#the dummies guide to relationships

[impossible-rat-babies]

truly this prompt is 1) getting out of hand and 2) stupid in a way that I refuse to think is cringe

[a-pute11as]

i like you, dummy (part 2) - kika nazareth

word count - 3.8k | summary - part 2 of 'i like you, dummy'. part 1 can be found here.

the next morning felt somewhat normal, there was no real shift in your dynamic. kika was being as flirty and teasing as she usually was, just with added touches as the two of you moved around each other as you made breakfast. her hands dancing across your waist, fingers grazing your hands, or her body pressed close against yours the second you two sat down to eat. 

you weren’t official, or dating and you knew you weren’t her girlfriend, at this point you were far past roommates, friends, even best friends but there was currently no label other than two dummies that really really really liked each other. 

walking into training the next day with kika laughing at you for saying ‘you too’ when the barista said ‘enjoy your coffee’ was nothing out of the ordinary. 

the majority of the team missed the way she opted to sit in your cubby instead of her own, leaving just enough space for you, mostly passing it off as the two of you being as close as usual. 

ellie saw it though, her eyes lit up, a spark igniting in them as she watched how kika tugged at the hem of your shirt as you tried to put your hair up, or how her good leg kept nudging your feet as you tried to tie your laces. 

ingrid saw it too, but her eyes didn’t light up the same, infact the opposite reaction. ingrid couldn’t help but analyse the situation, the way the blush crept up your neck when kika’s hands brushed your skin, or the way your eyes couldn’t help themselves but flicker to her lips every so often.

something was different, she could tell, of course she could. ingrid had known you for years, you were young when you first moved to wolfsburg, fresh out of the arsenal academy but wanting something different. ingrid took you under her wing like a big sister would’ve and helped you guide your new life in the foreign country before she eventually made her transfer to barcelona. 

but she was still there, no matter the time of day or whatever she had going on, she’d always answer your calls. 

ingrid knew everything… apart from your feelings about kika. 

you knew she didn’t have a problem with relationships on the same team, well she couldn’t have when she was with mapi. but you vividly remember a comment she made when you first made the move, after finding out you’d be sharing an apartment with kika. 

‘just don’t go falling in love with her, yeah? teammates are one thing, but roommates? that’s a recipe for disaster.’

and at the time, you laughed because the idea had felt ridiculous. kika was just the loud, dramatic midfielder who talked with her hands too much and stole your phone charger without shame. but now, months later, you were biting back a grin as she continued to make life a little more difficult with her teasing whilst you tried to get ready for training. 

everyone slowly filtered out of the changing room,  ingrid being one of the first, yet kika held you in a conversation preventing you from leaving. 

suddenly the two of you were left in there alone, a silence falling upon the two of you as you simply smiled at each other, comfortable in each others presence. 

“you need to go to your recovery session and i need to get to the pitch.” you smiled, rising to your feet, hand extended to pull her up too. 

“but amorrrr, i hate doing all the recovery stuff, it’s boring.” she frowned, gripping onto your hand as she pulled herself up and grabbed her crutches. 

“i’m sure it’ll be okay, plus you don’t have long until your boot will be off.” you tried to reassure her, but the look in her eyes showed you exactly how she felt about the recovery programme as well as being off the pitch in general. 

you leaned forward, planting a small kiss on her cheek, one that made a small smile appear on her face. the two of you walked out of the changing rooms together, going your separate ways as you sped up trying to get to pitch before you had to face the punishment of extra laps if you were late. 

you quickly turned the corner, met by ellie, her arms crossed as she leant against the wall waiting for you. 

“fun night?” she smirked, walking with you as you hurried past.

“you could say that.” you mumbled, a small smile spreading on your face as you continued on your pursuit to the training pitch.

“oh my god, did you fuck?” ellie pratically shouted, causing you to turn round and instinctively cover her mouth with your hand. 

“roebs, what is your problem?” you hissed, eyes wide as you looked at the goalkeeper in shock. 

she simply shrugged her shoulders before you dropped your hand, “you have a post-sex glow.”

“oh my god, you're going to get me into trouble.” you muttered, turning back round as you continued your rushed walk. 

she quickly caught up to you, her arm wrapping around your shoulder as the two of you walked in sync, “i’m not sure why you’re complaining, it’s just like the good old england camp days.”

you simply rolled your eyes, before she pressed again, “so you at least kissed right?”

the blush crept up your neck, but you couldn’t stop yourself from nodding slightly. 

“i knew it, i fucking knew it!” she cheered, her arm unwrapping from your shoulder as she started skipping alongside you, “patri owes me 10 euros.”

“you bet on me?” you questioned, stopping in your tracks as your eyes widened. “hey i thought you would do it, patri thought you wouldn’t, so if anything you should be thanking me for believing in you.” ellie tried to defend herself, not that it really worked. 

“it’s like you want me to suffer.” you groaned, your hand coming up to drag down your face as you finally reached the pitch just in time for training to start, alexia sending you a glare as you sent her a sorry smile for your lateness. 

usually training would fly by, however this time it was full of anxiety as every usual part of your routine with ingrid had disappeared. she always patterned with you, for at least one exercise, but it was like she was avoiding you. every attempt to interact with a friendly comment, a targeted pass or floating in her direction when you needed a partner felt as if it was shot down when she suddenly looked the other way, partnered up with the closest person to her or avoiding passing back to you.

you weren’t able to approach her until the end of the training session, having perched herself on the cooler as she took a sip of her drink. 

anxiety continuing to pool throughout your body as the stress of the situation presented itself to you. your hands were clammy, you felt like your heart was about to come flying through your chest and you could barely think about the words you wanted to say. 

you cared what ingrid thought, a lot, you looked up to her, the thought of disappointing her made you shake. 

“hey.” you smiled, approaching her slowly. 

all you got in return was a short nod. 

“why are you avoiding me?” you blurted, not thinking into it too much before you spoke. 

“i’m talking to you right now.” she stated bluntly, not even looking in your direction. 

“ingrid, you haven’t talked to me all day, you haven’t even looked at me, i don’t understand what i’ve done wrong.” you explained, your hands flailing about as if it was for effect when in reality you couldn’t keep yourself still. 

she finally looked at you, her face blank, no expression at all, but her words hurt, “i saw how close you and kika were, something clearly happened and you haven’t mentioned anything to me, i warned you about how messy it will get and you’ve just done it.” 

you felt the sting in her words like a slap.

“i didn’t mean to keep it from you,” you said quietly, stepping closer, “and i wasn’t hiding it, honestly, i wasn’t really sure what it was until yesterday”

ingrid let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. “you’ve had a thing for her for months, i’ve been waiting for you to mention something but instead you’ve just been talking to ellie about it?”

you stayed silent. you didn’t really know what to say, and you certainly didn’t want to dig the hole any deeper but you wanted things to be okay.

she continued, voice a little sharper now, “i know what it’s like when things go wrong between teammates. it affects everything. the locker room, the pitch, everything. and you’ve worked too hard to risk it on some stupid fling.”

“she’s not just some fling,” you said, trying to steady your voice.

“but you don’t even know what you are to each other, do you?”ingrid shot back, “you're not dating, you said it yourself, so what is it?”

you hesitated. “i know it’s real. she cares about me, she makes me feel safe and you can tell just from the look in her eyes that she really does like me, even if we haven’t put a label on it yet.”

she looked away, jaw tense, “you should’ve told me, way before it got to this point.”

“i was scared,” you admitted, “you’ve always looked out for me, and i didn’t want to disappoint you by going against what you said.”

ingrid sighed, finally meeting your eyes again, “i’m not mad at you for having feelings, i understand that, i’m mad because you shut me out.”

you nodded slowly, throat tightening, “i’m sorry, i should’ve come to you sooner.”

the tension eased just a little, her shoulders dropped.

“you’re like a little sister to me,” she said, quieter now, “i just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

you were still on edge, but she stood up, making her way over to you as her arms encompassed you in a tight hug. 

“i’ll let her know what happens if she ever hurts you.” she laughed lightly, pulling away after a final squeeze. 

lunch at the training ground felt different, more exposed, as if everyone had eyes on you and kika and it didn't help that she practically glued herself to your side the second you entered the cafeteria. 

her tray was in one hand, crutch in the other but her arm was so close to yours that people would think you were attached. your brain short-circuited every time her body coincidentally pressed against yours, heat rushing through your entirety. 

you sat down with the team, kika predictably sitting so close you were basically on her lap.

jana raised an eyebrow from across the table, "okay so are we all pretending this is normal now, did something finally happen?” she asked, popping a grape into her mouth.

“what do you mean?” you asked, furrowing your eyebrows, feigning innocence very badly. 

kika, not even looking up from her food, answered casually, “she’s just obsessed with me, i can’t get rid of her.”

“you were all over her last night and you’re all over her today,” patri laughed.

kika shook her head lightly, “my leg's still recovering, i need extra support.”

“i don’t think giving her shoulder massages helps her legs.” ellie added, grinning as she sipped her drink.

“ellie, do you ever shut up?” you glared at her, pointing your fork in her direction as she simply laughed.

even alexia, seated nearby her phone taking up much of her attention, looked up with an arched brow. “this is getting harder to ignore, you know.”

“you weren’t supposed to be ignoring it,” kika said, now finally looking up and locking eyes with you. her voice dipped slightly, playfully low. “i’m trying to make it obvious.”

you blinked, heat creeping up your neck, raising her eyebrows as she spoke. 

“you two are disgusting,” jana added. “oh and patri owes me 10 euros?”

your mouth dropped open. “wait, you all bet on this?”

“obviously,” esmee said, not even pretending to deny it, “we’ve been watching the slow burn for months.”

just as the girls started talking about something else, kika leaned in, closer this time, her lips brushing your ear as she whispered something low and sultry in portuguese. you didn’t catch most of it, but the tone alone was enough to send a shiver down your spine.

your eyes widened. “kika,” you hissed under your breath, swatting at her arm, cheeks now a dark red.

ellie froze mid-bite, “wait, what’d she say?” she leaned it slightly closer, “it was definitely something dirty.” eyes now gleaming.

you groaned, covering your face with your hands as kika just leaned back smugly in her seat, sipping her juice like she’d done nothing wrong.

“stop trying to corrupt her in public,” jana scolded, half-laughing.

“oh, please,” ellie smirked. “we already know that’s happened.”

and even though you were mortified, you couldn’t help but smile, especially when her hand found yours under the table, fingers intertwining easily like it was second nature.

the drive back to your apartment was quiet but comfortable, the hum of the car’s engine the only sound between the two of you. kika sat beside you, your eyes were focused on the road in front of you but ever so often your eyes glanced over to kika, the sun casting a sunkissed glaze over her face, her dark hair shining in the light. 

finally, kika broke the silence, her voice light and genuine.

“you know,” she began, “i want to take you on a date, a really nice one but something casual, just us two”

your heart raced, your hands were suddenly sweaty as all of a sudden your breath hitched in your throat, “a date?” you didn't mean for it to sound like such an abrupt question, but you had to hear her say it again for it to be real.

“mhm, i was thinking i could set up something really nice.” she confirmed, she sounded confident, sure of herself, but the slight tremor in her voice had you questioning how true that facade was. 

“y-yeah, that sounds perfect, i’d love that.” you stuttered, the nerves already taking over.

kika simply hummed in response, her gaze turning back to the passing scenery you were driving past, “so tonight?”

“sounds good.” you practically whispered.

you’d been on a few dates, nothing serious ever came from those dates, a few blind dates, a couple of one night stands with friends of friends, or girls suddenly realising that dating a footballer wasn’t as easy as they thought it would be. but this was different.

you liked kika. a lot. you had never felt this way about someone before. maybe living with her had made those feelings feel more intense, you were with her constantly, it was impossible to not feel that way. 

once you got home, you slipped your shoes off before heading into your room, supposedly to get ready for your date. you were under strict instructions from kika to not leave your room for the next hour and a half and whilst you needed to shower and make yourself look presentable, you were sat on the edge of your bed, your fingers working away at your phone as you sent a quick text to ellie before facetiming ingrid.

you - ellie she asked me on a date, what the fuck do i do

ingrid didn’t even speak before you started rambling, answering your facetime after only a few rings. you told her exactly what had happened, the entire conversation from start to finish. 

“slow down, right she asked you on a date, and you’re really nervous.” she clarified, her eyebrows raising as she spoke. 

“yes!” you practically shouted before realising kika would probably be laid on the sofa outside your room, “what do i do ingrid?” you groaned, throwing your head back. 

“you said yes right?” you nodded, “so then you just be you, she likes you exactly as you are, she fell for you being you so that’s exactly what you do.”

“but what do i even wear? all she’s said is be ready in an hour and a half, no dress code or anything,” you spoke frantically, “maybe i should just tell her my head hurts so we don’t have to do it tonight.”

“no no, i’m going to help you pick something to wear, we will go with something casual but a little showy.” ingrid spoke slowly and it gave you a chance to focus on your breathing, to slow yourself down to her pace and think rationally. 

“pick some nice lingerie!” mapi shouted from somewhere off screen, which had ingrid swearing at her in spanish, something about being inappropriate at the wrong time, but it did make you laugh. 

you spent the next 20 minutes with your phone propped up in your room, showing ingrid a selection of t-shirts and jeans that you could pair together. in the end, you went with a shirt that scooped ever so slightly low, and jeans that hugged you in all the right places.

you said your goodbyes, ingrid wishing you luck and telling you to just be yourself whilst mapi made yet another comment about which set you had chosen to wear under your clothes, leading to an abrupt hang up from ingrid. 

just as you were about to step in the shower, your phone pinged. 

ellie 🩵- oh you’re so getting laid, just think about her in that bikini

btw i want all the details

you - you’ve got so many issues, can you be useful for once?

you watched the speech bubble appear and disappear before ellie’s response came through.

ellie 🩵- incase you need it…

**link to 🌶️🌶️🌶️ time playlist**

you - i’m never telling you anything, ever again

ellie 🩵- love you too chick xo

you rolled your eyes at ellie’s last text, but the nerves and anticipation fluttered in your stomach. with a deep breath, you stepped into the shower, letting the water wash away some of your tension. you practiced deep breaths, repeating ingrid’s words like an inspirational quote you’d find on facebook in your head, ‘she likes you for you.’

an hour and a half later, you stood impatiently at your door. fully dressed, still barefoot, your fingers nervously picking at the hem of your shirt. you took one last glance in the mirror, not too dressy, not too casual, exactly what you wanted. 

“can i come out now?” you hummed, your hand reaching for the handle as your fingers tapped against it.

“you can come out now, amor.” you could hear the smile in her voice, it wasn’t teasing or nerve wracking, it was comforting. 

you cracked the door open and were instantly welcomed with the soft sound of music, something acoustic and warm. the living room was glowing. candles were placed delicately across almost every surface, giving the entire apartment a golden hue, and the coffee table had been cleared and turned into a makeshift dining area. 

kika sat in her usual seat on the sofa, her injured leg resting on a cushion, crutches abandoned down the side of the sofa. she was wearing loose black trousers and a tucked-in white tee, her hair still damp from a quick wash, her signature gold necklaces shining as they caught the candlelight. 

she looked up as you walked in, and her eyes widened slightly, “wow,” she breathed, a grin tugging at her lips. “you look amazing.”

you felt your cheeks heat up, “you don’t look too bad yourself.”

she patted the space next to her, beckoning you over, “come sit.”

you walked over, heart racing, and the second you were close enough, she tugged gently at the belt loop of your jeans, guiding you to sit beside her, her arm naturally wrapping around your waist. her touch was warm and grounding, your anxiety melting away..

“i made portuguese soup, caldo verde,” she said, nodding toward the bowls waiting on the table, “and that is fresh bread, but i followed my mum’s special recipe.”

you smiled, leaning your head against her shoulder, “it’s perfect, you’re perfect.”

she paused, “you sure it’s okay? i know first dates are usually big and extravagant things but i wanted to keep it just us two and make it personal, but if you don’t like the food then we can order something.” kika sped up as she was talking, her nerves clearly getting the better.

you looked up at her, your hand reaching to cup her cheek, “kika, this is so much better than any fancy restaurant, this is perfect, thank you.”

the tv played in the background, a late-night telenovela rerun casting soft, flickering light across the room. neither of you were paying attention to it, your focus had narrowed to the steady rhythm of kika’s thumb rubbing lazy circles over your hand. 

you both shifted sometime after dinner, finding yourself tucked into her side, your head resting just beneath her collarbone. she was warm, comfy and safe. even with the bulky brace on her leg, she managed to pull the blanket more securely over the two of you, her fingers brushing your waist as she did. you smiled into her, letting your hand move to rest gently over her heart.

“i'm so full,” you mumbled, your voice soft with sleepiness.

“you had three helpings,” she said, smug, clearly proud of herself.

“your mum taught you well, it was good,” you whispered, “you’re good.”

kika’s hand paused for a second, then curled behind your neck. when you looked up, her eyes were already on you, full of something that you were desperate to have more of. she leaned in, slow and sure.

the kiss she gave you wasn’t rushed, not teasing or playful. it was soft. her lips moving against yours like she was memorizing the shape of them, like she wanted to be careful with this, with you. kissing you as if she pressed too hard you’d suddenly disappear. she took her time, your lips dancing against each other, her hand tugging at the hair at the base of your neck as you crane yourself up further to embrace her touch.

when she pulled back, her nose brushed yours, her eyes still closed. you didn’t say anything, you didn’t need to. you were simply in that moment together, your bodies intertwined as you held onto each other.

a/n - thank you so much for the love on part 1, especially all the ideas for part 2 in my inbox, it definitely helps with the motivation to write when i get to hear you guys tell me how much you loved it! i hope i've done justice with part 2! my asks are always open for more ideas or feedback <333

[flyingwargle]

october fanfic recs!

i don't have too many this month, so check out the previous months' recs: july, august, september

some of these fics are rated e!

sakuatsu

Dawn and Other Acts of Love t. 4.6k. sakusa's worst nightmare has come true: he has to stay the weekend at atsumu's. such a funny premise spun into a fluffy piece with light hurt and so much comfort. loved it!

shoot to kill g. 6.2k. this obliterated me and continues to haunt me. atsumu knows not to cross the line when it comes to insults and arguments, but sakusa does not, and says something that he shouldn't have. very powerful, with a tender conclusion at the end. one of the best fics i read this year <3

Summer Special: Omigiri t. 6.9k. osamu asks sakusa to be his model for his upcoming summer umeboshi onigiri special, but it turns out to be a ploy for him to confess to atsumu. absolutely hilarious.

The Taste of 2 a.m. t. 8.2k. atsumu is an insomniac with a need to drink tea at 2 am and sakusa joins him. they eventually fall in love with the routine and each other.

Curse Breaking for Dummies: A Setter's Guide to Getting the Guy g. 10.2k. 2/2. modern magic twist where atsumu is cursed with a love curse and everyone falls in love with him except sakusa. you can tell where this will go. very fun and lighthearted!

love as told by you t. 11.1k. this fic is the sun that beams onto you at the end of a rainstorm, reassuring you that love exists, and you'll find love, or a platonic soulmate. it's so warm and tender, choke full of affectionate details of a blooming sakuatsu relationship. a comfort fic, for sure.

recipe for disaster e. 22.9k. fwb narrative where atsumu falls in love with sakusa, featuring anxiety, supportive brothers, and sakusa who also loves him back. the sunaosa side of things is also *chef's kiss* and recommended below ehe

sunaosa

turn west towards dawn e. 2.7k. prose intertwined with letters about osamu getting an email from suna while studying in italy to reconnect after their break-up. the writing is both light but heavy with their lingering emotions and regret that makes your heart throb.

resistance to flow t. 6.2k. fwb to lovers agenda. i will never tire of the slippery slope of falling in love, especially if it's written beautifully.

A Primer for the Small Weird Orchestra Loves t. 8.2k. au where the boys are in an orchestra and suna helps osamu with the violin. lovely details and slow burn, with also a sakuatsu sequel.

of great ambition m. 17.8k. more of a suna-centric character study with a splash of sunaosa that focuses on suna's journey to become a pro. suna is so vulnerable in this, and he deserves all the glory for himself. it's also very in line with how i interpret his character <3

secret menu e. 26.3k. the sunaosa side of recipe for disaster. suna takes a part-time job working at onigiri miya during the off-season and gets more than he bargained for. also fwb narrative but augh. augh. the writing for both fics is so good and tailored to each character's perspective. i love both of them.

bokuaka

an ode to a conversation stuck in your throat e. 3.1k. a character study of bokuto who has bpd with spice. achingly soft and full of love.

crossing distance g. 4k. bokuto went abroad to study after high school and akaashi is the first one that he contacts. i just love how they were able to fall into each other again despite the distance and falling out of communication, it's truly a magical thing <3

A Kind of Magic t. 6.7k. bokuto and akaashi often hang out at bokuto's house until akaashi invites him over and introduces him to his incredibly large and wild family. beautiful, beautiful prose and gradual realization of feelings. we stan family members as their cheerleaders.

heavy heart, a love apart e. 7k. exes to lovers. this oozed with angst and heavy hearts with tension that is eventually resolved for a hopeful ending. loved the atmosphere created by the prose.

iwaoi

yes-man t. 4.1k. no matter what oikawa asks of iwa, he always says yes, including a spontaneous weekend trip to las vegas. very cute and fluffy!

Pretty Boy t. 8k. oikawa is used to iwa's range of nicknames for him, but when iwa starts calling him pretty boy, well. that changes things. fluffy, cute, and lighthearted!

shoelaces and departures t. 10.1k. 2/2. magical realism au where iwa runs a cafe and oikawa is compelled to travel to different corners of the world because of his innate wanderlust. mutual pining at its finest with fluff.

rise e. 12.4k. oikawa and iwa live together after high school but don't have a label on their relationship. something else that this fic focuses is on the push-pull aspect they have, especially with oikawa's knee injury. the hurt/comfort hit me where it hurt.

When I Fall to My Feet e. 23.2k. 3/3. trans oikawa is looking for someone to overwrite his terrible first time, and eventually iwa offers to do it. fwb to lovers, with a sprinkle of makki and mattsun friendship, and a wonderfully supportive iwa.

other

The MSBY Black Jackals Guide To Self-Care t. 4.5k. sakusa-centric. a cute little fic of sakusa learning about his teammates' various self-care routines.

Off the Hinges t. 15.9k. arankita, sakuatsu. kita adopts sakusa since he's a kouhai in the same business program as him while watching him develop his relationship with atsumu. kita also takes a page from his own book with his relationship with aran. cute and endearing. my first arankita fic and i hope it won't be my last.

i remember how the earth stopped turning t. 73.3k. 6/6. kageyama-centric. man. man. it's an amazing read that focuses on the immediate post-career ending injury and intertwines povs from other characters. gorgeous prose. give it a read, seriously.

Yamaguchi Tadashi is NOT a ghost hunter m. 77.9k. 23/23. tsukkiyama. the house that tskushima, kuroo, and bokuto rent in osaka is haunted, and hinata recommends yamaguchi, a spirit medium, to help them. the slow burn!! the mystery!! the details!! i very much enjoyed this <3

[abyssruler]

a dummy’s guide to dating your crush, by lyney

lyney x gn!reader

lyney has loved you from the moment your childish small hands found each other for the first time and never let go. it’s just too bad that you don’t feel the same way, but that was fine, lyney has mastered the art of pretending. or — the one where lyney tries, and fails, to set up a few dates with you, and inadvertently wins your heart in the process.

childhood friends to lovers-ish, delulu lyney, one-sided crush, jealous lyney, slight neuvillette x reader

You and Lyney have always been close, even as children living beneath roof of the hearth and Father’s careful guidance. You were one of the first children to accept him and Lynette when they were still strangers in a new, unfamiliar place.

You were the first person to hold his hand apart from his sister, a brightness to your eyes as you led him to a secret nook that you claimed would be a hiding place for only you and him. You were the first person to make him laugh after a failed mission, the first person who held him as he cried silent tears that he’d tried to hide from his siblings, the first person who kissed his cheek and promised to ease the burden on his shoulders.

You’re the first person he’s loved that isn’t explicitly family, though that isn’t quite right either, because you are family. Not in the same way Lynette and Freminet are family to him, but family in the way two close friends are family—family in the way a man might consider his spouse family.

And it feels almost natural to come to such a conclusion. Like flicking on a light switch and realizing that little has changed save for the fact that he now sees so much more. After all, why shouldn’t his natural conclusion be that you two belonged together the way two spouses would?

You’ve always been close, know each others’ secrets, have each others’ backs, and so much more. It’s a relationship built from years and years of trust and affection, and really, can he be blamed for thinking that your shared history must mean something more? That it has set the foundations for a love so great it could rival romance novels? You’ve known each other since you were children, would and have killed for each other, and he imagines if he asks you if you love him, you would say yes. Never mind the specifics of whether that love was romantic or familial, what mattered was that you would say you love him.

Lyney is so far gone in his delusions and fantasies that he fails to see the glaring fact that he pointedly refuses to acknowledge, the glaring fact that everyone but him has made peace with, because you never go a day without telling everyone how much you like—

“Monsieur Neuvillette!” you call out, a smile lighting up your features as you turned away from Lyney to face the man, the myth, the legend himself.

Neuvillette, also known as the bane of Lyney’s existence.

✧

The proper, rational thing to do was to ask you out on a date, a bouquet of flowers in hand as he invited you to a high-end restaurant or to watch one of the operas showing that night. But, as Lynette would say, when has Lyney ever been rational?

So, he reserved a seat at restaurant that he heard from the grapevine was a popular spot for couples, bragging to the receptionist how he was bringing a date that night. And if he made sure to make his voice come off a little louder, to make his presence more known? Well, it certainly had nothing to do with him wanting rumors to spread of him taking you out on a date in a restaurant well-known for hosting couples. Nope.

“I believe this is your date, Monsieur Lyney?” the receptionist from before asks, a knowing look in her eyes as her gaze darted to yours and Lyney’s clasped hands. He nods in response.

“Monsieur Lyney,” you whispered to him with a teasing laugh that sent his stomach rolling pleasantly—that was, until you realized what the receptionist actually said. “Wait a minute, date?”

Lyney laughs off your confused look, pretending not to have heard the latter part of your statement.

“I hear they serve your favorite dessert here,” he says in a rather horrible attempt at changing the topic that would have had Lynette staring at him with unimpressed eyes. Thankfully, you’re not as sharp as his sister, and thus, more easily distracted by the prospect of delicious food.

Once you’re seated at the table that Lyney had made sure was facing the windows, offering a view of the vast ocean outside, he takes the time to appreciate the much better view in front of him: you with furrowed brows as you squinted at the letters on the menu, your lips jutted out in consideration, a serious look in your eyes like you’re about to decide the fate of the world instead of what you’ll have for dinner.

Lyney finds it all endearing.

He opens his mouth to ask you something—but then he promptly closes it shut when the distant baritones of a voice reaches his ears. Familiar, deep, and so very unwelcome.

Evidently, you hear it too, because the menu on your hands is forgotten in favor of a wide grin that isn’t directed at Lyney, no, you turn your head—swivel, more like—so quickly he almost fears for the state of your neck.

He doesn’t need to turn to know just who that voice belongs to, but the sheer happiness in the tone of your voice is unmistakeable as you raised a hand in greeting for the man who continues to haunt Lyney’s nightmares.

“Monsieur Neuvillette, it’s been a while since I last saw you!”

A while, yes, if six hours ago could be considered a while. Lyney would know, he’d been crouched on top of the tree that overlooked you and Neuvillette as you sat on a bench and spoke in an almost friendly manner. Freminet hadn’t been happy to be dragged into what his younger brother dubbed was a gross violation of your privacy, but it wasn’t a violation of your privacy when you were out in public where any passing stranger could see you. If you asked Lyney, he was only making sure Neuvillette didn’t do anything untoward towards you, like smiling at you, or talking to you, or just being within a hundred-meter wide vicinity of you.

Unfortunately for Lyney, the esteemed Chief Justice of Fontaine did all those things. And as if that wasn’t enough, he even grazed his fingers over your hair when a stray leaf landed on it! Truly a vile man, abusing his authority in order to get close to you and touch your hair, smiling and talking to you as if Lyney didn’t exist. Lyney, who’s known you since you were children. Lyney, who brushed your hair every morning and did everything you asked without hesitation.

Lyney, who was your soulmate!

“Lyney, you wouldn’t mind if the Monsieur sat with us, would you?”

And now Neuvillette had the gall to insert himself in, when Lyney had planned this to be a romantic date for two, not three.

He knows if he said no you wouldn’t push the issue anymore, but you’re looking at him with such hopeful eyes, even clasping your hands together to your chest, that Lyney can hardly find it in himself to say no.

For the rest of the night, he’s forced to endure watching you and Neuvillette make easy conversation while he silently stabs at his steak. He wonders which god he must have offended to make him feel like a third wheel in the date that he himself planned.

✧

It becomes a reoccurring trend.

Lyney would ask you to meet with him, either at the park or by the fountains or in the opera or merely at one of his magic shows—though he never specifically tells you that it’s a date. And before he could make any sort of move to indicate that he feels more for you than a childhood friend should, Neuvillette arrives and takes up all your attention.

It doesn’t seem to be intentional, or even a malicious act. The Chief Justice always seems pleasantly surprised to see you, and he’s never rude to Lyney. It’s just that…

“Monsieur Neuvillette, do you think these flowers would look good displayed by my window?”

The man in question seems to ponder deeply over your words, regarding the bouquet in your hands seriously as though it were a matter of life and death. Lyney remains standing behind the two of you, feeling a little out of place, as though he were the one intruding on Neuvillette’s time with you instead of the other way around.

“Yes, they would fit well with the general backdrop of Fontaine. Although personally,” Neuvillette plucks a single flower from the bundle and places it on your hair, “I think they would look best displayed like this on you.”

Lyney’s jaw drops to the floor. His eyes bulge out of their sockets. His hair begins to fall one by one until his bald head is left shining in the mid-afternoon sun.

I think they would look best displayed like this on you.

I think they would look best displayed like this on you.

I think they would look best displayed like this on you.

Neuvillette’s words keep repeating in his head like a particularly annoying fly buzzing around his ear, taunting him with the fact that while he may hold you freely and spend as much time with you as he can, he will never be the man who so easily captures your attention and keeps it.

You’re smiling, a bashful tint to your eyes as you looked up at Neuvillette beneath your lashes, fingers touching the petals of the flower now nestled in your hair.

It’s a sickeningly romantic scene, like something out of a play or movie or song. Lyney wants to claw his eyes out, though mostly he wants to snatch that flower off your hair and replace it with a rainbow rose, his signature flower. His.

Lyney takes a single step forward to interject, to insert himself into the conversation and make himself known, to keep you from looking at Neuvillette with those eyes that should be directed at him.

But before he can utter a single word, you move to pluck a flower from the bouquet and place it behind Neuvillette’s ear, a mirror image to the one he placed on you.

And it’s like watching something inevitable, like being a bystander to someone else’s story.

Lyney sees you laugh at something Neuvillette says in a tone too low for him to hear, but the happiness and brightness radiating off of you is unmistakable. There’s a bounce to your step as you lead Neuvillette away to whatever store has tickled your fancy, a brief glance thrown in Lyney’s way to make sure he’s still there. An afterthought at best.

As he watches you and Neuvillette parse through the menu of a cafe, the two of you standing so close that a fly would be hard-pressed to find a way between, he comes to the realization that there isn’t space left for him, that just as he thought before, he was the intruder here. The third wheel of a bicycle, the extra cog in a machine, a piece in a puzzle that doesn’t fit.

And it’s painful to acknowledge his own insignificance, but the truth has always been right in front of him, taunting him with your besotted look that isn’t directed at him.

He stands there quietly, thinking to himself that if he were in a play, this would be the prelude to the climax, the one where the unwanted third party finally leaves and allows the two lovers to be together.

So he does just that.

He bids you goodbye, claiming an excuse about promising Lynette to rehearse for their latest show. You’re sad to see him go, but it’s overshadowed by the smile that blooms on your lips when your eyes moves past him and onto Neuvillette. He watches it all with an acceptance akin to a man walking to the executioner’s block.

Lyney leaves, resignation heavy on his chest.

(He doesn’t see the sympathetic pair of eyes that follow his back as he walks away.)

✧

It had been relatively sunny outside that morning, only for a torrential downpour to begin that afternoon. It was during that sudden rainstorm that you knocked on the entrance to the house Lyney and Lynette live in, utterly drenched from the rain with a melancholic smile on your face.

Before Lyney could even begin to tell you to come in and ask you what’s wrong, you beat him to it.

“I confessed my feelings for Monsieur Neuvillette.”

And Lyney feels himself stiffen, limbs locking in place from where he’s half leaning on the doorway, half gesturing for you to enter his home.

He doesn’t know why he’s so surprised about it. He should have seen this coming from miles away—have seen this coming from miles away, he’d simply refused to believe what had always been in front of him. But for your feelings to go that deep that you’d confess…

Before he can fall down into an unending spiral of despair and self-recrimination, you once again upturn his whole word with a few measly words.

“He rejected me though.” You laugh to yourself, more self-depreciating than anything. “And… I suppose it was a bit presumptuous of me to assume that he liked me back.”

There’s a sadness to your eyes that Lyney hasn’t seen since you were children, having seen your first death. And now that same sadness is painted across your face, all because of one man who didn’t see the treasure that was right in front of him.

Lyney would have never done that to you.

But all of that matters little now, because you’re here standing in his doorsteps covered in rainwater, seeking comfort in him instead of anyone else. So, really, what else is he to do but step close and wrap you in his arms? Heedless of the fact that he’ll be getting his clothes wet.

You bury your face in his shoulder, reciprocating the embrace, your arms around him as familiar a sensation as the feeling of the wind on his cheeks and Lynette’s presence by his side. Constant. Something he will always remember.

“Perhaps it’s for the best,” you murmur despondently. “He is the Chief Justice of Fontaine, and I… we are Fatui.”

Lyney feels a jolt of something zip through him at the mention of we, because yes, it has always been you and him (and Lynette and Freminet), him and you. The Magician and his most avid watcher. We, we, we.

So Lyney smiles despite your obvious heartbreak at Neuvillette’s rejection. A part of him knows he shouldn’t be thinking such things when you’re clearly upset, but it’s hard not to do so when his chest has felt the lightest it’s been in weeks.

Is he thankful that Neuvillette rejected you? No, of course not. Not when it’s brought about a melancholic sheen in your eyes and a downcast turn to your lips. But neither is he entirely against Neuvillette’s rejection of you.

He cards his fingers through your hair the same way you used to do with his, back when he still hadn’t quite mastered the art of carefully coiling his hair so that it won’t get in his face.

You eventually pull away, a look of acceptance on your face. Lyney doesn’t think much of it when he reaches out to grab your hand, it’s when you intertwine your fingers together that all thoughts and rationality promptly go out the window.

He wants you so much, and now that you’re finally here, here without anyone to hold him back, he’ll allow himself this one impulsive decision.

“Lyney, thank—”

“What do you say about lunch tomorrow? My treat,” he blurts out, only to immediately flush red when he realizes what he’s just said.

You pause, eyes blinking rapidly for a few moments before you crane your head and look at him, really look at him.

Beyond the mischievous smiles and the lenses of a childhood gone by, beyond the little acts of affection that you’d thought was common between friends—beyond everything that used to color your perception of him, stands someone who is looking at you as though you’re the only person in the entire world who matters. Not the boy who used to follow you around with wide eyes and a hesitant smile. Not the young magician who fumbled with his cards whenever you teased him.

No, this is Lyney. Just… Lyney, with his soft eyes and patient smile with the barest hint of nervousness in the corners of his lips.

And oh, how blind you must have been to miss this.

But you don’t dwell on it, on this newest revelation of Lyney and his feelings for you, because you’re you, and he’s him, and the two of you have an entire life’s worth of time to ponder over friendships and changes and love. It’s easy to place it in a back burner, to be analyzed when you aren’t so drenched in water and Lyney isn’t so deep in his own head.

So, instead of consternating over the realization that your best friend loves you, you settle for a teasing huff.

“Not even a day after I was rejected by my crush, and you’re asking me out on a date?”

Lyney only smiles wider. “Never let it be said that I’m the kind of person who wastes time.”

“You’re incorrigible,” you tell him, but there’s a grin that’s fighting to make itself seen.

“You love it.”

“Yes,” you say softly, “I do.”

It’s not romantic, the manner in which you love Lyney. But as you watch him fret about you needing to take a shower before you catch a cold, you don’t think it would be too difficult to fee the same way.

note: the truth is that neuvillette did actually reciprocate your feelings, it’s just that he realized that depriving lyney of the possibility of love feels almost selfish, and he believes that you’d be happier with lyney than with him. he’s immortal and you’re not, which solidified his decision to reject you bc he has years upon years to find love again while lyney only has a few decades with you. basically, he felt bad about stealing lyney’s crush. and yeah, it suddenly raining was a reflection of neuvi’s mood.

[ccrisntok]

Your Masterminds, Whit Young, and Ace Markey! (mm! whace au)

(Spoilers lol)

what normal fellas ahahahahaha (I have poured my entire soul into these two there is nothing left of me)

A basic summary of their relationship:

Whit has spent like, over a year manipulating Ace into being complacent in his plans. In his own eyes, Ace is a sorta-stupid lacky, who he's constantly love-bombing to keep obedient. Although, he is a bit glad for the company... it was sorta empty when Ace was "dead" and they couldn't really talk. And maybe Ace almost dying from his fake execution was a bit disturbing. But he's sure its nothing! (He fell in love with him like a moron.)

Ace has fully fallen in love with Whit. He's not happy about it, but it happened. As a result, he's basically ruined any semblance of his own morality, just so he doesn't lose Whit, or the affection he knows is mostly performative. He's more than happy to kill his fuck-face classmates, after a... bit of prodding, and honestly, he'd do anything Whit asked at this point, even die. He'll still complain about it, though.

i tried to be as original as humanly possible, but I'm def giving credit to @talkativeanonymous, @acethehorseishere, and @a-blog-for-kat all for inspiring these two in one way or another (esp. a-blog-for-kat lol).

anyway there's the art, here's the promised lore. warning for like a million words. I'm serious. It's 1,400 words. you can stop here i don't blame you.

also sorry for the odd looking bullet points, didn't realize you couldn't have gaps lol!

This au operates on a probably un-canon assumption that I pulled out of my ass. That is that Mai Akasaki is both a student in the class of 27, and that she is the "time loop" student. She is usually a part of the killing game, but she isn't this time, for reasons I'll explain in a sec.

This specific loop, Mai is attempting to dissuade the (usual) mastermind from wanting to start a killing game in the first place. That mastermind is Whit Young.

She goes about this by trying to curb Whit's main reason for his descent into despair, his resounding loneliness, by giving him championship. Charles hasn't softened up to the others in any regard yet. But that wasn't the main reason, unbenouced to Mai.

In this loop, and this loop alone, Mai sets Whit and Ace up to be friends. She hopes they can help each other, since they usually end up more or less alone in their school life.

Surprisingly, it works. They get along decently well, although a codependency starts to develop on Ace's side.

Around this time, Whit takes up an internship at XF Future, which Mai doesn't realize. He innocently wants to explore other job options, "Matchmaking" not really being a stable career forever.

Obviously FX Future isn't a normal Tech Company. Whit starts to change, in a barely noticeable fashion, the longer he works there.

Ace notices Whit's contacts start looking a lot more vibrant after Whit takes a couple weeks off school for a "company trip." He thinks it's... sort of pretty.

(Whit's time at XF Future showed him a side of humanity he didn't realize existed. Insane levels of greed, using the concepts of "ultimates" to guide a stupid pubic where the Government wanted them, generally a dystopia. It feeds into his existing detachment from humanity, until he hits a breaking point, setting his sights on ending the "Ultimates" concept by killing the newest class in the public eye, including himself.)

(XF Future develops a new sort of technology, prosthetic "eyes" that basically turn you into a living remote control, able to connect to an entire building if its connected via a computer system. Security cameras, doors, fucking air conditioning- everything.

(Whit offers himself as the test dummy, and it goes perfectly.)

Anyway, Mai decides to talk to Ace, since she's starting to realize he's becoming a bit... softer after hanging out with Whit so much? And hopes like, for once, he'll actually accept help for his mountain of problems.

He doesn't take this conversation very well.

Mai, with knowledge from dozens of loops, accidentally brings up an extremely traumatic event, simply mentioning the name "Tyler" once.

In a blinding mix of rage and horror at Mai's knowledge of the event, that Ace has literally never even spoken about in this timeline, Ace shoves her away from him.

She falls backwards, and splits her head on a desk, killing her instantly.

Ace, in a horrified frenzy, calls Whit, literally his only friend.

Whit shows up. Ace expects him to freak the fuck out, call the cops, or something like that... But he doesn't.

Whit simply tells him they were going to hide the body together, not even remotely caring about Mai's death.

yeah that's a little fucking weird, and its terrifying, but going to jail is scarier sooo Ace goes along with it!

After this, Whit wraps Ace into uncharacteristically cruel pranks against some of their classmates and others at Hopes Peak, oftentimes resulting in physical injury.

He acts like these are completely normal and funny, while Ace is both freaked out by it, and sort of enjoys enacting pain on people he didn't like.

Along the way, Whit notices Ace starting to fall for him. Horrible news for Ace, since Whit plays into those emotions by becoming much more physically and emotionally affectionate. Which he doesn't enjoy, like, at all... not a bit...

Whit convinces Ace to assist him in greater and greater acts of violence until Whit just straight up kills someone (not a classmate, a stranger.)

Ace is of course tied into everything way too deep to stop now, and after all this... he doesn't really want to. So he stays as Whit's accomplice for months, up until Whit's weirdo behavior arrives at the idea of the killing game. He references the "First Killing Game", which Ace had never heard of.

The idea is a bit intense for Ace, but at that point, he didn't have anything beyond Whit. If it took this to stay with him... He'd do it. Even if in the end, they both were going to die.

So they get to work!

Ace had been taking engineering classes at Hope's Peak in hopes of getting out of jockeying, and he'd helped his family build sheds and shit since he was a kid, so he focused on the construction and executions.

Whit wired the building an all-encompassing computer system he could control, as well as stealing "Mono-TV" from XF Future, a robot he can fully control to be the "host" of the game.

He also steals the "mind wiping" technology from XF Future. It's weirdly easy to steal stuff from this company, hm? It's almost like they aren't protecting it...

Whit also uses another piece of experimental biological technology... on Ace.

A screen connected to his brain, a lottt less invasive than Whit's eye surgery. It doesn't impact Ace mentally, it just gives him the ability to produce visible projections for easy construction, communicate with Whit remotely, (and give Whit a way to always know what Ace's condition.)

The screen is unclipped when the game starts, but the brain implant is still connected to Whit, so he can detect Ace's condition.

After kidnapping the class of 27 and wiping their memories... It all starts. A killing game, streamed live to the entire nation.

Whit and Ace start off as a part of the class, interacting with the others like normal, a pretty decent show. Things go roughly as planned, putting everyone in the positions Whit wanted them. Untilll... chapter 2.

Ace gets his ass jumped, and almost dies prematurely. This is fine, Whit privately makes sure the wounds properly cleaned, but it does fill Whit with an... ominous feeling.

Ace still kills Arei, a part of the plan, and gets "executed", so he can more easily upkeep the executions and such behind the scenes.

After the screen playing the fake execution turns off, Whit checks to make sure Ace didn't get injured in his running around... but can't detect anything.

At all.

Ace's heart wasn't beating.

He actually, seriously, had a fucking heart attack.

(Ace's heart attack was for a combination of reasons. Firstly, his heart was actually in pretty bad condition as a result of his eating disorder, something Whit had figured was "over" by now. It wasn't!)

(Second, in that moment, the idea that maybe, just maybe, Whit could have been double-crossing him came to Ace. What if Whit loaded the guns? What if Ace's use was done, and Whit was finally getting rid of him? It was terrifying because he could die, and terrifying because... It'd make sense. It was all that ever happened to him.)

So he had a heart attackkk lameeeeee

This makes Whit tweak the fuck out, internally. (lol pretend his spooky ass sprite happens AFTER the execution, not before. shh its all made up its all pretend)

After Levi gets taken to the infirmary, Whit drops Charles off at his room as quickly as he can, then fucking BOLTS IT to a hidden passageway in his room to the like... Mastermind area, with the execution chamber.

Whit manages to resuscitate Ace in time, barely. And even after that, he's in pretty bad condition. But he's conscious and mobile.

Whit gets him as comfortable as he can, and after spending the night, he sort of... has to leave. He does some tweaks to Ace's brain screen thing, creating a functional heart monitor that Ace (and he) can watch.

As often as he can, Whit sneaks off to the Mastermind area at night to make sure Ace doesn't fucking die in his sleep. But Ace gets... decently better quickly, and returns to his duties overseeing the killing game.

Whit still visits almost every night to make sure Ace wakes up, which he can't really explain to himself. Ace was... supposed to be disposable anyway. Why would it matter if he died?

Anyway yeah the rest of the game happens. No clue there.

In the end, Whit and Ace come out as masterminds (happy pride).

I have a comic planned for how the end goes, soooo... that's it!

holy fuck! my fingers! hi the whole 2 people who made it down this far... uh... did you like my lore.....? do you want me dead now for having you read 1,400 words of two evil homsexuals...? 😅 love you thank you im sorry.

[felassan]

Snippets. 🐺💜 DA:TV spoilers under cut.

Carly: Lucanis is "pretty average [height] everyone else is ridiculously tall" [source]

John: "getting absolutely dummied by an encounter in the game you work on as your day job is a uniquely humbling experience" [source] Trick: "Me desperately doing side quests to bulk up before the next big critpath beat because I KNOW I am not currently good enough at Rogue to beat that meat grinder at my current level and gear without dropping the difficulty back down." [source]

John: "hands up if you’re in game dev and have ever caught yourself searching Google for a guide to the game you’re working on that’s not even out yet" [source]

Flaming greatswords? ^^ [source]

Jay: "God, I remember the concept art for this scene" [source] (the scene in the gameplay reveal when Solas sheds a tear when it fails)

Kala: "Thinking back to playing Dragon Age Veilguard with the Council and all the fun we had, the crying (mostly me) and the shock at some of the surprises (especially Caitie) and I can't believe that's gonna be the entire fanbase soon. I can't wait to experience it with everyone" [source]. "I genuinely cannot wait for everyone to see Veilguard. I *know* for a fact there is going to be things people will freak out about, just like we did. There's A LOT people will love. Everyone will have stuff they don't like, which is inevitable, but there's so much to love" [source] Caitie: "Holding hands and sharing headphones because i unlocked the [redacted] scene first ❤️ Fond memories 😭😭" [source]

Trick on some of the chairs in the Lighthouse library group screenshot: "As much as I ADORE the idea of Solas sneaking out of Skyhold with a U-Haul packed to the brim with furniture and all the good mage gear you gave him, I expect it's likely just a common Fereldan style." [source]

Caitie: "If it helps- ive also seen silly ‘head canons’ and jokes thats will end up true haha" [source]

Caitie: "I'm not sure if we can say where we ended up in the story- but we got farther than the GI guy did it seems! By quite a bit. Did not get close to finishing it, however." [source]

Kala: "Pssst… we saw the companion rooms and the Lighthouse and it was really something amazing 👀👀" [source]

edit/update:

here are some more snippets which were posted by the Dragon Age official YouTube account in the livechat on one of the videos last month:

"There are lots of hairstyle options, we’ll have much more to share on the character creator in the coming weeks!"

"It wouldn’t be a Dragon Age game without a visit to the Deep Roads!"

"Our team spent a lot of timing refining combat and making it feel fluid and fun whether you play as a Warrior, a Mage, or a Rogue"

"It wouldn’t be a Dragon Age game without consequences! Your choices will influence the world of Thedas, as well as relationships with your companions"

A user asked "Are you a Fen’Harel spy?" Dragon Age replied "👀"

[abbey28]

Clarisse x Reader - Once More to See You

Clarisse x gn! reader, any cabin

An- sorry this took so long to get out! Anyways, thank you guys so much for liking my other Clarisse fics! This is my fourth one, so I hope that they get better with the more I write, but pls let me know if this is bad! Idk where my mind was when I wrote this lol. 3.3k words! Let me know if I messed anything up, and tell me what you guys thought of the last pjo ep! Dior looked as beautiful as always!!!!

Warnings!- nightmares, kissing, affection, mentions of training and weapons, pet names, pls let me know if something was missed!

The sun was almost to much to bear.

Beating down on Clarisse, it was almost melting. But she continued to swing her spear at the training dummy, hitting as hard as she could while making sure to be acutely aware of where she was landing the hits.

She was also very aware of the eyes that followed her every move. 

She knew that it was you, the only person at camp she allowed to get close to her. For some reason.

“Do you want to train with me?” She paused to yell and to look over at you.

“I’ll pass.” You were standing on the sidelines holding Clarisse's water bottle and her towel. She looked back at the dummy once before relaxing a bit and walking over to you. She grabbed the water and jugged it.

“How's day goin’ for you, angel?” You rolled your eyes just a bit and smiled at her nickname for you. She has called you that ever since you two really became friends, and almost gone is the flustered feeling it used to give you.

Almost.

“Really good actually, pretty girl.” Clarisse then took that chance to roll her eyes back at you, but the sun was definitely getting hotter because there was definitely no other reason why Clarisse’s face was feeling so warm all of the sudden, even after her intake of cool water.

“Oh yeah? What have you been doing?” She took the towel that you had extended to her and sat down on the closest bench. She nodded along as you recounted your day and how you spent the most of it doing crafts and training with the younger campers. She sat and listened until it was time for dinner, where the two of you sat side by side at the Ares table, even though it wasn’t technically allowed.

A few of her siblings teased the two of you, but it was a common occurrence, so they all knew that this was normal and would continue to be so. But they also couldn't just let it slide.

Clarisse made sure you were close by the rest of the night, completing both of your nightly routines that have over time molded together to make sure that they could fit like a puzzle piece.

She walked you to your cabin, and just like on any other night, there was a slight itch in her hand and the thought in her brain that she should be holding on to you in some way.

Linked hands, her arm around your shoulder, her hand guiding you whilst being placed on the small of your back. All feel like they could be the most natural thing in the world, if only your relationship could be just a little different.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, ‘kay?” Your question broke her from her thoughts and she just nodded.

“Yeah. Sleep tight, got it?” You smiled and hesitated before pulling her in for a quick hug. She tried to get over her surprise fastly, but you were quicker to end the hug then she was able to melt into you.

“So, um… goodnight.” You turned and walked into your cabin, Clarisse and one of your siblings who had witnessed the event watching with wide eyes. She made eye contact with them, and her shock dropped from her face. “Scram.” Your sibling nodded and wordlessly walked past her, going to some place she could care less about.

She stood there for another minute or so, her hand covering the bottom off her face as she sighed. The sun was gone now, but for some reason, her face felt all too hot right now.

She was beginning to think that the reason and cause had to do something with you.

Clarisse woke with a start the minute the creak of a floor board was heard across the cabin. She had practically trained herself to be awake at any moment, though she could mostly thank her fathers genes for that convenient trait.

None of her siblings seemed to have got it though, since none of them had even stirred.

She squinted her eyes to try to see through the darkness. “Hello?” she whispered out. The outline of a person stuck standing near the doorway visibly let some tension out of their shoulders as they began to move towards her, seemingly uncaring of the other little creaks that the old wood would let out.

“Clarisse?” Clarisse also then let out a breath, as well as a lot of the tension she was also holding.

“Angel? What are you doing here?” She sat up a bit more properly and scooted more to the side of her bed that was touching the wall, patting the now empty wedge, the sheets still wrinkled from the few hours of tossing and turning and sleep she had got.

You moved into that space next to her, bringing your knees up to your chin and  your arms wrapped around your legs.

Uh oh. Clarisse thought. The fetal position was never a good sign.

She hesitated before reaching her own arm around your shoulders, pulling you a bit closer to her, hoping that you could soak in some of the warmth Ares kids were notorious to have.

But she was still an Ares kid.

Comfort was not something she was really familiar with.

“What happened?” Her mind began to wander a bit, thinking that you must have gotten hurt. But who would hurt you knowing they would have to face her wrath? Her hands shook a little as she went through a list in her mind of potential people. It must have been one of your siblings, probably the one who-

“I had a nightmare.” Your voice was barely audible, but just the sound almost instantly calmed Clarisse down.

“Yeah? Do you want to talk about it? Or….” you shook your head no. “Do you want to stay the night here?”

You shifted a bit to look at her, and she noticed your eyes were a bit red and puffy. She wondered a bit about what could have happened in your dream if it made you have this strong of a reaction. All demigods got nightmares, you and Clarisse being no exception.

But this was the first time you had ever sought the other out like this.

“Can I?” You whispered.

“Any time.” She gently coaxed you out of your position so that way the two of you could lay flat on your backs, her arm still protectively holding you. “You know that I’m super strong, right? Whatever was scary in your dream was definitely no match against me.” You giggled, and Clarisse smiled.

She then spent some time talking about how she could protect you against anything, right until you fell asleep. She watched you for a moment, the peaceful look and the rise and fall of your chest bringing her comfort. She gently pushed a bit of hair away from your face and refused the urge in which was telling to place a kiss on your forehead.

She settled beside you, and sleep came easier for her then it had ever been since she had found out she was the daughter of war.

Sunlight streamed a bit too harshly through the windows making Clarisse try to close her eyes tighter. She groaned when she realized it was useless.

Someone cuddled in closer to her, their arms getting stronger around her waist. She tensed up a bit before remembering last night. The both of you were laying on your sides facing each other, all of your limbs seemed to be entangled with hers. She leaned into you more and began to close her eyes again.

That was before she heard the giggles of her siblings.

Her eyes shot open, and there were some of her brothers and sisters, standing above her bed, two of them with cameras. “What the fu- get away! Get!” She whisper- yelled, trying her best to not be close to your ear while making sure you didn't move much. Her siblings just laughed, took a picture, and then ran out of the cabin, their heavy steps making her flinch.

“What time is it?” Your voice distracted her from glaring at the still left open door. Her eyes flickered to her alarm clock. “It’s almost nine.” You hummed and burrowed your face into her neck.

She tried to ignore that.

Clarisse was always an early riser. Sleeping in any time after seven made her moody, and naps were completely out of the question and annoying to her.

So how was she able to sleep till nine, breaking her 5:30 wake up and missing both of her alarms? And why did she feel so… rejuvenated? Were you numbing her senses?

“We should get up.” You looked up at her, your eyes all sleepy and a small frown on your face.

“You don’t want to stay with me?”

Oh.

The room felt a bit hotter all of the sudden.

“Don’t you have classes to teach? The kids can't learn how to craft all by themselves.” She smirked as you blinked at her. You groaned and sat up, cutting off the skin contact and effectively making Clarisse feel colder and as if she was missing something.

“You’re lucky that I like what I do. I’ll see you at lunch, ‘kay?” You smiled at her and got up, stretching as you left her cabin to walk to yours.

All Clarisse could think about was; "is she actually lucky?"

The rest of the day seemed to go like normal, with you and Clarisse doing your separate duty’s while still finding times and places where the two of you could meet.

She was able to track and threaten her siblings, the ones who had taken the pictures of you two sleeping. She confiscated the camera, but when no one else was looking she pocketed one of the photos.

For safekeeping. She justified to herself.

To make sure that no one else would see it.

That night when you said your good nights, you hugged her again. This time it was a hug she was able to lean into, one that she was able to savor.

She was about to offer you to stay with her again, just another night. But the words got stuck in her throat as you pulled away.

“Stay safe, promise?'' Your words made her curious, but she wasn’t going to question you. It clicked that this was probably because of your dream.

“Have you even met me?” She laughed a bit, and you smiled at her softly.

It made her falter a bit. If any enemies were just a smidge like her, then that smile alone would stop an army.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. I promised the kids that we would teach the sword class together.” She sounded a bit breathless, and she hoped that it was only in her mind. You hesitated, but nodded.

“See you tomorrow.”

Clarisse has been on edge ever since the clock turned to twelve. It was around this time that you had come to her yesterday, and even though it was a one time event, (or so she figured it would be), it felt like there was a pit in her stomach, and she couldn't help but feel like you were in some sort of danger.

She was almost ready to jump off her bed and speed walk to your cabin.

“Clarisse, can you stop?” One of her siblings whispered from some other bunk and she sighed. She realized that she was tossing and turning louder than she thought.

“I’m taking a walk.” She flipped the sheets off of her and walked out the door, making her way silently to your cabin. There were only a handful of times that she has been in here, but she knew where your bed was.

You were tossing and turning worse then how she was, sweat dripping down your chin to your neck. She gently touched your shoulder, something she knew she probably shouldn't have done, but it was enough to wake you from your sleep.

You sat up fast, your chest moving rapidly as you tried to catch your breath. You gulped.

“Clarisse? What… why are you here?” Your eyebrows furrowed as you looked at her, still breathing hard.

“I felt that you weren't okay. Another nightmare?” You nodded as she continued to stand above you.

“Well, if you're okay, I'm gonna- I’ll… leave.” She turned around, but your hand caught her wrist with a tight grip before she was able to get far.

“Can you… can you stay?'' You were looking at her with those eyes again, and her breath was gone as well.

“Yeah. I can.” Her voice was too soft, a soft that would make her father distaste her even more. But she climbed into your bed, and for another night she slept with you in her arms.

The two of you occupied each other's beds for the next month, but neither of you spoke of the tension that riddled the space between you.

Nightmares didn't plague you any more, and Clarisse was getting better sleep then she had ever gotten before. That was until Chiron called her to his office.

“A quest?” Chiron nodded.

“Yes, one that was provided by one of the gods themselves, Hera. She asked for an Ares kid to complete this for her. You’ll think about it, won’t you?”

Clarisse nodded slowly.

“Perfect. Now, get back to your activities.”

Clarisse left his office like that. Her mind was clouded, and she didn't really know what to do.

Of course she had to take it, this was another great opportunity to show how great she was to her dad, and how far her training has come.

But she couldn't help thinking: what about you? How would you be if she had left? Quests could take up any amount of time, and what if something happened to her? Or you while she was away?

“What was that about?” Luke appeared next to her, catching her by surprise. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

“A quest. They specifically want me.” Luke nodded, and he had that weird thoughtful look on his face that made Clarisse’s nose wrinkle.

The two of them hardly got along well, but as cabin counselors they had to be civil. She looked around at the trees as they walked together towards the training ground, that is until Luke spoke your name.

“Do they know?” He asked. She shook her head.

“No other campers but you knows.” He just nodded his head again. He smirked and looked at her.

“Can't wait to see how that goes.” And then he turned and walked the other way, leaving Clarisse standing there in slight shock. What was that about? Did he know something she didn’t?

She shook it off the best that she could before walking to where you were.

There was a smile on your face as you helped an eight year old boy from the Hermes cabin hold his sword properly. She watched as you stepped back and let him swing it at the target, clapping your hands and laughing a bit once he finally got it right. He ran to give you a hug, and you hugged him back, and she could tell from where she was that you were praising his abilities. Clarisses heart felt so full, and all though she thought it was impossible, she could swear she was falling for you even more.

Maybe Silena was right, and she is a stickler for domesticy. Maybe a quest wasn't what would make her truly happy. Maybe it was a life with you.

“Clarisse!” You were running towards her and she caught you in a hug.

“Hey. I was actually hoping that we could talk for a bit.” The smile stayed on your face while confusion clouded your eyes and your eyebrows furrowed.

“Sure, okay.”

The two of you walked into the forest together, stopping in a clearing which happened to be Clarisse’s favorite place at camp. Other than wherever you were. You took her hand in yours in a way that she assumed you thought would bring her comfort, but it just made her heart beat faster.

“The gods want me to go on a quest.” She blurted out. Your face and mood fell and you took your hand out of her grip gently.

“And what did you say?”

“Well, I'm technically still thinking about it, but I think that this could be good for me. Hera wants this thing done for her, and you know that I have trained for this, and it would be nice if my father would recognize me at least once. But I also- Angel? Are you okay?”

You looked as if you were about to cry, one hand hovering over where your heart is and the other almost covering your mouth. You were shaking like a leaf in the wind, and Clarisse didn’t like it one bit.

She moved towards you, placing her hands on either side of your shoulders and helping you sit on the ground. She put your face in between her collarbone and neck, stroking your hair softly as you sniffled.

“What’s wrong?” She was unsure that you would answer, but you shifted your head a bit back.

“This is just like my nightmare.”

It all kind of made sense now.

“I had them, for like, a week before I first went to your cabin. It’s always the same some how, with you accepting a quest from Hera and never returning, or you go missing and I have to be the one to find your body, or I go with you and I can’t do anything about that stupid monster you fight, and I just-” You were crying, Clarisse could practically feel them burn into her skin.

“I don’t want to lose you Clarisse. Not on a dumb quest or ever. I don’t know what to do without you.” Clarisse nodded a bit and fiddled with a piece of your hair.

“I chased away the dreams though, right?” She had no clue if you would appreciate any type of small joke she made, and she figured she was dead when you pulled away from her a little and looked into her eyes, your lips slightly parted in what she could only guess was surprise.

Then you leaned in and kissed her on the mouth.

She was surprised, just like how she was when you had first hugged her. You pulled away quicker this time, fear evading finding your eyes for the split second before Clarisse pulled you back in, returning the kiss you first started with as much passion as she could possibly convey. You were both breathless the next moment once you realized that you had to get air.

“I don’t know what to do about the quest.” Clarisse whispered. She didn’t know why she did, but she felt like something could break if she didn’t.

“I don’t know either.” You responded, your voice as low as hers.

“I-... I think I like you.” Clarisse confessed.

Although they weren't exactly the words she wanted to say, (She knew for a fact that she was in love with you), but it still felt as if a slight weight was lifted off of her. You leaned back into her, so close that she could practically feel the smile that grew on your face on her lips.

“I think I like you too, pretty girl.” And she smiled too.

“Why do you call me that?” She tilted her head as you leaned back and laughed.

“Because you're pretty.”

The way you said it with so much certainty, as if you knew she could rival Aphrodite herself, made Clarisse feel bubbly, and she wasn’t someone who would ever really feel like that.

She didn't know what she would do about the quest.

She didn’t know what you would do if you found out if she ever accepted, or what punishment she would face if she were to turn it down.

But Clarisse La Rue was in love with you, and she would protect you from those nightmares for as long as you let her.

[m1lkywaywritey]

Designated driver

Relationship: Mikey way x afab reader (written with this ^ mikey era in mind but nothing is explicitly said so you can imagine whatever :))

Tags: drunk sex, drunk confessions, alcohol consumption, partying, car sex, riding, vaginal sex, happy ending

Summary: Mikey way always takes such good care of the reader even if it means giving up his night of drinking just to drive her home. He knows that he shouldn't fuck her when she's drunk but when it comes to it can he hold himself back (he cannot btw) - AFAB reader, use of y/n

A/N: Heyy I had food poisoning while writing this so I was quite literally, writing a paragraph, vomiting then writing another and vomiting again. Therefore if any of this doesn't make sense that'll be why lol.

Word count: 2204

Fic under cut - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You were far beyond tipsy as you downed your sixth shot of the night - not counting the three strong drinks you'd had between.

The party you were at was completely packed and you'd hate to be the host in the morning. You were feeling great - singing karaoke and dancing around with everyone. Mikey however was not enjoying himself. He drew the short straw and was crowned designated driver for the night.

You spotted him lurking in the corner of the room, diet coke in hand, looking miserable as ever. You danced your way over, a drunken smile spread over your face that seemed to infect him as he looked up to see you.

"WHATS UP MIKESSS" you shouted over the music.

"Nothing much, are you having fun?" he replied at a normal volume, showing you that you infact didn't need to yell.

"Yeah tons!!! What's got you down in the dumps?"

"I am not "down in the dumps" for your information" he said defensively with air quotes around the phrase you'd used.

"I don't knowww... looks like it to me" you said, perhaps getting a little too close to him for comfort - you were far to drunk to care. You were also far too drunk to notice the blush across Mikeys face as you had your hand on his arm.

"Shut up" he chuckled, laughing of his awkwardness. You grabbed onto his wrist and started weaving him through the party, "Y/n where are we going?"

You neglected to reply until finally you were in the kitchen, rummaging around the makeshift bar on the counter. "Pouring myself another shot obviously dummy" you stuttered and slurred over your words slightly and this didn't slip past Mikey.

"Do you really think you need another shot?" He laughed like he was joking but you could sense a hint of worry.

"Okay Mr judgemental, are you sore because you're not drinking tonight"

"No, I'm sore because someone doesn't know their limits. I think we should take you home"

"Aww come on mikes, wheres the fun in thattt" you whined, giggling at your own defiance.

"Walk over to me in a straight line right now"

"I am NOT doing that"

"What because you can't?" He said shrugging sarcastically. No matter how badly you wanted to wipe that shit eating grin of his face and prove him wrong, it didn't stop you from stumbling into the kitchen counter (twice) then almost to the floor. That would be if Mikey wasn't there for you to fall into. As he caught you he guided your arm up over his shoulder and placed his hand around your waist. "I fuckin told you so-"

"Shut up" you said, trying to sound serious but ending up laughing with him about how drunk you were.

He walked you out to his car, carefully placing you in the passenger seat before walking around to the drivers side. You couldn't help but watch him as you thought about how good he was to you. He gave up a night of partying to make sure you got home safe, took care of you, drove you there and back, made you laugh, made you confident, was always there when you needed a shoulder to cry on and he was so damn good looking.

Your daydreaming and crushing was abruptly interrupted "What are you thinkin about?" He asked accusitorially.

"Nothing!" You blurted out - maybe a tad too quickly, not helping your case at all.

"Sure" he said, clearly not believing you.

Silence lingered in the air after that. You were embarrassed that you were caught daydreaming about him and he was wracking his brain for what you possibly could've been thinking about. *Could she've been thinking about me? No way, and even if she was she's totally drunk, wake up man you've got no chance*

As you pulled up to your drive, neither of you dared to break the silence you'd built. Right as you were about to speak after building up enough courage...

"I-"/"I-" you both started at the same time.

"Sorry" mikey said laughing it off, "You first."

"I..." you tried to get your words out as Mikey waited patiently, looking into your eyes intently, "I just-" your head was almost spinning from nerves (and probably the alcohol too)

*Fuck it* you thought as you grabbed his shirt and pulled him in for a sloppy kiss. You felt so much relief when he began to kiss you back but this was short lived as he pulled away.

The alcohol on your breath had snapped him straight back into reality. "Y/n you're not thinking clearly, let me take you inside." You could understand why he felt like this - of course he didn't know how long you'd been pining over him.

"Don't you want me?" You said, you knew that was a cruel thing to say in the moment but you knew what you wanted and you were set on getting it.

"Of course I- Its just- You're drunk I don't wanna-" with every excuse he attempted to make you inched closer to his face, your eyes flicking between his lips and his eyes. By the time you had reached his lips, the excuses were few and far between, coming out in mumbles when you paused to take a breath. "We shouldnt- Are you sure-"

It's like his logic and body were fighting, still trying to reason as he pulled you over into the drivers seat to straddle his lap. He let out a muffled moan into your mouth - that's when you knew his body had won the fight. You pushed your body up against him, all your senses were heightened due to your intoxication. He leaned forward, one arm around your waist and the other reaching under the seat, pulling the lever to slide the chair all the way back.

With your newfound room, his logic and reasoning out of the window and you on top of him, he let his hand roam your body. Palming your boobs from under your top, and your ass through your jeans. You noticed his hands liked to rest on your waist, occasionally pulling you down to grind on him - desperate for some friction on his cock.

You continued to let out sweet whines as you felt his hardness grow between his legs. "Fuck- Do you- mmm- do you have a condom" you managed to get out between kisses.

"Glovebox" he replied, you clearly weren't in your right mind because instead of teasing him for having condoms you knew he'd never need, you turned around and reached for them without hesitation. While grabbing them mikey undid your jeans for you and started to shuffle them down your legs.

Once they were pooled ar your ankles you kicked them off and worked on undoing mikeys belt and trousers while he ripped open the condom wrapper with his teeth. Your stomach did a little flip at the sight of him doing it. And it did an even bigger flip when he pulled out his aching dick - already leaking slightly with precum - and rolling the condom down over it, wincing at the contact.

"Fuck" you whispered staring down at it - jaw slack. It wasn't huge but it was definitely bigger than you had expected. Mikey smirked a little, quietly proud of your reaction to his size. He reached down to your underwear, pulling it to the side, so you lifted your hips to hover over him - letting him guide himself into you as you sunk down. Both your faces contorted with pleasure as he pushed all the way in - staying still for a moment as you tried to get used to the overwhelming sensations.

When you were ready, you lifted up your hips before plopping back down onto him - both of you groaning as you did. Gradually speeding up, the sound of flesh slapping filled the car and you could tell you were shaking the car at this point. God forbid someone walk past but you were to drunk (from alcohol but also on Mikey) to dwell on the thought for long.

Yours and Mikey's moans and whimpers grew louder as you picked up the pace. Mikey's hand roughly gripping your waist and fucking up into you - meeting you half way as you sunk down allowing him to access a whole new spot inside of you. Locked in a passionate kiss you cried out into his mouth in pleasure.

"Oh my god-" he mumbled almost growling. It was a voice you'd never heard mikey use before - gritty like he had just woken up but much more raw and needy. "Youre so fucking tight- Feels so good baby-" you could get used to this new voice.

"Please, Mikes-" you whined out "Don't fucking stop-" You were so fucked by this point you let him take the lead - thrusting into you while you writhed against him weakly, letting the pleasure overtake you.

You leaned your head against his for a moment of support and caught a glimpse of his blown pupils and lust filled eyes. The look of desire he had pulling you closer to the edge. "Fuck- Right there baby- I'm gonna-" you managed to get these few words out before you began to see stars, throwing your head back in pleasure, letting your orgasm wash over you.

The way you spasmed around him during your climax, threw mikey over the edge with you letting out grunts, whimpers and whispers of your name as he shot his load into the condom - silently wishing he could cum inside of you instead.

Your heavy breathing pattered out and you lifted yourself off him, still sat in his lap, leaning back on the steering wheel. A smile plastered across your face, giggling as you felt on top of the world.

Mikey, however, didn't share this joy. He just felt overcome with guilt - like he had taken advantage of you in some way. He sat ashamed with his head in his hands before he decided he still needed to take care of you properly. He tied up the condom and chucked it in the makeshift bin bag he had in the back of the car. He did his trousers and belt back up and peppered gentle kisses along your jaw and neck and whispered "I'm so sorry..."

"Hey Mikes don't worry about it I wanted this for ages" you said trying to lighten the mood - not realising how bad he felt. "Don't worry, I love y-"

"Don't say that Y/n... please not right now" you were confused by his response but you decided not to argue with him because you were far too tired now. He lifted you back over to the passenger seat and helped you get your jeans back on before walking around to help you out of the car. You fumbled to find your keys and passed them to mikey so he could unlock the door. He walked you upstairs to your room and helped you change into your pyjamas. You could only think about how gentle, patient and loving he was being.

He got you into bed then got up to leave, "I'm sorry Y/n" you grabbed his wrist to stop him. "Mikey please stay the night"

"I- Y/n I don't know if that's a good idea..."

"Please" you persisted.

"I- okay" he huffed, giving in. I mean he couldn't feel any worse than he already did about the whole thing, what's an innocent sleepover going to change. He got out of his jeans to get comfortable, leaving his top and boxer shorts, and crawled into bed with you. He tried to keep his distance - however realised it didn't quite work when he woke up in the morning entangled in your arms.

You hummed waking up around the same time and looked up at him through your lashes - only to find he was already smiling down at you. He quickly averted his gaze, scared to look like a staring creep, but you found it quite endearing. "Hi Mikes." you muttered in a sleepy voice.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He responded, sounding equally tired.

"Got a headache but I'm alright."

"Do you want me to go get you some water?"

"No I just wanna stay here for a while" you said letting out a sigh and relaxing your head further into his chest. It felt so right, it was perfect. The two of you stayed cuddling for a little while after that until Mikeys guilty conscience got the better of him and he had to break the silence.

"Listen Y/n, about last night-"

"Hey hey, listen I don't regret anything Mikey I promise you"

"But it was wrong of me to- yknow and I just-"

"Mikey look at me" you lifted your head to level with him, "I meant what I did and I meant what I said"

"Everything you said?" He asked nervously.

"Everything."

"Even-"

"Everything." You said reassuringly, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek before returning to your previous resting position. A comfortable silence filled the air as you focused on the rhythm of his heart beat. It sped up slightly just before he whispered "I love you too..."

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

A/N: I don't really like this - I fear I didn't eat with this one chat, anyway thanks for reading!

[chlorinecake]

ｃｏｎｖｅｎｉｅｎｔ ｃｈａｎｃｅｓ II

🎱 pairing: yandere!stalker!enhypen x fem!reader

🎱 cw: language, non-con kissing and touching, reader gets tortured-ish, slight dumbification, use of the nickname "doll"

🎱 wc: 3k — read part one and three here

YOU AWOKE TO the feeling of the once running vehicle coming to a complete stop, doors unlocking at every which side.

Niki nudged your exhausted body, “Rise and shine, sleepy head.” Meanwhile, Heeseung hooked his arms under your armpits, guiding you out of the car. Your legs hit the ground, drawing your attention to your surroundings. From what you could tell, it was still fairly late in the night, and you were in the middle of the woods. Not too unfamiliar of a scene to you, but still a good ways away from civilization.

Jake ran over to hold your feet, Heeseung and him now holding you in a hammock position. They carried you past a campfire to a ledge on the cliff where the rest of the boys were standing ominously, Sunoo deciding to stay back in the car.

“Now look. We're not gonna hurt you unless we have to, so consider this all an unruly warning. A reminder of who you belong to,” Jay slithered, grabbing a stick from the ground to trail your frightened features. “You're not making any sense, Jay! If this was all apart of your plan to get my attention, why’d you have to kill Mandy?”

The six boys exchanged looks, laughing hysterically at your pitiful state.

“We didn’t kill her, jackass,” Sunghoon spat.

“What do you think life is? Some sort of simulation where people do the same things every single day?”

“She got the night off,” Jake finished, “so I covered for her shift.”

You internally sighed in relief, "Great, so you’re just trying to scare me, then?”

Heeseung peered at you from above, “Are you scared?”

You spat in his face, causing him to snicker in amusement. He dropped one of your arms to wipe your spit from his face, holding you up by one arm. “I like her," he grinned, reached down to squeeze your cheek harshly.

Jay stuck the stick he held in the fire before sealing the red hot edge at the side of your waist.

“Ahhgg,” you groaned in pain, provoking Jay to dig the burning stick even further into your skin, “Don’t fuck this up for me, love. I'm trying to be nice here, and you're only making things more difficult.”

“Alright, ladies, let’s stay on track, please,” Jungwon complained, impatiently nudging Jay’s shoulder.

“Right. We’re gonna ask you a question. Though, there’s only one right answer.”

“W-wha-what?"

“Slow down, dummy. Let him finish,” Niki retorted at your stuttering.

“Fuck this, walk her to the ledge,” Sunghoon directed, Heeseung and Jake guiding your frame to the cliff, their grips tightening around your wrists and ankles the more you struggled against them.

“It’s like you want us to punish you,” Heeseung smirked, swinging you back in forth dangerously close to the edge, Jake chuckled at your trembling. You screwed your eyes shut, preferring not to see whether they’d actually throw you over the cliff or not.

Jay stood in the background, observing your terror before speaking.

“There are two ways this night can end, ____. One, you fight back and my boys will do with you as they please.”

Jungwon and Niki snickered to each other.

Your lower lip quivered at the sound of their devilish tone's, feeling your arms and legs go numb from the awkward position you hung at.

“Two, you and I continue our relationship as if nothing ever changed and you swear your loyalty to me.”

“Booooo,” Sunghoon whined sarcastically, “I like the first option better.”

“The choice is yours, love. So choose wisely.”

“Fuck," you groaned exhaustedly, "fine! I’ll go with you! Just please make them put me down!”

“Tsk tsk tsk. You were so close, love, but I’m not sure if I favor the delivery of your answer. Try again, sweetheart, I know you can do it.”

“J-Jay,” your voice cracked with frustration, feeling the two rascals starting to swing you again.

You hated that he persisted on making this a difficult situation for you, even though you had already complied. You swallowed the lump in your throat, blinking away the moisture in your eyes before continuing.

“I’ll go with you, Jay. I swear, I won’t leave you again!”

“And?”

“And my love and loyalty belongs to you, Jay. Always and forever.”

The wilderness fell silent, the sound of your jagged breaths filling the atmosphere.

Jay kneeled down to meet your tired figure that hung in the air, pulling your face to his before kissing the corner of your lips.

“I know, my love. And I’ve worked so hard to make sure you finally know that, too.”

He gave Jake and Heeseung a look before they released your aching limbs from their hostile grasp, your body flopping on the rocky ground.

“Eugh,” you grunted as Jay pulled you into his hold.

“All of you get in the car!” Sunghoon ordered, rounding up the rest of the boys as Jay carried you to the vehicle, dropping his friends off at their places before bringing you back to his house.

Your new “home.”

THE NEXT DAY, you and Jay were at a fancy restaurant just like old times. He bought you the most lovely black dress and stilettos to wear for the evening, complimented with pearl accents that matched his fancy wrist watch. It had been a while since you went out for food other than the convenience store, especially not with your ex-boyfriend.

He pulled your chair out for you before sitting at the other side of the table, analyzing the menu before initiating small talk.

“So, how’s life been? We haven't had many opportunities to catch up in a while.”

You ran a finger over the dish titles under the plastic covering of the menu, “I don’t see the point in discussing my life details with you when I’m sure you’ve already seen everything.”

Jay paused for a moment as if hitting a brick wall, clenching his jaw at your reply.

“Can’t you see I’m trying here, ____?” He pleaded, looking into your frustrated eyes, “I know I can’t take back what I’ve done to you, but this is a start. I already explained that my intentions were noble, I just-“ he paused again.

“You’re just crazy about me, right? Is that it?” You teased, crossing your legs under the table.

Jay snickered, showcasing his cat-like teeth.

“See? I knew you understood me,” he feigned glee, peering in a little closer over the table before whispering, “now stop disrespecting me or I’ll take your ass home and demonstrate just how crazy you make me.” His hand found yours, giving it a gentle squeeze that didn’t match the cruel nature of his words.

What was wrong with him?

“Good evening, and welcome to The Diamond. What can I start you guys off with? Drinks, appetizers?”

"I'll start with an iced lemon water,” Jay smiled, “and for you, love?”

“Iced water sounds lovely,” you smiled back, fighting the urge to kick him under the table.

“Anything else before we move onto entrées,” the waiter asked. Your eyes were so stuck on a Jay that you hadn’t realized it was Niki dressed as the server. You felt like the ceiling was caving in on you.

“Is everything okay, Miss?” Niki asked sarcastically, tilting a mocking head at your anxious state.

“Y-yes, I’m alright,” you stammered, trying to remain calm.

“I’ll let you know if we need anything else,” Jay finished, Niki bowing before running off to serve other tables.

“You brought back up?” You scoffed, shaking your head at him.

“No, doll, I’ve only ordered water so far. No need to panic, I’m paying anyways,” he chuckled, observing the menu once again.

You hated the nickname doll, as it only added to your circumstances of being his play thing. You watched as a thick bead of water trailed down the side of your glass, a bright yellow lemon floating in the mixture. You stuck your bare hand into the cup, bringing the lemon to your lips to suck on.

The slurping noises you made caught Jay’s attention, “What’re you doing, ____?” He asked in shock at your sudden change in behavior.

A few drops of the lemon dripping on your tits, drawing Jay's attention to your cleavage. You got up from the table, feeling Niki's threatening gaze burn holes into your back. You pushed your chest out, “Can you clean me up, Jay? I’m such a mess,” you pouted getting on your knees for him.

“____, this isn’t funny. You know better than to act out in a place like this.”

“Don’t keep your dumb doll waiting, Jay-Jay,” you ignored him, reaching a hand to stroke his thighs.

He snatched your wrist with such a force that the contact with his skin and yours made a snapping sound.

“That was your last strike, love. You don’t get any more chances to behave.”

For whatever reason, you didn’t feel threatened by his words. You knew that your actions would only lead to the inevitable cycle that Jay planned to evoke on you anyways.

He guided you through the restaurant, a few people observing the event in disgust. “She’s just a little tipsy,” Jay remarked halfheartedly, rushing through the doors before shoving you in the passenger's seat of his truck.

“What the hell was that, Jay?”

“Pfft, you’re asking me that?”

“How am I supposed to trust you when you bring your goons around to watch me? When you threaten my safety over my emotions?”

Jay shook his head at your words, “you're not the victim here, love.”

You scoffed before he continued.

“I may have hurt you physically, but you broke my fucking heart, and that can never be healed. Not until I correct your behavior,” he frowned, pulling into a driveway.

You didn’t bother asking why you were here because you knew this place all too well. It was the same place he’d take you whenever he wanted to “teach you a lesson.”

He called it his classroom.

So here you were, a student smelling of sweet citrus with your aggravated teacher and his hostile cane. You imagined each whack would feel more like a hit to your mind than it’d hurt you physically. Because that was the thing about Jay.

He’d cut you from the surface, but forget that those wounds often travel much deeper.

He held the small of your back as he guided you to the doorstep at the front porch, taking in your nervous frame.

“____,” he began, taking your hands in his but your gaze fell to the ground, fearful tears starting to spill from your eyes. So much for holding it in all this time.

“Save you tears love,” Jay continued, lifting up your face and wiping the moisture from your cheeks, “I’m not gonna hurt you anymore.”

His words delayed your tears mid-stream, staring into his eyes with confusion.

“What are you saying, Jay?” You sniffled.

“I’m saying that I considered your words. 'How can you trust someone who hurts you?' That’s what you said, right?”

You hummed in response, more keen on listening to him than speaking for yourself.

"Well. In that case, I promise that I'll never lift a finger against you in a violent way. From now on, my hands will only be used to love and adore you, my love. Do you understand?"

You felt the tears starting to form at the corners of your eyes again.

This promise of his was almost too good to be true.

"Y-yes, Jay," you hiccuped, face feeling hot from the breath you held, "I understand."

Suddenly, he pulled you close to him, tenderly connecting his lips with yours. You didn’t reject his kiss because for whatever reason, you craved his comforting.

He broke from the embrace, unlocking the door to reveal the oozing black that danced within the structure of the eerily familiar house. He nodded, initiating you to enter without his force. "I'll see you in two hours," he said as you noticed the six pairs of soulless eyes staring back at you. Your legs grew stiff, but Jay pushed you in, locking the door behind you before going about his evening.

You beat on the door like a mad woman, “Fu- ughh! Jay! Please don’t leave me in here with them,” you screamed desperately, shaking at the door knob in terror. You heard footsteps approaching you from behind before Heeseung, the eldest of the bunch, grabbed your shoulder viscously, pinning you against the cold door.

“Nice to see you again, cutie. I’m sure you remember me from our last encounter,” he grinned, leaning in to breathe his hot breath against your neck, “it’s funny how you smiled in my face while I thought about getting you in a position like this,” he bit down on your skin, “vulnerable, and so fucking pretty for me,” he groaned, harshly kissing at your neck.

Sunghoon pushed him out of the way, giving him a fed up expression, "and I’m sure you remember Jay’s rule.”

Heeseung wiped the wetness from his mouth, “yeah? And what rule was that, fun police?”

“That we’re allowed to mess around with her how we please as long as we avoid leaving any obvious bruises,” Jake finished, cringing at the teeth marks Heeseung left on your neck.

“Hmm,” he hummed in thought, “I should’ve went for the tits.”

You felt nauseous in the middle of all this, having to listen to the perverted boys debate on they'd abuse you. Niki made his way around the corner, walking in your direction.

He pouted back at you facetiously, punching you in the stomach and snickering as you fell to the ground, “you’re such a fucking crybaby,” he spat, grabbing you by the hair just to let you go harshly.

You looked around the dark room, noticing Sunoo standing in a corner alone, mirroring your anguish. You got up and ran to him, falling in his lap before weeping. “Sun, I know what I said to you, but-" your words were cut off by him pushing you away, the back of your head clashing with the hard floor.

“You don’t get to call me that anymore,” he bit back, walking over you as if you were a piece of trash, “finish her off, Jungwon. I don’t wanna have to hear her screams once you get started, so I’ll be outside.”

“Me, too,” Jake added, “I don’t have enough energy for the crybaby tonight,” he rolled his eyes, joining Sunoo outside.

“As you wish, hyung,” Jungwon grinned, grabbing you by the hands before dragging you to the center of the room. The four remaining boys huddled around you like kids in a candy store. Jungwon and Niki held your arms and legs down while Sunghoon kept your head in place.

Heeseung walked over with two large buckets of water, placing them down before coming over to straddle your frame. “How about we play a little game. As I'm sure you’ve learned, there's only one right answer,” he slithered, snaking a hand down to pinch the soft skin of your thigh.

"Your body will give me your answer before your mouth does,” he grinned as Sunghoon reached his hand over to cover your mouth. You fought under Niki and Jungwon’s grip, muffled screams rumbling from your throat.

“I’ve heard that most girls scream when they like it,” Sunghoon chuckled. Heeseung removed Sunghoon’s hand before forcing his tongue past your lips, his tongue fighting against yours.

Sunghoon tried holding your head in place, but he lost his grip as you shook away, biting down on Heeseung’s lip, “FUCK,” he grunted, tasting his own blood fill his mouth.

"She's definitely more of a fighter than a lover," Jungwon began amused, "maybe that's why Jay had so much trouble keeping her around."

By now, you had long forgotten about the large buckets of water sitting a few feet away until Heeseung’s weight left your body, grabbing one of the buckets before dumping it over your face in a stream that lasted thirty seconds.

You hiccuped on the water, struggling to fight the agonizingly steady stream.

“Jake, Sunoo!” Heeseung growled, calling the boys back in.

“Yeah, what’s up?” They asked in unison.

“I’m gonna need a lot more water,” Heeseung ordered, watching you pant for breath beneath him. “Any last words before they get back, because I’m afraid from here, you’ll only be able to burp for the next week," he snickered.

You shook your head violently, more so as a cry for help than an answer to his sadistic question. Heeseung grabbed the second bucket of water, cooing at your misery, "I guess you're choosing to end things on a cliff hanger, for now," Niki smirked, swapping places with Sunghoon so he could restrain your head movements.

That's when the second dry-drowning circuit began, Heeseung pouring the chilly water all over your face. This stream lasted longer than the last one, or maybe it just felt that way because you hadn't had the chance to catch your breath.

The devilish boys would continue to do this for another two hours until Jay came back, occasionally playing with your body in between sessions.

You were soaking wet and your skin seemed blue, considering that you actually passed out a few times from the abuse. Goosebumps stained the surface of your skin as if you they were permanent, feeling as though your life had been completely washed out of you.

Jay didn't bother hanging around at the house before guided you to his car, thanking his friends for “handling you" while he was away.

“So,” Jay began, driving you off to God knows where, “how were they?”

You picked at the skin of your nails, failing to get a hold of your nerves. Your dress was still damp from everything that happened, and your hair was a complete mess. You looked a wreck from the outside, but that hardly compared to the agony you were suffering from on the inside.

“Great,” you replied with a pleasant expression and tone, almost sounding genuine.

"You don't have to lie to me, love. You look dreadful," he admitted, resting a hand on the bumpy skin of your thigh.

"To look on the bright side, I'm sure you learned a very valuable lesson. Hmm?"

"Yes, I did," you replied, your eyes fixed on the dark city skyline ahead of you, lost in your pain.

"Lovely. Now let's get you home and cleaned up. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

Ｔｏ ｂｅ ｃｏｎｔｉｎｕｅｄ.

☆ ᴀ/ɴ: in no way, shape, or form does this fanfic intend to romanticize unhealthy relationships or abusive behaviors. i simply write for entertainment and creative purposes. thus, reader discretion is always advised.

☆ taglist: @fanficfactoryfoxxx @ashgonedash @yourmomscuntis2tighy @yngwife @03sunoos @kaykay11sworld @gigiramirezsblog @hoonsyo @en-thralled @haechansheart @night-en-shining-armor @cutiejseong @j-wyoung @rickysblkgf @bambangan @wonbyf @4imhry @zhangyi-johee @naddii @valhrts @tinyenha @lisaaannna @valentineluvr @heecries @espyluvsyou @tokusatsutoad @confuse20x @teddursa @riviyw @tamii4 @lovelycassy @addictedtohobi @gardenwons @nikipedia07 @tubatusoobs @03sunoos

[eldragon-x]

An aromantic reading of Deltarune and Kris Dreemurr

Pretty much what it says on the tin, just my interpretation of how the game and characters, especially chapter 2 and Kris, interact with romance, and how it coincides with the overall themes.

I've been meaning to write an essay like this for months and am trying to finally get it out less than a week before the next chapters of Deltarune come out.

Because of the time pressure, this isn't as throughout as I would've liked it to be and doesn't include screenshots, but I thought it's better to get my rough idea out than not at all, and I was afraid this might become even more daunting to write if I wait and the new chapters have even more material for this topic.

Warning for discussion of abuse and incest in relation to Snowgrave Route and speculation around Ralsei's relation to Asriel.

So, choice, autonomy, freedom, and lack thereof are some of the major themes in Deltarune that are reflected in the characters in various ways. I'm going to focus on the party members we had so far (Kris, Susie, Ralsei, and Noelle) specifically for the sake of this topic.

Kris lacks autonomy due to quite literally being controlled by the player via the soul. The exact how or why are unclear, but we do know that we are capable of acting against Kris' will and there have so far been three occassions of Kris removing the soul from their body in order to act without the players influence or knowledge.

Ralsei lacks autonomy because he is dedicated to a script. His entire purpose revolves around bringing the Deltarune prophecy to fruition, he insists Susie fight on his and Kris' side for it, he brushes it off when Susie points out how strange the Spamton Neo fight was, and he's shocked when things don't go how they're "supposed to" during the Snowgrave route.

On top of that, he's - for lack of a better word - a huge doormat, towards Kris/the player especially. Suggesting Kris should try to be merciful on their journey, but clearly only keeping it a suggestion. Offering that Kris can hit him if they want in response to them attacking his dummy?? Just generally being willing to put aside his morals and wellbeing for the player to a concerning degree.

Noelle lacks autonomy because she lacks the courage to stand up for herself and considers herself weak and helpless. She says Kris and Rudy are the only people she's able to say no to, her percieved powerlessness against Queen potentially reflects Noelle's concerning relationship with her mother, and through the Cyber City she relies on Kris to guide her and show her how the dark world works which is taken to an extreme in Snowgrave.

Susie on the contrary, is a character I would say represents freedom and choice in a way. She shuts down the player's choices and goes against the script on several occassions which makes her a strong foil to Ralsei. She first rejects her role of a hero of legend and instead joins Lancer, she's kinda weirded out by Ralsei's speech about how Darkners find fulfillment by assisting Lightners, she causes herself and Ralsei to be able to act, and she drags Ralsei along with her on the split path, questioning why everything should be up to Kris, the protagonist.

-

With that established, I now want to talk about Kris' relationships with these characters, especially in chapter 2.

Noelle and Kris are established to be childhood friends who drifted apart at some point.

It's significant that one of the important steps in the Snowgrave Route involves Noelle being unsure if they can even still call each other friends, saying they're "something else", and have Noelle think there's no good interpretation of that.

The Snowgrave Route is the Noelle Romance Route where you, essentially, force these two into the "childhood friends to lovers" trope.

People have already pointed out how Kris' and Noelle's dynamic in Snowgrave is framed like an abusive marriage. Noelle's main weapon here is a ring obtained through implying she and Kris are in a romantic relationship. Noelle relies on Kris to get "stronger" which only causes her to become more hesitant to speak up and afraid of losing control again afterwards. This is also so far the most blatant instance of characters noticing the player's presence in some way with Noelle talking about how Kris has been acting odd recently and they're unrecognizeable to her.

And, I might read too much into this, but I feel like there's something to be said about how the Kris + Noelle section of this route ends with Berdly - Noelle's closest friend who genuinely tries to look out for her when he notices she's in a bad situation - being frozen by Noelle. Friends are always second best when there is romance.

-

I wouldn't exactly call the normal route of chapter 2 the Ralsei Romance Route but it is the only route where Acid Tunnel of Love happens and I consider it sort of an equivalent to Snowgrave Kriselle when it comes to the romance aspect.

We don't exactly know how Kris feels about Ralsei, but they don't seem very fond of him, while Ralsei is almost desperate to please Kris and/or the player using Kris as a vessel, and is implied to have a crush on them/us.

And, I'm going to be blunt, having a character who is supposed to remind us of Kris' brother be implied to crush on Kris is a weird choice.

I've seen people say that these elements don't co-exist. That Acid Tunnel of Love doesn't actually have romantic undertones because Ralsei is supposed to resemble Asriel, or that Ralsei doesn't actually resemble Asriel because Acid Tunnel of Love has romantic undertones. But I just don't think that's true and it would feel insincere to me to try to "solve" this problem.

To be clear, I personally don't think Ralsei is Asriel or even has any familial relation to the Dreemurrs. What really matters to me here is that these elements are there and we currently lack the full context and maybe we just have to sit with the uncertainty and discomfort of it.

More precisely, we have to sit in the discomfort of it alongside Kris themselves, who rather cruelly has to sit through this ride, hearing Ralsei say that it's nice that they're themselves, and potentially comply with the players choice to hug Ralsei even though we know they don't like hugs, because we think it's cute.

-

Kris' relationship with Susie is very important. They seem to be closer to each other than anyone else really which is kind of wild when you remember they were still on bad terms a day ago.

I've mentioned how Susie represents the freedom of choice the most out of the main cast in my eyes, ironically partially because she takes away choices from Kris. But, seeing from a meta perspective that she's really taking away choices from the player, I believe she can become a gateway to agency for Kris, seeing how much she genuinely cares for them and how Kris themselves seems to trust her.

The ending of chapter 2 stands out to me in the context of romance in Deltarune and what it means for Kris and Susie. Specifically, when she asks who Kris would take to the upcoming town festival: Noelle or Ralsei. The two people who Kris is forced to have a "romance route" with depending on which route you play.

If you choose either of them, Kris will say it in a confused way and Susie insists that she meant nothing weird by it. If you don't respond, Kris stares at Susie "like a weirdo" and she insists she was just joking.

But if you pick Susie, there is no indicator that this is something Kris wouldn't say nor brings them discomfort. Susie complains that they're dodging the question and of course she'd be there if they went.

-

In conclusion, chapter 2 puts Kris in romantic situations which are clearly forced one way or another. Romance is "inevitable" and all characters involved lack autonomy in some way.

Susie is a character who has a lot of freedom comparatively, is never forced into a romantic situation with Kris, and Kris seems to be the most comfortable around her.

None of this inherently makes Kris aromantic of course, but it stands out how the narrative of chapter 2 seems to force romance upon them, partially through the player's hand, and frames it as something uncomfortable. And I would be surprised if this doesn't become a pattern in future chapters.

-

Some things I don't know where else to bring up:

I don't really know where to fit Berdly in the big themes of autonomy and freedom, but I want to note that he also looks up to Susie and I think him "crushing" on Noelle, realizing he actually just admired her as a friend, and then "crushing" on Susie as soon as he gains respect for her is extremely closeted aro teenager behaviour.

I'm not sure what this all means for Suselle specifically, so far the game has played them rather straight, but I defenetly think their relationship is gonna go through a lot and be further developed throughout the game.

[trendywaifus]

Relationship hc with Natasha or himeko? (Sfw/nsfw)

— ahh to be in a relationship with mommy himeko. honestly, i def do believe himeko’s old fashioned. romantic and traditional asl.

— himeko’s waking you up with kisses, running a hand down your arm as she whispers “ good morning, beloved. “ when your eyes flutter open, her loving smile comes into view, you almost thought she was an angel. in the mornings, she stays in bed with you to discuss more about the plans for the day and loves to listen to you about how your dreams (if you have em). basically pillow talk! she’s huge on that. as himeko talks, she’s fiddling with your fingers, particularly your ring finger if you’re aren’t too drowsy to notice.

— breakfast in bed babbyyy. it’s not every morning she does this, it’s more on the occasion. she prefers you and her eat with the astral family. but let talk about how she makes the meanest pancakes, they’re so fluffy and soft, it practically melts on your tongue. the eggs are slightly burnt but it’s good nonetheless. then. .there’s the coffee. himeko likes to experiment with her coffee and for some reason, she thinks it’s okay for you to be her test dummy. sometimes it’s okay, perfect, and downright. . .bitter. “ wh-why is it spicy?? it-it’s like it’s so bitter that it’s spicy! “ you coughed harshly, pushing the cup back into her hands. she laughs sheepishly, rubbing your back in a comforting manner. “ i was in a silly mood this morning, sorry love! “ “ well, next time please let dan heng taste it! “

— himeko’s into pda and like i said before, she’s a confident woman! much like kafka, she’s not afraid to express her love and concern for you in public. when she’s at your side, her hand is on your lower back, rubbing circles on it occasionally to provide you some sort of comfort/stability. if himeko’s not kissing your lips, she’s kissing your cheeks and jaw. when she’s gotta go somewhere rq to do or get something, she’s placing a quick peck on your cheek then leaves. if y’all are hugging and your jawline is more exposed to her, she’s kissing on that too—usually to entice you or maybe you’re just tall!

— when you’re away with the nameless trio, best believe himeko’s texting you throughout the experience, making sure you’re okay. she’s knows trailblazing with the trio is always a hell of an experience. if you have the free time, himeko expects you to video call her, she misses seeing your pretty/handsome face. ):

— himeko takes it upon herself to fix your outfit malfunctions. whether it’ll be smoothing out your wrinkled skirt, buttoning up your collar shirt, fixing your tie, or anything like that, she’ll gladly offer her service to you. its like a mother getting their kid ready for their first day of school lmao. she knows your capable, she just doesn’t want you to be embarrassed.

“ there, beloved. “ himeko pats your cheeks after adjusting your sleeve correctly. “ you’re always acting as if you’re my mother. “ you chuckled, taking her wrist gingerly and guide it to your lips to kiss it. her smile grew wider, shy even. “ that’s something i can’t help. i’m a lover girl (march totally called her that) after all. “

nsfw

— himeko’s a service top, i mean look at her. she rather focus on your pleasure first; she’s a sweetheart.

— very big on foreplay. she wanna make sure you’re comfortable as much as she can. himeko def doesn’t mind taking it slow at all. if you just want to touch and kiss her without going further, she’s happy with that. but most of the time, it’s gets intimate. i mean, himeko treats you like an angel, her touch is sensual and delicate and her kisses are passionate and languid. you end up wanting more from her because she’s addicting.

— her strap game is top tier. her plastic cock repeatedly filling you up to the brim after having numerous orgasms will take your soul away. seriously, after she’s done with you, you’re pretty much put to sleep. the only reason why you were able to stay up for so long because she loves to encourage and praise you to keep taking the strap ever so lovingly. “ you’re doing so well sweetie, I know you’re tired but just one more for me, okay? “

— himeko’s head game is also top tier. one of the best out of the female cast. you know she experienced experienced when she’s sucking on your clit while knuckles deep inside your pussy. when she curls her fingers against a particular spongy spot—you’re squirting not a sec after. she loves to alternate, like, playing with your clit with her thumb and dragging her tongue against your warm walls before retracting away to tease your folds and entrance.

— if you have a cock, your tip is already pushing against the back of himeko’s throat, her tongue tracing along a prominent vein. each time her mouth sinks back down on your dick, she’s stopping right at your pelvis before moving back up to do it again. if you want to move her your hips and hold on to the back of her head, do it. in fact, gather her hair back into a ponytail for her so it doesn’t get in the way.

[brisquad-unit-4402]

technical guide and example scenario to kissing with a tongue piercing

this started as a shitpost style warmup/hc and then spiraled into a fic which spiraled into a style experiment. p much everything is deliberate except for the lowercase because i don’t believe in capitalization on my phone. now here’s a pretentious makeout scene where neither reader nor claude get the big 4k 120fps big picture at all

tags: gender neutral reader, pre-relationship, requited unrequited pining, oral fixation, making out, implied sexual/suggestive content, yeah i guess claude comes across as a sub here idk i didn’t really consider those dynamics much for this fic but if that means something to you then power to you

⚠ claude and reader jokingly call each other whores

⚠ implied piercing kink, hand/mouth play

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

reader: what’s it like to make out with a tongue piercing

claude: huh

good?? question??? he isn’t a prude but he doesn’t kiss and tell either. that shit stays locked up. he’s a private person no matter how much he likes the one asking questions. unfortunately

claude: why do you ask?

but he does like the person asking the questions. regret courses through him the second he says it aloud.

reader: just curious

reader: it’s just a stud so sometimes i forget you have one but when you’re kissing it’s hard to not notice isn’t it

claude: it could be

reader: can you stick your tongue out?

claude: [he does so]

regret! regret! regret! it’s turned to a flood washing over his thoughts. he chides himself. why are you so obedient, claude, why are you so eager to please, and for the love of god quit thinking like that before you get any ideas!

great. now there’s a nasty little thing called hope twisting through his brain and making it feel emptier than usual.

reader: i guess you’d have to be pretty into it to feel it

claude: [closes his mouth.] i guess

reader: so what’s it like?

reader: kissing, i mean

claude: that’s just your lips so it’s whatever

reader: no, dummy, i mean with tongue

claude: it’s just making out

claude: even i forget it’s there

reader: there’s no difference at all?

claude: woah woah woah woah i didn’t say that

reader: so you do notice it?

claude: well i don't but other people do

reader: is it good?

claude: i hope

claude: i mean

claude: well i don't think it's bad and no one's told me it's bad and i'm not bad [he thinks]

claude: so it's probably good. but i wouldn't know

reader: i should have guessed

claude: [a little.] yeah

claude: i mean

claude: yeah

he feels like he went outside in only boxers and got roped into an all-day affair. admitting things is already too much exposure. there’s so much he wants to say but it’ll take up all the space, ruin the mood. true feelings tend to come out clumsy according to claude.

the shred of hope lingers.

claude: i guess

claude: it’s smooth?

claude: because it’s so small?

claude: and the metal is just like that?

reader: [understanding, theorization]

claude: if it was a hoop it would be different

claude: but it’s not

claude: [unelegantly.] so it’s not

reader: i’m going to ask something stupid

claude: [gets a grip.] hey, i’m stupid

reader: no you aren’t

reader: i wonder what it feels like

claude: is this the question

reader: now it is

reader: can i try?

claude: getting a tongue piercing?

reader: no, kissing you

claude: [a brief sound]

claude: me?

reader: yeah

reader: i want to know how it feels

reader: i won’t be weird i promise

reader: and if not that’s cool

reader: i shouldn’t have brought it up i don’t want to make you feel weird or anything

reader: but i’m

reader: really curious

this is a bad time for his mouth to go dry. claude presses his lips together, only to pry them apart after remembering your request. he needs a swift bonk to the head. cold shower. 50,000 years of solitude. fuck he needs to stop thinking about this.

or keep thinking about this. it’s the best chance he’s got. it hurts his heart thinking about it. it’s indulgence. he can’t let himself pretend but he can’t let go of it either

claude: how are we doing this

reader: i guess we could try kissing first

claude: like frenching or

reader: lips first?

claude: oh right right

aaaaaaaaaa.

he feels giddy and heartbroken. and anxious. and it’s over before he really figured it out

claude: wait

why are lips so malleable? why do the tiniest presses make him feel so? so? giddy-heartbroken-anxious-dirty. this is out of order. friends don’t kiss friends with tension like this. but they are now.

reader: we forgot about the piercing

claude: right

reader: i guess that was a warmup. ha-ha

claude: yeah

claude: here goes nothing

reader: you’re such a dork—

he knows. he could always use the reminder. not now though. instead he refamiliarizes himself with lip on lip, slightly ajar, then rising. a gap between for hot breath to escape. the air grazes the slope of his cheek.

reader: mmh—

anxiety and dirtiness outweigh the other two, and the latter more than the former. he’s kissed before. reader has too. it doesn’t have to mean anything. it doesn’t have to mean anything. he repeats the thought but the message gets lost along the way.

claude: —.

reader nips so claude opens more. predictably so. and traitorously fervent. doesn’t mean nothing. his heart begs for some honesty but he can’t speak, mouth’s a little busy at the moment, not a great time to talk about feelings and whatever. he’d like to but, you know, clumsy words

clumsy tongues

the one over the bite, he means; warmth follows the lick at the tip of your tongue and down his throat and straight to his belly

claude:

you make yourself right at home. the breath is interrupted before it grazes his cheek because your hands rest there instead. claude follows your movements, shadowing as you explore, marking the depths before lulling at the entrance

reader: stay still

claude:

reader:

dammit, obedience, like a subservient dog. trembling like one while reader reenters. he nearly forgot the whole reason they were doing this until it prodded at the soft tip of his tongue.

claude: []

he’d nearly ignored the instruction. he tries not to think of it as a command, not while you trail up his tongue. little swirls that set him at ease and on fire. down onto the central. the answer at the top of the stud.

do NOT hit teeth, claude clawmark. do not hit teeth. he knows how it’s done but it’s so over if he messes up with you. fuck, this is wrong. you can’t be this hot and claude is so going to hell after this.

the metal preserves body heat but it tends to feel cooler to unfamiliar tongues. it’s important to be gentle with this. he licks low and languid, beginning a rhythm. simple circles. shouldn’t be difficult for you to predict the bead. god. what is his life

his laps are simple enough to pick up on. you lay your tongue on his in different positions to feel the stud. at this point claude’s done trying to analyze. his notes are minimal: sometimes you’re flat on his and that’s a strange feeling. the tip seems to have no effect on you, but it hits the space usually glossed over because of the metal so that’s exciting. when you press the sensitive side to the stud, you twitch back, and claude’s urge to chase rears its head.

reader: .

the challenge is taken. and now that the rhythm’s established claude speeds up. the sensation helps filter out the thought that this is an error. not on your part, of course, you’re just curious. that’s exactly why he should have denied: this is never going to happen again and he’s never going to admit how tragic that is.

but you nudge the piercing more, and the pressure makes his heart lurch.

he tilts your chin to his in a moment of surrender.

you play him like a damn instrument. his throat is full of lava boiling over with your touch, each hungrier than the last. the shivers just give you more openings to eat him up

claude: [needs to breathe.] hold on

reader: nngh?

claude: gotta

claude: gotta breathe

claude: christ,

claude: you’re shameless

reader: [between kisses at the corner of claude’s mouth.] yeah, i’m the whore here,

reader: said the guy with a tongue piercing

claude: hey since when are tongue piercings a whore thing

reader: since you kissed me like one

he’d been extremely polite, what the hell. at least, polite compared to what he really wants. still. you’re the one kissing me even when we aren’t using tongue, he thinks. the emotion behind it is unrecognizable.

yet you hum with muffled laughter as you kiss him. for not the first time it registers that he likes making you smile, even at his expense

he likes you but that’s never been a revelation.

and he quite likes how this feels when he tells his conscience to shut the hell up already. he takes your hand

reader: [with curiosity. you'd call it unrecognizable too]

thoughtlessly he holds it to his lips

claude: this is what it feels like when you touch it

the piercing, indeed, feels smooth on your fingertips as it rolls by the pads. his tongue lingers not far behind. those fingers twitch at the blend of tongue and lip; one of them sweetly curls at the stud. it’s always been easy to forget that the piercing is there but especially now as the plush of his lips closes. open-mouthed kisses become closed, leaving the true motions of his tongue—and the piercing, and the finger coiled beside it—they're obscured.

reader: [does it matter?]

reader: [Do the stage directions matter?]

claude: [looks up]

he quite likes the sight too

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

✧. ┊ masterpost ✧. ┊ kofi

[shoujosoulsite]

⊹ ⠀⠀ ׅ⠀⠀ ayaru ⠀⠀ ໒ poc 🌙 deathless respawner ! unlabeled ( any prns) !! Welcome to shoujosoulsite!

໒꒰՞ ܸ. .ܸ՞꒱ა hello! I’m a person that goes by the name of either ayaru or mangetsu and I’m a reality shifter who’s goal is to shift to my home reality that I also consider my waiting room. I’m a respawner meaning that I will cut ties with this reality and not coming back to this reality in any circumstances , though I am a deathless respawner meaning I will leave a stand in/clone behind to take my place (mainly so she can look after my void reality mom ! ). Im a yumejoshi who s/o is satoru gojo <3. I don’t mind sharing since I know he is popular and your s/o is not the same with mine but please don’t put your relationship in my face or if your blog is all about you guys in-depth yumeship just don’t interact or atleast be respectful! This account is a temporary blog that I plan to abandon (unless my stand in decides to continue it otherwise ) after respawning! So if I randomly stop posting and don’t be active after at least four months then there is a high chance I respawned !

૮ ྀི◞ ⸝⸝ ◟ ྀིა realities I plan to shift after I respawn to my home reality : akidemi days, better version of my void reality/better cr, a flagrant flower blooms with dignity, alien stage, jujutsu kaisen, naruto , infinity nikki, frieren, vagabond (seinen manga),new jeans, isekai, genshin impact, quiet life, zenless zone zero, le sserafim, magical girl, and Honkai star rail main realities : home reality/waiting room, akidemi days, and quiet life DON’T INTERACT if you are : against respawning (both deathless and death/SCA respawning ), against permashifting, against reality shifting and law of assumption as a whole, anti-feminism ( especially against radical feminism *YES IM A RADFEM BUT NOT A TERF/TRANSPHOBIC there is a difference* ), against yumejoshis/yumeshippers, in this whole anti-cringe culture bs (y’all just corny af💀 let people be themselves ), anti-woke, and basic crit. Also please don’t be asking questions about my personal life (especially when it comes to stuff like my identity and shit), I find it disrespectful and I low-key want to be anonymous in a way. I share what I feel comfortable enough to share!!!

🎏 ayaru ’s mini books !!

everything about respawning

everything about my home reality (coming soon)

my respawning logs

my reality shifting guide (terms to know for dummies)

death is subjective (this goes into terms with respawning )

( currently inactive __ scripting rn )

[kumimi3]

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋! : " 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒... " ❛ 𝟶𝟸 ; 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚞𝚎𝚕 𝚜𝚎𝚘 , 𝚓𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚔𝚒𝚖 ❜ - gn!reader , sfw | inbox request &lt;;3 @diarrheas-stuff

they confuse you beyond limit when you once met them, you feel the way their eyes on you but they don't pay attention to you as they did behind your back.

Jake, the ever so extroverted one could only laugh so timidly just to hide the stutters of his words, cringing underneath but still holds enough bravery to shoot you a pick-up line

"Hey miss, you single? 'Cuz I'm available~"

The subsequent eye roll received from Samuel couldn't stop you from showing a meek laughter, blushing softly from Jake's words. The sight of you flustered was a sight for sore eyes, can't you see the way they stare at you like you're a breath of fresh air? You're completely the apple of their eyes since then, just you.

Often times, when the wind becomes too cold, you could hear the footsteps of Samuel, stoic eyes eyeing you below and from the immense hold of his eye contact, you only now noticed his black blazer has been hovered over your shoulders, enveloping you like a blanket

"I suggest you start checking the weather before you go, otherwise you would've been freezing to death if I wasn't here... You dummy."

masked by the blunt words of his choosing, he isn't very well at hiding his care for you, he showed it far too many times than he intended that you can only chuckle at his words before you open your arms to embrace him as a sign of gratitude

gosh, what have you done to him? You've raised the stakes of his beating heart and in turn makes you the culprit of all the feelings sprawled all over his mind: giddy, shy, smitten...

His hand reaches for something to hold, like the back of your head, and your lower back as well, moving you closer to his body. Can you feel the warmth he's emitting? He doesn't usually feel this hot around the people who surround him at bars or clubs, he could only ever brush away their flirty remarks with no excuse

He isn't afraid to mingle around, nor can he give reasons of being 'taken' because he's not, but what could you be thinking if you see him with another person? Just the thought has him clicking his tongue, quite bitter than he intended it to be

if there was anything stopping him from mingling around, it's you. But it's not like he'll complain, you're the one person he'll choose anytime anyway.

Jake was your ride or die, every minute with him was a rollercoaster beyond any amusement parks he brought you to

all wrapped in his suave personality, he guides you through the flirts and surprises he has in store, ever since the three of you were young, he has expressed his adoration ever so boldly, even now

From the single flower that has been dusted in dirt because he has run into a gang fight, to the bouquet of flowers he had bundled together, each flower being the ones you've liked through the years because--of course--he remembered. From the paper rings he would often create with his notes, to the expensive ring he bought as he casually slips it on your fourth finger, declaring it as a promise of his love

"See, isn't it pretty? It's a promise ring, you know... So that once everything isn't messy anymore, i'll replace that with an engagement ring."

The day the two men drifted apart, it was heartbreaking to see your eyes shining in tears, blinking it away as you feel Jake's finger caressing your cheeks and Samuel's head gently patting your hair behind you

Ever since then, they couldn't to leave you all alone, they've settled their hatred aside and would gladly take care of you together. It was unknown when the three of you established being in a 'poly relationship' but they couldn't care less that they're both sharing you

in all honesty, if there was another man to share you with, Jake was more than happy for it to be Samuel than any other average and boring lad out there. Gladly it was the same for Samuel, he can view Jake as his rival all day long but he's aware he's the best one out of all, someone worthy to share you with

They are your guard dogs when you walk in the middle of them, other people who ogle at you will be earning glares from none other than Samuel himself, his muscular body and face is enough to make them cower away, but no, they have to receive the insults of Jake as well before leaving, hearing the way he laughs at them before his slender fingers finds sanctuary on your waist and Samuel who is holding your hand with his big one

"They're pretty aren't they? Yeah you ain't getting a chance on them, now moving along!"

"Pathetic fuckers..." Samuel mutters, guiding you through the luxurious restaurant as he smacks Jake's head to behave, quite a cute interaction if you ask

Long minutes have passed and for what seemed to be a simple but lavish date has turned into a frenzy once Jake carried you bridal style and exited the restaurant, laughing loudly together when you see Samuel's baffled expression before running after the two of you

It was then you realized that Jake had brought you to a silent park, only now did you notice it was the same park you three would often go to after school, pouting as you would bandage the bruises of the two men after their fights with other gangs, earning the title of being their 'pretty little nurse'

Sitting on the same bench as before, your head rests on Samuel's head as your legs lay comfortable on Jake's lap, merely being nostalgic with the sudden memories from 3 years ago when you three were still so carefree

But they wouldn't change it for anything, Gosh look what the three of you had, you're all still here, and that's all they could ever ask for, to be together.

[the-ellia-west]

How to make Good Characters for Dummies

So, you don't know how to make good characters? Well this might not be the most accurate guide but it's how I do it and the thing most people like best about my writing style is my characters.

Step 1 - Personality

You need to know what kind of person your characters is, which will determine how they act and speak for the rest of the story. You should find at least 5 good traits and 4 bad traits for every character, including villains. Always have the amount of weaknesses be at most 2 less than the amount of strengths.

Step 2 - Goal

What does your character want? Why do they want it? What will they do to get it? All of these should tie into your character's personality. Desperate character? They will do literally anything to achieve their goal. Kind character, they will ask for help to achieve their goal. Ect.

Step 3 - Who

Who is your character fundamentally? Gender, age, job, ect.

Step 4 - Story role

What do they do. Why?

Step 5 - Design

What do they look like? Use pinterest for this or just the internet in general for inspiration. Or just draw it out if you can.

Step 6 - Actions

Make sure their actions always align with their personality and goal. Draw upon real life people to figure stuff out

Step 7 - Relationships

Draw upon real life for this too. Determine the relationship between the two to one or a few words. Then insert the personalities and goals

Edit: Holy shit

[portgasdwrld]

hi! can you write about what ace would do if reader have trouble sleeping? They’re not in a relationship but there’s smth going on. He’d see her several nights outside on the ship when he’s on watch duty and he’s sorta worried

Seasick

✧.* sleepless nights/ GN!reader x Ace

✧.* no warning, fluff

✧.*Im not sure if you wanted y/n to not be able to sleep because of their feelings for Ace and him not knowing. Anyways 🍃I added a bit of both

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Your eyes are staring off at the sea as you watch the waves collapse in each other embrace and the moon guiding the boat through the darkness of the night. The ship is rocking against the water to the snoozes of the early one who fell asleep as your body is leant towards the rail where your arms find support. Your eyes are heavy but your mind is too occupied to allow you to sleep.

Questions about life, about your existent, your goals are flooding your thoughts like it never did before. You find yourself doubting everything even your friends and yourself too. Life just seem so too confusing right now. Your heart is everywhere but nowhere at the same time.

You sigh as you extend your hand to the horizon as if you could catch the sea in your hand. You smile foolishly to yourself as you let it fall down again on the rail.

This night is cold and windy.

With all that, you haven’t notice Ace slowly approaching you. You only notice when you feel a blanket on your shoulders and his cologne charming your senses. You stare at him with tired eyes as you mumble your gratitude before looking away.

-What is keeping you awake so late?

He starts with a slightly worried expression as he joins you in your staring. You scoff a little before addressing him your attention once again.

- I can’t sleep.

-You haven’t been sleeping well for quite some time..

-How do you know ?

-I have been on night-watch this last few days, dummy..but really what’s going on?

You don’t answer as you let his word sink in. You haven’t been sleeping good for days and he is right. You don’t even know why you feel the way you do, maybe it’s because of how your heart feel sick next to him, how your head feel dizzy. He was making you feel seasick.

-Im just caught up in my head, we all have those moments, right?

Ace opens his mouth to speak, but a harsh blow of the wind makes you flinch. He’s quick to catch the blanket and quickly put it back on you. But, he notices how your body is affected by the weather.

-Let me warm you up

He says as he softly takes your forearm and pulls you in, so he’s back hugging you. You close your eyes for a moment enjoying the warmth of his body and the feeling of dizziness slowly creeps up.

You feel his arms hold you tighter against his chest and the feeling of dizziness becomes unbearable as your heart beats faster. Your body relaxes against his familiar energy and a yawn leaves your lips as you feel sleepy.

-You make me feel sleepy.

-Good, you will rest a little then.

You feel him smile as he says that. He talks about the sea and some stories about his childhood and his little brother. Between all this, you find peace within your mind. The feeling of seasickness left and now you are faced with the obvious fact:

You like him.

-Hey, are you even listening?

He asks you as he feels that he has lost your attention. You blink and a soft smile curve your lips as your body is thrown into an epiphany. Warmth and joy tingle your body as your heart embrace the feeling with excitement. You slightly turn and look at his beautiful brown eyes. He smiled back and suddenly his freckles, his lips, his cheeks all seems so kissable. Your eyes glitter as your mouth speak for your heart.

-I like you Ace