#so in return all anyone asks if your kindness and ability to listen and to care

[raplinesmoon]

a brief note:

i’m not usually very eloquent with my words, so if this is rough and i say something wrong or offensive, please forgive me, it’s been hard to piece together the right words. if there’s spelling errors, this is not proofread, and I’m sorry.

I’ve always maintained that writing and this blog is a safe space for me, a place to escape from the real world when I need it. but right now, what’s going on in the world isn’t something I can escape from. it’s robbed me of my sleep and my sanity. and honestly, writing and kpop just don’t even seem like valid enough escapes anymore, even though I feel immensely privileged to have these escapes in the first place. I feel numb. but it’s not even about me or this blog or any wips I have.

if you have five minutes to scroll through my blog, or any other kpop blog on Tumblr, I urge you to take another five minutes out of your day and learn about what’s going on in Gaza right now. do your own research, and uplift voices that aren’t being heard.

the beauty of being here is being able to connect with so many people far away, across the country or even across the world. if we can use our energy to celebrate our groups and our faves, we can also do the reverse.

life as we know it is being uprooted for so many people, the least we can do is be cognizant of that, to give some of our energy to mourn their losses and grieve alongside them. even better yet, we can hope alongside them that this reality doesn’t have to endure, that more innocent lives will not be lost.

if you get nothing else from this, I’ll leave you with this — if you’ve also been like me, feeling completely scared and horrified by what’s been unfolding, i see you. i feel your pain, and if you’re grieving, i feel your loss. i ask you to remember those on the other side of this who have a right to be even more scared and even more horrified, and who deserve your attention. the world is a complex and hard to understand place, but at the same time, it’s not. it’s brutal and violent. Please remember, that far beyond and political or religious debates, foreign economic and social policy, etc, when oppressors and bullies square off, and when people are power hungry, innocent lives are always in the middle of it. and that should be something that none of us are willing to be okay with.

if you want to stop reading here, that’s totally okay, otherwise check the tags to listen to me ramble on

[tragedybunny]

Something Like Love - Astarion x F!Reader

Astarion has failed to seduce you, but even so, a bond has begun to grow between the two of you. It all comes to a head when Astarion almost loses you.

You infuriated Astarion. At first it was because stopping to help every person you happened upon was delaying dealing with his problems. Now that you had been traveling together for some time, not only were these little side adventures a delay, but you didn’t seem to be careful about how much they took out of you and how tired they left you. Even your other companions didn’t seem to care, letting you agree to solve every problem that you came upon and even adding to the pile.

But not him. Astarion was always right there at your side with a glare and a snapping refusal, which you’d usually brush off, but at least he tried. The rest of them just smiled and nodded, without noticing the circles under your eyes, or how slow you moved some mornings, or how thin you’d gotten. Protector wasn’t a position he normally found himself in, but you were different, you were kind to him, without expecting anything in return, as far as he could tell anyway. The two of you hadn’t even slept together, not for lack of trying on his part. The couple times he’d tried you firmly refused, and yet somehow you stayed kind to him, even still offering him your blood. In fact you didn’t seem to want anyone in camp. That was also exasperating. How could he expect your continued kindness, and protection which he desperately needed, without repayment? And what was he better at than sex?

So he resolved he’d give you whatever small gestures he could. Whenever you tore an item of clothing, he’d mend it at first chance. When the group made camp for the night, he always made sure your tent was up first, in whatever spot you wanted, and helped you pack when it was time to move on. Every battle, he stood at the backline with you while you cast spells, aiming arrows at anyone who got too close to you, his first priority keeping you safe. And he still tried to keep you from overextending yourself, despite no one ever listening to him. Which had led to the shouting match with Halsin earlier. Well it wasn’t really a shouting match, the Druid had remained frustratingly placid in the face of Astarion’s blustering. He’d already been vocally unhappy about looking for this Thaniel or whatever, but you’d found him, and still Halsin asked more. “We need to worry about Thorm, we don’t have time to keep bothering with this!”

“Curing the land could help break Thorm’s hold. I know you all don’t owe it to me.” Gods why did he ask like that, all humble and dissembling. You would cave to that for sure,

“You’re right, we don’t.”

“But…”

“Hells, can’t you see how much all of this is taking out of her!” Astarion had exploded, voice loud enough that some of your other companions jumped.

“It’s fine Astarion,” you’d gently placed a hand on his arm, “let’s finish this.”

With a frustrated growl, he’d yanked his arm away, regretting the hurt on your face. “Fine.”

That all led to this moment, you’d fended off the creatures summoned by the corrupted spirit, and Astarion watches as you calmly approach it. Speaking softly, your words soothe it, and he could see it starting to trust you. As always, you amaze him with your ability to solve things with your words, but he feels a twinge of something else, a want for something like those kind words that fell from your lips so easily. The spirit vanishes and Astarion finally feels a bit of relief it seems over. That is until your knees give way and you collapse to the jagged paving stones beneath you.

He's at your side instantly, a scream tearing itself from his throat. “Somebody fucking help her.”

Shadowheart js the first to respond, hands peeling away the light armor you wear, revealing gashes left by one of those shadow creatures that had gotten close. Teeth bite down into his lip to hold back a sob, he hadn’t even noticed, he’d failed the one duty he had. That ire finds a new target easy enough though, as Halsin attempts to join Shadowheart in tending to you. He’s barely started to kneel next to you when Astarion lunges, hissing and fangs flashing. “No you stay the fuck away from her, this is your fault!” For a second his face falls with guilt, but Astarion is in no state for empathy, all blame now on the Druid in his mind.

Hands fight to grab hold of him, to get close enough to tear his thick throat out. A pair of strong arms wraps around his waist, pulling him back from his murderous goal. “Easy Fangs, she’ll be alright,” Karlach tries to reassure him.

He struggles against her iron hold, still flinging curses and furious words. “That’s not the point, this shouldn’t have happened. But no one wanted to listen to me, none of you selfish idiots care when you’re asking too much!”

That was it, they’d all turn on him now, especially without you aware enough to defend him. To his surprise, Karlach just holds him slightly tighter, and keeps whispering that it was going to be fine. Wyll comes over to lay a hand on his shoulder, face stoic. "Shadowheart has this.”

At least Halsin has stepped back, expression troubled. Good, let him suffer. A spell glows in Shadowheart’s hands, suturing back together your skin, and your eyes flutter open, hazy and unfocused, for a moment before closing again. Karlach wisely releases him, leaving him free to hover over you and ward off Halsin as he takes a hesitant step toward you. He’d be damned if anyone else was carrying you, the lot of them were untrustworthy. Reverently, he leans down, taking you in his arms, and lifting you from the ground. Gods, you were so small, there was almost nothing to you. How did you seem so imposing most of the time?

Silently, the group makes it’s way back to camp, Astarion holding tightly to you the whole way. When they reach the cluster of tents, he goes straight to yours to lay you down gently in your blankets. Turning back to the rest of the party he snarls in their direction. "All of you better stay the hells out of this tent until she's properly healed," he snaps the tent flap shut and wishes he had a door to slam on their faces.

Sitting down next to you, he pulls your hand into his and tried to forget about the stinging in his eyes. "You're going to be alright Darling. You have to be."

For hours he sits there, hand holding yours, waiting, watching your chest rise and fall, the reassurance he hadn’t lost you. Losing you, he can’t even fathom it. His protector, companion, he'd even go so far as to say friend. Even if you didn't notice how he was always at your side whenever you stayed up to launder your clothes, or how you never took a turn to cook alone, or how he was always walking right next to you on the road.

You sigh in your sleep and he feels a tug in that place that sometimes wonders if you could be more than friends. Which was stupid, you hadn't even wanted sex with him. Besides, what you already gave him was more than he deserved considering what he had been planning after sleeping with you.

Finally, exhausted, he drifts into meditation, still holding onto you, until your sleep heavy voice pulls him out of it. "Astarion?"

His eyes are wide immediately and without a second thought, he throws himself into your arms, nuzzling into your neck. "You're awake." Then he starts crying like an idiot; ugly, undignified sobs against your skin. "I was worried," he tries to explain leaping on you and his ridiculous tears.

"I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you." You put your arms around him, accepting him without question, like always.

"You silly, silly girl, you were the one that almost died. Don't apologize to me." He's trying desperately to stop bawling uncontrollably.

"I know, but I don't like to see you upset." Ever so lightly, he can feel your hand brushing through his hair.

"Why," he's managed to get himself somewhat under control, but doesn't move from where you've let him lay. "Why are you like this? Always giving, even when it's too much for you?"

You hesitate for a moment. "Because I care about you."

"You do," he asks, unwilling to let himself believe what he's heard.

"Well, I care about everyone," of course he should've realized, "but I care about you a very great deal, Astarion."

Astarion freezes, the words leaving warmth in that secret place inside that he's been trying to keep from himself and you. "I don't understand."

"I see you. I see how hard you try and how far you've come, and how much you try to do for me." There's a smile in your voice and impossibly he thinks it has something to do with him.

"Why didn't you say anything?" His hand searches yours out and your fingers interwine.

"I didn't think you were ready to hear it. But today it was almost too late to tell you." You've placed both of your hands over your chest and he can feel your heartbeat.

"I…I don't know how I feel." Inwardly, he quails, worried that will drive you. "But this is nice."

"It's alright Astarion, there's no rush to this." Impulsively, he leans up to leave a feather light kiss on your cheek, grateful for you in ways he can't understand.

[thedragonkween]

Prince Nuada Headcanons! 🤍

Prince Nuada x gn!Reader headcanons. I recently watched Hellboy II and I couldn't help but simp. I wrote these headcanons on how I think a relationship with him would be, and I wanted to share them with you! We can always do with a little more Nuada love. I hope you like them, and feel free to add your own headcanons if you have any!! I would love to hear your ideas 💕

Also, these are safe for work!

Protective, protective, protective. This beautiful, lonely prince knows how cruel the world can be, how many dangers lie in it. Every time he cradles your face in his hands delicately, he silently vows to himself that he will protect you. For once in his life, he has finally found his light - someone who listens to his troubles, who watches curiously as he tinkers with mysterious elven technology, who washes and braids his hair when he can’t bother to do so. He will fight to the death for you.

He is the literal embodiment of “scary dog privileges”, so if you ever want to go for a walk or a run after dark, he will be there by your side, scowling at anyone who looks at you for a moment too long.

He looms over you like a shadow, always ready to push you behind him and shield you with his body if someone or something threatens you.

This is especially true when you visit the Troll Market. You had to insist for Nuada to take you with him the first time, but in the end, he gave in, unable to resist your bright, hopeful eyes and warm smile (you are his weak spot, after all). He agrees on two conditions: you are not allowed to wander on your own, and if something dangerous happens (such as a skirmish or if a creature bothers you) the trip will be over, and you will return to the surface immediately.

Luckily, nothing dangerous happened and you were able to experience the bustling, chaotic atmosphere of the market undisturbed. Unexpected bonus: Nuada always kept a large hand on the small of your back, ready to guide you or to tuck you in the safety of his arms at a moment’s notice should something threaten your safety.

He loves it when you watch him train. It makes him proud to show off his strength, to remind you of his immense prowess and, by extension, his ability to defend you. He always puts in more effort when he knows you’re watching (he can’t help it: your adoring gaze is much too adorable to resist). He wouldn’t deny you if you asked him to train you, but he will remind you that you won’t ever need to pick up a sword as long as he breathes.

Nuala loves you!! She is so happy that her brother has found someone who cherishes him the way you do. She can’t hide her smile as she tells you that she has never seen her brother smile so much (which isn’t a lot, but for Nuada, it’s huge). She can feel how much you mean to him. She will want to get to know the person who has bewitched her brother body and soul (*wink wink*), so expect her to invite you to spend time with her to get to know you better. She grows to be really fond of your presence and of the joy that you bring. She is yours and Nuada’s number one fan.

Sometimes, Nuada just stares at you. He takes it all in: your beauty, your smile, your kindness - just you. He used to think that humans were hollow creatures, incapable of showing empathy or kindness towards anyone or anything. But then you came along. You, so sweet, so ready not to treat him differently because of his past or his actions. He never stood a chance.

When you two are alone, he’s all over you. His preferred form of physical affection is through spoiling you with soft, delicate touches that always leave you trembling and craving more of his warmth. He will tuck strands of hair behind your ear if he wishes to better see your beautiful eyes when you’re talking to him, only to peck your lips unexpectedly when the urge to be close to you overtakes him. He is a legendary warrior who is quick to bestow death upon his enemies, but with you, he is as gentle as a soft breeze. His gentleness is a stark contrast to his power, but wholly welcome.

He becomes quickly addicted to kissing you. Your lips are soft and heavenly, how can he resist? He will usually move his lips against yours slowly, savoring the moment, one big hand behind your head so he can kiss you to his heart’s content, and the other tucking you against his chest. He loves it: it reminds him that you’re safe with him, protected against all the evils in the world. He won’t let you go until you’re sighing in bliss against his lips.

He will let you braid and style his hair. He loves the feeling of your smaller fingers running through his hair. To be touched so softly after a lifetime of war is heavenly. And moreover, he has to admit that, even if you are not a professional, the hair styles you choose for him always suit him. He appreciates both simple updos and intricate braids – as long as he gets to feel your hands and spend time in your presence, he’s happy.

How could I forget his markings? Nuada will let you run the tips of your fingers over the markings over his nose and temple – he is proud of his heritage and even more proud of you accepting his culture. Similarly, he will let you explore his battle scars: they are reminders that he has fought many battles and won, and therefore they are a testament to his courage and strength.

He will tell you about his culture, his people, and his language. He will even try to teach you a few words in Elvish, loving the way his tongue sounds when spoken from your mouth (also, imagine him telling you how beautiful or amazing you are in Elvish, loving the way you have no idea that he’s saying such intimate things to you). He is very proud when you listen intently to his stories and ask questions. He will feel honored that you show this much interest for his culture, further solidifying his belief that you are the one he wants to spend his life with. Also, expect him to use so many pet names in Elvish!! And then he smirks when you ask him what they mean – you won’t get a response until he's kissed you tenderly, the meaning whispered against your lips soon after.

All in all, I think Nuada has a lot of love to give under all his layers of anger and anguish. He is a loyal partner and an exceptional friend, always ready to be your rock and to steady you when life becomes too tough. He is your watchful protector and your greatest ally 🤍.

[pathetic-sapphic]

viktor with a healer mage gf who also acts as his personal nurse. uses her magic to numb any pain or discomfort he might be feeling (especially when she hugs him so they're extra pleasant) loves to help him with research and act as his lab partner and "favorite test subject"

The love Viktor feels towards you is immeasurable. The fact that he found someone who not only loves him endlessly but also helps take away his pain and hurt is baffling to him.

He is such a selfless man that even when he first finds out about your abilities, the thought to have you use them to aid his discomfort doesn't even cross his mind. He is more intrigued and curious about how they can help Hextech (if you're willing to lend a hand, of course).

The first time you help him is when he collapses and ends up in the hospital. Had you known that his condition was getting this bad, you would've helped him before, but alas, this stubborn man doesn't know how to ask for help and you didn't want to do anything that makes him uncomfortable.

That night, he wakes up to your teary face by his side, holding his hand and scolding him for neglecting his well-being. His body is aching all over but he still tries to get up and wipe away your tears. That's when you hug him and let your magic seep into his frail body. Boundaries be damned, you cannot entertain the sight of seeing the man you love in pain. Viktor is taken aback by the gesture, why would you waste your energy on someone so far gone as he is? This spurs you on to admit your love for him and kiss him, out of frustration and adoration. Anything to get your confession through that thick skull of his. Viktor gently reciprocates, feeling as if he is dreaming and returns your affections.

From then on, you are a common presence in the lab. You remind Viktor to eat and drink water, bring him sweet milk and aid him when his pain gets the best of him. Oh, he is so in love with you, the way your touch literally makes all his pain go away and the way you're so gentle and kind to him makes his heart ache with love.

On particularly bad pain days, when Viktor's body is weak due to flare-ups, you two stay in bed. Your body next to his, holding him in your arms and soothing away his soreness and aches. On those days, Viktor weakly murmurs about how grateful he is to have you, how he will work even harder to repay you. Silly man doesn't understand that you don't need anything in return, for all that you do for him comes from the very bottom of your caring heart.

He loves how involved you are with his work. How you'll ask him questions, keep him company, give your opinion and listen to his ramblings and scientific explanations.

When you offer to help him with experiments by being his test subject, Viktor refuses at first. What if something doesn't go the way he intended? What if he hurts you? He wouldn't be able to live with the guilt if something ever happened to you, especially if he was to blame.

Eventually though, he grows comfortable with doing harmless experiments on you. Especially when he sees how happy you are to help him and be of use to him (not that you aren't of use to him usually, he cannot imagine a life without you by his side).

All in all, the two of you have such a wonderful and loving relationship that would make anyone jealous. You take care of one another and support each other's hopes and dreams. You both vow to never leave each other's side, for better or for worse.

[joelmillershirtlessishwhatineed]

Ghost of My Past- Joel Miller

The one where Joel dies.

Word count: 1,136

Warnings: old man Joel, he's getting older and a little weaker, major character death, grief, sadness, angst, legit a snippet of fuff, just missing Joel Miller hours

Author's Note: Sad gurl hours

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Jackson used to be bright. A place where you could go out and just be you; never having to worry about what other people were thinking. When you had first arrived, all you could think about was what they were thinking. You were weak, years of fighting infected and humans had taken a toll on you, dirt under your nails and eyebags that didn't seem to fade.

The only person you trusted was Joel Miller.

He had approached you one day during an embarrassing anxiety attack; the sorrowful memories from your past seemingly catching you by surprise. You were hunched over, struggling to breathe when a warm hand suddenly rested on your shoulder, catching you by surprise.

"Try and take some deep breaths." He'd simply said, awkwardly looking down at the ground before meeting your eyes. Admittedly, the warmth from his hands, and the way he'd so softy spoken to you had soothed you instantly. "Are you... Okay?' He asked after a few moments, feeling your shoulders untensing from underneath his palm.

"Sorry." You whisper, shaking your head. "Don't know why that happened." It was insecurity laced between your words. Here you were in a sealed-off community with food, houses, clothes, and good people surrounding you, and you were still anxious about being raided in your sleep.

Joel stiffly took his hand back to his side, mumbling something under his breath, "S'okay. Happens to me too. 'M Joel." He greeted.

You offer up your name, thanking him before going your separate ways. The day after that, you'd knocked on his door, presenting a freshly baked pie to him; 'For helping me.' You clarified when he looked at you with a mix of amusement and confusion.

He was surprisingly very easy to love. He drove you up the walls with his teasing and his small remarks, but he was kind and he treated you better than anyone else had. It didn't take long for you two to start dating, a night together after a few drinks had changed everything, and when he saw you interacting with Ellie, teaching her and loving her- he was gone.

Your favourite time of the day was your nights with him. After a few games of Monopoly with Ellie with buttons and rocks replacing the missing pieces, you'd crawl into bed together, your head resting on his chest. You loved it when he talked, feeling the vibration through his chest when he did. He talked about anything; patrols, his worries about Ellie, Sarah. You listened to every word, asked him questions- some he didn't always answer- and in return, you'd offer your own stories, your own memories.

Joel was always there, everywhere you looked. When you step outside on the newly built porch he'd worked on because of the one time you'd complained about a loose plank, the house down the street he'd built a swing for because of the little boy who'd cried when the old one broke, the words people would speak after his name was brought up in a conversation.

"Hi, baby." He'd whisper in your ear, his chest to your back as you prepared breakfast. He'd stand behind you for a while, admittedly getting in your way but warming you up with his body heat. You held him through the nights he broke down, frustration over Ellie refusing to talk to him, anger over his own abilities slowly weakening with his old age, and sadness when memories of his daughter hit him out of the blue.

'Love you s'much. Don't know what I did to ever deserve this. Don't deserve it."

You had your moments together where he'd spend his nights on the couch whilst you slept in your bed, despite your insisting that you take the couch instead, knowing his back was getting bad. He never said anything cruel to you during these moments of frustration- never raised his voice. He talked it through with you, kissed you after and apologised.

You didn't deserve Joel Miller.

The morning of his death had started rough. After he crawled into bed next to you, breaking down in your arms after talking to you about a conversation he'd just had with Ellie, he turned his back to you and silently went to sleep, your shirt slightly damp from his tears. When you woke up and started breakfast, he was in a rush. He mumbled a goodbye as he walked past the kitchen, on his way to the front gate for his patrol.

"No kiss today, Miller?" You called after him, feeling slightly frustrated with his distant demeanour. It wasn't rare for him to dissociate after breaking down; you sensed it was embarrassment, he thought he was weak. He stopped walking instantly, coming back to the kitchen and leaning down to kiss you. At the last second, you'd moved your head slightly, his lips connecting to your cheek instead. "See you later."

You turned away from him then, listening to the sound of nothing as he stood still for a few seconds before he finally moved, the front door closing gently behind him. You sighed in frustration, knocking back the mug of coffee you'd made for him in his owl cup Ellie made for his birthday a few years back.

You kissed his cold lips later that day, saying goodbye to him one last time before turning away from him, everything aching. When you stepped up onto the porch, you broke down instantly. A plank had started to squeak, who would fix it now? You made it inside after a few minutes, averting your eyes away from the stupid owl mug, his stupid chair he always sat in.

The bed was cold when you got into it. Flashes of Joel's face. Cold. Stuffing your face into the pillow, you breathe in deeply, taking in his scent that still lingered. To think that only a few hours earlier you were in this very bed, warm and close to him. Breathing.

Gone was the presence of Joel Miller. His ghost lingered through everything you looked at, everything you smelt. As you stand amidst the echoes of memories, each corner of Jackson a haunting melody of what once was, tears blur the lines between the past and present. In the stillness and darkness of your grief, you found some solace in the fragments of his love displayed throughout your home.

And as you sit on the porch stairs with Ellie, after hours of begging her not to leave, not to go after whoever had brought such immense pain amongst Jackson's residencies, you could feel yourself embracing the ache of his absence, finding strength in the beauty of a powerful journey. Accepting that you may never be the same, but still allowing yourself to carry his memory with you.

No one deserved Joel Miller.

[cheeriecherrymain]

Your Room [Viktor x fem!Reader][Part 1/2]

Pairing: Viktor x fem!Reader Rating: E (18+) Chapter Content: fingering | Viktor has a filthy mouth | he calls you a whore (affectionately) | sexy stuff in a semi-public setting (but you guys are alone) | dirty talk (kind of) Proofread: not a chance in hell

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You’ve known Viktor for a couple of months now: almost an entire year, if you were to be specific. And in that period of time, you’ve learned three main things about him.

Firstly, his intelligence isn’t just limited to the subjects of science and machinery. His entire thought process is as quick as a whip, in every aspect of his life. At times it almost seemed like his mind was on fast forward, moving at a pace that the rest of the physical world couldn’t keep up with.

As such, his sense of humour is startling. As proper and calm as he appeared on the outside, he was often capable of making deadpan quips that would have your sides aching in seconds.

No one could make you laugh the way he did.

Secondly, you’ve learned that despite his ability to logic his way out of any situation, Viktor was a deeply emotional man. You’d had your doubts at first - never being able to get him to emote beyond a slight frown or smile, in the beginning.

But the more you’d gotten to know him, the more you’d realized that yes, he really did have feelings. And a lot of them, at that.

He was just guarded when it came to matters of his heart, and for good reason. Growing up as a lonesome boy in the Undercity couldn’t have been easy for him, so you’re not really surprised that he’d come up with all kinds of ways to protect himself.

But you’ve always been a patient woman.

You’d taken your time getting to know him, listening intently when he spoke to you and asking questions all throughout. You’d opened up to him about your own life, about your desires and fears - showing him that not only did you enjoy the things he had to say, but you also trusted him with your own issues.

And, like you had desperately hoped, he’d eventually begun to trust you in return.

Which leads to the third thing you’ve learned about Viktor.

For all his skills and capabilities, and his attention to detail when he works, he is…not a subtle man. 

He knows his way around technology better than anyone you’ve ever met, and he’s an above average partner for conversation. He’s insightful and clever, and kind, and funny, and…

…and he lacks so much tact, that at first you’d thought he was doing it on purpose.

Perhaps the shirt you’d been wearing that day had been too low cut, and he’d been to awkward to say anything about it. Maybe he’d liked the colour you’d chosen, and hadn’t known how to compliment you. But whatever the reason, you’d noticed him, on multiple occasions now, unabashedly staring at your chest.

The first time it had happened, you thought maybe he was trying to make some kind of point to you. Something about dressing appropriately for the lab, yadda yadda. But he’d never made any kind of silent acknowledgement to you - as if he wasn’t even aware of the fact that you’d caught him ogling you.

As if he wasn’t even aware of the fact that he was doing it.

And you…aren’t sure what to feel about it.

On one hand, if you pulled him aside and spoke to him about it, you’re fairly certain he’d combust in some aspect. At the very least, he’d be embarrassed about his actions, and would avoid you to an extent: at the worst, he’d end up having some kind of internal crisis which would undoubtedly lead to your entire friendship falling apart.

Neither of which you wanted.

On the other hand, you’re not sure you mind the way his attention always seems to fall to you.

You’d never seen him act in such a way with anyone else, even with the people you yourself would consider pretty. He’s professional, and keeps most others at a distance, and…honestly, it makes you feel special. It makes you feel desirable.

Which has raised the question: what do you want from him?

Were you happy to be the apparent recipient of his attraction?

Or did you want more?

Did you want to go on dates with him? Did you want to fall asleep next to him, and wake up with his hair in your face and his arms around your waist? Did you want to traipse into the lab without so much as a warning, and kiss him good morning? Did you want to hold his hand as you wandered around together? Relax with him in the bath after a long day, tenderly soaping him up as you dig your thumbs into the many knots all over his back, letting your hands wander across his skin-

You take a deep breath, and pull yourself away from the thought before you get too carried away. It’s strikingly obvious what you want, now that you think about it.

Now you just needed to figure out how to approach him.

—

You wander into the lab the next morning with your bag slung over your shoulders, and a tray of coffee in your hands. It’s later than you’d usually show up to work, but given the fact that you’d brought some much needed treats, your friends let it slide.

Jayce wastes no time in fixing himself a cup, briefly squeezing your shoulder in thanks before heading back to his desk.

Viktor, on the other hand, remains seated. Engrossed in whatever he’s working on, you’re fairly certain he hasn’t even noticed your entrance. It would sting a little, were you not already used to such a behaviour.

It also means he hasn’t noticed the clothing you’d decided to wear that day.

You bite back a smirk as you prepare a cup for him, dropping in an obscene amount of sugar and a dash of cream. You’d decided to go with the blouse he’d first ogled you in - it’s gotten a little tight over the past couple months, but that, in your opinion, only serves as better bait.

It hugs your form better than it had before, and had made it so you’d had to leave the top couple buttons undone. Paired with the fitted skirt you’d chosen, and the gartered stockings that peeked out from beneath, your entire ensemble was perfect for showing off your figure.

Entirely unprofessional, you’re aware, but necessary.

“You should take a break,” you say sweetly, as you set the cup of coffee down on Viktor’s desk. You make sure to lean well into his field of vision, with the excuse of making sure the beverage is away from the edge of the table, but you can feel the effects of your actions immediately.

His gaze, darting up from his work to look at what you’ve gifted him, only to trail over your body in the most obliviously lecherous way possible. 

“I- hm?” he replies smartly, blinking out of his momentary stupor.

You bite back a laugh.

“I said you should take a break,” you reiterate. “You’re so focused, I don’t doubt you’ve already been sitting here for a couple hours. You should give your eyes a rest, and have something to eat.”

He makes a noncommittal noise, and slouches back in his seat.

“I’m almost finished,” he tells you, though you hardly believe him.

You carefully set your hands on the arms of his chair, leaning forward so that you’re at eye level with him and can fix him with a disapproving pout. He swallows hard, and at such a proximity, you can see the way his pupils widen - hear the way his breath comes in short draws, as you lock your gaze with his.

“Take a break,” you say again, and this time, he nods in agreement.

—

You continue like that throughout the day. Touching and teasing him in ways that would seem innocent to any onlookers - a hand on the shoulder, your lips by his ear, or your chin on his shoulder while you watch him explain something to you. 

But each time you find yourself in his personal space, you can feel his resolve slipping. He’s realized by now what you’re doing, and he knows that you know. But he’s yet to say anything about it.

It’s maybe a little bit selfish of you, but you want to see him crumble, and you mean it in the kindest and most loving way possible. You want his stubbornness to be washed away by desperation - you want him to be incapable of resisting you.

It takes most of the day, but eventually you make it to that point.

Eventually, after Jayce bids goodnight to the two of you and the room is cast into silence.

You lean quietly against the edge of his desk, affectionately watching him while he tries in vain to ignore your eyes on him, attempting to finish his work.

“Viktor,” you murmur.

His hands tighten around the tools he’s holding.

“What are you doing?” he sighs. Finally addressing the tension.

Slowly, oh so slowly, you reach towards him. Sliding your fingers tenderly along his jaw, reveling in the way his pulse thumps quicker the moment your skin makes contact. You carefully tilt his face towards you, drawing his attention away from the trinket laying in front of him.

And guilt immediately flickers in your stomach, the moment you see how he’s looking at you.

Wholeheartedly, entirely, and terribly frustrated.

You stroke your thumb over the curve of his cheek, watching as the prettiest shade of pink begins to rise in your wake.

“I’m trying to get your attention,” you gently tell him. “You’ve been staring at me for weeks, and you haven’t done anything about it.”

Worry rises up in your throat, the longer the silence lasts between you. Fear. You’d been absolutely certain that he’d been showing an interest in you, in a way he did with no one else. But what if you’d been wrong? What if you’d completely misinterpreted his actions, and had now made a complete and utter fool out of yourself-

The soft press of lips against your palm draws you out of your spiral.

Viktor’s lips, specifically, his breath warm on the hand you’d laid upon him.

“I had hoped you wouldn’t notice,” he mumbles, swiveling in his chair to face you. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, or make myself appear rude or…unsafe. I had hoped that admiring you from a distance would work well enough, and that our friendship would be able to continue unchanged.”

You scoot closer to him, until you’re all but sitting in his lap.

“Why would things change?” you wonder, letting your cheek come to rest against his shoulder. “We’ll still always be friends - just now with the added benefit of…you know. Romance.”

You lay a kiss to the pulse point on his throat, smirking at the way it jumps beneath your touch.

“Among other things,” you tack on.

Slender arms snake around your waist, then, pulling you impossibly closer. Until you’re pressed firmly against his body, with your legs spread and hooked over the armrests of the chair. You can feel the way your skirt has ridden up, revealing more skin than you’d intended, though Viktor hardly seems to mind.

Once you’re resting comfortably against him, his hands begin to wander. Slowly walking his fingers down your body - pressing into the curve of your hips, and dipping over the exposed meat of your ass.

You know he can feel the way you shiver when he touches you, if the self-satisfied smirk he wears is anything to go by.

“Other things,” he huffs, sliding a single finger beneath the band of one stocking. He keeps it there for a couple seconds, sliding around to the back of your thigh, where he pulls away and draws the elastic taut. 

“Is that what you came here for, today?” he asks, feigning innocence. “Did you dress up all pretty, hoping I’d bend you over my desk and have my way with you?”

His breath is hot on the soft skin of your neck, until he digs his teeth in.

And lets your stocking snap sharply back into place.

“Viktor,” you whine, squirming in his lap.

“Poor thing,” he murmurs, as he dips a hand between your legs, stroking the pad of one finger along the obvious damp spot on your panties. “You’ve been throwing yourself at me all afternoon, like some kind of common whore.”

You whimper, when he pushes the wet fabric to the side and immediately starts drawing lazy circles on your clit, already slick with desire.

“Even now, spreading yourself open for me, in a place where anyone could walk in. I bet you’d let me fuck you like this, wouldn’t you? You’d let me use your slutty little cunt however I pleased, and you wouldn’t even care if you made a mess - you’d let me stretch you open and fill you until I’m satisfied.”

You’re humiliated by how quickly he manages to bring you to the edge. Sliding two slender fingers into your dripping hole, he curls them and spreads them so perfectly within you, grinding the heel of his palm against your puffy clit all the while.

“Would you like that?” he wonders, though it’s hardly a question. “Ridiculous - of course you would. You’re already dripping all over my hand, and clenching around my fingers. Are you really about to come? Even though I’ve barely touched you?”

You nearly sob as he continues to work you closer and closer to the edge, crying out in desperation when he slides another digit in with the first two. You don’t think you’ve ever been spread so wide by someone’s fingers before, the stretch burning in the most delicious way.

Closer and closer, your orgasm approaches, your breath coming in short gasps as you tremble bonelessly against him.

“Please,” you whine, nearly begging. The obscene squelch of your dripping pussy echoing through the room.

“Please what?” he teases. “Please take my fingers out? Is three too much for your poor little cunt? Or please give you another one?”

You wail when he stills his hand.

“Please let me come,” you sob, your voice catching in your throat. “Viktor- I want to come- please-”

Blessedly, deliciously, he slips a fourth finger in, and begins his ministrations anew.

“Look at you,” he sighs, almost dreamily. “You’d look so perfect split open on my cock. I know you’d be able to take it - you can take most of my hand, after all. But it would be tight.”

You nod along with him, barely able to form a coherent thought, orgasm so close you can practically taste it.

And then, like a monster, he stops.

“No- no no no don’t stop-” you cry, rolling your hips in an attempt to grind down on his fingers, only for him to pull them out of you completely, leaving your hole empty and clenching around nothing.

“I’m not fucking you in here. And I’m not letting you come until I’ve filled you up,” he says plainly, and the statement alone makes you want to start weeping. However, he tilts his face down towards yours, nudging his nose against you until you find the will to stare sadly up at him.

Your eyes meet, and you’re entirely started by the sheer desire that shines within his pretty, honeyed gaze.

“Unless you want this to be a one-time thing,” he says, his words catching briefly, as if the thought itself pains him. “If you don’t want…more…then I’ll let you come now, on my fingers, and there will be no hard feelings. Our friendship will remain unchanged, and we’ll never speak of this again.”

You frown slightly at the idea.

“But if you do want more from this,” he continues, “If you do want a relationship, if you want to be mine…then come back to my room with me. Let me take my time with you, let me feel you, let me bring you pleasure in every way I know how - my fingers, my mouth. Let me love you.”

You don’t bother with a verbal answer, choosing to instead bring your lips to his in a hurried frenzy. Your breath mixing, his tongue sliding tentatively against yours, until your chest is so full you’re gasping for air, knitting your hand in his hair to briefly pull him away from you.

Even so, he tries to chase you.

You stare at each other for a couple seconds, chests rising and falling as you calm yourselves and gather your wits.

And then, sweetly, you ask your question.

“Where’s your room?”

[fatuismooches]

Okay, first of all..

YOUR WRITING AKSJAKSJAKAJAAK OMG I'M SQUEALING SO HARD, U DONT KNOW HOW MUCH HAPPINESS U BRING TO ME (ESPECIALLY UR CAPITANO IS SO 💓🥺😩💞), THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MAKING SUCH A GOOD CONTENT TO A LOT OF US 💓💓💞🛐

second,

If ur request is still open and if u dont mind, may i request Capitano with a female reader that has an ability to heal whenever she sings? But her voice is so soothing that it makes him fall asleep 😅 (but he doesnt mind about it bcs thats the only time where he can finally release all of his tension and feel at peace) So everytime Capitano came back from a war and has some injuries, she will hold his hands and start singing to heal him while he slowly descent to his peaceful sleep

U dont have to do it if u are not comfortable with the idea and sorry for the bad english 😅

-🥝

♡ 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐨 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 ♡

synopsis: Capitano carries a great burden as a Fatui Harbinger, but it starts to take less of a toll when he's blessed with your lovely songs.

includes: capitano w/ fem! reader

notes: This is literally such a sweet request and I love this dynamic so much <33. I just know that Capitano would love someone the opposite of him!! I hope you like this!

You are his beautiful, perfect little maiden. Really, Capitano does not know how he got so lucky to have met someone as peaceful and soothing as you. And for you to fully reciprocate his feelings? To wholly love this monster, when he takes lives and you save them instead? He feels almost guilty but can’t give you up. And when you show him your magnificent ability, this feeling amplifies a lot more. He’s never cared much for weak people, but you’ve opened up his eyes some more to the abilities of others. You may not fight, but your songs lift the spirits, both physically and mentally, of the wounded soldiers and increase morale. Everyone quite literally loves you (cue Capitano in the back, jealous of the attention the rest of the soldiers are getting.) He’s a silent person by nature, so he never ever interrupts your singing. Shows his displeasure quietly if anyone else were to do so.

There’s only so much bandages and medicinal salves can do to treat wounds. You have to let time pass to fully recover. But nope, not anymore. Even if he gets the tiniest scratch, you’re running to him to you can sing the wound away. (Just think of Capitano trying to tend to the flowers like you do and ends up getting pricked by a thorn. Begins to do it on purpose so he can hear your songs more often. Honestly, he thinks it’s adorable how he’s so much more bigger and stronger than you, yet you get worried about him over anything.) He loathes to leave you alone, but duty calls of course. But something cute I think, is that you’d sing a song and record it on a Radiant Spincrystal so he could listen to it when he’s out fighting. (Don’t ask me how that would work. It just works because I said so!) So now every day after a battle, the whole camp can hear your singing voice coming from Capitano’s tent. No one says a word about how all of them can hear it, they enjoy it too after all and no one has the heart or guts to report this to their Lord Harbinger. Your singing really calms him down - if he’s having a rough day away from you he just plays the spin crystal and it relaxes him a lot. Tends to think about what kind of souvenir or trinket he should get you this time after he wins this war. Another thing - he likes to write down things about the scenery, people, animals, etc about the nation/area he’s visiting, so that you can use it as inspiration for your songs. Secretly feels really happy when you come up with something based on his notes.

But of course, nothing is better than the real thing in person. This is why you always make sure to sit by the window every day when your lover is supposed to be returning soon. To greet him with a welcome home melody! And boy, is he ever so internally excited for this every time. Everyone else sees his stiff, upright emotionless posture, but he’s literally beaming internally that he finally gets to hold you again, hear your lovely chirpy voice, feel your gentle caresses… a battle worn and torn warrior in love with his tender and soft healer at its finest. (It’s also amusing to think about the maids and butlers just standing there silently while you're draped over your lover singing a sweet tune to him. Capitano has learned to deal with it.) 

The best part is when you urge him into your private quarters and badger him to take off all his heavy armor and clothing so you could heal him already. It’s always a mesmerizing process actually - the big, fluffy coat goes first and drops to the floor, then the multiple armor pieces he wears on different parts of his body. Finally comes the regular clothing that is quickly thrown off. Sometimes the wounds are small and infrequent, or they’re big. (Well, for the sake of the story let’s say that… who is wounding such a high ranking Harbinger lol.) And then you get to work, pressing your hands gently against the wounded areas and beginning to sing. You’ve memorized which songs he likes the best of course. The first few times you did this Capitano fell asleep sitting up and you were literally trapped in his lap. Now you make him lie down before you heal. And while Capitano has some… thoughts about your ability to make him doze off some quickly, he grows to not mind it. At first, he was cautious of it. He has concerns about appearing vulnerable in front of anyone, even you. He’s just not used to it. But he begins to wake up feeling more rested than usual. Of course, your healing made him feel better physically but these naps after hearing your singing just made him feel better. And he got to wake up to you clinging to his arm. You described this as him feeling “peaceful” since his body and mind were free of tension from your singing. He grows to look forward to injuries now…

Capitano also gets frequently worried about the state of your throat (he’s protective over you by a WHOLE LOT.) You’ve been singing for too long and your throat is getting all scratchy and hoarse? Too bad for the other soldiers - he’s escorting you to your shared bedroom so you can get some rest. The kind of lover who would actually hold the glass of water and tilt your head back so you can drink it. You are not lifting a finger after your performances. (Thankfully they have big cups that are big enough for his hands hehe.) And if there’s specific food you want to eat for your throat? You’re going to have it, no matter what. And if you ever lost your voice for a few days?! He would genuinely be so sad and make you stay in bed all day. I know he’d keep all of the notes you wrote down to communicate with him though. Haha, it’s very cute to imagine that Capitano is standing there, watching the recruits train menacingly, while you’re there on standby in case of any injuries, radiating sunshine. Everyone is used to you two strolling down the hallways, hand in hand, your singing filling the empty and desolate space while Capitano dutifully marches behind you. Quite an unusual pair, but a very good one.

[theunreliablewriter]

Seen

Pairing: Larissa Weems x Fem!Teacher!Reader

Warnings: Insecurities over powers, Kissing

Fluff

Word Count: 853

Request: Hi! Thank you for the opportunity, i would like the following :) Larissa Weems x Reader first day of year school after they become an official couple (teacher-director relationships) can be first day of school after the whole Hyde-Thornhill deal, she (Larissa) would of course be alive. Thank you! You are very kind 💗 - @anazomeg

Author’s Note: Sorry this is short! I haven’t written anything creative in a long time, so I hope it’s okay! Let me know what you think! :)

You had dreamed of this day since you were first dropped off as a new student at Nevermore Academy. Though, almost everyone in your life questioned why.

They would ask, “Why would you want to return to a school of outcasts that made you feel like an outcast?”

And they were right.

During your youth, you were an outcast, and that especially included your years at the boarding school.

Your classmates never bullied you, nor were they ever necessarily rude to you. But you always wondered if that was only because they were afraid of you — afraid of what you could do to them without ever being noticed.

Nevermore had served as the home of numerous powerful beings, but none quite like you. With your power of invisibility, people kept their distance because who knows what you would have done to them over the most mild inconvenience? If they were to become your friend and, someday, angered you, would you retaliate without anyone being able to bear witness?

And this devastated you. You initially had thought they would have found your ability interesting, if not cool. How could they assume the worst by thinking you would use it to harm?

You were born with the ability to go unseen, but never did you truly feel invisible until your first days at Nevermore.

But, now, as your first day as a teacher, you were ready to start anew. And unlike before, you were not doing it alone.

“What if they find me boring?”

“Boring?!” The woman carrying an unbelievable number of boxes scoffed before placing them on your oversized desk. “Why do you think that?”

With a shrug, your gaze fell to the floor, as you quietly responded, “I don’t know. I’m just nervous, I suppose. I want everything to go so well this time.”

The single click of a high heel echoed in the vast room, and that was all it took for the towering woman you still could not believe you had the privilege of calling your significant other to place herself directly in front of you.

You felt the soft skin of her long finger gently push against the bottom of your chin until you were staring upwards into her entrancing blue eyes.

“I insist you listen to me, (Y/N),” Larissa spoke with a firmness to ensure you knew her level of seriousness. Of course, though, as it never was with you, her voice was not at all harsh. “Your time here will be everything you wish it to be and more. I will personally make sure of it.”

“But I don’t want you making it easy for me.”

“Such as how?”

“I don’t know. Scaring the students, whether it’s with those intimidating stares you do so well or making them do detention in the woods at night.”

Larissa laughed, making your heart flutter at the sound you could not get enough of. “I will do no such thing. Your success will be entirely of your own making, and I have not a single doubt you would not even need my help if I offered it. You are a wonderful teacher, my darling. You are of intelligence beyond your years. Your personality is addictive — one that has the ability to make anyone happy within mere moments of being around you. You are fun and naturally hilarious. By the end of the first day tomorrow, I am certain I will be hearing you are countless students’ new favorite teacher.”

Despite the smile already wanting to form on your face, your insecurity from the past could not help but ask, “You don’t think they will be afraid of me?”

Her gaze softened beyond what it already was. Her large hands grasped your face as she brought her own so dangerously close. “Not in the slightest, my sweet girl. Believe me, if they are not frightened by my return after thinking I was dead, and surely, if they are still not terrified of our dear student Wednesday who you will come to know, there is not a chance they will be fearful of you.”

Still mentally battling the countless thoughts trying to tell you otherwise, all you could do in response was nod.

“If anything, they will come to appreciate your powers, if not be amazed by them,” Larissa said to you. Somehow, her face had managed to move even closer than what it already was, allowing you to almost feel her words of, “But never, my love, will anyone be more amazed by you than I am.”

Your lips barely had the opportunity to spilt into a full grin before you quickly closed the remaining space between them and hers.

Rising up onto your tiptoes, your fingers tangled into her perfectly styled hair. And your kiss only continued to deepen as her arms encircled your waist, pressing your body entirely against hers.

With how safe you felt in Larrisa’s embrace, with knowing she would be there for you each and every day, every doubt seemingly evaded your mind in a single second.

Most importantly, with Larissa, you knew you would always be seen.

| Masterlist | Request Information |

[chantsdemarins]

Find Tom: Part 2

(a little new art too)

The whole "soccer era" Tom was the push I needed to jump back into a Tom fic, although I am by far much more comfortable just sticking with Loki. I hope this isn't cringey. It’s not that great but I feel like it needs to be posted. 😑

⚠️It's mature so no under 18 readers!

❤️It's a love poem with not a lot of plot!

☠️I used some new smutty words

Lastly, I truly appreciate anyone who takes the time to read my work! No comment is too small, no reblog is unfelt. I wouldn't do any of this if I didn't have readers. You mean the world to me.

@lovelysizzlingbluebird @mischief2sarawr @five-miles-over @lokischambermaid @lokisgoodgirl @mochie85 @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 @kats72 @fictive-sl0th @sailorholly @tbhiddlestan83 @peaches1958 @huntress-artemiss @goblingirlsarah @jennyggggrrr @mjsthrillernp @wolfsmom1 @lady-rose-moon @mygfloki @buttercupcookies-blog @lokixryss @simplyholl @eleniblue @kingtwhiddleston

Thank you-thank you-thank you!

Read Find Tom Part 1

He had stayed an extra week-you had called in to work with hope and a prayer you wouldn’t lose your job.

How could you have known that the remarkable business of bedding a movie star not only included being passionately taken on every mid-modern furnishing capable of withstanding Tom’s athleticism but also came replete with nuanced discussions of such things as little-known facets of British history?

A mere night with this man would have been impossible. His words alone filled the time so completely while his cock took up the rest of the hours left in the day. You needed a lifetime but would have to settle for a week. You also felt like Tom’s spare thoughts were enough to earn him a second Cambridge degree.

You often found yourself pouring strong coffee between glasses of Cab to keep your mind sharp enough to ask intelligent follow-up questions. Which you always did. It was impossible not to notice how his conversational ability effervesced through him, a surging sparkle that galvanized in his eyes, creating a disproportionate lure and the impulse to return the enchanting discourse in kind. Over the course of the week, you had time to observe how many of Tom’s features would appear as backdrops to his emotions.

Like the plane of his nose, its pristine alpine slope, when he was grinding his hips into you. Or how his smile consumed half of his face while his lips found yours.

His eyes were mesmerizing vehicles of his intellect like twin comets streaking the sky. You had to watch them. You couldn’t take your own eyes off them. He saw not only you but what was beyond you, possibly what you would become. He had a witchy sense.

Also, strangely when you least expected it, a pallor of sadness would also occasionally descend between your bodies. A departure from his enthusiastic nature that usually led the way. It was clear something had made a lasting impact on him. Was it another woman? A situation? Strife of the elite? Champagne problems that you could never understand. You wanted to ask him to tell you, but you let the sadness be a silent companion to your passion.

All this revelation was amplified in the vintage quiet of the Sea Ranch cottage you had all to yourselves.

That first night, he took you easily. Perhaps embarrassingly easy. After all, you’d been wet since you saw him from across the crowded room. An uncomfortable distraction while you talked about your lives and listened to the quartet play The Lark Ascending in the main room of the after-party. Something about the tender violin and his deep voice from a place far away. The details. The decorations, wild peach-colored streamers blowing in the ocean wind battering the rafters. A hum in your ears.

The way he leaned in closer when you knew he could hear you. You’d swallow him up if given the chance. Later at his Sea Ranch cottage, what felt like an eternity after so much conversation and ephemera, you were finally a crumpled passionate mess. You remember looking down and seeing him finally enter you, the implications, the spectacle.

You felt your breath leave and never quite return.

Later as dawn coursed through and put the evening to rest, Tom made sure to use the California poppy napkins to tidy you both up but stopped himself short of a full janitorial protocol. There was something a little wicked about his disregard. He liked seeing you wrecked. He liked seeing the lingering elements of the sex you just had, still on you. He didn’t want to make things too neat. You felt exposed but did not want to assemble a wall between you.

The instinct was that of vulnerability. Only sometimes found in casual romance. Only sometimes experienced by you.

By Tuesday, Tom’s effulgent historical discourse had fully found its way into your conversation yet again. You sat on the ocean-facing porch in two aging red deck chairs, a temptation for Tom’s fingers. He easily peeled off their flaking paint and collected it into a neat pile on the property’s 1972 glass Sands Hotel ashtray.

He would continue to move the small pile around with his long finger mixing the chipped paint with the singed tobacco and marijuana wrappings from the day for the hours you talked. Tom would grow quiet only when he rolled his own cigarettes one-handed.

You wondered if he smoked back in London or only when on holiday or business, or as an affront to suffocating California standards of healthy living. The sea wind picked up and moved through his rust-colored hair, salt air conjuring it into full attention.

Apparently, he had forgotten his blow dryer, but now, surprisingly, he seemed besotted with his curls. He ran his hands through them as he resumed your previous conversation.

You tried not to lose your concentration on the details. Tom’s mental ephemera began to have a companion in the details of his being you were collecting in the hallows of your own mind. Topics spun wildly from one to another but often fell back into history and philosophy. You prided yourself in keeping up, even if you had to use the cottage's old ethernet cable and early 2000s PC to look up “ontology.”

"British history is rife with privileged white opportunists, wouldn't you say?" His words were intended for both the relentless waves below and you as he stared off into the inky distance. That was quite the conversation shift. You had both just been talking about Steinerberg, Switzerland. He’d been while filming The Night Manager. He went on.

"Take William Bennett, for example, a complete ass."

"William Bennett?" Repeating his choice of subject often gave you a few vital seconds to collect your thoughts.

"Indeed. He essentially earned his fame from an aquatint print of the New York City fire in 1836. The untold story is that he bought the original sketch from an impoverished Italian artist, Nicolino Calyo. Calyo was there amidst the 700 homes succumbing to flames. Bennett essentially duplicated it, and therefore, as a wealthy, idle British artist, he managed to elude any consequences." You scrunched your nose in a silent response before replying.

"And Calyo?" you finally ventured, already anticipating Tom's reply.

"Naturally, he ended up dead and destitute. The old D and D, if you will.”

You laughed but felt a parallel emerge within you. Your life seemed uncomfortably akin to Nicolino Calyo's. Your mind raced - was Tom, beneath his casual Louis Vuitton button-down, a modern William Bennett? Your thoughts looped back to yesterday's breathy exchange after you’d gone down on him and where you confessed that after a long hiatus, you'd begun painting again. Was he secretly archiving the ideas you'd shared about your nascent series, ready to unearth them during his leisure in Margate - a place allegedly sharing the "spirit and design" of Sea Ranch? While Tom moved your things inside as the chill of the evening overtook you both, your mind was fixated on your previous conversation.

In your carnally vexed state, you'd unveiled your infatuation with the hues of mint green, adobe red, and translucent pink. His curiosity had been particularly piqued by "adobe," which led to a discourse on the disparity between the tangible "true adobe" and the digitized shade we've now associated with the word.

He reflected on his time in New Mexico during the filming of the first Thor movie, where he was first introduced to the color scheme of the American Southwest. It had been a captivating conversation that moved fast. An image of Tom as a reincarnated William Bennett, unveiling his own mint green and adobe masterpiece at a glitzy auction event eight years from now felt lodged in your mind.

Apparently, this emerging anxiety of trusting such a departure from your usual type of lover was hard. None of your other partners would still an idea you had for a painting and make millions from it, but of course, neither would Tom. You were becoming irrational. You poured yourself a new glass of wine, emptying another bottle. Closing your eyes for a moment by yourself while Tom assembled the next part of your evening with his usual intentionality intact, even if he didn’t catch your mood. He tracked even the tiniest details in the short time you’d spent together. You wondered if his sadness had descended, preventing him from noticing.

The next day you made love in the early morning hours, savoring his body. He was deeply asleep his naked luminosity shining against the white of the sheets. Tom still smelled like the rosemary he had picked from the bushes out front. You had watched him in his running shorts and nothing else, springs of rosemary in his hands.

He remarked about how wild rosemary doesn’t grow in England; at least, he didn’t think so. He joked he would take some of it back in his suitcase. He’d smell like California. He’d smell like privileged things like taking an extra week off. At that moment, you had felt his lineage as if a halo surrounded him - an impenetrable force field.

The afternoon found you both in the living room, wrapped in tartan blankets, partaking in an improvised indoor picnic. Tom had run a 10-mile round trip to Jenner's only grocery store. The sight of him returning with baguettes, ham, brie, and more wine bottles settled his existence in your mind as a true enigma. His sweaty, proud smile covered his face completely as held the baguette up to the sky in a triumphant cheer. You ran to him and held him around his middle.

You always loved the way tall skinny guys felt. It was a too-familiar gesture for such a casual situation, you tried to pull back, but he nestled his head into the crook of your shoulder. You closed your eyes and heard only the ambient sound of birds.

The morning of the sixth day, you dressed in his white undershirt and boxer shorts. You both reveled in the amusement of exchanging clothing items to create new outfits each day. The addition of Tom’s packed subtly luxurious clothing gave you both interesting options. His Armani suit jacket with just your black underwear. Tom amusingly in your skirt, paired with his unexpected choice of nude suede Herve ankle boots.

Your scarf and his sleek Ray-Bans. His running shorts were cleverly repurposed as a strapless jumpsuit. In the end, the clothes would always come off. You would be naked. You would have your hands consuming one another in a shocking discovery of hidden pleasure. The responses were the truth.

The thing you both could trust. In his sighs, in the warm breath that haunted your collar bones. In the flush of his cheeks. In the sweat on his forehead or the goosebumps on your arms when his fingertips traced the edges of your body with the precision of an engineer, you held on to the touches, the utterances of euphoria. With every orgasm, you felt the incredible raw honor of being human.

You wanted to slow it down long enough to feel it truly. To feel a king cuming inside you. To feel his cum and his claim while lost in the gravity of his eyes. Those magnificent extensions of his brain were a lifeline. Your bodies became sculptures, black quartz in the hot sun.

By Sunday, the end of your time together had finally found its way to you. He whispered in your ear after pulling out, catching any breath he could. He could only stay until Monday, he had to go back to London. You stared at the slow oscillations of the Casablanca ceiling fan. “I’ll miss this,” your words were an echo of the real words you longed to say.

His eyes closed, lashes casting delicate shadows on his cheeks.

The woman he would one day choose to marry, you thought, God help her. She would undoubtedly be transformed if your brief moments with Tom were any sign. However, for some melancholic reason, you knew it wasn’t going to be you.

You weren’t destined to be the lover who would eventually turn into a wife. He only had room for the ecstasy of passion and intellectual tête-à-têtes. This affair was incomplete, with no clear conclusion in sight. It wasn't a tale like that of William Bennett and his ill-gotten fame through art theft—a story with a beginning, middle, and end.

No, this was something else entirely. Suddenly, as if he was privy to the endless stream of inner thoughts, Tom spoke. "I met you at the right time, y/n," he said, his piercing blue eyes now open.

He jumped out of bed and casually dressed, slipping on a single item of clothing or, more accurately, an accessory — his Gucci belt wrapped sideways around his bare body. It was difficult to concentrate as he strolled past the expansive windows of the cottage. His muscles and his semi-hard cock were the only things holding that thing in place. Your cheeks grew hot. Tom followed up his emotional revelation with a more practical question.

"Shall I make us eggs on this, our final morning together?”

Without waiting for your response, he ventured into the kitchen, energetically rummaging through the cabinets in search of pepper before swinging open the refrigerator.

As he busily prepared breakfast, his underlying sadness was emerging, defying the rational part of his mind that wished it weren't there. Balancing a glass bowl against his stomach, he swiftly began whisking eggs, his intense gaze fixed upon you. This prompted you to inquire once more, "Why is this the right time, Tom?"

He continued whisking the eggs as he replied, "You found me, truly. Sometimes, we serve that purpose for others, akin to amateur archaeologists. Returning to London, I will be more whole, not less."

You found yourself fidgeting with the hem of Tom's t-shirt you were now wearing.

"You desired this life you have didn't you? You wanted fame?"

"I don't know, y/n. I wanted to do what I loved," Tom confessed, pouring the frothy mixture into the heated pan.

"I doubt it’s that simple, I'm sure you've had to make difficult decisions to reach the top."

"Like parting ways with a beautiful woman I met while on an extended work trip?"

"Yes, exactly like that,” you struggled to say.

"It happens all the time, love, all the time. Regret is my middle name. Thomas Regret Hiddleston."

With that sentence, he refocused his attention on cooking, his hands and mind engaged in a synchronized activity not unlike sex, serving a similar yet less emotional purpose.

You discovered a tablecloth tucked away in the back of a cabinet and spread it over the aged blonde table. Professionally, he placed the plates of food before you.

"Quite the last supper we have here," you remarked, attempting a joke to mask your emerging underlying sadness, though failing in your intended delivery.

Your gaze fell to the floor, unable to meet the sunlight streaming through the windows or Tom's eyes. He continued in his relational eulogy, "Its breakfast, y/n, and many more will come. Someday, you'll have a partner, and I'll have someone too. We'll be enjoying meals with them, and something will trigger a memory. Perhaps we'll be by the sea on vacation, and you'll remember me, and I'll remember you."

So he was thinking similar thoughts as you. He did not feel he met his future wife at a Bay Area film festival after-party. It was a long shot at best. You nervously tried to continue talking.

"Of course, not simultaneously. How could we possibly know if we remember each other at the same time?"

"We will never know, y/n. We will only remember each other out-of-sync for the rest of our lives."

With that bittersweet but strangely truthful statement, he reached across the table and gently took your hand and kissed it. You wouldn’t watch him leave late that night. You skipped the coffee after the wine, and poured yourself another, watching the moon reflect off the darkness of the glass.

[xthescarletbitch]

Hello, hello! I'm here to ask a very important question:

What do you think Aloy would be like as a romantic partner? As a wife? My personal headcanons are that she'd be:

-super caring and kind

-would be genuinely curious about your interests and would love talking with you about any and everything

-shes pretty blunt and sarcastic but I feel like it'd be pretty endearing. Like she'd sass anyone who was giving you trouble or just being a nuisance to general

-compassionate and sympathetic. Would definitely hold you and listen intently if you had a bad day

That's all I got so far (I'm still gonna write that college au fic, so this was a great writing exercise, lol).

that is a very important question… one i’ve been thinking a lot about, actually. i love what you put, and i am in agreement! i’ll also be looking forward to that au. i need more aloy fics. 👀

here are just a few that i’ve thought up while playing. i hope you enjoy! 🥰

✦ aloy loves to give gifts: she knows it isn’t easy for you to sit idly by while she’s out there saving the world, so she wants you to know that you’re not out of her mind completely. she’ll stumble upon something beautiful enough that reminds her so much of you, to the point where she has to grab it and tuck it away to bring it to you later. occasionally, it’ll be an old-world item that she thinks you’ll get a kick out of. i also do not think she’s opposed to just gifting you old-world jewellery like an old-world custom. whatever it is, she finds joy in the smile that comes across your face each time she returns to you with her arms full (the joy also applies when she’s empty-handed, of course… you just missed her).

✦ aloy loves to plan dates: now, this was an idea i had after securing poseidon, but i think she would love to take you out on dates after she’s ensured the location was safe first. the date may be anything from watching the stars on a secluded mountaintop (around base, for example) to a romantic walk through a settlement to the spectacular light show in las vegas—it doesn’t matter. she just wants to be close to you and enjoy that quality time with you before she has to continue on her journey. since she sees so much more than you, i feel that her ability to plan dates is top-tier. she knows all the best sights (and how to secure them if needed).

✦ aloy is big on physical affection: poor baby is always out there risking her life for the world and craves the feeling of her love embracing her. whenever she is finally around you, she never wants to let go or be let go. she makes sure to plan her time around the many hours of cuddling she’ll need before returning to the wilds. it’s a time of catching up on all the physical affection she’s missed while she’s been gone that she knows you’ve been craving, too. she also loves to give and receive as many kisses as possible while there. the others may joke around, acting disgusted, but she doesn’t care. she’s earned it.

✦ aloy loves to give and receive praise: you’re absolutely the first person she’d call on the focus once she accomplishes something. she does it to keep you in the loop and to hear just how excited and happy you are for her. the way you praise her makes her feel so warm and loved. sure, appreciation from others is nice, but it’s so different coming from you. it feels so much more meaningful than you could ever imagine. something as simple as a “i knew you could do it” motivates her to keep going. it’s not an easy journey she’s on and your support is everything. on the other hand, she’ll also dish out the praise right back. if you’ve made moves at the base that has furthered progress, aloy will be so happy for you and ensure that you know just how proud she is of you. while it is a team effort, she is just highly supportive of you and all that you do!

✦ aloy would be protective over you: you’ve fared pretty well in the wilds and have proven that you can defend yourself, but aloy would prefer that you stay safely at the base. she knows that the west is a whole new world with even tougher machines and would sleep much better on her travels knowing that you were somewhere secure (like the base). she also likes knowing she can “go home” to you whenever she wants. sometimes, she’ll walk or ride the extra mile just to be with you for the night. she’s also protective in the sense that if anybody messes with you, she will say something. this is where i’d agree with your sass because those hands are absolutely going on her hips as she handles the situation for you. that’s not to say that she thinks you can’t handle yourself, but nobody messes with her love. even if it’s somebody else close to her, like erend or varl, she’s taking your side 100%. after the conversation, she’ll pull you close and kiss your forehead to ensure you’re okay before continuing with other matters.

✦ aloy would call you every night: this girl cannot fall asleep without talking to you. if there are times when she can’t get back to the base and has to shelter elsewhere, she has to call you to make sure you and everything else is okay. not only that, but it’s an excuse to hear your voice again. it brings her a lot of comfort to get even a little interaction with you. it would become a sort of ritual where you both would talk every night before sleep, telling each other about your day until you fall asleep (still on the call). it makes her feel closer to you, even miles away. it also makes the whole distance thing feel more manageable to deal with. there are nights where you just stay up talking to each other about random things and pretending you are right there next to each other, but you both know you’ll see each other in person again soon… it just can’t come fast enough.

[sleepy-eclectic-dreaming-writer]

HSR men with a chronically ill reader

CW: mentions of chronic illness, medications, doctors/hospitals, mentions of bodily fluids, slight whump, slight hurt/comfort, gn!reader

Note: some minor spoilerish references for post-Lofu story quests.

Caelus is the type to lay down and cuddle with you when you're feeling unwell. The man will collect every stray pillow, blanket, and comfort item he can find aboard the Express, all to make a comfortable nest in your cabin and settle down with you. Pom-Pom turns a blind eye to this, as long as all things are returned to their proper place after.

If you're having a particularly bad flare, he'll help you shower and change, will do pharmacy runs for you, even cook if you trust him enough to do so. Every trip off of the Express he uses as an opportunity to stock up on energy drinks and snacks for when you're feeling well enough to eat again.

Dan Heng is not the cuddly type, but he will sit with you and read to you if you're having trouble sleeping. He knows it's important to get in exercise, so if you're bed-bound due to weakness or illness, he'll help you stretch and move your limbs so you don't lose mobility or get bed sores.

After speaking with Bailu on the Lofu, he picks up a few tips and tricks for helping with more basic symptoms, if he isn't already aware (think different herbal remedies for fevers, coughs, congestion, headaches, acute pain.) He's no healer, but he'll learn what he can to alleviate your pain.

Welt will listen to you gripe and whine and grumble with a patient ear and the occasional nod of understanding, and a reminder to take your medication as directed. He feels bad, seeing someone so young be afflicted with such a burden, so he makes every possible effort to help you feel more comfortable. This man will use his mimicry ability to show you episodes of his animations, will also read to you if you ask him to. His voice is extremely rich and soothing, and he's happy to talk until you fall asleep.

He'll also be the one to help you arrange doctor's visits, or hospital trips for procedures. He knows how sometimes people won't listen to a younger person talk about their symptoms, especially if they are femme-presenting. So he's entirely able and willing to be an advocate on your behalf, to make sure you are getting the full scope of treatment options presented to you. He will NOT let any sort of negligence happen, not on his watch.

Blade will also not let any sort of malpractice happen while you're under his supervision. He's big, he's quiet, but he's scary, and makes for the perfect companion when anyone tries to give you nonsense about your diagnosis or any mobility aids you might need. Shuts that noise down in a second. After all, while he may not be an openly friendly guy, you're still entrusted to him, and he never leaves a job unfinished. Even if that job is taking care of you.

That said, he also is really good when it comes to the more gross side of being ill. He might grumble about it later, but he'll make sure you can get yourself somewhere safe and get cleaned up if there are any embarrassing accidents. The grumbling is never directed at you, more about the inconvenience of those who get in his way while he's trying to take care of you. He will never flinch at any kind of fluid your body produces; he's seen so much worse. You've got nothing to be embarrassed about with him.

He, like Dan Heng, knows the importance of movement and exercise, and as such will similarly help you stretch and move. But he will also settle down and let you lay your head in his lap, washing your face or brushing your hair. He's not clingy, but will gladly show you physical affection if you ask for it. Whatever you need in that moment, he will provide to the best of his ability.

Luocha also makes for a superb patient advocate. He's got more in-depth knowledge than others when it comes to medicine, and will always ensure you get what it is you need. What kind of merchant would he be if he couldn't procure your medications, after all? You don't need to worry about a thing, let him handle it. You just rest up as much as you need.

[indras-wife]

hii! I read some of your writing and AHHH!!!<33 you're an amazing writer like I'm in love with all your works!

I was wondering if I could request a yandere! indra head cannons with a s/o who is blind due to getting severely hurt in one of her missions and now she's starting to function without her eyesight but its been hard for her to do so. Maybe this is pre-obession when they first get to now each other?

have a great rest of your day, lovely! I totally understand if you don't accept this request, no pressure! <3.

Hi sweetheart! Thank you so so much for such kind words!<3 I am happy that you love my writings, as it gives me more motivation to share my ideas with more people.<3<3<3. And yayy another Yandere Indra. He is really one obsessive man and I cant explain just how much I love writing him as a yandere.

Thank you for this AMAZING request. I did my best to write this and hope you will love it. You can request more and I will complete them with great pleasure. Have a good reading cutie<3

Indra knew his s/o since they were kids. Even as a kid, he noticed how strong-willed and strong-minded she was. And of course, she was always appearing in some trouble, from which usually Indra was saving her.  He did like saving her, appearing as a hero in her eyes, but deep in his heart he was afraid that he would not be able to help or save her in some situations.

“You worry too much about me. I am strong and can handle everything life throws at me okay?” she would always tell this to Indra, hoping to calm him and not have him worried over her. Of course, Indra was never fully convinced of it, but as a kid, he tried to trust her and believe in her abilities. Only later on would he regret trusting her words and not listening to his heart.

As they grew up, both their powers grew as well. Despite knowing how strong she was, Indra absolutely hated the idea of his s/o fighting or taking part in anything dangerous. As a pessimist, Indra envisioned multiple bad things happening to his s/o during a mission. The one he was extremely afraid of was of course her dying. Indra would never forgive him for letting his crush die, without ever getting the chance to confess love to her.

His fears unfortunately came true one day, when she returned to the village with her teammates, severely hurt. As soon as he saw her in that state, Indra’s mind filled with dark thoughts about killing the one who dared to hurt her s/o this bad. Of course, with a lot some intimidation and searching, he found the man who hurt her. 

“You touched and hurt what’s mine. You will experience the same pain as she did, but only 10 times harder. I will NOT let you live!” His face and clothes were covered in blood as he finished dealing with the man. Despite mercilessly torturing and killing him, Indra felt unsatisfied. He wished to bring this man back and kill him over and over, till he got that satisfaction. Of course, he did use his visual prowess, but for him it was not enough at all.  

Upon returning back home and seeing his s/o in a bed, Indra’s heart filled with more hate towards the man whom he killed not long ago. He even started to dislike her teammates, even though they also were badly injured. “Imbeciles…” He would think to himself every time he saw them.

“ I am sorry Indra-sama…We were not able to help her and..I am afraid she has lost her eyesight forever”

Indra felt his whole world crush down upon hearing the head medic speak those words. She was now…blind?  Undoubtedly, Indra carried a lot of guilt in his heart, blaming him for not being with her and letting her get hurt to the point of losing her eyesight. 

He spent his free time next to her, tending to her needs and just taking care of her. Now that she is blind, Indra would not let her off his eyesight. If he had to train some students, he asked his two strongest students to guard her and not let anyone, except the medic, go to her. He would try to finish his training soon so he could spend more time with her. 

At first his s/o loved how sweet and caring Indra was, feeling as if she was only now getting to know him and his caring side that Ashura was always talking about. Indra would feed her, keep her company and most importantly speak with her. The more she saw his kind side, the more she started to fall for him. It was a shame she lost her eyesight and could not see his handsome face, but hearing his soft voice was enough for her.

 Her feelings for him were growing day by day and one day she confessed her feelings to him. “I think I am in love with you…Indra-sama” she spoke softly, hearing her own heartbeat in her eyes. She was sure Indra would reject her or ignore her, but she was pleasantly surprised when Indra pressed his lips to hers. “I waited so long to hear those words…I've been in love with you ever since we were kids…I feel accomplished now” He spoke calmly. For both of them this was the ebay day in their lives. However, the love confession would soon enough fuel Indra’s extremely protective and even crazy side to an unbearable point

His s/o  was soon enough able to get out of the bed and was trying to get adjusted to her new life without her eyesight. It was difficult, but she managed to do it. After being able to walk with a cane, she wanted to try and get back to training after her body fully recovered. When she spoke to Indra about it, Indra was very dissatisfied with her desire. “No way. Have you lost your mind? You lost your eyesight and there is no way I am going to have you trained in this state. You should forget about your past life FOREVER. I will be always next to you and take care of you so your training is NOT needed”

She absolutely hated how Indra was constantly with her, scolding her if he noticed her trying to practice in secret. He was now overly protective, not letting her off his eyesight. His s/o was starting to regret falling for him, but she knew there was no way out of this situation. Her only solution was obeying him and not making him angry. After all, her mind was replaying his words which sounded like a treat more and more each day. 

“You belong to me…Don’t ever forget about it, darling. And if you EVER think about disobeying my words, trying to escape or get your life back, I will put a stop to it right there. I WILL NOT hold back..So be a good girl and listen to me~”

[toulousewayne]

Batfam and Batsis Headcannon: The Teams Part 1

Majority of DCU knows about the Batfamily and many work with them and have formed teams with them. However, while many have worked with Y/n she was never officially on anyone’s team. In fact a lot of the League have never worked with her but a select few have had the chance.

Superman and Wonder Woman have worked with her countless times, there were even times that had to fill in for Batman and she assisted them. It goes without saying Diana Prince loves all of the Batkids but Y/n definitely has a special bond with the Princess. While Barbara oversaw most of Y/n’s training she was trained by others. Her most worked with trainer was Diana herself.

Barbara had Y/n complete her training with Diana and she had to win in order for Barbara to give her final blessing for her to suit up.

“Remember never go for the obvious attack.” Diana swiftly block Y/n’s bow staff strike and shove her backward.

“Never let your opponent get your weak spot,” she attempted to strike the girl who backflipped out the way and block two punches,”You’ll face many who will not stop because you are a child, you must fight them with your all. And then,” she kicked the back of Y/n’s knee and she caught herself before hitting Diana in the chest.

“You give more. Never let your guard down.” Y/n smirked. Diana returned the smirk,”Good. Again child.”

She always worked with Clark, before Tim joined she had to protect the city while Batman and Nightwing were in England to find information about a Drug Lord who had recently smuggled weapons and drugs into the city and need to find him in London.

“Are you sure your gonna be okay, I can ask Wally to—“

“I’ll be fine mother hen.” She scoffed putting on her utility belt and cape.

“I know you will, but I’d rather be safe than sorry that’s why I’ve asked Clark to visit you throughout the next two nights.”

“What! So you don’t trust me after all!” She stocked over to him but he pulled his cowl up and hopped into the Batwing.

“He’s there as backup.” Nightwing joined him and with that they raced out of the cave.

Batgirl stood overtop of a building while listening to a group of armed men break into one of Black Mask’s buildings.

“Show time.” She threw smoke and glided down and began fighting them. She didn’t realize there was several more around the corner and soon she was surrounded by some armed and unarmed men.

“Where you gonna go now Brat-girl?”

“I don’t know yet maybe Amusement Mile,but you are so going to Blackgate creep.”

“You little bitch I’m gonna—“ before he could shot her his body was sent flying into a group of trash cans.

“Now that’s no way to talk to a young lady.” Superman smirked. The other goons looked like they were gonna shit their pants and Batgirl rolled her eyes.

“Go ahead pretend like I’m not here.” He quickly took all the remaining guns and crushed them into a ball.

Batgirl quickly started fighting the shocked and terrified goons until one managed to run but Superman met him around the corner and the goon passed out before he could do anything. He brought him back to the alley where Batgirl was tying up the rest of the goons.

“I had him.”

“Uh huh,sure you did.” Superman dropped the goon and Batgirl cuffed him to a dumpster.

She grappled to the rooftops where Superman was floating above as sirens could be heard in the distance.

“So,how about a pizza break. I can fly us to Sicily?” He offered.

Batgirl stood before the Kryptonite for a moment,”A Large Margarita?”

He grinned,”Scouts Honor.” She scoffed and climbed onto his back,”Dad’s right you kinda are a bit of a Boy Scout.” And he took off,”What’s wrong with that?” He asked innocently.

The other members of the league she did get to meet as well. She loved spending time with with J’onn while she studied as it was very quiet in the command room.

“So do all Martian have your powers, or are you just one of a kind?”

“While most of my people have gifts and abilities my were more advanced then those in my age group when I was younger.” He didn’t even turn in her direction as he continued to type away on the keyboard.

She tapped her pen on her Geometry textbook.”What was it like, on Mars before the invasion?”

He continued typing for a few minutes before stopping.” It was Home, many things here on Earth are alike. Such as bonds with friends and family, we had our customs and traditions as well. Many think we are so different and while yes there is a difference between an Earthling and a Martian may of us fiction the same in terms of daily living.” He was solemn for a bit before returning to typing.

“Well, I’m glad the team has as someone like you around.” The Martian grinned. “And I’m sure the Bat is lucky to have daughter so curious and eager to learn about different cultures.”

“He better be.” The tween smiled.

She had taken a liking to listening in on League conversations, many of which weren’t even about missions just chaos and disaster.

“Thats’s a bunch of bull!” Hal shouted as Barry and Dinah entered the canteen with irrigation painted across their faces.

Y/n was munching on cheese fries and reading a book Jason gave her a long time ago.

“Hey kid, how’s book going?” Dinah took a seat next to her. “It’s good, what is Hal whining about today?”

She smirked stealing a fry,”He thinks your father is a vampire or something because he’s never seen during the daytime.” She sighed.

“How did you guys even get on this topic?” She marked her book and placed it down eating her fries with Dinah.

“He’s human for crying out loud!” Barry whined sitting down with his tray of hamburgers, nachos, cheese fries and sandwiches.

Hal sat down to taking a large gulp of his Cherry Cola,”Look I’m just saying if we throw Holly water on the Bats he could burst in flames.”

Y/n rolled her eyes under her mask and muttered,”I see why John is the smart Lantern.” Hal turned his gaze to her and grinned.

“Hey kiddo, why don’t you enlighten us. You live with Dracula does he ever walk into the sunlight, does he ever run from garlic, does he ever state food on holy ground?”

“Only when it’s Lasagna night and you eat garlic bread too, But he doesn’t smell like a garlic plant like you do.” Dinah had to hide her face but Barry was doubled over laughing.

“Definitely the Bat’s kid.” He grumbled walking away while checking his breath.

Y/n spent many weekends at Titans Tower before and after becoming Batgirl. She enjoyed being dragged to new pop up shops with Kory or visiting the vintage camera stores with Donna.

She also would play video games with Gar and Victor or mediate with Raven.

“You know the garden at the Manor are great place for tranquility.” She opened one eye looking in Raven’s direction.

“Tempting, I may take you up on that offer Y/n.” Raven had a tiny grin on her face.

“RAVEN! You’ve Hogged Y/n ALL MORNING!” The two turned to Gar who had a annoyed look on his face. Y/n giggled at his antics but Raven sighed.

“We’re mediating, beside you just want her to rematch you in Mario Party and we all know she’ll beat you anyway.” She replied.

“Not True!”

Kori, Dick and Wally enter the room and watch the two bicker back and forth. Y/n slips away to the kitchen where Victor is making pancakes.

“Do they ever not fight?” She turned to Victor who placed two plate of chocolate chip pancakes down. Wally took the other seat and began to devour them.

“This goes without but I doubt they even like breathing the same air as each other.” Wally commented with his face covered in syrup and chocolate chips.

“YOUR ANNOYING!”

“YOU SNORE!”

Dick and Kori watch from the kitchen as Vic hands them plates too.

“Y/n there’s a new sale, would you like to join me after breakfast?” Kori beamed.

“Of course, besides Dick promised to take me to the bookstore next door.” Everyone turned their gaze to the one and only Flying Grayson with syrup now covering his face.

“What?” The girls snickered at Dick but soon the voices of the other two took back over.

“Get a room already!” Victor yelled, which caused them to start bickering with him and Dick covered his face while everyone else ate and watched.

[bluegekk0]

You’re never annoying when you rant about your AU! I love seeing and hearing people infodump about what they’ve created. Watching people get excited about their creations is the highlight of my day. Let’s use this ask as an infodump opportunity. What’s something you want to infodump about but have never gotten the chance? Spill some beans! I’m ready to listen!

oh anon, you have no idea how much i needed an ask like this. had a pretty rough day, and talking about them always helps me feel a bit better. so i really appreciate this, and of course i appreciate all of your words, thank you <3

i'll put the infodump under a read more thingy cause this may end up being quite long haha

i've been thinking about grimm a lot. okay, i think about him all the time, but i mean more in the context of developing his backstory a little bit more. i listened to this davy jones theme suite, and i find all that sadness and anger incredibly inspiring whenever i think about him. that, and i've been rewatching doctor who, and the theme of an immortal being desperately searching for a life they can never really have is something that resonated with me greatly

i always saw grimm as someone who keeps an emotional distance from others, while still craving the most human kind of experience. he's a god, and yet he's always spent most of his time among mortals. his relationship with the radiance has never been the most positive even though they were siblings, their shared responsibility given to them by their father was the source of most of their fights, as grimm fundamentally disagreed with the way the radiance saw her followers - she thought they belonged to her, while grimm believed they had no right to claim ownership over other beings, mortal or not. he valued freedom and mutual respect, while she wanted control, as she desperately wanted to maintain the position given to her by their father, in an effort to preserve his legacy. grimm did not feel that obligation - he did his duty, but aside from that, he held no attachment towards their father. and that ultimately led to the battle between him and his sister, which ended in his defeat. he was banished from the higher, stripped from the ability to ever return to it, and forced to stay in the nightmare realm. his powers were weakened and he was unable to draw them from the gods plane, meaning that he could only use them for so long before he needed to rest and recharge his energy, most of which goes into creating his physical form (and it's why he has to periodically replace it - the body, while allowing him to walk the mortal plane, also collects nightmare essence which is then consumed in the ritual in order to restore the energy)

but i drifted away from my main point. he was very fond of the mortals, and his curiosity soon turned into envy. he watched them live their lives, and noticed how, despite being aware of their mortality, they lived their lives to the fullest. he wanted to experience some of it for himself, the pleasures, the emotions, everything that made the mortals human (well, in the metaphorical sense in this case, since they're not actually humans haha). and at first he loved everything about his life. he did not have to worry about dying and could do whatever he wanted, what more could he ask for?

well, he hasn't experienced love up until that point. in all of his search for pleasures, he slowly realized just how lonely he was. after his banishment, he formed the troupe which would accompany him on his travels and assist him with the rituals, but it did little to help his loneliness. as much as he valued freedom, they swore their loyalty to him, to the nightmare king, and whether he wanted to admit it or not, they belonged to him, it was the only way he could maintain their immortality that he promised them. but it went against what he stood for when he clashed with his sister. he wanted to find love, but he knew it couldn't be with anyone in the troupe. willingly or not, he would be abusing his power, and in his eyes, that wasn't real love. he wanted someone who would stay with him not because of their connection to the nightmare king, but because they loved him. and most importantly, he wanted them to have the freedom to make that choice. this is where brumm comes into the picture, as i do see him as having one sided feelings for grimm. they were never reciprocated, but clearly there was more to it than just not being the right type. grimm had a very strong stance against finding a partner within the troupe, and unfortunately for brumm, he had to experience that first hand

of course, as we all know, grimm ended up finding a partner in fpk. but fpk was not the first, there was someone before him. now, this is a very fresh idea, so i don't have many details as to who that someone was, though that's beside the point as grimm would not want to talk about them either way. but he did fall in love once, and unfortunately for him, he fell in love with a mortal. so as you'd expect, it never worked out. the moment he realized that they were aging before his eyes, that he would have to eventually watch them die, he removed himself from the picture. simply put, he ran away like a coward before he had to face his lover's mortality. and ever since then, he kept an emotional distance from everyone, in fear that he would get attached again. he realized that he could never have the life he wanted, with someone he could truly connect and spend his eternity with. the eternity, which he started to view as a curse. and following that, everything went downhill. the pleasures he once enjoyed now lost all of their meaning. he still slept around and attended events as he always did, but there was no joy in it anymore, he simply just wanted to feel something, anything. he usually found that feeling in drinking or one night stands with others, but he still backed away the moment there was even a suggestion of something more going on. it was for the better, he told himself

and then he met fpk. in the palace, during one of the royal parties organized by the white lady. he heard about the king of hallownest, it would be difficult not to after all. so naturally, he got grimm's attention, though perhaps not the kind fpk expected. it didn't take long for grimm to find him at the palace balcony, away from the crowd, and only seeing him up close like that did he realize just how unimposing the king looked. but that didn't stop him from attempting to seduce him, as he fully expected fpk to be just like his wife and the other gods he met. but once again, he was taken by surprise. his attempts at sweet-talking were misunderstood, as fpk seemed to interpret them as concern, and opened up to share his frustrations. he expressed how much he did not want to go back to the party, that he felt much more comfortable up there on the balcony, and how he just wanted to return to his workshop and continue his project. then he apologized for taking grimm's time, and reluctantly returned to the party. grimm was surprised, to put it mildly, but he also sensed a similar loneliness in fpk that he himself experienced. judging by the way fpk talked about his life and his relationship, it seemed that, just like grimm, he didn't have anyone he could truly connect with and who would understand him. and against his better judgement, he started to feel the urge to change that, to be there for him. in short, the god of nightmares fell in love, right there on the balcony, after a failed attempt at getting in the king's pants. a wonderful start to their long-term relationship haha

i'm realizing that i probably repeated things i already mentioned before, but i thought bringing it up would paint a more complete picture of how i view grimm's personal struggles, and why he's so obsessed with fpk. he does have a good reason - meeting fpk was like a lightning in a bottle. he wasn't as distant and snobbish as the other gods, he was very human and approachable, and the passion in his voice whenever he talked about the things he loves was simply contagious. and most importantly, just like grimm, he wouldn't age. it gave grimm new hope and showed him that perhaps he could still experience love the way he wanted for so, so many years

and i think that makes fpk's hibernation a lot more tragic from grimm's perspective. he thought he lost his only chance at the life he wanted, all because he took things too slow. he never rushed his relationship with fpk, he didn't involve himself romantically until after fpk's separation with his wife, and even after that he allowed fpk to figure out his feelings at his own pace. in grimm's eyes, there was no need to rush things, quite the opposite, he figured that a relationship which built its foundation slowly over the years would be more meaningful, so he took his time. if he knew that the infection would return, and how things would go, he would confess his feelings sooner. but he didn't, and he blamed himself for it for all the years that fpk was gone. he entered the darkest period of his life, he lost all of his hope and became very distant towards others, hiding behind a mask of politeness that would crack the moment he was on his own. it only makes sense that he would drop everything the moment he reunited with fpk in dirtmouth, especially with how much of an insane coincidence it was. he would not lose him again, and would do everything to protect him and his family. he finally had something to care from, and through that, found meaning in his life

this is quite long and probably makes more sense in my head, but eh, whatever. i love thinking about them, no matter how cheesy their relationship may be, or how not very well-written it is (though it was never meant to be, i suppose). but i hope you enjoy reading this still

and really, thank you again for reaching out like this. i don't know who you are, but that's the charm of receiving anon asks. but know that i really appreciate this. and i hope you have an amazing day or night ❤

[beea-idiot56]

Let Me Know, I need to make a decision.

Some of you may be confused if you do not personally know me/follow me on Discord, but I've been seriously obsessed with Minecraft Diaries recently. yes. the series was made 8 years ago by a creator who has now been making childish to the point of cringe videos on youtube. The series ranged on for 237 episodes and has 3 series, was discontinued, and then remade(which I don't know but I don't believe it was ever finished). specifically, I've been obsessed with Garroth. GARROTH..... I mean why does my heart hate me so? why must I be obsessed with him if all characters, it's really bad.

So in my fanfiction writer abilities, I've been thinking of/daydreaming/conjuring up a plotline for a possible Garroth x reader. I wanted to know if this was anything even SLIGHTLY exciting and if it was I was planning on maybe writing out a few chapters, and then going from there. I am well aware that this post, nor any chapters I may or may not post, would get any cred. but to the people who may see this, let me know! I'm super curious and if it piqued anyone's interest then I'll explore the possibility of putting Perfect Hit on hold for a little while to divulge my hyperfiction.

well, here we go, some little snippet weird prologue summary thing I've conjured up

First things first, Aphmau IS alive and well in this series, heck shes even the lord! however, at some point on one of her journeys, she returned with someone who looked a little down on their luck. they didn't respond to anyone and seemed to stick to aphmau like glue.

"Oh dont mind them!" aphmau would excuse anyone who questioned them. however one day Garroth let his concerns get the better of him "Lady Aphmau, I mean not to pry more than my position allows me, but I worry for your safety. Who is this person?" he would ask, and the person would look at aphmau with wide eyes that were full of fear. she would sigh and hesitate before speaking.

"Im sorry, Garroth. i cant tell you before they are willing to let me, ut rest assured they wont hurt me." aphmau would say. silence would pass between the three for a few moments before the person sighed, they opened their mouth, shut it, then opened it again and this time words followed.

"Im Y/N." they started, their voice cracking a little since it wasn't used to being worked, "I come from a village far off south, I was a guard for a long time, but the lord became corrupt and would turn against the villagers if they didn't look at him the right way. so when aphmau came by, i had tried my best to deter her from entering the village, visitors were not particularly welcome, especially lords." Y/N had begun, the words flowing out of their mouth in a tidal way of sudden information. "She had refused to listen to my pleas and came in any ways, stating that she needed to talk to the Lord for some sort of potion. In reality, she was looking for the past lord who had been killed. not under my watch, but rather the lead guard at the time, who was then executed as it was found he had been the one conspiring against the lord. that was when the lords son rose to power and appointed me to be the head guard." y/n sighed, rubbed their arm, and then continued, "Well aphmau came in and found the village in complete disarray. so she decided to help with her utmost kindness. I was thankful to her and began to talk to her more as she stayed the night in my village. I found out she was a lord and immediately wanted to follow to her village. so she helped me escape."

"How did you escape?" garroth had asked, being curious considering he himself had gone under something similar. "Well, it wasn't particularly hard. i simply told my lord I wanted to leave, for a long time it was a back and forth between her and him as they argued for who would take me. Eventually, it came to the point I decided to simply leave, so I asked aphmau to take me in a golden lasso and go home."

"Before you say anything garroth, it took a long time to convince me, it felt wrong to take away the head guard of the town, but y/n assured me that the apprentice guard that was training under them would help." aphmau spoke, smiling as she reminisced in the old adrenaline that followed their daring escape.

"so why don't you reside bear the title of guard now?" garroth asked, curious as to why he hadn't been training this person as a guard if they were previously a head leader.

"oh that's easy!" aphmau spoke, smiling, "because they don't want to be!" with the words released in the air everyone paused for a moment, but aphmau quickly started speaking again. "they made a deal with me actually, they did not want to be a guard that was out in the open about it, but rather a personal guard of mine that would be there in disguise. they would carry weapons but conceal them. we both agreed it would be easier on future trips and in general, it would provide more protection if Y/n was under the premise of being seen as a mute follower!" aphmau smiled.

garroth had nodded, then reached across to hold his hand to y/n, "well then Y/n. welcome to the guardship of Pheonix drop, you are officially aphmaus secret bodyguard."

from there the two had a blossoming relationship. y/n had continued to be silent, but would show up more to guard meetings and had stated to talk a little more to the other ones. laurence, dante, garroth, and aphmau were the only ones who knew of this arrangement and they kept it well in secret.

however, one-day aphmau asked to go on a trip by herself, she had wanted to go to bright port, it was only to be a four-day trip to check up on the people of the town and visit the wolf tribe. so y/n had stayed back, and suddenly they found themself bored.

What were they supposed to do when no one was around? looking around aphmaus property they sighed, before looking up to the guard tower, ah, that's right. they could go up there. they smiled thinking about it, deciding they would bring some paper and a quill and draw the scene that lay at the top of the tower.

so they went, grabbing the materials needed and climbing the large staircase, they hadn't expected anyone to be there. since it was mid-day many people were either eating lunch or hanging out in the plaza, so most guards would most likely be in patrol or joining their families in lunch. however, when they climbed to the top, they found garroth sitting on the side and looking out into the ocean.

"oh, hello there Y/n" garroth spoke, his voice grim and his face downcast. he had obviously been shuffling around in an attempt to put on his helm when he heard the trap door open. "hello there, garroth. i apologize for intruding. ill be ff" they spoke, a little disappointed they would have to go somewhere else, the tower produced the best scenery. "no need, you may sit with me if you'd like, you seem to need the company" garroth spoke, leading y/ns gaze with a wave of his hand towards the chair next to him. y/n nodded and sat down, taking out their quill and beginning to do a light sketch of what lay before them. making sure to include the wide arrangement of objects that were seen on the horizon.

"do you often come here to draw?" garroth asked, which earned a shrug in return. garroth looked at them before a small chuckle erupted from his lips. "I feel as though we are not a good match when it comes to socialization." garroth spoke out loud, his voice seeming more upbeat. rather than grim as it was before. "it is because neither of us seeks out a conversation unless sit is of importance. we are simply comfortable with the silence of the world or the conversation being held by someone else." y/n stated, having noticed this very thing on other occasions. it was not often the two were alone. however, when they were it was always an awkward silence. Neither of them were outgoing, and neither of them were willing to break their old habits of being quiet to cure the silence.

"well, should we try?" garroth asked, "to communicate better" he spoke, clearing the air of questionatore. "We both work together so I feel as though it would be worth it. additionally, you seem lonely"

"sure..."

(also this story would probably be in season 1, but not in war and before they enter the dimension with rene and shz)

so let me know, honestly, i think I could write a really cute fluff heavy story :D

[lovewithoregrets]

Falling Chapter 2: Tea

Levi’s transition to Erwin’s squad was far more seamless than most would have predicted. While he never lost his snarky edge, he listened to orders and worked as a team. He never questioned any of Erwin’s orders, and he seemed to trust his comrades more than before. Even Erwin was more than a little surprised at the transformation. If it hadn’t been for Levi’s snide remarks and constant sarcasm, he would have been suspicious. Instead, he began to increasingly rely on Levi as time went on. He often put him in charge while the section commander was unable to be present and would bring him in on plans that he was making, often asking for Levi’s opinion and genuinely listening to what the soldier had to say. Levi was by no means a master strategist like his superior officer, but he understood the on-the-ground operations extremely well and often had helpful feedback for the squad leader.  

At first, the squad resisted Levi being given so much freedom. It felt unfair that this punk should just be handed a position of privilege when they had worked so hard for their own positions. However, Levi’s performance as a Titan slayer quickly put the unease to rest. After their next expedition, most of them knew they would be dead if it wasn’t for his extraordinary abilities. They even seemed to grow fond of him, which Levi resisted vehemently at first and tolerated from then on. Still, he put up with them and that was the best outcome anyone could have hoped for.  

Still, Levi retained his sense of independence and for all the positive changes, still lacked the ability to conform to the established way of doing things. This was often frustrating for his comrades but to Erwin it was a breath of fresh air. Though Erwin was outwardly a very rigid person, he loathed the establishment. He saw things for how they were and was often alone in his resolve to change things for the better. Shortly after joining the Scouts, Erwin learned to keep his opinions to himself.  But in Levi he found a kindred spirit. Levi said the things that Erwin couldn’t afford to say. He was snarky, but he was not wrong most of the time. This led to the two men spending more and more time together. Erwin would seek out Levi’s company whenever he could. He felt strangely comfortable around this man and came to think of him as a close friend early on. Erwin was a strategic and ambitious person which was ultimately an isolating way of life for him. Levi, on the other hand, admired his determination to make positive changes and strive for humanity’s victory. He enjoyed listening to Erwin talk strategy or opine on the current nuances of politics which they mutually abhorred.  

Erwin was also in possession of quite a number of books which Levi took full advantage of. He had always been an avid reader, and Erwin was more than happy for Levi to stay late in order to read. Levi had had limited access to books in the Underground, so Ewin’s collection might as well have been the world’s largest library. His mind was an active one and these books provided hours of education and entertainment for him. For Erwin, it was an excuse to spend time with Levi. He enjoyed watching Levi discover the works that had sparked something in himself as well and it made for even more interesting conversations between the two. 

One evening as Levi sat in Erwin’s office buried in a book, he happened to glance up at Erwin. It was an innocent enough look, but when he did, he was met with Erwin’s thoughtful gaze on him.  

“If you keep staring like that, you’re going to make me think you’re some kind of pervert.” Levi said pretending to turn back to his reading. Erwin ignored the comment. 

 “Enjoying your book?” he questioned, also pretending to go back to his work.  

“Tsk. No. I just like staring at the pages.” Levi retorted meeting Erwin’s gaze with a hint of a twinkle in his eyes. Erwin shook his head.  

“I walked into that one.” he admitted before returning to his work. Despite himself, he liked the sarcastic jabs that Levi threw. For his own active mind, it was a refreshing change of pace. It kept him on his toes.  

“I do have surprise for you actually.” Erwin said after a long pause. “Don't ask me how or where I got it but-” He reached into his desk and pulled out a small drawstring bag and passed it to Levi. 

“Don’t tell me you got us friendship bracelets.” Levi said with a smirk as he took the little parcel.  

“If I had known that’s what you wanted, I wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of getting you your favorite tea” Erwin smirked back as Levi opened his present. Inside was several servings’ worth of loose-leaf black tea. Levi caught a whiff of its earthy aroma. There was a fruity and perfumy edge to it. Levi breathed it in deeply and let out a long sigh. Erwin saw an actual smile start to form on the dead pan face of Levi’s.  

“I hope you like it.” He said tentatively. Levi looked up at him. There was a sort of boyish happiness on his face that Erwin hadn’t seen before. Erwin breathed a sigh of relief at the sight. It warmed his heart to see this joy in his friend.  

“How did you-?” Levi was amazed. This particular tea had not been easy to get. While everyone knew Levi’s affection for black tea, Levi himself was the only one privy to his true favorite.  

“I have my ways” Erwin said, winking at him.  

Levi suddenly stood up and walked towards the door. “I am making us some tea. Come on, take a break for once.” 

“Oh I, um-” Erwin started. 

“That wasn’t a question, Blondie. Come on.” 

Erwin reluctantly left his work to follow Levi to the kitchen. It was late and the corridors were deserted. The others had likely retired to their barracks for the night. Erwin watched Levi as they went. Just the way he moved fascinated Erwin. They walked down the halls and navigated to a small room with a stove and a kettle that served as a break room of sorts for the officers. After putting the kettle on to boil, Levi found an old teapot and a couple of cups. He washed all three items out before measuring the tea into the teapot. Erwin was mesmerized by the deftness with which Levi moved. It was hard to believe that such a fierce fighter was also so delicate with things like this.  

Erwin sat at the table with a wistful smile on his face. He couldn’t help but admire the care Levi took in preparing their tea. I could get used to seeing this side of Levi more often, he thought. He felt oddly at home like this. For a moment he almost forgot the worries that plagued him. Is this what a world with no more Titans could look like for me? He pondered before checking himself. What are you saying Erwin? You want to enjoy domestic civilian life with...his eyes fixated on Levi as he poured the boiling water into the teapot. He couldn’t shake the warm feeling of comfort and affection for this man. It felt so natural when they were together. Just like this.  

Levi expertly prepared their tea with clinical preciseness. This was going to be the best damn cup of tea Erwin had ever had in his life, he resolved. It was a small token, but it had made Levi feel seen and cared for-a feeling that he had often come to experience in Erwin’s company. How did this man know just what to say and do to make him feel so comfortable? In his 20+ years of existence, Levi had not felt like this since...memories of his mother flashed through Levi’s head before careening to that time he tried to forget. No, not tonight, Levi resolved as he took a deep breath and turned to face Erwin. To his surprise, Erwin was looking straight at him with a contented grin on his face. Levi’s breath caught in his throat slightly and a nearly undetectable blush crept up his cheeks.  

Levi poured them each a cup of tea and before sitting across the table from Erwin. The aroma wafted from their cups. Levi took a sip. It was still quite hot, but it was heavenly. He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. The stillness of the evening combined with the tea and the delightful company created a feeling of inner calm in Levi. This. This is what life should be. He glanced up at his friend who was taking his first sip as well. He watched Erwin’s face closely to see how he would react. Erwin closed his eyes and a smile appeared on his face. 

“You have good taste, Levi” He commented, witch a chuckle.    

“Shocking, I know.” Levi teased as he took another sip.  

“I am a man with many hidden interests myself, you know.” Erwin replied good naturedly.  

“Oh yeah?” Levi raised his eyebrows. “What kind of hidden interests does an ambitious bastard such as yourself have?” 

Erwin leaned forward. “If I told you, then I wouldn’t be able to surprise you with them later” he said with a wink.  

“Tch. I don’t like surprises much” Levi scoffed.  

“You liked this one.” 

“Tsk” was all Levi could say in response.  

They sat in comfortable silence, enjoying their tea for some time. It was nice to pause if only for a moment to enjoy the finer things in life. Erwin liked that Levi had gotten him to stop with him. Simple pleasures often fell by the wayside for the squad leader due to his laser focus on his career and life goals. Levi knew how to live a simple life, he observed to himself. Maybe that’s why he kept him around. It made him feel more human. Erwin gazed affectionately at his friend. Levi noticed but refrained from making a snide comment about it, even though he felt slightly unnerved by it. Instead, he blushed slightly, and smiled back. Then he quickly looked away, off into the distance.  

“I could almost get used to this.” Levi drawled almost to himself.  

“Hmmhm” was all Erwin could muster. He wasn’t sure if Levi meant the tea or their time together. 

Levi snuck another look in his friend’s direction. Thankfully, the man had turned his attention back to the cup in his hand.  

“Right, well I need to get back to work I’m afraid.” Erwin drained the last of the tea from his cup. 

“Slacker” Levi smirked at him. 

“Indeed” Erwin turned to leave. For a split second he paused. It took all his willpower to fight the overwhelming impulse to stay just like they had been. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to forget his work and just be with Levi. He took a deep breath.  

“Good night, Levi” 

“Night Erwin” 

The squad leader walked towards the door.  

“Hey Erwin” Levi called from the table. Erwin turned to look at his friend. Please stop me from leaving. The thought flashed through his mind. 

“Yes, Levi?” 

“Thank you.” Levi’s expression softened into a smile of genuine gratitude.  

“Of course,” Erwin smiled in return.  

As he trudged back to his office, Erwin was conflicted. Seeing the joy on Levi’s face had made him happy. More and more these days, Erwin found his mind wandering to Levi. He told himself that it was because Levi was his close friend. But deep down he knew there was more to it. Tonight, had brought that “more” to the surface of Erwin’s mind. He had denied himself such things his entire career. He had been content to live a lonely life full of purpose. But tonight, for the first time, he found himself wanting more again. More than his career, more than his goals, he wanted...No I can’t. It will only end in heartache and loss. It is completely inappropriate. I have a mission. That is all that matters. That is my purpose. He willed himself to put those thoughts away. But try as he might, they wouldn’t go away. As he entered his office, he slid against the closed door to the ground, putting his head in his hands. What you want can never be, Erwin. You can’t want this. It is a distraction. You know what you are meant to do.  

But...what if it was possible?  

Alone in his office, he sat on the floor. Eventually, the lights went out and he was left there in the dark. He felt lonely, very lonely. It had never hurt him like this before. Not even when he turned his back on a life with Marie. This was a soul-crushing loneliness that only one person could cure. But he didn’t even know if that person felt the same way. Even if they did, it was pointless to indulge in this...this fantasy of a happy life. And yet, now that he had tasted this kind of happiness, he could never go back.  

Levi watched Erwin leave with a sinking heart. Once alone, he felt an overwhelming sense of loss. The evening had been almost perfect. He had found himself smiling more than he was used to. Being with Erwin was easy. It felt natural, like he had always known this man. Never had he felt like that with anyone. He had begun to let his guard down and yet he didn’t feel afraid to do so. Erwin had always seen through his tough guy façade. Even from the beginning, he had seen through Levi in a very unnerving way. But Levi had needed someone to see him like that. He had wanted it. He glanced at the bag of loose tea leaves that sat on the counter. Such a small thing, but it meant so much. Fucking tea. Why did it have to be tea? It was the one thing that Levi unabashedly loved. Could it be? Did Erwin see him as more than just a friend and comrade? Levi’s heart quickened at the thought. The urge to run after Erwin and confess his feelings nearly overcame Levi. He almost stood up to go to the door. But at the last second, he resisted. Steady there, don’t let your emotions get the better of you. After all, love isn’t something that you get to have. Erwin could never love you like that. Why would he?  

Levi got up and snatched the bag of tea. He rushed to the barracks and flung himself on his bunk. How could he let this get so out of hand? He only had himself to blame, he reasoned. One person shows you a little kindness and just like that you’ve lost your damn mind. You have yourself all worked up over nothing. He rolled onto his side and took out that precious bag. It smelled so good. It’s just tea, dumbass, he told himself. Still, he tucked the little bundle under his pillow as he lay there, wide awake, his mind racing.  

God damn that Erwin Smith.