#married fluff

[thenovelartist]

Life After Destruction - Chapter 8 - Honkai: Star Rail

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Living on a star train, Stelle had gotten used to not having any direct form of sunlight to tell time with, so this “waking with the sun” thing was still taking some getting used to. But she certainly believed she could as long as she woke snuggled in Dan Heng’s arms.

She could do without her baby kicking her in the ribs, though.

“Baby,” she muttered, rolling over onto her back and rubbing her stomach as though that could settle her baby down. “You gotta knock it off. You’re not supposed to be stealing my sleep until after you’re born.”

The arm that was draped over her gently hugged her stomach. “Hey,” a sleepy voice muttered. “Be nice to your mom.”

She glanced over at Dan Heng. “Sorry, did I wake you?”

His eyes cracked open. “No, I was already on the verge of waking up when I felt the baby kicking.”

“Baby,” she scolded, patting her stomach. “You’re not supposed to steal Daddy’s sleep, either.”

As though in answer, Stelle watched a little hand press up and out of her stomach, right above where Dan Heng’s arm draped over her. “Don’t be rebellious,” she said, tapping her fingers on the little protrusion.

Of course, that only caused the baby to kick her in the ribs again.

With a heavy sigh, Stelle laid her head back against her pillow. It had been three long weeks since the Express had dropped her, Dan Heng, and Natasha off on the Luofu. She hadn’t realized how thankful she was for such a long vacation seeing as this last month had been the hardest on her physically. She was ready for this baby to be finished cooking and come out of the oven.

Beside her on the bed, Dan Heng propped himself up on his arm to look over her. “Do you need anything?”

She sighed. “I need this baby out of me.”

“Sorry. If I could make that happen, I would.”

“I have the feeling they’re gonna take their sweet time. They’re stubborn that way.”

“Like their mother.”

Stelle glowered at him.

The smirk he shot her in return was infuriating.

Unfortunately, she had to let it go. Even when cranky at him, she loved whenever his mischievousness made an appearance. She was a weak woman.

Dan Heng gently rubbed a hand over her stomach, their baby reaching out toward the touch. “Would you like to go swimming again today?”

Stelle cracked an eye open at him, mulling over the prospect. Their new habit was something Dan Heng had suggested soon after their arrival, swimming in the waters around Scalegorge Waterscape. Rather, it was less “swimming” and more Stelle floating on her back while Dan Heng stayed right by her side, supporting her in whatever way was most comfortable for her. It offered relief to her back, and the baby seemed to quiet down, too. It made her wonder if their child would be a fan of the water.

“Yeah,” she agreed. “That sounds really nice.”

Dan Heng laid back down, wrapping an arm around her to pull her close. “Then whenever you’re ready, we can go. But I would prefer if you managed to get some breakfast down first.”

“Rice bowl.”

“You’re up for that?”

Grinning, she nodded. “Yeah.”

“Would you like me to go make that for you now?”

She paused, pouting in thought as she looked over her husband’s bare chest. “No.” And then she reached out to throw an arm around his waist. “Stay. Just a little bit.”

He hummed happily. “Okay.”

Snuggled in her husband’s arms like this, Stelle became a very happy woman. She was also almost comfortable enough to fall back asleep.

Until her child decided to start kicking again.

Well, so much for sleep.

An hour and two breakfast bowls later, she and Dan Heng were heading to the beach. Before they left, Stelle had informed Natasha where they were heading. Natasha bid them a good time and informed them that she would be at the alchemy commission in case they needed anything. Stelle wished her a good time as well.

Honestly, Stelle had been worried that Natasha might feel neglected or out of place when they had first arrived on the Luofu, yet she had never shown any signs of distress. On the contrary, she seemed to enjoy her trip, diving headlong into any medical texts she could get her hands on as well as following Bailu whenever possible.

By now, Stelle would bet Natasha could make her way to the alchemy commission without any assistance from the young vidyadhara, but that theory would never be tested considering Natasha always had a cloud knight escort wherever she went. Jing Yuan had kindly arranged constant cloud knight protection for Natasha, Dan Heng, and Stelle. He’d also been the one to arrange for the house they were currently staying at for the time being. One thing was for certain: under his command, the very first vidyadhara baby and their family would be completely safe.

The starskiff they were riding on came to a stop, and Stelle took in the familiar sights of Scalegorge Waterscape’s beach. The knights that accompanied them were the first to disembark, then Dan Heng helped Stelle off the starskiff.

The two cloud knight escorts quickly scanned the area, deeming the coast clear for now yet never letting their guard down. As much as Stelle appreciated the protection, she wasn’t a fan of being followed around everywhere. However, it was a necessity for the safety of her and her child, so she wouldn’t complain.

Holding on to Dan Heng’s hand for support, Stelle made her way down the stairs to the beach. Once at the bottom, she kicked off her shoes, taking in the warmth of the sand under her feet. Pulling her hand away from Dan Heng’s, she made her way to the water’s edge, dipping her feet in the cool water and sighing in relief.

“Maybe I should have brought a chair,” Dan Heng commented.

Stelle shook her head. “Nah, the water will do just fine.”

“Then, shall we?” he asked, already slipping off his shirt. An action Stelle watched maybe a little too intently.

“Yes.” Reining her thoughts in, she turned back to face the water while slipping out of the wrap dress she wore to cover her two-piece swimsuit. If she were being honest, having her large belly exposed like this did make her feel a little awkward, but on the other hand, she didn’t want to have to buy a maternity swimsuit when one of her existing suits happened to fit her just fine. The bottoms had to stretch a little under her belly, and the top had become a bit tight thanks to all her body’s changes, but the point still stood.

After folding his shirt, Dan Heng dropped it beside the two towels he’d already set on a rock outcropping on the beach. He then took her dress as well as the sun hat she wore and laid both items on top of his shirt.

Taking her hand once again, Dan Heng led Stelle into the water. The higher the water got, the more pressure it took off her body until her stomach was fully submerged. At that point, she lay down in the sea, relishing the cool relief of the water.

Behind her, Dan Heng cradled her shoulders, supporting her as she floated. Beneath her, she felt the water move, gently pushing up on her as though she was sitting in a chair.

Stelle caught sight of the way Dan Heng’s horns glowed softly in the morning sun, a tell-tale sign he was using his powers to control the water around them. She couldn’t temper the smile that stretched across her lips. Playfully, she reached up to tap his horns. “You’re a good husband,” she spoke. “Ten outta ten would marry again.”

Chuckling, he snatched her hand, kissing the back of it. “It’s the least I can do.”

With a sigh, she let her eyes drift closed as she relaxed, allowing her ears to sink beneath the surface and hair to float around her as though to take away all other stimulation. That is, other than the muted vibrations of the water itself.

Until her baby kicking her in the lungs once again knocked the wind out of her.

“Baby, please,” she quietly pleaded.

At her plea, Dan Heng shifted her in his arms so he could lay a hand on the side of her stomach. Sadly, this shift took her head out of the water, but considering it now rested on his shoulder, she wasn’t complaining too much.

“They’ve been getting more active lately,” he commented.

“Maybe they’re getting ready to come out,” she said, mentally keeping her fingers crossed.

As though responding, the baby kicked out against her spine, sending every muscle in her stomach spasming. She bit back her whine, though failed to resist folding in on herself to compensate for the pain. Dan Heng's grip on her tightened, cradling her closer. 

After a moment, the pain subsided, and she loosened her grip on his hand. “I’m fine.”

He hummed flatly, a reaction she couldn’t quite judge.

That’s when the waves seemed to pick up in the sea. Not large by any account, but small enough to rock her body. Only after bobbing a few times did she realize Dan Heng was likely trying to calm the baby and keep her comfortable.

“Does that help?” he asked, confirming her suspicions.

“For now,” she answered. She tapped at her stomach with her free hand. “Can’t you just be happy?”

In protest, the baby shifted in her stomach, pressing out against her side and causing a little bulge in the process.

“That’s a no,” she muttered, reluctantly accepting her fate as she let her eyes drift closed.

For a while, they floated in the water together. Well, Stelle floated. She guessed Dan Heng was standing on the bottom of the sea the entire time they drifted around the coast, propping her up as she enjoyed floating. However, her enjoyment was inversely related to the amount her baby was moving around, and Baby was moving around a lot.

Finally, a glowing tail slipped out from the sea, draping over her stomach and giving it a light squeeze. Stelle couldn’t help but be captivated by the sight she rarely saw. Even when Dan Heng was in his vidyadhara form, he usually hid his tail for some odd reason she never felt comfortable poking into. He never volunteered that information, either.

Today, however, it was a most welcomed sight, especially since, oddly enough, that was what ultimately caused her baby to settle down just enough for her to finally enjoy the moment.

She gave Dan Heng’s hand a light squeeze. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

With a hum, he returned the gesture, a warmth flooding her heart at the action.

After some time, Stelle decided she’d had enough water for the day. A decision baby immediately protested with another kick to the ribs, one hard enough to send her core muscles spasming again.

“Maybe we should talk to Natasha,” Dan Heng said, already pulling Stelle back to shore.

“I don’t think anything is wrong,” Stelle grumbled, twisting so as to stand on the sea’s floor. “Baby is just being active in the wrong position today.”

Unconvinced, Dan Heng grunted. “Still, I would think it prudent.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll submit to a check-up.”

Hand in hand, they walked back up to dry land, Stelle feeling the weight of her belly as she did. Her back protested, having gotten too comfortable from floating. All she could do was heave a sigh. Hopefully, she would find permanent relief soon.  

Dan Heng grabbed one of the towels and draped it over her shoulders. “Would you like to sit for a moment?” he asked. “Or just go back as soon as possible?”

She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Back it is. Be sure to dry off properly.”

"I will," she tiredly assured, snuggling into the towel for a moment before drying off. Even with her belly, she’d been able to manage many things by herself. Bending over had only been slightly inhibited by the bulge, but after some of those kicks today, she felt like her spine would protest that particular movement. “Hey, Dan Heng.”

“Yes?”

She took a deep breath. “I can’t reach my feet. I’m really sore right now.”

Without hesitation, Dan Heng knelt before her and dried off her legs. “There.”

"Thank you.”

Once they finished drying off, Dan Heng gave Stelle back her wrap dress. While she slipped into that, he pulled on his shirt again. She was only a twinge disappointed. Even with all the scars, Stelle did like looking over her husband. At times, she could even argue the scars made him more attractive.

And there’d been times during her pregnancy she’d almost admitted that, wanting to see what kind of reaction she’d get from him. Pregnancy hormones were a real thing, and they came in a shockingly wild range.

“Ready?” Dan Heng asked, dropping her sunhat back onto her head.

With a nod, she took his hand in hers.

He smiled at the action, pulling her close to his side as they walked back to the awaiting starskiff.

Only, she made it about five steps before warm water suddenly started running down her legs.

She froze, eyes shooting wide as her hand covered her stomach. Dan Heng looked back at her in concern. “You okay?”

Was she? She was trying to process what just happened. “Um,” she began, her mind whirling at light speed now. “A lot of warm water just poured down my legs. And I don’t think I peed myself.”

His eyes widened. “Your water broke?”

She took a breath, trying to get her rush of thoughts in order. The adrenaline wave that hit wasn't helping that process. “Pretty sure.”

“Okay,” Dan Heng said, his hand tightening its grip on hers. His eyes narrowed as he focused, but his breathing picked up. Or was that her imagination? She couldn’t tell; she was a ball of nerves at the moment. “Okay. Let’s go back. We’ll have one of the knights go find Natasha and Bailu.”

~~~  

Dan Heng hated watching Stelle go through labor. There wasn’t much he could do to help with her pain as the day dragged on. Sure, he could support her in whatever position she felt most comfortable, letting her lean on him as much as she needed, but that was all.

Then the sun fell below the horizon, night having fully come upon them, and that was like a switch for Stelle’s labor to worsen.

Finally, when the moon was high in the sky, twinkling stars scattered around it, a baby’s cry broke the calm of the night.

“It’s a boy.”

The world around him seemed to slow down and fade away as Natasha took the tiny infant and placed him in Stelle's arms

Despite her very evident exhaustion, Stelle’s entire expression brightened as she cradled the tiny newborn against her chest.

Dan Heng felt his heart swell, relief flooding his body knowing that Stelle and his son were both fine. But the smile he wore wouldn’t disappear any time soon. Instead, he took in the sight of his flawless newborn son resting peacefully against the stellaron scar on his wife’s chest, an ironically sharp contrast yet so perfect. It was a memory he hoped to carve into his mind and never forget.

“Good job,” he whispered, kissing Stelle’s forehead before reaching a shaky hand out to his son. He was almost hesitant to touch this tiny little baby but ultimately couldn’t resist.

It was fitting that this little boy was born at night, underneath the moon and stars, yet none of them were as bright and dazzling as the sight before him: his wife Stelle and little son Sirius, the two brightest stars in Dan Heng’s sky.

~~~

Dan Heng: Baby Sirius arrived last night, healthy and safely.

Himeko: Wonderful news! Can we see a picture?

Welt: Congratulations. How is Stelle fairing?

Stelle: Stelle is tired. But happy.

Dan Heng: 

“Hey.” Stelle looked up at Dan Heng. “When did you take that photo?”

“You weren’t paying attention?” Dan Heng asked, smile on his face.

“Obviously, I had better things on my mind.”

March: !!!

March: Awww! Yay! He’s here! So cute!!! <;3 

Caelus: My little nephew is adorable! Good job, sis!

March: He’s not just your nephew!

Caelus: Stelle is my sister. He’s my nephew!

March: >:( 

Stelle chuckled. “They aren’t even here, yet I swear I can literally hear March and Caelus arguing.”

Dan Heng hummed tiredly in agreement. “As can I.”

Himeko: You look wonderful for someone who just gave birth, Stelle.

Stelle: ??? I look exhausted. I don’t know why Dan Heng thought it was a good photo.

Himeko: But you’re glowing.

Stelle: You’re just flattering me, but I guess I’ll thank you. &lt;3

Himeko: ;) You can send a photo of him in retribution.

Stelle: Is that your way of asking for a photo of Dan Heng?

Stelle: Because I’m happy to give those.

Stelle: 

“When did you take that photo?” Dan Heng asked.

It was Stelle’s turn to smirk. “Were you not paying attention?”

With a resigned grin, Dan Heng sighed. “I had better things on my mind.”

Welt: Out of curiosity, how did you come up with the name Sirius?

Stelle: It’s the name of the hottest star recorded in the galaxy. 

Stelle: I was leaning towards a more traditional Xianzhou name but switched when I found that one.

That was mostly true; she had been trying to find a name she liked that was from Dan Heng’s home world, but she could tell he didn’t really like any of her choices even if he said he did. It was clear to her that her well-meaning attempts to stay traditional for his sake were falling flat for reasons she felt fairly safe in assuming. In the end, she decided to change directions and look elsewhere for names. Henceforth, her happening to stumble across a book on the formation of the cosmos during a bored spell was probably the best thing to have happened.

Welt: I was curious because, on my home planet, Sirius is the brightest star in the sky. It’s a fitting name.

Dan Heng: I thought the same when she presented it to me. I liked it better than the names I’d found.

Himeko: Oh, I know where that star is. I’ve flown by it a few times. 

Caelus: It’s a cool name. For MY nephew.

March: OUR nephew >:(

“Now Caelus is doing that on purpose,” Stelle said, unable to stop from smiling.

Dan Heng sighed. “And March is taking the bait too easily.”

Caelus: … we just got yelled at by our guide.

March: He said to stop teasing your wife.

Caelus: And you AGREED with him!

March: I’ll agree with some respect around here!

“I’m tempted to let them continue going at it,” Stelle said, not bothering to bite back her grin. “This is the best entertainment I’ve seen all week.”

Dan Heng huffed a laugh. “At this very moment, I’ll just say I don’t miss them all that much.”

Stelle sniggered, watching the duo continue to send a barrage of emojis back and forth.

Stelle: Dan Heng just said if you two can’t calm down, you don’t get babysitting privileges.

“Why are you saying I said that?”

“Do you disagree?”

“… No, I’m simply asking why you’re using my name.”

March: Yeah, Caelus!

Caelus: … okay. Our nephew.

March: Better!

“Because it works,” Stelle answered.

Unable to retaliate, Dan Heng shook his head in amusement.

Himeko: I know it’s probably too early to ask this, but when would you like to come back home?

At the word “home,” Stelle’s heart warmed. It wasn’t the first time she felt homesick during their stay here, but this was certainly the strongest wave that had hit her.

Dan Heng: Even though we want to return as soon as possible, I believe we should stay a day or two here to give Stelle time to properly recover.

Stelle: I’m so tired that I’m not even going to argue with that. 

Welt: As I believe you can assume, we are in the middle of a mission at the moment. Although Caelus and March should be finishing that up very soon.

March: The guide says we’re really close. I can feel it.

Caelus: Yeah, we’re definitely close. This place is a disaster zone.

March: My guess is we’ll be done by the end of the day here.

Himeko: We’re a two-day journey from the Luofu. I’ll keep you informed as to when we leave, and we’ll pick you three up as soon as possible. 

Dan Heng: Take your time. Don’t rush on our account.

March: How can we not? We miss you!

Caelus: and want to meet OUR nephew.

March: :D Good job.

Caelus: :P

Stelle: We’ll be happy to be back home whenever you can make it. But we can wait for you to finish things up properly. I will happily nap until you come. ;)

~~~

That evening, after Stelle and Dan Heng had slept the day away, the first visitors arrived to see the newborn vidyadhara. Dan Heng knew he shouldn’t be as on edge as he was considering who the visitors were, but that knowledge still wasn’t enough to calm him down.

“We come bearing gifts for the young one,” Jing Yuan greeted when Dan Heng answered the door.

“Come in,” he said, allowing the duo to enter the small house that had been loaned to Dan Heng and Stelle for the time being.

“Thank you.” Fu Xuan entered first, a small gift held close to her chest.

Jing Yuan entered after, but instead of scurrying off to find Stelle like Fu Xuan did, he lingered behind with Dan Heng. “Has Madam Yukong been by yet?”

Dan Heng shook his head as he closed the door. “No, you two are the first visitors.”

Jing Yuan’s smile grew. “Well, that’s quite an honor.” He then presented a cloth-wrapped item, one bound by twine, to Dan Heng. “A gift fitting for the son of the former High Elder of the Vidyadhara.”

“Thank you.” Dan Heng took the gift with a bow of thanks, knowing what it was immediately without having to open it. This was not the first weapon to be presented to his child, but this was the only one that made sense. A spear bestowed upon the son of the former Vidyadhara High Elder by the General of the Cloud Knights was a gift worthy of both the giver and receiver. “I shall leave it wrapped until he turns of age,” Dan Heng said.

Jing Yuan nodded. “Now, if I may, I’d like to meet this boy.”

Dan Heng led Jing Yuan to the bedroom, where the others were. “Be warned: you might find Bailu is not willing to share.”

That garnered a chuckle from the General. “When Lady Bailu came to report the good news to us, she did seem like she was in a hurry to leave.”

“She is already very attached to Sirius. I figured she would be, as she is the current High Elder.”

“While that is true, I doubt that is the only reason she is so attached. After all, this is her nephew.”

Upon entering the bedroom, they were greeted with the sight of Stelle and Bailu sitting on the futon, Sirius held protectively in Bailu’s arms as Fu Xuan leaned in close to look at the child.

“Good evening, General,” Natasha greeted from the side, watching on.

“Good evening to you, Doctor,” Jing Yuan returned.

“It seems you will have to wait your turn before greeting the little one,” Natasha spoke with a smile. “He is quite popular.”

“For good reason,” Jing Yuan assured. “But I can wait. I best not get in between those two. Fu Xuan has been anxious to come all day, and I can see Bailu has no desire to let the child go.”

Natasha giggled. “Lady Bailu is already a very protective aunt. It’s very sweet to see.”

“He is a full-blood.”

At Fu Xuan’s voice, everyone turned to face her.

“Pardon?” Dan Heng asked.

Fu Xuan looked over her shoulder at him. “I can confirm this child is a full-blooded vidyadhara. He will reincarnate as any other member of your species.”

“I thought so!” Bailu cried excitedly. “When I saw his ears, I believed it to be so, but even I as High Elder had no way of being certain. It’s not like anything like this has ever happened before.”

Dan Heng looked to Stelle, who was looking back at him with the same shocked expression he was undoubtedly wearing.

“Congratulations to the happy couple,” Jing Yuan said, patting Dan Heng firmly on the shoulder. “This is a blessed day, indeed.”

“With this confirmed,” Bailu began, “I want to start medicinal trials to test the medicine I gave to Stelle and Dan Heng. If there is a chance to expand the vidyadhara population, then we should waste no time. Though, I’ll have to talk to the sky-faring commission about getting me in contact with the proper channels to acquire the medicines I need.”

“The vidyadhara suffered losses in the aeon war,” Fu Xuan solemnly spoke. “So this is a blessing, indeed. Should your research bear fruit, the vidyadharan race will not disappear to time.”

A knock then sounded at the door.

“Would you like me to answer that?” Natasha asked Dan Heng.

“I’ll bet that is Madam Yukong,” Jing Yuan said, heading towards the door instead.

Dan Heng allowed him to go, if only so he could continue watching over his wife and son as they were swarmed. In an attempt to calm himself, he studied Stelle’s expression, trying to judge if she was feeling overwhelmed by the guests or not. If she was, then he’d waste no time kicking everyone out, but she seemed calm enough, meaning he should really settle down, too.

“Isn’t this amazing, Dan Heng?” Bailu asked. “You’re the first vidyadhara to reproduce, proving we can save our race. With this, no one can hate you now!”

Dan Heng gave Bailu a sad smile. “Logically, it makes sense, but emotions are far more complicated.”

She made a show of frowning. “Well, as High Elder, I have the ability to exile the emotional ones.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at the sass in her tone.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Yukong spoke, approaching the commotion. “I was held up far longer than I wished to be.”

Stelle shot her a smile. “You’re right on time.”

“Hey,” Fu Xuan snipped. “Bailu, let me hold him.”

“As High Elder of the Vidyadhara,” Bailu began in a haughty tone, “it is my duty to protect all of my people, no matter what age.”

“What are you protecting him from?” Fu Xuan argued. “Come on.”

Stelle poked Bailu’s shoulder. “Bailu, share my son, please.”

With an exaggerated pout, Bailu carefully handed Sirius over to Fu Xuan.

“I thought you didn’t like small children,” Jing Yuan teased.

He was swiftly met with a death glare. “Only the obnoxious ones,” Fu Xuan muttered, staying extremely still as she cradled the bundle in her arms. “Besides, this is an honor.”

Yukong approached Stelle, who’d since stood from the futon. “Here,” Yukong said, presenting to her a box wrapped in decorative paper. “This is on behalf of the sky-faring commission. There are two items, one I will leave a surprise, but since you’ve been presented with gifts from these two already, I suspect you might know what the second gift is.”

Stelle nodded. “Is it a starskiff toy?”

Yukong’s soft smile widened. “Yes. So that when your son is old enough, he may reach for his future.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Jing Yuan prompted, reaching over Fu Xuan’s shoulder to rub his finger over the little baby’s cheek. “He is the son of Dan Heng, undoubtedly a fighter at heart. He will reach for the spear.”

“How can you say he won’t reach for the jade abacus?” Fu Xuan questioned. “As the first vidyadhara to be born, he could come with a great destiny and sense of justice.”

“But he is the child of great adventurers," Yukong said. "Surely, he will reach for the starskiff.”

An overwhelming sense of unease once again weighed on Dan Heng’s shoulders. Even though the three visitors were all gentle and cautious, Dan Heng wished nothing more than to take his son into his own arms to shield him from the destinies that each one of the three wanted to impose upon him. And as Sirius’ father, he felt that was his job to do so.

Thankfully, Sirius gave him the opportunity to do just that without looking over-protective. The moment the little boy began to fuss from the attention, Dan Heng was quick to take his son from Fu Xuan, lightly bouncing him in an attempt to calm him back down. In his father's arms, it didn’t take long for Sirius to settle back to sleep.

Relieved, Dan Heng turned back to the guests. “I thank you for the gifts,” he said. “However, I believe that it would be unfair to make him choose one path.”

“You’re right.” Stelle sided up next to him. “Besides, he’s a Nameless. He’s bound to be all three.”

Finally, Dan Heng felt the unease weighing on his shoulders lift away. With his son protected in his arms and his wife by his side, everything was once again right in the world.

Yukong was the first to give them a nod of approval. “I suppose you’re right. A protector, an explorer, and a seeker of justice. May his future be his namesake: burning brightly among the stars.”

~~~

“Are you sure everything is packed?” Dan Heng asked.

“I already looked over the house twice,” Stelle answered. “I couldn’t find anything of ours. That is, unless Bailu stole something to make us come back.”

“I did no such thing!” Bailu protested before she cringed at her volume, guiltily looking down at the sleeping baby in her arms. “Although, I wish I would have thought of that sooner.”

Stelle couldn’t help but smile at the murmured admission. “We’ll do our best to visit frequently.”

“You have to promise!”

“I swear. Right, Dan Heng?”

“We promise,” Dan Heng reiterated.

Bailu’s panicked expression relaxed. “Good. And I’ll do my best to visit you on your travels, too. I miss you guys, but I’ll miss this little one the most,” she finished, beaming down at Sirius.

Stelle had to admit she’d enjoyed watching her baby be so spoiled for attention. Of course, Stelle much preferred holding her son herself, finding that simple action filled her with joy to the point she never wanted to let him go. Maybe that was because Sirius was not only her first child but also her unexpected miracle child. Becoming a mother hadn't really been on her radar, and it fully vanished after she'd married Dan Heng, but now she could say she might be the most excited to take this journey compared to any other before it.

… as long as nobody asked her about her thoughts when she inevitably became sleep-deprived from a crying baby.

“Then, if we have everything,” Dan Heng said, “we should head out. I’m sure the others are anxiously waiting for us to return.”

“Very likely.”

Natasha soon appeared in the doorway. “I did one last sweep of the house. I believe I have everything, and I didn’t see anything of yours.”

“We’re all set here,” Stelle returned. “Although, I do have one favor to ask of you.”

“Sure.”

Stelle then reached for the baby wrap she’d laid on top of her luggage. “I’ve watched that video ten times, and I still can’t quite figure out how to use this.”

Natasha chuckled. “That’s a little new to me, too, but I think I figured it out.”

Between the two of them, they managed to figure out how to wrap the long strip of fabric around Stelle properly. Once they felt confident in their work, Stelle took Sirius from Bailu—who gave him up only after whispering a goodbye and pressing a little kiss to his forehead—and slipped him into the newly formed baby sling.

“Hey, this actually feels pretty secure,” Stelle murmured, impressed. “Decently comfortable, too.”

Dan Heng held up the other baby carrier they’d brought with them. “Then would you like me to pack away this away?”

Stelle nodded. “Please.”

Bailu quirked a brow at the carrier before looking at Stelle. “Makes me wonder why you tried the harder one when you had an easier option.”

“I didn’t like the way it fit,” Stelle answered, reaching for the little knit baby hat with animal ears she’d received from Belobog. “It felt too bulky, but it was the backup if this didn’t work.”

“You sure had many options to choose from,” Natasha commented.

Stelle cringed as she slid the hat over Sirius’ head, covering his wispy gray hair. “Yeah, we got… a lot of baby shower gifts.”

Natasha giggled. “I’m not surprised. You two are quite beloved by the galaxy. It served to provide you with a lovely, well-stocked nursery. But don’t worry; I won’t tell Hook that you hid her teddy bear.”

“It’s not because I don’t love it,” Stelle quickly countered. “I just… want Sirius to be old enough to appreciate it.”

“And,” Dan Heng added, “not ruin it quickly by having to wash it frequently.”

Natasha hummed. “True. Then when Hook inevitably asks, that’s what I’ll tell her.”

Dan Heng zipped the last of their luggage shut, then stood from the ground. “With that done, we are ready.”

“Aww,” Bailu whined. “It feels so soon.”

“We were here for a month,” Stelle said.

“And I enjoyed every second of it,” Bailu said. “But I’ll miss you.”

Stelle held out her arm, allowing Bailu to side up to her in a hug.

“We’ll miss you, too,” Stelle returned, holding Bailu against her side.

Bailu then reached up to rub Sirius’ back one last time. “It was good to meet you,” she said. “I know I won’t be around all the time, but just remember Auntie Bailu loves you.”

Stelle pursed her lips, doing her best to hold back her urge to coo over the sweetness of it all. She’d discovered that giving birth didn’t instantly relieve her of the weird emotional swings. It probably just took some time to get out of her system.

After reluctantly leaving Sirius to Stelle, Bailu headed over to Dan Heng, fully throwing her arms around his torso.

With a gentle smile, Dan Heng wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you for everything Bailu.”

“I was happy to do it,” Bailu said. “I’m just sorry I can’t walk you back to the Express—”

“You have a backlog of work, don’t you?” Dan Heng teased.

Although she didn’t use words, her whiny grumble made it perfectly clear Dan Heng was spot on.

With one last pat on her back, Dan Heng let her go. Bailu then quickly wiped her eyes before turning to Natasha. “It was nice to meet you, Miss Natasha.”

“Likewise,” she returned.

“I’m glad you were here for Stelle and Dan Heng. You’re a pretty good doctor.”

“Well, that’s quite the compliment coming from you. You’re immensely talented yourself.”

Bailu’s grin widened with pride. “Thank you.”

“Also, I want thank you for allowing me access to so many books and leading me around the alchemy commission. I hope I didn’t intrude into your work too much.”

“Nah, not at all.”

Dan Heng cleared his throat. “It’s not her healer work she’s behind on.”

At that, Bailu guiltily ducked her head, her tail falling to the ground. “Uh, oops?”

“Once we leave, don’t even think about running from your responsibilities.”

“I won’t, I won’t. I promise.”

Dan Heng patted her head in approval.

Stelle reached for the baby's backpack, trying not to jostle around too much and wake her son as she slid the large pack on. Thankfully, he seemed to be sleeping pretty well for now, but Stelle wondered exactly how long that would last. Considering she’d recently changed his diaper and fed him, she hoped they could make it to the Express before he got fussy. She was still new to this newborn thing, so she didn’t have things like timing all worked out quite yet.

Dan Heng reached for the rest of their luggage, and as a group, they started making their way to the door, where a handful of cloud knights were positioned. However, what Stelle hadn’t expected was the presence of a young blond man.

“Heya!” Yanqing greeted, a sunny smile on his face as he waved in greeting. “The General asked me to escort you guys back to the Astral Express safely.”

“Thank you,” Dan Heng said. “Jing Yuan said you were elsewhere for training. I didn’t realize you were back on the Luofu.”

“Just got back last night. Otherwise, you would have seen me earlier. Congratulations, by the way.”

Dan Heng simply nodded while Stelle properly thanked him.

“Need help with your bags?” he offered.

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Stelle answered, looking at the large bag full of new gifts they’d received. “We’re leaving with more than we arrived with.”

“I’ve gotta go,” Bailu piped up. “Otherwise, I would have helped them. I was gonna ask one of the knights to carry that before I left.”

“I got it,” Yanqing assured, reaching for the new bag. He then pointed to the wrapped pole weapon Dan Heng was skillfully carrying along with everything else. “Is that from the General? I can get that, too.”

“I’d appreciate it.”

After jockeying the baggage around, they headed off, Bailu waving goodbye as they went. It took a minute for Stelle to get struck by the strangeness of the moment, though. This was the first time she’d left the house since giving birth, and this was Sirius’ first outing ever. Her desire to show him everything clashed with her new hyperawareness of things that could go wrong in this moment. Subconsciously, she wrapped her hands around her baby.

But then Dan Heng took her hand, giving it a squeeze. Just like that, Stelle felt herself settle. She shot him a smile as she returned the gesture, then allowed him to lead her back to the Astral Express.

No, not just to the Express. Back home.

The majority of their trip was made on starskiff back to the docks where the Express was. But upon arriving, Stelle spotted two very familiar faces. “March? And Caelus?”

“There they are!” March cried as the starskiff docked. She then poked Caelus in the side. “I told you it was this one.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Caelus muttered.

“Don’t forget our little bet.”

He just threw his hands up in the air in surrender. Then he reached a hand forward to help grab the luggage. “I can get that.”

“Oh, yeah,” March chimed in. “I’ll get whatever you can’t carry.”

After offloading the luggage, Yanqing disembarked the skiff before extending a helping hand for Natasha.

“Oh," she said, taking the offered help. "What a little gentleman.”

A light blush dusted his cheeks at the praise.

Dan Heng was the next one off the skiff, he then held a hand out to help Stelle out of the skiff.

Only, the moment she stepped foot on the docks, she was instantly swarmed.

“Aww!” March cooed first. “He’s so cute!”

“Hey, Little Buddy,” Caelus softly spoke, looking over Stelle's shoulder at Sirius.

“I didn’t expect you two to come meet us,” Dan Heng said.

“We couldn’t help it,” Caelus admitted.

“It was my idea to come meet you guys,” March confessed. “We only just docked the Express and were too anxious to sit still.”

“I think Welt and Himeko sent us to come fetch you because they were tired of watching us,” Caelus said.

“They’re anxious to see you, too,” March finished. “So let’s head out.”

Before Dan Heng could reach for any of the luggage, Caelus grabbed hold of it and started marching on. As for March, she threw the baby's backpack over her shoulders and was quick to follow.

“How’d you like your trip, Natasha?” March asked, turning to the forgotten member of their crew.

The woman beamed. “It was incredible.”

The conversation continued, coming back to Stelle and Dan Heng every once in a while. Stelle found herself eager to grab hold of the banter. She’d missed this, talking with her family. Sure, they’d chatted over the phone or through texts, but it wasn’t the same.

When the Astral Express finally came into view, Stelle felt an overwhelming feeling of happiness. She’d been homesick several times while on the Luofu, a sentiment she knew Dan Heng echoed. However, she hadn’t realized just how homesick she’d been until right now. For the first time, she felt like she and Dan Heng had truly made the correct decision to stay with the Express instead of settling down elsewhere. No matter how difficult this would be, they knew they would make it work. Ultimately, their home was among the stars with their family.

“There’s your home, Buddy,” Stelle whispered to the baby who was beginning to fuss a bit more. Although whether that meant diaper change or food, Stelle wasn’t sure. Maybe, if she was lucky, he just didn’t like the commotion going on around him and needed to go back to sleep. She could keep her fingers crossed, but she did her best to not hold her hopes too high.

After bidding goodbye to the cloud knights and Yanqing, they finally—finally—boarded the Express.

Oh, it was incredible being back home.

“Welcome back!” Himeko was the first to greet them, Welt echoing the statement a second behind her.

“We’re home,” Stelle returned, her smile threatening to split her face in two.

“Ahh!” Himeko squeaked, approaching with a little spring in her step. “Look at him! He's so precious."

Stelle looked down at Sirius, who now no longer fussed and instead looked calm as he stared at Himeko.

“Why don’t you take a seat?” Welt offered Stelle. “I have the feeling that we all wish to get a close look at him, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Not at all.” Stelle was happy to take a seat on the couch. It had been nice to stretch her legs, but there was something about having arrived home after being away for so long that zapped any remaining energy she’d had.

“I can go put the suitcases away,” Dan Heng offered.

“Got it!” Caelus said, already heading off down the hallway towards the bedrooms. “You’re good; I’ll be right back.”

“Ditto!” March chimed in, scurrying after Caelus.

“I’d like to put mine away, as well,” Natasha spoke up. “But I’ll be right back.”

Which left just five in the parlor.

“He seems to have calmed down,” Dan Heng mentioned, taking a seat right next to Stelle.

“Yeah, but I’d like to sniff-test him, anyway,” Stelle spoke, already pulling him from the baby wrap. Thankfully, taking him out seemed a little easier than putting him in, and the process also happened to put his little baby bottom close to her nose, allowing her to discretely check for any issues.

Shockingly, none yet. Maybe he really had been just fussy to get home.

“He’s so small,” Pom-pom cooed in a whisper.

Humming in agreement, Himeko nodded. “Oh, he’s adorable."

“Welt,” Dan Heng spoke up. “Would… you like to be the first to hold him?”

Surprised flashed across Welt’s face, but after the words sank in, a soft smile replaced that expression. “I… I would be honored.”

Carefully, Stelle transferred Sirius over into Welt’s expecting arms. Having already surrendered the newborn to Bailu and Natasha—and of course Dan Heng, but that went without saying—many times already, Stelle wasn’t nervous as she watched Welt cradle Sirius with a level of care that surprised her. He seemed to be a natural.

“I got to admit,” Himeko teased as she leaned over Welt’s arms. “I’m a little jealous.”

“What’d we miss?” March cried, suddenly bursting into the room. Upon spying the scene, she instantly whined. “And here I wanted to hold him.”

Dan Heng spoke up, “As the elder, Welt earned the first privilege.”

March pursed her lips in slight disappointment but didn’t put up a fight. “Fair enough.”

“Sounds like I’ll be last,” Caelus said, making a show of sighing.

“Deal with it,” March good-naturedly teased, playfully elbowing him in the ribs.

He made a show of being in pain.

To which March rolled her eyes.

After a minute, Welt passed Sirius over to Himeko. The little baby fussed at the motion but soon settled in Himeko’s arms.

“Welcome, Little Trailblazer,” she whispered, looking down with a gentle grin.

Welt soon started up questions of how their trip was, to which Stelle was happy to tell them all about it, Dan Heng chiming in every once in a while. Stelle did her best to include Natasha in the conversation, too, but Natasha seemed more than content to bat the conversation back to Stelle and Dan Heng.

Soon enough, Sirius was passed to March. Stelle, who’d had an eagle-eye on her son despite trusting her family completely, made March sit down before taking him from Himeko. Pom-pom had passed on their chance, shaking nervously at the prospect, yet they seemed happy to waggle their ears at Sirius in an attempt to get a reaction from the little one.

Finally, it was Caelus’ turn. Dan Heng stood to help March transfer Sirius to Caelus. Only, Caelus got to enjoy the baby for three seconds before Sirius's little face scrunched. 

"Oops," March teased. "Seems you're not the favorite."

Caelus, who was looking distressed at the prospect, tried to bounce Sirius lightly in a desperate attempt to calm him. But he soon stopped, his nervous smile contorting into one of discomfort. “What’s that smell?”

With a resigned smile, Stelle tiredly sighed. “Um, exactly what I was waiting to happen.”

“You can stay,” Dan Heng told her, already taking the baby from Caelus. “I know you’re tired from the trip. I’ll go change him."

“I’d appreciate that, but there’s a chance he’ll be hungry, too.”

“Then I’ll come back out with him if he doesn’t seem like he’d going to fall back asleep easily.”

“Okay.”

With a smile, he gave her a nod before heading down the corridor.

“Bring the baby monitor when you come back out,” she called out after him.

“Don’t worry; I will.”

Natasha grinned at the scene. “You two are already incredible parents.”

Stelle’s grin turned nervous. “It’s still so…weird? If that makes sense.”

Natasha shook her head. “It will take some getting used to, especially since it’s your first. Honestly, the hardest part of a baby is dealing with everything while lacking sleep. That’s why a family who’s willing to help is the best gift you can possibly receive.”

“I’ll babysit!” March eagerly volunteered.

“Same!” Caelus chimed in.

“Of course!” Himeko agreed. “It’s not every day you get a little one around here.”

“He’s part of the Nameless now,” Welt finished. “We’ll be happy to lend a hand when you need one.”

Their words offered more relief than Stelle had expected. As happy as she was to be home on the Astral Express, she would say she was most thankful knowing she and Dan Heng weren’t alone. They had an amazing family at their side to depend on when the trials grew rough, and that meant the galaxy to her. “Thanks, everyone. It’s really good to be back home.”

#honkai star rail #honkai fanfic #danstelle #married fluff

[blueironywrites]

Title: Kiss the Chef (M)

Summary: It has been said that past performance is the best indicator of future performance. Remus chooses to ignore this when baking a cake for Sirius’s birthday.

Fandom: Harry Potter

Word count: c.1,100

Married Wolfstar, domestic fluf

+ + +

Remus can't cook. But, damnit, he's going to try his best at making a cake for Sirius's birthday.

This is a glimmer into the Married life of Wolfstar, how it always should have been.

#harry potter #harry potter fanfic #ao3 #modern marauders #domestic fluff #wolfstar #remus lupin #sirius black #married fluff #sirius black/remus lupin #wolfstar AU #canon divergence #series: wolfstar one shots - general #ficlist

[quill-pen]

A Good Man

Just a little drabble I wrote, more so wanted to get out ideas about Ebenezer's past that have been circling around my head for a little while. Of course, it turned sappy. And then got just a touch spicy at the end.

Nothing graphic--rated 'T' I'd say. Minors, you're safe.

Synopsis: Ebenezer Scrooge is a good man. If only he could see and accept that.

Pairings: Ebenezer Scrooge X Bess (OC)

Warnings: Angst, mentions of past neglect and maybe child abuse, self-loathing, semi-self-harm, crying and emotional Ebenezer (my heart!), sappiness, declarations of love (probably all super cringy), groping and just a hint of implied spice at the end because Ebeness--DUH!

Theme:

It had been 25 years to the day. Nine thousand one hundred and thirty-one days since the death of his father. And, as he always felt irrationally compelled to do, Ebenezer Scrooge had pulled out the beaten-up old lockbox from the deep dark corner of the chest it remained buried in until this day every year and would be returned to when he'd finished. The box contained a handful of letters written to him decades ago, all by his father. They were all short, to the point, and lacking any sort of warmth or fondness.

October 13th, 1805 Son, I have received your complaints about your school and teachers, and acknowledge your desire to come home. Change is frightening as can being so far away from home and family. My advice to you is to toughen up and stay the course. The world is a harsh place, Ebenezer: Think of this as a lesson in that. Your Father, Abner J. Scrooge P.S. I suggest you not write asking to be brought home again as it will only prove to be a waste of good ink and paper and an embarrassment to us both.

January 7, 1806 Son, Your mother, sister and I went away for Christmas and have only just returned home. Needless to say, I'm afraid I've only just now received your letter and request to return home for the holidays. Your mother and sister missed you dearly and your grandparents wondered where you were, but I know it was better for you that you stayed at school. You'll be that much farther ahead in your studies, won't you? Christmas is always the same anyway--you didn't miss out. Seasons Greetings, Abner J. Scrooge

May 3, 1806 Ebenezer, I'm writing to let you know I have secured a summer job for you. Rather than return home for the summer holidays, you will be going to work for friends of the Headmaster's: a Mr. and Mrs. Dilby. They have a farm there in Cumbria. They've agreed to waive fees for your room and board so long as you pull your weight. And I know you will, won't you, Son? Write to your mother and sister--they are missing you. Tell them your summer plans but do not make mention of me. Tell them you've decided this. Regards, Abner J. Scrooge

Abner Josiah Scrooge had not been... an easy man to deal with. He hadn't really been a harsh man--at least, at first. The sixth child and fourth son of a lowly Baron, Abner could hardly have hoped to inherit his father's title, or much money or property, so he'd gone out and become a lawyer--a rather successful one, too. With that success had naturally come money, and with that money had, unfortunately, come the vices: drink, gambling, occasionally women. Sometimes the man would spend money on his family, but typically the majority of it fed his habits. And the more money Abner got, the harder he played; the coin flew out of his hands faster than he could get it in them.

That was how debtor's prison had come about. That was how Ebenezer and his weakly-constituted mother and sister had moved into a rundown, drafty, cramped, two-room apartment hardly fit for rats to live in that did nothing for any of their health. That was how Ebenezer had had to become the breadwinner of the family at nine years old, working at least two jobs, sometimes three, and little odd side jobs to meagerly feed his family. That was how Ebenezer's already tenuous childhood had been lost to him. And that was how the rapid decline of his relationship with his father had begun

That fall after Ebenezer's twelfth birthday and after Abner had gotten out of debtor's prison, his father had sent him far away to boarding school. He said it was to give Ebenezer a chance at a decent education; Ebenezer knew it was because of the row they'd had all that summer. He was angry with his father for everything that he'd put the family through, and Abner had no desire to deal with the drama: A school in the far hills of Cumbria was a good way to avoid it. Abner had done his best to keep his son away after that, hardly allowing him home for visits for any reason; Ebenezer could count once on each hand how many times he'd come home in those years. Holidays were spent at the school where he was often the only boy staying. Summers were almost entirely spent working up north, sometimes on farms, sometimes in shops, sometimes in banks or workshops or factories, really anything Ebenezer had been able to find--he'd tried his hand at it all.

It hadn't all been bad, admittedly. He'd made some solid mates back then, some of which he'd gotten back into regular contact with since he'd changed; and he'd made some good memories (a few of them rather lurid--like Mr. Corshack's spitfire of a niece). And he'd learned and experienced so much he wouldn't have otherwise--his work ethic to this day could testify to that. But it had never been Ebenezer's choice--always his father's. Ebenezer had just... simply stopped fighting it after a while; it seemed better than fighting to come home only to end up bellowing and brawling with the man and upsetting Jen and Ma.

November 18, 1809 Greetings, I've received your request to come home for Christmas this year. It baffles me why you should want to when it's proven so much more profitable for you to stay at school the past several years. Therefore, for your sake, my boy, I cannot possibly allow such a request. Stay in school, work hard, and get ahead. After all, we both know the misery that will befall this house should both of us reside in it for any period of time. Spending Christmas away from each other is much more pleasant--wouldn't you agree, Ebenezer? Sincerely, Abner J. Scrooge

February 1, 1811 Son, I am writing you this to wish you a happy birthday and hope it reaches you in time and finds you well. You're a man now, my son, and it's time for you to take your place in the world. This is what these last several years have been preparing you for and I hope you have the gumption to meet it head on. What you do after graduating, is, of course, up to you. Should you return to London, I expect you to seek and find your own accommodations as you will not be allowed to stay in our house. I will also expect you to find and acquire a job no later than two weeks after arriving, as I have no intention of helping you pay for your housing. It's time for you to be a man now. Welcome to the world, Abner J. Scrooge P.S. Ah, yes--I almost forgot: Happy birthday, Ebenezer.

Ebenezer went back and forth between the letters, reading them over and over again, studying them. The handwriting looked so much like his own--only a tad sloppier. Once again, a thick gloom settled over the former miser. Growing up, he'd wanted nothing more than to be the exact opposite of his father; to be wise with his finances and secure, to be loyal, to be kind and loving and content with what he had. While he had and was all of those things now, it had taken him far too long to get there. It had taken a miraculous, supernatural intervention to turn him around, and the fact that he did, in his mind at least, did not detract from the fact of what he'd become and done before. In his desire to be the opposite of his father, Ebenezer had become a worse man than Abner had ever been in most ways, and exactly like him in others. Hell, he'd even aged into him: The face he saw staring out at him when he looked in the mirror was almost the spitting image of his father's! How anyone could ever admire that face....

"Ah, here you are," a warm, melodic voice reached the banker's ears.

Ebenezer looked up from the letters in his hands to see his American bride standing in the doorway, smirking at him as she leaned against the doorpost. Despite his mood, the man couldn't help but smile, his heart instantly swelling with love for the beautiful, young woman that had, for some miraculous reason, chosen him to be her husband. "You know all you need do is whistle and I'll come running, Sweetness," he remarked with a playful wink.

Bess' freckled cheeks flushed ever so slightly as she came into the bedroom. "I know," she chuckled. "You're such a good wolf for that. But I'm a wolf, too, remember? We like the hunt."

Ebenezer snorted and rolled his eyes as he held a hand out to her.

Bess gladly took it and sat down beside him on the mattress, instantly snuggling into his side and wrapping her arms around his waist. She smiled into the kiss he pressed to her mouth, reveling in the familiar, warm, smoothness of his lips against hers. A contented sigh left her lungs. "I love how automatic that is," she whispered against the man's lips when he pulled back. "And I love you."

Ebenezer smiled softly and nuzzled his nose against her as he squeezed her close. "I love it and you too," he murmured, pressing another kiss into her coal-black hair.

Bess leaned into it. "I have a confession to make," she admitted, smiling guiltily up at her husband.

Ebenezer cocked a busy, silver-speckled eyebrow and smirked. "Oh, yes?"

"I didn't hunt--I knew exactly where you'd be." Her midnight-blue eyes became sad, empathetic in their concern for him. "I finally actually looked at the calendar and realized what day it is." She gently squeezed his waist as she rested her head on his shoulder, gazing up into his face as she watched his expressions. "Are you all right, Wolfy?" The question was soft, full of love and care for him: Ebenezer felt his heart throb with adoration for his wife yet again because of it.

The Englishman sighed deeply, pulling his gaze from hers. "Yes," he answered sincerely. "Mostly. I suppose. As all right as I can ever seem to be on this day, it seems." His eyes fell back to the papers in his hands and he absently shifted them around.

Bess' eyes went to them too, her face creasing with slight disgust. Those letters were a major cause of her beloved hubby's currently dower mood, and the Yank did not appreciate it. She hated to see the man she loved so much so low in spirits: A somber Ebenezer just wasn't really Ebenezer. "I know why you keep them," she mentioned of the letters, "but I still wish you wouldn't. They make you so sad." She looked back up at her husband and reached up to cup his far cheek in her hand and bring his face closer to hers. "I don't like it when you're sad, Love; it hurts my heart." The woman pressed a lingering kiss to her man's chin and nuzzled into his muttonchops ever so tenderly as she murmured: "I just only ever want to see you happy."

Ebenezer softly chuckled, bowing his head to touch his brow to hers. "I know, Sweetness," he whispered, slate-blue gazing into midnight-blue again. "And I'm sorry to upset you, but I just..." he trailed off into another sigh as he gestured to the letters in his hand.

"You can't get rid of them," Bess finished for him, knowingly. "Just like I'll never be able to forget about all the things Mama said to me growing up. They're reminders."

"Reminders... never to be like him," Ebenezer murmured nearly to himself as he looked through the letter again. A pang of bitterness stabbed through his heart and he snorted harshly, derisively. "All the good that did."

Bess pulled back from him a little bit, narrowing her gaze in suspicion. "What is that supposed to mean?" she snapped. Her voice sounded a little bit harsher than she intended it to, but only because she had an idea of where Ebenezer was going with this claim, and she knew she wouldn't like it.

The man looked at her, meeting and holding her hard gaze. "I grow up all but despising my father--loathing him--wanting nothing more than to be nothing like him." He held up the papers, clenching them in his fist. "I keep these to remind me of the kind of man he was; how cold and distant he could be--how unkind, unfeeling. For years I kept them in plain sight under my nose so that I might not forget." He laughed bitterly tossing the letters away so that they floated haphazardly about the room. "And yet, somehow, despite all that, despite how I continued to remind myself, I turned out to be just as harsh and mean and even worse-tempered than he ever was!" He balled up his fist and hit it hard against his knee--hard enough to probably bruise himself.

Bess flinched. "Ebenezer, please," she soothed, reaching over to place a hopefully calming hand on his arm.

It didn't work. Ebenezer was much too wrapped up in his gloom and dark thoughts at the moment to take notice of her. He hit his other fist against his opposite knee. The knuckles of both fists were deathly white, his grip was so strong. "I promised myself!" he fumed at himself, his face contorting into a nearly monstrous mask of fury. "Time and time again I promised myself and Jen that I would be different--that I wouldn't become my father! Well, not only did I fail in that promise by growing into his temperament, I became even worse than him in every possible aspect!"

"Ebenezer-"

He was pounding both fists against both thighs now, each strike harder and more savage than the last. His vision was starting to swim, his eyes burning with hot tears that threatened to spill over any moment. He didn't care. "I was cruel, selfish, greedy, cared for nothing but profit and no one but myself! I refused to help people when I should have and so easily could have; even my father was known to dump a boatload of money on someone who needed it when he'd been at the bottle! I was needlessly spiteful and hard on people--forced them to pay exorbitantly more than necessary, and I took pleasure in doing so!" The tears started to fall.

"Ebenezer-"

"I made people suffer, prolonged their suffering, and intentionally hurt and offended them! My father may have been a bad man, but he was nothing--nothing--compared to the monster I was--the monster I am!" The man's chest expanded sporadically as he fought for breath, his ribs feeling painfully tight, his heart racing so fast he felt it might explode. His vision started to black out at the edges. "However indirectly, there's blood on my hands: Blood of innocent men, women, and children--so much blood that I'll never know about all of it! I-I'm a bad man! A horrible, cruel, evil man! I deserve the chains and the endless wandering! I deserve a pauper's funeral and grave--I don't deserve to be mourned or remembered! I'm not a good man--I'll never be a good man! I deserve misery! I-I deserve-"

Small but strong hands suddenly closed tight around his wrists and forced his fists away from his thighs. "Ebenezer, stop! Stop, stop, STOP!" Bess' voice barked harshly, gaining his attention. The dark-haired woman knelt down between the man's legs to look up directly into his burning-red, tearful face. Her own eyes were shining with tears glittering on her lashes as she stared beseechingly up at him, holding his fists back to keep him from hurting himself further. Drawn into a thin line, her lips quivered along with her chin. "Ebenezer, please!" she breathed desperately. "Please, just... just stop. For me, just stop, please!"

Her husband stared unwaveringly at her; her gentle face--a face he loved with his whole being--immediately made a calm break over him like tidal waves against a craggy, rocky coast. His chest and ribs still ached, his temples and the muscles in his face felt tight, and he was badly shaking from head to foot, but the rage that had coursed through his veins seconds ago, the self-hatred, it had stopped full force in the warm love-light of those magnificent midnight-blue irises. Unheeded, Ebenezer's fists unfurled and he instinctively reached out for Bess, cupping her heart-shaped face between his palms. "Bess," he rasped, a whimper in his tone.

His wife reached up to hold his face in turn, ever so gently running adoring fingers over his soaked cheeks to try and wipe his tears away before holding his head in her hands. She stroked his chiseled, tear-stained cheekbones with her thumbs. "Please," she quivered, swallowing hard and trying her best to keep her tone even, "stop saying such cruel and hurtful things about the man I love." She offered him a small but determined smile. "Because very few words that have come out of your mouth have been true."

Ebenezer's heart clenched and he screwed his eyes shut, unable to keep looking at her. Those adoring words, that warm smile, her devotion and loyalty to him--he deserved none of it. He was not even remotely worthy of the smallest percentage of it! And yet she gave it to him--freely. The man shook his head within her grasp. "Bess," he groaned, "Sweetness, y-you... you can't say that--you don't... didn't know-"

"Precisely--I didn't know you back then, though I have heard just about everything about it from you, so it's not as though you've been denying or trying to hide what kind of man you used to be. And I didn't know your father, but I've heard a lot about him from you as well. So I'm the perfect person to pass judgment because I can look at you and see you without shadows; I can look at you and see you as you are now without any previous memories to taint my vision of you. Ebenezer, look at me." She gripped his face just a bit more tightly and pulled him down closer as she stretched up toward him; they were practically face-parallel-to-face. For a quiet moment, they simply stared into each other's shining eyes.

"From the moment I met you," Bess began, voice hardly above a whisper, "I've seen nothing even close to resembling either of these men you speak of. From the moment you walked through that office door with Millie on your shoulder and we shook hands, you have been nothing but sweet, kind, chivalrous, charitable, and compassionate to me, to my siblings--everyone."

Ebenezer was entranced; by her eyes, by her words, by her soft hands and skin--everything. She was all there was in the world--everything was Bess. He wanted nothing more than for it to stay that way. "Bess..."

"You're not your father, Ebenezer; and you're not the man you used to be either. You're right about them; they were bad men--cruel, nasty, evil men. But they're not you, my darling. Not anymore. If I'm not my past, Wolf, then neither are you: Whatever bitterness you feel towards yourself--whatever harshness you think you deserve, you're wrong. You deserve nothing but good things; love, happiness, peace--you deserve it all and more."

Ebenezer gently shook his head. "I've done so many bad things, Bess--so many things I can never be forgiven for and will have to answer for in the end."

"Maybe. But you're doing everything to make amends for what you can now. Let God worry about the rest." Bess gently stroked her right hand down her lover's face and brought it to rest on his chest above his heart. "If only you could see your heart as I do, my love," she sighed, rubbing her thumb against his chest, "then you could see exactly the kind of wonderful man you are." She pulled away from his grip on her face and leaned forward to press her lips against his chest between her splayed thumb and index finger. Her lipstick left a perfect print on his white, linen shirt over his heart. "You're a philanthropist," Bess stated, meeting his eyes again, "an honorable businessman, a beloved husband and father; a man with such a big, beautiful heart of gold that he shines so brightly and lights the way for everyone else who follows him." Bess slipped both of her arms around the man's waist and hugged him close again, still gazing up into his downturned face. "This world doesn't deserve you, Ebenezer Scrooge." She lowered her face from his and pressed it into his chest, closing her eyes. "I don't deserve you. You're too beautiful, too amazing, too perfect in every way to be anything other than an angel in disguise--no one is worthy of you." She peppered more kisses across his pectorals, leaving more lovely, dusky purple marks in her wake.

Ebenezer's heart clenched and throbbed with undeniable love and passion for the woman before him. He watched the top of his wife's dark head as she kissed all along his chest, gently smoothing his hands up and down her shoulders and arms. "My darling Bess," he sighed almost whimsically. "My beautiful She-Wolf. My beloved wife."

Bess looked up at him again, her chin pressed almost flat against his chest as he craned her neck back. Tears were shimmering in her eyes again. "I'm not worthy," she repeated, voice rasping, "but I love you, Ebenezer. God be praised--I love you! I've never loved anyone as much as I love you--I didn't even think it was possible to love someone this much. You're my everything; my sun, my moon, my stars, my breath, my life. The only thing I have to offer you in return are my heart, body, and soul, and I give them to you freely, unworthy of you as they are."

"They are not unworthy," Ebenezer croaked, wrapping his arms around the kneeling woman, "they are everything to me. You are everything to me."

Bess gave a gentle smile. "Then perhaps, might you listen to the words of the woman who is both your everything and gives you everything of her own free will and not the harsh words of the man who sired you or the demons in your head? Because they only seek to harm you; I only seek to help you become the best man you could possibly be--the man I know you are in your heart." She stretched out her graceful neck as the silver-haired man bowed his head to her and met him in a soft, lingering kiss so full of love it made both their insides melt into bubbling goo.

Bess slowly rose up off her knees, careful never to break the kiss. Gently pushing against Ebenezer's chest, she made him lay back on the bed, crawling up over him as he gracefully descended to the mattress. She laid down atop him, taking his face in her hands yet again as she angled her mouth over his to deepen the kiss. Instantly, tension began to build. Ebenezer's arms came around her, one locking tight around her waist, the other reaching lower for his hand to grab at her buttocks, both urging her closer to him as the desire grew. The American eagerly obliged. She traced her tongue against the seam of his lips and was quickly granted access: She dove in to meet his tongue with hers--no hesitation. She gently raked her nails down his cheek, neck, and chest; the man growled and held her more tightly.

The couple remained this way for several long, blissful moments, groaning, moaning, whimpering, nipping, licking, groping, expertly working each other up, and getting the blood boiling. When finally they parted for air, Bess gazed down into the hazy, half-lidded, slate-blue-ringed eyes of her husband. Her beautiful husband. Her marvelously wonderful husband whom she would stand between Heaven and Earth with, until the end of time.

"You are a good man, Ebenezer Charles Scrooge," she breathed, her head swimming a bit itself. "The very best man I've ever known and, undoubtedly, will ever know." She kissed his top lip ever so gently as she held his gaze before pushing herself to sit up so that she was straddling him. Then she grabbed his hands, which had come to rest on her waist, and brought them both up to her mouth. She showered them in kisses; all over the fingers, across the knuckles, the backs, each calloused fingertip. She made sure to leave obvious lip prints inside his palms and on the soft, sensitive skin of his inside wrists. The woman was brazen enough to gently stroke her tongue against him there and a thrill went through her when she felt her man shudder beneath her, his eyes widening and growing darker as he watched her and quietly whimpered.

"You're a good man, Wolf," she repeated, smiling down at the man as she gently massaged the outsides of his wrists. "A good man." The woman's smile suddenly turned saucy and a devious gleam came to her eyes. Without a second thought, she brought the Englishman's hands to her breasts and pressed them firmly to her plush and pliant mounds, squeezing his hands to encourage him to grope her. He didn't need much urging and she gasped with delight, a familiar, heady sensation fluttering low in her belly even with the barrier of clothing between their skin. She moaned as he continued his ministrations, letting her head slowly roll 'round. "Mmm. We should see just how good a man you can really be...."

Taglist: @rom-e-o @oldmanlusting @the-house-of-auditore-frye @crimson-phantom-designs @ofvampiirisms @purgratoriat if anybody else would like to be added, let me know!

Romey, why do I get the feeling this is when Gil caught them in the act?

#scrooge 2022 #netflix scrooge #ebenezer scrooge #scrooge a christmas carol #scrooge #scrooge x oc #fanfiction #ebenezer x bess #ebeness #married scrooge #married fluff #scrooge romance #crying scrooge #angst #angsty scrooge #two people madly in love #another late night post

[arcadian-litterateur]

let it snow | winterwidow

masterlist

summary: bucky and natasha enjoy a cozy christmas evening together when they get snowed in at their cabin.

word count: 1.5k

warnings: none other than over the top fluff

a/n: i wrote this a long time ago. but like i still love it. cuz it's literally just fluffy fluff fluff fluff. bucky is a very whipped little simp btw.

"as long as you love me so, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow."

𝗕𝗘𝗜𝗚𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 and dark brown shingles, a red front door to the little ranch house cracked slightly, the screen door securely locked. Two grey chimneys pumped out smoke, curling in designs that painted the gray sky and the evergreens surrounding the house. A wreath was secured to the mailbox, a sign saying "Mr. and Mrs. Barnes" screwed to the side. A snow shovel leaned against the side of the house, the off white garage door peppered with little notches in the wood, Christmas lights strung lazily around the top of the house. It was a small abode, but love simply emanated from it. You could tell that it was a place of much happiness.

Inside, a small living room was the first room in sight, two obviously well-loved plaid couches with sunken cushions against the front windows. A small tv was perched on a wooden stand, end tables made of the same birch at either end of the couches. Lovely maroon curtains blocked the windows from pesky strangers. A piano sat in the corner of the room.

Right through an arch lay the kitchen, a vintage look which seemed in common with the rest of the house. The yellowed refrigerator had obviously once been white, and it was plastered with pictures, some old enough to be in black and white. It was clear the fridge was a hand-me-down of sorts, passed from generation to generation. The cabinets, cherry wood with tarnished silver handles were all closed except for two to the right of the sink, which was a double, full of sudsy water and dirty dishes. A redhead stood at the sink, scrubbing the plates with her petite yet strong hands. The oven, a small, silvery number, was also on, the hum of its heater filling the small space.

The radio was on the dining table, a circular table made of that same wood which seemed very common in the house. Its buzz filled the little ranch. A brunet sat at the table, his chin in his left hand, which happened to be made of metal. His ears were trained towards the radio, however his eyes were glued to his wife's hips, a smile gracing his lips as he watched her feet tap to the beat of the tune stuck in her head.

"---Roads in Cook County are closed, due to icy conditions and heavy snowfall. Only travel if absolutely necessary, and stay safe---" the male switched the radio off.

"Well, guess we have our answer, Natasha. I better call Steve and tell him we can't go tonight." Natasha sighed, using her shoulder to brush some of her fiery locks to the side.

"That's too bad. I was hoping to spend Christmas with the Rogers."

Her husband smiled, "But this does mean we get to spend Christmas all by ourselves." He got up from the table, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, kissing the top of her head as she giggled.

"Oh, Bucky." Turning her head to the side, she gave him a quick peck before shutting the faucet off, drying her hands on the towel next to the sink.

"Well," Bucky said, "Since we're snowed-in, what do you want to do?" Natasha looked at the clock above the stove and rolled her eyes.

"I," she bopped her husband's nose, "am going to make dinner. You know, since we won't be eating Peggy's delicious cooking anymore."

He sighed, "Okay, fine. I'll find something to do." With one last plea of puppy dog eyes and that cute pout that Natasha loved so much, he left, knowing that this time, she wasn't going to budge.

"Be grateful," she called after him. "I'm feeding you!" Bucky waved a hand. It was the knowledge that the two of them loved each other so much that they'd gotten married and settled down in the middle of nowhere, away from all their friends so it would just be them, that made it clear that these "ungrateful" moments were just jokes.

Natasha started a simple pot of broccoli cheddar soup, after spending ten minutes trying to find something to make amongst her fancy cookbooks and practically bare cupboards. Still, the seemingly basic soup was a staple in their married life, and it would be perfect for a low-key Christmas dinner. The wooden spoon she held was rough from many years of use.

It had been her late mother's, a gift to the couple along with much of the rest of their kitchen supplies. Melina had known that her daughter would want to live away from the busy city. Natasha's childhood memories were full of strife, gangs, and way too many close calls for her to stay there. However, the cookbooks were from her mother in law. Winnifred was a master in the kitchen, and she'd taught Natasha the other half of what she knew.

Natasha's father, Alexei, well, his family was the line from which this house came from. Melina's family were the city goers. Bucky's father, George, was Melina's childhood friend, and if Alexei hadn't come along with his charming, backwoods ways, Natasha and Bucky could have been siblings instead of lovers. They often laughed about that. They had grown up together, but the minute they were both out of highschool, they forgot the other existed.

That is, until Bucky saved Natasha from a harsh prison sentence based on her many crimes in the gang she'd gotten wrapped up in. She felt indebted to him, and slowly they became best friends, and then lovers. Bucky had helped Natasha wipe the red out of her ledger, and she would be forever grateful. Furthermore, she was so happy that she got to be married to the man for the rest of her life.

With another stir, the soup sizzled some more, the redhead's hips bouncing to the tune of an invisible band. And then she heard it.

The sound of the piano. That's what she'd been subconsciously dancing to. That was another thing she loved about her husband: he was one of the most musically talented men she'd ever met. You wouldn't guess it just looking at him, he looked more like a football quarterback (which he totally could pull off), but Natasha loved the fact that he could just sit down and play music. It was a gift from above, that was for sure. She heard him start to sing, a grin turning up the corners of her mouth.

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. Since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow." The redhead hummed along, the sound of his baritone like honey to her ears. It made her shiver, and at the same time, it made her giggle. He heard her, too. "Come join me, darling!"

Abandoning the soup to finish cooling on the stove, she raced into the living room. Bucky scooted over, patting the bench beside him. The redhead plopped down, smiling wide at him as he started up again. "When we finally kiss goodnight, oh, I'll hate going out in the storm." Natasha doubled on a low harmony, her eyebrows scrunching as she did her best to hit the right notes. "But if you'll really hold me tight, all the way home I'll be warm!"

Before starting the next verse, Bucky paused and brushed his wife's hair behind her ear, smiling, "You have the voice of an angel, babe." She blushed, smacking his shoulder.

"I do not!" she objected.

"Yes, you do," he responded, tickling her sides as she buried her face in his neck, laughing.

"Stop! Stop!" With a cocky grin, he complied, her eyes rolling as she turned back to the piano. Bucky wrapped his flesh arm around her waist, pulling her closer as she laid her head on his shoulder."Gosh, I love you, Buck," she whispered, reaching over to lace her fingers through his metal ones.

"I love you, too, Nat," he smiled back. She could feel the smile from where his cheek was pressed up her scalp, his hand moving from her hips to her hair, stroking the red locks as she closed her eyes in silent enjoyment. It was the perfect picture of a happy Christmas evening. The lovely couple, sitting at the piano, arms intertwined as they hummed tunes together.

Some time later, they were curled up on one of those old couches, a blanket around their bodies as they watched It's A Wonderful Life. Natasha was on Bucky's lap, his arms around her as she held the blanket around them. Every time a funny scene popped up in the movie, Bucky would close his eyes as he listened to his wife's joyful laugh. That was the most precious gift she could give him- herself. All of her. The one who'd gotten distracted while cooking their soup and burnt it, and the one with the most beautiful soprano voice, and the one who could kick his ass in a fight any day of the week.

As the credits rolled and Natasha sleepily turned to him with a grin, he smiled and whispered, "Merry Christmas, Nat."

"Merry Christmas, Bucky."

the end

#fanfiction #marvel #one shot #fluff #married fluff #winterwidow #natasha romanoff #bucky barnes #black widow #the winter soldier #marvel au #christmas fluff #marvel christmas

[switchbladedreamz]

Bastard of a Leak

Requested?: nah

Pairing: Captain "Luke" Syverson x Reader

Rating: Fluff

Warnings: i made up the name Luke, brief mention of reader having glasses, brief mention of reader being bisexual.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here" the drawl of my husband's southern accent drifts through the air. I ignore him. "Honey don't tell me you been under there all day? When did you go to the hardware store!?". I'm under the kitchen sink surrounded by pieces of pvc, pvc glue, a wrench and clamps here and there, oh and drenched from neck to navel. The leak was driving me crazy and i know my way around a thing or two so I thought i would give my hand a try but apparently my hand is not plumbing compatible. "C'mon baby get out from under there and lemme get a look'achya" my husband asks. I sigh before crawling out from under the sink dusting my back and my ass off, and look up to the hulk of the man in front of me.

The look in his eyes could sink a ship or make his momma proud. Pride, hunger, and awe swirl in his eyes like minnows playing in the shallows of a creek bed. "You been workin on that bastard leak from hell all day, it's already 9:30. I'll call a guy tomorrow. Okay?" I resign with a simple nod, leaning directly forward i rest my forehead on his chest. Sy's arms fold around my grimy body bringing me into him. His warmth momentarily melts away the ache that had settled over me while the sun was still shining. "Okay." i finally settled on the matter. "There's my girl. Now go shower while I heat up your dinner okay?" I relinquish a barely audible "okay", i fight to untangle myself from the tree trunks that refuse to let me go. "Baaahaabyyyyy" i whine until Sy just chuckles and opens his arms. Limply I shuffle toward the bathroom, taking my boots off before the door and tossing the wet tank top off in the hamper with the rest of my clothes. I take a quick cold shower and wash my everything as fast as possible with sore arms and taut back muscles, i want to eat and lay down. Leaving the door open to the steamy bathroom, I walk down the hall to my bedroom. Toweling off and changing into another tank top and shorts. Exiting the bedroom i call out "baby" trying to find my husband. My answer sounds like its coming from the kitchen. "Oh where oh where can my baby beee? The Lord took her away from me" his singing is a treat. Luke turns around as i start the next verse, my plate in his hands. "She's gone to heaven so I've got be good so i can see my baby when I leave this world" I watch as he sets the plate at my place at the table, and the bowl in his left hand he sets at his place. He walks toward me and it is only then i notice he's shirtless. I must've gotten his shirt wet earlier. Big hands warm my hips his fingers slip under my shirt to hold my bare back. We sway as he sings,

"We went out on a date in my daddy's car. We hadn't driven very far. There in the road, straight ahead. A car was stalled, the engine was dead. I couldn't stop so i swerved to the right I'll never forget the sounds that night", my ear rests against his heart. I count the steady pace of his heart beats...1 ..2 ..3 ..4 ..1...2 ..his smooth voice rocks the airwaves around, we rock our bodies to Pearl Jam's rhythm. Luke's voice is like whiskey to me, its deep like amber with a spike of raw honey. I would drink myself to death on it if I could. If only he'd sing for me more often. A loud grumble and a stab of hunger erupted from my stomach which made Sy laugh. Moment over. "C'mon baby lets get some food in that belly".

I sit and eat my "grilled chicken pasta leftover surprise" as my honey so lovingly called it. Luke's head is down, and is currently grunting in between shoveling spoonfuls of.. something, into his mouth, I I left my glasses in the bathroom. He has his forearm wrapped in front of the bowl while his hand wrests on the bowl's side, as if he's holding it to the table..or hostage. I peer over to peek, its ice cream.

It makes me giggle. Such a big man is so protective of a little bowl of ice cream. "Huh?" He perks his head up. There's white drop and caramel all over his mustache and there's little pieces of chocolate in his beard too. I can't hold back my laughter. I get up and head to the kitchen. The hardwood floor of the dining room is cold tonight, the tile is chilled as I enter the kitchen. I lean down in front of the kitchen sink, opening the cabinet doors is when I remember I moved the wash cloths to the counter top. I sigh coming back up, god I'm sore. Snatching the top washcloth on the pile i run it under warm water for a few seconds. I grab a second wash cloth with my dry hand and open the sink cabinet once again. I toss the half unfolded cloth on the puddle of water below the pipes and shut the door with my foot. I could feel my husband watching me like a hawk the whole time, he wouldn't think I noticed his shoulders relax when he realized i was coming back to the table. "Whatcha doin baby?" I decided to ignore his question. I raise the cloth to his face, hesitating trying to convey my intentions. He watches my wrist, anticipation written in his eyes. His lips are drawn thin to a line on his face. "You coulda just said somethin". I just grin back at him as my answer.

I watch as the light casts eyelash shadows beneath his eyes, they flutter then close as the warm cloth comes in contact with his moustache in light downward swipes.

"i gotta tell ya it was pretty sexy seein you under there workin so hard. I guess finding your significant other doing manual labor sexy goes both ways. Like you" he chuckles. His eyes still closed as I clean his beard. His words make me giggle. "Good to know, I'll have to keep that in my back pocket. But I don't wanna get under that sink again." Luke pulls me down onto his lap to sit. He kisses my temple. "You worked damn hard today and I'm proud of you. I made some calls and got a few different quotes, i figured we would look at 'em together tomorrow and decide on who's the best option". It's my turn to kiss him. I lean forward and lightly kiss him, his lips are a little sticky from the ice cream. "You're so sweet, my bear." He takes my left hand and puts his on his cheeks, his thumb twiddling with the set of two rings on my left ring finger. It makes me smile, I give his forehead a small kiss and stand up. I turn around to head to my chair and Luke slaps my ass. He chuckles as the gasp I made as he picks his spoon up and returns back to his mistress, the bowl of Rocky Road.

#captain syverson fluff #captain sy x reader fluff #married fluff #just writing again #sandcastle (2017)

[mysticraven20]

A Mother’s Love

Happy Mother’s Day to those who are celebrating today have a lovely day 🌸🌸

Emma was so excited! She had worked for days on her card at school, making sure she had put the perfect amount of glitter on the front design so that it dazzled with perfection, after all, that’s what her Maman deserved. Perfection.

When her teacher had set the class a task to make special Mother's Day cards to take home for the weekend, Emma knew she had to make the most wonderful card ever because her Maman was the ‘superest’ Maman ever! Literally!

Emma had chosen the prettiest pink card, the colour so soft and gentle, and the exact shade her mother had always said was her favourite. Then she selected the shiniest glitter — definitely better than the glitter Alexander had chosen for ex-Aunt Lila’s card; and finally, she’d made sure the felt tip pens she was using were fully loaded and the nibs sharp. Everything had to be just right!

Check out the rest on A03

#adrienagreste #marinettedupaincheng #adrienette #ladynoir #chatnoir #ladybugandcatnoir #miraculous #ladybug #ladybugandchatnoir #fanfiction #the Agreste’s family #Hugo and the Step #emma agreste #hugo agreste #louis agreste #married fluff #family fluff #adrien being adrien #Dadrien #dad Adrien #happy Mother’s Day

[olpie]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Chrissy Cunningham/Eddie Munson Characters: Eddie Munson, Chrissy Cunningham Additional Tags: Corroded Coffin Concert (Stranger Things), Domestic Fluff, Family Secrets, Babies, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Sequel, Song: Late Night Talking (Harry Styles), Married Chrissy Cunningham/Eddie Munson, Chrissy Cunningham/Eddie Munson Fluff, Hellcheer Week 2022 (Stranger Things) Series: Part 3 of Late Night Talking Universe Summary:

Eddie and Chrissy have a unique way of naming their children.

#hellcheer #eddissy #eddie munson #eddie x chrissy #chrissy cunningham #domestic fluff #married fluff #rockstar eddie munson #munningham #late night talking #oneshot #sequel #corroded coffin #stranger things #vol 2 stranger things #stranger things au #no upside down

[rainbow-waffles-writes]

Fandom: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor Additional Tags: Married Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Fluff without Plot, Slow Dancing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Slow dancing in the kitchen, that's it that's the fic

Series: Part 3 of Romanticizing Kitchens

Summary:

Alex smirks and hops off the counter. “Well, not if we're careful.” He gets down on one knee, putting out his hand to Henry and giving him the best, charming smile he could muster, hiding the silly happy one that's threatening to take over his face. “Henry Fox-Claremont-Diaz, will you give me the honor of dancing with me in our humble kitchen?”

Henry throws his head back and laughs, and when he looks back down at Alex, his face is bright with a cheeky grin, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Such a gentleman,” he comments.

#rwrb #rwrb fanfiction #ao3 #fluff oneshot #red white and royal blue #married fluff

[kenm4vhs]

sorry for the noise that’s just me barking

#jujutsu kaisen #jjk #jjk gojo #satoru gojo #jjk satoru #gojo satoru #gojo x reader #gojo x you #jujutsu gojo #gojo x y/n #gojo fucking satoru #gojo fluff #gojo smut #gojou satoru #i wanna eat him #i wanna marry him and have his babies #i would let him do unspeakable and unimaginable things with me

[antomatkoen]

soap definitely didn’t wear the skull earrings for a certain someone…👀

soap shows up at a bar all dazzled up after losing a bet :3

#ghoap #ghoap fluff #ghost mw2 #ghostsoap #john soap mactavish #simon ghost riley #soap mw2 #soapghost #call of duty #cod mw2 #theyre married your honor #theyre so gay #they are in love #and i hate them #no i dont #but i want to #squeeze them like my personal stress toys affectionately

[zlarirosa]

harry likes laying on his husband every morning in hopes of him letting the both of them call a day off for once. it's worked once, so it might work again

#drarry #hpdm #harco #hardra #come on shacklebolt let them have this #theyre still on the honeymoon phase of their relationship #i mean its been 5 yrs since they tied that knot #but whos counting #harry x draco #harry potter #draco malfoy #married life #domestic fluff #hp #hp art #zlarirosart #old art

[thenovelartist]

Life After Destruction - Chapter 7 - Honkai: Star Rail

<Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter>

Month seven meant only one more month aboard the Astral Express before Stelle and Dan Heng would be dropped off at the Xianzhou Luofu. Stelle felt like things were happening so fast. The pressure to get everything in order this month, including finishing shopping for the nursery, was beginning to weigh on her.

However, there had been one minor roadblock to accomplishing that goal: Himeko and March practically begging her to wait with any form of shopping. Although Stelle supposed she would have a month on the Luofu to collect any remaining items she needed, she still wanted to get things in order now, as did Dan Heng. In the end, the two were so adamant in their request that she had to cave, and despite her repeated asks, they never told her the reason.

Until today.

“Surprise!” Asta and March said, waving excitedly at the obnoxiously large pile of gifts.

Surprise, indeed. To say Stelle’s jaw was on the floor was probably an understatement. Beside her, Dan Heng looked equally shocked. Probably because when Himeko said they needed to go to Herta Space Station to gather supplies, it never crossed either of their minds that this would be what she'd meant.

“Yeah, yeah, surprise,” Herta reluctantly agreed with all the minimal enthusiasm she could muster. To be fair to her, the fact Herta had even come down to greet them was a surprise in itself. “Now get all this garbage off my ship. It’s preventing me from seeing my curios.”

“Madam Herta,” Asta gently chided. “I know you don’t mean that. Didn’t you get them a gift, too?”

“I didn’t want to,” she snipped. “It was Screwllems’s stupid idea, and Ruan Mei just had to jump on board. But… I guess it’s not totally worthless. Because of this idiot—” Herta roughly pointed at Stelle— “I’m still able to do my studies and experiments in this galaxy. Although, she could have avoided getting knocked up.” With those biting words, she glared at Dan Heng.

Stelle chuckled nervously. Although Herta’s words said one thing, Stelle was fairly certain the only reason she was mad was because Stelle hadn’t been able to help test the Simulated Universe for far too long.

Dan Heng, for his part, simply ignored it. “So,” he began, looking over the mountain of gifts once again before turning to March and Asta. “Would you like to explain why there are so many gifts here?”

“It’s for a baby shower!” March explained. “Er… kind of.”

“You two are kind of famous, you know,” Asta elaborated. “So it was only natural that people would want to know that the galaxy’s savior was pregnant with her first child. These are all the congratulatory gifts from, well… everyone.”

Stelle looked over the tower again. This mountain was the galaxy’s well-wishes to her?

Her hand went up to rest on top of her growing stomach.

“Um.” From behind them, Arlan spoke up. “Would you like me to start organizing the transfer of these gifts to the Express?”

“Yes!” Herta cried. “Get them out of here. I’ve got more important things to do, like finding someone who doesn’t have a medical exemption from assisting with my tests of the Simulated Universe. I’m trying to get in contact with Nanook there since he’s long dead in the real world. Curious minds need to know his reasonings behind these wars.”

“You can have Caelus for your experiments,” Stelle offered.

Herta quirked a brow at her. “Who?”

“Wow, that’s mean,” March muttered under her breath.

“We’ve all done it,” Stelle flatly countered, trying to justify away the niggling guilt she felt. “It’s his turn. Think of it as a rite of passage.”

Dan Heng hummed. “If he wants the full experience of being a trailblazer, I suppose assisting Madam Herta is part of it.”

Despite being a doll, Herta’s eyes started gleaming. “Oh, so he is a new member? That would be useful to get a fresh perspective on the alterations to the Simulated Universe. You all have adapted well to it, which has been helpful in its own way, but that might have skewed an accurate perception of it.”

“He’s probably still with Himeko at the Express,” Dan Heng answered.

“Oh, perfect.” And with that, Herta shuffled past Arlan and out the door.

Asta cleared her throat to break the awkward atmosphere. “If you would please, Arlan. Moving all this will take a while.”

“G-got it,” he replied. “It’s preferable to being dragged around by Madam Herta. Just… don’t tell her I said that.”

“Where is this even going to go on the Express?” Stelle asked.

“Himeko said she’s figured that out already,” March dismissed. “So don’t worry about it.”

That was an impossible task. Especially as another question came to mind. “Where is all this going to go in the nursery?”

“Oh!” March’s eyes lit up. “So that’s the thing. When Himeko and I sent out the announcement, we kinda realized that you might end up with an excess of baby things. Himeko suggested they send things for the baby to grow into instead of just baby things. She promised that you guys could put all the things you wouldn’t need right away in storage.”

“Well,” Dan Heng said, nodding in approval, “that certainly is more practical, considering how many planets seemed to have been informed.”

“Yeah,” Asta agreed. “But they were all more than happy to send things along. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have all this.”

That was true. At that realization, Stelle felt quite honored.

Don’t cry, she mentally warned when she felt herself suddenly get emotional, an unfortunate side effect of her pregnancy. Suck it up. It’s fine. It’s just… really nice of everyone.

Soon enough, she was dabbing at her eyes.

“Please tell me those are happy tears,” Asta said, suddenly getting worried.

Dan Heng wrapped his arm around Stelle’s waist, and she allowed him to pull her close. “Yeah. I’m fine,” she said, leaning against Dan Heng's shoulder.

“Is it overwhelming?” Dan Heng quietly asked.

Stelle nodded. “But it’s really nice of everyone.”

“It… it really is,” Dan Heng agreed. “We’re going to have to thank everyone for their thoughtfulness.”

“I’ve got you covered,” Asta said, grabbing one of the boxes that was exceedingly plain. She took off the cardboard lid, showing a small booklet and a stack of cards and envelopes. “This is for you to record who gave you what. And then I got actual letters for you to send. Hopefully, that won’t be too overwhelming.”

“We’ll manage,” Dan Heng said. “Although… this will be quite the task.”

Stelle could not disagree in the slightest.

“I can help if you want,” March offered. “I don’t mind.”

“Thanks,” Stelle said, shooting her friend a smile. As kind as it was for her to offer, Stelle had the feeling she’d manage on her own. After all, she was getting quite bored staying still on the Express, her growing stomach getting in the way of being too adventurous. Writing a million cards might just be the cure for her boredom.

Or it would drive her insane. With her mood swings, who knew. Either way, it had to be better than helping Herta test the Simulated Universe…

Right?

~~~

Dan Heng had no idea how they managed to fit all the gifts in the Astral Express. Looking over the storage room that was practically overflowing, he was dreading the task of opening them. However, he would not complain. This was extremely generous of the galaxy at large, and he was appropriately thankful for their consideration. Furthermore, with all these gifts, it was likely he and Stelle wouldn’t have to go shopping for much more. That is, if they had to go shopping at all. While he wouldn’t have minded going shopping for the baby, he also couldn’t deny he would prefer if he didn’t have to. Shopping had never been his favorite thing, and one particular pre-Stelle shopping trip he’d been forced to take with March had spoiled that task for life.

“So,” Himeko began, approaching Dan Heng, “What do you think of the surprise? We wanted to organize a proper baby shower for Stelle, but that just wasn’t possible.”

“This is more than enough,” Dan Heng assured with a smile. “Thank you. It must have taken considerable effort on your part to organize this.”

“It did, but it was worth it. Hopefully, March and I did a good enough job communicating with everyone so you won’t get too many repeated items. You should be covered with a range of things up into their childhood years. Although, organizing certain toddler items does become more challenging when you don’t know if you’ll have a boy or a girl.”

“Stelle wanted to keep it a surprise. Otherwise, you would have known.”

“I know. And I also know you went along with her wishes to keep her happy." She then poked his shoulder. "Just remember you’re the father. You’re allowed to ask for things, too.”

“I know,” he returned. “But I couldn’t ask for anything more than what she’s given me. While I would have liked to know, just so I could be as prepared as possible, it ultimately doesn’t matter if we know ahead of time or not. I’ll be happy either way.”

Himeko’s smile was gentle. “Stelle’s very lucky to have you as her husband. And your child is going to be lucky to have you as a father.”

Bashful, Dan Heng turned back to look over the gifts. “I’ll… do my best.”

“Give yourself a little credit,” Himeko teased. “You deserve it.”

Unsure of what to say, Dan Heng simply nodded. He had plenty of doubts lingering in his mind over this, but he had to conquer them alone. And quickly, at that. The baby would be here before they knew it. While Dan Heng knew that everything about their life would change because of it, there was also only so much he could do to prepare. He would just have to adapt to everything else and hope he didn’t mess things up, for his child’s sake.

“Have you figured out names yet?” Himeko asked.

He nodded, thankful for the change in conversation. “Yes, we’ve settled on names for both genders.”

“Are you going to keep those a surprise, too?” Himeko lightly prodded.

“Yes,” Dan Heng said, giving her a slight smile. “But that was my idea to do so.”

“Haha. You two are certainly keeping everyone in suspense.”

Dan Heng shut the door to the storage room, blocking out the overwhelming sight of the mountainous stack of gifts for now. “On a different note,” he began, making his way back to the parlor. “I will be sitting this next mission out so as to help Stelle—”

“She warned me to not allow you to do that,” Himeko interrupted. “She said she could handle the presents and thank you cards on her own but that you should get out and about as much as possible before the baby is born. I agree with her. I doubt you’ll want to leave her side for a while after your baby arrives, so I don’t want you to get sick of the Astral Express too soon.”

Dan Heng sighed. Part of him figured this would happen. If it was just Himeko’s idea, he’d probably argue with her, but he wasn’t going to test Stelle. Her emotional state was growing more unstable with each passing month, so he didn't want to start needless fights with her. She was only doing this out of consideration for him, anyway. 

“It will be fine,” Himeko said. “You two can open the gifts together while we’re traveling. Then whoever stays behind with Stelle can help her write all the thank you notes. That is, if she wants the help in the first place. It’s quite obvious Stelle is growing plenty bored staying on the Express all the time. The letters will give her something to do.”

When Himeko put it that way, Dan Heng thought maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to leave that job up to Stelle, after all.

“Besides,” Himeko continued. “I appreciate you teaching Caelus what you know before you disappear on us. Don’t say this to March, but between the two of you, you are the better teacher.”

Dan Heng smirked in amusement. “My lips are sealed.” Although, he did suppose Himeko had a point when it came to Caelus. He was a plenty capable person and well-trained, but he came with his own challenges and quirks. Stellaron Hunters did things very differently than the Nameless, so there was much to teach him as well as many tricks to learn from him.

And if Dan Heng were being honest, he enjoyed having a male companion compared to traveling with two girls all the time. Not that he didn’t adore said girls, especially since they were his wife and someone he thought of as a sister.

They entered the parlor to see Stelle still chatting with March, Asta, and Arlan. Upon spying Dan Heng, Stelle grinned, waving him to come over before motioning to a large box at her feet. “From the Space Station.”

“Though Arlan organized it,” Asta said, elbowing the young man.

Arlan chuckled sheepishly. “I hope you like it.”

“I’m sure we will,” Stelle said. “Thank you.”

“And don’t worry,” Arlan added on, shooting Asta a warning look. “I didn’t let Lady Asta spend any money on it. She went overboard with the clothes, anyway.”

“I did not,” Asta countered. “It was fine.”

“It was not fine,” Stelle said. “It’s just that no one can stop you when you start.”

Before Asta could come up with a retort, the door to the Astral Express opened, and a frazzled Caelus entered.

Upon seeing all eyes were on him, he started waving his hands about. “Let me get this straight: you’ve all helped Madam Herta with her little ‘virtual reality’ experiment?”

Tempering a grin, Dan Heng nodded, noting that the others were all doing the same. He almost pitied Caelus. Almost. He’d suffered Madam Herta’s experiments enough over the years. It was Caelus’ turn to take up that torch. Besides, the more people who volunteered, the fewer times each person would have to assist.

“Like, once or twice?” Caelus tentatively inquired.

Stelle answered, “Sometimes, several times a week.”

“A week?” Caelus repeated, horrified.

“How’d you like it?” March teasingly prodded.

Caelus couldn’t answer right away, words clearly having failed him. Eventually, he just shook his head. “So many bugs.”

“Aww,” Stelle mockingly cooed. “You don’t even know the half of it.”

~~~

The pile of scrapped gift wrapping was growing astronomically fast, and the nursery was filling up with items almost as quickly. So far, there’d been a wide variety of things, from baby necessities to toddler clothing to a range of toys. Then there was the variety of wild card items ranging from medicine to information for the archives to weapons.

And then Stelle still wasn’t fully sure what that thing was over in the corner.

But even those odd items came with things like some diapers or children’s books, and each gift came with a letter of congratulations from the senders. Typically, they were from the government at large, but there were a few exceptions.

“Another from Belobog.”

Stelle took the gift Dan Heng offered her, the fourth one from Belobog. One from Bronya, who spoke on behalf of the country at large, then another from the Silvermane Guards. Wildfire even got her a gift.

As she looked over the plain brown box, her heart warmed upon seeing the still scratchy lettering that she recognized as Hook’s scrawl. To: Honorary Member and Little Honorary Member. From: The Moles. “They’re too sweet.”

“They are very kind," Dan Heng agreed. "I’m sure it wasn’t easy for them to scrape together the money to send that.”

That was true. Inter-astral mail wasn’t cheap. Even though she knew all the members of the Moles each had their own paying jobs now, it must have put quite the dent in their pockets.

Stelle opened the slightly battered box to reveal a jar of marbles, a teddy bear that looked handmade with a handful of clothes to go with it, and a torn, tattered book titled “Adventures of the Moles”. The longer she looked over the gifts, the more she recognized them, and soon enough, she began to feel overly emotional.

“I’m gonna yell at them for giving us these,” she whispered, her eyes growing watery.

“You should probably text them right away,” Dan Heng suggested, a gentle smile on his face while he soothingly stroked her hair.

“Yeah, probably.”

Dan Heng set the box carefully aside for her while Stelle pulled out her phone.

“I’m going to empty out the trash bin again,” Dan Heng said, standing from his seat. “And bring back the next round of gifts. Take your time.”

“Thanks,” she said, already tapping away at her phone.

Stelle: Hook! I just opened your gift!

Stelle: I love it. Thank you so much!

Stelle: Tell the others I said thanks, too.

Before Stelle could put her phone away, she saw little bubbles flash on the screen.

Hook: I’m glad! Do you like the teddy? I sewed it all by myself!

Hook: I asked the old witch to teach me how, and she said she would if I cleaned the clinic.

Hook: But she actually made me clean the clinic! (;° ロ°)

Stelle couldn’t help but chuckle. She could easily imagine the huffy pout Hook was wearing.

Stelle: It’s about time she made you keep your word. Natasha was too soft.

Hook: Honorary member! How dare you betray us!

Hook: Oh no she caught me

Stelle: Good luck with your punishment.

With a grin, Stelle put her phone down. Over the years, Hook had grown fond of the clinic. More often than not, Hook would volunteer a little of her time to help Natasha tidy the place up. Not exactly any of the “months” she’d ever promised, but Stelle supposed that development was enough to show just how much Hook had grown up.

While mustering the willpower to stand up and help Dan Heng pull some more presents into the nursery, her phone chimed. She looked over, expecting to see a message from Hook detailing how she escaped.

Natasha: Hey, Stelle. I’m sorry to bother you, but since you texted Hook, I thought you might be free for a moment. I have a question to ask of you.

Stelle: Of course. Shoot.

Natasha: Feel free to tell me I’m sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong, but have you set up a birth plan yet?

Honestly, Stelle should have been expecting that from Natasha. If anything, she should have told Natasha her plans earlier.

Stelle: Yes. We’ve decided to go to the Xianzhou Luofu, which is Dan Heng’s home world. I believe I’ve told you about Bailu, correct? She was incredibly picky in recommending doctors to us.

Natasha: That’s good to hear you have people you trust. If you hadn’t, I was going to ask if I could help you in any way. Of course, if you need me for anything, I’ll help out as much as I can.

Stelle: Thank you. I promise I’ll contact you if I need anything.

Though it was reasonable to leave it at that, Stelle kinda wanted to keep the conversation going. Hence, she found herself typing out another message.

Stelle: Actually, I had been debating about coming to Belobog. I trust you as a doctor and would have felt the most comfortable with you, if I am being honest. But for other reasons, the Luofu is ultimately better.

Stelle: Sometimes I wish you could come, but I know you’re busy with the clinic. :)

Just as she finished, Dan Heng returned, his arms full of gifts once again.

Stelle put her phone down. “How many more do we have to go?”

Dan Heng dropped the tall stack. “With this, we’ve gotten through approximately two-thirds of the gifts.”

Stelle heaved a sigh. It had been a marathon, to say the least. She was growing tired of them, even though she was still incredibly thankful. Because of what they had received so far, the nursery was already stocked with everything they could need or want. Heck, they’d even gotten things they certainly didn’t need. At this point, she couldn't even fathom what other surprises there could possibly be.

Before Dan Heng could hand her the gift from the top of the pile, her phone dinged again.

Natasha: If you’d like, I can try to organize coming with you. I have two new assistants that could take over for a short period.

Natasha: I would have to double-check with some of the others, though, to make sure everything with Wildfire is running smoothly and that it would be okay.

Stelle blinked a few times at the message.

“Something happen?” Dan Heng asked, sitting down beside her again.

“Um…” Stelle pursed her lips as she glanced over to Dan Heng. “Natasha offered to come with us to be there for the birth of our baby.”

“Oh?”

Stelle nodded.

“Would you like that?”

“I mean… yeah.”

“But you’re hesitating.”

Stelle let her phone fall into her lap, giving Dan Heng her full attention. “Do you think Bailu would be okay with that? Or would that cause more problems? She said she’d already screened all the doctors there for us to meet. And I know Natasha said she’d be okay to leave for a bit, but we’ll be there for a month. Is it okay for her to leave for that long?”

Dan Heng paused in thought. “I wouldn’t worry about Bailu. Even though she did take time to recommend doctors to us, I doubt she would fault you for bringing a doctor you trust. As for if Natasha can take that time away from the clinic, I’d say tell her our plan and let her decide if she can accommodate us.”

“You think I should?” Stelle asked.

“I think you have the right to be comfortable with people you trust. And if they’re offering, I would accept. And... to be honest, I would be comfortable with Natasha, as well. For your sake."

Feeling more confident, Stelle picked up her phone again. "Bailu would be disappointed if she knew you didn't trust her judgment."

"I trust people you and I both know and have worked with. That's all."

Although he spoke them dismissively, she was happy to have her husband's full support. She leaned over to drop her head on his shoulder while she texted Natasha back.

Stelle: Are you sure that would be okay? About three weeks from now, we will head to the Luofu with plans on remaining there until the baby is born. By that time, I’ll only be eight months, so we’ll likely be there for a month or so. Is it possible for you to take all that time away from your clinic?

She sent off the message before dropping the phone back into her lap. 

Beside her, Dan Heng pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head before handing her another gift. 

"Was that encouagement to keep up this marathon?" she asked, feeling all fluttery from the tiny gesture. 

"Possibly."

"Possibly," she repeated, amused. Still, she sat up straight to open the gift, this one a box of children’s books and some unisex clothes. 

After recording the information in the booklet, Dan Heng took them to set aside just as her phone dinged again.

Natasha: So you’ll be spending the last month of your pregnancy there? That’s a wise idea. As for the length of duration on my account, things here should be fine between the two assistants that I’ve trained to handle the clinic here. Things have never run more smoothly. I’m sure I can disappear for a month or two. 

Natasha: Actually, Seele just came and told me to leave the affairs of Wildfire to her and Oleg. It seems I might be pushed to go with you in the end.

Stelle: If you’re able to, I would really like to have you around. 

Stelle: Take your time organizing things. We can come pick you up when it comes time and take you to the Luofu with us. I think you’d really like it.

Natasha: I would be going as your doctor first and foremost. But, when you put it that way, I guess that I would have a little free time to enjoy exploring a new place. That would be quite exciting. :D 

“I think it’s going to work out,” Stelle said, grinning as she looked over to Dan Heng.

He returned her smile with one of his own. “Then I’ll inform Bailu a little later once you two have sorted out more of the details.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Well, while you’re continuing to communicate with her, would you like to switch tasks? I’ll open the next gifts and you record them?”

Stelle looked over the tower of gifts before her. Her stomach sank even further when she recalled there were still more in the storage area. “Yeah, gimme the notebook before I get sick of opening gifts forever.”

~~~

“And you’re certain you packed everything?” Dan Heng asked for the final time.

Stelle sighed, clearly getting tired of his constant questioning. Yet, he watched her silently count on her fingers as she looked over their luggage. “Pretty sure.”

“All the baby’s things that Natasha instructed us to pack?”

“That was the bag I packed first.”

He nodded, looking over the luggage one last time. He couldn’t shake this anxious feeling swirling through him, like he was forgetting something. Or maybe he was anxious because he was about to spend the next month with Stelle on the Xianzhou Luofu. This would be the longest period of time he’d spent away from the Express since first boarding. Furthermore, he wasn’t leaving for a mission but rather for a familial reason, which felt still extremely strange to him.

“Well, if you’re finished questioning me for the umpteenth time, are you ready to go?” Stelle asked.

Startled from his thoughts, he looked back up at her. “Y-yeah. I think so.”

“Are you sure?”

He nodded, but she was quick to shoot him a doubtful look. Worried that she was about to call his bluff, he reached for their luggage bags, ones the space station had gifted them for this very reason. “We should go,” he said. “The others put aside their expedition to make this trip specifically for us. I don’t want to keep them long.”

“I guess you’re right.” And with that, Stelle reached for her bag.

“Grab the baby’s bag,” Dan Heng instructed. “That’s all I’ll let you carry.”

She frowned up at him. “I can carry more.”

“You are carrying plenty.” He reached out to lay a hand on her stomach. “So don’t overexert yourself.”

“I’m fine, you know,” she quietly countered, placing her hand on top of his, a habit she'd picked up from whenever the baby was kicking and she pulled him close to feel it. At the moment, the baby was quiet. Maybe it too was feeling the stress of everything.

“I’d like to keep you that way.” With that, he leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.

“Hey.”

He couldn't help but grin at the little pout she shot him, his worries disappearing for a second. Reaching up to cradle her cheek, he angled her head towards him and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Better?”

She grinned. “Thank you. For that, I guess I’ll let you carry the bags.”

He huffed in amusement.

Soon enough, the duo made their way to the parlor, Stelle carrying the baby backpack while Dan Heng dragged one large, rolling suitcase behind him. It fit quite a bit of their clothes for the month, but the rest of their things were packed in the overlarge pack he wore on his back. For some reason, a slight chill haunted him as he marched down the hallway. It disturbed him, this odd feeling of finality that hung in the air, like an end was imminent. He tried to tell himself he would return here to the Astral Express and that things would be fine, but the sadness weighing on his heart was too heavy to entirely ignore.

“There they are,” Himeko spoke once Dan Heng and Stelle entered the parlor. “Are the both of you set?”

“I believe so,” Dan Heng answered, pushing aside his feelings for now and focusing on the present. Beside him, Stelle made a show of crossing her fingers.

“Then this is where we part ways.” Himeko was the first to reach out and pull Stelle in a hug. “We’ll miss you. We’ll be hoping for a safe delivery.”

“Thank you,” Stelle muttered in return.

March was up next. “It will be so weird not having you two around,” she said, clinging tight to Stelle.

“It’ll be weirder when we bring back a baby,” Stelle bantered back.

“That’s true. But I’ll take that weirdness any day if it means you two are back.”

Dan Heng felt a small sense of relief knowing that he wasn’t the only one feeling strange about this whole arrangement. Not that there was anything to be done about it; it was part of Stelle’s pregnancy. One would have thought Dan Heng would have gotten used to change by now, with the months Stelle’s pregnancy had already altered their lives in numerous ways, but this felt different. They’d always had the Astral Express and the Nameless by their side to help them through it. Now, they were temporarily heading out on their own.

A weight on his shoulder called him out of his thoughts, and Dan Heng looked over to Welt. “I wish you both a restful month before the baby arrives,” Welt said, giving Dan Heng’s shoulder an encouraging squeeze. “You two have earned it.”

“We’ll try,” Dan Heng responded.

“Don’t worry,” Caelus said, giving Dan Heng’s other shoulder a bump with his fist. “We’ll take care of everything around here.”

“I believe you will.” Dan Heng had seen how quickly Caelus had integrated into the Astral Express crew. He would manage on his own. Although, Dan Heng still had some reservations about Caelus and March running missions together. The combination of March’s friendly, somewhat naive personality paired with Caelus’ impulsive nature was doubtlessly going to wind the pair in trouble at some point.

Caelus then turned to Stelle, reaching an arm out towards her. “Take care.”

Stelle returned the side hug with a smile. Despite the amnesia between the two of them making their past a jumbled mishmash of memories, they’d grown close over the last couple of months. Maybe because of how similar they ultimately were. “Don’t get in trouble,” Stelle warned him.

“I promise… to do my best.”

“March,” Stelle said, turning to her friend. “If something goes wrong, remember: blame him.”

“Hey!”

March laughed. “You got it.”

Caelus leveled a glare at March. “Rude.”

Chuckling, March shot back a cheeky wink and peace sign.

While the duo went at it, Welt had sided up to Stelle. “Take care,” he told her, reaching up to rest a hand on her head. “I’ll be hoping you have an easy delivery.”

Grinning, she reached out to wrap her arms around his torso. “Thanks.”

He wrapped an arm over her shoulders, looking every bit like a proud grandfather-to-be.

“Stay safe,” Himeko said, now at Dan Heng’s side.

“We will,” he returned.

“And know that we’ll always be here if you need anything,” she continued.

“I wouldn’t want to bother you any more than we have.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Himeko easily dismissed. “You and Stelle have been travelers on the Express for so long that you’re the closest thing to family I have. I guarantee you that the others feel the same. So it’s no bother. Besides, we’ll all miss you and can’t wait for you to come back, baby and all.”

At her words, more of the chilly unease in Dan Heng’s stomach dissipated. Maybe that was what had him in such a frenzy: he was leaving this place he considered home behind, even if it was just for a bit. For someone who grew up with nothing only to be exiled when he was old enough, the last thing he wanted was to let go of every treasure he'd found, for it to disappear.

But it wouldn’t. It was only a temporary shift for the sake of Stelle and his child. And once the baby arrived, they would come back home, to where his—no, their family was waiting.

“Sorry, sorry!” A sudden newcomer burst into the parlor. “I overslept. Apologies if I kept everyone waiting.”

“You came right on time,” Himeko assured. “Although, I feel bad for having to wake you in the first place. You seemed quite comfortable.”

“I was,” Natasha guiltily admitted. “Seems I’ve been working too hard lately and not getting enough rest.”

“Well, I hope you are able to get some rest on the Luofu.”

“On the contrary, I fear I’ll be too excited to want to sleep. And considering I have the very rare pleasure of caring for a single patient, I’ll have plenty of time to study a different world. I won’t want to miss a minute.”

Dan Heng spoke up, “I’m sure Bailu would be happy to let you read her medical texts.”

At that, Natasha’s eyes lit up. “It would be wonderful if I could find new techniques or medicines to take back to Belobog.”

“With as much free time as you’ll have,” Stelle chimed in. “I’m sure you’ll find something.”

“I look forward to it.”

With one last round of goodbyes, Dan Heng, Stelle, and Natasha headed toward the train's exit. Only, before they disembarked, Dan Heng transformed into his vidyadhara figure. Which he realized too late that Natasha had never seen before.

"That is... quite the surprise," Natasha commented, accepting the shift with grace. "But, I guess it shouldn't be, Cold Dragon Young."

He sighed. "I am impressed you can remember such a fleeting name."

"Fleeting?" Natasha asked, a mischievous twinkle coming to her eye. "The children still call you that."

Dan Heng wasn't quite sure what to think of that. Stelle certainly found it amusing, though. 

When they disembarked the Express, they were immediately greeted by a surprisingly large welcoming party, the most notable two being a young vidyadhara and a not-so-fearsome Cloud Knight Commander.

“Dan Heng! Stelle!” Bailu was the first to run up to them, throwing her arms around Stelle. “Man, you’re huge.”

“Gee, thanks,” Stelle deadpanned, still patting Bailu on the head.

“It’s an observation, not an insult,” she quipped back. Her pout soon became a grin as she turned to Dan Heng and threw her arms around him. “Welcome back.”

Dan Heng returned the hug Bailu gave him, although he didn’t cling to her nearly as tight as she did him. “Good to see you, Bailu.”

Having properly greeted him and Stelle, Bailu then turned to Natasha. “Ah, are you the doctor that Stelle wanted to bring?”

“Yes. I’m Natasha. You must be Bailu.”

“That I am.”

“I’ve heard much about you.”

“You should have,” Bailu proudly piped up. “Dan Heng is basically my brother.”

“Play nice,” Dan Heng warned, patting Bailu on the head as he walked past her, dragging the luggage behind him.

“Fine,” she playfully bemoaned. “But only because you asked nicely.”

Leaving the girls behind to chat among themselves, Dan Heng approached a grinning Jing Yuan.

“I believe a hearty congratulations is in order,” the man warmly greeted.

“Thank you.” Over the years, Dan Heng had forged an odd sort of acquaintanceship with Jing Yuan. He was sure that Jing Yuan would never be able to fully forget Dan Heng’s past incarnation and the close friendship he’d shared with Dan Feng, yet Dan Heng could tell the commander had moved beyond that and saw him for the person he was in this life instead of the man he once had been.

“Come now, no need to be so modest. You’re the first vidyadhara to ever reproduce. You should be thrilled.”

“I am,” Dan Heng said. “I simply have other concerns on my mind at the moment. Such as how the general population has reacted to that fact."

Jing Yuan’s expression grew serious, which only made the pit of worry in Dan Heng’s stomach grow. “I apologize. I encouraged Lady Bailu to leak that news. I thought it would be for the better to stir the pot and see what bubbled up beforehand rather than you appearing with your pregnant wife unannounced.”

He sighed, a heaviness weighing on his heart. Maybe this was the other reason he was so afraid to leave the Express behind. Yes, he would miss his family, but here, there were threats to Stelle lurking just under the surface. And if anything happened to her or the baby…

Well, he feared he understood Dan Feng a little too well in moments like this.

“You aren’t one to make an impulsive decision like that without council,” Dan Heng said. “I’m assuming you contacted the head diviner before making that call.”

“I’m pleased to know you know me so well. Yes, I did. She also agreed with that plan, believing it gave us the best chance to monitor the population’s reaction and weed out any potential threats prior to your arrival.”

“Did it yield harvest?”

“It did,” Jing Yuan confirmed. “They are facing judgment for their scheming. Although, I would refrain from claiming we’ve eliminated all threats. While many vidyadhara have accepted you back into the fold, there are those who still hate you regardless. To be honest, the other reason we wished to leak the information beforehand was to ensure that it would be safe for you to come here in the first place. Had the population reacted poorly, I would have told Bailu to send you elsewhere. However, the general consensus is a positive one. Most of the vidyadhara are happy to learn of your ability to father a child. You are now a symbol of hope for their race, after all.”

For a moment, Dan Heng was silent. “I understand that Stelle’s pregnancy provides hope to the vidyadhara population at large, and I should have pride in the fact I’m able to contribute in such a way to my race. But…” He turned to look at Stelle, who was grinning as Bailu held her swollen belly with a look of awe. “That is the last thing on my mind.”

Jing Yuan hummed. “I suppose I can’t fault you for that. Ultimately, you are no different than any other excited father.”

Dan Heng turned back to Jing Yuan. “There is a vast difference between knowing you have a child to carry on the legacy of a race incapable of having children and knowing that you are blessed to have a child.”

With an approving grin, Jing Yuan dropped a hand on Dan Heng’s shoulder. “That child is lucky to have you as a father. I’m happy for you.”

Dan Heng nodded his thanks.

Jing Yuan then gave Dan Heng’s shoulder a squeeze. “I swear on my honor that I’ll do everything I can to keep you and Stelle safe. Beyond you two being the parents of the first vidyadhara to be born, you two are the saviors of the galaxy. And even beyond that… you, Dan Heng, are my friend.”

For a moment, words eluded him, so Dan Heng had to settle for reaching up to rest a hand on Jing Yuan’s shoulder. “Thank you… old friend.”

#honkai star rail #honkai fanfic #danstelle #fluff #married fluff

[starrystevie]

“i must have been real sweet on you,” eddie murmurs as he runs his fingers over his husband’s cheek, sleepy and sated, warm in their bed. 

steve chuckles, twisting his head to catch the tips of eddie’s fingers with a kiss. “why are you talking past tense? you’re not sweet on me now?”

the room is peacefully still. years of baby monitors are long gone only to inevitably give way to their daughter’s teenage years of slamming doors and too loud stereo speakers. but in this moment, with the pale moonlight streaming in through the windows and crickets chirping in the distance, the room is peaceful, thick with love. 

“quit your pouting, ‘course i’m sweet on you now.” eddie wipes away steve’s fake frown with a kiss, turning it into a sticky sweet grin. “it’s just something my mom used to tell me. that freckles are all the places your soulmate in a past life kissed you.”

eddie pushes steve back so he’s laying flat on the mattress and dips his head to press featherlight kisses on the side of his neck. across his shoulders. over his cheeks. his fingertips flutter over the spots afterwards, leaving goosebumps in their wake despite the heat radiating between them. 

“must have loved you a whole lot in our last lives to leave so many on you now,” eddie whispers, pulling back to stroke the back of his hand over steve’s face once more, letting his lips curl up in a dopey half smile that only steve ever gets to see. 

it doesn’t take long for steve to tilt his head up and press kisses of his own where he can; under eddie’s eye, the bottom of his chin, right over his heart. it doesn’t take long for eddie to giggle as his sensitive spots are found and attacked with ticklish kisses and fluttering eyelashes. it doesn’t take long for their legs to tangle together underneath the sheets and their breaths to get caught in their chests and their hearts to start beating a beautiful melody of their own making. 

steve lays a firm kiss to the side of eddie’s chest, over jagged white scarring and half bitten away tattoos. over memories that somehow don’t haunt them as much anymore. 

“what was that one for?” eddie asks, eyes half lidded, the adoration in his voice loud across the quiet room. 

another kiss on another scar. “wanna give you some freckles. for your next life and for this one, too. so you know just how sweet on you I am-” kiss, “ -and was-” kiss, “- and forever will be.”

they won’t know for however many more years if it worked or not. but here in this lifetime, they have all the time in the world to try their damndest to make sure it does. in this lifetime, they don’t have to worry, because they know they’ll  find each other in the next one. 

#i was cleaning up my google docs and found this fully written piece that i never did anything with so #here ya go i suppose #this was not really read over a bunch so sorry for any typos #my writing #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie fluff #steddie drabble #steddie fic #future happily married steddie with a daughter my most beloved #crossposted on twt! find me there @starry_stevie

[quill-pen]

Blessing (Married!EbenezerXReader)

Hi. I'm new here. Nice to meet you. Oooohhhhh, boy I can't believe I've done this. Can't believe I've joined Tumblr; can't believe I've written this and have an idea for a whole story to go with it. I just cannot believe any of this.

To be honest, I knew it would happen. Once I heard that song and saw the animation and found out Luke Evans was going to play Scrooge, I knew if I watched the movie, something like this was bound to happen--especially when Scrooge sings and looks like that. I mean GOOD. NIGHT. (You cannot tell me this was not a deliberate decision. These people knew exactly what they were doing.) But how could I not watch it because: A) IT'S 'A CHRISTMAS CAROL' AND I LOVE 'A CHRISTMAS CAROL'--of course I had to watch it and see how it measured up to other versions. B) LUKE FRICKING EVANS. C) LUKE FRICKING EVANS SINGING. D) SILVER FOX SCROOGE VOICED BY LUKE EVANS. SINGING.

I knew what I was getting into--I knew it was dangerous. ... And I went for it. And I tried to stop the inevitable afterward, but it's the inevitable. There's no fighting it--there's only assimilate. So I assimilated. And here we are.

So, basically, overall, just really consider this like a teaser, I guess. Because the truth is I have a whole idea for a story behind this thing and after this thing, and this was just something that popped into my head that I had to get out and share to see what people thought. And, according to AO3, I won't get my invite until the 7th and I just can't wait that long. I'm so pathetic.

Basic synopsis for the story I'm planning: Reader insert, obviously. Takes place at least 6 months after the events of 'A Christmas Carol'. Jacob Marley actually had a daughter. (He married only to have an heir, never really felt anything for his wife, took a long time to have a kid, and, when they finally do, it's a girl--so he's not involved. [Because this Marley in particular seems like that type.]) Because her family is quite harsh, the mother flees to America with her daughter, and years later, early 20-something reader-daughter returns to London with a dead mother to bury in tow, meets and befriends Scrooge, and is pulled into her mother's very hoity-toity aristocratic family and everything that comes with that life. Reader, ultimately, can't go back to America (things...), but the only way she will be allowed to stay in the care of her mother's family (and presumably get whatever she might have inherited from her mother because no way Marley left her anything) she has to marry. Cue the gallant and handsome Ebenezer Scrooge to the rescue. (He's not what the family was thinking, but Reader is also not a high priority and Scrooge does have money and is of decent enough birth, so, eh, he'll do.) Yada, yada, yada, a marriage of convenience, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance, domestic fluff, and drama, a little spiciness, some heartbreak, and heart-mending, etc. Isabel at some point does make a return (whether she's widowed or still married, idk right now) hence the exchange we have in this thing. Let me know what you think. I'd be very interested in knowing if anyone would be interested in reading a story like this. In the meantime, enjoy this tiny little snippet of an idea.

Oh, yeah, btw, if I do this thing, and I put this back into the story, it will be much sadder. For reasons. I won't go into it now, but you can probably guess.

Pairing: Ebenezer Scrooge x F!Reader (married)

Warnings: FEELINGS, tears, declarations of love, fear of losing someone--just feelings. Oh, also kissing after influenza in Victorian London I guess? *shrugs* Probably not the wisest decision for a few reasons. Isabel may also not be shown in the best light here because of Reader's POV, but I assure you we do not hate Isabel here. She is so sweet and lovely, and I hope she really ended up as happy as she looked in that picture.

Summary: You have been extremely sick with influenza for a time. Finally, you come 'round. When you do, you are greeted by an overjoyed and emotional husband. Some romantic and fluffy sweetness ensues.

A/N: Lots of inspiration from Poldark here. I'd be lying if I said I'm not going to take lots more inspiration from it with the actual story if/when I write it. Also did not put Prudence in this in order to strictly focus on the main relationship, but you bet your bottom dollar she's going to be in the story. I love that mastiff. One of the best things they added to the movie, even though it doesn't actually make sense for Scrooge's character to have a pet.

Oh, and first-ever reader insert. Wish me luck!

Blessing

The mist was beginning to clear, the weights that pulled you down into the darkness becoming lighter and breaking away.  You were coming fully into the light now--awakening, though you hadn’t truly been slumbering.  After an eternity of unknowing, you were becoming aware again.  Aware of the world; of the air you sucked into your aching windpipe and lungs; of the accursed dryness of your throat; of the dampness of sweat coating your body; of the weakness of your body and the heavy and hot softness that surrounded it.  It was stuffy and uncomfortable.

With a groan, you tried to open your eyes just to see exactly what made you uncomfortable.  You’d never known trying to open eyes could be so hard or make one so very tired.  Eventually, you prevailed: And when you did, you found yourself blearily gazing out into a bright, blurry world.  You groaned and squinted against the light, then slowly tried again.  After a period, things became clearer and the light became less blinding, and you were able to finally look around.

You found yourself tucked deeply into your bed, covered by several blankets along with the heavy comforter.  No wonder you were so hot.  You tried to shift the blankets a bit, but they were quite heavy, and you still felt so weak, so you simply resigned yourself to their near-suffocating embrace for the moment.  At least until you could find somebody to help you move them.  

Your eyes slowly traveled around the room, taking things in, until they finally came to rest on a familiar figure at your bedside.    

Ebenezer sat in a chair but was slumped over, half-laying on the mattress with his arms folded beneath his head.  He was sleeping--snoring ever so slightly.  He looked something of a mess; his steely hair mussed and muttonchops unkempt, his shirt collar askew, sleeves undid, and messily pushed and rolled up his arms.  You could see prominent stubble on his chin and around his lips--too prominent for it to be his typical morning shadow.  

You opened your mouth to speak, but found yourself unable to make any sound beyond a whisper of a croak.  You licked your dry lips with an even dryer tongue and tried to swallow before attempting to speak again.  A bit more of a crackle came out that time, but nothing loud enough to gain attention.  Oh, bloody hell and vexation!  Slowly, having to summon up what seemed all of your strength to do so, you slid a trembling hand across the mattress and reached out to thread shaking fingers into your husband’s hair.  You ignored the greasy sensation of it.  Ebenezer unshaven and unwashed?  Just how much time had passed?

You gently began to stroke the man’s scalp and tug his hair, all the while still trying to speak his name.  Each attempt earned you more of a sound coming from your throat.  “Ebenezer…” you rasped, fighting to keep your eyes open.  These little efforts put together were all wearing you out so quickly.  “Ebenezer….”

The man stirred, snorting softly and groaning.  Slowly he raised his head and blinked the sleep from his eyes before looking up at you.  His sleep-blurred gaze lasted for a mere second before he came fully awake, slate-blue eyes widening in alarm.  He stood up from his chair and moved to sit at the edge of the bed, leaning over to you, taking your hand that had been in his hair into one of his as he did so.  With the other hand, he reached out and touched your sweaty brow then your cheek.  “Y/N?” he murmured in some disbelief.  “Y/N, darling, you’re awake!”  His lips were pulling into an overjoyed, open-mouthed grin, his bushy, gray eyebrows crinkling his forehead as they shot toward the sky.  Turning his head slightly, but never taking his gaze off you, he called over his shoulder.  “Ida!  Ida!”

It was mere seconds before your lady’s maid was rushing through the bedroom door, looking greatly concerned.  “Yes, Mr. Scrooge?”

“Send for the Doctor!” your husband ordered, still gazing at you.  “Quick as you can!  She’s awake!”

“Right away, Sir!”  With that, Ida vanished just as quickly as she’d arrived.

Focused solely on you now, Ebenezer scooted closer to you, cupping your cheek in his hand as he gazed into your face with such relief and joy you could see a thin sheen of tears in his eyes.  He kissed the hand of yours he held.  “Oh, my darling,” he crooned softly, stroking your cheekbone with a thumb.  “Oh, my dearest, dearest darling!”  He then leaned in and planted a kiss on your brow (obviously not caring about the sweat and whatever other disgustingness covered your skin) and kept up a frenzied shower of them all over your face before finally catching up your lips.  

He immediately pulled away.  “Water!” he exclaimed.  “You’ll want water!”  He let go of your hand and pulled away only long enough to reach over to the bedside table where a pitcher and glass sat.  The man poured you a generous helping.  “Here,” he said.  “Drink.  Slowly.”  He helped you to sit up and lift the glass to your parched lips as he noticed how shaky your hands were.  Ebenezer watched carefully as you gulped the liquid down.  “That’s it, my love.  Drink.”

It seemed to take forever to finish the glass, but you were so savagely thirsty you couldn’t bear the thought of stopping until the water was gone.  When it was, you pushed the glass back to your husband.  “More please,” you croaked, the water having loosened your voice.

Ebenezer did as you wished, filling the glass and helping you hold it yet again as you drank deeply that delicious, revitalizing fluid.  There was about a quarter of a glass left when you finally felt you’d had your fill.  “Thank you,” you gasped, allowing the man to take the glass away. 

“Of course.”  Once storing the glass, your husband turned back to you again, eyes gazing deeply into yours, concern mixing with the joy that sparkled there.  Taking both of your small hands into one of his, he reached up with the other to brush the hair from your face and caress your cheek.  “How are you feeling, my dear?”  His eyes pulled from yours for a brief second to look you over, as if he’d be able to see anything that might be wrong or afflicting you.

The corners of your mouth twitched a bit, but you were simply too exhausted to smile.  “Tired,” you sighed.  “In need of a good bath.  And a bit suffocated.”  You looked pointedly at the mound of blankets atop you.  

Easily picking up the message, your husband set about clearing off everything down to the comforter.  “Better?”

“Much.”  You leaned heavily back against the pillows and gazed wearily up at the man, who was back to holding your hands and stroking your hair.  Now that he was awake and leaning over you, you could get a much better look at just how bedraggled the poor fellow was.  Not only was he unwashed and unshaven, but his face also seemed to be much more lined than usual, making him look much more like the old man he claimed himself to be.  His cheeks were more sunken in, and there were bags under his eyes and dark circles around them: He looked as if he hadn’t properly slept or eaten in weeks, never mind days!  “Ebenezer…” you trailed off, not quite sure what to ask.

But your husband knew what you were wanting to know.  He always knew.  “You’ve been ill for quite some time, my love,” he answered quietly, smoothing back some flyaways from your forehead.  

“How long?”

“Two weeks.”  He smiled thinly, pain tinging his gaze.  “You were touch and go there for a long stint.”  His lips trembled and a tear crept past his long lashes to his cheek.  He paid it no heed but blinked back against the sting of its siblings.  “My worst nightmare--I was so afraid I would lose you.  A time or two I thought I had.”

Your memory of the time he spoke of was all a blur; a blizzard of flashes of light and darkness; numbing mist and painful sharpness; muddled voices and snippets of conversation that were sometimes too soft to register and other times so loud your head had pounded.  You couldn’t decipher what had been real and what had been hallucination.  Your head had been swimming then, and as you thought back through it all, it wasn’t much better now.  You could remember one thing though.  One extremely painful thing:  “I saw her,” you whispered.

Your husband gave an inquiring look.  “You saw whom, Y/N?”

You gazed deep into his eyes as you felt an ache rise in your chest and tears prick at your eyes.  “Her,” you repeated meaningfully.  “Isabel.  I saw her.  And you…” your voice broke off.  You swallowed hard and wrenched your gaze from his, finding it too painful to look at him as you continued.  “She’d come to take you with her.  And you went.”  You took a shuddering breath, trying to control yourself.  “I wanted to die, the pain hurt so.”

Ebenezer’s gaze softened in empathy.  “Oh, darling,” he murmured.  He squeezed your hands.

You looked back at him, vision swimming and tears beginning to trickle down your cheeks.  Pulling one hand free of his grip, you wiped at them.  “She wasn’t here, was she?  Truly?” you quivered, sounding pathetically meek.  “You didn’t go with her?  She didn’t take you from me?

The man shook his head firmly.  “No,” he stated.  “No, Isabel wasn’t here.  It was just a dream.  Isabel didn’t take me.”  He leaned in and pressed his forehead to yours, gazing into your e/c-hued eyes with all the sincerity and adoration in the world, and added with gentle finality, “And she never, ever will.  I’m so, so, so sorry I ever made you feel you had to worry about such a thing, Dearest.  You are, without a doubt, my greatest blessing, and the absolute love and light of my life, Y/N.  I am yours and yours alone, mind, body, and soul, in this world and the next should I be granted the choice.”

Those words, that declaration of complete and utter love from the man you loved more than you thought any human being could love another human being, made your heart swell and fill your chest to the point you feared it might explode.  You were most definitely crying now as you gazed up into those beloved slate-blue eyes.  “I love you, Ebenezer Scrooge.”  The words seemed feeble, far too feeble after the eloquent, soul-deep statements your husband had just made, but there was simply nothing else you could think of to say to explain your feelings.

Despite your insecurities over them, the words seemed to be more than enough for Ebenezer, for the man smiled lovingly and returned, “And I love you, Y/N Scrooge.”  He brought up your left hand that he was holding and kissed the delicate and simple gold band on your finger before pressing your hand to his breast over his heart.  “With my entire being.”  With that, he leaned in and captured your lips in a kiss--a real, tender, lingering, devoted kiss.

You closed your eyes and melted into it.  Slithering your free hand up, you slipped it around the nape of Ebenezer’s neck and loosely tangled it into his steel-toned locks, gently tugging him deeper into the kiss.  He gratefully obliged.  It was evident you’d both missed each other’s affections.  That would have to be remedied in its entirety sometime soon, but not now.  Not just yet.  (Truly, you had no strength for such activities right now!)  Right now it was more than enough for you to know that your husband was yours: “Yours and yours alone--mind body and soul,” as he’d stated.  For to have a heart such as Ebenezer Scrooge’s for your very own--a scarred but beautiful heart that was so full of love and kindness and care and joy and passion--was truly the greatest blessing anyone could ever be given.

#ebenezer scrooge x reader #married couple #love declaration #scrooge 2022 #scrooge x you #scrooge fluff #married fluff #victorian england #probably don't kiss somebody right after they've been sick for weeks #seriously why'd they have to make him SO FINE #God help me #Youtube

[2hightocare]

TUTUS AND TIARAS!

Synopsis— What Iseul says Jungkook does, besides tutus and tiaras are not that bad…

“Did Iseul lose a tooth? Why is Kook dressed as the tooth fairy?”

pairings: dilf!jungkook x fem!oc

genre: found family! married au!

warnings: just super cute fluff, Jungkook literally doing anything Iseul tells him to do, cuss words, mentions of sex.

a/n: I missed writing their lil family :( welcome Jia to the family!! I love them so much… I hope you guys do too🥹

“Let’s be honest, I look sexy as fuck.” Your husband runs his hand over his body; a snort escapes past your lips, which gets glared at in return from Jungkook who’s in a pink tutu and pink tiara he stole from Iseul.

“Not only is he full of himself, but he’s delusional as fuck as well… great.” Ari shakes her head, as you take a picture secretly beside her with Iseul and Ye Joon clapping their hands happily on your lap.

Jungkook’s Calvin Klein boxers are visible to everyone in the room; the only thing barely covering him is the very small pink tutu that his daughter put on him, and she didn’t have to ask twice; everyone knew anything Iseul wanted she got. The small charm necklace lays tightly on his neck like a choker, shirtless, his tattoos in full display, the tiny tiara sits prettily on his messy hair.

“I can a hundred percent see your balls.” Hoseok sighs, as he rubs a hand through his hair. Giving his girlfriend a small tight-lip smile, which might translate as an apology for dragging her into this little family dynamic.

Jia still remembers meeting all of you on Christmas Eve dinner; to say she felt immediately welcomed was somewhat calming to her. She usually took super long to trust someone and open up, but meeting all of you sent her a sense of comfort whenever she was in everyone’s presence.

“Okay, I feel like I need to warn you before opening the door…” Hoseok softly chuckles, which causes steam to come out of his mouth from how cold it was.

Jia raises an eyebrow, “are they that bad?” She asks.

“Nothing to be scared of; they just love really hard…” He smiles at his girlfriend, who only nods in return, slightly feeling nervous since she knew that whoever was behind that door meant so much to the boy she had fallen in love with. “And besides, they are a little crazy too…” he shrugs before clicking on the doorbell to your and Jungkook’s house.

Hoseok moves the container full of chocolate chip cookies cut into cute Christmas decorations to his other hand, then takes Jia’s hand right after squeezing softly.

The door opens as you stand happily behind it; eyes lighting up when you see the couple in the entrance. “Hi! Happy Christmas Eve!” You quickly hug Hoseok, which he returns, wrapping his arms around your frame giving your back a small pat before separating.

“And you must be Jia, you’re prettier in person.” You open your arms before throwing yourself into a hug without thinking. Without a second thought, Jia hugs back.

“Come in; everyone is already here, we’re just waiting for Seokjin and Lora.” You part away from Jia, who’s smiling back at you before following behind you inside.

“Y/n said you had to share!” A boy throws himself onto the raven boy who’s hovering over the last cookie pack; he has been hiding from everyone. “Okay and? This is the last pack!” He shouts back as they both tackle on the couch, the cookie pack flying onto the floor.

“I’ve got a hundred on Kookie; who’s in?” The blonde girl says as she chews on the cookies from the packet that they’re fighting for.

“Done betting on Jungkook after No Nut November, thousand-dollar mistake. Motherfucker couldn’t last twenty-four hours.” Another guy comes in from the back and sighs loudly as the blonde girl nods before passing the pretty girl beside her a cookie.

Jia couldn’t explain how her body and mind instantly relaxed after witnessing the whole situation unfolding in front of her; she saw how you quickly intervened, separating the two boys before giving the raven boy with a tattoo sleeve a swat before snatching the cookie pack from the two girls’ reach and walking back to her.

She watched as the blonde girl passed a hundred bucks to a boy on her right. Before turning their attention to her.

“Hi, I’m Eunbi!” The blonde girl smiled warmly, “Happy Christmas Eve! I’m Ari.” The other girl beside her says, standing up and coming Jia’s way for a hug. “We’re huggers here!” Ari giggles.

“Taehyung,” He goes in for a hug as well, “I’m Jimin!” The boy who was just hovering over Jungkook smiles softly at Jia, going in for a hug as well.

“Jeon Jungkook, extrovert, DILF extraordinaire.” He says standing next to you, wrapping his arm around your waist. “This motherfu…” You groan alongside everyone. “Here he goes again,” “He’s not allowed to introduce himself anymore.” “Can we throw him away?” All of them mutter under their breaths.

“Please ignore him; I’m y/n and I’m stuck with him for the rest of my life.” You roll your eyes as you motion to the guy beside you.

“You sure as hell are.” He puffs,

“Stop looking at my balls!” Jungkook covers his lower part with his hand before shouting, “Tae come out now!”

That’s when everyone gasps loudly, his wife’s jaw dropping to the floor sending Jimin into a fit of laughter. “And I thought Jungkook’s outfit was bad; I can’t! Someone record this shit right now.” Jimin laughs, throwing his head back as he clutches his stomach.

“Sending this to the family group chat ASAP; I need to see what Lora got to say about this.” You laugh as you take a picture of your husband and Taehyung side by side, Jungkook smiling with two thumbs up while Taehyung holds his balls tightly.

Taehyung stands beside your husband in a pair of pink leotards and sheer stockings a little too small for his large figure and has his two hands in front of his private parts. “It’s up my ass I’m afraid…” Taehyung states which sends the group into a large fit of laughter, the kids who suggested the fashion show are currently giggling and clapping their hands non-stop for their daddies.

“Take it off! I can’t breathe..” Ari clutches her stomach as she presses her legs together, as she’s about to pee herself. A loud ding is heard from everyone’s phones, “Lora said, ‘I didn’t know Tae took ballet classes?’ ‘Did Iseul lose a tooth? Why is Kook dressed as the tooth fairy?” You read out loud laughing between words.

“Oh, she’s so real,” Jia says between laughs as she watches Taehyung waddle away with Jungkook running behind him.

“I can’t believe I’m tied to this family for the rest of my life.” Eunbi fake wipes her tears as she sniffles, before snatching Jimin’s last cookie.

“Dada!!” Iseul says loudly when Jungkook comes back running down the stairs with a new cookie packet, “hi my baby” Jungkook’s eyes widened as he picks Iseul up from your lap and showering her cheeks with wet kisses. Iseul giggles in his arms trying to push him away.

“The day when Iseul grows up and doesn’t want Jungkook’s kisses—“ Yoongi tries saying, “I’m not listening, I’m not listening.” Jungkook starts screaming, sending Ye Joon and Iseul into a giggling mess as they both put their hands over their ears, copying him.

You watch with a big smile on your face. You truly had no idea how you ended up sitting on this couch surrounded by the people that you loved more than anything else in the world. You watch your husband with your daughter in his arms as he passes Iseul half of a cookie before going back to arguing with Yoongi about how Iseul will one day grow up, and she’ll be her own person that one day won’t ever listen to her dad ever again.

“In fact, Iseul might grow up before you do,” Taehyung says, patting Jungkook’s back as he walks beside him. The tights and leotard long discarded and replaced with jeans and a shirt before dropping in the middle of you and his wife on the couch, putting his arm around Ari.

“I’m done with all of you! Everyone out!” Jungkook pouts, pointing to the door. “You for real ain’t kicking us out?” Hoseok questions, laughing only to be met with a serious look on Jungkook’s face.

“Out. I’m trying to fuck my wife.” Jungkook says casually, not before covering Iseul’s ears.

And without a second thought, everyone stood up, collected their things, and made their way to the door. “Oh, we’re actually leaving?” Jia asks, confused about why everyone is suddenly in a rush to leave.

“You weren’t here at the time, but Halloween night… let’s just say party, bathroom, Y/N, and Jungkook.” Eunbi shivers from the memory.

And with that, everyone leaves, leaving you on the couch chuckling, and Jungkook locking the door behind them with Iseul in his arms. “Did you just say that so they could leave?” You stand up, making your way to him, wrapping your arms around his neck as he puts Iseul down, and she waddles away with Bam, your guy’s Doberman puppy.

“No, I’m actually trying to fuck,” Jungkook shrugs, leaving a wet kiss on your neck. “Iseul?” You ask, trying to push him away.

“Princess! Nap time!” He untangles himself from you before rushing to get Iseul.

#jungkook #bts jungkook #bts fanfic #jjk #jungkook fanfic #jungkook fluff #jungkook x reader #bangtan #fluff #bts jk #jungkook x oc #jungkook masterlist #jeon jungkook #jeon jk #established relationship #married au #dilf jungkook #bts x reader #bts #jeon jungguk #jungkook x you #jungkook smut #taehyung #park jimin #jeongguk #namjoon #bts masterlist #hoseok #kim seokjin #yoongi

[greycaelum]

Please this reminded me of kaleidoscope. I believe that the gojo kids are chunky babys🤣🤣

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8P9MEGg/

TRUEEEEEE~ I didn't get to give you anything last week so I'll make it a drabble~ I hope you like it! Chonky sunshine babies~ Happy December everyone!!

CW: suggestive hints at the end, nothing too much~

Kouki had breast milk for his whole first year.

"He's chonky..." Satoru rubbed his face against the squishy mallowy, chompable cheeks of his 10-month-old son you are feeding on your rocking chair by the engawa of your home. Satoru is sitting on the floor while watching you nurse the little boy close to drifting into dreamland.

Kouki has always had a good appetite and was very easy to nurse. So much so that you had to start scheduling his feeding or else if you didn't he would be too chonky and too heavy to lift.

"Can we keep him just like this? Look he's the most precious thing you probably have seen in your life!" Satoru rested his chin on your knees and flashed you his puppy eyes trying to convince you to feed the little mochi more.

"Chonky baby is cute but he'll drain me if I just let him." You kissed the thin sheen of hair on your son's head, as white as snow like his father. Kouki's lashes fluttered, unlatching from you, and he scrunched his nose to snuggle in your chest, yawning for a bit before closing his drowsy eyes back to sleep.

"I'll burp him, lemme..." Satoru opened his arms and gently rubbed Kouki's back. It didn't take long for the little mochi to burp. For some reason, he always burps fast when it's his Papa.

"Satoru don't!"

Chomp

Your eyes widen at your husband sneaking in a bite to the sleeping baby's cheeks, too cute to resist utterly waking a grumpy sleepy mochi.

"Satoru!"

Satoru rubbed the back of his head as he tried to soothe the little mochi up.

"Sorry Honey, he was just too cute to resist."

Saika although a pretty small baby has also been breastfed a year and 2 months because it took her quite a while to get used to formula.

It's 2:30 am and it's the Little Treasure's time for milk. Satoru is away for an overseas mission so you have to deal with the night feeding as well. Tired and reluctant, you parted ways with your soft pillow to reach for the bassinet only to be met with an empty space.

Chill ran down your spine as you shot up in panic only to be met by the scene of your drowsy husband sitting on your rocking chair with Saika in his arms suckling on her milk bottle.

"Go back to sleep Honey, I'll put her back after she finishes." Satoru yawned and smiled softly in your direction.

"But you haven't slept yet..." You felt relieved your daughter wasn't fussy. The little one is a little more sensitive and has been quite protected because of the incident before her birth.

"It's fine, look she's too precious when she drinks milk, I can't possibly take my eyes off her." Satoru grinned down at his daughter, suckling despite asleep. "She's so tiny... So precious..." He murmured as he held the bottle of milk for her. "She's perfect."

You smiled at them bonding in the wee hours of dawn as you returned to sleep. By the next morning, it came as no surprise to see Satoru cramped inside Saika's crib, sound asleep as the little Treasure blinked up to you innocently holding her empty milk bottle.

"Ma..mma!"

Bonus:

"What are you looking at?" You warily glanced at your husband when you asked him to help you with the hook of your bra since it's hard for you to reach. Pregnancy for the third time has made you quite adept in asking him for help since if you won't he will pester you and follow you around until he gets to help you with something.

Satoru hummed and kissed your nape, looking at the mirror as he hugged you from the back with his face slotted in the space of your shoulder. A proud smile adorned his lips as he slowly reached to cup your heavy breast and his other hand protectively caress your heavy baby bump sending shivers down your spine.

"You're so sexy, Honey." Satoru praised you peppering kisses to your skin as he sucks on your neck leaving a love bite before staring back at your reflection in the mirror with a satisfied smirk at your flushed state. "If your milk comes before the babies, can I have a taste test first?"

—GreyCaelum

PLAGIARISM IS A CRIME

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All rights and credits of the Jujutsu Kaisen character(s) mentioned images(s) and songs(s) used, belongs to their respective owner(s)

General/Kaleidoscope Series Taglist: @ice-icebaby @aeanya @gummy-dummy @tender-rosiey @lexiene @nevermoresworld @loml-riri @pelicanpizza @emichou-chan

#kaleidoscope series #gojo munchkins👀 #c&mchapters #married gojo fluff #jjk dad gojo satoru #jjk dad gojo #gojo saika #gojo kouki #gojo satoru x reader #jjk fluff #greycaelum #dadgojo #jjk dad gojo fluff #jjk gojo married fluff #married gojo satoru #gojo satoru x wife #gojo x pregnant reader