#my new tablet is cool and all it’s just . really hard adjusting to new things especially when I haven’t drawn in a while

[randomalistic]

Context i tried to color lineart

[egophiliac]

Hello! Sorry to bother but do you have any digital art tips? I’m quite new to it and any tips, tricks or advice would be helpful! Your coloring style is very beautiful and I love it a lot!

thank you! 💚💚💚 sorry this is a bit late, hopefully there's still something helpful in it!

(also, it got pretty long, sorry!)

I think the biggest thing is to just take things slow -- digital art feels different than drawing traditionally, and it's SUPER easy to get overwhelmed by the billions of cool features that the digital world offers. (I say, as someone who spends a lot of time downloading cool brushes and textures...and then never using them ever.) there is a ton of really cool stuff you can do digitally, but because there's so much, I think it's really important to take time to figure out what is and isn't working for you. spend some time doodling without any intent to do a finished piece, figure out how you like to hold (or not hold) your tablet, what keyboard shortcuts you end up using a lot (and therefore might want to map to your pen/tablet buttons for quicker use)...that kind of thing!

everyone's workflow and preferred program and style are different, so it's hard to give hard-and-fast general advice. but the things that I think of as the essentials for learning digital art programs, and what I think of as a good order to focus on learning them in (although YMMV, especially depending on what kind of art you're doing):

brush customization (e.g. flow, opacity, softness)

layers and layer masks

selections and transformations (e.g. scale, rotate, flip horizontal/vertical, skew) (skew is underrated and I will die on that hill)

blending modes (e.g. multiply, screen)

adjustments/adjustment layers (e.g. hue/saturation, curves)

and I think most stuff after that is gravy! often very good gravy though! but yeah, as overall advice I recommend just taking things one little bit at a time, spending some time just drawing and messing around with each feature and what you can do with it. whether or not you end up incorporating any of it into your workflow, it's always good to try things out and just see how they feel! :D

and just so there is at least a little more concrete helpfulness in here, here's a few more specific things that I think are super important to keep in mind!

use! your! tablet/pen buttons! I mentioned this earlier, but they are extremely useful for keyboard shortcuts that you use often! most programs will also let you create new shortcuts for other things -- personally, I use the magic wand tool to fill in big color blocks a lot, so I made shortcuts for 'expand selection' and 'fill' and then mapped them to my tablet buttons.

flop your work horizontally often! when you're working on something, you get used to the way it looks, so seeing it mirrored is a quick way to see it with fresh eyes! in my experience, it often feels like this:

(a common thing is to find that everything is sort of 'leaning' too much one way, which is where skew really comes in handy!) (seriously, I love skew, it is my savior)

if you're working with color, keep a hue/saturation adjustment layer (or a layer filled with black or white and set to Color) on top and toggle it on occasionally to check your values! a lot of people who know a lot more about color than me (and are better at putting it into words) have written about why values are so important, so all I'll say is that the rule of thumb is that your image should still be readable in greyscale:

there are some exceptions and grey areas (do ho ho), but it's a good general rule to keep in mind! (some programs also have a colorblind mode, so you can check to see how your work will look to someone with colorblindness!)

and finally, here's some digital art programs I recommend, if you're still looking for a good one!

free: krita, FireAlpaca

paid: ClipStudio, Procreate (iOS/iPad only)

[thehomophobe]

A Little Impish (Human!Sun x GN!Reader) Chapter 1: The Escape Artist

Written by me!

"His name's Samuel.

Samuel Celeste."

"And like the others, he's a heinous criminal."

"How did he end up here?"

"Initially just for petty crimes. However, they kept adding on to his sentence due to multiple escape attempts."

"So he's done this often?"

"Yeah. It doesn't matter where he's placed, he always tries to escape. Even if he doesn't know any of his fellow inmates, he always finds a new route. We all call him the Escape Artist."

"The entire room is sealed tight. It's a complete mystery how he manages to get out. That's partially why most of the counselors have given up on him. His constant escape attempts make it hard to have a proper consultation has never been performed. He may be different from the other criminals, but that doesn't make him any less bad."

...

"You okay, Dr. (L/N)?"

"Is he at the Rehabilitation Center right now?"

"Yep. I just confirmed his location a few moments ago. I just hope he can finally be given a proper consultation. Good luck (Y/N)."

"Thanks."

After Vanessa, the hardworking and ever-tired assistant of the Rehabilitation Center handed you a tablet with the cell number your client was in, you made your way down the polished, metallic halls. Each step you took banged against the flooring like a drum. You later arrive at the steel door of the cell. Room 214.

*Creak*

"Samuel?"

The room is oppressively silent.

"Anyone there?"

Silence once again. The cell was a little more spacious than the others you've been in. The place was spotless as if it was just cleaned. You started to panic. He didn't escape again, did he?

"You're the new counselor, right?"

You were startled by a mellifluous voice. Turning around quickly, you see your patient startled by your presence. Short, wavy blonde hair bounced with a jolt as the handcuffs on his wrists jingled like bells. "My goodness! You shouldn't turn around like that all of a sudden!" Baby blue eyes widen in shock.

"Where did you come from?" You asked. He gave you a curious look before giggling. "I was behind you the entire time silly." He grinned.

"I didn't know I was being followed." Your shock melted off you after that. A little adjustment on your coat brought you back to a calmer state. Samuel smiled sweetly as if he were greeting a new neighbor who just moved in. "Anyway, nice to meet you. I'm Sam but you can just call me Sunny! What's your name?" Wow, for a criminal he sure is friendly. Then again, you should be careful, crooks can be slippery for counselors.

"(Y/N)."

"Wow, what a cool name! Cooler than any of the other counselors so far." His eyes were sparkling with delight. Samuel was definitely the friendliest and most childlike of all the criminals in the center. That increases your caution even more. "So you've come to have a little chat with me right?" He tilted his head.

You nodded, to which he responded with a huff and a frown. "I haven't the foggiest idea why you people keep wanting to pick my brain apart. I haven't done anything wrong." That was a complete lie. With what his records say and Vanessa's added comments, he's done more than what he believes."

Really? I heard you keep escaping." You cross your arms. Samuel stared at you in shock. He looked heartbroken. "M-ME?!"

"That's right."

"Is that what they said?" He pouted. "Come on, do I look like someone who would do such a thing?" He batted his eyes in innocence. You didn't say anything. No matter how innocent he was acting (or how cute he looked), nothing was going to sway you to manipulation. Samuel took the silence as an answer. He gasped as a hand was smack on his chest. "Wow...and here I thought that there was at least someone nice in this place." He saunters around aimlessly for a bit; hands behind his head as he makes a few long strides away from you.

"But surely..." He stops.

"Even you can see..." He turns his head to face you. "There is no way out of this room, and there are no tools I could use to help make a getaway." He shows you his hands. "And just look at these." He shakes the handcuffs, making a faint tintinnabulation, like wind chimes. They're secured, clutching tightly around his thin wrists. "I can't even move them without the cuffs pinching me." So you've heard. With the many wails and complaints of the other criminals. Asking staff to take them off to "stretch for a bit". Samuel moves closer to you as he proves his statement. "So me trying to escape is practically impossible! That security camera over there would've triggered an alarm if I'm gone." He points to the small but still apparent camera in the corner of the room. If you look closely, you can see a little flashing red light. "And even if I escaped, I wouldn't even be here." Samuel was...right...unfortunately. The cell is watertight and the security system is efficient. The Rehabilitation Center improved throughout the years.

"Such prejudice! You were already judging me before the consultation officially began." Samuel shook his head in disappointment."

Well if you're "so innocent", then what are you doing here?" You raised a brow.

"Because..." Samuel pauses for dramatic effect. "I've committed heinous crimes!" He dips backward with a hand resting on top of his head. Heinous crimes? You heard of some heinous crimes. Common ones like assault, murder, trafficking; you know the usual. You've heard of some crazy ones, like a young woman who was found in a hibachi restaurant eating chickens...alive. And a guy who started beating an old woman with a dildo. Yeah, it gets weird here in the Center. "Heinous? Your record only says you committed robbery." Not like it wasn't bad, but compared to what you heard (And saw), this was the most normal one of them all. "Well yeah, but it's still a horrible crime," Samuel says nonchalantly...as he looks through your wallet like a book.

"Wha...when did you...?!"

"When you first stepped in. It was too easy to resist. Here, you can have it back." He hands you your wallet with a cheeky grin. You didn't feel your wallet slip out nor even hear the sound of the zipper. "Anyhoo, now that we've cleared that up, how are things outside?"

"Outside?"

"Yeah! Outside! It's been a while since I had some time in the sun. Let alone what's going on out there."

"Well, you do well in this consultation, you'll be free to go."

"Oh I know that. But even if I pass this consultation with flying colors, that doesn't mean I'm rehabilitated though."

"That's because you haven't been there half the time!"

Samuel huffed and rolled his eyes. "Is that all they think of me as? A crook? A hoodlum? Or are you just this suspicious of people?" He eyed you; glaring daggers sharp enough to cut the handcuffs on him. You stepped back from the angered prisoner, worried he was going to strike you in a second. He didn't though, he just continued ranting with a side of walking hastily. "I was there for every consultation, waiting patiently for anyone to arrive. It's the counselors who never showed up. Captious counselors, hypocrites with no shame. Aren't I being good and participating right now?” He stopped and looked at you. “You know, if you keep distrusting me, I might get upset."  He grinds his teeth.

Usually, counselors would record any hostile behavior the criminals express. Any harm done to the counselors would result in further restrictions...or worse...

The death penalty.

Of all the criminals you consulted, none of them harmed you. Only attempted, but nothing extreme. More manipulation to break them out of the Center than threats of bashing your head open. You should report Sunn-Samuel's aggressive behavior on the tablet.

But you didn't.

There's something about Samuel that makes him different from the other criminals. Which is exactly what Vanessa said. You didn't know what it was. His smile? His positivity? His childlike demeanor? Whatever it was, it's infectious. And it gives you hope. A potential for one of your clients to be fully rehabilitated. It made you think about all your old clients. You've been in the Center for quite some time in your life; you've met some...unique criminals. Sadly, half of them were given up as the others believed they were "unable to consult". And the other half...died. But like all your patients, you never gave up on them. No matter how difficult they would be.

"Sorry. Didn't mean sound rude." You apologized.

"Well since you apologized, you're forgiven." Samuel smiled again.

"I'm going to help you get better."

"Really? You're gonna be at all the consultation meetings?" Samuel raised a brow at you as if your skepticism rubbed off on him.

"Every single one." You promised.

Samuel hums in suspicion. You understood why though. You bet he was willing to go through any sort of consultation with any counselors before, but their lazy assses didn't come to do their jobs. You've done this job for about 2 years now and by golly, you were going to have a successful rehabilitation if it's the last thing you'll do. "All right, I trust you Doc." Samuel grinned. "Maybe after I'm rehabilitated, we'll go strawberry picking!"

"Strawberry picking?" You questioned.

"You've never been strawberry picking?" He gawked.

"Nope. That does sound nice though."

"It really is. I know this place where you get to make all kinds of desserts with the strawberries you picked and you can keep them." Ok. That does sound nice.

Samuel looked at the clock. "Would you look at that? We got so carried away chatting that we're all out of time." He sighed. He looked so happy getting to talk to someone so casually. You were too. All the staff are always tired as hell, which makes everyone here dull. "I hope to see you again (Y/N)."You raise a brow.

That statement was suspicious. "Is there any reason I wouldn't come back?" 

"You never know. I might end up having someone different next time." He's right. Counselors swap out for all the prisoners every consultation. "But it was fun chatting with you. Even if you have a lot of suspicions about me."

You smiled. "I'm sure one day we'll be able to pick strawberries together." Sunny's eyes sparkled with wonder.

"Oh I can't wait!"

You leave the cell with a creak and a thump of the door.

[xmcu-fietro]

It’s almost 2023, so let’s celebrate the good things that happened to us in 2022! List ten amazing things that happened to you this year and then send this to ten people who brighten your day!

(hi! thanks for the ask!)

Honestly, this year feels like a weird, messy blur. Some stuff was great and other stuff was.... uh, a lot less great, but here's some things I particularly liked (in no order):

Finally getting an official adhd diagnosis after going my whole life with zero accommodations. Turns out life is a bit more manageable when I'm acknowledging my needs and not forcing myself into an NT box xD

On a similar note, getting adhd meds that work and finding an ND therapist has been really helpful.

Getting to write and draw. I got a drawing tablet over the summer, and over winter break I've been doing lots of writing and drawing which has been super refreshing!

I started learning bass guitar earlier this year and I'm not very good at it (yet) but I'm really excited to learn :)

I got to see My Chemical Romance, which isn't something I thought I'd get to do and was super cool!

Honestly, just having winter break right now and being back with my family has been such a blessing. My semester has been really hard—the coursework has been pretty non-stop and my mental/physical health has had some new challenges that I've had to adjust to—so being able to rest when I need instead of pushing myself through classes has been really nice.

@spidey-sense-projections visited me earlier this year and I don't get to see her very often so it was really great to catch up IRL!

I got to see Moulin Rouge on Broadway, which is the stage version of my favorite movie, and it was super cool!

This isn’t really any one event, just generally something I’m thankful for—but I think I've really grown as a person this year? Or at least I hope I have. The adhd diagnosis was a big part of that but overall I’ve gotten better at acknowledging my limits and asking for help when needed.

Also not any singular event (and not unique to this year), but I’ve really enjoyed this little Peter Maximoff corner of tumblr and am looking forward to @silver-goggles-guild being on officially active thing rather than just a cool idea. I’m looking forward to (hopefully!) more Peter content to ramble about with you all in the new year! (Fingers crossed for the Deadpool 3/Coven of Chaos/Wonder Man rumors…)

[purple-babygirl]

First of all… who told you that you could toy with my heart over your latest work: SamBucky and the injuries Little. Talk about the angst but fluff. Just mwah!

But will all that angst especially with Sam and Bucky—they are just a perfect combo, btw. I now am needy for angst to fluff (oops…). All I can think about is an insecure little who think that her daddies don’t love her after a misunderstanding, so she pack up her things and runs away. (But a happy ending is ensured) when Sam and Bucky are able to find her

Love you.

Pairing: SamBucky x little!f!reader

Word Count: 2,796

Warnings: polyamory, ddlg dynamics, a dash of angst, and a pinch of fluff

A/N: Hello, Nonnie! Thank you for reading, and thank you for sharing this idea with me and allowing me to toy with your heart over it!💜💜 I was a puddle writing this one. I'm really sorry if this took me too long; I hope it's to your liking and I love you too *ghost kisses*💜 please enjoy xx

~~

unwanted

“That's enough. Go to your room.” Sam demanded angrily, looking down at the cheerios covering the kitchen floor that he now would have to clean up.

“Papa-”

“All you do is cause trouble and I'm done! To your room, now!”

She's been bad again. It was the third time this week. She has been disobedient and impatient. Whenever Papa and Daddy told her to do anything she somehow managed to mess it up. Sam had told her not to touch anything but she wanted to help nevertheless. She couldn’t reach the cupboard though and ended up spilling the box of cereal all over the place.

Her gaze dropped and she walked to her room without another word and a few minutes later, Bucky came to give her lunch and collect her phone and tablet, taking away her screen time for the day.

“But daddy-”

“No, doll. I'm taking them away. You never listen anymore and it needs to stop.”

Papa and Daddy are mad at you. They don't love you no more. They're sick of you. You never listen and you're always bad. They could be so much happier and calmer if it wasn't for you always riling them up. They were done. It needed to stop. They don't love you no more. They don't want you no more. They don't love you. They don't want you.

She sat wallowing in her room, tears gathering in her eyes as her own mind attacked her. Maybe it was all true. All she does is cause trouble.

So maybe if she left…

She got up and got her big girl backpack out of the closet.

Maybe if she left Papa and Daddy would be better off without her.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gathered and pushed items into her bag.

Maybe if she was gone they would be less angry.

She zipped the bag up before sloppily slipping her socks on and picking up her stuffed friend.

Maybe if she escaped the house she could escape her thoughts too; leave them all in her room and go.

She wiped her cheeks, tiptoed out of her room, found her shoes by the front door and quietly got into them. She could hear Daddy and Papa lowly laughing together while they got things done in the backyard. Leaving really was the right decision then; they were happier without her.

Taking one, last, tear-blurred look at the house, she stepped outside and quietly closed the door behind her. She held her small white bunny to her chest and sniffed before taking off, walking to the only place that would bring her comfort.

~

“She's going to be so happy. I can't wait to see her face.” Sam smiled proudly, hands on his waist as he took one last look at the swing he and Bucky have put together for their baby girl in the backyard.

“I really hope she likes it.” Bucky smiled back in agreement before opening the door for Sam and walking inside behind him.

They felt they were too hard on her that morning and she was usually a good girl, only intending to do good for her Daddy and Papa. So they decided to build the swing earlier than they’d previously planned to lighten things up again.

“Is it just me or is it awfully quiet in here?” Bucky murmured, bringing the water bottle down from his mouth and looking around the living room in slight suspicion.

“I mean, she is in a timeout and you did take away her phone,” Sam reminded him, trying not to let himself panic as he got himself a water bottle from the fridge.

But it wasn’t that. Bucky could still hear her presence no matter how quiet. He could hear her crayons gliding on paper when she would sit down to color. He could hear her hum as she organized her toys around the table for tea parties. This quietness wasn’t normal.

Bucky jogged up the stairs to her room and just as he feared, she wasn't in there. Her sandwich was untouched. Her closet was open and her backpack and favourite blankie were missing.

“Sam!” He called for his husband, taking long strides to their bedroom to find she wasn't there either.

Sam ran up the stairs at Bucky's freaked tone and saw him pacing through the hallway.

“She's not here.”

“What?” Sam’s heart sank into his stomach.

“I can't find her.” Bucky shook his head at Sam, running his fingers through his hair in growing panic.

“Hey, calm down. We're gonna find her.” Sam rubbed a hand down Bucky's back, trying to hide his own fright for Bucky's sake as his mind ran to every single place she knew how to get to on her own.

“How? How are we gonna find her? We don't even know where she went or if she's okay-”

Sam put a hand on Bucky’s shoulder, the other cupping his cheek.

“Hey, breathe,” Sam instructed, slowly breathing so Bucky could copy him, trying to send away the panic attack ready to take over him. Bucky nuzzled his palm, his breath coming out shaky.

“That's it, Buck. In and out.” He moved his hands to Bucky’s.

“But she was so little when we sent her to her room and she probably doesn't even have any ID or money with her-”

“Bucky,” Sam squeezed his husband’s hands.

“We can't lose her, Sam. I can't- I took her phone away- if she's in trouble, she won't be able to-”

“Bucky, baby, we're gonna find her and she's gonna be okay. I promise.” Sam reassured him with words he himself wasn't sure would turn out to be true, his large palm stroking up and down the tense muscles of Bucky’s back, “I need you to keep breathing for me.”

Bucky tried to manage his breathing, slightly calming down to the thought of getting to hold her again.

“She couldn't have gotten that far, so we're gonna look around and I'm gonna call Steve, okay?” Bucky nodded at Sam's words, glossy eyes closing as Sam planted a kiss to the side of his forehead, “okay, baby. Let's go.”

~

Sam took the car, driving slowly, roaming the neighborhood to see if she was anywhere around the area. He was asking anyone and everyone who passed by his car if they've seen her. But apparently, no one has. Not even the old couple at the end of the street with the dog she loved to pet so much.

Bucky chose to go on foot as he walked in the other direction, preferring to depend on his enhanced senses instead of talking to other people. Even if he did talk to them for help, no one would understand that while her picture looked like that of a grown lady, she was a mere baby. They would never understand their panic.

Sam rubbed his forehead in frustration, leaning it against the wheel. He’d just hung up with Steve. He said she didn't come to his place; didn't even stop by. In fact, he hasn’t heard from her at all and got worried when Sam called. He took an uneven breath, trying to maintain his cool before he lifted his head up and started the car again.

~

Leaning back on the big tree, she wrapped her soft blankie tighter around her frame. It was getting kind of chilly and she was starting to regret leaving now that it wasn't that sunny anymore. The tears drying on her cheeks made her shiver even more and she sniffled, kissing her bunny's head and tugging the stuffed animal under her chin. She hoped Daddy and Papa were feeling better now that she was no longer there with them.

“Doll?” She heard Bucky's voice and before she could wonder if she'd imagined it, she was pressed to a hard chest.

“Oh, thank god,” Bucky sighed, kissing the side of her head over and over again, his hands tight around her back, holding her and her bunny close to his frantically beating heart.

“Baby, why'd you leave like that? We were so worried! We looked everywhere, we called everyone.” Bucky kissed her forehead a bunch before “-oh right!”

He got his phone out of his pocket with one arm, the other still firmly holding her to his chest. She kept holding onto her bunny, not really getting what was happening. Was she in trouble for leaving unannounced or not? Why would Daddy and Papa want to find her? She was nothing but trouble.

“Sam, I found her! We're in our secret place in the park.”

At Bucky's call, Sam took a sharp turn, stepping on the gas to get to the park as fast as he could.

“Are you okay, doll? Are you hurt anywhere?” Bucky asked her after hanging up, anxiously checking her head, face, arms and legs for injuries.

She shook her head silently, fresh, hot tears burning at the brims of her eyes.

“Thank god.” Bucky hugged her to his chest again, “we were so scared, doll. We were so scared.”

He kissed her damp cheeks and chin as she kept biting her lip, quietly sniveling.

She'd scared them. She'd worried them. Why was it always that she did something wrong while trying to do anything right? She was no good.

“It’s okay, love. I found you. I’m right here.” Bucky kissed her eyelids, then her nose, thinking she was crying because she was lost alone.

He pulled her on his lap and adjusted himself in her place, his back to the tree trunk as he held her close, fearing she’d disappear if he were to loosen his grip around her.

“Sugar!” Sam’s voice echoed through the empty part of the park when he saw her burrito-wrapped body in Bucky’s lap.

“Papa’s here, doll. It’s okay.” Bucky whispered to her when she didn’t stop crying.

She turned around and her eyes met Sam’s watery, brown ones.

“Hey, sugar,” Sam greeted softly, getting down on his knees before her.

Her lower lip jutted out further as new tears soaked her pretty face. It hasn’t even been a whole day and she’s missed Papa and Daddy so much. How was she ever planning on running away from them or being without them?

“Aww, no, no, baby, it’s okay,” Sam cooed, bringing her to his chest and engulfing her in a protective hug.

Her blanket fell in Bucky’s lap and she dropped her bunny to cling to Sam, barely quieting her sobs.

Not able to hold himself together any longer, a tear escaped Sam’s eye his gaze met Bucky’s. He buried his nose in her hair and squeezed her closer to him, sighing in relief that they’ve found her. His mind kept torturing him with scenarios of her getting hurt and not getting help. He didn’t know what he would’ve done if they’d actually lost her.

“You’re okay, sugar. Papa’s here with you. I’m sorry it took us so long, baby. We were looking in a lot of places.” Sam sniffled, pulling back to pepper featherlike kisses all over her face.

“You wanted to find me?” Her small, brittle voice asked, doe eyes staring up sadly.

“What? Of course we wanted to find you, baby! Why would you think otherwise?!”

“But I was bad. You w-were done. It needed to stop,” she repeated his and Bucky’s words on him and Sam felt shame cover him from head to toe, Bucky not any different as he bit down to stop his tears.

“Doll,” Bucky went to hold her hands only to find they were freezing.

“Shit! She’s too cold,” he told Sam, who immediately started taking off his jacket.

“Dada, bad word,” she softly reminded Bucky, covering her mouth with her hand before Sam got out of his jacket.

Sam slipped his warm jacket on her and pulled the zipper up, her small hands disappearing inside the long sleeves.

“Good girl, sugar. It is a bad word.” He rolled the sleeves back just enough to get her palms out so she could still hold her bunny.

“But you don’t see me asking daddy to leave because he was bad, do you?” Sam asked tenderly and she shook her head no.

“Exactly, I’m not. You know why?” Sam pressed kisses to both of her hands multiple times, rubbing them between his palms to warm her up.

“Why, papa?” she asked as he carried her in his arms; Bucky gathering the rest of her stuff.

“Because I love him so much." Sam wiped her tears. "And both me and daddy love you so so so much, sugar.” He pressed a firm kiss to her temple.

Bucky handed her the small bunny back after patting any dust or leaves out of it.

“We never want you to go, doll.” Bucky pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

“Even when I’m really really bad?”

“Even if you’re really really bad,” Sam guaranteed, kissing her temple again.

“But- I thought papa and daddy would be happier and not so angry no more if I left,” she mumbled innocently as Sam started walking to the car with her in his arms.

“That could never be true, doll. We’re only happy as long as we have you,” Bucky reassured her, opening the backseat door so Papa could slip in with her on his lap.

“And you still love me?” Her pout, teary puppy eyes and words were just killing both men inside.

“Of course we love you, doll! We will always love you. We can never afford to lose you,” Bucky told her, his eyes searching hers to offer them comfort.

“Baby, we love you so much it’s uncountable, remember?” Sam ran his thumb over the knuckles of her stuffie-holding hands.

She nodded, her eyes teary but her smile comforted and reassured. “I love you too, Papa,” she mumbled, grabbing onto Sam’s thumb, her eyelids barely staying open.

“I’m sorry I left,” she sniffled.

“It’s alright, baby. We’re all together now and we're going home.” Sam kissed her forehead once more, wanting her to forget all about it and know everything was okay again.

“Told you we’d find her,” Sam said, drawing Bucky inside the car by the cheek and brushing his lips against his.

“You did.” Bucky nodded, pressing his forehead to Sam’s and kissing him again.

Bucky pulled back and smiled adoringly at her sleepy eyes fighting to stay open as she leaned onto Sam's chest before getting in the driver’s seat to take them home. Sam was caressing her hair and before she knew it her eyes were fluttering closed.

All the crying all day had drained her and her body could finally give up and relax now that she was in Papa’s hold; she was out like a light.

“You’re so important to me and daddy, sugar. Never ever forget that,” Sam whispered against her forehead before pressing a slow kiss to her skin.

She might've had no idea how adored and cherished she actually was, but that was okay. Sam and Bucky had a lifetime ahead of them where they could show her again and again that they loved and needed her just as much as she did them.

~

“Dada! Papa! Wake up! We have a swing!”

She’d fallen asleep pretty early in the car last night and neither Sam nor Bucky had the heart to wake her up when they got home. So they took her shoes and socks off and tucked her in in their bed.

Now they had to deal with her waking up way too early. She’d gone to the bathroom on her own like a good girl before her stomach hungrily grumbled. And when she got to the kitchen for a cup of water and maybe the plate of fruit in the fridge, her eyes fell on the swing showing outside the small window on the kitchen door.

Bucky rolled over and opened his eyes first, her jumping on her knees on the bed beside him pulling him out of his dreams. Sam, however, didn’t move a muscle. The man slept so soundly that sometimes Bucky was jealous. How heavy of a sleeper could a person be?

“Yes, we do, baby.” Bucky chuckled. “Me and papa built it just for you.” He smiled sleepily at her excited face before annoyingly poking Sam’s back, “Sam, wake up.”

“Tank you, dada.” She settled back on her ankles though still buzzing with joy.

“You like it, sugar?” Bucky opened his arms wide for her.

“Yes, I love it.” She nodded happily before perching herself on his hard chest, cutely kissing his jaw, “and I love you, dada.”

“Sam.” He affectionately punched his sleeping husband’s shoulder, smirking when he heard him groan, “she likes the swing.”

[sotheywrotestories]

The They Them Agenda

Request;

you know it :) maybe an enby reader x bucky? He's really confused by their pronouns and some fluffy explanation? ooooo or their first time sleeping in the same bed and maybe mentions of a binder and explaining what that is?

- @mad-malory

(Sorry this was so late)

Pairings; Bucky x Nonbinary Reader

Warnings; None, although there are mentions of a chest binder :)

***

Bucky grew up in a different time. Not that he necessarily had a hard time adjusting to modern times, but he wasn’t caught up with all the dynamics of the world.

Which is why he always thought (Y/N) was a group of people the Avengers out before Steve introduced them to Bucky.

“Buck, this is (Y/N), they’re from our downtown office,” Steve presented (Y/N) to Bucky, who, in fact, was only one person.

“Hi…nice to meet you,” Bucky grimaced. Not because (Y/N) had given him any reason to, but because he was so awkward.

“Hi, Bucky!” (Y/N) reached their hand out to Bucky. “It’s so nice to finally meet you! Steve talks about you all the time.”


Bucky tried to let his genuine smile come through this time.

“Likewise…I was under the impression that you were a group..but you know how Steve is,” Bucky huffed a bit.

(Y/N) gave Bucky a rather strange look. One of those “no-I-don’t-really-get-what-you-mean” looks.

“Right…well, I’m gonna go move in.” (Y/N) turned to Steve. “Thanks for letting me stay here while we rebuild, Stevie.”

(Y/N) gave one last smile to Bucky, then went on their way.

“Buck, ask (Y/N) about their pronouns when you have the chance,” Steve placed a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “It took some getting used to, don’t worry.”

Bucky was even more confused. Not only was (Y/N) not a group of people, but now Bucky had to have them give him a grammar lesson? He knew he was old but it’s not like he forgot everything he learned way back when.

It must’ve read on his face.

“Trust me, Buck. Things are different now, people are different now. I don’t want you to accidentally hurt anyone just because you don’t know what’s going on.”

***

Bucky heard everyone in the tower refer to (Y/N) as if they were more than one person. Bucky wondered if there was some joke that he just wasn’t let in on.

“Hey, (Y/N),” Bucky smiled at (Y/N).

It wasn’t often that Bucky and (Y/N) really got to interact, they were both very busy.

(Y/N) spent most of their time studying and working from their room. Bucky liked to spend most of his time not being around people for as long as he could. So to see (Y/N) in the kitchen made him very excited.

“Morning, Buck! How have you been doing?”

“I’ve been good. Really good. I’ve been going to therapy.”

Why in the world would he share that with someone he’s interacted with once?

“I’m so good to hear that, Buck! I’m really proud of you.”

It sounded so earnest Bucky almost didn’t know what to do with himself. It wasn’t often people actually cared about what Bucky had to say. Nonetheless, someone he barely knew.

“I um..thank you.”

The pair shared a smile and (Y/N) went back to their tablet.

“Oh,” Bucky started. “Steve told me I needed to ask you about your…nouns.”

(Y/N) laughed a bit but still smiled at Bucky anyway.

“My pronouns,” (Y/N) gestured for Bucky to take a seat. “My pronouns are different than something you might be used to.”

“What do you mean.” Bucky took a seat.

“Well,” (Y/N) took a big sigh. “You know there’s she and he.”

(Y/N) paused and Bucky assumed he was meant to nod. He did.

“I’m not him or her. Gender is much more flexible now than it was when you were growing up. I use ‘they/them ‘ pronouns because I’m non-binary. Not all non-binary people use ‘they/them’, some use other pronouns and some people use Neo-pronouns.”

Bucky was trying to understand. He truly was. He was always much more accepting than anyone he ever knew back in the ’40s. It wasn’t that he thought there was something wrong with it, it was just that he didn’t understand. How couldn’t you be a boy or a girl?

“I…don’t get it,” he said with a small smile. ��Were you born that way?”


(Y/N) gave Bucky a thoughtful look.

Great. He’s done something wrong.

“Gender-wise? Yes, I was born this way. I’ve been non-binary as long as I’ve been alive. Not everyone is like that. Some people discover that they’re non-binary later in their life.”

That didn’t clarify anything.

“I should preface that your gender and your biological sex are two different things.”

Oh.

Oh oh oh.

So they weren’t talking about- oh.

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” (Y/N) laughed. “My gender identity is different than the sex I was assigned at birth. But- even today, you CAN change your sex to fit who you really are.”

Bucky knew a little bit about someone being transgender, it was in the crash course Steve gave him when he really started adjusting to new life in modern times.

“Right. But your gender and sex aren’t the same things.”

“Well…,” (Y/N) heaved a sigh. “Sometimes it is, some people do let their gender and sex define each other. It really depends. That’s why it’s always best to ask someone what their pronouns are before perceiving them in any way.”

It made a little bit of sense.

“So you’re not a she or a he, you’re they,” Bucky said.

“Yes. So you know…gender-neutral. I just don’t feel comfortable being perceived as a man or as a woman, I’d rather be perceived as neither.”

“Got it. So that’s why everyone refers to you as they,” Bucky nodded.

It wasn’t a hard concept to grasp that “they” could be used in a singular term.

“Thank you for telling me,” Bucky smiled. “Sorry if I slip up and call you something else, I’ll do my best.”

“Well, thank you for listening,” (Y/N) smiled. “I look forward to working with you.”

***

Working with (Y/N) turned into hanging out with (Y/N) every minute of every day. They were so easy to be around. Hanging out with (Y/N) turned into sleepovers with (Y/N), which quickly turned into a very confusing ordeal.

They had shared a bed with Bucky before, but never when the weather had been so ungodly hot. 

Tony messed up something in the wiring and now the ac wasn’t working.

“Bucky,” (Y/N) whined, drawing out the y. “Let me use your arm it’s too hot.”

“(N/N), you’ve been hugging on my arm all day, it’s not cold anymore,” Bucky laughed. “Give it some time cool off.”

(Y/N) huffed and flopped down onto the bed.

“You’ve forced my hand, Barnes, I have to remove my clothes.”

Bucky felt his face heat up. A lot.

“You’ve caught me in m master plan,” Bucky threw his hand over his face. “I really just want to see you naked.”

“Psh- men.”

There was a moment of silence.

“Do you mind if I take off my clothes?”


Bucky gulped. “Do you? Mind? Not mine. Yours. Do you mind. Like- if I see. Would you mind? I don’t mind. I really don’t. But I don’t want to make you uncomfortable if you do mind-“

“Bucky. I don’t mind,” (Y/N) smiled. “I’ll just take off my shirt.”

Taking off their shirt, (Y/N) exposed a nude-colored strap wrapped around their body.

“Are you hurt?” Bucky exclaimed.

The piece of clothing looked very similar to the skin-color wrappings Helen would give the team when they were hurt. It’s the only time Bucky had seen anything else like it.

“No…?” (Y/N) gave Bucky a weird look. “Oh, oh no. This is my binder.”

“Binder?”

“It’s…part of being the whole non-binary thing. I’m…I really hate the way my chest looks, but I don’t really want to get surgery on it, so I wear something super tight to make my chest seem flatter than it is.”

Bucky was starting to understand that it was anything related to gender that (Y/N) didn’t like. He never thought about its physical attributes.

“Oh, okay. That makes sense. Sorry if I drew attention to it.”

“It’s fine, Buck,” (Y/N) smiled. “I should’ve warned you, I can see what it looks like to you.”


Bucky was grateful (Y/N) was so patient with him while he was learning more about people being non-binary. He truly wanted to understand everything about them before he made a move on them. Though, every time he thought he knew everything, (Y/N) has to teach him something new.

“Hey, Buck? Everything okay?” (Y/N) moved closer to Bucky. “I lost you there.”

“I just…feel so bad that you have to teach me so much,” Bucky plopped down on the bed. “It’s not your responsibility to have to teach me everything.”

(Y/N) gave him a soft smile and brushed his hair out of his face.

“I wouldn’t teach you if I thought you didn’t care. I can tell you care, that’s why I teach you so much.”

They can tell that he cares?

“You can tell?”

(Y/N) gave him the softest look he’s ever seen. “Buck, you’re easier to read than you think. I’ve been waiting on you.”

“I wanted to know everything before I made a move-“

“Why would you put that pressure on yourself, Buck?” (Y/N) sighed. “You’re never going to know everything about everything there is to know, neither will I!”

“But it’s your thing! It’s your identity!”

“And it’s always changing and there are always new things to learn. I appreciate the thought, Buck, it’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. But you can’t put that weight on your shoulders.”

As if (Y/N) couldn’t get any more perfect.

“So…,” Bucky trailed off.

“So…make a move you goofus,” (Y/N) smiled.

And maybe he did.

[bunsblr]

Tu... torial? Pt. 5.

Final part of my tutorial! This is a little all over the place, because that’s how I am in this stage of editing. Also I didn’t proofread this...

Open this in dashboard for best view of the screenshots.

Disclaimer: I have no formal training for any kind of graphics stuff, I work in an office as a receptionist - I serve coffee for a living. I am absolutely self taught and while I consider myself pretty comfortable with photoshop, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t about a gazillion of other things that can be done that I have no idea about. There are people far superior than me in the Sims community. This is just how I do it, with techniques I have picked up through the years. Some things I go over in these will be pretty basic, some things a little more unorthodox. Disclaimer 2: My edits take time. This is what I do to relax, one edit takes several hours for me. Sometimes days :))) Disclaimer 3: My photoshop is in Swedish, which is my first language. I tried my best to find the English translations for every step that I do.

Tools used: The Sims 4, Adobe Photoshop 2020, One by Wacom Pen Tablet (very basic and unfancy).

It´s hair time baby! I very much enjoy drawing hair on sims. I make a new empty layer on top of my base Sim layer.

This is where having a drawing tablet makes a huge difference. We need the brush to be sensitive to pressure to get the effect of hair strands. I chose a hard brush, small small size (how small depends on the picture size of course, but I usually land somewhere 6-9 px)

I pick up a color from the hair, I usually starts with a medium light color.

I start by drawing strands around any tips of the hair so they don't look quite so solid. I do this part with both short and long hairs. Hot lazy tip: straight unlayered hairs is the absolute easiest. This is a layered hair so I start with the bottom and work my way up. I pick up different colors from the hair as I go along, to add dept.

Continuing up in the hair and add strands to the pointy bits.

When I feel like the pointy bits have been softened I select one of my hair brushes. I use these ones by Para Vine.

I start painting "around" the hair with one of the lighter colors picked up from the hair, changing the direction of the brush every once in a while for a more natural result.

After this the hair is looking a little fuzzy, so I'm going to go back with my small harder brush to fill these parts out.

I don't add a lot of them, just small bits here and there for filling.

This is a little overkill but... now we have some of that "squary" thing going on in the hair as well that are still showing through our painted layer. Now we could paint over these, but painting can actually be overdone and I wan't to keep the hair recognizeable because the creator put a lot of work into it! So I go into liquify and smooth over any wonky lines still showing, just slightly.

A comparison of before and after hair. Still recognizeable, but softer.

This is our result so far. We've come a long way, but we're not done.

At this point (or actually sometimes sooner) I add an adjustment Curves layer, this will not end up in the finished image, this is just to give me an idea of what the image might look like with more contrast (which we will add later). I keep this at the very top of the layer panel and turn this on and off as I go. Very important to have it turned off if we are going to eyedrop a color and use that to paint, since it would pick up the wrong hue if we have it turned on.

Now I still want the front of my sim to be a little darker to fit my lighting, but I don't want to go over with any more shadow. So I duplicate my Sim layer, and go to Layer -> Adjustments -> Curves. This will only change the active layer, as opposed to creating an adjustment layer down in the Layer panel that will change all layers below it. I drag the curve down a bit to make my new Sim layer darker.

I add a layer mask to my new Sim layer, and bucket fill it with black color so the new layer gets hidden.

I chose an absolutely HUGE soft brush, with medium opacity, and starts painting white on the areas where I want the new darker layer to be showing. And blend by going back with black where the line is to harsh.

Time to add some highlights. I create a new empty layer between my two Sim layers, and add a clipping mask by holding Alt and hovering on the line between the new layer and my bottom sim layer, until the little square with the arrow symbol comes up and then click. This will make whatever I do on my new highlight layer, only show up on the areas where the layer underneath is filled.

 Time to paint. I disable the curve adjustment layer for this. I choose a bright color, in this case a light pink because I didn't want a contrasting color for this picture. I go with a big soft brush around the edges where I want my highlight to hit. In this case, the arm, the hand, the arch of the back and the calf. I didn't add anything to the face in this picture because I didn't like the way it looked, but usually a little highlight to one of the cheeks is just *chef's kiss*

And somewhere around here I got really stuck and really struggled to follow with this tutorial. I felt the picture was lacking something and I tried several different things. I added light rays, tried creating different light sources, there was a moon at some point. But I ended up with just a simple additional gradient shadow down in the right corner (on a new layer down in the Background layer group). Life changing…

And then I didn't like the pink highlight on the skin (sigh, this is how I work, but it’s not recommended to be this indecisive) so I removed that and added a more beige-yellowee highlight instead. And forgot to take a picture after the highlight was added....

And now I go into nitpicking mode. I add a new empty layer on top of my Sim layer, I add it under the highlight layer so it automatically takes on the clipping mask of the Sim layer, I name it Clean-up Crew and go in to refine anything slightly wonky. Picking up colors with the eyedrop tool and going over flaws with a tiny brush.

When I fixed this little light area on the back of her head I left the Clean-up Crew layer and went to my Hair layer instead, because I still have that separate and it's above all the other layers.

I thought my sim was a little too far down in the picture so I moved her up by selecting my whole Sim layer group and the layer on which I have her ground shadow, chosing the move tool and pushing them up. This will move all the layers in the Sim layer group as well as the ground shadow layer equally.

I'm telling y'all, nitpicking mode could go on forever. Added more strands to the bangs.

Noticed a little pointy part on the calf, so I wen't into Liquify on the base Sim layer and smoothed that out. Since the highlight layer has a Clipping Mask corresponding to the Sim layer, the highlight stayed in place.

I duplicate my Sim layer group once more, and merge the layers within this group. So now the Hair, Highlight and Clean-up Crew is all merged onto the Sim layer. I hide the previous Sim groups.

With my new Sim layer selected, I go to Image -> Adjustments -> Hue/Saturation. I want to make my Sim a little less bright so it will match the background a bit better.

I drag down the Saturation and Brightness slider a bit until I like what I see. After this I save my whole image as a PNG-file because from now on I want to edit the whole picture but still want to keep this psd-file as it is for anxiety purposes. Important: I disable my curves layer before saving this as a picture, I don’t want that brought with me into the next steps because I will be adding new curves there.

I open my new saved PNG-file. I go to Filter -> Convert for Smart filters. This will allow us to go back and change any filters we add to this layer. I go to Filter -> Camera Raw Filter and for some reason this window opens up humongus. I start by dragging down the temperature. How much depends on the picture, usually more if it's nighttime.

I pull up the Whites a bit for a cleaner look.

Now I add a Curve Adjustment Layer. Now you can add Contrast in the Camera Raw Filter as well, but I prefer the curve layer because I like to control the different levels. This way I can make my darkest parts a little brighter, giving just a little washed out flair to it all.

I select my background layer again and go to Filter -> Noise -> Add Noise and choose a level that I think looks good. This just brings the picture together a bit more. Also vintage vibes :)))

I add my frame (because it´s my aestethic and I think it looks cool on tumblr) by resizing my workspace and adding a filled white layer underneath the background layer.

I resize my picture (Image -> Image Size) because we don't need it to be huge.

And they I just fine tune the Filters and Curves until the end of time :’)))

And that is that my friends! That’s the end of the tutorial! I hope you could follow somewheat and that someone found it useful. Thank you for reading and never be afraid of contacting me if you have any questions :) I’m very friendly.

[ghostadventuresstuff]

Jay Wasley x Reader

Y/N

It had taken longer than you would have liked, but you’d finally found your dream apartment in Vegas. After spending the last two years travelling around Europe never staying in a place longer than two weeks it would be nice not living out of a suitcase and finally being able to call a place home. You’d told your work that you’d like to be located more stateside and they agreed because of how much hard work you put into assignments.

You were a paranormal photographer for a paranormal magazine, who travelled to haunted locations around the world, took photos and learnt the history of the location and hauntings which were then put into the articles within the magazine that potential investigators could look at and decide if they wanted to check the place out. It was great being able to put your degree to good use, being a history graduate meant your articles were more accurate and interesting than others. The job also allowed you to pursue your love of photography, not many people got their dream job.

The first couple of weeks in the apartment felt fine, little things happened but you put it down to that fact this was the longest you’d stayed somewhere so your body and mind were adjusting to the change. It was an old building so there was going to be the odd draft and cold spot the heating didn’t quite reach, but Vegas was going through a heatwave and certain areas of your apartment felt like you were walking into a freezer when you should have been sweating. Most people who thought they might be haunted would have been more concerned, but you had enough practice to know how to keep calm. So you go out and buy some cameras which you place around your apartment hoping to catch anything, and if the results came back negative you were overthinking cold spots.

A job in Texas took you out of Vegas for a week, and even though you could monitor the cameras from your tablet, work was a lot to handle so you put your apartment to the back of your mind. However upon returning the atmosphere in the apartment felt wrong from the second you stepped over the threshold, maybe being in a haunted building in Texas had heightened your senses. You walk into your makeshift office and log into the security system and sit back in your desk chair not quite sure what you were going to capture.

‘What the hell?’ you gasp loudly, sitting forward in the chair, staring wide-eyed at the screen.

You were checking out the camera in the hallway and after some rewinding, there was a very clear apparition floating up and down the hallway, however, you couldn’t see any facial features or clothes like most people assumed you could when seeing an apparition. This was only the first camera and the volume wasn’t even turned on. You needed to reach out to an old friend and hope he could help.

JAY

I’d just gotten back from a draining investigation when my phone pings with a message from an old friend. y/n and I went back years, their work actually helped Ghost Adventures choose a few locations to investigate where we got our best activity. We’d met at an event and hit it off, but I hadn’t seen them since they moved to Vegas due to both our jobs getting in the way. I open the message.

Y/N: Hi Jay, I need your help. My new apartment is haunted, I caught this on one of my cameras.

Attached to the message was a video, and when I squinted at the phone screen my eyes widen seeing an apparition floating down a hallway I assumed was in y/n’s apartment. Only y/n would go and get themselves a haunted home.

JAY: I’ll bring over some equipment, send me your address...this is one way to catch up

Y/N: Thanks Jay, I’ll buy you a coffee or two when it’s all over.

y/n also sends me their address and I grab my laptop which had a program I could check out any audio on, along with some equipment I needed to return to Zak but y/n was more important right now. I guess I could sleep once I knew y/n was okay.

TIMESKIP

I buzz y/n’s apartment number and the front door opens, the fact that y/n didn’t greet me or even ask who it was concerned me. I take the lift up to the second floor and quickly find y/n’s apartment which was in the corner of the building. I try the front door and it opens, this really wasn’t a good sign.

‘Err y/n, It’s Jay,’ I call out, entering the apartment.

Vegas was in a heatwave but y/n’s apartment was ice cold.

‘Jay,’ y/n says to my right, making me jump.

I hold my heart, ‘at least wait until I check out your footage before giving me a heart attack.’

y/n smiles and motions for me to follow them, ‘sorry, I’m too engrossed in the footage. There is something on each camera Jay, I think it’s the same apparition as the height matches, one spirit I can handle.’

I shake my head and follow y/n into an office. y/n points at her own computer, ‘feel free to do your thing, Jay. Can I get you a coffee?’

I nod, ‘a coffee would be great.’

y/n leaves the office and I get set up, putting my laptop down on the desk and fire it up so I can access my audio program, ‘y/n, do you know the history of this place?’ I shout.

‘Give me a second Jay,’ y/n shouts back, ‘it’s very interesting.’

I roll my eyes at how calm y/n was being. Then again with what they did for a living y/n had learnt to toughen up. I isolate the audio from the cameras and send it over to my laptop just as y/n returns holding two cups of coffee.

‘This place was built to help with the Influenza pandemic from 1918 to 1919, a lot of people died here. It then was empty for eleven years before being transformed into an asylum that didn’t have the cleanest bill of health when it came to looking after patients. It shut down before opening as an orphanage between 1940 and 1965, a handful of child deaths were reported but a lot of abuse took place here. It was then empty for fifteen years before being transitioned into a retirement home until 1990, no deaths recorded but doctors and residents didn’t feel comfortable being in the building. And then finally after binge empty for twenty-five years, it opened as apartments in 2015, and now you’re up to date Jay.’

I chuckle, ‘there really is no stopping you y/n, you like the details. I’m running the audio from the hallway camera, my program should be able to isolate anything.’

y/n comes to stand next to me and I take the coffee they offer, ‘a place with that much history of disease, death and abuse is bound to trap spirits and probably not the friendliest.’

I had to agree with y/n. Then my program tells me it’s done running analysis and y/n crouches down to be closer to the laptop so I press play and turn the volume up as loud as it would go. There is nothing for a good few minutes, then a raspy male voice comes through muttering y/n’s name before going silent once more. y/n was so engrossed in the recording when most people would freak out at such clear audio evidence. We continue to listen when after a couple of minutes the raspy voice starts muttering ‘die’, before adding y/n’s name into the mix pretty much repeating ‘die y/n’ over and over again.

y/n clicks their tongue, ‘well that’s new Jay.’

I stop the recording and clear my throat, ‘I’m going, to be honest with you y/n, that doesn’t sound friendly, especially telling you to die in your own apartment.’

y/n looks up at me and shakes their head, ‘I’m not going anywhere this place is a dream and the rents are cheap. I have you to help me right Jay? You’ll help me out with this.’

I run my fingers through my hair and sigh loudly, ‘I forgot how stubborn you are y/n. Fine, I’ll help, but I’d like to get the others in on this, that way we can communicate with the spirit better. Do you agree?’

y/n stands up and claps their hands together, ‘yay, call them Jay. Now I’m going to order us some food because I want all this footage checked out.’

Once y/n had their heart set on something there was no changing their mind. Maybe, Zak, Aaron and Billy could convince her that this apartment might not be safe. But for now, it looked like I wasn’t going anywhere, and I felt better being able to keep an eye on y/n in case they did something impulsive that annoyed the spirit unintentionally. The guys made fun of me because I had a small crush on y/n and hadn’t acted on it despite us both being single and cool around one another. Maybe this spirit could bring us closer, maybe I could man up and confess my feelings one day.

[samanthalightning]

She's Got A Date-EoWells X Allen!reader- Part I

*The GIF is not mine. All rights belongs to the owner*

Summary: You decided to cook for your secret boyfriend, but things did not go accordingly.

Warnings: Smut. Oral (fem!receiving)

***

Just a month ago, your brother woke up from a 9-month coma he was in. Everything has changed since December. The city mourned it's losses. Joe became more heavily into work, Iris is dating behind his back with Eddie. You graduated from school, you became an employee at S.T.A.R Labs despite of it's downfall. And you were also dating someone behind their backs.

5 more minutes before you're done for the day, you find yourself in the cortex, head laid back on the leather chair, spinning it while you stare at the ceiling. The boredom is not what's bothering you, it's the sweet torture of waiting. You've been excited since the day started, you managed to get through the whole day and a few more minutes is killing you.

Cisco entered the room, holding a tablet in his hand. He took a seat beside you and typed something on the computer.

"You okay, Y/N?" He asked.

"Yeah, just can't wait for this day to over,"

His head slowly turning his head to you, craning it to the side with narrowed eyes at you. "Miss Y/N Allen hurrying out of work? That's suspicious. You got a date?"

Your eyes went wide and jolted upright in your seat. "No!" You blurted loudly.

A perplexed look crossed his face, slightly taken a back with your reaction, as he was only teasing, but you actually thought he was onto you.

You blinked, the blood drained from your cheeks upon the realization of what you've done. You have to throw him off guard or else he'd be actually onto you, and all of the ridiculous excuses you've made will be all gone to waste. And he will kill you for actually spilling the beans without his consent.

You fiddled with the edge of the white sweater that Barry got for your graduation that he missed, as you rack your brain for a decent excuse. You stared at him for far too long, it was just seconds really, but you panicked and went along with whatever comes out of your mouth.

"I mean, I don't have a date, I'm not going out tonight or meet someone, or have dinner with anyone— I don't have a date!" You snapped.

"Okay, chill." He raised his hands up. "I was only teasing,"

You laughed nervously. "Cool,"

He turned back to whatever was he doing on the computer, still wholly confused on whatever was going on with you. You didn't say anything; you didn't trust yourself and your mouth. You checked your watch for time, and your shift officially ended. You picked your shoulder bag from the floor and slung it over your shoulder.

"Hey, I gotta go, Cisco. Bye, good night!" You jumped out of your seat, and picked up the messenger bag you have, slinging it over your shoulder.

"Good night." He watched you as hurriedly left the cortex, he can even hear you running down the hallway . He shakes his head and chuckles to himself; you were very obvious.

Just as you left, Dr. Wells wheeled into the cortex.

"Y/N already left, Cisco?" He asked.

Cisco nodded. "Yup. She got a date,"

You decided that you will cook tonight. You and your love haven't had a decent date night ever since Barry woke up from the coma with a newfound speed. And you never really went out for dinner like normal couples do. So if you can't go to a restaurant, you'll bring the restaurant to you.

Compared to Iris' cooking, you're basically a master chef, but compared to normal people's cooking, you weren't actually that good. But you decided that you will cook for dinner anyway. What's a little steak compared to a mechanical engineer who works for a team that kicks meta-humans' butts? If things go awry, pizza's the back-up plan.

With a steak that's overcooked, the potatoes and the salad barely even done, and you have spent an hour trying to make things go accordingly and you were on the verge of a mental breakdown, but on the bright side, the soufflé are done. Maybe you should've ordered pizza. It's not too late, he isn't here yet.

Abruptly, there was a knock coming from your door.

"No, no, no," you whispered, hurrying out of the kitchen to head for the door.

You opened the door, wishing that it wasn't him, only to be disappointed once you laid your eyes on him. He had a small smile on his face, looking at yourself. He did really take the whole dinner thing seriously, because you're cooking. In a fancy suit, he ditched the tie, and the two buttons were undone. He held a bottle of wine on his lap.

Your boyfriend, Dr. Harrison Wells.

"Hello,"

"Hey babe," you leaned down and gave him a peck on the lips, before stepping aside to let him in your small apartment.

You took the wine and placed it on your coffee table, slightly anxious as you stood behind him.

"You're early,"

He merely shrugged. "What's for dinner?" He asked, heading straight to the kitchen, eyeing everything on the counter.

Your face scrunched up, pressing your lips together, following behind him. "About that..." You watched, as his confusion settled on his face, his head tilted to the side, when he saw the food.

Your cheeks were warm in embarrassment, mentally cursing yourself for ruining everything.

"I may have slightly overcooked it. And I haven't cooked the sides," you explained, scratching your head.

You expected a reaction from him, dreaded it, actually, but he glanced up to you with this stoic, blank expression on his face. You can't read it; you don't know what's on his mind, is he disappointed? You have no idea, and it's infuriating, honestly.

Your shoulder slumped with a weary sigh and frowned, "Look, I'm sorry. I really tried, but I don't know what happened," you spoke softly. You still got no reaction from him, he only watched you intently, so you took it as a sign to continue, "I really want this to go perfectly, and it just... I'm sorry I disappointed you,"

That's when he took your hand, his thumb brushing against your knuckles, then planted his lips on it. "Come here." He patted his lap, gesturing you to sit on his lap.

You obliged. He rubbed his hands on your arms soothingly, comforting almost, as if he can sense the disappointment and frustration you feel for yourself.

"I'm not disappointed," he assured you, "I'm amused, actually,"

You whirled your head, facing him. You were surprised by his confession.

You blinked. "What?"

Now, his lips turned up a little bit. And you start to wonder how botching dinner and failing at doing a basic life skill is amusing as this doctor said.

"Well, I appreciated the gesture, even though it did not end well. You didn't have to do this, but thank you,"

You adjusted yourself on his lap, you put your head on his shoulder, you wrapped your arms around his neck. And he kissed your forehead, cradled your neck, coddling you protectively like you were a baby. Well, his baby.

"I really did want to make this special, you know? With all of what's happening— Barry, the metas— and the whole secret relationship is not helping. It's all happening so fast, and we didn't have time for ourselves," you rambled on.

"I know." His chest heaved. "It's okay. You tried,”

Silence seeped through the room. You felt safe and comfortable in his arms. You ran your thoughts, thinking how far you've come in your secret relationship and how intimate he'd become. He wasn't always like this, the kisses were awkward, so was holding hands. He was weird with affection; he wasn't used to it, exactly. You were like high schoolers dating. That built up a lot of tension, which paid off later.

Only 10 months ago, you were just an intern at S.T.A.R Labs. He's just the guy you worked for, he didn't know you existed, hell, you weren't even on his research team for the particle accelerator. Then Barry got struck by lightning and was in a coma, then he offered to help him, bringing him to S.T.A.R Labs. He was nice, he was assuring— he was there.

Although, you admit that you always had a crush on him, you considered it as merely admiring his works. Then something happened, something sparked between you two, and you realize that you're starting to have feelings for the man.

You pursued him. Man, he was hard to crack. He had a bunch of excuses. First, it was the 28 years age gap between you two; then it was his current condition; then ultimately, his new reputation in the city. It was like he's immune to temptation, but even steel can be bent. Two months of pining after him, he gave in. You may have snapped and confronted him and annoyed him in the process, but he gave in.

"Imagine, 6 months of dating and I never cooked for you," you said randomly.

"It was probably for the best," he quipped.

You both shared a laugh. Although you were a bit flushed. You started fiddling with the hem of your sweater again. As much as you want to stop, because you might ruin it, but it just feels nice when it brushes against the skin of your fingers.

"My mom was great in the kitchen," you began. Memories played on your head— memories of family dinners every night. It's a blur, but you remember how it felt; warm, inviting, happy— whole.

"Really?" You nodded.

"If she was here she'd be wondering how on earth am I her daughter." You chuckled.

"If she's here, she would be very proud of how incredible and smart you are,"

"Yeah?"

Wells exhaled. "Not with what you've done with the steak, but—" you didn't let him finish and swat his chest. He laughed a bit, much to your already abashed self.

"No, I meant it. She would have been very proud. It's a shame she never gets to see the woman you become," he said, as he tuck a strands of hair behind your ear.

You rolled your eyes, but you blushed. You admit, it was nice to hear it. If she can see you right now, you really wish she's proud.

He cupped your chin, lifting it to meet your eyes. "I love you," he said it like the first he said it: stern, yet with such emotions and meaning with it, it makes your heart sink. Only him can do that.

"I love you too," you replied, leaning into him.

You kissed him sweetly and tenderly. Even now, kisses from him make your stomach flips.

Moments like this in your relationship is what makes you all warm and fuzzy inside, it makes your heart flutter. He's a man of logic, of course his words and gestures were often minimal. But when he shows them, it's meaningful and beautiful and just sweet.

You pulled away, grinning ear-to-ear like an idiot.

"Do you want me to order some pizza?"

"I think we should skip dinner and head straight for desserts," you saw the smirk on his face, the glint in his eyes: dark and mischievous.

He leaned closer, slowly, inch by inch, as if torturing you, making your breath hitch. His breath fanned against your lips, his own was hair breadth away from you.

You knew exactly what this is leading to, but it wouldn't hurt to mess with him.

You tilted your head slightly, staring at his thin, pink lips, leading him to believe you're going for it, then pulled away, raising your eyebrows.

"The soufflé?" You inquired, pretending to be clueless. "I can get them if you want,"

You got off his lap, not even fully standing when his hands grabbed your waist and yanked you back down, and you let out a squeal in the process. He wrapped his arms around you locking you in. His hand cupped your cheek, before clashing his lips against yours.

Hungrily, he kissed you. You put your hand on his chest, as your lips moved against his, fighting his dominance, he moved his lips searingly, deepening the kiss that sends chills down your spine. His tongue brushes against your bottom lip, and you open up your lips, allowing him entrance. It was the battle of tongue, which you lost, melting into him.

His hands roamed your back, then your waist, the edge of your curves, alighting a spark in your stomach. Your hands flew to his neck, clutching it.

You broke the kiss to catch your breath. Your heavy breath was seemingly dramatic compared to his. He didn't even break a sweat. You giggled, your head felt light and the room was spinning around, heart was racing. Damn. He's such a good kisser.

You shifted, straddling his lap, you put arms around your neck, reeling him back into the heated kiss. Your hips flicked, groans spilled from your lips. His lips moved to the nape of your neck, vigorously sucking on your sweet spot right there. You tried to suppress the moan in your throat, as his lips lowered down, nipping the skin of your collarbone. The last time you screamed, the neighbor slammed on the wall, complaining. Not having that again.

The need for him builds up in the pit of your stomach minute by minute, rocking your hips faster and faster against him, your own wetness growing. He untied the knot of your apron. He took it off your neck, throwing it to the side, before grabbing your face and capturing his lips again, not getting enough of it.

You took his jacket off of him, without breaking your lips, then your dainty fingers started unbuttoning his shirt skillfully. It was clearly unfair, so he started getting rid of your blouse as well. You discarded each other's top, until you were down to your bra, which he unclasped later on.

You gasped, as you felt your breasts were finally freed. The chilly air inside made your nipples harden. He admired your perky breasts, appreciatively, planting a kiss in between, you hummed involuntarily. His lips trailed closer and closer, he swirled his tongue around the nub teasingly and torturously. A hum wouldn't do anymore, you moaned in pleasure. Then suddenly, he ravished your nipples in his mouth, sucking on the nub, like fingers toyed with the other one.

Your fingers ran across the naked chest, to the taut of his shoulder, before delving in the bed of his locks, gripping them tightly, as he continued on, moving to the breast to give the same attention. He pinched it, bit it; he drove you wild with what he's doing with your nipples.

It's like someone started a fire in your bones; you're all hot and bothered.

He stopped kissing them, which made you whine for the loss of attention. He tugged your short, basically saying you needed to take them off, and you did, leaving you with only your panties on you.

His lustful eyes raked your naked body, as you stood before him, breathless. Your heart pounded in your ears, adrenaline rushing through your veins in excitement. You felt the ache between your legs, slowly feeling your panties dampening. God, you really need him.

He ran his hands on hips, trailing hot, open-mouth, wet kisses down your stomach, it made you bite your lip.

"Stunning. Just stunning," he whispered softly against your warm skin.

You blushed lightly at his comment. He liked making you blush. You realized that pattern back when Barry was in a coma. You'd stay and help out, he would just compliment you for whatever you tackled that day.

You let out a gasp, when he gripped your hips, lifting you off the floor, and placed you on top of the kitchen counter. You didn't expect such force from him. His fingers slipped through the bands of your panties, tugging them down antagonizing slowly. Such a tease.

He lowered his head in between your legs, as he spread them opening. His lips curved at the sight of your wetness, he took your leg and put over his shoulder, and began sucking on the soft skin of your leg, trailing up to your inner thigh. You felt his warm breath ghosting your inner thigh, kissing it, as his lips moved up and up to your womanhood, his fingers lightly trailed against it.

"Harry, please," you cried, screwing your eyes shut and bit your lips harshly.

Hearing your plea, he slowly licked a stripe, then closed his mouth over the sensitive bundle of nerves. Your mouth hung open and you arched your back. Pleased with his work, he hummed, sending vibrations through your body.

"Oh, don't stop," you whined.

"Oh darling, I don't intend to," he said huskily, it ran shivers down your spine.

His tongue thrusted in and out of you, swirling around your clit, driving you to sweet ecstasy. You clampled the edge of the counter and mewled loudly, your hips locked up at the sensation.

Abruptly, a ring cut through the moment. Wells stopped, but upon realizing that it wasn't his phone, he carried on. Breathless, you pat the counter behind you, looking for your phone. Once you took a hold of it, you were going to reject it, seeing the caller ID, you turned to Wells.

"It's Cisco," you informed him.

You thought he didn't just hear you, distracted, so you told him again.

"Answer it,"

Your lips parted, "Wha—"

"Answer it," he repeated nonchalantly.

You can't believe that he's risking being caught. For someone who would scold you to keep your hands to yourself when you're out, this is surprising.

Extremely bewildered and aroused, and worried that something might have happened to Barry, you didn't argue and clicked to answer.

"Hey Cisco," you tried to steady your voice, but it wavered at the end, when he sucked your clit with vigor.

"Hey Y/N. You busy?"

Yup.

"Not so much. What's up?" you reply, panting.

Your breath stopped in your throat, you weren't able to register the next sentence Cisco said, when you felt Wells inserted a finger inside of you. His finger went in out of you, before adding another finger in. He scissored his digits inside, pumping in and out, looking for the sweet spot, while his thumb rubbed your clit roughly. If he keeps doing this you're not going to last.

You looked at him, mouth hung open. He gave a smug smirk, and licked your clit.

"Y/N? Can you hear me?" You almost forgot he was there.

Your arm fling to your face. Your teeth dug on your arm, squirming quietly, unable to handle the pleasure.

"Y/N!" Cisco yelled in your ears.

There's something arousing and bothering with this; the idea of getting caught while doing it, it's thrilling. But it's weird and you have embarrassed yourself enough.

"I'll call you back!" You gasped, pressing the button and basically threw your phone behind you.

Your hips quivered, locking him up in between. You felt the orgasm bubbling inside of you. You were so close.

"Harry, I need to—"

"No, not yet," he cut you off, his tone authoritative.

You whimpered in return, in need for release. He patted your thigh, gesturing you get off the counter. You hesitated, for you actually thought you would crumble if you got on your feet.

"Come on." His fingers flicked in gesture.

You know you can't sit on the counter forever; you haven't even cleaned it. You have to get off eventually, and slowly you planted your feet on the hardwood floor. You wobbled for a bit, but you grabbed onto him for support.

Your eyes met his dark ones. His hands reached for his belt, unbuckling it and threw it to the side. His pants and underwear followed suit, pooling at his feet. Your eyes wandered to his hardened member and you watched as he stroked it.

"Turn around," he ordered.

That ran chills through your body. You did what you were told. He guided your hands towards the counter, and placed it there. He held your waist, slowly bringing you down on his lap. Anxious to get him inside of you, you tried to sink down, he held you in place, growling at your impatience. He has a thing for taking time slow and being dominant, which you really didn't mind, but with high nearing, you were eager.

He lined himself up in your entrance, you even felt the tip of his length teasing you.

“Stop teasing,” you half-moaned and groaned.

"Say please,"

"Please, Harrison— I can't take it anymore. I need you," you cried.

“More,” he demanded.

“Please, I need you inside me. Please, babe. Please, I can't take it anymore,”

You felt him slowly entering inside. You let out shaky breath and you heard a raspy grunt from him. He stretched your walls, pain was present. You winced. It has been weeks since you’ve been this intimate, you almost forgot how it felt like.

“You okay?”

You nodded, biting your lips.

“Use your words,”

“Yes,” you panted.

He gave you a few moments to get accustomed to his member, before lifting you up to test the waters, starting a slow and gentle pace. You moaned loudly. It felt so good, he filled you up so good. Damn, you missed this. You clenched your walls, a guttural groan escaped his lips. His hand finds it's way to your breast, fondling with it.

“Harry, faster!”

He started picking up the pace, and finding the rhythm that suited him. He thrusted faster and harder, rocking your hips against his, hitting all the good spots, your toes curled in the process. You clamped the counter, knuckles turning white. You held on for dear life, as he took you from behind.

You couldn't keep the voices down anymore, and you couldn't care less about the neighbors anymore— grunts, moans, screams and pleads filled the room. You were a whimpering mess, crying his name and begging for more.

The overwhelming intensity of the pleasure washes over you. You were close, so, so close. You need to come.

“Harrison, please,” you begged weakly.

“Please what?” His voice is deep and raspy.

“Please, let me come,” you whimpered.

“Then come,”

He thrusted in you deeper. Tears pricking the corner of your eyes, desperate for your high. Then you felt it. Your clit pulses and walls clenched again. Eyes are closed, you arched your back and screamed. You screamed, as you came undone.

You thought he would stop, but he didn't. Instead, he gripped your hips tighter, pretty sure that's going to leave an imprint behind. He slammed your hips down on him, thrusting deeply and roughly.

He took you from behind with, until he met his high he felt his own pleasure washing over him. You felt spurts of warm liquid inside of you. Thank God for your pills or else Joe would kill you. Being an adult doesn't make being pregnant less scarier. Especially if your adoptive father is a cop, and your brother is a superhero.

His pace started getting sloppy and slow. You lean back to him, your back meets the skin of his chest, warm and sticky with sweat. Your bodies glistened with sweat.

Short breaths escaped from your parted lips. He trailed sloppy kisses on your shoulder, wrapped his arms around your waist, still not pulling out of you.

You were so dizzy, exhausted, overwhelmed and just happy. You truly missed being with just him and right now, you couldn't be more content in his arms.

"Round 2?” You challenged, panting with a grin plastered on your face.

He didn't reply, but you saw the corner of his lips tugged up. Next thing you know, the wheelchair was moving, heading to the direction of your bedroom.

Part II

[8sharkie-bites8]

Do you take requests, cause I want to see a fanfic of a Dodo x Remi fanfic please!

Oh, sure!☺ Been a while since I wrote something actually. I can definitely do that!

>----------------------------------<

Remi was always proud of Sayu and her legacy. Sayu... Sayu is his magnanimous. He loves his work and his team's work with all he has... Howeverrrr... In the aftermath of the Rock Revolution-courtesy of B2J- more and more genres have been on the market.

Dispite still topping the charts... There was a notable decrease in giggs... Leaving more free-time for the Sayu Crew. And... Remi wasn't sure how to feel about it... While before he would spend his days brainstorming new ideas and designs for the next concert they had. But now... Now there were just days when they didn't have to prepare every day...

Now here were days when all Remi could think of doing is sitting in his room just doodling and eating snacks until he got called out for dinner... It was quiet. Too quiet for him... And he wanted things normal again... Usually on days like that, the others were out doing their own thing... Remi was never all that sure what, but it was something.

Soooo where suddenly his bedroom door opens up and he sees someone standing in the doorway, he's kinda freaked out. Luckily though, his frightened squeak was met with a familiar chuckle. "Calm down dude. It's only me..." His tall blue friend smiled calmly and walked closer to Remi and his desk. Remi sighed lightly.

"Just you... Jeez Dodo, at least... I-I dunno, knock or something!" Remi sighed and popped a gummie snack into his mouth. Dodo just chuckled. "Heh, sorry Remi. Guess I just wasn't thinking... Say, what cha drawing?" He asked and leaned over Remi's shoulder to get a look at his art tablet. "Is it Sayu?" "Mm-" Remi's cheeks got a little tinted and he gently nudged the taller boy away.

"Yeah... It is... Just something to pass the time ya know..?" Dodo smiled and pulled up a bean bag chair. "Cool. Your art is super pretty." "Mm.... Thanks..... Hey, Dodo?" Remi set his pen down and turned to looked at him. "W... Why are you still here? You... Normally aren't around the apartment this time of day..." He asked and rubbed the back of his neck. Dodo just shrugged.

"Eh. I usually hang around in Metro district, buuut they're preparing for a big 1010 show tomorrow night soooo..." "Ah..." Remi mumbled and knodded. "So that's what you do all day..." "Yea... And you Remi?" Dodo smiled and looked up to him. "I've hardly seen you leave recently... I'm kinda... Kinda worried actually... You doing ok?" "H-huh?" Remi was... Slightly surprised.

"W-worried?.. Mm... I-I'm fine dude- Really! Just... Guess I... I really don't know what else... What else I can do..." He murmured and glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck. Dodo knodded. "Still kinda adjusting huh?.. Hey- How about this." He said and stood up. "You and I can go hang out. Go to a cafe, go shopping, whatever you want! Just to get out of the house... What do you say?" Dodo smiled and extended a hand to Remi.

Remi felt his cheeks heat up a little, but slowly... He went and took his hand. "A..... Alright... Let's... Let's go..." Dodo smiled and lead the way. "That's the spirit. C'mon, I know a bubble tea place over by Cast-Tech. I think you'll like it." He kept talking for a little, menwhile Remi looked down to their hands... It was a warm and pleasant feeling. Although... Hard to tell if it came from their hands... Or just Remi's chest. Either way... Remi smiled and gently squeezed Dodo's hand as they kept walking.

>----------------------------------<

A couple hours later, sun was setting and the duo were returning home with shopping bags in arms. It had been a pretty good day today. Went to a cafe, walked around the city, and did some light shopping for snacks and drinks. It was nice for Remi... It really had been a while since he'd gone out and done something like this... And he's honestly really glad Dodo brought him out to do so.

Once home, Dodo went and started putting stuff away in the kitchen area while Remi plopped himself on the couch. "Mm.... H-hey Dodo... You wanna watch a movie or something?" "Hm?" Dodo looked over, slightly surprised. "You... Wanna watch a movie with me?.. I kinda figured you'd just be heading right back to your room when we got back..." He mumbled and walked up to Remi. "Huh? O-oh... Well uh... I-I guess I can j-just-"

Remi attempted to stand, but Dodo put his hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him back down. "Nope." "E-eh-?!" Remi squeaked and blushed faintly. Dodo just chuckled. "We're watching a movie. No going anywhere now." Dodo smiled and gently ruffled his hair. "Pick something out. I'll get snacks." Remi looked up at him his face reddening. After a moment he looked away and adjusted his glasses. "Mm- A.. Alright then- I'll... I'll do just that."

Dodo smiled and walked back to the kitchen for snacks. Remi took a moment, kinda frazzled, took the remote and started looking through movies. While he did so, Dodo would come in and out of the room with treats ; mini kit-kats, meiji apallo, ramune candies, hello panda, just the works. Remi soon decided on Ponyo, then looked down at the coffee table. "W-wow!... Uh... L-looks like we're set..."

"Noooot yet my friend." Dodo smiled and came back with some drink bottles. Remi looked at them for a moment, taking a second before realizing what they were. When he did, his eyes lit up. "Mogu mogu!" He smiled. "Aww man! I thought Tila drank the last one!" "Oh, she did." Dodo said. "Buuut since it's a favorite of yours, I snagged a couple for you." Remi smiled and took one. "Lychee flavored too? Aw man, you're the best Dodo!"

"Eh. I try..." Dodo smiled and sat beside Remi. "Anyway... You got the movie?" "Yep yep!" Remi grinned and started movie. "It's Ponyo!" "Ah. A Ghibly movie then... You really like these hm?" "Of course!" Remi smiled brightly. "I love everything about Ghibly movies! The stories, the characters, the ART! Oh I could go on forever about how much I love the art alone~"... And go on forever he did. Or, it felt like it at least. It wasn't until the movie was half way through when he finished up talking.

"-Ponyo is just my favorite though- for... Obvious reasons- BUT Totoro is... Definitely my..." Remi looked up to Dodo, only to see him with a glazed over look in his eyes, a small smile, and... Light pink cheeks. He was watching Remi... But didn't look to be listening... "... You ok dude?" He asked, making Dodo squeak, coming back to reality. "O-oh, uh... Sorry dude..." He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Mm... Is Something the matter? You..."

Dodo just looked at him, then chuckled. "Don't worry Remi. You just... Distracted me." He smiled and ruffled Remi's hair. Remi was... A tad confused. "I... Distracted y-you...?" "Well... Yeah." Dodo smiled and gently cupped his cheek. "Mm... Whenever... Whenever you start talking about art stuff... You always get a lil glint in your eyes... And it's honestly the most adoroble thing ever..." He blushed and chuckled

Remi went red and started stuttering. "Eh?.. I-I... You... Y-you... Th..." Dodo listened, then chuckled. "Mm... Why wouldn't I?" He asked and gently hugged him. "Who wouldn't find you adorable? You're so small with just the sweetest smile..." He gently cupped Remi's cheeks. The two boys were... Rather close at the moment... "U-um..." Remi squeaked out, bright red. Dodo just looked at him and smiled. "Mm... See what I told you?" He said and slowly leaned closer.

Their noses close to touching... Remi could hear his heart pound in his chest and his face was burning up. "You're... Adorable..." Dodo said, looking at the shorter boy. His cheeks a lovely color of pink... The two slowly came closer and closer... Until...

"Hey guys!" The door slammed open as Tila returned home. "GHA-" Remi squeaked, startled, and fell backwards off the couch with a thud. "O-ow..." "Ngh- R-Remi!" Dodo squeaked. "Hey guys." Tila set her bag at the doorway and walked up to the livingroom. "Hm? Woah... You ok? You guys look startled... And... Red. Hey are you both sick?" "Mm- u-uh..." Remi was still bright red and nervous. "Um... U-uhh.... I... Mm!" He squeaked and stood up, nervously running to his room and slamming his door.

"R-Remi! Wait-... Damit!" Dodo groaned and slapped a hand on his face. "Remi..." "... Well..." Tila rubbed her neck. "That was... Weird... Whaaat was-" "Tila, hush... Just hush..." He sighed and walked off. Remi menwhile sat on his bedroom floor, fanning his face with his hands. "O-oh god. Did... Did that just... Happen? We could've... Gha- damiiiiit!" He squeaked and hid his face in his hands."Mm... J-just calm down just calm down... S-stop thinking for two seconds and just... Calm... Down-" And a knock had come.

"GH-!" Remi jolted away from the door. "S-sorry-" Dodo spoke from the other side. "I'm sorry... Didn't mean to scare you..." "... Mm...." Remi sighedand leaned against the door. "I-it's ok dude... I... I just need a minuet to calm down. I... I'm feeling a little frazzled so..." Dodo sighed and knodded. "Alright alright, I get it... Well... Sofa will probably be back soon too and... Then we can order dinner... Want me to call you then?" "Mm... Y-yeah..." Remi murmured and smiled faintly. "T-thanks..."

"Heh... No worries Remi." Dodo said and started walking away, but stoppedin his tracks. "Oh! Nearly forgot!" He smiled and turned back to the door. "Tomorrow, I have somewhere I wanna take you. A cafe on the edge of Akusuka and Natura. I think you'd like it... What do you say?" "Mm? O-oh uh... S-sure! I-I'd love to..." He mumbled and smiled. Dodo chuckled and started walking off. "Great! Well then... See ya at dinner dude." "Mm... Y.. Yeah..." Remi mumbled and smiled.

Once he knew Dodo had gone, Remi went to his bed and laid down with a tired but happy sigh. He put his hands on his cheeks and felt them heat up again. "Mm... W-well... I guess that wasn't too terrible... Frigen Tila." The boy mumbled and hugged a pillow "... W-was he always so... Charming and sweet and stuff..?" Remi mumbled and giggled a bit. "Mm... We were... So so close... Maybe we could've... Mmnmnf-" Remi blushed brighter at the thought and burried his face into thr pillow. "Mm- c-calm down! Mm... I think to muuch...." He groaned and laid down, flustered.. But happy. "Mm... W-well... We still have tomorrows... D-date."

>----------------------------------<

Okie dokie! Sorry if it ain't great (especially that ending) but, it was fun! Merry Christmas and happy new-year peeps

[spartanxhunterx]

Bug And Shell(d): The Bubbler.

Normally Nino was excited for birthdays, between him, Kim and Marinette they were often a blast or at least memorable.

Today, however, was Adrien's birthday and Nino was a little afraid on how to proceed, just slightly really.

He'd only known Adrien for all of a few weeks and he felt like he didn't know much about his new bro-friend.

So he had decided to pick out a gift based on a little something that he did know about him. That was wrapped up in the box.

For now though, Nino's attention was drawn to the other item that had arrived with it. All very last minute but he didn't care. Opening the packaging he pulled out his brand new wireless headphones, gone was the plain orange and black colour scheme.

His new ones were custom designed with the outside of each ear piece looking like Carapace's shield, the inside was a dark green much like the darker shade on his costume and the head band came with a soft plush cushion of the same colour.

Overall, not bad and he could always claim it was his way in supporting the heroes, even if he looked a little biased towards his own alter-ego.

As long as their wasn't any harm, then there would be no foul.

 "I'm not as caught up with technology as I probably should be." Wayzz stated as he flew around the headphones, inspecting them. "But I'd imagine these won't last forever, power wise at least."

 " No they won't, " Nino picked up the headphones before pointing to a small cover, opening it to reveal the ports for wires. "That's why these are here, so I can re-charge it and not worry about power."

 he placed them on his neck, feeling a little tension fall out of him at feeling the weight on his neck. He'd gotten slightly stir crazy without his last pair, which he had broken helping that old gentleman, he had almost been tempted to break out the old-old headphones that he kept locked away.

 "That's better, come on dude." He opened up his jacket and waited for Wayzz to fly into the inner pocket. Picking up the wrapped present he tucked it under his arm before he left his room, messing up Chris' hair as he walked past him he called his goodbye as he shut the door.

-

 "Here you go dude." Nino placed the slightly haphazardly wrapped present in front of Adrien before he swung around the table to sit in his seat. "Happy birthday dude."

 " Oh, " seeing that look of genuine surprise on Adrien's face made this worth it, seeing the real excitement as his hands rested on top of the box before he turned to him. "Thanks Nino, you didn't have to do this you know."

 " I know. " Nino leaned back slightly. "I wanted to, you're my buddy after all."

 He leaned forwards, arm leaning against table. "Besides what friend would I be if I didn't celebrate my buddies birthday?" Holding up a hand to cut off Adrien's protesting he pointed to the gift. " Now are you going to sit there all day? Or open your present? We gotta get it done before miss Bustier gets in here. "

Nino watched as Adrien gave in, fingers carefully peeling back the paper as he tried so, so hard to not tear the paper.

Nino was patient though and let Adrien open it in his own time. By the time he was done the standard red paper was half torn off, half preserved and left all over their desk. Not that he minded though.

He saw Adrien peer into the clear plastic, seeing the Ladybug themed wireless headphones that were the same model as his.

It felt a little cheap or unoriginal but when the headphones came with a '50% for a second pair' deal he couldn't not capitalise on that. Besides, now he could also make the argument that they symbolized their friendship as they both had a single set of the pair.

 "100% accurate, Ladybug themed headphones dude. How's that for a B-Day present?"

 "Its... Wow, thanks Nino, I don't know what to say."

Slinging his arm over his shoulder he pulled Adrien into a side hug. "Its cool dude, Don't need to say anything," He smiled at him, getting one in return. "Say, why don't I throw you a party?"

That made Adrien's face drop slightly and Nino's own smile dropped as well.

"I don't know Nino... My father... I don't think he'd allow it."

Nino was about to respond, however, Both Marinette and Miss Bustier had entered the room. Marinette handed a wrapped gift to Adrien as she past him. "Happy birthday Adrien."

" Thanks Marinette. "

Before Bustier could get on their cases about the mess Nino scooped up the torn paper before depositing that into the trash bin as Adrien slipped the gifts into his bag.

 "Alright class, hope you've settled down now. Cause its time we get started."

-

 " Come on man, it's your B-day, Insists. " putting away his tube of bubble mix Nino wrapped his arm around Adrien's shoulder, leaning himself closer to him. "You know what? I'm gonna have a conversation with your pops."

 "Don't waste your time, he's not going to change his mind." Nino shook his head. His best bud wasn't going to go without a birthday party, not if he could help it.

 "Adrien, dude, I promise you, I will get your father to let you have a birthday party. I promise."

 Adrien turned to him, about to respond but was interrupted by Chloé, who had come running from behind them and latched onto him in a sort of awkward hug.

"Adrikins! Happy birthday!" She pulled back and Nino caught onto the genuine smile she seemed to give him. Perhaps Nino was imagining things but he was sure Chloé had been smiling more ever since Adrien had started going to school. It was subtle, but he could see it.

Perhaps her friendship with Adrien meant more to her then people realised.

 "Anyway. I ordered something special for you for your birthday, it should be there by this afternoon... Provided the moving guys aren't lazy or anything."

 " Thanks Chloé, I'm sure I'll enjoy it. " A cars horn went off several times and the trio turned towards Adrien's limo as it pulled up. "Anyway, I gotta go, Photo shoot."

Nino's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "On your birthday? Not cool dude."

The two of them watched as he walked to the car and Nino adjusted his hat so it wasn't loose. "Looks like I've got some business to take care of with Adrien's old man."

"You. Speak with Gabriel? Don't make me laugh Lahiffe, Gabriel would never waste his time with you."

He shrugged at the blonde girl, a small smile etching onto his face. "So? I thought you of all people would have been thrilled that someone was trying to give Adrien a B-Day party. "

 "I'm just saying it how it is." Chloé spoke as she examined her nails. "Uncle Gabe is very stubborn and set in his ways. So don't come crying to me when you can't do anything."

 "I'll keep that in mind... Cosplay."

 " Hey! "

-

Standing in front of Adrien's house made Nino feel slightly inadequate and nervous. Here he was, outside his buddy's house that looked big enough to house his family, cousins and other distant relatives and still have empty space inside.

Given that it was only Adrien, his dad and several staff, he could understand why Adrien was so keen on getting out of the house. It must have been terribly quiet.

Stil, he resolved his nerves and pressed the button on the intercom as Wayzz nestled into the crook between the headphones and the back of his neck for his comfort, yet out of the way of prying eyes.

He was not, however, expecting to have a large camera come out of the wall and nearly smack him in the face.

"Yes? How may I help you? "

Must've been some fancy camera.

 "Uhh... I'm Nino..." He spoke slowly, confusion clear in his voice. "I'm a friend of Adrien's and I was hoping to speak with his father regarding his birthday."

With each passing moment that was silent Nino grew more uncomfortable.

"Please wait, I'll be out there to guide you in a moment. "

within a minute the gates pulled back open and he could see someone walking towards him, he stepped several steps forwards until the two of them met.

"Come with me. Mr. Agreste will see you but only for a moment, he is a busy man."

Ah, this must have been his assistant. Nathalie, if he remembered correctly from when Adrien would take about his home.

The two of them stepped into the front door and Nino's hands shot into his jackets pockets and his hand fiddled with the bottle of bubble mix that was in there. He could feel Wayzz wiggling his way down his top and had to tense to not squirm in front of Nathalie.

Hqer head turned to him with one eyebrow raised but she didn't say anything.

"Nervous. Just a little."

She nodded before peering at her tablet before looking back up at him.

" Mr. Agreste will be here in a moment. "

Great... Just Great. He brought out his tube of bubble mix before unscrewing the cap, his hands fiddled with it as he waited, not spilling a drop.

Even though he knew they could most certainly afford to have to pay someone to clean it up.

Was it him or did the house feel cold?

"Adrien's not home yet." The sharp voice of the man of the house brought his attention to the top of the stairs, his hands freezing in place as he was dragged out of his thoughts.

He suppressed a shiver as he looked Mr. Agreste in the eye, he could feel no warmth coming from those eyes, not like what he saw when he looked in his mother's eyes.

Closing the cap of the tube he swallowed down his fear. "No I know du-Sir. I came to speak with you, actually."

" Me? " There was a shift in his posture that Nino couldn't place and the raise of an eyebrow that made him worry.

"Yes, I came to ask about giving Adrien a party du-Sir, it's his first birthday with some real friends and I think he really deserves to hav-"

" No. " Nino blinked at his cold voice, causing him to stop mid-sentence. "Adrien is my son, and I say what is best for him."

Somehow his eyes grew colder and Nino had to fight to not cringe away. None of the those present in the room noticed as Adrien slipped in behind them.

"Du-Sir. Adrien has been working really hard lately." Slowly Nino extending his fingers as he started his list. "Piano, Photo shoots, fencing, Chinese. I think it's only fair that he gets one day to enjoy himself. "

"Nino?" He turned to his side seeing Adrien next him. " You're here? "

Wrapping his arm around Adrien's shoulders he pulled him closer before before bumping his fist to his shoulder. "Of course, you're my buddy."

" You know what young man? " Looking back up the stairs Nino grew hopeful, maybe he had gotten through to him. "I've just decided that you're a bad influence on my son." Both boys eyes widened at that, Nino's hands tightening around his bubble tube. "In fact, you are no longer welcome in my house ever again, leave."

" Father. " Adrien called out, pulling away from Nino but Gabriel didn't listen as he turned and walked to his study, adjusting his tie as he went.

Nathalie stepped in front of Nino before he could try to follow. "Goodbye."

Eyes darting between between her and Adrien, he took a deep breath in before turning and walking out.

Adrien caught up to him after he was a few steps out and stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder. "Nino, I'm sorry, my father is stubborn... Thanks for trying though. "

"Its not fair Adrien..." Nino struggled to form his words as he gestured to Adrien, as if he could convey his thoughts that way. "Its totally not cool dude. "

Pulling his strap up his shoulder he turned and stalked away, he could feel Wayzz moving up his jacket again and he simply tapped where he was gently.

-

Plopping himself down on the park bench he pulled out his tube of bubble before taking the wand out and blowing a few bubbles out into the air.

"That dude it straight up not cool."

He switched forwards before resting his elbows on his knees. Trying to regulate his breathing and calm himself down, it wouldn't do to stay in a bad mood.

"But dad!" His eyes shot up, landing on the child who was trying, and failing, to break out of his father's grip.

"No Son, it's not playtime, you've got chores to do." He watched as the boy was taken out of the park before blowing a sharp breath out of his nose.

"Why have parents got to ruin everything man?"

Feeling Wayzz moving around again he opened his jacket enough to let him pop his head out. He didn't want to make him feel like he was trapped, not in the way Adrien was.

"You agree with me right little dude?" He turned his head away as he shook it. " I mean, we're kids, we should be allowed to have fun and be ourselves. "

"While I agree, I must say kids need adults, to guide them through life." Nino didn't stop him from floating out of his jacket, just a little in front of him as he started to look around. "But please calm down, being angry won't solve anything."

"Maybe not but I'm just so... Ugh, " he kicked his leg out at the grass, watching as it bounced back into place with ease.

"Please. Master, copy me. Deep breaths, in and out, copy me."

Nino turned to him, missing the pleading expression Wayzz was giving him before he groaned and rubbed his hand down his face. "You don't need to call me that dude, it's not necessary."

Today had been going so great until now and he couldn't help but feel like it was his fault.

He jerked slightly as Wayzz thumped against his temple. " Nino. Akuma. " The words spoken in his ear caused his head to jerk up, eyes widening as they landed on the black butterfly that was making a direct path to him.

"Woah!" He threw himself off the bench, before backing away from the butterfly without letting it out of his sights.

Why was an Akuma after him? He had a miraculous. Didn't they grant him immunity to being akumatised?

He grunted as his foot hit a upsticking root of a tree and he fell flat on his butt. His eyes darted back and forth as he tried to find some way out of this situation, his arms pushed against the ground as he tried to back away.

"Think happy thoughts!" Wayzz fluttered around him, trying to be both encouraging and hidden. "It can't get you if you're happy."

Happy thoughts? What was his most recent happy thought? Seeing Adrien happy this morning? Maybe Marinette's smile? that made him happy.

He could tell it wasn't working as the Akuma grew closer, his eyes darted to the tube in his hand and he threw it at the butterfly without thinking. As it made contact it sunk into it, leaving it to go a horrid grey colour.

"Ohh... That was close dude. Sorry about that." He kept his eye on it as he fell back to lay down on his back, just in case it came out on his own.

Wayzz landed on his shoulder before patting his check. " it's my fault, I should have warned you sooner, you're not immune to the Akuma's, I should have told you. "

Rubbing his head, Nino gave a slight huff. "Not your fault, I shouldn't have assumed." He sat up pulled Wayzz into the crook of his neck and gave him a one handed hug. "What are we gonna do about that?"

"We need to get Ladybug, then we release the Akuma and she can purify it. Don't touch it. "

 He nodded as he began to stand. Eyes looking around to find the closest place to transform. He didn't want to leave the Akuma unattended for long.

 "No!" His attention was drawn to the centre of the park, the boy from earlier was back and it looked like he was out for round two.

He watched as the boy ducked and weaved around people, doing his best to avoid his father. It looked like he really intended to stay at the park for as long as he wanted.

Which, now that he was looking at it more calmly, didn't look as good as it did before. He Could just imagine himself and Chris in that situation... It wasn't good.

Feeling Wayzz tugging at his clothes he was about to turn away before he saw the kid catch sight of the tube of Bubble mix. His eyes widened as he saw the kid make a break for it, no doubt thinking it was nothing more then bubbles.

"No, Kid! Don't! " Despite trying to run to it first, he had thrown it a good distance and had neglected to move closer in case the Akuma sprung out of it.

He, unfortunately, wasn't fast enough as the kid had picked it up before he could stop him. Hawkmoths symbol appeared over his eyes and Nino could see the discoloration that occurred around his eyes.

 "Kid!" he Stopped before him, hands hesitating to reach for the akumatised object, in case it somehow affect him too. " Don't listen to him kid, he won't help you. "

The boys father stopped not that far from him, seemingly hesitating to come closer. Nino grew hopeful when the boys eyes looked towards him and not spaced out, maybe he did get through to him.

"Yes... Hawkmoth." Oh Speakers, Hats and tables that was not good.

 The dark bubbles clouded around him and Nino scrambled to get a few feet back. As the bubbles peeled away he caught sight of the Akuma's form. And... ugh, it was going to make him sick just looking at it.

The boy now looked like a cartoon character, his top half was a bright red colour while his arms where a solid black, small 'bubbles' were sat around his joints and his legs were the same. He looked entirely like he was made out of plastic.

"Jason?" His father seemed to snap out of his stupor, stepping closer to his son. Nino was torn between running off to transform and staying to try to convince him to hand him the Akuma.

The akuma, Jason, turned his head towards the man with a frown on his face. "My name's not Jason." Quick as anything the boy raised his wrist and Nino saw what looked like a water gun strapped to his wrist , a small tube lead back to a tube looked backpack on his back. "Its bubble boy!"

In an instant a large bubble shot out and captured the man within it, turning it from its original purple to a sharp green, as the man floated up Nino decided that was his moment to finally get away.

-

The sound of an explosion caused Marinette to stumble off her chair with a scream, her dinner going flying, her mother jumped from the noise too.

scrambling to the window she could see both Carapace and an Akuma fighting it out.

"I... ugh, I'm going to my room! To hide!" Marinette scrambled up to her room, not giving her mother a second glance. Said woman stared after her daughter in confusion before closing the shutters on the window, just to be safe.

-

Carapace dodged to the side as another burst of bubbles shot past him, the park had long since vacated she to the Akuma and now it was just him and said Akuma.

"Listen to me kid! This isn't the way. This isn't solving anything, just causing more problems."

The akuma screamed at him, much in the same was all kids did when they were angry before pointing his bubble gum at him. "It's bubble boy! And I say it's playtime, Forever! "

Bubble boy fired off three massive bubbles towards him, two red and one purple. He knew he could deflect the red ones but he also couldn't touch the purple one without getting caught in it. He also would have time to deflect the red ones of he avoided the purple one.

He was about to cast Shell-ter when he felt something wrap around his torso. He was quickly yanked up and over the Akuma, at the peak of his impromptu swing he caught ladybugs eyes from where she was flying before he landed to a skidding halt well behind the Akuma.

"Just as a serious question. Is this going to become a regular thing with you? "

Fluttering down next to him, Ladybug let her yo-yo hang limply. "You're my partner, of course I'm going to protect you."

 "Yeah, but that's my job." He muttered quietly before taking his shield off his back and holding it in front of him. " Be careful of his bubbles, red explodes, purple captures you and they're unbreakable. He's already sent someone high up with one. Akuma's either in the bubble gun or in the backpack. "

 "Right," She nodded, eyes squinting at the Akuma . "Then let's get this done before I'm missed."

 Spinning her Yo-Yo into the air she called out- "Lucky Charm!" - The ladybugs swarmed around each other into the air and came together to form A- "Skipping rope? How's this going to help?"

 "He did say that he wanted playtime to last forever."

Ladybug nodded as she looked around, her nose scrunched up in thought. " Right I got it, " She tossed one end of the rope to him, which he caught. "You ever tie yourself up?"

Catching her meaning he nodded before he brought up his shield, the rope handle in his other hand. "Right, ready?" Receiving a nod he ran forwards, Ladybug floating just behind him.

 "You won't stop me!" Bubble Boy raised his hand at them, a large red bubble forming at the end of the bubble gun. "It will be Playtime!" He launched the Bubble and it shot towards them with speed.

 "Shell-ter! " A small semi-circular shield formed around his shield, protecting their front halves and allowed them to keep moving without removing it.

The bubble hit dead on, causing it to explode against it, the force caused his arm to real back. Instead of fighting against it he let himself be spun, throwing the shield once he was fully turned around again.

it flew through the air until it sailed right past the kids head, causing him to flinch in surprise.

Taking advantage of the momentary distraction Carapace slid to the boys left while Ladybug flew past his right, as soon as both of them passed by his shoulders they turned to loop behind him.

Carapace ended up on his right, while Ladybug was on this left, the skipping rope was looped around his chest and arms, loose.

 "Now!" Both of them pulled, tightening the rope just enough to pin his arms down. Slowly Carapace wrapped his side of the rope around his arm as he moved closer.

Grabbing the Akumatised object he carefully removed it from the boy before violently tossing it towards his returning shield, where it shattered on impact and released the butterfly within. Ladybug released her end of the rope to capture it and purify it.

Carapace relaxed slightly as the boy when more limp in his arms as his Akuma form was stripped away from him. He carefully pulled the skipping rope away before throwing it to Ladybug And pointing upwards. The boys father was still up there after all.

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

 There wasn't nearly as many magical Ladybugs as before, given the lack of damage, but Nino knew he would never tire of seeing them swarm the area.

 "Jason!" And there was the boys father, Nino released the boy and both of them collided into each other in a hug. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. What had he been thinking when he was groaning about the adults earlier?

The ringing of their miraculous brought him out of his trance and he turned to Ladybug as she began to hover slightly. "Not to charm and dash but I've gotta go."

" Bug wait! " He reached out and grabbed her wrost, stopping her from flying away for just a moment. "We need to talk."

Oblivious to Ladybugs face growing darker he looked to the father son duo as she began to talk. "Now's not a good time Cara, our timers."

 " I know," as if to punctuate her point their miraculous beeped again. "Eiffle tower, Tonight, ten thirty, yeah?"

Carapace was so caught up in organizing what he was going to say that he missed Ladybugs dreamy sigh. " Yeah... ok... " Snapping out of it Ladybug shook her head. "I mean, yeah sure, Ten thirty, not a second late."

 Nodding Nino let her go, watching as she fluttered away, chuckling as she looped in the air. Flashing the duo a peace sign he made his own quick exit.

-

Adrien's birthday might have been a bust but he had learned several important things today and Ladybug needed to know about them.

Which is why he found himself waiting on the top of the Eiffel tower, far above where anyone else could even reach. He didn't mind the height, despite how it was a little difficult to actually get up there for him but they needed the privacy.

Especially since what he was going to talk about was not something he wanted any civilian to hear. Lest he cause a little bit of a panic.

He was a little nervous about bringing it up to Ladybug, given that the Akuma was originally after him and he couldn't quite say that without worrying Ladybug and/or revealing who he was. Both of those things were bad in their own right.

The heavy thump of feet hitting metal caused him to spin around, meeting Ladybugs eyes with a nod. "Sorry I'm a little late, didn't want to get caught sneaking out."

Nino chuckled as he shook his head. " Oh, I know that feeling. The paranoia that you're being watched, your heart racing like it's beating its last. I know it well. "

"Sneak out a lot then?" Nino couldn't quite place the look that was in her eyes but he got the impression that she was... Impressed? Or maybe evaluating something about him.

"Not a lot, but sometimes I just needed some air and a walk around, you know?"

She shrugged, her wings fluttering behind her, despite being on the ground. "I guess, sometimes I need new stimuli to be able to work on some of my projects. "

He nodded and the two fell into a sort of awkward silence, he offered with his hands, finger brushing over his miraculous as Ladybug swayed side to side slightly.

"So?..."

 "I learned something today, a few things actually." Slowly Nino moved to the centre beam that stuck up the middle, before hitting his back against it and skidding down till he was sat down.

"We're not immune to the Akuma's bug. " Unknown to him, his words had ripped Ladybug out of her hypothetical daydream of Carapace confessing to her atop the tower.

Thoughts on having a hamster on hold she moved closer before kneeling down in front of him. "What do you mean? "

"Earlier, with the akuma," when he got a nod from her he continued. "The boy, he wasn't the original target for the Akuma." Seeing Ladybug about to open her mouth he held up his hand to signal that he wished to finish .

"There was this other boy, had these sick headphones styled after me, he was upset..." He completely missed the way how Ladybugs eyes widened in surprise, he had not way of knowing that she knew his civilian self. "Or mad, I dunno. "

"Point is, it went for him and he threw... Whatever the item was and it absorbed the Akuma but didn't turn him." He took a breath in as he pulled one of his knees closer. " The boy picked it up, became the Akuma. "

"Oh..." Ladybugs eyes darted around for a moment before she moved and sat next to him, their shoulders touching. "So we can trap Akuma's?"

" As long as no-one touches the item and we somehow get you there to purify it quickly. "

"Ok?..." Ladybug twisted her hand in a Thoughtful manner. " So, how does all that connect to us not being immune? "

"I made an offhand comment to Wayzz, about being glad we were immune. He said we weren't, that Akuma can come for us and we need to be careful."

He shivered as he remembered how close that Akuma had come to him, never again. Noticing the far off look in ladybugs eyes he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and bumped their shoulders together.

His missed as her face began to go the same shade as her suit, hands shaking slightly from the surprise contact. "Don't worry about it too much Bug. Just ask your Kwami to help you find your happy place, that should do it."

 " Yeah... ok... "

Despite it all, Marinette couldn't stop herself from looking at Carapace in slight awe. She leaned into his hold, glad to be able to take advantage of this moment, even if it wouldn't last.

[amberfawzy]

Un-expecting the Expected | Para

Featuring: Miguel & Amber Hernandez (with Alexandre Reyes & Dr. Zoie Barlowe; mentions of Sofia & Demetri Hernandez) Location: Pure Space, Portland, OR & Providence St. Vincent Hospital, Portland, OR Time Frame: Friday March 26 & Saturday March 27, 2021 Notes: The evening takes an unexpected turn while at a launch party for Titan

Miguel:

Even though Miguel hadn't wanted to admit it, the Spectre launch party felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. After all the work that he had done, in addition to all of the drama that had come with the lead up to the launch, it was glad that it was finally out there in the world. In a way it let him feel like he had finally won - after Apple had cost him his first marriage and almost his fourth, after he had had things stolen, even with the lawsuit, it was the first time that he really felt like he had come out on top.

And it felt fantastic.

So he let himself enjoy the party, feeling like he had accomplished so much more than just launching a new product, and with it came a joy that was rare to see in Miguel. He had worked on the speech for a week, insisting on writing it himself.  And taking to the stage, he let himself take a breath before smiling out at the crowd and starting.

Amber:

The launch party was a beautiful spectacle. Amber was enjoying their time out with Miguel and celebrating his and his company's hard work and successful premiere. It wasn't lost on them that all of this was nearly derailed a handful of months ago but they were forever grateful that the truth was uncovered and that Miguel had such a damn good legal team. In addition to their pride, they were happy to have a reason to get a little dressed up and go out with Miguel one more time before the twins were born.

After a bit of mingling about the room, conversing with some of their husband's colleagues and friends, Amber decided to sit down. Their back was aching and the Braxton Hicks had started up again. Amber took it as a cue to sit down. With a hand resting on their ballooned stomach, they picked up their water glass and took long sips, watching people gradually take their own seats as the emcee prepared to introduce Miguel. Amber smiled softly over to Andre as he sat at the same table, and then they drank some more water.

Unlike past times, however, the Braxton Hicks didn't seem to subside with the water consumption. Amber tried ignoring it so that they could listen to Miguel, but the contractions were intensifying. Brows furrowing, they took a slow, deep breath while keeping their eyes on their husband. That was, until they felt a warm gush spreading fast beneath their dress. They had read about pregnant women peeing on themselves but Amber felt fairly sure that this wasn't it. Panic quickly set in as their eyes went back to Miguel, unable to shake the alarmed expression from everywhere on their face, except for the smile stuck on their face.

Miguel:

It was hard to look out at the crowd, the lights were bright, and truthfully it took awhile for his eyes to adjust. So he focused on his speech, the tablet that he had it up on, and once he was used to the atmosphere, Amber.

They were in one of the few seats that Miguel could see, and at first he could only see their smile. And then the next time he looked, it seemed almost as if Amber was in pain. Though with the Braxton-Hicks and the fact that the twins could easily be kicking somewhere uncomfortable.  But the third time that Miguel looked at his wife, it was clear that something was wrong. They didn't tend to stay uncomfortable this long and the way that their eyes looked, it just made Miguel worry.

Which the fact that it was during his speech just made it all too real.

Miguel had to find a stopping point, which wasn't easy, and reluctantly went into an ending that seemed rushed, but still wrapped things up. At least the best that he could. And as the applause walked him off the stage, he immediately went over to Amber. "Are you alright?"

Amber:

Before Miguel's speech had swiftly concluded, the pain had steadily subsided but Amber was sure that this wasn't Braxton Hicks, and she was becoming more and more sure that she hadn't accidentally peed herself. With the panic pretty firmly set in and wheels trying to turn in her mind, she tried to think of the best plan of action while drawing the least amount of attention to herself; here and now was about Titan.

While everyone applauded Miguel for his speech, Amber's expression finally fell as she exhaled, cradling her large pregnant belly. She made herself take a few deep breaths and when Miguel approached and checked on her, her voice hiked up an octave from its usual tone while she gave a few small shakes of her head. She kept the volume of her voice relatively low, "Nope! Nope, mm-mm, no. Either I've peed myself or my water broke, and I'm pretty sure it's the latter. And I'm pretty sure I've been having contractions tonight. Like real deal, non-Braxton Hicks."

During Amber's response to Miguel, Andre made his way over from the other side of the table and caught the tail end of what Amber was saying. He picked up on what was going on and said, mostly to Miguel, "I can take you both to the hospital, or I can stay here and cover for you. Whatever you need."

Miguel:

It took Miguel a few seconds to comprehend what was happening - especially that the twins had decided that NOW was the best time to come. Mentally he ran through everything else that there was supposed to happen that night, assigning what could be done to various people on the staff. Did he like it? Not really, he had been looking forward to this night ever since things with Apple ended in his favor.

But at the same time, he was excited for the babies and finally getting to meet them that for once delegating wasn't as hard as it usually was for him.

"I can get people to cover for me, I can text them from the car. Plus Mari is here and she did enough with me when we were married that she'll make sure to keep everything going. But I think driving us would be the biggest help," Miguel nodded, squeezing Amber's hand.

Amber:

While Andre and Miguel figured out next steps, Amber was rushing through a moment of anxiousness. Were they ready for this? It didn't really matter, since the twins were already exercising their independence. Until now, in their mind, they still had another couple of days before the twins were to arrive, but now that it was just a bit sooner--and starting tonight of all nights--Amber had to speed up their preparedness.

With Miguel accepting Andre's offer to drive them to the hospital, Amber returned the squeeze to their hand and took another deep breath. They picked up their clutch and carefully raised to their feet, offering their husband a brief smile. "I guess these two wanted to see what all the fun tonight was about, huh?" Keeping their hand in Miguel's and staying at his side, they followed Andre through the venue with as convincing a look of calm as they could muster while they passed guests by.

When the cool outside air hit them however and Andre approached a valet attendant to get his car, Amber dropped the calm facade, shoulders drooping slightly while the pain of the contractions started to swell again, starting across their back and swiftly gripping across their front. Before the pain could become too unbearable, Amber said, "We don't have any of our stuff. Should we stop at home first?"

Miguel:

Miguel chuckled at Amber's words, though really he had to wonder if that had something to do with it. He knew that there were some things that had a tendency to set off labor, and Miguel wondered if excitement had anything to do with it. Though while he was curious, he figured that was something that he could look up after everything was over.

There were much more important things to think about.

As the contraction hit, Miguel squeezed Amber's hand, not really sure what they needed to get through it. Sofia had been induced, so everything there had a schedule, this was completely different and in the process Miguel found himself thinking probably a little too much. "I don't think so, we can have Sofia pick up our stuff later. Or Andre can pick it up after he drops us off at the hospital, he has a key."

Amber:

Hearing Miguel chuckle helped keep a light smile on Amber's face for a bit. They used thoughts about pleasant things like that--Miguel's laugh whenever he found something funny, Demetri's genuine excitement when he did well in school, the fun they and Sofia shared at their cooking class the other month--to try and help them through the growing return of labor pain while waiting for the valet.  Amber leaned a bit into Miguel, teeth pressed together as the contraction crescendoed. Their grip on Miguel's hand was tight and as they forced themself to exhale, a small groan escaped. "Hooooooooo...yeah, this is..." They couldn't think of a word to describe the feeling but about a minute after the contraction started, the pain was subsiding again, just in time as Andre's Range Rover was parked on the curb in front of them. Andre was quick to retrieve the keys and moved fast to set the car's navigation system for the hospital.

"It's a good thing I didn't drive the Corvette tonight," he commented lightheartedly, settling in the driver's seat and prepared to leave the moment Amber and Miguel were ready to go. Thankfully it looked like it wouldn't be a very long ride for the expecting couple. "Et oui, I can call Sofia and work out a plan to get your things to you as soon as possible."

Amber nodded while getting in the car, thankful to be sitting down again after getting the seat belt around their belly, they rested their head on Miguel's shoulder for the duration of the ride to the hospital, giving his hand a more tender squeeze than before. After gently reminding him, "Don't forget to text Meredith," Amber soon added, "I'm excited that we'll get to meet the twins tonight or tomorrow, but I'm sorry about your speech, hon. I know this was already a big night for you."

Miguel:

Miguel tried not to wince with how hard that Amber was squeezing his hand, because no matter how hard this hurt whatever Amber was feeling was probably worse.

"Thanks, I would appreciate that. Sofia's still inside too, so she might figure out something's going on before you get ahold of her," Miguel warned, as he sat in the car next to Amber.

"Right, thank you," Miguel said, pulling out his phone as he sent a text to Meri as well as everyone else he figured that he should let know, "I'm excited to meet them too, and don't worry about it. I'm glad that we're going to meet the twins too. So it's still going to be a big night."

Amber:

Andre nodded, peeling away from the curb and heading straight for the hospital. “We will handle it. You two focus on your little ones."

During the ride, Amber focused on breathing as steadily as possible. Only one other contraction hit during the trip to the hospital but this time, they tried not to squeeze the life out of Miguel's hand, opting instead to ball their fingers into a tight fist, nails digging firmly into their palms.

Just as Andre pulled up to the entrance, the pain faded again. Amber thanked Andre repeatedly for his help and then scooted out of the back seat with Miguel so they could get checked in at the Labor and Delivery ward.

Some time later, the two were brought to a delivery room where Amber was given a gown to change into; they were hooked up to an IV and monitors while Miguel was given paperwork to fill out. They were checked on for their progress and then given some privacy before the next round of being checked in on. Now laying in a mostly reclined hospital bed with ambient music playing low in the room, Amber spoke to their husband in between the pain and spikes in discomfort. "Can you do me a favor? If any of the nurses tries to ask me something during a contraction like nurse whatsherface kept doing, can you tell them to kindly put a sock in it until I can actually answer them?"

Miguel:

Getting to the hospital had been a big help for Miguel. He had calmed down on the car ride, and everything else once they got to the hospital had been things he had prepared for.

So his primary focus was Amber and making sure that they had everything they needed to be comfortable. He chuckled at their words, especially when he had noticed the nurse doing that. "Gladly, I'm not quite sure how she didn't notice what she was doing," he commented, "Do you need anything else? Water? Ice chips? Pudding that I am considering stealing?"

Amber:

Although Amber knew that labor wasn't going to be easy, knowing and experiencing it were entirely different, as she was discovering. She was nearly dilated enough for the epidural but not quite when they arrived, and she'd hoped that it would progress for her to get it soon. About an hour after their arrival, Andre had returned with the bag she and Miguel packed for this very occasion, and after briefly checking in on the couple once more, he headed out with a promise to return if they needed anything else.

Deeply thankful that she wasn't going through this experience entirely alone, she nodded at Miguel's words and only briefly thought over his question before saying, "Ice chips sound nice. But steal the pudding too." Another contraction started soon after she answered him, and to avoid squeezing Miguel's hand, Amber made very focused efforts to clench her fists and spread her fingers back and forth through the pain. She tried to remember to breathe but found herself holding her breath often instead.

Miguel:

Miguel nodded as he helped Amber through the contraction - only for the nurse to come back in and start talking almost as if on cue. "Can you please stop talking for a moment," Miguel asked, using the voice that Sofia called his "CEO voice" that had the tendency to command attention. And as it expected it worked. "If you would pay attention, you'd be able to tell that Amber's in the middle of a contraction and they aren't really up for answering questions. So we would both appreciate it if you would wait until after it was over and they'd be more than happy to answer then."

It seemed to work, as Miguel turned back to his wife to coach Amber through the rest of the contraction. "Okay, I'm going to go get the ice and the pudding now while the nurse is in here," he said once things started to settle down.

Amber:

Though Amber had heard Miguel address the incoming nurse, Amber only partially heard his words as they worked through the contraction. Thankful though that the nurse heeded his words, Amber put their full focus back on breathing and repeatedly flexing their hands until the pain was more tolerable. They opened their eyes and left them open, looking to Miguel and nodding with gratitude in their gaze, "Okay," and gently squeezed his forearm before he departed from the room.

Not long after speaking with the nurse, the doctor came in and checked on Amber, delivering the news they had been waiting to hear ever since arriving; things had progressed enough for them to get the epidural. That process in itself was unpleasant but much to Amber's relief, once everything had been done and the anesthesia started to kick in, they were far more at ease for the long hours that followed.

As the night went on, Amber talked a bit to Miguel, imagining what features the twins might inherit. Eventually, they were overcome by sleep and managed to get a little more than a couple of hours of light rest collectively, on and off before night turned early morning. The doctor came to periodically check on them again after they were awake to see how far their labor progressed. Amber managed another nap of sorts, late in the morning but not long after they awoke again, their doctor returned once more.

A new wave of anxiousness washed over them, waking them right back up again however, when the doctor informed them and Miguel that, after roughly 14 hours of being in the hospital, Amber was fully dilated and  it was going to be time to start pushing soon. While the doctor spoke to the three nurses who had suddenly joined her in preparing for the delivery, Amber reached out for Miguel's hand, "Oh my god. This is it. This is.. it's about to happen," Amber said, their voice an uneven mix of excitement and obvious nervousness.

Miguel:

Miguel had always known that labor was a game of hurry up and wait. When Andre had come with their bags, he'd changed into a new set of clothes. And from there,  there wasn't much else to do. He supported Amber, he napped when they did, and overall he just tried to imagine what it was going to be like once the babies came.

It was true, he was a lot older than he was the first time around, but he had experience, and it really had come to realize how much he had wanted more kids than only Sofia. Sure, life decided to make him wait for two decades before he got the chance to actually get there, but it was well worth the wait.

He squeezed Amber's hand as the doctor told them that it was almost time to push.  "It is. You're going to do great," he stated, giving Amber a quick kiss on the head, "Just breathe with me, and squeeze my hand, and it'll all be fine," he assured them.

Amber:

Amber softly smiled to Miguel and gave a brief squeeze to his hand when he'd lovingly assured her. Nodding, Amber affirmed, "Okay. I've got this. We've got this," and set her mind to what she knew she would have to do from here. It didn't take long after that for the nurses to position Amber's feet out of the stirrups while Dr. Barlowe began coaching Amber, instructing her to bear down and push during contractions while she, the doctor, counted. Holding onto Miguel's hand while her other hand gripped the hospital bed's side rail, Amber dropped her chin to her chest, squeezed her eyes shut and, upon command from the doctor, began to push.

She very quickly lost count of how many times she had pushed or how much time had passed since the delivery started. Despite the doctor's encouragement and reassurance that she was doing a good job, Amber felt the anxiousness and excitement transforming into exhaust and frustration. Still being numbed from the epidural, she could only rely on those around her to know what was going on. Tears pricked at her eyes and blurred her vision as she pushed through yet another contraction. This time, however, relief and steady praise soon fell over the room as a small weight was placed on Amber's stomach and chest. She opened her eyes and saw one of the nurses quickly rubbing the back and clearing the mouth and nostrils of a tiny, dark-haired newborn.

"One down, one to go, Amber, good job! Take a minute and then we'll get you're other little one out here with her sister," she heard Dr. Barlowe say as Amber's  head fell back against the pillow behind her. Tears streamed freely but she quickly wiped them away and brought her free hand to their firstborn twin's back at the same time that tiny chipmunk-like trills passed through the newborn's pink, plump lips. "Oh my God, hiii," Amber quietly cooed. She squeezed Miguel's hand and watched as the nurse wrapped the little girl in a blanket and carried her off to a nearby  bassinet while Dr. Barlowe asked Miguel if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord. "We're gonna get her sister out here soon. It should be a lot easier this time around, Amber." to which Amber gave a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness," and wearily smiled, ready to take hold of Miguel's hand again and bring their next child into the world with some renewed energy filling her.

As Dr. Barlowe had said, the second go around had been an easier, or at least, shorter labor than the first time. Some eight minutes after the first baby had been born, her sister joined the world. Instead of the quiet little trills, however, she exercised her lungs, seemingly to their full capacity once her mouth and nose were cleared of fluids. "Congratulations Amber and Miguel," Dr. Barlowe said to both parents before inviting Miguel to cut the second umbilical cord over at the bassinet while she helped Amber through the afterbirth and cleaning up from the delivery.

Miguel:

There was nothing like the birth of a child - Miguel had thought that when Sofia was born and he thought the same thing now.  There was something miraculous about it, seeing life get to come into the world at the start. And now he got to see it twice over with their daughters.

And as the first of the two came, a giant smile came to his face as Miguel looked over her features.  He teared up a bit, blinking to not let the tears fall as he squeezed Amber's hand back, before going to cut the girl's umbilical cord.  He used the moment to stroke the girl's face, and really look over her features.

"She's beautiful," Miguel smiled as he walked back over to Amber's side, preparing to meet the second twin.  It was like everything happened all over again, though the second girl wanted to make her presence known to the world in a way that the man could already tell that she was going to have a huge personality. "You're going to be a problem, I can already tell," Miguel whispered to the girl, with a teasing smile before cutting the second cord.  He then took a picture to send to Sofia and Demetri, letting them know that the twins were there.  "You did great," Miguel smiled at Amber, once the picture sent.

Amber:

Both girls were here. Amber was filled to the brim with a myriad of thoughts and emotions. As Dr. Barlowe and one of the nurses finished tending to the afterbirth and cleanup, Amber wiped their eyes and thanked everyone in the room who helped bring the twins into the world. Their eyes then moved back and forth between the two bassinets, briefly catching the tender moment between Miguel and their youngest; a soft smile came to Amber's face at the sight.

When Miguel came back to Amber's side, they reached and squeezed his forearm with tender pressure. "Thanks, hon," and then looked back over as both girls were now crying, though the second was still noticeably louder than her older sister. The nurses were getting their measurements and finishing their initial exam before the girls could be given to their parents for skin-to-skin bonding. In what felt like an eternity later, the room was being cleared of the nurses while Dr. Barlowe carried one twin over to Amber first, and then the youngest twin to Miguel.

"The girls look healthy and are at a healthy weight for twins. We'll give you guys some time in here to bond, and then a couple of the nurses will move you and the twins up to a recovery room where you'll stay until you're discharged. Those rooms are smaller but there's more amenities in them. One of the pediatricians will come there to check on the girls periodically, to make sure they are both ready to be discharged when the time comes. Congratulations again, both of you."

With one of the twin's tiny cheeks resting against a bare space beneath Amber's chin, they softly replied, "Thank you so much, Zoie. I really can't say that enough." They smiled while giving feather light strokes of their fingertips to the the newborn's back, and then, not long after the four were alone, Amber turned carefully their head in Miguel's direction, keeping their voice low for the girls' sake while smiling to their husband, "You know, we have to figure out who's who here."

Miguel:

Miguel nodded at the nurse as he held the youngest girl close. It was surreal as he touched her, and watched Amber with the other baby. They were here, and they were perfect, and it was exactly what Miguel had been hoping for. "You know we could name #1 Isobel and #2 Jessamine just to keep it in alphabetical order," he commented, rocking the crying girl, "It seems kind of like the logical way to go about it."

Amber:

Amber gave a playful roll of her eyes at her husband, still smiling through his answer. "Leave it to you to go the logical route with naming our kids." She softly chuckled and continued to gently stroke their eldest twin's back. After mulling over his answer, she said, "But it beats calling them Baby A and Baby B." Shifting the position of the baby in her arms, she was able to tilt her chin down a bit and then said, "So I guess that means I've got you in my arms, Isobel," and smiled right up through softly kissing the top of her dark-haired crown. "Happy birthday, Isobel," she whispered.

Miguel:

"Well, I've always been logical," Miguel chuckled, kissing the top of Jessamine's head, "Though I have to say I'm pretty sure it was little miss Jessamine who decided to interrupt my speech earlier. It seems like something that would be her idea."

Amber:

With a small hum, Amber noted, "You have a creative side too. I'd say that both come with the territory of being at the head of a successful tech company." They watched Miguel and Jessamine and grinned again, giggling a bit at Miguel's assertion, "Probably, given how much she wanted to be heard when she was born. Maybe she was hoping to give her daddy a few pointers." While keeping as much skin-to-skin with Isobel, Amber had their eyes on their husband and youngest, adding a, "Happy birthday, Jessamine," in before saying, "I can't believe they're here now. They're both just the tiniest babies I've ever seen."

About an hour after they were given some skin-to-skin time, the nurses came in, preparing to transport the family the floor above to recovery. Isobel and Jessamine were swaddled and placed back in their individual bassinets, each baby being wheeled out by a nurse while a third nurse maneuvered Amber's hospital bed behind the twins to an elevator.  The room they were taken to wasn't too far from the elevator, and after hooking Amber back to the monitors in the new room and making sure the family was settled and shown where to find everything in the room, in the nurses cleared out yet again to give the newly grown family some privacy for the time being.

[crescentmoon223]

I know you’re busy with other stories so I can wait patiently, but may I request a Stella x Scully ficlet from you? Maybe where Stella sprains her ankle at work or something and Scully takes care of her at home, smut ensues...

I hope you don’t mind that I flipped this, since I’ve written back to back fics where I had Scully caring for others, and also because I put Stella through the wringer in Never Tear Us Apart. So I wanted to see Scully being taken care of this time ❤️

-----

Playing Doctor

Read it on AO3

Stella dropped her gym bag beside the bed with a sigh, muscles delightfully spent after an hour at the pool. She stripped out of her clothes and tossed them in the hamper, then walked into the bathroom to start the shower. After checking that the water was hot, she stepped inside, letting the steaming spray pound against her skin. Scully had used a shower bomb last night, the kind that melted during her shower for aromatherapy, and consequently the shower still smelled vaguely like gardenias.

Stella had teased her about the shower bomb, but as she closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, she couldn’t deny that it was a pleasing scent. Combined with the tranquility that always filled her after a long swim, she was feeling pretty damn peaceful. She washed the chlorine from her body and rinsed her hair before shutting off the water.

She dried off and put on her copper-colored robe to dry her hair, mentally running through the rest of her day, errands to be run and a dinner date with her wife, their Sunday routine. She had just walked into the bedroom to get dressed when her cell phone rang. Scully’s name flashed on the screen, and Stella frowned. That was odd. Scully was on her daily run with Dobby.

“Dana,” she said as she connected the call. “Is everything all right?”

On the other end of the line, Scully sighed. “Don’t laugh.”

Stella’s frown deepened. “When have I ever? Has something happened?”

“Well…” Scully hesitated just long enough for Stella to really start to worry, a tightness forming in the pit of her stomach. “I sort of tripped over Dobby and sprained my ankle. You know how he likes to dart between my feet when he’s chasing a squirrel?”

“I do.” Stella pressed a hand against her chest, relieved it was nothing serious. A smile tugged at her lips at the mental image of Scully tripping over their dog. “How badly are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” Scully said quickly. “But I wouldn’t mind a ride home in the car if you’re back from the pool.”

“I am.” And Scully was obviously not fine if she’d asked to be picked up. They were equally stubborn in this way, and Scully would have limped home if she could. “Where are you?”

“In the park, near the exit on Clarendon,” Scully told her.

“I’ll be right there.” Stella ended the call and dressed quickly before jogging down the stairs to grab her purse. She left through the back door and got in the car.

Several minutes later, she pulled to the curb by the entrance to the park that Scully had indicated. She left the car and started down the main path, spotting Scully almost immediately. She stood with one hand braced against a lamppost, the other gripping Dobby’s leash. Her left foot was lifted so that only the toe of her trainer touched the pavement, bearing no weight.

Stella winced as she noticed Scully’s red-scraped knees. She’d obviously gone down hard. Dobby bounced excitedly against the end of his leash as he caught sight of Stella, and Scully wobbled on her good foot.

“Sit,” Stella told him firmly, not wanting the dog to cause Scully to fall a second time. His furry butt hit the pavement, tail still going at lightning speed. Stella reached them and took his leash, giving Scully a sympathetic look. “Looks like it hurts.”

Scully grimaced. “Yeah.”

“Hang on. Let me put him in the car first.” She turned and walked back to the street. As soon as she opened the rear door, Dobby hopped in obediently. She shut it behind him and went back for her wife.

Scully was just as she’d left her, standing by the lamppost. Stella stopped in front of her, giving her an assessing look. Scully’s ankle was visibly swollen, and her lips were pressed into a firm line, evidence of her pain.

“We should go to the hospital for an x-ray,” Stella said, earning her an exasperated look from Scully.

“It’s not broken, just sprained. Come on, Stella. I’m a doctor, for Christ’s sake.”

“So you have x-ray vision, then?” Stella challenged. “Because I’m not sure how that diploma hanging in your office enables you to determine whether or not your bones are broken.”

“I can tell,” Scully said, grimacing again as she attempted to put weight on the foot.

“It could be a small fracture,” Stella countered. “Impossible to know for sure.”

“Can we argue about this at home? Please?”

“Fine,” Stella acquiesced. She’d keep an eye on Scully, and if she thought her ankle needed an x-ray, she’d insist on it later. Right now, she needed to get Scully home and off her feet. “Can you walk to the car?”

“I don’t see that I have a choice,” Scully said, taking a hobbling step forward, which ended up more like a hop. She—like Stella herself—was as stoic as they came, so if she was having this much trouble walking, her ankle must be pretty severely damaged.

Stella could offer her a shoulder to lean on, or she could just get her off that ankle all together. She turned her back to Scully, gesturing with her hands. “Hop on.”

“What?”

When Stella glanced over her shoulder, she saw Scully staring at her, one eyebrow slightly raised in disbelief. “I’m not going to break, Dana. Take advantage of those muscles you’re always admiring, and let me carry you to the car.”

“Um…”

“Go on, then,” Stella said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“Fine,” Scully muttered, hopping forward so that her hands landed on Stella’s shoulders. “Tell me if I’m too heavy.”

“You’re not.”

“You say that now…” Scully jumped, arms coming around Stella’s shoulders as her thighs clamped around Stella’s hips.

Stella suppressed a grunt, sliding her arms beneath Scully’s knees to anchor her as she leaned forward to better balance their combined weight. As it turned out, Scully was a bit heavier than she’d anticipated, but the car wasn’t far. She had this.

“Okay?” Scully asked breathlessly.

“Yes.” Stella began to walk as briskly as possible toward the street, thankful she’d put on her trainers instead of heels in her dash out the door. Her back ached beneath Scully’s weight, and her already fatigued hamstrings burned, but there was the warm press of Scully’s breasts against her shoulder blades to make up for it, not to mention the sense of power that came with carrying her.

“Gives new meaning to riding you,” Scully mumbled, forearms clamped tight over Stella’s chest.

Stella huffed a laugh. “Don’t get any ideas back there.”

“Me? Never.”

* * *

Scully scooted backward in bed to lean against the headboard, seething with irritation. During her time with the X Files, she’d spent entirely too much time sidelined by various injuries and illnesses, and perhaps as a result, she had absolutely no patience left for any of it. Right now, her whole body ached from her fall, and she wanted to scream in frustration.

Stella entered the room with a bag of ice in one hand. She grabbed a cloth from the bathroom before sitting on the bed. “Tell me if I’m doing this wrong, Dr. Scully,” she said lightly.

“I’ve got it,” Scully said, reaching for the ice.

Stella sat back, holding it out of reach. “You nursed me through broken ribs and an appendectomy. I’m certain I can properly care for your sprained ankle.”

“Come on, Stella,” she protested, impatient for the numbing cold of the ice on her throbbing ankle. She hated being fussed over, and Stella knew it, so why was she turning this into such a production?

“Hold still,” Stella said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

So Scully held in her sigh and let Stella drape the cloth over her swollen ankle before settling the bag of ice on top of it. Almost immediately, the cooling sensation reached her skin, soothing the worst of the pain, and when Scully released her sigh, it wasn’t one of impatience as much as relief. “Thank you.”

With a brisk nod, Stella stood and left the room, returning a minute later with a glass of water and two ibuprofen tablets on her palm, which she passed to Scully. She swallowed them without protest. “What else can I do?” Stella asked as she adjusted the bag of ice on Scully’s ankle.

And Scully had a new appreciation for how Stella had felt when she was injured, forced to accept Scully’s care. It didn’t come naturally for either of them, but she knew the satisfaction of helping to ease Stella’s pain, and as she met Stella’s eyes, she saw that same satisfaction in their indigo depths. Stella wanted to care for her, and maybe Scully owed it to her to let her.

“I suppose I should put some antiseptic cream on my knees,” Scully gave.

“Yes,” Stella agreed. She went into the bathroom and returned with a little white tube in her hand, looking absurdly pleased as she climbed onto the bed. She uncapped the cream and squeezed a glob onto her fingertips, which she began to smooth gently over Scully’s raw knees.

She winced at the contact, although it didn’t hurt as much as she’d expected, perhaps thanks to Stella’s whisper soft touch. Scully had already cleaned the scrapes in the shower, having insisted on rinsing herself off when they first got home, because she was sweaty from her run and dirty from her fall. Now that she was in bed, sore but clean, she was grateful she wouldn’t have to get back up. And okay, maybe it wasn’t the worst thing, letting Stella care for her.

Having finished with the cream, Stella leaned forward and blew on Scully’s glistening knees. Scully gasped at the unexpected sensation. The cool gust of air felt heavenly against her abrasions, causing goose bumps to rise on her skin.

“My palms,” Scully whispered, holding them out to show Stella the scrapes there.

Stella took Scully’s left hand in hers, palm up, as she smoothed cream over it. She moved with the graceful quiet that she embodied better than anyone else, again blowing on Scully’s damaged skin once she’d finished. And again, Scully felt a shiver of pleasure at the sensation. When Stella had finished with both palms, she set the cream on the table beside the bed and turned the full force of her gaze on Scully.

“Anything else I can do?” Stella asked, her voice light and breathy, the tone she reserved for sex.

“I’m sure you can think of something,” Scully responded, chest heaving beneath the heat of Stella’s gaze.

“Mm,” Stella agreed, sliding forward to press an open-mouthed kiss against Scully’s exposed collarbone. “I do know a few ways to boost your endorphins, and that’s supposed to help with pain relief, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Scully gasped as Stella kissed a hot trail down her chest, her breath gusting against Scully’s wet skin, producing an even more pleasurable version of the sensation she’d first demonstrated on Scully’s scraped knees.

“Scoot down for me,” Stella said. She sat back, placing one hand on the bag of ice on Scully’s ankle to hold it steady as Scully slid down flat on the mattress. Stella adjusted the pillow beneath Scully’s head before reaching for the sash on her robe, and Scully couldn’t remember a single reason why she’d protested against Stella’s care in the first place.

Stella’s tongue swirled over Scully’s nipple before she sucked it into her mouth, and Scully gasped with pleasure as the heat of Stella’s mouth lit her on fire, burning away the discomfort of her scrapes and sprained ankle, replacing it with the needy thrum of her pulse between her thighs, an entirely different kind of ache, one that Stella would soothe spectacularly.

She transferred the attention of her mouth from Scully’s left breast to her right as her fingers trailed down Scully’s stomach to settle right where she ached for her.

“Mm,” Scully moaned, arching her hips.

Stella flicked Scully’s nipple with her tongue and then blew on it, causing it to contract into a hardened bud. The contrast of hot and cold played out across her skin in a surprisingly erotic dance. There was the cool slip of her silk robe against her shoulders, the cold bag of ice on her ankle, and the occasional chilly gust of air as Stella teased her wet skin, offset by the hot pleasure of Stella’s mouth, the warm slide of her tongue and her body where it touched Scully’s. Together, they combined to confuse and arouse her senses in a wholly unexpected way.

Stella licked a glistening trail down Scully’s stomach, eyes holding Scully’s as she moved, and as many times as she’d watched Stella do this, it was never any less electrifying. Each time was different. Would Stella go straight to her clit or would she take her time teasing the tender skin of Scully’s inner thighs first? Not knowing was half the thrill, and Scully could hear herself panting, breathless with anticipation.

Her gasping breaths were the only sound in the room, and the silence only seemed to heighten her other senses as Stella ghosted her tongue over Scully’s clit before sliding down to plunge it deep inside her. Her inner walls tightened, warmth coiling low in her belly, before Stella returned the heat of her mouth to Scully’s clit, swirling her tongue in the way that always had Scully spiraling toward release as she pushed two fingers inside her.

Scully groaned, moving her hips against Stella’s mouth. Her hands fisted in the sheets, scraped palms forgotten as Stella flooded her with all the endorphins she’d promised. In fact, she was taking a surprisingly gentle approach, no teeth, no nails, just her lips, her tongue, her fingers and oh fuck…she blew against Scully’s clit.

A sharp cry escaped Scully’s lips, shattering the silence in their bedroom. Stella closed her mouth over her and sucked, hard, sending Scully right over the edge. She moaned as she came, eyes tightly shut as her body lit with pleasure, obliterating the pain. And then she lay there, limp and gasping on the bed, feeling like a whole new woman.

Stella sat up, closing Scully’s robe before she slid down to prop a pillow beneath her ankle, elevating it. She steadied the bag of ice before bending to press a tender kiss against Scully’s swollen skin.

“You’re really good at that,” Scully murmured.

“At what?”

“Playing doctor.”

[fleckcmscott]

Another Year

Summary: Arthur’s birthday is coming up. Y/N wants nothing more than to make it great.

Warnings: Swearing

Words: 3,892

A/N: This request came from the one-of-a-kind, fabulous @sweet-nothings04​! Thank you for asking for this. I enjoyed writing it a lot! 

If you have any thoughts or questions, please comment, feel free to message me, or send me an ask. Requests for Arthur and WWH are open! Keep them coming!

Y/N hadn't realized how much she'd missed putting together birthday celebrations. Not until the unexpected serendipity of falling in love again. Her ex-husband had preferred not to make a big deal of them, had stated he hated getting older. (Considering he'd been in his twenties, she'd found that assertion silly.) As her father had slipped away, special events and gifts had gone by the wayside to focus on routines that wouldn't throw him off kilter. She'd been invited to her sister's and brother-in-law's parties but had only stayed for the hour or two she'd hired a sitter. And while she wasn't the most attentive aunt, she always ensured her nephews and nieces at least got a card and money for a treat.

From what she'd gathered, birthdays had never been an important facet of Arthur's life. That had become obvious upon learning his was 11/21/1946 by reading documents instead of from him. When she'd discovered he'd turned thirty-five and hadn't even told her. But unlike her ex, it wasn't because he didn't want them to be. It was due to neglect, isolation, and the inability to connect. As much sympathy as she had for Penny, for her own illnesses and suffering, for what had been done to her, the wounds she'd inflicted on her son hurt Y/N’s heart. There were so many lost years. She was determined to make-up for them by spoiling him.

The diner where Patricia and she often met for lunch was halfway between their two offices. A five- or six-minute walk for them both. Y/N arrived first. She sat at the white and gold Formica counter and perused the menu. (Though she'd already decided to get her usual pastrami on wheat, garlic pickle, and coleslaw.) Patricia strolled in as the waitress jotted down Y/N's order, and told the young lady she'd have whatever Y/N was having.

They caught up quickly. The Wayne Foundation case was going to have a preliminary hearing in three weeks. Y/N couldn't have rolled her eyes harder. ("Thank god I won't be there. They'd have to drag me off the stand.") Patricia listened with interest while Y/N went on about a dispute involving break violations at Ace Chemicals. And Patricia invited her to stop by the office soon, claiming Matt had realized he'd been stupid to let her quit. ("I'm sure he misses me being a pain in his ass.")

Y/N was picking at the crust of her sandwich when she changed the subject. “I need a favor.”

Patricia arched a brow at her. “Is this going to involve me lugging boxes of files to your apartment?”

“Only if you want the workout.” Chuckling, Y/N shook her head. “Arthur’s birthday is next Saturday. You bake the best cakes. If I’m left to my own devices, he’s going to get something out of a Universal Foods’ box.”

“Mine are out of a box. I just modify the directions and make my own frosting.” Patricia used the rest of her bread to sop up her coleslaw’s dressing. “How old did you say he’s going to be? Thirty-five?”

“Thirty-six.”

Swallowing her last bite, Patricia quirked up the corner of her lips. “I still owe you for running those supplies to the office when my foot was broken. What kind does he like?”

Y/N hugged her tight across the shoulders. After a short discussion, they decided on chocolate with vanilla cream frosting - a safe choice. It would be small, since it was only for the two of them. Arthur had a job the day before. That would allow her to take it home without him seeing. She’d just have to keep him away from the fridge the rest of the evening.

They talked about the other things Y/N had in-store for him, the reservation, the gifts. She giggled, pleased at having successfully hidden it all from him so far. “You’re putting a lot of work into this,” Patricia said. “What did you do last year?”

“I didn’t know about it last year. He didn’t mention it.” Though Patricia was already aware of some of Arthur’s past, Y/N had kept the details to a minimum. She tried to think of an elaboration, one that respected his privacy but was honest. She started in on her pickle. “With Penny being sick - with everything he was going through...”

Sipping her coffee, Patricia spun her stool to face Y/N fully. “You don’t need to say anymore. I remember. It was hard for you both.”

The empathy in Patricia’s gaze prompted a smile. And reminded Y/N how grateful she was for a friend who was frank but unjudgmental. “Back then, he thought needing or wanting anything from me was a bother. But he’s getting better at letting me love him.” Y/N put a hand on her chest. “And now he’ll never need to mention it. It’s locked in here for good.”

~~~~~

Yesterday had left Arthur in a funk. One that showed signs of adhering to his brain the way flies had stuck to the tape he’d had to hang from the ceiling of his old apartment every spring. He’d spent close to twelve hours dancing and waving a “Store Closing! Everything 50-70% off!” placard in front of Dave’s Pleasure Emporium in Gotham Square. (The city must really be fucked if its denizens’ finances were shitty enough that adult shops were shutting down.) It had been his least favorite gig in months. But the slow season was coming on, and the pay had been decent.

The dull ache in his lower spine, radiating to his hip, had made it harder than usual to sleep. And soreness was seeping from familiar spots to sinews he’d forgotten were there. Even the tips of his toes hurt. Two more ibuprofen tablets and acetaminophen went down easily. Carefully, not wanting to rouse her, he removed Y/N’s hand from his stomach, wincing as he shifted onto his left side to alleviate the pressure on his right.

Thirty-five was too old for this. While he loved performing for children, he should have made it as a comic by now. And he should have finished school. He’d be able to do more than be on his feet all day, then. Have more options. Opportunities...

Or maybe he simply shouldn’t have taken that particular job.

The ability to stop catastrophizing, adjust his way of thinking, was new. And rare. He made a mental note to write today’s accomplishment in his journal and share it at his next appointment. The therapist would be impressed with him. Dozing, he thought his funk might abate after all.

It could have been five or fifty minutes later when he felt the comforter being dragged down. Heard the zip of the shades being rolled up. But he was in that snug state between wakefulness and slumber and refused to react. Then there was a pinch on his chin, a light weight on his scalp. “What are you doing?” he mumbled gravelly.

“It’s someone’s special day today,” Y/N said.

Oh. That’s right. He was thirty-six now.

Squinting in the bright sunlight filtering through their sheer curtains, he propped himself on his forearm. She was half-reclined next to him, draped in a short, black nightdress. The one she found a tad tawdry but he liked. He rubbed his eyes, his forehead. Thin cardboard stopped him when he reached his hair. His fingers followed it, found it tapered into a point.

A party hat. She’d gotten him a party hat. He couldn’t hold back his snort.

In his line of work, birthdays were for kids. He’d stopped caring about his own as a teenager. Penny had seemingly been glad he was around. But she never remembered. Hell, he’d had to remind her of her own. But the last acknowledgment of it, the last one before meeting Y/N, had been by a teacher. He’d gotten an extra five minutes of recess and escaped punishment for inappropriate laughter for the day.

This was his first birthday with a person who saw and loved him. Understood who he was. Knew he was more than some image projected onto him. A person who appeared thrilled he existed and to be in his life. As a husband. Every sit-com and film he’d watched had clued him in: wives deemed them important. They hid gifts, cooked special meals, sneaked around arranging parties. There hadn’t been any sneaking on Y/N’s part, none that he could detect. He wondered what she could have planned.

The kneading of her thumb in the hollow of his hip, briefs slung too low as usual, gave him a good idea of her plan for this morning. The entangling of their legs confirmed it. “I got donuts. Coffee’s ready.”

“You, um-“ He cleared his throat, closed his eyes at the brush of her thigh against his length. Which was getting harder with each touch of her lips to the crook of his neck. “You didn’t make breakfast?”

“No.” Her chuckle was throaty, full of desire. “I wasn’t going to torture you with burnt eggs.” She was pulling at his biceps, trying to get him to settle over her. “Let’s work up your appetite, Mr. Fleck.”

But he flinched and halted her movements. The painkillers hadn't kicked in yet. His muscles burned. "We'll get to it later," he promised between languid, lingering kisses. The kind that made him feel safe. Loved. Famished for her. She guided him onto his stomach, stroked him affectionately. Breaths mingling, they chatted lazily until they both cooled off.

Once his stomach started rumbling, Y/N insisted they get up, despite his protestations that he wasn't hungry. That staying under the covers with her for hours would be fun. That they could eat in bed, crumbs be damned. His back would get worse if he continued laying like that, she told him. He needed to stretch and move. Although he grumbled, his experiences with injuries, whether from overwork, assholes, or sleeping on a couch most of his life, had taught him she was right.

Following a cigarette on the fire escape, he went to the kitchen, grabbed a mug, and did a double-take at the round table in the dining nook. He approached it in disbelief. He tensed as he ran his hand along the rectangular gifts and their shiny red paper. Squeezed the puffy, tan winter coat. Fingered the silver ribbon tied to the chair, dangling from an aluminum helium balloon. The lump in his throat forced a short laugh. But he didn't cover his mouth, not having to hide from her. He shook his head, wiping at the sudden wetness in his eyes. "All this is for me?" He did his best to sound normal.

"No. They're for my other husband, Carnival." She came behind him, hugged him around his torso and splayed her fingers on his chest. "You may have met him. Has a penchant for making balloon animals? Wears pants with the cutest patch on his bottom?" He grasped her forearm, held her tight to him as his shoulders shook with mirth.

It wasn't yet eight o'clock. And the day was already shaping up to be one of his favorites.

~~~~~

At the vanity on Arthur's side of the bed, Y/N was attempting to create the perfect oval eye with brown liner. The wide smile creeping onto her face wasn't making it easy. But it couldn't be helped. Everything had gone wonderfully so far. Had more than met her expectations. She hoped his had been met, too.

She'd been badgering him to get a winter coat since last Christmas. (His teeth had chattered almost the entire time they'd stood outside to watch Gotham's Christmas parade. The hot chocolate from a vendor hadn't done much good. A long bath had been necessary to finally warm him up.) The one she'd picked out fit him well, and he'd seemed to like it, hanging it by the door next to his tan jacket. And she'd known he was attached to his trusty, foil razor. But it was over fifteen years old, taped together, and on its way out. The new one had a rechargeable battery. He wouldn't be tethered to the outlet over the sink if he wanted to move around a bit.

The twitch of his nostrils, his hitched breath as he'd whispered, "Thank you," had compelled her to kneel next to his chair. The poignancy of his reaction had affected her keenly. Hollowed out her core and filled it with compassion and love. He'd frowned and wiped his nose with the back of his knuckles. "Sorry," he'd scoffed, glistening eyes darting to hers. "I don't mean to be weird."

"You're not, Arthur." She'd gently removed his black and red polka-dotted party hat, set it on the table. "You're being you."

After a quick lunch, they'd leisurely strolled arm-in-arm through the neighborhood, including a visit to the nearby park. Arthur had wanted to stop into the used record shop three or four blocks away. She'd caressed up and down his back, observing his content visage as he flipped through the LPs. It was lovely to see him treat himself to a couple without hesitating to worry about the cost for too long. At home, he'd settled on the floor by the record player and put them on. He must have been feeling better, because he'd kept his earlier promise: they'd made love on the carpet. Unhurried, sweet, and giggling like idiots.

The opening of the bathroom door broke her out of her reverie. She started blotting her darker-than-usual red lipstick with a tissue. "It was nice of Patricia to get me aftershave," he said.

She smoothed the lines of her champagne color, mid-length dress, adjusted its petal sleeves, then twisted around just as he entered the bedroom. Her movements halted. Would his handsomeness, his beauty, ever fail to stun her? Gaze roaming his slender form, she stared at him. He'd only worn his black and brown oxfords seldomly, saving them for special occasions. The wrinkled white socks didn't match his black pants, but they paired well with him.

It was the teal button-up, patterned with white circles of various opacities and sizes, that caused her to need a few seconds to process his remark. It'd hung in the corner of his old living room; she'd eyed it in their closet since he'd moved in. It was such a contrast to his usual conservative clothing. Quite unlike him, she'd assumed. But seeing him standing there in it, the way it complimented his lithe figure and brought out the light green of his irises, made him look a little less withdrawn, she realized she'd been mistaken.

"She thought it'd suit your new shaver." He gave a gentle hum in response, bashful smile appearing. Such gestures were unfamiliar to him. Eventually, they'd become such an integral part of his life he'd grow tired of them. Y/N would make sure of that. The idea prompted a grin and she stepped around the bed to approach him. "You look great. Are you ready?"

“Yeah.” The crook of his mouth, the furrow of his forehead alerted her to his nervousness. He rubbed the back of his neck, flitted his look to hers. “It sounds fancy.”

She kissed him soundly and he eased into her embrace. “You don’t have to impress me,” she said. “You already did that. Use whichever fork you want.”

The restaurant was in Gotham’s Little Italy district, only a block or two from Chinatown. Y/N had never been to Bamonte’s but her colleagues had given it good reviews. (One had said he and his wife went there every anniversary.) Arthur gaped when they went inside. She watched him survey the lavish, red curtains decorating the walls; the dim lanterns suspended from the ceiling; the faux-marble floor. Huffing, he turned to her, concern clear on his face. She grasped his elbow. “It’s all right. You belong here as much as anyone else.”

The maitre’d led them to a secluded table, behind its own drawn back drapes in the rear corner of the smoking section. Arthur traced the edges of the three lit, tulip-shaped votive holders. Caressed the cream color tablecloth as he sat in the fabric covered chair. An anxious chuckle left him and he smoothed his palm over his thigh. “I hope I don’t spill anything.”

Y/N assisted Arthur with the menu, explaining some of the more exotic-to-him dishes. He was interested in the antipasto, which wasn’t unexpected, since he always kept a jar of olives in the fridge. The gnocchi with tomatoes, spinach, fresh basil, and mozzarella was what he thought sounded best. She chose an old favorite, chicken in a mushroom and white wine sauce and a Caesar salad on the side. Arthur picked the least expensive Moscato on the wine list. When the bottle was opened and left on the table, he blinked at it, then shrugged and filled their glasses.

After a couple of sips, he crossed his legs and puffed on his cigarette. “I wrote a new joke. Well, I really just changed an old one.” He reached across the table to graze across the back of her hand. “Why didn’t the old man like having insomnia?”

Her eyelids fluttered, his gossamer touch setting her aflame. She ran her toes along his calf, his resulting twitch causing her to giggle in delight. “He wanted to sleep with his wife?”

Dark brows shot up in surprise, his eyes lighting up. Their fingers laced together. “How did you know?”

Leaning forward, she traced his crow's feet, prominent due to his beaming smile. Then her touch drifted to his jawline. “It was the first joke you ever told me," she murmured. "How could I forget?” Clutching her hand, he pressed a kiss to her wrist. He held her to his lips, hard enough to feel his teeth. And he grew quiet. “What is it?” she asked after a minute.

His eyelids shut. She could feel his pulse quicken together with hers. “I- I wanna sleep with you forever,” he breathed.

Out of anyone else’s mouth, she would have taken that to mean sex. From him, however, she knew it meant mountains more. Adoration welling in her chest, her fingertips weaved into his loose, chestnut curls. “You will.”

~~~~~

Once, in high school, Arthur had gotten a hold of some grass. It was supposed to induce giddiness and euphoria, make a person relax. God knows he could have used it back then; Penny had started declining and he’d had to learn to run a household. Plus, he’d thought at the time, it’d make him one of the guys. All the cool kids were doing it. Maybe he’d be able to connect with one and learn how to be popular. But all it had done was make him nauseous and paranoid. There hadn’t been one iota of the “high” he’d imagined. He’d thrown it out and never tried it again.

Now he wondered: was it possible to be high on a person? To be drunk on their presence? To feel their essence down to the cell? Necking on the sofa with Y/N, their coffee forgotten on the coffee table, he figured it must be. Enraptured, he wanted to capture her ragged breaths, take her into his lungs, make her a perpetual part of his being. Perhaps he’d stay happy naturally, then, like everyone else. Even if that didn’t work, she’d always be close.

Giggling, she pushed him off her and headed towards the kitchen. “Wait here. No peeking.”

Laughing softly, Arthur pushed his hair out of his face. She’d already gotten him gifts. Let him make love to her. Taken him to an eatery where he was totally out of place and managed to make it comfortable. What else could she possibly do? Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long. He eagerly followed at the call of his name.

The loveliest cake he’d ever seen was on the counter. Dark chocolate shavings embellished its round border. And it was the perfect size for the two of them. Y/N was rushing to light a mass of candles on it. “Quick, make a wish before wax drips onto the frosting.”

He mused for a moment. He no longer needed to pine for daydreams and delusions of companionship - he had Y/N. In spite of the icons his mother had had in every room of their apartment, he’d long ago stopped praying to what he suspected was nothing for his conditions and illnesses to go away. Then it occurred to him. Bending to blow out the candles, he wished for his innate comedic gifts to be recognized. To be validated as the stand-up he knew he was. And to provide for Y/N. To be what she needed. To make her happy.

Although he was grateful for Patricia’s thoughtfulness, and he knew Y/N’s baking wasn’t better than his own, part of him had wanted her to be the one who made the cake. But he tried to push that aside and appreciate it regardless. The slice she gave him was far too generous. He ate it all, anyway, because it was delicious. The sponge was fluffy. And the chocolate could actually be detected, instead of a vague, sugary flavor. The frosting tasted finer than that on the grocery store bakery cupcakes he’d sampled in the past.

As he was rinsing off the cutlery, Y/N saddled up beside him and held out a bright purple envelope, inscribed with “Happy Birthday!” in her pretty longhand. He leaned his hip against the counter as he grasped it, intentionally brushing his hand against hers. Gingerly, he lifted the flap and pulled out the card.

The cardstock was a vibrant gold and white. Two mugs, one green and labeled, “Yours,” one pink and labeled, “Mine” sat on sketched coasters. The shiny purple letters underneath proclaimed, “You get me. I get you.” Pressing his thin lips together, he opened it. And sighed when he read the rest: “Hope you know how happy that makes me.”

One of his wishes had already come true.

The elation coursing through his veins made him shudder. He nearly missed the stiff papers that fell from the envelope. Y/N retrieved them and gently placed them in his palm. A wide smile spread across his cheeks as he read aloud. “‘Gotham Pops presents A Night with Gershwin?’” He double-checked the date. “These are for New Year’s Eve.”

She nodded. “I snagged them as soon as they went on sale. They’re orchestra seats.” Then she squeezed him flush to her side, bumped her nose to his. “Don’t think I haven’t heard you sing to yourself in the tub.”

“Oh,” he chuckled, eyes tracing the diamond pattern of the grey, linoleum floor. “I thought I was quieter.”

“I’m glad you weren’t.” Enthusiastically, her lips pulled at his before she grinned up at him. “Did you have a happy birthday? Was it worth getting older?”

Arthur’s answer came without delay. “Yes.” There wasn’t a way to explain what it meant to him, to explain that she helped him feel good to be alive. How full his heart was. That she patched cracks in his soul he hadn’t known existed. He longed to do the same for her. He cupped her jaw on either side, guiding her to his mouth and rasping, “I don’t mind getting older with you.”

~~~~~

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[mxvladdy]

Dinner for Two

Hello again! Hope y’all are doing just groovy. 

Here’s another fic! It can also be found here ! 

I got some WIPs in the works so it’s back to the coal mines for me. 

Chapters: 1-2-3 

The world spun again, more forceful than before. Reaching out blindly you grasp for the closest thing to you. This time it was your friend Genji. Cool metal wrapping around your forearm helping you steady yourself as you breathe through the wave of nausea.

“Doctor! Are you alright?” His scarred brows raising in worry looking for a place to let you rest. He leads you slowly to a nearby bench and away from your workstation.

You wave off his concern resting your fevered brow on your knees taking steady gulps of air in hopes to alleviate the sick feeling. “I'm fine. I'm fine. It's just exhaustion, haven't been able to sleep well of late.”

“Hmmm.” He sat nodding knowing the feeling all to well. “Missing your bear?” Genji joked releasing his hold on you to give you some space, his tone still laced with worry.

You chuckle dryly emerging from your ball to lean back, resting on the metal wall behind you. You did miss Jesse. It would have been a down right lie to say otherwise. His warm body encased around you, shaggy chestnut hair fanning out on his pillow. The whiskey smoke smell of him, an oddly comforting scent.

He was halfway through a six month mission with Soldier, Winston, and Angie to America looking into a Talon lead. As an infiltration mission, it requires time to build trust and connections. Meaning it was a pain in the ass for everyone.

I've been missing ya somethin’ fierce doll. Can't stop thinking about ya. Bed’s too cold nowadays. I wish ta god you could have come along. But can't be puttin’ all our medics in the field. His low timbre reverberating through the tinny speaker of your phone. Everytime he called it was a double edge sword, you were overjoyed that he was alive and safe. Yet it made the miles apart feel even longer.

You look up at Genji's patient expression. “I do.” You admit accepting the ninja's help getting up, the sickness passing as quickly as it had come. Genji nodded sagely heading back to your station where you had been working on an upgrade for his respiratory system. Your work was on par with Angie's, making the head medic feel comfortable dividing her workload with you.

“Perhaps you should take a break for the rest of the day? I'm not going anywhere and the upgrade isn't critical yet. Why not join Reinhardt and myself for lunch?” Genji nudged, placing his hand between you and your work. You agreed hoping a break would make you feel better.

It did not. Instead you retired to your quiet room curling around Jesse's pillow and drifted into a dreamless sleep stomach tossing and turning . This was your day to day life for the next three weeks. But it was only getting worse. Nausea, bloating, headaches, and fatigue plagued you as sleep evaded you. You hid;  brushing off concern with the same line.

“ It's just stress .” You sigh dismissing Ana's hand on your shoulder but graciously accepting the hot mug of tea. Enjoying her company in the common room after getting fed up with sitting in the spare medical lab all day.“I don't know how Angie does this.” You sigh dramatically.

“I sometimes wonder about the both of you. If I didn't know better I'd say you and Ziegler are secret masochists.” Ana chuckled. You flush, skin darkening as Ana levels you with a knowing smirk. “Ahh~Thought that was more you and Jesse's shtick.”

“What's more my shtick?” A deep southern drawl purrs behind you. A deep purr you thought you still had another two months before you could hear it in person. You didn't get a chance to turn before two strong burly arms wrapped around you. He smelled of sweat and gun oil. The staleness of the airship hung over him telling you more than anything that he just arrived.

Ana rolled her eye at your sequel when he lifted you into his chest spinning you around to capture you in a soul stealing kiss. “I was under the impression I still had another six weeks of peace.” Ana joked, raising to pat his back as he lowered you to the floor. His attention not wavering from you.

“You know me Ma’am, can't be kept away from ya.” Jesse winked his smile damn near blinding. “But the mission went off without a hitch, got all the data we need to put a hurtin’ on the next Talon operation.”

“Good,” Ana nodded curtly, looking at her com. “Ah… Soldier wants us all at the debriefing in five. Best be heading over.”

You both watch her leave arms still wrapped around each other. Jesse breaks first brushing his lips down your throat pulling a giggle from you as his beard hairs tickle you. Your good mood doesn't last long though as your nose seems to really pick up on his scent. The pleasant sweat and gun metal smell from earlier now astringent and overpowering. You gag choking back the bile in your empty stomach.

“Damn,” Jesse pulls back watching you cup your hand over your nose and mouth. “I smell that bad doll?”

“No. Sorry I've just been under alot of stress of late. My body is protesting.” You cough forcing yourself back into his arms.

He coos sympathetically rubbing your back. “M’ sorry sunshine, let me make it up to you tonight huh? Hot bath- a few drinks. Hell I'll even sneak out an’ get us some food from town, your choice. Maybe a movie if I can keep my eyes open long enough. Just gotta get through this damn debrief,” He looks at his com cover your shoulder checking for messages. “which we are ‘bout to be late for so let's get gettin’.”

You arrived only a few seconds late. Reinhardt holding the door for you and Jesse beaming brightly at you both. You took your seat next to Angie and Ana while Jesse sat by Genji and Lucio. Nodding politely at the two women you settle in listening to the monotone drone of Winston's debriefing scrolling through the file in front of you. He took an hour before Soldier started.

“Is it hot in here?” You whisper leaning over to Ana when 76 had his back to them. Ana frowned, shaking her head noting a slight sheen of sweat gracing your dark skin.

“Not really. Do you need to step out? This many bodies in a room could heat it up.”

You shake your head thinking maybe you were just overreacting. Instead you pour yourself a glass of water sipping slowly, losing focus. Ugh, that pesky nausea was back making the room swim. You could feel it at the corners of your vision. Had you eaten today? It wasn't abnormal for you to miss a meal or two. You ate ridiculously late last night, a sudden craving as you watched Hana play video games. So skipping breakfast shouldn't have been that bad an issue. Besides Lena had needed assistance with a nasty sprained ankle.

“You are looking a little under the weather my friend!” You jump glass shaking in your hand. Reinhardt sounded so distant, like though water. How odd…

You try to speak but your tongue seems to be cemented to your mouth. The room's axis tilts dangerously as you try to steady yourself. The swimming wasn't just at the corner of your eyes anymore. A blonde blob took up your vision. The blob speaking softly trying to take you with it.

A bad choice. Your knees buckled the moment you rose, the swimming in your vision turning violent. The water in your ears turned to crashing waves disorienting you as your vision went black.

You woke in darkness a faint light to your side illuminating flat white tiles above you. Your vision was steady but blurry as you took in your surroundings. It was the medical wing. You could tell that much by the stiff mattress and scratchy sheets covering you. A pressure in your arm gives you pause. Shifting in the sheets you touch at it recognizing the tug and pull of an IV drip.

“Ah! You're awake!” Angie chipper voice emerging from thin air to your side. “Gave us a fright back there.”

“What happened?” You asked, rubbing your eyes in exhaustion trying to focus on her uncharacteristically tight smile. She hums bringing up your charts.

“Low blood sugar. Very low blood sugar. Bordering on coma inducing, you banged your head rather hard when you passed out; but it's fine. Everyone is fine.” She friendly tone turning professional and curt, her hands busy adjusting your IV and raising the lights in the room slightly. “Are you too hot? Too cold? What was the last thing you ate? You should have come and told me sooner.”

Angie helps you sit up adjusting the bed and pillows to your comfort. “Angela I'm fine. I have been just so caught up in work, you know I get stress sick sometimes. I'll be more careful.”

Your friend stopped midway into checking your vitals. “Are you- I had thought as much. It's unlike you to be so reckless.” She finishes jotting down a quick note before handing you your medical records.

The words hit you like a ton of bricks. You scroll through blindly feeling ill for a whole new reason. How could you have been so stupid to have not picked up on all the subtle changes. You backtrack the past months counting the days. Your period, while erratic and hard to chart was never this late.

“How…” Your voice cracks lowering the tablet to your knees. Angie waits putting a supportive hand on your leg watching you process. “I'm a fucking doctor, and I miss that I'm pregnant!” Your laugh was empty, on the verge of hysterics. Shaking in a mix of awe and panic you place a hand  against your midriff. How could you miss this?

Fat is soft and malleable when you gain it. It grows in multiple areas at once, not collecting in one area growing steadily for so long. Dread fills you. You had been foolish thinking you were eating too much, so you cut back, taking up walking with Mei and hikes with Lucio. You had been starving yourself. Your child.

“Don't,” Angie cut into your downward spiral of guilt. “I'm not the most well versed in this but I did as thorough a check as I could and everything looks fine. You're underweight for the start of your second trimester but other than that you're fine,” She squeezes you leg reassuringly. “ they are fine .”

Falling back on the bed you bury your face in your hands groaning out. “Angie how did I fuck up this bad.”

She chuckled against her better judgement, but knowing you the worst had passed for now. “I can take some of the blame. I did dump a lot on you before I left. I knew I could trust you to stay focused on our work. I guess I underestimated how focus you would get. We are much in the same on that front. Stress does strange things to the body, as we both know. I, if I was in your shoes, would probably write it off as stress too.”

You gripe folding your arms defensively over your belly remembering Ana's comments from early. Jesse. “What do I tell Jesse? Did you say anything to him?” You snap rounding on your friend.

“I have kept everyone out including him till I could assess what was wrong, as per protocol. No matter what that man says otherwise.” Angie frowned looking towards the door. “You haven't been under for more then three hours. But I doubt he has left his vigil at the door. Do you want me to get him?”

You shake your head vigorously wrapping yourself over your stomach defensively. You had never discussed children. Anything really outside of dating. How would he react? What would this mean for you in the newly reformed Overwatch? “I need some time. I have to think this over.”

Angie rose nodding in agreement. “Let me know whatever you decide. I'll be there anyway I can.” She helps you lower the bed and turns off the lights again before leaving. You hear her exit and immediately start talking with someone on the other side of the door.

It was two days before you allowed visitors deciding to spend those days cramming as much knowledge and food into you all while talking things through with Angela. You had decided to tell Jesse and go from there, notifying Winston you could do nothing but wait to see what this meant for you for work and living on base. Angie was adamant she would pressure him to let you stay on as a medic on base until you were ready to take leave. As for housing well; maybe you could find a nice flat off base if it was an issue. You didn't think your shared room with Jesse was large enough for three. If there would be three.

As if beckoned by your thoughts Jesse was there knocking softly on your door not a few minutes after Angie sent out a notice that you would be allowing guests. He flashed you a crooked smile raising a plastic bag with a little smiley face on it. “I promised ya a hot bath and food...bath might be later but I thought maybe you would like some non-Angie approved food.” He fidgeted holding back his want to dash to you, his fears threatening to overflow. Watching you just drop at that meeting almost took him down with you. You looked ill when he greeted you but he didn't think it was that bad. Angie said it was low blood sugar from lack of food and sleep. But he knew better, there was something else on top.

He waited watching you shift the massive amount of blankets around you, burying yourself further in their warmth before smiling shyly. Boots thumping loudly on the floor he approached his grin freer this time pulling up a chair and your floating tray. “Oh. Did ya already eat doll? I can come back later if you want. Ang’ been saying your still feelin’ a little green ‘round the gills.” He frowned, noticing the scraps of foods on your discarded plate. It looked like the remains of something he would eat. Fattening and full of greasy meat, a few half eaten fries were left.

“I could always eat more. That's why I'm in here.” You laugh reaching for the bag while Jesse placed his hat and wrap on a nearby coat rack. You groan loudly pulling out a take out box of sweet and sour chicken, sticky rice and dumplings. Jesse watched shocked as you dove in stuffing a dumpling whole into your mouth only noticing his stares after you crudely stuffed another in your mouth “Wha?”

“Nothin’ sugar. Glad you're eating. Though I didn't think you would take my box. I got you a healthier one… you and Angie always watch what ya eat.” He smiles fishing out the other box. “But I guess we can switch every once and awhile.” He winks toying with you not expecting the look of horror on your face, a stock of broccoli halfway to your lips. “It ain't a big deal! ‘sides you are always on my case about eating better. Eat up! Can't have my sunshine starving. ” He jokes taking a bite out of the baked fish in front of him.

“Ya.” You chuckle nervously lowering your fork. Turning your face from his. You spoke so softly he barely heard it. Your words slipping out like a ghost.

Since I'm eating for two…

It caught him like a sucker punch, the world moving at half it’s normal pace. Surely you didn't mean… “I- I don't think I'm getting the joke doll.” Jesse muttered mind reeling for an explanation for your comment, other than the obvious one. Because that one didn't make sense. Right?

You turn back fist gripping your blankets, knuckling white and hands shaking. “Every symptom has a cause. I fainted and I thought I was suffering from just exhaustion and fatigue. Turns out they were just symptoms too.” Brushing aside the quilts you touch your stomach gently refusing to look at him.

“Are… how long?” Jesse asked voice no louder then your ghost like whispers.

“Angie said four months give or take a few weeks.”

Jesse leaned back quietly. “How long have you known?” Why didn't you trust him to tell this? Had he done something to make you think otherwise? You never brought up children but never talked negatively of it either. His heartbeat ecstatically thoughts flashing a mile a minute.

“When I woke up. I didn't realize until then,” You finally turn trying to fight back the tears of panic threatening to break free. “I swear. I would never have been so foolish if I had known. I would have told you.”

Jesse rose whipping a stray tear from your cheek and wrapping you in a tight hug, shoulders trembling from unshed tears himself. “I know, I trust ya. Jesus baby meeting you was the blessing I never deserved.” He kissed you then, peppering little kisses all over your cheeks, your nose and lips never settling for one place for long.

“You want this? Jesse I won't force this on you.”  You ask, starting to realize your fears may be unfounded.

“Whatca’ mean ‘if I want this’? I love ya, every bit I can get! I mean I would have done this a bit different. A cute little house with a cute little dog.” He paused licking his lips debating for a moment before continuing. “The nicest damn ring I can afford… But what's life without a few curves?” He smiles warmly a soft flush gracing his cheeks.

You couldn't help but laugh in shock. The words warming you completely making your heart flutter. It was a sweetness that made you feel good, feel safe when he pulls you in tighter murmuring hopes and promises into your ear. You smile snuggling in close, kissing his cheek and rubbing his broad shoulders wondering why you worried in the first place. This could work. You knew he would try and you wouldn't back down either. You loved him too much to not at least try.

[seeminglyseph]

fuck I need like a tablet tablet with csp to take on the road. I can’t do traditional anymore I’m too stupid. and I love csp already so I wouldn’t have to adapt to a new program, just a new version of it. I’m so behind the times with my desktop setup. but I don’t really leave the house right now... but I could be upstairs with my family more... I need to save for a new computer desk and some other furniture that I’ve decided will make my home feel comfortable again. idk. I am like... I need to change things about how I live in this house so I stop... expecting him. I like want to change the way I live so I stop feeling like my life has a gaping goddamn hole in it. 

rambling about ocs under the cut

So maybe that’s why Gawain gets to be Oops All Daddy Issues. It’s easier to have all your characters accidentally damage their children psychologically when they’re all flawed people. Gawain is honestly the best off being largely raised by Asra, Aisha and Salim with Lake showing up for half the year and taking him away for 3 months. Where he then has to deal with Lucio for those 3 months and he hates them because he’s basically a city kid dragged off to the frozen boonies to bond with his shit-ass dad. Lucio tries probably a little too hard in those three months and Gawain just gets more and more teenaged and rebellious and aware of things Lucio’s done. Finally he’s an adult and he’s like ‘I’m not going south anymore I’m gonna work for Nadia and make a life here and I’m definitely better than my hick older sibling and cousins for it’ because who doesn’t love a like spiteful 19 year old debuting to court and dealing with a superiority complex a little bit. “I have to start at a negative because of the legacy he left behind and I’m fucking angry about it, but it’s not weird if I find his old room and fuck on his old bed to prove my superiority right?” if this was more Romantic Gawain would end up swearing to kill Lucio in revenge for the life he had to live in his old man’s shadow, but instead Gawain is going for public or court opinion. “I’m going to win the people you failed, despite how badly you failed them. They’ll love me despite how much they hate you.”

and like Asra’s torn because like he definitely understands wanting to fuck with Lucio 100% but he was pretty sure he taught Gawain better than to be a superiority complex starved for other people’s affection. It’s not like Gawain ever went without affection with the Vesuvia Crew around to coddle him. 

Ironically Xay was actually raised with Lucio as a full time dad and they have really no issues with him at all. Which unfortunately is a sign of some trouble that runs deeper, they’re a liiiiiiiitttle bit morally ambiguous. As mercenaries their job is literally to fight battles and shit for people. It’s made them pretty numb to a lot of violence. While it comes across as a cocksure, charming and emotionally well adjusted person... they’re okay with a lot of things that are very not okay. They got war stories and some trauma they are successfully burying for the time being but at like 40 they’re gonna have some demons to grapple with. Gawain is angry scared of them ‘cause they used to beat Gawain up a bunch like in a sibling way, but because Gawain was not raised to learn violence as a bonding tactic he just feels like his older sibling loves to beat the shit out of him. (He learned offensive and defensive spells exclusively at first because Xavier would just fucking pummel him when they met up. though part of that was also Lake bringing Xavier north to hang in Vesuvia and Xay wanted to show off how cool they were since everyone already loved Gawain and they were insecure. it’s a tangled web.)

Asra obviously tried to intercede in the bloodlust of his first born but like the south just shaped a different sort of person than he wanted for them, but as they grow older he’ll be able to be there for them when they need the safety and love for recovery. (honestly Rain should get some therapy for basically having to child soldier it in defense of his home in the south. living in dangerous territory takes a toll.)