Ken x Reader ~~ Ken only has a good day when you smile at him ~~ 1.3K Words
Dream lover, until then; I'll go to sleep and dream again
That's the only thing to do; 'Til all my lover's dreams come true
Warning: Tooth-rotting fluff, that's it <3
Ken found a love for the beach in the real world after the whole debacle with the patriarchy in Barbie World. Even if he couldn’t truly beach like he wanted to.
The sand that squished between his toes, the water that lapped against the shore in the distance, the cry of a seagull that became wondrous background noise as he stared out into the ocean.
Everything that he loved about the beach was tenfold here.
And then… There was you.
You visited the beach almost every day like him, finding almost as much joy in it as he did.
The way you stood ankle deep in the water, closing your eyes as you enjoyed the feeling of the water hitting against your ankles. He found himself almost stumbling over his feet when he first saw you doing that.
Something about you just drew him in.
And Ken fell fast and hard.
Ken watched you every single time you came to the beach. Almost becoming expectant of your form, so much that he grew sad on the days you didn’t show up. His blue eyes followed every move you made, whether that be when you sat on the sand reading or wading through the waves.
Even if he wasn’t trained to save you like lifeguard Ken, he knew he would try if anything had happened to you.
That much he was sure about.
You had both bumped into each other accidentally one day after he kept his eyes on you, it being more your fault than Ken’s. You were being blinded by the sun while you were walking down the shore, and Ken… well, he was just blinded by the fact that you were actually walking over to him.
Your bodies bumped together before you could register the fact that there was a shadow, your hand too busy covering your eyes to keep the sun out to notice such a detail.
“Oh, I’m sorry!”
Ken froze when you moved to look up at him, your nose scrunched slightly from the blinding light. He gulps and nods to your words.
Quick!
What would Ken do in this situation? He was cool!
The idea flashes in his mind before he can truly think it over.
He needed to look cool for you! To impress you!
His arm comes up, hand coming behind his head as he flexes his muscles, and before he could speak, his body goes to lean on a doorframe that so obviously was not there.
His body, straightened like a board, falls flat into the sand.
Your laughter afterwards, as you helped him get back up, was the best medicine for anything, he immediately found himself deciding.
After that, the two of you had become almost inseparable on the beach.
Ken currently stood in the same spot as he usually did, his eyes watching behind his sunglasses as you find your regular spot with the same beach bag you carried over your shoulder.
Your gaze drifts over towards where he stood, knowing where he would be, your hand coming up as a protective shield for your eyes against the sun. Something in him skips when your smile brightens at just the sight of him, your other hand raising to wave at the familiar figure.
You were as bright as the sun in Ken’s eyes.
No, brighter!
“Hi, Ken!”
You call out to him the same way as always, and his feet move before his brain can even think to catch up, leading him closer to you as his own smile makes its way onto his lips.
You always called out to him first.
You always smiled when you saw him.
And every time it sent a thrill through his head.
The feeling reminded him of Barbie, but something was different this time with you. It felt more… real? True? Ken couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
But he knew he liked it.
Whatever it was.
His eyes stare behind the pair of sunglasses he wears, taking in the way your eyes squint at the occasional ray of sunshine peeking through your fingers. The included scrunch of your nose was another thing he found himself longing to see more often ever since that first encounter.
Like the cherry on top of a perfect sundae.
Just like the other times, you seemed to have forgotten to pack a pair of sunglasses in your beach bag, something Ken didn’t mind as he always kept an extra pair in his pocket just for you.
Not wanting you to suffer from the sun any longer, he quickly pulls the shades from his pocket, pops them open, and places them on your face, making sure to be extra careful as he does so. He didn’t want to accidentally poke you and hurt you!
Your smile turns gracious, a soft sound of laughter escaping you. The sound rang deep in Ken’s brain, hitting every nerve connection that was possible, a Pavlovian sound that instantly caused his smile to brighten.
“Thanks, Ken. Maybe I need to just always keep a pair in my bag.”
“I’ll always keep an extra pair for you.”
His words, albeit more truthful and straightforward than you’re used to from other men, were a part of Ken that was just him.
You watch behind the sunglasses as he digs through his pocket for a few seconds, before showing you his treasure like it was his proudest achievement. Seashells were littered in his palms, of different sizes and colors, but all pretty little things.
None of them had chips or missing pieces, as if Ken had dutifully picked out ones from the sand that were just perfect.
“Ken, they’re beautiful. Thank you.”
This was another thing about Ken: he was always finding seashells on the seashore and giving them to you. You had so much that you managed to fill a vase with them to keep on your dining room table.
Carefully, you take the seashells from his hands, looking them over for just a few seconds longer before setting them into a small pocket in your bag, mentally reminding yourself to be careful when you pack up from the beach.
When you look back at Ken, you find him staring at you with that same smile on his lips, one that was so distinctly him. Bright and waiting, perfect teeth on display.
Hell, you were sure if he had a tail, it would be wagging excitedly by now.
“They reminded me of you.”
Your heart melts every time you hear it from him, your smile almost becoming too much, your cheeks aching. But he always pulled that from you, a smile so bright you didn’t mind the ache.
“Thank you, Ken.”
Your voice had softened around the syllable of his name, and you watched as his body almost slumped in response to such a gracious thing.
Slowly, you lean forward to plant the gentlest of pecks against his cheeks, a small, grateful thing that would only devolve into something more if you let it.
And maybe… You did.
“Come on, Ken. Let’s go look for more seashells.”
You begin to walk before him, kicking off your sandals and heading towards the shoreline. Unbeknownst to you, Ken is standing stock still, his brain computing such a delicate thing from you, storing it in the section of his brain that was all about you.
“Are we girlfriend/boyfriend now?”
“Yes, Ken, we’re girlfriend/boyfriend now.”
“Sublime!”
You hear his call behind you, and you struggle to contain your laughter before hearing his footsteps rushing to catch up beside you, his hand instantly finding your own to intertwine your fingers.
Ken smiled as bright as the sun the entire time, looking at everybody that passed by the two of you while you walked, pointing over at you enthusiastically.
“This is my girlfriend.” He would announce with almost the same amount of excitement every time.
And even through the embarrassment that floods through your system each time he says it, you wouldn’t have it any other way.
You are a Marine returning home from deployment, where the sudden quiet of civilian life feels unfamiliar as opposed to the battlefields you left behind. Barbie is a bright, endlessly curious woman still learning how to be human and searching for her place in the world after leaving Barbieland. From an awkward family gathering to late–night walks and from the dangers of the world to finding safety in each other, you and Barbie find in each other the comfort, wonder, and belonging you’ve both been missing — and build a love that finally feels like home for the first time.
to celebrate hitting 200 followers, i'm hosting an event themed around my own sweet tooth! if you send me a treat from the list below & a character (or characters)/ship, i will write a blurb and create a moodboard for your request. you can also add a specific prompt to your request; be as detailed or vague as you like. a fandom/character list can be found at the end of this post. enjoy!
sweet treats available include:
✩ pie — a classic. comforting and familiar, with enough slices for everyone. / for family centered pieces.
✩ cake — there's a cake for everybody and for every event. just be careful; it gets messy. / for tension centered pieces.
✩ ice cream — reassurance after a rough night. or after a rough relationship. / for comfort centered pieces.
✩ candied apples — a seasonal treat made from a famous fruit. enjoy it while you can. no season lasts forever. / for seasonal centered pieces.
✩ cookies — a cookie is always easy to break and share. try not to get caught in the cookie jar, though. / for secret centered pieces.
✩ pudding — some puddings are savory; others are sweet. all of them are pretty good to eat. / for location centered pieces.
✩ cupcakes — either really simple or really gourmet with many flavors packed down into one box. / for a surprise piece!
. . . and if you want nsfw, just ask for sprinkles!
the cherry on top . . . (xtra info)
here's some examples on how to format your request if you're confused: "i'd like a clois flavored candied apple based around the season of fall" / "i'd like a johnny storm x reader flavored cookie with sprinkles on top" / "i'd like a tashi & art x reader flavored pie"
you don't have to add details for your piece, it's completely fine to just send in the character(s)/ship & your treat of choice <3
you can request multiple times on/off anon, just separate them please!
i'll be closing this whenever i feel overwhelmed!
if i don't like or am uncomfortable with a request i have every right to delete it (not that i imagine i'll have to delete any, honestly)
you can comment any other questions and i'll answer asap <3
of course, you can request any of my reader personas! & feel free to peruse my masterlist for inspo + my writing guidelines!
. . . my fandoms/characters: date everything, challengers, peacemaker, star wars, dcu - superman (2025), mcu - fantastic four (2025), barbie (2023), mortal kombat, the boys, pearl (2022), etc etc.
a look into the cookbook . . . (event masterlist)
recipe one: a clark kent flavored ice cream with a hint of gender neutral, plant hero!reader!
recipe two: a politician!art donaldson flavored ice cream with a gender neutral, pr manager!reader drizzle!
recipe three: an artrick flavored cake with sprinkles on top!
recipe four: a patrick flavored cake with feminine reader icing!
recipe five: a patrick flavored ice cream cake with masculine, amab, tennis player!reader filling and sprinkles!
recipe six: one scoop of prissy plastique flavored ice cream with gender neutral, roommate!reader chips inside!
