#the fact that I’m using that tag more than once is amazing

[yourlocalartsonist]

MONTHLY MFIP UPDATE✨✨

9/24 | Month 2 | Next Month | Month 1

Hey folks 🦐 I finally got the chance to make this month’s MFIP Update cuz god damn life was kicking my ass. College is fine for the most part tbh, just a lot of reading and writing cuz of the specific classes I chose. HOWEVER I have 💥FUCKING PMDD💥 so um skill issue on my part but it’s why I’ve been kinda exhausted as shit this week and was late with the update so my bad folks! (Also for more info on PMDD, click here! I don’t wanna spend this post yapping about it but wanted to leave a resource to spread awareness just in case :3). Also, Imma be tagging some of y'all who have been reading/supporting MFIP consistently just for this post, so yk you guys actually know these updates exist. I was gonna do that for the first ever update but as with many things, I forgor, so I'm doing it now! They’re supposed to come out on the 18th of every month, but yk sometimes life happens and I’m a lil late. It won’t be any earlier than the 18th tho so look out for these once it hits that date! Anywho, cheers to this month’s update!

Alrighty folks we be starting with the Art~!

Alrighty so obvious new thing, WE GOT RAPH’S REF SHEEEEEEEET TEEHEEEEEEE

BRO IM SO HYPE ABOUT IT! It turned out so genuinely amazing and I’m ridiculously proud of it! Especially cuz I honestly thought Raph was gonna be a harder design to figure out yk? I’m not used to drawing his body type, I wasn’t as familiar with his outfit, and even tho I’ve sketched him a few times before, I was just a bit nervous with Raph. Funfact, he’s also been the hardest to figure out how to write back when I was first starting MFIP. I genuinely don’t know why, but I got there eventually (I actually really love writing him now—) and same thing happened with his design!

Since MFIP’s taking place a few months after the Krang invasion, i’m able to take creative liberties and update the boys’ designs more! For some clarification btw, in my story’s lore, the invasion took place in September 2020, and MFIP starts on March 2021. Anywhizzle, my ideas for the boys’ designs is to combine their movie look with their show look, cuz while I do LOVE the black on them, it doesn’t feel right to me to not make them still unique in their own ways. These guys are all about authenticity, so why make their gear exactly the same, ya get me? I basically recolored his show gear to be black and red (and added a lil asymmetry on his legs) cuz I think it makes Raph feel older and more sure about himself, just feels right for him! I also just think the red fade on the black is hella cool! Fun lil color theory i think application, the black is more of a really dark, inky blue, so it makes the red pop out even more! I decided to make a bow out of his mask tails, too! I don’t wanna spoil the entire lore reasoning for it yet (it’ll pop up in the story), but I can indeed say it’s intentional that it looks a little like a lunamoth with damaged tails :3 I also took a BUNCH of creative liberties with his sais’ handles, since we haven’t really seen it much so like idk gaslight yourselves into thinking it’s always been this epic✨✨

Also I gave him his shorts back because FUCK YOU I LIKED THE RED TRIMMMM—

OH I ALMOST FORGOT yes he has longer eyelashes! I saw he grows to have really pretty eyelashes in the future cuz of his turtle species, and I wanted to lean into that by showing they’re starting to grow now :3

Bullshit Gag Because Yes‼️‼️

There ain’t shit to say about this, I just pulled a silly. I saw the fact Donnie was supposed to have a “Doctor Donatello” persona in the deleted episode where Dale turns into a werewolf. I’m really heavily on the train of Leo being the team medic and into medicine in general. I don’t think it makes sense for Donnie to be the medic judging by his sensory issues and this mf being as much of a germaphobe as my mom, and in my opinion it felt too stereotypical anyway to have Donnie be the medic. Ofc, to each their own, and this is just my interpretation of it, but I thought it’d be funny if Donnie still had this persona and was passionate about it, but was like horrifically bad at being a doctor. I made this dumbass sketch that I’ll finish sometime in the future (it’s gonna be a chapter in Arc 3 probably) and I just wanted to share it with yall~

THEY’RE HUMAN NOW⁉️

My ass wanted to show off cuz I’m sketching out some ideas of what my human designs for the boys culd be. I already did Leo’s like ages ago so he’s not on here but I’m realizing as I’m typing this my dumbass forgor to post it so um my bad I will do that in a few days—

But I wanted to design (or more accurately, redesign cuz I did draw em once a while back but I’m not satisfied with them) and I think I ate so far so uh yea. There isn’t any logic to sharing this, I just thought it was cool😭

And actually, imma share them here too just so y’all can see my boy ;w;

(A lil outdated cuz I didn’t give him lips at the time)

Okay there we go~

As you can see, I want all the boys to look kinda etherial and like they'd turn heads, and I think I am SUCCEEDING SO HARD SO FAR CUZ DAMNNNN THEY'RE ALL PRETTY AS SHIIIIIIIT TEEHEE✨ Also am tryna make sure they actually look Blasian since that's what the canon of my story says they are. I'll talk about them more another time when I have all of them on here~

But yea that's all for art this time folks :> ONTO THE NEXT THINGGG

Chapter Progress Time Whoop Whoooop‼️‼️

I didn’t make much progress on anything this month due to college—again, it’s fine, but there’s a shit ton of time management going on in my part to just manage everything and make sure I’m on track—BUT I am indeed still working on chapter 10. We’re up to 20 pages now which is only two more pages written from last month, but it’s kinda cool writing Donnie and I feel like I’m getting a better understanding of him! One thing I’ve been tryna do is understand autism better as a condition cuz I do wanna acknowledge and show bro’s autism instead of just ignoring it due to a lack of understanding. Donnie ain’t Donnie without it, ya know? I don’t know everything and tbh I would say I still have A LOT to learn on the subject matter, but I’m tryna expand my knowledge every opportunity I get and experimenting with how to better show it! This is to say tho, I’M NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, NOR AN EXPERT ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM. This is what I’m finding and comprehending via my own research, and can tbh end up being wrong so please don’t quote me as a reliable source, I’m still learning ;v;

I remember one of the things I kept hearing about was autism leading people to struggle with empathy. The best way I heard it being described was someone bringing the example of when their friend was upset. That person can’t truly feel their friend’s emotions because they’re not the one experiencing it, so can’t properly understand how it’s making their friend feel. But they can see that their friend is communicating their sadness, and they still try to comfort them and make sure their friend knows they’re there for support. I understood it as bringing logic to emotions in a sense; collecting data and figuring out how to handle the situation based on the data rather than using intuition alone.

I’ve been using that to figure out how Donnie might handle more emotionally subtle situations, where he might try to rationally work through what’s happening and kinda substitute it in place of natural empathy. Like the little tidbit I gave above! Instead of just automatically being able to get vibes that the other person is upset, I felt maybe Donnie would instead notice the fact their tone is kinda different from before; it’s basically a data point. With that data point in mind, he could connect it to past experiences where a tone change could indicate a mood change, and as a result he might conclude that Salena’s tone change means she’s upset. I comprehend it as manually working through empathy rather than it being second nature, if that makes sense. Obviously and thankfully Donnie isn’t gonna spend the entire chapter playing a guessing game or anything with Salena’s emotions, it’s just one lil moment that I thought was cool challenge to myself with when writing him! I really love putting myself in the characters’ shoes when I’m writing them or their dialogue. I highly recommend it as a tool too, since it's helped me a lot with staying in character!

Last Lil Segment Y'all

Aight so, I wanted to try doing something cool if y'all are up for it. I really love rambling about my story and lore and characters blah blah blah, but I don't really know how to do so tbh. I'm not that familiar with how social medias work cuz I just never took it seriously, and I don't wanna just keep being like HEYYYYY ASK BOX IS OPENNNNN like I'm screaming from the top of the hill either. Sooooo insteaddddd

I think it'd be fun to do Q&As here! Or at least something similar. I'll open my ask box again and feel free to send any questions you want; it can be about the story, past lore, design questions, getting to know the characters, absolutely anything! Then when I'm gonna do my update for the month, I'll compile all y'all's asks, (prolly will have to tag to make sure you guys know I answered it, or if you ask anon then uh idk look out for the monthly update) and then answer them during the monthly update as the last section! I think it'll be a cool way to make this feel more interactive, and gives me an excuse to ramble. Don't be afraid to ask potentially spoilery questions either! If it's something I can't spoil yet or even give hints or vague answers about, I'll just say so in the update!

Anywhizzle, That's All Folks~!

I'm glad there was so much to talk about this month! I actually deadass thought it would be short but I should know better with my yapping' ass💀✨ But yeah, thanks for reading everyone! I hope y'all enjoy the rest of your days, and I shall see you next month~ Bye :D

Tageroonies:

@yosajaeofficial @chaoticspeedrun @ramblehour @randomcerealbrand @goldanrabbit @m1sf0rtun3 @foundthethief @ackalice @jellyfishheartsss @dollyrin @harukonene @iieieiw @mwantstossleep @zipzaizen @hypocriticaltypwriter @lordfreg @rainbowpr1sm @idioticsky @oleander-nin @cheeselord-official @skittlesqueen101

By the way, if you guys think you’d like to be tagged whenever an MFIP chapter is posted, lmk in a reblog or comment (no asks or dms plz, too inconvenient) and I’ll be sure to tag so it’s more reliable than tumblr notifs :3🫶

ROTTMNT: Moths Fly In Packs

[spineless-lobster]

This is why I fucking love this fandom

[thedevilspearl]

do you ever get the idea some of the brothers have a human kink? if so? who? i personally think lucifer and beelzebub. sometimes satan if he’s not thinking about committing manslaughter messing with lucifer!♡ (ꈍ ω ꈍ) ♡

-☽

the brothers with a human kink — most to least

a/n: i have to tell you, moon nonnie — i’m genuinely not sure with this one! it’s not something i’ve considered greatly before but when i think about the brothers with a human kink, i have a feeling they all have it, just to different extents. so i did a mtl if that’s okay ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝

also i’ve been sick in bed all day, so thank you for this awesome idea to keep me going ₍⸝ ˃̵͈᷄ . ˂̵͈᷅ ₎⸝ ♡

tags: all brothers, no explicit smut but consistent discussion of kinks, so minors do not interact! other kink warnings — power play, mild predator/prey, vore, exhibitionism.

𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐑

lucifer’s human kink is so lowkey that he doesn’t realise it himself, but it’s actually the most prominent out of all the brothers. it’s the fact that humans are so fragile compared to demons; one wrong move could be fatal so it brings out his protective side. he wants to be by your side, watching your every move to ensure your safety and well–being. it’s innocent at first, but then comes the part where he wants to test your limits, both in and outside of the bedroom. how much can a human like you take from a demon like him?

𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐙𝐄𝐁𝐔𝐁

he’s always thought about eating you, it was one of his first thought when meeting you, in fact. of course, he would never but there’s a little pit of fire in his belly that warms him up in all the right places when he thinks about it, and how weak you would be against him if he ever gave into his desires. he’s vocal about this kink, telling you how he adores you and how yummy you look. now, in the bedroom, there are some real tests of faith because he can become so close to devouring you whole. but he is aware of how strong his human kink is, so he knows how much more control he needs around you, especially when every little thing you do can set him off.

𝐌𝐀𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐍

the power trip from a human kink is what gets mammon going. he knows for sure how powerful he is, and his self–restraint is incredible. he’s never going to hurt you at all, let alone with his demon powers. but there’s no harm in threatening you a little with it, right? it totally boosts his ego when he sees you get all fidgety when he brags about how strong he is, and how a silly human like you could never best him. but, and this is a big but, he finds it all the more thrilling when a silly human like you actually overpowers him. he’s not as strong against his human as he thought, and his human kink is raging when you put him in his place.

𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐍

satan has a deep understanding of the difference between him and you. more than any of the brothers, he really acknowledges the power difference and he never wants to use that against you. and that is why he tries his hardest to never use the fact that you’re a human to sexualise you. he treats you as his equal, someone he would never use his power to take advantage of. however, if you were to suggest you were into it, he wouldn’t mind feeding his sinful desires and put you in your pitiful place. after all, what power does a human have to protest the demon of wrath?

𝐀𝐒𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐔𝐒

a human kink and exhibitionism come hand in hand with asmodeus. for him, it’s not entirely about power play like with some of the others but rather, he and he alone has the human every demon is after. he once was the most sought after, but now it’s you and it will always amaze him how a human could do that in a world where demons could destroy you in a second. you have the real power here, and he wants to flaunt that. walking side by side with everyone’s favourite human who looks at no one else but him... it makes him happy, and flustered. he relishes in everyone’s gaze towards the two of you. it’s a match that shouldn’t work, but it does and it excites him. he wants to show them everything.

𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐆𝐎𝐑

belphie’s emotional connection to the human race is far too deep; from hate to jealousy, to something akin to love after meeting you. he appreciates they way you helped him overcome his past views and actions, but regret will always remain deeply rooted in his soul. so he tries not to think about these things. it’s not right to think of you in such ways simply because you are human. after everything you taught him, he thinks he’s sick to even think about a human kink. but then again, it’s in his nature as a demon to want to overpower those who are lesser than him. he’s very conflicted and tries to hide it, but he will sometimes lose control and show you this dark secret of his.

𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍

while kinks are inevitable in a relationship, he doesn’t see them so significantly. sex is special, for sure. but what matters to him is the chemistry between you, the flow of emotions and the genuine feeling you have for each other. but still, he loves that you challenge him. a mere human thinking they can take on the grand admiral of hell’s navy? he won’t back down so easily. every now and then, he likes to remind both you and himself of his powers as a demon, and he loves even more the blush on your face when you test his strength. whether it’s out of fear or arousal, it drives him crazy.

[weirdsht]

Cale with someone who has blood manipulation and can make their blood explode on command once it touches the enemy, but they have to cut themselves up first in order for the power to work. 💀😀

It's either they think it's super duper helpful or they become extremely concerned

Let It Run Through Your Veins (Not Out!)

tags: blood, both cale and reader are idiots, gender neutral reader

English isn’t my first language so there will be grammatical errors

Pls don't repost my work anywhere without my permission

Constructive criticisms and any kind of interaction are more than welcome

Requests are open and welcome

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“You said you have an explosive ability right? Now’s a good time to show it off.”

Another day, another attack from one of many Cale’s enemies. The forces from the other side were more overwhelming than he thought. The young master had not expected the enemy to pull all the stops here.

Good thing his significant other said they discovered a new ability they can do.

Or was it?

“What the hell are you doing? I told you to help us not injure yourself.”

Cale stopped controlling his fiery rain for a moment to look at _____ cutting their arm.

“That’s what I’m doing just watch!”

“How the hell am I suppose to watch you doing something–”

He couldn’t help but stop in his tracks when he saw what happened.

_____ had manipulated their blood and flung it towards the enemy. As those red splotches hit the enemy they exploded on command.

“Human! _____’s power is amazing! It’s amazing but dangerous! They’re losing too much blood!”

Raon didn’t know if he was impressed or scared for the now blood manipulator's well-being.

“_____ stop already. I’ll handle it from here.”

“And overuse your ancient powers and faint? No way.”

“Then what do you want? For you to lose too much blood and die?”

At this point, the two are arguing with each other without regard to their enemy.

“Just what do you think you’re doing being distracted–”

Sizzle

Boom!

The arrogant enemy couldn’t even finish his sentence as Cale’s Fire of Destruction and _____’s blood manipulation rained down on him.

“See I can handle it just fine.”

“No, you can’t. You should see how pale you are right now.”

“You can’t talk Mr I-Look-Like-I’m-About-To-Faint”

Everyone around them just shook their heads at the arguing. To everyone else, the two look like they are about to faint and would probably stay unconscious for at least three days.

It doesn’t help that they haven’t stopped using their powers while arguing. No, in fact, they were arguing while swiftly taking out the enemy.

That was why the rest of the group decided to move faster and wrap things up as quickly as possible.

Or else those two might just faint for three weeks from overusing their powers.

Surprisingly they didn’t. The couple was pale and they were staggering at the end but they persevered and didn’t faint. However, they were both extremely hungry.

Hence why they are currently eating in Cale’s room. A delicious feast was laid out in front of them thanks to Beacrox’s hard work.

Cale and _____ were silent as they ate. No traces of them arguing could be seen. It was as if it didn’t even happen.

Well until Cale opened his mouth to speak.

“You’re going to be the death of me.”

[miley1442111]

pride-part one. (a.hotchner, s.reid)

a/n: i imagined a fem reader but as per usual, imagine what you like :)

summary: both of them love you, but you will be there for you?

pairing: potential aaron hotchner x gideonreader, potential spencer reid x gideonreader

warnings: general criminal minds topics, gore and brief descriptions of harm, fighting, mentions of child abuse, mutual pining, heavy topics, angst, death, illusions to smut, etc.

Aaron Hotchner prided himself on three things, his career, his son (though he did not pride himself on his parenting, only Haley’s), and his patience. 

Two of those things were on the line the second you joined the BAU. You had joined the BAU 7 months ago. When Strauss had told him he was getting a new profiler, and that this profiler would be a licensed psychiatrist and former Agent Gideon’s daughter, he was ecstatic, prepared for your insight and helpful ideas. When you walked into his office on that fateful morning, his excitement was crushed and replaced with an overwhelming sense of desire and disgust with his own feelings. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spencer Reid believed he couldn’t be loved. He had been rejected and shut down by everyone. Jj, being the most recent. He saw Gideon as a surrogate father, so he was interested to see what his daughter was like. He had not expected you. Your wit and intelligence actually matched his, your beauty truthfully made his mind blank, and your kindness pulled him in further. He was utterly fucked. 

Both of them were. 

——————————-------------------------------------------------------

“Dr. Gideon!” Spencer sped over to you the second you opened the door to the bullpen. “Y/n,” he smiled and you smiled back. 

“Morning Doctor,” you had never stopped using his title within the walls of the FBI building. You only called him by his name outside of work, which was rare considering you rarely went on nights out, choosing to stay home with a book instead. Something Spencer would prefer, but he always agreed to the nights out, in hopes that you’d choose to tag along. 

“How are you?” He asked, trying to create conversation. 

“I’m fine thanks, how are you? How was the festival this weekend? Sorry I couldn’t go.” He knew shouldn’t have allowed his heart to swell at you remembering his weekend plans, considering you also had an eidetic memory and the fact that you had bought him the ticket to go with you, but had to cancel in the end due to a family emergency. Yet his heart swelled all the same. 

“It was amazing, I finally had time to brush up on my-“ Spencer had begun a ramble, but Aaron’s voice rang through the bullpen, calling your name. You politely excused yourself and promised Spencer you’d be right back to hear all about the French film festival he had attended that weekend. 

You walked into Aaron’s office, a pleasant smile on your face. “You called, sir?”

“We have a case,” he gritted out. “It’s bad.”

“To be honest sir, I assume nothing less,” you admitted, but also knew there must have been more to this. “Was that all sir?”

“Is Dr. Reid distracting you from work?” Aaron asked and you were taken aback. 

“No sir, sorry. We’re just friends and he was filling me in about a film festival we were supposed to go to this weekend. I had a family emergency and had to cancel on him. I’ll get straight back to work, sorry again sir,” you answered truthfully, he dismissed you and closed the door behind you as you left.

His hands flew into his hair. He was jealous. He was jealous of Spencer. He was jealous that you and Spencer had plans and he hadn’t even heard you say his own name. You always called him sir. To say it didn’t go straight to his dick would be a lie, but it had gotten better since you’d joined the Bureau. He wanted you. He felt like he needed you. Though you were significantly younger than him and way out of his league in his eyes, he still wanted you. And he wanted you badly. But somehow, for once in his life, Spencer  had the upper hand. You and him had shared interests, you both spoke many languages, you were both equally intelligent (technically you had a higher IQ, at 188), and you were similar ages. Everyone on the team had literal bets on how long it would take you to get together, and he agreed with the logic. You were perfect for each other. You were essentially the same person, evenly matched, evenly blended. Yet it didn’t stop him from wanting you. He felt like nothing could.

You walked back to your desk, starting your work once again. Spencer snuck up behind you and started talking about the festival. You listened, offering small comments and nods in between his sentences as you worked on the reports for the last case. 

“Sorry guys,” Jj’s voice quieted the entire bullpen. “Another case.” 

You all walked into the conference room, Aaron already in there with Jj. Pictures of disfigured and bloodied people lined the screen and you grimaced, then recognised someone. You sat down as your stomach sank. It surely couldn’t be her, right?

“One of the victims, her name was Maisie-” You let out a whimper at the name of your sister. All eyes were on yours and you were out of the room before anyone could question you. You ran out of the conference room, over to your desk to grab your phone. You dialled your mothers number. No answer. 

You dialled your sister's number. No answer.  

You dialled your brother’s number. No fucking answer. 

You finally dialled your father’s number as Penelope and Emily stood in front of you, a worried expression on both their faces. 

“Hello?”

“Dad? Dad!” You left out a breath of relief. “What’s going on?”

“Kid, I’m so sorry-” He sighed. “Maisie and your mom, they’re gone.” 

Your heart stopped. You stopped breathing. You could only think about the last thing you’d said to your sister before you went no-contact. Your memories drowned out the pleas from your father and friends to calm down and know that it wasn’t your fault.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You’re being dramatic!” Maisie yelled, her head in her hands. 

“You don’t have to understand my decision, you just have to respect it,” you sighed, your bags packed at your feet. “I love you-”

“You don’t do this to someone you love!” Your sister screamed in your face, getting too close for comfort, in your opinion. 

“I love you Maisie. I really hope you get the help you need, but I refuse to be your punching bag anymore. Physically and emotionally. Goodbye.”

You had started to walk out the door when your mother spoke up, the first time in a year. 

“You’re not my daughter anymore. My daughter would never leave her family. You’re just like your poor-excuse of a father.”

“You’re not my sister anymore,’ your sister added. 

“Then I guess we don’t know each other then,” and with that, you left. And you never turned back. 

Leaving them broke you, but staying there would’ve killed you. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Y/n!” Derek’s voice brought you back to life, your father’s voice still speaking to you over the phone.  “Take a breath!” 

You had been hyperventilating for the past minute, everyone on the team was terrified. You were always the quiet and collected one. You always knew what to do. You were calm. You were logical.

Now, you were scared. You were mourning. You were grief-stricken. 

You hung up on your father, sitting in your desk chair. “It’s my mother and sister, they’re the victims.”

Your voice was calmer than you felt, which made you sick to your stomach. The faces of the entire team all dropped. Spencer moved to be closer to you, to comfort you, but he was stopped by Derek, it wasn’t the time to think about himself. It was time to think about you, and this case. Aaron shared a look with Jj. The killer was targeting your family. The killer was targeting you. 

Your phone rang again, your brother’s number popped up on your screen. You answered without hesitation and brought it to your ear. 

“Hey,” he sighed. He knew. 

“Hey.”

“You know?” He asked. 

“Yeah. Did you tell the kids yet?” you asked, referencing his children. “And Sophie?”

“Sophie got the call. I was at w-work. The kids don’t know. I’m so sorry Y/n.”

“I’m sorry too. I’ll be there soon-”

“Y/N,” he sighed. “I-in mom’s will, she finalised it a few months ago, she said you weren’t allowed at her funeral. I’m s-so sorry.” 

Your heart broke again. “It’s fine,” you blinked back the tears. “I’m fine. My teams are investigating-”

“I’ll see you soon Y/n.” 

He hung up. The office was silent. 

“Who was that?” Penelope asked softly, a hand in yours. 

“My brother. I need to go home,” You wiped your eyes. “I need to get my bag and we need to be in the air within the hour.” 

The team nodded and suddenly, everything was loud again. Life hadn't halted. The wind blew outside, the birds sang in the trees, the phones in the office didn't stop ringing, the sounds of keyboards hadn’t been silenced. 

That was just you. 

Only you. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Touching down in your hometown of 'Fighertown USA', San Diego felt surreal. Your brother, Michael, met you at the airstrip with his wife, Sophie and three children, Ryan, Freddie, and Georgia. They all ran up to hug you, red-rimmed eyes and deflated frames gave their grief away and made you forget about your own. You departed from the team to help with funeral preparations and to identify their bodies. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The team hadn’t stopped thinking about you, especially not Spencer or Aaron. Aaron was terrified for you, everyone was. Spencer wished he had been able to read the brief on the plane, wished he could’ve told you what danger you were in. You were what the unSub wanted. 

“Hotch I really think someone should go check on her, they’re all in danger-” Spencer tried to argue with him but he held a hand up to stop him.

“I’ve already sent police to the house and Derek and I will be staying there tonight,” Aaron was being selfish, he knew that. Keeping Spencer from you was childish and petty and he knew it. He knew it. But he also knew the only way he’d even be able to convince himself that you were alright is if he was with you. It was a miracle he had even let you go to leave with your family at the airstrip, he didn’t want to. The entire plane ride you’d been holding his hand, in his arms, or napping on his lap. He was grateful that you trusted him. He felt special, sue him.

“You and Derek? Can I come to check on her too-” Spencer tried. He wanted to keep a level-head, he truly tried, but he couldn’t. Not when Aaron dismissed him and walked off, getting ready to leave. Spencer caught up with him outside. “Hotch! Can I just come to check on her-”

“There’s going to be a lot of people around her, you don’t need to be one more,�� he sighed. 

“And you won’t be?” he shot back, halting Aaron’s footsteps as Derek turned to him. “I actually know her. I spend time with her outside of the office,” was it a lie? No. But truthfully, it had only happened once, and it was only by chance. You went to the same cinema as him, and it turned out you both had tickets to the same film. You sat together, then got lunch. It was nice. He thought about it constantly.

“Spencer,” Aaron’s voice was a warning. “Do not do this right now.”

“Why not?” 

“Kid, drop it,” Derek sighed. “I’ll bring you to see her tomorrow. Now go work on the geological profile.” 

Derek and Aaron ducked into the SUV, leaving Spencer alone outside the station. He sighed and decided that he would be the one to bring the unSub in. He wanted you safe. That’s all he cared about. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Derek and Aaron reached your family home, they were amazed to see the amount of people there. Jason invited them in and explained the situation. He and your mother had divorced and he had left. Your sister had been abusive throughout your childhood, teenage years, and young adulthood. You didn’t tell him until you’d left. Aaron felt sick. You had been abused as a child. A terrible thought made its way into his head, maybe you did have something in common.

[thesparklingwriter]

@venexus | 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔

tags: fem!reader, newborn baby, zhongli is getting bullied by his wife and infant daughter, xiao gets a cameo, fluff, fluff, and more (you guessed it) fluff

word count: 1080

an: i have tried to post this five times and tumblr keeps deleting it and i am on the verge of tears and i can’t take it anymore the spacing won’t stop being weird and

Zhongli knocks on the front door a couple of times, holding the warm bundle of joy you’re bringing home close to his chest. He hasn’t relinquished the baby since you woke up from your nap, arguing that you deserved your rest, and as much as you’d like to argue against that, it’s true. You’re exhausted.

“You can just give her to me, you know.”

Zhongli shakes his head. “There’s no need for you to be putting unnecessary pressure on your body. You need to rest, and if I have to force you to do it, so be it.” The baby whines softly, pressing her face into her father’s chest. “See? She’s more than happy here. You should rest.”

You sigh, about to complain some more, when your door is slowly pulled open. Zhongli, being the cautious man he is, suggested that you both stay somewhere closer to doctor Baizhu should something happen during the birth of your child, and hence you found yourself away from home for almost two weeks. You’d come to miss home, even though you were slightly anxious about the doctor not being a few minutes away.

“You’ve returned,” Xiao mutters. He wasn’t entirely overjoyed to be stuck on the detail of house and dog-sitting, but you’d been kind to him, and he figured returning the favour was the very least he could do. “I’m glad you’re well.” he says to you. Despite the fact his voice is somewhat monotone, you know he’s sincere.

“Thank you,” you smile gratefully. “And thank you for keeping an eye on Amber for us.” Xiao seems to become uncomfortable with the earnestness in the air, unsure of what to say, so he nods carefully, excusing himself as you crouch down to pet your dog. She wags her tail excitedly, following you as you try to track your husband down.

Sometimes, you end up missing your baby. Zhongli’s so insistent on making sure you don’t strain yourself that you really only end up holding her if you’re sitting down. Which, you suppose you’re doing a lot since he’s handling pretty much everything else.

You find him in the bedroom, putting her down for a nap. He’s singing softly under his breath—as lullaby he often sings to her that seems to hail from centuries before you.

“You never told me what the lyrics of that lullaby mean,” You say to him, wrapping an arm around his waist as you watch over your baby. He reciprocates, lifting an arm to stroke your hair as he kisses your forehead.

“I’m not sure about the direct translation.” He says carefully. “Something along the lines of growing up strong and annihilating all your enemies.”

“How sentimental.” You sigh.

“How are you feeling?” Zhongli asks you the same question every day, more than once. If it weren’t for the fact that you knew he had reason to be worried, you’d be complaining right now.

You contemplate for a couple of seconds, humming lightly to yourself. “I’m hungry.”

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

“I feel perfectly fine. Amazing even. So now you can let me hold my own baby without being worried I’m going to keel over.”

Zhongli laughs at that. The baby smiles too, something in her dreams bringing fond memories to light.

“See, it’s a sign.” You grin, leaning forward to stroke her cheek. “You should stop being so paranoid, you know. I’m not going to die, I promise.”

“I am not concerned about your death. I am simply concerned about you over-exerting yourself before you have the strength to do so.” He says. “I suppose you have a point though.”

~

Having a baby at home is vastly different to what you expected it to be. You expected it to be pure chaos, nappies everywhere, laundry piling up to the ceiling, the house trashed from every corner. In reality, it wasn’t that extreme. Yes, maybe you ran the laundry twice as many times than usual, and yes, sometimes little Jingmei would manage to leak through her clothes. But as she got older and you all fell into the swing of things, if anything, having her around was less stressful than life was before her.

“What do you want for dinnner?” Zhongli asks you. Jingmei, old enough now to have the slightest inkling of a personality, babbles thoughtfully in response. Amber hops onto the sofa beside you both, and Jingmei’s babbles become more passionate. “Jingmei, my love,”Zhongli smiles. “Can you please enunciate your words? I can’t understand you.”

You scowl at Zhongli. “She’s trying her best. I can understand her perfectly fine. She’s saying she wants to go to Wanmin restaurant and eat so much she empties your wallet.” You grin at her, pressing your nose to hers. “Aren’t you, baby? We can even go say hello to Tao Tao, can’t we?” Jingmei giggles, the sound of her excitement even making Amber jump up in anticipation. You turn to look at Zhongli with a mischievous smile on your face. “You can’t say no now, Li. Even Amber’s excited.”

“I wasn’t going to.” He chuckles. “I had accepted the proposal the second you said it.”

“Lies.” You smile, standing up to face him head on. “Jingmei and I both know you’re lying.”

“The fact that you’re using a child who can barely speak to further your point lessens its validity. You are aware of that right?”

“You are just one big party pooper. You know that, right?” You hand Jingmei, who has been relentlessly making grabby hands at her father, to him, turning on you heel to go upstairs. “I’m going to get ready. Do not, under any circumstances, tell her any more stories about you thrashing your enemies in the Archon war please. She keeps trying to reenact them with me.”

“I’m training her in the ways of the world. She finds the stories entertaining. That’s all that counts.”

“I don’t find her pulling my hair out entertaining. If you’re going to tell her stories, can you please tell her age-appropriate ones? Like about princesses befriending dragons and becoming doctors.”

“I’m glad you have grand plans for our daughter.” He scoffs. “Ignore your mother.” He says to Jingmei, and she giggles at the mere thought of disregarding your words. “I’m going to regale you with the tale of the time I cleared Liyue of pests.”

[nicoline1998enilocin]

I was wondering if we could include Moon, the cat, in a story too? So I was wondering if you could write something like cuddling with Tony and Moon with this prompt >enthusiastic cuddles accompanied by squeaky noises<, but maybe the noises are just the kitty being talkative lol. In case you can't/don't wanna write for Moon, it's okay, no biggie! You can write just for Tony or feel free to ignore this request too, no pressure! Thank you anyway!

A Sunny Secret || Part 1

PAIRING || Fiancé!Tony Stark x Fiancée!Fem!Reader

WORDCOUNT || ~ 975 words

SUMMARY || Your mornings always start the same: Tony asks for a few more minutes of cuddles, followed by a shower as you get ready for work and breakfast prepared by your husband-to-be. However, they’re both much happier this morning than usual, and you can’t get enough of it as you look at your two favorite boys being silly as ever.

RATING || Teen (T)

TAGS || Canon compliant. Established relationship. Former Sugar Daddy arrangement.

A/N || This is written for my Summer of Drabbles. Nonnie, I have been looking forward to this drabble since receiving your request! I feel honored you requested our little Moon, and I’m happy to include him! This story is proofread by the amazing @ccbsrmsf1 for which I'm forever grateful 🤍

Photo: Source || Other graphics are made by @nicoline1998enilocin

Main Masterlist || Tony Stark || Sugar Daddy!Tony Stark || Summer of Drabbles

A groan is heard in the entirely dark bedroom as your alarm goes off, letting you know you must get up soon for a 24-hour shift on the surgical wing of SHIELD's surgical department. You have landed a residency there with some help from your now fiancé, and you're nearing the end, as there are only a few more weeks ahead of you before graduation and the official start as a surgeon, also within SHIELD.

Thankfully, the medical wing is located in Avengers Tower, which means you have the luxury of sleeping in a bit longer today, and Tony, your fiancé, will make good use of the few minutes he has before you need to get up and shower, while he will prepare breakfast for you. This routine has quickly become something you both enjoy before he goes back to bed, as it gives you some much-needed quality time before it's time to head out, and you cherish it every single day.

Once you get comfortable again, Tony wraps a strong arm around your waist before pulling you against his body; the warmth and the soft hum of his arc reactor are immediately noticeable as he does. A smile spreads over your features as you lean into it, and the soft kisses he's placing on your shoulder make you feel very loved as you shut your eyes. You always set two alarms in the morning so you can get some cuddles before getting up.

"Hmm, five more minutes, Sugar," Tony grumbles, and you extend the alarm for five minutes, not wanting to get up either. Once that's done, you turn yourself around to face him, and a small smile tugs at your mouth as you study his soft features, the darkness of his eyes, and the lines forming his expression. Your fingers glide over the stubble on his cheek, the feeling of it making you smile even more.

"I can't believe I got so lucky, Sugar. Each morning, when I wake up next to you, I feel like the most fortunate man on earth, especially when I think about the fact that you're mine," he tells you, and your cheeks start to heat up at his words. His gaze is locked on yours as his fingers gently dig into the soft flesh of your hip as if he's trying to remember this moment forever, but it's rudely disturbed when your alarm goes off, and you finally have to get up to go ahead and shower.

"What would you like to have for breakfast this morning, Sugar? Moon and I will be sure to have it ready for you by the time you're done with your shower," he says while you walk to the attached bathroom. You stop at the door's opening as you think about it, your index finger tapping your chin as you do.

"Some yogurt with berries and granola, please," you tell him, and with an agreeing hum, Tony gets up, pulling on a pair of the sweatpants you love so much. They span around his thick, muscled thighs perfectly and highlight his large bulge as well, and you often take a few seconds to look at it, especially when he's not wearing underwear.

While you're in the shower, your fiancé makes his way to the large kitchen as he passes Moon's large cat tree. He's already awake as Tony walks through the door, and he jumps into his arms skillfully before purring loudly, making Tony chuckle.

"Good morning to you too, Moon! Let's make some breakfast for Mommy, okay?" Tony asks as he nuzzles his face into your rescue cat's soft, dark fur. A long meow can be heard throughout the penthouse, making your fiancé laugh as he pulls back, but Moon isn't as enthusiastic as he looks at Tony, his eyes squinting a bit as if he's trying to say, 'You do that again, and you're not going to be happy.'

As soon as they get to the kitchen, Tony walks to the large fridge to get the things he needs before putting Moon and the ingredients down on the counter and turning on the kettle to boil some water for your tea. Your cat watches with a skillful gaze while your breakfast is being prepared. Tony practically floats around the kitchen at the thought of what he's about to do today - picking out another kitten to gift you when you graduate in about two months.

"What do you think, Moon? Would you like to get a little brother or a sister?" Tony asks as he puts your bowl and cup of tea on the kitchen counter, perfectly timed as you turn off the shower. As you take your time to dry off, do your hair, and slip into your scrubs for the day, Tony is waiting for his coffee machine to make his morning cup of black coffee, while Moon needs more attention.

Without warning, Tony scoops him up before blowing raspberries in his side, making him meow loudly as a way of 'complaining,' though he doesn't do anything to warn him off. Just as you're about to walk into the kitchen for breakfast, you're met by the sight of Moon meowing loudly, his tail wagging like crazy, and your husband-to-be laughing between giving more raspberries and playing with your beloved cat.

"Good morning to you two, as well!" you say dryly while sitting down, and both Tony and Moon look at you simultaneously, making you smile.

"Don't stop on my account; I was enjoying seeing you two doing… whatever this is," you tell them with a wave of your spoon, a smile still on your face. Seeing how happy they are together makes you happy, too, and you're excited to see how close they've gotten since you have adopted the little guy.

[imamotherfuckingstar-lord]

look at me, part 12

Sanji x Reader (eventual), slow burn Warning: slow burn, pining, drinking, eventual smut in later chapters. 18&older. a/n: Comment below if you want to be tagged in this series. Summary:  After joining the Straw Hats after leaving Fish-Man island, reader is using the time between islands to get to know her new crewmates. Well, except for one. Sanji’s fawning and cooing over the opposite sex drives reader crazy - how can she get him to see past her looks? And does she even want him to notice her? masterlist

The dress shop was filled to brim with dresses for any occasion; Robin held out a sleeveless short black dress while Nami glanced over the prices of nearby dresses. Shaking your head, you continued to look through the racks. The crew had docked at Nabala, the island Sanji had picked out with Nami two weeks ago. It was a small but quaint island with a lively bustling city. Shops galore with several cafés and taverns that were bound to entertain all the Straw Hats. Sanji had asked for you to meet him back at Sunny at sunset and suggested you go shopping with the girls.

“Sanji would like this one.” Nami pulled out a revealing red sparkling dress and you gagged.

“Yeah. No.”

Robin laughed. “Not very ladylike.”

“Right, I forgot we’re in the presence of a princess.”

Giving the navigator an unfriendly hand gesture, you studied all the dresses around you before collapsing on the small loveseat next to Robin. Her head turned to you and a hand appeared above your head to give you a pat. Laughing, you thanked her but confessed you had something to tell them. Nami immediately moved away from the clothing rack and asked if something was wrong.

“It’s about Sanji and I.”

“Oh,” Robin smiled. “Do you need the talk?”

Her motherly reaction and the shocked expression you sent to Nami had the three of you roaring in laughter. Holding your side, you promised her you didn’t need that talk. “I’ve been around. Not a lot, but enough to know. Remember the arranged marriage I was born into?”

Nerves rattled your body; it wasn’t like Sanji and you wanted to hide this revelation. The two of you had decided eventually to come clean about your entangled past and now it seemed the time to tell your friends. “Well, that night Sanji walked me to my room after drinking too much…”

“He touched you.”

“Nami!”

She grinned. “I’m kidding, I know he would never.”

“He’s not like that,” you agreed, ignoring the stare Robin and Nami were giving you. You knew exactly what they were thinking. “Yes. I did shoot him once for being an idiot, but I’ve realized he’s just harmless. Plus, we’ve gotten to really know each other, in fact, we discovered our families knew one another.”

Nami’s face fell in thought and it took Robin a whole two seconds before she let out a soft “oh”. It clicked for Nami then and you fell silent, staring out the shop’s window at the people walking by. Every single person looked content, and you wondered if people thought the same when they looked at you. When they looked at Sanji and you, together.

“So…Sanji and you were supposed to be married?”

“Yes. Our families had arranged the marriage when I was born, and Sanji was a small child. There’s more to the story but I…I can’t relive the pain of losing my sisters when I left. So, yes, we both ran away from our families, but we never met until now.”

The two women stood silent, and you hoped the explanation was enough; Sanji had told you all the gruesome details of his childhood. You sat up all night with him weeks ago, exchanging stories and when he talked about his mother – all you could see was a child in Sanji’s eyes. A sweet child and you held him tight when he cried in your arms under the stars. You understood him more after that night and you weren’t going to tell his story to anyone. He would be the one and you would be more than willing to keep quiet.

“That’s amazing.” Robin’s voice was quiet, and you looked at her. “What an interesting world we live in, huh?”

“Crazy, you would have been Sanji’s wife!” Nami’s smile fell when Robin pointed out if that had happened, neither Sanji nor you would have ever joined the crew. “Right…well I’m glad it never happened then. Although, who knows what lies in the future.”

Nami’s teasing tone had your body warm with embarrassment, but it was a shy embarrassment that tingled down to your toes. “Well. You better find a cute dress for your betrothed and a good one at that.”

Robin got up from her seat and began scouring through the racks of dresses, while Nami pointed out the ones that were on sale, but you just sat on the couch and watched them for a moment. Then it hit you – the perfect dress wasn’t anywhere in the shop. It was on the Sunny, in your closet.

….

The cobblestone’s clicked under your boots, which were hidden under the purple dress that once belonged to your mother. The one you stole before running away from a life that never felt like your own. The last thing you owned represented where you had come from – your family and memories were sewn into the hem of the dress. The fabric was soft cotton, light purple with small cap sleeves. Nami was able to let it out a bit – it had been your mother’s dress from her youth, and you hadn’t been as tiny as she was. After a few quick alterations, Nami had made it fit like a glove. It was a simple dress, but you loved it the moment your mother showed it to you.

“It wasn’t the most extravagant thing I owned back then but I was wearing this when I met your father.”

An aching emerged that hadn’t shown in a long time – you wondered how your parents were and if they missed you.

“I don’t know why I had to come bring you here.”

Zoro grumbled next to you but when you offered to release him from the duties Nami bestowed on him, he refused. He didn’t want to hear Nami complaining but you suspected she had paid him to come bring you to the restaurant Sanji had made a reservation at. It wasn’t like you couldn’t have walked through the city yourself – it wasn’t like you didn’t have your pistols holstered at your thighs, but Nami insisted. “Can’t let the princess walk around by herself.”

“This princess thing is never going to stop, is it?” She had answered your question with a smirk and shooed you off the Sunny. Now, Zoro was taking you to the restaurant and after a few minutes, you realized he was lost.  He cursed when the two of you stopped in front of a restaurant and he scratched the back of his head. “She said it was next to a bar, see, there’s a bar right there.”

He pointed at the tavern next to the café and you sighed. “Well, I guess I can go in and see if Sanji’s in there.”

“Why didn’t the cook just come get you from the ship! Idiot.”

“Because Mosshead, I needed to make sure the restaurant was up to par.”

Looking to your left, Sanji stood there in a new black suit with a light blue button up. He looked handsome as always, but he just stared at Zoro. “You can leave now.”

“Whatever,” he muttered, looking at me with dull eyes. “You can do better.”

Sanji yelled at him before relaxing once he disappeared into the bar, turning his attention to you. His eyes took in the dress, and he felt his heart aching with adoration, sympathy. He knew what your family meant to you – even if you acted like it wasn’t a big deal. The love he saw in your eyes every time you mentioned your sisters – his heart ached for you but God, you looked so beautiful. He walked over to you, touching your chin with his hand.  Sanji kissed you softly on the lips and asked if you were ready for dinner.

“It took all morning to find the perfect restaurant on this island and I found it. Are you ready for our first date?” Heart pounding like drums, you said yes and reached down for his hand. He took it delicately and felt relief sizzle throughout his body. It hit him then, more than it ever had, that he could never look at another woman in his life and experience the feeling he did every time he looked at you. Every time you walked into the kitchen, seeking him out.

Looking for him on the ship, just to see what he was doing.

Just to occupy space in his life.

Happy to just be at his side.

Sanji was overwhelmed with the way you were making him feel and he wondered if the thing he was feeling, right as you stood in front of him, hand in his, was love.

....

short chapter but next will include date and them going to their shared hotel.....

sorry this took so long. more parts to come soon!

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[ellavatorz]

What’s Mine is Mine || c.b. x reader

prompt/request: There was a lot of "cheating prank on my S.O"  fics in which y/n uses sam to  Pretend to prank colby but none were y/n and Kat do it together and I was hoping you could write something like that

tags: fake!cheating, fem!reader, jealousy

pic not mine, found on Pinterest

*

Colby knew of your interest in women. He hadn’t the slightest concern when it came to your relationship with him, even after you confessed to being bisexual. In fact, it enticed him. You two had something in common; admiring and appreciating women.

When the time came for the two of you to start dating, not once had the topic of your previous crush on Katrina struck a nerve with him. That was until one night when you drunkly admitted to the shared kisses you and Kat had a few times before you’d started dating Colby.

He wasn’t disturbed. Rather, he was shocked. He hadn’t known he’d been sharing interest in you since before the two of you started dating. If he’d known of Kat’s previous interest in you, he would’ve been a competitive shit. In the end, however, it came down to you two. He ended up with you, and he couldn’t be happier.

Fast forward to today; you’re filming a video that you would’ve never expected to be so highly requested.

“Well, today we’re getting back at my boyfriend, Colby, for pranking me first! And today, I’m joined with a very special guest,” you announce with a smile.

You gesture off camera, beckoning your good friend and once-crush into the spotlight. Katrina steps into frame with a blinding grin.

“It’s me!” She laughs. “Hi guys.”

“It’s kind of a surprise to some but in case you didn’t know, I’m bi and used to have a crush on my pal here. Now, however, we’re just amazing friends and I have the pleasure to call Colby my boyfriend.” You explain. “But.. today is a little different!”

Meeting eyes with Katrina, you share a unison wink before continuing to unravel your plan. “Today I plan to fool my lovely boyfriend into thinking I’m cheating on him with Ms. Katrina here.”

Once the two of you have properly introduced the structure behind the video, you both move to set up the cameras. There’s a brief pause in between setting up that Katrina uses to question herself.

“Don’t you think he’ll be pissed?” She asks, curious.

“Hm,” you hum. “I think he’ll be more jealous than anything.”

“Alright, if you say so.”

Having positioned the camera in a way that captures the two of you in bed and also the doorway to the bedroom, you begin your final clip with the viewers before the prank begins.

“Alright guys, Colby should be coming up here in a bit. He just got home and is supposedly bringing food for the both of us.. hopefully I don’t end up single by the end of this.”

As if on cue, you hear footsteps approaching the staircase and making their way up. Leaping into action, you curl yourself up against Kat’s side. She giggles one last time before moving to straddle your waist.

She hoists herself up on one arm, hovering over your frame as she leans down just in time for Colby to walk in and witness it.

It’s in that moment that you hear an impenetrable exhale followed by a curse. Flailing to the side, Katrina launches herself off of you and reaches for the duvet.

You stare at your boyfriend in what you attempt to show as bewilderment. His jaw is taut, lips pressed tight in a stern manner. If it weren’t for the video, you’d be on your knees in an instant.

His eyes darken and suddenly a wave of regret washes over you.

“What the actual fuck?” He rasps, voice chalked up into a broken whisper. He’s absolutely broken.

“Cole, I can explain—“ you begin. Only, he’s already made up his mind. Setting the bag of takeout onto his desk, he saunters over to the bed and rips the sheets off of the both of you.

With a muffled yelp, Katrina adds a flame into the mix by shielding herself with your form. Peeking over your shoulder, katrina can make out the deepened crease between Colby’s brows. He’s pissed.

“Get the fuck out of my bed, and the fuck out of our room.” He snaps, his gaze full of fury targeted at Katrina.

Slowly and sheepishly, Katrina moves off of the mattress and manages to escape without another word.

As for you, you’re fucking stunned. Once she’s gone, you ponder whether or not to come clean and end the video, or let it roll on.

With Colby’s next move, it seems like you’re going for the latter.

“So you’re fucking Kat in my fucking bed? What the fuck, Y/N.”

You still underneath his fiery gaze, opting to drop your gaze to the ground in surrender.

“I’m not fucking her. It was just a kiss.” You lie, a tear ripping through your chest as you up the ante.

“Just a kiss?” He laughs, breathy and empty. “Are you kidding me?”

“Cole,”

“Stop calling me that.” He hisses. He starts pacing in front of you, hands stuffed into his pockets.

“Listen, I won’t let it happen again,” you start.

“Like fucking hell you won’t. Do you think I’d ever let her touch you again after today? She’s leaving tonight. I don’t give a shit where she goes but she’s not staying with us that’s for damn sure.” He growls. His mask begins to dissipate and his true self is exposed. Angrily, he strides over to the dresser, pulling out anything of his that fits you.

“Put this on.” He commands, tossing you a pair of his sweatpants and shirt. “Now.”

Hastily, you grab the clothes and move out of the camera’s view to change. You’re puzzled with his intention but fail to question it as he approaches you.

“Colby, what are you doing?” You murmur with uncertainty. You move into frame, sitting yourself at the edge of the bed. He follows.

“I love you. I really really love you.” His voice sends an impact through your heart, shattering everything within you as he reaches out to cup your face.

“Please don’t hurt me like this again, please.” He whimpers, finally allowing his walls to collapse. Falling to his knees, he cries against your chest, heavy and frail.

���Colby, oh my god. Baby, it’s a prank.” You hush his cries, pulling him close with one hand and you rush to shut off the camera with the other.

“What?” He manages to blubber out through sobs. “What are you saying?”

“It’s a prank. I’m not cheating on you, never have and never fucking will, my love. It’s just a joke. I swear!” You pout, holding him against you as Katrina saunters in bashfully.

“Colbs?” She calls. “I’m so sorry. It’s a prank!”

Standing shakily, Colby wipes his face and frowns. “Not funny. At all. I hate you both so much right now.”

“My baby,” you coo, moving to hug him once more and receiving a soft shove in return.

“Don’t ever do that to me again.” He groans with furrowed brows.

“Promise.” You say, wrapping your arms around his middle and kissing his cheek. He reciprocated the gesture and turns to Katrina after.

“Sorry if I was a dick.” He apologizes, gaining a laugh out of the three of you.

“Fully understandable. No offense taken.” She laughs.

“She’s mine though, seriously.” He jokes. “Back off.”

“All yours.” Katrina smiles.

[tcwmatchmakingau]

The Sixth Language (part 1)

Pairing: Waxer x Fem!Reader (single parent)

Rating: T 

Wordcount: 2.1k

Warnings and tags: pure fluff; mild language; reader is a foodie

Read the full series: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

“Ohhh, I don’t know, Nyra,” you say hesitantly. “It sounds a little—”

“Amazing?” your best friend interrupts. “Perfect? Once-in-a-lifetime?”

“Risky,” you say as you pull an assortment of veggies out of the conservator and set them on your kitchen counter to start prepping dinner.

“How is it risky?” Nyra demands, her indignant face flickering in the blue glow of your holocom. “I think the clones have proven by now that they are good, honorable men, and even if they weren’t, the agency has strict screening protocols.”

“It’s not that,” you reply. “It’s just that Kaia is old enough now that she is likely to get attached, and what happens if things don’t work out? I don’t want to break her little heart.”

“So don’t introduce her until you feel like things will work out,” Nyra says. You shoot her a grumpy look as you start to chop the vegetables with more force than is strictly necessary.

“What are you cooking?” she asks, momentarily distracted.

“Roasted lamta soup,” you reply, hoping she’ll drop the subject. “Kaia’s favorite.”

“Can I have some?” she asks nonchalantly.

“I’ll bring some for lunch tomorrow, but only if you stop bugging me about the other thing,” you say.

“I thought you were pro-clone,” Nyra says.

“You know I am! I supported CRPA just like you. That doesn’t mean I have time, energy, or inclination to date one,” you reply.

“I don’t get it,” Nyra says. “You could at least test the waters, have a little fun, flirt with a hot trooper or three. Or is Kaia’s heart not the only one you’re worried about?”

“The last thing I need is another child to raise,” you say. “Every guy I've dated since I had Kaia has either been scared off by the fact that I'm a single parent, or has fetishized me as a MILF.”

“I mean, you are a bit of a MILF,” Nyra jokes with an exaggerated wink. “I'd do you.”

“You are too kind,” you say drily, “but Kaia and I are fine just the way we are.”

“I know you are,” she says. “You're a badass and an amazing mom, and Kaia is lucky to have you. But you deserve nice things, sweetie.”

“Do you think I'm going to find nice things at some dating service?” Your tone is sharper than you intend, but Nyra is unfazed.

“It's not a dating service. It's a matchmaking service. As in, they do extensive research and find someone who matches your lifestyle, goals, and priorities.”

“Right, and nobody ever lied so they could get their dick wet,” you retort.

“You should talk to a therapist about your trust issues,” Nyra says. “Believe me when I say the clones don't need a matchmaking service to find a hookup. The ones who are using it are looking for something meaningful. Besides, when have I ever steered you wrong?”

“Many times!” you exclaim. “So, so many times. Remember when we were on Canto Bight, and you told me—”

“An aberration,” Nyra interrupts hastily. “Trust me, babe, this is no gamble. What do you have to lose?”

Which is how you find yourself sitting across a conference table from Tarsi Renda, a representative of the Right to Love Matchmaking Service, with a strained, overly enthusiastic smile pasted on your face. Tarsi is brisk and businesslike, but she seems friendly enough. She asks you an endless litany of questions about yourself, your background, your work, your personal goals, your hobbies, and so on.

“And what is it that you’re looking for in a partner?” she asks.

This is such a terrible idea. Damn you, Nyra!

“Er, I’m not entirely sure,” you confess. “I suppose the most important thing is kindness. Someone patient and gentle.”

“Sense of humor?” she asks.

“Yes, of course,” you say. Has anyone in the galaxy ever said they’d prefer a partner who had no sense of humor? “But not the kind of humor that depends on putting other people down.”

Tarsi scribbles something onto her notepad. “Good with children?”

“Yes,” you say firmly. That part is non-negotiable. 

You haven’t mentioned Kaia. You know you probably should, but your prior experiences make you shy away from sharing too much of yourself, and you’ll be damned if you put your daughter at risk without knowing exactly who you’re going to be matched with.

“Just a few more questions,” she says. “What made you seek out Right to Love’s services?”

My bestie harangued me until I agreed to try it out just to get her to shut up, you think.

“A friend recommended it to me,” you reply. “I’ve had some bad dating experiences, and she thought I might have better luck if I had help screening the—er…”

“Applicants?” Tarsi supplies helpfully.

“That makes it sound a little crass,” you admit.

“That’s all right. After all, we are screening you, too,” Tarsi says with a twinkle in her eyes. “The clones have been through enough as it is; the last thing we want to do is match them with someone who only sees them as playthings.”

“I definitely am not looking for a plaything,” you say with a shudder.

“Have you ever met a clone?” she asks.

“Um, no,” you confess. “I’ve only seen them on the holonews.”

“I see,” she says, scribbling another note, and you wonder if you’ve failed some sort of test. “Right, well, I think I have everything I need. I’ll be in touch with an update within the next few weeks.”

Tarsi stands and extends a hand to shake yours, and it’s clear that you’re being dismissed. You gather your things and thank her for your time, then leave the building, feeling an odd mixture of relief and disappointment. You hadn’t been exactly enthusiastic about the idea of using a matchmaking service, but it still stings to realize that you don’t measure up. You shrug off your self-doubts and head to pick up Kaia from daycare, determined not to let the experience ruin your day.

The next few weeks are incredibly busy at work, and you soon forget all about RTL. And then one afternoon, you get home from work and find a message indicator blinking on your comlink. It’s from Tarsi, and she says she’s found a potential match—when would be a good time for you to meet up?

One late morning a few days later, you wait at the designated meeting place outside one of Coruscant’s sprawling open-air markets. You are more nervous than you should be. It’s just a date, after all. It’s not like you’re signing your life away. Your hands are sweaty, and you smooth them across the fabric of your dress to dry them off. It took forever to figure out what to wear, and you still aren’t entirely convinced that a sundress was the best option. You wanted to wear something cute, but now you wonder if it makes you look like you are trying too hard.

Damn it, this is the worst idea I’ve ever had. Why did I agree to this? I can’t believe I’m paying a babysitter just so I can go on a stupid date. I should go home. I’ll pick up some takeout on the way, and Kaia and I can go to the park. This is so stupid, I should just—

Your spiraling thoughts are interrupted when a deep, smooth voice calls your name. You turn automatically, and your mouth goes dry when you see the speaker.

Holy maker.

You know what the clones look like, thanks to the holonews, but most of the time you’ve seen them, they’ve either been in full armor or too far away to get a good look. RTL Matchmaking had sent you a holo of your match, but it had been a stiff, formal headshot, probably pulled from some official database. You are totally unprepared for the reality of the man standing in front of you.

He is tall and impossibly broad, with rich brown skin and the softest eyes you’ve ever seen. His head is shaved, but there’s a shadow of scruff on his jaw, and a small patch of facial hair below his distractingly full bottom lip.

“Yes?” you ask, snapping your eyes up to meet his gaze and hoping he didn’t notice you ogling his mouth.

“I’m Waxer,” he says with an easy smile that makes his lovely, honey-colored eyes crinkle.

“It’s nice to meet you,” you manage, suddenly very glad that you hadn’t bailed on the date and gone home early.

You shake his hand, which feels weirdly formal, but you’ve never gone on a blind date before, and you aren’t sure about the etiquette. His hands are large and warm, and they engulf yours, making you feel small and delicate. He seamlessly draws your hand to his forearm as the two of you begin walking, and you have to admire the smoothness of his game.

“I’ve never been to one of these markets before,” he observes. “What made you choose this place to meet up?”

You probably shouldn’t tell him that you picked it because there were plenty of witnesses around if he turned out to be a creep, and that it’s nice and crowded and easy to disappear in if you decide to abandon ship.

“It’s one of my favorite places on Coruscant,” you say instead, and it’s not even a lie. “I love being able to see all the different foods from across the galaxy, and there are so many amazing artists who sell their work here, too.”

“Which ones do you like best?” he asks, and that’s all it takes.

The two of you wander through the twisting pathways of the market, eating ice cream and tasting samples of food from all of the different vendors. Waxer is fearless, and he is willing to try anything, including foods even you aren’t brave enough to taste. Some he hates, and some he loves, and he always convinces you to try the ones he likes. As he feeds you a bite of klak, his fingers brush against your lips, warm and soft, and you gasp a little at the sensation as sparks of awareness dance across your skin.

“Good?” he asks.

“It’s delicious,” you say to cover your reaction to him. “You should try a bite.”

The two of you talk and talk, and he tells you about all the different planets he’s visited, while you tell him about growing up on your home planet and what it was like to move to Coruscant for work. The conversation flows effortlessly, and the more you learn about Waxer, the more intrigued you become.

The market is endlessly fascinating to him, and he takes it all in with wide eyes. “We were never allowed in these places during the war. I can’t believe how many kinds of food there are here!”

“A whole galaxy’s worth,” you say. “People come to Coruscant from all over, and they bring their food culture with them. If you like seafood, you should visit Little Mon Cala sometime. There’s a little hole-in-the-wall place that serves the best chowder this side of Trask.”

“Maybe we should go there on our next date,” Waxer says with a charming smile.

“Oh, are we having another?” you ask flirtatiously.

“I would like that very much,” he says, and you’re almost startled by the sincerity in his voice. 

You’re so accustomed to people playing games or hiding their true intentions that Waxer’s straightforwardness throws you off balance.

“I would, too,” you reply, realizing that it’s true.

Before you register how many hours have passed, it’s late afternoon, and you need to get back home before the babysitter’s fee bankrupts you. You and Waxer exchange comm details, and when you say goodbye, he is a perfect gentleman. He doesn’t even try to kiss you, which is fine. Totally fine. Not disappointing at all.

You return home in an excellent mood, and Kaia is delighted to see you. You scoop her up and squeeze her into a tight hug that makes her squeal with excitement, and once the babysitter departs, you put your favorite song and dance around your apartment with your sweet little giggling girl. She babbles endlessly at you as she tells you all about her big day, which apparently involved several arts and crafts activities, as well as a truly epic session of play pretend, judging by the astonishing number of dolls strewn about the apartment.

You tidy up as Kaia eats her dinner, and even though your cynical brain warns you that it’s too early to get excited, you can’t quite suppress the little thrill of hope in your heart whenever you think about Waxer.

[geralt-of-baevia]

Begin Again

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three

Summary: When Penny starts working at AFC Richmond as their new head photographer, she catches the eye of a certain mustached, happy-go-lucky, head coach of the team. But can their spark endure through the season's pressures and the demons of their past?

Pairing: Ted Lasso x OFC (Penny Fletcher)

Word count: 2k

Warnings: None…yet! Just some fluffy fun.

A/N: So, this lady here is oBSESSED with Ted Lasso and this idea came to me (because I am also a photographer and I'm going to live vicariously through Penny 😝) and it's just snowballed into so many ideas and I love these characters. That's all. 💛

Beta: Thank you to @midnightswithdearkatytspb for proofreading this and helping motivate me to finish this! This story wouldn't happen without you!

Tag List: Let me know if you want to be tagged for updates!

Just breathe, just breathe. It’s just a job.

As I walked down the road to the pitch, I could feel my heart making its way up into my throat while my stomach twisted into devilish knots. I swallowed hard and figideted with straps on my camera bag, my stomach all the while knotting harder. 

“Just breathe, just breathe. It’s just a job,” I said to myself outloud this time. I had been telling myself this since last night when the Sunday Scaries began. With one more deep breath I walked into the parking lot, where I thankfully saw my uncle. Never had I been so happy to see him. 

“Uncle Leslie!” I yipped. He snapped around to me, a large grin growing on his round face at the sight of me. 

“Poppet! So glad you’re here! Come! Come!” He motioned me over, giving me a warm embrace once I made my way across the parking lot to him. I think he could sense my nerves by the way he held onto the hug a little longer than me. 

“Are you terribly nervous?” he asked, holding me by the shoulder with his free hand. I nodded. 

“You have no idea. This is my first like, truly professional gig. I mean, I’ve never shot anything on this level as a proper job. What if I fuck it up?” I asked, giving him an uncertain face. 

“Then we’ll fire you,” he told me nonchalantly. My eyes widened at his words and he frowned. 

“Oh poppet, I was just kidding,” he said, bringing me into another fatherly embrace, giving me a reassuring squeeze. “You’re going to do amazing. You are very good at what you do. That’s why Rebecca hired you.”

“It’s not just because you’re my uncle and you gave her my resume and portfolio yourself?” I asked, muffled into the lapel of his brown suit. He laughed, pulling me again to arm's length. 

“Honey, the fact that I’m your uncle has nothing to do with you getting this job. Alright, maybe a little,” he said, giving me a scrunched up face. I mimicked him, letting out a heavy over exaggerated sigh. 

“You are an incredibly talented photographer, that’s the reason I recommended you for this job. You’re going to smash this, poppet. Now, should I take you up to meet your new boss?” I nodded. 

After navigating the clubhouse, we made it to Ms. Welton’s office. I watched as my uncle rapped his knuckles on the door, and after half a moment a woman’s voice told us to come in. My uncle gave me a thumbs up and a reassuring smile before opening the door. 

“Good morning!” he said chipperly as we entered the office. I followed behind just slightly. 

Rebecca Welton was as gorgeous in person as she was in the photos I’d seen of her. She held a presence in the room that I coveted for. And god damn it if I didn’t want to photograph her, she was so striking. I decided to focus on that for the time being, instead of my nerves.

“Oh! Good morning, Higgins! Is that our new photographer behind you there?” she asked, standing from her seat behind a large, wooden desk. A big grin spread across her lipglossed lips. 

“Yes it is-”

“Knock, knock!”

I turned around to see the infamous mustached coach of Richmond walk into the room, a small pink box in his hands. His eyes got wide as they met mine, realizing he was interrupting something. 

“Oh I’m sorry, folks. I didn’t realize-”

“I’ll stop you right there, Ted. Higgins was just about to introduce me to his niece, and our new photographer, Samantha,” Rebecca told Ted as she made her way around the front of her desk, sitting on just the edge. 

“Well, hot diggity dog! You mean to tell me we’re going to have two Higginses working here? I didn’t think that was a possibility and now that it’s possible, I don’t want it any other way,” Ted rambled out. I giggled a little at his words, and he seemed to almost blush at my reaction.

“Yes, it’s very nice to meet you Ms. Welton,” I said, putting my hand out. I turned next to Coach Lasso, extending my hand to him. “And very nice to meet you Coach Lasso.”

“Oh we don’t need the formalities around here, just call me Ted. And speaking of formalities, do you go by Sam?” he started, and I had a hunch I knew where he was going with this. “Because if you do, we already have one Sam here and that will just get so gosh darn confusing. So, you have two other options.”

“Oh?” I asked, it coming out of my mouth before I could stop it. He smirked at me. 

“Man and Tha. I mean, they are the only other options with a name like Samantha,” he jested. 

“Well, lucky for all of you,” I said, also turning to address Ms. Welton, “I go by my middle name.” 

“Oh yes, I probably should have told you that, Rebecca,” Uncle Leslie said in a deadpan tone, his face suddenly realizing he did not let anyone know that information. 

“It’s okay Uncle Leslie. But I go by Penny-”

“LANE?!” The sheer volume and excitement that came out of Ted caused the other three of us in the room all to jump in tandem, Ms. Welton clutching her chest. I laughed, my heart still beating quickly in my chest. 

“Actually, it’s funny you say that because that is where my name comes from.”

“No it is not,” he blurted out, a big stupid grin plastered on his face. 

“It is! When I was born, my parents didn’t have a middle name picked out for me for ages, and my second day in hospital apparently I “smiled” for the first time when Penny Lane came on the radio. The nurses told my parents it was just gas, but they decided to look through rose colored glasses and think I smiled. So, Penelope became my middle name.” 

Ted looked at me with the largest grin plastered on his face, and out of the corner of my eye I could see my uncle and Ms. Welton giving each other a knowing look. 

“Yes yes, that’s a lovely story Penny, but I’m terribly sorry and I must kick you out now. I have a phone meeting starting in ten minutes and I’d like to get myself properly prepared,” Ms. Welton interjected, going back around her desk and sitting down in her chair. 

“Like a pot roast! MmmmMmm! Man oh man, I sure would love myself a properly prepared pot roast right about now. Like one of those ones that have the potatoes and carrots-”

“TED!” I jumped again as Ms. Welton broke Ted’s concentration. 

“Sorry, boss. I will just leave these here for you,” he said, walking over and setting the pink box down in front of her. She excitedly clapped her hands together before picking up the box and inhaling deeply, her face relaxing into a small smile.

“Thank you, Ted,” she said with a nod before turning her attention back to me, “Oh Penny, I will come find you later. I need to iron out some final details with you regarding a photoshoot.”

“That sounds excellent, Ms. Welton,” I said, giving her a big grin. She met my smile with  her own, melting away some of my nerves. 

“I’m very looking forward to you being here, Penny,” she said as the three of us exited her office and went into the hallway. 

“Would you like to come down and meet the team? I’d be happy to introduce you,” Ted offered. 

“That would be lovely. But I think my Uncle Leslie was going to give me a tour-”

“A tour that can wait!” my uncle interjected happily, “Go meet your new art subjects!” 

Ted and I looked at each other, holding each others gaze for a moment before he left out a happy sigh. 

“Well alright, then let’s get to it!” he said excitedly, nudging his head in the way we were supposed to go. 

“After you Coach,” I said, gesturing in the same way. As we made our way down the hallway, I mentally kicked myself. “I mean, Ted. Sorry.” 

“No no, that’s okay. You can call me Coach, Ted, T-Dawg, whatever you like. As long as it’s not wanker,” he jested with a short laugh. 

“Oh yes, wanker is indeed a good one. But I promise I won’t call you that. I think I’ve only ever called two men in my life wanker and really meant it. I don’t see you being my third, T-Dawg,” I said, giving him a coy smirk. He shook his head with another laugh. 

“Oh Penny, I think you’re going to be a grand addition to this team.”

“Addition to the team?” I asked, an eyebrow raising at him. 

“Well, yeah. Everyone here at Richmond is part of the team, you included,” he said, giving me a friendly wink. I felt my heart make its way to my throat, but this time I was leaning towards it not being from nerves. 

“Th-that’s very sweet, Ted,” I said, giving him another smile. 

I followed Ted into what I assumed to be the coaches office. Inside I recognized Coach Beard sitting at a desk and Roy Kent leaning against a metal filing cabinet. 

“Hey guys! This is-”

“Penny Fletcher. I looked at your social media, you’re a phenomenal photographer. Those photos you took at the World Cup?” Coach Beard nodded an approving nod. 

“Wait, you took photos at the World Cup?” Roy interjected gruffly before I could reply. 

I felt my cheeks flush red. 

“Oh, yeah I did. I entered a lottery for amateur photographers to get photo passes and work with a journalist from your country. I just happened to be one of the lucky three that won,” I explained. Coach Beard nodded again, looking down at his phone as he typed away at it. 

“You guys have to see the shots. They are far beyond superb in my opinion,” he said, holding his phone out to the room. 

Ted clapped his hands before rubbing his palms together in excitement. On the screen was one of my photos, a mid air action shot where the player was completely horizontal after head butting a goal. 

“Woo-wee! Show me the goods!”

Ted and Roy hurriedly moved up from their spots and got closer to Beard’s phone to have a look. 

I watched as Ted’s eyes lit up at the photo, pointing to the screen. 

“Is there a direction I can swipe on this to see potentially more incredible photos, Beard?” 

“To the left.” 

Ted began singing as he swiped through the photos. “To the left, to the left, everything you-”

“-own in the box to the left…” I quietly sang along with him. Apparently, it was louder than I had intended because Ted looked over at me from the phone and just grinned. 

My heart rose into my throat again. 

“So what kind of photos are you going to be taking of the team exactly? Just action shots like these?” Roy asked, taking his place back against the filing cabinet. 

“Well, I mean yes. But I’m also going to be doing all of your portraits and team photos as well.” 

“All of our portraits?” Roy implored, furrowing his already permanently furrowed brow. I couldn’t help but giggle at his face, quickly putting up a hand to cover it. 

“Oh god I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh,” I said, “but when you do that with your eyebrows you look like a proper Jim Henson Muppet.” 

Roy growled low in his throat, his expression not changing, Ted and Beard trying to stifle their giggles at my comment.

“And yes, all of your portraits. Well, I guess you could also call them headshots if you’d like. But something already tells me you guys are familiar with a different kind of headshot,” I jested, awkwardly pointing fingers into the room. I immediately mentally kicked myself. 

“Penny?” Beard asked, getting my attention. 

“Yeah?” 

“I think you’re going to fit in here great.” 

[countrymusiclover]

Three - We Can Actually Have Trust

Battle of the Mind and Heart

Part 4

So excited to say this is the longest chapter I have ever written 🧡 😁

Tag - send me an ask to be added @aintinacage @hiraethrhapsody @mostlymarvelgirl

Shutting the office door behind me I started walking down the hallway until I saw Raven Charles' sister coming towards me. She waved at me tilting her head slightly. “Hey, your name is Addi right?”

“Yes it is.” I nodded at her question.

She smiled brightly. “That’s what I thought. I just wanted to see if you maybe wanted to hang out. I see you hanging around Erik but he doesn’t seem to like you.”

“Oh yeah. It’s a long story but we aren’t close like you and your brother are.” I clasped my hands together in front of me, dropping my gaze to the floor. “Uh Raven, I’m not really sure what you’re asking me.”

The blonde steps forward with a smile still on her face. “Yeah sorry I’m not used to having friends. It’s been just me and Charles. But I’m asking "would you want to be friends with me?”

“Sure that would be cool.” I gave her a light smile back before she looped her arm through mine and dragged me into the kitchen inside the CIA building. She jumped up on the island and I sat down on one of the barstools.

Raven tilted her head to the side curiously. “So can I ask what your mutation is?”

“What’s yours first?” I asked her to lean back in the chair trying to get over the fact that I could show her actually what I can do. I’ve never shown anyone what I can do…

The blonde smirked and before my eyes her entire appearance changed to look exactly like me. She had every detail right down to the way I had my hair tied up in a braid. “I can look like anybody I have seen.” She switches back to her normal blonde form.

“That’s freaking insane!” I gasped amazed that there was even a mutation to exist.

She smiled, hitting her hands on her knees. “Yeah, it sucks. I have to hide it all the time though. So what about you?”

“Okay, uh give me your hand.” I told her to slide off the chair holding out my right hand for her to place my hand in hers. She places her hand in mine before I shut my eyes, calming myself.

Raven gasped parting her lips watching our hands turn red. I separated our hands, opening my eyes once more. Snapping my fingers I felt my body slowly switch until I could see myself on the reflection of the steel fridge behind her. “Holy crap. You’re like me.”

“Not exactly true. I can basically take power from other mutants and manipulate what they can do for a short period of time.” I explained hosting myself back up onto the chair.

The young woman smirked. “So you could get inside my brother's head if you touched him?”

“Possibly but I’m not sure how long I could be inside his head.” Shrugging my shoulders hearing footsteps coming into the kitchen. We turned our heads and saw Erik come into the kitchen grabbing a drink from the fridge. “Lehnsherr..”

He responded with a slight nod. “Addison.”

“Erik, did you know about Addi’s power to mimic others' powers?” Raven asked him.

He takes a sip. “Not until recently…we’re not big on trust.”

“One of us isn’t more so than the other.” I grumble under my breath twirling some pieces of my hair in between my fingers eyeing him standing in the doorway.

Erik just took another sip from his glass, intensely staring down at me where I so wish I could read his mind like Charles. “I’ll be working in an office room for the night. Don’t miss me too much, Addison.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, metal man.” I called when he had left the room looking back at Raven who was smirking at me. “What’s that look for?”

She jumped down off the island throwing her hands up in the air. “The tension between you and Erik. There’s something clearly going on between you two.”

“Raven, you’re unbelievable. There’s no way Erik cares anything for me. He’s repeatedly told me that he finds me frustrating, annoying or that he hates me for what my father has done to him.” Shaking my head I crossed my arms over my chest tapping my boots on the wooden floor seeing what she was.

The shapeshifter bites her lip responding simply. “You shouldn’t judge him until you can find out what he really thinks of you.”

Outside of CIA Building

Erik shut the case that he had put the file on Shaw into. He walked out the double doors and down the path they had walked that morning. He was close to being gone to find Shaw once more until he heard Charles' voice. “From what I know about you, I'm surprised you've managed to stay this long.”

“What do you know about me?” He asked him.

Charles replied. “Everything.”

Erik turned his back to the man. “Then you know to stay out of my head.”

“I'm sorry, Erik, but I've seen what Shaw did to you. I've felt your agony. I can help you.” Charles explained to the man he would like to be his friend.

Erik scoffed slightly, turning back to him. “I don't need your help.”

“Don't kid yourself. You needed my help last night. It's not just me you're walking away from.” The telepath slightly snapped at him. “And what about Addi, are you just going to leave her to wonder where you’ve gone?”

“She’s known all along what my mission is.” He said back.

Charles took a few steps toward the man. “And yet you treat her like she’s nothing when that’s not how you see her truly.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. She’s just as bad as her father-“

“She tried to help save your mother before she was shot. She brought you food when the soldiers wanted you to starve. She helped sneak you out before her father found out after his experiments were shut down. She stood by your side when she had the full ability to have her own life. So tell me how exactly has she been so horrible to you?”

Erik walked up to the telepath with his nose flared up. “You need to stay out of my head, Charles! And it’s not her personality that makes me hate her. It’s the very idea of who she’s related to.”

“Then why do you treat her so harshly?” He eyed the taller man in front of him.

Erik parted his lips and let the wind be the only sound be the wind blowing around them. He didn’t really have a good response to the question so he spun around on his heels and started walking away from the man. “It doesn’t matter what I say to you now. You’re too much of a polite man to ever repeat what I say to her.”

“You don’t have to do this alone, Erik.” Charles spoke up.

The metal man huffed daring to say a response back. “And why’s that?”

“Here you have the chance to be part of something much bigger than yourself. I won't stop you from leaving. I could. But I won't.” Charles put his hands inside his jacket and turned on his heels to go inside. “Shaw has got friends. You could do with some.”

Erik remained where he was standing and shut his eyes letting his mind wander. He didn’t like to think too much about what happened when he was awake. Since his mind haunted him all through the night, but maybe Charles was right and that he felt something more for her. She truly was there for him…

It was late at night in another hotel room with the two young mutants trying to get some sleep. Erik was tossing around in the bed for a few minutes until he felt someone touch his shoulder and he woke up. “What the hell!” The keys to the door flew up into the air and aimed the tip at the person who was over him.

“Erik, calm down. It’s just me.” He shifted his gaze upward seeing it was Addison from the light of the bright full moon outside the window.

She watched the key drop to the nightstand as he released in some breaths not as panicked as he was moments ago. “Addison….what are you doing?”

“You were having a nightmare. So I thought it was safer to wake you up.” She breathed out, lowering her hand that was on his shoulder.

He scrunched his nose at her, rolling over onto his other side. “I'm fine, Addison.”

She sat on the foot of the bed just silently watching over the man. She tapped her hands together in her lap. Lost in her own thoughts of knowing that her father was the cause of such horrible things. She noticed him shivering from another nightmare so she climbed behind him in the bed and draped an arm over his waist whispering. “I'm here, Erik. Even if you don't like it. I'm here for you.”

Erik heard her whispering and he found himself not entirely hating the contact and comfort it brought him where he was able to have a peaceful night sleep.

Addison's pov

Raven's words were still in my mind. I didn't know whether to believe what she was saying or deny the whole thing altogether. Threading my fingers through my hair I was about to head into my room until I saw Charles waiting outside my door. “Addi, glad I caught you. Erik and I are joining the CIA to find your father. I was hoping you’d join us.”

“Oh uh…I don’t really think that’s a good idea. Erik and I don’t work well together.” I kicked the floor with one of my boots unsure of why I should be going with them.

The telepath walked up closer to me. “He may have an odd way of showing it but he does have some trust in you.”

“Fine, I'll go.” I agreed with him and next thing I knew we were off to Russia in search of my father.

A few CIA members were beside me, Erik and Charles seeing the blonde lady from the ship there but not my father like we had hoped. Charles admitted sadly dropping his fingers from his head. “He's not coming. So, what now, boss?”

The CIA woman responded. “Now, nothing. We're here for Shaw. Mission aborted.”

Erik yanked his hat off his head. “The hell it is.”

She grabbed his arm. “Erik.”

“She's his right-hand woman. That's good enough for me.” He explained back to her.

She gave him a shocked look. “The CIA invading the home of a senior Soviet official. Are you crazy?”

Erik got up to his feet sending me a look and I knew it meant for me to follow him. “I'm not CIA.”

“Erik!” Charles called his name. “Addi!”

Removing the white stocking cap from my head I got to my feet rushing over to Erik. “Oh geez. What do you want me to do?”

“We’re gonna get you to show me your powers. That’s what we are going to do.” He explained to me by eyeing the gate through the forest tree line where two guards were standing at the main entrance door.

Wrapping my arms around myself I avoided his gaze briefly trying to decide if this was a good idea or not. “Erik, Is this you trusting me now?”

“Keep this until we find Shaw then I’ll need it back.” He reached inside his pocket and drew out something in his closed palm. He slowly opened it and I parted my lips seeing the metal coin there. But he had attached a string to it, forming it into a necklace.

Lifting my gaze up to meet his own I turned around moving my hair so he could clip the clasp on. “This is a big deal….I do trust you though.”

“Have at it, Addison.” He held out his hands once I had turned around to face him. Placing my hands in his hands turned red and he slightly winced. Yet he didn’t draw back until I dropped my hands from his. “So what exactly can you do?”

Raising my right hand I closed my eyes controlling my breaths before the metal coin raised away from my neck. “I can manipulate any mutat that I touch and the ability they have.” He reached down taking my hand in his and we started running towards the Soviet building.

He used the metal fencing to wrap up the majority of the guards not stopping. The two guards outside raised their guns at me where I froze in my tracks thinking on my feet. Raising my hands the metal that they were holding got thrown in the air and the two men holding onto them dropped to the ground. “Good job, Addison.” He complimented me punching one of the guys after they fell on the ground.

I nodded, running after him watching him slowly just walk inside proudly until we heard two Russian soldiers sound off and aim their guns at us. Erik raised his hands and unloaded the bullets. “Go for it, Addison.” He gestured with his hand stepping to the side.

“Sorry for this fellas.” I replied raising my right hand into a fist and the two soldiers did barrel rolls and ended up on the floor harshly.

Erik strides past me up into the shut doorway with his hands crossed together behind his back. “Do you want to go or shall I?” He tilted his head to the wooden door.

“I’ve got it.” I shrugged my shoulders, sucking in a breath and lowered my hands to my side. Clutching my hands into fists the door flung opened shortly afterwards and we entered the room together side by side.

“You are beautiful, so beautiful! Yes! Yes!” I gaged at the sight of the Russian leader looking like he was kissing the air. Charles ran inside finding us inside the room already with the blonde.

Yet Charles glanced at Emma who was smiling from the couch. “Nice trick.”

The Russian leader finally noticed us and drew a gun but Charles raised his hand and he dropped back on the bed. “Go to sleep.”

“You can stop trying to read my mind, sugar. You're never going to get anything from me while I'm like this.” Emma shifted into diamond form and Charles winced trying to read her mind.

The boys sent the same look to one another then ran and tackled the blonde telepath against the metal frame of the bed. “So, then, you can just tell us. Where is Shaw?” Erik grumbled trapping her by wrapping the metal around her wrists and then her throat when she didn’t say anything.

Charles warned him. “Erik. Erik, that's enough.”

Emma finally transformed to her non diamond form where he gestured to her before sitting down and pouring a drink for himself. “All yours. She won't be shifting into diamond form again. And if she does, just give her a gentle tap.”

“Addi…take my hand.” Charles instructed me, being able to see my power from the night in the ocean when he helped me get onto the Coast guard ship. Placing my hand in his I sighed quietly entering the female telepath’s mind.

We saw the world on fire and my Father standing above a burning city where he declared his plan to Emma and another mutant was by his side. “We are the children of the atom. Radiation gave birth to mutants. What will kill the humans will only make us stronger.”

“Beautiful, isn't it?” Emma asked when I covered my mouth in horror.

Charles dropped his gaze to the floor briefly before focusing his attention back on Erik and I. “This is worse than we previously imagined.” My hands began shaking and I felt my heart beating faster never thinking my father would kill the world of non mutants.

Someone gently touched my hand making me whip my head around but I calmed my guard seeing that Erik had gotten up from his seat and came over to my side. “Addi….” He whispered for the first time ever seeing how upset I was almost on the verge of tears.

“Thank you…” I whispered under my breath squeezing my smaller hand in his larger one.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[trans-luis-serra-navarro]

Hii!!!

Thank you so much for tagging me before, I hope this isn't too late (?) Days are hectic for me but nonetheless, I would very much like to touch up on your tips and advice you have when writing for Luis. I loved him in the remake, and I would very much love to do him justice in some form of written work!

Thank you for reaching out, this really helps me!!

<3

HIHIHI ITS NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL!!!!! And don’t worry it’s NEVER too late!!! I have stuff sitting in my inbox from like. December HCNEHNDJDJJXNS

I Must admit I’m not really an expert nor am I much of a profession fanfic writer or anything- I only do it for fun!!!! So if you want something like, more specific PLEASE pretty please feel free to ask I’d be more than happy to help!!!! But in terms of general tips and tricks??? Here’s a few that I have under the cut!!!

As weird as this is gonna sound a lot of time I’ll just go and watch Luis’ voice actor André Peña’s streams on Twitch to try and pick up on lil mannerisms or speech quirks that get shown in-game!!!! If I can find an example I’ll put it here, but just generally picking up on what Luis would theoretically sound like if he were talking in a casual conversation helps me out!!!!! (Also he’s just in general a very lovely guy and his twitch streams are always fun so I reccomended them if you’re able to catch one!!!)

On a similar note, if you’re watching any cutscenes and any small characteristic sticks out to you- use that to your advantage!!!! I’ve always noticed how he kinda smiles differently when in different situations/levels of stress/talking to different people so I use that to my advantage when writing scenes with him!!!!

OR OR EVEN, if you’re able to and have the time, go look at older livestreams where the cast talk about their roles in RE4R and see what André has to say about Luis!!!!!! I’m more than happy to link the streams once I can find them again if you want!!!!!!!!! Seeing the actors be so genuine and passionate about the characters and putting their whole selves into the role truly does make them feel just so,,,, h u m a n <<<<33

Also, I know everyone and their mother says this, but research truly does help!!!!! There’s a LOT of things people miss about his character if you only view him on a surface-level or go into his character assuming he’s just a cardboard cutout ‘bad-guy-turned-good’ Typa character, so reading analysis posts on him to get a better idea of why he does what he does and how he is as a person will really help!!!! (Obviously I’ve got my own posts under the tag #luisposting or #othersposts, but the lovely @blveherb has some amazing posts of their own I can’t recommend enough!!!!)

There’s a LOOOOOOT of just. Very incorrect misinformation out there HXNSUSJ (staring at you resident evil fan wiki. Staring at you. VERY HARD) so if you ever come across a post that seems to only lean towards a negative view of Luis as a character or never gives him the benefit of the doubt,,,, it most likely won’t have been made with good taste in mind or properly researched HCNEHENDUDJ

Also also also, looking for things that he was directly inspired by!!!!!! I C A N N O T make this post without mentioning the 1957 Don Quixote film- it’s free on YouTube and it is SOOOOOO SOSOSOSOSOSOSO GOOD!!!!! Capcom TRULY put their all into the Don Quixote symbolism in his character and if you’re able to get your hands on a copy of the book, it’s well worth the read!!!

AGAIN on a similar note- looking at his culture and history is SOOOOOOOO important!!!! For example, the beginning of Seperate Ways features Luis doing a style of Flamenco called ‘Seguiriyas’- and once I’m awake in the morning and fully able to navigate the horror of the tumblr tagging system I’ll look for a post that goes deeper into this HCNEHWNEUDJDIS but Indigenous and Spanish culture are full of such rich and beautiful history you can pull from it is SO worth taking a look!!! Not to mention, you can play around with the fact that Luis was raised pretty Hardcore Catholic or the fact that it’s implied his Grandfather fought in/would have survived the Spanish Civil war as concepts a ton!!!

And if you’re writing specifically for Serennedy, taking a look at the Queer history of Spain/Europe as a whole is DEFINITELY worth your time!!!!! Looking back and remembering the people who came before us is always important and lends a hand to how we perceive our own funny lil fictional guys BCBEHENEJDNXJ

That being said, I only ever see this with writers who already have bigoted views and you seem like literally the nicest person EVERRRRRR so this TOTALLY isn’t directed at you!!!!!! But it’s super important not to fall into just straight-up racist stereotypes- calling Luis a predator, saying he’s a sex-driven animal, generally referring to him as ‘dirty’ etc is stuff that unfortunately you don’t JUST see with Luis but with many other POC characters too (like Carlos for example- he gets the brunt of it a LOT) so when you see stuff like this, don’t be afraid to call it out!!!!!!

I HOPE THIS LONG ASS POST DIDNT SCARE YOU OFF OR ANYTHING AHDNWHENXUDNXIX I TRIED MY BEST TO COVER ALL OF MY BASES CUZ I WASNT SURE WHAT KIND OF TIPS YOU WANTED!!!!!!!!! Again if you want something more specific feel free to ask!!!!!!!!

[thesparklingwriter]

changes

“We can go out for dinner if you so wish. Just save me the discomfort of listening to that rant again, alright?”

tags: pet names, soft Zhongli, fem!reader, Zhongli and reader are in a relationship, reader is pregnant, literally nothing happens in this, i guess that's the epitome of fluff idk, canon divergence: zhongli has mora

ao3 link | taglist | masterlist | next

i lowkey hate the trope that any woman who is pregnant should be immediately overjoyed to be pregnant so uh have this

also,,, celeste posting within 2 weeks of the last one???? who am i???

The house is warm when you get back. It's warm and comforting and the same way it’s always been. Nothing has changed, nothing at all. So why does everything suddenly feel so...different?

You shut the door behind you, trailing into the living room to dump your bag somewhere and collapse on the sofa. You’re so tired—your whole body feels heavy. Maybe it’s the weight of what you’ve been told. You should be happy, and you should be more excited, but you’re tired and nauseous and you just want to go to sleep.

“Is that you, my love?” Zhongli calls. You hear him descending the stairs, his steady and rhythmic steps reverberating around the house. He won’t be upset. It's all okay. It will be okay.

You call back to him with a weak yes, and his steps seem to speed up at the sound of your voice.

“Are you alright? How was the doctor’s appointment?” He asks, settling beside you on the sofa. He gently kisses your forehead, stroking your hair as he does.

“It was okay,” you say softly. “I’m fine.”

And that’s the truth. The doctor said you’re perfectly healthy. Nothing wrong with you at all.

“So, the nausea is…?” Zhongli presses. The doctor would have to be particularly stupid to tell you you were perfectly fine if you wanted to throw up every hour of the day, so the only other option is that you’re keeping something from him.

“Umm,” You start. You don’t understand why you’re so nervous.

“Umm? What an interesting ailment. Do tell me more.” Zhongli teases, attempting to lighten your mood. It doesn’t really work in the way he expected it to, and he resumes his more serious disposition. “What’s the matter, love?”

“I’m scared,” you say, tears pricking in your eyes. “What if I get it all wrong? What if I'm an absolutely useless mother, and our child never wants to see us again once they’re grown? What if—”

“One second, my love. Child?”

You shift yourself to look at Zhongli head on. “I’m pregnant, Zhongli.”

His face almost doesn’t change. Maybe it’s because he was already looking at you with eyes full of love, or maybe it’s because he’s holding his reaction back.

He doesn’t want you to see how excited he is because he doesn’t want to make you feel guilty for being scared. You are his priority. “Do you want to be pregnant?” He asks carefully.

Your eyes widen at the implication of his words. “Yes,” you reply. “I do, but—”

Zhongli smiles properly then, pulling you into a hug. “You’re going to be fine, my love. You need not worry about a thing. You are perfectly capable of being an amazing mother, and I’ll always do everything in my power to support you.”

“I’m scared,” you repeat against his chest.

“I know,” Zhongli replies. “I know.”

Once you got over your initial shock of being pregnant, you began to quite enjoy the extra attention your husband gave you—the extra back massages, the special teas he brewed for you, the fact he used every excuse to stay by your side and the stories he loved to tell your unborn child.

“She can’t hear you, you know that, right?” You chuckle, sliding your hands into Zhongli’s hair.

“She?” Zhongli asks.

“I just have a feeling.” You shrug. Zhongli laughs, happy to see you smile again. More than anything, he’s happy that you aren’t so stressed. Sometimes he can sense a little bit of fear creeping in–when the baby kicks, or when you go to another of your routine doctor’s appointments–but for the most part, you seem to be happy, and that’s all that matters to him.

“What are we going to name her then?” He smiles, kissing your stomach lightly.

“Oh, I don’t know. I was probably going to leave that up to you.” You’re not good with names, but you want something special and unique. The only names you had in mind were ones that had grown in popularity over the past few years, and whilst that means you have good taste, it also means the name won’t be original.

“Me?” Zhongli chuckles. “I’m not particularly up to date with names nowadays.”

“That’s exactly why I was leaving it to you.” You say. “I figured you’d come up with a pretty, original name that no one else will have.”

“That’s a valid point, but it will be a traditional Liyuean name.” Zhongli sighs. “That doesn’t seem fair.”

“Why not?”

“Because it would be nice for her to have a bit of your culture too.”

“That’s what middle names are for.” You chuckle. “Or we can just give her a double barrel name and call it a day.”

“It seems to me that you’re shirking your responsibilities.”

“Say that to me one more time and I will show you responsibility.” You huff, adjusting yourself in your seat and pushing his face away from your stomach. “I’m hungry. What’s for dinner?”

“Air, until you rediscover your manners.”

“Are you denying me, the woman who is growing your child—” Zhongli silences you with a swift kiss that leaves you breathless.

“We can go out for dinner if you so wish. Just save me the discomfort of listening to that rant again, hmm?”

You huff at him. “Archon brute.”

And even though Zhongli would like to pretend to be mad, he knows that you were already a handful without pregnancy hormones running rings around you, and lets it slide out of the goodness of his own heart.

“‘Archon brute’ who’s about to buy you dinner.” He hums, gently pulling you to your feet.

a/n winnie, if you're reading this please be quiet you know i am a woman of simple pleasures

[cozza-frenzy]

Fanfic: A Perfect Moment

Of all the places I could be, I just want to be here with you. Hello again, fandom! It’s been less than a week (apparently??) and @chronicsheepdrawing‘s amazing character designs are still keeping my creativity train rolling! This fic once again stars their Drinky Bird Narrator - so if you’re not familiar, go check out a silly bird! (He certainly needs more love, given how he thinks of himself... ) This is a sequel (of sorts) to Anything Not Saved. It happens some time afterwards, after more resets and endings have taken place. Expect a dark chocolate Angst Cake with plenty of Mutual Pining, layers of Fluffy Stannarrator between each layer, and a Meta cherry on top - trust me, you’ll see what I mean. And my apologies to any ASL users; I did at least try to do some research, but I can’t vouch for my accuracy! CONTENT WARNINGS: Isolation, Paranoia, Abandonment Issues, Self-Hatred, Body Dysphoria (Not Gender Related), Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, Emotional Breakdown, Memory Loss, Panic Attack, Touch Aversion, Autistic Sensory Overload/Over-Stimulation. I’m also adding a mild Unreality Warning to this one. If you’re looking at a reblog of this post, there are details in the tags of the original if you feel like you may be triggered by this. For everyone else, the tags are a minor spoiler, so maybe don’t look unless you’re really curious. Bon Appetit!

Stanley? STANLEY!? Oh my god, Stanley! Stanley, thank goodness - something VERY peculiar is going on this morning… See, it all started when I booted up my computer this morning - and you’ll never believe it, but I wasn’t receiving any commands! NONE! So I asked one of the other Employees what was going on, and they must not have known, because they didn’t say anything! What do you think; should I perhaps try the meeting room? Do you think maybe I missed a memo? I mean I really don’t want to interrupt anything, not to mention the sheer embarrassment of walking into something like that, not only unannounced but LATE- Wait, I’m not done! Stanley, I’m not - oh, sorry, sorry, of course! It’s precisely 10:32 AM, of course  you always get a drink of water from the cooler at this time in the morning… haha, typical silly old ▇▇▇▇▇▇, am I right? I swear, I’d lose my head if it wasn't permanently attached to my neck! But, ah, anyway, Stanley, I just feel like… like something’s wrong? I mean, have you noticed how some things are, eh, just… you know… ‘off’? Like did you know Employee [ERROR: DATABASE ENTRY INVALID]’s desk is empty? I mean, it looks like they haven’t touched their pencil sharpener in weeks! In fact, now that… now that I’ve thought about it… Stanley, did we ever HAVE an Employee [ERROR: DATABASE ENTRY INVALID]? I mean surely we wouldn’t have a desk without an employee! That’s ridiculous! But why can’t I seem to… ? Ah, yes, alright, I know work is important and I know  I tend to ramble but- please, just hear me out?? Look, I know I must be trying your patience! I know my ‘little stories’ are utterly insufferable to literally EVERY other employee in this building! But you, you always stopped to listen and - waitwaitwait, I’m sorry, just - please! Please Stanley, I’m ALWAYS supposed to receive my instructions and now I can’t even access my bloody terminal! I mean, how ELSE am I supposed to make sure the other employees are doing their jobs correctly?? Didn’t the board hand down that notice just last week!? You know, the one reiterating how vital it is to the well-being of the company that all of us, together- Stanley? Stanley, where are you going-? Can… can you hear me? Can you even SEE me!? Wait! Stanley! Stanley, I’m right here! I’m right HERE! Why aren’t you looking at me? Why aren’t you LOOKING at me!? STANLEY! STANLEY, PLEASE!! DON’T LEAVE M- Oh… …Oh no… —------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ah, memories… Wonderful, wonderful memories. So much exquisitely-crafted content to reminisce over. He’d worked so hard on crafting this place; he’d fashioned every detail with care and precision. Yes, there would be trees here, a nice little fence there… oh, perhaps a few flowers, for a little splash of color! Yes, yes! The sound of birds, the smell of grass, the sky just a little overcast... yes indeed, not too bright, nor too gloomy. The light would hit just perfect this way, painting everything in soft and muted shades. Wonderful. Those clouds would be the whipped cream on this lovely little slice of the world, so close to being served and savored. And like a nervous, fidgeting pastry chef, the anticipation of someone experiencing this delectable delicacy had him practically giddy! The Narrator took a deep breath through the nose he maybe didn’t have, filling absent lungs with fresh air; and heaved a heavy sigh as he closed his plastic eyes, calming himself down. Wouldn’t be long now, he thought, chuckling softly. Stanley had fallen for his little breadcrumb trail the very minute he’d opened that vent… and any minute now, he’d be marveling at the inexplicably out of place stone archway. Manifested as if in a dream, a glowing portal to another realm, right there in the office… He rocked back on his heels a little, humming merrily to himself as he waited. Ah, he was proud of that little room; so mysterious, so enticing. A beautiful fragment of memory that he’d dusted off and polished up, until it glittered in his mind’s eye like a priceless diamond. Not half bad for something he’d forcibly yanked from the tangled, mangled wreckage that had been left behind in his head, when he’d stopped being human and become something- The Narrator cleared his nonexistent throat, straightening his tie. No, no, not today, he scolded himself internally. That so-called ‘Ultra Deluxe’ content’ had been so unfathomably disappointing, he’d had no choice but to do better! To show them just how great The Stanley Parable used to be! And any minute now, the hero of their story would be walking through that door to the most wonderful surprise. “Just our little secret”, The Narrator said as he felt Stanley’s presence. He was right behind him now, and getting closer. “Take a look.” He turned around, eager to see his protagonist’s reaction. He watched as Stanley shielded his eyes; the fingertips on his other hand tracing the surface of the cool stone pillar, as he stepped out into the memory of warm daylight. And the Narrator’s heart swelled with pride as he heard the soft gasp of wonder - the exact reaction he’d been looking for. “I call it - the Memory Zone!” He said, turning towards the path before him. “It’s where I keep all of my favorite memories… ” Not too far away was a squat, triangular building, full of snippets he’d painstakingly selected and organized for display. He’d come here a few times himself while it was still under construction; just to re-live some of the moments he’d preserved. As soon as Stanley stepped through that door, he would… wait… The Narrator froze suddenly, glancing over his shoulder. He’s got that look again. He’s… looking at me! Damn it, he’d been so caught up in what he was doing, he’d forgotten to unload his model! Alright, alright, maybe if he acted quickly enough, Stanley would dismiss it as simply a brief glitch- >/console >/unload Narrator.mdl ERROR: NOT FOUND What?? Clenching his glove-fist in frustration, he reached into the code and tried again. >/unload Narrator.mdl ERROR: NOT FOUND >/locate Narrator.mdl ERROR: POSITION NOT VALID The Narrator closed the console. That warm, fuzzy feeling of pride was quickly disintegrating under the freezing grasp of fear. He’d built the Memory Zone in a place so well hidden it was only outside the bloody map!!! And now there were footsteps behind him! And like the absolute fool he was, he turned around! Stanley was approaching. Slowly drawing closer. Each step ticking away the seconds to his doom. It’s okay, he reassured himself. You can pass it off as the Easter Egg from last time - just using it as a puppet to welcome him and nothing more! His face flushed. Stanley was right in front of him. He tried not to think about what muscles he may or may not still have - but regardless of their supposed existence, they all tensed at once, leaving him stiff as a board, frozen in terror. But he could work with this, right? Yes, he could! He could work with this! He could improvise, he improvised all the time-! Just don’t move…. Stanley looked into The Narrator’s eyes, his hands held tightly to his chest. …And he’ll lose interest eventually… Stanley moved his hand. It trembled as he held it out in front of him, slowly reaching forwards. Stanley… ? Stanley bit his lip. Wait, Stanley, what are you doing-? And Stanley touched him. The boggled look on the Narrator’s face shattered any previously-held records in the history of boggling. Stanley was touching him. Stanley’s hand was touching him. Stanley’s… warm, gentle hand... the pads of his fingertips slightly rough, slightly calloused. Each one a scar from another life; from the only life he’d known before The Parable. Continuously, rhythmically pressing buttons, over and over. Day in, day out. Broken fragments of memory flashed before the Narrator’s eyes in a sudden flood of noise; a disjointed, jumbled mess, utterly out of context and out of order. The taste of coffee in a paper cup. Stanley’s eyes. The bubble of the water cooler.  Conversation. Buttons marked “YES” and “NO”. His hands, his human hands, nails painted in an office-appropriate shade. A phone ringing. Stanley’s smile. A rising sense of panic. A snippet of a half-finished anecdote. Waking up. Blacking out. Laughter. Fire and pain and then nothing. A lunch break. An office-mandated birthday cake. A board meeting. An office-wide memo. Stanley’s hands. Stanley’s hands. He felt the tears welling up. He wrestled with the memories that hardly made sense, momentarily gaining the upper hand, only to find himself smacked senseless by the feeling of overwhelming grief that spiraled out of the current moment and skewered his heart. He twisted his head this way and that - desperately trying to get his stupid, stupid body to move! This was wrong! This was all wrong! “STOP!!!” The Narrator screamed, finally managing to pull away Stanley recoiled as if he’d been burned, and the Narrator turned from him, clutching the sides of his head as he struggled to get a grip, struggled to cram all of those horrible, horrible feelings back down inside himself where they belonged. NO NO NO NO NO NO-! The illusion is ruined! He definitely knows it’s me now! But ahead of him lay his last hope. His last chance at salvaging something, anything, from this horrendous mistake he’d made. The display area! If I can just get to it then I won’t have to face him! he thought to himself. He’d have to be quick, he’d have to take advantage of Stanley being distracted, but he could do this. He could make it! He could… he could just figure out the rest later, he had to GO! The Narrator started to run; and realized his fatal mistake too late. Inside his inhuman, transparent stomach, a sizable amount of liquid sloshed noisily back and forth. The more he ran, the more it sloshed. Back and forth, back and forth. Slish, slosh, slish, slosh… the momentum of each wave slowly building... and building... until-! “AH!!” One of his feet caught on an uneven memory of grass. All that heavy liquid, all that momentum, SLOSHED all the way to his front. And as these things tend to work with the laws of physics, the weight sent him tumbling forward onto his stupid idiot face, sliding across the ground a few feet before he finally came to a stop. The Narrator rocked gently back and forth from the still-sloshing liquid in the transparent globe of his belly, knowing exactly how he looked. It was a sight that would leave a professional circus clown weeping; hanging up his red nose and floppy shoes for the last time, his worldview in ruins. Witnessing such a sight, he’d know, deep in his heart, that no carefully coordinated pratfall or precisely timed nose honk - not a single artfully-placed whoopee cushion or expertly thrown custard pie - could ever come close to such breathtaking buffoonery. This is it. Stanley is never going to take me seriously ever again. The tears came thick and fast now, leaving the despairing Narrator gasping for breath between sobs. He’ll laugh at me. He’ll mock any sort of narrative I’ll try and create. Anything I try, no matter how wonderful, no matter how meaningful, it’ll be just a big joke. Like ME. Stanley stood over the Narrator, casting a shadow over him as he lay on the floor. The Narrator glanced over his shoulder, his fingers digging into the memories of grass and dirt beneath them and ripping them apart. Suddenly, hopelessness had given way to white-hot fury; Go on, he silently, bitterly urged his protagonist. Do it, you cretin. Finish me off. Put me out of my misery. Break my story! Break my heart! Break ME! Burn it all down, grind it all into the dirt where it belongs-! Stanley held out his hand. The Narrator looked up at him, tears still rolling down his cheeks. He was - for perhaps the first time in his life - speechless. —------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile; a man named Stanley had overstepped, and he knew it. <It’s you.> He’d signed, mere moments ago. <It’s really you… > Oh of course that shrill, annoying little voice in his head known as Common Sense had screamed at him endlessly. It stomped its little feet, tore out its hair, hammered its little fists on the bars of the bespoke and utterly inescapable cage that situations like this always built to contain it. No, stop! It cried. You mustn’t! But Stanley’s hand had moved of its own accord. He just had to know. He had to know if what he was seeing in front of him was really, really real. He had to know if what seemed like a memory of a dream of a memory - of someone he’d once felt close to - actually meant something. And then he’d touched The Narrator. Stanley’s hand shook when it had first met that plastic cheek; but feeling the smooth surface, he couldn’t help but relax from its reassuring familiarity. It was almost like a button, if a button was surprisingly warm. And despite feeling almost exactly like plastic, there was something indescribable, something wonderfully and beautifully alive about it. This was plastic with a pulse, and it made his fingertips tingle... His gently questing fingers found hair next. If he’d been one for poetry, he might have compared its color to fresh-fallen snow, kissed by the morning sun, but such metaphors escaped a mind such as his. Stanley was a simple man; not stupid, at least not usually, but his world had been small before the Parable swallowed him up. His memories of his old life were limited mostly to what he’d done at the office. But he vaguely remembered seeing a color like that, at work, in some kind of context… by the water cooler, during some kind of talk… and he knew he’d wondered, more than once, if it was as soft and fluffy as it looked. And as he stroked it gently... yes, apparently, it was that soft. A little stiffer than he’d imagined, maybe, but at least it looked nice and fluffy. Stanley felt a blush spreading across his cheeks. He hadn’t been sure what to think at first, but one word was slowly coming to mind, and that word was- “STOP!!!” Suddenly, abruptly, Stanley half-remembered and half-realized that softness was attached to The Narrator, and the shock may as well have electrified his arm. He pulled away; and seeing The Narrator’s reaction, his poor, simple heart sunk all the way to his feet. He knew he’d pushed things too far, he knew he’d done something dangerously close to Workplace Inappropriate Physical Contact, but had he hurt him-?? The Narrator turned and tried to run. Stanley scrambled after him, longing to cry out; Wait, please! I’m sorry! Don’t despawn again! The Narrator tripped and fell. Stanley, overcome with worry, rushed to his side, extending his hand. The Narrator just… looked at him. He was breathing heavily, his eyes full of tears, his fingers covered in dirt and crushed bits of grass. <I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!> Stanley signed repeatedly; in his desperation, he couldn’t even remember the next part of the Workplace Apology Procedure. The Narrator was still silent; and Stanley’s heart sunk further and further as his frustration grew and grew. Half-formed signs spilled from his shaking hands as his own tears began to rally the troops, fat drops ready to march down his cheeks in double time as he bit his tongue - why was this so hard, why was this so hard?? Mustering every bit of bravery an office worker of his rank possibly could, Stanley fell back on his last resort. Extending his hand again, he crossed the fingers on his other hand, holding them up so The Narrator could see them clearly; <R> Next, he held two fingers up; <U> His fingers formed a circle; <O> And lastly, two fingers split, like a peace sign; <K> “Am I… okay??” The Narrator’s words were strangled with emotion; but just hearing him say something, say anything, was enough for a wave of relief to wash over our daring hero. Smiling, Stanley beckoned with his extended hand, and The Narrator finally grasped it. It was soft, like the tasteful suede they used for the chairs in the Boss’ Office, and Stanley found himself subconsciously running his thumb over a line of neat stitches as he helped the poor man off the ground. The Narrator teetered on his feet for a moment, seeming unsteady. Stanley tilted his head slightly; what was that strange sloshing noise… ? But The Narrator sniffled, bowing his head again, and Stanley immediately snapped to attention. Yes, he knew just what to do! Reaching into his shirt pocket, he pulled out a packet of Office-Issued Disposable Handkerchiefs - an employee’s best friend for any sneeze, sniffle, or non-fatal accident involving coffee - and handed one to The Narrator. “Oh, Stanley… ” The Narrator dabbed at his eyes, and blew his nose like a foghorn. Stanley looked at him with a mixture of sympathy and utterly helpless confusion. He could only ever recall hearing him so utterly distraught once before, and that was… not a memory he really wanted to dig into. Was this really his fault? Had he deviated too much? Had he ruined his story again… ? “I don’t understand… I just don’t understand… ” sobbed the Narrator; ”Why are you being so nice to me?” Stanley was utterly dumbfounded. He couldn’t even bring himself to start signing, but the What!? was so implicit that The Narrator looked up in surprise <BECAUSE! I’M! HAPPY! TO SEE YOU!> Stanley signed with undeniable emphasis, holding his hands right at the Narrator’s eye level. Unable to hold back his own tears for a fraction of a second longer, the armies came marching forth in torrents. Stanley was happy. Stanley was angry. Stanley was frustrated, overwhelmed, overstimulated, and so desperate he felt like he was drowning. His lip quivered, his whole body shaking from the effort, but he had to do this, he had to be brave. This was what he’d waited for. This was his hope. Somewhere, far far back in his memories, something stirred. Before the Parable. Before beginnings and endings. Before he’d ever known what a ‘Reset’ was, those memories were reaching out to him. Memories of a face half-remembered, and a name long forgotten. Memories of someone speaking his name, over and over, instead of addressing him simply as ‘427’. A kindly smile. Uproarious, mischievous laughter. Coffee with cream and a disproportionate amount of sugar. Passing a slice of store-bought birthday cake, and accidentally brushing hands under the paper plate. <STAY!> And stories. Every day, there were stories. The other employees called it rambling, called it irritating, called it inefficient and unproductive… but to him, they were little stories… <HERE!!> Stanley strained from the effort. <PLEASE!!!> And The Narrator touched him back. Stanley froze in place. He was hyperventilating, gasping for every breath between silent sobs, but his hands finally lay still. The Narrator’s hands were holding them; silencing them. But Stanley didn’t mind; in fact, he welcomed it. He was at his breaking point. His heart and his head were both full to bursting. So many feelings. So many words. This wasn’t what he was good at. This wasn’t what he was meant for. But now, standing right across from him, was someone who was. Standing there, gently holding Stanley’s hands, was me. His Narrator. Let’s shift the perspective again, shall we? —------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ahhh, there! That’s much better… feels like having a really good stretch after you’ve been sitting in the same place for a while, don’t you think? Let’s just take a moment to let the story settle… to take a deep breath, maybe have a sip of water…. to appreciate just how far we’ve come. …Now, uh, where was I… ? Oh, yes! Anyway; slowly but surely, I found my footing again. Our heads had been in the clouds long enough, and now I was pulling us both back to Earth, back into whatever passed for reality in this place. My thumbs gently stroked the back of Stanley’s hands; giving him something real to cling to. Giving my nervous hands something to do with themselves. And the moment I saw the tension leave his shoulders, I let go of the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. <You’re really here… > Stanley looked down at my hands and their irremovable gloves. Despite my fears, there was no rejection, no cruel mockery; just quiet fascination. Again, that same look, as his eyes moved up from there to my chest and to my face. And needless to say, it didn’t take an omniscient narrator to understand what his eyes were asking me. “Yes, Stanley. Go ahead.” Stanley reached out; I leaned my head into his hand this time, letting him know me through touch. And don’t you dare pass judgment - this is very hard for me to admit to - but it took everything I had not to burst into soppy tears all over again. We were old friends who’d just met. Two halves of the same soul, reunited at last. Surely a meeting like this was written on all the stars in the infinite cosmos, and upon every grain of sand in the- Stanley reached out a finger and ‘booped’ my nose. He laughed uproariously; not at me, but with me, as I somehow found a small chuckle growing into a full-on belly laugh. I just couldn’t help myself! This entire, bizarre situation we’d once again found ourselves in… the two of us so helpless, messy, and stupid... it felt so good to come so utterly undone. We were just a couple of total idiots, Stanley and I. Standing there and giggling like lunatics. And then… I found myself overcome by a strange impulse of my own. Seized by a brief moment of temporary insanity, perhaps. Taking a small step back, I opened my arms. Stanley didn’t hesitate for a single second. He fell into them like he was coming home; like he’d just had the longest work day in the universe, and someone had just presented him with the fluffiest feather bed in existence. Nearly bloody bowled me over again, with all his enthusiasm. But I looked down at Stanley - and he looked so happy, well... uh... you know what? I’ll give you the incomparable joy of picturing in your head just how happy he was. What?? No, I’m not lost for words! Me? Lost for words? Ugh, of all the… no, no, let’s not ruin this. This one right here is all yours. No, go ahead, take it. Don’t say I never do anything for you. But, ahem - to continue our scene, we were both sitting down now, right there on the ground. Stanley had his ear to my stomach, listening to whatever the hell liquid is in there slosh back and forth, as he rocked himself gently in place. There was no way he could realize how he was reminding me, with each slosh, of what I am. Of how I’ve changed. Of what I’ve lost. But for the first time since I could remember… I didn’t hate it. At least, not entirely. Perhaps I could get used to that, in enough time. Around us, the memory of birds sang, and the memory of a breeze gently rustled the memories of grass and flowers. Somewhere in the distance, a memory of a piano was playing itself - ah yes, I’d almost forgotten about that. Perhaps we’d see it later. Perhaps we’d sit on the bench I’d placed nearby, and look at the view. Perhaps talk to one another, instead of just at one another. Yes… that would be nice, wouldn’t it… But between Stanley and I; right here, and right now? There’s a glittering silence between us; one that outshines any other memory I’d care to rescue from the scrap heap. Things, I realize, are falling into place. As gentle as snow, as warm and welcome as the light of dawn. This, I can tell, is what I’ve been waiting for all this time; what I’ve been striving for, over and over, with each and every branching path. A perfect moment.

[usermischief]

♞Pairing: Steo ♞Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Theo Raeken ♞Tags/Warnings: explicit sexual content, mentions of alcohol ♞Words: 3229 ♞Kinktober 2023 - Swallowing

ao3

***

Stiles weaves through the crowd, feeling strangely at ease between so many strangers. As much as ghosts enjoy to be close to the living, a gathering like this would be too much for the strongest of them. Tara, too, decided to hang back, clearly not particularly thrilled about the amount of people inside. It looks like there are at least a hundred people who decided to attend the party. Jackson is going to be so awfully pleased with himself. He was the one who pushed Stiles to use his connections so they could have a party at this abandoned mall — well, rather so Jackson could have a party here because Stiles doesn’t know a single person aside from his friends. Jackson bought the alcohol and paid for the venue, and Stiles hired a few people — a couple of bartenders, security, and students working the cloakroom. He also set the rules; no cameras, no phones, something Liam and Mason accepted only begrudgingly.

It’s not a rule he set up because Stiles didn’t want his face all over social media. The owner of this mall specifically asked that they don’t go around advertising it because he’s struggling with trespassers as it is. Stiles is the last person to complain about that, if he’s entirely honest. This is supposed to be a party, nobody needs to be on their phone the whole time.

“Stiles!” Lydia’s voice cuts through the music, and Stiles cranes his head to the left.

He’s not been around while they were preparing the mall for the party, but he’s not at all surprised to find Lydia waving at him from the gallery above. It looks like the ground floor has been turned into the dance zone with a bar at the side, while the seating areas have been moved upstairs. It’s a good idea since the whole ground floor is exposed from the next level. Climbing up the non-working escalators, however, is another adventure in his tight jeans. Wearing these really is an absolutely terrible idea.

“Is that Lydia?” Theo calls from behind him.

“Yeah.”

“Good, I’ve got to thank her.”

Stiles shuffles off the escalator and shoots Theo a confused look. “Why?” They don’t know each other, after all, and Stiles is the one who dragged Theo and the other two here. It’s not like he’s got anything to thank her for.

“For your jeans.” Theo steps closer, so close, in fact, that Stiles can feel his warm breath on his neck. “Your ass looks phenomenal.”

At this point, Stiles doesn’t even know why he’s bothering to ask Theo anything. Ignoring the heat creeping up his neck, he starts walking again — otherwise he might be tempted to shove the guy back down the escalator.

“Stilinski, nice jeans.” Jackson raises his brows with an almost appreciating smirk. Although his bisexuality came less of a surprise after the many comments he made about guys and girls, Stiles is still not entirely sure what’s more of a shock – the supernatural, or the fact that Jackson wanted to get some experience with him. He very much gets why Jackson didn’t want to sleep with his best friend – Stiles is too close to Lydia to want to have sex with her – but that doesn’t mean he expected to make the top of Jackson’s list; or that he actually approached him while being engaged to Lydia.

Stiles scrunches up his face. “I’m never going to wear tight jeans again.”

“Oh, please.” Lydia rushes to his side and hugs him. Her giggle makes it abundantly clear that she’s had more than once cocktail already. “You look amazing.” Her eyes roam over his face, probably checking if his makeup is still fully intact.

Theo clears his throat behind him.

“Right.” Stiles gestures at him dismissively. “That’s Theo.”

Lydia’s mouth curves into an oh.

Yeah, ‘oh’ probably sums it up the best. Stiles doesn’t stick around for any more introductions. Lydia knows exactly who Theo is after he cussed him out for hours in end; that probably means Jackson is very aware as well. The two haven’t kept anything secret between them ever since they got back together. That’s why Lydia knew Jackson wanted to sleep with Stiles before Stiles has been made aware of that. He still can’t believe he agreed to that. While it wasn’t a threesome – because he very much drew the line in the sand at sleeping with Lydia – they negotiated him down to letting her be in the room. He’s not sure he’d like to repeat that anytime soon; not that sex with Jackson was bad, but Lydia watching him made him feel decidedly weird.

Kira nearly crushes him with her hug, pulling him out of his thoughts effectively, before launching into how she’s planning to move to LA like ‘the rest of them’. It’s not the first time he heard about that, so Stiles assumes the pack is planning to locate to LA as well. Which is fine and all, by moving away he intended to bury his past.

Danny shakes his hand. “I’m going to get drinks.”

Unsurprisingly, Jackson made sure they’re having a bar close to their VIP area. Good, because Stiles isn’t in the mood to go up and down those escalators more than he needs to — not in these jeans.

He drops onto a chair next to Isaac, who ruffles his hair as a greeting. The wolf was the first to follow him to LA after starting a modeling career in Paris. It’s strange how they all slip into jobs they haven’t planned for. Isaac wanted to become a doctor. Lydia achieved her dream in becoming the smartest person at MIT, yet decided that her passion is with fashion and has been starting to work towards her own company in the past year. Kira meant to work with children, and now is instead about to get her degree in photography. Only Jackson stayed on his path on becoming a lawyer.

At least all of them are sure what to do in the future. Stiles is still on the fence about it. He likes what he’s doing now, but he’s not sure if that’s something he can do forever. He's not Ed Warren.

Yet.

While Mason and Liam are chatting with Lydia, Stiles watches Theo’s interaction with Jackson. They seem tense, and Stiles wonders if Jackson’s protective bubble now includes him as well. But instead of saying, ‘I’ll rip your head off’ Jackson snorts out a laugh, pats Theo’s shoulder and says, “good luck.”

Rolling his eyes, Stiles sinks into his chair.

———

Overall, the night is going great. Stiles missed partying with his friends. There’s something freeing about it, something relaxing, pushing him back into the comfort of his very own life — the part of his life he had before the nogitsune. Nothing has been the same, but in the middle of the crowded dance floor, Kira, Lydia, and Isaac brushing and bumping against him, and the ghosts scared away by the living, Stiles feels better than he’s done in a long, long time.

He's leaning his head back, catching Theo’s staring back at him. It’s hard to make out his expression, but his eyes flash yellow for only a brief moment. Even from a distance, Theo radiates possessiveness. It’s hot. Infuriatingly so.

Cocking his head to the side, Theo beckons him to come back up. A shudder runs through his body, and he has to actively fight his own instincts because every part of him wants to run up to him. He knows what Theo wants; the touches, the words, the flirting – the guy has never intended to be subtle.

But Stiles’ pride keeps him rooted to the dance floor, even as Theo pushes away from the railing and walks away.

“If you’re not going to accept that invitation…” Lydia trails off with a chuckle.

Stiles shoots her a look. Although he’s more than aware Lydia would never dare to go after someone he’s interested in, he couldn’t deny the burst of jealousy burning in the pit of his stomach. It leaves as quickly as it arrived. There’s no need to be jealous, after all, they’re talking about Theo.  

“Go.” Lydia shoves him not so gently.

Huffing out a breath, Stiles peels away from his friends and pushes out of the moving crowd. He wipes his hands on his jeans, hating that he’s suddenly nervous about allowing Theo close again, but he’s way too curious about the apology Theo promised him. He hasn’t forgotten that yet — just like he hasn’t forgotten that Theo ghosted him like a fucking asshole.

Still, he very much remembers all the things Theo’s tongue can do, he’d be stupid to pass up on an offer like that. He wants him so bad; it will take all his willpower to keep him an arm’s length away while simultaneously hooking up with him.

This is going to end in disaster.

Stiles hurries up the escalator, or rather, he climbs it as fast as his jeans allow him; at this point, he’s still not sure why being a skeleton for Halloween required skintight jeans. He does appreciate it for what it did to Theo, who seems to have magically disappeared once he’s made it upstairs.   

Fantastic.

He didn’t read that wrong, right? No, he can’t have. Lydia saw it too, and she is a weird detector for dead people and living people who want to have sex with him. Plus, Theo’s made it very clear that he’s still interested. Theo beckoned him to come to him. But where the fuck—

Someone snatches him by the hood and drags him into one of the abandoned shops to his right. Despite himself, his heart jumps into his throat as his foot catches on debris on the ground. He stumbles but doesn’t fall because an arm wraps tightly around his waist. Before he even has the chance to get his feet under himself, he’s crowded against a dusty old jewelry display cabinet.

Unsurprisingly, it’s Theo, who is pressing against him. “Didn’t expect you could dance like that,” he says barely loud enough to be heard over the bass of the music outside, shamelessly pressing his groin against Stiles’ ass. That Theo got hard just from watching him dance is equally surprising as it is fucking hot. “It should be illegal,” Theo continues, grinding against him as his fingers work on his belt and zipper without hesitation. “I don’t think anyone else should be allowed to see that.”

There’s that possessiveness again. Stiles hates how easily it’s getting to him, how Theo just dives right through his defenses and sweeps him up. If he asked, he’d probably let Theo bend him over this stupid cabinet and fuck him senseless. If he waits any longer, Theo won’t even have to ask.

So, he grabs Theo’s hands and pulls them off, ignoring the grumble of discontent. “I was promised an apology,” Stiles remarks, turning so he can look at Theo and lean against the cabinet. His tight jeans have become even more of a problem now than they were before. It does not help that they’re face-to-face, and so close, Theo’s warm breath ghosts over his skin. It’s easy to remember the last time they were this close.

Good times.

When Theo leans in for a kiss, Stiles keeps him at a distance with both hands on his chest. “Lydia put in too much effort into this costume for you to ruin it.” He taps his thumb against Theo’s collarbone, raising his brows. “And again, you promised me an apology.”

Although the light from outside barely reaches into the former store, Theo’s smirk is visible enough. “How demanding.”

“Demanding?” Stiles moves his hands up to cup Theo’s jaws. “No.” God, he wants to kiss him so, so bad. “You promised. Take it or leave it.”

Chuckling, Theo moves closer again. “Fair.” He cocks his head to the side, eyes roaming over Stiles’ face. It’s clear he’s debating on kissing him anyway – part of Stiles wishes he’d do it because he refuses to let him close, but if he pushes enough.

It’s so fucking stupid.

Theo flashes his eyes again, bright yellow in a face hiding mostly in shadow. Like that, he looks exactly like the predator he is.  

It does things to Stiles’ dick he’s not at all ready to admit.

But Theo notices. It’s obvious by the smirk deepening on his features. He’s so fucking full of himself, and it’s painfully hot — although admittedly, it’s not as hot as watching Theo getting on his knees right in front of him. That’s a sight to see, and a sight that makes his dick twitch in his pants. It’s not fair Theo can see so plainly what he does to his body with little to no effort.

And yet.

Thankfully, Theo doesn’t seem to have any interest in teasing him any further. He makes quick work of his zipper and pushes Stiles’ pants and boxer briefs down just enough to have easy access to his dick. Before he knows it, Theo’s mouth is on him. His lips wrap around the tip of his dick, and his tongue- fuck, his tongue.

Stiles can’t help but moan. He leans his head back, curling his fingers around the edge of the cabinet. Theo’s mouth felt way too good on him. There’s no way he could stay silent.

Good thing he doesn’t need to, not with the music drowning out his sounds.

Even when people are happening to look into this shop, all they will see is someone standing in the darkness like a weirdo. Nobody will care too much.

Theo moans around his dick, and it nearly pushes Stiles over the edge, which would’ve been the fastest he’s cum in his life; there’s no need for that embarrassment to happen when he should savor having Theo on his knees, pleading for forgiveness. He never thought the day would come, so, Stiles really wants to make it last.

But Theo is trying his very best to make it as hard — ha — as possible for him.

Closing his eyes, Stiles leans his head back. Watching Theo suck him off would not do him any good, or well, it would do him too much good. He curls his fingers into Theo’s hair, not trying to stop him, but, fuck, he really needs to hold onto him.

Theo is going to make him forget his own name if he keeps going like that, if he grabs and squeezes his ass shamelessly, pulling closer and taking him deeper into his mouth.

Moaning, Stiles tightens his grip on the display. Theo’s mouth has no right to feel this good. Fuck. Theo’s tongue has no right to make him feel like this. But it does; pressed flat against the underside of his dick or swirling the tip — if he keeps going like this, Stiles will meet his Polish ancestors a lot sooner than he anticipated. He can feel his orgasm building deep in the pit of his stomach already.

And Theo is having the time of his life with it. His fucking chuckle makes Stiles almost cum on the spot.

There’s no way his going to last much longer.

“Theo,” he breathes, forcing himself to open his eyes, and tugs carefully on the other’s short strands. Locking eyes with Theo is a terrible decision. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he mutters, squeezing his eyes shut again. His heart seems ready to jump straight out of his chest, it’s beating so fast.

Theo takes more of him into his mouth, and when the tip of his dick hits the back of his throat, Stiles barely resists the urge to yank Theo even closer. His fingers twitch in his short strands, and he breathes through gritted teeth. He can feel his muscles tighten. “Theo—" he warns, despite knowing that werewolves are usually able to tell when he’s close.

Humming, Theo squeezes his ass again and doubles his efforts.

Stiles lets go of him, curling both hands around the edge of the display cabinet instead. He’s staring down at the other boy, unable to look away and holding his gaze. Somehow, Theo manages to look unbearably smug while sucking on the tip of his dick. Stiles hates that this is one of the hottest things he’s ever seen. The asshole has the nerve to fucking smirk, and Stiles just knows this will haunt him in his dreams for days to come.

Theo takes him into his mouth again as he rubs a finger along his perineum then pushes it ever so innocently against his rim.

And that’s the end of it.

Stiles cums with a shout that may or may not be Theo’s name, arching his back. For a few blissful moments, his brain completely short-circuits, and all he can feel is his dick pulsing in Theo’s throat and his own fucking high.

But then, he returns to reality, a bit too quickly for his liking. Theo’s hands are on his thighs, holding him up, and his mouth is still on him. What was heaven a few seconds ago, quickly gets too much. Scrunching up his face, Stiles grabs Theo’s hair again and pulls his head back.

The first sound out of Theo’s mouth is a laugh.

Stiles wants to slap him. Instead, he puts himself back together. “You have cum on your chin.”

“And here I thought I swallowed it all.”

Fucking hell. Stiles shakes his head, hating that another flush is already creeping up his neck. “I hate you.”

Chuckling, Theo stands up and crowds Stiles against the display. “No, you don’t.”

Stiles shoots him a look. Of course, he doesn’t hate Theo. He wouldn’t be here if he hated him, fuck, he wouldn’t even have invited Theo to tag along if he didn’t at least like him. But he’s not going to admit to that. “You’re so full of yourself.” And it’s infuriatingly attractive.

Theo hums and wraps his arms around him, pulling him close — most definitely trying to point out that he’s still hard, and Stiles should do something about it.

See, if Theo hadn’t ghosted him for months because he didn’t have the guts to tell him the truth, Stiles would gladly do something about his not so little problem. He probably would’ve let Theo do whatever he wanted. But Theo did ghost him.

Smiling, Stiles cups Theo’s cheek, wiping the cum off his chin then cleans his thumb on the other boy’s shirt. “I think that’s what people call a ‘you problem’.” He pats his cheek once more before pushing the chimera off. “Have fun.”

For a few seconds, Theo circles through a bunch of emotions from anger to surprise, to something hard to decipher before he eventually settles on a trademark smirk that does not quite reach his eyes. “I’m going to get you back for this,” he promises in a low voice, and the only reason Stiles can hear it is because they’re still standing close.

“I’d like to see you try.” And that’s true, in every sense of the word. Maybe the key to Theo’s attention is making him chase him. If that’s the case, it’s exactly what he’s going to do.

Blowing Theo a kiss, Stiles pushes himself off the display and walks out of the store.

Things just got a whole lot more interesting.