#a belated happy new year to you too! thank you so much for the gift!
Note
I just saw your little post, I'm sorry I didn't clarify. Yes, I am a cis woman and I have more of a swimmer's body (I've been a swimmer for years so it's partially natural and partially conditioned) with wider hips and broad shoulders (typical swimmer long legs too). I hope this helps and sorry for such an inconvenience 😅
- birthday anon 🎂🎉
Original request, (paraphrased):
It's my birthday today and I was wondering if I could get a happy birthday from Five. I guess my prompt would be that throughout my life a lot of people forget my birthday (even my family) and often don't show up so if Five just remembered and decided to be soft and sensual and caring, that would make me the happiest person ever.
No problem Birthday Anon. Sorry this took a couple of days. Happy belated birthday! Also I made you a barista sooo...enjoy that I guess.
The Birthday Girl | Five Hargreeves/ F Reader 2.8k words, Rated E
Being born at the start of the year was always a harsh reminder of the fact that you weren’t the main character of all existence, something which it took most people much longer to realize. It was worse when you were a kid, with Christmas and birthday presents amalgamated into one by relatives already stressed out from gift-buying, but it still kind of stung now. Yeah, people had lives and it was a tricky time of year, but you surely didn’t need to be the main character of all existence to have people simply show up for your birthday.
It was a nice place, you thought, glumly as you popped the olive from your martini into your mouth and chewed it thoughtfully. Not too crowded, the music loud enough to dance to without prohibiting conversation. The drinks were cheap and good quality. It would have been the perfect place for a birthday get together.
You sighed and rested your elbows on the bar. You should have got the picture by now. You were a full grown adult, you knew how it went, and yet you still foolishly invited all your friends and even some family out.
You’d never imagined that all of them would come, but you thought that at least a few would turn up. Over the past week, as you’d expected, they’d nearly all messaged their excuses and apologies and dropped out. For some, it was too close to going back to work after their christmas break, some were still away, while others were still recovering from New Year and unable to face the idea of partying again so soon.
You didn’t really blame those guys, (at least they had the decency to inform you that they weren’t coming), but you couldn’t help feeling angry at the no-shows who hadn’t even bothered to inform you, leading to you sitting alone in this bar, all dressed up for nothing.
“Hey.”
You turned your head, surprised to hear any voice addressing you.
“Five,” you said, smiling nervously in greeting.
This was not what you’d planned. He was your favorite customer, yes, he said you made the best coffee in the city, but could you call him your friend? Did two years of late-night coffee twice a week count as a friendship?
He usually came in on one of your late shifts, looking immaculately dressed but gray with exhaustion. At first, he hadn’t talked, just drinking his coffee in silence and leaving with a murmur of thanks and a generous tip, but over time he’d been more receptive to your gentle offers of conversation, and gradually he’d shown up primarily to talk, sitting at the counter as you worked, sipping endless cups of coffee and keeping you company.
What he hadn’t told you himself, you’d put together from snippets of conversation. You knew about the Umbrella Academy and the apocalypse, but it didn’t really factor into your picture of him. To you, he was just Five: the amusing mix of pessimism, wit, and an old man’s nostalgia for times past incongruous with the body in its twenties.
Over the time you’d known him, he’d grown into your life easily. He had you looking forward to your late shifts and spending the time between them making mental notes of things to tell him next time you saw him. Your conversations with him were easy and intimate (you’d told him a few things you wouldn’t tell your diary on your deathbed), but the relationship was still this weird, context-bound thing. He was the customer, you were the server.
He’d surprised you into inviting him to this little get-together a couple of days before new year. It was your first late shift after Christmas, and when he’d arrived and taken up his usual perch at the counter, one of his first remarks was:
“It’s your birthday coming up in a day or two, right?”
“Uh,” you faltered, “Um - yeah.”
He looked at you doubtfully.
“You don’t sound very sure.”
“No, it is. I’m just surprised, is all. People always forget.”
Five shrugged.
“You told me last year. You swapped shifts to go out for dinner.”
“And you remembered that?”
“Yeah.”
It touched you, the way he spoke so casually, as if he couldn’t possibly do anything but remember this about you. So you invited him to come tonight, hoping he’d say yes but not read too much into it. For months, maybe longer, you’d been wondering, and his attitude then was the thing that pushed you to find out once and for all.
You had to know for sure whether this was something: whether you and he would be the same in a different environment, or whether this thing would just crumble to nothing outside of the diner’s soft-lighting. It would be a good test, you thought, and having other people there would act as a buffer in case of any awkwardness.
In this, you had been thwarted, because now he stood beside you, looking more smart-casual than you’d ever seen him, frowning in a gray blazer over a dark tee.
“Well…happy birthday,” he said, dumping a giftbag on the bar with a clunk that signaled a bottle inside, “it’s rum. You said you liked mojitos.”
“Thanks,” you said, nodding, as he sat on the barstool beside you.
He took a quick glance around, intelligent green eyes taking stock of the bar.
“Is it just us?” he asked, raising a quizzical eyebrow in a way that made you chuckle.
“Yup,” you smiled, ruefully, “most people canceled, but there were three who just haven’t remembered to show up. I told them to meet me an hour ago, but no word.”
He frowned again, so you offered a little explanation:
“People forget when your birthday’s just after the holidays.” and then, with a smile at him, added, “Except you, of course.”
“Hm,” he said, with an air of contemplation, perhaps reflecting on why you’d told him to meet you later than everyone else. Seeming to dismiss it, however, he turned back to you:
“So you’re stuck with me?”
You looked back over at him, and a smirk developed on his face, one corner of his mouth turning up to complement his cocked eyebrow.
And in that moment, you made a decision, one that was two years in the making. Why play these games? Why experiment with him? Worst case scenario, he finds another diner.
“It’s stupid to be here with only two of us. Do you want to come back to mine? Maybe we crack open that rum and help me drown my birthday sorrows? I only live on the next street.”
***
The rum was never opened, because on the street outside your apartment, he stopped you with a hand on your arm.
He’d been silent ever since he agreed to come with you, and when you turned to face him outside your door, he fixed you with such a serious look that you took in a shallow breath.
“Sorry if I make this awkward, but I gotta know. Is this just a drink?”
You looked back at him, studying the earnest slope of his brow and his tense mouth; how the two freckles on his cheek disappeared into a small cleft in his cheek. It was a face that surrendered smiles reluctantly, but you could nearly always tease several out before the end of any shift.
You shook your head wordlessly.
His adam's apple bobbed in his throat. His eyes, so often scowling, scathing or sardonic, fixed you now with a look of pure, open adoration. His thick lashes did nothing to shade you from the intensity of that look, from the opalescent green of his pupils that pulled at you with such fascination.
When he spoke, his voice was very low.
“I’ve wanted this for a long time.”
You felt your cheeks heat up, unable to keep your eyes on his face, choosing to study the neckline of his tee, beneath which a hint of sturdy collarbone was visible.
He reached out and gently ghosted his fingers down your cheek.
“How could anyone forget your birthday?” he murmured.
Then, he leaned forward and kissed you.
The chill January breeze momentarily played about your neck. A shiver ran through you, but not from cold: from his gentle lips against yours; from the feel of his soft hair between your fingers; from his body close to yours.
Sweet, chaste and cherishing, it might have seemed platonic, that kiss, but for the way his tongue slipped briefly into the fray, though pulling back quickly: showing you that he had more should you wish to take it.
And you did. You wanted it to the point that you chased his lips when he tried to pull away. He smiled at this and let you catch him, letting your lips part his and your tongue enter his mouth.
Finally, he succeeded in breaking the embrace, though leaving his hands softly on your hips.
“Take me upstairs?” he asked, huskily.
***
His mouth beside your ear, he held you on his lap like a beautiful fragile thing. He ran his fingers reverently up and down your thighs, like a servant privileged to touch precious silverware with kid gloves.
He kissed you again, soft and syrupy, as if he was eating fruit perfectly sweetened on the vine, trailing his lips down your shoulder, humming with satisfaction.
“God,” he whispered, “I could kiss you all day.”
The tender hunger in his tone sent a tingle straight to your core.
It was a shame to have your back to him. When he’d thrown off his shirt as if it was nothing, your eyes drank him in: the softly defined muscles that were outlined by his movements and the trail of sparse, dark hair disappearing below his waistband. All this time, under those sharply cut suits, there was this.
But you couldn’t focus on the regret too much, not with his strong forearms wrapped around your naked body, his smell of antiperspirant and aftershave, and not with the heat of his hard arousal against your ass and lower back.
His fingers clearly stated their intent against your inner thigh, pausing an inch away from where you needed him most.
“May I?” he asked, breath tickling your ear.
You could hear a little hint of mischief in his voice; the ironic move of his eyebrows.
“Yes please,” you breathed.
“Anything for the birthday girl,” he whispered, nuzzling briefly at your neck.
And he stroked your outer lips with gentle fingers, his index trailing back up your slit, the tip skimming slickness that had already gathered there.
He made an appreciative sound at his discovery, and you moaned at the throb of pleasure from just this teasing movement, bucking against him and momentarily pressing his cock against you more firmly.
“You’re so pretty,” he rasped into your ear, fingers parting your outer lips to reach your excited nub and stroking it in smooth, luxuriant circles, “look at you. So perfect.”
You whimpered and tossed your head helplessly against his shoulder. Heat was already building in your sex, your toes curling against your sheets. The foundations for your orgasm were laid from his very first touch of your aching pussy, your body crying out for him from the moment he kissed you. Now, you were helpless to his fingers: as confident and efficient in rubbing your needy clit as in all his other movements.
“You deserve to be treated special.” he whispered, “This good?”
“Five.”
“Yes?”
“Five.”
You could hardly say more, brain scrambling like beaten eggs until no vocabulary remained but the name of the man whose fingers were making come slowly drool down your thighs.
“Want me to stop?” he whispered, tenderly.
You shook your head fiercely.
“Fi-ive!” you whined again, becoming completely inarticulate now as his ankles hooked around yours, holding your legs open gently. He could sense you beginning to ride your edge, could surely sense the heat burning and coiling and tightening in your stomach until -
You cried out when you came, feeling more come gush from you, soaking his fingers and your thighs alike. He spoke softly to you as the waves of pleasure broke on you one by one, each bringing a fierce buck of your hips backwards against his hard, hot cock, sandwiched between you.
“That’s it.” he encouraged, “There you go. Feel good, sweetie?”
You could do nothing but whimper and let yourself be carried by the rapture, surges exploding down each limb again and again.
“God, you’re so beautiful.”
Your orgasm subsided, leaving you panting against him.
Through your recovery, he whispered more tender affirmations and praise into your ear, kissing and nosing at the side of your neck as he tried to distract himself from the tingles going up and down his length and the precome still leaking from his tip as your movements against him teased his excited cock.
After you’d caught your breath, you became aware of the needy way he was kissing you; of the barely-there grinding of his pelvis; of his dick rubbing against you.
“Can I -?” came the desperate, half-articulated whisper.
“Yes please,” you replied.
He laid you down as if you were fragile, like an injured dove held in cupped hands. His gentle movements offered a stark contrast to the state of his gorgeous, curved cock. The tip was an angry pink, his balls high and tight with arousal. Intrigued, you began to caress that heated, swollen part of him. He hissed as you weighed and massaged his balls in one hand, the other closing around his shaft, already slick with precome.
“Don’t judge my stamina based on this, okay?” he said, voice cracking as his neck arched along with your strokes, “How about you stop that and we can try for quality over quantity?”
It was spoken with self-consciousness that seemed unnecessary to you, given that he’d just rubbed your clit to a thigh-trembling orgasm quicker and more effectively than anyone you’d ever been with. You let his cock go and kissed him on the mouth as he lowered himself towards you.
When he entered you, his mouth was still on yours, and you felt his sigh or relief against your lips.
He filled you perfectly, your plush walls immediately gripping him, surrendering him reluctantly as he withdrew. You could see the tight pinch between his eyebrows. His eyes were already screwed shut.
“Oh.”
The whisper was small and strung out, and you kissed his cheek and lips to encourage him as he let out a few, trembling breaths.
“That feel good?”
“Yeah,” you gasped, “it feels good, Five.
His strokes were slow, but skillful, his hips rutting with gentle fluidity.
“I want to make you feel good,” he whispered, stroking your cheek, “I want to show you how special you are.”
From the movement of his body alone, you would have imagined him in complete control, not even close to his edge, but his increasingly fevered whispers and messy kisses to your lips and neck told a different story.
“Your pussy is so good. It’s so fucking wet.”
You kissed him back, nodding and moaning in affirmative as that perfect curve rubbed you just right inside, the low tempo building an ache as sweet and gentle as his thrusts. You gasped, pulsing around him, and his hips stuttered for the first time.
“F-fuck.” he breathed, “So hot. So perfect.”
He tensed.
“I’m close.”
You smiled against his ear. You were on birth control and you knew enough about Five to know that he didn’t raw-dog every barista who made him a good cup of coffee. It wasn’t logical or sensible but it was the only thing that seemed right after two years of illogical, foolish denial.
“Come inside me.”
“You sure?”
You barely had time to confirm it to him before he let out an inarticulate cry. His dick pumped hard inside you, coating your walls with his load with his head buried in your neck, still keeping you gasping throughout with controlled, gentle, sensuous pumps of his pelvis.
***
“You want coffee?”
You lay, bare-breasted on his chest as Five combed his fingers through your hair, feeling warm, content, and glowing from his tenderness.
“Let me get it for a change.” he said.
“Wow, it really is my birthday,” you teased.
You heard a short exhale of laughter as he extracted himself gently from the bedsheets.
“Sure is.”
And, with as little care for his nakedness as if this was his own apartment, he headed across the bedroom, turning back at the door with a wry smile.
“And it’s not over yet.”
Tag list: (please comment to be added or removed): @thebearmage, @nevbrooke-555, @fiannee, @abeeabee6969
Oneshot Masterlist >> HERE
NOTE: I take Five requests, I'm fairly versatile in what I write (fluff, smut, angst, psychological character study- I'll try it all) but I will consider them on a case by case basis. See oneshot masterlist for request status and more.
#the umbrella academy#the umbrella academy imagine#umbrella academy x reader#the umbrella academy smut#the umbrella academy five#umbrella academy number five#umbrella academy five x reader#umbrella academy five x you#five hargreaves x you#five hargreaves x reader#number five imagine#five hargreeves imagine#number 5 imagine#number 5 x reader#number five x you#smut
47 notes
·
View notes
Text
Horny Little Devil
Please enjoy this belated Valentine's story.
Ethan had always been known for his quirky sense of humor, something that Amelia, his girlfriend of two years, had grown to love. This Valentine’s Day, he decided to surprise her with a gift that was both playful and a nod to their intimate jokes. When Amelia unwrapped the small box Ethan handed her, her eyes widened in surprise and amusement at the sight of a “horny little devil” stuffed animal, complete with tiny horns and a mischievous grin.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Amy,” Ethan said with a cheeky smile. “I thought our bedroom could use a new mascot.”
Ethan had always been known for his quirky sense of humor, something that Amelia, his girlfriend of two years, had grown to love. This Valentine’s Day, he decided to surprise her with a gift that was both playful and a nod to their intimate jokes. When Amelia unwrapped the small box Ethan handed her, her eyes widened in surprise and amusement at the sight of a “horny little devil” stuffed animal, complete with tiny horns and a mischievous grin.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Amy,” Ethan said with a cheeky smile. “I thought our bedroom could use a new mascot.”
Amelia laughed, shaking her head. “Only you, Ethan. Only you would think of something like this.” She hugged the stuffed animal, playing along. “Well, he’s certainly cute. Thank you, love.”
Ethan continued, “How about I make us a special dinner tonight? Something to celebrate?” Amelia’s eyes lit up with appreciation. She loved when Ethan cooked; it was one of the many ways he expressed his love.
As Ethan busied himself in the kitchen, Amelia set the table, placing the “horny little devil” between their plates as a quirky centerpiece. They both couldn’t help but chuckle every time their eyes landed on it. Dinner was Ethan’s homemade pasta, a dish he had perfected over their two years together, paired with a bottle of red wine they had been saving for a special occasion.
“This is lovely, Ethan. Thank you for making tonight so special,” Amelia said, raising her glass for a toast.
“To us,” Ethan replied, clinking his glass against hers. “And to our new little friend, who’s reminding us not to take life too seriously.”
After dinner, they cleaned up together and prepared for bed. Amelia placed the stuffed animal on their nightstand, “our mascot” she stated. They slipped under the covers, turning towards each other to exchange a quick goodnight kiss.
“Goodnight, love,” Ethan whispered, his voice soft in the dim light of their bedroom.
“Goodnight, Ethan,” Amelia replied.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next day, Amelia found herself thinking about Ethan more than usual. Work passed in a blur, and by the time she got home, she had already decided to surprise Ethan with a special dinner. She dressed up and welcomed him home with a big smile.
“Wow, what’s the occasion?” he asked as he walked in to find the table set and candles lit.
“No occasion,” Amelia replied with a smile that had an extra hint of seduction. “Just felt like doing something nice for us.”
Dinner was filled with laughter and more flirting than usual. Later, as they cuddled on the couch, Ethan noticed the stuffed animal sitting by the television, but didn’t say anything.
They were watching a movie when Amelia turned to Ethan, her eyes shimmering with a playful spark, and initiated a kiss. Ethan was taken aback by the sudden intensity. It wasn’t like Amelia to be so forward, and the passion in her kiss left him both surprised and exhilarated.
“Wow, Amelia,” Ethan breathed out when they finally paused, his voice a mix of wonder and desire. “What got into you tonight?”
Amelia, still close enough that her breath mingled with his, smiled coyly. “Maybe I’m taking some inspiration from our new mascot,” she whispered, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Or maybe, I’m just realizing how much I want you.”
Ethan’s heart skipped a beat at her words, a surge of affection and desire washing over him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. “I want you too, more than you know,” he said, his voice low and full of emotion.
Their kiss deepened, fueled by the open admission of their desires. The connection between them, always strong, seemed to ignite with a newfound intensity. After a moment, Amelia gently tugged at Ethan’s hand, her intention clear without needing any words.
“Let’s go to the bedroom,” she suggested softly, her voice laced with a promise of more to come.
Ethan nodded, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a look of deep affection and anticipation. “After you, my love,” he said, standing up to follow her.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next day, Amelia found herself more and more restless. newfound confidence and desire were undeniable. She sent Ethan suggestive texts throughout the day, something she had never done before.
“Woke up thinking about you… or maybe it was the dream I had. Too bad you weren’t here to find out 😉”
“If kisses were texts, I’d send you a thousand… Guess you’ll have to wait to collect them in person. 💋”
“Thinking about what to have for lunch… Something spicy or sweet? What do you prefer? Because I’m craving a bit of both. 🌶️🍭”
“Counting down the hours until I can show you my new ‘outfit’. I think it’s going to be your favorite. 🔥”
“Just a few more hours… Hope you’re ready for a night you won’t forget. Make sure to save some energy for me. 💥”
“The door’s unlocked, and I’m waiting. Tonight, I’m all yours. Don’t keep me waiting too long… 😈”
After a day filled with Amelia’s increasingly suggestive texts, Ethan’s anticipation had built to an almost unbearable level. Each message from her had amped his imagination and desire like never before. By the time he was on his way home, his thoughts were a whirlwind of curiosity and excitement, wondering what Amelia had in store for him.
The moment he stepped through the door and saw Amelia standing before him, his jaw just dropped. She was breathtaking. “I thought we could try something… new,” she said, her voice laced with a promise.
“Amelia… you look incredible,” Ethan finally managed to say, his voice a husky whisper that betrayed the intensity of his feelings. The hunger in Amelia’s eyes, a clear reflection of her texts’ teasing and boldness, drew him in, erasing any remaining distance between them. He closed the space with a few quick steps, pulling her into his arms, his touch conveying all the words he couldn’t seem to find.
The night was filled with passion, both of them exploring desires they’d previously been too shy to voice. As they lay in bed afterward, Ethan wrapped an arm around Amelia. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I’m definitely not complaining,” he whispered.
“Me either, but I’m not done yet.” She quickly climbed back on top of Ethan for another round.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is not the end of this story. For the rest, you'll have to make your way over to my blog. You can find that link on my Tumblr homepage. I'd include it directly, but Tumblr banned me last time I did that. The good news is, you'll find over 80 of my other stories over there as well.
41 notes
·
View notes
Text
happy new year y'all and belated xmas I guess due to the theme of this oneshot lmao. I never get inspiration for these things unless on the actual day; can you believe that?
anyways, I hope you will still be able to enjoy this little thing i wrote :> I call it "Naomi's first xmas" (a.k.a your daughter with Naoya).
Warnings: none. fluff. your dad being a goofball.
Enjoy!
“I don’t think many people are going to come.”
“Who did you invite?”
“You know, the usual, but I doubt he’s going to show up, as always.”
“Then I won’t make more.”
“… well, do a bit more, a tiny bit, just in case.”
Coming from the kitchen, you heard your siblings, Hinata and Ren, discuss the last preparations for Christmas Eve dinner.
Every year, planning around these holidays would go down the same way: Ren was designated to be the leader of sorts, making the decisions that ranged from what kind of decoration would be used around the house to what they’d have for dinner.
Back in the day it would be your parents, (and then just Eiichi, of course), the one in charge of all that; but as of recent years Ren decided to take on that responsibility simply for the sense of comfort this familiarity brought him; and because he genuinely enjoyed doing so—also, because he’d spent last Christmas’ with his wife, Kanon, and felt like he needed to something to make up for those holidays he spent apart from his family.
From there, Hinata. She… Well, she’d try her best to be around the holidays to begin with, since work was always hectic for an accomplished sorceress around this time. Now add to that that she’s also an heiress of a somewhat important clan! And that’s just all year round.
Yet, she’d always manage, either through overworking herself days prior, or because she has excellent time management skills—thus, when she does find herself back home, she’d be the one to send out invitations and general holiday greetings.
And lastly, you. Alongside your father, you’d be the one to set up the decorations and buy gifts. It was your favorite activity to do during the holiday season, after spending time with your family of course. Something about seeing what new seasonal merchandise stores had always filled you with excitement, as well as an urge to get everything before it sold out!
But this year, you’d impose a limit on yourself; and not because you came to the realization that this might’ve been getting a bit out of control, but rather, because your attention now dwelled on something more important.
It’s what made this year’s holidays all too special compared to the rest: it was your daughter’s first Christmas.
It was safe to say that everyone held the same excitement as you and Naoya had when it came to seeing her reaction to everything Christmas.
She already had her first Halloween, which had been a total success as seen by her toothy grin while wearing that adorable costume you got her—something you’ll forever remember thanks to the endless pictures you took, the same ones your father and siblings demanded you’d share, quickly becoming everyone’s phone wallpaper.
In other words, the anticipation to see what Naomi will be wearing/doing for the holidays was much greater than that of the actual presents—although for you and Naoya, getting to spend time together as a family was more than enough.
“Do you need help with anything?” you’d ask, looking over Hinata’s shoulder; Ren had been earnestly debating whether to prepare more food, or not, for those yet-to-confirm guests. He didn’t mind having to do more, he just didn’t like the notion that it might go to waste.
But even then, he knew that between Hinata, you, and him, that wouldn’t be an issue.
“Yes—bring Naomi-chan!” Hinata says, swiftly turning around while grinning.
“I meant, with dinner.” You chuckle.
“Aw, then why you’d ask?” your sister frowns.
“She’s asleep right now, Hinata. Why would you even ask something so selfish?” Ren teases.
“I just want to see my adorable niece.” Hinata whines. “It’s all I want for Christmas!”
“Get in line, then.” Ren smirks, moving from one side of the counter to the other before placing a tray into the oven. “Do you plan to dress her up this time?”
“Not in a costume per say, but yes! Got everything set up already; but I’ll change her after Naoya and dad are back.” You respond.
“Oh, can we at least get a sneak peek?!” Hinata begs, you shake your head.
“It’s a surprise.” You smile, Hinata groans.
“Aghhhhh, then they better hurry up!”
Normally, everyone would’ve remained at the house by that point, with the occasional exception of going to the store to buy some last-minute things, but even then, it was still very rare since Ren diligently accounted for everything the moment he set his mind to it.
However, this Christmas would continue to prove itself different by a landslide, starting with the absence of your father and Naoya.
Circling back to the fact that this was to be Naomi’s first Christmas, Naoya promised himself to do everything in his power to make it extra special.
Such as by getting her all the presents in the world: toys, dolls, plushies, or anything that pertained to her favorite character—and even though some of them weren’t really suitable for her young age, Naoya brushed off any doubts by saying:
“What if it’s a limited-edition item and by the time she’s older it’s no longer available? Yeah, no, I’m not risking my little princess being upset because of my insolence. I’m buying it.”
The same excuse he’d when also getting her things that simply caught her interest; just to be sure she had them whenever she eventually began to like them.
But as happy as you were to see Naoya happily indulging your baby, there were moments where the thought of him perhaps going a bit overboard with the presents crossed your mind…
Yet, as always, he’d reassure you with the following:
“This is only the bare minimum for Naomi—and even then, it is not enough!”
And with that, you’d only chuckle, understanding that even if you asked him to control himself a bit, he would just proceed to spoil her again.
Looks like there’s no definite way to beat a father’s determination when it comes to making his daughter happy…
And talking about fathers…
Because Naomi was Eiichi’s first grandchild + her first Christmas, it was only natural that just like Naoya, he’d want to make this celebration as special as it could be—just as he always did year round.
However, one thing would still manage to surprise you out of all this, and it wasn’t their unconditional adoration towards Naomi, (which you were eternally grateful for) but rather… the unspoken competition that sparked between your husband and father to show said affection.
For example, whatever Naoya bought for Naomi, your father would get two, even in different colors, in case one of them broke down or got lost, or something between the two
“Just in case” Eiichi would say when confronted if this was really necessary.
It definitely irked your husband much more than he would like to admit, a consequence of his highly competitive and overprotective nature…
Yet, Naoya knew very well that there was no true maliciousness behind his actions, for your father was only being affectionate and caring—if anything, he was glad that she had a loving family to endlessly dote on her; a contrasting difference to how the Zen’in normally behaved.
But going back to the reason for their absence, in their excessive purchase of presents they had failed to realize that shipped items may face a delay due to the high amount of work the postal service is put under throughout this season.
The shock on their faces when finding out that Naomi might not be able to open all her presents on Christmas day is one that you’ll never forget—although it amused you more than anything else.
This issue would just remind you how resourceful they were, because by some strange, unknown efforts, they were able to get her presents just in time—like, on the very day of Christmas eve, which is why they were out, scampering to the postal office to pick up her things, subsequently wrapping them and placing them underneath the Christmas tree; and all before Naomi could notice they weren’t even there to begin with.
“Realistically, I don’t think she’s going to notice.” You say upon noticing their stress, an attempt to alleviate some of their burdens.
“But still—we can’t have her believe Santa likes others better!” Eiichi countered, and Naoya silently agreed. “Y/N, do you think—"
“Already ahead of you.” You smile, willing to go along. “She’ll probably be taking a nap either way, so don’t worry. Naomi won’t see a thing!”
… But will they be back soon?
[Naoya: We’re almost there, just finished wrapping the presents.]
[Y/N: Oh, that’s good. I was beginning to worry that something happened! Anyways, the food is almost done, all that’s missing is you and dad. Please come back quickly, baby ☹ Naomi and I miss you.]
[Naoya: I’m almost there, my love. However… there’s something I need to tell you first.]
[Y/N: What is it? Is everything ok?]
[Naoya: Yes, but it's about your dad.]
[Y/N: … What about him?]
[Naoya: Your dad is coming back later.]
[Y/N: Huh? What do you mean he's coming back later? What happened to my dad?]
[Naoya: Nothing bad, I swear, I know how this sounds but don’t worry about it. Just… well, you'll know what I mean.]
And a few minutes later, Naoya finally arrives, bringing along a huge bag filled with what you imagined to be (largely) Naomi’s presents, colorfully wrapped boxes of all sizes which he scurried to organize underneath the tree before anything else—He didn’t mean to walk past you without even acknowledging you, of course not, but he had to make haste of the fact that Naomi was still asleep.
But once that was set, he was finally able to greet you as his heart desired, swiftly walking over to your side as he took you into his arms, leaning down to sweetly peck your lips.
“Welcome back, dear.” You smile, placing your hands on the sides of his face and pulling him closer to you before helping him out his coat. “How was the trip? Chaotic?”
“Yes, last minute-shoppers.” He sighs, resting his face against the crook of your neck once free of his coat before groaning. “Don’t know why people tend to leave everything to the end, it’s—annoying. And to think they almost cost my daughter her first Christmas!”
You chuckle, kissing the top of his head while rubbing his back.
“Well, you won’t have to deal with them anymore—Or anyone else but us for the next few days.” you say, reminding him of his small break from work. Truly, a Christmas miracle.
From that day forward, until he has to go back of course, it’s just him, Naomi, and you.
“That sounds like a dream.” He admits, leaning back to get a good look at you and smiling. “Naomi is still asleep, right?”
“Yes, she is—napping in the bedroom.” You grab his hand, intertwining your fingers with his. Then, you look over his shoulder, noticing a peculiar absence. “By the way… I’m assuming dad is not here because of the thing you told me?”
Naoya nods.
“What happened?”
He presses his lips together.
“… he told me he needed to do something else before returning.” Naoya begins, in such a suspicious way that obviously makes your anxiety rise even higher.
Your husband is quick to catch your reaction, but he's even quicker to reassure you.
“I wish I could tell you more, mochi, but he told me to keep it a secret. It’s nothing bad, just… play along, ok?” Naoya says, kissing your cheek.
Well, you know it could never be anything bad if it came from either your father or husband.
But if so, why such secrecy? It really unnerved you, especially for the time this was taking place in…
“Will I get to know eventually?” is all that you ask, he nods.
“Very soon.”
But if it was of utmost importance they keep this a secret, then you’ll trust them. And soon, you leave it at that.
“Do you think they’ll like our little surprise?” Naoya asks, changing the subject.
“Of course.” You grin, excitement beaming through your words. “Kept it a secret until now so no one suspects a thing!”
“I still can’t believe.” Naoya smiles, kissing your lips once more. “It's really happening.”
“I just hope my dad will be here to see it…”
“Why is dad still not back home?” Hinata asks upon noticing the elephant in the room: Ren had just taken out the last tray from the oven, began to prepare the food to be served, yet Eiichi was nowhere to be found.
Certainly uncommon from someone who treasures family above anything else.
“I thought he was only going to pick up some things.” she adds.
“Right, Naoya?” Ren says, with an accusatory tone that immediately makes your husband nervous.
“Ye—yeah…” he murmurs, eyes darting around the room for your support, only to panic when realizing you also have yet to come back from Naomi, away readying her for the evening now that she woke up. “He said he’ll be back soon.”
“Heard anything from him yet?” Hinata asks for the nth time at that moment. He shakes his head.
“Just that he’s almost done.” Naoya responds, trying his best to not feel intimidated by them. Even after years of being married to you, and now father of your child, your siblings always found ways to tease him; all in a playful nature, of course. “Anyways, Naomi should be ready soon…”
“Oh, that’s true! Y/N’s getting baby Naomi ready, isn’t she?” Hinata gushes, completely discarding the dilemma with her father out the window and focusing on what she considers the highlight of the day, no, year! “I wonder what adorable outfit she’ll wear today! Can you give us a hint at least, Naoya??”
The ball is on his court this time, and Naoya plans to take advantage of that.
“No can do.” He says, a smile on his face. Revenge is served when Hinata groans. “Not even I know what she’s planning.”
“How… mysterious” Ren murmurs. “First dad, and now Y/N… if I didn’t know any better, it seems like they’re plotting something together.”
“No, that can’t be.” Naoya immediately says, and as if his behavior wasn’t suspicious already, Ren and Hinata are now completely convinced that your husband is hiding something. “I mean, Y/N doesn’t know what’s going on either so….”
“Well, I’m sure we’ll figure it out soon enough.” You suddenly say, having arrived just a few seconds ago as you stand by the entrance; with a big grin on your face and the perception of hiding something behind you. “Is the food ready?”
“Y/N.” Naoya breathes; hopeful at the sight of his salvation. At least he’ll be away from being further interrogated by your siblings and jeopardizing the mission.
He wishes to walk over to you, but knowing the intention behind your approach, as well as noticing the eager look on your face, he stays still.
“It is… but only for those that bring Naomi-chan!” Hinata exclaims as she tries to look over your shoulder, you moving along her eyes. “Where is she? Still asleep?”
“Not quite.” You say, giving your husband one last glance, a tight smile that tells him just how excited you were, a sentiment he also shared, which he responds with a reassuring nod.
So, gathering all your courage, you clear your throat, take a deep breath, and then, address your siblings.
“Naoya and I wanted to keep this a surprise for today, since we thought it was quite fitting.” You begin. “I was hoping for everyone to be here, but if I don't do it now, I fear it might spoil itself.”
“What surprise?” Ren asks, and with that, you move to the side, letting your small surprise step into the picture.
Dressed in a green and red linen romper over a long sleeved white collared shirt, with a bow of the same fabric decorating her dark hair, your daughter Naomi tightly held onto your leg as she walked beside you.
Her legs were a bit wobbly, with one of her arms occasionally stretching out as to keep balance, while the other tightly held onto your hand for safety—Yet her determination to continue forward remained unwavering, as well as the excitement of your family when seeing their beloved niece finally taking her first steps!
Kind of.
“She can—she can walk already?!” Hinata is the first to exclaim, crying at the adorable way Naomi tried to follow your lead. “When—when did this happen???”
“She can.” You say, trying your best to not pick her up, hug her, and kiss her all over her soft cheeks! After all, Naomi was very determined to keep walking once she discovered she could, a fact that made her advancement impossible to hide from the rest of the world since she wanted to do nothing but explore her new skill!
There's no doubt in your mind that if she keeps up like this, she'll be able to run in no time! And from there…
Oh, can't she stay a baby forever?
“Naomi only started walking a few weeks ago.” Naoya says as he walks over to the two, solely intending to accompany both and be there if Naomi were to fall, but he ends up leaning down to grab her hand instead, for as soon as he was near, she reached out for him.
A sight that almost made everyone's heart burst out of their chest at the sheer adorableness of it.
“Ho—how?” Hinata asks, still not believing her eyes.
“She just… pulled herself up one day, kept trying until she was able to do it, and the rest is history!” You happily recount her efforts, as well as the adorable pout she’d make when trying. “Whenever we tried to help her though, she always rejected us, guess she wanted to do it herself— she takes after her papa in that matter.”
Naoya chuckles; he won’t deny his stubbornness.
“Owww, I can’t help it, I need to hug her!!” Hinata cries, swiftly running over to Naomi and unwittingly startling Naomi, who cowered behind her dad soon after. A sight that effectively snaps Hinata out of trance, kneeling to her level to softly hug her and utter endless endless apologies. “I’m so sorry, Naomi-chan, I didn’t mean to scare you, please forgive me!”
She begs while kissing her cheeks, which at first confuses Naomi, enough to attempt to push Hinata away… until her gestures begin to tickle her, making her stop and giggle in turn, seemingly leaving all misunderstandings behind.
“I can’t believe she’s growing so fast…” Ren says, walking over to the rest and carefully pinching Naomi’s cheeks once Hinata frees her; this makes her giggle too. “It seems like only yesterday we were getting you ready to go to the hospital.”
“And now, she’s almost a year old.” Naoya concurrs, looking at you.
He too can’t believe that almost a year has passed since she arrived in this world, since she made their life happier—better. Truly, it almost seemed like a dream, however, the truth would prove much, much better this time around.
This wasn’t a figment of his imagination: this was his life. And he wouldn’t want it any other way.
“We need to prepare everything for her birthday!” Hinata declared. “I can already think of a few places we can do her party! How about it, Y/N? Picture this—”
“Let’s do a celebration at a time, Hinata.” Ren chuckles, you doing the same soon after, finding her enthusiasm amusing. “We’re still not even done with Christmas, let alone New year… Which makes me ask, where’s dad? Are we to eat without him? This is the first time he’s ever been this late…”
The look of concern you and your siblings direct at Naoya is what finally pushes him to disclose what he and Eiichi agreed to keep a secret.
“I wasn’t supposed to tell, but the reason why Eiichi-san is late is because he—”
“Ho, ho, ho!!”
A loud voice, followed by heavy footsteps making their way through the entrance are heard, followed by a soft thud and another cheer.
“Merry Christmas!!”
Everyone’s head swirls into its direction, expectantly hoping to see the one behind these unanticipated actions.
Yet, it’s only you who manages to recognize who it was, as well as the nature of their actions.
And boy, was it a surprise when the truth finally settled in.
“Oh my god…” it’s all you could muster in reaction as the guest continues on with their rally.
“I heard that here lived an adorable baby girl that behaved very well this year!” Santa Claus would continue to say, grinning as he took some presents out of the large bag he carried along and placed them underneath the tree, before turning around towards the intrigued, if not slightly embarrassed, family staring at him, searching for said girl. “And because she was such a good girl, I wanted to personally come here and give her her pres—”
But when his eyes finally fall onto Naomi, Santa Claus immediately goes silent, intently staring at her for a few seconds before coming to the same conclusion that had everyone in shock, eyes widening as he shrieks.
“SHE CAN WALK!???”
Any suspicions that the man dressed up as Santa Claus was in fact, your father, are quickly verified by his reaction, further cemented when he rushes over to her, swiftly picking her up in a hug to coo at Naomi’s advancements.
“Oh, Naomi-chan!! When did you begin to walk?!” He’d ask, feeling a combination of happiness, nostalgia, and even heartache—for he was both glad and sad that his grandbaby was growing up. “Had I known, I would’ve gotten you more presents!!”
Everyone knew that the man behind this amusing spectacle was none other than your dad, per usual goofy Eiichi nature, by this point. However, there was still one person that remained in doubt, and that would be none other than Naomi herself.
Even if she was an impressionable young child, there were still a handful of things that didn’t necessarily catch her attention; unless it pertained to those of her favorite characters, of course.
But returning to her distaste, the most noticeable icon of this festive season fell into that list; she just… didn’t like him. Ignored him whenever possible; yet, there was still a catch: if her favorite mascot was dressed as Santa Claus, then Naomi couldn’t have enough of him!
Neither you nor Naoya knew why she did so, but it just happened, and the two grew to accept that fact, just as everything else.
Unfortunately, it seems that both had forgotten to tell your father about this small detail, and what Eiichi hoped to be a heartwarming experience for his beloved granddaughter, soon turned sour, specially when her big round golden eyes began to water after noticing that no matter how much she tugs, this stranger was not letting her go.
“Oh, little pumpkin, no!” Eiichi gasps, feeling like absolute garbage when Naomi continues attempting to push him away. “It’s me! It’s grandpa!”
“There’s no way for her to know that—take the beard off!” Ren exclaims, and in one swift movement, Eiichi strips the white beard off his face, discarding it to the side and revealing his face for Naomi to see.
“See, little pumpkin? It’s me!” he repeats whilst frantically hoping that he hadn’t irrevocably messed up. “It’s me! Granpa!”
And as if she understood what he meant, Naomi finally glances back at him, staring at him for a few moments in what many considered both curiosity and fear… which slowly shifted into adoration once finally recognizing her beloved grandpa, and subsequently hugging him.
“Yes! I knew you’d recognize me!” Eiichi softly cries as he leans down to kiss the top of her head, making her giggle in response. Your heart melts at the sight of Naomi warming up to your father, while Naoya sighs, relieved that this didn’t escalate any further.
“Without the beard, it would be almost impossible not to.” Hinata teases, and your dad frowns, trying to understand what your sister meant—she and Ren only laugh.
“Ah, but my sweet adorable little pumpkin, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Eiichi would continue to say, feeling very, very regretful for his actions. However, it seemed that Naomi no longer paid mind to that, giving the understanding that she knew it wasn’t intentional, or cared more to be with her favorite grandpa.
And while that went down, you look over to Naoya, moving closer to his ear to whisper:
“Is this what you were referring to?”
Naoya hums, nodding. You chuckle.
“I should’ve told him.” He says, and you give him a soft smile, squeezing his hand.
There was no way he could’ve known, but after this happened, alongside Naoya’s growing guilt, he began to believe that maybe he should’ve…
But truth to be told, Naoya didn’t have the heart to ruin Eiichi’s enthusiasm, after all, no one from the Zen’in clan bothered to care about anything but the bare minimum when it came to Naomi, while your father consistently went above and beyond for his family.
So because of that, when Eiichi told him of the little surprise he was preparing for his daughter, with such excitement that told your husband how much he wanted to do this … Naoya allowed him to go through with it.
Because at the end of the day, anyone that has your and Naomi’s happiness and safety in mind, he’ll always welcome—and he’s long come to see that your family wants nothing but that for the three.
“Does she not like Santa?” Ren asks now that the situation has calmed down.
“It seems so—it’s why we haven’t been able to get a picture of the two.” You explain, reminiscing how you’d have to cancel a photo appointment because Naomi didn’t want to be near Santa Claus, not even when you and Naoya were there.
“Ah, well, Santa is overrated anyways!” Eiichi says, more than ready to discard this silly costume if it meant baby Naomi would no longer be afraid of him.
“How… ironic of you to say that.” Ren adds with a chuckle.
“Unless you’re dressed as—“ you begin.
“Hello kitty.” You and Naoya speak in unison.
“Naomi really likes Hello Kitty.” Naoya finishes.
At the revelation, Hinata grins.
“You like cats too?” Your sister asks, lightly tickling Naomi, she giggles in response. “When you’re old enough, I’ll give you a cat—how about that, hm?”
“Ehh, I’ll hold that thought for now.” You intervene before Hinata could continue on with her promises. While you would’ve loved for your sister to spoil your daughter, two particular reasons pushed you to stop: first, this was a decision that should be previously consulted with the parents, and secondly, Naoya already planned to gift Naomi a kitty himself—one that would resemble the character as closely as possible—when she was old enough to take care of it.
“You’re getting ahead of yourself again, Hinata. There’s still gifts to open.” Ren says, gesturing over to the boxes underneath the tree, and those still inside Eiichi’s bag.
“Yes! I want my adorable granddaughter to open all of them first!” Eiichi would say, handing Naomi over to her father once she began to gesture her desire to be carried by him. The way she rests her head over his shoulder makes Naoya smile.
“But first, let’s eat dinner—I didn’t spend all this time preparing food for no one to take a bite!” Ren says, the group agrees, and soon, preparations for dinner begin.
Hinata would help you set up Naomi’s chair, placing it just between Naoya and you, while you went ahead to get your daughter’s food—the slow transition of feeding her with a cup instead of a bottle had just begun a few weeks ago, and with great feedback, you just hope it continued on steadily.
Eiichi, on the other hand, rushed to his bedroom to quickly change out of his costume and adequately help Ren serve dinner.
Once everyone was seated and with their respective plates, dinner finally began.
The evening would go on wonderfully, with everyone relishing on the delicious delicacy Ren had prepared, as expected, while sharing anecdotes that made you both laugh or fluster, depending on who was the one telling them: how your dad always managed to make everyone embarrassed is something that you’ll never figure out—certainly, a talent of his own—before moving onto comparing the similarities between Naomi and her parents once she does a particular gesture that Eiichi had to point out.
“Well, I didn’t want to say anything, but I think Naomi is starting to take more after you in that aspect.” Naoya would tease.
“No, she does not!” you gasp, referring to the habit Naomi had of pouting when things didn’t go her way. Sure, you might’ve done it once or twice when you were younger, but…
No, surely not.
Unless…?
“Or does she…?”
“A bit. She has to take after you. I was never that cute when I was a kid.” He reiterated; you smile, trying to hide your blush.
“Really? I always thought she looked more like you.” You confess. Always hoped that she would…
“She looks just like the two, actually.” Eiichi added. “But I do have to say, that out of the two, Naomi looks a bit more like—”
“Naoya” an unaccounted voice coming from the entrance was heard, making those at the table quickly turn around to see who it was, even little Naomi, as if she knew that no one was expecting anyone else to show up —especially the one that after years and years of being invited, never attended.
“Satoru!” Hinata gasps, perhaps the most perplexed one out of the group; at one point she even felt as if had hallucinated seeing him there. “I didn’t think you—what are you doing here?”
“I’m visiting my other family! I know we’re not together anymore, but I still hold everyone dear, you know?” He jests and Hinata sighs. Seems that not even during Christmas time would the god’s honor your sister’s request of making Satoru a bit less annoying. Not that much, just… a little.
Truly, she was better off asking for literally anything else but a miracle.
“We weren’t even married…” Hinata murmurs, not that it mattered at that point anyways, less when Satoru moved on to greet Eiichi and Ren (who were rather amicable to say the least, still speechless for seeing him show up after years of absence) before stopping by you, Naoya, and Naomi—lips parting onto a grin when seeing the new family.
“And who is this? Chibi Y/N?? Wow, look at how much she’s grown! I still remember her when she was nothing but a little baby! How old is she now?”
“You’d know if you’d respond to my messages.” You respond, a smirk on your face as Satoru pouts. “Or come to the party I threw for her 6th month birthday…”
“Hey, I got her a gift! That’s bound to mean something, right?” Satoru pinches Naomi’s left cheek, causing her to frown and whine. “Ah, you’re just as moody as Naoya; Thank God she looks more like you, Y/N. Imagine if we’ve gotten two Naoya instead of you? The Zen’in would go insane!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Naoya frowns.
“Didn’t you just say she looked more like him?” you raise an eyebrow, Satoru shrugs.
“Huh, did I?” He feigns ignorance, you roll your eyes. “Must’ve slipped my mind… anyways, I got everyone presents!”
You now notice the bag he was carrying; didn’t seem that big, but it did look like it was full.
“Especially for chibi Y/N” Satoru hands you over the bag, which Naoya takes soon after standing up—your theories of the bag being full are proved right when your husband notices how heavy it was.
You sigh.
Even if Satoru is what many considered imprudent, he was still goodhearted. And so, you motion Naoya to take the presents to the tree.
“Thank you, Satoru. I’m sure Naomi will appreciate your gift.” You say, a smile on your face.
“If you didn’t get her anything weird, of course.” Ren adds. At the noise of his voice, Satoru can’t help but unintentionally tense up—your brother always had an effect on him that made him feel like a cornered kid. In that sense, everyone was relieved that there was one person that could ground Satoru to reality. “Unless…”
“No, of course not.” Satoru quickly says, laughing nervously. “Who do you think I am??”
Everyone remains quiet as they silently judge him—even little Naomi, who couldn’t possibly know what he was referring to, joined in on the bewildering scrutinizing crusade against him; there’s no doubt in his mind now that she is a L/N.
“Have you eaten anything?” You’d move on. “The food is still warm if you want some.”
“Sit down, I’ll serve you some.” Ren would say before Satoru could even answer, which prompted the Gojo heir to finally accept his offer and take the last available seat, the one besides your father.
Once getting his food, dinner would go as it went before, prompting more stories now that Satoru joined in, with the slight difference that Hinata was now the center of attention.
You undoubtedly knew that your sister was much more than she was letting on, but these anecdotes from when she was a student at jujutsu high were far better than you ever imagined; she sure had everyone fooled with the responsible and dedicated image she made for herself!
But even then, they’d have nothing on your father when he began to tell his own stories: who would’ve known that the goofy, lovable man that your father was had actually lived through his fair share of mischief? Seems that even after years of knowing him, there were still many things to discover about him!
It made you and Naoya wonder what kind of reaction Naomi would have once she learned of your own adventures; the thought that either of you (Or maybe even the two) could become the uncool parent makes you chuckle.
Maybe your dad was right, maybe this was some kind of rite of passage one must go through when becoming a parent.
After sharing enough anecdotes, now began the most exciting part of the night—opening the presents.
Tensions were already high when it came to the silent competition going on between your father and your husband, but with the unexpected addition of Satoru, this just raised the stakes: they all wanted Naomi to open their presents first.
Luckily, they were still able to listen to reason when you suggested that the best way to solve this was to let Naomi choose by herself, nothing of persuading her to choose theirs or anything of the sorts—simply letting her walk towards the box she found most interesting and let everything else fall into place.
It was endearing to see how happily she reacted to the fact that (mostly) all the presents underneath the tree were there for her, as well as the cheerful way she began to open them, alongside the help of her papa, of course, for she still wasn’t strong enough to do it herself.
You once considered your dad and mom to be a bit… well, exaggerated whenever they’d take endless pictures of you and your siblings when doing anything—but now that you and Naoya had Naomi in your life… their actions no longer seemed overstated as they once did. If anything, you grew to understand why they’d done so and if anything, it inspired you to do the same!
To see her chubby face beam whenever seeing her new toys and plushies was one you’d never replace for anything, more so when she got to see all of the presents her daddy got her.
No one knew Naomi better than her own father, thus every single thing Naoya got for her was to be Hello Kitty themed: from socks, to shirts, plushies and even accessories—anything that his baby wanted, he’d get. In all the possible variations of her favorite Sanrio character.
Which made Ren, Hinata, and your dad a bit nervous, for it seemed that Naoya had the gift department well covered, making it almost impossible to compete…
But you’d reassure them that Naomi, alongside you and Naoya, were wholeheartedly grateful for their attention and gestures, and that she’d love them all the same.
But outside of that, the thing that perhaps intrigued everyone the most was Satoru’s present. As previously stated, he had a tendency of gifting… Well, odd things, and that was the easy way to put it.
From objects that you have yet to find a use to, to things that you would rather die than to be seen in public with them, Satoru was unpredictable as unpredictable as he could be.
Thus, everyone understood why Naoya took it upon himself to open Satoru’s present, even if it made Naomi whine in response.
“I just gotta make sure there’s nothing wrong with it, little princess.” Naoya explains, hoping that this would ease Naomi’s rising irritation—it kind of did, but she’d only calm down when Satoru’s gift was eventually revealed:
A Digimon plushie, from the character known as koromon, to be precise.
“Huh, I guess you are capable of doing normal things.” Hinata would say, Satoru scoffs.
“Don’t you mean better things, Hinata?” He teases back, Hinata rolls her eyes.
“Thank you, Satoru.” You say, looking at him. “But you know that in this household we only like Pokémon.”
“Not if I influence her early on!” Satoru grins—but really, he was just happy to see Naomi wholeheartedly enjoying his gift, which she latched onto as soon as Naoya handed it to her.
“As if I’d let you do that.” Naoya says. “Maybe if you had good taste in anime…”
Ren laughs. “Can’t argue with that.”
“Ah, stop it all of you… it was a nice gift.” Eiichi would intervene, making Satoru pout and cry, before rushing over to hug him.
“Oh, thank you so much!” he’d dramatically gasp, tightly holding onto your father. “I knew someone would appreciate my efforts!”
Eiichi presses his lips together before sighing. He’s long come to understand that it was better to not fight it than to do so, because whenever your dad managed to push Satoru away, he’d always come back, and stronger too.
But even with this, Eiichi was happy to have his family back together, reunited and having a good time: the one thing he always wanted for Christmas.
Everyone would continue on opening the rest of the presents, that is, until Naomi began to feel tired as seen by the way her eyes slowly blinked, yawning every so often, before leaning her head onto Naoya’s chest, breathing softly until she finally fell asleep.
At the sight everyone couldn’t help themselves from cooing, (albeit not too loud in fear of waking her up) as well as take it as a sign to call it a day; everyone had been up since early to get everything done, so it was only normal that they’d begin to feel a bit tired too, Naomi’s yawns were only there to make it more obvious.
“We can continue tomorrow.” Your father would say, referring to the left-over presents still underneath the tree. “It is kind of late.”
“And I still have to call Kanon.” Ren said, looking over to his clock—still a bit of time before she heads to sleep. “Think you can help me pick up, Hinata?”
“Yeah.” she nods, standing up.
“Let me help too.” You offer, standing up as well, he shakes his head.
“No, I’d rather not keep you away from Naomi.” He says. You frown, feeling as if you’ve barely done anything this year… “You can repay me tomorrow.”
“Alright, then.” you smile before sighing, looking over to Naoya carrying a deeply asleep Naomi. “Guess we’re off to bed.”
“Goodnight Naomi-chan!” Hinata whispers with a grin.
“Goodnight, Y/N, Naoya.” Ren adds.
“Goodnight!” Satoru waves, you way back before making your way over to your dad.
“Goodnight, dad. See you tomorrow.” you say, hugging him. “Thank you for what you did for Naomi, even though she got a bit upset. I’m sure when she’s a bit older she’ll come to appreciate it better.”
“Thank you, pumpkin. And I didn’t mean to scare her.”
“I know, and she knows that too.”
Naoya and you would then head back to the living quarters and into Naomi’s room, the one your father had prepared as soon as your pregnancy was announced, just in case it was ever needed—it didn’t take long for you to decorate it either— to get her changed into her pajamas and into her crib, underneath the warm blankets alongside her favorite plushies, before leaning down to kiss her head and wishing her a goodnight.
Naomi doesn’t respond, outside of a deep sigh and those soft snores that always make your and Naoya’s heart squeeze with adoration whenever hearing them; evidence that she had a tiring, yet fun day.
And as both continue to admire her, a feeling comparable to nostalgia begins to settle in both your hearts, with you being the first one to acknowledge it.
“Can you believe it?” you whisper, still looking at Naomi.
“What?” Naoya asks, leaning closer to you.
“That she's almost a year old.” You go on. “It’s been almost a year since she arrived in our lives… and now…”
“She can walk.” Naoya finishes. “... it almost feels… surreal, doesn’t it? I can still remember the day she was born like it was yesterday.”
As if it was only yesterday he was that lonely, sorrowful man seemingly destined to live out the same way the rest of his life… and now, he has a family.
“When did time go by so fast?” you ask.
“I don’t know.” He admits, taking your hands and intertwining it with his fingers. “I stopped caring after I met you.”
“What's that supposed to mean?” you chuckle, looking at him.
“What reason do I have to count days, when I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you?”
“Naoya…” you murmur, blushing. “I… I guess to keep important dates…. Or something.”
Naoya was glad that the moonlight coming through the window wasn’t strong enough to show how flustered he truly was.
Taking a deep breath, he now looks at you.
“I still can’t believe I got to meet you, fall in love with you, marry you and now… have a family with you.” he starts. “I got to experience something I never thought I would; and in a way, I still can’t wrap my head around it. There are still moments where I want to pinch myself to see if this is all a dream, if you can believe that; But when I see you and our daughter and I know it’s not my imagination; because you and Naomi are far more beautiful than anything I could’ve ever imagined.
And today… just reminded me of how lucky and grateful I am to have both of you in my life and to have spent another holiday with you.”
It wasn’t your or Naoya’s first Christmas together—not the first one you’ve spent with your dad, or the Zen’in for that matter.
But it was certainly the first one both had spent as a family, enough reason to make it as special as possible.
However, that wasn’t the only reason why you allowed Naoya to do whatever he wanted this year, or why you asked him to spend Christmas with your family.
More than making this celebration special for Naomi… you intended to do it for him.
Even now, you could still hear it in Naoya’s words—the slightest hesitation that reveals he didn’t believe he’s received all these blessings; and not because he thought them incapable of occurring, but rather because…
He didn’t think himself deserving of them.
Naoya always foresaw that his life would continue on rather… uneventfully, going through the same vicious cycle of people that couldn’t really care less for him, or anything pertaining to him, and him believing the same of himself.
Until you’d come along—to show him that he too was deserving of love, and not only that, but that he was also capable of loving.
And creating something out of love.
A daughter, a baby girl: the biggest blessing he never thought he’d receive. One that while it saddened him to realize she’s growing up, he still couldn’t wait to see the kind of person she’d become, guide her to the greatness he just knows she’s destined to be, as well as be there in the moment she ever finds herself falling and catching her.
One that slowly began to teach him just how much love he was capable of harboring for others, as well as the limits he’ll go beyond just to ensure their happiness.
All the things he’s done, and will do for her, are nothing but the bare minimum; nothing but his way of protecting her, giving her a life vastly different from his so that she’d never have to suffer the same way he did.
But he knows that she will never go through the same things, because she has you as her mother.
And that is something he’ll never, ever be able to thank you enough for.
“I love you, Y/N.” Naoya would say. “And… Thank you for loving me. Enough to have a family with me.”
“Naoya… you never, ever have to doubt yourself deserving of this.” You say, gently placing your hands on each side of his face and resting your forehead against his. “You deserve all this, and more. You are a loving husband and the greatest father any child could ask for, and today you proved it—Even if you went a bit overboard with the presents.”
Naoya chuckles.
“Do you think we’re spoiling our daughter too much?” he asks.
“Undoubtedly. What are we even going to get her on her birthday?” you wonder.
“I can start with the moon.”
“Then I’ll see if I can get the stars.”
The two laugh together for a few moments before quieting down.
And in the silence of the night, their hearts reveal their deep feelings for one another.
“I love you, Naoya.” You begin, gently kissing his lips. “All that I want is the opportunity to spend this Christmas, and those to come, with you and our baby.”
“I love you too, Y/N.” He pecks your lips once more. “You two are the best thing that has ever happened in my life, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
“I know. Thank you for everything, Naoya…” you say, hugging him before gasping. “Oh! And merry Christmas! Can’t forget about that one, can I?”
Naoya chuckles as he pulls you into a tight hug, giving the top of your head a kiss before leaning down to rest the crook of your neck and melting against your warm embrace and scent.
It was his way to silently vow to never let you go; no matter what happens, no matter what is to come… He’ll never, ever let you, or his daughter, go.
Never.
A promise that would continue for the rest of his life underneath the wish of a prosperous holiday.
“Merry Christmas.”
the two got emotional at the end 🥺 nnghhhhh Naoya just can't believe he's spending an actual christmas with his family, happily you know?? aaaaaaaaaaaa man, i really got it bad for him.
anyways, I originally intended to end this with Naoya gifting Y/N a house because he felt like Y/N and Naomi would be better away from the Zen'in clan... but then Y/N would just go on saying that it would be too much of a hassle because of his duties as the heir, and because she'll miss her friends there (we're going with the notion that the Zen'in aren't as big a*holes as they are, maybe because Naoya managed to scare control them)
Outside of that, for their fellow presents Y/N got Naoya an Asuka figure to fuel his anime tendencies; while he got her some things he saw her ponder about days prior, alongside some special edition gengar they both had to keep hidden from Naomi lol.
🥺 I hope you all enjoyed this little thing I wrote. I shall continue writing more things, request to be precise, before heading back to my main fic :>
Thank you so much for your support ❤️❤️❤️
#naoya zenin#naoya zen'in#naoya x reader#naoya zenin x reader#naoya zenin x you#jjk naoya#naoya zen'in x reader#jjk x reader#jjk fluff#jjk x you#prompt series: jujutsu kaisen
27 notes
·
View notes
Note
it’s my birthday today!﹠. the thought only JUST occurred to me, so: would you be willing to write a belated birthday larissa x f!reader one-shot for me, where it’s reader’s birthday and she rarely looks forward to it so larissa’s determined to shower her with all the love, warmth, and affection she can? maybe involving a bunch of small gifts that larissa’s hidden for reader to find while she works, and then an afternoon/night of cuddles and affirmations (and very soft smut 🥹)… and/or maybe the fact that it’s the solstice, since that’s my bday 🥰 lots of room for surprise witchy things there. but no stress either way! 🤍🫶🏼🤍🫶🏼🤍🫶🏼
Special Birthday for You
Larissa Weems x f!reader
Authors Note: I'm about to go to bed, but I wanted to write this quick little one-shot for you anon. I hope you had a wonderful birthday and I hope this does your idea justice.
You woke up that morning with your girlfriend's side of the bed cold. Typically, Larissa Weems was always up earlier than you and out the door so she could get to work hours before her day truly needed to start. You glance at your phone before you even get out of bed. You see a few "Happy Birthday" wishes from friends and relatives, but you ignore them for now.
Truly you would like to get this day over with. You had never looked forward to a birthday before and you didn't expect this year to be much different.
You pull yourself from bed and immediately head to the bathroom to get ready. Much to your surprise there is a sticky note attached to your mirror with Larissa's elegant writing on it, Happy Birthday, my love. Enjoy surprise #1 in your drawer.
You smirk at the note and pull open the bathroom drawer under your sink. Inside there is a small black box with a red ribbon around it. You carefully remove it from the drawer, unravel the ribbon, and remove the lid to reveal a delicate necklace with a little heart dangling from it's chain. Covering the little heart charm were your birthstones.
This small gesture from Larissa was presently unexpected. You continue getting dressed for the day, making sure to wear the necklace as a reminder of how sweet your girlfriend was.
Once you were in the kitchen, you put the kettle on, looking to make yourself a cup of tea to take with you to your first class. In the cupboard with your teas was another black box with a red ribbon around it. You pull it out along with a box of tea.
You set the tea bags aside and open the second gift of the day, revealing a small sachet of tea leaves. Inside was another note, Surprise #2 is tea from your favorite shop in Maine. Enjoy, my dear.
Larissa's thoughtfulness made your heart swell with how much love you felt from her.
-----
Once at your desk you began prepping for your first class that was starting in twenty minutes. You set your wonderful cup of tea to the side and pull open your desk drawer that contained your planner for today's divination lesson. Atop of your planner was another black box.
You pull it from the drawer, already smiling at Larissa's knowledge of your daily routine. Inside was a new set of beautiful tarot cards. You had been eyeing these inside a small occult shop when Larissa and you took a trip to New York for the weekend. Next to the box of tarot cards was another note, Roses are red, violets are blue, I got these tarot cards for you too.
Larissa's thoughtfulness left you giddy throughout your divination class and into your 'Intro to Séance' class. Your classes moved quickly today and you were packing up to leave when you spotted another black box in your bag that you must have missed earlier.
Inside the fourth gift of the day lay a smooth rose quartz stone. While you certainly already had one, the symbolism wasn't lost on you for rose quartz was highly symbolic of love.
You knew you just had to get home to thank Larissa for all of her thoughtfulness today.
-----
You could tell Larissa was so excited to see you when you walked in the door. She poked her head out of the kitchen and called, "How was your day today?"
You waited to talk until you walked into the kitchen, "I had the most wonderful day because the most wonderful person left me the most wonderful gifts."
"Anything for you," Larissa turned away from the stove so she could give you a hug. Her embrace was just a little tighter and a little more loving today. She pressed a long kiss to your lips and reached around to give your butt a gentle squeeze.
You jumped in surprise and gave her a small nudge at her cheekiness. Finally, you took into account the state of the kitchen. While Larissa was not one who loved cooking, she had made your favorite meal, "What's all of this?"
"Well I had to make sure that my girl is well fed on her birthday." Larissa dipped down to give you a final kiss before she got back to work.
------
Dinner was incredible and Larissa completely had been doting on you all night. You turned on your favorite movie and Larissa pressed kisses to your head while you snuggled into her side. About halfway through, however, you turned to her, accepting one of her kisses on your lips.
Ten minutes later, she was on top of you, tongue in your mouth and hands on either side of your head. Your head was spinning at how perfect the day was and how perfectly it seemed to be ending. Larissa began moving her lips to your neck, one hand moving to tease the hem of your shirt.
"I think it's time you get your final birthday surprise." Larissa slipped down to the floor and ushered you to sit up a bit. Her hands gently unbuttoned your pants and helped slip them down your legs.
She glanced up into your eyes and then back down to where you ached between your legs, "Every birthday girl needs to receive a bit of cunnilingus to end the day right."
#f!reader#larissa weems x reader#larissa weems#wednesday netflix#gwendoline christie#readers birthday#fanfic#oneshot
298 notes
·
View notes
Text
Patience. We're getting there.
You are moments away from meeting Hoseok's family and trying not to spiral, and Hoseok is a calming presence who keeps you grounded.
🤍 Hope for the Holidays Hoseok x Non-Binary (afab) Reader
🤍 word count: ≈ 640
🤍 established relationship, angst if you squint, fluff, sfw
🤍 warnings: none! this is just a sweet little moment where mc almost feels icky feels but Hoseok is there to make them feel better.
🤍 notes: the government name for this fic should be Patience, Marshmallow. We're getting there. but it felt too long.
🤍 written for the Harrow’s Holiday Cheer Event, requested by @absentcaryatid 🎈 happy belated birthday, my darling Elizabeth!!! i so appreciate you for requesting something nice and soft for this event! thank you for being such a good friend, as well as dedicated reader!!! it was hard stopping myself from writing a lot more, but i felt like this snippet was really nice. enjoy!!!
🤍 beta read by @neoneunnajimin
🤍 posted jan. 2024
You feel antsy.
Your relationship with Hoseok has been an absolute whirlwind since day one. And now, after an incredible year of knowing one another, you are in a rental car in the busy, snowy streets of Gwangju, South Korea, on your way to meet his parents.
You almost came here back in February when Hoseok visited for Lunar New Year, but it had been too long since he had been back home, and you felt strange about tagging along. You still feel strange about it, but Hoseok was so sweetly emphatic about you coming that you couldn't bring yourself to stay in your shared apartment all alone.
Although it would certainly not be a repeat of last Christmas in any sense of the word, it is hard not to think about past holiday events with the ex, and with the family you never felt like you fit in with. What if this visit feels the same? What if you feel just as out of place on the other side of the world as you had on the other side of the country? What if there is nowhere that feels right?
Hoseok must be able to sense your nerves, and he reaches over the center console of the rental car, firmly holding your hand while keeping the other on the steering wheel. You smile but you can tell that it is unconvincing. Hoseok chuckles.
"Don't look so scared, marshmallow," he teases, giving your hand a squeeze. "My mom can't wait to meet you. Whenever I call, she tells me all about how happy she is that you will be here."
You believe Hoseok—how could you not? His family has been nothing but welcoming, even from such a great distance.
"I shouldn't tell you this," Hoseok says conspiratorially, mouth stretched into a wide smile while his eyes stay on the road, "it was meant to be a surprise, but when I told mom about your gift from last year, she became excited to have you cook with her."
Words fail you, and you open your mouth to flounder through shapes of syllables before landing on, "Wh— me?"
With another chuckle and another gentle squeeze, Hoseok glances at you briefly to say, "Yes, you. She hasn't stopped talking about it. So I hope you are ready to learn some family recipes, because she takes it seriously."
The idea would be daunting if it weren't so heartwarming. Hoseok's mother wants you to join her in the kitchen while she prepares food for the family holiday dinner. She trusts you to help her.
"Besides, my sister won't lift a finger in the kitchen, so I know she will appreciate having you there."
At this, you laugh, feeling weight lift from your shoulders as joy explodes from your chest.
You tease, "Oh, so I'm just a replacement for your sister, hmm?" while your eyes never leave Hoseok's profile.
He waggles his eyebrows, then glances at you and begins to laugh. This is always the way things are with Hoseok: light and fun.
"How much longer?" you ask, eyes taking in the tall snow-covered apartment buildings and the bustling sidewalks filled with pedestrians and shoppers. You had just asked less than five minutes ago, and can surmise that the answer has only changed by the same amount.
"Patience, marshmallow," Hoseok teases. "We're getting there."
Patience is a lot easier said than done, and you sigh dramatically, making Hoseok laugh once more. Rather than respond, you take in the calmness of the soft song playing on the radio accompanied by Hoseok's melodic happiness.
"I'm excited," you say softly after a long moment while your gaze drops to your conjoined hands. Emotion swells, and you feel a bit choked up as your mouth stays in a smile.
Hoseok says, "Good." Nice and simple. And you couldn't agree more.
Everything feels good.
🥺🥺🥺 this one felt like such a warm hug while i was writing it. i hope you agree!!! 🥰🥰🥰
COMMENTS AND REBLOGS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD IF THIS HELLSITE AND LIKES ARE SUPER APPRECIATED TOO!!! THANK YOU FOR READING, I LOVE YOU!!!
tag list: @btsiguess-kpop @codeinebelle @dasexydevitt13 @fluffybuns69 @giriiboyy @idkjustlovingbts @itsmina29 @mgthecat @moonleeai @m1sss1mp @spookyminyunki 🤍 want to be tagged in everything i write? or just my member x reader content? send me a message!
🎈 check out more drabbles from the Harrow’s Holiday Cheer Event!
Patience. We're getting there. is copyright 2023 theharrowing, all rights reserved. reposts and translations are not allowed.
#hoseok x reader#hoseok fluff#bts fluff#harrow's holiday cheer event 🎁#thanks for 2k!!! 🎈#fic: patience we're getting there#fic: hope for the holidays
13 notes
·
View notes
Text
A very special thanks to @smittenroses for inviting me to this memories over gifts event!! Apologies for my late story entry my life's been quite hectic, but hopefully in 2023 I'll be able to create my art more often! Merry belated Christmas or whichever holiday you're celebrating and a Happy New Year!! Now enough talk time for the show to begin!!
Frost settled itself against the windows that protected you and the rest of the others that live within the manor.
Currently you were reading Robbie and Memory a story, that being the Nutcracker Prince. Every time Christmas or any other holiday they'd always want you to read them a story relating to the respective holiday. It was practically tradition at this point, but it was a welcomed one.
You suggested that a story like this calls for a warm mug of hot chocolate and cookies for this occasion. They happily agreed and you put a bookmark, made your way towards the kitchen. Once you went inside with Memory and Robbie, you saw a familiar face and puppy.
“Oh hello (Y/n), Robbie. And you too Memory! What brings you three here?” Victor's amber eyes looked at you with fondness as Wick scampered over to the two children happily. “We're just here to make hot cocoa and cookies to accompany the story I'm reading.” You smiled back at Victor.
“Is that so?” Victor asked and Memory hummed eagerly as the blonde haired man laughed airily.
“Do you wanna help us?” Robbie asks awaiting Victor's answer and he nods. “Oh of course. Let's get to it.” The two kids cheered as Wick wagged his tail with glee.
~~
After the cookies and warm cocoa were made, you invited Victor to join you. He agrees and lends a helping hand, once at the library you all sat down.
Memory and Robbie eagerly awaited with baited breath as you opened the red and gold book. “Now where was I..?” You hummed as Victor sat alongside you enjoying the warmth the mug of hot chocolate and your smile provided.
~~
Both Robbie and Memory fell asleep a little after they finished their drinks, Wick slept as he was nestled in between them. You felt Victor nudged your side and your heart warmed at the wholesome sight before you.
“Let's get them back to their rooms.” You agreed with Victor's suggestion. Victor held Memory and you carried Robbie. Wick yawned and stretched, shaking off his sleepiness. He walked with the two of you.
“That story always excites me, especially whenever I imagine the scenes.” Victor's smile held fondness for that memory. “Really, now. I find myself casting our friends in those roles sometimes.” This piqued Victor's interest.
You both started chattering about who'd be what in the Nutcracker. “Vera as the Sugar Plum Fairy sounds oddly fitting for her!” Victor chuckled at the idea and he added in. “Luca would probably be the Rat King, given how much energy he exudes.” You laughed at the mental image that he's painted in your head.
Soon you blurted out. “I think you'd be the Prince.” Victor's amber eyes widened as his jaw slightly dropped. “Oh sorry, was that a bit too out there??” You worriedly asked, hoping you didn't startle him.
Victor shook his head and mumbled out, with a flustered smile. “Personally I see you as Clara… Truthfully I wouldn't mind protecting you…” You stopped with your heartbeat picking up speed. “Really..?” Your voice was soft for that moment, he nodded with a loving look in his eyes. “Of course, you'll always be the one who I'll cherish and adore.”
You couldn't contain your smile, even after all these years or however long you two have been lovers in this manor. He still knew what to say that makes his words feel like Cupid's arrow. The two of you are always falling in love over and over again.
“Same goes for you Victor…”
~~
Once the two kids were back in their rooms, you two headed for the ballroom. You took notice of the entrance, a mistletoe was hanging above the two of you. “What are you looking at?” Victor's amber eyes trail to your line of sight as he feels his heart flutter. “O–Oh…”
“It's tradition isn't it?” You cheekily teased, tapping your lips. “Ye–Yes it is…” You cupped his cheeks and went in for a soft romantic kiss. He slowly kisses you back, enjoying the warmth of the kiss.
The two of you broke the kiss and stared into each other's eyes lovingly. “Shall we make haste and dance the night away?” You hummed yes to Victor's question. He took your hand, placing a light kiss on your knuckles. He held your arm as he led you to the large ballroom. Ready to dance with you to his heart's content.
#memoriesovergifts22#my writing#identity v reader#identity v x y/n#identity v x reader#identity v x you#idv x y/n#idv x you#idv x reader#idv victor grantz#idv victor#idv postman#identity v postman#identity v victor
35 notes
·
View notes
Text
Steggy Fic: Until Then (We'll Have to Muddle Through, Somehow)
This is my very belated @steggyfanevents Steggy Secret Santa 2022 gift for @imxthexhandler (although, this year I am not technically late because I also made (unrelated) fanart!)
The story is complete, and a new chapter will be posted every Wednesday.
Story summary: Five times Peggy and Steve carved out small moments of happiness, and one time they didn’t have to.
Chapter summary: In which there is an apology that goes even better than Steve had hoped.
Rating: R
Read it on A03
Excerpt:
London, December 1943
“Well, you’re brave, I’ll give you that,” Howard Stark told him, both amused and a little impressed, judging by his voice and the quirk of his mustache. “But it might have been less risky to parachute solo into Krausberg, pal. I can get you the stockings, but even if you bring your new shield with you, I can’t guarantee you’ll deliver them alive.”
“She isn't going to kill me,” Steve said in what he was starting to think of as his Captain America voice - a tone that often radiated considerably more conviction than he actually felt. Now that he actually was a captain, using his stage voice seemed to give people the impression that he knew what he was doing. It was undeniably useful, but - it was also at least partly how he'd gotten into this mess in the first place. “I’m too useful to the war effort.”
Howard guffawed at that. “Look, kid, I’ve made a lot of women angry in my day, and my first piece of advice is whatever you say to her, definitely don't lead with that.” He shook his head, turning slightly more serious. “And my second piece of advice is - why bother trying so hard to fix things with her? Just be glad she’s forgiven you enough to work with you without trying to shoot you.” He shrugged easily. “There are plenty of fish in the sea, and you, my friend, are prime bait. Peggy’s a bombshell, there's no denying that, but there are a hell of a lot of pretty girls who it’s a hell of a lot safer to try to kiss. And look at you. Handsome mug, supersoldier muscles, and a hero to boot - the dames must be all over you.”
"Yeah, that’s the trouble,” Steve said glumly. “Well, that, and you and your sudden craving for fondue.” He buried his face in his hands. “God, I can’t believe I accused her of fonduing with you.” It was awful on two levels - the worst, of course, was the accusation itself, but spectacularly misunderstanding the meaning of the word fondue was right up there too.
Howard laughed and patted him on the shoulder. “Oh, you have got it bad, pal.” He nodded thoughtfully. “All right, if you’re going to do this, you’re going to have to go big. My usual weapon of choice is diamonds - necklace for apology, bracelet for ‘it's over’, earrings for - well, it doesn't matter. Now, I stay far away from the rings, myself, but - ”
“I think I’ll just stick with the stockings, thanks,” said Steve firmly. “How much?” The Army not only fed and housed him, it paid him too, and from what he’d gathered from Bucky and the guys, he was pretty sure he could cover a pair of stockings from his savings, even at black market prices.
Howard waved his hand. “For you, kid, they’re on the house. Let me talk to my butler. How long are you in London?”
Steve blinked. Of course Howard Stark had a butler. Steve had never even seen a butler, unless you counted on the silver screen at Sunday matinees. “We ship out Tuesday,” he said. “But - if you could get them a bit earlier, I’d like to - ”
Howard smirked at him. “All right, pal, I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you,” said Steve, sincerely. He was planning to apologize one way or another, but he felt better bringing a peace offering when he did.
Howard grinned. “I like your spirit, kid. And, I’ve seen the way Peg can’t keep her eyes off you. You just might have a chance of coming out of this alive.”
Read the rest on A03
26 notes
·
View notes
Text
Year in Review: TV Shows
¡Feliz Dia de los Reyes! And Happy New Year! And also happy belated Hanukkah, Christmas, Yule, Bodhi, Kwanzaa and Diso, probably some other holidays. BOXING DAY. You all get a gift! And it's the same thing you ask for every year that I know you love so so much: Unwarranted opinions about tv shows from a stranger on the internet! I am truly generous.
Shadow and Bone s1-2
Confession: I grew up with these books. It’s one of the only book series I snatched up as soon as they were released, and to this day I will read anything Leigh Bardugo slaps my face with, so I was ecstatic to discover they were making a Netflix adaptation. And damn one thing I cannot critique is the casting for this series. Jessie Mei Li pulls off the classic orphan chosen one YA protagonist so well without being cliche, which is also something Bardugo was able to do in the books. And Freddy Carter and Kit Young have just become Kaz and Jesper in my head, replacing whatever image I had of those characters originally. Also evil Prince Caspian is hot!
Season one is genuinely a fantastic adaptation. They seamlessly combine the storylines of Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows. The gaps in pacing from the first book have had their slack picked up by these lovable criminals playing out a similar storyline to their first book, with Alina taking the place of the Grisha scientist as their object of kidnapping. Everything plays out so fluidly that I was enamored with my first and second watch through.
Season two on the other hand is messy as all hell. They try to adapt multiple books into one storyline like season one, but none of them blend in well together. The bastardized Crooked Kingdom plot (which was my favorite in the series) is completely disconnected from Alina’s story to the point it felt confusing and exhausting each time they went back to it, while the Siege and Storm and the Rise and Ruin plotlines are so rushed I could barely follow what was supposed to be happening. Plus they added their own ending, which is fine conceptually, I get them wanting to do their own thing, but I wish they either just adapted the books, or committed to making something original, instead of this clustered amalgamation.
The Owl House s3
Everyone knows this is a show that deserves MINIMUM six seasons and a movie. The world is incredibly fun and versatile, and the characters are fascinating and enjoyable to watch. But Disney is homophobic and lame and Oh My Shit is that Steamboat Willy making out with Oswald the Rabbit?? Holy Shit. I can’t believe that’s canon now! Thank you Bob Igor.
That being said the writers and animators did a fantastic job on tight storytelling in these last two seasons. A lot of shows that aren’t given enough space to tell their story will cut out “filler” content to shove all the dramatic moments they want in your face (looking at you Voltron), but Owl House strikes a nice balance between slice of life character episodes and the more plot focused episodes in the short time they have. There’s so many background details and one off lines that create an intricate backstory that adds both to the lore and the motivations of our deadly Puritan villain. It also delivers on a fantastic ending that works both as a definitive end to the series or the jumpstart to a sequel if it ever gets graced with a renewal.
Merlin s1-5
Back in the day this show was grouped in among the other popular BBC shows at the time + Supernatural, and thus it gets a similar reputation nowadays as a queer-baity overrated show that goes on for too long. I don’t think that’s wholly undeserved, but Merlin is leagues better than either Supernatural or Sherlock and is much more consistent in delivering quality episodes than even New Who, though that last one is higher quality overall imo.
The cast all give a fantastic performance as their characters go through some genuinely well written character arcs, especially Anthony Head as Uther who blends goofy freak with hateable bigot so well that his antagonism commands the flow of the entire first three seasons. Like what’s his fucking problem? After he gets out of the picture however the pacing does tank as the plot forces out about three near identical Morgana takes over Camelot conflicts.
This show is also campy as all hell, and blends together lighthearted comedic episodes alongside extremely well written dramatic plots pretty well, though it occasionally stoops to some tonally dissonant melodrama. Uther falls in love with a farting witch like two episodes before Morgause nearly kills Arthur. I do think the will-they-won’t-they between Merlin and Arthur was written intentionally, and while their friendship is enjoyable to watch develop, the answer is obviously Won’t, because gay people don’t exist in Camelot times. Also Guinevere’s characterization fucking tanks in the last season for no reason at all, but it does have a good ending overall.
Dragon Ball Z Kai s1-4
Every year I make my dad watch a shonen anime all the way through. In 2020 it was Jojo’s, 2021 it was Hunter X Hunter, last year it was Naruto (Ocean Cut), and this year it was Dragon Ball Z Kai. So far there’s been no losers, he’s loved all of them (though he got burnt out on Part 5 of Jojo’s). It took a bit for him to get into Dragon Ball; the Saiyan saga did not hold his interest until the Vegeta fight, but he was thoroughly engaged through the Frieza saga and ESPECIALLY the Cell saga. He told me Cell is the most evil villain in all of the anime I forced this 49 year old to watch. I myself had never watched all of Dragon Ball Z in order before this year, and I’m happy to say most of it holds up, at least in Kai.
Season one is overall hard to rewatch from the beginning, since after Goku’s death we get several episodes of mindless training and running on Snake Way that we already know won’t pay off, but damn the cinematography and choreography in that first Vegeta fight is genuinely stunning and I can probably rewatch that anytime. Season two on Namek pulls off writing without Goku much better. There’s a strong sense of tension as all of these different conflicts barely miss each other: Frieza’s army killing off the already small population of Namekians as Vegeta, Gohan, and Krillin are searching for the Dragon Balls. Writing Vegeta as a secondary protagonist in this arc despite still being a violent jackass is genius and this whole section is thoroughly engaging. Pacing grinds to a crawl when the Ginyu Force show up, and I’m sad to say this continues into the Frieza fight. It’s a good fight, but after the Supper Saying shows up they could have ended things pretty quickly, but the fight draws on and on until even Goku gets bored.
The Cell saga is easily peak Dragon Ball. This is the season Saturday morning cartoons would replay over and over again, so it's the one I’m most familiar with, and damn it I see why they did that. It’s a fun, messy time travel story that focuses on the development of our two biggest protagonists. Goku and Krillin? Nah fuck them I mean Gohan and Vegeta. We get conclusions to their character arcs that are so bombastically enjoyable that Toriyama NEARLY approaches good writing.
Season 4 on the other hand can’t decide whether it wants to be a continuation or its own thing and it shows in the pacing. The Buu saga is way too fucking long for no reason, the stakes rise to an absurd extreme and towards the end none of the characters seem to take any real notice. Goku lets his own son die to save a dog and an old man and then laughs it off as a brain fart. I like Majin Vegeta and regular Buu but everything afterwards overstays its welcome.
Castlevania s1-2
It’s kind of insane to me how good this show is. It takes the plot of an NES game with minimal dialogue and cool set pieces and transforms it into an epic ensemble story where every character has a fascinating arc to explore, not to mention animated BEAUTIFULLY. The show does NOT hold back on gore, but at the same time pulls it off with elegance so the blood and guts don’t feel gratuitous. Castlevania 3 was also my favorite as a kid despite never having finished it so it was personally very satisfying to see this one adapted.
The relationship between Trevor, Alucard, and Sypha is also adorable and one of my mainstays when I think of fictional Polyamorous couples. Their dynamics are further developed in the latter seasons, but the Dracula fight is so stellar that I was satisfied with ending it there for now, I still need to watch the Rondo of Blood anime.
My Adventures With Superman s1
This show was so cute! And also very vindicating after Snyder’s Superman changed every depiction of the character into a deconstruction on whether helping people is good or evil. Or maybe those were the only ones I saw after that. I was introduced to Superman through the Justice League cartoon and that will always be my primary understanding of the guy, so it’s nice to see Clark written in a similar light.
However, it’s Lois Lane that really takes center stage in this show. I mean it’s her adventures after all. She is NOTHING like any previous Lois Lane and is an essential brand new character, and she plays off of Clark’s personality SUPER well and their romance is adorable to see develop. I saw a lot of comparisons of her character to Luz and honestly I see the resemblance, not only in design but in dialogue. Which is fine I like Luz, but it forces me to compare it to the Owl House.
While this show also has very little time to tell its story, unlike TOH it’s paced like shit. Every episode that they put out is fantastic, but all of them feel like the conclusion to a grand story arc, rather than 10 episodes in succession of each other. They introduced multiverse shit in episode SEVEN. And while I love the new design of Mr. Mxldsjdnsk (especially considering I had just finished Dragon Ball Z), they did not earn that shit. This is obviously a production problem I can’t blame on the writers, but this is a show clearly designed as a slice of life with action thrown in, it needs cute fillery episodes, dammit. STOP RUSHING EVERYTHING.
King of the Hill s1
I don’t know if it's a controversial take to say King of the Hill is easily the best adult-oriented American cartoon, right? I think everyone should be on the same page on this. Like the Simpsons is way too long to be objectively good anymore. Maybe Futurama outclasses it but like. Family Guy? American Dad? BIG MOutH? None of those even have jokes. King of the Hill manages to not only be hilarious as all hell, but also tell a meaningful story.
As someone who has grown up in the relative south (Not Texas) I see it as both a satire, celebration, and deconstruction of the culture of rural America. Most episodes focus on Hank trying to give Bobby a meaningful childhood and teach him valuable lessons, but in the process realizing that the culture he grew up in kind of fucked him up a bit, and instead of digging his heels in and refusing to change, he alters his behavior and views for the sake of his son. Bobby himself is a lovable goofball who shows off the fun of growing up as some country hick. Watch this clip of Bobby playing spin the bottle right fucking now.
Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake s1
ANOTHER PIECE OF MEDIA CAPITALIZING ON THE MULTIVERSE TREND LETS GO. I spoke before about the inherent metafiction in Multiverse narratives. I think Fionna and Cake understands that aspect well, which makes sense as in Adventure Time the Multiverse had already been an established fact. This sequel is more of an elaboration on previous world-building from the original, rather than following the trends of Marvel or whoever. It also makes me care about two characters I couldn’t give a shit about in the original, that being the title protagonists. They were cute in Adventure Time, but in my first watch through I really couldn’t be bothered with the watered down, gender-swapped variants of our main dudes, and in this show they basically discard all those episodes anyways! Cool!
Their arcs follow the existential nightmare of being people from a “noncanon, illegitimate” universe, and their quest to bring magic back to their world. It’s a compelling narrative and their differences and similarities with Finn and Jake are genuinely fun to compare and contrast while also being fun characters in their own right. I like the realization Fionna has midway through the series that the violent adventures she craved are actually kind of horrifying, and the simple quiet life she used to have was nice. I’m excited to see what the writers have in store for the both of them in the future.
But the real meat of this season comes in the deconstruction of the fan favorite character, Simon Ice King. Fionna and Cake was his fanfiction, after all, though that gets somewhat retconned. He was already a tragic figure in the original, and the final season gave him a bittersweet ending: his sanity returned but now eternally separated from his wife by her Eldritch transformation. This show gives his character the space and time to process exactly what the hell he’s supposed to do with his life now as well as understand the problems he and Betty had when they were in a relationship. I’m glad to see Simon finally get something far more resembling a happy ending than he ever got in the original.
Adventure Time s1-7
This is a show that I would describe as “high patience, high reward.” It’s not something I truly got into until college, as I was put off by what I saw as Lolz Random humor I was trying to distance myself from as a Cool Mature Teenager™. I still had a hard time getting through the first couple seasons in my first watch-through, but it was an easy show to put on in the background while doing research for papers. Eventually I was hooked and sped through all of it at blinding speeds.
Fionna and Cake inspired me to revisit the show, and I’m happy to say I have a higher tolerance for the aspects of the show I found obnoxious the first time around. The wacky mathy-math lingo of the characters generally fades into the background and builds a distinct vocabulary of this goofy sci-fi fantasy world. It was also fun to see how aspects of the earlier episodes inspired later developments of the world, like the Zombie Businessmen establishing a possible dystopian setting for our goofball protagonists.
Unlike my first viewing, the pace breaker actually started around season five. Their are some fantastic episodes in this period of the show, but overall the world stops developing as fast and each episode acts more as an exploration of the characters. It’s nice to spend more time with all of these weirdos, but it’s made it tough to binge. That’s actually a positive now that I think about it.
I like Finn a lot. I like that he’s flawed and he fails all the time, it makes it more enjoyable to see him mature as a person. If any episode encapsulates his personality the most, I think it’s the Hall of Egress, where Finn is trapped in a dungeon that resets every time he opens his eyes. It’s probably my favorite episode in the entire show, and plays to all of AT’s strengths: a great mix of comedy and introspection without ever being melodramatic
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
I was initially disappointed with this show when I realized it wasn’t a direct adaptation of the original comic. It plays this fact as a twist, playing out the first volume in its entirety until the very end, where SPOILERS Scott Fucking Dies. The “Takes Off” part was literal: that dude is Gone. The second episode even plays this for laughs as Envy Adams has a spontaneous concert over his funeral and no one besides Ramona seems to care that their friend exploded. It felt like a cruel joke making fun of fans of the original.
I’m glad I pushed through, though, as all of this was a ploy to put Ramona in the center stage, changing the goalpost of Beat Up the Seven Evil Exes to Investigate the Seven Evil Exes for possible murder/kidnapping motives Columbo-style. In most of the adaptations, Ramona is always playing off of Scott’s dumbass behavior, and it takes a while to truly dig into her personality. Putting her center-stage gives the audience an immediate view into her character and she may be the most likable she’s ever been.
This show works as a sequel to the original through some time-travel shenanigans, and brings back series creator Brian Lee O’Malley, as well as the cast from the movie. This whole deal, if the rumor is true, apparently came out of Michael Cera responding to a group email meme with the og cast a decade late with “That’s funny,” and got everyone talking again. With that in mind it changes my view on the show as a whole, it's not a cruel joke, it’s a love letter to everything that came before it.
I do still have a couple complaints, mostly that a few characters are heavily flanderized, namely Wallace and Scott himself, but like. That’s fine. How many times have we seen these characters explored? Like what 5 times now? I’m fine with them taking a comedic back seat to explore the dynamics of the rest of the cast. It’s also really satisfying to see all the exes get meaningful character arcs, which they never really got in the other versions of SP including the original. It makes me want to see what else they might have in store, but there are no plans for a continuation. Probably because that cast listing was expensive as hell. Do you know how much Chris Evans voice acting costs??? $7.50/hour AT LEAST.
Bee and Puppycat s2
Damn this show is so comfy. Everything from the characters, the music, the voice acting, the animation style, the COLORS! Even when the show hits the dramatic button it never stops being such a delight. It’s also longer than I remember, and gives a lot of time for every plotline to unfold. There’s intrigue and mystery surrounding every inch of this Mario Galaxy-ass setting, and it never fully reveals its hand, but that never takes away from the simple, slice-of-life story about two roommates taking part time jobs to make ends meet.
There’s a heavy theme of responsibility and young adulthood with all of the characters, which is also super relatable to me rn. The most responsible character in this show is the six-year old landlord with WAY too much on his shoulders. I like the dynamics with the Wizard family, I feel they present very realistic sibling relationships overall.
I tried checking out season 1 on youtube. I’ve heard people call it a continuation, but season 2 really is just a reimagining of this short youtube series. It’s only an hour long but for some reason it failed to grasp me. It’s somewhat tonally different, and the romantic tension between Bee and Deckard is weird to me after watching season 2. I’m glad they abandoned that as a plotline.
And those are all the shows I watched this year. LAST YEAR. I did not finish this when I wanted to, so to speed things up I’m gonna skip over the final movie list. Long story short Coraline rules, Home Alone 2 is violent and funny, Love Actually Hugh Grant is hot, and Christmas Vacation SUCKS. Fuck National Lampoon all my homies Hate national lampoon. Next time I will be doing the final games list. Wahoo!
#my post#reviews#long post#adventure time#shadow and bone#fionna and cake#merlin bbs#toh#the owl house#dragon ball#king of the hill#bee and puppycat#scott pilgrim#scott pilgram takes off#castlevania#i think that's all of them#SUPERMAN#my adventures with superman
4 notes
·
View notes
Note
happy belated birthday 🥰 wish i would have realised it yesterday when i was messaging you! wishing you joyful and fascinating times doing what you love (e.g. reading books), nice and cool weather, and good health and good luck!
as for the orchid: i had one some years ago and i mistreated it because i didn't know much about plants and was too absent-minded to take care of it properly, however it did okay and lived a few years! i didn't neglect it but i didn't take care of it as advised either. at the same a few friends' and family member's orchids died quite soon even though they did everything according to books. like my mom says, curiously plants often thrive better when mistreated rather than over-treated. hope the orchid doesn't stress you out too much but like others have said, plant death is a part of the cycle of life.
Thank you (and a thousand apologies for the late response, I only saw your response this morning and was unavailable until now) both for your good wishes and your vibes!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
I should be ashamed of how many books I already own and haven't read but panic drove me yesterday to treat myself, so I bought some new books (used books so it's less bad), the weather has been much cooler and I'm in better health: I can breathe without having to stay near a fan, I can sleep at night and even do my housework. I am definitely on my way to happiness as defined by me. :)
I suspect you're someone with a natural gift for caring for plants and gardens (flowers or vegetables), based on the fact that your first instinct in your new home was to grow some of them. People like you are naturally protective of plants, and as silly as it sounds, I'm convinced that plants "know" this on some level and thrive in such presence. So they don't die around you and even a lighter care routine is enough to keep them alive.
Something inside me resists the idea that it's the normal cycle of death, because it feels like a liability. Maybe it's because I didn't choose it and it happened in my life at a time when even little things are complicated, so adding a new one to the list of things that depend on me becomes a big deal?
Another supportive Tumblr friend suggested below my last post to name the orchid to create a stronger bond with it and I totally endorse this great idea.
I'm fully armed now: with videos and articles and people on this site I can come back to for more personalized advice; so let's go: let's save my new friend Orchid from the evil curse of having an incompetent human guardian!
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
TL;DR: Gushing about the artwork I've commissioned from mango so far, and posting allll the pieces.
November 9 2019, I commissioned a piece of artwork of my original character Katrina from FFXIV from @chocolatemango. I sent her a link to the carrd page I'd made for Trina. In addition, I listed specific details I was interested in making sure made it in:
two piercings in each ear lobe, three hoops along the upper edge of her left ear
almost always wears some variety of boots (platform and heels included)
always wears a gem on her forehead these days (red or purple, glows)
tattoos of arcane text on her arms
I also offered to drown her in screenshots if she wanted to get a visual feel for Trina's looks (this was before I added the gallery to the carrd). Sadly, we decided the tattoos were too much work. Aside from that, I chose to give mango full artistic license to draw whatever she wanted. When she asked if I wanted a background for the piece, my answer was, "Honestly, whatever's most fun for you to do. If you think of a fantastic background, I'm happy to pay for it. If you prefer to just focus on the character, that's also fine. I love the backgrounds I've seen from your work, but what matters most to me is that you have fun with the commission." Art should be fun for the artist, not a chore.
Two weeks later, mango presented me with three rough sketches of poses for Trina...and I fell in love with all three. I vowed to eventually commission all the poses.
The first pose I chose was the one I addressed in a previous post. She went a teeeeeensy bit overboard on the background, and it is absolutely perfect.
On to the meat of this post (I know, that wasn't the meat?!): my 2 year anniversary with my partner was in September. And since we met through FFXIV, I decided I wanted to commission a sketch style piece for us. First, they're easier and less time consuming for mango to do, and second because the original piece I commissioned maaaay have given mango a little bit of anxiety due to how long it took. And it wasn't even her fault, she had a horrible three years. As I love her sketch style anyway, it was no sacrifice to request it.
To kill two birds with one stone, I showed mango the two previously unused sketches of Trina in the hopes that she could rework one to include my partner's character, Arden. Less than 24 hours later, I had my anniversary drawing (in her words, "I may have gone a little bit overboard..." Sensing a theme?):
I immediately turned to Zazzle to create matching t-shirts for us (yes, we're that couple. Sometimes), as well as a little Christmas gift for my partner.
Then in early December, I decided to have a second sketch portrait of our characters done, hoping that Zazzle would be able to have the second piece done soon enough for Christmas. Alas, that did not happen, so it will have to be a belated gift.
As is my preference, I let mango decide on the pose and anything else she wanted to add. However, she created a minor conundrum when she didn't use the final pose of solo Trina, but also added a brand new pose of the two characters, and requested I choose between them. The end result is absolutely adorable, and I love it to pieces...and it's not one of the original three poses, which means I still have one more pose queued up to commission! And then I can start thinking up new requests...
Thank you so much for your amazing work, mango. Until next time!
#not my work#but I love it#My OC Katrina#My partner's OC Arden#FFXIV#Final Fantasy XIV#Why is everything mango does so wonderful?#💜#@chocolatemango#https://linktr.ee/pamellka
5 notes
·
View notes
Note
belated happy new year and hope you’re doing spectacularly! is it okay to ask what wips you’re currently working on? 👀
:D An even more belated happy New Year to you, anon, and thank you so much, I hope 2023 is treating you awesomely so far! It is always 100% okay to ask me what I'm working on, no worries (I might not answer very quickly, obviously :'D but yeah, always okay to ask!). I intended to make last year my Year of Finishing Shit, but then my reverse bang fic ate basically all the words I had to give for 6+ months of the year, so it turned into more of a Year of a Lot of Noodling and Outlines and Paddling Duck Feet Beneath the Surface of an Outwardly Still Pond. :D WHICH MEANS my list of WIPs right now looks something like this:
a very long overdue Bruce/Clark gift for the stupendous and wonderful jaejandra <3 [aiming to post by 2/14]
several extremely top-secret things I hope to be able to finish for the Candy Hearts Exchange [if I make it, these will be unanon by 2/21]
several more extremely top-secret things I hope to get done for the Id Pro Quo Exchange [if I make it, these will be unanon by around 4/1]
an EVEN MORE top-secret project I will be able to share more details about starting in mid-April
Past that point, it all gets much vaguer :'D but I have several bigger projects I'm hoping to tackle sometime this year, including but not limited to:
Bruce/Clark bodyswap canon-divergence AU, as an extremely late bonus gift to fill a prompt for Fluffypanda <3
Lois/Diana trope bingo (I have this fully outlined, I've even started the draft, I just haven't finished it yet /o\)
Bruce/Clark arranged marriage MoS AU, as an extremely late bonus gift to fill a prompt for chantefable <3
my white whale, aka BvS Was Bruce Wayne's Vaguely Kinky Coma Dream, which needed reworking YET AGAIN but I think I've finally gotten it back on track /o\
the next installment of GQ/Croc eggbaby fic
the next installment of crossover Mandalorian/Great Wall fic (ALMOST! DONE! but not quite)
several Top Gun kinkmeme fills (first off the presses is probably going to be wingfic and then some Ice whump, since I have words down for those two vs nothing but lots of flailing notes on the other thirty-odd prompts I've saved :'D but yeah)
I am very gradually working up more notes and a clearer plan for sequels to about half a dozen things, too, including Shape of Hope (the one with Sage), Enemies to Lovers (the fuckbuddies mpreg fic), 50 Shades of Wayne (... yeah no one needs to be reminded which one that is :'D), AND MORE. I'm also signed up for the Top Gun Big Bang, which is in signups right now (!!!!) and has posting planned for late July and presumably August. :D And god knows if I happen across any DC event weeks between now and the end of the year, I probably won't be able to resist throwing myself at them!
So, yeah, I hope that gives you at least a couple things to look forward to, in the short term or the long term (and if you want to hear more about any of the non-top-secret stories :'D then just say the word, I have SO MANY NOTES AND OUTLINES on all of these and I would be more than happy to ramble about what I have planned in excessive detail). Thank you so much for asking, anon! <333
#asks#asks:anonymous#susie has a very big very scary list#and the more things she crosses off it#the more things she adds to it#when she crosses things off it at all that is /o\
5 notes
·
View notes
Photo
Happy belated Birthday to Kome.
She had on the 28th of April but I had too much to do but forgot.
---
Pherea: Happy Birthday Kome!
Kome: Thank you… I can't believe I survived another year…
Pherea: Hey it's your birthday and that means no negative thoughts here, only a big party. Also Green really suits you.
Kome: Some say it's the color of hope, others say it's the color of Luck.. either way it seems to fit me well…
Pherea: By the way, have you got any good gifts yet?
Kome: Tiam asked Taron to make a cyber styled chess board and it looks really cool. Chisato gifted me a new game, while the flowers I got from Yaeko… I nearly cried that I got such a precious gift. The best gift would have been if I was allowed to punch Jun'ichi in the face but… oh well we can't have it all. Aside from that… these gifts don't matter compared to that. I am so far just glad that I still live and the sickness hasn't got me… I still wish it would just go…
Pherea: We will try our best to help you find a cure. I hope your birthday is still a great on
#twisted wonderland oc#twstoc#twstocs#twst oc#twst ocs#twisted wonderland#twst#twistedwonderland#twisted oc#disney twst oc#disney twst#birthday card#hsa birthday
9 notes
·
View notes
Note
Stells!!! Happy belated birthday—I missed out on making a fuss for you yesterday, but I hope you got to eat something tasty and that people reminded you just how much they love you—and how much you bring to their lives. 🎂🎉🌷 you’re so special, Stells, here’s to many more years of celebrating you!!! 💕
AW THANK U MERMS~ tbh i normally celebrate all month long because why NOT, though this year i was a little more reserved and i did have to work yesterday which was kinda blegh, but otherwise it was pretty good! i ate tasty meat skewers! i actually haven't had cake yet— i was blessed enough to be gifted like. two (maybe three i guess if you count last nights cake??) cakes but they're sitting in the fridge right now since i left them out a touch too long lmao. i will post pics later because they are cute lookin' cakes.
and like, not to get insanely sentimental here, but to get maybe a little sentimental, but this past year i've been blessed to have made so many wonderful new friends, yourself included, and like!! everyone is my present!!! i am truly!! blessed!! i'll have a party and you are all invited!!!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ so AGAIN THANK YOU!!!
ALSO you drew deku so cute and adorable.... i wanna munch his soft lil cheeks.... (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ
#merms tag#friend tag#ask tag#weeps i really am#so blessed#i love u all#monch monch dekumochi monch monch
1 note
·
View note
Text
♡
a sticky note that reads happy birthday baby! on top of a wrapped gift; gone are sungho’s usual sloppy strokes (courtesy of being a med intern), replaced with detailed and neat strokes, each character clear to read. when sorin unwraps it she would be faced with the likes of a vinyl, its sleeve decorated beautifully with snapshots of them, some candid while others posed to perfection to showcase how well they look together.
polaroids of course, in typical sungho fashion.
in between the snapshots, again written in his handwriting, sungho and sorin’s story.
there is a card as well, a quirky message on the front but a heartfelt message inside.
hi baby, happiest of birthdays to the most amazing person i know! i love you so much and i’m so glad we get to spend another birthday together. you probably think this entire gift is super cheesy right? ㅋㅋㅋ i didn’t know what to get you that you don’t already have or can get yourself…but i know how much you appreciate little things like this so i made a vinyl for you…or i guess us? i went all over seoul to find this little place! you’ll understand when you listen to it ㅎㅎㅎ i’m sorry i have to work on your special day, but i’ll be done with my shift by the time afternoon rolls around, i promise. i have the entire weekend planned out for us so just do me a favour and finish packing for us? i lost track of time this morning…ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ love you and happy birthday to my best girl ♡
sorin finds the packing list before the present, tripping over an open luggage after a blessed eight hours of sleep—the first she’s gotten since their client from hell stepped through their company’s doors, case finally closed at almost three in the morning. she’d been more than a little motivated to finish the report before d-day to her day; she’s not going to forget her birthday again like she did last year. ( even if sorin can complain enough to inspire a celebration six months late. )
is this growing up, though? it doesn’t feel so different, twenty three to twenty four. the belated growing pains of muddling her way through independence feel almost serendipitous in the summer sun, now that she’s… here. no more panicky new year resolutions looking for reassurance, broken rusty, iron heavy purse strings of her dad’s money, dissipated facades that she’d pulled trying to prove something for the fourteen year old who’d had her life turned upside down. a decade of growing up—not always in the right direction, maybe, too prone for too long to lashing out before she gets hurt, that always shifting sense of transience like nothing’ll ever last, not for someone like her. moonlit bass and months of chipping away at the dreams that’ve crust and sugared over, melting in the heat of her palms as she learns to hold them open instead of fisted close.
so maybe this is growing up, happiness mellow and still sweet under her tongue. the growing she’s got more of in front of her, and her open hands that’ve found someone to hold while she does. perhaps she ought to wait for him to open her present, but he knows by now how she gets impatient. the terrible pun on the card makes her cover her face, softening to read the message inside it. sorin puts the vinyl on and spends a little too long looking at the sleeve, memories of the pictures she remembers taking ( and cringing at the candids of some that she doesn’t ), a setlist of them filling their apartment with the songs he’s chosen for her. a text message seems too little for thanks, but she sends him a mysterious heart as she packs too many of his shirts and too few of her own for the weekend getaway.
the sun shines brightest on the hottest day of summer, like it knows she’s got a year more to get the better of again, like birthday luck on a special day. and sorin’s always said she doesn’t believe in luck, or fate, and all that wishy-washy bullshit. but hey, she’d said the same thing about love once.
BIRTHDAY LUCK & LOVE, EP 2022
#from summer to fall(ING IN LOVE!!!!!!)#sungso playlist makes me 😭#sry ab the rambling on sorin's arc idek if this makes sense but#hpbd best girl 🥳#THANK U BBY 🥺
3 notes
·
View notes
Note
It’d taken Kaminari blowing up their group chat for Izuku to remember it’s Kacchan’s birthday.
And, well — he gets it. Izuku could list down possibly a thousand and one features of Kacchan that he remembers whole-heartedly and on-the-spot. He is still terrible with dates and anniversaries, though. So caught up in his interests — in his head — that other memorable things in his life tended to sift past through. Even his own birthday barely registered half the time. Even Kacchan’s, it seems.
And so he watches, or rather hears, Kacchan’s group of friends surrounding his room at midnight. Despite what Izuku suspects is angry hollering, there is a lot of laughter too. A lot of warmth and closeness. The type of intimacy Izuku may have wished for when he was much younger, and Kacchan’s sudden distant wasn’t something he could understand well.
It’s… different nowadays though.
It’s been different since the war, and Izuku couldn’t fault anyone for that. They all have their own way of coping with it, dealing with it. Kacchan and him grew another layer to their long history; his death and revival something Izuku knew he could never shake off, and had become both a blessing and a curse in the aftermath. Oh, he will never not be thankful Kacchan’s alive, but the fact he nearly wasn’t… it has left Izuku staggering, half-way between wanting to reciprocate the blonde’s new willingness to close the distance, but hesitant because of what that could mean.
Regardless, Izuku decides immediately he couldn’t leave this birthday with only a wish.
It’d taken Izuku a few days, negotiating with Hatsume Mei and fishing out whatever monetary value he’d earned from his internship, until he acquires it. A specialised chest compression vest that regulates flow of heat and could provide relief from any agitation. It’s also sized to wrap around Kacchan’s shoulder injury well, while leaving room for Kacchan to adjust as he grows or loses weight while their body experience its typical growth spurt.
When he’d put in his request, he wanted the vest to be used strictly for Kacchan’s leisure time or during off-duty. It is meant to ease the blonde’s ache while he’s not working; it’s so, hopefully, Kacchan can sleep every night without being completely in pain, or waking up remembering it. He wanted it to last a long time too. So it’ll be years down the road, and this could still help.
For an extra flair, Izuku added on a customised embroidery of an explosion, with the name PRO HERO DYNAMIGHT stitched below.
He leaves the vest in a box tied with a red ribbon on the outside of the explosive hero’s door. In it, is a set keychain of All Might in Kacchan’s favourite era and a keychain of Edgeshot. There is, of course, a quick instruction manual he insists Hatsume Mei writes for the vest, then the kind of chili oil he saw Kacchan often uses in his cooking but running low off in the shared pantry. When the blonde returns from having spent time with Auntie and Uncle, he will find a card too, simply stating: Wanted to give you your first merch. You might come up with a better logo in the future, though. Happy belated birthday ^^
Always excited to see you grow.
From, Your first fan.
somehow, this birthday was shaping up to be a bittersweet one.
that wasn't at the fault of his classmates, though ; they made the effort to bombard him the moment the clock clicked over to midnight, getting him up at an ungodly hour, enduring his initial wrath ... [ a birthday is just a day, dammit ! ] ... but placating him with an abundance of gifts and well wishes. after all, last year, it was overlooked in favour of finding izuku. the year before, none of his classmates really knew him.
this year was special to the rest of the class because it signified a year of life he could've lost. should've lost, if it weren't for edgeshot. it was just as much celebrating his 18th as much as it was celebrating the fact he was still alive.
katsuki begrudgingly let everyone into his space so they could their gifts ; he doesn't mean to come off as dismissive, but thankfully, none of them took it to heart and sought to pull out smiles and laughs from the blond instead. he was a bit more willing to share his happiness, after all. they'd noticed - he was much less closed off than they knew him in the beginning. kirishima could pull more of a genuine grin than the menacing one he still had in their training. kaminari knew plenty of terrible jokes to coax a restrained huff of laughter and a quick, light-hearted insult.
but there was a notable absence. katsuki hadn't expected much, seeing as there'd been considerable distance between he and his childhood friend since the war drew to a close, but ... a part of him still glanced over the crowd of his class for a glimpse of messy green curls, wondering if the class pulled him along. they hadn't. he didn't ask, though izuku's other friends try to fill in the gaps, giving him possible reasons when there was a distinct look of melancholy or disappointment.
he feels like he shouldn't care. in the end, izuku hadn't been to any of his birthdays since they were in ... primary school, he thinks. he didn't speak up about it their first year. he wasn't at ua for the second. it'd be unrealistic to expect him to show up this year with the others - and katsuki had to be okay with that.
katsuki spends the weekend home with his parents for them to celebrate ; masaru seems to be the most insistent, though the young blond hazards a guess that it's for the same reason the class had. he got cards from his grandparents. mitsuki and masaru got him some practical gifts. dinner that night was katsuki's choice, and he settled on a spicy arrangement of gyozas and soup and karaage.
his folk play catch-up over a video call with his elders. the happy birthday is first, but it's followed with what he's doing, where he is in studies - if he was excelling. if he's healed well. the young bakugou answers, though his mother has to smack him upside the head once or twice for his out-of-turn language.
the weekend goes by quickly, and katsuki is eventually back on school grounds.
katsuki doesn't see izuku the entire way to his dorm room, either, absence ever the more obvious and weighty as he paces through halls and stands in elevator, duffel bag in tow. he reminds himself : he shouldn't care. they hadn't celebrated each other's birthdays in a very long time, and it wasn't going to be a sudden fix even if their relationship was in a better spot than it was years ago. izuku had been the one reinforcing distance, too - and while katsuki disliked it, he promised himself he wouldn't get in izuku's way, so that's what he's been doing.
what catches his eye once he makes it to his dorm room is the gift in front of his door. it wasn't there when he left. a brow raises, gaze glancing down both ways in the hall, before he picks it up and pushes his way into his room. the duffel bag ends up at the base of his bed. his interest is piqued by the gift, and katsuki, he knows he'd much rather find out what it was rather than leave it.
sitting on the edge of his mattress with legs crossing, the blond gives the box a rattle to find out if he could discern its contents. not much noise. maybe a small clatter of something firm, though not as much as the sound of clinking metal ... he thinks. whatever was the main gift didn't make much sound. he picks up the card on top, then, and haphazardly tears through the envelope to gather its contents and read what's said on the inside. he blinks at the familiar writing.
this was izuku's gift, then. even in its belated nature, the blond feels more eager to see what the green-haired boy meant by first merch. there was no point being frustrated that this wasn't given on the day. [ a birthday is just a day, after all. ]
the keychains are first, and there's a small huff of amusement in seeing that midoriya izuku most certainly remembered that katsuki's favourite all might era was actually the silver age. and, accompanied by the edgeshot one, the blond makes the quick decision to include them on his duffel bag. [ they'll eventually find a home on his apartment keys, in the future. they'd have endured a bit of a beating by then, but well cared for otherwise, treasured enough to be maintained. ] then comes the chilli oil - which he places aside to take to the pantry later. did he notice this was his preferred brand ?
the last gift was the real star of the show, though ; calloused palms life the item from the box with his head tilting to the side, brow raising. when he lowers it again, his thumb grazes over the embroidery. there's no need to hide the way his eyes relax at the sight, or the way a smile blossoms slowly on his face, even as he spots the instruction manual sticking out of the box and grabs it to read.
katsuki had been making do with compression bands, athletic tape, and heat rubs, especially when things hurt like hell. this was made to deal with that, without the extra work that comes with ... everything else. he tugs at the fabric.
❛ 'course he'd think of this. ❜ gaze drifts to the embroidery again, to the icon and his hero name proudly announced beneath it. his fingers trace it again. they press into the fabric and pull it again to test its flexibility with the embroidery's location, before humming - satisfied. happy, even. ❛ that fucking nerd. ❜
even from a distance, it seems neither could take their eyes off each other.
when the class gathers for dinner that night, everyone is quick to notice the new compression vest over bakugou katsuki's shirt ; they spot the way it encompasses his shoulder in the same breath, and it swiftly becomes the most interesting talk of the night. a few pester about who gave it to him. they note how well-made it is. everyone comments on the fact that it had his hero name embroidered on.
a couple even note that it doesn't seem like something you'd buy from a shop, for its make was too unique and specifically catered - that, and katsuki never had one where both co-existed.
red eyes make contact with a matching pair of green across the room. for a moment, he contemplates announcing it loudly to the class. maybe they already knew who. [ the two of them, even like this, always seem to move in tandem with one another, understanding what the other needs without words. ]
in the end, he clicks his tongue, pushes people away from his space before answering with an earnest tone : ❛ a good friend got it for me. ❜
@fightaers / katsuki's birthday wishes!
#fightaers#long post /#💥 ⸍ ii. answers.#💥 ⸍ ii. in character.#💥 ⸍ ii. verse: post-wars.#💥 ⸍ iv. bond: fightaers.#/ EVERY TIME BELLA LMAOOO#/ i just ........... these two i swear they're gonna be the end of me
0 notes
Text
to a great new year!
Characters: Rook, Leona, Lilia
Synopsis: going to an end-of-the-year festival with him!
Tags: festival shenanigans, not so rigged carnival games, fluff
Word count: 948
Notes: my very very very belated birthday gift for @hheun!!! happy birthday, merry christmas, happy new year and thank you for being such a sweetheart and always making me smile!! ૮₍ づ˶•༝•˶₎აづ♡
also this is a triple attack brace yourself girl
rahhh tumblr was testing my patience with how much malfunctioning occurred with this post ಠ益ಠ
Masterlist
Rook is the perfect person to bring to a festival!!
he's so excited to be going with you, the beauty of projecting your hopes and wishes together as the new year approaches really moves his heart
with how keen his eyesight is, you'll never get lost, he doesn't even need his um!
though he probably will very smoothly grab onto your hand smiling that joyful grin he always wears, saying it's to make sure you won't stray too far and get lost
he's lying he can find you in milliseconds
he's also the textbook boyfriend who will win whatever prize that has caught your eye!
he's great at shooting games, but also the games where you have to press a timer at the exact time
honestly just point to whatever and he'll have it brought to you within like 5 mins
you want to take aesthetic pics for Magicam? no problem your man is a great photographer and gets bonus points for how enthusiastic and supportive he is!
the perfect angles, the perfect composition, and all the while cheering you on and throwing at you every single compliment that comes to his mind
it's a blessing how optimistic and supportive your boyfriend is, and you're hopeful towards what the new year brings you as well!
You skip back over to Rook once he's lowered the phone. "Ah non!" he exclaims as he swipes through the photos of you with the sparkling lights. When you ask him what's wrong, he looks up to meet your eyes with his teary ones. "
Mon ange is far too beautiful! I cannot help but worry others may want to take you from me..." he muses, wiping away the tear at the corner of his eye.
You slap him lightly on his shoulder, turning away flustered. As if anyone could take you away from him...
Leona is not the most enthusiastic about going to a loud and crowded place, but he's willing to put up with it for you
plus he'd much rather he go with you and not the adeuce duo
he keeps his arm around you almost always just in case you get distracted and run off to look at something interesting
he's good at the games where you knock over cans, throw basketballs, and kick balls at a target, basically all the athletic games
and even if he's not good at the games, rest assured a prize shall be in your hands
his pride would never let him walk away from those stands without getting a prize for you
and plus, he's got money for days
he will scoop goldfish and call it his future meal
he's joking he'd either give it to a kid who wanted it or make ruggie take care of it to remind him of you
he will mumble grumble about how troublesome it is if you ask him to take pictures for you
but you still notice that gentle smile of his as he snaps away
and the pictures turn out exactly how you hoped! make sure to reward your grumpy cat with kisses and cuddles!!
"Hah, this game is child's play." He huffs, only for none of his hoops to land on the bottles. You barely manage to stifle your laugh, but he still throws a quick glare at you. He turns back to the game with his eyes narrowed, focused and strategising.
His next throw lands perfectly on the bottle at the centre, and the staff rings the bell in celebration. You watch in adoration as Leona's face lights up in complete smugness, smirking at his victory.
"See? I told ya I'd get that prize for ya."
Lilia is not really the most reliable person to go to a festival with, given his child-like chaos
you're gonna have to be the one to keep your eye on him, who knows where he'll wander off to if something random catches his interest
you won't even need to ask him what prize you want, he's all for trying every single game and winning
gets so many prizes, he'll start listening this one's for malleus, this one's for silver...
don't forget he has major dad energy so he'll strike up conversation with the staff and suddenly they've known each other for years to the point that the staff gives him hints on how to beat the games
his photography skills are pretty bad, and you'll end up with around 200 pictures added to your phone
despite his enthusiasm and confidence as he threw compliments at you snapping away, only 10ish pictures are usable
the rest are either a blurry mess, or your facial expressions are too... creative
he is to blame he kept making weird analogies and hyping you up so much you couldn't help but burst out laughing
he might be a fossil, but he's definitely mastered gen z photography aesthetics!
he's not the most textbook boyfriend, but you can't deny you hold every chaotic moment dear to your heart
i suppose there's never a moment of monoteny with him!
"Thank you so much! Have a great year!" Lilia waves goodbye to his new friend as the two of you start wandering once again. "Isn't this adorable?" He lifts the giant bat plushie up for you. "Now I'll be sure you'll always be thinking of me, even when I'm not around fufu."
You snap your head towards him, flabbergasted and blushing. But before you could come up with a response, something else caught his attention.
"Oh my! Dearest, look at that!" Feeling a sense of deja vu, you follow his gaze to see a... gargoyle plushie? "It'll be a perfect gift for Malleus!"And with that, he's off, leaving you behind, still flustered as you scurry back to him.
Masterlist
if you liked this post, don't forget to reblog!
#yes milmil this was written in the order of the men you fell for#twstnexus#twisted wonderland#twisted wonderland x reader#disney twisted wonderland#rook hunt x reader#twst rook#rook hunt#leona kingscholar x reader#twst leona#leona kingsholar#lilia vanrouge x reader#lilia vanrogue#twst lilia
301 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
mrmrswales
Mr & Mrs Wales
piko-power
"I am living my best life on Earth!" 🍉
iiiiisssswr-blog
Isw
famira
FAMIRA ICONS