#so the truth is that those are his kitty ears

[viijaya]

/  U know what’s a very funny thing I finally found the answer of? that the reason a.lter a.rju has those ‘protrusions’ (the kitty ears) on the top of his head is bc pako simply wanted that cat element for him

“Even though he’s basically a floating Indian God, he even has the universe in his setting, so I thought it would be good to draw a universe and while I was at it, the face of a space cat; I guess Arjuna-san is very serious. That is his virtue and it is his merit. (pako)” /  (translation from F.ate/G.rand O.rder M.aterial VIII)

[teddybeartoji]

18+ mdni; fem!reader

bf!gojo, who's knuckles deep in your wet warm cunt and who keeps mouthing at your neck. he's been at it for some time now and you feel hot all over. one of your hands is playing with your tits while the other rests in gojo's hair. your eyes are rolled so far back into your head, you barely register the sound of keys and the apartment door opening.

"wait.. s-satoru..." you mewl out.

"mmm what is it, kitty?"

the room is filled with your short pants, whimpers and the wet sounds of your pussy. your neck is covered with his spit and new deep purple marks keep showing up. his fingers keep moving in and out of you at a steady pace and you can't seem to think straight anymore.

"g-geto.. i-is home." you clasp onto his wrist and try to push it away from your center but fail miserably. his pace doesn't falter. next you try to close your thighs but that doesn't work either. his mouth on your neck is sending warm flashes over your body. thirdly you try to move your head away from his lips but you guessed it, it doesn't work. he pulls you back to him in an instant and keeps his arm around you.

"i locked the door, baby. and he's usually wearing his headphones anyway." he mumbles into your neck. his lips move to your jaw and to your sweet spot right under your ear. "he won't hear anything if you're quiet, pretty" even though you can't see his face, you just know he's sporting another one of his pretty boy smiles.

you can only nod at that. he, though, can clearly see the shadow under his doorframe, making it obvious that roommate can indeed hear you.

gojo has seen the way geto sometimes looks at you. when your skirt happens to hike up or when you're trying to reach something and your shirt rises up. he always tries to avert his gaze as quickly as possible but you're just so.. intoxicating and he can't help but wonder what you'd taste like. but gojo also knows that geto would never even try anything. he's a good friend.

gojo also knows that you think that geto's good-looking. before the two of you got together, you happened to mention it during a game of truth or dare. but again, gojo knows he's the one you love and he trusts you completely.

putting those two facts together, he gets a scenario he has thought about too many times. the only person in the world he would even consider to share you with is geto suguru. and he keeps thinking about how good it would feel for you, his pretty girl. two people giving you their undivided attention. you deserve it.

he moves to press a kiss to the side of your mouth as he watches your face twist in utter pleassure. your warm walls feel so good around his fingers and the cute sounds you keep letting out might make him cum in his pants.

you're trying your hardest to keep the noises down. but you feel the orgasm approaching and he's just so close and his smell is exhilarating and it's all so much and now you're thinking about the fact that your boyfriend's (hot) roommate might hear you. and no matter how much you'd like to tell yourself that you're not into that, you simply can't. and you can't deny that you haven't thought about it. maybe he'd like to watch you get fucked into the mattress by his best friend. maybe he'd even like to join but you're too shy to ask for it. scared to upset gojo, not knowing that he himself keeps thinking about the same thing.

you finally collect enough of your braincells to ask: "a-are you sure he w-won't hear?" you don't even think to look towards the door. hard to look at anything, when your eyes are in the back of your head.

gojo's eyes move from you to the door and the shadow is still there. he smiles to himself. he looks back down at you and once again places his mouth on your jaw. the pace of his fingers in your cunt never slowing.

"no, darling." he cheriches the way you're writhing in his arms. he lives to please you. he's getting off on your pleasure. "would that be so bad, though, hm?"

"w-what?" for the first time in minutes, you try to open your eyes and look at him. his lips are swollen and his eyes are low. you spot the purple marks under his crewneck and pride blooms in your chest.

he presses his mouth to yours and licks at your lips. "don't you want him to hear you?" he whispers into your mouth. and his question makes your head spin. when you try to pull back, he lowers himself more onto you and keeps your lips locked. he curles his fingers in you and you in turn whimper into his mouth.

"i think you do want him to hear you, sweets." he places another kiss on your lips. he presses a kiss right under your eye, then to your cheek. "you're wetter than usual." he smiles to himself when he feels you clench down on his fingers.

with the shake of your head you get out a meek: "n-no." but now you really can't stop thinking about geto. is he listening? you try to crane your neck to get a glimpse of the door but gojo's body is blocking the view. he's everywhere. his lips travel down to your chest, leaving a wet stain trail along the way. your eyes close once more and you succumb to the pleasure.

he nips at your tits before taking your nipple in his mouth. he glances up at you just in time to see your pretty lips form the perfect 'o' shape and you let out a loud moan, which at this point you don't even try to conceal. he then takes a brief look at the door and he's met with the sight of the shadow moving. he can make out the small repetitive movement from under the doorframe and he knows his best friend is standing behind his door and jerking off to the sounds of his girlfriend, to the sounds of you. and he's never felt prouder.

[7s3ven]

UR MY LOVER. luke (pjo)

( master list )

IN WHICH… Camp Half-Blood has its very own band to entertain themselves. Most of the campers aren’t sure where they get their electricity for their instruments but one thing they are certain about is that the substitute lead singer and lead guitarist definitely have a thing for each other.

“Look in my eyes, they will tell you the truth. The girl in my story has always been you.”

A/N : Luke seems like he’d be in a band

Warning : sex references, some details differ from the og books, modern references

—

Y/N has been lounging in the sun on her rickety front porch when something, or rather someone, blocked the rays of warmth. She groaned, lowering her sunglasses to get a better look at who was bothering her.

“What?” She grumbled to the mischievous son of Hermes, Luke. It’s not like she hated him, quite the opposite to be honest. His presence was a breath of fresh air in her stressful days at Camp Half-Blood. But she was sleep-deprived and in desperate need of a rest. Luke merely smiled down at her, unthreatened by her hostile tone.

“Hey, little bolt.” He uttered, crouching down beside her to almost match her height. Y/N rolled her eyes, pushing her glasses back up with her middle finger. “So as you know, Chiron is letting us form a band. The only problem is I have an electric guitar and, you know, it needs electricity. And there’s not enough ‘round here. Personally, I think we’re lucky to have a daughter of Zeus.”

Y/N scoffed. “No.” She quickly retorted, already guessing what he was going to ask her. “I won’t power your stupid performances.”

“What? Why would I ask that? I was going to ask you if you wanted a quicky backstage.” Luke sarcastically joked, his lips curving into a cheeky smirk. Y/N’s lips curled into an unamused sneer as she set her sharp gaze on the boy beside her. “Help me out this one time, babe.”

“Ew,” She furrowed her eyebrows in disgust, “Don’t call me that.”

“Come on, sweetheart. I ain’t gonna stop until you agree. I won’t ever ask for this favor again, pudding.” His nicknames were becoming increasingly worse and Y/N's ears were practically bleeding. Y/N cringed and covered her ears, desperately wanting to bang her head into a wall to drown his voice out. Her last thread was Luke calling her kitty.

“Okay!” She sat up, flinging her glasses at him. Luke effortlessly caught them, looking down at the intricate rims. He traced his fingers over the gems embedded in the sides. They shined in the light and small rainbows reflected off them. “Just stop calling me those horrid names!” She exclaimed, slapping his shoulder.

He grinned, “Deal. Practice is tonight, 8 pm sharp. Don’t be late.” He tossed Y/N’s glasses back at her and quickly stood up. “See ya, princess.”

Y/N wanted to hurl a rock at him for that stupid pet name but Luke was already running away, bellowing out a laugh as he tilted his head back in amusement. “I’m going to electrocute you, Luke! I hope your guitar backfires!” She screamed, earning another chuckle from Luke.

“Yo, guys.” He burst into his cabin, grinning at Chris and Charles who were positioned on his bed, lazily lying down. “Y/N’s in. Now we just need a lead singer. Charles, how’s convincing Silena going?”

Charles pressed his lips into a thin line. “You know she has stage fright.” He uttered, referring to his girlfriend, “Maybe if I mentioned that Y/N will be there then she’ll go? I think she has a girl crush on Y/N.” Charles let out a low chortle.

Everyone liked Y/N, apart from when she was deprived of sleep and grumpy. She was like a fire ready to flare up, stalking its way through the high grass.

“So, how did you convince Y/N? I heard from Annabeth that she was in a particularly bad mood today.” Chris uttered, chuckling. "Did you promise her sex or something?" Luke shrugged as Charles chucked a can of Sprite his way.

He pulled back the tab and the can opened with a pop and fizz. “Nah. A part of me wishes, though. I might get some if I did. But, I have my ways.” He retorted, grinning. “Band practice is at eight. Charles, do your best to get Silena on board because I can’t deal with Clarisse as lead singer.” Luke sighed, taking a huge gulp from his can. Chris chuckled while Charles silently nodded in agreement.

“She is rather hard to deal with.” Charles muttered, his voice almost a whisper in fear that Clarisse would overhear him.

Luke would have asked Y/N to be the band’s lead singer but he knew she wasn’t happy with having to power up his guitar. She’d rather jump in water than agree to sing and she hated water. It probably had something to do with the fact that she could create electricity with her bare hands.

Water and lightning never went well together.

Luke was buzzing with excitement as he jogged towards an abandoned cabin Chiron had agreed to let them use for practice. He opened the creaky door, surprised to see Y/N already sitting on a dusty couch.

“I already hate it here.” She said, turning to face him. He cracked a grin.

“Not enough sleep last night, huh?”

Y/N scoffed, shaking her head. “I barely got any. Some idiots were up all night, singing their hearts out to Olivia Rodrigo.” Luke was ashamed to admit that those idiots were him, Chris, and the Stoll brothers. “I mean, how much of a loser do you have to be to scream your heart out to jealousy?”

“I don’t know.” Luke shrugged, sitting next to her. Dust surrounded the air around him and he coughed, fanning it away with his hand. His actions made Y/N lightly chuckle. “Maybe they related to the lyrics. Unlike you, perfect girl.”

Y/N scoffed, rolling her eyes. “I’m not perfect. I’m far from it.” Luke quickly turned to face her, resting his arm on the back of the couch.

“How come? You’re pretty and smart and you’ve got Zeus as your dad. Come on, you hit the jackpot on that one.” Luke grinned and the corners of Y/N’s lips twitched.

“You think I’m perfect?” She asked, confused. She quietly laughed, giving Luke an almost judging stare. “I don’t even have my life together. How can I be perfect?”

“Most of us don’t have our lives together. Look at me, I’m well over sixteen now and I’m starting a band at camp because there’s nothing to do ‘round here. And I’m also sitting in a dodgy looking cabin with dust everywhere. But hey, at least I have a pretty girl with me.”

Y/N stared at Luke for a second before she huffed in amusement. “You’re a no-good flirt, Luke.” She playfully shoved him.

“You seem in a better mood.” He smiled, proud of himself.

“You had nothing to do with it, I can assure you.” She rolled her eyes and turned her head, spotting Chris, Silena, and Charles walking towards the cabin. “Looks like your band mates are here.” She uttered, sitting up.

“Hey man, what’s up!” Chris joyfully greeted Luke while Charles’ approach was more quiet. Silena smiled at Luke and waved at Y/N with a bright smile.

“Alright, so everybody’s here. We got Charles on drums, Chris as back up guitar, me as lead and sub vocals, and Silena as vocals.” Luke loudly clapped his hands as away to earn everybody’s attention.

“Does that make me your back-up generator then?” Y/N butted in.

“Yeah. Hold this, darling.” Luke handed her a cord that connected to his guitar and she begrudgingly took it.

“No more names.” She warned, sending a small current to shock Luke. He yelped, taken aback, all while Y/N smirked. She stayed true to her words to electrocute Luke if he ever annoyed her.

Y/N lay on the couch, clutching onto the cord and aimlessly staring at the ceiling. The sound of Charles’ loud drums and Silena’s soft voice merged with the loud ringing in Y/N’s ears. She kept her eyes fixed on a certain spot, completely dazed until Luke pressed a cold can to her face.

“We’re taking a break.” He said, offering her a drink. She arched an eyebrow.

“Why are you giving me one?” She questioned, sitting up and taking it away.

Luke shrugged. “I mean, you are powering up my guitar. You deserve a little thanks.”

Y/N merely stared at Luke before cracking open the can, taking a small sip. “I trust you haven’t drugged this?”

Luke lightly snorted. “I have no purpose to put coke in your drink.” He held out his hand, silently asking for sip. Y/N shoved the can into his arms.

“So, when did you get the idea of forming a band?” She questioned, tapping her foot against the wooden floor. She glanced at Luke who smiled, a strange wishful look in his gaze.

“I’ve always loved music.” He admitted, “And being a demigod, you don’t exactly have a lot of chances. I did play at one festival, though… and it was amazing. But then I got attacked by a monster.” Luke chuckled under his breath, shaking his head in amusement. “It was still the best moment of my life. And I want that kind of joy back.”

“I’m sure you’ll get it back. What’s it like playing the guitar?” She quirked an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side. Luke grinned, his tongue peeking out from between his teeth.

“Amazing. You wanna learn?”

Y/N rolled her eyes, “I can hardly hold a guitar correctly, let alone play it, Luke.”

“Come on, pretty. I’ll show ya.”

“I need two hands to play. But I also need to power up the guitar. How do you suppose that’ll work?”

“You’ll figure out a way. You always do.”

That’s how Y/N ended up holding the plug with Luke sitting almost directly behind her, guiding her hands. He smiled as Y/N struggled, her fingers never quite reaching the right chords.

A twig snapped and Chris walked into the cabin, wiping away sweat with the back of his hand. “Man, it is hot outside- Oh, sorry. Did I interrupt something?” Chris paused, staring the pair.

“No.” Y/N quickly answered. They practically jumped away from each other. She handed Luke his guitar, clearing her throat.

“I should get going.” She announced to nobody in particular. She briefly smiled at the two boys before spinning around on her heels, quickly walking away.

“Hey, pretty, wait!” Luke stood up in a hurry but Y/N was already out the door and walking past the tall trees.

Y/N rubbed her tired eyes as she waltzed out of her cabin, almost screaming when she saw Luke leaned up against the wall.

He grinned and greeted her, tipping an imaginary hat. “Hey, pretty. You up for charging my guitar today? I need to practice my riffs.”

Y/N thickly gulped, looking for any sign of Chris or Charles or even Silena, who she knew was busy with teaching kids archery. “… Alone?” She questioned after a long pause.

“Yeah. Does that bother you? I can practice another time.” Luke offered.

The warm sun bore down on Y/N as she stared at Luke. “No… it’s not a problem. When do you want to practice?”

Luke stood up straight, folding his arms over his chest. He grinned down at Y/N. “Right now if you’re free, pretty. But it looks like you just woke up. Bad sleep?”

“Hardly any at all. Again.” Y/N retorted, sour and harsh. She silently followed Luke to the cabin, raising her eyes in surprise when she saw the lack of dust. “You cleaned it?” She questioned, craning her head to get a better look.

“Yup. The dust was getting to my eyes.” Luke uttered. Y/N hummed in quiet approval.

“You’d make a good house husband. You can clean, you can charm your way through everything, and you can play guitar. What’s next? Cooking?”

Luke smugly smirked, “I’m actually great with a pan, pretty. I’ll make you cinnamon toast someday. Or do you prefer pancakes?”

“Food is food.” She shrugged. “So, how’s the guitar going?” She fiddled with the cord, “I always wanted to learn piano. I tried it a few times but it never stuck.”

“I think you’d look charming playing the piano, pretty.” He flirtatiously smiled, twirling a strand of Y/N’s H/C hair around his finger. Y/N stiffened, her cheeks practically glowing red.

“Are you going to practice or stare at me until we grow eighty?” Y/N muttered, leaning away from Luke.

“I think I’m going to continue staring.” He retorted, winking at her. Y/N looked away, lightly frowning.

“So, what songs are you going to sing?”

“Silena’s gonna be doing most of the vocal work but there’s one song I’ll be singing.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, silently telling him to continue because as much as she tried to dislike being here with Luke, she was curious. Luke plucked at the guitar strings, humming out a quiet melody.

“Wait.” Y/N articulated, “You aren’t going to sing to me, right? I don’t want a Barbie moment.”

“Too bad.” Luke replied, already getting ready to sing. Y/N softly groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. She was expecting Luke’s voice to be like nails on a chalkboard, a horrible sound overall, but the lyrics slipped past his lips and Y/N found herself not entirely hating it.

“Are you seriously singing Elvis Presley?” She said over the sound of Luke’s voice and guitar. He merely grinned, nodding his head.

“Shall I stay? Would it be a sin? If I can't help falling in love with you?” Luke smiled, his gaze never faltering. He was staring straight at Y/N as he meticulously played complicated chords. She felt uncomfortable under his eyes and a part of her wanted to sink into the couch. “This is one of your favourite songs, is it not?” Luke asked as he continued strumming.

“How would you know that, Luke?”

“Trust me, pretty. I hear you singing with the Apollo kids. As grumpy as you are without sleep sometimes, you sure sound cheerful when you’re singing Elvis. Join in on the singing, won’t ya?”

“Like a river flows. Surely to the sea. Darling, so it goes. Some things are meant to be.” Luke swayed, waiting for Y/N to join. She begrudgingly did.

“Take my hand. Take my whole life, too. For I can't help…falling in love with you.” They sang in unison. Y/N’s eyes were focused straight ahead of her while Luke’s ran over her soft features and lips that had been tinted with lipstick.

“Like a river flows. Surely to the sea. Darling, so it goes. Some things are meant to be.”

Luke couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face as Y/N’s voice drowned out his own and he stopped singing. She was far too lost in the music to notice.

“Take my hand. Take my whole life, too. For I can't help falling in love with you.” Y/N turned back to Luke, faltering when she saw how he was staring at her. Like she was his whole world or like she had planted the beautiful stars in the sky.

“For I can't help… falling in love with you.” Luke sang the iconic last line, grinning. His face was much closer to Y/N’s than he anticipated, causing her to flinch. She didn’t shuffle away, though.

“Have I ever told you how pretty you look… pretty?” Luke chuckled at how his sentence and his nickname for Y/N clashed. The apples of her cheeks turned bright pink and she didn’t sneer at him this time. She only stared at him with eyes that were vulnerable lest Luke give her another compliment.

The door to the haughty shack slammed open, Charles entering. He spluttered in surprise when he saw Y/N and Luke. “Sorry… I can leave and come back… if you want…”

Y/N stood up, brushing the non-existent dust off her shirt. “It’s fine. I was just leaving.” She didn’t spare Luke another glance as she hurried out, flustered.

“Were you two about to kiss?” Charles questioned. Luke frustratingly groaned, holding his face in his head.

“I liked to think we were going to.”

Y/N stood in the side lines of the stage, holding Luke’s cord while staring at a clipboard she held in her other hand. It was the list of songs Luke had given her to keep her occupied.

i, Lovesick by Laufey - sung by Silena

ii, Venus by Regina Song - sung by Silena

iii, Can’t help falling in love by Elvis - sung by Luke

The second song fit the daughter of Aphrodite. Y/N glanced at the stage, her eyes immediately finding Luke. He was helping Charles set up his drums. Luke seemed to sense her eyes on him and he lifted his head, smirking.

Y/N quickly diverted her gaze as she heard Luke jog towards her. “Hey, pretty.” He greeted her, “Silena’s vocals can only take so much singing so are you good taking over the last song?”

“No.” Y/N answered but Luke didn’t hear her, or he chose to ignore her.

“Thanks, pretty. I owe you one. Love ya!” He ran off while Y/N mentally cursed at him. She angrily looked at the list, her eyes slightly softening when she saw the song.

iv, Lover (remix) by Taylor Swift + Shawn Mendes

It was one of her favourite songs. She could remember listening to it when she wasn’t aware of her demigod status, always wishing for a love as pure as Jack and Rose’s. Despite being swamped by complicated emotions, she was still a teenage girl secretly wishing for a teen romance like the books and movies and songs suggested.

The makeshift concert started with a short light show conducted by an Iris kid and that’s when the band finally stepped out. The demigod crowd cheered, clapping their hands. The Aphrodite girls were holding signs up for Silena and Luke quietly chuckled as his Hermes brothers yelled a little too loudly.

Silena’s voice was beautiful as she sang and Y/N found herself shrinking back. How could she compete with that? She didn’t even want to sing. She was fine sitting backstage with nothing but a clipboard to stare at.

At least Luke seemed to be enjoying himself and all the attention he was gaining from the girls. Y/N felt her chest tighten. It’s not like she had feelings for Luke… did she? In this moment, Y/N wanted nothing more than to be an Aphrodite kid because at least they could sense love.

Luke sang the melody to the Elvis Presley song with as much tenderness as he did in the cabin, occasionally glancing over at Y/N to see her mouthing the words.

“Pretty, you’re up.” Luke said as the band hurried back stage for a small break. He took the guitar cord from Y/N, plugging it into some sort of machine that she didn’t recognise. “Drink some water so you don’t get dehydrated. You know the words, don’t ya?”

Y/N could only nod, too confused to process everything at once. “What about your guitar?” She asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

“It’ll be fine. Don’t ya worry.” Luke ushered her up the steps onto the brightly lit stage. “Alright guys, we’re back. Did ya miss us? Of course you did. Anyway, Silena’s swamped so we’ve got Y/N singing. Don’t worry, folks, she has a great voice when she’s feeling nice.”

Luke cheekily grinned as he adjusted his headset microphone while Y/N glared at him.

“Anyway, this song will be a duet between me and Y/N. Last song for the night, hope you guys enjoy!”

The music started playing immediately, causing Y/N to stiffen. She locked eyes with Luke, who was standing a meter away from her, nodding his head to the beat.

“We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January. And this is our place, we make the rules.” She hesitatingly sang, earning a few hollers from the Apollo cabin. “And there's a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you, dear. Have I known you 20 seconds or 20 years?”

“Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close forever and ever? And ah, take me out, and take me home. You're my, my, my, my…” The vivid image of Y/N and Luke singing together, their faces millimetres apart, haunted Y/N. She could feel her cheeks heat up as she glanced at Luke once more only to see that he was already smiling at her.

“Lover.” Luke mouthed as Y/N sang.

Luke tapped his foot, slowly playing his guitar. “We could light a bunch of candles and dance around the kitchen, baby. Pictures of when we were young would hang on the wall. We would sit on the stoop. I'll sing love songs to you when we're eighty.”

“See, I finally got you now, honey, I won't let you fall.” They lulled out in unison. “Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close? Forever and ever, ah. Take me out, and take me home. You're my, my, my, my lover.” Their voices blended together perfectly and the crowd found themselves swaying to the music, clearly noticing the romantic tension between Luke and Y/N.

“Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand? With every guitar string scar on my hand. I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover.” Y/N nervously clasped her hands around her mic, her breath shuddering when Luke beamed at her.

“Look in my eyes, they will tell you the truth. The girl in my story has always been you.” Luke strummed the guitar cords as he walked towards Y/N, “I’d go down with the Titanic, it’s true. For you, lover.”

The music ended there, despite the song still having another chorus left. Y/N furrowed her eyebrows at Luke. “You had enough electricity this whole time?” She whispered away from the mic.

“Yeah. I just wanted to spend time with you, pretty. I like you, Y/N. More than I should admit because my fan girls will be a little upset.” Luke chuckled as he jogged off stage, Y/N following close behind.

“So I used my electricity for nothing? You could’ve just asked me to accompany you!” Y/N slapped his shoulder.

“Oh, come on, pretty. Be realistic. You wouldn’t have come if I merely asked. Even if I confessed to you then and there.”

“And what exactly do you like about me?”

“Everything, Y/N. The way your eyes shine when you read, the way you smile when you sing Elvis songs, and the way you have freckles that line up in a square, like constellations on your face. The truth is, you could break my heart into tiny little pieces and I’d still pick them up for you to hold. You like rainbows, don’t you?”

“Doesn’t everybody?”

“I adore you, Y/N. And it doesn’t matter that sometimes our worlds are coloured with different hues. Because when the colours bleed into each other, it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Apart from your face and soul, of course.”

“What if the colour turns out to be an ugly yellow?”

“You’re ruining the mood, pretty.”

Y/N clicked her tongue as she tilted forward, gingerly pressed a soft kiss to Luke’s lips. He gently gasped.

“Your mics is on, by the way.” She whispered, “Just thought you’d like to know.”

PJO TAG LIST : @lostinhisworld @julielightwood @outerbanks-stuff @jennapancake @csifandom @evrybodydies1 @kkrenae @s0ulsniper @annispamz @justanotherkpopstanlol @soraya-09 @simpforeveyone @papichulo120627 @corpsebridenightamare @lilacspider @prettylilsimp @urmomsbananabread @ur-lacol-dsylexic @hottiewifeyyyy @kamiliora @be-bap @finnickodaddy @th0tblckgrl @shoyofroyoyoyo @uniquely-her @imafrkinsimp @syraxesrevenge @ahh-chickens @dracoslovergirl @midnightstar-90 @8812-342 @liv1104 @krkiiz @arialikestea @ch16rles @lizziesliz @maryclx01 @lukecastellandefender @yuminako @coryoskywalker @julielightwood @crybabysbakery @jsbabyyy @liviessun @p3pperm1nttea @angie-esc @purplerose291 @prettylilsimp @10ava01 @froggiesstalks @happy-jj @czennieszn @gisellesprettylies @loveyava @csifandom @luvvfromme @mashiromochi @kamiliora @yorksyree @mqg125 @jamesmackreideswife @niktwazny303 @2hiigh2cry @user021099 @living-in-my-imagination88 @xx-all-purpose-nerd-xx @randomgurl2326 @niktwazny303

[sakkiichi]

MEOW?

them as cat parents.

ft. Kaedehara Kazuha, Scaramouche/Wanderer, Xiao, Shikanoin Heizou, Albedo, Kaveh, Alhaitham, Childe x gn! reader.

cw/genre: fluff, headcanons.

word count: 1.7k.

✧ KAEDEHARA KAZUHA

— All cats adore him and he’s fond of them too, he’s the perfect cat parent.

— Kazuha is soft, warm and gentle, all attributes very appealing to the small felines that tend to follow him around everywhere he goes: from the streets of Inazuma City, to the docks of Ritou, to even during his trips to Liyue.

— Kazuha is a free spirit, wandering from one place to another, a fallen maple leaf, vibrant red in its trajectory across the sky. His desire to see the world makes it difficult for him to linger in one place only, so it is not likely he ends up adopting a cat of his own.

— However, always that he’s in Inazuma, the wandering samurai makes sure to visit his late friend’s gravestone. In those occasions, as much as he keeps his composure, Kazuha’s grip on your hand tightens, a reassurance to himself, that the heavens won’t part in thunderbolts and take you away too.

— These visits are heavy on his heart, but your company and the soft mewls of the white kitten his friend left behind manage to shine a little sunlight in his stormy memories.

— The small cat’s ears perk up when you two show up, its tail swishing as it leaps into Kazuha’s arms, eliciting soft giggles from the wandering poet.

— You could stare forever at the sight of your lover’s smile when the little one paws at his cheeks curiously, playing with the tips of Kazuha’s moonlit hair. You sigh dreamily, gaze soft. If a day comes when you’re too weary and old to travel anymore, you’re so taking in the kitty.

✧ SCARAMOUCHE

— He’s the cat.

— Seriously, now. Cats are drawn to him. And even if he denies it, he has to hold back a smile when the little creatures follow him around.

— The wanderer is secretly very, very soft on the cats.

— Oftentimes, he lets them hide under his hat, carrying them around when he goes for walks around Sumeru. He thinks, that way, his doll won’t be so lonely either (he definitely introduces it to his favorite cats he befriends but shh don’t tell him you saw that.)

— If you point out how the kittens seem to consider him one of them, Scara will blush deeply, frowning and spouting how you’re seeing things and that no, he’s not keeping any of them.

— Oh yeah, he totally went out to feed the kitties some scraps that night, it’s late and he wanted to sleep, you see? and the animals were being loud. (No, it’s definitely not because he feels guilty of saying he’s not keeping them).

— One time, you caught him rescuing a very small black cat on a thunderstorm, and to this day, you still believe that’s the most precious thing you have ever witnessed.

— The smile on your boyfriend’s face and his wide indigo eyes when he felt the warmth of the kitten’s small body against his hollow heart are definitely a treasure you want to keep forever.

✧ XIAO

— He’s the cat, number 2.

— Liyue’s cats have a favorite and that’s definitely none other than the mighty vigilant yaksha, the conqueror of demons, the bane of all evil.

— In truth, he’s just a blushing awkward mess around the kittens.

— One, he’s scared to hurt them. They’re so small and their mewls are so soft… such pure and innocent creatures… What if his karma were to taint them?

— Two, he’s clueless.

— Literally. One time you were playing with the stray cats around the streets of Liyue, Xiao showing up as you were rubbing a tabby one’s belly. When you put the small kitty in the adeptus’ arms, he didn’t know what to do.

— What if he accidentally drops it? Or holds it too tight?

— Please, reassure Xiao :( he really needs it.

— Wrapping your hands around his, your body against his, you petted the cat with Xiao, the small animal nuzzling into your boyfriend. His blushy face when the feline purred in pleasure was too adorable, you’ll have to make him hold cats more often ehe.

✧ SHIKANOIN HEIZOU

— Heizou wants to protect beautiful things, to keep them in the precious light of their safety.

— That, of course, includes cats.

— They’re so adorable, brightening his day when he’s away from you and the small animals follow him around on his way to work in the mornings.

— They look so cute, with their big shiny eyes, observing him curiously, that the detective starts to take them under his wing.

— As unexpected as it was, to hear “meow?” instead of “I’m home, sweetheart!” one day as the front door swung open, you can’t deny it was beyond adorable, the way your boyfriend walked into the living room with a small cat nestled on top of his head.

— Yes, you ended up keeping the little one.

— It now joins the detective gathering clues for the cases he solves; sometimes the small animal leads the way when it’s too dark to see the trails, or it gently scratches Heizou’s legs when it senses danger.

— And rest assured, that Heizou will keep the kitty safe too. No matter what. It reminds him of you, sometimes, when it stares up at him with a starry gaze. Something as precious needs to be cherished.

✧ ALBEDO

— He finds cats to be very interesting creatures.

— Independent, intelligent, able to fit in practically any space… he wonders if they’re actually liquid or if their structure has been alchemically altered to have such fascinating properties.

— When, after exhaustive observation, the chief alchemist finally concludes that cats are indeed just naturally like that, they become his favorite companions (after you, that is).

— Sometimes, when Albedo is around Mondstadt, the kittens there follow him to the alchemy bench, rubbing against his legs when he’s working.

— You and the cats become Albedo’s favorite models as well. He loves your giggles when the little ones paw at your lap, trying to climb on your shoulders.

— They also become his little helpers when he paints, handing him a brush when he needs it, even without him having to ask.

— If you’re lucky, you’ll get to see the chalk prince trying to converse with the kittens too.

— Something along the likes of “Hmm… which color do you think [Y/n] would like best here? This one?” The kreideprinz asks, dipping his brush into it. “You’re a smart one, aren’t you?” He coos as the cat, rubbing its chin.

— Now you wish you could sketch, to immortalize the moment. Luckily, you have your kamera with you.

✧ KAVEH

— Oh sweet disney princess Kaveh, cats and pretty much all animals adore him.

— Neither you nor him know when the cats around Port Ormos started following him, but now they just won’t leave.

— No matter how many times he (halfheartedly) scolds the kitties, they are not fazed by the architect’s pouty expression.

— So your home becomes home for the cats milling about Sumeru.

— Your lover goes as far as to design a whole area for the little animals, building small houses for them to stay in with their own bowls of food, color coordinated and decorated, of course.

— You look happy helping him care for the cats too. However, when you offer to buy them food, your boyfriend can’t let you; he’ll take on extra commissions if he has to, but Kaveh just can’t allow you spending money on this little, albeit adorable, “problem.”

— There was one time one of the kitties sneaked inside your house, making it to your room. Let’s just say, the small feline found Kaveh’s face very entertaining and decided to nuzzle against it. The scene was so precious you couldn’t bring yourself to shoo the cat away, deciding to lay down with your partner and his new fan.

✧ ALHAITHAM

— Around the time he had to fill in the position of acting grand sage, the hours your boyfriend could spend with you were helplessly diminished, due to him having to cover overtime.

— You felt a little lonely, so well, can you exactly be blamed for adopting a baby cat from the local shelter?

— Turns out, your decision kind of “backfired” on you. For, in the hours he’s away, not only do you miss Alhaitham, but the latest addition to your household does too.

— The kitty has become very fond of your lover, often curling up beside him while he reads. One hand holding his book and the other caressing the kitten’s grey fur, the sight is rather candid, you think, smiling, as you curl up beside them.

— At your presence, the cat doesn’t hesitate to jump into your lap, swishing its tail and meowing for more petting from the scribe beside you.

— With a tender grin tugging at his lips, Alhaitham leaves a kiss to your temple, resuming his affections on the little one.

— No matter how brief, as long as you can have moments like this, everything will be alright, you muse, closing your eyes, heart warmed by your two boys.

✧ CHILDE

— Repeat after me, Childe: no, you can’t train the cats to fight on the battlefield with you.

— Once you get past that, he’s good at caring for the kittens. Makes sure they always have food and toys, comfy beds and a space to play. Ajax is good at taking care of those he loves, as proved with his family.

— Speaking of which, his siblings would adore playing with the cats you and Childe adopt, especially Teucer! (he totally talks to them about mister cyclops, the animals staring up at him curiously, pawing at his figurine softly).

— As much as you’re against your cats joining your boyfriend in his battles, they love watching him as he practices, their large eyes following the movements of his dual blades or his bow.

— The harbinger always makes extra time for the adorable pets, playing with them after his training, no matter how tired he is.

— Those times, he doesn’t get scolded when he’s late for dinner (you’ve been secretly watching, smiling to yourself at how cute your lover is. Yes, you totally were staring too while he was shirtless, muscles taut as he wielded his hydro conjured spear).

[pandapetals]

Logan's Hair

logan howlett x afab!reader - established relationship, logan's kitten ear hair, cute, fluff, teasing, no y/n used, no reader description

You tease Logan about his hair.

read on Ao3

You had always wondered how—or more importantly, why—Logan’s hair looked the way it did. For months before the two of you got together, you had convinced yourself that his hair had a mind of its own, like some wild animal that refused to be tamed. The way it spiked up into those two distinct points, almost like little kitty ears, seemed so fitting for him—tough, a bit feral, but somehow endearing.

After dating him for a while now, you have come to realize the truth. It wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t some strange mutation in his hair follicles. No, it was something Logan did on purpose.

You’d caught him early one morning, just before dawn, standing in front of the mirror in the tiny shared bathroom, his broad shoulders hunched over the sink as he carefully applied gel to his thick, dark hair. He didn’t notice you at first as he meticulously shaped the two points on top of his head, squinting at his reflection with the same focus he gave to dangerous missions.

At the time, you had hidden behind the doorway, biting back a grin as you watched him. The fierce, brooding Logan—Wolverine, the man who could take down an entire squad of enemies without breaking a sweat—was spending his precious early morning minutes making sure his hair was just right.

Now, lying in bed beside him, you peeked at his sleeping form, the early morning light streaming in through the curtains, casting soft shadows on his face. His hair, as usual, was spiked up in its signature style, even though he was fast asleep. You couldn’t help but smile, your heart swelling at the sight of him so peaceful and unguarded.

He stirred slightly, the arm draped around your waist tightening as he pulled you a little closer in his sleep. You grinned to yourself, unable to resist teasing him when he woke up.

"How does it do that?" you whispered to yourself, your fingers reaching up to gently poke at one of the spiked points of his hair. "It’s like your hair has superpowers of its own."

Logan let out a low, sleepy grunt, blinking his eyes open as he slowly came to. His face scrunched up in confusion for a moment as he registered your finger poking at his head.

“What the hell are you doin’?” he mumbled, his voice rough with sleep, though there was no edge to it.

You bit back a giggle, biting your lip to keep the teasing at bay for a moment longer. “Just... admiring your handiwork,” you replied innocently, your finger poking at his hair again.

Logan’s brow furrowed, still half-asleep but now fully aware of your teasing. “What are you talkin’ about?”

You rolled onto your side to face him, propping yourself up on one elbow, your eyes sparkling with mischief. “Your hair,” you said, giving it a playful ruffle. “How long does it take you to get it looking like this every morning?”

Logan blinked at you, clearly not in the mood for teasing this early in the day. “It just does that,” he grumbled, though his tone held no real annoyance. “You messin’ with me this early, darlin’?”

You snickered, your hand still in his hair, gently combing through it now. “Oh, come on. I’ve seen you in front of the mirror, Logan. Don’t pretend like this,” you gave one of his spikes a soft tug, “isn’t on purpose.”

Logan’s eyes narrowed slightly, though the corner of his mouth twitched, betraying his amusement. “It’s called style, sweetheart.”

You laughed softly, shaking your head. “It looks like you’ve got little cat ears.”

Logan groaned, but you could see the faint smile tugging at his lips. “Cat ears? Really?”

“Mhmm,” you nodded, your grin growing wider. “It’s cute. You’re like a big, tough kitten.” You reached out, tapping him lightly on the nose for good measure.

Logan huffed, his voice low and growly, but there was no real bite to it. “Don’t call me cute.”

“Oh, but you are,” you teased, leaning in closer. “Especially when you’re standing in front of the mirror with your little tub of hair gel, making sure every spike is just perfect.”

Logan raised an eyebrow at you, his smirk now fully visible. “You been spyin’ on me?”

“Maybe,” you replied, biting back another giggle. “I just think it’s funny. The Wolverine spends ten minutes every morning making sure his hair is all spiky and feral. What would the others think?”

Logan’s smirk widened into a grin, and he reached out, pulling you into his chest as you let out a playful squeak. “Well, the others don’t get to see me in the morning, do they?”

You blushed, smiling as you snuggled into him, resting your head on his chest. “No, I guess they don’t.”

His hand found your hair, his fingers brushing through it in soft, lazy strokes. “You like it,” he murmured, his voice still thick with sleep but now teasing.

You let out a soft hum of agreement, your smile widening against his chest. “I do,” you admitted, your voice softer now. “Even if it does look like kitty ears.”

Logan chuckled, the sound low and rumbling in his chest as his arms tightened around you. “I might have to stop stylin’ it like that if you’re gonna keep callin’ me a kitten.”

“Oh, please,” you laughed, tilting your head up to meet his gaze. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Logan grinned down at you, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Yeah? Why not?”

“Because I’d never let you hear the end of it,” you teased, pressing a kiss to his jaw. “And besides, it is kind of sexy. The whole rugged, untamed look.”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the compliment. “Sexy, huh?”

“Mhmm,” you mumbled, your lips brushing against his skin. “And just a little bit adorable.”

Logan let out another groan, his hand slipping down to your waist, pulling you closer. “I told you, don’t call me adorable.”

You grinned, nestling against him. “Whatever you say, kitten.”

Logan growled playfully, but his hand on your back was gentle, comforting. “You’re lucky I like you,” he muttered, pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head.

You smiled, resting your cheek against his chest, your fingers tracing lazy patterns on his skin. “I know.”

The two of you fell into a comfortable silence, the teasing fading into a quiet intimacy. Logan’s fingers continued to thread through your hair, his touch gentle and soothing. The warmth of his body, the steady rhythm of his breathing—it was all so familiar, so comforting.

Eventually, the teasing slipped away entirely, replaced by a peaceful contentment as you lay there together, wrapped in each other’s warmth. Outside, the early morning light continued to grow, casting soft rays of sunlight through the window, but neither of you was in a hurry to get up.

You could spend hours like this, tangled up with him, his presence grounding you in a way that no one else ever could. And even though you loved teasing him, you knew that underneath all the playful banter was something deeper—something solid and real.

Logan, with his spiky hair and gruff exterior, was everything you never expected but everything you needed. And as you lay there in the quiet of the morning, you couldn’t help but think that you were exactly where you were meant to be.

[ghostlykeyes]

Hear me out

Grunge bf kayn with a hyper feminine gf , like his gf loves sanrio and cute stuff 🫢🫢🫢

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HEARTSTEEL KAYN: ULTRA-CUTE PARTNER HEADCANONS ♡ Gender Neutral ♡ SFW ♡ No TWs ♡ I am so fucking rabid for the idea of this combo...demon bf/ hello kitty reader SUPREMACY

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KAYN

At first, the pairing confuses people, but those that see you and Kayn together recognize that somehow you just work. You soften Kayn's sharp edges in a way that he only lets those closest to him see, and Kayn helps highlight the fact that even though you look innocent and soft, there's more to you than that.

Both you and Kayn recognize how much work it can be to curate and present an aesthetic. That's part of what helps you two mesh so well, even though on the surface, you're entirely different. There's a mutual respect for the other, stemming from understanding.

Though he keeps them stashed in a bathroom drawer, Kayn's got a matching set of soft bunny-ear headbands for when you sleep over. Usually he just bobby-pins his hair back to wash his face, but when you're there, he'll pull out the cute headbands so you can match during your morning/night-time routine. For the sake of his image, please, please don't ever show anyone your bunny-eared, spa-masked selfies.

Kayn has you saved as 'prince/princess' in his phone. Fitting, since you're the patron saint of all things cute and soft, no?

The guys tease him whenever they catch Kayn with your things around the apartment, like when he's washing your pink Starbucks cups or pulling your cinnamoroll pajama pants out of the dryer. "Changing your look, Kayn?" They'll smirk, but he just rolls his eyes and sneers. "It's (y/n)'s, obviously," he bites. He's not really embarrassed, though—truth be told, he loves the way your life has leaked into his enough for others to notice. Besides, those nerds are probably just jealous that he bagged such a fucking perfect cute pastel angel.

Obviously, Kuromi is Kayn's favorite, if he has to pick one. You won him a little Kuromi figure from a claw machine, once, and he actually keeps it on top of his dresser, in full view for everyone to see. (It's probably the cutest thing he owns, and though he might not admit it, he fucking treasures that little figurine.) He sometimes says he's your Kuromi, though not usually in earshot of others. The similarities are uncanny—a proclivity for black, a tendency for mischief—they even have almost the same birthday!

Whenever you're in his room, Kayn sets his LED strip lights to pink for you.

If Kayn's going to be gone for awhile, touring and the like, he always gifts you a Calico Critters set the night before he leaves. "Try to take good care of them, yeah?" He smirks. "I don't wanna come back to the mouse family in the middle of a custody battle."

Kayn stashes a plushie in his underwear drawer, so you'll always have something to snuggle with when you stay with him (besides him, of course).

The visual contrast when Kayn lets you borrow a hoodie or jacket is nothing short of jarring. Here you are, this adorable thing in Mary Janes and a pastel skirt, sporting a bleach-dyed hoodie with a death metal logo. Kayn, of course, thinks the contrast is fucking adorable.

Kayn gently teases you about your bedroom—"I didn't even know this many pink things existed," he'll say"— but the truth is, he loves being in there with you. The softness makes him feel totally surrounded by you. It's gentle. Safe, even. Drinking from Sanrio glasses and slipping underneath a strawberry-printed comforter to spoon you may not be his usual style, but you make it feel so natural. (Sleeping in your bed, though? Kayn doesn't love that as much. He moves around in his sleep enough as is, but now he's got to worry about accidentally shoving your favorite Hello Kitty off the bed? Not fun.)

Kayn's favorite cutesy thing to buy you is sleepwear. Those pastel, soft-fabric cami and sleep shorts combos? Fucking delicious. There's at least three sets of your pajamas stashed in his PJ drawer, and Kayn bought all of them.

[little-sleepy-owl]

ℍ𝕦𝕤𝕜 𝕩 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣,

who is a virgin and wants him to be their first. mostly gender neutral, but there's one use of "girl/boy", coz I couldn't come up with the alternative that would fit my vision.

damn, I didn't expect I will have so much fun writing this one. for all Husker lovers out there. hope this is good <3.

warnings: not explicitly, but still smutty, daddy kink mention (have you heard Keith David's voice? there is NO way I would ignore this opportunity), biting mention.

well, he didn't expect that.

forgive him if he laughs. “really, you died a virgin? how old were you, fifteen?”

actually curious how this even happened. were you never attracted to anyone that way? or was no-one attracted to you? if so, those people were blind.

somewhat surprised you want him to be your first. are you really sure? isn't there a better candidate?

well, he is not gonna reject the offer.

he's an old-fashioned man. he might look like someone who would just drag you to his room to do the deeds, but in truth, this fellow is a hopeless romantic.

you will get a proper date. not exactly a fancy one, but very thoughtful and sweet.

a table for two right in the Hotel, some lit candles, all other patrons and staff chased away for the evening. he will dress especially nicely for you and even prepare dinner.

(it's actually ordered, but you don't need to know that.)

quiet music, slow dancing. chaste compliments, but his voice is so deep and low, tickling your ear lightly, it still feels kinda suggestive. oh, he's very smooth when he wants to be.

his hands start to wander quite quickly tho. but can you blame him? the man can only have that much patience, and it's not like you both are not aware of what it is all leading to.

just remind him to retrieve into the bedroom, or else he might go on you right at the same table you both dinned on. unless that's what you want, of course.

a king of foreplay.

he takes things slow. madly so. it's almost like he's lazy. his hands move leisurely over your heated skin, and it takes so much time for his hot, wet kisses to go down the side of your jaw and cross your neck to finally reach your collarbones.

he purrs. you don't even have to touch him, he just marvels so much when he touches you, it gets him purring non-stop.

but also, try gently caressing the base of the wings. I assure you, you've never heard those noises from him before.

he doesn't talk much, but when he does… you can't help but blush to the tips of your ears.

hot breath, voice hoarse, a quiet praise, a small chuckle. doll, babe, sweetheart, good girl/boy.

if you respond well to the last one, expect him to use the “daddy” card, too.

don't think he will do all the work. quite the opposite, actually. he will lay down and make you strangle his hips with a sly smirk on his lips.

“don't you want to choose your own pace now, hun?”

truly the lazy cat.

oh, but don't worry. If you get tired, he will take his turn too. can't have you disappointed on your first time after all.

this man has technique. he makes you feel so good so seemingly effortlessly, it's crazy.

will ask if you're okay with a bit of a biting. it's really hard to resist for him, especially on the verge of climax.

mind you, he's not finishing before you do. maybe even before you do twice.

nope, no afterglow cuddles until you drink some water and at least have a towel to get a bit cleaner. after that, he's all yours.

covers you with his wings, while tackling you close to him.

initiates a lil’ talk about everything. did you like it? was there something you'd rather him not do?

he's not insecure, he just wants to communicate properly and prefers doing it as soon as possible.

everything's fine? good.

now you know he's purring when he sleeps cuddling with someone. what a cute kitty.

[doodle-pops]

My Sweet Kitty

Námo x reader

A/N: My first ever fluffy Námo fic since I post a bunch of headcanons for him. I know I don’t write much for the Ainur in terms of fics (apart from Eönwë), so I hope this can be a start.

Warnings: none, fluff, humour

Words: 1.1k

Synopsis: You attempt to convince Námo of his feline qualities.

“You know, for someone who has a dog, you radiate a feline persona.”

Your words lingered in the air, suspended like taut strings on the brink of snapping, as you awaited a reaction from your solitary audience. Abruptly, Námo turned his head sharply, his gaze ready to unleash a torrent of his pent–up irritation in response to your comment about his personality. While he had grown accustomed to his siblings’ jibes and prods, ever since love happened to him, this peculiar emotion he sensed in your words struck him deep. It nestled in his chest, a discomfort that resonated in his ears, a subtle insinuation that his persona was unappealing.

His gaze bore into you, his expression a canvas painted with a myriad of unsaid thoughts, as you chuckled and affectionately patted his dog’s head. Watching as your laughter unfurled as you sat on the floor for reasons unknown, he couldn’t help but perceive a certain angelic quality about you. Yet, the ache in his heart remained, uncertain whether your words were intended as an insult or a compliment.

“What,” he began, pausing to draw in a deep breath before continuing, “do you precisely imply by labelling me a ‘cat person’ instead of a ‘dog person’?” His viridian eyes remained fixed on you, the intensity of his gaze drilling into your consciousness, as he awaited your laughter to subside and for you to respond to his pressing query.

Clutching your stomach, consumed by laughter, you were lost in a fit of reliving the scene repeatedly, momentarily forgetting his looming question. Even his dog, Gorgumoth, seemed captivated, nestled beside you, basking in the ripples of your amusement and the gentle head pats he received amidst the spectacle. It took five minutes of Námo’s impatient staring and his unwavering scrutiny for you to regain your composure, wiping a tear away before offering another comment. “Oh, dear, if only you could have witnessed your expression—the way your head whipped around, I could have sworn it was on the verge of snapping!”

Unimpressed by the lack of attention and cheerfulness in your response, Námo made another attempt to seek an answer to his inquiry. “Care to elaborate on the meaning of your statement?”

“Oh?” Your surprise was palpable, as his insistence on uncovering the concealed truths behind your words caught you off guard. Typically, he would have rolled his eyes or showcased his exasperation at your whimsical antics; after all, your hyperactive and eccentric nature stood in stark contrast to his reserved demeanour. “Well, um, it essentially signifies that your persona bears resemblance to the behaviour of a cat. Interestingly, people who exhibit such traits are often inclined to prefer cats over dogs due to the shared attributes.”

Námo’s gaze remained fixed on you, his viridian eyes still piercing with curiosity and a hint of annoyance. Your explanation seemed to have made some sense to him, but he wasn’t entirely convinced. His dog, still enjoying the attention you were providing, nuzzled closer to you as if to endorse your presence.

“So, you’re saying that my behaviour resembles that of a cat?” Námo inquired, his tone slightly incredulous.

You nodded, your laughter finally subsiding as you caught your breath. “Yes, that’s the gist of it. Cats are often seen as more independent, aloof, and sometimes a bit mysterious. And, well, you do have some of those traits.”

Námo’s expression didn’t change much, though you could detect a flicker of introspection in his eyes. He seemed to be mulling over your words, possibly reflecting on how he came across to others. “I suppose I can see the similarities,” he admitted reluctantly.

You grinned, glad that he was taking it in stride. “It’s not a bad thing, you know. Cats are also elegant, and intelligent, and they have a certain air of mystery that’s quite intriguing.”

His lips twitched ever so slightly, hinting at a small, rare smile. “You have a way of turning a potentially insulting statement into something...intriguing.”

“That’s my special talent,” you said with a wink. “But don’t take it too seriously dear. It was just a playful observation.”

Námo’s demeanour seemed to soften as he leaned back, his dog now fully sprawled out beside you. “I’ll keep that in mind. And for the record, I do appreciate both cats and dogs for their unique qualities.”

You chuckled. “Good to know. So, do you think you’re more of a cat person now?”

He rolled his eyes, but the hint of amusement in them was hard to miss. “Let’s not push it.”

“Aw, come on now Námo! There’s no harm in being considered as a cat,” you playfully whined as you removed yourself off the floor and strolled over to where he sat, draping yourself all over his shoulders. Lifting your finger to bump his nose, you grinned before kissing the tip and chuckled as he lazily blinked like a cat. “You know, cats are also known for saying, ‘I love you’ when they blink slowly. Tell me, was that a confession?”

Throwing you an exasperated look that screamed ‘Don’t push it,’ he unconsciously inched his head closer to your lips. It was a routine habit of his: deny enjoying or wanting kisses while pushing his head in for more. He was indeed your feline. “I have no idea what you speak of,” he softly muttered, still inching his head closer and staring at your lips.

“You’re not as smooth as you consider yourself to be, Námo.” You chuckled. “You’re displaying all the qualities of a kitty right now—so needy for a kiss.”

Your statement was the worst thing you could say to ruin the moment, and his head jerked away from your lips, facing front. Recomposing himself after the accidental slip–up, he tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and picked up his quill to resume his writing, as though nothing transpired between you two moments ago. He was indeed a kitten, getting all bashful and ignoring one’s presence after a confrontation. But you couldn’t resist dipping your head in to land a kiss on his cheek despite his low grumblings about you distracting him.

Leaning in, you whispered near his ear, “You’re more adorable than you realise.”

Námo’s cheeks flushed, and he coughed softly, clearing his throat as if to regain his composure. “You’re persistent, I’ll give you that.”

You grinned mischievously. “It’s part of my charm. And who knows, maybe one day you’ll embrace your inner cat entirely.”

He glanced at you, his lips twitching into the faintest hint of a smile. “You’re pushing it.”

Masterlist

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[chasingcomets222]

I got bored and decided to decipher Rodrick Heffley's music taste to close this years-long debate once and for all.

This post will be on the lengthier side, but a TLDR is attached at the end of the post if you want the basic cliff-notes.

Disclaimer: this is a dissection of the film adaptation of Rodrick rather than his source material counterpart. Comparisons to the books are welcome but irrelevant to this analysis.

Soundtrack

During the roller-rink scene in the opening of Rodrick Rules, Rodrick and Bill take over the DJ table to sabotage Greg's moves on Holly. The song they play is "Cut Throat" by the all-female heavy metal band, Kittie. Aside from Löded Diper's music, this is the only song in the series explicitly used to establish Rodrick's music taste.

However, there's many songs off of the Rodrick Rules soundtrack alone that can be reasonably assumed to fit his music profile as well — for example, those used during the party sequence.

I wouldn't doubt if one or two tracks were intended solely as crowd pleasers, but let's not rule out the entire playlist.

In order of appearance, Rodrick's party mix includes: "Heart Heart Heartbreak" by Boys Like Girls, "Electric (feat. Miss Amani)" by The DNC, "Wait Up (Boots of Danger)" by Tokyo Police Club, "Shake" by Bikini Machine, "Move Like This" by Hammerwax, and "Jump In The Line" by Karl Zéro & The Wailers.

There's additionally three other, albeit more subtle, uses of background music to nod toward Rodrick's preferences.

The first instance is during the scene in Rodrick Rules in which Greg confides in Rodrick about his embarrassment from his failed "100 Years Ago" assignment. It's so quiet that it's easy to miss without a keen ear, but "Light Love" by Free Energy plays in the background, mixed to fit in with the ambience of Rodrick's bedroom.

The second is directly before the Löded Diper band rehearsal scene (somebody farted btw), in which Frank pulls into the Heffleys' driveway. "Rock and Roll Slob" by The Boneless Ones can be heard from the garage, once again mixed as part of the ambience.

The third again utilizes The Boneless Ones' discography, and is inserted during the opening sequence of Dog Days at the municipal pool. Rodrick explains it's "time to sell some CDs" for Löded Diper, and turns on his boombox (more on this later), blaring "Miss Fresno."

With the last two points in mind, one can assume the film universe is some twisted version where Löded Diper originally wrote and performed The Boneless Ones' discography (or something closely resembling it).

Band Tees

Rodrick mostly wears seemingly thrifted or upcycled shirts and graphic tees with witty/edgy prints, but there are outliers at times. For example, there's not one, not two, but potentially so much as five moments in Dog Days that he's seen wearing merch from Dead Kennedys, The Who, and Ramones.

While most of his band tees simply include the band's logo or iconography, the latter design takes it a step further by being specific to a particular song title: "Rock 'n' Roll High School" by Ramones.

There's another moment which this may be the case, but it's purely speculative on my end. The Ramones also have a song named "I Don't Care," which is a phrase featured on one of Rodrick's shirts. It's not an explicit reference, but likely a reference nonetheless.

Room Posters

Guns N' Roses, Brutal Truth (Evolution Through Revolution), Stars (The Five Ghosts), Buried Inside (Spoils of Failure), and Decibel are the most notable.

I assume Decibel is in relation to the 70's/80's Italian punk rock band, although I can't find any association between them and this particular artwork. If not connected to them, there's a possibility it may be to the metal magazine of the same name, but I have my doubts.

In this image giving an alternate perspective to Rodrick's room, just off-screen is a Metallica poster, based on the stylization of the ending A. Beside it is a Hanson Brothers poster, which was later replaced in Rodrick Rules with a duplicate of the Stars poster for some reason.

Among his collage of Löded Diper flyers, there's Danny Echo posters as well as Denounce and Billy Talent stickers receiving the Hidden Mickey treatment (also a cameo from the iconic cheeseburger phone on the table).

Of course, there are many other pieces of memorabilia scattered across Rodrick's room, but several of them are blurry from the camera's depth of field or are seen at angles which make them difficult to read or for reverse image sites to identify. So for now, this is the best possible analysis of Rodrick's room in regards to music.

Miscellaneous

An easy-to-miss detail lies in the infamous Löded Diper van. Within the final few moments of Rodrick Rules as Rodrick drops Greg off at school (01:31:52), there's a semi-clear shot of the van's dashboard. On it are a set of stickers, including one referencing Huevos Rancheros, an instrumental rock-and-roll group from Canada.

In Dog Days, Rodrick brings a personal boombox with him to the municipal pool. Along the top is a large sticker for Street Machine, a Czech hardcore/metal band.

Cut Content

In the second studio draft of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, on page 23, scene 43, more of Rodrick's favorite artists are revealed.

The nature of this may be written off as not canon, as it was added into the script while it was still a work in progress and the posters themselves didn't make it into the final product.

What sells it to me as remaining "silent" canon though is that TOOL and Slipknot are often lumped together with Kittie (previously mentioned) as they share an overlapping fanbase. This was more prevalent during the early 2000's within the mall goth subculture, but it's remained fairly consistent for other variants of metalheads over the years too.

TLDR

To recap, the various genres across all of the bands Rodrick is canonically into include indie rock, pop rock, punk rock, hardcore punk, hard rock, industrial, thrash metal, heavy metal, nu metal, death metal, sludge metal, and grindcore.

His musical preferences are punk, rock, and metal-centric but quite broad and inclusive of countries of origin and lesser-known underground artists (some don't break even 100 monthly listeners on Spotify). This leaves the door open for endless possibilities in terms of headcanons.

He's not emo despite popular fan belief, but I still think there's a chance some of his musical leanings could cross over with bands considered emo adjacent for their presence in the community. August Burns Red and The Devil Wears Prada come to mind with his music taste accounted for, but that's just my headcanon.

EDIT: 9/9/24

I've since made two Spotify playlists from my findings: one being what I imagine would be Rodrick's regular rotation, and the other being an extension of his party mix. I feel I've channeled him well, since a lot of his music taste is basically mine circa 2008/2009.

If you've read this far, thank you so much for your patience, and I appreciate any and all interactions left on this post. Happy listening!! <333

[iiratix]

Fright

Where the Prefect give the entire group a test of courage, or in their case, worry

Heartslabyul | Savanaclaw | Octavinelle | Scarabia | Pomefiore | Ignihyde | Diasomnia

Honorable tag : @catgirlwannabe @dawnhero @mrs-schoenheit @shizunxie @akai-joou @a-random-bored-person @quirkyhero @kitty-chan33

Peace, silence, and solitude Everything is perfect — absolutely heavenly, if Leona must admit. The peace and quiet are exceptional, to the point where he wishes he could sleep forever in the garden. He is sleeping like a cat and ignoring every sense of responsibility. And pretend to be ignorant in front of the tired herbivore who was forced to accompany him.

Y/n sigh in contentment, leaning against the tree behind their back. There is nothing more exhausting than completing Crowley's task. Sooner or later, he'll be the death of them, and they're quite certain of it. It had been a long time since they had lifted something so heavy, so they reached out to roll their shoulders. 

They peek at the sleeping lion, watching the tail swing so gently. Y/N might have taken it as a sign that he was about to enter a dreamless land. How can they tell? That's the thing; they don't.

CRACK—

Leona's eyes parted open in surprise, his tail stopped moving around, and his ears twitched at the noise of bones. He can identify exactly what it was, thanks to the fact he led the sports club. Thus, the way it sounds clearly means someone just broke their bones. And the only individual that stuck close to him was the herbivore. 

It tends to be quite satisfying to do the same thing over and over again. But they're clearly unaware of the sharp glare that has suddenly headed their way. Thus, the moment they face the sleeping lion, all they're met with is an agitated cat, scowling a bit. 

Y/n curled an eyebrow, looking at Leona, who seemed annoyed by whatever it was. It wasn't anything like him to be annoyed out of nowhere — well, perhaps yes. But during his nap time, when no one has the heart or even the guts to ruin it? That's certainly unusual in his case. 

"Oi, herbivore." The gruff voice called out to them in an unfriendly manner. They thought they might be in trouble for the umpteenth time all over again. Even so, they didn't understand what they did today. More precisely, they barely did anything, and this cat looks like he's ready to pounce on them. 

"You're weak already."

Leona wouldn't show his concern, since it's masked by annoyance rather than worry. However, he wasn't a heartless bastard to just ignore them. Especially with the possibility that they did something more extreme. And he knows they're not as adaptable as any of those beastmen.  

"I… Are you insulting me?"

They didn't take what he said too kindly, and Y/n felt quite offended by his comments. They know their capabilities and even their limits. Even though they are far weaker than Leona, they know when to stop and rest once or twice. They may or may not have overworked themselves, but their physical strength is average. 

Leona scoffed when he heard them. He didn't insult them; he only spit out what seemed to be the truth. It's better to do that than have them try anything more stupid than necessary. He closed his eyes once again, trying to solve everything with a good sleep. 

"Whatever, don't disturb me. And just go bother Ruggie."

It was safe to say that under a certain lion's order, Ruggie has more work piling up in his hands. Which is assisting Y/n for the entire month and ensuring they don't do anything similar again. Isn't he quite a considerable senior? 

Under certain circumstances and orders, Ruggie found himself pursuing the Prefect. He doesn't seem to mind; unlike the lion, they're much easier to handle. It was as if he were granted a vacation to escape the lazy bumpkin who barely did anything other than sleep and skip classes. Instead of that troublesome adult, he would have chosen to babysit a magicless student.

"Shishishi~ What do you have there, Prefect?"

"These are donuts; I've bought them specifically for you. Thank you for your help these past few days, Ruggie-senpai."

They raised their heads up, holding a paper bag in their hands. Y/n smiles rather fondly, making Ruggie's tail wag at the smell coming from the paper bag. He doesn't need to be told what it was about the sweet smell that caught his attention. This is one of the specific reasons why he personally loved to attend to their needs more than Leona. 

Y/n watched how their seniors managed to get excited over something like this. They had watched how their tails wagged and happily munched on the sweet treats. They elicit a small sigh. Even if he had helped them around campus, Crowley became merciless with the passing days. They stretch their backs, groaning a bit, trying to find that one spot. 

CRACK—

Ruggie's ears flop down, and his pupils widen in surprise. He whipped his attention to Y/n, who seemed pleased by what they'd done. He was struck with terror, especially when that excitement has long since faded. He was speechless; he almost dropped the food in his hold if it hadn't been for the fact that he despises wasting food. 

The pitiful Hyena didn't even know what to say. He was stunned, his mouth still stuffed with the donuts they'd given him. He really tried to come up with something to say, but there's nothing, not even a word. He was stupefied in his place. 

"Hm? Ruggie-senpai?"

Y/n looked over in his direction, watching the dumbfounded countenance on his face. The ends of their lips curled into an awkward smile, trying to understand the hidden meaning behind that expression. It reminds them of that random dog video they found, where the dog froze in place after what their owner did.

So, what exactly did they do?

Ruggie won’t even move away from his position. He remained there silent, contemplating his life, and wondered whether this was the reason Leona had dumped more work on him. Because if it is, he now understands why that lazy lion decided to send him off to watch over the worrisome Prefect. At the same time, he would jump to the conclusion that  At the same time, he would jump to the conclusion that they lacked nutrition.

“Mfhm…” The hyena munches on her donuts carefully, his ears remaining in the same position. It somehow looks quite tempting to be touched, and not only that, but those eyes that look at them still with bewilderment were more than enough to make them tilt their heads in confusion.

“Prefect…”

As his voice calls out to them, Y/n awaits what he needs to say. The way he looked at them in pity, in particular, caused them to break out in a cold sweat over what he said next. “You don’t need to go on a diet. Your bones are malnourished to the point of breaking."

“Ruggie-senpai… What…?”

During the time Ruggie babysits Y/n, one does not need to worry about their meal schedule. After all, this kind and worried senior make sure they have a proper meal schedule to prevent the same incident from happening again. In short, they've turned on brother mode completely.

Now, it wasn’t such a rare occurrence for the Prefect and Jack to go for a nice run on a weekend morning. Despite their laziness and the temptation to fall asleep on Saturday morning, the wolf beastman did not allow that and dragged them to join him in the morning run. Something that has been an everyday schedule for them during the weekend.

Jack stopped on his track, his body turning sideways to watch the prefect who had lagged behind. He sighs, shaking his head back and forth, watching them pant heavily from that "light" jogging. Of course, he was never observant enough to consider that the durability between a beastman and a normal human was on a whole other level.

Even Y/N raised their heads, pants erupting from their parted lips, sweat drizzling down their brows, and falling to the ground. This was torturous; they could've squandered their weekend huddling and snuggling on a blanket, only to have it ruined by none other than Jack Howl.

They envied Grim, who was still fast asleep, even going as far as creating a small fort of his own. Oh, the life they wish to pursue, but their fellow first-years won’t allow them to rot in laziness. Jack even accuses Leona of being an influence on them, which is partially correct but not entirely correct.

“Pick up the pace, N/n.” Opening his bottle cap and drinking it all at once, Jack tried to encourage Y/n at the moment. In the meantime, our dear prefect scoffed, straightening and stretching their back, pushing it forward while their hands pulled back.

CRACK—

Jack spit on his drink in surprise; his ears twitched uncontrollably the moment he figured out the source of that sound. He diverted his attention to the lone prefect, satisfied with what they had done. They even smile happily; a joyful aura practically radiates out of them, but he was not amused in the slightest.

Let's face it: this boy is worried, but he refuses to admit it. One of the worst cases in which the patient was unable to admit his concern, but everyone could tell by the way his shoulders slumped all over. That said, he won’t express his worry, so his tail would do all of the work for him.

“Are… Are you okay?”

“Hm? Well, just a bit tired, but regardless, I’m alright.”

They turned to face Jack, who looked distressed and troubled, scratching the back of his neck. It was a habit that he managed to pick up whenever he felt nervous, embarrassed, etc. And they either understand that habit the most, or they’re that observant to note down every single habit their friend has.

“Are you sure?” Y/n look at his face, especially his eyes, which avoid eye contact and prompt him to look down at the ground. What’s up with him? They cannot tell for sure about his current actions.

He wasn’t convinced at all, and he stopped the conversation or inquiry there. Jack honestly tried to drop the topic and ignore his curiosity that gnawed at the back of his mind. But what can he do? He can be a worry wart who tries to figure out why the weakest person among them all did such a thing.

“Fiuh~! That was a tiring exercise! I’m hungry now.”

Jack's eyes noticed how they were stretching to cool their bodies, but there was no sound of a bone breaking this time. That was enough to alarm him inside his mind, assuming that Y/n must’ve gotten hurt eventually, breaking some bone that they never noticed.

No wonder they’re much more tired than usual; they even take multiple stops at once. And the misunderstanding kept on going, as Jack was unaware that this entire week Y/n has been running around the campus alongside Ruggie to finish up Crowley and Leona's ( in Ruggie's case ) task together.

“Man, I could go for some meat right n— H, HEY?! JACK WHAT ARE YOU—”

“We’re going to the infirmary. Now!”

“HUHHH—?! WHY AM I GETTING DEJA VU— HEY JACK— STOP—”

There was a report that came to the headmaster that day that a certain wolf was picking their beloved prefect by the shoulder like a potato sack and screaming profusely, which echoed in the empty hallway. Up to this day, the misunderstanding still exists despite the numerous explanations that have been provided.

[mythicaldemigoddess-of-deltarune]

Hazformers Theory: Lockdown Wouldn't Be Able To Hide From Niffty

[Note: please make sure to watch Hazbin Hotel Season 1 episodes first before reading this. and Hazformers AU is thanks to blitzy-blitzwing. also reading this post is optional.]

even if they haven't really spoken to each other, and Lockdown and the other Decepticons probably don't know how crazy Niffty can be...

and if Blitzwing had been around her the most than them, he might be use to her, and doesn't mind her craziness.

he might also know about her interest in bad boys, and how she can be with them, so she might try to take some of Lockdown's fur as a souvenir, like how she did with Valentino, and I'm wondering if Valentino could have a type of semi split personality, though I guess it could be my imagination...

Lockdown could become Niffty's target of bad boy interest, and who she could see as even bigger bad boy than him would be Shockwave, who if she tries to get close to, it would be Blitzwing's turn to be Helicopter Dad to her just like how Angel was before.

Niffty was of course a bit drunk and trying to take cleaning supplies that didn't belong to her, and Angel got on to her for it, and to calm her down he had her play with the kitty, which happen to be Husk.

so we have the Helicopter Dad Angel and Tired Dad Husk who he has to let Niffty pull on his ears and wings so she can keep happy.

Angel just seem like he was being like a Helicopter Dad to Niffty, it was really sweet, so it be interesting if Niffty did try to get close to Shockwave, Blitzwing stops her because he knows it be dangerous.

of course if Shockwave did fall for Niffty, if not right away but slowly and without fully realizing it...

the songs that would match such a ship between them would be

"She's Crazy But She's Mine" by Alex Sparrow, and the song "Crazy Chicks" by Ken Ashcorp...

I'm still gonna OTP ship Megatron x Carmilla Carmine, and when I'm able to I will add their ship into one of the stories I'm working on, but is at the moment on hiatus.

but yeah even if Shockwave did fall for Niffty, he could start with growing fond for her.

I can't help but think she might be able to keep up with Blurr in running, I mean she can run really fast when she wants to, so picture her hugging him when she catches up to him, because he is very soft. XD

but even if Shockwave doesn't really fall for Niffty, he could possibly in theory grow fond of her.

and find it entertaining to see Lockdown trying to evade Niffty, who is somehow able to find him no matter where he tries to hide to get away from her.

it could be possible that Ratchet and Prowl would be amused by Lockdown being chased by Niffty.

it could be seen as karma for the times he went after others for a bounty and took their parts for his upgrade.

and ya know, even if Primus loves all the Cybertronians that are like his children, don't mean he is a perfect parent, and he could be a Gray-Parent. I mean there is that whole Autobots having more planets than Decepticons and I had talked about the numbers before, and it just proves that the caste system on Cybertron in the TFA Timeline is a bit corrupted.

for all we know, Lockdown could of became the way he is because of the corruption on Cybertron.

even if those on Optimus's Team believe that the Decepticons were always cold energoned beings, they would have to face the truth that isn't 100% true...because at least they, the Decepticons don't take over already organic worlds that already had organic life on it, though they, Optimus's Team, might not know about that corrupted side of Cybertron because they aren't on the same rank as Ultra Magnus, who I still believe is really Megazarak.

I think I still like TFP Magnus better, he might still be a bossy dad, but he could truly be a Ultra Magnus, and not a Magnus who was once known as Megazarak.

you can't fool me, I know your really Megazarak "Magnus"...

anyway, I think that if Lockdown and Niffty were like in a type of Semi-Ship, Lockdown would be trying his best to get away from Niffty who has fallen for him because he is a "bad boy"...

it could be possible that even if he got lucky in being able to hide from her and get away from her for a little while even for a day, she would end up finding him eventually, and that would be interesting.

well he would know how it would feel being the one hunted down like a bounty and I guess that could be what makes it funny.

I think when I'm able to, I will do another ship drawing of Megamilla (Megatron x Carmilla's ship name...) and well, I would talk about more about the crazy idea about Niffty becoming Lockdown's stalker...

but I'm feeling a bit tired, and I'm going to go lay down for a little...maybe for a few hours.

[sweetlikehoneystingslikeabee]

after the riddlers with dogs ask, i gotta know..what about cats?

"Riddlers with Cats" Riddler Party Ask

Sorry this took a second I am BUSY this month. Life kicks fucking hard but we gotta kick harder right? Time for some CATS.

TW: mentions of animal abuse

Gotham

Cornish rex mix, baby! HUGE yellow eyes and big old ears. Kind of freaky looking but Edward is in love from the moment he lays eyes on the creature. She is his baby now. She has a soft thin layer of fur that's typical for the breed and he swears it feels like lambs wool. Then he finds out she's a bonded pair with her litter brother...

Gidget and Gadget are their names and causing chaos to Edward's life is their game. Gadget, the male, isn't nearly as strange looking as his sister but still has huge ears and patchier fur. He tends to be the more shy, neurotic one but Gidget wants to get into everything and see everything. She scared the bejeesus out of Oswald when he first came over post-adoption because she practically jumped onto his shoulders from the dark.

Gidget is a shoulder kitty. She especially loves Edward's shoulders because he's so tall. She can see everything up here! If he's too focused on work and she's up there, she'll rub her fact all over his cheek to remind him he needs to pet her. Gadget is "I'll lay next to you and you can pet me but if it's too much then I'll leave" kind of cuddler. Wants to be right up next to your leg but not in your lap.

So much kitty fashion, especially once Gotham winter sets in. It just gets that touch too cold for their thinner coats and it just happens to be a bonus that he can dress them up. That plus a special cat cave he bought for them with a safe heated blanket and they are set. He loves looking over at them and seeing them all bundled up and sleepy with one another.

BTAS

Similar to the dog scenario, he went to the shelter to get a companion after trying to go straight. He felt... a strange disappointment looking at all the really young kittens jumping around. Too much energy for him at this stage- And a touch too high maintenance. He searches until he finds a long timer, returned at least twice because the cat's been through it. Some kind of Maine Coon mix missing an eye, multiple scars and a botched ear tip from when he was thought to be feral.

He names the cat Hannibal after the famous Carthaginian general because of his old battle scars. Hannibal is cat aggressive, dog aggressive and only marginally tolerates people. He also hides under the bed for the first week he's at Edward's place. In truth, he's not that old, just been in rougher areas of Gotham where people are mean and it's survival of the fittest for strays.

In truth, this is fine with him. He knows what it's like to be wary of others and being a bit beaten up. So he bides his time. Feeds Hannibal on the floor at the edge of the bed. Slowly moves in for pets until Hannibal closes his eyes and accepts it. One night he's late coming home due to nefarious plotting and Hannibal is at the door, softly meowing at him as if to scold and trying to grab his arm for pets.

Edward ends up building one of those complex platform systems around his home for enrichment for Hannibal. Hannibal immediately starts using it so he can try to grab at Edward when he passes and has even managed to knock his hat off a couple times, the fiend.

Sometimes Edward has nightmares that he's being smothered to death. Then he wakes up and it's Hannibal bread-loafing dead asleep on top of his chest.

60s

Siamese mix that he got from Catwoman. At first he was just going to look after it for her while after she was arrested but when she got out she saw how insanely attached the cat was. So she got to stay with Edward. Her name is Lola and she's in love with the quirky man. The song from Damn Yankees comes to mind for him. She was nice to Selina, a darling cat, but Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets and she wants Edward. That is her person.

It's a good thing Edward has no intention of getting another animal because she is fiercely jealous. Yells at him in this loud high pitched tone when she's not getting enough attention. Then almost burrows into his hand like he can't pet her hard enough. Loves sleeping on his written plans and blueprints, to his chagrin.

She WAS an indoor/outdoor cat until she came home with an injury from another animal and he realized the world outside was a little too rough for his darling Lola. She is more than fine with this because it means more Dad time. And more bed and couch time. She gives wicked side eye to any goon that tries to get her to move from a good spot.

When she sees him after a while of being apart her tail violently shakes and quivers which he was worried was a health concern. Nope. Just means she's VERY happy to see him.

If he really gets into a giggle fit she'll start yowling to join him. It's actually very cute, she just wants to be included 10/10. Unfortunately sometimes this just makes him laugh even harder until he's about to pass out.

Zero Year

He has a slutty, slutty ragdoll he got from a breeder because A) He wanted a fancy breed and B) this man is in such desperate need of affection and validation that when she flopped into his lap and arms, she also flopped directly into his cardiac muscles. He names her Helen after Helen of Troy given her beauty. She has a special formulated diet he gets from bougie pet stores, way too expensive.

Bless her heart, she's so stupid. Once pressed her forehead to the window after he cleaned it and he got worried something was wrong. She was just trying to go through the window. Once he ran to the bathroom because she was screaming and he found she had climbed onto the shower railing and couldn't get herself back down. Shoves her head under the sink sideways but doesn't understand why the water is streaming away off her face and not in her mouth.

Helen loves to interrupt his evil villain monologueing via stream by showing up in front of the screen and flopping over his arm with a head empty look on her face. It's really difficult to be intimidating and showing off when you just have a baby going =A= and begging for pets. He's tried shutting her out of the room but then she just cries loudly at the door until he lets her back in.

He loves to have her in his lap and he just buries his face into her tummy. It's like the softest pillow you've ever felt in your life. She has the deepest loudest purr when he does this which just spurs him on to continue being a dork about it.

Zero sense of stranger danger. Batman could walk in at any point and she'd walk over to flop at his feet for pets. Edward hates this.

Arkham

It's... a tabby. That's not actually a breed, mind you, it's the fur coloring but he's got no idea what it's pedigree is so it's a tabby. It was too weak, too scrawny when he first found it. The fact it came up to him showed how desperate it was for care which he begrudgingly gave. Then it purred and caught a rat that had been plaguing his workshop. Fine. You can stay.

And so let him be known as Orion, the great hunter in the stars! Eh, clever, right? Orion makes himself at home and comes to adore Edward- no one else. Anyone comes by and he's either hissing or growling. Edward jokes that it's not just the rat pests he keeps away. He builds a cat tree and platforms as a sort of reward for his friend.

Sometimes his lab is filled with loud cursing because Orion decided everything on the table needed to go. He stretches and suddenly there's a flurry of wrenches falling to the floor. It's absolutely the thing Edward dislikes most about the cat. Though, really, he should be happy Orion hasn't decided to try and eat some of those yummy small screws he keeps lying around with no care.

When it's just the two of them and he can see the stars through a window or a computer camera, he'll pull Orion into his lap and quietly tell him that's where he's from. It's a silly little thing, but almost everyone does silly things when they're alone with their animals. Orion purrs feeling Edward's gloves over his body. Loves the soft pressure.

When he falls asleep at the table, Orion licks his face until he wakes up. No one can figure out if Orion is just checking to see if he can eat Edward or he's genuinely concerned for his owner sleeping in a weird place. Edward votes on the first scenario.

Telltale

Selina insisted that he needed some kind of companionship after everything that happened to him. While he scoffs this off, he accepts the tiny wriggling little creature she brings to him. She says it's a stray she found. No idea what breed but it's a tortoiseshell coloring. Yes, she did this intentionally if you know anything about torties.

Selina also informed him she already came with a name unless he wanted to change it. He left it alone. Delilah it is. Sweet, quirky Delilah. Even from a young age, she lets the old man know she's a little bit sassy and not afraid of him despite their great size difference. Very vocal when he's doing things she doesn't like such as using the vacuum cleaner.

He likes booping her nose to irritate her, just a little. Antagonize her to puffing up and nibbling on his skin. She doesn't bite although he knows she could easily tear him open and has on occasion with her claws. Usually an accident but sometimes she's overtaken by the spice in her soul.

She likes jumping onto the bed when he tries to make it and simply rolls over onto her back when he tries to scold her. Never touch her stomach, it is in fact a trap. She knows this, Edward knows this after once or twice of falling for it. He pretends that never happened.

She dislikes being picked up but will allow him to move her when she's somewhere she's not supposed to be. For the most part she stays off of tables and furniture since he doesn't like animals up on there, but she will not allow him to kick her off the bed. This is her bed, his room is her room, any argument on that end will result in a lot of annoyed meowing and batting.

2022 Riddler

He got a little black cat he found on the street after saving it from assholes in an alleyway. They were hurting him- her? him. Edward rushed it to a local emergency vet and waited for hours with the little guy. A large portion of the tail had to be removed and the vet asked Edward if he'd rather put the cat down- Which Edward vehemently denied. Sure he didn't have a lot of funds but...

So he's got a cat with a nub for a tail. One of the nurses calls the cat a sweet little Biscuit and that's what Edward ends up calling him. Originally he was going to name the cat Ramanujan after Srinivasa Ramanujan the mathematician but then he'd have to constantly explain to the idiots around him about conjectures and the significance of his equations. Biscuit is fine.

Biscuit is an expert at making biscuits, mostly kneading into Edward's face late at night when he's trying to sleep. Or his chest. Surprisingly it helps to ease his restless mind to something of peace. He'll actually get a few hours when the cat purrs and massages him to rest.

Biscuit is pretty quiet other than the purring. He almost never meows, something Edward suspects is a result from having to hide so often. He knows the feeling. He was worried Biscuit would potentially hunt or try to hurt his rats but the cat just likes to lay next to the cage and purr. A strange reaction of a creature that used to have to hunt them for survival.

Biscuit just wants to be loved and love other living things. Edward almost envies how forgiving and peaceful the cat is. If only he could curtail his own rage the same way.

[dyrewrites]

Before Deluca -- but after the action >.>

But no matter how hard I drove into him, how rich and loud his cries for me...or how delicious its end, leaving us worn and wet and tingling with the desire of the other. That nightmare loomed in my mind; his pallid face split too wide, black teeth gleaming hungry. It would not burn away in the heat my dream and I built.

Neither would its words, its name for me, as Lucient’s ‘pet’.

A word that would shatter our quiet, our peace, no matter how I begged my lips not to speak it, not to ask, as I laid on the floor, with that man who had been nothing but a dream on my chest...my mind betrayed me.

Pet, it fretted, what did it mean by pet?

Lucient tensed, but spoke gentle, quiet, “The same as he did by calling me ‘kitty’, treasure, it's a joke meant to hurt.”

A lie, surely a lie, all of him warmed in the heat of me and I felt the chill run through before he spoke it. Unfortunately, I said as much, “It was more, and you're lying, directly to me you’re lying.” He sighed as I moved, to prop myself up, to look into those moonlight eyes and beg for clarity, for truth, “Am I owned?”

Sitting up himself, he scooted to touch my face—to caress, “What is the matter, treasure, I thought you wanted to be mine?”

“As partners,” I snipped, turning from his touch, “Equals, Lucient, not owned. I am no one’s pet.”

Shaking his head he moved to stand, stopping midway with another lean of the ship before gathering his shirt. Without belt or coat to tame it, the shirt was a gown on his slender frame—and I stared, distracted by how he swam in it, how frail he appeared.

When he spoke, it only worsened the image, as fear seeped through his words, “It was a joke, a cruel joke to hurt us. That's what he does. You are not a pet.” That fear chilled as he eyed me, “But you are mine, and I will allow no one to take you from me.”

Standing myself, uneasy in the sway of the ship, I didn’t bother with clothing, instead holding the desk as I watched those cold eyes, “And if I were to leave, on my own, what then?”

 “Do you want to leave, treasure,” He asked so simply, eyes still so hard, so cold, “flee the monster you think me…the monster I made you?”

And I didn’t, not at all, not then and not any time after, not truly. I was only concerned, frightened of a lack of choice—as I should have been. Honesty spilled, slow, uneasy, “No, of course not, I…I want.”

Again that soft hand, that gentle caress on my cheek as his voice took on a sorrowful echo, “You want to stay here, with me.”

“Yes,” I nodded, pressing into that hand, eyes firm on his as my own voice echoed, wavering beneath a control I couldn’t understand, “I, I want to stay.”

“Because you're mine,” He commanded, so smooth, so sweet, echoed beautifully in ear and mind.

“Yes, my dream,” I agreed, obeyed, “I am yours…always yours.”

[mahi-does-some-art]

Christmas Headcanon Time!!

(Otherwise known as holy shit, Puff's actually sharing stuff for once!!)

Ok let's get right to it–

- The Highschool Quadruple never fails to do a gift exchange between them each year. It's been a tradition amongst them since middle school and it's one of their favorite yearly activities. With Sakuya's joining of their group, they don't hesitate to include him even after they all find out the truth.

- Licht and Hyde have to bundle up to the nines to stay warm in the snow. If you catch them outside during winter, it's a safe bet to assume they have more than two layers under their expensive coats and cutesy scarfs/mittens/ear muffs.

- Both Mahiru and Mikuni share something in common when it's cold enough; Making hot cocoa from scratch.

For Mahiru, it's more for just to properly enjoy the drink at its fullest and the comfort it provides when it's homemade.

For Mikuni... Well. Mikuni just sticks his rich-boy nose up at the store-bought packaged stuff out of principle. He's picky about everything, from his tea to how his hot cocoa is made.

- As soon as it starts to snow, the Alicein Manor gets more and more festive by the day. It's an anticipated activity for the kids and staff to decorate the manor in as much Christmas stuff as they can. The lightshow they have is unbeatable and they're the type to put lights in the garden bushes.

The Alicein Family is a strict "White Christmas Lights" home. Of course there is plentiful gold, red and green decorations (and celebrations for the kiddos who don't celebrate Christmas) but the lights stay white.

- Mahiru also likes to decorate his apartment for the holidays. The apartment will be all red, green and gold and there's always a nice tree in the corner of the living room.

Mahiru is also a "White Lights" type of guy but he appreciates the colorful lights too.

Also he thought he didn't have to worry about Kuro doing Kitty Things but his hopes are dashed when he finds Kuro in the tree. Woe.

- Freya makes even more apple treats during the winter than usual, handing them out to everyone until they get tired of apples for a bit.

Has a big tree in the orchard she and her subclass dress up real pretty every year.

She strings the tree up with the colorful lights. She likes them a lot.

- TEAM MELANCHOLY LOVES HALLMARK MOVIES. I'm right. There is no debate. Tsubaki has a Hallmark subscription he renews every year just so they can sit down and watch (make fun of) the Christmas movies.

They don't admit it but they actually do like those movies. Team M are fans of both shitty and sappy movies. They thrive off of that shit www

- Sakuya always has a gift under Mahiru's tree every year since they've met. Usually a new rhythm game or a nice piece of clothing.

- ...Mahiru has gotten used to spending Christmas alone or, if they can convince him, with his friends. Tooru doesn't make it more often than not but there's always a present or two still waiting for him.

But now that he has Kuro and everyone else, he's not so lonely anymore!

- Lily also loves Hallmark movies and always makes Misono watch them with him, much to Misono's dismay.

- Post-war, the Eves take turns each year hosting Christmas parties. It's always a ton of fun and once they're all old enough, a couple of them are hungover the next morning and have to be carried by their Servamps.

Most of the time, Tsubaki is included in the hangover group.

- The year Gear and Youtarou visit Japan for Christmas and gift Mahiru a little vacuum is the year Kuro goes into despair.

- Kuro and Tsubaki's birthdays are always celebrated in full and the shift from Kuro's to Tsubaki's is immediate and honestly adorable. Likely happens at either Mahiru's or Misono's house.

Merry Early Christmas to all!!!

[ga-yuu]

[Tail On Instinct - What If I Were A Cat?] - Morinaga Story

On my way home from a house call, I treated an injured cat demon---

My kindness backfired, and I was transformed into a cat,

He thought turning me into a cat would be a great act of gratitude because 'Cats are cute.'

(I don't think I want to be a cat. I never thought once in my life I'd actually turn into a cat...)

I managed to make it to Morinaga-san's house and returned to my human form, but....

Yoshino: "Why...!?"

A long white tail still extends from my waist.

I touched my head and feel two fluffy triangular ears.

(The magic was only solved halfway...)

Morinaga: "Yoshino, I'm back. Are you there?"

(Morinaga-san!?)

From the other side of the door, I hear the happy voice of Morinaga-san.

(I'm sorry, I can't let you see me like this!)

I hurried to the bed and hid under the sheets.

Morinaga: "Yoshino..what happened?"

I feel Morinaga-san notice me and sit down next to me on the futon.

Morinaga: "Are you not feeling well? Do you want me to get you something?"

Yoshino: "No. I'm not sick. It's just...my body looks...is..well..."

Yoshino: "...Please don't be surprised, okay?"

I slowly bring out my head from under the sheet and stared at Morinaga-san.

Morinaga: "...."

(...It's rare for Morinaga-san to be so surprised)

Then his gaze turned to my ears and tail.

Morinaga: "So...are those real?"

Yoshino: "Unfortunately yeah...."

Morinaga: "I see..."

Morinaga: "...."

(..He's staring at me a lot)

Feeling embarrassed by such an earnest look, I slowly called out his name.

Yoshino: "Um, Morinaga-san?"

Morinaga: "Hm?...Ah, sorry. I was just about to open a new door."

Yoshino: "? New door?"

Morinaga: "Of my heart."

Morinaga: "So, how did this happen?"

Yoshino: "Actually..."

I explained to Morinaga-san how I ended up in cat ears and tail.

Morinaga: "I see. So it's a form of gratitude, huh."

Morinaga: "And, you too. You would never leave an injured person alone. Even if it's a demon."

Yoshino: "Yeah, but I didn't know while treating the cat that he was a demon...."

Morinaga: "I like that about you though."

His big hand stretched out and gently stroked my head.

(Morinaga-san often stroked my head like this...)

But I don't know why, today feels even better than usual.

Morinaga: "Your ears are fluttering and your tail is wagging too."

Yoshino: "! No that's..."

Morinaga: "Do you like it when I pat your head?"

Yoshino: ".....yes."

Morinaga: "What about here?"

His fingers tickled and strokes the back of my ear.

Yoshino: "Mm..."

(I'm simply being patted and yet...)

The senses seem to be many times sharper than usual, and my consciousness begins to melt away.

(Not only that, but I'm actually acting like a cat...)

I let out a gasp of ecstasy and Morinaga-san's narrowed his eyes.

Morinaga: "You're already cute in everyday life, but now that you're a cat you're even cuter."

Morinaga: "Here, kitty kitty."

(Ah...)

He lifts my body and placed me on his lap.

Morinaga: "By the way...you're not going to stay like this forever, right?"

Yoshino: "Probably. I was fully a cat at first before I came here."

Yoshino: "Over time, I'll change completely into a human once again."

Morinaga: "Thank god. I'm relieved to hear that."

Morinaga: "To tell you the truth, I would have liked to see you as a cat..."

Morinaga-san smiles, reaching out to touch my ears again.

(Mm..)

It felt ticklish and good at the same time.

Without thinking, I pressed my cheek against his strong shoulders.

Then I feel a gentle kiss on my temple.

Morinaga: "Actually, I've always wanted a cat."

Yoshino: "W-What?"

(I never heard that story before)

Morinaga: "One day in the future I will. So now I'll practice how to make a cat happy by playing with you."

Yoshino: "Practice...?"

Morinaga: "Yeah, like this...."

(Mm Mmm...)

A sweet numbness runs through my body when his big palm stroked my back.

Morinaga: "I know cats love it when we pat their back...and so do you."

Morinaga: "You don't usually make this face when I touch you here, huh?"

Yoshino: "Don't say..that..."

The hand that stroked my back never stopped and gradually began to itch from deep inside.

(He's just patting me on the back and I....)

Morinaga: "Both your ears and tail are fluttering...I can't bear it. You're so cute."

His face approaches and kisses me deeply.

(Haa...)

He sucked on my tongue and our tongues entwined without letting go.

Morinaga: "Your tongue... it's not rough."

Yoshino: "Mm..."

He gently bit my lower lip and kisses me again.

(It feels so good...)

While I was absorbed in the deep kiss, he suddenly grabbed my tail.

Yoshino: "Nn...!"

Morinaga: "Sorry. Looks like you don't like to be touched here."

I flinched involuntarily, but Morinaga-san rubs my waist as if to soothe me.

That gentle gesture made me relax once again and...

Before I noticed, he already removed my kimono.

Morinaga: "Okay, let's see learn together where it feels good and where it doesn't, shall we?"

Yoshino: "Mmm..Ahh..Ah..."

His hands crawl over every inch of my body as if to check my reactions.

By the time I returned to my original form, I was already melted completely.

[hauntedcats-tales]

A Wangxian one-shot since AO3 is down.

It’s not Jiang Cheng friendly, so don’t read if you are a Jiang fan. You will only be unhappy.

Life Without Me - by Haunted Kitty. A MDZS FanFic

Wei Ying stared at Jiang Cheng’s sleeping form, unable to turn his gaze away. The boy who became a leader and a monster lay pale and shivering against the simple bed hidden away in the supervisory outpost of Yiling. His long strands of black hair bunched in sweat coated tangles around his angular face. The years ahead would wear away the softness of childhood, making the jawline sharper and the usual scowl more harsh and cruel. 

Could their relationship unfolded differently if Lotus Pier hadn’t fallen, if there had been no war to force the darkest parts of themselves to the surface? Doubtful.

If the future had taught Wei Ying anything it was how naive their childhood promise of leader and subordinate was. Their ideals, goals, and responsibilities differed far too much to compromise. 

His fingers curled tightly around the parchment in his hand, crushing the fine paper that contained promises of salvation and destruction. 

This was the defining moment that led to a future filled with suffering and death. 

The first time around, he didn’t hesitate, willing to do anything to save his brother and fulfill the promises he made to Madame Yu and Sect Leader Jiang. He never thought of the future or what ripples might occur in the wake of the golden core transfer. 

In truth, he never thought anyone would care if he lived or died or even needed him around. Yes, he had responsibilities, promises, to fulfil, but his existence wasn’t important to the cultivation society. They preferred their heroes to be of noble birth, properly raised gentry with the right lineage. Anyone else was an upstart, rising above their station. 

With a grumbling sigh, he wandered back to the table in the middle of the room. As he sank to his knees, he grabbed the nearest candle and held the flame to Wen Qing’s notes.   

He would have to find a different way to help Jiang Cheng.

“What’s that?” his marital brother croaked, speaking the first few words he had in days.

“An illusion,” he answered, dropping the last piece into a clay plate. And the fulfilment of a vow, he added to himself as the paper curled and turned to black before crumbling into ash. His thoughts shifted to Lan Zhan and Wen Ning, both of them earnestly watching him as they asked him to keep his core this time around.

He had no defences against his beloved’s pouting lip and sad, golden eyes or his Wen didi’s sorrowful kitten face. 

“An illusion, what good is that?”

Wei Ying managed a tight smile for his former sect brother. “Nothing. It’s no good at all.” He ignored Jiang Cheng’s snort in response and walked over to his bedside. With little patience left, rubbed the tension away from his forehead. A part of him wanted to leave, find Lan Zhan, and fly away from anywhere cultivation society touched. 

He couldn’t, though. There were too many people trying to survive the power struggle between sects. The average civilian barely managed to scratch a living as it was. They often had little left to deal with the temper tantrums of those travelling the supposed ‘righteous’ path.

Where would the elite be without farmers, merchants, and others they deemed too lowly to respect? 

Lost in his thoughts, he sat on the edge of the bed and hunched his shoulders in a dejected slouch. “Now what?” he muttered more to himself than anything else. 

“Now what?!” Jiang Cheng snapped, his tone grating against Wei Ying’s ears. “Now what, nothing! My home is gone, my family is gone, my sect is gone all because of you!” he cried, his voice wavering with anguish and vitriol. “I don’t even have a core to get revenge! All I have left is you! What good is that?”

“Thanks,” Wei Ying muttered with an irritated tilt of his head. “And here I thought it was your father who refused to take the Wen threat seriously. I’m pretty sure it was your mother who let the Wen into Lotus Pier, and I think it was you who wasn’t interested in bolstering the defences or coming up with an evacuation plan.” He knelt down and kowtowed with sarcastic flair. “But forgive this lowly one for his ignorance. Once again, he shall happily bear the blame for the actions of others. Perhaps, Master would like to throttle this lowly one again?”

“Fuck you!”

Wei Ying sat up and gave a sad shake of his head. “No. That wouldn’t do. Master isn’t a cutsleeve and finds the practice repulsive. Besides, this lowly one’s heart already belongs to another.”

Red faced with outrage, the Jiang heir lunged at him, but Wei Ying simply moved out of the way. 

“Oh, would Master like to rise from his bed now? Perhaps, indulge in a bath? After all, Master is quite ripe.” He waved a hand toward the tub behind the screen behind the other side of the bed.

“Master would like to gut you. That’s what Master wants!” Jiang Cheng snarled and picked up a nearby dish. 

With a calm smile sure to irritate, Wei Ying snatched the porcelain projectile from the air. “Ah, Master, should this servant assume the exuberant presentation of this fine bowl is a request for food? Your humble servant is eager to fulfil Master’s smallest wish.” He skipped over to the low table where Wen Ning had left a tray of congee and meat buns. 

“Shut up!” The words came out in a spray of saliva. “Just shut up. I’ve had enough of you.” The sect heir sank to his knees and gave a graceless wave of his limp arm. “Why didn’t I let them have you?”

The words hung between them, a cloud of acid eating away at any affection left between them. 

A bitter chuckle escaped Wei Ying. “Let them have me? The Wens? You think that would have stopped them? They didn’t attack because of me. They attacked because your mother slapped that…”

“Oh, sure, blame my mother. It’s everyone’s fault but yours.”

Frustrated, Wei Ying ran a hand over his face. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot. Everyone’s innocent except me.”

His ex-shidi grasped his hair with both hands, his features twisting to make him look more and more like Madame Yu at  her worst. “Yes, you asshole. Yes. Everyone else is innocent because you refuse to know your place. It is not and never has been your place to be the hero. Your place was to serve Yunmeng Jiang. You know, Jiang Cheng, both your parents ordered me to take care of you, and I vowed to do so, but you make it so hard. I told you not to go back to Lotus Pier, but you…”

“I DID IT FOR YOU!”

Wei Ying froze, his thoughts blanking out as he struggled to comprehend what his former brother said. “What do you mean?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jiang Cheng leaned toward him, his bloodshot eyes almost black with bitterness. “When you went for food, I saw the guards. They were right behind you, so I distracted them, so you could get away. That’s what I mean.”

The words hit Wei Ying hard. His shidi did care; he did. Right? Surely, such a sacrifice proved it. His gaze drifted back to the ashes of Wen Qing’s core transfer. Was it too late? Maybe, she could still do the operation without her notes. 

No, no! What was he thinking? Did he end up back in the past just to make the same choices? Maybe there was another way to deal with this mess. He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, his whole body vibrating from the anxious tension flowing through him. 

“So after blaming me for everything and nearly strangling me to death, you let the Wens catch you.” He opened his eyes and pressed the palm of his hand to his head while shifting back and forth, not knowing what to do with the emotions roiling through him. “Knowing they had Wen Zhuliu; knowing he could destroy your core; knowing you, as one of the last living Jiang, as sect heir now leader, were the only one capable of restoring Yumeng Jiang sacrificed everything your parents did to keep you safe. Why?” He smacked himself in the chest. “For me? For the son of a servant, whose only value is in his skill with a sword? What about your sister? Huh? Did you think about Shijie? Did you even think about the consequences at all?”

“Oh, like you’re one to talk,” he snapped back, his face shifting through a myriad of emotions before settling on guilt-laden anger. “When do you ever think about consequences? You don’t. Did you think about the consequences when you provoked Wen Chao? Or did you think it all a joke, a chance to perform and get attention?” His lip curled in a sneer. “A chance to play hero and upstage me yet again like you’ve done all our lives. Well, this time I wanted to be the hero. I wanted to prove I could save the day, not run like my parents insisted. And this is the thanks I get for saving you. Not only did I lose my core, some damn, whimpering Wen Dog rescued me. How am I supposed to live that down? Huh? Tell me that.”

“You don’t,” Wei Ying said, resigned to this mess forever being a mess. “You pick up and move on. 

A caustic laugh emanated from Jiang Cheng as he threw his head back. “What, the fuck, do you know? Hmm? You’ve always been a fuckup, an embarrassment, no matter what. The twin prides, what a joke. You’ve never been anything, but a weight around my neck, dragging me and my sect down. It would have been better if you had died in the gutter where you came from.”

Bile rose in Wei Ying’s throat, the wounds on his back burning. He was so sick of being blamed for everyone else’s choices. “You wish I never came to your sect? Fine. No problem.” He swept the table aside with one kick and grabbed a piece of cinnabar. 

“What are you doing?” Jiang Cheng demanded, sounding more irritated than concerned.

“I’m writing myself out of your life,” he replied, most of his attention on the array he was building on the floor. “If all goes well, it will be like I never arrived in Lotus Pier. You and I will have lived separate lives. I’ll go my way, and you’ll go yours. No one, but you and I will know the difference.” And Lan Zhan, he decided as he sketched out his zhiji’s name, but Jiang Cheng didn’t need to know that. He couldn’t imagine living any life without his fuddy duddy. Aiy, he couldn’t forget Wen Ning either. He would need his Wen-didi’s help to save Qing-jie and the rest of the Dafen remnants. 

“Yeah, right,” the Jiang heir scoffed, his arms folded over his chest.  

After finishing the last rune, he stood in the centre and held out his hand. “Come on, then. This is what you wanted, isn’t it? Well, this is your chance.”

 “That’s impossible.” Even as he said the words, his gaze flicked from the array to Wei Ying’s eyes and back. 

With a soft chuckle, Wei Ying gave him a bitter smile. “What? You want to be brave, change your life, maybe even get your core back, your parents? This is your chance.”

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “Hah. Knowing you, it’ll probably kill me.”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing right now? Killing yourself?” Letting yourself starve like some weak, pathetic street dog?

“No.”

“Maybe that’s what you wanted all along.”

“No, it wasn’t…”

“Maybe it wasn’t about saving me. Is that the real reason you let them catch you, ChengCheng?”

“You don’t know anything!”

Wei Ying laughed, unable to stop himself. “Poor ChengCheng, so good at lying to himself. Just admit the truth.”

“Fuck you! You fucking street rat! You want the truth? Fine. You belong to Yunmeng Jiang, and I wasn’t going to let them take one more thing from me. But, they weren’t supposed to catch me, all right? I screwed up and couldn’t get away. Still. I figured they’d just hold me prisoner, but that fucking Wen dog laughed at me, called me weak and pathetic.” His voice rose in volume as his whole body shook. “Well, I’m not and I cursed him, so he took my core… my core.” The last word came out in a whisper.

“And I was empty. Everything I ever worked for, my birthright, was gone. I didn’t care if I died. My parents were dead. My home and everyone I knew was gone, except you and Jiejie. Then I thought if I was gonna die too anyway, then at least I would die a hero, sacrificing myself for you. You and Jiejie would remember me as a hero, not a failure who couldn’t even fight for our home.” His voice broke as tears soaked his face.

A heavy sigh did little to release the tension in Wei Ying. He gazed at his former shidi with pity. Jiang Cheng was so young; they all were. None of them were ready for the evils of war or the aftermath. They were all naive enough to believe that life wasn’t supposed to be this hard.

“So what’s the difference if we die now?” he asked softly. “Shijie’s safe in Meishan. Yes, she’ll mourn us, but they’ll take care of her, keep her safe. In the end, neither of us have much to lose.”

The last statement didn’t sit quite right with Wei Ying as thoughts of Lan Zhan and a-Yuan flitted through his mind. Still, he knew in his gut the array would work. After all, the time travel array worked, although he did mess up the dates a bit. 

He checked over his work again. Yeah, no, it was all good. It would work.

“Fine, Asshole. Whatever.” Jiang Cheng stomped over to him. “Anything to get rid of you.”

With a confident nod, Wei Ying pricked both their fingers and let their mingled blood activate the array.