day a lady walks in, put together and holding her purse in her hands tightly. clutched, and she even wears sunglasses. bakugou's never seen her before and yet he feels intimidated to take his hand away from yours and stand. even give her a really respectful bow, but who?...

"hello, honey," your mother chokes out as she's overwhelmed by emotion of your weak body recovering.

then she turns to bakugou, and his blood is rushing in his ears. maybe someone should call a nurse, he might faint right here.

"...and you must be bakugou?"

he nods, "...hello. i wasn't aware you were visiting, sorry for intrudin'."

your mother almost lets him slip away, clearly flustered to have met his girlfriend's mom in this non-traditional way.

"don't be. when i heard you were staying with her as often as possible..."

perhaps bakugou and your mother are more similar than they appear. they can't seem to find the words sometimes.

"thank you for taking care of my daughter,"

i approve.

if bakugou was surprised by the gratefulness, he does her one better.

"'ts what you do,"

for the people you love.

the unlikely pair bow at each-other, reddened cheeks and twitches of a smile.

and then your eyes flutter open.

[yuenthevoices]

Hanzo Shimada x (former) Servant!Reader

ok so- we all know the Shimada family was like, rich rich, right? imagine being a worker at shimada castle - just this average person working as a servant (probably with great pay ngl) when they were younger, and many years later seeing the heir of the family you used to work for being the hanamura equivalent of batman.

Younger Hanzo would be both easier yet harder to interact with, given your position.

Physically, it wouldn't be much of a problem to find him. Working at Shimada Castle would make it much easier, that's for sure.

On the other hand, he'd be harder to reach emotionally. Both because of clan expectations he'd no doubt be constantly trying and training to live up to, as well as the fact that he isn't naturally a social person.

Easiest solution? Don't try to interact with him. At least, don't try too hard.

If you work at the castle for long enough, being a consistent enough presence to become simply a familiar part part of Shimada Castle, he'll grow more open to you. As open as he knows how to be, anyway.

Hanzo strikes me as the type to favor routines, or at least the familiarity that comes with it.

Say you were the one assigned to bring him tea every so often. Maybe you knew enough about tea to be able to recommend blends to his preference, or you simply were assigned the role.

Overtime, he'd subtly begin to open up - asking about the tea blend you've decided on this time, perhaps even complimenting your choice of tea to serve.

If you work for the Shimada Clan long enough, he'd probably even notice if you were gone for a day, asking you the next time you bring him his tea.

However, despite this familiarity, I'm not sure if he would ever consider you a friend T-T. He'd most likely still see you as a staff member, maybe an acquaintance? Perhaps unrealized crush as well.

If you ever did develop a crush on Hanzo while working for the Shimada Clan, fully expect Genji to find out, regardless of if you've ever even talked to him.

Genji would tease either you or Hanzo no matter if you had a crush or not - nudging Hanzo whenever you walked within eyesight and pointing you out to him as 'his favorite servant', or following you around asking you questions while you were just trying to do your job.

After the Shimada Clan falls however, that would be...interesting.

Years after leaving your job as a servant to the Shimada Clan, just trying to make your way home through the streets at night, you'd run into him again.

Your reunion could vary from watching him take out a bunch of thugs from a rooftop to meeting again at a teashop or cafe.

Regardless of how you meet, you two do meet again. I'd imagine for Hanzo it'd be a bit bittersweet - seeing someone from his past, from before he lost everything, yet who's also a familiar face who he felt at least somewhat comfortable with.

He wouldn't open up immediately of course, but it'd be a bit easier to connect with him before, now that there wasn't a social class dynamic-thing happening anymore.

You'd most likely be the one to have to work to maintain contact between the two of you. Being the first to ask him things, message him, etc.

If you take that time however, he'd certainly become closer than you. Perhaps even realizing his unrealized crush from his youth.

If he were to develop/redevelop a crush on you, he'd certainly have to go to either Genji or Kiriko, both of which would most likely give him some version of - 'wow, you just realized?' - as a response, before giving varying advice, but none of which he finds helpful.

I'm not quite sure if he'd ever have the courage to ask you out. If he did however, it'd either be the most romantic scene every, or on accident with pure comedic timing.

anyways this is all i've got for now, maybe i'll write a proper one shot with this scenario later!

[gothic-thoughts]

Eres Mia

Miguel O'Hara x Black Fem Reader Angst

YandereAU, ExesAU

CW: stalking, breaking in, non spider-person reader, she/her pronouns, afab parts mentioned

TW: poorly proofread

Word Count: 1611 (give or take)

A/n: any Spanish is used/confirmed by DeepL translator so it wont be as trash as google, but still lmk

He wishes he could've just stopped loving her. Miguel wishes he could've forgotten about her and gone back to work but her lack of presence was ruining him. Despite her not being a spider person, she was in his office so often that not hearing her humming to herself was driving him to madness. Either that or the lack of any breaks in general.

It had been a month since she left him alone again and Miguel had yet to leave his desk, waiting for her voice to pull him away. But it doesn't, leaving Lyla to do it herself by turning off the monitors causing him to growl in the dark. slams both his fists on the desktop with a loud groan.

"Always something. What now?" He calls exasperated, "Lyla, what happened?"

"I helped." The AI woman appeared next to his right fist with her arms crossed, "You're welcome~"

"Woah-woah," He stands up at crosses his arms, "What did you do?"

"You need to go talk to her."

"I'm not in the mood."

"You're a mess and you know it."

"I'm not, I'm busy. Busy, you know, monitoring the multiverse."

"We both know you're just looking at her selfies and--"

"Drop it." He snaps before sighing, "She's in the past."

"She doesn't have to be. Face it, you miss her and there's nothing you can do but talk to her."

"Turn the power back on."

"Stays off until you get back~"

She disappears with a shrug before he can say anything making him growl loudly and toss his chair across the room. He punches his desk again, sighing shakily as he realizes she was right. As the fiery colors of the portal lit up his desk and back, he reluctantly activated his mask and only took a deep breath when it covered his face completely. He faces the portal and adjusts the settings on his watch.

"She better be alone." He whispers, “I don't know who I'll be if she’s not.”

“Wasn’t she alone last you were spying on her?”

“I wasn’t spying and no; no she wasn’t.”

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

Miguel stepped out of the portal and onto a roof, now in his ex's version of Earth. He stood on the roof right across the street from her apartment complex, wondering how to even begin speaking to her after so long. He jumped off and pulled himself to the fire escape with bright orange webs before quietly scaling her building. He made sure to be slow, giving himself more time to clear his head and think of what to say. 

Once he reached her bedroom, he took one last deep breath before opening the unlocked window and squeezing his muscly body through. He stood up as straight as he could, keeping his head hung forward because of her ceiling. He turns to her bed and locks eyes with his ex sitting on the bed with her arms crossed over her red tank top. 

"Really?"

The dark eyes that he loved so much were narrowed at him with annoyance making his mouth dry as he opened it to speak. All the words he prepared for this moment disappeared and his mind cluttered seeing her sitting up against her headboard rigidly. Her eyebrow raises while waiting for an explanation but he opts to stare at her.

"Did you really just climb through my window like we cool?"

"Not exactly discreet if I just walked up here past the doorman, is it?"

She crosses her arms, "Why come at all, Miguel?"

"I just came to talk--"

"It's been a month, and now you a fan of talking?"

"Not my fault you wouldn't answer your phone."

His mask dissipates to reveal his tired face and dark eyes, making her internally gasp. She knew he was a workaholic and had so much to do that he'd sleep very little, but he looked like he hadn't slept in months– and they had only broken up 3 weeks ago. Remembering that it was his actions that brought them to this point, she conceals her concern with an eye roll. She pulls her legs into her chest and leans against the headboard, letting him sit on the edge of her bed with a reasonable distance between them.

"What do you want, savior of the multiverse?"

He winces at her words, "Look, like I said I just want to talk."

"Clearly. Although, inconvenient cuz I don't."

"Don't talk, that's fine; you don't have to, solo escucha. You're not...you’re not seeing anyone else yet, right?”

"Are you being serious right now?!" She snapped, jumping off the bed, "Get the hell out of my room and go back to that job you love so fuckin' much." He stood from bed abruptly, palming the ceiling to keep from hitting his head as he followed her to the door. 

"What did I do?!” 

She rolls her eyes, and spins on her heel, “That how you start apologies in the future?!”

"I'm sorry if I can't help but get angry at the thought of you with someone else!"

"So why not just get your jealousy out of the way at the start of the apology, right?"

“Oh, well I’m sorry for making sure I still have time to make things right with you! I was just making sure that guy you were with wasn’t...”

He trails off, jaw clenching. She looked up with wide eyes and raised eyebrows with a fury that made the 6’9” man swallow thickly in realization. She slaps him. He sighs deeply feeling the intense pressure of her eyes on him, his heart breaking knowing that he deserved it. “You stalking me now?” She crosses her arms, “That's what we doing?”

"It’s not like that, I’m just used to hearing from you every day," He murmured, “You know my job can be dangerous; I was just checking up on you.”

"My nigga, if I’m not aware of it, then it’s stalking."

"Like you would’ve let me willingly! If I seem like a stalker now and then to make sure you’re safe then whatever. I just happened to see you with someone else when I did."

She remains silent, thinking of something to say knowing she couldn't deny the fact she felt the same. Just knowing he was head of a society full of people who were a lot more interesting and strong than she was. It just made her feel inferior as a partner but she bypassed it because he convinced her it didn’t matter to him. She snapped out of her thoughts in time to watch him stalk closer, causing her to back away with her hand extended back to find the doorknob. Expecting to see malice in his eyes, she looked into them to see how soft his gaze was in contrast to their color and his movements. 

They looked desperate as if he was about to cry so she dropped her resolve and allowed him to get close enough to press against her, pinning her against the door with a large hand on her hip. Miguel shivered when touching her, a sign he needed to keep himself from falling apart. Missing his touch, she made no move to push him away, instead watching him lean in to kiss her but his other hand pressed against the door to stop himself from crossing any boundaries.

“I can’t let you go; I’m sorry I can’t. You mean the world to me; the world and so much more." His grip tightened as if she’d disappear from his life again, "Quiero empezar de nuevo, mi amor (I want to start over, my love). Just tell me you're not with that man."

"And if I was?"

Miguel's fingers twitch at the thought, allowing his shorter counterpart to hear his claws scratch near her ear. With the way he slipped in and out of his native tongue mixed with his desperateness lit a different kind of fire in her stomach. He shakes his head realizing how fast they went from their argument to needing each other but when her hands glide up his broad chest to hold his shoulders, he hugs her closer and leans down to her ear, plump lips brushing her earlobe.

"Lo mataría." He breathed, "Lo mataría a sangre fría."

She stammers, "...what?"

"I'd kill him in cold blood."

Before she could fully process his threat, she was back on her bed with Miguel standing at the edge, pinning her to the mattress. He tugged her pants off while leaving kiss after kiss along her neck, fangs grazing her. Her light gasps and moans fill the room as he rambles praises and apologies in Spanish before shutting down his suit. Her body was already ablaze from watching his lips and hands roam her body so when he kneeled on the floor to get at her thighs, she grabbed his face and guided him back up.

She shakes her head slowly, eyeing his lips with dilated pupils before sliding her hand into his hair and closing the space between them. The kiss was sloppy, complete with panting and moaning that filled the bedroom which made Miguel’s claws sink into the mattress. He groans with her, waiting for her to let him have her again while his hard-on twitches against her thighs. Little did he know that her insides clenched around nothing expecting him to take charge like he usually did but seeing he wasn’t going to move, she stopped.

"You're panting like a dog, but haven't made a move yet? That's unlike you."

“Déjame entrar, mi amor(let me in, my love).” He whispers, desperately, “Please let me; fuck, please let me.”

[beomgyuslilracha]

the ceo's son ✧.* [ epilogue ]

⊹ pairing: choi soobin x f! reader

⊹ genre: strangers to friends to lovers

⊹ warnings: very brief and mild swearing

⊹ wc: 3.2k

summary: you've been an intern at c company for roughly over four months now - directly under the ceo as his assistant. everything was going perfectly: you were saving up money to attend uni next year, and you knew that you were under the ceo's good graces to receive a great recommendation when the time came! in fact, he took a liking to you so much that he'd often joke that he wanted to set you up with his son. at least ... you thought it was a joke

ever since that beautiful moment back at lotte world, every minute of every day felt as if you were still living in a daydream.

it had been an exact month to the date, and you still found it impossible to fathom that soobin is your boyfriend. you got to call that six foot bundle of cuteness all yours, which you very much took advantage of doing so, yet it still didn't feel real!

even now, as you were sweetly engulfed in his arms, the butterflies in your stomach still fluttered around in excitement - despite the absolute innocence of the action itself.

"do you really have to go?" soobin mumbled into your hair, squeezing your frame even closer to his.

you giggled, though you desperately wished that you didn't have to leave him either. "yes, my sweet binnie, i really do," you lifted your chin up to finally look at him. "i stupidly promised your father i'd work a full day today."

"i still think we should just tell him," the cute boy groaned, jutting his bottom lip out into the most adorable pout. "i guarantee he'd give you a whole week off to celebrate our anniversary."

you couldn't help but to laugh, unable to put the idea past that crazy boss of yours. hell, you would even bet that the man would throw a giant party for the two of you himself - despite it only being a month.

"i know, but that's exactly why i don't want to tell him yet," you sighed. "i don't want him treating me any differently just because we're dating."

soobin nodded, though rather sadly, before planting a tiny kiss on your forehead, one on each smiling cheek, another on the nose, and lastly pressing a much longer one on your lips.

no matter how long its been and how many times he did it, soobin just couldn't get enough of how it felt to kiss you. a show of fireworks would ignite in his heart every second your lips connected, and he'd find himself craving it all over again the second you pulled away.

"if i get out too late, i promise i'll make it up to you tomorrow, okay?" you practically whispered to him, your eyes barely fluttering open from the blissful daze that his kiss put you in.

you attempted to give your beloved boyfriend one more kiss goodbye, but his hand reached out to wrap around your waist and pull you back in for another. you were going to be late getting back from your lunch break, but you suddenly couldn't bring yourself to care.

soobin's lips were an addiction, and you found it harder and harder to leave him every single time.

"what if you stayed with me tonight?" soobin asked you suddenly, his free hand intertwining with yours as he did.

your eyes widened at the suggestion, and your cheeks were quickly tinted with a light pink hue.

stay with soobin? at his dorm??

like sleep over???

"you mean, like ... stay the night?" you asked for clarification, your heart pounding erratically inside your chest.

soobin nodded, his lips squeezing tightly together nervously and forcing his dimple to pop out even more than normal. even he couldn't believe he suggested such an idea, but he didn't want to risk not being able to see you on the very night of your anniversary.

after maybe a whole second of thinking it over, you agreed rather sheepishly. the thought still had your heart racing, but you were not about to deny such a golden opportunity to see soobin at his most relaxed.

perhaps you were agreeing for the selfish idea of being able to see how cute he'd look with bed head in the morning.

"i'll see you tonight then, angel," soobin giggled, giving you an official goodbye kiss this time.

the lightheaded feeling only lasted a millisecond, suddenly turning into gut-wrenching fear once you picked up on a new voice beside you both.

"miss y/n?"

you could not control your hands from harshly pushing soobin completely away from you, wanting all but to disappear in embarrassment. "m-mr. jeong, what- what are ... what are you doing here?"

soobin probably would have been hurt by the action - not that he still wasn't - but even he was surprised to see his father's assistant standing just a short ways from you both. soobin couldn't help but to wonder just how much he witnessed.

"i was picking up some coffees for a meeting this afternoon," mr. jeong answered relatively calmly, though his gaze continously shifted back and forth between the two of you. "should i ask what it is that you two are doing here?"

now, mr. jeong was not at all blind or clueless. he had full access to the company's security cameras and had spotted the two of you secretly meeting one another on multiple occasions — he just never expected to witness a far more intimate moment.

and in person, at that.

"oh, we- we just, uh.. ran into each other," you began to stumble for an excuse. "i- well ... i wasn't feeling good so, uh, soobin was- he was checking my temperature."

. . . checking your temperature . . . with his mouth . . .

soobin absolutely adored you to the moon and back. he would do anything and everything for you without you even having to ask - including cover for you when you were too embarrassed to tell the truth.

except this time.

no, not even soobin could stand there and save you from a terrible excuse like that.

"we're dating. please don't think i'm willingly doing anything weird to take advantage of her," soobin admitted to the confused man, his hands quickly waving maniacally in front him to deny the words you said.

mr. jeong let out a surprised laugh, having witnessed a lot in the past couple minutes. before he had any time to respond, you spoke up again.

"please don't tell mr. choi!"

you couldn't handle standing there a second longer to soak in the absolute embarrassment. not even bothering to wait for any kind of response, you checked the time on your phone and suddenly took off running back towards the company.

if nothing else, you at least knew that you'd be able to arrive first and prevent mr. jeong from saying anything to the ceo while you were present.

although, this plan of yours mainly consisted of you being an absolute klutz every second that mr. jeong so much as breathed. the man was barely able to hold a normal conversation with his superior without you dropping whatever was in your hands in a panic.

"miss y/n, are you doing alright?" mr. choi himself had to ask, after about the fifth time you stumbled over and dropped the files in your hands.

your eyes had flickered over to a straight-faced mr. jeong, but there was absolutely no way you were going to open any opportunity for the man to expose your relationship. "yes, sir, i'm fine. i didn't get enough sleep last night, so i'm a little tired."

where was this critical thinking when you were trying to think of an excuse earlier?!

since then, mr. choi was able to dismiss your out-of-character behavior, but he still wasn't entirely convinced. you seemed more nervous about something than anything, but he couldn't even begin to put a finger on the reason as to why.

not that the man would ever come close even if he tried.

"miss y/n, please calm down," mr. jeong had pulled you aside while the two men were on their way out for a meeting. "it is not my place to speak for you if you're not ready. you don't need to be so nervous."

a euphoric sense of relief washed over you from his words, yet a new wave a guilt and shame overcame you instead. you felt ridiculous for having doubted him, but you just couldn't help being so nervous.

as reliable as mr. jeong was, you also knew how much he highly respected his superior. the two men didn't work alongside each other for this many years without having a close and trusting bond between them. in which case, you were slightly afraid to know just how far that bond was willing to go.

"i'm so sorry for being so worried," you apologized, going as far to bow a full 90 degrees from sincerity. "i truly appreciate you doing this for me, sir."

with a small chuckle, the man finally left the room behind mr. choi and allowed you to relax for the first time that entire afternoon.

by the time the two of them returned, you were back to your normal and calm self. you trusted that mr. jeong wouldn't lie to you, so you willingly allowed your guard to drop.

by the time 6:00 rolled around - the time for you to go home - you had completely dismissed the thought from your mind. if mr. choi didn't barge into the room with a million questions after the two men were alone, then you 100% respected mr. jeong's promise to keep yours and soobin's relationship to himself.

"i'll be on my way now! have a great night," you happily wished the two men a goodbye, practically skipping your way out of the room.

now with that worry out of the way, you focused entirely on the thought of spending the whole night with soobin! in fact, judging by the cute messages he left for you while you were working, the night should start by the time you exited the building.

"hi, angel," soobin greeted you cutely from where he was waiting.

not that you'd know it, but he was waiting by that same tree from back when he had tried to surprise you before. unlike last time, though, now he got to see that adorable smile of yours making your way over to him.

"hi, binnie," you giggled, being sure to greet one another with a kiss as always. "i missed you."

soobin still felt himself blushing at the nickname every time. he didn't know whether it was the name itself or the pretty girl saying it that had his heart doing somersaults.

"you think we still have time for dinner first?" you asked him while checking the time on your phone.

with his starry-eyed gaze trained on you, soobin had a better idea. "what if we just stayed in tonight? we can just order food and stay at the dorm all night."

your entire face warmed at the mention, unable to believe that you two were really going to spend an entire night together. it was completely innocent, of course, but the butterflies still had you feeling so nervous at the thought.

"okay, that sounds even better," you agreed bashfully, intertwining your fingers between his. "oh, but we should stop by my apartment first so i can grab a few things."

"why? i already have extra of everything for you so that you don't have to," soobin told you, making the blush on your cheeks turn an even deeper red than before.

you knew this to be true, but your heart still leapt regardless. you had been visiting soobin much more often at his dorm, and - slowly, but surely - he began to buy little things for you in order to make you more comfortable.

he had gotten you house slippers, candles of your favorite scent for his room (partly to make you comfortable and partly just to remind him of you), and even a fuzzy blanket solely for you to wrap yourself in.

"okay, well, what about clothes? i don't have anything to wear."

now it was soobin's turn for his entire face to turn a deep shade of red. he had been secretly hoping you would forget to bring up that little tidbit, seeing as he was dying to see just how cute you'd look wearing one of his shirts.

he had tried offering one to you before when you'd stay late, but you'd always refuse and claim that you were okay. not that you didn't want to, you just never realized that he was offering for a more selfish reason than simply just hospitality.

"well, i have ... you know, i have clothes you could borrow," soobin practically mumbled, his gaze averting down to his feet from embarrassment.

the butterflies were suddenly mere seconds away from completely flying out of your mouth, seeing as his words left you feeling a mixture of excitement, shock, and nerves.

"you sure they won't be too big?" you asked him through a giggle, already picturing what it'd be like to be drowning in one of his shirts.

soobin looked up at you with the cutest, dimply grin. "i hope they are because then you'll look even cuter."

you didn't have time to feel shy before his lips met yours once again, allowing you to throw your hands around his neck to deepen the affection. his fingers hooked around the first two belt loops of your pants, slyly pulling you even closer to him.

"AH HA!! HAHAHA I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT, I TOLD YOU I KNEW IT!"

oh God, oh no, oh no, oh fuck, oh God no, fuck

for the second time that day, you pushed soobin as far as you could manage as if to pretend that the two of you were not caught in the act again.

only this time by the absolute last person you ever wanted to know.

"I TOLD YOU THESE TWO WOULD LOVE EACH OTHER! I TOLD YOU, DIDN'T I?!" mr. choi was practically screaming to the world at this point, despite mr. jeong being directly beside him. "AHAHAHA!!"

the man was laughing maniacally now, unable to contain the outright joy erupting from his body at the success story of his first and only matchmaking attempt.

"dad, please," soobin groaned, one of his hands running through his hair rather stressfully. his face was wearing the exact matching color of embarrassment as yours - you two practically looked like glowing christmas lights.

you were too busy silently screaming at yourself for your carelessness. you practically stood in front of the company waiting for the man to come out in order to put on the same show mr. jeong watched earlier.

"YAHH!" soobin finally raised his voice at the man, who refused to keep laughing his head off from pride. it was seriously like he wanted everyone in seoul to know by this point.

"mr. choi, please, i'm sure you've embarrassed the two enough by now," mr. jeong finally stepped forward, placing a hand on the ceo's shoulder to gain his attention.

"ahh, how long? how long has it been, huh?" mr. choi began to question you both, his excited smile practically covering his entire face. his eyes practically disappeared behind his cheeks, and you'd honestly find it adorable if you weren't deathly embarrassed.

"today makes one month," soobin answered.

your entire head practically snapped on your neck to shoot a glare at the boy beside you, unable to believe that he would admit such a detail to his father.

judging by the look of regret in his eyes, soobin also realized all too late the mistake he made as well.

"today? one month today?" mr. choi's eyes practically bulged out of his head now from the announcement. only after receiving an ashamed nod of approval from you both did he revert back to his cheerful self. "this calls for celebration!! we have to commemorate this special occasion!"

as the man began requesting for mr. jeong to bring his car around, you and soobin slowly looked over at one another with the same expression of defeat in your eyes.

your night together was forcibly being prolonged a little bit longer.

"ahh, i know the perfect restaurant for us to celebrate! i'm good friends with the owner, so i'm sure we'll be treated with the best service," mr. choi chuckled heartily, already pulling out his phone to make a reservation.

you couldn't help but to notice the usage of 'us' and 'we' as he spoke, unfortunately indicating the man clearly intended on joining you both.

just as the man turned his back while speaking cheerfully on the phone, soobin quickly caught you off guard by capturing your face in his hands and kissing you breathless before his father could turn around.

"wha- why?" was all you could manage to ask, still out of breath as you quickly ensured that his father hadn't seen him.

"i'm probably not going to be able to do that all night," soobin whispered to you, one of his hands falling from your face to intertwine again with yours.

once mr. jeong pulled around with the car escort, mr. choi practically ushered you both into the backseat - so as not to let either of you escape - while he took the passenger's side in the front. in any case, you were at least glad that he knew enough boundaries to not seat himself directly beside the two of you.

at first, the drive primarily consisted of soobin's father heartily praising himself for putting the two of you together. just as you had expected, he was all but asking for you both to personally thank him.

sure, you were thankful, but you did not want to have to sit there and inflate the man's ego anymore than it already was.

"you know, i do have friends over at signiel," mr. choi suddenly realized. "if i pull a few strings, i could possibly book the venue at least a year in advance. i know it's not traditional for the groom's father to have any say in the wedding, but it's the least i can do!"

as the man began rambling on about caterers and famous wedding planners, your face had practically made a home for itself in the palm of your hands. this was exactly why you would have much preferred to keep your relationship with soobin a secret for as long as you possibly could.

not wanting mr. choi to treat you any different was just an excuse — you really didn't want your boss/your boyfriend's father to start planning your wedding this far in advance!!

soobin sighed beside you, his hand reaching out to rest atop of your head in the best comfort he could manage at the moment. were he not confined by the restraint of a seatbelt, he would have already scooted over and engulfed you in his arms.

"i'm so sorry," soobin whispered to you softly on behalf of his crazy father.

you finally looked up from your hands to gaze over at the boy in embarrassment. only a second later did it shift into that of adoration.

regardless of the family he had, you still absolutely adored him. you would happily deal with the old man in the front seat a hundred times over if it simply meant that soobin could be yours forever.

soobin removed his hand's position from atop of your head in order to reach down and grab the hand that had fallen into your lap. bringing it up to his lips, he placed a delicate and gentle kiss once more on your knuckles to express his own adoration for you the best way he could.

your heart flipped over in your chest, and your entire body instantaneously relaxed under his touch. his affect on you was truly stronger than any drug, and it even helped you to tune out everything else.

"if we get married, can we just elope?" you found yourself joking.

without skipping a beat, soobin replied, "anything for you, angel."

previous | masterlist

a/n:

not me going awwwww at my own characters, pls this is so embarrassing..

for the record, after this, y/n and soobin do have a silent agreement to celebrate their anniversary the day after from now on. mr. choi has pretty much taken over the actual anniversary date to join them every time, so now they have to celebrate by themselves the following day.

also i'm seriously seriously seriously going to miss writing these two already- I'M SO SAD!! they're my favorite :(( <;/3

ahhhh but anyway, i hope this little epilogue satisfied any expectations anyone may have had <3 i know it's not exactly crazy, but i seriously could only imagine the two of them to be dumb enough to get caught right in front of the company. i hope everyone genuinely enjoys this little bit <3 thank you so sos sos sos so much for all of your support to this point !!! you each have a very special place in my heart :,)

~

taglist:

@sha-aesthic @wccycc @yjusei @ihrtgyu @strawberrydaichi @seodami @sparkswhoz @o934pm @dongmeiii @cannedturtle @intrrverted @fanfangying1304 @n0tprettybutt1red @human-misery @baekberrie @softcabur @goldennika @jjhmk @taekwondoes @marekmybeloved @aishidaishi @hafsa-hoofsa-heefs

[ bold = couldn't be tagged :( ]

[cebwrites]

any hcs for transmasc ace x reader???? 👀 BONUS points if ace doesnt have any surgery because um..... non op boys.. pr..preettyy...... reader cn be either m or gn!!!

a/n: attempting to crawl out of this writers block!! RAHHHH i'm slipping and sliding like zoro up that hill in syrup village tho 🥲

transmasc ace headcanons

masc reader word count: 0.4k

Well anon, I don't have much to add since we already know that transmasc Ace is real and canon 😎

Jokes aside, I think he'd very much still be the same - still has his no-op boys out for everyone to see, he's still charming and openly affectionate, and he's still the loveable narcolept that you fell in love with

He whines and moans for his big strong boyfriend to hold his hand whenever he gets his T-shots from a resident doctor, much to Marco and Deuce's dismay, but when he does it alone or just with you, it's a more quiet, intimate affair

You can't help wanting to kiss the constellation of freckles dotting Ace head to toe whenever you remind him to put sunscreen on all the skin he's exposing to the heat; more often than not you do

Should Ace have his way, you'd be the one applying it and he'd be a hop, skip, and an eyebrow wiggle away to turning it into something more fun

Things don't always go to plan of course but you can expect Ace to be handsy regardless when you do this, like he always is

The Spades were more than used to their captains' topless shenanigans, slinging an arm over their shoulders with more love to give than he'd received in his past with raucous laughter and a slightly more literal flame in his eyes, that yearning for life that drew even you close to him

Knowing this, you worried about the transition from your little crew to a much bigger, older one like Whitebeard's - Ace might've come to trust them all implicitly after his initial stint with Newgate himself but you weren't convinced yet

Despite everything though and ignoring a few wayward glances/comments that were immediately dealt with, there were no major problems and seeing as Ace loved it here, you allowed yourself to relax and integrate into this crew as did the rest of Ace's ragtag band of pirates

Something you did become quite fond of, however, was just how much well-intentioned hassling Ace got from his older peers about having his partner on board and how flustered that managed to make him

Ace did tease you about your protectiveness at first too, a need to watch out for him that was fully understandable given the circumstances, but you easily got him back with a few shows of arms around his waist and cheek to collarbone kisses on the open deck to bring more laughter and goading his way

[bugs1nmybrain]

Give Your Heart a Break - Chapter 3: Tomura Shigaraki x fem!reader series

Notes: This series is going to be released slowly due to my workload from school and jobs. That said, it may be sloppy and inconsistent. I will try my best to make it all mesh together! I reread Chapter 2 and will admit it was weak, but I was kind of just trying to gear up for them to meet in person.

ALSO! I am going to try to include songs that inspire my fics at the top of them! I hope it helps convey the mood of my stories.

Summary: Tomura and the reader finally meet in person after their discord call from last chapter.

Warnings: 18+ content (minors don't interact), shigaraki has a psychotic disorder and his voices act up violently when he's stressed, substance use (weed), POV swings, repressed Tenko Shimura themes, Dabi shows up but doesn't do much, long chapter, reader and Tomura are moving fast tbh, not fully proofread

Word Count: 4568

Notes About Y/N?:

anything from ch 1 and 2 applies here

she's a stoner

reader is actually hella shy

autistic coded

she has an interesting quirk<3

reader is the child of people who use substances, but she herself doesn't use anything past the holy trinity of "okay" substances: alcohol, weed, and nicotine

she's a virgin

Shigaraki was about to jump out of his skin. He could see your silhouette through your window as he stood outside your house. Even through the window, he could see how curvy you were. It made his mouth water. Fuck, you aren't even out the door and he's already being a pervert.

He was so anxious yet very excited. He was confident that you somewhat liked him, too. You wouldn't have agreed to come out with him at almost midnight if you didn't. His mission tonight was to be as not-scary as he could be, which he didn't think he'd ever want to do.

The sound of your front door opening made his heart pound viciously, and he stood where he was across the road with a shit-eating grin on his face and a fruit punch rockstar (pinky up!). You looked at him with a blushy smile and began stepping close to him, stomping heavily in your platform-heeled black boots. When you got up close to him, he couldn't help but laugh softly when he realized that you were still so short even with the shoes, though you didn't seem to pick up on his laughter.

"Hey," Tomura said with a crack in his voice, as if his voice couldn't get any more raspy.

"Heyy," you replied nervously, but forcing a smile.

"Howyadoing?"

"I had a long day at work before we started talking."

"Sounds like shit. I got you this," he looked at you like an excited puppy and held you the energy drink. "This is the kind you like, right?"

"Yeah," you smile kindly, taking the can. "Thank you for getting this."

"Of course, hehe. Have you been dressed like that all day?"

"No, I only got dressed like, 20 minutes ago?"

"You look pretty," Tomura smiled, looking visibly turned on by your fitting clothes, though he tried very hard to keep eye contact. He noticed you look down at yourself briefly whenever he snuck a look and you were clearly uncomfortable. Fuck, that's the last thing he wanted. Has he already fucked this up?

You fucking monster

Take her

Tomura began itching his neck in frustration, though he took a deep inhale through his nose and tried to pay attention to you instead.

"Whatcha wanna do?" He asked, huffing out his words anxiously.

"I don't know. To be honest, I don't hang out with people often," she shared.

"That's good, it means you realize how shitty most people are, right?" he laughs.

"Yea, that's true. I'm also new around here."

"It's my pleasure to be your new best friend, then," Shigaraki chuckled. "Or no?"

"You move fast."

"What's moving, exactly?" He retorted with a cocky face.

damn,,

Your laughter was like bubbles popping to him when he heard you giggle in response. He's got you, he knows it. You kept holding your head down at your feet, a habit Tomura noticed while you were talking. It frustrated him because he wanted to see your pretty face and the spooky makeup you put on it.

On the other hand, he understood what it was like to not want to flaunt your face. If you didn't happen to be a normal civilian he would've shown up with father on his face and maybe some of the others. Instead, he wore a hoodie, though his hood was up. He hardly ever left it down in public.

Now that he thought of it, he remembered you saying you liked his hair. Tomura let his hoodie down, falling to his shoulders and exposing his dry, tangled blue hair. Your face froze as you admired his baby-blue pigment. You also began to take in his ruby-red eyes and dehydrated appearance, with scars on his neck and face. He looked like a beaten-up kitten and a strange part of you instantly wanted to take care of him.

Shigaraki took your appearance in as well because now he could properly see your face. You looked at him with curious eyes, perky and alert. At the top of your shoulder, though, he saw what looked like an animated red heart beside you. Then it faded away.

Was he hallucinating again?

He shook the thought off and started noticing your face, instead. Your black eyeliner smudged your eyes, making them look intimidating, though to him you were no threat whatsoever. He admired your lips, as well. They looked softer than his, and he wondered how they'd feel. Even at 20, he had never kissed anyone. He had gotten one blowjob, but it was a hooker that he had paid for, and he couldn't shake the thought that the one sucking his cock was only doing it for money. Not that there was anything wrong with that at all, Tomura was just more romantic than he thought. They never kissed, and it felt empty for him.

"We could just take a walk," y/n suggested. He noticed your face back down facing your feet.

"Do you want to come to my place?" Tomura suggested back. Though bringing you around his roommates might be a challenge. You're cute.

He saw your hesitant face, a little offended by your quick distrust, at least from what he could tell. "I promise, I don't bite." Oh, the irony. The only thing roaming around in your head was what his intentions were. Tomura didn't exactly know himself.

"Where's your place? I'm not sure if I can stay the night."

"When did I say you could?" He retorted sarcastically.

"Oh, sorry."

"I'm teasing. I live about a 15 minute walk from here, is that okay?"

"Yea."

On your way to his place, you took in the fresh air and calming night scenery. There was a strange nostalgic feeling, though for no particular reason that you could think of. There were moments between you two when you wouldn't talk at all, but when you did, you came to notice that Tenko was a geeky, yet feisty guy. He had an interest in games, and had admitted to playing League of Legends, DOOM, some shit on the Switch, and occasionally GTA but he said that "the fun stopped years ago."

The two of you fumbled a bit, more you than him. Your socially awkward composure made it hard for you to not be jittery, but he seemed like a harmless guy thus far (haha, you had no idea). He was awkward, too, but had more guts to speak up.

Tomura would discover how truly shy you were. Your body shook when you talked, and your voice cracked in sheepish fear (he knew well what that looked like). He could tell you were socially anxious and that it probably wasn't just because he was scary, but he had a deep feeling that you thought he was. However, when he managed to get you to talk, you were quite funny and unique. It was cute to him, freakily enough, turning him on a little. He's had a semi for a bit, but the hoodie covered his crotch, thankfully.

His libido got the best of him sometimes, because the ass on you was a distraction. You were walking a little in front of him, so he could get a look without feeling like too much of a pervert. You looked cozy and huggable.

"fuck," Shigaraki thought abruptly.

He thankfully had a pair of gloves from Dr. Ujiko, ones that combated his quirk. He only really used them when he was sleeping or when he couldn't possibly avoid disintegrating something. He'd been careless, not even realizing how his quirk could easily fuck this up until now. Maybe he was being a bit entitled to already think that you'll automatically let him get close enough to touch you.

Still, explaining his quirk to you was going to be interesting. It would probably break his heart if you didn't want him, fuck, even want to be friends with him because of his quirk.

grab her, she is yours

Tomura ignored his aggravating voices and you and him continued to walk, laugh together, and drink your energy drinks like punkass kids. You finally came up on an apartment complex. It looked run down from the outside, most of the nearby apartments did, too.

His place was a few floors up. As soon as Tenko opened the doors, there was a whiff of a musky, dusty smell. A linger of cigarette smoke, maybe a little weed. For you, there was some level of familiarity with the smell because of your upbringing. The time was about 12:11am, so the apartment wasn't loud, although there was a faint sound of rap music playing in someone's room, and they were clearly smoking, based on how fresh the odor was.

"So, let me address this now," Tenko began. "Are you comfortable being in my room?"

You cocked an eyebrow.

"I mean, like, I know it's awkward being in a guy's room. We can hang out in the living room, if ya want," he pressed his lips together, sort of wishing you said yes to his room.

"Can we hang out-out here?"

"Nooo," Tomura thought internally.

"Aight," he said aloud.

Tomura plopped down on the couch, looking in your direction to indicate that you could sit there too. You sat some space away from him, making him a bit sad.

Shigaraki had never had a girl in his place before, not one that wasn't Toga or Magne. Not one he wanted. He was kind of nervous, but excited! He saw this as a good opportunity to try to get to know you, and maybe rizz you up a lil. Though, he'd never done that to anyone who wasn't a person on Discord, so he wasn't sure how to establish a bond.

Honestly, he was taking a bit of a chance with you. You didn't really do much to impress him yet, but your warmness to him made him feel important. In a different way than being his master's successor.

"Do you want to play video games? That's kind of the only thing we have to do here. And smoke weed, but I don't know if you do drugs."

"That's kind of an intense way to refer to weed," you comment.

"Then you smoke?"

"Yea."

"Awesome. Let me grab some shit and we can smoke. Maybe game at the same time??"

You laugh softly, "sure, sounds fun."

He could see a restless tremor in you, though, he felt that you liked him. That you enjoyed him, thus far. You were probably just shy because you had a crush on him :)

You had taken note at his neck when Tenko took off his hoodie, noticing how slender he was under it. You only saw him with his sweatshirt on so far. He was kind of...sexy? Your body radiated a few small hearts, dark red in color. Tenko was already out of the room before he could see, you thanked.

Little did Tenko know, you were also an inexperienced person when it came to girl and guy interaction. You were attracted to him, definitely. You were a virgin, though, and were worried to get too close to the "wrong person." You didn't know much about him yet. You sat patiently in the living room, tired from the day behind you. Thanks to Tenko, you now had caffeine, helping you fight the eepy.

It didn't take Tenko long before he reemerged with a pipe and a bag of pot. You got an instant waff of the flower when he opened the bag and took some out. He sat down, close beside you. You were a little nervous and startled, but you now got to smell his scent. He was a little smelly, but in a way that you hadn't known before. It was masculine and acted as pheromones for you right now.

Your hearts started popping out, this time colored a tangerine orange shade.

Tenko swung his head in your direction, instantly seeing them. He squinted at you and looked confused. You recalled that he heard voices, so maybe he thought that he was seeing things. You averted eye contact very quick and started mumbling.

"Uh..I'm sorry.."

"Huh?"

"Oh..um..tch..."

"Huh? I can't hear you."

"My quirk."

Tenko began picking out the stems in the weed, and you noticed he was wearing black gloves, but they were only covering he ring finger, pinky, and thumbs. You hadn't seen them on him before. Did he have a germ phobia? He didn't smell like he did.

He turned to face you every now and then, "I'm listening."

"I..uh.."

"You sure stutter a lot."

"Yea, I do."

"Are..the hearts your quirk? Or am I seeing things. In that case, this must be confusing as fuck to hear. Sorry."

"No! It's okay. No, you're not seeing things."

"Huh..What does it mea-."

Separate foot steps came up to the living room. You and Tenko looked up to see an average height man with black hair and burn marks all over him, staples keeping himself in place. He had piercings on his ears and his nose, and he had a cocky demeanor to him. You recognized this guy, you thought, but were having trouble thinking where from.

"You smoking?" He drawn out in a tired yawn.

"Uh..yea," Tomura replied.

"Who's this?" Dabi said, eyeing you down. Tomura had a millisecond instinct of possession. If Dabi swooned you, which wouldn't be a surprise, he'd be very pissed. Furious, even. He shot Dabi a look of "don't try anything," and Dabi knew full well what his face was telling him.

"I'm y/n," you said.

"Ah. I've never seen you. Are you and Shigaraki together?"

Tomura froze.

Not this quick, he thought. He thought he could pull some Aladdin shit and roll with a fake identity for a bit.

DABI YOU FUCKING IDIOT he thought, starting to panic internally.

K-kill he-

"Jesuss..." Tomura groaned, trying to drown out his voices. He held his hands at the back of his neck and leaned back.

Fuck

Fuck

Destroy her, destroy, kill

You furrowed your brows and now it was coming together on your end.

The League of Villains were infamous, of course you knew the name "Shigaraki." The most wanted criminal around and notorious for rather..inhumane crimes. You tried telling yourself that he could be a different Shigaraki, but you now figured out the guy with patches on himself. Dabi, who stood out like a sore thumb in the photos that were taken of their gang. Shigaraki did, too. But he had a dead hand on his face whenever you saw pictures, so you didn't recognize him.

Tomura could sense your own panic from planets away. He saw you trembling, and he was trying to come up with a quick lie in his head, but you were already speaking.

"Are you Dabi?" you said in a neutral tone.

"Yeuh. How'd you know?"

"Uh.Ten...Tomura?" you said his name as if you were asking him a question, but continued. "He's talked about you."

He was confused now. Were you playing along? The fuck? Or did you feel like you had to? You could've felt in danger, he considered.

"Good things, I hope," Dabi slurred.

Tomura wanted to question you, but didn't want to cause tension about the fact that you now both knew he was manipulating you into thinking he was some ordinary guy. He also didn't want to have this conversation around Dabi. You didn't say anything else.

Dabi crouched on the floor. "Give me some."

"Invite Spinner, too, I don't want to look at only your ugly face."

"He's sleeping. Don't you have eye candy next to you?"

Oh right. He thinks you and Tomura are dating. And he called you "eye candy." So many angry thoughts were racing through Tomura's head. You were probably terrified right now, and he knew this whole situation was fucked. He had no idea what to say.

But he tried, turning to you shamefully and mumbled out, "do you still wanna smoke?"

You paused, unsure what the answer should be. You should be trying to find a way to leave and soon. These guys are...well. The League of Villains. Though, you found yourself agreeing with their mission, even if murder, abducting a high schooler, and assaulting people weren't anything you necessarily felt comfortable with.

Tenko- or Tomura, had made you feel seen up to this point. You didn't feel that way, ever. He took interest in you while also wanting to listen to you. You shared interests, and personality traits even if yours were more sheltered away. When you knew someone closely, you were talkative and feisty, too. You felt understood, somehow. And maybe that shouldn't excuse him being a horrible person, but your need for validation and attention took over you.

"Light that shit up," you declared.

You saw a smile crack on his face, which was admittedly very cute. He was scary looking, but not to you. He looked run down and scrunkly, with his pale skin and tinted sharp teeth. Itch marks all over him and dry wrinkles at his forehead and eyes. He also had a beauty mark below the edge of his dry lips.

But he looked adorable, and you had a desire to just have him hold you. You knew of his quirk, of course. But you were guessing that his gloves were because of his quirk. He was protecting you.

Your hearts fluttered rapidly, and Dabi raised an eyebrow. He didn't care to ask anything, figuring it was your quirk. He could tell it was in response to Shigaraki, which was easy to deduce. Tomura started to get it, too.

Tomura, you and Dabi all passed around the bowl, not saying much. You'd cough viciously, trying to hold it back. Shigaraki saw your eyeliner mess up from the tears you made from coughing. He wanted to snatch you up, absolutely infatuated with your girlish charm.

"You alive?" He asked.

"What strain is this??" You asked with slurred speech and dozed off red eyes.

"Uh, weed. I don't know. Dabi, what's this shit?" He asked, as Dabi usually was the one who acquired the League's stash of pot.

"Probably GMO."

"Probably? If you lace my company I'll knock you out."

You giggled out. Tomura's sense of humor was one of your favorite things about him so far. And maybe you should be scared, but you felt comfortable around him whenever he cracked jokes and smiled at you.

"Jesus, it's not laced. If I wanted to do coke or something, I'd do the actual thing," Dabi joked.

"It's okay. I'm just really stoned," you laughed.

"A lightweight, huh?" Tomura snickered. "It's cuz you're so little."

"Am not."

"You're like, 5 foot nothing."

"I'm (your height)!" You retaliated.

"Uh-huh. I could put you in my pocket, if I wanted. Do you wanna game?"

"Yeaa."

Tomura turned on his console, giving you the option to pick a game. You chose your favorite video game, as it was already owned by Shigaraki. He and Dabi watched you play badly, with Dabi chuckling and Tomura groaning at the sight.

"Let me try," he said.

"You'll just steal it from me," you assumed.

"Well, you've tried this mission like 6 times," he pointed out.

"Three."

"Oooo okay smart ass," Tomura said in a flirty tone. "Let me show you then, hm?"

Tomura scooched closer to you, holding his controller with his hands perched on against the top of your thigh. He was trying to show you what moves to play, telling you all his strategies. He was also testing you and paid close attention to how you responded to his close proximity. You had to now know what his quirk was. You didn't pull back from him to his satisfaction, but he was still confused.

"Here, you see how I'm doing this? Now you try."

Every time he talked to you, he had a sort of softness to his voice. A raspy yet nurturing tone, even when you messed up your game repeatedly. And you'd respond with a blushy and embarrassed tone, but obviously swooned by Tomura's charisma.

Dabi could sense the horny from Tomura and got up, not wanting to see this shit. "You two have fun."

Shiggy felt like he could breathe with Dabi leaving. Now he had you all to himself, which might work in his favor. You still seemed uneasy, but at the same time he saw that your body had relaxed more. He was a little shocked, and wondered what the ulterior meaning was for it.

"So.."y/n started. "You're..not Tenko? Or is that a nickname?"

"Uh..jesus," He sighed, cupping his forehead anxiously. "No. No, I'm not. You know who I am, right? I'm sorry."

"I, um. Yea, I think so. I knew who he was, too. You're Tomura Shigaraki?"

"That's meee. Are you gonna leave? Tell someone?" He sad in a worried and sharp voice.

What? No. I won't, it's just, I guess I'm taken aback."

"I couldn't just tell you who I was that quick, d'ya get it? Especially online."

"Yea, I know."

You and him turned and faced each other, both of you breathing hard. Your hearts turned blue, but appeared in slow succession. Tomura cocked a brow, and finally was able to inquire about your quirk now that Dabi was gone.

"What are those hearts about? I have a guess, but.."

"mmmnNN," you grunted in embarrassment. "It's nothing.."

"Liar," he chuckled. "Is it cuz you like me?"

He was taking a bold risk to ask that, but so much was already on the table. Asking you if you wanted him wasn't much more intimidating, unless it added to the mess. His eyes were lidded and he smirked when he questioned you. You could tell he liked you, himself. There was a hint of desire and arousal that you could sense from him, as well.

You blushed a deep rose color and looked away from him. "K-kind of..."

"Mm, and is the Shigaraki thing a dealbreaker?"

"I..I don't want it to be," you smiled, and he saw your eyes shine at him.

"I promise I'll be nice to you," he joked, leaning closer to you.

"I...okay. I trust that, and honestly, I kind of don't care? That you're Shigaraki, that is. Well! Of course I care. But I like you, and you've made me feel like my company is wanted. People see me as weird, and offputting. You don't, at least I don't think. Why me, though? I mean, why do you like me?"

"Uh, cuz you're cute?" wow Tomura. "Shit, that was creepy. Uh, you're nice. Nicer to me than most people, and you like my hair and stuff. You also seem to find me quite funny, yea? You're also unique, and you dress spooky. You're a funny girl, and you play games with me!! I can tell you're an anxious mess, but you seem to want to be around me, and even when you found out about me being who I am, you didn't try to leave or treat me differently. I don't know, I just think you and I would be good together. And what's not to like? You're kind of my dream girl."

You laugh, flustered and feeling undeserving of all the praise. "You don't know me much."

"Can I get to know you, then?"

"I mean..yes..can I get to know you too? I don't know if what I hear on the news is all that you are,"you smiled widely while looking away from him. It pissed him off a little when you'd avoid him. He brought his gloved fingers to hold your jaw, and gently turned you to look at him.

"I can see you better when you look at me," he said in a seductive tone. He stroked the side of your jaw with his thumb while he ran his tongue along the roof of his mouth. The risk of decay scared you, but you trusted the gloves would be okay, and if your quirk did the right thing, you two may not need them soon...The hearts you produced had many colors now, all red, dark red, and white.

He snickered. "Do the different colors mean different things?" Tomura asked.

"Y-yea..The standard color is red, but different colors mean different emotions."

"So," Tomura rang his hand to pet your hair for a brief moment before setting it at your side. Rapid dark red, white, and red hearts continued to flutter out of you. "What do those ones mean?"

You tensed up, knowing full well the meanings, but admitting to two of them was embarrassing. Vulnerable, even. Was this all going too quick? Frankly, the adrenaline and attraction were entirely operating you at the moment.

"Spit it out," he jabbed.

"The red ones..they're standard hearts that say, "I think you're attractive.""

"Thanks. I think I'm ugly as shit, but-"

"You aren't. I think you're very cute, hehehe!!"

"Oh really?" He teased. "Ehah..what do the burgandy colors mean? And..the white ones?"

"Mrnrnjdsn..."

"What?" He laughed, getting the feeling that they had a not-so-innocent meaning to them.

"They, uh..they mean that-that I'm..that I'm turned on."

Satisfaction grew in Shiggy's eyes, his eyes the color of a scorching fire. He clenched his grin into an excited and relieved expression.

"So I turn you on?"

You nodded your head bashfully.

"And the white ones?" Shigaraki pestered.

"urrrnnnnn, I can't say it!!"

"Come on! Out! I wanna know..."he said with a yearn in his voice.

"They, they mean my body is responding. You know..that I'm wet, and that my horny-ness is spiking."

"Cum colored, haha. That's not surprising."

You and Tomura sat in a quiet tension for a bit, and he looked like he was hungry and trying to hunt his prey silently. His lips parted a little, and you saw his tongue run against his teeth as he leaned his face closer to you discreetly. You pressed your lips together tight and tilted your head up slowly, your eyes darting all across Tomura's handsome face and instinctively moved closer, as well. Your body knew exactly what it wanted and what was natural. Tomura became daring, and pressed his lips on yours without much warning, wrapping his lips in between yours.

You instantly hummed, unsure what to do. You moved your lips to dance with his as well as you could, and you started with passionate and sweet kisses. The whole act was uncoordinated, and you both weren't sure how to keep going. He kissed you for a long time, holding your neck while he leaned closer than you thought possible. His smell clouded your thinking, and built your arousal little by little.

He finally pulled away, taking a deep breathe and looked at you with a seduced flushed face. "Do you wanna go to my room now?" He scoffed, knowing his intentions, and you did too. He wanted you. It was fast, but he didn't really care. He just wanted to claim you, and make you his.

"Mhmm," you mumbled in approval.

Taking your hand in his protected ones, he guided you off the couch.

"Lets do that then, yea? I want to get to know you, like we talked about. I gotta know all about you."

[idontknowwhoiam465]

Not Alone. Not Anymore. Not Ever.

The reader met the Doctor three months ago, and already he's become so important to her. Her anxieties about being left alone start to show, and the Doctor makes sure she knows thats not going to happen. Not ever.

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

I'd been traveling with the Doctor for almost three months now, and already the larger than life TARDIS had started to feel more like home than anywhere on Earth ever did. The Doctor and I had settled into a comfortable companionship early on, and I could see the joy in his eyes whenever he watched closely at my reactions to a new planet, or species, or some corner of the universe I never thought imaginable.

The Doctor had quickly become my favourite person to be around. His quirky excitable personality, and outfit to match, drew me in from the moment I saw him. Whenever we were sat in the control room of the tardis and he was tinkering away fixing something or other, he'd often tell me stories of places he'd been as I kept him company. Tell me tales of the adventures he'd had and the people he'd seen. Songs he's heard, and lives he's lived.

Sometimes he'd mention a name of a past companion and a flash of sorrow would show in his eyes, before brightening up again, so quick I almost wouldn't notice. It's in these moments that I realise how lonely he gets. How afraid he is to be alone again. These are the moments that scare me. I see myself in him. His eyes a reflection of my own.

I spent my whole life caring so much about the people around me. Loving them with everything I had in me. Only for them to get bored of me, or decide I was too much to deal with, and just walk away. And it hurt. It hurt like hell. Anytime someone new would come into my life, I'd wonder how long. How long until they get bored of me? How long until I drive them away? How long before they decided they dont want me anymore?

Sometimes, when I see that pain in the Doctors eyes, I want to tell him I know how he feels. I know what its like to be left on your own time and time again. But I can't. His eyes show the pain of someone who hasn't just been left behind, but rather, had the people he loved ripped away. My loneliness can't compare to that.

Sometimes my anxiety gets the better of me. I find myself wondering if he's going to leave me behind too. If I'm another burden, that im putting on his already heavy shoulders.

I also wonder if, just as I see the loneliness in his eyes, he sees it in mine.

Of course, he does. I just didn't realise that yet.

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

I was too busy constantly overthinking the idea of him leaving me, that I didn't even notice everything he was doing to make me trust that he wouldn't.

The comforting smiles and endless rescues when we went to a planet, and it didn't quite go as planned. The time he put a beanbag in the control room for me, because he knew I couldn't sit comfortably still on a chair. Keeping hold of my hand, never letting go, as we'd explore dark creepy tunnels. The little music box he secretly bought for me, after noticing me looking at it longingly at an alien marketplace. And the way he seemed to know when I was afraid, before I knew myself, and made sure he was by my side.

Despite all this, my anxieties about him leaving me behind only grew.

It was when we went to Victorian London, that I fell apart.

--

I peered out of the doors of the TARDIS around the Doctor's shoulder as he (quite overly dramatically) opened them. I gasped at the snow lining the streets as the faint glow of the streetlamps lit the dark road. The snow glittered as each flake reflected the light, creating a sparkling blanket, resting peacefuly on the ground.

I turned to the Doctor excitedly, 'Where - no, wait - When are we? When and where?'.

'Victorian London,' He licked his finger and held it up in the air as he stepped out of the blue box, '1873, 5:23 pm, December 24th, Wednesday. Good. Not a Thursday. Don't like Thursdays. Today is Christmas Eve, Christmas ball day. And we,' he winked at me as he pulled out his psychic paper, 'have got an invitation.'

I stared at him eyes wide. 'Christmas ball day. You're taking me to a christmas ball. In Victorian London.' I looked outside as I breathed out a silent wow.

I looked down at the clothes I was wearing, 'Oh my god, I need to go get a dress!'

As I turned to get to the wardrobe room of the TARDIS, the Doctor stopped me.

'I uh, actually, Y/N, may have already bought one for you. If you want it that is, I don't mean to force you to wear it if you dont want to. Thats not what I want to do at all actually, I just saw it and thought you might like it. Tell me if you -'

I cut him off with a grin.

'Show me the way to my new dress Doctor'

'Well, yes, okay then, follow me'

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

I opened my eyes to see the most beautiful dress I could have ever imagined. Hanging in front of me was a sea of green. Layers upon layers of fabric, all folded over eachother. Stunning embroidery and beads and lace all creating so many beatiful patterns that I could sit there all day and find new designs and still find more later.

The Doctor's voice came from behind me, 'I thought the colour would work well with your hair, seeing as you insist on dying it red.'

He thought that far into it. He thought about whether or not it would match my hair. I turned to him silently not knowing what to say. Before I even knew I was crying, the Doctor took a step towards me.

'Hey, what's wrong? Do you not like the dress? I'm sorry, I didnt mean to upset you.'

The Doctor wiped a tear off my cheek as I whispered through a shaky breath, 'The dress is beautiful Doctor. Really, I love it. That's not the problem at all.'

He held his hand on the side of my face and gently asked, 'Then talk to me, what's wrong?'

'It's nothing. Don't worry about it. It's stupid.' I said shaking my head slightly.

He took one of my hands in his and looked at me with his bluey-green eyes full of so much care, 'Oh Y/N, nothing that makes you sad or hurt could ever be stupid. Please talk to me.'

'Its just, well, you're important to me right,' I managed, tears coming quicker now, 'My best friend. And that scares me. I told you. It's stupid. But everyone, everyone I've ever cared about has decided at one point or another that they're bored of me. Or that they dont want to deal with me anymore. I always push everyone away. And you're doing all this nice stuff for me. The bean bag and the music box, and now this stunning dress. And it makes it worse. Because what if you decide you dont want me anymore. I can't get left behind again. I just, I just can't. And I couldn't tell you, because I see it in your eyes. You've been alone before, but your eyes tell a different story. You weren't just left behind. I can see the pain and the grief. They were taken from you. And my fear of being alone is small and silly compared to that.' I looked down at the floor, scared to look at him and see him looking at me as though I'm making a big deal out of nothing.

I felt his hand leave my cheek and tilt my chin up to look at him. His eyes searched mine for a moment, before he pulled me in for a hug and held me like our lives depended on it.

'My amazing Y/N. Just because we feel different pain, it doesnt mean your's is lesser. You hear me? You are allowed to feel just as sad as anyone else. Don't think you have to hide it from me. And listen I am not going anywhere without you, you are coming to the ends of the universe with me whether you like it or not. You are not alone. Not anymore. Not ever.'

I pulled back to look at him, my turn to search his eyes. 'You promise?' I whispered.

'Cross both my hearts and hope to die. Well, not really hope to die, the idea doesnt seem particularly appealing to me personally. Honestly that phrase should probably have some adjustments made. But yes, I promise. You're stuck with me I'm afraid.'

My lips curled up slightly at his rambling, and the sincerity I saw in his face.

His face turned into a grin, 'There we go Bright Eyes. There's that smile I love. Now, haven't you got a dress to try on?'

I looked behind me at the dress, and turned back to him with my own grin. 'Absolutely. And then, we have a ball to attend.'

======================================

Thankyou so much for reading, it's my first fic, so hopefully you liked it. Lmk what i can do to make future ones better of if theres anything you want me to do :)

[midnightkens]

i love you, i hate you

TW: Homophobia/biphobia, homophobic slurs, past child abuse, religious trauma, alcoholism, allusions to PTSD, mentions of depression

--

Colt hates December.

The Decembers of adulthood are a far cry from those of the latter half of his childhood and his teenage years. The harsh, biting Seattle winters meant being handcuffed to intense seasonal depression and anxiety, a toxic current that threatened to sweep him under as the months dragged.

Even living in sunny Los Angeles, depression sometimes wraps its tendrils around him. It's bearable now, but it's a small solace. December still brings horrors he'd rather forget. The phone feels heavy in his hands, and he uses his other hand to brace himself against the counter.

It's almost Christmas, but it's never been the most wonderful time of the year for the Seavers family.

Other families get to sit around a tree, opening presents and laughing together. His father's house looks like any other. It's decked to the nines in garland and wreathes, an extravagant tree and a nativity scene. Colt clenches his fist at the thought. His father, the God-fearing Christian, the preacher, so devoted to his parishioners and their families, the fakest fucking human being that Colt knows. His parishioners don't see the real Benjamin Seavers, the violent alcoholic, the abusive father and useless husband. Christmas doesn't change anything. It's an excuse for him to get sloshed, grumble about Colt never visiting, and inevitably stumble to bed, blacked out in a drunken stupor.

It's so fucking fake, and Colt hates them, yet he returns. Year after year he hops on a plane and spends a week in his childhood home, feeling like a terrified eight year old all over again.

Hands wrap around his waist, and Colt feels feather-light lips press a kiss on his shoulder. He lifts his hand and clings to Ken's arm, subconsciously leaning into the touch.

"You really don't have to go," Colt murmurs. "I know how it'll go. Hi, Dad. Are you drunk already? Why do you always think I'm drunk? And why did you bring your faggot ass partner? Dad, I'm gonna have to ask you not to call Ken a faggot. To quote Taylor Swift, I think I've seen this film before. You don't need to suffer with me."

"That's not even the worst thing I've ever been called," Ken reminds him nonchalantly. Colt rolls his eyes. "And I handled your mother pretty well, didn't I?"

"Yeah, and you looked hot doing it," Colt admits. "But you can't kick Dad out of his own house."

"I always look hot." Colt's shoulders shake with barely suppressed laughter and Ken grins. "And yeah, we can't kick your dad outta his house, but what's stopping us from just leaving? You're a grown man, hon. You don't have to take his bullshit anymore."

"I know. It's just really fucking complicated, and I hate that it is, and I don't want to drag you into it."

"You're not dragging me into anything. Listen, you've put up with my issues and Patrick stalking us and all that. Let me come with you so you don't have to deal with your crazy dad alone."

Colt sighs. Ken's voice leaves no room for argument, and a small part of him is happy that he won't have to be alone.

He just wishes it were different.

--

Colt grips the steering wheel so tightly that it creaks under the force. Ken looks out the window and sings under his breath. There's no place like home for the holidays. But Colt isn't home. He's returning to his personal Hell, the place he's never belonged. Colt's stomach lurches as they pass the church he grew up in. Cars fill the parking lot, and images of his father screaming his Sunday sermons, a wild look in his brown eyes, flash before his eyes.

Ken doesn't speak of his childhood much. Colt knows he and Barb grew up in foster care, and his needs and wants often went unmet. But he knows that Ken has never set foot inside any church. Anytime Colt describes his childhood, Ken looks like a deer in headlights.

It was traumatic, but it was all Colt knew until he escaped. Even now, the pounding of his fathers fists and the sound of his booming voice as he tries to cast the demons out of Colt are so visceral that he debates pulling over and making Ken drive the rest of the way.

A therapist he saw after his accident called it a flashback. He and Ken know how to ground the other one through them. But for Colt, it's easy to ignore them so long as he doesn't entertain thoughts about his parents, or his sister, or the church.

Easier said than done.

--

Colt pulls into the driveway and drums his fingers on the dashboard. He drinks in the sight of the nativity scene, the huge wreath on the front door, the Peace sign on the side of the house. Passerby wouldn't give the house a second glance. It's small and unassuming, perfect for hiding the dirty secrets inside.

Ken takes one of Colt's hands and gives it a squeeze. If his hand is sweaty, his partner doesn't comment. "It's okay, hon," Ken reassures. "I'll be here the whole time."

Colt nods. If he opens his mouth, he might throw up.

He's not sure when he gets out of the car, but suddenly he and Ken are at the front door. Someone must've knocked? Was it him? He doesn't have time to ask himself more questions before someone barrels into him, knocking his breath away.

"Uncle Colt!" Colt immediately relaxes and glances at his niece. Melanie is ten now, and with a smug smirk, thinks that she's starting to look more like him the older she gets. "Mom and Dad told me, Charlotte, and Lydia that you weren't coming!"

Colt barely refrains from rolling his eyes. Of course Natalie and her scumbag husband would have commentary. Don't they know better by now? He's too weak to stay away. But there's some solace in his nieces' eagerness to see him. "Hey, short stuff." Colt ruffles her hair and hugs her tightly. He really should see Mel, Lottie, and Lydia more often, but he'll go to jail if he's around his sister too much.

Melanie pulls back with an affronted gasp. "I'm not short! I - " She cuts herself off and fixes her eyes on something to Colt's left. His heart races. Please take it well, please take it well, please take it well. "Who's this?"

Colt swallows and slips his hand into Ken's. Ken runs his thumb over Colt's knuckles, and some of the tension in his shoulders eases. "Mel, this is Ken. Ken, this is my niece, Melanie. Ken is - "

"Ohhhhh! Lydia!" Melanie turns and eagerly races back to the living room, blonde ponytail swishing behind her. "Lottie! Uncle Colt brought his boyfriend!"

Colt winces and steals a glance at Ken. His partner's eyes dance with mirth, and he guides them into the house. "Come on. She seems excited, at least."

Yeah, but she shouldn't have - Colt quickly halts that train of thought. Melanie is ten, she doesn't know any better, and he's about to introduce Ken as his partner anyway. It doesn't matter. Colt closes the door and hears footsteps trampling down the stairway. He braces himself for the onslaught.

Lottie and Lydia slam into him, but he doesn't fall back this time. He wraps his arms around them both, looking around in amusement as they speak over each other. Lottie's thirteen now, Lydia sixteen. He's missed out on so much time with them, and it hurts.

"Hi, Uncle Colt!" Lydia pulls away first and all but yanks Lottie back. Lottie scowls and swats at her sister, but Lydia hardly pays her attention. "Where have you been?"

"Yeah," Lottie interjects. "Why don't you come visit?"

"Is it 'cause of Mom? She's, like, on one today, so watch out."

"Great," Colt says wryly. "I've been looking forward to that."

Lydia rolls her eyes. "Yeah, she's a bitch. Anyway." She grins cheekily, and Colt narrows his eyes. That's never a good sign. "Is this your boyfriend?" Lydia looks Ken up and down, and Colt swallows.

They've never met any of Colt's previous boyfriends. None of them have ever been serious enough. They know about his bisexuality (thanks, Natalie), but this feels different. "Yeah, Lydia. This is Ken. He's my boyfriend."

"Hi." Ken waves at the girls. His arms are lax at his sides. His lips quirk in amusement, but he allows the girls to size him up.

"Hi." Lottie crosses her arms and taps her feet. "How'd you meet my uncle?"

"Singing karaoke."

Lydia blinks in surprise. "That's kinda cute. Was he any good?"

"I don't know." Ken shoots Colt a smug smirk. "He didn't sing. I did and then he came up to me and talked my ear off."

"And you loved every second of it. You can't fool me."

"Yeah, sounds about right."

"How would you know?" Colt counters, jaw dropped in shock. Sassy. "You're not even old enough to get into a bar!"

Lydia shrugs. "You talk a lot."

Ken laughs and pats his back. "It's okay, babe. I think we're even there."

"I like him," Melanie says. "He seems nice."

Colt's shoulders slump in relief. His nieces mean the entire world to him. He tries so hard to counter the toxicity spewed by their parents, to mold their worldview and teach them how to be accepting. They only speak over text, and sometimes, Colt is never sure if his attempts are successful. But for Melanie to like him, and oh, Lydia and Lottie are nodding in agreement...It's a huge deal. It gives him hope that his nieces will be able to break the cycle. "He's all right," Colt says with a shrug. "I think I'm gonna keep him around."

"Girls!"

Here it comes.

Natalie is an imposing woman. She's tall and dark-haired like their mother, with the same striking green eyes. It's eerie. And somehow, she's somehow more homophobic than Mother Dearest. She locks eyes with Colt and purses her lips. Colt stiffens and keeps his eyes locked on hers, like he's preparing for battle.

"Girls, I thought I told you to get in the kitchen. Run along now." The girls grumble, but do as they're told. Colt knows that feeling all too well. Natalie spent their childhood making snide demands of him and making the consequences very apparent.

Natalie steps closer and wrinkles her nose like she's smelled something particularly unpleasant. Ken squeezes Colt's hand, and Natalie notices the action. "Who's this?"

"You're not dumb. You know who he is."

"Why'd you bring him?"

"Why'd you bring your husband?"

Natalie's lips press into a thin line, and when she speaks next, it's through gritted teeth. "That's different, Colton."

"How?" Ken asks with mock sincerity. "How is it different?"

Natalie sneers at them, and Colt suspects she'd like nothing more than to spit on them both. "Because you're breaking my father's heart - "

Colt barks out a surprised laugh. "His heart? Come on, Nat. You and I both know that Dad doesn't have one of those."

Colt all but drags Ken into the den, away from his sister. Dad's in there. Benjamin Seavers glazes blearily at them over the top of his beer bottle. Colt swallows. It's so fucking hard to be in the same room as him. He's tall and broad, all blond hair and steely blue eyes. Colt despises looking in the mirror sometimes.

"Colt." Dad stumbles over to them and clasps a large hand on Colt's shoulder. Colt doesn't even flinch. He doesn't acknowledge Ken at all. "I thought I told you not to bring that into this house."

"Too bad. He is my partner, his name is Ken, he's staying, and you'll respect him or we're getting on the next flight home."

"I have no problems getting the belt, boy - "

"Oh, you don't? Try me, old man! I'm bigger than you, and I cou -"

"Let's go see what's happening in the kitchen, Colt." Ken all but yanks him away and drags him to a secluded hallway. Colt presses his palms into his eyes so hard that he sees stars. Ken rubs his arms soothingly, and Colt leans into the touch.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," he groans. "I'm sorry you had to hear me threaten to beat my dad. We shouldn't have come. He's an asshole and Nat - I don't know what the fuck to call her - "

"Hey, hey, none of that. We don't have to stay, remember? Say the word, and I'll book us a flight home."

"I know. I just don't want to hurt my nieces. They don't really get it."

Ken looks at him sadly, but he doesn't argue. He was in a situation he felt trapped in, too. There's an understanding between them that runs deep, but Colt wishes it didn't exist. For both of their sakes.

--

"And they threw you out a window?" Lottie's so enraptured by Colt's story that she doesn't notice her food sliding off her fork.

"Yeah, and then they - "

"Girls, stop it." Colt's brother-in-law pounds his fist on the table. The girls don't flinch, but Ken does. Colt grabs his hand to ground him. "I don't want you taking life advice from someone like that."

"Like what?" Colt challenges. "Come on, Rick. You got something to say, then say it to my damn face."

"It's obvious, son." Benjamin places his fork on his plate, but it's too loud in the otherwise quiet room. The tension is so thick that Colt could cut it with a knife. He jiggles his leg up and down and clenches a fist around his own fork. The moment is father speaks again, he's taken right back to his childhood, and Dad's about to beat the demons out of him. "The girls shouldn't be taking advice from a faggot who dropped out of high school."

"Don't call him that!" Ken snaps. His face flushes with barely contained rage. Colt almost forgot he was there. "He's your kid, and this is how you talk to him? What's the matter with you?"

Benjamin clenches his jaw and waves a dismissive hand. "You. Why don't you shut the fuck up? This is family business."

"How very Christian of you," Ken retorts. "I bet you're real proud of yourself. And for the record, I am his family."

Colt places a hand on Ken's knee. Is he about to get beaten? No, he can't be, he's an adult, Dad can't - but Dad's fists are raised and is this another exorcism? No, it's two days before Christmas and he doesn't live here -

He doesn't know how he ends up on the sofa in the living room. Ken kneels in front of him. He's saying something, but it's coming out gibberish. He tries to read Ken's lips, but his face crumples and he shakes his head.

"I fucking hate them," Colt whispers. "I really, really fucking hate them."

"I know." The other side of the cheap couch dips as Ken takes a seat next to him. The hand on his back grounds him, if only a little. "Look at me, honey. Watch me, and take a deep breath."

But he can't. He can hear his father and sister scream in the dining room; he thinks one of his nieces is crying. This is all his fault.

"No, it's not," Ken says softly. "It's theirs, Colt. It's not your fault they're bad people."

But it is. He's always been too much. Too hyper, too talkative, too daring, too different.

He wants to go home, but he can't.

The idea of getting off the sofa is too daunting.

[matrixxsystem]

Terrapin Soup Part 6 (1/2)

Leo hadn't been sneaking out anymore like he'd been for the past year, after his date with Usagi he started going to his house maybe twice a month but actually telling his family where he was going and checking in on occasion once he was there safely, or well. To better phrase it they'd hang out that often, sometimes they'd be in his house and other times they'd be around the hidden city as Usagi showed him around and they told each other stories of their epic battles. It'd only been maybe two months since their "first" date when they finally had enough free time to have Usagi over. Since usually one or the other had things or Leos family was doing other things it was hard to get everyone together for a night.

"Alright, I'll portal you over later tonight okay? Oh and don't mind the sewer smell, I mean Donnie made some upgrades to the vents and filters in the lair so it shouldn't smell but if it does just ignore it-" "Leo.." "And I mean you know Mikey's gonna try to hug you again right, like a lot, and he's really nosey, I mean they all are but Mikey's the most out of em so you can just push him off or tell him to stop he wont be offended by it." "Leo." "And so is dad now that I think about it- He's probably gonna act all tough and mean but he means well, oh and April might be there? She's like our best friend slash honorary sister and she's human but she's really chill so-"  "Leo-!" Usagi grabbed Leos hands gently pulling him closer, "It's alright, really, you don't have to explain anything. I'm sure I'll have a wonderful time and we'll all get along just fine. Now, you go do what you need to and I'll be here when you get back. Okay?" Leo's expression softened hearing Usagi's reassurance, he was way too good for him... "Okay.. Okay you're right. I'll text you before I come back to get you."  "Mhmm, I'll see you later then. Be safe." "You too." Leo pulled a sword from off his back opening a portal but felt a fluffy hand on his wrist before he was able to pass though. Leo turned to face Usagi, tilting his head to the side a little wondering why he was stopped. "Did I forget somethin-" He did in fact. He forgot a goodbye kiss, which Usagi suddenly (as in just now on a whim) deemed essential to their plans. He pulled Leo closer kissing his cheek, still trying not to be too forward and let go once he was satisfied. 

"Now you may leave." "I-I uh... I" Looks like he broke Leo, congrats.  Usagi chuckled and gently pushed against his plastron leading him to the portal, "Don't overthink it, though I hope you'll return the gesture when I go home tonight?" Leo could only nod as he stepped though the portal backwards, the bright blue obscuring his vision as he crossed, and once it disappeared it left him in the hallway in front of his room. Mikey peeked into the hallway having spotting the blue light that wasn't usually there. "Leo's back!!" He called, followed by a small stampede of his brothers coming to invade his privacy as per usual. 

Leo stood frozen, his face still stuck in it's flustered expression as his brothers asked him a million questions which he heard none of as his mind was far too occupied with thoughts like; 

Did that really just happen? How long had he been wanting to do that?

Should I have done it back?

What if he goes to kiss me next time not on the cheek?

What if I wanna kiss him not on the cheek?? I mean I do anyway but like should I ask, would he be okay with that?  Oh god what my first kiss kiss is bad? Has Usagi had his first kiss yet??

"Leo??" "-What?" Donnie rolled his eyes as he finally managed to snap Leo from his thoughts after calling his name several times and tapping a fingers against his head as if to see if anyone was home up there. "We were talking to you Nardo. How'd it go?" "O-Oh.. Right. I uh.." He smiled softly glancing back to the wrist Usagi had grabbed to stop him, "It was good, really good. He'll be here tonight." Donnie nodded, typing something onto his wrist tech, possibly texting someone or giving a new command to SHELLDON, whatever it was it didn't really interest Leo to ask. He instead gently pushed past his brothers and headed towards the kitchen, "Hey do we have anymore soda left?" "There's just that orange Crush stash Mikey think's we don't know about behind the fridge"

"Hey-!" "That'll do, I need somethin' fizzy"

-_-_-_-

The night rolled around as normally as it could get between four mutant turtles living under New York city. Leo was a little more anxious then he'd been recently but his brothers (Raph mainly) reassured him that everything would go fine, and that everyone had agreed to be on their best behavior for Leo tonight. And once April arrived everything was falling into place, Mikey started cooking with Raph there to supervise while Donnie went and hid in his lab most likely seeing to any last minute upgrades to make the lair that much more presentable. April managed to corner Leo in the uncomfortable privacy of his own room and demand answers.  Donnie however was not holed away seeing to the lairs maintenance, maybe he had been up until a moment ago but now he was much more occupied with the recording device he'd installed a while back, wanting to test out the new higher quality recording tech. And let's be honest he was never one to exactly care who's privacy he was invading when it came to his tech. Leo was already a perfect test subject so he selected the blue icon from his end and waiting for the audio to come in. Him and April were having some sort of talk about Leo's day. "Ooo and then what happened?" "He uh, well I was about to go home but then he pulled me back from the portal." "For what?" "..W-Well.. He um.." "Well..? ..Oh.. Oh! Leo did he kiss you?" "I mean- Yeah but it was only-" "Ohmigosh! That's adorable! Hold on hold on let me get my phone so I can capture this moment! Okay, tell me everything!" 

Donnie turned the app off not wanting to hear about those kinda of things, he'd rather Leo tell that himself and even if he didn't exactly care he was smart enough to know when he shouldn't eavesdrop on a private conversation. He let out a little sigh and pushing himself away from his work space, spinning the chair around to face the other wall lined in another set of monitors. "Let's see.. Ventilations good, the security systems doing well.. There's... Hm.. That's-" Donnie scooted his chair forward more to inspect the words running across several screens. "Maybe.. I should get Raph." Back at the kitchen Mikey and Raph we're.. Not arguing (They most defiantly were) about what kind of food to make. "Mikey look my phone says that rabbits eat hay, they're vegetarians, it doesn't say nothin' about meat!" "He ate the pizza puffs and those has peperoni in them! And he said they were great! He's a yokai and they don't eat only what the animal parts eat y'know!" "Well why can't we just stick to what the internet says? We've got a bunch of fruits and veggies we can use!" "We're omnivores Raph I'm not gonna take the easy out and make a fruit salad for the seven of us! We have to have more variety!"

"Go ask Leo then he eats with him all the time- So much for my help" Mikey rolled his eyes and gently patted Raph's shell, "You tried and I appreciate that, we'll do part of your idea at least, but we can't have just hay and salads that's not balanced. I'll be right back, why don't you pick out some viggies and start washin em off okay? I'll go find Leo and ask."

"..Yeah okay."

Mikey left the kitchen and headed for Leos room, barging in without a second thought and interrupting Leo and Aprils chat. "Hey Leo what does Usagi eat?" Leo tensed up hearing the sudden question, quickly looking over to Mikey with a confused expression, "W-What do you mean?" "Like for dinner, what do you think he'd like? Raph says rabbits are vegan and eat hay but yokai aren't the same as the animals they're mutated from right?"  "..O-Oh! Right! No no, he's not vegan or anything, I guess... I don't know what he'd like, I think he'd be willing to try anything really. He's not really picky or anything that I know of." "Maybe he'd like some turtle~?" April said with a laugh, gently nudging Leos arm despite his tense reaction. Mikey's eyes lit up at her implication and she smiled more as she gave a nod confirming Mikey's assumptions. "Okay okay" Leo said rolling his eyes, "Enough about this, you go cook, I should finish cleaning up around here" -_-_-_-

Mikey and April had left Leo to finish making the corners of the lair presentable since he was excited to show him around, he didn't clean much since it wasn't that bad with SHELLDON doing most of the cleaning but there were a few things he figured could use a bit of touching up like his growing piles of empty pizza boxes and comic books. After he was content with his work he got his phone out asking if Usagi was ready to be brought over and then texting his siblings as well letting them know he was going to get Usagi soon. Everything was good so Leo opened a portal and stepped through, when he looked around he realized the hidden city didn't exactly have a sunset, the sky was just the ground above them so it made sense but it was still a bit sad to think about.. Leo shook the thought from his mind as he approached the house, knocking on the door and taking a step back to wait. After a moment the door opened but he was a bit surprised to see someone beside Usagi answer. It was an older Lion yokai, grey hairs just starting to peek though his mane. He looked.. Not mad but not really kind either. Stoic was a good word. "O-Oh, hi um. I'm here for- Usagi!" He smiled as he saw him a few feet behind the man trying to make himself taller to see better. "Ah Leo!" "So this is him?" The lion asked, turning back to Usagi. If he was a bit younger the deep tone of his voice might've been attractive- Nope. no no no let's not go there, don't sexualize your boyfriends adoptive dad. Usagi nodded, his eyes glancing to Leo then back to his teacher, "Mhmm, the one I had dinner with not long ago. He's been.. Very good company. I'd like to keep him around." 

Leo tilted his head a little, not really able to hear what they were talking about, but after another moment he turned back to face Leo. Looking him up and down like he didn't really approve but then stepped aside to let Usagi out. "Don't be gone long. We have things to do tomorrow." "Of course, I'll be home later tonight." "And you, kame. Hurt him, or keep him from his duties, and I will eat you." Leo tensed up but nodded, "I- Of course sir. Though I wouldn't be very filling, you'd have to fatten me up first haha" Leo tired to joke but he didn't seem phased by it.. He pulled his sword back out opening the portal and giving him a small wave anyway. But not to the lair, instead when they stepped through they were at the top of the New York Times building. Part 6.2

Part 1

TS Master Post

[inscryptions]

there are three constants: the sun, the moon, and alhaitham’s ability to grind kaveh's gears. an unfortunate reality in its own right, though the architect ought to be grateful for any semblance of stability and reliability in his life, considering how often things (and people) seem to slip through his fingers.

the past is complicated, and relationships even more so. a stranger turns into a best friend, and a best friend to…well. whatever this is now. in an odd way, it reminds kaveh of the thesis he once ripped up and pieced back together all those years ago — still comprehensible, though far removed from its original state. 

but even in the face of never-ending arguments and bickering, there is an indisputable truth to contend with: alhaitham has done for him what others have not. and though kaveh is loathe to admit it, he finds that the most unshakeable part of his life is a friend that will never change — for better or for worst. 

he waits for alhaitham to step out before sneaking into the other's bedroom. it’s there that kaveh places a bottle of wine on the nightstand, along with a book titled, “In Other Words — A Unique Collection of “Untranslatable,” Culturally-Bound Words Across Teyvat.” 

A note is stuck to its cover: 

“I skimmed through this and thought you'd find it interesting. ”

With a P.S at the bottom:

“In the spirit of the New Year, drink to whatever it is that makes you happy in your own time. Just make sure you wash your glass after. I've already done the dishes.”

Signed with a flourish,  - Kaveh 

Oh.

I shouldn't be so surprised, considering how sentimental the man is, but finding that Kaveh has obtained gifts for me still takes me off-balance a bit. Perhaps I have only my history with him to blame for my lack of expectation, in which case he has succeeded at springing this gift on me. And how thoughtful it is, as befitting the man: a copy of In Other Words, which despite the resources at my disposable I had had yet to get my hands on the most recent version; and a rather delectable-looking vintage that based on its appearance will do well for welcoming the beginning of the new year. Despite the words on the note, he must've spent some time finding and procuring these items, and for a moment I wonder how much he spent on them. If he hadn't saved up beforehand... well, it makes me curious, and hopeful that he was able to get a good commission preceding their acquisition. And that, of course, he didn't spend all of said commission on these gifts.

I like to think that after so long I have become well-versed in the particular language that is Kaveh, and for all that we (more often than not) rile each other up after our fall-out, we still have at least a shadow of the friendship we once shared. This present wishing me a cordial New Year's is evidence of that on his end. After everything, he still cares in some way, shape, or form. It's... kind of nice, these little moments in which I realize all over again that our brotherhood, though tattered and torn to shreds, was not irreparably burned to ashes.

And now I don't feel as nervous or silly about the new foreign toolset I snuck in his nightstand. If he hadn't gifted me anything, he would've most likely felt embarrassment at having nothing with which to reciprocate as well as believed he'd incurred a debt and attempted to pay it back and, well, that's one headache I definitely don't need. Apparently our timing lined up well in the end, and how funny is that? (I don't think I'll be able to keep a straight face however if that Fontainian curve ruler makes its way into his hair with the rest of his architectural accountrements. No doubt it works well for him, and it still gets me every time that it does so well. It's very Kaveh, now that I think about it.)

I chuckle as I take both presents and hunt down a clean goblet before pouring myself a glass and sitting down to crack open the book. Now I want to see his reaction to the toolset if only for the look on his face.

"Mm, happy New Year indeed."

[shadow-sandiego-shipping]

Daily Prompts - Day 6

The reason for my tears...

"Where's the birthday boy?" Zack asks when he gets to the snack table, carrying way too many bags of ships than what they would need for the party.

"Uhh, Zack, that's too much chips." Ivy complains, taking a much more reasonable amount from his hands to place on the bowls.

"No such thing!" Zack refutes. "But uh, where is Shadow-san?"

Ivy and Carmen look around. The guest had just started to arrive. Carmen came to help Zack and Ivy with the final preparations (the food) so she and Suhara could start greeting the guests.

"I wouldn't blame him if he ran off." Player sneaks past Ivy to steal a chip from the bowl she was preparing. Zack takes a handful instead.

"Player, bro! Wait until the guests get here!" Ivy scolds.

"Buh theh ah 'ere." Zack points to the people who had started to arrive, with a mouth full.

"He was pretty apprehensive about a big party like this." Carmen mutters preoccupied.

Ivy chuckles. "You picking up some fancy words from our birthday man."

Carmen smiles at the tease. "Can't be help since we live together."

"I've just always been this educated. I went to school." Player jokes, taking another chip. Carmen roles her eyes. "Maybe he's inside?" Player suggests.

"I'll go check."

"I'll come with, Zack forgot the salsa." Ivy says walking by Carmen’s side.

They passed by a few guests, no one from the family had shown up yet, it was just random people they got along with, ACME agents, some store owners they often spoke to…

As they make their way inside, Ivy notices Carmen rubbing her hands.

"You alright, Carm?" She stops just before they enter the building.

"Uh? Oh, yeah I'm fine just… a little nervous for the party that's all…" Carmen resumes her steps entering through the garage. "Do you think Suhara is mad about it maybe?"

Ivy lifts an eyebrow. "I doubt it. I know this sort of thing isn't really his cup of tea, but no way he'd stand Zack and I up when we went through so much trouble. And he's definitely not mad at you, I mean if it weren’t for you we probably WOULD have gotten the bouncy house."

Carmen gives a small not all there chuckle. She clicks the button on the elevator. Ivy looks at her again:

"This isn't about the party, is it?" She asks.

Carmen goes back to rubbing her hands. "Sure it is, I mean- Ok, maybe it's not…" She deflates. The elevator door opens and Ivy places a hand on her shoulder.

"What's going on, Carm?" She asks, concerned.

Carmen looks at Ivy, knowingly. It's then Ivy realizes. "You didn’t tell him yet." Carmen shakes her head.

They both step in the elevator.

"Can I ask why?"

"I… I'm nervous about it. I just… I don't even know if he wants this… with me…"

"Carmen, are you stupid?" Carmen gives her a flat look. "Don't answer that. Look, Shadow-san is crazy about you, why wouldn't he want this? I'm pretty sure you're in the center of his world, Carm."

"But he never really signed up for this. We never talked about it."

"It still takes two to tango!" Carmen gives her an exasperated look. "Alright, alright… my point is, you two do have options, and although I HIGHLY doubt he's going to have a bad reaction to it, you two have been through worse, and yet here you are, at his birthday party and…" Ivy places a hand on Carmen’s tummy, wiggling her eyebrows.

Carmen chuckles a little more sincerely this time. "Okay, alright… thanks, Ivy."

"Happy to help! Seriously tho, you should tell him soon." It's not said in a condescending way, just a caring one.

Carmen sighs. "I know."

The elevator rings and Ivy makes a beeline for the kitchen. Carmen follows right behind but stops when she sees him. Ivy grabs the sauce from the counter and turns back, noticing Carmen had stopped she looks in the direction Carmen was looking. She smiles. "Uh, hey, Carm? I'm gonna take this down stairs. You alright on your own?" She knew the answer already. Carmen nods.

After Ivy is out Carmen walks towards the couch Shadow-san had been sitting in. It's then, and only then he's brought out of his stupor and notices she's there.

"Carmen! Have the guests arrived? Sorry, I… I lost track of time."

Carmen notices he's holding a picture in his hands. She lifts an eyebrow 'lost in time?'

He smiles. "Just, reminiscing." He shows her the picture, it's one they took when Player first moved in, back when the twins were still living with them.

Carmen smirks. He missed more than he let on.

"Should we go now?" He asks her.

She sits down. "Actually I had something to talk to you about…"

His eyebrows raise, he puts the picture on the coffee table and turns to her. His expression reads 'I'm all ears.' or actually 'I am listening.' because that's how he usually spoke.

"Well, I have this friend! She uh, she found out something… important. Something nice! She's happy about it, but… she's not sure how her partner will react…" Carmen bites her lip.

He takes a hold of her hands, cupping them gently. His were always warm compared to hers. Like a furnace.

"Whatever it is, if it makes this friend of yours happy, I am sure their partner will be happy too."

Carmen chokes on her breath. "It's just… this is something big. Something neither of them spoke about before, and she is happy with it but she has no idea if this is something he will want. And it's not something they can just ignore. Its big. A big change. "

"Carmen." She looks up at him. "After everything we have been through. Nothing could ever tear us apart. What ever it is that is burdening your heart, we can figure it out, together." Sly ninja.

Carmen tears up. "I love you."

He smiles fondly. "I love you too."

She hugs him briefly. "Happy birthday by the way?" She smiles.

He chuckles.

She takes a deep breath. "You know there is no friend." He smiles.

She looks him in the eye. "Okay, so… uh… you know how I've been feeling nauseous lately? And how I might’ve been late… this month." His eyes widen. "Well…" She looks down and puts her hand on her belly.

"C-carmen, are you?" He chokes on emotion, could it really be?

She nods.

The floodgates open.

He's laughing, he's crying, he picks her up, lifts her from the couch in a hug and spins them around. He sets her down and gently presses his forehead against hers.

"When did you? H-how did you?" He has so many questions.

"Last week, during girls' night. I've been having symptoms for a while now so Ivy landed me one of hers. God, Suhara, you're crying!" She points out. He laughs with tears in his eyes.

"I am, sorry." His smile never fades. His tears never stop.

"They’re gonna think I'm breaking up with you!" Carmen starts laughing with him.

He steps back and kisses her forehead.

"I love you."

She giggles. "I love you too. So much!" She reaches up and he meets her half way down in a soft kiss.

"We should really get to the party…" She says between kisses. "No need to stop crying!" She laughs, teasing him.

He laughs, cleaning up his face. "Sorry, sorry." He gives her an affectionate look. "I do not recall ever crying when I've been sad." She looks up at him surprised, now that she thought about it… "When I ponder the reason for my tears… all I think about is you."

"Suhara..." She hits him playfully on the shoulder. "When did you become so sappy?" They kiss again.

Needless to say, this would be one of Shadow-san’s best birthdays to date.

Previous day // Promps Aquired from Write App. // Next day

[underground-boss-clay]

📀

The glass is still broken.

He'd swept away the shards on the floor, but the rest of the broken panel just stares back, the web-like fracture spanning from one side of the glass to the other.

He keeps reminding himself to fix it, maybe just replace that picture frame altogether, but something else has always come up and he's just... Never replaced it, even now.

He really shouldn't focus on it, on when the glass was broken. There's voices around him, important ones, but they're coming in muffled. Everything seems muffled and blurred, really. Only the glass, broken and fractured as it is, stands out in sharp detail. Promised to be fixed, but not.

Maybe that's his problem. He can identify the problem, realize the cause of it, but then what? Does he actually address it? No. Just puts it off to worry about later.

And that's done so well for him before, hasn't it...

A sharp pinch on his arm pulls everything back into focus. He has to shut his eyes for a moment, everything coming back at once is a bit much, but there's a hand carefully rubbing his back.

"Clay? Can you hear me now?" His eyes snap open at that voice: deep, soothing and supposed to be in Opelucid, he shouldn't be here-

And yet there he is, crouched next to him with one hand holding his and the other on his back.

"Drayd-?" Everything is back in focus now but it still takes a minute or two for the words to come back. "When did ya get h--why, I didn't-"

"Iris told me." Ah. Yeah, that tracks. "She apparently thought you knew about Galar's Applin custom, and felt horrible when you reacted how you did. She kept saying she should have told you."

"She didn't know, it ain't her fault-"

"I know, but maybe she'll believe it when she hears you say it." He can only nod to that, but then Drayden pulls out a ball as he continues, "But first, I think we need to address this."

Ah. He already knows what it is, even before the flash of light fades and leaves the little apple-sized Pokémon in Drayden's hand.

"I... It arrived 'n the mail, and I was--well it's a Dragon type, so I was plannin' on givin' it to ya, just..."

"Do you still want to?" The hand Drayden has on his back is moving away, the little Pokémon now held in both of those large gloved hands. So small, yet with such a heavy meaning... Arceus, it isn't fair for the little guy. It takes him a few false starts, but...

"I... I wanna promise what I can actually give to ya." The Applin blinks up at him curiously before Clay looks up to Drayden to continue. "Whether or not that ends up becomin' forever, I don't know. But I ain't gonna promise somethin' I can't guarantee."

Drayden is silent, and for a moment Clay dreads he's said the wrong thing. But instead of lashing out, the larger man lifts the Applin up with one hand to sit it on his shoulder (however an apple can sit), his other hand clasping one of Clay's.

"I've had doubts of my own about trying again. About whether or not I could even fully trust my potential partner." Drayden doesn't often talk about this; Clay knows something happened before, but he also knows better than to press it. If people don't want to talk, then it's best to just not make them talk. "But Clay, I know you're not only honest, but earnest about what you say. So, can you promise me a good relationship, if not a long one?"

Somewhere embedded in the back of Clay's mind is a glass splinter that's saying no, he can't. Yet the past few years of being with him, in the romantic context instead of merely friends working together... There has never been a moment of giving more than he's received, or giving more than he can. No inadequacy, no lacking things at crucial moments. It's always been bearable, doable.

So maybe this will be too.

"Yeah. Yeah I can do that." It's taken years of talking with Drayden in person to be able to tell his various expressions, but seeing him smile as he does now is worth it, before he leans in for a kiss.

Which only lasts for ten seconds before the Applin starts squeaking.

"Ya could jus' not watch," Clay deadpans to the little Grass type; almost immediately, its big old eyes withdraw into the apple, one of them peeking out a moment later.

"Be nice, both of you," Drayden chides with a chuckle. "Iris will probably be over the moon when she sees this one. Do you need anything before I go?"

Clay almost shrugs, but a glance back at the picture frame stops him. "Actually yeah. Let me get a measurin' tape an' write some numbers down. Could ya give it ta Denise when ya head back up?"

The glass has been broken for too long, after all.