#so I made this and kindly ask you to not zoom in

[icantdothistodaybruh]

Day 2, Brighton Hotel

[schlattsdoll]

Okay I thought of this while I was getting smth out of the car a few months ago (don’t ask lol)

Anyway

So, you go to a Lovejoy gig and you’re close to the stage. Will keeps making eye contact with you and it’s almost like he’s admiring you. And of course, you’re filming him, you’re getting this on camera. I mean, who wouldn’t? After the gig you’re outside on the sidewalk and Will comes up to you, guitar (in its case) in hand. And obviously this is after all the fans have left after trying to get the bands attention and you’re just trying to get an Uber. “Hey- I uh, thought you were really pretty and I was wondering if you wanted to go back to my place?” He asks you. Of course you say yes and ask for a picture and hug which he happily accepts. Once the band has gotten all their equipment put up in the van and has sat in said van Will pulls you down onto his lap and snuggles into the back of your neck, leaving soft kisses there. It makes you feel hot and flustered and the band is giggling at the two of you. And when you and Will get back to his those kisses get rougher and move to different places. Then, the two of you move to his bedroom and…. I’ll let you write the rest :)

(I’m sorry this is so long😭)

call me what you like - wilbur soot

warnings: smut{18+},afab reader, oral {m receiving} , rikki getting carried away,

you made damn sure you were as close to the barricade as humanly possible, it was lovejoy after all, and you had a crush on a certain singer. it wasnt often you attended a concert solo, but you made sure to make the best of it, making friends in line and the people around you. the preshow music cuts off and the lights dim, as the boys make their entrance. your phone camera is recording your beloved band, and you notice wilbur making his way towards your side of the stage. excitedly you zoom in your camera, and in a blink and you'll miss it moment, he winks at you. the rest of the concert you began to notice him favoring your area, and making eye contact with you.

the concert wraps and sadly, you didnt get a setlist or will's guitar pick like you had hoped for. the venue empties out, fans now desperately running outside to try and see them board the bus. you began to walk out of the venue and pulled up uber on your phone when you feel a tap on the shoulder. it was none other than wilbur soot himself. "oh my god! i'm such a huge fan of yours!"

will chuckled, "hello, obviously you know who i am, but i think you're really pretty and would like to get to know you." a tall man with shaggy brown hair smiled at you. "y-yeah, of course! my name is y/n." you managed to get out without turning into a total mess. you kindly ask him for a picture before he helps you sneak out the back. the whole time, you two are talking and shamelessly flirting. "i'd love to keep this going darling, why don't you come back to the bus with me for a drink?"

after you snuck into the bus, he realized there wasn't enough seats, and he simply pulled you down onto his lap. "i hope this is okay love, just wanna be close to you." he smiles up at you and kisses your cheek. his arms holding your back to his chest as his placed gentle kisses along the back of your neck, hands rubbing smooth circles into the plush of your thighs. his bandmates biting back laughs and giggles while your face flushes.

joe hands you and wilbur glasses of a clear liquid, and you cheers with them and down the shot with ease. the burn of alcohol in your throat, you smile and wiggle back into will, who's more than happy to be holding you. you do your best to turn around without getting off your seat, and he laughs until you managed to face him. "hi." "hello love." he kisses your cheek once again, then your forehead, then your nose, then finally your lips. your hands make their way to his hair, tugging the chocolate strands gently and if you listened close enough, you could hear a faint moan into the kiss.

the bus finally stopped at his apartment and you both pulled away breathlessly, a flush on both of your cheeks. he grabs his guitar and guides you too his room. "now, where were we?" he asked, placing down the guitar and sitting on his bed, patting the spot next to him. you walked over and instead of sitting next to him you straddle his lap, "somewhere about here." he smirks up at you, his hands finding their way up your back. he pulls you down and kisses you fiercely, hands fumbling towards the bottom of your top, tugging gently as a hint for you to raise your arms. you oblige his request and he does the same. he oogles your breasts, hands tentatively reaching forward for them. "may i?" you nodded your head and wilbur kisses his way down from your jaw to your neck, little purple marks blossoming down his path. he continues down to your clavicle, the finally your chest. taking one in his mouth, the other in his hand. his tongue flicking the sensitive bud while his hand gropes and squeezes, his thumb rubbing over your other nipple gently. once he's satisfied with his work on the one, he switches and repeats. "will, stop being a tease." you whine as he continues his ministrations on your breasts. he smirks and pinches and bites gently, causing your back to arch, grinding your clothed cunt down onto his growing erection. will pulls away, a dopey smile on his face, "sorry love, your tits are just amazing. wanna keep kissin' them." he places one last kiss to each before laying back against the bed, you now on top of him.

"we don't have to keep going if you don't want to darling." his arms are bent behind him, holding himself up. you shake your head, "i want you will, please take me?" another smile on his face as he replies "how can i say no to a sweet thing like you?" his hands rub your back gently as you lean down, now repeating his trail of kisses and bruises to him. as you do so, you shift down off the bed and onto your knees, pulling his jeans down his legs. you can see the growing wet patch near his tip, and he sucks in a breath as you palm him over his boxers. pulling those down too you see his cock spring out and slap against his tummy. he's not very thick, but what he lacks in thickness he makes up for in inches. you wrap your hand around it and stroke it tentatively, watching his eyes clench shut as you kitten lick the tip. "who's being a tease now love?" he jokes, right before he bites back a moan due to you licking down a particular vein, then taking the older man's member in your mouth. his hand makes its way down to your head where his fingers tangle in your hair, making a makeshift ponytail for you. he helps create a steady rhythm, bucking his hips while you keep your mouth open, until he eventually thrusts a little too hard, his large cock hitting the back of your throat. his eyes roll back as he moans, then he quickly pulls out, "'m sorry darling. did i hurt you?" you shook your head no, and to further prove him wrong you took him down as far as you could go, sucking and slowly bobbing your head. "fuck, just like that love. don't stop."

as he got close, he pulled himself out of your mouth. "normally i would return the favor, but i just can't wait to be inside you." will helped you off your knees and back and onto the bed. your jaw ached as he flipped up your skirt, seeing your frilly panties soaked, "all this just for me darling? you got this wet just from sucking my cock?" you could feel his calloused fingers from the flimsy material, whining for more contact. will pulled your panties down and flung them somewhere in the room. "you poor thing, all worked up. don't worry your pretty little head love, i'll take care of you." his thumb rubbed slow circles on your clit as he pushed himself into your hole. "s'fucking tight darling, feels so good."

his hips crashed against yours, the sounds of skin against skin filling the room. your moans of "fuck, will. dont stop." being music to his fucking ears. he leaned down to kiss you as he drilled into you, each thrust harder than the last. he brought his hand back to your sweet spot, rubbing at a speed to match his pace. you always thought he'd be skilled with his fingers but you never could imagine like this. his pace grew frantic and sloppy, eager to chase his release. “come on love, cum for me.” he said, feeling your walls tighten as you grew close to your own.

your back arches off the bed, eyes wide as will fucks you through your orgasm. “such a good girl, look so beautiful cumming on my cock.” he kisses you sweetly, and pulls out. stroking himself until he finishes on your stomach. after running to the bathroom to grab a washcloth, he gently cleans you off, being sure to be mindful of your sensitive area. flopping on the bed next to you he smiles and says “i don’t normally do this, but you’re just so beautiful i couldn’t help myself. tomorrow, let me take you on a proper date.” he kisses your cheek and you agreed. he pulled you close and held your waist. “you know, you don’t have to leave. please stay?”

and the whole night was spent talking and cuddling. you did eventually leave to get ready for your date with him, and he was a perfect gentleman. he drove you home and waited outside for you.

“so, darling, where are we off too?”

thank you so much for reading! as always my inbox is open for requests 💚

[sketchbook-of-shadows]

💕Cuddling Slashers Headcanons💕

(x reader, all sfw🫶)

I finally finished the cuddling headcanons!! I wanna say thanku to @sprite-real as I based this off their slasher cuddling headcanons post they very kindly done up for me so please go read their HC's first to show them some support and also for context! (this is not a request, everyone give Sprite love and say ' thanku Sprite' 🔫) I'll also be putting these in the same order they did😚💕

Thomas Hewitt

I didn't use a pose ref for this one but I still really liked how it turned out, still getting used to drawing 2 figures close to eachother without it looking awkward at this time because it's the first one I drew

Bubba Sawyer

Struggled a little with his mask and hair on this one but overall I really like the pose

Lester Sinclair

I'm gonna be honest, I almost waged war on Lester because it took forever to get his face even remotely similar to how he looks in the movie (I still feel it doesn't but if I spent longer on this it'd probably be out in Jan), I adored drawing Jonesy though (puppyyyy)

Bo Sinclair

This pose was a little awkward for me to do up so I ended up tweaking the ref I made a couple of times because his head looked weird

Vincent Sinclair

Definitely my favourite one, favourite brother, favourite pose and overall favourite drawing out of these

Michael Myers

Looks a little awkward but trust me, it's meant to look like that. Also if you zoom in a bit I drew his eyes under his mask but I mostly shadowed them out because it looked off

Jason Voorhees

Posing here was a little sus but I love it regardless

Also buttcheeks hehe😛

I made these poses (aside from Thomas's one) in Magic Poser, if you'd like to use the same ref for an oc or a self insert or whichever, I can upload the poses to the Magic Poser gallery and share them there or post the exact angles of the ones I used, just ask and u shall receive🫶

OH ITS 1AM

[layla4567]

Lingerie

Evan Peters x fem model!reader

summary: you're a well-known model and you're secretly dating Evan. One day you go to work for a photo shoot with a male model and your boyfriend gets jealous.

warnings: smut and then fluff, p in v, unprotected sex, jealousy, fingering, coursing words if you squint.

word count: 2.5k

Evan was working on his laptop in the dining room, you two lived together for months and constantly evaded the paparazzi as they could so they wouldn't discover your relationship. You still didn't want to make it official, you two wanted to keep their lives private and revealing that information would be a scandal. You two already had enough with the people who followed you with cameras in the street.

You got out of bed with your hair tousled and your white silk pajamas, shorts and a lace tank top. You went to the kitchen where Evan was and greeted him with a kiss on his shoulder.

"Morning love"

"Good morning". Evan looked up from his laptop to look at you. "Have I ever told you that you look beautiful just out of bed?"

You laughed delighted. "With this lion's mane? I don't believe you"

They both laughed and Evan looked back at his work and you started making yourself breakfast. You prepared the coffee and you made two toasts, something simple. You sat across from your boyfriend at the table. The sweet smoke from the coffee tickled your nose while your hands felt the warmth of the cup.

"What are you doing babe?". You asked sipping your coffee slowly with your elbows resting on the cold table

"I'm checking my emails, I'll have a zoom interview about the Dahmer series"

Since Evan acted in that series they did not stop interviewing him and doing Q&A meetings with him. Even though you didn't agree with your boyfriend accepting the role, you were happy for him and his achievements and recognition.

"What do you think if after I've done the interview we go somewhere?". Evan asked looking into your eyes waiting for your answer

You were about to answer yes with a smile when your cell phone that was on the table began to vibrate, you had an incoming call from an unknown number. You quickly took the cell phone apologizing to your boyfriend who simply nodded smiling. Your work, like him, also kept you busy and it was very common to receive calls at all hours, so this could be an important call.

"Hello?…yes I'm (Y/N)…..oh, really? in 20 minutes?…but-……ok, ok I'll be there, thank you".

Evan looked at you expectantly. "Well, who was it?"

"Damn". You said with a frown. "It was an underwear company, they want me to be there in 20 minutes for a photo shoot. But it's a very short time so I have to change my clothes quickly before I'm late"

Great, you just woke up and you already had a job. You liked being a model but sometimes it was exhausting. You jumped up and gobbled up what little was left of your toast and ran up the stairs while Evan looked at you funny. You combed your unruly hair and tied it into a high ponytail. You wore simple jeans and a white short-sleeved T-shirt with black converse. You went down in a hurry while you grabbed your bag with your cell phone, keys and other things.

Evan stopped you by grabbing your wrist gently. "Don't worry, you'll do great"

A little more relieved, you gave him a quick kiss on the lips as you said goodbye and jogged out towards the street where your car was.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

You parked your car near the building when you came down you saw out of the corner of your eye a paparazzi hiding poorly behind a flower pot. Asshole. You should have brought sunglasses at least.

You entered the luxurious building and a woman with glasses was already waiting for you, kindly inviting you to go into the room where the cameraman was. In the middle of the room there was a giant white poster fixed to the wall and the floor so that the light bounces and there are no shadows, there were also large light bulbs pointing to the center.

"Hey! (Y/N) (L/N) right? I'm Jim the photographer"

You greeted him warmly with a handshake

"You can go to the dressing room, there the hairdresser and the makeup artist are waiting for you"

There you headed. When you opened the dressing room door you saw the hairdresser already ready with a curling iron in one hand and a comb in the other. You sat in front of the large mirror of lights while she did magic with your hair and the makeup artist painted your lips. A nude color, a little brown shadow on the eyes and a pink on the cheeks to give it more life. You had brought your cell phone and you were writing to your boyfriend that you had already arrived. The hairdresser announced that she had finished, you looked up from your cell phone to the mirror and smiled radiantly, your hair was voluminous and curly but without being an Afro. The outfit you should wear was hanging on a rack, the women left your dressing room so you could change in peace.

A nice set of white underwear. The part of the panties was lace and high waisted, covering your navel a bit, it also had white harnesses that held your thighs. The part of the bodice was somewhat transparent but the part of the nipples was covered by a patch in the shape of a flower, also made of lace, and it had straps that joined at the front. You took a walk in front of the mirror admiring how it looked from behind. very sexy You left the dressing room and saw the same woman who received you when you entered, she was in charge of the brand.

"(Y/N) What a joy to have you here, listen, the photo shoot will be with another model too. I present to you Marco"

Red alert, red alert Who was Marco? Why didn't they tell me beforehand that I wasn't going to be alone in the photograph? It wasn't a problem for you to pose with male models, but you were always afraid of what Evan would think and more so now that the photo session was in underwear.

A muscular man wearing a black boxer shorts walked in and greeted you with a warm handshake. He was just a little taller than your boyfriend and had blond hair combed back with a bit of gel. He wasn't really your type but you couldn't say he was ugly either, your heart belonged to Evan anyway, you just hoped he wouldn't mind.

They arranged a kind of throne in the middle of the room for you two to interact with. Marco sat on it and they told you to sit on him. It was a compromising pose but you told yourself it was a professional environment. You sat on Marco's lap with your legs wrapped around his waist and your arms around his shoulders. He grabbed your thighs. Then for the other photos you were the one who sat cross-legged in the chair and he stood behind you holding your shoulders.

When the session ended you breathed a sigh of relief as you greeted Marco, at the end he had been nice to you asking if you didn't feel uncomfortable with the poses and making sure you didn't feel uncomfortable. The manager of the company gave you the underwear and told you that she would send you the unedited photos so you can see them.

You arrived at the apartment that you shared with Evan, his interview had already finished and now he was drinking a coffee.

"Hello love, how was it?" Your boyfriend kissed you tenderly on the lips

You tried to avoid the question by simply smiling and looking away"It was fine as always"

You sat at the table where the laptop was still on looking for the photos that would be sent to you by email. Evan looked at you confused, he knew something was wrong.

"(Y/N) I know you and I know you're bad at lying, is everything really okay?" Worried, he approached where you were directing your gaze towards the screen. The photos had already arrived

"Oh, I thought the session was only with you"

"I know, I know, I thought the same. Believe me, if I had known before that I was going to model with a man, I would have told you"

The screen showed exactly the photo in which you were on top of Marco's lap with their faces close. You were embarrassed and uncomfortable by what Evan might say. He was not the typical toxic jealous boyfriend, he understood very well that everything you did was only professional and he was always understanding, but still you knew that those photos could make him feel insecure.

The more you scrolled through the photos, the worse they got. The model held you firmly by the waist or approached your mouth without actually kissing you. Out of the corner of your eye you could see how Evan's arms and jaw tensed.

"Well, what do you think?"

Evan looked at you confused as if he had woken up from a trance. "What do I think about what?"

"About the photos" You swallowed "Do you like them?"

"Oh y-yeah, I mean, I didn't expect that but you look beautiful as always".

Evan secretly kissed you to change the subject and went to the kitchen to wash the cup of coffee. You followed him and hugged him from behind, resting your cheek on his broad back.

"What's wrong love?. You muttered

"Nothing, why?". His voice was deep and serious, you already knew what that meant

"Are you jelaous?"

You felt his back tense up a bit as he laughed nervously. "Why would I be?"

You decided not to answer and leave him alone. When he insisted on denying the obvious, there was nothing to do.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The sun was going down and Evan was in his room watching TV. You knocked on his door and when he let you in you rushed to the bed where he was surprising him. You were wearing a black nightgown for some reason and you clung to his arm as you rested your body close to his chest.

"Please, Evan, don't be jealous, I hate seeing you like this for something silly"

"But-.."

"Let me finish! Marco was a kind and cute boy-hearing that Evan became uncomfortable and tensed his jaw-But that's all, he was kind to me and didn't let me feel uncomfortable, but at no time did it cross my mind that he could be better than you or replace you in some way. You are the best I have"

Evan's face had relaxed "Thank you (Y/N) I love you with all my heart and I'm sorry for acting like an idiot, sometimes I think why you chose me or I feel insufficient for-"

You interrupted his words with a passionate kiss, you didn't want him to think it was insufficient. Your hand traveled to his abdomen and where his belt was. Your boyfriend's hand was placed on your cheek and the other began to move the fabric of the robe in the area of ​​your shoulder. He moved a little away from the kiss.

"Why did you wear a robe?"

"Oh, the brand manager let me keep the underwear. it was a surprise"

"Let me see it"

You took off your robe that gently slid down your body until it reached your feet, revealing your divine silhouette. Evan's eyes darted up and down you as he licked his lips. You could tell that he was undressing you with his eyes.

You wasted no time and leaned your knees on the edge of the bed sitting on his lap. You kissed him desperately while he placed his hands on your butt. Your mouth trailed down his neck as he held back his growls. Your hands went under his shirt touching his abs. A chill ran down Evan's back. Your mouth now kissed his ear, your hot breath and your little bites made a boner grow under his pants

"Fuck..(Y/N)..". He moaned

You moved your hips brushing what was in his pants making him whimper in pleasure ."Yes?". You smirked

"I-I..n-need you"

As if on cue, you quickly took off his shirt as you undid his belt and lowered his pants. Now the erection was more noticeable. Evan laid you down on the bed and began to kiss you from your thighs to your chest making you close your eyes with pleasure.

"Oh Evan, you know how and where to touch me". You sighed arching your back

Evan couldn't help teasing you and started rubbing the fabric of your panties near your clitoris.

"So tell me, do you think Marco knows how to do this?"

He began to massage your sweet spot in circles making you squeeze your lips hard until you felt them turn red. Not content with that, Evan scooted aside your panties to find your entrance and hooked his middle finger into it.

"Sorry baby, I didn't hear you"

"No!". You moaned hard, writhing in the sheets

With one finger still inside you Evan began to kiss you softly on your lips. You grabbed his arms tightly moaning into his mouth, and twisting your legs feeling a tingle in your lower abdomen. Between each kiss you whimpered for him to stop.

"Evan -kiss- Please- kiss- This is t-torture"

Evan didn't like teasing you so much so your wishes were his orders. "By the way I hadn't told you but you look beautiful in this lace outfit, it would be a shame to ruin it" So he started to take it off but it had caught on the straps you had on your thighs. Laughing you helped him get rid of them, as well as the top.

Evan lowered his boxer and you couldn't help but look at his member, it always surprised you as if it were the first time.

Without giving you time to react, he entered you and a gasp escaped your mouth. Evan wrapped his strong arms around your back encircling you and you brought your arms up behind his back scratching and holding the nape of his neck. His attacks were strong and merciless, your eyes watered pleasantly.

"You're so fucking gorgeous". He groaned breathlessly

You began to feel how your walls were tightening and enveloping his member, you let out short moans in his ear that made him turn on even more and he increased the speed of his thrusts.

"I'm so close babe". He gasped

Now the moans seemed like howls. You firmed your fingers in Evan's hair pulling it back and making him moan. Almost at the same time you two came. Evan gently brushed strands of sweaty hair from your face as he looked at you smiling. Catching his breath he lay down next to you. Seeing each other face to face, they embraced. Evan kissed you on the head and buried his nose in your hair.

"I love you too more than anything Evan"

And you felt how he smiled, then they fell fast asleep.

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[cordeliawhohung]

Some Other Life

Simon "Ghost" Riley x fem!Reader - part five of "soft spot"

The Ghost himself is haunted. Not just by the past, but by what could have been. But he's not the only one running.

warnings: canon typical violence, descriptions of bodies/death/all that, reader is getting a bit of back story (so if that's not your thing... sorry ig lmao), angst/hurt/comfort, it's pretty light, though

wc: 5.6k

“Faster! Faster!” 

Joseph always loved airplanes. Whenever he was out with his parents, or stuck in the back seat of the car, he always watched the sky just in case he saw one. Even if it was too high up in the air to make out any details, he would cheer and point and exclaim to his parents, demanding their attention to the aircraft traveling thousands of feet high above them. 

No one knew where his fascination with the big hunks of metal had come from. The boy had never been on an airplane before, and he had never seen one up close. Perhaps it was on some cartoon that they hadn’t taken note of. Either way, for the time being, his Uncle Simon was the closest thing he’d get to flying in one. The man held Joseph up in the air who had his arms spread out to mimic wings. He was a giggling mess, asking his uncle to move him through the air faster and faster. Simon grinned as he looked up at his nephew, supporting the young boy's body with just his hands alone. 

“Go easy on your uncle, Joseph.” 

It was his brother’s voice. Tommy. He sat next to their mother on the couch with the lights of the Christmas tree illuminating the soft strands of his blonde hair. Joseph was a near spitting image of Tommy, and it was almost strange to see. It was like he had been transported back in time, though Joseph was considerably more kind than Tommy had been at that age. 

“It’s alright,” Simon assured his brother as he placed his nephew back on the ground. The boy giggled once more as he kept his arms straight out and took off running around the small living room. “You’re a lucky man, Tom. I’m proud of you.” 

And he was. He really was. Between the addiction and wasting his life away couch surfing, he was turning out to be just like their father. A mindless drunk and druggie that had no care for anyone else around him. But he pulled himself out of that hole. Married a beautiful young lady, and had a dashing little boy. It was the life he always dreamed his brother would have. 

“When are you going to stop saving the world and settle down?” Tommy asked. 

Simon could only smile at the floor as he sat back on his haunches, watching Joseph carefully as he zoomed around the room. When would he settle down? Would he ever? Could he ever? After everything he had seen, after everything he had been through; was a life like that meant for him? 

“Ahh… I couldn’t do better than you and Beth,” Simon admitted softly, unable to look his brother in the eyes. 

“Simon,” a soft voice came from the doorway. 

He looked up from the floor and his eyes found his sister-in-law. A beautiful woman with glowing auburn hair. She smiled kindly at him, like she did with everyone else she was around. Truly the angel that some high being sent to fix up his wreck of a brother. 

“There’s someone at the door for you,” she continued, her hand raising to scratch at her arm. “A yank.” 

Simon raised from his spot on the floor and weaved past Beth as he walked to the front. A figure stood in the door, illuminated by the light of the entryway, but it was wrong. It was smaller than the figure he had expected and it made his stomach churn. The person at the door wasn’t a yank; it was you. 

“You shouldn’t be here,” Simon said lowly. It was like a warning; a threat. 

Despite his menacing tone, your cheerful smile was unwavering. It was freezing outside, but you didn’t wear a coat, and it didn’t even look like you were shivering. 

“You were the one who brought me here,” you retorted wittily. 

Your eyes looked past Simon and down the entryway where Joseph still ran around the living room. How long had he been running? He was going to get tired, or trip and hurt himself. But Tommy sat there, next to their mother, still smiling as he watched his son zip around the room. 

“You can’t stop it, you know,” you spoke up, eyes locked onto the scene playing out behind Simon. 

A hand absentmindedly raised to your neck where you played with the bead necklace around your throat. It was the one he had gotten you. Or, well, Johnny had. But you didn’t know him. Had he even met the man yet at that point? No…

But the necklace was wrong. Where was the green? Why was it red? Why was it so close to your throat, constricting so tight it looked like it was choking you? The beads were too big. It was wrong. All wrong. 

“I can. I have to. They didn’t deserve it,” Simon said, and his voice felt weak. Like he was sick. Like he couldn’t get his vocal chords to resonate loud enough to make a difference. 

“No, silly,” you said with a patronizing giggle. “I’m not talking about them.” 

You wouldn’t look at him, and it felt like his chest was about to collapse in on itself. You always looked at him. He wanted you to look at him, needed you to. Desperate hands reached out to cup your cheeks and he tilted your head up, but no matter how firmly he held you, your eyes strayed. Side eyeing the wall next to you, glancing up at the ceiling; your eyes would land anywhere but on him. 

“Look at me,” he said, his grip becoming so firm he felt as if he was about to crush your skull. Still, you refused. “Look at me!” 

“It’s okay,” you assured him, voice soft. The light in your eyes seemed more dull than normal. That shining glimmer that was normally there had been replaced with something else. Some sort of cloudiness he couldn’t peer through. “Ghost, it’s okay. You’re okay.” 

Liar. He wasn’t okay. You were there, standing in front of him, and you shouldn’t be. And you refused to look at him, or say his name, and your eyes were wrong, everything was wrong and he wanted to shatter it. To break it beyond recognition. 

“You can’t hold onto me forever,” you said, voice distorted and slightly gurgling. 

Your eyes finally landed on him. He thought it would make him feel better. He thought it would feel like home, but it didn’t. Instead, he felt sick, like his stomach was twisting in knots, like the breath had been ripped from his lungs, never to return. Why did you look at him like that? Like you were forgiving him? 

“Come on, you have to let go,” Tommy spoke up from behind him with a chuckle. Suddenly, a pair of arms had snaked their way around his torso, constricting his chest so tightly he nearly coughed. “You can’t do this forever, Simon.” 

But his arms weren’t right. That was all wrong, too. Where was his skin? Why was it all just milky bone; a skeleton dragging him backwards? Simon’s hands let go of your face as he went to try and pry the skeletal arms off of him, but it was no use. It was an iron grip. 

“I told you, Ghost,” you spoke up, still standing in front of him. Except now, he really got a good look at you. At the blood soaking your shirt, how it dripped onto the floor in thick, viscous splatters. How had he not noticed before? Had you been like this the whole time? Broken? Bleeding? “You can’t stop it.” 

He tried to scream. He wanted to scream. But when he opened his mouth, nothing would come out but a simple, pathetic push of air. More hands and arms came down on his body, dragging him back, and he was helplessly frozen in place as he watched the blood continue to spill from your body. Disgusting, slimy, rotten bones ripped at his skin while voices cooed in his ear. Tommy’s voice, his mother’s, Vernon’s, Roba’s… they were taunting him. 

“You knew what would happen.” 

“Did you really think it wouldn’t go wrong?”

“Everything you touch ends up like this, kid.” 

“You killed her the moment you entered her life, Simon.” 

When Simon woke up, he could still feel the bony fingers clawing at his chest, ripping the skin from his body, torturing him slowly. His breaths were labored, but not enough to wake you up in your shared bed. A thin layer of sweat covered his body, and the fabric of his sweatpants and the bedsheets clung to his skin, suffocating him. He laid on his back for a moment, staring up blankly at the ceiling as he willed his body and mind to calm. 

It didn’t take him long to settle his nerves, as it was something he was well versed in by that point. He was a soldier, afterall. There was no time for emotions or panic. But once he did calm down, he knew he couldn’t stay in that bed. 

His movements were slow as he twisted himself upwards, setting his feet flat on the floor. Darkness swallowed the room with the only light illuminating the room coming from the hallway through the ajar door. He glanced over his shoulder where he found your sleeping form nestled under the comforter. Vague features of your face shone through the darkness, and he found himself swallowing a harsh lump in his throat at the sight. Reaching behind him, he grabbed the comforter and pulled it up over your shoulders before standing. 

With quiet and careful precision, Simon rummaged through his dresser where he pulled out a shirt to cover his bare skin and a pair of jeans to change into. Once he was fully dressed, he slipped out of the room as he meandered down the hall. The entire apartment was frigid and drafty, as if someone had left a window open all night. He would have chalked it up to just his nerves if it wasn’t for the fact that it got like that every night. Both you and him had a suspicion one of the windows in the living room wasn’t sealed properly. 

He tried not to think too hard about it as he grabbed his boots from the entryway before meandering into the living room. Slumping onto the couch, Simon leaned down to lace up his boots, his fingers knotting the strings expertly. But he had only gotten one boot laced up before he heard the soft patting of your feet from down the hallway. 

“Simon?” you asked as you peered around the corner. Your hair was frizzy with sleep, and you wore nothing but an oversized sleep shirt. He took note of the way you tried not to shiver. “What’re you doing?” 

He made quick work of his second boot before he pushed himself off of the couch. Simon was a tall man, that much was obvious. But whenever he wore his boots it made him appear a good inch or two taller, which only made you feel smaller, especially as he walked up to you. 

“Just going for a walk, love,” he said softly, his voice deep with a heavy tiredness to it. “Didn’t mean to wake you.” 

You shook your head as you stepped closer, closing the gap between the two of you as you leaned into his chest for a hug. He returned the movement in kind, wrapping his arms around you. He hadn’t realized just how tense his body was until you touched him, as if your very presence melted that away from him.

“I wasn’t sleeping. I was trying to, but hadn’t quite gotten there yet.” You leaned back, hands still resting on his chest while his arms stayed firm around your waist. “Mind if I join you?” 

Simon quirked an eyebrow up at you. “It’s freezing out there, sweetheart.” 

“Well, it is December,” you teased while tilting your head to the side. “I don’t mind the cold, though.” 

You made a move to leave, but Simon wouldn’t let you pull away. His arms stayed firmly wrapped around your waist. It wasn’t trapping or demanding, just lonely. His eyes drank you in. Not lustfully, but not like he was admiring your beauty, either. What was that in his eyes? Some hint of distance? A fogginess you couldn’t quite peer through. 

“Everything alright?” you questioned softly. 

Things were quiet between you for another beat as Simon couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from you. Eventually, he gave you a small nod as his hands slowly pulled away from you, fingertips lingering on your waist like he’d never get to touch you again. 

“Yeah. Go get changed. You’ll freeze your arse off wearin’ that,” he said, earning him a playful eye roll from you. 

“Shit, and here I was hoping to get a little frostbitten,” you said sarcastically as you turned around to walk back to your shared room. 

Shared room. Simon was still getting used to saying that. Living with you had easily been one of the best choices he had ever made. Seeing your quirks, sleeping next to you at night, it was all different and something he was trying to adjust to, but welcomed nonetheless. 

As he waited for you, Simon looked around the living room. It was still pretty much the same as the first time he saw it, more or less. Same old sofa, side table, and Ikea lamp he had put together for you. The only major difference was the small Christmas tree that sat on one of the side tables. It was only about a foot and a half tall, and was a pathetic looking thing. Full sized ornaments meant for larger trees weighed down the synthetic branches. It was something out of a cartoon, really. Still, despite the fact the poor tree was crying for help after you placed the ornaments so carefully on it, you insisted that Simon was the one to place the little star at the top. 

“So much for tucking in early,” your voice carried down the hallway as you made it back to the living room. A thick winter jacket swaddled your body in a warm cocoon, and your fingers were busy pulling a beanie over your head and ears as your eyes landed on Simon. “It’s just past ten. We pretty much napped for an hour or so and now we’re gonna be awake all night.” 

It wasn’t long before you slipped into your shoes and you and Simon were out the door. He was right, it was freezing. Not that you were surprised. When night fell over London in winter, the absence of the sun made everything twice as cold, and the moisture in the air from the rain didn’t help either. It wasn’t as bad as it was in November, but you still found you shoving your hands deep into your pockets anyway. 

Despite the fact that the moon was out to play, the Christmas lights adorning the streets nearly drowned out her beauty with their own. Glittering, golden lights hung loosely over the streets and swirled up every lamp post. You found that if you stared at the pavement long enough, you could almost convince yourself it really was daytime. 

Every now and then you would glance up at Simon. With the colder weather, he donned a plain black balaclava and shoved his hood up over his head, almost fully concealing his face. If it was dark outside, he would nearly blend in if it wasn’t for the whites of his eyes. But something was on his mind. It was pretty obvious with his quietness and downturned gaze. But Simon wasn’t a talker. Not about himself, anyway. So you just walked with him in your own silence, enjoying his company, and the lights that surrounded you, hoping your presence offered a bit of comfort. 

Eventually the two of you stumbled upon a square of sorts. A massive Christmas tree stood in the center of it, bundled in a blanket of lights that twisted upwards, entangling in the tree’s thick branches. Someone had taken great care to put giant golden ornaments on the tree not just at the base, but all the way to the very top. An equally large and fitting star sat at the top of the tree, and it was a miracle that the thing wasn’t bending underneath the weight of it. 

A fair amount of people gathered around the tree, and their chatter could be heard echoing down the street. There were several small stands set in random places around the square where people seemed to be exchanging items. Upon taking a closer look, you realized it was a charity event; an organization gathering donations of either money or toys in order to provide presents for children who otherwise wouldn’t be able to get them. They had already gathered a small pile of toys, anything from Barbie dolls to toy airplanes or art kits. 

You and Simon walked through the square, as it was along his normal walking route anyway. Everyone was smiling, and really trying to sell the Christmas joy with their Santa hats and warm wishes. Yet as the two of you walked through, a familiar scent wafted through the air. 

“Is that hot chocolate?” you wondered out loud. 

At your question, Simon looked around, dark eyes carefully scanning the stands until he spotted the one closest to the Christmas tree. An electric soup warmer sat on a table, and volunteers dipped a ladle into the pot to pour rich, thick hot chocolate into styrofoam cups. Apparently all proceeds from that stand went towards the donations too, according to the sign on the side. 

“Want some?” he offered, hand already fishing in his pocket for his wallet. 

You bit your lip in thought for a moment while you looked at the small line of people. It really did smell delightful, even from your distance away from them. There was even a bowl of butter mints to throw into the cup to give the chocolate a hint of peppermint. 

“Maybe,” you said, adjusting your beanie on your head. 

“Come on, then,” he urged as he took a step towards the stand. 

Grinning, you followed along after him, hopping in line behind the other hot chocolate enthusiasts. Without them having to make each cup as ordered, the line moved fairly quickly. Cash would be exchanged, they would talk a little bit about where the money was going towards, they’d get their cup, and they’d go along with the rest of their night. 

Something was different by the time you and Simon got to the front of the line, though. One of the women serving the hot chocolate seemed to recognize you, and even called you by name. A pit of worry instantly formed in Simon’s stomach, as he remembered what happened the last time someone had exclaimed your name like that in a public setting. But this girl seemed nice enough. Her curled blonde hair blew in the slight breeze, but her own winter hat helped to keep it mostly intact. She looked at you with a dazzling smile. He couldn’t help but wonder if she whitened her teeth. 

“Ness?” you asked in disbelief. “God, it’s been a minute!” 

Simon stayed silent as he looked at the other woman at the stand. While you chatted away with someone who he assumed was a friend, he exchanged the needed cash with her for the drink and waited while she dished it out. 

“It’s so good to see you!” Ness exclaimed with a grin. “How long has it been since we last saw each other? Had to have been right before we went to Uni, huh?” 

You nodded your head while your fingers played absentmindedly with the buttons on your coat. “Yeah, it feels like forever ago. How’ve you been?” 

“Good! Things have been great. Graduated, got a job as a social worker. That’s one of the reasons why I’m here, actually. Helping to raise some extra cash for our kids,” she said with a bubbly chuckle. “What about you? How was The States?” 

Though he didn’t say anything about it, Simon couldn’t help but quirk an eyebrow up at that comment. You? In America? 

“Uhm, it was good! Enjoyed it a lot. Liking it much better here back home, though,” you explained, your fingers continuing to twist the buttons on your coat. The sound of the thread struggling was audible.

“Bet your mum’s glad you’re back. I remember her being nearly in tears during graduation. Couldn’t believe her little girl was going off to see the world,” Ness joked. “I remember you were the talk of the school for a bit because of that. Going off to America, I mean.”

The other lady at the stand handed Simon the styrofoam cup, and he muttered a quick thanks before turning his attention towards you. Though you were smiling, the small quiver at the corner of your mouth wasn’t lost on him. 

“How is she, by the way?” Ness continued. 

You coughed. 

“She’s alright,” you said stiffly. “Been a bit since I’ve visited her, though.” 

The button snapped off of your coat. Really, it was amazing it hadn’t broken earlier with how you kept twisting and twisting it. The thread could only take so much before it frays. You looked down at the small item in your hands and swallowed hard as you quickly shoved it into your pocket. 

“Here,” Simon quietly interjected. 

When you turned to look at him, you noticed he held a cup out for you to take, and you looked at it like you had forgotten it was the whole reason you were even over there in the first place. Still, you reached your hand out, the warmth bleeding through the styrofoam and into your fingers. You looked down at it for a long moment before glancing back up at Ness. 

“Well, it was good seeing you again. We won’t hold up your line any longer,” you said politely. 

With a quick and somewhat awkward farewell to your old acquaintance, you and Simon were off on the streets again, leaving the square far behind you. Despite the fact that you had been eyeing up that stand earlier, all you could do was stare down at the hot chocolate in your hands, unable to bring yourself to drink it. It was nice to hold at least, but the thought of tasting it made your mouth feel dry. 

Family wasn’t something Simon talked about. Just wasn’t his thing. Maybe it was to save himself from the heartache, or maybe it was just to try and preserve the only image he had left of them in his mind. Luckily, you never asked him about family; not his parents, if he had siblings, or anything of the sort. But you never offered that information up about yourself, either. It wasn’t his place to know, and certainly not his place to ask, but he couldn’t lie to himself and pretend that he didn’t know something was off about that conversation. 

“America, huh?” he spoke up, shattering the silence that had settled between the two of you. 

A soft scoff of sorts left your lungs where it turned into nothing but frosty air in front of your lips. “Yeah. I… got accepted to Yale on scholarship.” 

Simon hummed. “Never told me you were smart,” he teased. 

This got a laugh out of you, which made both you and him feel a bit better. Still, your eyes were locked onto the drink, unable to bring yourself to taste it. And that fucking button was burning a hole through your pocket. 

“I was there for their medical program, actually,” you explained, but you didn’t sound proud of yourself. “I thought it would have been cool. To go out and see the world. Just get out of here for a bit.” 

“Not what you expected?” he asked. 

“It was… it was amazing,” you said softly. “Just wished I could have stayed there longer.” 

Silence. But there was something there, stirring around. He could feel it. It was like blowing up a balloon and waiting for it to pop, or the painfully long time it took for a hand to connect to a cheek in a slap. 

“She’s dead. My mum,” you finally let out. It wasn’t exactly the sort of confession Simon was expecting from you, but either way, he already knew the words before they left your mouth. “I, uh… didn’t even get to finish a full year in America before she had gotten sick.” 

“You came back to take care of her?” he asked. 

“I was the only one who could,” you said a little bitterly. “She didn’t ask me to. She never would. But I knew she needed someone. So I came back, got a shitty job working in finance. I’d take care of her during the day, and work in a money transfer service place at night. I don’t… regret it or anything but…”

He nodded his head. You didn’t need to explain it. It was an odd sort of guilt that only someone put in that position could feel. Choosing between living your life, and helping someone go through the end of theirs wasn’t an easy decision. It was a sacrifice either way. Something you’d go through and not come out whole. 

“Doesn’t make it any easier,” he finished your sentence. 

“Yeah,” you agreed softly. 

Finally, you forced yourself to take a sip of that damned hot chocolate. It was much better than you had expected. For something they were serving on a semi-large scale, you had thought it would have been plain hot water mixed with cocoa powder. But the flavor was rich, and the drink was thick and filling. Perhaps maybe a tad too sweet. It didn’t make you feel any warmer, though. 

“Christmas was her favorite holiday,” you reminisced. “Decorating the tree was her favorite part. She’d always put up these god awful decorations I had made when I was a kid. Absolutely ugly, but she always insisted that it needed a little love, like all things do. So she’d put on some old Christmas songs and we’d decorate the tree together. She’d always have me climb up the ladder to put the star on. It was my least favorite part. Always thought I was gonna fall off the damn thing, but I knew she wouldn’t be able to do it herself.” 

You sighed as you swirled the cup in your hands while Simon listened to you ramble. Neither of you had ever talked about your families before, especially not in such a way. It felt terrible, but the kind of pain that needed to happen. Like cleaning a wound. 

“It doesn’t feel the same without her. Even though it’s been years, I always think about her. It feels stupid. Missing her so much.”

“It’s not stupid,” Simon assured you. He was quick to give you those words, and he said it with such conviction you almost believed him. But he wasn’t sure who he was saying it for; you, or him? 

Either way, it got a laugh out of you. The sort of laugh that was just air through your nose, but it was something. Instead of answering him right away, you quickly took another sip of your drink. The freezing air had cooled it down considerably, but the warmth of it still remained on your tongue for a fleeting moment. 

“She would have liked you.” 

Now that was comedic. Perhaps the funniest joke you had ever told him. Maybe he would have laughed if his mind wasn’t so fried. Instead, he glanced at you from the corner of his eye before shaking his head. 

“Was she blind?” he asked facetiously. 

“Oh, quit it,” you scolded him. “I’m being serious. She would have adored you.” 

But that wasn’t enough to convince him. For all his cockiness and jokes, Simon was someone who always seemed to think he was unlovable. Despite all the time the two of you had spent together, that thought seemed to eat him alive. It always felt like he was holding you in the palm of his hands, terrified that you’d fly away but refusing to crush you in his grip. 

“I get it. You’re brooding, and quiet, and a bit of a dick. You’re a military man, and not exactly every mother’s dream guy for her daughter. But you…” You paused for a moment to swallow. Why did it feel like this was a confession? “You won't ever admit it, but you’re kind, and some days I feel like you read my thoughts better than I can. For fucks sake you nearly broke Eric’s jaw. You know what my mother would have done if she was there? She would have handed you a bat and asked you to finish the job.” 

A breathy chuckle left your lips in a mist as you grinned down at your feet. Your body was starting to feel fatigued from a mix of the walking, the cold, and lack of sleep, but you pushed forward anyway. 

“You take care of me. You’re good to me. That’s all she ever wanted for me,” you finished. 

Just when he thought he had pushed all those memories and feelings aside, you brought them rushing back to him. Not just the blood, that sour scent of iron staining his skin. Not just the bodies haphazardly fallen onto the floor. But Joseph’s giggles, the shrill sound nearly bursting his ear drums but he would go deaf if it meant he could hear it one more time. The way his brother looked at his wife, how the two of them would share loving touches and grinning whispers. Or his mothers Christmas ham, with the thick honey glaze and that scent that made his stomach constrict with hunger. 

Maybe, in some other life, you could have met them. You could have joined them in their ugly Christmas sweaters, one you would probably bully him into wearing, too. At the table you could sit next to him and he could help dish out your plate. You and Beth would drink wine and maybe get a little carried away, leaving him and Tommy to help you and Beth into one of the spare bedrooms in his mothers house for a nap. Joseph would grin up at the two of you for the model airplane that was gifted to him, and he would promise to help the little tyke put it together. 

But he wasn’t in that life. He was in the one where they were nothing more but burnt carcasses with bullet holes riddling their bodies. The one where his childhood home was nothing more but an empty lot. The one where Christmas always made him feel numb. But he did have you, walking alongside him. You, the woman he got to wake up to in the morning. The woman who never minded his odd quirks. 

Simon had you, and he knew it was more than he deserved. 

“It’s getting late,” he said as his feet dragged to a halt. “And cold. We should head back.” 

He was right. Your hot chocolate had gone rather cold by that point, and your fingers were beginning to go numb holding the cup without gloves. You downed the lukewarm, and oddly thicker, hot chocolate before tossing it into a nearby trash can. The walk back home was quiet, but for some reason a little warmer. Still, as you meandered back through the square, neither you nor Simon spared even a single glance at the tree in the center. 

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

You were going to be late. God, maybe you shouldn’t have gone on that walk with Simon the previous night. No, that was a lie. Obviously you were glad you went on the walk with him. Got a lot off of your chest that night. Still, getting yourself out of bed was a hassle, and you were paying the price for it. 

So you scuttled around the apartment, brushing your hair, throwing clothes on, shoving your feet into shoes, but as you reached the coat rack, you realized your coat wasn’t there. You double checked that you hadn’t just tossed it onto the floor in the bedroom, but it wasn’t there either. Asking Simon was no use as he had already left to do some sort of paperwork on base, so you were on your own, nearly tearing the place apart as you were adamant on not freezing to death walking to work. 

Eventually you caught sight of the damn thing resting on the kitchen counter. It was folded into a neat square. You figured it was something Simon must have done as you had never folded anything so perfectly in your entire life. Either way, you were just glad that you hadn’t misplaced it and lost it. 

Throwing it over your shoulders, you slipped your arms in and began to button it up. Once your fingers reached the bottom button, though, you began to struggle. It felt oddly stiff, like the thread was stronger and less forgiving on that one than it was the others. You looked down to examine it, and you quickly realized that it was the button you had accidentally snapped off the night before. You had shoved it into your pocket, but there it was, firmly attached to your coat. 

You finished buttoning it up with a smile, and you gave the bottom of your coat a firm tug to adjust the fabric on your body. You had snapped it off so easily the night before. Now, it was the strongest button you had on there.

[whmp]

hey, it's me! i'm still alive, somehow, though just barely. this semester has been pretty tough so far and will probably remain that way until spring. despite this, i managed to add some fun new features. : ) ALSO i promise 100000% that if you sent me an ask i WILL answer it. i will. anyway, look at all those cool things! -> a system for cuts, bruises, tattoos, wounds and other decorations your whumpee's skin is an empty canvas. whether you fill it with scars and wounds or cutesy band aids is up to you!

the way this is set up is kind of like a bunch of stickers. so for example, if you decide to hurt the lil' guy with something sharp, he'll get a "stab wound" sticker in the spot you decided to target. over time, that sticker will change over to a "stab scar" one. it's a very flexible way to do things, but it still needs some work and a couple big changes, since it's very unfriendly to low-end computers. in terms of visuals though, it should look exactly the same as the decal-based "decorations" for your whumpee that you see above!

- a better way of getting that dude on camera the camera system is now a lot more immersive and will fit the story. the awkward developer cam that could clip into walls is no more.

you can drag around the view and zoom in and out by scrolling. as you progress, you'll get access to even more ways to invade your whumpee's privacy. : )

-> new ways to get horny in the last devlog post (around 1000 years ago) i said that you won't see any "horny accessories" in the upcoming updates. that was a complete lie, sorry! here's a preview of some cool new horns you can give to your whumpee.

the neat part is that the horns are customizable - other than just choosing the shape, you can modify their size and color gradient. -> other stuff + story i've made plenty of changes and additions to the back end. most of it is not flashy or super significant - most of the time and energy i could dedicate to the project went right into fueling the violent, bloody conflict between me and custom shader code. i've also made some updates to how time is simulated and fixed a bunch of bugs. there is now a sound system too! i'll look for some copyright-free sfx and music before the next update. oh, and there's some lore too!

i've been experimenting with different ways of delivering the main storyline. heavily stylized cutscene-like sequences were very fun to do! not sure if i'll stick with this style though. either way, i have the general outline of something that resembles a plot. >: ) that's it for now! again, sorry for the irregular update schedule. i've been following the "no progress for a long time, then one night you have all the energy and inspiration in the world and you zone the fuck out for an unhealthy amount of time just working on your thing then until realize that you're going to be asleep within the next 40 seconds" development strategy - hopefully, my brain will kindly allow me to switch to a more comfortable workflow. :' ) taglist below: (let me know if you want to be added OR LET ME KNOW IF I FORGOT TO ADD YOU IM SO SORRY) @whumpinthepot @andithewhumper @pigeonwhumps @monarchthefirst @scp-1296 @whumpedydump @screenys-whump-corner @whumpshaped @bloodsweatandpotato @burning-and-remembering @thealmightyconeoftruth @whimpity-whumpity @catnykit @vietbluecoeur @rainythealias @cardboardarsonist @snakebites-and-ink @lthrboy @woo-lu-woo @wingsofadragonsstuff @wecoffphm @bayvel @pics-and-fanfics @dokidokisadness @generic-whumperz @lambetjenasus @aarika-merrill @hayaneakabane @moons-cozy-corner @brittaunfiltered09 @rule-masochism @reverie1234 @oddsconvert @wh-wh-whumpified @currentlyinthesprial @cupcakes-and-pain @heavenlyden @whumpsday @likeadeadbattery @stay-on-topic1 @cyborg0109 @kawhump @astrowhump

[sycamorelibrary754]

Guardian Angel

Chapter 9: When in Rome

Summary: I have no idea how to summarize this chapter besides saying buckle up. 🫣

Warnings: Danger, angst, claustrophobia.

Word Count: 6.3k

A/N: My apologies for how long it took to get this chapter posted. I wanted to take my time on it because it’s essential to the rest of the story. I hope you enjoy it!

Guardian Angel Masterlist

You walked into your room, anxiously shutting the door behind you. Your mind races as you pace back and forth. Running your fingers through your hair, you struggle to comprehend why Onyx Petroleum would be interested in Sokovian land. Your mental spiral is interrupted by a knock on your door, followed by Tony's voice asking if you're okay. You open the door, and the billionaire walks in, quickly shutting the door behind him.

"I can't believe I didn't clock it before," Tony said, holding up the newspaper. "Those con artists from Onyx Petroleum are your parents - sorry."

You force a smile and respond, "It's okay. They deserve the title, trust me."

"I know firsthand," Tony muttered.

“You know my parents?” 

“Your father was a regular visitor of the Stark Expo in the old days.” You're taken aback, wondering how you never knew that. “Dear old dad rarely spoke to me growing up, but I remember he once said that Y/F/N Y/L/N was the only person who made him believe that humanity was doomed to extinction.”

“Sounds about right,” you said.

“Oh, and then," he recounted, "A few years ago at a September Foundation grant presentation at Cal Tech. Your mother, as usual, was doing her thing - schmoozing with everyone. She cornered Pepper and started rambling about how a partnership between Onyx Petroleum and Stark Industries could transform the global oil exploration and production industry. Pepper kindly reminded her that Stark Industries no longer partners with companies or individuals that harm the environment or the population. So your mother called Pepper a fraud and threw her drink in her face! Can you believe that?"

You sigh as you sit down on the edge of the bed, “Unfortunately, yes.”

"Any idea what this is about?" Tony asked, holding up the paper again.

You shake your head, saying, "No clue. They've never shown any interest in foreign oil.”

"Do you have access to anything that would give us insights into their business dealings?" Tony inquired.

You shake your head again, feeling helpless. "Not anymore. My parents removed me from all of their bank accounts and company mainframes when they kicked me out," you say with a huff, throwing yourself back onto the bed. “I don’t get it. Sokovia was destroyed. What’s left for them to find.”

“Vibranium.”

“What?” You said as you sat up. “That doesn't make sense. Sokovia was a war zone.”

“What do you think they were fighting over?” the billionaire asked rhetorically. 

“How do you know this, Tony?” 

“After Ultron's attack on Sokovia and the subsequent sinking of Navi Grad, FRIDAY performed an extensive deep-sea mapping of the ocean—every square centimeter. Seven hundred thousand images were captured at a depth of almost 4,000 meters,” Tony explained, tapping the screen on his watch. “The mapping exercise was aimed at locating the submerged remnants of the destroyed city and ensuring the safety of any underwater vehicles or divers exploring the area. Doing so would provide insights into the underwater topography of the region and assist in the reconstruction efforts.” 

You rise to your feet as a hologram of the 3D map materializes before your eyes.

“Instead, FRIDAY found something else,” Tony explained, shifting pieces back and forth through the air. “Outside of Wakanda, Sokovia has the largest natural vein of Vibranium anywhere in the world, but no one has been able to mine it yet because…,” zooming in on the composite. “It’s underwater.”

You studied the 3D image carefully, trying to comprehend how Onyx Petroleum would go about mining the most potent substance on Earth. 

“This much Vibranium in anyone’s hands is frightening,” Tony said. “In the hands of a company notorious for unethical business practices, it’s perilous.” 

“Does Wanda know?” Your mind was racing with concern for your girlfriend.

“No, and I don’t think we should tell her,” closing the hologram. 

“What? Why not? She has a right to know! It was her home. We can’t just—“

"Easy, Willy Wonka," Tony said. "I know she needs to know, but we need more information before we can act. I need to do some more research and figure out the next steps. In the meantime, tell the rest of the team what we know. Wanda is running point on a full-team, large-scale mission the day after tomorrow, and it benefits no one for her to be distracted, right?" 

You nod hesitantly in agreement, still processing everything. "Trust me, Y/N. If we take our eyes off the ball, bad things happen. We need to be strategic and focused if we're going to keep everyone safe." 

After a moment of silence, you let out a heavy sigh. "Okay, you're right," you concede, looking down at your hands. "I just don't feel good about keeping this from Wanda. We've always been honest with each other, and I don't want to ruin that." 

Tony places a reassuring hand on your back. "You're not lying to her. You're just postponing the truth to protect her," he explains calmly. 

You slowly nod, taking in his words. It made sense, in a way. But the guilt still lingered in your mind, gnawing at you. You knew that, eventually, you'd have to come clean.

*^~^*

You stirred from your sleep two days later, but the uneasy feeling in your stomach lingered. Your conversation with Tony was still vivid in your mind. You peered outside and saw SHIELD agents hustling and bustling around the grounds. You felt lost, unsure of what to do or where to be, so you did your best to keep a low profile and stay out of everyone's way. This was your first time seeing a mission play out before you. Sure, team members had come and gone before in the three months you had been living at the Avengers Compound, but being so focused on your recovery, you hadn’t paid that close attention. 

FRIDAY interrupted your train of thought as you stood by the window. “Ms. Y/L/N,” she said, “Ms. Maximoff requests your presence in The Overwatch.”

You were confused. “The Overwatch? Where’s that, FRIDAY?”

“I’ll escort you there, Ms. Y/L/N,” FRIDAY said, opening the elevator doors.

As you stepped into the elevator, you noticed it was going down. The compartment sprang to life, and you counted at least three floors before it finally stopped. The door opened, revealing a futuristic virtual command center. Wanda stood with her back to you, looking up at a wall of monitors.

You couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow!"

Wanda turned at the sound of your voice, and her smile was enough to melt you into a puddle. "Impressive, isn't it?" she said.

You nodded, still in awe of the sight. "What is this place?"

"This is The Overwatch," Wanda explained. "It's a command center that allows Fury or other Avengers who aren't on a mission to provide support in real-time."

You walked over to where Wanda was standing. "It's only used when everyone gets called away or on big-scale operations," she added.

You looked up at the bank of monitors, each displaying a name in the corner. Your eyes quickly found Natasha's, labeled N. Romanoff. Next to her, you spotted T. Stark, S. Rogers, B. Banner, T. Odinson, C. Barton, B. Barnes, S. Wilson, K. Bishop, Y. Belova, P. Parker, and C. Danvers. 

"Am I even allowed to be in here?” You asked.

"Technically, no," Wanda replied with a smirk, "but this is my first time running point on a mission, and I could use the company."

Curiosity getting the better of you, you asked, "Who are they after?"

"Unfortunately, that information is classified," Wanda replied, typing away on the keyboard and pulling up a map, "but I can tell you they are in Europe."

"Well, that narrows it down," you joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Wanda sighed and sat before the command module, motioning for you to join her. "I wish I could tell you more," she said, "it's so much more stressful sitting in here than being out in the field with the team."

You tried encouraging her, saying, "Hey, at least you're safe here."

“Yes, but I feel so helpless," Wanda admitted while monitoring the team's vital signs. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to Fury for agreeing to let me ease back into the swing of things, but the loss of control scares me.” 

The tense atmosphere was palpable in the comms as Steve's voice cut through, "Wanda, we're on our final approach. ETA, 30 seconds."

Natasha's raspy voice chimed in, "How are we looking?"

"The approach is clear—five guards in the courtyard outside the building.

"I got it," Tony interjected. You heard muffled groans on the other end of the comms as Tony dismantled the threat in a matter of seconds. "We're clear outside."

Everyone, turn on your body cameras," Wanda commanded as the monitors rose to life, giving you a first-person point of view of what everyone on the team was seeing.

"Nat, the security office is two doors down on your left," Wanda directed.

"Noted, I'm on my way," Natasha confirmed.

"When do I go in?" Peter's voice sounded eager on the comms.

"Hold your position, Spider-Boy," Yelena said. "Patience is key."

"Yeah, Peter. You're too eager. Just slow your roll and wait for the signal," Kate Bishop said.

"So is being quiet, Kate Bishop." Yelena cut in again.

I can't believe this is happening," you said involuntarily.

"Shh," Wanda whispers.

"Who is that?" Thor asks as he catches his hammer flying towards his monitor screen.

"Is that Y/N?" Carol asked between shots.

"No, it's not," Wanda lied to protect you.

"It is Y/N! What are you doing in The Overwatch, Willy Wonka?" Tony asked.

“Aww, they’re having a date night,” Clint joked sarcastically as you watched an arrow fly away from his camera and out of sight.

"Everyone, please be quiet. You're clogging the comms," Bucky demands irritably.

"Let's all be civil," Sam adds.

“I concur,” Bruce agreed.

"How are we doing, Nat?" Steve asked as he knocked out another security guard.

"I'm bypassing the firewall, Natahsa replied, typing away on the keyboard. “There. The Iris Detectors are down.”

"On my signal," Wanda spoke calmly. "Disabling the dome cameras in 3, 2, 1. Go.”

Sitting in front of the bank of monitors, you found yourself momentarily bewildered. You weren't sure which of the screens to focus on as the team moved in unison. Each one displayed a different angle of the action, and you didn't want to miss a single moment of what was unfolding before you. You watched with bated breath as they efficiently made their way through the building, their movements purposeful and precise. It was a sight to behold - you had never seen such determination and skill in your entire life. 

Despite seeing footage of the Avengers on the news over the years, watching them firsthand was an entirely different experience. You felt incredibly fortunate to be able to call them your friends. As they worked towards the second level, you couldn't help but feel a sense of awe wash over you. These were some of the most powerful beings on the planet, and yet they were risking their lives to protect others. It was a humbling and inspiring sight to behold.

As the team entered the building, you watched Bucky effortlessly kick in a door. "I'm in the lab," he announced, his voice calm and collected.

Tony's voice crackled through the comms, "Do you see the mainframe?"

"There's two, which one is it?" Bucky replied, scanning the room.

"Open the silver panel," Tony instructed.

With a few hard pulls, Bucky managed to pry off the front of the mainframe. Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass filled the air as Carol crashed through a nearby window with a guard's arms wrapped tightly around her neck.

Without hesitation, Bucky turned to assist her. "Keep going! I got this," Carol shouted, her voice slightly strained.

Tony's voice cut through the chaos, "You should see the mainframe HiperSockets that provide high-speed TCP/IP connectivity within the central processor complex."

"For fuck's sake, in English, Tony!" Bucky shouted, his frustration palpable.

"Language,” Steve reprimanded.

An alarm began to blare as red lights flashed, signaling the imminent arrival of more guards.

"Bucky and Carol, eight more guards are heading your way," Wanda's voice sounded over the comms. "Thor, you're the closest."

"I'll be right there," Thor answered.

You watched as The God of Thunder bounded down the stairs and into the lab. In a thunderous flash, he took out all eight guards, leaving the room eerily silent.

"Cut the blue cable!" Tony finally shouted.

Bucky pulled out a pocket knife and quickly sliced through the blue cable.

The rest of the team arrived on the scene, and the lights inside the mainframe went out, plunging the room into darkness.

"How do we know for sure it's down?" Kate asked, her voice laced with concern.

Natasha fired three gunshots into the mainframe, causing the container to smoke.

"That ought to do it," she said, lowering her gun.

"Well done, everyone," Wanda praised. "I'm no longer seeing a heat signature from your location, which means the building is offline."

"Thanks, Wanda. Nice job on the point," Steve said. "We'll reconvene at 1800 hours to go over Phase Two."

Wanda looked exhausted as she removed her earpiece. The monitors had gone dark again; she leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath to calm herself down. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and looked at you.

"Wow, sweetheart. That was amazing! I've never seen anything like that in my life. You were great,” you said, touching her shoulder. 

Wanda smiled weakly, feeling a sense of satisfaction mixed with exhaustion. "Thanks," she said, "it was touch and go. But I'm glad they were able to get the job done."

You nodded in agreement. "Are all the missions that intense?"

Wanda thought for a moment before answering. "Not all of them," she said, "but this is one of the most challenging ones we've had in a while. But that's what we're trained for, right?"

“Do you miss it? Being out there, I mean,” you asked hesitantly. 

Wanda’s expression was pensive as she spoke, her gaze fixed on the ground. "It's a complicated situation," she began slowly. "On the one hand, I don't want to leave my boys. After we lost their father, I made a promise to Billy and Tommy that I would always be there for them, no matter what." She paused for a moment as if lost in thought. "But on the other hand," she continued, her voice growing softer, "sometimes I feel like I'm denying who I am. Like my magic knows, I’m turning away from that part of myself.”

As you sat beside Wanda, you suddenly realized something that had never occurred to you before – you had never seen her use her powers. You searched your memory for any instance where you had witnessed her abilities in action, but you drew a blank. The only thing you could recall was being in her arms after the accident before you passed out, but even then, you couldn't remember if she had used her magic to keep you safe.

You took a deep breath and reached out to hold her hand. "I know we've never talked about this, but is there a reason you've never used your magic in front of me?" you asked, your voice gentle and curious. You hoped she wouldn't take offense to your question, but you couldn't help feeling a little curious about this aspect of her life that she had kept hidden from you.

"I was wondering when you would finally ask me about this,” Wanda sighed softly. “Since Westview, I have had difficulty trusting myself to use my powers safely. I lost control in a way that I never have before, Y/N, and the thought of putting anyone through that again is unbearable." Her voice was tinged with remorse and sadness as she continued, "I don't want to be a danger to those around me or myself. I’m afraid to use my magic again, and I don't know how to overcome that fear."

As you stroked her hand, you spoke reassuringly to Wanda. "I know you're feeling guilty about what happened in Westview, but that was only one aspect of your powers. You've done so much more good in the world than bad, and the magic that courses through you is a testament to that. Remember all the times you used your abilities to save lives, protect innocent people, and bring hope to those in need. That is the true measure of who you are, Wanda. Don't let a single mistake define you or your legacy."

Wanda nodded as she looked at you. “Thank you, Y/N,” wiping the tears away that threatened to fall. “I know I can’t avoid using them forever,” she looked around the room, “I also know I can’t hide down here for the rest of my life.” 

“Why don’t you show me?” 

“What?”

“Show me your powers. Come on, let’s see what you got, sweetheart. It’s just us, and we’re three floors underground. Nothing can go wrong, I promise.”

She looked at you hesitantly before she finally agreed, “Okay.”

Wanda rose from her seat and walked to the middle of the room. She took a deep, cleansing breath, held out her left palm, and began slowly circling it with her right hand. You watched as an orb of red energy materialized in her palm. Pointing her hand in your direction, you felt the chair you were sitting in move underneath you as you quickly rolled across the room and stopped on a dime in front of the redhead.

“Woah,” you said in amazement.

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” she smirked.

Slowly but surely, she rose above you, her body glowing with a vibrant, otherworldly red magic that seemed to envelop you completely. Despite your shock, you felt a sense of calm wash over you as you basked in the warmth and comfort of the magic surrounding you. It was as if Wanda had wrapped you in a cocoon of pure energy, and you felt safe and protected in her presence. Her eyes were fixed on you, glowing like twin stars in the night sky. For the first time, you knew without a doubt that you were in the presence of a powerful being beyond your understanding. Yet, despite her immense power, she was your Wanda—gentle and kind.

The redhead reached down and gently touched your cheek. For a moment, you closed your eyes and basked in the warmth of her touch. You couldn't help but wonder if she felt the same sense of warmth and safety with you that you felt with her.

I do, Y/N," Wanda said with nothing but adoration in her eyes.

You were confused and asked, "Do what?"

"Feel the same warmth and safety you feel with me," she replied.

You wondered, "I, did I - I don't think I said that out loud, did I?"

"I heard your thoughts, love," she answered.

You repeated, "You heard me - you can hear my thoughts? Oh, God."

Wanda reassured you, "Oh no, no, Y/N. It's okay. This was the first time I've ever listened to your thoughts. Outside of work, I never invade anyone's privacy that way and never would with you without your permission or unless it was an emergency."

The redhead reached for you as she floated down. The red magic swirling around your joined hands.

"That was incredible, sweetheart. I know it will take some time, but don't hide this part of yourself away. It's wonderful.”

The sudden sound of the elevator whirring through the walls startled Wanda, breaking her concentration and causing her to dismiss her red magic hastily. "Shit! Quick, hide in that storage cabinet," she urgently whispered, pushing you towards the stainless steel structure.

"What?! Why?" You asked, confused and alarmed.

"I told you, you're not technically supposed to be here. The security clearance is off the charts," Wanda explained as she urged you towards the cabinet.

You sprinted towards the cabinet and quickly shut the door just as Maria exited the elevator. "Hey, Wanda. Great job on Phase One. Everything looks good on our end," she said, scrolling through her tablet.

“Thanks,” Wanda said, nervously tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear as Maria continued.

"I'm going to go brief Fury, but I'll be back for the check-in call at 6 pm to discuss Phase Two."

"Okay, see you in a bit," Wanda replied, relieved she hadn't noticed you.

As Maria stepped back into the elevator, she teasingly called, "Oh, and Wanda? If Y/N is going to be down here with you, at least give her a key card."

Wanda blushed at being caught. "I don't know what you're talking about," she fibbed.

"Of course, you don't," The Deputy Director chuckled. "Ask her to bring some Candy Bar chocolate for us later when she comes out from the storage cabinet," she added with a giggle as the doors closed.

You cautiously opened the door to the cabinet and stepped out, your cheeks reddening as you met Wanda's embarrassed gaze. She fished a blank white key card out of her pocket and handed it to you. "Here, now you can legally be down here with me."

You took the card and turned it over in your hands. 

"Thanks," you said softly. “Tell Maria I'll bring some chocolate truffles later," you winked.

"Hmm, sounds good," Wanda smiled, leaning in to give you a gentle peck on the lips.

*^~^*

You arrived back at The Overwatch a few hours later, your white key card and a bag of truffles in hand. Maria was sitting next to Wanda in front of the wall of monitors. You sat down next to the redhead, passing the bag of chocolates to Maria. 

"Aww, Y/N. How did you know? This is exactly what I wanted."

"Shut up,” you smirked. “So, what's happening here?" As you pointed toward the dark screens.

"We had the check-in call about forty-five minutes ago, and Steve should be reporting in any minute to confirm they've reached the target,” Wanda explained.

As if on cue, Steve's camera turned on, followed by the rest of the team. "Speak of the devil!” Maria exclaimed. 

You could tell immediately that the team was in an underground passage, evidenced by the rough stone masonry surrounding them. Their footsteps echoed through the tunnel, adding an eerie quality to the tense atmosphere.

"Hey, Cap, you ready to go?" Maria asked, glancing up at the screen.

"Affirmative," Steve replied. “Although some of us are feeling a bit claustrophobic."

"Speak for yourself,” Clint chimed in.

"Tony, you want to take that one?" Wanda asked, typing away on her keyboard.

"Sure thing, Red," Tony replied. "Everyone, reach inside your suit pockets. You should find an object the size of one of Morgan's Legos."

Yelena, ever the skeptic, held up the miniature object Tony had referred to. "What the fuck is this?" she asked, her voice laced with annoyance.

"Language," Steve admonished.

"Oh, tell it to someone who cares," Yelena retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Sestra," Nat scolded, her voice echoing through the tunnels.

"It's a bit of technology I borrowed from our friendly neighborhood ant, and subsequently made even better,” Tony smirked. "Press the button on the top."

As one, the team pressed the button, and a small oxygen mask grew to fit in their hands.

"And we couldn't have worn these on the walk down here because?" Sam asked, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"Because they only have a 24-hour oxygen supply," Tony explained. "We need to conserve as much as possible."

"Do I have to wear this?" Carol asked. "I can breathe in space. I'm pretty sure I'm fine down here."

"The vacuum of space is very different from underground," Maria said. "We don't want to take any chances. Put it on, please, Danvers."

“Why doesn’t the billionaire genius have to wear an oxygen mask?” She asked. 

“There’s an oxygen supply built into the suit,” Tony smirked.

With a resigned sigh, Carol donned the mask, and the rest of the team followed suit. Wanda went over the topography of the catacomb, identifying key landmarks and intricacies that could help them navigate the maze-like structure safely.

In a hushed tone, you turned to Maria and asked, "Have they ever had an underground mission before?" 

Maria shook her head and replied, "No, not like this. This is completely uncharted territory for them.”

"Okay, as we discussed," Steve said, pointing to the left. "Group one with me down the left tunnel; group two with Tony down the right tunnel."

As you observed intently, you saw each group setting off towards their designated directions, down the ancient corridors. The walls were adorned with intricate archways, illuminated by sporadic pockets of light that added to the mystique of the surroundings.

“Mr. Stark, this is amazing! Have you looked at these carvings and art? Easily third century—” Peter started. 

“This isn’t a history field trip,” Natasha interrupted. “Pay attention to your surroundings.”

The group had been walking through a tunnel for some time when, without warning, felt the ground beneath their feet shake. A low and ominous grumbling noise echoed through the air, and everyone was thrown into the tunnel walls. 

"FRIDAY, what's happening?" Tony asked urgently.

"Accessing the wave radar and enhancing the thermogenic signature," FRIDAY responded.

“Do you feel that too, Steve?” Wanda asked

Steve grunted as he struggled to regain his balance. "Yeah, is it an earthquake?" he asked.

"It's an energy surge, Boss," FRIDAY replied to Tony. "A core reactor holds together the primary stabilization of the tunnel structure."

"That's not first-century tech," Peter mumbled, face down on the ground.

Kate helped him up. "Yeah, no kidding, Sherlock."

Just as the group was getting back on their feet, Sam's voice cut through the tense silence.

"Hey! Hold it!" he shouted.

"What is it, Wilson?" Tony asked.

"Someone is watching us at the end of this tunnel," Sam exclaimed as he ran ahead of the group.

"Sam, wait!” Steve shouted.

"Lock onto Wilson," Maria said, standing up.

Wanda quickly shifted to Sam's primary camera and enlarged the visual. The mystery figure took two quick turns to the left as if they knew exactly where they were going. A third turn to the right, and Sam lost sight of the man for a split second. Looking around quickly, but to no avail, he said, "I lost them."

"How will he get back to the rest of the group?" You asked.

"Good question, Y/N," Sam replied.

Maria glared over at you. "Sorry, I keep forgetting they can hear me too."

"Sam, you're closer to Tony than Steve," Wanda said. "I'm pinging his tracker right now. Two lefts and a right should do it. And Steve and company, follow your tunnel about a half a mile down and then take a right, and you should meet up with everyone else."

The team wandered through the catacomb tunnel in silence, only the sound of their breathing and the stone under their feet breaking the stillness. When they were finally reunited, Tony broke the silence, "Okay, new plan. We're staying together." 

Peter quickly agreed, "I'm with Tony on this one." 

Yelena, standing nearby, murmured to Kate, "Color me surprised." 

“Oxygen masks stay on, Nat,” Maria said pointedly. 

"Yes, detka,” Natasha replied.

Yelena couldn't resist mocking her sister, "Yes, detka," she repeated sarcastically. But before she could carry on, Natasha pinched her arm, causing her to yelp in pain. 

Thor shouted, "Knock it off, Lady Widows!" 

Wanda added, "Thor is right. The catacomb can be disorienting, but you need to keep moving. Tony, I'm reviewing the National Geophysical Data Center records to assess your declination value and sending them to FRIDAY. Keep true north." 

You turned to Maria, puzzled, "What did she say?" Having no clue what your girlfriend was talking about. 

"They should turn right," Maria whispered. 

You watched as everyone walked in a single-file line to the right, trying their best to keep their footing on the uneven stone. Suddenly, a second energy surge echoed loudly through the comms, causing everyone to turn their cameras downwards. Your heart raced as you gasped at the sight of cracks quickly forming between everyone's legs. Before anyone could react, the ground gave way beneath them, accompanied by screams and the sound of broken gravel. 

Maria gasped, and Wanda put her hands over her mouth in shock. 

"Oh my God!" You exclaimed. "What the hell just happened?" 

Wanda asked urgently, "Steve? Tony? Can you hear me?" 

Maria followed with a shaky voice, "Natasha? Come in! Anyone?" 

"Shit," she said anxiously, picking up the phone in front of her. "All SHIELD agents, Romeo, Echo, Delta." 

"FRIDAY, Code Red. Initiate Emergency Protocol 3000," Wanda ordered, running back towards the elevator and flipping a red switch under a glass cover. 

"Compound shutdown initiated. Director Fury and Mrs. Stark have been notified and are en route to The Overwatch," FRIDAY responded.

You stood there, frozen, not knowing what to do with yourself. The shock of what you had just witnessed was so intense that your vision started to blur, and you felt as though you were about to pass out. Suddenly, you felt someone's arms on your shoulders, and you jumped slightly. 

"Y/N? Y/N, love, stay with me, okay?" Wanda said, her voice soothing.

You looked up at her and then back at the monitors, pointing at them with a shaking hand. "They... it..." you stammered, struggling to form coherent sentences.

Wanda nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I know," she said, rubbing her hands up and down your arms in a gesture of comfort.

She slowly led you back to your seat, still holding onto your shoulders, and conjured a glass of water out of thin air. Taking it in your hand, you felt the coolness of the glass against your skin, which helped ground you and bring you back to the present moment.

*^~^*

Fury furrowed his brows and asked Maria, "When was your last point of contact?"

"Five minutes ago."

"Maximoff was running point?"

You didn't appreciate the way Director Fury was speaking about Wanda as if she wasn't in the room, but as an outsider, you chose to hold your tongue.

Wanda stepped forward before Maria could respond, "Yes, sir."

"What happened?"

“Two energy surges of unknown origin, but we didn’t have time to assess the cause before-." Wanda’s voice trailed off as she struggled to continue.

“Before you lost them,” Fury finished the sentence for her. Wanda nodded silently, unable to look the Director in the eyes.

“She didn’t lose them! It was an accident,” You suddenly heard yourself shout.

Pepper placed a hand on your shoulder as Fury’s gaze shifted over to you. 

“Who is this?” Fury asked, pointing at you.

“I'm Y/N Y/L/N, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you,” you said, slowly reaching out your hand to shake his, but the gesture went unreciprocated.

"The car accident victim," looking you up and down. "She looks fine, why is she still here?"

You wondered why you were still here yourself, but Maria jumped in before you could respond, "She’s still recovering, Sir."

"Do you have clearance to be down here?"

You fumbled in your pocket for the white card Wanda had given you earlier. Fury looked at the card but gave you no response before turning back to Wanda.

“Are we still picking up pings from their trackers?”

“Yes, faintly,” Wanda said.

"Do we know how deep the catacomb goes?" He continued.

“Roughly 65 feet, but the fall could have taken them another 50 feet at least," Wanda stated.

“They were wearing oxygen masks?” Fury asked.

“Yes, but they only have a 24-hour oxygen supply if they haven’t been damaged,” Wanda explained.

Fury turned back to Maria, “How fast can we have a team of agents on the ground in Rome?”

Your ears perked up at finally knowing where everyone was.

“Four hours,” Maria responded.

“Make it three,” The Director said.

“Yes, sir,” Maria replied as she started to walk away.

Wanda interrupted calmly, "No. I’m going."

“Out of the question, Maximoff. You haven’t been back in the field since your return, save for her accident," Fury pointed at you. "I’m not sending you out there by yourself in the most dire moment in the history of SHIELD. You don’t know what you’ll find down there, and you’re still too unreliable."

“Unreliable,” Wanda repeated. “With all due respect, Director Fury, no one is more reliable than me. There is no one more powerful than me, and you and I both know that it will take someone who can move heaven and Earth, literally, to bring everyone home!”

Fury looked over at Pepper, who had yet to say a word—doing her best to keep her calm.

"Wanda can do it," Pepper declared, fidgeting with her wedding ring. "I have faith in her." 

"You leave in 20 minutes,” Fury said, turning to Wanda. “But you're not going alone.”

“I’ll get changed right away, sir,” Maria assumed.

“No, you’re staying here, Hill. You’re too close to the situation with Romanoff.”

“Nick, I-“

“No, you’ll run co-point from here. That is final."

“Co-point? Who is-“

“I need to make a couple of phone calls. In the meantime, Maximoff, you get suited up. We’ll meet you in the hangar,” Fury ordered.

“Yes, sir,” Wanda acknowledged.

You followed Wanda out of the elevator and into the locker room, feeling nervous and determined. Wanda suited up with a look of solemn determination on her face. You didn't want to show your nervousness; Wanda had enough on her plate. She took out her phone, frowned at the screen, and then turned to you with a serious look.

“I need you to do something for me,” the redhead said.

“Of course, anything,” you replied, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.

“I need you to pick up Billy and Tommy and stay with them at my house. I know you have only met them once, but they liked you,” she started to ramble, her voice tinged with anxiety. “Pepper offered to take them, but I just can’t let her do that while Tony is…” she paused, her voice breaking with sadness.

You nodded understandingly, realizing the gravity of the situation. “I’ll do it,” you said, grabbing both sides of her face. “The boys will be okay, I promise. You bring everyone home.”

“Thank you so much, Y/N. I I already called the school to let them know you’ll be picking them up. I know I can trust you,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion. Your lips met in a kiss—one of comfort and reassurance.

The word trust was all it took for Onyx Petroleum and Sokovia to rush back to the front of your mind. But then you remembered Tony’s words. “If we take our eyes off the ball, bad things happen.” Wanda needed to focus. But God, it was killing you to keep this from her, even under the most dire circumstances.

You walked with Wanda to the hangar, an area of the compound you had yet to visit. The mood was a stark contrast from this morning. SHIELD Agents moved about the space with the same purpose and direction, but the energy differed. It was anxious.

You caught sight of Director Fury standing next to one of the Quinjets with two women you didn’t recognize, but it was clear Wanda knew both of them. She ran a few steps ahead of you and wrapped her arms around both of them in an emotional embrace.

“Y/N, this is Dr. Darcy Lewis and Captain Monica Rambeau,” Wanda said, motioning to each woman. “This Y/N Y/L/N, she said, touching your back.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you both,” you said as you shook their hands, trying to keep your composure.

“Hi, nice to meet you too, Y/N,” Darcy replied warmly.

“It’s a pleasure,” Monica said, giving you a small smile.

"Captain Rambeau will be accompanying Ms. Maximoff to Rome, and Dr. Lewis will be running point with Deputy Director Hill from The Overwatch," Fury explained before glancing at his watch. "It's time to go."

Wanda looked at you with a mixture of anxiety and determination in her eyes. You tried to hide your nervousness, not wanting to add to her stress.

After a deep breath, Wanda spoke, "Billy and Tommy will be off from school in a couple of hours," she said, handing you her house keys. "Let them know that I'm working with the rest of the team, but don't give them any details. I’ll try to check in if I can.”

"Okay, sweetheart," you replied, taking the keys and putting them in your pocket. "Just make sure everyone comes home safe."

"I will," Wanda said with a nod, her eyes shining with determination.

As you leaned in to kiss the beautiful redhead, you felt a rush of emotion wash over you. Her soft lips met yours, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fade away. When you pulled away, you wrapped her in a tight embrace, holding her close to your chest. You watched as she walked towards the Quinjet, accompanied by Monica. Darcy and Fury were waiting by the side of the hangar, their faces solemn. You couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as the jet's engines came to life and slowly lifted off the ground. You stood there, watching as it climbed higher and higher into the sky until it was nothing more than a speck in the distance. As it disappeared from view, you felt a pang in your chest, as if a piece of your heart was flying away with it.

[meduarts]

Managing Life (Part 4/?)

Summary: Marinette has been Audrey Bourgeois' secretary ever since she voiced out her dream of having her own business. Audrey thinks that she should learn more about the nooks and crannies of running a fashion business. However, fate has other plans for her, and honestly, what can our resident guardian could do to counter fate?

Disclaimer: I do not own MLB or DCU.

Pairings: Dick Grayson/Marinette Dupain-Cheng

A/n: Well, here we are with another update. Special thanks to @mysnis for giving me the idea for this chapter in particular!

<Previous Chapter> <Next Chapter>

<Beginning>

Marinette had just finished the online meeting about the progress report from the main Style Queen branch in Paris. She huffed tiredly as she began to relax her overly stiffed body, a result from sitting for 5 hours straight for the meeting. She was going to lay on her bed when her phone started to ring.

She checked on who was calling her and to her surprise, it was Audrey. Curious, she picks up the call. "Madame? Do you need me to bake you more baked goods?" She asked in concern.

"Non non! Everything is perfect as usual! I'm just here to inform you that you have an interview with Brucie, tomorrow morning! I already made sure that your morning schedule is clear!"

"W-wait, What?" Marinette replied dumbly.

"Do I need to spell it out for you, Marinette? Tomorrow morning, you have an interview with Bruce Wayne. He was looking for a new secretary and you are currently looking for a new mentor! Fate, non?"

"F-fate?? Wait! That dinner! I knew you were planning something! Did you pimp me out to him???" Marinette accused while ruffling her hair nervously.

She could hear Audrey's signature shrill laugh from the other side of the connection, "Oh please, Pimping sounds so crude! I merely just help out my darling protege to find a mentor! Anyways, be ready tomorrow morning, Brucie kindly told me that his Butler shall pick you up at 8 A.M sharp! Wear one of your designs and don't bother getting your portfolio and resume together because I already sent a copy to him! Entendue? Good! Have a good night's rest, my dear! Ta~' Then she hung up.

Marinette looked at her phone in disbelief, she was utterly speechless. She has an interview with Bruce Wayne. She has an interview with Bruce Wayne. INTERVIEW! BRUCE WAYNE!

The young secretary's mind went overdrive and crashed immediately. Negative thoughts about the things that would happen and imaginative scenarios about how she would fail the interview, making a mockery of herself in front of one of the most powerful men in Gotham began to pop into her mind. She didn't even notice that she was hyperventilating were it not for the kwamis shouts around her.

"Breathe, Marinette!" Exclaimed Tikki in her ear.

Marinette began rebooting and she made sure to do the breathing exercise that her therapist had mentioned. Once she is calm enough, the fact that she has an interview tomorrow morning made her anxious again. She bolted out from her bed and began pacing.

"Oh, this is a disaster! Completely a disaster! I-i'm nowhere ready! Merde, what if I fall, what if I accidentally spill water on his expensive suit?! WHAT IF I MADE HIM UNCOMFORTABLE???!!" She panics.

The kwamis looked at each other, exasperated at their silly Guardian. They watched in amusement at Marinette's tirade.

"What if I made him hate me?! I might have to fake my death, change my identity and move somewhere remote! To bora-bora or somewhere in Southeast Asia?! Perhaps, Indonesia?! Yeah, that sounds like a good failsafe, I could even change my name, dyed my hair, and even get cosmetic surgery to alter my look! Maybe I should become a hermit in Tibet instead! YES! That's a good idea!"

Plagg sighed frustratedly at his kitten, and he decided to put a stop to this ridiculous rant. He zoomed in front of Marinette and slap her nose, "Get a hold of yourself, kitten. It's getting ridiculous.".

It worked instantly, the girl sucked a deep breath before letting out a huge sigh. "Sorry..." She mumbled softly. "I spiralled again, didn't I?" She meekly asked Plagg with a sheepish smile.

Plagg gave her a droll look, "Ya think? You even talked about getting plastic surgery and becoming a hermit in Tibet."

Marinette blushed in embarrassment, "Yeah, I don't know where that came from."

The other kwamis floated around Marinette, some were giggling and some were looking at her with an exasperated smile. Duusu flew forward and hugged Marinette's cheek. "It's going to be alright, peafowl! You are good at your job and I'm sure that the Wayne man was impressed with your achievements!"

"That's right, Marinette! I'm sure that you'll do fine in your interview! Besides, we're always there for you so you're never alone!" Tikki agreed.

Nooroo shyly floats forward, "I-if it made you feel better. I-i'll be honored to accompany you! P-perhaps my calmness could help!" He offered meekly.

Marinette smiled warmly and reached forward so that Nooro could perch on her palm. She brought him closer and gave the butterfly kwami a gentle kiss. "Thank you, Nooroo. You're such a dear." She complimented which made the said kwami blush.

Marinette then looks at the assembled kwami and smiles brightly at them. "Thank you, all of you. I don't know where would I be without you all."

"Crash and Burn?" Plagg snarks. "A complete mess?" Trixx added. "Rich but not as elegant!" pipes Kaalki. Tikki and Wayzz moved to them and gave all three a whack.

"Don't listen to them, Guardian. I'm sure without us you would be okay." Wayzz argued.

"But I'd be lonely. Either way, I'm glad that we could meet. I'm glad that fate brought me to you. I love you guys." Marinette said and they all share a big hug.

She doesn't know what will happen tomorrow, but with the kwami around, she felt like she could do anything. With her resolve set, she started to form a plan on how to tackle the interview tomorrow.

She can do this!

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

"I can't do this~" She whined miserably while hiding her face behind her hands. Currently, she's on her way to the Wayne Enterprise HQ. As Audrey had said Bruce's Butler, Alfred Pennyworth, picked her up at exactly 8 A.M. She wasn't late which was a good sign, she even made sure that she wore her best-designed dress! But after a few minutes sitting in Bruce Wayne's car, her anxiety had come back with gusto.

Alfred clears his throat to catch Marinette's attention. When the nervous girl looks up he gave her a warm smile. "What seems to be the problem, Ms Dupain-Cheng?" He asked kindly.

Marinette chewed her lips while her hands were fiddling together trying to keep herself grounded. "I-it's nothing, Mr Pennyworth. I'm just being silly, that's all."

Alfred hummed thoughtfully, "It must not be that silly since it's making you so nervous. Perhaps, I could give you a bit of advice if you want to talk about it?" he offered kindly.

The girl shrinks but then she felt an encouraging pat from her breast pocket. She looked downwards and was greeted by Nooro's encouraging smile. She let out a shaky sigh, "Well...I'm just nervous about this interview. Mme Bourgeois told me last night and I haven't prepared anything yet! I'm afraid of giving M Wayne the wrong impression. Not to mention, I had coincidentally met him at the park before and I did this stupid thing where I get to be this ridiculous know-it-all! Maybe I shouldn't do this interview." She whined to herself. Alfred smiled softly as he briefly glance at the ruffled-looking girl from the rearview mirror.

"Ms Dupain-Cheng, I think it is best if you take a deep breath and think about your next step and only the next step. You will never know whether you'll succeed or fail, right? Just one step, Ms Dupain-Cheng. Only one step." Advised the old butler while giving a knowing smile from the mirror. Marinette replied with a sheepish smile of her own.

She looks at her hands again and took a peek at Nooroo who was giving her a wide smile. She nodded to herself, took a deep breath, closes her eyes, and tries to clear her mind. Taking Alfred's words to heart she plans in her mind. She was going to do her best in the interview, she plans on what she was going to speak as an introduction and then she opened her eyes with renewed vigour.

She looks at Alfred and smiled brightly, "Thank you for your advice, sir. It definitely works." Her hands raised to her chest to cup the butterfly pendant that she had worn that day. "Just one step..." She whispered again for courage, then a whisper of a familiar voice added.

Do the next right thing.

She could feel her eyes beginning to water, somehow she could feel Master Fu's encouraging pat on her shoulder. A strange but familiar warmth surged to her whole body and she could feel her nerve starting to lessen. She will do the interview to her best ability. After all what's the worst thing that could happen?

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

The worst thing did kind of happened.

So, after thanking Alfred for driving her to Wayne Enterprise and for the advice Marinette walked bravely to the huge building. Everything was going well so far, she told the receptionist about her appointment and the nice lady showed her the way to Mr Wayne's office.

The worst thing happened when she walked out of the elevator and ran into someone, hard. Her nerve came again during the elevator ride and once the door opened she bolted out from the confined space, and barreled into someone, sending them both to the ground with a loud thud.

"O-oh my gosh! I-I'm so sorry! I-i wasn't looking." She stuttered apologetically as she moved away from the person.

The one whom she stumbled to turns out to be a man who seemed to be the same age as she was. The man shook his head and held out a hand to stop Marinette's stuttering. "It's...fine." He said politely with a smile. He picked himself up and look at Marinette with a calculating gaze. "Who are you?" He asked politely.

"I-i'm Marinette. I-i was here f-for the interview? W-with Mr Wayne?" She said unsurely. She could feel herself being judged under those scrutinizing eyes of his and Marinette unconsciously flinched.

The man hummed noncommittally. "The office is just down the hall. Good luck, I think you'll need it." He said with a bored tone.

That set Marinette off from her previous nervous self. "And what makes you think I'll need it?" A hint of sass bleeds through in her tone. The man blinked, clearly unexpected to see a change of tone from Marinette.

"Oh, I'm not implying anything! It's just..." The man trailed off his words, his eyes darting around the room trying to think of a more polite way to voice his 'concerns'. "Look, I'm sure you are a very competent person, it's just I know Bruce and I don't think he's looking for someone like...you?" He finished unsurely.

Marinette was appalled, no she was furious, sure she had sent the guy flying with her nervous stumble but she couldn't help it. Her nerves got the better of her! However, that doesn't give him any right to judge her so lowly!

Before she could even give a seething remark the man pats her shoulder and gave an empathetic smile, which to Marinette looked so condescending that she wants to punch that smile off his face. "Anyways, good luck and I'm sure that there'll be another path for you." He 'advised' helpfully and leave Marinette seething and glaring murderously on his disappearing back.

Oh, she'll show him. If before she just wants to give her best for this interview and just leave everything to fate, now she's determined to get that job. She'll show him how much of a terrifying secretary she could be.

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

Dick couldn't believe his odds to stumble upon the girl that he had met as Nightwing. The one that had confused his mind with the way the reports told how she had handled the Riddler and his goons. When the girl had sent him to the ground with her powerful stumble and had stuttered out her apology he was ready to believe that what happened with the Riddler had been a fluke.

There was no way that someone like her could do what the reports had stated. Yep, Dick now has a firm belief that what she had done was certainly a fluke. When she introduced herself and told him that she was here for the Secretary/PA interview with Bruce he winced inwardly.

The girl will be eaten by the wolves, where in this case the wolf is Bruce, but he digresses. So he wished the girl good luck and it seems that she had taken it wrongly. Dick had to find the right words to not hurt Marinette's feelings and after saying his piece he thought that he had done a pretty decent job to shoot down any hope for working as Bruce's PA.

He knows his adopted father and he knows that Bruce doesn't appreciate a scatterbrain of a secretary, even if she's quite pretty. He left the girl in the hallway thinking that it'll be the last time he'll ever see her again.

Short answer from the universe? He was wrong. He was so wrong.,

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

Marinette waits outside of the CEO's office, still stewing from that guy's condescending attitude. Not even Nooroo's gentle pat could calm down her rage. She hopes that she won't see that guy soon because as much as she prides her ability to control her emotions she wouldn't count herself to not slap the guy silly.

"Ms Dupain-Cheng, Mr Wayne is ready for your interview." Called the lovely secretary who gave her an encouraging smile.

Marinette shoot out from her seat and nodded excitedly. "Thank you! I'm ready now." She said as she pats down her skirt to smooth any wrinkles away. She marched confidently to the office and greet the familiar man with a bright smile.

"M Wayne! We meet again!"

"Ah, Marinette. I can call you that right?"

She nodded with a confident smile as she approach his desk and waited next to the chair in front of him waiting for his permission.

"Oh! Please, sit-sit! I'm sure you already know what we're going to do today?" He asked with a pleasant smile. Marinette took a seat and gave a small shrug.

"I have to say, M Wayne. Madame Bourgeois informed me on such short notice that I'm afraid my preparation would not be as much as I wanted." She explained elegantly.

"Really? Audrey gave you such short notice? Do you want to reschedule the interview?" Bruce offered fully expecting her to accept the new agreement, instead, Marinette shook her head.

"Oh, no. I'm ready." She confidently declined. "I have a point to prove." She added with a smirk. Bruce chuckled and with that, the interview starts.

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

Marinette didn't know how they even moved to this topic but right now, instead of interviewing, Marinette is eagerly pointing out the flaws of Batman's hero costume as well as the early Robins costume. Thankfully, Bruce didn't seem put off instead he was listening very intently and even took some notes from her rant. It was pretty surrealistic.

The interview had started out great and it didn't feel like she was being interviewed for a job position, to be honest. They talk about her ability to plan on her feet and anticipate unexpected occurrences. They talk about how she manages Audrey's schedule and made sure the company runs smoothly if one of the others is not present in HQ. Bruce even asked about how she handles difficult business partners or clients and considering the pleased smile on his face she felt like she nailed this interview. At one point, Bruce had asked about her fashion business and Marinette had excitedly explained how she started the business when she was thirteen during the heights of Hawkmoth's reign of terror. All in all, she would consider this a success!

While she was going to move on to talk about the atrocious colour shade that the first Robin had, Bruce Wayne's secretary had come inside the office to inform them about the fitting appointment that they had in one of the reserved meeting rooms. So, they ended the interview there and leave the office while discussing a new topic which is about capes.

"I'm just saying M Wayne, I just think that they should invest in an easily removed cape system. Imagine if the enemy manages to get their hands on the cape? Disaster!" She rants as Bruce frowned thoughtfully.

"You may have a point. Anyways, perhaps we should shelve this conversation for another time. We're here." He said as he opened the meeting room to show that there was already someone inside. "Ah! You're here, perfect. Marinette, I'd like to introduce you to my son. Richard Grayson."

Before either person could introduce themself they both gasped dramatically and pointed at each other with a different variety of shock.

"YOU!"

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

Taglist: @timinette-is-bestbest, @peach-blueberry-pie, @tinybrie, @taewinterbear95, @its-maemain, @flyhighdreamer, @kokoroluna @kitsun3699 @lilfuturescarss @kaimodius @sinoffalsejudgement @night-ngale @laydeekrayzee @fauxnormal @stella17luna @plz-excuse-my-inner-gay @ae-vixrose @toodaloo-kangaroo @ascetic-orange @l-of-the-gbt @lex-am @hemeraandnyxx @tbehartoo @babylovebug18 @allis-sun @wheredoesonegetnameideas @coolspidermanmusicflower @ascetic-orange @th3crypt1d @kamarallil @0anodite0 @talafairy(Tell me if you want to be a part of the taglist!)

[dotster001]

Floyd's Birthday Gift

Summary: Floyd x gn!reader. Jade enlists your "help" with a gift for Floyd.

A/N: I felt bad about being mean to Floyd in "Enemies to Lovers" on his birthday, so I'm making up for it.

"If you ever want to squeeze your precious shrimpy again, you'll have to defeat my terrifying monster!"

"Save me, Floyd."

"This is such a useless waste of time."

                           Two Hours Earlier

"Good morning, Prefect."

"Morning Jade. Happy Birthday!"

"Ah yes. As I suspected. You are aware of Floyd and my birthday today. I assume you have a gift planned," Jade said with a calm close eyed smile.

"Yeah," you said, reaching for one of the gift bags you had just finished wrapping, and handing it to him.

"I was gonna wait for the party to give you guys your gifts, but since you're here."

He grabbed it, but made no move to open it. 

"You have my thanks. That said, I have a…better gift idea for Floyd, If you will indulge me. Fufufu," he said, and suddenly you felt a chill run down your spine at the dark light in his eyes.

                                 ….

Floyd entered a very empty VIP room, only to notice a large note with his name clearly written on it. He lazily sauntered over to the note, and read it.

Dearest Floyd,

Your Shrimp is in another castle. Take the portal to home, and you will find them awaiting you. Come alone, or you will never see them alive again.

Jade

The letter was on the floor as a very excited eel ran to the mirror chamber.

                                     ….

You heard him before you saw him. 

After Jade had kindly asked you to help with Floyd's gift, tied you up and pressed an underwater potion to your lips, you had been helplessly floating while Jade kept an eye on you to make sure you didn't float off. 

Meanwhile, Azul, who you assumed had also been politely asked to participate, had chosen to remain in his human form, and was glaring at a very happy Jade.

"Jade, I don't think he's coming. He's probably more excited about the party than whatever…this…is," on the word this, he gave a pointed stare at you, as you attempted, yet again, to wriggle out of your ropes.

Then you heard it. The displacement of water and a zooming sound that could only be….

"Shrimpy! I've come to rescue you!" Floyd bellowed, but his happy smile betrayed him.

"Hey Floyd, I…ow." Jade elbowed you, and you rolled your eyes, and said in a dull tone. "Floyd, thank the sevens you came to save me, I thought I would perish at the hands of this fiend."

Jade laughed a villainous laugh, "Fu Fu Fu You have fallen straight into my trap! If you ever want to squeeze your precious shrimpy again, you'll have to defeat my terrifying monster!" 

He gestured dramatically at Azul, who simply rolled his eyes. Jade once again elbowed you, and you sighed.

"Save me, Floyd."

"This is such a useless waste of time," Azul finally spoke up. "I'm glad I didn't change forms for this because that would have been BWAH!"

He was cut off by Floyd tackling him, and trapping him in a headlock.

"Give up, evil beast! Shrimpy is mine!" He cackled.

"You win!" Azul wheezed, not putting up any fight. Floyd tossed him to the side, and Jade began slowly and ominously clapping.

"Well, well, well. You may have defeated my monster, but now you must face me!" His eyes glinted darkly, and, even though his gaze wasn't directed at you, you gulped.

They both quickly started wrestling. It was definitely play wrestling, like watching two puppies playing together. They even nipped and grunted at eachother. 

But soon, Floyd held Jade in a headlock, with an arm pinned behind his back, and laughed gleefully.

"I win! Which means…" he swam over to you and tossed you, still tied up, over one of his shoulders.

"Wait, Floyd! Aren't you going to untie me?" You asked, beginning to mildly panic at the turn you saw this taking.

"Nah. You're my prisoner now. Why would I let you go?"

As he swam away, you thought you could hear Jade call to Floyd, "Enjoy your birthday gift!"

....

Tag list- @shytastemakerthing

[pumpkin-cake]

U.A. Boys - Dates With Them

(includes izuku midoriya, katsuki bakugou, shoto todoroki, tenya iida, eijirou kirishima, denki kaminari, mezo shoji, fumikage tokoyami, mirio togata, tamaki amajiki)

warnings - none

midoriya doesn’t really need to do anything fancy to have a great time with you!

he’s up for whatever you feel like doing, whether that’s a movie date or going for a picnic.

during whatever date, he’ll always find a way to start rambling about whatever crosses his mind. Whether that be heroes or how incredible you are.

he is VERY stressed throughout

wants to impress you!

midoriya ALWAYS asks if he can initiate touch with you

“um…do you think we can hold hands..?”

“tch, a date? yeah, whatever. let’s just go to my place. we don’t need some fancy restaurant, i can do WAY better!!”

doesn’t let you lift a single finger while he prepares dinner for you

like midoriya, katsuki wants to impress you, but will never ever admit it

you eventually inquire why he was so persistent on cooking instead of just taking you somewhere

“oh please! i can make better food than whatever crappy place you probably wanted to go to!”

turns out, he was absolutely right

he smirks at the stars in your eyes when you take the first bite

“told ya.”

his brain froze

what did people do for dates?

immediately he texted midoriya

he was told to take you to a place you might like to go

maybe…the beach?

shoto regretted it as soon as you showed up

not because of anything bad!

you just looked amazingly stunning in your swimsuit- he didn’t think he could handle it

his eyes widened, quickly getting himself together as you came over to the spot where he had set up his own towel, an umbrella, and a cooler filled with drinks and snacks, just in case you needed them

you didn’t use the drinks much, instead requesting he use his right side to cool you off

you instantly shut down his idea of a study date

screw that, you wanted to do something fun!

iida insisted he treat you, so he took you to a restaurant

absolutely the best gentleman the world had ever seen

opening any door for you no matter what, kindly pulling out your seat, and asking frequently if everything was going alright or if you needed anything

when the food came out, he instantly noticed yours was wrong, and was highly puzzled when you started to eat it anyway

he called the waiter over politely, ignoring your pleas for him to just leave it

“excuse me, we’re sorry to bother you, but my partner here didn’t get the food they requested. may they get the correct dish?”

your face was beet red, extremely embarrassed, but the waiter was very apologetic, and your correct food was out very quickly

thank god for iida and his non-fear of socializing

GYM DATE !!!!!!!!!

he was so hyped, it was absolutely adorable

you weren’t as much of a gym-rat as eijirou was, but you were willing to let him teach you the ropes

his encouragement meant everything

“you’re doing so much better than i expected! well I obviously expected you to do great, but you’re doing AMAZING!”

you were very sweaty and gross, but he didn’t say a single word about it, making sure you stayed hydrated and spotting you during certain activities

when you finished your workout, he took you to a nice park and the two of you had lunch he had made, enjoying each other’s company

i have this headcanon that denki skateboards

skatepark!

luckily, it was relatively empty when you two arrived, and denki was immediately on his skateboard littered with stickers

you, with roller skates, followed him and the two of you were zooming around like nothing could stop you

unfortunately, something did, and some idiot ran right into you and caused you to fall and scrape your knee

kami was pissed

“HEY! watch where you’re going!”

quickly came to your aid and cleaned the wound with the water bottle he brought and make sure to take good care of you

shoji would rather cut off one of his arms than go out anywhere in public

he really hated people gawking at him due to his “ugly” quirk

so, the two of you had a nice movie date!

you had set up a huge blanket fort large enough to fit both you and shoji in it, and stocked up on snacks and drinks

after agreeing on a movie, the two of you got comfortable

eventually, you couldn’t keep your eyes open and shoji felt a sudden weight on his shoulder

while you peacefully slept, he gingerly took you in his arms, cradling your sleeping figure

when you woke up, you were in his dupli-arms, and he was fast asleep, so you chose to just go back to sleep too

dark shadow INSISTED you guys do something at night

he wanted to participate too!

after fumikage and dark shadow argued for a bit, you came up with the idea of a fireworks show that was coming up

both birdies compromised and agreed

although the fireworks show was very popular, and immediately dark shadow got uncomfortable with the crowd

plus, you could hardly even see the fireworks :(

“come on, we can get a better view”

without another word, dark shadow latched onto fumikage’s back and he grabbed you and held him to his chest, and the three of you flew into the air

you shrieked, but it was over fast as you landed on a building with the perfect view of the fireworks, and the three of you sat there in awe

it was like he turned into a ten year old

“LET’S GO TO AN AMUSEMENT PARK!!”

he excitedly rambled to you while he drove, talking about all the rides and games he wanted to do with you

it was so cute

you made sure to stop him and have him put on sunscreen before you guys went into the park

while mirio was chatting about where you guys should go first, you were actually taking the time to grab a map and plan everything out

you were convinced mirio would get lost if you didn’t have a plan

if you were afraid of any ride, he’d instantly encourage you that he would be there if anything happened

you had the time of your life on the rollercoasters with him, his infectious laughter filling you with pure joy the entire day

you weren’t a sadist, but it was quite funny seeing tamaki struggle at the ice rink

you convinced him to go ice skating with you, assuring him you would teach him and hold his hands on the ice

he was quaking as soon as his skates were put on, legs wobbling as he stood up on the blades

you offered your arm and he gripped it tightly, anxiously stepping with you to the ice

he about slipped as soon as he went onto the ice, and it took you about ten minutes to coax him off the wall

you skated backwards with both his hands in yours, calmly encouraging him and giving him tips on how to move his body

he eventually got the hang of it, and he upgraded to skating next to you while holding only one of your hands

once you stepped off the ice, he actually looked like he had fun, a cute smile on his face

“let’s go there again sometime..!”

[thewhiskersonkittens]

Call Me

Pairing: Nick “Goose” Bradshaw x Female Reader. 

Summary: After you both find yourselves suddenly single right around Valentine’s Day, you and Nick “Goose” Bradshaw give the “Single's Connection” dating line a call on impulse. You both are pleasantly surprised with what you find on the other end of the line. 📞💋🔥

Warnings: Smut, strong s*xual dialogue, curse words. phone s*x, m*sturb*tion, Goose being a freak, sleazy late-night TV commercials, outrageous landline phone bills in the pre-Internet era. Minors please DNI! 18+.

Word Count: 5,713.

A/N: Minors please DNI! 18+. You are responsible for the content you choose to consume. I did a little bit of research on the old 1-900 numbers that used to be advertised for this sort of thing. I’m sure what I describe here in the story isn’t 100% accurate as to how those phone numbers worked exactly but I kindly ask to be overlooked on that.

Hope you enjoy my trashy mind. ;)

Goose sighed as he slumped into the recliner in his apartment on base. He ran his hand through his dirty blond hair. He didn't know why he was getting so worked up. Valentine's Day wasn't a real holiday, or at least it shouldn't be. It was just pure commercialism. It was something chicks made a big deal about and dudes went along with it just to keep their girl happy. But there was something painful about being dumped right before Valentine's Day. It hurt like hell.

His date to a party at the Officer's Club had canceled last minute. She was now the third consecutive dud Goose had in the dating world. He had no problem meeting attractive women, especially with Maverick by his side, but it seemed like it always went nowhere. 

"Don't worry, Goose," Maverick told him in the Miramar locker room after training was complete for the day. The pilot quietly told him he would check with Charlie and see if she knew anyone to fill the spot. Goose only shook his head no.

"Thanks, Mav, you're a real pal. But I'll pass. By the way, you do know you and Hot Teacher Lady aren't exactly a secret, right?"

Maverick and Charlie's relationship was obvious to anyone with a fully functional brain and set of eyes. It was kind of funny watching Maverick trying to keep it under wraps. Goose's best friend was anything but subtle.

Back in his apartment, Goose took a swig from a half empty bottle of Budweiser that he had left on his coffee table. He washed down the lukewarm liquid as he flipped on the TV.

He scanned through the channels, not really looking for anything other a mindless distraction. He landed on a commercial featuring a buxom, platinum blonde.

"I'm tired of being alone!" She proclaimed through the television.

"Yeah, you and me both, honey," Goose bitterly said out loud more to himself than to the woman in the box.

"That's why I'm calling the Single's Connection!" The woman went on.

The camera zoomed in on a shot of her picking up the phone and dialing.

A montage of other ridiculously good looking people smiling and chatting on the phone played as a sultry female voice over narrated:

"Talk to real singles in your area now! It's a fun, easy way to meet someone new and it's always discreet. Give the "Singles Connection" a call at 1-900..."

Goose couldn't help but scoff.

"I'm sure all these hotties must have a really, really hard time in the dating department."

Goose joked as he watched the obviously paid spokes-models on the screen, polishing off the rest of his beer.

The first woman from before appeared back on the screen.

"What are you waiting for?! Call me now and let's make a connection!"

The commercial ended and switched to a different one.

"Call me now and let's make a connection!" Goose mimicked.

What a crock of shit. He thought as he sat down his beer bottle. His eyes flickered to the cordless phone on his table. He raised an eyebrow as he stared at it. It was as if the device was silently daring him. He had never once entertained the idea of actually calling those dating hotlines. He figured a guy must be really desperate to resort to doing that and the girls on the other end were probably nowhere as sexy as the commercial portrayed.

"Nahhh..." Goose laughed at himself as he shook his head.

Yet, curiosity got the best of him. He picked up the handset and pulled out the long antenna.

"God, this is so stupid," He muttered. "I can't believe I'm actually doing this."

He punched in the number and went through all the prompts. It apparently was one of those lines where you left a voice recording of you describing yourself and what you were looking for and if someone was interested they would give you a call.

"Hi, ladies, my name's Goose." He spoke into the receiver. "I'm six foot two, one hundred and seventy pounds. I have dark blond hair and brown eyes. For a living I...well, let's just say I have the most bitchin' job in the world. It's guaranteed to make your ex jealous. I'm not rich but I do know how to show a girl a good time. I hope you like the Grand Slams at Denny's and don't mind being picked up in a pretty rad Ford truck. In my spare time, I like playing the piano and singing "Great Balls of Fire" at the top of my lungs and pissing off my peers with my best friend. Anyway, I'm looking for a girl who thinks Valentine's Day sucks as much as I do and is bored and just wants to talk. Yeah, I don't have very high standards. I guess that's pretty obvious, huh? I mean, here I am calling the “Singles Connection” after all. So if you think I'm the stud for you, give me a ring. And by the way, I do have a mustache and I wear Hawaiian shirts in public with no shame. But don't let that scare you off. I'll rock your world, honey. "

Goose could hardly keep a straight face as he ended the message with his phone number. He figured no girl would ever respond to such a silly message.

With a chuckle he put the phone back in the cradle. He got up to go finish the previous night's dishes and when he was done he returned to the recliner and dozed in and out of sleep while watching some more TV.

A few hours later, the phone started ringing, stirring him awake.

Goose looked at the phone ringing and glanced at his watch. It was almost midnight. Who was calling this late?

...

"Hello?" Goose answered. No one said anything. "Hello?" He tried again.

He heard nothing but a faint gasp and the sound of a click. The caller on the other end hung up. Goose looked at the phone in his hand in disbelief.

A minute later, it rang again. He answered on the second ring and hesitated before speaking.

"Helllooo?" Goose asked, slowly and carefully.

A deep breath was inhaled and exhaled on the other end. Finally, a female voice spoke.

"Um, yes, hello," You said, timidly. "Uh, hi. Is this...Goose?"

You sounded so unsure.

"The one and only," Goose replied.

You cleared your throat, took another deep breath and said:

"Hi, there. I'm Y/ N. I heard your message on the Single's Connection."

Goose about shot up out of his chair when he realized what was going on. He had practically forgotten about calling that number and that silly message he left.

"Holy shit...." He leaned forward and clasped his hand over his mouth.

"Is this a bad time?" There was a hint of disappointment in your voice.

"No, no, no!" Goose assured. He chuckled. "I'm sorry. It's just...I didn't expect anyone to actually call me back."

"I'm sorry for hanging up on you earlier," You explained. "It's just I've never done this before. You know, call one of these 1-900 numbers."

"Yeah, it's the first time for me, too." Goose said.

You both breathed a sigh of relief. It made you both calm down and relax.

Goose leaned back in his chair.

"Well, I'm...I'm glad you called! So, you say your name is Y/N? That's a really pretty name."

"Aww, thanks," You replied. "But Goose isn't your real name. Is it?"

Goose laughed. "Hehe. It might as well be. In my line of work it's what everyone calls me."

You smiled on the other end of the line.

"What line of work is that?"

 Goose smiled proudly.

"I'm in the Navy. For now, stationed right here in sunny San Diego. I ride in the back of some really bad ass jets. I'm basically like an extra set of eyes for my pilot. I play with the radio and watch the radar, among other things. If we happen to come across an enemy pilot, we keep up foreign relations. Communicate with the single finger salute. We're really friendly like that, you know. All in all...it's...it's..."

He pretended to struggle to find the words. "It's pretty much the best damn job in the world."

You were giggling on the other end.

 "Wow, yeah! That does sound really cool. Bitchin', I think is what you called it?"

Goose laughed, remembering he had said that in his message. "Yes, ma'am.  Bitchin'."

You spent a few minutes telling him what you did for a living and described what you looked like. You cleared your throat and shifted in your bed. You pressed the receiver closer, so close the pressure started to hurt your ear so you loosened up a bit.

"Hey, um," You start. "I hope you don't mind me asking this... " You take another breath. "But I gotta know something. You know, before we go on..."

"Ask away. I'm an open book."

You laugh nervously. "So..you aren't married, right?"

You grimaced at the thought. Messing around with a married man, even just over the phone, was a line you wouldn't cross.

At first Goose was a little bit taken aback by the question. But it was a reasonable question to ask. Just because it was called the "Single's Connection" didn't mean only single people used the service.

 "Oh, God, no!" He said. "Nah, no lucky lady has claimed me yet."

 He paused and thought about it.

 "Are you?!" He asked, quickly. "You know, married?"

You exhaled a breath you didn't realize you were holding.

"Oh, God, no!" You repeated.

"No, I'm not married. I'm single as a freakin' Pringle!"

You immediately thought that sounded like a such a dorky thing to say but you smiled when you heard him laughing.

"Well, good," Goose said, relieved as much as you were. "That's...that's a very good thing to know."

"That's part of the reason why I called tonight," You told him. He didn't respond and you went on:

"I, uh...um...God, I don't know why I'm telling you this. But I just wanted to talk to someone tonight." You paused and twisted the telephone cord around your finger.

"Well, talk to me, honey. I'll listen. That's why I called, too. Just to talk. All jokes aside. "

His voice was so soothing and friendly. You had only been speaking to this guy for a few minutes but he seemed really warm and funny just like he did on his message. Not at all like some creep you expected to get on these hotlines. It also sounded like he had a little bit of twang when he spoke. A sweet Southern man, you thought.

"So you know it's Valentine's Day this weekend, right? I was supposed to go with my boyfriend on this romantic getaway..." You paused and then quickly clarified:

"My now EX boyfriend, that is! Anyway, so we had these plans set months in advance. We were going to go to this really nice cabin resort in Colorado. Oh God, the pictures of it looked so beautiful. But I found out he's been sneaking around on me! He's been hooking up with his ex for weeks."

You scoffed at reliving it all. "Maybe even longer than that. Shit, I don't know. I feel like such a fool. We had been together awhile now. And I thought...I actually thought...we'd...God. I thought this trip was where he would ask me to marry him."

Your voice cracked at the end but you weren't crying or even tearing up. You had no tears to waste on a cheater.

"I guess I thought wrong, huh?" You concluded.

Goose remained silent for a moment. He wasn't exactly sure what to say to a story like that. He went with the first thing that popped into his mind.

"You were going to go on a romantic getaway to Colorado?!" He asked, incredulous. "What's so romantic about having snow all the way up to your ass?!"

You burst out laughing while Goose went on.

"I mean, no offense, dear, but Hawaii is where it's at!"

"Pffft!, " You playfully spit. "Oh, please! Yeah, Hawaii is nice but it's so cliche. Everyone goes to Hawaii! Or the Bahamas. Or the Virgin Islands. Or the Florida Keys..."

"Yeah, cause they know warm weather is better than freezing-your-nuts-off weather anytime!" Goose interjected.

You both laughed. God, this girl is really sweet. Goose thought. You had such a sweet, lovely voice and you described yourself so pretty. Of course, there was the possibility you were lying about that but he knew you weren't. You were very pretty. Inside and out. He just knew it.

"No, but seriously, Y/N," Goose said. "I'm sorry that happened to you, sugar. And here I was sitting 'round moping just because I had a date cancel on me. You got it much worse. You deserve way better. You dumped his sorry ass, right?"

"Absolutely!" You confirmed. "No regrets. I figure I dodged a bullet."

"Good girl."

Something about that made you shift. Underneath the sheets you felt a tingling sensation in between your legs. It was the other part of the reason why you called. You were looking to get off. It had been awhile.

"Hey, um, Goose? There's something else...I,um, hehe... there's something else. I don't know...if you'd even be up for it?"

"Yes? What is it, honey?"

He really should stop calling you the pet names. He had no idea what it was doing to you or perhaps he did? You assumed it was just a thing that came naturally to him, being from the South and all.

"So..." You began. You told yourself to grow up and just spit it out.

"I know we both said we just wanted to talk but the truth is..."

You trailed off. You took another deep breath and put it out there.

"I'm all alone and I'm feeling...like I need someone to help me release some tension."

Your voice had a slight change in it. You wondered if he knew what you were getting at. He sure did.

Lord have mercy. Goose thought. Somebody pinch me. This is too good to be true! Phone sex was one of his biggest kinks. He had done it before with previous girlfriends especially while being on a lengthy deployment. He always ended up regretting it when he got the phone bill but it was one weakness he couldn't resist.

"Goose?" You asked, worried he might have hung up. "Are you still there?"

“Yeah, I'm still here," He said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"So...just to make things clear. You're feeling horny, honey? And you want me to talk dirty to you? Is that it?"

You felt your cheeks get hot and you were certain you were blushing every shade of red right now.

"Is that right, Y/N?" Goose asked. His voice had become more honeyed and an octave deeper. He had turned on his bedroom voice.

"Yes," You breathlessly admitted. "Yes, Goose. That's right."

"Oh, honeyyy...," His always drawl came out thicker when he felt turned on which was happening rapidly even though nothing had got started yet. "I'd be more than happy to help you!"

You felt the tingling sensation in between your legs again and this time it felt like it was starting to throb.

"OK, so what do I do?" You asked, softly, your heart beating faster. "I've never done this before."

"That's all right. Where are you right now?"

"I'm in my bed."

Goose hummed. "OK, that's good. What are you wearing?"

You looked down at yourself as if you forgotten what you had on. You told him you had on an old cotton T shirt and shorts. You realized you hadn't exactly thought this whole thing through.

"Yeah, I'm not exactly in my sexiest attire," You joked. "I told you this is my first time doing something like this."

"Hey, that's A OK with me, baby," Goose reassured. He asked if you wearing anything underneath.

"No?"

"Great. Take them off. All of it. The shirt and the shorts."

"I'll have to set the phone down for just a second."

"Take your time, sweetheart."

You flung back your bed sheets and did as Goose instructed. The cool air in your bedroom made your unclothed body pebble up but you knew you weren't going to stay cold for long.

"I'm back," You said, raising the receiver to your ear again.

Goose shut his eyes trying to picture you, lying naked on your bed right now. He bet it was a really pretty picture.

He opened his eyes and continued.

"All right. I want you to close your eyes and take a deep breath for me. Clear your mind. C'mon, honey, close your eyes and take a deep breath. This won't work if you're not completely relaxed."

You scooted yourself all the way back on your bed so that your back was flush with your head board. You both took a few deep breathes together.

"Keep your eyes closed for me." Goose told you. "I want you to imagine something. Think about your snowy Colorado cabin, OK? Think about how beautiful it is."

"OK," You whispered. You concentrated very hard.

"I want you to really picture it, honey. Picture the most cozy, comfy log cabin. It's big and spacious. There's a King size bed. With super soft red and black plaid sheets. There's a wood burning stove in the corner. There's a nice, crackling fire going. It's the only source of light in the whole room besides a few candles that are lit. Inside it smells like oranges, cinnamon and cloves. All those sweet winter smells. On the table, there's a bouquet of two dozen long stem red roses and a basket with wine and chocolates. Outside, it's snowing. It's a light fluffy snow and it's coming down at a steady pace."

"Mmmm..." You hummed. It all started to take shape in your mind. "You make it sound so lovely."

"There's floor to ceiling windows." Goose continued. "No shades. No curtains. No blinds. If there was anyone standing outside, they could see right in. They'd have a perfect view of you. Lying completely naked on the bed..."

Goose was looking straight ahead but the only thing he could see was the picture he was painting with his words.

"But there's no one there," He whispered low into the receiver. "There's no one there but you and me, baby."

Your breath hitched as the fantasy started to turn sexual.

"Can you feel me, baby?" Goose asked. "I'm right there with you in the bed. I'm naked, too. I'm on top of you. We're looking into each other's eyes and I'm stroking your hair..."

"Are you kissing me?" You asked. You had the phone receiver nestled in the crook of your neck. You were starting to move your hands up and down and all over your body. You were feeling much more relaxed.

Goose smiled. "Mmm...yes, honey. I'm kissing you. Kissing your soft, sweet lips..."

Goose moaned just thinking about it.

"Your tongue on mine. Over and over and over. I'm kissing you all over your body. Mmmm...kissing your pretty little face. Kissing your chin and then right along your jawline. All the way down your neck...mmmm...You feel my mustache tickling your skin, baby?"

You giggled. "Mmmm...I bet it does tickle!"

"It's going tickle you everywhere. Everywhere."

You moaned at the scene playing out in your mind. You began to toy with your pebbled nipples and it made you start squirming.

"What are you doing, baby?" Goose asked. "Are you touching yourself already?"

"I'm playing with my nipples," You replied and you hear him make a throaty noise. "Are you going to suck on them, daddy? I want you to."

You had no idea if Goose was into the "daddy" kink thing. You knew from your experience some guys were and some guys weren't. His moan on the other end of the line confirmed he didn't mind it.

"Hold that thought, honey." Goose said.

Goddamn, this girl is going to be the death of me. He thought as he sat the handset down so he could pull off his shirt. He unbuttoned his jeans and unzipped the fly. He was getting harder and harder by the minute. He moved a box of tissues closer. He was definitely going to need them later.

"You there?" Goose asked when he picked up again.

"I'm here, baby, " You breathed, still stimulating your nipples with wet fingertips. "I'm here with you in the cabin. We're in the sheets. You're kissing me all over. You were going to give my nipples some attention."

"Mmm, yes, " Goose started to palm himself over his underwear. "I bet you got luscious titties, don't you? Do you like it when daddy kisses your titties, baby? Kiss, lick, suck." He made a popping noise as if he just sucked and released one of your nipples. "I love me some titties, darlin'."

"Who doesn't?" You said and you both laughed.

"That's true. Very true!" Goose agreed.

There were two types of people in the world as far as he was concerned. Those who love titties and those who lied about not loving titties.

"Are you going to titty fuck me, daddy?" You asked.

It caught Goose so off guard he didn't recognize his own voice when he made an ungodly moan and almost dropped the handset. He never had a woman ask him to do that before. Over the phone or in-person. It made him pull himself out of his underwear and let his now raging hard-on be free.

"Oh, honeyyy," He drawled. "Fuck yesss..."

You crossed your arms over your stomach so your breasts pressed together.

"Just like that, baby," You begged, picturing him sliding up and down in between your breasts. "Feels so good...mmm...yes, that's it..."

Goose couldn't help but be slightly amused.

"You're a little freak, aren't you?"

You gasped.

"So are you!" You defended with a laugh.

"Of course I am!" Goose licked his lips. “I’m a man after all and I’m in the Navy. It goes without saying. Aww, yes, honey...I'm fuckin' those great titties of yours."

He was steadily stroking himself now. You reached down in between your legs and started rubbing your nub with your manicured hand. You both continued to go back and forth about what you were doing to each other. You were going to put him in your mouth and suck him off. He was going to continue his journey down the length of your body. Kissing, licking, sucking, he assured you he would leave hickeys all over your skin.

"Don't worry," Goose told you . "They'll all be in places where nobody can see."

"Mmm...you're such a gentleman, " You teased. "Turns me on even more."

Goose snickered. "Hehe. I might be a gentleman but trust me, baby, before it's all over, I'll have you acting very unlady-like."

You sighed. "God, yes, please...."

Goose told you about how he was going to use both his mouth and fingers on you.

"I'm in between your legs now, honey. You taste so fuckin' good. Mmmm...You feel it? I like to take my time. Licking that pretty pussy of yours. Over and over and over. Is it pretty, isn't it, darlin'? Pretty just like the rest of you. Then I'm gonna take my fingers..."

He paused and gave them a wiggle before he went on:

"I'm going to take my fingers...my middle and ring fingers...and I'm gonna push them in and out. In and out, baby. Real slow at first..."

You had long since slid down your headboard and you were writhing in your sheets and moaning and panting heavy into the phone. The more this went on, the hotter it got and the more real it seemed.

"That's right, honey, " Goose praised you. "You feel these fingers in you? In and out. Mmm...and I'm still licking you. Mmmm...I'm going to go a little faster. Yeah, faster, faster. That's right. You're getting so wet for me."

You whimpered. "Yesss...Oh God, yes!"

It was true. You were getting wetter and wetter. You rubbed yourself faster.

"That's right, honey." Goose encouraged, loving hearing how you were getting more and more worked up.

"How hard are you right now?" You asked. "You gonna put it in me, baby? I want you inside of me."

Goose looked down and saw he was hard as a rock. He pumped himself faster.

"I'm ready for you, sweetheart. I'm so ready."

He pictured you naked and turned on and all spread eagle for him. It was a gorgeous sight. He just knew it.

"You feel me?" He asked. "I'm right up against you. I'm rubbing against you right now. You ready, darlin'?"

"Please!"  You cried.

"I'm going in, sugar." Goose's breathing was becoming as heavy and as labored as yours. "I'm inside you now. You feel so good, baby. Yesss, so damn good. Mmm...You feel me sliding inside of you? Mmm...In and out. In and out..."

"Don't stop!" You practically wailed. You were rubbing yourself vigorously.  

"Aww, no, no, no," Goose grinned. "No, baby. I'm not stopping. I'm just getting started. In and out....Mmm... You're so fuckin' good... You feel so good...You feel the rhythm, baby? The nice rhythm we got going?"

Goose exhaled. "Ahhh. You feel soooo good!"

He had no doubt in his mind that in real life you felt incredible.

"Harder.." Your plea was just a breathy moan. Goose heard it but decided to tease you a little bit.

"What's that, darlin'? What did you say?"

You were so wet at this point you were starting to leave wet spots on your sheets.

"Harder, daddy, please!" You begged. Your back was arched and while your one hand was busy stimulating yourself, your other hand was putting your fingers in your mouth.

"Ah, you want me to fuck you harder, honey? You like it rough? Can you handle it, baby?"

Goose was starting to wonder how much more he himself could handle. You both were moaning in unison, both of you getting closer and closer.

"I'm right above you," Goose said. "I'm holding you down and I'm driving my hips into you. Over and over. Mmm...faster and faster...Mmm...you feel so fuckin' good! ...Yesss...So deep inside you...Hehe...I can hear how wet you are, honey..."

It was true. The noises you making were becoming obscene.

Goose couldn't help but feel a bit of an ego boost.

"You're making me feel so proud, honey. Keep it up. Atta girl. Yeah, that's it! Come and take it, baby! It's all yours!"

You weren't going to last much longer.

"Holy shit!" You cried. "I'm gonna...I'm gonna..."

"You gonna do what, baby? You gonna come for me? Is that it? I want you to."

You were a blubbering, whimpering mess. It was all you could do was moan into the phone. Your legs were shaking.

Goose was still pumping away.

"Ah, I love those sounds you're making," He groaned. "Like music to my ears, honey. Come on, baby. Yeah, that's good. Mmm...You can come, baby. I'll let you..."

He sucked in a sharp breath as he felt his own crescendo about to happen.

He cradled the phone in the crook of his neck as he reached for a handful of tissues.

"Come with me, darlin'," Goose egged you on. "Come with me. Come on...you can do it. You can do it, baby. Come with me...Ahhh!!!"

"Ohhh, babyyy!!! " You managed to cry. It seemed to be the thing that finally made you both come undone. Your whole body spasmed as you rode out your climax, uncontrollably moaning into the phone. You heard him grunting in rapid succession and knew he was feeling the release too.

You both listened to each other catch your breath for a minute.

Goose chuckled. "Look what you made me do, honey. I made a mess."

You were still trying to come back down to earth. You continued to ride your pleasure wave with little breaths, moans, and whimpers.

"So?..." Goose asked. He discarded the used tissues in the trash can and reached for his pack of Marlboro's. "How are you feeling now?"

He was hoping he helped you out at least a little bit. You certainly helped him.

You cleared your throat, still trying to recover. You opened your mouth to say something but you couldn't help but start giggling. Softly at first and eventually it became a giggle fit. You felt good. So good. Better than good.

Goose smiled listening to you. He, too, began to chuckle as he lit a cigarette and took a drag.

"As long as you're laughing with me and not at me!" He said. "Ahhh...You sound so pretty when you laugh. So? You have a good time, honey?"

You finally found your voice to speak:

"You were fantastic...Incredible."

It was no lie. You wondered if he could make you feel all that over the phone, then he must be dynamite in-person.

"You know, for a guy who said he thinks Valentine's Day sucks," You reminded him of what he said in his message. "You're actually quite the romantic, aren't you?"

You knew deep down he had to be. After coming up with the whole romantic cabin scenario on a whim like that.

Goose laughed. "You caught me, baby. Guilty as charged."

It was true. He was a romantic. A hopeless one, if he was being honest with himself.

"How was I? You know, my first time over the phone and all?" You asked.

Goose thought about telling you that was some of the hottest sex he'd ever had. Instead, he said:

"Perfect. Just...perfect. You were perfect."

"You're not at all what I expected when I called the number," You told him. You told him how you expected to get some creep or a desperate loser or both, neither of which he turned out to be.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, honey," Goose joked. "No, in all seriousness, you're not what I expected either. I didn't expect anything much other than an outrageous phone bill..."

He trailed off and you both groaned simultaneously, remembering how expensive calls to hotlines can run.

"Hey, Y/N?" Goose started. "This might sound kind of crazy but...could I call you, sometime? Outside this hotline?"

He really liked you and wanted to keep talking to you. If it kept going as well as it did, maybe the two of you could meet in person. Perhaps make the fantasy a reality?

"Sure, Goose," You replied, warmly. "I'd like that."

You definitely wanted to keep in touch.

After you gave him your number he said:

"Nick."

"What?"

Goose ran a hand through his hair and grinned.

"My real name. It's Nick."

You smiled.

"Well then, Nick. It's been a pleasure." 

In more ways than one! You thought. "Good night."

"Likewise," Goose drawled. "Oh and hey, by the way...Happy Valentine's Day, honey."

[glowstick-cafe]

♡Give me a sign♡

Kenma x mute!reader

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: No pronouns are used, reader is black

Summary: You're a new student entering Nekoma High, and a certain blonde haired boy has taken a liking to you.

A/n: DW DADDY'S HOME YALL 😩

_______________________________________

Kenma was walking to school with his friend, Kuroo Tetsuro, and then we saw them. Zooming past him on a skateboard was someone he hadn't seen before, at first he was annoyed due to him being a little startled by the sudden speed but decided it was worth it.

Kenma sat in class doodling on his desk listening to the chit chat of his classmates, until the teacher called for the attention of the class.

That's when you walked in.

Your hair was a mess and your uniform was somehow worse, it looked as if you had just gotten into a fight and a small band-aid was stickered to your cheek. You shot the class a polite smile and a bow.

"Class, this is (Y/n), they cannot speak. So please treat them kindly.

"(Y/n), please take a seat next to Kenma Kozume." The teacher asked, the blonde raised his hand so you could find your seat easier. Whispers began to circle around the class as soon as you took your seat, during the class Kenma couldn't help but take the moment to get a look at you, you were focused on jotting down notes in your book, and the boy noticed the small bite marks on your pencil. Though you weren't looking at the boy you chuckled to yourself knowing that you were being gawked at, making him quickly look away embarrassed.

When classes were over Kenma looked at you, you quickly bolted out of the room before anyone could catch you. As soon as you walked out he could hear the class airing out their thoughts on you, the blonde didn't bother listening.

Coming lunch, Kenma sat with Kuroo and his other teammates. He was zoned out, until Yaku mentioned bumping into a student with a skateboard, "Oh, Kenma, isn't that the new kid in your class." Yaku asked, Kenma jumped at the sudden attention. "I guess so-" "Oh that new kid!" Lev said loudly, and as cruel fate would have it the new student was standing right next to their table, they flinched in surprise as it didn't take a genius for them to realize the table was talking about them. The beat of silence was broken when Lev spoke, "Do you think they heard me?" Everyone sighed at Lev in disappointment, "They're mute, Lev, not deaf." Kenma said, looking annoyed at the boy. In that moment you unfroze from your spot and let out a lighthearted chuckle that Kenma swore he saw angel wings form around you when he first heard it, you shyly waved at him and kept walking. That was when he realized that there was a very distinct barrier between the two of you.

_

After a few months, you slowly settled into your environment, everyone usually preferred you to write in your book as a form of communication, though you didn’t mind writing, it felt a bit lonely. “Hey (Y/n), wanna eat lunch with us?” One of your classmates asked. You politely declined, you always did, you often sat in the auditorium where the volleyball team usually played; since no one came here during lunch you got to be alone with your food and thoughts for entertainment.

You sighed with relief as you sat near the door of the auditorium and rested your skateboardnext to you, shortly after, the door to the room loudly swung open. Being startled by that noise, you made a squeaking noise that alerted the boys of your presence. “Ah Kenma, isn’t that kid from your class?” He asked. You would be annoyed that the bed headed upperclassmen didn’t really even recognize you, but you were more focused on the boy in your class.

Kenma hummed and his friend went into the auditoriums’ supply closet muttering something about losing his water bottles, momentarily leaving you and the faux blonde. He awkwardly stood in front of you, then opted to sit next to you while waiting for his friend.

You watched as he pulled out a switch from god knows where, you were vaguely interested in the cartoonish sound coming from it, but you didn’t want to make him feel any more uncomfortable than he already was.

Kenma noticed (Y/n)’s intent staring, he would laugh at their sudden interest but that would probably make them feel embarrassed. The blonde placed the switch in his lap and signed to them.

‘Are you interested?’

It took a moment for (Y/n) to realize that Kenma had signed to them, when his words fully registered their eyes lit up with glee.

‘I didn’t know that you understood sign language!’

‘I….recently started learning-’ Kenma’ face began to heat up as he tried to finish his word, ‘so I could talk with you.’

You paused, you weren’t expecting his reason for learning to be you, but it warmed your heart. A smile making its way to your face.

Before you could sign back, his friend interrupted. “Kenma, I found my bottle, let’s go!” He called, the black haired boy sent you a wave and exited the auditorium. Kenma looked back to you and smiled.

‘Talk to you later.’

_______________________________________

Tbh I had a Hawks fic planned for Valentines day, but since I missed it I'm gonna turn into angst. 😬

[wisteria-cherry]

forty days and forty nights (day four!)

(i am like zooming here. nonstop writing. cant stop wont stop. slave to the grind.)

(on another note, dollar signs look weird on tumblr. $$ the line is all slanty.)

(read them all here!)

“dear?” you snapped back to attention at the sound of mrs. hatsugawa’s shaky yet relaxing voice. oftentimes the old woman called you over to talk when you weren’t too busy. oftentimes you found yourself going to her yourself.

“yes, mrs. hatsugawa?”

“you keep looking at the clock, dearie. is something the matter?”

“oh, no, mrs. hatsugawa,” you shake your head quickly. “everything is fine, i’m sorry. i’m just distracted.”

“you’re waiting for that boy,” the old woman observed keenly.

“i’m sorry,” you apologize again. she wasn’t wrong, after all. “i really don’t mean to give the impression that i don’t care about our conversations.” mrs. hatsugawa was silent for a moment, looking at you thoughtfully.

“you’re in love.” she decided. you look at her kindly. she was old, and, although it was mean to admit it, somewhat senile. she often said odd things like this.

“mrs. hatsugawa, i’m not in love. i’ve only known him for three days. besides, he’s not my type, you know that.” you replied gently. you preferred kind, sunshine-y types, ones that really showed that they cared.

“back when my husband was alive…” mrs. hatsugawa began, and you fell quiet, knowing that even if you interjected she’d continue anyway, pretending not to hear you in the sly way old women tended to do. “…my kazuo… he worked long hours. but he would get home at the same time every day, and i knew that time. i got antsy once it neared, and i couldn’t focus on a thing, because i was so excited to see my kazuo. i would always greet him with a hug and a kiss every day when he got home, every day for 62 years.”

“was that how long you were married?” you ask. you always enjoyed mrs. hatsugawa’s stories— her marriage, from what you gathered, was incredibly romantic. two people who absolutely adored each other. it was the sort of marriage you wanted to have if you ever got married (you weren’t sure yet, although your mother was increasing pressure on you to find someone). mrs. hatsugawa chuckled.

“oh, no, that’s how long we lived together. we were married for 64 years.” she answered.

“so you didn’t move in until you were married for two?” you tried again.

“that’s right.” mrs. hatsugawa smiled, but not at you. it was the sort of smile a person makes when they’re reminiscing; looking back at a better time in their live with nothing but love. “i was so scared to move in with my kazuo. i was a shy girl, you know.” you laughed at this. mrs. hatsugawa, although old and sometimes slow, would often spit out indignant curses whenever something bad would happen, like seeing a villain on the news.

“were you?” you asked somewhat skeptically. mrs. hatsugawa laughed, too.

“only around my kazuo. i didn’t care for anyone else.” she waved a hand. “but anywho, i was so scared to move in, but it was the best decision i’d made.”

“wasn’t marrying him the best decision?” you ask curiously.

“oh, no, dear,” mrs. hatsugawa shook her head. “that was a given. when you find the person you love in life, and that loves you, it’s only natural that you spend the rest of your life with them. that’s simply what you do when you’re in love.”

“a given?” you echo, and the woman nods.

“when you’re with the person you love, time stops, and you live forever.” mrs. hatsugawa said, although you got the sneaking impression that she wasn’t talking about the late kazuo hatsugawa anymore.

the movement of your lips that was going to become your reply was interrupted by the all-too-familiar jingle of the bells. you feel a smile creep up on your face as you stand up.

“thank you, mrs. hatsugawa,” you say, “but i have to serve this customer now.” mrs. hatsugawa gave you a knowing smile, even though you didn’t know what exactly she knew.

“alright, dear.” she said simply, returning to her oolong tea. you scurry up to the counter.

“the hell took you so long?” dynamight clicked his tongue at you. you were relieved to see that he seemed better than yesterday.

“sorry about that. i was talking with one of the customers, that’s all.” you smiled. “medium black coffee for dynamight?”

“just take my goddamn money.” dynamight impatiently tapped the bills on the counter. you did indeed ring him up as instructed, giving him time to sit in his seat. you gave him his coffee, which he went to sip, before stopping and looking up at you. you were watching him quietly, expectantly. you always tried to remember to give him a chance to actually drink his coffee before talking (it didn’t always work).

“…the fuck you staring at?” he spat. you quickly avert your gaze.

“sorry.” you apologize immediately.

“quit apologizin’. it’s annoying as hell.” dynamight rolled his eyes before sipping his coffee.

“sorry.”

“stop that.”

“i’m sorry!”

“fucking quit it!”

“so-“

“you say sorry and i’ll kill you.”

“that’s not very heroic.” you raise an eyebrow. dynamight scoffed.

“is too. i say it, and i’m the number one hero, a damn perfect example of heroism. that means it’s fuckin’ heroic.” he retorted. he did have a point.

“perfect, huh?” you hum, amused.

“yeah. you’re lucky i’m even in here right now.” dynamight informed you.

“and you’re not just here for coffee and a hiding spot.”

“i’m the great explosion murder god dynamight!” dynamight sneered. “i don’t hide like a little bitch.”

“the— the what?” you blink, totally confused at what seemed to be his hero name.

“great explosion murder god dynamight.” he repeated with a straight face. you had no idea how he kept such a straight face saying such a ridiculous name.

“that’s… your hero name?” you ask warily.

“damn straight it is. you got a fucking problem?” dynamight sneered. you exhale, not wanting to escalate the situation. you instead opt to lighten the mood.

“if that’s what i’m gonna be writing on your to-go cups, then yes,” you reply jokingly. dynamight rolled his eyes.

“i don’t get shit to go.”

“how come?” you ask curiously. dynamight bristled.

“because i just don’t! mind your own business.” he replied defensively.

“it’s okay, everyone has their preferences,” you say smoothly.

“so then fuck off and let me have mine.” dynamight sipped his coffee aggressively.

“of course.” you smiled.

“that’s… your hero name?”

“you got a fucking problem?”

“if that’s what i’m gonna be writing on your to-go cups, then yes.”

<- previous next->

(feel free to comment + leave ur thoughts :)

[cosmica-galaxy]

Yoo Cosmica. I haven't been able to think of anything new to ask so I ask of you kindly for a part 2 of my helicopter ask please. This time, the reactions are from the matriarchs.

Survei was starting to feel the pinch of the attack as some units were injured, despite her trying her best to help with the rifle on her back. It felt like whenever she popped a few skibidis, a few more just show up! However, she wasn't expecting a sudden hail of gunfire to come down from the sky! The skibidi's scramble as a helicopter swoops on by and peppers them with bullets, dodging their counter attacks with grace. Not gonna lie, she was impressed and if the Plunger Cameraman wasn't down on the ground, she would've guessed that it was him in there! Once the attack is completed and the skibidi units retreat or die, the helicopter lands and color her surprised when the human steps out and greets the units! Impressive, human...impressive!! The speakerwoman would be trying her best, but there was a LOT of skibidi units in this attack! They were already getting overwhelmed, despite all units resisting the assault. However, the sound of rapid gunfire fills the air and the larger skibidi units fall, much to her confusion. She looks to the sky and finds a rouge helicopter flying about the air, shooting and peppering the ground with bullets, as well as shooting down skibidi units. It dodges bullets and rockets masterfully as it dispatches units after units, even dog fighting and taking down airborne units nearly effortlessly. It was quite a show for the units on the ground. Once the skibidi units lost enough of their own and the tides turn in the alliances favor, they retreat to report a failed attack. Then, the helicopter lands and out steps the alliance treasure themselves, the human! The speaker woman can only clap in earnest as the human tries to be humble while surrounded by the units in a brief moment of celebration. Who knew the human was capable of such skill? The TV woman was already feeling the hurt as the skibidis injured and hurt units left and right. This battle was not going in their favor that even a blinded camera unit could see it. However, right before the matriarch in question began to pitch a tactical retreat, the sound of helicopter blades approaching made the tv woman turn to look towards the source, finding a camera-copter zooming in as fast as possible. The sound of machine-based gunfire filling the sky came next and the skibidi units were suddenly downed by a bullet storm from the air. The mistress can only watch as the helicopter side-hovers, dodges, and snipes enemies left and right. Almost like it had a mind of it's own! The units on the ground were assisted from the support from the helicopter that the tide of battle quickly changed in the alliances favor. They all fought back the menaces as the support from the helicopter covered them and took down larger foes. Once the enemy had taking a violent beating, they all turned tail and ran for the hills. Shortly after that, the helicopter came flying in and landed not too far away and...out stepped the human?! All the units, including the tv woman herself, were shocked and approached to celebrate the human's assistance in winning the battle. From that moment on, the TV woman saw the human as a much more capable fighter than she gave them credit for. They were a force to be reckoned with...and she appreciates that about them. What a valuable ally indeed.

[killian-whump]

Sorry to ask, but who’s this Rothberg guy? It’s been a while since I last checked up on Once or Colin stuff since the show ended.

Oh boy, Nonny. Have I got a tale for you...

Okay, so during the recent pandemic, a lot of folks started doing podcasts and interviews on Zoom and stuff like that. During this time, it was announced that Colin was going to be hosting a podcast with Jason Rothberg and Rose Ganguzza, where they interview musicians and people who work in the music/film industries. There were tentative plans to one day turn it into a Space Ghost style animated TV show.

Then the N/F/Ts started. They were animated tokens, using Colin's voice and likeness, sold for cryptocurrency. Rothberg was pushing them pretty heavily, using all the usual crypto bro sales tactics and "fireside chats" to do so - and also doing so through Colin. There were posts on his social media (obviously written by someone else, but presumably approved and posted by Colin) acting like NFTs are great and encouraging people to join Rothberg's fireside chats about them.

Needless to say, his fandom didn't like this. That's putting it mildly, actually. Most of them hated it. Some quietly ignored the whole thing, some spoke out pretty angrily, some just flat out left the fandom altogether. All but a few were deeply disappointed.

Colin tried to fix whatever he could, but it was largely too late since the project (and the N/F/Ts) was already underway and he was likely contractually obligated to continue with it. Still, he made an obvious effort. He stopped reposting Rothberg's spammy used car salesman posts. He made sure the N/F/Ts were responsibly minted to mitigate environmental concerns surrounding them. He addressed the concerns in an animated video that was intended to educate and inform those who didn't know anything about N/F/Ts, but also acknowledged and validated the concerns some fans were voicing about them.

But it wasn't anywhere near enough to stop the train wreck of those N/F/Ts. It turned out there wasn't a handful of them, but thousands of them made - and they weren't being sold for $10 a pop, but $180 at the lowest tier and $23,000+ at the highest. It was sheer insanity, and predictably, the release was a complete disaster. They sold, like, 10 of them.

Throughout the course of this debacle, some of Colin's fans were very, very vocal about how much they disapproved of this project, how much they hated N/F/Ts in general, etc. etc. I was one of them. Rothberg never confronted any of us; he just ignored us or made snarky comments about haters that we ignored.

Then Pip (@pirateherokillian) said something critical about it. She wasn't even being loud or obnoxious or extra vocal. She was just chatting in untagged tweets with her friends about her concerns with the project. Now, Pip's social media is more personal in nature than, say, mine is. She posts about her life and topics other than Colin. And something in her posts made Rothberg decide that she was vulnerable and he attacked her. He said she only disliked the N/F/Ts because she was too poor to afford one and implied that there was something wrong with her mental health.

And the fandom collectively lost its shit. Because for starters, Pip is one of us - and we don't take kindly to bullying in this fandom. But also, the things Rothberg said were ableist and specifically targeted to hit her where he felt she was most vulnerable. And the man is a fucking coward. He didn't say BOO to those who were loudly and vehemently criticizing the project for months, but he attacked Pip the moment she opened her mouth, simply because he thought he could get away with it.

Well, he couldn't. We kicked up a stir, and next thing we knew, he was apologizing (albeit an obviously forced and insincere one) and sulkily saying he was no longer "allowed" to interact with Colin's fans.

Gee, I wonder who told him that...? ❤️

Anyway, he's mostly left us alone since then - but the damage has been done. As a fandom, we collectively hate this guy. We feel like he suckered Colin into the TSR project with the intent to use his likeness and name to gain attention for the project, and with the plan to tap into Colin's fandom's pocketbooks to sell us N/F/Ts and empty promises. We think he's a predatory, insincere, and opportunistic scam artist and all-around douchebag. And seeing as he's abused us individually and collectively, none of us have any respect for him - and we're not going to "play nice" and sugar coat our thoughts on the topic.

Unfortunately, Colin's still working with him on the TSR project. Whether that's because he wants to or because he's contractually obligated to do so, we don't know - but we all have our guesses. Regardless, most of us ignore this project of Colin's, due to our hatred of Rothberg, and Colin often doesn't post about or promote the project, likely because he knows how we all feel about it.

[yardsards]

can i ask about your experience as a quaker (or growing up as one? i just saw you mention bein one in some tags)

i jus don't know much about them

so i was not raised quaker, i was raised baptist. which was. 0/10, do not recommend. all the guilt of catholicism with none of the stained glass lmaooo

like, i did resinate with the idea of there being some sort of higher power and i liked the idea of getting together with other believers to discuss spiritual matters but as i got older and started thinking for myself i realized i really didn't like a lot of things about the church. i hated the bigoted beliefs of its members. i hated the emphasis on blind obedience to authority. i didn't believe that the whole literal truth could be found within one book, specifically one group's interpretation of said book. and the idea that people were born inherently bad and sinful and that a supposedly kind and just god would condemn people to eternal suffering just for not believing the "right" things just did not sit well with me at all

when i went off to college i decided to try out a few different churches around town. i ended up settling on a progressive presbyterian church. the community was great and very accepting of queer people. i had some minor qualms with the theology but it wasn't like with my parents' church where every sermon made me feel increasingly nauseous, and i generally felt *good* during and after the services

and then covid hit and while they did stream their sermons, i lost that sense of community and just kinda... fell away

throughout all this i was researching different faiths online, both christian and non-christian. and one faith that kept popping up a lot that i liked the sound of was quakerism. like at one point i remember taking some online quiz of like "what religion do your values most align with" and quakerism was very in the lead. (before this, i'd only really been exposed to quakerism in history textbooks and assumed the religion died out alongside puritanism)

in the end what got me really interested was actually a video by a youtuber i liked, a queer/disability advocate and historical fashion enjoyer who also happened to be quaker

and after looking more into it, i decided to try attending a quaker meeting. which was easier due to covid cuz i could find a church online (located physically hundreds of miles from me) that did their sunday services over zoom

and so i attended and the people there were great and were doing actual good in their communities. and the way services were run, and their beliefs about what god *was* and all of that just hit me with an intense feeling of like. holy shit this is what i've always wanted from religion.

the video explains the sort of core beliefs and practices of quakerism better than i can but the main belief is that like. every person is godly. as such, it's our job to treat all living people as equally and kindly as possible. additionally, since we all have god inside of us, we need to look inwards and come to our own conclusions about our own religious beliefs and practices (and generally respect other people's religious beliefs even if they differ from our own, so long as they're not causing real tangible harm)

i haven't attended any meetings in a while, due to that group going back to semi in person (they still stream it out but it feels more like being a spectator than a member) and there being no quaker meetinghouses in the tiny town i currently live in, coinciding with me being too depressed to regularly attend anything. but i'm planning to start attending quaker meetings again once i move to a real city