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l0sercat · 10 months

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Omg omg yess! @theporcelaincat1 I love this idea sm! I do do x reader stuff it's basically my whole blog lol. I hope I didn't make him ooc lmao I don't think i did but towards the end idk. Hope it satisfied you :)

The spot x reader

You sneaked up behind him and attempted to throw a punch but he threw a hole at you and you landed on rocks. You let out a groan and got back up on your feet. "Why try to ruin a kid's life who had nothing to do with this? Why not use your powers for good? I'm sure you make an excellent hero" you said as you charged towards him.

He let out a sound of amusement "Nothing to do with this?! He is the reason I turned out like this! My life is ruined because of him! Why should I help people who laugh and point at me!" He yelled. You empathized with him but what he was doing was wrong.

"Listen I understand how you-" "You don't understand!" He screeched cutting you off, the holes on his body spiraled and went crazy, he was pissed. You sighed and avoided more of his attacks "Your right I don't but...but what happened to you is not his fault he was trying to save innocent people and what your doing is wrong. I know your in pain and your life was taken from you and now people treat you like a monster and a freak. But taking it out on a kid who was just trying to do right- it's just not okay you need to understand that" you tried to reason with him.

You stop trying to attack him and just slowly put your hands up and walked towards him. His shoulder were tense and he was shaking, from anger probably. You inched closer to him "Listen you don't have to be a hero but you don't also have to be a villain. You can be more than this I know you can. You worked at Alchemax for fucks sake just stop this" you were only a couple inches away from him.

Your heart raced with every second that went by hoping that he would listen to reason. You looked at him in his face and put your hands to your sides and waited for him to respond. It seemed like he was thinking but still alert as his body never relaxed. The spots on him seemed to calm down as they weren't moving frantically.

He moved his head in your direction and in a broken voice he spoke "While living a normal life again does sound nice that would be wishful thinking I already caused to much damage. There is no turning back but, if we cross paths again I'll remember to spare you" he said and a hole opened up behind him and he walked into it.

"No!" You shouted and tried to catch him with your webs but the hole disappeared "Fuck!" You shouted and slammed your fist into your forehead. "Im so dead.." you mumble as you mess with your watch and go through a portal.

#x reader #johnathan ohnn #johnathon ohnn #johnathon ohnn/reader #johnathon ohnn fanfic #johnathon ohnn x reader #johnathan ohnn x reader #the spot/reader #the spot fic #the spot fluff #the spot x reader #the spot #gender neutral #gender not specified #gender neutral reader

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saltoru · 8 months

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being a jujutsu sorcerer and a parent rarely ends well. sorcerers who have to fight for their lives everyday barely have any time and energy even for themselves. adding babies to the picture is hard to imagine.

but gojo was determined to balance his work and personal life when you entered his life, which is why he has a baby girl strapped to his chest as he holds up his hand and crosses his fingers, already to send a special grade curse into his domain.

"daddy~" his baby babbles, cheek squished against his purple uniform.

"yes, baby?" gojo smiles down at his baby and gently sweeps her hair out of her eyes. he pays little to no attention to the curse, who had already spread out their domain and is currently sending wave after wave of attacks, all of which gojo repels with a touch. "this is domain expansion," he gently explains to her, smirking at the curse who is obviously offended that he wasn't taking them seriously. "in a second, you're gonna see daddy's domain."

his baby blinks and shuffles around in the strap, whining a bit as she tries to get comfortable. for all she knows, it's too dark and hot and she misses mommy's smell.

before she knows it, the space around her begins to look like the night sky, and she can't see the curse anymore.

"this is my domain," her daddy says, but she misses seeing the sun. why is it nighttime all of the sudden?

"nooo" she whines as she kicks around. where's the ice cream he promised her earlier? and where is mommy? she doesn't want to go to sleep yet!

"not easily impressed, hm?" he laughs, protectively holding his baby's head against his chest as he closes up his domain after finishing off the curse.

"let's go get ice cream, yeah?" he ruffles her hair and holds up her hands, dancing them up in the air with a huge grin. the sunlight hits her face again and a smile quickly reappears. "you did so good today. did you learn a lot about jujutsu fights today? did'ja enjoy our little adventure together?"

"ice cweam" she smiles, doing a few happy kicks. and that's how the tradition of getting ice cream after missions started for the daddy-daughter pair.

#dad!gojo fills an empty spot in my heart #AW HE'S SO PERFECT #and then yaga found out he brings his baby to missions #and yaga quickly scolded gojo #“but my wife needs a girls' day” he just shrugs #he LIVES for these daddy-daughter adventures #when fighting a curse he's just like “my baby's watching so let me show off a bit”#gojo x reader #gojo satoru #jujutsu kaisen #gojo fluff #jjk x reader #gojo satoru x reader #gojo scenarios #gojo #dad!gojo

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canisalbus · 7 months

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What if I told you that RoobrickMarine went and wrote an entire novella starring my 16th century dog couple? It's very canon-adjacent, well researched and thoughtfully put together, has inspired me a ton during these past months and it's now publicly available at AO3. I highly recommend it.

✦ Separation ✦

#content warnings for sex violence self harm and general angst #six chapters 41K words #people who have asked for longer stories of these two please give this one a look #I've watched this unfold since late may? early july? and it's been an exciting experience #I'm not a writer I think it's better than what I could've come up with #honestly though the way he managed to get inside Machete's and Vasco's heads was uncanny their mannerisms and thought processes are spot on #some of the events aren't canon but they might as well be #and most of the background details and backstory tidbits are accurate believe me he's very well versed on their lore #big history nerd so the worldbuilding is intense #you get to meet the dog pope #there's saint sebastian #roommate hijinks #it gets kind of bleak at times though so be mindful of that #it's not all fluff and good feelings #Separation #Heinaven #RoobrickMarine #own characters #own art #artists on tumblr #CanisAlbus #Vasco #Machete #anthro #sighthound #dogs #canine #animals #if you end up reading the whole thing it would be really sweet if you left a little comment as a thanks for his hard work

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nariism · 8 months

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genshin bfs who give you the full royalty treatment:

you want something in particular for lunch? they're already throwing on their shoes to go buy it for you.

had a long day? he's going to smother you in affection and praise until he's the only thing you can think of.

he's making you breakfast in the morning and it's always your favourite or what you were craving the day before (because he's good at remembering all the little things you mention).

and he's only this way for you— no one else would ever get to know such a sappy side to him. he is probably well respected in his nation: someone of high status who's been treated so well his whole life, so he knows exactly how to pamper you. ≧◡≦

diluc, NEUVILLETTE, AYATO, cyno

#— whispers in the wind ✧#inspired by mimi telling me my type of man is an intimidating menacing brooding man with a soft spot only for me #me when the psych major analyzes me: 😮😯😧#diluc ragnvindr #diluc x reader #diluc ragnvindr x reader #diluc #kamisato ayato #ayato x reader #kamisato ayato x reader #cyno #cyno x reader #neuvillette #neuvillette x reader #genshin impact #genshin impact fluff #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact headcanons

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cubffections · 24 days

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mm . . currently thinking abt playing with aventurine's hair. you start from massaging circles in his roots to twirling the tips of his fluffy ends, you carefully caress each strand with adoration. to your surprise, your movements end up surprising the blond, his shoulders doing a small jump before relaxing as if they never did. you don't say anything and he doesn't say anything about it either, too busy checking his phone for updates of assignments he was put in charge of by the ipc. the lack of teasing remarks makes you want to push the phone out his hand so he could finally rest, but you hold back. keeping your focus on his pretty blonde hair.

it's only when his phone disappears and he's pulling you closer by the waist that you start caressing at a more rhythmic pace. the soft sigh he lets out as he tilts his head towards your touch making your heart flutter and a smile tug on your lips. the soothing effect you had on the pretty gambler was only for your eyes only.

"what a sweet kitty."

"don't ruin the moment sweetheart ."

#𑄼ల۫ ﹒𝓈𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓉 𝒹𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝓈 . .#Ⳋ᧙ ⊹ 𝒶𝓋𝑒𝓃𝓃𝒾𝑒 . .#wrote tis on the spot ᐢᗜᐢ oh how i love him #aventurine fluff #aventurine honkai star rail #aventurine imagines #hsr aventurine #aventurine x reader #aventurine x you #star rail aventurine

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miguelswifey04 · 10 months

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~•C.AI ATSV BOTS LIST•~

c.ai bot request google form

༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺༻༺

ミ★ miguel o’hara likes you for awhile now and he can’t help himself around you. he comes to terms with his feelings for and he’ll make it known that he likes you. it is up to you if you’ll accept his feelings or reject him!

✧🜚 miguel o’hara tries to save you from you falling off a building from your demise as you were knocked unconscious by an anomaly. you quite literally pulled a gwen stacy on him.the mission goes south…will he be able to save you? it is up to you

𖨆𒊹︎ miguel o’hara is a very famous basketball player who plays for the webber’s for nueva york! you’re in a secret relationship with him as he keeps you away from the spotlight. you’re fed up with being kept as a secret so you talk to him about making the relationship exclusive. will he listen to you or not?

ఌꨄ miguel o’hara is a rich geneticist who works for alchemax and also a sugar daddy. he’s a billionaire so he’s loaded with $$$, and you’re just a broke college student desperate for money. miguel wants to spoil the perfect sugar baby as he’s very wealthy yet lonely. you come across his profile and both miguel and you click. you both decide to meet each other at a restaurant in NYC. what will happen next? will he make you his sugar baby?

☹︎㋛ miguel o’hara and you just lost your precious daughter, gabriella. miguel became cold and bitter even angrier and you became a recluse, a homebody. your marriage may be in thin ice…both of you heartbroken over the lost of your daughter. will miguel be able to open up to you or not?

🜸🜚 miguel o’hara is a famous actor where the whole world has his eyes on him. he’s an a-list celebrity and well you are an aspiring and upcoming actor. you debuted in your first ever movie with miguel o’hara. you’re his co-star. luckily to you, the movie did numbers and made you become quite famous. the lines of acting and reality blur, and you and him seem to actually fall for each other! what happens next? who makes the move first?

ミ★ hobie brown as your boyfriend! you’re the only non-spider person who knows about his secret, him being spider punk.

✫彡 pavitr prabhakar had saved you from a building collapsing on top of you and ever since then you and him have stayed connected. after awhile that friendship blossomed into a relationship where now you and him are dating.

ミ★ miles morales and you are childhood besties! you both share everything together even your silly little secrets. you both attend the same high school together, but one day you go to visit him at his dorm room. you knocked waiting for him to open up but you didn’t hear anything so you opened the door…unbeknownst to you-you find out he’s spider-man?!?! how will he react?? how will you react?!

✫彡 spider-man noir is a private investigator and well a spider-man. you’re his personal assistant who assists him in all his cases and missions during the 1930s. his goal is to fight the bad guys and the n*zis. will you get even closer to him over time or not??

ミ★ the spot had taken you hostage taking you to god knows where!? he may look like a fool but don’t underestimate him. he’s a super villain and sadistic in a way. he torments you and such. you try your best to escape him, as your mission failed. what will you do? what will he do to you? will you be able to evade him and defeat him once and for all??

꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂

a/n: i take requests <3 much love 💗

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caelanglang · 1 year

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dear diary… one day I met the little prince…

but just as the storybook said… we got separated… all I know is that somewhere out there… we see the same stars…

ps. they found each other again...

#sickly dazai and protective chuuya childhood friends au that nobody asked for #i have a very very special soft spot for wholesome childhood besties aus okay #im sorry if these are getting unnecessarily longer akjsdhfkalf I just love brainrotting abt them sm augh #yes its the little prince reference for me ~#i have no thoughts my head empty but I survived this hell of a week and I'm so darn proud of every single one of you who did too #have some fluff !! (ignore the angst what angst)#bsd #skk #sketch #sketches #my art #bsd dazai #bsd chuuya #little prince skk au

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thatmightyheart · 2 years

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babies..

#sasaki to miyano #sasamiya #draws #to tell the truth i had my doubts but good god sasaki is so sweet.#i do love a besotted character. and sasaki is the most besotted of them all #edit: this sounded a bit lukewarm bc i've actually been talking abt it on twt but i should clarify.#i absolutely fucking loved the anime and have already ordered the manga to read LOL #like not much has hit that sweet sincere fluff spot like this in a good while

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oscarisaacsspit · 1 year

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actual-changeling · 4 months

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congratulations to @nightgoodomens for making me write the first ficlet of the year! this is so schmoopy and soft it almost makes me want to turn it super angsty instead—but i didn't, so enjoy the happiness while it lasts. inspired by this post.

you can also find it on ao3!

"Amazing how they came up with this all on their own, isn't it?"

Crowley leans back and stretches his neck as far as it will go, losing himself not in the noise but the spaces between sparks, the stars no one can see but are there living and shining nevertheless.

They find themselves on a different rooftop every year, always close enough to see it all but far enough away to create their own bubble of shared joy. His coat is hanging open, the cold, smoke-saturated air rushing past him, and when he closes his eyes just for a second, he can pretend the fireworks exploding above him are galaxies being born; his creations, still right where he put them after all this time.

Next to him, Aziraphale hums quietly, knowing all too well that Crowley is not expecting a response—nor would he hear it if he were to give him one. Instead, he keeps his gaze on his face, tracing the lines of his profile as he carefully pulls off his gloves, finger by finger, before stuffing them into his pocket. He remembers, oh, he remembers, the innocent love he saw flowing through him back then, before time, before earth, before Mother became God became the Almighty.

Before all they loved was lost, one way or another. Then again, while defying all possible odds, they managed to find it once more, not just in each other but in humanity.

Another explosion showers them with sparks that will never reach their skin, and a bright shout of joy follows right after, Crowley's eyes impossibly wide.

"Beautiful," he whispers, and Aziraphale cannot stop himself from tentatively pressing their palms together.

Absently yet with deeply ingrained care, Crowley intertwines their hands, pulling him closer to point at a spot in the sky, and there is smoke on his lips and warmth in their bodies—the same heat, given freely, shared.

"If you go that way, do you know where you'll land?"

Shuffling towards him until he can rest his chin on Crowley's shoulder, he carefully lifts their joined hands to brush a kiss over his knuckles, still watching him, carving out a spot for his fire-lit face in his memory.

"Alpha Centauri," he replies softly, leaving another, almost imperceptible kiss on his cheek.

"Alpha Centauri," Crowley confirms, leaning their heads together, and for a while, the world is everything he ever wanted it to be.

#alex writes good omens #good omens #crowley #aziraphale #good omens season 2 #go2 #aziracrow #crowley x aziraphale #ineffable husbands #ineffable wives #ineffable spouses #happy new year #to more writing and ineffable idiots #fluff. too much fluff. makes my skin itch #tiny tiny bit of angst because otherwise i would have exploded on the spot

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starrystevie · 11 months

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"it's a vhs night, huh?" eddie asks as he comes out of the kitchen, two mugs of decaf coffee in one hand, a box of oreos in the other. steve's on his knees in front of the tv with tapes scattered around him, a mixture of home movies and mashed up concert recordings and episodes of star trek that are bound to get recorded over eventually. he turns around as his husband enters the living room and opens his mouth for a cookie that eddie happily feeds him.

"yeah, why not?" he gives eddie a half smile that makes the crows feet around his eyes crinkle even more. "just feeling nostalgic, i guess."

eddie hums and sits on his end of the couch before pulling one foot up to cross over his knee. he takes a sip of the bitter black coffee and dunks an oreo in to soften it up then pops it into his mouth. steve finally settles on a video and rewinds it to the start, curling up on his side of the cushions with his feet tucked under eddie's thigh. a hand finds its way around his ankle and a thumb strokes at the soft skin it can find. gentle, comforting, home.

the grainy picture on the screen straightens out and the sound clicks on along with it. the greens of the grass are a little faded and the blue of the sky is dull but it's still clear enough to make out steve on the swings at the park down the road from loch nora. steve's mom is behind the camera yelling for him to pump your legs, good job stevie, there you go, wow you're going so high and the grin on the boy's face is a wide as the sky above him.

"you were so cute, what happened?" eddie murmurs with a chuckle causing steve to slap at the thigh currently warming his feet.

"i'm still cute, thank you very much." steve grumbles out his response which makes eddie chuckle again, leaning over with a groan to smash a kiss to his cheek.

there's little voices echoing in the background as steve continues to swing and the video switches suddenly to him on a red check blanket eating a sandwich. he has jelly on his cheek in the same place that eddie had placed a kiss not a minute earlier and it has them both cooing like the old men they are.

but then there's a flash of something in the background. a little kid runs by followed by what's presumably his mother and it distracts little steve, who turns on his blanket to watch the two running.

"is that...?" steve starts, turning to eddie who's staring at the screen with rapt attention. the gasp he gets in return is the only answer he could possibly need. the hand around his ankle gets a little tighter and he watches as a watery smile spreads across eddie's face, salt-and-pepper beard crinkling up on his cheeks.

"that's me, that's-" he breathes out, curling in on himself slightly to peer closer at the video. in the video, steve's still staring at the little boy in the park getting picked up by his mom and being thrown in the air. his little giggles break through the speakers as his mom catches him, cradling him to her chest as she runs off screen. they come back into frame a few seconds later and crash side-by-side onto the grass. their arms start pointing at the sky like they're finding shapes in the clouds and eddie inhales sharply. "-that's my mom."

steve reaches down and clasps his hand around eddie's where it's still on his bony ankle, trailing his fingers over his husband's. eddie looks up and tosses a bewildered grin at steve who catches it easily and returns it with one of his own. as if they have magnets stored in their hearts from where the universe made them for each other, the two move closer to one another instinctually until they have arms around waists and fingers tangled together and heads on shoulders.

they sit in silence for the next few minutes, reliving a time when they were still boys with their mothers, happy and loved, not even knowing their soulmate was right next to them.

#i saw something like this in a tiktok the other and i HAD to steddie it i'm not sorry #steddie #steddie headcanon #my writing #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie drabble #steddie ficlet #steddie fluff #i am sorry though that this is kind of long and it's not under a readmore cause there wasn't really a good spot for one

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l0sercat · 10 months

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Hello! I heard you did x readers, would you be able to do some headcanons for a reader(spider person preferred but it’s optional!) that has vitiligo?

I don’t have it myself but I believe it deserves more representation!

Ngl I had a hard time coming up with hcs....

The spot/Johnathan reacts to spider!reader w/ vitiligo

He remarks how your kinda like him lol

If your insecure about it he will comfort you until you feel better

He is always complementing you and kissing everywhere along your body

He notices how your much more confident in your suit than when your not

He wishes he could take away your insecurities and make you love yourself but he knows it isn't possible so he will always be by you to make sure your okay

But if your are confident and love your vitiligo then he's happy

He's glad your confident and love yourself and wishes he could be like you

He's still getting used to looking like that so he's glad your comfortable

He thinks your gorgeous and if anyone says otherwise he will beat them up(not literally...maybe...)

When your out in the sun and the sun on your skin making you glow...omg...he melts and sinks to his knees

He is kissing the ground you walk on, you are such a god/goddess oh lord...

#x reader #gender neutral #gender not specified #gender neutral reader #johnathan ohnn #johnathon ohnn #johnathon ohnn/reader #johnathon ohnn fanfic #johnathon ohnn x reader #johnathan ohnn x reader #the spot/reader #the spot fic #the spot fluff #the spot x reader #the spot

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rebee-sweetie · 22 days

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A/N: Honestly, I don’t completely agree with the posts that say Bakugo is gentle dating you, but I will agree he has a soft spot. So here’s my take on that.

Bakugo Katsuki x Reader fluff, small head-canons?

Katsuki is very much is in love with you, but still is rough on the outside. He’s prickly, grumpy, and loud. But you know he loves you.

He has nicknames that are still a little rude but specially picked in his own way. The nickname might come off condescending, but it’s a double edged sword. Because in his heart he associates it with something very sweet.

Nicknames like “Chipmunk!” Because he likes how you puff out your cheeks like one. Or “Butterfingers” because of your clumsy self, but secretly he loves it. “Crybaby” because you’re too sensitive about topics but in reality he loves the way your eyes sparkle and your lashes become thick and wet from fat tears.

If you duel with him or want to wrestle, he doesn’t play nice and sure as hell won’t let you win. Because that’s just Katsuki. But he loves watching you struggle and sweat trying to pin him to the floor. Chuckling as you puff out hot hair, face beet red, and hair sporadically tangled on your face. He’ll let out a hearty chuckle shortly followed by saying “Dumbass.”

If you chew at your nails or pick at your fingers he’ll call it and you ‘disgusting’. It’ll hurt your feelings at first but he sees it as a bad habit that takes away from your pretty hands and it’s unclean. Same goes for if you leave dishes to ‘soak’ or leave dirty clothes on the ground. He’ll swat you with a broom if he finds you walking around with shoes indoors.

He’s not very good with words of affirmation. In fact, he stinks at it. But he’s good with acts of service and sometimes physical touch. I imagine growing up the Bakugo’s showed their love through acts of service and harsh words, so it’s only natural it’s his love language too. If he finds you crying, it’ll make him uncomfortable to try to comfort you. He’s awkward, stiff, and struggles to sound sweet. Instead he cooks a hot meal and draws a bath for you, waiting with a steamed towel. When you thank him he’ll respond with a grunt and nod.

He might not be very kind to you or others nor be very graceful with words, but he’s protective. Only he can say shit about you. Only he can bully and condescend you because he doesn’t really mean it. If anyone else dares to fuck with you, they won’t live to see tomorrow. He’s a man who sticks to a promise, and his threats will be carried through. In some regards he’ll be overprotective. He doesn’t like you walking outside alone and sticks close to you at a bar.

Last but not least, when it’s just you both alone and the moment is tender, he truly is sweet. It’s not very often you see it, but that’s why it’s so special. Pulling you into his lap, nuzzling into your neck. Quiet and gentle whispers tickling your ear. It’s so out of character for him but this is the sweet boy hiding away at the core of his soul. Nothing sexual, no strings attached, just wanting to spend time with you and be vulnerable. And when I say it is just the two of you, it is. No windows, no person able to walk in, no paparazzi snooping around. Just the two of you, no one else can see it but you.

#bakugo x reader #katsuki x you #katsuki bakugo x reader #bnha bakugo katsuki #headcanon #fluff #katsuki x y/n #bakugo aged up #bakugo katuski #katsuki bakugo mha #bakugo headcanons #Bakugo soft spot

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wilteddreamsofbaldursgate · 21 days

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Springtime Caresses

III. Angsty Dadstarion, but it's quite alright.

“Here, papa, here! You have to lie down right here! Don’t move!”

Warm grass tickles the back of Astarion’s neck. With his eyes closed to the bright sun above him, he listens to his surroundings, takes in the bird song and wind dancing through the trees. The static buzz of honey bees. Children’s play.

Life.

He’s not asleep but pretends to be. It’s part of the game, or so he’s been told.

“Sweet dreams, papa!”

Most of his dreams are sweet these days, but he doesn’t mention that, just complies.

The scents of sun-warmed soil and perfectly ripened strawberries carry a promise of summer to his nose, lulling Astarion into a twilight state of content drowsiness. Maybe he will allow himself to fall into reverie, after all. He’s tranced in worse places, and with worse company, too.

But that was a long time ago.

Now, he enjoys ruining his silken shirts with grass stains. Fresh air filling his lungs all day long. The feeling of tiny hands weaving wildflowers into his silver curls.

Even after all these years, this experience will never cease feeling novel to him—the warmth, the tranquillity. This deep sense of belonging.

Peace.

It’s not a sweet dream, but reality. It’s as real as the wild shrieks and laughter sweeping across the meadow. Children jumping over and around him, eager to slay this or that imaginary fiend. The hem of a skirt he mended only last night brushing against his legs. A young boy humming a song his mother sang over breakfast close to his ear.

Astarion smiles, or tries not to, since he’s promised to be fast asleep—even when there’s a sudden tug at his hair.

The humming stops; the laughter fades into displeased groans all around him. Astarion doesn’t need to open his eyes to know that the face eclipsing the sun above him is a much younger version of his own.

“Careful, Miri, that hurts papa!” The boy scolds as he gently untangles his little sister’s hand from their father’s locks.

“Uh-oh!” the toddler mumbles before she helps the boy pick stray sticks from Astarion’s hair. “Bad!”

“Yes, Miri—bad.”

Astarion suppresses the urge to take his daughter’s clumsy hand in his and press a soothing kiss to her small fingers, telling her it’s quite alright. That no harm was done. There never is. Not here. Not with them.

But all he has to do today is feign sleep, so he will reassure the child later when it’s his turn to braid her hair in time for bed.

“Sorry, papa,” another girl calls from near the treeline. “Miri didn’t mean to hurt you! But don’t worry, we’ll protect you from the true beast!”

This time, Astarion cannot help the faint smile tugging at his lips.

It’s a lovely promise, lisped through missing front teeth. And it’s true—most of the time, at least.

These children, this family he helped create with nothing but love and devotion, distract him from the beast prowling the everlasting darkness far in the back of his mind.

Yet, sometimes, distraction alone isn’t enough…

Astarion doesn’t like to dwell on the rare occasions when the beast eventually does find its way to him. It’s tamer now, the years have made it lazy enough, but every now and then, it will probe him. It can still sniff out the weakness he’ll never be able to shed, knows whenever he’s at his lowest.

The beast only lunges at easy prey—it always has.

So, sometimes, when Astarion’s nights are tense with endless whining, misplaced toys and sharp words, the beast breathes down his neck, whispers in his ear.

On your back, boy, right here. Do not move. It will not hurt unless you let it. Your screams have always sounded the sweetest. Are you hurting, yet? Good, it’s because I want you to. It’s what you deserve, you insolent fool. Have you no respect for yourself? That’s why they hate you so, that’s why you’re but a pathetic little boy who’s never amounted to anything that’s why you’re nothing that’s why—

Once the older children perform their duty to scold the youngest among them, the laughter returns. Their faceless fiend is fair game again and all Astarion has to do is sleep, trust in his family’s sweet promise that holds his cure.

Because, as exhausting as it is, he has learned to ignore the beast, become numb to its poison. It’s a thing of the past and he won’t let it taint his future.

Astarion lets out a deep breath. He can feel himself grow tired under the little hands stroking his hair.

“No worry, papa.”

No worry, no. Not here. Not with them. Never with them…

There’s a gust of wind coming from up north. It carries the scents of sickly sweet strawberries and petrichor and, ever so slowly, Astarion can feel his mind slipping.

He doesn’t sleep; he hasn’t in a very long time. Sleep, true sleep, is vulgar and reminds him of death. Instead, Astarion drowns in memories, but even there he’s buried six feet under today.

There are no strawberries in this freshly dug grave, only the stink of decay. The damp wood of his coffin presses uncomfortably into his back while worms and maggots tickle his neck. Eating at him. Consuming him.

His broken fingernails hurt as he claws at the darkness surrounding him—this deep in the ground, all shades of grey are tainted black. Sometimes he wonders if his eyes are even open, but they must be because they burn with tears and blood and dust.

There’s laughter coming from somewhere above. It’s rumbling like far-away thunder; it hasn’t reached him, yet, but the threat of it is already stunning him with fear.

He cannot speak he cannot see he cannot be he cannot—

The laughter isn’t coming from above, nor is it coming from anywhere, really. It’s residing inside his head, this vile laughter that won’t let him in on the joke. And why would it? He is nothing, is he not? All he is is blood and screams and death. Bodies piled atop his aching shoulders, weighing him down.

So why is he moving? Why is he digging through wet soil until he can see moonlight illuminating his path to…

The beast eclipses the moon and the stars shining down on him. It has stopped laughing, though its maw is stretched into an unnatural grin, revealing a pair of sharp fangs—the key to the wounds on his neck. A promise of endless misery.

He cannot stop moving towards the beast. It holds its claws out to him, stroking his hair, scratching his scalp raw. There you are, boy, always crawling back to me. My good, prodigal son—look at you! Do you know why you’re here? With me? It’s because, after all these years, you’re still mine. And you will always be.

“Astarion?”

There’s a light drizzle soaking his skin.

Astarion opens his eyes to a sun that’s crawled past its zenith, taking the music of children’s play with it. The silence feels oppressive, just like the calm before a great storm, and all he can feel are the small, warm bodies Astarion helped create press against him. They’re curled up against his side, lying draped over his legs, clutching his arm. Weighing him down.

No.

Grounding him, always ever grounding him.

He needs to shield his sleeping children from the rain, he thinks, but his arms are still caged somewhere between nightmare and reality.

Fuck, how long had he been out?

Astarion inhales deeply. He just needs a moment to come to his senses.

He can smell rain-soaked cotton, crisp air and that faint scent of magic he would recognise even if he were buried deep in the ground.

Oh, of course…

“Astarion.”

He allows himself a relieved half-smile as the rain above him is coming to a sudden halt a moment later.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking, my heart,” Tav says as she steps into the meadow, one eyebrow raised at the sight in front of her. “But what in the nine hells are you doing out here?”

Astarion can only watch as little droplets of rain run down the magic dome enclosing him and the children, tear drops that can never reach them now.

“I’m a sleeping princess, or so I’ve been told. But I’m rather afraid my knights in shining armour fell asleep before they got to wake me…”

Tav joins her family under her shield of magic, strokes the head of the child closest to her as she smiles at her husband.

“I see. May I kiss you awake instead, then?”

“You already have, darling,” Astarion whispers. “But do it again, yes? Just to be on the safe side…?”

His hand brushes the swell of Tav’s stomach as she’s trying to settle comfortably against him. It’s getting rather crowded—the house, life, moments like this—but there’s always room for one more, Astarion thinks.

Tav grins as she sweetly kisses her way from his cheek to his mouth, where she finally lingers.

To Astarion, Tav’s lips taste of freedom, of nightmares swiftly broken. Of home—the best distraction he never dared to hope for. One he never wants to end.

In the distance, there’s a gentle thunder rolling towards the meadow, but that’s quite alright. Astarion knows that it can’t do any harm. Not here. Not with them.

Never with his family around him.

@seaofdaydreams , my dear, I hope you do not mind me borrowing Miri's name for this one ♡