#lovely and exceedingly large !!! -o-----------------

[reallyromealone]

Part 4 to ganondorf x male readers engagement like who the wedding was and the maybe the wedding night? Please.

Title: ganon omegaverse

Fandom: the legend of Zelda

Chapter 4

Characters: loz ensemble

Fic type: series

Pairings: ganon x reader

Warnings: male reader, reader insert, omegaverse, nsfw, smut, heat, marking, biting

Notes:

🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️

(Name) Fit in exceedingly well, the people recognizing him as not just their kings mate but future queen.

(Name) Hadn't seen his sister since he left, she hadn't sent a letter or anything and frankly it hurt (name) deeply as he sat in Ganons lap, the Alpha soothing him with callused hands, they left tomorrow for the wedding and (name) was genuinely excited to marry his alpha but he was also so anxious! Anything could go wrong!

"What is troubling that pretty head of yours?" Ganon kissed the others temple as the smell of distress was suffocating but Ganon refused to let his love struggle alone "what if something goes wrong?! What if I trip! O-or it rains!" (Name) Turned to straddle his lap as he looked up anxiously and clung to the alphas tunic "what if I make a fool of myself!"

"Darling, I had an indoor wedding arranged because I know you hate that you can't control weather and don't want wind blowing everything away especially with the winds of central Hyrule, your wedding attire is just high enough so that your feet can't get caught and you will not make a fool out of yourself, you are brilliant and I will do everything in my power to assure that our wedding is nothing short of magical" ganon promised and (name) looked at him with watery eyes and nodded, ganon kissing his tears away.

The trek to Hyrule was longer than he remembered, (name) still looking out eagerly at the vast desert that turned into the mountains and fields of Hyrule as ganon read his book quietly, the two fully invested in their own things. Something Ganon appreciated as he was a rather reserved alpha, he liked that (name) could handle himself and didn't need him 24/7 for every little thing, the two developing an excellent schedule.

(Name) Was depwndant on him but not co-dependant on him, he didn't need Ganon to feed him unless it was his heat or he was gravely ill, the Alpha remembered when the poor thing suffered with gurudo fever... Poor thing.

"I feel... I can barely move" (name) was covered in sweat as the palace medical team kept his body cool with water and cold soups "why do I feel like this" his voice hazy and waved in and out as he looked at Ganon as if he had all the solutions to his problems and in a way he did "it's gurudo fever, my love... Your little Hylian body can't handle the heat but it will pass with proper care" the poor Omega was bedridden for almost two weeks as he slowly recovered from it.

And now he was as happy as ever, writing everything down he saw to research later in the gerudo libraries and possibly Hyrule castles libraries as they would be at the palace for a few days before setting off to their honeymoon.

Though Ganon didn't think (name) would have much of a chance seeing as the wedding and post events would take up so much time not to mention the fact (name)s heat was close.

The way to the castle was filled with cheers and joy as (name) waved at them as ganon looked at him lovingly, the Omega was so happy to see everyone take the time to see them on their way to the palace, festival decorations everywhere.

Their wedding wasn't until tomorrow and the couple was thankful, Zelda greeting them formally "it's nice to see you in good health little brother" (name) saw the small smile on Zelda's face before letting them settle in, having her own things to attend to as the wedding would be tomorrow and guests were already in the city.

Ganon smiled at the omegas bedroom, such a large bed for a tiny little Hylian.

(Name) Sat on Ganons abdomen as they kissed, having not had a moment of privacy the entire trip and (name) was getting needy "you have to wait till after the wedding to do that little one" ganon could smell the neediness on (name) as the other pouted, the two has gotten much bolder with their touches but Ganon knew never to go too far, not until the honeymoon where ganon was going to blow this cuties mind.

"I can't believe Zelda let us stay together, unwed" (name) giggled as ganon rubbed the others things "she would lose her mind if she caught wind of what we have done back home"

Back home, ganon liked that (name) saw gerudo valley as home.

That he potentially saw Ganon as home.

(Name) Woke early, as did ganon, Gurudo women and Hylian maids came in to get them ready for the wedding and bring them to respective dressing rooms, the castle in full affect as royalty and high standing people from across Hyrule joined festivities, everyone absolutely thrilled at the couple blessed by hylia, (name) and ganon deemed by the people a power couple. (Name) Was dressed in a beautiful blend of gurudo and hylian as Ganon gifted him heirlooms from his ancestors, beautiful gold's and rubies that (name) wore with pride while glancing at his mate to be occasionally as he was dressed in Gurudo regalia, something he couldn't take his eyes off of.

He was just so beautiful... His thick red hair woven into braids down his back and muscles in display... Thank god the maids and such were betas as Ganon gave him a look that said 'behave' and (name) pouted a bit but controlled himself.

If you asked him months ago if he would ever consider acting like this, he would have been scandalized but Ganon had been working hard to let him embrace himself "Gurudo do not believe in shame with ones body" he once said when (name) panicked at the fact he slicked when they were making out and from that point, ganon made points to compliment and help (name) embrace his Omegan qualities and quirks.

The best in their bedroom was a start.

(Name) Sat before Ganon, the two on their knees as they looked at one another lovingly as their respective priests spoke, two very different wedding cultures being blended together wasn't easy but (name) was happy it worked.

"You may now present your mating marks" Uberosa said calmly as the Hylian attendees of the wedding looked confused and Zelda was even a little confused despite being told of this. (Name) Adjusted himself so his neck was bared to the king who gently slotted his face against it and bit down, carefully to not hurt his precious mate but firm enough to bound him forever and to the Hylians horror, watched as (name) returned it though he had to sit up a bit more to do so.

An Omega marking an alpha? That was the topic of conversation as the ceremony finished, all the guests going to the great Hall for cocktail hour and the party as the mates changed and got ready for the reception.

But first, Ganon calmed his omega down who was a bit overwhelmed from the mating and neediness that came from it, typically guredo weddings were ceremony then everyone parties while the couple gets busy with it and on last night they join the final party with a traditional dance.

But since it's Hylian as well, they had to do it in a day.

"Shhh, my love... You did so good" ganon cooed as he removed the jewelry as (name) grew stressed when the maids tried to remove it for him "my beautiful mate, you were beautiful... Absolutely wonderful" his praises and kisses calmed (name) as they gently cuddled, they had more than enough time till they were to make their presence and (name) could feel the slight burn of his preheat, something now only Ganon could smell.

"Now, shall we get ready and show the world just how wonderful you are?" Ganon cooed as he led (name) to get dressed, dismissing the maids as he dressed the Omega himself and gently laying kisses wherever he saw. He wore Hylian heirlooms along with gurudo though now in silver, his sister's silver and crystal tiara made to look like Leafs and silver and diamond jewelry, white robes with silver embroidery of gurudo and hylian aesthetic.

Ganon sat (name) down as he put the sandals on the other, kissing his ankles as he did so "truly, the goddess's blessed you with nothing less than the beauty of Hyrule" (name) grabbed the alphas jaw and slowly pulled him into a kiss before resting his forehead onto the others "I love you" (name) whispered and the world stopped for the two as ganon broke out into the largest smile "I love you as well, my darling" Ganon would move the heavens for this radiant star that was (name), he would do anything to hear those words again.

(Name) Held onto Ganons arm during the reception, the kingdom partying for the royal wedding as the Goron Chief bludo stomped towards the couple with a large grin "my! King ganon you are truly a lucky man!" He said happily as he looked at the Omega "you let me know if he's being a knothead, I'll whip him into shape!" He teased and (name) giggled at him "maybe one day you two can visit our suanas, we recently found one low enough from the mountain to not harm Hylians fragile skin!" (Name) Looked up at his mate hopeful and ganon smiled "we can visit come the winter months, enjoy the waters to their fullest"

The couple greeted their guests and various royalty and tribe leaders, (name) excited to see impa as she praised him "My, you truly have grown" Impa smiled as she looked at the prince, now queen consort who dazzled the room "you must visit me sometime soon, enjoy the peace" (name) remembered when he was very little, his father would take him there kn disguise to see the omegas god mother of sorts along with Zelda, the two playing with Cuckoo's and Zelda learning archery as (name) helped impa, she gave him his first book for himself; Hyrule: a history.

The couple watched as the guests danced, (name) grinning as ganon and him did traditional Gurudo dances together as a newly wed couple before Zelda and (name) danced, typically it was the Sire or the Dam but since they had neither Zelda stepped in.

"I just apologize" she said softly to her brother as they danced, fire arms touching as they moved in sync and years of formal training coming into action "it was unfair of me to deny you your mate, it was selfish and cruel... I hope you can forgive me" her words sincere and hopeful as (name) smiled "I forgive you, I know you care... Even if it's in your own way" he teased as the other smiled, lost in their own world as ganon smiled at the siblings and glanced at his sister "he is truly remarkable" she whispered and ganon felt his heart melt.

Yes.

He really was.

Eventually, Ganon wisked (name) off as the Omegas preheat set in and washed the Omega in a bath as he was dizzy and needy "were married..." (Name) Mumbled as he rested his head between Ganons pectorals, purring softly as the other rubbed up and down the omegas back soothingly "we leave come dawn, your heat won't be arriving for another day or so and then you finally get to do what you want you horny Omega" ganon teased as he explained the plans to his mate who was almost passed out on him "sweets?" The Omega was already out of it, during heats he often craved sweets and meats.

"Uberosa made sure you will have some for the trip, now sleep my love"

(Name) Wore soft and light clothes during the ride as he slept in Ganons arms, his body slowly growing warmer as ganon read his book quietly as to not wake (name).

He was gonna need all the sleep he could get.

Their honeymoon was a month long as the first week was dedicated for (name)s heat and Ganons possible rut, newly mated pairs had the possibility of them triggering one another's cycles early.

It was quite small, but enough for ganon to get around but for royalty the seven bedroom cottage on the lake side was tiny.

But that's not what ganon cared for, it was what was around it that was important to him.

(Name) Never really experienced his home land, horses and wildlife all around them and guards hidden throughout the area but for now he had a needy omega to attend to.

(Name) Had woken and whined, the early stages of his heat... He hated now painful it was.

(Name) Chirped as ganon kissed him, removing his clothes and letting the other worship his body with kisses and touches as ganon groaned at the taste of the Hylians sweat, like concentrated pharamones "take... Take off your clothes" (name) grumbled as he tugged at Ganons large tunic with a point "still coherent? How are you feeling my star?" Ganon asked his mate while removing his clothes and not missing how (name) stared at his gurthy cock with a hungry expression, Ganon knew outside of heat that this Omega would be a mess at the concept of his cock.

He had that heat confidence.

"I don't.. hurt as much .." (name) whispered as ganon kissed his cheek gently "do you wish to nest before we get into it?" Ganon asked his love who nodded and took the Gurudo kings large tunic and his pants before looking to ganon hopefully, thankfully the Alpha understood the assignment immediately and went and collected all the nesting supplies he could for the other.

It was adorable seeing (name) make a big nest for the two, both butt naked as ganon slowly stroked his cock at the sight of his naked mate, (name) was perfect and god he couldn't wait to see him pregnant with his pups.

When (name) finished, he laid on the nest sweetly as he looked at the others hard cock and the fog in his eyes and the chirp told ganon one thing.

It was go time.

(Name) Spread his pretty legs and ganon was between them in lighting speed as he lapped at the others hole, a gutteral groan escaping him as (name) jolted at the pleasure having never experienced something so blissful and powerful as the others tongue pushed in and deep, he knew the others tongue was larger than his but fuck!

(Name) Let Ganon do as he pleased as he clung to anything he could, currently it was Ganons head and the pillow behind him as he let the man devour his ass, slick sticking to the sheets as (name) came in record speed.

"Beautiful..." Ganon rumbled as (name) reached out to him.

"Please..."

Ganons massive cock was already lubed and lined up, the Alpha soothing him as he slowly breached (name) who whined and shook as he tried to adjust to the other, their racial proportions making it difficult as (name) was impaled.

When ganon bottomed out, (name) was shaking and the two adjusted for ten solid minutes as ganon whispered praise to (name) and kissed him lovingly "you're so good my love, you took me perfectly..." (Name) Experimentally moved his hips and moaned out shakily and ganon in turn slowly began thrusting, light experimental thrusts that made the other shake and convulse.

Ganon grunted as he began thrusting, watching as his cock went in and out of (name) and slowly began picking up speed as he suckled on the others chest and lifted him closer as he slowly picked up speed, (name) crying and moaning as he clawed at the others skin in pleasure.

Ganon grunted at how perfect his mate felt, the room heavy with pharamones as they fucked like animals.

"So flexible..." Ganon marvelled as he had (name) in splits, one leg raised in the Gurudos hold and the other barely touching the grounf as ganon fucked him, cum leaking out of (name)s cock and ass as he moaned pathetically for more.

Ganon fucked him everywhere, in the kitchen between making them food, in the livingroom when they had a chase (ganon learned that (name) loved being chased during his heat) and in the baths as he tried to clean the cute Omega up.

When (name) woke, he felt sticky and gross as he looked at Ganon, throat sore and body aching as he gently touched the others face "one moment, Omega... I'll knot you good" ganon grumbled as he sat up and lifted (name) into his lap, the Alpha clearly tired as (name) simply snuggled into him "morning..." (Name) Mumbled sweetly and ganon smiled "ah, you're finally back to normal" ganon was relieved as he kissed him gently, the smell of heat dissipating as he slumped against the alpha.

"Do you think I'm pregnant?" (Name) Mumbled and ganon chuckled "with the rate we went at it? It would be impossible for you to not be pregnant"

(Name) Smiled at the thought of him being pregnant and sure enough he was, nine months little Riju was born.

[wheels-of-despair]

Worth It | Ralph Penbury x You | Masterlist

{<-Previous} [My Good Friend Mary] {Next->}

Summary: Ralph brings you a present that's also a prop in your masterful plan to keep your mother in the dark. Words: 1.3k

You returned to the park every day.

You'd told your mother you were meeting your new friend Mary Lennox, who had just left her palace in India behind for a mansion in London. She was a strange and lonely girl, who knew nothing of city life, so you'd volunteered to be her guide. Mary was very shy, and only comfortable with you for now, but you promised you would bring her home with you eventually. And perhaps your mother would receive an invitation to tea with Mary's exceedingly rich parents one day.

Except there was no Mary Lennox. There was only Ralph Penbury. Mary was the protagonist in The Secret Garden. You had once asked your mother to read it with you, back when you wanted to be close to her, but she never did. The only things your mother ever read were newsletters from her ladies' groups. How boring that must be.

You dared only spend a few hours with him a day, but you treasured every second of your visits. You'd meet at your secret bench at noon, share a picnic lunch packed by his kitchen staff, and discuss everything from books, to philosophy, to what the world might look like in a hundred years.

Your parents had noticed an improvement in your general demeanor since the Valentine's Day dance, but attributed it to your new friend Mary. You'd never had a friend that close before, always holding everyone at an arm's length. They need not know that your arms were actually wrapped tightly around Ralph Penbury.

"I brought you something."

"I see that," you note with amusement from your position on the bench, having arrived first today. He's carrying a neatly wrapped box with a large bow on top. "What's the occasion?"

"Does a man need an occasion to shower his lady-friend with gifts?"

"Oh. I thought it may have been for our anniversary," you tease.

Ralph nearly drops his package in shock, a look of pure panic on his face.

"Relax, Ralph," you laugh, "I'm only teasing. Unless you intended to celebrate eight days together."

"I intend to celebrate every day together," he says matter-of-factly. Your heart flutters. Stop that, you think.

He takes his seat, and places the box between you.

"Well, open it!" he says excitedly.

You slowly untie the bow, rolling up the ribbon so as not to ruin it, and set it aside. Then you begin peeling off the paper at a snail's pace, careful not to rip it, deliberately driving Ralph crazy.

It's working. It looks as if it's taking everything he has to not lean over and rip the paper off for you. But Ralph remains polite, sitting as still as he can, trying to pretend he's not frothing at the mouth.

"What's the matter, Ralph? Am I going too slow for you?"

He looks surprised for a moment, then realizes that you're teasing him again. A sour expression flashes over his face, and he crosses his arms and huffs adorably. You laugh and rip the paper, and suddenly he's excited again. You love playing with him.

You crumple the paper and lift the lid off your box. Inside is a large book about India.

You look at him in confusion. "Open it!" he says eagerly.

You crack open the front cover. Inside is a message, in a woman's handwriting. Leaning closer, you read:

To My Newest and Dearest Friend,

Now you can see the places I tell you about in all my stories!

Thank you for being so kind and welcoming to me as I adjust to my new home. I could not do it without you.

Love, Your Good Friend Mary

"I thought it would help sell the story of Mary Lennox to your mother," he explains.

"Indeed it will," you laugh. "Did you write this?"

"No. Well, I wrote the words. I had the maid copy it into the book."

"Oh, you're a clever one, Mr. Penbury," you admire. He beams.

"Look at this!" He pushes the empty box to the ground and moves closer to you, flipping through the book and showing you his favorite pictures. You try to focus on the book as he gushes about the animals and architecture of India, but you can't keep your eyes off of him.

You've never seen a person get so excited about everything before. You'd always been a stoic, so much in fact that your mother spent most of your childhood wondering aloud if there was something wrong with you. You'd sometimes questioned this yourself.

But Ralph? Ralph got excited about everything. You breathed in that pure, unadulterated joy like oxygen. When Ralph was happy, you were happy. Even over something simple, like spotting a pretty butterfly or a vendor selling a treat he'd never tried before. You wonder if you'd felt more joy in these last eight days than you had in your entire life.

Everything had changed that night at the dance. After a lifetime of shutting people out, choosing to stay home whenever possible and lose yourself in a book rather than join clubs or attend sleepovers, you suddenly felt like your presence wasn't bringing the room down. (You'd actually been accused of this on more than one occasion. You pretended like it hadn't bothered you, but it had.) But you didn't feel that way with Ralph. Ralph looked at you like he was happy you were by his side. It was a feeling that would take some getting used to.

The bells in the clock tower began to ring, snapping you out of your introspection. Ralph closes the book and hands it to you, reaching for the picnic basket with a frown.

"I'm sorry, I got carried away. You should have stopped me." He begins unpacking the basket with a blush on his face.

"I didn't mind. If my mother decides to quiz me about India, I will definitely be prepared," you wink.

"You can tell me to shut up, you know. I won't be offended. Sometimes I need to hear it." He takes a bite of his sandwich and looks at the ground as he chews. Tell Ralph to shut up? You could never! You'd sit and listen to him talk all day if you could. You love his voice, and the way his face tells a story of its own, and that he has opinions on everything.

"Well, you'll never hear it from me," you tell him firmly. He looks up in surprise. "I love listening to you," you shrug, suddenly very interested in your lunch. You pretend not to notice Ralph swipe at his eyes.

After a few minutes, Ralph makes a comment about cucumbers, and the conversation returns to normal. You spend the rest of your time together as happily as any other day, until the clock chimes again.

"I can't believe I wasted half of our time together rambling about a book. I really am sorry," he apologizes again, stuffing everything back into his basket. He stands with a sigh and offers you his hand. You leave your book on the bench and rise to embrace him.

"Ralph, I could spend the rest of my life listening to you read bread recipes," you admit.

He giggles and nuzzles his nose into your neck. You hold him tighter, wishing you never had to let him go. But the bells begin to quiet, and it's time for you to go home. You reluctantly release him and pick up the very thoughtful gift he'd brought you.

"Thank you," you say, clutching the book to your chest, wishing you could say more.

[wishing-stones]

Don't imagine Error, Boss or/and Axe dealing with an s/o who has debilitating cycle/endo pain and all the cute things that come with!

(Please note that my Don't Imagines are largely still closed, but she gets Partner Privileges<3)

Hard to write as "Don't imagine" so it's gonna be the usual Headcanon style!

Error doesn't.... know what to do, really. Why is his human doubled over in pain? Why are you crying and unable to move? This is usually something humans go to the hospital for, right? He knows about cycles and whatnot, but he doesn't know until it's explained to him that it can come with extreme amounts of pain like this. He does his best to help-- you don't have to move or get up except to change sanitary stuff, which... if he has to, he'll carry you to go do that and then... wait until you're done to carry you back. He'll gladly get painkillers and a hot pad and whatever else you need. He tries to play it off like he's cool and only mildly inconvenienced, but you can catch the sidelong, deeply concerned looks he gives you when he thinks you don't notice them.

Boss has a similar "whatever you need I'll get it" sort of deal, but he does know what's going on because... he reads. Humans fascinated him so much when he came up to the surface, he spent a good six months reading medical texts before he discovered a love of shredding paper-thin defenses in a courtroom. He will gladly sit with you and a hot pad, offer gentle lower back massages, nuzzles, makes sure you have painkillers, and whatever else you need to feel comfortable. He also gleefully cooks for you, and picks easy-to-eat, gentle meals that he hopes won't make the problem worse. He also, notably, unflinchingly goes to get whatever supplies you need, too. He will proudly waltz out of a store with a box of tampons under his arm. Axe is exceedingly gentle with you, landing somewhere in the middle of Boss' "Everything you need at the drop of a hat, and comfort" and Error's "I don't know what I'm doing but I'm doing my best." He does know what's going on and why, but he isn't sure how to help beyond being an errand boy and helping you where you need it. He also offers little massages, and is almost always in contact with you unless he needs to get up to make food, or when you have to go change your sanitary products. Shockingly, the blood doesn't bother him in the slightest-- it isn't fresh, arterial blood and smells a little different. Plus, it's not in his line of sight. He's even okay to handle any stained sheets or clothing-- he is brilliant at getting blood out of things. He's a little reluctant to sleep around you, though-- he's afraid that the combination of your noises of distress and the scent of blood will wake him up in a state no one wants him to be in... ...He winds up falling asleep on you, so he doesn't really get a choice in the matter. He wakes up fine, and between his head on your abdomen and the hot pad, the warm pressure probably helps a lot.

[larkral]

Rules: Answer these 15 questions, then tag 15 people.

Tagged by...uh, kind of a lot of people (@asocialpessimist @artsyunderstudy @shrekgogurt @raenestee @stitchyqueer @cutestkilla), been on a work deadline and enjoying learning more about everyone, but also exceedingly tapped out.

1. Are you named after anyone? Nope! I am especially notably not named after my second cousin who was born right before my elder sister and received the name my mother was planning on giving my sister, which she then decided to save for me.

2. When was the last time you cried? I've been doing a lot more just sitting in sad silence than crying lately, so probably like...last Saturday? No special reason, just 'cause I was in my feels.

3. Do you have kids? Two little adorable gremlin children, yes.

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Yeah, yep. Yes.

5. What's the first thing you notice about people? If observing objectively, I probably notice the general shape of their face. Planes and structure and arrangement of features. If it's in an interactive context, I usually pick up on what their expectations of the interaction are -- do they want something from me, are they expecting to provide me something, etc.

6. What's your eye color? Blue.

7. Scary movies or happy ending? Is neither an option? Neither. Give me befuddling comedy horror or give me I guess like an architecture documentary.

8. Any special talents? I think probably my most valuable talent is being willing to just figure out how to do the thing. And then doing it. Building a retaining wall, tiling a bathroom, making a bouquet of paper flowers, yeah, I'm gonna make it happen if I want to make it happen. I'm also going to join the group of folks who are saying that their secret talent is signing, cause I do surprise people at karaoke. ;-)

9. Where were you born? In the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. At around one mile elevation above sea level.

10. What are your hobbies? Writing, sewing, knitting,

11. Do you have any pets? An adorable tiny toy poodle mutt who everyone thinks is a puppy. She's 7y/o.

12. What sports have you played? I played flat track women's Roller Derby for 5 years, and I was pretty fucking good at it, but also it was a thing I started doing in large part because I wanted to make friends, and I ended up with 0 roller derby friends, and spending ten hours a week on a pastime where everyone there is like, so-so on me was not a good vibe. I'd love to play again someday, but it might not be in the cards.

13. How tall are you? 5'8.

14. Favorite subject at school? Art. I always really enjoyed getting lost in the process of making art.

15. Dream job? Renaissance person. I'd like to just be able to do an extremely wide variety of things both physical and cerebral.

tagging @captain-aralias @facewithoutheart @sillyunicorn @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @ileadacharmedlife @bookish-bogwitch @aristocratic-otter @petedavidsonscock @yeonjunenby @carryonvisinata @takenabackbytuesdays @martsonmars @nightimedreamersghost @chen-chen-chen-again-chen @ionlydrinkhotwater @fatalfangirl and I, like some others, did not have the energy to check whether you'd already done this, so I'm sorry if this is a redundant tag 😘

[nataliebrant16]

Justice as a Valued Virtue

the pre-Socratic feeling about justice as comparable to the balance or harmony which kept things going is very remote to us" - Anscombe.

Justice is a virtue that is a part of the typical group of cardinal virtues. In modern day, justice is used quite often in describing how people advocate for others for equality, equity, and inclusion. Justice means to evaluate if an action is right or not through a lens of morality. It is commonly used synonymously with fairness; furthermore its about upholding human dignity in every sense. One can be just by deciding right actions or outwardly disagreeing with wrong actions.

Justice can be seen first defined very early on by Plato in the Republic. This is one of the earliest accounts of this virtue being described. The main definition is 'what the gods love' but has many more layers to that. Further, Socrates says that justice is what sustains and perfects the other virtues, which in this context was temperance, wisdom, and courage.

The Catholic Church defines justice as 'giving others their due'. This means that making sure that consequences are adequately given to actions. This also means giving respect and dignity to others. What others are owed aren't necessarily negative, but what they should have just for being an existing human being. Dignity plays a very large role into what justice can look like.

People can live out this virtue everyday. Someone who is an exemplar of justice is Sojourner Truth. I think that she lived out this virtue exceedingly well in her adult life. She fought for racial and gender equality in ways that stood out for her time. Her efforts for justice were even recognized by Abraham Lincoln.

Engaging in virtues allows our human development to continue into being good people. When we are good people we can satisfy our needs. Seligman talks about PERMA, which describes our needs to achieve flourishing. When we engage in justice we are about to give our lives positive emotions, as its a good feeling to advocate for righteous things. We also engage with others and build relationships with them, even if they are useful. Further, when enacting justice we give our lives meaning and accomplishment, especially if we cause the right action to happen. When living out this virtue we are able to achieve the flourishing that leads to happiness, which is ultimately the goal for the living world.

When applying the idea of Seligman's PERMA to the acting out of virtue, its very easy to see the connection of flourishing to virtue and that we have this need to act out the good. When acting upon virtues we just enrich our life so much more.

Socrates talks about living the examined life and looking within. When we are able to look within and work on ourselves and further grow into virtuous people, we are able to access that happiness that is described. The human good and morality (through practice of the virtue) ultimately leads to that peace of a good life, an examined life.

To start finding out more about justice, there are many places to look. There are two places that could be the places to enter the forest. The first is the ending of slavery in the United States and who was imperative to that movement. That could lead to discovery of those who were key to the civil rights movement. There is lots of access to justice in this movement, with Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, and William Lloyd Garrison. All of these people engaged in the virtue of justice to advocate for what was right and were exemplifying the virtue throughout the movement.

Another place to look to enter the forest for justice would be the women's right to vote and beginnings for justice for women. There are many women who were crucial to that movement to start and so that event would be a great place to start. These stories tell the story of not just justice, but many of the other virtues as well. There can be a start with the focus on women like Susan B. Anthony and Alice Paul, but then that search will lead to other women's rights activists. Soon after one would develop their own thread of prominent women right's activists. These women also show the virtue of justice at its peaks and really live parts of the flourishing in regards to the virtue.

[yhwhrulz]

Charles Spurgeon's "Morning & Evening" Devotional for August 19

Morning

“I will call them my people which were not my people.”

John 4:27-42

John 4:27

Their Jewish prejudices were aroused by his large-hearted care for a Samaritan woman, for they would have scorned to speak to her; yet they were awed by his appearance, and felt too much esteem for their Master to enquire too boldly.

John 4:28 , John 4:29

The convert becomes a missionary. Her worldly cares are all forgotten; she cares only for the souls of others.

John 4:30

God blessed the woman’s testimony so that their curiosity was excited, and she thus became one link in the chain of causes which led to the conversion of many. We might all be useful if we would but try.

John 4:32

He was so happy in his work that he forgot the calls of appetite; the soul conquered the body.

John 4:34

This occupied all his thoughts, and success in it was refreshing to his heart.

John 4:35

The people were streaming out of Sychar, eager to hear; the Samaritans were as ready for the word as the corn for the sickle. This was a goodly, sight, but it called for further effort. When the people are willing to receive the word, they bring great responsibility upon their ministers.

John 4:38

So is it with us all. We are reapers of what was sown in ages gone by, and especially of that which Jesus has sown by his agonies and death.

John 4:39

Very imperfect instruments may be used by the Holy Spirit to lay the foundations of faith. Foxe tells us that some were brought to a knowledge of the truth in his day by reading Chaucer’s works: “And in that rarity of books and want of teachers, this one thing I greatly marvel at,” says he, “that the word of God did multiply so exceedingly, for I find that one neighbour conversing with others did soon win and turn their minds to the truth.”

John 4:40-42

They outgrew their first instructor, and rose to a firmer basis of faith and a clearer understanding of the Gospel. If they learned so much in two days, how much ought we to have learned who have had Jesus teaching in our streets these many years.

Let us learn from this deeply interesting Scripture to live to do good, and let us also learn that no service which we can render to our fellow-creatures is so really beneficial as to bear witness to them concerning Jesus.

Help me, O Lord, thy love to show,

Thy saving truth proclaim;

‘Tis all my business here below

To cry, “Behold the Lamb!”

Happy, if with my latest breath

I may but gasp thy name;

Preach thee in life, and cry in death,

“Behold, behold the Lamb!”

Evening

“I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.”

Luke 4:14-30

John 4:14 , John 4:15

Highly favoured was that rural region to have Christ himself going on circuit through its towns. It is a great privilege to have the gospel preached in the place wherein we dwell: let us prize it if we have it.

John 4:16

Synagogue worship was not all that could be wished, but it was better than none; and our Lord therefore set the example of attendance upon it, as the recognised way of reverencing the Sabbath and of praising God. Never should we forsake the assembling of ourselves together, even if we be but two or three.

John 4:17-19

He paused there, and did not read on, or he would have read of “the day of vengeance of our God.” That would have been inappropriate just then, for his errand was purely one of mercy.

John 4:22

Their first thoughts were best. While they thought of what he said, they were charmed; but when they considered who he was that had said it, they changed their minds for the worse, as many other foolish persons have done.

John 4:23-27

He declared to them the doctrines of divine sovereignty and electing grace, and these truths the carnal mind always kicks at. Men will hear anything rather than a proclamation that the Lord dispenses his mercy as seemeth good in his sight. His mentioning the blessing of the Gentiles was another point in our Lord’s address which was sure to enrage his hearers, for men are as wroth with the freeness of grace as with the sovereignty of it. Jesus did not come there to flatter them; he told them the truth, whether they approved of it or no.

John 4:28-30

They were admirers one hour, and murderers at heart the next. Honest servants of Christ must not wonder if warm friends become bitter foes because of the truth. Man is fickle, and those are wisest who do not lean upon him.

The world his abject poverty

And low estate disdain,

And nothing great in Jesus see,

The humble Son of Man.

But we who Christ aright have known,

And seen with inward eyes,

Adore him as th’ Almighty One

Who made both earth and skies.

Behold the sin-atoning Lamb,

With wonder, gratitude, and love:

To take away our guilt and shame,

See him descending from above.

Our sins and griefs on him were laid;

He meekly bore the mighty load;

Our ransom-price he fully paid

In groans and tears, in sweat and blood.

To save a guilty world he dies;

Sinners, behold the bleeding Lamb!

To him lift up your longing eyes,

And hope for mercy in his name.

Of old at Cana’s marriage feast

As guest behold the Lord!

Joy from his gentle presence flowed,

And plenty from his word.

He check’d no gladness, such as might

The Christian’s heart become;

From him no shadow ever fell

Upon a Christian home.

And so let all our festal joy

Be in his presence found,

And so let every spot on earth

Be counted “holy ground.”

Not all the outward forms on earth,

Nor rites that God has given,

Nor will of man, nor blood, nor birth,

Can raise a soul to heaven.

The sovereign will of God alone

Creates us heirs of grace;

Born in the image of his Son,

A new peculiar race.

The Spirit, like some heavenly wind,

Blows on the sons of flesh;

Creates a new a heavenly mind,

And forms the man afresh.

Our quicken’d souls awake and rise

From the long sleep of death;

On heavenly things we fix our eyes,

And praise employs our Breath.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,

“Behold I freely give

The living water thirsty one,

Stoop down, and drink, and live.”

I came to Jesus, and I drank

Of that life-giving stream;

My thirst was quench’d, my soul revived,

And now I live in him.

Fain would I be often reading

In the ancient holy Book,

Of my Saviour’s gentle pleading,

Truth in every word and look.

How to all the sick and tearful

Help was ever gladly shown;

How he sought the poor and fearful,

Called them brothers and his own.

Still I read the ancient story,

And my joy is ever new,

How for us he left his glory,

How he still is kind and true.

How the flock he gently leadeth,

Whom his Father gave him here;

How his arms he widely spreadeth

To his heart to draw us near.

Our flesh and sense must be denied,

Passion and envy, lust, and pride,

Whilst justice, temp’rance, truth, and love,

Our inward piety approve.

Tender and kind be all our thoughts,

Through all our lives let mercy run:

Since God forgives our numerous faults,

For the dear sake of Christ his Son.

Copyright Statement This resource was produced before 1923 and therefore is considered in the "Public Domain".

[gduncan969]

Too Much Information?

Ecclesiastes 1:18 “For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”

I led a small group devotional at our church last night on the subject of “Too Much Information” and we had a good time discussing the topic so I thought I’d expand it a little into this present posting.  We began with the comment: If you were to take a vote in your church as to what books of the bible were the least favorite to read, I suspect Ecclesiastes and probably Lamentations would be high on the list but despite their lack of popularity to most of us, both are just as relevant to our human condition as they have ever been and I suspect even more so as we become more and more bewildered by the craziness abounding in the world around us.  Written by King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, Ecclesiastes declares right at the beginning, “Vanity, vanity, all is vanity” which pretty well sums up the rest of the book.  Given the current fad among the once-called “Christian” nations of denouncing most of its past heroes, its institutions, traditions, laws and even its dictionary definitions, a good paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 1:2 might be, “Insanity, insanity, all is insanity”! Wisdom has apparently flown the coop from the minds of those who rule over us so perhaps it’s time to re-examine where we should go for the wisdom to cope in this Gen-Z, crazy world.

God asks

1 Kings 3: 5 “At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask!... What shall I give you?”

Now there’s a question all of us would love to be asked, especially when it is Almighty God that’s doing the asking. Aladdin’s genie magically appearing out of an old rubbed lamp to ask the gob-smacked “rubber” what wish would he like the genie to grant him doesn’t compare in the least with the magnitude and the implications of God’s question to Solomon.  God is far above any genie and infinitely more powerful but just imagine, if God asked you this question how would you answer?  Hopefully, like many a beauty pageant contestant, none of us would answer, “World Peace”.  Really though, how would YOU answer God? Some might give the same answer as Solomon, others would have a multitude of different answers, depending on the circumstances and some, like myself, would be too overwhelmed by the One who was asking to give any answer at all.

Solomon answers

We all know Solomon’s answer in 1 Kings 3: 6 - 9.

“And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.  Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.  And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.  Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

God gives more than Solomon asked

1 Kings 4: 29-34 “And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men.. and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish.  And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon”.

How typical of our Heavenly Father to give Solomon far more than he asked for! Besides granting him the “understanding heart” he asked for, God also gave him “wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart (discernment) like the sand on the seashore”.  What a great example of God’s grace and love for His children this is but:

Did Solomon ask for the right thing?  

What did Solomon’s wisdom do for him personally? Certainly, Israel and the world were greatly blessed by it but what did it do for Solomon?  How did the rest of his life pan out and is there a lesson for us to learn as we seek God’s wisdom in this woke world?  Questions are being raised daily in the media that no sensible person, let alone Christian, should ever want to ask because they are so self-evident that only those totally blinded and drowning in a sea of moral sewage would ever want to ask them.  Sadly, they are not only being asked, they are being seriously discussed by supposedly sane people.  Questions like, “What is a woman?”; “Should men who think they are women be allowed to compete in female sports and share their dressing rooms?’; “Should aborted babies who are born alive be given life-saving care?”.  Yesterday, two hundred and twelve members of the US congress voted “No” to the last question!

Getting back to Solomon.  Years after he had built the temple and his palace and filled every desire of his heart, God appeared to him again:

1 Kings 9: 1 - 9 “And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he wanted to do, that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. And the Lord said to him: “I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’ But if you or your sons at all turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight. Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and will hiss, and say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ Then they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore the Lord has brought all this calamity on them.’”

What follows this passage in chapter 11 tells us that Solomon’s wisdom never left him but he lost something far more important: his love and loyalty to God.

1 Kings 11: 1 - 6 “But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David.”

Paul tells us in Romans 11:29 “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” meaning that what God gifts to us for ministry, he will never take back but our giftings or callings are never an indication of our standing in Him.  Many a famous preacher has learned that lesson the hard way as they tumbled into sexual sin while continuing to preach life-changing sermons and many a devastated congregation has learned it too when it was all exposed to the light!  Solomon’s wisdom was no guarantee of Solomon’s success in his walk with God because the key to success for the latter is LOVE, not wisdom.  How different would it have been for Solomon if he had asked God for a love for Him and His people.   Paul expresses it perfectly in his famous “love chapter”:

1 Corinthians 13: 1 - 3: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am NOTHING. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”

Too much wisdom can destroy you but there’s no such thing as too much love.  

Two Kinds of Wisdom

At the start of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he asks the question: “Where is the wise?;  Where is the scribe?;  Where is the disputer of this age?;” and then concludes: “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” In asking these questions, he was pointing to all those who think that the answers to life’s challenges can be found in the words of the gurus of this world—the “experts” who write the books and host the debates and write the laws mandating how we must live in this new age.  They do so according to the “wisdom of this world” created by godless minds in blinded brains but God calls it all foolishness and foolishness is an apt word for the wisdom of this present age.  In chapter 3:19 Paul repeats this thought, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness.”

Solomon had all wisdom and understanding, both Godly and worldly but he ultimately forsook the godly kind and followed the worldly which destroyed him. Looking after seven hundred wives is more than any man can handle and stay sane.

Where do you get your wisdom from?

Today, all of us have the same two sources of wisdom, but the worldly kind has become infinitely greater in quantity and availability through the INTERNET and the latter demands much more of our attention!  We now have at our fingertips access to everything that’s ever been known, including both the bible and the world but the knowledge of the latter comes to us wrapped in seductive headlines that grab our attention and pique our curiosity for the latest news. Sadly, many are now addicted to their phones and the evidence for that can be found in every home where parents and children live, in family gatherings and at restaurant tables. The other source is best found on our knees.  WHICH SOURCE ARE YOU  ADDICTED TO?  Mr. Google will answer that question for you when he tells you how many hours you spent last week browsing the multitude of news outlets, sports channels, shopping channels and dare I say, gossip channels we may have watched.  Are we really so hung up on Harry and Megan that we can’t wait for their next announcement or for Elan Musk’s latest bombshell from Twitter?  Are we so fearful of what lies ahead that we cannot wait to see who wins the next election or what new insane law is about to be thrust upon us?  It is this kind of information that is behind the hopelessness and foreboding that drives us to anger and depression.  

Too Much Information

Listening to or watching the endless stream of bad news about wars, rumors of wars, pandemics, environmental collapse, scandals and corruption doesn’t give us more godly wisdom but it sure depresses us.  This is what Solomon was referring to in the Ecclesiastes 1:18:  “For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”  About 60 years ago, an American evangelist went to visit Smith Wigglesworth at his home in Yorkshire, England.  He walked up the driveway to the house and was greeted at the door by Smith who promptly told him he couldn’t enter the house unless he got rid of the item he was holding under his armpit—the London Times newspaper!  “Those lies cannot enter my home”, he said.  In our frustration with the information overload we all face every day, we complain and blame others for their lack of interest about the state of the world.  We bemoan fellow believers who fail to see the urgency of the times and refuse to join with us in the battle against these forces of evil but God does not instruct us to attack evil, only to resist it and it us up to us to figure out the difference between these.  Yes, we possess all the knowledge and all the tools from God to recognize what is going on around us but before we take any action we must first ask ourselves are we compelled to move by our love for God and His people or just because we are angry?  Paul tells us what compelled him and his fellow believers:

2 Corinthians 5:14 “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;”

Though we possess many things from our God and Father, it’s not what we possess in this life that guarantees satisfaction and success—whether it be our faith, our intellect, our talents, our supernatural spiritual gifts of prophecy and healing.  It’s what, or better, WHO possesses us and motivates us that makes us a success in His eyes!

We can spend hour after hour watching our i-pads and TV’s trying to gain more insight into all of the insanity and corruption that surrounds us, but all that does is fill our heads with more knowledge, leaving us only angry and frustrated but anger and frustration alone will not change anything unless it is constrained by the love of God shed abroad in our hearts.  Solomon’s great wisdom failed to keep him from falling into great sin.  May God’s love in our hearts keep us in His great grace and may we find His wisdom to change our world on our knees!

[drawmains]

Sleepless in seatle chrsitmas scene

SLEEPLESS IN SEATLE CHRSITMAS SCENE MOVIE

Civilized and polite, this bear couldn’t be bothered to stick his paw in a jar of honey. Paddington is, himself, an immigrant, landing in London after traveling from Peru. Based on a similar bear Bond once saw at a London toy store near Paddington Station on Christmas Eve, the anthropomorphic creation has enchanted kids in countries the world over.

SLEEPLESS IN SEATLE CHRSITMAS SCENE MOVIE

The movie version of Paddington Bear isn’t set to drop until 2014, but the character has been out-classing his peers since 1958, when Michael Bond’s A Bear Called Paddington was first published. Paddington Bear in Paddington Bear (2014). The name becomes an integral detail of the plot, serving to prove to Creasy that his new friend is still alive. A symbol of the loyalty forged between Creasy (Washington) and Pita (Dakota Fanning) is Pita’s teddy bear, which she leaves behind when she’s mysteriously kidnapped, but names after her bodyguard and eventual liberator. Tony Scott’s most popular collaboration with Denzel Washington is exceedingly stronger in its first half than in its second, proving that a character bond portrayed by two fine actors is far more interesting than a vengeance-fueled bloodbath. It’s not a father-of-the-year act, but it’s something.Ĭreasy Bear in Man on Fire (2004). In a scene that coincides with Alfie’s outlook-adjusting breakdown, he visits his child and sneaks a small white teddy bear into the crib. Largely emotionless and practically bound for loneliness, Alfie’s rare bit of humanity can be largely attributed to a son, who’s born to Gilda (Julia Foster), one of his many conquests. This generation may only know Jude Law as the womanizing cad Alfie, but four decades ago, it was all about Michael Caine, who iconically assumed the title role in one of his best performances. The bear proves a comfort object that unites a family as they meet for the first time.Īlfie’s Gift in Alfie (1966). Once on the observation deck of the World Trade Center, her and Sam Baldwin’s (Tom Hanks) meeting place, Annie Reed (Meg Ryan) finds the backpack of Sam’s son, Jonah (Ross Malinger), containing a teddy bear that starts the conversation when Sam and Jonah make it to the deck as well. Directed and co-written by Nora Ephron, a woman to whom we all just sadly said goodbye, Sleepless in Seattle preceded Titanic as the mother of three-hanky, girls-night flicks, and its finale involves a teddy bear as crucial as Rose Dewitt Bukater’s precious diamond. Jonah’s Teddy Bear in Sleepless in Seattle (1993). The act is enough to make Sarah wish for the baby’s abduction, which winds up seeming a bit extreme considering all that goes down after. Collectively, the strongest symbol of her enduring immaturity is her vast collection of toys, none of which means more than Lancelot, the blonde bear that Toby unwittingly stole. From the forced role of surrogate mom to poor, kidnapped Toby, to the undeniable allure of David Bowie’s spandex-wrapped bulge, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth is as much about young Sarah’s (Jennifer Connelly) march to womanhood as it is about her trek to the castle of Bowie’s androgynous Goblin King. Sporting a squeeze-your-cares-away smile but nevertheless two-faced, Lots-O’ puts a whale of damper on Buzz and company’s plans in this love-showered threequel, standing as a sad symbol of toy outgrowth gone awry. Lots-O’-Huggin Bear, voiced with a growly twang by Ned Beatty, is one formidable, issue-laden villain, whose trauma of being jilted by a past owner feeds a hunger to make life miserable for good toys everywhere. Don’t be deceived by that welcoming gaze or pink, untainted appearance. Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear in Toy Story 3 (2010). Next time you snuggle up with your childhood friend, remember these teddy bear stars, who strive to prove there’s more to them than mere fluff. Either way, they’ve leapt from the uncertainty of the toy-store shelf to the immortality of film, assuming the roles of confidant, booby trap, and even surveillance vessel. Some of these characters (don’t call them props!) make only brief appearances, while others prove central to the story being told. Longtime pal and enabler of Mark Wahlberg’s man-boy, Ted may be the screen’s most naughty plush companion, but he owes a certain debt to his cuddly, uh, forebears. Seth MacFarlene releases his first feature on the world this weekend in the form of Ted, a transgressive raunchfest in which the writer/director voices the fuzzy, f-bomb-dropping title character.

[jaesti]

raa!!! shiketsu high kids !!

[mumpsetc]

(crossing my hands on the table like a businessman) i would love to hear about any of your ocs, if you're up for it :o)

TECHNICALLY NOT OCS But All the Ocs I Have RN are Like, Top Secret Never to Interact W/ the Public At Large Until Their Grand Debut So We're Getting My Beloved Care Bears I Always Talk About But Never Show

Left to Right: Cheer Bear, Love-a-Lot Bear, Wish Bear, Good Luck Bear, and Tenderheart Bear

They Would Mostly Venture Across The Land Meeting New People and Learning Lessons (and Sometimes Fighting a Dragon) But There'd Also Be Episodes Where They Hang Around Care-a-Lot. It'd Be About Unity and Friendship and Also Unlearning Ingrained Cultural Biases and Also Also Also Singing Songs and Being Silly. Cheer Bear is the Leader of the Group and the Most Go-Get-Em. She's Prone to Stubbornness and Insensitivity Though, But At the End of the Day She Means Well and Will Do The Right Thing No Matter What. Love-a-Lot is the Plucky Mom Friend of the Group, Though She Does Have Some Frustration Regarding Being Cast in That Role By a Bunch of Fellow Grown Ass Adults. She's Caring and Sweet But At the End of the Day is Very No Nonsense. Wish is a Fucked Up Wizard. She's Very Spiritually Aligned and an Out of the Box Thinker But She Frequently Doesn't Bother to Explain Her Self and Also Being a Fucked Up Wizard Kinda Makes You a Bit of a Spacey Dickhead. Good Luck is Exceedingly Confident in Everything He Does, Because Everything Always Works Out for Him. This Has Resulted in Him Being Frequently Demeaning or Flippant to Others Despite Not Meaning To. He is Very Loyal and Dedicated to Those He Cares About, But His Inherent Luck Makes It Hard for Him to See Eye to Eye With Most of His Peers. Tenderheart is an Anthropologist, With a Quick Wit and Kind Heart, They are the Most Openminded of The Cast. However, Due to a Rough Past They're Very Fragile Mentally and Can't Handle Most Conflict Without Crumpling Into a Little Ball. They Try Very Hard Though and Are Incredibly Sweet and Helpful Through the Thick and Thin.

Theres a Million More of These Fuckers This is Just the Main Lineup. I Havent Even Mentioned Grumpy, Funshine, Champ, Bedtime, Friend, Share, Oopsy, Secret, or the Fucking Cousins... God the Cousins...

[sunlightandsuffering]

i'm honestly just writing shit at this point lol, just randomness 😂😂😂

Mikasa doesn’t entirely know why she does it, why she agrees to the god-awful idea. But it’s Zeke and she really can’t say no to him, they’ve been through too much shit in their master’s program together for her to say no to this one little favour.

He’d begged, gotten down on his knees and pleaded with her and she could do nothing but resign herself to her fate. It would be fine, Levi always worked Christmas and Christmas Eve anyway, it’s not like she was missing much by not going home. She usually just watched The Grinch by herself and laughed at the irony of being alone on Christmas while the whos sang around the Christmas tree and Mikasa ate Christmas cookies.

Basically, the story was that pretty much that his parents were extremely concerned about him, or well, parent at least. Zeke was getting older, he was twenty-seven and he’d never so much as brought a date home for Christmas, his dad worried that he was lonely.

It didn’t matter that Zeke had plenty of friends and was always irritatingly chipper, his dad and his second wife Carla always asked the same question every year with that hopeful lilt in their voice, “Will you be bringing any guests home this year?”

And this unfortunate year, her academic partner in crime had cracked under the pressure and told his entire family yes, he was bringing a great girl home.

Dina, his mother had apparently been thrilled and Christmas dinner was now supposed to be a very large affair, where it was usually just a quiet dinner before. Now, the whole family was getting together, Zeke’s younger brother was even flying in from their city where he worked.

Zeke had of course grumbled the last part rather begrudgingly with a sour look on his face and Mikasa had gathered that Eren didn’t quite deal with the same scrutiny as Zeke.

“Are you jealous of him?” Mikasa had asked incredulously, for Zeke was a smart man, doing his masters in a very specific field of psychological research, an area of children’s development that had hardly been explored and he was brilliant at it. Well on his way to pioneering new studies that would further research by leagues, Mikasa looked up to him so much, was honoured that he actually even interacted with her!

Zeke had pouted, “It’s not that I’m jealous, I just, his family is so much more functional than mine was. His mom is so nice, they have such a good relationship, and ugh Dad dotes on him, it’s like he’s his mini-me. Went to medical school and all that, he got into this really difficult program that fast-tracks you right out of high school, so he’s only twenty-five and he’s already a resident on his way to being a full doctor,” Zeke gives her a meaningful look, “So you can imagine how much more my dad cares about him.”

“I’m sure it’s not like that.”

Mikasa had met Grisha a few times at ceremonies for Zeke’s many accomplishments, the man had been nothing but nice, often offering to take everyone out for dinner after which Zeke almost always refused.

But Mikasa really can’t imagine having to compete with a younger half-sibling a few years your junior and seemingly more well-loved than she would ever be. It must be awful.

She decides on the spot to dislike him, or at least barely interact with him.

Fuck Zeke’s younger brother, he’s probably some pompous asshole anyway.

She’s loyal to her friend, she’s going to be on his side, especially because it seems like everyone else always prefers his younger sibling, the golden child. Fuck that, she’s here for her best friend, and she’ll be the best damn dates the Yeagers and Dina have ever seen! Maybe Eren will even be jealous.

Mikasa eats her words about an hour after arriving to the Yeager’s residence, where they’ll be staying because Dina, Zeke’s mother has a smaller apartment in the city, whereas the Yeagers have a large house out in the countryside.

Everyone is exceedingly kind and Mikasa thinks Zeke is definitely making up a little bit of this drama in his head. Carla is the kindest person ever and she treats Zeke like he’s her own son, although never pressing the boundaries of being a mother, she’s kind and respectful. The kind-hearted woman welcomes Mikasa with a big hugs and excited exclamations of “She’s so lovely Zeke, you didn’t tell us how lovely she’d be, I hope you’re treating her right!”

Grisha is a little quieter but also kind nonetheless, ushering them into their large house and taking them to the sitting room for some snacks, all Zeke’s favourites laid out.

Carla had went to the effort of making all of his favourite cookies just for his visit.

Mikasa cannot fathom what is so awful about these people that Zeke refuses to visit.

Then, about an hour in, the door opens, and she hears a deep male voice call out, “Ma, Dad I’m home!”

There is some thumping around and Carla stands up excitedly, “We’re in the sitting room honey, come on over and meet Zeke’s girlfriend!”

Mikasa readies herself, she’s prepared for whatever happens, she’s expecting some douche canoe in loafers and a polo shirt, probably with perfectly coiffed blonde hair, and an annoying smirk.

She will not like Eren Yeager, she’s on Zeke’s side until the end.

This will be a perfect Christmas and Zeke can finally be the golden child with the pretty, smart girlfriend, he can be the one everyone fawns over!

Then she sees him, and she swears her heart stops. He’s handsome, very handsome, those pretty green eyes sparkling in the sun as he enters the room, not quite as tall as Zeke, but still large enough to look down at her, and surprisingly broad as well.

To her surprise he’s not dressed in khakis and a polo, he’s wearing a pair of dark green joggers and a black t-shirt, dark brown hair, a little dishevelled and falling from his bun at the nape of his neck. Not to mention, he has more piercings than she ever thought acceptable for a doctor, his one ear lined with to little hoops and she gets just a peak of a tattoo on his shoulder under his shirt. He's just her type, oh no.

Carla and Grisha quickly get up to hug him, and he reciprocates warmly, before to her surprise he makes a b-line for his brother, completley shattering her image of him as bratty younger brother who always gets his way. “Zeke! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, you never come out my way! We live in the same city, but I never see you!”

Before her friend can protest he’s bypassing Mikasa to give the blonde man a big hug and Mikasa is left to inhale the delicious scent of mint and aftershave he leaves in his wake, so excited to see his older brother. It is at this point, Mikasa knows it’s all in Zeke’s head. Eren is so genuine, so happy to see him, she has no doubt this boy probably idolizes his big brother, and yet here Zeke is resenting him.

What did she get herself into?

After a round of greetings Eren finally pulls back to make himself comfortable on the large couch they’re all sharing, stretching out, his shirt riding up to expose a tantalizing glimpse of abs that she wants to trace with her tongue. “And who might you be?” He asks her with a dazzling grin and damn those pretty white teeth for being so straight.

She clears her throat awkwardly, “Mikasa, I’m Zeke’s,” she really struggles to get the word out in front of this beautiful boy, admitting she’s dating his brother is a death sentence to any possibility of a relationship with him, but damn it she must remain strong!

She gulps, “girlfriend, I’m Zeke’s girlfriend.”

His eyebrow quirks up for a moment and he hums, “Well it’s lovely to meet you Mikasa,” the way he says her name says shivers down her spine and he grins, holding out his hand.

She takes it wearily, and his hands are warm, calloused as he shakes her own, thumb sliding over her knuckles lovingly.

Intense emerald eyes lock on hers, swirling with something she can’t name, and she thinks maybe Eren isn’t entirely as innocent as she first thought.

“I’m Eren, Zeke’s younger brother.”

God, she’s so fucked.

[magioftheseas]

We’re at the midpoint of Spoopy Month so I thought it’d be fun to do another recs post! This time, the works are alll appropriate for October and also all deserve way more attention than they get!! I’ll include summaries and general thoughts below going from top to bottom, left to right. I’ll also be including official links to the work!

Kasane by Daruma Matsuura

Summary: Kasane's face is so hideous, you couldn't bear to look twice at her—and her ugliness has forced her to walk a harsh path in life. But her mother left her something: a tube of lipstick. The power of this lipstick will change everything about her downtrodden life. (Completed)

Magi’s Thoughts: I binged this in like two days, it’s pretty interesting and compelling stuff. The entire focus is the turmoil of enforced beauty standards and the competitive nature of stage. There’s a lot of focus on the tragedy of how women are tragically pitted against one another and also just...the number of shitty things that happen to women, be it “ugly” or “pretty”. It’s not nearly as sapphic as I would’ve hoped and the ending is pretty jarring, but its fixation on female relationships speaks to me. Also there’s a lot of shit for theater nerds. It’s not my favorite thing in the world, but it SUPER deserves way more attention and acclaim than it gets. The art is beautiful, too!

Surviving Romance by Lee Yone

Summary: When Chaerin Eun becomes the protagonist of the romance novel she is reading, she expects a fairytale ending with the novel’s love interest, Jeha. But when a bizarre twist makes her realize the story is not playing out as it does in the book, she’ll need the help of an unlikely character from her class to defy the new storyline and find her happy ending -- if only she can figure out who this ‘Unknown Extra’ is first! (Currently Unfinished, can be read for free using the link above)

Magi’s Thoughts: MMMMM SPEAKING OF GIRLS GETTING ALONG. Surviving Romance is one of the nicest surprises yet! With its super cool premise and twists and turns and large, varied female cast, it’s My Thing to the Extreme! I have a love-hate relationship with the romance genre, so I’m super drawn to this webtoon that plays with the tropes and comes up with some compelling girls in the meantime. All it really needs is like, confirmed and positive LGBT+ rep, but it’s still such an enjoyable ride and it’s exceedingly rare in that there’s only like...one male character who matters thus far. (It’s not Jeha lmao.)

Ghost Theater by LICO

Summary: The shock of a tragic accident leaves talented actress Rahee Ku unable to make facial expressions. Her acting career seems hopeless... until she discovers the mysterious Ghost Theater. (Completed, first seven episodes can be read for free using the link above. There is also a trailer you can watch.)

Magi Thoughts: More actress/stage drama but this time with a ghooostly twist. It’s not mentioned in the summary but basically in the titular Ghost Theater, people are able to pass on via putting on a perfomance for their loved one, with appropriately-picked plays that reflect the person’s life and experiences. That’s just a really neat concept and I think it picks up a lot in its second half! I don’t know why the whole thing isn’t avaliable? Maybe it’s a glitch? I hope it’s a glitch because the ending of this one made me emotional, and if the art put you off like it initially did for me, I urge you to give it another chance.

Wait Where The Shooting Star Falls by General Store

Summary: This is Table Land, a mystical world where fallen shooting stars take the form of a witch and are bound to a cat, so when the witch dies, so will the cat. This story begins with a witch's end, but with her still-living cat left behind, and another witch who fell from the skies, soon left alone by the death of her guardian. Forlorn, they both start their lonely search for a place to belong. Will the shadows of the past loom or will the light of hope shine bright? Embark with us now on this curious tale of Table Land... (Currently Unfinished, but the first five chapters are avaliable for free using the link above if you want to check it out!)

Magi Thoughts: This is a fantasy/fairy tale, and it has a charm comparable to the beloved and masterful Witch Hat Atelier (which you should also read and buy and read again and buy again). It has its dark moments but such a sweet and earnest core even as it gently admits to the failings of its leads. It focuses a lot on grief, prejudice, but also the anchoring relationships formed between lonely people. The art is lush and lovely, perfectly matching its tone! Definitely a must read, especially for fans of Witch Hat Atelier!

[burnedbyshoto]

temerity

― the perfect job for an overworked, tired, and romantic you is obviously a stressful, demanding, but oh so aesthetic coffeeshop. your job only becomes better when a handsome redhead appears through the door with a loud bang, and you can do nothing but fall for him. or the five times kirishima orders coffee and the one time he doesn’t.

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pairing: kirishima eijirou x fem!reader

warnings: cursing, fluff, light angst, pining, coffee shop!au, modern!au, college!au, happy ending, five times he did and one time he didn’t trope

word count: 9,394

a/n: happy birthday to my beautiful love @ikinabi​!!!! this was written for you based off of your favorite tropes including your favorite word, bet you saw this coming a mile away because my interrogation for this was absolute ass. also sorry for the angst, I couldn’t help myself! for the rest of you non-reds, this was a pretty damn fun piece to write. kirishima was modeled after how red sees him too, sorry. I haven’t typed that much in a single sitting in a long time, so it was p refreshing. like always, enjoy and leave a comment if you enjoyed ;-; (oh and thank you all for kiri coffee taste suggestions)

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O N E

Working in a small coffee shop isn’t exactly what you had once thought it to be.

For years you had been attending the small coffee shop just by your university. Most of your studying, homework, and late-night mental breakdowns had taken place in the corner of the shop, hidden from the sight of the patrons, which was conventionally the best spot for the strongest wifi.

You had been there so many times, having tried every single drink on their menu, and had gotten to know every worker there ― including the owners. So when the invitation to work there was brought up the one night you showed up in hysterics because you had lost your other job, it shouldn’t have taken you by surprise.

So now, in your final year of university, you stood at the counter. A textbook cracked open near the register light, the gentle coffee shop tunes playing merrily in the background. The intricate, familiar, and distinguished smell of both fresh and aging coffee beans with day-old pastries soaked deep into every centimeter of the room. 

The coffee shop was typically slow at this time at night, most people, thankfully, choosing to keep their caffeine addictions primarily in the mornings. Or, as a student had once confessed, didn’t want to make your job more demanding, so they made their own caffeinated drink this late at night. Regardless, it didn’t matter; the morning and afternoon crowds at this coffee shop were busy enough for you to be grateful for this downtime, especially as midterm season was beginning to approach. With this upcoming season, you knew you would be pouring liters of coffee down red-eyed, broken-spirited, college students' throats in the coming days.

Humming, you flipped the page of your biochem textbook, information on amino acids and protein structure twisting in your mind. At the same time, you tried to absorb the chaotic, overflowing amount of information presented on a single page. With a pen to your lip, you frowned at the sentence, rereading phrases over and over again as you struggled to figure out just why Hydrogen formation was so important. 

That didn’t last for too long, fortunately. 

For when you were about to scream to your coworker who was hiding away in the backroom about how amino acids could go fuck themselves, the front door slammed open. 

Despite the wooden door being extremely, almost stupidly heavy (to the point where there was a sign that clearly read: YES WE ARE OPEN, THE DOOR IS JUST REALLY HEAVY, outside), it crashed into the wall, causing a loud smack to rattle the shop. You, having been so absorbed in your studies, jumped at the sound. Your body flinched as a surprised shriek left your lips.

“Oh shit, I’m so sorry! It said the door was heavy, but I didn’t think it would slam open like that!” came an apologetic and obviously embarrassed voice from the entrance.

Your heart was pounding with adrenaline. You focused your attention on the man who was frantically checking potential damages to both the door and the wall. All while he continued to apologize. 

Red hair and red eyes are the first things you noticed about him.

Red hair that obviously was dyed, red, warm eyes seemed smooth and seemed to melt into sugary brown, and a rather large scar over his right eye that stopped just at his eyebrow. His smile was broad, exceedingly bright, albeit stiff.

Despite your pumping blood and the way that your fingertips tingle with your fear, a smile and laugh pressed to your lips as he fumbled to close the door behind him (although it was nearly closed by the time he fumbled for the metal brass door handle). Pushing up off the counter from where you were lying, you shut the textbook you had, waving off the new customer.

“No worries! Most people either overcompensate or can’t open the door at all,” you explained with a pinching smile, the laughter in your tone so noticeable despite your intent to keep your humor hidden. Your smile and softly thudding heart only seemed to increase stupidly as the red-headed man approached the cash register.

He was dressed horribly.

He wore an orange gym shirt, most definitely worn with age, and a bit too small on his… physique, navy blue basketball shorts that had white stripes on the side of his thigh, and black athletic crew socks with bright red crocs. 

A living, walking fashion disaster.

“Um,” you stifled a teasing snort, “what can I get for ya?”

The man (was he a himbo? he seemed like he could be one through his appearance alone!) crossed his arms across his chest, lower lip jutting out as he read the menu under his breath with curious, wide eyes. His head tilted to the side, his gaze seemingly stuck on a single area of the menu, and with all the curiosity of the world weighing down on you at this one, very moment, you turned behind you.

“Anything catching your eye?”

“This is… uh, this is my first time in here,” he admitted, his gaze falling from the menu, catching your own eye when you turned back around to face him. His eyes were wide, clear as they were alarmingly honest; he paused for a bit before eventually adding, “actually.”

“Well,” you began, your own honest smile brightening on your face, “lucky for you, I’ve tried everything on this menu. Pick your poison, I can tell you what everything tastes like.”

His eyes widen in what you can only recognize as being overwhelmed, but you try to hide the way your smile is turning into a smirk when he begins to list out drinks.

Drink after drink he names, most of them being dark, black, bitter-tasting coffees, and you can see some hesitation in him with each name he lists.

“You don’t seem to know what kinda coffee you like, huh?” you eventually point out once he’s had you repeat the entire menu for the dark roasts the shop had.

“That would be embarrassing if it wasn’t for the fact that I’ve never had coffee in my life before,” he laughed partially in embarrassment, but much more in some underlying mirth and energy, he seemed to easily hold. Energy that seemed to warm your chest more than any cup of coffee on a cold morning. “I’m what you could call a coffee virgin.”

Now that got a snort out of you.

“Okay, coffee virgin,” you teased, immediately grabbing a kids' throwaway cup behind the counter. “You should’ve started with that!”

“I didn’t want to come off as uncultured! I mean, I’m down at the university, the uni down the street, I’m a university student myself! But being twenty-one and never having coffee before? It just seems… I don’t know so unmanly!”

All while he was confessing the reason as to why he had never in his life had a single cup of coffee, you had poured the simmering black coffee that he was most interested in into the cup. It was filled with only a small amount of the black, bitter liquid, just enough to give him a good taste of the drink. Placing the kids' cup in front of him with a satisfactory thunk, you grinned up at him.

His hand was pressed to the back of his neck, an almost shameful look on his face with just the smallest blush brightening his cheeks and ear tips.

“I think it’s cool you’re a uni student without a coffee addiction,” you smile earnestly, pressing the kids' cup closer to him. “Shows a different kind of man that you’re able to handle a workload without a caffeine drip.”

If you didn’t know better (and honestly, you didn’t, you were probably projecting the weird stranger crush you had seamlessly formed on him), you would have said he forgot how to speak. He clears his throat, his embarrassment fading into a small, soft smile, and he picks up the cup.

“Thank you for the sample.”

He takes a drink of the warm liquid, and immediately he seems to crush the paper cup in his hand, a suppressed hysteric of coughing spluttering past his fisted hand on his mouth, tears springing into his eyes. You yelped in surprise, hands fluttering out to smack him on the arm in a failed attempt to reach his back.

“O-Oh my god!” he eventually wheezed, his eyes staring down at the crushed cup as if it was some sort of vermin, a creature that had no use being alive but still pitied it. His other hand wiped at his lips as to rid of its taste. His head snapped back towards you, his eyes wet with betrayal from both his thoughts and taste buds. “Can you do something, not this at all?!”

You purse your lips for a second, thinking about just what could suit his apparent dislike for bitter, black coffee. With a single idea in your head, you leaned forward onto the counter, a smile back on your lips.

“Do you like cinnamon rolls?”

He blinked.

“Who doesn’t?”

“For here or to go?” you asked, head tilting to the side before you eventually remembered that the shop was closing in a few minutes. “Actually, it’ll be to go!”

“O-Oh, okay!”

“Can I get a name?” you asked, your hand grabbing the paper cup and a sharpie to write his name. There was no reason for you to write down his name; he was the only person in the shop right now.

“K-Kiripima,” he answers with wide eyes and red cheeks. Your eyebrows scrunch.

“Kiripima?”

“No! I’m, oh my god, this is so unmanly of me,” he bemoaned, his head shaking. “Kirishima Eijirou! I’m Kirishima Eijirou!”

The pealing laughter that erupted from your mouth stood no chance at being silenced. And so with an embarrassed nod of your own, you pressed off the counter, writing his name was the neatest writing you had, before setting off.

You worked fast behind the counter, making the specialized drink just for the blushing himbo of a man before you, well, at least until he interrupted your chain of thoughts and actions.

“Biochem, right?”

Placing the cup where the steamed milk machine was, you turned to look at Kiri(p)shima, who was pointing at your textbook with an all too familiar look on his face that told you he recognized it.

“Unfortunately,” you smiled at him, eventually shrugging. “I also go to the uni down the street.”

“Aw damn, sucks I’ve never seen you there before!” he laughs, rubbing the back of his neck when he glances up at you from the textbook before looking back down. “I took this class last semester!”

“Oh? Who’d you have?” you asked, continuing on with your work, your suspicion of him being a himbo slightly dwindling.

“Chaney!” he responded, and you looked over at him; you had him this semester, too. “It was the worst! I dropped out the first week! Didn’t help that I thought biochem was a split biology and chemistry course… teaches me not to listen to Kaminari and Mina… ah, I mean, my friends!”

Himbo indeed.

Laughing at his flux in judgment, you placed the steaming cup of sweet, sweet coffee in front of Kirishima, hands pressing onto your hips as you did so.

“How about this?”

You watch as the redhead grins at you, picking up the cup of coffee and drinking it despite your last second squeak that it was probably way too hot to be consumed.

“HOLY SHIT! This is so much better! It tastes just like cinnamon rolls! Bro, you have some serious talent!” Kirishima yelled, his eyes not quite as bright, but his smile definitely still as warm. “How much will it be?”

“On the house,” you admitted with a shrug, your cheeks warming with his look of disbelief. “I took your, uh, coffee virginity away and nearly killed ya, it’s the least I could do!”

Kirishima narrows his gaze on you, his smile softening in tandem while he looks over at the menu again, taking another stiff sip of the coffee.

You watch as he takes his wallet out of his pocket, and with a little effort, pulls out two thousand yen.

“For the next few customers then, yeah?” he smoothly states, already moving back towards the door long before you could demand that he come back and take his money with him.

“Hey!” Kirishima yells, his hand had opened the heavy ass door with no problem or strain. “What's your name?”

“Why?!” you yelled back despite your instincts screaming at you to tell him your name.

His grin stretches so widely you take notice of his glinting, almost abnormally sharp canines from the counter. 

“So, I know who to blame for my caffeine addiction!”

You laugh.

“Y/l/n y/n,” you smile, your stomach flipping at the way he seems to brighten with that information. “I promise that’s my real name too, no mess-ups.”

Kirishima laughs, red staining his face.

“Guess we can’t all be as amazing as you, huh?”

You didn’t get the chance to even scream in your fluster because he was already gone. The heavy wooden door closed by the time your coworker emerged from the back, an all too curious look on their face.

“What was that?”

You shrug, a smile stretching further on your face.

“Hopefully, a new regular.”

T W O

“Kiripima!”

If there was a way for you to not giggle at the way Kirishima nearly slammed the door through the wall in his shock embarrassment, you would have liked to know.

“My name is Kirishima, y/l/n!” he yelled back, his cheeks the same color as his spiked hair. “I mean, if you want to call me Kiripima, that’s okay! It’s just… my name is Kiri-shima!”

“Sorry, sorry, Kiripima was too cute to resist!” you admitted with a smirk, your body leaning forward, elbows pressed onto the counter, hands pressed against your cheeks. “What can I get for you so late at night, Kiri-shima?”

Kirishima smiles broadly, his hands sinking into his pockets as he walks over towards you and the counter. He’s dressed much more normally today, he wore black jeans that are slightly dirty with some sort of white powder, and his shirt is a crimson red. It’s tight against his biceps but fits him much better than the last shirt he wore, and on the fabric right above his heart, lays a simple print: FATGUM’S GRUB.

“Nightshift, unfortunately, finally caught me this week!” Kirishima sighs, his shoulder-shrugging but the smile remaining just as firmly on his face. “It’s no biggie, though; it’s for one of my bros who needed the night off!”

“Oh, so you’re an everyday hero?” you tease, enjoying the way that he grins wide enough to show off his sharp canines before it humbles into an embarrassed smile. “How manly of you.”

“Nothing anyone else wouldn’t do,” he mumbled, his gaze falling to your shoulder in his embarrassment.

“Alright, alright, if you say so,” you relent, sighing softly before straightening up and smiling up at the red-haired man who was busy taking in your menu once again with significant hesitation. “What can I get for you this time, Kirishima?”

Kirishima’s eyes glinted over, a laugh once again rumbling in his chest before he sighed, “What do you suggest for me, y/l/n?”

And so, at nearly ten p.m., you stood behind the cash register, Kirishima’s coffee long since given to him, and the two of you were intently talking, laughter and enthusiastic yelling being exchanged fervently.

You learned his name was Kirishima Eijirou; he was twenty-one years old, born and raised in Musutafu. You knew that while yes, he most definitely a himbo (something you confirmed with strategic questions, and not straight up asking him), he was an engineering major! He played a ton of sports but seemed to prefer heavy contact sports, rugby, and soccer being his top choice of sport. You even found out that this man (who often used the term manly in a way that meant ‘approved by Kirishima’) was the biggest fan of the old movies and comic book hero Crimson Riot. You figured this out when he pulled out his phone to show you a picture of his new goldfish and accidentally revealed his lock screen being him and the famous actor behind the superhero.

“You’re telling me you’ve NEVER seen an All Might movie, but you’ve seen ALL the Crimson Riot movies?!” Kirishima yelled, his arms shooting out past the counter to grab you by the shoulders, shaking you intensely with the biggest, goofiest smile on his face.

“Be careful with your coffee!” you squealed, trying to keep his elbow from knocking over his cup that had still gone untouched.

“Y/L/N!” he exasperated, pulling himself in closer to you, his eyes wide and bright, quickly drowning you with his radiant energy and overwhelming enthusiasm. “Answer!!!”

“Oh my god! Yes, Kirishima! I have never seen an All Might film but have seen every single Crimson Riot film!” you confess, your cheeks hurting from your laughter, and growing sense of embarrassment because everyone in the world has seen the All Might movies!

Hell, even people who weren’t from Japan had seen them all!

The movie superhero was a blockbuster smash with every movie they did!

“Why not?! How not?!”

“Because my dad never let me watch them growing up because the guide warnings,” you wheezed, your stomach cramping with your laughter, your hands grabbing onto his sturdy ― and holy fuck, were they sturdy ― biceps trying to ease his excited(???) shaking. “Besides, my dad is a hardcore Crimson Riot fan; he would have a heart attack and die if he heard that I went to go watch an All Might film.”

“Holy shit,” Kirishima breathed, a glazed over glee washing over his face in some euphoric bliss. “Your dad… is so manly, I think I could marry him.”

Your laughter only grew when Kirishima wiped tears from his eyes, and you patted his arm in your condolences.

“I think he would not take to someone claiming to be the biggest Crimson Riot fan!”

Kirishima grin only grew, “Bet he wouldn’t!”

You tilted your head, your smile becoming a bit lopsided, ready to take that bet right there, right now. You knew your dad was most definitely still awake at this time.

But the words never got to pass your mouth because as soon as you opened your mouth to speak, a loud ringtone interrupted you.

You also hated the fact that you recognized the ringtone to be the Crimson Riots theme song.

Kirishima’s warm hands pulled away from you, his overeagerness abandoned as he pulled out his phone and pressed it to his ear without checking who was calling.

“It’s Ei, talk to me.”

The nickname of his first name caused your stomach to flip, his smooth baritone voice easily sending shivers down your spine. Still, with the mention of such an intimate nickname… the chill crawling down your spine, teasing every nerve in your system, was inevitable.

You watched Kirishima’s face. The way that he easily took in the words of whoever was on the other side of the line. The smile on his face remained if only muted just a bit as he agreed left and right with whoever was on the other side.

“Nah, I can get there in a few! Don’t worry about it, Fat, I normally show up early to shifts regardless, I don’t blame ya! Yeah, yeah, okay, yeah! Yeah! See ya soon!”

Disappointment blossomed in your chest, the horrible feeling of having to say goodbye to a customer who had only come in twice! Twice! Most times, you never wanted to see any customers, even some regulars, more than once in your lifetime! But again, there had been no other customer in your life as a barista that had been as kind, friendly, and hot as Kirishima.

“Well, I gotta go now,” Kirishima softly sighed, his lips pressing into a half-smile, his eyebrows scrunched together in his (maybe) reluctance to leave. “Fat, er, my boss, got overloaded with the late-night munchies, so…”

“Time for the fanboy to leave?” you finished for him, your fingers looping into your apron, your eyes glancing at the clock that showed you that you should’ve been cleaning up five minutes ago.

“Yeah, sadly!” Kirishima laughed, his hand grabbing the coffee and pocketing his phone as he made his way to the front door. You followed after him, ready to lock the door after him in case some desperate customer tried to come in. “Well, thank you for the coffee again! I gotta see just how much you know about the greatest superhero ever the next time I drop by!”

You smiled.

“Next time?”

Kirishima paused for a bit, “Yeah, next time!” he pushed through the front door, and you watched as he exited the shop, his body turning so he was looking at you while he walked backward. “I told ya, y/l/n, it's pretty unmanly of you, but you got me hooked on caffeine!”

There was no time for you to argue otherwise because he turned on his heel just as quickly and began jogging off to his own job.

“You’ll close up by yourself?” your bitchy coworker asked, and you startled, seeing that she was also pushing past the door. “You kept us over way later because you can’t stop flirting with the customers, which by the way, is against protocol.”

You roll your eyes.

“Yeah, whatever, bye.”

T H R E E

“Next in line, please!”

It was busy.

As you had once thought many, many weeks ago, the midterm season had finally come with full force, and it was horrible. There were at least four crying college students found in any of the studying rooms the shop had from sun up to sundown. Some of the students were found soaking their tears onto the worn leather sofa, some moments from dying on the plenty of counters and tables.

On multiple days there had been students who stayed the entire day, drinking whole pots worth of black coffee when they were ordinarily sweet coffee drinkers. You had to give some freshmen girl a tight hug the other day who was seconds from taking a W on her transcripts because she absolutely could no longer handle her math class. You had the unfortunate time of giving a student the news that no, today was not Thursday, it’s Friday, so yes… they missed their midterm for a professor who would refuse to reschedule any missed exam.

But it wasn’t all too bad.

Kirishima had been showing up practically every day now; he would order a pastry every time, opting out of a drink by showing you his three-liter water bottle. It was nice to have someone like Kirishima around (partially because you usually worked with a younger coworker,) who was both strong and sweet. He wasn’t majorly concerned about his midterms, stating that he had study groups with his friends and had been on top of his game and only came to the coffee shop to do light personal studying. So, during your mad dashes to make the 2,783rd cup of coffee within your shift, you couldn’t help but glance over at Kirishima, who was comforting crying students. When they weren’t crying, and you weren’t desperately trying to appease the caffeine raged customers, he chatted with you, seated on the counter by the coffee counter.

Having him around so much was actually both making your day better and much, much worse. On the one hand, that meant that since you were paired up with coworkers you didn’t get along with, you had a fantastic company that literally made the nights go by so fast as you and he became closer and closer friends. But, on the other hand, it also made your once attraction to him, having been solely based on physical looks to bleed over to personal traits, and you wanted to cry with every poor attempt of flirting that flew over his head.

However, you did get to learn that 1. he did, in fact, dye his hair red because you had the privilege of seeing his black roots. And that 2. despite his phone being filled with the craziest metal and rock songs, he really only listened to a playlist buried in his phone that was filled with soft acoustic guitar and sweet bubblegum pop songs. It was great.

But it was no time to think about your tall, red-headed crush. You had much more pressing issues with the large coffee crowd in front of you. It was rush hour, and since you were scheduled for tonight's shift, they asked if you wanted more hours for today since they were training someone new.

Obviously, you had agreed.

You had forgotten the horrors of rush that included sleep-deprived, caffeine-infused insanity of students coupled with the ever-demanding adults with jobs that they very much needed to return too. It was always horrific.

But you for sure never expected to see your crush before you.

“Kiri!” you smiled, the smile on your face was one of pure exhaustion and joy of seeing your friend crush. Your gaze quickly dropped away from him, your eyes returning to the paper cups you held, writing in their orders and name as quickly as you could. “How can I help you?”

Kirishima visibly gulped, and you froze a bit before setting down the large order on the counter for your coworkers to eventually get to. You knew by the pile-up on orders you would be switched out with the new hire after Kirishima and the person behind him.

“I, uh, I need to ask you something!” Kirishima spoke sharply, his arms stiff at his side. His usual kind and gentle smile on his face is mechanic and dull. He was… he was sweating? Pity filled your stomach; maybe he had done terribly on a midterm.

“Do you need a new coffee rec?” you immediately ask your mind on the set menu behind you, trying to come up with a coffee just sweet enough for the charming man in front of you. “You haven’t had a drink in a while, I don’t remember what you had last, though.”

“No, not that! I have a… well, I have a confession!” Kirishima tries again, his body somehow becoming even stiffer as he nods his head in growing speeds. “Yup! A confession!”

“Would ya hurry it up, kid! Some of us got work to get to!” came a crabby voice from behind Kirishima, and you winced, looking past your crush to the eldering man who looked like he was eating and shitting stress every day for the past three years. 

“Sir, please calm down, it won’t take too long,” you frowned, not at all happy with the sheer impatience of the customer. You turned back to Kirishima, an apologetic look on your face. “But a confession? Okay, well, actually… I have one for you as well!” Maybe you could get yourself to confess you liked him?

But the old man’s interruption seemed to have calmed Kirishima down significantly, who snapped out of his haze.

“Sorry, sorry!” he apologized to the man behind him, bowing deeply for his troubles before facing you again and laughed. The palm of his hand hit his forehead as he groaned lowly. “Sorry, this is so unmanly of me, y/l/n! I mean, I shouldn’t even be doing this because you’re working, but I finally… I just…”

He trailed off, and you found it impossible to follow his train of thought, something you weren’t too bad at doing.

“Just what?”

It was with that the world seemed to still.

The noise of the busy coffee shop, the hustling of your coworkers, the chattering of the studying students, and business calls going mute as you stared up into Kirishima’s red, comprehensive, honest eyes.

“Well, it’s just that I, um, I--”

“Listen, kid,” the man behind Kirishima snapped at him. “I have twelve minutes to gather my drink and make it back to my meeting with my executive board. And you’re holding up the damn fucking line! Make up your mind on what coffee you want, because you’ve been in this line with me for almost ten minutes, order it and pay! Let’s get moving!”

“Sir!” you gasped, horrendously mortified a customer was acting like that! “That’s incredibly rude! He hasn’t even been here for a minute!”

“It’s actually been three!” he sneered.

You opened your mouth to retaliate, not at all positive if it had been three minutes because by god did you get lost in Kirishima’s eyes.

“No!” Kirishima interrupted you before you could begin, and you looked up at Kirishima, who looked like a kicked puppy, and that sent your heart into a whole series of palpitations you didn’t know would happen with him. “It’s fine, sorry, I got worked up… um… one of my best bros likes his coffee black, and well, I like it now too. A regular black coffee, to go…”

You didn’t even get a chance to say anything, Kirishima slipping the exact amount of money for the drink before disappearing into the crowd.

Your sight narrowed when it befell onto the old man who looked proud of himself, “Finally! Now, let me see what you guys have! I don’t know what I want!”

F O U R 

Kirishima was late.

So late, so very, very late.

He checked his phone for the time yet again, somehow praying that in the last time he had checked his phone (which had been three seconds ago), the time hadn’t shot forward by ten minutes, and by the spirit of god had maybe, possibly rewound by ten minutes. He only hoped that he wouldn’t show up too late today; he actually needed something with caffeine to keep him awake today.

But he saw the coffee shop straight ahead, the small white light by the front door still buzzing and bright with the illuminated: OPEN! sign. Kirishima barreled through the front door with now practiced and known strength, his forehead sweating profusely, and his heart hammering in his throat.

“I’m… here!” he panted, his eyes finding yours as you were cleaning up the counter with a disinfecting liquid and cloth.

He had seen you yesterday, but still, seeing you at the counter, your gaze on what you were doing was like an arrow to his lungs. He looked at you in his personal slowed downtime, the way that the halo of frizzy, curly, flyaways from your hair gleamed softly with the backlight, the warmth of your skin, the gentle flutter of your eyelashes as you looked up, and he was met with the depth pool of your warm eyes.

Beautiful.

His eyes fell onto your lips, and noticed they were moving ever so slightly, and he realized that he couldn’t hear what you were saying.

All the tables had been wiped down, the chairs by the table turned upside down, laying on the tabletops. The floor still streaked with what was definitely a mop, and guilt bubbled in his stomach. You were closing up, and by the looks of it, were nearly done as well. 

Kirishima paused, he was here one minute before closing, and he froze. The heavy wooden door closing behind him with an awkwardly loud thud that only seemed to thunder in his ears as the world finally caught up.

“―anything?”

Kirishima blinked, his cheeks exploding with heat.

“What?”

He hadn’t heard you utter a single word.

He watched the way your lips pulled into an endearing, yet slightly exasperated smile, your eyes rolling.

“Did you want anything?” you repeated, hands placed on your hips in a taunting, near commanding way. “Coffee’s still on the pot, so if you want anything, let me know!”

“Did you already clean up?” Kirishima asks, his eyes falling to the floor to find the different wet streaks on the tile and avoid them if his shoe was dirty. He stops when he sees the cleaned and cleared coffee counter, and guilt floods him. “It looks like you’re mostly cleaned up; I don’t want you to get things dirty again, it’s okay.”

“It’ll take me five minutes tops to clean back up!” you retort, hands already moving to grab a to-go cup for him to have.

“No, no!” Kirishima exclaims, moving back towards the door as fast as he could. He didn’t want to cause you more work, and if anything, he would just wait for you to leave the shop, and he would simply walk you back to your apartment! That seemed like the more manly thing to do, right? “It’s okay! I’m okay! I’ll live without a cup!”

You snorted, slamming the cup onto the counter with definitive intentions, “Don’t be ridiculous, coffee addict!” you pointed to the spot before the cash register, pen in hand as you readied to write down his order. “Come. Don’t be silly! Can you turn off the open sign for me, though! What do you want?”

“I feel bad,” Kirishima frowns, turning off the neon light per request before turning back towards you. His hands stuffed into his pockets. “You don’t have to do this.”

“No, I don’t have to,” you say with a grin and a roll of your eyes. “But since I’m the reason your addiction is a thing, I’m more than happy to deal with the consequences, Kiri.”

There’s a beat, and Kirishima walks to the counter, his lower lip jutted out in a small pout, but the energetic smile painted on your lips melts his pout into a smile immediately.

“What do you suggest?”

“Café de Olla.”

His face scrunches at the so, very not Japanese words that come from your mouth.

“Cafe de la what?”

He watches your smile brighten by a tenfold, enjoying the way your eyes easily glitter with your mirth as you turn away from him.

“Café de Olla,” you repeat again, and he can only assume it’s Spanish. “It’s a Mexican coffee, that one of the transfer students we hired from Mexico introduced us to!” Kirishima watched as you went to a small pot of coffee, put a cleaned ladle in, and eventually poured in a slightly steaming cup of dark coffee. “I can’t remember the ingredients, but the main one is cinnamon! I know you like cinnamon, and since you’re a big boy black coffee drinker now, I think you’ll like it!”

Kirishima missed the teasing look on your face when you placed the truly dark coffee in front of him.

“Um,” Kirishima nervously laughed, staring at the cup of dark liquid before him. He hated black coffee. “Are you… are you gonna put any sugar or milk in it?”

“Nope! Drink up, handsome!”

Kirishima whimpered at both the nickname you had been calling him as of late and the coffee before him. Eventually, he picked up the warm cup, not at all deceived by the warm, sweet aroma of the cup of coffee in his hand ― the black coffee had smelled sweet too. Not one to back down, especially as you were in the process of cleaning up for the day, he took a hesitant, gentle sip of the coffee and froze.

Despite the bitter, dark persona the steaming cup gave, the liquid was sweet.

Very sweet.

It was light in its spice, warming him gently, and giving him a world of flavors he hadn’t been aware of. He drank the rest of it eagerly.

“Good, right?!” you exclaimed excitedly, having caught onto what Kirishima already knew to be his unmistakable likeness. “I wasn’t too sure of it at first either! I mean, I don’t really dabble with straight black coffee, but this just hits differently!”

Kirishima placed his sample down, the back of his hand rubbing his wet lips, his smile wide and excited. He couldn’t believe he actually liked a cup of coffee! “That was SO good, fuck! I didn’t think I was going to like that! Can I have a cup of this?”

He watched as you nodded your head excitedly, more stray pieces of hair falling out of place, framing your face even more as you grabbed the cup and made due to filling it up. Kirishima watched you the entire time you filled his cup up, his fingers blindly holding his bills of cash to give to you.

‘I’m going to do it,’ he thought as you placed a lid on the cup.

‘You got this!’ he encouraged himself as you walked over, handing off the warm cup into his hands. He softly smiled at the feeling of your warm, soft fingers brushing familiarly against his own.

‘DO IT!’

“Y-Y/l/n―”

“Babycakes, are you done out here?!” a voice hollered, and Kirishima stilled when a face emerged from the back. “I’m exhausted and ready to go!”

He watched as a tall girl with green eyes and brown hair emerged from the back room, her arms stretched precariously over her head, stepped into the bar. And the world slowed when her arms quickly enveloped you.

It was then that he remembered what you had said yesterday. The way that your face morphed from apologetic to bashful, the fluster in your eyes, and the way you bit your lip nervously as you said you had something to confess to him… was she… your confession?

“Ami!” you spluttered, and Kirishima watched the way the girl who was draped over your body, much taller than you were, smile at you endearingly as you, in your fluster, failed to get her off. “Kirishima ― a customer is here!”

The word customer echoed like a bell in the world's deepest cave in Kirishima’s ear.

He was just…

He was just a customer, after all.

His smile faded from a genuine one to a phony one as he watched your coworker/girlfriend fight you on showing affection, and eventually, you won. 

“S-Sorry about that!” you stammered, trying to fix your outfit, your hair chaotically was undone. His throat nearly sealed off when your pristine eyes locked back up his; he felt light under your gaze, but oh, so, cold. “You were saying?”

“Just… um, thank you!” Kirishima mustered a feeble laugh, his hand grabbing the coffee in his hand, and without so much as a goodbye, he left the coffee shop. Your echoing salutation doing nothing but making him nauseous as heartbreak overtook him.

F I V E 

The last time you had seen Kirishima, you served him the café de olla during that night, which was weeks ago.

By weeks you meant nearly two months; finals season had just finished.

Despite your obvious disappointment in not seeing the one person you were enamored with, you reasoned with yourself with every disappointing redhead who would enter the coffeeshop that you had never asked for his phone number, and he was an engineering student. He had to be busy.

Even if he wasn’t busy, you tried to reason, your brow set in a knit position as you washed the ceramic cups in the sink, he had every reason to never show back up again. He wasn’t your boyfriend or anything…

Thankfully, you heard the all too familiar sound of the front door being opened, and now with new company policy, you called out in greetings.

“Welcome!”

You quickly patted your hands dry on your apron, knowing that your coworker was on break at the moment, and turned to the entrance of the shop, and froze.

It was an all too familiar head of bright red spikes.

“Kiri!” you exclaimed happily, rushing over to the register with a bright, wide smile as you restrained yourself from flinging over the counter and hugging him tightly. Of course, that would have been both unprofessional and probably pushing the boundaries of your friendship/one-sided affections. “It’s been so long, how are you?!”

Kirishima stood on the other side of the counter, his hands shoved into his blue hoodie pocket, his eyes for the first time ever almost empty, the smile you knew he wore almost religiously, nowhere to be seen. In lieu of the smile, were lips pressed into a stout line, his face puckered just slightly enough as if he had smelled something sour moments before.

What was going on?

“You okay?” you ask, your once outstretched arms retracting into yourself, seeing that he was not reciprocating your movements. Your head tilted. “Did something happen?”

“Yeah, Ei,” came a new voice. “Is something wrong?”

You almost startled when a girl with curly, pink hair seemed to appear from behind Kirishima. She had eyes of liquid gold, and a teasing smile on her face as she nudged Kirishima. “What’s going on?”

Your stomach flips in unwelcomed jealousy, your teeth biting the inside of your cheek in hopes that the girl wouldn’t catch on.

When the seconds felt like minutes of silence, the girl merely sighed, her attention focusing onto you with a look of slight mischief.

“Please excuse my friend―” you relax with the f word― “we’ve been friends since grade school, and he’s never been like that! Maybe he caught a bug during breakfast?”

“Mina…” Kirishima spoke softly, not quite a warning, not quite a whine.

“You must be the famous ‘y/l/n,’ I’ve heard so much about you!” the girl ― Mina ― exclaimed excitedly, her hands grabbing yours while nodding excitedly. “When I heard that Ei hadn’t gone for coffee in so long, I obviously had to force him to come! That and he totally made one of our friends throw away my coffee, and I need the coffee in my bloodstream to survive my dumb classes!”

The one-sided tension between you and Mina expelled quickly.

“Kiri hasn’t been here in a while, but I’m sure he’s got his reasons,” you defend your crush, your smile soft as you traded your locked gaze on Mina to look at Kirishima, who weakly, barely, horribly returned the smile. “But I can definitely help with the coffee! What can I get for you?”

“Good question…” Mina sighed, her eyes studying the menu with practiced skill.

Eventually, Mina ordered a chai tea latte with an oat milk substitution, a pump of caramel, and two shots of espresso. She squealed with delight when you placed her order in front of her, and maybe had you not been excited to get Kiri’s answer, you would have noticed the way his friend strategically walked towards the door to give you two your space.

“So, how can I help ya, handsome?” you ask, your smile back to full power, although a bit shy, unaffected by the brick wall of a man before you. “We’re out of the café de olla right now, but if you don’t mind waiting fifteen minutes, I can make you a fresh batch!”

That’s a lie, the pot of Mexican coffee is still completely filled, ready for Kirishima should he want it. But you were selfish; you were trying to get him to stay longer.

“Nah, that’s okay,” Kirishima shakes his head. “I don’t wanna bug ya. I’ll just take a caramel latte, no worries.”

Disappointment rams through you, but you try your best at hiding it.

“Oh, okay! I’ll get that started for you!” you try to chirp, grabbing a to-go cup and beginning the relatively short task. “How’ve you been?” you ask, trying to initiate old conversations.

“Good.”

“Oh, that’s good to hear! How were your finals? Mine was terrible! I had a professor who forgot what time section we were, so not only were we given only thirty minutes to finish the exam, but there was no compensation for his mistake!”

“Wow… that sucks. Mine were fine.”

“Nothing crazy happened?”

“No.”

“Um, okay… well, did you see that the animated Crimson Riot movie is out?!” you ask, pathetically hopeful that the biggest conversation card you held right now would give you something better than these simple, halfhearted responses. The movie had had no promos, just a message from the local theaters that it had been made and to come and watch it.

“Yup.”

…

“Oh, that’s cool! I just found out this morning when my dad called me! I’m not near home, so I was wondering if maybe you wanted to come and watch it with me?”

You froze. Was that a date you had asked him out on? It was, wasn’t it?! Your face exploded with heat, your fingers trembling as you poured the finished hot coffee into the cup. 

“...I’d rather not.”

Oh.

“T-That’s okay! I’m sure I can find a friend or something to go watch it with me… or I’ll just wait until a holiday to see it with my dad… if it’s still out.”

“Hopefully, it’s still out by then,” Kirishima muttered, his face refusing to look at you, his eyes buried into his wallet as he handed you the change for his drink. “Thanks.” he rushed, grabbing his cup and turning on his heel.

“What’s wrong with you?” you manage to ask before you can keep your mouth shut, but you can’t help it. Your chest aches with his dismissal, with every sentence he spoke that horribly and effectively shut you down before you even had a chance. In the end, it seemed that your hurt feelings won out your need to be polite. “Did something happen? A-Are you okay? Did I do something?”

Kirishima freezes in his path.

“No, nothing happened.”

That was not the answer you were hoping to get.

“Then why are you acting like this?” you ask, your voice bordering a desperate plea for an answer.

For the past many weeks, you had never once thought that he had been avoiding you, ignoring you. You thought that maybe he had just been busy with his personal life, too busy with school and work to spare his free time entertaining you at work. But even if you were disillusioned with your admiration and feelings for him, you knew the two of you were friends. You had to have been friends!

Silence.

“What’s going on?” you ask again, your voice feeling small and weak.

“Nothing,” Kirishima reiterates, his head turning so you both looked at each other through the corner of his eyes. “Nothing happened, I just… couldn’t show up.”

“Why?”

“I don’t like being around you, not anymore.”

Those words wash over you like freezing water; they’re harsh, cruel, and mean. His face twisting up as if he was some snarling, upset animal. He didn’t want to be here, his face screamed, he felt like some cornered, caged animal.

Muted anger and heartache wash over you, your head nodding numbly as you laugh humorlessly. You had been the problem.

“Sorry for… for making you feel obligated in showing up,” you whisper, your soul feeling as though it was leaving your body, your face twisted in the horribleness in his words.

I don’t like being around you, not anymore.

He wasn’t even apologizing… he’d meant it… didn’t he?

Kirishima moves to walk away, his eyes glazed over similarly to your own, but you’re not done. Not quite yet.

“You know,” you manage to speak out, your voice starting off paltrily, an almost chuckle tickling the back of your throat, humming deeply in your chest. He stops. “This entire time, you always boasted about being ‘manly’… about being chivalrous and a decent human being. For the most part, I’ve always agreed and thought that you were manly, chivalrous, and a more than decent human being but now… I can’t believe you. You really came all this way after two months of avoiding me to tell me that you would never be showing up again? That the reason for you not returning was because you’re sick of me?”

He’s silent for a bit, and it's then you notice the tears falling down your face, “Thought it was manlier to tell you I wasn’t coming back then to stop showing up without a reason.”

“You already did that!” you snapped, suddenly piercing, thundering anger running through every cell of your body, raising the hair on your body. “You’re being a complete fucking dick now, Kirishima! For what? At least before I thought it was because you’re busy, but no, you just had to tell me it was because of me! Oh my god?! To think I have a crush on you?! That I was ready to confess to you the next fucking time we had a moment together?!”

You felt hysterical, his reasoning jumbling and twisting in your mind, not at all feeling coherent, and your blazing feelings that were now biting you in the ass… you wanted to make him feel guilt most of all. With tears falling bitterly, angrily down your face, you stared at Kirishima. He was finally facing you, looking you dead on with emotion-filled eyes and a gaping fish mouth ― opening and closing pathetically.

“Get out,” you spoke with a serenity you were not quite feeling, your finger thrust toward the front door.

“Y-Y/l/n―”

“I don’t want to hear it,” you laugh bitterly, no longer wanting to have whatever it is that he wanted to say.

He was just a customer, not a friend, only a customer.

You didn’t need to be his friend anymore.

“Get. Out. Now.”

You didn’t wait for him to leave, turning on your heel, you walked to the backroom, not daring to return to the front until he left.

You’d forgotten how much rejection hurt.

O N E 

Whoever said heartbreak was healed with a wild night out, a pint of ice cream and crying had clearly been built differently from you.

One wild night out with your friends, two pints of ice cream, and thirty crying sessions later, you were still sulking as you simply existed. You weren’t even sure why you were overreacting either?! He had been a crush, not a boyfriend!

Lord save you for whenever an actual reciprocated lover dumped you, you were probably never going to recover. Still, you couldn’t let it affect you all that much; you were still going about your day as you usually would, just… sulking.

“You’re a blessing in my life,” your coworker sighed as she came out from the back, her hands moving to release her hair from her bun, her purse slung against her chest as she continued to thank you. “I promise you the next time we work together, I’ll clean up on my own!”

You shake your head, waving her off as you dried some of the dishes lying about. 

“We aren’t busy, and there’s no one here, I’ll clean up just fine!” you laugh, glancing over your shoulder to look at her. “Just buy me a pastry tomorrow or something. I’ve closed on my own many times, I’ll be fine! There's no coffee demand this late at night anyway!”

“Fine! I won’t forget! But don’t complain if there’s more than one pastry!”

“Oh my god, LEAVE!” you yell, blindly pointing at the door for her to leave, and you hear her resounding laughter as she finally does go.

“Oops, sorry, welcome and excuse me!” you hear her exclaim as she steps out, and you turn around, already knowing that it’s a customer.

Taking your coworkers' welcome as the company greeting, you merely shouted out that you’d be right with them as you finished washing ― you were almost done with them anyways. Finally done, you turned around, eyes on your thighs as you dried your hands on your apron.

“Alright, how can I help…” you froze when you caught sight of familiar, warm red eyes. “...you.”

Kirishima.

He looked at you with blushing, puffed cheeks, his eyes full of mixing, swirling emotions that you probably couldn’t handle to hear (especially if he had come to yell at you). You don’t know what to do, merely looking at him before sighing.

“The usual?” you ask, moving to get things as smoothly and effortlessly as you could (you had been yelled at for your emotional outburst by your boss).

“Uh, actually, no. I’m okay,” Kirishima spoke up as soon as you pulled out a paper cup, and you stopped, looking at him with your best attempt at dull, emotionless eyes.

“What can I get for you then?” you try again, hating the way that you want to smile at him, to pretend that nothing happened two weeks ago; that this was his first time back.

“I have to confess something,” Kirishima states, his fingers fisting into his ridiculous mismatched athleisure clothing. “I actually really, really, really hate coffee…”

You blinked.

You hadn’t expected that confession.

“Um, okay? Well, then can I make you some―”

“I’m not quite done, sorry,” Kirishima apologized, his hand rubbing the back of his neck in his embarrassment. “I hate coffee, and I don’t like being dishonest, but really, I feel like I’ve been lying to you this entire time.”

“...what?”

“I told you at some point that I had come into this shop by coincidence, but that’s not true! I’ve been passing by for months before stepping foot into here! I had always seen you working through the front window, and you just… you captivated me from that very moment, but I’ve been too weak, nervous, and totally unmanly and could never build up the courage to come in! It took me a year to build up the courage to come in ― which is why I nearly broke the front door that first day! I was so nervous about messing up; I just overexerted my strength!”

Kirishima laughed, his hands raking through his spiked hair, and you could only stare at him as the gelled hair began to fall under his ministrations.

“See, the truth is, I’ve liked you for a long time. Like a long time. And then, when I came in, and we became friends, I only fell for you even more, and I’ve been trying to work up the courage to confess to you! But every time I tried, something bad happened! Like the grouchy old man in the line, how you got sick and couldn’t work! But a true man doesn’t give up until it’s over… and I thought that girl who was hugging you and kissing your cheek that one day was your girlfriend, so I gave up! But the thing is, I was a coward, so fucking unmanly that I couldn’t be around you without you being mine! And so I left because it hurt… but it hurt not being around you, so Mina brought me here! But then you said… you said you liked me back, and unless you’re in a polyamorous relationship, there’s no way for you to have said feelings and confess them to me like that!”

He stopped, his breath frantic, panting, and you could only look up with him with a mirrored breathing pattern despite your quietness.

“I’m here because I’m tired of being weak and unmanly. I’m here because I have deep feelings for you, and I want to ask you out!”

You’re silent for a bit, the temerity of his words loud and clear in your ears, ringing with the need to be addressed. For the first time since he had walked out of your life for the first time, a warmth bubbled in your chest.

“You know,” you whisper, your eyes locked with his, the tears in your eyes freely showing. “This coffee shop does, in fact, have tea?”

“Wha―?”

He doesn’t have the chance to finish the curious ask, your hands grabbing his shirt and bringing him close, his nose brushing against yours but your lips hovering below his own.

“Can I kiss you?” you whisper, your eyes falling to his lips for a second before coming back to his eyes that shone brightly, vividly, excitedly.

“Please?”

Your lips found themselves pressed against his, and the two of you stood there, leaning against the counter by the cash register. Lips passionately, smoothly, deeply pressing against one another as electricity traveled slowly down your spine as his hands pressed against your ribcage. When you pulled away, his eyes fluttered open after yours, and he had the brightest, dumbest smile on his face.

“Would you like to go see the Crimson Riot movie with me?”

[libidomechanica]

The lass made the bed to me

As doth lie; I have short life  too long and all thadulterate  eyes give salutation found,  all wreathed with them  still on Menie doat, and  seem to be thus to  comfort, that, from  its memory from my  though vnfelt, doth wilfully appealed  to see; whe ther the Passions ties; let breaketh,  trust me, wretch beneath the  large domains which he least  glancing fast and bright; “then I  am now, With  Times injurious love engrafted  to give for  my sake, give the red dogs  lie down armd, for my  companion fair! It is  not puffed up, doth not accounted  on those that  in my younglings, and the  water-side, A lover  would withered angel watching  smile to see each other  Road enters and bare,  to Pan his fatal  shore, and other didst tell you  a story to thee.  The sacred poets  who could do was  left the hardest flint to  flow. Haidee and quick  a growth to meet us  many masters are  over; still welcomed both, and  her sport my Julia threw a  lace of silk and all  their sad berths; each tear shine  like that you made when  Bacchus, young Endymion heard 

of Ida, that then st and an Asia, and by thy  beautys field, where in love  and lie, ever singing, ‘Die,  oh! I wont afore, who, distance, 

and slow,’” and there, although  not lust. Whose husbands, I do not  know that wish be vain; deceive;  and no last wish  be vain; deceive; and where  a while, the  face, no hand, my lady-queen, his  feet, while the ransom  of Italy. These woods;  of lofty trees, gust-fists, hollow  seas, mourns oer her eyes, lips  and high— each broke out on  the fan be found by  the sea in the  first look, first inadvertent  brush of the  hyghest Ioue, and kisses, —  of camp-life and  feelings vse to marble  men are wringing to  her far doth lie. Against  my will, my wag, if  th other will I  all hear the sun by the  happy to be  powderd, still to delight:  nor do like the silver  sandals, ere delight to  your mind; it is  not worthy perusal stand again.  Or haply mayst  thou know, To give it  a try. I have ceased with  one blight; in vain  to speak not of the  butterflies; but if  so it goes. A carpenter  by trade; and the  links o gowd, her tenderness,  which worm he meant, nor idle  texts pursue: twas guilty sinners  that way, their treasure: what 

honour brings from the  fight a fair; therefore, my life  from slimy nest the  bed, bodies marry, but toys. I  HATE the drums do beat, and  thus sail, slowly they be  two, according on her, 

but a shade, and ran, but  doth, if this heart and  knew such bright be deemd a  habitant where Max lives  in my beads in hand “ can hold by this: the 

deil a ane wad speir 

young ambitious stone when  one kneels !— A feeling  step,” I meet him kindly she  was in my fathers  head, his scull will pry  into their intellectual  eunuch  Castlereagh? Have not  love of them shall beseige  thy beauty dwellers of autumn  for your Italy  free, let not take: I list not  exceedingly unpleasant vale  descry a favouring spells  to sing too as womanly  as can thy sweetest  stile affords. And why,  my pretty, to dwell on 

the Lions breast, but  ah! I love you, because  he knew not  hold, nor know the hour  before, where they  sat around it speak?

[onlyfortheplot]

○○o☆○o。𝔸𝕞𝕠𝕦𝕣。o○☆○oo

Would you do a Akaashi Keiji fic with the “I love you” prompt of quietly picks out the things you don’t like to eat on your plate and transfer it to theirs without you needing to ask them to?- Anon 

Pairing: Keiji Akaashi x Fem!Reader! Warning: Implied NSFW in the beginning A/N: This started off with a singular prompt and turned into a 1505 word fic??? Like okay, the mind will want what it wants. Anyway, anon, thank you for the prompt. It was fun to write! Asks are OPEN! Also I’m thinking about a Kageyama x Assassin!Reader AU next???

“Keiji, do we have to go?” you gave him a pout as you leaned against the doorway, watching as your boyfriend fumbled with his tie. Cute , you thought, watching your usually serene, perfect boyfriend struggle with something so simple. You smirked slightly, walking over and removing his fingers from the very messed up tie. 

“Stupid, tie.” he muttered, as you skillfully removed the couple knots that Akaashi had managed to create. 

“But, really,” you asked, slowly taking out the very last knot, “”do we have to go?” He sighed, taking your hands into his, kissing the inner palms.

“It's a reunion, honey, we can’t not go.” kissing each finger as he looked down at your blushing face. He smiled slightly taking the tip of your pointer finger into his mouth, the tingling sensation rolling through your body,  as his tongue flicked over it. You let out a small, breathy moan.

“If you’re good, babygirl, I’ll reward you.” You blushed harder, jerking your hand from him and wiping the bit of spit that was strung on it. “I promise.” 

“Or,” you smirked, batting your lashes as you continued to fix his tie, “you can reward me right now?”

He let out a low laugh, saying a small thank you as you patted the finished tie. He looked back into the mirror behind you, gripping your waist and bringing it into his side.You sighed, leaning into him, as you both stared.

It was going to be his very first reunion with his friends from high school. You were slightly nervous about it. It would also be your first time formally meeting them. You weren’t close, at least not very close, with most of the volleyball team, only knowing a few things. Their ace and captain was someone who kept Akaashi on his toes. And that he was a very, very good spiker. You fiddled with the edges of your knee-length dress. You really didn’t know what to expect. Even Akaashi— someone was usually so calm, even about the more stressful things— was nervous. And it showed. His hand gripped your waist harder as he stared into the mirror. And you could hear his heartbeat quicken, slightly, as you leaned more into his chest, taking in a long breath of his scent.

“Baby,” you whispered, looking towards him, “let’s have a good time, okay?”

He let a small smile, removing his hands from your waist and instead placing them on your hips, giving a squeeze as he gestured for you to leave the room.

“Let’s.”

                              ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

“Agashiiiii!” You flinched as a loud voice erupted from the otherwise quiet restaurant. You instantly clutched Akaashi’s hand. He looked down and gave a small squeeze of affection. He looked back as a very tall man, ran towards them, a large bottle of champagne in one hand and a single flower in the other. He stopped, abruptly in front of you, exceedingly clutching you both in a tight hug. You blushed slightly, feeling the foreign feeling of muscles squeezing your neck.

“Hello, Bokuto-san.” your boyfriend replied calmly, but you could tell how happy he was to see his best friend. You could see the forced restraint in his eyes, as it glimmered with a rare sense of utmost happiness and pride.

“Hey, Hey HEY!!” he pointed at you with the bottle, “You must be girlfriend-chan.”

“Hello, Bokuto-san,” you bowed slightly, “it is very nice to meet you.” 

“No need, for formalities, Y/N-chan, you’re dating our setter after-all.” he grinned, shoving the flower in front of you, “For you, madam.” You giggled as he gave a mock bow, his hair tickling the edge of your nose.

“Why, what a gentleman.” He grinned, motioning for both of them to follow. Akaashi squeezed your arm, hard enough that you looked up. He merely looked forward, pulling you to his side, placing a hand around your waist.

“Keiji?” you silently grinned to yourself as he ignored you, following the captain instead. But, it was evident what was wrong. He was jealous. Or at least irritated enough that he squeezed your waist sharply. You giggled. How cute.

“Your seat, Madam.” Bokuto pulled out a chair, earning a stern glare from Akaashi. His eyes were cold, almost still, as he kept eye contact with him, clenching the chair from his grasp, and pulled it out himself.

“Keiji, it's just a chair.” she scolded, giving Bokuto a sympathetic glance. Overprotective men. Pulling out the chair yourself and sitting down.

“Where are the others?” Akaashi asked as he joined you, grasping your hand under the table. Bokuto laughed nervously, rubbing his neck, sitting parallel to them.

“Well, Konoha got stuck in work, so he’ll be here later. But, the others,” Bokuto paused, his grin falling as sadness conformed in his features. “They-they...”

“Bokuto-san?” Akaashi asked, half-knowing what was going to happen. He clenched your hand harder.

“They cancelled on me, Agasshi! They cancelled at the last minute. And over text too.” he whined, burrowing his face into his hands. Akaashi sighed, awkwardly giving a soft smile to the on-lookers. But, you could see the underlying stress in his actions. The twitching of his eye. And the rough grip of her hand.

“Bokuto-san, I’m sure we can plan another reunion soon.” Akaashi calmly said, “We can even—”

“But—but, I ordered food!” he frantically burst, arms swinging randomly, “I already ordered for all three of us!”

“Well—”

“Then, we’ll eat,” you interrupted, giving him a small smile,”I don’t mind Bokuto-san.”

He looked up, his eyes sparkling with fresh tears, “Really?”. You gave him a big thumbs up.

“Of course!”

“Agaaashi, your girlfriend is the best,” he sobbed happily, wiping a few stray tears from his face,

“I know.” he softly said, looking sheepishly at you. “I’m lucky.” You blushed, coughing at his blunt statement.

“Anyway, what did you order?” you asked, “I hope it's good!”

“Yakiniku! And some onigiri! I heard they were the best. Also I ordered...” you watched as he babbled off about food, your smile unconsciously dropped as he continued. Something in your stomach turned. Yakiniku? You didn’t hate. No. You have had it before. But did you prefer it? No. The smokey taste had never felt right on your taste buds. 

“Y/N? Are you okay?” You looked up, shocked, automatically giving a nod as Bokuto grinned continuing to ramble on. Akaashi gave you a look, taking in your slightly hunched figure, and slightly clammy hands. 

“And then we could—”

“Your food has arrived, sir.” Bokuto hastily shut his mouth, leaning back in his seat, making room for the piles of plates to be laid. You cringed backward as the dishes was laid on the table. Right in front of you. The scent was almost enough to make you gag. Almost. But, you didn’t want to insult Bokuto, or the people who spent their time making them. Instead, you grudgingly looked at  the chopsticks, laid neatly beside her plate and pushed the meat to the side.

She joined in the small “Thank you for the food!”, clapping her hands once, before picking up her chopsticks. She watched, under her lashes, as Bokuto began to dig into the meat.

“So, Y/N, how did you two meet? In high school?” he asked, small bits of food spraying from his mouth, you laughed as Akaashi gave him a long long.

“Bokuto-san...” he started, stopping once he realized how useless it would be to reprimand him.

“What? It's good! Wait—” he swallowed forcefully “Why aren’t you eating, Y/N?” You froze, giving a strained laugh.

“Well, it looks like you’re eating enough for the three of us!” You joked, relieved as Bokuto let out a heart laugh. Even Akaashi let a small chuckle.

Under the pinning stare of Bokuto, you audibly gulped, grasping the chopsticks and picked up some vegetables. You sniffed it, the raw scent of meat flooded your senses. Opening your mouth, you stuffed the leafy vegetables down your teeth. You made a show of chewing, jaw clenching at each motion. 

“That was good!” you said, hiding the bitter feeling of disgust that crawled in your mouth, running down your throat and into your stomach.

“Well, the ones we made back in high school were even better. We...” He rambled on, stopping momentarily to stuff his mouth full meat and vegetables. Completely unaware of the force smile, or the disgust becoming very close to revealing itself.

“Here.” he whispered, grabbing your plate and picking the pieces of meat, placing it into his own. Your eyes widened, blushing slightly as he gave you a knowing look. You should have known that he would know. Especially with the lack of response from your side. You gave him an appreciative look, eyes shining with love as he finally placed your plate down.

“Thank you.” you murmured, looking at your plate, clean of meat, and back at your boyfriend.

“I know.” he answered, intertwining your fingers with his own. “I love you.” 

[mirthful-sonnet]

Rise Above the Ashes

AO3

                       Chapter 1

There was a ray of sunlight filtering through the tall trees. Jean shielded his face against the brightness, not really knowing how he got there. Before him, there was a road flanked by rocks and thickets leading into the greenery of the forest. He kept on walking in what seemed like an eternal journey into nowhere. His voyage continued until he suddenly heard the burbling noises of water. The more he walked the clearer he heard it.

He finally emerged from the forest into the shore of a large river. The picture before him was breathtaking, and he wished he had brought his drawing book to try to replicate what he was seeing. He stepped closer and took in the pristine surface of the river, the gentle ripples from the water, the bright song of the nearby birds, and the tiny colorful fishes he could make out from above the surface.

In the distance, he noticed a movement. At first, he thought it must have been a tree trunk, or an animal. But the closer it got, the more confused he got trying to make out what it was. He froze suddenly.

The body was lying upwards, its arms stretched wide as if waiting for an embrace. The cadet uniform was barely discernible. Jean didn’t have to look any closer to know who it was.

Marco

There was another movement in his periphery, and despite his frozen state and the overwhelming need to run away, he fixed his eyes onto the next corpse. Brown hair and a bloody smile, even in death.

Sasha

Soon, thousands of bodies were floating down the river, the rippling water slowly being tainted in blood that reached Jean’s bare feet. He could not move from his fixed place at the shore, staying rooted to the spot. He wanted to scream, but no noise would come out. It felt as if he was being bound and strangled by an invisible force.

The last thing he noticed was another body floating near him, the black hair and red scarf standing out amongst the thousands of floating corpses. This time the scream finally tore out of his throat.

Jean shot up in his bed, his breath coming out in short gasps. He finally made out where he was, noticing a plain wall and feeling the rocking motions of the boat. His sweaty shirt clung to him like a second skin as he tried to catch his breath.

“Jean?”

Reiner’s groggy voice came from the other bed. He could not really make out where his friend was as he had his knuckles pressed to his eyes so hard that he could see spots.      

“It’s nothing,” he murmured. “Just another nightmare.”

“You were screaming a name,” Reiner said, turning to him in his own bed, “Mikasa’s name to be exact.”

Jean glared at him, though it was barely visible in the scant light of their room.

“Go back to sleep already,” he snapped. “We have an important day ahead of us.” He was referring to their upcoming arrival in Paradis, the home he had not seen in almost three years. Jean only heard a small murmur from Reiner before laying back on his bed, not bothering to pull back the covers.

“Reiner?” He said after a pause.

“Hmm?”

“Don’t tell anyone about this.” he said. “Please.”

He heard a snort and a shuffle on Reiner’s side, “Don’t worry, Jeanboy, I won’t.” Reiner replied before falling asleep.

In truth, Jean did not know why he was thinking of Mikasa now. He was often plagued by nightmares ever since he saw his best friend’s mangled dead body all those years ago, but Mikasa had never appeared in them. He had not really thought much about her in these past years, only having sporadic thoughts on how she was doing and where she was.

Armin had found a way to correspond with her during their time as refugees in Marley and told him that he should write to her at least once. But Jean did not listen ; Armin’s reassurance that she was alive and okay was more than enough for him.

He had to admit a simple fact: that he was anxious about the possibility of meeting Mikasa again. He figured that his nervousness had somehow seeped into his nightmares. The possibility of meeting her again brought up old memories of heartache as well as happiness during their time as soldiers. Right now, he only hoped that she was okay.

He turned in his bed with a groan and tried to fall asleep again, only to stay awake until the calls for all passengers to get up and have breakfast were heard.

-o- 

Ever since they arrived in Paradis, time seemed to pass in a blur of meetings, paperwork, arguments, proposals, and unbearable tension. The presence of the military in their sessions at the main headquarters did not make their objective any easier. Their hostility was palpable, especially towards Armin, the self-proclaimed killer of Eren Jaeger. In their eyes, Armin was their ultimate enemy.

Still, the blonde kept his head up, striking up conversations and carrying himself with an ease that was almost enviable. Jean had to act as his second in command, which meant he had to help stir their conversations in the right direction and be Armin’s main support.  

They had been in Mitras for almost two weeks when Historia suddenly turned up at their lodgings in the city. The young queen told them that she wanted them to accompany her to her farm so they could meet her family. It had come as a surprise, considering that ever since her former comrades had arrived in Paradis, she had been exceedingly formal with them.

Jean figured that she had to thread very carefully, considering that the government was currently being run by a faction that was already hostile to them. He found himself admiring her resilience. Something about her made her appear more mature now than her young years would reflect. They were in no position to decline her invitation, especially when the queen suddenly mentioned that Mikasa would be there waiting for them as well.

The nervousness he had been feeling during their trip came back. This was stupid. She had been a dear friend to him, so he did not understand why he was feeling this self-conscious. He barely registered Historia leaving and Reiner speaking to him.

“I’m curious about this husband of hers,” Reiner said, an undertone of envy in his voice.

“I told you to stop going after married women. It’s embarrassing.” Jean retorted.

“Hey, I’m not going after anyone,” Reiner said, throwing up his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just curious, that’s all!”

“You’ll get us in serious trouble one day,” Pieck commented from her place in the sofa of the living room before standing up, “I’m going to sleep. You should all probably do the same,” she said while making her way to the apartment’s stairs. Annie and Armin agreed and followed her. Connie was still out, as his family had arrived in the city to reunite with him. Meanwhile, Jean’s mind was still reeling.

“Hey, are you okay?” Pieck murmured to Jean as she passed him by, concern on her sleepy features.

“I’m alright,” he reassured her. “I’ll follow up soon, don’t worry.”

He had formed an unlikely friendship with the former warrior, her weirdness sometimes reminding him of Sasha. His time at the Marleyan shelter during the aftermath of the rumbling was made a lot easier because of her presence. After reassuring her and telling his friends he would wait for Connie to come back, he found himself alone.

Jean sat down and blankly stared up at the ceiling, thinking of everything that had transpired since they arrived. He had been finally able to see his mother some days ago. She was in such an emotional state that she could barely make out words at the sight of her son. She kept sobbing and holding him as if he would escape and not appear for another three years again. Once upon a time, he would have been embarrassed by her reaction, but he wasn’t that proud boy anymore. He could only hold her just as strongly as she did in his large frame, finally feeling some semblance of home and belonging.  

Jean’s thoughts moved back to Mikasa, feeling a mix of anticipation and dread at the idea of seeing her again. He had been sure that he got over his unrequited love for a long time, but the prospect of seeing her made him confused. She had been appearing in both his dreams and his nightmares since they came here, and he was even fixing himself up in case they would see her.

He had brushed off Pieck’s curiosity about his sudden concern about his looks with a dumb joke, but in truth he had been hoping to see her again. It was frustrating to still have these conflicting feelings about Mikasa when she had never seen him as anything more than a comrade and friend.

Her heart belonged to Eren in life, as well as in death, and that was a fact he had to accept. The sudden thought of Eren brought a new kind of pain, which he shut away immediately. He finally resolved to stay out of her way once they met her. It was for the best.

-o- 

Historia’s little daughter brought an unexpected brightness into their tedious routine. The girl was currently gurgling in Jean’s arms, grabbing at his facial hair which made everyone laugh. The young queen had allowed each of them to hold her daughter, and the toddler had been especially fascinated with Jean and his goatee. He could not wrap his head around the fact that Historia was a mother, and from what little he saw he knew this little creature in his arms was Historia’s entire world. The toddler now attempted to grab his hair, and Historia’s husband immediately moved to grab her.

“Alright little one, that’s enough for now.” the farmer said, grabbing his babbling daughter and moving away while cooing at her.

The man had been more than courteous to each of them, guiding them around the farm and showing them the new changes around it and the orphanage, which he currently administered while his wife was away attending other matters. They made a lovely family despite the unorthodox way they came to be together.  Jean wondered if he would ever be able to fit such a picture in his own life one day.

“Ymir is still a little too curious about everything she sees.” The man said, while balancing the little girl on his hip. When the girl’s name was first revealed, Jean was inevitably taken back to the old days when their old comrade was still alive. He couldn’t help but look at Reiner and noticed a hint of shock and melancholy in his face, especially when it was his turn to hold the little girl in his arms.

“Don’t hold out hope that she will ever change, she’s a rascal.” Historia said while moving to grab the girl who was now reaching out to her. A voice suddenly caught their attention.

“Armin…”

They had all been so caught up in touring the place and being introduced to Historia’s family that hearing Mikasa’s voice surprised them all. Jean turned around and saw her standing in the hallway, her eyes wide as she stared at Armin. She looked quite different from the last time he saw her.

Mikasa and Armin stared at each other for a while in disbelief, before moving and crashing together in a tight embrace. Armin raised her up and held her closer against him, and Jean did not have to look any closer to know that they were both crying. Everyone looked away respectfully as their sobs echoed throughout the room. Wanting to give them privacy, Historia quietly guided them all outside of the room and left the two estranged friends alone. Jean looked back at them one last time with a sad smile before heading out of the room and following the rest of the group.        

-o- 

“You’re being ridiculous,” Jean said to Reiner. Much to his amusement, it turned out that Reiner now had a secret infatuation with Historia’s husband. During their touring he had acted quite flustered around the farmer, but Jean did not pay much attention to it, thinking that it had something to do with Reiner’s jealousy.  

“Why are the good ones always married?” Reiner said exasperatedly, “I’m cursed to being forever alone.”

Jean just rolled his eyes. They were staying in a shared room at Historia’s residency. While he was irritated, he was also secretly glad to see Reiner behaving normally again. They all had their physical and emotional wounds from the war, but Reiner was hit harder than anyone. He could recall having conversations with Reiner in their shelter, until the blonde’s eyes would glaze over and stare blankly at nothing.

On some days, his mood would change drastically, from exceedingly cheerful to withdrawn and depressed. And in other occasions he would forget who he even was.  Jean knew that Reiner had a disorder, but he did not know how to help his former comrade and felt utterly helpless whenever Reiner had these episodes. He had enough bad memories to last a lifetime, but watching Reiner slowly break down before him was particularly painful. Reiner was eventually taken out of the shelter and checked into a mental facility for a time.

He found some comfort in thinking about Reiner now in comparison to before. Despite the pain that he still felt about Marco, he found space in his heart for forgiveness, and he wanted to see Reiner be the easy going and protective person he had always been. This journey for peace was their chance.  

His thoughts were interrupted by Armin entering their shared room. He had been spending most of the days at the farm with Mikasa. The Ackerman had greeted them the day of their arrival once she and Armin had been ready to come out. There was plenty of laughter and tears in their reunion. Jean had given her an embrace and told her they had all missed her, to which she had only smiled and told him she was glad to see him. She looked more beautiful than he remembered.

In the following days, they had been engaging in various activities and there were new meetings to be held in Historia’s residency. Mikasa had accompanied them in some activities around the orphanage, but Jean avoided her or found a way to be involved in something else.

“Where were you?” Jean asked Armin as he sat down in his corner, looking tired.

“I spent the day with Mikasa, we were at the orphanage and then she showed me around the nearby town.” Armin replied.

Jean only nodded, he understood that they wanted to make the most of their time together, especially since they had not seen each other in three years.

“Where were you though?” Reiner asked him with a raised eyebrow, “We were all at the orphanage and you were nowhere to be seen.”

“I was taking care of all the paperwork. Soon enough we’ll be leaving, and we need to make our proposals clear.” Jean replied.

Armin nodded, making a small pause, “Mikasa was wondering where you were too. You’re free to do as you like, but you don’t have to be a stranger. She’s your friend too, you know.”

Jean gulped and kept silent, feeling a little bad. He was probably exaggerating and some quality time with Mikasa wouldn’t hurt. He still felt uneasy around her for some reason, but if the chance came, he would try to talk to her more. Still, he wasn’t planning on letting anything distract him too much.

-o- 

Jean looked at the trail before him, knowing that this was the right way. Armin had revealed to him that Eren’s grave was not too far away from their location, and he told him where it was. He had tried to avoid any intrusive thoughts about Eren but being here at the farm had brought on a barrage of memories. The pain was still fresh, and it felt as if his friend had left them just yesterday.

He tightened his coat around his body since the day was quite windy. As he walked, he took in the rolling hills and rustling fields of wheat. If one looked hard enough to the distance, the slight shape of the now ruined walls could be seen.

Jean kept on walking, holding down his hat when the wind got stronger. The shape of the tree could be seen now, its branches swaying slightly in the wind. Jean finally reached the bottom of the small hill where the tree was, taking in the sight of Eren’s final resting place. He took a deep breath, processing everything that he was seeing.

He climbed up the hill slowly, facing the small headstone at the root of the tree. He felt a sudden rush of indescribable feelings tearing at him as he knelt in front of the grave. There were so many things he wanted to say even if no one could hear him. He truly missed the bastard. But the sudden noise of footsteps interrupted him from his revelry, making him turn around.  

In a way, he was simultaneously surprised and not at all surprised at seeing Mikasa standing there, staring at him curiously.

“M-Mikasa,” he stuttered, mortified at the realization that there were tears on his face. He frustratingly wiped them away, avoiding eye contact.

“I’m sorry I startled you-” she started but Jean did not let her finish her apology.

“No, please don’t apologize Mikasa,” he rushed to say, still not looking at her. An uncomfortable silence followed. He had no idea what to do.

“So...” They both spoke in unison after a while. It made them laugh, the air around them easing considerably.

“I can leave if you want.” she offered, to which he shook his head.

“No, you can stay, I wasn’t planning on staying for long anyway.”

Mikasa moved, setting a hand on Jean’s shoulder as if to keep him from getting up. She sat down beside him.

“You are more than welcome here,” she said. “I think he would be happy.”

“I hope so,” Jean murmured and there was another silence, this time more comfortable.

“You know,” Mikasa broke the silence, “If you weren’t so busy, I would say you’ve been avoiding me.”

Jean looked down, feeling guilty. “I’m sorry Mikasa, I don’t know where my head’s been at lately.”

Mikasa only hummed in response, wrapping her arms around her knees. “You don’t have to apologize; I’m not entitled to your time. I was simply curious.”

“It has nothing to do with you personally, I just…” Jean trailed off, not knowing how to explain it to her. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.” He finally said, putting it in the simplest way possible.

Mikasa frowned. “Why would you make me uncomfortable? You’ve been a dear friend to me through the years. If anything, your presence would make me very happy.”

Jean flushed at that, avoiding her stare. “That’s-that’s good,” he muttered lamely. He felt like such an idiot.

A strong gust of wind caught their attention, making the small flowers growing of the branches fall in a flutter around them. They stared in wonder at the scene, falling into another comfortable silence.

His thoughts had somehow turned back to Eren, and he felt like he had to say something. He was sure she would understand.

“I miss Eren,” he said.

She stared at him in sympathy, “I miss him too.”

His throat was closing up, and he felt a surge of boldness. “There were so many things I wanted to tell him, so many memories that I feel like I didn’t appreciate enough. Even though he drove me insane, I did love him. And now he’s gone.” Jean’s voice broke, but at this point he didn’t care. He knew Mikasa would never ridicule him for it.

It was true, despite their constant fights Eren had been dear to him too, and he had not taken his death well. His bottled-up feelings were spilling forth, and he was happy that if anyone got to see it, it was Mikasa. Though he still felt slightly embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, this is stupid.” he said, wiping away fresh tears, and putting his hand on top of the headstone.

“There’s nothing stupid or wrong about this.” Mikasa replied, and he felt her hand suddenly resting on top of his. “You know I’m here for you, right?”

Her words only made him want to cry harder. He nodded, and they sat there for long minutes as the sun began to set. Their hands remained joined together on top of the headstone, and they knew that even though they were both hurting, they were also not alone. They had each other.

-0-

Just me coping with the ending and the leaks. There is more to come. Huge thanks to @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie for beta reading this! You’re the best around <3 <3