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#scary has a bad sunburn

bleedingoptimism · 10 months

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𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚

part 1

“You look pale,” Jeff comments making Eddie snort loudly.

Of course he looks pale, he’s got vampirism, doesn't he? But then again, so does Jeff and he looks great.

“When was the last time you fed?” He asks.

Eddie sighs heavily trying to reign in his bad mood. He knows Jeff’s just worried and wants to help, and he’s grateful to have run into an old friend from high school as soon as he moved into the big city.

Because he’d be utterly lost without him.

He doesn't know where anything is, he gets lost in the subway, and he has no idea when he’s being charged too much for a muffin or suspiciously too little for a hotdog, or where all the blood markets are.

“Like, two weeks ago,” Eddie finally answers.

Jeff looks surprised but it’s not actually that bad, people with vampirism can go up to 4 to 5 weeks without blood.

It’s not the same as those vampires from movies and books, they still eat food and they can stand in the sun with just minor cases of sunburn. There’s also the light sensitivity, making them all look like assholes wearing sunglasses everywhere.

Also, they are not allergic to garlic. Which, thank the heavens because Eddie loves garlic, a lot.

There’re a couple of side effects that do come in handy sometimes, like augmented hearing and smell. And the healing spit is super weird but nifty. No super strength regrettably, that would’ve been awesome.

Anyways, it’s like they have super anemia or something.

“I went to a blood bar, hooked up with some dude but. I didn't have a good time, at all. I kind of don't want to go back to bars for a while,” He elaborates and when Jeff frowns worried, he shakes his head,

“No, not like that. It’s just… the dude was like way too into it, you know? It kinda freaked me out.”

“What do you mean? Don't you find it hot? When you feed?” Jeff asks him, curious.

Eddie nods quickly, “Yes, of course I do! It can be really sexy with the right person, but this guy, he was like- like way too loud and like, he was faking it? I don’t for who, though. And halfway through it, I started getting worried I’d accidentally hired someone instead of just hooked up and I didn’t have any money, and then I started thinking about money and my dick-”

“Ok! Ok, I get it.” Jeff thankfully interrupts him. “Dude, why didn’t you say something, I know of a place. I didn’t mention it before because it’s kind of boujee and handles itself a little differently.”

“Oh? Do tell” Eddie tells him excitedly, he loves going to new places, especially if they are weird.

“Well, it’s real private, like ‘can’t get in unless you are on the list’ private. And it’s run by this girl. Blonde little thing, super cute. Scary as fuck. Everyone calls her ‘The Boss’” he says doing air quotes.

“Dramatic, I like it.” Eddie smiles.

Jeff chuckles, “So the gist of it it’s you go there and just hang out normally, like any other kind of bar. The place is beautiful, the music is good, and the drinks are delicious. But what's interesting about this place is the hostesses,” he says and even does a little pause for effect before continuing, “Similar to a blood bar there’re people there willing to be fed on but what’s cool about it is they get to choose.”

Eddie raises his eyebrows, “That sounds kind of fun, actually.”

“Right? And it feels, safer somehow? For them?” Jeff agrees and Eddie nods and smiles at him, waiting for him to keep going.

“Anyway, the hostesses choose and then you get to go upstairs and talk through what you want to happen, just feeding, sex, talking, anything they agree to, it's on the table. I once ended up just playing a game of Uno with the girl I fed on and two other hostesses that hadn't picked anyone that night.” he finishes and Eddie laughs delightedly.

“Ok, this place sounds amazing, what’s the catch?”

“Well, you have to pay an entry fee, the drinks are expensive and there’s always the possibility you’ll leave empty-handed. The first time is free though,” Jeff says.

“Like drugs,” Eddie replies and Jeff nods solemnly,

“You know the hostesses can be kind of addicting.”

…

That night, on the way there, Jeff tells him they have to sign a guest list at the entrance,

“No one uses their real name, not because the place is shady or anything! But because they want to leave that choice to us and the hostesses if you ever get too close with one. It's not like, frowned upon.”

Eddie nods listening intently, he feels kind of nervous in a way he hasn't in a while, but he’s not sure why.

“Also, secret nicknames are fun! I’m known as Jay there. So please don’t dox me. Or yourself.” Jeff tells him.

After careful consideration, Eddie smiles and says, “I’ll be… Strider”

“Nerd”

“Shut up, you are just jealous you didn't come up with it yourself”

Jeff laughs, “You got me there,” he says, and then, “We are here” and he opens a big glass windowed door and vows to Eddie, inviting him in.

Eddie chuckles and enters and immediately almost runs into someone—a tall, massive guy with short curly hair and the shadow of a beard.

“Hey freak,” Jeff greets calmly, “He’s with me,”

Eddie cringes at the nickname, bad memories from high school bullying. But the dude just nods and gives Jeff the tiniest of smiles, so he figures it’s the nickname the bouncer chose for himself.

They enter and sign their name in the guest book, a girl about their age with dirty blond hair and hundreds of freckles on her nose and cheeks is there and she asks Eddie a couple of questions. Not in a weird way, but in a ‘you are new and I’m curious’ kind of way.

Eddie feels comfortable and excited as they go in.

Jeff was right, the place is beautiful. The lobby leads to a big room with high ceilings and fake candle-lit lamps. The chairs and tables are antiques and all different but roughly the same time period so they look good together. There’re old signs and posters from all kinds of drinks and different products adorning the walls. And the music is instrumental and oldie too, sounds like probably 40s or 50s.

It is incredibly boujee. But in a fun way, cozy and warm.

They get a seat at a small round table in a corner and Jeff lets Eddie look around for a while before asking,

“So? Weird right? It’s like stepping into another time,”

Eddie snorts, “Yeah, one that has no idea which time period it wants to repre- who is that?”

Jeff looks at where Eddie is looking and sighs, “Of course you noticed Sunshine,”

“Sunshine?” Eddie sighs.

“That’s what they call him. Because apparently he smells like flowers and summer and tastes like orgasms or something,” Jeff says amused rolling his eyes.

The guy, Sunshine, is probably the prettiest person he’s ever seen in his life, definitely the most beautiful man in this room. His face is a contradiction of sharp and round angles that is just absolutely perfect, and he’s wearing a black suit that clings to his body like a second skin, showing off his big shoulders and his tiny waist. He’s looking around the room with big, brown eyes that look bored as he leans against a wall like he’s above it all, he’s a fucking dream.

Eddie swallows audibly and looks smirking at Jeff for a second before his eyes drift back to the man, “Tastes like what, you said” he teases and Jeff snorts.

“Not that anyone would know, as far as I know, he’s never taken anyone upstairs,” he tells Eddie in a conspiratory tone.

That makes him incredibly curious, “Really? Why is he still here then?”

“I don’t know for sure, mostly rumors but he’s the boss’s favorite, that’s for sure. Oh!” Jeff exclaims and then nods his head to a girl sitting on the other side of the room, in a big fancy-looking chair that looks more like a throne than a simple piece of furniture.

She’s got blonde hair up in a ponytail and she’s wearing a flowery dress but there's something about the way she looks around the room, something about the way people walk around her and look at her, with respect or fear, or maybe both. She’s fucking intimidating.

While Eddie’s looking, the girl from the front desk, with the freckles, comes to sit on a small stool beside the “throne”, there’s another one on the other side that’s empty. The blonde girl moves her hand towards freckles and she kisses it and then her shoulder and smiles as she leans in closer and starts whispering to her.

It’s kind of surreal.

“That’s The Boss, and the girl from the entrance, that’s Sparrow. She’s her girl.” Jeff explains.

“Respect for looking scary in a sundress,” Eddie comments.

And Jeff nods, “Anyways my theory is, Sunshine is actually just a bodyguard and not a hostess but the people that come here like to think they actually have a chance with him, so no one says anything to the contrary.”

Eddie snorts and nods, it makes sense. It's actually very good marketing, just like the ‘the first one is free’ thing. That boss girl is really smart with her business.

Jeff and he get a few drinks and they chat calmly, Jeff isn't looking to go upstairs tonight, he only came by to accompany Eddie and Eddie knows he should be looking around, trying to make eye contact with someone, but he can stop staring at Sunshine.

He even looked at their table at one point, and Eddie thought he was going to faint. He was scanning the room as he apparently does every couple of minutes when he caught Jeff’s eye and Jeff lifted his hand in greeting.

And Sunshine’s face completely transformed, his bored calculating expression changed into a beautiful smile that made his eyes shine. He wiggled his fingers at Jeff cutely before going back to looking like fucking Droopy Dog. If Droopy was the sexiest motherfucker alive. It was amazing to see.

Eddie’s jaw almost hit the table and he turned to look at Jeff stunned and he just shrugged,

“Sunshine was one of the hostesses I ended up playing Uno with. He’s fucking vicious,” he says smiling at the memory.

Eddie chuckles as his eyes follow Sunshine moving across the room, he just can't. Stop. Looking.

But the thing is, Sunshine is looking back now. Keeping eye contact with him obviously and unashamed. It’s thrilling and it makes shivers run down his spine.

He watches as Sunshine sits on the stool on the other side of The Boss’s throne and grabs her hand and holds it, intertwining their fingers.

The Boss and her girl turn and look at him and the three of them start whispering, looking at him.

“Dude,” he says and turns to Jeff to see if he’s seeing what he’s seeing.

Jeff looks from him to the whispering party, “Un fucking believable, first time here and tonight is the night Sunshine is taking someone upstairs” he says looking fed up, but clearly in a joking manner.

“Is that what you think it’s happening? No way,” Eddie shakes his head as Sparrow says something that makes The Boss chuckle but Sunshine speaks up and she sobers up immediately. Curious.

“He’s looking right at you, he probably went to ask Sparrow about you,” Jeff insists.

“Maybe he’s looking at you”

“He’s seen me before,” Jeff scoffs.

He’s about to reply but their conversation gets interrupted by someone shily clearing their throat. A girl, a hostess, is looking at him with curious eyes, and shit… she’s cute and looks like a nice person but, Eddie can’t- he needs to know what those looks from Sunshine meant.

He needs him.

He looks back at the group quickly to see Sunshine and The Boss in deep conversation and Sparrow… is she glaring at him?

He rejects the girl, as nicely as possible and Jeff scoffs and murmurs ‘unbelievable’ under his breath again as Eddie turns to look back at Sunshine.

Who is walking toward them, holy shit.

“Holy shit,” Jeff says and then moves to stand. Eddie grabs his wrist and tries to pull him back.

“Wait what are you doing, dont-” But Jeff frees himself and starts walking away,

“Good luck!” He sings songs and then leaves him alone.

part 1: you are here

part 2: 👄

part 3: 🩸

bonus content: ☀️

ao3: 🌙

art: 🦇

coffee?☕🥐💕

#stranger things #steddie #vampire eddie munson #steve harrington #i wrote something

2K notes · View notes

a-boca-do-inferno · 1 year

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trouble with a capital T (tony montana x reader)

summary: (y/n) has an unexpected admirer.

warnings: angst, smut-bit of a size kink? idk u tell me, violence, drugs, abuse, dubcon, blood, swearing, domestic abuse, fluff and a little stalking ig. also tony montana

words: 8.9k

notes: this is toxic asf pls beware when reading it. also reader here is stupid asf for narrative purposes do not be like that irl im begging you. i rly have a concerning taste in men and if someone ever finds this i dont kno any of you <3 enjoy!

There’s this new guy in town who looks like trouble with a capital “T”. Everyone has seen him in person, except (y/n). However, by the stories and theories she hears, the figure of this man becomes even more macabre. Nobody knows his real name. He’s known only as Scarface, which should be an indicator of his perhaps not-so-scary nature, but (y/n) is a bit of a coward, if she’s being honest.

Still, when the girl thinks of him, she likes to imagine he has his own reasons for doing what people say he does. It is a morally questionable service, certainly illegal—considerably inhumane—, yet something inside of her extends this guy the benefit of the doubt. It’s not an uncommon theme in Florida, anyway, selling drugs and whatnot, so perhaps Scarface isn’t of all bad. He is still surely just a man, right? But when she received Elvira’s messages saying there was a shooting in her neighborhood, and that Scarface was arrested for allegedly taking part in it, (y/n) felt a little overwhelmed about her previous considerations. Even if the guy wasn’t the devil like everyone made him to be, he was a criminal. A violent one at that, putting innocent people’s lives in danger, like her friend’s.

She couldn’t go see Elvie that day, but (y/n) told her she’d drop by as soon as possible. Elvira sent some pictures of her neighbor’s window with bullet holes, six of them. The neighbor was a man who lived alone and listened to loud music all day on Sundays. Why anyone would have ordered his death, they had no idea. But then again, (y/n) didn’t really trust men who’d hit on women even after being told “no” a couple of hundred times. It wouldn’t surprise her at all if he was a rapist, or a pedophile, or both. Anything was possible nowadays. The neighbor managed to escape the sniper’s attack and left through the back, anyway, and Elvira said he entered the backyard of her house to protect himself. She was really lucky that by that time, the police had already arrived at the scene and readily took the shooter into custody.

Scarface, according to Elvie’s description, was a short, rustic-looking man. He was white, but sunburned, with a stylish haircut reminiscent of the ‘80s and a shaven face. His eyes were big and dark, with a prominent nose, and there was a scar on his left eye, which obviously earned him the infamous nickname. He walked around with a worn Hawaiian shirt and a white wifebeater under it, the one everybody says he’s always wearing; from the waist down, he had shabby jeans held up by a leather belt and old-fashioned cowboy boots. The kind they used to wear in the Wild West, probably.

The guy was just an almost cartoonish figure, a villain straight out of some children’s TV show. And still, somehow, he was the terror of this city as of lately. Everyone licked his balls in an attempt to spare their own lives. Uselessly, of course, since he didn’t seem to have any real consideration for anyone or anything, except for money. So, it wasn’t exactly a certainty that he wouldn’t kill any of his so-called “friends” downtown, unless they owned something valuable to him—drugs, for instance.

And him being detained now, for the hundredth time that month, wasn’t really a relief, since he would soon be out. Because no one could ever catch him in the act—he was a professional, after all—, his stay in the precinct’s modest jail was only for a few hours. At most one night. Five hundred, even a thousand dollars in bail—or a bribe, in fact—was enough for the sheriff to release him with a faithful promise he would see Scarface again the following week. And it was no sooner said than done.

Nobody knew where he lived. There were rumors his home was in the neighborhood next to (y/n)’s, but it was never confirmed. It also wouldn’t make any difference to know where his residence was. Again: the guy was a professional. Even the mayor licked the floor he walked. But Scarface also had his enemies, obviously. On her block alone there were four or five men who would kill him in broad daylight with their bare hands, if given the chance. She didn’t know the story very well, but it obviously had something to do with settling scores. It always did.

Scarface, the cowboy-boots and burnt-skin, revolver-stuck-to-spine and walk-of-an-insufferable-bastard Scarface, was the greatest example of how the universe does not give any tips. The divine does not send signs. And when it does, it’s a bullet in the head, right in the middle of your eyebrows. Scarface is the universal clue of at least three people a week, but no one recognizes him as such. They’d rather bow to his feet, fearing for their lives, as if the devil had any sympathy in him in the first place. It was a funny paradox. Furthermore, the universe is also a sneaky son of a bitch. So, of course her brother would get into some trouble and end up in jail. And of course he would ask (y/n) to save his ass as she often did.

She quickly turned around the way she was making to the supermarket and parked in front of the station, luckily only a few blocks away from her destination. The girl entered the room in silence and wrinkled her nose slightly at the strong smell of pee and cigarettes coming from the back, where the small jail was. In the waiting room, there were only two men sitting with their heads down and a guard in front of the hallway that led to the detainees.

(y/n) went to talk to the guard and before disappearing, he told her to wait right there. She took a sit as far away from the two ominous-looking men as possible and pretended to be fiddling with her phone. In fact, she was distressed. Despite Manny being known for his little transgressions, he’d never been arrested before, so she had also never been to a police station up until that point. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her fingers were trembling slightly.

The guard finally returned and she let out a sigh of relief. He handed her some paperwork to fill and she paid the bail in silence. While she gave him her signature, loud voices and laughter could be heard approaching in the hallway next to the waiting room. The laughter was undeniably masculine, a deep voice reverberating through the walls of the quiet police station. (y/n) held her breath as her eyes landed on brown shoes touching the floor. She didn’t dare look up and quickly finished signing the papers, going back to her chair while the guard went to get Manny.

She stared down at her phone, her heartbeat speeding up again. The disturbing laughter ceased and the girl heard a rattle of keys followed by another clang. A thick accent thanked someone and (y/n) let out her breath, thinking he was leaving at last, but the heavy boots made their way to the water cooler right next to her. She bit her lip and sighed shakily, still not daring to look up. The way he was standing betrayed the lack of care for his spine, as he was unnecessarily leaning too far back. His loud gulps almost made (y/n) roll her eyes, despite her nervousness. He really looked like he came out of a cartoon with such deliberately theatrical behaviour.

The two men sitting away from her got up at the same time and walked out of the station, leaving just Scarface, another guard who was on the computer, and her. But as she had no luck, a voice called that damn guard and he left them both alone in the waiting room. At that point, (y/n) knew the asshole was just messing around with that glass of water he’d been drinking for the past two minutes. And for that reason, she decided to stand up straight and look at him. There was nothing to fear. She had nothing to do with his drug shenanigans.

The girl was only still hesitant of Scarface maybe trying to do something inappropriate, but she didn’t have time to run when he threw the cup in the trash and sat down on the empty chair right next to her. That man’s sly smile and predatory gaze made her shiver from head to toe. “Mornin’”, he states, his deep voice very close to her ear.

(y/n) turned to look at him and kept her expression solemn. “Morning”, she simply replies, and perhaps it comes out too imposing, because Scarface raises his eyebrows and looks at her with some humor.

“A tough one, huh? Just the way I like it.”

She wants to laugh at his words, but only shakes her head. “Are you fucking serious? You wish....”

“I wish what?”, he grabs her face tightly, forcing her to look at him. (y/n) freezes under his touch and can’t hide her panicked expression. He smiles satisfied and moves closer to her. “Your mama never told you not to talk to strangers, huh?”, she tries to pull away from his grip, but he pushes his fingers harder against her cheeks to the point of hurting. “Answer me.”

“You’re not a stranger, Scarface”, she grins and he lets go of her at last. (y/n) takes a deep breath and clears her throat, checking the time and tucking her phone into her front pocket. Thankfully, Manny’s voice is approaching in the hallway and she gets up, giving the guy a scowl. “I know you think you own this town, but remember you’re still just a guy. Get over yourself.”

“Oh, I know”, Scarface mutters, smirking like she’d just told him a great joke. He stands up and tries to touch her again, but (y/n) manages to avoid it. He then pulls her closer by the waist for a split second, as the guard and her brother appear in that instant. The man lets go of her quickly, and before he leaves, he flashes her a wink, “have a good day, baby.”

She watches angrily as Scarface disappears, caressing her aching face. The girl turns around to find Manny with a sorry expression, and she clenches her jaw. “Let’s go”, it’s all she says, walking out of the station without waiting for him.

♡♡♡

A week after that incident, (y/n) never left the house again. Until today, that is; she only went to her brother’s because he was starting to get a little worried about her confinement. She didn’t think of telling him why she was hiding for protection, because the less her family knew about that crazy drug dealer bothering her, the better.

(y/n) walked out of her car fast so she wouldn’t bump into Scarface on the street by any chance. Although it was pretty unlikely to happen, seeing as he didn’t usually hang out in her neighborhood, but she wouldn’t take any risks. No one besides herself knew what went on in the station and she didn’t intend to tell anyone else. The girl didn’t even know if she should have told anyone in the first place. The guy had this city in his hands. If he wanted to find her, it was a snap of his fingers.

But of course, (y/n) couldn’t run away forever. And the day she decided she’d go to Manny’s without any fear, while she was sitting on the sofa, that damned thick accent came from the front door. She widened her eyes and got up quickly, but when the girl reached the kitchen door, her scared expression met the man’s pleased one. He was smiling at something her brother was saying, however, as soon as he saw her, the mirth on his features was borderline sickening. Still, he visibly tried to play it cool because Manny was there.

(y/n) pretended not to care as she made her way to the bathroom and locked herself there, hands shaking violently. She sent millions of desperate messages to Elvira. The voices continued to chatter excitedly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to have Scarface at her brother’s place. Like they were buddies.

Suddenly there was silence and someone knocked on the bathroom door slowly, barely audible. Her heart raced and she felt a lump forming in her throat, eyes watering without warning. Another knock. She put her phone away and slowly opened the door, not knowing what else to do or where else to go. The man’s intimidating presence greeted her and a victorious grin hovered on his lips. (y/n) looked into the living room for Manny, but there was no one. He seemed to have left for some reason, and she felt her world fall apart.

The girl stared back at Scarface and he was now serious, examining her body up and down with no shame. “So you’re family, huh?”, he muses, his terrifying voice making her shiver sharply. She sighed and went to sit back in the couch, accompanied by him, who was leaning against the doorway and still gazed at her without blinking. “When they told me you were Manny’s lil’ sis, I couldn’t believe it, baby! But here you are, I guess that makes him my brother-in-law”, he states, content as a child who solves a puzzle. “He told me you live alone, right? I might pay you a visit someday.”

“Right”, she merely scoffs, attempting her best not to show the shift in her seat hearing his words.

He smiles macabre, moving his index finger from side to side in denial. “You don’t talk to me like that, tigress. Let’s start there”, he looks around, making sure Manny’s still not there, and approaches her. (y/n) instinctively pulls away and he grabs her face just like before, forcing her to glance at him. “You don’t talk to me like that. Got it?” She doesn’t answer and he squeezes her cheeks even more, making her let out a groan of pain. “Got it?”

“Got it”, she spits out, begrudgingly.

(y/n) thinks he’s going to let go, finally, but first he gives her an awkward, aggressive peck on the lips. She instantly shoves him and wipes her mouth to somehow undo that contact. Scarface laughs, “you’re so cute, baby.”

“What are you doing with my...”

Manny arrived as soon as she closed her mouth, readily engaging in another conversation with Scarface while ignoring her presence there. They talk about people and places she knew nothing about, it sounded like a bunch of codes, and she gaped at each sentence they exchanged. How the hell did they know each other? What was that asshole doing with her brother?!

Dinner came and Scarface—his name was never mentioned, for some reason, and she wasn’t about to ask—made a point of sitting next to her, but if Manny noticed their closeness, he didn’t pay any mind. They continued talking through the meal and Manolo chit-chatted (y/n) now and then, forcing her to answer Scarface’s falsely innocent and curious questions about what she was talking about. As if he didn’t already know everything about her life, apparently.

After helping clean the kitchen, (y/n) said goodbye to her brother. Scarface watched them silently from the sofa and she tried to keep her focus on Manny. “I have some stuff to do at home now, gotta go.”

“You going alone? It’s late”, he frowns.

She waves her hand to make light of it. “It’s fine, Manny. It’s a ten minute ride.”

Manolo shakes his head. “Even so, (y/n), you know this neighborhood ain’t safe. I can’t take you home, but Tony can.”

So that’s his name.

Scarface—Tony chimes in, not letting her answer Manny just yet, “c’mon, let’s go. I’ll take you.”

“It is not necessary. I literally drove here!”, the girl huffs, already taking the first step to leave.

Manny stops her before she reaches the door. “No, no. It’s too dangerous here at night, you better go with him. C’mon, you take her, Tony. She’s just a little stubborn.”

(y/n) locks her jaw, but doesn’t say anything.

“I noticed”, Tony mutters tauntingly, giving her an ambiguous look that surely only she saw. The girl took a deep breath and surrendered, waving goodbye to Manny as she walked with Tony to her car. They strolled in silence to the garage and as soon as she opened the door of the vehicle, he pulled out a little plastic bag from his pocket, full of a white powder. He pointed with his chin at it, raising the object. “I just made some business with your brother today, baby, no worries.”

(y/n) stared at him confused, but still didn’t say a word. Manolo was really going down an irreversible path, it seemed, and there was nothing she could do about it. With a heavy heart, she could only get in her car and pray she’d make it home safe that night. Scarface followed her and started driving, shooting her a smile or two over his shoulder. Luckily, it wasn’t long until they parked in front of her building. He turned off the ignition and got out of the car with her, obviously inviting himself in.

Of course.

(y/n)’d been trying for a few seconds to open the stuck gate and Tony notices her suffering, helping her to complete the task. She doesn’t thank him and simply walks into the house, knowing he’s on her tail. His eyes burn into her back, but she tries not to focus on it while starting to unlock the door. She is greeted by her cats rubbing against her heels and she smiles automatically. Forgetting for a brief moment that Scarface is there, the girl takes the smaller one in her arms, hugging and kissing her soft dark fur. When she puts her down, the man is watching her with an amused expression.

Her cheeks tingle and (y/n) makes her way to the kitchen, with Tony still following in silence. She pours herself a glass of water and offers it to him next, which he accepts, still staring at her with the same predatory demeanor. He’s going to try to do something ugly to her, obviously, and she is trying not to think about it, but it’s getting harder and harder. If she screams, no one will hear her. Fortunately or not, she has no neighbor on her floor. She makes a mental list of what objects she can throw at his head to make him pass out like in the movies; a brand new moisturizer that is full; a makeup bag; her favorite pan. If she is quick enough, maybe she can lock him in her room and call the police.

(y/n) snaps out of her thoughts when Tony approaches her behind the counter, while she still holds a glass of water. She is staring at his chest when he calmly takes it from her hands and offers her a smile. She tries to hide her trembling fingers from his vision, but he notices them and takes her palm in his, raising it to her eye level.

“Not so tough now, huh?”, he mocks, making (y/n) bite her own tongue so she doesn’t give him a sharp answer and gets punched because of it. He kisses her fingertips softly, catching her off guard. Tony notices her confused expression and grins again, lowering his face to bring it closer to hers. “What, you think I was gonna keep scaring you off? I’m not that bad, baby.”

“If you say so.” She mutters reflexively, regretting it right away when his dangerous orbs fall on her. She sighs and looks away. “Sorry.”

He nods approvingly. “Good girl.”

There is an old gouache paintbrush she could use to pierce through his neck in case it gets bad. The glass pitcher is over the sink. (y/n) looks at the table and there’s a fork and a spoon. The big knife is in the drawer—

Tony lets go of her hand and walks to her room. She listens to the sound of his wooden soles echoing against the tile floor a little astonished, before following him. She opens the door, which creaks imposingly through the empty, closed house, and her heart skips a beat when she hears the mattress shift, indicating he has settled into her bed.

(y/n) is in front of her window to open it, but before she can do it, his arms wrap around her from behind and pull her away from it. She widens her eyes and tries to pull away, however, the grip tightens. She starts to shake more aggressively and an agonized scream leaves her mouth, causing his hand to slam against it, muffling the sound. She looks desperately at Tony and he’s signaling her to be quiet. Panic takes over her body and she gives up trying to get out of his grip. He seems happy with this decision and removes his palm from her lips, laying her body down on the bed and straddling her, legs wrapping around her waist as his knees sink into the mattress.

Her eyes water and she closes them tightly, waiting for the inevitable. (y/n) remains like this for a few seconds, but nothing happens. She thinks maybe Tony has given up on what he wanted to do, however, when she opens her eyes again, his face is hovering over hers. His brown eyes are scrutinizing the girl minutely, there’s not a single vestige of that villainous smile that lives on his lips. She returns his gaze and they stare at each other in silence. His elbows are propped up against the mattress and his hands are still gripping her arms, holding them in place, but with no force.

(y/n) wants to ask him what he’s doing, but the thought leaves her mind as soon as he takes a gun out of his pants. She screams in desperation, “help! Help! Someone help me!”

“Shhh. Hey, calm down!”, Tony puts his hand over her mouth yet again, holding her down so she’ll stop her kicking. She watches, still horrified, as he places the gun on the chair beside her bed. “I’m not killing you, baby, calm down”, there’s a smirk on his features that makes her stomach turn. “Yet”, he adds, taking his palm away from her trembling lips. (y/n) tries to get up, but he pushes her back down. “I ain’t killing you, but I’m gonna do other things.”

“No, no, please...”

She can’t finish her pleas as his full lips crash onto hers, now in a kiss deeper and less brusque than the peck from earlier. The girl tries to resist at first, but soon her body speaks louder and she ends up giving in to the contact. She lets out an involuntary groan as his rough fingers lift the hem of her shirt, almost like an animal in heat. Damn hormones, she thinks in the back of her mind, not really caring for that much when his fingertips send shivers through her skin.

Tony pulls apart so he can remove her garment, smirking at her bra-covered breasts. She blushes terribly. “You’re so cute, baby.”

He kisses her again and (y/n) reciprocates vehemently this time, wrapping her legs around his waist tightly. His lips trace down her neck and she faintly laughs at the little tickle there, making him lift his face to look at her intently. There’s something different in his eyes, almost adoration, but she can’t finish the thought as he unbuttons her pants and unceremoniously pulls them down, leaving the girl in her underwear.

Tony drops to his knees on the bed and shrugs off his iconic floral shirt and wifebeater. (y/n) can’t help but smile seeing his near-athletic pecs and gets on her knees too, silently volunteering to strip him out of his own pants. He watches closely as she unzips his jeans and unbuttons them, sliding them down his toned thighs. Tony finishes getting rid of the piece and goes back to kissing her neck urgently, leaving more aggressive caresses in place. A chill travels her spine when his member bumps into her stomach and she squeezes his arm reflexively, catching his attention.

“You good?”, he asks, sounding so worried he seems to be another man completely different from the Scarface criminal who’s been with her until now.

She simply nods and lets out another moan as his lips descend to the gap between her breasts, leaving sinuous kisses all the way down. He licks at the sweat accumulated there and kisses her again; a salty, icy kiss. A hand finds her face and trails her cheek lightly, while his tongue invades her mouth shamelessly. His touch is so gentle it looks absolutely nothing like the man who bruised her face twice with his brute strength. Tony gropes down her back and unbuckles her bra, making the girl shiver as he grips her nipple. Soon, he pays attention to them with his mouth and she bites her lip so as not to make too much noise. Still nibbling at the sensitive skin on her breasts, his deft hands slide down her panties and her face heats up violently.

He slips two fingers into her without blinking an eye. (y/n) arches her back and blurts out a high-pitched groan, which had him chuckling, turning her on even more as his thick voice vibrated against her nipple. When his tongue meets her clit, the feeling is indescribably divine. She’s now a carefree mess of moans and ragged breathing. Tony’s hands grip her hips strongly, holding back her unconscious thrusts.

He lifted his face again before she came, his chin visibly wet. “Got protection, baby?”

“No”, she lets out an incredulous laugh. “I never did that, I didn’t have to...”

“Right”, he says thoughtfully, as if just connecting the dots now. Tony fumbles in his pockets and doesn’t seem to find what he’s looking for, so he looks back at her. “I got nothing on me either.”

“What now?”

They exchange a silent look and he shrugs, getting back on top of her body. “Now I’m pulling out y qué sea lo que Dios quiera.”

(y/n) is going to protest, but Tony takes off his boxers and invades her without warning, causing her to groan in pain. He soon notices her expression and stands statue over the girl, waiting for her to recover. Tears form in her eyes once again and he leaves light kisses on her cheek, trying to calm her down. She smiles softly at the delicate and unexpected gesture. Soon she’s ready and he starts to move, gradually increasing the pace.

The solemn creak of the bed is the only sound besides their gasping breaths and moans she can’t contain. Every now and then his golden chain hits her chin, however it doesn’t hurt, it’s but a little friction. His big hands are squeezing her breasts as he speeds up the movements little by little. (y/n) looks to the side and sees the revolver on the pink chair, the contrast of that scene making her want to laugh. She returns her attention to Tony and he’s got his eyes closed, mouth open, leaving wet kisses all over her cleavage. He’s dripping with sweat, just like her.

He takes her lips again and only then does she return to the moment, losing herself in her own pleasure and letting the orgasm overtake her without precedent. Next up is Tony, who comes with a husky moan and one last kiss. He lets his body slide off hers, pulling out his cock while his cum paints them both. (y/n) kisses his face after the effect of orgasm and he returns the caress, pulling her into a fairly tight hug. She smiles at the contact and lets him hold her there for a few minutes. They’re silent the entire time, until he pulls the sheet from under the pillow to cover them. Tony and her exchange indecipherable, sinuous looks, and that’s when her penny drops. She just had sex with a criminal.

Jesus.

“This shouldn’t have happened”, she say abruptly, sitting up.

Tony also sits down and shrugs. “But it did. So what?”

“So it won’t happen again!”, (y/n) exclaims in annoyance, not caring that this man has a gun and isn’t afraid to use it at all. “You need to go.”

“Already? You just wanna use me and throw me away, huh? Now that’s cold, baby”, she rolls her eyes at his mockery and stares at the wall as he stands beside the bed, his stuff swaying back and forth. “Hey”, he calls, but she doesn’t answer. He then touches her chin and gives her a lingering, incredibly soft peck. She sighs as Tony pulls away and there’s a gentle smile on his face as he puts on his clothes. “You’re cute, (y/n).”

“Thanks”, she timidly blurts out, not really knowing what to say. The girl looks for her underwear and tenses up as she watches him handle his revolver, placing it on his back again.

He notices this. “I ain’t hurting you with that gun, you know? You can relax.”

“Even if you don’t use it against me, it’s still a weapon”, she mutters seriously, turning her back to him so he can buckle her bra.

He does the task and hugs her from behind, kissing her locks. “You don’t have to be afraid of anything with me, baby, not even a weapon.”

She turns to face him, hugging his waist lightly. Tony gets serious all of a sudden and lets out a long breath as he finally releases her. He checks his pocket and fixes his messy hair in the small mirror on top of the dresser. Before leaving, they exchange one last look. None of them says a word. (y/n) watches him disappear behind the gate and looks around the empty house, returning to her room and closing the door. She stares at the completely messed up bed and the sheet painted by drops of blood and sperm, which they shared for a few seconds, now on the floor. Ha.

Trouble with a capital “T”.

♡♡♡

Two weeks after the incident, (y/n) didn’t go to her brother’s house anymore. But Elvira, being such a pain in her ass sometimes, had practically bullied her into going out tonight. She was anxious, it’d been a while since she went out to have fun like this. Her fear of bumping into Tony—Scarface wasn’t exactly as strong as before, for obvious reasons, but she’d still rather not take her chances in finding him again. No matter how good his dick game was, he was a dangerous individual. Better to stay away.

So, for the record; she fucked a hitman and was most likely falling in love with him, maybe even reciprocally, just after he got violent with her several times. Elvie obviously didn’t know about it yet, but what would she do when that time inevitably came? Because (y/n) was going to tell her, no doubt. She couldn’t keep it all to herself forever, hiding it from everyone like it was some sort of crime. Elvira would probably call her crazy and even threaten to lock her up in an asylum, wanting to choke Tony if it was as much as hinted he laid his hand on her. And she wasn’t even wrong for that!

But what about her family? God, if her father knew... He’d go after Tony’s blood. He would simply never look her in the face again, especially since their relationship was already fragile enough because of Manolo. And what of her reputation? All of Miami would talk about this. She’d be the new bitch on the block for sure. No one would respect her, she’d become a joke. Not that she cared about what those people think of her, but it would be nice to stay anonymous. It was safe, something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

With a heavy sigh, (y/n) finished getting ready and stared at her reflection, smiling faintly. Perhaps it was best to let those corrosive thoughts for tomorrow’s hangover. She grabbed her bag and locked her apartment, walking down the deserted street. As the club was close to her house, there was no reason for anyone to come and get her, so she’d go alone with no worries. It wasn’t like anyone was going to do anything to her on her quiet neighborhood, anyway, much less on the weekend. Plus, criminals in this town had a schedule and they liked to stick to it. At least the ones who grew up there.

Already approaching the place, she saw Elvira with some of her friends waiting for her in the line. They greeted each other and entered the club, going for a table next to the bar. (y/n) immediately asked for a strong drink to try and calm down her nerves, feeling rather unfit for that environment after such a long time away from it. At the first glass, she felt lighter and smiling, pulling Elvie to the dance floor.

They’re dancing and laughing like idiots when a tall man approaches them. He is moving to the song and calmly smoking a cigarette while he watches the girls, eyes glued to (y/n)’s form in specific. She doesn’t hear a word Elvira is saying over the music as she stares back at the guy, so distracted she accidentally knocks over a waiter’s tray behind her, making a huge mess. (y/n) apologizes quickly and starts clumsily picking things up on the floor, while the mysterious guy crouches down and helps her with it. She smiles shyly and they finish fixing everything in place.

She thanks him softly and turns to go back to her table, but he grabs her arm gently. “In a hurry?”, he questions playfully, an amused smile on his full lips.

She blushes. “Oh, no, I was just…”

He shakes his head. “You’re a little shy, I can see that. Let’s put an end to this shyness now, come with me!”, he walks off, dragging her to the bar. “So, what’s your name?”, he asks, signaling for the bartender to bring them two beers.

“(y/n).”

“Frank, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Their drinks arrive and they make a toast, while she takes a big swig. Frank smiles and pulls her by the waist, taking her by surprise. “Lost your shyness yet?”

“I...”

He attacks her lips before she can finish, leaving a wet, beer-tasting kiss on her mouth. (y/n) has to make a tremendous effort not to drop the beer from her hand, making way for his tongue to explore every corner of her mouth. Frank separates them just to take another sip of his drink and starts kissing her neck. Elvira’s eyes from afar give her a surprised and mischievous look. She flashes her a smug smile, but as soon as she does, her friend’s expression completely shuts down and now it’s one of sheer panic. (y/n) frowns and turns to look at where she’s staring so terrified.

She’s greeted by Tony’s aggressive hands pulling her away from Frank in a sudden movement. He drags her out of the man’s arms, keeping her behind his body. Tony then hits him with his fist. (y/n) widens her eyes with the amount of punches Tony is throwing at Frank and tries to get him off the guy, but he pushes her away. She looks around and people surround them, watching the fight in silence and astonishment, however no one moves a finger to help break it up. Of course. It’s Scarface.

No one would dare stop him.

Frank managed to leave a blow on Tony’s stomach, but he couldn’t dodge another punch to the jaw and fell to the ground, looking dizzy. When she thought Tony would back down and leave it at that, he went over to Frank’s body on the floor and striking him wildly again. She was desperate for help to separate them, but nobody did anything. (y/n) tried to pull Tony away from him and he pushed her once more, only this time she didn’t give up so easily. She grabbed his arm with all the strength of a slightly intoxicated person and made him look at her. The fury in his eyes slowly seemed to soften and he dropped Frank’s semi-conscious body.

Once on his feet, Tony looks around him, menacingly showing his gun tucked into his pants. Everyone scatters like startled ants immediately, without him having to say a word. When they’re alone, he glances at Frank one more time and looks back at (y/n). His anger seems to have returned.

“I wish I done that to you”, he begins, his thick voice making her shiver. She takes a step back, but he grabs her by the neck and pulls her close again. “Lucky for you, I’m doing good lately, baby. So I’m generous, you know? But you both should be fucking dead now.” (y/n)’s hands start to shake and her eyes water instantly at his words, fear taking over her entire body. She tries to free herself from his grip, but he won’t let her. He continues, “you are mine. Ain’t no one touching you but me from now on. Got it?”

“Yes”, she chokes, tears falling down her face uncontrollably.

Tony, however, doesn’t seem to feel any remorse for her deplorable state. Finally his hand lets go of her neck and she takes a deep breath, sobs leaving her throat aggressively. (y/n) gets as far away as possible and before she knows it, she’s running away. He doesn’t come after her, which she mentally thanks. She felt so scared and angry at that moment that she couldn’t think of anything but running, running for her life.

♡♡♡

(y/n) got home and locked the door thoroughly. She isolated in her room and cried herself to sleep. It was dawn when she managed to close her eyes and rest for a few hours, only to be woken up by a loud noise outside the next day. There were loud bangs on the door, nearly knocking it over. Her breath hitched and she made sure to lock the bedroom door. Maybe she could just pretend nobody was home.

Another banging thud, now it sounded like someone jumping on the floor. Then there was yet another furious knocking, this time on the front door. Her stomach turned. A bang on the window echoed in her ears and (y/n) began to cry profusely, sobbing in terror. A crash startled her and her eyes widened seeing the wooden blinds breaking in front of her.

She unlocked the bedroom door in a second and ran behind her apartment, opening the kitchen door as it lead to emergency stairs. Footsteps approached once she managed to get out and run across someone’s yard. She looked for somewhere low enough for her to reach so she could climb, finding a little doghouse in the corner. There wasn’t anybody or anything around, thankfully. However, as soon as she started to take off, big arms grabbed her waist from behind, pulling down her body violently.

She kicked as hard as she could, but Tony wouldn’t let go. He towed her back into her house and locked the kitchen door, dragging her by the arm back to her room. He threw the girl on the bed without any delicacy and looked at her from where he was standing. She continued to cry copiously, all her strength quickly draining away. (y/n) crouched close to the headboard and watched him sit on the far side, studying her in silence.

“Crying ain’t doing you no good, baby.” She turns her face to the wall and he walks in her direction, crawling until he’s next to her. He whispers in her ear, “you can’t win for losing.”

“Shut up!”, she pushes him away, taking Tony by surprise. He looks at her with raised eyebrows, but he doesn’t look annoyed.

He looks pleased.

“C’mon, now”, Tony approaches again, grabbing her chin to make her eyes stay on his. “Now, now you look like the fucking girl I met in that station. Badass baby”, (y/n) tries to pull away, but he doesn’t let her and gives her a forced peck. His stubble scratches her face and she grimaces, dodging and breaking the contact. This seems to irritate him deeply, because in the next second, his palm meets the soft skin of her cheek and the sensation burns. Tony pointed in her direction, warning, “don’t you ever do that again.”

“I do whatever the hell I want”, she spits out, not caring about the consequences at this point.

He gets hold of her neck, glaring. “No. You do what I want, you bitch.”

(y/n) smirks, mockingly. “You think you’re offending me? How cute.”

Tony then slaps her again, this time much harder, and she laughs out loud at his fragile ego. She pulls herself together and faces him again, pretending not to be shaken. Tears have dried under her eyes and she only cracks a half smile, taking in his scowling features. “You men are such a joke, so easy to figure out.”

“Careful, baby”, he says in a warning tone, making her chuckle once more.

“Who do I have to be careful with, you?”, she asks smugly, smacking the hand he lifted to squeeze her neck again. Tony is surprised, although he’s trying really hard not to show it. “You...”, she continues, lightly touching the collar of his shirt. “Who would never hurt me with a gun?”, (y/n) mimics his thick voice. He seems to get annoyed at that and takes her hand away from where it was, which makes her smile victoriously.

Okay, so it’s not so bad having a criminal with a crush on her.

“Shut up”, he orders.

She simply shrugs and brings her face closer to his. Tony places a gentle kiss on her lips and excitement burns inside her as his palm goes straight to her ass, squeezing it. “Hold up, cowboy”, (y/n) mutters, although not really caring about his impatience. “Wanna explain to me what was that about last night?”

“Told you, you’re mine.” He reiterates casually, trying to pull her onto his lap and kiss her, but she doesn’t allow it. Tony frowns again, speaking with a heavy accent, “what is it now?”

“You almost killed the guy”, (y/n) points out. She didn’t want to make him feel remorseful or anything, she knew he just wouldn’t; it was all on her curiosity about the sick psychology in his head. She touches the collar of his shirt again and looks into his eyes, the most sincere she’s been so far, and practically begs, “what do you want from me, Tony?”

Something very similar to confusion runs through his brown orbs, but it’s only for a millisecond, as he looks at her sternly right after. His hands remain promptly by each side of his body, and it makes her a little bit relieved he’s respecting her wishes. It’s a start.

Of what exactly, (y/n)?

“I want you, baby”, he says. His voice doesn’t betray any kind of vulnerability, though his gaze conveys less solemnity than his words. She watches him in silence until her eyes inevitably water. Tony frowns and touches her face quickly, holding her like she was the most delicate thing in the world. “What is it?”

How can he not see? How does he have the courage to even ask what happened? Or are his actions merely impulsive and completely thoughtless, is that it? Does he not know that he was just hurting, hitting her? Does he not know that he was just insulting (y/n) and treating her like a goddamn worthless object? Because the same hands that slapped her cheek minutes ago are now hugging her and stroking her back, as if in an attempt to ease her loud sobs.

She hears his voice in her ear, soothing, kissing her neck lightly. Maybe it’s all a dream, a hallucination in her head as she’s unconscious with this man doing God-knows-what to her. But it is not. His touch is as real as it was the last time, his pleasure intertwining with hers in a magnificent, if improvised, dance. And it’s as real as the first time their lips met, in a sheer display of power and dominance on his part, but which now reminded her only of a caress exchanged between two lovers. A comfort.

“(y/n)...”, his deep voice calls again, however her eyes are glazed over the shattered window in front of her. He lifts her face to look at him and there’s a kind of desperation in his expression, even if it’s held back by pride greater than his own ego, if that’s possible. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know.” She hears herself speak, sort of in reflex, since it was true. She knew deep down he didn’t mean to hurt her. Maybe at first, yes, but then... Following that afternoon, a new chapter of this crazy story began to unfold. And they are entering one more after last night.

“It’s true”, he reenforces, and (y/n) really wishes she had the strength to tell him that it’s okay, she understood, but the truth is that she was tired. Sold out. It had been so long since she had slept or eaten anything and she felt her limbs giving up on supporting her body at any moment. “(y/n)”, Tony insists, yet his voice is already a low sound that becomes more and more distant in her mind.

Soon she doesn’t feel anything anymore.

♡♡♡

The first time (y/n) opens her eyes, everything is blurry. On the second attempt, she notices a figure sitting on the chair beside her bed and a dim light coming from the window. On the third blink, she realized she had probably passed out—for how long was her first question, as the sun outside seemed to point at one or two in the afternoon.

Tony was silently watching her as she positioned herself and felt her head almost explode into a thousand pieces. Her throat was dry, an unparalleled taste of shit in her mouth reminding her she hadn’t even brushed her teeth due to everything that had happened that day since she woke up. A sigh escaped her lips and (y/n) closed her eyes again, giving up on her efforts to sit up against the headboard. She felt so weak. Her fingers were trembling slightly and she was freezing to death, even with the sun at its peak and all the covers over her on the bed. She felt dizziness enveloping her body and thought she was going to faint again, but a large, rough, careful hand touched her arm.

Tony looked hesitant, worried, recluse even. His eyes didn’t leave hers for a second and she felt slightly invaded, undressed as his irises watched over her without blinking. She stared at his palm on her forarm and tried to calm down, although her heart hammered inside her chest. “You didn’t eat anything today, did you?”, he asks, but it’s a rhetorical question.

Tony then leaves her alone, not waiting for an answer, and returns with a plate in one hand and a glass in the other. (y/n) stares at the image in front of her and feels like chukling, but she contains herself. Instead, she sits up with some difficulty as he hands her the meal, returning to his rightful place on the pink chair. She takes a couple of bites and a huge relief rushes through her body as the food reaches her stomach. It had been almost a day since she had anything to eat. She didn’t even know how she didn’t vomit her ass off with all the alcohol she had last night.

The girl sipped the juice as she paid more attention to her surroundings. Tony took care of her while she was unconscious and even cooked. He, the hitman who scared even the most dangerous gangsters in Miami, cooked her a stroganoff and made her an orange juice. It sounded like a scene from a sugary romance movie.

“It’s just a hangover”, she finally speaks up, her throat still a little dry.

“It’s not”, Tony turns around and sits leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, looking at her intently. She gazes at her plate and continues to eat in silence, while he continues, “I’m real sorry, (y/n).” If she hadn’t been so tired, she would have spit out her juice in surprise. (y/n) glanced at him completely horrified, as if he had confessed to an atrocity. Tony stays with the same solemn expression, a little less proud now.

“For what?”, a shiver runs down her legs. She didn’t want to be insistent, but curiosity was killing her inside.

Tony, on the other hand, didn’t seem bothered by the question. “For hitting you. And for doing all of that last night.”

“You shouldn’t apologize to me for what you did”, she mutters bitterly.

Tony only shrugs. “I didn’t mean to hit you.” He repeats, and she closes her eyes when all that tangle of feelings hits her chest once more. He reaches over and takes her hand, giving her a pleading look. “I swear I ain’t ever laying a finger on you again, baby. You gotta believe me.”

Her eyes water involuntarily and she holds his hand back firmly, looking at him with a half-broken smile, trying in vain to give him some comfort. “I know”, she begins, voice cracking at the end. “I know, okay? You were angry. I understand.”

Tony scowls and shakes his head. “No. (y/n), that’s no excuse. I shouldn’t...”

“I know. It was wrong, Tony, I know, but you didn’t think straight. And neither did I, actually. It happened, there’s no reason to dwell on it. Everything is fine, really.” She looks into his eyes once more and smiles when he nods after a while, still a little hesitant. The girl brings his hand to her lips and kisses it slowly.

He smiles weakly. “You scared the fuck out of me, you know”, he mumbles, and there’s a hint of desperation in his voice. “I thought I did something to make you pass out. The fear, I don’t know...”

“That wasn’t it. I’m not afraid of you, Tony”, she assured him, since it wasn’t a total lie. When he was just him, without that domineering, abusive criminal side, she wasn’t afraid of Tony. No longer. (y/n) sighs and finishes her meal, setting her plate on the table beside her, feeling considerably better. “Come here”, she extends her arms to him and Tony goes without blinking, hiding his face in her neck and lying with her on the bed.

She didn’t know exactly what that meant. Having sex with a murderer who only mistreated her already wasn’t so understandable, but having some kind of relationship with him? It sounded pathetic in her mind. It’s not like he would even want anything to do with her besides sex, but she couldn’t believe that as the seconds went by and he kissed her neck so softly, apologizing endlessly for his transgressions, mumbling that he would never hurt her again, that she’d never need to be afraid of him again...

Her head was going to explode.

(y/n) looked down to meet his gaze and stroked his hair, smiling like a lovestruck idiot. She just couldn’t believe this was happening—and somehow she did. Because of course she wouldn’t resist for long. Even when she was shaking like a leaf, still she couldn’t fight his caresses, imagine it now that Tony seems so willing to make up for all his mistakes?

“Antonio...”, he mutters, barely audible, making her frown. He gives her a small smile and kisses her, mumbling against her lips, “my name.”

“Really?”, (y/n) asks in disbelief, since now she was probably the only person in town who got that information, but Tony seemed more than comfortable sharing it with her.

He’s still looking at her with the same little smile on his face. “Really. Why?” He lifts his body to rest on one arm, staring at the girl with some amusement.

She grins and kisses him again, leaving several pecks on his stubble. “For nothing. It’s just a really nice name.”

Her eyebrows dance and he laughs, making her insides melt at the sound of his laughter. It was the first time she heard it and she didn’t want to hear any other sound for the rest of her life. It was such a full 180 from the big, bad Scarface.

(y/n) knew “I want you” was very far from “I love you”, but that knowledge didn’t stop her heart from skipping a beat whenever she remembered those words. Besides, even if the latter was the case, it was just never going to be that simple with Tony. She looked at his sparkling brown eyes and let out a deep, dreamy sigh. She was down hard for that dangerous, dangerous man, yet there was nothing but softness inside of her as he held her into his arms. What he did away from her could be as ugly as it came to be, and it still would never compare to how warm she was in his presence—be it for the anger, for the lust or for the comfort he made her feel. So, it was fine. She could handle it.

She’s always been a bit of a troubleshooter, anyways.

#scarface #tony montana #scarface x reader #tony montana x reader #tony montana imagine #al pacino #al pacino x reader

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iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia · 10 months

Text

The Arcana Mini-HCs: Brainrot's Masterlist

The first 100

M6 reacting to drummer!MC

When MC's familiar was a gift from Lucio

M6 as cartoon comedy tropes

M6 and Guardians of the Galaxy

M6 opening jars

M6 sneezing

M6 and cinema snacks

M6 uncontrollably laughing

When M6 break something

M6 as wet cats

M6 attachment styles

Wearing M6's clothes

Seeing their plushies

When MC falls asleep weird

When MC has a loud nose

M6's least favorite foods

M6 as funny dogs

When M6 mistake someone else for MC

Reading MC's poetry about them

When MC has a sparrow familiar

M6 with lipstick prints

M6 being chased by a goose

Calling the M6 "babygirl"

When MC has a massive bat familiar

M6 doing the ice bucket challenge

M6's nicknames for their kids

M6 responding to "guess what? I love you!"

M6 when a sheep tries to ram them

When MC has a tiny dragon familiar

When MC doesn't know their limits

When MC's familiar wants M6's attention too

When MC is on anesthetic

When MC has a lion familiar

"Would you still love me if I was a worm?"

When MC has a sheep familiar

Trading familiars with the M6

When MC has a thick accent

M6 getting sunburnt

When M6's kid uses MC's nickname for them

MC with a horse familiar

"Excuse me, they asked for NO pickles!"

When MC makes a "deez nuts" joke

M6 as soda brands

MC dragging the M6 mushroom hunting

When a kid shares TMI with the M6

When MC briefly becomes a lobster

M6's sleeping positions

M6's vacation impulse buys

When MC cracks their joints

When MC gets hyper before bed

MC with nocturnal cleaning habits

M6 as socks

MC giving M6 one of their inventions

MC baking for M6

M6 sitting habits

When MC is scared of goats

When MC and M6 have close birthdays

When MC and M6 speak different languages

When MC is allergic to M6's familiars

M6 bathing their familiars

M6 finding out that MC is Lucio's younger sibling

When MC gets migraines

M6 with an MC with vitiligo

When MC faints on a hot day

When the familiars become human for a day

When MC looks scary but is a sweetheart

M6 with a blind MC

M6 with a fainting MC

M6 with a sleepy MC who can’t sleep

M6 body swap

When MC sunburns easily

M6 when MC gets lost in a library

When MC gets drunk and vibes in the rain

When MC imitates the M6’s familiars

When MC collects vacuums

When MC is always prepared

M6 when MC narrates their life like a documentary

With a plague beetle familiar

M6 and more quotes

When MC moves a lot in their sleep

M6 in hot weather

M6 on “Candy or Not”

M6 being their child’s first word

When MC asks for a lawyer

M6 go ghost hunting

LOTR marathon with M6

When MC doesn’t listen to M6’s warning

When MC holds onto M6 in their sleep

M6 in a horror movie

When MC likes to climb trees

M6 celebrating Halloween

M6 with an “act now, think later” MC

When MC has selective mutism

M6 using canes

MC picking up M6's habits

M6 helping MC with their "childish" fears

MC asking for a kiss after a bad day

When MC is great with kids

M6 playing Among Us

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yourdeepestfathoms · 2 years

Text

Ride the Cyclone kids and swimming

(in no particular order)

(all platonic)

Who would win: a public pool or six choir kids

Constance’s mom packed everyone lunch from the cafe 🥰

Ocean has to wear a rash guard, or she WILL fry in the sun

(She still manages to get THE WORST sunburn though)

Penny’s got the CUTEST swimsuit

Mischa wears the Cool Guy sunglasses

Constance would wear one of those big ol broad-brimmed hats fight me

Probably got the Mom Tote Bag, too

She’s also CONSTANTLY reminding everyone to drink water so they don’t get dehydrated

In the water, Noel looks like a wet rat

It should be illegal for his hair to be that flat

“*Ocean voice* I Can’t Swim ™️”

“Girl you’re literally named after a body of water how can you not swim” “DIE”

She still gets in because she doesn’t want to be left out

But she refuses to wear a life jacket because that’s embarrassing

Penny is giving

Noel will dip his toes in the water and then be like “i swam today”

He likes to sunbathe on the beach chairs

Then Mischa comes by and dumps a bucket of water over his head

Or all the kids will gang up on him with water guns

They all make a group pool playlist

Bad idea

The result is this lyrical mess of all different genres of music

It’ll go from Thrift Store (Mischa’s pick) to to Mary On A Cross (Penny’s pick) to the piano version of Until I Found You (Constance’s pick) the fucking Masochism Tango (Noel’s pick) to Mary Did You Know (Ocean’s pick) to Cynthia’s theme from Pokémon (Ricky’s pick)?????

It’s wild

Mischa is the CEO of flipping the inflatables when someone is on them

Catch Ricky out acting like a sniper with a water gun

My man is constantly shooting people when they least expect it

He once accidentally shot Mischa directly in the eyes and started praying to God

Penny is frighteningly good at Marco Polo

Sis has a sixth sense or SOMETHING

Do you know how terrifying it is to be carefully wading through a pool, then this whole blonde whips around to you like you’re a mouse that has just been caught by a hungry owl, only to have said blonde lunging at you before you can able think to do anything to save yourself, despite her eyes being shut

Constance almost cried

Okay, so, Chicken Fights? Mischa and Penny are an unstoppable team

Those two are terrifying together

Hear me out: Mischa on Penny’s shoulders

Good Lord

Pray for whoever has to deal with THAT

On the other hand, Noel and Ocean? The worst team

Ocean almost got pushed off, and she panicked, so she lashed her legs around Noel’s neck so tight he started to choke

Noel is out here fighting for his fuckin life against his own partner because he’s being fucking strangled by a ginger’s thighs

Meanwhile, Ricky and Mischa are just there like 🧍‍♂️🧍‍♂️

Having Penny on the bottom is TERRIFYING

Ocean once got on her shoulders, and Penny just started GOING, fucking SWINGING like Ocean is her own personal ginger baseball bat, and Ocean is fucking SCREAMING in fear

And poor Ricky damn near got LAUNCHED from her shoulders when they were paired up

Mischa is scary, too

He plays to win

While on Mischa’s shoulders, Noel’s screams could be heard for miles

Noel and Constance are a pretty good team, but Constance is short, so if she goes too deep, she’ll literally just start drowning

Ricky and Noel aren’t that bad tbh

Nobody can get on Ocean’s shoulders

Ocean “built like a popsicle stick” O’Connell Rosenberg having the strength to hold up her classmates? Unlikely. She’d die on the spot

Ocean is usually on SOMEONE’S back if they’re in water deeper than five feet because sis can’t reach

Penny is perfectly happy with Ocean clinging onto her back because you can’t tell me homegirl [Penny] doesn’t love physical touch, and they’re honestly the cutest thing Ever

Like, Ocean will just have her chin resting on Penny’s shoulder, hanging on like a red koala, and Penny is like :}

It’s adorable

They all do that TikTok challenge where you have to try and jump in the water with a theme

If someone is standing close to the edge, Mischa WILL push them in

It’s, like, the law

I feel like Constance would be a BEAST at noodle fights

Sis is swinging hers like it’s the legendary sword Excalibur

The kids try to teach Ocean how to swim

Noel’s idea is to just shove her in

“Sink or swim, bitch”

Good technique for babies! Not so much for teenagers

#please ignore how low quality the duck floatie is i don’t know what happened #and these are just my POOL headcanons #i have Even More for a beach #anyway I LOVE THEM #THESE KIDS #THEYRE SO CUTE #ride the cyclone #rtc #rtc headcanons #ride the cyclone headcanons #ocean o'connell rosenberg #constance blackwood #penny lamb #jane doe #ricky potts #mischa bachinski #noel gruber

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paganwitchisis · 14 days

Text

Comfort

Pairing - Astarion x Tav (AFAB female Tav)

Rated: E for explicit. No Minors under 18!

Tags: Smut, PTSD, Dog Kidnapping, Sunburn, comfort, PIV Smut, Oral (Female), feelings

Summary: Scratch goes missing after his confrontation with the Sword Coast Couriers and his angry ex-trainer. Tav goes looking for him, but during the harsh summer sun, she ends up sunburned. It is up to Astarion to comfort her and find the wayward pup.

Word Count 3.7K

Dedicated to The Chaotic Druid

Read on AO3! Here

Story:

Tav knew she should have killed that foul woman when she saw her, but being aligned with a good heart, she gave her a chance to leave on her own. Now? Scratch had gone missing, and all their owlbear cub would say was a scary lady was by. How the woman grabbed the pup was beyond Tav, as their camp usually has a plethora of other people in it, yet no one saw what happened. Tav had left that day like any other for a quick mission of hijinks and calamity while trying to save their painter friend once more. It was more than they bargained for, and the reward was lackluster. It was supposed to be a painting of Astarion since he never saw his face, and yet for reasons unknown to Tav, the man painted Gale in the party. Astarion, to his credit, took it in stride, but it left Tav with a sour taste in her mouth. Then, she returned to the Elfsong with Astarion, Gale, and Karlach in tow only for the young owlbear to be bound to her, upset.

Since Astarion had taken a nasty blow to his head by a flying book, Tav forced him to sit out this mission, and instead took Halsin, Minsc and Wyll to find their precious friend and deliver justice at last. Only problem is, that isn’t what happened.

Tav spent hours outside in the overwhelming humidity and heat, before she removed her armor and ran about Baldur’s Gate in her night time clothing. She figured she could easily put it back on once they found the woman and their dog. Tav then continued to search for an additional eight hours for their furry friend, and yet, they weren’t closer to finding him. Calling it a night, Tav turned and noticed how hot and tight her skin had become on her face, over her nose and cheeks, as well as her shoulders and back. It was only when Halsin grimaced did she suspect baring her flesh to the sun was a bad idea, regardless of heat.

It was an odd sensation. The pain didn’t start right away, but the heat and the tight skin were very pronounced. Tav figured she could see the damage when she got back to the Tavern, since her and Astarion, thanks to the insistance of the rest of the group, have their own room. After Cazador’s defeat, Astarion was more than willing and wanting to make up time and live again. Ever since that night in the graveyard, he couldn’t keep his hands to himself, so in an effort for the others to sleep, Tav and Astarion shared a bed nearby on the second floor.

This is also where Astarion was when Tav finally came back.

Tav gingerly opened the door to find Astarion pacing back and forth, clearly frustrated by something. Tav wasn’t sure how Astarion would take to her damaging her skin, but when he spoke, she knew he knew she had returned at the very least.

“It’s about time you came back! Do you know what…” Astarion paused and a look of horror graced his beautiful face before he bound to Tav quickly. Astarion closed the door behind her and spoke again. “What in the nine hells happened to you? You’re redder than Karlach!”

By now the pain had started to ebb more and more, to a point where Tav felt like she was a piece of bacon that had been sizzling in the sun. Additionally, she couldn’t see her back but she knew something didn’t feel right there.

“Strip.”

Astarion’s command startled her, as Tav didn’t expect to be asked to do that. Why would he want her to strip? Seeing the confusion and hesitantcy, Astarion clarified.

“We need to see how bad your sunburn is, darling. Get undressed and let me look at it.”

Tav started to try and get her shirt off but the pain made things difficult. It felt like burning hot pain when she moved even the slightest of her tight hot skin. Sighing in frustration and worry, Astarion helped her shed her clothing, and he shook his head at what he saw. The tops of Tav’s hands, cheeks, nose, shoulders, and back were hit the worst, and immediately drew Astarion’s concern.

“This is pretty bad, my love. Didn’t you have any potions?” Astarion started to rummage through his pack and sneered when he came up empty.

“No, we used them all against Orin. With Scratch gone, I forgot to restock.”

“And, with it being the dead of night, the apothecaries aren’t open for a bit.” Astarion summized. “I’ll be back, I’ll check with our companions if they have anything to spare.”

While Astarion was gone, Tav tried to get a better look of her damaged skin and was left breathless. The top of her hand was fairly mild, but her face was dark red, the skin partly cracked. Her back was the worst, along with her shoulder. There was three small blisters, and one medium sized one littering her upper back and shoulders. It was by now that Astarion had returned, clutching a small jar.

“You shouldn’t mess with the blisters. They’ll go away on their own.” Astarion locked the door and came up to Tav to present her with a bottle. “Take it from someone with expierience.”

“Cazador…” Tav murmured in disgust. Astarion nodded slightly before moving himself to the tub in their room and starting a cool bath.

“We should clean the wounds first. “ Astarion gently tapped Tav’s backside towards the tub. “Then I can put this ointment on you”

“Tease.” Tav joked with Astarion, but her scorched skin was agony at this point. Not only did it burn, but the tight skin limited her movement. Tav did as requested and got into the bath, the water quelling the pain to a degree as Tav sunk deep into the basin. As Tav relaxed in the bath, she filled Astarion in on why she was burned and what had happened. He knew the dog was missing, but he didn’t know that they hadn’t found him yet. His focus was on the woman before him rather than the white furry friend, so he did not notice until she brought it up.

After about half an hour, Astarion helped his lover out of the bath and gently pat down the angry skin. Tav was touched by all the gentleness and kindness Astarion was showing her. Since the beginning, Astarion had changed quite a bit. He really began to blossom when Cazador was defeated, and since then, he had grown more affectionate and protective. Of course, this was still only in the privacy of their room, but Tav was happy all the same to see this man grow into who he was meant to be.

Tav went to bring her arm up to caress his cheek, when a sharp pain radiated from her shoulder. Growling, Astarion opened the bottle and took a generous helping of the paste into his fingers.

“We’re out of potions, I’m afraid, but we have this. The druid practically tossed it at me as soon as I entered their room. It is Balsam ointment. Halsin claimed that it works for burns.”

Astarion began to apply the substance on her shoulders and back, before moving on her face and hands. Once finished, Astarion grabbed a bandage and began to wrap part of the burn lightly.

“You have a couple open blisters. They need to be covered, but the rest can breathe.“ Astarion explained. With a sigh, he continued to speak. “I’m sorry you have to go through this, darling, but once the apothecaries open, I intend to get you something for this.”

“What about Scratch?” Tav asked worriedly.

“I’ll go get him. I’ve been hunting in this city for centuries. It shouldn’t be so difficult to find a dog.” Astarion leaned forward and kissed Tav gentle on the forehead “You should get some rest. I won't be gone long.”

Astarion rose to leave, but stopped for a moment to hand her the balsam ointment. “Apply liberally and keep the door locked. I can get in.” Astarion then left the room and checked in with the other companions. Upon entering, Astarion noticed Karlach near her bed and beelined towards the tiefling.

“Hey, fangs!” Karlach bellowed.

Astarion looked at Karlach and fidgeted a little as he was uncomfortable.

“Hey….Um, I have a favor to ask.” Astarion didn’t dare look at the red-skinned woman. However, when he felt her clap his shoulder, he glanced up to see her beaming at him.

“Name it!”

“Can you keep an eye, or ear, out for Tav? She isn’t feeling too well with the sunburn.”

“Sure! Where are you going?” Karlach asked innocently.

“To hunt down a dog.”

Karlach merely laughed heartily at her friend’s quest, and slapped his back again.

“Good luck. Tav is rather… Attached, to that dog!” Karlach continued to laugh and winked at the man. Astarion shook his head, and left to go get their furry friend.

Astarion spent the better part of half an hour looking, and couldn’t find a trace of neither head nor tail of Scratch. It was sheer coincidence that Astarion stumbled upon them when he did in the docks section of Baldur’s Gate. It appeared that a woman was holding Scratch by the collar and was attempting to negotiate passage on a ship. Astarion would not let that happen.

Astarion made his way to the woman and stood in front of her, between the woman and the captain, as Astarion glared at her.

“What do you want, elf?” Mar'hyah barked out to the pale elf.

“I want our dog back. You’re going to hand him over nicely, or else.” Astarion threatened, but Mar'hyah just barked out a laugh.

“Or what?”

“Or I will use all my assets.” Astarion gave a toothy grin, revealing his fangs, as he glared at her and moved forward to claim the animal. Scared, Mar'hyah backed up and relented. She let go of Scratch and just begged the captain to escape from the monster. The captain, who didn’t see Astarion’s teeth, ignored the woman. Upset and scared, Mar'hyah ran off into the night, and hopefully far away. Of course, fate would have another path for Mar'hyah. While making their way back to the Elfsong Tavern, Mar'hyah came back to attempt to take Scratch. She stood before Astarion, alone in a darkened alleyway. She knew what he was. Astarion wondered if she had a death wish.

Astarion was going to speak, to try to spare her for Tav’s sake. When Mar'hyah uttered the next words out of her mouth, Astarion couldn’t stop himself.

“He is mine! Forever!“

Astarion had a flash in his head, as if he was back in Cazador’s palace. He was reliving an assault and Cazador leaning over him and saying almost the exact same words. Without being aware, Asatrion had clasped his fangs none too gently into the woman’s throat, and began to drink her dry. Astarion knew he should have stopped, but he was stuck in his own head. It wasn’t until after her heart had stopped, did he realize what happened. Astarion came back, and, although shaken, he knew he had to act in hiding the body. Astarion searched the body and found a supreme potion of healing. Astarion began processing what happened, while shoving the now dead woman into a barrel. Astarion felt warm with the blood coarsing in him, and he wanted nothing more than to be by his lover’s side. It was like a nightmare but worse, and although for the most part, that flashback was a milder one compared to the horrors of his past, he was still rattled. Astarion tried to brush it off and reminded himself that Tav was injured, burned badly, and needed help. With haste, Astarion made his way back to the tavern.

Once he crossed the threshhold of the tavern, Astarion felt an immediate sense of ease. It was like he had to fight or run earlier. When the flashback hit him, a cold sweat ran down his neck. Astarion hated that feeling.

Astarion gave a thumbs up to Karlach as he dropped the dog off with the others, and he returned to his lover. When Astarion saw Tav, his heart broke. She was attempting to sleep but every position was painful.

“Hey, my love, I’m back, and I have a present or two.” Astarion said gently to the woman who was writhing in pain.

“A present? Astarion, can you help me put the cream on my back? It hurts so much!”

“I found Scratch, and he is home. Also, I found something better than the ointment for you.” Astarion said as he produced the potion he found only minutes before on the body of the woman. Tav’s eyes lit up as she leaned forward, and took Astarion’s lips to her own. It stopped almost as soon as it started because of Tav’s burn. As she flinched away, Astarion pressed the potion to her palm.

“Drink, darling, let’s get you better.”

Tav took the potion, and it was a sight to behold. Angry red skin that looked like leather, suddenly became soft and rich once more. Astarion grinned, because he disliked seeing Tav in pain. The woman deserved nothing but pleasure, and at this moment, Astarion had something in mind.

Astarion took her mouth once more, and noted the familiar taste of the potion left in her mouth, as he slipped his tongue inside. Tav kissed back with equal fervor, her hand moving to the back of his head, and the other rested on his chest. Astarion brought his hand to her breasts and lovingly pinched her nipple, but not enough to casue pain. Tav gasped as she pulled back from his mouth, and pushed her chest into his hands.

“So eager, are we? Don’t worry, my dear, I’m going to make sure, tonight, you don’t remember that nasty pain you had to endure.”

Astarion pushed Tav backwards so that she would lie on the bed. He stripped his shirt and armor as Tav started to undo her clothing as well, except Tav wasn’t as dexterous as her lover. Tav fumbled after removing her shirt and struggled to undo the laces of her pants. Astarion chuckled a little at the predictament.

“Let me, love. I love getting you out of your pants.” Astarion huskily murmured.

Astarion undid the laces and helped her slide her pants off, so she was bare before him. Astarion only had his pants and underwear. At Tav’s insistence, Astarion pulled them off to reveal his engorged cock. Astarion leaned back onto the heels of his feet as he returned to the bed and used his hands to push his lover’s knees apart more. This gave him a succulent view. Astarion began kissing his way up Tav’s leg from her left knee and up her inner thigh to his prize. Tav relaxed back on the bed instead of watching him, and closed her eyes. She trusted him and let them stay shut, as she also let her legs slump to the side and gave him full access to her body. Tav kept her eyes closed, but she could feel his breath over her intimate parts, so close, yet not touching her. Tav longed to be touched, but she knew he wanted to do this the right way. Astarion took his pointer fingers and pulled the labia softly away from the center of her sensitive place, revealing her engorged clit primed for him and her wet entrance. She was already partly ready for him, but Astarion knew she wasn’t there yet. She would be, after he was finished with her. With the sides of her clitoris exposed, Astarion dipped his head forward and skillfully drew his tongue up the sides, hitting new nerve clusters, while earning a gasp and his name being called by the woman he loved above. She drew her arms up to her head and held on to the sheets tightly beside her face, while Astarion used his expert tongue to circle her nerves repeatedly in areas he usually didn’t touch often due to the silky folds of her skin hiding them away, paying particular attention when he ran the tip of his tongue up at the end to the center to the part that seemed unhooded. Tav was breathless and unsure exactly where to put her hands, so she kept them clinging to the sheets like a ledge she needed to cling to for life. Astarion dipped his tongue inside her occasionally, tasting her sweet juices as he slowly inched her closer to escape. They were in no rush, even though the events right before then made Astarion wish he could chase release as quickly as before. He didn’t, he wouldn’t. He loved her, so they made love slowly and sensually. They needed each other.

Astarion repeated his actions a few times, until he upped the speed of his tongue flicking the sides and long laps over her sensitive nub. He knew it was driving her wild, as he wasn’t teasing her. He was building her desire, but at an agonizingly slow pace. He ramped up his tongue as he then began to suck as well as the other motions, and Tav felt like a tightened lute string getting closer and closer to snapping. She loved what he was doing, of course, but she wanted more. Knowing how she felt because of her breathy reactions above, Astarion pulled back, replacing the flat of his thumb to her nerve cluster and stimulated it, as he took her lips again. Tav wasted no time and hooked her leg around his backside to bring their tender parts together. This seemed to excite the elf, who tried to keep things slow and tender as they rubbed against each other, his cock occasionally lining itself up and partly entering her of its own volition, because of how they wound against each other. Astarion pulled back, but Tav was the first to make a move. She went forward and took Astarion’s nipple to her mouth as she sucked and flicked it with her tongue. It was a different sensation, but it felt good to the vampire. Astarion moaned while Tav placed her hands on his buttcheeks and glided them up his ivory flesh until she could feel the beginning of his large scar on his back. Tav was surprised when Astarion pulled back from her and he claimed her lips again, pushing her down on her back. Not a moment later, she could feel the familiar fullness of her lover’s penis find its way inside her, and she clutched on to him even more. It felt wonderful. Their kissing was still slow and sensual, very passionate and loving. His hands found their way under one of her knees, bringing her leg up for ease of access. The other went to hold her and bring her close, which also brought him balance as he sultrily slid himself against the deep ache inside her, filling her over and over again. Tav moaned his name again which had been a mantra over the last few days. She was close to her end again, but not like she was before. Unlike before, where they were chasing release, this had become somewhat of a slow build, and also unlike the many times before when they made love, she wasn’t the first to crest.

Astarion couldn’t hold it in anymore when Tav took his lips and brought both her hands from his back to his ears once more, and lightly rubbed the hollow of them. It usually never happened like this, and he should have felt upset or embarrassed, but he didn’t. She knew how to make him come and pulled him to his world shattering release. Astarion kept pumping himself inside of her, willing her to follow. He even reached between the two loving bodies and stimulated her clitoris. At the end of his throbbing and electrifying orgasm, Tav had cried out in pleasure as well.

Astarion chuckled, loving how stark of a difference that session was from all the other times they laid together. Sure, he was slow with her the first few times, but there was no love involved. She was merely being manipulated for protection. Then, as things progressed and their relationship deepened, the way they made love had changed as well. Considering the next time they did and would have had slow and actual love to their lovemaking would have been at the graveyard, it was unfortunate that it was not the same experience. Being in an open area, and still so raw from Cazador, he was still processing and hurting in many ways. It was different, of course, and unlike anything he had experienced before, but not to the same degree as what they just shared now. It was obvious now, that this was what they needed from the start. She didn’t need anything fancy, just him.

Astarion pulled his now softening cock out of his lover and laid down beside her.

“How are you feeling? Does the burn still hurt?” Astarion asked.

“No. You took care of me when I needed it the most, and I appreciate it. That felt wonderful, by the way.”

Astarion could only smile. This woman was his everything, and he would always be there. No matter what came next.

Note: If you experience flashbacks or PTSD, professional help does work :) From one trauma survivor to another! This was meant as a mild and tolerable flash back in the story. You’re not alone. You’re brave and fearless. You got this.

#astarion x female tav #astarion smut #bg3 fanfiction #ao3 writer #ao3 fanfic #baldurs gate tav #astarion x tav #bg3 tav #tav #baldurs gate 3 #Thechaoticdruid

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holdmecloser-gandydancer · 2 years

Text

Some of my best friends are liches

Deep in the belly of Wave Echo Cave, Taako, Magnus, and Merle follow behind Gundren Rockseeker, listening to him weave tales of lost riches and dwarven treasures. If you ask Taako, the whole thing sounds a little melodramatic and campy; he’s just here for a payday. At some point, while Gundren fiddles with the massive vault door, Taako sees something odd.

Just off the path, he sees what looks like an umbrella lying on the ground. Kind of an odd place to have an umbrella if you ask him, not like you see a lot of rain in an underground cavern. But it looks finely crafted, the handle a solid and intricately carved mahogany. So finely crafted that he feels weird just leaving it to collect more dust and grime; instead, he decides to slip it into his backpack before rejoining the group.

“We’re about to have a whole trove of riches at our disposal, boys,” Gundren says as the door opens with a loud and imposing thunk. Before they have a chance to set foot inside the vault though, they’re all but thrown back by a wall of heat. And then there’s a wall of what looks like red fire that comes streaking down the tunnel to the vault.

“Boys! Oh boys, I’m so sorry I was gone for so long! I was trying my best to shskshskshkksh the khshkshkshshshs but something went wrong,” this figure cloaked in flames says to them, her voice full of this unearned familiarity. And affection, even. The whole situation makes Taako’s stomach tie itself in knots and his heart clench uncomfortably; something about this feels so viscerally wrong.

“Do you guys know this thing?” Gundren murmurs to them. The figure turns her attention to him and he stiffens. It feels like the fire that laps at the end of her robes starts to burn brighter and hotter.

“Of course they know me, I’m shskshkshk! And frankly, dwarf, you’re at the top of my shit list because your dad shkskhskhskhs and shkshkshkshks —"

“Um. Hail and well met, scary fire lady!” Magnus interrupts, giving a little wave. “I’m sorry but, at the very least, I don’t know you. Also half of what you just said did just sound like ckhschkschkshck.”

“Haha, very funny, Magnus,” the figure says, crossing her spectral arms. There’s no face in her hood, just darkness illuminated by a faint red glow but it she had visible eyes, she would be rolling them.

“I don’t either, sorry,” Merle says with a shrug.

The figure stiffens. “Gods, did something go wrong with shhkshkshkshks? Is that why? Taako, come on, you remember me, tell them.” She floats over towards Taako and the weight of her gaze on him feels like he’s being sprayed with fire.

“Listen, I don’t know who you think we are or how you know our names but I barely know these clowns, much less you,” Taako snaps. He feels bad about it and he can’t pinpoint why but he’s not too keen on this overly-familiar tablecloth floating in front of him. She makes him queasy and gives him heartburn.

“Taako, stop fucking around,” She says, all of a sudden very serious. She reaches out and tries to touch his shoulder and Taako recoils.

“Don’t fucking touch me! I don’t know you,” he spits, flinching away. Before she’s even able to lay a hand on him, his skin feels like when he got a sunburn when he was a lot younger and some rando slapped it; stinging, burning, excruciating

“Y-you don’t…None of you?” she breathes out. Suddenly her form starts crackling. “This has to be kshkshshskhskskh. Of fucking course it’s skhshshshkskhsks! She couldn’t just accept that—” Arcs of red lightning begin tearing off her form. She looks down and shakes her head. “I’m going to fix this!” she yells before functionally vanishing from their view.

“So…Let’s tear into that treasure, huh?” Gundren offers before starting into the vault. Magnus and Merle follow closely behind. Taako follows them a little further behind, the whole ordeal having given him the creeps.

[[Finish reading on ao3!!]]

#rip (reeses in pieces)#taz #taz balance #the adventure zone balance #reese writes #taako #lup #barry bluejeans #magnus burnsides #merle highchurch #lucretia #>:3

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pokemoncaretips · 1 year

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The zubat line

This will be a long one. Zubat has a three stage evolution line with fairly different care requirements for each one. Bear with me on this, there’s a lot to get through here.

General notes: Ubiquitous around many parts of the world, nearly everyone will see a zubat at some stage in their lives. And yet this pokemon has a bad reputation and often maligned as “scary looking” despite being friendly, sociable, and an excellent start for those who want to get into poison type keeping. The fact that zubat aren’t kept more often is frankly a crime.

General care: Zubat and the rest of the line are hematophagous, meaning they subsist entirely on blood. Thankfully, with the invention of the powdered blood substitute, feeding these pokemon is now easier than it’s ever been, with clear instructions printed on the side of the can.

There is a common belief that zubat drain the blood of their owners. This is complete malarky. Once zubat recognize you as a "flock member" they'll never see you as a food source, and will starve rather than feed off you.

It can be fun to imitate the noises a pokemon makes, but you probably shouldn't with zubat. If one hasn't been able to feed, it makes a vocalisation alerting others to its situation, and other zubats will feed it a mouthful of blood to keep it going. If you accidently make this noise you'll wind up with a panicking zubat trying to force blood substitute into your mouth.

Ask me how I know this.

Zubat are active pokemon, and seek out contact. Their forked tail also doubles as a “limb” of sorts, allowing them to move along perches and cling onto their trainer. They are fully blind and navigate by echolocation. However, they have a habit of getting so used to their home environment they'll just fly blind, confident they know where everything is. You really shouldn't adjust the furniture too often.

Zubat love to be near their keeper, and they're fiends for wriggling into pockets, bags and the hood of your hoody jacket.

They are often quick to approach strangers and like being around groups, as they're evolved to be around flocks. Warn your friends if they're coming around so that it doesn't startle them trying to climb onto their shoulder.

This pokemon is very light sensitive, and prolonged exposure can cause sunburn. Though it looks blind, it has vestigial eyes covered by a thin layer of skin that act as light sensors, warning it when it's too bright. This pokemon does best kept in a well ventilated attic or basement, where it can shelter from the sun.

Many zubat trainers work on building up light tolerance. A UV lamp is best for this, as it can be easily switched off and on. Turn it on and watch the zubat closely, turning it off at the first sign of serious distress. Do this every day and you'll notice it takes longer and longer for it to start backing away from the light. If you maintain a consistent schedule for light baths your zubat will be capable of going out in daylight with you in as little as 6 months.

This is a vital part of its care as it makes the next stage in its life significantly easier.

The golbat is quite a change. Alongside a pair of pretty strong legs, it now has fully functional eyes. In the wild, golbat would act as a second layer of defence, using the light from phosphorescent cave moss to spot predators trying to silently sneak up on the flock. These eyes would be quite light sensitive, but if you were consistent with building up its tolerance, a golbat can start its new life stage without needing to adjust to the light.

They're a friendly and affectionate 'mon, and with their new legs will proudly strut alongside you as you travel, eager to interact with you and your world.

The golbat has a strong gluttonous streak, and will overfeed if given the chance. Keep an eye on this.

As your bond increases, you will likely see one more evolution. The crobat. Now much larger, in the wild crobats act as the last line of defence against their flocks predators, attacking with wild abandon anything that threatens their family and friends. And they'll defend you just as willingly.

With their stubby little feet they find it harder to move around on the ground. Though they can fly tirelessly, if they get grounded its an awkward struggle to get back up in the air, and you may need to help them. Many crobats will do what keepers call the "cro-backpack", wrapping their wings tightly around your torso and letting you carry them around. This can be startling to people, especially those who might not like zubats. Be careful. Care rating: Green

Training: The zubat line has no known issues with training. Fast an agile, they're surprisingly good at battling. Even a newly caught zubat is willing to have a go, and a crobat can almost seem to read its trainers mind, having bonded so closely. Training rating: Green

Safety: As a poison type, it's an automatic orange ranking. Though they can concentrate their venom in battles, even when at rest the zubat line is venomous. It's saliva contains a cocktail of chemicals, including a mild anaesthetic and an anticoagulant. Combined with its razor sharp fangs, an accidental nick won't be felt. As well, zubat bond by grooming. They're a very...licky pokemon. And while this usually isn't a problem, as the venom denatures quickly in the air, if you have a small cut or it knocks off a scab, you likely won't notice you're bleeding heavily until your zubat starts panicking. Wash your hands often after handling zubats, and be aware at all times of where they're pointing their face.

If you have haemophilia, or are on medications that cause blood thinning, this pokemon can be lethally dangerous and should be avoided. Safety rating: Orange

Overall ranking. A loyal and loving pokemon and a great introduction into the kind of health and safety protocols needed to keep poison types, zubats deserve a far better reputation.

#pokemon #pokemon irl #pokemon care #zubat #golbat #crobat

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cyberpunkonline · 7 months

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The Top 5 Cyberpunk City Destinations for the Hypothetical Cyberpunk Traveler

Howdy there, fellow cyber space cowboys and cowgirls! If you're itching to explore the neon-soaked, gritty landscapes of the cyberpunk universe, you're in for a wild ride. Grab your augmented reality shades and strap in because we're about to take you on a tour of the top 5 cyberpunk city destinations. Remember, folks, travel at your own risk – it's dark out there in the digital wild west.

1. Neo-Tokyo: Where Tradition Meets Technology

Picture this: neon signs so bright they make daylight jealous, streets teeming with life, and sushi that comes with a side of holographic waitstaff. Neo-Tokyo is a cyberpunk wonderland where ancient tradition dances with cutting-edge technology. But beware, occasional psychic explosions may disrupt your sushi dinner, and dodging angst-ridden teenagers on motorcycles is an Olympic sport. And who knows, you might even leave with superpowers - it's all part of the charm.

Pros:

- Blazing neon signs that could give you a sunburn at night.

- Sushi joints with holographic waitstaff for that futuristic flair.

- Robot geishas to keep you entertained and perplexed.

Cons:

- Frequent psychic explosions causing minor inconveniences.

- Be prepared to dodge motorcycles ridden by angst-ridden teenagers.

- Watch out for secret government experiments - you might develop superpowers.

2. Night City: More Glitches Than Friends

In Night City, the skyline is a mesmerizing blend of artistry and error messages, and every street corner seems to have a vendor peddling questionable cyberware upgrades. The city that never sleeps is also a place where traffic jams are so bad they make you question the existence of personal space. And don't get too comfortable – the corporations are always watching. In Night City, paranoia is your best friend.

Pros:

- A stunning skyline marred by glitches and bugs – it's art, darling.

- Street vendors selling questionable cyberware upgrades.

- A friendly, neighborhood mercenary for hire.

Cons:

- Traffic jams so bad you'll wish you had a flying car.

- Persistent rain that's acidic enough to make you question life choices.

- Corporations watching your every move – paranoia is your new best friend.

3. Mega-City One: Where Crime Never Sleeps

Welcome to Mega-City One, where the law is swift and efficient, and you'll never be short on neighbors. Living in an apartment complex the size of a city takes some getting used to, and the judicial system here has a slight tendency to be overzealous. Keep your head down and your helmet on; you might encounter a Judge who's a bit too trigger-happy.

Pros:

- The law enforcement is so efficient it's almost scary.

- A bustling population that makes New York look like a small town.

- A rich history of comic book lore to geek out over.

Cons:

- Living in a city-sized apartment complex is a claustrophobic's nightmare.

- The judicial system has a slight tendency to be overzealous.

- You might have to deal with a few Judges who are quick on the trigger.

4. Los Angeles 2049: The Art of Artificial Intelligence

Los Angeles in 2049 is a city that blurs the line between reality and dreams. Mind-bending holographic art installations are on every corner, and you might just stumble upon a Blade Runner wannabe trying to solve a rainy-day mystery. But be wary of the smog that turns breathing into a challenge, and don't be surprised if you fall in love with a replicant. In this city, your memories might not be your own.

Pros:

- Mind-bending holographic art installations on every corner.

- Blade Runner wannabes playing detective in the rain.

- A thriving underground scene where rogue AI hide and seek.

Cons:

- Smog that makes breathing an extreme sport.

- You might accidentally fall in love with a replicant.

- You'll constantly question whether your memories are real or implanted.

5. The Sprawl: Unplugging in the Information Jungle

The Sprawl stretches as far as the eye can see, a vast jungle of information and urban decay. It's a playground for hackers looking to prove their worth, and the ultimate quest is to unlock the secrets of an enigmatic AI that may hold the key to the universe. But be prepared to get lost in the labyrinthine streets, make some dystopian fashion choices, and face the possibility that the AI might want to merge your consciousness with the internet.

Pros:

- A sprawling metropolis that stretches your concept of distance.

- The ultimate challenge for hackers looking to prove their worth.

- An enigmatic artificial intelligence rumored to hold the secrets of the universe.

Cons:

- Getting lost in the endless maze of urban decay.

- Dystopian fashion choices that might make you question your taste.

- An AI that might try to merge your consciousness with the internet.

6. The Endless City: Where Faeries roam free, and violently

The Endless City from Faewave lore exists just on the Otherside of reality close to our dreams and is a biomechanical cyberpunk dream, or nightmare, filled with fantastical creatures and strange mystery. Don't be surprised if the home of Faewave changes on each visit, and expect the unexpected at all times. Anything is possible in The Endless City!

Pros:

- The city is never the same twice, so infinitely explorable!

- I hear the sex clubs are AWESOME.

- Faeries are known for giving gifts to loyal subjects.

Cons:

- It's been known for people to forget who they are if they spend too long in the city, beware.

- Unless you are a representative of one of the Great Houses, prepare to be abused.

- Hard to get to, there are many ways into the city, sometimes dependent on the individual!

Closing Thoughts for All Cities:

As you embark on your cyberpunk adventures in these mesmerizing yet perilous cities, remember one thing: travel at your own risk. It's a dark and mysterious world out there, cyber space cowboys. Whether you're chasing neon dreams, hacking into corporate secrets, or unraveling the mysteries of artificial intelligence, these cities offer an experience like no other. So grab your augmented reality shades, stay sassy, and keep your wits about you because in the mythos of cyberpunk, the line between reality and fiction blurs, and every choice could be your last. Happy travels, fellow adventurers!

- Raz

#cyberpunk #cities #travel #travelguides

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squids-comics · 5 months

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On today's Science Sunday, we'll be looking at these panels from Fantastic Four #47 to show why you should be afraid of the human torch!

All objects emit some form of radiation. The more energy the object contains (usually in the form of heat), the more intense radiation it will give off. If you remember the electromagnetic spectrum from the gamma goggles, good job! If not, here it is again! (I took this from Wikipedia, go check out their page on the electromagnetic spectrum if this sounds interesting!)

The electromagnetic spectrum shows all the different wavelengths of radiation, with the smaller waves being much faster, and much deadlier. Radio waves are the size of buildings, while gamma rays are smaller than atoms and contain a crazy high amount of energy. Human Torch with his visible fire, would mostly be contained in the visible light category. To blast Dragon Man with ultraviolet rays, he would need to heat his fire up until it starts emitting these higher energy waves.

There are two ways we can interpret his new wave forms. The first is to take the panel of him blasting his rays seriously. Ultraviolet rays are invisible to the human eye, so the fact that we can see them in that panel shows that he is emitting both visible light and ultraviolet rays. The second is to interpret it as a stylized piece. The human eye can't see ultraviolet rays, and neither can the characters in the story, but us as readers can. In this case, Johnny would be shooting pure ultraviolet rays.

The first condition is already starting pretty bad. The average campfire burns around 900 degrees Celsius. This isn't hot enough to produce enough UV to give you a sunburn. Johnny would need to up his game. While I can't find an exact number of UV required to get sunburn and can't do any calculations because of that, but the sun gives off enough UV rays to be considered overkill in this case. The surface of the sun is 5600 degrees Celsius, meaning for Johnny's sunburn, he would have to blast Dragon Man with fire somewhere between 1000 and 5500 degrees Celsius! Looking at a chart of metal melting points, we can see that the heat of Johnny's fire would be hot enough to melt aluminum (660 degrees Celsius) and lead (328 degrees Celsius), and may be hot enough to melt titanium (1670 degrees Celsius) or tungsten (3400 degrees Celsius). Let's hope Dragon Man's skin is stronger than titanium, or he may ne getting more than just a sunburn here.

The second condition is truly scary. For his blast to be invisible, Johnny would have to be shooting almost entirely UV rays. The sun only gives off around 10% UV rays, meaning Johnny would have to burn significantly hotter than the sun to achieve this feat. Referring back to the electromagnetic spectrum above, to make things easier on the research for this, they had a thermometer to measure the temperature required to make each wavelength the most prominent emitted (Thank Wikipedia!).

The ultraviolet scale picks up after the 9727 degree benchmark, meaning Johnny would have to go higher than even that. I don't think there's any element that Johnny wouldn't be able to melt at that temperature. Dragon Man can forget the sunscreen, his skin will melt before he has to worry about sunburn. So much for Johnny being a pacifist I guess...

#comics #comic books #dc comics #web comics #marvel #mcu #marvel mcu #c #comic panels #marvel comics #scientific illustration #science #mad scientist #fantastic 4 #fantastic four #johnny storm #human torch #sunburn #uv

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mcl-mia · 10 months

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A Retainer’s Duty

Word count: 20.4k | Rating: T (some swearing) | Zeus Brundle x Hiro Tachibana (Zeusro)

//this is it. this is my magnum opus. never ask me for anything ever again.

this is also my favorite thing i have ever written, and has been an on and off process for about 2 years. please be nice to me LOL. this is also INCREDIBLY BEEFY, so do not hesitate to read this in its GOOGLE DOC FORM. as a matter of fact, i’d prefer if you did. there’s pretty colored text in that version and it’s formatted much nicer.

☆☆☆

A retainer's duty cannot be taken lightly. It cannot end, even when your life's on the line. Your life is that of your liege's. You are completely disposable and replaceable by the nobility above you. Do not overstep your boundaries.

Know your place.

Do not become friends.

Do not fall in love.

All of these things are impossible to do all at once, which was something Hiro had repeated in his own thoughts many times throughout his life. The latter half of the list of the "rules" his father laid out for him have since become null. If anything, love is the most important part of his relationship with his liege.

Love: because it's hard to not to fall in love with the biggest idiot on the planet.

☆☆☆

Thirteen years together since birth, and things are beginning to change.

"Is that all you've got, Hiro?!"

It wasn't. Hiro won three out of four sparring matches already. He felt bad, and had to let Zeus win at least one. Hiro could go on for ten more matches without breaking a sweat, and Zeus knows this scarily well.

Zeus, however, was not in as great of shape. Sweat bleeds through his t-shirt, dark as it may be. Zeus' hair is frizzy, his clothes are disheveled, and his breathing is heavy and without rhythm.

However, his eyes have a fire in them.

Hiro had gone too easy on him, he thinks.

"In general? No. For you? Yes." Zeus pouted, unsatisfied by the fact that Hiro is giving up so readily. "Let's just rest for a bit. You're out of breath, idiot."

"Fine. But, the next round is in ten minutes!"

"Please. In ten minutes you'll be passed out on the ground, and then I'll have to drag you back to your room and have to explain to your sisters that you're not dead."

"I'll be fine. At least sit next to me so you can rest, too."

Hiro was caught a little off guard, but never showed it on his face. Zeus always asked Hiro to rest, and always made sure Hiro was okay as well, but why ask to sit next to him?

"I'm fine. I'm not even tired." Hiro smugly grinned at Zeus, almost teasing him about their physical differences.

"How lovely. Now sit."

"Whatever."

Hiro dropped down to sit next to Zeus, who had been making the "sit down" motion with his hand the entire time. Hiro debated sitting on his hand as a joke, but the last thing he wanted was to hear Zeus complaining about how he got "ass fingers" because of him.

The grass had a slight crunch to it as the middle schooler sat down, a product of the sun beating down too harsh on it during the past few weeks. "Why not sit in the shade? That tree is literally five feet away."

"Who cares?" Zeus scoffed. "It's not like we're going to get a sunburn. You know that my parents control the weather around the manor."

"Still feels weird."

"You're weird."

"Your face is weird."

"Your MOM is weird."

"No no no, my SISTER is weird."

The two boys laughed at their own bickering, with Zeus falling over from how apparently funny the whole ordeal was. Zeus never found Hiro's sister, Kureha, very fun to be around. Kureha had a scary aura around her, and always threatened to "cut Zeus' hair while he slept" if the two misbehaved.

Zeus stared at the bright sky above them, watching the clouds carefully as if he was studying them, while Hiro thought Zeus was a more interesting subject.

There was no denying that Zeus, visually, was interesting. His natural pastel blue hair and his dark skin were a stunning combination. His sapphire eyes also complimented his complexion, giving him an almost ethereal appearance. It didn't help that Zeus, despite being in his awkward tween years, was already garnering the attention of many of his peers at school due to his good looks.

However, not a single one of those admirers know how much of a boisterous idiot Zeus really was. Hiro treasured this knowledge, but also sometimes despised it.

"Lie down with me."

"Another order, your highly-ness?"

"Yes. I think you'll enjoy it."

"If you say so?"

More of the grass was crushed under Hiro's body as he laid down, maybe a little too close to the other boy. Maybe not close enough.

Hiro's eyes wandered from Zeus' face to the sky above, his hands resting on his chest. Dozens of small clouds littered in the bright blue sky above them, but there wasn't nearly enough to call it overcast.

"Hey, that one kinda looks like a butt."

"Oh my god, you're right! But WHOSE butt?"

"I dunno. Yours?"

"Aw, you think my butt looks that nice?"

"I definitely did NOT say that."

"Let it be known, people of the world: Hiro Tachibana thinks my butt looks like it's as soft as a cloud!"

"You really are an idiot, aren't you!"

Hiro lifted his right hand from its comfortable position on his chest and hit Zeus square in the stomach with his fist. A clean hit, nice and sharp. Zeus let out a small yelp and rolled on his side before the two young boys started laughing once more, amused at their own jokes. While coming down from their laughing high, the boys' hands seemed to fall into one another, as if they'd done this a million times before. Of course, they'd never tell anyone else that. That was their little secret.

Small fingers wove themselves together for the first time. It had always been open palms, one leading the other. Neither initiated it, but neither stopped it from happening. The boys didn't shake their gaze from the bright sky above. The only sounds left after their laughter was the rustling of the trees nearby. The little universe they created between them was peaceful and undisturbed.

That is, until Zeus let out a daydream-shattering yawn.

"You're way more tired than you thought, Zeus."

"I'm nooot… 'M just a lil'... hhAAAAAUUUnnnghh… sleep deprived, 's all…"

"Classic excuse. Do you need me to carry you to your bed, your sleepy-ness?"

"Dun make fun 'a me! Jus'…"

"Juuuust?"

"Jus'... stay with… me…"

"...Huh?"

"I said stay with me! Dun make me repeat my… myshelf…."

Zeus rolled slightly over to face Hiro, eyes closed, his movements teeming with drowsiness. Hiro's cheeks started to turn several shades of pink. Zeus would absolutely make fun of him if he actually saw him like this. Against his better judgment, Hiro rolled over to face Zeus as well. Not like he's going to be looking, anyways.

"If it's what you desire, your highly-ness."

"Mmm… thank you, my…. hero…"

Zeus was out like a light, and it didn't take long for Hiro to start getting sleepy as well.

"My 'hero'... he really is an idiot." Hiro thought briefly.

Hiro’s eyes lingered on Zeus for a moment before he felt them close all by themselves. A small smile crept up on Hiro’s lips as the two drifted off into the world of dreams together.

Little did they know, but a certain young woman was watching them from afar. She doesn’t dare wake them for dinner.

☆☆☆

Nine years together since birth, and so many things are the same.

It was a grand party that was to be held to commemorate the young lord’s ninth birthday.

This never came as a surprise to the Tachibana family, as they always participated in the events that the Brundle family had hosted in the past. Hiro, despite being so young, has already heard so much about his family’s ties to Zeus’. So much that he is actually starting to get annoyed by all of the lectures his father gives him during their training sessions.

“Hiro, our family is very important to the Brundle family. We exist to protect them with our bodies, our minds, and our souls.” The lessons from Hiro’s father always start the same. “You and your sister are the next generation of the Tachibana name. Do you remember what it means to be a retainer, my son?”

“It means that we are the shields of the royal family. Our duties never end, even when our lives are on the line…”

“Yes, my boy. And what else?”

“It… means we can’t get close to our lieges. If we are too attached, our thoughts will be bad…”

“Exactly. Do you remember your job today, as every year?”

“Yes, papa. My job is to stay by the young lord’s side all night, and get help if he is attacked, or if he is being stolen away.”

“Yes, my son. Now, go get ready with your sister. The party will begin soon.”

“Yes, papa… but, can I ask you something, papa?”

“Yes?”

“Why can’t I be friends with Zeus and his protector at the same time? I don’t think that Lord Brundle minds... “

Hiro’s father knelt down to meet Hiro’s eye level, and placed a large hand on Hiro’s head. “Hiro, you know the answer to that already. You just told me, did you not?”

“Yes, but…”

“But?” His father’s voice lowered an octave. Hiro’s head tilted down in shame for asking.

“Nevermind, papa. I’m going now.” Hiro gave a small excusatory bow, much like the ones he always saw the servants do in the estate. Closing the door behind him, Hiro left the room to head to the head maid’s room, where his sister, Kureha, was already getting ready.

Not long after Hiro had left the room, Zeus’ own father entered with a small grin on his face.

“Come now, don’t you think you’re being a little hard on the boy?” Zeus’ father leaned against the door frame, also slightly amused at how Hiro had not taken notice of his eavesdropping.

“You know I cannot be soft on him, my liege. I cannot let him repeat my mistakes.” Hiro’s father glanced downward at his liege’s legs, one of them made of metal and wood.

“You know that wasn’t your fault.” Zeus’ father adjusted his stance and shifted his weight off of his prosthetic to approach the other man, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Hiro’s father put his hand on his liege’s and let out a deep sigh.

“I only want him to be careful.”

----

Hiro ran all the way to the head maid’s room, and was completely out of breath by the time he reached it.

“You’re late, Hiro!” Kureha immediately hit him on the head for his tardiness.

“OW! Blame papa for it, not me!!”

“Shut it. Late is late. Go tell Miss Olivia that you’re here so she can grab your clothes already!”

All Hiro could do was walk away and stick his tongue out at Kureha, who threateningly grabbed her shoe and prepared to throw it at the young boy. Hiro immediately ran into the head maid’s actual room, only to find that Zeus is still being waited on by the seamstresses on the final adjustments to his coat.

“Hiro!!” Zeus swiftly shooed away the young maid tending to the hem on the sleeve of his coat and ran up to Hiro, giving him a massive hug. Hiro hugged back.

“It’s about time you showed up! Do you know how BORED I was without you?!”

“‘Prolly a lot.” Hiro grinned as Zeus pulled away, but Zeus still held on to Hiro’s shoulders.

“Oh, Hiro! There you are!” Olivia snapped up from behind a small, messy work desk, where she did a lot of her embroidery. “Come now, dear, let’s get you all dressed up. Our guests will be arriving any moment now!”

“Yes, Miss Olivia…” Hiro reluctantly removed Zeus’ hands from him. “I’ll see you at the party!”, Hiro whispered to the other boy.

“Yes! Until then!” Zeus waved as Hiro was dragged away to be fitted for his own coat.

----

The party itself was dizzying for such a young boy. Zeus, being the star of the party, was constantly at the center of attention. Family friends, relatives Zeus barely remembers, even strange people who clearly only want to be on Lord Brundle’s good side. Thankfully, nobody outright suspicious-looking has entered the ballroom, as Hiro thought to himself. Despite being so young, Hiro has already been in training to be a full-fledged retainer since he could walk, so it is already very easy for him to spot shifty people in the shadows.

Hiro was never fond of most people, so he was always close to the young lord, hardly ever speaking to the nobles, unless he was addressed directly… Which wasn't often. Not that Hiro minded, of course. He could always tell which nobles are the “good” ones, and which are the ones that just act good.

As the night kept dragging on, the golden chandeliers and dark marble floors in the ballroom started to lose their magic for the young boys. The Brundle family always uses magic to change the looks in their ballroom for every large event to suit their aesthetics. Once it was time for dinner to be served, the wizards and Lord Brundle himself adorned the ballroom with many tables. The tables were decorated with long, dark blue tablecloths with horizontal gold stripes around the circumference. In the center of all of them were large glass centerpieces, which looked like two vases stacked on eachother. In the bottom section was a magical candle that burned a blue flame, and on top was a beautiful bouquet of blue anemones, small white lilies, ferns, and gold pearl strands cascading down the sides. At the table for the Brundle and Tachibana families, similar centerpieces adorned the long table, but only had a single tier, and had a long candle sticking out of the top.

Zeus, of course, was at the center of the table. Hiro always sat next to him, regardless of the function. Zeus’ family lined up on the side next to him, and the Tachibana family sprinkled themselves in between to sit next to their lieges. All for protection’s sake, obviously.

While everyone else was being served “adult food” (as Zeus and Hiro called it), the two boys had their own dinners that were specially made. As the boys talked between themselves, giggling here and there about the ridiculousness of this whole thing, but never quite loud enough for others to hear, Zeus’ father chuckled to himself while Hiro’s father started to stare daggers at his son’s behavior. Hiro felt a chill in his spine and froze, with Zeus picking up what was happening only a few seconds later. Zeus looked at his own father, who gave him a thumbs up. As people were beginning to finish their meals, Zeus’s father stood and tapped his wine glass with a spoon to garner attention.

“Everyone! Everyone, may I have your attention please?” The crowd of people turns towards the table in the center, staring at Lord Brundle with curiosity. “Thank you, thank you all.” He gives a small bow to the room.

“Tonight is a grand night for our firstborn son, Zeus, and I sincerely thank everyone for being able to celebrate this joyous day in our family.” The ballroom roared with applause, some feeling their egos heightened for being thanked for their presence, while others clapped out of politeness. “Yes, yes. While today is all about our son, Zeus wants us to take a moment and appreciate those who have protected us, and the ones who made this day possible.” Lord Brundle motions to Hiro’s father, and holds his hand out for him to grab and stand up as well, winking at Zeus as he does it. Lord Brundle has done this before, and Zeus knows this to be a distraction. Zeus grabs Hiro’s hand.

“Let’s get outta here for a bit.” While Hiro’s father was distracted, Zeus and Hiro got out of their chairs and started making their way past everyone. They did, however, stop at Zeus’ mother to let her know that they were “running to the bathroom”, to which she nodded. “Don’t be too long, dear. Don’t forget that we still have the dances coming up!” she grinned. The two boys nodded and grinned back before running off, out of sight from the rest of the guests.

“Everyone, please give a round of huzzahs for the Tachibana family!” was the last thing the two boys heard as they scampered out of the ballroom and out into the rest of the Brundle’s mansion.

----

The two boys eventually found themselves in the western garden, with the gentle moonlight and the soft glow of the magical lanterns illuminating every step they took.

The western garden is the most classic of the three that surround the Brundle estate, with it being paved with cobblestone and lined with rose hedges that delicately border every pathway. There are a few stone gazebos, benches, outdoor clocks, and fountains that, despite their age, still look brand new. Zeus and Hiro eventually came to one of the gazebos in the center of the garden, giggling the whole way there as they escaped. They considered it their “secret spot”.

“I can’t believe your dad just DID that!!”

“Eh, he does it all the time. He likes you, so he covers for us. Your dad is too mean!”

“Tell me about it. At least you don’t have to live with him.”

“Oh, man, you’re right. Haha!”

The two boys laughed again, their hands still clasped together from running away. Zeus takes a big, long breath, relieved to be away from the party, even though he enjoys the attention.

“You know, it’s nice to get away from those stuck-ups. These parties can be so boooooring!”

“Boooooooring!!”, Hiro echoed.

“At least I have you with me. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have you!”

“You'd prolly die of boredom.”

“I’d prolly die of boredom, yeah.”

This gazebo was a special one, because it wasn’t made entirely of stone. The ceiling was made with a hole that had a thick sheet of glass in place of more stone, which made it perfect for stargazing. The ceiling was also painted with the constellations that make up the Queensblade’s night sky, and gold detailing throughout the rest of the pillars and handrails that connected the top to the bottom.

The two boys stared up through the glass, admiring the clear night sky that always seemed to welcome them. If they turned their heads just right, they could see the full moon shining above them.

“Hey, do you want to know something that my mom taught me?”

"Uh, okay…?"

"Look at those stars over there. Do you see those shapes?"

"I know what const-ull-ay-shuns are, dummy."

"Y-yeah, but my mom told me about these special ones. Look at those ones!" Hiro pointed to two constellations that were side by side. "Do you see the ones that look like a tail and a triangle?"

"Yeeeeaaaah? And?"

"Well, my mom told me that the tail is called Scorpius, and the triangle is Capricornus."

"So what? They're just stars."

"Well, you were born under Scorpius, and I was born under Capricornus. So, even if we're apart, we'll always be near each other in the stars..." Hiro looked away and blushed, a little embarrassed at what he had just said. Zeus looked at the painting above, and his eyes widened in realization. He turned to Hiro with a look of childlike wonder and happiness.

"So… Does that mean we'll always be together?"

Hiro peeked back over to Zeus and nodded.

"That… is so cool!!!" Zeus leapt up from his stone seat with an unparalleled excitement in his eyes. "If we're always going to be together, then I'll never get sad, because you make me happy!" The boy had the biggest smile on his face, and it was clear that he took those words to heart. Hiro's face got even more red at the embarrassment he had just now realized he subjected himself to, but he smiled back at Zeus nonetheless.

"Yeah… You… make me happy too! So, we won't ever be sad!"

The two boys giggled again at their vow. This was their happiness that they had discovered. Not one that was planned out by their parents, not one that was faked by strangers, and definitely not one that was forced by everyone else around them. This was natural.

After a short minute, Zeus looked around and noticed one of the clocks in the garden, and realized something very important.

"AAAHH!!"

"AUGH! Jeez, what is it?!" Hiro had an almost scolding tone for Zeus, who startled him with his sudden outburst.

"The dances!! We need to go back, now!"

"Oh no! You're right, let's go!" Hiro darted from his seat as well, grabbing the other boy's hand and sprinted through the garden.

Hiro was a little faster than Zeus, so he couldn't go as fast as he wanted, but the two managed to slip back into the party without anyone else noticing that they were gone.

----

As the two came back to their seats, somehow, Zeus' father was still thanking all of the staff that made the party possible. He was finally on the waitstaff, which was somehow the second to last group to thank. Hiro considered how long they were gone, and realized just how many people make these parties happen, and that Zeus' father made it a point to memorize the names of everybody in the Brundle house's service.

"Please, everyone, one more round of applause for all of our waitstaff this evening!... Yes, thank you all. And last, but most certainly not least, I want to thank every single one of you who gave us your spare time to come and celebrate this momentous occasion with us. While the staff here is an important part of making this possible, we would not be here without all of you!"

The crowd let out another roar of applause, with their egos being stroked. Lord Brundle always had a silver tongue, and he was able to use it so masterfully. It never fails to amuse the rest of the Brundle family when he gets to use it to distract his ever-gullible retainer.

Once the commotion had calmed down and everyone had finished their meals, Lady Brundle announced that it was almost time for the family dances. Zeus was to dance with his mother, father, and some strangers that lined themselves up to get closer to the young heir. Once again, Lord Brundle and some of the other servants used technically simple but flashy spells to convert the ballroom back to being the dance hall it once was. The plates were practically waltzed out of the room and into the kitchen to be washed; the centerpieces on the tables morphed into decorations for the curtains, and some were turned into smaller chandeliers to illuminate the currently barren dance floor.

As the music picked up again, the two boys silently dreaded their physical separation, even though they wouldn't be far from one another. Hiro decided to try and ease the tension from those thoughts.

"Try not to step on any toes!" Hiro gave a playful nudge to Zeus with his elbow.

"Try not to look creepy on the outside!" Zeus joked back. He seems to be a bit more calm, or at least that's what Hiro thought.

The dances that Zeus had with his parents were practiced rigorously beforehand. Zeus had spent many months already practicing his waltz, and was a quick study.

The dance with his mother, of course, was one of those waltzes. It was a very formal dance, and it gained many "awws" from the mothers in the crowd, especially because Zeus was so small compared to his mother. But then again, he only just turned nine, so that was to be expected.

The dance with Lord Brundle, though, was much more lively. This dance was meant to impress, and the Brundle family had even brought in a choreographer to make it both child-friendly and full of pizazz. It was almost reminiscent of a flamenco dance, but every step was brimming with magical effects. Blue rose petals swirled around them at all times while they occasionally performed other fantastical spells to the rhythm. It was a dazzling performance, and it got the crowd cheering once again.

Hiro could only stare at Zeus from the sidelines. After all, there was no "Lord and Retainer" dance, not like he particularly liked dancing. He was fine right where he was. It wasn't long, however, until the planned dances were over, and the guests were free to dance among themselves, and perhaps to let one of their own heirs dance with Zeus. And, of course, many of the guests had their daughters line up to get a chance to dance with him. If this weren't a party put on by the Brundle family, Hiro and Zeus could have made a small fortune by making these young girls pay for a dance.

"You don't need to look so sad every time he dances with someone else, dummy." Kureha practically came out of nowhere and gave a small karate chop to the top of Hiro's head.

"Ow! Kurehaaaa! Not at the party!"

"Boohoo. Nobody pays attention to us, anyways. We're always just extras at these parties."

"That doesn't mean we can't enjoy them… And what do you mean I look sad?! I'm not sad!"

"Your existence is just sad. So, I just thought you were sad." Kureha had a devilish grin on her face. She was four years older than Hiro, so she had a lot more experience with the parties the Brundle family put on, and was already a lot more mature, even though Hiro and Zeus would tell you a much different story.

"Hmph!" Hiro stuck his nose up and turned away from his sister. "Why are you bothering me, anyways? Shouldn't you be with Lady Brundle?"

"She's talking to the other nobles. Father is with her, and it sounds like they're talking politics, so I left."

"Pawl-uh-ticks? What's that?"

"I dunno, but it was really boring stuff. I hardly knew what they were talking about."

"Uh huh. So you came to bother me, because…?"

"What? I'm not allowed to hang out with my baby brother, who I love soooo much?" Kureha pulled Hiro into a head lock and gave him a noogie.

"Aaah! Kureha, no!" Hiro tried to quickly fix his hair before any of the other servants saw, especially Miss Olivia.

"Haha! Got 'ya!" After her successful attempt at annoying her little brother, Kureha's face softened. "But seriously, though. Are you doing okay? You do look a little sad over here."

Hiro didn't know how to answer her. He didn't feel sad, so why did she think so? But, seeing Zeus over there, having fun with other people was making him feel something. Something he didn't know how to describe.

"I… I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Well, I don't know if I'm sad. I don't feel sad, but I'm not happy, either."

"How does it feel, then? You can tell me anything, you know."

The young boy had to think for a moment before he answered. "Maybe… um… I think it's like being upset?"

"Upset?"

"Yeah. Even though I know Zeus will be done dancing soon, I just wish he wasn't dancing in the first place."

"What, you think he's a bad dancer or something?"

"No, it's more like.. I just want to be playing with him right now, and not anybody else, you know? And it… kind of hurts that he"s not doing that right now."

A massive lightbulb went off in Kureha's head. This was her first inkling of what was happening, but she won't ever say her thoughts out loud to anyone.

"Well, you can't always have someone to yourself. That's just selfish, and you may end up hurting them if they don't want to do what you want, too." She turned to her younger brother and gave him a gentle smile. "So… just wait for him. If he wants to come back, he will."

"You sound like mom."

"And you listen to mom. So, listen to me for once."

"Maybe." Kureha shot him a slightly threatening look. "But… Thanks, sis. I'll wait."

And so, he did. Hiro waited until every last dance was done from the sidelines.

---

After Zeus had finally worked his way through every girl that wanted a dance, he immediately made his way over to Hiro. How he still had energy in him to walk after over 50 straight dances, Hiro will never know. Maybe his dinner had an energy booster or something.

"Hiro, come on! My mom wants to talk to me!" Before Hiro could even get a word in, he was already being dragged away from his wallflower perch.

"Wh- okay, okay! I'm coming!"

The two boys worked their way over to Lady Brundle, who was still surrounded by many other guests. Hiro looked around, and noticed that his father was back on the other side of the room with Lord Brundle. He must have known Hiro would be dragged away with Zeus, so he simply went to a new "post". He was always sharp, except for when it came to Lord Brundle's distractions.

"Ah, darling! Thank you for joining us." Lady Brundle welcomed her son and Hiro warmly. "Did you enjoy your dancing time?"

"Of course, mother!" Zeus flashed a large, sweet smile at his mother. He has always been a bit of a momma's boy.

"Oh, what a charmer!" cooed one of the guests nearby.

"Tell us, dear. Was there anyone you enjoyed dancing with… the most?" Another guest asked slyly. They wasted no time in getting to the point. Lady Brundle hid her annoyance, but she knew this was coming.

"Oh, um… Well, they're all such good dancers. I don't think I like anyone more than the rest."

"My, my! So fair and kind. Milady, your son is already growing up wonderfully!" The first guest spoke up again. While she tried to hide it, it was easy to tell that she was both hurt by Zeus' lack of favoritism, but not discouraged by the even playing field.

"Ah, yes, thank you." Lady Brundle replied.

"Well, young man," the second guest bent down to meet Zeus' eye level, "you may want to think about a favorite. You just might end up marrying one of those beautiful girls you just danced with!" The second guest gave a big wink to Zeus. Hiro's cheeks grew a little pink upon hearing the adults talk about marriage.

"Oh, come now, darling. He's a little too young to-" Lady Brundle was interrupted before she could change the subject.

"Why would I think about it? I already know who I want to marry." Zeus said bluntly, but still with some confusion.

The guests squealed at Zeus' bold statement. A choice! A bride in the making! Lady Brundle almost choked on her own tongue out of sheer surprise. She looked at her son like he had just grown five heads.

"Well now, sweetheart! Now you HAVE to tell us who the lucky gal is! We won't tell her, of course."

Hiro could barely believe these women. He wasn't very experienced in these kinds of social matters, but he could tell they all had ulterior motives.

"Well… When you marry someone, you want to spend forever with them, right? To never be apart from them?" Zeus turned towards his mother.

"Ah, well, yes… To put it simply."

"Then, I want to marry Hiro!"

Zeus' answer was quick, and made the group fall silent. Hiro couldn't believe his ears. Whispers of "Who is Hiro?", "Is that the Tachibana boy?", and "The young lord wants to marry a boy? How unheard of!" made their rounds in the back of the group with the gossip-mongers. The poor, dark haired boy's face was so red from Zeus' proclamation, and he had to look at the floor out of embarrassment. He wasn't upset at Zeus, however. In fact, he felt warmth and joy.

Lady Brundle shook her head to regain her composure. "Zeus, darling… Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Zeus replied eagerly.

Lady Brundle approached Hiro, who was still processing Zeus' words. She knelt down to meet his gaze and placed a gentle hand on his cheek to turn the young boy's face to meet her own. Hiro looked at her with red cheeks and a bit of fear in his eyes. "And what about you, Hiro? Do you want to marry Zeus?" She spoke calmly, and without judgment.

"I… I want to marry Zeus, too!" Hiro's mouth moved faster than his brain. He didn't think about it, he just said what he felt. If he got to stay with Zeus forever, of course he'd say yes.

Lady Brundle stood up slowly, and then burst out into a hearty laugh.

"Well, ladies! It looks as though my son has a favorite after all! Looks like you'll have to try again later!" The rest of the guests could not believe what they had just heard, but they laughed along with Lady Brundle. They thought that, maybe, they WOULD try again later. This won't be the last time they see Zeus, of course. And he only just turned nine, so there is a good chance he'll grow out of it… or at least that's what they all thought.

"Well now, dear, go run and get your father. It is almost time for cake!" Lady Brundle winked at her son, who was still confused at why his answer caused so much disturbance among the guests his mother was with. But, cake! Cake is a good distraction. The two boys immediately shifted gears and started running to Lord Brundle so they could finally get the dessert they had been waiting for.

—

The party had finally settled for the night after cake had been served. Guests trickled out of the Brundle estate slowly, with some of the women looking more disappointed than others. Not to say it wasn't a great time, and Lord and Lady Brundle personally saw every guest off as they left.

Hiro and Zeus had already snuck off to their secret spot again, with two large slices of cake that they snatched while nobody was looking. They were surprised that there was still so much left, but that just meant more for them, so they were happy about it.

The two boys spent a long time talking about the party and the super ugly people there in between mouthfuls of cake. Zeus was finally able to relax again, and the night was still relatively young. It was only 8 p.m., so well before their bed time. Zeus complained about the stuffy nobles and almost all of the girls he had to dance with.

"She kept stepping on my toes, Hiro! Did you see that?!"

"Yeah! Who taught her how to dance? Wasn't she older than you, too?"

"Ugh, YES! So weird! My feet are going to have so many bruises tomorrow, I swear!"

"We'll need to get you a lot of ice, that's for sure."

"Ugh…" Zeus slumped in the stone bench, visibly exhausted. Who thought it was a good idea to put a nine year old through so much turmoil?

"At least you were there. You're my hero!"

"Uhh… I'm owned by you?"

"No, not… owning. Hero, like how Garuto is a hero of the Foliage Village?"

"OOOOOH! W-well, it was nothin'..." Hiro's cheeks turned red again, and he had to look at the ground again to avert Zeus' gaze. He couldn't help but ask Zeus the burning question he's had since his last interaction with Lady Brundle "U-um.. Zeus?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you… mean what you said to your mom?"

"About marrying you?"

"Yeah…"

"'Course I did! Why?"

"I just… It…" Hiro turned further away from Zeus, trying to hide his red face. "It… made me really happy, but… Why?"

"Well…" Zeus' cheeks also started to turn pink. "Y-you said it earlier! We're never going to be apart, so, that means we'll be together forever! And, well, marrying you is…"

"Huh…?"

"Marrying you means I want to be together with you forever, and I do, s-so of course I mean it!"

Hiro couldn't help but laugh.

"Wha- Hey! Don't make fun of me!!"

"No, I… I'm not. I'm just… happy."

"Happy..?"

"I want to stay with you forever, too, so…"

Zeus perked up when Hiro spoke those words, and his eyes sparkled. He grabbed Hiro's hands excitedly and whipped Hiro around so he could see into his eyes.

"Do you mean it?" Zeus was uncharacteristically serious. Hiro wasn't used to this.

"...Why wouldn't I?" Hiro replied nervously. He looked into Zeus' sapphire eyes, and noticed the warmth of Zeus' hands around his. He didn't quite understand what exactly he was feeling when he did, and his face was still flushed.

"Pinky promise?" Zeus let go of Hiro's right hand and extended his pinky finger. Hiro looked at Zeus' hand, and his face softened for a moment.

"Pinky promise." Hiro wrapped his pinky around the other boy's tightly.

"Then it's settled! When we're older, we'll get married!" Zeus beamed, and Hiro had never seen Zeus this happy. He couldn't help but smile.

This was their happiness. Nobody could take this from them. This promise is theirs to have. Whether it is kept or not doesn't matter right now, but they just know that everything will end up okay.

☆☆☆

Twenty three years together, and things couldn't be any more different.

Sunlight peeks through the curtains of a night class dormroom on a lazy day off. Zeus and Hiro are still asleep in their beds as their blackout curtains are seemingly failing at their jobs. It's almost eleven in the morning, but this is just the routine for a student in the night class.

Zeus is the first one to pop his eyes open, letting out a massive yawn as his body adjusts to being awake. He rubs his eyes and looks over at Hiro, who looks like he hasn't even turned over in the night. Zeus debates on holding up a mirror to his nose to check if he's even breathing, but he's done that before. He then remembers the consequences of doing that, and ultimately decides against it. Instead, he decides to take a nice shower and go through the rest of his morning routine. He doesn't wake Hiro directly, but he's sure Hiro will give him an earful for starting the "stupidly loud shower" while he's still sleeping. It's a risk he'll have to take.

Not long after Zeus starts the shower, Hiro's eyes peel open. Although he notices the shower is on, he's way too groggy and sleepy to care. He sits up in his bed and stares at the dorm, which is covered in a lot of memories from their past few years at Gedonelune Academy. Hiro never understood why, but Zeus was one of those people that wanted pictures of almost every major event that they experienced at the academy. Every single one of them also has little notes written on them, most of them in Zeus' handwriting, but not all. There's a picture of their first day at the academy, when Headmaster Randolph stepped down, when Zeus and Hiro first became prefects, and so many other memories made with the other friends they've made while at the academy. There's even a photo of them chasing after their friends, Liz and Leslie, for… reasons Hiro and Zeus don't wish to speak about. Hiro always thought that was a memory Zeus didn't want on the wall, but Zeus insists on having it "so he doesn't forget what he felt that day", whatever that means.

Still barely processing his surroundings, Hiro slowly makes his way to the kitchenette in their room and starts preparing some much needed coffee for the two of them. Thankfully, the Night Class dorm rooms were nice enough to have such a thing so they didn't have to go all the way down to the communal kitchen every single time. Once the coffee is done brewing, Hiro starts preparing Zeus' cup first. Zeus prefers his coffee with a lot of creamer and sugar, so it has to be warmed back up. He then starts pouring his own… with just as much creamer, but not as much sugar. He thinks that the creamer is sweet enough, especially since they got a cinnamon roll flavored one this time. Hiro's lips curl into a smile as he remembers the debate the two had at the grocery store.

Now slightly more caffeinated, Hiro goes to make his bed and grab some clean clothes for when Zeus eventually comes out of the shower. Zeus can take a long, long time in the shower, so Hiro decides that he'll get some morning exercise in while he waits. He turns on a speaker on top of his dresser and starts playing some of his favorite bands, then goes immediately into his stretches. He hums along to some of the songs as he continues to stretch as "Honey, Gravity Is Working Right" and "Greetings to the Dark Gray Street Performers" play right after one another, which pleases his inner middle schooler. He then starts doing what should seem like an unnatural amount of push-ups, taking some extra sips of coffee in between reps. Despite his daily workouts, Hiro has always had muscle, but it never really shows. His abs are more defined, sure, but his arms almost always look like toothpicks. He debates on whether or not to bulk up, but decides not to in favor of having the element of surprise. Always better to be underestimated than overestimated, according to his father.

When Hiro starts working up a sweat, Zeus finally comes out of the bathroom.

"It's about damn time." Hiro chided playfully. When he got up, he then noticed that Zeus only had a towel on. Hiro immediately turned away to gather his own clothes and speaker, a small blush across his cheeks.

"Aw, boo hoo. It's not my fault you don't wake up first." Zeus smirked and went to the microwave to retrieve the coffee he knew would be waiting for him.

"You can always wake me up, you know."

"Noo-ho-hoooo way! Not anymore!" Zeus takes a big sip of coffee, smiling at how good Hiro makes it. "You are WAY too scary when I wake you up. The way you glare at me makes me feel like my life is in danger!"

"Your life is always in danger with me around." Hiro smirks and heads to the bathroom, still trying to avoid eye contact with Zeus.

"Hey! It should be the opposite, you bastard!!"

Hiro gave a nonchalant wave to Zeus before closing the bathroom door and locking it, finally having a truly private moment to himself. After turning on the shower to warm it up (and thanking the gods that the dorms have infinite hot water), Hiro paces over to the mirror, looking himself in the eyes and slapping his cheeks. "Get. A. Hold of yourself!" he whispers to himself, his face growing even more red the more he thought about Zeus.

These feelings weren't new, per se, but they have been difficult for Hiro to understand. Once puberty was in full swing for the two, things just started getting so… different. Zeus got more and more popular, and Hiro started to feel like he was growing further away from him, even though he was always at his side. Their physical intimacy had lowered, too, so every touch felt like fireworks. Hiro thought it was bad at first, and that it was more like burning. However, after the incident where Zeus almost lost his life to a fierga, and after Hiro was possessed by the BBW… He realized that it was a different kind of burning. Instead of a raging forest fire, it was more like a calm bonfire where you roast marshmallows on a clear summer night. Hiro just couldn't quite understand why he was feeling that way with Zeus. He never stopped to think about why, but he knew that Zeus had begun to annoy him in their later years. However, it wasn't in a bad way. After all, if it was that bad, why was he still there, right where he has been for the past twenty three years?

Hiro mulled over these thoughts while the hot water rushed down his face and body, hoping that the steam would help clear his head.

Zeus, on the other hand, was still working on his coffee and scanning his closet for the perfect outfit. Something comfortable, but different enough from his usual outfit. He mumbles a quick incantation to show him what the weather outside the academy is like. A nice, slightly warm spring day and a clear night. A perfect day, if you will. He smiles and pulls out some lighter clothes. He settles for a dark blue v-neck tee, tight black jeans that have pre-made distressing, dark brown lace-up boots, gray knit crew socks, and an oversized cream knit cardigan. He also pulls out his favorite pair of sunglasses: circular, reflective blue lenses with gold detailings and a gold, detachable chain. Even Hiro likes this pair, despite not being a huge sunglasses person.

"Perfect." He whispers, pushing up the sleeves of his cardigan to his elbows. He also pulls out a couple of rings, putting them on their respective fingers. Finally satisfied with his choices, he also fishes out a dark brown satchel and throws a couple things he thinks he'll need for the day: his Wolaroid camera, extra film for said camera, photo holder, lip balm, tissues, a small velvet box that he keeps in there just because, etc.

It's at this point Zeus hears the shower stop, and he goes to open the door to the patio and lets some fresh air in (and lets his eyes adjust to the sunlight). Zeus steps out onto the balcony, taking a deep breath. A small wind tickles his nose for a second, which causes him to exhale much more violently than he wanted.

Hiro comes out of the bathroom not long after, fully clothed unlike his roommate, and notices that a half full coffee cup is sitting next to Zeus' closet. Hiro grabs it and his own cup, then slides on a pair of slippers before joining Zeus on the balcony.

"You can just tell me if you don't like my coffee, you know." Hiro jokes as he hands Zeus the cup.

"Ahh, I knew I was forgetting something!" Zeus grabs the cup gingerly. "I forgot to tell you that your coffee tastes like ass."

"Well, I guess I asked for that."

"That you did."

"Then again, how exactly do you know what ass tastes like?" Hiro side-eyes Zeus smugly, taking a sip.

Zeus retaliates with an even more smug grin.

"ケツを食ベる."

Hiro nearly chokes on his coffee.

"NO. No! Who the hell taught you that?!"

"Randy said it, Azusa told me what it meant and how to say it properly."

"He actually told you how to say 'I eat ass' in proper Hinomotan?!"

"I'm always full of surprises, aren't I?"

"Oh my god. Oh my god, actually." Hiro buries his face into his free hand, shaking from trying not to burst out laughing. Trying to compose himself, Hiro notices that burning feeling in his chest again. He eventually shakes it off, and looks back over the balcony. Zeus turned to Hiro and broke the chaos.

"Anyways, I've decided that we're going into town today."

"You decided? I have no choice?"

"Nope. I need you to perform your retainer duties."

"Whatever. Anywhere in particular?"

"Well, Jay mentioned that there is a new café that she thought we'd like, and today just so happens to be nice out, so…"

"You wanted an excuse to spend your allowance."

"Exactly!"

The two shared a look and chugged the rest of their drinks. There wasn't a lot left, but it's the thought that counts. After leaving the cups in the sink, Hiro went to put on his usual boots. In fact, he was dressed much more plainly than Zeus. A band tank top, dark blue jeans, a black and white flannel tied around his waist, his usual belts, and a crystal necklace that Zeus got him a long time ago. It was comfy, and that's all that mattered to him. Once he was done lacing up, he grabbed his katana and tied the scabbard around his less decorative belt. Zeus waited by the door and grabbed their dorm keys.

"Are you ready yet?"

"Yes, your highness."

Zeus glared at him. "I thought I told you to stop calling me that." Was it just Hiro, or was Zeus blushing a bit?

"I'm allowed to rebel against my liege if it's for their benefit."

"Very funny. Let's get going!"

—

The trip into town was always a bit of a walk, but all of the students were grateful for how close the town was overall.

It wasn't long before the two found themselves on Main Street, the town bustling with students and families on such a nice day off. Zeus pulls out a note from their friend Jay, which has the address of the café she recommended. Thankfully, it wasn't far off from where they were. Following that trail, they work their way to a quaint café that has wisteria flowers creeping up the side of the building and hanging over the entrance. The iron and wood sign above read "Café Selune". That's definitely the name she scribbled on the paper.

"Oh hey, dorks!"

Speak of the devil.

Turning towards the voice that called out to them, there stood Jay Abbey. It took them a moment to recognize her, mostly because she was out of uniform and had a completely different hair color than her normal light blue.

"Oh, hey, Jay! What are you doing out?"

"I'm heading down to my dad's wand shop for a visit. I see you're already checking this lovely little café…?"

"W-well, you have good taste sometimes, so I thought we'd get a bite to eat while we're out!"

"But, this was the only thing you said you wanted to do?"

Zeus froze, his ears turning red.

"A-anyways! What's with the hair change? Did you dye it last night or somethin'?"

"Yeah, the white looks nice, but it's weird seeing you without the blue."

"I hate to break this to you guys, but the white is my natural color. I normally use magic to make it blue. If I didn't, I'd never get the dye out." Jay raised an eyebrow and glanced at Zeus.

"Actually… While I have you, Zeus, could I talk to you for a sec? I have some, uh, questions about your lesson from last week!"

"I… guess? Can't it wait until tomorrow, though?"

"Nope. Right now. Alone. I don't have much more daylight left if I'm gonna see my dad!"

Jay grabbed Zeus by the arm and practically dragged him away by force. Hiro would have followed if he didn't have a reason to trust her, but he does. Jay has been a great friend since the Night and Day classes merged, and she's one of the few people who can actually spar with Hiro. She's a bit of a hothead like Zeus is, though, so it's a miracle how THEY have gotten along. Regardless, Jay took Zeus just out of earshot, although she looked almost excited about something? He wonders what questions she had, but last week's lessons were about summoning magic, which was not Hiro's area of expertise. Actually, Jay and Zeus had been talking in private pretty often, and Hiro wasn't entirely sure why. There was something off about what she had said to get him over, but…

"Phew! You're the best. I'll be sure to return the favor later."

"Haha… Anytime?" Zeus seemed a little dazed as they walked back, but not completely out of it. Hiro had seen this before, was she raking him over the coals about something?

"Ah, damn! Look at what time it is! I gotta run, but I'll see you guys tomorrow!" And just as swift as she arrived, Jay sped off into town, giving them a wink and a wave as she disappeared into the packed streets.

"... And there she goes."

Zeus gave a relieved sigh.

"She can be such a damn thorn in my side, I swear!"

"What was all that about, anyways?

"Oh, uh, she just had a question about one of the summoning formulas. She said she couldn't read my writing." Zeus' ears had turned red again, and he scratched the side of his nose. Hiro knew instantly that he was lying, but decided against pursuing why. He felt a pit form in the bottom of his stomach, and wasn't sure where this anxiety was coming from.

"What, were you afraid she was asking me out on a date or something?" Unbeknownst to the both of them, Zeus' joke was right on the money.

"Absolutely not. Nobody would want to go on a date with you, King Kook." Hiro turned on his heels and walked into the café.

"Hey!! At least wait for me, Hiro!"

The inside of the café was just as beautiful as the outside. Exposed dark bricks juxtaposed a large window that let in tons of natural light. There were still string lights that had ivy intertwining with them that hung from the ceiling, likely giving the building a soft glow in the evening. The black metal tables and chairs furthered the overgrown modern city aesthetics as well, seeing as though the rest of the place was almost covered with plants. The two took a seat at a booth closer to the entrance, which had even more wisteria growing around it. Contemplating the menu was tough, as everything on it sounded amazing. They eventually decided to split a large brunch platter while getting separate drinks. Zeus ordered a cranberry and ginger ale soda, while Hiro ordered a blue raspberry ice cream float. Zeus made a snide comment about Hiro wanting something so sweet early in the day, and Hiro quickly shut him down by making fun of choosing to willingly drink ginger ale.

"I can see why Jay likes this place already, though."

"Oh, yeah. This is totally up her alley. I feel bad for the people with pollen allergies, though."

"Well, there was a sign saying that all of the plants here are on a strict pollen watch, so unless you touch one, you should be fine."

"Huh! I totally missed that."

"Well, the sign was as small as your brain, so I can see why you missed it."

"Ouch. I take you out somewhere nice, and all I get in return are insults? I'm hurt, Hiro."

"You make it sound like I can't go somewhere on my own."

"Never said that. All I'm asking for is a little gratitude when I take you out somewhere like this!" Zeus jokingly stuck his nose in the air and crossed his arms. Hiro chuckled.

"Fine. Thank you, my liege, for allowing me this humble opportunity to dine with you."

"Eugh. You sound like your dad."

"Ask and ye shall receive."

"Very funny." Zeus started taking out his camera, then went up to the hostess to ask whether or not it was okay to take photos, then headed back to the booth.

"Did they say yes?"

Zeus grinned, slinging the camera's strap around his neck. "Yep. They even asked for one." He held the camera up and took a few photos of their immediate surroundings, trying to get a close up of the flowers around them. Zeus found a lot of beauty in the wisteria around the two of them, but also made sure to snap a few pictures of Hiro as well. Hiro doesn't mind at this point, since he's so numb to Zeus' antics. Zeus looks down at the last picture he took, which was of Hiro candidly staring out the window, with the flowers casting small shadows over his face. He was beautiful, and Zeus smiled at the photo.

"Are you done yet?" Hiro turns his attention from outside to the server bringing them their food, and giving the server a small thank you as he grabs the plates and immediately goes for the fruit salad bowl and picks out the honeydew.

"Uh, never." Zeus retorts sarcastically as he starts to put the photos in the special photo holder he put in his satchel earlier, but leaves one out so he doesn't forget to give it to the hostess before they leave. He then reaches for the honeydew that Hiro has been picking out. "Are you done with that fruit salad? I might want some fruit other than your leftovers, you know."

"Touché." Hiro sets down the small bowl and moves his attention to a few slices of toast and the small pile of scrambled eggs. He takes some of the eggs and places it on top of the slice of toast after he butters it and takes a large bite, and his eyes widen at how good it is. Hiro doesn't always get to eat it, and is reminded of how breakfast food rules. The toast is perfectly crispy, the butter is soft and flavorful, and the scrambled eggs are surprisingly creamy. Zeus holds in a chuckle when he sees Hiro's expression. It was like he was a little kid again, and it's… not a look Zeus gets to see very often. He thinks about taking his camera out again to take a picture of Hiro, but his stomach is overruling that idea.

Two drinks, half an hour of small talk and banter, and the entire platter of food later, the two begin to settle from their meal. When they get to the last few bites, Hiro speaks up and asks the question that's been lingering in the back of his mind.

"So… What else did you want to do today?'

Zeus half chokes on his mouthful of bacon. "W-well… Did you want to do something else today?"

Hiro gives him the look. "Don't play coy. You said to Jay, and I quote, that you 'wanted to get a bite to eat while we were out'. You have something else planned."

"Ugh…" Zeus swallows and hangs his head in defeat. "You're too sharp sometimes."

Zeus turns his head away from Hiro shyly and averts his gaze as his cheeks shift softly to pink. "There's… There's a fireworks show tonight. I thought it would be a nice surprise if we went, since we have the day free 'n all."

Hiro was stunned. He's not used to Zeus actually thinking out surprises like this. His mind flashes back to his birthday "gifts", like the Eastern Dragon, the Laughing Frog, and then the cards that he and everyone else made him. He still has those, actually. Then it hits him: there was no way he thought of this on his own. He's way too stupid.

"... You could have just asked me to go, then. I would have said yes." Hiro sighs and rests his face on his right hand. He averts his eyes from Zeus.

"That completely defeats the purpose of it being a surprise, idiot."

"Whatever. What time does it start?"

"Uh… 8, I think."

Hiro then looks at the clock on the wall of the café. It's 1 p.m. already, so they have plenty of time before then. Hiro puts the last few bites of hash browns in his face and chugs the rest of his float.

"Well, as lovely as this place is, we can't stay here forever. We have time to kill, so where else do you wanna go?"

Zeus also downs the rest of his soda and covers his mouth when a burp escapes him. "Why don't we go shopping?"

Hiro's eyes narrow. "You really want to spend more of your allowance?"

"I can do what I want!"

"Fine, but if your parents cut you off, it's not my problem."

"Nah, mom wouldn't do that. Dad only would if your dad says he should, and that hasn't happened yet."

"Uh huh. Sure."

The two collect themselves and their items once they're done paying for their meal. Zeus leaves them a generous tip and hands the photo to the hostess, who smiles and thanks him for it. As they leave the shop, a petal from the flowers outside gets picked up by the wind and lands on top of Zeus' head. Hiro chuckles and picks it off, which makes Zeus laugh as well while they make their way towards the shopping district.

The city of Gedonelune is always bustling with people, and the shopping district is no different. Sometimes it feels like there are as many shops as there are people. People from all over the world come to sell their wares in the capital city, from magical items, to clothing, even to rare magical creatures in some unsavory places.

Hiro watches the people that go by like a hawk - as there is never a time where he is allowed to relax from his duties as a retainer. After all these years he's spent by Zeus' side, Hiro has thankfully only had a few run-ins with “ne'er do wells” and “rogues” who would wish him or his family harm. In fact, most of the time they are both stopping a cut purse here or there. Hiro never likes the danger it poses to Zeus, but he knows that Zeus is a capable wizard in his own right. Zeus never has to worry while he’s out, unless Hiro isn’t with him.

As the two galavant around the town, Zeus has them stopping in almost every shop on the main strip. Clothing stores, magical items, jewelry, you name it. Hiro feels himself growing more tired with each and every department store he gets dragged into, but Zeus appears to be having the time of his life. Not spending as much as Hiro thought he would, but the clothes he tries on and the items he admires sparks a small well of emotion in him. It’s like Zeus is a kid in a candy store, and Hiro finds that almost… cute.

“Hey, Hiro!”

Zeus’ shout snaps Hiro back to reality.

“Hm? What is it?” Hiro rubs one of his eyes and yawns. Then he notices the absolute massive pile of clothes in the royal’s arms, and sighs as he knows what’s coming next.

“I’m going to be in the dressing rooms for a while. Feel free to roam around, though - this place has some great stuff!” Zeus’ grin is almost mischievous, like he knows he’s going to take a while. Hiro shifts his gaze to the racks to humor the other man. None of the clothes in here are his style.

“Maybe I will. Don’t take too long, though. You’ve been dragging us so… HAAAAAAUUHHH… long that it’s already 6:30. If you want good seats for this mysterious firework show, we’ll want to be there early.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’ll only be a minute, mom.” Hiro’s eyes narrow at that comment. “Don’t fall asleep on me, though! I don’t want to have to wake you up from that. You’ll sour the whole thing.”

“Uh huh.”

As Zeus zips into the dressing room, Hiro immediately flops down on one of the very comfy looking couches that are in front of the room Zeus has camped inside and spreads his weary legs and takes a deep breath. He leans his scabbard on his chest so it’s not as uncomfortable to relax. He fiddles with the charms on the hilt of his sword, but it doesn’t take long before his exhaustion catches up with him. He hangs his head down and closes his eyes, the noises of Zeus in the changing room and the faint music from the speakers in the store drowning out as he falls asleep, and dreams of a memory.

☆☆☆

Fifteen years together, and things are a little crazy right now.

Playful whispers and quiet laughter fills the hallways of the Brundle estate. It is homecoming night of two boys’ freshman year in highschool, and they have definitely been up longer than they are supposed to have been. After dancing their hearts out at the dance itself, there was a party hosted by a senior that included probably too many things that would be considered dangerous for slightly sheltered teenagers, so of course they had to partake in a little bit of it. Only a little so their parents don’t get suspicious, but certainly enough to have a little unsupervised fun. It’s very late in the night as the two return, although not unexpected from their parents. Hiro’s father, of course, protested such a late curfew, but Zeus’ father overruled it as “Hiro will be with them, Spring of their Youth”, and a whole lot of other things that swayed the stoic retainer into a more lenient state of mind.

Zeus, of course, ended up being the more popular of the two boys, both at school and the party. It happened almost on day one, even. Puberty was hitting the two boys particularly hard - and boy did it his Zeus like a truck. Hiro became more known as Zeus’ shadow, and is mildly popular by default for it. Zeus could never tell if it was because people actually liked him, or if they wanted to get in good graces with his family. He found it all rather shallow, but didn’t mind the attention nonetheless. Both at the dance itself and the party, girls (and some boys, even) lined themselves up for a chance to simply talk to the young royal. Hiro didn’t like any of it, but he was enjoying himself at least a little bit in seeing Zeus be so popular. Hiro kept towards the back, but rarely left Zeus’ side. Or, at least a 30 ft radius of him. He participated in some of the games that were going around, but he doesn’t really remember all of what was said, or even what was played. He does remember that a senior spiked the punch with alcohol at some point, which he immediately noticed. Zeus, thankfully, managed to grab his last cup before it was spiked, so he didn’t have to drink any of it. Some of the seniors tried pressuring him into doing so, but Zeus really knew how to shut that kind of thing down. He never caught on to the fact that someone spiked it, though, Zeus just thought they were being weird. It also helped that Hiro shot a searing glare at anyone who persisted, and was quick with his magic when others tried to add a little extra into Zeus’ drink. Other than that, the boys had been enjoying their time, mingling with the others and staying out way later than they should have. When the time comes for them to leave, the two are in a daze over their first real, actually peer-ran party. No adults, just people their own age. It was exhilarating, but also exhausting. The two flew on their hoverboards all the way home, speeding down the quiet, dark streets of Queensblade as the cool night breeze brushed against their smiling faces.

The way Hiro remembers the way home is a little hazy, but he does remember having to sneak into the manor and running through the hallways, Zeus’ hand on his as they work their way through the lavish halls. Moonlight spills through the large windows, yet Hiro only has tunnel vision for the boy in front of him. Everything else is a blur of dull golds and silvers, colorful paintings and vases become splotches of color as the faint candlelight lights their way through the halls. He can’t tell if it’s the small taste of freedom he had at the party, or if he’s just a little too sleep deprived, but his focus on Zeus is just… different, than what he’s used to. Like he can’t explain it. Maybe it was because he had to focus on him all night, he thought.

The two eventually find their way back to Zeus’ room, and the two immediately collapse on the young royal’s bed, awkward hands still intertwined. They’ve been doing this quite a bit now, holding each other’s hands. It always feels so natural between them when it happens, too, as if they don’t even have to think about it. Always in private, though - never in front of others.

Hiro can barely remember how the conversation started, but he remembers where it ends up. It’s not something he could ever forget.

“It’s so strange. Are… parties always like that? That was so different from any of the ones we’ve had here.”

“I know what you mean. It felt like a different world out there. It’s really, really weird.”

“Yeah… But, ugh, some people were being so weird about the punch at the end there. ”

“Hah, yeah… I never expected anyone to actually spike it.”

“What.”

“What do you mean, ‘what’?”

“Someone. Spiked it? As in, like, drugs? Did I almost eat a drug?!”

“No, you moron! Alcohol. Likely vodka, I think. I don’t know, something that’s clear and works fast, I guess.”

“Uuuuuughhhh. No wonder why people wanted me to drink more of it.”

“There were quite a few people out to get you for that.”

“Yeah, don’t think I didn’t notice that part. Although…”

“Hm?”

“I guess… no, nevermind.” Zeus’ grip tightened on Hiro’s hand.

“Go ahead, say it. You can tell me.”

“It’s just… I dunno. There were a lot of upperclassmen there, and a lot of them seemed to be weirdly into me. I just thought, you know… If something were to happen between, you know, me and one of them…”

“That’s… a weird thing to think about when some of them were definitely trying to get you drunk off your ass.”

“Hey, to be fair, I thought they might have been trying to be nice! And you know, some of them were kinda hot.”

“Oh my god, you CANNOT be serious!”

“But what if!!”

“What if nothing!” Hiro lets go of Zeus’s hand for the first time in what must have been over an hour. He leaps up from the bed and stands in front of Zeus, arms crossed and now looking very sternly at the other boy. “What could you possibly hope to think about the ‘hot’ people who were trying to take advantage of you?!”

“Okay, well let’s say, hypothetically-” Hiro narrows his eyes. Zeus sits up, starts to sweat and can’t meet Hiro’s eyes. “If, for some reason, they weren’t doing that, and, uh… You know, if, maybe… Maybe something happened between us…”

“Zeus.”

“I don’t know, I guess I’m just nervous that because I haven’t DONE anything, uh… You know. Romantic? S-sexual?” Hiro softens his gaze, and drops his arms. “If… If I made a fool of myself, and then they told everybody about it…”

Hiro sighed and sat back down.

“You… really are an idiot.” Hiro’s face flushed at the idea of Zeus being… “together” with anyone else. He doesn’t know why he feels that way, but something deep inside of him felt like it would be wrong. He also doesn’t know why he says what he does next.

“You could… you could always practice with me, you know.”

It was hard to see in the dark bedroom, but both of their faces had turned as red as can be. Zeus looked so shocked at Hiro, and Hiro was so sure that he had just ruined everything. He doesn’t even know why he said it! Did he even mean it? Was it even okay for him to mean it? All of these thoughts rushed through his head.

“Uh…”

And there it was. “I-I’m sorry. I…” Hiro felt his world crashing down. Out of sheer embarrassment, he turned away from Zeus and curled up into a ball. He felt his head and heart pounding. Silence fell in the bedroom for the first time, and Hiro hated every second of it. Hiro contemplated just getting up and leaving right then and there, but he could barely move.

“Do you… mean it?”

Zeus’ soft, almost eager voice was the first to break the silence.

“I… don’t know. I…”

“Hiro. You can be honest with me, too.”

“I… I want to be.”

Zeus reached a hand out and placed it on Hiro’s shoulder. His hand was gentle, nervous, even. “You want to be?”

“I just… Would it be okay, you know, if I said that I did mean it?” Hiro barely understood what was happening with him. What has come over him? And why now? What the hell is so different for him to be so bold with the person who he cares most for?

“I-I don’t think I’d be okay with anyone else, weirdly enough… So, u-um… Yes. Yes, I, uh, think that it, um, would be okay.” Zeus turned his head away, his face still flushed as he spoke.

Hiro shifted his body to once again face Zeus, his eyes wide. Were those tears he felt, as well? Hiro’s face was too hot to feel anything, and it was too dark for Zeus to tell.

“I… okay. Yeah. Okay.” Hiro wiped his warm cheeks, just in case. He has never felt so relieved in his life. Even if this is just for the night, even if they both forget it by the morning, or act like it never happened, Hiro won’t forget it.

The room fell silent once again, the two boys avoiding eye contact. It was awkward. Very, very awkward. Somebody had to break it.

“Do you want to practice now?”

Spoken in unison, they turned to finally look each other in the eyes, almost fearful of the other’s answer.

“Oh- Uh..”

“No, no, uh, sorry…”

“No, no it’s okay! Um.” Hiro took a deep breath. “Hoo. Okay. Okay. Let’s just, uh, start over.”

“Y-yeah! Okay. Starting over. Right now.”

“Yup. Right now.”

Hiro took another deep breath, this time making a motion with his arms to center his breathing, much like his father taught him before. Zeus copied him, then took Hiro’s hands in his own, holding them as if he was holding a treasure.

“Okay… Hoo.” Zeus was staring hard. “Hiro, w-would you like to practice… now?”

Hiro nodded, shifting his eyes to his and Zeus’ hands for a moment. “Alright. U-um…”

“W-what is it?”

“I-I… I’m going to kiss you now.”

“Right now?”

“Y-yes! Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be!”

“I-I’m not trying to!”

“Well talking isn’t making it any easier!!”

“Well then just do it already, you idiot!!”

“Argh, just, shut it!” Zeus moved his hands and cupped Hiro’s cheeks, moving his face closer to Hiro’s. Hiro closed his eyes and braced for impact.

When their lips finally came to meet, it wasn’t great. Zeus just kind of pressed his lips on Hiro’s and stayed there for a little while. The only other sound in the room was their heartbeats racing. After a brief moment, Zeus pulled away, still keeping his face close to Hiro’s, foreheads almost touching.

“U-um. How was that?”

“... You could use some work.”

“What do you mean, use some work!? I’m doing my best here!”

“Here, look.” Hiro grabbed Zeus’ chin, adjusting his jaw so Zeus’ lips would be slightly parted. “Keep your lips slightly parted. Relax your lips, you’re way too tense.”

“You make it sound like you’re an expert.” Zeus huffed.

“Hush. Now, when you kiss, offset your lips from theirs just a little.” Hiro was nervous, but leaned in again. “Like this.” This time, with Hiro taking the lead, it was much better the second time around. Well, better for two kids who have never kissed anyone else in their entire lives aside from pecks on the cheek for family. Pulling away for small breaths here and there, the two kept “practicing” for… quite a while. The kisses did get better every time, and the one kiss turned into 10, 20, what must have felt like 100. If this were a cheesy teen romance movie, this would be where the camera circles around them with every kiss. Their kisses also got sleepier over time as well, the two climbing on each other and back fully on the bed. Their hands wandered never too far down, but just enough to either keep balance and to gently hold the other when the time called for it. The two eventually found themselves laying down, bodies entangled so tenderly and innocently. It wasn’t long until the two eventually got worn out, and started drifting off to sleep after a long night. By the time morning would come, Lord Tachibana would not find his son in his own room. By the time morning would come, this would be first and last time doing anything like this. No more practices.

Hiro laid on Zeus’ chest, arms grasping Zeus’ shirt softly, Zeus’ arms wrapped around Hiro, one hand intertwined in Hiro’s soft raven hair. It feels as though this was a dream, one Hiro doesn’t want to wake up from.

☆☆☆

“OI, HIRO!!”

And then he does.

“Yeesh, it’s about time! I’ve been trying to wake you up for, like, five minutes now!”

Hiro peeled his eyes open much like he did when he woke up the first time today, his face a grimace from being woken up so harshly.

“Good.” He growls as he sits up, rubbing his eyes. “Are you finally done?”

“For your information, technically yes, but it’s already 7:45! You have been asleep for over an hour!”

“And you’ve been in the dressing room for over an hour?!”

“Details details, we have to go!” Zeus grabbed Hiro’s wrist and pulled him up, practically bursting out of the shop. Hiro had to act fast or else he was going to lose his sword in the store.

“Ack- Zeus! Will you slow down?!” Zeus’ hand was still attached firmly on Hiro’s wrist as they darted through the darkened Gedonelune streets, the street lamps lightly lighting their way as the sunset starts to fade on the horizon, pink and orange clouds dancing above them as they ran.

“No way! If we slow down now, we’ll miss it!”

“There’s going to be more than one firework, you moron! Jeez, where are we even going, anyways!?”

Zeus didn’t slow down, though. He led him through several alleys, trying to avoid running into other people as much as possible. Street lamps started to brighten, and they were almost a blur as they rushed past all of them. Zeus eventually led them to a point that was almost on the outskirts of the town, a small, cute little park with a large fountain in the middle. Clearly this wasn't a popular spot for watching the fireworks, because there was hardly anybody else there. Having ran what felt like a marathon, the two boys were breathing heavily as they finally got a chance to rest. Zeus flopped right in front of the fountain, spreading his arms and legs out. Hiro bent over, using his knees to support his upper body so he didn't fall over, before realizing that sitting was a very good idea.

"You… are so… fucking lucky… that we… are both in shape…" Hiro could barely speak between deep, hitched breaths. "If you ever… make me run like that… ever again… I will cut off your legs."

"You… would never…" Zeus grinned at Hiro, despite his entire body feeling like it's on fire. "Your dad… would kill you… if I ended up like mine."

Hiro didn't dare give that a witty comeback. He just decided to hit Zeus square in the stomach with the scabbard to his sword. Zeus let out a big "OOF" before clutching his stomach in pain, and then laughing. Hiro was way too tired to laugh, but he did let a small chuckle escape. Before he knew it, Hiro was doing his usual scans of the area, looking for anything or anyone suspicious. He didn't see anything just yet, but he got the strange feeling like there was someone watching. Not maliciously, but…

[BOOM]

The sudden explosion of the first firework of the night startled Hiro. He looked to the sky, and there it was: a shimmering red firework. Next came dazzling showers of golds, greens, purples, and blues. Shaped like flowers, cats, and even some like stars, each and every firework that went off seemed to dance upon the twilight sky of the city. Somehow, that idiot managed to pick the perfect spot. This was the perfect place to watch them - and the two were far enough away so that way they didn't have to worry about the sound of the fireworks blowing out their eardrums.

"See? We made it just in time!" Zeus peeled himself off the ground and sat next to Hiro on the fountain's edge, brushing his cardigan off as he sat. "The rush was worth it!"

"I'm more amazed at how you found this spot. It's perfect." And very unlike Zeus, Hiro thought. There was no way he thought of this on his own.

"Isn't it? I saw this park in a little brochure not too long ago, then I saw where the fireworks were being lit… then BOOM! Great idea!" Zeus beamed, placing his hands proudly on his hips.

"Mmhm." Hiro does not remember seeing any kind of brochure like that in their room at all.

Zeus started taking out his camera for the second time (at least, to Hiro's knowledge - god only knows what he was doing in the dressing room), trying to focus on getting the perfect shot of the fireworks in the sky. He took a few unsuccessful ones, which he was saddened by. Hiro just kept his eyes on the sky, but occasionally stole a glance at Zeus whenever he would make disgruntled noises. This was nice. Zeus eventually got the kind of picture he wanted, then turned his attention to taking a selfie with Hiro.

"What are you doing?" Hiro rested his head on one of his hands.

"Come on, just one picture of us!"

"I think you've already taken enough pictures of me today. I saw you taking some at the café."

"This is different!!"

"Wha- how?!"

"Because I didn't get one of us! Totally different. Now shut up and smile!" Before Hiro could get another word in, Zeus was already smiling at the camera, making a peace sign with his other hand and snapping a photo. Hiro sighed once he was done.

"You are incorrigible."

"Ooh, five points for such a big word!"

Hiro glared daggers at his liege, quickly doing a partial draw on his sword and flashing the blade to intimidate Zeus.

"Yeesh. Tough crowd." Zeus put his photos and camera back into their respective cases in his bag, carefully switching it with something else. Hiro didn't see what it was, but Zeus did like fidgeting with random things in his bag.

After a few moments, something started eating at Hiro. It had actually been eating at him all day, but this was the first time he spoke out loud about it.

"Zeus. Why did you really want to go out today?"

"... Whaddya mean, Hiro?"

"Look, Zeus. I've known you for longer than I'd like to admit. You're not exactly yourself today, and I don't know why."

"Pretty sure I'm the same as I've always been."

Hiro straightened his back and sat up properly. "No, you're not." He chided as another gold and blue firework lit up the sky. "You've been acting weird all day."

"Yeah? How so?"

"Well, for starters…" Hiro stood up, crossing his arms as he turned his attention to Zeus. Zeus knew this pose well. Hiro is about to get on his soapbox.

"Not only did you 'just decide' to go out into town today, you deliberately hid the fact that you wanted to watch these fireworks."

Another boom echoes. Zeus is looking at the ground.

"Next, you have a very weird and secretive conversation with our good friend Jay that leaves you practically speechless."

Another. This time in reds and silvers.

"You want to go shopping, yet I didn't see you spend a single damn lune! Which I have never seen you do!"

Four booms at once.

"And you were in such a rush to get here, when any other place in the city could have done just as well! Seriously, Zeus, did you think I wouldn't notice?"

Another. Zeus meets Hiro's intense gaze sheepishly. "Hiro, I…"

"You what? Seriously, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine!" Zeus stands to meet Hiro's height. Hiro was always a little shorter than Zeus. "I just… I need to ask you something, Hiro." This was a look Hiro had not seen on Zeus' face in years. Only in a memory, now.

"I just… I don't know how to ask it right."

"You don't know until you try."

"I know, I know! Hoo. Okay." Zeus slapped his cheeks to recenter himself. He then looked Hiro right in the eyes as he spoke.

"Hiro, what do you think you are to me?"

Hiro was stunned, to say the least. He gave Zeus a thousand yard stare before he could even think of a proper answer.

"I, uh…"

Another boom. Blue and red this time.

"I-I'm your retainer. I'm the one that keeps you safe. What else am I supposed to be?" Hiro couldn't look Zeus in the eyes anymore. He was really blindsided by that question.

"Go on."

Another boom. Blue and red again.

"What do you mean, 'go on'? I don't understand…" Zeus reached a hand out to place on Hiro's shoulder. Hiro brushed it away.

"I… I think you have more to say."

"Zeus, if this is another one of your jokes, it is really not funny. I really don't know where you want me to go with this."

Another. Green and blue.

"I just want you to talk, Hiro."

"Talk about what?! You are my liege. I am your retainer. I keep you safe, you pay me. Actually, you don't even do that." Hiro turned away from Zeus. What does he even tell Zeus anyways? That he has been traumatized by his father's teachings and that is preventing him from truly becoming close with Zeus as they age? That he has feelings for Zeus he can't even describe because he's never asked anyone else about them, nor has he ever felt them towards anyone else?

Four more booms, all blue and green.

"I am your retainer. How many times do I have to say it, you idiot?! I am your royal shield, nothing more." Why did he feel his eyes welling up? Why is his chest burning again?

"... Is that really how you feel?"

Hiro nodded. Another boom. Blue again.

"I know my place, Zeus. I don't know how you haven't learned yours yet."

"Hiro." Zeus reached out and grabbed Hiro's wrist. No escape this time.

"W-what?!"

"... Do you know what I think you are to me?" Hiro didn't answer and kept his face hidden from Zeus. Another boom, red flowers.

"You are the most irreplaceable person in my life. You are the one that is always there for me, whether I like it or not."

"... Because I have to be."

"I don't believe that. If you didn't want to be here, you'd be watching over Lulu and Belle." He was right.

Another boom, red and blue flowers.

"Hiro, you are more than a retainer to me." Zeus tightened his grip on Hiro's wrist. Hiro could swear that he could hear Zeus' heartbeat. "You are my best friend, my partner in crime, my most trusted confidant."

Zeus walked around Hiro so he could see his face. Zeus was taken aback by the tears welling in Hiro's eyes. Zeus cupped Hiro's cheeks with both of his hands, drawing himself closer to Hiro. Hiro's heart was about to burst.

"I need you to understand how much you mean to me, Hiro. I'm sorry that I'm not great at saying it out loud or expressing it, but I mean it!"

Another boom, purple flowers.

"You are not my royal shield, Hiro. You are my royal treasure. My hero." Zeus' cheeks flushed a bright red as he spoke. Hiro didn't notice it before.

"You… You absolute moro-"

Before Hiro could finish his sentence, Zeus' lips were on his.

Another, all blue and gold.

This wasn't practice, this was… real. When Hiro got over the initial shock of what was happening, he was hesitant to kiss back. He was scared, but, against his better judgment, let his guard down for the first time in years and wrapped his arms around Zeus's neck, pulling him in closer. Zeus deepened the kiss when Hiro did this, and Hiro let him. The tears that had been welling in Hiro's eyes finally escaped. The burning in his chest turned to butterflies, almost as if they had finally been freed from a lifetime of captivity. When they finally parted, both of them were out of breath for a moment. Zeus rested his forehead on Hiro’s, still gently holding Hiro’s face in his hands.

“...Are you sure you’re feeling alright? Was that… practice?” Hiro muttered through trembling lips.

“Hiro, I am completely fine. That wasn’t practice.”

“But why all this? Why now?”

“I… don’t want to bring it back into the light.”

Hiro had already had a guess for what Zeus meant.

“... You can say it. I don’t mind.”

“Are you sure?” Hiro nodded again. “Okay…” Zeus was still blushing, but he looked at Hiro in the eyes once more. Zeus always loved the golden brown color that they were.

“When I was… In that coma, during your prefect trials…” Hiro hit the nail on the head. “I had a dream. I had a dream where you died instead of me. You were covered in so much blood, and I could barely even live with myself.” Hiro remembers staying by Zeus’ side every day and every night he was in that coma. He remembers Zeus stirring in his unconscious state, sometimes they did seem like he was having a nightmare… “I… saw your funeral. I had to console your mom, tell your dad that you died doing your job like he wanted, Kureha didn’t even speak to me. My family was constantly by my side, asking and making sure that I was okay. I had to spend the rest of my life without you. It was hell, and I don’t ever want to live like that ever again, dream or no dream.”

Another boom, reds, blues, and golds.

“... I think I understand.”

“But do you understand how important you are to me?”

Hiro felt more tears falling down his cheeks. Not like he could do anything to stop them. Hiro swallowed hard before speaking. “It’s… hard for me to. You are such a moron, and I…”

“Hiro, forget everything you’ve been taught for a minute. What do you want? How do you actually feel?”

Hiro blanked for a moment. Another boom, all gold. He tried clearing his mind, taking the time to think about what he wanted for a change. He thought about all of the years they’ve spent together, all the times Hiro had protected Zeus, all the times they just… had fun together. He reminisced on his own feelings, and he tried so hard to figure out what it was he had been feeling throughout his entire life. The burning in his chest, the static he would get every time they touched, how he was always so calm and how everything they did felt so natural, so right.

Another boom, gold and red.

And then it hit him. He finally connected the dots, how did he not realize this sooner?

He’s been in love with this idiot his entire life.

Another boom, purples, blues, and golds.

“I..” Hiro’s voice was almost a whisper as he spoke. He still wasn’t comfortable saying it out loud just yet. “I-I think that… maybe… I just want to stay with you. For a long time.”

Zeus wiped the warm tears from Hiro’s eyes. “I think you can do better than that.” He grinned.

“Shut up, you idiot! This is difficult enough as it is; I can’t just let go of the mindset that’s been drilled into me since I was born! What else are you expecting me to say?!” Hiro took a small step back from Zeus, moving his hands and placing them on the royal’s shoulders. He averted Zeus’ gaze once again.

Zeus ran a hand through Hiro’s silky raven hair. Another thing he hasn’t done in years.

“I want you to say that you love me, too.”

“...What?”

“I love you, Hiro Tachibana.”

Another boom. Blues, whites, golds, and reds.

Hiro froze. He didn’t know he needed to hear those words, but they broke him in all the right ways. Hiro felt his knees go weak, and his composure simply lost. He fell to his knees, clutching the bottom of Zeus’ cardigan, his face red and stained with even more tears now.

“Hiro…” Zeus knelt down to meet Hiro once again, getting to an equal height once again. The young royal grasped Hiro’s hands with his own, removing Hiro’s hands from his cardigan and holding them in his hands so, so gently. Zeus had never seen Hiro like this - was he being too forward? Was this too soon? Did he misunderstand everything about their relationship?

“Y-you don’t have to say it back, actually. We can just… take our time. Yeah, at our own pace! So please, don’t cry…”

“Y-you are such… a moron…” Hiro choked out through stifled tears, wiping his face on his arm to try and wipe away the tears that just wouldn’t stop coming.

“I have… been… in love with you… for years.” Hiro tightened his grip on Zeus’ palms. “Every day of my life, it feels like. I… I can’t bear to think about you not being in my life. I was so beside myself when… when the fierga…”

“I know.”

“I don’t think you do, Zeus! You are my whole goddamn world! You want me to say it, so I’m saying it!” He lightly punched Zeus with his left hand, nothing unusual for him. “I’m so fucking in love with you it hurts! It hurts me because I didn’t think we would ever go past what we always have been! I thought…”

Zeus didn’t say anything. For the first time in a while, that is. He simply listened.

“I thought that you would never love me back. I always assumed that you’d fall in love and get married to some girl, or your parents would marry you off to some noble, and I… I would just get tossed to the sidelines like I always have. Like the rest of my family always has.”

Hiro punched him again, a little harder this time. Another boom, purple and gold once again.

“I love you so much, Zeus. So, so fucking much.” If you told him 10 years ago, when they were just kids sparring under the midday sun, that he would be in love with his best friend, Hiro wouldn’t believe you. Zeus used his newly freed hand to wipe Hiro’s tears once more, tenderly grazing his thumb against Hiro’s cheeks. He then grabbed the back of Hiro’s head and brought their foreheads together once more. Hiro had never seen Zeus so gentle. He was always so boisterous, loud, and so full of life that it sometimes annoyed him. Hiro always expected Zeus to just make a big, vibrant showing out of his love- he never expected such a muted confession.

“I love you too, Hiro. More than anyone.”

“... Can you kiss me again?” Hiro asked sheepishly.

“Of course.”

This kiss was so much more gentle, so much more loving, so much softer than any other. Hiro once again pulled Zeus in closer, one hand around the back of Zeus’ neck, mirroring the one Zeus had on his own. This second kiss felt like it was too short, so they went in for another one. Another. Even more. A kiss for every year they missed being like this, as though they were making up for time lost. Zeus wrapped his free hand around Hiro’s waist, supporting his weight as they leaned deeper into every kiss. This was a dream, or it felt like it, at least.

By this point in time, the sky had turned completely dark, but the streetlights and fireworks were still gently illuminating them as they embraced. This almost felt like a dream, much like the one Hiro had earlier. How was it a memory and a prophetic dream all at once? He will never know. Time seemed to stop for them in this wholesome, private moment of their own. Everything was falling into place, and this was only the first step towards the rest of their future. More fireworks boomed in every color of the rainbow behind them. Hiro’s tears finally subsided.

When they needed to catch their breath, they just stayed in place, not saying anything - basking in their newfound intimacy. Zeus pulled away first, reaching back into his bag and pulled out a small, velvet box. Hiro looked confused at first. He’s seen the box before, but he always thought it was just a case for Zeus to put his rings when he was washing his hands. Instead, Zeus hands the box out for Hiro to take.

“I, um, also got this for you, too.”

“Uh…”

“Just take it!”

Hiro did. “Am I allowed to open it?”

“Wouldn’t be much of a gift if you didn’t, now would it?”

“Heh.” Hiro fidgeted with the box for a moment, tracing his fingertips on the velvet before properly opening it.

Inside was a gorgeous, thick banded silver ring with a light blue sapphire stone the exact color of Zeus’ hair inlaid in the center. On the sides of the ring were their constellations - Scorpius on one side, Capricornus on the other - and raised filigree of the same lilies that always adorned the Brundle estate’s table centerpieces. Hiro took the ring out of the box, in awe of the attention to detail put into it. He then saw the etched wording on the inside of the ring.

“For my hero.”

“... This is moving a little too fast, Zeus.” He was such a cheeseball, Hiro thought. He almost started to cry again.

Zeus’ eyes widened, and then he started to panic. “N-no, wait!! This is NOT what you think it is!!”

“What the hell else am I supposed to think when you give me such a nice ring, idiot?!”

“Just, argh! Look!” Zeus pulled out another, similar ring from his bag and held it out for Hiro to see. This one, while similar in size, was golden and had a beautiful black opal inlaid. It also had the same constellations, but had cherry blossom filigree instead.

"I'm not proposing, okay?! I mean, I would still like to, you know, one day, but not right now! They're just, um…"

"... More like promise rings?"

"Y-yeah!" Zeus scratched the back of his head, almost reflexively. Hiro smiled and put the ring on his right ring finger.

"This is still all… very sudden. But thank you, Zeus."

"It's… no problem." Zeus smiled back. He loved Hiro's smile, fangs and all. The only thing Zeus ever wanted to do was to see it. Zeus placed his own ring in the same spot.

Hiro shifted his body and scooted closer to the young royal, resting his head on Zeus' shoulder. Zeus put his arm around Hiro immediately, allowing Hiro to take in even more of Zeus' insane amount of body heat. They sat and watched the fireworks for a small while, silent once again. Simply enjoying the moment and all that it entailed, the fountain bubbling softly beside them.

"... How did you know?"

"How did I know what?"

"How did you know I would reciprocate? And why me, for that matter?"

Zeus sighed. "I pour my heart out, confess my love, and you still need more?" Zeus brushed some of Hiro's bangs out of his face.

"You are going to have to get used to it. I'm not even close to being done with interrogating you."

"Well, for starters, you're not exactly subtle."

"The hell does that mean?"

"Hiro, do you remember when we went to our first homecoming dance? When we were still teenagers?"

Hiro froze. Was he fucking psychic? "... Remind me."

"Heh, gladly. When we got home, I was sooo damn insecure. I was like, 'ohh my god, I'm a virgin, what if those hot upperclassmen try to seduce me and figure out I haven't even kissed anyone!'"

Hiro chuckled at Zeus' retelling. "Yeah?"

"Yeah! And do you remember what your reaction was?"

"Blocked it from my memory."

"You said, and I quote: 'You could always practice on me, you know'. I nearly fainted!" Zeus always had a spot-on impression of Hiro.

"Hm. What else?"

"What else? We then made out for like, the next two hours! You even made fun of me for kissing you horribly."

"You could use some work."

"Like THAT! That is the exact same damn thing you told me that night, too!"

"Sounds like you haven't gotten much better these past 8 years, then!" Hiro laughed at his own joke.

"Oh, shut it! It's not my fault that my coach was incredible and then decided to never teach me again."

"You are so not blaming me for that."

"I think I can!"

"Uh, no. You were the one who decided to act like it never happened ever again."

"... We just got busy, that's all. We didn't get much time to be alone after that."

"Zeus, we've been roommates for the past four years. We have had plenty of time."

"It's totally different! What was I supposed to do, just walk up to you and say 'Hey Hiro! Not sure if you remember the happiest day of my life, but can we practice kissing again? No homo, full bi!' Absolutely not."

Hiro snorted at the "no homo", trying to contain his laughter.

"Besides, you seem like you've been really annoyed with me these past few years. I was hardly even sure that this," Zeus waves his hands around, gesturing to the both of them, " was even going to work. I have been nervous about this for weeks! I didn’t expect you to be such a crybaby about it, though."

“Who the hell are you calling a crybaby?!” Hiro couldn't deny it, maybe he has been just a little too mean to Zeus. Not like he's going to stop any time soon, but maybe he'll make it clearer that it's just banter.

“Regardless, why me, though? You still haven’t answered that.”

“Coulda sworn I did. But, sheesh, you sure know how to make me talk.”

“It’s my specialty.”

“Uh huh. Suuuure.” Zeus adjusted his grip on Hiro’s arm, then used his free hand to hold one of Hiro’s, intertwining their fingers like they did so many years ago. “If I’m being honest… It’s always been you, Hiro.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hiro, we’ve pretty much always been together. I’ve always loved you, I think. I’ve done a lot of thinking about my ideal partner, and who I wanted to marry. Hell, I thought about the kind of person you would like best, because I knew you’d still always be by my side.”

Zeus raised his free hand and placed a kiss onto the back of Hiro’s. What a dork.

“Eventually, it just all came back to you. Every road, every thought, just back to you, every time. Plus, I wanted to keep my word.”

“...Your word?”

“Well, yeah. I told my mom I wanted to marry you when we were kids, right? I actually had a conversation with her when we went home last, and she was still holdin’ on to that. She kept asking me when I was going to propose, the nerve!”

“Oh, my god.” Hiro covered his mouth with his free hand, trying really hard not to burst out laughing. Lady Brundle is hilarious.

“Hell, even Kureha butted in on the conversation and asked me when I was going to ask for ‘permission to wed her precious baby bro’! I nearly lost my mind, I tell you!”

“Wait a minute, even Kureha knows?!”

“Are you kidding me? She was like, the first person to see that we were so stupidly in love with each other, even before we knew it! And boy does she not let me forget it.”

Everything started making sense, now. Kureha’s torture of Zeus was her being a protective older sister. The witch was testing him all along, making sure that Zeus knew exactly what he was getting into.

“Oh. Oh, it’s all coming together now. That sneaky little…”

“Right?! She’s going to be so happy when we go back and see them next time, I bet.”

“I don’t think my dad will be, though…”

“Won’t know until we go back and tell ‘em. I think my dad will convince him that it’s not a bad thing, though.”

“Ugh, yeah, your dad is quite convincing. I still don’t know how my dad keeps falling for his bullshit.”

“You can’t survive being head of a prominent noble house without having a silver tongue, I guess.”

Hiro squeezed Zeus’ hand, smiling softly as more fireworks danced in the sky. This was nice, Hiro thought.

“You know, I’m still not convinced you thought of all this by yourself.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?! Am I not allowed to be romantic?”

“You don’t have a single romantic bone in your body, moron. Who was it that helped you with all this?”

Zeus muttered under his breath, turning his head away in a huff.

“Zeus.”

“...ay.”

“What was that? I can’t hear you.”

“It was JAY, okay! Are you happy now?!”

Even more dots started connecting. Hiro practically jumped away from Zeus, his normally tired eyes wide with surprise.

“OUR Jay?!”

“Yes, OUR Jay! She told me about the fireworks, the park, hell, she even coached me on what to say to you, and how to respond. She was a fucking demon about it!”

“I cannot believe her. Is that what you were actually talking about earlier? I knew you were lying to me about what you were talking about, but I didn’t even begin to imagine it would be THIS.”

“Ugh, you really are too sharp for your own good. Yes! She was reminding me to ‘shut the fuck up for once’. We went over the plan, and she reminded me about everything she taught me. Quite harshly, might I add!”

“Sounds like Jay, alright. How long has she known?”

“For about three weeks. That’s when I got the rings made.”

“Oh, so those were your idea. Didn’t think you had it in you.”

Zeus scoffed. “‘Course they were! I was actually planning on giving it to you for your birthday, but then Jay told me about the fireworks, and I just, kinda… let it slip to her. She was crying even harder than you were when I told her! Going on and on about how she’s ‘so happy I finally realized it’ and that ‘she’s been trying to wingman us the entire time she’s known us’, and a whole bunch of other shit.”

“Bet you twenty lunes that she’s going to start crying again when we tell her your plan was a success.”

“Oh come on, that’s not even a fair bet! You know for a fact she will.”

The two of them laughed again, thinking of how silly everything had been. The two enjoyed the rest of the beautiful fireworks together, and began to start walking back to the academy once it ended, hand in hand the entire time. When they left, Hiro could swear that he saw a faint flash of white hair in the distance behind where they had been the whole time. He decided to ignore it, for better or for worse.

They talked extensively on the way back to their dorms, thinking about how each and every one of their friends would react to the news. They came to the conclusion that they weren’t going to tell everybody just yet, only a select few. Lucious was definitely going to be the first to know, although they knew he was going to make fun of them endlessly for it. The path back to the academy was peaceful, with only a few other students making their way back to the academy as well. It was too dark for anybody to see them at this point, so they simply ignored them. They knew they still had prefect privileges, so it isn’t an issue for them to still be out so late, but they still snuck their way across the dimly lit grounds. When they finally reached their dorm, they both shared a bed for the first time in years, and also the first time so intertwined. No matter where they went, they would still be able to give themselves private, intimate moments. Perfect moments that would be in their memories for a lifetime.

This was their new beginning. Starting over in this way wouldn’t be easy, but loving each other is the easiest thing they’ve ever done.

☆☆☆

Twenty eight years together, and things are about to change for the better.

News of the young royal’s wedding was heard across the continent. People all over came to see the wedding, with many people wondering who the heir to the Brundle estate was to marry.

Many close friends of the grooms’ were in the wedding party, of course. Lucious was Hiro’s best man, and Jay was to be Zeus’ best woman. Caesar, Alfonse, Liz, and even Klaus were a part of the party as well. Kureha was of course by Hiro’s side as well, and Lulu and Belle were dual flower girls. Jay cried the whole ceremony, and so did the boys’ mothers, of course. Especially when Hiro’s father started walking Hiro down the aisle. All of their other classmates and family members were in the front rows, who were hooting and hollering every chance they got.

Their wedding outfits were nothing less than extravagant, of course. Zeus’ was in a dark navy suit, adorned with cream colored cuffs and lapels. The same lily filigree on the ring he would be wearing for the rest of his life inlaid with delicate gold embroidery. He also had a large, fur lined cape that draped across the floor, the fur white as sparkling snow and the fabric a deep black on top and red on the inside, the crest of Queensblade adorned on the back. Hiro was dressed in traditional Hinomotan wedding attire, a black silk montsuki and gray hakama with silver cherry blossoms embroidered at the hems. His haori was also black with the same cherry blossom embroidery as the hakama, and the Tachibana family crest adorned the back of it. Hiro’s father had helped him get dressed, of course. Small words were whispered to Hiro by his father before letting him go, telling him how proud he was. Words not often spoken, but appreciated nonetheless.

Their vows were soft, heartfelt, full of emotion. Many spectators were surprised at how the young royal was marrying his retainer, which was simply unheard of until today. Many of the noble women and their daughters wept over the fact that they now knew they had no chance at marrying into the Brundle royal family, as the two men’s vows made it clear just how much in love they were. So many photographs were taken, and Luca was specially commissioned to do a painting of their ceremony, which still hangs above the mantle of the Brundle family estate.

The reception was an absolute rager. Hiro and Zeus of course out-ate everybody, easily eating three plates a piece, not including the cake (of which they ate one of the tiers all by themselves). There was plenty of dancing, singing, and genuine merriment for all who came. Hiro and Zeus had the time of their lives, surrounded by the people they love most.

“I still can’t believe this is finally happening.” Lord Brundle gazed softly from the sidelines as his son danced.

“Finally? What do you mean, my lord?” Drink in hand, Hiro’s father settled next to his liege.

“Oh come now, old friend! Don’t tell me you haven’t seen this coming since they were children!”

“And you’re telling me you have?”

“Of course! Why do you think I always let them sneak off during my speeches?”

The look on Sir Tachibana’s face was one for the history books. Lord Brundle immediately burst into a hearty laughter. “Oh, oh dear! Don’t tell me you never noticed!?”

Sir Tachibana’s face turned bright red. He turned his face away from Lord Brundle in embarrassment. “My focus has always been on you. I never falter from my duty.”

“Well, you certainly faltered in your duty as a father.” That comment got a searing glare from his retainer. “Oh, you know I jest. You’ve raised splendid children.”

“I should hope so. I’m proud of him.”

“Hm, that’s not the impression I got.”

“No, I am. It’s… not the outcome I expected, but he followed his heart. I think, in some way, he even taught this old dog a new trick.”

“Oh? And what is that, exactly?”

Sir Tachibana stared at his son, softening his expression. A small smile crept upon his lips.

“When he was young, I think I was too harsh on him. I always told him to stay firm in his resolve. I told him that keeping his distance was best, as I had done with you. He ignored every single word I told him…”

“And that’s a good thing?”

“I didn’t think so at first, no. In fact, I was furious.”

“As you always are.” Another glare as Sir Tachibana takes a sip of his drink. Lord Brundle gave a smug grin in return.

“Anyways. I was upset at first. I nearly lost my temper, in fact. But Hiro was so honest and true to himself… Once I saw that, I realized that I was wrong.”

“Oh?”

“Hiro taught me that the best way to protect someone is to love them, not distance yourself from them.”

“Aw, warmed your cold heart, did he?”

“Must you continue to chide me, my lord?”

“Oh, you know I only tease. I’m simply glad that you’ve come around to it.”

“Of course. I was going to one way or another.”

“I knew you were. It’s a shame you realized it now. If you had realized it sooner, then maybe things would have been different between us.”

“Wha- Milord!” Sir Tachibana’s face flushed a bright red.

“ Ha ha! Another jest, dear friend!” Lord Brundle slapped a hand on his retainer’s back.

“... You are truly incorrigible, my lord.” he grumbled.

“Only for you. I’m just looking forward to seeing where they’ll go from here.”

“How so?”

“Zeus is about to take over the family, you know. He’s always lived his life to the fullest, so I’m wondering how he will fare as a Lord. He may be as charismatic as I am, but he’s never been… The smartest, if you will.”

“You don’t need to tell me twice. Well, Hiro will be with him, so I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“... I’m sure he will.”

☆☆☆

150 years together, and they are both long gone.

A young man with stark white hair travels the world, finding himself in Queensblade for the first time in a very long time. As he tours the vibrant streets, he finds himself entranced by the markets and dazzling flowers that lined every corner. He asks for directions to the Brundle estate, and gets a very quick answer. He buys a fresh bouquet of lilies and cherry blossoms, a now common pairing in Queensblade, on the way as a gift.

When he arrives at the gates of the Brundle estate, things are not like he remembers when he went to the wedding so many years ago. Not like that wasn’t to be expected, of course - it has been well over 100 years since then. A gentle breeze tosses his long, braided hair as he approaches the northern garden - a newly added garden compared to the other three. The gates to the Brundle estate are always open - at least, the one leading to the northern garden is. The paths leading to the actual estate are closed to the public for safety reasons, courtesy of the Tachibana family.

The garden is as gorgeous as the rest, and seems to be more of a mix of the western and eastern gardens. Gorgeous marble paths, roses, and cherry blossom trees adorned every corner, and many stone gazebos and benches allow for many people to rest as they stroll through the garden. A large pond with many artificial waterfalls spreads throughout the garden as well, with many Hinomotan and Queensblade styled bridges going over them. Massive butterfly koi float all throughout, and there are a few stands that are filled with koi food so they can be fed. As a result, they are very friendly. The white haired man leans down over one of the bridges, putting one of his hands in the water. The koi swarm him, and he chuckles at the sensation of their toothless bites. He makes his way towards the center of the garden, where a large, bronze statue resides of his old classmates. Others have already come and gone with their offerings, leaving very similar flowers to the ones he had already bought. As he approaches the center statue, he is stopped by a young woman with raven hair and golden eyes.

“Oh, are you also here to pay respects?”

“Yes, I am. Are you of the Tachibana family?”

“Good guess! Indeed I am. How do you know of my ancestor? Or are you just another history buff?”

“Oh, no, nothing of the sort. My… great grandfather was a classmate of theirs. They were kind to him, and he attended their wedding.”

“Oh, my! You have quite the connection, then.”

“They weren’t close by any means, so I’m sure I’m not as lucky as people like the Goldsteins or the Baroques.”

“Regardless, I think it’s wonderful that your ancestor got to spend time with them. Lord Zeus and Lord Hiro were some of the most influential people in the history of the Brundle and Tachibana families. I’ve heard many stories of Lord Hiro’s devotion growing up.”

“Well that is wonderful to hear. I’m glad to hear that my ancestor was able to be a part of the lives of such influential people.” The young man places the bouquet at the foot of the statue, and clasps his hand in prayer. There are two plaques that adorn the base of the statue.

“I’m glad it is. Oh, well, I should be going now! Thank you for sharing your story with me. Please don’t hesitate to come by again!”

“Of course. I would love to stop by again.”

“Oh, what is your name? I would love to put you on the list of special guests for the yearly public gala.”

“... Leon.”

“That’s a nice name. I’ll make sure you get on the list. Thank you, Leon! I hope to see you there!” The young woman ran off towards the main estate, waving goodbye as she did. Leon waves back, a small smile on his face. He’ll have to remember the gala, as now he has something new to look forward to.

He focuses on the plaques, finally able to read them. A soft smile appears on his face as he reads, thinking of all the shenanigans his former classmates got into while they spent their days at the Gedonelune Royal Magic Academy.

“IN REMEMBRANCE OF

ZEUS BRUNDLE

and

HIRO TACHIBANA”

“Here, on this day, we dedicate this statue to Lord Zeus Brundle and Lord Hiro Tachibana. Innovators for their time, Zeus is remembered for his exceptional leadership of the House of Brundle, leading it to a new age of prosperity unlike any had seen before. He is also remembered for being a pioneer of summoning magic, as his formulas are still being taught in schools to this day. Despite his grandeur, he never hesitated to call himself the ‘pinnacle of all things, alive or dead’.

His husband, Lord Hiro Tachibana is remembered for his unyielding devotion to his husband, even before the two were married. He was Lord Brundle’s stalwart protector first, and his most trusted partner second. Lord Tachibana is also remembered for being an instrumental figure in opening up the doors of trade with Hinomoto, his ancestors’ home country, and leading both our beloved Queensblade and Hinomoto to having a wonderful relationship and economy. He is also known for being one of the best swordsmen in the history of Queensblade.

It is said that the two were hardly seen apart, and their love was stronger than any diamond. With Lord Brundle’s charisma, and Lord Tachibana’s wisdom, the two lead the country into a great era.

Even in their old age, their love persisted. Surrounded by many friends and family, they both passed away within one minute of each other, conceding as though one could not live without the other.

Here, they stand to remind us not only of the great times our country has had, but also as a symbol of true love.

–Donated by the Goldstein, Baroque, and Abbey Families of Gedonelune–”

Leon clasps his hands together and says a small prayer for his old classmates before he puts his hands in his pockets. He glimpses up at the statue once more, fondly. As he leaves, he hears the sound of two children behind him. He twists around and sees two young boys, no older than 5. One with bright, crystal blue hair, the other with the same raven hair as the woman he met before.

“Come on, we’re going to be late!”

“Ah– wait, please! I can’t run that fast!!”

Leon smiles once again, and turns around to continue his journeys.

Those kids will be just fine.

#not mcl #wizardess heart #mia writes #zeus brundle #hiro tachibana #zeusro #I'M DONE.... I'M FINALLY FREE..........#i am literally so excited to be finally posting this you guys have no fucking idea #now u know why my preview was so long >:)#also #jay abbey #because YES i AM going to include my oc and YES she is integral to the plot.#i am cringe but i am free.#there is also a [REDACTED CHARACTER] jumpscare. not saying when. you'll just have to read it and find out!#>:))))))))))))))))#anyways. catch me crying outside over my own fic. thanks. i think i'm always going to love these two.#solmare should have hired me when WH was still active so i could have given them some quality content.#thank u all in advance for reading it if u get a chance... even if it is one person i will cry if u tell me nice things about it

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pbandjesse · 2 months

Text

We are in the car going home from my parents house. It was really really nice to visit them. But I never really got over being tired today. Which made me really frustrated. I felt very frustrated with myself a lot today.

It started last night. I was able to fall asleep but not as early as I had hoped. I woke up a few times but it wasn't horrible sleep. I woke up before my alarm. James came in to check on me and I requested a little more time.

When I got up for real James was brining all of our laundry to the car. Because we were taking advantage of my parents' machines. I really liked my outfit but I felt kind of ugly. Not for any reason. I was just feeling bad.

I tried blow drying my hair a little and that helped a little. But I was feeling really upset inside. James has made me a little sandwich and poured me a soda but it was to syrupy and I didn't like it. And then I forgot my water and was upset when we got to the car and James didn't unlock it fast enough and it was all dumb stuff but I was not having fun.

Then the sun was in my face the entire drive. Like it was painful. I was sure I was going to get sunburn. And no matter where I put my hands I couldn't keep it out of my eyes. Eventually I would lay my head on the middle console and just try not to think about it.

It was a pretty quick two hours. We are closer to the 95 entrance now so we have shaved almost a full half hour off the drive to Philly so that's pretty cool.

I was really happy to see my parents. My dad was playing the guitar when we got there. And the dogs were all excited. Mom met us at the door. Hugs all around.

After James said hello they ran downstairs to start running out laundry through. Dad joined me and mom in the living room and James would join us soon. And we spent some time just talking. About the house mostly. It was really nice.

I really want them to come visit and see the house. I know that it might be difficult for my dad but I really hope they can come soon.

Mom asked me to come downstairs to go through some stuff. I was a little startled by her baby doll collection. But whatever makes her happy.

She had some lazy susans for us and a shadow box and a little metal shelf. I would go through some of my thesis diorama boxes to bring to a workshop I have later this month. And Mom gave me a couple bowls which are greatly appreciated.

We would sit in the kitchen for a little. Dad was on the phone so we didn't want to bother him but eventually we decided we wanted to order lunch so we all moved back to the living room. And decided to order from the pizza place they like.

While we waited for food we moved to the table, where mom had set up a cake and some presents for me. She had already given me some beautiful gold earrings, but the candle and origami book and container are all appreciated too! They sang for me and it was really sweet.

Me and Dad looked at pictures of the house and soon the dogs were freaking out because someone was at the door. It was our lunch!

And lunch was good. We talked. About the house. About trying for kids. No one said I was mean to James for once. We talked about me being in the ER and how scary it was being so sick. But my cough was still there today so I was struggling a little at time. I think it's probably why I never got any more energy today.

We had cake and soon after that my brother called to let me know he was outside. It was so nice to see him. He felt terrible about missing my birthday. But it was just good to have him there. Even if he talks so much. While accusing me of talking to much. Silly.

The afternoon was great though. Just talking and telling stories. Talking through dad and his fears and how much me and Steve want to encourage him but also not wanting to push to hard. We both understand and don't understand. We just want him to be healthy and happy.

Mom is taking a lot of steps to take care of herself though and I'm so proud of her for that. And Dad I starting therapy again this week. So I really hope they can get him to a place where he isn't so afraid. I was really happy to see he had moved for the walker to arm crutches. That's progress! And progress is so important.

Around 4 I was starting to get very tired. Steve and dad were on a long rant and I wanted to tell them a joke before we left and I had to wait forever but it got a very good laugh in the end and then it was time to go.

Around 445 we had lots of hugs. And we grabbed the last of our things and headed out.

James took me to Wawa to get a pretzel. Held my hand. I appreciate them so much. Giving up their whole day off just for me. They're the best husband.

And now we are heading home. We should be back at 7 and I'm hoping to take a shower and get in bed. I'm not feeling amazing. Not feeling emotionally defeated but physically I still feel not great. I really hope tomorrow I feel better.

Tomorrow we are also getting the movers for the last few pieces and we can really pull everything together. I'm excited.

I hope you all have a great night. And take care of yourselves. Goodnight my friends. Until next time.

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neonponders · 2 years

Text

I’m still staring at the femme!Steve edits from @plistommy ( here and here ), and am super intrigued by the idea of Steve having a twin sister.

• • • • •

Billy had a problem. A problem that started on Day 1 of his arrival at Hawkins High.

Stacy and Steve Harrington.

Yes, they were one problem, because they were joined at the hip any chance they got. It was eerie, how they were the spinning image of one another, but also that they were so close. Billy had known twins before, but they had always seemed to be the same gender, or lived very separate lives.

When he first got to Hawkins, he laughed, “Those two really play up the twin thing, huh?”

But he was soon corrected. Just because Stacy had the same voluminous, brunette hair and large doe eyes as her brother, did not mean she was some doll. And if she was a doll, her brother was living marble; the prettiest statue Billy had ever seen walk out of an antiquity book.

A brother who got called King Steve behind his back for a keg stand record and talent in bed.

Talents they both shared, considering Billy got to witness a fight his first week in Hawkins. King Steve defending his sister’s honor. Ha.

“The hell’s your deal, Harrington? She’s just some slut. I’m your friend - ”

Billy hadn’t thought Steve had it in him. He carried himself like a rich prep who hadn’t met a stiff hand in his life. But he threw Michael Peterson against his own car and watched him fall onto the asphalt. “Half our grade and then some has sampled your girlfriend. You don’t hear anyone bragging about it. You’re not special just because you got with my sister.”

Billy had a front row seat to watch said sister stroll right up to the fight. She nudged Steve out of the way and spit on Peterson’s hair. “He can brag all he wants to. Doesn’t change the fact that he’s a cheater. I won a bet with that girl of yours, by the way. Now behave or I’ll share the bullshit you like to say during sex. Mr. Mommy issues.”

In short, the Harrington twins ruled the school, and King Steve was just a pretty lacky to his sister. Stacy was valedictorian of her year, making her immune to any real punishment from the school. The kind of scary smart that Billy could respect -

If she wasn’t in. The. Way.

“What’d you win?” Steve chirped as they strolled toward his car. He sounded like the younger sibling even if they were minutes apart.

“To sleep with Peterson? Her mom’s diamond earrings.”

“Holy shit.”

“He came without penetration, but he was too drunk to remember and she doesn’t need to know that.”

“Neither do I,” Steve grimaced before matching eyes landed on Billy. Steve looked vacant for a millisecond, and then curious. He looked to his twin for a cue but she cocked an amused brow right back at him. “Hey, Hargrove. You okay?”

Billy smiled. “I saw your commercial. When does your job start?”

Stacy let her brother answer. Steve failed to hide how much he hated that damn commercial. “Next week.”

“Hell of a send off for the semester,” Billy crooned, glancing at Peterson sulking over to his car.

Steve only sighed and folded himself down into the driver’s seat. The less he thought about the impending summer job, the slower it arrived.

Stacy took her time, sizing Billy up. He lifted his brows at her. “Yes, Other Harrington?”

Her pretty mouth shut like she had come to an understanding. “Mall grand opening is at 9am. Come in your lifeguard shorts.”

• • • • •

Robin had a problem.

Because she was stuck working the summer with the Harrington twins.

One of whom, was...maybe not as bad as she’d previously thought. Now that the three of them were as good as locked in a room together, she witnessed how he was really sweet to his sister. The sister...

“Robin, did you already get a base burn for the summer?” she both asked and teased. Robin did not have a sunburn. “When you go on break, take the sunscreen out of my bag. That glass ceiling is going to be the end of us.”

The sister was a very, very pretty problem.

#harringrove #it's going to be one hell of a summer #twins!au #stacy and steve harrington #ficlet #neonponders #billy shows up in the spring instead of the autumn here

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ms-rampage · 1 year

Text

What Color Does Your OC’s Love Feel Like?

Quiz here

Tagged by: @strafethesesinners thank you!! 😊

Tagging: @athena-lilly @ghostsareeverywhereblah2 @the-chaos-katzlein @thewanderer-000 (no pressure 😊)

Paige Winchester: Warm burnt orange

Riding off into the sunset, the hope of a happy ending, the bitter after taste that still in it's own way smells kinda great. Your love is all bitter hopefulness, all about a broken heart that refuses to quit, all about the unshakable knowledge that a burning fire has a great comforting warm and a soft glowing light, all about the way when the sun comes down there's a beautiful starry night. It's stubbornness, it's the refusal to give up, the clutching of broken shards despite the searing pain and being adamant that dammit you can still make a beautiful stained glass window out of it. Yours is a screaming heart, a pleading love, a bitter and almost belligerent hopefulness that things will still work out even if you have to roll up your sleeves and make them. And god, aren't you tired? Isn't your heart heavy? Is all your hard work worth it? Don't you just want to curl up and let it be? Let the fire turn to ashes and the sky turn dark and let love die down and watch people leave? But you don't, do you? You're the bravest out of all of us, so you pick up the pieces and you keep going, you keep believing and you keep your heart full of hope because some day. Someday you know you'll get it. You keep riding off into the sunset and you keep filling my heart with hope as you go because god, how do I wish you finally get it too.

Kenneth Smith: Dark stormy blue

Sinking ships, raging seas and tumultuous hearts, love isn't easy for you. It's a struggle, a constant inner fight of should I? Can I? Do I? Feelings are hard and they rumble inside you in a dissatisfied mess that begs to be let out. Your heart screams and cries inside you and you... You can't, you won't. You're scared. And love is scary, it's hard and sometimes it just doesn't work out. People leave, people hurt, people change their minds. And you and your cold stormy heart yearn for the calmness, for the distance, to be allowed and able to simply not feel. And yet, you do. It rages, it fights and storms inside you and you try to keep it down, keep it quiet, to feel pretending not to. It's the burn of childhood friends growing apart, of parents that aren't quite there, of relationships that burn out. So you snuff it down with water, cold and calming and blue, blue, blue. But being loved by you is blue too, just not in that way. It's the soothing, embracing feeling of floating, the moment when you sink down bellow the waves and become one with the water, with everything. It's the balance, the dramatic yet calming sound of waves that crash against a rocky shore. You're the good and the bad, the violence of the storm and the watery peace right after. You're the blue, blue feeling and loving you is watery tears, yelled confessions that no one will hear and burying your feelings in a deep watery grave never to be found out about. Your love is dark stormy blue, it's vast and deep and all encompassing, it's safety in the surface of danger, it's trusting the unruly abyss and yet I'd gladly risk drowning just to feel what it's like being loved by you.

Nice breeze, bare feet and freshly cut grass. Your love is a lighthearted hope for the future. It's protecting your eyes from the sun but enjoying the light rays still, it's laying on the grass and feeling it tickle your neck. You look to the side and they look back at you, full of hope and plans too. You plan together and laugh all day and your sunburn will feel like them. Your love is delicate, hesitant. A well curated binder full of collages for a future you can't be sure will come, but you keep going, you keep planning, you keep squinting at the sun and smiling, and running your hands through the grass so it will smell better. You keep holding onto the bright sky even as the sunsets, even as the starry night stares back. But you keep on holding, you keep on dreaming, you close your eyes and feel the sun on your skin and convince yourself that the sunburn is good, it's something to hold on to, just makes it linger a bit longer. Your love is a lighthearted hope for the future. It's sweet and wonderful and it keeps love alive, makes the world a better place. You run your hands through the grass, clench your fingers tighter and keep making plans. And I can only thank you and hope I can learn to love like you someday.

Kate Winchester : Soft fresh green

Sweet tasting popsicles, summer dresses and shielding your eyes from the sun. Your love is the excitement of something brewing, something growing. It's the almost childish bubbling giggles of something new, but with the potential to stay. It's wide smiles, blinding sunny light and warm bodies that gravitate to one another. It's the the softness, the willingness, the slight holding of breaths in a crucial "what if" moment. It's the impatience too. The bouncing on tiptoes to see further than your eyes can reach, the holding out for a future that never seems to come even though you're ready, you're so so so ready. It's the constant feeling of warm sand beneath your feet, holding out for the crashing waves. And still you wait, dry and impatient and with burnt soles of feet. Your love is sour candy, enjoying it as your nose scrunches up from the aftertaste of it. It's hands that grab and take hold, that reach and ask them to stay and hope and beg and wait. It's bubbling excitement sure, but it's also demanding, focused, driven. It's love like a plan, with a path and route and a clear destination. And you bonce on your tiptoes, and burning, waiting for the soothing water, the crashing waves, you hold onto the melting popsicle, you wait and wait and wait. It's tiring almost as much as it's lazer focused ambition, deeply rooted desire and the unrelenting hope that it will work, that it will come. And it does, I promise it does. The waves crash, the beach floods and the pain passes, the water cool and soothing and you can let yourself fall in, sinking, sinking. And it's good, it's perfect, what you were hoping and more, holding and embracing you and welcoming you into the stillness you always knew you were reaching for.

Liv "Redfox" Eldrid: Bright sunny yellow

#oc: paige winchester #oc: kate winchester #oc: kenneth smith #oc: liv eldrid #oc: liv redfox #oc: liv grímsdóttir #my ocs #fc5 ocs #rdr2 ocs #ac: valhalla oc

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wearfinethingsalltoowell · 2 years

Text

Incorrect Quotes Generator

I got my hands on an incorrect quotes generator last night and some of these are a delight

Stede: eating a cinnamon roll

Ed: Cannibalism.

Stede: confused chewing noises

—

Stede: Ugh, there’s always that weak bitch in the group who isn’t down with murder.

Stede: glares at Ed

Ed: Well, sorry I have morals!

—

Stede: makes Ed a cup of tea but puts salt in it

Ed: sips tea

Stede:

Ed: finishes tea

Stede: Didn't it taste bad?

Ed: Yeah, but I didn't want to hurt your feelings so I drank it all.

Stede, tearing up: Oh, okay.

—

Ed: Dom or sub?

Stede: I guess Domino's, since I don't go to Subway that much. Don't see why you'd put them in the same category though.

—

Stede: Ed is restricted to decaf for the rest of this adventure.

—

Jim: Oh, here’s my award for the most rules broken!

Oluwande: That’s not an award, it’s an angry letter from our boss.

Jim, hanging it on their wall: Well, it has the word ‘most’ in it, so I’m calling it an award!

—

Oluwande: What’s the straightest thing you’ve ever done?

Jim: sighs

Jim: I killed a man.

—

Oluwande: Let’s watch Sharkboy and Lavagirl.

Jim: Okay.

Oluwande: And make out during the scary parts.

Jim: Th-

Jim: The scary parts.

Jim: Of Sharkboy and Lavagirl.

—

While the Squad is in a battle

Jim, trying to warn about the location of an enemy: To the left!

Oluwande: Take it back now y'all!

—

Pete: Valentine’s day is just a consumerist holiday that holds no real value other than drive people insane buying heart shaped chocolates for their significant others and pos-

Lucius: I wrote you a poem.

Pete, already crying: You did?

—

Pete, grinning: I have a knife!

Lucius: Put it down, Pete.

Pete: Make me! sprints away

—

Pete: Hey Lucius?

Lucius: Yeah?

Pete: What's your favorite color of the alphabet? True or false?

Lucius:

Lucius: ...What.

—

Lucius: When I was young, I left a trail of broken hearts like a rockstar. I'm not proud of it.

Pete: You're kind of proud of it. You work it into a lot of conversations.

—

Lucius: We’ll find another route, it’s not safe for amateur adventurers.

Pete: That sounds like a challenge.

Lucius: I have to stress, that is not a challenge.

Pete: ...Is exactly what you say to dissuade the weak of heart from accepting the challenge. Well, challenge accepted!

Lucius: There is no challenge!

—

Pete: The Ocean is a soup.

Lucius:

Lucius: Do elaborate.

Pete: What are needed for something to be a soup?

Lucius: Erm... Water, salt, some form of vegetation, and personally I prefer some meat in mine.

Pete: Tilts head

Lucius: The Ocean is a Soup.

Pete: The Ocean is a Soup.

—

Pete, texting Lucius: sends a voice message

Lucius, texting back: I’m a little busy, is it urgent?

Pete: No, don’t worry, just listen later.

later

Lucius: presses play

Pete's voice message: THERE’S A FIRE-

—

Frenchie: You have any sunscreen?

Izzy: You can't get a sunburn from a bonfire—

Frenchie: It's for my marshmallow ya dummy.

—

Frenchie: I think I should be allowed on ghost hunter tv shows.

Izzy: I think that would be dangerous for the ghosts.

—

Izzy: You read my diary?

Frenchie: At first I did not know it was your diary. I thought it was a very sad handwritten book.

—

Izzy: Help! I’m drowning!

Frenchie: Calm down. We’re only in six feet of water!

Izzy: NOT ALL OF US ARE TALL!

—

Izzy: We just ate. Why are you making pancakes?

Frenchie: For the dogs.

Izzy: Why are you making pancakes for the dogs? Frenchie: They don't know how.

#ofmd #our flag meets death #incorrect quotes #blackbonnet #tealoranges #lupete

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