#why does everything have to be this confusing

[agentnoun]

I had another reblog of this where I was kinda flippant, but I thought it might be fun to actually write down what I think about this sort of faux-archaic writing and how I think it can be effectively used.

quick note about my own biases here: I think there exist no hard and fast rules for writing. everything is contextual. anything that could be Bad Writing in one context can be Good Writing in another--even if that Bad Writing is bad in 99 out of 100 situations, there's still that 1, and sometimes taking formal or tonal risks can give your work a really distinct identity (and sometimes it falls apart entirely but that's why it's a risk!).

so let's say you really like when language Goes Hard like this and you want to know how to make it work. here are some questions you can ask yourself to get a general idea. you still won't actually know until you try it and maybe until you get some feedback from readers/editors, but this can get you started.

let's use this monologue from Final Fantasy XII as an example:

does it fit in your world at all? does it make sense for anyone in your world to use language this way? would anyone deliver a monologue like this, or write something like this? there can be multiple reasons it would make sense. for example, maybe the whole work has this sort of heightened tone and isn't going for realism (this is the version that's really tough to pull off). or maybe this type of language makes sense for certain people in the world. this is the case for FFXII above: aristocratic characters, especially those from the Archadian Empire, often use this "elevated" pseudo-archaic speech, so by the time you reach this scene, this kind of language doesn't come out of nowhere. (you also see similar language from non-Archadian aristocratic sources, such as Marquis Ondore's memoir that serves as occasional narration.)

does it make sense for this specific character to speak this way? we sort of covered this in the above bullet. for Judge Bergan, a high-ranking member of an elite group whose very word is law in Archadian society, it definitely does, but if, say, Vaan or Penelo started to bust out a monologue like this, it would be jarring (in a way that would be funny but also wreck the tone). the more colloquial, modern mode used by the commoner characters, or those who have abandoned their aristocratic origins (like Balthier), fits those characters better than the faux-archaic language used by the Judge Magisters.

does it fit the scene? in the scene above, Bergan is trying to intimidate the heroes while proclaiming his liege's right to rule. he is also, crucially, fucking losing his shit due to having mind-altering magic stones bound to his skeleton. so yeah, I'd say an over-the-top monologue makes perfect sense here. but on top of that, it's a dramatic scene that comes after a tense walk through a ruined refugee camp, an exclamation point punctuating a demonstration of Archadian brutality. Bergan speaking this way makes sense in this context, but it might not in others. if he went on like this to some random guy on the street in the middle of the day it would again risk crossing over into the comical.

and here's the big one: does it even make sense? like, the actual words? one of the biggest problems with this elevated prose that tries to Go Hard is that, well, a lot of modern writers don't actually know how this kind of grammar works, or how to use the archaic words that sound really cool. for my fellow Ivalice fans, this is sort of my problem with the FFT War of the Lions translation--I think it's less successful at using this type of archaic, elevated prose than Alexander O. Smith's work in games like Vagrant Story and FFXII. Smith understands English grammar, both contemporary and archaic, well enough that he can play with it and bend it to create monologues like this one. even if it would be reasonable for language like this to be used in a work, all of that falls apart if the actual sentences are confusing or outright nonsense. another way to say this is that you should make sure to understand the grammar you're bending before you bend it.

(also a note on the last bullet: Final Fantasy XII's original Japanese script is not faux-archaic like this. it's something that Smith and the rest of the FFXII English localization team added, and that Yasumi Matsuno, the game's original director, likes quite a bit. if you're wondering why I credited Smith with this type of prose here and not the original Japanese writers, that's why.)

[reminiscingthesea]

Part two of my stalker Phainon x nerdy reader fic!! You should be able to find part one just under this post!!

A/N- tysm again for the massive support and love on my last post, it’s honestly making me feel rlly happy and I’m genuinely considering making this a chapter by chapter fanfic (no promises tho idk what life may throw at me)

Synopsis- After establishing a friendship with you, Phainon simply can’t help but fall deeper in love with you. Yet, when an unknown variable- a pest- invades his peace, he feels as though things may take a dangerous turn for the worse.

Warning- Stalking, mentions of extreme violence towards another character, kidnapping, gore.

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Ever since you and Phainon became friends, the two of you would always be texting each other nonstop! Talking about silly things like teachers, cute videos, random drama, and also more in depth things, such as your shared interest of historical relics.

Because of this, the two of you would often set up dates hang out days to take each other to a local museum to research ancient relics or texts. Other days, when the two of you are both free, you’d each be cooped up in a corner of the campus’ library, reading literature and talking to each other with enthusiasm when an interesting point was reached. Albeit, not without the sound of angry shushing from the old, cranky librarian at the front desk. She could really hear everything..

However, when you reject Phainon on a day out to a relic site-seeing place, he feels confused, upset, dejected, but most of all, angry. Very angry, especially after finding out why you weren’t available.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Phainon. But I won’t be able to join you tomorrow on our little weekly day out. I have plans with someone called Mydei? You know him, right?” You spoke nonchalantly, flashing him a quick, apologetic smile as you watched him momentarily deflate at your initial rejection, before turning away just as quickly, not able to see his face morph into a look of wrath once you mentioned that name.

He stayed silent for a few moments, before beginning silently. His tone sharp and cold as he spoke, “Yeah, I happen to know who he is. Mydeimos, son of Gorgo or something. He’s a recent transfer student, isn’t he? What’s he hanging around you for?” He asked as calmly as he could, to mask his voice of envy and irritation behind his cool demeanour.

“Oh, uh.. yeah he is. He’s not very popular right now, so I was assigned to be his little study-buddy for the time being, sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. It’s a bit stupid how they thought placing a quiet kid with another quiet kid was a good idea, but….” You rambled on about your school’s inadequacy or whatever, blissfully unaware that Phainon was indeed not paying any attention whatsoever, and instead, focusing on the numerous thoughts flying through his mind at 360mph.

‘Has she gotten bored of me now?’ ‘What does this Mydei have that I don’t?’ ‘I bet he’s really fucking ugly, he’s probably just a charity case in her eyes.’ ‘Who does this Mydei guy think he is?’ ‘Is he asking for a death wish?’ ‘Maybe I should slice him up into pieces, and serve his meat as meatballs for her-‘

Just as Phainon’s internal turmoil reached its peak, a quiet clear of the throat could be heard from behind the two of you.

“Oh, hello, [Name]. I was told you’d be here, should we get going?” A voice spoke. The pair of you, Phainon and yourself, turned around to the sound of the voice. You smiled brightly at the sight, waving at the guy with your hand. Phainon on the other hand, stood still in shock as he took in the other man’s appearance.

“Ah, Mydei! Hello! I was just finishing up with my friend here, Phainon. We can get going soon, I just need to fix something on my phone. The two of you can chat for a bit before I’m done!” You chirped happily, stepping to the side to fix whatever glitch was on your phone now. Shitty campus signal was really no joke.

Bulky, muscular, slight tan, short, golden wispy hair with slight red ends, enchanting golden eyes, not to mention, ridiculously tall, almost taller than Phainon.. he seemed to be a good contender for your love.

“..Are you just gonna keep staring at me or what? It makes you seem odd, y’know?” Spoke Mydei, his voice deep and rich, with a slight edge of aggressiveness to it. Stunning Phainon out his stupor, he laughed quietly and bowed a bit apologetically.

“Ah, I apologise, Mydei. I was just thinking about something, nothing more.” Flashing Mydei a quick, sweet smile, he was met with a questioning, curious look, that could almost be comparable to a glare. Phainon swore he could see a flicker of understanding and awareness through Mydei’s daybreak orbs for a split second as they darkened slightly, before a soft sigh could be heard from you in the distance.

“Still glitched out. I swear, this campus really does not care about their students. The signal is terrible! Anyways, Phainon, I need to get going with Mydei now. We can chat later!!”

You stood next to Mydei as the two of you began walking away, waving quickly at Phainon as you walked away. However, what you didn’t notice, was the death glare that Phainon was sending towards the two of you, especially at Mydei.

But Mydei saw. With the turn of his head, he saw those icy blue, once bright, now dark blue orbs cutting deep with their intense gaze. He didn’t shudder or tremble in fear, no. He simply kept a blank, unreadable look on his face, looking Phainon up and down with his eyes, as if scanning him carefully, whilst you’d talk about something random.

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“So, Mydei. You told me you like to bake, is that right? Would you like to teach me how to bake? I’m more-so good at cooking rather than baking.. I always make the desserts too raw, or too dry!” You were both now in his dorm as you ranted, placing your books and bags on his table, granted with his permission, as you joined him in his kitchen, which was so much tidier than most other student’s kitchens.

“Hmph. The art of baking stems from the heart. Even raw or over baked goods are still delicious if you know the person made it from their heart.” He declared respectfully, handing a small black apron to you, whilst putting on his own soft pink apron on.

“Uh, are you sure this black apron is for me? I’m pretty sure you should be wearing this one-“ You’re immediately cut off as he sends you a quick death glare, which shuts you up just as fast, but you could’ve sworn there was a slight flush to his cheeks, that matched his pretty pink apron for a few seconds.

“If you looked, you’d know that apron is clearly too small for me. Of course yours is the black one. What? A man can’t wear pink now?” He asked aggressively, but not without a hint of playful aggression laced into the threads of his serious tone.

“I-I never said that!” You waved your hands in front of your face in distress and apology

“Quit it, I was just teasing you.” He uttered again, a soft smile now on his face as he took in the utterly adorable pathetic sight of you trying to save your case hopelessly.

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After a while, you had managed to create an adorable set of yummy cupcakes with the helpful guidance of Mydei’s exceptional baking skills. Opening the oven door, a warm air of sweetness and cocoa hit your nose, before enveloping his whole dorm.

“Looking good,” Mydei praised as you carefully took out the tray with some oven mitts and bent down to place them on the stove atop the oven, before going back down to close the oven door again. But in the reflection of the oven, you saw something for a split second- Mydei’s gaze on you, your form in front of him. Before you could notice fully, he quickly averted his gaze back to the chocolate cupcakes in the baking tray.

Was he praising you?

As you got up, he spoke, bringing in a piping baggie and holding it in front of you.

“Now that the cupcakes are done baking, we’re going to have to wait a bit before we can ice them, since they need to cool down a bit first. Otherwise, the frosting would melt and go everywhere.”

He then brought together the ingredients to make the icing, as well as three food colourings tubes

“Now, you can decide between red food colouring, pink food colouring, or blue food colouring. I don’t really mind either way.” He said, handing the tubes to you to decide which colour to use.

You looked at the food dyes in your hand, deep in thought. See, you had wanted to gift some of these cupcakes to Phainon to make up for having to cancel your little hangout, but you also saw the way Mydei was eyeing the pink food colouring in your hand.

“Hmm.. I think I’ll go with the blue food colouring! You don’t mind that, right?” You asked gently, giving him a look of sympathy as you saw how he deflated slightly at your decision. He took the other dyes from your hand without a word, but you swore you could see a hint of a small pout on his face as he turned his back on you.

“That’s fine. I’ll help you make the icing, I just need to get the right nibs for the piping bag..” He spoke, momentarily distracted as he rummaged through his cupboard to find an appropriate nib. He came back a few moments later, standing next to you in front of the counter.

“We’re gonna be using a simple nib today, no designs. Since it’s your first time, you won’t be using any intricate designs.”

You pouted playfully as you helped him whip together a batch of icing, dipping in some of the blue food dye into the mixture, and watching as it turned from white to a pretty shade of cerulean blue almost resembling Phainon’s eyes.

“Really? I’m sure I could do it! Please, an intricate design would be so cute! Plus, I wanna gift some of these to my friend, so..” You pleaded gently, looking away in shame as he shot you a scowl, which really just made him look like a cat, or a young lion. He turned back to the bowl, whisking carefully, before muttering something almost incoherent under his breath.”

“Would’ve been cuter if you used the pink dye instead…”

“What was that?”

“Nothing. Now, I’m going to teach you how to pipe the icing properly onto the cupcake. We can still make cute designs with a simple nib, so just listen carefully.” He announced, almost sternly as he filled the piping bag with the light blue icing, twisting the nib onto the corner of the bag, before handing it to you and taking a chocolate cupcake out the tray and placing it in front of you.

“Ice it.” He said, staring down at you as you held the bag almost cluelessly in front of you.

“I thought you were gonna help me..” You inquired meekly

“I just wanna see how bad you’ll do, that’s all.” He quipped back, a sly grin on his face as he stepped away from you. You could only narrow your eyes at him as you turned to try and ice the cupcake.

That poor cupcake was now subject to messy, uneven scribbles of azure blue icing, your handiwork was truly poor. You sulked, not being able to even take your eyes off the now eyesore of the cupcake, lest to not have to see Mydei’s face, which was probably adorned with a giant, stupid smirk.

But he wasn’t Phainon, as he chuckled softly and leaned his head near yours, trying to catch a glimpse of your sullen expression.

“You don’t have to pout like that, y’know? Not everyone’s going to get it right on their first time.” He sighed, his voice now taking on a more mellow, kinder, tone, more patient, as it was devoid of any aggression or abrasion. He then simply pushed that cupcake to the side and brought out another one from the tray, before wrapping his big, muscular arms around your form, gently holding you by the hand with his larger hand, as if guiding it.

“Just follow my lead, I’ll help you..” He spoke gently, almost intimately, as he whispered into your ear, huskily, coaxing your hand to lift the piping bag once more with his.

“Mydei..” You spoke hesitantly, shyly, as your cheeks flushed, which he could see through the faint red that dusted onto the curve of your cheek from behind, and on your ears.

“Call me Mydeimos, yeah?” He breathed richly into your ear as he steered your hand with his, squeezing it to coerce you into squeezing the piping bag tight once more, to start icing the cupcake.

You stayed silent as he helped you, but yoy couldn’t help but feel so unfocused as he stayed so close by to you. How his warm breath on your neck as he leaned down to whisper instructions or words of praise into your ear from behind, how it tickled the inside of your ear a little.

After some time, the cupcakes were all beautifully decorated with the icing, with pretty, intricate designs made with the piping bag due to his ‘guidance’

“Look at that, masterpieces in less than ten minutes. You’re a pro already.” He praised, his tone now becoming less husky and quiet, returning to its normal deep and resonate tone as he pulled himself away from you.

“T-thank you.. this was mainly your doing though, you helped me move my hand in all the right places and all..” You muttered quietly, blushing softly as you met his gaze.

“You’re being a lot quieter than you were before when you were with that.. Phainon? guy. Are you two..?”

“Oh- we’re not.. yet but he’s been acting odd lately. More distant and passive-aggressive at times..” You said sadly, thinking back to his colder tone as you told him about Mydei at the start of the day.

“Well.. maybe these cupcakes will make him feel better. You too seem to be close friends, so I’m sure he’d appreciate the gesture.” He answered calmly, almost sympathetically. But, a flicker of a possessive, almost excited glint glimmered in his eyes for a split second as he spoke.

Did he have a chance with you? He did enjoy your company after all

“You’re right,” You sighed “he’s normally really bubbly, so I’m sure something sweet and cute like this will definitely lift his spirits!”

Mydei could only look at you with an adoring unreadable gaze as you began packing up the cupcakes in a tidy container you had brought along with you to his dorm.

Suddenly, you felt one of the cupcakes being pushed towards your lips, the blue icing smearing a little onto your pretty lips.

“Wha-“

“It’s the failed cupcake, just eat it. I’m sure he wouldn’t appreciate it” He stated jokingly, shoving the dessert further until you opened your mouth to get it with a muffled giggle, covering your mouth and turning to face him, cautiously taking the cupcake from his hand and looking up at him.

“Thanks again, I really enjoyed this.. I didn’t think you’d be into these sorts of things, but I’m glad I got to know you and your interests..” You mused calmly, fully aware of the close proximity between the two of you yet again. You were almost pinned against the counter by him as he kept his hand firmly next to your torso on the counter next to you

The two of you could only stare at each other longingly for a few moments, before you both blushed and pulled away from each other.

“A-anyways.. I need to get back to my dorm now, I really enjoyed your company agai-“

“Let me take you. It shouldn’t be too far, right?” He cut you off, albeit, politely due to his sincere intentions. He didn’t give you a moment to think as he helped you pack your things, slinging his keys around his fingers, creating a quiet jingle sound as he did.

“Sure, I guess. We do both live on the same floor, no? Let’s get going then.” You turned to take your things from him and grab the tub of cupcakes on the table, before making your way to his door.

However, before following you, Mydei couldn’t help but momentarily turn his head over his broad shoulder, looking through the window behind his sink. His expression was dark as he felt another presence nearby, that obviously wasn’t yours. It was now dark outside, so he couldn’t see clearly. And he didn’t want to keep you waiting to go check up and confirm his suspicions. So, he simply smirked to himself and the dark outside world beyond the window.

He knew you were being watched and listened to the whole time, so why not give a little show, no?

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Phainon gritted his teeth and almost bared them like an angry dog’s at the entire spectacle from outside his window. You were now long gone from Mydei’s dorm, he had already slipped back into his own dorm, to avoid being caught by Mydei, who was already onto his ass from the very beginning.

“Shit. Fucking piece of shit. Who does that guy think he is? Touching her up, holding her like he’s fucking her. Whispering into her ear from behind like that.” Phainon mumbled angrily to himself as he tore a new one into a poor, fluffy pillow on the ground.

He pretended the pillow was Mydei. How he’d tear his resilient skin off his muscles, rip out each and every one of his axons and nerves, tear through that generous muscle of his, that almost rivalled his own. How he wanted to blend up his organs, crush up his skull, and serve it all raw to you, to show you his devotion.

But he knew you’d run away in fear, never want to speak to him again, be scared of him for the rest of your life. And he didn’t want that. In fact, he wanted the complete opposite. He wanted you to rely on him, make you depend on him. He wanted you. All to himself. No more beating around the bush, you belonged to him. And messing with a potentially even messier dog for food may result in trouble. So why not go for the food first before the other dog gets to it first?

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It had been a few days since your hangout with Mydei- or Mydeimos as he wanted you to call him.- The friendship between the two of you grew stronger, and you were happy about that! But there was still a growing ache in your heart.. what about Phainon?

He hadn’t contacted you throughout the days that had passed, and he wasn’t at his dorm either whenever you knocked to come check up on him whenever you were free. Initially, you had thought he was busy with his own classes, sports activities or whatever, but even during the times where he too was free, you could never find him, anywhere. Not in his dorm, the gymnasium, the gym, museums, cute cafes, nowhere. It also didn’t help how any text you send was always left on delivered. You were becoming worried, but most of all, upset.

You missed him, you wanted to see him, you didn’t like the thought of him being angry at you because of something you did. You had to make it right, you just had to.

It was a cold, winters evening, where the sun was already beginning to set at the dusking time of 6pm in the afternoon. You walked with determination to one of Phainon’s favourite places- grand library, much greater than the one on your campus- You had remembered when Phainon took you there during the holidays at the end of the first semester, noting how it was absolutely filled with loads of historical textbooks and fiction.

You had hoped, that just by a miracle, you would be able to find Phainon there, or at least get him a few books for him as an apology gift for canceling on him for someone else, even if it seemed small in retrospect.

However, the roads and streets were desolate, quiet, empty. Nobody liked going out or hanging around during these times due to the dark weather, and the gloom it brung along with it. But you were calm, you wouldn’t be out for too long anyways, the library wasn’t too far from your college’s campus to be out for so long.

What you didn’t know, was that someone was watching you, following you, drawing closer and closer as you advanced deeper into the darkness, until-

“What’s all that runni- HEY-! MMPH!! MMHMPH—-mmph- hmmgh-.. mmh…”

An unknown perpetrator had grabbed you from behind, their arms held tightly around you like a vice as their hand brought up a cloth to your nose and mouth, drenched in a form of anesthetic, forcing you to inhale the chemical skillfully. Once the unknown person knew you had been knocked out, they rid you of your belongings, discarding them on the ground besides you aimlessly, before dragging you away, and taking you someplace else, disappearing with you into the night.

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A few hours later, your eyes fluttered open with a few blinks, taking in your surroundings. It was dark to say the least, and cold, probably dirty too. Your vision was blurry, as it took you time to adjust. Once you did, you realised you were bound tightly to a chair, unable to move a limb, even by a tiny spasm from your muscles. There was also a cloth wrapped tightly around your lips, muffling any noise coming from your mouth.

Trembling in fear, you teared up. Was this the end? Were you about to be killed? Why would someone do this? Where’s Phainon? Phainon won’t know where you are.. You’re gonna die knowing Phainon hates you- Phainon- Phainon-

You didn’t even realise you were calling out Phainon’s name, even if it was muffled by your gag, as you felt a sharp, cold knife being pressed against the large vein in your neck from behind. Whimpering softly, you shut up, sweat beading at your forehead, as tears began streaming down your cheeks.

“So very pretty, aren’t you? A pretty little thing like you should know not to stay out so long i

n the dark, don’t you have a boyfriend to keep you safe?” They spoke, his voice sinister and low as he spoke, roughly yanking the cloth from around your mouth downwards to let you speak.

But you could only whimper pathetically again, your throat feeling dry as the words fell on your mouth.

“I don’t have one..” You answered weakly, your voice strained from the anesthetic previously used on you a few hours prior, from the dryness of your mouth and throat, due to the lack of water, and from your short sobs.

The figure chuckled lowly, evilly, a bite of inhumanity lingering in the sound.

“What a shame.. nobody to protect you, nobody to save you, nobody to help you, nobody to run to, nobody to love…”

Thoughts swarmed your mind as you thought of the endless possibilities of what may happen to you here. Bad thoughts, thoughts that made you even more scared, and cry even harder, louder. To which, you began to sob out loud. A genuine sound that your kidnapper took great pleasure in hearing. You felt their presence behind you back away, only to appear in front of you. They were masked, gloved, concealed fully in all black, with the exception of their eyes, which you couldn’t make out the colour of due to their mask almost covering it up completely.

Not being able to face the kidnapper eye to eye, you turned your head to the side and sobbed, not caring how stupid you may have looked as it lolled over the chair to the side. But they clearly weren’t having it, as they drew their knife under your chin, lifting it up with its sharp edge, to meet their thunderous gaze once more, eliciting a shudder and gasp from your lips.

“What’s the matter? I just want to see your face as I slice you open an-“

Their words are cut short as they gurgle on something- blood, before falling to their knees and side in front of you. What stood behind them shocked you to your core.

It was Phainon, standing tall above the man with a dagger in his hand, now coated in blood. His gaze was icy cold as he stared the kidnapper down, who looked back at him with a look of shock, and also, betrayal?

Before the kidnapper could get another word out, Phainon stepped on the back of your captor’s neck, crushing it with his weight, before turning back to you, who was horrified and motionless, face turning pale.

“P-Phai-“ You choked out, before sobbing loudly in fear and relief. His gaze immediately turned to one of immense worry and love as he dropped the dagger and cradled your face in his hands, looking at you with eyes full of distress, scanning over your form with despair.

“[Name], [Name]! Listen to me, you’re fine, you’re okay. Shh.. Hey- stop crying, please.” He gently patted your cheeks as he got down on his knees in front of you, having kicked the now dead body of your kidnapper away.

When you didn’t stop crying, he could only wince in sadness and frustration, making quick work at the rope around your legs that bound them to the chair’s legs. He whispered soft shushes to try and alleviate you somehow, which obviously didn’t work.

Once he had untied the rope’s tight knots around your ankles, he moved behind you to untie your arms from behind your back over the chair, which soothed a soreness from there that you didn’t even pick up when you woke up as he loosened the rope. He kept muttering small “I’m sorry..”’s into your ear from behind, his voice ever so soft and comforting.

Having fully untied you, he took you off the chair and brought you down onto the floor with him, cradling you against his large, warm torso, stroking your hair as you sobbed into his chest, soaking his light blue hoodie.

After some time, you had calmed down, albeit, still sniffling and choking slightly as you tried to speak.

“P-Phainon.. I— hic- I’m s-so sorry… I w-wanted to apologise- sniffle- but-“

“Shh.. it’s fine, [Name]. You shouldn’t be the one apologising, it should be me. I… I got you into this mess because of my own pride and communication issues, even if you told me to improve on it. I’m sorry, you’re safe now. Please don’t apologise, I was so worried when you weren’t picking up my calls…”

You heard a sob coming from him as he buried his face into the crook of your neck, crying gently at his own stupidity, the same stupidity that got you in this position. You couldn’t help but rub his back gently, trying to comfort him now, but he only let out a slight huff at your actions.

“..You shouldn’t be comforting me.. I got you into this mess, I almost got you killed. I was so stupid I-..”

“Phainon, i-it’s fine. You got me out of this mess, didn’t you..? And- and I don’t blame you for ghosting me or keeping your distance from me- I shouldn’t have cancelled plans on you last m-minute.. you didn’t know it’d end up like this..” Your voice was calmer now, less broken and fixing up as you spoke, trying to reduce his stress and worry.

‘You didn’t know it’d end up like this’ what a joke. He thought to himself.

“I just.. I was so worried. I tried messaging you back at 8pm to talk it out, because I knew you were most active during those times, but you didn’t answer. I spammed you so much and tried calling you so many times, but no answer…” He let out a shaky sigh as he ran a hand through his hair before continuing, “..I went to your dorm, knocked and waited there for so long, but you weren’t answering- I was terrified at that point.. Then, I went out and tried looking for you outside campus, still didn’t find you. And then- I saw it all.. your things. Your bag, your phone, everything- on the ground near some old trash cans near the side of the road. It took me ages to find you, but I spotted some desolate area and thought I’d try my luck, and thank goodness I did..”

He hugged you closer, before picking you up in a princess carry delicately, as if you were made of glass due to your more fragile state. He soon made his way out the room, making his way through the labyrinths of rotting walls and long, creepy corridors. He made sure your head was tucked away under his chin in the crook of his neck, so he could hear your breathing through his ear, in case anything went wrong.

“I have your phone and keys with me too, they must’ve fallen out whilst your kidnapper took you away, hm? Must’ve been terrifying, poor thing..” He gently swiped a piece of hair away from your face, which was all red, puffy, and wet from all your crying, giving you a pained expression in return to the sight.

As he carried you back into the campus, everything was a complete blur, and he could only slowly rock you back and fourth like a baby, to ease your nerves and mind, and coerce you back into reality as he swiftly entered your dormitory’s floor, reaching for the key in his pocket and unlocking the door swiftly.

He carefully lay you down on your room’s couch, getting on his knees again and stroking your head gently, a sad, hurt look on his face as he acknowledged your agitation and trepidation, after such a frightening experience.

“Just rest now, okay? You look so tired.. Don’t worry, [Name], I’ll keep you safe and watch over you. Just get the sleep that you need..” He lightly commanded, staying there, on his knees, until you drifted off into the realm of dreams peacefully.

He sighed in exhaustion as he got up, rubbing his forehead and looking at you with pure love in his eyes.

“…You know why I had to do this, right? Why I had to have some disgusting kidnapper take you away for some time? I need your love, your attention, your trust in me.. I’m so, so sorry, my love, but I had to. Otherwise, that pest- no. That virus, Mydei, would’ve taken you away from me, and I just can’t let that happen. I can’t imagine a life without you, [Name]….” He preached reverently, as if he was looking down at you like you were the embodiment of the divine, speaking to you as if you were his God. But you were. You were his to worship, his to love, his to keep safe. And he was going to make sure of that. One way or another, even if it meant hurting you in the process.

You belonged to him and him alone.

[lvl109]

"so what i'm hearing is that you hate me and you want me dead.”

a noncommittal hum sounds through the speakers of your phone. “i said no such thing. is there a reason why the dramatics are pertinent even more tonight?”

your eyes narrow. “you haven't called in two days. two days. clearly you hate me.”

a laugh now, tinged with fondness. you try your best to fight off the smile threatening to spread across your lips. “my most sincere apologies, my love. how can i begin to grovel for your forgiveness?”

“you're not getting a lick of forgiveness from me. two days! i was worried.” your brows furrow, amping up the act. “i keep forgetting my stupid boyfriend loves to put himself in harm’s way.”

sylus’ expression softens in the face of your exaggerated complaints, going quiet in the way he does when he realizes his actions have upset you even if just a little bit. when he realizes you care more than just saying it verbally. it makes your heart sink.

“i really was worried,” you finally relent, cracking first underneath the silence. “i know you have to do these things, but. it's not just you anymore. you have people who care about you.”

he looks away for a moment, his gaze downcast. when his gaze returns to the screen, he offers an apologetic smile. “i'm sorry, sweetheart. i didn't mean to frighten you. i'm alright. i promise.”

“you can show you're sorry by getting on the earliest flight home.” your joke slips past in an attempt to divert attention from your growing sadness from being apart for so long. his expression knowing, he agrees without hesitation. “i mean it. i want to see the wine glass when you're on board.”

it's not long before the two of you are engrossed in a recount of your day—from grueling paperwork to wanderer attacks to discounted groceries (a steal) and so on. he listens with rapt attention, adding little comments either to stoke your dramatized frustration or make you laugh between words. in turn, sylus fills you in on what he's able to share on his end, ensuring you that while things were hectic, he'd run into little to no trouble in the two days you hadn't heard from him.

opening your mouth to grill him once again—really, it was that serious—your attention is caught by the sound of keys entering a lock at the front door. sylus pauses when you stop talking, letting out a confused sound at your silence.

“sweetheart? is everything alright?”

muffled footsteps sound from the living room followed by the faint sound of a bag dropping on the couch. the drag of socked feet against the floor is heard for a few more seconds until the bedroom door is pushed open a bit wider, revealing none other than a tired mass of limbs in slightly rumpled work clothes.

still, the sight of him makes you smile. “zayne is home,” you say quietly, partly in response to sylus’ question, partly in greeting to your other boyfriend.

too tired for words at the moment, he sheds his jacket and falls forward on to the bed, letting out a tired sigh as he worms his way between your legs much to your vocal surprise. his cheek rests against your thigh, your legs folded over his shoulders.

“long day?” you ask softly, threading a hand through his hair. his lashes rest above his cheeks, casting shadows as he nods after a long beat.

“almost lost a patient.” his voice is muffled against your skin, his brows furrowed as his arms wrap around your thighs. “a child. coded during the surgery.” 

he takes a long breath, his exhale shaky even after successfully completing the surgery. “i keep thinking about what would have happened had i hesitated even one second. what if i had cost him his life? what if i had made a wrong decision?”

you glance back at your screen with a frown, meeting sylus’ concerned gaze. there were times when he'd lost patients and had resigned himself to exhausting as much of his knowledge as possible, but children had always hit the closest to him. it makes your chest squeeze with both worry and sympathy.

“i kept thinking about what i would have done if it was either of you on the table, with my hands being the barrier between death. i don't think i could bear it. losing either of you would kill me.”

he doesn't cry, but his shoulders tremble with the weight of the near loss. haunting. your hand smooths across his back in soothing circles, trying to ground him as much as you can.

“has he…” zayne clears his throat, his eyes still closed. his voice is quiet. “called…? it's been two days. it's worrying.”

your head inclines slightly towards your phone, eyes narrowed with no heat as if to say see? sylus’ expression falls a bit, realization further weighing his shoulders down. 

“two days too many. i'm sorry for worrying for you as well.”

zayne’s head snaps up upon hearing his voice, wincing as it causes his vision to swim a little. tired eyes squint at your phone before two and two is put together, pushing up on his arms to move forward and look at your screen as well.

“glad to see you're doing well enough to answer the phone.” zayne’s tone, while neutral, is pointed, making sylus look increasingly chided over the few words uttered. “you don't get to pout. stop pouting.”

“i'm not pouting.”

“he's definitely pouting.” you pipe up in a cheerful tone, your smile sweet when sylus scowls. you shift into a more comfortable position that ends up with your head against zayne’s chest, sighing in content as the steady beat of his heart lulls you into a sleepy haze.

zayne takes the phone from you as you move, fond in the way his other hand settles on your hip. all the way sylus watches, growing a bit skittish from the lack of attention.

“is my punishment watching the two of you cuddle without me? is this my momentary prison? the both of you are cruel. heartless.”

“come home, then,” you grumble, sticking your tongue out at him. “miss your stupid face.”

“i concur.” zayne shakes his head at your antics, a soft smile gracing his lips. “stupid face and all.”

sylus sighs as he settles into his own bed, the pillows soft against his head but unfamiliar without the scent of your shampoo and zayne’s jasmine scent lingering in the fabric. he watches the both of you succumb more and more to the pull of sleep, gently probing the both of you to go to bed.

you fall asleep first after mumbling your goodnight, out like a light before the phone call ends. zayne stifles a yawn of his own before also bidding him goodnight, but not without sending him a photo to his messages.

when the call ends, his heart eases just a little bit when he opens the picture sent to him of the two of you in each other's arms. waiting for him to come back to your shared home. and he'd come back to the both of you every single time no matter what obstacle lay itself before his path.

"i'll be home soon," he murmurs into the quiet air. "promise."

[softjeekies]

Waiting After The Rain

↳ chapter 5

previous chapter // next chapter(coming soon)

Paining: ot8!stray kids x pregnant omega!reader

Synopsis: An omega pregnant and alone after being kicked out by their alpha stumbles upon a pack willing to take them in and care for both the omega and their pup as if they were their own, because now they are.

Genre: strangers to lovers, angsty but lots of fluff to even it out.

Warnings: a/b/o, past abuse physical and verbal, past sexual abuse(mentions of past non-con), mentions of past violence, trauma, self esteem issues, pregnancy, aftermath of abuse, panic attacks, anxiety, pack dynamics, angst but it will be okay, polyamory

A/N: been a little busy seeing stray kids live and all but chapter 5 is finally here, enjoy!! + I’m already deep into writing the next chapter so get ready ;)

Hours, You had spent hours sitting in front of the bag of nesting supplies Chan bought for you. Felix and Han had basically begged multiple times to help you, and it did hurt to turn them down every time they asked but you didn’t want to burden them like that. Something sick deep inside of you wanted to prove to the alphas that you could be a good omega, that you could nest, and that they didn’t need to worry about you. That was so far from the truth. You couldn’t even bring yourself to open the bag and take anything out, voices shouting in your head reminding you not to be a lazy slob anytime you even got close to the bag. One look at the clock tells you it’s two am, but your body’s exhaustion already told you as much. You want to go to bed so bad but you need to prove yourself to the alphas, You smile at the picture of them checking your room in the morning and seeing the perfect nest, showing them that you were a good omega worth keeping.

But you weren’t a good omega, so you accidentally fell asleep on the floor.

“Y/N! Oh my god, what happened?” The abrupt awakening scares you, out of instinct you push the person back away from them. You blink for a moment before you realize it’s Han you just pushed, your chest tightens.

“Oh my god, No! I’m so sorry Han, You scared me but that’s not an excuse, I shouldn’t have pushed you, god I’m such an idiot! I’m going to be in so much trouble, aren’t I? I ruined everything.” You ramble, unsure how to fix this. Your whole body feels like it’s on fire, How could you do this?

“Hey. It’s okay, I’m okay. I shouldn’t have woken you up like that, I just saw you on the floor and thought something had happened to you. I have anxiety too, I’m always worried about my pack. Just please try and breathe, this was just a misunderstanding, it’s not a big deal.” Han keeps his hands up as he walks towards you and gets down to your level.

“I’m sorry.” A pained whimper rips from your chest.

“It’s okay! Tell me why you were on the floor and we’ll call it even” You focus on his face in an attempt to ground yourself, he has the most gorgeous smile, cheeks so soft perfect for chaste kisses, he’s perfect, the perfect omega.

“I’m a horrible omega. I couldn’t nest. Part of me is worried I don’t deserve it, like nesting isn’t meant for me. The other part worried I won’t be good at it. I’m scared Han, so scared.”

“We told you we’d help you, you don’t have to do this alone. Please let me help you.” You take a moment to look into his eyes, searching for any malice, and you’re left confused when you find none. With your nod of approval, Han takes the bags of nesting materials and dumps them on your bed. You’re immediately hit with the intense urge to fix it, to nest. You get up and take careful steps towards the bed, as if it were a wild animal you needed to be careful around.

“Don’t think too hard about it, touch everything and let your instincts guide you where it needs to go.” Han's encouragement does something to you, your omega coming to the forefront of your mind almost puppeting you as you touch the various fabrics and pillows.

You’re now sitting up on the bed, pushing around the pillows and blankets, kneading at them to try to assess where it would be best suited. After placing the final border pillow you look up to meet a pair of glassy eyes. Your heart skips a beat. Never in your life have you been able to say someone looked at you with that kind of love and care, but now you could see and smell the love radiating off of Han.

“Did I do good?” You’re nervous for his answer, somehow a fellow omega’s approval feels more daunting than any alpha’s.

“Oh, it’s perfect, so perfect. May I come into your nest?”

“I don’t see why not.”

Han enters the nest carefully, taking extra caution not to mess up any of your hard work. He takes a seat in front of you and gently takes both of your hands.

“My love, nobody enters your nest without your permission, do you understand? Nobody is entitled to your space, and none of us will ever enter this nest without your explicit permission.” You’re certain you’re as red as a tomato now, This was yours, and Han is okay with that, he says the whole pack will be okay with this being yours. It feels euphoric, having something that you can control like this, something in you snaps, like a small crack in an armored wall.

“Thank you. Thank you for this Jisung.” You don’t realize there are tears in your eyes until your smile causes one of them to fall down your cheek, for once they are happy tears.

“You don’t have to thank me for caring, we’ll always care.” Every wolf in the world can hear your heartbeat right now. Tears continue to flow down your cheeks, you’re so overcome with emotions that it’s almost overwhelming. Before you can ground yourself, you feel your omega come back to the forefront of your mind.

“Can we cuddle?” Your hand immediately flies over your mouth and panic sets in. Your words are blunt but Han can’t help the flutter those words cause in his chest.

“Don’t worry! Of course, we can, you deserve a nap after sleeping on the floor last night.” Han takes it upon himself to lay you both down together in the center of your nest. He lays your head on his chest and lets you drape your leg over his. Now Jisung is crying, not only is he proud of this step you’ve taken, but he's honored you wanted to take it with him. You don’t notice Jisung’s tears though, your mind too preoccupied with settling into dreamland once again.

“She has to get up and eat something.” A sharp voice pulls you from your sleep, you don’t open your eyes just yet a little dazed and a little concerned about what the conversation is about.

“But look at her, so cute and sleepy, and safe. She fell asleep on the floor last night, Can't she just sleep a little longer?” That whiney voice could only belong to Jisung.

“Ji, it’s almost noon.” The realization that an alpha wants you to do something hits you like a truck, you have to get up, you can’t upset Minho. So before Jisung can respond you cut him off.

“It’s fine Jisung, we can go eat now, our nap was nice.” Jisung’s face contorts into one of shock, but he smiles down at you accepting your answer without a fight.

Without a word you take Jisung’s hand, your mind still a little hazy from his scent surrounding you. When you make it to the dining room you notice the rest of the pack isn’t there but before you can question it Minho speaks up while pulling out your chair.

“Everyone already had breakfast, and it’s just us for now. Chan is spending the day with Felix and the rest of them are at work. Chan told me everything the doctor said and what foods were recommended for you so I did what I could. Please tell me if there’s something here you don’t like, I don’t want you to get sick again.” You take a moment to examine the plate, aside from the fact that it seems like way too much food you can confidently say nothing on the plate will make you gag.

“This is good, thank you Minho.” He smiles before taking a seat to watch you and Jisung eat. About halfway through the plate, you put down your utensils to wait for Jisung to finish.

“Are you full?” Minho speaks sharply but there’s no malice in his words, he seems more shocked than anything.

“It’s just a lot of food.”

“I gave you the minimum portions the doctor recommended, if you’re full that’s fine, you can just ask for more food when you get hungry again, but if you can eat just a little more that would be good for ou-“ a cough cuts off his words. “your pup.” He gives you a nervous smile but behind his eyes, you can see the encouragement, and just this once you feel safe to give in and eat more. You actually eat the whole plate and Minho’s face shows something you’ve never seen before from really anyone.

“I’m proud of you. If you get hungry again you have free rein in the kitchen or I can make you something.” But before you can give Minho a response you’re interrupted by Jisung.

“Minho hyung last week you said you’d take me to the store to get new headphones so I can stop using yours, can we go today?” If you were Minho you'd never be able to say no to him, his puppy dog face game is insane.

“Ji, Y/N just went out yesterday. I don't know if it’s a good idea if she goes out again, she needs rest.”

“I feel fine, we can go to the store, it’s no big deal.” Yeah, you definitely can’t say no to Jisung.

Jisung gasps and runs upstairs to get ready to go. You get up as well but Minho stops you.

“You don’t have to give in to him, if you don’t want to go for any reason, Say the word, nobody will be mad.“

“I’m okay.” You give Minho a gentle smile before retreating to get yourself ready. You take your time getting ready, admittedly a little nervous to go out with Minho. You don’t know him, you don’t know any of them. It's only been three days but with Felix, Chan, and now Jisung at least you’ve spent some time with them and they don’t seem like they mean any harm. But you at least have a little trust in Han, if he thinks going out with Minho is a good idea you’ll do it. So you continue getting ready, the anxiety settling into a small hum in your mind.

As you three walk towards the electronics section, Minho keeps a steady pace behind you and Jisung. You can feel his eyes burning into your back, so you aren’t surprised when he notices how your eyes linger on the baby section for a second too long.

“Y/N did you want to look?” You and Jisung stop in your tracks and turn towards Minho.

“No, it’s fine.”

“Oh my god yes let’s look at all the cute itty bitty clothes!” Jisung takes your hand to drag you further into the baby aisles, Minho making sure to catch up quickly.

“Have you thought about whether you want a nursery or do you want the baby to stay in your room?” Jisung’s question makes you freeze, because no you hadn’t thought about it. It feels wrong to think about it, like that future where you and the baby are staying with the pack feels unpromised, undeserved.

“Oh, I hadn’t thought about it. I think I’d like to keep my baby safe with me, you know? But I don’t know…” You trail off and look anywhere but at the two men in front of you.

“We have the space upstairs, if you want a nursery it wouldn’t be an issue and the pup wouldn’t be far from you at all, they wouldn’t be far from any of us,” Minho speaks up and something about the way he speaks with certainty almost eases your nerves, keyword being almost.

“Yeah, and if you want the baby to bond with all of us it might be good to have a neutral space where all of our scents frequent for them to sleep in.” His statement throws you off. Did you want your baby to bond with them? Is your baby safe with them? Would you all even make it to that point?

“Jisung!” Minho almost growls at him, clearly realizing that it was a touchy subject for you.

“What? What’d I do?”

“I’ll have to think about it, I guess.” And just like that immediately Jisung gets distracted and moves on.

“Oh look at these little fuzzy onesies! This one’s a bear! Oh, and this one’s a bunny! Oh, we have to get both, they are so cute and Minho hyung looks like a bunny, so he could have a baby bunny!” Jisung’s excited voice cuts through your thoughts, and you take a look at Minho just in time to catch the blush spreading across his face above his now prominent pout.

“You have to ask Y/N if she wants them Ji, it’s her baby.”

“Don’t you think they’re cute Y/N. Minho should buy them for the pup right?”

“Minho doesn’t have to buy me anything.”

“That’s not a no!” Jisung almost squeals as he picks out one of each onesie and continues browsing the adorable clothes.

“I’m sorry about him, he really likes cute things, and it doesn’t help that he already has his heart set on having a baby one day so this is something he thinks about often, if you need me to tell him to tone it down I can.”

“It’s fine, if I can do this for him, at least I'm being useful for once.” With that, you walk towards Jisung to do some looking around yourself. Just focus on your baby, yeah that will distract you.

[481mclarg]

· AFRAID ·

✮          The idea was to not fall in love.

⭒ (Carlos Sainz Jr. ×) Male Reader × Daniel Ricciardo

⋆ oneshot WC: 2191 ⋮⋮⋮ journalist reader ⋮⋮⋮ CS55 (ex) childhood friends ⋮⋮⋮ angst ⋮⋮⋮ fluff.

⋆ summary ┈ After years of feeling guilty about being you, someone finally accepts and validates you just the way you are.

⋆ face claim ┈ nobody.

⋆ warnings ┈ homophobia mention - (&) internalized homophobia.

⋆ requested? ┈ Yes! ◀ (Thanks anon for the request! <3)

· Hope yall enjoy :]

          Carlos was walking around the paddock, chill. He was in Bahrain, the first race weekend of the year. A lot of people were following him, a lot of journalists, and a lot of fans.

          He wasn't paying attention to anyone, until he saw someone. He saw you.

          You looked so different from what he remembered, but there was no doubt. You were there. Not just there, but in front of a camera, with a microphone in your hand.

          A part of his life that he tried so hard to bury was now standing right there.

          As you were talking to the camera, glanced at the crowd filling the paddock, your eyes met. You two felt the weight of your whole lives stories hitting you. You tried to prepare yourself for that moment, but you couldn't do anything to ignore the knot that had taken hold of your heart.

          Carlos looked shocked, but at least it wasn’t the disgust you remember from the last night you two talked.

          It still feels like an open wound in your chest. The vivid image of him disgusted because of you, because who used to be his best friend your whole childhood and early teenage years. You, who used to be his confident, just as he was for you.

          He could tell you anything and your only error was thinking you also could.

          That night is still haunting you two.

          As two adults, you tried to work on the memory, trying to heal, trying to step on and continue with your life and your job without feeling as bad as you know you’ll be feeling without the whole previous year’s work. On the other hand, Carlos simply erased the event and your entire existence from his life and memory from the very moment that you left his house to never return.

          Wasn’t easy to explain to your families or your other friends why the two boys who always were together now aren’t even texting each other.

          “He’s just too busy with school to come home” or “He’s out with other school friends,” Carlos used to tell his parents. At some point, they stopped asking, and he stopped creating fake excuses for not inviting you.

          The real reason you two stopped being friends was something only you knew.

          ‘More than ten years,’ you thought when you had to interview him, watching him pretend he doesn’t know you. “You haven't changed your mind about me, have you?” Your cameraman gave you a surprised look; he hadn't heard your question, but was confused because the camera was already off.

          “I-” Carlos looked like he was doubting. For a moment, you thought he was about to apologize. About to blame everything on the surprise of the moment, immaturity, anything and you probably would have apologized. Just to feel like you were better. That you could move on. “Espero que estés bien ahora” Oh.

          What does that mean? «I hope you’re better now», «I hope you’re right»?

          You had to explain to your cameraman that you two met when you were sick, that he was just talking about your health.

          Lying actually makes you feel sick. But you could find some peace.

          He’s still the same. The same as when he was a teenager. And he’s never going to change.

          You moved. You forgot about everything, about how bad that used to make you feel, and keep going.

          The season was messy enough to keep you away from your mind and bad thoughts. By the Hungarian Grand Prix, AlphaTauri was bringing Daniel Ricciardo back to the grid, and you were one of the first journalists to interview him that Friday.

          “Oh! Hello?” he watched you approach him. You still were a new face for the paddock, but usually nobody pays much attention to journalists, not even the drivers, who mostly just want to pass the media duties as fast as possible to get into the car.

          “Good morning!” You introduced yourself, before starting with the interview.

          You discovered pretty quickly that talking with Daniel is not as stressful as you thought.

          Due to the circumstances of his return to the grid, you thought it was going to be awkward or an uncomfortable situation, even after watching other old interviews of him. It ended up being the opposite.

          Daniel is so chill that even you didn't feel any nervousness. With a big smile from the beginning to the end, he makes you feel comfortable the whole time. Maybe he was also a little flirty, but you just attributed it to his personality, ignoring it.

          Until that started to be a thing.

          In every interview, even when you two just saw each other when walking around the paddock. Little talks with some stupid flirty quote that you think you both were just thinking as jokes.

          It must be just jokes, right?

          It is pretty normal joke with your non-gay friends about getting married or just hooking up, right? Daniel is too friendly; it isn’t weird for him to make friends in just a couple weeks and joke with them, right?

          Even if you're the only one he does that with… right?

          You were a little worried, but you could ignore the feeling most of the time.

          Maybe you just wanted to ignore your real feelings, afraid of repeating past experiences.

          The breaking point came when, while you were interviewing Daniel, as usual. Carlos was waiting a few meters away for his turn. You saw his face of disgust, that same look you remembered from years ago.

          «This is not right» You panicked.

          “You’re fine?” Daniel’s hand on your shoulder brought you back to reality, kind of scaring you. He looked at you, concerned.

          “Yeah- Yeah, sorry” even the cameraman was a little concerned for how suddenly you became silent. “We are done, I’m sorry. I need a minute.” You leave as fast as you could, leaving the interview with Carlos pendant, with a horrible feeling in your chest.

          You felt like you were letting him win something. You're letting him know that that event still affects you. That his gaze, his opinion, he still matters to you. He scares you.

          You hate it. You hate you.

          You hated yourself for being weak, for letting yourself care, but the fear was greater. What if he said something to the others? What if he said something to Daniel, and he started hating you too?

          Daniel became so special, maybe more than you wanted. You couldn't do anything anymore. You couldn't avoid it or erase your feelings.

          “Are you okay?” You turned around, after hearing a voice.

          “Danny…”

          “Did I say something?”

          “No! Sorry, no. It wasn’t you, it’s just-” You paused, thinking.

          He never really makes you feel bad about yourself, he doesn’t say anything to make you think he wouldn't accept you, let alone hate you.

          «If he's going to hate me, let it end as quickly as possible.» You sighed. “I’m gay.”

          He remained silent, expectant.

          That only made you more nervous. "I'm gay," you repeated.

          "Yes, I heard it," he said, calmly noting your agitation at his silence. "I just don't understand what that has to do with what happened to you in the middle of the interview." He guided you to sit with him, right there, a few meters away down the hall from the conference room.

          “You don’t hate me?”

          “Why?” he frowned. “For being gay? I mean- I thought we’ve been flirting for like half a year?”

          “Oh- I thought it was like a joke?”

          “Were you joking?”

          “Yes- No! Uh… I mean- What sounds less bad?” His laughter was contagious, and the two of you ended up laughing right there.

          People walked past in the hallway, but you didn't care anymore. Lost in your own world, you two stayed there. Daniel now was joking, making you feel well.

          You felt a little guilt for thinking he would hate you, but he forbade you to apologize. He knew there was something bigger causing your fear, and reassured you that it was normal to feel that way. He wouldn't blame you for being scared. He also let you know he was there to listen if you wanted to talk about what was making you afraid.

          He didn't push you, but you thought it would be best to use the moment you had to tell him the story once and for all, so he could understand your reaction.

          You told him about one driver that used to be your best friend. Growing up together, spending literal days in each other’s house, sharing your whole childhood.

          Daniel watched you quietly, listening carefully. You decided not to prolong the story; it wasn't necessary.

          “When we were seventeen I was at his house on a Friday. I was supposed to stay there until Sunday,” you felt your emotions running high, and it was inevitable to nostalgically remember those good times before your friendship fell apart, “but that Friday I decided that I wanted to confess my feelings for him.”

          He supported you silently, holding your hand as you spoke. Silent, calm, but incredibly supportive.

          “He- Well, he has hated me since that moment, I guess.” You felt an incredible relief letting that go. Lighter. “I just grabbed my stuff and left that night. We haven't seen each other since… Well, until this year.”

          The moment still present in your mind, Carlos’ face of utter disgust, more vivid than ever before. But somehow, you felt like it didn't affect you the same way anymore.

          Now, you felt like you had someone validating you. Someone by your side telling you that you weren't the one who was wrong. You just fell in love and Daniel makes sure to make you know that there’s nothing wrong with loving, no matter the gender.

          He also made sure to let you know that "that idiot" -whose name you never revealed- was just that, an idiot.

          “We need to get back to work, I think.” He said, watching the hour on his phone.

          “Yeah, definitely,” you nodded. “I'm sure I missed some interviews. I hope the channel doesn't fire me for this.”

          “I can give you a super-exclusive-special-interview, so you don’t get fired.” You two headed back to the pressroom only to find the cameraman and Racing Bulls employee telling you that you were done there. You only missed the interview with Carlos, but you talked to Daniel so much that you covered the entire interview time without any problems.

          2023 was definitely an interesting year.

          With Carlos�� strange looks and awkward interviews, Daniel's arrival on the grid and in your life, then his injury… It was a hectic year.

          Finally, 2023 was over, and 2024 began.

          After texting you the whole break with Daniel, growing closer and closer, the season started.

          You read people's opinions on social media, theorizing that something was starting to happen between the two of you, but neither of you cared about the rumors. You two keep with the flirty jokes in every interview, even knowing that they weren’t just jokes.

          Everything remained the same, with your flirting disguised as jokes on television and Carlos's glances, which were increasingly difficult to ignore.

          The only thing that changed is that you don’t care anymore.

          He can look at you all he wants. He can make that face of disgust again, he could tell you to your face that he's disgusted to see you, and you couldn't care less.

          The thing is, he wasn’t disgusted with you. He was jealous. Jealous of watching you grow, keep going, archive your dreams, to be who you are. With all the fear in the world, but never denying who you are.

          He wanted to- He wanted to try. At some point, it crossed his mind to approach you and apologize, maybe ask you if you two could start over, if you would give him a chance to make amends for his mistakes.

          He tried to be convinced. For the first time in his life, he would be brave outside the car too, and would approach you after the race.

          Canada sucked for him, but he was convinced.

          “I can do it. I need to do it,” he repeated in his mind, walking through the paddock, looking for where you were doing the post-race interviews.

          Eventually, he finds you, but you never knew about his plan to apologize. In fact, you didn't hear anything else from him that weekend. From him or anyone else other than Daniel.

          You were, as always, with Daniel. He had just had his best race of the season, managing to score points in what had seemed like a tough year for both him and the team.

          In that context, Daniel waited for the interview to end to just-

          “Want to go out with me? As a date.”

          “Uh- Eh!?”

          Once the initial shock wore off, you accepted without hesitation, starting the real flirting between you two, which sooner rather than later turned you into a couple.

          No longer so afraid, knowing you could face those feelings with the unconditional support of someone who loves you back.

⋮⋮⋮                 481MCLARG | 20 . 06 . 2025

[exitingmusic]

JJK Men's "Problems" In a Relationship

Warnings: just angst :(

A/N: Sorry there's no Yuji, he's just a green forest in my opinion so I couldn't find enough to write about him. (REQS OPEN) (my poor baby choso...)

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Gojo Satoru

This man is good at everything, and I mean everything.

Not only is he the most powerful sorcerer, he's 6'4, great at basketball, plays the guitar, and is just naturally smart.

It's also one of the reasons he's such a childish adult. Not just because he was forced to grow up fast but also because he's good at and above everything, so it all bores him.

So, this man is easily a womanizer, because it doesn't matter to him. He's above it all, isn't he?

And if you bring this up, he isn't serious, because he never is. Gojo also grows bored with relationships easy, accidentally breaking girls hearts along the way.

He isn't looking for a long time relationship. He's looking to be valued and desired. Because that's what he's used to, that's what he expects. But regular affection will never be enough.

Just like hobbies, he grows bored with relationships too, affection leaving the moment your relationship grows stable, already over the exciting part.

Maybe he'll have some regret when you leave, or, he'll find some other poor girl, spoiling her with gifts and affection before the cycle repeats.

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Geto Suguru

Geto needs to be right.

Like, its practically a requirement for any friendship or relationship he's in.

The more you argue, the more strained your relationship is with him and the more tense he is around you.

It doesn't matter if you have a whole essay with creditable sources and loads of cites, he won't swallow his pride and he'll still argue with you until you give in or give up.

He sees it as if he admits he's wrong, he's weak, it's a chink in his armor that he never takes off, especially around you if you argue.

He's too proud to admit he needs you, to admit when you're right, or to admit when he needs help.

Geto could be dying on the street and be reluctant to call you for help, if he does at all.

Secretly, he does need you to support him, his ideas. If you poke holes in his beliefs, then he'll only shut you out further, drowning in his own mind and bitter thoughts.

He won't beg you to come back as you walk out the door, won't chase you down, won't admit even to himself that he sees you everywhere.

He'll die before he admits anything, even to himself.

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Sukuna Ryomen

Sukuna is arrogant.

He's so arrogant that he convinced himself that he doesn't need anyone, that his mere presence is a blessing.

He lets people come to him. Why should the King of Curses chase anyone down? Lower people do the simple tasks for him.

If he even feels a speck for you, he won't address it. Maybe you'll come to him, he'll make you a concubine, close enough to his body, but no where near his heart, just like it's supposed to be.

Maybe he'll give you extra gifts, maybe he won't. Maybe he'll acknowledge your presence today, maybe he won't.

Each day is different.

It's like your his favorite shoes. One day worn around for all to see and the next shoved away, like he can't even be bothered to put you on.

It doesn't matter, you should feel grateful that he even spared your life, much less let you stay in the palace or have a day on his arm.

He ignores you, ignores any feeling he has. The King doesn't have feelings.

Which is why he's confused why he feels a spark as he watches blood drip from your broken, lifeless body.

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Nanami Kento

Nanami doesn't feel.

He doesn't feel the mind numbing daily routine.

He doesn't feel the long office hours where he sits at a desk for hours, working a job that doesn't even matter. He doesn't feel when he walks back into his house, late, as usual.

The man doesn't even acknowledge your smile as you show him the dinner you cooked him.

He barely tastes his favorite meal, cooked flawlessly, made with your love and concentration.

He doesn't notice your strained smile as you sit next to him, the air tense and quiet.

Nanami doesn't bother to talk much as he goes to bed, just lying next to you without a word, a bit too much distance between you two to be unintentional.

He doesn't dislike you, he just... doesn't feel like trying.

And each day, the distance between you widens and the silence grows, becoming stifling whenever you get the chance to sit down together.

Again and again, day after day he repeats the cycle.

He didn't know when acknowledging you felt like a chore. He didn't know when your relationship grew so dry, so meaningless.

But he wasn't bothered enough to fix it.

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Toji Fushiguro

Toji was sharp.

His eyes were dangerous and his words were daggers. Always capable of ending something, a limb, a life.

They were the worst when they stabbed right into the places that hurt.

Toji knew, he knew your secrets, your hopes, your dreams, and your fears. That only gave him more weapons to use in an argument.

And each one dug a little deeper in your heart.

No matter what you did, there was always something he had to argue about.

It didn't matter that you didn't question his location, what he was doing, who he was with.

There was always something you did wrong, always something you could've done, should've done, should've known.

Maybe you were too soft for his world, for him. You were too easily hurt to be with someone like him.

You were just a liability, a burden.

And the worst part is he didn't hesitate to remind you.

Maybe he'd hold you after, tell you he's sorry at most, all until he felt like arguing again.

But there was no one to argue with when he woke up to your absence.

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Megumi Fushiguro

Megumi wasn't there.

He might've been there physically, but not emotionally. He never was.

What was the point of being vulnerable when someone would always take advantage of that? To hurt you deeper?

He knew firsthand from his father. But he wasn't aware of how much that impacted his relationships.

He had never grown up watching his parents be happy and in love, didn't know what it took to maintain a relationship.

So how was he supposed to be open and caring to you while not being vulnerable?

He wasn't.

Megumi never outed his feelings, never expressed himself. Which only led into a pool of over thinking, a rabbit hole of what ifs.

Because if you really meant that much to him then why couldn't you tell? How did you know that any of this was real?

So, he took you on dates, walked with you, the simple things. But, there were no deep talks, no meaningful conversations, no feelings expressed.

Which is why it was so easy for him to stay composed as he watched you walk away.

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Choso Kamo

Choso was oblivious.

How was he supposed to know all of the complex situations and issues that came with being in a relationship?

He didn't know how much his blunt words hurt you. He didn't know that his words hurt deeper than anyone's around him.

He was like a child. The compliments were always genuine, simple but so much that they mattered more than anything.

But the same thing went for his insults. He didn't mean them that way. He didn't know how his brutally honest statements hurt more than him lying to you.

How was he supposed to know that the girl was flirting with him? She had just come up and told him he looked good. It was simple, the intention going right over his head.

Choso wasn't the best at reading body language either. He didn't know whether you were mad at him or your phone.

He didn't notice you get slowly beaten down by his misunderstandings, his simple words. How could something so basic have such a drastic effect?

He didn't know what you meant when you said you were leaving, watching as you packed your bags, thinking you were staying at a friend's house.

Just like he didn't know why you didn't come back.

[lilangelbuds]

Hi 👋🏻 i have a request… Dad mistakes daughter and fucks her instead of his wife… all the time she questions why it feels better

The room was pitch black, the kind of darkness that swallowed everything whole. She had been lying in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Her body felt restless, like it was craving something she couldn’t quite name. Her mind wandered, but before she could dwell on it too long, the door creaked open.

She froze, her breath catching in her throat. Footsteps, slow and deliberate, moved across the room. The mattress dipped as someone climbed into bed beside her. Her heart thundered in her chest, but before she could speak, a hand, strong, warm, reached out and brushed against her thigh.

“Mmm, been waiting for this all day,” he murmured, his voice low and husky, words slurred with sleep or drinks, she couldn’t tell. His fingers grazed higher, sliding beneath the hem of her nightgown.

Her body reacted before her mind could catch up. A shiver ran through her, her skin prickling with heat. She opened her mouth to say something, to stop him, but the words died on her lips when his hand cupped her between her legs. She gasped, her hips jerking involuntarily against his touch.

“God, I love how wet you get for me,” he whispered, his breath hot against her ear. His fingers teased her through the fabric, pressing just enough to make her toes curl. She bit her lip, her mind racing. This was wrong, she knew it was wrong, but her body was screaming for more.

Before she could protest, he pushed the nightgown up, exposing her completely to the cool air. His hand returned, this time skin to skin, and she let out a small, involuntary whimper. His fingers slid effortlessly through her slick folds, circling her clit in slow, deliberate motions. Her hands gripped the sheets tightly as pleasure coiled in her belly, building with every stroke.

“You’re so tight,” he breathed, his voice thick with desire. He moved lower, sliding a finger inside her, and she arched off the bed, a moan escaping her lips. “Fuck, you feel amazing. I’ve missed this. Missed you.”

Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion and arousal. She knew she should stop him, should say something, but the way he was touching her, the way his fingers moved inside her, made it impossible to think. Her body was betraying her, responding to him in ways that felt both sinful and intoxicating.

He added another finger, stretching her, filling her, and she cried out, her back arching off the bed. His thumb pressed against her clit, rubbing in time with the thrusts of his fingers. The pleasure was overwhelming, consuming her entirely. She was panting, her legs trembling as he worked her closer and closer to the edge.

“That’s it, baby,” he murmured, his lips brushing against her neck. “Come for me.”

Her hips bucked wildly as the orgasm crashed over her, wave after wave of pleasure wracking her body. She clenched around his fingers, her cries muffled into the pillow as she came undone.

Before she could catch her breath, he was moving again, his hands fumbling with his pants. She felt him pressing against her, hard and thick, and her eyes widened in panic.

“Wait—” she started, but he was already pushing inside her, filling her in one smooth thrust.

“Fuck,” he groaned, his voice strained with need. “Fuck, you’re so tight. Always so tight.”

Her nails dug into his back as he began to move, his hips rocking against hers in a rhythm that was both familiar and foreign. It felt different, better than anything she’d ever experienced before. Every thrust sent sparks of pleasure shooting through her, and she couldn’t stop the small, needy sounds escaping her lips.

“Why does it feel so good?” he whispered, more to himself than to her, but she heard it.

Her mind was a mess of conflicting emotions, but her body didn’t care. It only wanted more. Her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him deeper, and he groaned, his pace quickening.

“God, I love you, baby," he panted, his lips crashing against hers in a desperate kiss.

She kissed him back, her hands tangling in his hair as he drove into her again and again. The pleasure was building again, tightening in her belly, and she knew she was close.

“I’m going to come again,” she gasped, her voice trembling. Did he know he was in the wrong room? Did he not notice how her voice was different?

“Come for me, baby,” he urged, his thrusts becoming erratic. “Let go.”

Her orgasm hit her hard, her body convulsing around him as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her. He followed her over the edge, his hips stuttering as he spilled himself inside her with a low, guttural groan.

They lay there for a moment, both panting, their bodies still connected. She could feel him softening inside her, but he made no move to pull away. Her mind was racing, trying to make sense of what had just happened, but before she could say anything, he kissed her again, deep and lingering.

“You’re mine, baby,” he whispered against her lips, his voice filled with possessiveness.

She opened her mouth to respond, to tell him the truth, but he rolled over, pulling her against his chest as he drifted off to sleep. She lay there, her mind still reeling, her body still trembling with the aftershocks of pleasure.

[bobamilkteaboy]

SHITT

okay fiRst, yknow I didn't think about this but like.. Ladybug REALLY should've tried to get her to reject the akuma first. like what??? you can see she hesitates and is really nervous about it but like, literally what would she have done if that did release an amok? what was her plan there like literally. if she doesn't know it's somewhere else. because i've heard the theories on intention (but surely there's been times when an item released an akuma and wasn't intentional right?? I can't think of anything but likee idk maybe) but even if that's the case, she doesn't know that. she winces in anticipation hoping the amok doesn't come out, but still fucking does it??? like whAt. why wouldn't she try to find another way first or make her reject it?? (also good moment for people to be confused and question her after) literally what WOULD she have done if the amok came out . how would she explain that. how would she save that. what was her plan with that. there's no way she just had thAt much trust it wouldn't .

I need to rewatch the season 6 episodes I've seen so far, but I feel like marinette wasn't that freaked out by the potential of the grandparents getting the rings right? and wasn't constantly on edge freaking out anxious about them being moved around so much and the future potential unsure, and everything? like, not like the amount you'd expect from someone who knows about it? idk I could be wrong but

also though, if she did replace them at the table , that would make a lot of sense because she would be panicking about the potential of adrien not having the rings or realizing she can't control what happens to them, so it would be vital time to do that. either way I think it makes sense. the only reason I think it's more likely to be that adrien never had them to begin with is that we usually see what marinette does. it's unlikely they wouldn't at least show it briefly or soMething, even if we didn't see the scene of her getting fakes or talking about it, we'd probably see the switch.

but you know what we didn't see? in between of the season 5 finale time skip. we didn't see so much that that absolutely could've happened. we didn't even see her give the rings did we?? just adrien saying "when ladybug gave these to me" right? so I think that whole part being off screen could say a loT.

so this theory would be crazy actually. but also, just because Adrien likes the rings, what if he one day decides that wearing them makes him sad? what if one day they don't fit great? what if he wants to put them in a box, or hang them on something, or melt them into something new ? what if he decides one day he feels more mentally okay and wants to take a step of not holding onto them to move on? what if he sets them down and loses them, or they get stolen, or literally anything happens to them?? Ladybug can't rely on them being safe and in Adrien's control forever if he has them- especially if he doesn't know just how important they are. That's a huge risk to take for something as important as that. so.. it would make a lot of sense to keep them somewhere else, somewhere entrusted and safe, somewhere the only people who know what they really are know where they really are.

this is actually wild but I think could make a ton of sense and that's terrifying

(ALSO this would be even crazier, going back to something i was rambling about in one of my last posts, but if this theory is canon that would mean that the ONLY TIME we've ever seen Adrien in full control of himself (senti wise) would be. during chat blanc.)

(this also has amazing potential for future villain adrien slowly as he finally has control over himself, or dictator type of villain ladybug honestly. someone explore these themes plz haha)

OK… OK. Those rings had to be fake. Right? We’ve established from The Sentibug Incident that a Miraculous Cure couldn’t fix a broken amok (EDIT: Sentibug was killed via snapping, but I assume the rules would be the same for an actual amok destruction, because STAKES). And no feather in sight. And Ladybug wouldn’t just break Adrien’s amok anyway, not without trying to get Millie to reject the akuma first. Right? Right???

So the only explanation is that those are fake. Probably provided by Felix. Which means either Mari was able to swap them back at the mansion (at the table?), but that seems complicated, or… and I hate to say it…

Adrien never fucking had his amok to begin with.

Which would explain the anxiety on Mari’s face… She’s still not 100% sure she can trust Felix�� so assuming she asked him to keep them safe… that would make sense… I DON’T KNOW SOMEONE HELP ME

[yaoi-enthusiasts]

PTSD || s. ryomen - side story

❛ ❜ sukuna ryomen x f!reader || modern au

❝Growing up with the pink haired boy, it was no surprise when he put a ring on your finger when you both turned eighteen. The young man Sukuna Ryomen Itadori knew your dark life at home with your family, desperately trying to take you away. Until he is sentenced to 10 years of prison for keeping true to his vows… “I promise you with all of my being, I will protect you in anyway I have to, til the day I die.” And protects you he does…❞

cw ; mdni • 18+ only. contains explicit sexual themes and content. use of alcohol/weed. hurt/trauma. family trauma. consent/non consent. smut . anxiety. death.

main masterlist | series masterlist

“Hi, my sweet girl,” you smiled softly, kneeling to greet your three-year-old daughter as she came toddling down the hallway in nothing but a grin. You were in the middle of potty training, which meant these naked streaks through the house weren’t exactly rare—but today, something in your chest squeezed tighter than usual. “Mama!” she squealed, stripping fully and sprinting past you, arms flailing like tiny wings. You laughed at first, reaching for the towel draped over the back of the couch, but your smile faltered. Your stomach turned. That familiar lump formed in your throat. And without thinking, your voice came sharp—too sharp.

“Sukuna, turn around!” you snapped, hurriedly wrapping your daughter’s tiny body in the towel. Sukuna, who had been walking into the living room behind you, froze in place and turned his back without protest. “Is everything okay?” he asked gently, his tone a careful blend of concern and confusion. “Don’t—don’t look,” you stammered, your voice cracking as you shielded your daughter. “She’s not dressed.” You clutched the towel tighter around her, the words burning your throat. Tears brimmed without permission, your heart hammering in your chest as memories flashed—sharp and brutal—in the back of your mind.

You didn’t look back at him. You couldn’t.

In another room, you sat her down and helped her into a clean pair of pajamas, smoothing the soft fabric over her small limbs with trembling hands. “My sweet girl… you can’t run around without clothes, okay?” you whispered, pulling her close against your chest.“Why, Mama?” she asked, peeking up at you with big, curious eyes. Her voice was innocent, unburdened. She didn’t understand the world could be cruel. You swallowed, brushing your fingers through her hair. “Because there are bad people out there. People who hurt little girls. And Mama and Papa want to protect you. You understand, right?” She nodded a little, clinging tighter, but then she frowned and pulled back just enough to cross her arms defiantly. “Papa not bad,” she said, her voice firm in the way only toddlers could manage. “Papa is not bad. Papa is good.” And just like that, your face crumpled with shame.

She was right.

You’d never seen Sukuna as anything but gentle with her. He never once gave you reason to fear—not even in the early days, not even after prison. He was patient, present, and soft with her in a way he never was with anyone else. But still, your trauma lived in the corners of your mind, slipping out uninvited. It was unintentional—but tonight, you’d let it spill onto both of them. “Let’s read a bedtime story,” you murmured, trying to make your voice light again as you tucked her into bed. “No!” she suddenly cried, shaking her head. “Papa read story too! With Mama!” The blush that hit your cheeks was molten-hot. You blinked down at her, her little fists balled up in protest. She loved her father. And in your panic… you had made her feel like maybe she wasn’t supposed to.

You stood up, swallowing your pride and walking quietly into the living room. Sukuna was sitting on the couch, scrolling on his phone like nothing had happened. He looked up when you entered, his brows slightly raised in question. “Hey, Suku,” you said gently, your voice barely above a whisper. “Yeah, hon?” he asked, setting the phone aside. “Do you… Do you want to read a bedtime story with us?” There was no hesitation. “Of course,” he said, standing immediately and walking over to you. He leaned in and kissed your forehead like it was the easiest thing in the world. Like you hadn’t just flinched earlier. Like his heart didn’t carry bruises too.

Later that night, once your daughter was sound asleep and the book was closed on her pillow, you both retreated to your room. The silence between you stretched. “We need to talk,” Sukuna said softly as the door clicked shut behind you. “I know,” you whispered, curling your arms around yourself. “I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have reacted like that. I know you’d never hurt her. I just… I saw him. I saw him in my mind, and—” You broke off, burying your face in your hands as the sobs started to rise. He crossed the room without a word and gently pulled your hands away. In one swift, effortless movement, he picked you up and wrapped your legs around his waist, carrying you to the edge of the bed. You melted against his chest, your face in the crook of his neck.

“I’d never hurt our baby girl,” he said softly, his voice low and raw. “I know,” you breathed, but he tilted your chin up. “Do you?” he asked again, his eyes boring into yours—not accusing, but needing to know. You blinked hard, new tears spilling. “I do. I do, Suku. I just… I got scared. I saw him, and I couldn’t stop it. But I know you’re good. I know you’re a good dad.” He exhaled slowly, kissing your temple. “I just want to be part of it. I want the baths, the diapers, the stories… I want it all. But sometimes, I feel like I’m watching her grow up through glass.” You clutched his shirt, guilt thick in your throat. Even now, he wasn’t mad. He just wanted in. “How about this,” he offered gently, brushing a thumb down your cheek, “Tomorrow, you give her a bath, and I dress her. You can be in the room. Hell, you can narrate every step.” You let out a breathy laugh through your tears, pressing your forehead against his. “Okay. We can do that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” you said again, holding him tighter. “I’m sorry, Suku.”

“I know,” he murmured, kissing your shoulder. “We’re gonna figure it out. You and me.” And with your legs still around his waist and his arms tight around your back, you believed him. You really did.

The next day was soft and sunny—the kind of warmth that coaxed smiles even from grumpy hearts. You, Sukuna, and your daughter spent the morning at the park, the afternoon sharing sticky snow cones, and the evening tucked into the back row of a movie theater watching some odd new animated film your daughter had been talking about all week. You glanced over halfway through. Sukuna was out cold, arms crossed, head tilted back just slightly, snoring softly.

You smiled to yourself. This was why you always picked the back row—so he could sneak naps during movies like this. But he never complained. For his little girl, Sukuna would sit through the worst plots, the loudest songs, and the brightest, most chaotic animations, pretending every second was magical. She didn’t know it yet, but she had her father wrapped around every finger. Afterward, the three of you grabbed dinner—simple, messy food that made your daughter giggle through every bite. But her yawns grew more frequent, and the inevitable post-sugar crankiness started creeping in.

“Alright, bath time,” you sang gently, trying to make it a game. She furrowed her brows and shook her head violently. “I don’t wanna!” she snapped, stomping her tiny foot with a pout. “You’ve been playing all day at the park, sweet girl. We don’t want any little bugs sneaking into bed with you,” you said, crouching to help her undress.“No!” she cried louder, tears springing to her eyes. “I want Papa! Not Mama!” The words hit like a slap. You froze, towel in your hand, the sting of rejection blooming beneath your ribs. This wasn’t the plan. You were supposed to bathe her. Sukuna would help her get dressed after. That was the compromise. That was the deal.

“C’mon baby,” you tried, voice trembling slightly. “Papa will help after your bath.”

“NO! I WANT PAPA! NO MAMA!” she screamed, her little fists balled in frustration. You didn’t know how long you stood there, but a soft knock pulled you from your thoughts. “Everything alright, my girls?” Sukuna’s voice came through the door, gentle, cautious. He peeked his head in. Your daughter reached out toward him like a lifeline. “I want Papa!” she sobbed. Your throat tightened. You didn’t want to cry in front of her. “C-could you bathe her?” you asked quietly, avoiding his eyes. “Of course,” he said immediately, stepping fully into the bathroom with calm, open arms. “Alright, up up up,” he chuckled, helping her out of her clothes. You sat against the bathroom wall, guilt curling up in your stomach like a second skin. Every instinct told you to run—to let them be alone—but fear kept you rooted.

“It’s okay, baby,” Sukuna murmured, leaning down to kiss your forehead. “We’ve got this.” He lifted your daughter into the tub with such natural ease, as if he’d been doing it forever. “You know how to bathe yourself, don’t ya’? You’re a big girl now,” he grinned, helping her squeeze the soap onto a little rag. He didn’t rush. Didn’t fumble. Just guided her gently, like he always did. “Gotta get under those arms, princess,” he chuckled as she missed a spot. You watched them quietly, a lump caught somewhere between your throat and your heart. The tenderness in his voice, the way he praised her, the patience. There was not a single dark thought in this man when it came to his child. Nothing but light. Eventually, you stepped out as he helped her wash her hair. By the time they emerged, she was wrapped in her soft pink robe, damp hair clinging to her cheeks, face flushed from warmth.

“All clean!” Sukuna beamed, carrying her into the room. “Wanna see if Mama will dress you?” She yawned big and shook her head. “No, Papa.” You tried to smile, nodding faintly and looking away as your eyes began to sting. Minutes passed. The door creaked open again. This time, Sukuna walked in alone. “Let’s go shower, baby,” he said quietly, walking to you without hesitation. He picked you up like you weighed nothing, cradling you against his chest as if you were just as small as her. Under the warm spray, he lathered your skin in slow circles, massaging your back, washing your hair, holding you upright when your knees trembled—not from exhaustion, but from emotion.

“I’m sorry I didn’t trust you,” you finally whispered, face pressed against his bare chest as the water beat down around you. He stroked your spine with firm, steady hands. “It’s alright, baby. You’re doing the best you can. I know that.” He dried you off just as tenderly as he had your daughter—wrapping you in your favorite robe, toweling your hair, pulling out your cotton panties and one of his soft t-shirts like he always knew which drawer to open.

He dressed you in silence, the kind of silence that didn’t need fixing. Only comfort. Only presence. Sukuna was a complicated man—vulgar at times, grumpy, brutally honest, fiercely protective. But in these quiet moments, he was something else entirely.

He was pure.

He was steady.

He was everything you had prayed for in a partner, and more than you ever thought you’d get.

And tonight, you saw that truth more clearly than ever.

[vincentvangoghs]

BuckTommy really is that pairing that deserves to last because the character parallels and contrasts are just too sweet and can only pay off if BuckTommy receives their happy ending.

Buck is someone who loves with a passion. He has so much love in him, that it's constantly bursting at the seams to fall upon and wrap itself around the others in his life. The only thing missing is a partner who is capable of being receptive of that in every way Buck has always wanted and needs. He needs someone to want to stay for him, and he needs someone who will love him as much as he does them. And despite his many heartbreaks, Buck still believes in a happily ever after.

Tommy, on the other hand, has a more cynical view of the “happily ever after” concept. He may have once believed it to have been possible, but the heartbreak that came from so many people leaving, or the confusion that came from him leaving so many people, created a barrier around his heart, one that convinced Tommy that a happy ending just wasn't in the cards for someone like him. Like Buck, Tommy really does desperately want that happily ever after brand of love, but he's incapable of completely removing the barrier he's crafted for himself to get it.

The beautiful thing about Buck is that he, more than anyone, is the most likely to break Tommy's barrier, to actually stay and be everything Tommy wants from a great love story. Buck can be Tommy's Love, Actually, if the latter is willing to finally confront and dismantle his barrier and let love cross over again. And once he does, Buck and Tommy can both hold up that card saying, “To me, you are perfect.”

The beautiful thing about Tommy is that he, more than anyone, thus far, is very capable of satisfying Buck's endless quest for love, presuming he can, again, eventually let that brand of love in. And despite the obstacles laid out before him, Tommy has already proven to Buck that he’s always willing to show up and support him when needed, whether it be for something as simple as the Madney pre-wedding party or something incredibly significant, like saving the lives of Bobby, Athena, and Chimney. That’s with his barrier still up. Imagine what kind of love he can offer Buck when that barrier comes down? Tommy has so much to give, as does Buck, and once the barrier falls, that love will collide and merge together in really beautiful ways.

And the only way to satisfyingly wrap up Tommy's (and by extension, Buck's) narrative arc, is for the pairing to get their happy ending. As the main character, Buck would once again experience another breakup, should the pair not last, reinforcing the idea that no matter how much he cares about someone, that someone will always want more elsewhere. And for Tommy, the recurring guest star? His arc would end in one of affirmation that he was, in fact, wise to keep his barrier intact. Tommy Kinard would walk away, still very much broken and alone, as he once was when he entered the show. And I don't think 911, the supposed show about hope, should or would go there. On the contrary, I think the show has been paving the way for a happy ending, should everything continue to align outside our screens. It’s why they keep bringing Tommy back into Buck’s orbit, when they could have just as easily left him in the past. Presuming I'm correct, I'm really excited to continue watching this love story unfold and eventually reach that third act of a romantic comedy, where the guy gets the guy.

[demie90s]

Reader and Flau’jae were in a situationship—something intense but undefined. Then reader sees Flau’jae out with someone else and ghosts her. Weeks later, Flau’jae shows up at the reader’s apartment, hurt and confused: “You said you didn’t want labels… so why does it hurt like hell that I gave you what you asked for?”

what we called nothing

flau’jae johnson x fem!reader

MASTERLIST | MORE

summary: You and Flau’jae were magnetic—late-night calls, soft touches in secret. But nothing official.

word count: ~ 0.9k

genre: angst, emotional tension, unresolved feelings

warnings: heartbreak, ghosting, emotional vulnerability

I never claimed her. Never held her hand in public. Never posted a soft pic or called her “mine” loud enough for anyone to hear. But I was with her. I was.

Late-night linkups that turned into mornings. Laughs that came too easy, kisses that went too long, and secrets that felt like promises. Together—but never official. Situationship, yeah. That’s what we said. But it stopped feeling like a game the moment I saw her with someone else.

Not just anyone. That bitch. The “don’t worry bout her” bitch.

I played it cool. Of course I did. I’m not her girlfriend, right? Just the one who knows her middle name, the way she shuts down when she’s overwhelmed, the fact she keeps a tiny gold cross under her pillow even though she swears she’s not religious. Just the one she always came back to after the club. After the games. After life got loud.

We weren’t best friends. We weren’t lovers. But we were close.

Too close to be casual. Too casual to be real.

I get attached. Always have.

I knew it the second I let her spend the night the first time and didn’t kick her out by sunrise. I knew it when I started cooking for her, wearing her hoodie to the gym, and keeping her voice notes just to hear her laugh again. I knew it.

But I never said shit. Not when I saw her with someone else. Not when she looked right at me like she knew I was pissed and still walked off with that girl. Not when she texted me later saying,

“You good?”

and I just replied,

“Always.”

Then I ghosted her. No explanation. No shade. Just silence.

She hit me up—calls, texts, voice messages, all left on read. I left her in the dark ‘cause that’s how I felt. Jealous. Stupid. Pressed.

And I hated being any of those things. Especially over a girl who wasn’t even mine.

Weeks passed. I moved like I wasn’t phased, like I ain’t replay the shit over and over in my head. Kept telling myself, you did the right thing. This is what happens when you don’t put a title on it. This is what “no labels” looks like. This is what freedom costs.

Until tonight. Until that knock on my door. It wasn’t loud. Just sharp. One knock. Pause. Another.

I almost didn’t answer. But I already knew who it was. Could feel her through the walls.

I opened the door and there she stood. Hoodie on. No lashes. Barefaced and still the finest woman I ever seen. Her lips were parted like she had too many words and not enough air. Her eyes? Bloodshot, but not tired. Hurt.

She looked me up and down once before saying it—soft but firm.

“You said you didn’t want labels… so why does it hurt like hell that I gave you what you asked for?”

My stomach dropped.

I leaned on the doorframe, trying to stay composed, chewing the inside of my cheek like it’d keep me from folding.

“…You think I wanted to see you with her?” I asked.

Flau’jae stepped forward, just enough to close the gap but not enough to be inside.

“No. I think you wanted me to read your mind. To play house but never move in. To stay put without being chosen.”

She wasn’t yelling. That’s what made it worse. She was calm. Controlled. Devastated.

“You ghosted me. After everything. You just disappeared, like none of it meant shit.”

“It did mean something,” I snapped back. “You think I would’ve stayed around that long if it didn’t?”

“Then why didn’t you fight for it?”

I looked away. My throat tightened. I didn’t have a good answer.

“’Cause I didn’t think I had a right to,” I said after a beat. “We weren’t official. You said you didn’t want a relationship.”

“You said that first.”

Silence.

Flau’jae looked at me like she was trying not to cry. “I played by your rules. You said keep it chill. You said don’t post. Don’t talk about it. Don’t ask. So I didn’t. But now you mad ‘cause I stopped acting like I belonged to you?”

“I never stopped acting like you were mine,” I whispered.

“But you didn’t tell me that. You let me feel stupid. You made me think I was the only one feeling more.”

I backed up slowly, eyes heavy, throat raw. “Come in.” She hesitated.

“I ain’t gonna beg,” I added. But she stepped in anyway.

I closed the door behind her, but it felt like I’d just opened a floodgate. She stood in the middle of the room like she didn’t know where to go. Like she didn’t wanna break again.

“I wanted you,” I said. “Still do.”

Flau turned to face me, lips trembling.

“I didn’t ghost you to punish you. I did it because I was scared. ’Cause if I asked for more and you said no…” My voice cracked. “I would’ve broke.”

“I would’ve said yes,” she murmured. The silence that followed was loud.

I walked up slow, every step heavy with the weight of all the shit I didn’t say. When I stopped in front of her, we were breathing the same air.

She looked up at me.

“Say it now, then,” she whispered. “Say it like you mean it.”

So I cupped her jaw, leaned in, and kissed her like I’d never ghost her again. Because I wouldn’t. Not after this.

Not after knowing I damn near lost the only thing I was too scared to name.

@letsnowtalk @draculara-vonvamp @kcannon-1436-blog @let-zizi-yap @perksofbeingatrex @soapyonaropey @julieluvspb @non3ofurbusiness @kcannon-1436-blog @kaliblazin @liloandstitchstan @footy-lover264

[williamafton2030]

Thinking about this makes me very sad… 💔😔

There's a big difference between the Mimic in the Tales and Mimic 2 in the games. In the Tales, he imitated David because he spent a lot of time playing with him and imitated everything the boy did. However, in the games, Mimic 2 doesn't do this imitation because he wants to or sees it from David; no, he does it because Edwin told him to. 💔

He was never able to choose his own destiny, and one day, while he was following the orders Edwin had put into his programming (to imitate David), Edwin hits him and destroys him. I can't even imagine what Mimic 2 must have felt like at that moment. Being calm and suddenly having your creator brutally beat you 💔

On top of that, it's like you said, because before that moment, Edwin didn't show the kindness that David, I'm sure, showed Mimic 1. From the beginning, Edwin isn't convinced by the results with Mimic 2, and that's why he never treats him with the affection a father should give his son (in this case, his creation).

Mimic 2 ends up devastated and confused, but also filled with Edwin's rage and anger, and begins to fully become a being born of emotions. However, David isn't here to give him that little spark of kindness at his birth; this time, Mimic 2 is born of rage and anger.

Now that we have Mimic 2's model in SOTM, we can compare it to Ruin's. In doing so, we'll notice that the part where we inserted the Data Diver in the Good Ending is no longer there. He ripped it out. But why? Well, it seems Mimic 2 doesn't want to be fixed, since at the end of Parachute, he takes away the Data Diver, which is the only thing we can use to fix him.

He doesn't want to be fixed… 💔😔

Maybe it's because he wants a life of his own…

Or maybe it's also because he doesn't want to be someone he's not anymore. He doesn't want to be forced upon him anymore, and I think that really gives Mimic 2 a lot of depth 😉😔

Kinda fucked up that since there’s two Mimics now, that M2 just never knew any kindness.

They never met and befriended David like F10N4, they were made to replace him and only ever knew Edwin’s abuse for doing exactly what he made them to do. That’s all they ever knew.

[pastelchelle]

I had this crack idea at midnight that I discussed with my friend in May, which turned into a funny little thing. Have at it!! Jason Todd Shenanigans

=====

So basically Jason Todd is aware that he is legally dead. However he does NOT want to go through the process of getting himself new documentation, he very much likes the name Jason Todd. So before he gets back to Gotham, he goes to the nearest non-Gotham police department and asks if they can take his blood samples and stuff and get legalized as a living being again. And get this, a news reporter over hears this and is like "Oh?? Tea??? And I'm the only one who knows?!?!?" They chase Jason down and demand an interview because Jason Todd is alive! and not dead! and they want to be the first person to broadcast this shit.

And Jason? Oh he's going to have a fucking blast.

"Actually, you know what, hell yeah!"

Lo and behold less than 24 hours later a small News Channel is suddenly gaining a LOT of traction when the words "Former Wayne Son Jason Todd is Alive and Well." are being spoken through every TV in Gotham

Here is what I have amateurly cooked up!!!

========

"Mr. Todd, would you like to confirm your blood results with us?"

"Hell yeah! Here's the paper that claims me no longer dead and even some finger prints, not showing you the important stuff though, those get blurred out right?" An affirmation is hummed off camera.

"So Mr. Todd, or do you prefer Mr. Wayne? I probably should've asked sooner--"

"Actually, I don't go by Wayne anymore, I wanted to keep Todd. Just Todd."

"Right! So would you like to go in depth on the reason why you were falsely labeled as deceased?"

"Oh, I did die."

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that. How uh..."

"Oh yeah that's probably confusing. I believe sixth months after my death is when I woke up in my coffin. It's very brutal so I won't go into depth on the process of coming out of that situation."

"...."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah! Yeah yeah uhm, continue."

"So I left the graveyard and I did get hit by a car at some point, I think there were quite a few witnesses when that happened and during the process I was transferred to one of the Gotham hospitals."

"That sounds awful! Where was your family when this happened?"

"Oh... uh. It's kind of hard to talk about but I think Bruce ended up taking in a new kid sometime while I was still in the ground and since no one knew who I was when I was in the hospital they just labeled me a John Doe. I had severe brain damage at the time so I was borderline catatonic, if not that. It was a... rough year."

"But there's been a three year gap, and you, pardon me for assuming, look to be a very healthy young man. What changed?"

"Oh I was stolen off the streets after I wandered out of my hospital bed by someone and taken to an unknown location. There wasn't much I remember until I did suddenly come back to my senses, and by then a year had passed since I died. The person taking care of me used some sort of miracle medical magic, I'm not going to question it, but she took care of me for some time and I've come to accept her as a mother."

"That sounds like it turned out better than the average statistics, but are you sure this person is safe for you? Being stolen out of your hospital bed and then forced to a place you have never known sounds like a grey area."

"Yeah, she's... My mom can be hard at times but she provides me with everything I could ever need."

"Is there a reason why you haven't talked to Mr. Wayne since you've come back to Gotham?"

"Well, I'm pretty mad at him and refuse to see him so this is going to be the first time he knows that I'm alive."

"Oh my, I know that'll be a shocker to hear!"

"Oh you know it! I'd kill to see the look on his face!"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Do I? I'm in a very good mood to be honest which has been drastically different from how angry I've been the past few months so why not!!"

"Well thank you for your willingness!"

"Hey, to be honest I'm just really comfortable right now. It helps that they let an intern do this that's my age, and you're a new group. I don't like having shiny things and fake faces talking to me."

"Oh shit you're nineteen, right? Oh crap sorry for the language." Someone from offscreen dismissed it with with a laugh.

"Yeah actually, turned nineteen not that long ago. What was your name again?"

"Jessica! Jessica Steward, intern newscaster!! An anchor here at Gotham Local, Young Stellar News! But, you can call me Jess."

"Hey Jess, my names Jason, you can call me Jason because, well, Mr. Todd was my father and I don't really want any association with him. Or Wayne."

"You got it Jason! Now, would you like me to start anywhere or would you like to lead?"

"Ask away! I'm very happy to answer anything."

"Alrighty! So what happened to you? I feel like that's a loaded question, but give any answer you'd like!"

"Oh man, that is a loaded question, but let's not digress." Jason paused on camera and his face went through a flood of expressions before he looked back at the interviewer with a small smile.

"Before I get started, I'd like to say that while I may have problems with my father Bruce, please don't use any of this information to attack him in any way."

"We'll do our best to get the message across. Hopefully viewers watching mind your words."

"Thanks Jess."

"As for what happened, I should probably start from the beginning."

"You can start and stop any time you want."

"I guess we can start from my death. I did end up dying overseas in Ethiopia, the news did get that right. However I was killed by the Joker. This is around the time he ended up becoming a temporary ambassador of the UN." A wince came from behind the camera as Jess made a grotesque expression. Jason drank from the provided teacup they handed near the start of the interview.

"I think I remember that... thank god he's not anymore!"

"Ha, yeah, small mercies." Jason said this with a bitter smile. He continued.

"I was in Ethiopia because I was looking for my biological mother."

"Oh? Why is that?" Jason seemed to pause at the question, mulling it over with a crease in his brows.

"I... I thought I was going to get kicked out. I'm not.... I wasn't the best child... I thought that I was..." Jason stopped talking as his eyes seemed to drift off into a memory. Jess wringed her hands together as she let out a small cough. Jason came back quickly before smoothing it over with an awkward chuckle.

"Sorry. Got lost in thought."

"That's alright. Take your time. You don't have to answer that question if you don't want to." Jason smiled before looking down at the tea he cupped in his hands. It was finished. He set it down with a clink. Jessica made a motion to the unseen crew to grab more with the wave over her fingers.

"Joker beat me to near death with a crowbar which is how I ended up with bad brain damage." Jessica had to stop herself from staring at the quick subject change into darker territory.

"I was bleeding out, but it was the smoke from the explosion that did me in. I died alone, and honestly, it made me angry for a long time. I still am angry, but it's not as bad anymore." Someone came by and set another teacup in front of him, steam coming off from it.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Jason shrugged at the condolence.

"It's fine. It happened. It wasn't as bad as when I woke up six months later buried in the ground. Again, I won't get into specifics on how I got out but it did involve a belt that I was dressed in." He didn't comment on Jess' frown.

"I didn't get too far from the cemetery until someone accidentally hit me with their car."

"Man, you just can't catch a break huh?"

"HAH! Tell me about it." Jason reached for his tea and took a test sip. Once setting it down he cleared his throat.

"I was put in the hospital for a good amount of time. I was able to gather any information I could get my hands on as soon as I became fully conscious and found out that the doctors have my stuff on record but just didn't have the means of figuring out who I was. I was in the hospital for a while before my body just decided to get up and leave. I wondered the streets of Gotham for a time before I got... picked up."

"I feel like that's putting kidnapping in lighter terms."

"Yeah it is, but honestly I ended up becoming fully aware after she picked me up so what can a guy do? I'm not complaining."

"And when you came to?"

"I think the first thing I thought of was something angry. I don't know exactly what, I'm not usually an angry person, but I wasn't really in the right headspace when I died. I was terrified, alone, sad, and angry. So fucking angry. If I stayed dead I feel like I probably could've become some sort of poltergeist or something!" Jess laughed with him, but her voice was a little more strained at the dark humor.

"What made you come back to Gotham?"

"Well, everyone knows that Gotham is the most crime riddled city in America, but I grew up here. It's home. I think it wouldn't have mattered if I had died. I probably would've stayed in Gotham."

"I get that a lot from Gotham citizens. You all are a different breed." Jason laughed at that.

"Yeah. We are." He sat up straight.

"That's not the whole reason though. I came back to Gotham because I have unfinished business I need to take care of." Jess made a sound of interest.

======

(Possibility #1)

"Yeah? And what kind of business is that, if you don't mind my asking?

Jason looked at Jess with a smile before turning to the camera. He reached under the table when he started talking.

"I love my father, but him and I have differing morals. Different codes we live by." Jason brought his hand up front underneath the table and lifted his suitcase he brought with him.

"But I'm not afraid to make choices that may not be morally acceptable." He clicked open the suitcase and flipped it up, but the back was facing the camera so no one but him and the reporter could see it. Jess' eyes landed on it and her face morphed into shock.

"Woah."

"So, I'm sorry if this isn't how you wanted the interview to end and I'm sorry if this is inappropriate, but I address all Gotham citizens and those who may see this." He spun the suitcase around.

"I am offering twenty million dollars to the person who kills the Joker."

=====

(Possibility #2)

"Yeah? And what kind of business is that, if you don't mind my asking?

"I want to see if this newscast gives Bruce a heart attack."

Just then, Jason's phone rings. He answers it.

He lets out a dejected sigh.

"Unfortunately, it did not."

======

I didn't think it was that long...

[captainmiffy]

Erm.. so getting over C.ai reader x Simon Riley 😜😜

As a former victim and abuser of c.ai, that shit kinda rewires ur brain and fucks you over. So how would Si deal with u tryin to get over that shit??

Cw: author hasnt played cod 😞😞, probably ooc Simon, mentioms of c.ai duh, mentions of cheating NONE HAPPENS !!, cuddling, probably shit grammer

- C.ai user!!reader You promised to yourself that you’d quit c.ai once you bagged a man

- C.ai user!!reader I mean if your emotional and romantical needs were being met, why would you ever need a jumbling code and artificial personality to quell your yearning? Oh you sweet sweet summer child..

- C.ai user!!reader Like someone’s starting bot prompt you met the big lovely man, Simon ‘ghost’ Riley!! Seriously we’re you the mc of some ao3??

- C.ai user!!reader Once yall end up bunkering down, becoming official and all that, you decide to delete your account

- C.ai user!!reader It was totally an easy and fun experience :3 the fucking guilt trip they give you about deleting your account had you debilitating and refusing and sobbing for a week

- C.ai user!!reader Who after any slight emotional turmoil or distress would run back to the app store, and make an account, delete it, and then come crawling back once more you could totallyyyy stop whenever you wanted!! (Lie)

- Bf!!simon Who notices how you pull back, how the affection and love always had to be on your terms and never his

- Bf!!simon How you were never making time for him and he was expected to drop everything for you when you came to him

- Bf!!simon Who noticed how secretive you were with your phone, always turning it away from prying eye

- Bf!!simon Who thought you were cheating and confronts you about it, emotions twisting and gutting the both of you

- Former C.ai!!reader When confronted is confused and out of sorts. ‘What do you mean cheating? Im devoted to you.’

- Former C.ai!!reader Your face is flushed and wet with tears, humiliation burning, searing, in which you have to confess about the truth

- Bf!!simon Who is admittedly confused. ‘Generative ai? Love, what the bloody hell does a robot got to do with you cheating?!’

- Bf!!simon Once getting his bearings and understanding, is confused. Why would you need these delusions when you had him right here? You loved him and not it, right?

- Bf!!simon and Former C.ai!!reader Talk about their grievances and struggles

- Bf!!simon Who admits to feeling neglected, an afterthought on the back burner

- Former C.ai!!reader Who confronts their problems and reflects on the reasons they rely so heavily on a sanitized and simulated version of reality to get through the day, making sure to validate and understand the hurt you put your love through

- Former C.ai!!reader Taking it one day at a time, trying to make it harder to get their ‘fix’. Talking to friends and Bf!!simon about their needs and feelings, not having the app store on their home screen, redirecting to other devices and activities to distract from that ever present vice (yall should comment ur strats for quittin if ya have em!!)

- Former C.ai!!reader Who during those moments of weakness and wanting to retreat back to that familiarity, to a place where nothing held consequences nor meaning, reached for Simon Riley and not some digital simulation

- Bf!!simon Who feels happy to know you could rely on him, that you trusted him enough to trust him with something so vulnerable and close to your heart, that he helped you redirect to a better life style

- Bf!!simon and Former C.ai!!reader who cuddle up at night, crickets singing, warmth resting heavy upon them, with Former C.ai!!reader sleeping peacefully knowing that no amalgamation of averages could ever replace this moment

Loeky ths was incredible self indulgent but idc— also srry for any weird characterization of reader,, i havent been on c.ai for nearly a year!! so its difficult to reflect and remember the mindset and habits i had back then.. Also if ur trying to quit c.ai,, I commend you!! Good on it and keep on going, it gets easier :))

[jessesluvr]

hi jules! can i ask for a scenario where jackson does monthly clothes donation and stuff so that everyone can have something new to wear and in one of those reader picks a hoodie that belonged before to jesse!! dina and ellie see her wearing the hoodie and think they are together but keeping it a secret. one day a girl asks them about jesse and they say he has a girlfriend which is reader and after that everyone in jackson thinks they are together but they are not ?? and they get so confused and shy around each other because of it and no one believes when they say they are not together 😭 i love fluff and i love your fluff even more

donation mix-up | jesse x reader

author's note : hi guys !! hope you all are well ! you guys are the best and i hope you guys finish the week off strong! tysm for requesting !!

summary : after accidentally wearing jesse’s old hoodie from a donation drive, you become the center of a rumor that you’re secretly dating him. despite your awkward denials, the town refuses to believe otherwise—until the rumor slowly turns into something real and sweet between you and jesse.

word count : 1.1k

jackson held its monthly clothing donation the way it held everything else—warmly, with a little bit of chaos and a lot of heart.

you hadn’t planned on going. not really. but dina had roped you into helping sort things with her and ellie, and before long you were elbow-deep in worn flannels and old jackets, laughing over weird t-shirts and trying not to sneeze at the dust.

“people really need to learn how to wash their clothes before donating them,” dina muttered, holding up a shirt with a mysterious stain.

you laughed and tossed a hoodie into the pile beside her. or, you meant to. but something about the fabric caught your fingers—it was soft and worn, with a faded red and gray design that made your heart do a funny little flip.

“this one’s nice,” you mumbled, holding it up. it was a bit big, sleeves long enough to cover your hands, and it smelled faintly of cedarwood and… something else you couldn’t place. familiar.

ellie leaned over, squinting. “oh damn. that’s jesse’s.”

you froze. “wait—what?”

“yeah.” she grinned. “he donated a bunch of stuff last week. i remember him wearing that all the time. it’s like, peak jesse hoodie. surprised he gave it up.”

you looked down at the hoodie, suddenly unsure. “should i put it back?”

dina snorted. “why? it’s up for grabs. and besides… it suits you.”

you shrugged it on before you could overthink it. it was warm. a little too warm, maybe, but in that comforting way, like being wrapped up in something safe. and it smelled… nice. like him.

you didn’t think much of it after that. you wore it a few days later while helping out in the greenhouse, hair pulled up and sleeves shoved past your elbows. ellie and dina passed by and did a double take.

“wait,” dina whispered, elbowing ellie. “she’s wearing it again.”

“oh my god,” ellie whispered back, loud enough for you to hear.

“what?”

“nothing,” they said together, grinning like they knew something you didn’t.

the rumor started small. a girl you didn’t know that well asked ellie if jesse was single.

ellie shrugged. “nah. he’s got a girlfriend.”

“really?” the girl blinked. “who?”

ellie didn’t even hesitate. “her,” she said, jerking her chin toward you, where you were helping a kid tie his shoelaces by the steps.

you stood up, brushing off your knees, completely unaware that jackson had just decided you were dating jesse.

you found out a few days later, when someone at breakfast winked and asked, “where’s your boyfriend?” and you nearly choked on your oatmeal.

“what?” you sputtered.

“jesse,” the guy said, grinning. “you two are cute.”

you blinked at him. “we’re not dating.”

he laughed like you’d just told the funniest joke in the world. “sure.”

things got weird after that.

jesse cornered you in the library two days later, cheeks pink and voice low.

“so uh… apparently we’re dating now?”

you laughed nervously. “you too, huh?”

he rubbed the back of his neck. “i keep trying to tell people we’re not. no one believes me.”

“same.”

you both stared at each other in awkward silence, until you mumbled, “sorry i wore your hoodie.”

“don’t be.” he smiled softly. “it looks better on you anyway.”

your heart did that stupid flip again.

after that, everything changed and didn’t.

you still walked past each other on patrol. you still said hey and traded books and bickered about card games. but now there was something new. something soft and shy. you caught him staring once, eyes lingering on the hoodie that had basically become yours now.

he caught you smiling at nothing more than the way he tucked his hair behind his ear.

you both blushed. a lot.

people in town started asking when the two of you had gotten together. when the wedding was. if you wanted kids.

you’d groan and deny it, but every time, it got a little harder to keep the fluttery feeling in your chest at bay.

and jesse… jesse seemed different, too. sweeter. softer. like he was letting you see the pieces of him he usually kept tucked away. and when he smiled at you, it felt like the sun coming out after a week of rain.

a few more days passed and the rumor only grew. you started noticing the way people looked at you when you walked by—the way they whispered and grinned. someone left a bouquet of dried lavender on your porch with a note that said "for you and jesse. congrats!"

"this is getting ridiculous," you mumbled as you showed it to ellie.

she tried not to laugh. "i mean, maybe it's the universe telling you something."

you rolled your eyes but your cheeks burned.

jesse stopped you in the hallway of the mess hall that evening. his hair was damp from a shower, and he looked almost shy.

"hey," he said softly. "can we talk?"

you nodded, nerves fluttering in your stomach like moths.

he walked you out behind the stables where it was quiet, just the hum of night insects and the creak of wooden fences.

"i know we've been trying to clear things up," he said, looking at you. "but honestly? i don't really mind if people think we're together."

you blinked. "you don't?"

"no," he said, voice low. "because i… i kind of wish we were."

your heart stopped. then started again, faster than before.

"jesse…"

he reached up, gently tugging the sleeve of the hoodie you still wore. "i didn't mean to donate this. i was looking for it the next day. but seeing you in it… kinda made me glad i did."

you stepped closer, smiling. "i'm glad you did too."

he hesitated only a second before leaning in, brushing his lips against yours in a kiss that was soft, a little clumsy, and everything you didn't know you'd been waiting for.

when you pulled back, breathless, you whispered, "so... do we tell them the rumor's true now?"

he grinned. "nah. let 'em think they were right all along."

and maybe they were.

[mollyramot]

Welcome to Deltarune: Prophecy Rewrite

My own take on Deltaswap. Ralsei and Kris get swapped, but everything stays the same. (Ralsei is the only one who remembers.)

Ralsei Dreemurr Youngest son of the Dreemurrs

Ralsei is still cursed with horrible knowledge, filled with lots of inner turmoil. He knows everything that happened in the original universe but not what happened to them.

This happens like a year before any Dark World events, so Ralsei is familiar with the Light World and people of Hometown. 

He thinks that maybe knowing everything in the prophecy was better, because he doesn't know what's going on right now. What makes it worse is that he really does love the Light World, having friends, and hanging out with Susie. But he feels like he's stealing Kris' entire life, and that guilt is eating him alive. 

(Is he adopted or biological? Doesn't really matter to Ralsei either way, it's all fake. He doesn't belong here.)

Similar to Kris, he's very reclusive. Unfortunately, this doesn't prevent him from getting in a friend group with Berdly and Noelle. (According to Berdly, he belongs in the smart people clique because he wears glasses.)

Noelle talks about their childhood together with Asriel, and Ralsei has to nod along and pretend he remembers that.

(Had a funny thought on what if Asriel comes home and he goes "Who the FUCK is Ralsei??" My goat wasn't affected by any brainwashing.)

Ralsei tries to make friends with Susie and guide her into the supply closet. (She's not having it.) They only become friends after Chapter 1. Has troubles with being the leader of the party. He's still a mage, Susie comments on how he's so good at magic already.

"Isn't it kinda weird your name is an anagram of Azzy's? I mean, I know your dad isn't the best at names…” "Human? There are no humans in Hometown."

Everyone has vague memories about Kris, but no one can remember them. They have a weird sense of déjà vu too. Darkners have a worse funny feeling, but they're more dismissive. (Something, something, they're just trying to serve their purpose.)

Risk (Kris) The Knight from the Dark

Risk knows the (fake) prophecy and guides the gang. They're very quiet, except when they howl, and they howl a lot. Still a prankster. They do not care much for the prophecy like how Ralsei does, but they are convinced it's their purpose. Motivations are very unclear, just like in canon.

*Ralsei tries to look for a manual.* Risk says they didn't write one while they pick their nose. "W-what!! No manual?!" *Risk says they're joking and gives him one.* "I worked very hard on that." Risk said with a straight face. (Phew! Wait...) "Kris... It's covered in slobber....." (Though their hood is obscuring their face, you can see the happiness in their eyes.)

Ralsei tries to talk to Risk about the swap, but they have no idea what he's talking about. He still calls them Kris, much to everyone's confusion. He also always encourages Risk to act... since they still don't have magic.

Wears a devil hood during Chapter 1, Ralsei insists that they're a human. Wrong. Risk is a dog. One tongue is always out for the funnies.

Strangely affectionate for Noelle. They don't know why, but they enjoy teasing her and seeing how she reacts. Noelle dislikes it, but she can't help but think they're cute.

"G-Get your weird dog off me!!" "Awww, but they like you!" "Uhm, they do?" ("Why does that feel good?")

I think I don't want any SOUL involvement in this universe, so this is purely Kris. Sadly, the only time they’re free is when they’re trapped in the dark.

Textpost I made cause I'm too lazy to draw. :) Expect more comics and drawings for my AU, I just really wanted to get my idea out to the world. Fun fact: This was originally named "DELTARUNE REWRITTEN" but that apparently already existed. (And I only found out after I made a logo.)