#show that they weren't a hero nor could they ever have been they were just some guy who went through horrible shit and died miserable

[arolesbianism]

Every now and then I get haunted by my past as a dr fan because someone mentions it or smth and lemme tell you the worst case scenario is if they bring up v3 in an even slightly positive light because nothing will make me start giving a shit abt dr again except for my burning hatred of that damn game, I just spent like 30 minutes ranting to myself about how much of a nothing character Kokichi is in the bathroom after showering just to vent it out because if I don't rant abt v3 every now and then I'll explode and kill someone

[pocketramblr]

Please!

AU where both Izuku and Bakugou are rejected from UA Hero Course.

And to make it juicy. The reason for the rejections is the suicide baiting incident being known by UA. While Bakugou is rejected for obvious reasons. Izuku is rejected for his ‘own safety’ and because they won’t trust his psyche went unscathed.

1- The thing about Bakugou is that he was not particularly well liked by his classmates at Aldera. Oh, he had friends, and no one was willing to stand up to him, but plenty of students had grudges about how he acted. They rolled their eyes when Bakugou went on a rant about being the only one who could make it to UA, or his lackeys hyped him up, but then they'd look away without a word when he caught them and glared. No one was going to say he wasn't powerful and couldn't do it, just like they weren't going to say Deku had any chance. Sometimes, capable people are also very annoying, and you just have to deal with that, so the kids did. And if a few were in a small group chat that would sneak pictures or videos to show the kids not in their class and complain, well, that's what the kids did. And then one day, one filmed the conversation after school, after Bakugou threw out the notebook, and posted it publicly, as well as in the chat.

2- nothing came of this. Izuku had either blocked or been blocked by a lot of his classmates online, and hadn't really bothered to look for most of them anyway, so neither he nor Bakugou are aware of the video. The sludge villain sort of happened an hour later, and that's what got the big media buzz- the news couldn't publish the names of the teens involved if they ever even had them, but locally, people at Aldera knew who the kids on tv were.

3- the next year, UA has its recommendation exams. Every student is meticulously background checked before even being accepted as an potential for the exam and interview. A couple weeks later, they have the standard exam. The background checks will happen after this- UA after all has a very prestigious image. Bakugou wasn't wrong that if he took his lackey's cigarette and UA found out, his chances would be gone. Unfortunately for him, the video was still online. Mostly forgotten about... Until it contained not one but two potential UA students.

4- Nedzu and the six hero course homeroom teachers are on the board of student admissions, but so are two others each from administration, public relations, the school board, and the heroics commission. The top fifty scorers are ruthlessly picked through. The video is watched. Some want to exclude Izuku, some Bakugou, some both. Nedzu would prefer to have them both enrolled in separate classes, but is outvoted. He doesn't warn the board this will mean All Might will not be staying on to teach - he really can't, without telling secrets, but he does warn All Might the next night, and gracefully accepts his resignation.

5- a week after the exams, acceptance and rejection letters are sent. These are simply written on paper. Apparently neither of them are a good fit for the school. No further reason is given. Bakugou spends one day in his room, quieter than ever, then rush applies to other schools. Shiketsu is supposed to be UA's equal. Perhaps their admissions process will be less rigid. Or perhaps his rise to number one is "supposed" to come from humble starts, and Aldera Middle School wasn't that, but some mid rank hero school is. Meanwhile, on the beach, All Might tells Izuku that he actually ended up with the most rescue points in the exam, and his score was high enough to place him in top ten... It was just the screenings afterwards that did it. Perhaps the school was concerned about his health, with him breaking nearly every limb. Or perhaps his incorrect quirk registration was a red flag- either way, it's things All Might blames himself for, Izuku is the one who passed the test, and with only a few hours of having OfA too. So All Might asks Izuku what he wants to do- try for another hero school nearby? Toshinori probably can't get a job there on short notice without being suspicious, but he'll work to train him every day after, and come up with some other excuse for why he's in the field less. Or, should he reach out to I-island? Toshinori's even willing to see about setting up a personal internship with himself or Gran Torino, though he really kinda hopes Izuku doesn't pick that one. Izuku bursts into tears and apologies, having only held them back this long out of shame, they hug, and Toshi tells Izuku to take his time deciding, it'll be all right, because Izuku is here and he has full faith in him, regardless of what UA admissions thinks.

[wayfayrr]

Ohhhh! I really like the people pleaser idea, especially as someone who has been called out as a people pleaser before...

Something that comes to my mind is the people pleasing coming from not just the need for approval but also for survival. Like, there's being 'fight' or 'flight' responses, there's also 'fawn': pleasing and appeasing the needs of someone else in order to avoid conflict and to establish a sense of safety.

<3<3<3

You pulled an accidental isekai and landed into Hyrule with nothing but the clothes on your back and maybe a few personal items.

You don't know where you are. You don't know who or what snagged you away, except for that, it had red eyes and that it might come back to tie loose ends. It'll come back to finish you off in a place that wasn't home.

You'll eventually find a group of men. Maybe you had eventually pass out, and they found your body? Maybe you happened to accidently stumble upon them, immediatly tense at the sight of their weapons.

When your story is spilled through shallow breaths, being pulled from your home because of a red-eyed beast, you’re met with quiet speculation and suspicion. Because Why — why were you taken in the first place? You weren't someone that had faced enemies born from hatred, nor did you have the hero's spirit; could you even be considered a threat with how you intentionally made yourself small in their prescence. Too afraid to take up an ounce space. Too afraid to do something that'll be considered out of line, something that could leave you bleeding if you weren’t careful.

It was agreed upon that you would join their group. It's not like you had anywhere to go.

You would struggle trying to keep up with them. You’re not used to so much walking or the monster encounters. (Especially the monster encounters) After a particulary close call that left you in the healing hands of Hyrule, you quickly realized how much you genuinely lacked compared to the others. Not in a self-deprecating way, but in a sense that you are, objectively speaking, dead weight.

You can't fight. You can't strategize. You get tired too easily. It felt humiliating when the literal child could find the courage to hold up his sword while you flinch at your own shadow.

You couldn't do anything without the chain. You couldn't survive without the chain. You’re dead without chain. The only words that fell from your lips was a simple “Thank you” to the traveler. Your wounds were healed but your heart felt heavier than it ever was before. Thankful, you were truly thankful to them for everything.

There was a new found hesitancy in your actions and words. Every sentence was carefully constructed, but your go-to would be silence, sometimes it felt better to not speak — speaking could cause conflict. And you couldn’t afford to cause conflict with the men that are keeping you alive. You also couldn’t afford leeching off of their kindness like a parasite, so you tried to find ways to be useful to them. You have to show them you can be as helpful and useful so there wouldn’t be a need to leave you behind. Try to stay in their good graces, and to make their more happy moods stay a little longer — keep an eye on the slightest change in demeanor, the subtle hints of anger and minimize that immediatly.

You couldn’t afford to lose their approval when they’re the only hand that kept you alive.

Anon holy shit your brain, I love all of this. it's so perfect.

it's so natural for reader to act like that as a defence mechanism too, they don't know the people they're with - or why they seem so intent on letting them travel with them when they're 'useless'. I'd love to see more of your take on it too because the fawn reaction was something I'd overlooked when rambling earlier and 👀👀 it's a good one

[lila-chantilly]

Some info on Delphi! There were a couple of things that went into her backstory. I think she's one of those OC's that get created when we want to challenge concepts in the material. For Delphi, it was:

There was criticism towards Ava for forming the Dandelions. Ever wonder if there were those who were already in Vulpes, but weren't chosen to be a Dandelion, and therefore basically weren't chosen to, well, survive the war? That's why I decided to put Delphi in Vulpes, for the sheer irony.

We never get to see exactly how all these kids became Wielders, presumably it was because they had strong hearts. I feel it would be completely human though to just. Be lazy sometimes. To start a thing and then get bored with it. We see other Wielders get competitive over Lux, we see them take the tensions very seriously. Delphi could not care less, she's probably unaware of all the fighting until much later. She's not very heroic, she prefers to do the bare minimum (if at all), then do her hobbies.

Ephemer couldn't have been the only one to suspect something was up. I feel like Delphi started to as well (possibly as a result of her divination attempts?) Unlike Ephemer, she doesn't try to investigate hands-on, and instead consults her spells (to be fair, she's not a fighter. Even as a mage, her spells are for support only)

On that note, the way I see it currently, her actual skills in divination are left ambiguous. Was she really able to see into the future or was it a coincidence? In any case, when her heart's floating up in the sky and she looks down from above she thinks "I can see everything."

All my other KHUX OC's show different relationships with their Chirithies. For Delphi, she's not very close to hers. Her Chirithy tells her off a lot, but Delphi shrugs it off.

I suppose I just wanted to make an everyman! Specifically one that just minded her own business and wasn't exceptionally heroic nor aware of current events.

I suppose she poses an internal question to be pondered on. She's pretty laid back, she just wants to do her own thing. Is that so bad? In a world full of heroes and protectors of light, Delphi simply wants to exist.

I'll end with some trivia: If there was a Princess and the Frog world, she'd love to learn tarot from Dr. Facilier!

[sillyzombiedelusion]

To start with, Theon is a bad guy, but more importantly, a boring character. I actually stopped reading the books because of him (because the books were suddenly like, "here's what Theon's doing", and I was like, "the fuck? Who is that? I never heard that name before in my life. I better watch the TV show so I have faces to help me remember").

This doesn't make him a bad character, this means you personally weren't interested in him, which isn't a universal constant you can claim 💀

You could certainly do something with his split loyalties and bad decisions, but the TV show never made me interested. His choices never felt driven by his inner conflict, just by him being stupid and greedy.

So you didn't examine his character's nuance? Or the fact that someone being "stupid and greedy" doesn't make them uninteresting??

But then, and this is crucial, he has the worst redemption arc possible. First of all he kills two kids. We later learn that these kids were not actually the main characters we thought they were and the show treats it as if that made it okay, but no, it doesn't. And then he gets captured and horrifically tortured and mutilated and eventually gets released. Throughout this he barely makes any decision, nor does he ever give the impression that he might reconsider his actions. The show treats it as redemption, but he doesn't seem to have learned anything other than "Boltons are bad". The way he interacts with Sansa's storyline, portrayed as the hero even though he does almost nothing to actually help her, is particularly egregious.

I mean if you actually read the book you would have a better understanding of theon's character arc, but apparently you decided he was too boring 💀

I don't personally love theon's development throughout the show, but claiming that theon didn't show any remorse for his actions or help sansa is an unusual reach. He doesn't "make any decisions" except for, you know, killing miranda and deciding to help sansa escape winterfell. He's also... been tortured to the point that his mental state has almost completely detiorated.

(Not that Sansa's storyline was all that great to begin with, it took way too long for her to become a politician who proudly has her enemies murdered. That should have happened at least a year or two earlier.)

Not even gonna analyze this, this is just wrong.

Now you might say, isn't that literally the same exact redemption arc as Jaime, who is a great character who everybody loves? Yes, that is true, with one key difference: Jaime has charisma and charm, and he seems actually affected by what's happening to him. Not just in an "ouch ouwie ouch" way, but it genuinely makes him think and reconsider, and his relationship with Brienne is genuinely fun and interesting in a way that the few moments Sansa and Theon share absolutely aren't.

Once again this is your personal opinion and not a universal constant. Also you just admitted the thing huh 💀 "a redemption arc isn't valid unless I personally find the character charming" is really your whole argument here. Also, it's insane to me how you appear to be going almost completely off of show canon, but somehow insist that jaime is better than theon because he "actually changes".

Theon sucks. Theon deserved worse than what happened to him. Theon is boring, his redemption is completely unearned and also boring, and the pains and tribulations on his way to his redemption are also boring and annoying. I watched all of the last season and I still think Theon is my least favourite part of the show (mostly because there's no way to pretend that his story wasn't canon and doesn't count). Fuck Theon. Vote Zuko!

"I find this character boring so he is actually a horrible person and horribly written, and this cannot possibly just be my own personal opinion".

[epiclamer]

Part two???? For your lonely wife???

Mmmmm anything for you baby...

Part 1

Headline Pt. 2

Villain pushed through the door, one hand gripping the handle tight enough to make it squeak under the pressure and the other gripping the back of their target's dress shirt. They shoved them forwards, causing them to stumble and hit the ground as they wheezed, hands tied behind their back, mind blurry and drugged while they slowly lost consciousness of their situation.

The criminal didn't turn back to make sure the hero had joined them before they slammed the door shut, they were fuming and exhausted and not nearly drunk enough. The two drinks from earlier were long gone and now they were just overwhelmed and pissy.

There was no need to double check if their target was secure enough or not, the sedative coursing through their veins at the moment was made for elephants so if they weren't out yet, they weren't human. And if they weren't human, it wasn't Villains problem any longer, their superiors could deal with that shit show.

They stormed off down the hallway leading to the hero and their bedroom, shedding their coat and stripping from their too warm event wear. Worn only for special occasions and undercover missions, not for surplus amounts of time in uncomfortable environments.

Hero was following close behind, if they weren't still so tipsy they might have been worried about their lover's state, but under the influence they couldn't help but find it hot.

"Mmm, almost grabbed the wrong person, hm?" Their tone was teasing, but Villain still refused to make eye-contact.

By the end of the night, Hero's mission had gone sideways. They were too drunk, their co-worker was too close and Villain was too angry. Instead of a secretive information gathering night, it had turned into a kidnapping-almost-gone-wrong.

Villain swore they never let their personal life meddle with their work life, but when they found half of their sedative doused into the bloodstream of the hero's touchy co-worker, they realized maybe they were wrong. They had tried to play it off to the hero like an innocent accident, but they weren't buying it so they decided to ditch the subject entirely and mend whatever scraps of their mission were left.

Refilling their sedative and locating their target was easy, bringing them back home and restraining them was easy, avoiding their partner was the exact opposite.

"It was an accident."

Hero hummed, completely unconvinced as they shedded their top. "Sure, sweetheart..." Their drunken drawl hadn't left, but their stutter was gone along with their unbalanced stumble.

The criminal grumbled under their breath, walking into the bathroom to scrub their face and arms down with cold water, it was the only solution to their irritation when it got this bad. They didn't want to get mad nor lash out at the hero for nothing, pointless arguing was exactly that; pointless.

Only once the water was freezing did they run their hands under it, flinching at the temperature but already the screaming in their head was quieted. It only took a few seconds for the method to kick into place completely. Villain lavished in the calm for once, splashing the water on their face and rubbing it along their neck and shoulders, their arms and elbows, wrists and hands.

They were only dragged back to the present by the hero's soft hands on their back, drawing lines gently with their nails down their spine. Villain sighed, shutting off the water and wiping themselves off with their assigned shower towel.

"That really messed with your head, hm?"

Villain didn't answer, swiping more at their face with their towel as a distraction.

"You know... I'm yours and you're mine. Nobody and nothing is ever going to change that~"

"I'm fine." It came out strangled and when their eyes met, Villains were bloodshot. Hero worried for a second that the water wasn't just to calm them down, but also to hide their tears. They had always assumed their relationship was open enough to talk about those hard to deal with emotions, maybe not...

Out of instinct Hero reached out to stop the villain from leaving the cramped bathroom, but their reflexes were still hindered by the alcohol and they were too slow. Forcing their legs to move them back to the bedroom no matter how much they wobbled.

Somehow, Villain had managed to slide on pyjamas and turn off the light in their room before Hero could reach the door. Entering the room just in time to hear their lover lumbering into bed, the squeaky springs and heavy blanket giving them away.

"Villain-" They tripped over their own feet, arms outstretched as they braced for contact with the hard ground. But they never hit it. Villain - as much as they were angry - had jumped up and caught the hero in time, pulling them in close to their chest in a hug.

And they melted, drunk and overworked, they both melted into each other. Villain didn't necessarily breakdown, but they definitely hugged the hero tighter than they would in any normal situation. Squeezing them and burying their face in the crook of their neck as they breathed deeply before helping the hero back and onto the bed.

"Someone's jealous~" If now wasn't the time for teasing, Villain didn't make it known. Settling for a simple nod against the hero as they pulled them close in bed. "Well you don't have to worry, okay? I'm all yours, baby..."

Villain hummed in agreement, before Hero found their lips pressed together. The criminal's hands were wandering and the crime-stopper's didn't hesitate to start their own adventure. Rough skin meeting some soft, nails sweetly scraping against old scars that made them both shiver.

In a quick shift, the villain had managed to crawl on top of the other, their kiss only deepening, the occasional giggle escaping as their hips rubbed together. "You're mine." Villain whispered, hands creeping lower.

Hero shivered with anticipation, "All yours."

[imthepunchlord]

The whole system for the Miraculous is wonky as hell and much of the writing feels like they're still on that whole Good/Bad Luck concept from the show's planning stage. LB's power is literally Lucky Charm, and the symbolism of Ladybugs are good luck symbols not creation symbols. Same with the Black Cat symbolism (though the Miraculous borrow from Chinese culture and Black Cats are good luck symbols in China) I'd be more than willing to wager that the Peacock and Butterfly were concepted out before the change and no one went "Hey shouldn't we change the peacock"

Originally there was no Peacock. They were planning to do Bagua instead of Wu Xing. So a couple of miraculous from concepts were able to make it in.

But yeah, I have a growing list of what I noticed to be concepts that got changed, but weren't fully implemented to match those changes, so it's like they're still working off those old concepts despite the changes and it's not working as well, at least, how they're going about things.

As you mentioned, yeah, there's still the Good-Bad Luck theme going on (which both animals are European exclusive in terms of lucky view, an unlucky animal in Chinese should've been an Owl or Wolf).

Marinette's Luck and Tikki's treatment of her.

Now older concept Marinette was a lot more problematic. She was invasive of Felix's company and would try to force kisses on him. She also used her good luck powers selfishly, which brought bad luck as consequences. So being more pushy with her interest and being more selfish, it warrants Tikki to be criticizing and more questioning of Marinette and her choices.

Marinette now though is very selfless and considerate of others, and hardly ever abuses her power or use it selfishly. Despite the changes to her character, she still suffers a lot of bad luck (much of it played for comedy which sometimes goes too far), and Tikki is very criticizing/nitpicky of Marinette's choices and actions.

2. Chat still pursuing LB despite the clear no

Felix still pursued LB despite the clear no because he was cursed with bad luck. His actions aren't ok, but you get his reasoning on why he still tries.

Adrien though is curse free, still pursues LB despite the clear no and its because he really wants to be with her and is trying to wear her down and is dismissing her answer and feelings. That's not good.

3. Hawk Moth and His Son

Felix actually was not HM's son. Between that and him not having a desire to be a hero, it made sense why Felix wouldn't actively look for HM. He doesn't have that close connection nor did he have that drive.

Adrien is HM's son, and he has that close connection and could get that plot moving. And yet 5 seasons now, Adrien is none the wiser. It's a weird placement where they know he is HM's son, but they're also acting like Chat still isn't his son so has no reason to look into HM and discover things and get this plot moving.

4. The Slow Slow Slow Slow Slow Slow Slow Civilian Side Burn

When it was Felix and Marinette, he couldn't stand her (understandably) so he avoided her while she makes all the effort to try and get closer with him. It's understandable why the civilian side of things would be slow going.

Now, Adrien is friendlier and does like Marinette, and she still makes a lot of effort to confess to him and get closer with him. But it fails or goes nowhere, which just sets up this impression that she is far under his radar. And introducing Kagami didn't help cause you could pass off him being too blind/set on LB, but Kagami shows that he can notice other girls, so Marinette just isn't a romantic option. I do hear they finally reversed the LS in s5 but it feels way too late.

5. Marinette and her Parents

Earliest concept of Marinette actually had her coming home finding her father dead. And I didn't see much else of her having parents or them talked about. And given that Marinette is written to be independent, self-reliant, hardly turns to adults for help and advise, and seems to turn to Tikki as a mentor; to me it seems that Marinette's parents were just never meant to be in the picture or factored in. Mindful, I think Marinette was originally meant to be college age. If she and Chat Noir were always meant to be a romantic pair, well, there is no way this Chat is a young teenager.

Either way, she now officially has parents, but they are hardly in her life, she never really turns to them for help and advise like a 13 yo should, and she's still incredibly independent. Mostly, she turns to Tikki for help and advise. At It's almost like her parents aren't there.

This way of writing how uninvolved and absent her parents are, it could be a left of to them possibly being dead, or it could be a left over from the earliest thought that Marinette was going to be older and not need them around as much. They made a change, but it's not fully implemented, especially with Marinette confirmed to be 13 at the start of the show. I don't know how much independence 13 yos in France get, but I'd expect they still rely on their parents quite a bit.

So, this is my list of things I noticed that were changed concepts, but they didn't fully change everything to really make it work, and it feels like they're still working off those old concepts despite making changes. Or they're just trying to have their cake and eat it to. They do that a lot.

[zekekaiju]

Movie reviews: Double Feature

I recently saw the Mario movie. I also recently saw the DND movie. I liked both of them. I liked the DND movie better then the Mario movie but that might just be due to a greater fondness for DND. I'm going to go through the movies and talk about what I liked and didn't like, but it's going to be a little less in depth because it's two movies.

I liked the Mario movie, it was fun, enjoyable and had a lot of clever references. The story, while relatively simple, was cohesive and there weren't really any unnecessary stops along the way. The only real complaint I have with it story wise is we spent a little too much time on Mario's motivation in my opinion.

Overall the character designs were good and most of the actors were definitely trying to play the role as given. While I would have chosen someone else, Jack Black really did embrace his role as bowser and was a convincing villain and I didn't hear Jack Black. Chris Pratt was doing a Mario voice but a few times throughout the movie his Mario voice went away and he sounded like Chris Pratt which was jaring. I didn't like Seth Rogan as donkey Kong. He wasn't a good choice and there was a lot of him in the character, but he was minimally annoying and didn't ruin the movie for me. As stated before the character designs were good overall. Occasionally, Bowser looked a little more like a dog then a lizard, and short stubby Mario was a bit of an eyesore. Personally, I think there were better choices that could have been made in both the character design and voice actor department with one exception: Luigi. Everything about Luigi worked, his character design was on point, his voice matched his design and it was consistent, and even his overall characterization was recognizably Luigi.

The actual characters were very well done. Luigi was perfectly Luigi end of discussion. Toad was a very good comedy relief character, perfectly blending confidence with just the right mixture of competence and incompetence. Mario's stubbornness and perseverance in the face of opposition were well done and made him a very classic hero type. Peach was strong, capable, confident without ever being mean. Peach was what a strong character should be. Anytime a stronger character relies on putting other people down or showing off how much stronger they aren't actually strong they're insecure. Peach doesn't come across as mean or insecure which is good. Donkey Kong did disguise his insecurities as blistering arrogance and mean spirited comments. It allowed him personal growth as a character but also made him super annoying. Bowser was an excellent villain, he was large, imposing, unnecessarily cruel, and willing to use any means necessary to achieve his goal. He was also amusing and fun to watch but not in a way that made him seem less threatening or evil. Most importantly for me, was he was in no way more likeable than Mario. I never found myself even a little sympathetic to his cause, nor did he have a good quality that Mario didn't also possess.

All together this made for a very enjoyable family movie, that I wouldn't mind seeing again.

The dungeons and dragons movie was fun. It was a lot of fun and I had a great time seeing. I've now seen it twice and enjoyed it both times. It's basically a heist movie in a fantasy setting. A good summation of the overall plot is GOTG doing the heist from Ocean's eleven, set in Narnia. The action is very crisp and well done, the characters are great and the humor is generally amusing and is not reliant on crude humor. It was a great family movie. Now this is the second time I have called a movie a family movie and by that I mean that it's a movie you could feel reasonably confident taking the entire family. It's a movie that you think anyone in your family will enjoy without being offended by it. As such it keeps it's primary points simple: you can't give up on important things and family is one of those important things. These are ideas most people can agree with. Now it does sometimes allow it's emotional moments to be immediately undercut by a joke but it was never annoying for me.

The movie has a lot of action which is always fairly fast-paced, but it's very well choreographed, I never lost track of what someone was doing and it didn't really have a lot of shaky camera footage. The movie also did a really good job showing how the different characters abilities synergized and utilizing their strengths and weaknesses.

The movie really shines in its characters and in particular the interaction between the different characters. It's a combination of lighthearted banter and snark that helps illustrate these people characters and endears the audience to them. It helps make these characters real and keeps them all fun.

The movie doesn't require you know anything about DND to enjoy it although some jokes are funnier if you've played the game and there are some nerdy references but no foreknowledge of the game is required.

[repo-net]

Month of Nagisa - Searching Heroes

"I'm the hero! And heroes never lose!"

Oh, how he wished such a statement could be true. In real life, heroes don't always come out on top. The genre's called fantasy after all; the good guys are always destined to win in the fairytale worlds that they based their roles on.

What even is a hero anyways? What defines a hero? Someone that defends people from the villains that spread evil? Sure, that'd be the textbook definition for it. But what's really important here is the separation that divided the heroes and the villains.

The moral question that was 'what was justice', and 'what was evil'. The redhead had a childish black and white idea of heroes and villains, but for the bookworm? He knew the world wasn't that simple.

A day had passed since the funeral after the death of Masaru Daimon, proclaimed leader of the Warriors of Hope.

Nagisa would always get on Masaru's case and complain about how much of a loud, rude, and childish person he was, and to be fair on himself; he kind of was. He wasn't the biggest fan of the nicknames that he'd come up with, nor did he like being made fun of for reading.

He also didn't like... having to pine for the mage's attention with him getting in the way too, but... that was something that even Nagisa himself recognized as something silly.

Not to mention that said mage was the one that declared Masaru as dead after her encounter with the recent adults that were put into the Demon Hunting Game. He'd lost the battle against them, and he's been missing ever since.

He already tried to bring up the idea that Masaru could still be alive because of the fact that the report from the Monokuma Kids said he'd been captured by adults, and his actual body hadn't been found yet. But all of that was pushed away for an emotional argument that told him off as someone that was thinking too much like an adult and the refusal to just accept that things were how they were.

Masaru Daimon was dead. He had to realize that. He had to stop going against Monaca's word and just plan for the next step of paradise without him, tragic as it was.

But his morals weren't far gone enough that he'd throw away what he'd call an ally away to rot and be left to fend for himself.

"To think they really assumed he was just dead... what's up with them? Do they not care about him? Or do I just care about this group too much? I can't really understand it, but... there's been a small ache in my chest ever since those two adults started wrecking havoc around the city. I can only hope I don't run into them."

The bluehead talked to himself in a mumbled voice. He had put on a cloaked robe on himself to not alert or trigger any wandering adults or Monokumas that were lurking around the city. The adults knew that he was one of the members that were part of the group of kids that ruined their lives. He might not have been directly killing them, sure, but the fact of the matter is; he didn't stop his team from completely taking the city over with their murderous robots that dominated any man.

As for the robots themselves? Well, they were an incredible resource and piece of weaponry. Anybody that was unarmed would be downed near instantly, and there was such a massive supply of them that worrying about running out was never going to be a problem.

The factory belonged to her, after all. And with the state her brother was in, there shouldn't be a chance in hell that they break through their robots.

Honestly, all of this talk about robots only made him remember the sports freak he was looking for even more. A small smile appeared on his face. He was always the most eager one to test and fight whatever stood in his way with the massive robot each of them controlled. He took one look at the one with the massive drills and decided "Yeah, that's the one for me!" with childish glee and ease.

It was like picking a favorite character or toy from a show that you watched and making arguments about why yours was the coolest and could beat everyone else's. He took those simple times for granted. The amount of time in his life that he spent being a child and enjoying pleasures like those was little to none. He should've cherished it more while he was still in the moment.

Well, there was no point in dwelling on it now. The important part now was the present and searching for where Masaru had gone.

Nagisa found himself going down an alleyway nearby an abandoned subway in the city. There was a door on one side of the building that was originally made for authorized members only, but with the state Towa was in nowadays, just about anyone could get inside any building.

Closing the door behind him, there were stairs that led downwards to the underground where the subway actually was. Nagisa could hear the distant noises of gleeful laughter from below, so he went down as cautiously as he could.

The sound of metal clanging against each other rang as he took step by step downwards. What was going on over there...?

A scream of determination echoed through the building from under him. The voice sounded familiar, but it wasn't until the person spoke again that he immediately understood what was happening now.

"Get off of me, you smelly...! Gah, hgh...!"

A blow to the chest pushed the former Li'l Ultimate PE backwards near a wall, as two Monokuma Kids had cornered him in a tough spot. He'd been running from them for a while now, but even for all his athletic capabilities, he was only still a child, and had his own limits.

Just as the brainwashed children were about to strike the boy again though, a hard impact crashed on one of them from behind, knocking them out cold.

The redhead could see in front of him in a blurry vision a blue-haired figure with a metal pipe that looked as if it came from a broken part of the staircase railing, clobbering the second caught off-guard Monokuma Kid with another strike, putting them down for the count.

"Hh... Ghh. Two swings with a pipe with all the strength I've got, and I'm already worn out... ugh."

The blue boy took a moment to catch his breath, before walking over to his similarly disheveled ally.

"Masaru? Masaru, it's me! Are you feeling okay? Look at the state you're in..."

It was only now that Nagisa realized the condition Masaru was in right now. Cut up with small wounds and bruises over his body, clothes torn bit by bit, and yet, that same unfazed and determined look he had in his eyes stayed. The redhead finally came to his senses properly, rubbing his eyes as he spoke with a confused and surprised voice.

"N-Nagisa? What the heck are you... why are you here? Of all the people..."

"What sort of perception of me do y- no, forget it. How'd you get here? I knew she was wrong, you're still alive...!"

"Wait, she? Who's she?"

"Monaca. She set up an entire funeral and everything after you apparently 'died'. You're living proof that it's not the case though... I'll treat your wounds real quick, we should get you back to our headquarters as soon as possible!"

"Huh? Wait, no! Don't do that...!"

"Eh? But why...? You're here now, and you of all people would say that the Warriors of Hope 'needs a leader to take control!', or something along those lines."

"W-Well, yeah. Of course you do, I'm the best leader in the world! But uh... ah. Hmm... er."

Masaru was practically buying himself time now with all of the idle mumblings he was putting out. He'd realized something. He was childish and naive sure, but he wasn't a moron! At least, he liked to think he wasn't.

"But hang on, if Monaca's the one that tried to make me out to be dead... and she's the one in control of all the Monokuma Kids that's been trying to get me ever since I lost... did she seriously...?''

"Masaru? Masaru, you're blanking out! Hey!"

Nagisa started waving a hand in front of the redhead to get his attention, proving effective as he snapped back to reality, nodding his head as he forced himself to stand up, groaning in irritated pain.

"It's nothing, alright...? I'm fine... but don't bring me to the headquarters for now!"

Masaru really didn't have the heart to tell Nagisa that Monaca might've been the one to orchestrate his supposed death. For one, he knew just how much the mage meant to him. And besides, it was pretty obvious just how head over heels Nagisa was for him. He turns from a serious, no messing around brainiac into a completely shy mess when she gets too close or compliments him!

And for two, he really didn't want to risk the chance of offending Nagisa so hard to the point that he'd just leave him here. Not after they already found their way to each other again. And especially not in the injured state he was in...

He'll have to talk to Nagisa about it another day.

"I-I mean, you shouldn't bring me to headquarters, cause... I'm embarrassed I'll look weak and un-leadery if you bring me to them like this! Yeah, that's it!"

"... Seriously? Is your pride that high? Everyone's worried about you, you know."

"... They clearly weren't that worried if it's only you that came here."

That quieted Nagisa. Masaru said that in such a somber and downed tone that Nagisa saw how hurt he must've been by everything.

It'll be fine though. He can still fix everything... he can work the Warriors of Hope up together again, and they can clean up the rest of the town with the remaining demons.

It'll all be okay... right?

A rare sight came out of Nagisa. A small, encouraging smile as he let Masaru hang on his shoulder for support, no matter how uncomfortable it made the former Li'l Ultimate Social Studies.

"Don't think like that. Come on, let's get you out of here first and foremost. I know this town like the back of my head at this rate; let's get you to the nearest medical center."

And with that, they were off. A talk between the two of them would have to occur again sooner or later, but for now, they just needed each other's support more than anything.

[artmnson]

take on me

“i'll never be him, but let me love you like i am. as if i could be him.”

SUMMARY. the nights feel lonelier since you walk through them alone. fortunately, steve has never left your side. one night in particular, he lets you know that, in fact, he never will. never ever.

PAIRING. steve harrington x female!reader (brief eddie munson x female!reader)

WARNINGS. s4 spoilers! mentions of death and family abuse i guess? NOT PROOFREAD.

WORD COUNT. 2.2k+

NOTES. how do i feel about this one? not good but not that bad either, seemed better in my mind 😭 hope you like it! reblogs and comments are always appreciated! have a happy reading and thanks beforehand for the support <3 more to come soon, i swear!

you look to your side. steve's sleepy figure huddled in front of you as he tries to battle sleep. you half smile, you tried to tell him more than three times that he could sleep if he was tired. true to his stubbornness, all three times he replied that he preferred to stay awake, keeping you company.

if someone told you a few years ago that you would end up saving the world more than twice with steve harrington by your side, you probably would've sent to hell whoever said that. yet here you are. the same person you used to hate is now on the other side of the bed, humming your favorite song to distract you from the memories of the events that rocked hawkins once again. you're not complaining, over the years you managed to discover that there's something more behind that bad boy image that steve gave to the people around him. as incredible as it is, you struck up a great friendship.

steve's a good boy. you see it every time he takes care of the kids like his life depended on it, you see it in every advice he gives robin about how to approach any of the girls who catch her eye, you see it in every look of patience and caring that he gives to max, you see it in the way that he accepts that nancy is better off with jonathan than with him. you saw it in the quick way that he accepted and helped eddie munson until the last day of his life.

you can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times you saw him cry. the most recent was that week when nancy broke up with him in a hilariously cruel way. tears fell from his eyes like cataracts. you came to believe that he wasn't going to be able to recover from it. he did. the last time you saw him cry was a couple of nights ago when he offered you his chest as shelter after you woke up from one of the nightmares that has plagued you for months. he wept silently, believing you were asleep. you weren't. hearing that made your heart clench and you wondered if it was worth doing all he was doing for you. you were never brave enough to confront him about it, nor did you have the strength to do so. lately, you have no strength at all. just sadness.

five months ago, your life changed forever. hawkins' well-being was forgotten the moment you took his bloody body in your arms. the tears that welled up in his eyes had nothing to do with fear or regret, they were tears of sadness knowing that he had acted to save a city that'll probably never know the truth about him. his heroism acted accordingly in an attempt to show that he was something more than the riddled words and looks he received at school, on the streets, everywhere he walked. as he cut the rope that linked your world with the upside down, all he could think was that chrissy cunningham's death couldn't have been in vain, that he had to do something to avenge the soul he saw being disfigured. he tried to be a hero. he was. as he left, he took every part of you with him, leaving you empty and helpless. almost like him, dead.

“hey...” you hear steve's tired voice. your eyes focus on his face. his hair is disheveled and his eyes will give way at any moment. one of his hands is under the pillow, the other acting as a barrier between your body and his. “aren't you sleepy?”

you laugh weakly. “shouldn't i ask you that?”

a half smile spreads across steve's lips, used to you answering one question with another. his eyes scan your face, he knows how tired you are. you cannot, however, allow yourself to close your eyes. if you do, the nightmares would come back, and it wasn't in you to try to fight them. his heart turns a sad blue as he sees the sadness permeating the surroundings of your face. wherever you look, there is it. he can't help but feel guilty at the thought that he would give anything to make you love him like you used to love him. he knows that it's impossible, that his departure left a hole in your being that will never be mended, but he prays with all his might every midnight to win a place in your heart. he doesn't want to supplant him or be the nail that pulls out another nail even if he is, he wants you to give yourself the opportunity to love and be loved again, to live again, to laugh, to enjoy.

before eddie's death, before the demobats attack, before the tragedy, munson made steve promise to take care of you, that no matter what or how, he was going to keep you protected from the clutches of any enemy who tried to disturb the peace of the city again. no one knew what was going to happen better than eddie, probably because he had run through the scenarios in his mind a thousand times on the way to the trailer that would transport you to the next dimension. eddie wasn't your boyfriend -- at least not officially. anyway, your well-being came first for him. he loved you, without a doubt. unfortunately, his fears were stronger than his love. he didn't want to hurt you, drag you into a life you didn't deserve, make others automatically categorize you when they saw you holding hands with him. he couldn't take away the life of your dreams. so, he remained silent, waiting for the day that love would disappear from his heart, not knowing that that day would only come on the day of his death.

steve undoubtedly agreed when eddie spoke those words. no matter what, you'll take care of her, eddie said. steve nodded, asking no questions or questioning his decisions. the task of taking care of you had been amended to him. even knowing that was what his mate had asked him, he still felt miserable remembering the jolt of happiness that ran through his body when he saw the lifeless body of eddie munson.

screams from outside interrupt steve before he can speak. with his brow furrowed, he asks. “who's screaming like that?” the voices become increasingly noisy, causing him to get up from your bed and stick his head out the window in search of the owners of such a scandal. “what the hell? it's almost midnight.”

unlike steve, the screams of the conan family don't bother you. you're used to them. every night at midnight, matt conan, the father of the family, uses his time alone to get high and work up the courage to be the man he can't be in the course of the day. he beats his children, mistreats his wife, all under the influence of strong substances. history repeats itself every night. over time, it became a routine to wake up thanks to the uncontrollable cries of the pair of siblings who have the misfortune to carry the blood of matt conan. “it's mr. conan. leave it alone.”

steve looks at you in disbelief. “there are children crying. we can't leave it.”

you roll your eyes. “yes, steve, i hear it. i hear it every night. they cry now but in a couple of minutes they'll be quiet. leave it alone.”

“oh, so this happens every night?”

“yeah, most nights,” you reply between huffs.

eventually, steve returns to his side of the bed. your gaze is still on him, you know he can feel it. for some reason, however, he can't bring himself to speak. the truth is that he doesn't know what to say. his thoughts are far from the conan family or the living hell those children must go through, he can only focus, however clichéd, on the shine of your hair and the softness of your lips. he never kissed you, he has only dreamed of doing it. there are many things he wants to ask. will you ever get over eddie? will you ever move on? will you one day give him the chance to love you? he doesn't have the answer to any of them, and it makes him desperate.

“what's the problem now, steve?” he hears you say.

“sorry?” he replies stunned.

“what are you thinking about?”

“i-i…” he stares into your eyes. the resplendent darkness has conquered every corner of your pupils, dark circles make your face look like you're sick. in a way, you are. you find it exasperating not knowing if one day you will improve. to steve you still look beautiful, and that's when he wonders if he ever felt for nancy what he feels for you. he loved nancy, of course he did, and he's sure nancy did too. only nancy was never you. “nothing important, sweetheart.”

the nickname sends chills down your spine. steve has been doing a good job of making it difficult for you to want to disappear from the spotlight of the citizens of hawkins. the first month after eddie's death was absolute hell, you slept during the day and cried at night. you lost a large amount of weight. all without drawing anyone's attention, or so you thought. before the end of the month, steve showed up at your door. i gave you the time o thought was right to give you, you can't keep killing yourself, not when you still have something to fight for, he said. you laughed in his face when he finished speaking, everything you thought was worth going on for was left in that dark world. you yelled at him to go away, that you didn't need him, that you wanted to rot in your misery. he didn't care. that night, you wept silently in steve's arms with his hands stroking your hair until you finally fell asleep. that night, you understood that there was no way to turn back time, only to let it continue.

steve was very supportive. he accompanied you through endless nights, he wiped your tears, offered you hugs that knew how to fix every open wound after a nightmare. he drew stars around your scars. something inside you stirs every time you think of him, every time you have him close. you want to know what it feels like to be loved by him, only fear wins you over. you don't want loving him to mean forgetting eddie because that's something you know you'll never achieve. eddie left a mark on your soul that will accompany you everywhere. so, why do you feel like you betray him every time you smile at steve's meddling in your thoughts?

“you know you can tell me anything, steve,” you insist.

“not this,” he mutters, thinking you wouldn't get to hear him.

“and what is that, exactly?"

steve's eyes fill with tears. suddenly, it's like he forgot to speak. the words don't come out, a lump forms in the middle of his throat. he wants to cry, kick, scream that he loves you, save you from yourself. his fears are incredibly big, almost the same size as his love. he can't tell you what he's dying to scream. his mind, however, is not tied to his heart. the threads of sentences fall from his lips inevitably.

“i know i'll never be eddie. i'm not trying to be like him, or replace him. i know it still hurts that he died, that it'll probably hurt forever. but I can't help it. i can't help but love you. i'll never be him, but let me love you like i am. as if i could be him. please. please."

steve's confession leaves you speechless. his lower lip trembles and his chest rises and falls in agitation. his eyes that hold his tears look sad, dull. his hair is messy, perfectly messy. you bring a hand to his cheek, your thumb caressing his soft skin. he closes his eyes at the contact between his skin and yours. small, lonely tears fall on his eyes. your heart breaks. for him, for eddie. for everything.

“you're asking me something very difficult, steve,” you whisper.

“i know,” he replies with a breathy voice. “i know.”

your caresses leave his cheek to touch his lips. you slowly approach him, closing your eyes as you go. his breath hits yours, blending into rhythm. you kiss him gently and lightly.

“if you're willing to wait, we can get there,” you propose.

mr. conan's screams are no longer heard. the night is quiet, sleepwalking. a sense of belonging, of warmth, settles in your heart. you loved eddie, you always will. he spent his life making you happy. eddie will always be remembered by you as the hero of hawkins no matter what anyone else thinks. eddie loved you, and he would've wanted to see you happy even if he wasn't by his side. you love steve, and you have him here and now. it'll be a tediously long process, but you're willing to get there.

“take on me,” steve says. “as much as you want. i'm here.”

steve is willing to wait. it's worth a try.

[husbandohunter]

Moments of Despair #1 [Genshin Impact/Diluc x Reader]

Synopsis: “The man who was on fire and realized it too late.”

(A series of works where the boys deal with the passing of their beloved).

Albedo's despair

Warnings: angst, tragedy, major character death, graphic depictions of violence perhaps

(A/n): Had these ideas for a while after reading @/serensama To Mourn series of another fandom. So much sorrow and feeling I just was inspired to write 😫

_______________________________________________

The moment you fell lifeless in Diluc's arms, he wanted to disappear.

It was raining again, he had always despised the rain. How it trickles down the slope of your cheek, like tears falling from the heavens. The sight of it mixing with your blood creating a thin stream of red rivers flowing beside him. They patter down obnoxiously because time didn't care, the gods don't care, the world didn't care. You were just a small fragile person to their eyes but to him you were his light. A candle that used to shine in his dark world was now dissipitated by the waters of reality.

Many droplets have passed and he was still holding you. Diluc could do nothing but stare. He hadn't shed any tears nor could he make a coherent sound. Perhaps it was because his tears have long run out when his father was held in the very same way. Or it was because he was heartless. He's usually told for being cold and indifferent. But the pain clenching in his chest was proof that he still had one (proof that it was still beating), much to his dismay. It would be better if he didn't.

So why can't he just look away? Your wounds, your bruised features, everything now etched so deep into the back of his conciousness that is was starting to awaken his worst nightmares. They were the source of the bile growing in his stomach. The irony stench filling up his nostrils felt so sickening. He couldn't turn away. You're dead. You're dead. You're dead. As if reality had yet to register, or maybe he refused to accept it, Diluc helplessly gazed down your body with blank and empty eyes.

"Master Diluc..."

Jean's voice called out to him pitifully. He rises up with his back turned, ignoring the stares given to him, "Leave. The knights of favonius are not needed here."

"But she's a Mondstadt citizen," The anemo user retorts, slightly taken aback by his impassive reaction, "It's my responsibility to ensure this case doesn't go unnoticed."

Unnoticed. Diluc scoffs in his mind, what a tasteless joke.

"It seems you weren't listening," he announces as his head was turned ajar so they could see the deep hatred glowing red in his eyes, "Leave. Now."

Jean's lips trembled before barely being able to say, "Alright" and retreating her knights back to the city. Kaeya narrows his gaze at his bother, the sorrow was evident through his pupils. He steps forward until he was arms length away from his brother. Too little too late, another failure was added to the belt.

Kaeya was a man of many words but for once he was at loss of what to say. No underhanded suggestions, no ideas taunting him to spill his thoughts, he simply asks Diluc, "What are you planning to do now?"

Silence. Kaeya couldn't predict what sort of expression his brother was making as he looks at your corpse. It brought a heavy weight of unsettlement upon him and here he thought he had already grown used to his brother's quietness.

Slowly, he turns around while letting the water pour down his face. Kaeya tightens his jaw as Diluc drags his feet towards him, stopping when their shoulders were parallel, "It's none of your concern."

"You're just going to leave her here?"

There was a slight pause which was enough of an answer. The Cavalry Captain sighs when he watched him walk away, what was the point of asking when Kaeya knew Diluc so well? He glances at your form before swiftly shutting his eyes.

It was his concern.

-------

A week later, the staff of the Ragnvindr household could hardly recognize their Master's appearance. They knew not to bother him when he decides to lock himself in his chambers. Diluc drowns himself with work from hours to no end as he connects the findings of the person that took your life. As expected, it was one of his enemies- a fatui member. The question was, which one?

"Master Diluc, I beg of you, please take care of yourself," Elzer pleads.

The pyro user didn't bother to spare him a glance or look at the tray of food he carried.

Food...you always brought them whenever he had to work overtime.

"I do not remember specifiying anyone to be allowed in my office," he voices aloud, "If it's related to business affairs simply leave that with Adelinde and I'll take a look at it tomorrow."

"I understand. But you've been working all day and night yet refusing to take any breaks in between. At this rate, you'll harm your health."

The feather pen in his grip kept dragging it's course, "This is beyond the duties assigned to you Elzer."

"That's because it was a request sent by your father," he adds, knowing that stepping over his boundaries may cost him, "If Master Crepus was still here, I'm sure he would have said the same thing."

Taking a deep breath, Elzer lays out his last card, "And also your wife."

The pen slows into a halt.

No one had brought you up until now. Elzer anxiously watches his Master shifting in his seat, his red bangs covering half of his face but he could still see the frown pressing firmly on his lips. It wouldn't be a surprise if Diluc suddenly bursted at him for mentioning such a sensitive topic, all that matters was his master's well being and Elzer was willing to risk everything for it. But nothing. Diluc turns his attention ever so slightly at the tray he carried.

"Fine, but I'm not eating that."

"What? Wasn't this was her favourite-"

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

Elzer furrows his brows before sighing, "...No, Master Diluc."

He exits the room while carrying the fresh dish of Once Upon A Mondstadt that you loved so much. The door closes with a soft click and he was alone again.

People found it strange how Diluc seemed so vacant to your passing. He didn't even show up at your funeral. Instead, he continues his duties as a Mondstadt nobleman like usual while taking care of business matters associated with the winery. Except those who were close to him could see the difference in his actions. Apathy, he was so mechanical in every task he did. Like a marionette attatched on strings, a doll without a soul. After all, his soul died the moment when yours did too. What remains was a shadow of Diluc and a being existing solely for revenge and duty. He was nothing but a remnant.

Fatigue begins to wash over him and he fights to stay awake. Because once he gives in it will all be over. Once he closes his eyes, he would see your face with a multitude of images from the past. He would hear your voice calling out his name from a distant space as it echoes off the walls of his mind. He would fall into a dream where you were still with him and as always, waking up to see that it was never real.

I should have pushed you away.

Because what hurt Diluc the most wasn't that you were gone, rather, it was how you were still here.

Then you'd still be-

Something breaks and it turned out to be the pen he was holding so tightly. Only now Diluc realized how fast his heart was thrumming as beads of sweat began rolling down his forehead. Focus. Don't waste time. He won't grant himself the liberty of anything when your murderer was still on the run. Every wound they inflicted on you was going to be returned in tenfold. He'll make sure of it. That's why, he refuses to think about you at all. Diluc occupies his mind with other matters since at this point, work was the only efficient method of keeping his sanity in tact.

She needs you to focus.

The door opens and Kaeya enters the room while holding a document, "We found the guy."

His reaction was immediate, "Where?"

"Hm, now that we meet, it's actually quite debateable," The captain notes wryly, "When was the last time you've gotten proper rest?"

"I don't have time for this, either you tell me or I'll do it by force."

Kaeya couldn't help but sigh, "Apologies but you don't seem to be in any state for a fight. I'm sure you know how it would end up if you were to face your enemy right now."

"..."

"Diluc, this isn't healthy," Kaeya asserts, it's been a while since he sounded so sincere, "I'm not here to prevent you from doing what's necessary however, perhaps it would be better if I finished it in your stead."

"No," Diluc stubbornly answers, "Hand that over."

"...Heh, then there's really nothing I can do to stop you it seems," he whispers with a sad smile, "At the very least, be careful."

"I intend to," The pyro user snatches the paper parchment out of Kaeya's hands before opening the window, "Also, if Elzer returns, tell him there's a few errands I have to take care of."

The night was a full moon and the sky was empty, Diluc leaps off the edge and disappears into the darkness. There was no telling of what could happen next. Since you weren't here, it was up to Kaeya to watch over him.

-------

The claymore dropped to the ground with a clang as it soaks up the blood of the fatui he just killed.

Diluc was tired, so tired.

He slumps down against the wall from pure exhaustion, all that adrenaline and hatred went up in fumes, leaving behind whatever was left in his heart: nothing. Two hours, not even that far from Mondstadt, the fatui hid in an abandoned building as he cowarded for his life. When Diluc arrived, he never expected this monster to be so weak. This was the person who murdered you? A pathetic nobody that was simply following orders? This was the reason why he lost you forever?

In the end, the only one to blame was himself, for being weak and unable to protect you. He was supposed to be your hero ("Darknight hero," you'd always tease), the rock that shields you just as you had been the warmth he longed for many years, did he give you enough? Was this enough? He thought avenging your death would grant him a peace of mind and the justice you deserved but deep down, he knew it will never be enough when it comes to his love for you.

"Diluc."

He closes his eyes, he hears your voice. He was so tired, it wouldn't be a surprise if he started hallucinating.

"Diluc."

"I'm sorry..."

The man lets out a trembled breath as he apologized to the image of you in his mind. I'm sorry I failed you. They were repeated like a mantra in hopes to reach you somehow. Of course that was impossible, his feelings, his emotions, love and sorrow altogether will never reach you again. And your arms that once comforted him and brushed his hair with a soothing voice, saying everything will be okay, where are they now?

"Diluc."

"Stop," he didn't want to hear your voice.

"Diluc, I'm here."

"Stop..."

"Diluc..."

He jolts his eyes open and lets out a yell, what was he saying? He doesn't know. All he needed now was to drown out the fake voices mocking in his head. Diluc grabs the nearest object and shatters it against the floor, the dam was broken and it flooded uncontrollably, breaking everything in it's way. The abandoned house was filled with loud cries of a man sobbing with agony like a broken-hearted child. He crumbles to his knees and falls to his side, lifting his forearms while clutching his face.

And screamed.

Archons, what did he do to deserve this? Why do the people he cherish get taken away from him? Diluc never wanted to be the Darknight hero if it meant having his father perish in his arms. He didn't want the feeling of stabs against his chest with every breath he took. He didn't want to feel cold while knowing it was because you weren't here to hold him. He didn't want your voice, your pictures or your memory.

He wanted you.

"(Y/n)..." he chokes. Rolling to his back, Diluc moves his arms to cover his eyes, letting the tears run down to his ears, "(Y/n)..."

For who knows how long, he lays there in the abandoned building and mourns. Diluc doesn't have the strength to move from his position, he found himself staring mindlessly through the cracks of the roof when his voice had gone hoarse. The corners of his eyes still burned and his head was throbbing with so much pain. Maybe he should just stay here but the thought of being in the same room as your murderer was unfathomable.

Picking up his claymore once again, Diluc drags himself out of the door. Where would he go? It's not like he had a home to return to because home was when he was with you. A doll without a soul, the marionette moves as if the strings have commanded him to do so. Where ever it takes him, he didn't care. He just knew he had to go.

[angelamajiki]

PARINGS: Pro Hero! Dabi x Sister! Reader

TW: yandere, incest, no con, voyeurism, choking, burning, unprotected/no prep sex, breeding/creampies, snowballing, public sex, degradation, lots of dirty talk

AN: WHEEWW my first fic in a while, so excited for my first join intro collab!! thank you to the lovely jo for writing it <33 enjoy

A BNHarem Server Collab! Check out the other works here.

Breaking news: We have yet another report to add to the slew of attacks this month, this comes just days after we broadcast rumours of villains running rampant over the city. This spate of attacks has put the entire metropolitan area at a standstill, road closures and damaged property making it difficult for commuters to get to work in the morning. Road maintenance endeavour to do its best to keep the city running, but it seems futile when these attacks continue to increase. The entire city was brought to a standstill by the mysterious villain who has still not been named, but reports show they are nothing like we have ever experienced before.

Where are the heroes now? Who will save us from the terror overwhelming our city?

Every day the crime toll continues to rise and we have no one here to protect us. The Hero Public Safety Commission assured us earlier in the week that the crime rate would go down, that the top Heroes are out there protecting our city, but if so, where are they? Is it really safe to go out anymore, who can we trust? Would you put your life in the hands of a Hero today? When they have proved our streets are no longer safe. We still have no information on what is going on, or who is involved but we must remain observant. We will continue to report the latest news as we receive it, but for now, we must implore you to heed the warnings of the city-wide curfew that is soon to be implemented. If anyone has any information on these occurrences in the city please send them to us or contact the police, you can remain anonymous. The safety of our citizens is what is most important, stay vigilant and don’t go out unless it is absolutely necessary.

Christ, what a load of bullshit the news was nowadays. Constantly whining and squealing about what heroes did and didn’t do, promoting fear-mongering like it was the hottest trend. Between your father and two older brothers dedicating their life to the cause of justice, the world always felt just a little safer to you, the naive little thing that you were. And tonight was no exception.

Despite the rapidly increasing crime rates, your judgment to grab a couple of drinks in the city with your friends was hardly swayed. The stress of it all was getting to you and you’d love nothing more to drink your heart out at one of the few spots still left open. It was a sleazy place, but it was fun. If anything, you found a bar in the area where your eldest brother was currently stationed patrolling.

Touya had always been protective of you ever since the two of you were children, and he carried that same possessiveness well into your adulthood. Always chasing off any potential suitors, keeping you out of trouble, and generally being a menace to anyone who thought they were good enough to be around his favorite little sister.

By the end of the night, stumbling around drunkenly was the only thing keeping you upright as you made your way out of the club and onto the street, looking for a taxi to get you home. Sirens wailed faintly in the distance, a mess of blue and red lighting up the darkened streets.

“Hey sweetheart. Need a hand?”

Grubby hands met your arms the same time the cool air of the night did, tugging and pulling at you to come closer, wherever that may be. Jaunts and laughter echoed off the buildings, only adding to the haziness the alcohol induced. “What’s a pretty little thing like yourself doing out here all on your lonesome?”

Weak attempts to push the group of assaulters off you were in vain as they groped and squeezed your body at their pleasure. “Come on, we’re just trying to keep ya company. Right, boys?”

“Stop..”

Your whine came across much more pathetic than you could have ever hoped, only earning more chuckles from the men. “Just relax, sweetheart. We’ll take good care of you.”

Blue flames danced around the group of you, closing the lot of you against the building wall in a small circle of fire.

“Will you now? Last I checked, I'm the only man suited for that.” Touya was less than amused to have found out from Fuyumi that you traveled into the city given its state, even more so when he saw how drunk and disorderly you were being.

“T-Touya-nii!”

The men untangled themselves from you with ease, tossing you into the arms of your expectant brother, who was more than glad to pull you into a tight embrace. “Shit! It's the number three, Heatstroke!”

The comforting warmth of his body and scent of his cologne settled your frantic nerves, tucking yourself closer into his arms. “Honestly, it’s like you're asking for it at this point.”

Your heart sank low in your chest, but you couldn't find the strength to move away from him as he scowled down at you.

“Look at what you're wearing, you little tease. Bet you would have loved to have them violate you, huh slut?”

Never has Touya been so venomous with you before; it made your heart hurt, even more, to see your beloved nii-san be so cruel.

“Don’t you worry, that’s why your big brother is here to show you who you really belong to.”

Shoved against the wall, he pinned your trembling form with his right knee in between your legs and his hands wandering over your skimpy dress.

“You boys can stick around to watch; let a real man show you how it's done.”

Flames singed at your dress, burning it to ashes to expose you in the cool wind of the night. Hot fingers pressed into your skin, littering marks in their wake before they wrapped around your throat. “You were just begging for nii-san to come to save your slutty ass, huh, princess? I know you checked my patrol schedule before ending up at this dive.”

His hand tightened around your neck, his lips at your ear. “Wanted nii-san to come put you in your place, yeah? After fuckin’ teasing me all these years, you finally cracked me. Are you proud of yourself, little girl?”

A whine slipped from your constricted throat, your smaller hand gripping at the large one squeezing you with everything it had. “And now you've got an audience to witness my ownership over you. You're mine, little girl.”

Finally releasing your throat, his hands traveled down to your chest and groped at your roughly, pinching and pulling at your soft, sensitive nipples. Bile was rising in your throat as you drowned in your own fear, feeling him drag you into the depths of depravity.

“What’s the matter, imouto? I thought you said I was your favorite. You're hurting my feelings, y’know.”

“Touya, please-”

A scoff slapped you hard in the face as his knee jerked up against your cunt. “Don’t start with me. I know who you really are and what you really want, even better than yourself.”

His words stabbed at your heart, and his wandering hands only seemed to pour salt over the wounds. “You’re nothing more than my whore, little sister.”

Hips ground against your backside in a slow, teasing manner, groans pushing past his lips as he did so. “You have no one to blame but yourself.”

His erection was pressed flush against you, straining in his pants before he unzipped himself. At this point, you were more than sobered up running on fear and adrenaline alone. Your panties were ripped clean off with his free hand while the other stroked his hardening cock. “Look at me.”

The tip was aligned with your hole, rubbing slightly to gather the minimal wetness between your lips. “I said look at me.”

Teary eyes peaked up at him through wet lashes, silently pleading with a man who was not known for mercy.

“Good fuckin’ girl, so obedient for your big brother.”

With one snap of his hips, Touya fully sheathed himself inside of your tight cunt, groaning at the way you squealed for him. “Aw, you like that, huh, princess. Feeling good?”

A warbled moan was the only response you could give him as he slowly began to pull out. The alcohol had you buzzing enough to block out the pain of the stretch, and damn did you feel filled to the brim.

“Can’t wait to breed this greedy little cunt of yours.”

His pace was slow, agonizingly so. Touya couldn't help but savor every second of the first time having been inside you, especially after dreaming about it for so long. God, if it didn't turn him on to have an audience, knowing that these men knew he was fucking his sister.

What would the media think? God, the news cycle would be ripped to shreds tomorrow over this breaking story. But hey, no PR is bad PR.

The thought of finally having staked his claim in you almost had him coming prematurely, but he had to hold out for your very first time together, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

Heh, your crying face was so cute. Those tears weren't shy by any means and neither were your sobs. It's alright, you’ll learn to love being Touya’s cocksleeve.

“Say you love me.”

An impossible request when you're being violated by the person you held dearest to your heart.

His pace had picked up brutally, slamming into you without care for his flames spreading wildly nor the group of assaulters who seemed to vanish once they had the opening to.

“I-I love you, nii-san! I love you!”

Your cries were shrill and whiny, echoing into the chaotic night. The grip on your hips was heating up, so much so that his handprints were burned into your love handles.

“Good girl, good little slut.”

His breathing was erratic, hot against your neck as he growled and grunted into your ear. “Gonna let nii-san breed this pretty little pussy? Yes, you are. I know you are because you're fuckin’ mine, bitch.”

Moaning out your name, Touya came deep inside your womb, thick ropes of his cum painting your insides. You were soon to follow thanks to his thumb against your clit, causing you to writhe and whine in his arms.

Utterly spent, you rested against the brick wall you were pinned to, feeling the cum drip out of your still filled hole.

“Let’s get you home and into my bed, princess. I gotta go have a chat with Dad and Shouto, let ‘em know you’re fully off limits now.”

— tagging: @libiraki @bonesoftheimpala @tomurasprincess @sightoru

[violetlunette]

I saw your anti-lov posts and god do they explain everything i dislike about the league.

The thing is, i like the concepts of each league member, but the way they're handled just falls completely flat.

The one i think the most about is Mr Compress. I love phantom thieves and they're my favourite character archetype (which is why i also like monoma and sad that hori caved into fan pressure to make him a joke character after his initial introduction, but thats another rant). Mr Compress, until that dabi revealed himself, NEVER hinted at the whole stealing for the greater good angle. Hell, gentle is more of a phantom thief than Compress is! It feels like it was tacked on to give him a motivation which sucks since he could have been an interesting character.

He's supposed to be a thief with morals yet i see no morals from him or the league.

Honestly its the same issue with stain. Show don't tell. We are told Stain wants to get rid of 'false' heroes and the corruption of society like we are told Mr Compress wants to reform society for the better. We see them senslessly kill people with no regard or indication that they are part of the corruption. We are told society is corrupt but never SHOWN.

We never see greedy heroes and the sole 'evil' hero was endeavour and even then he gets 'redeemed' (he's working towards it but the point is he's the only one we can point at and say 'your fucked up'). We never see the heroes be corrupt or hoard wealth or any of the sort! We don't ever see how heroes perpetuate the cycle that produces villains which makes the league unsympathetic.

This extends to bakugou as he should be the perfect cautionary tale embodying society faults and how heroes focused less on saving and more on money and fame. So many characters had the chance to be that but they get put in the right and their consequences ignored.

And even then, the league's action never addresses any systemic issues. We don't see them exposing endeavour or other heroes like them (that was all on dabi and he just wanted to hurt endeavour so not selfless at all), we don't see them exposing quirk discrimination nor do we see them HELP ANYONE! if theyre meant to be revolutionaries, they need to care for people OUTSIDE of each other! But they don't so they all end up as morally bankrupt villains who pretend to be noble.

And even then, there's a teeny tiny detail that the 'moral' members should have had a problem with.

The nomus.

Why do the other members of the league never question the nomus? I doubt none of them know the implications that a person was experimented on and turned into a puppet. Why was this not something spinner (the most 'moral' member) took an issue with? In fact, I'm surprised that wasn't a plot point for the league! Why weren't there more people who took issues with Nomus and how they were produced? It feels very strange to ignore to me. That could have easily been a reason why other villains didn't like the league! They experimented onto people! Why are the implications of the nomus so heavily ignored?

It infuriates me since the MLA are right there and are already much more complex villains who could have shaken up society and bring into question the heroes better! There's a hero in the MLA! Why couldn't there be more? Why are the league, the ones who don't have a distinct purpose nor do they do anything ASIDE from destruction the central focus? Oh right AFO and all that.

TLDR: i really don't like how the villains in the series are handled as what they say never matches with what we're told and we never see the corruption heroes perpetuate. I'm also confused on why nomus are glossed over in universe from a 'holy shit these were people' stand point and i also wish the MLA were the central antagonists rather than the league as they make more sense and can showcase hero society better.

EDIT: I see that these old posts are getting attention. Please keep in mind that these anti-lov posts were written before I knew the whole story and I was recovering from an extremely tense time. As such, these are inaccurate due to lack of information.

Notes:

*Anti LoV

Now sweetie, don’t hold back! Tell Looney how you really feel. (Lol, no, I love this.) And YES. Yes, to all this. There was potential, but either Hori didn’t know how to handle the villains or someone at Shounen Jump got in the way. And you brought up a good point about the Nomus. Why does no one even blink at this shit? I also love that you brought up the fact that despite the manga constantly saying that the heroes are just as bad as the villains, there is a significant slant between the two. And guess who has the higher moral ground? (hint: NOT THE TERRORISTS!!) The LOV of villains at the end of the day is just a bunch of entitled kids throwing a fit that can’t do what they want. Yes, bad stuff happened to them. No, it shouldn’t have happened. No, they didn’t deserve it. But that doesn’t justify all the terrible things they did. But I digress. The MLA is a lot more compelling as a) they’re more of a threat, b) They have a leg to stand on as they tried peaceful protests in the past but were ignored.

BUT YES!! The nomus are the most wasted and glossed over plot point! And two of them were childhood friends of two main characters! (Izuku and Aizawa.) Plus, think of the angst if AFO had been smart enough to use Nana’s corpse as a nomu! Wasted! The nomus were WASTED!!

But oh well. As said in the past, I intend to do a deeper dive when the manga is finished. But you brought up some amazing points!

[bored-storyteller]

Warning: toxic relationship, mention of drugs

(sorry, but it's not really NSFW)

53- Genshin Impact, YANDERE!Diluc x Reader

“The time has come”

Your gentle hands and your worried face are imprinted on his heart as if they were a glowing mark on the living, pulsating flesh of that muscle that lies in his chest.

You, who took care of him without any pretensions, offering him only your good heart, what spell did you cast on him to make him so slave to you? For you the Darknight Hero had been nothing more than a human being in distress at the time. You have neither condemned nor blessed, you simply healed with all the delicacy you were capable of.

You were that person for whom Diluc would destroy the world, that world that threatened so much to hurt you, every minute and every second. He would destroy what he protected, just to keep you safe, and that thought that was taking root more and more in his mind seemed natural, pure and sincere.

And you smiled happily at him as you told him about your day, you confided in confidence and he was so happy with that trust you placed in him. When he smiled at you you lit up, and he was so happy about it.

Initially, the fact that Kaeya sat next to you so languidly wasn't really a problem. Or rather, he was, but the mixed feelings he had for the Captain made him let his guard down. Diluc trusted you, and he knew that the Knight had that unbearable way of dealing more or less with everyone. So he had swallowed the boulder and set you free. It wasn't unreasonable enough to keep you from living, smiling at Albedo or chatting with Jean. Not as long as you always came back to him, like a faithful little dog looking for his master. He was more important to you than them, right? He was as important to you as you were to him, wasn't he?

If someone had dared to make you suffer it would have turned to ashes that same night, you knew that. You should have known.

There was nothing strange, it was normal that he wanted so much to protect you. Yet that evening, laughing, you agreed to a meal with the Captain with the same lightness and the same smile with which you would accept a drink offered by him.

How could you? You knew how Diluc thought about that man, you knew how much the presence of him near you burned inside him. But you, despite necessarily having to be aware of it, had accepted that invitation.

"Why did you say yes?"

He had asked you without a particular intonation, while his skilled fingers polished the glass still wet with droplets of hot water.

He didn't look different than usual, in the eyes of others, but you felt a thrill when he spoke to you. You knew him well enough to sense that slight hatred you had directed at him.

"Do you mind?" Your question was spontaneous and surprised. Why did you have to be so amazed? You knew how dangerous Kaeya was, he had warned you many times. But even more, you knew how much he couldn't stand that blue-haired boy, so why was it so surprising that it bothered him to allow even just an hour of your time alone with him? How did it come to your mind to give yourself to him without asking his permission?

His lack of response made you just sigh. Your sweet hand had slipped silently into his, reassuring. You held it so tenderly that it had suddenly calmed Diluc's troubled soul.

No, you didn't do it nastily, it was just naivety. You didn't want to hurt him and betray him, you just didn't know how to protect yourself from the dangers that surrounded you.

"Listen to me ..." your voice was sweet, light, consoling, and Diluc listened to it. His precious cherry-colored eyes set attentively on you.

"Listen ... I know it bothers you ... I probably don't know him as well as you do, but if I don't give him a chance I'd be in the wrong, right?" Your smile was not right for Diluc at that moment "You are my dearest friend Diluc, nothing will ever change that.

Yet without your realizing it, you had suddenly changed everything.

You grabbed a poisoned sword and stuck it in his chest.

A dear friend. How long have you two been just dear friends? You never have been.

He was yours, completely yours. And you were his. Of him forever, of him in eternity.

"Diluc?" Your uncertain voice made him tremble inside, but he didn't show it. He pushed his flat expression away from you, returning to his work.

It wasn't your fault, your heart was too kind to resist all those tempters around you. They wanted to bribe you too, didn't they? They wanted to take you away from him, they wanted to keep you for them. That was why they told you that you two were just friends. Only dear friends.

The very thought made his stomach turn, the bile in his throat that made him burn it.

It was his fault. He had to realize before the danger you were running, he had to protect you right away.

He hadn't said anything to you as you walked back to the winery with him that same evening. It wasn't too strange that you were going back with him. In fact, it was almost routine - it would have become routine, since it was obvious to Diluc that sooner or later you were going to live there.

He could hear you talking to Adelinde, laughing softly as if you had no problem in the world.

For a moment a flash of clarity enveloped him. What if he was wrong? What if he had never been to you what he thought he was?

No, it wasn't like that. He couldn't have been so wrong. It was just the cruel world that wanted to take you away from him. As he protected his beloved Mondstadt, he would protect you too. You would not have understood at first, but then over time you would both be calmer.

It was only the first step, swallowing the bitter pill, then over time you would have been able to understand how much all this was aimed at your good, how much he was the only one who really loved you, whom you could trust.

And then he would have known that all the smiles you would have given to others would never have been like those given to him. Yes, he would be sure that no one could ever take you away again. You weren't going to leave like his father and Kaeya did.

He had to play the part of the villain only at the beginning, and then you would understand.

Diluch closed his eyes, calmed his heart beating too hard in his chest, swallowed, and then he was ready.

He turned to you, in his hands two glasses full of scarlet grape juice shone wrapped in the warm lights of the house.

"Can you follow me, please?"

You had never been in his room, he had never thought he needed to take you there before the due time, but it seemed that time had already passed.

"I had never been ... here." Your smile was troubled, but you trusted him, so your agitation was quieted by curiosity.

Surely there was a serious reason why he had brought you there, and there really was.

Your glasses rose slightly in gratitude, and you smiled in amusement, commenting on how much you looked like two children drinking a sweet soft drink together imitating grown-ups.

Sitting like this, next to each other on his bed, in the soft lights of the evening, it could be considered an extremely romantic situation. But apparently not for you. It would have been enough a hand that leaned gently on his thigh, your head on his shoulder, on his chest, it was enough your reddened face that languidly approached him in search of his love for you. It would have taken so little and you would have spared both him and you so much pain, but you were too busy laughing and enjoying your friendship.

"Diluc ... I ... I don't feel too good."

Your broken voice breaks his heart, but this had to be done. The help from him you were waiting for will never come, while your head was starting to spin and your strengths were slowly waning.

"Diluc ..." your goblet shatters on the floor and the din covers the click of the key in the lock.

Someone outside the room asked if everything was fine but the landlord was ready to reassure that there was nothing to worry about - on the other hand, what was strange? To them you two were such a perfect couple.

You should have asked for help, but the more you realized the situation, the more your power to act was fading.

"Why…?" You didn't ask it with your voice, but with your eyes. Those eyes of yours that he had always loved, that now looked at him clouded and frightened.

"You'll be fine." His cold voice reached you like a red-hot arrow as he sat down beside you again. Your dear Diluc, your dear friend. What did you do to him to make you deserve this? You were laughing together. What happened?

"This is your fault." He was so authoritarian, and at the same time so natural. You couldn't really believe Diluc was capable of hurting you, it wasn't like him. You were right, but at the same time, the one who bent over you and stroked your cheek so terribly tenderly was undoubtedly him.

"But that's okay ... I'll take care of it, it's normal for someone as nice as you to be so naive." His lips were hot and cold at the same time on the skin of your forehead.

“I'll protect you from everything, don't worry, you'll be fine. You'll be fine, and I'll be fine too ... no one ... no one will take you away. " The kisses on your neck were like blades, betrayal, despair, and he repeated them and repeated them. Oh when would you wake up ... when would you wake up? What could you ever do?

“You are so naive… but you will understand. I'm here. "

He continued kissing you even as your silent body lay unconscious on his bed. He was so beautiful, so composed too as he covered your flesh with poisonous love. Diluc would not change tomorrow, nothing in him had been affected, neither his ideals, nor his attitude ... only, now he had you.

He loved you, and he respected you. Even as his teeth left their hallmarks on your neck, his grace was unquenchable. Was it fair to brand you right? Even if you wouldn't see beyond that wall tomorrow, it was right.

And as his thoughts slowly wandered the young man lay beside you, finally enjoying your warmth next to his body. Yes, the times were definitely ripe.

[apixrl]

IT'S YOU.

hanta sero x fem!reader

WARNING(S): slight angst. mostly arguing / tension but fluff towards the end.

word count: 5.3k

song: it's you // gavriel

note(s): if u stan him ur immediately just so hot and sexc and if not ur just really stinky sorry not sorry

italian translation - translator !!

The heavy pouring rain waged war against your once dry and stylish jacket. The piece of clothing now resorted to an added weight as you strode forth to reach your apartment complex. Luckily you were only a street away, your hurried walk turning into a legitimate jog when the storeyed building came into sight. It was Friday night, meaning the day you worked overtime for the sake of earning a little extra as well as filling in for a coworker. Most of the day the weather had been miserable, the sky maintaining a mundane and drilling grey cloudy sketch that slowly collected into rain. Luckily your morning walk to work hadn't been affected by the downfall but the weather had chosen to stick around for your walk home.

Your jacket glued itself to your frame as its capability to keep you dry fleetly decreased, the hoodie underneath beginning to dampen ever so faintly too. Your pants were already taken to the rain, answering its call by absorbing the water into the fabric and making them exceptionally uncomfortable to wear. The pair of shoes on your feet struggled to bind together as they countlessly stepped in puddle after puddle, wearing and tearing with every step you took.

Cars passed by, tires causing gushes of water to hit the pavement. The street lamps did nothing to show your presence as they sped by, your body growing damper from the droplets of water hitting you. You briefly scolded the inconsiderate drivers in your head, eyes glancing ahead to meet an approaching individual. They were most likely a neighbour but given the darkness surrounding you weren't entirely sure, ultimately deciding to keep your head down and not draw attention to yourself.

In truth, this wasn't the only reason.

During the last week and a half, your want to socialise was relatively low, finding a lot of your spare time spent at home and in your own company. The separation from society was healthy for your recently plagued mind, spending afternoons finding all kinds of homely leisure to pass the hours by. It felt much more wholesome and enjoyable to endeavour in a story from your bookshelf or writing poetry in your journal straight from the heart rather than sitting aimlessly on your phone. Simply scrolling through social media to bore the day away.

Why the sudden stray from society to your own little world? Well... sometimes having a popular Pro Hero as a boyfriend came with its cons. Especially when hardships came between. As of the Tuesday approaching, it would be your ten-month anniversary with your partner - Hanta. Or what he was better known as; Taping Hero: Cellophane.

Yours and his meet was rather mundane truth be told. What started as a journey to purchase a recently released volume of one of Hanta's favourite manga comics took a drastic turn and became something much more meaningful. He caught you grabbing the final copy available, smoothly swooping in to attempt to charm you into giving him the comic (the ravenette had been to about five stores before that during patrol - a rather lousy thing to do but he justified his actions with lack of spare time). However, he walked out with a date two nights later instead, finding himself be moved by your own charms and attraction that Hanta urged himself to ask and not miss the chance.

From there, things were taken slow. His social status was shared pretty quickly, faster than Hanta felt comfortable with - liking the idea of you liking him for who he was over his fame and wealth. It didn't affect your perspective of the ravenette, since you had already fallen for him before such information could be told. It took a month before you officially became boyfriend and girlfriend, and life couldn't have been better for the pair of you. For the most part, your relationship was perfectly stable and as healthy as you could make it. But unfortunately, all good things must come with a cost.

See, one thing you were to learn with growing closer to Hanta was he kept his personal life extremely separate from his heroic persona. Such a statement was made very clear before you brought your relationship to the next level since the ravenette requested that if you were to become lovers that he would want it to remain private. So he could feel he had a somewhat normal life outside of his duties as a hero. Whilst becoming a Pro was his dream and the man loved his job, Hanta was also a sucker for peace and quiet too. Having that metaphorical and literal balance in his life granted him inner peace, and as his partner, you respected that.

At least at first, since you didn't think you would reach ten months together and still be hiding behind sunglasses whenever the pair of you wanted to see a movie.

You couldn't lie, it was endearingly sweet Hanta felt that way, partly anyway. The fact he cherished your love and relationship so close to his heart that it was only shared between you two. But your irrationality couldn't help but make you wonder how in a concerning way, Hanta's desire to keep you from his greatest achievement in life (becoming a top ten pro) almost felt like he was hiding you... like he didn't want you a part of it. And once that thought struck you as the ravenette rested peacefully beside you one night, it didn't shy away anytime soon. Given the fact you had spoken briefly about making yourselves public in the past with little to no issue, you didn't think you would cause harm by bringing it up again. But it seemed your choice of when to bring it up was poor, as it most certainly did not run smoothly between you.

Something about his day had irritated Hanta, and so you pinning such focus on the subject seemed to pass him over his limit. There were a few snaps here and there, which you didn't necessarily appreciate, and Hanta's lack of enthusiasm and care for your request made you all the more upset. So weighted emotions matched with the evident disagreement surely lead to Hanta storming out of your apartment with such a slam to the door you wouldn't have expressed shock if your neighbour's stepped out in the hall to see the chaos ensuing.

That was nine days ago, and so far neither of you had seen nor spoken to the other. You'd made attempts to contact him since then, attempts you knew before you tried would come out unsuccessful. But from observation, Hanta was surprisingly a complete mess when it came to emotions based on negativity. Whenever the ravenette grew angry or agitated he became a closed book, so hard for you to read that the only thing you learned that worked was to give him space. To let him get through his upset alone since he never seemed to allow for outer help and comfort to assist. Which you despised because you wanted to help him through his troubles. To be there as the big spoon or to be the shoulder to cry on. But stupid male pride got in the way, Hanta building a wall so high and thick between him, his emotions and you that truth be told you had no idea how to push through.

So you resorted to letting him get over it in his own time, knowing deep down he would come around eventually. It wasn't the first quarrel you'd had and hopefully not the worst, and you knew this was Hanta's way of dealing with it. Whilst you had been willing to wait it out, you placed that thought in your head thinking it to be only two or three days before Hanta made some sort of effort.

But it was nine. And that was beginning to concern you greatly.

You finally reached the stairs leading up to your apartment building, the relief flowing through your system so freeing and wonderous. All that was left was to type in the passcode by the main doors and you would be merrily under shelter, able to kick off your trainers and slip into some comfy sweats. Perhaps even make yourself a warm cup of cocoa and watch an episode of a show you needed to catch up on before the sweet release of sleep. Or so you thought it was going to go.

Twenty minutes later and your thumb grazed lightly over your phone's home screen, imaginatively stroking the black hair of a certain boy you loved dear as he smiled cross-eyed back at you. The photo was taken when Hanta took you ice skating in the countryside during the winter which previously passed. He discovered a secluded location hiding a spacious lake that had been glazed with thick, sturdy ice. After numerous times of losing your balance, Hanta deemed it amusing to take a photo with you as you sat on your backside in defeat. And whilst it did humiliate you, you adored Hanta's goofy looking face in the photo. Hence why it was your background.

You'd found yourself staring at the photo the night prior too, contemplating whether to try to call again or not. What if something was wrong? What if Hanta was injured and somewhere under repair at one of the numerous hospitals in the city? God... what if the doofus finally slung himself across the city as crazily as that Western hero he never shut up about and fell to his death? And your setback from social media was the reason you hadn't found out yet? See! This was a reason why you wanted to go public! At least in an emergency, somebody would know who to contact!

Your brows crinkled at that final thought, what began as concern moving back a step to annoyance and you settled on tossing your phone behind you on your bed in defeat. Proceeding to stand upright, you tugged the oversized hoodie (Hanta's hoodie not to mention) on your person and wandered through the rooms of your apartment to your kitchen. Where the bubbling of your kettle boiling water filtered your ears. The low hum calmed you as you leaned against the counter in thought, arms crossed over your chest and your eyes focused deeply beyond the wooden flooring.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The noise went unheard at first, so occupied in your head you mistook the sound for the kettle boiling. But when the triple trill sounded again, it dawned on you that that was most certainly not how a kettle was supposed to sound. Snapping out of your focus, your head lifted to the kettle before it scanned the room around you. Nothing seemed different at all, and nothing inside your apartment had a reason to make such a sound.

Unless you had rats... then maybe that would make sense.

Please don't be rats.

Having no initial success, you blankly went back to your thoughtful state - the kettle finally boiling. Permitting you to fill the lavender painted mug that waited impatiently on the side, four heaped teaspoons of cocoa powder begging for hydration inside. Now actually having something to do you hoisted yourself off of the counter, stepping to the one opposite to do the task at hand. But then just as you were going to pour the heated water...

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap!

This time it was more rushed and heightened, holding a lack of patience to a certain extent. It was there you finally trailed your eyes left, right and centre, your E/C irises landing on the french doors past your sofa which lead to your balcony. Doing as much as possible to downplay your panic by putting on a brave face, you manoeuvred from your perch in the kitchen and headed for the doors to glance outside. Thankfully the light on the balcony was switched on, giving you a glimpse of silhouettes to the arrangement of the outdoor area. At first, nothing seemed different at all. Just the usual setting your balcony always had. A few potted plants and a small sakura blossom which you'd been growing from the seed, as well as a glass table and four chairs. Not to mention the closed up umbrella and pole reaching for the stars above too. But looking over your observations, something went amiss. Since when did you have five chairs?

Squinting your eyes in a struggle to focus better, they were only set to widen as it hit you what you could see. There, perched on your balcony in a squatting position was a person... balancing perfectly on the thin pole as their head leaned forwards to occasionally peer inside the glass doors. It took a second or two for you to figure out what was going on. But the moment you recalled the fact you had a boyfriend with the ability to swing from rooftop to rooftop, your heart both plummeted to your feet and leapt to the heavens above simultaneously.

After realising what was happening, you moved to the lock of the glass doors and grabbed hold. That movement seemed to indicate shifting on the exterior because the person on the other side stood upright and casually stepped off the railing as though it were a stair. You swallowed thickly, clamping down on the inside of your cheek in worry that you could not see his face. Unfortunate for your nerves since at least then you could gain some form of presumption to what his expression read. So walking in blind, you unlocked the door and jiggled it open, the glass door sliding to the side easily. Quickly did the silent walls of your apartment be filled to the brim with the heavy downpour of rain and distant car horns in the distance. As well as the overhanging state of tension in the air as your eyes trailed up the slender frame of your visitor and meeting the ebony eyes you'd been missing for far too long now.

"What... what are you doing here?" You uttered out after a long twenty seconds passed. Upon opening the door no words were said, only the longing gaze of two conflicted lovers. Hanta stood before you with a discouraged expression, lips tightly pursed together with no catchphrase toothy grin to show. He was donning his hero costume, though his helmet appeared to be missing for reasons you didn't know why. But it didn't help Hanta one bit since his black locks were laced with the heavy downpour from above. You imagined his hero costume was drenched as well, damp spandex sounding all too discomforting in your head as you used it as a focus to ease the nerves you felt to the sudden visit.

"Hey," Hanta finally said after what felt like a millennium. What were his usual cheerful tones came out low and unsure, like the ravenette hadn't come prepared and was relying on other factors to push himself forward. With sunken brows and a clear of his throat, Hanta continued as he lifted his eyes to meet yours. "Can I come in?"

"Oh... right, sure," You stated blankly and stepped back for him to do so. At first, you wanted to ask him why he decided to come to your balcony of all things, but the look in his eyes had convinced you to wait for that chance. There was just something about those gorgeous orbs of ebony you couldn't say no to - conflict or not. Luckily your apartment flooring was hard, meaning any water from Hanta's shoes (or soles as his costume didn't use shoes) could be mopped up and dealt with later. Not that you were thinking about that at all. Your mind was too focused on processing what was going on.

"I was in the neighbourhood and you know that my tape is crap in rain so... I didn't know where else to crash," Hanta started once inside your apartment. He nervously laughed as though to ease inner feelings, hands meeting his hips in a lost attempt to make conversation. It was mainly due to the fact you hadn't properly greeted him, sort of dawdling between him and the sofa. You looked Hanta up and down and sighed, seeing how soaked he was.

"Here... slip this on," You lifted your hands over your head to tug the hoodie off, holding it out for Hanta to take. It was his anyway, and it would be a lie to say you weren't wearing it for his scent. Underneath the hoodie, you donned a simple black tank top you tended to wear during your morning jogs or times of exercise. The ravenette took it reluctantly, initiating you to head for your bedroom. "I'll go grab you some pants too. And a towel for your hair,"

"Oh... okay then," Hanta was genuinely astonished by the hospitality, watching you disappear down the hall. As you grabbed the aforementioned items, he began to remove the top half of his hero costume. It was true that Hanta loved his hero costume very much but when it came to the rain he wanted nothing more than to change the design completely. The spandex soaked up the rain and it took hours to drip out, not only dampening him but also multiplying its weight much more than double its usual. With his tape dispenser shoulder pads placed on the floor, Hanta stripped himself of his top half. Sighing when he discovered the rain had seeped through and dampened his skin. Luckily you entered the room shortly after, carrying some grey sweats of Hanta's and a freshly cleaned towel.

"So... is there any other reason you decided to scare the crap out of me on my balcony?" You questioned flatly, a hand on your hip as you held the towel out for Hanta, placing the sweats on the sofa cushion next to him. He mumbled a quick thanks, promptly starting to dry his upper half.

"Well yeah," The ravenette stopped momentarily to glance your way, ebony eyes finding you back at the countertop in the kitchen where you resumed the task of making cocoa. Hanta quickly expressed a sigh. "W-We gotta talk,"

"About?" You asked innocently, though you were fully aware of what was being implied. Chewing the inside of your cheek as you did your best not to make eye contact, Hanta furrowed his brows at you.

"I think you know,"

"Well, are we starting afresh or picking up where we left off? The moment you decided to storm out of here and slam the door shut?" You spoke in a passive-aggressive manner because truth be told, you didn't appreciate Hanta's way of handling your last discussion at all. So you were certainly planning on letting him know. Speaking of which, Hanta was now scrubbing his raven locks dry as his eyes closed in response. Almost like he expected you to react in such a manner. Though he refrained from biting back, knowing that would only make it worse. Not his aim for visiting.

"Starting afresh,"

"Okay then," Was all you said, stirring your spoon and tapping it quite obnoxiously on the side of the mug before dropping it into the kitchen sink. Then you moved to the fridge to grab yourself some squirty cream. The can practically empty, it reminded you how badly you needed to go grocery shopping the next day. As for a reply, from across the room, you could only see the essence of hesitance. Either from Hanta figuring where to go from that or ultimate regret for even coming. Your bets were on both.

"Look Y/N -," The ravenette began, relatively quick to dry the rest of himself off and to put on the remaining clothes. Just as he was prepared to skirt over to your side, his actions ceased upon seeing you setting yourself down on the armchair opposite. Hanta had a moment where he didn't move, unsure what to do before he resorted to sitting down on the sofa. Feeling it the only safe thing to do. "I don't want problems between us. It's the last thing I want, okay?"

"I um... okay," You said, fingertips tapping lightly against the ceramic mug filled to the brim with whipped cream and cocoa. Hanta met your gaze for a split second, hands proceeding to fiddle with the other much more prominently.

"But... I want you to know that I've been thinking about it and well... I guess if it'll make you happy, I'm willing to do it and go public," Hanta spoke through a sigh. Peculiar, because a week ago you would have probably broken into a bright smile and jumped straight into the ravenette's arms then and there. Yet, you remained in your seat and mouthed a small oh of... disappointment was it? Whilst you weren't certain what it was, it most definitely felt like that. Which was odd because the words Hanta had just uttered were the ones you had been waiting to hear for months now.

Funnily enough, it didn't take you long to figure out why. Because throughout the previous week and the lack of contact, that's exactly what had been the route of the problem. The way Hanta treated you during your last interaction and the lack of communication mixed with it. It wasn't the original issue anymore. Of course, you still wanted that. But you additionally craved a sense of closure for how you were treated.

"Hanta I...," Hanta's brows crinkled together in a frown, not shy to display his confusion to your hesitant tones.

"What? What is it? T-That's what you want right?" He replied.

"Yes, it's what I want. But that's not the issue anymore,"

"What do you mean? I'm not following...," His response made you scoff. Not exactly great for the situation at hand. You remained silent for a little bit longer, scratching the side of your head as you sat upright to elaborate.

"Hanta... you haven't texted or called me in over a week. You walked out of here after a fight and practically went radio silent!" Was your protest, watching as Hanta fell back against the sofa. Unbeknownst to you, there was another reason he did this. An inner conflict he had yet to unveil. A prolonged silence ensued as if Hanta was trying to find the correct words to say.

"Because I needed space Y/N... time to think!"

"Yeah well we both did... but even calling just to say that would have been reassuring," You weren't finished despite trailing off, Hanta seeming to notice by the way your lips were faintly parted. "I know you have a busy schedule but... but...," The thought entered your mind for a split moment, doing much more damage than intended.

"But what?"

"It doesn't matter. I-it's stupid," You tried to brush it off, suppressing the thought further down into your system so it wouldn't win you over. Hanta didn't seem to like that though, his head tilting your way with his eyes boring into your own. He could tell when something was bothering you, just from your body language.

"No. Tell me,"

"You're not losing interest in me, are you?" It sounded ridiculous the moment you uttered the words, and it sounded even more ridiculous as Hanta's hands met the bridge of his nose in a heavy sigh. Quickly causing you to further your point. "I-I just thought that you not wanting to go public and being 'busy' was a nice way of saying -,"

"Don't even finish that sentence,"

"Sorry," The silence lingering between you both drowned out your voice, to which you looked down at your hands with a sigh. The ravenette sat upright rather abruptly, shifting onto his feet and coursing a hand through his hair. There was a clashing frown on his face as he reflected on the words he just heard.

"I can't believe you would even think that... that I'm growing tired of you!" Hanta called out in disbelief, near offended by the accusation. His body twisted to face you, eyeing you down for some sort of explanation or justification to what you said.

"It's hard not to when you're giving off all these... these signs!" That was your best response. Though you were set to be cut off by another sharp sigh from Hanta. One of many expressed that rainy night. You watched as he walked on over to the glass doors he entered moments earlier, observing the rain slashing harshly against the clear surface. It had grown even heavier since his entry, the back of his mind relieved to be out of the dangerous weather and inside closed doors. He didn't ponder on it long though, returning to the situation at hand and leaving the indistinct 'pitter-patter' of the rain behind him.

"Y/N have you ever thought for a single moment why I've kept you secret for so long?"

"You said you liked your private life to be away from your hero one... a-and I get that!" You replied urgently. "I'm okay with all the publicity and the social media responses and -," As though he expected that answer, Hanta interrupted you with a near saddened laugh. It caused you to frown and glare his way, about to raise your voice if not for his own voice filling the apartment.

"You know my job isn't just walking around being a celebrity, right?" Hanta glanced back at you. "I'm a hero for crying out loud! I protect people from danger! People like you!" The ravenette pressed a closed fist against the glass pane of the door, forehead inches away from the surface since Hanta shifted most of his weight onto it. You tilted your head, frowning.

"I know that but -,"

"But do you?" Hanta's tone came off harsher than intended to emphasise his point. But he was quick to abandon it, clicking his tongue in defeat to a battle in his head when he realised he had to explain his case. He'd been reluctant to say anything about his activities in the last week since technically not even the press knew, but lying wasn't going to get Hanta and you anywhere. So he surrendered to the urge and spoke. "Listen, the reason I didn't message you this week is that I've been working non-stop over some drug trades going on. One's that have been going on for a while underground and ones that have gotten good people killed. I haven't had the time to focus on us even though our fight has been in my head all week and I've been shitting myself over talking about it because I don't want to lose you! I couldn't imagine life without you, Y/N and I feel like an ass for treating you how I did last time we spoke! But I haven't been able to tell you that because access to my phone has been slim, and I couldn't-,"

"Hanta?" You stood up gingerly, only speaking up due to the change of Hanta's aura. He had started curt and sharp but slowly tumbled into a more emotional demeanour. The more personal his small speech grew the more it started to affect him, probably the impact of his own thoughts taking their toll. There was even a voice crack at some point, one you'd never heard before. Hanta took a deep breath, bracing himself to speak again.

"It sounds like a lame excuse but it's the truth. I didn't want to say it. But I can't lie to you," He continued. "It's cases like this that have kept me from wanting to go public. B-Because if those people were to figure out who you are because of me...," There was a stifled shake of a breath, Hanta's voice quietening in fear just at the thought. "I wouldn't be able to forgive myself,"

You were speechless. So speechless you weren't even mad anymore. He was finally... finally being vulnerable with you and that seemed to be enough for you to erase all your grudges. Sure, work wasn't an excuse for everything. But in a circumstance like this one - with the job that Hanta lead, you could understand his reasons and in spite of your worry you knew the rules. No mobiles on operations. And finally, he was confiding to you about why he struggled with the thought of announcing your relationship. So in a very reluctant manoeuvre, you plucked up the courage to walk up behind him and wrap your arms around Hanta in a sorrowful hug. Hanta tensed up at first, breath running short, but he didn't push you away. A hopeful sign.

"I'm sorry for making it such a big deal when you had other things to think about," You said, pressing your lips to the back of his shoulder blade and giving the surface a peck. You remained there for a good few, adamant seconds before retracting. "And I'm sorry for never looking at it that way... or considering your feelings on the matter,"

"Y/n it's fine... just...," Hanta seized the opportunity to turn around to face you, running a hand through his ebony locks with one hand as his other slithered around you to return the hug. "I'm sorry I made you doubt me... I feel like shit about it and it wasn't my intention at all,"

"No! No! Don't apologise. It's okay, " You brought a hand to fiddle with the string of his hoodie. As much as it wasn't what you wanted, you had to see Hanta's perspective and understand his feelings too. This was a two-person relationship after all and had you known his feelings ran that deep, you wouldn't have pressed the matter as much as you had. "Look, we don't have to announce anything to anyone okay? If it makes you comfortable and happy then I'm willing to remain a mystery a little longer,"

That returned some colour to his face, almost like Hanta feared you would oppose him even still and the situation would grow for the worse. With a small sigh of relief, he finally allowed a smile to press to his lips. A smile you knew all too well and had missed for a while now.

"Thank you for understanding," Hanta exhaled, pausing as his eyes hovered onto you with an ounce of playful intent. "And I guess we could be a little bit less discreet when we go to the cinema together," You smiled faintly, finally satisfied with the decision you had come up with. Better yet, a compromise. The very thing you had wanted to start with... clearly your concluding thoughts had been premature.

"Thank you... it means a lot,"

"Yeah... I love you," Hanta spoke gently, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

"I love you too," You stood on your tiptoes to lightly peck his lips, Hanta humming softly in approval as he returned the gesture. After a few seconds, you pulled back though, feeling a smile on your face as you did. It was enjoyable to kiss his lips again, another thing you had missed greatly in your week-long deprivation of your boyfriend.

"So, how does some hot cocoa sound? I can imagine you were sat on the balcony for a pretty long time," You pulled away from the hug, but kept hold of Hanta's wrist as you tugged him along with you. Hanta shook a fist in grateful triumph, sighing out in bliss at the offer.

"Oh, I thought you'd never ask! Hot cocoa sounds amazing," He smiled, pausing temporarily before adding on. "But are cuddles on the table too?" You glanced back at him, half expecting the request. But there was no way you were going to say no. You shook your head in amusement before answering.

"I think we're both in desperate need of cuddles, so I think so. Yes,"

"Amen to that,"

[nothing-but-dreamy]

MESSAGES

Pairing: FFXV!NYX ULRIC x MALE!READER

Words: 1.856

Warnings: fluff

A/N: @slowkib So, here it is... I really hope you like it! Feedback is welcomed because I might be a bit clumsy in writing for male, I just started with it but I tried my best :)

Synopsis: Yn tries to be a good boyfriend to Nyx and searches for a way to show his affection towards the usually gruff hero.

There were more things between heaven and hell than Nyx could imagine such as gods and their stories - and he knew that. Demons were one thing - he had seen them with his own eyes. That he would ever leave Galahd to be part of the Kingsglaive was another thing - but he had done it.

And then, there was the thing, that obviously some unknown entity thought of him as worthy enough to find love - but Nyx did it.

Nyx found love in the rows of the Kingsglaive. He spent most of the time there, so it wasn’t really surprising. Nyx was just surprised that he was lucky enough to find it in Yn - one of his comrades. Well, Nyx saw himself as lucky because he felt attracted to Yn since the first second he had met this tough and strong but at the same time nice, handsome guy with a big heart.

Everything had started insecure because Nyx had no idea how he should start things with Yn at all. Kinda rusty in everything romantically, the hero had asked Yn out for a drink after a mission on the battlefield in hope Yn would understand that Nyx searched for a way to get close to him.

Yn agreed immediately in hope it was more than just a buddy thing. The silver-greyish haired man was an eyecatcher but Yn had been too shy to make a try on his own. He had sensed a few things and noticed some flirty attempts from Nyx but after all, he wasn’t really sure.

But on that evening, as they sat together and were talking about everything, the connection between them clicked and neither Yn nor Nyx wanted to cut the night anytime soon. So, they were still talking as Libertus and the others had left to go home. Only as Yamachang wanted to close his food stall for the day, they had to leave.

Then, things became a bit awkward because everything Nyx could think of was how Yn's lips would taste. Nyx was hypnotized by the way Yn was talking, how his lips were moving, how the teeth were digging into the soft skin and how the tongue moistened the upper lip now and then.

As they had reached Yn's place, Yn had already noticed that Nyx was barely listening to him anymore. In the beginning, Nyx had asked questions to keep the conversation going but that had died down a while ago. Now, Yn felt disappointed. Somehow, he thought there would be more than just a friendship. But maybe, he just had imagined things and it was time to face the reality, "Well, thanks for this nice eve-", Yn wasn't able to speak further as he felt Nyx' lips crushing on his own. It took Yn so much by surprise that he clawed his hands into Nyx’ shirt to keep his balance.

Driven by panic, Nyx had just acted as he heard how Yn wanted to say goodnight. The whole time, he had searched for a good opportunity for a kiss but there was none. And then, as he saw Yn's disappointed expression and how he wanted to cut the evening, Nyx had just reacted. He stepped forward, cupped Yn's face and was kissing the soldier with as many emotions he could find to show him what he couldn't put into words.

***

After this first, clunky evening many weeks had passed and Yn and Nyx had a full grown relationship. Because relationships between Glaives weren't liked to be seen, they kept it low just to be safe.

Then, after a while as Yn noticed that Nyx wasn’t looking out for himself in the best way possible and because Yn loved to cook, he made meals for Nyx and brought them to the Kingsglaive headquarters to place them in the fridge so Nyx could eat them when he was hungry.

First, no one really paid attention to it but quickly, Pelna and the others noticed that on an almost daily basis these lunch boxes showed up mysteriously.

One day, Crowe leant next to Nyx as he just opened the box Yn had prepared. Once again, the food was great. It was delicious and looked perfect. The smell caught Crowe's attention, "You know, Nyx, I'm mad. Obviously, you have found someone who cares for you enough to do all these things and you don't even say a word. Who is this perfect person?"

Nyx chuckled nervously, "What if I have done that for myself?"

Crowe laughed, "You? No way! The only thing you do for yourself is coffee. Noir. Because it’s too much effort for you to put milk into it. No, this", and she pointed at the lunch box, "Is affection disguised as food from someone who really likes you."

Carefully with a side glance, Nyx looked at the man who cared so much for him already and shot him a shy smile no one else saw to thank him.

After that, triggered by Nyx’ reaction, the notes showed up. As Nyx found a note in the lunch box for the first time, it just said: Have a wonderful day!

With the note in his fingers, Nyx looked up at Yn who stood on the other side of the room, talking about something with Pelna. Nyx stared at the message a few moments longer because even if it was just a simple note, this little piece of paper made him ... happy. It let his heartbeat quicken. It might be just a small thing but it was enough to bring Nyx through the day with a better mood.

With every new lunch box, Nyx was eager to find out what kind of message was waiting for him. One day Yn reminded him to drink enough water because he knew Nyx' day was filled with much training.

On another day, after some things during a mission went wrong and he blamed himself for it, Nyx found a note with the words: 'you're perfect the way you are'. This note was almost enough to make Nyx cry but instead, he just coughed slightly and tried to keep his composure in front of everyone.

Sometimes, the notes were filled with beautifully random things like 'you're wonderful' … 'take a break' ... 'you're strong' or 'keep fighting'. And sometimes, the notes were more intimate that Nyx felt how his cheeks turned pink when he read things like 'looking forward to kissing you again' or 'the last night was amazing'.

Because the notes were so sweet and caring, Nyx never mentioned them in front of Yn to keep the magic alive. Without talking about it, Yn continued to put a note into each lunch box because he loved to see Nyx' wonderfully sparkling eyes the next day when the Glaive read the notes. The lovely smile on the hero's perfect lips was the best reward Yn could ask for. Somehow, Yn had been able to get through the thick wall of composure and gruffness and was blessed enough to see Nyx’ soft, warm and lovely side barely another person would ever get to see. Like a precious treasure he had found, Yn swore to protect this side of Nyx that no one would break it or would try to take it away.

One evening, Yn was about to prepare the next lunch box as the note he had just prepared fell to the ground sliding towards the door where Nyx stopped the escaping piece of paper with his foot. Nyx took it and read 'I think of you' which brought a smile to his lips.

Slowly, the note still in his hand, Nyx walked over to Yn, "These notes, they're so wonderful. But why... Why have you started them?", he asked, giving Yn the note back.

Yn looked at the ground and shrugged with his shoulders, "I... I can't tell you these things when the others are around so, I searched for another way to show you my affection. I'm just trying to give you what you deserve. But I- I can stop with it if you want.", he hurried to say.

Nyx raised his brows with surprise. Not for one moment, he would want this to ever stop, "Yn, I... No. Don't stop that. I... Wait a moment!", Nyx asked and left the kitchen.

Insecurely, Yn waited for Nyx to come back. As the man showed up again, his hands were full with little notes in different colors. Speechless with surprise, Yn watched how Nyx skimmed through all the notes with a boyish smirk on his lips as he read them again. Yn looked at the bunch of papers, "Y-you still have them? All of ... them?"

Nyx looked at his boyfriend and grinned proudly, "Of course! They're from you. These are you. I mean, some of them just made my day better. All of them made me smile and others were the reason why I stayed sane at all because I knew you thought about me."

With a shaking hand, Yn took one of the notes which was already a bit crumpled from carrying it around in the Glaive uniform jacket. In one corner, Yn saw something that wasn't from him. As he looked closer and recognized what it was, Yn looked questioningly at Nyx, "Are these ... numbers?", he asked and pointed at a bunch of random digits in neat handwriting.

Nyx smiled shyly as he felt caught because he hadn't thought about the digits, "Yeah, the digits are the dates of the day I got the notes from you."

"Why? Why do you write the dates on the notes?", Yn asked confused.

"It's easier for me to remember since when I love you. See? It started with the first on-", Nyx got stopped as Yn just kissed him. Immediately, Nyx pulled Yn closer, deepening the kiss by enclosing the man’s face, to taste more of these addictive lips. Nyx knew he would never get used to the effect Yn had on him because even one kiss was enough to make him swoon.

Yn broke the kiss and looked into Nyx' eyes, searching for any kind of joke or punchline but there was none, "Y-y-you said you love me.", he whispered shakily.

For some time, Nyx had searched for a way to tell Yn his feelings but he had found no good idea so, to drop it like this was perfectly fitting to Nyx' clumsy way to deal with love-things. He smiled as he saw Yn's love-filled glance, "Yes, I did. I do love you since - wait! Where's the note? Here! Since 09.05..", Nyx said and pointed at the digits, "You know, you're more than I have ever asked for, Yn. But obviously, I have done a few things right that I deserve such a great guy in my life.", he admitted, stroking over Yn's lips with his thumb before Nyx leant in for another caring, loving kiss. It was just the first of many others this evening because now, Nyx wanted to celebrate that he had found something between heaven and hell that was just reserved for him … Yn and his love.