#but i really want them to explore him | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

skitskatdacat63 · 4 months

Text

Hey, do you remember that really homoerotic scene from Skyfall? No? That's okay, here's a Vettonso version of it :)

- explanation & w/o text:

Hi hello, finally my weird psychosexual relationship with Casino Royale has come to fruition. Yeah this is directly based off a scene from Skyfall, but I def envision the vibe as being more like Casino Royale hehe. I can't believe I made that inspo board for this AU almost 4 weeks ago, and then ended up drawing a four panel "comic" about it. Ahhhh proud of myself, a bit, a tad. I think this took 20+ hours across the span of a week? God. Anyways I digress! The AU!!

First of all, their Bond song would be "My Way of Life" by Frank Sinatra. It's so toxic, codependent and obsessive, I'm in love with it. And it really suits Fernando and his motivations and outlook in this AU. Basically, MI6(in the context of James Bond) in this AU is an analog for Ferrari. It picks theses guys up, tells them that they're Ferrari MI6's most special boy, chews them up, and then spits them out when they're finished extracting all their talent and skill and life force.

Much like with Ferrari, Seb in this AU replaces Fernando after Fernando loses favor and becomes undesirable. Now Seb is the new golden boy, and Fernando has turned to a life of crime! Fernando resents Seb for this of course, but also becomes obsessed with him and the idea of him , and how they are connected. It's weird to watch someone else basically go down your exact same path and unknowingly make all the same mistakes(buying into the mysticism of it all too much, being overly cocky, having naive beliefs and goals, etc.) He is caught between wanting to doom Seb even more but also wanting to "save" him, by corrupting him and convincing him to work together.

Basically: He's both a Bond girl and Bond villain.

Fernando is in such a weird place in this AU. I think he's just very dramatic. Seb is just casually living his best 007(005?) life, and Nando is watching him with binoculars, whispering to himself: "DOESN'T HE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NARRATIVE FOILS!?" Yeah he hates Seb, but like the song lyrics say, their lives and dreams are inherently tied up together. He would feel lost without Seb, because Seb basically, unknowingly, destroyed and then took over his life. Maybe he'll feel satisifed if he manipulates Seb into going down the exact same path a bit better.

About the drawings themselves. Still can't believe this scene is a real thing that actually happened, insane to me. But in this AU, after the events of these drawings, Fernando definitely kicked all his henchman out of the room, and fucked Seb in the chair. And then against the wall. And then on the floor. Hey man, Seb is already looking mighty delicious with his unbuttoned attire and being tied up.

I think the general plot would be that Fernando keeps trying to seduce him to the dark side, and Seb keeps making him think it worked, only to escape at the end of the encounter. Leading Fernando to just come up with increasingly more violent and kinky traps. Seb goes along with it(read: enjoys it), leaving Fernando satisifed, only to somehow escape and wink and make kissy faces at Fernando in the process. (Fernando smoking cigarette in bed: "How do I make him stay. Sigh.")

I like to think though that Fernando does win in the end, by realizing, ah wait shit I do need to actually explain my motivations to Seb. And Seb is so worn down by his job, not Fernando, and how he's being treated, that he listens, really actually listens, and realizes Fernando does really have valid reasons. And then they become evil crime husbands yayyyy. Wow you thought this was a espionage AU? Well it is, but just not the outcome you'd expect.

#ah well this was certainly a project....#rn i feel like im devolving into illness so im glad i could finish this up before it possibly gets worse #this is my magnum opus as of rn. just bcs ive not really drawn such a longform thing for them!! happy w it :)#i think i def like the first one the best #it made me suffer so bad but i think i soften on my own art after a few days #like i finish it and know its 'good' but cant help but critique every little thing #but ive had that one done for almost a week so now i look at it and really love it #i was originally just going to draw that one only but then realized i really like the full dialog so. might as well.#generally i liked this though bcs even if it ws difficult. it was nice to have really direct and clear reference #like ah ik where im going w this rather than it being an image in my head that i cant represent the way that I want #ah anyways all my vettonso aus tend to be just wanting to explore specific dynamics of theirs #and this one is basically how i feel about their mutual relationship to the institution of ferrari and how it affects their dynamic #basically: THEY'RE MIRRORS!!!#there's always something to be said abt nando being resentful abt seb bcs of 2010/2012/etc and then seb taking his seat at ferrari #but then witnessing seb basically go thru the same trials and tribulations and failures at ferrari #and realizing huh wait maybe he's not who i was villianizing him as. maybe hes at my level too. maybe he's not infallible. maybe hes like m #a very bitter nando who has to fight btwn his impulse to ruin seb further or to relate to him and start to like him #so yeah that's ^ basically what i want to portray in this au(just like all AUs tbh)#f1 #formula 1 #sebastian vettel #fernando alonso #catie.rambling.txt #catie.art.#vettonso #bond au

54 notes · View notes

luxeberries · 1 year

Text

now on ao3

One day, in mid August of ‘85, Dustin shows up at Steve’s front door, completely unannounced. It’s the middle of the night and Steve has half the mind to reprimand Dustin about curfew and biking alone in the dark. But when his vision finally focuses on Dustin’s expression, Steve sees panic in his eyes; fear. At first, his heart plummets and he thinks not again, not so soon. But then Dustin says-

“I killed that guy. Didn’t I?”

And every other thought in Steve’s mind crumbles like ash.

“The Russian,” Dustin clarifies in Steve’s silence. “The doctor.”

Steve remembers.

Bald, round glasses.

Stale coffee breath.

Pliers pulling his nail.

He can’t speak, throat closing up.

Dustin keeps talking, rambling like Robin does when she’s panicked. “They used those cattle prods to stun demogorgons, Steve. Do you have any idea how many volts that thing held? He- He fell, like-”

“Dustin,” Steve says - rasps it out because his throat is dry but he needs to stop Dustin’s spiral.

Rendered silent, Dustin looks up at Steve with wide, glistening eyes. He’s expecting an answer, but Steve doesn’t have one. He can’t think beyond the sight of Dustin standing before him in a matching pajama set and untied shoes, like he didn’t have the time or mind to fasten them up because he was in too much of a rush to come here. To seek out Steve, in the middle of the night. Steve, who should be able to help because that’s his job; he’s the protector, the older brother Dustin can come to for comfort.

Except that Steve was woken with a start just five minutes ago when Dustin started pounding on his front door and he thought it was the Russians coming back for him, his mind still half lost to the nightmare he was having; all blood and bone saws and Robin’s screams. Part of him is itching to call her, like maybe she somehow died back there and Steve has been imagining her this whole time and he just needs to hear her mom answer the phone and say, ‘Yeah, she’s right here, honey’.

But he remembers Dustin charging in, remembers watching him strike the doctor right in the chest and how he fell to the ground, limp, and didn’t get back up. Knows that everyone is safe, no matter what his brain tries to tell him. Robin and Erica are sleeping in their beds, and Dustin is standing on his front door step, bike discarded on the ground next to the Bimmer.

Steve takes a deep breath and says, “Get in here.”

He ushers Dustin in with a hand on the back of his neck, locking the door behind them, and heads to the living room. Dustin just keeps looking at him, like Steve has all the answers. Like Steve can make it all better. Can say the voltage wouldn’t have killed him, as if the possibility that he’s still out there wouldn’t send himself into a panic attack.

“Steve,” Dustin says, and it sounds like a plea; the way his voice lisps, wet and small.

He’s only thirteen.

“I killed a person,” Dustin says.

And Steve gets it, sort of. It doesn’t matter that the person Dustin killed was evil and cruel, just like it didn’t matter that Billy Hargrove was about to kill Lucas when Steve stepped in between them. He still didn’t want to hurt someone. Each punch felt like too much, like if he punched any harder, he’d do some serious damage. And Billy would have deserved it - as horrible as it feels to think that after his sacrifice - but Steve didn’t want to be the one to do it. That’s not who he is. He’s a protector, not a fighter. Not a killer. That breaks something in a person, as is made clear by the crack in Dustin’s voice. It took something from him. The little bit of innocence Dustin had left.

“Yeah,” Steve says, quiet and almost apologetic. “You did.”

Dustin’s face falls, as if he really did want Steve to say otherwise. But avoiding the truth won’t help anything.

“But- But you saved me, okay?” he says, like he’s asking if that truth is enough.

Dustin’s eyes flash with something Steve can’t identify.

“Me and Robin,” Steve continues. “You saved us. If you hadn’t done what you did- What you had to do…”

His nightmares have answered that hypothetical too well.

He shakes it off, puts his hand on Dustin’s shoulder instead.

“You saved us. You did good, Dustin. Okay? That’s what’s important here.”

Dustin's face crumples and before Steve can blink, he’s got an armful of the kid. He’s still bruised, ribs only just recovering from the break, and it hurts. But he wraps Dustin up in his arms and lets him cry into his shoulder, wetting the thin fabric through.

"Hey, it's okay," Steve soothes, voice low. "You're okay. I've got you, buddy."

He’s not coddling him or trying to get him to stop crying- he just talks so Dustin knows he’s there. Tells him how grateful he is for Dustin taking care of him and Robin when they were messed up, for being so brave when he busted into that room. He talks until Dustin is quiet against him, left with his arms wrapped around Steve’s waist and his face pressed into Steve’s shoulder. He doesn’t move for a while, but Steve doesn’t mind - just rubs his back and rests his cheek against his curls.

“Your mom know you’re here?” he asks softly.

Dustin shakes his head.

“You wanna stay here tonight?”

Dustin nods.

Steve checks his watch over Dustin’s shoulder. It’s almost midnight. He sighs.

“Remind me to send her flowers or something as an apology for waking her up right now,” Steve says, light-hearted, trying to make Dustin laugh.

But Dustin just sniffles, guilty. “Sorry.”

“Hey, no. It’s fine. Take your shoes off and head on upstairs, yeah? I’ll call your mom and tell her you’re with me.”

Dustin pulls back, wipes his wet nose with his sleeve and Steve tries not to cringe.

“Thanks, Steve.”

It’s not entirely selfless, calling Dustin’s mom. If he calls Mrs Henderson, he can call Robin right after without Dustin knowing. He has a feeling she’ll be awake at this time too anyway. He thinks he might call the Sinclairs as well, wants to make sure Erica is okay.

And as long as Dustin stays the night, Steve knows that at least he’s safe, spread out right beside him, taking up the whole bed. Can make sure Dustin sleeps through the night, can be there if he has a nightmare that his mom wouldn’t be able to calm him down from.

Steve ruffles Dustin’s hair, smiling at how he pushes into it like a cat. “It’s no problem.”

#luxeberriesfics #stranger things #steve harrington #dustin henderson #henderfam #was having thoughts last night about dustin suddenly realising he killed that guy #like maybe he was aware of it but it never really hit him that he took a alife #i dont think i explore that very well tbf like i could go much deeper into it #but really i just wanted steve and dustin comforting each other #so #i think of this one as a companion piece to my stobin ficlet #i might upload them on ao3 and make it a little series #might do one with erica too at some point

264 notes · View notes

bonefall · 5 months

Note

Voted for Bumble bc of course but also if you think Alex would not pspsps Bumble you are wrong. If they could communicate they would go to therapy together /s

If then could communicate they would go to therapy together

/GEN

Kyle/Green Lantern resurrects her but then he becomes convinced that she's not the same person she was before the incident, OR SOMETHING SOMETHING Black Lanterns aren't ACTUALLY bad they're just misunderstood Grim Reaper types, in either case Alex ends up breaking it off with Kyle because they've become very different people.

And then Bumble's there

And then they go to therapy or Alex adopts Bumble, and then uhhh Bumble's like one of the superpets. Like Krypto the Superdog. Free premise go forth and play with it if ur a DC fan

#bone babble #Again I don't actually know a lot about the DC universe besides what my friend tells me #But also from reading into the Black Lanterns having them be evil sound like a WHOLE wasted opportunity #Lanterns are supposed to be emotions yeah? so why the hell are we downplaying the emotion of GRIEF?#There's a whole lot you could do with that actually. Death doesn't deserve to just be a villain of the week #And hell. You could explore some WILD emotions here about Alex becoming so much more than Kyle's tragedy #Can I still mourn you when you aren't dead?#What does it mean for me that the worst thing that ever happened to me has become an opportunity for her?#And... does this make me selfish for not being happy for her?#For not trying to understand the person she has become? for only thinking of how this impacts myself #RE: THIS IS NOT A DIG AT DC FANS #BUT I want to share that like... a reason I've kinda had a hard time getting into comics is because like... really interesting premises--#like that often get turned into Monster-of-the-Week struggles for the heroes to punch into submission #I've probably just seen really bad summaries or not found the editions that would appeal to me specifically #But it's kinda why the only DC hero I'm really interested in is Superman #Because a lot of his thing is that he's a good GUY #And that creates a lot of interesting moral questions #Like YES he's a good guy. YES he has no ulterior motive. But what if he DID?-- how can EVERYONE ELSE in the universe truly know that-#for sure?#And that's cool and I really like the snippets I've seen especially between him and batman #But anyway. so much fridging and misogyny in the world of comics has kinda turned me away from getting into it #because. VERY often. Misogyny can be... *tied* to a bit of a lack of imagination. Or empathy on behalf of a particular writer #RE: There is good stuff in DC PLEASE understand im not trying to be insulting

63 notes · View notes

pickled-flowers · 5 days

Text

Saw some of the grossest parenting today in the bus

#this dad was on his phone the whole bus ride ok #and his two kids were screaming arguing #at most he would periodically tell them to lower their voice while still on his phone #one time he told them to stop the one sitting next to him hit him 😭 and he went back to look at his phone with no reaction #my guy something is seriously wrong with you #your kids are screaming at each other doesn't even matter all that much that we are in the bus rn #theyre not just being loud kids you need to do smt!!!!!! its too early for this!!! i could hear them even with my noise cancelling headphone #anyways #ive never seen smt like this #and i work in a mall i see lots of parents and kids #idk smt really disgusting about a parent just not even interested in engaging with their kids #dude no wonder they're loud they probably want ur attention #also this one lady once who came in wjth a big stroller #and the store where i work has little moving rooms between the aisle so this woman decided TO LEAVE THE STROLLER WITH A KID INSIDE AT THE #FRONT OF THE STORE #the kids started crying and his hrother (toddler not in the stroller but not following the mom for some reason) started exploring and i #i had to watch them until the mom came back but like the woman just left them there???#i just stepped in but what if i hadnt??? lady?????????#i see lots of cute interactions of course #like this little girl who came with who i think is her grandpa and he asked me to help her chose her next manga read 😭💖#i basically work in a book/toy store #theres a lot of candy as well the kids love it #idk i like seeing kids being happy ok it is healing #like all the kids sitting on the floors deep in their books while the parents shop 😭😭😭 makes me smile every time top tier behavior

21 notes · View notes

raifuujin · 5 days

Note

“I just don't like Gosho's use of ideas nowadays” do you have some examples? I’ve been feeling the same but I still don’t have like articulate thoughts on it

Well, 'nowadays' has been for. About ten years, ish? The most glaring example that always sticks out in my mind is the Sun Halo MK chapters, with the complete and utter waste of the very common fanfic tropes of 'Aoko gets suspicions' and 'Kid gets injured around someone'. But it kind of matches the general problem I have with his writing that I don't think used to be this bad: He's trying to stuff too much around the strict case-by-case structure (or for MK, introducing the heist-by-heist structure) without actually giving anything focus. (And for MK it's so much worse because he writes it so rarely, that he makes everyone cameo every time but they tend to just get hand waves to whatever drama plot gets instigated by Kid having his next heist.)

For DC, it's the whole. 1) Overarching plot with the BO and suspects and 'here's the available suspects for who's involved with the BO that we introduce one at a time at the end of cases and then maybe leave more clues about them during future cases'. 2) Dangling character or relationship progress and then constantly pulling it away, usually as a joke. 3) When we do occasionally get some of the major plot, it's all at once and then maybe mentioned once in the next case, but otherwise completely dropped. (Amuro and Akai and Kudo tea party tease also lingers as a 'Gosho is just evil at this point'.) Basically rigid structure that doesn't allow for much of the subplots aside from breadcrumbs.

For the current situation, it's also tied into interview comments. Which. have no bearing on the story until he actually uses them. But instead of even that, the movie gets exciting stuff instead and puts it in a giant limbo of is it meant to be canon or not, because no one has been able to settle on that for any movie, even as some details get connected back to the manga more and more.

It's bad writing. Gosho has been a bad writer for a long time, and it's kinda just getting worse. It's my opinion that it's because he tries to have his case after case after case (because mystery manga), and then stuff little bits of everything else in the seams, whether it works well with the case he's writing or if it's a good delivery or (more usually) it's just. Kinda tacked on.

It's partially because of time investment, partially because I have low standards of entertainment, and partially because I want to see how it all ends that I stick with DC. MK is. Similar, but hurts more because I really hate how it morphed into the DC structure when old MK had more you could do with it. Gosho will never drop his rigid case-by-case structure at this point, but it really would be better if he did at this point. Things need development that they're not allowed to have. Or at least smooth out the lines between his hints. And stop with Heiji and Kazuha, just. God. Stop. Is this how people felt about Kid appearances? I feel like at least when people were mad about Kid, they knew nothing was going to happen from the get go, the romance 'tease' is just painful.

#dc thoughts #It's really just a general feeling that I know Gosho /can't/ write drama that well #The writing style he's picked really doesn't allow him to; whether he /could/ write it well or not #So I don't like him going for an idea that sounds like a fanfic idea #Because it's never going to be as fun to watch as just. A fanfic. Because fanfic writers don't have to stick to genre or anything #/They/ can take time to explore character dynamics and implications and direct continuation of the idea into multiple chapters #Gosho literally /can't/ do it. At best; it's okay. At worst; it makes all the characters look so much worse #Because the characters are smart or dumb to allow whatever situation Gosho wants to happen /right then/#Because he can't wait too long to properly build up fun little ideas; he just smashes them in and moves on #(The Fairy Lip heist is also lingering. Most of what sticks in mind is Kid; as per usual)

22 notes · View notes

decarbry · 1 year

Photo

Hawks takes a heavy interest in Yabuzawa after his rescue. It’s entirely for the direct source of information, of course. As the landscape looks more and more like war and his investigations undercover proceed, any information is useful, and Yabuzawa was close to Shigaraki for a very long time. Hawks doesn’t fully trust the Nomu after everything that’s happened, even if he is in rehabilitation; his friendly demeanor is a facade in order to stay on Yabuzawa’s (and Mic’s) good side. Yabuzawa is as frustrated by Hawks’ personality as one would expect, but... fails to be the one to chase him away when he tires of his company. He’s so desperate to be trusted again that he falls for Hawks’ pretend friendliness.

In the end, Mic is always the one to take notice when Yabuzawa’s mood has hit a certain floor, and it’s then that Hawks gets ejected out of the apartment. And, when things hit the fan with the chaos that is soon to come, Hawks is one of the loudest voices in encouraging Yabuzawa’s participation on the side of the heroes where many others aren’t willing to accept him.

#boku no hero academia fanart #Yabureme Aizawa AU #nomu aizawa #hawks bnha #eraser head #as an aside this is the best Hawks I've ever drawn HAHA #as I work on the next part of the comic I've been brainstorming his relationships with various other pros #totally taking suggestions/recs #of which ones to explore more #I see Yabuzawa/Hawks as kind of like Shinsou/Denki LMAO #cheery and outgoing vs quiet and sullen #kind of friends? tho at first Hawks just wants info and is more or less pretending to be friendly like he does with Twice #not really meaning it until the war is in full swing and he witnesses Yabuzawa face the distrust of everyone around them #it's at that point that Hawks vouches for the once-hero #if for no other reason than that the heroes really cannot afford not to have him in theirranks

299 notes · View notes

burninblood · 8 months

Text

SHOULD I BE WORRIED??? SHOULD I BE HAPPY??

JACKSON I DON'T TRUST YOU MY FRIEND, BUT THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE SO, BEHAVE.

#buckynat #winterwidow #bucky x natasha #comics #thunderbolts #JACKSON PLEASE YOU EXPLORED SHIT IN COLD WAR COME ON MAN BE HONEST FOR ONCE #thunderbolts comics #wow a new toxic is coming bucky has to change so that natasha can see him into a new light when she loved him first #when he didn't even know who he really was and was killing people for department X #she loved him when he couldn't love himself but now she needs to see him into a new light OK THEN #AND I WAS FORGETTING #they can't express or commit to their love 'couse the writers didn't want them to #there's no other reason really

78 notes · View notes

solomonssock · 1 year

Text

Delicate Love

Not the way I was kicking my feet while writing this…anyway, I love Asmodeus :)

Pairing: gn!reader x Asmodeus (established relationship!)

TW: Brief suggestive content (it's Asmodeus), a lot of fluff...like intense fluff and wooing by you, exploring courting behavior, brief non-canon Devildom history exploration, death mentioned but not discussed seriously,,,,uhh I think that's all! Let me know if there's anything else, ty!

Word Count: ~3,400

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

"Mo, you know I adore you, and I'd do anything to make you the happiest demon alive."

You heave a sigh as you finally slide into the booth beside Asmodeus, leaning back to sink into the cushioned lining.

"But I'm never going on a shopping haul with you ever again."

You groan and begin massaging out the indents littering your arms from the bag handles you'd lugged around for the past couple of hours.

Right now, you'd enjoy nothing more than sitting across from your lover on your weekly scheduled date day. It's a lovely thought: fingers tangled atop the table as you lean in for a sweet kiss or two, admiring him and his coy smile as you tell him all the ways he makes your heart whole.

Unfortunately, that space is currently occupied.

You glare at the copious amount of shopping bags piled on the seat across from you two. In retrospect, offering to carry all his bags in the first place was a rash decision. But you bore the agony with pride. The spring in his step as he flittered around the racks with ease, batting his eyelashes at you all the while, was payment enough. With his birthday right around the corner, it also had the added benefit of making it easier for you to sneak your own purchase, custom matching anklets for the two of you, among the pile.

Glancing to your side, you watch as Amodeus pulls out his D.D.D. to scan the menu QR code before scrolling through the options. He turns to you with a smirk, eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Aww, you don't mean that! You love spending time with me. Aaand," he drags out the word as he leans against your side, gazing deep into your eyes with his usual intensity, "if you hadn't come, you would have missed out on your private show."

Warmth rises to your cheeks as you recall the heated kisses Asmodeus snuck inside the dressing room, pressing you up against the stall door in between outfit changes.

"Seemed to me like you enjoyed yourself," he chuckles, "and weren't the outfits just so cute! Especially that last little number, don't you agree?"

You do.

Asmodeus had strutted out of the stall with a lacy red lingerie top tucked into tight leather shorts. Slowly and sensually, he pulled on the knee high boots one after the other before requesting that you zip them up for him. Teasingly running his fingers through your hair as you kneeled before him, promising to wear it for you on your next night out together.

"The clothes were cute, but I was more focused on the model." You knock your knee against Asmodeus's as you wrap an arm around his waist and pull him closer into you.

Gently, you lift your hand to his cheek, brushing your knuckles over the skin before pressing your forehead against his own.

"It's all just additional, anyway. Your beauty isn't confined by any pretty piece you put on."

His eyes shift away from yours, and you know you've hit a sore spot.

For some time since you two started dating officially, Asmodeus had become increasingly stricter on his skincare routines. Often cycling through new products weekly. You weren't sure what he was searching for, but he'd become meticulous with just about anything to do with his appearance. Accepting no less than perfection before meeting with you.

You weren't even allowed to come into his room in the morning anymore before he had a chance to see himself.

"I mean it," you tilt his chin to face you before pressing a kiss to his cheek, the corner of his mouth, and his lips.

"However you come to me, I'll love you all the same."

Asmodeus pushes his face into the space between your collar and jaw, trembling just a bit. You tighten your hold on him as you move a hand up to run through his hair, smiling as you feel the onset of a light purr thrumming against your side.

"Hmm, love you too." The mumbled words tickle your skin as he presses a kiss against your neck.

You take a moment to look around the cafe and smile as you see plenty of other couples taking up the tables near you. Most of them are holding hands, intertwining tails, or pressing up against their partner as Asmodeus does to you now.

Touch, you remember, is something sacred.

Earlier this week, you joined Satan on a trip to the Royal Library. There, you stumbled across a collection on courtship etiquette and decided to peek through a couple of volumes. The first one you picked up broached the subject of touch.

"Allowing another to place their hands upon you in public, especially in an intimate display, signifies to them and your company several things. First, that you entrust this demon with your body, permitting them to freely handle you. Second, that you find comfort in or openly desire them and their presence. The manner in which you permit them to touch you and its implications will be addressed in Chapter 4. Third, that you find them worthy of witnessing your vulnerabilities and trust them to tend to you when you are at your weakest. This has the additional benefit of informing your company whom to seek out in case of any emergencies. Therefore, if you have no intention of pursuing someone or inviting them into your close circle, it is advisable to abstain from intimate or prolonged contact. You don't want to be seen as an indecisive and inconsiderate heartbreaker, do you? "

For demons, you've recognized that tender or friendly touches are extended only to their loved ones. The casual touch you were accustomed to in the human world: hugging, rubbing someone's back, reaching for someone's hand, even grabbing a loose eyelash, means something deeper here. It had finally clicked for you then, as to why Lucifer had found your tendency to casually high five him and his brothers so peculiar during the start of the program.

It also explains why Asmodeus seems to be most at ease when he hides into your neck like now. It reassures him, you figured, of just how deeply you trust in him to protect you as you let his fangs graze the skin and run over the veins that lie beneath.

The neck, after all, is one of the weakest parts of the human body.

"So," you give Asmodeus a soft squeeze, "finally gonna tell me why you've been wanting to come here?"

All week, Asmodeus had mentioned how excited he was to take you to this cafe on your date day. It was the new hot spot for couples in the Devildom, he teased, and you two obviously being the hottest couple were duty bound to go. That in itself was fine, but for the hot spot he claimed it to be, you hadn't heard a single thing about it. It didn't help that Asmodeus wouldn't tell you the name or spill any details. You just had to be patient and hope he wasn't taking you somewhere...overstimulating.

The cafe is more tame than you expected, and quite romantic too. Flowers top the booths, loop through the hanging chandeliers, and create a pleasantly sweet aroma. At the center of each table, a heart shaped candle burns its wick as it sits atop the welcome card with the menu QR code. The walls are covered in paintings of what you suspect are well-known lovers in Devildom history. Among the demonic pairings, you surprisingly find one couple you recognize, Orpheus and Eurydice performing together in death.

"I get why it's so popular. It's really nice in here," you murmur, gaze turning towards the heart shaped candle to watch the flame flicker to-and-fro.

Focused on the burn, your eyes follow the wax as it melts and trickles off the bottom edge of the heart, leisurely sliding down until it pools into the dish it rests upon. You snort in amusement at the imagery it inspires.

Man, you've got it bad.

Asmodeus jolts from the sound, reluctantly pulling away from you with a small pout on his lips. Yet, his hands still settle on your waist, balling up the fabric there.

"What's so funny? I was comfortable, you know," he grumbles. You smile, tilting your head as you lift your hand to briefly squeeze his left arm.

"It's pretty silly, but...", you nod towards the table, "when I was looking at that candle and how the heart drips downward; the first thing I thought of was you."

"It reminds me of your true form," you begin to draw hearts onto his arm, mapping out the markings as you remember them. "I was thinking about how beautiful these are."

Asmodeus's hands release your top, smoothing out the fabric, before they settle again.

"Especially, when you hug me," you hum.

It's a struggle to put into words, the right words, how much you love and appreciate someone. But for Asmodeus, you'll try.

"This is going to sound ridiculous, but don't be mean," you flush, "I...sometimes think of how your markings droop down, like they're in search of something. And I hope it's me."

You rearrange his scarf as it begins to fall out of place, taking care to put it where he likes it best; tossed over his shoulder.

"You're sort of like the flame too, you know?"

You let out an awkward chuckle. Asmodeus hasn't said anything. So, fidgeting more with the scarf, you press onward.

"You're so bright that everyone can't help but admire the warmth that flows from you...even me," you confess.

"Your confidence just makes me want to be more confident in myself. Like, I appreciate that I can be myself around you and that even if you don't always get my style, you look for things you know I'll love."

"Your brothers can complain about how you're self-centered, but I know how wonderful of a listener you are. I always feel understood by you. It's kind of freaky, actually," you laugh, "sometimes I feel like you understand me better than I understand myself!"

"But," you pause and pull your hands back as your gaze returns to the candle and what rests below it, "I want to be like the dish. Your dish."

"I see how all of it exhausts you, Mo. Beloved by all, but known by none."

You know you've hit the bullseye when you hear him take a sharp breath.

"Well, that doesn't have to be true - we can change that. I want to keep getting to know you, to be with you at your best and your worst. So...you don't have to hide or push yourself too much when it comes to me. You're a resilient demon, but I'm happy to be the shoulder you continue to lean on."

You sigh with a small smile, finally letting the words you've been stewing over for weeks burst free from your chest. Yeah, It's embarrassing to say these things so plainly. But it's freeing too. It's not something humans do much anymore, so casual in their confessions and in how quickly they pick up, drop, or cycle through their partners. But if it means he'll understand that you're ready to accept him just as he is, that he doesn’t have to change himself to earn your love, then it's worth it.

You turn to face Asmodeus and gasp at the captivating sight before you.

Butterflies erupt and flutter in your stomach in response to the blush that spreads across his skin. His face, his chest, and the tips of his ears; nothing is unaffected. His glassy eyes shine with real tears, and you're a little worried you may have gone too far as he gnaws at his bottom lip.

You're so glad for the dim lighting, and that the bags forced you to sit beside him, obstructing any view of him from prying eyes. You don't want anyone else to share in this unguarded expression he bares to you.

"Mo, hey" you move to grab his hands and nudge them off you gently, "I didn't mean to upset you."

But you leave him be as he lets out a distressed whine that raises goosebumps across your skin. His hands only leave you for a second to push yours away before they return to your hips.

"Mo, what's wrong?" You whisper, leaning forward to press your forehead against his again.

"Ugh, nothing's wrong! It's too right!" He whisper-screams back.

Wait...is he embarrassed?

You look into his eyes, and for the first time ever, Asmodeus is the first to look away. You pull back, snickering into your hand.

"Are you laughing at me?!" He looks affronted, but you smile at him. You wrap your arms around his neck, eyes crinkling from the joy flowing through you.

"You're too cute, Mo!" You croon as you kiss his cheek. "If I had known", you press your lips there again, "how much my silly little thoughts would affect you", and again, "I'd have told you how deeply I feel about you every day."

You let out a giddy giggle as he blinks away the wetness in his eyes, pouting at you. His skin feels hot to the touch with a tinge of rouge everywhere. You lean forward, whispering in his ear, "Yeah. Red is definitely your color."

"Now you're the one who's being mean!" He whines, pressing his face into your shoulder. You lean your head against his and hold him to you.

"There, there, sweetheart." You tease, just as he usually does when he overwhelms you with his affection.

"I won't go into how much laughter you've brought into my life, or talk about how much your passion inspires me, or explain why your eyes remind me of orange chrysanthemums."

Mo lifts his face off your shoulder with a slight sniffle.

"Why chrysanthemums?" He asks. And although you only command them, you feel devilish as you gaze into light orange eyes with a knowing smile.

"Because," you whisper, "despite their intensity, they signify a delicate love."

It goes unsaid, but as Asmodeus's eyes widen you know he understands exactly what you mean.

He is the orange chrysanthemum you tend to. With stunning and stimulating colors, he attracts all. But once his onlookers have had their fill of his beauty, they move on, leaving him to wilt. No matter how much his fans claim to love him, they have never, and could never, water him with the gentle attentiveness that you do.

Despite the titillating and tempestuous ideations he conjures in the minds of many, you know that at his core, the Avatar of Lust is a fragile lover.

Asmodeus is silent as he presses himself into your neck again, but you're not concerned as his body sags into yours. For the first time in these past few weeks, he lets go. Trusting in you to hold him up.

"Mo," after a couple of minutes, you rub his back to get his attention, "I saw you looking at the menu earlier. Is there something specific you wanted me to order for us?"

"Mhmm," he hums as he sits up to look at you, "you have to order the Bound Blood Berry Custard." You snort at how serious his request sounds.

"Have to? What if I wanted to order pie? Or cake? Or macaroons?" You smirk, raising a brow at him.

"Aww, you can get whatever you'd like too! But, we have to get that to share."

The custard, you've determined after having a few spoonfuls, has a tangy aftertaste. You didn't expect the lighter citrusy flavor from something with "blood" in the title. But it goes down smooth and is actually pretty refreshing. You take another scoop as Asmodeus does, but this time, he holds his spoon up to your lips.

"Go ahead, darling," he coos, looking at you expectantly. An excited trill leaves him as you lean forward with a chuckle, letting him feed it to you. You do the same to him, holding your spoon up to his lips, heart fluttering at the happy hum he lets out. You two go back and forth like this, feeding spoonfuls of the treat to one another until it's all gone.

"So, what's so special about that custard anyway?" You lean against the booths backing, pleasantly full from all the other treats you two ordered afterward.

"Well," he leans back to join you, leaning into you once again, "the website says the Bound Blood Berry Custard can only be made every 77 years, when the berries around a shared unmarked grave come into season."

"Unmarked?" You glance over to him, but his eyes are shut as he cuddles into your side.

"Yup!" He chirps.

"One review said it belongs to a commoner and a member of the aristocracy. It's been there longer than we've been in the Devildom, probably even before it united under one ruler."

You think back to the history class you attended during your first year here, remembering a brief lecture your professor gave over the travesties of the Warring Generals Period. The Great Generals of the North, South, East, and West conspired to form an oligarchy and successfully killed their king. However, unable to resist the temptation for greater power, they soon turned on one another. They established their own mandates within their territories, endangering demons everywhere as their laws usually conflicted with the legislation passed by the weaker interim rulers.

"Their love was forbidden by some shriveled up duke in the South. It's sad how they passed, executed as an example of what happens to those who tested his law." Asmodeus scoffs.

"They swore as they were together in life, so would they be in death. Apparently, they weren't even supposed to be buried together, but their love inspired some commoners to remove the duke and give them a proper burial. 77 years later, the bushes popped up, guarding their grave."

Asmodeus lets out a dreamy exhale as he opens his eyes, gazing into yours.

"It's so romantic that they've been buried together all this time. I'm almost jealous! Should we plan to share a plot too?"

You shake your head but entertain the idea, "If it comes down to us fighting for our love to exist, then sure, I'll fight for you. But hopefully we won't have to plan anything like that for a long long time."

"You'd fight for me?" Asmodeus smiles, moving to hold your hand in his.

"For or with you," you shrug. "Whichever comes first."

"Oh, my sweet little human is willing to give their all to protect me?" He teases.

"I'll hold you to that, you know? Besides, there's no way I'll let anyone take you from me." With his free hand, Asmodeus grasps your jaw and leans in close to you.

"Rumor has it if you share the Bound Blood Berry Custard, your love will last for at least 77 years until the next thicket grows. So," he pecks your lips once, twice, three times, before he pulls away, "you're stuck with Mo till then ♡"

Maybe it's the sugar high, but you yank him back over for a real kiss. You two take your time, savoring the sweetness, and giggle like love drunk fools between each press of lips.

Many misunderstand the passion Asmodeus carries, thinking it doesn't extend beyond himself. Those lucky enough to be loved by him, however, know they'll receive it in full force. You can feel it in the eager kisses he presses against any skin he can reach, in the way he clings onto you as you clutch his jacket in your hands, and in how he nuzzles his nose against yours before he pulls away.

"You know, Mo," you let out a breathy laugh, "77 years might not be long enough."

You brush back some of the hair that's fallen into his face with a deep sigh.

"I mean, how do we know that the years don't stack up based on how many we eat together?"

You feel giddy as you watch his eyes light up, grin widening when he finally registers what you're implying.

"Oh, that's true! Should we test that theory?"

In the privacy of the booth, you empathize with those star crossed lovers. There is no way in the natural order of things that you and Asmodeus were ever meant to be. But here he is, and here you are. Inseparable.

"Well, it doesn't hurt to try. How many should we order to go?"

#This is literally so gross /lh #Being in love?!?! Ugh can you imagine… /j #I fr had to take breaks writing this #fluff just makes me go feral…it’s so overwhelming in a really ?? exciting ?? way #I dunno my heart thumpin #Mo’s just so asdhijeksd when he wants to be you know??#I had a lot of fun weaving in courtship stuff here #also loved making that bit up about a non-united Devildom #It would coincide with how Diavolo visits the mausoleum to pay respect to the kings who came before him who kept order in the realm #Anyway :)#Exploring the possibilities is just too much fun!!#obey me asmodeus #asmodeus x reader #asmodeus x mc #reader x asmodeus #obey me x reader #obey me x mc #obey me one master to rule them all #om! asmodeus #omomtrta #obey me reader #obey me reader insert #asmodeus x you #asmodeus x y/n #this request was so much fun to complete!!#fluff #obey me fanfic #obey me mc #obey me drabble #demonic courting

183 notes · View notes