#I know it’s red but having all three of them be red is no good to me
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Latte me be your lover - Iwaizumi x reader
requested by @ur-local-simp - tagging @shoulmate for reasons
Haikyuu taglist: @lees-chaotic-brain
"A hot coffee for a hot guy."
You roll your eyes. Hajime just thanks the barista and steps to the side to let you through.
The very second he turns away the smile drops from her lips and she scowls at you. But you've been anticipating it, your own smile saccharine sweet.
It's like this wherever you go. They hit on Hajime until they realize he's not coming alone. Some of them are embarrassed at your sight, others... not so much. And it's not like you're his girlfriend by any means - well, except the means of where you dream about it every night - but they don't know that, right?!?
-
"Are you going to call them?" You ask as soon as some caffeine has entered your bloodstream.
"Who?" Hajime grabs your hand and pulls you back, narrowly saving you from stepping into dogshit. Ugh.
"The barista. She wrote her number on your cup."
"She did?" He furrows his brows as he inspects the little paper thing that's wrapped around his cup to keep him burning his hands.
The amount of smugness you feel when he slips it off and uses it to pick up the dogshit and throw it away is insane. If only you could go back and tell her. Also, your crush is seriously environmentally motivated. Go, Hajime!
-
"One Latte Machiatto with extra Caramel drizzle," Hajime tells you before turning back to the girl ordering. "Anything else?"
"Your number?" She purrs, completely disregarding the line forming behind her.
"What number?" Hajime asks, stiff as a board. From where you're standing you can tell how tense his shoulders are. Bless him.
"Your phone number, duh," she laughs and you have to admit, she's really pretty. Her teeth are a little too white for your taste, though, but you know she'd be Oikawa's type. If only she'd come in yesterday when you had to endure his whining for a whole shift. It's not your fault he cannot get a girl.
"Sorry," you slip up to him, press into his side like a cat. Breathe, you scream at him in your thoughts, but your smile is sweet as you hand her her drink. "He's taken."
-
"Are you sure?" Terushima asks.
"Absolutely," you tell him, willing Hajime to work a little faster.
"You didn't even give me a chance." Terushima's not above begging to get a date, it seems. "I got a tongue piercing, you know." He sticks out his tongue but all you can hear is the splish-splash-clatter of someone dropping a drink. When you turn, Hajime's already on his knees, red-faced, wiping up the remnants of what was supposed to be Terushima's coffee order.
Terushima grins knowingly back at you. "So, since I have to wait a little longer..."
"No," you tell him, stone-faced, "Never."
"Come on!" He whines. "Like, one date?" His eyes flicker to where Hajime's disappearing in the back. "We could make him jealous."
Heat errupts in your cheeks. You knew you'd been pretty obvious in your advances, but this takes the cake.
"Don't ever ask me again," you tell him through your clenched teeth, seconds away from stabbing him with a fork. "You get me?"
He laughs, carefree and easy as if this doesn't matter to him at all.
"All good, all good. Say, do you have the number of your coworker? The cute one with the blond hair?"
You harrumph. "Give me yours," you insist, "I'm not giving out Yachi's number to strangers."
"I'm not a stranger," he defends himself, "We've been in a class for more than a year. But here," he makes a whole show of it, scribbling his number on a napkin and handing it to you, "My number. Take care of it."
You snort and tuck it into your pocket, only realizing Hajime's back when he clears his throat awkwardly behind you.
-
Hajime's been distant for the past week.
It's not unusual not to hear much from him for a few days, especially during exam season. You don't think much of it at first, because even though you've been crushing on him for the better part of your three-year friendship, you both still have a life outside of each other and the hell-hole you call work.
But then you're suddenly working your Monday shift with Makki instead of him. You've never worked Mondays without him. It's the worst day to work except maybe the weekend and he had to pinky promise to never let you down when the boss asked who'd cover it - you got free weekends but still, are pinky promises nothing worth anymore?
"Where's Hajime?" You ask Makki. The guy only shrugs. But he's been Hajime's friend longer than he's been yours so you don't think he'd tell you even if he knew.
On Wednesday you work with Mattsun. And boy, does he know what's going on. You can read it in the tilt of his eyebrows, the curve of his mouth.
"Spill," you tell him, "Or I'll never give out your number to cute girls again."
"I have a girlfriend," he replies lazily. You narrow your eyes at him.
"And apparently so do you," he continues, "Or rather, a boyfriend."
You furrow your brows. "Since when?"
"I don't know..." He doesn't seem to take this seriously at all. "I'm just telling you what Iwaizumi told me."
"Hajime told you I have a boyfriend."
"Mhm," he smiles brightly. "And then he asked to switch shifts with me."
-
Hajime has the decency to look guilty. He's ducking his head and it's probably only his manners that keep him from shutting the door on you.
"Why did you tell Mattsun I have a boyfriend."
He grimaces, but his mouth stays closed.
"Hajime," you insist, voice low, "I don't have a boyfriend."
"Maybe not yet," he argues, "But Terushima..."
"That's what this is about?" You ask, "Terushima asking me out? He's done that for months and I've never shown any interest. What makes you think I would change my mind?"
"You took his number," he tells you, eyes flickering around, lips pushed forward in something like a pout. "And he's got a piercing-"
"Hajime," you say, more than just exasperated, "Girls flirt with you every time you step out of your room. If I cut contact with you every time we wouldn't be friends anymore, would we?"
He flinches a little, but he's too stubborn to give in. Yet.
"No one's flirting with me," He insists, now an angry line between his brows, "You're imagining-"
"I've been flirting with you for the past two years," you add. If you're going down, you're at least going down with everything you've got.
Hajime freezes. His eyes are wide and his hand tries to grab the door but misses.
"You- what?!"
"What do you think writing my first name with your last name means? Or writing your name on my skin pretending it's a tattoo? Or cuddling into you during movie nights?"
"You run cold!" He defends himself, "A-and... And you said my name was pretty!"
"YES!" You huff, "Because I'm in love with you!"
Hajime's mouth opens and closes without any sound coming out. Your heart is hammering painfully against your chest. One more second, you tell yourself, one more second you'll give him before you finally give up.
His hand shoots out, grabs yours, and pulls you inside before you've fully finished that thought.
"Really?" He asks, a shy smile spreading over his face. "Really really?"
"Really really really," you promise, offering him your pinky. "I swear."
-
"Wow, you've got bad taste," you tell Atsumu when he's finished his order. He balks at you, but you snicker and his twin joins your teasing.
"I'll never come to visit you at your job again," he threatens and you shrug. "Sucks to be you, I guess."
"Come on, don't be like that," Atsumu wouldn't be Atsumu if he didn't try and wheedle his way into your favorites again. His eyes flicker to the side and he grins. "Can I at least get your number?"
Hajime's chest slams into your back. You can feel his anger without turning to look.
"She's taken," your boyfriend huffs behind you. "Don't be disrespectful!"
#my writing#haikyuu x reader#haikyuu#haikyuu fluff#iwaizumi x reader#iwaizumi fluff#iwaizumi hajime#seijoh 4
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|| series masterlist || next // previously ||
genre(s) -> angst, fluff, smut, non-idol, hybrid au, poly au
paring(s) -> ( eventually ) ATEEZ x reader
warning(s) -> mentions of abuse, anxiety / paranoia, illegal acts mentioned, violence etc.
words -> 3.3k
abstract -> fight or flight... what are you going to choose Hongjoong?
y/n's perspective
After a while, I returned to the apartment and made sure my face didn’t tell them I cried.
I couldn’t let that tiger get to me… but he did. My mind wandered and overthinking everything. I was taught how to differentiate happy hybrids… but I couldn’t now.
His words couldn’t leave my head.
“Are you thinking of adopting them?” I heard as I saw Yeosang behind me. No… I was wondering if you guys lied to me.
“I know you want to help them–” Did I? They weren’t my responsibility… and frankly, Hongjoong was scary. “–we talked and if you really want to help them, we understand.” he said and I wondered…
Did they want me to adopt them?
“San… he told me how he felt when you adopted me. If he said no, I would've been under her control still and I couldn’t wish that on any hybrid” he confessed and I nodded.
“You don’t need to feel guilty–” I don't… but if you want me to adopt the tigers then I’d do anything for you three. “–we promise to try to get along,” he said and I noticed Wooyoung and San by the doorway of my room.
“You’re a good person, without you we would’ve been suffering on our own”
“You do know this is dangerous, right?” Kun asked me as I signed. What was I doing? I couldn’t think straight. Everything was overwhelming… it felt like high school all over again, like almost a year ago when he left me.
They were dangerous but not to them… to me.
Seonghwa came out first. He helped me… he was kind but it was to get out of his own hell hole. He only fulfilled his side of the deal, nothing more… nothing less.
“You? You’re adopting me?” he said with a smile. I didn’t know how to react but I smiled softly… he seemed happy… was he?
“You won't regret it! I… thank you for everything…” I turned him out when I saw the other tiger. He was in a red code protocol gear. “He’s still a code red. The only reason I'm agreeing is because of the training you have… I hope you know what you're doing” Kun said. I don't… I know nothing. I don’t know how to take care of someone… I don’t even know if my own hybrids trust me. If everything was a lie… and I was blissfully just ignorant.
He looked at me with a smirk.
I was just a writer… Why was I biting more than I could chew?
hongjoong's perspective
I don’t know how Seonghwa didn’t notice it. Maybe because of how happy he was… but she was scared of us, even him. What could’ve gotten to her head to adopt us when she’s so scared?
We made it to her building where she was greeted and I could tell this building was expensive. Truly just another rich human with nothing else better to do.
When the elevator opened it revealed an apartment with three hybrids. Now just how blind were they?
“My name is Seonghwa, I'm a white tiger hybrid” he introduced with a bow to show his politeness. “Hongjoong,” I said while bowing slightly only to get smacked on the back by Seonghwa. Silently scolding me for not making a good impression.
Why were good impressions even needed? I doubt we’d stay here for long.
Seonghwa was an annoying happy virus. He immediately made friends with the fox hybrid named Wooyoung. The two often cooked together and Seonghwa was a victim to his teasing. I could tell the Doberman and Seonghwa clashed a bit with their personalities but tried to get along for the sake of the humans.
No one noticed just how… unstable she was becoming.
I was starting to think my words of her hybrids faking everything got to her head. None of this could be true. She had to have had an incentive for them to act like they loved her. They actually treated her like a mate.
Even then… all of them were blind. She was spacing out and smiling softly and nodding to pretend she was listening to them. Every time she did this and caught my eyes she looked nervous… scared. I felt proud to have done such a strong response to her.
It's only been three days… but that panther. Something about him made me feel uneasy. He wasn’t easy to approach like the fox or as easy to converse as the Doberman. Seonghwa has tried and he’d only stare menacingly and give uninterested responses.
He started to see what was happening to the human and how she recoiled in his touch. Almost like she was scared of him. Despite that… I overheard the other day that he’ll give her space.
That she might be overwhelmed by too many hybrids around especially since we were from the circus. He didn’t know I was a red code nor Seonghwa had the potential to be one as well.
I was going to my room when I passed hers… she was in her room. Pacing back and forth mumbling under her breath. I peeked in to see papers scattered around her. She had a pen and was scribbling but she was clearly frustrated.
Maybe I’ll check that out later.
y/n’s perspective
I was confused about everything… I wanted to find comfort in them but I couldn’t. And Seonghwa has been nothing but the sweetest hybrid telling me how thankful he is that I adopted him let alone both him and… Hongjoong. He promised that Hongjoong would come around. He got along well with Wooyoung and helped clean and cook… he even enjoyed watching San and Wooyoung play on the TV and shared a love for fashion like Yeosang.
Everything was… great.
Poor San… he’s been avoiding me. I know it's because I flinched that one time he waved his hand in my face to pull me away from my thoughts. Was I scared of San?
I found myself in the hallway and he attacked me. The broken vase was no longer on the floor, Nothing was on that top shelf anymore. The blood… the sounds of Johnny and his paramedic team. That was almost a year ago now. Why… Why was that flooding my mind now?
I went to my room and turned the lights scaring myself in the process to see Hongjoong sitting on my desk chair. He held up my story… circus.
“Did my performance inspire you?” he said in a mocking voice. I was frozen… “Why are you so scared? I’ll admit, I understand why they like this place so much~” he said, only adding to my pool of thoughts that I couldn't swim out of.
“The food, the luxury, your submission,” he said as he stood up and I took steps backward. “It's all amusing,” he said and I wondered if that's what they thought.
“You, however, have been scattered. Did you finally realize the true nature of hybrids? How they like each other's presence but not yours?” he said and I didn’t want to believe it.
San… he told me how much he hated me in the beginning. Why would he change… is it because he didn’t want to live in the kennel? Was it the same for Wooyoung? And Yeosang didn't… want to be with her anymore so what's the difference here?
“This pathetic piece of work is just that! Pathetic” he said as I saw him put both hands on it getting ready to rip it. My only draft… my months of work. I don’t know why my body moved on its own. But it did… and my fingers grazed it as Hongjoong grabbed my wrist and pulled away the packet of paper with his other hand.
“Let me guess. You were gonna grab the piece of paper out of my hands? Just to what? Punish me? How would you do it? I don’t think you have whips… you don’t look like you'd be into that. Maybe… lock me in the closet? Sleep outside? Or… no food for a week?” he asked as he kept on listing punishments. I couldn’t listen anymore as his grip got tighter the more harmful punishments he listed. His claws dig deep into my wrist. I didn’t mean to cry… I tried to stay strong. They liked the tigers here… I was just collateral.
“Are you even paying attention–” he asked as he now gripped the back of my neck plunging his claws into my skin. “–you humans don’t care what happens. We’re toys, entertainment, fun to you! Just because you can pay your way in life… just because I was born this way I’m the one made into a slave!?” he yelled as I was now questioning… Was the double vision because of my tears? Or because of the blood I was losing?
“Why do you get all the fun?” he asked and I didn't know with what strength I said it but I gave him a way out.
“Then why don’t you run?”
hongjoong’s perspective
Run? That… it was an option now, wasn’t it? I could pretend to be a human… go to those illegal surgeries to try my best to look human.
Why didn’t I think of that before? She wouldn’t be missing the money… wait.
Why wasn’t she moving? I let her go only to hear a thud of her falling down. Why was there so much blood? I tried to shake her awake but nothing worked. I checked for her pulse but I felt nothing?
Did I kill her?
How was I gonna explain that to the four hybrids in the living room?
As much as I tried messing with her head… I knew those three cared about her as stupidly as I thought it would be. Seonghwa… even liked the idea of living a pampered life. While trying to heal his wounds with humans starting with the girl who was bleeding out on her bedroom floor.
Now was my chance… I could get her information. I could get money and leave. I could… live the life I want. But… It didn't change what I did. My hands are stained with my blood– “What did you do?” I heard as I saw Seonghwa standing by the door. He looked at my bloodied hands and then at her.
He slammed the door shut but didn’t lock it.
“Seonghwa, I know what I did was wrong, okay! Just help me find her wallet and maybe even her docu–” “Hongjoong I don’t want to run away and try to get the money for those ridiculous black market surgeries. What did you do?! Why?! She was a good person– Is she even alive?!” he said clearly panicked. He tried feeling for a pulse when he scrambled up to open the door and yell–
“Call 119!” he said. He turned back to look at me with fear in his eyes… “I told you Hongjoong to stop. You misjudged her… what makes you think you’d survive living as a human? Get a job working with the species you hate! You're an idiot and you might've killed–" "Killed?” I heard as I saw the fox hybrid and panther by the doorway. They looked at her body…
Wooyoung started crying… he immediately went to wipe her face of tears and blood to try to wake her up. Whilst I was tackled to the ground with hands wrapped around my throat… I couldn't breathe and I struggled against him. Why was he so strong?!
He didn’t say anything but I could see the rage in his eyes. He was an animal… he showed pure anger, and bloodlust in his eyes as I started feeling faint.
“Let go of him!” I could hear Seonghwa’s voice trying to reason. “She’s alive!” the fox yelled, making the panther look at him and loosen his grip, making me cough out and pant for air.
“Her pulse is there! She’s still alive, we just need the paramedics to get here!” the fox reasoned as I saw the pair look over her dying body. Seonghwa stared at them… what did I do?
A few minutes passed by while we all tried to process everything when we heard people speak in codes.
I saw a tall man in a uniform that seemed like a nurse. He looked at all of us and then her body.
He held a radio– “Kun, in her bedroom, four other hybrids have been located” he said as he slowly went to approach her. Realistically… paramedics don’t go towards the body until the threat has been handled but Sna and Wooyoung looked at him hopefully to help her. Wooyoung moved out of the way while San stayed by her side holding her hand. He looked for a pulse.
He pulled out the radio again– “Faint pulse, get a crash cart ready” he said while now feeling around her wounds.
“Contain all hybrids with a code black status” I heard as I saw the hybrid behavior analysis. He was in charge of me… of seeing if I could ever… live a happy hybrid life.
“You can help her right!?” Wooyoung said and he could only nod as he took out a syringe and surprised Wooyoung by tranquilizing him.
“Please… help her,” he said last as looked at the other two and me to decide. “San, I need to take her, '' the nurse said and the panther seemed unresponsive, which the specialist decided to go for next, not seeing too much resistance as he started to lose consciousness. “Don’t leave me,” he muttered lastly.
The nurse took her and before we could react I felt a prick on my neck. I saw the doorway blurrily reveal the doctor from that place.
“All hybrids have been captured and will be analyzed as a code black”
The next time I opened my eyes I heard banging and yelling.
Yells demanded if the human was okay. Where was I? I sat up to see I was on the floor… the kennel? I looked beside me at Seonghwa. The only thing separating us was glass.
“You're lucky! I should've killed you when I had the chance!!” I heard as I saw the panther. He was in chains and muzzled. Why did he have such intense equipment? It's when I realized… So was I?
Seonghwa didn’t have it. Before I could say anything I noticed a change of smell and the noise of a door opening.
“These are the hybrids under behavior analysis…” I heard as I saw two unknown staff members with the doctor. “Hyung, there's no way that–” “You can follow the orders I give you and fulfill your request or I'll have someone more experienced do this job” he threatened. He didn’t seem like he was in the mood or cared about the situation.
“Is she okay?” I heard… that was the fox. “You five, are under analysis. However, no further action will occur once we get permission from your owner–” “She’s alive?!” They interrupted him. He looked to his side to look at me… she wasn’t.
“Or when she gets announced dead” he finished creating an eerie feeling in the air. “Depending on what she has discussed with lawyers in her revised will, I have permission to act accordingly based on your past records and current situation,” he said as he left. The two staff members stayed however to do checkups… her hybrids begged for anything relating to her.
I noticed San's cage opened. I couldn't see the other two but San did behave for them. “Did she… ever tell you what was bothering her this week?” he asked and I felt my heart stop. They still didn’t know?
“What's been wrong with her this week?” the employee asked. “She’s been… writing more than usual and spacing out,” he asked and the staff sighed.
“You’ve known her for years… what could’ve bothered–" "Anything really… once something gets into her head, she’s insistent. It must’ve really bothered her if you noticed it. Usually she’s better at hiding it,” he said and I started feeling something eat me up. Was it guilt?
“She’ll be okay,” he said and San didn’t seem to believe him. “She’s dead isn’t she… or dying?” he asked and the face he made seemed to clarify any questions.
They were waiting for her status… but I could see on their faces that they were already mourning their friend… this feels like a dream– not a nightmare.
I noticed my door open. They were the most cautious with me… I felt like I couldn’t breathe. What did I do?!
“Unresponsive Kun.” — “Hongjoong?” I heard the only friend I've ever had say worried for me. Would he still be worried for me if she died? If he knew I tormented her?
“The orange tiger is going into isolation”
seonghwa’s perspective
It was a dream. I got a sense of freedom… I knew that she was scared of Hongjoong and in association was scared of me. But I saw how she flinched away from San.
I learned that he was her first hybrid… and she became scared of him. Something that Hongjoong said to her. He got into her head… and now here we were awaiting our death sentence.
I know the other three might get another chance but us? We're from the circus… we're gonna die here without feeling how love feels like… we were so close… to feel loved.
“It's all you tiger’s fault” Yeosang said and I knew we didn’t get along well. I tried my best to get along with them… and they tried their best for my sake. “I shouldn’t have convinced her to help you” he muttered and that made sense. “She adopted us because you suggested it?” I asked and he scoffed.
“She came back the day of your interviews spacing out and in her head… I assumed she wanted to adopt you two out of pity like she did with me” Yeosang said and San scoffed.
“She didn’t adopt you out of pity… she wanted a better life for you,” he said and I chuckled softly. “She… she didn’t want to adopt us. Not after what Hongjoong told her that day. It makes sense now…” I said and they looked at me like I was crazy.
“The day of the interview, Hongjoong was a red-coded hybrid. So she brought me with her to help calm him down. But instead, he got into her head… and she ran. He mentioned something about hybrids pretending to love their owners to survive and that we’d do anything to survive. That one day if you wanted to kill her” I explained and I saw how distraught they looked. Wooyoung now had tears running down his cheek and Yeosang hid himself in the corner whilst San… he only stared at his hands.
“So this is it? She’ll die thinking what we felt for her was fake?” Wooyoung asked and San tried getting out of his restraints.
“What are you doing… there's no point in fighting it” Yeosang scolded the panther but San was hysterical. “I’ll never live it down… that’ll haunt me for the rest of my life. None of you were there… not when I almost did kill her. She… she wouldn’t have believed that stupid tiger if it wasn’t for what I did! And… and—” he broke down crying. “–she should’ve left me in that stupid adoption center” he finished with his voice cracking.
The room was filled with silence and even I felt tears blurry my vision.
San continued to hysterically get out of his restraints when the doctor came in again. “San?” they waited to see and San did not respond instead his cries were painful. He was also injured fighting in the restraints.
“San, panther hybrid prepare a code purple room”
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A Taste of Sugar (Part 1 of 2)
Alastor x reader (Hazbin Hotel)
Part 1 rated M, Part 2 rated E 18+ for adult content
TW part 1: Light jealousy, trauma related to past food insecurity, trauma recovery.
TW Part 2: Explicate smut, see part 2 for details.
Almost 4k words for part one. Ps- Fuck you Nonny, this is what you get for trying to tell me what I'll write
~<3 Love, Kit.
As you work through the trauma of your life and starving to death, you dismantle your stash of snacks for what you hope will be the final time. Snack cakes, cookies and crackers are given to everyone around you, except one resident in the hotel whom you knew wouldn't enjoy or consume the treats. Then, as the flow of treats tricked to a stop, stash dismantled, small brown boxes containing treats began to appear at your door. Simple, delicious and seemingly homemade treats without so much as a note.
He watched and he waited, each week for your offer. Each week, no offer came and again he left his gift at your door. Why would you not think of him? Why would you not see him? What did he have to do for you to consider him?
~~~~~<3~~~~~<3~~~~~~<3~~~~~<3
A Taste of Sugar
You found yourself in Hell after a rather uneventful death that made of for its lack of excitement with lasting trauma. Now, sitting in a circle in a hotel that functioned more like a rehabilitation center and refuge than actual hotel, you were expected to recount it to the fellow residents that had become more like friends.
It was Charlie’s latest grand idea of how to build trust and bonds between the group and process negative feelings that could hold each of you back from redemption. You didn’t think that was how redemption worked but whatever, it wasn’t your reputation on the line and it got you a safe room to sleep in and three meals a day.
The others had grand stories of murders, crimes and addictions that all landed them in the grave, one way or another, often taking others with them. They had spoken of dark indulgences.
Now they teased you, your crimes amounting to nothing compared to theirs. Damned for the simple crime of being born poor and attempting, rather unsuccessfully, to survive.
You had died fairly young, having lived most of your life on the streets only to starve to death, alone, cold and in the dark. The shelters were full and the food banks near useless without somewhere to cook the food. Stealing food could only get you so far when you had little to choose from. You died dreaming of a warm meal, cooked at home. You died begging to world for a simple snack cake to quiet the pain in your stomach. You died alone, cold and hungry.
The divine didn’t seem to care that you only stole what you thought you needed to survive. Really, not even that considering you starved to death. Maybe you didn’t pray enough. Maybe you didn’t go to the right church. Maybe you didn’t give away what little food you had often enough.
Explaining that felt like shining a spotlight on every way you failed. You failed in life and you failed in death. Not good enough to get into heaven and yet you were also not bad enough to have a respected place in hell. Weak, unless and fueled by fear of once again going without.
“So, that’s why you’ve always got snacks?” Angel pointed out, making you blush hard in shame. The trauma of your life hand a lasting grip around your actions even in death.
“I’m trying to be better about it,” You felt shame in how you tended to hoard snacks in your room, rarely actually doing more than a little nibbling at them. Charlie did a great job of ensuring all residents had access to three meals a day, though someone was almost always missing from one meal or another. “I know I don’t have to worry about starving here, it’s just hard.”
In the shadows of the hall, red eyes watched the group. A smile stretched in the distance as they discussed how the traumas of life leaked into the afterlife and the ways you could move past your traumas.
He couldn’t say why he was drawn to you. You were little more than a lost doe and yet you plagued his mind. He wanted to cast you out so you’ll leave his thoughts as much as he wanted to keep you as a little pet for his own amusements. There was time enough to figure out what to do about the conflicting urges. For now, he can simply watch from a distance, from the shadows.
Rosie had told him that in her expert opinion he was ‘catching feelings’ when he had lamented his inability to settle on a course of action. That aggravated him more than anything else, well almost. The utter glee at the concept was more annoying by just a touch.
He was above romantic sentiments just as he was above the carnal desires of the flesh. Rosie was mistaken, Alastor decided as he also made the decision that he would do nothing about you. There was no reason to let you plague him any longer. Simply look away, move on with his days and it would pass.
Without the desire to do anything about this strange draw to you, Alastor settled on watching you from across the room. He watched as you ate, as you threw out the occasional small package of snacks.Turns out, he wasn’t very good at looking away from you.
It didn’t escape him how you would frown, discussing your decision with Angel. You had decided you would no longer hoard snacks and oh, how proud of you the group was.
You were growing. Healing. Blooming.
If you’d talk to him, he’d tell you that very thing. Yes, he decided as you gave away snacks that he would tell you just how proud he was of you when you presented him with a part of your stash.
He watched and he waited as you gave out cakes, crackers and cookies to everyone else.
But never to him. No, it was always Angel and the other residents you shared your spoils with. Not once had you sought him out to offer him a cracker, cake or cookie. Not that he indulged in processed snacks or sweets on anything but the rarest occasion but that didn’t stop his shadow from bristling in annoyance behind him.
He wanted to be offered. To be recognized. To be thought of. To be noticed.
But he didn’t have feelings for you, he told himself. And that’s what he kept telling himself as the purging of your stash came to an end, drawer empty and flow of snacks becoming a trickle, an occasional treat purchased with the intention of sharing.
Oh, how you’d healed.
~~~~~<3
The first time it happened, you nearly stepped on it. Someone had left a simple plain cardboard box in front of your room door without so much as a note attached to it. Inside were two equally simple cookies. Nothing large, nothing fancy.
Setting them on your desk, you debated eating them or not. They looked good but when you had asked around, no one knew where they had come from.
“Guess you’ve got a secret admirer,” Angel had teased you. “If the cookies are good, you should date them.”
You didn’t know how you’d pull that off without knowing who left them though. Surely they were safe to eat, it’s not like random people came and left the hotel.
What’s the worst that could happen, if they were drugged? You were safe in your room. If they made you sick you had a private bathroom. You were already dead so what’s the harm?
The cookies were good, it turned out. You had nibbled on them over a few days, spreading out the treat. It seemed as soon as they were gone though, a new box appeared at the door. This time with a handful of crackers, some sliced cheese, fruit and sliced cured meat.
This continued for months, treats that were simple, modest and only enough to last for a few days. No matter how quickly or slowly you had consumed the gift, the night you discarded the empty box always brought a new box in the morning.
~~~~~<3
You leaned against the counter watching Alastor work. It was late and though you were not hungry, you often found yourself in the kitchen. Just being able to go down and look at the food you had access to had been helping you resist the urge to hoard food in your room when ever you felt that anxiety claw at you.
It helped too, that you had been able to look forward to the small snack boxes that showed up.
“Something on your mind, Dear?” Alastor didn’t look to you as he spoke, instead keeping his eyes on ingredients he was measuring out.
You hadn’t expected to find him in the kitchen. It was late and those who didn’t leave to party were asleep. Husk was even passed out at the bar.
“Not really,” You said after a moment.
“The food is all here,” Alastor said with a hum, “If that’s what you’re here to check.”
“Oh, No! I-”
“We’ve all got our quirks.” Alastor cut you off, pouring water into a bowl and adding yeast.
“What are you making?” You asked rather than face admitting that he was right about what you were there to do.
“Beignets,” Alastor said, mildly annoyed.
“Those are like donuts, right?” You asked, hoping that you had imagined the sound.
“Indeed, they’re similar.” Alastor kept his words curt.
“For breakfast tomorrow?”
“At this hour, it’s today.” Alastor swallowed his annoyance at the endless questions and lied, “Yes, for breakfast.”
“I’ll go, sorry for bothering you.” You stepped backward as you took the hint, smile falling from your face.
“No,” He answered too fast, bitter sigh huffing through his always present smile, “I’ll need someone to try the test one.”
“Oh.”
You sat, watching Alastor work. He mixed flour into the liquid. This was a way you had never seen Alastor before. It crossed your mind that he probably didn’t let many see him with his coat and gloves off, smile turned soft and flour dusting his dark hands.
But he was letting you.
His coat was draped over the back of the chair you sat in, brushing against your skin as you shifted positions. His gloves were folded neatly and discarded on the table. He worked with his sleeves rolled up and a tune filling the air as he alternated between humming and softly singing to himself.
It was beautiful. You were engrossed watching him work. The sound of his voice seemed to wrap around you, caressing you with warmth.
You’d never spent much time with Alastor. You knew he was a deer, like yourself but until now, you’d thought his only deer trait had been the antlers and ears atop his head. It hadn’t occurred to you that he would have a little fluffy tail to match your own.
It should have, you had fluffy ears to match his though with your longer hair, it was more obvious that they were indeed ears. You watched as his red and black tail moved with him as he put the dough in the icebox to chill.
“What now?” You asked, leaning back from him.
“We wait, my little doe,” Alastor sat front of you across the table, leaning into your space across the small table.
“For how long?” You ask, not sure what to make of spending so much time with him.
“A while,” Alastor said, “But I assure you the wait is well worth it.”
“But you don’t like sweets.”
“You know what I like?” Alastor’s dark hand, stained by blood that could never be washed away dramatically rose to rest over his heart with a flourish as he leaned forward even more. “I’m ever so flattered.”
You stuttered, not sure how to backtrack. Alastor laughed at your flustered stuttering before taking pity on you, pointing a long claw tipped finger so close to you that you swore he was going to stab you with his nail.
“You, my dear, do enjoy sweets however.”
You didn’t know what to say to that, face warm. He knew that you cared for sweets. You were tired but seeing this relaxed side of him was thrilling. That chased away most of the fatigue, driving you to stay and find someway to push the conversation along.
“I didn’t know you liked to cook,” You struggled to decide how to fill the silence.
“I’ve always found it rather enjoyable.” Alastor cocked his head to the side as he watched you. “My mother taught me.”
“That must have been nice.” You weren’t sure what to say, having never really gotten to experience the love of a mother yourself.
“It was.” Alastor watched as you leaned forward, resting your head on your arms. There was something about you that he couldn’t put down. “Did your mother not teach you to cook?”
Your ears sagged atop your head at the question, earning a raised eyebrow from the man across from you. “She didn’t teach me much of anything. I was on my own since I was fourteen.”
“Oh, Dear,” Alastor said as if he didn’t know that already, “How dreadful.”
“I never really had enough food for learning to cook to be a thing.” You shrugged your shoulders, not lifting your head as you stretched out your arm to use it as a pillow. You shifted, allowing you to face him even as you used the side of the table to lounge on.
“But you do now.” Alastor pointed out as he sat with you in a kitchen full of food.
“Full of Charlie’s and the hotel’s food.” You said, “I couldn’t risk wasting it. It’s enough that everyone shares with me what they make and,” You shake your head awkwardly against your arm, cutting off the thought.
“And?” Alastor pressed.
“Someone’s been leaving little boxes of treats at my door. I wish I knew who it was.”
“Why?” Alastor leaned back now, putting distance between the two of you, “Does the origin of a gift matter?”
“I-” Your eyes teared up as your voice strangled in your throat. You sat up, not sure why you were being so open with him.
“You~?” Alastor asked in a sing song tone as a tear slipped from your eye and ran down. His eyes followed it as it cut a path down your cheek. It was maddening to him, what you made him feel. How watching that tear captured his attention, yet he raged at the fact that it was born from pain in your heart.
“I’ve never had anyone give me treats like that.” You said, wiping the tear away much to his disappointment.
“Never? Surely a suiter gifted you treats while courting for your attention.” Oh, why did saying that raise bile in his throat?
“I’ve never-” You laugh, not sure why the idea of discussing this with Alastor made you feel uneasy. “There was never any suiters. No boys. No one.”
“I struggle to believe that.” Alastor laughed as he stood from his chair, “Come my dear, wash your hands and join me.”
You didn’t know what he wanted but Alastor was a man to be obeyed. While you were both deer, he had far more power than you could ever dream to possess. If he wanted to demand your help, you had little choice but to comply.
Sure, the hotel offered a sense of safety but if Alastor wanted to squash you like a bug, shared demonic traits or not, there was nothing that could stop him. Well, Charlie would but she was asleep.
Alastor had the counter floured and a small portion of dough out as you joined him, drying your hands. “Where’s the rest?”
“That’ll be fried up in the morning, if it passes our test.”
He pulled you in front of the counter before stepping close behind you. It was hard to ignore the overwhelming presence of him looming over your shoulder as he reached around to grab the rolling pin only to pass it to you.
“Roll it out until I say,” He directed as he covered the pin in flour only to place it in your hands.
As you worked, his hands rested on either side of you against the counter, boxing you in from behind while not touching you at all. It was hard for you to ignore how close he was.
It was like the man was taking over your mind, something you hadn’t expected considering you hadn’t given him much thought in the months before. The smell of his cologne seemed to surround, making your head light. You weren’t sure why you were reacting to him like this but it left your nerves buzzing.
Now all you could think of was the way his breath caressed over your ears, the way his hands looked without the gloves, dusted with flour, the sound of his voice as he hummed and the smell of his cologne.
“There.” Alastor said, taking the pin from you and replacing it with a dough cutter. “Squares, about the size of your fist.”
Cool air swept around you as Alastor moved away, checking the pot of oil heating on the stove. You’d only just begun to relax under his looming presence and now he was gone and damnit, you missed it.
There was just enough dough to form two squares with some left over. Alastor scooped them up before dropping them in the oil. You stood next to him, watching as the oil came to life around the dough.
“How long do we cook them?” You asked over the sound of the violently bubbling oil.
“Not long.” Alastor said from too close behind you once again as inky black shadow imps swept up the flour and crumbs, wiping down the counters.
On the counter, he set a plate with a rack over it and next to that was a sifter atop a container of powdered sugar. You were boxed in by Alastor as he rested his hands on either side of the fryer, looking over your shoulder as he once again boxed you in.
“Now.” He said softly, “Scoop them out and put them on the rack.”
You were timid, scared of being burned as you fished for the squares with the spoon made of wire.
“Hurry, hurry!” Alastor cried, voice carrying a musical note as he only made your nerves worse, “You don’t want them to burn!”
Finally, you got them out. Oil dripped off the puffed up pastries as they quickly drained the excess oil off. Alastor grabbed the sifter only to put it in your hands. He moved you as if you were a puppet, placing the sifter in your hands over the rack, steam wafting up to caress your hand. You stood still as he poured a few spoonfuls of powdered sugar into the basket.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” He teased. “You can manage to turn the handle, can’t you?”
“Yeah,” You stammered over the word, mind buzzing with the anxiety of having Alastor, the powerful, blood thirsty Radio Demon spending so much time in your immediate space. Your hands shook as you turned the small metal handle, causing the wire bar inside the sifter to spin, agitating the powdered sugar and helping it fall in a smooth, clump free shower over a square.
Alastor used his hand on your forearm to move the sifter over the other pastry when he had decided there was enough dusting on the first. You didn’t know if there was any science to how much sugar each got or if he was simply measuring with his long dead heart.
Once both were covered enough for his taste, he plucked the sifter from your fingers and set it aside.
“What now?” You asked, unsure still of what was going on.
“Now you try one.” Alastor said, plucking a square up. When you went to grab the other, he roughly shoved the rack out of your reach.
“What? Why did you do that?!” Your brow furrowed as you looked at the rack, now well out of reach before looking back at the man standing too close to you. “How can I try it if you won’t let me grab it?”
“Open.” Alastor commanded as he ripped the corner off the beignet in his hand.
“Wha-” Your question was cut off by the soft, warm, sweet taste that invaded your mouth somewhat forcefully.
It was delicious.
“Well?” Alastor asked as you swallowed the bite.
You hadn’t noticed Alastor rip off another chunk of beignet but found it pushed between your lips the moment you attempted to praise the taste. This time, instead of retreating, his thumb rested against your lower lip as you took in the bite.
His nails were long and pointed claws, not the thick claws that encased the fingertips of his gloves, but still dangerous. The sharp point of his thumbnail poked between your lips as he watched you chew for a few moments.
You were spellbound by the way he looked down at you. What exactly was happening, you had no fucking clue but the air between you and Alastor was thick with something you couldn’t begin to understand.
His touch left your lip to rip another chunk off the beignet slowly as you watched him. His dark bloodstained hands were covered in the white powdered sugar and flour, softening their appearance.
“It’s good,” You whispered as he slowly brought another bite to your lips.
This time he offered it, waiting for you to open your mouth and take what he was offering on your own, knowing full well who was offering it. Somehow, it felt like something far more than a midnight snack was being offered to you but what?
“It’s been you,” You said, not asked as Alastor presented another bite that you took willingly as soon as you spoke.
His thumb again lingered on your lips, sugar damp with oil and sticky on his skin smearing.
“Yes,” Alastor said after a pause to toss the remaining portion of the beignet on the counter and wiping the hand that had been holding it on a hand towel on the counter, cleaning it of some of the sugar. Yet his other hand didn’t leave you. His thumb remained on your lower lip, feeling every twitch and breath.
“Why?” You whispered, his thumb slipping against your lip and coming dangerously close to falling into your mouth.
“You never offered me anything of your stash,” Alastor spoke softly.
“You don’t like sweets,” You hadn’t wanted to waste his time when you had made the decision to dismantle your stash. It had been a emotionally difficult choice, one that you had made before and never stuck to for long until now. “Or junk food.”
“You ignored me.” Alastor’s thumb slipped, running along her lower lip but never leaving it. “I thought if you had better options…”
“I’d share them with you?” Your voice was coming out so soft now, Alastor’s tall ears cocked forward to better pick up your words.
“But you didn’t.”
“I didn’t share them with anyone.” You whispered. “I didn’t want to share them with anyone.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to keep them all to myself. They were too good to share. I-”
Alastor’s thumb slipped into your mouth, cutting off whatever you had been about to say. Sticky sweetness exploded across your tongue as his thumb caressed it. You could feel the point of his nail against your tongue, a hint of danger coated in sweet sugar.
Your mind was numb as you caressed the pad of his thumb, rolling the tip of your tongue under his nail softly. You were not sure what he wanted from you. The idea of overstepping Alastor’s unspoken boundaries was terrifying. This was uncharted waters. A side of Alastor you had never seen or even dared to dream of seeing.
Alastor watched you as you stood near frozen. “Under some circumstances, I enjoy a sweet.”
~~~~~<3
See part 2 for the smut.
#alastor x reader#alastor x you#alastor x reader smut#hazbin alastor x reader#hazbin alastor x you#hazbin alastor#hazbin hotel alastor#alastor smut
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Top Secret Fiction Ch. 4
Farmers Market
Katsuki Bakugou x Reader
Description: After meeting the one and only pro hero Dynamight on a dating app, you two begin to see each other. Because of the dangers that come with his hero work, you both promise to be completely honest with each other from the beginning; though you can't help but keep one big secret from him.
You write fan fiction, mostly about him.
Chapter Details: nothing crazy. another date, katsuki being sweet, reader uses their quirk
Word Count: 1.4k
It's been about two weeks since you went on your date with Bakugou and you haven't seen him since, unfortunately. But it was for good reason - his hero work.
Going into this, you knew he'd be extremely busy, but you didn't think he'd be this busy. But you could understand it. Though something you did appreciate was the fact that he did make time to talk to you on the phone and would let you know when he'd have to go hours without talking.
In these past two weeks you also thought about his serious talk with you, about honesty.
Guilt ate away at you every time you started writing or even thought about it, which made it harder to stay active on your writing account.
Your secret really wasn't that big of a deal, but it was still a secret. Fan fiction was also something that had a bad reputation among people who didn't read it, so who knows how Bakugou felt about it.
Your phone ringing broke you out of your thoughts.
Looking at the caller ID, you saw that it was Bakugou. Smiling, you answered it and said "Hi Bakugou!"
"Hey, you busy right now?" He asked.
You looked around your room, as if that'd give you an answer. "Uh no, why?"
"Good. Can you be ready in like - thirty minutes? I'm free for the rest of the day and I wanna hangout now that I actually have time."
How sweet.
"Yeah I'll be ready by then. Are we meeting somewhere?"
"No, I'm picking you up."
"'Kay, see you then. Bye!"
"Bye."
Hanging up, you squealed into your pillow and then looked at the time. It was only 3:00 pm, so you'd have to be ready by 3:30.
As you rushed to get ready you wondered where Bakugou was taking you. He didn't say you had to dress a certain way, so you went for a casual and comfortable outfit.
He didn't seem like the type to take you somewhere extravagant randomly, so you were sure it'd be somewhere that was pretty relaxed.
After getting ready you noticed you had a few minutes left to spare so you decided to go check on the plants you had around your home.
You had about three plants in your home, all of them ranging from different sizes and types. You didn't have many plants in your home because you already had many at your work place.
You attended to each of your plants needs after they had told you what it is they wanted. One wanted more sunlight, the other was thirsty, and one was just fine.
You looked at your phone to check if Bakugou had texted you, and luckily he did. He had sent a text saying he was outside waiting for you.
You smiled and slipped your shoes on, saying bye to Cheerios and your plants like you always did.
Sliding into the passenger seat you said, "Hey stranger. How've you been?"
He smiled lightly, "Sorry I haven't been able to see you. Work keeps me busy but I'm good, you?"
"I get it. I've been good too though. Has anything interesting happened at work?"
Bakugou brought a hand up to his jaw and stroked it while he thought. "Eh, nothing major. I did stop a bank robbery with Red Riot a few days ago though."
You gasped and turned to him, "A whole bank robbery? I feel like that's such a stereotypical situation... you know? Like, you just see it in movies all the time."
"I know, which is why people usually don't attempt to rob a whole bank" He laughed, "But clearly these guys were idiots."
You laughed at that. "I can't even imagine trying to rob a bank. I mean - where would you even start?
The two of you continued to talk on the way to your destination, which he actually told you about this time. He said that there was a farmers market happening nearby and he actually went there pretty often, so he thought he should invite you along with him which you thought was sweet.
When you arrived it was just as you expected and it seemed to be quite busy.
"Wow I can't believe I've never been here before! The decorations are so cute." You said in awe, once you both started walking around.
"You wanna go get food? There's this old dude that sells the best takoyaki at his stand." Bakugou said as you two walked through the crowd.
You nodded, "Yeah I'm down. Takoyaki sounds really good right now - oh and after can we stop at that stand?" You asked, pointing to a stand that was selling crocheted stuffed animals.
He nodded and then held out a hand, "So you don't get lost in the crowd."
Yeah right.
You smiled and grabbed his hand, letting him lead the way to the takoyaki stand. Once you got there you met the old man he mentioned and talked to him for a bit. You found out that he made the takoyaki himself and he'd been doing it for over thirty years!
When it came to paying, Bakugou kept insisting that he would pay for your food but you stood your ground and told him you were just fine paying for your own.
He grumbled about it for a while after but eventually got over it. You two then went over to the stand you mentioned earlier, and looked at the stuffed animals for sale.
"They're so cute! I think I'm gonna buy one." You said to Bakugou.
He hummed, "You should get that one." and pointed to a white jumbo bunny wearing pink overalls.
"You're so right." You said and placed your food down so you could grab the bunny and check for a price tag.
Your eyes widened at the price.
"This thing is sixty bucks!" You whispered to him.
"What? Lemme see." He said and grabbed the bunny from you to look at the tag. His eyebrows raised a bit at the price. "Tsk, I can make this shit myself."
"You crochet?" You asked.
"Sometimes..." He said and looked away.
You laughed and then grabbed the bunny back from him. "Well, I guess it's goodbye bunny. You're just too expensive." You said and sadly put the bunny back where it once was, making sure to grab your takoyaki.
"Wanna go sit under that tree?" You asked and pointed to a large tree with a bench underneath it.
Bakugou nodded and you began making your way over to the bench.
Once you got there you both continued to eat your food in a comfortable silence. Looking up at the tree, you used your quirk and listened.
"This tree has seen a lot of things." You smiled.
"Whaddya mean?" He asked around his food.
"My quirk. I just used it and listened to the tree. She said she's seen a lot of interesting things in this spot, good and bad." You said and listened some more, "Proposals are the most common."
Bakugou smiled, "The tree really said all that?"
"Yeah! Trees have such interesting stories because they've been around so long." You said excitedly.
He looked up at the tree, "I guess I never thought about it like that."
After some more talking and eating, Bakugou offered to throw away your trash for you, which you accepted. He told you to wait at the bench for him, so you did.
It was taking him a bit longer than you thought it would so you began to worry a bit. As you were biting your lip in thought, a touch on your shoulder made you jump.
"Didn't mean to scare ya."
You placed a hand on your chest, "Jeez! You walk so quietly I didn't hear anything."
Bakugou smirked, "Here, I got you something."
He handed you a large, brown paper bag and watched as you looked inside.
"The bunny!" You gasped and pulled it out of the bag. "But it was so expensive, why did you buy this?!"
He shrugged, "You wanted it, and I guess it's okay to look at."
You looked at the bunny intensely and rubbed its head.
"It's so cute... Thank you so much." You said.
"It's not problem, just make sure to name it after me." He joked.
You clicked your tongue and smacked him with the bunny.
...
You guys had ended up spending the rest of the day together, finally leaving the farmers market around 8:30 pm.
When Bakugou pulled up to your house, you hesitated before getting out.
"You good?" He asked.
"Yeah, um. Do you wanna come inside?" You asked quietly.
He smiled the widest you've ever seen him smile and said, "Yeah. Will your plants be okay with it?"
"Har har." You said while rolling your eyes and got out the car, leading him into your house.
authors note
sorry for the little cliff hanger :3
also, here's the bunny katsuki bought reader
taglist: @doumadono @54fangirl @andysdrafts @dagger-dragger @lovra974 @l4rsun1vrrse @emmab3mma @littlkittenfan @tatiquichi @cloudxluv @seonne @shonen-brainrot @the2ndl @gold24fish @cxp1d @rv19 @gina329
(those in pink couldn't be tagged)
#@angels-fantasy#fanfiction#fanfic#writers on tumblr#bakugou katsuki#my hero academia#bakugou x reader#topsecretfiction#katsuki bakugo x reader#bakugou x you
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Wan Kindergarten!Chuuya Part 2
Bungo Stray Dogs Chuuya Nakahara & Gender Neutral Reader + Osamu Dazai X Reader
Beginning Note: Here is the second part, as promised. Thanks to @kiwibeanv for inspiration on some/most situations.
Word Count: 1920
(Fluff/Little Crack/Little Suggestive)
Since Chuuya has been a good boy throughout the school year, you decided to gift him what he’s always wanted. A dog.
While he was in class, you went to the pet store, got the food, collar, leash, and anything else needed for the animal. Then, you went to a shelter and got a golden retriever.
It was around three months old and a male. Such a cutie, and it warmed up to you quickly! You ensured it wouldn’t cause any trouble in the house before leaving to pick up Chuuya.
On the way back, he told you all about his day and how Dazai was torturing him again. The usual, but you find his ramblings entertaining in a way.
When you opened the door and let Chuuya inside first, he immediately paused when the dog ran up to him. After processing it, he laughed and got on his knees, petting the dog.
“You got a puppy?!” He looked up at you for a second before returning his attention to the pup. His joyous laughter warmed your heart as a smile made its way to your face. You crouched next to him and caressed the heads of Chuuya and the dog.
“What do you want to name him? He’s a boy, just so you know.” You tilted your head at him as he pressed his lips together in thought.
“(Dog Name)!” He replied. The dog, now (Dog Name), seemed to like the name. After a few moments, you moved the two of them to the living room, locked the door, and placed Chuuya’s belongings by the entrance.
The whole day, Chuuya was playing with (Dog Name). He couldn’t be any happier. He kept thanking you for the new addition to the family.
You took a few pictures of him and (Dog Name). Some he smiled at the camera for, and others he didn’t notice you.
For the days after, he was much more happy and didn’t bother Dazai as much. The latter thought it was weird, but that didn’t stop him from teasing Chuuya.
At some point, a field trip was planned, so the staff gave the students the permissions slips for their guardian to sign (despite half of them not actually having that. We’ll pretend they do)
Dazai was telling them the details and if any adults wanted to volunteer (Staring at Chuuya), they need to sign a form which will be handed to them alongside the permission slip (Smiling at Chuuya), and just remember to let your parent know about the upcoming trip (Chuuya, you’re listening, yes?)
Throughout the whole explanation of that, Dazai was just glaring at the kid, leaning in real close.
“Don’t forget to ask your parent to volunteer as a chaperone, we would really appreciate their assistance. We welcome anyone!” His face is practically an inch from Chuuya’s, who is honestly just terrified of this random teacher who’s dating his parent, so he’s just backing away.
“Don’t look at me, you roll of bandages!”
Dazai straightens himself and continues with his explanation normally, as if he wasn’t pretty much threatening Chuuya to invite you.
As a result, Chuuya just threw away the volunteering page before showing you the packet.
Days later, he had been acting up, so Dazai warned him that he won’t be able to go on the trip if his behavior continues.
“Well, I didn’t wanna go anyways!” Chuuya huffed.
“Reeeaally?” Dazai pulled out his phone and contacted you. “Then I guess we’ll just have to inform your guardian that you won’t be attending.” When you picked up, Dazai lovingly greeted you (Which Chuuya gagged at) before getting to business. “So, apparently your child won’t be participating in the field trip due to his behavior.”
“Really? But Chuuya was really looking forward to it. He kept telling me how excited he was to be going,” Unfortunately for Chuuya, you kinda just exposed him to Dazai. The teacher looked at him with the widest, shit-eating grin as he replied, “Oh? Is that so?”
Chuuya’s face was flushed red due to your words, so he just sulked in a corner, deciding to just not cause anymore trouble since it won’t be worth doing so.
“Anyways, I’ve a little question for you, (Name). Have you signed the volunteer chaperone page when you received the packet? I’m simply curious, I understand if you won’t be able to help,” Dazai inquired. He leaned against a wall and placed his free hand in his pocket.
“There was a form for that? I don’t believe I saw that anywhere. I looked through all the pages in the slip, but I didn’t see anything like that.”
Dazai turned his head in Chuuya’s direction with furrowed brows and a strained smile. “Oh. Well in that case, would it be alright if I come over with the slip? I should have extras in case students irresponsible with their belongings lost it.”
You agreed, and Chuuya was absolutely not happy with Dazai visiting. And to give you that darn chaperone sheet!
When the day of the field trip came and everyone was loading onto the bus, Chuuya had to sit behind you and Dazai because the latter claimed “Only adults sit next to each other unless there is an odd number and a student is misbehaving.”
Off the bus, those two were glued to your side and glaring at each other. Overall, the trip was something. Could’ve gone without the boys tugging on you the whole time, but it could be worse.
Moving on from that. Now that you have a dog, it’s kinda complicated for Dazai to come over.
He’s scared of dogs, Chuuya thrives with them. You could always send the dog to another room, but Chuuya wants to be with the dog, however he also wants to be with you. He doesn’t want Dazai with you as well. He’s clingy towards you.
Dazai doesn’t want the dog or Chuuya anywhere near him and you, but your bratty kid wants all of your attention. Pay some to your boyfriend, (Name)! He’s been lonely in his free time without you to keep him company!
To hopefully calm the problem, you buy those baby fences where it wraps into a circle around the child to prevent it from moving about.
It’ll be in the living room (if it can even fit. It’s only temporary.) and you place Chuuya and (Dog Name) in it while Dazai is over.
He’s still uncomfortable, but it could be worse. He’ll suffer this just for you. And also because Chuuya looks stupid sitting in a cage, away from you.
Every time Dazai leaves, Chuuya’s in a down mood because he couldn’t be with you at the same time he was with the dog. And you just left him in there! (He’s just trying to make you guilty. You still acknowledged him and asked if he wanted something, but he didn’t.)
Movie night it is, then. Being able to cuddle with his two favorite family members is all he wants.
If Chuuya finds out Dazai wants to come over, he’s threatening him with the dog. (Dazai still goes, he trusts that you’ll protect him.)
When it’s Chuuya’s birthday and it lands on a school day, you either bake or buy mini cupcakes or cookies to give to the whole class.
Chuuya gets two, and while the other classmates are jealous, they’re also very delighted to get a treat from you.
Dazai steals a piece from Chuuya’s share, and now you have to comfort the kid and give him a random extra pastry while scolding your boyfriend. Dazai also pouts, but he knows you’ll make it up to him later ;)
Chuuya is very curious about wine and how it tastes, but you refuse to let him drink a sip. The alcohol might ruin him! Same goes with cigarettes.
You had an idle wine bottle laying around because it was a gift, and when you came home from errands, you saw Chuuya trying to reach for it.
“What are you doing?” He freezes at the sound of your voice as his head slowly turns so he could look at you.
“N-nothing. I was just um…” he looks back at the counter and grabs a random napkin on it, “picking up this napkin! I wanted to help you clean.”
You knew he was lying, but decided to let him go. You gave him a warning glare, though, which he flinched at.
He threw away the piece and went to join you on the couch, hugging your side.
Chuuya loves singing, so he does it as he’s doing chores. You think it’s cute and he sometimes does a little show for you. He may be embarrassed about it when he’s older, but you’ll just enjoy it for now.
As Chuuya grows and moves up the grades, Dazai is always his teacher.
He just goes to the higher ups and blackmails them so they could allow him to teach Chuuya’s class. They can’t really do much because he somehow got this dirt on them that even they didn’t know they had.
You didn’t know his method, but still thought it was weird. Well, as long as nobody’s in danger, right?
Every time Chuuya walks into his first class on the first day of school, he always sees Dazai on the teacher’s desk. “What the heck!?”
Oh, it’s terrible with Dazai there. Wasn’t school supposed to provide a place away from home and whoever’s there? (He still prefers home because you’re there, but Dazai can go away.)
The worst part is when Dazai just tells the class about Chuuya’s younger years.
“Oh, when he was in kindergarten, he threw up on his desk and was sooo embarrassed about it! I even have a photo!”
Yeah, everyone who knows Dazai and/or Chuuya, they know their relationship. Dazai is practically the latter’s dad, and he has been teaching every grade just to make Chuuya’s year hell.
Eventually, you and Dazai get married, and it’s Chuuya’s worst nightmare. Not only is that man his teacher and your boyfriend (now husband), he’s also his fucking dad! Could his life get any worse?!
Dazai is reveling in Chuuya’s torture. This is the best time of his life!
You’re just stuck in the middle. They both love you so much, that they want to hog you all to themselves. You’re flattered, but sometimes you do want just a little alone time.
Honestly, if you and Dazai want to do a little something something alone, you either send Chuuya to hang out with Kouyou or his friends, or you both simply go elsewhere. You prefer the former because you don’t want to leave Chuuya alone in the house.
If he were to get a significant other, Dazai is nosy. He’s always barging into Chuuya’s room and saying hello. Chuu is not happy, obviously.
Chuuya tells you everything that’s going on because he loves you and doesn’t want you to be surprised if all of a sudden he’s in a relationship.
When Chuuya’s with his s/o in his room, you like to invite Dazai on a date so you could give Chu some privacy. It’s not like he can really go elsewhere, unless his s/o’s house is empty, so you give him a chance in your house.
He’s really thankful for you, Dazai would most likely just be the third wheel.
Dazai only agrees to go out with you because he gets alone time with you as well! Time to have fun!
#bungou stray dogs#bungo stray dogs x reader#bsd chuuya#chuuya x reader#chuuya nakahara#chuuya nakahara x reader#~writing~#~headcanons~#dazai x reader#osamu dazai x reader#dazai osamu
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Akward
The silence is deafening. It’s also unnatural.
Normally there would be banter and good-natured ribbing and small talk about the weather, maybe plans to catch a pint.
Now silence reigns as Sherlock examines the body on the slab in Molly’s lab, the only sounds coming from Sherlock’s steps as he rounds the slab.
Lestrade is standing in a corner, arms awkwardly crossed over his chest, refusing to meet John’s eyes.
John can empathise. He’d very much like to not see Lestrade again for the next six months. Or possibly longer. However long it will take for the awkwardness to dissipate, and for the images no doubt seared into Lestrade’s retinas to fade.
Molly is looking from John to Lestrade, vibrating with barely contained curiosity.
“Oh for god’s sake, can you lot grow up!” Sherlock has straightened from examining the corpse and is glaring at the three of them. He gestures between himself and John. “Lestrade, you are an adult. You know that what two consenting adults do in their free time in their own home is none of your bloody business. If you did not want to walk into anything you’re obviously not mature enough to handle, you could have, I don’t know, knocked. Or phoned.”
Molly goes beet red as she looks from Lestrade, who’s pointedly gazing at the floor, to John, who’s covering his face with both hands. “You walked in on them having sex?”
Lestrade looks at Molly, aghast. “Oh my god, I wish!”
“What did you do?” Molly asks John, obviously deeply fascinated.
John rolls his eyes. “Privacy, Molly. Ever heard of the concept?”
Molly turns to Sherlock, who sighs, exasperated. “Am I the only one who cares about the dead body in the room?”
“She’ll keep,” Molly says, pinning Sherlock with a penetrating gaze. “Wait, does this have anything to do with the glitter nail polish you borrowed from me?”
“Please don’t remind me,” Lestrade says, shuddering.
Sherlock, irate, turns to Lestrade. “Not that it’s any of your bloody business, actually, but it seems to have escaped your pea brain, Gavin, that we have a daughter. A daughter who wants to wear nail polish. How am I supposed to recommend a brand without having thoroughly tested it beforehand? Do you understand nothing about science, and even less about being a parent?”
“Oi, I’ve raised two children to be moderately functional adults, and all of that without ever painting my husband’s toenails.”
“I think Sherlock has a point about the dead body, actually,” John chimes in, wanting very much to end this discussion. “And the whole ‘none of your business’ bit, actually, too.”
“Serves me right for not phoning ahead, I suppose,” Lestrade mutters, still not quite meeting John’s eyes. He gestures at the slab. “Point taken, though. Dead body and all.”
John steps up to the slab. “Discoloration suggests asphyxiation. What did the tox screen say, Molly? Molly?”
“Hm? What?” Molly asks, her eyes still fixated on Sherlock’s feet.
“Molly. Tox screen.”
“Hm. Not done yet,” she says absently, still staring at Sherlock’s feet. “Can I—”
“Molly! Privacy!” John yells.
“Yeah, that’s my cue, text me anything I need to know,” Lestrade says and all but flees the scene.
Sherlock’s already typing on his phone. “Sorry to disappoint, Molly, but it’s actually John’s feet. His toes are more like Watson’s for obvious reasons. Come along, John, we’re quite done here.”
John walks out after his husband, fervently wishing he could scrub this entire encounter from his brain, especially Molly’s disappointed expression.
“Let’s just move to another country,” he says when he catches up to Sherlock outside.
Sherlock chuckles. “Are you really so embarrassed?”
“By what, Lestrade thinking we have a weird foot fetish, or the discovery that apparently Molly has a weird foot fetish?”
“Admittedly that last one was information I did not need to have. Still, it’s worth the temporary embarrassment if it will teach Gavin to knock.”
“See, that’s the silver lining attitude I married you for.”
“Or, we could arrange for him to actually walk in on us while having sex, just for him to realise that it could have been so, so much worse.”
“Definitely moving to another country,” John mutters. “You think Greenland is nice this time of year?”
“They have polar bears, John.”
“Might be preferable.”
“Tell you what,” Sherlock murmurs, leaning closer so he can speak directly in John’s ear. “Why don’t we go back home, and I’ll show you what I’d want Gavin to walk in on, and I can guarantee you wouldn’t even notice.”
Then Sherlock proceeds to whisper a few suggestions in John’s ear, one dirtier than the other, and by the end of them, John is hard as a rock, almost blind with arousal, and has completely forgotten what they were talking about.
“Home,” he whispers, giving Sherlock a quick and dirty kiss.
“Home,” Sherlock agrees, then grins at John. “Oh, and John? Leave the nail polish on.”
“Pervert,” John mutters affectionately. “Let’s go.”
---------
Comedy today, making up for the pain and angst of yesterday. Though you all seemed to enjoy that, so who am I to judge.
Thank you all for your kind words, by the way, I'm glad you're enjoying my very eclectic ficlets so far. I feel a bit bad for having snoozed on doing a serialised story like many of you, but I do sort of enjoy the whiplash feeling of never knowing what I'll come up with next ;-)
I'm collecting these ficlets on AO3 here, btw.
Tags under the cut as always, please let me know if you want to be tagged or untagged.
@calaisreno @jrow @totallysilvergirl @jolieblack @meetinginsamarra @peanitbear @lisbeth-kk @helloliriels @friday411 @givemesherbet-blog-blog @keirgreeneyes @salmonsown
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Riders Up
First Lady of Private Garden Fic
Synopsis: It's the 150th Kentucky Derby, and knowing how important this event is to Jack, you make a point to make it extra special for him.
Pairing: Husband!Jack Harlow x Wife!Reader
Please Do Not Repost My Content Anywhere
The week leading up to the Kentucky Derby which is the first installment of the Triple Crown and the actual Derby day was always hectic in the Harlow household. This year was no different.
Jack had changed his outfit at least four times when you finally made an executive decision for him otherwise, the two of you would have missed the derby all together. Because of you having to help him, it now put you behind in doing your make-up and hair. Your dress was red this year and you and Taylor had decided to wear similar dresses.
This was the first year that the triplets would be going with you and Jack and you were definitely nervous to have them around that many people. They were only ten months old and were now to the phase of getting into anything that they could get their tiny hands on. At first, you and Jack had decided not to bring them, but when Maggie and Brian volunteered to go to watch them specifically, you both quickly agreed. Jack bought out a suite that was near the finish line that's exclusive to family and friends and that made you a little less worried.
Since moving to Louisville at the age of fourteen, you hadn't missed one yet, but this year was going to be extra special. This had actually been in the works close to three years and you couldn’t wait to tell Jack when all of you got to Churchill Downs. It had been hard keeping a secret from him since you literally told him everything, but you knew that the look on his face was going to be worth it.
You combined your love of animals with Jack's love of going to the Kentucky Derby and purchased a horse who had been training to compete in The Triple Crown races. It was an expensive and lengthy process, and you were hoping all the time and effort put into it would pay off later in the day once the finish line was crossed. And of course since racehorses have very unique names, there was only one that came to mind that made the most sense.
Private Garden.
Your thoughts were then interrupted by Jack for the millionth time that morning, although you didn’t mind.
“Baby! Does this look okay?” Jack asked as he slipped on his suit jacket and walked over towards you. This had been going on for the last hour and a half as you were currently sitting in your robe at your vanity while finishing up your makeup.
“Why do you keep asking me if you look okay? Are you meeting up with a girl I don't know about? Who are you trying to impress? At this rate, we'll be late because of you and not me with all these outfit changes. I didn't realize that we were at a fashion show.” You playfully asked and all he did was frown before sucking his teeth.
“Stop playing!”
“I was just asking!” You said while holding up your hands in defense. Jack was still pouting so you stood up and made a motion for him to bend down.
You softly kissed him and as you pulled away, you smiled at him before pinching his cheek.
“My man looks so good that if we didn't have anywhere to be right now, we would be working on baby number four.” You whispered against his lips as you kissed him again.
“I mean, we have time….”
“No, Jackman. I still need to get dressed myself so cut it out.”
“I did get a private suite with a private bathroom.”
All you did was stare at him before rolling your eyes and then untying your robe and dropping it in front of him.
“Are you SERIOUS right now? You tell me no and then take off your robe in front of me?”
“I have to get dressed.” You shrugged before going to the hanger and taking off the red dress that you specifically got for today.
“You owe me later.”
“Hmm, we'll see who owes who. Now go downstairs and wait for me because you cannot be trusted.”
“Just let me put the tip in.”
“NO, JACKMAN.”
Maggie and Brian had gotten the triplets last night so the two of you didn't have to worry about getting them ready as well. Axel would have on an outfit similar to Jack’s since he had packed multiple not knowing which one that he was going to end up choosing while Ivy and Autumn would both be wearing red like you were. When Jack was satisfied with his outfit, he sent a pic to Maggie to let her know which one to pick out for Axel.
Jack would have taken up too much time anyway if you had to get the triplets ready too with his four outfit changes and everyone would have been late.
When the two of you had finally arrived at Churchill Downs, pictures were taken along the red carpet before Jack had led both of you to the suite that he had purchased to meet up with everyone else. The triplets of course were being passed around and Autumn was loving the attention while Ivy was in her own little world and Axel looked completely over it and was soon reaching out his chubby hands towards Jack who quickly took him from Shloob.
“Your twin definitely missed you.” You said towards Jack as you pinched Axel’s cheek and he smiled at you before laying his head down on Jack’s shoulder.
“Only because he got to him first.”
“Clay! Don’t start!” Jack replied as he rolled his eyes at Clay who was sipping on a mint julep.
“I didn’t say anything but the truth.”
“The two of you don’t even let up during Derby week, my goodness.” You quietly said as you rubbed your temples while listening to the both of them.
They continued to go back and forth while you went to sit next to Taylor and Maggie who also had mint juleps in their hands.
“Mama Maggie, are you sure that you don’t want your oldest back?” You asked while glancing over at him and Clay.
“Oh, I’m sure. 100% sure actually. He’s all yours now even though I know it probably feels like you have four children instead of three.”
“MOM! I HEARD THAT!” Jack exclaimed while looking over at the three of you as she held up her hands in defense.
“You’re the reason why I started drinking.”
“I thought that was Clay.” Jack said while pointing at him and Clay immediately rolled his eyes.
“Babe, I highly doubt that it was Clay, you did nothing but stress her out for eighteen years.”
“Oh, he still does at 26. Absolutely nothing has changed and I highly doubt that it ever will.”
“Now, when you asked me to babysit did you mean the triplets or Jack and Urban?” Taylor asked and all Jack did was look at her in disbelief as Urban was stuffing his face and coming over towards all of you.
Urban noticed all of you staring at him and instantly got a confused look on his face.
“Whatever it is, I didn’t do it.”
“I was definitely talking about the two of them.”
Time was winding down and it would soon be time for the race to start. You felt it was the perfect time to tell Jack about his surprise.
“Baby, come here for a second.” You said as you tugged on Jack’s hand and he began to follow you.
“Everything okay?” He asked while looking at you concerned.
“Yes, I just have something to show you.”
The two of you arrived at the stables and Jack looked around confused.
“Baby, we are not buying another horse so don't get any ideas.”
“Now, why is that the first idea that pops in your head!?” You exclaimed while turning up your nose at him.
“Because I know you! And your track record for spending money on animals speaks for itself. We already have too many that we know what to do with”
You rolled your eyes before going up to pet Private Garden and waved Jack over to do the same.
“Isn't she pretty?” You asked him, but he was still eyeing you.
“Y/N, what did you do? Bet all of our life savings on a horse?” He asked before beginning to pet her.
“No, only some of it.”
“WHAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN ONLY SOME OF IT?”
“So, I did a thing.”
“Oh goodness. Nothing good comes out of your mouth after you say that.” Jack responded as he shook his head.
“You are so dramatic. This is your horse.”
“Huh?”
“This is Private Garden and I bought her and had her work with some of the best trainers in the world so that she could compete in The Triple Crown. So, surprise baby! Happy Derby Day! Riders Up!”
“I have something you can ride, but, wait, seriously? Are you serious right now?!”
“I’m ignoring that first part. Yes, silly! I know how important this is for you and I figured that I could start something in the hopes that the triplets continue it one day. That’s why I stopped you earlier from betting on any horses and I thought it was funny that no one else said anything to me either about her name.”
“I can’t believe that you did this for me.”
“Baby, I would do anything for you. You already know that.” You answered as you reached up to kiss him.
“Wait a minute, you bought ANOTHER horse? We have two already!”
“You’re missing the point here. OUR horse is running in the Kentucky Derby so you need to change that attitude.”
“HOW MUCH DID YOU SPEND?”
“Um, enough…..”
“BABY!”
“Welp, I think I heard Taylor calling me. Gotta go see what she might need.” You said before starting to make your way back to the suite, but you knew you couldn’t run in your heels and decided on a brisk walk.
“NO, GET BACK HERE!”
Liked by y/ninsta, urbanwyatt, claybornharlow, quiiso, 2forwoyne, privategarden, and 1,284,903 others
jackharlow: my wife is full of surprises. I got the ultimate Derby gift when she told me about our newest horse (y/ninsta NO MORE ANIMALS) named Private Garden who was going to compete in The Triple Crown and sure enough she got first place. Definitely something that I'll never forget. Riders UP! Next stop is Preakness. 🌹🌹🌹
y/ninsta: love you long time!! happy you loved your gift! and we can never have too many pets!
urbanwyatt: WE IN THEREEEEEE
claybornharlow: having 3 horses is crazy lol
quiiso: The best horse definitely won today! She's sweeping all 3 races!
taylorrooks: let me know if you need a babysitter for preakness lmao
y/ninsta: I'll pay you double for Jack and Urban
jackharlow: 🙄🙄🙄
urbandjack26: y/n loves this man bad 🥺
allthingsy/n: and wife of the year goes to y/ninsta!!
#jack harlow#jack harlow fic#jack harlow concepts#jack harlow x reader#jack harlow x black reader#jack harlow fanfic#jack harlow imagine#jack harlow instagram au#jack harlow fluff#jack harlow fanfiction
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HIGH NOON SUNLIGHT: King Baldwin IV x reader (part 1)
CWs → fluff, angst, historical inaccuracies, slow burn, she/her pronouns, AFAB reader, eventual smut (once reader and baldwin are both over 18), leprosy lol, time-period accurate sexism (but hopefully not much cause I ain’t writin allat), arranged marriage, the inevitable misery that this man’s tragic existence brings me, baldwin is originally way more in love than reader is, but don’t worry, you’ll come around!
Wordcount: 3.4k
Note: I can’t be bothered to do any real historical research, so this is surely rife with inaccuracies! Please let me know if there’s something about it that you know that I don’t know that I should know. Get it? Greatly appreciated!
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞
The first time you laid eyes on the King of Jerusalem, he temporarily blinded you. So strong was the high afternoon sunlight that reflected off his silver mask, so pure was the white color of his robes, trimmed in gold. The sight of him in that moment burned itself into your memory forever.
The King’s horse, with a coat just as white as the rest of his majesty’s garments, came to a halt before you, whinnying and kicking up a cloud of dust as his gloved hands pulled back on the reins. You were in his way, and yet you couldn’t move. All you could do was stare up at the one part of him that was visible– his cloudy blue eyes, half-lidded and rimmed in red– and they were focused on you. Though it was hard to tell, it seemed to you his expression must have been soft, almost curious, so you held his gaze for as long as he would permit it. His lashes were blonde and soft, so much so that you were envious of the cheek that must have felt them gently brush against it whenever he blinked. Even if that cheek was hidden behind a mask.
Your father was a wealthy lord, and your mother a distinguished lady, making you no stranger to nobility and the powerful auras that often surrounded them, but his was different. Whereas the gaze of any other King would make you instinctually bow, his made your body freeze and your blood run hot. His was like the light of the sun. It was something you wished to bask in, to savor. Though you had never seen him before, you knew this man was your king. Finally, your body responded to this intrinsic fact and you bowed deeply, your cheeks burning red as a rush of self-hatred overtook you. Only three seconds into finally meeting him, and you were already letting his powerful aura wipe away all that bitter disdain you’d been working on so diligently throughout the past week.
“You may rise,” he uttered, his voice soft and smooth, like the feeling of woven silk against your fingertips. It was higher than you had imagined, a true tenor. Reluctantly, you straightened, doing everything in your power to avoid meeting his eyes again, for that would be improper, and you didn’t want to risk exposing him to the hideous anger that was currently boiling in your heart. Yet. He studied you for a moment, taking in your fine clothing and well-maintained hair, which flowed freely down your back, and came to the conclusion that you must be a lady. Perhaps the one he had been reluctant to meet all week since he had learned of her family’s arrival.
“My lady,” he began, tilting his head to the side, “Why are you alone?”
You broke your oath to yourself and looked back up to him, caught a bit off-guard by his question. Truthfully, you were surprised he was speaking to you at all, when he could have easily ridden his horse away and locked himself in his room, as had been his habit since your arrival. You bit back a dry chuckle and fought to maintain your respectful demeanor. In all honesty, it absolutely enraged you that he hadn’t made any effort to meet you or your family. Although you had been told by everyone that he was a good man and an even better king, you wanted to see that for yourself, and so far he was failing to meet your remarkably low expectations.
“I asked my maid to stay behind while I enjoyed a walk in your gardens,” you replied hesitantly. But why does it matter?
He was silent. You shifted uncomfortably.
“They are most beautiful, Your Majesty,” you added, hoping it was only you that felt the mounting tension.
“What is your name?” he asked softly.
“Y/N.”
He hummed quietly, a sound that made your stomach flip, though you weren’t sure if it was a good or bad feeling.
“So you are lady Y/N,” he stated, “and it is you who are to be my betrothed.”
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞
That night, the King joined you and your family for dinner for the first time all week. His regent, count Raymond III of Tripoli, was shocked that he had finally agreed to leave his solitary games of chess in his bedroom.
“What, if you don’t mind me asking, Your Majesty, caused such a sudden change of heart? Just this morning you were averse to the idea of taking a meal with our guests,” Raymond asked as he and the young king slowly made their way to the great hall. The boy simply replied,
“I met her.”
King Baldwin knew he was running out of time. Day by day he could feel his body being eaten away by his affliction. How nice it would be to have a wife, someone to share his burden and rule alongside him until his time on this earth was at its end. But he never imagined he’d ever find a woman willing to throw her life away like that, or a family willing to condemn their daughter to such a fate. When Raymond told him of your noble family’s offer, he accepted, but not for the selfish reason of personal desire. No, he did so to ensure that Jerusalem would still have a chance at prospering after his passing. It needed to be done for the sake of the people.
After your marriage ceremony, Baldwin planned on allowing his queen to live her life as she pleased, free of any obligation to spend time with him. He would not disturb her or expect affection from her. He knew she wouldn’t want anything to do with him. As far as he was concerned, you’d never be in the same room again, and that was just fine. But he couldn’t completely suppress every one of his selfish desires. Just once, he wanted to let his imagination go, to pretend he could love someone, and that she could love him back. Seeing you for the first time was what made up his mind. Something tender stirred in his heart when he heard you utter your own name, and he decided that just a few hours with you would have to be enough to tide him over for the rest of his life. So he went to dinner.
Everyone stood and bowed as he entered the room. He took his seat at the head of the table and greeted each of his guests kindly. He permitted them to begin their meal, though he wouldn’t be participating. Normally, he had no trouble removing his mask in front of people at mealtimes, but your presence gave him pause. Surely you’d be repulsed, and it would be over before it even began. So he opted out of eating, instead choosing to watch you.
You felt his eyes before you saw them. That same warm feeling washed over you, and it wasn’t due to the wine you were drinking. You looked up and, unsurprisingly, his masked face was tilted in your direction. You fought the instinct to look away and instead held his eye contact, furrowing your brows a bit. Why now was he making an appearance after days of neglect? How were you supposed to react to that? And what gave him the nerve?
Next to you, your mother cleared her throat and whispered your name in a scolding tone. You shook yourself out of your inner monologue and uncreased your brow, which had unintentionally morphed into something closer to a scowl as your thoughts ran away from you. You smiled sheepishly at your mother, who did not look pleased, but she said nothing more about the matter. Next time you managed to steal a glance at the king, he was looking down at his empty plate. Good, you thought, Maybe he’s repenting for ignoring me all week.
When your parents had informed you of the marriage they had arranged between you and the king of Jerusalem, you weren’t exactly thrilled. Being a queen sounded like a big responsibility– one you weren’t sure you even wanted. Yes, it came with a lot of upsides, like the lush palace you’d be living in and the loyal servants that would tend to your every whim, but it also came with the burden of raising a family and making important decisions for your subjects. Not to mention the totally random man you’d suddenly be sharing the rest of your life with. As far as you were concerned, your future relationship with King Baldwin was just a chore; something that was certainly necessary, but not guaranteed to be enjoyable. If you were lucky, the two of you would learn to get along, just as your own parents had, and a few years down the line you’d pop out a couple kids and then wait around to die.
The rest of dinner was excruciating. You couldn’t relax, and your mother was absolutely insufferable, constantly checking to make sure you were sitting up straight and minding your manners. Your father was engaged in a riveting conversation with count Raymond, saving you from further scrutiny. By the end of the meal, you were about ready to retire to bed and stare at the ceiling for a few hours, but god had other plans for you, it seemed.
“Y/N, you’ll be joining the king for a game of chess in the library while your mother and I discuss legal matters with the count. We will come to collect you when we’re finished,” your father ordered, giving you a stern look that essentially told you not to do anything that might jeopardize your future– whatever that implied. You nodded demurely, biting back a scream of frustration. And just like that, he was behind you.
You felt his presence before he even said anything. A gentle heat emanated from his body, and a warm, slightly earthy smell wafted off him, like herbs and spices.
“Lady Y/N, I will show you to the library. Please follow me,” he said, his voice vibrating in his chest, only mere inches away from your back. You shivered and turned to face him, but his eyes were unreadable, and then he was walking away from you. Left with no other option, you followed swiftly, maintaining a safe distance. He led you through the winding, echoing stone hallways of his palace, dimly lit by candles and torches, since the sun had set hours ago. You had to admit, it was a beautiful place, and you wouldn’t mind getting used to it, even if that did mean you had to spend the odd hour with your soon-to-be husband. Soon, you arrived in front of a large, heavy oak door, which he pushed open with ease.
“After you,” he murmured, holding it open for you. Not wanting to keep him waiting, you shuffled into the room, immediately gawking at the towering ceilings and shelves upon shelves of books. There was a spiral staircase on each side of the room that led to a second floor balcony, which was visible through the railing encasing it. In the middle of the room sat a handsome wooden table with a chess board on it, the pieces already set up for a game. You always did like chess, but your two younger brothers constantly hogged the board and didn’t let you play, so you were forced to observe. It was rare that you actually got to play.
“Have a seat, lady Y/N. You can take white,” the king said, pulling out the chair for you. Reluctantly, you sat down, raising an eyebrow and wondering why all the chivalry all of the sudden. It was a little suspicious, but you couldn't help but approve. He kept his gloved hand on the back of the chair until you were comfortable, and then helped you scoot closer to the table. You turned your head and looked up at him, and you noticed the subtle crinkle of his eyes and the softness dancing behind them.
He was smiling.
The corner of your lip quirked up to mirror him– you couldn’t help it, though you had no idea why. And just like that, the sound of blood rushing in your head ceased, and a sense of quiet serenity fell over the room. The defenses you had put up to quell your nerves no longer seemed necessary. The contempt in your heart was ebbing away every moment you spent in his presence. You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding before, and made your first move.
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞
The chess game was abysmal. It’s not that you weren’t able to hold your own, because you certainly were, but it wasn’t nearly as easy as you had hoped. Whenever you played with your younger brothers, they’d be wiped in about ten minutes. You thought that’s just how the game was; short and sweet. But already thirty minutes had passed and a winner was just beginning to emerge, and regrettably, it wasn’t you. You scowled as King Baldwin took your last rook.
As you played, he intermittently broke the silence to ask you questions about yourself. At first it was mundane things, like what you enjoyed doing or what your favorite meal was, but it gradually became personal. You discussed your family, fond childhood memories, and your fears. Sometimes he would even throw you a bone and answer one of the questions himself, clearing away the shroud of mystery that surrounded him little by little.
“May I speak freely, my King?” you asked tentatively, ignoring the game for a moment to let him know you were about to get serious. He folded his hands on the edge of the table and leaned back in his chair, studying you carefully.
“You may, although I never wish you to speak conservatively in my presence.”
You smiled thinly, choosing your next words very carefully so as not to overstep boundaries.
“Why do you wear a mask?”
The king bristled at your question, sucking in a sharp breath, and a wave of regret washed over you. But before you could take it back, he replied,
“So nobody has to see it.”
You didn’t know what to say. His answer wasn’t really much of an answer, and it certainly wasn’t what you were expecting, but it sent a pang of pain through your heart nonetheless. Why wouldn’t he want people to see his face, even in the comfort of his own castle?
He seemed to register your confusion, and a chill ran down his spine. Did you really not know, or were you playing a cruel joke? The more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed that Raymond hadn’t told your parents the full truth in order to garner their approval. Just the thought of it made him sick to his stomach, for you would certainly leave him the moment you found out. He knew it was too good to be true.
“My lady…are you not aware of my… condition?” he asked quietly, looking down so he wouldn’t have to see your disappointment. Your heart sank, and that rushing sound in your ears returned.
‘Condition…?” you trailed off, swallowing thickly. What the hell was that supposed to mean?
“Yes. I thought you knew… your parents…I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice strained. He took a deep breath before continuing.
“My lady, I… am a leper. My condition has caused my nerves to degrade slowly, and I am already losing sensation in my right hand. My skin is covered in hideous sores, especially my face. I wear the mask… to spare you.”
You stared. The room was spinning, not from shock, but rather from the sheer anger you felt toward your parents at that moment. They had tricked you. They had played a dirty, dirty trick and married you off, just so they could improve their own social standing, and they had done it all with absolutely no regard for your own wishes. No regard for the rest of your life, even. You slammed your fist on the table, the reverberations knocking over a few chess pieces and causing Baldwin to jump in his seat. He wasn’t expecting you to take the news well, but this was unprecedented. You seethed silently.
Well, that’s just fine, you thought, Because once we’re married, I’ll be the queen of Jerusalem… and the queen is NOT accepting visitors. No exceptions.
Baldwin stayed silent, his head bowed in resignation. He understood how you felt. It was a cruel situation indeed, and he wished he could go back and decline the arrangement, if only to spare you the unimaginable rage that spilled out of your gaze, which was trained intently on some unknowable spot in the distance. You stood abruptly, knocking your chair over as it hit the back of your legs, and he winced at the sound. But to his complete and utter surprise, you didn’t storm out of the room.
Instead, you stormed directly towards him.
Panicking, he rose from his chair, assuming a fortified stance in case you decided to get violent. He wasn’t too worried since he towered over you at an impressive six feet and four inches tall, but he certainly wasn’t looking forward to it, either.
Instead of striking him, you thrust your hand out and grabbed his gloved one, clasping it firmly. He could feel you shaking, presumably with rage.
“Well, King Baldwin,” you began, voice laced with venom, “let me see your face.”
His pretty blue eyes widened, and he didn’t stop you as you reached up and placed a hand on his silver-plated cheek. If you wanted to see, it no longer made a difference to him, since there was no saving the situation anymore. You might as well lay eyes upon the man you had almost married.
He slowly pulled off his hood, revealing a head of silky blond curls that tumbled down to his shoulders, and reached behind his head, untying the threads that held the mask to his face. You felt it give under your touch and removed your hand, letting it fall away and clatter to the floor. Finally, you beheld your king.
“My lord, you’re…” you trailed off, suddenly at a loss for words. Your eyes were wide, and he could see himself in your reflection. His pale skin, mottled with patches of red and pink, his lips, cracked and splitting at the corners, and his own sad blue eyes, one slightly clouded. The same face he saw every morning and every night.
“I know. I can put the mask back on, if you wish. But really, you do get used to it-”
You cut him off by reaching up and gently taking a lock of his curly hair between your fingers, tucking it smoothly behind his ear. He couldn’t help the blush that spread across his face; he had never been this close to a woman before, save for his mother and sister, and they rarely ever dared to touch him. Your gaze was so intense that he almost wanted to look away, but there was something supernatural stopping him from going through with it. And then, you spoke.
“I cannot wait to marry you.”
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞
Note: I will add links to the other parts once I post them and idk when that's happening so stay tuned!
#king baldwin iv x reader#king baldwin iv#baldwin iv#baldwin of jerusalem#baldwin iv x reader#kingdom of heaven#kingdom of heaven fandom#the leper king
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Red Lights Red Flags
Chapter 8 - Secrets & Betrayal
<- Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter ->
☆ Content: 18+ MDNI, implied non-con (two very brief sentences), emotional hurt/little comfort, physical violence, degradation, angst
☆ Word Count: 3.6k
As warmer weather takes hold and the trees begin to flower, it’s a sure sign that spring is on the horizon. Not a cloud in the sky dares to block out the sun, and all the mounds of snow are but a distant memory. However. in its wake, the ground is left exceedingly parched, with no telling of rain to cleanse its thirst.
With these conditions, many of the courtesans have taken to spend their daylight hours enjoying the light out on porches or in the courtyard of the brothel. Shion had made plans with you ahead of time to enjoy some tea with her, alongside a few others close to her.
You enter the courtyard, making your way towards the gazebo with a tray in hand, only to see that the guests of honor or none other than two other high-ranking flowers ─ Murasaki and Tsubaki.
The latter perks up upon your arrival, cheerfully pressing her palms together. “You must be Marigold,” she greets with a rich, sultry voice, “Come, sit with us, my dear.”
You dip your head in a slight bow, setting the tray down and distributing ceramic cups evenly filled with fresh tea first. In the presence of Shion alone, you feel comfortable being yourself without all the extra mannerisms expected of you. But with this being your first formal meeting with the reigning courtesans, you decide it best to appear proper and refined.
The last thing you want is another ordeal about respect or remembering your place like Botan had beaten into you.
The three flowers carry the weight of the conversation while you opt to sit in silence, enjoying this chance to be in their presence. Contrary to the rivalries you’ve witnessed in your working career, these women act as though they’re friends ─ sisters even.
There’s no tension or complaints, simply humor and mundane conversations. At least, until Tsubaki narrows in on a topic that unravels that momentary peace.
“Have you heard the news yet?” She asks, her question posed towards the aster.
Shion’s response comes with a smile laced in underlying sorrow, “I have, it’s quite a shame.” There’s a brief pause as she sips on her tea. You glance up to them with a raised brow, unsure what they’re referring to. “I’ll miss days like these after you’re gone.”
“As will I,” Murasaki speaks with a somber tone, but her lips form a smile nearly betraying those feelings. “I am looking forward though to my new life.”
“Where are you going?” you ask, unable to sustain your curiosity any further.
“I’m to be sold to one of my top clients ─ an official from the Kamo Clan,” she tells you, and it makes perfect sense now to you.
Buying out courtesans from their duties is a common tradition, but the price ranges based on the status they hold. For someone to have the funds needed to acquire the wisteria herself, they would have to belong to one of the founding clans.
The thought of it forms a new question in your mind, one that’s been bugging you for quite some time.
What about your debt?
You were among the dozens sent to the Gojo estate ─ the payments for those services would have to be a large chip off the debt you hold. How much more could you possibly owe at this point?
“Do you believe your love will do the same for you soon?” Tsubaki asks of you.
Your eyes widen at the insinuation that she knows your secret. You look to Shion for an answer, but her eyes remain closed with a knowing smile as she takes another sip.
“Don’t look surprised, Shion’s told me all about your routine escapades,” she snickers teasingly so, “Quite the little scandal, but one I would never feel good about spoiling so don’t fret, my dear.”
You sigh, relieved from her words. “I can’t imagine he needs to,” you remark. “Once my debt is paid off, I’ll be leaving of my own accord.”
There’s a sudden shift in the atmosphere, the air stilling as each of the three exchange unspoken words with one another.
“Sweetheart, I’m not sure if I should be the one telling you this but…” Tsubaki’s eyes flicker to Shion, who nods with approval. “…you should know that there is no walking out of here without a price.”
Huh? That can’t be right?
“What about my debt? What’s the point of it then?” Panic settles in over your features, making you feel as though everything you’ve been told has been all one big lie confessed to you now for the first time.
“Control,” Shion says. “Some come to the pleasure district on their own accord, while others are born into it.” She looks down at her cup, eyes coating with a thin layer of gloss. “Then there are those like you ─ a victim of circumstance. What you call your ‘debt’ is merely the price for your life that Hanami has already paid up for.”
“H-how am I supposed to leave then? To be free?” Your voice cracks between words. “Toji has a bounty on his head, he can’t just walk in here with a pouch of gold and leave with me!” Tears spill from your eyes despite your efforts to remain poised.
“Shh, little one,” Shion coos, grasping your hand between hers, rubbing smooth shapes over the top. “Hope is not yet lost for you, do not give up.”
You don’t, or rather can’t answer right away as you need a minute to calm down. “What can I even do?” you whisper.
“For now, nothing. The answer will reveal itself to you in time,” she answers, cryptic as ever, but it’s not good enough for you ─ no, not this time. You’re tired of secrets and want a straight answer.
“Are there any other ways to leave besides being bought?”
“Tainting your value,” Tsubaki informs, earning a scolding glare from the aster.
Shion turns back to you, sighing softly, “As Tsubaki says, that is an option, but not one I recommend. I tried it once, but it made no difference in the end except for losing a piece of myself in the process.”
The hurt in her voice tempers your anger. “May I ask what happened?”
The motions of her thumb cease, but in turn, her grip tightens around you. “I met a man I truly loved around the time I first arrived here, much like yourself. My family had sold me to pay off their debt, and I sought solace in the only one who understood me under the moonlight.”
She pauses, a ghost of a smile appearing as she recalls the memory through her mirrored form in her teacup.
“Hanami had her reasons for wanting to maintain my purity, but I desired an escape above all else. When the day came that my moon-cycle disappeared, I was overjoyed to finally taint that vision of hers.”
Her expression drops into one filled with sorrow and residual spite. Tsubaki and Murasaki keep their eyes on Shion throughout it all, supporting her in silence as they too are reliving this moment in time.
“Hanami was mad, unimaginably so, but I could tell from her wicked eyes that she had something new in mind. Right then and there, I knew that if I were to have a daughter, she would live a fate worse than mine. She would’ve been born and raised, in service to this brothel until the day she dies as Hanami’s perfect gem, carefully crafted as such by her own hands.”
You grimace at this revelation, knowing all too well that she’s right. Hanami at her core is a twisted curse, a cruel woman who cares nothing for others. With how often Shion treats you like her own daughter, you finally understand why after this.
She is a mother, or at least was.
“I was kept in a cage for a while after, but not even Hanami could hope to break my spirits. That would become my duty, the night my daughter took her first breath of life, I had to let go.”
She spares a thoughtful look to Tsubaki who you conclude must have been at her side when it all occurred. As one of the oldest courtesans in this brothel alone, she must have all sorts of history to tell.
“I hope when my darling little Mei grows up, she’ll understand why I couldn’t be there for her all this time.” Shion concludes her tale with a one sole teardrop falling from her eye onto the surface of her tea. A wave ripples through, soon settling back to an eerie calm.
You take a few moments before responding, “I am so sorry, Shion. I can’t even begin to imagine how you must have felt.”
“I truly hope you never know the pain of losing one of your own, my little Marigold.”
“That crone never has forgiven you for that, has she?” Tsubaki snorts. “Even with the stack she’s getting from Kamo, I’m betting she’ll be out for blood soon enough.”
“Relief is what she should feel for not having me around with my technique to worry about,” Murasaki retorts with an amused face, but her words confuse you.
Technique?
“My birth family may have thought of me as a stain for it, but Noritoshi shows much more delicacy on the matter. I’m certain we’ll have a true, loving family with each other.”
“What do you mean by techni–“
“Excuse me,” someone interrupts. You and the three turn to a courtesan standing just outside the gazebo. “My apologies, but Hanami is requesting your presence,” the woman says, looking directly to you.
Shion releases your hand, almost begrudgingly so with cautious intent. Whatever the case, you can’t refuse an audience with the proprietor, so, you stand and bid farewell to the flowers.
The courtesan who came for you urges you to follow her, but along the way you realize she isn’t leading you to Hanami’s Rose Room. In fact, they’re taking you the complete opposite way, down a familiar stretch of hallways only to stop in front of a set of doors you hoped never to have to enter through again.
The Peony Room.
You now recognize the woman at your side to be one of Botan’s own, reality dawning on you that whatever is inside cannot be good. They slide the door open before you can react, all while your heart starts to beat a mile a minute, threatening to escape the confines of your chest if this keeps up.
The group inside only makes it worse. Not only are Botan and Hanami present, but in the center is a man you know to be one of the Zenin Clan’s own ─ Jinichi Zenin.
It’s instantaneous the way fear takes hold of your body, draining you of color, leaving you feeling cold and clammy. His piercing gaze alone is enough to have every hair on your body standing, your mind begging you to run while you still can.
You wouldn’t get far anyways.
“Sit. Now,” Hanami decrees, with a low growl that forces you right to your knees. “Care to explain what you’ve been hiding?”
You swallow thickly, looking down at your trembling hands folded over one another on the tatami. “W-what do you mea–“
“Don’t play stupid,” Botan scoffs. “We know all about the secret you’ve been keeping.”
Your eyes widen.
“Did you honestly believe you could hide it while under my roof?” Hanami clicks her tongue, her patience thinning. “I certainly don’t let you live here for free out of the kindness of my heart.” Her words are anything but kind, instead dripping with animosity.
Jinichi raises his hand, motioning for their silence. “Where is my brother?” he then inquires, his voice noticeably calmer than the two women.
“I-I don’t know,” you reply, meek as ever from the weight of his gaze.
“Did no one ever teach you respect? You should know better than to lie to me.” Jinichi’s eyes narrow with malice as he looks down on you. “Now I’ll ask again. Where is Toji,” he repeats in a commanding tone, rich in hostility.
His calmness was but an act to fool you, and it failed. Now he can resort to his other means.
“I don’t know!” You lift your face to meet his, tears coating your cheeks. “He doesn’t tell me where he goes!” You tell him the truth, only because it can’t betray Toji. You really don’tknow where he is.
“You lying bitch!” Botan spits with unrepressed fury. “What is it that you think will happen? Do you honestly believe he’s going to come ‘rescue’ poor little you if you protect him? Don’t you get that he’s just using you for his pleasure and nothing more?”
“He’s not!” you argue, baring your fangs at her with fire in your eyes.
That’s not who Toji is.
“Don’t you talk back to me! Did you not learn your lesson after–“
“Enough!” Jinichi bellows, causing you both to flinch.
He exhales heavily after a moment. “Come here,” he orders.
You don’t move, not yet at least as you stare up to him with a fearful look. Obeying his command will only send you further into the demon’s maw.
“Do not make me repeat myself.”
You swallow again, your throat devoid of any moisture that’s been sapped. The urge to run intensifies again as you shuffle closer, even if it’s a futile effort. You stop, but it isn’t enough yet for his liking, so he urges you even closer with a two-finger motion until you’re within arm’s reach.
Slap!
The force sends your face down against the tatami with an audible thud that sends your head spinning. He then grabs a chunk of your hair, lifting you painfully back up while at the same time drawing his face closer. You cry out in pain, but he and everyone else in the room ignores your plead for mercy.
“We’ll get the information we need from you one way or another,” he warns, releasing you from his hold only to send you flying backwards with a sharp kick to your stomach area, knocking the wind straight out of your lungs.
Your screams are silenced from whatever bones just snapped in your body. You lay there on the ground, clutching yourself, feeling a pain worse than anything you’ve felt before in your life.
Botan’s laugh echoes throughout the room like that of a hyena, cackling away at your misery. “Oh, how I’m going to enjoy this,” she says with a sadistic intent.
As you lay nearly lifeless atop the frigid, stone tile, you stare up through the bars of your window at the only thing you have to keep you company ─ the moon. Even then, she’s barely visible, hidden away behind a curtain of black. It’s like the moon or the stars can’t bear to see you in your current state.
Jinichi had dragged you through the halls and passed other courtesans in a cruel display of power. You were the perfect opportunity to make a point of what happens to those who cross the leadership of their country, or more specifically, the Zenin Clan.
From Hanami’s request, you were thrown into one of the many basement rooms that hold more of a resemblance to a prison cell than anything. The walls and floor are made of stone, with iron bars to contain those deemed defilers. This must be where Shion was once held during the many months of her pregnancy.
Another cage within a cage… how ironic.
Jinichi abused you for some time after, demanding information you don’t even have for his own selfish desire to end Toji’s life. He didn’t stop when you were beaten and bruised, nor when your body gave out as black spots filled your vision until nothing remained.
Hanami was there when you first woke up after, feeling especially sore and dirty ─ no doubt used for acts you weren’t even fully aware were happening as you were unconscious. But that wasn’t the end of your torture.
“I had hopes you’d grown into a functional tool, but it appears you need to be reshaped,” Hanami muses, staring down at you with a mixture of anger and disappointment. “Don’t get yourself caught up in feelings, you’re nothing more than a hole to be filled. Remember that.”
It hurt, unimaginably so, even making you forget about the pain of your broken ribs for a short time. None of it however could possibly compare to the words Botan spoke in passing only a few days after.
That day, she had chosen to be the one to bring you your meal ─ a tray with some scraps and rotting fruit, topped off with some of her fresh spit as seasoning. She held it just out of reach from you, as far as the chain around your ankle would allow you to move from the wall.
“You want to know how I found out about your little secret?” she laughs in a wicked tune. “You have daddy dearest to thank for that one,” Botan reveals, tearing a piece from your heart.
“After you took Toji from me, I decided to take something from you…” She sneers, mocking your distressed expression. “It wasn’t hard since he owes his debt to me, but I’m glad I managed to convince that old hag to let him back in here for my plan.”
The contents of the tray spill out across the dirty floor as Botan thrusts it towards you, taking her leave with a trail of shrill laughter in her wake. You pay no mind to the state of the food ─ too hungry to care, too tired to fight.
This is your fate.
If you had any tears left to spare, you might break down further into this abyss. In the end, your father betrayed you again, only this time by playing with your feelings for his advantage.
What a fool you were to believe he was changing, not when the only person he ever truly cared about is dead and gone. Why else would he have been absent from so much of your life?
This is all his fault.
But loving him was your fault for thinking the blood you share made it any different.
Curse him.
It wasn’t only moments from your life; it was your whole family’s as well. Perhaps that’s why Akane couldn’t bear to be born, or why your mother fell ill in the time after. Was his absence the true reason she declined? Did he truly love her or was that also some façade?
Curse him.
You hate that in the depths of your darkness, these whispering voices sound like music to your ears. They’re all you have right now and the only thing making you feel even the slightest bit better. Does it make you a bad person for wanting to listen more?
In your weakest moment, it’s all you can do.
“Curse you, Daisuke,” you weakly mumble to whatever shadow is listening.
You’re no father of mine any longer.
Toji was right to hold worries over the man’s sudden return, and you regret not paying it more mind. Although, now you understand Toji more than you would like to admit. It’s a wonder how Toji is even related to Jinichi, let alone the rest of his fucked-up family.
But maybe that’s okay.
Family is what you make of it after all. It’s where your heart and soul come together to make a loving bond that transcends all else. You don’t need blood relation to share that with someone. You just need the right person to trust with that piece of you. To trust with you.
“Are you falling in love?” The aster’s words from before ring in your head.
“Yes, Shion,” you declare with the stars as your witness this time, rather than the darkness. “I am in love with him.”
A cawing sound pulls you back from your reverie. Outside your puny clerestory now in place of the night sky is a piebald crow, hopping along the dirt. You force yourself to sit up, clenching your jaw tightly together as sharp pain shoots up the side of your body in agonizing bursts.
The crow has something with it that it uses its beak to push between the bars until it falls onto your bedroll. A tangerine. You glance back up to the bird as it almost appears to be examining you before taking flight, leaving you alone once more.
With shaky hands, you peel away the skin of the fruit. Juices overflow with each bite that seem to replenish the tears in your eyes that had long since dried up. Between each bite of the ambrosial treat, you wipe your cheeks dry using the torn sleeves of your tarnished marigold robes.
A common theme you feel ─ to have something you deem perfect become stained and anything but.
You manage the strength to stand up fully again, this time on two legs, clutching your side with one arm. From the tips of your toes, you look out into what little of the world you can see for the first time in what’s felt like weeks but has merely been days.
In the distance, there’s a warm, glowing light bouncing off the clouds that rest low on the skies, moving quickly across.
Dawn? No…
You’ve witnessed the light of dawn enough in your time with Toji to paint a clear picture in all its possible colors in your sleep.
This is different.
What you see growing ever closer to you isn’t the sun’s golden hues, nor is the smell that hits your nose that of dewdrops and freshly bloomed flowers.
No, what rages on in the distance is disastrous in nature with only one clear desire ─ to devour everything in its path.
A true calamity.
Fire.
☆ Notes: “wow, what a crazy turn of events with a cliffhanger to top it all off! I can’t wait to read what happens next!” I mutter to myself, staring at the blinking cursor of an empty word document.
Fr though, this was a little intense to write since I kept having all kinds of different ideas and trying to figure out how I wanted certain scenes to play out, but things are happening!!! I’m super excited for the next chapter but you guys miiight kill me depending on what I decide to do with certain things :’)
☆ Taglist: @fandomtrash5092 @catmania-choco
#toji fushiguro#jjk#jjk toji#toji zenin#jujutsu kaisen#toji x reader#jjk au#toji x female reader#toji fushiguro x reader#toji x y/n#toji x you#courtesan!reader#ronin!toji
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Double-Mutated Mikey
Chapter 10: Neural, Divergent
Continued from the short story written by @boots-with-the-fur-club
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Mikey is unable to answer. He just keeps looking at the three of them, eyes begging for help and watering quickly. His mouth opens and closes several times over, though no sounds emerge.
At long last, his hands -- shaky and trembling -- desperately sign a message.
'Purple... Blue... Red... brothers. Knows, Mikey KNOWS. MIKEY KNOWS, MIKEY KNOWS -- BROTHERS, BROTHERS, BROTHERS, BROTHERS...'
Mikey starts crying, simply signing that one word over and over again. Brothers, brothers, brothers...
Donnie rushes to his side and holds him closely.
"It's okay, Angie. You know us. You remember us. That's good, that's very good, you're okay... I'm sorry Angie, I didn't mean to --"
Mikey starts hiccuping and grabs at Donnie in despair, clawing at him and wrapping his tail around him tightly, as if getting closer to him will reignite some missing link in his spotty memory. He refuses to let go. His cries are wet, wobbly, uncontrolled. They sound like they belong to a child ten years younger than Mikey.
Donnie halts for a moment. He trembles. He grips Mikey tightly, rubbing his back. He notices the ridges on his shell start to raise. The scales on his tail begin to lift up. Mikey is highly uncomfortable. Donnie needs to calm him down before his 'instinct' can take over.
He gives him quiet shushes and waves his brothers over, who immediately come close and wrap their arms around him as well, Leo rubbing circles on his head while Raph takes Mikey's hands.
'Sorry,' Mikey signs against Donnie, his eyes squeezed shut as he suck-up cries. 'Mikey... broken. Mikey knows Mikey broken. Doesn't want to be...'
"You don't have to be sorry, Michael, it isn't your fault," Donnie assures him. "I promise, I will fix you. You won't stay 'broken', you're not 'broken' at all! You're just... just..."
Donnie doesn't know what term to use. Mikey can't be broken...
...But he is. Donnie will always hate himself for admitting this, if only in the deepest part of his subconscious, but Mikey is broken now. His shell looks like it was literally shattered and then glued back together. His hands and feet are reformed, disfigured talons. He can't speak. He can't (or at least, has yet to) walk upright. He can't remember things that are highly important, like the past week or what his father looks like. By his own admission, he sometimes isn't even in control of his own self.
Mikey forgot what their names were.
That is not normal. Especially for him.
Mikey isn't himself anymore.
Mikey's breathing starts to slow. It's been a few minutes, and he's calmed down. He's still shaking slightly, but otherwise...
He's not fine. None of them are 'fine'. But he's finished crying, at least.
Donnie sighs and asks Mikey if he'd be willing to do one more test quickly. He feels Mikey nod against his chest.
Donnie lets the others go get breakfast while he prepares the final examination. Raph carries Mikey into the kitchen, where Casey has taken over as head chef in Michelangelo's absence. Apparently, future Mikey taught him some recipes, including deep-fried rat... which, actually, doesn't taste that bad. Though today, Casey has opted for pancakes and bacon. Mikey smells the bacon first, and his tail starts to weakly wag, though his expression is still exhausted from the crying.
"Good morning, Michelangelo!" Casey Jones Jr. says with a smile. "Ya hungry?"
Mikey nods as Raph lowers him down on the bench by the table.
"I'm guessing he wants strawberry pancakes?"
"Those are his fav, how did you know --" Raph stops and rolls his eyes. "Right. Future. You know everything."
"Well, maybe not everything," Casey chuckles. He turns back to the flapjacks, hiding the shift in his expression. "...I didn't know this would happen..."
Mikey signs something to Leo, who nods and turns to CJ.
"Mikey wants extra bacon with his pancakes. New diet, he needs more meat."
"You got it, sensei -- I mean, Leo."
Casey inhales, balling his fist up in soft frustration before exhaling and going back to focus on the food. He's been doing better at not calling them by their future names, but every once in a while he slips. It doesn't seem to bother anyone... apart from Casey Jr.
And Leonardo.
Casey finishes Mikey's meal first, handing a plate stacked full of pancakes and bacon to him. Mikey's eyes go wide, his pupils huge. He starts to drool at the food, sniffing it once before ravenously devouring it. Mikey doesn't even use a fork or knife, which at this point doesn't surprise anyone. But he does cause a bit of a mess, smearing the syrup all across his face and splashing some on Raph, who has the misfortune of sitting directly besides him.
"Mikey, calm down! There's plenty more where that came from," Raph says with a soft chuckle as he wipes the sticky sauce off his arms.
Mikey slows down a bit, but continues to eat like a feral creature, tearing the bread apart with his teeth and using his hands to hold the food down. He follows each pancake with two slices of bacon, chewing loudly and growling in contentment between bites.
Leo grimaces at the sight.
"Mikey, bud, maybe try eating with your mouth closed?"
Mikey stops suddenly and looks up at him, a pancake dangling from his jaw and his entire face covered brown with molasses. Casey has to turn away to keep from laughing at the sight. Mikey slowly muches the pancake back up into his mouth, and tries chewing with it closed.
"Better," Leo says with a weak smile.
The boys continue breakfast, Mikey watching the others and how they eat to get an understanding of what to do. He sees the silverware being handled, how there is an unused fork and knife by his dish. He picks the fork up slowly. It feels awkward in his hand, his fingers are too long for it now. His hands can't remember how to hold it properly. He fumbles with it, pressing it against the pancake, stabbing it several times and trying to lift it up to his mouth. He is utterly offended when the pancake falls off the fork and splats on the plate again, splattering drops of syrup across his plastron.
Mikey grumbles softly, discarding the fork and going back to just using his hands and teeth to eat with.
He knows they are watching him struggle. He knows they won't say anything just yet. He knows that they feel just as uncomfortable watching him try to eat as he feels being watched.
Ten minutes later, Raph and Leo's phones ding. Donnie is ready for them.
Mikey quickly gets wiped down and then walked back to Donnie's lab, where he has apparently set up a whole CT scanner. Mikey stares at the big machine with anxiety.
"Mikey, this is the last test for today, I promise," Donnie says, smiling kindly at him. "Nothing else after this one. It will only take 15 minutes, won't hurt you at all, you don't even have to do anything other than just lay still for a bit. You can even take a nap in there, if you want."
"When did you build this?" Leo asks, running his hand along the machine's mouth and peering inside.
"A long while back... after the whole incident with the mind-reprogramulator..."
"The what?"
"Nevermind. I've definitely not been scanning your brains on occasion when you were asleep. Mikey, can you handle this one last test for me? All I'm gonna do is look at your brain for any injuries or traumas," Donnie asks, kneeling down to look his little brother in the eyes.
Mikey stares at the machine nervously. He signs at Donnie.
'Safe?'
"Perfectly safe," Donnie promises. "Can you do it?"
Mikey doesn't sign back, but moves over to the machine, jumping up and crawling inside.
"I'll take that as a yes," Donnie mumbles, going to help adjust Mikey's position for the scan to work properly.
"Just lie back nice and easy and try to relax. You can listen to music while you wait if that helps," Donnie offers.
Mikey reaches his hands out and signs 'yes please'. Leo grabs the headset for him and lets Mikey choose what music to listen to.
Fifteen minutes of silence go by. Mikey does eventually fall asleep, the early rise compounded by the profuse sobbing from earlier having exhausted him, and the music is the icing on the cake. Once they hit the ten minute mark, Mikey's eyes slip shut. By the thirteenth minute, he's snoring softly.
Donnie's monitor beeps at him, a black and white image of Mikey's brain showing up on the screen.
"Okay, here we go..." Donnie says with a deep exhale, rolling his chair over and studying the scan thoroughly.
"Well?" Leo asks, leaning over his twin. "Survey says?"
Donnie is quiet for some time, hands folded under his chin as he makes certain of what the machine has deduced. He points to an area of the brain with a slightly whiter marking filling the grey matter.
"See this area here?" he says softly. "The white means he's had head trauma."
"The white?" Raph repeats. "Donnie... there's a heck of a lot of white on that scan."
"I know. Look at these markings here," he says, pointing around the image to several parts of Mikey's brain that are slightly discoloured. "These indicate electrical injury."
"...Electrical?" Leo questions, his tone irritated and voice hot with anger.
"Yes," Donnie says, his tone also getting quite unhappy. "Electrical injury. I'm going to kill every one of those EPF agents..."
"Donnie," Raph says sternly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "The injuries aren't permanent, right?"
"There... there is some slight scarring," Donnie answers quietly. "But it should heal. Leo would know better."
"With Draxum's mutations making us virtually indestructible and quick-healing, I'd say he'll be fine," Leo says with a nod after giving the scan a once-over. "But the scars do affect his brain with things like short term memory... probably why he doesn't remember much about his captivity," Leo works out.
"So, he's got amnesia basically?" Raph asks.
"No, not amnesia, just head injuries," Donnie clarifies. "It's a symptom of any kind of trauma. It could be he blocked the memories... or if I am correct about the dissociative identity disorder, then he wasn't fully cognizant when certain things occurred -- almost like sleepwalking. Or, it's possible that the contusions he received knocked them loose, in a manner of speaking," Donnie suggests. "He has the memories, but can't access them yet. As time goes by and he heals properly, the memories will find their places and he'll be better."
"There have been all kinds of stories about this kind of thing," Leo chimes in, "where someone was in a car wreck and forgot everything -- even how to talk or eat or read, and needed to relearn their whole life from scratch. As time passed on, they got better and eventually their memories returned."
"Exactly," Donnie concurs. "It happens all the time with trauma patients. So I'm sure Mikey will be fine..."
Raph hears the hesitation again. He squeezes Donnie's shoulder. Donnie places his hand over Raph's, patting it in recognition of the comfort.
"So... what do we do in the meantime?" Raph asks.
"I can look up a list of ways to treat memory loss," Donnie says, quickly typing on the computers. "Or you guys can take over on that while I work on the anti-mutation cure."
"I can handle it," Leo volunteers. "No prob, bob. No problem, Boblem. No probert, Robert. No 'probbles' at all."
Donnie rolls his eyes, which are starting to look rather bloodshot. Raph doesn't let that go unnoticed.
"Dee, maybe you should get some rest now..."
"I'll be fine," he refutes, pushing Raph's hand off his shoulder. "I just need to work on a few things and then I'll take a siesta..."
"Don, seriously, you promised --"
An alert from the computer interrupts Raphael's scoldings. Donnie pulls up the security feed from the surroundings of the lair.
"April has arrived," he announces. "...Let's go break the news to her."
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#rottmnt#rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles#rottmnt mikey#double mutated mikey#mikey fanfic#tutant meenage neetle teetles#rise mikey#double mutation mikey#double mutation#mutated#mutant#mutation#rottmnt fanfiction#rottmnt fanfic#fanfic update#fanfics#fanfiction#fanfic#ficlet#short stories#short story#angst#writing angst
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There’s a competition going on between Tzuyu and Shuhua. Every weekend, one girl takes you home to take the lewdest photos of the two of you to send to the other girl. And each one tries to one-up the other, such as Shuhua making you ERUPT by sticking her tongue in your ass or Tzuyu facefucking you with her strap-on.
Friendships between members of different groups is something that makes extremely happy the fans and the multistan in kpop. I remember clearly the buzz that the pic with Xiaoting, Handong, Shuhua and Tzuyu made on the internet.
However fans don't know who took that photo: you. You've always been close to the kpop C-line, so you know well how naughty they really are. In fact that same dinner is a proof of that: you where there when the maknaes of G-Idle and Twice challenged each other in this lewd photo contest, and, well, you've been basically forced to be their assistant.
The first weekend it was Shuhua turn and you were ready to share your idea, but you should know better: Shuhua already decided the concept for that day, and actually already setted all the stuff.
She made you seat on her couch, immediately pulling down your jeans, stroking your cock with so much heat and power. "Come on, Oppa, become big and hard for me", she whispered in your ear, while her fingers were moving skillfully.
You thought it was such a cool start to begin with a handjob concept, but actually Shuhua plans were other. When she felt you were close enough, she powerfully pushed you back and lifted your legs.
Then she got on her knees, the perfect position for her next move: now that your ass was wide enough, she attacked with her tongue. The result? A perfect picture of your cock erupting an insane amount of cum on her head. "You did a great job, Oppa", she praised you, looking at the picture, while caressing your arm.
The next weekend arrived and you hoped for Tzuyu to be more gentle. And she was...kinda. You surely didn't expect her to propose you to be face-fucked by her strap. You didn't want to do it, but how could you say no to her puppy face?
Sighing, you accepted and just got on your knees. Maybe just simulating was good enough for the pic. "Oppa, it's not realistic enough", she commented looking at the result. You were about to complain that actually it was such a good shot, but Tzuyu anticipated you, starting to fuck your throat.
Few minutes after you were a mess, your hair a completely disaster and your face totally red, but at least the pic now was amazing. "Thank you, Oppa, you're the best", she thanked you, kissing your cheek sweetly.
The next couple of weeks it was a war: the girls really went all in with idea and concept, always insisting for the total realism of their shots. You were glad that they let you have fun too, letting you enjoy the process.
On the third week you fucked Shuhua from behind in the shower, the pic portraying her big boobs squeezed against the glass. On the fourth week you had this naughty ass training session with Tzu, so in the end the pic showed her on her fours, while your cock was savaging her ass and your foot was keeping her head against the floor.
After going on for what seemed an eternity, they opted to declar for a draw, under the advice of Xiaoting and Handong. But it was sad to conclude the competition that way, so all four of them decided to take a last picture: you could decided the concept and they had to accept.
Honestly you went for something very simple but also very exciting: the two of them had to give you a blowjob, completely naked, and when you were about to cum they had to suck your balls.
The fun part? You agreed with Ting and Dongie about a plan: with the excuse of "forgetting of taking the pic" or "the shot is bad", you three made the two maknae suck your cock and be covered in your seed for something like two hours.
But that was not the best part yet: even after the end of the challenge, let's say the girls got...addicted. So they may have in mind numerous challenge: the best lewd video, who makes you cum the most in less time, ecc...
#kpop smut#kpop thoughts#girl group smut#kpop x male reader#girl groups x male reader#twice smut#twice tzuyu#twice x male reader#tzuyu x male reader#tzuyu smut#gidle smut#gidle x male reader#gidle shuhua#shuhua smut#shuhua x male reader
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Finally got around to doing the Arlecchino story quest and I gotta say. what the fuck. genuinely this might be the worst story genshin has ever put out
I was so hyped for it between all of the quests in Fontaine being so good up until now, and the trailer making it seem really dramatic and tense and like it was really going to go in depth about the dynamics in the house of the hearth, just for it to be as boring as it was frustrating.
Part of what made it such a bore to sit through is that we already knew exactly what was going to happen in it. They spoiled so much of it with that terrible amine short they put out prior to the quest. There was no mystery or suspense around Clervie’s identity or all the terrible things she was accusing the house and the Knave of because we already knew she was Arle’s childhood friend and she was talking about the old Knave and not the current one. Seriously, why did they release that short before the quest? And everything that wasn’t spoiled beforehand was painfully predictable. When they were talking about Arle executing people for just wanting a better life than being forced to work for a terrorist organization, I knew there was no way they were going to commit to that. That is way to absurd and cruel and they were absolutely going to chicken out from making Arle villainous so it had to be a red herring. I joked to myself that there was going to be some big reveal about how actually Arle hasn’t been killing these people, she’s just been putting them in witness protection and giving them new civilian identities to live under. And you’re fucking telling me that they actually pulled that shit? Like unironically that was the route they chose to go with? That’s laughable.
This applies to the anime short as well as the quest, but Crucabena was such a one-dimensional cardboard cutout of a character. She was evil to an absurd, almost comical degree, and that’s literally all she was. It’s so obvious she only exists to make Arle look like a better Knave by comparison (and to give her a pathetic sob story of a childhood). She’s not even her own character and she only exists as a foil for Arle, that’s ridiculous.
And that leads into my biggest problem with this quest, which is not only how they absolutely refuse to let Arle be portrayed as a villain or even a morally grey character, but how that leads to insane levels of favoritism that simultaneously harms her character, the characters of everyone else in the quest, and the story itself. I mean the narrative really bends to Arle’s favor in a borderline Mary-Sue-like manner.
She’s all-knowing, apparently. She just knows about both of the plots going down behind her back with no explanation as to why and no prior characterization of her as being omniscient. She knows because she’s ✨special✨ and she just does. Neuvillette has been established to have the power to resonate with and read people’s emotions, but oh so conveniently he can’t read Arle’s emotions. No explanation as to why except that she’s just ✨special✨ and ✨emotionally repressed✨ and he just can’t. She’s also omnipotent btw, because we can’t have the audience believing that Arle is anything other the most perfect most special girlie in Teyvat. The traveler has fought and won against gods, and dragons, and dragon gods, and three other harbingers? Well fuck all of that because they can’t beat this mortal human with ✨special✨ fire magic. Did I mention how strong and special she is? What even was that fight though? Again, the trailer hyped it up so much just for it to fall completely flat. The traveler didn’t manipulate the elements, why not? Were they even trying? Arle just showed them some vision and it completely disabled them. But the audience doesn’t have the context as the what the vision was or what it means (because god forbid we ever get any traveler lore) so it just feels like some lazy cop-out to make sure Arle won the fight no matter what, because she’s the most specialist girl and she’s the best at everything. Can’t have her looking weak.
And that’s another thing, Arle doesn’t have any weaknesses or character flaws. Technically she does, for example she is extremely emotionally repressed. But the narrative isn’t aware that’s a flaw and therefore doesn’t treat it like one, instead she’s treated like the pinnacle of existence. She’s all-knowing, undefeatable in combat, immune to all other characters abilities, a master manipulator, she always has the upper hand against everyone else, she’s intelligent, organized, ruthless, unable to be influenced by emotion, she’s everything except a well-rounded character because this game is so insistent on keeping from Arle from actually being shown as a villain that they somehow did a 180 and made everyone think of her as a hero and the greatest thing since sliced bread. And that leads me to the worst problem with this quest.
The massive Arle dick sucking contest that is the end of the story quest. What the hell was that? Instead of killing people for simply wanting a better life, it turns out Arle forcibly removes people’s personalities and sense of self in a process that is explicitly stated to be extremely painful, and then drops them off in the court of Fontaine with no memories and no idea who they are to fend for themselves for the rest of their lives, but apparently since she doesn’t kill people everyone starts worshiping the ground she walks on? Did everyone conveniently forget that Arle forces children to join the house, then manipulates them into not trying to leave by pretending that the penalty for that is death, and then when people inevitably begin to hate her for being a piece of shit, she removes people’s personalities and sense of self in a process that is explicitly stated to be extremely painful, and then drops them off in the court of Fontaine with no memories and no idea who they are to fend for themselves for the rest of their lives. And on top of that, she’s brainwashed the children of the house to believe that not wanting to forcibly work for a terrorist organization for the rest of your life is the same as betraying your family. And she made the siblings believe that they had to fight her and win to get her to spare the other members when she was going to do that already. Let’s not pretend all that’s not extremely fucked up.
But then you have the two npc’s who were wanting to leave apologizing to her because they were pissed she forced them into the house and made leaving illegal? Like wtf are you apologizing for, you guys are completely in the right? And Lynette and Freminet, who had been beaten by Arle so badly they said they couldn’t move for two days were like “Well that wasn’t even 1% of her power, she could’ve killed us if she wanted to but she went easy, we’re very grateful for that.” Grateful for fucking what? That she didn’t kill you? That’s absurd. And Lyney, who is currently being groomed by Arlecchino to soon take her place in the cycle of abuse, thanks Arle for sparing him and letting him be in the house. He calls her a hero. These people think they actually owe Arle lives for bringing them into the hearth wtf. When I said that the Arle favoritism was ruining other’s characters besides her own, this is what I meant. The siblings could have had some development in this quest. They could have finally woken up to Arle’s manipulation and we could have some nuance to their opinions on and loyalty to Arlecchino while still having them stay in the house because it’s the only home and family they know. But no, all of that got trashed in favor of showing the audience how great Arle is for not killing and experimenting on children and how everyone loves her, and is blindly obedient, and never questions her.
But I think the worst of it was Clervie. We get that whole backstory about how Clervie dedicated her life to seeking freedom and opposing Crucabena’s terrible way of leading until she couldn’t take it anymore and decided the only way to be free was to die. And then she witnesses everything that happened at the ruins. Arle threatening to kill people just for wanting to leave a place they never chose to be a part of, the people begging and crying for their lives, Arle demanding that rules must be upheld above people’s lives, the blatant way Arle was using “loyalty” to manipulate the people in the house, her making the siblings fight her with the lives of the other members on the line, her painfully removing people’s memories and personality and kicking them out. Clervie saw all that and still told Arle that she was a good Knave and Clervie approved of what she did. At this point the game might as well just come out and say “See! Everyone loves Arle and thinks she’s the greatest. Even her friend who opposed the old Knave for being cruel thinks she’s doing a great job. That means you have to like her too. Pay no attention to what an actual piece of human shit she is and just admit that she’s the specialist and the bestest character :)” because honestly that would have been more subtle than all this bullshit.
And what really gets me is that in the quest they explicitly made a point about how sad it was that the children except for Arle and Clervie were too brainwashed to realize how cruel the old Knave was, and then they went and pulled that ending. This goes beyond irony.
Only good part of the quest was that conversation between Lyney and Freminet at the beginning and Lynette calling everyone a dumbass. This whole quest should’ve just been them.
I had such high expectations because all of Fontaine so far, from the archon quest, to the world quests, to events, to story quests have been almost perfect. I’m so pissed that we’re leaving this incredible nation on such a sour note.
#traveler from another world ✨#I hope my posts continue to piss all the Arle stans off#they can cry me a river#as much as I still hate her she wasn’t the problem with this quest#the problem was bad writing and also the decision to post her backstory before the quest#seriously why did they do that?#genshin impact#genshin#arlecchino#genshin arlecchino#the knave#genshin 4.6#genshin spoilers#genshin 4.6 spoilers
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More than movie magic... 21/?
Hangster AU. Explicit (eventually). Jake is a Hollywood actor and Bradley is a stunt coordinator. Jake's about to make a few self-discoveries. So is Bradley.
ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN EIGHTEEN NINETEEN TWENTY
Chapter 16 is pretty much the only explicit chapter (so far), so you can skip it if you like, but it's not explicit by my standards, and it's very soft/tender.
They both get out of the car, and his mom is walking toward them at a brisk pace. He swallows down his nerves.
“Oh! Bradley. You go on in dear. I can talk to Jake outside.”
“Uh, sure Aunty Kaye. Is there anything I can do?”
“Just make sure Pete doesn’t touch my brisket. That man has some odd ideas.”
“Oh god…” Bradley mutters, and he’s heading inside the house quickly and Jake feels a swell of giddiness that he already seems so comfortable to just head on in. He turns to his mom, not sure what the problem is, because it’s clearly not Bradley or Pete. Then she’s slapping at his arm, eyes flashing and oh no… he definitely did something wrong.
“Why didn’t you tell me Tom Kazansky was Bradley’s other father!” She hisses, voice low and quiet, like they’ll somehow be able to hear her from inside the house.
Oh. That. At least it’s something easy.
“Because until this morning I didn’t know. No one knows. Well. More people might put things together now, but I don’t know how many people recognized him when he arrived. And I brought him up here just to have some quiet time with dad.”
“You couldn’t have said something at lunch? Sent a message? A quick phone call? Anything?”
“I’m sorry! I didn’t realize it was such a big deal,” Jake says, and he’s a little confused. “Uh, why is it such a big deal?”
His mom goes bright red and Jake pulls back, realization hitting him.
“Oh my lord mom… did you have a crush on Tom Kazansky?”
“What do you mean did?” His mom says, voice slightly hysterical and Jake barks out a loud laugh. “Your father has been smirking at me all afternoon!”
“Okay… well. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I’ve been a little busy working,” Jake stresses and his mom scoffs.
“Working? If all the photos showing up are anything to go by there wasn’t a lot of working happening today.”
“I thought you knew better than to go looking for photos of me on social media,” Jake sighs.
“Honey, I don’t need to. Your brothers and sisters send them to me. With commentary.”
“Of course they do. Uh. They aren’t here tonight are they?” Jake asks, because his entire family being introduced to Bradley’s when they’ve been maybe dating for three days seems a little fast, even if a good portion of his family have in fact already met Bradley.
“No. And your father will be getting his own earful once we no longer have guests.”
“Well, extended family right? More than guests?”
“Tom Kazansky, Jake. Tom Kazansky.”
“Okay mom. Okay…”
“Well, your father likes him. They’ve been… well. Reading. Playing chess maybe, but I don’t know. You could have warned me!” She says again.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think… sorry. I did worry about dad inviting everyone to dinner. Did he give you any warning?”
“Well, sort of. Said Bradley’s parents would be joining us. I knew about Pete of course. You’d mentioned him.”
Jake wisely keeps his mouth shut, because his mom isn’t going to let this go any time soon.
“So, dinner. Brisket huh?”
“I had started it for tomorrow night. It won’t be as good as it could be, but it’ll be fine. Just… I wish I had more time.”
“You always do mom.”
She makes a displeased hrmph but then sets her shoulders back.
“Well. It is Saturday. No need for me to ask Bradley out for you. You’ve taken a chance and I hope you can see how good this could be for you sweetie…”
“Yeah. I know. It’s just a bit scary.”
“New things often are. But this boy Jake. Sorry. This man… Jake. You need someone that comes home with you and feels at home here as much as you do. That boy hasn’t seemed to bend or mold himself at all and he has slipped in and fits. Don’t you go thinking you don’t deserve someone like that. Something good like that.”
Jake swallows and stares down at his boots, notices the layers of dust and nods once to indicate he’s heard her.
“I do know that mom.”
“Do you? Because I wonder sometimes.”
He doesn’t know what to say to that, just lets his mom enfold him in a hug.
… … …
“Pete, get out of the kitchen. Come on.”
“I’m just trying to help!”
“You’re as helpful as tits on a bull! Leave it alone!”
Both Tom and Bill snort and Bradley shoots an annoyed glare over his shoulder, because why did Tom come if not to try and keep a tighter rein on Pete?
“Mav, come and ask Bill all your bull riding questions. He used to do that when he was younger.”
Finally Bradley thinks, but then Ice tugs him away into the room with the piano and he’s worried about leaving Mav unattended but Tom is looking serious.
“What? What’s wrong?” Bradley asks.
“Nothing bad. Just wanted to let you know I had my five-year check-up and it’s all clear.”
“Oh. That’s great news. Is that why you came?”
“Well, partly. I did want to tell you something else. Was the main reason I said yes to coming when Pete asked.”
“Okay?”
“I’m going to ask him to marry me.”
Bradley feels his mouth drop open, because this is the last thing he expected.
“What?”
“What do you mean what? This shouldn’t be news to you.”
“Sorry. I just… you know he’s going to want a big wedding right? Lots of people and photos and media…”
“Things you do for love.”
“Holy shit Ice… God. You must really love him.”
“I do. At his worst, and my worst, I’ve still loved him.”
“Yeah. I don’t know which of you is crazier.”
“Do I have your blessing?”
“You don’t need it, but you have it.”
… … …
Dinner is weird. Not bad weird, just very different from the other night. He feels like he is somehow more under the microscope, his interactions with Pete and Tom being assessed as well as how he is with Jake, which isn’t different from the dinner only forty-eight hours ago and he cannot believe it was only that long ago, because it feels like a lot more time has passed than two days. Pete has calmed down, although he and Kaye drive much of the conversation, but both Bill and Ice add to it, along with himself and Jake.
Bradley has several humiliating stories he’s worried that Pete will bring up, feeling tense despite the good humor present at the table and when Jake rests a hand on his thigh he lowers his hand to link their fingers, turns to give him a smile before leaning over to give Jake a quick kiss on the cheek, which makes him smile. When he looks back all the others are watching and smiling and he shrugs, ignores the rising heat in his cheeks.
He learns that Jake’s first word was horsie. How he stopped talking when his younger sister was born. His favorite color was purple for several years and how he had to be bribed… for something; Jake pleads for his mom to stop and she actually listens. Then he finds out that she’d given Jake an ultimatum about asking Bradley out and he twists to look at Jake.
“Really?”
“If I didn’t ask you, she said she was going to ask you on my behalf.”
Bradley’s lips twitch in amusement, Pete is cackling and both Tom and Bill are looking amused.
“Good thing she’s on our side,” Bradley says, and he didn’t realize it was the right thing to say, but Jake leans into him and Aunty Kaye is giving him an approving look, somehow even happier than usual.
“Can I take a photo? Post it to my Instagram?” Pete asks, and Bradley rolls his eyes, but Aunty Kaye is agreeing immediately, and to Bradley’s shock, so is Ice. Oh. That’ll do it. If his suspicions are correct anyway.
The food is of course delicious, Kaye blushes when Ice compliments the food and Jake makes an amused snort that Bradley is going to ask about later. The two of them are put on washing up duty again, although Kaye reveals a dishwasher cleverly hidden behind a cabinet, and judging from Jake’s look of annoyance it’s a new acquisition he hadn’t known about two nights ago. Crafty woman. They still tidy up and clean the bigger items, taking time to kiss a little, although Pete lets out a loud wolf-whistle when he comes in, declaring he’s going to make cocktails.
Bradley hadn’t realized just how alike Bill and Kaye’s dynamic were to Pete and Tom’s until he saw them all together. Kaye and Pete drinking freshly made espresso martinis, trying to foist one on each of him and Jake. Bill and Tom are both watching in bemusement, shaking their heads and drinking their glasses of whiskey and bourbon respectively and he’s turning it all down. Then they’re heading to the living room and he’s feeling quiet, not in the mood to socialize.
What he wants is to talk to Jake alone, find out why he maybe needed a threat of possible humiliation from his own mom to make a move. Even if said move had been pretty simultaneous on both their parts. He also wants to explain why Pete is a little over-the-top protective. Ice is just as protective, but his is quieter and almost dangerous. Their respective parental figures already very invested, overly so and he hopes that isn’t too much for Jake. It doesn’t bother him, he’s pretty used to it now from Pete at least.
Pete right now is drunk… but so is Aunty Kaye. They’re both talking about Now and Laters and how there was a flavor called Blue Jeans and Bradley has no idea if they’re actually both remembering something that legitimately existed, or if they’re having a collective drunken hallucination. The fact that both Tom and Bill are nodding isn’t helping.
“Where are you guys staying?” Bradley asks, suddenly realizing that he’s the only completely sober person in the room and he might have to drive Pete and Tom somewhere.
“Here of course! I made up the guest room,” Aunty Kaye declares, and everyone is looking at him and nodding, except Jake, who is shaking his head.
“I‘m not staying here…”
“We didn’t expect you to sweetie. Not when you have a perfectly adequate trailer closer to the set. More time in bed hmm?”
“Mom!”
“What? You always liked your sleep ins.”
“Oh good, something else they have in common,” Pete says and Bradley groans, realizing that he’s leaving Pete with Aunty Kaye and lots of alcohol. He glances at Ice, who just looks cooly impassive and completely unconcerned. Lucky for him.
“How about we leave you guys to it,” Jake says, standing up from his spot on the sofa where he’d been settled warmly against Bradley’s side. He misses his warmth already and he gets up as well.
“You two have fun!”
“Be safe!”
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”
Then Pete and Aunty Kaye are off laughing again and Bradley shakes his head, pats Ice on the shoulder as he walks past and just murmurs good luck under his breath. Bill clearly hears him and snorts.
“Thank you for dinner again,” Bradley starts, but only Bill is paying him any attention and he just gets waved off. So much for trying to be polite. Jake is tugging him toward the front door, where he’s pulling on his boots and grabbing his keys and hat.
“Come on, before they change their minds,” Jake mutters under his breath and Bradley rolls his eyes.
“We’re adults,” Bradley replies, closing the door and following Jake to his vehicle.
“And yet I feel like a teenager sneaking out my window…”
“I mean, we walked out the front door and your mom left a gift basket filled with condoms and lube in your trailer, but yeah, I can definitely see the parallels.”
“No, I meant the all-knowing smug expression…”
“Yeah. They’ll get over it eventually right? She’s just happy for you.”
“And Pete’s happy for you too huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Although he still got on a plane to come and confirm that for himself…”
“Yeah. I guess we should talk about some stuff.”
“Yeah. I guess we should.”
He rests his hand on Jake’s thigh as they drive back, holds his hand as they walk to his bunk room where he grabs some things, a change of clothes being the bare minimum. Doesn’t want a repeat of this morning. Was it really only that morning? Jake makes him walk past the horses to say goodnight and he follows his gestures of stroking velvety soft noses and quiet whispers, refusing to let go of his hand.
There are still quite a few people out and about, it’s not late and they return the friendly waves sent their way, but he’s glad no one approaches them or stops them to chat. He’s already mentally preparing himself for the necessary talk ahead. He’s not worried about it scaring Jake off at all, there isn’t anything other than a slight messiness which only helps explain Pete’s actions. A little. They get to Jake’s trailer, and he’s glad it’s located a bit away. Despite that on the door of the trailer is a sign, someone has gotten creative with colored paper and glue, there’s even remnants of glitter although it seems to have mostly blown off.
Love Shack.
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Jealousy, jealousy
Poly!Jegulus×GN!Reader
Hi! Ok so I have been in a 'Challengers' brainrot ever since it came out and this is what I gave birth to. This little fic doesn't have anything to do with the movie, it just lit a light bulb in my brain and I went with the flow. I know it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I was inspired and...this is the result 🤭.
Hope you like it 💗
English isn't my first language so I apologize in advance for any mistakes.
Regulus Black was a possessive prick.
Or so Barty said.
“Merlin, didn't you notice the way he was looking at that guy ? The bloke is lucky he is still alive”
“Stop looking like a rabid dog, blondie is not even looking in Potter's direction”
“I swear you can't just curse a random dude for talking to Y/N, Reggie. He was just asking them about the books for Salazar's sake !”
So yeah, Regulus was apparently a possessive guy.
Then why haven't you nor James ever noticed or even witnessed it ?
Barty and Evan always told you and James how Regulus would get fired up as soon as he noticed someone just as breathing in your and the Griffyindor's direction.
But both you and James thought it absurd.
Regulus Black ?
The always calm and collected headboy of Slytherin ? The guy with the stone cold stare and the stoic expression ? The same calm and collected boy that liked to read and write poetry, looking at the stars and sleeping in on Sundays ?
Jealous ?
You and James had a good laugh.
But it never got beyond that.
If you had to consider one of you as the ‘jealous one’ most of the times that would've been James. The boy couldn't go a second without yours and Regulus eyes on him, pouting his way through it to get the attention of his partners, and sometimes sending dirty looks to people who were being a bit too insistent and pushy.
Other times it was you even. Having two of the most handsome boys in Hogwarts as your boyfriends was fun, until random girls tried to slip Amortentia in their cups at dinner, and a weird green concoction in yours.
Then it wasn't fun anymore.
The points deducted from your House were definitely worth seeing the two girls jinxed to puke slugs for a week.
So it was always either you or James. Never Regulus.
He was always calm, put together and, weirdly you must say, extremely affectionate.
So Barty's words didn't really make sense to you and your Gryffindor boyfriend.
Until tonight.
Gryffindor had won a match against Ravenclaw. One of the biggest and toughest matches of the last three years (or so James said), so partying was mandatory.
For a night the Gryffindor common room was opened to everyone who wanted to have fun, relax, and possibly and most importantly, get wasted.
The room was full.
People from every house were there, the sound of muggle music filling your ears (David Bowie, was it ? Salazar, Remus sure talked a lot about that guy).
After getting a drink you spotted some of your housemates talking to Remus and Lily. Dorcas, Pandora, Barty and James were there too.
You walked up to them holding your, now full, glass of firewhisky mixed with some sort of juice. Courtesy of Sirius.
“You guys keep hogging my boyfriend here. I wasn't even able to congratulate him on his victory” You said, arms going to circle James’ neck, careful not to spill your drink, as you left a kiss in his lips.
“You did so good up there” you whispered on his lips before smacking another small kiss on them and letting go.
“Did I ? Must've been my lucky charms” he said grinning, hands still on your waist as he took in the sight of you in Gryffindor colors. A rare occurrence, happening only when the match was a big one.
In all honesty both you and Regulus would rather die than ever wearing red and gold, but James needed to know that the two most important people in his life were there for him, so you made an exception.
Well, that, and the jumpers you always stole from him that were too big on both you and Regulus, but they smelled of James and they were a lifesaver in the nights where you couldn't sneak out to pay him a visit.
“Speaking of” James lifted his eyes to look around the room, scanning it in search of a particular mop of ebony curly hair and stormy eyes “where's Reggie ?”
“Was talking with Evan at the drink table. Said he would be here in a minute” You answered, taking a sip of your drink.
“Good, I have to thank both my charms. Can't miss one” James said with a goofy smile, one that could only be considered lovestruck.
The same kind of smile that curled your lips, too.
“Don't think you'll have to wait for long” added Barty with a smirk on his face, trying to hide it with the rim of his cup as he took a sip.
You and James shared a look of confusion.
Suddenly a voice spoke up.
“Hey, James. Nice match you had up there ! I think it was really thrilling-”
Cole Aleberstine, sixth year Hufflepuff, came to congratulate James as well.
You knew him, you had Divination together. He was a quiet and shy guy, and you were almost sure he had a crush on James.
Which was hilarious considering the whole school knew James was a taken man. A very taken man.
You never considered him a problem, he actually looked like he was terrified most of the time. His little infatuation with James was never acted upon.
You actually found it rather endearing.
But apparently not everyone thought the same.
The poor guy couldn't even finish talking when a louder than usual “Baby” was heard, and suddenly a flash of black hair and gray eyes was in front of the Gryffindor chaser, surging on his tiptoes, fisting James’ shirt in his hand and yanking the boy towards him in a hungry kiss.
James let out a yelp in surprise, and then proceeded to literally melt in Regulus' arms and at the mercy of his lips.
Oh, you knew that feeling all too well. The way Regulus kissed like he was starved, like it was the end of the world and only the taste of your lips could save him.
Yes, Regulus Black was a hell of a kisser.
And you were sure James was in heaven right now.
Being used to it you didn't have much of a reaction (the butterflies in your stomach begged to differ), but the flabbergasted faces of your friends were pure gold.
Even Remus and Sirius, who were more than used to your and the other two boys' antics, were left speechless.
You let out a snicker.
When you turned around Cole was gone, no trace of him whatsoever.
Regulus then parted from James’ lips and turned his head, looking at the empty place that was previously occupied by the Hufflepuff.
The most imperceptible smirk peeked on his lips, like he had won the lottery or something.
Your eyebrows slightly furrowed.
What ?
And then it clicked.
The way Regulus was definitely at the drink table before Cole showed up and then, as soon as he opened his mouth, he stormed there like a fury, kissing James like his life depended on it, like he wanted to swallow him whole, like he wanted everyone to know that the Gryffindor chaser was his.
A grin spread on your lips.
Oh, Barty was right.
Regulus Black was a jealous prick.
And he made sure that everyone knew by claiming you and James.
And only then your brain realized that all the time he was extra handsy in public, which was very uncharacteristic of him, he was trying to literally mark the territory.
A part of your brain wanted to find it a little excessive, but the other, more prominent, part found it extremely attractive.
Barty sent a knowing look in your direction.
The obvious ‘I told you so’ written on his face made you shake your head lightly in complete disbelief.
“Damn, I must've been really good then”
Said James, who looked thoroughly snogged, lips plump and glasses crooked on his nose.
“You were alright I guess” said Regulus, trying to appear as unimpressed as possible, but the sweet smile tugging at his lips betrayed him.
James loved when Regulus was a little mean to him, all in good fun, of course, and it was entertaining for you to watch.
“I should start playing Quidditch too if this is the treatment we get from our boyfriend” you added, a playful offended tone in your voice.
“No need for that, mon étoile” Regulus said with a proper smile this time, detaching himself from James, picking you up and spinning around once before kissing you softly but just as eager.
Funny thing ? You could still taste James on his tongue and it made your head spin.
His lips like silk, molding perfectly with yours as you let out a content sound.
“Yeah, better not. I'd probably end up with a broken bone every two weeks”
You said chuckling and a little breathless, as he put you down gently, hands still on your hips.
“I already have one boyfriend with enough broken bones, I definitely don't need you doing that too”
He said as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear.
“But- I mean, if you want to you can of course”
He added.
“I was joking Reggie, don't worry” you said smiling, endeared by him “I definitely like it more when my feet are on the ground”
“Pity” interrupted James “You would look so hot riding a broom with the wind in your hair” he stated, drinking from his cup.
“I'd say I ride enough things already, don't you think ?” you said with a smirk and a raised brow.
James proceeded to choke on the alcohol in his mouth, while Regulus cheeks tinted a splotchy red.
“Ok, enough” said Sirius, his face distorted in horror “there are certain information that we really don't need to know”
“Speak for yourself, Black. I wanna know everything”
Barty said, wiggling his brows.
Regulus threatened to make him bald for the rest of his life.
Laugher roared, and the night proceeded as smoothly as a party at Hogwarts could ever go.
#marauders#marauder's era#regulus black#james potter#regulus x reader#james x regulus#james x reader#sirius black#remus lupin#barty crouch junior#harry potter#polyamory#lily evans#evan rosier#pandora rosier#dorcas meadowes#marlene mckinnon
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The Color Pink (Part 15)
Aaaaa sorry this took so long. This piece has been written for a while so I decided to post it since I've been too busy to write more. Sorry if it sucks.
Theodore awoke in the morning to see that his room was spotless. All the laundry was put away, and his army of half empty water bottles was gone. He tried to sit up, but it was too painful. He never picked up his painkillers from the pharmacy, so he had no means of relief. He groaned as his shoulder throbbed. Hazel appeared in the doorway almost instantly. “Theo,” she spoke calmly even though she was very worried. “Are you okay?”
“No,” he mumbled. “I can’t get up. It hurts too much.”
“Oh, okay, um…” She walked over to him in a hurry. She took the pillows out from underneath his right side. He winced in pain. “Sorry!” She was a little unsure of what to do. She went over to his other side and placed her hands underneath his neck and back. She slowly pulled up, but this only rolled him over. He cried out in pain again. She began to stress. She went to the foot of the bed. “Give me your hand.” She reached out and grabbed his left hand. “I’m gonna pull you up, and you’re gonna try and sit up at the same time, okay?”
“Mhm…”
“Okay, on three. One… Two… Three!” She strained as she pulled him up. He winced again, but he was sitting upward, so their mission was accomplished. She went over to him and held his face. “You okay?”
“No. I’m in pain.”
“Um… Okay, uh… I don’t know what to do.”
“They sent a script for painkillers over to the pharmacy. They should be ready by now. We need to go pick them up.”
“Oh, right! Good idea. Do you need help getting dressed?”
“No. I’ll just go like this.” He was dressed in sweatpants and an NTV t-shirt.
Hazel put her hands on her hips. “Really? Just like that?”
“Dude, I’m in too much pain to give a shit right now. I’m not walking down a red carpet. I was gonna send you to get them, anyways.”
“Wait, what?”
“Yeah. I was gonna wait here… Is that okay?”
“Isn’t your wallet still on set?”
“Shit, that’s right. Fuck, okay, um…” He sighed, “Ugh, I guess I’ll have to go with.”
“Plus, I need to pack a bag with some clothes. I’m going to stay here for a couple days to help you out.”
“Hazel, you don’t have to-”
She repeated herself in a firmer, more assertive tone, “I am going to stay here for a couple of days to help you out.”
He huffed. “Fine.”
“You don’t have to pity me, Theodore. I’m helping you because you need it. I’m helping you because I want to.” She went up to him and gently cupped his face in her hands. “Okay?”
He smiled. “Okay.”
She gave him a gentle peck on the lips. “You sure you don’t want to put any better pants on?”
“I’m sure. I’m comfortable.”
“Okay,” she rolled her eyes playfully, “whatever you say.” She stuck her hand out. “Come on, I’ll help you up.”
As she helped him to his feet, there was a knock at the door. He sighed, “Stay here, I’ll get it.” He dragged his feet as he walked. The entire right side of his body was stiff and sore. An ache radiated through his body with each step. The door knocked again. “SHUT UP!” He screamed in frustration as he walked up to the door. He opened it up; it was Dougie.
Theodore inhaled deeply and huffed with frustration. “What do you want?”
“Hi, boss. I have your keys and your wallet.” Dougie handed them to him.
“Oh… Cool… Thanks…”
“The set manager wants you to call him.”
Theo rolled his eyes. “What does he want?”
“He wants to know how you’re doing. We all do.”
“I’m in pain. Shout it through a megaphone and make sure everybody hears.”
“Yeah, but-”
Theo slammed the door in Dougie’s face. Hazel had come down the stairs to see that Noise had his wallet and keys in hand.
“Who was that?” She asked.
“It was Dougie. He dropped off my stuff.”
“Oh, okay, good. That’s one less stop we have to make.”
“Yep. Let’s go, I’m in a lot of pain and I want to go back to bed.”
Theo waddled behind Hazel as they headed out.
-
After everything was said and done, Theodore was completely exhausted. He had dozed off on the way back. He picked his head up once the car stopped. Hazel helped him up and out of his seat. She grabbed his hips from behind and guided him to the door.
“I’m not drunk,” he said, “you don’t have to lead me.”
“I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
“You don’t have to baby me.”
“Shush. Let’s just get you inside so you can take a painkiller and go to bed. You need all the rest you can get.”
Theodore rolled his eyes and walked up to the door. Hazel unlocked and opened it for him. He dragged his feet as he walked in, holding the door for her to walk in behind him. He plopped onto the couch and kicked his legs up. His body was too tired to move anymore. Hazel hurriedly grabbed a water bottle from the kitchen and gave him the painkiller. He swallowed it without hesitation. She twiddled her fingers together as he laid his head down.
“Do you want me to take you up to your room?” She asked.
“Mmph,” he mumbled. “No. I’ll stay down here. That way if I need anything, I can just get it myself. I won’t have to go up and down the stairs a million times.”
“Hmm… Oh! Hold on, stay here.”
“I wasn’t going anywhere anyways.”
She rushed up to his room and grabbed a pillow as well as his fuzzy pink “blankie”. She came back down to see him already dozing off. “Here,” she tucked the pillow under his head and spread the blanket across him. She gave him a kiss on the forehead and he smiled. “Will you be okay if I leave?”
“You’re leaving?” He whined.
“Yeah. I’m sorry, but I have to go home eventually.”
He chuckled softly. “I’m just teasing you.”
She rolled her eyes with a smile. She ran her fingers through his hair. “I’ll be back. I have to pack some clothes and such.”
“Okay.”
“Call me if you need me, okay?”
“Okay.”
She cuffed his cheek and pecked him on the lips as goodbye.
-
She had to go through The Slum as she headed home. While she did, she was stopped by someone calling to her. She turned around to see The Vigilante running up to her as fast as possible. He looked incredibly disheveled as if he had seen the devil. “Hazel,” he shouted in a huff. “Hazel, you’re alive!” He stopped hard enough to leave skid marks from his boots. He huffed and puffed as he tried to catch his breath.
“Oh, hi Vigi,” she greeted.
“Where…” He sighed. “Where have you been?! Is everything okay?!”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I haven’t seen you in a couple days, and your cafe has been closed. I was worried sick!”
“Sorry. I should’ve left a note on the door or something. I ended up closing early once I was done with the NTV order the other day. Something came up.”
“What happened?”
“Well, um… I don’t think it’s any of your business, but… The Noise got injured at work. He needs some help taking care of himself.”
The Vigilante rolled his eyes. “Oh, sure, big celebrity man can’t take care of himself.”
“No, seriously! His shoulder is all messed up. It’s his right shoulder, and he’s right handed. He can’t do much.”
The Vigilante still looked doubtful. “Well,” he sighed disgruntledly. “I suppose your cafe will be closed for a while…”
“Hm… I never thought about that. That’s going to be an issue… I’m already a little behind on my rent.”
“Yeah, well, you know how Pizzaface is about money.”
Her shoulders tensed up as she imagined the giant floating pizza being angry at her. He was quite intimidating naturally. She didn’t want to know what he was like when he was angry. Closing the cafe to take care of The Noise was going to cost her in the long run, but he had no one else to depend on. She chewed on the tips of her fingers nervously. How was she going to make this work? She was worried about Theodore, but she was also worried about losing her career. Regardless, she wanted to take care of him. The Vigilante was snapping in her face as she came to.
“Hazel? You okay?”
“Oh! Yeah, sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.” She chuckled nervously.
“You look like a deer in headlights.”
“I’m fine. I have to go.” She turned around and rushed off.
“Hazel, wait-” The Vigilante tried to catch her attention again, but she was already gone.
-
Once she got home, she was stuck. She was torn between taking care of The Noise or taking care of her cafe. She shook her head and went into her room to start packing clothes and accessories. She figured she would take care of him for one more night as she thought about how she could work things out. She tried to keep it out of her mind. She wanted to get back to Noise as soon as possible. Knowing him, she was afraid he might do something stupid. Once she was all packed up, she hustled back over to The Noise’s. She couldn’t shake off her anxiety, and she wanted to get there as soon as possible so she could talk to him about it.
-
Hazel used the spare key to go through the backdoor of Theodore’s home. She walked into the living room to see him still zonked out on the couch. Those painkillers knocked him out, she thought. She slowly walked up to him and gently nudged his arm. “Theo?” He was out cold. For a moment, she feared that he was dead, even though she knew how irrational that thought was. She nudged him a little harder. His eyes slowly peeled open.
“Oh,” he muttered, “you’re back.”
“Yeah, hey, um…” She spoke frantically.
He let out a groan as he stretched then picked his head up. “Are you okay? You seem… upset.”
“Yeah. I mean, no. Well, kind of.”
He slowly sat up on his own. “Come here, sit.”
Hazel sat on the couch and twiddled with her thumbs. “So, um… I have to talk to you about something.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Uh… So… I gave it some thought and-”
Theodore’s heart sank. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen. He was worried she had gotten overwhelmed and was going to leave him.
“- I’m not quite sure I’ll be able to take care of you.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t take care of you and run the cafe at the same time.”
He shrugged. His worry suddenly faded. “Then take care of the cafe.”
“But you can’t take care of yourself.”
“Right…”
They sat in silence for a moment. Hazel felt insanely guilty.
“Hey,” Theo broke the silence, “I have an idea.”
“Hm?” Hazel looked at him with an eyebrow raised in curiosity.
“What if, and hear me out here,” he put his free hand on her shoulder. “What if I took care of you, too?”
“What… What are you talking about?”
“What if I helped you out financially while you help me? Like, what if I paid you for taking care of me?”
“What?! Theodore, no! I’d feel so guilty!”
“Please. Let me help you.”
They made eye contact for a moment. Hazel took a deep breath. “Okay.”
Theo smiled and gave her a quick smooch. “Relax. We can make this work. Everything will be okay. Anything you need, I will take care of. Okay?”
“Okay.” Hazel’s eyes were glazed over with tears. She wasn’t expecting him to react in such a way.
“You look like you’re going to cry.”
Hazel’s lower lip quivered as she nodded.
“No,” he pulled her in for a gentle hug. He wrapped his left arm around her as tight as he could. “No tears.” He kissed her cheek as she whined and shed a few tears into his chest. She sat up and wiped her tears away with her sleeve.
“Sorry,” she apologized. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I’m just stressed.”
“I know. It’s okay. You can stay here as long as you need to.”
“Okay. I mean, I’ll have to grab more clothes and things. I only packed enough for a couple days.”
“That’s fine. Everything’s fine, okay? Stop worrying.”
“Okay.”
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One Sunny Day
(Stardew Valley)(Haley x Female Farmer)
Chapter 14
The sound of seagulls floods the open, unpolluted air of Pelican Town. Summer has finally arrived, which means I have to grow this season's crops. A trip to Pierre's shop is in dire need since I also need to replenish my food supply.
The jingle above the door announces my arrival, causing Pierre to look up from his counter and give me a greeting nod. I shoot back a casual wave and disappear into the aisles.
"I knew you'd be here, farmer." Haley gave me a sly smile. She was apparently waiting for my arrival.
"Well hello there pretty lady, how'd you know I'd be here?" I throw my hands in my pockets and broaden my shoulders. She blushes at my little comment.
"Well, last season we ran into each other here around this time when you needed seeds. I may have waited around today to see if you'd show. I want to know what kind of crops you are growing this season," she responds.
"Uh huh...?" I give her a look of suspicion, unsure if she is telling the truth.
"No really! I don't want anything else I promise...," I watch her look me up and down quickly, "scouts honor!" she puts two fingers together in the air instead of the three.
I cover my mouth quickly to stop me from laughing out, but I don't do a good job because I end up letting out a few chuckles.
"I think your fingers are saying otherwise," I say.
A look of confusion crosses her face.
"Not that three fingers is too many or anything..." That finally makes her clue in to what I was laughing about and throws her hand back to her side. Her face has gone beat red now.
She turns to face the shelf of seeds and proceeds to change the subject, "what seeds are we starting with. Oh, how 'bout some melons." She takes a few packs of melon seeds off the shelf and places them into my basket.
As she continues to pick out the seeds for me, I cross my arms and lean against the shelf. She has been chit-chatting away to me as she places things into my basket, not noticing I haven't said a word. She hasn't even noticed the look of adoration I have been giving her this entire time.
"-summer is usually best for sunflowers, which are like my favorite thing ever, but they also grow in fall too," she rambles on. However, that sentence makes me perk up.
"Oh yeah? You really like sunflowers?"
She nods her head aggressively.
"Hm," is all I respond with. She didn't put any sunflower seeds into my basket. Instead she moved on to the blueberries and tossed those in.
We start moving down the aisles of Pierre's store, her rambling on about whatever she can think of with me trailing right behind her like a little puppy dog. She has filled my basket to the brim with everything she has decided I should get. I haven't stopped her from putting even one thing in.
She suddenly stops in her tracks, almost causing me to bump into her. She abruptly spins around to face me. "Why do you call me 'pretty lady'?"
"Can I not call you that?"
"No no no it's not that. I'm just wondering why. Do you think I am pretty?" her eyes are twinkling up at me while she waits for her response.
"I think you're beautiful," I responded genuinely, looking down at her captivating, blue eyes.
Her mouth opens slighting to say something, but then she closes it. She keeps repeating the same process as she thinks of the right words she wants to say.
"Why have you been so nice to me since you have gotten here? I have been nothing but mean to you and you don't deserve any of it. I'm so sorry," she wipes a tear from her eye.
"You aren't being mean to me now, are you?"
"No but-"
"Unless you are going to walk out on me again without explaining why?" I try teasing. I reach my hand up and brush away another stray tear from her cheek.
"Maybe," she chuckles sadly.
"Alright I'll make way." Chuckling along with her, I move to stand off the side, going along with the bit.
"I'm sorry again for doing all of that and constantly walking out on you when we are together. It's just... I have been feeling... weird?"
"What do you mean?"
"Are we never going to talk about the day at the spa?" she blurts out.
My breath catches in my throat and I start choking on air, breaking into a fit of coughs. "You remember that?" I managed to get out.
"Surprisingly, considering I drank that whole bottle. There are some bits I don't remember, but I remember enough."
"Is this why you wanted to catch me at the store today?"
"I had promised you there was nothing more to me being here. I just happened to bring it up now."
We stand there awkwardly, none of us knowing what to say.
"I'm really sorry I put you in that situation. I'm also sorry you had to see me like that. I had just gone there to clear my head with all my confusing thoughts and then you happened to show up and..." she trails off.
"And then you were telling me you and Alex go there to screw around, taking your top off, giving me a massage and hitting on me," I finished for her. She winces and her shoes suddenly became very interesting to her. I tilt my head and wait to see what she has to say.
"Sorry..." she whispers.
"That happened a lot to me in my high school years. Girls would get plastered, think they are into girls, then try to hit on me or even try to kiss me when they are in that state. I say 'think' because all of them I've seen on social media are with a dude now. Who knows, maybe they ARE into girls and just continue to suppress it. I hope they are all happy with their choices." I give a little shrug like it's no big deal.
Haley has a look of horror on her face. She brings her hand on top of her head, smooths back her hair and puts her other hand on her hip.
"I can't believe I acted like that, oh my Yoba." she puts her face into her hands and takes a deep breath.
"Don't worry, I won't tell Alex. I know you guys aren't together right now, but just in case you guys get back together or anything..." I give her a reassuring pat on her shoulder.
She raises her face from her hands and gives me the most judgmental, but sympathetic look and starts chuckling. "Respectfully...you are really dumb, Danny."
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