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#in the early days its like I feel safe and comforted by your presence
earl-grey-love · 6 months
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Early on into their friendship, Sunny starts sleeping in Levi's room quite often. It originally happens as an accident like she falls asleep while watching anime/him game late at night, and Levi is too awkward to wake him up, but it soon becomes a normal habit between them.
Not in his bathtub (yes, Levi sleeps in a bathtub) because it's too small, and also, there's no reason for Sun to be in there at that point. But there will be a pile of like pillows and blankets in the area in front of his TV, and that's where he ends up sleeping fairly often.
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pickingupmymercedes · 13 days
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A thousand times over - Lewis Hamilton
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request: Hii! Omg, I just saw a comment on instagram that was so cute it made me think a Lewis fic would be so much cuter. You're my favourite writer for F1 so I know you'd eat this up. So a guy commented that when his wife takes off her wedding rings for baking/gardening/painting/etc and he finds them, he waits til she's done then gives them back to her by proposing to her again. - @happy-golden-hour
pairing: Lewis Hamilton x Reader!
warnings: pure fluff
wordcount: +1K
a/n: The three times Lewis reasks y/n to marry him, and the one time the roles are reversed.
a/n.2: Thank you for the idea bestie, took me a while but I couldn't decide on a single scenario, so there's 3 and a surprise one. Hope you like it ❤️
As always, I'm open for feedback, come say hi!
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The Gardening Proposal
The morning sun made the garden golden, its rays filtering through the leaves and casting long shadows from the pine trees across the lush grass. Even though it wasn’t even 8 am yet, you were already lost in the peaceful new flower bed you had been working on for the past week. The air was crisp and fresh, a bit of fog still lurking deep in the woods that surrounded your country home, adding to the serene atmosphere.
Lewis looked over from the porch at the scene, his ever-attentive eyes lost in thought as he admired you. His fingers played with the golden band of your wedding ring he had found on the kitchen counter just minutes ago. The soft glint of the ring caught his eye, reminding him of the love and commitment you shared.
Before you could even feel his presence, he cleared his throat to catch your attention. Your vision as you turned was him, in only his basketball shorts, kneeled in the grass by the flower bed. In his hand was the band you had left in the kitchen the previous day, placed carefully so it wouldn’t get amidst the dirt.
"Love, would you marry me, again?" Lewis said softly, holding out the ring between his fingers, his gaze filled with warmth and affection. His voice was gentle, carrying a hint of playfulness that always had you melting.
Surprised but delighted by his heartfelt gesture, you accepted the ring, feeling its familiar weight as he slid it back onto your finger. The metal felt cool against your skin, a tangible reminder of the bond you shared. "Thank you," you whispered, your heart swelling with love and gratitude.
Lewis chuckled, his eyes sparkling as he looked up at you. "Well, is that a yes?" he began, his voice filled with warmth and humor. His playful tone made you laugh, easing any lingering nerves.
Tears of happiness welled in your eyes as you nodded, your voice filled with emotion. "Yes, a thousand times over" you replied, sealing your promise with a passionate kiss. The scent of blooming flowers filled the air around you, a perfect moment in your blossoming garden.
The Workout Proposal
The early night lights danced around in your bedroom windows as you read your book. You had just finished an intense workout in your home gym, the exhaustion and exhilaration leaving you feeling both drained and sleepy. So, after a shower, you had wrapped yourself in a plush robe, seeking comfort in your bed for a bit before thinking about dinner.
A while later Lewis found you, curled up in bed. A smile tugged at his lips as he admired your relaxed demeanor, his fingers playing with the ring he had found placed at tv console in the gym, now safely tucked in his pocket. Scooting closer to you on the bed, he gently pulled you into his embrace, his warmth enveloping you. His touch was gentle, and with a contented smile, you nestled closer to Lewis, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against your chest. His arms wrapping around you protectively.
In that intimate moment, Lewis gazed into your eyes softly. "I love you," he whispered, his voice soft but filled with conviction. "And I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy."
“I love you” You whispered back as you looked up at him, although not without a questioning look, as to why the sudden confession.
He let out a chuckle and reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the ring, his features full of adoration as he asked you for the thousandth time "Will you marry me, again?" his voice barely above a whisper.
Overwhelmed you took a moment to gather your words, your heart pounding just like it had when he asked for the first time. “Yeah, always”, your voice steady and certain. As he slipped the ring onto your finger, sealing your renewed commitment, your hands reached for the back of his neck, pulling his lips down to yours.
The Candles Proposal
The aroma of a Sunday roast filled the air, mingling with the comforting scent of herbs and spices. You were in the kitchen, focused on preparing a delicious meal for Lewis's family. His mother was by your side, offering her expertise and sharing cherished family recipes.
As you started making fresh pasta from scratch, you carefully removed your new wedding ring, placing it in Lewis's hand for safekeeping. He smiled, understanding the gesture, and pocketed the ring, promising to keep it safe.
The meal was a success, filled with laughter, stories, and the warmth his family always provided. As you two got back home late at night you headed for the shower, to clean up and decompress.
When you returned to the living room, you were greeted by the soft glow of candlelight. The flickering flames cast dancing shadows on the walls, and soft music played in the romantic and intimate background that Lewis had created.
In the center of the room, Lewis knelt on one knee, his eyes filled with love and determination. The ring you had entrusted to him earlier glinted in his hand, catching the candlelight. "Since I still don’t believe it’s true… would you marry me?” Lewis asked softly, his voice filled with warmth and affection as he held out the ring to you.
"Yes, Lew" you replied, your voice filled with love and gratitude. "I would be honored to marry you, over and over again." Surprised and touched by him, you felt a wave of emotion wash over you. The love and thoughtfulness he had put into this moment a reminder of the lengths he would go to show the love he felt.
The Surprise
As you entered the newly painted nursery, a smile spread across your face at the sight of the lovingly decorated room. Your heart swelled with anticipation at the thought of welcoming your baby into this home and to finally start your own family.
As you admired each detail, your eyes fell upon the wedding band resting on the dresser. Curiosity piqued, you picked up the ring, a tender smile playing on your lips as you realized Lewis had left it behind, probably had taken if off when he was painting.
Knowing he must be in his study, you made your way there, your heart fluttering with excitement. Entering the room, you found Lewis absorbed in his work, surrounded telemetry and car part’s designs. Without a word, you wrapped your arms around him from behind, resting your head against his shoulder.
He turned to meet your gaze, a soft smile lighting up his face as he pulled you onto his lap, his hands automatically resting on your 6 months-bump. "You know, I can't physically kneel like you always do" you teased, a playful glint in your eye, "but there's something I've been meaning to ask you."
Lewis chuckled, his arms tightening around you as he waited for you to continue. With a grin, you reached into your pocket, retrieving the wedding band. Holding it up between you, you met Lewis's gaze, your heart overflowing with love and joy.
"Would you marry me?" you asked, your voice filled with warmth and affection. Lewis's eyes shimmered with emotion. Without a moment's hesitation, he nodded, his voice filled with love. "Yes, I’ll marry you, every day if need be"
As you slipped the ring onto his finger, sealing your renewed commitment, you knew that no matter what life had in store, your love would always be the guiding light that led you through every joy and challenge.
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TAGLIST - @saturnssunflower @xoscar03 @chocolatediplomatdreamerzonk @happy-golden-hour
If you’d like to be added to my taglist you can leave a comment or send me a dm/ask.
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cozyquinn · 1 year
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Not bad, old man
Hopping on the older!eddie hype here, seeing as its the only thing I've been able to write anything for recently, bloody writer's block. I'm a sucker for age gap fics, so couldn't resist going for the upper end of the age gap here- Eddie is late 40s, reader is written to be 22-24 (these ages are not mentioned in the fic but they are the ones I had in mind when writing)
A/N: I've left reader's description as bare as possible, down to not specifying what clothes are worn by reader to make it as plausible as a self-insert as possible. I hope it doesn't retract any from the fic! Not 100% happy with this one, but hope it suffices!
I have since gone back through and amended parts that perhaps could have been thought through a little better and added bits in to smooth things out a bit!
Also, I do not give permission for my work to be replicated or reposted anywhere.
summary: When Eddie agrees to resume his place in Corroded Coffin for one night as a favour to Gareth, he doesn't expect the Hideout to offer an opportunity to go home with anyone, let alone the pretty girl half his age.
warnings: 18+ smut ahead, minors DNI. Blogs interacting with this work who do not have their age in bio will be blocked.
No established timeframe, NO established relationship, older!Eddie x fem!reader, NO use of Y/N
trigger warnings for: age gap, daddy kink, use of pet names (sweet thing, sweetheart, baby, baby girl), use of 'fetish' or kink related nicknames (Daddy, Sir), p in v intercourse, oral (f receiving, mention of m receiving) spanking with hand, choking aftercare at the end! Please let me know if you find any others, but also note that this list is not exhaustive- please consume content safely and cautiously! If you don't like this kind of content, please just scroll on!
Your sober mind does little to dull out the unpleasantness of the Hideout in all its stale and smoky glory. The unfamiliar surroundings and gawping eyes of older men have you shrinking into the peeling wallpaper.
Only here thanks to the lack of excitement anywhere else mid-week in Hawkins, Indiana, and the promise that the headlining bands didn't always suck, you settle yourself comfortably against the wall.
Swearing to yourself you'd stay sober tonight, you nurse a tepid Coke -if you could call it that- in your hands, the measly dash of ice now fully melted by the heat of your hands and the heavy smoker's breath filling the room; condensation on your glass matching the slow drip of perspiration at the nape of your neck, both cooling your skin some.
A murmured voice announces the headlining band of the night, and you watch as four older men bustle on to the stage; a concoction of greying hair and fading ink that adorns the skin on show.
The band's entrance is blighted somewhat by a commotion amongst the 18-strong crowd; an elderly patron being shooed from the bar for his rather chancey grope at the band's sole groupie's backside.
On the stage, Eddie shakes his head with a smirk, remarking to himself how some things never change. The wrinkles forming around his eyes deepen as he squints into the cheap fluorescent lights blaring down on him.
Breathing in the stale air of his old stomping ground offers him a little confidence, but doesn't mask the time passed since he was last here; reminiscing on days of shooting the shit until early hours and thrashing himself across the stage until his bones ached.
He scans the room finding mostly dull eyes, only partly bothered by the presence of the aged misfits readying their instruments; the overall response not helping to calm his nerves from years of avoiding any kind of stage presence. This appearance was just a favour to Gareth, after all.
That is, until his eyes fall on you tucked quietly to the side of the room. Entirely out of place, but a gracious reprieve from the groaning oldies giving Eddie an age complex in his forties.
He feels a pang, a warmth, radiating from you across the room; he shakes the years from his heavy shoulders, only breaking your eye contact with a confident wink in your direction.
You quirk a smile up at the older metalhead on stage, his eyes glinting back in amusement as his bandmate musters up an anticipatory drumroll behind him; the rumble sent out across the floor lit a flame of energy below your feet, the vibration coaxing boldness through your bones as you sway to the music.
You keep your eyes trained on him throughout the set, darting between the silver strands scattered throughout his brown curls, his strong hands adorned with rings commanding control over the slender neck of his guitar, and the snarling twitches of his lips as he belts out vocals.
In Eddie's mind, the set goes without a hitch- minus the few misplayed notes dotted here and there from a lack of recent practice. 'Not bad for an old timer, huh', he thinks to himself.
He sets down his guitar, letting the guys know he was heading to the bar to wetten his hoarse throat.
Despite his best efforts to resist temptation -to remind himself of his seniority- he finds himself veering towards you where you'd settled on the left side of the bar, taking in your misplaced youthfullness amongst heavy smoke and wrinkled skin.
He approaches you, announcing his presence to your turned back with a kind greeting to the bartender. You turn your head just as his palm gently brushes your shoulder.
"Hey there, sweet thing. Mind if I sit here?" He says, gesturing to the seat to your right.
"Go ahead" you nod, turning to face him as he settles onto the fraying fabric and creaking wood.
"Thanks doll, the name's Eddie"
He reaches for your hand, bringing your knuckles to his chapped lips; a blush rising from your chest as you garble out your own monicker with as much composure as you can muster. A tarnished ring catches your finger as he gently pulls his hand away, electricity seering through your palm in its wake.
"I see you stuck around for the set. What'dya think?" He keeps up the conversation, a warm smile never leaving his face.
"Yeah, I saw you up there. You were pretty good, for an old man" You quirk your shoulders, a sly grin gracing your soft features as you eye him up from your periphery; doing anything to force a calm facade amongst the flurry of entirely inappropriate thoughts breaching your mind as you eye him up close.
"Oh, low blow. You wound me sweetheart" He chuckles with a hand held mockingly to his chest, any suggestion of real hurt in his voice dampened by the deep-set grin adorning his face. He continues before you can respond.
"What's a pretty little thing like you doing here, anyway? Would'na taken this place to be your kind of scene"
You shrug, dipping your head to focus in on your fingers fidgeting against the cup in your hands, doing your best to hide your blush from his attentive eyes.
"I guess I was just looking for something different. I'm sick of all those hyped up bars charging twice the price and offering glorified karaoke as headline bands, you know?" You say, a mischievous glint in your eye as you watch him through your eyelashes.
This earns you a deep chuckle, the gruffness settling heavily on your chest and lighting a warmth under your skin.
"Yeah, I get that" he nods, his eyes squinting in thought for a second.
"Uh, can I get you a drink? Least I could do since you stuck around for the whole set?" Eddie's eyes light up at his own gentle humour, a kind smile settled on his lips to keep you sweet.
Smiling sweetly in thanks for the offer, you reply.
"Oh, I'm not drinking tonight. Not alcohol anyway, just sticking to whatever sugar saturated crap this is supposed to be."
You raise your half-full cup to him with a laugh, trying desperately to ignore the throb settling between your thighs with each look he sends your way.
He laughs deeply, nodding understandingly at your response. He shifts on his seat, his calloused fingers reaching to scratch at the base of his neck.
"I forgot how humid this damn place gets" His voice is hoarse with age and strain but smoothens out with a cough.
He stands, shrugging off his thinning red flannel to reveal a plethora of faded ink dotted down his arms. Your eyes settle on the slightly blownout bats rounding his forearm; wondering what else could be hiding beneath the black shirt left hugging his torso.
Your heart thumps a little harder as your eyes scan out wider, along his broad shoulders and down towards his covered navel. The heavy breath leaving your lips thickens the air around you, winding around your throat in a way you imagine Eddie's rough hand would.
You're cruelly brought out of your thoughts by the sound of Eddie's voice above you.
"Hey darlin', you got a lil bit'a drool right-" he pauses, bringing his forefinger to the corner of his upturned mouth and brushing the greying fuzz above his lip.
You bring your hand up to your face with speed, frantically wiping and prodding at your lips; your mind burning with embarassment, your cunt betraying you with a clench.
He leans down, the scratch of salt and pepper scruff along his jawline tickling your cheek as his supple lips tease the shell of your ear. A gentle whisper sending a flush from your cheeks to your gently throbbing cunt.
"I'm just teasing ya, sweetheart" He takes a small breath before continuing.
"But don't think I haven't seen you eyeing me up. Didn't your daddy ever tell you it was rude to stare?"
His words punch a gasp from your chest, and his sly grin darkens the red tinge adorning your cheeks.
With eyes wide and pupils blown, you lean back. Your mouth agape, lips lightly trembling, as you search your clouded brain desperately for a response.
Eddie beats you to it, his right hand now gently approaching your cheek, his forefinger outstretched to brush a strand of your hair behind your ear; the clench of your thighs doesn't go unnoticed.
A quiet whimper leaves your lips as he brings you closer, his rough palm now caressing your neck. His thumb gently rubs along the vein pulsing through your skin, applying enough pressure to have your eyes fluttering closed and your hands reaching up to his tousled curls for purchase.
Without a second thought, your lips are on his. Chapped against smooth, you taste a hint of settled smoke and mint. You deepen the kiss, wanting to taste more of him. His rough tongue fights with yours, experience overpowering desperation.
His hands map out the path of your body, cupping and pinching in all the right places before they settle on your ass. Experienced fingers pressing into your flesh with a delicious sting, soothed by the lick of cool metal. His lips leave yours as he trails kisses along your chin, suckling a sweet red bud into your skin where your neck meets your jaw.
His mind fights an internal battle. He knows better, you've got to be at least half his age, but the aching pulse from his cock wins over.
"How about I show you what this old man can do, huh?" He growls into your ear, pulling you up onto your tiptoes as he nuzzles his strong nose into your throat.
You squeak out a "yes", the word drawling into a squeal when his teeth nip at your soft skin.
"Was hopin' you'd say that"
With that, he's leading you towards the door, leaving behind any semblance of your control and the now-flat cola you placed clumsily onto the bar.
Your feet stumble slightly underneath you as you try to keep up. The thrash of your thighs against each other with each small misstep eliciting a feeble whine from your lips.
Disregarding the call from Gareth across the room, Eddie thrusts you both out into the crisp air; gently draping the thin material of his flannel over your shoulders as he leads you to his van parked in the lot just a few feet from the door.
Throwing himself into the drivers seat with an urgency he thought he lost in his thirties, Eddie starts the engine and whips the van out of the lot quicker than your hazy mind can keep up with.
Your pulse races to the thrum of the engine, Eddie's hand squeezing your supple thigh leaves you twitching and aching for more; thanking all that's holy for the short distance between the Hideout and Eddie's trailer when he parks up.
He helps you out of his van, his arm flexing around your waist as he half-carries you to the threshold of his front door; swinging it open gently with the rattle of rusting keys.
"Sorry sweetheart. It ain't much, but it's mine" he murmurs, lightly gesturing to the small space of his living room.
You shake your head, a whispered reassurance of his home's perfection slipping through the crack of your swollen lips, you grasp his forearms with desperation, hoping he'll feel the throb of your hole through your hands.
Eddie seems to get the message, pointing in the direction of his room, sealing his promise of joining you in a moment with a kiss.
You rush to his room, peeling your outer layers of clothing from your body, fondling your breasts and teasing the slope of your hips as you go. Unclasping your bra, you toy with the straps in a teasing game, edging yourself with fingertip caresses against your skin.
A hungry grunt behind you grabs your attention, halting your sweet touches. You turn, gently circling your shoulders to tease away the straps sitting pretty on your clavicle.
You spread your arms out infront of you, sending your bra tumbling to the floor; a gentle request for closeness, your skin screaming to be touched.
Standing in just his underwear, Eddie's eyes trace your figure from top to bottom, his chapped lips being soothed with the brush of his tongue across them; you parallel his softness with a harsh bite to your bottom lip as your eyes follow the path of his tattoos to the bulge tenting his boxers.
The only reminder of his age sits at the edge of his eyes, the lines there softening his rugged look. He gives you little time to admire his mature but toned body as, with a feralness you've never before experienced, Eddie has you pinned to the bed.
His hips hold yours to the mattress, the giration of his pelvis offering sweet, agonising relief to your swollen clit through the layers of fabric.
He pulls away, planting hot kisses down your body with a desperation unmatched, the tickle of coarse stubble against your skin soothed by the drag of his warm tongue.
As he reaches the peak of your mound, your jittering hands inch down to circle your thumbs across his cheeks. His deep brown eyes settle on you, committing your vulnerable beauty to memory.
Your fingers loop through his hair, his silver curls adorning your digits like delicate rings as you rut your hips towards him. A sweet whine is all it takes to beckon the touch of his thick fingers through the cotton modesty of your panties.
You writhe and whine, begging for more; the blush of your cunt calling to his cock like a siren's song to a sailor. A slow stream of arousal fills your panties, hollowing the material to show the empty clench of your heat.
"Please Daddy"
It's barely a whisper but Eddie hears it, clear as a bell. His eyes widen for a moment, mirroring your disbelief at the words uttered from your mouth, before he's smirking into your clammy skin.
"What was that baby? Want to repeat that for me?"
You whine, shaking your head as your desperation fights shame. You squeeze your eyes shut and plead, "please Daddy, need you"
He smirks to himself. Whispering so low you'll never hear, "Daddy kink, huh. Should've guessed that one".
Raising his voice enough to flood your senses, his words ring out.
"Sweet little girl wants more, huh?" The smirk evident in his words.
He settles a rugged finger under your chin to coax your gaze back up to his, holding you there whilst you squirm; tears brimming your stinging eyelids.
"No need to cry sweetheart, Daddy's got you" he promises with a gentle tug and pull at the waistband of your panties until they hang idly from your ankle.
He wastes no time in blessing your bundle of nerves with his experienced tongue, branding the Munson name into your skin amongst calculated figure-of-eights.
You sob sweet nothings into the heavy air as his fingers breach the cusp of your entrance. His free hand takes purchase of your chin, curling you in on yourself to watch as the tattoos decorating his knuckles disappear into your heat with a squelch.
The cold sear of his rings against your sore folds has you hissing under your breath; each plunge of his fingers offering a new sweet wetness over the shimmering metal.
You beg to repay the favour, offering him your desperate mouth, as a blinding pressure builds in your core. He reassures you "next time baby", as you soak his fingers, extinguishing the flame of the inked candle on his middle finger with your wet.
Leaving you no time to regain your breath, his mouth is on your lips, your cheeks, your throat. Plump lips caressing your skin as the throbbing head of his cock kisses your entrance.
You whine as he enters you, the stretch unholy as you adjust to his size. His heavy balls rest against your pert arse and his hazy smile tells you he's exactly where he wants to be.
"That's it baby girl. Feels good, huh? Old man still got it?"
He taunts you with your earlier jabs. The curve of his cock relentlessly prodding at your aching walls, sweetening the sting of his jeering.
Flashes of white appear in your vision with each harsh thrust of his hips and snarl from his chest, and you grind your hips further down on to his pulsing cock.
You nod frantically to answer his question, your hands caressing his still-soft skin before puncturing your nails through the swell of his shoulders.
His desperation starts to show, his calloused hands slipping beneath your backside to hold your hips at an angle. His tip kisses your cervix, punching harsh moans from your chest as his thrusts start to falter.
"Gonna cum, sweetheart. Tell me where you want it"
Your head lolls back as you whimper a pathetic "inside me Daddy, please", your own words driving you over the edge to your honey-sweet climax as you quiver beneath him.
His cock throbs inside you, each flex against your walls sending aftershocks through your spent body. His forehead rests against your breasts, both of you rapidly chasing steady breath. As you calm down, he gently removes himself from you, rubbing soothing circles into your hips to lessen the sting.
"I'll be right back babygirl", he whispers into your cheek with a kiss, leaving the room momentarily to grab a damp cloth to clean you up.
You turn to him once the rise and fall of your chest has steadied, your bleary eyes finding adoration staring back. He smiles widely at you as he pulls you in close to his side, but you're the first to speak.
"You okay?", you ask quietly with a smile, not wanting to disturb the moment.
"More than okay. How you holdin' up, sweetheart?"
You only nod in response, your gentle eyes reassuring him that you were doing just fine.
His smile widens, a mischievous glint taking form as your eyes flutter closed.
He chuckles to himself, the vibration of his chest caressing your cheek as his gruff voice fills the air again.
"Not bad for an old man, huh?"
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stvrni0lo · 8 months
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𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨
matt sturniolo x reader
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summary: headcanons for dating matt
warnings/notes: none
requested?: no
> > >
definitely is not into pda. if you’re in public the most he will do is hold your hand, but in private he is all over you. cuddling, hugs, head scratches, kisses
speaking of head scratches, he absolutely looovvessss them. he’ll rarely ever just upfront ask for them but he’s very grateful when you do it for him
you’re the only one he lets touch his stuffed animals. he’ll even move them out of the way for you so you can sit on his bed
he will listen to you ramble about your interests any day, any time, anywhere. sometimes he’ll remember things you’ve mentioned and he’ll throw them in conversation just to see the way your eyes light up
loves to place little pecks on your shoulder when he’s passing by. you could be in the kitchen or doing work and if he sees you he’ll come up just to kiss your shoulder and he’ll be off. its his way of showing affection even when you two are busy with your own little things
he’s always there to listen, and he’s amazing at keeping secrets. like seriously - he protects them with his life
he doesn’t drink but if you do he’s 100% always by your side to make sure you don’t overdo yourself
on a similar note if you’re out anywhere he’ll guard your drink like it’s his duty (which i guess it is). he’ll cover any beverage you leave behind with his hand and he will not take his eyes off it until you’re back
he’s not a fan of bugs, but for you he’ll try his best to protect you if you’re scared of them (totally stole this idea from @dwntwn-strnlo’s fic)
if you’re anxious about anything or just generally not feeling well he’ll try to coax you to talk to him because he knows it helps him. if you don’t want to though he will not pressure you, but instead he’ll share some things that’s been helpful for him (e.g journaling)
drives you everywhere. if you need him to pick you up, he’s there. if you need a 2 minute trip to the shop, he’s there. passenger princess ftw
will not make fun of you for any phobias or fears. instead he’ll comfort you if you need it, no matter how silly it may seem
loves being the little spoon
his favorite thing is hugging you from behind, something about resting his chin on your shoulder as he watches you go about your activity is just so peaceful to him (throwback to my fic ‘drive-by hugs’)
sometimes he’ll come over when he’s feeling overwhelmed and just sit in silence either on his phone, or just watching you go about your day to day tasks
he really loves being in your presence. it doesn’t matter what you two are doing, but he does take you out often. not necessarily to anything fancy but you’ve had quite a few picnic/stargazing dates here and there. the beach is totally a common date spot for you two
family means everything to him so he probably introduced you to his mom and dad pretty early on. he was there the whole time holding your hand to ease your nerves
if you draw (or even if you don’t) he loves when you doodle on him. it reminds him of getting a tattoo, and the feeling of your hands gently grazing ink across his skin calms him down
you in general - just being there - always calms him down
loves to bury you in the sand if you ever get a beach day. sometimes he’ll get buried next to you and you’ll just talk as you giggle at Nick and Chris fighting in the water (really random one idk)
to him you’re his safe space. he knows he can always come to you with a problem, and you’ll do the same
he never needs to feel overwhelmed or that he needs to try too hard around you. with you he’s just Matt, and he loves that
- - -
𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭:
@lollibumblebee
@dwntwn-strnlo
@gracietaylorsversions
@20nugs
@thetriplets3
@sunshinewwx
@gwenlore
@gabbylovesreading
@ssturniolo
@opheliaofficial07
@stargirlv0id
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nowritingonthewall · 4 months
Note
Hi! Can I ask for some random and domestic Poe HC? 🤧
Hello Nonnie, thank you so much for your request! I am sorry that my hcs always appear to escalate into mini-essays, I hope that you enjoy them anyway 🥰
!Content warning for allusions to past trauma (because it’s Poe) but it’s mostly fluffy!
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Domestic headcanons with Poe (x gn!reader)
- If you were honest, you would never have expected Poe to actually settle down after the Battle of Exegol and the fall of the First Order. After all, he had been on the run since he had been 16 years old, his family a bunch of rebels, his home scattered across the stars. You had fully expected him to make his new job as a flying instructor his whole new life, filling every second with something exciting to do, always chasing the next thrill, never slowing down and let himself think for even a minute.
Instead, after helping the New Republic to get back on its feet, he had put most of his energy and devotion into making a home with you.
Even though he loves his job teaching students (and spending a lot of time in his x-wing while doing so), he always makes sure to finish on time so that he can spend as much of the remainder of the day with you as possible. It has become one of your daily little rituals for you to wait for him, sitting on your porch, two mugs of freshly brewed caf in your hands. It never stops warming your heart to see that gorgeous crinkly-eyed smile lighting up his face as soon as he sees you waiting for him. Giving you an adorable little wave, he always quickens his pace before pulling you into a long and heartfelt hug.
Watching the suns painting the sky with the most beautiful colours imaginable, you’ll sit snuggled up against each other, listening to each other's daily adventures.
It usually doesn’t take long before Poe’s head grows heavy against your shoulders. The first few times he tried to fight it and wouldn’t stop apologizing, no matter how often you tried to assure him that you didn’t mind at all. But soon these late afternoon or early evening naps become just another part of your daily routine.
Poe spent more than half his life making sure that everyone around him felt safe. Now, with the war becoming a more and more distant memory each day, it’s like his mind finally allows his body to catch up on all the rest that he has been denied during all those years – finally feeling safe in your arms.
And there really aren’t a lot of things that you enjoy more than holding your sleepy boy with his head resting in your lap, one hand intertwined with his, as the other one plays with his hair. You smile at every patch of grey that you find among his inky curls, more than grateful to be given the precious gift of being allowed to watch him grow old with you. It makes the warmest and fuzziest feelings bloom inside your heart to see his worry lines relax under the soft touch of your hand as you listen to his content mumbling and cutest little sighs.
- He still can’t sleep without you around, though. Whenever he is in dire need of a nap, and the weather has gone too cold to sit outside, even under a heap of cuddly blankets, he’ll sit down on the couch, look at you with the most irresistible baby ewok eyes and his softest smile and tap on his chest to ask for his favourite human blanket.
Sometimes he falls asleep within seconds as soon as you snuggle up to him. Sometimes he finds that it wasn’t sleep that he craved after all but simply the comforting presence of you right next to him, listening to the soothing rhythm of your breathing as you drift into peaceful slumber until his breath synchronizes with yours in perfect harmony. And sometimes your planned naps turn into Poe and you talking nonsense for hours, exchanging forehead kisses and nose rubs between giggles.
Poe used to think that the only way to escape the constantly reoccurring ringing in his ears was to drown it out with something even louder. Now he realizes that all he needs to find relief is the soft warmth of you lying on top of him, the shape of your bodies fitting together as perfectly as if they had been custom made for each other.
- And he allows himself to take his time with everything that he does. No more bone crushing hugs that aren’t allowed to last longer than a second and that he’d hoped would convey everything that he hadn’t time for to tell you in case he wouldn’t make it back from a mission. No more quick and chaste kisses to whatever body part they would land on before hurrying off into the next briefing or meeting.
Now he makes sure to pour all of his undying love for you into every single hug until you feel nothing but warm and safe and cared for. Every kiss of him shows you that you are the centre of his universe, from the very first kiss in the morning to the last kiss goodnight. They have become so much more tender and gentler, yet they never leave a single trace of doubt about his feelings for you.
Quick shared showers that used to be a practical necessity turn into long shared baths that last until the water turns cold. Sometimes when you aren’t ready to step out of your cocoon of warmth just yet, you wrap each other in fluffy towels and make yourself comfortable on the heating unit waiting until you’re dried off.
As you cuddle up to each other, enjoying the closeness, you find a new softness and gentleness to your relationship that you had never thought possible. You are no longer clinging to each other for dear life, always scared that you might lose each other the next minute, constantly feeling like loving on borrowed time.
And Poe takes his time rediscovering and getting to know you all over again. Gently scrubbing your back in the bath or giving you a long tension-relieving massage. Learning everything there is to know about how you take care of your hair, while committing every single detail about you to memory. Not because he fears that every time might be the very last chance to do so but because he decided to commit every single fibre of his heart and soul to loving you. Because he chooses you. Over and over again.
It takes a while for him to get comfortable letting you take care of him the same way that he takes care of you. Yet every time it is your turn to hold him in the bathtub, he finds it a little easier to relax against your chest, melting into your embrace a little deeper. With every soft kiss pressed to his temple, he manages to let go a little further. As he rests his cheek against yours, while your hands are slowly caressing over his arms, he has never felt more vulnerable and at the same time more safe and protected than during those moments.
That’s when the tears tend to flow.
Those are the days when you make sure to take extra good care of him. Letting him rest his head against your shoulder as you carefully pat his back with a towel, gently kissing his tears away before placing a soft kiss on every single one of his scars, putting pain relieving lotion on his arm and massaging his tense shoulder. Only a few months ago this kind of special treatment would have made him feel more than uncomfortable. Seeing his own needs through your loving eyes, he slowly begins to accept that it is okay to take them seriously. And as he curls up against your chest, he doesn’t only allow it but he knows that he can completely trust you to take care of him.
- Poe has always loved to dance. Nearly as much as he loves to cuddle with you. Sadly, the days of the Resistance hadn’t exactly given you a lot of opportunity to do so and reasons to break into celebratory dances had been all too rare. So now he takes any chance he gets to hug you from behind, snuggle up as close to you as possible, rest his head on your shoulder and his cheek against yours while swaying the both of you to some music coming from your holopad or to a secret rhythm that only the two of you seem to be able to feel.
You dance in the morning while waiting for the first few cups of caf to brew, while waiting for something yummy baking in the oven, when you’re trying to dust the shelves, or while doing the dishes.
Doing the dishes never becomes a boring task with Poe. If he doesn’t turn it into a dance, there are bound to be lather battles that more often than not turn into tickle fights. And they always end with him using the dish cloth to draw you in for a long and wobbly-knees-inducing kiss.
This is also where most of your more serious conversations take place. It’s always been easier for Poe to talk about difficult topics while his hands have something to do. So whenever you feel like there’s something on his mind that he has trouble talking about, you’ll ask him “dish discussion?”, to which he answers with a relieved smile.
And, of course, should the topic require some serious hugging action, you can always continue your discussion on the kitchen floor, which proves over and over again to be the best place to solve any problem imaginable. And in case one of you should be in need of an even more comforting atmosphere, your kitchen cabinet features an extra compartment containing all the components required to build a blanket fort. It’s a habit that goes back to the early days of you joining the Resistance. And afterwards your blanket fort of safety can easily be converted into a blanket fort of romantic dinners and cuddle sessions.
- The two of you share a little garden with Rey, who doesn’t live too far away from you (I am sorry, LEGO, I refuse to believe that the trio would ever split up!). At least it was a little garden in the beginning. It all started when Poe noticed how Rey’s eyes would start to sparkle whenever she came across anything lush and green. So he began to present her with a special plant from every place that he visited. Pretty soon even her house was too small to accommodate her (not so) little personal jungle, so you helped her turning her backyard into a little garden. Which just kept on expanding. Because it never stopped warming Poe’s heart to see the way Rey’s face shining brighter than the suns whenever he found a new exotic plant for her.
He helped her create her special place of happiness both in her mind and in the physical world and you two are the only ones apart from Finn she trusts to take care of it. Even if your and Poe’s gardening sessions sometimes turn into several rounds of mud wrestling or splashy water fights.
Poe’s first very own gardening project featured the planting of a row of koyo trees. They weren’t even supposed to be able to grow in this climate but Poe Dameron has never been one to let logic or reason stand in the way of matters close to his heart. After all, he had managed to nurse a force tree back to health without any jedi tricks. And maybe Rey’s and Finn’s way with the force helped a little, too. Though he will always tell everyone willing (or maybe not too willing) to listen that it was your loving care that made the trees grow and flourish and bloom in the end.
His proud little face when he was able to harvest the very first fruit is another one of your many precious and treasured memories. Of course he let you have the first bite, almost a little nervous about your reaction.
The original plan was to turn the fruits into juice and jelly and lots of cakes. Which was a good plan. And it probably would have worked if the koyo fruits hadn’t been so damn tasty that you ate most of them before they ever had a chance to land in a basket. And what better way to spend the last days of summer than sitting lazily in the cool shadow of a koyo tree, taking turns to lie in each others lap while feeding each other freshly picked koyo fruits?
- During the nights when neither of you is able to sleep, you’ll climb onto the roof of your house, which offers a snug little platform that provides the perfect secluded retreat to lie on your back and gaze at all the stars in the galaxy. A galaxy that’s finally at peace.
Poe’s gaze keeps wandering back to you, though, and every time it does, he can’t stop smiling. As soon as you notice, you’ll snuggle a little closer to cradle his head and place the softest little kiss on his forehead, making him smile even wider. Softly stroking your cheek, he returns the kiss. On your nose, on your temple, across your jaw line, all over both of your cheeks, and everywhere he can reach.
You finally dare to make plans for the future again. Talking about all the stars and systems and planets you would like to explore together. Without rush, without being constantly on your guard, actually being able to look forward to visiting them.
The important thing is that Poe is no longer driven by the uncontrollable need to chase every single one of them. Because he has his own little galaxy lying right here by his side.
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tiny-tini-imagines · 8 months
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Aragorn is in love with a female human reader
So, since i wrote some headcanons about Legolas being in love with a female elf, I thought about writing some for the other members of the fellowship too. If you'd like to read diffenrent character constellations than mine, (characters, races, franchise), feel free to ask, I'd be really happy about it.
Headcanons - Lord of the rings
summary: Aragorn is in love with a female human reader
time setting: shortly after Aragorn's coronation
(added: character art, what they would say to them, or about them)
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Sunrise Conversations: In the early mornings, when the kingdom is still asleep, Aragorn and you would often sit on the walls of Minas Tirith, watching the sunrise and sharing quiet conversations about your hopes and dreams for the future.
Handwritten Letters: Despite your close proximity, Aragorn takes pleasure in sending handwritten letters to you, sealed with the royal seal of Gondor. He enjoys the anticipation of your response, no matter if its by letter of in person. (He writes you every day, if he ever has to leave you for some days or other way around)
A Willing Listener: Aragorn is an attentive listener, hanging on to your every word, showing that your thoughts and feelings matter deeply to him.
Dances in the Courtyard: Occasionally, when the court is not in session, Aragorn would occasionaly sweep you into an impromptu dance in the castle's courtyard, your laughter echoing through the stone walls.
Endless Respect: Aragorn treats you with unwavering respect, valuing your opinions and decisions as equal to his own.
Shared Journeys: You embark on long rides through the countryside, exploring the lands of Gondor together, taking solace in the beauty of the kingdom and the comfort of your presence. (You'd often talk to your people, especially after thw war and try to listen and help them as best as possible, people love to see you together).
"My love, every day I am reminded of the incredible strength and grace you bring to our kingdom, and to my heart."
Regal Courtesy: As King of Gondor, he still maintains the same level of courtesy and humility with you as he would with any subject.
Shared Responsibilities: While he bears the weight of the kingdom's responsibilities, he makes sure to include you in important decisions and trusts your judgment.
"She possesses a heart as courageous as any warrior I've known, and her wisdom has guided us through many trials. Gondor is fortunate to have such a steadfast ally by its side."
Respect for Your Independence: Aragorn respects your independence and encourages you to pursue your interests and passions, even as his queen. (His loyalty to you is unwavering, and he will stand by your side through any challenge or adversity.)
Healing Touch: Aragorn tends to any injuries you sustain with a gentle touch and skilled hands, his care and concern evident in every motion.
Understanding Silences: Aragorn understands the power of shared silences, finding comfort in simply being in your presence.
The King's Lullaby: Aragorn hums a soft, ancient lullaby to you when you can't sleep, his voice a soothing balm to your soul.
The Kings's Comfort: You'd often find yourself in his arms, after a nightmare and him whispering soothing words into your ear.
"I know it was a frightening dream, but I promise, I'll chase away the shadows and keep you safe."
Gentle Affection: His gestures are filled with gentleness and affection, whether it's a tender kiss on the forehead or a warm, reassuring hand on your shoulder.
Protector and Champion: He takes his role as your protector seriously, ensuring your safety and well-being are his top priorities.
"No matter what challenges lie ahead, I want you to know that I will always be by your side, my heart forever entwined with yours."
Laughter-Filled Evenings: You share evenings filled with laughter and storytelling, surrounded by a circle of close friends and trusted advisors, reveling in the joy of being together.
His Favorite Book: Aragorn keeps a copy of the your favorite book in his personal library, its well-worn pages a testament to how deeply he values your interests. He'd often read it to you, when you have troubles falling asleep.
Moonlit Picnics: On clear nights, Aragorn arranges secret picnics in a hidden garden, the soft glow of moonlight casting a romantic atmosphere over your intimate moments. He also manages to get all your favourite foods (other things), to make you happy. (Aragorn takes pride in blending herbal teas for you, each concoction carefully chosen for its calming properties and unique flavors.)
Quality Time: He treasures the moments you spend together, whether it's a quiet evening by the fire, exploring the city, or attending formal events.
Unexpected Surprises: He enjoys surprising you with small, thoughtful gifts or spontaneous adventures, keeping the spark of romance alive.
His Crown and Her Crown: Aragorn places a small, delicate crown made of wildflowers on your head during your private moments together, (also before an offical celebration etc.), a symbol of your shared sovereignty.
Heartfelt Vows: You would exchange heartfelt vows of eternal love and commitment, sealed with a kiss under the ancient White Tree of Gondor. (When you look at each other, there's a shared understanding that you are bound together for eternity, your love enduring through everything.) - Together, you create cherished traditions, marking significant moments in your relationship with meaning and love.
"When I look at you, I see the future of Gondor, and I am filled with hope for the days to come."
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strongheartneteyam · 17 days
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I wet you like water but she stained you like blood.
Pairing: widowed!dilf!jake sully x younger!female!human!reader
CW: slight sexual language, can be triggering to some, heartbreak, age gap kink, hurt/no comfort, age gap relationship problems, angst, reader reminiscing (pls tell me if I missed anything) 
So, yeah... I never know when I'm gonna come back with another writing. My hiatus n working periods are all a bit unpredictable lol sorry. Anyways... I literally spent the whole night awake n I was struck by a sudden lightning of creativity early in the morning and I edited this chapter n wrote a bit more, but I still haven't slept at all, so, I apologize if some parts of this make no sense at all. I'll fix it when I can. Hope you guys like it <3 ily guys a whole lot :)) obs: this chapter is a shorter one.
Slightly proofread.
Chapter 4 𓆩♡𓆪
They say all's well that ends well
But I'm in a new hell every time you double-cross my mind
You said if we had been closer in age maybe it would've been fine
And that made me want to die
The idea you had of me, who was she?
A never-needy, ever-lovely jewel whose shine reflects on you
All Too Well - 10 minutes Version (Taylor Swift)
𓆩♡𓆪
It had been 1 year since the last time you saw Jacob Sully. Or Jakey, like you used to call him. The wound never healed. It still throbbed and bled every time you remembered the words he told you that dreadful day. "I think we should stop seeing each other." It felt like you would never get over him. How can one get over such an overpowering, raw feeling? He marked you forever, like a bruise that seemed to never disappear from your skin.
The flashback came like thunder in a storm, haunting your thoughts with a loud pain that echoed through your mind. What you told Jake that night.
“The truth is I love you. The truth is I can't take this anymore. I'm giving you my everything but you don't seem to be doing the same. You're still guarded.” There was a tense period of silence “Jake… I love you. But I don't think you feel the same.”
Maybe you shouldn't have said anything. Maybe if you had kept your mouth shut, he would still be with you.
Ugh!! Stop that, now, (y/n)! Some self love, please? You're better than this. You deserve better.
You tried to convince yourself of that, at least.
The pain was unbearable at times and almost easy to conceal at other times. It depended on how distracted with work or your studies you were. These days you ran to any distraction that could ease the perpetual angst that squeezed your heart inside its hands all the fucking time. It had been like that ever since Jake left you. What were you expecting anyway? You should have known you were never truly loved by Jake. The love of his life was Neytiri and it would always be, alive and walking through Pandora or dead and with Eywa.
It felt beyond weird to have to hear people talking about Jake and have to pretend he was a stranger to you, someone you barely knew, when he had actually left a mark so strong on you, a memory ingrained in your brain, a feeling, a pain buried inside your heart that made you want to scream and hit your head against a wall. That's how much it hurt.
You would never have his body against yours again, warming you up when it was cold, after you spent the whole day in that damn lab, studying Pandoran plants but all you could really concentrate on was how much you missed his reassuring, protective presence. He made you feel safe for the first time in your life. But now he is gone. Just like every single good thing you ever had in your life. But you know what? Maybe your mother was right, maybe love wasn't really something that could ever last forever.
Did Jake ever really make a real effort to be with you? Thinking back, it was extremely easy for him to just come to you and fuck you anytime he felt sad and lonely. What if you had just been a naive, dumb girl all this time? Were you mourning a love that never actually 
existed? It was always so hard to talk to him about his feelings for you, he never actually let you in, to be honest. All the time you two spent together, you were never able to know if he ever saw you as a partner or just a fuck buddy. 
Oh, but the high… it was worth all the lows. The butterflies in your stomach every time you guys were almost caught fucking in the back of your work room by Norm. Eventually you guys had to tell him about your situationship because, oh well… he already knew what was going on, really. Norm is not a fool or a child. He could add 2 plus 2.
The adrenaline was worth all the tears. And, fuck… you would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
𓆩♡𓆪
Taglist:
@aonungsoneandonly
@coldbabyheroin
@fairyyrosee
@myh3artttt
@explosiongamora
@ufiy
@yeosxxx
@happyyappysworld
@avatar4eva
@henhouse-horrors
@jakesullyfatjuicypeen
@fujimoribaby
@layla2-49
@zoetrope1997
@yeosxxx
@luvv4j4ybe11
@bakugouswaif
@slytherdor01
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mulledcherrywine · 1 year
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Oh Baby, Yeah!
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summary: You bring yours and Harry’s daughter to the studio and he can’t keep away from her
a/n: part of the Rosie storyline ! I love writing dad!H so lots of heart goes into these 🤭I imagine Rosie being born around HS1 era, then growing up through that, hence the pic above !!
You were laid back on the sofa outside the booth, Mitch and a few other crew members sat around with you as Harry was posted up in the booth. Your eight-month old, Rosie, was closely bundled in your arms, eyes shut softy as Harry cleaned up a few songs he’d been working on.
Adjusting his headphones, he gave a light wave to the both of you, earning a sleeping motion from you to indicate she was barely awake.
“He’s literally obsessed with her” Mitch laughed, looking at Rosie’s little face, “Like, never stops talking about you.”
You blushed thinking about Harry gushing of your daughter while you were away, even though you knew just as well from how he acted at home. He’d wake up early just to make sure she was safe and warm waking up, he’d bounce her around on his hip and sang lightly to her when she’d have a crying fit and he wouldn’t go a single night without making certain she fell asleep feeling loved.
He’d been working really hard lately. Even though his first solo album just recently made its debut, he was already back in the studio working away at other songs. He loved what he did, but sometimes it meant he had to be away from you and Rosie. Seeing as she was still quite new, he often had you both over to the studio.
After finishing off a few minutes of backing vocals, he stepped out of the booth, approaching where you were sat.
“Hi baby,” he said softly to you, reaching his arms out to take Rosie, “and hi, baby.”
He took her tightly in his right arm, holding her close to his person. Rosie’s eyes fluttered softly out of sleep, which normally boded a crying fit if she’d been rudely awoken, but the comfort of her fathers presence made tears far from possible.
“Jesus, he’s never going back in, now” one of the studio techs joked, removing the headset from his ears, “Breaktime, then?”
The studio team grouped up and shuffled out of the room, taking a much needed break from the day inside the crowded booth.
Mitch shuffled out after, giving a nod to you and Harry. You snuck over to him and your baby, brushing the hair back from Harry’s face and looking at his eyes as he looked to Rosie. The green of his eyes was glassy from tears.
“M’so lucky, s’just, like, emotional sometimes” he said, looking to you.
“I know, m’love” you hummed.
“Love her so much, an’ I love you, baby” he left a kiss on your temple, still holding Rosie tight as ever. She mumbled at the light motion of his body moving, causing the both of you to look down at her little green eyes.
“I love us,” you spoke, moving her already beautiful baby hairs atop her head.
“Stop, i’m going to, just, fully have a breakdown, lovie” Harry joked, his eyed widening like he was trying to jokingly stop the tears.
“Just post-baby hormones, m’love”
“Isn’t that just for the mum, though?”
“I think it applies”
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raspberriesoda · 26 days
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fall from grace » ljn
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genre | angel!jeno x human!reader; fluff, slight angst at the very end
word count | 2.3k
summary | your guardian angel has always blurred the line he’s never supposed to cross, and one night he unintentionally takes that leap into territory he’s not meant to be in
a.n | this will most likely have a part two! (pt2 will be much more angsty, and possibly smutty i haven’t decided yet) also if you see something extremely similar to this on ao3 no you don’t (i wrote this as a nomin fic a few years ago and posted it there but dreamscape angel propaganda made me want to revamp it and post it again)
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he hadn’t expected to end up here. or, at least that’s what he tried to convince himself. he really wasn’t supposed to be here. none of this was ever supposed to happen.
but, how could he not fall in love with you?
the way that you snort when you laugh a little too hard at something you know isn’t really that funny. the pout that cutely displays on your lips when you give something your full focus. the little noises you make in your sleep when you’re dreaming. the way that you almost always trip on the crack in the sidewalk right outside your apartment building, despite living there long enough to be mindful of it.
jeno thinks about it more and more day by day; not that he even pays mind to the passage of time anymore. there was no way out, he was doomed from the start.
but, instead of the lighthearted feeling that would normally come hand in hand with love, jeno feels a weight. in any other circumstance he’d likely be considered a stalker by the way he knows every little thing about you, but that’s his obligation. jeno’s sole task is to watch over you, to keep you safe, to make you his number one priority above all else.
you aren’t supposed to know. you’re supposed to be blissfully unaware of jeno’s existence and his presence in your life, as well as any others like him.
and jeno was never supposed to fall in love.
lately- and he couldn’t tell if it was on purpose- jeno had become admittedly sloppy with keeping a safe enough space between you and him. he knows it’s no excuse, and he knows the consequences of the risk he’s taking, but the pull is just too strong. his one responsibility is to protect you, but what was the point of that if he couldn’t make you comfortable and happy? if he couldn’t love you in the way only he knows you deserve to be? he’s just fulfilling his duties, right?
how unfair, he thinks. how unfair it is that he’s forced to be so close to you, yet just far enough away that you’ll never even know.
jeno stands on your balcony, three floors up, three hours past midnight.
there’s only a wall separating you from him, and though there is the perk that you can't exactly feel his presence like you might with another human, there stands the possibility of you finding him all the same. he’s more than aware of how dangerous this is for him, to have this little of a distance between you; a relationship between a human and their guardian is never allowed to be physical or emotional in any way. he asks himself how far he is from crossing that line, how close he is from falling off of that tight rope. realistically he already has, but he finds it difficult to care.
ironically, jeno wonders if he’s been cursed or blessed. maybe both, he thinks- blessed with the fact he’s always with the human he loves oh so deeply; cursed with the fact that though he knows just how to make you smile, that smile will never really be for him.
he’s willing, though- more than willing to take that chance, despite the better part of himself advising against it (or that had been the better part of him, long long ago). if he just gets to see your surprised, sleepy little smile early the next morning when you step out to check on your favorite flowers and notice they’ve bloomed way ahead of schedule, then to jeno, its worth it.
as jeno tends to the soft peach colored petals, you sit inside, your legs tucked under you on the kitchen counter, sipping peach flavored tea and watching old cartoons on your computer. you couldn’t sleep, and tossing and turning in bed was finally out of the question after a few too many hours of dreamless silence.
your bare feet make a soft thud on the kitchen tiles when you uncross your legs and leap from the counter, making your way to grab more honey for your tea. the sound makes jeno glance up from the petals sitting between his fingers. this signals to him that you’re now on the move and that he should go, but again, the voice in his head is muted when it comes to you.
jeno takes another bud in his hands and watches as it spreads open right before his eyes at his touch. he rearranges the flowers and stems and pats down the soil as if to make it look a bit more lively, and with this, he decides he should depart before you have the chance to notice he’s here. he turns, preparing to hop the banister, but he bumps the patio table, sending an unused pot of dry dirt falling to the ground. it shatters into large shards of clay that scatter across the wood, and jeno stills.
you almost drop the glass jar at the unexpected calamity, adrenaline shooting through your body like a shockwave. a heavy spoonful of honey is frozen in the air as you hold it above your mug; it drizzles down the side of the ceramic and makes a sticky puddle on your counter. a few moments of painfully eerie silence pass and you try your best to catch your breath.
jeno stoops down to clean the mess he’s made, making certain to be as silent and quick as possible before you arrive to investigate. after your mind has time to form a theory that doesn’t involve something you’d seen in a horror film, you come to the hopeful conclusion that it must have been the wind knocking around your gardening supplies. for your peace of mind, you round the counter to pull open the curtain draped glass doors.
what you see makes you think that maybe you had fallen asleep earlier after all.
jeno looks up, stunned, frigid, crouched down with his hands full of rocks and clay and dirt. he can only imagine how he appears to you in this moment; he must look like he’s just been caught committing a crime- and it likely would be in any other set of means.
millions of worries should be swarming his head, but the only thing on his mind right now is you. your tangled hair, your fluffy pajama pants, your eyes twinkling in the moonlight and looking at him with wonder- not toward him or past him, but directly at him. it was something he’d never had the pleasure of witnessing.
your urge to cry out is suppressed by the peculiar calm feeling that settles over you the moment your eyes lock with jeno’s. even in the shadows the strange boy’s eyes seem to shine, and any thought of ill intent is sent away as quickly as it came. your brain has no time to question the unusual level headedness you feel before you start to connect the dots.
weirdly, you recognize him, but your mind blanks when you try recalling from where. though, you really figured that you’d remember something like this if you’d seen it before. it takes jeno standing, letting the soft starlight paint his nervous face and his shimmering wings for you to be able to connect him to any sort of a tangible memory.
you’d never actually known his name, or from where he came, but you did know of him.
the boy you’d spotted leaving the cafe after the barista had told you that your coffee was already paid for on the morning you were running late for your psychology lecture. the boy you’d seen scanning shelves in the campus library when you saw your favorite novel sat next to your course work upon returning from the counter to ask if they had it in yet. the boy you’d seen walking down the pavement when you’d whipped your tipsy head around after being yanked back by your hoodie just before you stepped into the street, a blaring car horn and a rush of wind whisking your hair up as all you could do was stare at his figure as he strolled away from you.
other instances that you’d had no concrete explanations for began to surface in your mind the longer you studied him. the closed window and extra blanket the night you’d accidentally fallen asleep before a severe thunderstorm. the carton of fresh milk in your fridge you could’ve sworn you’d forgotten to pick up from the market. your favorite white sweater miraculously being completely unharmed after a pink sock snuck its way into the wash.
you knew all of these occurrences and the same boy being present could be purely coincidental, but something about that was just too hard to believe. you always meant to approach him when you saw him in your day to day life, but the courage to make the move and close the distance between you never arose.
‘what an angel,’ you’d always said to yourself when you’d see him. you never would’ve guessed you were right.
when jeno finally snaps out of his trance, remembering the predicament he’s gotten himself into, he turns to really leave before he lands himself in any more trouble. he spreads his huge white wings, the ones that had always been hidden when you were near, and flaps them once to lift himself into the air. a gust of chilled wind flutters your pajamas and pulls the breath from your lungs as you gawk at him.
you try to speak, to tell him not to go, but your voice won’t come out. before jeno can get too far, and before you can think of something less hazardous, you run forward and hoist yourself up on the railing to grab jeno’s ankle in an attempt to stop him from fleeing. at that same moment jeno flaps his wings again, not thinking that the sudden weight on his leg could be you, and as a result you’re pulled from the rail and out into the open, three stories above solid ground.
a strangled yelp jumps from your throat as you dangle in peril. jeno’s head snaps down, and his eyes widen as they meet your figure, clinging to him and flailing wildly. your grip rapidly begins to slip from jeno’s body. your mind races around the realization that this could very well be the end; in an instant you feel the cold night wind rushing up around you, whisking your hair towards the sky, blurring the buildings and skyline together and your breath is caught in your lungs as all you can do is fall.
just as soon as it happened, you collapse into jeno’s open arms with an ‘oomph’ when he catches you before you can meet any harm. you immediately wrap your entire body around him and squeeze your eyes shut, letting out a trembling and fearful cry into his neck. hot tears threaten to spill down your cheeks and the height makes you lightheaded. you’re shivering as jeno lifts you both up to the balcony once again.
it’s bittersweet for jeno to see you this close. you’re so stunningly beautiful, more so than jeno could have ever imagined. your eyes finally open to meet jeno’s when you feel yourself safely sitting on your balcony, curled up under jeno’s kneeling figure. they glisten with tears and your soft face appears to glow in the moonlight. jeno’s heart grows wings of its own to soar through his chest; he may be the angel, but you are angelic.
a very nervous laugh bubbles out of you, your face blooming with a deep red at the sudden realization of your very close proximity to one another, and the embarrassment of the stunt you’d just pulled. one of your arms still drapes around the back of jeno’s neck, the other hand pressed to his chest, revealing jeno’s rapid heartbeat that matches that of yours. jeno’s arms are still wrapped around your waist. he never wants to let go.
“i-mh,” you stutter a bit, and gulp. “i’m sorry,” a sheepish smile pulls at your lips. your voice is much breathier than you’d wanted it to come out.
jeno’s features are sharp, but his expression is soft. tufts of his silvery white hair flit around in the crisp breeze and he looks at you, admires you, his gentle eyes flickering across your face like he’s committing you to memory. his fingers comb gingerly through your windswept hair, pushing it away from your flushed neck and tucking it behind your ear.
his eyes suddenly shift down when your hand meets his jaw, the tips of your fingers ghosting over his cheek. his skin tingles under your timid touch.
you’ve never seen anything like him.
“you’re.. so pretty.”
“thank you,” jeno breathes out through a dazed smile. as you relax a bit, jeno feels your fingers brush delicately against the indents you had made on his shoulders; your grip is softer now, but no less fervent.
“i’m jeno,” he tells you. your eyes meet his again. his heart skips a beat when you cup his face fully, your thumb smoothing over the expanse of his cheek; its warm under your touch.
“thank you, jeno.”
a short beat of time passes, and in a sudden surge of bravery, you lean forward to connect your lips in a kiss. jeno’s heart stops then, his feathers standing and his eyes wide, utterly overwhelmed with the cordial feeling of the one he loves so suddenly embracing him.
jeno decides to throw all caution to the wind. he wastes no time in sliding his hands up your neck to cradle both sides of your jaw, turning his head to let the kiss deepen. his eyes flutter closed and his wings relax, and the sigh he lets out sends hot air onto the peaks of your blushing face, making you melt into his hold. you can’t tell if the warmth that spreads through your body as your lips move in perfect sync is from jeno’s celestial form, but you’ve never felt such a rush from just a single kiss.
but it’s not otherworldly, because jeno feels it, too.
all of a sudden jeno feels the crushing sense of his time running short. he reluctantly pulls away from the kiss; you chase his lips as he leans back.
“i’m sorry, i’m not supposed to be here.”
your fingers grip his shoulders again. a wave of sadness crashes over him when he sees the somber look in your eyes.
“don’t go,” you whimper. jeno’s heart throbs. he would consider it a moment of weakness, only that's all he ever felt when it came to you. he kisses you once more, quick this time, and he feels himself ready to break.
“i’ll come back. i promise.”
with that, he’s gone.
you didn’t end up sleeping that night.
the tea in the mug that hangs loosely in your grip has gone cold by now. you sit in the same spot on your balcony, staring longingly up at the star speckled night sky.
101 notes · View notes
breakfastteatime · 5 months
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The Force has many ways of imparting its message. Sometimes it nudges. Other times it bellows. Now, very (very) early in the morning, the Force is a feather brushing across a bare foot. Jaro awakens with a smile and a certainty.
Cal needs him. Why, he does not know. It is not a bad feeling. Just the knowledge that Jaro’s presence is required.
Leaving the comfort of his bed, Jaro slips on his robe, clips his lightsaber to his belt, and heads out. Cal’s room is nearby, and the hallways are quiet this time of night, the distant and ever-present hum of the engines the only sound to hear.
Reaching Cal’s room, Jaro opens the door and immediately sees he has a problem. It is not an unexpected one, it is merely one he has not had to deal with before. It reminds him of how short a time Cal has been his apprentice. He had been warned the day he took Cal from the creche. Master Entola, noticeably red around the eyes, looked across her desk at Jaro with a fond smile.
“Cal will sleepwalk every now and then. There’s no avoiding it,” she told him. “Not far, and you’ll usually find him talking to a wall, but it is something you should be aware of.”
This morning, Cal has made good on Master Entola’s promise. He is not in his bed. He is not in his room at all. His blanket his strewn across the deck, along with a datapad. His boots are neatly placed alongside the rest of his clothes, meaning wherever he is, he is barefoot.
Knowing he can’t get into too much trouble – there are literally thousands of people aboard this ship, and Cal is likely to bump into at least one of them – Jaro does not immediately rush off or send out a ship-wide announcement telling everyone to keep an eye out for the boy. He shall spare his Padawan whatever blushes he can. Instead, Jaro reaches into the feather soft Force and seeks out Cal’s presence. Shrouded in sleep though he may be, Cal is still Cal.
He is also several decks below Jaro.
Curious, wondering what dream could lead Cal so far away, Jaro takes the nearest turbolift down to where Cal is. He nods to every clone he walks past, all of them snapping to attention and saluting. Jaro does not particularly like it, finds their pre-programmed reverence somewhat distasteful, sentients should be free to choose who they dedicate their lives and loyalty to, yet he does not ask them to desist.
The ‘lift deposits him in a cargo bay. There are many aboard the Brave, but this one is reserved for emergency supplies should they need to evacuate civilian populations. Winding his way through the crates, Jaro becomes aware of a small voice.
“…so tall, you can’t miss him.”
Jaro turns a corner and there he is, Cal, and as promised he is talking to a wall. Well, no, not a wall. A container, apparently containing emergency clothing supplies. From the big smile on Cal’s face, what he sees in his dream does not match the mundanity of reality.
…unless the boy has a fondness for ponchos and rainboots.
“Should I wake him when I find him?” Jaro had asked Master Entola.
“No. Best to simply take him back to bed. He will stay there once you put him back. One little nighttime stroll is all he ever seems to need.”
And so Jaro crouches down and speaks softly. “Cal?”
The boy looks up (and up) to Jaro, smiling brightly. “Here he is!” Cal tells the crate. “See? He’s very tall.” He nods as though the crate is passing comment on Jaro’s height.
“Come.” Jaro places a hand on Cal’s shoulder. “And bring your new friend.”
This, apparently, is precisely what Cal’s dream expects. He chatters brightly, telling his imaginary friend that they’ll be safe now, Master Tapal is a very good Jedi.
“What happened?” Jaro asks, guiding Cal onto the ‘lift.
“She got lost,” Cal tells him. “In the woods. She couldn’t find her family. She found me instead. And then we found you.” The sleeping boy frowns. “Or you found us. I’m not really sure.”
“The outcome is the same either way,” Jaro says as they board the turbolift.
The ‘lift arrives on the residential deck and he and Cal step out. The troopers all salute again, greeting Cal, but Cal is too busy talking about trees and getting lost to notice. Of course, he is also quite literally asleep on his feet. Given that he would have walked past all of them on his sleepwalk through a dream forest, Cal either said enough to silence any concern, or they assumed he was on Jedi business and let him get on with it.
Back in Cal’s room, Jaro steers him back into bed with lots of reassurances that his new friend will be safely escorted back to her family. He tucks him in and opts to remain in the room until, as advertised, Cal simply drifts off into standard Human sleep, the type where he remains in bed with his eyes closed and his voice silent. The Force settles around him, a quiet hum to match the engines, and Jaro finally feels it is safe to leave Cal for the rest of the night.
At a civil hour, Cal emerges from his cabin bright-eyed and completely unaware of his earlier excursion.
“Are you okay, Master? You look tired.”
Oh, to have the energy of youth. “I am well, Padawan.” And will be even better once he consumes a small bucket of caf. “You look very well-rested.”
“Uh huh!”
And, as Jedi tradition dictates, a Jedi Master is allowed to have a little fun in the name of education. “Perhaps you would like to go for a run after breakfast,” Jaro suggests. “A lap of the nearby cargo deck before we resume lightsaber training.”
“Okay!”
Jaro sighs. He cannot win. Perhaps when Cal is in his teens a task like that will result in much stifled complaining and malicious compliance.
111 notes · View notes
starrylothcat · 5 months
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Pairing: Echo x Reader
Summary: Echo knows you are alone on Life Day Eve and wants to spend the holiday with you.
Warnings: Light angst/meloncholy related to the holidays, kissing/making out, slight allusion to sexy times but not described and nothing explicit. Fluffy and happy ending. 🎄
WC: 2676
A/N: This is a gift for @cc--2224 as part of the Life Day Fic Exchange hosted by @cloneficgiftexchange !
I played with ideas from the prompt: Having no one to spend the holidays with and being invited out/over to spend it with [x clone].
❄️ Happy Holidays and I hope you enjoy @cc--2224 ! ❄️
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The sun was setting, and delicate rays of light poured into the streets from residences up and down every street on Pabu.
Life Day lights began twinkling on above doors and around windows as the sun sunk beyond the horizon.
Laughter and melodic tunes floated in the air, along with mouth-watering aromas from holiday feasts being set out on tables for friends and family to enjoy.
Echo stood outside your small Pabu cafe, trying to steady his nerves. He was clutching a bottle of rare Tevraki whiskey in his hand, something he had been saving for some time.
Your neon “Open” sign was switched off and the cafe was dark, though a string of Life Day lights flickered above your storefront sign.
You lived in a small apartment in the back of the cafe, and Echo could see a dim light illuminating your living room window.
It was Life Day Eve, and Echo knew you were alone.
Echo had been frequenting your cafe for a while now, making a point to come in the early mornings when your delectable baked goods were fresh out of the nanowave oven.
The more he got to know you, sipping caf and sharing stories and smiles, the more he realized he was catching feelings.
It started small, at first. Little fleeting flutters of his heart when he entered your cafe, knowing you’d be behind the counter. His face warming when you’d laugh, a wonderful medolic laugh that made those flutters in his chest beat like a porg’s wings trying its damdest to fly.
When he was away on missions with Rex, he thought more and more of you, truly missing you and how he felt when he was in your presence.
He felt…safe. Comfortable. At ease. Emotions he hasn’t felt in a long, long time.
You were kind and generous to everyone who entered your cafe and went out of your way to help the people of Pabu. You often hand-delivered bespoke baked goods to new arrivals to make them feel at home.
Echo admired your kind heart, quiet strength, and warm demeanor. It took him time to fully realize what he was feeling, but let it happen. Echo had been thinking more and more of his future, especially now that he was in control of his destiny for the first time in his life.
He had much taken from him, his very soul used against his will. He was given a second chance, and he was not going to waste it.
So when Echo discovered you were spending the holiday by yourself, he knew he couldn’t let you be alone, not tonight.
You cared so much about Life Day, just the day before describing your fond memories of celebrating with your family as a child. You were a refugee like most Pabu residents, and you’ve been unable to see your family for many years due to the war.
Echo picked up the melancholy in your voice and how your body language changed when you spoke of your memories, a heavy weight anchoring you down knowing it was another Life Day without them.
Echo had his brothers and Omega. He was incredibly lucky to have a support structure, even after all he had been through.
The thought of you having no one to celebrate with didn’t sit right with him, so he decided to surprise you with a bottle of whiskey he purchased some time ago, a drink he used to share with Fives on this very holiday.
Echo found himself with a similar weight in his chest this cycle, thinking of Fives. Life Day was Five’s favorite holiday, and Echo had many memories of him and Fives savoring this drink on this nat-born holiday, cheering their brothers, and speaking of their hopes for the future.
Echo couldn’t think of anyone else he’d want to share this drink with tonight. Not even his own brothers. But you.
Now Echo stood in front of your door, hesitating for a moment, hoping he wasn’t coming on too strongly.
Echo never had time for relationships and was currently flying by the seat of his pants, but wasn’t dumb.
Echo has noticed how your expression softens when you look at him, or how your hand always brushes against his every time he hands you credits for his caf, touching his hand just long enough to be noticeable.
He was here as a friend, as much as he wanted to be more than friends. He wanted to kiss you, hold you, and let you know just how much you meant to him.
Echo wanted to respect your boundaries, though, and if you just wanted to be friends, he would continue to stand by your side as that and nothing more.
Echo took a breath and walked to the back of your cafe, up to your front door that was adorned with a Life Day wreath.
He tapped on your front door with his scomp.
It was now or never.
He waited a moment, hearing quiet music playing and some shuffling.
“Hello?” Your voice called from behind your door.
“It’s Echo.”
Your door clicked open, revealing your face, warm light spilling out, illuminating Echo who stood before you.
You were wearing your apron, the one you always adorned in the storefront, and Echo could immediately smell something sweet drifting from your kitchen.
“Echo!” Your face lit up. “What are you doing here?” You looked surprised, glancing at the whiskey in his hand.
“Thought you could use some company tonight.” Echo held it up, trying his best to act casual.
Your lips parted in a delicate oh, a blush warming your cheeks as you took in the man you are seriously crushing on standing in your doorway.
“Echo…you didn’t have to…I’m sure you have plans with your brothers…?”
Echo shook his head. “I want to be here, with you. You shouldn't have to spend the holiday alone.”
A genuine smile graced your features and Echo felt the tension in his shoulders dissipate.
You stepped to the side, gesturing inside. “Please, come in!
Echo stepped inside your small home. It was cozy, with a few dim lamps casting a pleasing glow throughout your living space. A Life Day tree was tucked in the corner of your living room and sparkling lights lined the ceiling, adding a magical feel to the space.
Your dining room table had racks of tooka-shaped cookies cooling, the culprit of the delicious smell.
“Sorry for the mess.” You walked to your kitchen, opening a cabinet to grab glasses. “I wasn’t expecting company…” You laughed, reaching with your tiptoes into the cupboard.
“No need to apologize. I’m the one intruding.” Echo stood near the table, placing the whiskey bottle down where there was space.
You walked back over to him, holding the glasses.
“No, not at all, Echo. I’m…really glad you’re here.”
You smiled your beautiful smile that Echo replayed endlessly in his head, making his heart do flips in his chest.
“Hope you like whiskey.” Echo said, “I used to drink this with my brother on Life Day. We’d save up credits for months to get a bottle.”
You scooted a rack of cookies out of the way, placing the glasses on the table.
“I’m honored you’re sharing it with me.” You untied your apron, draping it over a nearby chair.
“And yes, I do like whiskey, so you will have to share.” Your eyes held a mirthful glow, the Life Day lights hanging above mirrored in your irises.
Echo’s heart was thumping as he poured you each a glass of the amber liquid.
You gestured toward your couch. “Shall we?”
Echo sat next to you on your couch, sinking into the comfortable cushions as you settled near him. The couch was small, leaving little room between you.
You cradled your glass of whiskey, the lights from your tree reflecting off the crystaline glasses. A comfortable silence spreading between the two of you, only interrupted by the music playing from your radio.
Echo looked so handsome in the glow of your lights. His jaw was set, strong, and stubbled. His skin had gained some color back from the Pabu sun, and you could see his muscular shoulders tight against the civilian clothes he was wearing.
You have known Echo for some time now, ever since he and his brothers first came to the tropical planet. He stopped by your cafe every morning he could for caf and a spice cake. You learned some of his story before Pabu, but not all. You knew how he got his cybernetics, a story he told you early one morning in your shop.
Your heart broke for him but admired his resilience and ever-present strength. It’s one of the many reasons why you have fallen for him.
“Thank you, Echo.” Your eyes met his brown ones, butterflies coming to life in your stomach.
“I didn’t mean to give you my whole sob story yesterday…I usually keep myself busy on Life Day, as you can see.” You motioned behind you to all the cookies.
Echo shook his head. “Don’t apologize. The holiday can be hard on everyone, especially now. I’ve been thinking more of my brother, and it hurts knowing he can’t be here. You’re not alone in this.”
He lifted his glass of whiskey toward you.
“Cheers.” He said, clinking his glass against yours. “To friends and family.”
“Cheers.” You replied, “To friends and family.”
You both sipped the sweet alcohol, enjoying the warmth in your chest it provided as you swallowed.
“You and your brother had good taste.” You smiled behind your glass, taking another small sip, savoring the drink.
Echo chuckled.
“Glad you think so.”
You watched something flash across Echo’s eyes.
Echo had told you a little about Fives in passing, but not much.
“I’m sure he’d be happy that you are continuing your tradition.”
Echo nodded, a small, sentimental smile pulling at his lips.
“Yeah…he was a good man. One of the best I’ve ever known.”
“Tell me about him,” you started. “Only if you want, though.”
Echo knew Fives would be happy for him, and while he desperately wished he could be here, talking about him lifted the stone off his chest that had settled ever since he saw this whiskey.
He told you of the first time they bought this drink, and almost getting caught with it in their bunk when they were cadets.
The night went on, trading stories of the past, you talking of your family and Life Day traditions, and Echo speaking of his brothers, reminiscing on the trouble he and Fives used to get up to.
There was a newfound intimacy between the two of you, for once not just talking in your cafe. Echo had never felt closer to you than now, watching how your features glowed under the lights, talking of fond memories and the current goings on in Pabu.
You weren’t sure when it happened, but you ended up sitting close enough to Echo that your legs were almost touching.
Your conversation lulled, and Echo glanced at your chrono, seeing how late it was, well past midnight.
Time always went by so quickly with you. That peaceful serenity that he only felt with you had overtaken him, not wanting it to end.
“I didn’t mean to keep you this late.” He spoke softly. “I should go.”
Without thinking, your hand shot to his knee, feeling the hard metal underneath his clothing.
“You don’t have to go, not yet.” You said quickly.
You didn’t want him to leave. Your gaze met his, your hand still on his cybernetic knee.
Echo’s honeyed eyes swam with emotion, feeling your hand on his knee slide up toward his thigh, where his skin began.
Echo, spurred on by your touch and maybe a little bit of the whiskey, laid his hand atop yours. The gentleness of your hand contrasted with his larger, calloused palm.
Your eyes darted to where your hands met, and back to his.
Echo whispered your name so quietly you almost missed it over the thrumming of your own heart.
“Thank you for being here tonight.” You took a breath.
“I know we both have people we are missing right now…it’s usually a difficult time for me, but this is the happiest I’ve felt in a long time.”
Your voice was quiet too, enjoying the weight of his hand atop yours.
“You…mean a lot to me, Echo.”
Echo’s eyes widened slightly, heat rushing up his neck, hoping he was hearing you correctly.
“You mean a lot to me, too.” Echo’s hand lightly squeezed yours, your confessions hanging around you as excitement flooded your systems, realizing you both felt the same.
The air was suddenly thick, a magnetic pull tugging at both of you toward one another.
You were so close now, his nose brushing against yours as you both tentatively leaned in, your lips just centimeters away as you slowly closed the distance.
Finally, your lips touched, soft and chaste, his scomp lifting to gently trace down your arm as his lips captured yours.
Echo felt as if sparks were going off in his entire body, your lips sweeter than he imagined. He never wanted to let go of this moment.
It was pure bliss to kiss you, Echo’s mind solely focusing on you, how you felt, the way your breath hitched when he brought his hand to cup your face, gently caressing his thumb under your eye.
You pulled away, already missing his spicy musk and surprisingly plush lips.
“This is the happiest I’ve felt in a long time, too.” Echo traced his knuckle down your cheek. “And it’s because of you. It’s always because of you.”
You leaned in again, overwhelmed by emotion, wrapping your arms around his neck and bringing him into a more passionate and fervent kiss.
Everything that had been building between the two of you didn’t need to be spoken, the way your mouths danced and hands roamed one another’s bodies spoke for itself.
You sighed into his mouth as he shyly slid his tongue across your lower lip, politely asking for more.
His hand cradled the back of your head, entangling in your hair as your kiss deepened.
Emboldened, Echo broke the steamy kiss and traced his mouth down your jawline, placing hot kisses slowly down your neck.
The quiet whimpers that left your swollen lips ignited his body with passion, hoping he hadn’t fallen asleep on your couch and this was just a dream.
Echo lavished your skin, making his way back up to your lips for another profoundly devoted kiss.
When you both finally pulled away to catch your breaths, your lips were shiny with saliva, and your bodies flushed.
You couldn’t help but let out a small laugh as Echo held you against his strong body.
“Do you still want to go?” You asked.
Echo shook his head.
“I think you convinced me to stay.”
He brushed his lips against yours, slowly leaning you back on the couch, until you were laying down and he was above you.
You looked up at him through hooded eyelids as he took in your form beneath him, your soft body pliable against his.
“Can’t let you wake up alone on Life Day, either.” Echo’s voice was deliciously deeper than usual as he pressed an open-mouthed kiss right under your ear, causing you to shudder in delight.
Echo waited for your answer, not wanting to take things further than you wanted.
“No, you can’t.” You replied, pulling him down flush against you, your lips meeting again, your bodies entwining.
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When you awoke the next morning in one another’s arms, for the first Life Day in a long time, you both felt indescribable happiness.
As you drifted off the night before, speaking softly to one another in the afterglow of your ignited feelings for one another, Echo was afraid when he woke up, that peace he felt only with you would be gone. Or that maybe you’d only wanted that one night with him, and nothing more.
The feeling was still there, even stronger than before. His fears dissipated when you left feather-light kisses across his chest, asking if he’d like to stay for breakfast and help decorate some of the cookies you had made last night.
Echo wholeheartedly agreed, inviting you to the dinner Hunter was hosting that evening with Omega and the rest of his brothers.
The heaviness that had settled over both of you leading up to the holiday had lifted away, replaced with glimmering elation and harmony that only you could give one another, knowing you would never have to be alone on Life Day ever again.
⋆。˚❆˚ ⋆ Comments & Reblogs Appreciated! ⋆。˚❆˚ 。
Dividers by @saradika
138 notes · View notes
classickook · 2 years
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safe in your arms | sherlock holmes
pairing: sherlock holmes x gn!reader
summary: sherlock can only fully relax when he’s in your presence so after he comes home from a frustrating case one day, he’s more than happy to be in your arms again. (based off this request by anon.)
warnings: fluff, non-sexual nudity, clingy!sherlock
word count: 0.8k
a/n: sherlock is pretty ooc here but it’s a nice change every once in a while! feedback is appreciated <3
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where are you? -SH
you briefly glance at the short message sherlock sent and type back a quick response: at home, why?
no reply. no text bubbles, nothing.
it wasn’t uncommon for sherlock to be so short or distracted in his texts, but it worried you sometimes when he didn’t respond right away.
your fingers move across the screen with the beginnings of a new message when the door suddenly bursts open, followed by a very grumpy looking sherlock.
he storms into the flat with an exaggerated pout on his pretty pink lips and presses his back against the door after shutting it firmly closed.
you’re currently lying on the sofa and reading a book when the noise causes you to jump slightly, nearly dropping your cell where it had been balancing on your leg. “oh hi, sherlock,” you say sweetly. “you’re back early.”
he doesn’t respond. instead, he simply drags his feet toward you, ridding himself of his coat and scarf along the way, and quickly kicks off his shoes before moving to rest his lanky body on top of you.
you release a gentle ‘oof’ before marking the page and setting your book aside. “what’s wrong, hmm?” one hand caresses his back while the other reaches up to cradle the back of his head, fingers toying with his soft curls.
“people are dreadful,” he groans into your chest.
you giggle as you squeeze him in tighter, kissing the crown of his head and then resting your cheek there. “poor baby,” you coo teasingly.
“i’m serious, y/n,” he sighs, slightly aggravated and perhaps overwhelmed by the day he’d had. “i missed you today. i would’ve much rather stayed here with you.”
your hands still against his back. “really? but what about all the excitement of a new case? the game of it?”
he shakes his head, causing his curls to tickle your chin. “i don’t care. it wasn’t worth it anyway. a complete waste of time.”
you hum in response and sherlock practically purrs at the gentle vibration of it against his cheek. “i’m sorry today didn’t go well,” you sympathize. “but you’re here now and i’ve got you.”
“thank god for that,” he mutters oh so quietly, like he hadn’t intended for you to hear it.
sherlock had never been very fond of physical contact or intimacy, from what you’d heard amongst the others, at least, but he tended to be rather clingy around you, especially after a bad day like today. it brought a smile to your face to be wanted—needed—like this, like you were the only person who could bring him this level of solace and comfort, offering a safe space where he didn’t need to worry about prying eyes or carrying the mantle of the famous consulting detective.
here in this tiny flat with you, he could completely unwind and rest in your arms.
his large hands suddenly move beneath your shirt and along your sides until they position themselves under you to rest just below your shoulder blades, cupping you there with slender fingers.
silence settles about the room aside from sherlock’s soft breaths. you continue playing with his hair, applying gentle pressure as you lovingly massage his scalp and twirl your fingers around each messy curl.
sherlock then adjusts slightly before unexpectedly lifting the hem of your shirt and sliding his head beneath the fabric to rest on your bare chest, feeling the warmth of your skin and beating heart against his cheek.
you peer down at him beneath the collar of your shirt, holding back a laugh. “what are you doing in there?”
“just wanted to feel you,” he mumbles, breath hot on your skin and causing goosebumps to rise in its wake. he presses lazy kisses against your sternum and sighs happily.
sherlock rarely ever got this clingy, only on stressful days when he became overwhelmed by his thoughts and senses. he always turned to you in those moments, taking comfort in your embrace and your soothing words. the man wasn’t usually one for physical contact with anyone, unless it was you. you were different. you were special.
“read to me, please?” he asks quietly, voice muffled from where he is pressed into your chest.
you smile, running your hands up and down his back. “what would you like me to read?“
“anything. whatever you were reading before i came in. just want to hear your voice.”
“all right, darling,” you say quietly. “whatever you want.”
he snuggles further into your chest before a heavy yet contented sigh escapes his lips, and you shiver slightly at the way his long eyelashes brush against your skin.
“love you,” he whispers.
your heart flutters at his sincerity, so sweet and gentle with you. a tender smile pulls at your lips before opening your book to the page you left off on, feeling mutual comfort in sherlock’s presence. “i love you, too,” you reply softly and begin to read aloud to him.
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maesfics · 5 days
Text
YOU WON'T LOOSE ME — d.w
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pairing ; dina woodward x fem!reader
↬ warnings ; established relationship, angst, visions. lmk if I forgot anything.
↬ ㅤㅤword count ; 1.2k
↬ synopsis ; 𝑖𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ a nightmare about losing Dina awakens you, leading to a night of comfort and reassurance with Dina and their son, JJ.
↬ requested ; “can I please request for Dina? I thought about reader waking up because of a nightmare and hugging Dina while crying bc she’s afraid of losing her. Hope that makes sense„
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a/n ; i hope i didn't go to left with this for you. thank you for requesting nd your support ! <3
if you want to request it's open! | inbox |
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Silence envelops the night, deep, broken only by the occasional whisper of wind against the fragile windowpanes of your makeshift home. As shadows dance across the room, cast by the moon's dim light, sleep, which once cradled you gently, now betrays you. A nightmare, vivid and terrifying, seize your mind—a relentless vision of losing Dina, your anchor in this chaotic, infected world.
Heart pounding, you jolt awake, a silent scream caught in your throat as remnants of dread cling stubbornly to your consciousness. Beside you, under the small pool of moonlight filtering through the thin curtains, lies JJ, your son. His tiny chest rises and falls with a rhythmic peace that starkly contrasts the turmoil inside you. For a moment, you watch his serene face, finding a fleeting solace before the urge to confirm Dina's safety overwhelms you.
Assuming JJ is safe and needs to see Dina, you slip quietly from the bed and tread softly across the creaking wooden floor. Each step feels like an eternity as you make your way to the living area, where the echoes of your nightmare linger, a stark reminder of the fragility of this life you've built.
As you enter the living room, the sight that greets you steadies your racing heart. Dina, wrapped in an old quilt, sits in an armchair that's seen better days. The moon casts her in a halo of soft light as she gently rocks back and forth, taking JJ into her arms to nurse him back to sleep after he must have stirred. Her presence, a beacon in the lingering shadows, draws you in.
She looks up, her eyes meeting yours, and in them, you find the warmth and understanding that first drew you to her. Without needing to speak, she extends an arm, inviting you into their small circle of light. You kneel beside her, resting your head against her knee, and as her hand finds your hair, stroking softly, the last vestiges of your nightmare begin to dissipate.
"You okay?" she whispers, her voice a soothing balm.
You nod, not trusting your voice, content to be near her, to see her and JJ together—safe.
Once JJ's eyelids flutter closed, securing him back in dreamland, Dina gently places him in his crib and turns her attention back to you. "Tea?" she offers, and you follow her to the kitchen, grateful for the normalcy of the gesture.
As the kettle whistles softly, you find the courage to voice the fears that your nightmare stoked. "I keep seeing these... these visions of losing you, Dina. Every time I close my eyes, it feels like I might never see you again."
She takes your hands in hers, her touch warm and reassuring. "Hey, look at me," she urges gently. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. We're in this together, okay? All of us."
Her words, simple yet profound, ease the tightness in your chest. Inspired by a sudden urge to feel the early morning air, to watch the world awaken, you suggest, "Let's watch the sunrise. It's been a while since we did that."
Bundling JJ up, you step outside together, the pre-dawn chill brisk against your skin. You settle on the old bench by the side of your home, Dina sitting close, JJ nestled between you. The eastern sky slowly shifts its colors from night's deep blue to dawn's soft blush.
Here, with the day breaking before you, you talk about everything and nothing—whispered dreams for the future, the simple joys of the day-to-day. Each word weaves a more substantial thread in the fabric of your family.
As the sun ascends, casting its first golden rays through the trees, you feel a warmth that isn't just from the sunlight but from the love and certainty that you, Dina, and JJ share. This moment, this morning renews your hope and determination.
You head back inside, the light of the new day filling your home, casting long shadows across the floor that dance with the gentle rhythm of your movements. Watching Dina play with JJ, his laughter and music fill the room, and you feel a profound sense of peace.
Each day is a gift, a new beginning, a promise made under the whisper of the dawn sky—that no matter what, you will face it together.
As you sit together, sipping the warm tea that Dina has prepared, the silence between you stretches, comfortable yet filled with the weight of unspoken worries.
 Dina's gaze is thoughtful and reflective as she watches the steam curl from her cup. "Do you remember the day we found this place?" she asks, breaking the silence. Her question pulls you back to a timeless burdened by the immediacy of survival, a day filled with rare hope.
You nod, the memory surfacing amidst the fog of your anxieties. "I remember. You said it was perfect because the sunlight hit the porch just right." The recollection brings a faint smile to your face, one that Dina mirrors as she reaches across the table to squeeze your hand.
"Exactly. And because it felt like a place where we could make a real home," she adds, her voice dropping to a whisper. "A place for JJ to grow up, where we could be a family. I meant it then, and I still do. No nightmare, no fear will take that away from us."
Her words, filled with determination and love, help lift the heaviness from your heart. The two of you talk through the night, revisiting memories of how you've built your life together, the challenges you've overcome, and the dreams you still nurture. 
It's a reminder of the strength you draw from each other, fueling your resolve to face whatever comes.
As the first light of dawn begins to seep through the windows, painting the world in hues of gold and amber, you wrap a blanket around your shoulders and step outside. The air is fresh, the promise of a new day palpable. Dina joins you. 
JJ is now awake and curious in her arms. Together, you walk to the edge of the property, where the open sky stretches wide and unobstructed.
The sunrise is breathtaking, a spectacle of colors that bleed across the horizon, blending into one another. You watch, mesmerized, as the world awakens. 
Birds chirp in the distance, their songs a soundtrack to the sun's ascent. JJ babbles happily in Dina's arms, pointing at the sky with chubby fingers.
"This—this right here—is why we keep fighting, right?" Dina says, her voice was soft and emotional. "For moments like this, for him."
You nod, your heart swelling with love and renewed purpose. "For all of us," you affirm, feeling the weight of your nightmares lessen in the rising sun's light. "We have so much to live for and protect."
You spend the morning outside, embracing the day together as a family. Dina teaches JJ how to say "sun" and "sky," her laughter mingling with his excited squeals. You capture these moments in your mind, a mental album of all the reasons why you fight and why you survive.
As the day emerges, you return inside, energized by the morning's beauty and clarity.  Once a mere shelter, the house feels more like a home with each passing day, filled with the sounds and sights of your small family thriving against the odds.
In these moments, the nightmares that haunt your sleep seem distant, their hold on you weakened by the love and life that fill your days. You know they may return, as they often do in this harsh world, but you also know you have everything you need to face them—as long as you have Dina and JJ by your side.
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randomfoggytiger · 5 months
Text
Scully and Matters of the Heart: S1-4
Scully's thoughts on love and relationships.
Fire
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So, she shows up knowing the power she has over you and then she makes you walk through fire, is that it? ...Mulder, are you sure you don't need me to help you out on this one?
Gender Bender
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Hard to imagine in this day and age someone having sex with a perfect stranger.
Lazarus
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We dated for almost a year.... But it was always hard for Jack to relax, it was impossible for him, really. He was always so intense, so relentlessly determined.
Tooms
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Mulder, I wouldn't put myself on the line for anyone else but you.
One Breath
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Mulder? I had the strength of your beliefs.
Firewalker
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["He stopped taking his pills. Yeah, he said that they were polluting his brain. And, he said I was polluting his body.... I just want to go home, now."]
Where's home?
["Anywhere but here."]
Aubrey
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Things must be difficult for you now. I've had... feelings for people I've worked with. Inner-office relationships can be complicated-- especially when he's married.
Fearful Symmetry
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["Whatever... connection he and I had was over long ago."]
But you asked him, anyway. To help you.
D.P.O.
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Well, you don't have to be afraid anymore. You and your husband are safe as long as we can count on your testimony.
The List
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Woman gets lonely. Sometimes she can't wait around for a man to get reincarnated.
2Shy
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You're more than a monster: you didn't just feed on their bodies, you fed on their minds.
War of the Coprophages
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Her name is Bambi? ...Her name is Bambi?
Syzygy
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["Must be Detective White."]
If that's the reason we're sticking around, that's your business.
Jose Chung's From Outer Space
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["...For, although Diana Leski is noble of spirit and pure at heart, she remains, nevertheless, a federal employee."]
Avatar
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["He lives under this misguided notion that silence is strength. He's built a wall to keep everyone out."]
Including you?
["Especially me."]
Is that why you were separated?
Home
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["I can tell you don't have no children. Maybe one day you'll learn the pride... the love."]
Unruhe
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Why did your sister kill herself, Gerry? What did your father do to her?
The Field Where I Died
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["Dana, if um... early in the four years we've been working together, an event occurred that suggested or if somebody told you that we'd been friends together... in other lifetimes, always... would it have changed the ways we looked at one another?"]
Even if I knew for certain, I wouldn't change a day.
Paper Hearts
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["You do this full-time-- telling people this kind of news?"]
No, sir, not full-time.
El Mundo Gira
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He didn't kill her, Mulder.... Mulder, I know you don't want to hear this, but I think the aliens in this story are not the villains but the victims.
Never Again
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This circle: it usually starts when an authoritative or controlling figure comes into my life; and part of me likes it-- needs it, wants the approval-- but then at a certain point along the way I just... y'know.
Memento Mori
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For the first time, I feel time like a heartbeat: the seconds pumping in my breast like a reckoning. The numinous mysteries that once seemed so distant and unreal threatening clarity in the presence of a truth entertained not in youth but only in its passage. I feel these words as if their meaning were weight being lifted from me, knowing that you will read them and share my burden as I have come to trust no other. That you should know my heart-- look into it, finding there the memory and experience that belong to you, that are you-- is a comfort to me now as I feel the tethers loose....
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Kaddish
And through all this he hid the ring?
["Even after the war, he hid it. Even from my mother."]
Why?
["Because to him it was a dead relic from a forgotten place. Until the day I told him I was getting married; and for the first time in fifty years, he took out this ring. He said he felt his village was being born again. He knew how much I loved Isaac."]
Unrequited
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Mulder, what she has is a simple... hemorrhage brought on by her emotional state.
Max
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["Can I buy you a drink?"]
No, it's okay-- I'm with somebody.
Synchrony
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Lisa, if you're leaving anything out-- if you're hedging the truth, you could be held accountable if Jason committed a crime.
Small Potatoes
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No, I'm seeing a whole new side of you, Mulder.
["Is that a good thing?"]
I like it.
Elegy
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I mean, maybe in some drug-addled way she was trying to kill happiness-- Harold's happiness. His love for those women. Trying to destroy something she never thought she'd have again.
Demons
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["Why shoot herself and her husband?"]
I can't say definitively; but judging from an almost identical suicide... I believe that the victims were suffering....
Gethsemane
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Hey, look, just because I haven't bared my soul to you or to Father McCue or to God doesn't mean I'm not responsible to what's important to me.
["To what? To who? This guy Mulder?"]
Thank you for reading~ Enjoy!
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voidpetrova · 7 months
Note
early mornings with thomas at the safe haven 🫣🫠
the first hint of dawn's light filtered through the thick curtains of the room at the safe haven. thomas stirred in his sleep, his eyelids fluttering as he gradually became aware of his surroundings. as his senses awakened, he felt a warm presence beside him, and a soft smile graced his lips. he turned his head slightly to see you, peacefully asleep beside him.
your face was bathed in the gentle, pre-dawn glow, and thomas couldn't help but be captivated by your serene expression. he marveled at how lucky he was to have you by his side, especially in this tumultuous world you now lived in. careful not to wake you, thomas slid out of bed, his bare feet meeting the cool, worn wooden floor of the makeshift bedroom. he pulled on a pair of jeans and a faded t-shirt, glancing back at you once more before heading out of the room.
as he made his way down the narrow hallway, the familiar sounds of the safe haven greeted him. the soft murmurs of conversation from the common area, the clatter of pots and pans in the makeshift kitchen, and the distant echo of footsteps all served as a reminder that life went on, even in this sanctuary they had found. thomas reached the small kitchen area, where a few of the gladers were already awake, preparing breakfast. newt was at the stove, flipping pancakes, and minho was perched on a stool, sipping a cup of coffee.
“morning,” newt greeted with a knowing grin as he flipped a pancake expertly. “morning,” thomas replied, his voice hushed. he grabbed a mug and poured himself some coffee, taking a sip as he leaned against the counter. it was moments like these, with the simplicity of life in the safe haven, that made him appreciate the peace they had found.
as the smell of pancakes filled the air, thomas couldn't resist the temptation. he grabbed a plate and quickly loaded it up with fluffy pancakes, bacon, and a generous drizzle of syrup. he knew you loved breakfast food, and he wanted to surprise you. with his plate in hand, he made his way back to the bedroom, where you were still peacefully sleeping. the soft, rhythmic rise and fall of your chest was a comforting sight. he carefully set the plate on the bedside table, not wanting to wake you just yet.
thomas sat down on the edge of the bed, his gaze fixed on your face. slowly, you began to stir, eyelids fluttering open. the first thing you saw was thomas, and a warm smile spread across your lips. “hey,” you murmured, your voice groggy with sleep. “morning, sleepyhead,” thomas replied, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to your forehead. “i brought you breakfast.”
your eyes widened in delight as you spotted the plate of pancakes. “you're the best,” you said, sitting up and reaching for a fork. the two of you shared a simple breakfast together, chatting quietly about the day ahead and the plans for the safe haven.
after breakfast, you both decided to take a walk outside. the morning air was crisp, and the sun was just beginning to rise, casting a warm, golden hue over the glade. you strolled hand in hand, taking in the beauty of the safe haven, and relishing in the simple joy of being together.
as you walked, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the love and companionship you had found in thomas. in this unpredictable world, you had found a safe haven not just in the physical sense but also in each other's hearts.
the two of you eventually found a quiet spot, away from the hustle and bustle of the safe haven, and sat down together. thomas wrapped his arm around your shoulders, pulling you close. as you watched the sunrise together, you couldn't help but think that, in this moment, you had found your own piece of paradise amidst the chaos.
as the sun continued its ascent, bathing the safe haven in its warmth, you leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to thomas's lips. it was a silent promise, a declaration of your love and your determination to face whatever challenges lay ahead, together. in the embrace of the early morning light and each other's arms, you knew that, no matter what trials awaited, you and thomas had found your safe haven in each other, and that was enough to face anything the future held.
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dodorimo · 2 months
Text
in his name
It’s moments like these that she wished she could fold in her hand, like a crumpled piece of paper, and tuck safely in her pockets, to revisit whenever she wanted.
Canon-divergent AU in which Bhaal visits a young Orin and Dark Urge in their dreams. Rated T, 1.2k
Tags: animal cruelty, violence, grooming, the worst people you know have a quality family time
AO3 link
It’s moments like these that she wished she could fold in her hand, like a crumpled piece of paper, and tuck safely in her pockets, to revisit whenever she wanted.
Her father guided her through the quiet forest, his hand on her back—never on hers, as much as she wanted so—its comforting presence a balm to her heightened spirits. The breeze carried the smell of rain, and the early morning fog hung over her like a snug blanket. If she squinted hard enough, she could still make out the silhouette of the cabin that she had come to think of as her home in the distance. Her favorite days were the ones spent in her father's company after waking up in that same wooden cabin.
An almost pastoral scenery, if she didn’t know any better.
Bhaal never said where he would take her in her dreams. It was nowhere and everywhere. A pocket of reality made just for them—a haven.
Eirin thought it was perfect.
Only one thing spoiled the idyllic picture.
Orin trailed not far behind them. She could hear the sounds of branches snapping as the older girl stamped her feet, could practically feel her furious gaze boring into her back. If she looked back, she had no doubt her face would be contorted into an ugly mug, as it often was, but she paid her no mind.
Let her sulk. All Orin did is sulk these days.
Turning her attention to happier matters, she chanced a look at her father's profile. Bhaal’s hair was a perfect mirror of her own, long and shiny like threads of silver. Orin’s hair was different, a shade darker, less moonlight and more setting sun over a steep hill.
What did the other kids call her? That’s right. Half-breed. The meaning of the word eluded her, but it seemed to anger her sister like nothing else could.
Without warning, Bhaal stopped in his tracks and Eirin was pulled from her musings, her back taut as a string and ears straining to catch any hint of sound.
He held up his hand, motioning for them to stay put. Following his lead was as easy as slipping into her night clothes, no trouble for her at all. He walked to a bush and knelt down, his long black cape blocking her view.
When he turned around, she saw that he held a young hare in his arms, its fur coat white as snow.
“All living things are meant to perish.” His voice was little more than a whisper, but she heard him as if he were standing next to her. “The least we can do is rush them to their ends.” 
He beckoned her to come closer, and she knew what she had to do. Her hand hovered over her dagger out of instinct.
The hare remained perfectly still, subdued, its crimson eyes opened wide.
“… It won’t even fight back,” she grumbled, already regretting her words. “What’s the sport in this?”
Bhaal took his time to answer, a faraway look in his eyes, as if reminiscing about the long-forgotten past. She was always struck by the strange quality of that gaze; ​​the passing of centuries, a concept too foreign for her to grasp.
Bhaal was mortal too, once.
Hard to believe now.
“I was very lenient with your education. Careless. My mistake.”
She would have preferred anger or scorn, anything to the indifference on his face as he handed the hare to a grinning Orin. Her sister looked at her with barely disguised triumph, and she felt her gut churn in response.
Orin kept her eyes on her as she knelt in the tall grass and drew her dagger from its sheath. The first blow was aimed at the hare's throat, blood gushing from the wound to form a puddle beneath her feet.
She wasn’t spared from the spray of blood, and neither did Bhaal, who remained silent, eyes occasionally darting away from Orin to gauge her reaction. Orin, of course, wasn’t blind to this. Nothing escaped those milky white eyes whenever their father was concerned. But she didn’t let it faze her. On the contrary: her blade flew with acute precision; cutting, slicing, and peeling skin from bones. An eye was ripped out from the skull. One ear was torn off, thrown to the ground for the vermin to feast on.
A gruesome spectacle. Purposeless and meant to impress.
Silly Orin. Her father didn’t care if a man was murdered with one stab or a hundred. It was one of the first lessons he taught them. He didn’t bother correcting her now.
She remembered a time when she woke up in the cabin with blood on her hands and her clothes in disarray. She had gotten into a fight with one of the taller kids and made a fool of herself. In her anxiety-ridden state, she feared the worst. Her father had explicitly advised her to pick her battles wisely. What good was an heir prone to bouts of childish anger? Tears streaming down her face, she tried to wipe her hands on the bedsheets, on the fabric of her dress, but only managed to stain it further. Bhaal appeared shortly thereafter. He took her trembling hand in his, ran his fingers over her knuckles, and then ruffled her hair a little. It soothed her crying like candy to a baby. The following day, she wore the bloody shape of his fingers on her forehead with pride.
Her father was a strange man. If she could even call him a man, that is. He praised her stubbornness and admonished her in the same breath; he demanded absolute obedience and none at all. Eirin wondered if there would ever come a time when she would understand him, even begin to see the reasoning in his ways, but then again, all adults were strange.
Their gaze met above the bloodbath. They both knew where her mind went. She tried to tell him with her eyes, ‘That was different! That pig-faced little bastard! My dagger was too good for him.’ And he replied just as silently, ‘Just as the scales do not tip towards the weight of a man’s guilt, it makes no difference in the end. You’ll learn this, in due time.’
“I saw another burrow further away,” Bhaal said after the hare was reduced to nothing but a pile of disjointed flesh on the ground. He didn't need to elaborate, his meaning clear. He wouldn’t tolerate another mishap. ‘The stench of failure is discernible for those with a keen sense of smell’, he said to her once. The feeling in her gut came back with a vengeance.
She thought of hands in her hair and bloody fingerprints on her skin. “I’ll do it, Father,” she said with more confidence than she felt. “I won’t disappoint you.”
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