#the way that I'll probably never do an better edit than this one...

[vinnyvamppp]

MasterList ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚

Multi-Fandom Writer Emoji Meanings: Pepper (Smut), Heart (Fluff), Cloud (non-sexual content) Date Created: 4/4/2025 / Guys, 10k notes and 500+ followers in two weeks is insane.

Invincible ☆ﾟ°˖*🛸𓆩⚝𓆪☽︎ Series: To Be Desired (Variant Edition) Part 1, Part 2

Variants of your childhood best friend spawn across the globe, and you find yourself in the crossfire of their previous lovers. What happens when you experience the parallel pleasure they offer? 🌶️

(Mark Grayson Edition): To Be Wanted

He was wrong, he was foolish, and he's here to make up for his mistakes. Of course, you were always the better option, and no one else needs you the way he does. (To Be Desired ABRIDGED) 🌶️ Series: The Replancement (Omni-Man) Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Earth has made him comfortable. Weak, even. His half-human son may never be strong enough to carry the Viltrumite legacy, and his pet or wife is a distraction he can no longer afford. But you offer him a solution: a true heir. 🌶️ ☁️

Mark Grayson (Solo Fics): (Head Game)

He's been distant lately, but he's willing to do anything to make it up to you... He couldn’t resist you, even if he tried. 🌶️

(Friendly Neighborhood Inconvenience)

Mark Grayson, is your biggest inconvenience and friend... whom you also live next to. Super-powered besties...? :) ♥️

(She Threw Me-- Then Kissed Me)

When the shadows of your heritage awaken for the first time in years—responding not to war, but to him—you’re left with one terrifying, exhilarating realization: You didn’t come here to be claimed. But Mark Grayson might just be the first man brave enough to try. 🌶️

(Pretty When You Cry)

He's having relationship issues with Amber, but you're willing to be his distraction... right? His tears are your love language. And he’s fluent. 🌶️

(Survival of The Weakest!)

Since your last mishap, you both enjoy some domestic comfort until Cecil returns with a mission—one that only stirs trouble. "She Threw Me-- Then Kissed Me" continuation! ☁️

(I'll Breed You Into Loyalty)

Lines blur between battle and bedroom, loyalty and lust, love and war. Mark has to face a question worse than betrayal: What if the only person who understands him is the one destined to destroy him? 🌶️

(One More Moan, Baby)

Mark Grayson finally lets you take care of him—in more ways than one. What starts as emotional vulnerability after a tough fight spirals into the kind of intimacy he’s never known when you ride him with patience and love, it pushes him past the edge, into tears, into confession, and into something real.

(No Tongue, Just Vibes)

Mark Grayson’s in love. When the emotional dam finally breaks, he comes to realize love doesn’t have to follow a script. It just has to be honest. Featuring the world’s softest superhero-level compromise. ☁️ ♥️

(Two and a Half Graysons)

You're not officially a parent, but you might as well be. You're not officially married, but everyone seems to think you are. Between shirtless mornings, grocery store tension, and baby carrier missions, the line between “dating Mark” and “co-raising a purple alien infant with Mark” gets blurrier by the day. But it’s fine. You’re emotionally stable. Probably. ☁️ ♥️

Invincible Variant Fics: Lensless Mark/No Goggles (Slap Me Silly)

Synopsis is self-explanatory! 🌶️

Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner (The Psychopath)

When dinner with friends turns into a silent war of tension, touch, and self-control, it becomes clear Mark has zero intention of behaving. From under-the-table teasing that ends in a ruined pair of pants to a post-party bathroom brawl with slaps, spitting, and broken plumbing, you both spiral into a night of explosive mutual destruction.

Sinister Mark (Attention Hungry)

Advisory warning, smut included with mild themes for abuse or toxic relationships.

(Where Saints Are Buried)

To be loved as a lie, or wanted as a weapon— choose. This is not a love story, it’s a recognition. You were born righteous and powerful, but there’s always been a tremble in your hands, an ache to ruin. He sees it— Mark sees all of it. And he’s not afraid. He’s enthralled. ☁️

(Knees Up, Mouth Shut)

Across the stars, two names are whispered with fear: Invincible, a smirking black hole in the shape of a man, and the Daughter of Ares, a war-forged Amazon with thighs that have crushed kings. When a challenge is issued, winner takes control for 24 hours, they both expect victory. Now, pinned back with legs folded to his chest, pride cracking under the weight of her hips, Mark finds himself unraveling with every deep roll and breathless moan. 🌶️

Mohawk Mark + Sinister (Taking Turns)

Synopsis is self-explanatory! 🌶️

(Submitting Two Marks For Review!)

Two Mark variants, both are submissive, and you, the reader, are dominant. Pegging involved. 🌶️

(Not Her, But Mine)

He lost you in his universe. In this one, you’re not her, but that doesn’t matter. You’re still warm. Still tight. Still his. 🌶️ ☁️ Viltrum Mark (Bite Me Back)

He finds himself increasingly overwhelmed by instinctual need and possessiveness—but it’s not just lust that’s consuming him. It’s you. 🌶️

+ Multi-Variaint (Bite Me Back Too)

Each version of Mark Grayson— bratty kings, calculating monsters, broken gods— crave the same thing: your body, your loyalty, your soul. You’re a cure and a weakness they crave to keep. Consume him. 🌶️

Shiesty Mark + Omni-Mark (Double Booked)

You’re the problem that makes them argue, compete, and wreck you just to prove a point. Used, stuffed, and silenced—until you flip the game on them and make them beg to take turns. Who’s really in control? That’s the fun part. 🌶️

Atom Eve: (Atomic Heart)

With Mark gone for five years, and Eve's lips ghosting promises against your skin, you realize... it was time to take his place. 🌶️ ☁️

(Burnout)

Through her heroisms, you and Eve fostered a friendship. Watching the world beat her down through the paper broke your poor little heart... so why not offer the girl some relief for her burnout? 🌶️ ♥️

(She Who Remembers You)

In a fractured world with collapsing timelines and bleeding skies, you finally catch up to her, only to find that she remembers you. Not just your face, but who you were across universes. What you could have been. And what you might still be. 🌶️ 🌧️

(Rex + Eve + Reader, Two's Company, Three's Dangerous)

Three’s not a crowd—it’s foreplay. When Rex and Eve decide to start pulling girls together, they don’t expect you to walk in and flip the game on its head. Now you're all tangled in teasing, tension, and a whole lot of trouble they can't stop chasing. ☁️

Rex Splode/Rex Sloan: (Blow it Up, Babe-- Its Therapy)

Rex decides the best stress relief is blowing stuff up—Rex-style. What starts as a chaotic night of grenades and bad ideas turns unexpectedly soft when he realizes just how much he actually cares about you. ♥️

Drabbles: "Sit, Stay, Counter."

In which you, a mere civilian with either questionable upper body strength or pure audacity, attempt to lift various overpowered Viltrumite men and sit them on the kitchen counter like they’re your pretty little trophy husbands. ☁️

Long-Form Special Requests: Spice & Distruction ☁️ (Oc VS. Variants)

Avatar (The Way of Water)⭒-.⋆🪼⋆.-⭒ Jake Sully (Solo Fics): (Everything But In)

You find yourself bonded to both Jake and Neytiri. As time went on, even the simplest aspects of your personality began to captivate him. It felt wrong, like a transgression against his morals. Yet, you remained there, so... prettily and he came to yearn you just as you did him. 🌶️

Jake Sully + Neytiri (Roll For Me)

In which the camera of the audience captures the erotic gasps in the night between three sweat-glistening bodies in the forests of Pandora. 🌶️

Past Projects (Scrapped Works) Any published prior ↵↵↵↵

Devil May Cry DMC HEADCANONS ⛧☾༺♰༻☽⛧

Synopsis is self-explanatory.

DC COMICS (BatFam so far!) Dick Grayson (Runway Walk)

With twenty minutes to curtain call, a locked dressing room door, and a desk sturdy enough to ruin, you're about to discover there's nothing more dangerous than a man in a suit… especially when you designed it to come off. 🌶️ ♥️

(The Gloves Come Off)

Training with Dick Grayson was always intense, but when a spar spirals into something messier — something needy, and unforgiving, you learn just how well Nightwing reads a body under pressure. In the end, it’s not just your bodies on the line. It’s the way you come undone for each other — breathless and craving more. 🌶️

(Your Name Lives Under My Tongue જ⁀➴ ♡)

You haunt their thoughts like a song stuck on repeat—pulling them closer with every heartbeat, every whispered “come here.” Inspired by Love Me Not by Ravyn Lenae. 🌧️

CastleVania ⛧°。°⛧ ⋆༺♱༻⋆。°⛧ Pending....

Content across this masterlist; some pieces are fem/male-presenting, while others are gender-neutral. You're warmly encouraged to make requests! Whether it's different sexualities, disabilities, neurodivergence, or any other specific representation, you're hoping to see.

[l13]

spiderverse twt links part 2

WARNINGS : NSFW, 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI, f!reader, the links are literally p#rn, proceed at your own risk

CHARACTERS: miguel o'hara, peter b parker, hobie brown, the spot, spider noir, webslinger

miguel

♡ miguel playing with your pussy as he sucks on your tits- getting you ready to take his cock, like the good girl you are<3

♡ this is for that one anon that sent me a hc about miguel getting pissed af if he caught you using one of your toys- ((I SAW IT AND IT WAS AMAZING I'VE WROTE SMTH BUT IT'S BEEN ON MY DRAFTS FOR LIKE A WEEK i can't seem to like it no matter how much i edit it but have this<333)) Miguel who then proceeds to snatch the toy from your grasp, muttering how you can't even come even with that. "S good right? Better than me?" "Noo, never- never better than you- oh please baby-" "That's fucking right."

bonus

♡ miguel punishing you when you arrive home after you talking shit all day- purposefully disagreeing on anything he says- even in mission briefs. makes sure to fuck you stupid just to remind you not to pull that shit again<3 "Acting like such a fucking bitch all day- fuck. Just needed my cock that bad, huh? Say it,"

peter

♡ peter whimpering pathetically once he starts cumming- moaning when you don't stop jerking his cock, and he's thrashing around, hips never stopping their little jumps as he whines prettily "I can't anymore- h please ffuckkkk, I ca-aan't," voice cracking as he sobs for you

♡ pussydrunk!peter that starts fucking you like an absolute madman, literally not able to stop thrusting inside of you even after he's cum two times already, his eyes are hazy, can barely focus on anything but he still grabs you by the hair to pull you against him almost harshly, panting hard as he somehow keeps fucking his cock back inside your drenched pussy

♡ peter laying flush against your back, humping you, thrusting his cock inside you till he's crying with you- whimpering and moaning from the way your pretty pussy feels around his cock

hobie

♡ hobie definitely wakes you up in the middle of the night if he can't sleep- pulls your panties to the side and makes you ride him, watching with a hand behind his head as you bounce your ass on his cock- thrusting his hips up to meet the rolls of your hips as he sighs, "Fuck- think I'll be wakin' you up every God damn night, baby.." "Yeah do it- fuckin' make me cum-"

♡ hobie losing his FUCKING mind when he sees you hold your folds open for him- giving him the perfect view of his cock entering your pussy again and again-

♡ no bccc. NO BECAUSEEEEEEE. tell me why he'd do this. he'd def dry hump you till you're both moaning against each other's mouths before he'd fuck you, refusing to remove his underwear from before- saying he likes looking at them all stained with your juices as you bounce up and down his cock<3

spider noir

♡ tw!!!somno noir loving seeing you wear tights/stockings, and absolutely loses his mind when he sees you laying like that on the couch- skirt bundled up on the floor, you'd probably taken it off right before laying down, and fuck- it's so fucked up that he's doing this but he can't help himself as he takes his cock out, slapping it against your ass two-three times before he starts jerking it, slowly, "So pretty for me honey.. 'nd you don't even know it," "Fuck- sorry- I'm sorry- I can't stop, can't fuckin' stop-"

♡ noir letting you control the pace for once as he leans back, supporting his weight with his palms on the mattress as you bounce your ass on his cock vigorously- and he's grunting, muttering praises, until he gets greedy and grabs you by the hips to thrust inside you with a new-found passion, "Did so well for me, such a good girl- unh-" "I'll fuck you so well, don't you worry-" "Won't be able to fuckin' walk tomorrow, honey."

♡ feel like noir would be used to more 'old fashioned' shit so when he met you, he'd become 10x times more freaky- that includes cumming on your face 🤭 he'd be reluctant at first- "Why waste it? You're tellin' me you don't want it in your pussy, hm?" but then he actually does it one time and becomes OBSESSED, "God fucking- I'm gonna cum-" "Where d'you want it sweetie," "Yeah? Ffuck yes- gonna paint your pretty face with my cum-"

the spot

♡ we've established that spot is a certified pussy eater, even without a mouth he'd find a fucking way- he'd just push your cunt into his face hole, and lap at your pussy greedily- moaning as he did so

♡ tw!! pegging jonathon? OH MY GODDDDDDDD and he's moaning so good for you too<3

♡ spot unable to stop pushing his hips back into your hand as you finger one of his holes- the feeling bringing tears into his eyes as he cries out for you<33

♡ him nearly YELLING when he comes inside you- moaning loudly as he pumps you full of his cum<3

webslinger

♡ tw!! breeding kink "Legs up f'me darlin'.... just like that," thrusts into you relentlessly, head thrown back as he literally cannot handle how good your pussy feels around his cock, and he grunts as he pulls out, jerking his cock, his hand shaking, "Can't cum inside you huh, pretty? Can't get you pregnant- not yet-"

♡ him finally slipping and coming inside you- moaning with his eyes rolled back as he feels your cunt sucking him in- "Ah shit- m sorry darlin' I couldn't hold m'self back.."

♡ him pounding you from the back and then suddenly deciding that he wants to watch you ride him instead- (save a horse, ride a cowboy), absolutely looooves watching your face contort in pleasure, your tits bouncing as you guide yourself up and down his cock<3

[queers-gambit]

Neon Sticky Notes

prompt: ( requested ) reminding your boyfriend you love him one sticky note at a time.

pairing: Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto x female!reader -> pairing: Carmy x Peach

fandom masterlist: FX's The Bear

word count: 2.4k+

note: baby gets what baby wants! God, do i hope this is what you want, my baby...

warnings: probably cursing, Carmy needs a nap, men being simps, this is short and sweet! it's FINALLY edited!!!

You knew he was struggling. Worn-out, beaten down, exhausted, run ragged, amuck, and into the ground.

It was evident in the way he carried himself; the prominent bags under his eyes, the way he tossed and turned in bed before being found on the living room couch in the morning. His hair seemed greasier then usual, his skin turning gaunt and grey, and you knew he wasn't making time to eat.

By comparison, you had a simple job, something corporate and in an office. Something that made decent money; something you were good at, something you could find pride in doing.

However, Carmy's job as a chef was different; being more than stressful, and while coupled together for years now, it was still a work-in-progress each time Carmen started on a new venture. Owning, running, and converting The Beef into something "better" should've been no different, only it was - it was totally different. Carmy was frazzled, looking deranged some evenings, as if operating on adrenaline, and you were at a loss on how to help.

So, you resorted to a natural instinct - communicating.

Carmy needed reassurance, he needed support, he needed to be loved for who he is, exactly how he was, in order to keep his head on straight. You never did mind the challenge that was Carmen Berzatto, finding him akin to a puzzle. So, on your way home from work one evening, you stopped at a CVS to grab a pack of neon, multi-colored sticky notes and a brand new Sharpie marker.

You had an idea.

When you got back to your shared apartment, you unloaded the groceries you needed onto the counters before calling Carmy. "Hey, Peaches," he answered on the third ring, usual kitchen clatter in the background, "everything okay?"

"Yeah, all good."

"Sure? Sound outta breath."

"The elevator's broken, I got groceries," you groaned, "and have been skipping the gym for a couple weeks."

He chuckled, "Never skip leg day, baby, you know it's our house motto."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever - hush. I'm just wondering if you had an ETA for tonight? I have an early morning meeting, so I want to go to sleep early."

"Uh," he trailed, a muffled ruffling sounding over the line before a small clatter that made him sigh, "yeah, um, you know what? I really don't know, baby, I'm sorry. You do your thing and I'll be quiet when I get in, just leave my stuff on the couch."

"No, come to bed," you whined slightly, "I miss you."

"Awh, yeah, miss you, too, Peach. I'll be there," he promised.

You finished putting all groceries away; the dishes following, then you got started on prepping dinner. Look, you were no cook - that was all Carmy. But you weren't totally useless in a kitchen, so, you didn't mind taking over most meals now that Carmy was waist-deep in The Beef's bullshit. You played music as you cooked, poured a glass of wine, danced around, and tried to think of a list of encouraging things to remind Carmy. You ate dinner alone, and when done with clean-up, faced off with your sticky notes and Sharpie.

The first note was scribbled and stuck on the covered plate in the fridge: Bone Apple Teeth, Chef!

Then you wrote a note to leave at the door where Carm was sure to drop his keys: make sure you eat the plate I left you!

Humming, you pondered a moment before smirking and writing a third note to be left on the TV remote: I know you too well. come to bed.

Lastly, you wrote a fourth and final note to be left in the bathroom: great job today, Chef! you're killing it!

You were fast asleep when he got home. He found the note in the key bowl, smirking at your kindness and thoughtfulness. Carmy saw the messily-drawn heart and pocketed the note, toeing off his shoes and entering the kitchen. He reheated the plate you left, pocketed the second note after a silent grin of amusement, and when ready, took his hot food to the couch.

Carmy laughed when he found your third note. He left it on the table as he ate, half-watching the news segment he flipped on. When he was full and his plate clear, Carmy turned the TB off, pocketed your note, set everything in the dishwasher, started it, and then went into the bathroom. Another soft chuckle emitted as he pulled the final note in his hand - and you already know he saved it.

When he got in your shared room, he made sure to leave the notes in a random shoe box, stashing it in his closet, changed for the night, and crawled into bed with you.

This was a regular occurrence now: Carmy came home late to a barrage of sticky notes, saved them all, then crashed in bed with you. You missed each other, but understood scheduling just didn't line up right now. It wasn't like you two never saw one another, you still did - but it wasn't like it was. Time together now felt fleeting, as if you had to savor everything, so you made the most of your situation.

Was it overcompensation? Possibly. But Carmy adored your notes.

Sometimes, you'll be sat in the living room, reading a book, working on your laptop, or scrolling Instagram on your phone, while he cooks and he finds a note left on the milk carton that reads: I am UDDERLY in love with you!

Get it? 'Cause cows have udders? You were pretty proud of that pun.

Other times, he'll be up at an unGodly hour, getting a steamy hot shower, and you'll come in to pee. He doesn't think anything of anything until he gets out of the stall only to see a neon orange sticky note on the counter, saying: i love your butt! lemme pinch it!

Carmy feels himself looking forward to your little surprises. Some were funny and a little vulgar, like the note found on the eggs: fertilize MY eggs!

Some notes were more innocent, like the one he found in his shoe one morning, reading: I'm so proud of you. have a great day today!

Some just said: be home for dinner @ 8! making your fav!

Others were found, saying: you're so fucking handsome. I'm one lucky ducky! You even tried to draw a little duck.

Some notes were motivational: you're doing a GREAT job, baby!

Some notes reminded: you have a dentist appt @ 10!

Some notes were sweet: call me during your break, cutie, i miss your voice!

And others found on the bathroom mirror were playful: you look too good today, go change! A second note added: don't need anyone looking at your fine ass! A third: i'm the only one allowed to look #respectfully

Each and every note had a drawn heart, being saved to a hidden shoebox. He found notes in his usual coffee mug, reminding him you loved him. He found notes on his toothpaste tube, telling him he was doing a great job. Cereal boxes now promised Carmy they were proud of him, pastas told him to have a great day, and the light switches assured reminded him how special he was.

The microwave told him you felt blessed to be his and in his jacket pocket, he was told how lucky you are to love him. Some notes swore to him he was one of a kind, others explicitly detailed what parts of him you wanted in parts of you, and a few reminded him of important dates, appointments, deadlines, anniversaries, birthdays, etc..

Sometimes, he found little treats with these sticky notes. Like when you had to make brownies for your little sister's bake sale, you left him a Tupperware full with a hot pink note, labeled: for the love of my life!

And then... One morning, when you got up for work, Carmy was already gone for his day. You went through your normal routine, entering the kitchen with the intention of making a to-go cup of coffee, only to pause and grin when a neon green sticky note greeted you from the stovetop. Written in messy, fresh, black Sharpie was: got you on my mind. love you, be home @ 6 tonight!

Carmy drew own heart and you beamed at the reciprocation. You didn't mind the distance for now, knowing he was busy and it wouldn't last forever; but the fact that he could reassure you as much as you could him warmed your heart. You felt like the Grinch when his heart grew in size, just without the painful grunting. If anything, you felt euphoric from his little note - thinking it was reassuring to still communicate even when your schedules differed.

The day passed sluggishly - only because you were actually excited to go home. Ironically, your last client of the day didn't leave until a little later than scheduled, so, when you FINALLY got off work and made it home, Carmy had beaten you. When you got through the door, you were met with a heavenly aroma; using Gandalf's advice and following your nose to enter the kitchen.

You sighed dreamily when you came to a halt in the doorway, bottom lip trapped between your teeth to attempt and restrain your ecstatic grin. Carmy was shirtless at the stove, stirring a pasta dish to coat it in the sauce of his choice. "Hi, pretty peach," he beamed at you.

"Oh, I've missed this sight," you squealed, rushing to his side to throw your arms around his neck. "Hi, baby, hi, baby, hi, baby," you chanted between chaste kisses to his cheek.

"Someone missed me," he laughed, cheeks blooming a bright red - but not from the kitchen heat.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in forever, and you know I don't do well alone, I need attention," you teased with a pout, his arm slithering around your waist - but a crinkle noise caught your attention. "Woah, hey. Did you get a new tattoo?" You pondered, looking down at his arm that was protectively bandaged.

He smirked and held his arm out, "Wanna take the plastic off for me?"

"What'd you get?"

"Find out," he whispered, staring at you with his intense baby blue eyes; waiting as you calculated your next move. Slowly, you reached out and unwrapped the protective cling wrap, getting to the gauze, then slowly peeling that from his skin.

"Ohhh, my fucking God," you whispered.

"Like it?"

"Are these... My hearts?"

He nodded, "I got 6 of them from your notes tattooed. 'Cause we've been together six years. Figured, each year, I could add one - but you gotta draw it."

"You're ridiculous," you laughed, in minor disbelief. "What made you do this?"

He eased, "You. I've never felt so confident in my life before, and I know you're a huge part of that. It feels right, being with you feels right and I wanted to show you that I see and appreciate all you do." His tone softened, "I wouldn't be me without you, Peach."

"You'd still be Carmy."

"A totally different Carmy, though," he chuckled. "I actually like who I am with you, baby. But look here, I know it's been real hectic lately, sweet girl, with the restaurant, but it's not gonna be like this forever. We're makin' progress, we're gonna get this settled."

"I know," you assured, "'cause if anyone's gonna get this done, it's you. Just don't forget to breathe every now and then - you're drowning in this stress and I need you to stay afloat, Carm."

"I'm good, Peaches, got you on my team so I can't lose," he eased, tucking you into his chest for an embrace. After a minute and a tight squeeze, he sighed, pecked the crown of your head, then mumbled, "Why don't you go wash up? Dinner's almost ready."

You agreed, stealing one last (prolonged) kiss before scampering off to the bedroom. When you got there, you almost tripped when you came to a halt; laughing loudly as the entire bed was covered in an array of neon colored sticky notes. Until you got closer and realized each note detailed a different reason Carmy loved you; from the way you search for him in your sleep to how you resembled a Gremlin if not fed within certain hours. From how you weren't afraid to dress up for the Renaissance Festival to how you throw blankets in the dryer for 15 minutes before movie nights. In fact, "movie night" was on a single note, being a fond yet routine date. You read each note carefully, tears wanting to build but you refused to let them, yet it was difficult when this was the sweetest gesture you've ever known.

Even things you were insecure about, like dimples or weight or hair color, was highlighted as a reason Carmy loved you. He listed your authenticity, generosity, thoughtfulness, charisma, incredible brain but even bigger heart. He praised your wit, your humor; adored your sneezes, and looked forward to coming home every night because he knew he was coming home to you.

You've never felt so loved before, wondering if this was what Carmy felt each time he found one of your notes.

Movement caught your peripheral, and when you looked up, Carmy was leaning in the doorway of the bedroom; arms crossed and lips pulled in a small smirk. He didn't speak, he just stared at you. You were at a loss for words, opening and closing your mouth twice; holding most of the sticky notes in your hands, but then, you settled on telling him simply, "I love you so fucking much, Carmy."

Dinner might've allegedly burned that night, but so did your love and passion for one another. Even the smallest of gestures can go farther than we anticipate, and showing someone you care could be as simple as leaving them notes around the apartment you cohabitate in, on neon colored Post It's.

Wanna know the cool thing about adult relationships? You get to love your partner out loud; being unapologetic in how you emote, and in return, you're loved by them. Each person deserves to be loved in the way they want to be loved - but you know how fucking great it is when two lovers respond to the same language? What I mean is, it could be considered rare that you, who liked to leave notes, would meet and fall in love with someone who liked to collect and read those notes. Your love language was the same as Carmy's, part of the reason you both worked so well together - but also why one day, he'd add plenty more hand drawn hearts to the collection on his forearm.

requesting rules and masterlist

The Bear masterlist

[ysrjune]

i need a SCOTT/ SAM TWINS X READER ASAP

maybe smth like sam was seen with alyssa and scott was seen with shelby WHILE THEY SLEPT WITH READER (or dating reader) so y/n makes them PAYYYY UPPPPPPPPPP purrrr

or any other twin story cuz i realllyyy need them so badly rn

* GIRL YOU GOTTA SHOW ME ᐟ # 🪻

sorry I put this off so long I wasn't sure how to write it but here it is scrumptious 💋

edit: so I um wrote the first paragraph on Saturday but after the cut, it gets STRAIGHT to the point because im too lazy to think of anything else to say + I feel like a lot of the stuff I write is the same exact thing + I feel bad not getting to this for a week.. IM SORRY

uh this is more about scott cause what I wrote.. WOAH. never written about that before. trying something new. anyway I feel like scott WOULDNT like this but sam would, so he's not the one really being punished yk? PLEASE COMMENT AND LMK WHAT U THINK OF THIS!

"Neither of us is even dating you." Scott scoffs. "I dunno about you," He looks at his brother. "But I'm not gonna let some chick I slept with once, tell me who I can and can't see." The blond rolls his eyes. He was wrong. He was definitely gonna let you boss him around, but you needed to show him that you actually could. Scott is so fucking stubborn all the time it's so annoying. He was even worse than his brother, and that says more than enough. Sam is such a little bitch too.

Scott whines as you slap his cock over and over again. "That hurts!" His voice was high pitched and his eyebrows were knitted together. "Should have thought about the consequences of acting like a brat." She rolls her eyes and slaps it once more—harder than the other times. "I'm sorry I'm sorry," He whimpers. "I'll be good. Just stop slappin' it around like it's some sort of toy." He pants and makes eye contact with Sam.

Sam was holding back a smile. Seeing his brother being put in his place for once was awesome. He wasn't looking at his dick though, that would be really gay and sooo weird. "Should have kept your big louth shut, huh Scotty?" The pasty teen shakes his head. "What. A. Shame."

"Don't think you're not getting it either." She gazes over to Sam.

"What?!" Sam scoffs. "I didn't do anything!"

"You lied to Alyssa. You said you've never done anything with a girl. I'll let you know now.. Alyssa and I are friends."

Sam's heart drops. No way. No way you two are friends. You just.. let him go hook up with your friend? After doing the nastiest things with YOU?

"Thats kind of skankish." He mumbles and tongues his piercing. "What the hell am I getting in trouble for? I didn't know you were friends, you didn't tell me."

"You lied to her about being a virgin. I don't appreciate you lying to my friend."

Sam groaned. He pretended like getting his cock slapped was the worst thing that could ever happen to him because it doesn't feel good! But you both knew he was putting on an act. He's a little freak. He's probably dreamed of getting his dick smacked repeatedly.

While this whole conversation between you and the other twin was going on, you didn't stop torturing the blond. Unlike his brother, he hated this. It hurt so damn bad. Didn't feel good in the slightest way. "please stop. i-i'll stop giving you attitude."

"Liar." She rolls her eyes and smacks his cheek, causing him to whine at the sharp sting. "You're only saying that because you want it to stop. I want you to apologize to me, and you better make it good."

He whined and mouthed off about how this is so stupid and that he'd never apologize to you. He didn't owe you an apology. Does he know he could easily put an end to this? Duh.. but he's letting it happen. Why? He doesn't know. Its definitely not because he likes it. His cheeks were red and his eyes were pouring tears.

So what was the deal? Scott Monroe loves to get put in his place.

"I won't talk b-hhuuh.." He squeezes his eyes shut. "back.. I'll-mmh!!" Scott continues to whine as you hit him. "I won't be a brat anymore, fuck! Just stop. Please stop. You're hurting me." He manages to say without any other cries.

Now, it was Sam's turn.

Scott rested his cheek on your thigh, laying on his side on your bed. His left hand was caressing your knee. Your left hand was caressing his cheek meanwhile your right was slapping Sam's cock.

He hisses, laying back on his elbows, watching how you repeatedly beat him. "Fuck.. that feels great." Freak. He got way too into it.. he tried to take your wrist and fuck into your hand. Well, actually, he did do that.. you let him work himself up. Before he came, you removed your hand and he was pissed.

And unexpectedly, he was able to cum with one more hit to his cock.

"We should do this again sometime." Sam smirks. "Don't you think it's a good idea Scott? Wasn't that so much fun?"

Scott gazes at his brother. "Mm-mm." He hums like a child and hides his face back into your thigh. Honestly, you liked when he got like this. He was gonna be so sweet and touchy the rest of the night.

@bxbyysstuff @anakinstwinklebunny @lovethestarrs @valloos @anisangeldust @xo-yaaaaaasxo @anakinca @dollfilmz @alexlovesysrjune @sockiess @sythethecarrot @speaknow-sw @loveamira @alealuvshayden @mvst4far

[hannahbarberra162]

Under the Microscope, Part 14 (Yan Sabo x Reader)

18+ MDNI | on Ao3

The other parts

TW: light somnophilia

Huge thank you to @tryingandfailingtowrite for editing, beta-ing, and helping me with the smutty scene. Thank you to @sordidmusings, @moldychefboyardeecan and @gouraminnow for beta-ing and leaving your comments and suggestions! Thank you to @kitsunechan707 for the Sabo somno inspo :). I'll leave one more thank you at the end to not spoil a bit.

Sabo didn’t have to look at the clock to know what time it was. The darkness of the sky was just being penetrated by the early grays of the dawn, sunrise still a few hours away. After so many years of being in charge of various flanks of the Revolutionary Army, Sabo had become accustomed to waking up and starting his day before five in the morning. Even when the two of you had been on the island together, he’d maintained his routine and worked for hours before either you or Ace started stirring. He always had so much to do, countless reports to read and letters to write, plans to work on, and missions to oversee. It felt like he never had enough time to finish everything he needed to accomplish. 

But now as he watched as your chest slowly rose and fall, your even breath tickling his skin. He couldn’t find it in himself to move away from you. He knew he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep, but he didn’t want this time to end. As he came to his senses, he realized he was on his back in the bed with you crowding his side, trying to absorb his heat. Your face was pressed against his chest near his beating heart. Sabo brought his flesh hand to rest on your side and put the metal one behind his head. His fingers twitched with the urge to run both of his hands over your body, to feel all the dips and curves under his soft touch. But it was still early and you needed rest. 

 That and Sabo wasn't as forward with you as he was previously. He certainly wanted to kiss you again or have you in his clothes, but given the intensity of recent events, he thought it best to pull back and allow yourself to calibrate to your new normal. To his surprise, his strategy worked. At least for a night. You'd asked him to stay with you and clutched him tight all night long. Yes, you'd asked for Ace first and were really after the warmth of his mera-mera, but he supposed being a sentient heating pad was better than nothing.

Sabo's metal hand ran through his hair, and he winced when one bearing snagged on his hair and pulled a few out. You hadn’t truly grasped what Sabo was telling you with the metal hand, but that was okay. He should have guessed you'd be too distracted by the tech to focus on the meaning behind his example. He wanted you to see that, despite losing his hand, Sabo was still himself. You’d known him as he was for the entire relationship, and finding out he had a metal hand hadn’t changed your perception of him. If anything, it probably endeared him to you a little, given your proclivities. He’d try again later that day to get the example to sink in for you, this time without robotics.

In truth, it broke Sabo’s heart the way you talked about yourself, just like it did when he heard Ace do the same. In that way, you were so similar to Ace, so sure that everyone would discard you at the slightest inconvenience or trouble. That you didn’t have any value to anyone besides what you provided. You’d spoken to Ace about his own issues, but Sabo supposed it was more difficult to apply those same ideas to yourself. 

 Sudden movement from you distracted him from his thoughts. You stirred slightly in your sleep, your brow furrowing as you worried about something in your dreams. A small whimper escaped your lips as your fingers gripped his shirt tightly; whatever you were dreaming about was surely unpleasant. 

Sabo slipped his flesh hand down the neck hole of your shirt to run it up and down your back. He didn’t think you’d mind, you probably would prefer his touch to whatever unpleasantness you were reliving. He kissed the top of your head while bringing his other arm down to hug you tightly. He hoped you weren’t dreaming about the beating you’d taken - he would do anything to have you forget that entirely. Your jaw had been wired shut for weeks, so it wasn’t like he could ask about it, but he suspected you wouldn’t have spoken about it even if you could. Yet another similarity between you and Ace - two people who shoved down their hurt until it erupted at a later time. Maybe he’d try to gently prod and see how you were feeling, he thought as he soothed you. You quieted back down in his arms, your brow smoothing out as your dreams took a more pleasant turn.

But after rubbing your soft skin to calm you in your sleep, Sabo was left with another problem – his raging erection. His flesh hand was still under your shirt and his only option was his robotic hand. He yearned to stroke his cock with you so near but the metal was a much rougher sensation than skin. He could do it, he’d masturbated with it before, but it wasn’t as pleasant. While thinking what to do, Sabo’s fingers traced circles into your back, his aching cock practically throbbing for contact. A near smile graced your lips when you let you a soft sigh, and his decision was made.

Sabo reached for the nightstand at his side and grabbed his glove off the top counter. Sabo used his teeth to pull his glove on with muscle memory while keeping his eyes trained on you, making sure you remained asleep for the duration of his activity. His cock strained against his pants, uncomfortably pushing against the metal zipper. Sabo reached down and unfastened his pants, freeing his weeping cock as it stood rigidly at attention. Before you, the thought of masturbating next to a sleeping woman would have never crossed his mind, but the vision of you peacefully resting on his chest was too much for him to ignore right now. 

His eyes slid closed when he finally wrapped his hand around himself and he imagined it was your hand that fisted the base of his cock.. It was more challenging with the texture of the leather glove, but he’d make do. Sabo slowly stroked the length of his cock, spreading the beads of pre-cum down his shaft with a tight grip. It felt wrong to stroke himself to the thought of you while you slept peacefully next to him, but not enough to stop him. Sabo took care not to wake you as he worked his hand up and down at a measured pace.

 His movements sped up with the thought of your soft skin under his fingertips., His mind conjured more images of you as he pushed himself towards his climax. The way your lips would curve so sweetly when you smiled. What you might look like underneath him when you took his cock. The way your cheeks would hollow when you sucked him off and how you would beg him for his touch. His imagination went further, picturing the tears that would threaten to fall when you pleaded for a reprieve. Your poor pussy overstimulated and dripping as you repeated his name like a prayer as he drove you toward another orgasm. The ring of Sabo, Sabo, Sabo in his ears seemed almost real as his cock twitched and throbbed at the thought. 

He came with a soft grunt, his cum spurting all over his lower stomach. Luckily, he’d been on many missions in close quarters, so making little to no noise while cumming was easy. He was still wearing his clothes which made cleaning up his mess easier. After he ensured none got on you, Sabo gently undid the buttons of his shirt with one hand. Sabo reluctantly rolled you carefully off his chest and onto your side. Slipping out of his button-down, Sabo tossed it on the floor and cuddled up behind you. He yawned just as the rays of the morning sun came up over the horizon. He really should get out of bed and get going. There was so much to do - meetings and notes and plans and calls and-

Sabo yawned again and pulled you closer to his chest, his eyes sliding closed once more.

Your POV

You blinked awake in the same bed that you’d been in for weeks now. But instead of having to turn your head to look out the window, the sunshine was streaming into your room. Oh yeah, Sabo had moved your bed….and was still in it. You felt his warmth at your back; the heat ebbing and flowing with each even breath he took. His arm draped over your middle, and your legs were tangled with his as he twitched slightly in his sleep. His metal hand was in front of you, and now you could inspect it without feeling weird about being watched while you took your time to examine it. 

You slowly picked up his wrist and held the metal contraption as you marveled at the intricate details of its workings. Someone had put a lot of effort and love into Sabo’s prosthetic, even making the plain metal have a filigree style to match his general proclivity towards…frills. It wasn’t a surprise that people loved him; you’d seen the way the RA staff treated him before the battle. Still, you hadn’t thought much about the people Sabo would call his family and friends outside of Ace. 

You were still enraptured by the joint work of the hand when you felt Sabo stir behind you. You dropped his hand and pretended to sleep yourself to ward off any awkward conversations. Sabo yawned but didn’t rub his face on you or pull you closer like he sometimes used to do on the island at night. Instead, he removed his arm and raised them both above his head, grunting as he stretched his limbs. 

“G’morning, Sunny,” Sabo said, smacking his lips a few times and rubbing his chest with his prosthetic hand. His morning voice was rougher and deeper than usual. Now that you thought about it, you didn’t remember waking up with Sabo on the island — he was almost always gone by the time you woke up. 

“Get out, I gotta pee,” you stated with a roll of your eyes, “and why’s your shirt on the ground?” 

Your eyes narrowed as you eyed Sabo. He had never taken off his clothes when you’d slept together before. It seemed odd to wake up to a shirtless Sabo the first time you actually asked him to stay.

“Hm? You kept asking me to be warmer and warmer. Problem was solved when I took off my shirt,” he said with a pleasant smile. One more stretch, and Sabo sat upright in the bed before he swung his legs over to the side. “D’ya need any help to get to the bathroom? I know the nurses helped you walk there for a while. Speaking of -”

“No. Go, Sabo,” you urged, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. In truth, you had needed help walking when your bones were broken, but the nurses had done it without making you feel weak. If Sabo helped you, you might consider turning yourself into the Marines out of sheer humiliation.

There was a knock on the door and it immediately opened to reveal Marco on the other side, your chart in his hands. You hated it when people knocked and didn’t wait for a response before they entered. His smile widened a smidge as his eyes passed between you and Sabo. You wanted to protest that it wasn’t like that to Marco, but it probably wouldn’t have changed his mind anyway. The men had already both annoyed you and the day had barely started.

“Good morning yoi. I see you’re already up — we’re gonna work on some physical therapy and test where you are now that you’re healed-” Marco began before Sabo cut him off.

“In a few minutes, Doc. She needs to-”

“ She can speak for herself. Get out , Sabo,” you said, nudging him with your foot. “Marco I’ll be ready in a few minutes, please leave,” you stated with a sniff.

 You’d never been so direct, always afraid of confrontation or that people would take your words wrong. Now you were bossing around Marco the Phoenix and the Second in Command of the RA like they were errant school children. Marco smiled placidly, unoffended at your statement. 

‘I’ll knock again in 15 minutes-”

“And you’ll wait until I tell you to enter,” you said primly. 

“Of course,” he said, nodding his head at you. Sabo hummed, picked his shirt off the ground, and placed his hat on top of his head. He turned to face you and tried to kiss the top of your head as you dodged him. 

“Be back soon; I’ll go get us breakfast. It’s gonna be a great day,” he said with a bright smile. 

It was not a great day.

In fact, this was one of the most irritating days you could ever remember. It was only beaten out of first place by the time a colleague incorrectly explained to you the concept behind a paper that you authored. Everything was so much more difficult than you remembered — stretching, walking, not bumping into things, judging how far away things were, reading, writing… you were so angry that you wanted to explode everything. Again.

The morning began with Marco leading you through physical therapy exercises due to your deconditioning. He’d healed your body, but your muscles were still weak from weeks of disuse after lying in bed. You were on the floor on a thin mat as Marco stretched your legs, pushing them past what was comfortable. Not only did the stretching cause you discomfort, but Sabo had also invited himself into the room. He threw Marco nasty glances whenever the doctor touched your skin. It was purely professional, but that didn’t stop the dark look that grew on Sabo’s face.. 

For example, Marco was stretching your hamstrings with you. You were laid on your back as Marco took your ankle in his large hand and pushed your leg towards your chest. The groaning of strained metal was audible as Sabo tightened his grip on his pipe. Marco’s patience had finally run out and he kicked Sabo out. 

Not only was the stretching painful but you found that even walking short distances was a challenge for you. Once upon a time, you could walk all day long with no issues, like you had on the island. Now walking up and down the hallway of the ship left you needing rest. Marco kept making you sit down after every pass down the hall. Yes, you needed it, but it was so annoying to sit there while Marco yapped at you about slow and steady progress and muscle retention. After about an hour, you left to go nap in your room before lunch, before he could tell you yet again what admirable progress you’d made.

What really tipped you over the edge was when you and Sabo spent the early afternoon together in his room. You two sat at his desk as he tried to help you rebuild your reading ability. The desk was cluttered with books, letters, and papers, so there was barely any room left for your remedial work. The two of you sat side by side, thighs touching as he went through the basics of phonics with you. You couldn’t even move the desk to get more space from Sabo since it was bolted to the floor, so it wouldn’t move in a storm.

Between your traumatic brain injury and your missing eye, there were several obstacles ahead of you that needed to be solved before you’d be able to be read at the level you were before. Sabo was patient and kind, and you really tried to keep that in mind, but every little comment from him felt like a personal blow. Each one cemented just how behind you were and how much progress you’d have to make before you could be somewhat competent again.

Marco had suggested starting with basic phonics and working your way up to determine where exactly you were with your reading ability. It was a good idea, but after about five minutes, you were ready to be done with the activity. It was humiliating to sit there with Sabo and have him write various letters in combinations and have you sound them all out — and even worse to find out that you couldn’t remember them all. You were a published scientist, allegedly at the top of your field, and you couldn’t predictably tell Sabo what sound “ch” made.

“Wonderful, you’re doing so well, Sunny! Now, what sound does this letter make?” Sabo asked, pointing to a letter on the paper. Your eye had a hard time keeping up with the tasks required and your mind was spinning from all the exertion. You weren’t doing well, you thought bitterly, barely a month previously you’d read through all of Sabo’s textbooks on the island in a matter of days. 

“Sabo, I’m taking a break,” you said, reaching with the heel of your hand to rub at your good eye. Sabo caught your wrist and held it down to the table; a scowl pulled at your lips when he stopped you.

“Let’s just do five more, OK? We’re almost done with two-letter combinations and we can work our way up to three-letter words after your break. Is your eye tired -”

“Yeah, my eye’s tired,” you snapped while using your other hand to rub your eye. Sabo frowned at you.

“Don’t rub, it’s not going to help. If you’re tired, we can do some eye exercises before we move on to practicing depth perception -”

“I don’t want to do eye exercises, ” you hissed at him. You didn’t want to do eye exercises or leg exercises or practice your depth perception or any of the things that you now needed just to be you. You wanted everything to go back to the way it was before, how things used to be for you. Sabo squeezed your hand and gave you a thoughtful look.

“I know you’re having a hard time -”

“Oh, you know, do you Sabo? You know I’m having a hard time?” your voice began to rise as you yanked your hand back from his. Sabo’s eyes widened as he put down the pencil in his hand.

“Sunny, if you’ll let me -”

“If I let you what Sabo? Put me in seastone again?” you yelled, your frustration letting your bottled anger leak out. 

“Sunny, I -”

“No! Shut up , Sabo! You always have an answer for everything, and I’m sick of it! You plan everything in my life, and it’s not fair! I’m not your puppet to move around how you want - I don’t wanna read anymore, I don’t wanna look at letters anymore, I don’t wanna practice my depth perception or stretch or do any of that shit! I DON’T WANT TO DO IT ANYMORE!” you screamed loudly enough to make your voice crack, but it did little to quell the fire that raged in you. There was so much you were angry about, but you couldn't even keep all the thoughts in your mind, which only served to enrage you further. 

With a small roar and all the adrenaline you had in your body, you swept all the books, pens, papers, and notes Sabo had on his desk onto the floor and stomped out of the room.

Sabo’s POV

Sabo sat unmoving in his room as papers wafted all over the floor. He’d never seen you so volatile before, and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Yes, he knew you were still mad about the seastone bracelet, and he did want to talk to you about it, but your explosive reaction was something new. Marco had told him you’d be emotionally labile and perhaps prone to anger but he didn’t think you had it in you to yell at him. 

He liked it.

Sabo wanted you to feel comfortable enough to yell at him, like you did with Ace. He wanted you to feel safe in your ability to rail at him, knowing that he’d never purposefully cause you any harm. Of course, he didn’t like that you were upset but he felt better knowing that he was perhaps becoming another safe space for you. After all, Ace was leaving the next day and you’d need someone else to rely on. Sabo needed that person to be him. 

Even so, Sabo did feel guilty for pushing you so hard with the lessons that day. It had been a long morning spent with Marco in physical therapy, followed by a draining session of learning to read with him. You were uncomfortable during the time you spent in his room, fidgeting and second guessing yourself at every turn. Your missing eye also played into the issues at hand; Sabo remembered his own strain when he had to relearn to do things without his left eye. He knew you were impatient to get back to working order, but it wasn’t going to happen overnight. He’d keep helping you no matter how much you destroyed his room. 

Sabo sighed as he looked at the upturned books on the floor. He knelt as he began picking them up and placing them haphazardly on the desk to be sorted later. Maybe piling them would add more drama for the next time you shoved them off.

Your POV

Your stomping would have been more cathartic if you hadn’t had to take a break on the stairs on your way to the deck. After resting a minute, you regained your strength and made your way to the deck of the ship while trying to avoid bumping into anything. What you really wanted to do was climb into the crow’s nest and stew there, but you weren’t confident in your climbing ability yet. Then Sabo and Ace would freak out and the cycle would start anew. No, for the time being, you went and sat on the floor of one of the Marine lifeboats after removing the covering. You brooded there and errantly rubbed both your eyes—Sabo be damned—when the smell of a campfire drifted towards you. 

“Don’t rub -”

“If you tell me not to do one goddamned thing, I’m pushing you overboard,” you deadpanned to Ace. He chuckled and sat on the floor of the lifeboat facing you. 

“Bad day?” he asked in an amused tone.

“Fuck off,” you replied as tears filled your good eye. 

“Whoa, didn’t mean to - hey, Sunny, I’m sorry,” he said as you wiped your eye again. He was leaning forward with both arms open but you weren’t in the mood right now.

“Don’t touch me,” you said, hugging your arms across yourself. Ace looked crestfallen, but you didn’t care. You wanted to feel bad and sorry for yourself and it wasn’t your problem that he’d come to find you.

“Tell Sabo and Marco I’m fine. Leave me alone,” you said, pulling your knees to your chest.

“They didn’t send me. I felt the bad vibes in the air and wanted to come commiserate. You know I’m always down for a good sulk,” Ace said, tipping his hat up with his finger. You snorted but didn’t smile. Stupid Ace and his stupid jokes that made you feel a little better.

“Are you gonna show me something else to make me mad?” you asked, reaching into your pocket to touch the bounty poster that you kept on your person at all times. Ace frowned and looked up at you, the very picture of a sad puppy.

“No. I’m sorry, Sunny. I didn’t mean to make you so upset. I don’t know why I did that,” he said, inspecting the skin of his arm to avoid eye contact.

“It’s alright. Sabo probably wouldn’t have shown me anyway. I’m glad I know,” you said, looking past him at the sea. The two of you sat in silence for a few moments before Ace couldn’t take it anymore.

“Why’re you out here anyway?” he asked, now fiddling with the medallion on his hat strings.

“I threw all the stuff off Sabo’s desk and yelled at him,” you replied, still staring past Ace.

“Hah! Hell yeah, I’m not the only one in trouble,” Ace said with a grin. You shrugged. You felt a little bad about pushing the books onto the floor - you’d seen some land on their spines and splay open - but you’d go back and apologize later. Maybe. 

“I’m leaving tomorrow,” Ace said apropos of nothing, still fiddling with his hat. 

“Wh - wait, I thought you had a few more days,” you sputtered. The news was unexpected — you knew he’d be leaving shortly but not that soon.

“No, Marco’n me gotta head off to Wano. Gotta help Loof like always. I think he’s gonna try to take down Kaido? Not really sure,” Ace said speculatively. “But I getta see Yamato and Izou either way, so that’ll be good too.”

“Can I come-” you said as soon as the thought popped into your mind. Maybe Ace would let you join him, and you could-

“No. Sunny, you’re not coming with me. It’s too dangerous. You’re staying with Sabo. We talked about this on the island and it’s even more true now. You need someone to protect you, and there’s only a few people strong enough to do it. Me ‘n Marco will be busy and I don’t want you getting kidnapped or hurt. You’re staying with Sabo,” Ace said with finality as he crossed his arms across his chest.

“I don’t have to stay with Sabo, I could go-”

“No,” Ace said, as if he had the final say in everything. 

“You’re not the boss of me, I could go…I could go to the moon!” you said petulantly as you kicked at him weakly. Ace barked out a laugh and moved his legs to avoid your attack.

“Yeah, to the moon. Good one, Sunny.”

“I could! To the man on the moon!” you said firmly, banging your fist on your knee for emphasis.

“Hah! D’ya need me to get Marco? You hit your head again?” Ace asked with a smile.

“No, he’s invited me! Y’know, Eneru?” you said, waving your hand at the sky.

“What are you -”

“ENERU!” you said, now pointing at the moon visible in the late afternoon sky. Ace’s puzzled look had you zooming in on the moon multiple times until you saw a familiar palace.

“What the fuck -” Ace said quietly as you searched for Eneru. You spotted the strange man and zoomed in a little further. He was sitting on his throne, his long earlobes moving on their own in the low gravity of the moon.

“My goddess, what brings you to my domain? Another discussion about plasma?” Eneru asked with an indulgent smile, but you didn’t return it — you weren’t in the mood to smile back. You’d had some interesting conversations with him in the past about electricity, but now wasn’t the time. “Ah, your eye! What have they done to-”

 You didn’t want to hear Eneru’s strange talk about being a god and how you could be his goddess.ou flicked your hand through the magnification to remove it.

“Did-, do-do people know about that guy? That he’s there ? That- but he- why does he look like that?” Ace sputtered, shaking his head in confusion. 

“Dunno. He appeared on the moon one day,” you stated flatly, “Ace, please, can’t I go with you and Marco to Wano? I’ll be good.”

Your eye filled with tears as you pleaded with him again. Ace sat up and extended his arms toward you and this time you did take him up on the offer. You sat between his legs as he wrapped you in a giant hug. You leaned your chin on his freckled shoulder and allowed his warmth to envelop you.

“No, Sunny. You can’t. It’s not about being good or not. You need to learn how to like, walk again, and read again, and do all the things you like. You’re not a fighter and that’s all there’s gonna be there. All I’m good at is fighting, I gotta help Loof-”

“That’s not all you’re good at,” you interrupted, leaning your forehead on his shoulder to sniffle. “You can also eat faster than anyone else,” you said with mock sincerity. Ace laughed and you chuckled into his shoulder. 

“Wait till you meet Luffy, he’s just as bad as I am. Sabo’s the only civilized one of the three of us.” You hummed at the mention of Sabo as your gut churned. The longer you sat there with Ace, the worse you felt about how you’d lashed out at Sabo. It wasn’t his fault you were tired and upset, at least not about the reading and eye exercises. He deserved the bit about the seastone, but the rest was uncalled for and you’d have to apologize. You sighed heavily and laid your head on Ace.

“You wanna know what I do when I’m sad?” Ace asked, rubbing your back.

“What?” you replied, picking up your head.

“I blow stuff up. You wanna blow stuff up with me?” he asked, pushing you back a little to look at your face. You nodded, your eyes locked on his.

“Yeah. I really do.”

Thank you to BubbleBul on Ao3 for the suggestion that Sunny would see Eneru on the moon <3

Taglist: @mfreedomstuff @epochal-oracle @divinedolliebun @rebeccawinters @extremely-ashtridic @sle3pymarimo @violetmatcha

[hopleii]

crawling back to you . . . ꔫ

content: inspired by Do I Wanna Know? - Hozier, mammon x fem!reader, hurt comfort, angst to fluff, breakup themes, getting back together themes, breaking no contact, yearning, alcohol mentions, not proofread, lmk if i missed anything!

a/n: do u guys like the cover i edited? >< lowkey got bored of the boring pink lines so I'll probably make more of those covers (just probably.)

it's been a whole year since you left devildom, which meant a whole year has passed since you and mammon talked. it's not like he cared though, right? the avatar of greed had better things to take care of, better things to desire, and better things to want.

but deep down, he wanted nothing more than to turn back time to that day. the day you left devildom, the day you two gave up on each other. there has not been a single day where mammon hasn't thought about you, going to bars and flirting with different women to ease the pain. it never worked, though. it always ended the same - he starts talking and crying about you, turning off the other girls. his brothers knew how much your departure and your breakup affected him, often picking up mammon from bars and dragging him home, being forced to listen to his slurred babbling as well.

today, he woke up, hungover and nauseated. he missed the way your soft hands brushed through his white hair, how your arms pulled him into a warm embrace, how you would care for him whenever he was hungover like this. mammon groaned as he stood up from his bed, the sunlight streaming through the blinds felt like knives in his eyes. he'd much rather be blinded by your beauty.

lucifer and the others had been on his case for months now, but mammon always brushed them off. he was the avatar of greed, he takes what he wants and gets rid of them when he wants, that's how everyone expected him to act, he was the one who broke up with you after all. but he didn't want to get rid of you. he had worn his heart on his sleeve for you, after all, and look where it got him.

"still sulking?" satan's voice cut through the silence in the dining hall since the others didn't want to speak up

mammon groaned, rubbing his forehead and adjusting his uniform. "ain't none of yer business."

"sure it's not" satan's green eyes softened at mammon's pitiful state, his eyes swollen from crying all night. "you know, this isn't helping anyone---not you, not MC." he didn't respond, pouring himself a glass of water and ignoring the way his hand trembled.

after school, mammon couldn't explain why he did what he did. maybe it was the way his brother kept giving him pitiful looks all week, or maybe the sheer exhaustion of pretending he stopped caring. either way, he found himself in the human world, in your city.

he had no plan—he never did—but he wandered aimlessly, not knowing if he wanted to run into you or if he wanted the universe to throw a bone at him.

and then, like fate, he saw you.

you were standing outside a bakery, paper bag in hand as you looked through the pastries and treats you bought with a soft smile, and it was like he couldn't breathe.

mammon froze, panic bubbling in his chest, what would he even say? what would he even do? but before he could second-guess himself, your eyes locked onto his.

your expression from surprise to something familiar, the look in your eyes that day when the two of you broke up, and mammon's heart clenched. he started walking towards you, as if his legs had a mind of it's own. he could've just walked away, ignored you, go back to devildom, but he couldn't. not after how long his heart yearned for you.

"hey," he said, his voice hoarse.

"hey," you replied, clutching your paper bag tighter.

and suddenly breathing was harder, the air was thicker with unsaid words.

mammon rubbed the back of his neck, his usual bravado nowhere to be found. "i, uh...didn't think i'd run into ya."

"i didn't either," you admitted.

"look, i know i'm the last person ya wanna see right now, but..." he pauses, fists clenching at his sides. "i can't stop thinkin' about ya, okay? it's been a year, and I've tried — believe me, I've tried everything, but i can't. I'm a mess without ya."

"mammon--"

"I know i screwed up," he said quickly, cutting you off. "i know I'm a greedy and selfish bastard and total pain in the ass but...I never stopped lovin' ya. not for a second. and, i know i was the one that ended things, but i was just bein' a coward. i should've made it work, whether you were in devildom or not."

you stared at him, a mix of bitterness and longing. "why, mammon? why now?"

"cause i couldn't stay away anymore," he said, stepping closer. "I get it if ya don't wanna see me again, but i had to try. i had to tell you."

you didn't reply. you wanted to walk away, to ignore him, to act like you didn't care, but he just wouldn't stop. everything he said, it was crushing your resolve.

"do ya ever think of me, pretty? i do. always. even when I'm drunk and stupid, never stopped thinkin' about you."

"i missed you," you whispered.

mammon's eyes widened, "ya did?"

you nodded, tears staining your cheeks. "mhm. everyday."

he didn't hesitate, pulling you into his arms and holding you like his life depended on it. "i ain't lettin' you go," he murmured into your hair.

"never again."

and for the first time in a year, you felt whole.

© — hopleii

[dolli3fication]

BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

Reader x LIN LIE (IRONFIST) Summary : You discover that your classmate, Lin Lie, was the sworn protector of K’un Lun. The IRONFIST ! This is part 1, this is unedited and super rushed, I'll probably edit it when I have the time to. Note: The reader is a fun and silly girl, she's hectic as fuck !!

4.4k words Warning: this is heavily unedited, like it probably doesn't make any sense but hey it is what it is Part 2 here?..(not done)

For the longest you’ve known, Lin Lie, an average heighted asian man who had a seemingly flawless face that framed the most recognisable features on his face perfectly but also sporting an unrelenting poker face, refined physique, was just an ordinary classmate of yours. ..Or so you thought. Since the beginning of college, he didn’t quite belong to your world. You were buried in textbooks and focused on deadlines. Far too consumed in your own ambitions. 

Sure, earlier in the semester, you were paired up with Lie in business class. You thought he was cute, but the two of you interacted little to none. Only cooperating in certain parts of the assessment task. To say the least, you never gave much of a thought to knowing him any better. You noticed that he kept to himself majority of the time, turning up half beat to a lecture. Oddly enough, sometimes disappearing mid-way through the lesson, and it was always coincidentally when danger struck somewhere near. There were instances where he turned up with sweat beading down his forehead, nose flaring while he struggled to catch his breath. Awkwardly dragging himself back to his seat while every pair of eyes set on him. It was a regular occurrence for Lie to restlessly face flat on the lecture table from his usual morning to midday charades, and you felt bad. You slipped a sticky note onto his table. Your number scribbled on it and a small note, offering to do a study session with him. Just in case he needed help with classwork or, you know, saving his Grades. He was really falling behind with all the long term disappearance acts he’s been pulling. That’s the least you could do for him. But Lie, of course, known for his distant manner, never called. Well, at least you tried. ꒰꒰꒰꒰꒰꒰   ʚ・ ୨୧・ ɞ    ꒱꒱꒱꒱꒱꒱ here you were, sitting in a cafe. It was finals season, and wasting time wasn’t an option. Your chin rested on your left palm as you mindlessly scroll through the pdfs that your professor had uploaded. You were following through a scaffold and practicing mock questions as preparation for your business course finals. You spent a solid chunk refining your words, organising your flash cards and ordering your 5th Iced latte. It was the only source of fuel that kept you conscious.

You frowned slightly, your thoughts drifting to Lie. People in your lecture classes would’ve killed to get even a sliver of your attention, yet he couldn’t be bothered to show up. An exasperated sigh left your lips as you glanced down at your table. Laptop open, papers and notes scattered everywhere. It was midday, you’d spent way too much time staring at a screen, and your eyes had started to strain. You never intended to chase the path of perfection. The golden road lined with success and stability. Instead, you pushed yourself for one reason.. survival. With the cost of living rising and inflation climbing higher each year, you chose burnout now over financial struggle later. Better to suffer through midterms today than to face an empty wallet tomorrow. Hell, you won’t be able to afford the sufficient amount to pay the mortgage of your dream home. And as if life wanted to drive that point home, the wind outside suddenly shifted.

Not a breeze , a shove. The cafe door creaked, then burst open with a loud bang, sending napkins and dry leaves tumbling in like it was crashing a party. A thick wave of dust followed, swallowing the front half of the cafe in a gritty haze. Your flashcards took flight and someone in the back yelped as their muffin took flight.

You stared, deadpan.

 As the dust finally settled, you let out a weak cough, swiping your hand in front of your face to shoo away the choking cloud. When the air cleared, the scene outside took a darker turn. Figures…shadowed and hulkling, loomed around the debris. Before you could even process it, the mist parted, and from its depths emerged creatures with twisted forms, low growls vibrating through the air. You stood there for god knows how long, still processing the situation before you. Then it clicked.

You were cooked. Real cooked. One of the hideous creatures dropped to all fours, and out of every customer, it was charging straight at you. “WHAT THE FUUUCK?!-”Time had paused, and you had 3 options in mind. A. Grab all your valuables then sprint. still salvageable... unless I die before the deadline. B. Run and leave everything behind. Well.. You ignored option B. you would rather die than fail. Or. C. Pause, stare at the disaster, then scream internally as you realise you have no idea how to survive this. ..you resorted to the worst option outside of those 3. Others ran, but you did the unthinkable. In the span of 5 nanoseconds, your body moved before your brain could process it. With adrenaline pumping through you, you grabbed your laptop and hurled it straight at the creature. It hit with a sickening thud, and, unsurprisingly, did jack shit. The creature stopped, just inches away, and stared at you. caught between panic and pure disbelief. “My..bad? hahah..”  you let out a nervous chuckle.

That wasn’t the plan. but it definitely bought you time for a wake up call. Its beady green eyes locked onto you, confusion flickering across its face as you slowly and awkwardly took a cautious step back, gripping your laptop like some kind of shield, a fake, nervous grin plastered on your face. The creature didn’t seem impressed. Its gaze hardened, and you knew right then, it was time for you to dip. You turned toward the open entrance and bolted, not daring to look back. Your breathing was ragged, your chest tight, you were terrified. Leaping over chunks of debris and stumbling every few steps, you somehow kept going, feeling like a damn all-star track star. You’d never run a marathon in your life, and honestly? You didn’t think you had it in you to run this fast. Okay! So….you managed to make yourself dinner. “FUKC FUCKUFCUKC FUCK, FUCK FUCK FYUCK FUCK-” You kept repeating the same words in your head like a broken record, brain spiraling as your legs kept moving on autopilot. You sprinted past your local bakery, your old tutoring spot where you used to wrangle elementary kids, and dashed right through the middle of someone’s makeout session. Even made another three laps around the same street your first boyfriend dumped you on as the growls behind you grew louder, joined by the unmistakable army of thundering feet pounding the ground. ꒰꒰꒰꒰꒰꒰   ʚ・ ୨୧・ ɞ    ꒱꒱꒱꒱꒱꒱

Luckily, you managed to outrun a pack of blood thirsty demons and stumbled across a dead silent alleyway. You definitely earned a six pack. you could feel it, tight, trembling, and probably gone in five minutes. Your palms were sweaty, but they managed to hold a firm grip on the metal device. You managed to grab at least the most important thing for your exam, and somehow, it was left unscathed by the debris. 

And YESSSS ! You were praising the lord from above. You planned to study a little more of the content once it was safe to say, or , after all of this was over. You always figured something weird would happen eventually in the city, it was the centre point of disasters. heroes crashing through buildings, weird creatures showing up, temporal energy disturbance,  the usual bullshit. But did it really have to happen right before finals? You were starting to think the bad karma from cheating on your first exams was finally catching up to you. You lay against the cold wall, slumping down onto the dirty pavement. Your legs felt like jelly, still rattled from the mess you somehow outran. Your nose flared as you fought to steady your breath, but it felt like a weight was crushing your chest. After the explosion, you’d inhaled way too much dust, and then, of course, you ran five laps around the city for good measure. A violent cough escaped you, the world around you overstimulated, like everything was too much at once. You were so confident that you were safe, up until this agitating snarl bestows upon your ears. Oh. Oh! One of those fuckers caught up. Your body was still laying against the wall restlessly while your head slowly twisted to the direction of your demise. Your eyes twitched, grip tightening around the cold metal. You tried to push yourself up, but your body wasn’t having it, you hadn’t even caught your breath from that running spree. Your jeans dragged against the filthy pavement as you scrambled to crawl away, hands rowing you backwards with little success.

But your eyes stayed locked.

Locked on those bright green ones. Your mouth hung open as your breathing quickened, you were shaking. The adrenaline had finally worn off, and now the fear really hit. You tried to push yourself away, but your body wouldn’t budge. Fingernails scraped against the pavement, the constant friction making them feel sharper, raw, like even your fingers were desperate to escape. There was truly no way out. So you had one big move… Talking it out! It was stupid, but worth the shot, but you were truly in a position with no other option than executing an experimental idea. “H-hey! You understand a little bit of English, right? o-or..no…..” You tripped over your words, heart pounding like a drumline in your ears.

You hoped, you begged that the creature had even a shred of understanding. The creature blinked a few times. “I’m going to assume that blink was yes in morse code..” you mumbled to yourself “I mean, look, I can’t be the best meal here, right??..” You inhaled then exhaled. Then, you started talking. “There’s this super meaty guy in my lecture class you would definitely buss down- ” (You were referring to Lin lie) It roared at you. Loud and final. Before you could even finish, the creature lunged at you. Your heart skipped a beat. “JUSTHEARMEOUTOKAYPELASEEPE-.  ” You shut your eyes tight, bracing for the worst. Its warm breath hovered disgustingly close to your face… It truly was the end, you were NOT reaching your final form as a super doctor lawyer you urged yourself to be. Until. SHRRK. With a heavy golden hit, the creature flew across the alleyway. HALLELUJAH YOU WERE SAVED! By a hot guy?... ꒰꒰꒰꒰꒰꒰   ʚ・ ୨୧・ ɞ    ꒱꒱꒱꒱꒱꒱ You cracked open one eye to see a glowing fist, burning with victory. Then, your gaze slid down to the smooth, sculpted muscles. The hero before you stood tall and confident, radiating an intimidating aura. His suit, professionally crafted and rich in green and gold, shimmered with a dragon symbol embedded across his chest. It was tailored perfectly to his ripped form. He stood there, fist blazing in gold.

Without a word, the masked hero turned toward the creature, which screeched in fury.

In the blink of an eye, he grabbed it by the chin, slamming its face into the pavement. It disintegrated into nothing but red dust. He turned to you, a faint flinch passing over him. His yellow mask creased along the brow, as if he knew you. You could barely notice the flinch, your mind was too busy short-circuiting at the fact that the immortal Ironfist was standing right in front of you. He paused, eyes narrowing slightly behind the mask. "Not many survive a run-in with those things. You got a name, or should I just call you 'lucky'?" You shook your head, clearly mortified by how ridiculous the whole situation had turned out. “Look…this was clearly not on my schedule OKAY?!.” Ironfist raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth quirking up in an almost amused smirk. “Well, you’re still breathing, so I’d say you’re doing better than most.” You’d always imagined meeting a big shot hero in your life, but of course, it had to happen at the most embarrassing moment possible. You cringed, replaying all the ridiculous stunts you’d pulled just to survive, fully aware he’d probably seen every awkward move. You let out a shaky breath, attempting to stand a little taller despite the situation. “hahaHAHah,,Yeah, well... breathing's a start.” It was obvious you were shaky, and the last thing you needed was to trip over your own feet in front of him. You’d seen the old Ironfist in action, but HIM? He was something else. You’d heard whispers of the current Ironfist’s feats, but nothing prepared you for the reality. And DAMMN, you were technically standing before a Greek god. Your hand pressed against the wall, the only thing keeping you from crumpling to the ground. You were still shaken, your body a mess of nerves, and for some reason, you were still clutching your laptop like it held the key to your survival. A wince tugged at your face as discomfort set in, your fingers digging into your own skin, a nervous habit you couldn't shake. "Hey, easy there. You’re safe now, alright?" He stepped forward, offering a steady hand, his voice low but reassuring. "You did good." He laid a hand on your back to keep you from falling, your body still tense, but in his touch… something shifted, and you felt yourself begin to melt. You were cushioned in his arms, awkwardly but comfortably laying in them. He shifted you a little, swiftly carrying you with ease in his arms.His arms felt like stone, and,LORD HAVE MERCYYY you couldn’t help but let out a shaky breath, your lips trembling as a flush of heat spread across your face. "You know, I don’t usually make it a habit to carry people around like this," he said with a small chuckle. "But, it’s a nice change from dragging them.." Was he indicating you to be the first? Oh yes he was… Lin li- Ironfist, saw you up close. He felt your heartbeat against his chest, soft and fast. You could only laugh, quickly darting your eyes away from his gaze. "Well... uhmmm, I’ve technically never been held like this before… so, I guess that cancels it out!"

A goofy smile tugged at your lips, and no matter how hard you tried, the fangirl inside you couldn’t be kept under control. god, you felt your heart being toyed. You squeaked as you felt his breath inch closer. You kept your hands firmly to yourself. Heat rushed to your face, you hadn’t meant to react like this. You stayed silent, eyes shut tight. No… this was way too close for comfort. Especially with someone as ridiculously built as him.

“You alright?” he asked, still carrying you with zero effort as the sounds of the chaos faded behind. “You’re kinda... making faces.”

“WOO… is it me or..haha…hHAGSH - it’s getting hot in here?” you blurted, blinking wildly as your brain failed to regulate literally anything.

He glanced down at you. “Pretty sure the fire’s a few blocks back.”

“Right, yeah, no, I meant like..like body heat! Not weird heat. Not your body heat. Not that you're weird..oh my god, I’m gonna stop talking.”

“…Are you sure you didn’t inhale something?”

“I inhaled like... microfibres of… uh… dust… but- I DON'T KNOW OKAY?!” you exploded, throwing your head back dramatically in his arms.

He huffed a laugh, “You’re definitely not injured. Delirious, maybe.”

You peeked through your fingers. “This isn’t even my final form. I get worse under pressure.”

“Great,” he said dryly, but his smirk gave him away. “Can’t wait.” The two of you were deep in the alley, and he cleared his throat, shifting his stance to stabilize himself. His bandaged fingers tightened their grip on you. 

“Hey, doll,” he said, his voice steady, “mind holding on tight?” …. ..DOLL??

“Huh? HUAH???” you blurted, eyes wide in surprise.

Without waiting for a response, he leaped up the wall, his movements fluid as he carried you effortlessly to the top of the rooftop. He leaped from one roof to another, and you had a clear view of the city below. But you could barely focus on it - your stomach was dropping, your screams drowned out by the rush of the wind. Your hair whipped violently around you, exposing every bit of fear etched on your face. “OHSHOSHIST OH SHIT OHSHIT OH SHIT!” you screamed, kicking your legs like it would somehow slow gravity down.

Ironfist didn’t even flinch as he soared over another gap. “You always this dramatic or is this a special occasion?”

“THIS IS ME BEING REALISTIC!” you shrieked as a pigeon flew past your face like a missile. “WE’RE IN THE AIR, THERE ARE NO SEATBELTS, I AM NOT OKAY!”

“Well, technically, I’m your seatbelt,” he said, while aiming for the next rooftop. “So… click.”

“THAT’S NOT HOW SEATBELTS WORK!!.” For a moment, he stayed quiet. Poor guy, doing his duty as the protector of Ku’n Lun and New York, while you screamed your heart out into his chest. An idea sparked up. He spared you a glance mid-jump. “So, uh... what’s your favorite food?”

“WH- WHAT?!” you yelled, confused by the sudden switch.

“You heard me. What’s it gonna be? Pizza? Ramen?”

“I- I- SUSHI??”

“Hm.” he nodded approvingly, twisting mid-air before landing again with a graceful thud. “You look like a spicy tuna kinda girl.” “NOILIKESMOKEDSALMONBETTER- UAGSJ OH MY GOD!” you yelled, but despite yourself, you couldn't help but notice that his voice had actually calmed your nerves a little. ꒰꒰꒰꒰꒰꒰   ʚ・ ୨୧・ ɞ    ꒱꒱꒱꒱꒱꒱ Another leap down to the ground- this one was longer. You could barely scream, too overwhelmed by the rush of adrenaline and fear. Your face was buried against his chest, hands clutching the golden dragon emblem on his armor like it was the only thing keeping you grounded. He landed safely, the soles of his boots crunching against the broken pavement. The force of the drop vibrated up through your legs, but you were still buried in his chest, hands clenched tightly around the golden dragon emblem on his suit.

“Uuhham… it’s over, right?” you mumbled, your voice muffled against him.

Iron fist tilted his head slightly, glancing down at you with a hint of amusement in his eyes. “You tell me.”

You didn’t answer right away. Mostly because you weren’t sure if you were. Or if you’d ever breathe normally again after that kind of trauma-powered cardio.

“I think my soul left my body somewhere up there,” you murmured, your face still smushed into his chest.

Ironfist spotted his team. Several members of the agents of atlas  had already set up evacuation routes, ushering civilians from the burning buildings. Luna Snow was creating ice slides to help people escape more quickly, while Shang-Chi carried multiple people to safety. Meanwhile, White Fox moved through the area, her senses alert for any survivors still trapped. Ironfist, smiled awkwardly, you were still digged into his chest, so he slightly moved your head up with his stone hands. Ironfist..no,,lie smiled awkwardly. You were still buried against his chest, so with one gentle motion, he lifted your chin up slightly with his bandaged, stone-like fingers.

“Thought you needed a proper breather,” he said, his voice low, with just the faintest curve of a grin. You blinked at him like your brain had gone completely offline. Wide-eyed. Silent. Mouth slightly open. You were trying to form words, really, but all that came out was a soft, breathy noise somewhere between awe and disbelief.

It made him huff a small laugh, but even he seemed caught in the quiet tension that lingered between you both. He was close. Way too close. And despite the chaos still buzzing in the background,burning buildings, scattered debris, distant yelling, this moment felt... weirdly still.

“You good?” he asked after a beat, voice softer now.

You nodded slowly. “Y-yeah. Just, uh. also,your hands are really heavy….”

His mask raised a brow. “They’re reinforced with Chi.”

“Oh. Right. That makes sense,” you said quickly, eyes flicking everywhere but his face. “You know, for punching… things.”

A pause. “And walls,” you added. Another pause. “And definitely not people’s faces.” He gave you a dry look. “Definitely people’s faces.” Another beat passed. You laughed- too loud, too sudden. “HAHAHh..uhh…yes…haha… yeah, still definitely… like, um… weapon-grade.”

You nodded quickly, words spilling out. “I mean..well- they’d be, like, WHEWW, really good for… y’know… manhandling- ”

Silence.

You blinked. “I-I mean- not like that! I meant like, in a fighting way! Like… like holding people down- NO, WAIT- like criminals! Bad guys! Not, like, in a weird way- oh my god what am I saying.”

He stared.

You stared.

The air was suffocating. And then- he laughed.

Not a snort, not a quiet exhale, not the dry huff he’d been giving you before. A real, full laugh. Warm, rich, and completely unexpected. His head tilted back slightly as the sound came out, raw and genuine, cutting straight through the tension like sunlight breaking through thick smoke.

You froze.

Oh no...

Oh no.

He was laughing.

At you. Because of you. Or maybe just near you. But it was happening and your brain short-circuited immediately.

“I-I didn’t mean manhandle in, like, a weird way!” you insisted, hands flailing. “You just have really strong hands and I panicked and I- STOP LAUGHIGNGNGN!!”

He was doubled over slightly now, one hand on his knee, the other bracing himself against a crumbling wall. His mask couldn’t hide it anymore, you could hear the joy in his voice, the rare, honest kind of laugh that only slipped out when your guard was down.

Eventually, he straightened, still grinning . “God,” he said, voice breathless, “you're so weird.” You were weird, hopelessly, embarrassingly head over heels for him. So instead, you stared down at your shoes, muttering half-hearted curses under your breath, right up until his teammates shouted for him across the rubble. “You good to walk?” he asked, turning his body to Luna’s direction.

You hesitated. “Yeah. I think my legs got the memo.”

He gave a small nod, almost reluctant, and took a step back. “Stick with the evac crowd. You’re not exactly subtle.”

You stared at him for a moment before he headed to Luna’s direction, then let out a slow breath.

“…Stay safe?” you echoed under your breath. Your heart pounded with something you didn’t quite understand. ꒰꒰꒰꒰꒰꒰   ʚ・ ୨୧・ ɞ    ꒱꒱꒱꒱꒱꒱ He left you with the rest of the survivors while he attended to other matters. You were left in awe, overwhelmed by the experience. It was something you’d never forget, standing among the survivors, you spotted a few of your classmates. Surprisingly, most of them had made it out, considering many had been in the same cafe as you.

You returned to your college dorm, laptop still in hand. You set it down and collapsed onto the soft duvet, your body sinking into the comfort. With your hands stretched out, you stared at the ceiling, your mind racing, processing everything that had happened. You couldn’t stop overanalysing it all. how everything unfolded, how he had been there. You were starstruck, baffled, and his figure was burned into your memory. You could still trace it perfectly, every detail from the moment you were in his arms.. For a few days, your campus was lucky enough to stay mostly safe from the falling debris, so students were advised to stay inside. You spent most of the time rewriting your notes onto flashcards, feeling a small sense of accomplishment. 

But no matter how much you tried to focus, your mind kept drifting back to him. His arms had been pressed into yours, solid and reassuring. They were rough, yet somehow comforting, a strange sort of warmth. It wasn’t much, but it was rare- one of the few moments you could say you’d earned, and it lingered in your thoughts longer than you’d expected. You sighed, resting your head on the campus cafeteria table. Well, damn. Back to your usual routine. But today, you were a lot more distracted, tapping your pen absentmindedly. You found yourself doodling him in a small chibi style on your notes- your mind clearly somewhere else. You chuckled quietly to yourself, glancing at the little scribbles. Yeah, you probably looked crazy, but you couldn’t help it. Your headphones were plugged in, and you hardly noticed anything around you—until you felt a soft tap on your shoulder and a looming shadow overhead.

You raised an eyebrow, looking up at him. "Lie?"

He froze for a second, like he wasn’t sure if you’d recognize him. Then, he gave a small smile and shrugged, clearly a little unsure of himself. "Hey," he said, setting the crumpled plastic bag on the table. "Uh, sorry about the past few dayss. Things got... hectic."

You glanced down at the bag, then back at him. "Hectic? You don't say," you replied, not bothering to hide the sarcasm. "You’ve been kind of MIA." You frown.

He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, uh... been dealing with some stuff." He quickly changed the subject, trying to ease the awkwardness. "Anyway, I got you sushi. Thought you might be hungry." Lie set the bag down on the ground and turned to face you, his smile a little cheeky but with a hint of nervousness in his eyes.

"You still willing to lend me a hand with the upcoming exam?" he asked, his voice light but unsure.

You raised an eyebrow, leaning back in your chair. "Well..." You dragged the word out, giving him a teasing look. "Don’t ghost me this time, kay?"

Lie’s eyes widened for a second, then he let out a short laugh, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I swear, no ghosting," he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I’ll be here, on time, all the way through. Promise." You might’ve flinched a little. That laugh, too familiar, the one you still couldn’t quite shake off.

You quickly pushed the thought away.Lie, oblivious, was still smiling. "So," he said, leaning in slightly, "what’s the verdict, teach?"

Something clicked..or you were going crazy…

Lie smiled directly at you, after all. Beneath the table, his hand flickered with gold specks. knowing that maybe, just maybe, things didn’t have to make sense to feel right.

Maybe he wasn’t your average guy at all..

[georgeclarkesgf]

Please can we get some george fluff/smut??

of course, sorry it's taken so long <3

work was killing you. the hours, the workload, it was all becoming too much and you felt like you hadn't seen george in weeks. so when you got to his apartment and kicked off your shoes, appreciating the feeling of carpet under your feet, you knew you just needed george.

it was unusually quiet, the sound of laughter and the boy's voices being absent. instead, you were met with an empty kitchen and living room, so you headed to his room, figuring he'd probably be at his desk editing.

which is exactly where he was.

"george?" you said softly, catching his attention as he turned his head, taking off his headphones.

"hey, how was work?" the question was simple enough, but it made you want to cry.

"it was awful george. it was such a long day. i just wanted to come and see you. missed you so much." tears were threatening to fall and george was quick to stand up and wrap his arms protectively around you, kissing the top of your head.

"i'm sorry you had such a bad day darling, can i do anything to make it better?" george asked, deciding to leave the editing until tomorrow and focus completely on you.

"i'm gonna go shower. join me?" you replied, and by your tone of voice and the tiredness evident on your face, he knew it wouldn't be that kind of shower, but he didn't care.

"of course, i'll wash your hair if you want?" george suggested.

giving him a nod in response and a quick peck on his lips, you made your way to his bathroom and started the shower, the hot water instantly relaxing your muscles as soon as you got in.

george joined a few minutes later, pulling you into him and letting you rest your weight against him while he ran his fingers up and down your back. the silence between you both was more than welcomed, a stark contrast to the constant noise and arguments you'd dealt with all day.

"you okay?" he whispered when you rested your chin on his chest, staring up him with a soft smile on your lips.

"thank you," george furrowed his brows in confusion, not knowing what you were thanking him for, "thank you for always knowing what to say to make me feel better and dropping whatever you're doing to make sure i'm okay. i really don't deserve you. i love you."

the way those last three words slipped off your tongue so easily made george's heartbeat speed up.

the ones he'd never felt the need to say to anyone other than his family and close friends.

the ones that neither of you had said to each other yet.

the ones that he'd wanted to tell you for so long.

"george?"

he hummed in acknowledgment as he stared back at you, needing to process your words.

"if you don't want to say it back yet that's fine. i don't want you to say it just because i did. but i wanted you to know that i do. i love you." you grew nervous from his silence, going to unwrap your arms from around him and get on with your shower, but he only tightened his arms around you and captured your lips in a kiss.

"you have no idea how long i've wanted to tell you that i love you y/n." he said as he swore to himself he was never going to forget this moment, smile never once leaving his face.

relief flooded over you, your nerves disappearing as you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding.

"why didn't you?"

"i was scared," george admitted, "it sounds stupid i know. but i think it's because i've not been in a serious enough relationship where i felt the need to tell someone i love them. with you i felt something was different. and i was right. i love you."

"i love you too george clarke."

a/n hope you enjoyed this! i went with fluff cause i'm hopefully going to post some smut in the next few days <3 (i didn't really know how to end this, sorryyyy)

[moonstruckdraws]

Hephaestus & Algaea

Trust is not given, it's forged.

Ver. 2

ver. 1

Look at thaaaaat another God on my list. Of course I had to do another Goddess though cause they're too fun to make- So I made his wife (who I didn't know was his wife until a while ago) Algaea, one of the Charities/Kharities!

Before I start to spew nonsense and act like I know what I'm doing with these designs, I must give mention to @superscrub323 because of their help. I would not have the ideas of what to do with Hephaestus (and ESPECIALLY Algaea) if now for their assistance, so I take no credit in the rambling I will be doing in this post, except for a few things. Thank you again, I really appreciate it. :]

Now to rambling (edit: this is quite a long one, sorry):

His clothes are the most.. different out of everyone else with one of his sacred animals just plastered on it instead of incorporating it in a more creative way, but honestly I was so frustrated making his design.. He's the most likely to get changed for better detail (like on his belt I just blanked and moved on until adding that heart lock, but I'll get to that). Same for his prosthetic leg. I just had to get something down on the canvas or else I'd be stuck. But I'll be redoing that too to be better.

For starters, if you're wondering why he ain't in an apron or any blacksmithing attire it's because I like to think Hephaestus is so comfortable and used to forging that he wouldn't see a need to change. If he gets the job done, does it matter what he wears? (my real answer is because I didn't want to because I had.. like no inspiration to-) He gets his clothes dirty and covered in dust, so I imagine Algaea making him promise to wear an apron more often. He will probably have goggles in the future too, but right now he doesn't.

Giving him an arm made of magma and rock was not my idea, but it is such a sick idea. I'm not surprised to see others take the same approach because honestly it's incredibly cool. Hephaestus is described as lame because of his leg(s) or apparently his face (???), which the latter I never understood when younger. Idk if that's a newer thing or not, but it just didn't make sense to me, and still kinda doesn't. When asked if I wanted to go with the prosthetic or an ugly face, I went with the prior because I didn't want to do anything to his face, but ended up making half of his face magma so- I interpret it as, after being thrown off Olympus, he lands on his face so hard it breaks (do the gods have bones..??) his skull. That gets hardened & fixed by magma, while the surface skin remains just plain magma (idk how it stays in okay-). His other leg being made of magma and rock was another idea I thought of, and saw when looking for refs, so I thought it'd be cool to have that with his arm.

Gave him a beard. Plan was to have him be bald, but stars, I am a sucker for a man bun so he has that now- also told that since he likes to make jewelry, I should deck him out in it. Obviously he is not decked out in it- again, no ideas in my brain, and with all the magma, he was getting cluttered as it was. And jeez this is going on long- why does he and Algaea have the most symbolism rn?-

Moving onto Algaea, the youngest Kharities out of the three, which I never remember for the life of me, I always think she's the oldest. Probably because alphabetically.. Anyway, I was suggested to give her a fuller body and make her have accent purple. Also was suggested to give her blonde hair in a braid, but I went for ombre instead as I imaged her hair to be brown. Why not mix the two? I also wanted her hair to be up in a bun (higher up than Hera and Athena's) and added braids in that.

Also side headcanon that I plan to give all the Kharities (those outside of the main three as well) flowers on the side of their heads (because Antheia has em, so I thought why not)

However the flowers she and her two sisters are going to have are poppies of different colors, and be part antelope. The Kharities (at least when I tried looking, but I also could've not looked hard enough) had no sacred animal or plant that I could find, so I got creative.. anemones, or Poppies, are sacred flowers to Aphrodite (due to the whole Adonis thing), so I'm giving it to the three Kharities just by that association. And I added the antelope because it symbolizes grace & beauty, just like they do. Because Algaea is the youngest, I gave her the shortest horns (and plan for Euphrosyne to have those boomerang-shaped horns & Thalia to have the spiral ones). She has three heart clips on her person as an attendant to Aphrodite & being the third daughter. And she's in jewelry of course, though the patterns on her clothes will likely change to be better.

Final thing: the heart lock & key. I wanted to add something to Algaea, and an open spot was her neck, so I was going to give her a necklace with a key on it. But I went to look up how keys looked in Ancient Greece, and well, it's too big to be a neckpiece lol, but I did find images of Roman keys and decided to use that. Problem was, I didn't like how it looked, so I moved it. To her bracelet. Originally in its place was a donkey, but I put the key there and thought it would be cool if the key was like a spare key to Hephaestus's forge. It's tucked into the bracelet and no one would be the wiser (good on you Hephaestus). And I gave him a heart lock because, c'mon- (I needed to fill the space on his belt it's so gosh darn bland I can'tttttt! I want to fix it so bad but I'm so OVER HIM RIGHT NOW) whatever I'll get to it.

oh also he cools down his magma so he doesn't burn her. okay that's it-

[sunsets12]

could you talk a bit more about the poem from the most recent chapter??

so beautiful!

I'm assuming this is Finnick's poem and not the song at the end of part 4 (if you are asking about the song at the end, honestly the genius page can probably explain it better than me)

Finnick's poem is an edited excerpt from Doll Parts by Hole. The lead singer of Hole was interested in Kurt Cobain and wrote this song about "her insecurity that someone as wonderful to her as him could be interested in her" (via Genius) , but I'll dissect it from Finnick's POV:

I am doll eyes, doll mouth, doll legs

I am doll arms, big veins, dog bait

These lines are about how he feels dehumanized by the Capitol, and how they use him as a doll essentially (both to play with and a sex doll). Big veins is a reference to heroin use, and while Finnick (in my fic) has never used heroin, it is a reference to how a lot of Victors turn to various substances to get through the day.

"Dog bait" again refers to the dehumanization of district citizens, and can be seen as an almost literal reference towards mutts in the arena or more metaphorical reference to how district citizens are thrown out and abused for whatever the Capitol needs.

Side note: "Dog bait," is actually "dog beg" in the original song, but it looks like Hole changed it to "dog bait" in their Peel Session. Idk, I've always heard the line as dog bait, and like that better, so I used that.

They really want you, they really do

They really want you, and I do too

And this is where we can see Percy come into play. Percy is an infamous Victor, both very attractive, unattainable, and a brutal and highly skilled fighter. Almost seeming inhuman in his capabilities. "They" in the first line refers to the Capitol, so by saying "and I do too," Finnick is almost equating himself to them in a derogatory way. We'll see this a bit more in the Finnick fic, but he has a LOT of self-esteem problems, especially when it comes to romantic relationships. He doesn't see himself as being worthy of Percy because of the abuse and exploitation he's suffered at the hands of the Capitol. He views Percy as too good for him.

I want to be the one with the most cake

Once again, this line hits at how he wants to love Percy and be with him, but he feels like he doesn't deserve it. It also eludes to "you can't have your cake and eat it too" so even though he's *technically* with Percy, they can't really be together openly because of the Capitol.

I love him so much, it just turns to rage

He loves Percy, and it's frustrating because they can't openly be together/he doesn't feel like he can fully give himself to Percy

I fake it so true I am beyond fake

Finnick is pretty much constantly wearing a mask (with minor exceptions when he's only around other Victors), so this goes back to him constantly feeling like he's not a real person/is a doll

Someday you will ache like I ache

He wants the Capitol to suffer. He wants retribution, even if he doesn't think it will actually happen

[effietrinket1619]

the tiktok war: jessica cruz

i have no self control.

a continuation of this, inspired by this. part three

Bruce found Jessica Cruz a couple of hours after his failed confrontation with Jordan. She was sat at one of the long benches they used to eat communally, smiling into a mug of something steaming as she talked quietly to someone over her ring. The conversation moved in starts and stops as she spoke, fond exasperation in each word.

"I know it's hard," she was saying through a sip, "but that's the point. If you're not being challenged, then there's no reason behind doing the extra work. ...No one is gonna dismantle the education system because you don't wanna do homework! Even we have hard limits and I'm pretty sure the US president would have a stroke if one of us strolled into the White House for any reason." Jess then laughed as she listened to the response, completely hidden from Bruce as it was likely being projected through her ring for her ears only. "Ask Kyle for help. ...Okay, sure, he's not a great help with Biology but I think it's a little mean to call him completely useless."

Bruce sat down in front of her, miffed when her attention didn't swing towards him immediately. He cleared his throat and she continued to ignore him, her gaze only snapping up when he rumbled, "Jessica, I want to--"

Jessica put up a hand with a stern expression, eyes flashing. "I'm talking to someone here. Wait a moment, please." Blinking and a little cowed, he settled back to wait if only not to draw attention to himself. "Okay, tell you what. If Guy gets back from his scan and he's not dead on his feet, you go ask him. You'll have a better time with him than asking Hal about this stuff. He does know way too much about Korugarian biology for some reason... No, Keli, I don't think you should ask him why... Because I don't wanna know either!"

The voice at the end jabbered on for a little more. Jessica sighed and stretched. "I'm not sure. Guy and Hal should be by soon and John's probably off doing whatever. I'll wrap up whatever I'm doing here and then I'll come down. Finish your homework in the meantime. ...Oh, what happens if you don't?" Jess fixed Bruce with an inscrutable look. "Well, I've heard a rumour that kids who don't finish their homework find a Bat hiding under their beds. ...And how do you know I'm lying? Ask Hal about it. He's definitely had that experience before."

Bruce resented whatever half-cocked lies Hal was baking about him behind Bruce's back. He also wanted Jessica to know that it wasn't true. Bruce had only been waiting on top of Hal's bed when he'd walked in and he clearly hadn't let go of it.

Jessica hung up without much fanfare and leaned back in her chair with her mug pressed in her hands. "Yes?" she chirped, raising an eyebrow.

Unable to resist, Bruce asked, "Was that Keli Quintela?"

With a perfect poker face, Jessica said, "Who?"

"The--the person you were just talking to."

She took a long sip from her mug, looking thoughtful for a moment. "I wasn't talking to anyone just now."

Blinking, Bruce muttered, "But you--"

"What's up, Bruce? Is it something important?"

Taking a moment to compose himself, Bruce continued. "I just wanted to bring up my concerns about Hal's TikTok account--"

"My account," Jessica said with a pleasant smile. "It's my account. I'm doing the filming and editing and I come up with a lot of the content ideas. Simon and Kyle help and Hal is the main star but the work is all me."

"...Right." Keeping his voice measured and pitched a little higher, he went on. "I was hoping to talk to you about content you make that could potentially compromise the identities and lives of members of the caped community."

Jessica's smile never wavered as she delivered her response, entirely poised with her mug pinned delicately between her fingertips. "There's no way I could compromise anything. I edit and recheck everything I post down to the last millisecond if I have to. No one's drawn the connection yet and no one will."

"Fine," Bruce ground out. "If not you, then Jordan. He can't be trusted with keeping his mouth shut."

Jessica chuckled into her mug. "Oh, if you think Hal can't keep a secret then you'd be so surprised."

Bruce felt himself bluescreen for a moment. Hal...keeping secrets? From Bruce? After his particular history? "What the hell does that mean?" he growled, sitting up a little straighter.

Her response was airy. "Don't worry about it. Nothing apocalyptic yet, unfortunately, but we can only hope. Anything else?"

"Yes. My first and only point. I want you to delete the account. I don't think it's safe for the child you allegedly have and I believe it could cause genuine harm to certain individuals both in your team and in others. It would be the responsible thing to do and I know that you want to take the best possible steps forward for the future. That is my advice to you."

Jessica stared at him, mulling over his words syllable by syllable. It was a minute or two before she opened her mouth again and Bruce honestly wished she hadn't. "First of all, I never asked for your advice. If I needed advice from an older hero, I'd go to Clark or something. Secondly, I have made close to thirty videos on that platform already. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of videos where our alleged kid makes an appearance. I have never shared her age, name or face publicly. I don't even let her stand in front of the camera."

Bruce nodded along. "Yes, very smart of you to do but--"

"I'm not done." Jessica leaned forward, cradling her cheek in one hand as she studied him. "Maybe I could take your 'advice' at face value if it wasn't public knowledge that Brucie Wayne's got a TikTok account too, run by his tech savvy son, Tim Drake. I know for a fact that you won't take this advice yourself and delete your own account so why should I?"

"It's pointless. Jordan doesn't have a public image to maintain."

"Neither does about 90% of the platform. Also, have you ever heard of the word 'fun'?"

"It only draws unnecessary attention towards you."

"Some might say that we already draw plenty of attention by just existing." Her smile widened with every passing second and it was grating on Bruce's nerves. "This attention is actually mostly positive. It's a nice change. Especially for Hal."

"And how long will that be sustainable? Jordan is not the type to sell himself for views."

"He isn't," Jessica said with a grin. "He couldn't care less about what we put up. I ask him if he wants to be in front of a camera that day, he says yes, we film whatever and then he never thinks about it again. He's a huge hit."

Grinding his teeth together so much, Bruce was momentarily worried he would wear the enamel away, he seethed, "Jordan does not need to have such an extensive online presence! He doesn't need fans making edits of him and--"

Bruce made himself shut up if only out of growing fear for the expression of pure and unadulterated joy growing on Jessica's face. Her eyes sparkled as they scrutinised him and her next words punched the breath from Bruce's lungs.

"Oh my God," she whispered, "you're jealous of Hal."

"What?"

"You're jealous that Hal's more popular on TikTok than you are!" Her excitement grew with each word and Bruce needed to nip this in the bud before it got out and bloomed uncontrollably. "That's why you need my account gone. It's not security or the kid but because your ego's bruised and now you're throwing a tantrum!"

He stood, hands splayed flat against the table and loomed over her. "Cruz, you'll stop this train of thought right now, or--"

"Heya, J-Bird! What'cha doing over here?"

A new voice had Bruce whipping around. It was Baz, mask gone so Bruce could see the genuine malice behind his eyes even if his smile was friendly. He leaned heavily against a comically large, construct folding chair. "Baz," Bruce said coolly, "we were just--"

"Hey, Simon! How was patrol?"

Baz shrugged, not moving from his spot. "Fine. Hal had me drop a couple of guys off at Oa before I came back so he could make the PTA meet. How was that?"

"I don't think he's killed anyone yet," she chirped.

"Thank God. What were you doing over here?" he asked, gesturing between her and Bruce. "Seems spirited."

"We were just talking, weren't we, Bruce?" Jessica said sweetly.

Bruce nodded. "And I--"

"We're actually done here." Jessica rose and walked away to dump her empty mug into the sink. She strode to Baz and looped her arm through one of his. "Wanna pick up some pastries on the way home?"

He grinned, glancing sharply at Bruce. "Absolutely I do. I've been craving a good slice of carrot cake since I left. Do you think they'd have those cream puffs?"

"Oh, I love those!"

And Bruce was left there, standing in the dust. He looked up just in time to catch Jessica's wink and quietly resolved himself to destroy any and all footage that existed of this interaction.

[celestial-grls]

Party 4 You - Paige Bueckers x fem!reader

summary: you decide to go out with the women's basketball team and a certain member has always confused you - before now word count: 2.9k a/n: fav concept ever is #partypaige...title inspired by the best Charli XCX song ever. please leave comments / reblog if you liked this ok mwah <33

"It's my job that you come out with us tonight." A very out-of-breath KK Arnold informed you on the phone about her new job. 

"KK, did you just finish practice? Why are you out of breath?" You'd started an internship about two weeks ago, and when you agreed to take it, no one warned you that interning meant piling on a ton of work that no one else wanted to do. It'd felt awful to be holed up inside, spending nights hunched over a computer when everyone else was only getting their summer started. 

"Was just playing pick up with Paige and Ice," KK sighed, "So, did you make up your mind yet?" 

"Ugh, I don't know. There's a ton of stuff missing in some of these documents they want me to edit. I still haven't even thought about what I'd wear if I did go out tonight—" You rambled on, pacing around your desk before KK interrupted. 

"I already know you got something in that never-ending closet of yours. Does that mean you'll come out tonight?" An air of hope in KK's voice made you pause to consider it. 

You mindlessly wandered all the way to your closet while you were on the phone with KK. Maybe it was a sign that your brand-new skirt was hanging on the door handle, begging to be taken out for a spin. You told KK, "Okay, I'll be there. But please, promise we will keep it contained, nothing crazy?" 

KK let out a scream that made you rip the phone away from your ear before she started laughing and said, "Come by later to pregame! Bye, Pookie!" 

You laughed at her excitement, "Bye, KK!" 

The going-out section of your closet only served as a reminder of how crazy going out with some women's basketball team members can get. Between their boundless energy, how they seem to know everyone (including bartenders), and how they attract a crowd everywhere they go, there is no telling where the night can go once you join them. 

You met KK when you partnered up in your communications class and immediately found her hilarious. Plus, it didn't hurt that she always got you better seats than the student section during basketball games. You knew that going out tonight meant you were going to see Paige, so it was crucial to keep yourself in check. 

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

Paige and Ice took a water break while KK finished her phone call with you. 

"So Y/N's coming tonight?" Paige asked in confirmation. 

KK teased, "Why? So you can stare at her from a corner all night?" 

Ice added, "No, for real. Poor girl probably thinks you hate her." 

Paige interjects, "Alright, alright. We've talked to each other before. Y'all just don't wanna remember it." 

KK scoffs, "Girl, boo. Asking what her major is doesn't count. Especially because I already told you what it was before." 

They all gathered their things while Paige advocated for herself, "Y'all really have no faith in me, huh? Trust, it'll be a different story when I come by later." 

KK and Ice mumbled a combination of 'Yeah, sure' and 'Uh huh' before heading toward their building while Paige walked alone to hers. The truth was that she was a nervous wreck around you and always has been ever since KK and you became friends. 

It was one of those things that no one but Paige understood. She was her confident, relaxed self around her friends, in a stadium full of fans, even at events she would've never believed she'd find herself in. She got it in her head that maybe you didn't like her very much. Not because you were standoffish, you were actually the opposite. Paige never felt that you liked her enough to be around her alone. They were always in groups with their respective friends.

At first, none of her friends caught on to her little crush; she tried to keep it discreet. It was going well until you came over to watch movies and see them fight over the Xbox controller in a pair of striped sleep shorts and a UConn hoodie, and she officially became a goner. Sitting four feet away from you while you looked like that and periodically pushing your glasses up made her sweat from her palms and make her think up an excuse for leaving movie night early. 

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

Ice's apartment was filled with chatter, and Paige's pregame playlist came from the speakers. Everyone's shot glasses were haphazardly crowded on the table while some girls mixed drinks. 

You adjusted the bottle of Tito's in the crook of your arm before knocking on the door. When Ice answered the door, you could already tell you needed to catch up with everyone. She immediately wrapped you up in a hug and excitedly screamed, "We missed you, Pookie! And you came prepared." 

"I always do," You told her as she took the vodka from you so that you could adequately say hi to everyone. 

It was a natural relief to finally have a night out with friends, and any thoughts about work or deadlines didn't even cross my mind when I got to Ice's. 

KK must've been just as relieved to see you because she said, "Y/N, finally, someone who can make a mixed drink. I can't drink any of Paige's mid-ass drinks anymore." 

Paige looked offended and told her, "Call them mid, but they get it done." 

It's not like you received any formal mixologist training or bartending experience, but making drinks became your specialty whenever you went out. You got straight to work making KK her favorite drink and handing it to her. 

KK graciously sipped it and said it tasted "Perfect, as always." 

You turned around to see Paige standing empty-handed and decided to ask, "Want me to make you something?" 

Your pretenses were completely innocent, but how you softly smiled and batted your eyelashes made Paige's heart jump. Plus, she'd only heard five-star reviews about your drinks, so she couldn't refuse anyway. Once she gave you the okay, she was gearing up to ask you where you learned to make drinks like that until KK interjected, already half her drink downed. 

"Don't worry, Y/N. She's not picky."

You were done with the drink and ran to the fridge, your little heels clacking on the wooden floor, to grab the jar of maraschino cherries. When you topped off Paige's drink and handed it to her, you shrugged, "I have a feeling she'll like it." 

There it was again—your self-assuredness and complete ease in any situation made Paige feel weak and wobbly around you. The shiny red cherry on top, matching the shiny coat of lip gloss you were sporting, didn't make it any easier for her. 

She usually hates anything that tastes like alcohol, so whatever you made her was incredible. "This is fire. What is it?"

"A dirty Shirley. You like?" You stood looking up at her, hoping the drink could be a peace offering or a way to make Paige like you a little more. You never knew why she seemed more reserved or conscious around you, but you knew it always drove you crazy. 

"These are dangerous." Paige concluded with approval, and KK said, "Told you." 

After everyone was tipsy enough and you caught up with what some girls had been up to in the last couple of weeks, it was time to get into the Uber to start your night. Time collapsed into a whizz of final lip touch-ups, shuffling clumsy bodies into one car and waiting in anticipation to let loose. 

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

There was a corner of the bar with a karaoke machine that KK and Paige excitedly ran over to like it was a toy. Everyone downed the shots you bought and got ready to hear their performance. They did their best rendition of 'Kiss Me More' and sounded nothing like SZA or Doja Cat, but since everyone was tipsy, they danced anyway. Paige and KK looked right at home, singing with their arms wrapped around each other and sassily dancing whenever they caught Ice or Azzi filming them. 

When they finished, your little group applauded their effort, and Paige unexpectedly took her place next to you and Azzi. She looked a little smug, sipping the drink in her cup with her other hand resting in her pocket. 

Azzi piped up, "Tone deaf and singing Doja Cat is crazy." 

Paige scoffed, "Alright, Azzi, I don't remember asking." Azzi and Ice got up to sing next, and Paige shifted closer to you. 

Emboldened by the drinks, she nods at you and says, "I like this skirt on you." 

You feel it in your face first, flushing from having her eyes on you. You played it cool and told her, "Thank you, the skirt likes you, too." As you said it, you didn't exactly know what it meant, but it made sense in your drunk brain. 

She laughs and nervously twists the bracelet on her wrist. "So what'd you think of my singing?"

You pretend to think about it, "You ball better than you sing." 

Azzi and Ice are making an Usher song into a duo. You sip on your drink while taking a video of them that they'll definitely be humiliated by tomorrow. 

Paige looks at you and asks, "Oh, so you've noticed?" 

You don't know where this confidence came from. Usually, Paige avoids you whenever you're out. You figure it's because she's been drinking and having fun after an intense season. You're suspicious of it, but you like this version of her. "You know I come to games." 

"Haven't seen you in a minute, though. You been busy?" 

You repeat what she said right back to her, "Oh, so you've noticed?" 

Paige laughs, touching your arm and lingering near your elbow. "I'm being for real. What you been up to?" 

Her touch makes you feel dizzy, going straight to your distracted brain while you try to find an answer for her. "Got an internship, and they're already overworking me." Before Paige can respond, you shift closer to her to ask, "Can I ask you something, Paige?" 

She steadies her eyes on you and says, "Sure, what's on your mind?" 

You start, "I don't know…Normally, you don't talk to me much." You kept it lighthearted, teasingly asking, "Am I that scary?" 

Paige looks down at her sneakers, "Nah, not too scary." She added, "M'glad you came, though." 

You looked up at her as she wet her lips and said, "I'm glad I came, too." 

When Ice and Azzi finished singing, they were exhausted from exerting so much effort. You rounded everyone up and announced, "Everyone's gotta do a shot, I'm buying!" 

After another round of green tea shots, all hopes for a contained and calm night went out the window. Some girls broke off into different groups inside the bar as they ran into different acquaintances and friends. There was even more karaoke, only getting slightly sloppier and more tone-deaf with time. Sometime between you dancing behind the DJ table and your third drink, your exchange with Paige from earlier caught up to you. 

You couldn't even precisely identify what you were feeling at the moment. You thought Paige was indifferent toward you, or at least not keen on getting to know you beyond being KK's friend. But when you remembered the feeling of her fingers grazing your arm, you felt confused by it. Suddenly, an emotional wobbliness started to creep up on you, and your next instinct was telling you to duck outside for a minute. You handed your drink to Azzi and told her you needed some air and would be right back. 

It was cool enough outside to wrap your arms around yourself comfortably as you stood with your back against the wall. When you leaned your head back to close your eyes and take a breath, you tried to collect your thoughts. It was bouncing around a few things: deciding what to doordash later when you got home, mentally writing a small to-do list of internship work, and Paige. 

You thought about how her hands looked around the drink you made her at the pregame, her long legs in a pair of cargos you liked on her, how she sounded so sincere when she told you she was glad you came. It was a lot, and your brain would overheat if you didn't duck out when you did. You were so startled when all you heard was, "Hey," coming from somewhere on your left. 

It was just Paige, who currently had her hands on your shoulders after you almost jumped out of your skin at someone coming up to you. She apologized profusely before she said, "Wanted to see if you were good." 

Your eyes soften at this. You forget that you were concentrating so hard on your shoes that you were about to burn a hole in them. It was replaced by Paige's presence, comforted automatically by her taller frame blocking out the view of the street at night. 

You straightened up, adjusting the purse she was touching on your shoulder, and evening your voice enough to say, "I'm good; I just needed a second." 

Paige looked down and nodded, "Good, good. DJ booth looked empty without you dancing." 

You shook your head and laughed, "Been a minute since I could dance until my feet hurt." 

"You think you'll feel it tomorrow?" With how Paige looked at you, you thought she was much more sober than you probably were. 

You shrug, eyes feeling heavy as you lean into the wall, "Think we all will." 

Right as you say that, all the rest of your friends start shuffling out. They were clearly tired. You remember they all decided to play an entire pick-up game earlier and announced they were ready to call it a night. No one disagreed. All of you had fun, but it was time for the drunk food and pajamas part of the night. 

Paige urgently needed to spend more time with you. One of those game-time decisions seemed to come out of nowhere when she said, "Y/N and I should take a separate one since our buildings are close together and everything." 

Thankfully, all your friends were gone enough to not question it and felt safe in knowing it was best everyone went home in a group instead of alone this late. It sounded sensical to you, even though you hadn't remembered that you and Paige lived in neighboring apartment buildings. But then again, you haven't been anywhere but work or home, which felt like forever, so maybe you hadn't noticed. 

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

Something about being in this car in the backseat with Paige felt right. She spread out in the back while you crossed your leg, shifting your weight so the tip of your shoe would brush against her leg whenever the car stopped. 

It was a short ride from the last bar your friends hit to your apartment building. There were hardly any red lights, but you wished for at least one or two more. 

You turned to question Paige, "I didn't know you lived close to my building." 

She pressed her lips together, "KK didn't mention it?" 

You shook your head, more wide-eyed now that you sobered up.

Paige added, "I got a bigger place after the last semester ended." 

You nodded and teased, "Okay, big baller, I see you." 

Paige snickered and thanked the driver while you guys got out. She walked you into your building and even rode the elevator with you. When you asked what she had planned for the night, she mentioned some Advil and a big glass of water. When she asked you the same question, you told her about door-dashing some Taco Bell and taking your makeup off. 

She felt like you guys made it to your door too soon. You each stopped before it as you fished for your keys inside your purse. When you turned to tell her, "Thanks for walking with me. Text me when you get to your building."

Paige got that look again as if she was about to say something to you, the same one she made when you plopped the maraschino cherry into her pregame drink. She scratched the back of her neck, "S'no problem. And I will." 

You said, "Night, Paige." as you leaned against the door frame and kicked your heels off into a corner, shrinking in height and making Paige even taller than you for a moment. 

She paused to tell you, "Night, Y/N."

When you changed into your pajamas and got your cotton pads out to remove your makeup, your phone chimed with a text from Paige that read: Home. Remember to take that makeup off

You loved the message and wrote back: Doing it right now. Drink a glass of water for me!

You knew Paige had to go through group chats with all the girls in it to select your contact and text you personally since you guys had never texted each other before. It felt like too much to process in your state, and you thought it best to deal with it tomorrow. When you went to hang up your skirt, you ran your fingers over the fabric and silently thanked it for whatever magic it might've done for you tonight. 

[allieebobo]

Do you have any if recommendation?

Ooh! I have really, really bad memory(!!) but these are current faves that I have played/replayed recently that I can think of. A lot of the authors are also THE BEST HUMAN BEINGS EVER. So, double recommendation.

I probably missed a bunch out, so take this as a non-exhaustive list! In no particular order:

(Edit: Added some descriptions but yeah I got a little unhinged so I'm sorry nothing makes sense or if the quality of the write-up went down over time/did not actually give you any useful info)

WIPs with demos

Citadel, @bouncyballcitadel (I think of all the IFs on this list, this one makes me sweat the most. And I've said it once and I'll say it again: the dialogue is so snappy and well-written, and characters are SO DAMNED LOVEABLE.)

Infamous, @infamous-if (I've been manifesting Band/Musician IFs for the longest time, and then this popped up! I've even played Choice of a Rockstar, that's how desperate I was... Anyway, this is legions better than that. Angsty ex routes are my kryptonite, and Seven is just. Inevitable.)

Defiled Hearts: The Barbarian, @defiledheartsblog (I went into this wanting something juicy and fun/historical—and it's all of those things, but I didn't expect it to be so damned funny, too. The ROs are all impeccable.)

Raiders of the Caravan and Apartment 3-3, @leftski-if (A'ight listen, fantasy slice-of-life is my fave genre, and these are IT. Like, everything I never knew I needed in my life, and SO cozy/wholesome, with a cast of characters that I want to befriend in real life.)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: An Affair of the Heart @doriana-gray-games (First off, the customization in this game is INSANE, and the branching too. I've replayed a couple of times and the little variations I discover each time just blows my mind. Secondly, it's so funny and written so well. Ngl I'm not a Sherlock fan but that's just testament to how amazing this IF is.)

When Life Gives You Lemons, @when-life-gives-you-lemonssss (Modern slice-of-life with an adorable kid, a bunch of hot ROs, CC. Hill's humor, what can I say?)

Golden @milaswriting (Really interesting world-building, one of the coolest fictional cities I've read in an IF, AND I'm obsessed with the ROs, in particular K de la Renta. Also Mila is such an awesome writer, I'm beyond excited for @beyondthegame.)

A Tale of Crowns @ataleofcrowns (This game is beautiful, polished, and SO exciting. Honestly, it looks like the kind of game created by a whole-ass game studio and would cost $50 to buy, it's that good. I really got swept up by this IF—probably played it all in one go.)

Rougi @rougi-if (Again, another game with scrumptious visuals/UI and also is just so well-crafted. I love the premise too, it's so original and fresh.)

Scout: An Apocalypse Story @anya-dev (Unfortunately this one might be on hiatus but I am/was really, really obsessed.)

Wayfarer @idrellegames (Love the game mechanics of this one, and the visuals. Probably controversial, but I like the D&D / random dice effect. And I also like the fact that it feels like an old-school RPG.)

Chop shop @losergames (The premise is all I needed to be sold, really—I'd always wanted to buy GTA as a kid but my parents were like NO WAY. Anyway, this IF did not disappoint, and let me live all my childhood dreams.)

Edit: AHH! How could I forget, one of my recent faves, Folksaga @folksaga-if (Lush atmospheric writing, super unique premise—norse mythology, plus I'm head over heels for Katla).

Completed IFs

Butterfly Soup 1 and 2 @brianna-lei (these are completed and I will never not promote them. Honestly the most adorable, wholesome, funny sports/coming-of-age IF I've read)

Elsinore: After Hamlet @lapinlunairegames (Insanely cool premise, insanely cool execution)

The Thick Table Tavern @manonamora-if (I love bar/tavern games, and this one actually lets you mix drinks! Instant fave.)

Other HGs/COGs I love: Slammed, Tin Star, Fallen Hero, If it pleases the court, A Player's Heart (these last two are so underrated, though I guess cause it's mainly wlw)

[witchygagirlwrites]

Kelly Severide x Reader x Matt Casey

Vibes based off Fix What You Didn't break by Nate Smith

Edit and request by @desimarie12

When you started at fifty one it was a temporary position. Someone to help out as a partner for Sylvie until someone permanent could be found. Matt and Kelly never knew they'd find the one person who could repair their hearts the day you came sweeping into the doors of the station house.

You were quiet at times you should be loud and loud when you should be quiet, unbearable at night because you barely slept, acted like you couldn't exist without music and drank more coffee than rescue squad combined. 

You could also talk everyone into a snowball fight at two in the morning. You made the best pancakes and somehow could guess everyone's favorite color within a few minutes of talking to them.  You picked up on people's moods and could figure out if they needed someone to vent to, help finding a solution or just a distraction from whatever was plaguing them at the moment.

The day Kelly started to fall was actually Shay’s birthday. You didn’t know what the day was or why everyone, including Matt, was even giving him such a wide berth. He’d locked himself in his quarters where he planned to stay until a call came in but then you came knocking. He hadn’t looked up the first time but you were nothing if not persistent.

When he finally stood and unlocked the door you walked past him and sat down on the edge of his desk “Do you want to talk about it?” he sat down in the chair about a foot from you and stared you down “About what exactly?” 

The smile you gave him was one you normally reserved for trying to calm patients but he could tell it was genuine nonetheless “Whatever it is that’s bothering you so much even Matt hasn’t hardly looked your way. Your shoulders and jaw are so tense my muscles are hurting looking at them and your eyes look so damn sad”

He didn't know what it was but staring into your eyes he couldn't keep that wall up no matter how hard he tried. He found himself telling you all about Shay. By the time he was done you were standing next to the chair with your arms around his shoulders and his head was leaned over on your stomach “I'm so sorry Kel. I can't imagine losing someone like that. I've never had anyone mean that much to me. Just remember those we love are never truly gone as long as we carry them in our hearts. Any time you want to talk about her, come and find me. I'll be glad to listen” 

He probably should've been embarrassed, falling apart like that. Not showing a stronger front but he couldn't find that emotion in himself. He felt better after talking to you, a little less broken. He had no idea how you managed to have that quality about you, a tornado of a thing but yet here you were calming those around you. The eye of the storm and helping to calm it down. 

“Thank you darlin” he whispered and saw a smirk slip onto your face “Darlin huh? Listen at you being all sweet. She must have been one hell of a woman to have that effect on you”

The day Matt started to fall was when all of you responded to a call with another station house. You were working triage as they bought victims out of a warehouse fire.

The way you handled yourself as you worked the tent was extraordinary. You were helping Sylvie along with the medics from the other house. Moving from patient to patient, offering them a kind smile and never showing any sign of exhaustion.

When he went in he could hear your voice across the radio, behind Chief Boden yelling at the other house's men. He had no clue what was going on so he and Kelly worked continuing to clear the floor they were on until Boden called for them to clear out.

When they made it out you were currently being held back by Cruz and Capp from arguing with the captain of the other house. “Woah. Why is my medic trying to kill you?” He asked and you stopped fighting to turn towards the sound of his voice “This asshole decided to tear a wall down when Boden told him not to and forced the flames back towards you and Severide. That's why the clear out had to be called”

He turned to the other captain “Why didn't you listen to my chief?” The other captain shrugged “You have to take risks every now and then Casey” then glanced towards Kelly “Ask your boyfriend. We all know his track record” 

“That's it!” You yelled and dove over Cruz’s shoulder and Matt barely caught you as Boden ordered the other captain off the scene.

He carried you over to the triage tent before sitting you down. You were still breathing heavy and glaring at the members of the other house “Assholes want to endanger my captain and lieutenant then act like it wasn't a big deal”

“Your captain and lieutenant?” He asked and you shrugged “Until Boden finds a permanent partner for Sylvie” a smile slipped onto his face “I don't know you're sounding like you belong here” and you grinned “Maybe I just have decided you two won't take care of yourselves so someone needs to”

Kelly and Matt stood in their kitchen across from each other at the counter, both silent drinking coffee. “Y/N's contract is up this month” Kelly broke the silence.

“We're not letting her leave are we?” Matt asked and Kelly shook his head “Not without an effort to get her to stay”

______________

The day they finally got up the nerve to ask you if there was any way you'd let the two of them take you out you surprised them with letting them know you were officially a permanent fixture of fifty one.

"What made you decide to stay?” Matt asked as the three of you walked by the waterfront. You looked between them then shrugged “Maybe I like my captain and lieutenant just a little bit”

You wouldn't let either of them get in their heads. If Matt pulled away from Kelly you were pulling him back and vice versa. If Benny came around making Kelly doubt himself you were there, reminding him how good of a man he truly was.

Neither of them knew what it was about you. Was it the fact that you were wild where they were calm and the calm where they were wild? Was it the fact that you could see through any facade they put up and pinpoint exactly what was going on in their heads at the moment? 

You were the light to lead them home no matter the storm and always shined bright. When you would curl up between them and make sure to be touching them both before falling asleep, when they'd find you the next morning wearing one of  their shirts and dancing around the kitchen while the coffee made. 

When they would see your eyes tracking them on a scene and how your shoulders relaxed when they walked out. When they would have their absolute worst days but then come home and you would curl up on the couch and ask them to watch a movie and that day would melt away?

Yeah. You didn't realize it but you saved them. With your love, your spirit and just the person you were. 

[munchmemes]

chappell roan lyrics, the rise and fall of a midwest princess edition ( + bonus 'good luck, babe!' for reasons )

▸ same old story, time again. got so close but then you lost it. ▸ i'm so sick of online love. ▸ um, can you play a song with a fucking beat? ▸ you're lying to your friends about how [they're] such a goddamn good lover. ▸ you got what you wanted so stop feeling sorry. ▸ you know what i mean and you know what you need. and so do they! but does it happen? no! ▸ you showed me things i didn't know. ▸ i just want you to make a move. so, slow down, sit down, it's new. ▸ i just wanna get to know ya. guess i didn't quite think it through. ▸ i fell in love with the thought of you. ▸ baby, why don't you come over? ▸ i like what you like. ▸ want me to fuck you? baby, i will 'cause i really want to. ▸ well, back at my house i got a california king. okay, maybe it's a twin bed and some roommates. ▸ let's make this bed get squeaky. ▸ my mama said nothing good happens when it's late and you're dancing alone. ▸ this is what i wanted, this is what i like. ▸ i kinda wanna kiss your [girl/boy]friend if you don't mind. ▸ i love a little drama, let's start a bar fight. ▸ everything good happens after midnight. ▸ i really want your hands on my body. ▸ that's my type of fun, that's my kind of party. ▸ i'll meet you for coffee 'cause if we have wine, you'll say that you want me and i know that's a lie. ▸ if i didn't love you, it would be fine. ▸ every place leads back to your place. ▸ i'd rather feel something than nothing at all so ... ▸ we've done this before and i don't need it anymore. ▸ it's never just coffee. ▸ i've heard so many rumors. that i'm just a [girl] that you bang on your couch. ▸ i thought you thought of me better. someone you couldn't lose. ▸ is it casual now? ▸ it's hard being casual. ▸ i try to be the chill [girl] but honestly i'm not. ▸ i hate that i let this drag on so long, now i hate myself. ▸ you know what they say: never waste a friday night one a first date. ▸ not overdramatic, i know what i want.

▸ we're hot, we're drunk. ▸ at every party, we're the party. ▸ get up off your feet, get up on that bar. ▸ i could be the one or your new addiction. ▸ call me hot, not pretty. ▸ i try not to care but it hurts my feelings. ▸ who knew that we'd let it get this bad when it ended? ▸ i heard it from [NAME], you're losing it lately. ▸ people say i'm jealous but my kink is watching you ruining your life. ▸ people say i'm jealous but my kink is karma. ▸ wishing you the best, in the worst way. ▸ it's hot when you're going through hell and you're hating yourself, i'm feeling myself. ▸ do you picture me like i picture you? ▸ i'm too scared to say half of the things i do when i picture you. ▸ i guess we could pretend we didn't cross a line. ▸ if you really wanna leave, i'll never make you stay. ▸ whatever you decide, i will understand. ▸ love is a kaleidoscope. how it works we'll never know. ▸ i know you wanted me to stay but i can't ignore the crazy visions. ▸ i'm having wicked dreams. ▸ every night's another reason why i left it all. ▸ don't think i've left you all behind. i still love you and you're always on my mind. ▸ god, what have you done? ▸ i'm gonna keep on dancing. ▸ i'd love if you knew you were on my mind constant like cicadas in the summertime. ▸ we could go to hell but we'll probably be fine. ▸ we're an inch away from more than just friends. ▸ won't you fucking touch me? ▸ if it hasn't happened yet then maybe you should go. ▸ to think i almost had it going but i let you down. ▸ too hard to find reasons to stay. even true love could not persuade. ▸ come get me out. ▸ sometimes i scare myself but i can't help what i can't help. ▸ i fantasize what we would do. ▸ some good girls do bad things too. ▸ i wants this like a cigarette. can we drag it out and never quit? ▸ oh my god, you are heaven-sent. ▸ you can say that we are nothing but you know the truth. ▸ guess i'm the fool. ▸ i don't wanna call it off but you don't wanna call it love. ▸ good luck, babe! ▸ you'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling. ▸ i'm cliche, who cares? ▸ when you wake up next to him in the middle of the night with your head in your hands, you're nothing more than his wife. ▸ you know i hate to say it, i told you so.

[pnwander]

quick & easy lightroom walkthrough or: shooting through dirty double-paned glass, and other hardships.

I'll tell you! (Original post here.)

✱ KIT Panasonic GH5 + LEICA DG 100-400 with rubber hood for shooting through windows.* ✱ SHUTTER 1/125 sec ✱ APERTURE f/6.3 ✱ ISO 1600

*I use this one. It works for me, but it's a little tricky. It was a gift, and I think if choosing for myself I'd find something easier to get on and off.

WHAT'S ALL THIS, THEN? It was cold outside, obviously. And the flickers bolt if I try to open the back door, so sometimes I'll post up in front of my dining room window and just get the best shot I can. I do this less and less these days, now that my arthritic hands and I have heated gloves. The 'after' photo is a brand new re-edit using better tools than were available when this was shot. I was never happy with how it looked, before now.

under the cut: EDITS

✱ Detail: Sharpness & Noise Reduction My main problem here is sharpness. The photo is in focus, but because I'm shooting through a thick storm window, I've lost that tack-sharpness I really want, and I have a whole bunch of noise to contend with. This would always be the case, but worse depending on the camera you're using, and in my case this was two generations ago - the GH5. I have tested window shots with the GH7, and they're a lot cleaner.

That being said, the trick is to always, always, always use masking along with sharpening. Like, a lot of masking, just so much masking, so that you avoid sharpening an already-noisy background. In Lightroom, you can hold down down the ALT key while using the masking slider to visualize exactly what is being sharpened.

I'm choosing to leave the background noisier than I prefer, because even if I mask out the background, as I increase noise reduction, I lose detail in the edges. Leaving some noise in the feathers also preserves that sense of sharpness, generally.

This is a matter of personal preference and priority in your edits. I've had students absolutely hammer their photos with denoise and like it that way, and that is totally their call. I like it sharp.

Note: you could also do the sharpening/noise reduction at the end, after all your other edits, so that you have a better sense of how much you still need after toning. That's often my preference. I probably went backwards here only because I've edited this image before and had it pre-loaded in my brain.

✱ Tone Dehaze is the real MVP here. You could go even harder than I have on -blacks/+clarity/+dehaze, for a dramatic, crushed look. I decided to strike a balance between the soft darks I prefer but the clarity absolutely needed to make this look less smooshy. And my curve is pretty gentle.

Before toning and after:

(You can see that I've also done some color grading. But because that part is entirely personal preference, I'm skipping it here.)

✱ Selective Adjustments With a photo as flattened as this one, I always want to add some depth to it with masking. I have just three masks in this case:

1. The tree was blown out, detracting from my subject and looking, frankly, unrealistic. So I've darkened this on its own, so that my subject will stand out.

2. Contrast, texture, and clarity to bring out the detail in the feathers; a touch of saturation because the global color grading I wanted took away slightly from the bird's natural coloring. I want this on a mask, and not globally, because I do not want to exacerbate the noise in the background, or the texture of the leaves and snow.

And 3., to make the flicker really pop, I've got a 'spotlight' mask

...which is working together with a light vignette to draw the eye to the subject. You could also create an asymmetrical vignette with an inverted -exposure mask, if you needed to.

All together now...

And that's it!

As always, please feel absolutely free to send any questions to my ask box. I try to watch for comments and questions in the tags, but sometimes they get missed. And if there are any other edits you'd like to see, let me know!

Find my other walkthrough here.