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#yes I did create. characters for each and every one of them
helihi · 2 years
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While talking to a co-worker, I discussed the idea of leaving friendly fire to an unconventional type of dice.
Nora’s shirt references the Kardasims. (watermelon design)
Yang’s shirt reference
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the-way-astray · 6 months
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it should be a crime for writers/creators to not make a crazy wall for their story that connects pictures representing the characters and plot points together with an obscene amount of yarn.
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ikarakie · 1 year
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one of the known, undisputed rules of riding in steve harrington's car: passenger seat gets music privileges.
if you brought your own tape, and won the usually vicious battle for shotgun, there was a 100% chance that the drive would be backed with music of your choice. hell, there was even a small collection growing in steve's glove box of music that wasn’t his, because people left them behind either on accident or on purpose. no one really knew what steve liked to listen to- maybe minus robin- but he always seemed happy with whatever the passenger put in.
until one day, when dustin and lucas and mike climbed into his car. dustin had won passenger seat privileges, after a rather tense game of rock, paper, scissors, and instantly reached for the tape player.
steve smacked his hand down. "paws off, henderson." he scolded, not unkindly. all three kids stared at him like he'd grown a third limb as he pulled out of the wheeler's driveway. electric guitar played at a semi-low volume.
"what the hell?!" dustin squawked. "why can't i change the tape?" steve rolled his eyes, fingers tapping along to the rhythm of the beat on the wheel. none of the kids recognised the song, and it certainly didn't seem the kind of thing steve harrington would willingly listen to.
"is it so surprising i want to listen to my own tape in my car?" steve asks. dustin shouts an affronted, 'YES!' to which steve just shakes his head and continues driving.
the man on the track sings over heavy drums and guitar, talking about how he needed someone to 'show me the things that make true happiness' and 'he must be blind.' then, there's a guitar solo that steve smiles at.
"who are you?" mike asked, suspicious. "what did you do with our steve?"
"oh, shut up, wheeler." steve meets his eye in the rearview mirror. "next one to complain loses tape privileges for their next three turns."
that does shut them up. they make idle conversation over a couple more songs before they pull up to their destination. mostly threatening each other over high scores and making bets. steve waves them off with the usual 'don't be stupid' lecture and pulls out of the arcade parking lot, the bass of whatever the next track had been audible even through his closed doors and windows.
after that, steve retains ownership of his stereo every now and then, always playing some form of heavy metal. it just becomes the norm, though never fails to confound whoever's in the car. (because, seriously? polo shirt wearing steve harrington and heavy metal?)
they only ever hear anyone else listen to it after they join hellfire. eddie invites them to his trailer to create their characters together, and when they walk in one of the songs from that dumb tape is playing from a record in the corner.
"woah! you like this music too?" lucas asks. eddie nods excitedly.
"yeah, man! you a fan?" his smile dims a little when lucas shakes his head, but dustin is quick to jump in.
"our friend steve is always listening to a dumb mixtape with this sorta stuff on it." he explains, missing how eddie's eyes light up and his smile turns a little bashful. "he used to let us play whatever we want, but ever since he got that tape he makes us listen to it sometimes when he drives us around."
"well," eddie sighs, fiddling with one of his chunky silver rings. "seems this steve knows someone with very good taste in music." there's a warm look in his eyes before he claps his hands and diverts their attention to the character sheets he printed out.
later that night, steve gets a call.
"you told me you only listened to that tape once." the voice on the other end drawls. it's low and teasing, but it's undercut with obvious wonder and fondness. steve doesn't even bother pretending to be confused.
"well, it's good." (it makes me think of you) he replies, like it pains him. eddie giggles, and steve eyes the tape in question. sat on his bedside table, 'for my stevie' scrawled across it in eddie's neatest handwriting. shitty little hearts drawn around his name and an even shittier skull at the end. "how'd you know?"
"recognised my mötörhead record." eddie coos, "told me how you revoke their music privileges to listen to it." a pause. "you're so fucking cute."
steve can't help the dorky smile that spreads over his face. the way he twirls the phone cord like a fucking lovesick loser. he cracks a joke about making eddie a mixtape featuring the likes of duran duran and tears for fears, which makes him fake retch. they chat for a little while longer, whispering 'i love you's through the phones like it was their first time saying it.
the tape stays firmly in the bmw's music rotation.
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mr-walkingrainbow · 6 months
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CALLING ALL MONSTER HIGH FANS. I JUST MET GARRETT. AND I WAS ABLE TO SCAVENGE SO MUCH LORE AND CONFIRMED HEADCANONS TO YOU. THIS IS ALL SAID BY GARRET OR CONFIRMED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO GOD AND HE HAS SPOKEN BACK
#1. Robecca and Venus were implied and ARE dating!!! He said it was like. Just like other monsters they had tried putting hints and characteristics into monsters that we could see and relate too. (He also said it outright down here. Lol I got all the proof guys!)
2. They never actually came up with Jane Boolittles Origins. And yes Dr. Morou and Dr. Boolittle raised her. But it was always a thing to them they'd say ‘oh well get back to this’. And then they never did. When asked; he genuinely doesn’t remember what they had planned for her.
3. a REALLY big mystery solved and lore dump guys. This one’s juicy. I KNOW HOW SPECTRA DIED. I KNOW HOW SHE DIED. AND WHAT THE TRAUMATIC STORY WAS FOR HER. I ACTUALLY FUCKING KNOW! Y’all ready? Drumroll…. It was, a, CAR CRASH! Yes you heard me. THE VONDERGEIST FAMILY ALL DIED IN A CAR CRASH. I think he said he she just came with her family off skirts and they got into an accident. I’ll reblog this with the video of him saying it!
4. Toralei lives in a monster high housing/boarding building when she is not attending school. This place is used for kids who do not have a place to go too, or if their home is too far to return to easily. I think there was an error somewhere where she mentioned parents? I mentioned that to him and he was very confused/didn’t remember. Reconfirmed that if she wasn’t in the monster high housing area. She would have been in either Jail or The streets.
5. Robecca was not rebuilt for 100 years due to Misogyny. Also because it had to go into the lines of her ‘mysteriously’ disappearing for her to have her comeback. I asked about how it was low key such a dark story, and he mentioned that since technically Monster high was the ‘horror’ genre. He was able to get away with things like that.
6. the Vampire Heart mystery! So remember how in Friday night frights we all see Ghoulia place a Robot Heart into Robeccas chest. Something that is very clearly not the Vampires heart? But then suddenly in Frights camera action it’s there? Well, technically that’s an official Error by the crew. He actually said he noticed it, and told management and stuff like ‘won’t people notice it?’ And they were all like ‘nah it will be fine no one will notice’. But then we all clearly did lol. He also said that because if this, he came up with the idea that the Vampires heart was ENCASED in the Robot heart we saw in Friday night frights. Ergo, explaining how Robecca had two hearts in one body! (It’s also confirmed Hexiciah placed the Vampires heart into her while he was building her. Which would explain why she didn’t remember it was their).
#7. Gooliope Jellingtons Origins. I asked what her origins were. And basically, she DOES NOT have any parents. She was CREATED IN A LAB. Which apparently didn’t treat her right. So she ESCAPED the lab and ran away to the circus! (Or blobbed away?) because he also confirmed, she was the blob. Or based off the blob. She wasn’t actually like. The daughter of the blob. She WAS the blob itself.
#8. Kiyomi Haunterly is Gay! I know this is was already somewhat canon and said before. But I asked and he confirmed it that she was in fact, Gay. And he tried to show it in her diary.
#9. We’re reaching some only implied/supported things. Not fully confirmed or intended. But Kala Mer’ri has BPD. I asked about if she has anything like BPD cause I relate and saw that a lot in her. He replied that he did try to make attributes for each Character specifically so we could related to them like that. And that it was to also make sure every character wasn’t a carbon copy of another. Basically. He didn’t like. Outright say ‘yes. She has bpd’. But he also didn’t disprove it. And he reacted positively to the idea and supported it.
#10. Robecca Steam has ADHD. It’s basically the same as above. Although he did like the note that I (someone with adhd) specifically had the same traits with Robecca, even more specifically, that we both are ALWAYS late. And can never keep track of time to save our unlife.
11. Dedyet DeNile Origins. He actually completely forgot about Cleo’s Mother eventually being reunited. I had asked how she had ended up in that same weird time loop Tomb thag Hexiciah was stuck in. (Which they were eventually freed by Robecca in her SDCC diary). He said he completely forgot about that. And genuinely didn’t remember anything about it. I basically re-explained the whole thing and he was very interested. Unfortunately. Not to much origins to go on.
11. here’s a canon one! What happened to Aamanita Nightshade after she left the DeNiles in the tomb. It was kinda funny, but he basically was like ‘Amanita went up and was just like ‘Peace!’’ And then never came back.’ She goofed around a bit, buuut it wasn’t entirely like her fault? She quickly went back to sleep after breaching the surface. So yeah. She was not awake for long. She quickly went back into flower mode until she woke up again at the Gloom and Bloom party.
12. He’s working on another one of his Monster prints! He sells them on his online shop here
He’s currently working on Toralei!!!!! He said he was working on her on the way over. And that he was trying to go in Order of the G1 doll releases. He mentioned he had only done Skelita out of Order because she was like ‘that one’ who was INSANELY popular with fans when she came out. Especially in Mexico. It’s also why she was the only Funko pop made who was not part of the main ghouls.
13. Random. But he actually didn’t create each backstory individually by himself. In the beginning he did A LOT. Like Frankie was the first backstory he ever created. And it got more help and divided as more and more characters were introduced.
14. he has read every single diary for every monster. Cool little fact cause DAMN theirs a whole bunch of them.
15. everything in the Ghoulfriends book series is CANON in the monster verse.
And that is ALL FOLKS! I had held those questions in for about 7-8 years. So it was everything to me to have them answered and confirmed! I really tried to ask everything that was a huge mystery to us monster folks. And I hope you guys are excited to see all these new CANON facts!!!
I’m sorry if this is not everything. Just like Robecca. I forget stuff pretty easily. I’m wracking my brain for every little detail. Unfortunately my father didn’t record as much as I would have liked. But he did get some perfect key moments! And I’ll make sure to reblog with those moments as proof of confirmation!
I love y’all! Make sure this goes viral so every monster high fan gets to hear the news!
Signing out, I’m Tumblr Spectra Vondergeist, and I report the news.
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threestarsinline · 5 days
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Children's Books and Leather Jackets (Part I)
Jason Todd x reader one-shot
Summary: You couldn't love your job more. Or at least, that's what you thought, until Jason Todd started coming into the bookshop every week without fail, like clockwork. And then you form a connection that tilts your whole world on its axis.
Word Count: 13.6K (total of 29.2K)
Category: Lots and lots of fluff. Like, LOTS (plus some mutual pining, idiots in love, slow burn? and friends to lovers, and therefore, what all of that entails, mwah)
Warnings: Jason stealing your heart (and you stealing his)
Author’s note: Well, here's the proof that yes, I was writing hehehe. Anyway, enjoy this monster of a two-part fic, peace and love babes
>Part II
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You loved your job. You really truly did. It might seem like a bold statement to make but when you spend your day to day in a quiet, lovely and vintage styled bookshop owned by the most wonderful couple of old people that you have ever met, who also treat you as their own granddaughter, you know that you could have it a lot worse in Gotham. You often forget that they are technically your bosses, or co-workers as they always corrected you when you referred to them as such.
Rose and Jimmy hired you a long time ago now, when they weren’t able to run the bookshop fulltime by themselves anymore due to the rise of popularity of the place (even though the customers were still just a close community of people from the neighborhood). And also because, after decades of running the bookshop, they wanted to finally kind of retire and do a few travels to places they wanted to see or visit their children scattered throughout the country.
So there you were, practically running all by yourself a small but successful business each week.
However, you weren’t bothered at all, it was perfect for you: working alone with no annoying co-workers or stressful deadlines, a flexible schedule since Rose and Jimmy would replace you here and there whenever you needed it and giving you free days out of the blue. 
It also didn’t hurt that the job allowed you to stay in touch with the thing that you loved the most: books. Pages, full of stories that could transport you anywhere, to any time. Words, creating characters that became your family and made you laugh while also breaking your heart with their tragedies. And the possibility of sharing all of this with the people who came into the bookshop from all kinds of different backgrounds made it all even better.
Let’s just say that you couldn’t believe your luck when you got this job. Your day to day consisted of, among other things, attending customers, organizing the bookshelves, doing inventory and most of all: reading. There were certain moments of the day in which the shop was quite uneventful so you would seize those moments by doing all the reading that you could.
You really thought that you couldn’t love your job more. But that was until a gorgeous and very mysterious young man with a white streak in his hair started coming every week into the shop and giving you a smile every time that he left. 
You got it bad.
And your crush on Jason Todd did nothing but increase. You were sure that that man was going to be the death of you.
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The first time that Jason walked into the bookshop you were surprised to say the least. You had never seen him in the shop before yet he walked towards a section in the bookshelves of the back with firm and secure steps.
He came back to the register with three children’s books to check out. That surprised you even more. He certainly didn’t look like the type of person that you would expect to get children’s books. He had a rough appearance with his tall frame, dark hair and (fake) leather jacket.
But he was nothing but polite as he greeted you and handed you his bookshop card.
The shop also acted as a library with several books, Rose and Jimmy having implemented the idea after there was an attack at the public library that left the place in reforms for months.
It also allowed the people who couldn’t buy books that regularly to still be able to have new books since you only had to pay for the card when you first got it and pay the small fee for the membership every two months. Or every month if you wanted more perks like extended loans or not having a limit on the amount of books allowed to be checked out.
Most of that money was also directly donated to different causes in Gotham like orphanages and homeless shelters. The community loved Rose and Jimmy for all of that, it was like they were their guardian angels, some customers had told you that they were godsent. 
As you proceeded to scan the books that the mysterious young man had brought you, you realized that his card was fairly new and came to the conclusion that Rose must have given it to him the week before, when you had your free day. 
“Do you have The Rainbow Fish? I tried to look for it but I couldn’t find it.” He spoke up and you looked up at him, surprised once more, since most people either loved or hated that book.
“Uhm. If it’s not on the shelf, it must have been checked out. Let me see.” You looked it up on the computer. “Yeah, someone took it a few days ago. We should have it by next week, I can keep it in reserve for you if you’d like.” The information seemed to please him since his face lighted up and he let out a sigh of relief.
“That would be great, thank you.”
“No problem. Have a nice day.” You gave him back the books and his card and as you looked at him you realized that he had a very nice smile. You wondered if he would come back often to the bookshop. 
“You too.” He said as he opened the door.
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And in fact, he did come back to the bookshop rather often, at least once a week and always looking for children’s books. You were very curious about it since it wasn’t very common to see a man like him taking so many children’s books with him.
You couldn’t help but speculate, maybe he was close with kids in his family or maybe he did some kind of volunteering. Either way, you weren’t going to ask, it was out of place and you didn’t know him. 
Then, he started checking out other books, this time fiction and most of all classic literature. He sometimes even bought the ones that really brought out his attention. He would always strike up friendly conversation with you as he came to the counter with new books to buy or check out, asking you about some book or asking you for recommendations.
On your most brave days, not really knowing what you were doing, you would even make a comment about the books that he was taking with him and he answered you with enthusiasm, commenting on them with you.
Soon, you were on a first name basis with him and something similar to a friendship blossomed between you two. You started giving snippets of each other's lives, you telling him about a show that you were watching that you really liked or him telling you about one of his siblings’s latest shenanigans.
Jason coming into the shop became something that you looked forward to and Rose and Jimmy, who some days spend the day in the shop helping you out, also saw how close you two were becoming.
Jason even befriended them too and the owners soon treated him like a grandson just like they had done with you so long ago. Jimmy sometimes shoved in his hand his famous homemade cookies and Rose tried to give him a discount for the books that he bought but Jason, like always, refused to accept it. 
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“What? You’re supposed to leave them inside, it’s on the delivery contract.” You add frustrated.
“Whatever you say. Not my problem.” The new delivery man doesn’t even look at you as he recklessly puts the last of the boxes of new book orders on the sidewalk.
Looking at the now damaged box you grimace. You really hoped that the books inside were okay. They were like your babies.
The man takes his cigarette out of his mouth and puts it out on top of one of the boxes knowingly, looking you dead in the eyes as if challenging you to say something else.
You know that starting a confrontation would get you nowhere, it would be better to file a complaint later that you know would have consequences for him since the delivery service and the bookshop had always had a trusting relationship.
So, knowing to pick your battles, you put on a smile and thank him. The man seems surprised at that, surely used to having excuses to play the bully. He just huffs, gets on the truck and leaves. You nod to yourself proudly, you won. But your small, triumphant moment ends as soon as you see the large number of boxes that you now have to carry inside on your own. 
Oh, how you missed Charlie.
Charlie was the delivery man before he retired. It had been his job for more than fifty years and even now he was as strong as ever and he had always helped you with the boxes and made you laugh with his adventures from his younger years. 
You always gave him a cup of coffee from the machine in the small back room that worked as a break room as he tried to set you up with his grandchildren. Telling you how amazing they were and how one of them was about to become a doctor.
“I’m sorry, Charlie. I’m sure they’re great.” You would always tell him. Because they did sound nice but none of them lived in Gotham. Charlie then would fake a disappointed sigh but the crinkles of a smile around his eyes would always appear.
“Well, let me know if you change your mind, sweetie.” A pause. “Though you should forget about trying here, there isn’t anyone worthy in this godforsaken city.” He would joke.
“Except you, Charlie.” You’d say brightly while winking at him jokingly. And then he would laugh the way only one can when they are satisfied with their life and as happy as they can be, something very rare. 
“Don’t let Mary hear you, I know she doesn’t look like it but she can throw a punch.” His eyes would shine with love as he mentioned his wife.
“I don’t doubt it.” You’d answer.
You are brought out of your memories when a voice calls your name.
“Y/N, hi.” You turn to see Jason and you can't help the immediate smile that makes its way across your lips.
“Hi. How are you?”
“I’m good. I was just about to go in when I saw you out here. What’s all of this?” He looks around at all the boxes that the pedestrians were avoiding.
“Delivery day.” You say as you take one of the boxes in your arms. His eyes widen. With that funny expression on his face he looked cute, which made him even more handsome than usual. It wasn’t even fair.
Focus, Y/N.
“And you always do this alone?” 
“No, the new delivery guy is just an idiot. Charlie always helped me.”
“Charlie?” He raises an eyebrow as he too grabs a box from the floor.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“I’m helping you.” He replies without hesitation, you shake your head.
“I can’t let you do that, you’re a customer.”
“It’s no problem. Plus, this way you will finish this earlier and you can recommend me another book after the heartbreak that you gave me with the last one.”
“Sorry.” You say, trying to contain a giggle. He narrows his eyes at you.
“No, you’re not.”
“No, I’m not.” You confess, this time laughing freely.
You didn’t know it but Jason thought that you looked beautiful. Even more so than some days, if that was even possible, with the wind carrying your laugh to him and rustling your hair. God, he was in deep.
“So, are you going to let me help you or not?”
“Fine.” You finally comply.
And as you two enter the boxes he repeats his question from earlier. “Well, who’s Charlie?”
“Oh, just the best delivery old man you will ever meet.” You answer, your affection for the man clearly present in your voice.
“Do you collect them?”
“What?” You ask confused.
“Grandparents, old people. You have your own grandparents, Rose, Jimmy and now I learn about this Charlie. Do you collect them?” You smile at his comment. Truth was, he had a point.
“Well, I guess you could say that. In fact, now that I think about it, most of my friends are old people. I mean, it kind of makes sense, my perfect Friday night is staying at home reading with a hot chocolate.” For a moment silence settles between you and you worry that you might have overshared and that you were creeping him out. 
“You’re an old soul.” He finally says. And the way that he does so makes you stop, like he admires you for it, as if he likes the peace that comes with such a statement.
“Maybe.” You reply, resuming your step.
“I wish I could do that.” You arch an eyebrow. “Stay at home at night during the weekends and just relax.” He adds.
“Why’s that?”
“I work nights.” 
“Oh. It must be hard.”
“Yeah, sometimes it is.” After saying that his gaze gets lost, as if for a moment he wasn’t there with you anymore, but deep into his thoughts and memories.
“Do you have any? Grandparents, I mean.” You say to distract him and bring him back.
“Just one, Alfred. Although he is in more the middle of being a father and a grandfather. He raised me along with Bruce.” As soon as he says that, you know that he is just as surprised at himself as much as you are at the confession since it is by far the most personal thing that he had ever shared with you.
It is also clear that there was a lot of history behind that statement. It seems a serious matter and the other times that you two talked, he mostly kept it lighthearted with you.
The mysterious man that had first entered into the bookshop had let you see a crack in him. He trusts you. Or at least, he was beginning to do so in a more personal way. You only feel lucky that you are being able to get closer to him.
You sense how his instinct to flight was about to strike, clearly not used to this kind of situation and being awkward about how to manage it. So, you decide to change the topic, in what you think is a smooth way, to relax the ambience and to selfishly see if you could keep him at your side just a little bit longer.
“Well, I can share Rose and Jimmy with you then. As long as you don’t steal my spot as their favorite bookshop grandkid.” Just as you finish talking you see him visibly relax, his tense shoulders acquiring a more loosen stance.
Then, almost unnoticeably, a small smile forms on his lips and another one makes its way to your own.
“Deal.” He ends up saying.
After you both bring in all the boxes, and you check them into the inventory, you open them to put the books in the correspondent shelves. You turn to thank Jason for the help but he's already passing you some of the books for you to place them.
“Thank you, but you don’t have to do this. You already did too much.”
“Nope. I’m not leaving.” He just hands you the books in his grasp and grabs some more. You stand there stunned. Where did this gorgeous kind man come from?
“Okay. At least let me give you a coffee.” You go to the break room and not even a moment later, after quickly asking him how he liked it, not even giving him the option to refuse it, you return with a cup in your hands. He whispers a thank you and when you hand it to him, his fingers so lightly graze yours, making your breath hitch in your throat. 
“You don’t want one?” He asks, seeing that you had only brought a single cup.
“Oh, I don’t like coffee much.” He nods and then you get to work, looking at the books, classifying them and ordering them.
Jason keeps passing them to you and sipping the coffee in the comfortable silence. He’s glad that you’re so concentrated because that way you won’t notice how entranced he is with you. He watches you and just by your movements he knows that you’re in your element. It was clear that you enjoyed what you did.
At some point, you start humming a repertoire of the songs from Beauty and the Beast, probably without realizing it. Jason doesn’t mention it, knowing that most likely you would become ashamed and stop.
So, Jason lets the moment pass by, your company and the peaceful atmosphere of the bookshop making a warm feeling wash over him. Making him feel safe and relaxed. Something that didn’t usually happen to him, but that being in the bookshop and in your presence, always made him feel that way.
When he eventually left, you didn’t even realize that he had done so without taking any book with him.
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“Hey.”
The sudden voice makes you stumble on the ladder that you were on to return a book to its place in one of the top shelves. You know that there is nothing that you can do to prevent your fall but still in a hopeful attempt, you drop the book that was in your hand to the floor, and extend your arms to try and gain some balance. 
All of this happens in milliseconds and even then, you have time to exclaim “Jesus!” from the surprise, preparing yourself in any way you can for your imminent fate. 
However, just as fast as it all happened, a hand settles on your waist to stabilize you and another one grips the ladder to stop its wobbling. And just like that, you’re back on your feet again. You look down and there he is.
Your knight in shining leather jacket.
“Not exactly but close enough.” Jason can’t help replying to your previous exclamation. It had never crossed his mind before but now that he thinks about it, he realizes that he has something quite peculiar in common with the biblical figure. With all the ‘been dead done that’ stuff. The weird coincidence and his own comment making him chuckle to himself. 
You also huff out a small laugh, not at his comment, that you couldn't possibly fully understand, not yet, but at your own clumsiness. Laughing being almost always your immediate reaction whenever you fell or, like in this case, almost did. 
“Oh my god, thank you.” You say relieved with a thankful smile on your face.
“It’s nothing. I’m sorry actually, you almost died because of me.” 
“No, don’t worry, you just surprised me. Plus, me and high places have never been a great combination.” He chuckles at your comment and you smile in return.
Much to your disappointment, he lets go of your waist, but it doesn’t last long as he holds out his hand for you to help you come down from the ladder. You know that he’s just being polite and that you should finish what you were doing on the ladder but after the brief scare you’d like to put your feet on firm ground again for even just a small bit.
That, and the fact that you would take any chance that you could get to be close to Jason and hold his hand. Honestly, who wouldn’t?
So, you accept his hand and, just to be even more safe and avoid any possible risk of course, not for any other reason, you support yourself on his shoulder on the way down. He leads you to the ground with a small smile on his face and then sadly, lets go of your hand.
You miss the contact instantly.
“There we go.” He says, so low, that it’s almost like a whisper.
You take a moment to address him and look him over, the feel of his strong shoulder under your hand still tickling your fingers at your side. And for a split second, just a tiny little one, you wish that you had actually fallen from the ladder so that he could have caught you in his arms.
Damn it.
Now that the idea had occurred to you, you would think about it for days. 
Jason leans down to retrieve the book that you had dropped earlier and with an ease and balance that you could only dream of, he returns it to the open spot that you had been reaching for on the top shelf. It makes you both jealous and in awe of the way in which he can almost effortlessly do so. Even though even he had to step onto the first step of the ladder to reach it.
Stupid tall attractive people.
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Jason enters the bookshop excited to see you. He hadn’t been able to come by for a few days and he did not like it one bit. Coming to see you were the best parts of his week, because if he was being honest, the books themselves had stopped being a motivator a long time ago.
Probably the second or third time that he had visited the bookshop.
He was just thankful that you didn’t seem to notice that you were the main reason that he came by. You would probably think that he was being creepy. However, much to his dismay, Rose and Jimmy were very much aware of how much he liked you.
They always had that knowing smile whenever they saw you two talking and they definitely knew about the insane amount of books that he checked out weekly as an excuse to see you. Books that were impossible for him to read from one visit to another in such a short amount of time and that just spent several days stacked in his house.
Thankfully, for the moment, they had never said something to you or directly commented it to him either, as they wisely knew that you two needed to take things at your own pace.
He closes the entrance door behind him and his brows furrow in confusion not seeing you behind the counter, where he would usually find you reading or taking care of a customer. Maybe you’re in the bathroom, doing something in the break room or organizing the shelves.
But then, Rose emerges from the break room behind the counter greeting him.
Oh.
A slight feeling of disappointment settles in him. It’s not that he didn't like Rose, he really enjoyed chatting with her, he just really wanted to see you. And if Rose was here maybe you weren’t working today. But it couldn’t be, you always worked Thursdays.
Not that he had paid any attention to your schedule or anything.
Then it suddenly occurs to him that maybe you have taken the day off. He’s as happy for you as much as he’s disappointed. Everyone knew that you worked too much for your own good.
Still, the selfish part of him wanted to spend just a tiny little bit of time with you.
“Good afternoon, Rose. How are you?” Jason finally greets back.
“I’m good, sweetie, just checking day. And you?”
“Glad to hear it. I’m fine too. Just came in looking for…” Damn it, he didn’t even prepare an excuse of a book. A few seconds trail on and Jason still doesn’t say anything.
“For a…” He had been caught like a deer in headlights. He avoids Rose’s intense gaze that was still set on him waiting for him to say something. This is so embarrassing. And he was supposed to be one of the daring vigilantes of Gotham?
Pathetic. That’s what he was.
He could face villains but he couldn’t come up for an excuse to see you. Jason clears his throat.
“For a…” Jason’s starting to worry that he has entered some sort of self loop and is about to facepalm himself for his own stupidity when Rose’s lips break into a wide grin and she chuckles. She was messing with him. Like always, she definitely knew what exactly he was in there for. Jason smiles and lets out a sigh of relief.
“She’s on her break.” Rose says, nodding his head in your direction, towards the shelves. 
“Thank you.” Jason turns to go find you when Rose speaks up once again.
“Oh and, by the way, since you’re on it, can you get her for me please? I want to tell her something and I’m about to meet Jimmy for lunch.”
“Of course.” He answers while Rose gives him a thankful smile.
Jason starts to pace through the bookshelves, looking for you, but you’re nowhere to be found.
Until he passes by between a couple of them and sees something on the floor. He takes a couple of steps back and there you are, sitting on the floor with books about to be shelved, he supposes, and a book in your own hands that must have had you so immersed and distracted that you hadn’t heard him come in, nor his conversation with Rose.
A fond smile makes an appearance on his lips. He loved seeing you like this, in the place that you loved most, doing what you loved most, lost in a book. He realizes that he would never get tired of that sight. Still, it’s an intimate and private moment for you and he doesn’t want to linger too much on it and intrude. Plus, Rose was looking for you.
“Hi.” He says softly as to not startle you, after the scare from the last time. Which by the way, had been replaying in his head over and over again, the electrifying feeling of your hand in his forever engraved in his mind.
“Y/N.” He tries.
Nothing. That book really had you in a trance. He huffs a small laugh and takes a couple of steps closer to you, hands in his pockets. 
“Earth to Y/N.” You let out a small hum to acknowledge him but your gaze is still fixed on the ink. He’s about to call you again when you finally get out of your trance and steal a quick look to see who had talked to you.
Your eyes widen like plates, probably realizing that you had spent too long reading on the floor. You quickly get up and Jason notices how even in your distressed state, you close the book with care and slightly organize the mess around you, your hands treating each book carefully.
He wonders if you would treat him with the same carefulness and affection. For a split second, he even wishes it was him that your hands were treating and not books. Jealousy over books. Huh, that was new.
He also couldn’t help but wonder if you were that way with everything. If even when you weren’t at your best, or going through something, treating things, people, the world around you with care and kindness came as second nature to you, sometimes without even realizing it. He had a feeling that the answer was yes.
And once again, he realizes how much the dark part of his life clashed so much with yours. But before he can get too much into his own head, once more, just like several times before, you bring him back. 
“Oh my god, Jason, I’m so sorry.” You start, taking the few steps that separated you from him. “I don’t know how it happened, I swear. God, were you waiting a lot?” He doesn’t like the worry settled on your features one bit, like always, making him feel uneasy. Like the other previous few times that he has seen you like this, he makes it his mission and his top priority to change it.
“No, not at all. Don’t worry.” You nod while your tense posture finally seems to relax a bit. “You okay?” He adds.
“Yeah, yeah. I just… Got a little bit distracted.” You say as you retrieve the books from the floor and your head motions towards them. Jason smiles at you, knowing the feeling of being so engrossed in a book that everything else faded away.
“Rose was looking for you by the way. She was about to head out to meet Jimmy.”
“Oh, right.”
When you both go back towards the counter and you take your usual spot behind it, Rose is already putting her coat on and about to leave.
“I’m so sorry Rose, I got myself carried away and…” You start but Rose stops you with a shake of her head.
“It’s okay, honey. Just wanted to let you know that I’m leaving now.” You let out a sigh of relief. You really have the best bosses in the world.
“Okay, have a nice lunch.”
“Thank you, darling. Goodbye kids.”
“Goodbye.” Both you and Jason say. And just before Rose closes the door behind her, she winks at you and you feel your cheeks warm at the unspoken insinuation. Enjoy your time alone. You steal a quick look at Jason, hoping that he hasn’t seen Rose’s wink and sigh in relief when you see that he’s already turned towards you, facing away from the door.
Though, now that you think about it, you could swear that it was Jimmy the one that was supposed to meet Rose at the bookshop today, not the other way around. That woman was too smart for her own good.
“Well, what can I do for you today?” You ask Jason once you turn towards him.
“I…” Quick, Jason, think. “Could you extend my loan for the book from last week?” Nice save.
“Sure.” As you click on the computer, Jason takes a look at the stack of books that you had brought back with you from the shelves and that you have left on the counter.
“What got you so entranced back there?”
“Oh.” You say and you turn to the stack of books. Your eyes shining with excitement now. “We just got these new Jane Austen hardcovers and they’re just so gorgeous, look.”
You take the one on top of the stack, the one that you had been reading, and hand it to him. Pride and Prejudice. He takes it from your hands, your fingertips slightly grazing one another’s. Jason looks at the cover that feels soft yet sturdy in his hands. It was simple with just the title of the book and Austen’s name but the intricate and beautiful designs that decorated it made it, as you had said, a gorgeous edition.
“Wow. These are great.” He says with childlike wonder lacing his tone. He opens the book and his eyes skim over the pages and passages that he has read so many times before.
“I know, right? I was just admiring them one last time before putting them on the shelves and I just opened one to read a couple of paragraphs but next thing I know, I was ten pages in. I swear I didn’t mean for it to happen.” You confess. Jason laughs softly.
“Don’t worry, that’s just the Jane Austen effect. I get it, it happens to me too.” You can’t help but stare at him for a few seconds, blinking slowly, processing the newfound information. Thankfully, he’s still engrossed in the book.
This man likes Jane Austen? Is he trying to kill you or something? As if you couldn’t like him even more.
“You like Austen?” You ask, still a bit in disbelief, though it doesn’t really surprise you, since from the very beginning you had noticed how he was a very cultured person and how he had a great taste in books.
How sexy is that? To you, very. Very sexy.
“I love her. Basic, I know, but this one’s my favorite.” He answers as he puts the book back on top of the stack. As if anything in him could be basic, as if you don’t find him to be one of the most fascinating persons that you have ever met in your entire life.
“It’s not basic, it’s great. I love it too but I think that I prefer Northanger Abbey.” You pause. “Or Persuasion.” You pause again. “Or Emma.” You pause to think once more and Jason looks at you amused, loving how passionate you are when talking about it. “Or… Okay well, I love all of them! I can’t choose just one.” Jason smirks.
“Perfectly valid and understandable answer.” He says. You both look at each other for a second too long and then his phone starts ringing, breaking the moment. You give a slight jump and busy yourself going back to finish renewing his loan on the computer.
But to your surprise, he just takes it out of his pocket, looks quickly at the screen and directly hangs up. You raise an eyebrow but continue with your task, a small smile making its way across your lips, flattered that he prefers to keep talking to you rather than picking up his phone.
“Well, done. You have another week to…” You’re interrupted when his phone rings again. Jason huffs annoyed and silences it again.
“Sorry.” He says. You shake your head.
“It’s okay.” The phone rings a third time. It must be really important. “Though I think you should take it.” Jason looks at his phone in his hands, then at you, back at his phone, and then at you again, still doubtful, but you nod encouragingly. He seems torn and undecided, but he finally nods to himself and gives you an apologetic look before answering.
“What?” He says annoyingly, taking a couple of steps away from the counter as you pretend to check things on the computer and try (and fail) not to eavesdrop.
He’s going to kill Steph. He really is. She never calls him and now there is something so important that she has to call him three times and interrupt his talk with you? It better be good. 
“Heyyy. Jaybiiird. My bestieeee, the best vigilante in Gotham that there is.” Jason can already start to feel a headache forming, he brings a palm to his face and then runs it through his hair. You watch the gesture with envy. How many times had you daydreamed about doing the very same gesture? Probably too many.
“I can’t talk right now.” He quickly glances at you, still at the computer. This is stupid.
“Pleaseeee, I need your help.” At her pleading tone Jason sighs tiredly and pinches his nose, even though he knows that he shouldn’t be listening. With the way that she’s talking it’s probably a stupid favor or something, he would much rather be talking with you.
“Steph, what do you want?”
Steph? At that your head perks up slightly. His girlfriend, maybe? Your shoulders deflate thinking of the possibility. He had never mentioned having one but you also had never asked. Why would you even ask? You’re just friends, or something like that, it would seem like it was coming out of nowhere. As your thoughts keep spiraling and you stare blankly at the screen in front of you, Jason carries on with his conversation.
“You’re going to laugh…” Steph starts.
Jason rolls his eyes, catches your eyes and mouths my sister. You just nod and your spiraling thoughts stop abruptly. Thank god. Although the possibility of him having a girlfriend is still there, now that you don’t have to face it directly, you decide not to linger too much on it. Keeping the thought away and trying to ignore it, just like you had been doing since you met him. That’s a future problem for future you.
Jason changes his phone from one ear to the other as he listens to Steph stumble through her words. If she’s going to keep beating around the bush, he might as well hang up.
“Okay, bye.” He’s about to end the call when Steph speaks up again.
“I lost Damian.” Jason’s eyes widen as he turns to his other side.
“You what?” He whisper-shouts into the phone. 
“Okay so, Damian is grounded, okay? Something about driving the batmobile without permission and then…”
“Steph.” Jason warns through gritted teeth, clearly meaning go to the point.
“Okay, okay! So, I’m on babysitting duty alright? And Damian had been talking non stop about this new limited art exposition in the museum that he wanted to go to and that it wasn’t fair that he was grounded and blah blah blah.”
“Okay, and?”
“And… Well, there was this new season of this show coming out today and I just got distracted for a bit and then he kinda… Disappeared?” God. Jason closes his eyes in frustration. His family really knew how to be the most infuriating at the worst of times. He stays silent for a moment mentally cursing them before opening his eyes again.
“Told you you were going to laugh…” Steph repeats at his silence and Jason sighs, making you giggle quietly at the sibling interaction. Jason smiles at the sound.
“So what? Just go to the museum after him.” He finally answers.
“That’s the thing, I am at the museum and I just can’t find him. Damn that kid and his ninja training.” Steph hisses through the line. “Can you come and help me find him please?” He could hear her pouting.
“Why me?”
“You’re the only one that picked up.” And now he was sure that she was smiling innocently but full of mischief. Jason huffs. As soon as he saw Steph’s name on his screen he knew that he shouldn’t have picked up.
“No.” He says.
“Come on, pleaseeee. I’ll owe you one. If I don’t find Damian I will be the one that’s grounded next.” Honestly, who had put her on babysitting duty? Who had even grounded Damian to begin with? It was impossible to try and control that kid.
Damn it, Bruce.
“Bruce can’t ground you.”
“Oh yes, he can. I’m sure he’ll find a way. He’ll make me go supervise Condiment King or something! Please, Jason, please." Jason sighs. “Please, please, please, please. I’ll do all the research that you need for a week!” Mmhm. That’s interesting. That would certainly leave him with more time to see you.
“A month.” He counteroffers and sees you smiling at his bickering, making his insides feel giddy. Steph groans.
“A month? You know that’s too much.”
“Do you want my help or not?” Silence.
“Arrrg, okay, okay! Well, we’ll talk about it, now, can you please come here?” 
“With pleasure.” He says amused. Even though his family can be infuriating at times, he had to admit that they had their good moments and he enjoyed annoying them just as much as they did him.
“You’re so arrogant, oh my god. I pity whoever decides to put up with you.” Steph says and Jason can’t help but steal a glance in your direction.
“Just remember that you owe me a big one.”
“Yeah, yeah. Just come here. I’ll wait for you at the entrance.”
“Okay.” Before he hangs up, he hears Steph speak up again.
“Hey Jaybird.” Jason hums. “Thanks.” He rolls his eyes playfully.
“Bye.”
“And say hi to Y/N for me-!” He hangs up before you can hear Steph’s loud teasing voice. He knew that talking about you in front of his family wasn’t the best of ideas but he just couldn’t help it. You occupied his thoughts a lot more than what he was willing to admit. 
“Sorry.” He says as he approaches the counter once again and puts his phone in his pocket.
“It’s okay. Sibling drama then?” You ask playfully as you raise an eyebrow.
“You have no idea. It was Steph, she used to date one of my brothers. Tim.” You look at him confused.
“I thought you said she was your sister?”
“Yeah, I mean- it’s… It’s complicated. That was how we met her but she’s like a sister to me now.”
“I see.”
“Sorry, we’re quite a mess.” He chuckles awkwardly, running his hand through his hair and the white streak once again. The movement, like always, has you hypnotized. It should be illegal. Jason thinks that he should just stop talking, now he has weirded you out with his stupid and crazy family.
“Aren’t we all?” You say softly as you tilt your head in the cutest of ways. Honestly, the more that he told you about his family, the more you realized how peculiar they were. But they seemed really close to each another, which was what really mattered.
“Yeah… I guess so.” He trails on as he gets lost in your eyes again. You nod and he shakes out of his daze. “Well, I should get going. Duty calls.” He adds as he nods towards the door and taps his fingers against his side of the counter nervously.
“Okay. Hope everything goes well with whatever it is.”
“Yeah, I’ll tell you next time.” Something about the security of knowing that he will always come back, and that there will always be a next time with him, raises goosebumps on your skin.
“Yeah. Next time.” You both look at each other as he walks towards the door.
Something lingers in the air, as if both of you want to say something else but do not dare to do so. Do not dare to cross the invisible line in your strange friendship usually defined by the safety of the counter that almost always stayed between you two in your interactions.
Jason grabs the door handle and holds it open for a moment as you speak one last time.
“See you soon then?” It’s a stupid sentence, already remarking what you both have already said, but it’s as good of an excuse as any to make him stay just a few seconds longer.
“See you soon.” Jason nods smiling at you and then, the door closes behind him.
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You’re reading at the counter when the bell on top of the door jingles. You look up, hoping to find green eyes but are met with a stressful boy looking around the shop. As if in his distressed state, he can’t find you behind the counter.
“Hi.” You say as you bookmark your page. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Oh. Hi. Yeah.” He says as he quickly approaches you. He shakes his head to move the hair out of his blue eyes and takes a piece of paper out of his pocket. His hunched posture and shaky mannerisms tells you that he hasn’t caught a break in a while. This poor boy needs a rest.
“I’ve been looking for this book everywhere and I can’t find it anywhere. It’s my boyfriend’s birthday tomorrow, he loves mysteries and conspiracies and I need to find it. My brother told me that this is the best bookshop in all of Gotham and that you can find anything here.” He rambles as he gives you the piece of paper. You take the paper and look at the boy as he slightly bounces on his feet looking around the shop.
You raise an eyebrow. A distracted boy that seems to always be running and a brother that recommends the bookshop? Sounds quite familiar.
“Tim?” You can’t help but guess, though you’re still a bit unsure. Jason had mentioned him a few times and how his younger brother always seemed to be doing a hundred things at once. At that his bouncing stops abruptly and finally looks at you for more than a few fleeting seconds, suspicious of how you know his name.
“Sorry, hi. I’m Y/N. Jason comes here often and has mentioned you a few times.” You say nervously. The information seems to take a little bit longer than usual to register due to his distressed state but then when he finally recognizes you, his alert posture relaxes.
“Oh, Y/N! Hi, yes. I’m Tim. Nice to meet you.” He says as he holds out his hand and you shake it. “Jason talks about you too.” He adds. You feel your cheeks go warm.
“Well, nice to meet you too. Are you okay? You seem a bit stressed.”
“Yeah, sorry. It’s just that I’ve been putting together this party for my boyfriend and the gift is being so hard to find it’s giving me headaches. Please tell me that you can help me.” 
“Of course.” You say. “But first, take a deep breath.” He looks at you as if he doesn’t know what you mean. “You need to rest and relax a bit if you want to make it to your boyfriend’s birthday tomorrow without dropping from exhaustion.” You nod encouraging him and then take a deep breath yourself so that he can imitate you. Thankfully, he does so after shaking his shoulders to release tension and then stays with his eyes closed, taking a moment.
“Better?”
“Yeah. Thanks.” He answers, opening his eyes.
You nod. “No problem. Let’s find that book.” You look at the piece of paper and type in the title and author of the book on the system. It’s a limited edition of a book about the old history of Gotham and thankfully, you have one copy in the storage room. “Got it. I’ll be right back.” Tim sighs in relief as you leave the counter.
When you come back, you bring the book and a cup of coffee from the break room with you. 
“This is so that you can get home to rest until tomorrow without dying on the way.” You say as you slide the coffee towards him.
“Oh thanks, but it’s not necessary.” You stare at him, having clearly seen how the idea of coffee almost had him glowing.
“Okay, okay.” He chuckles as he goes to take the coffee but you keep the cup in place.
“Promise that when you get home, you will rest. Do not take anymore coffee so that you can keep organizing things.” Tim looks at you, your firm tone and kind intentions making him clearly see why Jason is so smitten with you. He can also easily see himself trusting you and becoming friends with you.
“Promise.” He says honestly. You nod, letting go of the cup. "If you want more milk or sugar-" You can't even finish the sentence as he shakes his head, having already taken the cup into his hands and taken a sip.
“Mm, not necessary. This is great. Thank you.”
You smile. “You’re welcome. Do you want to wrap the book?”
“Yes, please.” He says.
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“The Rainbow Fish? Again?” You say chuckling as Jason puts it on the counter for what probably was the third or fourth time. You really were starting to run out of options wondering why he always checked out so many kids’ books. But it just felt very intrusive to ask, he never said anything more about it either, probably not wanting to talk about it much.
“Yeah.” He says as you scan the book and pass his card on the system. 
“I loved this book when I was little.” A nostalgic look on your eyes as you gaze at the cover of the book, remembering the silver scales of the arrogant fish that he had to give away in order to be accepted instead of just being a nicer fish.
The message of the book in the end was good: not think of yourself as superior to others. But there was something about having to give up something that you were proud of and that was special about you in order to be accepted that always felt a little off putting to you when you grew up, especially when being kind could have just resolved everything.
“Though it sure as hell began my people pleasing problems.” You add giggling a bit without thinking. But when what you have said registers, you freeze, hands on the book and blank stare on them, not daring to look up at Jason. 
Where the fuck did that come from? 
You shut your eyes, praying to whatever was out there to let you die of embarrassment. Stupid, stupid, stupid. You had definitely freaked him out. That’s it. He would walk out of the bookshop and never come back. Why would you even say that? You weren’t thinking, that’s it. It had just slipped. You had become so used to being able to be yourself and talk about everything with Jason that it just felt so easy and comfortable to say whatever was on your mind. 
Finally, you decide to sentence your fate and just end with this terribly awkward conversation as soon as possible.
“Sorry.” You say. “I honestly don’t know where that came from.” Jason just chuckles though not in a mocking manner, but in an understanding way.
“Don’t worry, I get it.” He assures you. You look back down, missing Jason’s look of appreciation, loving your honesty and how flustered you were. He found it endearing. “Well, thanks.” He says as he goes to take the book on the counter.
Your whole body then tenses in alarm when you see the state of his hands, which until now, had been hidden in his pockets. Without thinking, once again, (seriously, what was wrong with you today?), you take his hands to take a closer look at them.
Jason lets out a small gasp as you do so and mentally smacks himself for letting you see his wounded knuckles, now him being the one that wanted to die of embarrassment. It was only so much that the gloves of his Red Hood gear could do to protect them.
“What happened?” You whisper, worry etched onto every single one of your features. 
Fuck.
How had he been so careless? He should have bandaged them, hidden them better or put make up on them. He just wasn’t used to having someone worry about him and his wounds like you were right now. At his silence, you try again:
“Jason.” Now he was the one avoiding your gaze. But you persist, finally making eye contact with him. “What happened? Are you okay?” He wills himself to get out of his stupor and even though deep down he doesn’t want to, out of the soft touch of your hands too, bringing his own back to his sides.
“It’s nothing. It’s just… I do boxing.” He says as he shrugs his shoulders. “It happens.” You raise an eyebrow, suspicious. It feels like something doesn’t fully add up.
You know that there are things that Jason isn’t telling you. He has made some strange comments before but you always let it go. You know that eventually, if he wants to, when he’s ready, he will tell you. God knows that you have your own things too.
But if there is something that you have learned about your growing friendship with Jason is that you both like to take things at your own pace. Trusting and becoming close with each other slowly but steadily.
Letting time do its work. Not forcing the flow of things. And you like it that way. Life is always everchanging so to have something so solid and safe like what you have with him, you want to treasure it and nurture it. Although all of that of course, doesn’t stop you from worrying about him and wanting to take care of him.
So, you just nod, accepting his explanation, but not without having a little bit of fun.
“I thought that in boxing you were supposed to wear gloves to avoid that very kind of injuries.” You say with a playful smile.
Shit.
Jason wants to facepalm himself. He really seemed to just have one brain cell whenever he was around you. At his lack of response you shake your head.
“Come, let me patch that up at least.”
“Oh, no, no. It’s fine, don’t worry.”
“Jason.” You throw him a glance.
“Y/N.” He maintains your stare. Finally, a small smile escapes your lips and you put an end to the staring contest, rounding the counter and taking his hands once again and guiding him to the break room. Allowing yourselves this moment since there aren't any other customers in the store right now. Jason lets you, knowing that in the end, he will never be able to deny you anything.
Once in the break room, you sit him down at a chair by a table and leave for a moment before you return with a first aid kid. You sit down in front of him and look at him softly.
“Can I?” You motion towards his hands. Jason swallows and only finds the courage to nod slowly.
The knuckles are far from being the worst that they have ever been and Jason always tries to take care of them but he had just arrived home from patrol the night before so exhausted that he had only managed to clean them before passing out on his bed. Right now, they’re mostly just reddened with a couple of points in which the skin is broken.
Jason then finds out that he was right. When you take his left hand and start treating the wound, cleaning it again and applying some antiseptic on it, he sees that you treat him with the same care and thoughtfulness that you did with those books all those weeks ago.
Almost as if he was something delicate, something precious. If not more.
The beat of his heart quickens and he wonders if in the silence of the room, you can hear it.
This is the very first time that Jason has been back here, the setting of your interactions always being the open part of the bookshop and this change of scenario makes it seem like something has shifted between you two. Like you weren’t just employee and customer with a friendly relationship anymore but like you have a real friendship and a deeper connection.
The whole time, as you treat his other hand too and then slowly bandage both of them, Jason looks at you. He’s glad that you’re only fixed on his hands because that way he can take all the time that he wants to admire you.
The concentrated look in your eyes, the way that your eyebrows furrow in concentration, how you put a strand of hair that has fallen out behind your ear, and the occasional and very tortuous moment in which you bite your lip in concentration, being extra careful in not hurting him.
And that's when the weight of how much he feels for you falls on him. He was already aware of it before but now is when he can really feel the weight of it all. How what he feels for you is not just an infatuation or a crush, but something deeper that runs beneath his skin, crawling into him, taking root. Settling and making a home there.
“Done.” You whisper. And as you retract your hands from his, Jason wishes that he never had to part from your touch.
You put all the things that you used back into the first aid kit and try not to think about the impulse that you had, but that you thankfully had managed to repress, of kissing his knuckles when you finished bandaging them.
“Be careful, okay?” You say. Jason nods, admiring your work but when you don’t take your eyes off of him he answers:
“Yeah. Promise.” You nod satisfied. Then Jason remembers another promise that he had made. “Tim wanted me to thank you by the way. Bernard loved the book.” He says.
“Oh, that’s right! It was no problem, it was really great to meet him. How was his boyfriend’s party? Bernard’s I guess?” You say excited.
“Tim said it went great. And that thanks to you he didn’t fall asleep during it and was actually able to enjoy it.” You giggle in response when suddenly, Jason’s phone beeps and he takes a quick look. Firefly alert downtown. He jumps out of his seat.
“Sorry, I have to go. Thank you, really.” And faster than a bullet, he’s gone.
You sigh, shaking yourself out from the intimate moment and when you return to the counter, you see that in his hurry, Jason forgot to take The Rainbow Fish with him. You take the book and put it under the counter, keeping it for him for next time.
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You’re running some errands when you see two large men crowding a little girl. She can’t be older than six and she’s clutching onto a teddy bear for dear life. 
Anger and fear for the little girl rage inside you, it is broad daylight and there are quite a few people on the street, yet everyone seems to carry out their business ignoring the men trying to talk the girl into going with them. You knew how Gotham was but it seemed like the city always found a way to surprise you.
“Come on, your mommy told us to come get you.” You hear one of the men say to the girl as you quickly approach them.
“I don’t have a mom.” The girl manages to say, distrustful. And even though hearing that makes you sad, you admire the girl, you can tell that she’s smart.
“Can I help you?” You hiss as you put yourself between the two men and the girl, putting an arm out to keep her behind you. You see the two men exchange a look, clearly discussing if it is worth it to cause a scene in the middle of the street.
“No. We were just leaving.” One ends up saying, giving a clap to the back of the other, directing them away from you and the girl. As they turn to leave, they try to give one last look to the little girl but you move to block their line of sight.
When they turn the corner at the end of the street, you finally let out a sigh of relief, thankful that the confrontation didn’t escalate to anything more.
You knew you didn’t actually stand a great chance against them physically, and seeing how people were ignoring the situation before, you’re not sure that anyone would have helped you.
Adrenaline is still pumping through your veins as you turn and kneel on the floor to be eye level with the girl, who takes a step back in fear but you hold your hands up, trying to show her how you’re not a threat.
Now that you can see her clearly, you see how scared she really is. She is shaking slightly, still clutching her worn out teddy bear with tears in her eyes. Her clothes aren’t in the best state either and her shoes are two steps more from falling apart. Just by looking at her you can tell that she has to have spent nights on the street. 
Your heart breaks. It really was unfair how many unfortunate people and kids lived in such dire situations in Gotham. Of course you knew that there were people trying to change things and do better like the vigilantes or normal people like you, that even if it was in the smallest of ways, always tried to help somehow. You did so by either giving away the clothes that you didn’t use anymore or doing donations whenever you could. But sometimes it still seemed like the bad outweighed the good. 
“Hi, honey.” You say in a soft voice to try and calm the little girl. “I’m Y/N. What’s your name?”
She stops backing up against the wall of the building, sniffs and rubs her eyes, before looking at you, deciding whether or not to trust you.
“Lily.” You hear her squeak out. Her grip on the teddy bear relaxes and she starts playing with its ear, still not looking directly at you.
“Hi Lily, it’s very nice to meet you.” You say as you extend a hand to her, wanting to give her some sense of normalcy. She slowly takes it and you give her a soft shake. “You okay?” She nods. “You know Lily, you were very brave standing up to those men.”
“They were bad” She says. You nod. “Jay always says not to trust strangers and much less big scary men.”
“He’s very right. Is he your brother?” Maybe you can help her get back to her family. If you managed to do so, it would be much better than bringing her to the police and then, sadly, most likely than not, forgotten in the foster care system.
“No. A friend. A very good friend.”
“Okay, good. That’s very important.” You look around, trying to see if somebody is looking for her. “Do you live nearby?”
“I think so.” She says shyly, you give her an encouraging look to see if she can give you any more information. “I was chasing a cat but I think that I took a wrong turn.”
“Okay. How about I go with you and try to find your way back?” You say as you stand back up. You’re happy to see that Lily doesn’t look scared anymore. Instead, she looks almost… Excited?
“Yes, please! I don’t want to miss it!” She says as she grabs your hand and starts walking in the direction that you suppose she came.
“Miss what?” You ask, but she’s already telling you everything about her teddy bear, who seems to be Batbear at night, fighting crime and kicking butt like the heroes in Gotham.
Turns out that Lily’s home was thankfully a lot closer than what you had expected. After asking her if she remembered a couple of streets and stores, she was able to find the right way back.
You finally reach an open space between two buildings that seems to work as a playground, with a rusty basket to play basketball on one side and several boxes and crates littering the corners. Several kids run around playing and chasing each other, most of them in the same condition as Lily.
A group of them surround a bench and you hear him before you see him.
“What do you mean Lily’s not here? Where is she?” He’s running a hand stressfully through his hair, looking around worriedly.
“Jason?” You ask transfixed.
Jason locks eyes with you and freezes, just as surprised to see you as you are to see him.
“Y/N.” He says breathlessly.
“Jay!” Lily’s excited voice filters through the air. You feel her dropping your hand and Jason’s eyes turn to her, relief washing over them. As she runs towards Jason, she extends her arms and he scoops her up and settles her on his waist effortlessly, Lily hugging his neck.
“Lily! Oh my god, where were you? We were all so worried. You’re always here when I arrive.” He says to her.
“I know, I'm sorry! Some bad men tried to take me. But don’t worry, Y/N helped me! She’s a badass!” Jason’s eyes widen at the new information and you see something in them that you had never seen before, a kind of anger that promises danger.
But as soon as that look comes, it disappears, and it makes you wonder if it was ever really there in the first place. He then looks at you, thankful but with a small tint of worry. You just give him a reassuring nod, telling him that everything is okay.
“Why don’t you go with the rest for a bit? I’ll be right there.” He says as he turns to Lily once more.
“Okay!” He settles her back down and she runs off to the other kids.
Jason approaches you quickly in a few strides, it feels like he wants to touch you, take your hands to make sure that you’re okay but he stops himself.
“You okay? What happened?”
“Yeah. I’m okay, don’t worry.” You tell him what happened and you can see how the anger returns to him in the way that he clenches his fists. “But we’re fine and they left so that’s all that matters.” You conclude.
“Where was it?” He asks firmly. You tell him the street where it all happened and Jason seems deep in thought for a moment, like searching for something in his mind. When he finally finds it, he nods resolutely as if he just made a mental note to do something later.
The determination in his eyes sends a chill running down your spine.
“Thank you for helping her.” He says then. “But be careful please, I don’t want you to be in danger.” The very thought makes him shiver, he doesn’t even want to entertain the possibility.
“I know. I am. I just couldn’t stand by.” You respond and he nods, knowing that that was how you were, always looking out for others.
“Anyway, thanks again.” He adds and you nod before looking around you once more.
It then dawns on you that this is the very first time that you are seeing Jason outside of the bookshop and it just feels so strange. When he first entered the shop, it seemed like he stood out like a sore thumb, with his tall frame, rough appearance and black leather jacket against the cozy backdrop of the shop. But now, after so much time, you couldn’t imagine him anywhere else. Now it was like he didn’t fit into any other atmosphere other than at the bookshop.
“Well, and what are you doing here?” You ask curiously.
“Oh, I…”
“So you’re Y/N?” Interrupts a young teen with a knowing smile, followed by a group of other kids, including Lily, clearly having told them her latest adventure. You nod.
“Are you his girlfriend?” Asks another boy now, looking up at you. You let out a small laugh at the way Jason’s eyes widen almost comically at the kid’s boldness.
“No.” You respond, and for a second, you can’t help but wonder what it would be like to answer otherwise.
“We’re friends.” Jason says.
“Very good friends.” You can’t help but add and when you steal a nervous glance at Jason, you find him nodding, agreeing with you. Because saying just ‘friends’ feels too simple to describe your relationship with Jason. And what you said still doesn't cover it.
“Really?” The teen boy from earlier asks again with a raised eyebrow. “Because he-” Jason grabs him and puts a hand over his mouth before he can keep talking, smiling innocently at you. You look at the chaotic situation amused.
“Are you staying for the reading?” Lily asks.
“The reading?” You ask confused.
“Yeah! Jason always reads to us and acts out the stories!” Another girl says. And then it clicks.
Jason buys and checks out so many children’s books for them. For these kids. Street kids. Like him. Not only that but he also reads the stories for them. Regularly. You feel like melting into a puddle.
You turn to Jason, an amazed look on your face. As if this man could be any more wonderful. He blushes and looks away in embarrassment. A small smile makes its way across your lips.
“Really? I didn’t know that.” You say, turning to the kids once more.
“Yeah! He’s great at it.” Chirps the same girl.
“Are you staying then?” Lily insists.
You immediately turn to Jason. You would love to but there is a reason for why Jason hasn’t told you about this. It feels like this is something very important to him and that he holds very dear so you don’t want to intrude on that. But Jason is already looking at you, scared yet hopeful, as if he does want you to stay but is afraid that you may want to leave now.
“Well, I would love to. If I’m not a burden of course.”
“Never.” Jason says without missing a beat.
You don’t think that you have ever smiled more brightly.
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You end up having one of the best afternoons that you have ever had in a while. Rival only to the other ones in which Jason visits you in the bookstore. You stay and listen as Jason reads them the books that had been sitting on the bench and that you recognize from the bookstore out loud, using different voices, doing exaggerating gestures, and acting out scenes.
You watch as the kids laugh and look at him mesmerized. If you had been able to look into a mirror, you would have found that you had the very same look of admiration as them, maybe even a tiny little bit lovestruck. You can tell that they love him, look up to him and consider him a role model. You can’t help but think that they made an excellent choice.
The crowd is mostly made of small kids, the older ones, in their teenage years, although a few of them listen, most make as if the activity doesn’t interest them, but you can see how they linger around the group while they play basketball or pass by. 
You see how what Jason is doing with these kids is a light for them. A moment of escapism, fun and happiness from their lives and problems in the worst neighborhoods of Gotham. Kids forced to grow up earlier to survive. Holding onto whatever source of innocence that they can.
Eventually, they all rope you into reading too and you end up sharing the spotlight with Jason. There are laughs, questions from the kids about yourself, funny comments and the snickering whispers from the older kids at the back about the two of you, having obviously heard about you before.
Jason prays that you can’t see them when they start teasing him and making kissy faces to which he just rolls his eyes. He also prays that you can’t see how he looks at you as you enjoy yourself and laugh at what the kids say. The utter adoration and longing that lay in his eyes.
It isn’t until almost a couple of hours later, when the sun has already disappeared beyond the horizon and the orange hue of the sky has turned purple, that the reading does come to an end.
The kids say their goodbyes, not before inviting you to reading time again and wondering when you will come back. A lot of them already give you a hug as they go, and you see them leave back towards their homes. Most of them go to the adjacent buildings but there are also a few, mostly the older kids, or at least accompanied by them, that go towards the street.
Lily thanks you for your help and even gives you a kiss on the cheek that makes you want to melt and give her a tight hug before she leaves towards the closest building, a girl a few years older than her guiding her by the hand.
And then, after all the chaos and laughs, with the night starting to settle in, it’s just you and Jason once again.
You sit back down on the bench next to him and you both stay there for a moment, enjoying the quiet and the silence of the chill Gotham air.
When you turn to Jason, his green gaze is already on you.
“Thank you for staying. The kids loved having you here.” He whispers as to not disturb the peace that has settled over you both. “I hope that it wasn’t too much.”
“What? No, it was lovely. Really, I had a great time. I’m sorry if I intruded.”
“No, not at all.”
“Now I know why you always check out so many kids’ books. Good to know that you’re not a psychopath with kids in cages or something.” You joke and Jason huffs out a laugh.
“Yeah, maybe I should have explained that earlier. It would have been too strange to explain at the beginning but then we became friends and it dragged on and it felt too weird to explain now. I don’t know.” He just didn’t know what you would have thought of him.
“No, no.” You shake your head. “I didn’t mean it like that. This was clearly something very private to you. It’s perfectly understandable not wanting to share it with anybody.”
“You’re not anybody.”
You’re sure your heart stops beating for a moment.
The intensity of his gaze makes you look down at your hands. You can’t remember if anyone has ever looked at you like that.
It’s scary.
In a good way, but still very scary.
“Well, anyway, thank you for letting me be a part of it.” You end up saying and he nods.
Silence settles over you two once again. Neither of you wanting the day to end.
“You hungry? I know a great spot.” He speaks up.
Your cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
“I’m starving.”
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You love the place as soon as you see it. It’s a small, yet very cozy and lovely diner. Through the outside windows you can see that the color pattern is mostly blue and white with bright pink neon letters announcing that it’s open.
Jason holds the door open for you and the warmness inside the place drastically contrasts with the cold from outside. The delightful smells from the kitchen make your stomach ache with hunger.
“Hi, sweetie! We’ll be right with you!” The old woman at the bar with a brightly tinted red streak in her hair says excitedly.
“Sit wherever you like!” A voice yells next from the kitchen. From the open window that looks into it from the dining area you can see another old woman with a bun.
“Thank you, ladies.” Jason greets.
Your mouth hangs open.
Jason leads you to a booth that stares out into the street. His usual spot, you suppose. As you sit in the comfortable booth and you two take off your coats, you close your mouth and look at Jason with a raised eyebrow. He looks back at you feigning innocence, though you know well that he knows why you’re so surprised.
“What?” He says with a teasing smirk that makes you want to kiss it away.
“You little liar.”
“Hey.” He responds amused. “What did I do now?”
“Looks like I’m not the only one with practically adoptive grandparents that just so happen to run a business.” You say with your arms crossed.
And when Jason laughs, you might as well be addicted to the sound with how much you love it everytime you hear it. 
“I knew you were going to say that.” He says and you scoff playfully. “In my defense, I will say that I wasn’t fully ‘officially’ adopted until after we had that conversation. I hadn’t come here enough times for that yet.”
“Mmhm, sure.” You say suspicious as you take the menu from the side of the table and take a quick look over it. “And you wanted to take Rose and Jimmy away from me.” You add, muttering under your breath.
“Excuse me?” Mock outrageousness in his tone.
“What you hear.” You’re trying too hard to hide your smile.
“You know that was never my intention.” He answers and you just hum, pretending to read the menu. “Okay, as an act of peace, you can have Millie and Ruby too.”
“Mhm.” You pretend to think it over.
“I’m sure they’ll love you in no time anyway.” The lightness with which he says that, as if anyone who met you couldn’t help but love you, makes you drop the menu onto the table and look back at him.
“Deal then.” You finally say and you both let out a small laugh.
After that, the woman with the red streak approaches your table and greets you both.
“Good evening kids, how are you today?”
“Good, Ruby, and you?” Jason answers.
“You know, same old, same old.” She says, waving her hand. Then she turns fully to you. “And who might this lovely lady be?” She asks with a knowing smile and an arched eyebrow, almost as if she already knows the answer and knows a secret that you’re not privy to.
“I’m Y/N. Nice to meet you.”
“The Y/N?” Ruby says while throwing Jason a look. He just looks away in embarrassment and the neon sign of the window really makes you wonder if the red tint on his cheeks are a reflection of it or not. “Oh, it’s so lovely to meet you dear! We've heard so much about you! We’ve been telling Jason to bring you non-stop. Oh gosh, I gotta tell Millie. Millie! Honey, come here!” She screams towards the kitchen.
Your lips curve into an amused smile, but you also feel heat rush to your face, not really knowing what to do with all the attention and the fact that Jason has been talking about you, what seems to be quite a lot, to other people. Not only his brother, but also the kids and these women.
Millie appears and when she learns who you are, she greets you just as enthusiastically as Ruby has.
“Let me tell you sweetheart, this boy here talks about you-” Millie starts but then she clears her throat as Jason throws her a warning glance. “I mean, about your bookshop all the time.”
“Well, you can drop by anytime.” You offer.
“We will.” Millie assures you. It seems as though both Millie and Ruby want to stay and ask you millions of questions but they see how Jason is begging them with his eyes to leave you two alone, and after taking your orders, they leave with a smile.
“They seem really great.” You say. Their loud nature sign of a joyous life. And even though they seem more energetic, vivacious and chaotic than the calm and quiet way in which Rose and Jimmy carry themselves, you know that they would get along very well. Especially with how all of them seemed to be thoroughly entertained by the interactions that you and Jason have.
“Yeah, they are.” Jason confirms. “But sorry about that, they can come off as a bit overwhelming sometimes.”
“It’s okay. It’s nice to be greeted so welcomely.”
As the night goes on, you find that it is just as easy to talk to Jason outside the bookshop as it is over the counter. It doesn’t surprise you but the underlying fear that your connection only works surrounded by bookshelves finally leaves you.
As you both eat the delicious food that Millie prepared, Jason tells you more about the kids per your request. How he tries to read to them at least once a week, how he brings them food whenever he can and how he has even taught a few of them to read. You also immediately offer up the bookstore to hold the readings but he shakes his head and smiles sadly.
“Thank you, really. That’s very kind of you. But it’s not very viable since the neighborhoods are not very close. Most of the kids have people relying on them and can only make it to the readings from time to time. The playground is also the more common ground, the older kids can’t go very far due to the responsibilities and it’s not safe for the smaller ones to go on their own.”
You nod, but your heart clenches at how these kids can’t enjoy a normal childhood.
“I understand.” You stop and think for a second if you should say what you want to say next, worried about overstepping. 
You decide to go for it anyway.
“I’d like to come back for the readings, if that’s okay?” Your voice comes out lower and more unsure than what you had first intended, your hands playing nervously on your lap.
Jason looks at you, as if he can hardly believe you’re real.
“Of course you can. I’m sure they’d love to have you back.” I’d love to have you back. But Jason doesn’t want to scare you or make the whole situation come off too strong. “But are you sure? I don’t want you to feel pressured, if their insistence-” 
“No, no! Really, I had a great time and I would love to be able to see the kids again. Help in any way I can.”
“Okay, then.” He says with a smile pulling at his lips.
The evening stretches on and you two stay at the dinner until closing time. There is a moment that will haunt you for days, as you told him a story, he leaned his arms on the table, giving you his undivided attention, and the way in which his bicep flexed under his sleeve… Nothing has ever been so distracting. Your eyes had been instantly drawn over to it. You really, really hoped that he didn’t notice. You would die of embarrassment otherwise.
You even finally, finally, give each others’ numbers to match schedules for the readings (and to just chat in general of course), since you won’t be able to make it to all of them due to the bookstore hours and so that Jason can let you know if he can’t attend one. You can’t believe you didn’t even have it before with how often you two already talked at the bookshop.
It feels like another shift in your relationship. A stepping stone.
Another brick on the long yet sturdy building road.
Please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!
>Part II
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anneangel · 1 month
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Tolkien said that one of the things he didn't like about LotR was that the book was too short.
In a way I agree with him, because I found the ending so rushed [others always say "that evil" is destroyed in the middle of the book and everything after is just an long epilogue] and yet I found it rushed. And I wanted a lot of the appendices to be narrated chapters, it was interesting to see what the lives of each member of the Fellowship were like in the appendices, but I wanted chapters about.
And I would also like to have seen, narrated chapters, of the Battle of Dale, with Brand (Son of Bain, son of Bard) and Dáin fighting three days against enemy armies and dying. I wish had read a narrative of Thranduill and Celeborn uniting in Mirkwood and destroying Dul Guldur once and for all, and then dividing the region between them. When LotR informs that the others would not come to battle because they already had war at their gates, I wanted the plot to split to show this in other parts.
A better development of the romance between some characters would also be interesting, the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen already makes me cry every time I read it, but I feel like it would be more interesting as a narrative than an appendix. If their marriage went on for another 100 pages I wouldn't mind. And I would like Arwen and Elrond's conversations not to be just subtext.
Faramir and Éowyn, I really love them as a couple, but I think more pages dedicated to their romance would also be interesting. Sam and Rose? I would have liked it more if we had more mentions of the girl throughout the journey, if Sam mentioned her more often throughout the plot, so maybe the end wouldn't seem so sudden. When I say that don't like the development of the "love pairings" in LotR, it's not that I don't like the characters or the ships, but that the narrative wasn't enough for me. Don't get me wrong, I love LotR. But I wanted there to be more to be "narrated" than "told" or "implied" or "pointed out in the appendices."
Yes, I also thought the book was too short. There is a lot between the lines that could come to light more. It could have been another thousand pages. And perhaps it still wasn't enough. How could anyone think that LotR is a very long book?
Maybe that's the problem with Tolkien creating such a complex Universe with such interesting characters: no matter how long the book was, it would never be enough. Because as a fan, I would always want more and more of it. More immersion at all points. Is it always like this with authors who create universes that seem so incredible to read? And when it's gone, it's not enough to fill the void.
And all the posthumous books, like The Silmarillion, or Unfinished Tales (and others), with the tone of "organized drafts" and "told" instead of narrated most of the time, weren't enough for me. I still wanted so much more. And I never will have it. Don't get me wrong, I liked the posthumous books, I think Christopher Tolkien did a good work. But still, when reading, I always asked myself "if this had been published by Tolkien during his lifetime, would it have been like this? What would he have changed yet? What would he have more refined?".
Because, as much as other fans like to see posthumous books as a "canonical" part of the work, like complements. I can only see as unfinished drafts, which it truly are. No matter how well organized are, even The Silmarillion is just a draft organized in the best way, Christopher T says this.
The letters don't count for me either, because Tolkien changed his mind about several things, just like in the drafts.
So I feel that, although the Tolkien Universe is vast, there are a lot of drafts and letters, and little work is actually completed. I liked the posthumous books and the fact that they expanded the universe even further and provided more information. But it becomes a “vicious cycle”, as the information contained there also brings more desire for it be narrated by Tolkien himself in an book he finished (but will never be! Unfortunately).
And that saddens me. Because I wanted so much more. And Tolkien didn't live long enough to give it. In the end, it's a mix of happiness for what Tolkien gave, and sadness for what he still could have given.
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arlana-likes-to-write · 3 months
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That Part by Lauren Spencer Smith
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Summary: You and Kate have been dating a little less then a year but you couldn't help but think about a future with her.
Warning: pure fluff, Kate has anxiety, engagement, small mention of death
Note: thank you @sycamorelibrary754 for helping me with the ring lol
These moments were your favorite, quiet, peaceful moments with Kate. Inside your shared apartment, you weren’t an ex-HYDRA soldier turned adoptive daughter of Natasha Romanoff and Maria Hill, and she wasn’t training to take over your uncle’s mantel. You both were normal humans enjoying a slow Sunday morning. Kate’s head was in your lap, head turned to face the TV to watch the morning cartoons. You were reading, one hand holding the book while your free hand through your black hair. The book was a simple romantic comedy. You enjoyed these stories because they allowed your brain to have a break from the darkness that you fought every day. The characters were cheesy, and the plot was easy to predict, but it made you feel all warm and fuzzy. At the end of the story, the characters have a happy ending.
Happy ending. You glanced at your girlfriend, whom you’ve only been dating for a year. Maybe it sounded weird, but you wanted the picket fences, an arch around the entrance, and two IKEA twin beds for the kids. Your relationship started rocky, and both were unable to admit their feelings for one another. Your moms could have been more helpful, too. They made it clear that you were off-limits to all the new trainees. It was humiliating, but it didn’t deter the archer. You caught her staring at you; a blush would overtake her cheeks. When she asked you out, you kept it from your parents until your aunt caught Kate kissing you good night. It was better to tell them yourself than to come from Yelena. They took it well, surprising, but gave Kate the shovel talk. “Where did you run off to?” The sound of Kate’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts. Her voice was a few octaves deeper in the morning. You hummed, letting her know you heard her but were confused by her question. She chuckled, moving onto her back to look up at you. “You stopped playing my hair like 5 minutes ago. So where did you go?” She asked again, taking your hand in hers and kissing each finger. You smiled.
“Just thinking about you. Us,” she dropped your hand so it rested on her heart. It was beating fast, her anxiety skyrocketing. “All good things, I promise.”
“Tell me,” she said, sitting up and turning down the volume of the TV. You pressed the bookmark to the spine to avoid losing your place. “Tell me what you were thinking about.”
“It’s going to sound crazy out loud,” you admitted. “Promise me you won’t laugh.” She took both of your hands in hers.
“I would never laugh at anything you say.” Sighing, you bite your lip and focus on your connected hands. It was a stark contrast. Her hands were rough, callouses on her fingers from years of training to be the best. On the flip side, you were smooth. HYDRA used your brains, not your strength. You created the battle plan for every operation. You may not have pulled the trigger, but so much blood was on your hands. You sighed again.
“I was thinking about you, us, our future. I never expected to have a life like this, you know?” She squeezed your hands for you to continue. “When you hold me, I see the end of our movie where you kiss me surrounded by friends and family. I know it sounds lame, and maybe you don’t feel the same. I can’t wait for that part.”
“Would you take my last name, or would I become a Romanoff-Hill?” Your eyes shot up to look into her blue ones. Her eyes were calm but bold, warm but cold with little specks of green. They were windows to her soul. You chuckled.
“Kate Romanoff-Hill is a bit of a mouthful,” her hands moved up your arms and to your waist. It was easy for her to move you onto her lap.
“It is, but I like the sound of it,” your hands went to the back of her neck. “Are you saying you would say yes if I ask you to marry me?”
“Ask me anyway; I don’t care,” you leaned closer. “The only thing I care about is if you’ll meet me there.” It was the consent she needed to capture your lips with hers. Kissing Kate was your favorite. It made your stomach drop and your heart race against your rib cage. It made you feel at home.
*
There weren’t many things that scared Kate. She fought against HYDRA agents, enemies that threatened to disrupt the balance of peace and aliens from another planet. She wasn’t scared. All of her years of training have led her to these moments. However, she was out of her element here. She sat in front of Natasha and Maria in a conference room. She asked if she could speak with them privately after training. Dating you caused the archer to get closer to the Black Widow and Deputy Director; she saw them in a new light. More human, not the soldiers they were known for. During movie nights, Natasha liked to be held by Maria. Dinner would take a little longer sometimes because the couple would start dancing; you inherited that from them. Kate knew it was a privilege to see them like that. “What’s going on, kid?” Natasha asked. They were intimating, and she knew they would do anything for your best interest.
“Right, sorry, I know you have other things to do, and I’m taking up your time, so I appreciate that -”
“Kate,” Maria cut off her nervous rambling. “Breath.” She did just that, a few steady, deep breaths in and out.
“I want to ask Y/n to marry me,” Natasha let out a surprised noise from the back of her throat. “I had this whole speech planned to ask for your blessing, but my anxiety is getting the better of me,” she managed to get the couple to smile. “I am probably not the person you thought would be dating your daughter. I am impulsive, rash, and sometimes reckless, but I am so in love with her that I can’t see my future without her by my side. So I am asking for your blessing.” The room grew silent. Kate was positive Natasha could hear her heart beating against her ribs.
“Kate,” Natasha said. “You are spontaneous but also devoted, loyal, true to your heart. So you are the perfect person for our daughter.”
“Holy shit, I can’t believe you gave it to me,” Kate admitted. Natasha’s eyebrows went to her hairline. “I was given it like a 50 - 50 chance.” Maria chuckled.
“You make her happy. It would be foolish of us to take that away from her.”
*
“I’m so excited!” You said, probably for the 100th time, but Kate couldn’t care less. Your smile was infectious, and it was dampening the nerves in her stomach. They were going to St. Petersburg to visit Melina and Alexei; it would be the archer’s first time meeting your grandparents on Natasha’s side. She was nervous, especially since your parents and Yelena were coming along. The cherry on top is that Kate would ask you to marry her. She was a ball of nerves; if you noticed, you weren’t paying attention. “Melina had a new litter of piglets. I can’t wait to hold one!”
“Keep an eye on her, Kate Bishop.” Yelena teased. “She’ll try to bring one home again.” You rolled your eyes, sticking your tongue at your aunt.
“She almost got away with it, too,” Natasha called from the cockpit. “Until her bag started oinking.”
“It happened one time!” You defended. Everyone laughed as Kate put her arm around your shoulders and kissed your head.
“I’ll get you a pig one day, baby,” you wiggled in your seat and leaned against her. Yelena chuckled.
“You are whipped, Kate Bishop.” The archer flipped her friend off, and you giggled at their interaction.”
*
“Omg!” You shirked. “They are so cute, babushka (grandma).” You were leaning against the wooden pen as Melina was inside handling them. The piglets were skittish about new people and hid behind Melina and their mother.
“Are you going to try to steal one?” She asked. You huffed.
“No, I already got told no on the flight over. But,” you lopped your arm with Kate’s. “Someone did promise me they’d get me a pig.”
“I said one day, sweetheart, not today,” you pouted. “Besides, I don’t think we have enough space in our apartment.” Introducing Kate to your grandparents went without a hitch. Alexei made her swear they would spar before she left to test her strength and dedication. You were holding after a few bottles of vodka; the man would forget that. You saw Melina’s lips cruel up in a smile.
HYDRA and the Red Room’s paths rarely crossed, but you heard her name whispered among the higher-ups. After your adaptation, you learned Melina wrote your training program. It was hard for her to overcome that guilt. “Would you like to hold one?” She asked, standing up with a little piglet in her arms.
“Do you even have to ask?” You held your arms out so your grandmother could place the tiny creature in your arms. Immediately, you brought it closer to your chest. It amazed you how animals and humans were born so small and vulnerable. They relied heavily on those around them until they were more robust and capable of caring for themselves. At one moment, you were this small. Instead of caring for you, your birth giver gave you away. A slight squeal pulled you out of your thoughts. The piglet was getting comfortable. You looked up at Kate, staring at you with a soft smile. “Sorry, I got lost in my head for a second,” you handed the little one back to Melina. “You’re starring,” you said to Kate. “Do I have pig shit on my face or something?”
“No,” she said quickly. “I just think you are the most beautiful girl in the world.”
*
Kate thought it was impossible to fall in love with you more, but seeing you in St. Petersburg was a different you Kate got to fall in love with. There was a softness in how you acted around Alexei and Melina that you’ve never shown her. Kate was curious to know if she knew you were doing it. It was how you hung onto every word during Alexei’s ridiculous stories or your face lit up when Melina surprised you with a gift. It was adorable to watch, and Kate knew your parents loved to see it too, even though Natasha complained they were spoiling you. Kate was so in love with you, and she couldn’t wait to ask you to marry her.
You were curled up near the fireplace, reading one of the many books Melina had. Kate was 90% sure it wasn’t in English. “Hi, pretty girl,” Kate said, placing a new log on the fire. It wasn’t cold in Russia, but Kate learned you liked to have one every night. You smiled and lifted your head, asking for a kiss. Kate was never one to deny you that. She kept it quick as your family was in the kitchen. “I have a surprise,” Kate whispered. “Can I steal you for a moment?” You quickly shoved the bookmark in its place and took her hand. Kate led you upstairs, ignoring the thumbs-up Yelena sent her way.
On the first night, you showed Kate your favorite spot. It was through the window on the second floor to the flattest part of the roof and the perfect views of the property. You told her that Natasha and Maria had a heart attack when they found you asleep in the same spot. Kate opened the window and helped you to climb on the now-decorated roof. She heard you gasp as she joined you. A blanket with pillows and fairy lights lite up the dark space. There was a cooler filled with your favorite desserts. “You did all of this for me,” you said. Kate nodded. “Why?”
“Because I wanted to,” Kate chuckled. “Sit. Melina helped me make your favorites.” The older Black Widow was overjoyed when Kate approached her for help. Your favorite was the pitchy Moloko, a thick but light cake with a rich chocolate ganache glaze. She made medovik, a famous honey cake, and varenye, a traditional dessert with various fruits and berries cooked with sugar. Melina helped Kate make her favorite, syrniki, a fried cottage cheese pancake topped with apple sauce. You made it for her when she first started dating, learning quickly Kate preferred to savor desserts over sweets.
With your belly filled with sweets, you learned heavily from Kate and looked up at the stars. She had to admit she was jealous of the life Alexei and Melina built for themselves out here, away from all the fighting and bloodshed. Clint walked away from it, too. She could as well. “Thank you for this,” you broke the silence. “And for meeting the rest of my family.”
“No place I’d rather be, sweetheart,” she honestly said. As long as you were by her side, she would be home. “Actually,” Kate pulled away from you, smiling at your whine of protest. “I have one more surprise.” Carefully, she pulled you to your feet and took both of your hands. “Y/n Romanoff-Hill, ever since I saw you in training, I knew you were going to be trouble,” you giggled, a small smile on your face. “Even with your parent’s clear order to stay away from you, I couldn’t. I knew I needed to be in your life. I didn’t expect to fall head over heels in love with you.”
“It’s my charm,” you teased. “I get it from my moms.” Kate huffed out a laugh. Tears were forming in the corner of your eyes.
“You are the light at the end of the tunnel—my saving grace. I keep fighting to return home after the mission,” Kate said. She got down on one knee and took the ring out of her pocket. “Will you marry me and make me the happiest person in the multiverse?” She asked. You gasped, and your free hand covered your mouth as Kate opened the small jewelry box. Wanda helped her pick out the ring with your mom’s and aunt’s approval. The ring was more contemporary, with a square-cut diamond in the center and the bands intertwined with diamonds on the side. Tears were freely falling down your face. All Kate needed was your answer.
“Kate Bishop,” you whispered. “Of course, I’ll marry you.” The archer let out a sigh of relief as you pulled her to her feet. With shaky hands, she put the ring on your finger. It fit perfectly. You were quick to kiss her. Your lips tasted sweet from the chocolate and salty from your tears. You ended the kiss, keeping your forehead against hers. Kate could feel your breath on her lips. “I’m going to be your wife.” Wife. Wife. She was going to marry you. Holy shit. Kate laughed, lifting you and spinning you around. Your laughter was music to her ears.
“Come on,” she said. “I know some people are excited to hear the news.”
*
Your right hand was tightly in Kate’s. You were getting married. You had a wedding to plan and a dress to buy. Holy shit. “So,” Natasha smiled. She was the first to see you descending the stairs. It got the other’s attention. Instead of answering, you showed her your left hand.
“Finally!” Yelena cheered. “We can get drunk!” You laughed at your aunt’s antics and made your way around your family to show them your ring. It was beautiful, exactly what you dreamed about.
“Congratulations, squirt,” you turned around, surprised by the sudden voice.
“Uncle Clint!” You said, running over to the man and throwing yourself in his arms. “What are you doing here?” The man rolled his eyes.
“Do you really think we would miss your engagement?” This time, it was Wanda appearing through the door. “The others are coming.” You looked back at Kate, who had a sweet smile.
“You did this,” she shrugged.
“I had some help to make it happen.” Clint walked over to Kate and hugged her, kissing her on the side of her head. When you first met Kate, you told one person of your feelings for the archer. That was Wanda; you told her you would disobey your parents and date her. Now look where you were, surrounded by your family, celebrating your engagement. Kate wrapped her arms around your waist, resting her head on your shoulder. She swayed to the music that was playing.
“Where did you run off to?” She asked, kissing your neck.
“Just thinking about us,” you responded similarly when she asked you that Sunday morning. “Can’t wait for the next part.”
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eywascall · 9 months
Text
KEEPING DISTANCE
pairing: miles morales x female!reader
summary: you were new to the neighborhood and miles develops a crush on you.
warning: college life, all characters are aged up and not proofread
word count: 1,217
DNI/BYF
— taglist 🕷️: @johfaam, @avatar-simp, @starboyloak
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Energetic lyrics with upbeat instrumentals blast from Miles’s headphones as he rocks side to side. He sits on his desk vibing as his arm reaches into his backpack for his sketchbook. The book flies open to display pages of the hours of designs he’s spent on. A gentle smirk appeared as he reached the last page he was working on. Pencils, pens, and highlighters were put to work. This had to be one of his favorite times of the day. Besides being spider man and a top tier student, he likes time to cool down. Drawing is just so therapeutic for him. His heart flows with both the rhythm of the music along with his desire to create. As he goes into this state of total concentration, he fails to hear his mom calling his name. “Miles? Miles?! MILES?!!”
Frustrated and impatient for his reply now, she rushes over to open his bedroom door. “Miles!” The sudden intrusion caused him to jolt out of his seat. His headphones shifting off his head to his shoulders, music still playing out loud. Thankfully the sketch was not ruined as his hand flew up with the pen uncapped. “Yes Mami?” A hand shaking rushes to the volume button to lower his music. “Did you hear what I said?” She already knew the answer with the way she was tapping her foot against the floor, arms folded, and gaze showing her annoyance. “No.” He responded as she sighed. “We have people moving into the neighborhood, I think it would be nice if we said hello to them.” Disinterest was painted all over Miles’s face. “Do I have to?” He spoke.
That’s a funny thing to say. The answer from her was no as she dragged him out to the neighborhood. They walked at least two or three houses down to find your dad unloading your stuff off the truck. “Hello?” Miles’s mom greeted as your dad turned around. He returned a similar comforting welcoming smile, “Hi.” Seeing new neighbors, he stopped what he was doing in hopes to get to know Mrs.Morales and Miles better. It was like any other conversation between adults. Boring and insufferable. He just stands behind his mom without doing anything. Thankfully he wouldn’t be like this for long. “Dad, can you help me assemble my desk, I don’t know where each screw is supposed to be?” You called out as you carefully walked down those steps. “Oh hello?” Now you got someone’s full attention. His mom didn’t miss the way he was staring at you. “H-Hey?” Mile said awkwardly as his mom nudged him.
“I’m Y/N L/N. Happy to meet you.” Mrs.Morales already likes you. “Nice to meet you too, right Miles?” He quickly fixes his posture as he nods shyly. “Why don’t you show my daughter around, Miles. She’s only been in the neighborhood once.” Your dad innocently suggested that his mom was more than happy for that to happen. “That’s a wonderful idea. Go Miles!” She gently shoved him to you as you two began to walk around. The two of you miss the smiles your parents exchanged to one another as their gaze followed you down the street. “You wanna bet on it?” She asked your dad. “Bet.” He agreed as they shook hands.
Miles would eventually show you the best deli to go to, the nearby park, wherever else you might be interested in. Every stop, he had to look back to make sure you were enjoying this. To his excitement, you were. This took about nearly an hour before he brought you back home. “Back so soon?” His mom pouted hoping it would have been longer. “Ma!” Miles whined as she stopped her act. “Oh alright, maybe it might be time to go home.” She spoke as he agreed. Your dad nods and thanks the two of them as did you. You retreated inside with your dad not far behind. “You like her don’t you?” She teased as she turned the key for the lock. “Mami, stop it!” She chuckled happily in response.
The news of his new crush was almost immediately informed to his dad. Utterly frustrating to get dating advice from his parents. One wants to be direct while the other wants him to hint his interest. Mix signals are what his parents are showing. Therefore the best way to deal with his new crush is to gather his thoughts. He does like you. But it is really way too early to reveal that. Defeated is what he felt inside as he lays on his bed. His eyes look up into his ceiling, thoughts drifting away his focus. By the time his mom called him again, it was dinner time.
Weeks would roll by without him making any contact with you which unsurprisingly worried Mrs.Morales. Whenever she does ask Miles about it, he’d brush her off. He’ll talk to you… eventually. Right now, all he wants to do is get himself straight because he can’t fool around no more when he’s attending college. But the universe really does have a lot of secrets behind its sleeve. What a surprise to see you attend the same college? You came across him when you two were waiting for the same train. Small chit chat was made as you caught up about your move and how you’ve adjusted so far. Not bad from how he hears it.
Every step to the campus felt like more weight was being put on his back. Though it wasn’t so bad when you struck up more topics with him. As expected, the two of you departed to find your respected classrooms. Although Miles had one less class than you, he waited. He just wanted to. No reason behind it is what he tried to tell himself. Next thing he knew, he was walking you home. His mom saw it all. Pride and joy was exploding in her chest. “I can’t wait for her to be a part of the family.” She clapped excitedly. “Mami! She’s just a friend!” He says. His mom and dad’s looks said otherwise. “Right with the way you act and look at her. Sure, just friends.” His mom points out as she walks into her kitchen. “Is there a reason why you haven’t told her, Son?” His dad asked from where he sat on the couch. Miles dropped his backpack to the side as he sat next to him.
“I don’t know. I just want to wait for the right opportunity. I don’t want to mess anything up, Pops.” His dad smiles as a few harsh pats land on his back. “Oww!” Miles said as he continued to feel those harsh pats. “Good, Son! I see your way of thinking. Reminds me of how I approached your Ma.” He smiles to himself as he goes up to use the bathroom. “If you ever need advice, you know who to ask.” Miles desperately wanted to roll his eyes. “I just want to keep distant for now.” He said. “And there’s nothing wrong with that!” Great, now he’s going to have to think about his future. A future that might have you with him and his parents teasing him about it constantly. What a way to start his life?
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plutoccult · 19 days
Text
BEAUTIFUL STRANGER
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pairing: hwang hyunjin x gender neutral reader
description: a beautiful stranger shakes up your once boring and repetitive morning commute on the train.
word count: 3.4k
also available to read on my ao3 here
author’s note: hello! i’m no stranger to writing, but i’m definitely a stranger when it comes to writing for idols. this is the first time i’ve ever done so, and who better to write for than my ultimate bias hyunjin? stray kids is my favorite group, so i’d like to write more content for them in the future. thank you to my pookie wookie lills (YES, we unironically call each other pookie, it’s our thing) for beta reading, and i hope you enjoy <3
soundtrack: beautiful stranger, enchanted
tags: @solefleurs @heavenfilm @5sos-wdw @todorokiskitten @rylea08 @br3anna-nels0n @hyunjinloverrrr
taglist form here
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you always found an array of characters during your morning commute on the paris metro. there’d always be locals, some on their way to work or home just like you. amongst the locals were tourists decked out in overpriced souvenirs specifically curated for suckers like them. at night, there were drunks who thankfully were smart enough not to drive. the reek of alcohol on them wasn’t that amusing, you must admit.
despite the variety of people you could see passing by on your commutes, it grew boring. always the same thing every single day. not even the music playing in your headphones or the book you brought with you that day could make time go faster. it’s not like it would be any better once you got off the train either. your life was incredibly dull and repetitive. if only something could serve as a change of pace.
to think that your life had become boring in a place like paris of all places. it’s the city of love, is it not? even if you were created out of love and born in a city all about that concept, you had none of it. maybe that’s why you felt this way. no matter how many times you pass the same streets or enter the same train station, you had yet to find the one thing everyone seemed to look for so easily here.
you had basically given up at this point, committed to living an empty life where all you did was work, eat, sleep, then repeat. it’s what most people do in other countries anyway, might as well join the party. the second you had fully lost all hope, however, was when you saw the most beautiful stranger on the train. you almost wanted to slap yourself for being so pessimistic before.
you walked onto the train with the expectation of just sitting around until you got to your stop. as you walked to your usual seat, that’s where you found your beautiful stranger, sitting in the seat right across from the one you sat in every single day without fail.
you knew you had never seen him before. you take this train almost every damn day, so who was he? had he just moved here? was he a tourist? where’s the “i love paris” shirt and the eiffel tower keychain made of shitty plastic? instead, he was dressed like someone meant to be on billboards and magazines. surely had the face to fit the bill too. he was undoubtedly breathtaking, and he ultimately captivated you upon first sight.
it was pathetic how you hesitated to sit down. he didn’t seem to waver, looking down at his phone. from the reflection of his sunglasses—yes, you were that curious—he seemed to be swiping through photos. you assumed they were ones he had taken around the city. paris was definitely filled with photo opportunities, so you couldn’t blame him for that one. it’ll look good on anyone’s instagram feed.
you try your best to make yourself look occupied. shuffling through your bag to find a book, the rummaging sounds catch the attention of your beautiful stranger. your eyes meet for a brief moment when you turn your body to lean back in your seat with a book in hand. despite how quick the moment was, you swore your heart dropped the second you caught his gaze.
oh god, was this the excitement you had been waiting for? you couldn’t mistake it as anything else. leave it up to you to fall for a stranger upon first sight, but who cares? finally, finally, your life had begun to be painted in color. even if it was just for a moment, you’d savor this one train ride that actually seemed worthwhile for once in your life.
you steal glances at him every so often, praying he wouldn’t catch you and make you feel embarrassed for staring. you just couldn’t help yourself, he was like a walking renaissance painting. actually, you don’t even think da vinci would be capable of capturing the essence of someone who looked like a real-life prince.
the moment you knew you had reached your stop, you wished you could glue yourself to your seat so you had no choice but to stay on the train with your beautiful stranger a little longer. as much as you wanted to, you simply couldn’t, having no choice but to say goodbye without actually saying a word at all.
it was silly to think a stranger on the train could change your life in an instant. still, you were grateful for the temporary change of pace. if only you could thank him somehow, but alas, you knew you had no chance of seeing him again.
•••
the next day, you found your beautiful stranger again, this time sketching down something in a sketchbook. you caught him looking at everyone who walked onto the train, and when it was finally your turn to step on, he actually smiled once he laid eyes on you. it all felt like you were dreaming. if this was cloud nine, then you had finally reached it.
when you walked over to your seat across from his, you noticed he clutched the sketchbook close to his chest, almost like he didn’t want you to see what he was drawing. you were too shy to speak up and spark a conversation with him anyway, so it wasn’t like you would pry. still, you were curious to know what was on the page.
it pained you knowing you lacked any courage. you found you were better off acting like you were interested in your book, on a random page as you were too in your head to actually start from where you left off and completely ignored the folded page that indicated that. what would happen if you said hello? would he say hi back? ask if you’d like to see what he’s drawing or ask about what you’re reading? the possibilities seemed to be endless, but the possibilities seemed safer as thoughts in your head rather than facing reality if you were to take a chance.
you can’t help but watch intently as his face scrunched from focusing on his sketch, his only tool a wooden pencil. did he plan to color it later? you can imagine trying to avoid rattling colored pencils leaving his possession due to the bumpiness of the train. he was quite brave for trying to draw in a place like this, you thought.
unnoticed by you, your beautiful stranger’s cheeks flushed and ears burned red as he could feel you watching him draw. the subject of his drawing still remained a mystery to you, however. tempting to spark up a conversation, yet so debilitatingly scary at the same time.
it seemed rude to stare for so long, so you put a stop to it immediately and busied yourself with your phone, catching up with texts you had missed since getting up for work. your phone was always blown up with texts from your friends, today being no different. if you didn’t silence your phone at night, you would never get any sleep.
they had been informed about your current saga, and the update would certainly excite them. it was hard to resist a smile as you texted them about the latest scoop, especially as the subject of said scoop was only a few meters away from you. maybe this should wait until later, otherwise they’d trying forcing you out of your comfort zone by talking to who was still a total stranger at the end of the day.
who knows though? for all you know, he could be a murderer. a stinking gorgeous one too. as if you need to be on the evening news. even so, those were just silly thoughts, all just an excuse to stop yourself from taking a chance at something for once in your life out of fear.
the second you reached your stop, you instantly regretted being so silent. would it have killed you to try? it felt like it would’ve, but you figured this morning was the last chance you’d have. if only you weren’t such a scaredy cat.
•••
after your shift, an unexpected reunion occurred on the evening commute. the train was quite crowded at this time of day, majority of the aboard trying to get home after a long day’s work, including you. the surplus of people made it quite difficult to find seating, but luckily for you, your beautiful stranger had a seat occupied by his bag, perfect for you to sit.
this was the extra chance you craved the second you got off the train earlier, cursing yourself throughout the day for not even attempting to just say hello. you were so thankful to see him again, it was almost like the universe blessed you for this very purpose. you were such a wuss this morning, but you refused to allow that reputation to continue now.
once you took a deep breath, you walked to where your beautiful stranger sat, trying to keep your balance as the train moved at rapid speed. in the midst of your struggle, the sound of your footsteps thumping on the ground caught his attention. he looked up in surprise, not expecting to see you, but thrilled nonetheless.
“hi.” you miraculously manage to speak out, your accent making an appearance during your pathetic english. it was agonizing how your heart raced a mile a minute just by uttering one word, so you tried your very best to calm yourself down. “is this seat taken?”
“no, no…” he replied to your question, picking up his bag and moving it to the floor by his feet so you could sit. “here.”
“thank you.” you say before taking the seat next to him.
god, your heart was thumping like the loudest drum ever created. to sit across from his was one thing, but right next to each other, shoulders brushing due to the lack of room? if only you could put a stop to this rapid percussion inside you. at least the sounds of the train rumbling against the tracks could serve as buffer for the unspoken tension between you and your beautiful stranger.
his sketchbook rested unopened on his lap. you recognized it as the one he had earlier, previously held close to his chest as if he were hiding secrets. what could someone as dashing as him be hiding in there, you wonder?
almost as if he were reading your mind, he suddenly opened up the sketchbook, flipping the pages—which revealed beautiful drawings in the split second you saw them—until he landed on a page of a finished sketch, one that you swore looked like you sitting on the train yesterday.
you look up and catch his eye. “is that me?”
“mhm.” he nodded with a soft grin.
his art style was something to be proud of, meant to be showcased in somewhere exquisite like the louvre. could this guy be any more perfect? drop dead gorgeous and talented? to see yourself captured in such a bewitching way was truly the greatest compliment one could ever receive.
the sound of the page ripping away from the binding of the sketchbook startled you. what was he doing? it was so perfect! why mess it all up? you couldn’t help but say something about it.
“what are you—”
“you can have it.” he interrupted you, holding the page in his hands, waiting for you to take it.
“oh…” your cheeks flush as your fingers accidentally grazed over his upon grabbing the sketch. “thank you.”
you almost felt bad holding this in your hands, afraid of ruining it just by the touch of your hand. how could he just let you have this without hesitation? even if this was a drawing of you, it felt like you didn’t deserve to have it.
you examine the drawing down to the details of the clouds behind you. you look for some sort of signature, assuming every artist had one in hopes to find a name. in the bottom corner, you see the name “hyunjin” written in cursive. you had finally put a name to your beautiful stranger.
“hyunjin?” you attempt to pronounce his name. your accent did you no favors, but you tried your best regardless. he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion until you pointed to where his signature was, then receiving a nod confirming that was his name.
“hwang hyunjin.” he said slowly. you repeat his name in full, speaking slower than him to make sure you were saying it correctly as you desperately didn’t want to screw it up. hyunjin, as you’ve now learned, gave you a nod of approval once you’ve won the battle with your accent.
“i’m y/n l/n.” you tell him. it would be awfully rude if he didn’t learn your name, after all. it seemed hyunjin didn’t seem to struggle at all when it came to pronouncing your name. his english was far better than yours, which wasn’t a shock as he seemed to be so insanely perfect in every aspect possible.
“are you an artist?” you ask, making an assumption based on the clues given to you the past two days. if he were anything else, you’d be surprised.
“i sing and dance.” hyunjin replied. you couldn’t believe his perfection could get any greater, but it just did. it would shock you if you learned your once beautiful stranger was a world famous one.
“well, your art is lovely.” you say.
“thank you.” he blushed shyly. to hyunjin, it felt so nice being treated like a normal person, appreciated for his art above all else. while there was no denying you found him to be the most breathtaking person you’d ever seen, there was more beneath the surface, and hyunjin was grateful to be seen for what he loves to do.
“is this your first time in paris?” you question, a chuckle escaping hyunjin’s lips over your pronunciation of your homeland. you were trying to get as much information out of him as possible before you were tortured with reaching your stop and leaving him once more. you had to take this chance while the universe let you have it.
“this is one of my favorite places to visit.” hyunjin said. truth be told, he always loved paris for its scenery and art, but yesterday he found one more reason to love it. is there any other place to love better than a city known all about that?
a visitor’s perspective was certainly different than the perspective of someone who’s lived here their whole life. there were so many reasons to love paris when you didn’t experience the greatest things about it everyday. to you, it was the same old thing. but to hyunjin, it was like a brand new experience each time in the rare event that he visited. but meeting each other allowed the both of you the ability to find something new to appreciate about this city.
“the eiffel tower gets old after a while.” you joke. hyunjin burst into a fit laughter, one more obnoxious than his calm chuckle from before. it infected you instantly, and you craved more of his laugh now that you’ve fully heard it.
hyunjin calmed himself down, letting out a sigh as he leaned his head back with his eyes closed and a grin on his face. he was truly the most beautiful person you had ever seen. “i hope i never get sick of this place.”
“i hope you never do.” you tell him, looking at his face as if he were a sculpture in a museum. “don’t wear it out.”
“i won’t.” he opened his eyes and responded to you, his smile not going away as you gazed into each other’s eyes.
you can’t help but stare at one another, almost like magnets pulling you together. was it normal to feel like this about someone you barely know? even so, it felt like you knew hyunjin before you ever met. such a thought would seem like insanity to someone else, but not to you, at least not in the moment.
your once unwavering stare was unfortunately interrupted by the sudden thrash of the train stopping. you look out the window and recognize it as your stop. if you were crazy enough, you’d stay on the train until they kicked you out, but you weren’t all that brave enough to try your luck. maybe you were better off savoring this moment for what it was; just a moment with a beautiful man who was once a stranger to you.
“ah, that’s my stop.” you say with a frown. hyunjin’s smile from before faded too. it was clear neither of you wanted this to end.
“oh, alright.” he replied. hyunjin watched as you quickly collected your things, not forgetting the drawing he gave you when you first sat next to him. you would cherish it as long as you could, and he could only hope that’s what you’ll do.
“maybe i’ll see you on the stage here someday, yeah?” you force a smile. you were actually sad to see this end, but if you keep a grin on your face, then maybe it’ll hurt a little less.
“yeah…” hyunjin nodded. “i hope you do.”
“bye, hyunjin.” you wave goodbye, hyunjin doing the same.
“thank you for making the train less boring for me.” you get those final words out before following the line of people exiting the train. hyunjin kept his eye on you for as long as he could, even staring out the window as you disappeared into the sea of people. if only he could have went with you.
“bye, y/n.” he said to himself, clutching the sketchbook that once held his masterpiece; a drawing of you, his beautiful stranger.
•••
on the third day, hyunjin was nowhere to be seen. you saw it coming, really. you knew last night was probably your final chance to ever see him again. still, a part of you hoped he’d magically appear on the train when you went to work the next morning.
the thrill you once had was no more. the spark lit aflame in your heart all gone. you weren’t sure if anyone would make you feel the same way hyunjin did. maybe meeting him was a lesson, something to teach you what the city of love was truly about, what you’ve failed at your entire life. at least now you were able to succeed, even if such a success was temporary.
you were thankful that your once black and white world finally had some saturation in it for once. if you were to meet hyunjin once again, no matter what the circumstance may be, the world would be in full bloom. you would look for him in everything you see, down to the bakeries you’ll eat at and sceneries you’d visit, for as long your thoughts echoed his name.
while your routine became repetitive once more, at least you had hyunjin’s image in your brain and his drawing in a picture frame on your shelf. if you were as talented as him, you’d try your hand at drawing him too, but you knew you wouldn’t be able to capture him like your eyes ever did. at least you have the memories.
hyunjin dreaded watching you leave, and he hated it even more when he left for the airport in the morning. he wondered if you thought about where he went, hoping you thought about him like he did now with you. you’d remain ingrained in his mind. whenever hyunjin thought about paris, a place he loved just as much as his hometown, he would think about you too.
he couldn’t explain this sadness inside him to anyone else. hyunjin couldn’t fathom anybody understanding the feeling of love at first sight like he did. a true romantic at heart, maybe you were the only one to be just as foolish as him when it came to romance. after all, you were instantly captivated by one another.
maybe, just maybe, hyunjin could write a song about this and sing it to the thousands of people he performed for like clockwork. but no matter what the days ahead held, hwang hyunjin, your beautiful stranger, was all that he would ever remain, and you would remain as his.
•••
(bonus)
@hynjinnnn: 파리에 있는 동안 기차에서 이 사람의 모습에 반해 그려보기로 결심했습니다. 나는 그들이 그것을 좋아했기를 바랍니다. 언젠가 다시 보고 싶습니다.
i was enthralled by this person on the train while in paris and decided to draw them. i hope they liked it. i'd love to see them again someday.
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© plutoccult / 310802. please do not copy, repost, modify, or translate any of my content in or outside of tumblr. reblogs are appreciated <3
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biolumilunareclipse · 10 months
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Disobedient
ao’nung x fem!metkayina reader
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content warning: NSFW content, characters in early 20s, possessive language and behavior, spanking, edging, fingering, p in v, implied overstimulation
synopsis: ao’nung comes home to you touching yourself without him, something he explicitly told you not to do
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ao’nung has always had but a few requests for you in regards to your relationship. before you agreed to become his mate, he laid them all out for you; 1. if you’re upset with me, tell me. don’t beat around the bush. 2. we will sleep in the same bed, even if we are upset with each other. 3. we should be each others first priority, along with our children if we have any. if you are upset, i will drop anything i’m doing to care for you, and i would like the same treatment. and finally 4. don’t ever, ever, touch yourself when i’m not there to watch.
the last one seems pretty out of place, huh? that’s what you thought. but nevertheless, you found them easy enough to follow. hell, you probably would have even suggested most of them yourself. of course, you added your own requests, which ao’nung happily accepted. he follows all of his own rules, as well as yours, to a t. and you have done the same. until today.
when ao’nung brought up the fourth rule, you were flustered of course, but agreed because you figured the longest you’d have to go without him to relieve you was a day or two. but it’s been a week. an agonizing, horrible, excruciating week that he’s been off with a hunting party. you’ve tried everything to relieve the ache between your legs without touching, but nothing has worked. you finally caved and decided to indulge. if only you had waited an hour more, you would have been able to jump ao’nungs bones the moment he walked in the door. instead, you’re currently laying flat on your stomach, bound to a beam in your marui by your conjoined wrists while swift smacks are delivered to your ass and callused fingers bring you to the brink of yet another orgasm, only to cruelty rip it away from you.
you yelp as the another slap is delivered to the plush skin of your behind. the melody of your husbands giddy laugh harmonize with the slick sounds of your cunt to create an erotic symphony you want to listen to forever and never hear again. “so cute little one. i’m almost tempted to give you what you want. but,” another smack. “you broke the rules. if you had waited for me like a good girl…” soft lips press to your ear as your mate growls, “i probably would have already filled this pretty cunt with my cum. but you didn’t wait, did you baby?”
whining, you arch your back into his fingers, attempting to push them deeper into your aching heat, only to receive another smack for your efforts. “answer me.”
“i did-didn’ wait. ‘m sorry i won’ do it again,” you cry, voice small. another orgasm is building in your core. you’re sure ao’nung can tell from the periodic clenches of your walls.
ao’nung coos, curling his fingers into your g-spot. “i know you wont do it again baby. but that doesn’t mean i don’t have to punish you for doing it in the first place.” just as you’re beginning to reach your high, ao’nung rips his fingers from your cunt. you sob at the loss, deflating into the soft floor beneath you.
ao’nung eyes your form with hunger. he’s having the time of his life. is he genuinely mad? no. is he a little annoyed? yes. the primitive instinct to possess every part of you urges him to claim whatever he can, including your pleasure. the thought of you being brought to a blissful orgasm without him there gets under his skin like nothing else. he wants to own each inch of your being.
he licks his fingers clean while chuckling at your state. moving to tap your hips once the digits have been released from his mouth. “up baby, on your knees.”
mustering what little strength you have left, you shift onto your knees. face remaining buried in the soft material due to your bound wrists. your tail rests near his hip, lazily swaying with your movement. ao’nung admires your position, tracing along the curve of your spine. he lightly draws his finger up toward your neck while he lines up his cock with his free hand. just as his soft touch reaches the nape of your neck, he pushes in about a quarter of his cock.
though you were thoroughly stretched out, his girth still takes some getting used to. you mewl at the stretch, but purr when his fingers weave through your curls to scratch your scalp. he rocks his hips back and forth, slowly edging more and more of his thick length into your slick walls until almost all of his cock is buried in your cunt.
“my beautiful girl,” he coos. the sweet sentiment is quickly followed by a yelp when he plunges the rest of his cock in with one sharp thrust, simultaneously yanking in the strands of hair woven between his fingers. “my sweet little whore.” he coos in the same tone as before. almost instantly, he begins pounding into your cunt, reassured by the many many orgasms he ripped from you that had thoroughly prepped you to take him.
your orgasm comes embarrassingly quick. to save yourself from more punishment, you try to force a warning to roll off your tongue. “ao’-ao’nung ‘m gonna, i can’, ‘m gonna, please please please.”
thankfully, your mate understood your jumbled sentence. “i know little one, i can feel it. just tell me who owns this pretty, little, pussy,” each word punctuated by a hard thrust, “and you can cum.”
you immediately comply. “you! you own it, all yours all yours,” you breathe.
a satisfied growl rumbles through his throat coupled by a sick satisfaction flowing through his veins. “that’s my good girl, my personal little slut. you can cum baby.” you don’t have to be told twice, immediately spamming around his thick cock while his thrusts never cease.
you heave as you begin to come down from your high, only for his thrusts to become rapid once more. “ao’nung, m’ sensitive,” you whimper.
his chest presses to your back as he bends over your form. nibbling on your ear with his sharp canines before growling, “i don’t care. you said it yourself little one, this is my pussy. and i intend to use it until i’m satisfied.”
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masterlist
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misc-obeyme · 5 months
Text
Okay. I decided to do a little headcanon post for Flufftober, so here it is. Except that it turned out to be CRAZY LONG. I did not expect that. I was gonna post all the characters in one post, but that seems excessive. So instead, I'm gonna post them separately as usual and just link to the other part. I will be posting the rest of the characters shortly!
The theme here is a masquerade party... well don't worry, there's an explanation about what's going on. I dunno I just got the idea and thought it'd be fun to write and then got carried away as usual. I tried to keep them brief, but here we are.
FLUFFTOBER 2023
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GN!MC x the demon brothers
Warnings: none that I can think of??
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It was an October night in the Devildom and the House of Lamentation was hosting a Halloween masquerade ball. The main hall had been decorated splendidly in oranges, purples, and blacks. An entire feast was laid out, the table full of dishes contributed to the party by Barbatos and Simeon. The room was dark, lit mostly by orbs of orange light, enchanted to float through the air by Solomon. On a small stage there was a live band playing a mix of lively and slow creepy music. The dance floor was filled with demons, all of whom were unrecognizable…
Due to the masquerade theme, special masks had been made for each attendee. They were made by Satan and Asmodeus, working together to create magical masks that would completely obscure each party goer's appearance. Once they put on the mask, a glamor fell over them that transformed them and made them unrecognizable. Every glamor costume was black and incorporated a look involving fancy suits, flowing dresses, and probably too many sequins.
The party organizers all knew what each other's mask-generated costumes looked like. Everyone had been present when Asmo revealed his designs. Everyone… except you. You had insisted on creating your own glamor and thus hadn't been present to see everyone else's.
Now you stood in the middle of this masquerade party, unable to recognize a single person.
And yet you knew that the person you wanted to see most was in the room somewhere. And after a small amount of time, you were certain you had figured out who it was. You made a bold move and asked them to dance. While you were in their arms, they told you to meet them somewhere specific later, when the party was winding down. You agreed and spent the rest of the night exchanging looks with them, anticipating the moment when you would be alone with them.
Had you chosen the correct person? Did you know them well enough that you could determine their identity when their appearance was so altered? And more importantly… did they know who you were?
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Lucifer
It was his bearing. The way Lucifer held himself was undeniable. There was nothing about the fancy suit that tipped you off - no bits of blue or red, no feathers, no indication at all that it was Lucifer. Even his eyes were turned pure black by the glamor. And yet, when he looked at you, it was like you could feel the ruby red that hid beneath.
When he asked you to meet him in the music room later, you were even more convinced. Of course that would be Lucifer's choice. When you arrived, the sound of the party music still playing softly in the distance, he smiled and took your hand. A little piece of you doubted, wondered if he could truly detect you behind your mask.
His fingers ran along the edge of the mask that covered your face. "Do you trust me, MC?"
Even his voice was altered by the magic. You shuddered. What if it wasn't him?
Though, would Lucifer really make such a mistake? Would Lucifer let someone else lead you astray?
You let out a breath. "Yes."
Lucifer put his arms around you, pulling you close, and pressing his lips to yours. The masks bumped slightly against each other as you gasped into his lips.
When Lucifer pulled away enough to remove his mask, a relief flooded through you at the familiar curves of his face.
"How did you know it was me?" you asked.
Lucifer smirked at you. "You couldn't help yourself, could you? You were by my side most of the night. And when you weren't, I could feel your eyes on me."
You blushed, but Lucifer only chuckled and kissed you again.
Mammon
He didn't know who you were at all, but the minute you got close enough, you could feel it. A sense of protection that you could only feel in the presence of your guardian demon. He may not know who you were, but you knew him. He was in full on party mode when you asked him to dance with you. He seemed uncertain, likely thinking about you, but he accepted.
Something in his demeanor changed while you danced. His uncertainty fell away and he asked you to meet him out by the front door. You thought this was kind of an odd choice, but you agreed. Later, you slipped out the front door as requested and everything fell into place.
He was leaning against his Demonio 666 Lexura, mask still on, smiling at you.
You laughed a little at how pleased he seemed. You walked down the stairs to the street, stopping right in front of him and reaching out to remove his mask.
There was the familiar face you knew so well - blue-gold eyes shining, white hair bright in the darkness.
"Ya wanna ditch this party and go for a ride?" he asked.
You put your arms around his neck. "You didn't know me at first. How did you figure it out?"
Mammon put his hands on your waist. "Like I wouldn't recognize your dance moves."
Your laugh was smothered as he kissed you. He opened your door for you and you got into his car. He kept a hand on your thigh as he drove into the Devildom night, the yellow moon high in the October sky.
Leviathan
He gave himself away by bringing a handheld video game console to the party. It stuck out of his pocket when he wasn't using it and when he was, he was hunched over in a corner somewhere, the little bleeps and bloops adding a humorous quality to the music in the room.
When you came over to him, Leviathan looked annoyed that someone was interrupting him. He frowned at you for a moment and then became nervous when you asked him to dance. He tried to get out of it, but you didn't listen, dragging him by the hand onto the dance floor. You proceeded to incorporate some dance moves from the latest music video of Sucre Frenzy and suddenly Levi's attitude changed. He wasn't trying to hide who he was and asked you to meet him in his room.
When you knocked on the door later, Levi opened it, mask already discarded. He looked at you, still in your glamor and said, "Th-that's you, isn't it, MC?"
You removed your mask and smiled at him.
Levi sagged against the door for a minute before opening it wide to let you in. "I was so nervous! I thought maybe you were someone else who happened to be intimately familiar with Sucre Frenzy's dance moves!"
You laughed and hugged him, patting his back reassuringly. "I'm pretty sure we're the only ones who know those moves that well. That music video only came out a couple days ago."
Levi pulled back to look at you, pride evident in his orange eyes. "You did them flawlessly."
You blushed a little and pulled on his clothes to bring him closer. "You weren't too bad yourself."
Levi kissed you to hide his own blush, but you still saw it quite clearly.
Satan
You were standing among a group of demons, listening to their idle chatter. You had no idea who any of them were, of course, but they seemed to be discussing the merits of various cafes in the Devildom. This was a fairly benign topic until one of them brought up cat cafes. You noticed the minute the demon beside you began to ramble at length about the benefits of cat cafes. It quickly devolved into what sounded like a dissertation on the positive qualities of cats in general. As the others quickly excused themselves, you laughed and asked Satan to dance with you.
Satan seemed reluctant at first because he wasn't sure who you were right away. But when he stopped rambling and really took you in - your demeanor, the soft smile of fondness on your face - he accepted your request. During the song, he seemed to feel certain of your identity and asked you to meet him in the library later.
You had expected Satan to be deep in a book when you arrived, but instead he was watching the door. He took several steps toward you when you came in.
"I thought you might not come, MC," he admitted.
Your heart squeezed and you removed your mask. "Why wouldn't I?"
Satan took off his own mask. "I thought your attention might have been drawn elsewhere."
You closed the distance between you and looked into his eyes, now their usual mixture of greens and blues. "You say that as though I've been able to think about anyone other than you."
Satan wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you in to kiss you.
Asmodeus
It was in the sensual way he moved, how he lightly teased everyone he came into contact with, the boldness he seemed to gain from the fact that nobody knew who he was. All of these things tipped you off, but when Asmodeus stopped to look at himself in a mirror, lingering a little too long than anyone else might have, your suspicion was confirmed.
To your surprise, Asmo already seemed to know who you were, too. You didn't even have the chance to ask him to dance because he asked you first. You thought maybe he was just asking anyone and everyone, that it wasn't because he knew you. But when he asked you to meet him in the garden later, you were suddenly uncertain. Did he know you or not?
When you arrived in the garden, Asmo was looking up at the yellow moon. He heard you approach and turned around, giving you a dazzling smile.
He spread his hands, the offer of a hug. "There you are, darling!"
You considered him. You still weren't sure if he knew who you were.
Asmo giggled. "Oh, do you think I don't know you? Silly thing."
Asmo walked up to you, placed his fingers on your mask, and leaned in close. "No amount of glamor could hide you from me, MC."
You shivered. Asmo took off your mask and removed his as well, tossing them aside. Then he opened his arms again.
You stepped into them easily, pressing yourself against his body, and meeting his lips with yours.
Beelzebub
The glamor obscured Beelzebub's size and height - the things that normally made him almost impossible to miss. And maybe it would have made it difficult for you to find him in different circumstances. But this was a party. And there was food. You watched the buffet table for some time, waiting to see who never left it or who ate most of it themselves.
When you asked Beel to dance, he accepted immediately, which surprised you. As the two of you danced, you tried to figure out if he knew you or not. He seemed comfortable with you, but it wasn't any different than how Beel was with most people. And then he asked you to meet him at the planetarium. Perhaps you had gotten it wrong? Was there another hungry demon at this party? Was it actually Belphie you were dancing with?
You arrived at the planetarium, feeling uncertain about just who it was you were meeting.
When he saw you, Beel took off his mask, completely eliminating your concern. He smiled at you, the same sweet smile that made your stomach flutter. "Hi, MC."
You shook your head slightly and took off your own mask. "Why did you ask me to come to the planetarium?"
Beel looked up at the planetarium and pointed at the moon. It had an unusual yellow cast to it. "Belphie likes the planetarium. And right now the moon looks like a big wheel of cheese."
You laughed. He wasn't wrong. You took Beel's hands and turned him toward you. "I should've known."
Beel smiled again and kissed you.
Belphegor
Belphegor was eluding you. You had already spent a significant amount of the party looking for a sleeping demon, but you couldn't find one. Everyone you saw was fully awake and nobody even seemed to be slightly nodding off. He must have found a small hiding place to fall asleep and that was why you didn't see him anywhere.
You nearly jumped when you felt a hand on your back. When you turned, a demon smiled at you and asked you to dance with him. There was something about this quiet demon's demeanor that made you suspect it was Belphie. Where had he even come from? And was it really him? You allowed him to lead you out onto the dance floor. He asked you to meet him in the garden later and you felt compelled to agree. If it wasn't Belphie, you could always just leave.
Once you were in the garden, you found him standing there, waiting quietly. He was looking up at the sky, which was full of the yellow moon and a dramatic scattering of stars.
"The stars are beautiful tonight aren't they, MC?" he asked.
All doubts fled your mind then. You stood beside him and looked up, resting your head on his shoulder. "They're lovely, Belphie."
Belphie turned to you, easily slipping an arm around your waist and removing your mask. He stayed still as you took his off, too.
"You weren't sure it was me," he said.
You shrugged. "You look wide awake, that's all."
Belphie smirked. "I was on edge waiting to do this," he said.
You were about to ask what that meant, but he cut you off with a kiss.
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part 2 with the rest of the characters
flufftober | kinktober | masterlist | Thank you for reading!
taglist: @anxious-chick @t0tallycoolname @libidinous-weeb
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andreal831 · 5 months
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TVDU and forced parenthood
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I don't know if it is because Julie Plec didn't understand parenthood or just didn't care, but almost every character has a messed up relationship with the idea of parenthood.
Starting with Rebekah, whose entire identity becomes about being a mother. When she is first introduced, she behaves like an immature teenager with almost no maternal instincts or desires. But it quickly shifts in TO to focus on her desire to have a child. I am completely fine with a woman wanting to have children, but she never gave a real reason to want it. Just this general idea that she had always desired it. I get she likely would have been thinking about it when she was human since, during their human period, women tended to have children in their teen years and it was what all women did. But throughout her 1,000 years, we never see her seek that relationship with anyone. She briefly develops a protective relationship with April and then Davina, but they are easily pushed aside. She even abandons her relationship with Hope multiple times. It never seemed to me that she wanted to be a parent, rather wanted a baby.
This is even more obvious by the fact that Klaus 'adopts' Marcel. Rebekah could have adopted a child, or taken in someone throughout her long life. Now, it could have been that she feared Klaus would be angry and jealous, but this story is never shown. In fact, Klaus seems fine with Rebekah training Marcel, even after he was jealous of Elijah teaching him.
Speaking of Marcel, this whole storyline was problematic. The Mikaelsons take in this boy and then make him feel indebted to them. I've seen people argue that they didn't adopt Marcel, but rather took him in as a ward. Either way you look at it, Marcel was a child and deserved to be treated like one and not some trophy (a lot of white saviorism happening). I do think Elijah wanted to raise Marcel as a son but Klaus wouldn't let him. So instead, Klaus raises him as a friend which created a complicated relationship. I also hate how you can clearly see the difference in how Hope is protected versus how Marcel was raised. Whether it's sexist or racist or just based on him not being their biological family, it's problematic.
And then there is Hope. Hayley will always be my favorite parent in TVDU. Even when she was young and overwhelmed, you could tell her thoughts and actions were all about protecting Hope. Yes, some things she did weren't the smartest plan, but she was also a scared 20-something-year-old trying to survive against enemies that were 1000x her age. She risked her life repeatedly for her daughter and would sacrifice anything for Hope to be safe and happy. She was the one character I felt truly understood what it meant to be a parent.
I always get in trouble when I criticize Klaus as a parent, but he was a narcissistic parent for 90% of the show and that honestly needs its own post.
It's not surprising the Mikaelsons don't know how to be parents. Mikael wanted to train them to be warriors and Esther had a similar feel to Rebekah, that she wanted babies but didn't know how to be a mother. I know Esther and Mikael likely had their own childhood traumas, but that's another conversation.
I liked that Kol and Davina never discussed children. Davina was young and Kol never expressed desires to be a father. Not everyone needs to want to have children. To me, Elijah was the only Mikaelson sibling who expressed a deeper interest in being a parent. Yet, he still didn't understand the full extent. He essentially acted like a parent to his siblings but ended up just having messed up relationships with each of them. He wanted to step in with Marcel and even Hope. I like to think he learned his lesson from Marcel and fought harder for Hope, but again, the whole family just fought harder for Hope.
I also think Freya having a child makes sense, but Vincent being the father had me baffled. He hated Elijah for what he did to Davina until Elijah died, but forgave Freya for her role? Not only forgave her but decided to help continue the Mikaelson line. I just find it hard to believe that he would have agreed to help. But Julie wanted to expand the Mikaelsons and then do nothing with it I guess.
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Even in TVD, this idea that everyone wants to be a parent is pushed. Again, yes some people do, but not everyone needs to want children.
I understood Jo, Alaric, and even Stefan's desire to have children. This need to protect and care for others was built into them. We see Alaric (before his character sucked) basically adopt Elena and Jeremy. Jo was always protective of her siblings and loved caring for others so much she became a doctor. Stefan just always had this paternal need to take care of others in my opinion. I even see this with Elena and Bonnie. (Also the fact that Bonnie's future is never mentioned -- we hear about everyone else but what was Bonnie up to in Legacies??)
But Caroline and Damon having children made no sense to me. Caroline had dreams of a career and seemed adventurous, but then was forced into pregnancy at what 23 years old while she was still in school? Yes, we see she gets to become a journalist, but in Legacies we don't hear anything about her life or career. She isn't even there as a mother. Caroline's character basically disappears.
Damon never expressed a desire for children that I can remember. He enjoyed his vampire life and I can't see him giving it up to be a mortal, stay-at-home dad.
There are a lot of problems with the show, Friends, but one thing I've always loved is how they show the different pathways to parenthood. Pheobe is a surrogate for her brother, Monica adopts, and Rachel is a single mother. There isn't one way to be a parent, as long as you always put the children's safety and happiness first.
TVDU could have learned a thing about it. For a show that loved to randomly have a found family trope, it was also ready to throw it out the window the second biological family showed up. That's not how found families work, they are family through and through.
Also, and I cannot say this enough, not everyone needs to want to have children. Even women.
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spntrunk · 1 month
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Your recent artwork of Sam and Rowena doing magic together made me discover your blog, and... god, I'm so in love with your art and your style!! I wish I had the words to adequately describe how much I loved that Sam and Rowena artwork in specific, but... just. Words are failing me. You have no idea how much I'm craving art of these two, especially while doing magic. And yours was soooo beautiful, the characters were PERFECT up to the smallest detail, and the background, and the shiny glow of the magic, and just... aaaah! I... have long harbored a weird art wish that I haven't been able to find anywhere in the fandom. Though maybe I'm just not looking in the right places, I don't know. Since you're taking requests and you're someone who enjoys drawing gen art and who embraces all characters, I figured maybe the idea would spark your enthusiasm as well.
So, as a huge Rowena fan who very much adores her character development and the way she became a part of the team, I crave a visual representation of her being part of the team in a fight, like a Team Free Will 3.0. (I always wished she had participated in the actual fight against the gorgon in 14x14, not just in the preparation. And I LOVED her fighting together with Sam and Dean in the final showdown against the witches in 13x12. That really gave me a taste for how cool it would be to see them team up for fights more!) I would soooooo love to see all of Sam, Dean, Cas, Rowena, and Jack being in some kind of fight together, where each of them uses their specific talents to benefit the group somehow. Just each of them doing their thing, or maybe even some of them doing teamwork within the group. Whatever speaks to you and you're in the mood to draw. Or, alternatively, if combat poses are too hard to draw, they could also all just be doing something else like research or training or a magic ritual, or even just spending time together, or whatever else you might come up with.
I feel kind of bad even requesting this, and if you don't want to do this, that's 100% perfectly fine, because it must be a lot of effort to draw. I'm honestly not expecting you to say yes, but I figured there's no harm in asking (at least so I hope, haha). Please only do this if it sounds like something you'd actually enjoy creating, not like something that would stress you out.
If you decide drawing so many characters at once is too complicated, that's completely understandable. Rest assured, you've gained a new follower and I will definitely still squeal over every new piece of SPN art you produce. <3
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hii I'm glad you like my art thanks for the heartfelt comment, love that you love it <333 It literally isn't trouble at all, request whatever you want (i have liked all requests I've received, and the only one I haven't been able to do wasn't because of the request per se but because it requires permission from another artist...if i do receive it i'll do it!). if at any point any request was trouble i'd answer it saying why can't i do it or something, but so far that hasn't happened.
this took a while because well, battle poses + many characters = chaos, so it ended up probably a bit more static than you wanted it to be. they're more going into battle than battling, i guess
and yes dragons because I LOVE DRAGONS and spn did them so dirty. I might repost this as a dragon series, or try a comic. hope you like it even tho there's a bit too much going on ;;
My art tag ⸜(。˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
Say hi / Ask me a question / Make a request ( •̯́ ^ •̯̀)
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kinanabinks · 2 years
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something blue
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18+
dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of two lives.
Content Warning: Mob!Bucky x Best Friend!Reader, mature themes, best friends to lovers, violence, mention of blood, minor character death, fluff, mention of smut, sexual language.
Series Masterlist
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The aisle is lined with lilacs and lilies, freshly picked just hours ago. Rows of chairs are uniformly arranged on the grass; not many, as only the closest of friends and family are attending. There's a lightness to the air; the sense of a fresh start and freedom.
Sam is talking to a few of Bucky's cousins when a little girl comes up to him and tugs on his trousers. "Hello, prinţesă," He greets her warmly, crouching down to her level. "Do you need something?"
She blushes brightly, before leaning forward and coyly whispering, "Miss Fairy wants you."
"Me?" Sam asks with a frown.
The girl nods before running off again with a giggle, making him chuckle softly.
Meanwhile, Peter's managed to make your bridesmaids swoon and convinced them to leave your room, allowing him to speak to you alone. "I'm a sucker for traditions," He tells you. "You need something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue."
"Okay," You nod. "Well, my ring has a diamond from Bucky's mom's ring, and that was in the family for generations."
"Great!" He says with a grin. "Something new?"
"Uh..." You trail off, before lighting up. "Does my dress count? Bucky had it imported from Milan; it's a one-of-a-kind." The dress is made of the finest silk and it compliments every curve of your body; simple, elegant, and classy.
"Most definitely counts," He nods. "Now, you need something borrowed..."
"Who the fuck am I gonna borrow something from?" You ask incredulously.
Narrowing his eyes, Peter contemplates your options before suddenly jumping. "Got it!" He exclaims as he begins to pull out one of his tiny hoop earrings.
"Ew, gross!" You whine, taking a step back. "I don't want your diseases!"
"I don't have any diseases," He promises, before reaching out to put the earring into your ear.
"I can't just wear one earring," You say incredulously.
"You're right," Peter agrees before pulling out the other one and putting it in your other ear. "Done! Now we need something blue."
"Blue..." You mumble, frowning.
Looking around the room, Peter sighs, shaking his head. Then, a large smile grows on his lips. "Well, you'll have Bucky's eyes on you the whole time. They're pretty blue," He says slyly.
You grin. "That is the sappiest shit you've ever said."
"I'm not wrong!" He laughs, before sighing, looking you up and down. "Gorgeous. You're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen, ma'am."
"Thank you, Petey," You say warmly, pulling him in for a hug. "I appreciate your help."
"I mean, I created the problem myself by introducing the tradition, but you're welcome," He chirps, patting your back. "I'll see you out there. Good luck!"
He goes to leave and when he opens the door, Sam is standing with his fist raised, ready to knock. The two men share a nod before walking past each other, Peter out of the room and Sam in.
Looking you up and down, Sam's face lights up. "Wow. You look absolutely stunning, Y/N," He tells you with a growing smile as he takes your hands in his and looks you up and down. "Barnes is one lucky bastard."
"Oh, stop," You say coyly, welcoming his warm hug.
"Was there a problem?" He asks with concern. "What did you need me here for?"
Your cheeks heat up as you look down bashfully. "Actually, uh, I've been doing some thinking," You begin, looking up at him. "As much as I want to do it alone, and be independent and shit... I would really like for you to walk me down the aisle, Samuel."
He's taken aback by your words, his eyebrows shooting up.
"You don't have to say yes; I know it's a big ask," You assure him. "I won't be offended. Just thought I'd put it out there."
"Y/N, I'm... I would be honored," He tells you, taking your hand in his, before letting out a laugh. "Now I feel like I oughta give Buck a talk about treating you right."
You snort at that. "You can try, but he'd probably kill you."
Sam grins before pulling you in for another hug, being careful not to mess up your hair. Just then, Bucky's aunt walks in with urgency.
"It's time!" She exclaims. "Come on! Grăbiţi-vă!"
Bucky's standing at the altar, a little confused as to the whereabouts of his best man, but too on edge to put much thought to it. He's about to marry you. His stomach flips and he isn't sure how to handle being nervous as it's something he hasn't felt since he was a kid. He's excited and terrified, but he's never felt more alive.
When the violinist begins to play a sweet melody, his heart skips a beat and he stands up straight. The priest gives him a reassuring nod and Bucky turns to the side, ready.
Two of his neices come bounding down the aisle, tossing flower petals with giddy smiles. They're followed by a few of Bucky's cousin sisters, as well as Banita who he flew out for the wedding. Once the bridesmaids have made their way to the altar, it's your turn.
The second you enter Bucky's vision, he's a goner. He has to blink repeatedly to fight back his tears, especially once he sees your arm linked with Sam's. The thin, lace veil covers your face, but Bucky can still make out your features, more so when you get closer.
When you get to the altar, Sam takes your hand and puts it in Bucky's, giving him a wink and a nod before taking his place behind him. You stand in front of Bucky, nervous as all hell.
Slowly, he reaches out and lifts up your veil, tossing it over your hair. He swallows thickly before whispering, "You are so beautiful."
You grin, but when you glance down at his hand and see his bloody, bruised knuckles, your brows furrow together. "What happened?" You murmur.
Instead of answering you, he takes your hand and gently kisses the back of it, before giving the priest a nod. The priest clears his throat and begins his speech, speaking in Romanian while you try your best to keep up with the small amount that you've learnt since being here. Every so often, though, your eyes flicker down to his knuckles, but he gives you a reassuring wink whenever he spots you looking.
Bucky is irritated at himself for not being more careful, but when Jack turned up earlier, he couldn't hold back.
"As your Godfather, it's tradition that I pay for your wedding," The familiar voice called out. "I wish you told me earlier."
With a clenched jaw, Bucky slowly turned around. "I didn't tell you at all," He muttered coldly. "What the fuck are you doing here, Jack?"
"It's my nephew's wedding!" He replied with a laugh, stepping further into the kitchen. "I knew you and your girl were pulling my leg when you told me you were married back in New York - it's nice to see you're finally making it official."
With a deep breath, Bucky did his best to remain composed. Not on your wedding day, Buck.
"You betrayed Y/N," He said bluntly. "And when you betray one, you betray us all. You know what happens to traitors."
Jack let out a dry laugh. "Come on, now, son. I'm your uncle. Aren't I owed some forgiveness? I made a mistake."
"You risked Y/N's life," Bucky corrected him curtly as he walked closer to him. "I don't take shit like lightly, not even from family."
With a hardened face, Jack sighed. "Calm down and remember where your loyalties lie, James. Pretty gold-diggers like her come often and in abundance, but family-"
Bucky cut him off with a swift uppercut, making Jack stumble backwards. The dam broke. With no composure or self-control left, Bucky continued pummelling Jack to the ground, driven by his pure rage. Jack tried to fight back, but being twice Bucky's age held him back from landing even a single punch. And thankfully so, because Bucky knew you'd kill him if he was standing at the altar with a black eye.
"Boss!" Sam yelled as he rushed in, slamming the door shut behind him.
Bucky pulled back and looked up at him, holding out his hand. "Your gun, Sam," He ordered him firmly.
Sam faltered for a second, but Bucky doubled down.
"He's a fucking traitor," Bucky spit harshly. "I'm not gonna ask you again."
Quickly, Sam pulled out his gun and handed it to Bucky, who held it up to a weakened Jack's head.
"I didn't wanna have to do this on my fuckin' wedding day," He mumbled bitterly. "But you just can't do a single thing right, can you?"
"You're weak," Jack hissed as blood coated his face. "Your father would be-"
The gunshot interrupted him mid-sentence.
The priest, having finished his long speech, tells Bucky to begin his vows. Both of you agreed on wanting to write your own, and your heart thuds with anticipation.
You hear a few appreciative murmurs from the guests, but you pay them no heed. Your eyes and ears are for Bucky alone, who speaks more eloquently than you've ever heard.
With your hands firmly in his, Bucky stares down at you like you're the only thing that exists. "Ever since the day I met you seven years ago, I've loved you," He begins, already making you tear up. "I didn't really know what love was; I thought movies had made it up and that it wasn't something real people felt. But then I met you, and I got to know you, and I knew it was real," He continues earnestly. "We agreed to be friends at the beginning, but somewhere down the line that changed. I found myself falling with every smile you gave me, every hug, every annoyed little punch that I had to pretend actually hurt. I am so glad we made that promise to be friends, because it created the basis of our perfect relationship. It allowed me to truly learn you; to become fluent in the language of your love. You've changed my entire outlook on life. Where I once chased power and money, I now chase your love. Your happiness. And I promise, my darling, that I will never give up that chase."
"Your safety and comfort will always be my first priority," He promises. "Everything I ever do will be for you. With you. As my wife, you'll be half of me, and that will never change as long as I live. There'll be no secrets. Your importance to me will never waiver. The respect I have for you will never be tarnished. I will belong to you, wholly, and only you. Nobody will come above you."
You blink a few times to prevent your tears from falling, tightly gripping onto his hands.
"I will stand like a bridge over any troubles we may come across," Bucky vows, meaning every single word he's saying. "There is no problem or hardship bigger than my love. Nothing that could make me give up on us. You will always have my heart. You are my soul. My fairy."
As he finishes, the guests clap, but you can only focus on him. You want so badly to kiss him, but you respect the tradition and remain composed, knowing it's your turn next.
The priest nods at you, and you clear your throat while your stomach fills with butterflies. Turning to the side, you lock eyes with Bucky's aunt, who gives you a knowing nod, silently motivating you and telling you that you can do this.
You take in a deep breath and look up at Bucky with a smile. "Eu te voi iubi mereu, Jamie." I will always love you, Jamie.
His heart skips a beat as the words fall from your mouth.
"Iti voi... apartine mereu. Voi avea mereu grijă de tine," You go on to say, hoping you haven't mixed any of the words up. I will always belong to you. I will always take care of you.
Bucky grins widely. Some of your words are mispronounced, but it only makes him love you even more. He can tell from your shaky voice that you're nervous, so he squeezes your hand to reassure you.
"Poți găsi mângâiere în mine," You say. You can find comfort in me. "Te voi proteja la fel cum mă protejezi tu pe mine." I will protect you as you protect me. "Voi fi mereu de partea ta. Majoreta ta. Partenerul tau." I will always be on your side. Your cheerleader. Your partner. "Uneori mă enervezi atât de mult încât vreau să te omor," You say, earning a few laughs, including a hearty one from Bucky. Sometimes you annoy me so much, I want to kill you. "Dar o privire la ochii tăi și uit că am fost supărată." But a look in your eyes and I forget I was upset. "O privire în ochii tăi și mă simt în siguranță." A look in your eyes and I feel safe.
He brings your hand up to his lips and kisses it softly as his glossy eyes remain trained on you.
"Esti cel mai important lucru pentru mine," You tell him. You are the most important thing to me. "Și asta nu se va schimba niciodată." And that will never change. "Eu te voi iubi mereu, Jamie." I will always love you, Jamie.
You breathe out a sigh of relief as you finish, smiling widely at him. He shakes his head in disbelief, wondering when you practiced them. "I love you," Bucky whispers with adoration in his eyes.
One of Bucky's nephews then comes running up the altar, holding a small floral box up proudly. Bucky leans in to take your ring from the box, before gently sliding it onto your finger. The plain band fits perfectly around the diamonds of your engagement ring, making it look complete. You then take Bucky's ring from the boy before taking his hand and putting it on his finger, feeling a magical wave of joy wash over you as you see him adorned with your ring. Your name is carved on the inside, matching his tattoo.
With a grin, the priest raises up his hands and joyously says, "Poți să-ți săruți mireasa!"
Before you can mentally translate what he said, Bucky grabs you by the hips and pulls you closer before planting his lips on yours. The guests burst into joyous cheers as you share a sweet kiss, making you feel completely whole. Bucky pulls back before lifting you into his arms, making you squeal while carrying you through the aisle, through the guests who lovingly throw petals onto the both of you.
At the end of the aisle, he carefully puts you back down and you're met by his close family, including his grandparents.
"You must wear these," His aunt tells you as his grandma holds out two crowns. "It's Romanian tradition!" She carefully places the small gold crowns on each of your heads, smiling widely.
Sam pats Bucky's shoulder, grinning warmly at the two of you. "The queen and her king, huh?"
Bucky links his fingers with yours and you're guided to the larger garden which has been decorated for your reception. Before you can be swarmed by his family, Bucky steals you away back inside the house, to a quiet room.
He gently pushes you against the wall, cupping your face as he smiles down at you. "My beautiful wife," He utters, stroking your cheeks. "Is this real?"
"It's real, Jamie," You tell him with a soft laugh. "Your vows, James, my God. I almost burst into tears. Since when are you that soft?"
"Since you softened me," Bucky mumbles with pink cheeks, before frowning. "And since when are you Romanian?"
You laugh heartily, patting his chest. "Tanti helped. It took a lot of rehearsing. Did I sound stupid?"
"Absolutely not," He assures you firmly. "It was perfect. You're perfect. You're my perfect wife."
"And you're my terrible husband," You coo, resting your hands on his shoulders. "We're actually married, Buck."
He kisses you again, wrapping his arms around your waist. Just as his tongue strokes against yours, you pull back, frowning.
"They'll be wondering where we are," You say nervously.
"Don't worry about them, baby; we're gonna be out there with 'em all night," He tells you. "Just let me have you to myself for a little while." Stroking your waist, he looks you up and down as his eyes darken. "You know how badly I wanna fuck you right now?" He mutters into your ear, sending a shiver down your spine. "Just wanna rip this beautiful fuckin' dress off you and make you scream."
"Jamie," You whisper, tugging on his suit. "I want you so bad. But if you harm this dress in any way, I will castrate you."
"I can't believe you've made me wait until marriage," He says with a chuckle, making you snort. "Ma would be proud."
"It wasn't my plan," You promise, cupping his cheeks. "Where do we even start?"
"I don't know," Bucky whispers, resting his forehead against yours. "Actually, that's a lie. I've been fantasising about our honeymoon all week."
"Yeah?" You ask him lowly. "What have you been imagining, Jamie?"
He bites his lip, pressing his body to yours. "I can't say," He claims.
"Why not?" You whine.
"You'll want me to do it to you right now," He says with a smirk. "And we have a reception to get to, fairy."
You narrow your eyes at him. "Tease."
Chuckling, Bucky pulls you off the wall before slapping your ass. "Come on, Mrs. Barnes. Let's get drunk."
The second you and Bucky return to the garden, everyone cheers. Rice and wheat are thrown over the pair of you, and you're dragged over to a long table where a feast has been placed. Everybody eats, drinks, a few of Bucky's cousins give speeches in Romanian that you're partly glad you can't fully understand, and then the dancing begins.
You and Bucky are given the floor at first, and the live band plays your song. Si Tu No Estás Aqui. You slow dance, and it's like the world around you disappears.
"I'm so grateful to have you in my life," Bucky mumbles, swaying you from side to side. "I'll never stop reminding you of that."
"I can't wait to start our life together," You say lowly, with your arms around his shoulders. "Though, I can't imagine it'll be much different to before."
Laughing at that, his eyes light up. "You'll finally properly move in with me," He says. "I'll hire a decorator. You can change whatever you want."
"Whatever I want?" You repeat, tilting your head.
"Whatever you want," He confirms. "I'm putting it in your name the second we get back. It's yours, baby."
You beam at his words, clinging to him. "What about the cars?"
"All of them are yours, too," He promises. "Everything I have is yours."
"Even the diamonds in your safe?" You question.
"Especially the diamonds," Bucky confirms with a smirk. "I'm gonna put every single one of them into pieces of jewellery for you."
"I don't know if all that's gonna be enough, Mr. Barnes," You tease him.
"Name it," He utters, leaning closer to you. "You want breakfast at Tiffany's? I'll buy you the whole fuckin' company."
Grinning, you lean up and kiss his chin. "Just you is enough, James," You tell him honestly. "Nothing else matters more to me than you."
The rest of the guests slowly migrate onto the dance floor, and you share dances with some of his uncles and cousins.
"I've never seen him so happy," His older cousin, Dumitru, tells you as he leads you in a dance. "Loving you has made him healthier."
Your heart pounds at his words as you smile brightly. "He makes me happy, too," You tell him.
"As he should," Dumitru says firmly. "He ever fucks up, you call me. His whole life, I'm the one man he's feared."
"Is that right?" You ask curiously.
"I'm his big brother, dragă," He tells you with a smirk. "He doesn't forget the times I beat his ass when we were kids. He may be grown now, but I'll always be bigger. And stronger."
"I'll keep that in mind, Dumitru," You say coyly.
Bucky approaches you both with a knowing smile, raising a brow. "Whats he saying, fairy, huh?"
"Nothing bad," You promise.
"Did Jay ever tell you I stole all his girlfriends?" Dumitru tells you proudly. "Whenever he visited Romania, the little player found a new girl. Then, I'd take her."
"That isn't true," Bucky claims with an eye roll.
"He's probably scared I'm going to steal you from him as well, dragă," Dumitru says with a wink, putting his arm around your shoulder.
"Oh, please," Bucky scoffs. "Go ahead, brother, try your best. This one's too obsessed with me to be stolen."
You hit his shoulder, frowning. "Don't take my loyalty for granted, Jamie."
"Yeah, Jamie," Dumitru echoes mockingly. "You know all the girls love Dumi. Watch your back."
"Shut it, măgar," Bucky mutters bitterly.
Dumitru chuckles, before slowly becoming serious as he lowers his voice and leans in closer to Bucky. "Hey, tell your short friend to calm down, yeah? He's been flirting with our sisters the whole time. I let him off because it's a wedding, but my patience isn't that strong."
The three of you look over to where Peter is standing, having the time of his life as he's surrounded by Bucky's doting cousin sisters. They're feeding him sweets, feeling up his biceps, and giggling at everything he says.
"Ah, he's harmless," You assure them. "He wouldn't hurt a fly."
"No, but he might try and kiss it," Dumitru utters. "Tell him, James."
"I'll talk to him, man," Bucky assures him, before holding his hand out to you and smiling. "Are you ready to cut some cake?"
Everyone gathers around as you and Bucky stand close together. You're holding the knife and his hand is wrapped around yours, keeping it steady as you cut through the soft cake. Sam makes sure to get plenty of photos and videos as you feed each other a bite, before cutting the rest of the cake into small slices for everyone else.
Bucky's aunties cry the hardest, soaking his suit while he does his best to keep them calm.
"She'd be so proud," His eldest aunt tells him, cupping his cheeks. "Your mother is smiling right now, I hope you know that."
You can't help but cry yourself, your heart aching. Though your parents are absent due to the lack of your relationship with them, you feel the absence of Bucky's mom even more intensely.
"Hey, what are you crying for, huh?" Bucky asks, releasing his aunty to instead hug you.
"I just wish she was here to see it," You cry, clinging onto him. His mother had always advocated for the two of you to be together, and she was never too shy to make that known.
"Oh, fairy, me too," Bucky mumbles, doing his best to keep it together.
"She is here," One of his other aunts tells you with a nod. "Her love, her spirit. That will always remain with you both."
You nod at her words, allowing them to comfort you. The two of you give everyone a hug, drowning in congratulatory praises and luck. One of Bucky's uncles pulls up in a decorated car, honking the horn with a grin.
"Come on, you happy couple!" He yells out the window. "Honeymoon time!"
Bucky takes your hand in his and leads you to the car, letting you get in first before joining you. You have no idea what he has planned, but you don't care. You'll be with him, and that's all that matters.
He wipes away the tears on your cheeks and smiles at you as the car begins to move. "I love you, fairy," He tells you sweetly, kissing the back of your hand.
"I love you, Jamie," You reply, feeling your heart swell.
Meanwhile, back at the reception, Peter is faced with a difficult choice.
"I live alone," Elena tells him teasingly.
"I'm the only one who knows how to cook!" Gabriela interjects with wide eyes.
"Oh, please, your cooking is teribil," Reveca mutters, before smirking at him. "I can teach you many things, Peter."
"And I," Dumitru booms from behind him, firmly slapping his big hands onto Peter's shoulders. "I have many, many guns. Big ones."
The girls huff before walking away, knowing they've lost their chance with the pretty American boy. Slowly, Dumitru turns Peter to face him.
"I'm sorry," Peter chokes out, terrified. "I wasn't gonna touch them, I swear."
"That's good to know, dragă," Dumitru purrs, leaning in closer and lowering his voice. "Because I want you to myself."
Peter lets out a squeak as his pants tighten. "Oh."
On the other side of the garden, Sam approaches Banita with a half-empty bottle and a blank look. "Yo."
"Hello, Samuel," She replies dryly, looking him up and down.
He takes a step closer to her. "You wanna finish the rest of this champagne in my room and then let me fuck your brains out?"
Narrowing her eyes, Banita waits a few moments before shrugging. "Sure."
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ah, the beauty of weddings.
side blog for update notifications: @kinanabinksupdates
buy me a kofi <3
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Note
It looks like the rewind Theory might be coming true
There are many variations of that theory, but yes.
Honestly, it is badly needed in the story if what Horikoshi is aiming for is an ending where the kids and the villains survive.
Introducing a character that can undone damage is always insurance for the author. You have to be careful to not overuse it to the point it loses its impact. If no one ever dies and everyone keeps on resurrecting, the predictability becomes boring.
The good thing is that bnha doesn't overuse Eri. They don't use it to rewind the damage done to the characters when they lose an extremity, for example. It didn't work on Nighteye. They didn't try to use it on All Might—and if they did, I can't remember when it happened.
The point is that I liked that Horikoshi left Eri's quirk to the end of the manga. That way he could make the characters give their 100% without it meaning sure death. It scares the readers, like it should, it creates tension. Knowing that Eri's quirk might not work is another good decision. Even if she shows up after the big showdown, the public doesn't know who is going to survive.
Now, when I say there are many variations...
I'm against the version of it where the villains are turned into kids. Where is the fun of it, uh?
It erases the complexity of each character and all they fought for. What was the point of fighting so much if you're gonna erase what happened? If there's no consequences, no accountability? Any story should grow from the risks of the actions taken. We want to know there's something to be lost, that's where the adrenaline comes from. That's the entertaining part!
The version that completely heals their wounds is also kinda... bland. I'm a fan of bnha because the story doesn't solve most disabilities with magic.
If a pro-hero loses a leg or an eye, they'd have to learn to fight with the cards they were dealt with. Like I said before, those wounds tell a story of the risks they took. Aizawa cut his leg to survive and see another day with Eri and his students. Mirko lost most of her limbs giving her absolute all!!!!
It's the same for villains. It moves you, the way those villains would sacrifice themselves for their goals. Compress' lost arm tells the story of how they lost Magne. Giran lost his fingers when he refused to sell the League, so their absence is the evidence of his loyalty.
I want irreversibility. I want permanece. I want to see the growth that comes with accepting what we do in our lives and how we have to keep going.
My favorite version is the one that heals enough for the person to survive, but not much more. It is not going to take you to step one, it can't erase all you did and all that was done to you.
A second chance, but you have to make it from where you were left. No shortcuts, no easy way out. Either you commit to it or you're over.
I don't want to see Touya without his burns. That is boring! I don't want squeaky clean Touya, all perfect and smooth skinned and whatever. That is not him. He's the boy who burned in the flames of his passion, right or wrong. He's the boy who is supposed to be dead, but survived because he was a stubborn bastard.
The story can lessen them, of course. At this point Touya is more scrap put together by metal than anything else. He cannot possibly survive like that, so he needs to be healed enough to live. The burns can even lessen with time, fading as Touya heals, but I want the memory to last. I don't care if he forgives Enji, I want him to be forced to look at the burns every day knowing how they're there.
Another example?
Tomura's scars tell a story. You cannot resurrect his family, so don't go erasing the scar in his eye or in his lip. Don't go erasing the evidence of his struggle.
To be fair, Tomura has changed a lot since his first appearance. I remember him with yellow teeth, all skinny to the bone. It shows that no one cared for him. Well, maybe enough to keep him breathing, but there was no delicacy involved. It's funny to think how he got better and better the more time he spent far from AFO. That and the surgery he had to undergo...
Which is a wonderful terrible concept. It's about the cleansing, how AFO was preparing Tomura's body to be his. Body modifications to assert ownership, that's a horror favorite. The idea of being "cured" to the point you can't recognize your own body. You know what I mean.
I'm glad that when rewind was used on Mirio, it cost him something. He lost his quirk for a while and he had to make an effort to go back to who he was. I'd say that the nature of the story helped him bounce and that's a chance we didn't see his struggle a bit more.
Anyway, that's my opinion on the matter. I hope it'll be a variation I like and not something that's gonna leave me sweating cold every time I dare to remember it.
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n4giism · 6 months
Text
⇢ ˗ˏˋ frontal lobe muzik by daniel caesar ࿐ྂ
blue lock x fem!reader
characters: rensuke kunigami, meguru bachira, hyoma chigiri
content: part 2 of weird/bad habits they have. a bit of cursing (kunigami) and i added two parts for bachira bcus he’s #bestboy
ari’s note: i love daniel caesar sm omd. also for part 3 i’m probably gonna do reo, yukimiya and another character i haven’t decided yet lol so stay tuned!!
part 1. part 3.
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rensuke kunigami: setting alarms every second and not getting up
it was your first time sleeping in the same bed as your boyfriend. it had been a long time into your relationship with kunigami but you both never slept over at each other's houses before, let alone in the same bed. that is until today where you both lost track of time and it had already gotten too late for kunigami to head home. hence you suggested for him to just sleep at your house for the night and he agreed.
seeing your boyfriend aggressively doing something with his phone made you curious to ask what he was doing. was it something he always did before bed? you were very curious.
"what are you doing, kuni?"
"i'm setting my alarm to wake up for gym tomorrow. i gotta get up at 6. you can go to sleep first, it'll take awhile." he replied, kissing your forehead and looking back at his phone.
"what? it's just one alarm, why would it take so long?" you asked and sat up from lying down beside kunigami, who was currently leaning against the headboard.
you scooted closer to him and saw the monstrosity he had created. on his phone, in his clock app, were what felt like a hundred alarms. all one second apart from each other.
"oh my god, kuni.. what the hell are you doing?" you asked, shock laced your voice as kunigami kept setting more and more alarms.
he mentioned getting up at 6, and he was already setting alarms for 7am.
"what's wrong? i'm just setting my alarm." he replied, confused as to why you were shocked.
"you said 'alarm', kuni. what you're doing is setting 'alarmsssss'! with an 's'! plural alarm!" you explained, eyes wide; still shocked that he had set so many alarms.
"you're overthinking it, dear. i probably don't even need this many alarms. i usually get up at the first one, trust me. i'm just taking precautions." he chuckled light-heartedly.
"you sure?" you asked, concerned and worried. it would be living hell if the alarm rang for an hour straight. plus, having your sleep interrupted at 6 in the morning on a weekend does not sound like a lovely idea at all.
"yes, trust me. i'll turn off all the other alarms once i'm up, okay? you won't even know i'm awake!" he reassured.
you eyed him suspiciously, but ultimately let it go and just went to sleep. he is kunigami rensuke, after all. you trusted him. he keeps his word.
kunigami bonus!:
god, you were losing your mind. it was currently 6:08am. how did you know the exact time? it's thanks to kunigami and his army of alarms. you heard him snooze them 8 times already.
and to make it worse, kunigami's alarm sound was the rooster crowing one.
you whined and covered your ears with the blanket. but even that couldn't block out the stupid alarms. you could even hear kunigami snoring away.
"kuni.. get the fucking alarms," you mumbled, eyes closing but the constant rooster ringing in your ear kept you from drifting to your slumber.
it rung for another 3 minutes - the longest 3 minutes of your life - until you decided to get up and turn the alarms off yourself.
getting up, you reached over kunigami's body and grabbed his phone. you took his hand and used his finger to unlock the password and you finally shut off all the alarms.
sighing, you placed the phone back on the bedside table and went back to sleep, "so much for, 'trust me!', 'you won't even know i'm awake!'" you mocked sleepily.
let's just say, kunigami did not go to the gym that morning.
meguru bachira: using auto caps in the middle of a sentence
he does this very often, especially when he’s trying to emphasise a point. his texts also have a lot of typos, only god knows what he’s trying to say.
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meguru bachira pt 2: refuses to leave until you say “i love you” back
“i’m going now!” bachira called as he put on his shoes. he checked that he had everything he needed for soccer practice and stood up from the stool.
you emerged from the bedroom and ran to him, engulfing him in a tight hug, “okay, take care. have fun at soccer!” you said and pulled his face down to give him a kiss.
“i will! okay, i’m going now. bye bye, i love you.” he said and picked up his shoe bag and opened the door.
“okay, bye!” you waved.
“i love you.” he repeated.
“i know! take care!” you said, worried. why isn’t he leaving yet?
“i said i love you!!!” he pouted.
“yes, i heard. now go! or you’re gonna be late!” you pestered, about to close the door but bachira quickly put his foot between the door and the wall.
“say it back!!” he whined.
“what? meguru, you’re seriously gonna be late!” you replied, panicked.
“you don’t love me anymore?” he whimpered, tears forming in his eyes.
“what! meguru, what are you on about? of course i do.” you answered and embraced his body lightly.
“then why didn’t you say it back!”
“oh my god, bachira. you’re really like a child.”
“i don’t care. i’m not leaving until you tell me you love me.” he said, put down his shoe bag and stood his ground. crossing his arms and huffing, he meant what he said.
“oh my god.. okay, okay! i love you too, megu! i love you so much! now please hurry and go! or isagi’s gonna be calling my phone non-stop asking where you are!” you said and motioned your arms for him to go.
“okay! bye!! i love you sooo much, y/n!” he exclaimed, happy that you told him you love him. he picked up his things and walked off.
hyoma chigiri: giving you a cup of ice when he's mad
dating chigiri came with many things. it included him sharing his hair care tips with you and a lot of healthy eating because he prioritised healthy eating a lot.
but it also came with his princess needs. like how he needs his hair to air dry for 15 minutes before he applies all the different hair oils, hair serums, hair masks and whatnot. he also had a strict diet. and he always, absolutely always, made time for his leg care where he’d hog the tv for an hour or so, and move all the sofas and the coffee table away to roll out his yoga mat and just meditate and do whatever he needs to do for that hour.
dating chigiri also came with his many weird habits. the one that baffled you the most was him giving you a cup of ice when he’s mad.
because chigiri had a strict routine to follow everyday, sometimes it hindered with your own needs too. like wanting to use the bathroom but he was in the shower for what felt like forever, rinsing and shampooing his hair.
it was especially difficult when the two of you just started living together. the both of you were unable to coexist in the same house and adjust your routines to one another. but with time, things changed and now the two of you live comfortably. you found yourself pondering about the first time chigiri got mad at you over something small and it made you giggle a bit.
it started when you found his secret stash of strawberries. chigiri’s favourite fruit was strawberries in the fridge and he always included them in his diet - whether it’s in his morning breakfast, or blending them in his protein shake.
not knowing the strawberries were so important to him, you ate just a few of his strawberries. you did not know that chigiri counted his strawberries, and only ate a certain amount at a time. you also did not know that he had a small notebook that he uses to keep track of his routines; counting strawberries included.
chigiri was appalled to discover that he was short on strawberries when he was making his protein shake that afternoon. he noticed the green leaves of the strawberries were in the nearby bin and he connected the pieces together to come to the conclusion that you had ate his precious strawberries.
“hyo! could you help me here, please? i dropped my lip balm behind the dresser, i need you to help me move it!” you called from your bedroom. chigiri rolled his eyes, huffing in annoyance.
you were on your phone waiting for chigiri when he came in the room holding a glass of - what looked like - ice.
“oh thank goodness you’re here, hyo.” you sighed in relief upon seeing his face. he pouted, placed the glass of ice on your dresser and walked away.
“what? hyo! hello!? hyo? what is this for?!” you called again and looked at the glass of ice, puzzled.
he didn’t talk to you the entire day, but he followed you around the house like a puppy, and whenever you attempted to throw the ice away, he’d quickly intercept, shaking his head silently and placing the glass on the counter. then when you asked him for an explanation, he walked away.
after a few attempts of discarding the ice - and chigiri coming to stop you - you gave up, and just left the glass there.
it was around 9pm and you were washing the dishes with chigiri standing right beside you, until he turned his head to where the glass of ice was and he saw that it had melted into water.
“you ate my strawberries,” he finally said.
“what? hyo, you didn’t talk to me the whole day, and the first thing you say after, what, 9 hours, is ‘you ate my strawberries’?” you replied, jolting a bit when he suddenly spoke.
“yeah.” he answered quickly like it wasn’t a big deal.
“i told myself i’d talk to you after the ice melted.” he added.
“is that what all this is about, hyo?” you muttered and he nodded.
“i’m gonna break up with you if you try that again,” you threatened light-heartedly and chigiri quickly bit back, “then i’ll give you more ice cubes. once it melts then we are dating again.”
he knew you were joking and that’s the worst part. chigiri always had his way, he knew you couldn’t not love him.
you looked at him and he gave you a blank stare.
“you’re so weird, hyo.”
“but you still love me.”
“… whatever.”
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end.
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