#kids are a necessity to stay on top

[negrowhat]

These hoes don't care about their kids do they? Just want to be the HBIC... to a dude that got them both pregnant at the same time. Wild.

#kids are a necessity to stay on top #a chess piece #i bet that other lady is glad she's sterile #ep 1 #khun chai lb

[pansear-doodles]

The Gourmand's New Apprentices

originally meaning to post this on father's day but ah well

Extras and transcript below cut!

Remember Jelly and Bean? My first ever slugpups?

They're now part of the Anthro AU :)

Jelly and Bean (The Gelatinist and The Beanbag) are two of Gourm's top students in their occasional teaching sessions of the pups in the Outer Expanse, learning basic survival skills and the world around them.

They are eager to learn and create new things to contribute to this new age of slugcat civilization and always drone around their teacher for advice and new studies. Gourmand certainly doesn't mind them, and is happy to know that their teachings entice these impressionate pups.

They appoint them as their little assistants and expedition rookies, staying closely by their side. The pups do not have parents and are being fostered by the orphanage, but they look up to Gourmand as a parental figure of sorts.

Jelly is extremely bouncy and secretes sweet-smelling slime on their skin when prompted.

Bean has large amounts of fur that makes them as soft as a pillow.

Like the third sibling, they're a mix of oc and canon. Gourmand's end screen has pups of similar color and I would like to indicate that this is them.

Transcript:

Gourmand: See you next cycle kids! Remember to stay close to each other on your way home!

Gourmand: Jelly. Bean? Class is over. You can leave now. … Unless you have questions?

Jelly: We can't help but feel that there's an inaccuracy in our mini model of an iterator superstructure.

Bean: I think it's because we made it have four legs instead of six.

Gourmand: Oh but it looks impressive nonetheless! You even nailed down their communication arrays!

Gourmand: Moreover, iterator superstructures can have various degrees of appearance based on the surrounding environment and secondary function, though most of their blueprints' essential elements are commonly shared, as they are a necessity for the iterator's maintenance and their common usage of iterating-

Gourmand: … Oh I forgot. I should put my words down in a simpler manner for you kids to understand since you're learning. Sorry!

Jelly: No! We do understand you!

Bean: Perfectly! Thank you teacher.

Gourmand: Hmm! Where did you learn to understand such advanced wordings?

Jelly: We like to go to the library!

Bean: Yup! All the stuff you talk about is interesting! Didn't know there's a bigger world outside of here.

Jelly: I wanna look at Five Pebbles' can up close in real life!

Bean: I wanna visit the fabled underground lake of the albino leviathan!

Jelly: But… The other grown ups wouldn't let us go out alone because we need a mumdaddy to protect us.

Bean: That's what we're told. I think.

Gourmand: I can accompany you if you want, as your mentor guardian! I can even teach you the more advanced things on our studies. Your inputs throughout the class are excellent and you seem to have bright potential. I'd like to expand your minds a bit. Free up a bit of those limitations. And maybe you can be my apprentices? There's so many projects I want to do but some little helpers who I can teach the ropes to would be great!

Jelly: Do you really mean it?

Bean: Yes! Yes!

Both pups: Thank you teacher!

Gourmand: We can start right now! Instead of going to your shelter, let's go to mine. I have a lab in there and cookies I saved up in the fridge.

Bean: Yummy!

#rain world #rainworld #slugcat #fanart #rainworld downpour #rain world downpour #dp spoilers #downpour spoilers #gourmand #my anthro au #comic #oc #my art

[sovksluv]

LOVE IN CHAOS - chapter 1 all by yourself, sitting alone

☠︎︎ . pairing - Clarisse La Rue x fem!Nemesis!oc! Alora Blanie

☠︎︎ . summary - twelve years had been wasted -- and Alora knew that her opportunity window of freedom was closing quickly, so she mustered up all her courage, and finally escaped.

☠︎︎ . includes - sobbing/intense crying, nightmares, trouble breathing/unknown asthma attack, running away from home, oc is specified as a mixed black and hispanic girl with a name !!

☠︎︎ . word count - 3147

☠︎︎ . series taglist - @curlymeme

☠︎︎ . pjo taglist - @perseus-jackass @niktwazny303 @st4rzl7

☠︎︎ . now playing - Not Allowed by Tv Girl

☠︎︎ . a/n - thank you to @curlymeme for the oc creation ! she gets just as much credit for this as me 💋 ALSO, SO EXCITED FOR THIS BTW, I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE IT !!!!!

☠︎︎ . series masterlist

on the outside, her house was bright, standing tall, polished clean with rushed ferocity. perfectly placed bundles of flowers littering the yard, redolent with a fragrance typically only found in expensive perfumes. sat by the front door was a generic mat which mockingly read the word ‘Welcome!’ on it, with decorative cursive letters and a big red heart as the dot of the exclamation mark. the inside was supposed to match the outside. identically polished walls and fake plants that mirrored what passersby could notice from a mile away. 

that, however, was not true. things didn't always look the same on the inside as they did on the outside. the almost-too-perfectly held-up front served one purpose and served it well. to deceive. it’s not wrong to assume that a home so perfect was inhabited by a family just as perfect as its residence. so, people find it hard to believe her when the pristine little “rich” girl has something else to say about it. 

she didn’t want to speak against the judgment, having the basic knowledge that living in a comfortable house with two working parents was supposedly considered lucky. it would seem ungrateful to complain. how could she complain when she knew others weren’t as fortunate as her? kids even younger than her constantly wondered when and where their next meal would be, but not her.

her house sat tall, all the way at the top of the hill, towering over the rest of the neighborhood. there was an eerie stillness that was always washed upon the house. it was inescapable, a labyrinth of ear-ringing silence, with the not-so-occasional muffled arguments from behind her parent’s bedroom door. she didn't want to live her life surrounded by the quiet, but the yelling from the two people who were supposed to love each other were sounds she wanted to dispute.

Alora sat idly in her room, not making any noise so she could hear her arguing parents who had moved from their room, travelling through the hallway and quieting as they moved down the stairs. she never understood why they continued to stay together, especially since they argued more than they spoke. most of the time they argued about her. about how she continuously acted out, with no “real” reasons for her rebellions. her stepmother wanted to send her away to some boarding school, attempting to convince Alora’s father that it would fix her.

to be honest, the constant complaining from her stepmother had begun to grow on her father, he was considering sending Alora away to whatever school was the cheapest and the furthest. that’s why Alora had shot up the second she heard their footsteps echo downstairs. she hastily packed one small backpack full of her necessities. it was only a few hours before dark and she had to wait until her parents were far enough that they wouldn’t hear her quick movements. 

Alora knew that eventually her father would give into her stepmother’s endless whining and send her away so she had to take matters into her own hands. she was going to run away tonight. no ideas or plans, just anywhere from her evil stepmother and that unknown school she wanted to send her to. Alora would rather be anywhere than there. she wanted to leave on her terms, not because she was sent away. 

she packed lightly, having no clue where she was going or how long she’d be out. she took a few hair things, basic toiletries, and two outfits, deciding to have a three-switch-outfit routine. her bag also held the money she’d saved over the years, a Polaroid camera, a notebook with pens, and snacks and water that she snuck from the kitchen hours prior when her parents were too busy arguing to hear her. on the outside, it seemed like she was ready, but deep down, she was terrified. she had no idea what she was going to do, or how she was going to do it, but she knew there was nothing else she could’ve done. tonight was her only chance to escape.

uncomfortable silence rang through the house, and Alora paid no mind to it, then paused. it was too quiet. she didn’t hear any yelling, stomping, or door slamming. pausing her packing, she tiptoed to her door, putting her ear up to it, attempting to hear anything at all. it was still quiet for a few moments before she heard angry footsteps up the stairs. panic exploded through her entire body as she rushed to her bag, flinging it under her bed and straightening herself just as her bedroom door fell open. 

it was her father, who had collected himself almost as soon as her door was opened. he calmly walked into her room and closed the door behind him, he sat on the end of her neatly made bed, signaling her next to him. Alora didn’t listen, crossing her arms with a knowing look on her face. “don’t let her send me away, Dad. i’m your daughter!” her father sighed, fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose. she knew her words wouldn’t change anything. he already made up his mind. he’d always pick his beloved wife over his only daughter, the daughter who didn’t need to be sent away, but rather needed help.

“Lora-” 

Alora scoffed, “no, Dad! you always listen to her, and never listen to me! she hates me! all she wants to do is get rid of me, and she can only do that if she convinces you to do it too.” her father stood up angrily from his spot on her bed, taking a stomped-step towards her, prompting her to take an equal step back. you could see her stepmother standing behind him, leaning on your doorframe with a cocky smirk on her face. she was finally going to get what she wanted. “don’t talk about your mother like that, Alora!” he yelled at her, pointing his finger up at her face.

“she’s. not. my. mother.”

her father’s face went red with anger as he stomped out of her bedroom, her stepmother having already left, assuming Alora’s defeat. the door slammed behind him, leaving the walls around it shaking. fury bubbled deep in her stomach, leaving a dark pit inside both her heart and her soul. she was angry and her face showed it, but her actions didn’t. assuming she’d be on her way to the boarding school by morning, Alora moved quickly, perfecting every single plan she had for escaping.

sat uncomfortably on her bed, door locked, window open, and leg shaking, Alora waited. she’d be leaving any time now, just waiting for when she knew both her parents would be sleeping, unaware of the plans she was about to pursue. nerves had crept up into her stomach, having no idea what she was getting herself into. it was too late to change her mind since it was either that God forsaken boarding school or life on her own. 

she tried to convince herself that her dad could change. maybe if she begged hard enough he’d give in. maybe she’d have him remembering that that was his daughter he was throwing out, his only daughter, the daughter he was supposed to protect, through and through. nothing could change his mind. he hadn’t bothered to pay attention to her, her effervescent personality withering away over the years as she grew older. she assumed his deep but hushed hatred for her came from the abandonment of her real mother. her birth mother.

the whole reason for Alora running away was because of her father's relentlessness, his refusal to change his mind. though he was silent, he never failed to show in his face and actions the gaping hole of resentment he felt. even if he disliked her mother, he still told Alora about her. she was no stranger to the fact that her mother was a Goddess. the Goddess of justice and revenge; Nemesis. so she was aware of her lineage, which led her to believe that’s where some of her father's disapproval of her came from.

time was nearing midnight. Alora knew she should’ve felt tired, on the brink of sleep, but she was far from it. anticipation of her next moves kept her wide awake and alert. the silence of her house and her unknowing parents let her know it was time to go. she wondered if they’d go looking for her when they found she was gone. probably not, since they were going to send her away anyway. her father would probably want to look, or at least file a missing person’s report, but with her stepmother here, Alora was sure she’d find some way to convince her father otherwise.

it was a few minutes after the stroke of midnight, and Alora was hastily tying up her shoes and slipping on her warmest sweatshirt. it wasn’t winter yet, but the autumn nights tended to be cold either way, which sucked since that’s when she planned on leaving. with her bag slung over both shoulders and her bedroom lights shut off, she climbed out of her window and onto the roof

kept right in front of it, shutting the window behind her. one of her father’s ladders was previously set up right under her window, which she used to get down from the roof. she felt the chilly autumn wind run through her hair, sending chills and nerves down her spine. her hands felt sweaty and clammy as she climbed down, despite the almost-freezing air surrounding her. as soon as her Converse-clad feet touched the ground, Alora was gone, immediately running into the dark, creepy woods that sat behind her house, not once looking back. failing to notice the flick of a bedroom light going on, right where her parents slept.

it was so cold out, and Alora had no idea how long she had been running. she never stopped running. literally. not stopping to walk or jog, just constant running, without any breaks, wanting to get as far from her home as possible, filled to the brim with the fear of getting caught. one thing she knew, though, was that she was out of her home state of New Jersey and past the state line into New York. it wasn’t far, considering she lived right on the edge of New Jersey, but at least it ensured she wouldn’t be found easily. her parents would probably assume she was somewhere in their local town.

light hadn’t begun to shine yet, but she assumed it would soon, so she slowed down, deeming it safe enough to finally take a break. she was panting, desperate to catch her breath. there was a sign she noticed a few miles back, listing the upcoming gas stations and motels, which she planned on finding and staying in. money wasn’t a problem for her, as she had spent the last six years of her life saving all her birthday, Christmas, couch, and even street money. 

up ahead were the bright shining lights of a somewhat nicely-looking motel. staying there all alone made her nervous, but she had to. she had to get away from the prison that was called her home. she entered the motel check-in building with caution, purchasing a room for one night. as soon as she was in her temporary room, the door locked and lights off, with her head comfortably laying on the pillow, the way she quickly fell into a deep sleep was like she blacked out the second she was in bed.

the bright, screeching laughs of a young girl echoed around, bouncing off the dark walls of her mind. flashes of light blinked around her as she stood, slumped in the middle of a strange room. the little girl’s giggles danced delicately with those of another girl as they skipped around her, hand in hand. it was foggy and blurry around the gloomy teenager. the warm haze of the area around her was unfamiliar, it stirred the war deep within your consciousness. 

things seemed off, however, but whatever it was, was so subtle that she had trouble figuring out what it was, figuring out what was right from wrong. her laughs reflecting over the rounded walls of her mind were ethereal, spewing with remnants of the sun’s humid summer heat. Apollo was being generous – the girl thought, casting the warmth of the bright star across the backs of the three girls, despite the shadows lurking deep in the corners of the endless room. the blinding should’ve been enough for her to turn away, shield her untouched eyes from the hurtful rays.

in her isolated state, she felt nothing, hardly able to feel even herself. but, jealousy, surprisingly a common emotion within the girl, bubbled in the deep depths of her soul, and she had her mother to blame for it. i’m sorry! – she called, to no one in particular, no one who cared to listen, not as if there was anyone there anyway. she pleaded to be heard, begging for forgiveness, but it wasn’t truly her. well, it was her. but it wasn’t?

it was the little girl. an almost identical, but younger, shorter copy of the towering girl before her. and suddenly, she was aware – heavily aware, even if it was dangerous. is this a dream? – she asked, it was impossible to tell if her lips had moved, allowing the words to leave her mouth. or if it was a thought that had somehow managed to leave the confines of her mind that was in her mind. It was like a labyrinth. it scared her. no – there was no way this could be a dream, instead, a nightmare. one that she felt she was trapped in, with no doors, no windows, and no way out. 

was it possible to feel trapped in your mind? be trapped in your mind? i mean, that’s what she assumed, that it was her mind she was stuck in, feet firmly stuck to the bottomless pit-like ground. maybe her subconscious had led her into the dreams and nightmares of someone else, probably someone she knew, right? maybe it was the other little girl? that little girl who had been skipping around with – what she assumed – was a younger version of herself. 

the young girls flashed by quickly, almost like a glitch on a computer screen. having already seen her close enough, she was able to both memorize and recognize the smaller version of herself, but she was also able to get a glimpse at her nightmare version’s companion. with her fingers tightly grasping onto her friend’s, the small girl skipped around, beaming with smiles and laughter, living a carefree life. despite her young age, tight, defined curls framed her tan face, cascading down her back, and bouncing with each step of her feet on the hazy unlit ground.

she wondered who the girl was, and how she knew the miniature girl meant to represent herself. in her dream state, nothing, none of anything she’s witnessing, – herself, the other girl, the running around, the laughing. – none of it was familiar. not one noise, color, or movement sparked any form of recognition in her intellect. how could a past version of herself have such a vivid, gut-wrenching sense of familiarity, yet feel so unimaginably unfamiliar deep, deep inside her?

the confusion bouncing between the walls of her mind like a ping pong ball, making her head twist and turn with every new direction, always stranger than the one before it. it felt like long, excruciating hours had gone by, where she was just stuck in the middle of the pitch-black darkness, physically – and mentally – unable to pick up her feet and move, even just the smallest inch. She felt held back, physically tied down to the room surrounding her, hands bound, feet changed, ensuring she had no way of escaping. 

all she could do was watch the two young girls as their laughter faded to sobs, their skipping in joy to running away in fear. how quickly Apollo’s rays of sun turned into Selene’s ethereal glow of the moon. a full moon. she had pulled away from her nightmare confinement, slipping back into the real world with the echo of her past self’s ear-piercing scream, rupturing and spilling deep down to the crack already formed in her soul. oh, and the loose thump of a small child’s body dropping on the ground.

Alora flung herself up, blankets pooled around her feet, which then touched the cold floor as her body stood up, wobbling, warm tears sobbing down her face. her side of her cheap motel bed almost completely drenched in sweat, her body shivering in sync with her sobs. she searched desperately for any ounce of oxygen, though it seemed every atom had been sucked away, her lungs deflated, struggling to bounce back. 

it felt like she was dying. her heart refused to slow, even going as far as to pump more blood, increasing the deafening pounding that she heard in her head, her ears, and all around her. weak, shaky legs giving out, her body made a thud on the ground, leaving her a heaving mess on the hardwood floor. mouth wide open, head going numb from the lack of air altogether. her throat burned dry, tears cascading down her cheeks, her clammy hands clawing at her throat as if claws would appear and slice them open, any way to let air in.

she had no idea what was happening to her, or why it was happening. maybe it was connected to her dream? she didn’t know, only wanting to gain back control of her own body. scrambling to collect herself, the shadow looming outside of her room window went unnoticed as it flowed away, eyes casting a strong gaze upon the poor girl. when her body allowed the stuffy air in, she began to calm down, legs curling up to her chest, arms wrapped around them. she had stopped crying, but was sniffing like crazy, shaking, her mind so unbelievably overwhelmed that she struggled to even think about anything that just happened. she couldn’t fathom the idea of sleeping again, mind traumatized from what she had just been through.

Alora rested her chin between her knees, sat and wrapped in a tight ball. it was only the first night of running away and this is how it turns out? how is she going to survive the rest of her time alone? she was clueless, any plans or ideas she once had were long gone, floating around the dark and cold motel room. her body still shook and shivered, numbness filling herself. she had no clue what was in store for her, but only hoped it wouldn’t be as bad as the first night. oh boy was she as wrong as she was naive. 

© sovksluv 2024, please do not repost or translate my work !

#𖤐 . rue talks #𖤐 . rue’s world #love in chaos stories #love in chaos fanfic #love in chaos collection #love in chaos #clarisse x reader #clarisse la rue x reader #clarisse x you #clarisse pjo #clarisse la rue #clarisse la rue story #clarisse la rue x oc #clarisse la rue x y/n #clarisse la rue fluff #dior goodjohn #percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson #pjo show #pjo disney+ #pjo fandom #pjo series #pjo spoilers #pjo tv show

[atinylittlepain]

Dancing in the Dark

no outbreak!joel miller x fem!reader

Hungry Hearts masterlist

The summer of '86, a season of love, record-breaking heat, and evening softball games in one Austin neighborhood. What happens when seventeen years later, that lost love comes back around?

warnings | 18+ cursing, smut, young joel is a goddamn menace, angst, references to bad home life, gin making random things canon

wordcount | 9.8K

a/n | welcome back to Hungry Hearts, y'all. i have to thank @northernbluess for beta-reading this bad boy. love you, cousin. as always, I'd love to hear what you think of the chapter!

.......................................

“Hey, Cher, you ready to go?”

“Does it look like I’m ready to go?”

“You look ready to me.”

“Joel, I’m not wearing a shirt.”

“It’s hot out, Cherry. I’m just thinking about your well-being here.”

“How considerate of you. Just give me a minute, and be quiet before my parents hear you.” 

“Bossy, bossy.” She leaves him at her window, shuffling back over to her closet to finish getting dressed. Joel, however, doesn’t stay put for long, swinging one leg, then the other over the sill and into her room before promptly banging his forehead on the opened pane of her window, a low curse leaving his mouth before she can shush him. 

“Very smooth.”

“Yeah, well, you know me. Now c’mere.” He hooks a finger into the belt loop of her jean shorts, a little tug that she resists, and then a bigger, more impatient tug that she can’t help but shuffle into. He’s actually wearing pants tonight, tight, tight blue jeans with a t-shirt that’s had the sleeves and sides cut out, a perfect space for her palms to splay along the bare sides of his ribs when he draws her in for a kiss by the hinge of her jaw. 

“If you start now, we’re never gonna make it to the fair.” He hums at that, his eyes still intently focused on her lips.

“Hmm, would that be such a bad thing?” 

“Uh, yes, I want to see the fireworks.” She’s not sure if he really heard that, his mind seeming to go a bit one-track as he looks at her bra, his fingers brushing over the top of the cups, catching on the lace there.

“This is new.”

“No, I just haven’t worn it around you before.” 

“Well, shit, Cher, you been holding out on me?” 

“Joel.”

“Alright, alright, hands off, I’ll let you get dressed.” As she pulls a tank top over her head, she realizes that he’s never been in her room before. Not even when they were kids. She steals a glance at him as she’s tying her sneakers, and he seems to be stealing glances of his own, subtly leaning over the small desk across from her bed, his eyes trailing over the stack of books sitting there, the photos she had pinned to the wall from her last year of college. He doesn’t say anything though, a quiet collecting, so she doesn’t say anything about it either, simply clearing her throat to grab his attention when she’s ready to go.

“Try not to knock your head into the window on the way out this time.” He doesn’t, though he grumbles through the close contortion he has to manage to pop back outside, panting a little when he holds his hand out for her through the window. It’s not like they had an actual conversation about the necessity of sneaking around with each other. It was an unspoken understanding. Her parents like Joel enough, she grew up with him after all, but she’s certain they would both have aneurysms if they found out what they’ve been getting up to. And anyways, it’s just for the summer, nothing serious, a bit of fun, and Joel seems just as content with that as she is. 

“Tell me about your classes.”

“I’m pretty sure I’d bore you if I did.” 

“We’ve got a half-hour drive, Cher, try me.” The sun is just starting to set, turning the inside of his truck a hazy orange as they drive down the highway away from the suburbs and toward the Austin city limits.

“Okay, in most of them we read books, then we talk about the books, then we write papers about the books.”

“That’s it?”

“I told you it’s boring.” 

“You’re taking writing classes too though, right?” 

“Yeah, I actually won an award for a short story I did in one of them.” She feels a bit stupid sharing that with him, a bit stupid for even wanting to in the first place. But he smiles, big and bright, his eyebrows lifting up with a quick glance over to her.

“No shit, Cher, that’s awesome. I’m not surprised though.” 

“Thanks, yeah, you wanna know what my mom said when I showed her the photo of me receiving the award?” 

“What’d she say?”

“She asked if I had really been wearing my hair like that at school.” For a moment, he’s silent, and her stomach twists up, worried that she shouldn’t have shared that because, obviously, why the hell would he want to hear her bitch about her mom? 

“That’s fucking bullshit, she seriously said that?”

“Yeah.”

“Your mom was always kind of a square.”

“I’m inclined to agree.” 

“You remember when I got gum stuck to your skirt in Sunday school?”

“Oh my god, she was so mad.” 

“She’s got that vein, right down the middle of her forehead, you know?”

“Oh yeah, I’m very familiar with that vein.”

“I swear, Cherry, I thought it was gonna burst she was yelling at me so good.”

“I remember watching that from the car. Your little mouth was just hanging open, I didn’t know if you were gonna bolt or barf.”

“I was scared shitless. She yell at you when y’all got home then?” 

“No, I got the silent treatment and no dinner for a week.”

“Shit, Cher, really?” Suddenly, the laugh buoying his words is gone, a little quieter, a little more tempered. And she realizes, oh, one of those things that isn’t normal. Oh, one of those things that doesn’t happen in other families. Since starting college, she’s gotten good at recognizing these moments, when the laughs die out right after something she said. Oh, your parents? Well, get a load of my parents. No, not funny. Not funny at all. A whole lot of not funny going on in her household. 

“Yeah, I guess that’s why I stopped sitting next to you in Sunday school.” Said with a weak laugh to make it okay, though Joel’s smile has still faltered into something closer to a grimace, his eyes staying still and squinted down the stretch of the highway. 

“Can I read the story sometime?” 

“Oh, um, yeah, okay, if you want.” He keeps his eyes on the road, but his hand that isn’t hanging over the steering wheel slips down to rest on the center console, palm face up, a wordless invitation that she finds herself taking with her own hand. A small comfort to press her palm into his.

“Of course I do, Cher.”

…

It’s the same thing every year. The same rides that always have a few screws loose, the same smell of food sizzling in oil that his doctor would definitely not want him eating, the same throngs of sunburned people shuffling from booth to booth down the drag of streets that have been closed off for the fair. For a while, he didn’t go, but since Sarah got old enough to be interested in all the fourth of July festivities, they’ve made the drive into Austin every year for it, though as of late, the night usually entails her meeting up with her friends and yes, dadding, him into leaving her alone until the fireworks are over. But he isn’t all alone this year, Tommy tagging along at the last minute when whatever his plans were, Joel shudders to think of what they were, fell through. So no, not pathetic at all, just two grown men wandering through the crowd and waiting until they can go home. 

“I saw we got a new appointment on the books for next week. Someone on Cascade Street?”

“Uh-huh.”

“New client?”

“Yep, yeah, they just moved in.”

“Why are you being weird about it?” Tommy stops in his tracks, scrunching his face up at Joel who would really like this topic of conversation to get dropped. 

“I’m not, Tommy, why are you so concerned about this new client?” 

“What are they getting done?” 

“New porch.” 

“Who’s taking the job?” 

“I am.”

“You?” 

“The fuck is that supposed to mean?” Tommy shrugs, scoffing when Joel starts walking again without him, quick to catch up and step into stride with him.

“Seems like a pretty rinky-dink job for you to take on, especially when we’re in the middle of that new build on Cypress.”

“I thought you said you have Cypress under control?” He’s being a touch too snappy about it, he knows it, and judging by the weird look Tommy is giving him, his hands up as if in surrender, he knows it too. 

“I do, I’m just surprised that you aren’t letting one of the other guys take that job on, is all. What, is it a pretty lady or something?” Before Joel can figure out how to answer that question, Tommy’s eyes are widening and slipping right over his shoulder, and then–

“Holy shit, holy shit.”

“What?” 

“See for yourself, brother.” Tommy shuffles him around by his shoulders, Joel’s protests dying in his throat when he sees her. Mercifully, she hasn’t seen them yet, standing in line at a frozen lemonade stand with her phone at her ear, having what looks to be a heated conversation. He doesn’t see Ellie with her, though, and figures to himself that she’s gotten the same treatment he has from Sarah. And suddenly, frozen lemonade seems like a very good idea because his throat has gotten quite dry looking at her. Those same jean shorts he saw her in the last time, and a sliver of skin between the waistband and the hem of her t-shirt. Her very tight t-shirt that rides up a little more when she raises her hand to push those sunglasses of hers back into her hair. And, well, he’s not trying to be a perv, but it doesn’t take much more than a glance to tell that she isn’t wearing a bra beneath her very, very tight t-shirt. 

“Cherry!” 

“Tommy, what the fuck?” Too late, her head has already whipped around, her phone still pressed to her ear, though the scowl that had been on her face melts into a small smile, her eyes widening in recognition. Meanwhile, Joel is considering how hard he would have to punch his brother to rattle his pea-sized brain into some sense. Cherry seems to finish her phone call with a quick flurry, already walking over to them as she hangs up.

“Tommy Miller, look at you!” Tommy pulls her into a tight hug, a small oof leaving her as he hoists her up until only her toes are on the ground before setting her back down with a slap to her arm. Joel decidedly does not give her such a greeting. 

“Cher, of all the people I don’t think I’d ever expect to see you around here, goddamn!”

“Wait, Joel didn’t tell you I moved back?” They both turn their attention to Joel, who only manages to open and close his mouth a few times before Tommy lets out a scoff. 

“You knew that she was back and you didn’t tell me?” 

“Uh, well–”

“I thought for sure he would have told you. He’s coming out to look at my porch next week. Very impressive by the way, Tom, Miller’s Construction.” At that, something smug slides down Tommy’s face as he looks over at Joel.

“Oh, is he now? Say, Cher, you didn’t happen to move in on Cascade Street, did you?”

“Yeah, that’s right, so Joel did tell you then?” Joel contorts his face in the best expression of please no, Tommy, I will kill you if you do that he can muster over Cherry’s shoulder, but Tommy just grins at him, and then at Cherry. 

“No, nope, I just saw in our books that there was an appointment on Cascade next week with a very important person. Just putting two and two together for myself since it looks like no one tells me anything around here.” With that, Tommy claps Joel on the shoulder, who still hasn’t managed to get a word in edgewise between the two of them. Cherry has a smile on her face like she knows exactly what’s going on.

“Well, anyways, it’s so good to see you, Cher. Don’t be a stranger, okay?”

“It’s good to see you too, Tommy. I’m really glad to see you looking so well.” 

“I try, now if you two kids will excuse me, I have a date with something deep fried and covered in sugar.” Tommy is off in a flash, leaving Joel to flounder beneath Cherry’s simpering gaze. 

“You didn’t tell Tommy that I was back?”

“I didn’t think it was mine to tell.” She nods, squinting at him through the bleary haze of the sunset.

“So this hasn’t changed much at all.”

“No, I reckon these are the same rides we went on as kids.”

“Don’t remind me, I’m already worried that Ellie’s off getting kidnapped right now. I don’t need tetanus and loss of limb added to the list.”

“So you got dumped too then?” They make their way back over to the line in front of the frozen lemonade stand, a bit longer than it was before, but he’s happy to wait with her. 

“Afraid so, apparently when you turn fourteen you no longer want to be seen in public with your mom.”

“That applies to dads too.” They both share a tired smile and a small shrug, and once again he can’t believe he’s standing here with her, talking about parenthood of all things. 

“Ellie’s on a date, but don’t tell her I told you that.” Said with a slanted smile and a bump of her shoulder into his.

“Oh yeah?” 

“Mmhmm, she’s been harboring quite the crush on her team’s center outfielder.” The gears in his mind spin for a moment, and then it clicks. 

“Oh, oh, huh.” 

“Nice save, Joel.” 

“No, I mean, that’s great, Cher. Good for her for, uh, knowing herself.” He palms the back of his neck, trying to cool the quick heat creeping there as she laughs at him. It’s a heat he hasn’t felt in a long time, though she was always quick to draw it out of him, always quick to catch him.

“Yeah, it is. I do worry though. Austin is definitely not New York.”

“That it ain’t, though I don’t think she’s gonna have to worry with you for her mom. You always did know how to give people the what for.” 

“You’re damn right about that.” That’s a smile he’d like to remember, a grin really, her eyes crinkling up at him, a little wry and a little fierce. That heat just keeps creeping. 

When they get to the front of the line, she starts to argue with him when he tries to pay for her drink, though he manages to sneak it by her when she gets distracted by another phone call buzzing through her back pocket. She checks the caller ID, sighs, and immediately shoves the phone back into her pocket, letting out another sigh when she sees that he’s already paid for her lemonade. 

“For the record, I’m getting the next one.” 

“Sure, Cher.” His mind gets a little stuck on next one, though he manages to follow her over to a bench and sit down with her, when once again, her phone starts ringing. She doesn’t check it, simply takes a long swig through the straw of her drink as it continues to buzz and ring.

“Not gonna take that call?” 

“Nope, do you want some of this?” Maybe it’s childish, but the thought of drinking from the same straw as her makes his brain start to fry, so he shakes his head no and grips the edge of the bench a little tighter. 

“Is that who you were on the phone with earlier?”

“Oh, you saw that, huh?” It makes him feel sheepish, admitting that he had, nodding to her question. Her shoulders slacken with a long sigh, another pull from her lemonade before she continues speaking. 

“It’s my agent, poking around for my next draft.”

“So you weren’t kidding about the big leagues? Got an agent and everything.”

“I wish I didn’t have one, honestly. But I kinda have to when I’m dealing with all these big publishers.” She pinches the bridge of her nose as she says it, her eyes dropping shut, and he finally sees that she is actually very tired. A little drawn, heavy circles under her eyes, a little thin, sharp around the edges in a way he doesn’t remember. How he missed it before he isn’t sure, but now that he sees it, something slight and sharp slips between his ribs and curls around his heart. 

“You’re working on another book then?” How quickly she hides away that weariness, looking at him with her cheek tilted over her shoulder and a bright smile.

“I’m trying to. You probably don’t care to hear about this–”

“I do, Cher, always wanted to hear about your stories.” It comes out before he can think much about it, and her expression does a strange thing. A quick fall, a scrunch of her brows, and then a slight frown before she shakes her head as if to clear the whole thing away. 

“Have you really not read a single one of my books, Joel?” 

“Uh, I–”

“No, don’t answer that. Wasn’t a fair question, sorry. Anyways, there’s nothing much to tell about this one because I am completely stuck with it.” 

“Stuck?” 

“I’m about this close to scrapping the whole thing. I don’t know, I guess part of me thought the move would shake something loose, but I still got nothing.” It’s not like he could offer her any advice on it, and it’s not like she’s looking for it either, another sigh around her straw and a shrug of her shoulders, always quick to make nothing out of something. 

“You eaten anything for dinner yet?”

“Does this thirty-two ounce frozen lemonade count?” He’s already getting up and holding out his hand for her, and while it seems like the simplest movement, his mind instantly questions if it’s too much, though he fights against that with a foolish hope. 

“C’mon, Cher, I think I can do you one better than a frozen lemonade.” No big deal, she takes his hand. No big deal, he tells himself. No big deal when she lets go either, because that’s normal too. That’s friendly. And friendly is good. 

“If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, then it is definitely going to be better than this frozen lemonade.” 

…

“You got a little, right there–” Before she can wipe away whatever he’s referring to with a napkin, Joel has already licked his thumb and swiped it along the corner of her mouth, promptly sucking what she assumes is barbecue sauce off the pad of his finger. 

“That was so gross.”

“What? I’m saving paper.”

“Lovely.”

“Always, Cherry baby.” The sun had set a while ago, the streets lit up in a syrupy wash of neon from all the rides and games lining the several blocks. They ran the whole circuit of the booths, her constantly pulling Joel away to keep him from spending any more money on trying to win her something, and inevitably failing at whatever rigged game he stepped up to. She can already see his eyes dragging over the remaining booths as they finish their meal at one of the picnic tables set up next to all the food vendors, planning his attack, no doubt.

“You know I really don’t care about getting a stuffed animal, right?” 

“It’s the principle of the thing, Cher.”

“Those games are literally designed for people to lose at them. Seriously, I don’t want you to waste any more money on it.” She quickly realizes that was the exact wrong thing to say, Joel’s eyes flashing back to her, hard and steeled, on the defense. 

“You don’t gotta worry about what I do with my money, okay?” His words come out rushed and loud, with a quick shake of his head, enough to startle her back from where her thigh had been pressed close to his, something that immediately washes the edge out of his expression, his eyebrows slackening and his lips parting.

“Okay, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it, Joel.” Her mouth feels dry, a cool prickle in her scalp, regret swirling up her meal in her stomach. He gets enough of that from everyone else, the money, the job, the what is the plan. He doesn’t need it from her too. 

“No, I’m sorry, it’s just– forget it, I shouldn’t have gone after you like that.” She’s not quite ready to look at him, keeping her eyes focused on the red and white checkered napkin that she’s twisting in her hands. But of course, Joel doesn’t abide by that for long, ducking his head and leaning over to place a smacking kiss on the corner of her mouth before angling back again to get one planted square on her lips. 

“You– taste– like– smoked– brisket–” Each of his words is punctuated with another peck until she can no longer stave off the smile threatening at the corners of her lips, shoving him back with a palm pressed in the middle of his chest. 

“Oh shit, Miller, is that you?” Her stomach turns over, because she’s pretty sure she knows whose voice that is, and she wishes that she didn’t. She isn’t sure what the next best move is, though Joel seems to make the decision for her, slinging his arm over her shoulder to tuck her into his side just as Mikey Donahue comes sauntering over to where they’re sitting. 

“Hey, Mike, you out with the guys tonight?” Joel offers his hand out for a hard shake, apparently still chummy with Mikey after the little scene at his party. Though she supposes water flows under the bridge a little faster for boys anyways. 

“Nah, decided to finally bite the bullet and take Maureen out, she ducked into the bathrooms but she should be wandering over soon.” Though the answer is directed at Joel, Mikey’s eyes stay steady on her, a smile that she doesn’t like the curl of crooking his mouth. 

“Y’all are quite the couple. Does your daddy know you’re out with this menace, big city?” It’s so small, so subtle, but she can still feel it, the way Joel’s hand curls closely and tenses around her forearm from where his arm had been draped around her.

“Ha, ha, Mikey, that’s very funny. I’m a big girl though, don’t really need my daddy or you to be concerned with my business.” Joel snorts over her shoulder, and she has to resist the urge to elbow him for it. 

“Whatever you say, big city. Oh, here comes Maureen. Do y’all mind if we join you?” She’s quick to cut Joel off before he can answer, squeezing his thigh hard to shut him up as she offers Mikey a tight-lipped smile. 

“Actually, we were just heading off to get a few rides in before the fireworks, but y’all have fun.” Not another word, though she’s pretty sure she hears Mikey let out a laugh as she pulls Joel up and along behind her before Maureen can even get anywhere near them. 

“Cher, you know I don’t like rides.” Said very lowly, a bit bashful, she thinks, his head ducking down to speak the words right into her ear. Yeah, she knows, and has known since they were nine and Tommy and her forced him onto the Gravitron, which ended with Joel in tears and a puddle of what had been his dinner next to the trash can that he missed by only a hair. 

“I know, I just needed an excuse to get away from those two. But, really, Joel? Not even the ferris wheel?” He stops walking for a moment, his eyes scanning over the arc of the ride as if to give it his full consideration. Finally, he looks at her again, his lips pressed in a thin line.

“How bad do you wanna go on it?” 

“I think it could be nice, but not if you’re going to be all weird about it.” She swears she sees his chest puff a little, and with that, he takes her hand with all the conviction of a man going off to war. 

“I’m not going to be weird about it, let’s go.” Famous last words. He’s the picture of ease all while they’re standing in line, but the instant they cram into one of the cars, his whole body tenses up, his knuckles going white where they’re gripping onto the side railing. She doesn’t say anything at first, just puts her hand on his bouncing knee when the ride cranks into motion. Though when they crest the top of the ride and it stops again, Joel’s poorly contained panic becomes impossible to ignore.

“Oh, what the fuck–”

“It’s okay, they’re just letting more people on.” She doesn’t think that he hears her, too busy craning his neck over the side of the car before skittering back into place when the lean of his body makes the whole thing rock. 

“This is so fucked–”

“Joel.”

“Why do people enjoy this? That’s–”

“Joel.” 

“What?” He finally looks at her, eyes a bit frantic and jaw slack. She can’t help but reach out and brush his hair back from his face. 

“Is it– are you afraid of heights?” Calling it what it is seems to calm him, his shoulders finally coming down from his ears and his eyes softening. She lets her hand dip down to curl behind his neck, her fingers scratching lightly into the back of his hair.

“Maybe, but I’d say that’s a pretty rational fear, Cher.” 

“Yeah, it is, and you’re also totally safe right now.” Her words are undermined just a bit when the ride screeches back into motion just as she finishes saying them, Joel’s eyes going wide again as he whips his head around to look over the edge of the car. Right, drastic measures then. 

“Hey.” First, she shrugs her thigh over top of his to stop the anxious bounce in his knee, already drawing his attention back onto her. Then, she leans in a little closer so she can keep her eyes steady with his, her hand firm along the side of his neck to hold him in place. 

“Just look right here and it’ll be over before you know it.”

“This is ridiculous.”

“Well, I’m not the one freaking out on a ferris wheel right now.”

“Hey.” She shouldn’t, like giving a child what they want just because they’re having a tantrum. But she does, pressing one kiss, then another to his lips, small, swift little pecks that he eventually starts to lean into, his hand that had been gripping onto the railing coming up to settle along the line of her jaw when she swipes her tongue across his bottom lip. They’ve gotten a little better at this, at making compromises with each other, giving and taking almost equally, opening up for each other. And, not that his ego needs to hear it, but she really likes kissing him. 

His panic seems to be all forgotten as he licks into her mouth, his nose brushing along the side of hers. Always a little greedy though, crowding her into the side of the car and making a soft sound skitter up her throat when his teeth graze along her lip. 

“Uh, excuse me?” It startles them both, Joel very slowly pulling away from her and turning his head to look at the ride attendant, the very unamused looking ride attendant. 

“Y’all can get off now, thanks.” 

…

“Goddamn.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“They don’t have barbecue up north?” 

“Not like this they don’t, Jesus.” He tries not to smile too big at the satisfied hum that leaves her throat as she takes another bite. And he’s also trying hard not to watch her too closely, because, no, it’s probably not normal to just stare at someone while they’re eating brisket and potato salad. 

“Do I have something on my face?” Busted, and, well, actually, he motions to the side of his own mouth, words getting caught in his throat. She gets the hint though, grabbing a napkin and dabbing at the same spot on her face.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize how hungry I actually was. I probably look a little crazy right now.” 

“Are you eating proper while you’re working?” Sheepish, the flicker of her eyes from beneath her lashes is enough of an answer to his question. Some things never change, he supposes. 

“I may get a little distracted.”

“Uh-huh.” A quick, quiet smile shared, a knowing. He likes knowing. 

“Mom?” No, he is still not used to that, both of them whipping their heads around where they’re sitting at a picnic bench to see her daughter with a very furrowed look on her face. 

“Hey, babe, everything okay?” Ellie is looking at Joel. Sizing him up is more like it, her lips pursed and her arms crossed, her hip cocked to the side, just like he knows her mom does when she’s not pleased with something. 

“Uh, yeah, we were just gonna– wait, are you eating meat?” He glances back to Cherry, who now has the guiltiest little smile on her face, her eyebrows pulled together in a quiet cringe as she tries to inconspicuously swallow another bite of food.

“I am, Els, I’m sorry. I gotta be honest, I don’t think I’m gonna keep up the vegetarian thing all the time, but you know I’ll support you if you still want to.” Ellie gives her an eye roll that looks like it’s going to get stuck in the back of her head, a little huff and a few shuffled steps in place like she can’t believe this.

“Okay, well, fine, I guess. I was gonna ask if you had found something to eat that didn’t have dead animal in it, but obviously you’re not gonna be much help with that so I’ll see you later.” With that, Ellie turns heel back into the crowd, Joel still unsure exactly what he just watched.

“They have fried pickles, babe, those should be fine! Be safe, please!” Ellie only acknowledges her shout with a glance spared over her shoulder, Cherry immediately deflating when her daughter gets swallowed up by the crowd, bringing her thumb and forefinger to pinch the bridge of her nose again.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe that just happened.” Said with a dejected little laugh that only grows when she takes another bite of brisket, his chest loosening up when she shakes her head and offers him a smile.

“So vegetarian, huh?” Cherry shrugs.

“New York.” 

“Sarah had a phase with it too. Only lasted three days before Tommy took her to KFC and she swayed.” 

“Ellie is a little more, uh, zealous about it. It’s going on two years now since she watched some documentary and came into my room in complete tears over, and mind you that a twelve-year-old said this, the horrors of animal agriculture.” 

“Well shit.” 

“Right?” 

“You’re telling me you’ve been vegetarian for two years?”

“Don’t laugh, Joel.” It only makes him laugh harder, Cherry shoving him in the arm as she tries to scrunch her mouth out of a smile. But beneath that laugh, there’s something else, something warm and a little giddy. He’s noticed it every time she has said his name. 

“No wonder you were so hungry, Cher, damn.”

“This may surprise you, but meat isn’t the only food group. And I’ll have you know I make some damn good tofu enchiladas.” 

“Well that’s just sacreligious.”

“Oh please.” Back and forth, slipping into that easy volley without either of them noticing that their faces have started inching closer and closer, though when they do there’s a quick flush of heat that has them both clearing their throats and widening that space again. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask, where did Will end up?” 

“Oregon, he’s a really great photographer these days.” 

“Y’all keep in touch?”

“A little, yeah. I think for a while, we were both just happy to have gotten out, you know? It made us keep our distance from each other. But he came and visited last year, got to meet Ellie for the first time.” 

“That’s great, Cher.”

“Yeah, it is. He’s turning thirty-three this year, if you can believe it.” 

“Jesus.”

“I know, how’d that happen, huh?” Joel just shakes his head, a memory already floating up to the surface. Will was a freshman when they were seniors, tall but slight for his age, quieter, kept more to himself, though Joel made a point of saying hi to him in the hallways, clapping him on the back in the lunch line. There was a day, maybe a week after winter break, and Joel was loitering in the halls during a class he didn’t have any patience for when he saw Will at his locker. All smiles, all loud and brash greetings that all faded when he saw the shiner mottling under Will’s right eye. He remembers being ready to go on the warpath for the kid, asking him over and over, who did this, man, just tell me, who did this? He figured, one of the guys from the football team, someone he could set straight, and that he of course would set straight for Cherry’s little brother. But Will just kept saying nobody, it’s nobody, Joel, please don’t. It was probably two months later when he finally figured out who nobody was, a slow realization, something clicking into place. 

But he knows better than to share that memory with her, the same way he knows better than to ask her if she has kept in touch with her parents. He already knows the answer to that question. 

“Joel?”

“Hmm?”

“Where’d you go?” Her head tilted at him, a suggestion of a smile. 

“Sorry, just thinking.”

“That’s dangerous.”

“And that’s mean.” Back to the present, sitting next to her on a picnic bench, he has to shake his head of it. A strange feeling, how carefully they’re stepping around the past, sharing pieces in scraps, in unsure palms, always quick to make it light, make a joke of it. He’s not sure how long he can keep dancing like this. 

“Are you sticking around for the fireworks?”

“I was informed by Sarah to meet her at the car after the fireworks, so yeah, I guess I am.” 

“Oh, how funny, I was given the same instructions by my own little tyrant.” 

“Imagine that.” 

“You wouldn’t want to watch them with me, would you?” 

“I’d love to, Cher.”

…

“You do realize you’re driving us in the opposite direction of where the fireworks are being set off, right?” 

“Do you trust me or not?”

“Do you want me to answer that honestly or not?” 

“You know I could kick you out of my car if I wanted to.” 

“Oh yeah? I’d like to see you try.” 

“Cherry, just– quiet for a minute–”

“Don’t tell me to be quiet, Joel!”

“I’m trying to concentrate, goddamnit! You’re gonna make me miss the turn.”

“What turn? We’re literally on the highway and there isn’t another exit for–” Her thought gets lost behind a gasp when Joel mutters a quiet shit under his breath and suddenly veers completely off the road and into what she thinks is a corn field, though she’s a little too busy shouting whatthefuckwhatthefuckwhatthefuck over and over again as the car bounces and bumps over uneven ground. And seemingly just as suddenly, he stops the car altogether, putting it in park and killing the engine in what, yes, is the middle of a cornfield, the stalks unusually high and proud for this early in the season. It’s already dark out, deep blue and bruising shadows, she can only barely see his face in what light the lamp post about fifty yards away offers.

“What the fuck?”

“You already asked that about a thousand times, Cher.” 

“Yeah, and you haven’t answered, so again, what the fuck?” He’s still not answering, shouldering into his door to get it open against the close crush of the tightly planted corn stalks, letting out a satisfied grunt when it finally gives way.

“Joel–”

“Cherry, just shut up and give me your hand.” 

“If you ever tell me to shut up again I’m going to make sure you regret it.” 

“Noted, now come here.” Albeit reluctantly, she takes his hand from where he’s now leaning out of the driver’s side door, managing an awkward shimmy over the center console and into the driver’s seat as Joel swings his body out along the side of the car, one leg hitching into the truck bed. The soft silk of corn stalks brushes against her legs and arms as she follows after him, holding on tight to his hand to hoist herself up and into the truck bed alongside him, a quick tumble over each other, all tangled up. Though not for long, Joel already getting to work shaking out what she sees is a stack of moving blankets in the back of the truck bed. She takes a moment to look around, a thick line of trees surrounding the field on the side opposite to the road, so late that she doesn’t think a single car has passed by since they’ve driven out here. And, she hates to admit it, a perfect view down the stretch of the highway of the stadium where they’re setting off the fireworks from. 

“You good?” His question startles her out of her slow scan of the surroundings, finally looking back at him to see that he’s spread the blankets out in the bed of the truck, his back resting against the cab and his legs stretched out in front of him. 

“Y-yeah.” It comes out small and shaky, and while she thinks she knows why, she tamps that down tight as she crawls over to sit beside him. Even though it’s oppressively hot, she still tucks down into his side when he lets his arm fall over her shoulders. Perfect spot and perfect timing too, but she doesn’t watch the sky when she hears that familiar whistle and pop of rockets, choosing instead to see the light burst and shatter over his face, the slow fall of it in his eyes. And there’s no tamping it down now, that feeling starting to fizz and lift in her chest, and as she continues to watch each succession of color and sound wash over Joel’s parted lips and wide eyes, she knows that she is absolutely, irreparably, fucked. 

“You’re not even watching.” 

“Yes I am.” He’s not watching anymore either, looking at her down the length of his nose, all shadow between the quick fractures of light. Their chins bump first before they get it right, seeking each other out by feel. His hands finding her hips, squeezing and coaxing her into his lap, though he pulls away when the next resonant crack of fireworks splits the sky and her whole body tenses. 

“You don’t like the sound?” 

“It’s not my favorite thing.” No, she doesn’t like that sound. That sound that reminds her of the whole lot of not funny going on in her household, but she’s already leaning in to forget all that with her mouth pressed to his. Though Joel holds her back, firm palm, big palm, steady and curled at the nape of her neck. 

“Is it okay though? You’re okay?” It doesn’t help her case when another stream of fireworks sets off just as he asks it, her body jolting in his hold again, but she tries to pass it off with a breathy laugh. 

“It’s fine, Joel. I’m fine. Just come here, please.” He relents, his hand slipping down along her spine to press her closer as she opens his mouth with hers, a shared sigh and the quiet scrape of teeth, her palm splayed over his chest feeling the thrum of his moan when she licks into his mouth. He’s being careful, she can tell, and she doesn’t think it’s only because they can just barely see each other in the dim light and the punctuated bursts of brightness from the fireworks, his hands splaying wide along the span of her back, holding her so close that every time her muscles tense and jump at the sounds it just sends her closer into his arms. He’s steady, perfectly, his thumbs stroking back and forth along her spine, constant and lulling until she knows that the fireworks are still going on, the pinpricks of light in the periphery, but she can no longer hear them over the rushing in her ears and the way she’s trying to collect every breath of his with her own. 

And she just wants more, however she can get it, his stomach tensing up when her fingers slip beneath the hem of his shirt, only pulling away enough that he can help her tug it over his head. Always so warm beneath her hands, she keeps one palm in the center of his chest, finding that pulse, that beat that always seems so strong to her, as Joel’s hands begin to wander. Ever predictable, the first stop of his circuit is her ass, both palms splayed and squeezing, making a weak noise fizzle out in her throat as he rocks her forward into the hardness in his jeans. From there, his palms slip down to the meat of her thighs, another squeeze, his fingers flickering under the hem of her shorts. Their kiss breaks with a quiet click, lips shined and swollen with it as she leans back to peel her tank top off, though before she can unclasp her bra, Joel grabs both her wrists, his eyes wide and pleading.

“What’s wrong?” The fireworks have stopped, so she must squint in the shadows to see the way his eyes are drooping down, the dip and bob of his throat as he swallows.

“Nothing, I just– s’pretty.” He lets go of her wrists, his fingers coming up to ghost over the tops of her breasts, that slight spill of flesh over the top of her bra, a small sigh that she can see leave his chest as he watches her own inhale and exhale. 

“Do you want me to leave it on, baby?” She’s never called him that before, though judging by the broken groan that crackles in his chest, he liked it, a new warmth curling deep in her stomach at the sound. 

“Please, Cher.” She can’t help the grin that slips across her face, circling one of his wrists with her palm to draw it up to her lips, pressing a kiss to the pad of each finger before guiding his hand down to the waistband of her shorts. Quick to flicker through the button and zipper, it’s all slow moves as he surges forward and she leans back until she’s laying out in the bed of the truck with Joel between her legs and nothing on but that bra he seems to like so much. It doesn’t surprise her that he wastes no time in ducking his head down to mouth over the fabric of her bra, her spine arching up into the wet heat with a sigh. Though he’s gone just as fast, drifting further down over the fluttering rise and fall of her stomach, his lips catching below her navel before he settles between her legs with her thighs resting over his shoulders. 

He learned fast what she likes, with her hand in his hair and her words so quick to correct or to praise, he learned very fast. So she doesn’t have to say a thing now, a silent cry crackling in her jaw when he drags his tongue through the heat of her cunt. She can already feel a perfect bead of arousal dripping from between her thighs down the cleft of her ass as his mouth rests over her clit and he sucks, sharp, quick, before dipping back down and doing it again. He’s gotten more confident, more brazen about it, a little rough in the way his fingers dig into the swell of her thighs, demanding everything, open and willing and waiting for whatever he will give her. And she gives it to him, fingers threaded through his hair to tug when his teeth graze too tender, her spine strung tight and taut as her cunt clenches around nothing. The sound is obscene, a salacious secret amidst the hum of crickets and the close quiet of the night, the little hums he can’t seem to stop rising in his throat as he eats at her, the slick slip of it, and the gentle, but still there, rock of the truck from how he’s grinding his hips down, seeking out more just the same as her. 

His one palm slips under the curve of her ass, tilting her hips up toward his mouth as he continues to lick and suck at her cunt, all that pleasure starting to hurt, starting to snap and snarl as she tugs a little harder at his hair. 

“I– more– something more, please.” He lifts his gaze from its hazy drop, the whites of his eyes still hooded and shining up to her as he rests his cheek against the soft inside of her thigh, the little pants of his breath washing over her cunt and making her hips twitch. 

“You want more?” She would smack him for looking so smug if she didn’t need it so bad, settling instead for another tug in his hair that makes him puff out a laugh. He doesn’t wait for any more of an answer, happy to oblige with two of his fingers dragging down through her swollen cunt before dipping inside, heat shooting up her spine when he curls them just so, that small stretch, that ache, that want. He presses a kiss to the inside of her thigh before his teeth sink into the flesh, his fingers already finding a steady rhythm that’s making her buck up into his hand. 

“Yes– just like that– I want– I want–”

“You want it?’

“Uh-huh.”

“You need it?” 

“So bad, Joel, please.”

“I know, Cherry, look at you, huh? So perfect like this.” He continues to coo at her in that low hum when it finally catches up with her, that pleasure pulling taut fraying all at once, her whole body curling in tight and tense and then releasing with a languid moan. My girl, my fucking girl, so good, my good fucking girl. She hears it somewhere in the back of her mind, tucking it away behind the wall of sound and sense still coursing through her as her hips jolt in his grasp, so sensitive that tears start to pearl along her lashes. She thinks her heart might actually stop when he finally pulls his fingers away and up to his mouth, sucking each one with a hum and an absurd pop before he crawls up her body to give her a taste. 

Her hands are already tugging at his jeans, only a bit surprised when she manages to ruck them down and finds that he isn’t wearing underwear. 

“You are such a freak.” He laughs, leaving a harsh nip to the hinge of her jaw.

“I don’t see why you’re complaining, it’s easy access, Cher.” She only manages to get his jeans down over the curve of his ass, but it’s enough so she can slip her palms down and dig her fingernails into the flesh in retaliation, Joel groaning and dropping his forehead down to her sternum. 

“Be nice.”

“You be nice.”

“You’re the one that called me a freak.” 

“And it stands.”

“If I’m a freak then you’re a–”

“Careful, baby.” 

“You’re a menace.” He hisses out the word as he spreads her open on his cock in one slow drag, the both of them sighing as he stills inside her. For a moment the only sound is their ragged breaths. Slow movements, his hand curling around the back of her knee to draw it up against his hip, another small rock that makes her preen with how full she feels. Her mouth stays stamped at his hairline, words murmured there as she curls her arm around his shoulder blades. 

“I’m a menace?” 

“Uh-huh, you d-drive me insane.” His words come out breathless as he finally pulls his hips back, a little more force in his next thrust that makes a whine tear through her chest. He’s so deep, grinding his hips into hers even deeper and all she can do is take it, her heel digging into his low back as he does it again and again and again. 

“Well you drive me in-insane too– oh.” The words slip out in stilted stutters, tears dripping cool and sticky down her flushed cheeks as he finds a different movement, one that’s harder and meaner, rucking her up the bed of the truck with every shunt of his hips against hers, his chest pressed tight against hers, sweat beading and dripping between her breasts.

“Oh yeah?”

“Uh-huh.” Pitchy and high in her throat, she can’t help it when he slips a hand between the humid stick of their bodies to drag his fingers against her clit. 

“Good.” It isn’t long before they’re both unraveling around each other, his forehead pressed hard into hers, the weight of him heaving and draped over her, stifling and sweaty and perfect. Her whole body shakes with the panting laugh he lets out, finally resting his chin between her breasts to look up at her. 

“My little menace.” She can’t help but laugh too, his cheeks splitting into a grin at the sound. 

“My big freak.”

“Hey.”

…

“Oh my god.”

“What, what is it?”

“I think that’s Ellie and her date.” 

“Where?”

“Don’t be so obvious about it, two rows down, across the aisle.” Her hand is on his shoulder, her finger pointed right next to his face to guide his gaze toward where she’s looking. Sure enough, it’s Ellie, sitting very close to another girl on the bleachers, oblivious to the crush of the crowd around them, smiling and laughing to each other as they wait for the fireworks to start. He never liked watching from inside the stadium, thinking that all the bright lights sort of defeated the purpose, but now he’s grateful for them so he can get a better look to confirm that yes, that is definitely Ellie who is now putting her arm around her date, getting even cozier. 

“Oh my god.” He finally looks away to see Cherry hanging on his shoulder, perfectly mortified at the sight in front of her.

“You got a regular Casanova on your hands, Cher.” 

“I feel like I’m going to cry, or maybe scream, or maybe throw up.” He’s watching her watching them, her brow crumpled and her jaw completely slack, pure shock. He’d laugh, but he’s pretty sure he’d be in a far worse state if he saw Sarah in a similar position. 

“Hey, it’s okay, they’re just–”

“Oh my fucking god, look!” His eyes dart back just in time to see what he’s pretty sure is the end of a kiss, the young pair shyly pulling away from each other with small smiles.

“Oh, Jesus Christ.”

“Do you think that was her first kiss?” It’s such an absurd question. He’s only just met the kid, after all. But when he looks back at Cherry and sees the pleading tilt of her eyes, how could he not try his best?

“Well, I don’t know, Cher, do you?” Maybe his best wasn’t very good.

“I don’t know. Oh fuck, I shouldn’t have seen that. I should not have seen that. She’s too young for that, right? I should go get her, yeah, that’s what I should do.” She’s already starting to get up out of her seat, and all Joel can think to do is grab her hand to keep her where she is.

“Woah, woah, hey, I think they’re fine, Cher. Look, they’re just talking now.” She squeezes his hand, still looking at Ellie with a deep frown on her face, but she does sit back down. She’s still holding onto his hand while she worries her bottom lip between her teeth.

“You think so?”

“Tell me this, how old were you when you had your first kiss?” Suddenly, the worry in her face slackens, something a bit more bashful slipping into place. She’s still holding onto his hand.

“Well, I was thirteen.” 

“There you go, it’s normal then.” She’s still holding onto his hand.

“How old were you when you had yours?” She’s still holding onto his hand.

“I don’t know, probably thirteen like you.” She’s still holding onto his hand.

“You mean you don’t remember?” She’s still holding onto his hand.

“Not really.” 

“How can you not remember your first kiss?” She finally lets go of his hand, only so that she can talk with her own, a bit of flailing and exasperation at him before her hands settle in her lap. He rests his on his knee, a hard squeeze to stop any lingering want.

“I just don’t. It was a long time ago, and it obviously wasn’t very important.” 

“Do you at least remember who it was with?” He does, but she’s not going to like the answer, and suddenly the toes of his boots are very interesting as he scratches the back of his neck. 

“Uh, Maureen.” He says it as he drags his hand down his jaw, the name getting muffled beneath his palm. Cherry’s face scrunches up.

“Come again?” He really doesn’t want to say it again, but he knows she’s not going to give this up now, her chin tilted down and her eyes narrowed at him.

“Maureen? Maureen Henderson, yep.” As if a yep might make it better, but her brows have already done that thing, that familiar thing where they shoot up her forehead, then scrunch down again, then slacken.

“Huh, so Maureen wasn’t very memorable then?”

“Nope, not at all.” She purses her lips and nods, her eyes squinting out across the stadium for a moment. But before whatever is simmering below the surface can bubble over, the first booming firework goes off, and her whole body recoils. 

“Oh, motherfucker.” It happens again, another fizzle and crack, and as the crowd oohs and ahhs, she digs her fingernails into her thighs and grits her jaw. 

“That never got any better, huh?”

“Afraid not.” He wants to reach out for her, to curl his arm around her shoulders and pull her tight into his side, to absorb the shock that keeps resounding through her body. He knows how to, after all. 

“Is– is there something I can do, Cher?” Her eyes are a little unfocused, even when he ducks his head down to try to get her attention.

“You’d think that by now I’d have figured out that every loud sound isn’t–” Almost like a hiccup when the next rocket goes off. The only thing that’s different is that now, each time, first her eyes dart over to where Ellie is sitting, checking, making sure. He feels his heart ripping apart watching her. 

“Hey.” It comes out quieter than he meant it to, but her eyes still turn onto him when he puts his hand on her knee.

“You wanna go wait at your car?” She nods, and that’s enough for him to go into action, not thinking twice about taking her hand again and shepherding them both down one of the aisles further away from where Ellie is sitting. Back and forth, back and forth, his thumb stays steady and smoothing along her hand the whole way out of the stadium and into the massive parking lot.

“My car or yours, Cher?” 

“I don’t– I don’t– Ellie– uh, I–” She’s still holding tight to his hand, her eyes darting around the lot, clearly working herself into a state, the continued onslaught of fireworks not helping at all. 

“That’s alright. Cher? It’s alright, okay? Let’s sit in my car and I’ll drive you to yours when this is over.” He thinks she says okay, but he’s already focused on pulling her along to his car. And when they get in, him in the driver’s seat and her in the passenger’s, he realizes that, no, he’s not going to crack the windows, trying to keep as much of the sound out as possible. So he lets the car idle and cranks the AC up as high as it will go, and it’s probably going to burn up his tank of gas, but he doesn’t care, because it seems to muffle the noise of the fireworks just enough for her to start coming back down. He’s still holding her hand over the center console.

“Oh fuck, I’m sorry, Joel.” She takes her hand out of his, pressing her palm to her chest, letting out a long breath through her nose. 

“Don’t, Cherry. It’s okay.” She keeps her eyes closed and her palm against her chest, long inhales and exhales, and he realizes that she’s doing a breathing exercise. He only knows it because the shrinks at the VA started Tommy in on it when he kept having panic attacks after coming home. And something like anger settles in his stomach, slithering up and seeping out between his ribs, sickening and slick. Anger that no, this hasn’t gotten any better. Anger that no, this probably won’t get better. And no, no one deserves it, but he selfishly thinks to himself that she especially doesn’t deserve it. 

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Cher.” Her eyes finally slip open, head tilting onto her shoulder to look at him. Mercy, it’s passing. Mercy, he could help her through its passing. 

“So, Maureen Henderson, huh?” 

“Oh, you’re still on that?” Small smile, he’ll take it.

“You could have done better, that’s all.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mmhmm.” 

“Well since you remember it so well, who was your first?” 

“You’re not gonna like my answer.” 

“Try me.” 

“It was Mikey Donahue.”

“No.” She was right, he didn’t like that answer, not one bit.

“Yeah, I think his friends dared him to do it, honestly.” 

“That little shit.” 

“Uh-huh.”

“You could have done better.” That gets a full smile from her, her nose scrunching up at the same time something takes off in his chest. 

“I guess we both could have.”

“Yeah, Cher, I guess so.”

...................................................

taglist: @casa-boiardi @tieronecrush @swiftispunk @beskarandblasters @trulybetty @amanitacowboy @pr0ximamidnight @wannab-urs @jksprincess10 @suzmagine @everything-isfucked @lanabobana @kittenlittle24 @sarap-77 @officerrrfriendly @val-srz @bitchwitch1981 @redwoodsanddaffodils @themothersmercy @romanarose @lost-inhawkins @youcancallmeelle @hollywoodcaligirl @

#joel miller #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x reader #tlou #tlou fanfiction #joel miller angst #joel miller x you #joel miller fluff #the last of us #joel miller smut #joel miller series #joel miller story #joel miller fic #joel miller au #hungry hearts

[romanoffs-widow]

Sorry for everything

Sum: Nat takes out her anger on you after a stressful couple of weeks.

Warnings ⚠️ : Shouting, arguing, and split up?

A/N: Thank you very much to @bobisek96 for requesting this fic, I hope it's okay 😭 and tysm to everyone for all the love on my (not actually first) first fic! I appreciate you all sm ❤️

(I promise there is eventual fluff 😅)

Happy reading! 😊

NATASHA POV:

Everyone thinks being an Avenger is so easy. All you gotta do is a couple of fights and interviews, and that's it, right? Wrong. These last couple of weeks have had me exhausted and honestly drained.

Steve and Tony keep arguing about useless crap, Lena accidentally stained the couch with red wine and didn't even tell me, so I sat in it and stained my favourite sweatpants and I've had to do 6 different interviews because Tony had a cold and couldn't do them, and on top of all that, Morgan has clung to me like a magnet since her dad has been sick. I love kids, and I really do, but not when I'm exhausted and keep having nightmares, leaving me sleepless almost every other night.

"Hey Natty," she says with that smile I love so much. I don't know what it is, but even y/n/n can't cheer me up today. Too tired to respond, I just give her a nod. Hopefully, she can see I don't want to talk right now.

I went to change into comfier clothes. I feel a pair of hands wrap around my waist. I shrug her off, getting annoyed. "Are you okay, baby?" I roll my eyes as I put my top over my head. "I'm fine." Maybe now she'll get it? "You know if you don't want to talk to me, just say." She says it with a tone that tips me ove rather edge.

"You know what? Maybe I don't want to talk to you. Maybe all I want to do is lay down in our bed and try my very best to relax! I have had such a hard couple weeks, and all you do is bug me because you're a pathetic childish wench that wants my attention all the time! If you knew what I go through every single day as an Avenger, maybe you'd at least try to understand how hard my job is! So please just shut your whiny mouth up and get out. I don't want to see your face EVER AGAIN!"

Y/N POV:

My vision is beyond blurry as I feel the endless stream of tears rolling down my cheeks. My hands are shaking, and anxiety is sitting heavy on top of my chest. "Alright. O-okay." I get up, and without saying anymore, I grab my backpack and start shoving a bunch of clothing into it. I go into the bathroom and grab my toothbrush, as well as the other necessities that belonged to me.

With my bag and arms full with items, I give the redhead one last look. Her face is still red from all the shouting she did as she stared at the floor, in the same spot she'd been in for a couple of minutes. I give her a small nod, sniffling as I close the door. I am fully aware the whole compound heard all of that, and honestly, they should. I don't deserve to be treated like that.

I'm going to miss this place. The past 9 years of my life have been spent living here, getting to know all of the amazing people within. I had so many memories here, one of the first being when Morgan was born. She had a head full of hair and a smile that looked just like her fathers'.

As I walked out of the tower, I went to the first person I could think of. Wanda Maximoff, my best friend of 5 years. She does live in the compound, but she also owns an apartment on the other side of the city for emergencies. She gave me a spare key when she got it. Thankfully, I'd never used it before, so I'd never seen the interior of the four walls.

Memories, good and bad swirls around in my head, as I twist the bronze key into the lock. It took me an hour to get here, with the bus and all. I get settled in, as I know I'll be staying here for a while. I started getting myself a snack when I heard the door swing open. I look at it to see the red magic I'd come to know very well.

"Y/n/n honey? Are you in here?" As soon as I hear her voice, I run over to her, the flow of tears starting up again. "Oh my god, are you okay? She didn't hurt you, did she?" I shake my head, unable to speak. "Oh, my poor baby. I'm so sorry I didn't find you sooner. Everyone is out looking for you. I'd better call Pietro and tell him to tell everyone you're safe."

I just hug her tighter. "E-e-even...?" She looks at me with guilt in her eyes. "We all heard what she said to you, and F.R.I.D.A.Y said that you'd left, so we all went looking for you. None of us have heard from her since." By now, I've soaked her hoodie with my never-ending tears.

"Shhhh, it's okay, you're okay." Wanda whispers as she rubs my back to calm me down.

1 MONTH LATER...

I hear a knock at the door. Wanda only left, and she had her own key, so it definitely wasn't her, and i haven't ordered any packages. Deciding i dont care, I go to open it. I see nothing but a white teddy bear holding an envelope sitting on the welcome mat. There is no sign of anyone being here, as the halls are silent. I pick up the toy and bring it inside, closing the door. I go and put it on the counter, taking the red letter from its paws. It had my first initial on the front.

Our place, 2 pm?

- N xx

I roll my eyes. Even if I was very upset with her, she always knew how to make me smile. I check the clock, seeing it's already 1pm, so I decide to start getting ready.

I step into the shop and immediately see Natasha. As I get closer, I can see that she has bags under her eyes, and I see that her knuckles are all red and sore. She's probably been training to get her mind off us. "Hey," She goes to hug me, and I let her. "Hi." She ordered both our favourite drinks.

"How have you been?" I scoff. "What kind of a question is that? My girlfriend of 9 years kicked me out because she was having a rough couple of weeks and hasn't even bothered talking to me for a whole month, and you think I'm okay?" She looks down with guilt filled eyes. "...no. Sorry."

I sip from my cup. "Are you gonna give me some pathetic excuse as for why you made me leave like that, or what?" She nods her head, and takes a Depp breath.

"What I said was really messed up. I shouldn't have called you any of those rude names or said any of that to you. I was having a hard couple of weeks, and I just wanted some quiet. Which I got. But by all means, that's no excuse to take my anger out on you. I don't know if you even want to talk to me anymore after what I did, and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness or anything remotely close but I really am sorry y/n/n. These past 9 years have meant so much to me, and I don't want them to go down the drain because of my stupid actions."

She pauses for a while. Waiting for me to give her some sort of response. "Thank you. I'm sorry for bothering you so much, but it would be very helpful if you communicated how you feel to me, so I know when you need space. I haven't forgiven you. That's going to take a long time, but if you're willing to work on this, so am I. Okay?" She puts her hand on top of mine. "Okay."

6 MONTHS LATER...

Everything had been going actually quite well with y/n, and I. I've been working on my communication, and she's been helping me to recognise when I feel like I need space. She's moved back into the compound, and as of recently, she's started staying in our room again.

"Hey baby." I forgot how much I love her voice. "Hi malysh. Cuddles?" She nods her head and wraps herself around me on the couch. We quickly get sucked into our newfound favourite show, Greys Anatomy. "Meredith really is gorgeous, but not as gorgeous as you!" I say as I give her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm nothing compared to McDreamy." I laugh, knowing she loves Derek too much.

"Sorry...for everything." She turns to look at me with her eyebrows furrowed, abandoning our show. "I know. It's okay." She adjusts herself so she can kiss my lips. "I love you." She snuggled back onto me, sucking back into the show.

#older!nat #natasha romanoff x reader fluff #natasha romanoff x fem!reader #mcu #avengers #black widow x reader #black widow #natasha x y/n #natasha marvel #natasha romanoff fanfic #natasha romanoff angst #angst with a happy ending #angst #fluff #y/n y/l/n #natasha romanoff #natsha romanoff #romanoffs widow #greys anatomy #meredith grey #derek shepherd #best show to exist in the whole universe

[shares-a-vest]

Eddie and Steve's apartment morphs into what can only be described as a baby-proofed cluttered mess when Joanie enters their lives. And it only gets worse once she starts crawling.

Wayne discovers this when he arrives for a short stay over after being called up by the boys, proudly announcing their daughter began getting around on her own.

He chuckles as he looks around the cramped and crowded apartment. He suspects its more a case of keeping necessities within convenient arms reach than anything else. Plus, giving the kid the run of the place.

The dining table is a sight, covered in textbooks and paperwork from Steve's studies. And judging by the highchair set up close to the only cleared dining chair, she must be keeping him company too.

Steve gives a hurried, “Hi” and rushes to said table, collecting up his work to organise into one pile.

The living room is another story.

Each piece of furniture is pushed to the edges of the small room, like it's bursting at the seams and ready to explode out the windows. Everything is out of reach too, including the relatively harmless television remote.

Relatively harmless when you consider Eddie once dunked Wayne's remote into a short-lived fish tank years back...

His old coffee table is pushed up against the wall, making space for a playpen. In the centre of the room is a playmat, where his granddaughter is rolling around as that demonic black cat, Ozzy, examines her from after before vaulting over the couch and disappearing completely.

God knows where that other grey nightmare has got to.

“We live on the floor now,” Eddie enthuses, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

Steve grumbles and nods with grave seriousness as he appears next to him. Despite the good thirty years between them, on a bad day, Steve suffers from the same level of back pain.

“Come on,” Eddie beams, “I gotta show you all the stuff Joanie can do.”

His nephew puffs out his chest, proud.

Wayne smiles. He gets it, he really does. Even though he didn’t become Eddie’s legal guardian until the kid was ten, he’d spent enough time looking after him during the earlier milestones to take pride in them too.

“Eddie, our daughter isn’t a dog!” Steve chastises, pinching his nose.

“What?” Eddie feigns innocence, “I just want to show off all her tricks to her Pa!”

“If anything, that made her sound even more like a participant in a dog show!” Steve reiterates, glaring before lowering down at a snail's pace to join Joanie on the floor.

“Don’t worry,” Eddie mumbles, leaning in with his typical lack of personal space, “He’s just grumpy because he has a bunch of studying to do this weekend.”

“I can hear you, Eddie!” Steve calls from his spot on the floor, “And I’ll have time for us to watch a game,” he looks at his surroundings and grimaces, “… Maybe we’ll go to a sports bar.”

Eddie practically lunges into the living area and bumps into Steve on his way to joining his family, almost toppling the boy sideways.

Wayne follows along slowly, his bad knee already paining him at the thought of sitting on the floor and also (mainly) the dread of somehow finding his way back up.

“You know you’re gonna have to help me up off this rug,” he gripes, sitting on the couch with a loud sigh, "If I had’a known I was gonna end up with a rambunctious granddaughter scuttlin’ around, I would’a billed that top-secret Doc for a knee replacement.”

His back pains a little as he goes, lowering to the floor as he braces himself with his arm on the couch.

“I can ask Nancy to look into that,” Steve offers as he spots him, “… If you want, of course!”

Wayne waves the boy away as he settles with his back against the couch.

Eddie soon slaps at his shoulder as Joanie rolls onto her stomach and pushes up with her hands.

They all sit up a little straighter eager and expectant.

Joanie takes off, crawling with vigour as she makes little grunting noises to spur herself on. She bypasses Steve, who whimpers with disappointment like a sad puppy. And she quickly zooms past Eddie too.

Wayne’s heart swells his granddaughter pauses to look up at him with a wide, toothy smile. But she goes on her way, making a beeline for a purple sparkly dragon plushie upended next to Steve's coveted recliner.

Of course that's what Eddie's offspring would prioritise getting her little hands on.

Joanie plops herself down, holding the toy up in victory as she makes spittle-filled whooshing noises and waves it about.

She remains with her back to the trio left for dust on the other side the living room, off in her own floor-based world.

More of this au HERE

#wayne munson #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie ficlet #steddie as girl-dads #just a shorter one this time #i had fun writing from wayne's pov in the last one #also ive basically infused wayne with my mother's own knee problems

[ruthytwoshakes]

Howdy everyone!! I got super inspired by @a-scary-lack-of-common-sense class swap au and wanted to try my hand at it!

I really love these designs!! If people like them too I’ll make some full refs and make some more content with them. I probably will anyway because I have so many ideas.

Under the keep reading I added wayyy too much description if you’re interested. You are interested you will read I’m using my evil mind magic to make you want to read

(I’ll address them by their names to make it less confusing btw. Pyro and Spy are called Demonan and Soldier though. I’ll name them one day probably)

For Medic and Heavy I kinda swapped their backstories and personalities. Misha is an only child who comes from a family of, fucked up to say the least, doctors. He lost his medical license for stealing the entirety of a patient’s skin. Misha is much more of a hardass with a superiority complex. Cold and callous. He takes himself and his work very seriously,, thinks he is very scary. The other mercs don’t really give a shit, which infuriates him to no end. He cares about his teammates! somewhere deep down inside ,, like really far down. Probably. Really attached to his tools, names them like how the original Heavy names his guns. He’s pretty fluent with English.

Ludwig is much more silly and caring. He’s the youngest sibling out of his 3 sisters, and took this job because he feels obligated to pay back his family for protecting him and helping him go through college. He’s not sadistic per se, more just, really loves the blood, guts, and carnage of war, and has a very morbid curiosity. He often accompanies the Medic when he's doing operations, if he's not already the patient himself. Misha adores how fascinated he is by all of it, and gladly answers and questions he may have. Very loud and extroverted,, his laughs can be heard from miles away. He kinda scares the other mercs, but he’s trying his best to tone it down. He has a horde of pigeons that just ,, follow him around. He doesn’t really know where they came from. His favorite is named Euripides. He’s intermediate at English.

For Sniper and Scout I kinda kept their backstories the same, they just had different personalities and life circumstances that led to them taking their respective jobs. Jeremy is the older brother of 7 little sisters. His mother had him when she was 16 and going through college, leading Jeremy to have to grow up fast. He and his mom have always had to pick up odd jobs to help pay the bills. One of Jeremy’s bosses took him out onto a shooting range one day and noticed he was a natural. He encouraged him to take up predator/invasive species control to help pay the bills and helped him get started, Jeremy eventually saved up enough to move to the northwest. As he got more skilled, some shady people took note and offered him some more,,, lucrative opportunities. He’s a hick with a slight Boston accent, making him all the more awkward. Pretty introverted, the only friends he's ever had is his little siblings. He’s quick-witted when he wants to be, but usually stays quiet. He seems pretty cold tough, but will change really quickly around little kids. Drinks way too many energy drinks to compensate for his insomnia.

Mick is an only child and basically the Australian version of Scout. Which is a terrifying concept!! he scares me. He’s a pretty extroverted guy, but was still bullied for his scrawny appearance and a lack of mustache hairs when he was little, so he devoted himself to becoming the best track runner in Australia. Also he couldn’t win a fight against anyone and he tended to piss off a lot of people, so running was a necessity. He doesn’t have any siblings, but he has a lot of older friends who treat him like a little brother. He likes to paint in his free time. Took the job to help support his parents and to explore the world, or just New Mexico. Annoying jock bastard. He wears those tank tops with the holes at the sides that just go all the way down,, not even a shirt at that point. Still throws piss at people because I think its really fucking funny.

Nobody quite knows where Soldier came from, not even herself. All she knows is that she’s a General, and a damn good one at that. Although his team would like to suggest otherwise. She’s loud and erratic, missing quite a few cogs in her brain. Not lead poisoned like the original soldier, I’m leaning towards a lobotomy that really melted his brain, soupe de cerveau or somethinf. Even though she lost her mind, she kept her great commanding skills and leads the team in attacks. He can be found planning and strategizing for the next round, or hanging out with the other team’s Demo. A bit silly, a bit goofy. Comically patriotic like the original Soldier. Parleys-tu Français, DO YOU SPEAK FRRRENCH ??? Non tu ne le fais pas, you don’t? FUCK YOU

Tavish and pyros personalities are a kinda combined? I just took little bits from both of them and squashed them together. Tavish is a pyromaniac hailing from Scotland. There’s rumors that he was the cause of the fire storm that rained down on Scotland for about a week, but he’s never confirmed or denied this. His voice isn’t all that muffled, his Scottish dialect is just so thick that nobody can understand him, except for Ms Pauling and Engineer like usual. Tavish can be pretty unstable and hyperactive, but an overall happy-go-lucky guy. Drinks responsibly most of the time! Still depressed! Lots of Molotov cocktails. His favorite animal is the Pegasus, and his life's goal is to find and tame one some day.

Dell is the same personality wise, just more like spy. So a bit more stuck up lol. He also shares the same care that the original spy shows for his team, as long as it benefits him along the way. Dell comes from a long family line of Spy’s that all worked for the Mann brothers, they stole Australium for them and kept them safe from other entity's that wanted to have control over the Australium too. His goggles have all that super cool spy stuff in them, night vision, cameras, a radio. Jane helped him add some new features as of late, . I'm not sure how to incorporate Dell's fascination with trans-humanism into this Dell quite yet. Maybe something to do with his senses? Name’s Spy. Spy Gaming.

Jane is pretty much the same silly little guy,, but now with 11 phds! And he’s not lead poisoned anymore! Nobody’s quite sure where Jane comes from, every time he’s asked he always changes up his backstory. He tends to slack off more than the original soldier, "A good hard-working American always knows when to take breaks!" He's also built a variety of raccoon-themed machines that get into mischief around the base. He and the Pyro are good buddies! He likes reading their stories, and gently encouraging them to write more. He's pretty strict when it comes to safety, and will come down hard on his teammates for messing around. THAT IS NOT OSHA APPROVED HEAD-WEAR MAGGOT!

Demoman is more like Tavish backstory-wise in this. They’re a midwesterner with way too much free time who blew up their family’s corn field by accident when they were little, oh and their parents. Their bio family crawled out from the remains of the farm and took them in after they proved themselves, even with their lack of tentacles and wings. (yeah their parents are the Great Old Ones, cthulhu guys, for sillies :3 ) They still like to do creative stuff (but adult-ified because adults are insecure about having fun for some reason.) like adult coloring books, or oil painting, or having adult tea parties. Demoland is a book that they're writing, and will TOTALLY 100% work on this weekend. They hate eye contact and have never been seen without their bombsuit on, except for Scout, but he can comprehend these otherworldy horrors perfectly fine so idk maybe you have a skill issue or something.

Heavy is Medic

Medic is Heavy

Sniper is Scout

Scout is Sniper

Spy is Soldier

Demoman is Pyro

Engineer is Spy

Soldier is Engineer

Pyro is Demoman

notes: I was thinking of making Dell Jeremy's father, but I didn't want to change up Jeremy's facial features too much, so Spy remains. Mick has that neck-mic thingy that soap from COD has because I was scrolling through soapghost on pintrest help. Soldier wasn't actually a general, I was thinking he was just somebody who knew too much. But after she got the lobotomy, I'm thinking she did something similar to soldier and tried to get into the military, and failed. Ludwig is the biggest on the team, with Misha having a more agile body type. Still a bear!! Just a bit smaller. This art is a bit old because I've been working on this since MAY?!?!??? ough. Maybe I'll swap some side characters as well! Pauling with Bidwell, Saxton with Helen, if ya want you could give me some suggestions 👁 👁 This is all Merasmus's fault some how, babygirl messes up the timeline for the sillies, the funny haha even. I love her <3333 Also sorry if the info for Jeremy is incorrect, I just thought it would be neat idk a whole lot about hunting.

#tf2 #tf2 fanart #tf2 ocs #tf2 class swap #tf2 whole team #apologies for the wall of text it’s the special interest and now for too many tags because I’m evil #tf2 pyro #tf2 demoman #tf2 spy #tf2 soldier #tf2 scout #tf2 sniper #tf2 engineer #tf2 heavy #tf2 au #tf2 medic #tf2 oc #genderfluid spy #transfem spy #daffys drawings #undertale has forever changed how I interact with fandoms and characters #I love tom cardy #call a bondulance #more like tf2 ass swap

[subzerosongie]

LUCIFER SFW HEADCANNONS

Omnisexual and Demiromantic, Lucifer finds beauty in just about everyone. 

Struggles with affection, Lucifer's rank as an Angel wasn't known for being overly affectionate. Lucifer can come across as suffocating and controlling when he shows affection. 

Has deep tissue scars where his angel wings used to be, he did rip them clean off his body.

On the rare occasion he misses his old life but that's a rare feeling, usually when he's heavily intoxicated 

He's aware that he misses the memories and not the Celestial Realm himself

His feelings towards the Celestial Realm are mixed at best and negative at worst. 

He wishes he could goof off like the others, but understands his role

Struggles with emotions, both others and his own. 

Admittedly self indulgent, he makes no effort to hide his fondness for alcohol 

Knows how much he has to drink to get to the level of intoxicated he desires

Insists he's not addicted

Smokes when he's particularly stressed out.

Was a leading example of virtue while in the Celestial realm for most of his time there. 

Had a rebellious teen phase

Thinks about having kids more often than he'd even admit to

The idea of Romantic relationships with him makes him uneasy, he hasn't been in one in ages and the last one didn't end well. 

This is because despite all his good traits as a romantic partner his struggles with affection and general tendencies to be protective, even overprotective at times make him worry about chasing people away

This said, Lucifer loves simple pet names like Darling, My Sweet, Love, Babe/Baby, Honey. He does have a few special ones he's fond of using towards his lover.

Scars litter his body, most are superficial but aside from the wings one, other deep scars are on his chest, lower back, neck, face, arms and legs. 

Finds humans endlessly fascinating 

Fangs adorn his top and bottom jaws where human canines are located. 

Has a beastly demon form, he's rarely had to use it and are a mix of a demon and his symbolic animals of Peacock and Bat. He also hates this form.

Likes the harder musical genres outside cursed records. Metal and Rock are his favourites

Cat person, dogs can be too demanding for his tastes

Likes Salty foods

Winter is favourite season

Heat is actually hard for him to deal with

Devildom's natural climate is perfect for him

He regrets his fall, if he could do it again he'd make sure his brothers got to stay.

Had a decent singing voice, he doesn't sing very often though

Slightly an ambivert, heavily leaning introvert. 

He craves social interaction but it drains him pretty fast

Mammon is as much his favourite brother as Mammon is the bane of his existence 

Easily flustered when it comes to personal matters

One of his few fears are dying and being called back to the Celestial Realm and losing his family

Likes True Crime

Has PTSD the worst of his Brothers

Also has Depression, it presents through anger and bouts of despondency, he rarely cries or expresses his emotions any other way

He doesn't like this, but doesn't know any other way.

However one way to loosen him up to cry is again, make him intoxicated.

Pride, Lust, Wrath, Envy, Greed, Gluttony and Sloth are the sins ranked in order of intensity 

Workaholic

Rarely eats, when he does he eats larger portions to counteract the frequency 

Has a hard time sleeping, usually naps throughout the day or when everyone else is sleeping

Lucifer has fallen asleep at his desk more than once.

Gifted in Mathematics 

Actually doesn't like to use his powers outside of necessity 

Tries to get into or research his brother's hobbies to try and bond with them, with varying rates of success. Works out with Beel, Reads what Satan is reading, lets Asmo paint his nails, etc

More compassionate and caring than his demeanour shows 

Wishes to amend things with Satan but understands that to do that, it is on Satan's terms to do so and not a moment sooner

Lucifer's favourite holiday is Halloween

When not working, he's usually reading or corralling his brothers in someway

Takes comfort in Diavolo

Probably needs glasses 

Unhealthily relies on Coffee

One of the other brothers have to go in and give him food/drink or drag him from his desk from time to time

Bad at charging his phone

#obey me #obey me lucifer #obey me headcanons #obey me angst #obey me one master to rule them all #obey me nightbringer

[honest-moth-of-silver-grove]

Thoughts on this scenario?: Alucard sometime before s3 or during s3 meeting Trevor's older sister (neither of them are aware they have a sibling who survived the massacre) after she show up at the castle knocking on his door with her knife like "WHY is Dracula's castle on top of my family's ruins?!" I think it would be very interesting for both of them. (Especially once Alucard tells her that her little brother is alive.)

A/N: Lol, this is effing hilarious! I can totally just see Alucard watching this woman come out of nowhere and start throwing cheap shot punches and being like: “There’s ANOTHER Belmont??” 

Alucard Meeting Trevor’s Older Sister Headcannons 

So she shows up to what she expected to be nothing more than a pile of ruins only to find said pile of ruins plus a giant ass castle next door. Which makes no sense because 1) Why not repair the Belmont home if someone was going to build something there? And 2) Why choose to make a big ugly-ass castle of all things? 

On the inside, she’s like: ‘Has it really been THAT long?’ (Maybe, lol.) 

Once the initial shock subsided, she’s like, ‘Okay, this thing’s gotta go’ because again, it’s ugly af, and it can’t be good for the open-earthed Belmont Hold to be responsible for supporting all that weight. 

So she goes to the door and starts banging on it like she owns the place. 

Of course, the doors swing open revealing a very disgruntled Alucard. 

Commence the interrogation.

She’s all like: ‘Who the fuck are you?’ 

And he’s like, ‘Um, excuse me, I live here, who the hell are you?’

And she’s like, ‘Well I lived here first!’ 

And Alucard’s like, ‘That’s a very immature argument.’ 

And she’s all like, ‘Oh yeah? You wanna go pip-squeak?’ 

And Alucard’s like ‘I’m literally a foot taller than you.’ 

And she’s like ‘Well fine, that makes you the perfect height for me to do this!’ And she knees him in the groin. 

…

…

Suddenly it clicks for Alucard. “Are you by any chance a Belmont?”

“Yeah, what’s it to ya?” 

Needless to say, the two of them are quite shocked to learn the identity of the other. She’s half in denial that her little brother, if he really is alive, would be friends with a dhampir. And Alucard’s not sure she is Trevor’s sister once they get to talking, mainly because she’s well-spoken and rather intelligent when not she’s not threatening to kick his ass, something Trevor is not. 

But from his descriptions of their battle with Dracula, her gut tells her it really must be her brother Alucard’s speaking of. 

“I take it you didn’t know he was alive, then,” Alucard says. 

She's like, yeah, no shit. 

But she still has a lot of unanswered questions: how did Trevor manage to escape? How did he survive being so young on his own? Why didn’t she hear of his existence until now? 

Alucard doesn’t have all the answers, but he does have good food and wine, so she decides to crash in the castle with him until her brother returns. 

It’s good for Alucard to have the company, mainly because he was starting to lose his mind. (Something she would pick up on like right away lol.) 

But that’s okay because almost being murdered as a kid and then running from place to place fighting the odd supernatural creature has made her a bit crazy so they’re a decent pair. 

Oddly enough, I think they sort of mellow each other out: she’s just hyper/nuts enough to get Alucard to stop wallowing in self-pity. And he’s just cautious and introverted enough to keep her from accidentally (ahem*intentionally*) burning the place down. 

Sure, there’s a lot of ribbing, and witty jokes thrown back and forth between the two of them, but they’d probably form a strong bond based on mutual respect and necessity. Alucard realizes his mental and emotional state will improve if she stays, and she realizes her chances of fulfilling her destiny as a Belmont increase tenfold should she stay and learn from the ‘enemy’ himself. 

Of course, it takes a while for them to overcome their residual prejudices of one another, especially on Belmont’s side. She’s spent her entire life viewing vampires as monsters- something to be eradicated- it’s not exactly something you can unlearn overnight. But Alucard is such an enigma, and the more she hears of his and Trevor’s travels and adventures in defeating Dracula, the more she sees him as human- the more she sees him as a friend, even. 

They get very close. So close that they even think up ways to prank Trevor once he comes back, planning especially to use her existence as the central super-charged element of surprise. 

Who knows, maybe if she was there with Alucard post-S2, things would have turned out more positively with the twins' arrival in S3. If Alucard wasn’t so dependent on them and them alone for companionship, he wouldn’t have been so hesitant to quickly teach them everything they wanted to know as a way to keep them at his castle longer. If Alucard was more open and forthcoming, the twins might have felt encouraged to put all their own cards on the table before making the drastic (and fatal) move that they did. 

Thanks to her existence, any monsters nearby stand no chance against the occupants of the castle and the surrounding villages. With the newfound double-trouble Belmonts, no one ever has to be scared (or lonely) ever again. 

#castlevania imagine #alucard imagine #alucard tepes imagine #castlevania x reader #alucard tepes x reader #adrian tepes #castlevania #hc

[baki-tiene-un-simp]

characters Yujiro and Oliver are definitely rich and afford luxuries, so they probably look surprised and confused at their s/o who buys some minimal food or clothes for themselves or just enough to get by. And they literally give their wage card and take their partner by the hand to the top quality merchandise store. For God's sake, I'd then quietly pay my tuition and get all my teeth fixed at the dentist

It's what I say!

I could afford my entire higher education with a measly part of their entire fortune, and I'd bet I'd be the least of their worries.

Oliva literally has one of the largest nations in the world under his thumb and therefore his economic capacity is just as great. Oliva won't mind spending his money on his partner, that man would give his whole life to make his partner happy, spending his money is small in comparison. Trips to paradisaical places, expensive gifts, dinners in expensive restaurants, a lot of clothes, health service coverage and academic services, etc. You just have to ask and Oliva will make it happen. When you want something, he's already pulling his credit card out of his pocket; My God, he would give you his credit card to spend as much as your heart desires, he will insist if you are demure, why settle for just enough to live on when you have the chance to have everything you could want?

In the case of Yujiro, I really believe with all the fervor of my heart that this man has free things just for being him, there are no limitations; A complete stay in a luxury hotel, dinners in the greatest places, meetings with the most influential people in the world, the most expensive items that money can buy and even if money can't buy it. His mere presence imposes and no one can say 'no' to any of his demands, nor is there anyone who wants to. Since you're his partner, you're just enjoying the ogre privilege; People will give you and do what you want to not be in Yujiro's sights. Yujiro looks at you as if you've grown a second head when you admit that you buy the bare necessities or how you try to make ends meet on your salary, you're kidding right? Well not anymore, he will pay for your whole life just because he can. And because he maybe he loves you in some way.

Versión en Español.

¡Es lo que yo digo!

Yo podría costear toda mi educación superior con una mísera parte de toda su fortuna, y apostaría que sería la menor de sus preocupaciones.

Oliva literalmente tiene a una de las naciones más grandes del mundo bajo su mano y por tanto su capacidad económica es igual de grande. A Oliva no le molestará gastar su dinero en su pareja, ese hombre daría su vida entera por hacer feliz a su pareja, gastar su dinero es una pequeñez en comparación. Viajes a lugares paradisiacos, regalos caros, cenas en restaurantes caros, un montón de ropa, cobertura del servicio de salud y los servicios académicos, etc. Solo debes pedir y Oliva lo hará realidad. Cuando quieres algo, él ya está sacando su tarjeta de crédito de su bolsillo; Dios mío, él te daría su tarjeta de crédito para que gastes tanto como tu corazón desee, insistirá si eres recatado, ¿por qué conformarse con lo suficiente para vivir cuando tienes la oportunidad de tener todo lo que puedas querer?

En el caso de Yujiro, realmente creo con todo el fervor de mi corazón que ese hombre tiene cosas gratis solo por ser él, no hay limitaciones; una estadía completa en un hotel de lujo, cenas en los lugares más grandes, reuniones con las personas más influyentes del mundo, los artículos más costosos que el dinero pueda comprar y aun si el dinero no puede comprarlo. Su sola presencia impone y nadie puede decir que 'no' a ninguna de sus exigencias, tampoco hay nadie que quiera hacerlo. Como eres su pareja, solo estás disfrutando del privilegio ogro; las personas te darán y harán lo que quieras para no estar en la mira de Yujiro. Yujiro te mira como si te hubiera salido una segunda cabeza cuando admites que compras lo justo y necesario o como tratas de llegar a fin de mes con tu salario, ¿estás bromeando, cierto? Pues ya no más, él costeara toda tu vida solo porque puede. Y porque quizá te quiere de alguna forma.

#biscuit oliva #biscuit oliva baki #oliva #oliva baki #biscuit oliva x reader #biscuit oliva x lector #oliva x reader #oliva x lector #yujiro hanma #yujiro hanma baki #yujiro #yujiro baki #yujiro hanma x lector #yujiro hanma x reader #yujiro x reader #yujiro x lector #baki the grappler #baki son of ogre #baki headcanons #baki dou

[lailyn]

Only When I Sleep (the full fic!)

TW: Gun violence, Idiots In Love

“Did either of you put poison in my food?”

“What? Of course not!” Tony cast Stephen a doubtful look. “I didn’t.”

“Don’t be an idiot, Stark,” Stephen growled. He turned his attention back to Loki. “More importantly, why do you think someone’s poisoned you?”

“It tastes a bit strange…”

Tony grabbed a clean fork from the cutlery drawer. Before Stephen could stop him, he scooped a mound of cauliflower rice and shovelled it into his mouth.

“Tony!” Stephen yelled.

Tony chewed thoughtfully. “Tastes fine to me.”

“Just give it a minute or two, it will come,” Loki said ominously.

“Are you crazy? Do you have a death wish or something?” Stephen berated.

“If it was really poisoned, there really isn’t any point in living anymore, is there?” Tony lamented. “A life without Loki is a tragedy too terrible to contemplate.”

“Tony, you idiot.” Loki’s eyes shone. “I love you.”

“What about me?” Stephen asked, almost fearfully. “Do you love me too?”

“Out of necessity, I suppose I must,” Loki sniffed. “You know CPR.”

________________

"I don't think Loki loves me very much."

"Don't be ridiculous," Tony said mildly. "Of course he does."

"He loves the things that I can do, sure," Stephen said glumly. "Like making the best eggs Benedict on this side of Manhattan. Or turning cheap wine into the best vintage. Or getting him authentic momo dumplings from Nepal - "

Tony sneaked an amused glance at his morose lover over his Starkpad. "I never realised that your achievements were all food-related."

"Can you be serious for once? I'm in the middle of a crisis here!" Stephen glowered. "And that cauliflower rice recipe had five stars on Good Eats!"

Tony sighed. "Look, Doc. Loki's not a big fan of our planet, as you very well know. The fact that he's staying here, with us? He must love you a little."

Stephen snorted. "That's not saying much."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, he's obviously staying for you," Stephen pointed out. "I'm…baggage."

"Baggage," Tony said flatly. He snapped his fingers. "Hey. Levi. Get over here."

The Cloak of Levitation wafted over from where it had been hovering by the windows for the past few hours people-watching.

Tony pointed at Stephen. "Can you knock some sense into your Master here for me?"

The Cloak gave Stephen a few sympathetic pats on the cheek, before returning to its station and favourite pastime.

"See?" Stephen cocked his head unhappily. "Even Levi agrees with me."

"Have you ever heard of 'opposites attract'? Loki's a closed book, and you…" Tony waved a hand, making vague gestures that alluded to something Stephen could only guess the meaning of. "You gotta open up! Tell him you love him in public! Shout it from the rooftop!"

Stephen blinked. "But we live on the hundredth and thirtieth floor. No one's gonna hear it."

Tony rolled his eyes. "That is not the point, you dumbass."

"Then what is your point?" Stephen asked, exasperated.

"Put aside your ego and show him some love! And I don't mean the tough kind."

"But I only know just the one kind," Stephen grumbled, blushing a little.

Tony stared. "You're hopeless."

"I knooow…" Stephen moaned, listlessly dropping his chin onto the table. "I'm screwed."

"Hmm, what to do, what to do…" Tony drummed his fingers on his desk. "I've got it. Remember that scene in The Sixth Sense? When the 'I See Dead People' kid told Bruce Willis how to get through to his wife?"

"What about it?"

"Say it when he's asleep," Tony said excitedly. "Tell him you love him, and to please love you back."

"But that's ridi - " Stephen paused. "Actually, that's kind of brilliant."

Tony gave a modest shrug. "Well, I am known for my genius."

Stephen snorted. "Thanks, Mr. M. Night Shyamalan."

_________________

"That was a stupid plan," Stephen growled as he emerged from their bedroom the next morning.

Get out of my head, a half-asleep Loki had hollered at the top of his lungs in the middle of the night, waking the entire household in the process. Stephen, being the closest to him in terms of physical distance, had received the brunt of Loki's wrath, which explained his brand-new shiner.

"Serves you right for being a creep," a fully-awake Loki glowered. "And you!" Tony cowered under the intensity of his glare, "Enable him further and we shall see how you fare."

With that parting warning, Loki stormed away, presumably to make himself a hangry sandwich before they were due to join the Avengers in battle in a few minutes, something Tony had neglected to mention to either of his husbands.

"So…planting subliminal messages is a no," Tony said sheepishly. "We should have thought about that, huh?"

Stephen heaved a sigh of despair, and hung his head. "I'm screwed."

____________

"We're screwed," Stephen announced an hour later; the enemy had utilised an impressive new weapon, a magic dampener that had basically rendered him powerless. "Hand-to-hand combat is not my forte!"

"Hang on," Tony grunted through the communicator. "I'm coming!"

Stephen frantically looked around for his other husband, and his blood ran cold.

A sniper on the roof had Loki in his sight, right in the line of fire, magicless and as helpless as a kitten.

And Stephen ran.

"Loki!" he shouted, "Look out!"

____________

Stephen awakened to a startling brightness and his whole body hurting with an unidentifiable pain. "Urgh."

"You fool."

Stephen saw the tears in Tony's eyes and his heart began to pound. "Tony?"

"You brave, crazy fool."

"What's wrong? Is Loki okay?" He asked anxiously. "Is that why you're crying? Did he get shot?"

"No, but you did. You pushed Loki out of the way, and got hit instead."

"What?" Then Stephen remembered the barrage of bullets hitting his chest. "How am I not dead?"

"You were bleeding to death on the damn battlefield, right in front of my eyes," Tony said, his voice stricken.

"Tony…" Stephen reached for Tony's hand. It was shaking terribly. "Tony, I'm alright."

"I nearly lost you. I nearly lost you both."

Stephen stilled. "Loki?"

"He's resting." Tony nodded at the other bed across the room. "He nearly drained every drop of magic but it worked. He got you back."

"Help me up," Stephen mumbled. "I need to tell him something."

"Can't this wait? He's still sleeping, and you should be sleeping too - "

"No. It has to be now."

With herculean effort, Stephen dragged himself to Loki's bed. He climbed in beside his slumbering husband.

One look at Loki's exhausted face and the memories came rushing back: the pain, the geyser of blood spurting from his torso -

Damn you, Stephen!

- the sensation of Loki's healing magic pouring into him, dousing the agony in his chest like ice water.

But most of all, he remembered Loki's desperate whispers, I love you. I love you. I love you.

"I love you too, Loki," Stephen whispered in Loki's ear, hugging him tight.

Loki sighed in his sleep. A tell-tale smile began to tug at the corners of his lips. His hands palmed the silk sheets as if looking for something.

"You too, Tony," Stephen ordered. "Get in here."

Grabbing one of Loki's flailing hands, Stephen watched as Tony clambered up onto the bed and grabbed the other.

As they cuddled each other,

"Should we just order in breakfast?"

"For the rest of our lives, yeah."

#ironstrangefrost #strangefrost #frostiron #ironstrange #fic #whumptober 2023 #no.22 #watch out #gunshot

[o-i-w-u]

YOU

Are there any silly facts about your characters? Stims they may do? Things they really like, favorite activities?

If they are to have sexualities, what some characters sexualities? :> (i suck at thinking of y im trying to pull questions out my void of brain for you)

stims!!

yesss stims!!! these are just a few of the characters and only a few of their stims, a bunch of them have verbal stims too :3

uhhhh big text under cut!

pollux flaps her hands a lot, she does it with her wings sometimes too! castor has stims aswell, but they're a lot less noticable, like leg bouncing or tapping on stuff. both castor and pollux release more star dust with stronger emotions (happiness, anger, sadness etc) :DD

thought (top right bm) picks at clothing and loose metal on his body, he often bites and chews on stuff, like his walking stick has quite a lot of bite marks in it from when he doesn't have anything else to gnaw on.

faith (directly under thought) shakes his head side to side, and he verbal stims a ton too.

L!kc (bottom right corner) shakes his whole body a lot

crimson (bottom left) scratches and picks at themself, it mostly started out as a way to sooth the itchiness from all their pinfeathers but slowly evolved into a stim of sorts

mel (sun inbetween crimson and L!kc) retracts his rays in a circular motion (?), its a nice distraction from ✨the horrors✨

most of my eclipses have verbal stims that they get rather embarrassed about :3

sexualities!!

(a lot of these aren't 100%, identities are pretty damn fluid so these may change :])

mel/S!sun: bisexual

nore/S!eclipse: gay (mel and nore are like,, far too busy to focus on this stuff tho)

L!bloodmoon: i don't think he's ever experienced romantic/sexual attraction before tbh.

H!castor, H!pollux and H!gemini: queer platonic attractions, for now :)

crimson/P!bloodmoon: pan, i dont think they care <3

thorn/P!eclipse: pan

star/P!lunar: ??? hes just as confused as i am

L!kc: shes figuring stuff out. or atleast trying to.

thought/(?)!bloodmoon: hasn't thought much about it, bi maybe?

memory/(?)!bloodmoon (other half): ??????

faith/(?)!lunar: gay gay gay gay gaybo

(?)!eclipse: straight, but hes currently dead so.,.,

wonder/[character not shown yet erher!!]: questioning :)

thats all the sillie's attractions i can think of at the moment

crimson is a big fan of drawing as i've said before, and they love love love collecting things

uhhh random stuff that sorta applies to your other questions

((excluding some characters cus this is getting lengthy))

thorn comes up with insane fucking plans on the daily (never acts on them surprisingly)

star kinda just stares into the void 24/7, but when he's not doing that he's probably playing around with castor/pollux, or just wandering around

L!killcode is just doing her own thing the majority of the time, even his kids don't know what shes doing half the time lmao

pollux likes to hang out with star despite kc's wishes, they just like being silly with eachother

castor gets dragged into doing things that aren't work related, he tries to stay focused but pollux refuses to let him do so

mel likes uh,,, sleep, sleep, sleep and uhh sleep-

nore used to repair stuff for fun, but its become a necessity now

thought just hangs around faith, sorta mirrors whatever he's doing

faith just likes to relax or hang out with family

thank you sm for digging through the void!!! very appreciated :)

#fanart #art #doodles #asks #ask #sams #cracks knuckles #this is gonna be a lot of tags fuck #harpy castor #laes castor #castor and pollux #harpy pollux #eclipse sams #sams au #au #laes au #lord kc au #lord bloodmoon #servant eclipse #servant sun #thought and faith #memory and wonder #ive lost track of the tags #prince of crimson #prince of thorns #prince of stars

[sleepysturnss]

INVISIBLE STRING - Matt. S

── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

summary: you and matt have been friends for years, but you two had a falling out right before you left for college. however, some invisible string pulls you back together.

warnings: ANGST (in the beginning), kissing?, fluff, arguing! i think thats all.

this was requested!! :) i forgot the username but i hope you enjoy this💗

── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

i slammed my car door shut, biting my lip as hard as i could, praying that the tears stayed in my eyes. one little push, and everything could fall apart. one moment you could be on top of the world, straight As, sharing a dorm with my best friend, and next thing you know your walking in on your boyfriend making out with that same best friend.

i needed a break. a chance to get away from this place, new york. i had to find a way for things to go back to the way they were before, how they were in boston, just for a little while.

maybe that was the answer. going back to boston.

before i knew it i was sitting on a park bench, ordering plane tickets to boston.

i knew i had to go back to my dorm, but i was dreading it. amelia would be there. the girl who willingly and happily invited my boyfriend to cheat on me.

i walked up the steps to the huge building, opening the handle and letting the fresh college kid air hit me. normally this would be relaxing, but nothing is normal. not anymore.

my mind was screaming at me to stop, but i had to get my things. so i found myself standing in front of the door to my room.

i took a deep breath, before wrapping my hand around the cold metal knob, twisiting it open.

i walked in, looking around, i didnt see her. maybe she wasnt home.

i sighed, relieved as i began to shove my clothes and other necessities into my black backpack, not waisting any time.

i took one look at my dorm, my side almost completely empty. nodding to myself, i turned around about to open the door.

“y/n?”

i closed my eyes, turning around slowly.

“y/n please, please let me explain i-”

“im not speaking to you.” i smiled tightly at her, gripping the strap on my backpack.

“i swear i- wait…where are you going?” she asked, shoving her hands in her pockets.

“its not of your business amelia. im leaving here for a while, and when i get back dont expect to see me, im changing my fucking room.” i snapped, crossing my arms.

“y/n please! let me explain i promise-”

“shut up!” i said through my teeth, “your not explaing jack shit. you were shoving your tongue down my boyfriends throat, and now your standing in front of me asking to explain?”

i stared at her for a moment, before turning around and leaving the room. she didnt follow me, or contact me after that day. which is a good thing, because it took every fiber in me not to beat the shit out of her.

soon i was back in boston, everything felt right there. i almost wish i never left. things would be better.

but being back here just reminded me of him even more.

everywhere i looked, he was there.

the shops we used to visit, our favorite lunch place, the park where we walked his first dog.

he was everywhere.

and i couldnt get his stupid voice out of my head.

“so you werent gonna tell me?” he snapped, turning around. he never yelled at me, not like this.

“your picking up your whole life and moving to another state? and you decided to wait until the week before you left to tell me? your best friend?”

“matt i didnt wanna hurt you! i just-”

“your hurting me right now! how could you just lie to me!” he paused, running his hand through his hair. i could tell he was thinking. he always did that when he was thinking.

“fuck off. go to new york, and loose my god damn number.” he finally spoke up.

my heart dropped.

all the way to my feet.

“you dont mean that…” i shook my head, biting back tears. but that look in his eyes told me he was dead serious,

“bye y/n.” he muttered, slamming my front door shut.

it had been about two years since that day. the last day i had seen him.

i knew i was wrong, but i was young, and afraid. i would hate me too.

okay. snap out of it. stop thinking about matt.

i ran my hand through my hair, walking out of the airport, quickly noticing the uber i called.

i stepped into the car, setting my bag down.

“where to?” the man asked, turning his head to meet my gaze,

“can you drop me off at-” i paused, not wanting to go to my parents house yet.

“actually, nevermind” i shook my head, giving him the name of a small coffee shop near the bridge.

it took about fifteen minutes to get there, it was a nice ride. i really missed boston.

“thank you” i smiled at the driver, exiting the car.

i walked past the entrance to the coffee shop, entering through the back, walking up the stairs.

i used to work here in highschool, so i always went up to the roof at night. most of the time matt came with me…but id just have to do without.

i walked onto the roof, the chilly boston air instantly blanketing my face. i hummed softly as i looked around, the skyline sparkling slightly in the sunset, and the soft hum of car engines vaguely noticable.

i turned my head, noticing a taller figure standing against the railing of the roof. they were in a black hoodie, the hood pulled up, disguising their identity.

i shoved my hands in my pockets, approaching the person, assuming it was a boy, because his figure was masculine.

“hey” i smiled, my head facing forward, “i didnt know anyone else came up here” i laughed to myself, my hands resting on the rail.

“an old friend showed me this place” he said softly,

i smiled, “you sound really fami-”

i turned my head, my eyes meeting two shiny blue ones that i knew all too well.

“y/n?” he muttered, pulling his hood down.

“matt” i breathed, stepping back slightly.

“shit how long has it been?” he smiled, not like the smile i knew. it was forced, and tired.

“a long time.” i sighed, staring at my shoes.

we stood in silence for a moment, probably trying to figure out what to say.

“im sorry”

our voices rang at the same time, i laughed lightly, looking up at him.

“im so fucking sorry matt. i shouldve never done that to you, it was stupid. i was stupid, and scared, and dumb, well stupid and dumb are the same thing, but you know what i mean.” i rambled, making him smile again.

“y/n.” he said softly, “im sorry. i shouldve never said any of that shit to you, the truth is…i was afraid of loosing you. so i pushed you away. and i regret it more than anything.” he moved closer to me,

“im really glad your back, i-is everything okay?” he asked, a concerned look in his eye,

“everything is perfect now.” i whispered, wrapping my arms around his torso, pulling myself into him.

“i missed you, so much matt.” my voice broke, his arms embraced me, pushing me into his chest, his head burying into my hair.

“you have no idea y/n/n” he whispered,

as i hugged him, i realized that nothing else mattered. that i hadnt been truly happy since i had seen matt.

i started dating my boyfriend, and i liked him, but i didnt love him, i didnt love amelia, or anyone else. but i loved matt. more than anything.

“matt.”

“yeah?” he asked, pulling away just slightly, but still holding onto my arms.

“i need you to know something.” i whispered, “i felt so lost without you, like…like i couldnt be me. i felt so empty, and so incomplete. but when im with you i feel whole. you were my best friend. but…i never realized how i really felt.”

“what are you saying?” he asked, his brows knitting together,

“im saying im in love with you matthew.” i bit my lip, my eyes watering up, every bit of oxygen in my lungs had immediately disappeared.

“jesus- what the fuck is wrong with me i-”

“y/n.” his grip tightened, keeping me from pulling away.

“ive been in love with you since i was fourteen years old.” he whispered, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, “i think thats why i got so angry when you left. but i never stopped loving you. its always been you.”

“it always will be.”

i smiled, standing up on my tippy toes to close the gap in between us. our lips pressing together, the light of the moon illuminating his chocolatey brown hair that sat messily over his ocean eyes.

our lips met, it felt like a magnet, like a string that had finally met its other end. like an invisible string.

i pulled away, just enough to rest my forehead against his.

“i love you.” he whispered,

“i love you more.” i smiled,

“not possible y/n/n”

we stayed like that for a while, our bodies softly swaying in the wind, dancing to the music that only we could hear.

nothing mattered anymore. not new york, or amelia, nothing.

all that i cared about was in my arms.

he was mine.

and i was his.

── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

woo my first oneshot omd 🙈💗 how do we feel? its not perfect butttt ahh

xx 💋💋

#Spotify #sturniolo triplets #sturniolo #sturniolos #matt sturniolo #matthew sturniolo #fluff #angst #light angst #angst with a happy ending #youtube #youtuber #sturniolo smut #trending #dont flop #first writing #happy new year #nye

[mazeinthemiroh]

bangchan boyfriend headcanons

genre: fluff

word count: 0.8k

warnings: none

requested?: yes

song rec: my universe - coldplay, bts

author's notes: in honour of chan day, here is some bangchan bf headcanons. i may or may not have cried whilst writing this. i just love him so much ;-; anyways, i really hope you enjoy this one! happy chan day <333

guys...

oh my gosh i can't breathe-

okay, okay

i don't think you understand how much this guy means to me. this guy. the most beautiful, gentle, gorgeous man in the whole world. this person who's very existence is why i am still here today. bangchan. bang christopher chan. chrissy boi

however has the privilege of dating this one should know that they are the luckiest person in the whole wide world

bangchan as a boyfriend? he puts his all into the relationship. being the leader of stray kids has taught him many things: patience, kindness, empathy, compromise, understanding. he is well equipped for any sort of human interaction, if we're being honest. he is also prone to be protective, taking a more caring role is natural for him. as a boyfriend, he will look out for you. make sure you stay out of harms way, protect you from the press, sasaengs, paparazzi, toxic fans, idols, anyone who hurts your feelings, your reputation, your image.

you are like the kids in the sense that you become chan's top priority.

speaking of the kids, you will have to get on well with them. the other members as so important to chan because they are essentially his family. so getting along with them is a must and non-negotiable, tbh

and they welcome you with open arms, anyway, seeing how happy you. make chan. you all end up being one big happy family, its lovely

but it's baffling, really. because at first, chan was a bit concerned that being in a relationship would be extremely difficult because of his tight schedule

and, much like i said with hongjoong, he's a quality time guy. he craves a one-on-one connection with someone, to really get to know them well and to understand their thoughts, feelings, and opinions. which is hard because he literally has no time at all. but somehow, magically, he manages. and much better than he thought he would

and it's because he absolutely thrives in a relationship. he finally has someone to commit to. something to look forward to. something that give shis life a new meaning. a brighter joy that he has never quite experienced before. sure, he's living his dream, but it's not easy. his life is hectic and tough and crazy and busy and lonely. and therefore he values, much more deeply than others, the feeling of companionship

to love and to be loved. that's what he desires the most. that's what he needs

because this man has so much love to give. he will hold you close to him and never ever let you go

cuddles are a necessity! he's very physically affectionate and essentially wants to be close to you in any way. he doesn't even care if he's the big spoon or little spoon. if he's. a big spoon, he feels like he is protecting you and it feels so good holding you close in his arms. but if he's the little spoon, he would feel so safe and loved and cherished as you hold him tight. he lives for any type of cuddles <3

overall, being in a relationship with chan would be extremely important for him for one key reason: you make him feel like he is at home. he finds himself being so comfortable around you; he is free to be himself, with no judgement. he feels safe with you. that's something he can never deny. you are his best friend, his family, his soulmate. a massive part of his life. he never underestimates how much you mean to him. and he never takes you for granted. not once.

dates with him would include:

studio dates - yes, i know, how predictable. the usual setting of every chan fic out there, i get it, i get it. but he loves it when you're at the studio with him. sometimes you guys work together, just quiet and enjoying each others comfortable company, ordering takeaway food at midnight, falling to sleep together in the early hours of the morning. or you guys just mess around and get like zero work done. either way, he loves it

binge-watching - he counts this as a date. he wants nothing more than after a long day working at the studio, coming home to you snuggling up in his arms in his bed while he puts on a movie or anime or tv show you guys have been watching. it's one of his favourite moments ever. it makes him feel so warm and happy

fireworks display - kinda cliché but also totally his vibe. i think he's watched so many anime with romance fireworks scenes that he's just like 'yep, we have to do this.' and it's breathtaking how perfect it all is. a beautiful moment shared with a beautiful man

i hope chan chooses happiness, above all else <3

#bang chan #bangchan #chan #stray kids #skz #kpop #requested #kpop scenarios #kpop imagines #skz imagines #stray kids reactions #stray kids imagines #skz headcanons #skz fluff #skz scenarios #stray kids fluff #stray kids scenarios #stray kids headcanons #kpop fluff #kpop headcanons #fluff #sfw #headcanons

[drama--universe]

Chishiya becomes a father

Requested by anonymous: Hiiiiii! Love your writing and wanted to request something from Alice in borderland! So my idea was that Chishiya just finished a game and he hears some crying and he goes and investigates to see the reader but the reader is a baby? And Chishiya takes them in as his own?

Pairing: Chishiya x infant!reader (platonically)

Word Count: 1.2K words

Warnings: reader is a literal baby..? (Don't know if that's a warning), cursing

A/N I made this a "full story" about this because my brain started screaming a story... So, this goes beyond Borderlands and thus spoilers for S2

Exiting the prison building, Chishiya couldn't help but sigh loudly as he felt the cold air hit his, now bare, neck. The metal collar had bruised and irritated his neck quite a bit and left behind a red rash that kept itching. It annoyed him and one thing was for sure, Chishiya does not like being annoyed or bothered. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard a loud cry, sounding like it was near him. So he searched, letting his eyes wander over the whole area as he tried to find the source.

Then he found it.

A child, wrapped in blankets and laying in a woman's arms. The woman was dead, that much was clear as he saw the pale form of her, and yet the child was fine. Chishiya didn't know how, but it was alive. So he stepped closer, inching closer until he stood right in front of the crying child. Crouching down, he removed the blanket to see the kid's face before gently picking the child up. The cries stopped, instead the child gave a happy squeal at him and Chishiya felt like he was back at his job. He always had a soft spot for kids, it was the reason why he started working in the Pediatric Department.

Noticing the bracelet that the child wore, the name hanging on the chain and Chishiya sighed again.

"Hello then, (y/n)." He looked at the child again, who only squealed again with pure delight as they reached for his hands.

"Let's get you checked..." He mumbled as he walked off, trying to find a safe spot with some necessities. Luckily, a convenience store was nearby and Chishiya assumed that it had enough for the child and maybe something to stop his neck from itching. So he entered, laying the child on the counter top before turning around as he checked behind the counter for anything, keeping his hand on the child to make sure that it wouldn't roll off.

Searching through the stuff, Chishiya found a few tubes with soothing crème and grabbed it before looking around again for other stuff. Once he found everything, he started to check the child for any injuries. He found one, a fairly big scratch on the child's leg and Chishiya quickly started to treat the wound. He was glad that the wound wasn't too big or too deep, wrapping it soft enough that it wouldn't hurt the child. After that, he finished and took a good look at (y/n) again. The child was silent, still smiling a bit at him.

"You're going to be such a bother..." He let out another sigh before grabbing a shawl, wrapping it around the child before lifting it up and wrapping it on his back.

"You better stay quiet." He almost threatened the kid, which only made him scoff on the inside at how ridiculous he probably sounded. Then again, he probably looked ridiculous as well and he knew for sure that Kuina would laugh her ass off if she saw him. He wondered if she was still alive, but he quickly shrugged off the thoughts and focused on the child again. He grabbed some other stuff, like baby food and some medical stuff. Then he marched out again, ignoring the aircrafts that buzzed around. Only one was left, the last game.

A queen of hearts.

Chishiya assumed it was the worst game and he had no intention to join it. He had enough days left and he assumed that the child also had some left. He could wait for others to finish it, knowing Arisu would probably go for it since he was extremely reckless.

Chishiya felt odd. His whole body itched, muscles tensing every few seconds as he tried to wake up. His eyes opened, closing seconds later due to the bright lights that shone on him. He tried again seconds later, adjusting to the light before turning his head around to inspect his surroundings. He could only see white, but the beeping of a monitor beside him made him realize that he was in a hospital. The beeping was normal, so he assumed that he was fine. Nurses were rushing past him, paying no attention to him as he sat up. He felt stitches in his side and his head hurt immensely, pounding as he continued to look around. A nurse seemed to notice his confusion as she rushed to his side. He didn't pay attention as she explained his situation.

Something was bothering him, yet he couldn't figure out what.

He had to stay in his bed for a couple more minutes as a doctor checked him, Chishiya kept all the snarky comments to himself as he tried to ignore the numerous mistakes that the doctor said. Clearly a new doctor, Chishiya thought. Once the doctor finished, Chishiya got put of bed and started wandering. Rooms upon rooms were filled with people in the same situation as him. A near death experience, a heart that stopped for a minute before suddenly beating again. IT didn't seem logical to Chishiya, especially with the memories swimming around in his head. He was barely paying attention to where he was going, eyes wandering over all the other patients until he came to a halt at a room. He was unable to enter, but he could see through the glass to find what was inside.

Just one small bed, a small child that was happily babbling to the nurses. One of the legs was wrapped with a bandage and a small burn was on the child's face, covering the jaw to ear area. The name on the bed said (y/n) and it was then that Chishiya felt the familiar feeling that he knew the child.

"Do you know them?" A nurse beside him asked and Chishiya looked up before shrugging, but not taking his eyes of (Y/n)'s form.

"What happened to her parents?" Chishiya asked and the nurse sighed softly before explaining that both had passed from the meteor strike, the mother had protected (Y/n) from all harm.

"We're looking for anyone that is willing to adopt them at the moment. Are you, by any chance..?" The nurse stopped her sentence, clearly hopeful that Chishiya would agree. Normally, Chishiya would scoff. He didn't want a child to take care off, much less an infant, and he was still busy with his interning at the hospital. And yet, something forced him to say yes, to which the nurse squealed with joy before thanking him. She clearly didn't think about how long the adoption process would be and that she would probably needed to fill everything in for it to go through.

Nonetheless, two weeks later Chishiya went out of the hospital with a child in his arms. He still had a month before work, so he'd figure something out for after that.

For now, he'd just figure out how he should take care of the child in his arms.

#alice in borderland chishiya x reader #alice in borderland #alice in boderland x reader #alice in borderland chishiya #chishiya alice in borderland #chishiya x reader #aib #aib x reader #aib chishiya #aib chishiya shuntaro x reader #aib chishiya shuntaro #chishiya shuntaro x reader #shuntaro chishiya #aib chishiya x reader #reader insert #x reader #request #anonymous request

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Aemond General Headcanon Alphabet

A - Animals - Are they an animal person? Good with them? Scared of them? 

Beyond Vhagar, Aemond views animals as a practicality - if not for meat, milk or wool he sees little point in them.

B -  Boozy - What is their alcohol tolerance like? What kind of drunk are they? 

Aemond isn't a drinker, he rarely imbibes, having spent most of his life witnessing the negative consequences of Aegon's overindulgence. He gets pretty tipsy from a single glass of wine, which removes any inhibition/filter he has, hence his "Strong Boys" toast.

C - Chocolate - Do they prefer savory tastes or do they have a (secret) sweet tooth? 

Aemond doesn't have a sweet tooth. He sees food as a necessity, not an indulgence. Any sweet treats that cross his plate he gives to Helaena.

D - Decision - Are they impulsive decision makes? Do they follow their heart, or do they prefer thinking it over?

He is meticulous in his decision making, unless angered. Aemond is at his most impulsive when he feels slighted.

E - Explosive - Are they quick to get angry? What kind of angry are they?

Aemond's temper is a slow burn, but when it reaches its boiling point he isn't explosively angry, just vengeful and spiteful.

F - Friendship - Do they make friends easily? Or are they more hard to approach?

Aemond is a loner by nature. His proclivities towards being a know it all mean people aren't quick to warm to him, and having been picked on most of his life he prefers to keep others at arm's length.

G - Ghost - Do they believe in the paranormal? Are they superstitious? 

No. Aemond is practically minded. There's an explanation for everything in his mind.

H - Health & Hygiene - Do they take proper care of themselves or do they need to be reminded to have better habits? 

Aemond prides himself on his appearance and puts a lot of time into ensuring he is well kept.

I - Income - Do they feel like money = happiness, or are they happy with enough to survive? Do they dream of a lavish lifestyle, or do they think luxury is unnecessary? 

Aemond is a Prince, so he's accustomed to a certain lifestyle. He'd absolutely struggle without it.

J - Job - If they’d be living in our world - modern AU - What kind of job would they have? Would they be good at it? 

He'd be a lawyer, most definitely. And he'd be amazing at it - he's intelligent, hyper focused and loves to debate, no doubt he'd be top of his field and earning big bucks.

K - Kindness - Are they kind? Do they like to pay it forward? Are they kind to strangers? 

No. He's kind to his loved ones, particularly his mother and sister. Prefers to keep away from everyone else. Absolutely not a philanthropist.

L - Love Language - What is their love language? Does it change when it’s a romantic relationship or are they consistent with how they show love to friends and partners? 

Aemond's love language is quality time. He prefers to be alone, so when he cares for someone it's a big deal when he wants to be around them/have them in his space.

M - Music - What kind of music are they into / would they be into? Can they sing / dance? Do they have good rhythm? 

Absolutely cannot sing or dance, zero sense of rhythm. Typical white man. Enjoys darker sounding pieces. In a modern setting would absolutely listen to metal.

N - Nature - Do they enjoy the calm and quiet of nature or do they prefer people and the city? What kind of nature resonates most with them (sea, forest, mountains…) 

The quiet solitude of sitting by the fireplace in a library, or being above the clouds on dragonback.

O - Offspring - Do they want kids one day? Are they good with children, or do they prefer to stay away as far as possible? 

Terrible with children, as he never really had the opportunity to enjoy being one himself. Absolutely wants kids of his own though, as it's considered the "proper" thing to do and he wants to carry on the Targaryen bloodline.

P - Pain - Do they have a high pain tolerance? Are they quick to admit that they are in pain or will they endure it by themselves? 

Considering what Aemond went through with his eye and how much of that he internalised, it's safe to assume his pain tolerance is quite high. If he's suffering he'll keep it to himself.

Q - Question - Are they curious by nature? Do they know loads of little trivia? Are they very knowledgeable in their field? 

Aemond is a thirsty boi when it comes to knowledge. If a topic interests him then he's not satisfied until he knows all there is to know about it. He provides himself on how well read he is.

R - Rain - What is their favorite type of weather? Favorite season? Are they an ‘I’m always hot’ or an ‘I’m always cold’ kind of person? 

Aemond prefers dry, cooler weather. His proclivity towards wearing leather means he gets too hot when it's sunny, and rain messes up his hair and makes it difficult to train/ride Vhagar.

S - Sleep - What are their sleeping habits? What does their bed look like? 

He survives on very little sleep, but never looks fatigued. He's going to bed late, but also waking up early. He doesn't need a lot of rest. His bed is minimalist and always well made.

T - Tired - Are they a morning person? A night owl? A permanently exhausted pigeon? 

He doesn't really switch off. He's up with the dawn and not going to bed until well after midnight.

U - Unwind - What do they like to do to relax? Do they need a lot of downtime?

Aemond needs a lot of time to recharge if he's spent a lot of time around other people. He'll either go for a lone ride on Vhagar, or tuck himself away in the library to read.

V - Vulnerable - Are they quick to overshare? Or do they keep up their defenses? How long does it take for them to trust someone and open up? 

Aemond doesn't open up to anyone. Information has to be pried from him and he'll only really start to open up once he feels a sense of trust/comradery with someone, which takes a long time.

W - Weird - Do they have any habits that are considered strange or abnormal by other people? What are they? 

His preference to being on his own, his reluctance to open up and his penchant for having to know the most about everything at all times could all be considered strange.

X - XOXO - In a modern AU: are they a texter or a caller? Do they use emoji? What are their most used Emoji? Do they use a lot of common abbreviations, or do they type out everything properly? 

He'd be a texter. No emojis. Everything is typed out properly, but also doesn't say more than is absolutely necessary.

Y - Yes man - Are they quick to help out friends? And Strangers? Will they be easy to convince to do things for others or do they prefer just taking care of their own business. 

He'd die for his family, and do absolutely anything for them. The rest of the world can fuck off as far as he's concerned though.

Z - Zone out - Are they prone to daydreaming? If so, what are they dreaming about? Or are they more focussed, and if they are, how hard is it to break their concentration?

Aemond is constantly in his own head, as he's not much of a talker. However, when he's doing something it has all of his attention, he doesn't do things by half measures. Babygirl concentrates.

#aemond targaryen #house of the dragon #my headcanons