The fastest way to accomplish The Project is to cease being afraid of The Project. The Project cannot maim you. The Project cannot kill you. The Project is more afraid of you than you are of it. It is okay if The Project turns out differently from how it was in your head, and it is okay if it has flaws. You are capable of engaging with The Project.
WARNING(S): References to canon, capital-Y yearning, domesticity, a lot of fluff, very touchy reader
Notes: This has been in my drafts for months. Decided it might be nice to finally post these since we’re getting Valko in two weeks. (Valko will be added to this. Just… y’know… when we have a better view of his character/motivations/past).
Xavier is a pretty touchy person himself (well, for you), so he’s in absolute heaven.
From the very first time you pulled him in for a tight hug, Xavier felt like he could breathe again.
He had mentally prepared himself for the moment you reunited, for many, many years. Prepared himself for what he would do. What he would say. But it all flew right out the window when you first teamed up together. His head spun. You were here. Alive. Fierce. Beautiful.
Even now his head felt fuzzy. With every kiss, every fond look, every hug, he felt stripped down from the jaded hunter he’d become back to the boy who swore his everything to you back in Philos. He was giddy. Even Jeremiah commented that he was smiling a lot more than he used to. Brighter. Healthier.
And you… you kept being you. Pretty, funny, smart you. The girl he fell in love with, now the woman who gave him something more to live for.
You were very hands-on with your affection, as he’d come to find out. Not that he was complaining at all - more nights than not, he had dreamed of being able to sink himself into your awaiting arms, to have your fingers gently scrape through his hair as he fell asleep bonelessly in your lap.
It began slowly, with your new relationship. Cautiously, you would brush hair out of his face, or hold his chin as you carefully wiped something off of his cheek. You would hug him tight when he visited after work, and he would take in the scent of your perfume, of the evanescence of your shampoo, of the softness of your casual clothes. You would feed him from your hands, watching him bite into it with a glittering anticipation.
With you, food was more flavorful. His world was brighter. The breeze was crisper, birdsong sweeter, flowers fragranced. He ached for you to be more open.
And then, when you became official, you finally became more casual with your touch. You were still a little shy about kisses in public, but you held his hand openly, leaned into him on the train, huddled closer to him in a crowd. You patted his cheek fondly when he looked up into your face, or squished his cheeks when you just couldn’t stand his cuteness anymore. You laughed more, smiled more, teased him more.
You peeked over his shoulder when he read, nonchalantly dropped into his lap while watching TV, hid under his jackets when the weather got cold… and you would smile so brightly. Almost as if you knew he had been waiting lifetimes for this chance at domesticity. He would laugh when you wore his pajama shirts and cheekily declare that you were matching. He would lay his head in your lap, and much like in his dreams, your fingers could move through his hair in a soothing pace, lulling him into an easy sleep. When you fell asleep on him, you would clutch his clothes so tight, nuzzling your head in his stomach.
And when your relationship progressed to the point where you slept together, sometimes he would wake up with you curled around him like an octopus - leg hooked around his waist, face buried in his chest, one arm around his neck and the other in his shirt - and he found it hard to accept that this wasn’t some wonderful dream.
He blushed a lot more now, more than anyone had ever seen of him. Your friends sometimes teased you about the ‘lightbulb boyfriend’ you had, and you would laugh and hug him, causing his Evol to react and make him shine brighter.
Please, please keep touching him. He’s so touch-starved that even being in proximity makes him feel like a plant finally getting watered after a drought.
xavier x reader. suggestive, aftercare, sweet teasing. wc. 627
a/n: this xavier ficlet can finally see the sun lol. enjoy :3
dividers by @pixopix | ao3 link here
“You’ve made such a mess, starlight.”
The words barely register as you come down from your high. Labored breaths and cloudy thoughts are all you are at the moment when Xavier looks at you with a smug smile and soaked, ruined lips.
“Bold of you to say,” you retort softly, to which he responds with a laughter so melodious it wakes you up from your reverie.
With little kisses on your cheeks and sweet nothings accompanying the marks on your skin, Xavier begins to sit up. Little whines escape your lips, seeking the warmth of his skin and the love in his gaze, but he chuckles and assures you that he’ll be back.
“I’m just going to grab a towel, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Then we’re going to watch a movie.”
A movie? Sleepiness creeps up on you, but you’re not passing up a chance to watch some cheesy romance and talking to Xavier about the cute scenes. Maybe you could even rile him up with a remark or two, but with how tired you are…
Oh.
Your exhaustion disappears when you catch a glimpse of Xavier’s back as he bends down to grab your clothes off the floor.
Bold red scratch marks color his skin, the artwork a testament to your love. You have to blink to register that yes, they look like the remnants of shooting stars and yes, you were the one who’d placed them there.
Possessiveness wells up in you. He is yours and yours alone.
“Xavier…”
He turns around, his arms holding all of your clothes and even the heels you had worn when you came to his apartment. “Hm? Do you need anything?”
You.
You shake your head, smiling. “No. It’s okay.”
He tilts his head, suspicious, but he doesn’t say anything more. In what seems to take only a second, clothes are neatly folded and placed on the nightstand, your heels are… somewhere, and Xavier comes back from the restroom with a towel in hand and snacks in the other.
“Let me know if you’re uncomfortable, starlight.”
But when he bends down to place the bags of chips on the floor, the sight of his back becomes clear again, and you realize you wouldn’t trade this view for anything.
“Xavier, does it…” you turn to your side as though the darkness of the room doesn’t already hide your blush. The only light seeping in is from his bathroom, but the door basically hides it all. “Does your back hurt?”
“Not really. I mean, I got good exercise out of this.”
“No! I meant-” You bury your face in your hands, shyly trying to dodge the conversation you had initiated. “Nevermind.”
“Oh.” You can hear the realization in his tone, amusement creeping in soon after. “Are you talking about the marks on my back?”
So much for dodging the conversation.
But your star doesn’t make fun of you or make you feel even more embarrassed. Instead, he gently pries your hands off of your face, and with a smile, he murmurs, “It’s okay. I liked being marked like that.”
“Hm?” You succumb to the softness of his hand as he cups your face. Sleepiness becomes more of a losing battle now that you’re so relaxed.
“You should do it more often, but…” Xavier rubs the back of his neck. “Only if you want to, of course.”
Tiny sparkles of light surround his body as he clears his throat sheepishly.
There are no words to be said to that, your answer only coming the next time you make love to him. The only sounds for the rest of the night are your soft affectionate whines as Xavier cleans you up and the comfort movie he puts on before you both head back to bed.
Thank you for reading! Any form of interaction is appreciated. Take care :)
summary: you don't want to get out of bed, and Rafayel respects that entirely, keeping you company and in high spirits.
tags: wanting to stay in bed, established relationship, domestic fluff, hurt/comfort, caretaker Rafayel, emotional comfort, cuddling, hair stroking, pet names, acts of service, soft Rafayel
wc: 0.5k
masterlist
Rafayel is kind with his actions, when you look closely.
“Is my little fishie still in bed?”
Rafayel comes into your bedroom, undoing his tie. A fancy lunch with potential exhibit investors was to blame, and he was glad to be back home.
He smiles affectionately as his eyes come to rest across your figure still in bed, crackers that have been munched on and water sipped from. All brought to your side before he left.
“Mmm hmm,” you reply, not even bothering to move but you raise your head slightly. You watch him take off his shirt and swap his pants for something more comfortable.
“Good, I didn’t miss the party going on in here," he says softly.
From anyone else that would sound sarcastic, but as he gently comes into bed next to you and hugs you from behind, you know he is being genuine.
“Did I miss anything?” Rafayel asks you, joining you to gaze out of the bedroom window together.
“Only a pigeon that flew by.”
“Only a pigeon?” He asks. “That poor pigeon. Just living life and you don’t appreciate it.”
He smiles against your shoulder as you tangle your legs with his.
“And there was a flying insect. I think it was lost because it wanted to come inside.”
“See... it just knew you were in here, and it wanted to be cosy too.”
You nod.
“Would you look after me if I was that bug? Or would you squish me?” He asks seriously.
You laugh and he glows at the sound. “Of course I would.”
“Hey! I knew you would squish me!”
“No! I meant of course I would look after you, silly. I’d make sure to feed you what you can eat. And I wouldn’t put you in a container, I’d let you fly around wherever you please.”
“Then what if a pigeon eats me…”
“Enough of that silly," you twist to poke his cheek playfully. "I will look after you, don't worry." He nuzzles closer into your hand.
"How was your lunch?” you ask.
“So boringgg…”
Rafayel is kind with his words, when you look closely.
This is how he comforts you on a day when you don’t want to go anywhere or get out of bed. He doesn’t think it’s shameful. Everyone feels like that at some point in their life, and if anyone is to understand it, it would be him.
Rafayel will stay with you, keep you fed and hydrated, warm and cosy even when your thoughts are racing. He will ask you silly questions to distract you. He’d suggest you both go for a walk on the beach at sunset, even offering to carry you the whole way. Whatever you feel like, he’d respect.
As the peaceful day comes to an end, you look up at him. “Raf… thank you for looking after me.” Rafayel is half engrossed in reading a fashion magazine but he's still very present.
He looks down at you resting in his lap and stokes your hair gently with a tilt of his head.
“No problem cutie, that’s my job. And for you, my services are free of charge. Remember, because you’re my VIP.”
"Sleep. You've worked hard today, and I'm proud of you."
summary: After an exhausting day at work, Xavier makes your bath and bedtime relaxation routine extra special.
tags: established relationship, domestic fluff, hurt/comfort, work stress, slight drinking mention, caretaker Xavier, Xavier uses his Evol, light powers, bathing, sleepy cuddles, kissing, teasing, slightly suggestive, praise, soft Xavier
wc: 1.3k
masterlist
“Hey! You’re back from work, how was it?” Xavier greets you. You get the vague sense he’s resorted to a microwave meal without you to cook for him, but you are far too tired to question anything.
You come closer, and rest your head into his chest, “Xavie…” you mumble.
“That bad huh?” He says quietly, bringing an arm around your waist.
“Just draining… so so draining.”
You loved social gatherings, but to have a work dinner following a full day of work was too much to handle today.
“Have you eaten?” Xavier asks, eyes carefully watching you. He thinks you’ve been drinking from the way you cling onto him and he thinks it’s so cute.
“Yes I've eaten,” you mumble, muffled by his cosy hoodie.
Xavier strokes your hair gently, “If you want to have a bath, I can run it for you?”
A bath. A bath sounds so nice.
“Yes please,” you draw back and look at Xavier. “If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Of course not,” he kisses your forehead and hugs you softly before leading you into the bathroom. “You should relax after a hard day of work.”
He turns on the water and helps you undress and lower yourself into the water. It was perfect temperature, Xavier had checked. Warm and calming, loosening your muscles and mind.
“Thank you Xavie” you say as you reach out to him with a hand. He’s kneeling next to the bathtub. Xavier takes your hand in his and gently presses a kiss to your knuckles before his eyes rise to meet yours.
You both talk about how your day was briefly, before Xavier leaves you, “Did you want me to bring you anything?”
“Uh… maybe some clothes?” You laugh, looking around the bathroom and Xavier smiles.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got pajama pants and a hoodie ready for you to wear.”
“But does the hoodie smell like you?” You ask raising an eyebrow.
He laughs, “Yes, it smells like me.”
“Good.”
“Anything else you want me to get you?” he asks.
“Uh… actually would you be able to lend me your light?”
Xavier comes back to you and reaches behind the top of your head. When he draws his hand back, a small ball of light floats above his palm. “With my Evol, like this?”
I nod and watch as Xavier closes his hands together, cupping his palms. When he releases, dozens of tiny lights separate from his fingers to fill the room. He turns off the main bathroom light and it’s magical. The lights reflect in the water of the bathtub and cast a soft glow across both of your faces.
“If you need anything, call out to me or message okay?” You agree and Xavier goes back to reheating his dinner. You hear the microwave door and button dial in the distance.
Blending into background noise, you let out some breaths and close your eyes, enjoying the feeling of weightlessness in the water. No one expecting anything from you, you not expecting anything from anyone.
A significant amount of time later, you start to feel warm despite the water cooling down. Gently blinking your eyes open, Xavier lights had gathered around you, providing warmth.
You decide to text him, and hold your phone tight as to not drop it into the water.
You: hey what are you up to?
Xavier: Just sitting in bed, why?
As his reply comes through, the little lights pulse brighter. Some seem to follow your laugh, twining into your hair.
You: What are you thinking about?
Xavier: Nothing really
The lights were interested in settling on your skin, and this gave Xavier away.
He was thinking about you.
And you were thinking about him too at this time of the night. All bundled up in bed, glasses keeping him company. His hair ruffled.
You: Are you thinking about me?
The lights glimmered once again.
Xavier: I’m always thinking about you.
You nuzzle into the small balls of light, wondering if he could feel it. Probably not, but they were just so cute.
You rest against them in comfort for a while before opening up your phone.
You: I’m gonna come to bed now.
The lights buzzed and immediately moved to line up in a little row leading to the bathroom door, like a strip of landing lights.
Xavier: Okay
You couldn’t be bothered to dress your self fully, so you slip on Xavier’s hoodie. It smelt like him and you relaxed into the soft feel. You towel dry the small amount of hair that got wet from the bath before turning back to the lights. They were blinking, showing the way like a little invitation.
Slowly, you pass through the hallway, guided by the small balls of light, lining the ground. As you push open the bedroom door, the lights form an arrow pointing towards Xavier who was sitting up in bed.
“It appears there was a light to guide me here,” you say with a teasing smile while looking at Xavier.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He puts down the book he was pretending to read and looks back at you. Absolutely stunning.
As you pull back the covers and jump in, the room darkens. Xavier must have dimmed the bedroom lamp. There was a trail of light under the covers, like a trail of ants, leading from your side to his.
“Hmmm what’s this,” you slide a hand across the mattress, following the light trail. As the blanket moves you can see more and more of the trail… leading directly to Xavier lap.
“It must want you to follow it,” Xavier replies quietly. There was the slightest bit of mischief in his voice. It was a voice and presence that made you feel like nothing you do could be embarrassing in front of him. That hard day at work was so far away now.
Xavier takes your hand as you move to straddle him. He lets out a noise that seems to say he didn’t expect you to be so bold.
“Are you feeling better now… after your bath?” He asks innocently.
“Much much better Xavier,” you respond tilting your head.
“I know you’re ready to annoy me now,” he says, smiling. “You’re in a happier mood.”
“Then you can be happily annoyed,” you run a hand down the side of his neck gently.
“Then I will be happily annoyed,” he admits.
You pretend to get comfortable on his lap, shifting slightly until you feel his hands gently at your waist.
“Did you enjoy imagining me in the bath Xavie?” you ask playfully.
His ears redden but he wasn’t ready to back down. “I did actually.” His tone drops lower, “But I bet you liked me using my Evol on you.”
“Y-yeah.”
It was always like this with Xavier. Pretending to have the upper hand when really, it felt like you weren’t the one in control after all.
Xavier lets out a quiet laugh at your blush and pulls you closer, rubbing a hand calmly down your spine and back up again.
“You’re tired, you should sleep,” Xavier whispers, almost instigating you.
You can’t deny it though, you were completely exhausted.
“Sleep, and I’ll wake you up with something special.”
Quickly you pull your head up from his chest to look at him, eyebrows raised, “Oh?”
He just smiles that usual innocent smile. “I don’t know what you’re thinking…”
Your lips purse as you shake your head at him. “You know exactly what I’m thinking.”
He just shushes you playfully and pulls you back against his chest. You wiggle around slightly and he tries to keep his arms around you. Eventually tired of playing around, you rest in his arms, back flush to his chest.
The air settles down as you settle into his touch, ready for bed.
Xavier leans forward and kisses your temple so tenderly, over and over again. “Sleep. You’ve worked hard today, and I’m proud of you.”
You murmur a reply. As sleep overcomes you, in that odd state of being half awake, you can hear Xavier talking to you, complimenting you. Kissing the top of your head and your hair gently. Until you finally fall asleep.
One like nitpick thing that drives me crazy is when people call Blue Whales the largest whales or the largest living mammals or some shit like that
Because yes that is true. But when you frame it like that you are completely disregarding the absolutely batshit reality that Blue Whales are the largest animals that have ever existed on earth through the entire history of the planet and they are alive right now today
First ray of the sun @joonipertree - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
