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iwaasfairy · 2 years

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┌─ “ ! „ JITTER

tw. manipulation, anal, misuse of power, brat taming, degradation, little choking & spit, possessive tsumu, creampie, corruption, virginity kink, praise wordcount. 3.6k

a/n. ♡ commissioned by the fucking amazinggg @bisexualturtledove ♡ thank you so so much for commissioning me again mY lOVEEE it loved getting to write tsumu again!! you’ve been just tHE bEST and agGGHHH i really hope you enjoy it!! mwuah

miya atsumu x fem!reader

Miya Atsumu might just be a God among men. That’s what you think the first time you catch his eyes when waiting in line after a game, with shaking hands. He’s shining even against the bright spots of the gym hall, standing a head or even two taller than most of the passersby. Even among the other giants that patiently sign volleyballs and people’s leaflets, you only have eyes from the radiant setter that sends sparks down your whole body when he looks up. Looks up and seem to glance straight at you, with those eyes that look like molten amber.

The line both -can’t go fast enough, and be any longer- all at once, because you feel like you’re suffocating with each step towards him. When it gets to your turn, you’re already smiling before he even speaks, and Atsumu’s infectious charisma basically hits you in the face full force afterward. He gives you a little doubletake as he takes your paper and talks, voice all low and seductive— not that you’d imagine Miya Atsumu flirting with you of all people, and swears up and down to remember your name.

“Yer a Miya fan?” Atsumu is quick to point at your jersey number with the back of his marker, and laughs when you nervously fidget with your hair in an attempt to save yourself.

“Well— if I had to pick a favorite of the current lineup, yeah,” you settle on admitting, and bite your lip.

“Just the current lineup?”

“I- I mean- not, not like- I just meant that I enjoy every play you make. I d- didn’t mean anything by it.” It only makes him giddier, has him leaning in some.

The toothy smile on his handsome face is so enchanting you barely notice you’re leaning in to hear every word. “Is it bad, that just makes me want to be yer favorite of all the lineups now?” You have no way of answering that, and he knows it, because he continues. “I’ll play my very best next time, sweetheart. Promise.” He uncaps the marker and winks, looking at you like you’re the only person in the room— and it fucks with your brain. Short circuiting it even more. “Come back to tell me if it changes next match, yeah?”

Before you can say anything, he puts the paper aside to take a gentle hold on your face, long fingers softly brushing a few stray hairs away. He signs your cheek instead, his focused face much too close for your brain to have any way of processing it. And grins when pulling back, bright like the sun, then he squeezes your hand. It feels like an eternity passes before the security is ushering you away. You only realize after two more —increasingly risky places to sign—

Miya Atsumu is absolutely flirting with you, of all people.

It’s still crazy how things fall into place after that. Though you no longer have the jitters when seeing him, it’s just as much a shock when he’s kissing down your throat. It’s dark as you two stumble into his apartment with tangled limbs, tossing off his practice jacket like he can’t have you fast enough. Still a bit clumsy so early in the relationship, you can’t help but giggle as he clings to you while he kicks off a shoe and gets back to your body to kiss you silly— stealing your breath in the process. His tongue is sweet against yours, and makes your entire body feel heated.

It doesn’t take long for him to pull back and eagerly help you take off your top, staring for a few seconds before he’s back to you. On you, more like. “Yer so fuckin’ cute, ya know that?” he pants against your collarbones, kicking away your shirt somewhere towards the door as he wraps an arm around your waist to keep you in place against him. You’re more than glad to. His blond hair lays messed up on his forehead, still damp from a shower as he traces those long fingers along your sides, shoving up your bra. As you reach to take it off he circles your nipples with practiced precision, letting you shiver from the touch before kissing all over them too.

“Tsumu- I—agh,” your whiny beg is interrupted when he leaves a love bite right under it, looking up through those thick lashes.

“My cute, amazin’ girlfriend,” he coos with a smile, before straightening and grabbing two hands of ass to walk you backwards towards the bed, grin turning a bit sharper, eager. “So fuckin’ pretty. Ya know what y’need, baby? Care ta tell me? I love hearin’ you.” The way he looks at you sends even more heat to your pussy, feeling so scrutinized under his eyes, and under the way his hands grab at your ass like it’s his favorite thing. “Say my name again.” He lets you wrap your hand around his neck to pull you close, watches you enrapt as you suck your lip, leaning in.

“Want you— so bad, want’you to fuck me, Tsumu.” He looks as if he doesn’t want to miss a single second, and smiles wide while hovering your lips. You run your fingers through his undercut until you reach hair you can grab and tug a little, and groans against your mouth at the feeling. “Atsumu, please. Please. Want you, hurry up.” It’s not the begging that makes him click his tongue, but your petulant attitude as he suddenly lifts you by your thighs and tosses you into the bed, placing both hands beside your head to hang his muscular, tall body over you.

“Greedy little thing, ain’t ya?” He dips to kiss down your chest again, over your tits, your belly, then slowly drags your skirt and underwear down. With motions so excessively slow, that it makes you want to roll your eyes, and you allow yourself to beg for him under your breath. Atsumu notices when you try to lock your legs behind his thighs to pull him closer though, and stops midway undressing to grab your ankle and place a kiss there too. He trails his fingers up your leg to pinch at the inside of your thigh, lifting a brow. “Stop bitchin’ and take it how I give it to ya, brat.” It’s a direct order that sends unfair amounts of heat to your pussy, you can’t help it.

Your body is strung so tight you’re halfway to crying if he doesn’t hurry it the hell up. All the teasing in the car ride here would be enough to drive any sane person a bit frazzled. Still, if it was anyone else, you’d probably feel embarrassed about being this needy. But your skin tingles when he releases your thigh to pull your panties up over your feet and tosses it too, spreading you open to allow himself room between your legs. He’s still in a shirt and shorts, while you’re now naked before him— something that you pout about, grabbing at the fabric to pull it. “Off,” you ask, and your greek statue of a boyfriend breathes a hum.

“Ya’ll get nowhere without a please.”

“Off, please,” you repeat with a frown for him, nudging it up for him to take off— and he obliges, but not before giving you a look. One you can’t quite read, all you know is that it’s dark and heavy and he licks his lips when coming back to you. “Tsum—” He kisses you hard as you fall back in the bed, moaning at the greedy, possessive kisses, at the way he sucks your tongue too. Large hands that grab at every part he can get to, and having your whole body needy for more. Your pussy clenches with need for him, fighting the urge to lock your legs around him again.

“When ya act like a spoiled brat, it makes me wanna punish ya like one,” he breathes the words against your mouth, reaching under you to grab your hair and pull your head back to expose your throat, where he starts kissing even more. All over the sensitive skin he’s been bruising up all week— it makes you moan despite yourself, and suck in a sharp breath. “Keep goin’ and see what happens.” But you shake your head when he sucks hard at a particularly sore spot, and wrap your arms under his. “No? Ya don’t wanna play?”

You fall silent to think of an answer, and Tsumu grins as he trails his fingers down your torso to get to your pussy. You swallow, and moan. “I— I just- want you. Want you inside me, please. Please? I won’t act up, I swear.” The long hum that he lets out feels far from a real agreement, but he’s too busy staring at the way his fingers glisten when he swipes them through your wetness, listening to the lewd noises each time his fingers barely push in. It’s excruciating, and you grab at his strong arm while you throw your hand back. “Atsumu~ god, f-fuck.”

“Didn’t even hafta do anythin’, ha? Look at this needy cunt, already dripping. Fangirl cunt trying to get ruined by her favorite?” There’s a slight flush high on his cheeks as he gives you a slow up and down again, grabbing your boobs to give them a little tap and pinching your nipples hard, so good it makes your legs twitch. You want him. You want him now, and it’s near unbearable to keep your mouth shut. “Ya like me this much?” he coos, and this time you nod obediently, though a whimper follows it when he pushes two thick fingers inside your cunt with a smile. “How’s that? Feel good? Hurt?”

“You’re big- r-really big—all of you is,” you choke, no show needed as you let out a deep breath when he pulls back and curls them into you again, “but good. Feels so good. Holy- fu-uck Tsumu, hurry it up please.” He spreads his fingers to stretch you out nice and easy, pulling more slick out of your cunt onto his fingers, his hand and wrist. “Tsumu~” you’re already moaning again by the time he places his free hand on your throat and applies just enough pressure to keep you lightheaded.

“Gotta stretch this cunt out, or ya’ll hurt,” he nods his head dramatically up and down to your own shaking head, and places his thumb onto your clit with small circles. “Uhuh, ‘n I don’t want’ya complaining ‘bout it after.”

“It won’t hurt—” you try though, and it won’t. You’re drenching the sheets under you with your wetness, enough to make his entire hand glisten as he pulls back. But your boyfriend suddenly places his hand next to your face to lean back over you, and looks deep into your eyes. His deep ochre eyes are narrowed when he bites his lip, and pushes his fingers with your own slick between your lips.

“Yer not—” he seems to think for a moment, before clicking his tongue as you suck obediently around his fingers. “I’m not yer first?” The question flicks up at the end, like he’s— like he’s disappointed. “No- I just figured-,” he sighs out, “ya’d save yerself for me.” You let his fingers out of your mouth with a wet pop. Despite the heat burning on your chest and face, and the sweat on your neck, you feel like you’ve been doused with cold water with how he’s looking at you now. It’s not anger or disappointment, but definitely something. “I wanted ta stretch this pretty pussy out for the first time, y’know. Spent the entire time thinkin’ about it, how good ya’d look.”

It’s weird. You should feel offended by the comments, but this is Tsumu. The Miya Atsumu, rock hard straining against his boxers, and perfectly sculpted body still hanging over you like he’s dying to fuck you up and down on his cock. He’s close enough for you to feel his cock twitch against you, and still taste him on your tongue. He leans in with a little pout, sliding his lips along your pulse point when his free hand starts toying with your clit again. “Ahh, fuckin’ bummer, hm? I was dyin’ to make you cum on my cock,” he whispers, low and promising, “would’a made ya feel so good.”

“Dontcha think?” he continues as his lips come back to yours, open mouthed kisses bringing your itching brain back to the moment. And as you let him rub your clit so good your toes curl, you keep thinking so loud. It is a bummer. He’s back to you though, back to sucking on your tits and then moving to kneel between your legs to lock his mouth around your cunt instead. His swift tongue licking up the length of it, alternating patiently between soft, long licks and a harder sucking that has you gripping his head. “Hmm- that’s- tha’s it, baby- feel good?” You hum back, nod and moan all at once as he slides two fingers smoothly back into your clenching pussy.

Bummer. You grab your own tits with your free hand, toying with the hardened buds until you can feel your orgasm start to build tight in your belly. It wraps around you with every noisy smack from between your legs, every panted coo. “My pretty girl— gonna give’t to me? Give me this, c’mon.” The sound of his voice between your ears is loud and pressing, making your closed eyes flash with the idea of him. Him pushing you against a wall, of you two on the bed with hands linked. Him, taking your virginity. Your legs clench around his face and you moan, Tsumu letting out a pleased chuckle at your reactions.

The Miya Atsumu fucking you for the first time. Even if you didn’t mean to, your body betrays how close you are with every touch, every curl into the soft spot of your walls. He’s relentless as he fucks his tongue into you, hiking your thighs higher onto his wide shoulders to make you cling to him. “G’na give it to ya better than anyone.” Your legs clamp against his back with a long whine of his name, every muscle pulling tight. And then you suddenly bite your lip as black comes over your vision and you cum hard on his tongue, on his fingers.

As he finger fucks you through your orgasm until your spasming cunt is sucking back on his tongue for come. “Ah-gh-Ts-tsumu, ohh-fuck, fuck, fuck.” But all you can really think is that— you want to give him more. Want to give something you can’t. He gets from between your legs to scoot you back on the bed and dips it with his weight, grabs your chin to place a few greedy kisses full on your mouth. He pushes his boxers down toned thighs to reveal his hard, leaking cock to you with a grin. You knew he was big, but the heavy balls and thumping vein along the underside make you want to have him so much more. An unbearable amount. He grabs himself at the base with a deep sigh.

“Ahh, fuck.” As he strokes his cock a few times, keeping you transfixed on the glossy bead of precum that sits on the flushed head— “Let me fuck you to another. Hah, doll?” You are still panting and your pussy so needy, but there’s so much on your mind. You nod though, wrap your arms around him to shudder as his cock is rubbed between your legs with slow, teasing motions. He pushes the head in to make you bite your lip, and Atsumu notices. “What’s wrong, needy girl? Don’t want me ta stretch this needy cunt to yer max?”

“I want,” you start, only to stop halfway and give him a teary eyed look, “wanna— give you- m-my first.” You shiver as you say it, sucking the sweetness from your tongue as you wrap one leg around his glutes to keep him closer to you. Not that he budges much. Your boyfriend stares at you with those lidded eyes for a second or two, before a self-satisfied smile tugs his mouth up.

“Yeah? Ya wanna be my little slut to ruin for anyone else?”

You’re nodding before you know it, slick pussy clenching around the head he pulls back out of you. “Please, please— want to.”

Tsumu sucks his teeth as he looks down, and trails his fingers down your pussy again. He lowers his voice enough to barely let you hear it. “Knew ya’d wanna. My little fangirl girlfriend.” It’s said with so much sickening affection that you mewl at the soft kiss he gives you, then grins even wider against your lips. “Yer so sweet, baby. Such a smart girl.” The wetness of your cunt drips down your skin and ass, where he rubs his fingers in slow circles. It feels weird- making heat rise to your entire face. “What about here? D’ya ever—”

“Never-” you quickly breathe back, feeling your nipples pebble and spine straighten at the pressure to your puckered hole. “You- can be my first. If you want,” you mumble, and Atsumu grins wider.

“G’na let me deflower yer spare hole?” He pushes until his finger enters and your breathing hitches, urging you to relax with slow motions. It feels good, really good— eyes starting to water from the stretch. “We can pretend it’s yer first time. So, so wet for me; look at ya.” When one finger slides in and out smoothly, you put your tongue between your teeth to watch as his cock bobs between his thighs. Taking his fat, throbbing cock now seems a lot more intense- considering. A second finger pushes at your hole, slowly opening you up, and more wetness drips down to it.

“Ah, agh, T-ah-tsumu.”

He gives a toothy grin when glancing at your face, and nods. “Uhuh, feel good, don’it. You look like yer enjoyin’ that.” It does. The soreness of stretching so wide is overridden by how good it feels to have his fingers sliding in and out against the resistance, and you slowly hum. Before you can really get used to the feeling he pulls back and grips his cock though, giving a few more pumps to push out more pre. “Spread yer legs,” he says, and hauls you to move your legs over his thighs, “there. My pretty slut- how lucky are you? Getting yer favorite ta fuck yer clenching, little hole.”

The hot, unbearable feeling travels down your chest and to your belly as he presses his cock to your ass, and pushes against the resistance. You’re slick enough for it to stetch instantly, but not without throwing your head back at the intrusion. “O-oh, hol-y fuck. Hm-ugh,” you only notice you’re crying and shaking when Tsumu giggles at it, slowly pushing in one inch at a time.

“Aw, baby. Yer doin’ so well- fuck-” His hand comes back to your throat to squeeze it, making your voice even smaller and more pitched as he bottoms out and his thighs clap against your ass with a loud groan. “Fucking tight, shit.” His other hand reaches to rub your clit until you take a deep breath and relax, finally allowing him to pull back and slide back in. And at the first thrust, you’re eyes are crossing. It’s impossible not to, with how far inside he feels— like you can feel it in your throat. Atsumu sets a pace that has the bed rattling loudly, headboard bumping the wall as he keeps you in place.

And bounces you on his cock hard and so, so good— you clench your eyes closed and let out a long moan under his hand. “Tsumu, I’m gonna cum again- I’m,”

“Heh,” he chuckles through his teeth and hums, taking a deep breath from the effort. “Is it that good, yeah? I’m fucking ya stupid already, stick out yer tongue.” You do, and he spits onto your tongue before giving you a messy, open mouthed kiss. His balls slap against your ass each time he bottoms out in you, and hits a spot so good it has your entire pussy spasming around nothing. “Go ‘head,” he mumbles then, “cum for me. Yer so fuckin’ cute, fuck.” You do, your back curling off the bed with a long cry— and your legs and arms clamped around his strong body. “Oh, fu—uck, baby doll.”

“Such a good, tight hole, gh-oh, that’sit— s’good.” He doesn’t slow, and it only makes your orgasm more intense, slick spilling down your cunt and thighs and all over the bed until you can barely tell which way is up. “Oh, gonna fill this pretty body with cum, ruin ya. Love fuckin’ my little fangirl slut.” And Atsumu grips your hips hard, pulling you back down on his cock until he gets sloppy. “Gonna- cum.” You can just open your eyes to watch the way he bites his lip and groans, his cheeks flushed pink and pretty eyes narrowed. You’re so shaky, but he hammers his cock into that spot again and again and again until his body clenches.

“Th— ohh, fuck, fuck, that’s— Ughh. Yer mine, mine, my whore. My virgin cunt ta fuck full of me.” Until he spills hot ropes of cum into your unused hole, filling you with heat. He pumps you full of cum until he can’t give anymore, before slowly pulling out with a groan of your name. He slumps down beside you with a huff, and lets his arm drop over your body. You can barely keep your eyes open as he pulls you on top of him and brushes your hair behind your ears, then cups your face and kisses you long and hard. “Y’ were so good for me, baby. Lets do that again.”

#atsumu x reader #haikyuu x reader #miya atsumu #atsumu smut #haikyuu smut #hq smut #hq x reader #tw.manipulation #tw.degradation #tw.dark content #🍯honey.pot #💫ch.atsumu

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to-the-stars8 · 2 months

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Warnings: Mention of suicidal thoughts

So, anyone who wants to hear it, here’s how I think the story of Batman and all of his Robins should have gone in terms of just writing it like it was story. Mind you, most of the basic elements of the Robin's backstory are gonna obviously be in here, just fyi if you just see things that you already know. I am would love to hear what you guys think, too!

Now, quick disclaimer, I’m just going to go with the four main robins only because I know them best— other robins such as Carrie Kelley or Stephanie Brown I’m not as familiar with. I hope to one day to also extend this to other sidekick/people Batman works with, but that’ll be a separate post. Anyway, one more warning; this will be long.

Starting off with the death of Dick Grayson’s parents. Bruce sees them die, and instantly makes the connection between himself and newly orphaned Dick Grayson. It's one of the main reasons why Bruce takes him in. After all, he was once a boy so riddled by trauma and pain that he thought (at least in the beginning of being Batman) that violence and vengeance was the only answer. So, when Bruce adopts Dick, he doesn't want him to go down the same path. This is where I want to the conflict between Bruce trying to be not only a better person for Dick, but to also attempt to hold onto the feelings that drive his vengeance. Because, the way I would write it, Bruce is still pretty new at being Batman, he hasn't yet realized his "mission" isn't just getting his revenge on Gotham's criminals—It's creating a better life for the people there so they, too, wouldn't have to go through what he did. Though, another small disclaimer, I'll admit that I am missing a few pieces there.

Back to the main topic, if I lose you at all blame the ADHD, so Dick comes to Wayne Manor where he's angry at the world for what happened to his parents. Bruce, who is probably in his mid-twenties at this point, has no clue how to be a parent. He doesn't want to overstep his boundaries with Dick, but the boy is increasingly becoming angrier and angrier. The idea of Dick becoming anything like Bruce, in terms of being Batman, doesn't cross his mind because, unlike some DC writers, I don't think Bruce was actively looking for child soldiers.

Anyway, there is already the underlying push and pull factor between the two, which I think will probably define the rest of their relationship. And, like mentioned before, this is where I would want Bruce to try to be a better Batman, relying not on violence because he can see how it's affects others.

To further explain in a round-a-bout way, young Dick and Bruce are essentially mirrors of each other. And, I don't think Bruce entirely approves of how he, meaning Bruce himself, acts. Hence, why he begins to change Batman from a vengeful, violent vigilante (say that five times fast) to a hopeful knight of Gotham. Dick is his driving force of change, as well as the other Robins. So, when Bruce finally realized that Dick won't simply stand by and be the little boy that he should be—He gives him a chance to be something better than Batman. To begin his career as a vigilante as a hero with hope rather than rage. He's reluctant to do it, because he loves Dick. (Granted, Dick Grayson's Robin is absolutely filled with rage, but, in my story, Bruce is trying to lead from example)

And, just to move through the rest of it quickly so this isn't the same word count as the fucking constitution, as Dick grows so does Bruce. Batman is hopeful, and Bruce is gaining a family. Granted, it's small, but it's there. Along the way, he makes friends. Dick is the reason for this, though some credit can be given to Bruce himself. Despite being angry, Dick will always be outgoing, it's one of the best traits his parents passed onto him—And, he passes that along to Bruce. He begins to learn how a family functions, even if it's a hint of it. he is starting to realize there is more beyond the mask.

So, when the relationship between them starts to break down I would want to see that opposite reaction in the other relationships around Bruce. Because, before Dick, it was isolation, facade, anger, and Batman. Now, when he leaves, it's just that again.

I want to see this internal struggle between Dick letting Bruce be his father and letting him be his partner. Because, despite being similar, one holds more resent than the other. Dick can't stand that Bruce is trying to parent him because he had family, and now they were gone. He doesn't want to have a replacement family nor does he want to lose it again. With Batman, there comes the difference between ideologies. As Bruce strays away from untethered violence into something a bit more calmer, Dick is still filled with that same anger, causing a clash.

Eventually, it hits a breaking point when Bruce takes away the one thing that Dick himself created, the rope in their game of tug of war breaks. Dick leaves, Bruce isolates, and it seems that Gotham once again dissolves back to how it used to be.

Then, Bruce meets Jason. And, it's not like with Dick. It's different. Jason wasn't filled with anger or lost hope, he was a happy, hopeful kid. He wanted to be a kid, and Robin just happened to be a good fit for him, too. So, this is really when Bruce becomes Bruce not Batman. Bruce had gotten the taste of that with Dick, but Batman always seemed to have some tug in their relationship. At this point, I want to see Bruce realize just how much that affected his relationship with Dick and feel the remorse over that. I would want to see Bruce reach out to his eldest son, and be rejected because Dick is still wounded. In fact, Dick himself, despite legally being an adult, is a kid. He's hurt over Bruce essentially replacing, in his eyes, and finding a "better" son. This drives in harder the idea of Bruce wanting to not stop being Batman, but put more of an effort of just being Dad/Bruce. Again, Bruce is learning.

Back to Jason. Jason, in this story, would be one of the first Robins to really experience Bruce as a father. And, that turns the relationship of Batman and Robin less into a partnership and more into a father-son duo without one trying to control the other as much. Yet, there's still the distinction of just how different Jason is compared to Dick and Bruce. Jason never had a family, not a stable one at least, nor did he grow up financially stable. Jason was essentially the average poor Gotham kid, which did kick up a lot of backlash between the two. Yet, nothing too serious. In fact, I feel like Bruce would probably start being a lot more lenient with Jason at the beginning with just how easy he was as not just a sidekick but as a son.

And this is what I believe would lead to Jason leaning more into his violent tendencies compared to Dick. Now, before the torches do light, hear me out. I do not think Jason is an outwardly or inherently a violent kid. I think with the innate sense of justice Bruce would instill all of his Robins combined with being exposed to violence socially and now personally, it would lead to Jason seeing some flaws in Batman's logic. He might sense that since one person continuously abuses the system and gets away with hurting/murdering people that it might be better to eliminate the problem all together. This idea growing on Jason would lead to the death of Felipe, causing a huge and sudden rift between the two. Ultimately leading to Jason being kidnapped, tortured and killed all in pursuit of finding someone who might accept him despite Bruce never having rejected for what he did.

Eventually, after Jason died Bruce is in this hole of regret, remorse, and overall probably a bit suicidal. Afterall, he lost his son and feels like because he let Robin be that it caused Jason's death. So, when Dick re-enters the picture with Tim Drake, a boy finding and wanting to be Robin, I can see Bruce absolutely lashing out in grieving anger. Because, again being Robin had killed his son and he would be damned if that happened again. Yet, Tim being Tim was determined to show Bruce that it wasn't him or Robin that killed Jason—It was a mad man and a woman who deceived her son. Kind of playing into the idea it's not Robin who makes the boy, it's the boy who makes Robin. Not only that, but Tim is adamant that he will be Robin to not only prove this but also to show that Robin and Batman are two sides of the same coin. Ultimately, reverting back to Batman and Robin being a partnership instead of that father-son duo. At least, at first.

Bruce is protective of Tim, but there is definitely the drift in their relationship. Because, as we all know Tim's story, he still had parents when he became Robin so there was no need to fill that son position, for the lack of a better term, Jason had left behind. So, in a sense, I can see this relationship between the two starting off more like a boss and worker. Yet, as they continue to work together, Bruce would probably learn that Tim is making Robin, not the other way around. At this point, also, I can see Dick be more involved and bridge that gap with his father after seeing just how deeply he cares for his children.

Then, Tim's parents are murdered and I think the guilt would come back to Bruce, albeit a bit less extreme. He would feel responsible for putting this child in this situation and want to take him out of that. Yet, Tim is pushing against not only as a partner but as a potential son that which would definitely affect their relationship. This is why I personally would think that Tim and Bruce's relationship would be the most strained out of all of the Robins, though the two do share a deep connection it's just not as serious, again lack of a good term, as the other's.

Because I'm slowly getting more tired, I am going to try my best to get through Damian's. Again, guys, feel free to ask questions because this is just surface level stuff. If anyone makes it to this point, anyway or even reads this lol.

Alright, so just jumping into Damian, I think Bruce would treat Damian as he would have Jason. Unlike all the other Robins there's already a establish connection between the two before they even meet. I mean, Damian is literally his bio son and Damian is told that all throughout his life, so it would be a more of a one-sided connection at first then it grow on Bruce. Damian doesn't need training unlike all of his other predecessor's, the boy's already pre-programmed with skill. The major issue would be honing in on the assassination part of Damian and essentially Bruce's trauma from his other children.

So, right from the gate, I think Bruce would try to be a father to his Damian rather just Batman. And, I think Damian, at first, would not respond well to that. For his whole life, it's just been fight or die, nothing in-between. I think it would be interesting to see Bruce fall back into being a father, which, at this point, he already would have been since Dick returned and Tim and him slowly got closer. I think Bruce would be tougher on Damian simply because of how worried he would be for his safety and well-being. Bruce knows the League of Assassins and how it is absolutely no place for a young boy. So, Bruce would try to create normalcy like he did with Jason, but also be tough like he was on Dick. Overall, I think there's the same push and pull with them like with Bruce and Dick, but not to the extent as it was. After all, I would like to think at this point, Alfred convinced Bruce to go to therapy. Though, it can be said the two would also share a close personal relationship like Jason and Bruce.

I would go on, but, right now, I have a huge headache, so might edit later.

That's pretty much it guys. I know there might be some contradictions in this, but, to be fairly honest, this is just a streamline of thought. I think I read over this once, so any inconsistencies are just left. Please ignore. Or point out. It's pretty much either or. Again, I would love to know what you guys think. Hope you enjoyed this rant. I am going to bed now. ❤️❤️❤️

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sugoi-and-spice · 2 months

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Ask of me debauchery....

...and you shall fucking receive.

Step by Step: A Gecko’s Guide to Becoming a Really Bad Person

Part One

Rating: Explicit - Minors DNI!!!

Summary: In which, Bully!Reader manipulates Step-Bro!Spinner sexually in increasingly demeaning ways. And eventually, he asks his good ol’ pal Tomura Shigaraki for help.

CW: Step-brother, Dub-Con, Blackmail, Bullying, Mean Reader, Male Masturbation, Oral Sex, Spinner has two dicks, Step-cest, Monster-fucking, AU - No League of Villains

A/N: I predict people are gonna be maaaaaad about this one and I'm all for it lol

Like my work? Please consider commissioning me or contributing to my Ko-Fi!

Read Full Chapter on AO3

[excerpt]

Her step-brother, Shuichi Iguchi, was a fucking loser. She knew it from the moment she saw him. And not in a prejudiced way or anything, it wasn’t because he was a heteromorph. After all, she has plenty of heteromorph friends (none quite as extreme as him, but still!)

No, it was all the other things she noticed about him when he walked into the family restaurant with his Dad the first day they met. The way he carried himself, slouching and fidgeting endlessly, unable to decide if he should cross his arms, put them in his pockets, or keep them at his side. The way he dressed, a ridiculously faded crewneck, baggy cargo pants, and a freebie League of Legends snapback that only served to further curtain his greasy long hair in his face. When she actually managed to grab a glimpse of his eyes through the locks, it was only for a second, and they were constantly shifting, dropping, unspeakably nervous.

Even in a casual setting, he looked completely out of place. He practically jumped anytime anyone asked him the most basic of questions like “how’s school”, “what do you want to drink”, “can you pass the soy sauce”. It was like he’d just been dragged out of his bedroom for the first time in five years — and she wouldn’t have been surprised if that was the case.

She also wouldn’t have been surprised if this was the first time he’d ever been this close to a girl before, as he always looked especially panicked anytime he realized she was glancing at him, so she didn’t even really bother trying to talk to him that night, focussing instead on getting to know he future step-father — who seemed like an overall decent guy.

At the very least, Iguchi seemed to understand his status well. When she entered high school — the same one as him — he didn’t try to walk with her to or from school, didn’t try and talk to her, basically pretended like they didn’t even know each other, which she appreciated. She would’ve hated to have to be a bitch and tell him to get lost in front of all her new high school friends and potentially be reprimanded by her Mom to prove a point (of course, she would’ve if she had to).

Yes, her new step-brother was a fucking loser, someone she wouldn’t be caught dead talking to, let alone spending any meaningful time with in public.

And yet somehow, she was completely infatuated with him.

She loved the way his skin looked, the different viridescent shades it took on depending on what angle or lighting she saw it in. She loved even more the way it felt, the times when his hands brushed against hers when he handed her a bowl or she bumped shoulders with him, cool and impossibly smooth with a texture so different from her own. She’d wanted to run her hand across every inch of it, to feel every difference. Just imagining it pressing and rubbing all across her own body had her gasping into her pillow for hours.

She didn’t know how the fuck it happened. It would’ve been great if she did, because maybe she could make it unhappen then. But nope, the harder she tried to understand it, the further away the answer seemed to get.

Maybe it was because he was so different from her or anyone else she would ever actually consider dating. Had their parents not gotten married, she never would’ve let herself give Iguchi the time of day. But within the walls of this family home, she was able to enjoy and explore him to her heart’s content. She was inquisitive by nature. Her friends called it sadistic, but she saw it as just wanting to see how far she could take things. And the desire to do so to Shuichi Iguchi was no different. He was so sweet and so shy, so eager to please or be invisible to everyone around him.

She wanted to see where that ended, what exact buttons she could press to get him to actually snap at her.

It started with little things at first, innocent things. Asking him to do her chores, her homework, even her shopping, yet he could never say no to her. Not even when she asked him to go buy her a set of lacy lingerie she was wanting. He actually fucking did it — handing the little pink boutique bag out to her without looking her in the eye, his skin flushed all the way down to his neck. Oh, she knew then that he was going to be fun .

That with him, she could really get… creative.

Flirting with him shamelessly, hanging out on his bed in nothing but a pair of panties and a tank top she’d stolen from him while he played video games, throwing her legs over his lap during family movie nights, pretending she didn’t notice how warm and fidgety it made him while she continued to move her calves back and forth across his crotch.

There came a point when she thought that maybe the guy was just unbreakable, that he really didn’t have a single impure thought about her in his head and that this wasn’t a game, but just an infuriating (not to mention insulting ) exercise in futility.

But then, late one night, through the thin wall they shared, she heard it. The sound of flesh against flesh, muffled grunts.

Her name, breathy but distinctive, on his tongue.

Shuichi Iguchi, her dear, perfectly behaved, and endlessly timid older step-brother, was in his bed, jacking off.

Imagining her .

And it wasn’t a one time incident either. She listened closely in the following days, and discovered that it was a nightly occurrence, that she was a nightly occurrence to him. And it wasn’t long before she joined him in his fantasizing, spending night after night pressed as close into the wall as she could get, imagining that that stupid piece of plaster dividing their beds was gone, as she fingered herself to sleep.

It should’ve gotten easier after that, she should’ve been able to extend her patience knowing that it was an actual possibility now. But if anything, it made the burn within her even worse, knowing that it was so close yet so far out of reach. She didn’t just want this, she fucking needed this. But it’s not like she could let him know that. She couldn’t let him think that she wanted it, that she wanted him . She needed it to seem like mercy.

She needed to have the upperhand.

So, she started setting traps. Things she could use against him, to get him into the palm of her hand, a place where he didn’t say no just because he didn’t want to say no, but so that he couldn’t say no. She asked him to get things from her room and left sex toys out, wore skimpier and skimpier outfits that she could catch him staring at her in, left her phone out so that he could read her lewd messages to other boys at school.

Yet still, nothing.

Iguchi didn’t step a single clawed toe out of line outside of the four walls of his bedroom. He was the perfectly polite older brother that she knew and hated to love.

It wasn’t until she wasn’t even trying to trap him that he finally took the bait.

Continue on AO3

#shuichi iguchi #shuichi iguchi x reader #iguchi shuichi x reader #iguchi shuichi #smut #mha #my hero academia #bnha #boku no hero academia #cw dubcon #cw stepcest #cw bullying #darkfic #mha x reader #bnha x reader #my hero academia x reader #cw monsterfucking

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racefortheironthrone · 4 months

Note

Do you think Charles Xavier is a good person? Or, if not, how close to the mark does he consistently land?

"In judging a man like Gandhi one seems instinctively to apply high standards, so that some of his virtues have passed almost unnoticed."

"...Moreover, if one is to love God, or to love humanity as a whole, one cannot give one’s preference to any individual person. This again is true, and it marks the point at which the humanistic and the religious attitude cease to be reconcilable. To an ordinary human being, love means nothing if it does not mean loving some people more than others."

("Reflections on Gandhi," George Orwell)

I've talked about this here and here, but yes, I think in order for Charles Xavier to work as a character he has to be a good person. I would argue that the Charles Xavier of the Silver and Bronze Ages was always a deeply flawed man, prone to manipulation and deception and overriding people's free will in the name of the "greater good." Later writers, in their efforts to write their own stories that seek to make Xavier even more complicated, have had a cumulative effect that eventually becomes overpowering - to the point where the complications are all that's left. As I've said before:

"In recent decades (certainly since Brubaker’s Deadly Genesis, although I would argue you see signs of it in Morrison’s New X-Men), there’s been a tendency to deal with this issue by giving Xavier such increasingly large feet of clay that it’s become an active hindrance to how the character is supposed to function within the story and vis-a-vis the audience. I would argue this created a great deal of unnecessary tension in the fandom come HOXPOX, where a significant part of the fandom was convinced that Xavier was mind-controlling characters who were supposed to have had a sincere change of mind, because if Xavier was involved, whatever he was involved with had to be bad or dangerous."

This becomes a problem of audience buy-in when you try to write stories in which Charles Xavier is supposed to be on the side of the angels, because now you have to overcome decades of the readers being conditioned to the opposite before you can get them to engage with the story on its face.

To Morrison and many of those who came after him, the answer is that Xavier is simply an exhausted concept that needs to be pushed aside, so that the franchise can be led by new characters with new ideas. With all the best will in the world, this was tried repeatedly, and it failed. First, it was "killing" Xavier so that he could be replaced by Cyclops as the new leader of mutantkind on Utopia - only for Cyclops to basically do the same shit he was pissed at Xavier for having done; then in the Carey run we had Xavier's amnesia, the reconstruction of his mind by Exodus, and the retcon of his childhood connections with Mr. Sinister so that he was alive but totally distrusted; then in Avengers vs. X Men, Cyclops killed him; then in 2018 there was the whole mystery about whether his soul on the Astral Plane been swapped with or merged with the Shadow King.

After a decade of attempts to push Xavier out of the franchise, they finally gave up, in part because I think they ultimately realized that Charles Xavier is a load-bearing character for the franchise. Even just as a foil, he's too important to the themes and character dynamics, and if you try to replace him you usually end up just replicating him inside another character.

To my mind, the most successful writers to deal with Charles Xavier in recent years have been those, like Jonathan Hickman and Kieron Gillen, who have managed to lean into the idea (expressed in those Orwell quotes above) that what makes Xavier interesting and complex is precisely that he is a good man. Out of his universal love for all, he will turn the individuals he loves into pawns to be sacrificed for the cause; in order to achieve an outcome of a better world for mutants and humans, he will violate any procedural ethic; to save billions, he will trample over the free will of hundreds of thousands.

And that is precisely what ORCHIS weaponized against him to bring down Krakoa.

#xmen #xmen meta #professor x #charles xavier

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definitelynotafurinasimp · 2 years

Text

Them reacting to their usually stoic s/o hugging them

Characters: Mona/Kokomi/Beidou x gn!reader (separate)

Warnings: none, just fluff

a/n: I haven't written Mona and Beidou in what felt like a century, so if I got some parts of their characters wrong, I'm really sorry.

Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Mona

It was fair to say that Mona hadn’t expected you to suddenly throw your arms around her and pulling her close to you. Sure, she may have been the one always telling you how showing a few more emotions from time to time would help you when it came to conveying your intentions and feelings to other people, but that didn’t stop her from freezing up the moment you pressed her head against your chest.

“W-What are you doing?!”, the Astrologer angrily demanded to know as she tried her best to free herself from your grasp, causing your grip on her to grow stronger and eventually making her stop struggling. And as silence filled the room, Mona felt her face grow red with embarrassment, as she begrudgingly admitted to herself that being held by you like this wasn’t that bad.

“I’m hugging you”, you eventually stated matter-of-factly, your calm voice not revealing any hint of shame.

Were you stupid enough to not realise that it was a rhetorical question or were you just messing with her? Mona couldn’t tell, and she honestly wasn’t too sure which possibility bugged her more.

“That’s- I know that you are, but why?”, she asked, trying her best to somewhat keep her composure, even if it got increasingly more difficult with each passing moment.

“You are asking why? Weren’t you the one telling me to show a bit more emotions from time to time?”, you countered her question with one of your own.

“Yeah, but that didn’t mean- I didn’t-”, Mona tried to find the right way to respond, only to eventually let out a sigh and finally relax.

“Is something the matter?”, you eventually asked, slightly pulling back to look at Mona’s red face, only for her to hide it in your chest before shaking her head.

“No, it’s fine.”

Kokomi

While Kokomi couldn’t help but be surprised, when you embraced her the moment you saw how exhausted she looked, that didn’t mean that she didn’t like it, quickly melting into it. Don’t get her wrong, she still loved your usual stoic behaviour, since just being in the same room as you instantly helped her calm down, no matter how stressed she felt before, your calm attitude rubbing off on her, but being hugged by the person she loved after a long day of work was about the best way to make her day better.

“Is something the matter?”, Kokomi surprisingly managed to form a coherent sentence. While she was known for writing pages upon pages, telling her subordinates to do in any possible case, even the master-strategist hadn’t expected you to hug her.

“You looked like you needed a hug”, you responded, instantly causing a tired smile to make its way onto the divine priestess’ face. Only for it to vanish the moment you slightly pulled back. “Or was I wrong to assume that?”, you asked in an uncertain voice, causing her to not waste a second to answer with a resounding “no” before quickly leaning against you once again, wanting to enjoy the hug while it lasted.

And while neither of you had a problem with remaining in your current position, before long, you realised, that Kokomi began leaning against you more and more, causing you to suspect that her exhaustion might have caught up with her and she was starting to fall asleep.

“You should go to bed. I doubt falling asleep like this would be a good idea.”

Your suggestion, no matter how logical it appeared to be in your mind, quickly got shot down by the divine priestess, as once again shook her head. “No, no. It’s fine, I’m simply taking a small rest…”, she tried assuring you, only for her voice to grow weaker and weaker with each word, until by the time she had finished her sentence, she had already fallen asleep. Leaving you to try and somehow bring her to bed without waking her up.

Beidou

You always were the first one to greet her whenever the Crux returned to Liyue harbour, and while your actions weren’t the most expressive in the whole of Teyvat, Beidou’s one eye was enough for her to see that you were happy to have her back, even if others didn’t pick up the signs.

So, when she returned from a voyage that lasted much longer than anticipated, only to see you approach her the moment she had solid ground under her feet again, she fully knew you were once again going to greet her, what she didn’t expect though, was that you’d hug her the moment she was in reach.

“Oh wow, someone seemed to have missed me a lot”, she jokingly teased before quickly returning the hug, having recovered from the shock of your uncharacteristic action much faster than even she expected.

“I did. You were gone for much longer than usual”, you stated calmly, only for the captain to shoot you an apologetic smile.

“I can perfectly control my crew and fleet, but unfortunately not even I managed to gain control over the oceans yet”, she responded before a sudden idea flashed inside her mind, causing her to pull back just enough to make eye contact with you. “Hey, how about you join us for a few drinks? We have more than enough stories about our voyage to tell”, Beidou suggested, only to smile when you gave her a small nod.

But before you had the chance to pull away, Beidou’s grip grew stronger as she lifted you, not much, but still enough to stop the tips of your toes from touching the ground, hoping to get a surprised reaction out of you. But if you were surprised, you did an excellent job at hiding it, since the only look she got out of you was your usual calm one, nevertheless, she began carrying you into the direction of her crew’s made up meeting place, not intending to let you leave until you heard all of their new stories.

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teaberrii · 8 months

Text

Chapter 20: The Road to Recovery

You've been Cupid for as long as you can remember. You've brought countless soulmates together, yet you've never found love.

When you're assigned to bring two childhood friends back together, it should be simple until you unexpectedly catch feelings for the mysterious and cold Ph.D. student, Dan Heng, the man with a soulmate… the man with answers to your past.

Dan Heng/You

Notes:

Cross-posted on Ao3

Female reader

Chapter index at the end of chapter one

You and two other maids were helping Jing Yuan’s wife with her makeup and attire for an important event with the South. One of the maids was fixing the robes when she brought up the suspicious situation of the king.

“I heard he’s getting worse by the day.”

“Yes… Even I haven’t been able to see him,” Jing Yuan’s wife said, looking off to the side. “It’s strange how no one has been able to pinpoint what happened to him.”

A soft sigh. “Master Luocha has been working around the clock. I saw him just a few hours ago… He looked exhausted.”

One month had passed since you cursed your father. Within the first two weeks, rumours were already running rampant about the king’s strange behaviour. He was cranky, easily irritated, and getting increasingly violent. While some had said that he was having a bad week or a bad day, it wasn’t until someone reported seeing a strange pigment on the king’s skin. Another had said he saw his eyes become cloudy.

Doctors and physicians were brought in, but none could determine what was causing the king’s strange behaviour, including Luocha. When the king harassed one of them, that was when they confined him to his quarters. Only specific people were allowed to see him. However, there were already stories of some coming in… but never coming out.

You were applying the finishing touches of makeup when Jing Yuan’s wife suddenly looked at you. “You’re awfully quiet.” You spared her a glance but said nothing. “Are you not curious?”

"I'd rather not entertain myself with those stories," you said, turning around and putting the brush on the vanity table. " The lack of transparency has everyone frightened. I want to keep my sanity.”

"Don’t tell me you know what’s happening.”

The door slid open, and one of the guards said, “It’s almost time.”

You stepped aside, allowing Jing Yuan’s wife to see the new look in the mirror. Then, one of the maids stepped out, but the other one said, “Oh, I’m just about finished. Please give me just a few more minutes!”

You smiled at Jing Yuan’s wife. “Well, if you’ll excuse me…”

Before you walked out, you glanced at the maid and quietly snapped your fingers. Her lips formed a neat line and her eyes were suddenly devoid of any emotion. It was like you flipped a switch, turning her into a puppet for the short amount of time the spell was active. Earlier in the day, you’d met the maid in private and used magic on her to help you with your operations.

Ever since you caught Jing Yuan and his wife together that night, she hadn’t been too fond of you. You kept your distance, careful not to stir up drama, and that helped ease the tension. However, it wasn’t until you learned about her extensive knowledge of magic that you felt you needed to take action. Thanks to Luocha, it was only recently that other experts started to take her seriously. However, this was where it ended. You had to stop them from finding out more.

It didn’t take long to discover that this maid was one of her favourites, the easiest person who could get close to her without arousing suspicion.

You slid the door open, stepped out, and shut it behind you. There was no one around.

“...This won’t hurt,” you heard the maid say. “Please trust me.”

“Wha—What are you—”

You heard something topple over, and then everything went quiet.

Your eyes open, and you hear the faint ticking of the clock hanging on your bedroom wall. Another dream. Another flashback. You never thought you would brainwash someone to do your dirty work for you.

“Can’t sleep?”

You almost jump at the unexpected voice. You quickly reach over and turn on the light. When you see Lan, you ask, “Did you want to give me a heart attack? What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see if you were awake.”

“Gosh, that doesn’t sound creepy at all,” you deadpan.

Lan sits on a nearby chair and says, “I’ll knock next time. How’s that?”

“Nanook’s rubbing off on you.”

“The two of us came to an interesting theory, actually.” Lan’s eyes meet yours. “It’s about Young’s mother.”

“Is it more shocking than her also being Jing Yuan’s mother? I don’t think anything can top that.”

“Well, you might be surprised.”

You sigh. “Okay, I'm prepared. Shoot.”

“We’re assuming Jing Yuan knew about concealment spells. It’s likely he used them on his horns instead of cutting them off when he got older.” Your eyes widen, and Lan subtly nods. “It’s because he knew about them that he discovered how to use them on a larger scale… to conceal Young’s execution.”

“...But, he couldn’t have done it without help.”

“It seems like you know something about how concealment spells work.”

“Pom and I talked about it,” you said. “Way back then… he said that Young’s kind had magic in his blood that could make a spell more effective… The older you are, the better the results, essentially.”

“That’s right. The only person who could’ve helped him is his mother.”

You lean the side of your head against the wall. “I’m assuming she abandoned Jing Yuan… So why help him?”

“We believe he tricked her into thinking it was someone else’s execution.” Lan pauses. “...Your execution.” Your expression hardens, and at your silence, he asks, “Do I need to explain why?”

“...No. I see how that’s possible.” You glance down, and Lan can see the gears turning in your head. “She probably knew about Young and me. I don't know how, but it's the only explanation. And... Jing Yuan’s father must be human. Maybe she didn’t want whatever happened with her to happen to Young.”

“That’s no excuse to try to kill you, though.”

You give Lan a little smile. “Gosh, I never thought I’d see the day you’d stick up for me.”

Lan shrugs. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“We've come a long way, I suppose,” you say. “But, I never thought this is how we’d bond.” He chuckles. “Anyway, I… I don’t remember Young’s mother trying to kill me. Not now, at least. But… I’ve been remembering how I cursed everyone. My father. Jing Yuan’s wife. The next victim must be Young’s mother.”

Lan sees your hands fiddling with each other with a slightly nervous look. “...If it’ll make you feel better, Dan Heng’s awake.”

“How do you know?”

“Because before coming here, I talked with him.” Lan looks at your phone. “...He’s worried about you.”

“I have to say I’m surprised,” Lan said, looking at Dan Heng. “Even after finding out she cursed your mother, you simply trusted that she wasn’t a bad person. To be frank, some people would call that dumb.”

“...I’m surprised myself.” Dan Heng looked ahead. “It was a feeling.”

“A feeling?”

“I felt like I could trust her. If you ask me why, I… can’t give a reason. But, I didn't want to judge her without knowing what happened."

“Still, it sounded like it bothered you. Was that why you asked me if your feelings were because of Young?”

“I went through a rough time because of what happened to my mother. Logically, if she was the one who cursed her, I should be angry at her.”

“...You were confused why you weren’t.”

Dan Heng’s silence gave Lan his answer.

“Whatever happens now, I just don’t want her to be alone.”

Lan looked down and slightly smiled. “Well, Lover Boy, she also has us.”

Dan Heng raised a brow and said, “Lover Boy?" He smiled slightly. "Nanook’s rubbing off on you.”

“Hey…” You’ve just taken your phone off the nightstand when Lan makes you look up. “Have you ever thought about what will happen after you get your memories back?”

“Why do you ask?”

“...Do you know someone named Sampo?”

There’s a short silence as you mull over the name.

Suddenly, you hear a male voice. While you can’t understand what the voice is saying at first, you gradually realize that it’s your name. A sudden migraine forces your eyes closed, and then you see a silhouette in your mind. You assume is a man based on his larger build. He walks towards you, but the upper half of his face remains in shadow. He smiles, and his lips start moving. Yet, you can’t hear what he’s saying until…

“...known as Cupid.”

Your eyes open, and you look at Lan.

“Did you remember something?” he asks.

“The name doesn’t sound familiar, but I saw someone… A man.” There’s a slight pause before you say, “Does he have something to do with all of this?”

That’s what Lan is hoping to find out.

“He’s a mercenary of death who takes up odd jobs about anything that relates to the afterlife.”

“If that’s true, I hope he doesn’t have anything to do with me,” you say quietly.

“Get some rest. Sorry. I shouldn’t have brought him up in the middle of all this." Before you can say anything, Lan says, "Oh, and... perhaps you and Dan Heng should pay Jing Yuan a visit. He wants to apologize."

And then Lan disappears.

At Dan Heng’s apartment, Dan Heng returns to his room with a cup of tea when he hears his phone buzz with a message. He puts his half-finished tea on the table and picks up his phone.

Cupid: ≧◡≦ Hi. Are you awake?

Dan Heng smiles.

You’re lying on your side with your phone when you see Dan Heng’s message: How did you know I was thinking about you?

Eventually, you and Dan Heng end up on the phone.

“...So, Jing Yuan’s fianceé was your second victim.”

You nod. “Going by the timeline… Young’s mother should be next.” Then, you tell him about your assumption that Young’s mother knew about the relationship between you and Young.

“It’s possible. That… would make sense based on what I saw.”

Young and his mother were spending the day together. It was she who had suggested it, but Young had the strangest feeling that it wasn’t just because she missed him.

“I heard that you’ve been sneaking away from the palace. Is there a reason why?”

Whoever it was that tattled must be paying close attention to him. Young thought he had been careful, but apparently someone had been keeping their eye on him.

Young was walking slightly ahead of his mother when he said, “I’ve been practicing magic.”

“In the forest?”

Young looked over his shoulder. “The spells that I’ve been practicing require such an environment.” He had a feeling that his mother didn’t believe him, but he didn’t bother explaining further.

When he and his mother reached a part of the forest, she suddenly grabbed his arm. "Let's turn back." Young didn't understand why until he saw what his mother saw. An unconscious girl was lying underneath a large tree. When Young took a step closer, his mother tightened her grip on his arm. "What are you doing?"

“She might need help,” Young said as if it were obvious.

“She’s human," his mother answered as if the race was a disease. "They can take care of their own kind.”

Thunder rumbled in the distance. “It’s going to rain, Mother. She’s—”

A groan. A short cry for help. Young turned and saw that the girl was looking at him, a desperate look in her eyes.

“Help…”

But Young was stopped again by his mother.

“Stelle!”

A faint voice caught Young and his mother off guard.

“We're leaving," his mother said sternly. "Now."

Young shrugged off his mother's grip. Suddenly, he vanished and appeared in front of the woman. Young got on a knee and muttered something under his breath. Then, he waved a hand over the injured girl and gave her a small smile. “They’ll find you. I promise.”

You almost forgot about Stelle.

“...Stelle?”

Dan Heng briefly closes his eyes. "Has Young ever mentioned her?"

"Not that I remember." However, you're sure of one thing. “I trust that Young wouldn't hurt her, though. No matter how much hostility his mother had towards humans… he wouldn’t do that.”

Is it strange that Dan Heng doesn’t know how to feel? It sounds like you’re talking about another man with such confidence. He quickly shakes the thought away.

“Anyway, his mother had an obvious hostility towards humans,” Dan Heng says.

“...Yet, she supposedly fell in love with a human and had Jing Yuan.”

“It seems like he's the only one who can provide answers.”

You sigh. “Looks like it. Guess we’ll probably have to pay him a visit. Lan said he wanted to apologize... but I guess we'll see when we get there."

A short silence later, Dan Heng says, “...Hey.”

“Hm?”

“...Enough about Young and Jing Yuan. Let’s talk about something else.”

You chuckle. “Um, you aren’t going to pull a cliché on me and say us, right?”

“Does the group vacation count? Gepard found a hot spring hotel in the mountains. March already cast her vote for that.”

“Oh, boy, I know Pom would like that, too.” Then, thinking out loud, you say, “I don’t have a bathing suit, though…” A short pause. “Wanna come with me to buy one?”

“Me?”

You almost smile at the brief fluster in his tone.

“Of course. Who else? Unless… you don’t want to. Then, I’ll ask March—”

“Let’s go.”

“Better not back out last minute,” you joke.

Not in a million years.

◆◆◆

Over the next few weeks, Jing Yuan noticed that his wife was not herself. She was always in a sour mood, and she was eating a lot more. The strange thing was that it didn’t look like she was gaining weight. Rather, she was getting thinner. But what made him suspicious was that his wife seemed to be missing a part of her memory. She could only remember she was attacked by one of the maids she had trusted. But with what? She had no idea.

“How could you not remember?” Jing Yuan asked.

The maid who had attacked his wife was on her knees and hands. She was bowing so deeply that her forehead was touching the floor.

“I-I know it sounds absurd, but please believe me. I… I really don’t know what came over me.” She looked at him with tears in her eyes. “I would never harm her.”

Could he trust her? She looked genuinely distressed, but it might be an act. However, Jing Yuan couldn’t think of a reason why she would harm his wife unless…

“...Black magic.” Luocha, standing beside Jing Yuan, had beat him to it. “But, whoever did this, they must be very experienced.”

Jing Yuan could think of a few people who might want to harm his wife to get to him. However, he was certain they didn’t know about magic as much as him. Truth be told, he couldn’t think of anyone who would have more knowledge about magic than he and Lucoha. Jing Yuan shot the doctor a look.

As if knowing what he was thinking, Luocha looked at the maid and said, “I’d like to run a few tests, if you don’t mind.”

"T-Tests?"

“You were cursed with something… I’d like to see if I can find out what it is or even get access to your missing memories.”

The maid nervously nodded. “Anything to prove my innocence!”

“You can leave,” Jing Yuan said.

The maid bowed, and soon she was out the door.

Luocha glanced at the general. “Don’t tell me you think I did it.”

“It crossed my mind,” Jing Yuan said, not looking at him.

Luocha sighed. “I would gain nothing from cursing your wife. I would’ve stopped at my father.”

“Figures.” Jing Yuan crossed one leg over the other. “I guess that would've been too easy.”

“...There’s one person who I can think of who would have a motive to kill my father and your wife.”

“It can’t be her,” Jing Yuan said.

“You killed Young in front of her,” Luocha said. "My sister would want to make you suffer."

“...She's gone.”

“But you don’t know where. She could be anywhere.”

After a deafening pause, Jing Yuan asked, “How is your father, by the way? The rumours are starting to spiral out of control.”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

"You said my wife's symptoms are starting to look similar to your father's. If my wife is to follow in his footsteps, I want to know no matter how bad it is.”

“The king is now dead… but he’s alive.”

Jing Yuan curses under his breath as he struggles to get up. His past memories are like nightmares, playing like a movie inside his mind. Getting bits and pieces at at time... it's starting to drive him a little crazy. He reaches over, despite the pain, and picks up his phone. After a few rings, the call finally goes through.

“Should I be flattered that you called?”

“Sounds like you haven’t lost your mind,” Jing Yuan answers. “I dreamt about you.”

“Gosh,” Lucha deadpans. “I hope it was PG-13.”

“My wife was cursed after your father.” Jing Yuan looks up at the ceiling. “By then, it sounds like you had some kind of idea of what The Withering did back then.”

"Well, I wish I could enlighten myself then."

Jing Yuan sighs loudly. “This is starting to kill me.”

“You’re the one to talk.” Luocha scoffs quietly. After a small pause, the doctor asks, “Do you remember who you are?”

“I was half human,” Jing Yuan mutters. “Young was my half-brother.”

“...Well, at least I don’t have to get you up to speed on that.”

Jing Yuan raises a brow. “You already knew?”

Luocha looks at his arm where The Withering has spread. “You told me yourself.”

It was the day Luocha had passed his exam. He’d gone to find his family to deliver the good news but found Jing Yuan instead… right after he overheard the maids gossiping about him not being his mother’s son. He and Jing Yuan eventually arrived at a bar in the village where they got a VIP room due to their royal status.

Jing Yuan and Luocha sat across from each other with an open window view of a spacious garden. The general had just popped open another bottle of alcohol and refilled Luocha’s glass.

“...Not your mother’s son?” Jing Yuan asked. “No wonder you looked off. That’s quite a… discovery.”

“It’s just gossip.” Luocha picked up his glass.

“Bur your face says otherwise.”

Luocha looked at the general who had a curious look. “Your face tells me that you had your suspicions and hearing the gossip feels like a sign.”

Instead of drinking, Luocha put his glass back on the table. “I’ve often been told I looked nothing like my mother.”

“...Well, it’s true, I must say. You don’t look anything like the queen.” Jing Yuan leaned back. “If it’s true you aren’t the queen’s son… we’d have something in common. I, too, didn’t know who my real mother was until I was almost of age.”

Luocha didn't hide the shock on his face. Should he be surprised? Jing Yuan had always been a mysterious individual. People knew enough about him to respect him, but Jing Yuan also kept them at arm's length. No one really knew who Jing Yuan was other than his professional status. Once the shock subsided, Luocha began thinking rationally. Why would Jing Yuan suddenly open up to him? Surely, it wasn't the alcohol kicking in.

"Did you ever find her?"

"I did, but I don't know if it was a blessing or a curse."

Luocha downed the alcohol in his glass. " How did you find her?”

“I did my research… pieced things together. But, I had a very obvious hint.”

“...What’s that?” After one quick snap, horns appeared on Jing Yuan’s head. Luocha’s eyes widened as he tried to find the right words. “How…” he finally said, standing up. “How could—”

“My mother… is Young’s mother.”

“You’re fucking kidding me. Are you joking?”

“I wish I was.”

“Then… your father…”

Jing Yuan casually gestured for Luocha to sit. He reluctantly did and quickly downed his alcohol. “My father was a noble at the Northern palace.”

Luocha’s face went pale. "Then... my father must’ve known him.”

“Yes. Your father also killed him after finding out about my mother."

Luocha raised a hand as he felt the alcohol kick in. “H-Hold on a minute. This… this must’ve been a long time ago… before my sister and I were born. Or else we would’ve known.”

“I won’t bore you with the story,” Jing Yuan said. “...But, it wasn’t just your father but also the queen. They executed him.”

"Why are you telling me this?" Luocha challenged.

"I had a hunch like you. Of course, mine was much more obvious. But I'm telling you because I think you want to know the truth. Just like how I wanted to know the truth of who I was. Ignorance is not always bliss."

Luocha swallowed and looked down.

“My dear ‘ol mother who was pregnant gave me up to the humans so she could save face and return to the Middle Kingdom where she could erase her sins and start anew.” Jing Yuan smiled as Luocha slowly looked at him. “I know what you’re thinking, Luocha. I’m not here for revenge.” The lie felt so smooth against his lips. “But, I want you to know that your father is not who you think he is. You think you’re not the queen’s son… that could very much be the case.”

“I’m not dumb,” Luocha answered flatly. “If you’re not here for revenge, why are you here?”

“My mother, Young’s mother, wants to kill every last one of the royals in the northern kingdom. That includes you… and your sister. But I don’t.” Luocha narrowed his eyes. Jing Yuan took a small breath. “I love your sister. Truly. And… you’ve also become an important friend. I also shared my story because I know your sister has been seeing Young.”

“You’re paying a lot more attention to her than my parents,” Luocha muttered.

“If my mother finds out, she won't hesitate to kill her." Jing Yuan quietly says your name. "I want to protect her.”

Jing Yuan never knew there would come a time when telling the truth and being vulnerable would be so useful.

Luocha said nothing but poured Jing Yuan more alcohol.

“I don’t know if I should be disgusted or amazed at my love for this woman,” Jing Yuan says. “Or, maybe I was just a damn good liar. That’s what I’d like to believe.”

Luocha sighs. “...Or perhaps I was too easily fooled.”

“Well, maybe I should find it endearing that our little alliance started out because we cared about the same woman.”

Before Luocha can say anything, Jing Yuan hears the doorbell. He groans as he puts a hand to steady himself as he painfully hoists himself up.

“What’s gotten into you?” Luocha asks.

“That same"—a painful grunt—"goddamn woman we cared so much about?” Jing Yuan carefully gets to his feet. “She tried ripping my heart out. Literally.”

“Didn’t know you had one to begin with.”

“Funny.” Jing Yuan slowly makes his way to the door. “The curse is really bringing out your sense of humour.”

“If I’m going to go crazy, I might as well have fun doing it.”

Jing Yuan hears a familiar voice just as he reaches his door. “Yeah, well, I’m not going to let that happen. Whoever I was… It’s not like I did anything to her now. We don't have proof that getting her to stop hating me will get rid of the curse, but we don't need enemies."

“...Do you have a plan?”

Finally, Jing Yuan opens the door, and he’s shocked to see Pom, Dan Heng, and…

“My God!” Pom says. “You’re lucky it’s us. You’d literally give people a heart attack showing up like that!”

“Maybe I do,” Jing Yuan says into the phone, looking at you who doesn’t really look amused. “I’ll talk to you later.” Once he gets off the phone, he puts an arm on the doorframe and looks at you who clearly doesn’t look interested. “Are you here to take responsibility?”

Pom makes a face. “Asking that question when you aren’t wearing a shirt is a little… um…”

Dan Heng steps in front of you, blocking your view of a half-naked Jing Yuan. “Don’t push it.”

“Maybe we should just leave,” you deadpan. “He doesn’t seem like he’s on the verge of—”

"Hey, wait." A sudden pain shoots through Jing Yuan's body when he tries to move. He doubles over; you watch as he puts a hand over his wound. "I'm doing my best to hide it, Princess."

"Well, good thing we came prepared!" Pom says. He peers inside Jing Yuan's large house. "We're coming in!"

Jing Yuan frowns as Pom steps into his house. Then, Dan Heng extends a hand. "We brought something that might help curb the pain while the wound heals," he says.

"Guess it's better than nothing." Jing Yuan takes Dan Heng's hand, and you watch as your boyfriend helps the man you hate walk to the couch.

You're the last to enter Jing Yuan's house, hoping that this visit won't end with you getting rid of a dead body.

Chapter 21

End notes:

My time of the month came early, and I sat on my couch feeling like a puddle of bleh as I edited this. Just wanted to share my last moments before I curl up in a ball and play some games to ease the pain.

Anyway, some of the events that happen in this are inspired by the K-drama Kingdom. It's so good I watched it twice lmao.

Tag list: @suoshiii @lordbugs @lxry-chxn @seirenspinel @tanspostsblog @theprinceofkhaos @nqctre @lunavixia @akwardbiscuit @kplatzman @sunsethw4 @hiqhkey @n8mareee (I can't seem to find your user anymore :<)

#dan heng x you #dan heng x y/n #dan heng x reader #honkai dan heng #dan heng #danheng x reader #danheng x y/n #danheng x you #honkai star rail dan heng

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nowis-scales · 11 days

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Sakura Birthday Headcanons

Let the record show that I did not forget Miss Sakura’s birthday headcanons, I’ve just been drowning in schoolwork lately. Nonetheless, they’re here now and I’m fairly happy with how they turned out this year, so I sincerely hope you enjoy them! :D

‣ In a critical healing situation, do yourself a favour and stay out of her way. Sakura’s not cruel by any means, but her personality can really change when someone is in critical enough condition. She may be teary-eyed and worried, but when it comes to getting this person what they need, she won’t hesitate to give orders and push people out of the way if they’re not helping. That doesn’t mean she never has compassion for a panicking family member or someone who doesn’t know what to do, but if you’re not someone who knows how to handle it, move along — this girl does and she’ll do it the best it can be done.

‣ It’s not an overwhelming anxiety on par with abandonment issues, but since Mikoto passed away, Sakura’s been… a bit nervous about death. Not so much herself — although that is something she occasionally thinks about — but the loss of her siblings and retainers. Before the events leading up to her mother’s death, death was a sort of weird, out of the picture thing. She knew her birth mother and her father died, and that was sad, but she can’t remember a time when they weren’t gone. Mikoto is the first time that death has touched something that Sakura loved so deeply, and knowing how to respond was difficult. I imagine she probably used to have dreams worrying about what would happen if one of her siblings or retainers was to get seriously hurt or injured, and what she would do if something happened to them. They were probably confused by the big hug they got the next day.

‣ Playing her koto is a calming activity for her. It sounds a bit cheesy, but she’s often able to lose herself in the music whenever she plays. She doesn’t need to worry about the troubles of the world, or think about all of the things that are running through her mind at any given moment. She can just focus on the music and plucking the strings, enjoying the familiarity of songs she’s played before and the sound of the notes as they reach her ears. Sometimes she’ll even try to make it part of her nightly routine for days on end, soothing herself with it until she feels ready to fall asleep.

‣ She knows it’s not good for her, but screw it, Sakura will eat dessert at any point in the day. If dessert is the question, then the answer is yes. Her favourite is mitarashi dango, but she’s also partial to mochi (any kind of filling is good, but she likes strawberries best), purin, and dorayaki. Though she’s a princess and is used to having these things made for her, she loves watching the castle staff and local bakers and confectioners make the desserts. For one birthday, Mikoto even made arrangements for her to get dango-making lessons with the rest of her siblings. Sakura was overjoyed and had a great time laughing and playing with her siblings. She secretly wants to try for another round after the war, this time learning to making purin (at least partially because she thinks watching Ryoma, Hinoka, and Takumi get increasingly confused by their inability to get the shape right would be amusing, though she’d never admit it), but she’s a bit shy to ask just yet.

‣ Unlike Takumi, Sakura has much less complex feelings about Mikoto’s longing for her lost child. Rather than feeling like she might be replaced by Corrin, Sakura more so found herself joined in Mikoto’s longing for Corrin’s return. Corrin was presented to her as such a dreamy concept, a long lost-sibling like in a fairy tale, so she didn’t think anything of it. She used to daydream a lot about what her lost sibling would be like, and what adventures they might have all together… and she definitely thought about how great it would be to see Mikoto overwhelmed with joy at the return of her child.

‣ As a princess, she tends to focus very much on the social and humanitarian aspects of her work. She’s technically expected to be a good hostess too, as well as a producers of heirs, she’s… not so into that first one due to her dislike of parties, and though she’s already gone through her coming-of-age ceremony, her family has no intention of marrying her off and getting her started on that… So she gets to do stuff that permits her to focus on improving life for people in Hoshido and caring for them when disaster strikes! She much prefers this to the other avenues she could take, although someday she hopes she’ll be at least half-decent at hosting parties — if only to make it less difficult to go to them.

‣ Sakura has the sweetest singing voice, and isn’t a bad dancer, either. She learned to sing from Azura when she was a little girl, and the two of them would often sing together as they did day-to-day tasks. Takumi, on the other hand, is the one who taught her to dance — he’s always been pretty good, so she got a real kick of dancing around with him then, too. She’s often too shy to showcase it, but she loves to do it in more private moments with friends and family. If you catch her singing by herself, though, she’ll probably turn bright pink and apologize.

‣ Sakura's dolls were apart of a family-wide birthday gift when she was about eight. It was a pretty cute gift, all things considered: it started out with just two dolls. One of her, and one of Corrin, from Mikoto. Then, as part of his gift, Ryoma gave the next. Then as part of hers, Hinoka gave the next. They all gave Sakura a doll as part of her gift so she had a collection of their entire little family, which she was absolutely delighted by. Everyone got big hugs and thank yous that year, and she’s treasured those dolls ever since.

‣ Sakura likes all animals, but she particularly likes bunnies. She loves how soft and fluffy they are, and likes their docile nature. She would love to have one as a pet, but there’s never really been a good time for her to get one. Instead she just feeds the wild rabbits that make their way onto the castle grounds, enjoying watching them munch their greens and twitch their sweet little noses.

‣ She was inspired to become a healer after watching Mikoto heal one of Takumi’s scrapes when they were small. He’d been scraped up pretty badly after a fall — the two of them were probably playing somewhere they shouldn’t’ve been — and he was bawling his eyes out. Sakura sat there the whole time, holding his hand, and watching as Mikoto kindly and carefully patched him right up. Sakura was so mystified by and envious of her ability to fix all of his wounds and comfort him that she begged Mikoto to teach her how. Mikoto thought it was a great idea, and offered to teach her, as well as hire her a tutor for when she wasn’t available.

#fire emblem fates #fire emblem #fe Sakura #fire emblem fates birthright #fire emblem fates revelation #fire emblem fates conquest #fire emblem Sakura #FE14 #FE Headcanons

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sweetestpopcorn · 4 months

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Hi, hope you had a good holiday season :)

I read your new work and I absolutely love that you're doing the year of the red spring, it's one of my favourite parts of the dance there's just so much drama. I know your Laenor's funeral is going to be soooo good.

If this comes up later in the fic, completely cool to ignore this obviously, but since we're already passed the jace, luke - twins betrothals, I'm going to assume it won't. I love your depiction of Daemon and was wondering what you thought his opinion of the Strong boys - and particularly Jace as heir to House Targaryen- was? I know some people think he loved those boys like - or even more than - his own children, while others think he would have resented that they looked like Harwin/weren't 'Valyrian enough'.

Do you think he would've cared if his future grandchildren took after Jace more than Baela as long as they were the heir?

Do you think he regretted the betrothals after Aegon was born and he had his own son for his daughters to marry?

Thank you and have a great day :)

Hi there 😊

Thank you so much for your beyond lovely words, and I am so happy you are liking it! Haha you know I am all about the drama X'D

Ok before I answer I just really have to take this: "I know some people think he loved those boys like - or even more than - his own children..."

And just:

That's a lovely fanfiction right there in my opinion. And one that became increasingly more popular after a certain redacted show. Who would have guessed after Ryan turned Daemon into Prince Matt Daemon who is a spineless loser with impotence in love with his brother who doesn't give a f_ck about his daughters, is more into some random Pentos dude than the woman he marries, throws tantrums like a kid and goes to Renada's wedding to throw his limp d:ck in her face and do nothing, likes to be her lap dog but later chocks her because reasons?

Surprise, surprise.

"while others think he would have resented that they looked like Harwin/weren't 'Valyrian enough'." - No, he would resent the fact that they were the children Rhaenyra had with another man. He would have resented the fact that the legitimate children he had with the woman he wanted to marry would not inherit the throne.

Back to your question you can find a lot of my opinions here which I think illustrate what I believe - from the books only - that Daemon thought and felt about his (grand) nephews - the ones who were not also his sons 🙂

In a nutshell though and to make this super clear -> Daemon was a man who lived in Westeros (in the asoiaf universe) and very much subscribed to the vast majority of Westeros views, when he didn't, it was because it didn't fit him - i.e., supporting Rhaenyra.

The person Daemon would want to inherit the throne after Rhaenyra would of course be his legitimate son by her, Aegon "Babycheeks" Targaryen. I am of the opinion that he would no doubt try to get rid of his (grand) nephews - the ones who were not also his sons - somewhere down the line even if a Dance did not happen.

I have (far too many) texts I have written about (asoiaf) Daemon and the type of man he was and his ambitions quoting several book passages, you can search for it on my tumblr archive. Certainly, Daemon Targaryen would not be the type of man who would give up the opportunity to be the king's father to be the queen consort's father, much less for the sake of three illegitimate boys who had no real claim to the throne, much unlike his own son Aegon.

All the best to you and happy 2024! 🥳

#daemon targaryen #canon daemon targaryen #the rogue prince #aegon iii targaryen #the princess and the queen #fire and blood #the son he waited so long for #does that ring a bell to anyone?#anti hotd #valyrianscrolls #popcorn answers

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irenethewoman · 7 months

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Mrs. Shelby - Chapter Six - Confrontation

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In May 1919, Birmingham,

Thomas tried to coax me out of my comfortable bed, but he failed. By the time I woke up, Thomas had already left. On his bedside table was a plate of jam-covered bread. Tommy couldn't even manage to warm up the milk, but I guessed it was the best breakfast he could prepare. I rubbed my eyes and felt a bit touched - I guess he had a little bit of a conscience. I finally overcame my drowsiness and left Tommy's bedroom, only to run into Ada. Ada looked at me in disbelief. "Did you come out of Thomas's bedroom?!" I nervously touched my nose. Tommy and I had an agreement to keep our relationship a secret from our family, even though Tommy was a bit unhappy about it. I was about to deny it when Ada interrupted me, "You like to touch your nose when you're lying!" Now it was even more awkward. Even though the truth was obvious, what could I do? Should I just tell Ada, "I slept with your brother"? Ada would surely think that Thomas forced me, and their misunderstanding would deepen. It seemed that ever since Thomas returned from France, Ada had been growing increasingly dissatisfied with their actions, probably because they had become more ruthless. When Martha was still with us, we would silently listen to Ada's complaints together. After Martha passed away, I was busy helping Tommy with the business, and it had been a long time since we had our "fireplace talks." "I... uh..." I was trying to figure out how to explain to Ada when she took my stammering as evidence that Thomas had forced me. "He forced you?!" Ada exclaimed. "No, no, no!" I quickly denied. "It was my choice, Ada. I love him, I love Thomas, and he loves me." "You love him? Good Lord - you say you love Thomas? You..." I sighed. I thought Ada was about to say, "What's wrong with you?" The fact that she didn't say it only confirmed Ada's dissatisfaction and prejudice against Thomas. "Ada, Thomas is not what you think. He's the best man I've ever met - smart, resilient, strong, ambitious, compassionate. Yes, he's not that kind, but everything he does is for us, for his family." He's also very handsome, with the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen. I thought secretly in my heart. He's my little prince. After Ada reluctantly promised not to reveal our secret, I felt relieved and left. When I sat at my desk, I realized there was a question on my mind: Where had Ada been last night? She had obviously just come home. But that didn't seem so important now. I wouldn't get an answer even if I asked her. I glanced at the calendar on my desk - today I had to go to the Garrison pub again. I actually liked going to the pub during the day. There were no customers at this time, no unbearable sweaty smells and noise, no strong smell of alcohol, no drunkards - everything was peaceful. Harry would pour me a glass of whisky on the rocks, and then we would each go about our business, talking casually. Harry said I didn't seem like a Shelby. He said I was quick-witted, nimble, and, most importantly, friendly. In fact, he didn't know me well - I just didn't like to talk much. Tommy used to say I could be as sly as a fox at times. But others didn't need to know that. The door was pushed open, and I heard a voice, so I looked up and saw a woman in a green skirt suit walking in.

She had gray eyes, a tall and graceful figure, and an air of elegance. Her golden hair was slightly curly and shiny, like threads of gold. I hadn't seen a woman like her in Birmingham for a long time - the kind of hothouse flower that was clearly nurtured with money. After five years away from London, I had become better at discerning people's backgrounds, and at first glance, I thought she was beautiful but also dangerous. I think I suddenly understood why Tommy had asked me last year if I was a prostitute - a woman who looked like this and dressed like this would only come to Birmingham if she couldn't make it in London. Or... she might be a spy. I didn't speak; I just stood behind the bar and silently watched her as she talked to Harry. Experience, references... an experienced barmaid wouldn't be unaware of the danger of her looks in a rough pub like this, and she wouldn't stay after being rejected without asking for a reason. She was slender but not malnourished, and with her appearance and attire, she certainly wasn't short of money. But to be honest, she did sing beautifully. Harry glanced at me and, seeing me engrossed in the ledger, he didn't object, but agreed instead. This woman was a dangerous character, and it was best to keep an eye on her for now. I found out later, after I got home, that the new inspector had forcibly dragged Arthur out of the cinema at dusk and gave him a good beating in a secluded corner. Good, at least we know what those five-foot-tall Irishmen who can fight are here for. I helped Ada change the water in the basin, lost in thought as I did so. Poor Arthur. He really didn't know anything, and his power within the family was gradually shifting to Tommy. Yet he was being treated as the boss, and he was taking the blame for me and Tommy. I decided to make it up to him tonight and express the apologies I couldn't put into words. Tommy came back with the alcohol. "He said he was sent by Sir Churchill himself to Birmingham..." Churchill... oh, an old friend. He was a former comrade of my father in the political arena, and I had been a flower girl at his wedding. I pondered for a moment, still busy applying ointment to Arthur's wounds. "He said it was for the national interest and related to a theft case." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I guessed right. So many weapons, London couldn't just let it slide. This was Birmingham, filled with striking workers and ruthless gangs. If they could use the recovery of the weapons to clean up Birmingham, making this city, second only to London, a national arms factory - a double benefit. The newly appointed inspector could also expect promotion and medals. I didn't dare to look up at Tommy; I was afraid that if we made eye contact, we would reveal our intentions.

Arthur said Tommy wasn't acting right and turned to Polly. "If I knew, I would have bought the antidote from Compton's pharmacist a long time ago," Polly replied, glaring at me in the process. I played dumb as if nothing had happened. Tonight, we had a rare free evening, and I went upstairs to tuck Maria into bed. "Aunt Demi, are you going to marry Uncle Tommy?" I was shocked by the child's words and was at a loss for words. "Who... who said we're getting married..." I must have blushed. Faced with Maria's clear eyes, I couldn't lie and say I didn't love Tommy, but I also couldn't tell the truth that I didn't know, so I replied vaguely and fled. I didn't hear Maria's muttering. "But Uncle Tommy really likes you." Tommy was sitting on my bed, waiting for me. "I have to go deal with those things." I closed the door and nodded, "I see there are more patrolling police on the streets today, be careful." Tommy stood up, and his tall shadow completely covered me. His breath enveloped me, and I clutched his sleeve, lost in his kisses. Unconsciously, my dress was taken off by him, and the cold wooden floor pressed against my skin, which woke me up a bit. I pushed him away but didn't want him to leave. "You... you have to deal with..."

He ignored me and carried me back to the bed. In the long night, we were each other's only warmth. When I woke up, it was still dark outside, and Tommy was still by my bedside. "Is it all taken care of?" I wasn't fully awake, and I couldn't even open my eyes, so I just shifted my body and lay on his leg. "Yeah," he stroked my hair, "it's been delivered to the old tobacco dock, where it's moisture-proof." "You can get some rest now, my little prince." I tried to open my eyes and sat up to give him a kiss. He held me and tossed me back onto the bed, lying down next to me. This morning, Tommy and the brothers went to the market in the suburbs. "I want to buy another horse, Diana." He kept kissing me, annoying me until I waved my hand to shoo him away. "A white horse, all white, as beautiful as you." The commotion on the street shattered my beautiful dream. Those police officers were more like gangsters and barbarians than the Razor Gang. They took advantage of the situation, bullied the weak, and dared to act only when the Razor Gang was absent, breaking into people's homes in the early morning, dragging them out of bed and onto the street. They broke open chests and cabinets, smashed and looted people's furniture. They made life unbearable, with chickens flying and dogs jumping. "Such gentlemen, truly God's chosen people!" I sneered, jumping out of bed. This was big trouble. Tommy and Polly weren't at home, but I knew what to do. "The police said Arthur agreed to let them search." "I didn't tell them they could smash people's houses like this," Arthur shouted. "All right," Tommy and I said in unison. Tommy patted my hand gently. "Have they searched the bars?" "The Rifle Bar, Iron Chain Bar, and Marquess Bar all paid protection money," I said, rubbing my chin irritably.

"Except for Garrison, which they didn't go to." Polly added. Ha, what a clever tactic - making people believe it was our tacit approval for the sake of more protection money and tarnishing our reputation. Wait a minute, Garrison... The woman who applied for the job was from Garrison. I think I knew which side Grace was on now. Polly chased the men out of the inner room, and only the three of us were left. "We all know what he's looking for. He won't stop until he finds it." "Then let him pay a price, Polly." I picked up the glass of whiskey that Tommy had put down, took a sip, and felt the spicy kick in my mouth. "Since he's already convinced that we're his opponents, let him know that the Razor Gang isn't just a lapdog he can summon at will. We can only trade, negotiate, but never surrender or sign a treaty." Polly seemed surprised by my tough stance. Tommy reached out his hand calmly, and I walked over to him. Polly looked at us standing side by side in silence and then sighed to Tommy, "He wants to see you, he knows you're the boss. Will you meet him?" I reminded Tommy, "He's from Belfast, but Churchill isn't. You can see his tactics - so blatant, resorting to force and torture. He doesn't understand the rules of the London political arena, Tommy. There's a group in Parliament, the Fourth Estate, more important than anyone else." "Media," he said and kissed me. Night fell, and I led the reporter from the Birmingham Evening Post to the bonfire.

While what Tommy said was all true, I had to admit that he looked like a charismatic politician, and he was more charming than my father, Lord Turner, a former British ambassador to Germany and a member of the Conservative Party. Sadness, disappointment, anger? Because of the king, because of God? For himself, for the people he sheltered? Of course, but these emotions were far from as intense as he appeared. "You really look like a politician." After sending off the reporters, I stood next to him, and we watched the flames rise together. "Is that a compliment?" "My father once said that it would be a shame if I didn't marry a politician. He swore to marry me into 10 Downing Street." He laughed. "He'll know; I found him a good son-in-law." I whispered in his ear as I lay on his shoulder. He kissed me.

#cillian murphy #tommy shelby #tommy shelby x reader #peaky blinders #thomas shelby #peaky blinders fanfiction #tommy shelby imagine #fanfiction #thomas shelby x reader #tommy shelby fanfic

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batunatu · 1 month

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guys can i ask about your mayor radar au... ((ﾟ□ﾟ;))

YYAYYAYYAYAYAYAYA I DON'T SPEAK MUCH ENGLISH, sorry

I don't have a very prepared structure, it's more of a concept since the aus works based on fanarts and the questions that I answer.

I will make a summary or prologue of what it is about since it is a fairly episodic au.

Let's say the story is an au from the future that is established with the decision at the end of s2, "hit the road" where Jesse (in this case for aesthetic decisions it is red clip so in all my fanarts you will see her heheh) chooses to Radar as leader of Beacontown.

This is how Radar becomes mayor and begins to receive new experiences never before witnessed as an assistant, something that does not terrify him but makes him feel challenging, he seeks to be more mature and end his anxiety since it could ruin all his plans. 2 years later, Radar faced all the social problems of Beacontown, little by little he gained experience and the city gave him the respect that he wanted to receive after all the ridicule he suffered in Champion City.

Now the young man was happy with his profession, even though his dreams of being a hero like Jesse were fading, the absence of the Order in the city depressed him inside and especially that of Jesse. He sometimes felt that she left all that weight on his back, they were just intrusive thoughts that tormented him with the excuse that maybe he didn't need the city, that he could leave it to focus on himself as his mind said that Jesse did the same. Now the mayor was beginning to feel an increasingly deeper respect for Jesse, it was no longer admiration and friendship, it was a love that he did not think would develop in the absence of the heroine. She was the only one who did not doubt him, who made him feel special and left him the most important position of his life, she trusted the person who is Radar.

Two years after the beginning of this story, Petra and Jesse returned, impressed by the system and order that the new mayor had established in the city.

This made Radar the happiest boy in the world, he took the opportunity to give Jesse affection and support like never before. Time passed, Jesse helped Radar with leadership, but he was genuinely a good leader. Then, among so many hosts and adventures, Jesse and Radar began dating, they deepened their friendship that soon turned into pure love, and 7 years after Romeo's defeat, they got married.

Now Radar was 26, he was a newly married mature boy with a developed physique, a mind that healed his anxiety with a lot of work and excited with the new surprise that came into his life months after getting married.

A new precious gem came into their lives, Lapis Lazuli, the birth of this beautiful girl made Beacontown burst with celebrations, a happiness that was similar to the celebrations after Jesse had saved the city and the world from the clutches of Romeo.

Only now, the pain of childbirth was stronger than that of all her battles, the new heir had arrived.

In this period, Radar, being a first-time father, was beginning to be terrified by the return of his anxiety, but Jesse helped him and protected him as in their first years of knowing each other.

Radar had taken a year off, he now had Lapis and Jesse as his priority. Finally, when Lapis turned 4, the family moved to a nearby, private meadow in Beacontown, where they would raise Lapis in an environment similar to the one Jesse grew up in, but colorful and full of parental love and care.

At that time Radar was now fulfilling his mayoralty at the hands of Lukas, he had built the rustic mansion where the family would live in nature. The prologue would end here, the idea of the au is to explore and tell the anecdotes of Radar being mayor and father while taking care of Lapis, since yes, Jesse is still a heroine who must constantly help her people and even those outside.

Although Jesse seems selfish, she, unlike Radar, does not know how to manage her priorities and thinks that everyone needs her hand, so she always encourages Radar to fill any void that Lapis has if she feels that her mother is not always physically present.

(I don't have updated and recent Lapis drawings, apart from the fact that they are not saved on my laptop, so I will upload the new drawings soon and the old ones :33, thanks for asking!)

#mcsm #minecraft story mode #mcsm jesse #mcsm radar #mcsm lapis lazuli au

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themunschbunch · 9 months

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A Badger's Experience With Dating the Hogwarts Houses Part 1: Snake Primaries

I am using the @sortinghatchats system, with @wisteria-lodge's lingo which can be found: Wisteria’s Great Big Sorting Hat Chats Explanation - I enjoy writing elaborate metas & headcanons (tumblr.com) Snake Primaries are very sexy and intense, to me as a Badger Primary. I think because their focus is completely on you, they make you feel so special! When you're one of their people and you're out with them, it's like you're the only real people there, and everyone else is just an NPC. They're definitely the type of house who would be flattered if you called in sick to work just to spend time with them. When you have a bad day or a disagreement with someone, they always take your side (even if you're being unreasonable lol), they always back you up, and they'll do anything for you, no questions asked. As someone who puts their own needs at the back of the line, there's something so refreshing about being with someone who goes "fuck this", lifts up the velvet robe, and hauls me to the front. Sure I protest at first "no it's okay" and yeah I apologize and blush and shrug helplessly to all the people in line I pass, but ultimately I let my snake take me to the front, and I feel a thrill! I wouldn't permit myself such a thrill often, but every now and then it's such a treat! The downside of this is I have a hard time returning the favour and speaking that snake primary love language. It's a lesson I learned the hard way recently, but I confess to not doing it on purpose, and being genuinely baffled at first. At first my snake found it cute how I take so much time for everyone, and speak positively about everyone. I have a great rapport with random cashiers and chat up old people at the grocery store, and they said it's a green flag to them that my exes still think I'm a nice person. But then after a while, I guess I didn't make them feel as special as they made me feel, because they got so jealous and possessive. They sort of had this attitude of: Why are you so worried about person x or y--what about me? I would argue with them by saying: Well that person's situation was worse than yours, so I wanted to take make sure I didn't make them uncomfortable or hurt their feelings in that moment. That answer didn't fly with my snake! They were thinking: I always put you first, why can't you do the same for me? Why am I being put on the backburner for every acquaintance going through a hard time? Meanwhile I was left thinking: Jeez my partner is being a bit jealous and selfish here. It was a hard balance to navigate and I don't think I ever figured it out. They got increasingly possessive and jealous (wanting to track my phone, making me text constantly to account for my time even when I was at work, social media stalking anyone who ever liked my instagram stories to investigate their intentions and threat level). I didn't fully understand why they were suffocating me, but it was getting dark so I ended it before it got ugly. I think if I had recognized they were a snake primary sooner (and I really should have seen it coming, their wifi network was called House Lannister lol) maybe I could have navigated that relationship with more intention. I would have made more of an effort to make them feel special, and make a bigger show of prioritizing them first. Checking in with them even when it felt a bit extra or unnecessary to do so, just to acknowledge their status as my #1 person.

#sorting hat #sortinghatchats #snake primary #badger primary #house lannister #dating advice #jealousy

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hyrtwynwrites · 2 months

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Yensday #4 - 28 February 2024

Welcome back to another Yensday! We have two questions today, so let's get into it!

<><><> Q&A <><><>

@purplenidoqueen asked:

I was thinking about my childhood, and how the one thing that stands out more than anything is a little statuette my mother has. It got me thinking about what Yen might have latched onto, considering the youth she had. Whether a thing, or a person, or a creature, or a place... Is there one symbol from her childhood that she most cherishes to this day?

Yen is in a situation where she has a lot of strong memories but not a lot of keepsakes to tie her to them. The enforced meagerness of life for the Ala Mhigan refugees in Quarrymill kind of meant she just didn't have a lot ever.

With that said, she did have a few things to latch onto. Quarrymill, and the area outside its walls, is filled with memories for Yen due to how much exploring she got up to as a child. She was a bit of a troublemaker, and worse, a leader, so her antics would usually become a group's antics pretty quickly.

The biggest symbol linking her to her childhood, however, is more a ritual, and that's dyeing her hair. Her mother started doing it with her when she was nine, and Yen has pretty religiously maintained doing it ever since. Especially since the Calamity, it has tethered her to her childhood and to Aebba, both of which are now long gone... It's an act that is sacred to Yen now, this last little reminder to herself of love.

@vivailwrites asked:

I know a lot of people who make one character in a lot of different properties. I make and remake vivail in various roughly similar forms, as often as i make new characters. One of my favorite streamers makes her oc, voxer, in basically anything. She even made a voxer mech in ac6. Do you think you would ever make yen in another game or franchise or story or is she purely ffxiv

Yen is a character that I think is pretty versatile; you could put her in any setting, and she'll do at least alright. With that said, beyond a handful of times I have aesthetically remade her in other RPGs that I am poking at, I don't personally use her that much beyond the walls of FFXIV.

The main reason is, I think, that Yen was designed for one setting explicitly, and that's Eorzea. While I could pick her up and put her somewhere else, like Faerûn or Tattooine, I would have to change enough about her for her to fit into that world (or worlds) that she would stop being Yen. I think I'd rather create new characters at that point, tell a new story.

She is very near and dear to my heart, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if I transported her for fun on occasion, little one-shots of a woman increasingly out of her depth.

<><><> Tidbits & Errata <><><>

Kind of spinning off of the first question, I actually had been thinking recently about what kid Yenifer was up to. She lost most of her adolescence to working; the Ala Mhigans needed every hand to make ends meet, and Gridania (and all of Eorzea, for that matter) has no child labor laws. Any time she did have to herself was probably spent similarly to how she spent it as a child: Getting into trouble.

I do like to imagine Yenifer as being a bit of a ringleader, both because it suits her and how she is, and because it echoes out to roles she will assume as an adult, throughout Light's Falle.

As far as how much of the Black Shroud she got to see, the answer is, unfortunately, quite little. The pre-Calamity Twelveswood was a bit of an enigma to navigate, so she could only safely explore a few square malm around the hamlet.

Something mentioned in passing in Gridanian Prelude is Yen finding a mysterious door in the southern Shroud that she was barred from exploring. That was, in fact, an entrance to the Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak, a place she will return to sooner than later.

Another detail that will crop up sooner than later is that Yenifer knows Buscarron, the owner of Buscarron's Druthers, and has since she was entering puberty. This is a bit of a gray area in the canon, when did Buscarron retire, and for the life of me I can't find something concrete. I've set it by fiat to be ten summers ago, in 1567, which means that he and Yen met when she was eleven at the earliest. They have a... complicated relationship, which is to say they tease the hell out of each other, something that I look forward to showing in the near future.

I want to thank you all again for stopping by. This is the first Yensday under my new schedule, and I think it's gone pretty well!

Til next time, may you ever walk in the light of the Crystal!

- H

#ffxiv #ffxiv fanfiction #light's falle #yenifer falle #yensday #lf1: gridanian prelude

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willgrahambf · 1 year

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what do you think of the argument hannibal doesn't love will for who he is, only for the reflection of himself he sees within him? i disagree but i cannot word an argument

i’ve answered an ask similar to this but the other way around. from hannibal’s pov, i think we must start off understanding that hannibal is capable valuing other people for their differences. i think sometimes we get hooked on the idea that hannibal is a total sociopath (not true), but hannibal loves studying humans. yes, he makes judgments, but he likes certain people!! not everyone is someone he wants to kill and eat right off the bat. yes, his self-preservation will come above them if pushed, but he genuinely likes alana, he likes margot, he likes jack, and he likes will (even before he's absolutely convinced will is capable of "seeing" him fully)! and he likes all of them for different reasons. conversely, he DOESN'T like tobias, someone who could arguably "understand" him more than these other people in terms of similar interests. people like gideon and bedelia who attempt and fail to understand him are/will be rewarded by sitting as his dinner table and eating themselves (quantifiably bitchy!!) will is singular, and hannibal loves that singularity.

when hannibal talks about will, he reveres him and his qualities:

hannibal admires will for who he is, the unflinching honesty of it. and yes, that comes with will understanding him, but like i said in the linked ask, it is here i think we must stop and realize how important it is to be understood fully without judgment, without having to explain yourself, without feeling you must modify your behavior around them. perhaps, if you've never met a person like this, you might not understand the intensity of that feeling or the rarity of it. to feel completely alone is to feel not entirely human. and while hannibal does view himself above other people, the fact remains that he IS just a man. he’s someone who had his sister, the closest person to him in the world, taken from him. he’s someone who is desperate for a family bc to him, family is a guarantee of love and acceptance. this cannot just be ANYONE.

in the same conversation with bedelia about their world views being different, bedelia adds “someone worthy of your friendship.” will doesn’t receive hannibal’s friendship — not to the level of love we see by s2 — simply by virtue of his empathy. will EARNS hannibal’s love through dangerous and rigorous testing of his self-will, his character, his beliefs, his physical and emotional strength… hannibal wasn’t ready to let down his walls just bc will could understand him. if will had failed any of these tests, he would not have been “worthy” of hannibal’s love and hannibal would have regretfully but certainly killed him. will’s ability to pass these tests says something about him, apart from his understanding hannibal. who will is as a person determines his place in hannibal’s regard. not just anyone would have been able to prove their worth to hannibal, and in this too, will is singular.

and this regard and singularity become so important that hannibal is willing to give up his own life for him. everything we know about hannibal’s self-preservation becomes increasingly wrong when applied to will as the show goes on right up to the impetus of their relationship. in twotl, hannibal realizes that will intends to let the dragon kill him, but he goes with him anyways. he could have escaped from the prison van, left will behind, and fled the country once more — but he doesn’t. he allows will to lead him to the slaughter, knowing that either he will die at will’s behest or they will kill the dragon together. either one ensures will’s becoming. as they prepare a final toast, hannibal says, “no greater love hath any man than this than to lay down his life for a friend.” hannibal will die to see will’s potential realized, and you cannot say that he would do this for anyone but will. being willing to die for someone means you value them over your own life. if that isn’t love, idk what is.

#ask #thanks for the meta ask ☺️#hannibal meta #hannibal #nbc hannibal #hannigram

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specksizedgoddess · 18 days

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Sorry for so many asks in a day but the ideas keep coming. I think this is the last one because I really should probably spend my time doing other things and not just being incredibly horny at one "person".

Cute normal size girl who invites you over to her apartment to hang out. Except when you do the entire thing reeks of sweat and cum and long-unwashed clothes, and there are used tissues on the floor and it's clear she only ever showers or puts on clean clothes right before going out which she only does every month or two.pretends not to notice how you're reacting to various offhand comments and questions she's trying to innocently sprinkle in as you talk. "Yeah I've just been getting into terrariums recently, I think it's just fascinating! You get to make a little self contained ecosystem and watch all these little tiny creatures live their little lives in a mini version of their natural habitat!" And "ooh, what's your diet look like? I bet tinies have different nutritional needs than people do." "Have you ever thought about where you'd be in a food chain in the wild lol" "do you have any other tiny friends you wouldn't mind living next to?" (Actually, *are* there any tiny blogs you really like? I need to know more of them) "how do you or the other tinies reproduce, if that's not an awkward question? Is it like asexual fission or something?". "Are you scared of snakes?" "Do you feel like many people would notice if you suddenly disappeared someday?" "Where do you live btw?" "Why have you been clearly rock hard under that skirt and cumming into it without even any stimulation several times and blushing and drooling slightly for like 3 hours?". "Would you fuck your clone?". "Have you ever thought about trying to have sex with a giant lol" "what's your favorite color?" You know, just normal girl talk! Casually passing the time!

And after like 5 hours of it becoming increasingly clear that she has every intent of kidnapping you and putting you in a little terrarium with a pet snake and a couple other small critters and watching you breed repeatedly and sometimes get eaten or attacked and use you as her personal porn or sometimes sex toy or anything else she'd get off on doing with you, like using you to wipe her ass, you manage to steal a recently "used" tissue before she takes you home. And you have to pretend you're normal and just fine about it as you sleep every night wearing her cum tissue as a blanket waiting until she snatches you up in the middle of the night.

Just a thought though lol I'm sure it's not that hot you probably wouldn't even like it very much. You're normal about this right Eve?

-🤝🐛

GDHHHFJHDHWHDHSHHDHWHDGEGE PFLJDJDD NORMAL NOTMAL NROAMAML

Moaning as I stare up at her... always good to talk to friends! And I would LOVE to answer all her questions- getting increasingly blushy and flustered with each answer, only getting more flustered as I watch her lean in... more and more interested... All my willpower spent on NOT begging to be her tiny plaything- her little giggles when she points down at my tented skirt, the underside already a mess as I stammer out excuses- her eyes full of lust and a desperation to own...

Desperately grinding against that used tissue, huffing it in a lustful frenzy, moaning her name alongside a variety of nicknames... making it more "used" as I imagine those eyes, those hands easily snatching me up... as I imagine all the little critters in my habitat, all so much better, stronger, and more important than I am... at the absolute bottom of her own little manufactured ecosystem...

I'll be her porn, I'll be her toy, I'll be her pet- I NEED to be hers 😵‍💫

#thanks for the ask!#🤝🐛#fave

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journalxxx · 2 years

Text

Mid-June Reflections

…Huh. Father’s Day. Right, that was coming up soon, wasn’t it?

“Ah… I mean, it’s just- I needed to buy some…” Uraraka floundered, flushed and evidently uncomfortable for what she must consider an indelicate slip-up. Then she sighed, hugging her newly acquired package, and bowed her head slightly. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring that up.”

“What?” Todoroki asked, clearly as unbothered as Izuku was, if a tad more densely.

“Ehr… You know, Father’s Day. It’s…” Her eyes darted between the two boys. “It’s a sensitive topic for the two of you, isn’t it?”

“Oh… Not really. For me, at least.” Izuku glanced questioningly at Todoroki, who shrugged in agreement.

Uraraka sighed again and smiled in relief. “Oh, good. Then… I guess we can go, sorry for making you wait.”

“No problem.” Todoroki resumed walking towards the school, and the other two followed quietly. A bit too quietly, maybe. Izuku had a knack for detecting awkwardness in the air, as it had been his inseparable companion since he’d learned how to speak, and Uraraka was radiating oodles of it despite their reassurances.

Father’s Day… It was a harmless enough topic, he reasoned. The kind of thing friends could chat about while coming back from a quick outing to the nearest convenience store before the afternoon lessons. The kind of thing one could unthinkingly blurt out before rushing to buy their father’s favorite brand of confectionery upon spotting them on sale. Had Uraraka been in anyone else’s company, it would have been a totally unremarkable bit of trivia. It was just her luck that she happened to be with the two people in her class who were the least likely to share her enthusiasm for the celebration.

…It probably spoke volumes about Izuku’s social skills, the fact that he couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed such casual small talk among his peers before enrolling at UA.

“So… higashi?” Izuku offered, just to break that weird silence.

“Yeah, with cinnamon! They’re his favorite!”

“That’s a great idea! Gifts that are tailored to the person’s taste are the best ones, I bet he’ll love it!”

“Ah, this is not going to be his actual gift, I’ve already bought that one. It’s something a little more meaningful, you know…” Uraraka’s gaze dropped to the ground before her feet, a small smile gracing her features. “But I think he deserves a little treat on top of that too. Both my parents have been going the extra mile this past year to make sure I’d be able to afford attending this school. Even if it’s just a small thing, I can’t help but feel I ought to make up for it…”

Izuku felt his heart ache with sympathy. Considering Uraraka’s situation, he wouldn't be surprised if she was going to have to forgo one or two weeks’ worth of her own snacks to compensate for the strain on her budget.

“I don’t think your parents are doing this expecting anything in return… but they’ll appreciate the feeling, I’m sure.”

Uraraka hummed in assent, and they exchanged genuine grins. There, the atmosphere was lighter already. Not a day passed, lately, without Izuku growing more and more appreciative for how relatively effortless and pleasant his interactions with his current schoolmates were. It was nothing like in middle school, they were always so enthusiastic, polite and supportive, even little spots of awkwardness like this were so easy to brush aside, and he could let this increasingly familiar sense of calm enjoyment settle-

“Are you going to get anything for your father, Midoriya?”

…And then Todoroki smashed it with the grace of a bull in a china shop. Izuku blinked stolidly. What a strange question, he was fairly sure Todoroki had been around back when Izuku had mentioned his family’s circumstances to… Oh. Oh. No, surely he couldn’t mean…

“No, I won’t. My father hasn’t been around for a long time now.” Izuku answered, with his best attempt at a genuine (if feeble) smile, hoping against hope that this conversation wasn’t going in the direction he feared-

“Not your putative father. I’m talking about All Might.”

“...Eh?” Uraraka’s head turned towards Izuku very slowly, her eyes as wide as saucers.

Dammit, Todoroki.

“All Might is not my father.” Izuku replied plainly, stubbornly clinging to as much rationality as he could possibly wring out of this line of questioning. “I- We’ve been over this already, please.”

“We have.” Todoroki conceded, his tone and expression as level as ever, but with an eerily piercing quality to his stare. “But I got the impression you weren’t completely truthful about it back then.”

“W-What’s this about?!” Uraraka interjected, her head turning left and right between the two of them so fast that Izuku feared for the integrity of her spine. “Deku? Are you really-”

“I’m not! I’m really not! I don’t know how he got that idea-”

“From your quirk, which is pretty much the same as his. From the fact that he has a fairly obvious interest in you.” Todoroki listed mercilessly off his fingers. “From the fact that you often meet for lunch and individual training…”

Izuku groaned. Did he really have to go through this again? In front of Uraraka too? “How is that enough to go and imagine something like that?”

“Hm… It is a bit fanciful.” Uraraka commented. “They don’t even look alike, not even a little bit.”

“Yes! Thank you! We don’t! Of course we don’t-”

“And All Might has taken a shine to him, that much is indisputable.” She added, her attention back on Izuku and proving that you truly couldn’t trust anyone in this world, that even the best people could suddenly turn on you and side with your family-conspiracy obsessed enemy- “But everybody can tell. You’d think that if they had some big secret connection they wished to keep hidden, they’d be a lot more subtle about it.”

“Y… Yeah, it… Yeah…” Izuku stuttered, his train of thought suddenly derailed by that very acute yet misguided observation. That was… food for thought best left for later, maybe…

Todoroki didn’t seem terribly persuaded. “But then how would you explain their close association?”

“There’s nothing to explain!” Izuku chimed in, deciding that he ought to come up with something - anything - before Todoroki somehow managed to brainwash Uraraka too. “Our quirks happen to be similar, that’s just a coincidence! There are lots of strength-based quirks out there! And exactly because they happen to be similar, he’s the best choice as a tutor for me! For my, uh, output control issues. Which I almost got expelled for, so it’s really great and important that the school assigned me a teacher to help me with that! So, uh… that! That’s it!” He concluded lamely.

“That does make more sense than your theory, Todoroki.” Uraraka said, and Izuku had to repress the impulse to hug her.

“Hm.” Was Todoroki’s only reply, and his expression shifted minutely towards something vaguely describable as ‘disgruntled’.

“I can see where you’re coming from though.” Uraraka added, her little conciliatory smile bouncing between the two boys and ultimately settling on Izuku. “I mean, you meet All Might pretty often, don’t you? And he’s always in such a mad rush, sometimes it feels like he barely has time to supervise the regular lessons, being the Symbol of Peace and all…”

While being the Symbol of Peace had a lot less to do than Uraraka could imagine with All Might’s constant hurry to remove himself from the students’ view as soon as the lessons ended, Izuku couldn’t help but dwell on that observation for a moment. “Yeah… He does dedicate a lot of his free time to my education. And he never acts like it’s a bother or anything, not even by accident. I’m… very lucky to be able to rely on someone like him.”

“Haaa, now you’re the one who looks like he wants to make up for something!” Izuku couldn’t hold back an embarrassed grin at Uraraka’s benevolent prodding. “You know, maybe you should get him something for Father’s Day anyway.”

“Wh-” Izuku choked, the rug suddenly pulled from under his feet. It was just one betrayal after another today, wasn’t it?” “What?! Not you too, please-”

“I don’t mean it like that!” She raised her palms defensively between the two of them. “Not because I think he’s your dad or anything, I promise! Just as a little token of appreciation for his help, that’s all! I’m sure he’d like it, everyone likes gifts and appreciation!”

“But… on Father’s Day?!” Izuku griped, still utterly failing to grasp the logic at play here, and also acutely aware of Todoroki silently watching the conversation unfold with rapt attention. His evident discomfort finally gave Uraraka pause.

“Well… okay, maybe that would be a little weird. But you don't necessarily have to do it on Father’s Day!” She amended, clapping her hands enthusiastically. “Who’s to say that presents are to be given only on specific occasions? You can do it for Father’s Day, or two weeks later, or a month, or two months… Any day’s a good day for a thank-you gift, if you ask me! It’s the thought that counts!”

That was… a fair point, frankly. Izuku really owed much to All Might, more than words or gifts could possibly repay, but that didn’t mean he ought to skip that step entirely. His mentor had done so much for him - the countless hours spent watching him haul around trash under the scorching sun and the falling snow, the constant encouragements, the advice - his own quirk, dammit. He had single-handedly turned Izuku’s whole life around in the span of an afternoon, and what had Izuku done for the man in return? A bunch of whole-hearted but exceedingly clumsy attempts at rising to the task he’d willingly shouldered, met with very mixed results. What had he even done recently, after failing to make a splash at the Sports Festival, as would have befitted a future Symbol of Peace? A whole lot of nothing, that’s what. Suddenly Izuku felt unbearably self-centered.

“...You’re right, I should really do something like that.” Izuku declared, mostly to himself. What was the worst thing that could even happen? Surely a tiny gift wasn’t going to make All Might’s day worse. Worst case scenario, he’d laugh it off and call him a fanboy (again). Izuku could live with that. “I’ll think about it.”

“Nice!” Uraraka beamed. “If you want to brainstorm on what to buy, I’m ready to help!”

“Oh, thank you! I might take you up on that… Haha, what do you even buy for someone who probably has everything, right?”

“Yeah… You’d better go for something more, uh, small and symbolic, like… Hmmm…”

“Is it really okay to get a gift for a teacher on Father’s Day?” Todoroki unexpectedly asked.

Uraraka scratched her head, her face scrunching up in defeat. “Ah… Well okay, Deku’s right, it’s definitely not normal-”

Izuku nodded sagely. “Pretty sure it would have earned me months of bullying in my old school.” Extra bullying on top of Kacchan’s ordinary mocking, that is, but there was no need to specify that.

“But. I think that it could be seen as… not that weird, given the circumstances. I would find it cute, for one. And I would bully anyone who dared to make fun of it!” She continued with renewed passion, raising her arm and flexing muscles that definitely weren’t just for show. She really was one of a kind.

Against Izuku’s better judgment, that got him thinking. Was he making too big of a deal of this whole thing? He… genuinely didn’t know. He’d never really thought much of the celebration since his dad had left, which was so long ago he hardly had any recollection of it (or him). For his whole life, Father’s Day had just been something that happened to other people… Something Izuku took notice of but didn’t feel the need or wish to partake in, kind of like Yom Kippur for a Buddhist. He wondered what All Might might make of it, of receiving a present on that specific day, as opposed to any other random day. Izuku… didn’t know that either. Not a clue.

“...Huh. Maybe I’ll buy something for All Might myself then.” Todoroki threw out so very casually, like a grenade in the middle of a marketplace.

“BWU-” Izuku and Uraraka, in a stunning display of spontaneous telepathy, emitted the same meaningless sound in response to that peculiar assertion.

“Y-You?” Izuku blurted out, and then mentally slapped himself because rude- “I-I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with- I mean, of course, why shouldn’t you be allowed to- Uhm.” He finally made the executive decision to stop talking before that foot he was shoving in his mouth could choke him to death. He spent a second gathering a semblance of composure, before concluding eloquently. “Ehr…. Why?”

“Why not?” Todoroki replied, with irrefutable logic.

“Ah… Wait, I don’t think that would work as well for you.” Uraraka started, thankfully more capable of coherent speech than Izuku currently was. “The, ehr, circumstances I was talking about are that… you know… Deku’s dad… isn’t… around… So people wouldn’t think much of it.” She went on valiantly, even though she kept shooting furtive glances at Izuku and picking words as gingerly as one picks wires to cut to disarm a bomb. “But your father is around. And I got the impression… you weren’t going to get him any gifts...”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yeah, exactly. So… you know, giving a gift for Father’s Day to a teacher, while… deliberately not giving a gift to your actual dad, that would be… kinda disrespectful…”

“I know.” Todoroki simply said, and finally understanding popped into Izuku's brain with horrifying clarity. Oh God, was Todoroki really planning to get a Father’s Day gift for a stranger just to spite Endeavor?! And not just any random stranger, All Might, of all people? Izuku shuddered.

While the full details of Todoroki’s grievances with his father were known solely to Izuku (as far as he knew, at least), the boy’s trademark forwardness made it impossible for any of his classmates to be unaware that there was no love lost between the Number Two hero and his rebellious offspring. And judging by Uraraka’s dismayed expression, what little she understood of the whole situation was enough for her to draw the exact same conclusion Izuku had just reached. “...No really, Todoroki, I’m not sure this would be a good-”

“W-We should hurry! To get back to class!” Izuku proclaimed loudly, because this conversation had well and truly gone off the rails beyond repair, and only bigger chasms of awkwardness and poor ideas could await further along. “Aizawa said he had some important announcement to make before the next period, so we should definitely get back early! To make sure we don’t miss it!”

“Right.” Todoroki took the suggestion in stride, as cool as a cucumber, and quickened his pace. Uraraka and Izuku exchanged a mildly panicked glance but didn’t speak, and hurried along. And that was that.

Izuku focussed on the splintered bark of the tree right in front of him. Clean stance, feet well planted, precise visualization. An egg not exploding. Raising the heat as much as possible without it exploding. He breathed, reached into One For All, and attacked.

The presumably 5% punch he landed on the tree was enough to finally fell it. He hopped at a safe distance as it cracked loudly and bent to the side, before collapsing to the ground as if in slight slow motion. It had taken him five full hits to fell a tree on his first attempt, and it still took him five hits to achieve that after three days of training. Progress wasn’t going to be that fast, he guessed.

“Careful.” All Might’s voice warned from a little ways to the side. “You’re slipping.”

“Huh? I am?” Izuku paused, flexing his arm, clenching and unclenching his fist to check. Nothing broken, no injuries, no particular soreness. This latest punch hadn’t felt any different from the previous ones either. “How can you tell?”

“The light show, my boy.” The man said, with an amused smirk.

“...The what?”

All Might chuckled and beckoned him closer with a handwave. Izuku trotted to his side immediately, mentally thanking his mentor again for sticking around to stop him before he could accidentally mangle himself.

Since the internship with Gran Torino, Izuku had reached the conclusion that, for the time being, he ought to train himself to use One For All in two different ways. The first one was to perfect his Full Cowling, which he could pull off quite reliably now, but still not as easily and subconsciously as he wished. This required keeping One For All active at the fixed 5% level he could already handle, while working mostly on his reflexes, muscle memory and fluidity, and it was something that Izuku deemed he could safely work on by himself.

But there was no getting around the fact that 5% was still a woefully limited amount of power to have at his disposal, and Izuku simply had to learn how to handle higher outputs. Hence, this second type of ‘maximal’ training, consisting of him trying (trying being the operative word here) to punch trees as hard as he could without incurring any damage. Since this presented as a rather make-it-or-break-it kind of endeavor, All Might had insisted to be present whenever Izuku decided to have a go at it, in case the result ended up leaning more towards the ‘breaking’ part and Izuku needed to be promptly escorted to the infirmary.

Not that either of them were planning to resort to that. Izuku could still feel the burn of Recovery Girl’s disappointed reproaches after the Sports Festival, and he was sure that All Might wasn’t immune to them either. All Might had urged him to err on the side of caution, and Izuku had wholeheartedly agreed, but there was still danger in toeing past his current limit, however gingerly.

“What do you mean?”

“You must have noticed. Try using Full Cowling.”

Izuku took a moment to collect himself, and complied-

“Oh… Right, that. I did notice.” It would have been hard not, he thought, regarding the little electric-like sizzles and sparks enveloping his own body. All the more so after Kacchan had creatively described it as lighting up like a fucking Christmas tree.

“It becomes more evident when you’re using Full Cowling, since you’re activating the quirk in your entire body, and the discharge spreads all over. But it happens when you deal a blow from a single limb as well.”

“Oh.” Izuku… may have noticed, at some point. Usually, when charging and delivering an attack, he was rather more focussed on his target, than on how his own body looked like. “Does this matter in any way? I thought it was something that just… sort of happened.”

“Indeed, it does ‘just sort of happen’. But you don’t see it happen to me as well, do you?”

“...No, it doesn’t. What does it mean?”

“I’ve never thought much about it before, admittedly, but I believe it may be a sign of imperfect control over the energy provided by One For All.” All Might mused, crossing his arms and leaning against the closest pine as Izuku let go of the Cowling. “It would also explain why your 100% output doesn’t quite measure up to mine yet.”

Ah, that was true, Izuku had wondered about that. His 100% blow to the giant robot during the admission test had effectively neutralized it, and caused some noticeable damage to the joints and hull of that mechanical leviathan. But Izuku was absolutely sure that a full-strength Smash by All Might himself would have pretty much pulverized the thing. Indeed, something didn’t add up. “I thought that was because, uhm… my bones still break badly when I’m using 100%. I mean, an impact delivered by a healthy, undamaged arm must be a lot more devastating than the same impact delivered by an arm that’s… practically disintegrating in the process… I guess…”

“That is probably part of the reason, yes.” The hero nodded. “But I bet it’s also because some of the energy you’re wielding isn’t being channeled properly, and just… dissipates in the air around you. Hence the flashes and sparks.”

“And that’s how you guessed that my last punch was different?”

“Yes, the discharge was rather more evident. It’s not a problem per se, but make sure it isn’t a warning sign that you’re about to unleash more power than your body can withstand.”

That did make sense. Well, that was an unforeseen issue to add to the pile, wasted energy all over the place. There was no end to the variety of Izuku’s shortcomings with this thing, apparently. “I understand. I’ll make sure to account for that.”

“Granted, I’m not entirely sure this is what it means. But based on personal experience, I think it’s a fair hypothesis…”

“Personal experience?”

“Yes. I used to, ah, ‘spark’ myself like this, a long time ago-”

“You did?!” Izuku couldn’t help but blurt out, his curiosity suddenly spiking. He had no idea! He had never heard of this, and that seemed impossible! As soon as he got back home, he’d have to-

“You won’t find footage of it anywhere on the internet, I’m afraid.” All Might grinned, seeing straight through him. “We’re talking about a span of only a few years after I received One For All. If I remember correctly, it stopped happening during my last year at college.”

“Oh… And how did you make it stop?”

“I didn’t. It just stopped happening on its own. I suppose I naturally grew used to the quirk enough to channel all its energy into my attacks. Again, it never caused me any sort of trouble, but considering your, ehr… difficulties, it might be worth keeping an eye on this phenomenon too, however harmless it might seem.”

Izuku pondered on that new bit of data for a moment. All Might had just ‘naturally’ stopped doing it… There seemed to be no specific way around it, then. He’d just have to keep refining his control over the quirk, and the discharge issue would solve itself as well… sooner or later…

“Don’t worry too much about it.” All Might pulled him out of his thoughts with a light pat on his shoulder. “You’ll get the hang of it. Just keep focussing on increasing your output and control, details like energy efficiency can wait.”

Izuku nodded, and stared at his own hand thoughtfully. Wise advice, to be sure, but now there was this little idea buzzing around his brain… “Is there, uhm… a way to increase the discharge? Exclusively, I mean. Not as a side effect, but as the only effect of using One For All?”

All Might looked surprised. “Ah… I’m not sure, honestly. I’ve never tried. Why?”

“In case it might be useful, you know…” Judging by All Might’s frown, that hadn’t really explained anything, so he elaborated further. “I mean, it’s light. It could be useful to just… emit light, in certain situations. Like, imagine you’re in a dark place - like a crumbling building, damaged enough for its electric system to have gone out - and you need to see where you’re going, but you’re, uh, already encumbered by victims to carry and all that… Instead of fumbling around with a flashlight, I could just light myself up! Activate One For All - without the strength enhancement, unless I needed that too - and keep this constant glow going to light the way!”

“...Huh… That is certainly an idea-” All Might commented, bringing a hand to his chin, but new, exciting possibilities were already branching out in Izuku’s head from that first intuition.

“Or I could make myself into a beacon! If I could learn to send out only a very focussed beam of light in a specific direction, up in the sky, it could function as a flare to signal my location to ask for support or draw other rescuers towards victims who can’t be moved safely!”

“Ehr… Yes, I see what you’re-”

“And it could even come handy in combat! I could maybe unleash this sudden, very powerful flash to blind enemies, and then attack while they can’t see-”

“All right, don’t get carried away now.” All Might cut in firmly, and Izuku shut up instantly. Crap, he’d done that incessant-muttering thing again, hadn’t he? “This is all well and good, but I’m not sure how productive it would be for you to split your attention between so many different techniques to train right now - especially when you’re still struggling to master the most basic application of One For All, which is the strength enhancement.”

“A-Ah… Yes, you’re right…” That was a very fair point. Could he really afford to experiment like that with the quirk at the moment? Especially now that the finals were rapidly approaching… No one knew what the teachers had in store for them that year, but it was a given that the students would be put through the mill. Nothing was simple or effortless at UA, nothing had been since the very first day. Izuku couldn’t let himself get distracted by this sort of fancies.

“I’m not saying these are bad ideas. Far from it, in fact, they certainly have their merits.” All Might amended, his tone and eyes somewhat gentler. “But let’s focus on you getting a good grasp on the well-tried combat techniques first, and then you’ll be free to play around with the quirk to your heart’s content.”

“Of course-”

“There you are! A minute of your time, boys?”

Izuku and All Might both turned towards the source of the voice, and Izuku instinctively froze. Midnight had just emerged from the woods and was approaching them at a brisk pace, waving cheerfully. Busted, a little alarm in his head rang, but it was way too late to worry about that, wasn’t it? It’s not like Aizawa hadn’t accidentally walked into one of their lunch meetings already, and since then the rest of the faculty had probably been informed that somehow Izuku just happened to be aware of All Might’s true form as well, and somehow that wasn’t to be considered suspicious in the slightest… No thanks to Izuku, who’d just stood around, petrified and stuttering like a kid caught stealing jam, while All Might had brilliantly come up with a believable excuse on the spot that Aizawa hadn’t bothered to question in depth (not while Izuku was around, at least).

“Of course!” All Might greeted her. “Enjoying a stroll in the woods inbetween lesson planning?”

“Not quite. I was looking for you.” She threw an all-encompassing glance at the small clearing they were standing on. “Thankfully you’re not hard to locate when you’re supervising Midoriya. One only needs to follow the trail of booms and uprooted greenery.”

Izuku gulped, taking in the mild devastation and mauled trees that peppered the area. Uraraka’s words from the previous week echoed in his mind as well… God, they really weren’t being subtle at all about this, were they?

“Ah, yes. What can I do for you then?”

“You can take this, first of all. And keep it on your person, as opposed to leaving it on your desk.” She handed him what Izuku guessed was his mobile, as All Might automatically patted a presumably empty pocket to check. “It’s been loudly announcing your incoming calls for the past half an hour. A great deal of rather insistent calls too. I thought I’d better bring this to you before someone else decided to chuck it out of a window.”

“Ah… I see…” All Might took the device and tapped on the screen, his eyebrows raising in surprise. “Goodness, that is a lot of calls. I’m terribly sorry-”

“And while I was at it, I thought I'd personally deliver these to you as well.” With a fluid movement, Midnight unveiled a small bunch of papers she’d been hiding behind her back, and waved them as if fanning herself with them. “Before someone else saw them and spilled all your dirty secrets to the first scoop-thirsty journalist.”

“...Pardon?” All Might blinked.

“I gotta say, I don’t like judging people for how they spend their free time or deal with their private relationships, but really, this is too much, don’t you think? Especially for the living moral compass of our country…” She kept going, a little smirk betraying the playfulness of her words as she resolutely kept the bundle of papers out of All Might’s reach.

“...Oh!” The man said, and a spark of amused recognition lit up his eyes, as he failed to grab the documents and simply extended his open hand and waited for Midnight to stop her teasing. “They were delivered here?”

“Don’t dodge the topic! I’d expect someone as famous and admired as you to have had his fair share of secret dalliances, maybe even one or two illegitimate children, why not? But no less than fourteen?” She slapped his arm lightly with the papers, and finally deposited them in the waiting palm, ending her act with a stylishly disdainful shake of her head. “You utter cad!”

Now, Izuku knew as well as any other person that perusing other people’s correspondence or private papers was the epitome of rudeness and inappropriateness, but he was only human. That little charade had intrigued and baffled him like crazy, and it’s not like All Might was behaving as if he was even minimally bothered by Midnight intruding in his, uh, affairs? Nor was he trying to hide the papers from view in any way. In fact, he’d just burst into a loud laugh, and was flipping through the bundle with evident mirth. So Izuku didn’t think it too rude to just casually lean a bit closer, and have just a quick peek…

They were… greeting cards. Hand-written, Father’s Day cards, specifically, which was appropriate for the date. Addressed to All Might himself, from names that Izuku didn’t recognize. His curiosity only grew.

“Ah, what must you think of me?” The man lamented, in the same ironic vein as Midnight’s, before his expression turned marginally more somber. “No doubt you’ll be even more outraged to learn that they all grew up in an orphanage.”

Midnight let out an exaggerated gasp, and pressed her hand to her chest. “Why, that is no less than monstrous! Producing offspring like a rabbit, and then abandoning them to fend for themselves in this cold, cruel world? I should rat you out to the press myself!”

“I suppose I find myself forced to defend my honor here.” All Might winked at Izuku and handed him a couple of cards, presumably to let him satisfy his obvious curiosity without straining his neck too much. Izuku accepted them with a sheepish grin. “Let’s see… Ah, I forget how long ago this was, but it must have been at least two decades. There was this serious accident at an orphanage just outside Tokyo, a fire caused by a faulty heating system, I think-”

“Ah! The Shakuji Orphanage fire?” Izuku interjected, his brain immediately homing in on the details - and how couldn’t it? Even with so little indication, it was the first thing that sprang to any fan’s mind, that rescue had been nothing short of legendary- “There were over 100 children trapped in that building, and you saved them basically all by yourself, without leaving a single casualty! I was rereading about it just a couple of weeks ago because someone uploaded a photo out of nowhere, claiming it was taken during its rescue operations, and there was lots of debate online on its authenticity, since that accident has always been famous for the complete lack of recordings or footage of your-”

“Yes, that one.” All Might cut in, with the barest twitch of his eye that Izuku had learned to interpret as an understated Please, do not. Izuku, obediently, ceased his doing. “Anyway, what’s relevant to the topic at hand is that, roughly a month after the accident, a letter from the director of the institute was delivered to our offices, informing us that a good portion of the children, impressed by the event and by the donation one of our charities had made towards the rebuilding of the compound, had spontaneously elected to declare me as their ‘Honorary Father’.” All Might smiled, letting his eyes wander wistfully to the leafy branches of a nearby tree. “And, attached with the letter, was a sizable box containing no less than fifty Father’s Day cards - as it just happened to be Father’s Day when we received it - each one individually written and signed.”

Izuku’s mouth dropped open. Now, that was something he’d never heard of! How had he never heard of it? How many of All Might’s operations and stories held such incredible, yet undisclosed details and additions? It boggled the mind just to try and imagine it…

“And the most extraordinary part of it was that it wasn’t just a one-off thing. Another box with similar contents was delivered the following year, and then another, and another, and another… The number of cards within dwindled over time, for sure, but…” The hero regarded the remaining cards with undisguised fondness. “Still, after I don’t even know how many years now-”

“Twenty-three.”

“...Thank you. Even after twenty-three whole years, there’s still this dozen kids - heavens, full-fledged adults by now - who keep sending their wishes year after year… Hah, look at this!” All Might held open one specific card among those he was flipping through, for the both of them to see. Inside were a few polite yet enthusiastic lines informing the Symbol of Peace that he wasn’t only an Honorary Father any more, but also the Honorary Grandfather of a two-month old boy named Satoru. At the bottom of the card was printed a tiny photo of said baby, sporting one of those silly, exaggerated faces that infants do when their parents badger them for long enough. The only word to describe it was ‘adorable’.

“My, what an unspeakably charming tale.” Midnight commented softly.

“Indeed. And somehow these things always end up right in my hand precisely on Father’s Day, no matter where I am or what I’m doing… I suspect some mildly illegal quirk usage might be involved.” All Might chuckled, finally gathering all his cards, bunching them up and slipping them into the inner pockets of his jacket. “Well, I hope this was enough to restore your faith in my good name?”

“Hmm… It is a believable enough excuse, I suppose. Truth to be told, I also receive quite a bit of mail from fans hailing me as their mommy, although I suspect the intent isn’t quite the same as the one expressed in these cards.”

All Might let out a sharp cough at that - a bloodless one, thankfully - that devolved into a bubbly laugh as he slapped a hand over his eyes hard enough to tilt his head back. “Heavens, no!”

“Well, I suppose I’ve stolen enough of your time.” Midnight grinned, apparently satisfied with the amount of joyful disruption she’d brought along with her papers. “You’re off the hook… for now. But I’m keeping an eye on you. And you should too, Midoriya!”

She left as quickly as she’d arrived, with more winks and hand waves aimed at them both.

“Well, that was an unexpected diversion.” All Might said, rubbing his hands. “Shall we get back to business?”

Izuku nodded in agreement, and adjusted his stance towards the nearest tree, picked by fate as the victim of his next bout of exercise. “...What a nice thought, though. Sending cards for all these years, no matter what…”

All Might hummed. “Yes, it’s… certainly a nice gesture.” Something in his tone made Izuku pause and look back at him. Indeed, the man’s smile had turned… not quite sour, but not nearly as gleeful as it’d been until a mere minute before.

More bits of that recent conversation with Uraraka and Todoroki replayed in Izuku’s mind. Ultimately, Todoroki had elected not to enact his peculiar revenge plan against Endeavor, and had decided not to give All Might any presents (for this year…). Izuku had similarly resolved to save his thank-you gift for a different day, because there was really no need to make things screamingly awkward and misunderstandable like that (and to potentially stoke unwanted gossip about his parentage, thank you Todoroki), but now that the matter had presented itself spontaneously, Izuku couldn’t help but wonder again… “Do you… Is it, uh, weird? To receive things like those?”

“Ah… Not weird, exactly. It’s certainly not uncommon.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yes. Might Tower gets regularly flooded with such… heartfelt declarations of kinship, shall we say, especially around holidays and celebrations. All Might is Father of many, Brother of some, pretty much universally an Uncle, and I distinctly remember an elderly gentleman in Hokkaido swearing that I must be his long lost son from an American actress he met in his youth.” The hero’s smile turned playful again, and he let out a small chuckle as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “And you don’t even want to know what our mailboxes look like around Valentine’s Day…”

Izuku snorted softly. “That common, huh?”

“Quite. Most heroes become the object of such adoration, upon reaching a certain level of fame. The Symbol of Peace, exponentially so. The visibility, the perceived invincibility, the easy-going persona, they all contribute to generate this sort of… of thing...”

There it was again, that odd… Melancholy? Unhappiness? Worry? Izuku couldn’t tell. He had the distinct impression of treading on the verge of slightly-too-nosy territory there, but he ventured just a little further. “But… does it bother you?”

All Might did not answer immediately. “It doesn’t exactly bother me… it’s not really about me. It’s more about…” All Might frowned, and seemed to get momentarily stuck on what to say next. “Well, it’s just a little bit on the nose, isn't it? Orphans sending you Father’s Day wishes…”

Izuku took a moment to figure out how to reply to that statement as well. “I guess… they’re grateful. Who wouldn’t be? It’s just a way to express that.”

“Gratitude is surely part of it, I don’t doubt that. But at the same time, one can’t help but wonder if they usually send Father’s Day and Mother’s Day cards to all the firemen and policemen and doctors who assisted them too that day, or to the workers who rebuilt their home in the following months, day after day.”

There was another pause, as All Might tilted his head to the side and averted his eyes from Izuku. “There is gratitude, but there’s also just… missing something. And doing what you can to fill that gap. Even if the best stopgap you can think of is this guy you know nothing about, that you only met for three minutes, and that otherwise exists only in the newspapers you read, in the television you watch, in the image you have of him in your head.”

Izuku inhaled to answer, but didn’t. He couldn’t think of anything to say.

“...It’s not really a bad thing, mind you. In a way, it’s what the Symbol of Peace is for. An extra layer of safety, a point of reference for both society and individuals. A guiding light, if you will. If someone can get a modicum of happiness or comfort from this sort of one-way interaction, they’re welcome to do so. It’s just that… Sometimes I wonder if the luckiest ones of that bunch may have been the ones who stopped writing. The ones who just forgot about that dreadful day and moved on, instead of… clinging.”

Izuku seemed to have lost the ability to speak. Silence hung heavy in the air as All Might’s words sort of floated in Izuku’s head, untethered and restless. It was only after a good minute that All Might seemed to emerge from his own reverie as well, and looked at Izuku for a moment before huffing and throwing his hands up.

“Ha! Listen to this old fool, playing armchair psychologist with his poor, well-meaning admirers!” He cried out, all his previous calm and thoughtfulness vanished without a trace. “The day of my retirement can’t come soon enough! Japan’s fine citizens deserve a far more appreciative Symbol, and by God we’ll make sure they’re gonna get it!”

“A-Ah?” Izuku could only stutter, All Might’s sudden mood shift throwing him completely for a loop.

“But of course! Am I or am I not talking to the next Symbol of Peace?”

“Ah, uh, I, uh- yes.” Izuku managed to get out, purely as an automatic response to All Might rising to his full height, puffing out his chest and shifting into his muscle form, and very visibly trying to evoke the same gutsy attitude in his protege. “Yes, that is, uh, that’s the plan-”

“That is very much the plan! And as such, it’ll one day fall to you to parry a landslide of declarations of undying love, brotherhood, fatherhood, soulmate-ness and just about any sort of special bond your mind could possibly conceive. Looking forward to seeing how you’ll handle all that.” The pat Izuku received on his back was almost strong enough to send him toppling forwards. “Veeery much looking forward to it.”

“I-I…”

“You’ll get the hang of that too, don’t worry, just like everything else-”

“A PHONE CALL IS HERE!”

All Might deflated right on cue, wiped his mouth from the few stray sprays of blood that followed, and hurried to check his phone. He didn’t seem pleased by what he saw on the screen. “Ah, I’d better check what all these calls are about. Do you mind if we call it a day a little earlier?”

“N-No, not at all. I was starting to get a little tired anyway…”

��All right. I’ll see you tomorrow then.” A second later, he was already sprinting towards the school, the phone already at his ear as he bid Izuku goodbye with a raised arm. “Good job today!”

Izuku watched him disappear among the trees, slightly stunned, then walked back to his bag and drank some water from his bottle. It was still a very strange, unfamiliar thought. For all his proclaiming of wanting to be just like All Might, the greatest hero and all that, actually trying to imagine himself as such still felt very much like dreaming. The mere notion that he, Izuku, Izuku Midoriya, could be for other people - for so many other people - the kind of beacon of hope that All Might had been for him, it was just… Especially since Izuku himself was so… He was…

Since I’m so much more like those kids than like All Might himself.

Izuku gulped down water that felt as thick as molten lead. He screwed the cap back on. He removed his gauntlets, which he dropped on the ground.

He sat on the grass.

…It wasn’t really true, though. First and foremost, because Izuku wasn’t alone. He had his mother, for one, and how immensely lucky he was to have a mother like her. He had proper friends and peers too now. Teachers to rely on. He was luckier than he’d ever been, luckier than many people would ever be in life, so much so that it felt immensely disrespectful to even think of comparing his whining about little, inane daily annoyances to the kind of hardships those kids must have dealt with.

Moreover, his relationship with All Might was also entirely different from theirs. He actually knew the man, personally, and had done so for over a year now. He knew so much more about him than the average citizen, or even the average fan, he knew his deepest secrets, about his injury and his quirk, and… and…

Izuku hadn’t given All Might a gift for Father’s Day. A non-irrelevant part of the reason why he hadn’t done so was because he didn’t actually have a gift to give. Yet. Because he hadn’t been able to think of one. He’d pondered about it for a good week, but he hadn’t come up with anything. Because, when it came down to it, he really didn’t know what the man could like. Even when he’d tried to think of something like Uraraka’s extra gift to her dad, something as simple as a favorite snack, Izuku had drawn a blank. To be fair, he could rule out a few things in that department - for example, higashi would likely be out of question, much like sweets in general - because of All Might’s dietary restrictions, which he’d researched extensively the moment he’d learned about All Might’s injury, and it was absolutely not creepy of him to have done that, not at all, it was just to avoid making a fool of himself by maybe accidentally offering him something he couldn’t stomach, common courtesy and all that -

Izuku scratched his head furiously. The reality of it was that Izuku may have been roughly aware of what All Might could eat, but not of what he liked to eat. Or about what he liked in general. If he had any hobbies. A favorite color. Nothing but what little he’d garnered from the very scarce answers the notoriously private Symbol of Peace had given on such topics during his interviews over the years. The reality of it was that, while Izuku could quote off the top of his head an astounding number of trivia and details, while he could recall a precise list and description of his major (and minor) rescue operations over the span of four whole decades… these were all things Izuku knew about All Might the hero. Things he’d learned from televisions and newspapers. About All Might the man, about Toshinori (and how telling it was, the fact that Izuku had heard that name for the first time only a couple of weeks ago, and it had meant nothing to him), Izuku knew next to nothing. Hell, he hadn’t even known that All Might had been quirkless in his youth. Quirkless! How had a whole year passed without them ever talking about that very specific and very significant trait they had shared, that must have presumably left some sort of mark on All Might’s life much like it had on Izuku’s? Why had it never come up, why had All Might never brought it up before…?

Because it just wasn’t the sort of things they usually talked about. Simple as that. They talked about heroism, training, school, One For All, and… and that was just about it, really. They talked about what needed to be talked about, and that was enough. Had always been, so far. For both of them.

And yet, Izuku had actually contemplated the same idea as those orphans. To give this man he hardly knew anything about a gift for Father’s Day, just… just because. Because maybe it would just work out fine.

There’s gratitude, but there’s also just… missing something.

Izuku stood up, put the water and gauntlets back in his bag, and headed back to the main building. Vaguely wondering what everything he’d just heard could possibly mean about him.

#Toshinori Yagi #All Might #izuku midoriya #deku #shoto torodoki #ochaco uraraka #uravity #nemuri kayama #midnight #boku no hero academia #my hero academia

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