shippings-galore

[shippings-galore]

TsukiYama Soulmate AU

Okay, so I saw this post right here by @meliohy and it heavily inspired me to do this! So thank you very much for that haha. And this got way out of hand and is super long, and I’ve never written Tsukiyama before so I’m sorry if they’re a little OOC. Anyway, I’m pretty happy with it, so tell me what you think!

“Everyone is born with the first words their soulmate will tell them written on their skin. Some are simple, others funny, cute, or painful. No matter what, you can’t erase them. You can only wonder… who will say those words, and why?”

Yamaguchi is 5 years old when he first learns to read. He’s excited, elated even. He will finally be able to read the word printed on his neck. Yamaguchi still doesn’t quite realise what it is, or its importance. But he knows it’s a mark that everyone has and is unique to them, somehow? He doesn’t understand why, but he yearns to find out what it is, what it all means.

That’s how he ends up in the mirror, after having run up the stairs right after school, with his shirt off and his brow furrowed. He remembered to read the word backwards and everything, but he still can’t make sense of it.

“Pa… te… tic?” No, that’s not it. What sound do the t and h make again? Right! “Pa…the..tic!” Yes, yes yes!

Yamaguchi jumps around his room, fists punching the air. “Pathetic! Pathetic! Pathetic!” He screams in delight. He can pronounce it all in one go now, and he repeats it like a mantra. That’s his word. His. His feet jolt to the ground.

What does it even mean?

Yamaguchi’s sure it’s something special. Surely. It must be. He runs along to the kitchen, where his mother is slicing tomatoes at the counter for dinner.

“Mamaaa!” He calls. “What does… ‘pathetic’ mean”

The knife drops on the floor with a clang. Yamaguchi gives a step back, surprised. Did he pronounce it wrong? No, he’s almost completely sure it’s correct.

His mother turns around slowly.

“Yamaguchi-bo,” Her voice is calm and sweet, but Yamaguchi can feel the hair on the nape of his neck standing on end, “Where did you hear that.”

“It’s right here, mama.” He grins, proudly pointing at his neck. He pouts. “But I don’t know what it means.” His mother gives a sigh of relief. So no other children have learnt to read it yet. And they don’t know what it means, either. But if Yamaguchi has learnt to, it’s only a matter of time before…

“Sit down here, Yamaguchi.” She pats the little stool at the kitchen table. “I’ll tell you what it means.” He nods and bounds energetically to his seat. Finally, finally. He’ll know.

That day, Yamaguchi found out what soulmates were. He still doesn’t get it. But it’s like a best friend? For life? It sounds amazing, he can’t wait to find his. But when he’s covered by his bedsheets hours later, he realises his mother never answered his question. Whatever. He’ll ask what ‘Pathetic’ means tomorrow.

Yamaguchi is 10 years old and he definitely knows what ‘pathetic’ means. He’s learnt to cover the ink on his neck with a big plaster, at first with his mother’s help and then on his own. He knows what ‘pathetic’ means alright. It means he’s useless, lame, weak. Unworthy of a soulmate. It means his soulmate hates him, that the person he’s supposed to spend his life alongside wants nothing to do with him.

Yamaguchi cries to his parents, and they tell him it’s impossible. His soulmate loves him. He has to. But Yamaguchi still catches the uncertainty in their eyes.

It makes sense, doesn’t it? No one could ever love him.

He knows what being pathetic is. It’s being himself.

And one day, after school, he’s kicked down by a bunch of boys from his class. He’s used to it at this point. The name-calling, the shoves. He can already feel the bruise forming on his back, as he stares up at the boys that tower over him. But even though he’s used to it, it still hurts. He feels the burning behind his eyes, and the tears leaving wet rails down his check. His bullies don’t miss it either.

“You’re so weak.”

They laugh. They jeer. They taunt.

“You’re such a baby.”

They push. They kick. They don’t stop.

“Useless.”

“Lame.”

“Look! He’s crying.”

And it keeps on going and going, and he can’t block it out.

“Pathetic.”

Yamaguchi’s head jerks up. Who said that? He doesn’t know. Some of them he’s never met. He feels his blood freeze under his skin. Of course. Here is his soulmate. It’s what he deserves, isn’t it? A bully?

His face is a mess of tears and blood and sweat and dirt and he doesn’t even know which one of them it is. They’re all shouting, saying words he can’t hear. His body is scorched and frozen all at the same time. He just wants to scream, but he’s too weak. Too weak for any of this.

Silence.

None of the bullies is looking at him anymore. His eyes search around them.

A boy is walking past. He turns his head at them, his face expressionless. Yamaguchi feels a slice of hope. Will he help him? No, he looks way too cool. He’ll probably join in with the rest.

“What are you looking at?”

One of the boys snarl.

“Hey, isn’t he a sixth-grader?”

He sure looks like it, thinks Yamaguchi. If his bullies were towers, this one is a skyscraper. His legs are long and lanky, his pose is relaxed. He has tousled blonde hair and glasses. Yamaguchi didn’t know people with glasses could be cool.

He isn’t a sixth-grader?

They’re in the same year group?

Yamaguchi doesn’t know how he couldn’t have noticed him before. He is striking.

The boy lifts the corner of his lip into a smirk.

“Pathetic.”

And keeps walking. Yamaguchi doesn’t even register the word, he is left stupefied at his attitude. He laughs in the face of his bully. He doesn’t even care. He has so much confidence. He stood up to them. He called them…

Wait.

Yamaguchi doesn’t realise until his bullies are gone, and he sits alone in the mud. He can feel the dirt and sweat sticking to his skin, but he can’t make his body move. His legs are convulsing violently, he doesn’t dare try to stand.

Because… did he just meet his soulmate?

That day he goes home, and his parents see the change from just yesterday. He smiles at dinner, he hugs them goodnight. He grins at the dark ceiling. And finally, after so many years.

He lets himself hope.

He doesn’t run into him until a few days later. By chance. He doesn’t realise who’s behind him until the tallboy has walked past him already, into the gym. He sighs. Of course, his soulmate does volleyball.

“Thank you for the other day!”

Yamaguchi bows, but the other boy is confused.

“Have we met?” Yamaguchi almost clutches his heart, he’s sure he could hear it shatter. Shouldn’t those words be written on the blonde’s skin? Maybe, he just hasn’t realised? Or hasn’t read them?

Still, he keeps talking to the boy, full of admiration. Even if he isn’t his soulmate, he is still incredible. And cool, definitely cool. Somehow, though, he doesn’t have any other friends. Yamaguchi admits that the boy is a little cold, but he wishes he could be the same.

He learns his name is Tsukishima.

And next to him, he never gets picked on again.

Even if Tsukishima isn’t his soulmate, he’ll definitely be a good friend. And even if he isn’t his soulmate… Yamaguchi can’t help but hope he is.

 Yamaguchi is 13 years old when things aren’t like they used to be. He doesn’t care if Tsukki is his soulmate or not. (At least, that’s what he tells himself) But he is his best friend. Tsukki knows Yamaguchi’s soul mark is on his neck, covered, but he doesn’t know what it says. They never talk about his own.

Things aren’t like they used to be, because now Yamaguchi feels things. Before, he just felt happiness. To be next to Tsukki, to talk to him, to follow him, play with him. Anything with Tsukishima, he just felt happy.

However, now he has to fight himself. When Tsukishima says his name, he has to fight not to squirm. When he leans on him, he fights not to scream. And every rare time Tsukishima shares his music and offers a singular earphone, he has to fight his own body. He can feel his hands tingling, aching to grab his face. He fights his eyes, to keep them from staring at his best friend’s lips. And he fights his own lips, and the constant urge to lean in and crash his mouth against the other’s.

 “Yamaguchi!” His best friend calls, hand beckoning him, “Walk with me to school.”

“Yes, Tsukki.” He scurries forward, as flowers bloom in his ribcage, “What are you listening to?”

“Shut up Yamaguchi.”

“Sorry, Tsukki.”

Even if everything is different, at least that’s the same.

  Yamaguchi is 16 and he’s never been surer of anything in his life. He’s in love with his best friend. But they aren’t soulmates. Knowing Yamaguchi’s luck, it was probably one of the boys who bullied him as a child. Otherwise, Tsukishima would have recognised the words he said, so long ago.

He’s grown used to all these feelings. The strain on his lungs when they lock eyes, the prickling of the skin Tsukki grazes, the acceleration of his blood flow, on the rare occasion his friend smiles. Most of all, he’s used to the agony in his chest, when he remembers: Tsukishima isn’t his soulmate. And all the good moments disappear; those lethargic, comfy mornings after sleeping over, the pride in Tsukkis eyes after a match, the strawberry shortcake shared at lunch. None of it matters.

Because they aren’t soulmates.

And Yamaguchi gets stabbed in the chest, over and over and over. Maybe if he stopped hanging around Tsukishima all the time, stopped following his every command with alacrity, stopped giving in to the velleity of kissing his lips, stopped backing up every sarcastic joke. Maybe then, it would stop hurting so goddamn much.

Who was he kidding?

Soulmate or not, he couldn’t bear to be apart from him.

Sometimes, Yamaguchi let his mind wander. What if Tsukki realised they were soulmates? What if he confessed?

And sometimes, his mind went in the other direction. What if Tsukki knew Yamaguchi was his soulmate but didn’t want it to be him? What if he hated him?

Those were worse, and plagued his every dream at night.

But Yamaguchi had grown used to it. All of it. But nothing had changed since he was a child. Because even though he’s used to it, it doesn’t stop it from hurting. And it is so much worse than getting punched, or kicked or teased.  And it never stops.

One day, at volleyball practice, something happens, like a slice to the throat.

Hinata and Kageyama are soulmates.

“How did it take you so long to find out?” Yamaguchi asks, confused.

“Hinata’s a dumbass.”

”Hey! You didn’t realise either!” They start yelling at each other, and Yamaguchi looks over at Tsukki.

“Of course those two idiots are soulmates.” And it’s the way he rolls his eyes at the word ‘soulmates’ that twists the blade in his chest.

“I’ll be back,” Yamaguchi mutters, pushing Tsukishima on his way out the door, head bowed.

“What’s wrong with Yamaguchi-Kun?” Asks Yachi.

”Don’t know.” Tsukishima shrugs. But all through practice, he worries. Especially when his friend does not return.

Did he have a crush on Hinata or something? Is that why he left? He’d never seen Yamaguchi so upset. Not like that, at least. He just looked… empty.

Yamaguchi did in fact, feel empty. He felt cold, and light, way too light. Like he could float straight through the ceiling of his room and into the sky. He wanted to be sick, he felt like he was going to. But he had nothing in his system.

Did Tsukki even believe in soulmates? Did he even care? At all?

He grabbed a book from the shelf and threw it against the wall. The pages flew apart, and the spine collapsed.

Yamaguchi realised that felt good.

Well, it felt.. something.

SO he kept going. He didn’t limit himself to books, he threw his chair, his posters, his shoes. Anything that would suffer from it. He was so tired of holding all the damage.

He hurled a big, thick book at his bedroom door. The pages went everywhere, one landing on his feet. Shit. It was a photo album.

Yamaguchi’s arms trembled, as he bent down to turn the photo over. It was of him and Tsukishima, at the age of 11. It was before his growth spurt, so Yamaguchi’s head barely touched Tsukki’s chest. And they were both smiling, in brand new volleyball gear.

A teardrop fell on the picture.

Yamaguchi didn’t even know he was crying. His knees crumbled before him. He hit the ground. Hard. But he couldn’t get up. Couldn’t even stop crying. Didn’t even know why he was crying. He was just exhausted. From trying. From feeling. From everything. And he was weak. He knew he was. He always had been.

But he hadn’t felt it until now, now that his sobs had become screams. He could feel the tension in every muscle, and he let go of everything, like a broken tap. He kept screaming and crying and wailing and he forgot to keep it to himself.

“Yamaguchi?”

Tsukishima was in the doorway. He wanted to strangle him and kiss him all at once.

“How did you get in?” Yamaguchi heard his voice creak. It was hoarse, from his previous catharsis.

“You gave me a key, Yamaguchi.”

He didn’t get up from the floor, just stared down at the photograph. Willing himself, to go back in time. To stop himself from ever meeting Tsukki. From ever feeling this heartbreak.

“This is going to take a long time to clean up.”

“Shut up, Tsukki!” He gasped at himself. Oh no. He didn’t mean to shout and oh god, he was just caught up and emotional and-

“Sorry, Yamaguchi.” His voice was caught in his throat.

Said life-ruiner knelt down next to Yamaguchi.

“Mind telling me what happened?” Yamaguchi stared up at his friend. His golden eyes had never been so soft. So… caring. He restrained himself from collapsing into his chest.

“I just…”He whispered, unsure. “Tsukki… do you believe in soulmates?“

Tsukishima almost toppled over from his crouch. His best friend was surprised by the question but instantly recomposed himself.

“Yes, I do.”He looked at the ground. “Is that what this is about?”

“Yes.”

They both sat down next to each other, crumpling papers and cracking splinters scattered on the bedroom floor.

“Tsukki, why do you…” Yamaguchi took a deep breath, “Why do you never talk about your soul mark?”

“Why don’t you talk about yours?” He retorted.

Yamaguchi felt his cheeks come aflame.

“Fine. We’re best friends. I guess I could talk about it.” Yamaguchi stared at his friend, mouth agape. Was he really…?

“I like the idea of soulmates. I really do, actually. But… I just don’t want to fall in love with someone because of some words on my skin. Or even, be forced to fall in love with someone when I could just as easily fall for someone else. Someone who maybe isn’t designed to be with me, but maybe I like them more or know them longer or, whatever. I don’t like being told who I’ve been paired up with. I don’t want to be told what to do.”

Yamaguchi nodded silently. Definitely sounded like Tsukishima.

“So… when I was a kid and I learnt about soulmates I… I bandaged the words off. And… I never looked at them again. I kept the bandage on as long as possible, and I close my eyes in the shower. I started when I was really young, so I don’t remember what it says.”

Yamaguchi’s eyes widened.

“I want to fall in love with someone because I love them. Not because some ink says I should. And then…” Tsukishima paused, his fingers picking at each other like baby crows. “When I was older, I really, really wanted to look. I was desperate and curious as hell. But I didn’t. Because, well… I just really wanted it to be you.”

Yamaguchi felt his heart stop. He was no longer breathing. Time no longer existed inside his body, every cell was stuck in place. Tsukishima continued, without a glance at his deadlike best friend.

“And I knew it couldn’t possibly be you because you would have said something. But, as long as I didn’t look, I could let myself hope you know? Schrödinger’s cat and all that. I just couldn’t imagine being soulmate to anyone but you and I just wanted it to be, more than anything else.”

Tsukishima let out a fake laugh.

“Pretty pathetic, huh?”

“Tsukki.” His voice cracked, and his friend finally turned to look at him. His freckles were decorated with the paths his tears had travelled and his purple lips were trembling. He had to say something. Anything. To let Tsukki know that it was okay. But he couldn’t. All he could do was stare and stare. His throat was dry and rough, like sandpaper.

Pain shot round his neck, as he ripped the plaster off. He had no words in his mouth, but he did on his body. Tsukki’s eyes widened and his lips parted as he read the word.

Wordless, he lifted up his shirt, where a big white bandage covered the top of his left ribcage.

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima shared one last unsure look before he tore it off his body with a hiss.

Yamaguchi looked at him. The skin there was paler than his already pallid body, and it heaved rapidly along with his breaths. But most striking of all, were the words written across his heart.

 “Thank you for the other day”

[shippings-galore]

The Sports Anime Staple: Male, athletic, black hair, blue eyes, potentially gay.

#blue eyes dark hair with bangs is gay #haruka nanase #kageyama tobio #fujiwara takeru #prince of stride #free! #haikyuu!! #my boys <3

[shippings-galore]

when animes do the eye reflect thing reblog if you agree

[shippings-galore]

An Ongoing Daily List of Good Shit Because I'm Tired of All The Corona Talk:

Australia is no longer on fire

U-Haul is offering free 30 day storage for displaced college students and discounted rates on moving services

The second person in the world was just cured of HIV!

There's going to be a new Dr. Seuss book this fall, published from a manuscript he wrote that was discovered 21 years after his death

Student loan payments are being halted with no interest until the pandemic clears

A zoo in Indiana recently announced the birth of two Chacoan Peccaries, an animal that is currently endangered (and also adorable)

On that train, two cheetah cubs were recently born in an Ohio zoo via vitro fertilization, which could seriously boost efforts to help endangered species survive

One more about animals - a komodo dragon in a Tennessee zoo just gave birth without male involvement! Which isn't something new, but it is rare and cool.

The state of Virginia has banned conversion therapy for minors recently, and is the first Southern state to do so

Scotland has created the worlds first Carbon Positive Gin made from peas instead of wheat, which reduces the carbon footprint created by normal gin making. Without wheat....it might also be a gluten free alternative (not certain on that one, you'd have to reach out to the creators). You can buy it here

The worlds first 3D printed houses were just created in Mexico, with the hopes to combat homelessness. They are designed to withstand seismic activity and come with two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, and bathroom.

Disneyland is donating all acceptable food to food banks in Orange County during their closure

The Olympic Games are hoping to become "climate positive" by the year 2030, and by next year they plan to start planting an "Olympic Forest" in Africa in an effort to combat desertification

Hopefully I can add more day to day, but even the small stuff makes you smile sometimes. Yesterday at my coffee shop, a woman tipped me five dollars because, and I quote, "Just because there's a virus doesn't mean I can't tip you for my coffee."

The small shit matters as much as the big shit. Good luck, try to look at the good and also try and DO some good, and wash your hands.

[shippings-galore]

someone help them

Aakashi:I don’t get paid enough for this.

Kenma:Neither do I.

Hinata:What do you guys mean?

Aakashi and Kenma:*vaguely gestures to Bokuto and Kuroo hooting and meowing at the same time to see what an owl and cat fused together would sound like*

#kuroken #bokuaka #kuroo tetsurō #bokuto kotaro #akaashi keiji #kozume kenma #hinata shoyuo #save akaashi and kenma 2k20

[shippings-galore]

PLEASE PLEASE WATCH THIS - IT IS BEAUTIFUL 

A montage of all the Haikyuu serves but every action is connected and it’s so fluidly and beautifully made.

I love love love love this video so much.

Whoever created this is an artist. 

#haikyuu!! #crying brb

[shippings-galore]

current mood

half listening to class, half reading fanfiction 

[shippings-galore]

Domestic Headcanons

With my Haikyuu ships 

Oddly specific, yes. Im lonely. So I live vicariously through my Haikyuu ships. Plus Im floored by the feedback on my other AUs so Iv’e decided to do another one. They’re sooo fun to do Hope you enjoy 😊Dw, i ship more HQ ships than this. 

Daisuga

- classic romcom

-like one of them would come up and grab the others hand while walking

- arms around waists and cute kisses on the cheek hello and goodbye

-lots of second hand embarrassment form teammates and friends

- “it’s cute and all but it’s like watching your parents”

- Suga making coffee in the morning because he wakes up first. Daichi can sleep like the dead.

- Suga tying Daichi’s tie not because Daichi can’t do it himself but he really likes it when suga does it.

-Daichi coming the Suga’s class to drop off forgotten lunches and the kids being like “police man-san”

- “what are you going to do arrest me/put me on time out?” ;)

Bokuaka

- I will Stan clingy Akaashi, messy Akaashi, and cranky in the morning Akaashi 

- “Bokuto-saaaaan. It’s cold. Cuddles”

- never in public

- the team knows and finds it disgustingly adorable

-in public Bokuto is usually draped over Akaashi in one way or another and Akaashi’s just like going about his day.

- Casual kisses like it’s the most natural thing in the world

- Like Akasshi is working on some big project and Boktuo just sweeps by and pecks Akaashi’s hair as passes

- “We finish each other’s”

- “sentences, you were going to say sentences, right Keji?”

- “I was only quoting the movie Bokuto-san”

- “Ahghaaasheee”

Iwaoi

- not much for physical affection in public aside form Oikawa routinely draping an arm around Iwaizumi or hugs from behind

- at home couch cuddles are real and very appreciated

- wrapped in giant blankets

-Oikawa is the little spoon but there are days where “Iwa-Chan is small so he should be the little spoon”

- cue fake arguments, pillow fights and Iwaizumi eventually caving.

- “Iwa-chan you have to give me a kiss before work. it’s what they do in those American dramas  and it’s cute.” 

- “that stupid shittykawa,” does it anyways because he secretly thinks its cute too.

Kuroken

- I’m very for Kenma grabbing Kuroo’s pinky or like his sleeve or jacket whenever they go out

- Kemna being canonically small enough to tuck himself perfectly under Kuroo’s chin

- a lot of lap sitting and chair sharing like so much that Kuroo unconsciously makes room for Kenma to sit on his lap or between his legs.

- Kenma likes using Kuroo as a backrest as he plays video games on the couch 

-Kuroo using Kenma’s lap as a pillow and turning to absolute putty when Kenma plays with his hair.

- if forehead kisses aren’t a thing what is?

-  during streams Kuroo sometimes feeds Kenma when his hands are occupied and Kenma just feeding Kuroo chips and things when they’re watching movies on the couch or Kuroo is studying.

- “Come to bed kitten”

- in the most deadpan “sleep is for the weak” but goes eventually 

[shippings-galore]

no one:

me talking abt haikyuu:

[shippings-galore]

Kagehina 🏐 1.10 vs 2.23 💕 💕 💕

[shippings-galore]

I CANT BREATHE

IM YELLING

#finnpoe #stormpilot #star wars #resistance reborn #im putting on my clown makeup

[shippings-galore]

[shippings-galore]

what if there’s a new religion around iron man. like tony literally died saving the entire universe. he’s more canon than jesus. humans have done it before with shakier evidence!

#tony stark #starklegion #tony is more canon then jesus #in starklegion everyone needs some sort of stark tech #if you dont have one or dont have the funds for it you will be provided with one #in starklegion you must be respectful to all #unless theyre bad people #starklegion supports the lgbtq+ community #starklegion supports planned parenthood #for starklegion it is required to have your own ironfamily #you all gather every other thursday and watch the ironman trilogy

[shippings-galore]

Full and finished short-story of the black cat. Please have a heart for black pets in general, animals do not deserve this kind of hostility. Please give credit when reposting, Thank you :)

[shippings-galore]

Full and finished short-story of the black cat. Please have a heart for black pets in general, animals do not deserve this kind of hostility. Please give credit when reposting, Thank you :)

[shippings-galore]

mcu ironhusbands propaganda time

1. rhodey and tony have cute nicknames for each other including, but not limited to honeybear, sourpatch, platypus, starkster, and tony stank

1a. can’t believe i forgot this but drunk!rhodey was practically all over tony on that plane. the accompanying comics showed them going off to have a foursome with two women they met at a party so.

2. rhodey put his highly successful military career on hold for three months to search for tony when he went missing, so much so, his commanding officer told him people would kill to have a career like his

2a. tony literally melting into rhodey’s arms and “next time, you ride with me, okay?” this is so fucking symbolic because this is rhodey’s way of expressing guilt that he wasn’t there to protect his tony (that bothered him more than the fact he could’ve potentially been killed if he rode the same humvee as tony)

3. though he didn’t initially take him up on it, tony wanted rhodey involved in building the mark 2 from the start

4. tony’s biometrically coded suit did not shock rhodey or give him a heart attack when he put it on to try and stop tony’s recklessness

4a. tony literally took out his heart and handed it to rhodey, so that rhodey could fix it and return it back to him. that symbolism was fucking epic

5. after whiplash was defeated, tony meticulously stripped every last bit of hammer tech from the mark 2 and built a brand new war machine armour for rhodey

6. when tony is presumed dead again, rhodey never gives up hope. after tony calls him, they don’t waste time with boring shit like “are you ok?” no, they literally started a conversation with:

“you ever have a chick straddling you and you look up and she’s glowing from the inside out, kind of a bright orange?”

“yeah, ive had that. who is this?”

“it’s me, pal.”

there is honestly so much to unpack in this dialogue lol

7. tony distracting killian’s guards, despite having an armour, just so that rhodey could barrel roll in to shoot them like the god damn hero that he is

8. that entire sequence where they worked together to save pepper, save the president, and kill killian *chef’s kiss*

9. “we get through this, i’ll hold your own.” when will ur faves openly flirt like this?

10. tony putting aside his own issues (finding out his parents were murdered) to make rhodey his leg braces and rhodey reminding tony that the horrific accident didn’t change his mind because the fight needed to be fought.

10a. the fight literally left tony as soon as vision’s shot hit rhodey.

11. them finding a soft moment during that tony stank scene

12. rhodey trying to get tony to calm the fuck down when he was losing it at the avengers and then being the one to take off his glasses. the way he touched tony’s arm akaksjsjss

13. rhodey being the first one to reach tony and that sad, broken smile they shared because they knew their time together was about to end. they didn’t need words, their eyes spoke volumes

14. rhodey’s never distrusted tony. even when he had to fight his own colleagues at the air force and take on the fucking pentagon, he never lost his temper at tony until he became a public nuisance during that party scene. even then rhodey apologised the way best friends do — he didn’t grovel but there was sincerity behind his words, and tony’s as well

anyway stan ironhusbands for clear skin and a happy life.

#tonyrhodey #rhodeytony #ironhusbands

[shippings-galore]

Thorin’s Weakness

Fluff

It was a well-kept secret that Thorin Oakenshield liked cute things.

Only the closest members of his company knew of his embarrassing soft spot; they were sure to kill rabbits only as a last resort, and distracted the rest of the company when they caught Thorin admiring a nest of birds nearby with unadulterated adoration. The stop at Beorn’s home was nearly disastrous. Thankfully, Thorin was mostly distracted by Beorn himself and the wargs biting at their heels, but there was many a fluffy creature that Balin caught him petting and murmuring soft words to beneath his breath.

The worst thing was that the company could never expect what Thorin found cute.

For one, he found Man babes cute–which were quite possibly the ugliest little things in Middle Earth to dwarrows. The babes had nearly no hair to speak of, not even the wisp of a beard, and they were all too soft and delicate. One tight hug and the poor things could break. Nevertheless, Bofur had once found Thorin cooing over the Man babe of a mother he’d smithed for, much to the mother’s surprised delight and the dwarrows’ embarrassment.

The dwarrows tried to keep it under lock and key, mind. So far they had been successful; Thorin Oakenshield, Son of Thror, Son of Thrain, could show no weakness.

And then came the Hobbit.

Upon dwarrow standards, Hobbits were pitiful creatures, and not particularly delightful to look at. They were short and plump and lacked muscle and hair. Bilbo Baggins was all of these, smooth as a Man babe except for the curly hair upon his head and feet.

“Why doesn’t he grow a beard?” Kili asked the other dwarrows one night as they gathered around the campfire after dinner. Thorin sat alone on a boulder, set aside and unable to hear them. Bilbo sat beside him, though it seemed the two spoke little.

“Maybe he can’t,” Fili said.

Kili’s lips twisted in pity. Dwalin smacked him on the back of the head.

“Maybe you two should keep your business to yourselves, and leave the burglar to his,” he huffed.

Rubbing the back of his head with a pout, Kili dropped the subject, and no one else brought up hairless Hobbits again.

The keeping of their little secret was running smoothly until they were leaving Beorn’s forest. Their stay had allowed them all much needed rest, and it was bright when they stepped outside, their bellies full and their wounds mostly healed. Thorin still favored his left side, where the worst of the warg’s bites had embedded themselves into his flesh, but he held himself with pride.

The group marched along, Gandalf and Thorin at its head with the rest of the company trailing just behind. Sun warmed their backs as the trees thinned around them. Here, greenery bloomed in every nook and cranny, trees and bushes bursting with lush green leaves and flowers. What the dwarrows didn’t know–and quickly found out–was a Hobbit’s love of these things.

“Oh! Look–oh, wait, just a moment, please–”

Everyone turned, and Gandalf and Thorin’s footsteps halted. The king turned just in time to see Bilbo scurrying off through a break in the trees. Beyond was a field, empty except for grass and bunches of flowers, pink and red and blue. Bees and butterflies flurried as Bilbo brushed through, snatching up flowers as he went.

“What is the burglar doing?” Thorin demanded.

Everyone else shrugged.

In the field, the Hobbit scurried too and fro, disappearing and reappearing among the bushes. Finally Thorin’s patience waned and he marched forth.

“Burglar! We need to keep moving.”

Bilbo popped up from the rose bush he’d been crouched beside, and Thorin’s heart lurched. Grass and petals clung to Bilbo’s golden curls as he hurried forward. Flowers burst from his arms in an array of colors, and his cheeks were pink as he beamed.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen flowers like these,” Bilbo gushed, his hazel eyes alight with excitement. He looked like he’d been grown from the earth itself, bright and rosy. “Not since the Shire, at any rate. I know I can’t replant them, but they can at least brighten the mood, can’t they? And some of these are rather good for seasoning if you know how to use them right…”

The company exchanged nervous looks as Bilbo rambled. Thorin remained silent, and Gandalf chuckled beneath his breath.

Finally, Balin stepped forward, inching until he could see his king’s face.

Thorin stared at Bilbo, enraptured. The Hobbit hadn’t seemed to notice as he sifted through his picked flowers, buzzing happily. Balin cleared his throat.

“Thorin…?” he called. 

Bilbo halted. He glanced between them and leaned back a little at the gaze Thorin had fixed on him. It was… adoring, almost. Heat flushed across Bilbo’s cheeks.

“Balin,” Thorin spoke.

“Yes, my king?”

“I’m keeping him.”

A distraught sigh rose from the company beneath the Hobbit’s protests. Balin rubbed his temples. Trying to keep Thorin from fawning over Bilbo even once they reached Erabor was more work than any of them had signed up for.

Bilbo wasn’t none too happy, either, though he was unaware why the others were upset.

“I’m not some–some stray dog, thank you very much! And–”

His protest died on his lips when Thorin reached forward and plucked a rose from his arms. Bilbo’s lips parted as Thorin delicately slid it behind the Hobbit’s pointed ear. It rested against his temple, bright against his curls. The company turned away in embarrassment, Kili and Fili snickering.

“Wha–” Bilbo began.

“Come, cute Hobbit,” Thorin said, withdrawing. Bilbo found that he missed the warmth of his fingers against his face. “We must move.”

“Right… right…”

Thorin returned to the company and Balin cast Bilbo an apologetic smile before joining him. Still chuckling, Gandalf lead them on, leaving Bilbo rooted in place as the words settled into his mind.

“Wait… what did he just call me?”

#thorin #thorin oakenshield #bilbo #bilbo bagginshield #bagginshield #hobbit