e, j, v, x with reca and i, n, u, w with grady? :3
-> Thank you, my dear[s]!! Happy birthday again, and enjoy <3
-> Cw for brief mentions of addiction and trauma! Potentially OOC Grady too, but we ball nonetheless. 3.6k words, whoops!
-> Currently listening to: In A Sentimental Mood - Ella Fitzgerald
-> Credit to @cafekitsune for the divider <3
Mr. Reca <3
E | Ending: How would they break up with their partner?
-> Ohhhh this is hard. I can't imagine Mr. Reca as the type of man to break up with someone he is [or was] serious about and I doubly have trouble imagining him as the type to fall out of love </3
-> Now there are only a handful of things that I think could cause Reca to break up with you and not vice versa; any great betrayal - such as cheating or revealing his nature as a cremator memokeeper to others, having to choose between you and his art with no other alternative, and then - as unlikely as it may be - Reca falling out of love with you, growing bored of you or the relationship.
-> How the actual breakup happens depends on the reason behind it, however I will say that regardless of the cause Mr. Reca will try to remain as cordial and graceful about it as possible, even if his heart is breaking at the seams because of it. He's not one to want to drag out the pain for either of you, favouring the breakup to be short and to the point - detached on his part but not impersonal. You two not being together anymore doesn't erase the time spent as a couple, so if it's possible Reca will want you both to end on the best terms possible.
-> I will say however, that if you betraying or hurting him is the reason for the breakup the above applies significantly less. Yes, he remains as cordial as possible about it but there is also a noticeable anger to him, a curtness that would not be present otherwise. Reca isn't one to wear his vulnerabilities on his sleeve despite his expressive nature [nor is he one to beg for an explanation or apology] but that doesn't change the fact that it feels like his entire world is crumbling down around him. Honestly, depending on what exactly you did here Mr. Reca may just leave without saying anything at all.
-> Regarding him breaking up with you for the sake of his art it's really quite simple. Reca may adore you but at the end of the day he will always choose his films over his lover, even if only as a last resort and even if it is painful. He's very apologetic during the course of the breakup and is liable to promising that he'll find you again at a better time [should you two be close beforehand, that is].
-> Also I won't go in depth about it here, but I could see Mr. Reca to be the type to breakup with his lover for their own good - probably to protect you from how hectic and at times dangerous his job/livelihood is, to protect you from his own inability to provide what you need as a lover due to it [and his nature as a cremator/memokeeper]. In the case of this being the cause of the break I could see Reca being colder and harsher than you may expect, if only to ensure that you leave without a fight.
J | Jealousy: Do they get jealous? How do they handle insecurity or attention?
-> I think Mr. Reca gets jealous but I do not think he's a particularly jealous lover!
-> Mr. Reca is someone who holds an immense trust in and respect for you, and as such he's not one to question your loyalty towards him [at least not consciously] nor is he someone who gets overly bothered about you getting friendly towards other people - within reason, of course.
-> As we've established before, Reca himself is an affectionate man and as such he sees no need to stop you from being affectionate towards others, especially in the case of cast and crew. He understands that a kiss to the cheek and hug can mean very little [his own affection towards others tends to not mean much of anything], and Reca also knows that you are his. Not theirs.
-> At least, rationally he knows this. While all of what I just said is true, Mr. Reca is also prone to fits of worry and insecurity. As much as he may wish to tell you otherwise.
-> A lot of this is born from Recas' keen awareness of just how different the two of you are, how disconnected he is from your own experiences due to being a memokeeper. There's also his worry of being too much or not enough [due to aforementioned disconnect], mixed with his fears of being unable to properly provide for you as a lover due to how hectic his work is. Subconsciously, Reca worries that you'll find someone else; someone who can make up for what he lacks and that you'll be charmed by them, resulting in Reca getting... antsy when you grow close or sweet with someone else.
-> During moments of jealousy you can expect Mr. Reca to be hovering around you more, finding excuses to talk to you or touch you even when you're away from the object of his ire. There's something fretful about his demeanour, subtle and hard to pick up as it may be and you can expect Reca to try and "woo you" with his charm and intellect. As if asking "can't you see how good I am for you?".
-> Despite all of this, Reca doesn't like admitting he's jealous and will often claim mock offense when you ask what's wrong: "can't a man be sweet on his lover?". He's a master of talking circles around you and most attempts at getting Reca to admit he's jealous or worried will result in the conversation going thirty different places before you hit the mark. He may even try to playfully admit his jealousy while ignoring any of the deeper implications of it, satiating your curiosity while keeping his own vulnerabilities hidden. Please don't let that work.
-> How do you relax his mind during fits of jealousy and worry? It's actually quite simple! A nice bit of tender affection and love works wonders on his psyche, along with reassurance that you're not going to leave him for another. Just make sure you're not coming across as pitying him, as that would cause him to close off! And make sure you're not smothering him in affection only to neglect him when he feels better, either: Reca needs consistent affection like any lover does. You can't be sweet on him and then cold and expect him to feel secure with you.
V | Vision: What is their vision of their shared future? Will the two buy a house and grow old together?
-> Mr. Reca, when serious about you, is a very committed man and he isn't the type to get into a serious relationship without seeing some kind of future together. However, there are... oddities in the future he could have with you that effect the one he envisions.
-> Firstly there's Mr. Recas' work and how that affects the relationship. While I have no doubt that he has an abode [that he will certainly move you into] the main cause for concern is, well, who knows how much longer Reca will be on Penacony for until he hops to another planet to seek inspiration? And who knows how long it'll be before he comes back, if he decides to at all? Yes he may be a Penacony icon, but he certainly doesn't plan to stay there forever and miss out on all the other stories waiting to be told and experienced. Ideally, Reca envisions you coming with him on all his expeditions off planet - he'd love to explore the cosmos with you for the rest of your days.
-> Secondly, Mr. Reca is unable to have children. This is, naturally, due to being a memetic lifeform but it is something that saddens him a little. While he's not sure if his lifestyle would suit kids, Reca has found himself longing for them in the past, longing for a family of his own, so if possible he may want to adopt with you in the future! If you don't want kids that's not a dealbreaker, however. Again, he's not even sure if he'd ever have the time for them, but it is a possibility he'd bring up regardless.
-> Thirdly, Reca can't grow old with you - at least not in the way a fellow human could. This is something that doesn't really affect his vision of your shared future however, more just an oddity. Mr. Reca plans to stay with you until you die, even if he looks the same as he always has.
-> As for marriage, Reca certainly envisions that! But I'll save that for another post.
X | eXes: Do they talk about their past relationships? How do they handle the knowledge of their partners' exes?
-> Mr. Reca doesn't really talk about his past lovers but he's not adverse to it either, at least once you've been together for a while that is.
-> Most of his past lovers have been very short-term [think a few months] and he won't talk about them out of respect for their privacy. Plus, he just doesn't see the need to; yes at the time he cared for them, but they're not important to him anymore.
-> Regarding past long-term lovers, Reca has only ever had a small handful of them. Notably during his human and early memokeeper years, and also notably they did not tend to end particularly well. His silence regarding them is not so much Reca trying to "keep them from you" and more he just needs time to trust you before he opens up about his past and those involved in it.
-> When Reca finally does open up about them, he's half detached and half nostalgic, lamenting them and his perceived failures. It's painful to think back on it all and he'll be awfully somber during it, but Reca is regardless grateful for your listening ear. After this he still won't talk about them much [save for idle or somber musings], as he'd much rather focus on his time with you. Very much a man of the moment.
-> In regard to your exes [should you have any] Mr. Reca is unbothered for the most part. He's not one to spare your exes any thought and he's certainly not one to get jealous over them - with the slightest exception being if you were with them for a long time, but even that isn't really jealousy and is barely worth mentioning. In the case that you were mistreated by a past lover Reca is angered on your behalf, but it stops there. Don't mistake that as apathy, however, just more of a "they no longer concern us" mentality [mixed with his concerning habit of viewing trauma through the lens of spectacle... this may be problematic concerning possible trauma caused by past lovers [or just in general], but trust that it never comes from a malicious place and it can be worked on].
-> If you desire to talk about your past lovers, whether positively or negatively, Mr. Reca is willing to lend his ear and listen to what you have to say. Should you constantly be bringing them up in a positive or nostalgic light Reca will eventually become bothered and maybe even a tad jealous, but apart from that there won't be much complaint and he may even enquire into what your relationship with them was like [whether out of genuine curiosity or memokeeping duties it's hard to say]. Either way, he trusts you when you say you no longer love them.
Grady <3
I | I love you: Who said it first? How often do they say it? Do they show it without words?
-> Grady... takes a while to say "I love you". You'll definitely be the first one to say it and depending on how quick you are about it he may not even respond in kind for a while. Which isn't to say Grady doesn't return your feelings, but more to say that he is cautious [perhaps overly so] about sharing them verbally.
-> He has been through a lot in his life, but one of the main things to affect how quickly he says these three words is his past lover, Asna. Their break was immensely detrimental to his mental health and gravely affected his ability to form close relationships again; specifically, Grady is prone to feeling like he's betraying Asna by being with you - by being happy with you. And saying "I love you" would only ever serve to strengthen that nasty feeling in Gradys' heart.
-> As such, Grady sticks to showing his love through other means. Handling chores around the house when he has the time, making an effort to include you in his busy schedule, awkward but gentle touches and comfort, listening to any and all things you want to share with him regardless of how interested he actually is; effort made to be someone you can rely on and turn to is how Grady confesses his love to you.
-> Circling back to who confessed first; when you first say "I love you" Grady is simultaneously elated and deeply alarmed. Why would you love him, and do you think he is daft enough to fall for such an obvious lie? And yet in spite of the oh so logical parts of his brain, Grady can't fight back the smile or the pink dusting his cheeks at your confession. Try as he might, his stoic facade shows its cracks [if only for a moment] and that may lead to Grady isolating for a day or two as he tries to fully process what you said and what he felt in response - how he should handle the "situation" from here [holy overthinker batman]. Note that he is noticeably more caring from here on out too, sweeter on you than he usually is.
-> Regarding when Mr. Mallory says it to you for the first time, I think it's something he wants planned out. A nice dinner to get you in a romantic mood followed by a walk around all the nicer yet more isolated parts of Penacony, followed further by a dance and his subsequent confession of love for you. The aim is, again, to get you in a lovey dovey mood but more than anything it's Grady buying time to steel his nerves and [subconsciously] look for a way out.
-> The confession itself isn't all too flowery or "romantic": despite Gradys' nature as a director, he prefers to keep things simple and to the point in his personal life. You could say he's emotionally blunt, but in a way that makes Gradys' confession more believable. It's a simple "I love you" with nothing else but the way he says it entirely certain, like he's sharing an immutable fact.
-> How often does Grady want it said to him? How often does he say it? Well. Grady would like to say that he's the type of man who could go a week without hearing those three words and be totally fine, but in truth he needs to hear it at least once every second day. He gets grumpy otherwise, which is to say mildly anxious. As for saying it, Grady will never be a fully vocal lover but he can adapt. Not only will he return it every time you say it, but he'll take the initiative weekly, and then nightly - if only while you're asleep in his arms.
N | Nicknames: Do they call their partner petnames? What Nicknames (petnames) do they give their partner?
-> Oh Mister Mallory loves petnames and he tends to be fairly casual with them! Honestly Grady might refer to you as his "sweetheart" more than he does your actual name. Blunt and stoic as he may be, Grady is casual and almost flirty with this type of affection.
-> As for the nicknames, "sweetheart" is a big one but there are a few others too. "Kid" [said teasingly], "baby", "doll", "handsome/pretty", maybe even a "loverboy/girl" thrown into the mix to keep you on your toes. His chosen petnames are never particularly goofy or cute nor are they overly elegant and suave, they're simply charming in their own right [if not a little sleazy].
-> That's all in a more casual/casually romantic setting, however. When Grady is feeling intimate or particularly romantic he tends to favour "My Beloved", as a thing. And if he is truly feeling sentimental or vulnerable you may ever be able to get a "my soul" out of him, said with a quiet but steadfast reverence and adoration that he is not prone to sharing openly.
-> As for receiving petnames, Grady isn't all too fussed what you come up. He has a fondness for things such as "darling", "my love" and the like, but in truth Grady prefers you call him by his first name. He has... issues regarding how well received his name is, how little it means to people and so having his beloved say his name so affectionately and sweetly has his heart skipping a beat or two. Especially if you add "my" in front of it: "my darling Grady" or even just "my Grady" has him melting into a puddle.
U | Unwinding: How do they like to relax with their partner? How can their partner help them relax after a hard day?
-> Grady is in constant need of relaxation. He has, again, had a very rough life but even now as a director his life remains stressful. From his penchant to overwork to his constant self-neglect and that's not even mentioning how public perception constantly messes with his self-esteem and the like.
-> Before you, Grady found "comfort and relaxation" in pipes and drink; copious amounts of substances to try and sink into numbness so as to be able to continue with his life and not get swallowed up by his own despair. Often paired with more work, as a thing.
-> And that's not to say that these bad coping mechanisms have disappeared with you of course [though after his rebirth as a memetic entity they have gone down significantly] but more to say that you've helped. He still likes a pipe and drink after a long day, but he's no longer downing bottle after bottle - at least not often.
-> Anyway putting aside the angst, how Grady wants to relax with you depends on his energy levels: sometimes he comes home so tired and stressed that all he wants to do is light a pipe and spend the rest of the night in your arms. Usually on the couch while watching parody horror movies [think Scary Movie or Shaun of the Dead], though he won't so no to a relaxing bath or massage first - run him a nice bath, massage scented oils into his skin, brush his hair and pepper kisses on his face and neck as you help dress him in something comfortable before pulling him to the longue room to cuddle and watch TV. Being near you in general provides comfort, but being taken care of truly warms Gradys' heart. Pamper him a little.
-> On nights where he insists on returning to work [because he oh so often does], the best way to provide relaxation is by simply being near him or, if possible, dragging him outside for a while. A nice walk around Penacony where it's just the two of you always calms Gradys' mind, so even if he returns to work when you both arrive home it's often with a sense of clarity and calm.
-> Does sex help Grady relax? ........maybe ;)
W | Wholesome habits: What habits did they pick up from you? What habits did you pick up from them?
-> Wholesome habits Grady has picked up from you? Uh yeah, liking himself.
-> No but seriously that is one of the affects you've had on him. Your habit of complimenting him, of believing in him and his works will rub off overtime and result in Grady looking at himself kinder than he ever really has. At least, since Asna anyway. It is something that manifests in smaller ways, but you'll no doubt start to notice how he no longer backs away from your kind words, how he seems to stop berating himself and his name as he so often has in the past. You could even say that Grady starts to believe that he deserves you and the feeling of peace that comes with you.
-> On a smaller scale, Grady will no doubt pick up some of your little habits! He is an ever-observant man with an excellent memory, so it's no surprise that all of your little quirks and habits are noted down by him. Which means that a lot of what Grady picks up is conscious, an attempt to feel closer to you in a way. Things such as how you may put on certain articles of clothing, how you may fiddle with certain things when thinking or bored, and the like. Small, almost unthinking parts of you will become a part of him too - consider it a way he shows his affection and care.
-> As for habits you'll pick up, it will likely be his speech. Like Mr. Reca, Grady has an almost antique lexicon and a habit of referring to things in a very film director way. It is not hard to imagine that these habits of his will rub off on you, resulting in a similarly antique and eccentric speech [if only by a little]. You may also pick up on his habits regarding petnames; as I said earlier he calls a lot of people "sweetheart" specifically and Grady may grow smug when he starts to notice you doing the same - "am I that important to you doll?".
-> Likewise, you may also note Gradys' effortlessly confident demeanour and that too is liable to rub off over time. Especially when paired with his nature as a steadfast lover, who believes in you as much as you do him.
-> On a smaller scale, you may also pick up on some of his habits regarding hygiene! He is a very neat and clean man who makes absolutely certain that everything not only has a place but is clean. This is something you will have to pick up in order to live with him, but it is beneficial. Especially when you adopt his showering habits, of which he has many; you'll never not be smelling like heaven from here on out.
Well, it’s my birthday. Decided I’d do this to fill up some time. Enjoy and happy birthday to anyone else who’s got the same one! ❤️❤️❤️
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Tokyo Ghoul
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Yamori
Your birthday is gonna start with a grumble of “Happy birthday.” and a sweet kiss.
He elects to take you out for breakfast and then to go shopping and spend time together.
He doesn’t take any appointments or anything. It’s your day and he wants to be there for you.
Literally anything you want or want to do today will be done. He loves to spoil you and you’re worth the price. You put up with him, love him, and help him through his rough moments, all while living in perpetual danger. He thinks it’s the least he could do.
He smiles a lot more on your birthday. Not the usual malicious smile either, it’s a genuine, content, and sweet smile.
To be completely honest, your birthday has gotta be one of his favorite days of the year and he looks forward to it every time.
Naki
Naki literally plans all week.
He tries to do breakfast in bed for you but he burns the toast…and the eggs are somehow undercooked and overcooked at the same time. It’s just kind of bad. But he didn’t set a fire this time! Just try to eat it and tell him thank you.
He gets you a new outfit for your special day. I can see him being a man who appreciates a good cupcake style dress man. If that’s not your thing then he’ll either try to find one closer to your tastes or find a new outfit entirely.
Gods he’s so excited! He spends the day taking you places you like and giving you gifts.
When you get home, there’s a cake waiting with “Happy Birthday!” and a well prepared dinner. He’s particularly proud of the fact that it’s your favorite.
He gives you one final big gift before whisking you away to your shared bedroom. What happens from there on out is up to you. Want to do something “fun”? Sounds great! Want to cuddle and wind down? Perfect! He just wants to spend time with you. Either way, the night ends with an “I love you” and another “Happy Birthday”.
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Murder, She Wrote
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Grady
He loves birthdays, especially yours! He does get a bit stressed though.
He can’t always get off of work for your birthday but he’ll 100% make it up to you and celebrate on a different day if need be.
Thankfully, his Aunt Jess will help him out! She’s great at gift giving and will help him get something meaningful and useful.
A lot of your birthdays are celebrated with both Grady and Jessica. Sometimes you can’t tell who’s more excited about your birthday when it comes to those two.
Homemade cakes are what he’s all about! You’ll probably go out to dinner or lunch but the cake will be something he made. You can really taste the love.
There’s a lot of cuddling and general holding. Grady loves you so much and he’s a romantic at heart so this is favorite way to say happy birthday.
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The Boys
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Homelander
Everything he does is a Vought affair so naturally, your birthday is included in this. That is if you’re public about the relationship.
He'll try to spend as much time as possible with you but Vought tends to use your birthday as publicity, marketing, and for things like appearances.
Thankfully, he finds a way to maneuver around the schedule that's set for the two of you. This is when he whisks you away so that y'all can settle down for the night.
This ends with y'all on the rooftop of the tower in a sort of 16 Candles situation where the both of you are leaning over a cupcake with a candle in it as he sings happy birthday.
If your relationship isn't public, it'll be a lot more intimate, mainly just the both of you spending time alone together.
There are a lot of gifts. Like he doesn't hold back whatsoever. This goes for both scenarios.
Black Noir
He was a little lost about what to do for your birthday until he got some help from his “friends”.
Unlike Homelander, Black Noir doesn't have to worry about Vought functions taking over your birthday.
You two get to spend as much time with each as you want. If you want to stay home then you'll stay home, if you want to go out then you'll go out. It's all up to you on your day!
All of the gifts he gets you are really personal and are just what you'd want, his friends made sure of it.
He doesn't really speak so expect a handmade card with a heartfelt note inside.
As for cake, he'd like it if you could bake one together but if you want to buy one then he'll find the best place in the area to have it made.
You're a mess. Why did you have to go and say all those things? Things that you don't even mean.
You walk over to the window overlooking the apartment's parking lot, but don't see any movement. You sigh dejectedly and turn away from it.
Grady and you tend to fight a lot. But that had been your dynamic from the start. Grady's temper rises quickly, while you can never let anything go. Until now though, the fighting matches had either ended in silent that would be broken by either of you when you'd finally calmed down, taking the other in the arms and apologizing, or in laughter when the argument had been too silly to start with.
Today had been different though, the topic of the argument too heavy to simply forget about. And then you'd said those words. The hurt in Grady's eyes still punches you in the gut anytime you replay the fight in your mind, wishing that it had gone differently. Wishing that you had stepped down just this once.
But you hadn't. And Grady had left. Taken a bag and left. Left you.
Ever since he'd come back from that war, he'd needed more space. More space to think and come to terms with what he'd seen. What he'd had to do. He'd talked to you about some of the things that had happened over there, but not everything. Barely anything really. You know that there is more every time his eyes will glaze over, and he'll vanish inside himself for hours at a time. That's when he would leave for a while, telling you that he needed time. Space. And you let him. Of course, you did.
Except that you don't know where this "space" is. You don't know if he'll be coming back this time. The thought scares you. You can't lose him. Despite everything, Grady is your forever. You would never leave him and until now you'd thought that-
There are a few tentative knocks at the front door and your head whips around to it.
You are in front of it in a few strides and pull it open sharply.
Grady is standing behind it, eyes sad but hopeful. You throw your arms around his neck, repeating the same few words again and again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
The way he hugs you to him speaks for itself, and you feel a heavy weight lifting from your shoulders. You lean back a bit to cup his face with your hands and kiss him softly. The "Welcome home" goes unsaid.
“Hey, Y/N!” you heard the familiar voice of Grady call your name as you started walking away from the tank. You tried to keep moving, hoping maybe he would give up and talk to you about whatever it was he wanted to talk about when you got back. You weren’t so lucky, however. “Y/N!” he called again. “Where are you going?”
Stopping in your tracks, you spun around, the mud beneath your boots squishing as you did so. Holding up your shower bag and change of clothes, you narrowed your eyes at him. “Take a wild fucking guess.”
“Oh.” he nodded, just his head sticking out from the tank. “Okay, it can wait.”
You were surprised that Grady was actually going to let you go without even a little bit of a fight, but then it just sparked your curiosity. Huffing, you placed a hand on your side. “What can wait?”
“I was just hoping you could come to take a look at this damn panel in here,” he answered. “I’ve been at it for hours now and I can’t figure out how to fix it.”
You shook your head slightly and chuckled at his determination even though he had been trying for the past two days to fix the circuit panel inside of the tank with no progress at all. “Well then, it’ll still be fucked up when I get back,” you assured him. “I’ll take a look later.”
“Thanks.”
“Wow, you’re being so nice today.” you chuckled as you turned to leave. “But I know this tactic, and whatever you want from me, the answer is no.”
You heard a slightly defeated huff as you turned again and continued to head toward the showers. With belongings in hand, you slipped past the final few male stragglers as they exited the showering facilities and made your way into the small, dinky building.
It took you a long time before you had your showering situation figured out, but after you worked hard and earned the respect of your male counterparts, you made a collective deal that between six and six-thirty in both the morning and evening, the shower was to be empty so you could use it. Every once in a while there was a new guy or someone just finishing up when you arrived, but for the most part, the rule was followed by all.
Setting your stuff down on the damp counter — because no matter how hard you tried, you could never teach a man (especially an army man) how to clean up after themselves — you dug through the small bad for your soap and began to undress.
Like usual, your eyes kept darting toward the door, but once you were situated in a shower stall and had the warm water running over your body, all worry about being walked in on was rinsed away along with the dirt, sweat, and just general grime on your skin.
Lathering the soap between your hands, you gathered up as much foam as you could before beginning to work over your body quickly but efficiently. As much as you wished you could just stand under the water for hours on end and get away from the stress of the war for a little while, you were well aware that once your allotted half-hour was up, there would be angry men banging on the door if you were still inside.
However, there were still times when your mind began to wander while you were showering, and although you would deny it to anyone who asked, they were often of the same thing. It had been years since you had gotten anything even remotely close to sex and in those few minutes, while you were naked and had your hands running all over your body, the thoughts just came naturally.
Eventually, though, you had to pull your mind out of the gutter and finish up. Rinsing your body off, you lathered up your bar of soap once more and used the suds to wash your tangled, dirty hair.
Stepping directly under the stream, you closed your eyes and let the water wash away the dirt and soap from your hair, some of the runoff running down your face in the process.
While your eyes were closed and your head was under the water, you had missed the sound of the door opening, followed by footsteps that were otherwise pretty noticeable on the wet floor.
You were none the wiser to your visitor until you felt two large, calloused hands on your sides. With a shriek, you jumped forward, your eyes opening as you did so and letting soap into them, which made you hiss with pain. With eyes forced shut, you felt around blindly for your towel before wrapping it tightly around your dripping body. “What the hell?!” you began to use the towel to wipe your eyes. “Who the fuck is that?”
“It’s just me.” you didn’t even need to see the man to know who it was; the voice gave it all away.
Opening your eyes and attempting to ignore the stinging pain from the soap, you glared at him, your arms holding the towel firmly around your otherwise completely nude body. “Grady, what are you doing in here?” you snapped. “You know better than anyone that this is my time to shower! Why can’t I just shower in peace? Half an hour, that’s all I ask.”
“I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay.” his stance and words didn’t falter for even a second as he stood confidently in front of you, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the side of the shower stall. “You know, after what happened last week.”
“Oh, Grady, for the last time, he was a new guy, he didn’t know any better!” you felt the pain increase again and wiped them with the corner of the towel once more. “I promise you, I can shower on my own. I’m a big girl.”
“Yeah, well, what if I don’t want you to shower on your own?” he posed the question that confused you to no end.
From the other side of the still-running water stream, you cocked an eyebrow and scrunched up your face with a puzzled look. “What are you talking about?” you frankly weren’t in the mood to play these sorts of games with him. “Like, you wanna stand watch while I shower?”
“Sort of.” he shrugged, his broad shoulders rising ever-so-slightly. “Except, I don’t want to stand out there.” he gestured to the door as he took a single step toward you. “I want to stand in here. With you.”
You attempted to make sense of what he was saying, but after a few seconds of trying, you gave up. “Grady, I have no idea what you’re trying to say to me right now, but if it has anything to do with what I think it does, you already know that the answer is no.”
“The answer with you is always no.” Grady huffed, taking yet another step closer, the only thing separating the two of you being the shower stream now. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”
“Fun isn’t what I’m looking for.”
“Fun is what everyone is looking for.” he gripped the hem of his dirty, grease-stained shirt before pulling it over his head. Then, with a lazy flick of his wrist, he tossed it away. You wanted to tell him to stop, but there were no words as you stood, frozen, watching him. Next, he unbuckled the belt of his pants and let them fall down his legs before stepping out of them.
Your breathing hitched as your eyes drifted down to his final item of clothing, but instead of removing his underwear, Grady simply left them on and stepped under the water.
“What are you doing?” the anger came back for a moment.
Grady cupped his hands before splashing the collected water onto his face. “Showering, what does it look like?”
“Well, yeah, no shit, but it’s still my turn.” you reached out with a single hand and pushed him back. “I still have soap in my hair, so will you please put your clothes back on and get lost so I can finish up here?”
Moving back a few inches, Grady ushered you toward the water. “Go ahead. I’m not stopping you.”
“Grady, please.” you were beginning to feel the undeniable heat and familiar ache between your legs grow. “Please, just let me shower alone. I don’t have much time left.”
“Like I said, I’m not stopping you.” he folded his arms over his chest, his skin slick and wet and very irresistible.
Rolling your eyes, you finally gave in to his stupid games and decided to just rinse your hair and then get the hell out of there. You had no idea what had gotten into Grady. While it wasn’t uncommon for him to try and get you to sleep with him, and it wasn’t unusual for the two of you to jokingly flirt with each other here and there, he had never actually tried this hard before.
Letting out an annoyed sigh, you looked him dead in the eyes. “Fine.” you removed the towel and slung it over the stall partition. “But you stay over there.”
“I can’t make any promises.” his eyes traveled up and down your body as you turned your back to him and continued rinsing the remaining soap out of your hair.
You weren’t surprised when you felt his hands on your waist again, but you did gasp a little when he dipped his head down and pressed a kiss to your shoulder. “I can be very persuasive when I want to,” he whispered into your ear, sending chills down your spine.
“I can tell.” you breathed out, your mind focusing solely on how his hands and mouth were moving on your body. “If this is just yet another tactic to get whatever it is that you want from me, it’s working.”
“Good.” he spun you around and hooked his hands under your ass before picking you up. “But this isn’t about that.”
You furrowed your brows at him. “It isn’t? Then what is it about?” you asked as he pressed your back against the partition and continued pressing kisses to and nipping at the skin on your neck.
“It’s about us.” he began to maneuver his way out of his boxers. “You want sex, I want sex, we’re both here. It just makes sense.”
“Okay.” you wrapped your arms around his neck and let your eyes flutter shut, waiting for whatever pleasure was about to come. “Just be quick.”
“I’ll try my-”
Grady’s words were cut off by banging on the door and shouting. Obviously, your time was up. “No.” you almost whimpered.
A sly smirk spread across Grady’s face as he put you back down and stepped away. “If only you hadn’t fought me so hard.” he started pulling his clothes back on. “Meet me back here tonight at six. We can finish what we started.”
Grabbing for your towel once more, you looked up at him. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” he snaked his hand up and under your towel and ran a finger over your folds. “See you then.”
Your knees wobbled at his actions and words. “Okay, see you then.”
I need you guys to imagine a Reca/Reader/Grady throuple/threesome but during Gradys' possession of Reca.
Maybe Mr. Reca has a thing for you, a very strong one, but for whatever reason he hasn't and likely won't make a move on - at least not a serious one and at least not anytime soon. But then here comes Grady, with full access to Recas' memories and feelings for you, and in his infinite kindness he decides to play around a little bit.
Meets you and introduces him as Grady, the once filmmaker, and tries his hand at wooing you in the hopes of spending a night together. It's teasing towards Reca; showing him what he could have but technically isn't, because despite the body you're not sleeping with Reca you're sleeping with Grady. Reca is frustrated at it, forced to watch and feel it while knowing you're not after him (despite the fact that you may end up calling out his name during it) and Grady is just sooooo smug about it all. Grady doesn't hate Reca but if he's been brought back from the dead he'll have some fun while he's here.
But then somewhere along the way during the course of the possession Grady ends up developing a genuine crush on you as well, only exacerbated by the fact that he's been experiencing everything Reca feels towards you this entire time; a mix of his own feelings and his.
It leads to an awkward (but fun) situation where you have two men in the same body pining after you and feeling somewhat bitter towards the other for "stealing" you and ruining their chances (Grady for sleeping with you, and Reca for being the one you know best/initially fell for).
Tbh I think Reca best suits the sort of toxicity that comes with being an obsessive worshipper esc yandere, whereas Grady better suits the toxicity of someone who is more traditionally dominant in their abuse
Both strongly desire control of their darling but Reca is more mind games and constant guilt tripping + somewhat reckless and self sacrificing behaviour, whereas Grady is more physical plays of power and control mixed with mind games 🤔
-> Cw for Grady standard attachment issues. As per usual, this is a pseudo character analysis. Whoopsy daisies.
-> Currently listening to: Late Nights & Heartbreak - Hannah Williams & The Affirmations
-> Credit to @cafekitsune for the divider!!
Grady <3
G | Gestures: How do they express their love? What are their love languages?
-> Gradys' love language is first and foremost Acts of Service and this is going to be how he predominantly expresses his love for you - though the how of it changes over the course of the relationship.
-> One of the first things you may notice when starting your relationship with Grady is that he is not particularly a vocal lover nor is he too touchy feely [early on anyway] and so he makes up for this with an almost hypervigilant level of observation.
-> Grady is a director and while he may be scorned as not a particularly good one it does mean that his observation skills are next to none. And when this is paired with his mindset of "well if I can't be loved I can at least be useful/needed" it results in a very... self-negligent sort of care.
-> A mix specifically very fun when you take into account Gradys' attachment issues and how avoidant he can be. Actually, his care for you is a big way this avoidance manifests; Grady takes care of you, bends himself over backwards at the expense of his own health to make sure you're alright and thriving, pays attention to your every mood and need, and as such in his mind he never needs to verbalise his feelings or get close. He doesn't need to risk making it real, so to speak and he doesn't need your concern for his health either.
And it's something Grady may use against you at first, unfortunately - "I take care of you, how dare you question my affection for you?" which is to say, "how could you want to get close to me, don't you know what a mess I am?". No doubt a point of contention early on.
-> Again which isn't to say that this expression of love is disingenuous!! It's more just.... awkward; genuine observations and care laced with a lack of personal depth, so to speak. Which is also incorrect because everything he notices about you, every back breaking act reveals a lot more about Grady and his mindset than he may care to acknowledge. But that's fine; love him like this [though stand up for yourself and what you deserve], give him a sense of security and unconditional love and, with time, Grady will allow himself to get close to you. And as such you'll see this behaviour change.
-> So, how exactly does this change over time? How does Grady express his love for you when the two of you are closer?
-> Namely Grady lets you take care of him as well. Now this may seem weird - how is this him expressing his love? - but as we've established Gradys' care manifests in a very self-negligent way and I'm sure I don't need to drill home his issues with being vulnerable.
-> So for Grady to allow himself to crumble under his own weight, to allow himself to be vulnerable and useless around you, to be taken care of instead of being the carer is, to him, the ultimate way of expressing his love for you. To Grady there is no greater display than allowing you to see him knocked down a peg or two, to see him messy and human.
-> There are other ways that Grady expresses his love for you, of course. Namely he grows more physical over the course of the relationship and he becomes a VERY passionate advocate for falling asleep cuddling and holding hands whenever possible. On a smaller scale, Grady enjoys showing his affection for you with forehead kisses - one every time he says "hello" and "goodbye" regardless of who is around to witness it and also just whenever he feels like it, to be honest.
-> Grady is also very fond of having you just around him; he is someone very picky about who he lets into his personal space and his social battery isn't the best, so having you around and letting you get close to him is another fairly big way Grady shows his love for you. It is also something that translates to his work too - Grady will no doubt want you on set with him if he can, regardless of whether or not you actually work in the film industry [he will also star you in one of his movies even if you don't. Hope you like the idea of becoming a star on the silver screen...].
