#we'll see what i can get to today though. i don't think there's any heavy lifting going on for a bit so i hopefully won't be so exhausted

[kotaerukoto]

>Just a man, not a hero >Just a boy who had to sing this song >He cares very much >The world will never take his heart or break him >He will carry on

[peachsukii]

𝔥𝔬𝔩𝔩𝔬𝔴 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱

( chapter 6 - Tourniquet )

『 ♡ bakugo x fem!reader ; pro-heroes au | friends to lovers 』

꒰ summary ꒱ Devastating news is dropped in your lap about your future career as a pro hero. A few days in the hospital leaves you listless about life in general before being sent back home to reality. Even though your environment hasn't changed, your world has been rocked and coming back down to earth feels impossible. Thankfully, Bakugo's more than patient with you and willing to walk you back into normalcy, one day at a time.

꒰ tags & warnings ꒱ suggestive themes (nothing graphic), PTSD, cursing, talks of trauma, lots of medical talk & diagnosis | sweet confessions, soft bakugo, angst with happy ending, emotional hurt/comfort, mutual pining, friends to lovers

꒰ masterlist // cross-posted to ao3 // word count: 8.1k ꒱

~ TIME: 7:15AM - Hospital (One Hour Earlier)

"I'll help you back into bed and then we can go over your test results." Saki carefully assists you out of the wheelchair and lifts you into the hospital bed, gracefully tucking you into the sheets.

"We received the toxicology report and bloodwork results while we performed the MRI. We were unable to decipher what drugs were administered during your time in the compound, but it affected your quirk factor tremendously."

"What does that mean?" you question. Before all of this, you had no idea a quirk factor could even be manipulated, let alone damaged. 

"In plain terms, your quirk being forced to activate caused it to weaken in strength. Your bloodwork thankfully confirmed you do not have any bacterial infections from the injections you were given, however," Saki pauses to grab her clipboard from the countertop. "The EKG results showed signs of an arrhythmia, which is common among drug related issues."

You don't say anything, too weary to form a cognitive thought about everything she's telling you. 

"I know this is a lot to process, we don't expect you to make heads or tails of it today. We'll be keeping you for one more day for observation while we create a treatment plan for your recovery. This means you may not be able to return to pro hero work for sometime." Saki takes your hand in hers. "Get some rest for now. I'll be back in a bit to check on you."

All you can do is nod while settling into the bed, trying to get comfortable enough to sleep. The thoughts swirling in your head are making you dizzy alongside the pain killers they've hooked you up to. It doesn't take long for your eyes to feel too heavy to hold open, drifting off to sleep, avoiding the weight of your reality for a little while longer.  

~

A familiar figure approaches you in an empty room, a shadow standing in front of you.

"Hey," a familiar voice greets - your voice. "Didn't think I'd see you again."

"I don't know who you are."

Yes, in fact, you do. You're too afraid to face the truth. Demons don't vanish overnight, they become apart of you.

"What do you want?"

She moves closer, extending her hand out to you. "Come with me."

Calm down, it's only a dream...right?

You take her hand, walking with her into the nothingness of your mind. She halts, staring forward before turning her gaze toward you. It's the same reflection you saw in the compound that one night, but she looks...sad, not wicked. 

"We're in this together now."

We?

There's no way she's comforting you right now.

"Don't believe me? Think about what I am."

That's when it hits you all at once - she's the manifestation of your trauma. She’s gotta be, there’s no other explanation. Or is she a leftover hallucination from the drugs?

"You can't erase me, I'm part of you now."

You begin to speak as she's fading away into the ether, hiding in your thoughts as you fall into too deep of a sleep to continue dreaming. 

~ TIME: 8:40AM - Hospital (Current Time)

Bakugo's hesitant to ask for clarity. "What...does that mean?"

Saki continues. "The narcotics she was forced to take are unlike anything we've seen in recent years, which is, unfortunately, to be expected from an underground experimental drug ring. It's all homemade and untraceable, but what we can conclude is that it did do detrimental damage to her quirk factor by forcing it to activate against her will for long periods of time. It also explains the mild heart arrhythmia we found during her EKG."

Silence cuts through the hallway, the world going quiet as Bakugo ruminates on her words. If only he was faster that night, none of this would have happened. You'd be safe and sound, lying on the couch together without a care in the world.

That day feels so long ago.

"I know this is tough to swallow," Saki says quietly. "But it's not impossible for her to regain strength. We have a specialized rehab program for quirk degeneration that would benefit her recovery, it'll be awhile until she's back to full strength. The hospital offers a wonderful PTSD therapy program as well." 

"How long's awhile?" Bakugo presses. 

"It's hard to say for certain as it depends on her recovery speed. Some see results in a few months, but it could be a year or more."

A whole fucking year? All because...no, he can't keep blaming himself. But goddammit, he's furious about the whole situation.

"I have a few other patients to get through this morning, but I'll be back soon to check on her and let you know any further updates," Saki adds as she's hurrying down the hall and into another room. Bakugo exhales the breath he was unconsciously holding as he returns to your room and sits in the chair by the window, picking up his book to pass the time. 

He may as well be carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders knowing his intuition was right.

~ TIME: 9:17AM - Hospital

It wasn't long until Midoriya showed up to the hospital with your mother in tow, quietly peaking into the room to see if you were awake. Bakugo looks up from his book, giving them a silent nod of acknowledgement. He gets up from his seat and ushers them out into the hallway to avoid disturbing your much needed sleep. Your mother locks her arms around Bakugo before he can reciprocate, squeezing until she couldn't anymore. 

"Thank you, Katsuki," she mumbles into his chest. She lets go of him, taking a step back to compose herself. "Do you know when she'll wake up?"

"She's not in a coma," Bakugo explains. "Just restin' up. Nurse told me the painkillers make her sleepy."

The immediate look of worry drops from your mother's face. 

"Oh, okay. Do you know anything else?"

Midoriya glances at Bakugo - his expression doesn't give Midoriya confidence on your condition. 

"Her quirk factor's been damaged. Otherwise, she's fine." Bakugo tries to keep it together while giving a minimal explanation. He knew the more information he'd pile on to your mom, the more she'd spiral and endlessly worry about your condition. "Said there's a program to help her strengthen it again. I'll let her fill in the blanks for ya when she wakes up since I haven't gotten a chance'ta talk to her today."

"That's great news!" Midoriya chirps, trying to lighten the mood. A brief pause falls upon the three of them when a noise comes from your room, a groan and the sound of rustling sheets. Your mother takes a step back and peeks inside to see you moving around, signaling that you're awake - alive. 

"Honey!" she cries, running to your side to scoop you up into an awkward hug. "My sweet girl, I am so glad you're alright."

You're barely awake enough to register who's speaking, let alone touching you. Your eyes flicker open to see the boys at the foot of your bed while your mother's face is burrowing into your shoulder. 

"M-mom?" you question. "Not...not so tight. Everything still hurts."

She lets you go, apologizing under her breath and moving to cradle your face in her hands. "I'm sorry sweetie, I'm happy that you're safe."

"It's okay," you murmur, groggy from all the medicine flowing through your system. 

Midoriya walks to the opposite side of the bed to place a hand on your shoulder and offers you a bright smile. "How are you feeling?"

You know Midoriya means well, but that question may as well be an invisible gun, locked and loaded with all your traumatic memories ready to fire at any time. It's only a fraction of a second, but one glance in Bakugo's direction tells him all he needs to know. Your eyes hold a certain type of despondence to them - not rage or fear, but grief. 

"I'm alright!" you affirm, a fake smile plastered on your face. "Dizzy, but okay."

Bakugo's heart sinks. 

He knows you're lying through your teeth.

"Tell me everything," your mother pleads as she takes one of your hands in hers, carefully running her fingers over your palm like she used to when you were a kid. She winces at all the bruises littering your arms, tears pricking the corners of her eyes from seeing her little girl in such a weakened state. As if she was summoned, Saki appears in the doorway once more, returning from her round of checkups.

"Oh! You've got a full house," she jokes as she treads over to your mother. "Hi, I'm Saki, Y/N's nurse. You must be mom, pleased to meet you. The boys have been very kind and understanding while your daughter's been in our care."

"What can I say, they're both one of a kind." She wavers, thinking of how to phrase the dreaded question rattling in her head. "Can you go over all of the test results with us, please?"

Saki takes a minute to rummage through her stack of files and flips one open. 

"Of course, have a seat."

Medical Chart Patient: Y/N Age: 23 Gender: Female Hero Alias: Y/H/N Admitted @ 11:30PM - BP 132/81 (Hypertension) - Upper thigh wound - Patient conscious but severely dehydrated & dazed - Victim of a drug experimentation ring, unknown substances consumed for 30+ calendar days - Started IV of nicardipine/vitamin c/saline to lower BP & re-hydrate - Dissolvable stitches & adhesive for thigh wound - Administered 5mg of morphine IV for pain relief 2:40AM - EKG, MRI & Bloodwork/Toxicology performed - BP 121/62 (Elevated) - Administered additional 5mg of morphine IV for pain relief - Started second round of saline solution via IV to flush leftover substances 7:00AM - BP 114/58 (Normal) - EKG Results: Irregular heart rate - mild heart arrhythmia detected - MRI Results: No abnormalities or long-term internal damage Bloodwork Results: CBC (WBC: 3,200 RBC: 2.9, HGB: 10.1) Metabolic Panel (Glucose - 45mg) Unknown substance found in sample, potentially causing health degeneration  Diagnosis: Patient is clear of any long standing terminal illness, no internal injury found during testing. Return for a follow up EKG and determine if beta blockers are needed for arrhythmia. Unknown substance found in toxicology report - appears to be non-lethal but has acted as a poison to the patient’s body, causing an infection. Bloodwork revealed low levels of Glucose as well as lowered red & white blood cell counts. Quirk factor has been affected, rehab is needed to regain strength. Patient recommended to finish a round of antibiotics during detox. Patient should refrain from working until further notice. Follow up with a psychological evaluation for further treatment regarding potential withdraw and PTSD. 

"Do you have any questions?" Saki queries, eyes trailing back and forth between you and your mother.

"So..." Her words start sinking in as you struggle to find your own. "My quirk regressed due to the drugs, gave me a blood infection and a potential heart problem. And I can't continue to be a hero?"

The room stills, your question anxiously hanging in limbo. Saki's response cuts through the dead air like a knife. "That is correct."

Everyone around you begins to press further, but it all becomes TV static to your ears as your vision tunnels on the tiniest specks in the linoleum flooring, finding anything else to think about. The weight of your current reality is catching up to you and the only response you can muster is to shut everything out. 

Seems like you're fresh out of miracles.

~ TIME: 9:49AM - Hospital

After the nuclear news about your health, your mother decided it was best to head back home, leaving you in the loving care of the boys. 

"If you need anything, please call me, honey," she sighs over your shoulder in an embrace. "I'm happy you're back, safe and sound. Don't worry, you're a strong woman, sweetie. You'll get back on your feet in no time."

Yeah...strong. 

What if you didn't want to be strong? What if you want to fall apart and let it all go?

"I love you. Please call me when you get released and let me know what's going on. If you don't," she shifts her focus to Bakugo. "I'll call Katsuki, he doesn't sugar coat anything."

"Mom!" you whine, shaking your head in embarrassment. "I'll call you, promise."

She nods while walking to the doorway, Midoriya tailing behind her to drive her back to Musutafu. He gives you a nod as he disappears into the hallway. A few seconds pass until you have the guts to look in Bakugo's direction at the end of the hospital bed. His eyes are cautiously studying your body language, trying to decode how you're truly feeling, but goddammit, he's terrified to ask. 

"Kat?" Your voice is meek, barely above a whisper. 

He can practically hear his heart begin to fracture at the crack in your voice. He knows what's coming. And honestly? He's not sure if he can handle seeing you in such a broken state. Your dream was shattered in front of everyone you love.

"Yeah?" 

You can feel your lower lip start to wobble as you hold the words on your tongue, eyes screwed shut and the sheets tightly balled in your fists. 

"Can you...hold me?"

Bakugo reaches for the collar of his shirt and pulls on it timidly. He can't be gutless right now, you need him - now more than ever. You hear the shuffle of his feet approach the side of the bed, followed by the sheets being gently lifted to make room for him to sit down. When you finally look up with glassy eyes, his head is tilted with one arm extended in your direction, welcoming you without any further uncertainty. You blink a few times, tucking your legs inward and carefully stretching them over his lap, scooting closer until you're curling up into his chest. Strong arms make their way around your body, encasing you with a comfort you've hopelessly missed. The embrace he wraps you in feels like a homecoming and  stronger than any armor you could wear.

"S'only you and me," Bakugo whispers, cradling your head against him. "I got ya."

It hits you like a hurricane, the storm of emotions surging through you with an intensity you've never felt before. There's no use in holding it in anymore. And so, you let the rain fall, sobbing, snotty and sniveling, shrinking into a scared little girl in his arms.

He's always despised the rain, but in this moment? Bakugo's found a new hatred for it.

~ The Following Day: Discharge - Hospital @ 5:53PM

Two days in the hospital and its felt like an eternity. A handful of antibiotics and withdrawal medication, a recommendation to a psychiatrist and quirk rehabilitation treatment plan later, they're ready to send you on your merry way. The boys have been a blessing in the last two days with Midoriya taking care of your mom while Bakugo's been by your side for whatever you need, no matter how big or small. Bringing you comfy clothes, sneaking in snacks, and reading a book out loud until you fell asleep being the short list of niceties.

How the hell are you ever going to being able to pay him back for all these selfless sweet nothings?

"Ready to go, Lite-brite?" Bakugo double-checks while taking a second glance around the room, a backpack thrown over his shoulder. "Izuku's at the checkout desk to get all your paperwork for the agency."

You nod. "More than ready. Let's get the hell outta here." 

Bakugo holds out his hand for you to take. Without meaning to, you pause. 

"What?" He pouts, taking a half-step back to give you space. "Don't wanna hold my hand?"

"Of course I do." You take his hand and intertwine your fingers with his. "Didn't mean to make you think otherwise."

He hopes you don't notice the obnoxious amount of sweat coating his palm under yours, or the intense thumping of his heartbeat through his fingers. Thank goodness you two are still in the hospital - he might actually faint over holding your goddamn hand. As you two approach the lobby, Midoriya waves at you from the checkout area, signaling for you to come over to the desk. 

"I ran copies of your paperwork over to the agency earlier, so you are free to head home. They told me they'd call you later to review everything and want you to get some rest," Midoriya informs. "I called your mom as well to let her know you're heading home. The agency did recommend that you shouldn't stay at home since the kidnappers have your address. They're in custody, but better safe than sorry."

"Then she's stayin' with me," Bakugo declares, tapping his fingers along the back of your hand for assurance. "I'll look after her."

"That's for the best. Oh, right!" Midoriya exclaims as he reaches into his bag and hands you...a new phone?! "Here. We were able to take all of the stuff from your old one and transfer it, too."

You're staring at it in disbelief as the lock screen flashes a picture of the three of you.  

"I'll pay you back," you say with a bittersweet smile. "Thank you, Izuku. You didn't have to do that."

"Don't worry about it! Kacchan and I split the cost."

Bakugo rolls his eyes and turns his head away from you. "S'no biggie, y'dont owe us shit. C'mon, let's go home." ~ Bakugo's Apartment: 6:45PM

Walking into Bakugo's apartment for the first time in over a month fills you with tranquility, the aura of his home welcoming you with open arms. Would you have loved to go back to your own place? Of course, but you have no idea if anyone from the drug ring knows where you live, like Midoriya said. It's one more stressor you don't want to think about until you need to. 

"Are ya hungry?" Bakugo questions with a hand on your upper back. "I can make you somethin'."

You flash him a smile, but it fades away as fast as it appears. "Not right now, I desperately want a hot shower."

"Knock yourself out, y'know where everythin' is. Grab whatever clothes you need from my room. Leave yours in the bathroom and I'll wash'em."

Oh...right. You didn't bring anything with you except the clothes on your back. 

It's not like you haven't worn Bakugo's clothes in the past, but it feels way more intimate than ever. Imagining him doing your laundry makes you blush something fierce, suddenly self-conscious about it. You have to force yourself to shake the thought away. He's folded your underwear for years and vice versa. You’ve showered here plenty of times. Hell, you’ve slept in his bed numerous times. 

What's the big deal?

"I know that face." Bakugo comments. He caught on to the anxiety emanating from you the second you walked through the door. Being apart for a month didn't seem to weaken his ability to perceive your true emotions. "Quit your worryin', wouldn't offer if I didn't wanna do it."

"Alright," you mutter lowly. "Sorry, still feeling a little out of it."

Bakugo pats you on the head. "Don't be sorry. Go shower, I'll make some dinner for us. You're gonna be starvin' afterward, and y'should eat before takin' any more meds."

You might not be hungry, but can't deny he's right.

“Alright. Thanks, Kat. Mind if I leave the bathroom door cracked?” 

A brief wave of sadness crashes through him at your tone. What did they do to you to make you so paranoid? He knows it’s gonna take time for you to acclimate back to a daily routine, but it doesn’t make it any easier to watch you walk around with a cloud over your head. 

“‘Course not. Yell if ya need me.” 

You slink back into Bakugo’s bedroom, waltzing over to his dresser to pick out a set of clothes to wear. It takes an embarrassing amount of convincing to open his underwear drawer, barely looking and blindly grabbing a pair for yourself to change into. You pick out an old All Might t-shirt as well and head off to the bathroom before you change your mind and make things even weirder than they needed to be. You pause at the sink to stare into the mirror, unable to stop yourself from making a mental checklist at every little detail that’s changed in your appearance. The lifelessness in your stare makes your stomach sour, unable to keep eye contact with yourself longer than a few seconds. It reminds you of the last time you looked in a mirror for too long, that shadow-self taunting you to set her free. You can't risk encountering her again - not today.

Bakugo waits for the shower to turn on, only continuing to shuffle around the kitchen in search of ingredients when he hears the water running. He hasn’t gone shopping in a few weeks, living off of protein bars and shakes instead of his usual prepared meals. His appetite waned while you were gone, unable to bring himself to eat consistently like he used to. He’s about to turn the stove on when he hears your voice echo faintly down the hallway, dropping what he’s doing and hurrying to the bathroom door. 

“Need somethin’?” Bakugo calls out, loud enough to be sure you hear him over the sounds of the water and ventilation fan. 

“This is gonna sound so needy,” you whine, feeling ashamed to keep asking him for help after all the trouble him and Midoriya have gone through. “Can you…stay in here and talk to me? Being alone is giving me stupid anxiety.”

He sighs, slipping through the door and perching himself on the vanity. "You're not needy, don't say shit like that. What do y'wanna talk about?"

What the hell do you talk about? What he did while you were gone? The weather or the news?

"Uhh...what's for dinner?"

Good enough.

"Was thinkin' something basic like chicken and rice. Don't wanna make you sick by eating somethin' too rich off the bat."

The pause in conversation is gnawing on your nerves. Bakugo clears his throat. "That sound okay to you?"

"Mhm."

Popping open the bottle of shampoo, the familiar scent invades your senses and forces nostalgia upon you that you didn't even know you had tucked away. A handful of memories come back in flashes - movie nights, late night dinners, 3AM phone calls, early morning workouts, afternoon coffee runs during patrol breaks...it hits you like a train, crushing you mentally to know you're using everything that's his, consuming pieces of him that you've craved after being apart for so long. Something as simple as goddamn 'Pine Trees & Campfire' shampoo is destroying you all over again. You try to stop the hiccup in your throat from being heard, but it's too late.

"You alright in there?" Bakugo asks when he hears it, worried he upset you. "I can make whatever y'want, I'll run to-"

"That's not it," you interject awkwardly. You can't tell him that you're distraught over a stupid fragrance, no way in hell.

"Do you...want me to help you?" He stumbles through the words, embarrassed to be thinking about your bare skin and the potential of seeing you in such a vulnerable light, the only thing keeping you hidden from his sight being a thin layer of steam and suds.

"I..." you start while continuing to rush through the rest of the shower routine as a distraction, but it doesn't work. Of course it doesn't - there's no shoving this down anymore. What good would it do now to lie to him about how you feel? You might as well tell him the truth. 

"I realized how much I missed you."

Bakugo's head falls into his hands, heat radiating from his face and warming his palms. There's so much you two need to talk about. You've both gotten through the confession portion, but the weight of it all is becoming too much to bear. He's, for lack of a better word, dying to hold you, kiss you, to bask in your presence like old times. 

"Yeah, missed bein' able to call you to talk about stupid shit and hear your voice. Did a few times the first week. Old habits die hard."

The bathroom falls quiet when you turn off the shower, the subtle squeak of the metal rack as you pull the fresh towel behind the curtain being the only sound filling the room. It sends Bakugo into an unexpected cold sweat. You're about to walk out in nothing but...that. 

Should he leave? Do you want him to leave? Is he...allowed to see you in only a towel?

His eyes shoot to the floor the second he hears the curtain rings clink together, white-knuckling the edge of the vanity like his life depended on it. 

"Katsuki," you laugh, gripping the top of the towel draped over your body. "Don't be such a nerd about this."

Bakugo's eyes whip back to you, eyebrows scrunched together with his cheeks slightly puffed. He's adorable like this, a strawberry hue spreading like wildfire across his features. 

"I-I'm not!" he argues. "You wanna walk around in nothin'? Be my damn guest."

Shit, that's not what he meant to say.

You start to snicker, devolving into a cackle that has you in tears, holding your side and wiping at your eyes. 

"Stop laughin' ya brat!" he shouts, not able to keep a straight face himself once he sees the real you come to light, the radiant girl he loves. It brings him comfort knowing he can still make you laugh until you cry happy tears after the hell you've been through. Your giggles are music to his ears - an angelic choir. He launches himself off the vanity and heads for the door, mumuring "Get your ass dressed already" as he's shutting it behind him. 

After staring at the pile of clothes for too long, you throw on the chosen shirt and pair of boxers, savoring the warmth it fills you with as the fabric lays atop your damp skin. Maybe things will be easier than you think and you won't turn into a phantom that listlessly wanders through life. Maybe, just maybe, Bakugo's the key to finding your old self and stepping back into her shoes. Exiting the bathroom, you're about to head into the kitchen when you overhear Bakugo fidgeting with something in his bedroom. You patter down the hall and peer into the room, curious with whatever he's messing with. He catches your silhouette out of the corner of his eye and nearly jumps out of his skin.

"God, you're like a fuckin' mouse!" Bakugo yells, dropping the box in his hands. "Thought y'were still in the bathroom, scared the shit outta me."

"Sorry," you apologize with your hand over your mouth, holding in a laugh and covering up the sneer tugging at your lips. There's a small box on his dresser, a coral colored jewelry case of some kind. "What's that?"

Bakugo groans dramatically and slumps his shoulders. You've caught him red handed.

"Dammit. It's somethin' I bought a long ass time ago." 

His fingers graze over the cotton material delicately, reminiscing about that day from years prior. The two of you had gotten the approvals for your apartments in Tokyo, ecstatic that you were able to find places within a mile walking distance of one another - Midoriya, too. After meeting with the realtor in the city, you two were free to wander around for the day. Bakugo remembers how adorably ecstatic you were, tugging him toward the train station to go to Shibuya and celebrate, a.k.a window shop through the square, play arcade games until he berated you for wasting money, and bar hop to indulge in the best food and drinks for hours.

Who was he to say no to you?

While roaming through the shopping district, you'd stopped to fawn over a piece of jewelry in a window display, your wonderstruck stare that had him melting as you squealed with delight. "Wow, look how pretty that is!"

Bakugo's too spellbound on how gorgeous you appear in the golden hour sunlight to focus on the words you're saying. He's transfixed by the luminous glow reflecting on your skin, convinced this sunset was handcrafted to your intensify beauty. He finally tears his gaze away from you to see the necklace shining back at him in the window. 

"Lockets are so sweet, I love their sentiment," you swoon mindlessly. "And this one has a teeny carnelian in the middle. They're meant to keep you driven and motivated."

He couldn't deny it looked nice, a small rose gold heart locket with the stone nestled in the middle. Bakugo looks at the price tag and winces - $300 for something so...dainty. 

"Damn, did they dig this outta the dirt themselves for that price?"

"It's how you know it's real and won't leave a green ring around your neck. Carnelian actually reminds me of you, Kat. Nothing gets in the your way of your dreams, your ambition is truly unmatched."

Bakugo's body heats up, such a casual compliment enough to have him bursting into invisible flames. 

"S'there a rock for nerds like you, too?" he grins, playfully poking at your side.

"Ha-ha," you huff sarcastically. "C'mon, I'm starving. Let's go to that bar around the corner."

He takes a mental note of the store name, the street you're on, and the name of the locket on display. He'll come back for it in a few days, hiding it away for the right time to give to you. Maybe at your birthday, or whenever your hero ranking jumps into the top 40. Or he'll keep his feelings locked away with it, letting it waste away in the back of a drawer somewhere with no intention of it ever seeing the light of day.

"Are you gonna tell me, or should I act like I didn't see it?" 

Your voice shakes Bakugo out of his daydream, realizing he's been standing there staring at the box for god knows how long. You two have somewhat confessed to one another, what's he got to lose? 

"C'mere," he instructs, motioning for you to sit with him on the bed. You blink at him curiously as you follow his lead, plopping down on the mattress next to him. His mouth forms a tense line before exhaling heavily. "Turn around."

And you do, albeit puzzled, but compliant. Bakugo opens the box and fumbles with the necklace, untangling the chain from where it laid on the satin pillow inside. He leans into your back, hands coming into view from behind and the weight of something resting on your chest. After a few tries with shaky fingers and mumbled 'fuck's, he gets the clasp to successfully close, pulling your dampened hair out of the way and letting the chain lay across your nape. 

"Bought this after that trip to Shibuya with my first check. I went back'ta get it after you wouldn't stop lookin' at it. And..." he pauses. "Ya said it reminded you of me, so it felt special."

He's had this locket hidden away for years?!

"I didn't put anythin' in it, figured we could find somethin' together."

No one's ever loved you this deeply, so blisteringly profound as Bakugo. How could you be so blind to it all this time? His pining for you is clear as day. All those times you questioned it and how you could've been together this whole time.

You swing around and collide with Bakugo, sore arms wrapping securely around his shoulders. His arms instantly encircle your frame as the two of you topple sideways onto the bed, entangled in one another. You stare up at him through your lashes with a soft pout stretched over your lips.

"You really are force to be reckoned with, huh?" you tease. "Thank you, Katsuki. I love it."

You move up to comfortably lay your head next to his on the pillow, noses practically touching as you navigate the stars in each other's eyes. You can hear Bakugo swallow roughly - he’s nervous. He goes to say something, but you place a finger to his lips, shaking your head nimbly to cut him off. 

"And you."

Your hand moves to caress his cheek as you inhale a trembling breath, taking in all of his gorgeous features. He melts into your touch. The usual flames in his eyes have dimmed into embers, ruby irises flickering under the bedroom lighting. Every ounce of your body feels like an inferno, the equivalent of Icarus flying too close to the sun. The only difference? You don’t mind the burn - you welcome it this time. 

The final piece of the puzzle clicks into place as your lips connect with Bakugo's, the world fading away around you two and transporting you into a luscious dreamscape full of stars. Everything from the last month begins to dissipate into nothingness, his kiss draining the negativity from your soul and replacing it with sickly sweet love. The two of you have waited for what feels like an eternity for a chance like this, and despite the circumstances, it has brought you two together in a way that you've only fantasized about. The fact that it's actually happening? You may explode, overwhelmed by the emotions traversing the avenues of your heart. 

Bakugo pulls away to catch his breath, unable to fathom the reality unfolding in front of him. You're here, in his bed, wearing his clothes and the locket he thought would never see hanging from your neck, snuggled up and kissing him like he's the last person on earth. His head is in the clouds, way beyond the stratosphere and floating through deep space. He's convinced this is nirvana, the perfect slice of heaven. But one thing is missing - three little words he's dying for you to hear, straight from his heart. 

He snakes an arm around your waist and tugs your body to be impossibly close to his. Bakugo pecks your forehead, nose and cheek and hovers over your lips. You can feel the infatuation exuding from him, comforted by the way his chest rises and falls with yours in quick successions.

He feels like home.

"I love you," he finally confesses, his throat tightening as the phrase spills out of him. It's no longer out of fear, it's the enthusiasm of finally being able to say it with confidence. 

You can't help but chuckle while remembering his text, leaning forward to kiss him before answering. "Why don't you remind me how much?"

The way Bakugo's cheeks glow scarlet at your question makes your heart swell - his sudden bashfulness is exhilarating. He takes a deep breath as his fingers rub circles on your lower back absentmindedly, staring at your lips until he has the strength to make eye contact again. 

"I should'a told ya ages ago how I felt. And from now on, I won't let a day go by without tellin' you."

Even though you knew how he felt about you, hearing Bakugo say it aloud makes the swarm of butterflies in your stomach flutter violently. The feeling is almost uncontainable, overflowing in ways you didn't think was possible.

"I love you too, Katsuki. Like a stupid fucking amount," you smirk, relishing in the way his irises gleam when you quote his original confession. He tilts your chin upward to slot his lips onto yours once more, eager to consume every drop of adoration pouring out of you. It's innocent, tender, the spell he's been dying to put you under for years. The mood shifts into something more sensual when your hand roams to the hem of Bakugo's shirt, slipping underneath to run your hand up his back, desperate for skin contact and sinking into a deeper kiss. You're tingling, a new sensation beginning to build in your belly when he experimentally sucks on your bottom lip, opening your mouth for him to swipe his tongue along yours. You squeak in surprise at his advance, but melt into him all the same, a groan rumbling in his chest at your pliancy. His hand starts to wander down your figure and sneaks under the oversized t-shirt, mimicking your touch and tracing your spine with his finger tips. 

Oh my god. 

This is real. 

This isn't a dream. 

He feels so fucking good pressed up against you, intoxicated by the way his fingers ghost over your skin, sending sparks of electricity rushing through your veins. You want him viscerally, no - need him. Maybe it's the touch starvation talking, but you could consume him whole and it wouldn't be enough right now. He's everything you've ever wanted, and even thought you literally have him in the palm of your hand, something about this continues to feel illusive. 

You're lost in him. Everything fiber of your being is screaming Katsuki, Katsuki, Katsuki. 

In the heat of the moment, you pull away from the kiss and press your lips to the underside of his jaw, slowly leaving a trail of featherlight pecks down to his collarbone. You can feel Bakugo shiver under your touch, his fingers applying firmer pressure on your back. His reaction gives you the courage to push further, delicately sucking on the pulse point in his neck. The noise that floods out of him makes your thighs clench, one that you've never heard him make. His whole body twitches, fingers moving to squeeze your side in an attempt to keep himself together. 

"Fuck," he sighs harshly above you, breathing heavily and immediately biting his lip to prevent any other flustered sounds from spilling out as your lips continue their plush assault. When your hand inches slowly down his back and to his hip to graze the waistband of his sweats, Bakugo freezes. His hand rockets to your wrist to stop you. He breaks away from your embrace and the sight of him is enough to knock you out; eyes half-lidded, out of breath, lips swollen and face flushed cherry red. 

God, he's so beautiful. 

"W-wait," he stutters, removing his grip from your wrist and sliding his fingers to tangle with yours. "I...I don't wanna rush this."

Oh.

"N-not...shit. Not that I don't want to," Bakugo continues while biting the inside of his cheek to calm himself down. "I wanna earn you, every part of you."

Oh. 

That might be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to you.

He notices your eyes beginning to well up with tears and panics, thinking that you're taking this as a rejection rather than his true intentions. "Hey, I didn't mean-"

You interrupt him with another sweet peck to his lips. "I know. You're right, and I'm sorry for smothering you."

Bakugo didn't mind that one fucking bit, he's waited years for the chance to kiss you. Shit, he wants you to touch him, to explore every scar and muscle that adorn his figure. He wants to memorize the way your delicate fingers set him ablaze as you roam his body with your touch. And he can't dare to think about the seductive journey of mapping out every inch of your skin, worshiping you from head to toe for hours. He screws his eyes shut momentarily to collect himself for a third time, shoving that thought into the back of his mind to save for a rainy day.

"Nothin' to be sorry about, sweetheart." Bakugo pulls you into him, cushioning your cheek with his chest. "M'happy like this for now. Don't wanna spoil all the surprises right away."

Sweetheart.

Your heart pitter-patters in your chest at the new pet name, loving how it sounds falling from his lips. 

"But if ya ask me with those puppy dog eyes'a yours, I might turn into a kid on Christmas morning and unwrap everything in one night." He snickers, the vibrations mixing into the strong bass of his heartbeat in your ear. The pulse becomes a comforting lullaby of sorts, blanketing a sense of calm over you and letting you drift into a blissful daze. 

Until the trance is broken by the rumble of your phone incessantly buzzing against Bakugo's dresser. Reluctantly, you push yourself out of his grasp and lurch to grab it from across the room, the caller ID making your stomach plummet. 

~ INCOMING CALL: AGENCY

The time has come. It's now or never to hear what they have to say. You click the "Accept" button and raise the phone to your ear. 

"Hello?"

"Hello, this message is for Y/H/N. If this is correct, please press 1."

They couldn't even bother to call you themselves, but sent a recording instead?

"What is it?" Bakugo asks as he sits up in the bed. 

"Bastards at the agency sent a recording, it's not even the board members themselves."

He gives you a look of disgust, appalled they'd treat one of their fellow heroes like a number in their system. Well, maybe he shouldn't be surprised, all things considered. Those suits only care about appearances at the end of the day. 

"Throw it on speaker," he insists, patting the bed for you to sit next to him. You plop down on the mattress, press 1 on the screen and click the speaker icon. 

"Y/H/N, we are pleased to know you've returned safe and sound. Deku and the others went a bit rogue to rescue you, but we are willing to excuse it this one time due to the success of their tribulations. Thank you for sending over your paperwork from the hospital. We've contacted Deku, as he's one of your emergency contacts, for further information to allow you to properly rest. He informed us you'll be under Dynamight's care until we can confirm your home is safe to stay return to. We will be reaching out to him momentarily in regards of this matter and how to proceed in the coming weeks. As of now, your status in the hero database has been changed from "Missing in Action" to "Leave of Absence." You will be paid 75% of your normal salary during this time and your ranking will be reset. In order to return to physical hero work, we require a written recommendation letter from your doctor and therapists, including progress reports and evaluations regarding your quirk's strength. You will, unfortunately, need to re-apply for a position and re-take the agency's entrance exam. In the interim, you may complete office work at your leisure after three months of leave. We will be following up in a week for updates on your health and then monthly going forward. If you have any questions, please reach out to the agency's HR department. Thank you, and we wish you luck in your recovery." 

A few seconds of static linger in the air before the line ends. The phone feels heavy in your hands, a weight you can't hold on to for much longer. 

Shh...stop thinking. Push it down. Lock it up. Keep that dread buried six feet under. 

As much as you don't want to listen to your inner critic, she's right. For now, you've gotta suffocate that existentialism and shelve it for another day - preferably one when Bakugo's not around to witness another breakdown. You notice him staring at you with the similar face he made in the compound, one filled with worry about the impending doom and gloom. It's obvious he searching for something to say, anything to get your mind away from being told you're potentially losing your job. 

"It's okay, Katsuki. You don't need to say anything," you assure as you take a deep breath. "Are you still offering to make dinner, or should we order something?"

Is that a good sign? He can't determine whether or not you're upset or accepting the inevitable. Bad news be damned, Bakugo's confident he can take your mind off of things, even if it's for a few hours at a time.  

"Whatever you want, I'll let you pick."

As much as you'd kill for some fast food to mask the panic building in your chest, a home cooked meal - specifically a Katsuki Bakugo home cooked meal - sounds incredible right about now.

"Cook me the best dish you've got in your arsenal, that's what I want."

Bakugo's lips upturn into a grin, fired up for the challenge to impress his best...no, girlfriend. 

"Lemme go to the store on the corner an' pick up a few things. Go get comfy on the couch in the meantime." He takes your cheeks in his hands, squishing them together playfully to leave another kiss on your lips. "Dinner and a movie, right where we left off."

"Where we left off and then some," you joke, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you, Kat. For everything."

"Don't mention it," he waves you off, a dusting of pink crossing the bridge of his nose and coloring the tips of his ears. "Be back in twenty. Try not to miss me too much.”

With a nod, you let him go. He stops at the door of his bedroom, turning to face you. 

“I love you,” Bakugo repeats. "Wanted to remind ya, in case you forgot."

“You’re so cute, I love you too. Don’t trip and fall off the face of the earth on your way there.” 

“I'm not cute!” reverbs through Bakugo’s apartment as he shuts the front door. You lay back in his bed, twirling the sheets in your fingers as his scent lingers in your space. You could get used to this, a life full of sweet nothings with him by your side. Dreams can begin to replace your nightmares, and hope seems fathomable once more. It won’t be an easy journey, you’ve got multiple glass ceilings to break through before returning to normalcy. And she’s here to remind you of every hurdle along the way. It’s only been a few hours since your release from the hospital, but this is the best you’ve felt in a long ass time. 

Until your reality comes crashing down around you. You've really gotta stop asking for trouble.

Everything contrasts, your throat constricting and limiting the breath reaching your lungs. The doctor warned you about the potential side effects of drug withdraw, but couldn’t pinpoint exactly how these symptoms would appear. How could they know if they couldn’t identify the drug itself? You try to grab your phone, but you can’t find the damn thing in your hazy vision, frantically patting around on the bed in search of it to call Bakugo for help.

Don’t panic, breathe. 

"I can't!" you pant between shallow breaths.

Yes, you can. Don't let it take you back into that cell. 

Is this the psychosis they warned you about? It's terrifying, but therapeutic in the same breath. You’ve gotta trust that intuition - it may not be malicious in nature anymore.

Lay on your back, hands and feet against the bed. Let me pass through and you’ll be safe, don't be afraid of me. 

You ground yourself to the bed and breathe deeply. In and out. In...out. In. Out. After a minute, your breathing stabilizes, eyes opening cautiously to surprisingly clear vision. 

See? We don't need to be enemies.

What the fuck was that, a panic attack? It felt too quick to be one. The creak of the front door opening and rustling of bags distracts you from spiraling further about it, Bakugo's voice carrying down the hall. "Lite-brite, I'm back. Grabbed ya a few treats, too."

Are you able to move? You flex your fingers, your toes, and then roll your shoulders back as a test. Everything seems to be back to normal. No use in worrying him further, the episode's passed and you're okay - that's what matters. You'll tell him after dinner when the night winds down. You can't ruin the mood he's crafting for you two after everything he's done. You can unload that another time, and pray it doesn't happen again anytime soon.

"Everythin' okay while I was gone?" Bakugo presses while tossing the bags on the counter.

One more white lie won't hurt.

"Yeah, all good. Can I help with anything?"

⇢ HH tags; @bakugouswaif @k1tk4tkatsuki @bells2319

@st0nedbitch @deftonianfr @musicbecky

@bakubae-by @berryvioo @tragedyofabrokensoul

@queenpiranhadon @simp-plague @jenn-majima

@dienamights @curiositykilledthecatx3

⇢ bkg tags; @slayfics @maddietries @starieqq 

@liluvtojineteyam @jays-adventure3 @napbatata

@Yoyolovesdaiki

⇢ all tags; @kirishimaeijiromyman @strwbrrykthv

[resowrites]

A Day In May - oneshot.

Summary: It proves to be a birthday to remember for Henry and his wife…

Pairings: AU!Henry Cavill x Wife!OC

Warnings: fluff, banter/British humour, language, dialogue heavy, a couple of sensitive topics mentioned but no detail, nondescript OC body type/appearance, hastily written/lightly proofread.

WC: 2992

A/N: Remember, this is pure fiction (as in completely made up) and not in any way meant to reflect reality. My work must not be copied, reposted, or translated elsewhere. Likes, follows, reblogs and comments are thoroughly welcome and appreciated! Gifs/pics not my own. I hope you all enjoy and thanks for visiting!

A Day In May - oneshot.

"Good morning birthday boy!" Henry rolled onto his back, his eyes adjusting slowly to the early morning light.

"Mmm, g'morning… you're up early."

"Well, who was gunna make breakfast if we both slept in? I made you your favourites; pancakes, Belgian waffles, and pan aux raisin. There's even a little bowl of fruit for you to ignore…" He chuckled as he sat up and helped her guide the tray over his lap.

"Aren't you having any?" Her eyes quickly darted to the floor.

"Er, maybe later—"

"Oh no, don't tell me you're still not feeling the best?" She had in fact been sick all morning and had even used the downstairs toilet so as not to wake Henry up.

"I'm fine! I felt a little peaky when I first woke up but it's passed. Anyway, when you're finished, have a quick shower and come downstairs, there might be a gift or two waiting for you in the kitchen…" She shot him a wink while he guiltily sipped his coffee. Henry knew she'd already gone to great lengths to make his fortieth birthday a success. For weeks she'd been planning a huge party at their favourite private member's club in London. Everyone they knew was going to be there and it promised to be a night to remember.

"Are you sure you're alright though? I mean I know you've worked hard on today but we can always cancel and just spend the day together if you're not feeling the best?" She scoffed and waved a hand in the air.

"Nonsense, I'll be alright. There's no way I'm missing my old man's birthday! Tell me, seeing as I'm still the better part of a decade away from it, how does forty feel so far?" He responded to her smirk with one of his own.

"Why? Do I look forty?!" She pursed her lips, remaining silent as she plucked a couple of blueberries off the tray. "Oh my God, you cheeky cow!"

"What?! You're as handsome now as the day I met you…" Henry pulled her into a headlock.

"Hey! Let go, you're messing up my hair!" Suddenly her stomach churned and she felt her mouth moisten. Clearly, the fruit and the headlock had proved a mistake. She dashed to their ensuite bathroom with him throwing back the covers so he could run after her.

"Darling! Oh God… I'm so sorry. There we are, oh sweetheart…" She continued retching into the toilet bowl as Henry held her gathered hair on top of her head. When she was finished, he hoisted her up and sat her down carefully on the edge of the bath. "I think I'd better ring the doctor's, don't you?" She looked into Henry's panic-stricken eyes as he carefully rubbed the sides of her thighs.

"Darling, I'm really alright, it's just a virus. So long as I'm careful about what I eat and don't go too crazy tonight, I'm sure I'll be okay."

"Well, we'll see. For now, I want you to get back into bed. Come on…" He tried to take her by the hand.

"Henry, I don't need to be babied! Honestly, stop being such a fusspot." But she started to sway unsteadily on her feet. Henry caught her before she fell and swiftly put her back in their bed.

"Right, that's it. I'm calling the doctor. You're so pale you look like a ghost!"

"Wait, Henry… don't. There's no need to call them." He looked up from searching through the contact list on his phone.

"What, why? Darling, you're not at all well. Hang on let me get you some water…" Henry wedged the phone in the crook of his neck while he refilled her glass in the bathroom.

"Henry, you won't get through at this time. Besides all they'll tell me to do is rest and drink plenty of fluids."

"How do you know that? Have you already spoken to the doctor?" She took the glass of water from him, carefully avoiding eye contact.

"Yes, and he said I'll be fine so stop please stop worrying. I just want you to enjoy your birthday." She sipped the water slowly and rested her head against the headboard so she could close her eyes. Henry took a seat on the edge of the bed and caressed her hand.

"Are you feeling any better, love?" He spoke tenderly which only made her feel worse. Today was supposed to be about him and already things were getting off track.

"Mmm, though I'm sorry I've ruined your birthday breakfast…" Henry scoffed and got back in bed beside her.

"Rubbish, you know nothing comes between me and food. But I'll take the tray downstairs if the smell's making you feel worse?" She shook her head and he cautiously began chomping his way through a pastry. She attempted to change the subject, more to keep her mind off the food than anything else.

"So, are you looking forward to tonight?"

"You're damn right I am! It'll be nice to have everyone gathered together again. I've not seen most of them since the wedding."

"I know, I can't believe that was only last month."

"Me either. What can I say, time flies when you're married to a stud…" Henry leaned in and peppered her cheek with crumb-filled kisses. She breathed hard. "Are you sure you're alright? I feel awful sitting here stuffing my face when you're not well." She looked into his pale blue eyes and sighed. She then eased herself off the bed and walked slowly around it. Henry pushed the tray aside and stood to face her. "What is it?" He took her face gingerly into his hands. For a while, he could see the wheels turn in her head. Clearly, she was struggling to find the right words.

"Henry, I…" She faltered and instead pulled his hands down to rest on her stomach. Henry's eyes went wide.

"You're… you're pregnant?" She nodded weakly, her eyes filling with tears when she could see the ones in his. Eventually, he choked out a laugh. "Oh my God… Oh my God!" She took a few steps back while Henry ran backward and forward whooping and cheering. He then lifted her into the air, quickly dropping her back down when he remembered she was still feeling queasy. Instead, he settled for holding her tight. "You're pregnant… you're pregnant!" Henry broke down in tears once again and they stood, swaying and crying together until the noise caused both Copper and Kal to nose their way into the bedroom to inspect the commotion. "Guess what, guys? Mummy's having a baby!" He danced around excitedly, whipping the dogs into a similar if rather confused, frenzy. When she could get Henry to stand still again, he dotted her face with more kisses.

"Henry… Henry stop!"

"Oh, sorry, are you still feeling sick? Here let's sit you down…" A sinking feeling washed through her as she was plonked onto the edge of the bed. "Darling, what's the matter? You're going to be a mum! Aren't you thrilled?" She brushed the tears from her cheeks.

"Of course, I am! I want this just as much as you, it's just that…"

"What?" Then it dawned on him. Henry mentally kicked himself for not realising how bittersweet that moment must have been for her. He softly stroked her back. "Oh darling… what happened last time won't necessarily happen again—"

"But I'm only four weeks! I didn't want to tell you so soon but then I started getting morning sickness and… and…" Her voice trailed off. "Oh Henry, what if we lose it?! I can't go through that agony again…" Her head fell into her hands as she sobbed. Henry swivelled off the bed and kneeled in front of her.

"Ollie, listen very carefully to me, sweetheart. I want you to know that no matter what happens, either now or in the future, I'm right by your side and always will be. Nothing is going to change that, okay? Darling, look at me…" But her eyes were still awash with fear.

"… I'm so scared Henry. This is such a big change, are you sure we're really ready? It's not like having another dog, it'll be really hard work at first. God, the responsibility of it all…" His heart ached for her.

"I know sweetheart, but remember things are very different this time. We have each other and I'm also going to make sure you get the best possible care. If anything does go wrong, we're going to figure it out and work together, alright? We can even get a nanny if that'll help at first?" She flung her arms around Henry and went to kiss him before stopping herself. "What? What is it?"

"Well… my mouth still tastes awful!"

"Don't be silly. You're perfect!" He pulled her up off the bed and kissed her hard. For a while, they just stood holding each other steadily.

"And don't worry about a nanny, I'm sure we'll manage. I'm not a great sleeper anyway and I've looked after my sister's kids when they were newborns. Once you get into a routine things settle down eventually… Henry? Are you listening?"

"Yeah, sorry. It's just, wow… we're gunna be parents!" She beamed up at Henry. "I just can't believe it… when did you find out? Do you still have the test? When are you due?!" She smiled as he fired off each excited question, and reached into her bedside cabinet. She pulled out a thin, blue, and white stick. When she handed it to Henry, he blinked a couple of times at the two pink lines before his eyes swelled with tears once again. He then kissed the stick and let out another excited cheer. She felt so happy - not to mention relieved.

"I'm not sure it's very hygienic to kiss that you know," she teased. "I took it a few days ago when I started feeling off. I don't know what made me do it, something just felt… different. The baby should be due no later than December. To be honest I'm surprised it happened so quickly, I thought we'd have more difficulty—"

"So I shot and scored on the first try?! Wait a minute, if you're four weeks… that means you must have conceived on our wedding night!"

"… Oh my God, you're right. Are we really that tacky?!" Henry chuckled.

"Aww, I'm so thrilled though! Honestly, you've made me the happiest man alive. And don't worry, I'm gunna be here to get everything sorted—"

"But Henry you've got to go away again in June—"

"No bloody fear! I'm not leaving now that you're pregnant!"

"Why not?! Henry you've got to go back to work!"

"You must be joking, I'm not missing you being pregnant!"

"Well, once I'm out of the first trimester things should hopefully go a lot smoother anyway. Honestly, you won't be missing much—"

"I don't care, I'm not missing any of it—"

"But Henry I'll need you here when the baby's born, it's better that you're away now and here later, trust me."

"Well, we'll see how things go, I have no problem taking another year out if I have to, you and the baby are far more important to me." He gently cradled the lower half of her stomach. "So, when can we tell everyone?"

"Not yet, we need to wait until I'm at least twelve weeks."

"God, it's going to be hard keeping it a secret…"

"I know, but it's for the best. I don't want it announced by your publicist either."

"That's okay, I completely agree. We will have to tell her at some point. After all, we don't want her catching wind of it further down the line. She's very good though, she'll make sure it's kept under wraps."

"Well, I certainly hope so. I mean, it's not like it's some dirty secret, but I don't want the stress of the media trying to release the story—"

"Don't worry sweetheart, I'll make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Now, when do we have to arrange to see the doctor?"

"I've already booked to see the midwife next week. It's only an hour-long appointment, you don't need to go with me…"

"Are you joking? I want to be involved every step of the way!'

"Well, I appreciate that but you must promise not to start becoming a fusspot over me?"

"But this is our first baby, you can't blame me if get a little bit protective!"

"I know but remember, until the later stages I can carry on pretty much as normal. I want to continue working for as long as I can, as well." Henry bit his lip.

"Darling your job can be very stressful, I don't want you juggling contract negotiations with being sick and tired all the time."

"The morning sickness should go away by the time I'm four to five months gone. To be honest, I've had it earlier than normal. Usually, it doesn't start until you're at least six weeks—"

"But maybe that's a good sign? Last time you said you had no symptoms so maybe everything will go smoother this time around?" She smiled at him sadly, always in awe of his eternal optimism.

"Well, I certainly hope so, God there's so much to do…"

"Don't worry, we've got eight months to get everything sorted. But what do we do about the party later? Do you think you'll still be up to going?"

"Yeah, I'll feel better as the day wears on. But I won't be able to drink so I'm going to have to fake it somehow. I hope no one cottons on…"

"You'll be fine, just make sure you stick close to me so that if you want to leave we can call a cab. God, I'm going to be a Daddy! I'm so excited! Aren't you?"

"Of course! My head's swimming though. We'll have to figure out what room we want to use as the nursery."

"Well don't worry, I can paint it in a day, just tell me what colours and furnishings you want—"

"Well that's the thing, is it okay if we don't find out whether it's a boy or a girl?"

"Oh, are you sure?"

"Yeah, I mean I don't think I'm going to have another, so it's tough shit if it's a girl, cos we won't be trying again—" Henry cackled.

"I'd love a little girl! Our family's full of boys so it'll be wonderful to have a daughter. Especially if she looks like you…"

"Oh God, what if she gets your arse chin?" He snorted.

"Well, that's just charming! There's nothing like a mother's love is there?!" Her face turned serious for a moment.

"Will you promise to look after them though? I mean whatever happens between us in the future, do you promise to always be there for them?" Henry felt his heart sink. The poor relationship she'd had with her own father was obviously weighing heavily on her mind.

"Darling, I've already promised that I will love and protect you both until I take my dying breath. Nothing will ever stand in the way of that, okay?" Her face still looked clouded with worry.

"… God I'm going to get so fat."

"Oh stop it, as long as you're both healthy and happy that's all that matters. And besides, I can always get you one of those electric scooters…" She swatted him on the arm.

"Oh Lord help me, it's gunna be a bloody long eight months…"

"Yeah, but it'll be a laugh too. And there are lots of positives. Just imagine how big those are gunna get…" Henry pointed at her chest, a look of pride on his face. "And this!" He gave her backside a determined pinch. She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Think of all the baby classes we'll have to attend as well—"

"Oh no we're bloody not! We can do virtual ones, there's absolutely no sodding way I'm attending any of those with you!"

"What? Why not? How else am I going to learn about everything?!"

"Henry, you will just play up and then every week afterward I'll be too embarrassed to show my face! Besides, you're famous. I'm not having people come up and ask for autographs while I'm trying to practise breathing techniques!"

"Okay, you've got a point. But please don't worry, alright? I promise I'm going to be hands-on and do as much as I can to educate myself. I want to be involved as much as possible."

"Is that right? So you're going to get up in the middle of the night to do a feed? And change shitty nappies?!"

"Well, we can draw straws on that last one…" She smiled, realising that there was no one else with whom she'd rather embark upon the journey to parenthood. "So, do you think we'll have a girl then? What about names? Personally, I've always liked Henrietta," she scoffed.

"Henry, if you think I'm naming my daughter after you, you’ve got another thing coming!"

"What? Henrietta's a lovely name! Better than Ollie at any rate!" She thwacked Henry on the arm again.

"Don't be so bloody cheeky, or I'll take all your birthday presents back! Come on, enough about the baby for the moment, we can talk more about it later. Now let's go downstairs Daddy so you can open all your gifts—"

"Well don't worry, you've already given me the best gift I could have asked for! Thank you so, so much darling. I didn't even know I could feel this happy. Look, I know it won't always be easy, but there's no one else I'd rather do any of this with. You're going to be an amazing mother. I love you, sweetheart… best birthday ever!" They grinned widely at each other, shared another kiss, and went down to the kitchen holding each other's hand.

To be updated on when I post please follow @resowrites and turn on post notifications.

@elizabetharegina @fanfictionaddiction99 @luclittlepond @caffeinatedfestivalsheep @summersong69 @ushijimbo

[jiijux]

A Coincidence?

☆ Male reader x Light Yagami. ★ Happened before Kira timeline.

Summary: You and Light are two different students from a different school and when it was raining you both met by coincidence which starts a whole journey for both of you in getting closer each time you both met.

When Light checked the weather for today, he makes sure to bring an umbrella incase when he was going to walk home and it's raining; he doesn't need to worry about it, he makes sure to always checks today weather incase he have to prepare for something unexpected. Light was very careful and wanted everything to remain perfect just like how everyone expects him to be.

Even though it wasn't gonna rain, it's still a great thing to be prepared, he just continues school as usual until he hears a small water drop which makes him instantly turns to the window. Just what he expected, it was raining and he hopes to be able get home safely while his others classmates seems to be offering him an umbrella but he politely declined because he already brought one.

Until something caught his eyes just as he was about to step outside of the school gates, someone seems to be running in the rain with a different school uniforms, he assumed it was someone from another school but he notices that the raining is really heavy today.

Observing the students carefully, he knew his clothes were all wet even to his backpack. Light can't shake the underlying feelings of sympathy as he quickly wave a hand and approach the students until the students stops and looks at Light with a suprise expression like an angel just come down to save him, the individual was quite tall even though Lights own height is already considered tall but this one is taller so it was hard for Light to reach the umbrella to cover the students head.

The students knows the signal and quick bend a little and hold the umbrella handle touching Light's hand. Light felt like he seen this students before until it hit him that this students house was just a couple away from his own but Light rarely saw them he usually saw them only on the afternoon, he guessed the students had an extracurricular at that time. Light doesn't find anything about this guy appealing but he is sure expressive until the students starts a conversation with Light as they walk together through the rain.

"Thank you for offering your umbrella.." You thanked him.

"It's no problem, I'm happy to help." Light smiles.

"You don't need to do it though."

"Oh shut it, you live just a couple away from my house." Light assured him.

"Now you said it, that's true." You laughed feeling quite silly.

So far their conversation isn't much but it's good enough to keep him out of boredom, this guy does seems quite okay to talk to as Light thinks to himself.

"I've always see you in the afternoon through the window everyday, do you have any particular activities?" Light asked feeling curious.

"Yeah I do, I just have an extracurricular at that time." You sure are a busy one but it's fun to have things going on other than staying at home.

"Really? What kind of extracurricular?"

"Volleyball but I used to do soccer."

"An athletic one I see.."

That caught you off guard when Light says that until he stops at a house, you assume it's his as he turn to face you before telling you that you can take his umbrella home and give it to him tomorrow, though you insist on giving it now since you can just run to your house but Light declined saying you'll get yourself sick and you sighs in defeat before bringing Lights umbrella until you're at home safely.

You wonder that if it's possible for you and Light ever meeting again but who knows, all you gotta do tomorrow is give the umbrella back which means you have to wake up early to catch up with Light since we'll you're sleeping schedule is very bad.

[poeticpains]

Poe's Giffing Tutorial (From One Beginner to Another)

Hey, everyone! So, I've been thinking about this for a while, and decided to finally make it happen. This post aims to be a giffing tutorial that isn't a bunch of technical jargon that nobody except experienced giffers understands. This is for the person that I was when I first started out: someone who wants to make gifs, for free, without having to learn the entirety of a new program. As such, if you're already familiar with the basics, this probably won't be super helpful to you.

In this, I'll cover the basics of actually capturing a gif, the how-to of color correction (though without getting into the nitty-gritty detail of it), some basic text effects, and some more decorative effects like overlays and ~fancy coloring. I'll also show you the program I use to resize gifs.

I don't have a fun quip to lead us into the next part, so, uh, let's just dive in.

Tools*:

A PC capable of handling heavy processor loads (I use a mid-range gaming laptop; it's a little slow sometimes, but it works)

Whatever you're giffing (obviously...)

ScreenToGif (a free, basic screencapture program)

Photopea (a free, in-browser Photoshop dupe)

RedKetchup (a free file resizer/converter)

*Note: These are not the end-all, be-all of gifmaking. They may not even be the best tools for the job! But they're free, they work well, and they're relatively intuitive.

Step 1: Capture your gif.

I'm going to use ScreenToGif for this. The first thing I do is open the program and click Recorder, which opens the recording interface.

I click and drag (or manually input dimensions in the boxes next to the recording button in the lower right corner) to set my dimensions, and then I press record. The red "Record" button will change to a blue square that says "Stop," and a timer will appear in the upper right corner, showing how many seconds your gif is.

Generally, I'll pause the video 5-10 seconds before my desired start time, to give myself a buffer (you'll be able to delete those frames later), start the recording, and then start the video. You'll probably find a system that works for you once you do it a few times.

Once the scene that I want to capture is done, I'll click the blue "Stop" button, and the overlay will close itself. A few seconds later, depending on how long/complex/large your gif is, the program will pop up with a new window where you can edit. Here's what it looks like:

You can do a lot with ScreenToGif, but we'll be using the dead simple stuff today. Click the "Edit" tab, fourth from the left, and this will show up.

"Delete All Previous" and "Delete All Next" are our friends here. Go to the FIRST frame that you want in your gif, using either your arrow keys or just dragging the slider, and select it. Then hit "Delete All Previous." This will make that frame the first frame of your gif. Then, go to the LAST frame of your gif, and hit "Delete All Next." This makes the last frame of the scene that you want the last frame of the gif. You can also use the "Delete" option to delete frames by selecting them with your cursor if you want a more manual option.

Now you have your raw gif! Go to the "File" tab, the first one on the left, and select "Save As" from the menu. You want to make sure that it's saving as a .gif file, not an .mp4 or .apng --- you can check this up at the top. Don't worry, though, as .gif is the default, so unless you change it, you should be golden. Select whatever folder you want to put it in, name it, and save it.

You could absolutely stop here. It is by no means required to color your gifs or slow them down or any other number of things associated with giffing. But if you want to, here's how I do it.

Step 2: Edit your gif.

Head on over to Photopea. You'll see this:

What we want is the "Open From Computer" option. Click it, and your File Explorer will show up. Navigate to whatever folder you saved your gif in and select it by double clicking or clicking once and hitting "Open."

It'll open in a new workspace that looks like this.

You may be saying, "Gee, Poe, that sure looks a lot like Photoshop!" Yes, it absolutely does. If you're familiar with Photoshop, you will most likely be able to find your way around Photopea just fine, and can probably go from here. But if you're not familiar with Photoshop, here's the basics.

First thing's first: gifs are frequently pretty fuzzy/blurry. Luckily, sharpening them is easy.

Select all your frames (the list on the right with all the numbered layers) by clicking one end, scrolling up/down, holding Shift, and clicking the other end. Then go up to the tabs and do Filter > Sharpen > Smart Sharpen. This will automatically sharpen each frame using a percentage; the default is, I believe, 150%, and this is usually what I use because I am fundamentally lazy.

If you don't select all your frames, only the one that you're currently on (the one highlighted in a lighter color) will get the effect applied to it. This goes for basically anything you do, so it's good to get in the habit of selecting all.

Now that it's sharpened, we can color it. Go up to the tabs again, and go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > [whatever you want to adjust]. Most commonly in Escape the Night, you'll have to adjust brightness, because there's a lot of dark, moody scenes; Season 3 is also especially yellow/orange tinted, so you'll probably want to color correct it, too, using the Color Balance adjustment layer. This is a total guessing game based on the exact scene you're doing and my method is just selecting random things and adjusting sliders until it looks good (remember: fundamentally lazy). Honestly, I'm not an expert in coloring gifs, so I won't pretend to be — especially since people can and do write entire posts just dedicated to it. For this gif, I'm just lightening it a little.

And if this is all you want to do — no text, no effects — you're done! Go to File > Export As > GIF. It will take a few moments to load, so don't panic when your page freezes. A new window will pop up that allows you to do things like set looping, time, etc. but you can also just "Save" and you're done!

But let's say you want something fun. Maybe you'd like to overlay a quote or make it a cool color. If that's the case, continue on...

Step 3: Make your gif shine.

Three parts in this: text, fun colors, and overlays. You can combine these three to do some awesome things, and they're all very simple to do, once you know what you're doing. Think of them less like steps and more like a mix-and-match deal. You can use one, two, or all three!

So, here we go.

Option 3a: Add some text.

The easiest option of the three, this one works exactly like you think it does. The uppercase T symbol on the sidebar will create a new text layer where you can type something and set a font, size, and color.

I'll spare you the lecture on typography that I could give you — you can find better ones than I could make. Generally, though, you have a decorative/display font for headings and emphasis, and then a different, more generalized font for subheadings and other things. In this, the display font is Heavy Heap, which was used on the Season 3 tarot cards, and the general font is a relatively generic serif font.

(Sidenote: you can load fonts into Photopea! Just go to a font website like Dafont, download the font you want, and then open it as you would any other file by going to File > Open and selecting it from your files. You should get a message that says "Font [Your Font Name Here] Loaded," and then you'll be able to use it in your design. That's how I got Heavy Heap in there.)

You can change size and color with these, which will show up at the top when you select the text tool. Keep in mind that if you're making changes after you type something out, you will need to select (highlight) the text you want to change — it won't do it automatically.

I will admit that Photopea's text editor is not the cleanest, simplest, or nicest to use, especially at first. I came from Canva where it was much faster and easier. The downside, of course, is that Canva is highly limited with what you can do.

There are also ways to warp the text, change the blending, and do outlines, but I'll leave that for another time as to avoid making this any longer than it already is.

Option 3b: Make it a cool color.

You have a couple different ways to do this. Probably the most intuitive is to go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Photo Filter. Select the color box, pick the color you want using the picker or a hex code, select your desired density, and click OK. Boom, color over your gif.

It defaults to this vintage-y orange, but you can pick whatever color your heart desires.

However, I usually use a different method using Gradient Maps. This is also pretty easy; Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map. If you leave it black and white, by the way, you get a B&W gif (you can also just select the Black and White option in the Adjustment Layer menu). Click on the gradient, select the white square on the right side of the gradient line, and then select the square down at the bottom of the window and change it to whatever color you want.

For this gif, I'm leaving it B&W.

(You can have a lot of fun with gradient maps. Play around with them!)

Option 3c: Overlay another gif on top.

Ooookay, so, this is the most advanced and tedious of effects to do (at least of the ones documented in this post), but it's worth it, I promise. For this, you'll need at least one other gif. I usually use a base gif that's relatively neutrally colored, oftentimes B&W but sometimes just faded or pastel, plus one (or more than one) colored, brighter gif. These are, of course, just guidelines — combine whatever gifs you want. The only real requirement, per se, is that they have the same amount of frames. If they don't, it'll look weird. (But if you do end up with two gifs that have different amounts of frames, you can delete the difference right in Photopea, so I don't stress about it too much.)

You also generally want to add text after this step, so if you're planning on doing this, save the text for last.

First things first: color your gifs the way you want and then save both of them. Then re-open them both in Photopea. Yes, this is annoying. I did say it was tedious.

So now I have both of them in my navbar, labeled as "tutorial base" and "tutorial overlay."

Go to your overlay gif and right-click on the gif folder. This is the top layer with a little arrow and folder icon next to the name of the gif.

Select "Duplicate Into" and then pick your base gif in the popup. In my case, it's named "tutorial base."

Now you'll click over to your base gif, and you'll see that your accent has been put on top of your base. Now you get to have fun with blending!

Right click on the overlay gif's folder again. Then, select Blending Options, which is the first menu item. It'll bring up a popup with all sorts of options for styling your layer.

The default setting is Pass Through, which is what we see here. If you want, you could just change the opacity to get your desired effect.

You could also play around with blending options such as Overlay, Color Burn, Lighten, and Screen. Every gif is different, and every gif will look different with different options, so experiment and see what looks best! You may have to go back and recolor it a few times, so I recommend just keeping the project open in your navbar for easy access.

For this gif, I think I'll go with Darker Color at 67%.

One last step, and then you're done with blending!

Go to Layer > Animation > Merge. This will merge each frame of your animation (the gifs) with each other, meaning that they'll play at the same time. If you forget this step, as I do frequently, you'll go to save your gif and find that it plays as a sequence.

Once you've merged your gifs, you can add texts, more effects, PNG overlays, whatever you want! Congrats! You did it!

Step 4: Resize your gif (if necessary).

Maybe you've made a gif, and it's beautiful, and it's amazing, and you wanna show everyone...but it's five million megabytes and you can't send or post it anywhere. Tumblr's max file size is 10 MB, while Discord's (standard) max file size is..7 MB, I think? Either way, if you try to upload something bigger than that, you'll get an error message and the familiar taste of disappointment.

Never fear, Redketchup is here!

This is Redketchup, and it's super simple.

Go to "GIF Resizer" under Animation Tools. Upload your gif, then scroll until you see the Resize GIF section. Input the percentage you'd like to reduce it by (presets are 25%, 50%, and 75% smaller, but you can set it manually, as well).

This is also the step where you can slow it down if you desire if you didn't do it in Photopea — it's in the next section down. Set the speed, if you'd like, and then go down to the bottom and hit Download.

It'll take you to a preview tab where you can check if your gif is small enough. If it is, hit Download again up in the top left, and that's that! Go share your gif with the world!

Conclusion:

Thank you for reading! I am by no means an expert gifmaker, but I want to spread the love and give other people the option to do it. I wouldn't know any of this stuff without the people who taught me, and I'll put a list of tutorials down at the bottom that I referenced when I was first learning to make gifs.

At any rate, if you use this post to make a gif, feel free tag me or send it to me so I can see! And for those of you who are on the fence about learning or starting to gif...

Do it. I double-dog dare you.

:)

References:

Blending Gifs by @the-mother-of-lions

Photopea Coloring Tutorial by @heroeddiemunson

Merging in Photopea by @bellamyblakru

And, though not a specific reference, I frequently browse @usergif for inspiration (they have tutorials there, as well, but I haven't checked them out yet).

[inkabelledesigns]

I built a shelf?!

Hi, I'm Kat Alyst, your resident fae that has never felt like she should be trusted with power tools, and GUESS WHAT I USED TODAY! So here is my tale of how this came to be:

My grandparents are both incredibly handy people. They've both taken on so many projects to build furniture for as long as I can remember. This summer, Grandpa's big project was building a new dresser for their bedroom, and it is an impressive feat! It's almost done and looking fantastic! But along the way, some mistakes were made, and he ended up with some drawer fronts that didn't quite fit. So instead of getting rid of them, I asked if we could upcycle them into something new. My brother in law has been helping out a lot this summer, he's so eager to learn how to do stuff like this, and Grandpa took both of us into the workshop for this project. The three of us together built this shelf!

I was so nervous. I may customize dolls regularly and work with some scary/dangerous materials, but this is a whole other league from what I do. But with some guidance and teamwork, it turned out great! For anyone curious, this is made of pine, so it's very hard and easy to break your tools on. We only lost one drill bit in the process! I also got to use an orbital sander for the first time! I hate sanding dolls, but this was a lot of fun, and the result is so nice and smooth. I drilled holes, I measured, and I feel more confident than ever about it. It gives me some hope that when I'm ready to do my heavy doll mods that require cutting into plastic, I can handle it better.

But now for the test: can my dolls fit here? I didn't pack any of my customs with me to see how they fit, and suspect it'll be a little tight given the shelves are 11 and 5/8 inches tall. But I'm okay with that, this still works. Not to mention I can put them on the top. I did have Drac here though, since I need a mannequin for a sewing project, so I have a better idea of what I'm looking at than having no doll. I'm still deciding how the display will work, but my thought for now is to have this on top of my desk against the wall. That way, I can display my dolls in it and keep a few materials stored. I could potentially include some plushies here too, and figures, I've got some of those now. X'''D I've got some puck lights and fairy lights I can use to brighten it up too. I don't know what color to paint it yet. My space is a light pink, I could do more pink, or white, or blue, or maybe mint green. I know I want to keep it light, but I'm undecided. Maybe I'll abandon all of that and make it neon pink, who knows? XD My mom suggested I should take my bedspread and match it to that. My grandma thinks it should be striped. We'll see what happens!

I've wanted to have a shelf for my dolls for a long time now, and to say I have one that was built with love like this? That means everything. I forget if I've shared it here, but my current display spot features a lamp made by my great grandfather, and it's so special to me to have my art alongside his. Now I get to say that about another piece, and that means so much. I'll try to remember to update you when I know where it's going. This is so exciting, oh I'm so looking forward to this!

[bomberqueen17]

followup: countertops

OK pictures under the cut but before you judge me, understand that i went into this remodel saying "i don't want everything white and gray!!!!" and then one at a time we considered our options and realized the best options were... whites... and grays...

but! the white countertop has SPARKLES in it, and as I tell the saga I will tell you the inside scoop the countertop installer gave me, as to WHAT THE SPARKLES ARE MADE OF.

i would put in a little video of the sparkle but i can't figure out how to upload videos anywhere so just imagine it. you can kind of see it in some of the still images.

[image description: a young man in a gray hoodie and orange gloves rests my not-yet-installed stainless-steel sink on the top of the cabinets in front of my windows, which don't yet have countertops.] These guys rolled up at 8:15 and politely introduced themselves, Devin and Isaac. My buddy Max had already rolled in, but Jim had planned on arriving at 8:30 and was running late.

Devin said to me, excitedly, "Did they tell you? We did it seamless!" There had been discussion of whether the corner section would have to be fabricated in two sections or whether they'd be able to do it in one.

They asked Max about some technical details, but Max demurred, "Jim knows about it, I'm just here to help," and they said "ah we'll wait for Jim" but then they were like "well we can just get started" and as it happens they'd just about finished before Jim finally rolled up, LOL.

They installed the sink first, as it's an undermount and so way easier to do before the counter goes in.

But the counters-- they just-- set them down, checked the level, checked the measurements everywhere, and then just put silicone around the edges underneath and on top. That's literally it. I asked if it was ever more complicated and Devin was like ah yeah if we have to level it there's a whole thing, but. I mean. Jim did this so I knew it'd be this easy, that's why you're first for us today.

[image description: an expanse of speckled white countertop, with reflections from the lights. You can kind of see a speck here and there of the sparkles. the color is somethingorother-snow, because it does glitter like snow.]

I admired the glitter, and Devin said, "Guess what the sparkle's made of!"

"Glass," I hazarded.

"Close," he said, "but no." When nobody else had another guess, he said, "CDs! It's made of CDs." This is a quartz-like-composite kinda thing, which means it kinda looks like stone and is shiny like stone (instead of matte like Corian etc) but won't shatter your plates quite like stone and is easier to maintain.

I texted this to the family groupchat, and VegMan said (my sister must have read it aloud to him, he's not on the family groupchat) "Oh, AOL CDs?" and I texted it to Dude separately and he wrote back "That's like 750000 free minutes of AOL!" and when I repeated these jokes to Devin, Isaac, and Max, they all kind of looked politely blank. "Oh no," I said, "you're too young."

"I was born in 2001," Devin volunteered, and Max laughed and said "same". (I do not think Isaac is any older.) "They used to give me video game CDs in my Happy Meals though so I know what you mean."

I've lived in this house since both of you were four years old, I thought, but did not say. "In 2001 I was..." "Adulting," Devin said helpfully. "You... could call it that," I said, thinking back to my senior year of college.

They brought in the little chunk of counter that's going over next to the fridge, and then the bigger chunk that's the sink counter. Then they brought in the big one they'd managed to do seamless, the L-shaped chunk that goes from the stove around the corner to the expanse in front of the bay window that will be our dining area. Devin and Isaac planned out where they'd go and how they'd get it in the door, because they knew it was heavy. Then they got in the door and Devin said "Max! Max I know I don't know you but I need you to help me!" and Max hustled over and grabbed the heavy end, because it really was too heavy for Devin, and Isaac had the other end so he couldn't help.

It was a strain for both of them, but they carefully got it up onto the cabinets, and slid it painstakingly into place, and Devin took a moment to recover.

[image description: a person in a gray hoodie is sitting on the cardboard-covered floor of a white room with gray cabinets, applying silicone from a tube to the underside of the white countertop]

They checked the levels and measurements and made sure there were no gaps and then they just... glued it. Like not even really glued it they just applied a bead of silicone around all the edges, and that's that.

"Is it really that easy?" I asked, and Devin laughed and said "if it's not perfectly level we have to shim it, and there's a whole lot of complicated stuff we gotta do then, but the reason I put this job first is I know Jim put these cabinets in so I know they're level. And if they're level then yeah this is all that's gotta happen."

They look so good. They sparkle like snow. The room is a sea of neutrals.

[image description: from my living room looking into my kitchen, with the stove pulled out awkwardly into the middle of the floor, one man is standing to work on the counter near the sink and another man is sitting on the floor checking the underside of the counter in front of the window.]

Jim showed up as they were finishing, checked on a few things, signed off on the job, and then he and Max set to tiling the backsplash. Which I will cover in a separate post because this is enough for right now. But.

The counters!!! I wish I could figure out how to make a gif out of a little video on my phone because the SPARKLE. Yeah the white countertops and white walls and white ceilings are a bit much but understand two of the walls and all of the window trim are getting painted some bright color or other, so it won't be like this forever.

[medtech-mara]

Welcome to my new series of posts about Cyberpunk RED source material! This time we will be putting the CYBER into the PUNK by discussing everything Cyberware.

Today, though we must start with the basics, I wanted to just show the catalog and let you go on our own way, but I felt it was best to open the discussion. I am willing to answer your questions should you have some in the event you want to roleplaying/write accordingly when Phantom Liberty releases.

Welcome to Blue Remedies Health Clinic, My name is Mara Sterling, and I will be your Ripperdoc today? Have you ever used a Ripperdoc before? I notice you don't have any cyberware at all? Nervous? Don't be! We'll go walk through this together.

What is Cyberware?

Cybertechnology can be purchased almost anywhere. Some of the medical procedures are simple: walk-in types of surgery with minor installations taking place in whatever shopping mall clinics(Bodyshoppe, Fashion/Fusion, and Parts N' Programs are three popular chain stores) still exist, or drop-in medical centers (Docs R Us™... or my clinic Blue Remedies Health Clinic in the Wellsprings) These installations are much like getting your ears pierced. You can even have upgrades and improvements plugged into the old hardware for the cost of the new parts, allowing you to start small (called "stripped" or "economy") and add as you go. It is IMPORTANT to note that you CANNOT install cyberware to a critical injury, it has to heal first.

Where can I get my Cyberware installed?

Any Ripper doc if you are brave enough... Joking aside.. Depending on what cyberware you are wanting to install, depends on where you'd likely go. Don't worry I can guide you through this process with telling you where you'd likely get this cybernetic installed. Mall: means you can literally get the installation done in any mall or street corner bio-mod shop; the equivalent of ear-piercing in the 1900s. There are not as many of these as there were in the 2020s. Clinic: means an actual Medtech in a medical surgery clinic. Most of the installation is automated, but it takes a skilled practitioner to use that gear. Most ripperdocs are at this level. Hospital: means the work requires major surgery and a Medtech capable of doing this kind of work. This also requires a full hospital or the nearest equivalent, which is relatively rare. *Benefits from multiple installations of the same cyberware do not stack unless otherwise noted

"I was thinking about getting a a Sigma frame like Panthera, OH or have a dart eye like Optic from Night Raid! That's so cool!"

Unfortunately, there are prerequisites for some cyberware. Rome wasn't built in a night nor was David Martinez, so you will need to build yourself up to such an upgrade as an exo-skeleton like the Sigma frame, but I can't recommend one enough.

How is there such a thing as too much Cyberware?

Besides the obvious answer if you want to see God under the boot of some Maxtac lapdog? then yes. There are limits on how many cyberware slots your body can have. There will be a display how many slots can be used per cyberware type.

Cyberware types? You mean there are more than 2? I thought it was just cyberlimbs or Kiroshis?

There are 8 types of cybernetics available to the open market. However, your Ripperdoc MAY or MAY NOT have special types of cyberware they've crafted themselves, it never hurts to ask. Currently Avaliable: Fashionware, Neuralware, Cyberoptics, Cyberaudio, Internal Body Cyberware, External Body Cyberware, Cyberlimbs, & Borgware (my personal favorite, but watch out!)

Cool, I've picked out what I wanted, lets get started?

Whoa, hold on, choombatta, you picked some heavy hitters there, do you think you can handle it? If you've recently suffered from major traumas, I like to suggest meeting with a therapist first, your humanity is something to treasure and you won't get very far without it... Well unless you are Adam Smasher, were you born with 0 empathy?

Humanity? Therapy? What's all this GONKED shit?

Each cybernetic you install will cost a bit of your humanity, you are giving up some of your human self in place of machine, that doesn't come free. Fortunate for you, therapy does wonders, it can often help you discern what is the psychosis speaking or you, but without it, I'm sure you won't last 6 months on the street before C-Swat comes for you. It's always recommended that if you install heavy cyberware to see your therapist after. It's also a good idea to see your therapist after any traumatic event that has happened to or if front of you. It's not just the cyberware that eat at your humanity.

Annnnnd that's all for this post! Next post we will start going over some actual cyberware, starting with a personal favorite, Fashionware! I really hope to see some of the work you guys make with the new DLC coming out, and armed with this new knowledge about cyberware and cyberpsychosis (soon™)

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Leona Kingscholar Beastly Garb Personal Story: Part 1

"Whatever I feel like doing."

Part 1 (Part 2) (Part 3)

[Sports Field]

Leona: We'll end today's practice here. Make sure you do your cool down exercise on your own.

Magift Club Members: YESSIR!!!

Leona: Ahh, I'm beat. Think I'll head back to the dorm and snooze a bit.

Epel: Um, Leona-san! There's something I'd like to ask of you…

Leona: Ask of me? If it's something stupid, I ain't gonna hear you out.

Epel: Uhhm… That means I can still ask, right? Thank you very much.

Epel: Recently, I keep missing passes and dropping discs a lot.

Epel: Please tell me a way to train so I can improve my control of the disc and make less mistakes!

Leona: Oh, is that all? Don't worry about it. Bye.

Epel: Eh… Wait, no, I wanted more specific advice…!

???: EH!

Epel/Leona: ?

Ruggie: You guys are gonna go into town? By bus?

Magift Club Member A: Yeah, but… What's up, Ruggie? You wanna go too?

Magift Club Member B: You can come, but we're not gonna buy you any food.

Ruggie: Tch, that sucks. But puttin' that aside… If you're headin' there, can I getcha to buy somethin' for me?

Ruggie: It might be a liiiittle heavy, but… It should be easy enough for two people to carry 20 boxes of sports drink powder packets!

Magift Club Member A: No way!! You can do that by sending a first year to the Mystery Shop or something, instead.

Ruggie: YEAH BUT THE SPORTIN' GOODS STORE IN TOWN'S ABOUT 6 MADOL CHEAPER PER BOX!!!!!

Ruggie: If I ask you guys to do it for me, then that saves me on the bus fare, and the club's money. It's basically killing two birds with one stone.

Magift Club Member B: Not my problem. It's not like that amount saved is gonna go into our pockets or anything… If you want to save money so bad, why don't you go yourself?

Ruggie: Mmkay, I mean, I don't really care～ But there's that time you owe me from when I swapped clubroom cleaning duties with ya…

Magift Club Member A: O-Okay, okay! We'll go buy some on the way back!

Ruggie: Thanks a bunch. 'Kay, here's the money for it. I need the usual 20 boxes of sports drinks!

Leona: Man, you're being so cheap…

Ruggie: Ah, Leona-san. Were you listening to all that?

Ruggie: I'm not being cheap at all. That's me saving 6 Madol on 20 boxes each, y'know!? It's completely a rip-off otherwise!

Epel: 20 boxes of sports drink powder…

Epel: That'd be difficult to carry by broom, maybe? I guess it would be pretty impossible to bring back without taking the bus.

Ruggie: Riiight? Brooms're great 'cause you don't gotta think about schedules and fares, but...

Ruggie: If you gotta carry stuff, it's basically the pits…. Or more like, someone scrawny like me can't do that.

Epel: Yes… Whenever I try to fly with my stuff on the broom, I'm always swaying so hard it makes me anxious…

Epel: If I try to use magic to carry it, then I get so focused on the floating luggage that my speed drops.

Leona: See, you get it.

Ruggie: Huh, but your flight ability's way out of our range.

Leona: Well, yeah. But that's not what I'm talking about.

Leona: I meant about what I said to Epel earlier to not worry about making mistakes when handling the disc.

Leona: Your flying's one of the best out of all the first years.

Leona: If you're gonna try to greedily grab at everything and neglect your actual strong point, how're you actually gonna be useful?

Epel: That's…

Leona: You don't need to think about anything unnecessary right now.

Leona: If you think about it, the disc is just a single object. Moving it with magic is like, the fundamentals.

Leona: As long as you keep up your studies, you'll improve over time.

Epel: I see…!

Ruggie: Shishishi, can you really say that, though, since you skip all your classes?

Leona: Hah?

Epel: Ahahaha…

Leona: But when it comes to shopping… You guys figure it out on your own.

Ruggie: Ehhh. Even if you say that…

Ruggie: Public transportation costs money, and there's not that many buses running on Sage's Island to start with!

Ruggie: If we used brooms, then that'd help save time, but… If there's a ton to buy, then we'd need a bunch of people to work together to go get it.

Leona: Luckily, the Magical Shift Club has more members than any other club. Shouldn't be a problem.

Ruggie: What're you even saying? There's no way any of these guys would take on something like this before coming to practice.

Epel: And magical wheels… Aren't really geared towards hauling stuff, either.

Ruggie: Maaan, it'd be great if we had someone who could bust out a car in times like these.

Ruggie: If we did, it'd be so easy to go shoppin' for the club, and we could totally use it to take full advantage of all the bargains that happen in town!

Leona: …

Epel: Most of the adults back home have cars… But I don't think I know anyone here at school with a license, I think?

Ruggie: I mean, the first years're probably too young, and everyone at our school's pretty busy anyway. I don't think there's anyone who'd be able to get one.

Epel: I thought you'd be someone to get something as useful as a license as soon as he could, Ruggie-san.

Ruggie: Eh? But getting a license and renewin' it costs money, don't it?

Leona: How long're you guys going to be talking about something you can't have? No one can drive, so just give it up.

Leona: C'mon, it's an easy decision. Just don't go to into town.

Leona: Night Raven College is a prestigious Magical Shift school. Our club's really well funded, if not abundantly so.

Leona: Basically, the Mystery Shop should be enough. Just don't be greedy.

Ruggie: Tch. This island's reaaaally inconvenient.

Part 1 (Part 2) (Part 3)

Requested by @dorito9708 and @kiingsroar.

[stereopticons]

writing patterns/first line analysis

rules: share the first line of your last ten published works or as many as you are able and see if there are any patterns!

Tagged by @hippolotamus and @kiwiana-writes!

I'm excluding drabble collections from this.

a long winter of indifference [david/patrick]

The gap between their bodies is maybe six inches at most, but to David, it feels like miles.

oh honey, you can have me when you want me [david/patrick]

It started, as things often did, as a joke.

love just leaves you bruised [david/patrick]

The cottage is eerily quiet when David opens the door.

come on, get higher, loosen my lips [firstprince]

Henry isn’t asleep, but he is trying.

we'll take a cup of kindness yet [david & rachel]

David’s not sure what crimes he committed this year to deserve this, but absolutely nothing is going right today.

my misspent youth and my slow decline [david/patrick]

Patrick tries not to think of it, but it comes to him anyway.

everybody's waiting for the next surprise [david/patrick]

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” David says, eyeing the building in front of them warily.

parallax [david/patrick]

There are two frames leaning against the living room wall, identically sleek, black, and heavy, though their contents couldn’t be more different.

crossed words and open hearts [david/patrick]

“Paaaatrick,” David whines, flopping dramatically across his husband’s lap. “It’s time for bed.”

knock on wood [david/patrick]

The morning of their fifth anniversary dawns bright and cool, and David wakes, as he often does, with Patrick pressed up against his back and an arm thrown over his hip.

Patterns:

I don't like to start with dialogue. I feel like this has changed over the years.

Do like to start with David being dramatic about something

I seem to try to start with a short punchy sentence with mixed success.

All but 2 of the 9 SC fics are in David's POV (not a surprise, tbh).

I have not published very much this year (also not a surprise, but it kinda sucks to see it laid out like this!)

tagging @indestructibleheart @alienajackson @rosedavid @mostlyinthemorning @ninzied and anyone else who wants to play

[asordinaryppl]

A3! Backstage Story Translation - Tasuku Takato SR: A Rare Drunk Day - Part 2

Tsumugi: Tasuku, we're here. Put your arm around my neck.

Tasuku: Uuu...

Taxi driver: Will you be okay?

Tsumugi: I'm sorry, we'll be okay. Thank you very much.

Tsumugi: Hup...!

Tsumugi: Y-You're heavy... Tasuku, we're almost home, so do your best to walk a little...!

Tasuku: ... Yeah.

Fuyuki: Woah, I thought I heard talking out here...

Tsumugi: Fuyuki-kun...! Tasuku got drunk...

Tasuku: ...

Fuyuki: How did he get so wasted...

Fuyuki: He's heavy, isn't he? I'll take him.

Tsumugi: Thanks...!

Fuyuki: Up you go.

Fuyuki: Thanks for bringing him till here, Tsumu.

Fuyuki: Your club had that drinking party today, right?

Tsumugi: Yeah. Tasuku didn't look drunk at all, so our senpai made him drink a lot...

Tsumugi: He looked fine the whole time, but he was actually quite drunk. I brought him back home because he started acting strange.

Fuyuki: Haha, Tasuku's an actor even when he's drunk.

Tsumugi: Geez, that's not what you should be taking out of this!

[Flashback ends]

-

Tsumugi: ... And that's what happened.

Itaru: So just now too, he was pretty drunk even though he looked fine.

Tsumugi: I think so.

Fuyuki: Hey, Tsumu. You got any hair ties?

Tsumugi: I don't have any. But you can probably find some on that shelf over there...

Itaru: I have one. I went to the convenience store to buy capsule toys and one of them had a hair tie.

Itaru: It has a KniRoun character on it, but if that's fine with you...

Fuyuki: Is it okay if I use something that belongs to you, Itaru-kun?

Itaru: I've got about 13 of them, so it's alright.

Fuyuki: Haha, that's a lot.

Itaru: It's the result of my daily gacha pulling.

Tsumugi: What are you going to use the hair tie for, Fuyuki-kun?

Fuyuki: Oh, I was thinking of tying Tasuku's bangs.

Itaru: Eh, his bangs?

Tsumugi: Won't Tasuku get mad when he wakes up?

Fuyuki: That's my goal.

Fuyuki: Tasuku will hate it, so I'll tie his bangs to show him he shouldn't drink to the point of passing out...

Itaru: I see. I'm good at tying bangs, so would you let me do it?

Fuyuki: Huh, you're good at it?

Itaru: Yes, I'm used to it.

Fuyuki: Then, please do.

Itaru: Leave it to me.

Tasuku: *Snore*...

Itaru: ... How does this look?

Fuyuki: Haha, that's good. When he wakes up and realizes his bangs are tied, he'll probably hate it. He'll learn from this and be careful for the time being.

Itaru: He kind of looks like me when I'm in the dorm.

Tsumugi: Hehe, he does.

Fuyuki: Well then. I'll carry Tasuku back to his room and then go back home.

Tsumugi: I can't let you do that when you're our guest, Fuyuki-kun.

Tsumugi: Itaru-kun, let's carry Tasuku together.

Itaru: Nah, I think that's impossible for us.

Tsumugi: Let's not think like that and do our best!

Itaru: Eugh...

Tsumugi: I'll take the left side, so you get the right side, Itaru-kun.

Itaru: Are you fr....

Tsumugi: Ready? One, two...!

Itaru: Ugh...

Tsumugi: H-Heavy...

Tasuku: ...

Itaru: Damn,  h-he's not budging at all...! Could it be... Tasuku's a rock?

Tsumugi: More like he's nothing but muscles...

Fuyuki: Haha, I'll just carry him after all.

Itaru: ... I'm sorry, please do.

Tsumugi: Sorry, Fuyuki-kun.

Fuyuki: It's okay. He's my precious little brother, leave him to me.

Fuyuki: Then, I'll take Tasuku to his room. Hup...

Tasuku: Mh...? ... Aniki?

Fuyuki: It's okay, just sleep.

Tasuku: *Snore*...

part 1 | part 2

[sunjaesol]

rosaline x dario | rosaline (2022) | fluffy one-shot

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

He woke up to the sound of a scratching quill on thick paper. Dario sighed. It was the middle of the night with a single burning candle slowly losing its wax right by the desk. And behind it was his beautiful though stubborn wife, Rosaline. Of course, she didn't listen when he told her to go to bed. Did she ever?

"Rosaline," he sighed.

She hummed something.

"Come to bed."

"Sri Lanka isn't gonna draw itself, Dario," she uttered. Her long auburn hair appeared as fire in the lowlight and its sight made his stomach warm. He would never get used to seeing her in any hour of the day.

Looking over her shoulder, she raised her brows at him. "No reaction?"

He shrugged and stretched his arms behind his head. "Will it change your mind?"

"Probably not."

"Hm."

She placed her quill down and turned fully towards him, her inked hands in her lap. He wanted to reach out, lure her from the desk into bed and his arms. He loved their daily squabble, but he adored holding her, kissing her. But from the look on her face, he knew she wasn't done.

"Do you think we'll ever go there?" she asked.

"If we can get our hands on a caravel, sure," he replied casually. "Though I must say, my love, it's not in our budget."

Her lips tutted. "Damn. Shouldn't have given Romeo and Juliet your boat."

Dario smirked. "I regret that decision every day."

"Really?" she asked. Her eyes widened, wondering, and his sardonic smile melted to a gentle one.

"No," he whispered. "I don't. Come to bed, Rosaline. Please."

Something shifted in her posture. Her shoulders slackened and she nodded, grabbing the candlestick and moving it to the nightstand.

The inn was nicer than most they've stayed at, Dario noted. Thick wooden flooring and walls that kept the cold of the British Isles at bay. A firm mattress and plush pillows. A perfect mahogany desk for his love. She'd steal it if it weren't so heavy, she told him earlier today.

In a couple of hours, they would explore the Connemara of Ireland; a mountainous beauty with many lakes and coves. He would fish and attempt to learn the dialect, she would paint and draw and, eventually, add it to her map of Western Europe. It was a lot different to little Verona.

Rosaline laid beside him. "You're patient," she whispered.

"One of us has to be," he teased, soft, a gentle hand caressing her cheek.

Her head tilted to kiss him, capturing his lips as a hand clutched his neck.

This is what he had always wanted: discovering the world with the love of his life, his equal, one day at a time and not rushing through milestones. His father has been badgering him about an heir through countless letters, but he ignored them. What Rosaline and him wanted would always triumph his parents' wishes and expectations.

"I love you," she exhaled.

It was maybe the hundredth time she told him, but it never got old. Digging his nose in the crook of her neck, he let out a content sigh and closed his eyes. "I love you, too, Rosaline."

[animehouse-moe]

Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective Episode 2: The Case of the Locked-Room Piggy Bank Theft

With two episodes under its belt, the inner machinations and ideas of Ron as a series are better understood. Its formulaic approach and comedic routines are further exposed, and viewers get to grasp what the season as a whole will look like. And it looks like it's going to be a whole lot of fun, for quite a few different reasons.

Just to get it out of the way, I'll chat about the episode direction to start today. Where the previous episode focuses on three dimensional space through more nuanced depth of field and blur, this episode does so by placing objects in the foreground. It's a simple idea, but decidedly different from the previous episode as it uses something more concrete to create that awareness. Similarly, it has more angled shots compared to the flatter style of the first episode. Coincidentally, the usage of faceless characters appear, which I always think is a fun style since it presents the challenge of expression.

But lets talk story for this episode, the direction is pretty closely tied to the "gear" that the story's in.

We get exposition on Ron's past, actually. It's a really really cool idea, providing a fancy detective school that Ron attended where he was top of class... before he got kicked out for being attached to a string of suspicious deaths. Even more than that is the stake that Ron raises with the discussion of his past: if he's discovered to be doing detective work, he'll be put to death.

In concert with the talk of BLUE, we're reminded that Ron does not have his tattoo/mark on his neck during his early days. With his comment of being banned from BLUE, it brings forward the possibility of being a marking in relation to his expulsion. Can't say for sure, but what I am certain of is that we'll explore its origins and meaning at some point.

Let's talk humor though. Crass, heavy handed, and plain silly. Ron delivers in spades with things you'd not expect at all, and pieces you'd see coming from a mile away. This one's definitely the former.

However, with more of a taste for the humor with this second episode, you can begin to realize how pivotal the humor is to the mysteries. It's able to hide clues in plain sight, covering them up with the excessive comedy expressed largely by Ron. It's a really cool idea that plays to both extremes of the concept incredibly well.

And that's not all for the humor either, no. Diomeda isn't a bad studio, which is something quite a few people can't seem to agree upon sometimes. Regardless, they are able to deliver expressive and fluid cuts, just like this one. They don't comprise the episode by any means, but they add to the energy a good deal, keeping spirits high and momentum going.

I think that finally brings me to the formula though. Key pieces like Ron answering his door before Toto can knock, or the waffling of Ron during Toto's attempts at explanation, stuff like Ron laying down next to the dead bodies, and of course things like Ron ordering the suspects to die. They're all pieces of the routine that exist within this detective mystery series.

But they present a challenge. How can you make something that happens routinely interesting, how do you make it fun. Well, it's a two part answer for which we only have one piece. Subtle differences with heavy handed humor. Bringing intense energy and individuality to these pieces creates an identity, one that you'll associate with Ron. You'll grow accustomed to the introduction and its purpose. And that's where the second part will come in down the road: the shake up. We're only 2 episodes in so we won't see it yet, but the further we get into this series, and the more its behind the scenes scheming goes on, we'll see a changeup in the routine. Like I said though, that's still a ways away though, so I'm more than happy to savor what we have currently.

[resowrites]

Father’s Day - oneshot.

Summary: Henry hears his baby’s heartbeat for the first time…

Pairings: AU!Henry Cavill x Wife!OC

Warnings: fluff, banter/British humour, language, dialogue heavy, nondescript OC body type/appearance, hastily written/lightly proofread.

WC: 2202

A/N: This was supposed to go up Sunday but I’ve been crazy busy so many apologies! My work must not be copied, reposted, or translated elsewhere. Likes, follows, reblogs and comments are thoroughly welcome and appreciated! Gifs/pics not my own. I hope you all enjoy and thanks for visiting!

Father’s Day - oneshot.

The dark room hummed with the sounds of monitors, punctuated by the occasional beep or click. Ollie lay quietly on the bed, feeling so nervous she was holding her breath. "Breathe darling, everything will be okay." The sonographer spun around in the direction of Henry's voice.

"He's right. Just relax and we'll get the scan underway in a few minutes." She turned back to continue filling out the questionnaire on her screen. "Okay so, I've got your height and weight. Your blood pressure results were also normal. I just need to know how you're feeling at the moment. Any sickness or diarrhoea in the last 24 hours or so?"

"No," was all Ollie managed to squeak in response.

"Any dizziness or confusion?"

"No more than usual," came Henry's immediate response. Ollie rolled her eyes while the sonographer laughed.

"Okay, and how are you feeling in yourself? Any depression or anxiety?" Ollie struggled to know how to respond. Fortunately, he answered for her.

"She's fine, a little overtired and nervous about today but that's all."

"Good. And I understand. But you've reached the end of your first trimester so you should start to feel a bit better soon. Finally, any stomach cramping or changes in bowel habits?" Again, Henry spoke first.

"She's been a little constipated--"

"Henry!"

"What? You always knew you were full of shit--"

"Oh my God, I could kill you!" The sonographer's head flicked between them both.

"That's perfectly normal. I would also start thinking of a birth plan."

"What should this include?" The sonographer was impressed with his attentiveness.

"Well, I would just start thinking about where to give birth, what your preferences are for pain relief and assisted delivery, how you want your newborn to be cared for, and so on." Henry nodded eagerly. "Anyway, let's crack on and have a look at your womb. I'm just going to apply the jelly now, it'll be a little cold at first…" He took his wife's hand and they smiled at each other expectantly. Moments later, a grey mass shaped vaguely like a baby flashed up on the monitor. Henry felt his breath catch in his throat. The sonographer smiled knowingly. "Ah, there we are. The first image of your baby… what do you guys think?" Ollie laughed with a mixture of happiness and shock. Henry remained silent until she peered up at him, surprised to see him so taken back. He swallowed hard.

"Wow," was all Henry managed to say. The two women giggled. The next few minutes passed quietly, what with the pair mesmerised by their baby's movements and the sonographer busy recording information. "Well, they're certainly a busy little thing…" He watched as their baby's fists bobbed back and forth.

"Is that normal?" The sonographer grinned reassuringly at Ollie.

"Yep, your baby's now fully formed. The organs, limbs, bones, and muscles are all in place."

"How come I can't feel them though if they're moving about that much?"

"Don't worry, you won't start feeling any movements until you're between sixteen and twenty-four weeks. Most first-time mothers don't feel anything before twenty weeks."

"How is everything else looking?" Henry looked at the screen pleadingly.

"Everything's looking good so far. Baby appears to be growing at the normal rate, and as you can hear, their heartbeat's nice and strong." He felt a tear roll down his cheek. Ollie was similarly overwhelmed. "Your placenta's hanging somewhat low but that should correct itself in time…" Ollie could feel her smile turn upside down.

"But what if it doesn't?"

"Oh don't worry, it's really nothing to be concerned about. It's quite common and as I said, it's something that usually corrects itself. Nine out of ten times, the placenta shifts to the upper part of the womb. However, if you notice any bleeding in the last three months of your pregnancy, you must let us know immediately." They both looked at each other concerned. "But please don't fret, placenta previa is actually quite rare and there's no indication at this stage that that's the case."

"What's placenta previa?" Henry cut in.

"It's when the placenta blocks or partially obstructs the cervix." The sonographer nodded, impressed.

"That's correct. It's nice to see your husband's been reading up. Placenta previa is problematic because it means the baby can't be delivered naturally. But we'll know at your second scan whether the placenta has moved or not. Until then I see no cause for alarm." But Ollie was still biting her lip, worried. The sonographer tried to reassure her. "Everything else is looking great though--"

"Can you determine the sex?"

"Henry, I said I didn't want to know!" The sonographer chuckled.

"Don't worry. Although their sex organs are well developed by now they're a bit too wriggly for me to get a better look. I should warn you though, sometimes you find out by accident at the second scan--"

"You mean, if his todger's big enough?"

"Henry!" The sonographer laughed again.

"Yes, but just let the sonographer know ahead of time and they'll do their best to keep it a secret. Do either of you have any more questions for me?" To Ollie's surprise, he responded immediately.

"Yes, when we will know the results of her blood and serum tests?"

"Her doctor will contact her within two weeks if the results are normal. If not then you should hear back within a few days--"

"And what about her due date?"

"Well from the information you've provided and the baby's measurements, her due date should be the 26th of December." Henry and Ollie's mouths dropped open.

"Wait, our baby will be born on Boxing Day?"

"Well, that's just an estimate. Usually, babies are born within a week on either side of the due date."

"So the baby could be born on Christmas Day?!" He was glad she'd asked because he'd had the exact same thought.

"Yes that's a possibility, but it's impossible to say for sure. So Dad, how's your Father's Day going so far?"

"Incredible… we're absolutely thrilled. Can we get copies of the scan to take away?"

"Yep, I can print those off for you now. Would you like a copy of the video as well?"

"Yes!" They chimed in unison. The sonographer then left them alone for several minutes while she put together the necessary paperwork. Ollie looked up to find Henry grinning down at her like a madman.

"So, thoughts?"

"Well I'm a little worried about my placenta…" He sighed.

"Oh darling, she said not to worry. Don't let it overshadow what a wonderful experience this was--"

"But aren't you concerned?"

"Not really, I've read up on placenta previa and even if that's what you've got, it's easy enough to manage and just means you'll need a cesarean instead--"

"But I don't want a cesarean!"

"Ollie you're getting way ahead of yourself, the sonographer wasn't concerned so you shouldn't be either. Anyway, what did you think of the baby? I was shocked to see them looking so well formed already--"

"Well, what did you expect it to look like, a sea-monkey?" Henry laughed.

"Aren't you happy though? She said everything looked great!"

"Of course I'm happy, I just hope everything continues going smoothly…" He leaned down further and kissed her forehead.

"It will sweetheart, come on, let's get you cleaned up, and then we'll get to my parents for lunch." Henry carefully wiped her stomach with some paper towels, placed a kiss near her belly button, and gently sat her up. The sonographer then reentered the room.

"Here we are, baby's first pictures." She handed a copy to each of them and he felt a lump in his throat once again.

"Thank you so much… we'll cherish these forever." The sonographer smiled.

"I'm glad I was able to help. I'm so happy for you both. Remember, you're free to contact us again if you have any questions. For now, just relax and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy."

***

"Wow, I can't believe this is our actual baby…" Ollie stared down lovingly at the black-and-white picture.

"I know, it seems so unreal… and yet there it is. Proof in black and white!"

"I can't see a nub, so it could still be a boy or a girl."

"What nub, what are you talking about?"

"Oh, haven't you heard of the nub theory? Guess you've got some more reading to do," she teased. "The nub is a tube that eventually develops into genitals. The theory goes that if the nub is at a thirty-degree or more angle, you're having a boy and for a girl, it's almost straight."

"So what does the picture show?"

"Well, that's just it, the baby was moving about too much for the nub to be captured."

"Well, I imagine at the next scan we'll have a better idea. The Cavills are well endowed so I expect at least a ninety-degree angle." She shook her head.

"I still can't believe I've bred with you…"

"What? If he has a widget as big as his brain he'll be unstoppable!"

"Will you please stop?! For all we know, we could be having a girl!"

"I hope so." She looked at Henry surprised.

"Is that right? I had no idea you had a preference…"

"Well, of course, I'd love a boy as well. But there are so many boys in the family already. And you know I'm a big soppy git under this brazen exterior, I'd love a daddy's girl--"

"Yeah, but I'm more of a tomboy which means she might be as well. Just cos we're having a girl it doesn't mean she'll love pink and princesses."

"No, but just in case, I'm down for having makeovers and my nails painted." She giggled.

"Will you promise not to make fun of her though? Regardless of whatever she likes?"

"Of course not!"

"Oh please, my dad made fun of everything. The boybands I loved, the clothes I wore, even the way I spoke." He regarded her sadly.

"Darling, one thing I can promise is that I will never be like your father."

"Good. I also want you to really listen to her. She has to have the best role model in you so she's treated well by other men--"

"She won't be allowed to date! Or get married… or leave home!"

"Henry, don't be ridiculous! They don't stay little forever." Henry harrumphed.

"Oh stop, they're not even born yet and you're already imagining them leaving home!"

"Well it'll come sooner than you think," she teased.

"Let's just focus on getting them here first. And I want you to promise that if we have a boy, you'll keep him close and do everything you can to protect him."

"Oh darling, of course I will. In truth, I'd prefer a boy. Growing up with girls was hard work. I've got no nephews on my side either. Just so long as he’s not a mini you, we should be fine…"

"What's wrong with him being a mini-me?!" She looked at him exasperatedly.

"Henry, I don't think I could cope with two Cavills teasing me nonstop, eating us out of house and home, and making a mess everywhere they go! Now, if he poops like you as well--"

"Oh stop, you're the gassiest out of the two of us!"

"No, I bloody well am not! You've got more hot air than a zeppelin!"

"Well, at least I don't sound like a burst one at night!" Her mouth dropped open.

"You little shit! You've got a cheek saying the mother of your child is loud at night when you sound like a frog in a swamp! Anyway, we can't bicker like this in front of them either."

"I think that might be a tall order…"

"Well, either way, I want them to feel secure and safe in the knowledge their parents love each other."

"Oh darling, they'll never question that. Even if I do occasionally," Henry shot her a wink and she rolled her eyes. "Now, when are we going to tell everyone?" She looked at him confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we're nearly out of the first trimester, it should be safe to start telling everyone now. I can't wait, it's so exciting! How shall we do it?" She bit her lip.

"I don't know Henry, it still makes me a bit uneasy."

"Oh sweetheart, you can see from the scan how well they're doing. If not now, then when?"

"I suppose you're right. But did you really want to tell everyone today? I don't want to upstage your mother's lovely meal."

"Don't be daft, it'll be the best Father's Day gift we could give my dad. It's certainly been the best Father's Day for me. They'll both be thrilled, I promise." She smiled and pulled out her phone.

"Oh go on then soppy bollocks…" Henry beamed as he took the phone. He then quickly dialled the number and pressed the speakerphone button. Eventually, a woman answered.

"Mum? Hi, yeah we're on our way now. Sorry, we got stuck in traffic on our way back from an appointment. In fact, can you go fetch Dad? Ollie and I have something very special to tell you both…"

To be updated on when I post please follow @resowrites and turn on post notifications.

@elizabetharegina @fanfictionaddiction99 @luclittlepond @caffeinatedfestivalsheep @summersong69 @ushijimbo @livesinfantasyland @jackjanira

[iamknicole]

Aisle 32

A/N: Its short buuut felt like a good stopping point lol and Yes, he got friends!😂😂😂😂

Grocery shopping was usually Haleigh's favorite thing to do when she had help and today she was going at it alone. Her family all had other obligations, though they encouraged her to wait till the next day she didn't want to and decided she could handle it alone. As she stood on the detergent aisle she started to realize that she probably should've waited.

"Why do they always put the one I like on the top shelf?" She mumbled, rubbing over her round six month belly. She giggled feeling the kicks. "You don't know either huh? Guess we'll have to get something else for now."

Looking at her options, she realized that she didn't like any of them. There were no employees around to ask for help and she was not about to ask a stranger. Biting her lip, she thought about all the chastising her mom, aunts and Nana had done when she even looked like she wanted to reach over her head or pick something heavy up.

"If you don't tell, I won't." She said to her belly before reaching for the jug of detergent.

As she was trying to pull the jug down, another patron came down the aisle. His cart came to a stop in front of the dishwasher detergent, his phone sandwiched between his ear and his shoulder. While he was listening to the person on the phone tell him what kind to get, he saw Haleigh out of the corner of his eye struggling to get the jug down then noticed her belly. Telling the person on the phone to hold on, he put it in his pocket then quickly went over to her.

"Let me get that for you." He said softly.

Haleigh glanced over at him and gave him a small smile as she stepped back. "Thank you."

He pulled it down, placing it in her cart and smiled at her. "You're welcome. That's way too heavy for you to be pulling down."

"Gotta do what you gotta do sometimes," she shrugged, "Thanks again. I really appreciate it."

Giving him another smile, Haleigh pushed past him continuing her shopping. He was cute but she knew on the slim chance that he was single she had way more going on than he wanted to deal with so she kept walking. She loves her baby so much already but thinking somebody was cute was how she got this way. Just another guy to leave her when things got too serious.

Thirty minutes later, she finished getting everything on her list and decided to go look at the baby section. Every time she went to a store with a baby section, Haleigh couldn't leave without something for her unborn baby. She had looked on the first two aisles not finding anything she liked, getting to the third she was too busy looking at the items that she didn't see the other cart before she bumped into it.

"Oh God, I'm sorry. I wasn’t paying attention." She apologized quickly.

Looking over at the person's cart she hit, there was that smile again. Only this time it was a bit wider. He looked up from the two sippy cups he held in his hands.

"I'm fine I promise," he assured her. "Are you and your lil one okay?"

Her hand went to her belly feeling the few kicks and laughed softly. "Got a few kicks so we're okay. I really am sorry though."

"You're good, I promise."

The two of them went back to looking at the items on the aisle. Him still trying to pick a sippy cup, her looking at bibs. She could feel him glancing at her but she tried not to look back.

"What're you having? If I can ask."

"Huh? Oh um I don't know yet. My best friends insisted on throwing me a gender reveal this weekend." She explained still looking at the bibs.

He nodded putting one sippy cup back and picking up another. "You got a preference?"

She shrugged a little. "Healthy. You have a kid, huh?"

Looking up from the cups, he gave her a confused head shake. "No. Just a dog. Why'd you ask?"

Haleigh laughed a little pointing to the cups. "You look like you're thinking really hard on which one to get. Figured it must be for your kid."

He laughed. "Oh, oh no. My friends invited me to a baby shower so I'm tryna find things to put in a basket for the mom."

"Ooooh," she laughed, "Well if you know what she's having then get gender specific. If not, gender neutral."

"Smart, that's smart." He winked at her. "Which bibs are you gonna get?"

Haleigh rubbed her face trying to hide her blush. "I think I'm gonna get Mickey Mouse. Boys and girls like Mickey. Right?"

"Yeah they do. I'm Ardian by the way." He said sticking his hand out which she shook.

"Haleigh."

"Nice name. How far along are you?"

"24 weeks as of yesterday."

He nodded, looking over at her. "Congratulations, I don't know why I hadn't said it before. I'll let you go, don't wanna take up all your time."

"Thank you," she said softly, "You're not but I do need to get out of here before I spend more money. Have a good day, Ardian."

He chuckled, sliding out of her way. "You too, Haleigh. I hope you have a good gender reveal."

As they passed each other, they shared another smile and watched her leave the aisle shaking his head at himself. Both were chastising themselves for flirting with someone that was more than likely taken.

[bittybeanie]

next time, now (reigen x reader)

oh boy folks have i got a doozy for you- this is part 2 of my aspec reigen adventures, pretty much meant to directly follow after the first one, which you can find here, but you can also read it on its own! this one has slightly less feelings and double the sexy times, but also still some feelings because i think that's my trademark at this point. you technically still don't get to boink the conman but, just, i promise you'll like it. we'll get there. have faith in me.

featuring reigen discovering he actually does feel attraction, uhh a few tiny doses of cum related kinks, and a scene where reigen jacks it in the shower, heavily inspired by this audio of his va. please god wear headphones.

also on ao3!

"Maybe next time."

"Maybe next time it is, then." You lean up to meet him for a kiss, sighing with content against his lips as he lowers you back down to the bed. "You're a good kisser. Maybe we should just do this instead. Forever, maybe." Your fingers tangle in his hair as you pull him down, and he scrambles to catch himself before he lands on you.

"Woah, there."

"Mm, sorry, sorry. Just extra clingy today." You look a bit sheepish, but it doesn't stop you from peppering kisses along his jaw, up toward his ear, across his cheek, then back to his lips.

"Here, sit up, then." Reigen lays his hands on your hips, guiding you to scoot back and lean against the headboard. He slots one leg between yours, effectively straddling your thigh, and tilts forward to press a kiss to your collarbone. "This okay? Or just regular kisses?"

"Yes. Any. All." You let out a breathy chuckle and drop your hand to his shoulder as your eyelids flutter, threatening to close. "Just want you to keep touching me."

One hand slides up to your waist, and his grip tightens.

"Not-! I mean, you don't- not like- just, in general, I meant. I'm not expecting- y-you've already-"

"Hey, hey, I got it. Relax." His hand on your waist moves up to cup the back of your neck, and he presses his forehead to yours. "Relax."

"R-right." You smooth your thumb up and down his shoulder, squeezing lightly. "Just making sure you knew."

"It's not like I mind, either. If you wanted me to." His thumb slides down your hip, and his fingertips trace across the top of your thigh. "Isn't that the whole point?"

You catch his hand. "N-no? Is that really what you-?" You shift so that you're sitting more upright, and your knee bumps against his side. "The point isn't the action itself, it's... The point is that it's you."

"...Oh."

He starts to move his hand down again. You lock your fingers together and pull your conjoined hands up between your chests.

"Oi."

"But-"

"I'm trying to prove a point here, y'know?" He rolls his eyes, and he squeezes your hand.

"You're so stubborn."

"Sometimes." You shrug one shoulder, making no effort to hide your grin. "Like you aren't, though."

"Hmm." His eyebrows pinch together, and he knocks his forehead against yours again. "Sometimes."

"I just wanna keep kissing for a little bit. Like a wind down, y'know? That's enough." He nods, but he doesn't seem convinced. "Hey, Arataka. You are enough." 

He blinks. Something heavy and stifling shifts in his body, falling away to be replaced by something light and clear, and it's like he's seeing you for the first time again. His breath catches in his throat, and his eyelids flutter, and his hand twitches on your hip. Heat rises to his face, collects in his chest, makes his arms tense and his stomach curl, and he's suddenly very aware of just how much of your personal space he's allowed to occupy every day without question, how many times you've leaned into his hand on your shoulder, let him drape himself across your shoulders or kiss you without a second thought.

Does he.... want to...?

"You okay? Was... was that too sappy?"

"Yes. No! I mean, I'm okay. It was fine." He's overcome all at once with the need to run as far away as he can and the need to pull you against him and never let go. His body is fighting with his brain and he realizes that he's been gawking at you for far longer than acceptable, his arm moving on autopilot so fiercely he's surprised he hasn't smacked one of you in the face already. "Let's... let's lay down."

"Okay! Yeah, of course." Your hand slides off his shoulder to let him roll off of you. "You... know you have to move to lay down, right?"

He jolts off the bed in what seems like one motion, leaving you blinking at the empty space in front of you. "Right, of course, I was just- y'know!"

You do not know.

You lean over the edge of the bed and fumble for your shirt and underwear, slipping them on so you can slide your legs under the covers. "Are you sure you're okay? If I made you un-"

"No! Nonono, you- nothing's wrong. I'm fine. Great, even." He must realize the way he's frantically rubbing at the back of his neck isn't very convincing, because he lets his arm fall limp at his side and softens his voice. "I promise. Just a lot happening at once."

You squint as you consider him. He rocks back onto his heels and spins, looking around the floor in the same way you'd scan for a lost item. He wipes his hands on his sides and sits back on the bed, pressing a kiss to your cheek as he lifts up the covers.

"I promise. I'm fine."

"Alright. Alright, fine, but tell me the minute you aren't. Always."

"Roger." As soon as you get settled, his hand is back on your waist. "Kissing still good?"

"Of course."

You kiss him until your eyes start to stay closed between kisses, until your hand starts to slide off his face, until you're too sleepy to keep track of how much noise you're making, humming against his lips and letting out little gasps every time he pulls away, scrambling to keep a hold on his shoulder to keep him close, whining when he takes too long to kiss you again.

Once he's sure you're asleep, he presses one last kiss to your forehead. He untangles your arm from over his chest, slides his leg out ever so slowly until his foot hits the floor, then the other foot, and he gently lowers your arm to the bed. He backs into the hallway, watching for signs of you stirring, and softly closes the door.

+

He lets himself get used to the idea before anything else. He's about to jerk off. To you. In your bathroom. While you're sleeping in the other room. And that's totally fine. You would be fine with it. He's fine with it.

...Right?

His shirt makes a quiet fwump sound as he drops it to the floor, and he panics before he realizes there's absolutely no way you could have heard it.

Okay. He can do this. He just needs to calm down.

He debates putting his shirt back on, giving up and trying again somewhere less paranoia inducing, but he knows if he doesn't ride the wave he might not get this brave again.

Above all else, he just wants to.

He decides to press on, almost scratching himself as he jabs his thumbs into the waistband of his pajama pants and shoves. He listens again, and he takes a deep breath.

His eyes settle on the shower, and he realizes that having an excuse to be naked would be helpful, so he tosses his boxers onto the pile of clothes and carefully steps in. His eyes adjust to the dark as he pulls the curtain slowly shut behind him, and he fights to listen past his own shaky pants.

The coast is clear. It's now or never.

He rests his hand flat on his stomach. His fingers drum against his skin. He takes a few shaky breaths and waits for himself to move, paradoxically still as his body hums with nervous excitement.

Just... reach. That's all he has to do - reach down ever so slightly. He does this all the time. The only thing different is the setting. And the fact that you're sleeping in the other room. His nails dig in as he clenches his fist without realizing, and he gasps as he forces his hand to relax.

You would... you always kept your hand in his hair.

He reaches up with his other hand and threads his fingers through his hair, balling his fist loosely. The hand against his stomach uncurls, and his fingertips brush against the top of his dick. He shudders, and his hand tightens in his hair. 

Okay, maybe it's been longer than he thought.

He leans back against the wall, jolting slightly from the cold, and he lets himself imagine you.

He pictures your face as you came - no, as he made you come - your eyelashes fluttering as your eyes rolled up, your eyebrows pinched together, your mouth slack as his name tumbled out of it like a prayer. And oh, god, how wonderful you had sounded, breathy and whiny as you fought to get any sound out, so overwhelmed that the only thought you could summon was of him. He remembers the feel of your skin, how smooth it had been under his hands, how your thighs felt pressed against the sides of his face, the weight of your ankle on his back as you damn near suffocated him.

God, he would have let you.

His nails dig into his scalp, and his breath comes out in stifled pants as he slides his hand over his cock. He chokes back a moan as his wrist twists on the way down, and he can hear the precum drip onto the shower floor. He swears and takes a step forward, angling himself back toward the wall.

It's... fine. It's good. But something's missing.

How would you...? You always touch him so gently at first, like he's fragile and precious, and cling to him later, like you're trying to ground yourself to the very source of your light-headedness.

He takes his hand out of his hair and lets his fingernails brush against his collarbone, imagines they're your breath against his neck, or maybe a trail of kisses like the ones you always leave when you're trying to pull him away from his desk. He bucks his hips into his hand, letting his grip go loose enough that he can just barely feel it, then tightens it with every thrust, until he's holding back whimpers and the movement becomes a desperate rut.

He's not quite ready to imagine that it's you he's fucking - he's fairly sure he'd be a goner immediately based on how tight you've been around his fingers every time - but he can imagine it's your hand instead of his own. There's no spike of anxiety, no guilt, no panic like he was worried there might be; there's just a dull rush of pleasure as his eyes slide closed and his head knocks back against the shower wall.

"Shit."

He slaps a hand over his mouth to muffle the last of his moans, too far gone to care about the way the sound echoes, as his hips tilt forward and he comes across his fingers, most of it splattering onto his stomach. He panics when he feels it about to run off his hand, swiping his hand up his stomach to collect what's left and bringing it to his face.

He freezes, fingers still in his mouth, as he realizes what just happened.

He slides down the wall, breathing out a chuckle as he wipes his hand on his thigh, and decides he might as well shower after all.

+

You're just starting to stir when he wanders back into the bedroom with damp hair. When he slides back under the covers, you reach for him on instinct, burying your face in his chest.

"You smell nice."

"It's your soap."

"Oh. Explains why it's familiar."

"I took a shower. I hope that's okay."

"Mhm. What's mine is yours." He drapes a hand over your waist, pulling you closer. You force your eyes open, not quite awake, but not willing to go back to sleep until you ask him something. "Hey, are you- is this really okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's just... something I've been thinking about, I guess." You lean back just far enough to make eye contact. "I don't know, I feel a little selfish sometimes. To be the only one..."

"You're not." He presses a kiss to your forehead. "You're not selfish." You're not the only one, either, he wants to admit, but the words get stuck in his throat. "Not that being selfish is always a bad thing, but... I'm having a good time, too. Don't worry." 

"Yeah?"

He wipes his hand on his thigh, and he reaches up to hold your cheek.

"Yeah."

+

Your head flops back onto the pillow as he sets your leg down, and you hear him shuffling around at the foot of the bed.

"Fuck, you're incredible." The only response you get is more shuffling, so you prop yourself up on one elbow to find him leaning over the side of the bed, reaching for something on the floor.

"Sorry. I lost your shirt." 

"Pfft. Course we did." He tosses it to you as he rights himself. You slip it over your head and scoot over so he can climb under the covers next to you.

"What about you? Next time?" Reigen thinks he'd be offended - or maybe embarrassed - if anybody else had said it, but there's no malice in your tone, not even really any hint of teasing, just a genuine desire to make sure you know what he wants. He laughs and pulls the blankets over his shoulders, ignoring the heat radiating through his body as he makes his decision.

"Maybe."

"Perfect." You lean over him to press a kiss to his cheek before laying down, shoving one arm under the pillows to get it out of the way and draping the other arm loosely across his waist. He reaches behind him to take your hand in his, intertwining your fingers and guiding you to lay your arm between the two of you. His lips brush against the back of your hand, and you can feel his smirk. "I love you so much, you know that?"

"So you've said." He leans across your hands to kiss your forehead. "Love you, too."

You hum and let your eyes slide closed, focusing on the way you can feel his breath across your fingers, hear his hair on the pillowcase and the sheets rustling as he settles in, smell his cheap cologne and the faint remnants of smoke.

You're on the edge of sleep when you hear him again, shifting slightly, so quiet you think you might have imagined it.

"That first night..."

"Mm?" He squeezes your hand tighter when you go to rub your eyes, so you settle for blinking a few extra times. "Which first night?"

"When we came home and you- well, shoved isn't quite the right word, but-"

"Ohh, you mean when I threw myself at you because you were so hot?"

"You throw yourself at me all the time."

"Because you're hot all the time." You look him up and down with an exaggerated wink, and he gives you a half-hearted glare. "I know what you're talking about, though. What about it?"

"You said you... had something in mind for me, and- well, I've been curious."

"I did?" You do your best to replay your memory of that night. "I guess I did, didn't I?" He hums. You can't read his expression. "Well, honestly, I didn't have anything specific I was thinking of. Or, I guess, if I did I don't remember what."

"Then..."

"I don't know, I was just going with the flow. I mean it's- you were- I panicked! I wasn't expecting to make it that far!"

"Fair enough." He shifts again, and his foot brushes against yours. "But if you had to pick something..."

"Reigen. Darling. Arataka, my love. Light of my life, my moon and my stars." He blinks at you, shifting his gaze to look past you, then at you again.

"...Huh?"

"Are you asking me to in-person sext you right now?"

"What?! N-no, I'm just-!"

"I will, if you want. I mean we practically do that-" You sling your leg over his hip to pull him closer, and something pokes you in the thigh, stopping your words in their tracks. Both of you freeze at the same time, each waiting for the other to move.

"You-"

"I-"

"You're hard."

"...Yeah."

"I'm gonna move my-"

"No!" He reaches for your waist just as you start to pull back. "Y-you can stay."

"Well, this is a new development." You're struggling to keep your voice even for his benefit, trying not to scare him away, but you sound a little breathier than you'd like.

"Um. Yeah. I'm so sorry." His fingers drum against the small of your back.

"Why are you sorry?"

"I'm... I don't know. It's-" His brain shuts off in self-preservation, letting his thoughts tumble out with no filter. "It's not new. Basically every time we... it's not that I don't want you to- it's just- I wasn't ready to think about it? But you're always so h- I mean, when you- I like... seeing you, so I've always- I just wasn't ready to... have to worry about me at the same time? I guess? It's-"

"Whoa, hey, okay. Okay, slow down." He snaps his mouth shut. "Lemme get this straight." He nods. "The concept of it is good, but being involved is still a little overwhelming. Is basically... what I picked out of that."

"Mm, that too, but- How do I phrase this?" His grip tightens on your side, and he stares at your neck as he attempts to gather his thoughts and feelings into something he can express. "It's... not about the action, it's about you." He echoes your words from the other day, and it's all you can do not to grab his face and drown him in kisses. "The part I enjoy is... you. So, it's not that I want you to touch me, exactly, it's that I just want..." He trails off, staring at your lips.

"Me?"

"Yeah." You slide your leg off him and shift, trying to reel in your imagination by getting comfy again, but you can still feel him against your thigh.

"How did I not notice this before now?"

"I didn't give you a chance. I just went and, uh, took care of it."

"...You did?" He hesitates as he decides how much he wants to admit, already feeling like he gave away too much. Your eyes narrow. "Wait, is that why you disappeared the other night and took a shower?" His shoulders tense when you draw air quotes around "took a shower."

"Um."

"Reigen, did you jack off in my shower?"

"W- uh."

"You did, didn't you?"

"Maybe. Look, I'm-"

"That's hot."

"...What?" The question comes out in a gasp of air. His eyes are unfocused, darting from your wide eyes to your smirk, to the wall behind you and back.

"Did you think about me?" You roll onto your stomach, propping your head up on your arms.

"...What else would I think about?"

"You wanna do it again? Jack off, I mean. Not- I mean, you can use my shower if you want, but... but you could stay."

His hand slides down toward his waistband, settling over his hip. His hips twitch almost imperceptibly, only detectable by the rustling of the blankets, and his fingertips press down to ground himself. He considers you, your teeth pressing into your bottom lip, your chest rising and falling with your measured breathing.

He rolls onto his back. His thumbs push the waistband of his pants down, just far enough for his cock to spring out, and he shudders at the friction of the sheets against the tip. He wraps his hand around the base, and he lets out a low moan.

"Fuck." He glances over at you. "Sorry, sorry, don't mind me. I'll- I'll keep quiet."

"S'fine. I like hearing you talk."

"I know, but then I can't hear you."

"You want to hear me?"

"God, yes. Can I see you?" He nods and moves to sit up, leaning against the headboard as you kneel beside him to flip the covers back. His hand stutters a little, but he keeps going, and you drink in the sight of him. His hair sticks up against the headboard, and his ears are starting to tint pink, and he's biting his lip to muffle himself but it's not working, his eyebrows pulling together every time a stifled whine forces its way out between harsh pants. You trail your gaze down, lingering for a moment on his hips as you fight for composure, pointedly ignoring the way you're having to press your thighs together to distract yourself.

"God, I want that in my mouth." It's only when you notice his hand has stopped moving that you realize you were talking out loud. You rush to cover your mouth. "S- I- sorry, I didn't even think before I said that. Jesus."

"Did you..." His thumb slides along the top of his dick as he tightens his grip, and your gaze follows the beads of precum as they roll down. You swallow thickly. "Did you mean it?"

"Very. Yes. A lot." You shift awkwardly, hands resting on your thighs. He pauses to kick his pajama pants off.

"Y'know, you've talked all about the things you want me to do to you, but... not so much about what you'd do to me." He's holding eye contact now, looking at you through his eyelashes as his head tips back, and you fight the urge to look away, your desire to memorize every detail of his face much stronger than your embarrassment.

"Uh, hah, well, I-I wasn't sure what you'd like." Your face heats up, and you grab a handful of the sheets.

"Neither am I. Try me."

"It's..." You're struggling to think of anything other than how badly you want him to fuck you on the nearest surface with him holding your gaze like that.

"I've liked everything else you've said so far."

"Uh, w- um, I- I, you, oh god. Give me a second." You run a hand through your hair and finally break, looking away toward his collarbone, listening to his breathing get faster and faster. "Can I... Can I kiss you?"

He squirms, hips jerking upward.

"Yes. Please."

You scoot closer, your knee bumping into his hip when you reach across him to put your hand down on the bed for balance.

"This okay?"

He cups the back of your neck and pulls you in, whining into your mouth as his thumb runs across his slit. Eventually, you pull away with a gasp, and you press your forehead to his. His hair sticks to you, coated in sweat, and you breathe out a laugh before you let yourself look down again.

"Fuck, you're pretty. So glad I get to see you like this. You look so good. If you catch me staring into space tomorrow, this is what I'm thinking about. Just so you know." His hips buck again, and he forces them back down to the bed, slowing his pace to catch his breath.

"Think you'd look even prettier with marks, though. Not that... it would be a good idea to leave any, but I can dream. Maybe on your hips? Or your thighs..." You adjust yourself so your knee presses against his thigh, and he chokes out your name.

"You know what else might be fun?" You reach around to the back of your neck to take his hand. He lets you guide his arm to his side, leaning into it to hold his hand to the bed. "Not letting you touch me."

"W-why?" 

"Well, based on this, I just think it would be fun to watch you squirm. Especially if you let me suck that perfect dick of yours and couldn't control how fast I went? I could tease you forever and you wouldn't be able to do anything about it." His eyes slide closed as he whines, long and low, and you press a kiss to his shoulder. "Ooh, although... I'd let you come on my face, if you wanted. Doesn't that sound fun? Stroking yourself just like you are now and coming on my tongue? All over my face? God, I'd want you to cover me. Do you come a lot at once, or would you have to do it a couple times, I wonder?"

"Shit, you're- you-."

"Want me to stop?"

"No."

"Good. Seems like you're close."

He manages a nod. "What else?"

"I'd love to ride you."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm. Seems like your hips move a lot, and it would be super hot to feel you pushing up into me at the same time as me fucking your brains out." His hand twitches under your weight, still pressed to the bed, and you lean back to let him move. He just reaches for your hand again. "Plus, I know how much you love holding onto my hips."

"M'so close."

"I know, baby. You're almost there. I wanna see you come so bad." His moans are short and clipped, his head tipped back, face flushed as he speeds up and rolls his hips into his fist. "Can you do that? Can you come for me? Please, god, you look so perfect. Sound so fucking good. Fuck, please, Arataka, I wanna make you come so fucking bad, please, please, for me."

His back arches off the bed as he comes with a choked gasp, fist tight as he keeps fucking up into his hand. He catches most of it on his fingers, but some drips onto the sheets when his hips drop back down, panting and whining as he shakes from the force of it. You commit every second to memory - each of his reactions, every sound, every shiver and twitch of his hand - as you grind a hand down between your thighs, trying to keep your own arousal at bay.

His hand lands beside him with a dull thump, fingers curling to avoid getting the bed any stickier than it already is. You gently lift his wrist, supporting his arm with your other hand to bring his fingertips to your face. You press a kiss to the tip of his finger. "May I?"

He laughs, and he nods.

"What's so funny? You didn't think I was serious?" You swirl your tongue around his fingers and suck, reveling in the shiver that runs through his body.

"No, just, last time when I, um. I panicked and kinda... did the same thing." He laughs again and slides down the bed, head ending up back where it started on the pillow. You set his arm back down beside him. "I was so worried about not making a mess that I just..."

"So what you're really saying is you still won't mind if I kiss you?" You swipe your hand along what's left on the blankets, bringing your hand back to your mouth.

"Absolutely not." You run tongue up your palm and swallow before wiping your hand on the bed behind you. "I will mind if we don't wash the sheets, though."

"In the morning. For now, I'm gonna cuddle the hell out of you." 

"Works for me." You lean down to press a kiss to his forehead, then his cheek, and finally to his lips. He sighs and leans up into you, chasing you as you sit back up.

"Do you need water or anything first?"

"No, m'fine."

"You sure?"

"Mhm." You start to protest, but his eyes are already closing, and you're pretty sure he might already be asleep by the time you make it to the kitchen and back.

"Alright." You slide back onto your side, fumbling for the edge of the sheets to pull them over your shoulders. "You really are incredibly sexy, you know?"

"Mkay."

"And you know we don't actually have to do any of that, right? I was just talking."

"Mhm." He rolls to face you. "I want to, though."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Next time."

You laugh and pull him against you, pressing one last kiss to his nose as he drifts off, his hand stopped in the middle of reaching for your waist.

"Maybe next time sounds perfect."