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basketonthedoorstepofthefbi · 1 month

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Spencer Reid x Read fic. Reid and Reader are friends, like best friends. Reader is always offering Reid donuts and listening to his fun facts and info dumps. It's one of those, they both like each other, but also are convinced the other doesn't like them.

Spencer is taking care of a slightly drunk reader whose grandmother called and asked why they're not engaged when they're younger sibling is married and expecting a child. At some point Spencer makes his ever classic comment about how it's safer to kiss and drunk reader, before being able to think, kisses Spencer. I hope that made sense.

OOPS I DID EXACTLY THAT

Safer to Kiss (Spencer Reid x Fem!BAU!Reader)

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!BAU!Reader

Word Count: 2899

Warnings: Mentions of food, drinking alcohol, mild cursing, outdated expectations of women, and lots of pining

A/N: Hi I wrote this in 2 hours and was extremely entertained, please enjoy and if you send me a fic request I'll probably do it bc this is my hyperfixation hobby right now and very much keeping the demons at bay xD @bxm-1012 thank you for dropping by my inbox! I am VERY tempted to make a part 2 of this, I hope you enjoy! c:

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The whole expiration date thing that women faced was, in your humble opinion, complete and utter bullshit. Here you were, slowly approaching thirty (definitely still told people you were twenty-five, when, in fact, you were actually twenty-eight), and the biological clock was ticking. No, you didn’t want kids. Not right now, anyway. Not when you were only two years into your career as a profiler for the FBI’s prestigious Behavioral Analysis Unit. Not when you still had tons of things to check off your bucket list - go to Europe, visit an independent bookstore in every state, pilot a helicopter.

And you didn’t buy into that whole ‘once a woman hits thirty, her stock plummets’ crap. Not usually, anyway.

But Nan’s phone calls always left you questioning your existence.

Back home in Ohio, your little sister, Kendra, had just announced her pregnancy. Three years younger than you (ironically, the age you told everyone you were), and married to a power plant manager, Kendra was living the dream of a woman from the 1950s. You tried your best not to look down on it, to wish for more for her - but Kendra was happy. She’d always wanted to be a mother, and you couldn’t imagine anyone better suited for the role. There was nothing wrong with wanting to be a wife and a mother, to devoting one’s life to it. You reminded yourself of that every time you spoke to Kendra. You especially reminded yourself of it every time you spoke to Nan.

That sympathetic tone your grandmother used when she said, “Oh, Button, you’ll find someone eventually, and you’ll be just as happy as Kenny” was like nails on a chalkboard. You resisted the urge to gag into your speakerphone and simultaneously rip your grandmother a new one. You wanted so badly to explain to her that you were perfectly fulfilled with your life.

You helped lock up bad guys on a weekly basis, you wanted to remind Nan. Your brain was one of few that had been chosen for a task force that caught criminals based on their behavior. It was amazing, working for the BAU, bouncing ideas off of your colleagues, finding a family within this small group of people that spent more than forty hours a week together.

Nan didn’t see it that way. She wanted you to be just like Kendra. She wanted you to have that white picket fence in the suburbs, with a broad-shouldered husband and two little tykes running at your feet. Domestic bliss just wasn’t in the cards for you, you’d decided. And that was okay.

You were still reeling from your conversation with Nan the night before when you walked in to work on Monday morning. It was Derek who caught the raging RBF first. “Woah, pretty girl. Pump. Your. Brakes.” He said, halting you just as you entered the BAU’s bullpen, holding a hand up to stop you.

“Good morning to you, too, Derek,” You flashed him a phony grin, and he rolled his eyes.

“And you’re grumpy this morning… why, exactly?” Derek asked, turning to walk beside you, essentially escorting you to your desk.

“Because I’m allowed to be?” You proffered, shrugging your shoulders, not really wanting to talk about it with him. You loved Derek - hell, you loved all your coworkers - but he was not the person you wanted to go to with these thoughts. You didn’t really want to talk to anyone about it, actually. You just wanted to ride the cranky train until it came to a complete stop.

Emily was returning from the kitchenette with a fresh mug of coffee and decided that the conversation concerned her as well. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“Y/L/N’s wearing her cranky pants this morning,” Derek filled her in.

“Oh, those so don’t match your blouse, Y/N,” Emily teased, winking at you with a smirk before looking at Derek. “Cut her some slack. No one likes Mondays.” Derek held up his palms defensively. “Alright, alright. Forgive me for being a concerned citizen.”

“It’s appreciated,” You told Derek genuinely before setting your bag down at your desk. “But unnecessary.”

It wasn’t until later in the morning, around ten, that anyone bothered you about your obvious bad mood again. This time it was Spencer, the one person you couldn’t possibly be annoyed with. He rolled on his desk chair around the partition that separated your workspaces, holding his hand out expectantly, like he usually did this time of day.

Without speaking, you opened the bottom drawer of your desk and pulled out the white bag of mini powdered donuts that you always kept in stock. They were your guilty pleasure snack, and one of the first things you and Spencer bonded over when you started at the BAU two years ago. That, and the fact that you were the closest agents in age, was how you got along so well so quickly. Over several cases, varying in degrees of intensity, you and Spencer became really great friends. Best friends, actually.

There wasn’t anyone else in your life that you trusted more than Spencer Reid.

You opened the bag of powdered donuts and shook one haphazardly into Spencer’s palm, then grabbed one for yourself. Silently, you cheers-ed your donuts together, and ate them simultaneously, making weird-but-comfortable eye contact as you did.

“Derek says you’re in a bad mood today,” Spencer pointed out with a teasing smirk on his face. A smirk, and white sugar blanketing his upper lip.

“Derek’s full of shit,” you grinned after swallowing your snack, the smile on your face totally facetious. “I’m extremely happy.”

“I can tell,” Spencer snickered as you set the powdered donuts back in your snack drawer, closing it with a clank. You watched as he brought both of his legs up into his desk chair, crossing them like a kindergartner.

The action made your stomach flutter. You’d felt strongly about Spencer for a really long time, probably a year and half, if you had to try and pinpoint it. But there was no use in going down that road with him. For one thing, he was your best friend, and you didn’t want to risk flushing the best relationship in your life down the toilet. For another thing, you knew it was one hundred percent impossible that he could feel the same way.

“What’d you do this weekend?” Spencer asked, and you could tell by the question that he was trying to discover the source of your poor attitude.

“Stayed home, caught up on chores,” You said, crossing your knees and leaning back in your seat, your expression telling him that you knew exactly what he was doing. As much fun as playing mind games with Spencer was, you decided to throw him a bone. “Spoke to my grandmother on the phone last night.”

Spencer nodded understandingly. “Say no more,” he said with a chuckle. “She gave you the whole ‘when are you going to get married’ spiel again?”

You nodded. “Unfortunately. I usually don’t let it bother me, but for some reason it’s just, like, lurking in the back of my mind today.” You shrugged your shoulders and exhaled through your nose. “What about you?” You asked.

“What about me?” Spencer arched a brow, and you rolled your eyes playfully.

“What’d you do this weekend?”

“Oh,” Spencer began, pursing his lips for a moment, like he was hesitant to tell you. “I actually went on a date.”

Your stomach flipped. “Oh yeah?” You choked out, forcing a smile. “Who with?”

“That girl, Lisa, from the coffee shop, the one you told me wouldn’t stop ‘ogling my boy band hair’,” Spencer held up air quotes when he repeated your words from memory.

You recalled the cute barista from the coffee shop just down the highway from Quantico, a popular morning stop for agents on their way to work. You tried to stop the jealousy from turning your blood into fire. “How was it?” You asked, trying to resist the urge to sit on the edge of your seat, trying not to hang on his every word.

Spencer shrugged his shoulders. “It was okay. She was very nice, but there just wasn’t…” he trailed off, gesticulating as the words failed to come to that supercomputer brain of his.

“It was like a donut without powdered sugar on it?” You suggested with a small chuckle.

“Yeah,” Spencer agreed, nodding, meeting your eyes and smiling, mildly amused. “Exactly.”

Spencer went back to his desk a few minutes later, and the rest of the day went on. It was quiet, especially for a day at the BAU. There were, weirdly enough, no open cases right now, so you spent the day catching up on paperwork, which there was always plenty of.

You caught the elevator about ten minutes after five with Spencer in tow, and you held the door open for him. It was just the two of you as you made the descent from the sixth floor, and Spencer leaned against the back wall. “Plans tonight?” He asked.

“Not really, no,” You said, shaking your head. “Why, you want to do something?” You asked.

Spencer nodded. “There’s this landscape and nature photography exhibit at one of the galleries downtown,” he said. “Might be fun. There’s this artist, Milton Harvell, who takes photos of renowned locations around the world but zooms in on an obscure detail and gives the framed photograph to the person who correctly guesses the location.”

You smiled slowly at that. You loved it when Spencer went off on one of his tangents. You found it completely adorable. “It’s actually quite fascinating,” Spencer went on, an amused tone lining his voice, making it sound lighter. “Kind of like a Where’s Waldo, but in reverse. There was this one photograph he took of the Louvre in Paris, but he zoomed in really tightly on a young boy enjoying an ice cream cone. He even went so far as to edit the photograph to make it look like it was a different time of day. The four thousand and eighth person to view the photograph was the person who guessed the correct location.” Spencer’s head bobbed and he was smiling like an idiot.

God, you were down bad.

“Was the four thousand and eighth person… you?” You asked, narrowing your eyes at him scrupulously and allowing a teasing grin to cross your face.

“The photo’s hanging in my living room,” he confirmed.

You laughed softly. “Will there be alcohol at this function?” You asked him, and he nodded.

That was all you needed to hear.

— — —

You and Spencer went straight to the art gallery from work, sharing a cab rather than bothering with your cars. You immediately bought a glass of red wine, and began to follow him around the gallery. You weren’t an art aficionado, not by any means, but you enjoyed looking at beautiful things, and you especially enjoyed spending time with Spencer that wasn’t hunched over a dead body or trying to map out a killer’s comfort zone. It was a rare occurrence, so you tried to soak it all up as much as possible.

Plus, your Nan’s words were still lingering in the back of your head. It’ll happen for you someday, Button. Men just don’t find you strong, career types attractive. Maybe you should soften up your look a little.

You downed your first glass of wine within ten minutes, and caught one of the catering staff passing out champagne almost instantaneously after. The champagne fizzled down your throat as you strolled with Spencer through the art gallery, listening intently as he went on about each piece, rattling off whatever contextual knowledge he had. But you were a little bit biased; you could listen to him list different types of soil and find it interesting.

After the glass of champagne came another glass of champagne, and by the time you made it to the main exhibit Spencer wanted to see, your cheeks were flushed. It wasn’t that you couldn’t hold your alcohol; rather, it just made you a little bit silly. Your inhibitions were lowered, just like it would affect anyone. But with your arm looped through Spencer’s and your Nan’s nagging message still in the back of your mind, you were perhaps a little more loose than usual.

As Spencer examined the exhibit, you tapped your foot, unable to keep still, and scanned the open space. Your eyes landed on another patron of the gallery, a conventionally handsome man about your age, and you found yourself unlooping your arm from Spencer’s, subconsciously not wanting to appear taken.

“Are you gonna go talk to that guy?” Spencer asked, and you snapped your eyes back to his. “Because you can, if you want to. Don’t let me stop you.”

It was almost like he was daring you to. Spencer’s jaw seemed tense as you examined his expression, the way his gorgeous brown eyes darted from the man and back to you. “You don’t mind?” You asked, arching a brow, almost like a challenge.

Spencer shook his head, his lips pursed. “Not at all. I’ll wait here for you?”

You nodded, and turned towards the man. There wasn’t any harm in getting a guy’s number, right? Your feelings for Spencer were a lost cause, anyway. Plus, as Nan liked to point out, you weren’t getting any younger.

The man’s eyes locked on yours and he seemed to understand that you were about to speak with him. He met you halfway, and you shook his hand. “Malcolm Greene,” he introduced himself, and you spouted off your own name in return. “You’re not here with that guy?” He asked, jerking his chin over to Spencer. Your eyes followed Malcolm’s, and you saw Spencer with his body turned towards the photography exhibit, but his head turned to the side, as if he were keeping an eye on you with his peripheral vision.

“Yeah, I am,” you said, and Malcolm’s head inclined to the side. “I am. I’m here with that guy,” you panicked, suddenly realizing in that moment that you weren’t interested in speaking with Malcolm. No, you had absolutely no interest in spending your time with any other man but Spencer Reid. “I just, uh…” Your cheeks flushed, and you stifled an awkward laugh, anxiously trying to come up with some excuse. “I came over here to tell you that your shoe was united.”

Your eyes followed Malcolm’s down to his shoes, which were loafers. Laceless loafers. Malcolm’s mouth opened as if to point this out to you, but you managed to stammer words out first. “Ok, well, have a great night, goodbye!” You turned on your heel and marched back over to Spencer, your cheeks red as you reached out for his arm.

Spencer furrowed his brows down at you as your arm gripped his. “I need another glass of wine,” you confessed.

Twenty minutes later, after two more glasses of wine and a very watchful eye out for Malcolm, you and Spencer left the art gallery. You were awfully giggly on the cab ride back to your place, cracking puns and humming along to the radio intermittently. Spencer seemed to be amused, but more so concerned with getting you home in one piece.

As he walked you up the stairs to the door of your apartment building, he was teasing you about your conversation with Malcolm, which you still hadn’t told him completely about. “I still can’t believe you didn’t get his number. You were talking with him for exactly two minutes and twelve seconds. What, in that short of an amount of time, could have turned you off to him so quickly?” He pondered aloud, a playfully mocking tone lining his voice.

“Listen, I shook his hand! I had my fun!” You exclaimed, bursting into laughter as you leaned against the handrail of the stairs that led up to the door. “Good, clean fun!”

“You know, the number of pathogens that are passed during a handshake is staggering. It’s actually safer to kiss someone,” Spencer rattled off, and your eyes snapped to meet his.

You don’t know what took you over. Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was the way the street lamps reflected in the irises of his eyes, or how you stood just a few inches away from him. Maybe it was his stupid tweed blazer, how he looked like a tenured art history professor despite barely being thirty years old. Maybe it was the way he smelled like pine and printer ink, a combination you wouldn’t have ever thought was attractive.

But when Spencer said that, you stood up on your toes and kissed him. It was slow and innocent at first, until it passed the border into lingering, and Spencer’s hands found your hips, pulling your body closer to his. There was a cool night breeze that filtered through the space between your bodies, and by the time you pulled your lips away from Spencer’s, and slowly opened your eyes, you were completely red in the face and breathless.

No, that certainly wasn’t the safest choice you could have made.

——

read part 2 here

#criminal minds #spencer reid #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x y/n #basketonthedoorstepofthefbi #criminal minds spencer reid #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid x fem!reader #spencer reid x you #spencer reid fic #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid x self insert #spencer reid x fem!baureader

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chrollohearttags · 5 months

Text

all my wishes • portgas d. ace

synopsis: a lost bet, two rambunctious firefighters and an unforgettable birthday full of surprises all transpire when you decide to give your boss the ultimate gift!

content + themes: firefighter ace + reader (black coded but no heavy descriptors), fluff to smut, LOTS of humor, alcohol use, food play, finger sucking, reader spoiling ace, nipple play, so many themes bc they are whores (they talk so dirty to each other 😫) squirting, daddy’s used, spit kink, sweet ending

word count: 7.7K

📝: this started out as a small lil’ drabble but then I remembered that my baby’s birthday was LITERALLY today so I started another insane piece with my other hyperfixation and the #2 ship in the Cherry Cinematic Universe™. I hope y’all enjoy them as much as I do! 🫶🏾 (also, this is coming late becatse when I set my mind to getting something done, it will be done. I don’t give a damn how long it takes and this may the last big piece I get to write for a while so I’m enjoying it!)

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° .** . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° .** . °•★|•°∵

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding!”

“But (y/nnnnn)! You promised! C’mon, you lost so you have to do it. You can’t go back on your word.”

“No, Luffy! Matter of fact, hell no! You know I never would’ve agreed if this was what you were going to pull. I can’t believe you set me up like this..”

The dining table set in the center of company eight’s firehouse had become the scene where quite the interesting debate was transpiring. What began as a normal conversation had quickly escalated to quite the debacle. In about a week or so, a member of your small yet close knit crew would be celebrating a very important occasion..one that everyone was looking to make absolutely unforgettable..everyone except you that was!

“But it’ll mean a lot to him. Especially if it’s from you, I mean you’re practically his wife—“ “take it back and don’t ever say something like that ever again.”

shooting him quite the menacing glare with your arms folded over your chest. Luffy was the younger brother to the vice fire chief and your secret not-so-secret fling, Portgas D. Ace, affectionately known as Ace around the community. That shaggy black top and dotted freckles splattered across his devilishly handsome face that had captivated the heart of any woman who’d been so lucky to be graced with that heartwarming smile. However, that suave charm and boyish features didn’t sway you one bit. At least that’s what you let on to everyone else. See, just like your coworkers, his baby brother was no stranger to the proverbial game of cat and mouse the two of you had been engaged in. There were many times where he’d find himself crashing at his brother’s apartment and find himself on the receiving end of your conversations. Late night calls and visits because you obviously couldn’t get enough of each other. Contacting him under the guise of fighting only to end up settling matters in a different and much more salacious way. Not to mention, in your absence, Ace had spoken quite fondly of you to both Luffy and your own adoptive brother, Usopp. Talking about how insane yet entertaining you were..which was the sole reason for this whole ordeal! See, during a routine training session, Luffy had stopped by to watch on his day off and it was during this time, he spotted an exercise that tickled his fancy..it was whilst he was there, he divulged the idea to both Zoro and Sanji about giving his big brother a surprise birthday party but as everyone knew, Ace wasn’t too particularly keen on celebrating such an occasion. Hell, even the fire chief, ‘Smoker’ and his fellow fire college graduate and good friend Marco were in on the gig. Sure, he made the firehouse lively on a daily basis and when it was time to turn up for any other event, he was the guy you wanted there but when this day came around? He’d ignore it. It was mainly due in part to him never wanting to place emphasis on himself. Ace was selfless in nature and only thought of others. So they hoped that although the two of you had your differences in the past, you’d set them aside for at least one day and grant him the night of his life. But you refused…not only would that arrogant son of a bitch never let you live it down that you did something nice for him but he may not even like it. You’d rather him bring in his special day surrounded by his actual friends. “That’s so fucking stupid!” It was all Luffy could think as he let out a hysterical laugh. Because he knew as well as anyone, Ace wouldn’t want to spend his birthday with anyone other than his precious little rookie! “My brother’s crazy about you, big sis (y/n).” So he placed a nice little wager, unsuspecting to you as he cleaned the truck..

“Let’s see who can do the rope climb and foot race the fastest. If I win, you’ll have to do something for me. And you win, I’ll do whatever you want. Sounds good?!” So with that cheeky grin and precious demeanor, you indulged him. With that, the bet commenced and Luffy challenged you. They knew you were quite the tough nut to crack but if anybody, even with no prior experience, could defeat you..it was Luffy! That hyperactivity and determination proved to be of use. So when he won by only a hair’s breadth, it was a no brainer what he’d choose! Which brought you to this exact moment..

“I don’t know why you’re wasting your breath, Luffy. She’s just going to pitch a fit, pretend she hates him and then have her tongue down his throat later on. It’s no use.”

The snarky comment coming from none other than the foul mouthed, hot headed gym rat of the crew, Zoro. The two of you shared quite the close bond because although he was highly sarcastic, he adored you like that of a sister. Not only that, he was dating your childhood best friend, Janelle. Who was equally yoked with him as a former Marine sergeant and fellow athlete. He’d constantly take jabs at the fact that you tried to wear this tough exterior even though you were a huge softy. “Shut the hell up, Zoro. Like I said, even if I was to plan his party, who’s to say he’d show up or want to be there anyways? You know how he is. C’mon y’all, please don’t make me do this.”

groaning in a loud huff as your head fell back, you’d release a deep sigh as well.

“Trust me, (y/n). I don’t like it anymore than you do..” just then, the resident cook and quintessential pervert, masquerading as a loverboy, Sanji interjected into the conversation. Causing an eye roll and deep groans of ‘here he goes’ “..seeing my beloved sweet with another man? It breaks my heart. But he deserves this. He’s always been so thoughtful of everybody else, never even taking time to deal with his own problems. If it was left up to him, his dumbass would just sleep through the day after drinking his weight in booze. I know you guys have your differences but I don’t think it’d mean more to him if anyone else did this. So please..will you make his birthday special?”

how could you possibly say no when they all looked so damn pathetic?!

“She’s only scared she might actually enjoy herself. I don’t think we need to worry. Even if she says she can’t stand him, (y/n) will never be able to live with herself if she did something half assed. Being an overachiever trumps her being a hater so it’ll be fine.” Scoffing as you donned him with a middle finger. But he wasn’t wrong. Nonetheless, you’d lost the bet fair and square so you had to see it through either way.

“..fine, I’ll do it. But don’t get mad at me when he doesn’t show up. Can’t say I didn’t try.”

it was all they could hope for at this point so they’d leave the daunting task in your capable hands. Little did they know, it was the best idea any of them would have made!

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

a couple days had elapsed since the dilemma of your boss’ birthday came about and unfortunately, only one remained before his twenty eighth trip around the sun would arrive. Luffy divulged the fact that he probably had a mile long list of things he wanted to do but would never say them out loud. You had been using what little free time you had acquired to research and plan out somewhat of an itinerary to fill his twenty four hours with nothing but enjoyable activities. In your time together, when you weren’t at each other’s throats, you’d learn a few things about him. Including his love for nature. He loved hiking, camping, discovering the unknown which made perfect sense, considering the profession you were in. Ace also had an affinity for dancing so you looked up a few spots that had a more casual atmosphere rather than some stuffy five star establishment. Ace may have had quite the flamboyant personality at times but he didn’t do the pompous waiters and over priced appetizers. So you opted for a Latin fusion lounge instead. Where they’d feature a live DJ and you guys could dance whilst consuming delicious food and drinks. A good compromise, finally, you’d end the evening at a hotel where needless to say, the real fun would begin! You’d also acquire quite the stockpile of gifts. With everything from his favorite cologne to some new Nikes he’d been raving about along with some fishing equipment. Just an assortment of his favorite things. It was obvious that you’d put a lot of time and devotion into this. Although no one could tell if you genuinely wanted to or if this was merely another assignment you’d complete to fruition, they sincerely hoped he liked it all!

“Hey lovebug. Need some help?”

it was around ten pm when you’d finally glare at the corner of your laptop and notice the time. It was New Years Eve and when most would be out celebrating, as always, you and your sisters doubling as roommates were inside..partaking in moderate drinking and cheesy movie viewings. Robin, who’d just entered from her bedroom sporting purple negligee, matching robe as she brandished a wine glass. Such a woman of elegance and always did things with grace. If anyone would know how to put something like this together, it’d be her.

“Hey mama. I’m just trying to finish up this plan. God, who knew doing something for a man would be so exhausting..” which elicited a laugh from her. As you tapped away at your keyboard, navigating your touchscreen with the swipe of a finger, she’d take a seat next to you. “You must really like him.” Quite obviously that was the last thing you wanted to hear! The thought of actually liking Ace beyond a physical level? It made you want to chuck yourself from a window! But the truth was, you had grown fond of him. It just seemed as if everytime you wanted to get closer to him or feel an ounce of something other than pure hatred, he comes in with some snide remark or a low blow. Not to mention, he didn’t exactly strike you as the type to be monogamous and exclusive to one woman. Firefighters were notorious for infidelity and that asshole constantly bragged about his conquests. Although you couldn’t take him seriously half the time. A real, true healthy relationship would be all but impossible with him. It was a tug of war with this man and you were exhausted from playing. You’d been hurt before and you didn’t want to experience that pain again.

“And what would make you say such a horrible thing like that, Robin?” “That lovely little pile of gifts you hauled in here the other day and the fact that you’ve been at this for almost a week. Putting all of this time and effort into planning a birthday? I don’t think you’d do that for just anyone. Even if it was just a bet..” affirming with a sip of wine. She had a point but you weren’t exactly going to admit it either..

“Yeah, well the only thing I want to give him is a goddamn knuckle sandwich with a side of fruit punch.” A comment that nearly made her spit up her fresh sip from laughter. She could see through you like a pane of glass! It was blatantly obvious just how much you adored this guy and although it wasn’t the typical bond for budding lovers, they were mutual if nothing else. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think he truly feels ill will towards you. The exact opposite honestly. If anything, I think it comes from a place of adoration. He’s obviously quite fond of you, otherwise, he wouldn’t be on your case as much. I think what you’re doing for him is going to mean far more than some overly lavish party with a bunch of people. I don’t know him very well and please feel free to correct me but…he seems like a genuinely good guy. A little misguided sometimes but he has a good heart, ya’ know? The way he rushed over to comfort you, even though his own eyes looked exhausted? He seems like he just needs someone to take care of him for once.”

you hated more than nothing else that Robin was always right! Maybe it was a bit selfish of you to not consider how he’d felt. There was obviously a reason he didn’t want to celebrate his birthday. It had been a sore subject one way or another so it was your job to give him a reason to enjoy it again. And you could lie to yourself but deep down, you wanted to see this through as well. Not just to clear the debt but to see him genuinely happy. Smiling and laughing for himself..not just to cheer up others. “Jesus, it’s hard being friends with a doctor. They always know what they’re talking about.” Sending Robin into a fit of chuckles yet again. “Well honey, even all of these degrees can’t solve matters of the heart. Trust me, I know the feeling of loneliness all too well and he’s certainly in need of someone to let him know he has a place in this world and his day of birth is not something to feel ashamed of.”

Just then, you’d hear the front door creak open and you were promptly joined by Nami and her longtime partner, Vivi who were both looking to interrupt the conversation. They had just returned from the store to retrieve your libations for the evening. “Mind if we join you ladies?” Brandishing two bottles of champagne, beelining for the kitchen to grab glasses. “It’s almost new years, girls. Let’s party!” The cavalry had arrived and it was time to set this aside and let loose. Tomorrow, you’d be celebrating for an entirely different reason and you hoped that he would share the enthusiasm someday.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

page break and time skip because this is already long, I’m sorry!) ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

6:00PM, January 1st

“Jesus, rookie. Do you have molasses in your ass or something? I swear you take forever to get ready.”

an agitated voice rang out through the bathroom door of the hotel suite where you had been residing for the day. A king size bed positioned in the center, surrounded by clothing you’d strewn aside. Luckily, you’d tipped the housekeeping staff generously to not only spruce it up but to have it prepared when you returned from dinner. It would be the final touch on what was shaping up to become the ideal birthday. Aside from his obligatory smartass remarks, Ace really seemed to be having a good time. Even if you could sense his reservations to enjoy himself..everything had been a success so far. See, you had begun the day bright and early, five am to be precise; setting the trap for this illustrious surprise. You texted him under the guise of wanting to meet up for a morning hike, which wasn’t out of the ordinary, as it wasn’t uncommon for you two to train together. But strictly professional, mainly because Zoro’s freakishly strenuous training would kill you and Sanji wouldn’t be able to contain himself watching your tits jiggle whilst you ran. You told him to bring his gear, which he did so..you guys met up at your usual spot, the entranceway to Twin Flames Peak and began the trek up the canyon . Although he was making his usual comments, you could tell his mood was a bit more somber than usual. He sucked at hiding his emotions, that much was apparent. But you only sensed so because you were alike in that regard and so many others. Finally, you made it up to the top. But it was there that with your back facing him, you’d place your hands to your hips and laugh, making him fear you were about to do something heinous.

“Would you stop being so damn sad? It’s your birthday for god’s sake, at least smile a little. I know you’re getting old but I’m not used to seeing you without that stupid ass grin. It scares me.”

to which he’d audibly yet softly gasp. There was no way you of all people had remembered that! Although you teased about hating each other, it was the furthest thing from..even so, you kept your distance in personal affairs outside of sex. It’d feel too intimate and getting attached was something both of you feared. But that was all but thrown out of the window when you gave him his first gift of the day. “What?.. you didn’t think I’d remember, did you? Well too bad, you’re stuck with me and you’re gonna have a good time whether you want to or not. You’ve got a big day ahead of you. The only thing I want is for you to enjoy yourself..you have to promise me that.” His dumbfounded expression soon curved into a toothy smile, along with a hearty cackle. You managed to get one over on him and if nothing else, he could grant you that! You’d instruct him to search his bag, to which he’d find a card..sealed in a bow. How you’d manage to sneak that in, he’d never know but once he opened it, he nearly collapsed. Inside was a photo of him and his parents. He hadn’t seen either of them in years due to his work and then living states away back home but you could tell he loved them dearly. His mom had experienced some health issues recently but thankfully she was doing better but it was looking grim for a while. He’d call them every week, especially his mother whom he bonded with the most. So you took the liberty of reaching out and having them record a nice message to their son, wishing him a happy birthday. Telling him how proud they were and how much they loved him. He was already emotional and the sun had barely risen.

“Damn you, rookie. Who put you up to this?” Sniffling and laughing through tears. Because there was no way you were doing this of your own volition. Which was halfway true. Although you lost the bet, you’d still gone far overboard from what anyone expected. Spending rent like prices on this man and planning out an extravagant schedule. Even other first responders from his academy class who were no longer working for a set company came to fill in for the couple days. Turning on your heel, you’d giggle and walk towards him, planting a kiss on his cheek. “Oh Ace, my sweet dumb boy, you’re so cute thinking that anyone alive could tell me what to do. Now let’s go before we miss our check in time at the hotel.” “Hotel? Makes me sound like a cheap slut you’re renting out for the day.” “You are a slut, my dear but you most certainly aren’t cheap.” Having checked in for two days. And already, it was shaping up to be a wonderful day. From there, you two would head to the Laporte Hotel in the next town over, where you’d be spending the day. The car ride back was much more lively as the two of you laughed, spoke and talked about different things. The most amicable you’d ever been. He’d tell you about his upbringing and how he’d grown up with Luffy and his other adoptive brother. He’d talk about cooking and helping around the house for his mom and hunting with his dad. He was genuinely excited and a part of you thought it was the cutest thing. Next on the docket was breakfast..you took him to this bistro where you guys had eaten once when you were invited to a summit for firefighters on public safety. You recalled the first time you saw him in that dress uniform. Hat and white gloves accenting the ensemble..he looked so good! You hated to admit it but that charisma and confidence he exuded while delivering his speech was such a turn on. His favorite thing on the menu were the crepes and you ordered him the biggest stack he could eat. You two chowed down on delicious foods before checking in with bags in tow. You even managed to snap a couple of photos and videos of him, wearing a bright smile in case he decided to lie and say he didn’t enjoy himself. He entered the room and jumped on the bed like a child..causing you to shake your head.

“Would you get down from there?! You know you’re getting up there in age, old man. One wrong move and that hip is out of place.” To which he retorted and stuck his tongue out. “I’m twenty eight not ninety eight, you smartass. Besides, I think you of all people know how great of shape I’m in.” Flashing you a wink, which only prompted you to snark your lips before turning around to pin your hair up before going to the pool. Platinum gray tresses atop your head from that new install you’d gotten. In all fairness, it was his fault it had to be redone anyway so you figured you’d change it up entirely. He wasn’t mad in the slightest because that color complimented your skin so well. “If you’re referring to that weak ass stroke game of yours, spare me—“ but it wasn’t even a full second before you could finish the sentence before you found yourself tousled over his shoulder with your half covered asscheek being smacked. “Oh shut up. You didn’t even believe that when you said it.” Cackling before tossing you onto the bed for a little pregame makeout session. It was nice, honestly and from the way he was kissing and caressing you, it was hard to tell who exactly was supposed to be getting pampered today! Even letting out a whimper when he licked and bit on your neck. “I know what I want more than anything today..” “..mmm, what’s that?” and his response: “that’s a secret. Classified information..” The spontaneity of his was such an attractive trait..a man of adventure and strong will. “Save your energy, baby boy. You’re gonna need it for later…”

but unbeknownst, he had no interest in waiting to unwrap his most sought after gift. It was around noon time when you guys hit the giant indoor pool. Filled with crystalline blue waters and most importantly, it was heated because the one outside was more than likely freezing. Swimming around and splashing water on each other. You’d even rent out the private jacuzzi, where he’d down flutes of champagne. Something he never thought he’d do in his entire life! Ace grew up in rather humble beginnings and in rough terrain. His entire life consisted of rough conditions..now here he was being catered to like a damn princess! It wasn’t his style in the slightest but it was something he could acclimate to, at least for a day or so..

“Never thought I’d be day drinking in a fucking jacuzzi like a divorced aunt but here I am.” Uttering with his arms outstretched as you swam over to him. “Well even a jackass like you deserves nice things every once in a while.” Teasing as you rubbed on his bare chest, trailing over his tattoo. Still insisting on committing to the bit of insulting him. Honestly, he wouldn’t want it any other way though! It was his favorite part of your charm and it showed that you guys shared a bond that he couldn’t with any other woman. He liked that you challenged him..that you made it worth the chase. He’d wear you down eventually and when he did, the moment would be that much sweeter. “God, I can’t wait to shut that pretty little mouth of yours later..” setting the tone for the sexual tension that was sure to be insurmountable by the end of the night. “We’ll see. You should know by now you can’t tame a girl like me.” Flicking your tongue around those glossed lips before wrapping them around your champagne flute, which made him twitch behind those swim trunks.

his resolve proved to be rather weak because the second you made it back to the room, swaddled in warm towels to dry your damp bodies, he’d just have to get himself a small sample. You’d been straddling his thigh in the water and although you were floating intermittently, you could feel that cock growing erect when you brushed it. So once that door was locked, you’d find yourselves in the shower..tongues deep down each other's throats; your head spun around as he fed you back shots. Holding the center of your stomach whilst he did so. From the bathroom back to the bed, your nude bodies made contact with the cool air as he flicked his tongue around on that exposed clit. Spreading you open on the crisp sheets and devouring that sloppy cunt. Slurping on that bud with strings of spit fluttering all around those plump lips..enjoying his feast. “..c’mon, baby. It’s my birthday…I think I deserve a little treat.” Taunting for his reason as to why he couldn’t hold back his urges. Hopelessly moaning and rutting the mattress as he spouted all sorts of debaucherous thoughts. Your white painted toes resting atop his shoulder blades as those brown eyes darted back into your skull and your breath caught. “I see one of my wishes came true. Finally got you to shut the fuck up.” “You got lucky. That’s it.” Even gliding a hand up to your throat for added pleasure. You were in for it today, that was certain! The remainder of the afternoon was spent lounging and lazing around, a luxury that didn’t come often in your profession. You spent every waking moment thinking of the dangers that surrounded you. You had witnessed gruesome scene after gruesome scene and oftentimes, the only way to cope was through your vices. It felt nice not to have that lingering over your head for at least a day. Your head on his chest as you slept and naturally, he took the opportunity to plant a few kisses on your forehead, along with snapping pictures of you with drool seeping from your mouth!

finally, the moment had arrived and the two of you were setting out for dinner at Viva!, the Latin fusion lounge that had been all the rave around here. You told him that you wouldn’t do anything too extravagant but you couldn’t help but to splurge a little. The two of you spent the next couple of hours getting ready. You’d FaceTime your friends whilst patting on makeup with cameos from the birthday boy himself. They were thrilled to see him enjoying himself..and the both of you looked absolutely stunning! Ace dressed in a black button down with the chest slightly open. Short sleeves to display his array of artwork..a gold plated belt buckle with the Gucci emblem in the center of his waist with black slacks on and suede loafers on his feet. The face of his gold wristwatch reflecting from the light, fragrant scent of cologne wafting from his body. He looked and smelled absolutely delectable. Unraveling your curls from underneath your bonnet, (y/n) sat before the vanity mirror with your makeup setting. It was whilst you were applying your lipstick that he’d steal another kiss. Swatting him away, you’d try to stop him before your hard work was muddled. “You’re going to ruin my makeup, quit!” Attempting to evade his barrage of smooches. But he was insatiable, absolutely enthralled with how beautiful you looked. “Might as well get a head start.” Only earning him a deep scoff and a hard eye roll!

“You’re impossible. I’m going to put on my dress, I’ll be ready in a minute and try not to beat your dick while I’m gone, you pervert.” “That honor goes all to you, my beloved.”

rising from your seat and strutting over to the bathroom, where you’d strip from your coverup and begin to place on the ensemble of the evening; a form fitting red dress with velvet material and a thigh high split. Strappy heels curling your calves and jewelry adorning your neckline and ears. Almost entirely different contrasts from your day jobs..it’d be hard to even recognize the two of you without yellow armored suits and soot covering your faces. You had to admit, it felt nice to be dressed up for an occasion that didn’t involve work conferences. You had been in there a little too long for his liking, mainly because he was growing impatient and wanted to see the final product. In truth, he was sweating bullets, wondering just how he’d react to seeing you all dolled up..knowing you’d gone through the trouble just for him. Even his palms perspired..

“Jesus, rookie. Do you have molasses in your ass or something? I swear you take forever to get ready.”

but you wouldn’t keep him in suspense for long. He’d rise to his feet and moments later, he’d be graced with the sight of quite possibly the most beautiful thing he’d ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on. “Don’t rush me. I know it’s your birthday but you don’t have to be a jerk..so, what do you think?” the door swung open and you came strutting out, an absolute vision of beauty and the sole object of his desire! Ace couldn’t even fathom what he was feeling. His eyes stretched wide open and voice caught in his throat. If you guys stayed in this room any longer, he had no guarantee you'd make it out! So he’d merely grasp your hand, placing a gentle peck atop it. No jokes or snide remarks. “..you look absolutely beautiful, mi amor.” The compliment brought you sheer butterflies. Smirking as he led the two of you out of the room. Tonight was sure to be one for the books.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Viva! was unlike any other place either of you had frequented before. Ambient orange lighting set the tone for the atmosphere..lively music thumping through the speakers with Spanish lyrics and sleek, elegant interior. You guys arrived right at the rush..the late night date crowds and parties of young people chopping it up. It was bustling but amid all the chaos, Ace only had eyes for you..

“Alright, so I gotta ask and you better be honest with me.”

surrounded by a table full of emptied plates that were once carefully curated and styled with beautiful dishes, now consumed along with intricately mixed drinks, you guys sat across from one another, discussing the day and various other topics. Akin to that of a real couple..

“Go for it.”

“So why do you hate celebrating your birthday so much? I mean, it’s the one day out of the year that you get to feel special. It doesn’t make sense.” It was something that you and everyone else was dying to know as well. But the answer wasn’t exactly a simple one either. Truth be told, it had always been a sore subject for the vice fire chief. It started in his youth and the habit had stuck with him ever since. A secret he’d disclose only to you.

“Truth be told…my family was really poor growing up. My brothers and I were raised by our grandparents mainly, because our parents were in and out of trouble. Not that I hold it against them or anything because they were products of their environment, I still love them..but we had to grow up pretty fast because of that. We didn’t have time to focus on trivial things like birthdays, we had to survive and that was our only goal. So I guess it stuck, y’know? As you get older, the less people tend to care about those things. It’s just another day..” suddenly, you’d feel your heart sink and become heavy with a tinge of sadness. This entire time you’d spent giving him hell and he’d come from the very same side of the tracks you had. You two weren’t all that different, maybe that’s why you couldn't stand him because he was all too familiar..reminding you of your own trauma and upbringing. Without saying a word, he’d continue on with his speech. Continuing to pour your heart out now that you had him feeling sentimental..

“…I know you were probably convinced by my brothers and the guys at the firehouse to take me out. Hell, I don’t think anyone would willingly want to be around me this long. Even so, I appreciate you, rookie. For all of this. It means a lot.” ..in that moment, something within you broke. Those steel, guarded walls that had been shielding your heart finally began to crack. In that moment, Robin’s words would begin to sound off in your ear and all you could do is laugh. She was right! Dammit..she was always right. This man was so much more than what you thought of him and it took this whole ordeal to come to grips with that. Lowering your head, you’d begin to chuckle and reach over for his hand.

“You really are dumb. How many times do I have to tell you..no one gives me orders. Not even you..I’m exactly where I want to be right now. So enjoy yourself and stop acting as if you’re wrong for finally doing something nice for yourself. It’s your night.”

it was all he needed to hear, honestly. So he’d do exactly that! He’d indulge in all of the drinks, laugh until his stomach hurt, he’d even ask for your hand in a dance. Promptly teaching you how to do a quick bachata. He truly had fun, and for the first time in his young life, he lived without guilt or consequence. No limitations or reservations and he allowed himself to enjoy the things he denied himself for so long. Peace, happiness and selfishness. For one night, it was all about Ace! The staff would come out with sparklers blazing around a tray with a slice of lava cake plated in the middle. Reading ‘Happy Birthday Ace’ around the perimeter. He’d stare at the dessert, contemplating for a moment before you spoke.

“Well, what are you gonna wish for?” And he knew just the thing..the only thing he wanted..blowing out the single candle as he closed his eyes and set his manifestation into the universe. You’d catch the whole thing on film to commemorate the moment. It was a night that would remain freshly implanted in your memories for a long time. But it was far from over..

so fast forward an hour or so..from a quick Uber ride across town to the hotel elevator where you couldn’t keep your hands..or lips to yourselves, you’d vehemently make out the entire way to the room. Tipsy on one another with both alcohol and admiration..peeling each other out of those clothes and whispering naughty nothings into each other's ears. Him telling you how he was going to make you come until your mind went blank..and how you were going to let him use your mouth and throat to his heart's content. So debaucherous and lewd, but the steamy moment was only set to intensify. Because while you were gone, the hotel staff was equipping your suite with more of that delicious champagne from earlier, along with strawberries, ice, chocolate sauce and a few other things. He had no idea what was coming to him. As quiet as it was kept, you’d always wanted to spoil your partner like this and although your relationship was fairly complex, you’d take this all the same. So with pure lust fueling you, you’d rip one another out of those designer threads, letting them fall to the floor before you’d jump into his arms and he'd place you on the bed where he wasted not another moment utilizing those delicacies left here.

“Strawberries and chocolate, huh? If I didn’t know any better, rookie..I’d say you were a little freak. What’s next, handcuffs?” “Oh please, this pussy drives you crazy enough as is. You sure as hell wouldn’t leave me alone if I pulled that out.”

the real reason he couldn’t get rid of you is because you matched his wit perfectly! Always with a slick remark to his jokes. With you sprawled out before him, completely on display for his taking, you’d lie there as he dredged a strawberry over your lips before allowing you to suckle on it. Meanwhile, his fingertips, brandishing a piece of ice, slowly trailed down your torso all the way to your sensitive center. He watched your reactions in real time. Seeing you writhe, whimper and moan; begging him for more with your reactions. Tongue extended and lapped over that strawberry before biting into it. “More, baby? Is that what you want?” Taunting the question whilst that ice cube resided over your clit. Making it melt with the direct reaction to your sticky heat..such a beautiful sight. “Yes!..please..” the first time in a while since he’d heard you in such a submissive manner. He wanted you so badly..to sink his cock into you once more but he wanted to truly get you so stimulated and aroused, you wouldn’t be able to bear another moment without him. Very lightly coating his fingers in that sweet sauce, he’d allow you to suck every remnant of it off whilst still circulating that cube over your bud. Positioning that head up as if he were cradling you. “Good girl..show me how you’re gonna use that mouth. Keep sucking like that and I’ll let you get the real thing..” just that quickly, he’d turn you from sarcastic, snarky brat to his obedient, whiny slut. He couldn’t ask for more!

Ace persisted with his foreplay for as long as he saw fit; bringing you to the edge of climatic bliss, only to snatch it away. Upon training your mouth, he’d graduated you from strawberries and fingers to the beaming tip of his cock. Positioned on his knees as he instructed you to keep yours parted whilst his fingers explored your dripping core. Maneuvering around to stretch that tight little cunt to his liking. Meanwhile, your throat served as merely a vessel for his unrelenting pleasure. Gagging erupting as he pushed and forced your head down onto his shaft. Becoming far more aggressive than he was prior. It seemed that he was finally sick of showing restraint. “That’s it, baby…take it deep. Take that fucking dick down your throat. Gag on it—fuck, just like that.” His deep tone teeming with lust. Meanwhile, the only thing that you could do was whimper, moan and gurgle as he used your mouth so carelessly. Those eyes were smeared with the beautiful application of makeup you had worked so hard on. You looked an absolute mess but your body told a different story. That juicy little center was leaking from this brutal treatment. Loving the sensation brought forth by being manhandled. Choked, slapped and even your jaws getting filled with globs of saliva. Swallowing and licking his balls as he jerked himself above your face. “Yeah, look at me while you do it, baby. Let me see how much you love being my little slut.” He may have been bashful but the two places his confidence shone were on the battlefield and in the bedroom. This man was like an entirely different person behind closed doors. One you’d gladly allow you to use your body in any way he saw fit. “What do you say when I spit in that pretty mouth, huh? Don’t tell me you forgot your manners..” “..thank you, daddy. Give me more, please.” To which he’d oblige. Before long, you found yourself on top of him, positioned perfectly on his cock as it resided in your hilt. Although you were a complete wreck already, he was far from done. He wanted to claim you in mind, body and spirit..have you so addicted, you would feel like oxygen had escaped your lungs when he wasn’t around. Turned in a reverse cowgirl position, Ace clutched your hips and guided you up and down to his leisure. Your pussy stuffed to the brim and throbbing around his cock. All you could do was gasp as those hard thrusts jolted you around.

“You didn’t think I’d take it easy, did you? Nah, baby. I wanna hear you fucking scream. I want you coming all over this dick..”

firm in his intent, roughly bucking those hips into the plump of your ass. When you couldn’t contain yourself, he’d take the liberty of folding your legs behind your head in a sitting full nelson. An intricate but effective position. One he could claim that cunt in without limitations. Your eyes would fluctuate between open and closed, stuck in your skull and front and center. Your entire body was riddled with ecstasy and it wouldn’t be long until you’d find yourselves reaching that breaking point. Even so, it didn’t stop either of you from wanting more than your share. You wanted it to hurt..to feel every part of him. To fuck his frustrations, emotions and all out on you. All those times he couldn’t have a happy ending. For when he’d spent another year getting older but all alone..drowning his sorrows in a bottle, you wanted tonight to be the atonement for that. For him to feel nothing but joy!

“Oh my God! Right there, baby. Please..take this pussy. It’s yours..fuck—“

so through all of the salacious cries and dirty desires, you wanted to know above all else..he was special.

“Yeah? It’s all mine?” His tone was still rough but cooing as he relentlessly pounded up into you. Forcing tears down your cheek. Although they were purely of joy. That much was apparent by the look on your face. You were in utter bliss. So full of ecstasy and happiness! You’d never felt anything like this. What was it?…it was far more than just the normal lust you two experienced together. “God, I love this pussy so much..I love you. I love you so much, baby. Oh my gosh, I can’t get enough of it..” admitting so carelessly. He had no regrets. He’d known that he’d felt that way from the very start and maybe the alcohol made it easier to admit but he was done pretending. You were the only woman for him! So through tear filled eyes, you’d pant and try to hold it in, along with that brimming orgasm, but you couldn’t any longer.

“I love you more! I love you so much, Ace…please, I need you..”

those words were the ones he’d been dying to hear all along and he could tell you meant it. Meant every one..all he could do was think about how relieved he was. His heart couldn’t stop beating and neither of you could stop crying. It made an already surreal moment even more magical. When he’d instruct you to release at the same time as him. On the count of three, your trembling bodies explode like fireworks in a fit of pleasure and passion. The intensity dredged up so many feelings but only one thing was for certain when he found the strength to reposition you onto your back..cradling your face into his palm as he hoped to quell you. Telling you how great of a job you’d done. He had to know, he had to say it for real this time.

“Did you mean that, baby? Do you really love me?..” and it was simple. It was the same a million times over:

“Yes…I love you, Ace. And I’m so sorry it took me this long to realize it. You were never my enemy. I should’ve seen that sooner. I hope you can forgive me.”

touching his face and swiping his tears away with your thumb. All he could do was sob tears of utter bliss in that moment. He was finally able to be vulnerable, no longer able and not needing to hold back his emotions. It made you see just how much he needed you all the same. “Wait, what’s wrong?” You were worried. But truthfully, there was no need. Because as it turns out, you’d granted him the one thing he’d wanted more than any shoes or watches out of today and that was your heart! He wanted to hear you finally utter those words and he got it. To him, this was hands down the best birthday ever!

“Nothing at all. It’s just that..all my wishes came true tonight. If that’s not heaven smiling down on me, I don’t know what is.” “Because no one deserves it more than you..happy birthday, my love.”

and you only hoped that you’d get to experience so many more by his side!

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° .** . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° .** . °•★|•°∵

@ichigosluvrr @dancingwithdeities @hoesluvshanti

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stvharrngton · 7 months

Text

kinktober: day twenty eight

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

kink: almost getting caught

warnings: smut, 18+ minors dni, unprotected p in v, best friend stevie, secret relationship

word count: 0.8k

taglist: @inkluvs @dukesmebby @sweetbabygirlsworld @kennedy-brooke @gvf23 @wheel-of-hyperfixation @mooonyweasley @steveshairspray @jjmaybankswifes-blog @steves-babysitter @vxoguesworld

KINKTOBER MASTERLIST

It was your little secret.

Something just for the both of you, something kept from your friends and family. You couldn’t be bothered with the questions of when and how long and those who would insist that they knew all along when they really didn’t.

Your secret relationship with your best friend, Steve. It kept you on your toes especially when you were hanging out in a group and all you both wanted was to curl into one another. The longer you kept it a secret, the more risks you took.

Tonight was one of those nights, Steve’s eyes constantly burning a hole in the back of your head, his hand lingering on the small of your back when you were both in the kitchen. You could tell he wanted something, that he was in the mood for something.

You took the hint and excused yourself from the group, making your way to the upstairs bathroom in Steve’s house. You left the boy chewing his lip on the couch, eyes checking his watch every so often before he eventually made his move.

He leapt from the couch, coming up with the lamest excuse on why he had to join upstairs, insisting he was going to check on you. The group waved him off as Steve made his way straight to you.

He opened the door to find you perched on the counter in his bathroom, your legs crossed letting the hem of your skirt ride up your legs. Steve made sure to lock the door behind him, finding his place between your legs.

Steve cupped your face, pressing his lips to yours in a rushed, messy kiss. It was wet and passionate, your own fingers finding their home in your hair.

“Haven’t been able to stop thinking about you all night,” he breathed against your lips, “been driving me crazy.”

“Well,” you chuckled, feeling the familiar tingle in your stomach as Steve’s lips found your neck, “you’ve been staring at me like a crazy person all night. I’m surprised no one noticed.”

He pulled you to the edge of the counter, your fingers fumbling with his belt buckle whilst your lips were still attached to Steve’s. He caressed your doughy thighs, fingertips sliding up until they reached your panties. He pulled at the waistband until they hung around your ankles.

“Fuck,” Steve moaned out, shoving his jeans and boxers down his thighs enough for his cock to spring free, “I really, really wanna taste that sweet pussy of yours baby, but I don’t think we have enough time.”

Spitting in his palm, Steve lubed himself up, lining the tip of his cock up with your entrance. He let the tip brush over your clit once, twice, much to your dismay.

“Stop being such a tease, Harrington,” you whined, your hands finding purchase on his shoulders, “we’re gonna get caught!”

The boy chuckled as he sank his cock into you as far as you could take it, Steve’s hand beating your own to your mouth as you moaned out. “Well,” he whispered, “you better be a good girl and stay quiet, yeah?”

Something about the premise of getting caught really did a number on Steve’s brain and his cock. Having to sneak around and stay quiet, the risk of it all sent him into a tizz.

Steve fucked you hard and fast, hips snapping as you moaned quietly against his hand, his palm firmly against your mouth still. Your lashes fluttered as you clung onto the counter the best you could.

He was about to let it all go, his climax around the corner until he heard a set of footsteps trudging up the stairs. Both your eyes went wide, your hands scrambling to fix your clothes but Steve held you in place, placing his index finger to his lips. He hushed you quietly, the movement of his cock slowing, but never stopping.

“Steve?” the familiar voice of Robin sounded from the other side of the door, her hand wrapping around the door handle, “Everything okay in there you two?”

Steve’s lips formed into a shush, as he nodded gently, whispering a good girl to you. You purse your lips to keep yourself quiet, your eyebrows knitting together in worry and frustration.

“Yeah, Rob,” Steve called out, as calm and collected as anything. His eyes were totally focused on you, his pupils dark and blown out, the thrill making his cock impossibly stiffer inside you, “she’s, uh, not feeling too good. I’m gonna, shit, gonna clean her up and take her home.”

You could only imagine the look on Robin’s face on the other side of the door. Your cheeks went bright red, your pussy soaking Steve’s cock as your skin became red hot and clammy. You had to sink your teeth into the palm of your hand to keep you from making a noise.

Robin wished you well but the scepticism in her voice was clear as day. Only when the coast was clear did Steve bring his hand to your cheek, his lips brushing against yours as he whispered,

“Don’t worry, honey,” he cooed, “I promise I’ll fuck you properly, fuck you nice and good when I take you home.”

#steve harrington #steve harrington smut #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington blurb #steve harrington oneshot #steve harrington fanfiction #steve harrington fanfic #kinktober2023 #k.fic

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critterbitter · 4 months

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HELLO HI ID LIKE TO ASK WHAT PROGRAM AND BRUSHES YOU USE CUZ IM LITTERALY EXPLODING EVERYTIME I SEE YOUR ART

actually actually... *pulls out whole stack of paper*...I have. a FEW,, a good few,, questions to ask. they are not many I swear 😇

OK SO FIRST OF ALL HOW DO YOU DRAW SO FAST???? everyday I log onto Tumblr I always see something new from you and I get very very happy. But then I start to question my own existence because not even I CAN SPEED RUN ART LIKE THAT. AND SO SPECTACULARLY TOO

Last question! how do you color and make it look so well?? just. How. I need to know. This is a CRY FOR HE-

anyway thank you for being one of my favorite artists that always feed my brain rot, pls keep making amazing art because like a little yamper I will follow behind and stay updated.

(Stands there)

Response and thoughts under cut!

First question! What art program I use!

Mostly procreate, along with a handful of brushes! (Specifically the Jing Set and some custom stuff, which is really just a circle brush with the shape changed to a square.)

Second question! How do i draw so much!

Okay so. I am. Ahhah. Unemployed,,,,? No, I do freelance illustration, but hmm. A studio job would be nice.

i graduated college last year and I’m very used to eight hour art shifts. The body sort of remembers to keep working, even though I no longer have storyboards or visdev homework to do.

Also. The hyperfixation is a deep vast tunnel I STILL have not seen the end of the light to, good golly. (I have dreams now about the kids committing shenanigan crimes. I wake up in cold sweat and write them down in a journal. It’s like being the mouthpiece to an angry god.)

So the overall gist is: I was trained to be a storyboard artist with a visdev background, and I’m using that higher education to draw funny muppets because my brain’s funny.

I also DO have a queue, and I’ve been treating this as a sort of inktober project. I am definitely going to slow down soon though! Maybe. Hopefully. Ah… (sheepishly drops my kofi here)

Third question! How do i color!

I. I, uh. I dont know man the coloring demons have a grip on my soul and i just go along for the ride. But also, if it helps, i prefer to limit my pallets to only a few colors at a time. Lighting is king, so if you can figure out if you want to focus on either on your lights or shadows, you’ll have a much easier time composing. That, and symbolic colors— idk, something hits different about art drenched in gold with a tiny hint of a man staring into the blinding horizon, or a green leafy environment with a single dot of artificial red. I also like using blue and purple for shadows, and I’m a big fan of muting colors with only one or two that pop— one of the reasons why I was so attracted to submas in the first place is because from a design aesthetic, they’re both super funny muppet men AND really cool train guys that have a limited pallet and thematic apparel.

Overall response! THANK YOU SO MUCH. This goes out to a BUNCH of people who sent me inbox queries— sorry for not responding, it’s a tad overwhelming because some of them are story questions even I don’t really know will go yet, and others are words of praise and I’m selfish and like scrolling through the inbox to look at them when I feel down. I am more of an artist who sits in the corner and sprouts like a potato rather then a branching vine who socializes, but I really do see people’s responses and they make me go :)))))

Okay ramble over. Thanks for coming to the soapbox, and good luck on creating!

#critterbitter #ask #mailbox

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rutilation · 5 months

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youtube

This opening is replete with symbolism.

Flower language has been a recent fascination of mine.

Do you want to make my new hyperfixation your problem? If so, then let's take a deep dive into the first opening before the new one airs tomorrow.

Before I start, here are a couple of things to keep in mind.

While the use of flower language in this show mostly lines up with Japanese hanakotoba, there are still a number of flowers here that hold particular significance within Chinese culture, and thus have additional meanings that don't line up with those from Japan. I’ll be mentioning them alongside the Japanese meanings where I deem it relevant.

The following will contain light spoilers of content from the novels/manga which has not been animated at the time of writing. I'll try to be vague and sparing with it, but there are a few flowers I can't discuss without them.

Past the title card, the opening begins with eight blooming flowers dancing through the frame in rapid succession. These represent the storylines covered by the first cour of the anime in order of appearance, and each can be found in the episode(s) they signify. From the top:

Rhododendron: This plant is all over the first two episodes, so I'm going to cover its appearances before delving into its meaning. In episode one, there are two shots of the buds of this plant, one as Lihua gives birth, and then again as the doctor examines her baby. They're finally shown in full bloom as one of her ladies disregards the branch Maomao used to warn of the toxic makeup. In the following episode, Gyokuyou has seemingly taken a liking to the flower that saved her daughter's life, and a few clusters can be seen in a vase during several shots before Maomao uses them as an example of a seemingly innocuous plant that could cause accidental poisoning, and indeed, if you look closely at the background during the scene with the soldiers, you can see what appear to be rhododendron shrubs. There are actually quite a few different possible meanings for the many granular varieties of Rhododendrons/azaleas. Luckily, the characters said the name of the plant out loud for me: shakunage. So, this is Rhododendron subg. Hymenanthes. In hanakotoba it means dignity and majesty, but also, on account of its poison, danger and caution. Those last two meanings clearly line up with its ominous usage in these first episodes, growing and maturing as the babies grew sicker. But in addition to their function as a warning of danger, I think there's a case to be made that they also represent Gyokuyou herself. As I stated earlier, she starts keeping them after the first episode, and Hongniang later starts growing the closely-related azaleas in the jade pavilion as well. As for how its meanings apply to her, Gyokuyou is regal, magnanimous, and never loses her composure (unless it's at Jinshi's expense lol,) but she's also described by Gaoshun as shrewd and cautious, being unwilling to hire any lady she doesn't absolutely trust, and constantly gleaning information to send back to her family. These all fit with the dual meanings of rhododendron. In Chinese culture, rhododendrons and azaleas represent womanhood and passion, as well as home and a desire for homecoming.

Cotton rose: A type of hibiscus, this represents Fuyou, decorating both her person and her chambers in episode 3. It means 'delicate beauty' and 'graceful lover.' I think these are referring to both her skill in dancing, as well as her affectation of frailty and neuroticism. As far as I could dig up, its unique tendency to change color based on the time of day doesn't have particular bearing on its meaning in either Chinese or Japanese culture, but the story itself uses it as a metaphor for Fuyou hiding her passion, will, and cunning behind a wallflower exterior.

Balloon flower: In hanakotoba, it represents undying love, sincerity, and grace. These grow in the crystal pavilion, adorn the iconography of Lihua's furniture, and likely inform her blue and violet color scheme. Its last two descriptors gesture towards Lihua's style and personality. She's elegant and staid, but she also takes everything quite seriously, and wears her heart on her sleeve. As for the undying love element, I see that as alluding to her love for her son, her agony at his passing, and her hopes of reclaiming that love again through having another child.

Violet: This one actually tripped me up for the longest time. The flowers in the opening looked like hostas to me, but no matter how closely I looked at the backgrounds in this show, I couldn’t find anything along those lines. Eventually though, I caught on that these must be the violets from episode five, even if they’re a different color from those shown in the episode. And also droopier. Anyway, violets mean humility, sincerity, and ‘a little bit of happiness.’ In the episode proper, they are crushed underfoot as Maomao narrates about the lengths she had to go to keep herself safe while growing up in the red-light district, illustrating how even the modest aspirations of an ordinary peasant are in perpetual danger in such a cutthroat environment.

Chinese aster: Daisies and asters are my least favorite flowers to identify. They all look the same. As such, I’m a little less confident about this one, but I think it’s a Chinese aster. The leaves and buds look similar, and the context in which it appears in episode six suits its meaning. As Lishu’s ladies disparage her so-called pickiness, a shot of this flower opens the episode. While the Chinese aster’s meaning changes based on color, white in particular means ‘please believe me.’ I think that speaks for itself

Toad lily: This appears twice during episode eight, where Maomao gets drawn into the mystery of an attempted murder during her vacation. Toad lilies symbolize hidden thoughts and intentions, alluding both to the possible conspiracy on the part of the women of the brothel, and to the fact that Maomao will never really know the truth of the incident, having to content herself with speculation.

Sacred bamboo: This one is easy to miss, because while the plant is in full bloom in the opening, it’s laden with berries in the show proper. This is Nandina, a.k.a. the sacred bamboo, a mainstay of autumn and winter floral arrangements in both China and Japan. It’s considered auspicious, symbolizing a reversal of ill fortune into prosperity--the precise opposite of how it’s presented in episode nine of the show. There, Maomao fiddles with the plant as she contemplates all the instances she’s seen of good fortune being struck down by tragedy, and the prospect of that same sword of Damocles falling upon her head as well, a harbinger of eucatasrophe being used to symbolize straight catastrophe. Also worth noting is the fact that the plant is very poisonous, so much so that it has a reputation for killing any birds which try to eat its berries; I think that bit of trivia might be the inspiration behind the decision to ironically invert its lucky image. In addition to its central appearance in episode nine, it can also be seen in Lishu’s chambers in episode ten, mixed in among the vases of white camellias.

Japanese azalea: These mean passion and steadfastness, alluding, in my view, to Fengming’s devotion towards Ah-duo. Fun fact: did you know that honey made from toxic azaleas, termed ‘mad honey,’ is sometimes manufactured on purpose? It’s not super legal in most of the world, but apparently it can be used as a psychedelic.

After this, we see a panning shot of seven flowers, with the top four representing the high-ranking concubines, and the bottom three representing the high-ranking courtesans. While the first set of flowers grew from buds and flew across the screen, this set consists of still images. If I were to hazard a guess as to why, I'd say that it's because those previous flowers were conveying the movement of emergent stories, while these upcoming flowers portray the relatively static personality traits of individual characters. I'm going to tackle these in reverse order, as the first three flowers to appear are somewhat tricky to talk about.

Peony: This flower represents Gyokuyou, and in addition to appearing in her non-diegetic floral backgrounds, it also decorates the tapestries of the jade pavilion. In Chinese culture, peonies are one of, if not the most, important flowers. They represent feminine beauty, pride, honor, renown, wealth, prosperity, high-status, opulence, and a nobility of spirit. They are considered to be the king of flowers, and were historically only permitted to be grown by nobility. All of these superlatives are likely alluding towards Gyokuyou's status as the emperor's favorite consort, with the best shot at becoming empress.

Balloon flower: See above.

Lily-of-the-valley: This means purity, chastity, humility, and 'happiness will come again.' While the first three all seem to fit Lishu on their face, I find myself curious about the fourth meaning. I'm only partway through the third novel, but if this indicates that, at some point in the future, Lishu finally catches a break, then I'll certainly be happy to see it.

Dendrobium: In China, orchids in general are associated with elegance, refinement, and good taste, which fits with Maomao's description of the garnet pavilion as being beautiful in a minimalist sort of way. They also represent the virtues of an ideal gentleman-scholar: integrity, humility, temperance, and nobility. Furthermore, they are considered emblematic of spring; it, along with bamboo, chrysanthemum, and plum blossom, represent the four seasons. Returning to Japanese symbolism, the flower associated with Ah-duo seems to specifically be Dendrobium nobile. Nobile in particular means 'honest and to-the-point' in hanakotoba, likely alluding to Ah-duo's candid personality, and the fact that she is on casual terms with the emperor.

Regarding the final three flowers, the show itself doesn't explicitly tie any one of them to a particular courtesan--their flowers only appear as a group in episode twelve. But, by contemplating their meanings, and with some help from the characters' wiki pages, we can make some educated guesses.

Yulan Magnolia: This one, I'm guessing, represents Joka. On one hand, I'm kind of dumping her with this because the other two flowers just seem to fit the other two courtesans better, but its attributes nonetheless seem to accord what we know of her character--which admittedly isn't very much. In hanakotoba the yulan magnolia means nobility, sublimity and a love of nature. In China, its pretty similar: purity, nobility, dignity. It's also worth noting that they're commonly planted around Buddhist temples in China, and have been for many centuries, granting them an air of spiritual profundity. Joka is said to be aloof and cold, which is part of her appeal as a courtesan. While chrysanthemums and plum blossoms have a warmer aspect to their meanings, the loftiness of magnolia hews more closely to her characterization. Then there's the matter of her name, which is apparently a stage name. It translates to 'Lady Ka' (or 'Hua,' if you want to go with the Mandarin pronunciation.) Now, the 'ka' in her name is written as 華, and in the story, that character is only permitted to be used by the emperor and his family. So, for her to use it, even as a stage name, is a pretty bold pretense to nobility.

Chrysanthemum: In Japan, chrysanthemums are associated with nobility and the imperial family. In China, they are associated with longevity, endurance, and vitality, on account of their long-lasting blooms that persist late into autumn. I think this is most likely to be Pairin's flower. She's one of the few courtesans who's in her line of work because she wants to be, and is flourishing in an environment where others are desperate and debt-ridden. That covers 'vitality,' and Lihaku can attest to her endurance, if you know what I mean... Moving on, its mentioned in the novels that she's actually in her thirties, but still looks quite young, again harkening to the chrysanthemum's persistence.

As far as symbolism is concerned, chrysanthemums do seem to fit her character better than magnolias. But, something that gives me pause is her name, which means 'white bell,' on account of yulan magnolias being white and having a bell-like shape. I still think it's most likely that the chrysanthemum, and not the magnolia, belongs to her, but it was too notable a coincidence to not at least mention.

Plum Blossom: We can safely assume this one refers to Meimei, as her name is written with the character for plum. As plum trees are among the earliest to bloom each year, and will even bloom while snow still covers their branches, both China and Japan associate them with resilience, hope, inner-strength, and renewal. We don't know much about Meimei either, but my impression of her is that she seems to be the nicest and most even-keeled of Maomao's sisters.

Following this parade of showy flowers, we finally glimpse the emblem of our protagonist, Oxalis corniculata, the creeping wood sorrel, downcast and huddled amidst the underbrush of a forest. Whereas the other flowers we've seen thus far are primarily ornamental (even if some are also edible/medicinal,) wood sorrel is herbaceous and weedy, and is unlikely to grace any vases, wreaths, or arrangements. If it were spotted in a noble's garden, it would likely be uprooted, but to the peasant who finds it growing in a ditch, it's a tasty snack.

In hanakotoba, wood sorrel means joy, 'shining heart,' and 'a mother's love.' All three descriptors, I believe, are relevant to Maomao's character. Despite her flat affect, Maomao has a strong passion and sense of joie de vivre driving her through life. Those further along in either the novels or the manga will recognize 'a mother's love' as (somewhat ironically) gesturing towards her complicated relationship with her mother. As for 'shining heart,' I think that will become apparent as we go further through the opening.

But, before we do that, I'd like to take a moment to examine the moments when wood sorrel appears in the show itself. Thus far, by my recollection, it has appeared in episodes one, three, and twelve. The opening shot of the first episode is of a wood sorrel, informing the viewer in no uncertain terms that this is Maomao's flower, (in case the opening was too subtle.) In the third episode, several wood sorrels dot the field where Fuyou sits with her lover, symbolizing how Maomao has aided and protected them. In episode twelve, a single wood sorrel is tucked inside a lavish bouquet of her sister's flowers, a visual gag paralleling them fussing and fawning over her.

Returning to the opening, Maomao is shown contemplating a subtle glow in her closed hands while a reflected, sunlit version of herself glances back at her. Then, as all the previous flowers fall away, as Maomao casts the light up into the air, its glow illuminating her face, the wood sorrel finally stands upright, and blooms in full.

Now is a good time to mention a relevant characteristic of creeping wood sorrel: it only blooms in direct sunlight. When crowded by other plants, it curls in on itself, closing both its flower and leaves. This serves as a clear metaphor for Maomao's personality; under most circumstances, she seeks to be invisible and unobtrusive, but when she's in her element, she commands attention and respect.

Following this, we have her magical girl-esque transformation sequence, with her outstretched hands forming the shape of a blooming flower as she dances through a whirl of yellow wood sorrel petals. She then bows down in imitation of the flower, taking the light back into her chest (there's that shining heart I mentioned earlier,) as she dissolves into the stoic, unassuming version of herself once more, closing out the opening. (Jinshi who?)

I'd like to end this analysis with an observation. While the real wood sorrel exists at the perpetual mercy of outside forces, Maomao is not merely reacting to a light source that exists beyond her control. The light exists within her, and she chooses when it will shine down for all to see, and when she will hide it away in the depths of her heart. To those who've gotten this far, thank you so much for reading.

#the apothecary diaries #i like being mean to a certain someone #but i will note that i'm familiar with the interpretation that the lyrics of the op are written from his perspective #and i would agree that that reading has merit

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sourw0lfs · 5 months

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STWG Prompt: Ruby

Words: 479 | Rating: E | CW: blood, death, one mention of the cops

part one || part two || part three || part four || part five || part six || part seven || part eight || part nine || part ten || part eleven || part twelve

Steve decides immediately that he’s too hungover for this. His head feels like it’s full of cotton as he tries to make sense of the scene in front of him, but nothing about it makes sense. Not matter how long he stares. There are too many blanks, too many questions without answers, for him to puzzle his way through why there’s suddenly a dead body in his one-night-stand’s living room.

His stomach rolls again, and Steve barely manages to stumble back down the hallway and somehow find the bathroom before he actually throws up. Whether it’s from the hangover or from the dead body, he isn’t sure. Maybe it’s from both.

Either way, he spends several moments with his head rested against the cold tile of the bathroom floor, relishing in how it eases the ache in his head enough to try and figure out his next move. He oh so desperately wants to call Robin for help, because she always knows what to do, but the barely functioning logical part of his brain tells him that’s a bad idea, that he shouldn’t get her involved in whatever the fuck happened overnight.

He should call the cops, but that’s how he gets smacked right in the face with a murder charge that isn’t his. Maybe if he just… sneaks out really carefully? It’s not the best idea Steve’s ever had, but it certainly can’t be the worst either, right?

Hauling himself up and using the sink for balance, Steve glances in the mirror to give himself a pep talk. He might have the hangover from hell, but he can do this. The sight in the mirror nearly sends him to the floor again.

He’s covered in blood. And if the scene in the living room is anything to go by, none of it is his. But why the fuck is it all over him? His skin is stained so red it looks like he took a dip in a bath of melted rubies or something. No, Steve, that’s a dumb analogy. Focus!

Hand shaking, Steve reaches up to touch the drying red around his mouth, across the drips that seemingly rolled down his chin and stained his shirt. That’s also when he notices the same dark color under his nails, caked in under the bitten-down tips like they’d raked through the blood.

There’s no way he can sneak out looking like this. And he can’t take the guy’s clothes either because that’s also stupid. He is so, so, so, so royally fucked.

“What the fuck am I gonna do now?” he wonders to himself, eying the mess hopelessly. Cleaning it up wouldn’t be near good enough.

“I can help with that,” a voice from behind Steve says, making him jump and whirl around, as his heart tries to kick itself free from his chest.

“Who the fuck are you?”

tagging anyone that expressed wanting more: @chaosgremlinmunson @soaringornithopter @hbyrde36 @shares-a-vest @dreamwatch @quevadilla @just-my-latest-hyperfixation @tboyeddie @penny00dreadful @ent-is-indecisive

#fox writes things #steddie #stwg daily drabble

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infiniteanalemma · 7 months

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Nobility in Baldur's Gate

Edited to add: I never expected my silly, niche post to get as much attention as it has! I'm giving you all forehead smooches! 😚💋 I've gone through to clean up some things up as I've found new information. I also added a list of nobility that I've found in game and other sources to the end of the post. Thanks, y'all! I'm glad I'm not the only one to wonder about this stuff. Good stuff in the reblogs, too!

Baldur's Gate has dug itself deep in my brain, so I apologize to my poor mutuals who didn't follow me for BG3 content getting this onslaught of posts. Please bear with me until my hyperfixation wears off. 🙏

Now, I'll admit up front that I'm no expert in DnD lore*, so if I get things wrong, please feel free to correct me or just add in stuff I may have missed. I'm going off of what I've found in-game and my Google Fu skills.

That said, I do know enough about DnD to remember that Baldur's Gate nobility are called patriars, and that there are only a relative handful of actual patriar families. I was thinking about my "canon" Tav, Velassa, and her background in BG3. She's a modified OC that I plunked in-game during Early Access, so I made her a noble. It was just part of her existing character that I didn't think too deeply about. It was only after I starting playing that it occurred to me to wonder what exactly "a noble" is to a native Baldurian.

That got me digging a little more into the current state of the Baldurian nobility as of BG3. I don't know who--if anyone--needs or wants this, but I put this together for myself and decided to share it for anyone else who might be interested. I realize that this is probably pretty niche and it's rambly and long af, so I'll put it under a cut.

So, for starters, here's a list of all the patriar families, including "fallen" houses that are barely hanging on: Belt, Bormul, Caldwell, Dlusker, Durinbold, Eltan, Eomane, Exeltis, Gist, Guthmere, Hhune, Hlath, Hullhollyn, Irlentree, Jannath, Jhasso, Linnacker, Miyar, Nurthammas, Oathoon, Oberon, Portyr, Provoss, Ravenshade, Rillyn, Sashenstar, Shattershield, Silvershield, Tillerturn, Vammas, Vannath, Vanthampur, and Whitburn

From what I've gathered, Exeltis, Provoss and Ravenshade are all more-or-less destitute. Also, the Szarr family (Cazador's family) were patriars, but were believed to be entirely wiped out. No living descendants makes them a dead house, rather literally. 😏 (No, I'm not sorry.)

Now, we learn that Wyll's father is Ulder Ravengard, the Grand Duke. This brings us to the first point: There are four Dukes, known as the Council of Four, and the Grand Duke's job is to be the tie-breaker.

Traditionally, one of the Dukes is also the highest ranked officer of the Flaming Fist--that's Ravengard, who was a Fist promoted up through the ranks. Wyll tells us that his father was born lower class, and quite a few of the patriars seem to scorn him for that. The other Dukes are Belynne Stelmane, Dillard Portyr (more on him later) and Thalamra Vanthampur (more on her later, too). Of the four, two are patriars: Portyr and Vanthampur. We don't know much about Stelmane's past, except that she was a brilliant businesswoman, politician and--as we find out later--member of the Knights of the Shield. Apparently, you can't buy your way into the patriars, but maybe you can buy your way into being a Duke.

Skipping ahead a bit, when the player shows up to Gortash's coronation, there are a group of mostly patriars sitting in the boxes leading up to the front of the room. I'm listing them by seating arrangement, with box 1 and 2 being the left and right closest to Gortash, and 3 and 4 being farthest. (I don't know what, if anything, the seating arrangements imply. The second box has eight people, compared to four for all the rest.)

Lady Ailis Belt, Baron Callem Bormul, Lord Rugger Shattershield**, and Lady Alia Durinbold**

Lady Ruth Linnacker, Lord Sarken Eomane, Lady Freida Oberon, Lord Raylen Jannath, Lord Myer Ravenshade**, Lady Madeline Whitburn, Lady Beatrice Provoss, and Duke Dillard Portyr

Lady Winstra Hullhollyn, Admiral Peil Hullhollyn, Lord Randolph Vammas, and Lady Eshvelt Guthmere

Lord Milon Tillerturn, Lady Silifrey Sashenstar, Lord Petric Amber**, and Lady Haeril Birch**

Here's some pictures of the nobles sitting together. (Sorry for the terrible quality! I slapped it together for my own reference. 🙈)

The characters marked by ** aren't human, which is interesting because the information I found said all the patriar familes are human except the Shattershields. Myer Ravenshade is listed as human if you examine him, but he has a dwarf model. That might be a mistake, but I'm including him anyway. Alia Durinbold, from a presumably human patriar family, is a wood elf. Again, this could be a mistake, but unless Larian winds up changing it, it could mean that interracial marriages that once may have been looked down on are now becoming more acceptable. Petric Amber is also a wood elf, and Haeril Birch is a high elf.

Those last two are interesting because they are the only ones in the boxes who aren't patriars. If not for them, I'd have assumed the coronation was simply a demonstration for the patriars alone. Their inclusion means this is something else.

Digging around, my conclusion is that all the listed people are members of the Parliament of Peers--a 50 person advisory party to the Council of Four. However, what I found says that it's pretty rare for all 50 to attend meetings, and the usual group is between 20-30. There are exactly 20 named individuals listed, plus a group of unnamed "patriars" standing at the front.

Here they are, for what it's worth:

One thing I noticed here is that most of those listed here are Lord/Lady, but there are three other titles: Duke, Baron and Admiral. I've already talked about the Dukes. Looking into the patriars, the Hullhollyn family are notable for having a fleet of ships, so it makes sense that one of them would be an Admiral. That leaves the Baron.

I couldn't find anything about what it means to be a baron in Baldur's Gate. Going on real-world peerages, a baron/ess is generally the lowest "rank" of nobility. Basically, it's someone who was an official landowner (usually of an "important" bit of land) under the feudal system. Well and good, I suppose, but presumably all the Lords and Ladies of the patriars own land within the city. This particular Baron is also a patriar, but given that one doesn't need to be a patriar to become a Duke (normally a higher peer than a baron), that may not mean anything.

(Apparently, the term "Duke" was originally meant somewhat jokingly. That said, it still carries the weight of a title even if not the conventional one.) We don't see any other titles between Duke and Baron, so what does that mean?

This isn't canon, but my assumption is that it means the Baron owns important land outside of the city. This would make sense for Baron Bormul, given that the Bormul family apparently have investments in silver mines and vineyards. Assuming they own the mines/vineyards, that may make those lands "important" enough to the city for their owner to earn a title. Alternately, the Bormul family also has counterparts in Amn, so maybe baron is an Amnian title that got passed along. That's getting a bit far afield for me, though. 🤷‍♀️

Anyway, among the group at the coronation, pretty much everyone supports Gortash becoming Archduke, with the exception of Lady Sashenstar (an old woman who really isn't too impressed with this commoner) and Duke Portyr, who expresses some hesitation at the whole thing.

Duke Portyr is interesting here. Except for Ravengard (who is thralled and conducting the ceremony), Portyr is the only Duke present. Now, Stelmane is already dead, so that explains her absence. Vanthampur is also missing, which is interesting. Portyr first, though: he was Grand Duke before Ravengard. He's the one who re-instituted (Edited: and originally created!) the Parliament of Peers to make the day-to-day decisions of running the city, and ceded the title of Grand Duke to Ravengard. He's described as being conflict-averse, so it makes sense that he'd go along with Gortash's coronation, even though he's clearly unhappy about it. Also, the current leader of the Fists is also a Portyr, likely still Liara Portyr, the Duke's niece and Ravengard's second-in-command.

Thalamra Vanthampur is an interesting character, too. She's the head of the Vanthampur family, and part of the Descent into Avernus story. Apparently, she's the one who got Ravengard to go to Elturel before it sank to the Hells, intending to take his place as Grand Duke. From what I read, she also conspired with the Dead Three's cults to murder people in a bid to discredit the Flaming Fist. (The murdery bits were undoubtedly left to Bhaal's cult.) We never do find out anything about Thalamra Vanthampur in this game (I assume that's probably cut content). (Edited: She is mentioned in one of the in-game texts as having been killed, which was one of the possible outcomes of Descent into Avernus. Larian chose that as their canon, just like the fate of Elturel and Zariel.)

The only Vanthampur we do meet is Carnelia Vanthampur, who is in the Guildhall and describes herself as "a peer of the Parliament". She's willing to work with either the Guild or the Zhentarim. Nervously of course. Also interesting is that, on the Bloodstained Parchment hit list, is a Varri Vanthampur, whose gravestone you can find in Candulhallow's Tombstones shop, reading: "Varri Vanthampur. Unwanted in life, welcomed in death."

Interesting, hm?

Also on that hit list is Fridrik Hhune. The Hhunes apparently have links to the Knights of the Shield, from what I looked up--the same group the Emperor led with Stelmane. The only Hhunes we meet in-game are Blaise and Gheris Hhune, two of the werewolves in Cazador's ballroom who are brothers according to the dev notes. With them is another werewolf of a different patriar family, Duver Rillyn. This suggests Cazador has been going after members of patriar families, which sort of fits with what we know about his plans. We really don't find anything else out about them except that they consider Cazador to be their master and Astarion says they're new.

We also can talk to a Flaming Fist who mentions that Hurlbut Hhune is the father of Henrietta Hhune, who used to be secretly engaged to the Fist in question, only for her father to decide to arrange her to marry fellow patriar Derque Rillyn, who the Fist describes as "a major arsehole."

That conversation is interesting for a few reasons. For one, it tells you that arranged marriages within the patriar are a thing. Also, this Fist is a Manip (essentially a Sergeant) who can't ask the other Fists for help because "the Fists don't mess with wealthy patriars, they've got the Watch to back them up." That's aligned with what Devella can also tell you: "There are patriars on the murder target list. I'm oathbound to secure them first, so I'll be heading to the Upper City next." If you say that the Fist should protect everyone: "Not from around here, are you? We're in Baldur's Gate - this is just how things work."

This brings me back to my original issue: what is a Baldurian noble? The patriars are canonically nobles, of course, and they're undoubtedly seen as the "most important" of the nobility. From there, it's not much of a stretch to say that anyone who has earned the title of Duke is now a noble, even if they aren't patriars. I'd go so far as to say anyone on the Parliament of Peers (and their family by association) is a noble^, given that non-patriars Petric Amber and Haeril Birch are considered Lord and Lady. The information I found about that is that there are approximately twelve non-patriar members. If Amber and Birch are two of them, that leaves another unnamed 10.

^Edited: Looking at the dates, I realized that the Parliament of Peers is a very recent change to Baldurian governance. Duke Portyr originally created it after the three other Dukes on the Council of Four were assassinated. It was clearly meant as a temporary measure, but my guess is that the patriars liked having more official say. Not to mention the non-patriars who managed to get a seat. This has all happened within even the youngest of Tav/Urges' lifetimes.

Personally, I'd also assume that branch families of the patriars probably also count as nobility. By branch family, I mean those that marry out of the main line but whose ancestry stems from a patriar family. From what I've seen by naming conventions, Baldur's Gate seems to use patronmyic lineage--ancestry is generally passed to the sons, and wives take their husband's surname. So, if a daughter marries out of the family, she'd no longer be a part of her father's family lineage, but still would be considered nobility. These branch families likely still maintain powerful influence and connections from marrying into wealth, which would make them a good political/financial choice of marriage alliance, despite no longer having the main branch patriar family name. These families are also probably the ones most likely to find a place on the Parliament, too, but likely have to jockey for position if their "representative" dies (or otherwise leaves) and a new opening in the Parliament is created.

If you've read this far, as a treat you can have some crappy close-up portraits of the nobles at Gortash's coronation, grouped together in their respective boxes. 😚

* For what it's worth, I'd count myself as a casual DnD player. I have some knowledge of DnD--I've played BG1 and 2, Planescape: Torment, along with some general cultural osmosis. I've had friends who played the tabletop version, but for one reason or another, I've never played it myself.

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 spoilers #bg3 meta #fandom stuff #patriars #baldur's gate nobility #bg3 noble background #do I know what I'm talking about? no ❤#but I tried

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embodimentofwtf · 1 year

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Is it even an ATEEZ mv is you don't question how whatever the fuck woosan have got going on is even related to our anti authoritarian anarchy movement?

I am also 95% sure them two were in the back of that van doing all kinds of sPeCiAL MeDiCiNe

#like bros what exactly does that forehead touch and them neck caresses have to do with anarchy?#they were cutting snow and lighting special herbs in that van #ateez #atz #Wooyoung #San #jung wooyoung #choi san #the world ep 2: outlaw #outlaw #slow it down make it bouncy #bouncy #eight makes one hyperfixation

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angelbarelywrites · 2 months

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♡ scenarios | dating negan

♡ fandoms; The Walking Dead

♡ characters; Negan Smith

♡ reader; gender neutral

♡ cw; explicit sexual content

♡ notes; in case anyone forgot i’m technically not a dedicated slasher blog

i put this in sections so i didn’t have to make more than one post lol . also these take place while he’s still the ruler of the saviors. i’ve been obsessed since his first episode oh my god that’s eight years of hyperfixation so that’s usually where my brain goes plot- wise

i’m thinking Billy Butcher is up next? lmk who else we wanna see, Garcia Flynn from Timeless is probably too niche? but i love him so so much

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

I. Kisses/PDA

> negan is an affectionate person

> with his wives it’s just for show- they’re hot, and he wants all his followers jealous of his lifestyle

> but with you, it’s different

> his wives don’t like him, per-se. he’s convenient to be married to and easy on the eyes, but they’re cold to him

> and he knows why, he doesn’t really give a shit. especially now that he has you.

> you may not be his spouse- you’re sure as fuck not letting him call you that without a ring- but he’s even more physical with you

> standing by him? hand on your back. sitting? you’re on his lap. look cold? he gives you his jacket and keeps you tucked under his arm

> “i just like takin’ care of you darlin’”

> and he loves kissing you in front of others- from little pecks to long, lingering kisses that makes other people look away

> he seems possessive, and he doesn’t mind people pointing it out

> it’s not that he doesn’t trust you- it’s never that

> he trusts most of his men too…maybe not simon. because simon loves staring at your ass

> but he’s proud. he’s proud you’re his, and he’s yours, and that he gets to show you off

> and like hell he ever lets anyone forget it

> alone he acts like keeping his hands off you is impossible

> he smacks your ass any time you lean over, pulls you into big bear hugs from behind and randomly pick you up

> he doesn’t ever want you to doubt his feelings for you, and physically is the easiest way for him to show it

> he’s very sexual, big shocker

> but his favorite kisses are sleepy kisses

> you wait late into the night when he’s due home from terrorizing his territories

> some part of you is afraid one day he won’t come home- so you always wait

> you’ll be exhausted, rubbing your eyes and yawning and usually wrapped up in a blanket

> but no matter how long he takes directing his men and double checking inventory and dealing with the dead

> “hey there, baby doll”

> you always run straight into his arms and bury your face in his chest. he’ll laugh and pick you up, kissing you gently before he carries you to bed

> most times he falls asleep on top of the covers with you, eager for the morning when he can make it up to you for being gone so long

II. Sharing a bed

> negan isn’t used to sharing a bed anymore

> the wives have their own rooms just down the hall, and so do you

> no reason for him not to give you at least a little space

> and having a room is the height of luxury in the sanctuary anyways. it’s a perk of dating the boss

> but you don’t know how to tell him you do want to share a bed, even though you’re barely apart when you’re awake

> so you just…don’t. you assume it’s a boundary he wants to keep and don’t mention it

> until the night terrors start up again

> you’ve seen a lot of people die a lot of different ways. most of them people you cared a lot about

> the memories always seem to come back in your dreams no matter how far back you push them

> when you’re woken up by one in the middle of a harsh storm, it’s just a bit too much

> you just can’t stop crying, and it’s loud and you need held. you need him.

> you creep as quietly as you can down the hall, and you hesitate at the door until the thunder crashes again

> when you stumble in he sits up fast with a knife in his fist

> then he gives a slightly annoyed sigh in recognition, relaxing

> “the hell are you doing?”

> “i just- um-“

> you can tell he notices the wobble in your voice and opens his arms up without another smart remark

> “hey, hey, i’ve gotcha..”

> he doesn’t ask questions- you don’t cry for nothing. and he gets nightmares too

> falling asleep in his arms feels natural…so natural it becomes a habit

> and he sleeps better with you too, curled around you and holding you so tight you think he might be worried you’ll disappear

> it’s less than a week before you stop using your bed altogether

III. Let’s get kinky

> he’s happy in pretty much any dominant role, whatever you call him is good enough for him- daddy, sir, master, etc

> and he likes when you call him whatever it is in front of his men

> the only chance of getting your dick/strap in him is if he power bottoms. but 95 percent of the time? you’re receiving and it’s big

> he likes being risky. he’ll take you out to visit settlements just to have an excuse to stop and fuck you in the car

> or even in a house there, just a room over from his men and gagging you with his fingers so you don’t get caught

> not that he’ll care if they catch you anyways

> he has a nice big office- half of the reason he uses it is so he can have you on his lap as a cockwarmer while he reads or looks over inventory numbers

> the other half is so you can suck his dick under the desk while he talks to simon or dwight

> (simon is a raging pervert so he definitely knows, too)

> he loves fucking your face, watching you get all teary eyed and drooling all over yourself from taking his massive cock

> “oh look at the fuckin’ mess you’re making!”

> he’s generous though- he loves reciprocating oral

> and he loves overstimulating you too- whether that’s by edging you for hours or just making you cum again and again and again

> he loves taking you from behind, pushing your face into the mattress and gripping your hips so hard they bruise

> but he also loves when you ride him slow, gasping quietly as he watches you fall apart completely for him

#negan x g/n reader #negan x y/n #twd negan #negan smith #negan x you #negan x reader #the walking dead #twd dead city #cw sex #cw kink

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writermai05 · 2 months

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Arsonist's Lullabye

Chapter 4: Build Again

Summary: Zuko has a crazy day at work

Pairing: Zuko x fem! reader (Live Action or Animated)

A/N: Surprise! Another chapter, before Friday. I may or may not post two chapters this week, but no promises LMAOO. Not revised because we die like men. As always feel free to leave comments or constructive feedback, as it helps me grow.

Word Count: 878

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Avatar: The Last Airbender, I am merely a nerd who hyperfixates a lot. Lots of divergence from the canon story lol.

Warnings: None I think.

Today started like any other, utterly uneventful.

Zuko had gone downstairs into the shop at eight in the morning to prepare for opening. Iroh went into the kitchen in the back and handled most of the cooking. Zuko had previously asked his uncle many times if he needed any help, but Iroh consistently refused. Although, he didn’t quite blame his uncle for that. The first, and last, time that Zuko had been let into the kitchen ended up in flames: literally. He had burnt dozens of fruit tarts and muffins. Admittedly, he was much better at understanding the science behind food, rather than actually cooking it.

He mopped the floors, wiped the tables, restocked straws and napkins, and prepared the various toppings, boba, jellies, and syrups. He found the process of opening quite therapeutic, no one was around to distract him and he was able to focus on the tasks at hand.

Fridays were usually their busiest days. The tea ceremony room often had large parties coming in, businessmen having meetings, clubs from the University having events. and of course the front open seating area was full. The Jasmine Dragon was a place where people came and felt welcome, regardless of who they were, and the idea warmed Zuko’s heart. He felt immense pride in his Uncle’s shop.

Today was busy, but there was no afternoon rush like there usually was. Students sat quietly, typing away at their laptops and wearing headphones to keep any distractions at bay. The tea room had absolutely no reservations for the day. Zuko kept himself busy by grabbing more pastries from the kitchen to sell.

As he ducked below the counter to put the pastries in the warming oven, he heard the chime of the door’s bell.

“Welcome! Give me one second..” He called out from below. Once he had finished, he got up slowly, keeping his attention on the warmer before finally addressing the customer. Making eye contact with them, his eyes widened.

It was Aang.

Zuko attempted to compose himself, before opening his mouth to speak.

“Hey…What can I get for you?” He said in a rigid way. He cursed himself for his inability to just act normal.

Though, Aang wasn’t doing much better. He stood there, eyes also wide.

“My bad...I thought Iroh would be working the register today.” He said, wincing at his confession.

“Oh. Well, I…Do you want me to go-” He asked gesturing to his left where the kitchen was. Aang shook his head, eyebrows scrunching.

“No! No, it’s okay. I don’t want to make this harder.” Zuko nodded, in response, walking back over to the register.

“Yeah. Um, what would you like to order?” Zuko hasn’t sounded this unsure while taking an order since he was 14.

“I’ll just get one wintermelon milk tea and a brown sugar boba.” Aang was definitely ordering for himself and Katara.

“Alright. Any toppings with that?”

“Just tapioca in both, please.”

Zuko nodded stiffly, punching the order into the screen.

“That’ll be 7 silver pieces.”

As Aang ruffled through his bag pocket and placed the coins on the counter, Zuko waited, hands anxiously moving around.

“Thank you, I’ll get those out shortly.”

He turned away as fast as possible, getting the to-go cups, and preparing the boba like Aang asked. ‘What are you doing! This is literally your chance to apologize.’ He thought to himself. He debated what to do for a while before settling. He finished up Aang’s order, ducking below the counter once again to retrieve some pastries for the boy. One egg custard tart, and one red bean cake. He knew Aang liked Egg tarts, but he had no idea what Katara would like. He grabbed a red bean rice cake, considering that it was probably a pretty safe option.

“Order for Aang!” He called out, placing the pastries onto the counter with the drinks. Aang hurried to the counter, looking at the things Zuko had laid out for him.

“I didn’t order any pastries…” He said confusedly.

“...I know.” Zuko said, with a nod, making strong eye contact with Aang. This was his chance.

“I’m sorry. For everything. I know this is not nearly enough for what I did but I hope you at least accept it as a peace offering.” Zuko intently watched Aang’s face, trying to get a read.

Much to Zuko’s surprise, Aang smiled.

“Thank you Zuko! This means a lot, really.” Aang smiled, grabbing a bag and straws for the drinks.

“Hey! Next Friday is Toph’s power disc game. Suki and the Kyoshi colorguard are performing too, with the band. You should come! You can talk to the others.”

Zuko pursed his lips and squinted at Aang.

“Respectfully, I don’t think that’s the best idea Aang.” He said, helping Aang with the bags.

“Come on, it'll be fine! I’ll be there and so will one of our new friends Y/n. I think she said that she met you here before.”

Zuko perked up at the mention of you being there. Maybe if he had the support of both you and Aang, it would be easier to get through.

“Yeah, okay. I’ll be there.” Zuko said.

“Great! I’ll see you then. Thanks again Zuko!”

Zuko hoped he wouldn’t regret this.

#arsonist's lullabye #writermai05 #atla x reader #avatar the last airbender #prince zuko x reader #zuko x reader #aang #atla #atla live action #atla netflix #college au #modern au #katara #sokka #atla suki #toph #atla azula

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firstkanaphans · 20 days

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Heyyy so is it possible for you to write like an epilogue for 'stardust' where Dao has grown a bit and Akk and Ayan have some disagreements on how to teach him disciplines , but they work it out? I just can't stop thinking about their cute family☺️ tysm

Stardust, my beloved. I originally wasn’t sure I’d be able to answer this prompt because y’all always ask for angst and it makes my heart hurt, but then I thought of this idea and became obsessed. I hope you enjoy! Word Count: 2K

For obvious reasons, Dao had always had a fascination with the stars. Ever since he was a baby, whenever they would step outside, his face would turn skyward. His obsession had only grown as he got older and realized the stars were capable of telling him stories—that if he cared to look, they held all the mysteries of the universe inside them.

Now, their house was full of books and diagrams about space and although Akk found Dao’s hyperfixation endearing, it also worried him. Dao had been in their life for almost eight years and never shown any signs of being anything but human, but Akk couldn’t help but wonder if their son’s craving for knowledge about the stars was a sign that he was meant to return to them someday.

One evening, Akk returned home from work and instead of Dao greeting him at the door like he usually did, his excited voice carried in from the kitchen. Akk headed that way, nearly tripping over Cosmo who had darted in front of him in what he could only assume was a murder attempt, and when he finally reached the kitchen, he just stood in the doorway for a few seconds and watched as his husband cooked dinner and their son talked a mile a minute about comets…or something. Dao’s knowledge of space had far outpaced Akk’s by this point. He was going to have to take a class to catch up.

Figuring he should probably step in to save Aye from the rambling, Akk moved into the room. “I’m home!” he said. Aye turned to smile at him over his shoulder and Akk kissed the top of his head before bending down to ruffle Dao’s hair.

“Dad! Dad!” Dao cried excitedly, smoothing his hair down out of habit. It didn’t do much to help. He had the same cow lick Aye had had at that age and nothing they did seemed to be able to control it. “My class is going on a field trip to the observatory to watch a meteor shower!”

Akk immediately tensed, but he did his best to hide the concern from his face because Dao seemed so excited and Aye was smiling down at him like he wasn’t worried at all.

“You are?” Akk asked, his voice several octaves higher than usual. Aye turned to him in alarm, finally seeming to sense that something was wrong.

“Yeah!” Dao cried and then he was off again, talking about different types of meteor showers and how he’d been dying to see one forever, and Akk just stood there in a state of shock.

“Hey, buddy?” Aye interrupted the boy’s tangent. Dao turned to him, eyebrows raised in silent question. “Dinner’s almost ready. Why don’t you go get changed and we’ll eat when you’re done?”

The only thing Dao loved more than stars was food.

“Okay!” he cried and then he scooped up a picture book he had been flipping through on Jupiter and ran upstairs.

Aye waited until they could hear his footsteps above them before he spoke again. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked, laughing lightly. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“He can’t go on that field trip, Aye,” Akk said adamantly. “It’s not safe.”

Aye turned his back on the meat he was browning on the stove and leaned against the counter behind him with his arms crossed over his chest. “Why not? His teachers will be there. And it’s not like he’s going to wander off—not when the place has telescopes. I just ordered him a new one for his birthday by the way. I’m not even going to tell you how much it cost.”

“Aye,” Akk said, stepping closer. “A shooting star is what brought him here and it’s what can take him back. What if he wishes to go to space? To the stars? How do we know our wishes will keep him here if he asks to go?”

“He’s just a kid, Akk. He doesn’t want to leave. He just wants to learn more about where he came from.” They had never bothered hiding the truth from Dao. They figured plenty of parents told their kids outlandish stories about where they came from—storks and enchanted cabbage patches and babies washed in by the sea. No one would think twice if they heard Dao saying he came from the stars. It was part of his story and he deserved to know it.

“You don’t know that,” Akk countered.

“If we tell him he can’t go on that field trip, it’s going to break his heart,” Aye said with a heavy sigh. Akk knew that was true, but it was a risk he was willing to take.

“I’ll tell him,” he said. “I’ll be the bad guy.”

Aye turned back around to give the ground beef another stir. “Before you do that, how about the three of us go stargazing tonight? There’s no meteor shower, so you don’t have to worry about any errant wishes. We can talk to him, feel it out. Please. Before you say no.”

And although Akk was reluctant, he finally agreed. Aye turned around to smile at him. While he was distracted, Cosmo hopped onto the counter, stole a chunk of ground beef out of the skillet, and then ran away, all before Aye ever saw him.

✨

Dao was overjoyed when Aye told him they were going to camp out underneath the stars that night. He scarfed down his dinner much too quickly and then was bouncing off the walls until finally, Akk and Aye gave up on cleaning the kitchen and led him out into the night.

Aye threw a blanket onto the ground and the three of them laid down together, Akk and Aye each on one side of their son. Cosmo, who had followed them out of the house, curled up on Dao’s stomach and when the boy’s fingers tangled in his fur, he purred.

“Oh, look! Look at that one!” Dao cried, pointing at a star that looked just the same as any other star in the sky. He began telling a story about it that he had learned in one of his books and Akk couldn’t help but wonder if he’d just picked a star at random to assign that story to or if something inside of him knew.

Akk glanced over at Dao. He looked different in the moonlight. The lightning-shaped fractals on the left side of his body, which were almost invisible in the daytime, came alive at night. They shone with a pearlescent glow as if some stardust still lingered in his veins. It wasn’t vibrant enough for anyone outside their family to notice, but some nights, Akk would stare at his son’s skin for hours. It was beautiful and haunting all at once. The night called to their star child just as their star child called to it.

“I came from up there, didn’t I, Pa? Tell me the story again!”

And so Aye retold the legend of Dao’s birth. The words were well-practiced by now. The two of them had perfected their delivery over the years and no matter how many times they told it, the magic never faded.

“Once upon a time, Dad and I had a big fight and although we still loved each other, neither of us had the courage to apologize. So instead, we each made a wish on a shooting star that the universe would bring us back together. And then the universe sent us you.”

Dao giggled just like he did every time. “And thanks to me, you made up?”

“We did,” Aye agreed, leaning over to kiss the top of his head.

“What were you fighting about?” Dao asked, looking back and forth between the two of them as if he wasn’t quite sure who to ask.

“You know, I can’t seem to remember,” Aye said, feigning ignorance as he turned to glare pointedly at Akk. “What about you, Akk?”

Akk rolled his eyes. Had he not apologized enough? “Something stupid, I’m sure,” he said.

“Something stupid indeed.”

Dao quickly lost interest in their conversation and turned back to the stars again. “Do you think if I asked a shooting star for something, it would give it to me like it did for you?”

“I don’t know,” Aye said, glancing at Akk because that was, after all, exactly what he feared. “Maybe. That’s why you need to be careful what you wish for.”

“If you ask to see the stars up close, the universe might not let you come back,” Akk said. “Do you understand?”

He was a little worried his words might frighten Dao, but luckily, he didn’t seem bothered by the prospect of being whisked away to the heavens and never returned. Instead, he laughed.

“Why would I ask to go to space?” he chuckled, looking over at Akk as if he’d said something utterly ridiculous. “I don’t even have a space suit!”

That wasn’t the answer Akk had been expecting. “What do you want to wish for then?” he asked.

A mischievous grin appeared on Dao’s face, but he tried his best to hide it in Cosmo’s fur. Well, that wasn’t worrying at all. Akk and Aye exchanged a look.

“Dao, honey,” Aye said. “Why don’t you tell us what you want and maybe we can get it for you?”

“You can’t give it to me,” Dao insisted. “Only the stars can.”

Akk shook his head, still not understanding. “But what is it?”

Finally, it seemed Dao could keep the secret locked inside him no longer. He released Cosmo and giggled. “I want a little sister!”

“Oh.” Akk didn’t know what to say other than that. It was both better and worse than what he had expected.

“I think we’ve got our hands full with just you,” Aye said after a brief pause, ruffling Dao’s hair to soften his words. Then all three of them turned their attention back to the sky.

It was over an hour later before Dao agreed to come back inside. Aye finished cleaning the kitchen while Akk took Dao upstairs to get him ready for bed, and then together they tucked him in. He wasn’t scared of the dark like a lot of kids his age. He didn’t need a nightlight. Once they turned the lamp off, the only light in the room was a faint green glow emanating from the glow-in-the-dark stars on his ceiling. He was asleep almost before his head even hit the pillow.

It wasn’t until Akk and Aye themselves crawled into bed that night that they talked about it.

“Maybe you were right,” Aye said with a small laugh. “Maybe we shouldn’t let him go. Those shooting stars can be dangerous.”

But Akk couldn’t stop thinking about a little girl with Aye’s curls, Akk’s eyes, and Dao’s chubby little cheeks. Aye seemed to realize that.

“Akk,” he warned.

“Would it really be so bad?” Akk asked. “We’ve talked about having another kid.”

“Yeah. In a normal way. Not via shooting star!”

“But what would it hurt to try? You, me, and Dao wishing all at once…It just might work!”

Aye stared at him as if trying to decide whether he was joking. “You’re serious?” he asked, his voice achingly hopeful.

Akk nodded and took Aye’s hands into his. “What do you say? You think we have another miracle left in us?”

Ever so slowly, a smile stretched across Aye’s face. “A baby girl?” he asked and Akk could tell that he had already fallen in love with the idea of her, just like he had.

✨

Dao didn’t end up going on his field trip. Instead, the three of them stayed home and wished together upon a shooting star that the universe would make their family whole.

There was a flash of lightning, a buzz of electricity that made their hair stand on end, and then, in the distance, the sound of a baby crying.

#asks #stardust fic #i'm in my feels about this one gang

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