#or like how thunderstorm wasn't going to be around for a hot second

[echantedtoon]

Househusband Upper Moons: Kokushibo

(This is inspired by @rottencoreflesh101's Househusband Upper Moon posts. (Warnings: Their blog does contain NSFW elements and themes that not everyone may like or be comfortable with AND is only for 18+ folks. Just a heads up. But this WILL STAY Sfw.) I did link to the post in question down below. If enough people like househusband Kokupuffs drabble I'll do a second one based on their headcannons of Househusband Gyutaro. This is probably not gonna be very long and it's from the perspective of a female reader.

Househusband Upper Moons Concept- @rottencoreflesh101

Demon Slayer- Koyoharu Gotouge

Original Post:

The thunderstorm I'm the distance between the roof and sky haunted the eardrums as the storm drew ever closer in the darkness.

There truly was nothing but the warmth of the small fireplace within the cozy small house in the middle of the woods. A cozy small hideaway nobody knew about but himself and a select few individuals. It would shield him well from the harsh elements and keep him safe and sound from the outside. It was his own little safe haven. Just himself to worry about now.

The bubbling pot of soup on the stove wafted in waves making even the most stuffed person desire to eat it as he smelt it. A hum of satisfaction left his throat as he nodded and let go off the soup ladder after stirring it a few times. This would surely last a few days. Cooking enough food to last a few days was always good. Having leftovers only meant you didn't have to cook over a hot stove for a good while. It left time to focus on other things. Speaking of other things- Multiple eyes turned to the door as thunder drew ever closer and closer judging by the sounds in the distance. Now where was she?

She should arrive back any minute now. After all her workplace wasn't that far from here, and it was simply only a matter of walking and returning to the home. Strong hands wiped themselves on a nearby cloth he slipped from the countertop and removed the remains of elk blood from his hands. The rest of the body that couldn't be used would have to be disposed of later otherwise wild animals would be coming up to the house and wondering the garden and animals. No. He couldn't have that. A fox already made off with one of his wife's chickens she'd be upset if it happened again. As if on cue, his head immediately perked up at the distant sounds of approaching footsteps small and dainty. A smile grazed his mouth and his head turned to the door in wait as the footsteps approached closer and closer. The door slid open after the footsteps paused a brief moment outside of the house.

"Ah. Welcome home little lamb," a man's voice greeted smiling widely at the figure of the woman walking inside. "You've arrived...just in time for dinner."

You smiled from the doorway slowly and moving to take off your sandals. Your feet sore from the long walk to town and back where you worked for a company making clothes to then be shipped to various places across the country. Your feet were sore from walking so much, your hands sore from threading the needle for hours, and your body aches with tiredness from a long day. Upon walking into the house your senses were hit with the beautifully delicious smells of meats, fried potatoes, and a few other things. You were only free of your shoes for more than three seconds before someone much larger was standing over you. Six eyes met yours-

A pair of lips met your temples. "How was ...work?"

You smiled up at your husband. Usually someone would be pretty intimidated by a six foot something demon with fangs and six eyes staring down at them so closely like this, but you couldn't see it. Especially when he wore the cloth around his head keeping most of his hair from his face and the large apron drapped over him. He looked very alluring and domestic. 

"It was business as usual. Im sure I pricked my finger more times in one day than you've swing a sword in your entire lifetime."

"I doubt that." 

"Smells good. What's for dinner?"

"Elk stew. ..I caught it just early this morning." Ah. Most likely when the sun wasn't up yet and you were still asleep. A strong arm pulled you forward into the house and the door was closed. "Eat. Your body's strength... needs to replenished with rest also."

You didn't fight it and only leaned into his touch. "Sounds great. Aren't you hungry though?"

"My hunger shall be... quenched within an hour." Which translated to him waiting for sunset to hunt for his normal food source. "Did you...have a pleasant day?"

You nodded sighing. "Just a bit tired. Big orders means lots of work, but it's my fingers that really hurt." Your hands flexed as you pouted remembering all the times you pricked yourself today. 

A much larger hand grabbed the smaller one bringing it to the demon's eyes. Six orbs examined them closely before a gentle kiss was placed onto the skin. "If your hands are sore....then I just might..have to feed you..myself."

"N-No you don't." Despite it he chuckled deeply and making your own face red. "I can still take care of myself."

"If you insist...Now sit and rest... Your body needs it."

[zen-the-dumb]

Iwaizumi heacannons cause he’s hot.

(Split into sections) (I apologize, this one is kinda all over the place and there is alot of variety for what i write on this one. Its some fluff, some angst, y’know.)

Bullied!reader

(Physical bullying)

Someone is getting their shit rocked-

No, but in all seriousness, he knows something is up after a while of seeing a few different signs. These signs being purely physical. He couldnt pick up on any of the mental signs. The signs he picked up on were bruises, you being late whenever you had to go through a certain area of the school to get to somewhere, and being anxious around a certain group of people.

Probably confronts you about it after a few times of seeing the same things over and over again.

During this confrontation, he gets worked up and mad. After you tell him who is bullying you and what’s happening, he takes action to prevent it.

If you’re okay with telling a counselor or teacher:

Iwaizumi will do the talking if you want him to, if not, he’ll just accompany you to be like emotional support.

If you are afraid to tell a counselor or teacher or believe it will bring you more harm:

In this situation, Iwaizumi will devise a plan to protect your from whomever it is hurting you.

This plan will be along the lines of accompanying you wherever and at whatever time it is that these people are bullying you.

If they try to bully you while he’s there, a fight will insue.

(Mental bullying)

**Tw!: mentions of suicide and suicidal thoughts**

He took note of changes in your behavior most likely. However, if you showed no big signs of being bullied, I don’t think he’d be empathetic enough to tell. If you aren't more down than normal, it probably takes a bit.

Once he realises, he is pissed (reasonably so).

He asks you why you wouldn't tell him earlier. He was concerned that you were so scared to tell him for whatever reason.

***TW!: THIS IS THE SUICIDE MENTION PART!***

If you went to the extent of attempting suicide, he stays with you while you heal from the suicide attempt before asking you who pushed you that far. When you tell him, he probably is quite tempted to go beat their ass.

If you had suicidal thoughts but didn't attempt before he got to you, he definitely was still pissed that you had even had the thought of ending your life. He wasn't mad at you for having them, but mad at whoever had tortured you so much that you had contemplated suicide.

**Suicide mention part over**

To help avoid you being tormented, he subtly starts being with you more. And if they torment you when he’s not there, he comforts you after you tell him about it.

If they torment you infront of him, he will rip into them with the insults.

Reader that stims ig? (Sorry, not sure what else to call this)

One day he notices your stimming and asks about it.

After you tell him its a type of physical comfort mechinism, he’s kinda confused for a second and you have to explain why it’s needed for you. (Whether that be sensory overload, social anxiety, overwhelming enviroment, etc.)

Once you explain this to him, he starts taking note sub-consciously of what situations you stim during.

Eventually, he probably memorizes what stims you use for certain things if you have certain stims for different situations.

Defends you if you ever get made fun of for your stimming.

Reader that is afraid of thunder

At first, whenever he sees how anxious you get when the thunderstorm starts, he thinks its kinda silly or you’re joking.

However, whenever he sees you hiding under the blankets or crying or anything like that, he immediately is all comfort.

Probably will cuddle you for comfort you if thats what you want.

Gives you his headphones and turns on music for you or something to distract you or block out the noise of the thunder.

This section is for a Trans male reader. Dysphoria comfort.

Whenever you’re feeling dysphoric, he will give you compliments on your masculine features to distract you from the not masculine features.

If you don't have a binder on at the time, he’ll give you his jacket or one of his shirts to help with dysphoria.

If it’s dysphoria over your legs or hips, he will lend you a hoodie or baggy pair of pants to help.

Will buy you food. No more context.

If anyone dares to misgender you on purpose or dead name you, there will be hell for them to pay.

*_Requests are open, check my blog or profile description for more details_*

[ferrarihamilton]

STORMCHASER?? 👀

this fic has been ruminating in my head for almost a year..... it's a chalex au where charles stopped racing after winning gp3, and alex's family moved to the US when he was young and he visits every summer break just before storm season starts.

Charles texts him at 3:18AM on a Saturday in the middle of July: Alex! I hope you are dreaming sweet dreams. I will be in Dogwood in a week! Can I stay with you?

Alex smiles when he sees it in the morning. Charles asks the same question every summer, and he’s always so polite about it. Like Alex hasn’t seen him throw up on himself after drinking a box of wine, and hasn’t been opening his house to Charles for four years now. Like he doesn’t know how the first thing Alex does upon waking is check the forecast. He might not have the fancy equipment that Charles has, but he can see the cartoon of a little raincloud with lightning as well as anybody else. They’re promised high winds at the beginning of August. Alex had already prepared the spare room.

He replies, Hey charlie. What day would you be arriving?

The typing bubbles appear immediately, and a second later a string of kissy faces come through, followed by Hmmm thursday I think

Alex thumbs up the message, and then sends a photo of his view of the sunrise for good measure. In the foreground, there’s his windowsill, littered with various trinkets that Charles has brought before, and then below, the cafe's porch awning, and the sprawling fields for miles to see. Even without opening the window, the air feels fractious, hot.

Alex knows Charles understands, because he sends back four emojis: a battery, an electric plug, a thermometer, and a satellite. Alex smiles again, helplessly, before tucking his phone into his back pocket and heading out start his day.

Chloe is already starting to make breakfast. She turns as she hears him come down the stairs, and smirks when she sees his face. “Charles due soon?”

“Shut it,” he says. Chloe just smirks wider as she hands him a bowl and a carton of eggs.

+++++

Dogwood, Oklahoma, population 300, sits on State Highway 39, and the township’s economy is mostly fuelled by the tourists heading north to Kansas. It’s completely unremarkable, utterly boring, and the perfect place to spend three weeks of summer when your day job normally consists of multiple timezones a week.

His mum had bought the house and the attached cafe soon after they moved to the US: Albon's, a classic tourist trap place with cheap sandwiches and coffee, morphed into half a farm slash petting zoo when Luca wouldn’t stop rescuing animals and plunking them firmly in their backyard. The tourists kept asking about the donkeys wandering around the picnic tables, and Zoe had said eventually, “Well if they’re not going away, we might as well make some money.” They’re proudly advertised as family-owned and operated, which is supposed to make the people feel good about spending their money there, but mostly gets brought up through gritted teeth whenever Zoe and their mum argue about finances.

Alex tries not to get involved. Even though he makes more than enough money now for them to not need the cafe, he thinks it keeps his mum happy, to be reminded of the first life they'd had that was completely theirs.

And the cafe is how him and Charles are still friends. Alex had been furious when Charles told him he wasn't continuing with racing after winning GP3. Alex would have given everything to have beaten him, and here Charles was, acting like it didn't mean anything.

But Charles had followed him to Oklahoma that winter, instead of going home. He'd helped out at the cafe, and the night before his flight back to Monaco, he'd told Alex that he'd enrolled at Oklahoma State, tentative major in mech-E. Later, Alex will think that he probably had wanted to be an astronaut. Instead, when Charles' prof in sophomore year had taken his class out in the middle of a thunderstorm, and Charles had dragged Alex along with him, Alex had had the almost religious experience of watching Charles’ face as the sky crackled with lightning.

They’re still good friends; they text fairly frequently, but it’s been a year since they’ve seen each other. Charles is a proper stormchaser now, galivanting around the country on grant money from the college. He looks happy in every photo he posts on Instagram, writes long blog posts using words like isobars and Doppler effect and mobile broadband MNVO. And without fail, he stays at Alex's family home for a week before the storm season begins in earnest, and Alex sends him off to run after tornadoes, like a wife watching her husband leave for war.

+++++

Charles arrives in a flurry, bringing with him a battered Jeep fitted with mods Alex isn’t entirely sure are legal. As she does every year, his mother comes out to stand next to him on the porch as they pull up, and her eyebrows are thoroughly unimpressed until Charles’ smiling face hops out.

“Oh Charles!” she coos. “He was always such a good boy,” and then Charles is kissing her on both cheeks, saying hello and how she looks as beautiful ever, before he turns his attention on Alex, and even though Alex is twenty-six, he feels himself flush.

“Alexander,” Charles singsongs, and then mushes his face into Alex’s collarbone as he hugs him. Alex huffs out a laugh, wraps his own arms around Charles.

“It’s good to see you too,” he tells him. Charles beams at him, and Alex hasn’t followed Charles on one of his tornado chases since he was twenty, but under his gaze, he feels supercharged, electric.

Charles insists on helping out around the farm, because Alex absolutely puts his foot down when Charles offers to pay them for his week stay. This would be useful, because it’s the busiest part of the tourist season, if Charles were not completely useless. He takes nervous steps away when the animals approach him, clumsy with the dirty plates when clearing tables, and even though Alex knows that Charles can operate software with GIS overlay and the college’s ham radios that tune into Skywarn frequencies, he stares at their cash register with the same trepidation most people approach large spiders. And despite all of that— he charms all the little old ladies that come though the café doors, even when he messes up the orders. He makes Melina laugh, which in turn, lets Zoe get on with the bookkeeping undisturbed. He also brings in a shitload of tips. Alex hides a smile, watching Charles flit around and somehow be totally out of place and completely at home all at once.

It’s hard not to be charmed by Charles, his quick hands and the way he looks when he’s concentrating. Alex was a lost cause when he was eighteen; he sees no reason why that might have changed now.

+++++

Alex is always worried that Charles will get bored when he stays. Usually, he’s a doer, not a worrier, but he still has a training regime to keep up, so it's not like Alex can skive off to entertain Charles.

But they do have one tradition, and there’s nothing else to do on a Saturday night. So Alex takes the pickup truck they usually use for moving animals, cleans the hay and muck out, and drives Charles out to the fields. It’s a clear night, and they can see the stars, and he spreads out the blanket over the truckbed, throws down a couple of pillows, and leans back to look up at the night sky.  

“Tell me about your year,” Charles demands, once they've settled in.

Alex shrugs. Anybody can find out how his year is going from every sports website under the sun. He nudges Charles. “Tell me about your year.”

But Charles shrugs too, even though he’s smiling, and starts telling him about clouds instead. “Cumulonimbus,” he says. “Cumulus means ‘heap’ in Latin and ‘nimbus’ means storm cloud. They mean a storm is coming— air currents care carrying the water vapour up. When they develop, they have this dome.” He cups his hands into shape. “And then they can become supercells.”

Alex knows about the team that Charles is going with this year: Lewis, who used to work for the National Weather Service but now he’s a storm spotter for fun; Seb, a professor of climatology and technically their team lead; Daniel, who looks like he’s only there because he’s an adrenaline junkie and a good driver.

Alex knows from reading the captions on Charles’ Instagram posts that storm season starts in August, and the café is the first stop. For the next two months, he’ll follows the weather patterns as they shift and morph on radar displays, driving into fields, into wide-open terrains of grass and dirt and lakes with no roads and a cloudless sky, and waiting for the winds to pick up before they go.

He knows their time is limited, so Alex drinks in the sight of Charles and all the ways he’s changed in the time they’ve been apart. He tries not to wish for anything more.

At the end of the week, two more Jeeps roll into the driveway, Seb, Lewis, and Daniel all get introduced in quick fashion, and then Charles kisses Alex high on his cheek, and waves at him the whole time they’re driving away. Alex watches him go, waving, sore.

+++++

August turns into September, and the season picks up again. Williams has a solid midfield car now, and it's good, seeing the fruits of his hard work, having a team around him that listens to him, takes him seriously. Him and Charles continue to text, infrequently, as they always have. Charles tells him about amazing tornadoes, sends photos of himself at the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in nowhere towns on the side of highways, miles and miles of cornfields.

In return, Alex sends photos of the track, some terrible coffee they make him try for a marketing challenge, Luca screwing his face up at his maths homework, the crowd of fans at Singapore.

This is why it’s particularly insulting, that Alex finds out from fucking Lando of all people, that Charles got struck by lightning.

“What,” he says. His hands are clammy where he’s clutching his phone.

“Yeah, Max mentioned it to me. Guess Daniel told him. They’re having one of their weird on again things again.”

Alex couldn’t care less about whatever drama Lando has embroiled himself in. He’d known, logically, the risks of storm chasing. Except it was Charles, who has always seemed bigger than it all, exempt from the rules of physics and karma and everything else that made the rest of them mortal.

He checks Charles’ Instagram after Lando hangs up. The last post is still there, from a few hours ago. Alex had already seen it, liked it, thought nothing of it. A photo of a long stretch of highway, Daniel’s exaggeratedly frown. Location tagged Humboldt, Tennessee: stuck here for a few days with an upside down smiley face.

There’s a shiver running up his spine, a tense, live wire. If he touched anybody right now, he’s be unsurprised if the venom of it ran straight through them.

That feeling only intensifies in the twenty-four hours between Landos call and him pulling up outside the only motel in Humboldt. He stands outside the car feeling angry and frightened as he figures out what to say to Charles. This is greatly ruined by how Charles stumbles out ten minutes later in socks and slides, and stops dead.

“Alex?” He blinks. "You're supposed to be in Austin."

Alex is; it's Wednesday, race week. He has media duties in the paddock tomorrow.

“Did you get taller?” Charles asks, when Alex still doesn't say anything.

“I don’t think so,” Alex manages to get out. He's still feeling that sickly furious feeling, and Charles must see it on his face, because he huffs.

 “Fucking— I’m fine, the car is ruined but it had to happen at some point.”

“Does it?”

Charles squints at him. “Is this a trick question?”

"Charles," Alex says, but he's stopped by movement in the motel. harles glances back. A door is open, and Seb is lounging casually against the door frame in sweats. Alex didn’t know it was possible for a man wearing a headband to look so frightening.

 “Let’s go for a drive,” Charles says.

+++++

Charles directs them back onto the highway. He riddles with the radio, turning the dials until it crackles into a frequency that’s giving a weather report. Alex has to keep his eyes on the road to drive, but he knows what Charles looks like even without turning his head: lips pursed, hands twitching like he’s looking for a notebook before his thoughts fly away.

"Here," Charles finally says. It’s a dirt road turn off that looks like it leads nowhere, but Alex turns off all the same.

“You’re here,” Charles says wonderingly, even before he's killed the engine. Alex takes a deep breath, turns to face Charles. Seeing his face, whole, open, looking at Alex in that way lets the last of Alex’s worry melt away.

“Okay,” Charles says, and Alex leans forward and fists his hand in the collar of Charles’ shirt, and kisses him.

[rocksandmirrors]

for the summer prompts: thunderstorms late at night :)

hello fellow apocalypse matt icon, i assume you're here for the Goods™

i tried to keep it short bc otherwise i wouldn't have been able to shut the fuck up ajgsakgs them vibing in human rain is sooo their aesthetic idc

anyway enjoy!!

send me summer prompts + a character/pair

It wasn't uncommon for Matt to be invited over the Nocedas', now. The human realm was fascinating to explore, and Luz's mom was nothing but welcoming, even to him.

But, really, it was just an excuse to hang out with Gus for the most part.

Everyone in the house was already sleeping; Matt, however, had been struggling to fall asleep. He had abandoned the idea long ago and left the basement Camila had provided him and Gus for the night. He had given his snoring friend one last glance before heading upstairs.

This was when he noticed the familiar noise of rain pouring. He had to remind himself it wasn't boiling; rather, when he stepped outside, he noticed how cool it was despite being the middle of summer. He watched the rain fall onto the ground, but instead of evaporating, like it would in the Boiling Isles, it just crashed on the pavement. Then, it came; a sudden flash of light in the sky, followed seconds later by a deep rumble. He had never seen anything like this before, and his realm had its fair share of plagues.

Matt sat on the porch for what felt like hours, soothed by all the different sounds. It wasn't his first time witnessing human rain, but it was his first time really appreciating it.

"What are you doing here?"

Startled by the voice, he looked up to see Gus standing right next to him, a tired smile on his face.

"I thought you were asleep," Matt said, arching an eyebrow.

"Yeah, 'til you woke me up climbing the stairs like an angry slitherbeast."

Matt rolled his eyes, although his heart sank; Gus had been so deep into slumber earlier, he had almost been cute to watch.

Not that he would have admitted to do so, because he didn't.

When Gus sat next to him, Matt couldn't help but steal a couple of glances; his eyes were half-closed, and he was clearly in need of a few more hours of sleep. Yet, here he remained.

"You should go back to bed, Augustus."

"It's too hot in the basement," he mumbled, "I need some fresh air."

Fair enough. This place had no windows, only a fan moving warm air around the room, they might as well finish their night into the living room instead. Matt didn't argue, and they watched the rain falling together in a comfortable silence. He could notice his friend struggling to keep his eyes open, though. So, he took a risk and wrapped an arm around Gus' shoulders to pull him closer. When he relaxed into his hold, not even asking what he was doing or why, and sneaked his arm back around Matt's middle, he could have melted into a puddle right then and there. There was something about a sleepy Gus that got to him, and he had reacted as if they had done this hundreds of time before.

"You okay?"

"M'yeah, comfy," was all he answered as his head fell on Matt's shoulder.

Matt snorted at this display and accepted his fate as Gus' pillow for the time being. He would look down at him, from time to time, noticing how his eyes were still open, staring at the rain with a faint smile on his face.

Another flash in the sky, followed by a rumble, almost resembling one of a monster. Matt reminded himself to ask Gus what this was later.

[hitomisuzuya]

Scaramouche x Fatui!fem! reader. SFW In Which Scara discovers how you picked up on handling him when he got difficult to deal with. Featuring a horse. Some footnotes at the end with definitions of some horse terms used. Please enjoy❤️

You were looking a map with Scaramouche and a friend of yours. It was her map that you were looking at by the way. You felt guilty because you were the reason why they were even stopped to begin with, sort of.

You often rode your horse out on joint operations. Your friend, one of her subordinates or yours would ride behind you if your squads were travelling a long distance on foot.

You offered Scaramouche the same offer, but he only blew you off saying that he didn't get tired. "I swear that fucking creature hates me. It always looks like he glaring at me or sizing me up. It's offensive. It's like he can see inside my soul everytime he looks at me*." Men weren't allowed to ride behind you because it required wrapping their arms around your waist.

Let's just say that he was at odds with your horse in a competition for your affection and love.

Earlier that afternoon, your horse had turned up a little lame* when the frog* of his hoof clipped against a rock. He would be fine once you removed the rock.

However..

"Ma'am! I'm sorry but, we need you right away!" One of your friend's subordinates said, running up to you like his life depended on it.

Scaramouche glared, looking offended that he'd interrupted him while you discussed how best to proceed forward because one of the paths your groups was going to take was now blocked by a fallen tree blown down during an intense thunderstorm last night.

"What is it?" You asked before Scaramouche could threaten him and make the situation worse.

"We were only trying to help you and remove the rock from his hoof. But he..he just got so angry so fast that someone other than you or our leader was handling him.."

"Shit! I told you all to wait five minutes for me," you said, glancing at your friend before sprinting the clearing you'd left your horse in. Your friend and Scaramouche (who was walking) hot on your heels.

'Well at least they were smart enough to remove my tack* and tried to put a halter* on.' You thought, skidding to a stop to assess the situation.

Your riding equipment was all but dumped on the ground. Your tall, gray horse was rearing up, pawing at the air with his hooves. His liquid brown eyes were darting around, desperately trying to find you.

"Tch, I'll handle this," Scaramouche scoffed as he put his hat on your head. He knew he shouldn't, but your horse was lashing out so violently and at random that he thought you might get hurt. "Fucking idiots, all of them," he added, watching handfuls of subordinates trying to calm the beast down.

"Ugh, everyone stop!" You commanded, even Scaramouche was surprised at how fast he stopped. "Nobody move a muscle, especially you," you said as you walked passed Scaramouche.

The second your horse heard your voice, he seemed to calm down almost instantly. But he was still very frightened. "I'm following her," Scaramouche said, gritting his teeth.

"No you won't. Just stand here and watch, it's been a long time since I've seen her do her thing," your friend said, ignoring the glare Scaramouche gave her. You and your friend has grown up together in Snezhnaya. She'd even used her exceptional leadership qualities and skills in strategy to be placed on your squad so she could watch out for you when you joined the Fatui. She was your Lieutenant, and your right hand woman. You both led your squads together, grouping them together into one.

Scaramouche had to admit he was in awe even if it wasn't evident on his face. So this was how you were always able to handle him so well when he got pissy. It was all because of this difficult creature.

"Easy there, sweetie, I'm right here," you cooed softly, reaching up to pet his neck as he pushed his nose into your chest, nuzzling you. "I'm sorry everyone didn't listen to me and scared you so badly. They didn't mean to. They were only trying to help."

You motioned with your hand for one of the subordinates holding the halter to hand it to you. You put on, patted his neck, and bent down to pick up his hoof, flicking the rock out of it. "There we go, all better now," you giggled when your horse beared full weight on his leg without a problem, looking relieved.

"Avert your eyes, worms. I can see some of you staring at her ass!" Scaramouche snarled, making your horse turn his head quickly to look at him.

"And don't mind him," you told your horse, patting his neck again and rubbing his forehead, "He has a natural asshole voice. Scara isn't as bad as he sounds, I promise."

He heard your friend laugh when she saw him blush lightly from embarrassment as his reputation seemed to suffer a big hit.

*tack is riding equipment. A saddle and bridle.

*a halter is something a horse wears when they aren't being ridden. It's purpose should be self explanatory.

*the frog is the only feeling a horse has in their hoof. Thing of it like the bed of your fingernails. Ouch if your cut your fingernails too far into nail bed, right? It's in a triangle shape on the bottom of the hoof.

*lame is when a horse limps.

*a horse knows everything about you the moment they look at you.

@kichikichiko I know you are here. Do you see yourself in this. Thank you for the sweet Tighnari comfort headcanons. They really mean a lot and I will treasure them everytime I reread them.

[giveheartshoto]

I'm way too anxious (and late??) to be doing this but a friend told me to post my Todoroki centric oneshots on here too. Hope anybody likes these! :) //

ONESHOT 1 | WINTER VS SPRING —

TW(?): hints to suicide.

SHIP: Shojitodo

P/R/F: Platonic

"You're not alone Shoto."

His voice was calm yet deep, reminding me of the always-changing sky above us. His voice was as calm as the light blueness of the sky, yet deep as the height of the air from the cement of the pavement up to the earth's orbit in outer space.

"What do you mean, Mezo?"

Yet the calmness in his voice was all just a facade.

A cover-up of how he truly feels about the situation going on.

The deepness of his voice broke out of pitch with every few sentences he spoke indicating that he was close to crying; breaking down in the situation... The breaking in his voice reminded me of the clouds above as they split apart from each other and then formed together again during a thundering storm.

"Because... I am here, aren't I? I'm your friend..." he trailed off.

His whole presence reminds me of the second season: Spring... He wasn't cold nor sweltering hot but instead, he was in between, just like a perfect day during spring.

- With the sun out and the sky clear from the clouds.

- The air is breathable and free.

- The heat is around the right temperature.

- A calming breeze floated through the air nicely...

He was spring, whereas I was winter.

"Yes but...-"

He interrupts me, his voice cracking more and more.

"Please just get down from there Shoto, I can't lose you either!"

His eyes as of this moment were the white-turning-grey clouds, tears pricked at his eyes like rain begging to fall from the corners. At first, the tears started as a small drizzle, one slow drop after the other every couple of seconds.

He was spring, I was winter.

My mind was as dark as a thunderstorm. Rain heavily hammered it down as the clouds were as dark as the night the storm appeared on. The only light to be seen as flashes of lightning, thunder roared around the atmosphere as the wind begged to be free from its shackles, it didn't want to be a strong wind that could kill, just a calming breeze that sings lullaby tunes to those who need to fall asleep.

The banging flashes of lightning in my mind were Mezo begging me to not jump off this roof.

The wind was my thoughts.

The thunder is my heartbeat and the rain was my own set of tears.

The dark clouds were my negative thoughts and the night sky was my mind and soul.

I repeated the same question before, having no other way to speak, "what do you mean, Mezo?"

"I've lost too many people before, I can't lose you either!" Mezo begged me.

Slow drizzling turned into a small downpour.

I took a glance behind me. The back of my feet was partly off the edge of the roof. We were so far up into the night sky, it was impossible to see the cement and asphalt far down below. The only things we can just see are the twinkling lights of the lampposts and some coming through the panels of the windows of various buildings, more so the tall ones.

I felt my own body shaking, like an earthquake. At first, it is just a slight, small tremor but soon it turns into a cause of damage - or rather, my fears getting to me. My nerves are playing up, begging for me to take the leap backward and fall to the long distanced ground or by Mezo's comforting side, I wasn't sure.

I then looked back toward where Mezo stood. His eyes watering with tears that have now turned into a full-on spring shower, teeth gritting beneath the mask he wore, fists balled and clenching harshly together turning his tanned tone a fairly pale colour.

"Please..."

His voice is cracking again.

Many emotions flow through those black glass panes that are his spectacularly shaded eyes. Emotions flowing... Like a stream through a set of woods with fish and frogs and other little critters jumping and playing through the cool moving water.

"Just let me show you that this is not the only answer to end whatever is going through your mind," he raises his right hand out towards me. His palm is facing up to the sky. Hope and fear showed their small silhouettes in his glancing eyes.

The storm going inside of me suddenly stops.

The darkness of the night sky within me started to brighten up and not too far away was the sun rising over the horizon.

That rising sun is the definition of hope.

Hope to a nice life, to a life of goodness. My life...

Mezo is my hope for what could be a good turn to that same living.

Maybe he is right... Ending it all by losing my life isn't the answer, not like I always thought it was.

Because after a storm a rainbow comes right?

His happy look reminds me of that same rainbow as he sees me step away from the edge and over to him whilst grabbing his hand.

His warm presence as that also same rising sun as Mezo pulls me into a hugging embrace, tight and comforting.

He is spring.

As I am winter.

The four seasons - Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn - are the earth's heroes to living whereas Mezo Shoji is mine.

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN: 11 JULY 2022

[pencilofawesomeness]

Hi!

I'm sort of wondering when FT members will learn more about the dragon family's history, and who in particular will learn about it.

I mean, Mirajane finally guessed that Natsu is a demon, and while I doubt Natsu will explain everything to her (given that it would imply revealing secrets that are not only his own), I'm actually not even sure he will mention being an etherious specifically, but if he does, I rather doubt he will disclose what his true relationship with Zeref is (since it would be hard to do either of those things without explaining the whole time travel thing or at least that Zeref is immortal, though I guess he can asks Mirajane not to question that part, but more than that there's a significant difference between being created by a "bad guy" and being related to a "bad guy", so I'm not sure he'll trust Mirajane with that information.)

Anyway my point is : he might not tell Mirajane everything, but the fact that she found out but did not hate him might actually change things for him. What's more, hearing about the part where Erza, Jellal, Lucy and GRAY of all people, made friends with a village of demons might also quell some fears. (As long as he doesn't hear about the Deliora part of the story or that it doesn't affect him too much, that he understand Deliora was hated (and frozen to death) because he was destructive and killed people (including Gray's parents), not just because he was an etherious).

So I wonder if Natsu will start being more open about the fact that he's part demon, at least with the guildmates he's closest to. I mean, sure Acnologia told him it might be better to keep it quiet but a) he meant that in a general context, b) he barely knew let alone trusted the guild and its members at the time.

Speaking of which, I'm also thinking about the dragon's families other secrets, namely their origin, Acnologia's past and their connection with Zeref.

For now, I believe that except for the Exceeds and the dragons slayers plus Anna, no one has the whole story? Lisanna maybe? She knew most of it, I'm just not sure if she was ever told why they were sent in the future (in other words, what Acnologia did).

Other than that, the people closest to them would be Mystgoan, team Thunderstorm, team Shadow Gear and Jellal & Erza. It was pretty clear in the 24 hours race one-shot that Jellal and Erza knew next to nothing, basically they're just friends with Erik and they learnt about dragon slaying magic in passing. Regarding team Shadow Gears, I'm not even convinced Jet and Droy know of the dragonlings' dragon slaying magic, so I doubt they know anything else. Levy does know Acnologia is a dragon (and I must say I'm curious as to how that happened), but I'm really not sure about the rest, I would guess she might know about the time travel, but not Acnologia's past or Zeref. Thunderstorm is probably pretty much unaware of everything - I'm actually not even 100% sure Laxus knows about Zeref. Though with the summer camp thing he would have found out about Natsu, so... Mystgoan I'm really not sure about, but I also don't think he knows anything, if only because he's always too busy with other things.

I'm really curious to see if any of them will be told more in a near future. Or someone else entirely, Lucy for instance. Or if the revelations will always happen accidentally, on the battlefield, through another person, etc.

I'm fondly imagining Erik reassuring Natsu that Erza and/or Jellal wouldn't hold his being a demon against him, nor his being Zeref's brother, nor his loving him still, nor even his not (completely) believing Zeref is a bad person, as long as Natsu explained why he believes that. Because Erik does know enough about them (and the past they share) to know they wouldn't care, would still trust him and care for him all the same. I can even imagine Erik supporting Natsu telling Gray or Lucy about his being a demon, if Erik heard about their demon friends of Galuna Island. (Maybe not the Zeref part though. A bit too risky I'd say.)

I'm really found of secrets and reveals, of the hurt and comfort and the drama. I really look forward to pasts being revealed, be it by choice or due to old enemies (or friends) coming back to haunt the Fairies.

Ah yes this is an excellent question anon. Especially since I know I've been bad/vague on establishing who-knows-what since I've been hitting major events and then going back and filling in details at random times, both because of my flighty mind, and because I've been toeing around some things until I committed. Like this one.

Nevertheless, there are people who know, and over the course of the series, more people will find out in-story. Especially once we hit major group-fests like the Tenrou and GMG arcs.

Their squirreliness and awkward relationship with secrets is certainly something to be addressed. Really, it's like this with the majority of Fairy Tail, and it's a theme I am absolutely fascinated by: FT parades around as a "family," and they trust and love each other, but very few people in the guild are comfortable trusting each other with emotional hurt. Which is to say, the fact that FT is a fresh start for people is an amazing thing, but the focus on moving forward sometimes causes things not to be addressed. Erza would never have told anyone about the Tower on her own; Cana won't tell Gildarts he's her dad; the dragon slayers don't want to bring up their time displacement and quasi-dead parents; Gray didn't want to tell anyone about his and Ur's last conversation; Mirajane didn't want to be anything reminiscent of her younger, scared self. The dragons have created a sort of microcosm of emotional vulnerability within Fairy Tail, mostly by accident and the nature of shared secrets, but that doesn't extend to all of the guild. It's a question of whether it should, or by how much; of where to draw the line between lingering in the past and letting it drag you down unwittingly; of what makes family, and what that really means.

I ramble, but I say that all to say that it's a theme I want to try to intersperse and play with as the series progresses. So to answer your question: yes, secrets will be spilled and/or shared willingly. More people will find out more information. Like with Mirajane in this arc, because Natsu—despite having the most secrets—is a very trusting individual once it starts to unravel. (Almost like secrets can take a toll on the mind: what a concept.) So, without giving away everything, I will say that Mirajane will learn quite a bit by the end of their adventure.

As for who knows, there's actually a handful of people who know a lot, maybe save a detail or two. It's been mentioned a few times (I think, like with Acno's retrospection in bringing in Erik) that once somebody starts being at the house all of the time, secrets go out the window. The fun thing about that bunch is that while they have a ton of secrets, personality-wise, they're not very secretive. That's why the go-to response is avoidance 80% of the time. So Lisanna, Levy, Mystogan, Laxus, and Bickslow know pretty much everything, from a combination of being told things and exposure from always being around. (Lisanna got told everything out the gate by Natsu, since secrets are like his least-favorite thing, and then she was around when other stuff was discovered. Similarly for Levy, Mystogan, and Laxus. Bickslow found some things by accident and then the rest through him being surprisingly chill with everything; I have a side story that I think I referenced in another one that I've been wanting to write that focuses on Bickslow and Lisanna having to figure out soul magic because they're all confused af, but I haven't gotten to that one yet so I understand that nobody knows of what exists in my head, lol.)

It trickles down from there. Erza and Jellal know about what Erik went through, and they know about some dragon slayer magic stuff, but not any of the backstory. (Mostly because Erza didn’t think to question anything, and Jellal was too awkward too, hence the 24-Hour-Race stuff.) Same with Freed and Evergreen. Jet and Droy know a bit more, including about some of the time travel stuff, but nothing in regards to Natsu or Zeref or the Acno-is-an-actual-dragon thing.

With more to come, as I said. Because yeah, as things progress—like with the Galuna peeps figuring out more—it will start coming up slowly. It’s gonna be a lot of fun, that’s for sure. I, too, love all the revealing secrets tropes. >:)

[vivaamor]

Thunderstorm

Warnings: Very minimal violence, swearing

Relationships: Bucky Barnes/Female Reader

Summary: After a bad week, you and Bucky get into an argument

Word Count: 1,728

Cover art is mine! Writing is mine as well. If seen on anything other than here or ao3 (if I post there, username is vivaamor), please let me know and report it!

You opened your eyes, groaning from your stiff neck after sleeping on the couch in Bucky's apartment. You had your own apartment but a few days of the week you would stay at his place. You and Bucky tried to spend as much time together as possible when neither of you were working. You had fallen asleep while watching television and hearing the shower running, you figured Bucky was in there.

You stand from your spot on the couch, rolling the sleeves of your sweater over your fists. Bucky always kept it freezing at his place. Whether it was because he ran hot or he knew that was how to get you to cuddle him at night, you didn't know.

When you opened the door to his bedroom, he had just gotten out of the shower and was changed into sweats and a black t-shirt. You frowned, the two of you were supposed to meet Sam and his girlfriend for drinks in an hour. Maybe he forgot.

"Hey, Jamie." You smiled softly, walking near him to kiss him on the cheek. He winced and stood a step back. You and Bucky had a healthy relationship for the most part. You knew him like the back of your hand. Most of the time, he would love nothing more than for you to kiss him, but there were other times where he just needed his space. Whether he was cranky or had a nightmare, he needed space to reflect and react appropriately. You'd learned at the beginning of your relationship to read the warning signs. This was one of them.

You keep your hands to yourself and take a step back, watching him walk out of the room and downstairs. He felt miserable, like there was a thunderstorm cloud lingering over his head everywhere he went today. He had his first nightmare in over a month today while taking a nap. Steve was there. But now? Steve was across the world at Tony and Pepper's wedding. Bucky was invited too, but he didn't do well with crowds. It frustrated him how he had limitations to what his anxiety allowed him to do.

Walking down the stairs once he's been down there for a few minutes, you decide that was probably all the time he needed and he most likely just didn't sleep well. "Jamie?"

Bucky raised his head, looking up at you, arching an eyebrow. "Yes?"

You decide not to push, and decide you'll only remind him about drinks. "We're supposed to meet Sam for drinks in an hour, remember?" He nods. "I'm going to get ready." You smile, walking back upstairs.

"Have fun."

You turn around at the top of the stairs, walking back down a few steps. "What? He invited both of us."

"I'm not going." He states matter-of-factly, returning his attention to his book. "Tell Sam I said hey."

"Baby, he invited you. He only invited me to be nice and keep his girlfriend company. If you're not coming, I might as well not, either."

He sighs, not even glancing up from his book. "Then don't. We'll stay home."

"What's the point of staying home together if you won't even look at me?" You snapped back, easily catching his attention as he puts his book down. "Look. baby. I love you, I really do. But we haven't gone anywhere besides the grocery store in three weeks. I need some fresh air, and I'd really like if you went with me."

For a moment, you think you changed his mind. That moment only lasts half a second until his nose is shoved back in that damn book. Bucky was a challenge for you. Not to mix it up, you loved him. Hell, you adored him. But he wasn't always very swell at communication. And it drove you fucking crazy. Being in a relationship where you both had insane tempers could be very challenging.

Before you know it, you've ripped the book out of his hand. "Why can't we just go for one drink? We've canceled on him three times already."

"Y/N, I said no." He tells you sternly, taking the book out of your grip and setting it on the coffee table. He stands, getting up and walking up the stairs to get past you until you move and stand in front of him, blocking his path.

"Oh!" You exclaim sarcastically, "You said no!" You smile, irritation drawn all over your face. "I'm sorry, I must have misheard you. Oh, wait, no I didn't I heard you the first time. I-"

"Y/N, I said no!" He roared, his metal hand slamming into the wall next to your head. Your breath hitches in the back of your throat, stunned. You look at him, expecting an apology immediately, like he'd always done whenever his temper got out of hand. Bucky had done an amazing job of always staying calm, never raising his voice at you and taking deep breaths when he needed to. He'd never gotten physical, so this was terrifying to you. "Go home."

He didn't have to tell you twice. You grab your purse from the kitchen counter and head for the door, tears streaming down your face, and slamming the door shut behind yourself.

It had been three days since your argument with Bucky. It was insanely embarrassing calling Sam once you got home that night and canceling plans, trying to your best to sound normal, like the two of you had just lost track of time.

Having just gotten off work at the gym you personal trained at, you walk into your apartment complex, climbing the stairs to the third floor, where your apartment resided. You'd gone over the argument a thousand times the last few days, telling yourself that you were in the wrong. But even so, he scared the hell out of you that day. Did he want to hurt you? Was his aim off and he hit the wall instead of you? Your anxiety was torturing your mind and you felt helpless.

You watch the rain drops fall down the window in the stairwell that faced the city, the weather outside dark and gloomy. Unlocking the front door of apartment 304, you step inside and lock it behind yourself. The apartment was dark and quiet and honestly sort of lonely. You kick your tennis shoes off, dropping your purse on the couch, flicking the lights on.

Something grabs your arm and you gasp. Without giving the intruder a moment to react, you hurl your first in their direction and your hand is caught by a metal one. "Y/N." You make eye contact with the familiar voice, your loving boyfriend, Bucky, sitting in on the arm chair. You sigh in relief, tearing your hand away from his grip. "I'm sorry, doll."

"For what?" You respond, looking away from him and walking away from where he was sat.

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Everything. Will you look at me, please?" As stubborn as you are, you look at him anyway. You couldn't say no to him, especially when he sounded so sad. "I didn't mean to push you away and I especially didn't mean to get so worked up. I never want to hurt you. You know that, don't you, doll?" You nod slowly, standing in front of his knees. "Come here, honey." He reaches for your arm and as angry as you are, you let him pull you on to his lap.

"You need to communicate with me." You finally say, "I know Wanda is, but I'm not a damn mindreader. If you need space, you need to tell me." He nods, rubbing circles on the back of your hand with his thumb. "I don't know, maybe we're spending too much time together. Maybe this is too much."

He shakes his head, pulling you closer to his chest. "No, that's not it. I just... Sometimes I feel so trapped in my own mind. I don't want a break from you, three days away from your this week alone almost killed me. But you're right. I need to speak up to you about what I need."

"Then will you tell me? Why... Why you felt that way a few days ago?"

He bites the inside of his cheek, thinking for a moment before he takes a deep breath to calm his nerves. "I had a nightmare, baby." He admits, leaning his head into your hand as your comb through his hair with your fingers soothingly. "It was about Steve, about you. I was working for Hydra again and I killed you. And Steve was holding your body in his arms, crying. Asking me why I would do such a thing, but I had no control over it. Hydra made me do it." He frowns, looking down at your lap.

"Hey," You cradle his jaw in your hands, tilting his head up until he looks at you. "I'm here, I'm safe. Steve is safe. We both love you. I know I do. But I need more than just you walking away when you're upset. Do you get that?"

He nods again. "I'm so sorry, baby. I didn't mean to scare you like that." A single tear falls down his cheek and you wipe it away, leaning into him.

"It's okay, Jamie." You reassure him, hushing his soft cry. "I love you. More than you'll ever know." You lean in, pressing your lips against his gently. He rubs up and down your back, leaning into you. Pulling away, you carrels the stubble on his cheek. "Let's go to bed, yeah? Come on, baby. Let's go to bed."

He stands up, holding your body in his arms and walking to your bedroom. You giggle, not expecting him to carry you. He chuckles back at you, kissing the top of your forehead and setting you down on the end of the bed. "I love you, doll." He tells you, getting comfortable under the covers and holding his arms up, ushering you to get under.

You crawl from the end of the bed to where he's laying and rest your head on his chest. "I love you more."

"Impossible." He replies, sitting up for a moment to take his shirt off.

You lean up, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Weren't you aware, Barnes? Anything is possible."

[swimminginanunknownparadise]

Just a little rain

pairing(s): Zuko x fem!reader in modern!au

prompt: "We're in the middle of a thunderstorm and you want to feel the rain?"

a/n: so… sorry for pretty much dropping off the face of the earth- but I’m back now! Will I drop off the face of the earth again? Honestly, yeah probably. I wrote this at 3 o’clock in the morning, so if this is a little clunky I apologize in advance! But whoooo! First fic if the year y’all :)

They where driving down an empty Road in the middle of nowhere with fields on both sides of the road, they had been for what felt like hours. Normally they wouldn’t make the three day drive from BSSU all the was to Gaoling, however she insisted saying it would be nice to go somewhere new. She’d only visited there once, going there with Toph and the rest of their friends during spring break. That was a year or two ago and she’d been wanting to go back ever since. And so now, that’s where they were heading. They were of course, the odd men out, so they took their own car while Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Toph could car pool together. It ended up working out just fine, they were besties! What was the worst that could happen?

"Ugh," Zuko let out an irritated groan and squeezed the wheel a little harder until his knuckles turned white. The cause of his sudden outburst and soured mood? Tiny little rain droplets had started to fall down onto the windshield of their car, making a nice ambiance against the music he’d turned down thirty minutes back. His companion, who had been lost in thought and looking at the road ahead of then looked over and gave him questioning look, not really sure why he was getting angry over a little bit of rain. "Everything ok, Zuzu?" She tilted her head like a confused puppy, but he just shook his head and continued looking out onto the road.

Again, all was quiet aside from the soft music and rain droplets, but she didn’t seem to mind all that much. She loved the rain after all but Zuko on the other hand? Apparently not so much. But he kept his complaints to himself, occasionally glancing over at her and smiling as the watched some of the droplets on the window “race” to the bottom. Such a simple act made his stomach roll with that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you’re just simply happy. But after fter a few more seconds of rain he turned on the windshield wipers and huffed as the rain came down harder. She rolled her eyes and his dramatic actions then looked out of the window at the raindrops pounding on the glass.

She had always loved the rain, especially when it begin to fall after a long day of running around Jasmine Dragon, making teas and coffees and pastries and everything in between and then coming home to her nice warm bed and just listening to the pitter patter of it hitting the windows. She loved how the cold rain fell on her hot sweaty skin right as she ran around the track with Sokka, after all their cardio days were rain or shine. She wasn't really all that graceful. Maybe that's another reason she liked the rain. The raindrops never fell in one spot the same time, they were all different, like her. But she could keep thinking or more reasons why she loved it, his sour face right next to her made it difficult.

Zuko on the other hand hated rain. He was like a cat, at least that's what she said, in a teasing way of course! He didn't like rain at all, he didn't know why but he just didn't. Maybe it was because it always seemed to represent sadness and pain, basically his whole life in a nutshell. Now if she’d have been able to read his mind she’d probably have called him mellow dramatic, probably would have even told him that the good experiences outweighed the bad ones. She’d always been the optimist of the duo but that wasn’t a hard thing to accomplish. Zuko just seemed to hate everyone and everything, always a Debby downer. He didn’t understand why she put up with him but he certainly wasn’t about to complain or question why now. But

Speaking of her, she was one of the many things that he didn't hate. In all actuality, he was absolutely whipped for her, and he hated it and loved it at the same time. He would never admit it though, after all he was almost positive she didn't feel the same way. They'd been best friends for years, there was no reason for her to have even the slightest of romantic feelings for him. She never showed him any romantic affection, had she? If she had he’d never noticed and so he just tried his best not to pine over her. And so far it was going pretty damn well. After all she had no clue of his little crush, and so he was good to go on and be the bestie he would forever be. He’d been in airplane mode for a hot minute and he was finally pulled out of his thoughts when he heard her angelic voice from beside him in the passenger seat.

"Pull over." She had uncrossed her arms and was now grinning at him from ear to ear, and she looked like a dog that was overly excited to go for a walk or get a treat. Her eyes were ass big as dinner plates and sparkles like gems. Now, normal he’d smile and go along with whatever crazy plan she’d cooked up in her head but this time he thought she’d lost her damn mind. “I'm sorry, what?" He raised his brows at her and clutched the wheel again, then licked his lips as she pursed hers in what seemed to be annoyance.

"You heard me. Pull over!” She hadn't said it in a demanding way, kind of in a pleading way but not really. Ok, maybe it was a little teensie wheensie bit demanding but he didn’t see it that way. She didn't mean to sound so… whatever way she did. After all he would do whatever she asked, to an extent that is. And of course he did end up doing what she’d asked of him… but only after some serious puppy dog eyes and a stick out lip. He rolled his eyes and pulled over to the side of the road right beside an empty field. They were significantly behind the others already so it wasn’t that big of a deal.

He looked over at her again with an exasperated look, leaning back fully in the seat and raising a brow. “Why did I pull over exactly?" She grinned and took off her green BSSU hoodie and tossed it into the back seat. "I wanna feel the rain." He looked at her, dumbfounded at how simply she’d put it. He had no earthly idea why she would want to get out of the safe car in the middle of a thunderstorm. To him, she sounded mental. She gave him her most serious look, one she never really used, well unless she wanted something just like now. "We're in the middle of a thunderstorm and you want to feel the rain? You'll get all wet," he tried to reason with her but was having none of it.

"So?” She shrugged and unlocked the door. “Clothes will dry." After moment of silence and her puppy dog eyes once again looking into his soul he sighed and gave her one last “do I really have to do this?” look before ultimately giving into her request. He didn't know why he even tried, she always got her way in the end. Spirits he hated the look she gave him whenever he even tried to say no to her. It broke his heart to see her upset, so of course he was wrapped around her finger and he hated it, but again, he didn't complain. He loved her way to much to let her down, it was definitely the bittersweet side of their friendship.

"Fine, five minutes." He took the keys out of the ignition but made no move to get out of the car. On the other hand, she instantly jumped out and shut the door behind her, knowing he wouldn't like it that much if his precious leather interior got damaged. "Come on, Zuko! Get out here!" She had the biggest smile on her face as she twirled around, beckoning him out into the cold and windy weather. Her soaked hair flung water on him as she opened his door. He grimaced as a few water droplets got in his jacket but he hid it well, making sure to smile at her when she skipped over to him.

“Do I have to?" He said it in his whiniest tone possible, but she was unfazed by it and instead giggled and grabbed his wrist. Before he could even react she had pulled him out of the car and into the rain. He stood there stunned for a moment before glaring at her with his lips in a this straight line. "Yes, you had to!" She giggled again and grabbed his hands and forcing him to sway back and forth with her. She was smiling so big that her eyes were all crinkled up and her cheeks were going red. Just one Look at her face in that moment and he melted. He would do anything to be able to see that look on her face again. It was his favorite thing, the one thing that he would do anything for. Suddenly their mushy moment was interrupted by a loud clap of thunder that had ripped through the air. She jumped slightly, her arms wrapped around his neck and she let out a little squeak.

She looked up to his eyes and suddenly she became as red as a tomato, her smile becoming shy in only an instant. "Well, uh... sorry Zuzu." She took a step away from him and looked at her feet, though she didn't seem to regret her actions, she seemed quite pleased with herself actually. His usually pale complexion was now just as red as hers was, he could feel it all over his face and neck and ears. "No, it's fine," he muttered, not at all fine, because in fact his heart was hammering in his chest. Sure they had hugged before, but not like that. She nodded and looked at the darkening sky, a smile tugging at her lips. Spirits, how he loved her smile.

"Why do you like the rain so much?" He crinkled his nose as he looked at his soaked cloths. She looked back at him and wiped some of the water from off her face even thought it did virtually nothing for her. "I don't know," she srugged and then looked around putting her hands on her hips, now feeling a little bold. "Why wont you admit your feelings?" He froze, his heart now full on racing. He blinked at her a few times and she looked back at him, taking a step closer. "I'm sorry?" He must have heard her wrong. He had to have misheard her. There was no way his feelings where so obvious. No way at all, especially not with how much care he put into not making them known. He looked straight at her again, she had a smug look on her face now.

"You heard me. Why won't you just tell me you like me. And don't deny it because I know you do." She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. He looked away, not wanting to see the look on her face. “I don’t where you got that idea from,” he shrugged. She gave him an annoyed look and shook her head. "Come on, it’s not like everyone else in our friend group knows. Why won't you just admit it? It's not like I'm mad about it!" She took a step closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Please, Zuko." She gave him those big puppy dog eyes again, after all she just wanted the truth from him. She felt the same way, she just never told him because it would’ve been awkward if her suspicions had been wrong.

He sighed and ran a hand over his dripping hair. Was he really about to admit all his feelings that he had been bottling up for at least a year? Probably, after all she was begging him to be honest and unless she felt the same way, why would she be pressing so hard? So, he took a deep breath and then finally said it. "Yea, I like you (Y/N). I like you a lot. Happy now?" He went to look at her but was knocked to the ground, arms wrapped around his torso. He groaned and let his head fall into the soaked grass with a gentle thud, wrapping his arms around her with an unbelieving grin. "I like you too," she grinned and he let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding.

"You give the best hugs." She said as she sat up, watching as he stood up and smoothing out his soaked jacket that he oh so adored. “I know, don't get used to them- Ow!" He huffed as she pinched his ankle before getting up herself to resume their driving. They definitely had a lot to tell their friends when they met up at the rest stop.

[mapplestrudel]

Are you still taking the prompts that you reblogged? Because if so, please could I make a request? ❝ i know this is gonna make me sound like a baby but thunderstorms really freak me out,  can i hang out with you until it gets quiet again? ❞ (Reader goes to hang out with the Paz during a thunderstorm because they're freaking out, and Paz is... oddly comforting because you know he'll keep you safe. Also, bonus points if they're hanging out in the forge with the Armorer.) =D

Nonnyyyy!

I wasn't taking requests, but, well... inspiration struck and I wrote something anyways xD Not sure if this is what you're looking for (and I'm forgoing the bonus points), but I hope you still find something to like in it ^_^ Lemme know what you think!

Pairing: Paz Vizsla x Reader

Warnings: bit of anxiety, but it's comforted. by Paz bc he's the best 💙

Wordcount: ~680

---

Orar

You hurry through the covert's corridors, each crack of thunder making you wince and freeze to the spot. Fear clouds your mind, and for a hot second you think you're lost forever in the maze. But then you see the big blue frame and remember what you were looking for.

Him.

"Paz... " you squeak, but it's right into the next thunder's rumble, and you freeze again, eyes squeezed shut, trying to get back some semblence of control of your trembling form. You're not even sure if he heard it. Another thunder cracks down outside and you stiffen up involuntarily, hiding your face behind your hand. You brace for the next crack, but before it strikes you feel a big comforting hand on your shoulder - and the accompanying deep comforting voice laced with a bit of worry.

"Hey. You okay?"

You shake your head weakly, lips trembling with tears you're barely able to hold in at this point.

"Thunderstorms freak me out." You peak out from behind your hands. "Can... can I hang out with you?" Another crack makes you wince. "... Please?"

He does this slighty backward Tilt Of Surprise while deep down you're afraid that he just starts to laugh at you. But he doesn't. Instead he nods and gives your shoulder another gentle, reassuring squeeze.

"Sure. But you're gonna have to help me."

"Help you? How?"

"I'm on my way to the foundlings. You're not the only one who's scared."

"Oh."

"Now, before we go, I want you to take a deep breath - and remember where your feet are."

"My feet?"

"Yeah. Where are they?"

"Uh..." You look down to your feet. "Down there."

"That's right. Breathe into them."

You're confused, but do as he says and it's already taken your mind out of the spiral a bit.

"Good," he praises. "Take another breath and tell me: What are your feet standing on?"

"... The.. uh.. the ground?"

"Yeah. How does the ground feel?"

You stomp tryingly. "Pretty solid?"

"And do you think the walls are pretty solid, too?"

You look around, and eventually nod. "Yeah."

"I think so, too. I think they're gonna hold off that little storm just fine."

Another thunder cracks and you wince again, but not as much as before.

"It's gonna be over soon," he assures you. "Can't storm all the time." One last squeeze to your upper arm and he lets go. "Remember your feet?"

You look down again. Yes, there they are. You nod.

"Good. Let's go."

You follow him - and soon find yourself at the entrance of the foundlings' room.

It's empty.

Or at least it appears to be empty.

Paz positions himself in the middle, clears his throat, and calls attention with a gentle rumble:

"Ad'ike!"

Little faces plop out from possible and impossible hiding spaces.

Paz rolls his head. His shoulders crack in anticipation.

"We're gonna build a pillow fort."

The kids scramble out into the open room and gather around Paz.

He gives little tasks to everybody. Yours is to gather as many blankets as you can from the storage. The little ones fan out to get pillows. He goes himself and carries some of the bigger tables from the mess hall to the kid's room and soon you're all sitting inside the fort, comfortably on pillows and blankets. You're right beside Paz, leaning into his side, and he wraps his arm around you. You've got a foundling in your lap, another one huddled into your free side with your arm wrapped around them. Paz himself has two kids sitting on his lap, wrapped his arm around two on his other side, and one is hanging on to his back.

He goes through the same grounding exercise with them as he did with you and before long the storm is forgotten as he tells stories of old times, when the Mandalorians used to ride to battle on mighty mythosaurs and even heavy thunderstorms couldn't stop them.

So when the next thunder cracks, you just snuggle closer to Paz and remember your feet.

Can't storm all the time.

---

Translations:

orar -- [or-AHR] -- thunder

[xmoonshiftx]

SPRING VS WINTER | MARKIPLIER X GN!READER ONESHOT

[TW: hints to suicide attempt!]

"you're not alone, y/n."

his voice was calm yet deep, reminding me of the always changing sky above us. his voice was as calm as the light blueness of the sky, yet deep as the height of the air from the cement of the pavement all the way up to the earths orbit outer space.

"what do you mean, mark?"

yet the calmness in his voice was all just a facade.

a cover up to how he truly feels to the situation going on.

the deepness of his voice broke out of pitch with every few sentences he spoke, indicating that he was close to crying, breaking down at the situation. the breaking in his voice reminding me of the clouds up above as they split apart from each other then form together again.

"because... i am here, aren't i? i'm your friend."

his whole presence reminding me of the second season; spring. he wasn't freezing cold nor sweltering hot but instead he was in between, just like a perfect day during spring:

- with the sun out and the sky is void of clouds.

- the air is breathable and free.

- heat at the right temperature...

he, was spring. where as i, was winter.

"yes but...-"

"please, just get down from there y/n, i can't lose you too!"

his eyes as of this moment was the white-turning-grey clouds, tears pricked the corners like rain begging to fall from the sky. at first his tears started as a small drizzle, one slow drop after the other every eleven seconds.

he was spring.

i was winter.

my mind was as dark as a thunderstorm. rain heavily hammering it down as the clouds were as dark as the night the storm appeared on. the only light to be seen was flashes of lightning, loud thunder roared around the atmosphere as the wind begged to be free from its shackles, it didn't want to be strong wind that could kill, just a calming breeze that sings lullaby tunes to those who need to fall asleep.

the banging flashes of lighting in my mind was mark begging for me to not jump off this roof.

the wind was my thoughts.

the thunder is my heartbeat and the rain was my own set of tears.

the dark clouds was my negative thoughts and the night sky was my brain and soul.

"what do you mean, mark?"

"i've lost too many people before, i can't lose you too. you're my best friend damnit!"

slow drizzling turned in to a small pour.

i take a glance behind me. the back of my feets heels partly off the edge. we were so far up in to the night sky, it is impossible to see the cement and asphalt far down below. the only things we can just about see is the twinkling lights of the lampposts and some coming through the panels of the windows of various buildings.

i could feel my own body shaking, like an earthquake. at first it is a slight tremor but soon it turns in to a great cause of damage - or rather, my fears getting to me. my nerves are playing up, begging me to jump. off the roof or by mark's side i do not know.

i then look back towards where mark stood. eyes watering with tears that have now turned in to a full on spring shower, teeth gritting, fists balled and clenching together.

"please..."

his voice cracked once more.

many emotions flowing through those brown glass panes that are his spectacular shaded eyes. emotions flowing.... like a stream through a set of woods with fish and frogs and other little critters jumping and playing through the cool moving water.

"just let me show you that this is not the only answer to ending whatever is going through your mind," he raises his right hand out towards me, his palm facing up to the sky. hope and fear could be seen within himself.

the storm going on inside me suddenly stops.

the dark of the night sky within me starts to brighten up, not too far away is the sun rising.

that rising sun is hope.

hope to life, my life.

mark is my hope to what could be a possibly good turn to living.

maybe he's right... ending it all by losing my life isn't the answer.

because after a storm is a rainbow right?

his smile reminds me of that rainbow as he sees me step away from the edge.

his warm presence as that same rising sun as i am pulled into a hugging embrace by him.

he is spring.

as i am winter.

the four seasons - winter, spring, summer; autumn - are the earths heroes, just like mark fischbach is mine.

[dabifixation]

see you later

pairings: dabi x fem!reader

warnings: smut, fluff, angst, major character death, mha manga spoilers, slight gore, MINORS DNI

summary: Dabi knew he had to end things soon before they got out of hand. He knew this wasn't supposed to last long, he told himself that everytime he left your apartment in the early hours of the morning. Until he found himself back here again, in your arms and lost between your thighs.

word count: 4.7k words

"... We encourage everyone to stay at home tonight, as there is a possibility of a severe thunderstorm, along with it flashfloods all over the city..."

The television only served as background noise for you as you moved around your kitchen. Cleaning up the dirty dishes and utensils, a small smile on your lips after the friendly company you had tonight.

It's been a while since you invited your friends over for some supper after the long depressing week you had. You needed that, the entertainment and companionship only they could offer you. You've never laughed or cried so hard in months, telling each other about your sorrows and thoughts for your futures ahead.

Being an adult was never easy, especially in a world full of rejected heroes.

You were so lost in your thoughts that you hadn't heard the warning cough behind you, or the tap against your kitchen counter. But you did give a short shriek when you felt someone wrap their arms around your waist, their chin resting on your shoulder, inhaling your scent.

You relaxed once you felt the familiar warmth of who it was. Only one person in the entire world could be dubbed a walking, breathing furnace, and it was him.

"I missed out on a big meal didn't I?" He drawled, his warm hands rubbing soothing circles against your stomach.

"Maybe if you didn't pop into my life every few months, I would've saved you a plate." You sarcastically replied, but you didn't miss the way how you sounded partially hurt.

You weren't expecting much all those years ago when you found him bloodied and passed out behind your childhood home, and you weren't expecting much now.

You never asked questions, and he never pried in your personal life. You were quite fine with that. Not everyone was an extrovert and had their whole life story ready to be dished out. He was a very private person and you respected that.

He ignored what you said and continued to nuzzle his face into your neck. Using one hand to push your hair over your shoulder, exposing your neck to him.

You suppressed a sigh when you felt his warm lips give short kisses against your neck.

"I've missed you." He breathed cold air into your neck, making you stiffen at those words. He's never said something like that before, not once in the six years since you've known him.

Dabi noticed you stiffen in his arms, but he didn't say a word. He wasn't lying. He did miss you, achingly so.

He missed your stubborn attitude, the sarcastic replies that were on par with his own, the homemade cooking you offered to teach him countless of times that he doubt he'd pay attention to cause he wouldn't be able to keep his hands to himself. But most importantly he missed you. The way your touch lingered even days after his monthly visits, the way your lips would pay close attention to the magenta scars all over his body, and the different ways you'd say his name depending on what he was doing to you.

God, he was going to miss all of this once he leaves for the League of Villains.

"I've missed you too." You shyly said, you've never admitted these words aloud before and it felt good to tell him that.

"Turn around for me, I wanna see how good you look." He whispered in your neck.

"Dabi I'm wearing nothing but my puppy printed sweater." You deadpanned.

"It doesn't matter, you always look good no matter what." He playfully nipped your ear, making you roll your eyes despite the heat in your body relocating to your cheeks.

You turned around to face him, a beaming smile on your face that was only ever directed at him. Your heart always soared whenever you looked at him. He was beautiful. The most beautiful man you've ever had the pleasure of laying your eyes on. His eyes were the most vibrant blue you've ever seen, little specks of grey dancing in those pretty blues that were half lidded but always calculative and aware of his surroundings. He licked his lips, bringing your attention to the plump flesh that were an interesting contrast between soft and jagged, and the pink tongue residing in his mouth.

Your eyes were transfixed on his appearance, making sure no hair on his head was missing or any new injuries to his increasing collection. You rested your forehead against his hard chest once you found nothing out of place, letting out a sigh of relief when you finalized that he was okay, and not sporting a limp or any other injury.

"Damn, I stress you out that much huh doll?" You could hear the smirk in his voice, but didn't have the energy to make a snarky remark, only offering him a small smile.

"Your visits are becoming less and less you know, the last time I saw you was five months ago. I was..." so worried about you, you wanted to say. You were so worried that you stayed up everyday, two hours after your initial bedtime hoping that he'd at least show up once in those five months. He didn't, and you were beginning to think he never would, until tonight. You didn't want to tell him that.

He wouldn't care.

You felt embarrassed that you were crying to your friends about him earlier on. Scared that you'd never see him again, not because he's moved on from you as you know there's nothing keeping him here other than sex and a warm bed to crash in, but because you were worried he'd get himself injured or worse. And you didn't like dwelling on what worse could imply.

"I kno–" Dabi's words were cut off by a small sneeze he muffled into his arm. Sneezing twice more before he regained his composure.

You only noticed now that his clothes were slightly damp and heavier than usual. It made your eyesbrows furrow.

"How long were you in the rain Dabi?" You questioned, knowing you wouldn't like whatever answer he'd come up with.

"Ever since your lady friends came by."

"That was over two hours ago? You've been sitting in the rain this entire time?!" You felt your blood pressure rising when he only shrugged at your accusations. It was like arguing with a toddler sometimes.

You sighed again, pinching the bridge of your nose. "I've got a box of mens clothes laying around here somewhere. Go take a shower and I'll get them for you and make you a cup of hot tea."

He quirked one eyebrow up, staring intensely at you.

"What?" You averted your eyes away from his, embarrassed that he was searching your face for something.

He shrugged again, rolling his battered coat off his shoulders and started stripping the rest of his clothes off. You turned around before he could go any further. Busying yourself with getting his tea ready.

Dabi stopped undressing, standing there with nothing but his jeans on. Watching you as you got the correct items in order to make him tea, muttering to yourself about which biscuits he might like with it.

He liked the butterscotch ones, but he didn't bother opening his mouth. Too memorized by the way you moved around so frantically as if he was dying instead of coming down with a small cold.

He liked that about you, he liked a lot of things about you. Especially the way you cared about the simplest things pertaining to him even during moments of intimacy. You treated him like glass even if he didn't offer the same treatment in return, not because he didn't want to, he just didn't know how to go about it.

He frowned.

Dabi was only ever vulnerable around you, and you didn't even realize it. You didn't know the power you had over him, and he'd like to keep it that way. Afraid that you'd use it against him and he wouldn't be able to bring himself to hurt you for that. He could never hurt you.

He found himself walking towards you on impulse, hugging your waist once again. This time pressing his body flush against yours. He heard you gasp and that pulled a smirk out of him.

"Do you know what you do to me?" He gripped your hip with one hand, and snuck the other hand underneath your shirt. His lips against your neck, right above your pulse point.

Your stomach tensed when you felt his hot fingers rubbing soothing circles against it. He pressed you further against him, making you feel the growing length against your ass. You bit your lip, stopping yourself from whimpering too early.

"The way your nipples are perking up so nicely for me in this shirt that's practically transparent is driving me nuts." He snaked his hand further up your shirt, brushing the skin underneath your breasts gently. Your breath caught in your throat as you gripped the counter tightly.

Your panties were clinging to your pussy uncomfortably, you could feel the material getting wetter with each passing second. You tried rubbing your thighs together for some friction, but Dabi wasn't having any of it. He clicked his tongue out of irritation, the hand on your hips falling towards your inner thighs, parting your legs. His hold was strong enough to prevent you from rubbing your thighs together, you wanted to whine when he didn't place his hand right where you wanted them.

Just a little higher.

"I asked you a question doll." He spoke into your hair, taking a deep breath from the rooibos shampoo you used. The smell turned him on even more.

"W-what question?" You whimpered, resting the back of your head onto his chest, sighing out as he brushed the pads of his thumb against your hardened nipples.

"I don't like repeating myself." He growled, pinching your nipples harshly causing you to whimper pathetically in his arms. He continue to tweak at your nipples roughly before groping your breast and fondling it the way he liked.

"Dabi... " You mewled.

"Don't. Don't say my name like that." He gave your nipples a warning pinch.

You bucked up into his hips, involuntarily grinding against his cock. The swollen head rubbing in between your ass despite the jeans restricting him. Making him choke back a groan.

Dabi was just as impatient as was it in his nature to tease. He took his hand away from between your thighs to quickly lick the tips of his index and middle finger, bringing them back towards your aching pussy. You were such a good girl, not once taking the opportunity to touch yourself or rub your thighs together.

He wasted no time in pushing your thong to the side, sucking a deep breath through his teeth when he rubbed his fingers through your slit collecting the thick moisture gathered there. You always got so wet for him.

After coating his fingers in your arousal, he moved his fingers towards the bundle of nerves that had been pulsing ever since he rocked up at your house.

You let out a breathy yes, eyes rolling to the back of your head as Dabi rubbed your clit just the way you liked, grinding it down in tight circles that had your toes curling. He pinched at your clit piercing, knowing how much you liked it when he played with the metal and how easily it could make you gush for him. The pleasure was overwhelming and had you feeling light headed.

Without warning, Dabi plunged those same two fingers into your tight pussy. You bit back a scream as your body jerked and writhed against him. Hips chasing after his fingers as they thrusted deeper into your spongy walls, the palm of his hand grinding against your clit. The stimulation was too much for you.

"Fuck!" You shouted out, bringing your hand down to his, gripping on his wrist tightly so he could go deeper and faster. He could get you cumming around his two fingers alone, he didn't need more than that.

"Dabi please." You begged.

"Please what?" He asked curiously, knowing exactly what you so deeply craved.

The hand around your breast disappeared. He reached for his jeans so he could unzip it and pull it down. A short relieved sigh left his lips once his jeans were pulled down his thighs, just enough to free his heavy cock from all that pressure. He gripped his cock in his free hand, he wanted to feel you around him so bad but he had to be patient, as much as he hated it.

Dabi watched you from underneath his dark lashes, the way your body responded to him in delicious squirms and moans drove him mad. He added pressure to your clit, grinding his palm hard against it. Your body rocked back into him for more, a high pitched wail leaving those beautiful lips he couldn't wait to claim.

"I want you ins- shit shit shit!" He watched your body shaking silently against him, thighs trembling, pussy clamping so hard around his fingers he hissed as he pulled them out and quickly replaced them with his angry, pulsing cock.

"Fuck." Dabi let out breathlessly in your ear, feeling you clench and gush around him as you came. He wasn't prepared for this. To feel you around him after five long excruciating months. He loved the way your pussy gripped onto him after all these years, as if it was the first time all over again.

Dabi pulled your head back by your chin so he could look into your eyes as he drove you into your next orgasm. Ignoring your pained whimpers of pleasure from being overstimulated like this. He dragged his cock slowly out of you, holding back a gasp as he slid out of your warm walls, missing the snug warmth around him, and then slammed right back into you without warning, making you cry out.

Your ass bounced against his thighs as he gained momentum, making him cuss underneath his breath at the squelching noises that came along with it and the mess you made on his jeans. Your hands fell down to Dabi's thighs, gripping them tightly but not tight enough to leave your mark, as he practically seethed from the power trip of fucking you after so long.

The drag of his cock inside you had you nearing your second orgasm so soon, and with the animalistic grunts Dabi let out, you could tell he wasn't too far behind. He usually lasted longer than this, way longer, he underestimated how much he truly missed you it seemed.

"Dhabi... Phleasinside... Please!" He could barely make out what you were saying, a stroke to his ego at fucking you so silly to a point you couldn't use your words properly.

"What doll? Use your words." There was a slight wheeze to his words, your pussy clenching so tightly around him had him close to losing his breath.

"Please cum inside... fuck your cum inside me please. Please!" You momentarily gained back your speech long enough to form coherent sentences. You screwed your eyes shut as you felt your orgasm nearing.

His grip on your hips tightened immensely, no doubt leaving his fingerprints there for days. He wouldn't last much longer and you knew it, the telltale signs of his thighs tensing and the urgent bucking of his hips told you he was close.

Dabi let out a groan so deep from the very depths of his stomach, goosebumps began to rise on your sore arms from the intense sound alone. He forced your head to the back so he could kiss you as he came, making a sound so damn carnal it had you cumming alongside him.

The two of you came together in perfect harmony, your pussy clenching down so hard on his cock it had you lurching forward from the force, breaking the heated kiss. Long strings of hot semen shot up into your awaiting womb, dripping down your thighs when it had no more room to go.

Your breathing was uneven, your chest and throat burning from your screaming session. Forever grateful that you didn't live by your parents anymore, back when you had to muffle all your moans from when you and Dabi used to fool around even back then.

He was no better, his breathing shallow and unsteady.

Dabi didn't pull out just yet, savoring the moment of the two of you being joined as one. His fingers traced the long line running down your back, not caring how sweaty you were as he kissed your shoulders gently in gratitude. After awhile he pulled his softened cock out of you, groaning from the oversensitivity while you winced from the evidence of what took place running down your shaky thighs.

The high from sex quickly came crashing down on him. He wasn't here to have sex with you, it just happened. Guilt began to chew at his mind from what he was about to do next, but the way you looked at him, with those caring eyes someone like him didn't deserve, made him drag this moment out far longer than it should've been.

He wasn't a ''now rather than later'' kind of guy after all.

"Let's get you cleaned up." His stomach churned when he watched you look up at him in confusion.

That's right, Dabi never cared about aftercare or basking in the afterglow. He thought it was unnecessary, but couldn't say he hasn't wondered how it would feel to have you running your fingers through his hair and humming childhood lullabies the way his mother used to do to him.

A pang shot out to his heart at the thought of his mother, quickly stomping those traitorous thoughts from making an appearance tonight. Not now, he thought. Returning his full attention towards you and your warm hand grasping his own. Squeezing it gently to bring him back down to earth.

Usually after he was done he'd leave, not that you were bitter about it or anything. That's just how it was. A small smirk would grace his two-toned lips with a "See you later" sent your way before he left your apartment. It was a little tradition shared between you two, the first time he said it you were still 16, applying ointment to his injuries after you found him in your parents backyard. He abruptly left without so much as a thank you, only offering those three words.

Now whenever he left, he'd always say those words to ease your brewing anxiety in promise of seeing you next time. And he never broke that promise.

He didn't speak to you about it, but you could tell he risked everything by coming to your place every once in awhile. You were not ignorant to the things Dabi did, some part of you knew he was involved with some shady things. Things you didn't want to bring up with him.

A man didn't get that many scars in their 23 years of life by being a good samaritan.

You reached your shower, stepping in while Dabi adjusted the settings to both of your liking, joining you once he was satisfied. You've come to love the heat as much as him, hot showers always reminded you of the flame user.

The water ran hot against the both of you. You looked up at Dabi, surprised to see him watching you. For a short moment, you held his gaze. Wondering what could possibly be running through his head that had him looking so defeated.

He wanted to tell you then and there that he'd have to leave for good this time. The League weren't people to be taken lightly, especially with that unhinged brat as their leader. He wouldn't be surprised if the creepy fucker was the type to kill the loved ones of people in order to maintain compliance.

But Dabi kept his mouth, and reached for your blue loofah instead. Squirting some of your lemon scented body wash onto it, scrunching it up so it could get more soapy. He worked in silence, scrubbing your body gently with utmost care and concentration.

Hell would freeze over before Dabi allows anyone to touch a single hair on your body. He didn't care who it was, even if it was the League members, he'd make damn sure their life would end with them being nothing but dirt underneath his shoe. He had to stop coming over after tonight, he was heading into dangerous, unknown territory afterall and he'd rather avoid killing the people he needed to exploit. His plans were finally at his fingers tips, and he wasn't about to throw them away over sex.

No, it was more than sex, no matter how many times he tried convincing himself that he was only here for one reason, he'd just end up fooling himself. At night when he'd look for shelter on the streets, when his quirk couldn't keep him warm the way he wanted, you'd plague his mind with your sweet smile and honey voice. Scolding him for not taking better care of himself and that he could crash at your place if he needed to get back on his feet.

That's why Dabi stopped scrubbing you just as you began to relax at the newfound comfort. You felt his hands tense against your body, making you turn around in concern.

"Hey. Is everything okay?" You were so concerned about him, his chest tightened. Why did you care so much about someone like him. You were so ignorant and stupid. Could you not see the blood on his hands from all the innocent people he convinced himself he killed out of pleasure. It infuriated him to no end, but he could never get mad at you. Not really. He tried pushing you away before, but you were as stubborn as him so he gave up on that method.

Your shoulders fell from his lack of response.

You were too grown to be playing guessing games with him, it was cute entertaining it before, but not now. Not when you were just coming to terms with... with what exactly?

You had an inkling of what was going on, but didn't want to push further. If he was going to tell you, he would. So you asked the next best thing.

"When will you be back?" You asked hopefully, water running down your face. He flashed you a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. His fingers brushing your wet hair out of your face. He learned in, placing a soft kiss against your forehead, his lips lingering for a moment.

"You're so important to me and I don't want you getting hurt because of my suicidal actions." Was what Dabi wanted to say, but he didn't.

So Dabi did what Dabi did best, deflect from the situation and push his true feelings down. Just when you thought you were making progress (as small as that progress was) in this twisted relationship you had with him, you were right where you started.

"I don't know when, I can't tell you exactly. But just know it won't be anytime soon." Or ever.

"Okay. Just... just stay safe." You whispered, placing your hand above his chest, where his heart was. You could feel the way his heart was beating ferociously against his chest, like a caged animal.

He brushed his thumb against your cheek, wanting to remember how soft your skin felt underneath his fingertips, wanting to remember everything from tonight before he left for good. He gave you one last kiss, this time on your lips. A quick peck that said a thousand words, and got out of the shower getting ready to leave. You stood still underneath the scorching heat of the shower, for the first time in years it actually made you flinch in pain.

You watched as he dried himself off with your towel, not paying any attention to you as his hand reached for the doorknob. Much to your relief, he spared you a brief glance that said everything you needed to know in that moment.

"See you later."

-

It's been ten months since you last saw him, almost a year. And in those ten months you've moved out of the city, got a new job and apartment better than the last. You were happy, content with how life has been treating you lately. Your skin was healthier and glowing, you made time for the gym and started toning your body to your liking. Everything was perfect.

It's been ten months since you last saw him, until you finally did.

There Dabi was, or as it said on the news headline, Touya Todoroki, all over your television. Standing above the ruins of a burning building. His clothes were torn, and his body full of cuts and bruises. You didn't even notice the white hair until the news reporter pointed it out.

There was a ringing in your ear as the camera zoomed in on what looked like a teenage boy emerging from one of the ruins, sporting dual coloured hair. Shouto Todoroki was his name they said, Dabi's younger brother who was a 1st year student at UA High School.

Dabi burst into those beautiful blue flames that you admired so much, while the young boy's left side burst into flames of red and orange. They appeared to get ready to fight, the entire country watching with bated breath.

And then everything happened so fast after that.

You don't remember when the tears started falling, but you do remember the loud sob that tore out of your throat as you watched Dabi's flames engulf him from over-exerting his quirk. He fell on his knees, face twisting as he screamed in pain. You couldn't hear what was happening as the mic from the camera crew melted from the overbearing heat of the two flame users, but you could tell that the pain he was going through was excruciating.

You didn't even recognize your own scream when his body swayed as his flames ate away at his flesh. The staples holding his two skin types together, melting into his flesh. You felt sick to your stomach.

Dry sobs continued to leave your sore throat as you watched the man you've known since you were 16, the man you were afraid to admit that you loved so deeply and finally came to terms with it after six years, slowly dying on national television as the entire world watched and didn't do anything about it.

The anchorman's voice was muffled as you watched your lover fall down, face first into the concrete. His body immobile. Your throat clogged up in pain, all you could do now was cry and watch as his little brother tried reviving him using CPR. A failed attempt, but what else could a 15 year old with zero experience in the medical field do.

A part of you felt like it was being ripped out as you watched heroes rush to the scene trying to pry the young boy away from his older brother. You watched as he pushed them away baring his teeth at them, tears streaming down his young face. You watched as a stretcher rolled by, two medics picking up Dabi's burnt corpse and putting him in that black body bag, zipping it up and slowly moving away from the scene.

The screen went blank, offering nothing but silence as you came to terms with what just happened, before the news anchor popped up, a nauseating smile on his pinched face.

"... The villain Dabi has finally been defeated by his own quirk. A win for hero society against their fight with the villains!!"

You were too numb to tell how many hours passed by as you sat there all alone in your room.

While the country celebrated his defeat, your entire world came crumbling down.

You would never be able to feel his warm hands cup your cheeks, pecking you all over the face while he praised you. You would never get to kiss him again, the type of kisses that left you weak in the knees. You would never get to do things with him that you always wanted to do, simple things such as falling asleep in his arms after a long day of work.

But most of all, you would never hear those three special words of his again, the words you didn't even realize until now, were his way of proclaiming his love for you.

"See you later."

[words-etched-in-her-skin]

It is said that a picture says more than a 1000 words .. so my dear friend ... what is happening between Sal and reader here ?? 👀👀👀

OOOOOOOOOOH FUCK.. I... DJDJDKDJDKSKS.. THIS IS SO.. AAAAAAAAAAAAAA DJDJKDDKSKSJ.. FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK.. I'M.. OKAY.. SO... I could definitely see this some possessive/jealous/primal Sal 👀👀👀👀👀👀.. I'm .. fuck the energy in this photo is just djskdjdkjdjfk 😩😩😩😩😩 ..

You could feel it radiating off of her body as soon the front door to Sal's hut closed - a raw and chaotic energy swiftly filling the small home. A low growl to her breething that both aroused and left you a little concerned.

"S-sal?"

"Aye."

Her voice was low and dark - charged like the sky before an evening thunderstorm. The almost dangerous tone to it instantly causing your mouth to go dry.

"Yeh like her?"

"Her??"

And that's when it hit you. The girl from the market. The girl who had smiled at you.. who had flirted with you in such a way that it brought a fierce blush to your cheeks. And you knew you had flirted back, too.. though, not seriously.

"Yer mine."

The words came out as more of a growl than a statement. Reverberating through out her chest and up the length of her neck. A sharpness to her eyes that you had never quite seen before - tentacles slithering out and around you, dissolving your clothes from your flushed body.

"Yes, Sal. Always."

"Aye? Show me."

You dropped to your knees without a second thought, whimpering as one of her appendages came firmly around your neck A sharp cry as another landed a few hard lashes to the soft skin of your backside - the deep pink across the flesh of it rivaling the one on your cheeks.

You had never felt such raw force before. With the length of her looming over you - muscles flexed, body taut as she stared down at you intently.

"Mmh.. let me show you, Sal. Let me show you how good-"

You were about to praise her - to tell her how utterly good and prefect she was - until you remembered what had happened the last time you did so. When she was having a shit day much like today, and quickly thought better of it - opting to do something much more rewarding with your tongue.

With her tentacles still wrapped firmly around your neck and wrist as you adjusted yourself as best you could, facing her. The deep glow in her eyes watching you closely as her legs spread a little further for you, pulling you closer as she wrapped your bound arms around her hips.

"Mmh... mine."

The delicious moan that ripped from her body was enough to shake the humbled home as you murmured the word into her soft folds before taking the rest of her into your mouth. Her addictive flavor immediately overwhelming your senses as you licked over every inch of her dripping core. A stinging heat across your scalp as the sharpness of her nails scratched over you before firmly, taking hold of your hair. Her panting becoming more breathy, more erratic with each masterful sweep of your tongue. Every so often moving from her core to her thighs to place an indulgent bite.

You could feel how close she was, keeping your tongue relentless inside her, merciless over her clit and down her entrance as she grew increasingly more desperate... as you pulled every last moan from her lips.. as you showed her every bit of who you belonged to. And oh, the exquisite sounds that will ring long into the night as you force one orgasm on her after another, relishining in the breathy whimpers that dance upon her lips.

And when she's finally got her fill, with her long fingers slowly untangling from your hair, she'll lift you up to her - kissing you once for good measure before sinking her teeth deeply into your soft flesh - claiming over every last inch of your body until there's wasn't a single person in the village who wouldn't know that you were hers.

AAAAAAAAAAAAA... DJDKSKSSLJDDJKDSKDJ... FUCKFUCKFUCK.. TOO THIRSTY... FUCK .. AAAAAAH.. GODS SAL IS JUST SO FUCKING HOT 😩😩😩💦💦💦 THANK FOR THIS, DEAR DKFUJDSKSK

[nothing-but-dreamy]

REGRET

Pairing: FFXV! NYX ULRIC x GENDER NEUTRAL!READER

Words: 2.416

Warnings: hurt - comfort; some small cursing

Summary: Nyx dates you for you eight months and everything seems good. At least, you think that. Therefore, you're shocked as Nyx breaks up with you.

Nyx broke up with you because of reasons but ... was it really the right decision? And might his friends be helpful to knock some sense into Nyx?

Nyx watched how you danced through the kitchen. Soft music was playing from hidden loudspeakers. With a low voice, you hummed along while preparing two cups of hot chocolate. For eight months, Nyx dated you. You were pure joy, the kindest person Nyx had ever met. You cared for him in a beautiful way. You gave him the feeling to be something special. To be valuable. There was no time you weren't there for him. You had been able to soothe the pain he was carrying in a loving, self-less way.

"We have to stop this.", Nyx said low but serious and almost feared you hadn't heard him as you didn't react.

But you had heard him. Frowning, you turned over to the man who stood in the middle of your apartment, "We have to stop- what?", you asked, confused even if you already had an odd feeling spreading through your body as you saw Nyx' serious expression.

"This. Between us. I can't do this anymore- well... I could but I don't want it anymore.", Nyx said while looking you straight in the eyes.

"Y-you wanna break up with me?", you considered that it might be some cruel kind of a joke but the longer Nyx stayed silent, the less funny it became, "Nyx? You scare me. What is going on?", you asked, stepping forward, reaching for him.

But Nyx stepped back, drawing his brows together, "I told you what is going on. I'm leaving you. Now. We… Sure, we had some fun together but… it's not enough. You are not enough for me."

Your blood ran cold by his emotionless voice. The soft blue eyes you loved so much resembled more sharp diamonds, "I- I don't understand. Nyx, where does this come from? Have I done something wrong?"

"No. I mean, yes! It's not one thing you have done. It's everything you do. To be with you gives me nothing. I'm bored having you around.", he continued his merciless honesty.

Tears were brimming in your eyes, almost spilling out of them, "No… you can't mean that.", you whispered helplessly, feeling your heart breaking into tiny pieces while a voice told you that his words were just lies. Even the way Nyx looked at you, told you that there was more than he said. He wasn't telling the truth but you had no idea why he tried to hurt you then, "Tell me the truth. What is really going on?", you asked.

Nyx stared at you, blinking several times because he couldn't believe what he heard, "Damn, I had no idea how stupid you are! I told you what is going on. I'm leaving you. I don't have to explain anything. Don't call me or stuff like this. Just … forget me.", he said, grabbing his jacket and leaving your apartment without looking back for one second.

You stared at the closed door, motionless. Just one single, hot tear was escaping your eyes, rolling down your cheek, leaving behind a trail of sadness on your skin.

***

Three days had passed since the last time Nyx had seen you. Three days since all the things he had said to you. You, the most precious and important miracle that ever happened to him. You, whose eyes would forever haunt him. Day and night. His nightmares were nothing compared to the shock and the sadness he had seen in your face because of the words he had chosen to hurt you.

Nyx was awake for seventy-two hours straight. Trying to drown his guilt and sorrow with alcohol but no matter how much he drank, Nyx couldn't get your tears-filled eyes out of his mind. Or the way you had tried to reach out for him. The TV blurted some nonsense. It was nothing more than background noise. He couldn't focus on anything around him because you always came back to his mind.

Therefore, Nyx needed several minutes to realize that the dull knocking sound came from his own door. Slightly swaying, Nyx crossed his small, one room apartment to answer the door. He already expected to see you. That, even if he had said you should stay away from him, you would ignore him. Somehow, Nyx hoped you had come to see him.

But instead, Crowe and Libertus stood in front of a tired looking Nyx. His hair was tousled and all in all, he looked miserable, "Wow… you look…", Libertus said, searching for the right words.

But Crowe was faster. She pushed past Libertus, "You look like shit.", she said. As she spotted all the empty bottles, she added: "And you smell horrible."

Nyx crossed his arms over his chest, "Are you done with insulting me?", he said, turning around to let himself fall into his armchair.

With a stern expression, Crowe followed Nyx while Libertus opened a window for some fresh air before he looked at his best friend, "Spit it out. What is going on?"

"YN left me. That's going on. I'm just trying to deal with this. Problem?", Nyx hissed and glared at his two friends.

Crowe frowned, looking skeptical, "YN... left you…", she asked doubtfully, "And when?"

"What day is it?", Nyx asked, noticing that he had kinda lost track of time.

"Friday.", Libertus answered serious.

"Oh, then three days ago or so-"

"Or so? Nyx!"

"What?", Nyx snapped, looking at Crowe with gleaming eyes, "They left me, ok? They said they couldn't do this anymore with me being a Glaive. And I don't blame them.", he said angrily while taking the next bottle of booze, "And now, if you don't wanna drink with me, I would be thankful if you two leave me alone."

Crowe and Libertus waited a moment but they saw that there was no way to discuss anything with him. So, they left Nyx alone with his self-destructive behavior. At least, for a little while.

On the street, Crowe stemmed her fists into her sides, "You believe what he said? That YN left him?", she asked Libertus.

He shook his head, "Not for one second."

***

But no matter how often one of his friends asked, Nyx stuck to his story: you had left him after eight months because the life with a Glaive wasn't what you wanted. You wanted more. You needed more stability and mostly, you didn't want a life where you always feared for Nyx' life.

So, one day, Crowe and Libertus walked to Nyx who was busy polishing his Kukris while looking tired like every day during the past two weeks.

Nyx noticed the two well-known shadows towering above him, "What is it now?", he asked, annoyed, without looking up.

"We watched you long enough and this has to end!", Crowe said.

Nyx was about to answer but the siren interrupted him and the others. A new attack by Niflheim troops killed this unwanted conversation before it even started.

*

While getting ready for action, Crowe watched Nyx. From the outside, he seemed to be composed and calm, dressing his combat clothes and putting his Kukris into the right spots but she knew the difference. She saw his wild eyes that told her that some kind of storm was raging inside of him. She just wasn't sure how this storm could break through: if Nyx would just let off some steam or if he would do something stupid.

Slowly, she walked over to Libertus and Pelna, "Hey, guys, do me a favor when we're on the battlefield. Look out for Nyx."

Pelna frowned, "You think he's not ready to fight?"

"Oh, trust me. Nyx will fight. I just fear he could do something stupid."

*

And somehow, Crowe should have been right with her assumption. While she was busy with the other female Glaives to create a thunderstorm to destroy some of the Niflheim ships, Libertus was fighting on the ground against upcoming waves of demons. Pelna fought on his right side while Nyx on his left.

It was a hell of a battle and everyone was busy but at the same time, Libertus kept an eye on Nyx as he had promised. But as Libertus checked Nyx' position once again, his friend was gone. Quickly, Libertus called Pelna over to him and together, they searched for Nyx.

"Over there! Is he suicidal or what?", Pelna asked as he watched how Nyx tried to fight against a bunch of ass-kicking demons at the same time. One demon aimed for Nyx without his knowledge and both, Pelna and Libertus, feared the worst.

"We have to do something. He has to get out of there or he will get killed!", Libertus called out over the ear-piercing sound of an explosion some distance away.

"I will warp me to him, help him to fight.", Pelna said, threw his knife to Nyx' position and fought against the last few remaining demons.

As the field was clear, Libertus ran over to Nyx, grabbing him by his uniform jacket to push him against the next half broken wall, "Stop this shit!"

"What? Doing my job?", Nyx hissed, pushing Libertus away from him with a glaring expression.

Libertus kept Nyx' glance, "No! You try to get killed! Since you left YN, you're more reckless than ever before."

"I told you YN left me!", Nyx called out, ignoring the next explosion which covered everyone in dust and debris.

Libertus stepped forward, towering above his childhood friend, "You weren't really thinking that I believed that for one second, right? Crowe neither. YN would never leave you like that! Unlike you, they are sure how they feel for you. YN already loves you too much to leave you! And that's why you left them with some flimsy excuses, am I right? Because you’re too scared to admit your feelings you have for them.", Libertus hissed angrily.

Nyx' eyes flickered back and forth between Libertus' eyes. He swallowed thickly before he tried it again, "N-no… YN... They said they couldn't do this anymore-"

For a quick moment, Libertus lost his temper and punched Nyx right in the face so Nyx' head snapped to the side before Libertus grabbed Nyx by his collar again, "Don't lie to me ever again! YN spoke with me. They told me what you have said to them! And you know what? They weren't even crying because they knew that everything was just a lie! YN knew that you did it to push them away from you!"

Nyx felt how the guilt was back in charge about what he had done to you. There was no excuse in this world that would ever be enough for what he had said, "But I... I...", he whispered weakly.

Libertus let go of Nyx, staring at him with a stone cold expression, "We will end this damn mission! Alive! All of us! And then, you apologize and go back to YN!"

***

It was raining for hours and you were just making a cup of hot, delicious chocolate as someone knocked. As you opened the door, curious who it would be for such an hour, a dripping wet Nyx stood in front of you, looking like a kicked puppy with his long hair clutching to his face.

He still wore his Glaive battle uniform, coming straight from a mission. Libertus and Crowe had made sure that he went to you. He still had dirt and dust in his face, a few scratches were crossing his skin while the rain water was dripping onto the floor of the hallway. His eyes were red-rimmed and all in all, he looked more tired and worn out than you had ever seen him before.

Nyx' heart hammered in his chest as he saw your eyes holding a caring glance while you looked at him patiently, "I- I'm sorry-", he breathed, shaking with coldness and a tear filled voice. He wanted to say more. He wanted to apologize for everything but he got cut off as you just pulled him to you for a strong embrace with your arms firmly snaking around his neck.

Nyx immediately snuggled into the crook of your neck with his nose, shaken by sobs while inhaling your warm, familiar scent. Your body heat enclosed him and within one second, he felt back home again. The emptiness and darkness he had felt during the last days slowly vanished and got filled with warmth.

"Welcome home, hero.", you breathed lovely, raking your fingers through his soaked hair to soothe him.

"I don't deserve you.", he breathed against your skin, embracing you even stronger, clinging to you desperately in fear you could disappear.

"Well, maybe you're right... maybe you're wrong. But ... it doesn't matter. I just want you, Nyx.", you answered honestly.

Nyx leant back, slowly cupping your face with his shaking, cold hands to stare into your eyes he had missed so much, "But why? Just why? I'm a mess. I could die so easily and I don't wanna put you through this pain because you would miss me... So, why god damnit do you want me?"

You nudged Nyx' nose with your own, "Because you're wonderful. Nyx, I saw your real you. How caring you are. How lovely you can be. You're so soft and sweet to me. You're perfect. Even without admitting it, you love me so much and I try to give you as much as I can back because you deserve it."

"And still, I tried to push you away...", he whispered, devastated about what he had done to you, about all the cruel things he had said.

"Yes, and you know, I understand why you did it. But, trust me, I would rather live a life in pain because I have lost you than to live one minute without having you in my life at all.", you swore solemnly.

Nyx couldn't stop the tears from running down his cheeks, "I'm so, so sorry.", he whispered and kissed you desperately because of the loyalty and unconditional love you showed him when he didn't even deserved it but when needed it the most.

You broke the kiss after the first sensation to have him back again. With closed eyes, you were slightly swooning and with a soft smile on your lips you said: "Come in. You have to get out of these wet clothes before you get sick. I also made some hot chocolate that will warm you up.", and with these words, you brought Nyx softly back into your apartment and into your life where he belonged.

[harmonizingsunsets]

It might be foolish, but you got me all soft

Read on Archive here.

Kate's nose crinkles as she watches Penelope and Colin. Their feet dance with one another underneath the table. He leans over, whispering something in her ear that makes her giggle. Their smiles are brighter than the fluorescent lights of the coffee shop. Watching them is almost blinding.

"You guys are so cute," Kate observes with puckered lips. "I hate that."

Penelope turns to Kate with a bemused expression. "No, you don't. You love us."

"Love isn't the word coming to mind. Nauseated is more like it."

"Kate, everyone finds us adorable," Colin insists, wrapping an arm around Penelope. "It's not a matter of opinion. It's just a fact."

"I'm happy for you two. Honestly, I am. But you're acting so lovey-dovey and sweet that it makes my teeth ache," Kate jokes, picking up her coffee for a sip.

"If we make your teeth ache, then you and Anthony cause cavities," Colin mutters.

Kate chokes a little on her mocha, causing a few patrons to give her odd looks.

"Excuse me?"

"Colin, we talked about this," Penelope says through gritted teeth, shooting him a disapproving look.

"No, you talked about how we weren't supposed to say anything because they're both so jumpy about it, but I disagreed," Colin protests. "Someone needs to open their eyes."

"Hello, I'm still right in front of you," Kate says, waving her hands at them. "Open my eyes to what?"

Colin and Penelope argue with their eyes for a few moments before Penelope cracks, nodding. Colin turns to Kate with a sly grin.

"That you're in love with my brother."

It was a good thing she wasn't drinking that time, or she'd have to spit her coffee all over them. Although, perhaps a spritz of hot coffee would wipe the amusement off of Colin's face.

Kate feels her cheeks heat. She opens her mouth, but only incomprehensible protesting sounds come out.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about," Colin says, his smile turning softer. "He loves you too."

"That is not true," Kate insists, standing up straighter in her chair. "I don't love him, and he certainly doesn't love me. Right, Penelope?"

When Kate turns to Penelope, the friend she usually can rely on for back-up is instead chewing her lower lip.

"Well...."

"Pen!"

"I'm sorry, but Kate, Colin's right," Penelope says, the words rushing out guiltily. "I write romance books for a living. I know the enemies to lovers trope very well, and you two embody it."

"That's ridiculous!" Kate exclaims, her heart beginning to hammer in her chest. "We drive each other crazy. I mean, we've become better friends over the past few months—but it's not like that."

Penelope tilts her head. "Would it be so bad if it was?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

A hundred reasons that Kate could never utter go through her mind. She wants to say, "Anthony dates pop singers and models, and I can't live up to that." Or she could confess, "When he looks at me a beat too long, I feel like I could combust from the weight of it." Most of all, Kate wants to say, "If I let myself love him, I know that I'll never be able to stop."

But she can't tell them any of that. Kate had been just fine about the prospect of being alone. She's satisfied with her career, family, and friends. But if she admits that she loves him, then she'll never be content with any life that doesn't include him in it.

No matter what Colin and Penelope think, Anthony doesn't love her. He can't. Letting herself hope that he does is too dangerous. It scares her more than any thunderstorm she's ever endured.

"I have to go," Kate murmurs, standing up numbly from the table.

"Kate, wait," Colin says, grabbing onto her arm. He looks apologetic, and it's impossible to be upset when looking into his puppy dog eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

"It's fine," Kate insists with a thin smile, tugging her arm away from his grasp. "I got to go. Have a nice evening."

As she walks out of the coffee shop, she hears a cheesy pop tune about love play on their radio.

The lyrics inspire Anthony's face to surface in her mind.

Kate groans, knowing she's in deep trouble.

That night, she couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed but couldn't stop hearing Anthony's teasing voice in her head.

In a huff, Kate gets out of bed and quickly puts on her clothes. She debates whether to reapply makeup but decides against it. No one else will see her where she was going.

Luckily, she's friends with the security guard, who let her inside the building that turned off the lights twenty minutes prior. She thanks him and hastily goes to her office, turning on the light and booting up the computer at her desk.

If she wasn't going to sleep, she might as well get some work done.

For a while, all that she hears is the sound of her keys as she typed and the soft hum of music she'd put on to work.

She thought she'd be safe listening to music without lyrics. But Anthony creeps into every note, every chord, and every song.

Just as Kate lowers her head to beat it against the table in frustration, a knock on her door causes her body to jolt upright.

She stands from her chair slowly, walking to the door with caution. No one else would be here this late, so she fears what was on the other side of the door. But if someone was there to hurt her, why would they bother knocking on an unlocked door?

When Kate turns the knob, she sees the face of the man who's been haunting her thoughts for the past few hours (longer than that, if she was honest with herself).

"Hey, what are you doing here so late?" Anthony asks.

"Um, working."

Anthony scans her with curiosity. "On a Sunday?"

"So are you," she points out, crossing her arms.

He holds up a black leather journal. "Actually, I just came by the office for my phone book."

"You have a phone book? Anthony, there's a reason for that contact list on your phone."

"I like writing it down," he defends, looking affronted.

"But you can't add emojis, which adds personality to someone's contact." Kate pulls out her phone and holds out the contacts for him to see. "Edwina has two pink hearts, Penelope has a book, Benedict has an easel, and you have a fire emoji."

"Why do I have a fire emoji?"

"Because you make me want to set things on fire, of course."

Anthony smirks. "Well, next time we play that 'who's most likely to' game in the office, I'll be sure to put you down for becoming an arsonist."

Kate smiles at him, and they fall into one of those moments that's becoming more frequent between them—ones where his body seems to close, and his eyes gleam with something she can't name but feels a kindred sensation within her heart.

Kate takes a step back from him. "Why did you need your phone book so late, anyway?"

Anthony itches behind his ear. Kate frowns, as it's a nervous tick she's never seen from him before. Anthony, like fire, was all-consuming. His feelings were as hot as flames and easy to detect. But now, he looks more guarded, his eyebrows scrunched and his posture squirmish.

"Anthony?" she asks again.

Anthony takes a deep breath. "Well, I actually needed it to call you."

"Me?"

"Yeah. My phone hasn't been working since I went out on the boat with Simon. The bloody idiot knocked it onto the water," he grumbles. "I got a new phone and need to add my contacts back on, which is why I'm lucky I have this phone book which you mocked me for having."

Kate rolls her eyes. "What did you need to call me about?"

"Well, I know we had a rocky start to our relationship—."

"Because you hit on my sister?" she asks, arching her brow.

"I did not hit on her. I merely danced with her at the Christmas party," Anthony corrects with an exasperated sigh. "How many times are we going to argue about this?"

"Until you admit I'm right."

"It'll take a long time for that to happen."

"I've got plenty of time to spend with you."

As soon as those words are out, that heat radiating from Anthony's fire feels warmer. It's as if more time with her is exactly what he wants.

But Kate doesn't let those thoughts get far. She squashes them before they can take root in her mind.

"Continue," Kate tells him.

"Yes, well, as I was saying, we didn't start on the right foot. But, over these past few months, I feel like we've become friends." He looks at her with a hesitant kind of hope. "We have, haven't we?"

Kate smiles. "Yes, we have."

"So, I thought as my friend. You'd like to come with me to this."

Anthony draws two tickets from his pocket and holds one out to her. Kate takes it from in, and her eyes widen as she reads what's on the paper.

"The Vitamin String Quartet?"

"I know you listen to them to relax. I saw that they were touring and coming to London, so I thought that—." His words suddenly halt, tilting his head at her curiously. "What?"

Kate blinks in confusion. "What do you mean 'what?'"

Anthony points at her face. "You were looking at me all funny."

"I was not!"

"Yes, you were! You were looking at me like this."

Anthony imitates a soft-looking expression, gazing at her with an affectionate smile. Kate, in horror, realizes she had been looking at him like that.

"Shut up," Kate scoffs, nudging his arm and hoping it distracts from the blush on her face. "Like I'd ever look at you like that."

"If you're going to be mean, I won't give you the ticket."

He reaches over, but she pulls her hand back.

"Fine, I'm sorry," Kate says, looking down at the ticket in awe. "This is really nice of you."

"So, you'll go with me?"

"Of course I will," she nods, beaming in excitement.

Anthony releases a breath. "Good."

He begins to back out of her office, but she steps forward from her desk, grabbing his arm.

"Anthony?"

He turns. "Yes?"

Before she can second guess herself, she leans up, pressing a kiss to his cheek. When she pulls back, it takes a few seconds for his eyes to open, as if he thinks she's a figment of his imagination that will disappear.

"Thank you," Kate whispers.

Anthony nods, giving her a kind smile before leaving her office.

The music on her computer is still playing. Kate hears the gentle notes of a piano, cautious and optimistic-sounding.

The night had been amazing.

The quartet performed beautifully. They played orchestrational versions of pop songs, which makes Kate feel less guilty about listening to them.

She worried when Anthony said he'd never heard any of their music himself, that he wouldn't enjoy it. But when the concert started, she kept stealing glances out of the corner of her eyes. She saw him watching the players with a content expression.

However, the music didn't help her much with her newfound Anthony problem. When she closed her eyes, the violins sang his name. When his hand grazed hers on the armrest of the chair, the music swelled in tandem with her heart.

He was a song she couldn't get out of her head.

And the worst part was, it was a tune she didn't think she'd ever tire of hearing.

They bantered a bit about the weather while waiting for their Uber. Kate claimed the night was perfectly brisk, not enough to warrant a coat. Anthony, however, disagreed. He poked at the goosebumps on her arm as proof and insisted she take his jacket. She eventually relented, letting him drape his jacket over her shoulders.

When he looked away to wave at the car they'd been waiting for, Kate turned her nose to the jacket. She smelt the scent of amber, sandalwood, and something that was discernibly Anthony.

When they get into the back seat of the car, Anthony turns to her. "Can you believe that couple who sat in front of us?"

"I know! They were all over each other the whole night."

"Music is the food of love, but couldn't they have got the meal before the concert?"

"You'd think," Kate huffs, curling her fists further into his sleeves for warmth. She looks back at him, offering a smile. "I had a really nice time."

"I'm glad," Anthony nods. He swallows nervously, forcing himself to meet her eyes. When he does, Kate sees a raw vulnerability glistening in them. "I just wanted to make you happy."

She bumps her shoulder against his. "You do that by just being you."

Kate's words skim a cello string, creating a deep note that lingers in the air. Something flickers in Anthony's expression, his gaze steadying on her. Suddenly, it's harder for Kate to breathe.

"Look at us, acting like that couple," Kate jokes, trying to ease the tension. "The music must be getting to us too."

"Yeah, that's probably it," Anthony hums, moving a fraction closer to her. "Because right now, I feel this urge to put my arm around you."

Anthony gives in to the feeling, putting an arm around her back. Kate's breath hitches as his thumb rubs circles on her arm. Even through the material of Anthony's jacket, his fingertips send electric shocks to her skin.

"And I want to lean my head right here," she finds herself saying, resting her head on top of his shoulder.

"I want to tuck this strand of hair behind your ear.”

Kate feels his fingers skim against his cheek, gently moving a curl that had fallen into her face behind her ear. Her breath quickens, slowly turning her eyes up at him, and the look he's giving her is overwhelming.

"This is all so ridiculously stereotypical. You make me feel so—so..." Kate's words drift, unable to finish her sentence. Her tongue goes out to wet her lips that suddenly feel dry. "I hate it."

Anthony's index finger goes to her chin, tilting it up and off of his shoulder. "Do you hate this?"

He leans forward, kissing her so sweet and tenderly that she knows if she were standing, her foot would pop up like all of those delusionally romantic heroines in movies do when they kiss.

She gets lost in him. Her hands go up to cup his cheek as she deepens the kiss. Anthony's arm moves from her shoulders to her waist, pulling her flush against him. He swallows her gasp, and Kate hears a cacophony of melodies in her mind.

Kate doesn't know how long they stay wrapped in another's arms. It's only when the driver clears his throat that she realizes the car had come to a stop.

They jump apart, and Anthony gives the driver an uncomfortable nod. "Sorry, sir."

"It's alright," he says gruffly and mutters something about "just wait till you have kids, it won't be like this" as they get out of the car.

They stand awkwardly on the street for a few seconds. Kate looks around them. The vivid leaves of the trees stand out amongst the darkness of the night.

Kate remembers when she first met Anthony. It'd been fall, and the trees were bare with leaves littering the ground. It had felt fitting. Back then, her publishing company announced that they were joining one of their competitors. She had to work with Anthony, as they were both the top production editors of the separate companies. Like the leaves, it felt like everything was falling apart. Every smirk or retort of Anthony's felt like the leaves blowing chaotically in the wind.

But now, the trees were alive again, flooding with color. Kate's at the dawn of a new season with Anthony. It's something as inevitable as the change of weather but as everlasting as the stars above them.

No—stars eventually burn out. Kate thinks that whatever is between her and Anthony will continue to burn when all other flames dim.

"So, that happened," Kate says, breaking the silence.

Anthony takes a cautious step towards her. "Yeah, it did."

"I didn't hate it," she shrugs with a teasing tilt of her lips.

"Wow, what great appraisal. Can I list you as a reference for giving me such a raving review?"

"Excuse me, who else are you planning to apply with?"

"No one, I'm quite satisfied with my employment with you," he assures smugly, his hand going up to her cheek. "But, I'd like to have a slight promotion in my position."

Kate leans into his touch. "Oh really, what position do you want to fill?"

"Well, I think I've done everything that I can in the enemy job. I've enjoyed the friend's position. But, if the boyfriend position is available, I'd like to submit my candidacy."

Kate loops her arms around his neck. "Well, how about we check over your application one more time?"

"Where do you want me to start?" Anthony asks, pressing his lips to her temple. "My education?" he murmurs as he kisses her forehead. "My goals?" Kate sighs as his lips move to the corner of her mouth, and his hand curls around her waist. "My experience?" He kisses her again, and Kate feels his smirk against her lips. "Or, my skills?"

Kate pulls back with a smirk of her own. "How about what drew you to this position?"

His eyes gleam roguishly, looking at the lack of space between them. "This particular position?"

Kate tries her best to give him a stern look. "Anthony."

"You," he answers simply, resting his forehead against hers. "Everything about you."

Kate's unable to stop herself, chuckling softly. "Wow, that's incredibly sappy."

"But it's true."

She takes a deep breath, feeling content and peaceful in his arms. "Maybe being sappy isn't such a bad thing."

"No," Anthony agrees, the corner of his lips tilting up as he studies her intently. "I'm starting to think that it's not."

This time when Kate kisses him, she does it without a single reservation about cliches or stereotypes, or how she would roll her eyes if she saw the two of them on the street.

Kate's foot pops, and the song that's been stuck in her head gets set on an infinite loop.

[amunraanders]

KAI PARKER X READER

Summary : Kai meets Reader for the First time at the bakery. Reader has No Idea who he is but soon enough she will find Out (I'm not good at summaries)

PART ONE.

(Y\N) stormed Into the Salvstore's Boarding House as If a Thunderstorm was right behind her.Quickly Walking Into the living room she Put the cupcakes on the table and threw herself on the Couch besides Elena who was sitting next to Damon.

Elena wanted to say something but (Y\N) inerrupted her.

"You Guys won't believe what just happened" she started pouring herself a Drink as everyone watched her.

"I went to the bakery earlier today to get the cupcakes Caroline ordered for our little get together.So I stand there in Line and barely two minutes Into waiting some Guy bumps into me. As Always i had some Coffee with me wich was as you guessed burning hot and as this Dude bumps into me its content spilled all over my Dress and Floor" She gulped her Drink down in one go visibly angry about the situation.

"So I'm thinking ..wow this can't be Happening.He just walked by as if nothing had happened,so I started walking towards him ,grabbing him by the shoulder,making him turn around" (Y\N) pointed at her Coffee stained Dress annoyed and in disbelief.

The others Just stared at her in shock not knowing what to say ,they kept glancing at one another but No one said anything.

"And I'm Like geez are you blind?aren't you going to apologize?Look at the mess you Made" she gulped down her second Drink while she stood Up walking around the living room angrily looking for a mirror.

"Not to mention that he was on his phone this entire time.His eyes glued to the screen, but I couldn't Help but notice how he was grinning this entire time and I thought 'great another freak' .Just as I thought that he wasn't going to say a Word he looked Up at me and started blabbering nonsense for at least 3 minutes.

"Oh Hey didn't notice you were in the way.I Just Made and Twitter Account and I'm new to this technology stuff so it took some time but now I'm all Set Up but wow people Share the stuppiest Things on here.Like Who wants to know what they Just had for Dinner or what Kind of movies they're watching .I mean I don't .so . Kinda crazy.Huh?"

(Y\N) stopped in front of the mirror staring at the mess of a dess she had on.

"I was honestly baffled by this whole situation.I Just started at him dumbfounded" she said pausing for a Moment to wipe the excess Coffee away from her dress in a desperate attempt to dry it.

Damon pulled Elena closer to him as he whispered Into her ear "does this sound familiar to you?" Elena glanced at him with confusion in her eyes wondering for a Moment before she realized who Damon might be talking about.

(Y\N) was about to go on with her story when Damon spoke Up.

"Wait a second. Do you remember what he looked like? Something that caught your eye? Like large Rings?Lots of them"

She stared at him in disbelief.Her eyeballs almost falling Out of their Sockets.

"Do you know this Guy? Honestly I couldn't Help but notice how blue his eyes were..reminded me of the ocean..Any-anyways let me Finish"

Elena started tugging at Damons Shirt in hopes of getting his Attention when (Y\N) started ranting again.

"So when he finally put his Phone away he Just turned around without saying anything and grabbed the cupcakes that I had to picke Up and walked away" She was heading to the Couch again literally throwing herself on it. Elena handed her another Drink and she seemed to relax for the First time in the past few hours.

"Again I Just stood there dumbfounded by everything that had happened" gulping down her last Drink she let her head Fall back into the Sofa cussions.

Caroline stared at (Y\N) Kind of cathing on , about who he might have been.

"What happened next?You still brought cupcakes did ,you strangle this dude over it?" She giggled a bit after playing the Scene Out in her mind.

"I Wish I would have.I regret it by now.This Guy was the Most annoying Person I've ever met and he only talked for 3 minutes"

"First I Made Sure that I buy new cupcakes after that I quickly followed him outside but by the time I caught Up with him ,he was gone.Like magically gone.Vanished Into thin air.Like how is that even possible?One Minute he's standing right next to me the other minute he's gone.And I swear to God I felt Like being watch the entire time I walked Up to my Car"

At this Point everyone started to murmur stuff and (Y\N) quickly went in wanting them to hear the whole story.

"So Here comes the freakiest Part about this whole Freak Show" (Y\N) said nevously .

"When I finally get Into my Car ,I notice someone opening the door and getting Into the passengers Seat .Its this Guy again and I Start thinking to myself 'this Guy is either lunatic or his head is waay too far Up his ass to think that he could get away with Entering my Car without permission.just Like that."

At this Point everyone knew who (Y\N) was talking about and they were Just as pissed Off as she was.Kaid had promised them to stay away from her.She and Matt we're the only humas left in their Gang and everyone got worried when Kai started asking questions about her.

"So at this Point my blood is boiling and all I can think about is how I'm going to slap him Out of my Car If he won't Go willingly but then again I didn't know who he was .He could be a Psychopath for all I know and Just as I wanted to say something He started blabbering again.It felt Like it was going in for hours"she said her eyes closed ,hands resting in her lap.

"He goes 'Hey there cutie.I'm a bit rusy at this Thing called 'socializing, but you're really really pretty so I thought I'd ask you Out.Like on a Date.Movies or Dinner?Maybe both.What do you say?Your Heartbeat is Off the chats so I guess Its a yes' and this entire time He was eating a cupcake 'more Like devouring it' licking the frosting on top and Off his Fingers.I thought I was going to Pass Out"

The others shifted their Attention to the kitchen as Kai leaned into the door frame while eating a cupcake , he was visibly amused by (Y\N) Story and Just as Caronline was about to say something He Made a "shhhh" sign using his Magic to Cut her Off mid sentence.

"I thought Well ok this is it ,If I say No he's going to murder me or something but then He pulled Out a pen and grabbed my arm writing something on it.His fucking Phone number and Name.I was baffled" she tried so hard to say something,to Push him Out of her car to scream but nothing came Out of her mouth.Kai eyed her Up and down one Last Time before getting Out of the Car and vanishing Into Thin Air.

Damon felt and uncontrolable Anger burning inside of him but He tried hard to Push it away to ask (Y\N) one question . And He prayed to God that the answer wouldn't be ,'Kai' or Else he'd have to rip his Heart Out.

"What did it say? His name I mean" He asked while balling his hands Into fists .

That was when Kai slowly Made his way from the kitchen towards (Y\N),still eating his cupcake, frosting smeared all over his lips.

" 'Kai' that's what it said.Awwe don't Look that surprised I bet you all knew from the beginning" He has smriking from ear to ear seeing her with her mouth wide open as He made his was to to Couch sitting right next to her.