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#mostly they’re just strange though
arthur-r · 8 months
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discovery channel will be like “on october 17 2013 someone recorded footage of a very disturbing, completely unprecedented impossible event which implies, without a doubt, supernatural connections and evidence of extraterrestrial life forms…. let’s hear from some experts about this super spooky, extremely unnatural floating object” and the experts say “so actually this is a weird type of cloud it happens sometimes” and discovery channel will say “tune in next time for a car making weird spooky noises…. we’re thinking it is probably a ghost”
#have trees in vietnam developed mutations to ruffle their bark in self defense? radiation and evolution!!!!#we talked to some experts and there were bees on the tree#(actual episode that was just on the TV. the cloud and the cars are both real too)#my roommate got a TV for $15 at goodwill we’ve used it for jackbox a couple times but mostly it’s just constantly on in the background#playing satellite TV channels usually discovery i’m gonna try to tune in to HGTV at the right time for cheap old houses though#anyway discovery channel feels like… analog clickbait?? i guess??#it’s just. so silly to me#anyway this is too long to be a sillygoofy textpost but it’s supposed to be….. so sorry brevity is just silencing my inner glow or something#shdhdf i just think it’s so silly and stupid. they spend half an hour on here are all the aliens and spooky things this could be#and the expert comes in and says this is a very normal and recognized scientific phenomenon with a full explanation and several known events#and the discovery channel guy says whoa that’s crazy well look at this spooky strange thing!!!!#bonus points when they’re looking at like. aztec civilization and they say For Some Strange Reason the people did this Barbaric Ritual#evidencing Spooky Aliens masquerading as Primal Gods and the Gullible Brown People Fell For It#and then person comes in and says yeah so this was agriculture and record keeping and innovation and empathy and art and advanced techniques#and the discovery channel says But Brown People They Can’t Do That It Was Aliens and then they dig up a sacred burial site#most of the episodes are just stupid and silly and entertaining (like the cloud) but a lot of them piss me off a lot#anyways!!!! i’m heading to bed cause i have my first day of classes in the morning!!#but my roommate just turned off the TV and it was so silly and contrived. i think not having access to satellite TV all my life is maybe not#the big awful issue i thought it was. i think i was maybe winning. i do like learning about the weird scientific phenomena though#but the way they bury it under hours of weird speculation about evil aliens spying on us and meddling in our lives…. makes it hard to handle#okay i’m heading to bed though shdhdf. hope everyone is doing well and goodnight!!#ask to tag (idk what for but there’s definitely something here somewhere)#me. my post. mine.#delete later
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maniculum · 1 month
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A post of mine from several months ago about the Perlesvaus self-rearranging forest just wandered across my dash again and made me think about it some more, so I wanted to talk about it a bit.
Perlesvaus, for those who don’t know, is a 13th-century French Arthurian romance. It’s intended to be a continuation of Chretien de Troyes’s Perceval, but it’s mostly known for being completely batshit when it’s known at all. (There’s an old book on Arthurian texts that dedicates a chapter to Perlesvaus and repeatedly speculates that the anonymous author had Something Wrong With Him. This is the longest scholarly treatment of Perlesvaus I’ve been able to find & read.)
Anyway, there’s an odd worldbuilding detail in the text. See, it’s a Thing in chivalric romances that the questing knights happen upon castles & lords & damsels & such that are unfamiliar to them and have to be explained. You know, “this is the Castle of Such-and-Such, where the local custom is as follows. It’s ruled by Lady So-and-So, whose character I shall now describe to you.”
This is a genre convention that largely goes unquestioned, but it’s a bit odd if you think about it. All these knights are at least minor nobility. They don’t know the other nobles in their region? They don’t know what castles are where? Don’t they have, like, diplomatic relations with these people or at least attend the same tournaments? Even if they’re all fully committed to the knight-errant lifestyle and don’t really engage in courtly diplomacy, you’d think they would share information with each other and get the lay of the land. But instead, to use TTRPG terminology, it’s like they’re all on a hexcrawl that was randomly generated just for them to have these adventures.
The author of Perlesvaus decides to address this. In what’s kind of a throwaway paragraph late in the text, he explains that God moves things around so knights always have new quests to do (and, presumably, is also making sure they always arrive at the right narratively-significant moment). So the reason they’re always encountering people & places they have no knowledge of is because those people & places really weren’t there yesterday. They didn’t know about the Castle of Such-and-Such because it’s normally a thousand miles away and the forest path they followed to get there used to lead somewhere else.
And I think that would be a really interesting thing to stick into a novel or a TTRPG or something. When a knight rides into the forest with the intent of Going On A Quest, at some point they go around a bend in the path, cross an invisible barrier, and wind up in the Forest of Narrative. This is a vast forest with no set geography, filled with winding paths and populated almost entirely with questing knights, damsels in search of questing knights, friendly hermits, strange creatures, and allegorical set-pieces. Then, at the narratively-appropriate time, they cross back over the invisible barrier back into the regular world, and find themselves wherever the Narrative has decided they need to be. This could be a different country, a different continent, or a different world entirely.
Whether anyone involved is actually aware that this is how it works is… optional, really. Though if it’s not a Known Phenomenon, the people whose jobs it is to handle trade & diplomacy & god forbid, maps, are going to end up tearing their hair out in frustration.
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luveline · 5 months
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lovely jade if you were ever in the mood to write something for remus/reader where maybe they’re out with their friends and reader can tell that remus’ pain is flaring up but he doesn’t want to draw attention to it so she nudges him to lean on her i would be forever indebted to you
Remus has a strange laugh. It doesn't quite match his voice, which is unusual too. Sometimes he chuckles but mostly he giggles, this stringing, sweet sound as he grasps your hand or your arm or your elbow. And you love hearing it, laughing yourself at Sirius’ dirty joke, but you almost wince at the amount of weight he leans into you. It's over as soon as it began, he's moving away, his smile fading with his laugh. 
You shouldn't be standing up, but the pub hadn't had a table and no one wanted to go home yet. You're waiting for an opening, a pitcher of Blue Lagoon between you all and a couple of bags of pork scratchings to ignore. Remus isn't made to stand this long, but it's not like him to mention it. 
His jeans are starched under your fingers as you put a hand on his hip. He raises his eyebrows at you, semi-suggestive. 
“She asked me who I was,” Sirius says, to Lily's disgust, and James’ poorly hidden amusement, “and I didn't have the heart to tell her. Remus ended up telling her we'd met before at a party–” 
“Is this true?” you ask, standing closer to him than you need to. 
He stares at you for a little while. Not long enough to be awkward, but longer than most people would pause. “I did feel a bit sorry for her, but she was lucky, really. Who'd want to remember a night with Pads?” 
“Don't say it like that! I didn't touch the poor girl beyond helping her put a new shirt on. Such an unfortunate tattoo, that… It'd look nice on you, though,” Sirius says, grinning at James encouragingly. 
“Think so?” James asks. 
Lily protests this idea very loudly. James would not suit that kind of tattoo, and Remus should probably put a stop to it; Sirius’ power of persuasion multiplied by the danger of friendship (i.e. egging each other on relentlessly) could genuinely result in James getting a tramp stamp of the Welsh dragon before the night ends. 
He's distracted, is all. Shifting from foot to foot, pulling his arms behind his back to prompt a click he won't get. You nudge him gently, and when he meets your eyes, you lean toward him deliberately with your shoulder clear for the grabbing. At the same time, you press your arm behind his back. 
Miraculously, he accepts the offer of support. Remus wraps an arm around your shoulder and lets the majority of his weight rest on your centre of gravity, exhaling through his nose. 
“Am I too much?” he asks, turning his head from his friends, his breath warming the shell of your ear. 
“No. Lean on me as much as you want to.” Want, you say, rather than need. 
Remus will appreciate the difference. He sighs as the pain in his back starts to ease off. If anyone were to look at you both, they wouldn't see you supporting him, just a lovers hug. You kiss his cheek a couple of times all squished together —one kiss or multiple?— before you lean away to brush soft strands of his hair behind his ear. “You okay?” you ask. 
“I'm okay,” he says with a nod, a real grin on his lips as he does as you'd done, kissing your cheek. “I'm too tired for this. Do you think James can afford laser tattoo removal?” 
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grandline-fics · 6 months
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hi! i just read all of your oneshots and they’re perfect, i’m in love. hoping it is okay to request something with zoro having a soft spot towards reader? he doesn’t even realize it a first, but since reader is somehow quiet and gentle (not weak though!) he starts to take note of small things to do/don’t do or notice their actions (ex: taking care o the crew) a lot more than others. thank you. <3
DESCRIPTION: Who knew you were Zoro’s soft spot? Apparently both of you are the last to know 
WARNINGS: none, just pure fluff
CHARACTERS: Zoro
WORDS: 856
A/N:  Thank you for your kind words and for this request! I hope it's to your liking. I've been feeling a little under the weather these past couple of days so some fluff was needed <3
MASTERLIST
*REQUESTS ARE OPEN*
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It’s tiny things; little, practically meaningless things that are so easy to miss but they’re there. When you first joined the crew, your presence fell into the likes of his and Robin’s; strong but relatively quiet and easily looked passed if you wanted. You didn’t see the point in wasting energy needlessly and knew the value in waiting until letting yourself be known. Zoro unknowingly enjoyed that kind of calm you naturally brought and found himself gravitating towards it because it seemed even when he was in his own space you were still in his eye-line. In the beginning he found it a little strange that it kept happening, he knew you weren’t following him. Hell most of the times you were on the other side of the ship or talking with someone else so he cleared it as coincidence and thought nothing of it. As time went on, there was a lot he was putting down to mere coincidence. 
When you were all exploring new islands it was purely happenstance that you two walked side by side. Neither of you were the type to bound about and race ahead without a cause for urgency. He found he didn’t get lost as easily when you were close. You always seemed to know the way to go. On one trip Brook had commented to Zoro how lucky he had been that you were there to talk to him at the right moment otherwise he would have kept walking towards a path that would have taken him towards a ravine. Because of your voice suddenly pulling him into conversation he’d kept the right track and avoided possibly injuring himself and getting a lecture from the others. Lucky right?
It was also luck of the draw that when eating or drinking off the ship, Zoro was sat at the table in such a way that his back blocked you mostly from view from any unwanted stares. It was never in a subconscious way to keep you from interacting with others but it was like another sense he had that he was able to tell when you just wanted to sit with the crew and enjoy your meal. It seemed to go both ways too in that regard. If women tried to approach and flirt with him you effortlessly had a way of making a joke to dissuade them and steer them in Sanji’s direction. Was any of it done out of jealousy, possessiveness of the other’s attention, or an overwhelming need to protect? Not in the least, it was just doing what needed to be done to help out a friend and fellow crew-mate.
On the Sunny it’s no different. It’s not even a second thought, his body just reacts without thinking. In the early, barely waking hours when he’s finished his night watch and is about to grab a quick snack before training he always pulls out a specific mug from the cabinet and sets it on the counter. It’s never for him and like clockwork you appear just as he’s finished drinking a glass of water. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes and stifling a small yawn you always offer him a small smile and greeting that is returned. You both pass each other, your only motivation is caffeine to see you through the last of the watch before everyone else is awake while he goes to the crow’s nest to train. 
After all this time it’s never occurred to you to question why your mug is waiting for you when you rise. You don’t know why but it’s something that immediately makes your morning a little bit brighter. It’s also routine now that an hour or so after breakfast, you and Zoro both nap; him to rest between his training sessions and you to grab another couple hours after your night watch. Nami occasionally glances up from her charts to shake her head at your sleeping forms. Robin finds it adorable while Brook chuckles, nostalgic over youth and love’s first stages. 
“Jeez they’re both so clueless.” Sanji grumbles, he’s accepted long ago that he doesn’t have a chance with you but is so infuriated that nothing has actually happened. He lost you to the swordsman who hasn’t even thought to make a move. Usopp grins and watches as you stir slightly in your sleep which in turn makes Zoro react before his body relaxes again. Currently he’s lying on his back with one hand tucked behind his head. While the other that’s draped over his chest, his fingers almost touching yours that are curled by your head as you sleep on your side. 
From his spot on Sunny’s head, Luffy grins. “I don’t know. I think they do know, in their own way.” It’s the little, insignificant things that you both do for each other that are easy to miss and while a lot of little things add up into something bigger, none of it compares to the way that you and Zoro unknowingly look at each other at any given chance. Because that is something so big that no one else can ignore. 
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shanastoryteller · 3 months
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Happy holidays! Lady mo please?
a continuation of 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59
Jiang Yanli does not often feel old. Her golden core does not keep her eternally young like it does her brother, does not prevent the more persistent illnesses from plaguing her, but it does east the aches and pains non cultivators her age often complain of, does keep her skin youthful without the aid of strange poultices and she’ll probably never need dyes to keep her hair dark. But she feels old now, watching Xuanyu and Lan Wangji fumble around one another, watching her struggle for the affection of a husband who might care for her, but does not treat her with care.
At least by the time she married Zixuan, he’d told her that he loved her.
 “What was all the commotion about?” Zixuan asks, arms encircling her waist as he tugs her back against his chest now that they’re back in their own quarters.
“Your cousin got drunk and pissed off the wrong people. Again.”
He huffs, his breath warm against her neck. “Yanli. You know that’s not what I’m talking about. I know A-Yao thinks I’m stupid, but even I notice servants running about and clan leaders and their wives going missing. Especially when one of them is mine.”
“A-Yao doesn’t think you’re stupid,” Jiang Yanli says, even though he kind of does. He thinks most people are stupid and Zixuan has at least grown out of taking it personally. That doesn’t mean she has to rub it in. “Xuanyu was just – a little upset. About things.”
“Lan Xichen likes her. Lan Wangji’s kid adores her. And we all saw what Lan Wangji thinks,” he says. Defending is also not the same thing as caring, but she doesn’t say that. “A-Yao even calls her our sister. Do you remember how long it took him to call me brother? It seems like it’s going well.”
If it had gone a little less well, she’d be less distraught.
Jiang Yanli is debating how much she can say without revealing Xuanyu’s pregnancy – enough people know that it won’t stay a secret for long, but Zixuan is terrible at faking surprise – when there’s a loud, frantic knocking at their door.
Zixuan frowns and goes to open the door.
“Fuck off,” slurs a familiar, beloved voice.
Jiang Yanli hides a smile and goes to stand next to her husband.
A-Cheng is standing there, sort of, considering he’s mostly being supported but a long-suffering Li Jun. “Meimei said she won’t deal with him anymore.”
“Ah,” Zixuan says, already resigned.
A-Cheng stumbles forward, grabbing her wrist and tugging her towards the table. He blearily glares at Zixuan. “Go away.”
He sighs, leaning down to kiss her and then saying, “I suppose I’ll be in a guest room.” He makes a face, remembering that the tower is full of foreign disciples. “Somewhere.”
He’s going to end up sleeping in their son’s room and A-Ling is going to complain about it. Loudly.
“Good night,” she says, barely keeping from laughing as she closes the door on Li Jun side eyeing Zixuan. Her sect has never completely forgiven Zixuan for being a teenage boy, not matter that she’s spent over a decade in the Jin rather than the Jiang.
She lets A-Cheng pull her down beside him at the table, leaning his head on his arm while he stares at her. She pours him a cup of water that she hopes he’ll drink. “Are you all out of sorts because of Xuanyu too?”
His face goes blank then it creases and he’s turns to hide it in the bend of his elbow.
With the first stirrings of genuine alarm, Jiang Yanli realizes he’s crying.
“A-Cheng? A-Cheng, what’s wrong?” she asks, putter her arm over his back and pulling him into her side like she used to when they were kids.
The words come out muffled, but he says, “I hate him. How could he – I hate him.” Then, quieter, in a tone that doesn’t match the words at all, “I hate him.”
She runs through everyone who’s here, every cultivator she saw A-Cheng speak to, but it’s a fool’s errand. No one gets to him like this. No one but –
“Wei Wuxian came back.”
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crystalflygeo · 10 months
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Last of her kind Emperor!Alpha!Zhongli + Slave!Omega!Dragoness!Reader-
cw/tags: mentions of slavery and past sexual abuse on fem!reader, A/B/O dynamics, mating bites, fingering, scenting, pet names, zhongli has a knot and alpha fangs and is not afraid to use them lmao, some nip and clit stimulation ig?? emotional roller coaster ngl.
notes: So remember a loooong time ago when I held a poll and one of the options was "dragon" and it WON?? well actually it was this, (dragon READER heh) it just got WAY out of control. 5.6k words and now I wanna make it into a whole series //head in hands// anyway ye have this weird lil funky AU I poured my sweat blood and tears into (also my heart and soul) idk why I am just so attached I love it so much plsss I have ideas fot other scenes with them already aaaaaaaaa &lt;3
Partially inspired by some of @silentmoths' fics holy shIT I LOVE DRAGON READER AND I LOVE OMEGAVERSE NOD IF YOU AGREE!!
Last but not least if y'all wanna be part of my pinglist uhh I'm making one now so :3c
Part 2 ->
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Strange yellow leaves fall around you all over the courtyard…
“Fix your clothes, you have to look appealing… well, as appealing as a creature like you can be.” The voice of your Master calls out harshly, pulling and tugging at details in your outfit. It was a flimsy and silky thing, mostly see-through, rather elegant, but very revealing.
You’re used to it.
“And stop looking so miserable! You better smile and please this Alpha. He’s not just anyone, you know?”
You nod meekly, trying to hide the slight trembling on your body. This will be just another bonding attempt. Nothing else.
It will fail. Just like all the others before.
Silver chains clink and tug the collar at your neck, it shakes you back to the present as you stumble forward.
Master guides you through a maze of corridors, with sleek surfaces of dark wood, decorative lanterns and paper screens. They’re strange, covered in even stranger symbols that look nothing like the ones back in the desert. Your bare feet, used to rough hot sand, now walk along polished wood with your draconic tail dragging behind. Everything looks so lavish…
You’ve been brought all the way to Li- Liu-… Li-yue? A foreign country, to meet a potential client. Well, a client to your Master. You are just the merchandise: a dragonblood Omega. Rare, unique even, “exotic”.
But defective.
Your fists clench in nervousness. How rough will this Alpha be with you? You dread to find the answer. Alphas were cruel, ever since you remember you’ve been taught to please, be gentle, obedient and look pretty, but they were never any of those things. Alphas just took their pleasure and used your body as they wanted, usually until you were crying and screaming, begging for mercy. You just hope this Alpha would give you some pity and be quick… or give you time to rest in between attempts.
Though you had learned since long that your wishes don’t tend to come true.
What a disappointment. After I spent so much money and resources on you.
Such a waste of time, what use is there in an Omega that can’t bond?
Why do I even bother with you? You’re just good for the reproduction camp. Maybe that way you can produce another dragonblood.
This is your last chance, mutt. If you fail again, I won’t be bothering with you anymore.
You feel anxiety creeping on your chest, heart jumping to your throat as the dark thoughts invade your mind. Last chance… your last chance at bonding. At proving you’re not useless and stupid. At serving your purpose as Omega. What was happening to you was fair. You deserve to be punished and you should be grateful you have one last chance after all your failures.
You just want to… to…
Tears prickle at your eyes and you breathe in deeply, trying to contain your distress and hugging your own tail, rubbing your face on the fluffy tip.
Whatever happens today, your fate is going to be sealed.
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The nest room is nice.
Like the rest of the place, it is rather elegant, dimly lit with neutral colors and wooden walls, filled with pillows and blankets that had a very subtle flowery aroma to them. Small cabinets to one side with some decorative objects on top and a full-length mirror on the other side. So much different from the barren cold stone walls and tents from the desert camps.
“Hm, pretty fancy.” Master says taking off your collar, your soft unblemished neck now on display, free from any claim. “Now…” He pulls at your hair and you wince, whining and lowering your ears on a submissive display. He wouldn’t hurt you right? You have to look pretty. “The emperor will be here shortly. Make sure to do anything and everything he wants. And you better smile, I told you.”
“E-Emperor?” You pale, eyes widening.
He scoffs and pushes you back, you stumble back into the mess of pillows. “That’s right. I don’t know why but he was very adamant to see you it seems. Perhaps he just wants the prestige of owning the last known dragonblood, hm? Another novelty for his collection, I’m sure. You should consider yourself really lucky. So…” He flashes his Alpha fangs at you with a growl and you whimper again, cowering. “I would suggest you do your best and don’t disappoint this time, he’ll pay a pretty penny for you.”
And with that he leaves, muttering something and almost slamming the strange sliding door.
And so, you’re alone.
Immediately your brain goes into overdrive. An emperor? You had been presented to various Alphas of high status before, wealthy merchants and high-ranking tribe members, but this… this was probably a whole other level.
An emperor had to have an empress, right? Someone of noble birth and high status such as himself, not a lowly sand lizard like you, with weird ears, scales, horns and a tail. Why would he want to see an Omega like you? Perhaps Master was right, he intended to keep you as a trophy in his collection, another pretty thing.
It was humiliating.
But anything was better than being doomed to the reproduction camp…
Maybe the emperor had a harem? You’ve heard of them before, some Alphas liked to boast having many Omegas bound to them. Living in this luxury, not having to worry about much anything except looking pretty and pleasing him once a while. Hell, maybe he wouldn’t even pay attention to you, you’d be just a glorified pet.
You could… do that.
Without noticing, your tail starts swaying after you, this could be a chance. Your chance. You just had to make him like you. Forget the bond. Don’t think about it. All you have to do is please him.
You start frantically arranging the sheets and pillows around, building the comfiest nest you ever had with all the extra material, scenting it with excited happy pheromones. You could do it, this was your chance.
You won’t fail this time. You’ll be pretty, obedient, submissive, the ideal Omega. You’ll let him use you to his heart’s content, sure you may be a little sore but it’ll be worth it if he chooses you. He won’t even care about the bond.
…Right?
You jolt when you hear the door slide slightly open again, your heart leaps to your throat as someone walks in.
Oh.
Is… he the emperor? … He’s handsome.
To be fully honest, you expected some fat pompous middle-aged man not this… perfect specimen of an Alpha.
Your tail sways a little with curiosity.
He looks only slightly older than you, tall, wearing elegant robes in brown and golden hues. His eyes are like a sunset: golden, warm, almost glowing. A red liner accentuating them. Long chocolate hair faded to amber at the tips. His scent was earthy and pleasant, subtle unlike most Alpha musk. Almost comforting and… familiar?
He seems to stare back at you with the same surprise, frozen for a moment, eyes slightly wide, he says something you can’t quite hear and it shakes you out of the spell. You suddenly feel a little self-conscious, curling your tail around you, ears down and resisting the urge to brush (hide) the scales at the corners of your eyes.
It occurs to you that you’ve been just staring like an idiot, you don’t know very well how to address him, nor know his foreign tongue. So, you simply lower your head in respect. “My Lord…”
You suddenly feel nervous. This is it.
You turn around, following the motions ingrained in your brain. Body splayed on the nest, arms tucked in, head down. Submissive, obedient. Your hands are shaking, you feel dizzy, heart thrumming in your chest, blood rushing in your ears.
You lift your butt just slightly, tail curling elegantly over your back, out of the way to expose the flimsy fabric covering your privates, properly presenting to the Alpha. You focus on trying to control your pheromones, letting out just whiffs of a needy sensual scent, worried of mixing in your anxiety and fear and displeasing the emperor.
You had to be pretty, enticing, compliant, and he would, h-he would…
A rather awkward cough has you tense. “There is… no need for that.”
You blink for a moment, taken aback at the rich deep baritone of his voice, so hypnotizing you almost don’t register his words. He speaks common tongue, but still, what does he mean? Isn’t this just… standard protocol for bonding? Isn’t he going to mount you?
You dare peek over your shoulder and see him sitting elegantly over his knees at the floor. He’s outside of the nest range.
He’s also slightly pink at the cheeks and pointedly avoiding looking at you.
Is this a trap? Is he testing you to see if you’ll misbehave? Your hands clench, nails digging at your palms, your breathing and heart increasing pace.
“I just want to talk, I promise.” He tries.
You hold the position.
He sighs, and then-
“Omega, relax.”
You almost squeak at the Alpha command. His voice, his will, seeps into your skin, your nerves, your very bones. You feel your muscles loosen up, tension leaving your body like a bowstring snapping and you lie on the sheets sideways.
Right right right, you’re tense, you have to be soft and pliant-
You look over at him and he’s… heading over to the little cabinets. He picks up a kettle of some kind and little cups that sit on the top, moving around calmly and elegantly as he seems to prepare something. Your head tilts and you gingerly sit up straight. Tail and ears down, curled up not unlike a wounded animal.
“Do you speak the common tongue?”
“Y-Yes!” You nod. “A little…”
“Good.”
The emperor seems… pleasant, he is calm and unguarded, so different from the cold intimidating Alphas you’ve met who like to show off, who immediately order you around. He even used an Alpha command on you but it felt… grounding. There is something equally eerie and entrancing about him and you feel yourself as much drawn to him as terrified of his imposing aura, and you couldn’t explain why. It’s a bit unsettling but also comforting at the same time.
He pours two cups and turns to you. You stiffen and he offers you one.
“Qixing tea is one of the most refined Liyue teas. It tends to be very bitter but this blend has a more pleasant taste, a little floral even. It is also said to help relax one’s mind.”
You carefully take the cup, not wanting to insult such gracious offer, though you’re utterly confused, shouldn’t you be the one serving him?
The cup is warm.
You stare at the golden liquid, small black dots sit at the bottom. This has no alcohol… right? It can’t be worse than snake wine at least.
You carefully take a sip, trying to imitate how the emperor is holding his.
It is… nice, a strong sharp taste but not bad, and very aromatic.
He’s looking at you expectantly and your tail and ears twitch. “I-It’s very good. Thank you, my Lord.”
He smiles and your heart skips a beat. “I am glad. Some say Qixing tea is for older people, but it’s frankly one of my favorites.” He stares at his cup with a somewhat nostalgic gaze, as if it brings him fond memories. “Ah, you can address me as Morax.”
You nod quietly and take another sip. Past the tea’s powerful flowery scent, you can now sense his Alpha pheromones, with him being so close and the air less tense. They’re strong but not overwhelmingly so, sharp and tantalizing, a refined foreign scent you can almost taste in the back of your throat. It stirs something in you, something warm and alluring.
“Do you know where were you born? Who are your parents?”
The question takes you by surprise for a moment as you shake out of your thoughts. Ah, he must be inquiring about your dragonblood. “I-I’m…. I’m not sure, my Lo- um… L-Lord Morax. As far as I know my mother worked at a-a heat house… no one knew who my father was and she passed away when I was very young.”
“I see… so you have no idea where you got your dragon traits from.” It was a sentence rather than a question and you shake your head meekly, taking another sip from the tea, ears lowering back.
“Apparently it could be due to recessive genes.” You once again repeat the same words you’ve heard all your life. You hate bringing attention to your dragon features, people either treat you like a rare exotic creature or a dangerous one. You didn’t know which was worse.
“Hmmm…” Lord Morax seems pensive for a moment, also drinking some of the tea. “Have you been with your caretaker for long?”
You look down. “Master has been in charge of me ever since I… p-presented as an Omega.”
“Does he treat you well?”
Your eyes widen, the question catching you completely by surprise. T-Treat you well? You are… treated like any other slave omega, if only being singled out by your draconic traits. He feeds you, he gives you clothing and education, he arranges the best matches he can for bonding, he even got you here in the first place. You owe him everything, you’re nothing without him.
So then… Why do you find yourself thinking back on all the harsh words, all the punishments, all the screaming and crying, all the… t-touches…
You gulp. “M-Master ensures I have the best living conditions and opportunities I can.” Is what you settle for.
He hums.
There is silence for a moment and lord Morax settles down his cup.
“I don’t think you’re aware of how special you are.”
Just when you thought he couldn’t surprise you anymore, he utters those words and makes your heart speed up.
Is this anxiety? Fear?
“Judging from what your Master has told me, you’re treated like quite the novelty, an exotic half-blood not unlike the Valuka Shuna or Kätzlein. Here in Liyue however those with traits like yours are called Xiānshòu.” The foreign word rolls off his tongue. His golden eyes fix on you and you freeze. “Also known as illuminated beasts. With immense power and longevity, even the half-bloods. They’re well respected and looked up to, why, some are even revered as deities...”
You? Such a fantastic creature? That can’t be…
“Seems to me like things are different in the deserts of Sumeru, however.” His eyes narrow and for the first time you notice his diamond pupils. They look like a snake’s. The same eerie glint he had a few minutes ago is back darkening the bright golden eyes. Yet, for some strange reason you don’t feel scared this time.
A shiver travels down your spine as you feel your instincts purr in delight. Protective… for some reason lord Morax is being protective of you. You don’t know why or how but you can feel it and it made your inner Omega preen inside. An Alpha wanted to protect you, care for you.
“Such a shame.” He adds, sounding almost disappointed but there is something darker underneath. Word simmering with… frustration? “You are such a lovely dragoness, worthy of every praise and prayer they’d sign in your name here.”
You’re very glad your cup rests at your lap, blushing furiously with trembling hands.
For the next few moments, he continued to ask some more questions. What you like or dislike, what you do in your free time, even something as innocuous as your favorite color. Time seemed to stretch into infinity as you grew a little more comfortable with your answers and the whole situation, as though you weren’t talking to an emperor, or even a potential master or Alpha but rather… someone who saw you for who you are.
You liked that. You liked him.
You wanted to stay with him.
You wished to-
“Alright, I think that’s enough. I will have a talk with your Master and we’ll settle things.” He stands up and dusts his attire a little.
Your breath stops.
He is leaving.
He is leaving.
Did you do something wrong? Didn’t he say he liked your appearance? Are you such a failed disgraceful omega? Your last chance at bonding. You didn’t even get to impress him. You want to call out to him, do something, anything. Panic rises in your chest, drowning you, freezing you. You can barely think, instincts screaming, begging, wailing in despair for him. This kind Alpha, this gentle, patient, imposing, majestic Alpha who’s too good for you and yet something deep inside you yearns for him…!
“I am very glad to have met you little xiānshòu.” A small smile tugs at his lips. Then, he turns and heads for the sliding doors.
So, you do the first thing that comes to your mind.
The empty cup falls from your hands, your footsteps thump loudly on the wooden floors, soft fabric clenches between your fingers.
As soft as the lips you crash yours onto.
It only lasts a few seconds but when you back just a little, ears low and tail curled up in apprehension, you realize what you did.
You’d kissed him, you’d kissed the emperor.
You’re shaking like a leaf, clinging to him for dear life. He stares at you with wide surprised eyes but you’d rather die right here for your insolence than live the rest of your days in regret.
His scent takes on an alluring hint to it and your inner Omega is overjoyed. Up so close it is almost irresistible. His face remains impassive, if a little tense, but you can see in his eyes something you identify very well… hunger, desire.
“Lord Morax… t-the nest… please.”
“Y-You don’t have to-”
“Please! Allow me to please you, allow me to show you…how…” You whisper against his lips, leaning in again as your eyes flutter close.
And suddenly his hands wrap around you and pull you close, cupping your face, curling at your waist, there’s something possessive in it and you feel slight vibrations as he growls deep from his chest against your mouth. But there is also something sweet, something delicate…
And for once, you want more. You want this.
How did you end up here? In the most beautiful nest you’d ever constructed, with the most handsome, kind, caring Alpha you’d ever met?
His kisses are deep and slow, completely unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before. You lie on the soft sheets as he looms over you, exploring your mouth with an unhurried pace, hungry yet not forceful, letting you timidly do the same at your own pace.
This is nice…
His hands run along your body, caressing your skin through your flimsy attire. His touch curious but gentle.
“May I?” He asks, tugging at the fabric off your shoulder.
You shiver, at his voice, as the pure want in it, in his eyes, in his scent.
“Y-yes my lord…”
“Hmm…” His kisses trail down your jaw down to your neck as he starts pulling the garments off. Careful, instead of simply ripping them apart, your heart skips a beat. “If we’re going to do this, you can use my name and not just titles…”
Your top falls off and goosebumps litter your skin, nipples pebbled as one of his hands cups your breast.
“M-Morax…” You try, shakily, as if testing out the word alone on your lips.
“No, little one. Zhongli. That is my name.” He kisses down your shoulders, nipping at the skin.
“Ah!” Your tail flickers around and you purr.
You take the initiative to kiss him this time, and your hands start roaming his foreign clothes, fumbling with knots and pawing at the fabric. He chuckles at your frustrated whine. You want more, more of this feeling, more of him. To touch his skin, cover him in kisses, worship him.
(Show him what a good Omega you can be.)
No…
You want to make him feel good and please him.
Elegant fabric falls down discarded as he shakes off the layers of his top and you blink surprised. The fabric was bulky and covered up his figure. Lean but muscled, tantalizing like honey. You immediately latch onto him, nosing, scenting, nipping and kissing, feeling the faint outline of his abs and muscles twitch under your touch. He smells so good, he feels so good…
Your Omega instincts are starting to cloud your senses more and more.
Suddenly one of his hands gently squeezes a soft breast and you moan at the sudden touch “O-Oh!”
“You’re sensitive here, do you like this?” He asks, massaging your chest.
You whimper and nod frantically, tail wagging behind you. You had never been this responsive to having your chest played with, though then again, it was rare… but his sensual touches were quickly undoing you. Wetness pools at your gut and you rub your legs together.
Lord Mor- Zhongli… leans down then and something wet flicks over your nipple making you gasp, before warmth surrounds your nub. You cry out even louder. He sucks and laps at it and you instinctively tangle your hands on his hard dark hair, your legs wrapping around his waist.
You groan again, too many layers on the way.
“C-clothes… off, please!”
“As you wish, my dear dragoness.”
He continues squeezing, kissing, caressing and lapping at your skin, leaving a couple of hickeys along the way and teasing his Alpha fangs against you as his attention descends through your body once more, continuing his trail of kisses along your hip. His fingers dip down the waistband of your mesh pants and when you raise your hips to help, he pulls them down.
You’ve been naked in front of others more times than you’d like to count. But there’s something oddly intimate and special about this situation right now.
Your ears lower in apprehension, and your tail flicks by your side, resisting the urge to cover up. Lying down with your legs slightly spread around him. Already flushed, sweaty and panting.
“…You’re gorgeous.”
Huh?!
“I’m so lucky to have found you.” Zhongli nips at your hip. “So lucky that you want me too.” He kisses at your inner thigh.
Your breath hitches.
You’re the lucky one. Completely overjoyed that this Alpha likes you, desires you.
The first touch at your core has you mewling.
Zhongli strokes at your folds, still gentle, finding you soaked as your slick coats his fingers. Your body jolts and you moan “A-Ah!” He smirks against your thigh and nips there again as his fingers move in circles, teasing, testing, before moving to your clit. A finger pad stroking it just so, making your whole frame tremble, like every nerve in your body is being stimulated.
“Mngh- please!”
His fingers travel between your folds. First one sliding in rather easily, pumping steadily as you shudder in pleasure, and then two, making you writhe, bucking your hips against the touch, pushing them deeper, chasing that feeling.
Your body feels hot, too hot. Every sensation blocked except that warm wet feeling down there, in your new heaven. Your hands claw at the sheets, a pleasant fog setting in and you can feel yourself slipping into your most primal needs. But oh, oh, not like this.
You want him. Need him.
“You- y-you! please my lord!”
Something snaps in the Alpha’s eyes and Zhongli growls. Golden eyes dark, swallowed by lust and need and you whine when his fingers leave you. You vaguely hear rustling noises and before you can protest again, he pulls you up back on his lap and oh…
He’s big.
His erection stands proud between your bodies, rubbing against you and you shuffle impatiently, nuzzling against him.
Yes, yes…
Zhongli helps positioning you, gives himself a few strokes, and you feel his cockhead kiss at your entrance, you whine and stare at him rather confused. “L-Like this? B-But I have never- This is n-not how-”
He kisses your forehead, your nose, and pecks at your lips. “I can imagine this is very different from how they’ve taught you Alphas mount Omegas, but I my dear, intend to make love to you.” He whispers, hot breath fanning your cheeks as he nuzzles you, so close, so intimate. Your heart hammering wildly in your chest. “Like this you will have more control. I want you to relax, enjoy, my sweet dragoness.” He kisses at your cheek, down your jaw to your neck. “May I?”
You can feel your eyes water. No one had ever told you that. No Alpha had ever been this patient or even asked your permission before. Words die on your throat as you stare mesmerized at Zhongli. Grateful. Incredulous. Completely enamored.
You nod, and he guides you down.
It’s different like this. So much different.
You bite your lip and whine a little once you start to move, his hands hold your hips as you raise them and sink back down on his cock, inch by delicious inch. You feel… full, but warm, good. Your insides clench around him and he groans.
Oh… you could get used to this…
“Hah… ah! … m-my lord... I’m…” You feel dizzy but in a good way, your body tingles all over and it’s exhilarating, addicting.
He leans forward a bit, nosing at your collarbone, soft kisses tickle your skin and he… he’s almost purring in delight, inhaling your scent. “I told you, you can just call me by my name... Would you let me hear it?”
You buck languidly on his embrace, enjoying this…sensual experience, these new feelings and sensations. His tender closeness, his intoxicating pheromones, his deep baritone.
Him.
“Zhongli…”
His name comes out as a needy cry and he growls, Alpha pride clearly satisfied. His hands roam your body just enough to shift position and pull you even closer, hips rolling in tandem, picking up speed, his fangs grazing your shoulder.
Your head is swimming in pleasure, fuzzy like stuffed with cotton, small little “Ah… ah… ah!” moans punched out of you. You’re vaguely aware of your nails digging onto his skin but you can’t even stop yourself, you need to hold onto something, anything.  
Even your tail subconsciously curls around his ankle (and he doesn’t even seem to mind), like every cell of your body is screaming at you to hold onto him and never let go.
Zhongli’s own breathing comes out in harsh puffs and satisfied groans as he buries himself in you over and over, the sound of skin slapping on skin becomes more prominent.
And then, he hits a spot that has you seeing stars.
Your eyes snap open (when had you closed them?) Back arching as if struck by lightning and letting out a high-pitched moan. H-How did he do that?! What was that? You don’t remember ever feeling like this in previous bonding attempts.
“M-more?” You mewl in delight.
Zhongli looks at you with a satisfied smirk and it only fuels the fire in your belly.
“Gladly.”
That same wonderful feeling travels up and down your body again and again as your moans and whimpers rise in volume, calling his name over and over. Zhongli kisses you, deep and passionate. Whispers praises and sweet nothings on your flickering dragon ears. Touches you so soft and reverently. Your body feels so hot, your mind going blank, you can feel the base of his cock swelling with his knot and the familiar coil of pleasure tightening as you anticipate it, crave it, more intense and satisfying than ever before.
And just as you reach that high, his fangs sink into you.
You come with a squeal, body tensing, clinging onto him, clenching on him as he lets out a deep satisfied groan, knotting you. Wet stickiness coats your insides and thighs. And everything feels right, just right. Perfect even.
It takes a moment to come back to your senses, and it’s to Zhongli’s hands rubbing circles at your back comfortingly, while he laps and kisses at the bonding mark he left on you.
And then the high comes crashing down.
The bonding mark.
Tears well up in your eyes and start rolling down your cheeks, your tail uncoiling from him and curling around yourself protectively, ears down.
Please no… this can’t be…
Please stay…
Please.
Zhongli immediately notices your distress, in your actions and your scent, completely different altogether. His own instincts going wild at the lack of a happy sated mate scent. “Darling, what’s wrong? I’m sorry did it hurt that much? Did I… harm you in some way or did something wrong?” Oh, he sounds so genuinely concerned.
You shake your head desperately. Of course he hasn’t.
But you will.
Your body will. Betray you as always.
No bonding mark has stayed in your neck for longer than a few minutes. They all fade.
Just like the alphas that place them in you.
And then comes the anger, the guilt, the disappointment, the despair, the loneliness…
You can’t take it. Not this time.
“S-stay… please…” You sob.
Your voice sounds so broken, so weak and tiny, absolutely heart wrenching.
And Zhongli embraces you.
“I will, my dearest dragoness. I promise you.” He kisses one of your horns.
You want to believe him but you can only cry harder…
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The room is dark as your eyes flutter open. It takes a few minutes to adjust and for your mind to catch up. Where are you…? You look around at the wooden walls, nestled in comfy sheets, you see some wooden cabinets and a tea set-
…!!!
You jolt awake, tumbling some pillows from your fancy nest. Your last chance at bonding. The emperor. He was leaving, and then…!
You slap a hand against the junction between neck and shoulder and feel something there, a bandage… you try to stare at it confused, though it’s impossible from the angle. And then fear consumes you. What if… it’s not there…?
Your body is still naked, though you have been covered with a thick fabric while sleeping, as it now pools at your lap, your Omega scent and that of an Alpha mixed together pleasantly, you turn around.
The Emperor. Lord Morax. Zhongli.
He sleeps peacefully by your side, on your nest, after having mated you.
He stayed.
You stare at his handsome features, fair skin, dark long hair, strong jaw, muscled arms. His lips slightly parted as he breathes evenly. So at ease.
You want to reach out and brush at his hair, touch his face, kiss him.
You want this moment to last forever.
Looking up slightly you see the large mirror, see yourself. A tiny thing, with freaky ears, horns and a tail.
It was… good, while it lasted. Almost like a dream.
Tears start falling down your cheeks again and you try to be as silent as possible as you pull and lift at the bandage in your shoulder. And there underneath it is… something?
Your fingers trace a mark, a wound, it stings and you hiss.
No way. There is no way.
Hope flutters in your chest, your stomach flips and you feel dizzy, nervous. A bonding mark? Is it real? Is it still there?
You shuffle out of the nest as fast and stealthily as you can, standing in front of the mirror. Hair a mess, eyes wide, pale in fear.
And there it is. The clear mark of an Alpha bite, still rather tender. A claim. A bond.
You start sobbing as you trace it, touch it, feel it. It must have been hours, there is no way…
It’s there, it’s there, for real. You want to laugh, to cry, you’re still nervous, scared, hopeful, happy, a million things at once.
But how? Why now?
“Hnng… darling? Are you crying again?” You stiffen as you hear the voice, deep and hoarse, laced with drowsiness. You turn and see him sit up and yawn carelessly like a rishboland tiger. Elegant and intimidating like one too with his bright golden eyes, Alpha fangs and muscled figure. Still naked as well, you note.
“T-the bonding mark… it’s still there!” You exclaim to him, gesturing to it.
“You should let it heal nicely.”
“Y-You don’t get it!” You huff. “My Lord… it’s still there! I’m bonded, I’m yours!”
He chuckles. “Rather, I would say we belong to each other, now.”
Belong to each other.
That sounds nice.
You turn back to the mirror, still staring at it, poking it with a finger softly, as if afraid it’ll disappear, as if it was an illusion, a dream.
But it’s there.
“For years… for years I thought I was doing s-something wrong, that there was something… wrong… with me…” You cry softly. “No Alpha had even bonded me…”
Suddenly you feel strong arms curl around your frame, a chin resting at your shoulder where it kisses your skin, and then brushes over the mark. It stings but you welcome it.
It means it’s real, all of this is.
Zhongli inhales, taking in your scent. “Well you see my dear, a dragonblood… a xiānshòu like you, can only be truly bonded by one of its own kind.”
The words take a moment to process, to sit on your brain, and you frown confused, staring at him from the mirror. And then your eyes widen.
Golden antlers crown his head, majestic and almost glowing, small scales appear under his striking amber eyes, the color of burnt ocher. A large tail, even bigger than yours in golden and brown hues, sways lazily behind him, before finding yours and intertwining with it, the feel is foreign but not unwelcome. Like holding hands.
You turn around so fast you almost trip if it weren’t for his hold. The dragonblood features are still there, in plain sight.
Your throat feels dry.
“You… you’re…”
He raises a finger to his lips and shushes you, then smiles. “I am yours my dear. Just as you are now mine.”
You cling to him and hide your face on his chest as you cry. Overwhelmed, relieved.
Yes, this is where you belong.
2K notes · View notes
withleeknow · 3 months
Note
hiya! I noticed you have your requests open and if you don't mind, could I please suggest: "for once... I was right" with "don't you dare walk away from me" for Lee Know - maybe angsty but I don't mind you just going with the flow.
thank you!
blue hour.
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pairing: minho x reader genre/warnings: exes au, exes to ...? 🫢, angst; minho's pov mostly, open ending kinda, some light cursing, unedited don't look at me word count: 2.2k (i got carried away a little bit) listen to 🎧: breathe again - sara bareilles
as always, i’d appreciate any thoughts or comments you may have, and please drop a like and/or reblog if you enjoy reading ♡
navigation › masterlist › ko-fi
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“this should be the last of your things.”
“thanks,” you say, rummaging through the box that minho hands over to you. everything that you left at his place throughout the entire time you were together; every sweatshirt of yours in his closet, every piece of jewelry on his nightstand, every bottle of nail polish that you kept in his bathroom reserved for nights where you two would pamper each other. they're all here, except for... “did you see my red scarf though? i can’t find it anywhere.”
“no, i checked,” he says. “this is everything.”
“hmm, okay.”
you hold the box between your arms, and minho can’t help but feel something twist painfully in his chest. it’s like you're holding your relationship, or what’s left of it anyway, ready to make your swift exit from his life. two years of love, all dumped into one stupid cardboard box.
you both stand there in silence for what feels like forever, just staring at each other, then at your surroundings, neither of you saying anything. minho knows why he hasn’t bid you a farewell goodnight yet; it’s because he doesn’t want this to end. even though it’s a sad occasion, the finale to your story, he still wants to the seconds to stretch on, for the minutes to last longer. after all, isn’t this the last time he'll ever see you?
why you haven’t left him to his devices and gone upstairs, he isn’t sure.
another moment passes. life goes on but it seems like you two are in your own bubble where nothing moves forward. everything stays rooted to the spot.
“do you want to go for a walk?” you ask after a while. the question surprises minho enough that he lets it show, and it makes you quickly tack on an excuse. “the weather is nice and i... i don’t want to be on my own.”
yes, he does want to go for a walk with you. anything to be with you even if it’s only for a moment longer.
“sure,” he says. “let’s go for a walk.”
“okay. i’ll leave this upstairs and get my jacket.”
he watches as you disappear inside your building, only to reemerge momentarily afterward, a wool jacket draped over your frame. he wishes you’d worn something lighter, just so he could have an excuse to wrap his arm around your shoulders if it gets colder.
you walk side by side around your neighborhood, a distance between your bodies that never used to be there before. it’s strange, of course it is. but minho supposes this is yours and his new reality now.
“how are the cats?” you ask.
“they’re okay. dori had a cold a couple weeks ago, but everything’s fine now,” he tells you. “they... they miss you.”
i miss you too - that's a thought that he doesn’t say out loud, only keeps it to himself because it feels too humiliating to utter those words to you.
“they’re cats. how can you tell?”
“i can always tell.” he shrugs. “they wait by the door when i’m already home. they sleep on your-... they sleep on the other side of the bed.”
if you notice his slip up, you don’t say anything. you purse your lips and nod somberly, stuffing your hands in your pockets. “they’ll forget about me soon enough,” you say.
minho glances at you. he wants to rebuke that statement, to argue with you over something as silly as whether or not his freaking cats will retain their memories of you in the future. but he just bites his tongue and swallows down the lump in his throat, humming to let you know that he’s heard what you said. not a hum of agreement, just one of acknowledgement.
“how’s work?” he asks. god, it’s just so fucking weird to be asking you these things. you know each other inside and out and yet, you’re here making small talk.
torn apart when all you two should be is together.
“it’s alright. still the same, kinda boring. you know there’s not a lot that can happen in that place in one month.”
yes, because it’s been a little over a month since you parted ways, since you moved back into your old apartment and left his home perpetually cold and empty. he can’t blame you for leaving when he was the one who agreed to break up. he can’t blame you for his heartache when he was the one who broke your heart first.
he didn’t mean to, but isn’t that what they all say?
“do you still want to leave?”
“sure,” you reply. “if i can find something better, i’d leave that place in a heartbeat. but for now, it’ll have to do. it used to be a bit more bearable though.”
“i hope you find something that makes you happier.”
“thanks.” you give him a smile but it doesn't reach your eyes. “how about you? how’s life?”
minho almost says the first thing that comes into mind. life is terrible without you. i think about you every single minute of every day but you're not here and it’s my own damn fault.
he could lie and come up with something much more palatable, because he doesn’t reckon his truth is something you’d like to hear right now.
but he doesn’t want to lie to you. in the time that you were together, minho never lied to you, not even once, not even over something stupid and insignificant. beside, he’s got a feeling that you would see through his bullshit anyway.
his answer ends up being a sad shrug, then, “it’s life. i’m hanging in there.”
your footsteps slow until you stop completely. this makes him stop too, turning around to look at you with his head tilted to one side, confused.
“it’s not like you to sound so defeated,” you comment.
“what?” he asks with a sigh. “it’s the truth.”
“it’s not the whole truth.”
“what do you want me to say?”
“i want you to be honest with me,” you tell him, your shoulders slumping just slightly. “i still care about you. i want to know you’re okay.”
minho takes a step closer until he’s right in front of you, the closest that you two have been all night. his body feels the warmth radiating from yours but he has to ball his hands into fists to keep from reaching out and touching you.
“if you really want to know, i haven’t been myself since you left.”
guilt flashes in your eyes. it wasn’t his intention at all.
you bite your bottom lip, inhale a shaky breath, before you speak, “i’m sorry for leaving.”
“don’t apologize. i’m sorry for driving you away.”
then he watches the tears well up as you look at him. he’s been wondering this the whole night, how you seem so cavalier about it all, how you’re able to speak to him so casually as if you’re just old friends with some shared history, and not as though the wound is still fresh. he’s still bleeding and you’re acting like you’ve already healed.
but he sees it now. you’re just as sad as he is, just as miserable. the only difference is you’re better at hiding it, or maybe you’ve just had more time to get used to the way it hurts.
is this how you felt in the weeks, the months, leading up to your departure? every time he neglected you, prioritized something else over you, missed every date and overlooked every text message? every single instance where he was too busy for you?
he never wanted to break your heart, but alas, here you are.
he didn’t want you to go, and yet, when you felt like you couldn’t handle the loneliness anymore, he hadn’t stopped you from walking out the door. he gave up, and he gave up so easily.
nothing along the lines of ‘don’t you dare walk away from me’, no tearful argument, no explosive and definitive end to your relationship. minho just let your love slip away.
how must that have made you feel on top of everything that he did - or didn’t do - to you?
minho has been called every variation of ‘cold’ before. to everyone else, he’s callous, rough, intimidating and unapproachable. but to you, he’s kind, soft, gentle and loving. it never mattered what anyone thought of him, as long as you always knew that he loved you, that you saw him for who he was.
but toward the end, what if you saw him how the others did? what if you had deemed him cold too?
the mere thought makes him sick to his stomach.
you sniffle, wiping at your eyes. “you don’t have to say that. it’s in the past now.”
fracture upon fracture upon fracture. minho doesn’t know how much more of this his heart can take.
his fingers twitch, and before he can stop himself, he’s reaching for your hands. to his surprise, you let him.
your hands, so delicate in his, so warm.
“i should’ve fought harder for you,” he says, his voice so small that you barely catch the words at all.
but his eyes… he hopes you can see it in his eyes - the regret, the longing, the pain of losing you dimming the light of the stars he holds there.
giving his hands a light squeeze, you say, “and maybe i should’ve held on tighter instead of letting go.”
“i made you feel like you weren’t enough. it’s the worst thing i ever did to you. i understand why you left.”
you try to calm your breathing, because you really don’t feel like breaking down in front of him right now. you don’t say anything in response; what are you even supposed to say? you told him everything that you wanted to the night that you two broke up. everything that you tried to bottle up for months was laid on the table that night. you watched as he listened to you, watched as his heart broke alongside yours. that was it.
“i… i’m sorry,” minho stutters, and for the first time since you’ve known him, he looks scared. “i’m sorry. can’t we try again? i swear i won’t let you down again. i swear to you.”
“min…” the nickname slips out of habit and for a second there, minho thinks you would say yes. but then… “i know you’re sorry. i know we didn’t break things off because we fell out of love. but i don’t think you’re at a point in your life where i can be the most important thing right now. you may not mean to, but there’ll be things that you prioritize over me… and i’m not at a place in my life where i can settle for being on someone’s back burner either. the timing’s just off. it’s not your fault, life just got in the way.”
minho stares at you, the stars dying out one by one. the hurt is beyond what any word can describe but in a way, he understands. it fucking sucks, but he gets it. he has to accept it now.
he nods solemnly, tracing odd patterns on your palms. then he asks, quietly, “can i hold you? just for a while.”
please indulge me, he thinks. this is the last thing i’ll ever ask from you.
you don’t reply with words. instead, you wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him into you. you two stay there in each other’s embrace for god knows how long. it could’ve been minutes or it could’ve been hours. you always lose track of time when you’re wrapped up together.
you hold him like he - tough and intimidating minho - is made of glass, and he holds you like he doesn’t ever want to let you go.
but he has to eventually.
you untangle yourself from him to find that he’s been crying. the tears on his cheeks catch the light from the street lamps, reflecting like crystals in the night. when you wipe them away, you tell him, “for once, i was right.”
“about what?” he sniffles.
“you really are a hopeless romantic,” you smile, trying to lighten the mood. as much as you can anyway. “i knew you’d prove me right one day.”
minho wants to scoff but his eyes are burning from the tears and his throat feels like it's closing up, so he lets you have this one. the last one, right?
maybe he is a romantic, and maybe it’s only for you. maybe it makes him a little hopeless.
the walk back to yours ends too quickly. but truth be told, even if you had walked together until the sun came up, it still wouldn’t have been long enough for him.
you both stand there, two heavy hearts looking at each other, looking for one another.
there’s no goodbye, only goodnight.
and you’re the one who says it first.
minho returns your sentiment with a choked up voice, a brush of his fingers against yours, and when you finally turn to walk up the steps, his gaze lingers on your retreating figure.
then he calls your name softly. “hey, uhm... i’ll let you know if the scarf turns up, okay?”
you turn back with a knowing smile. it’s still sad, but there’s some faith hidden there.
“i hope it will.”
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karmicpunishment · 9 months
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atsushi with more cat/tiger behaviors but some lesser discussed ones:
he scratches all the doorways of the agency building and his dorm. kunikida scolds him for damaging property for over an hour but while he apologizes he’s strangely uncontrite (at least for atsushi who tends to overapologize) about it
/
a mostly nocturnal sleep schedule feels the most natural to him but since his orphanage’s schedule was (quite literally) beaten into him, he regularly wakes up early, though after a long mission or multiple in a row, he tends to sleep through the day instead.
/
when really frustrated (usually during an argument with akutagawa) he has a tendency to stomp his feet. it tends to break the tension, and atsushi finds its super embarrassing. akutagawa finds it cute
/
he’s constantly fighting the urge to sit on his coworkers desks while they’re working and distract them. same with knocking things off their desks.
/
head bunting!!!! he first starts doing it to kyouka after the end of the guild plot. just does it to her one morning while they’re cooking breakfast without realizing. he’s mortified for a moment until kyouka does it back, equally shy yet earnest about it. slowly he catches himself doing it to the rest of the agency: when kenji gives him a hug after a mission, when yosano buys him something he was looking at during a shopping trip, while sharing lunch with the tanizakis, to ranpo after atsushi solves his first mystery on own, to kunikida and dazai after a dangerous mission. he hasn’t worked himself up to doing it to the president yet (and fukuzawas kind of sad about it). dazai and kunikida are the most flustered by it, kenji and kyouka do it back to him the most.
/
as much as he hates being locked up or confined against his will (and he really hates it), he genuinely loves being in small spaces. he sleeps in the closest for kyoukas privacy but he does geniunely feel comfortable there. sometimes he eats lunch under his desk or in the supply room if he’s feeling stressed. dazai did give him a giant box once to see if he’d sit in it and he totally did.
/
he tends to suck on the corners of blankets and things like his shirts or sweaters when he’s asleep or distracted. dazai used to tease him for it until he read that it was often found cats taken to soon from their mothers. he didn’t really find it funny after that
/
he will just Stare at people. agency members look up from their work and will see him looking directly at them. he usually snaps out of it right after and apologizes but just like slow blinks and winks and closing his eyes, he starts doing it more and more as he gets in tune with his ability.
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plaguedocboi · 3 months
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Bottomless Pits
We post holes here, sir.
Sinkholes, pit caves, wells and cenotes all have one thing in common; sometimes they’re bottomless. Not truly “bottomless”, of course, but in appearance, reputation, or of incredible depth. We’ve seen a few of these “bottomless pits” in prior lists such as the Lost Sea in Tennessee or the Devil’s Hole in Nevada, but today we will focus on those strange places in the earth that seem to be endless.
1. Laguna Kaan Luum, Mexico
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This one threw me for a loop because I was originally only seeing pictures like the one above, so I was like ‘oh, that’s cool, so it’s kinda like Dean’s Blue Hole, where it’s an ocean sinkhole right off the shore…’
No. It’s not that. Let’s zoom out a bit.
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Yeah. This is a lake with one giant sinkhole in the middle! It’s about 2,000 feet across and reaches depths of 278 feet, with the surrounding shallows a very pleasant 4 feet deep! I’m mostly including it on the list because the full image hit me like a bus.
2. Sima Humboldt, Venezuela
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Tepuis are large plateau mountains found across Venezuela, often with sheer sides and inaccessible tops that inspired explorers to imagine dinosaurs still surviving on these isolated mesas. Even on their own, tepuis are incredible, beautiful and mysterious. Add a sinkhole with an even more isolated forest at the bottom, and you have all the ingredients for some crazy shit to happen. Sima Humboldt and Sima Martel are two enormous sinkholes at the top of Cerro Sarisariñama. Humboldt is the largest at over a thousand feet across and nearly the same in depth, with a jungle flourishing at the bottom. The sinkhole forests are home to many endemic species of both plant and animals, but so far, no prehistoric monsters have been found in any of them.
3. Well of Barhout, Yemen
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The “well of hell” is a massive sinkhole in the desert, measuring about 100 feet in diameter and plunging down over 300 feet. Understandably, there are many myths and legends about this place, including a story about an evil djinn which lives at the bottom and takes the head of anyone foolish enough to climb in. In fact, so pervasive are these legends that the sinkhole was only formally explored in 2021! Luckily they did not find any evil spirits, but they did find stalagmites which reached 30 feet tall, cave pearls, and waterfalls which provided refuge for frogs and snakes.
4. Myakka sinkhole, Florida
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This murky abyss is filled with more than just water, it is also home to over a hundred alligators. Due to the poor visibility and very high concentration of large carnivores, it is very difficult to study this pit. Only a few people have ever glimpsed the bottom of this 134-foot deep sinkhole, but apparently we aren’t missing much because the water down there is stagnant and inhospitable to most life. Exactly why this area is so popular among alligators is still unknown, but it’s likely due to a combination of food availability and ideal temperatures.
5. The Pit cenote, Mexico
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Like Cenote Angelita, The Pit is a layered cenote. The first 88 feet is freshwater, then there is a “fog” of hydrogen sulfide, below which lies over 300 feet of brackish water. The Pit is a spectacular-looking cenote, with an almost otherworldly quality, which makes it very popular among divers. So far, this pit has been explored to a depth of 390 feet, but unexplored passages extend further.
6. Thor’s well, Oregon
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Like a drainpipe continuously swallowing an unbroken stream of ocean water, Thor’s well is often likened to a bottomless pit. However, it is actually only about 20 feet deep, and the drain effect is due to the fact that it connects back to the ocean, not swallowing the water but simply rerouting it. This does not mean that there is no danger, though. The rocks are slippery and sharp, and this area sees a higher than average number of ‘sneaker waves’; waves that look normal as they roll in but are actually much larger than they appear, potentially sweeping people out to sea as they retreat. The true danger here is the ocean, not the well.
7. Vouliagmeni Lake, Greece
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This incredibly beautiful saltwater lake has been rumored to have healing properties for thousands of years, and today continues to draw in visitors for its medicinal minerals and “doctor fish”. But this famous lake hides a secret; a labyrinth of caves whose depths have never been fully explored, and whose connection to the ocean remains undiscovered. Passages stretch over a mile into the mountains, with an average depth of 260 feet. The largest of these caverns is nearly 500 feet wide and full of warm sea water. Although a spectacular diving spot, these unknown caverns are best not underestimated.
8. Santa Rosa blue hole, New Mexico
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A gorgeous natural swimming hole, this cenote is roughly 80 feet wide and 80 feet deep (in most places) and is a popular destination for tourists. It was also used for diving certification tests, until an incident in 1976. There is one spot in this picturesque cenote that goes down much further than 80 feet; the entrance to a cave. In the dark, twisting passages, two young divers got lost and died, and the cave was later sealed with a metal grate to prevent other divers from attempting to enter. The cave was mostly forgotten about until 2013, when cave divers were given permission to attempt to map the area. The blue hole is at least 200 feet deep, but the bottom of the cave still has not been found.
9. Roaring River Spring, Missouri
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This turquoise river bubbles up from a ten-foot wide pool of deep water hidden within a sheer-sided canyon. But despite its peaceful appearance, this spring discharges 20 million gallons of water a day, and the exact source is still unknown. In 1979, divers attempted to map the cave, but reached a point 225 feet down where the passage constricted and had a water flow like “the force of an open fire hydrant”, preventing them from going any further. In 2020, divers waited until the water flow was lowest in the summer and descended to a depth of 472 feet with no bottom in sight, making this the deepest spring in the US!
10. Your Mom.
I jest, of course. Here’s the real one:
Hranice Abyss, Czech Republic
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A tiny greenish lake in the forest is the opening to the deepest freshwater cave in the world, deeper than the Empire State Building is high and still seemingly bottomless. It is so deep that scientists think it may have been formed by a totally different process than most freshwater caves; instead of water eroding away the ground from above, it may have been created by acidic groundwater coming up from below. And this water is extremely acidic, able to burn a diver’s skin if not covered properly. This, combined with fallen trees and other debris, poor visibility, and the sheer vertical drop of the cave, creates incredibly dangerous conditions for diving. Because of this, no diver or ROV has reached the bottom yet. But with a recent study using seismic sensors, scientists have estimated that the abyss may be over a kilometer deep, twice what was previously thought.
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A little Drabble for Ghost x mute!reader (Quiet)
Figure you might like it @thedevillovesflowers 🩵
Blond.
That’s really the only thing going in your mind right now as you sit across the table in the common room, your breakfast getting cold as you stare at Ghost.
Ghost is reading the newspaper that Price has left on the table after he had finished his morning tea. He’s not wearing his mask with the skull plate sewed on or one of the many black balaclavas but instead a simple cloth face mask that covers the bottom half of his face. Strangely, he still has the black face paint around his face as if he had planned in wearing a different mask.
“They were dirty.” He told you when he first walked into the room and you had gawked at him. “So they’re in the wash.”
You haven’t stopped staring, unable to take your eyes off his blond hair as if it were a spectacle. Never mind that you could most of his face now, being able to see exactly the shape of his eye brows and how his eyes are tired, his hair is what caught your attention the most.
He was blond. Not exactly what you imagined for him at all, in fact you would’ve guess he has stark black hair or very dark brown.
“Quiet.” Ghost glanced up at you from the newspaper. “You’re staring.”
You eyes widened and you suck in your bottom lip. Of course he knew you were staring, you weren’t exactly keeping it hidden but Ghost was also incredibly observant.
“Sorry.” You signed truthfully but didn’t look away. “It’s just that…you’re blond.”
“As opposed to…?” He raised an eyebrow and you weren’t sure if it was because he was curious or confused by your statement.
You shrugged. It was hard to explain him being blond was such a shock to you. Perhaps maybe it was because you never expect anything of color to be on him besides his dark brown eyes. The sight of light blond locks, not like straw but not quite platinum either, on top of his head was a stark contrast to the mostly black attire he was wearing.
“I thought maybe you’d have black hair.” You continued to stare at the short hair on top of his head.
“Dyed it once, didn’t like it.” Ghost told you and you can bit the inside of your lip.
“That could mean your blond hair is dyed too.”
“It’s natural.”
Ghost couldn’t help but let out a huff of amusement from his nose. Out of all the things that you could possibly talk about, his hair was not something that he had thought about. Truthfully he doesn’t ever really think about it unless he needs to cut it. He didn’t even brush it this morning.
You eyed him suspiciously. You weren’t sure if he was joking with you or not, but now you were determined to figure out the truth of something this trivial. You couldn’t ask him because he would lie and you were sure no else probably knew either.
Before you could even really think, you stuck your fingers through his hair to feel the texture. Surprisingly, his hair was soft to the touch and not dry or bleached in any way, which made you stare at it in awe.
Ghost on the other hand was too shocked to react. Every muscle in his body tensed up and he couldn’t look at you as he felt a shiver run down his spine when your fingertips lightly scratched his scalp. The feeling of you pulling his hair made him short circuit and he couldn’t think of anything as he felt the tips of his ears start to burn hot.
“Quiet…” His voice was strained as he glanced at you and you stopped moving your hand. “What’re you doing?”
You blinked at him for a few seconds before you realized what you were doing and immediately reacted your hand as if you had been burned. You felt your entire body heat up as you began to panic.
“Sorry!” You couldn’t look at him as you quickly took your plate and practically ran out of the room. “I’m going to go.”
Ghost sat at the table unable to really move as he watched you leave.
He could still feel your touch even though you were there and another shiver went down his spine as thought about it again. He couldn’t read the words on the newspaper as he ran his hand across the place that you had touched, unsure if he was trying to get rid of the feeling or if he was trying to replicate it as he tugged on a few of the strands himself.
It was the latter, especially as he realized he would like to have you hands in his hair again.
(Disclaimer: don’t touch people or people’s hair without permission irl.)
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theminecraftbee · 7 months
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Jimmy notices Scott sitting near the edge of the Ace Race launch. They’re both on the practice server; it’s a good place to hang out. Gets away from the kinds of lives they live elsewhere, even if Jimmy figures the one he’s got right now is good enough. Scott’s here a lot, Jimmy’s found; it’s probably some combination of whatever the weird messenger thing he has going on with Noxite is and the number of other lives he’s lived. Jimmy bets it’s just quieter here than, like, he doesn’t know, he’s heard something about pirates?
Anyway, he’s always down to say hi to Scott. Also, Scott looks—strange. Diminished feels rude. Not preening like a peacock? No weird ethereal glow? It can’t be that the romance has worn off, it never really did, not all the way, Jimmy’s always seen him as sort of made of lace and marble and beautiful things from the beginning and even now that they’re like, friends friends, it’s just—
Jimmy plants himself in the grass. He can’t find a poppy, but he can find a dandelion. Close enough?
“Flower for your thoughts?” he says cheerfully.
Scott looks up. He laughs. “You can’t be doing that, Jimmy. We’ll get double-married. I already have too many husbands, you can’t be on there twice.”
“I think I can marry my flower husband as many times as I want,” Jimmy says.
“We barely even do a romance anymore.”
“Well, excuse you for not being a romantic.”
“Me? I’m not the romantic? Me?” Scott says incredulously.
“Well I don’t know how it would be me,” Jimmy says imperiously. He pauses, huffs, and sits down next to Scott. “I mean, we can do romance if you want. Hadn’t done that the last few lives because, you know, work better as friends right now, but I can totally wow you. I can, uh. Uh. Make… chocolate? No, I can’t do that, actually, don’t hold me to that—”
Jimmy pauses.
“Scott,” he says.
“No, keep going,” Scott says weakly.
“Have I done something wrong?” Jimmy asks.
“No, no, it’s just—sort of being a messenger god, I get a feel for things, and—it’s gonna happen again soon, Jimmy.”
“Oh, okay,” Jimmy says. They both know what they’re talking about. “I’m absolutely gonna win this time, just so you know.” He says it with all the false bravado of a person who’s mostly just hoping he doesn’t die first again. This time, this time, this time. He’ll do it by his own merits, though; he’s not sure what he would have done if Joel had actually gone through with the halting plan to die for him that he’d told Jimmy about last time. Probably crowed on happily about it, honestly, but with needles in his stomach the whole time.
Scott hasn’t responded yet.
“You don’t have to worry. You’re way too good at this. Constant finalist, now that you don’t have me weighing you down,” Jimmy tries.
“I shouldn’t talk about this with you,” Scott says.
“Rude,” Jimmy says. “We’re husbands at least twice over.”
“Yeah, but do you ever regret it? Don’t you—don’t you regret it?” Scott bursts out. “Don’t you ever wake up and—and you weren’t good enough to protect them and you’re not good enough to be loyal to and frankly you aren’t good enough to follow the rules either and, and so you’re just constantly winning. And you aren’t trying and you just think, if you’d just—if you’d just fucking slowed down, figured out how to protect—this is stupid. I’m proud of Martyn. Got him to win, at least. I can’t regret him winning. I wouldn’t have wanted anything else. I never have. Forget I said anything.”
Jimmy stares.
“I don’t regret it,” he says, and he’s surprised to realize he’s telling the truth.
“Not even for all the mocking?” Scott says.
“I mean. Wouldn’t have teamed with Grian and Joel if…”
“Oh,” Scott says. He stares out over the practice server. Jimmy cannot guess what’s going on in his head. No matter how many lives they’re friends, husbands, lovers both star-crossed and casual, enemies, and friends again in, Jimmy has to admit, Scott’s kind of a closed book. It’s one of the character flaws he has to make up for being perfect at everything else.
It’s part of what makes him Scott.
“I don’t regret it,” Jimmy says, almost more urgently.
“Oh,” Scott says again. “I do.”
Jimmy’s not sure what to say to that.
He’s never been good enough at winning much of anything to understand that kind of regret, is the thing. Blessing, curse, whatever else, he just…
“Sorry. I’ll be better tomorrow. Not normally the kind of person for this stuff,” Scott says. “It’s not that I’m not confident, it’s just…”
That, though. That, Jimmy can understand.
He scoots closer to Scott.
“Let’s race. I’ll totally beat you so badly. I was watching CPK do skips. And, I don’t know about you, but…”
“Yeah, you’ll hit those in your dreams,” Scott says. Neither of them move to stand up, though. They remain sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, watching other participants jump off the launch. It’s nice here. Quiet. A place apart from all the lives they live. Jimmy wonders if that’s why Scott’s here so much. Jimmy might have to show up too; that’s what increasingly old friends are for, he figures.
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suzukiblu · 7 months
Text
updated/expanded "Kara gets to Earth on-time with baby Kal" AU excerpt:
Kara doesn’t understand the aliens’ language, which is fine. She didn’t expect to. She watches them interact and listens as they speak, familiarizing herself with the cadence and pitch and rhythm of their voices and doing her best to pick out individual sounds and patterns. She likes languages well enough. She did pretty well with Daxamite dialects in school last year, anyway. 
The aliens are kind, at least so far. They found her and Kal curled up in the remains of their smashed-up ships in their ruined field and brought them into their home despite the mess. Kara thinks they’re farmers, probably? So probably Laborer Guild, or whatever this planet has instead of Laborers. The House of El is mostly Thinkers, but Kara isn’t worried about that. She’ll figure something out, as soon as she figures out how to communicate with the aliens. Pantomime has not been all that helpful, at least not so far. 
They gave her a warm, unusually sweet drink that might have some kind of milk in it, with soft white pellets in it that are even sweeter. It’s not quite like anything she’s ever tasted before, but she likes it. Kal really liked it, though the aliens seemed to think he shouldn't have too much and gave her a little cup of just milk alone for him instead. Or she thinks it's milk, anyway. 
It's white. And very thick, and almost creamy? Though it tasted good too, when Kara stole a sip to make sure it wouldn’t upset Kal’s stomach if she gave it to him. 
"Pye," the alien that Kara is assuming is female announces in their weirdly simple-sounding language, putting a round plate with a slice of something on it on the table in front of her. Kal reaches for it from her lap with a burble. Kara peers at it too. The slice is triangular, with a crisp crust and an oozy red filling. She wonders why the plate is round, if the "pye" is meant to be sliced and served triangularly. It seems a little disrespectful to the cook–or baker? Or at least the artisan who made the plate, which was clearly painted with very dedicated care. Painted by hand, even, not a pre-programmed design reproduced by a machine. That’s very luxurious for Laborers to be offering unexpected guests who just destroyed their field, even being the wrong shape for the "pye". 
Maybe they’re overcompensating, Kara thinks. Or maybe the aliens are really just that kind. 
Maybe. 
She thinks they’re little flowers, the designs around the edges of the plate. Or at least they look like they could be flowers. They’re flower-<i>like</i>, if nothing else, and all the weird colors of them might just be a stylistic choice. 
They’re pretty. 
She wishes she could show her mother. 
Kara crushes down the grief for the thousandth time and smiles at the aliens. They smile back. 
It helps, almost. 
Almost. 
The “pye” tastes very good. 
.
.
.
It takes some effort, but Kara learns the aliens’ names after she and Kal finish their “pye” and she cleans up his sticky little face. The possibly female one is “Ma Mar-Tha”, and the possibly male one is “Pa Jona-Than”. So . . . maybe they're both female, actually? Going by their names, anyway. They both identify themselves as “Kent”, too, though she’s not sure if that’s another name and they’re either married or related, or if it’s the local word for “farmer” or “Laborer”. It’s unclear. 
They don’t look related, but she doesn’t really know how “related” this species would look to her eyes anyway. The colors of their skins are close, although their hair, though similarly textured, doesn’t really match–Ma Mar-Tha’s is an oddly neutral brown, and Pa Jona-Than’s is an even more oddly dull blond. Kara’s never seen hair in such faded colors. Her own is as bright as this planet’s strange sun, and Kal’s is as black as the space between stars. And both of their eyes are the El blue, of course. 
Pa Jona-Than’s eyes are blue too, but a washed-out shade of it. And Ma Mar-Tha’s are brown, which is so exotic and unusual that Kara has a little bit of trouble not staring too much. They’re very warm and very soft, though, and she likes how they look. 
They’re both middle-aged, she thinks, or at least strongly resemble the Kryptonian version of it. Their clothes are soft and shapeless, with very little structure or sign of formality to the garments, though Kara supposes they might be some sort of sleepwear? She and Kal did crash very early in this planet’s morning, from what she can tell. 
She tells them her name and Kal’s, though they pronounce them a bit oddly. She’s sure she’s pronouncing theirs oddly too, so it’s not as if it’s an insult. They say their names all at once, though, as if they’re singular words–"Karazorel” and “Kalel”, almost. She manages to get them both down to “Kara” and “Kal”, and they get her down to “Ma” and “Pa”, so she supposes “Mar-Tha” and “Jona-Than” are their surnames, and “Kent” does mean “Laborer”. Kal isn’t verbal enough to get to any of it, of course, but laughs sweetly and claps as he listens to them all exchanging names and sounds back and forth. 
Kara crushes down the grief again and wonders how long it’ll be until he cries for Aunt Lara and Uncle Jor. He’ll miss them soon, she’s sure. He’s a sweet, good-natured little thing, but he’s not even old enough to walk properly yet. And they’re his parents. 
She only hasn’t cried for her own because she doesn’t have the room to. Not until she’s sure they’re somewhere safe, and that Kal is going to be alright. That she can take care of him here, however she has to. 
Who knows, maybe this farm needs some more “Kents” on it. 
.
.
.
Ma gives Kara clothes: a strangely soft knee-length dress patterned with more pretty alien flowers and clunky, heavy boots with actual laces in them and a sturdy blue jacket with a surprising amount of pockets and a thick, warm, fleece-like lining, accented with flat metal studs and an odd metal trim with a tag hanging from one side of it. It takes Kara a moment, but then she realizes the trim actually seems to be some sort of fastener. 
Huh. 
The clothes don't fit quite right–Kara thinks the dress is probably meant to be a little longer, from the cut of it, and the jacket is a bit too big and the boots are a little loose too–but she does appreciate them. She's been in her own clothes since . . . 
Krypton died while she was in these clothes. 
Everyone she's ever loved, everyone she's ever known, everyone she's ever seen . . . 
Kara appreciates the new ones. 
. . . although, do clothes on this planet just not have house crests? Or are Ma and Pa just not from families that have house crests? 
She supposes they might not be. They are Laborers, so . . . maybe. But they also served her on a hand-painted plate, if with strange manners, so she's not sure what to think. 
Maybe she just doesn't understand the specific signifiers in their clothing, or maybe their house signifiers are just in their jewelry. Ma is wearing tiny gold hoops in her(?) ears and a thin gold necklace and Pa is wearing a thick leather bracelet with a glass and metal circle in the center of it, and they're both wearing gold rings on the third fingers of their left hands. Pa's is just a single plain band, but Ma has two–one just plain like his(?), but thinner, and one with a trio of little clear gemstones set in it. Diamonds, maybe? That would make sense, for a Laborer's jewelry. Diamonds are pretty, but they're both reasonably common in nature and simple enough to recreate under laboratory conditions, so they're certainly affordable enough for a farmer to wear even day-to-day. And they're sturdy, too. Gold less so, obviously, but maybe the rings are just gold-plated or an alloy.
It's something to think about besides the end of the world. 
. . . their world, anyway. 
As far as clothes go there's nothing that'll fit Kal at all, so Kara just keeps him wrapped up safe and secure in the bright red El crest blanket Jor and Lara sent him here in. Though she knows he'll need more diapers soon, obviously, and something he can actually crawl around in too. He can't stay in her lap forever. 
She wishes he could, right now. Even letting Ma hold him while she changed was . . . stressful. 
A little too stressful, maybe, but Kara tries not to think about it. Not right now, at least. 
She needs to protect him. Needs to take care of him. Needs to–
Kara exhales. Wraps Kal up in his El crest blanket and her borrowed jacket, and smiles at Ma and Pa. They smile back at her. 
Well, that's a start. 
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barefoothighlander · 11 months
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You're an amazing writer I hope you know that! What about something SFW with ghost discovering his GN s/o as a mask kink that doesn't stop at the balaclava. He just discovers that they have this weird obsession for fictional slasher guys (ghostface, Jason....) and literally any masked characters. Because I know damn well everyone reading this will relate lol! I hope you have a good day or night!
spreading the mask kink agenda🫡
warnings: gn pronouns, mostly fluff
It always intrigued him how focused you were when the two of you had movie nights, always opting for some sort of slasher film, he swore you had seen the scream movies at least 20 times during the span of your relationship.
You always watched with such intent, your eyes never leaving the screen even when some gorey scene would flash on, he was used to the violence, experiencing it first hand but he’d never seen anyone be so calm about it.
Truthfully it concerned him at first, how unfazed you were by the violence considering you would squirm when he spoke about work, he spent most of the movie watching your reactions, your face never contorted in fear or disgust, always wide-eyed in interest.
Fridays were always movie nights when he was home, a designated few hours where it was just the two of you, enjoying each other's company.
“How about a comedy?” He asks his hand on the remote flicking through the categories on the tv.
“How about Friday the 13th?”
“You’ve seen it already”
“It’s a good movie”
“You know what happens though”
“Yea but I like to rewatch, try and catch things I didn’t notice before”
“You always pick slasher films”
“Do I?”
“Yes” He looks at you with a blank expression, “C’mon let’s pick something new”
“Halloween?”
“Seriously?”
“I haven’t seen the new one”
“You’re obsessed, I swear you have a thing for guys in masks” He jokes
You freeze in your position, eyes glued to him as his words pass through your head.
“What no comeback?”
You purse your lips, shaking your head lightly as you move closer to him, sitting on the couch, the two of you settle on an old comedy movie, something to do with golfing, you aren’t paying attention, his words repeating in your head.
guys in masks
“You alright love?”
His voice breaks your trance, pulling your attention to him, his hand tracing soft patterns on your legs that sit on his lap.
“Yeah, why?”
“You haven’t said a word the whole movie, not even a pity laugh”
“Oh, just thinking I guess”
He turns his body to you, tilting his head in question, “What’s on your mind?”
“It’s nothing, just something stupid”
“C’mon, you have to tell me now”
“It’s just, what you said, I have a thing for guys in masks” You mutter
His hand stops moving, resting on your leg as his eyes watch your face for any sign of insincerity, he watches you avoid his stare, your fingers fiddling with the hem of your sweater.
“You’re being serious.”
You bite your lower lip, nodding lightly as you drop your head back, your hands covering your face at the awkward interaction, he shifts in his spot, sitting on his legs as he places his hands over yours, pulling them from your face to see you.
Your cheeks are hot as you open your eyes to see him,
“Is that why you ask me to keep mine on when we?”
“Yeah, m’sorry, it’s dumb”
“No, no it’s just, odd maybe”
“You think I’m weird” You huff a breath
“Love I’m the one that wears a skull on my face to work, if anyone’s strange it’s me” He smiles, his response relaxing your shoulders. “So what is it about the mask?”
“I dunno, the mystery maybe”
“S’that all?”
“It’s intriguing, I can’t see what faces you’re making, just your eyes”
“My eyes?”
“They’re very expressive”
He turns his face from you for a moment, thinking your words over in his head, “Expressive?”
“Yes” You let out a small chuckle, “It gives nothing away, it’s like there’s a whole different person behind the mask”
“Someone other than me?”
“Kinda, It’s always you but it just feels different when you have the mask on, trust me I don’t want anyone but you but with the Ghost rather than Simon it’s just, different”
“Different good or different bad?”
“Different good”
“So that’s why you like all the horror films”
“I guess, I’m just drawn to them, the mystery behind the killer”
“But not the killing itself?”
“Sometimes”
He quirks his head at your response, heat suddenly rising back to your cheeks.
“So the mask just, does it for you?”
“It does”
His hands resume tracing patterns over your legs, “This is… Useful information”
You cover your mouth to muffle your laugh as he grins at you, “So masks”
“Masks.” You nod
“Alright c’mon” He stands from the couch, his hand extending to you.
“Where?” You stand, taking his hand as he walks the two of you out of the room.
“To get the mask” He answers like the question was absurd, tugging you towards the bedroom.
947 notes · View notes
bwabys-scenarios · 4 days
Note
Hihi! Just wanted to say I absolutely LOVE your works esp the kurapika ones
Soo basically they take the reader out shopping specifically for undergarments and someone just so happens to walk in while they’re changing? Maybe w the phantom troupe + kurapika?
Panties and such(NSFW)
!!REPOSTS APPRECIATED!!
A/N: I’m going to assume you mean that the character walks in on reader, but if you meant a random person, sorry 😭🙏 also I’m only doing a two from the phantom troupe, doing all of them is just too much. I’ll do a part two if enough people want it, though! 🫡 REQUESTS OPEN! JOIN MY SERVER
characters: Kurapika, Chrollo, Feitan
warnings: creampie, reader wears lingerie, semi-public sex in Kurapika’s
NSFW: @lightshowerrr @jungtoast @nenggie @pannacottababy @aliceattheart @atransmuter
‼️If you want to be added to the taglist, please check out the taglist information then comment what you want to be added to! Make sure you have your age in your bio and that your blog can be tagged/mentioned!‼️
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Kurapika
-you brought up the fact you wanted new panties, and he nodded along before processing what you said.
-“d-did you say… panties? As in… underwear?”
-a little flustered, but he insists on taking you, and paying for whatever you want.
-he brings you to a lingerie store, pouting when everyone assumes he’s a woman. that does work in his favor tho
-he keeps bringing you different sets of lingerie to try on, and he’s starting to get horny imagining you in each pair.
-eventually he pushes himself inside the dressing room, eyes going wide and cock hardening in his pants when he sees you pulling up a pair of lacy panties.
-he pushes them to the side, slipping his cock into you and pushing you up against the wall. “s-so pretty, angel…”
-you leave the store with several new sets of lingerie… some of them a bit… sticky…
Chrollo
-he’s the one that suggested it.
-“my love, it seems you don’t have much lingerie. You know how I’d just love to see you covered in lace, don’t you?”
-he takes you to the most well known, expensive lingerie store in the area.
-he’s a bit picky, and takes forever choosing what options for you to try on. He settled on mostly black lingerie, with a few pink and red sets… and one white one, with little angel wings on the top.
-Chrollo helps you into each set, his fingers gently tracing your figure. “Just gorgeous… oh my love, you look like an angel sent from above.”
-he’s quick to purchase every set you try on, and soon as you get home he’s on top of you, his teeth nipping at your jaw as his cock sinks into you.
-“that’s my pretty girl, so good for me…”
-he takes you out for dinner later that night, insisting you wear the lingerie he fucked you in. You spend the entire dinner feeling his cum oozing out of you, embarrassed as he stares at you with utter love and adoration.
Feitan
-“Bras? Don’t care about that. Steal it if want it.”
-that’s usually how it went when you asked Feitan to go shopping with you for anything. Either he’d say he didn’t care, or he’d offer to just steal it for you.
-so that’s how you ended up following him to the lingerie store in the middle of the night. He easily broke in, guiding you by the hand through the dark store until the two of you reached the lingerie.
-“okay. Pick your favorite.”
-you huffed at him, looking through the selection. “I’ve gotta try it on first…”
-you stripped, and this got Feitan excited enough… but he started stroking himself when you pulled on a pair of lacy panties.
-he continued to jerk off to you, until you caught him in the mirror.
-“F-Fei!”
-you blushed, but felt strangely flattered… “I’ll take care of it…”
-you sat in front of him, leaning down to take his cock in your mouth. “F-fuck…”
-seeing your pretty lips wrapped around his cock, your ass perched in the air was enough to have him cumming in no time.
-he helped carry home as many sets of lingerie as you wanted… maybe he liked seeing you like that more than he thought.
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rabbitblackx · 7 months
Note
Hello again, can i request an Bubba Sawyer x Shy reader: When Bubba introduce them to his family for the first time, at first, the reader was nervous that his family might disprove of them since their cannibals but was proved wrong when they interact with his family? (Side note: Bubba and the reader were together for a long time and he come up with the idea of introducing them to his family since he's been telling his family all about them.)
Hope that your having a great month rabbit 😊
Hope u don’t mind it’s just a silly little headcanon thing!🫠💞 also hope ur having a spectacular day!!😸💖
Shy!Reader meets Bubba’s family
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You had been in a relationship with Bubba for quite a while now. You met on accident one night, while him and Chop-Top were ‘grocery shopping’. Instead of killing you, Bubba grew a fondness for your shy smile and pretty face. He didn’t let Chop-Top see you, effectively hiding you away while they wasted anybody else nearby
To Bubba’s surprise, him being a cannibal killer wasn’t a dealbreaker. You still actually really liked him. You just had a hard time expressing it due to your shyness and fear
This strange, masked man continued to visit you almost every night, clearly infatuated with you. There were times where you didn’t utter a single word. You just sat with Bubba in your living room, silently admiring each other. Though you didn’t speak, your big shy eyes said a thousand words
It was now the day where you were gonna finally meet Bubba’s family. You were dreading this for the longest time. You stood outside this abandoned theme park with Leatherface, visibly shaking
“Maybe we should just turn back. They’re not gonna like me.” You squeaked
Your boyfriend made a grunt of disagreement, placing a large paw on your shoulder. You glanced down at it, before shyly meeting his gaze
“I’m scared, Bubba.” You uttered
Bubba attempted to comfort you with numerous pets and a small cuddle. He wished he could tell you how keen his brothers actually were to meet you. He had told them all about you
Bubba led you down into the quarters of the theme park in which they lived. The large space was littered with bright lights, skeletons and dust. It wasn’t that bad…
As soon as Chop-Top Sawyer popped up to greet you, you were immediately hiding behind Bubba. You squeaked in fear and pressed flush against his back. Chop-Top couldn’t take a hint, moving around his brother to get a look at you
“This them, Bubba? This yer little friend?” He crooned
Bubba nodded his head, carefully pulling you out from behind him by your waist and setting you next to him. Chop-Top’s wide blue eyes and insane grin made you hug your boyfriend’s arm tight
“Hi…” you peeped shyly
Chop-Top was loud and boisterous as ever, crudely complimenting you on how good looking you were. Of course, you had no idea how to respond, face red and pressing against Bubba’s arm. As different as you were to this man, he wasn’t the one you were afraid of the most. It was their oldest brother, Drayton, that you were anxious to impress
Drayton emerged from the kitchen with a surprised look on his face. He couldn’t believe that you were here. In fact, he couldn’t believe that you were actually real. For all he knew, Bubba was lying about this imaginary partner of his for the past few months
Drayton felt threatened by you at first, and protective of his baby brother. But once he found how shy and quiet you were, he let his guard down. He was actually quite glad Bubba found you instead of some hussy or whore
You stayed for dinner, where you met grandpa. You liked him. Mostly because he didn’t talk to you but that was beside the point. You barely said anything at all really, making Drayton eye you suspiciously. He liked quiet people. So were you just too good to be true?
After dinner, you stayed back to spend some alone time with Bubba. But just before you were to leave for the night, you popped into the kitchen. It took a lot of courage, but you offered to help Drayton with the dishes. He looked beyond shocked, like he couldn’t believe such kind words came out of your mouth
Bubba watched from afar as you and his brother silently washed dishes together. Just as you thought it was going to get awkward, Drayton turned to you and said something that warmed your faint heart
“I’m glad Bubba brought you home.”
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its-time-to-write · 8 months
Note
Can you write a Jamie Tartt request where he and the reader are in the "between lovers and friends stage" and they finally get together when he has her sleepover at his place after finding out her ex was loitering by her apartment?
I’m alive (mostly!) and I’m starting to go through the asks in my inbox again! Sorry to all y’all who have been waiting. I love you!😇😍
p.s. I’ve been obsessed with the song “Margaret” by LDR, which is where the title comes from
(oh also I barely responded to this prompt so that I could write this dumb fic that’s been on my brain forever. so. apologies for that too)
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maybe tomorrow you’ll know
It goes like this: boy meets girl, they go to the same primary school, girl kicks around football with boy and sneaks into his room to hug him when his dad’s a prick, boy moves away to become a Premier League footballer and girl cries her heart out because they’re best friends.
Fucking typical.
And yet, he still picks up every phone call. Still answers every text you send. He’ll never say the word “love,” especially not when he’s with Keeley Jones and their faces are all over tabloids and instagram. But you���ll feel it in the way he’s a prick to everyone but you. It’s in the way his voice goes soft when you call him at 2am crying about being dumped by your first boyfriend.
He doesn’t visit, doesn’t phone his mum, but he’ll send you a quick voice message when he can. Usually not saying much, just a snip about training. First it’s all about Pep and the lads at Man City, then it’s about some gaffer named Cartrick and the fact that he’s teammates with Roy fucking Kent.
Jamie never tells you that Roy absolutely fucking hates him, but you know anyway.
Jamie also doesn’t call you when Keeley breaks up with him. In fact, you don’t even find out about it until pictures of Roy and Keeley surface online. You call him as soon as you can, and in typical Jamie fashion, he picks up on the second ring. 
You don’t ask him about Keeley, just let him talk about football and the new manager from America, and the fact that maybe Richmond isn’t so bad and maybe he can let his armor down just a little bit.
He’s sent back to Manchester the next day.
The bonds of childhood friendship run strong, because he’s on your doorstep in no time at all, and though it’s been years since you’ve seen him in person, there’s a part of you that feels like he never left. 
It never goes beyond friendship with you two. You don’t allow yourself to consider him in any other light because this friendship is special and important and neither of you will let anything ruin it.
It’s so strange sometimes to see him on tv or in an interview, eyes sharp and mouth full of barbs. Always on the offensive, always cutting others down before they have a chance to do the same to him. You have a hard time believing it’s the same boy who’s on your couch staring at the ceiling as he fiddles with the hem of his sweatshirt.
He’s never spoken that way to you, and you have a hard time believing he ever will.
So you feed him and make him smile and go to as many matches as you can (he leaves tickets on your kitchen table so you won’t protest) and give him a house key so he can come and go as he pleases.
But then he’s gone again, it’s the off-season and he’s on some tv show and you’re watching him flirt and seduce and pull at people’s heartstrings like they’re marionettes, and you realize (perhaps for the first time) how deep the damage has gone.
He gets absolutely shredded online, called all sorts of names by fans of the show and football alike, and you wonder if you’re the only one who can see what’s happening. That it’s all a show and that person, that Jamie Tartt on the screen is not the Jamie Tartt who used to throw pebbles at your window to come see if you wanted to ride bikes together.
It’s different than when he went to the Premier League. He doesn’t answer your texts.
It’s fine though, because your life doesn’t revolve around him. You have other, real friends and a boyfriend and a nice little flat and a good job. So he can go do what he wants and when he needs someone to pick up the pieces, you’ll go because you understand that sometimes this friendship is a one-way street. 
You miss him, though.
You don’t watch his season of Lust Conquers All until your boyfriend calls you and says, “Hey, it’s been fun, but I’m just not feeling it anymore, thanks for understanding,” and then you binge every episode right up to the current one. 
So now you don’t have a boyfriend. You’re glad it hadn’t gone too far, but his words still stung. But you drown your feelings in ice cream and shitty tv and it’s alright because another episode airs in an hour, so you can see more of Jamie and hope he’s doing okay.
He’s not. He gets voted off and you think that’s stupid but also maybe a little bit good.
Jamie just thinks it’s stupid. He’s kicked off his only lifeline, and then Man City flat-out refuses to take him back and he has to find out on live television for fuck’s sake. And then he has the brilliant idea to ask Ted Lasso to come back, because of course Ted will take him, what with his yeehaw can-do bullshit. Except Ted tells him no, and now he has nothing.
He’s cut out every friend, every family member and is resigned to life as a has-been before he’s even twenty-five years old.
Now, he’s at home with the blinds pulled. He’s not even sure what time it is anymore because it’s all meaningless, innit? So when there’s a knock at the door, he has to blink a couple times from his place on the couch before turning off FIFA and going to see who it could possibly be.
He hopes it’s you, even though he knows there’s no way. Not after he ghosted you for months. He ignores the uncomfortable flip-flop in his stomach at the thought of seeing you, and the way his heart beats a little faster when he thinks of holding you. 
He won’t cross that line. Your friendship (if it still exists) is too important. 
So he opens the door, ready to see who the fuck is bothering him. 
It’s Ted.
Ted asks, “Can I come in?” but he’s obviously not going to accept no as an answer, so Jamie steps back to let him inside.
Ted’s just standing awkwardly in Jamie’s kitchen, not even pretending that he isn’t shocked by Jamie’s decor. 
Jamie isn’t going to defend his choices to Ted of all people. Nor is he going to do anything to lessen his awkwardness. Finally, Ted clears his throat and says, “Well Jamie, it seems we need to revisit our last conversation.”
Jamie stares at him, refusing to speak until he’s sure what Ted is saying, so Ted continues. 
“I think I was a little bit too hasty when I said you couldn’t come back to Richmond. I’ve been giving it some thought, and we’d love to have you back.”
Jamie looks at Ted, all rumpled in his sweatshirt and shorts, hair as undone as it’s ever been, and is supremely unsure of what he’s supposed to say. 
Yeah, I’ll come back to Richmond. 
Fuck off, you’re too late.
He’s saved from saying something stupid by the sound of the front door rattling as someone punches in the code. 
“You expectin’ someone?” Ted asks. 
Jamie shakes his head, equally puzzled. “No one has the code, except-”
The door is shoved open and you burst through in a flurry of motion. You call, “Jamie?” but you can already see him in the kitchen so you make a beeline to his location and launch yourself into his arms. 
He’s solid as always, smelling like day-old Lynx. His arms are tight wrapped around you, body warm as you press your cheek against his. 
He sets you down after a moment, and brushes away a stray strand of hair from your face. 
“What’re you doing here?” he asks softly, still not quite letting you go. Ted notes that this is a new tone for Jamie. Or at least, the Jamie he’s interacted with. It’s not a performance, not something designed to make people love or hate him, it’s what Ted suspects is the most authentic version of Jamie. Whoever you are, you must be important. 
“Wanted to make sure you were ok. I saw your interview.”
Jamie makes a face. “Fuck’s sake, has everyone seen that shit?”
You shrug. “Hard to miss it. Your mum sent it to me. She’s kind of why I’m here, actually.”
“You know Jamie’s mom?” Ted asks, surprised. It’s only then that you notice he’s in the room. Your face heats up because you wouldn’t have been that grabby with Jamie had you known he weren’t alone.
“Hi, I’m Ted,” he says reaching out to shake your hand, “Seems to me like you know this one from a while back.”
“Uh, yeah,” you reply. “Which is why I figured something was wrong when he ghosted me for fucking ever.”
Jamie winces and Ted takes his cue. 
“I’ll leave you two to catch up,” he says. He points a finger at Jamie. “You let me know what you decide, son.”
“It’s a yes, Coach,” Jamie calls as Ted heads out the door. You crane your neck in time to see Ted pump his fist in the air before the door shuts behind him. 
“So,” you say, arms crossed, “you have a big fucking excuse for not answering my calls. But you better never fucking do it again, or I’m showing back up here with Georgie and she’ll kick your ass.” 
Jamie grimaces. Sure, Georgie was never violent with him, but there’s something particularly terrifying about the way she says Jamie Tartt you have got some explaining to do, while her eyes do that thing where they flash and stare straight into his soul. 
“Right, yeah, I’m really sorry,” he says and he’s lucky that his tone backs up his words because if he had one ounce of prick in his voice, you’d make him really sorry. I mean come on, who ignores their family?
The thought passes through your mind just long enough for it to freak you out before Jamie’s tentatively reaching out to hug you again. 
You let him rest his head on your shoulder as you scratch his the back of his head. 
You’ve been on Jamie’s couch for the better part of two hours, talking and letting him pretend like he’s not on the verge of tears because at least he’s being open and honest for once, when he shoots up and says, “Jesus Christ, fucking Kyle.”
He turns to you, eyes wide as he asks, “Isn’t he gonna wonder where you are? Shit, and you’re with me. He’s not gonna like that shit at all.”
You shrug infinitesimally while you examine a spot on the wall. 
“We’re not together anymore,” you answer as casually as possible. 
Jamie sighs and settles back onto the couch. “Shit. Glad you finally dumped that prick.”
You glare at him. “I didn’t. He dumped me. And then I found him lurking in my fucking bushes yesterday like a total creeper.”
Jamie’s up again off the couch, this time heading for his car keys as he yells, “For fuck’s sake, love, you should’ve called me.”
“I did!” you shout back. “I did, and you didn’t pick up, did you? Anyway, it’s probably not going to be an issue anymore.”
Jamie returns to the living room, face ashen. “Shit. Fuck. Fucking shit. I’m so sorry.”
You shrug and say, “It’s not a big deal. He decided that he liked certain body parts he owned more than he liked intimidating me. 
Jamie grips his keys so hard that his knuckles turn white as he says, “Right, you’re sleeping over tonight because no one fucking treats my girl that way.”
Then he freezes. 
You’re not frozen, because a single shiver has worked its way up your spine. 
My girl.
It came out so naturally. 
And it implied ownership? But of the mutual sort? And in a way that two best friends simply did notbelong together. 
The entire house is so silent, you swear you can hear Jamie blink. Well, that is, if either of you actually moved a muscle as opposed to staring at each other across the room. 
“What-” you start, but your throat is all weird and tight, so you clear it and try again. “What did you say?”
It still comes out much lower than you anticipated and Jamie has a split second to assess your body language and make a choice. 
You’re fully angled toward him, eyes wide. You’re not giving him a look that says, shut the fuck up right now, Jamie Tartt, so he takes it as permission. 
Permission to take one step closer, then another, then another until he’s standing right next to you. He slowly sinks down on the couch next to you as his says in a low, gravely voice, “I said, ‘no one fucking treats my girl that way.’”
Ah. So this is where over a decade of friendship has gotten you. On Jamie Tartt’s couch as your lips crash against his, both wondering why you hadn’t made a move sooner. 
But it doesn’t matter, you’re here now and you’re sure you won’t waste a single second. 
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