aki stands unmoving in the shade of the maple tree. the afternoon sunlight filters through the leaves, casting shadows across the dirt. his hands are tucked in his pockets, katana hefty on his back, and a quiet peace unusual for a devil hunter overcomes him. your laughter rings clear, reaching him all the way across the park, seeping deep behind his ribs. an angelic sound.
“what are we?” he remembered asking, his mouth hot against yours. “what are we doing?”
you hummed against his lips, fingers playing with the hair on his nape. “having fun? don’t you think we deserve it? a little fun?”
“fun can be dangerous,” he had said. but his hands told another story: drawing you closer by the waist, roaming your sides. a little too firm—a little too desperate for just fun. his fingers spanned across your hips, roving over your figure as if he could sear every curve in his mind. in his soul.
he never knew what to say when he knocked on your door late at night, two hard but polite raps against the metal. never could name the feeling unfurling in his chest, warm but too hot to handle. it always happened when he met your eyes. or maybe it started simmering even before he left his apartment.
but you always knew what to say: “welcome back, aki”, with a smile. you always knew what to do: steady hands that pull him by his tie, tugging his tall frame across the threshold. the heavy door would always slam with a clang, shutting out the dark horrors of the world for just one moment as your intertwined bodies moved towards the bed.
it was no different that night, except for the odd questions. exchanged in the comfort of your cotton sheets, a scare security.
“what am i to you?” he asked. it came out low, straightforward, tinged with an ache too fearful to acknowledge.
you tilted your head against the pillow, gaze soft. a complete contrast from the sharpness of earlier, when the blood soaked your clothes after another devil fight.
“you’re my favorite person.”
his face twisted.
you watched as it did so, a sad smile on your face.
“or you’re the one i call at night. does that make you feel better?”
did it? he didn’t know.
aki only pressed his lips against yours again, hopeless in the way his hands roamed over your figure, mapping, like they always do. his fingers traveled—pulling off your clothes, then pulling another orgasm out of you with each deliberate curl. his tongue tasted your sweat, your sticky sweetness, your moans that dripped with honey. and his cock pounded you into the cotton sheets, each thump heavy as if they could voice the words he couldn’t say.
he hoped it all translated to: you’re the one i call at night, too.
and not: you’re the reason i count down the days now. you’re the reason why each passing second hurts more. you’re the reason why i stupidly think that maybe in another life, i could give you more, i could give you what you deserve. maybe if we weren't—
“aki,” you breathed, and the sound went straight to his heart. it made his blue eyes shake, made him fuck you harder—rougher.
“aki. aki. aki. aki—”
“—aki?”
aki blinks.
“everything okay? we should probably leave.”
you stand in front of him now, no longer across the park. a confused look adorns your face as you hold two ice cream cones in each hand, the soft serve already starting to melt. they drip to the ground, nearly staining your crisp button-up as they fall.
“are you done?” he asks you, his tongue heavy in his mouth.
you smile, and aki doesn’t remember the sun being that bright. “yeah.”
the ice cream cone gets shoved in his hands. you turn, walking off with a happy bounce in your step, only looking back when you notice him rooted to his spot.
“what’re you waiting for?”
aki wordlessly moves, his katana shifting against his back in its rigidity. you both walk in sync—out of the shadows of the maple tree, and into the dreadful streets tainted with death.
despite that, you hum with ease, delightfully eating your ice cream without a care in the world.
aki only stares at the cone in his hand, the soft serve now trickling over his fingers.
his voice comes out deep, a little scratchy. “can i come over after—?”
abruptly, your face appears next to his chest, tongue darting out to lick the melted ice cream off his skin.
aki stops, feeling a harsh pound in his chest.
“you’re not even eating it,” you grumble out, pouting. “just give it to me if you don’t want it.”
he doesn’t want it, but that’s not why he hands the cone over to you, his gaze lingers on your brightened face.
the both of you start walking again. you, on your second ice cream cone. him, staring ahead, with his fist clenched tight in his trousers.
then quietly, he hears your voice drift in the space. you step closer to him, nudging his side, unaware that the slightest touch from you can tilt his entire axis—his entire world. in favor of you.
aki steadies himself.
“yeah,” you say quietly. “come over later. after all…”
you smile up at him—the sun, the only light in these dreadful streets tainted with death. he undeservingly basks in it, feeling it warm his entire being. a warmth that almost makes him forget about his limited days. almost makes him wish for more.
summary: jungwon realizes him finally getting you was all just a dream || warnings: dom!jungwon x sub!reader, brothersbestfriend!jungwon, jake is your older brother lol, missionary, against the wall lol, unprotected sex, mentions of jungwon jerking off || genre: smut, fluff, unestablished relationship || word count: approximately 315 || a/n: see the request here!
Jungwon and you kiss as you walk into the room, neither of you pulling away as Jungwon shuts and locks the door behind the two of you. Everything felt so desperate and rushed, well, because it was. The both of you had been yearning for this moment for ages though you both knew your brother, Jungwon's best friend, Jake, was bound to be back home any minute now.
Jungwon had originally come to your house to see your brother but open you telling him your brother was out, he was going to leave. You stopped him, inviting him in to wait for Jake since he wouldn't be long. One thing led to another and here you were.
It didn't take long for your pajama shorts and undies to be on the floor, Jungwon's pants and underwear pulled down his legs as he was fucking into you. It wasn't anything gentle, to say the least. You were both needy for the release you craved from the other.
You continued like that before you could feel yourself growing close. Jungwon was growing closer as well. Just as the both of you were about to come, you were stopped by the sound of Jake calling for Jungwon's name.
"Jungwon.. Jungwon, wake up, bro." Jake says as he lightly shakes Jungwon awake, causing Jungwon to shoot up from his sleep, wide awake now. So, all of that was a dream? He should've known it was too good to be true. It wasn't even a surprise to him that Jake managed to cockblock him in a dream as well.
When Jungwon walked down the stairs after having excused himself to go "pee", which really meant wanking one out, he was met with the sight of you sitting on the couch, obviously just having gotten up, looking pretty as ever to him, wearing those same pajama shorts you'd worn in his dream.
haru, who's never had a crush before you. he only realised this when makoto pointed it out. asking "um, dude? everything okay?" while he noticed haru was watching you very intently. he responds with a curt nod and continues watching you closely, as you interact with your friend. "you're always staring at her, just say hi." while he drags haru over to you with alot of force required.
"uhhh hi?" you say with the most beautiful voice he's ever heard. "hey! im makoto, and this-" he says, grabbing haru's hand and holding it up in a small wave. "-is haruka." "hi." "i'm y/n" you copy his small wave. mako and your friend make eye contact, understanding the situation, and swiftly leave you two alone.
"do you like, i dunno, need something?" raising an eyebrow at the spontaneity of the situation. "do you know how to swim?"
after school, you accompany haru to the beach. the two of you walk side by side along the sand. haru watches you, while you watch the waves crash upon the shore. "do you come here a lot?" now, you're looking over at him. "yeah." "and do you always take girls here?" "i've never taken anyone here." the intense look on his face tells you he isn't lying. "yeah? guess'm just special, huh?" wiggling your eyebrows at him "mhm. you are." you notice his fingers keep reaching for your hand and then backing down, falling to his side. to help him out, you take hold of his hand. he lifts his eyes to your face to see a small smile gracing your features before you turn towards the water again.
as the night goes on you guys slowly build conversation. he's not much of a talker, you notice, but the comfortable silence between you two is enough. still holding hands, you reach your house. "thanks for tonight, i had fun." facing him you let go of his hand. "of course, same." he watches you walk into your house, not leaving until you're home safe, before walking away.
Written for @everettpines as my part of the The Mystery Shack Halloween gift exchange. (I really enjoyed this premise, I hope I did it justice ^^*)
FordXVampire!Reader
Rated T just to be safe
Summary: During a visit to Gravity Falls after being out at sea, Ford encounters a stranger at the library who seems out of place, even for the weird town's standards.
It wasn’t unusual for Ford to completely miss signs of the supernatural, especially when it came to other people.
His habit of becoming completely engrossed in his own thoughts or other observations was often to his own detriment.
However, as he browsed the Gravity Falls library shelves, it was damn near unavoidable to notice the pallid complexion of the patron who was hunched over in a corner, pouring over the yellowed pages of a very old tome.
Half their face was hidden by a surgical mask, obscuring their features for the most part save for the exhausted, empty eyes that scanned the words with an air of hopeless determination.
Ford's purpose in scanning the shelves became forgotten as he moved a little closer, his dark eyes taking in more and more of the hooded figure.
Pale, almost translucent skin with a greyish-blue tint, the way they trembled as if cold, despite the warm temperatures outside-
Suddenly, he was looking right into their eyes, and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Those eyes were full of desperation, of hunger and overwhelming despair, dilated to an inhuman degree.
Ford took control of his own fear and sense of danger- if this individual had wanted to truly harm him, they wouldn’t be here, in such a public place. But that begged the question- why was a vampire, clearly starving and in need of blood, here in broad daylight and not roosting safely in a dark place?
Without another thought, he moved closer, enough so that he could speak without being overheard by any other patrons- not that there was much worry of that, the library was all but empty save for the employees.
“What do you want?” The croaky voice of the vampire broke the silence before Ford could utter a word.
*
You had noticed the strange man almost immediately when he entered the library. Ever since your... rebirth, your senses had been overwhelmingly more acute, the point of discomfort and even anguish.
Being separated from the rest of humanity by your condition was something you were still learning to adjust to, but your current perception of the scent of individuals was nothing you could have prepared for.
The thought of eating another person made you feel violently ill… and it took everything in you to deny yourself the fact that blood smelled sweet, sweeter than any previous scent you could ever remember encountering before. No two humans smelled exactly alike, which seemed a blessing and a curse. There were certain types that drew your attention and subsequent hunger more than others, and up to this point, you had been able to fully deny yourself-
The instant that man stepped into the library, you had become painfully aware of his scent, and the awareness had only grown.
How could it be described? Hints of woodsmoke, burnt metal, a concoction of the outdoor air and fallen leaves, his thrumming heart beating in a pulse that was off sync with everyone else-
Your mouth watered, your feeding fangs quivering inside your gums. An instant regret at being here filled you, and yet, you remained rooted in your seat, eyes fixed on the book you’d hoped might save you. Thank the stars it was daylight- your limbs were stiff and hard to move.
It was impossible to focus with the stranger so close and you swore it was as if he knew-
Your eyes snapped to meet his gaze and you took in his appearance- greying hair with a silvery streak at his temples, bright eyes behind thickly lensed glasses, squared jaw and brows quirked inquisitively-
His expression was stern, grim and knowing all at once and beneath the layers of clothing he wore, you heard his strong pulse quicken.
“What do you want?” You pressed yourself back against the corner you’d hidden yourself in as soon as you realized he was approaching you.
“How long have you been starving yourself?” His voice was strong, self-assured and deeply curious above all else, though you noticed the sympathy in his eyes.
Shock filled you before you reproached yourself. So he did know- but how much he knew, you couldn’t be sure, and instantly, you felt wary. Was he a hunter? In spite of the confidence he seemed to exude, you couldn’t sense any kind of predatory intentions from him, just a thousand burning questions in his amber eyes.
“It’s been six months,” your voice croaked.
His eyes widened and you saw him wage some argument within himself as he looked around the quiet library.
“... Come with me.”
“Not a good idea. I’ll-... you-”
“I just want to help you.” His response was firm, but you saw the edges of his sharp face soften.
Your heart was dead, but the pit of your stomach fluttered oddly.
“I can’t move in the daylight.”
“Ah. Then, remain here.”
“How do I… How do I know I can trust you?” You shot back with a rasp, all your concentration pinpointed on keeping your fangs from dropping, your entire body rooted in place.
He gave a sardonic grin, holding up his palm. You hadn't noticed when he approached, but the sixth finger on his otherwise ordinary appendage immediately caught your attention.
“I know what it’s like to be different and misplaced. You’re not with your own kind- it’s easy to see you feel misplaced as well.”
The urge to scoff at the comparison filled you. He was still human, however odd his hands might be. He didn't know what it was like to feel this way, alone amongst other vampires, at unrest amongst people, your constant urges warring with your morality and your desires to do no harm.
But even as a retort built in your throat, you stilled, trying to see more than just an arrogant man who thought he understood you. He held his hand up without hesitation, like a badge of honor, or a permit of some kind. even if the action was presumptuous, it came from a place of sincerity. and the more you thought about it, the more you realized that you missed being around people who didn't care about your failings... and vampirism was killing you at the moment.
All this you thought in an instant before you realized you were salivating. What choice did you have? He was almost literally reaching out his hand to you.
Your throat felt as if it was locking up, your eyes unblinking. If you could still cry the way you used to, there would be tears racing down your cheeks. You were so hungry-
“Fine.”
He nodded and turned on his heel, walking decisively away from you.
Your eyes dropped back to your book and you gripped the pages tightly, your pupils dilated with the urge to stalk after him.
No. I won’t. I refuse… I can wait a little longer. I will-
Almost half an hour later, he returned, a satchel slung across his shoulders.
“Here- take this into the bathroom with you. The contents should help.” He put the satchel down on the ground in front of you, stepping back a respectful distance.
Your nose twitched- whatever was in the satchel smelled appetizing. Doubt curled around your desperation.
“It’s not of human origins. Don’t worry.” He chuckled at your questioning look.
Screw it-!
You snatched the bag up and hurried into the library restroom, moving as quickly as your sluggish limbs would allow.
The satchel contained a medical grade bag of a thick, brownish-red liquid. You knew it wasn’t human blood, but it wasn’t animal blood either. Without another thought, you punctured the bag with your teeth and began to drink.
It wasn’t enough, but almost immediately, you felt the despair seep from your undead flesh, your pallid skin flooding with a rosiness that didn’t by any means giving you a living complexion, but the translucency lessened noticeably. The Hunger was still there, but instead of a constant noose tightening around your neck, it had faded to a gentle tapping at the windows of your mind.
Your feeding fangs relaxed, and you leaned against the bathroom stall wall with a relief that you hadn’t experienced in what felt like an eternity.
When you emerged from the bathroom, you saw your savior leafing through the book you had been reading- A Vampire’s Guide to Vampirism. On the nose? Absolutely, but you knew from reading through it that the information was mostly true.
“What did you give me?”
He looked up and you saw him ascertain your appearance, as if making mental notes on the effect whatever he'd given you had done. Seemingly satisfied with his own conclusions, he finally replied.
“A compromise- I can provide you with an alternative to your needs in exchange for information, if you so wish.”
"Are you always this vague with your answers?" It was hard to not be annoyed with him, even if he had provided you temporary relief.
Your reproach seemed to chastise him before he squared his shoulders.
"Your condition isn't one that should be discussed so openly. This town is strange, but I don't think it would be wise for anyone to overhear."
Now it was your turn to feel chastised. He had a point.
“What kind of information do you want from me?”
His somber expression lightened and he spoke a little more buoyantly.
“Let me start by introducing myself; I’m Dr. Stanford Pines. I used to live here in Gravity Falls as a researcher. I haven’t lived here in a long time, but this place is… special to me. I never had an opportunity to speak to anyone with your condition here, and I’d be curious to see if there’s differences between yourself and the others I’ve encountered. In return, I can help you find an alternative to your current needs.”
Ah. A researcher. That... that made so much sense, actually. It explained his interest in you and further justified his lack of destructive intentions to you.
“So…you’re saying it’s for science?”
“That’s correct.”
His scent was curling inside you, drawing you in with a strength that you couldn’t understand. Something inside you felt this was a mistake, to get involved with this man who had recognized what you were without speaking to you and had within the hour given you sustenance when you’d been unable to find it yourself for half a year.
But... it felt good to interact with someone who at least seemed to think he understood you. He certainly seemed to want to understand.
You reached out a gloved hand that hid your claw-tipped fingers, and after a strange moment of hesitation on his part, he met your offered hand with his six-fingered one.
“Thank you, Dr. Pines."
A ruefully inclined smile pulled at his grim mouth.
Rs: Tomura Shigiraki(Tenko) x GN!reader (afab/amab)
Warnings:
Major character death, sexual depiction, NSFW,
unrequited love?, blood,
betrayal, avoidant attachment
Summary: You, number three hero encounters Shigiraki on multiple occasions. Sometimes the people around you aren't always what they seem.
wc: 1.9k
A/N: justice for Tenko! :(
༻༺
When Shigiraki saw you for the first time, he wanted to kill you almost immediately.
You were a pro-hero, a strong one to be in-fact. You were there at the USJ when it attacked, protecting the students. Your sense of reassurance kept the students calm and he didn't like that. He wanted everyone to be in fear, even you.
When he wasn't watching Eraserhead get obliterated by Nomu, he would glance at you just to see your reaction. Your face had drained of color and it had a sickening wrinkle to it, it made him smile.
Those stupid students just had to get in the way, along with All Might. He swore he felt his face get hot when he saw you cradling Eraserhead. That longing look on your face told him everything.
And when everything at the USJ didn't go according to plan, he swore one day, just one day, he'd get you when he came back.
Unfortunately, you weren't at the training camp. But he managed to capture one of UA's first years, one who achieved top high score and stood out from the rest because of his power. Katsuki Bakugou.
The capture of a student had you enraged, you being one of the many heroes who came to their hideout. It seemed not only Eraserhead was important to you, but this student too? Maybe he was a pupil.
He was grinning ear to ear when he saw your face that was twisted in anger, but you were composed. His stomach made five backflips when you had pinned him against the counter while he was caged by Kamui's wooden chain prison. He nearly started laughing when he saw a Nomu throw you to the ground, breaking maybe two or three ribs?
Later then, when All for One lost a fight with All Might, he took a stroll through Deika City with a black hoodie to cover his face. He's thought of killing the civilians around him. To create massacre. But he honestly didn't expect you to exit through a bakery store, bumping into him.
"Ah... My apologies." You bow respectfully towards him, a weak smile displayed on your face. Your breath hitches when you see his face. He would've thought you'd recognize him but oddly enough, you didn't. You just kept staring at him and it made him uncomfortable. "It's fine," he waves towards you, shoving a hand back in his pocket.
He watches the way you scratch your cheek as your face turns pink. "So... what's your name?" He just stares at you. Are you really trying to get to know him? "Tenko. Tenko Shimura," he dryly says. His real name leaves a sour taste in his mouth. "My name is (Y/N). (Y/N) (L/N)." You hold your hand out towards him.
He doesn't return it.
You awkwardly laugh, quickly taking the hand back to rub the back of your head. "Well! Uh.. I'll see you around? Wait- uh.. maybe exchange numbers..? Or socials! Either one!"
He chuckles at the way you get flustered before giving you his number. Why did he do it? His encounter with you was all he could think about. Maybe getting to know you was good. Maybe it could help the league and give them the upper hand. His thoughts are put to a quick stop when he hears a 'ding' from his phone.
Weird pro ଓ!
hi! It's (Y/N) from earlier. :)
Do you remember me? Pro-hero from the bakery?
ヾ(＾-＾)ノ
He snorts at your message before typing.
Tenko ঞ
Yeah. I remember you.
He stares at his text message, debating on whether he should send another. When he starts to type, your message pops up again.
Weird pro ଓ!
I was wondering if you wanted to grab some coffee in the morning? ٩( ᐛ )و
He cocks an eyebrow at your text. He starts to debate again. Should he? Maybe he should. Just for the sake of the league, right?
Tenko ঞ
Yeah. Sure.
Don't you have to do your pro-hero stuff?
Weird Pro ଓ!
Well.. Yeah! But I'm pretty sure I have time in the morning. Is 9:10 okay? At the coffee shop by the bakery.
If not, we could just do 10 or 11 :)
Tenko ঞ
Yeah, no. It's fine at 9:10.
Weird pro ଓ!
Okay! Goodnight, Tenko.
Tenko ঞ
👍🏻.
You sigh when you see his 'thumbs up' text, pouting. What a bummer. A cute guy like him seemed like he didn't want your company. But hey, at least he's going? You just hope he was going because he wanted to, not reluctantly.
You arrive at the exact time, checking your phone. Your eyes lit up when his message pops up.
Tenko ঞ
Look to your right.
As you did so, you meet his eyes. He was sitting at a booth with tiramisu sitting in the middle of the table, wearing the same black hoodie as the day before. "Hey! What's this?" You sit down in front of him, licking your lips. He notices. "It's tiramisu. Italian desert," he mutters. "Can.. Can I have a bite?" Your cheeks slightly turn pink, eyeing the dish below. He starts to think you're cute. "Yeah, go ahead. I bought it for us to eat anyway."
You dig out a spoon from the folded napkin, quickly scooping out a piece, hesitant to envelop it in your mouth. He's just watching you eat. It was kind of embarrassing to be honest. You take it in your mouth anyway, eyes lighting up the room. "Wow, I- it's so delicious!" You quickly scoop another, shoving it in your mouth. You do another until both of your cheeks were perfectly round, resembling a squirrel.
Your eyes glitter in excitement. "Ith sho goof!"
His lips twitches upward, almost snickering. He fiddles with the lint in his pocket before putting it upon himself to grab a utensil, putting a spoonful of the desert in his mouth. He nearly perks up. You weren't lying when you said it was good.
Blood rushes to his ears when you swallow, licking off the remaining whip cream around your lips.
"So.. Shimura."
He freezes when he hears his surname roll out of your mouth, looking up at you when you smile sweetly at him.
"What are your hobbies? Do you have a quirk?"
He hears a few bystanders in the café comment about you, pro hero (Y/N) being on a date. His ears turn hot at that but he pays no mind. "Uh.. I play games.."
He pauses, hanging his head low before giving you a grim look. "I can tell you about my quirk another time.
You slightly flinch when he stares at you with his red eyes in some certain way which had you grow a small uneasy feeling. He sort of looked familiar. It was off-putting. "I see. Well.. As you know me, I'm pro-hero #3! I like to draw on my free time sometimes. Or just go out shopping." You awkwardly chuckle, looking away to pretend that small weird moment ever happened. Shigiraki sits up straight, slightly scratching his wrist. "Is that so? How much do you like your hero job?"
"Well... Not a lot, but I do like it.
Don't tell anybody this but.."
You lean in over the table, a finger over your mouth with a hushed voice.
"Sometimes I wish I didn't join the hero's side." Shigiraki's eyes go wide at your statement, nails halting to a quick-stop.
You blink before quickly sitting back, waving your hands around defensively. "Not that I'm saying I would join the villain side! But.. Just to live a normal life.. y'know? The burden of being a hero.. It's a lot. Of course I love saving lives but.. Should I have to risk my own? I want to live my life too.."
You mutter under your breath, laying your head to the side on your arm, playing with the spoon. "I just want to live a normal life. Get married, have kids, and grow old. I can't help but be selfish." His breath hitches when you look up at him with a hopeful expression before sighing, sitting up straight again, stretching. "But a person can dream, am I right?" You wink at him, your usual smile spreading on your face.
Shigiraki stares at you, completely surprised. He had absolutely no idea on what to say. You? Number three hero wants to quit hero life? He doesn't know if he wants to do this anymore. "Yeah..." Time passes as you two continue to talk. He doesn't share a lot of information about his life.
He checks his phone. 10:14 AM.
"I think.. we should go. It's 10:14."
You blink at him in surprise before chuckling, rubbing your head. "Wow.. Is it really? I gotta get to work soon anyways before the media starts talking about me stalling on some hero duty bullshit.." You mutter, yawning. His lips twitches upwards again when he hears you curse.
Next thing he knew, the both of you started to go out more often, starting to call them dates. And after that, he would end up in your bed.
"T-Tenko!" You whimper, clutching onto his back. You drag your nails down his back, leaving red marks behind. Shigiraki huffs, slamming into you at a constant brutal pace.
"ffuckk.." Shigiraki's lips meets yours, muffling your whines and moans, balling his fists tightly at the sides of your head. He disconnects his lips from yours before thrusting in you one last final time, grinding his hips deeply before completely bottoming out. Your thighs shake from the high, shudders escaping you when his his lips ghosts over your throat.
"Tenko.. I.." You choke out, pulling him closer.
"I love you, Tenko." You whisper against his shoulder, closing your eyes. You both lay there for a few minutes. And when he doesn't respond, you slowly start getting anxious. "Tenko..?" You gasp when he pulls out with a 'pop', getting off the bed to put his clothes on. You watch him in awe as he pulls up his pants, saying nothing at all. Of course he didn't have to say anything back but could you really help it after all this time of spending time together? You thought he would've at least felt something as you did.
Your eyes follow him when he goes to the door. "Tenko?"
You're met with silence when he looks back at you one more time, his face turned into a solemn expression. When he leaves, he quietly shuts the door; leaving you alone.
You felt so naked. You felt stupid. How could you possibly think a guy like him would've actually feel for you that way? He was childish. Rude. Ignorant. Irrational. How could you even fall for him? You sob, throwing punches at your head. Why did you ever even try?
Your heart literally breaks into two when you found out Tenko Shimura was Shigiraki this whole time. Your head went into spirals, his whole being breaking your soul.
So when you went on the battlefield, you both fought. But of course, you lost. Was it all on vain? To die in his arms?
He stares blankly into yours with wide eyes, a few hair strands falling past his cheek. You were slowly dying, parts of your body decaying away by the touch of his fingers. He was holding you in his arms, cradling you close. "Tenko..
I love you." Words he was most afraid of escape past your lips. His hand that was coated in your blood reaches up to your cheek, that part decaying too. He squeezes his eyes shut. He wish he could cry. He really does, but he can't.
"I love you too."
༻༺
A/N:
EDIT: man I really gotta stop making the tragic loved ones stop saying I love you in the end.
Reader is the “water boy”/manager of the football team, Capri does cheer
It’s senior year, Capri and reader have been dating in secret…what happens when a football boy tries to make a move on Capri?
Don’t talk to me
Capri Donahue x fem! reader
Warnings: coarse language, mentions of periods, a bit of quarrelling
“Why are you even talking to me? Didn’t you see me with her?”
Capri Donahue, Frederick Douglass High’s lovely, lovely queen bee. She’d be the death of you, in good ways and bad. Beneath that bubbly and sometimes snarky, facade, Capri was a big ‘ol softie. The sweetest partner one could ask for. Anyone would be lucky to call Capri theirs. Well, you would. You were the lucky one to be dating the Capricorn Donahue.
“Hey, baby.” Capri says, “Where the heck are you? I’ve been waiting here for like, five minutes. You’re usually waiting right outside for me to pick you up. Are you alright?”
“I’m coming down the stairs now, sorry.”
You hung up, quickly made your way downstairs and out the front door. You sat in the front with Capri, like always. “Is everything okay?” Capri asked cautiously, you seemed a little tense.
“Everything is perfect.” You replied, each word laced with sarcasm.
“Babe.” She sighs, starting to drive away.
“It’s stupid.” You revealed to her, “I got my period.”
“Oh.” Capri says, relieved. “Then are you sure you wanna go—”
“The school will call my mom if I just don’t show up, Capri. It’s fine, it sucks— but I’ll be fine.”
“Do you need anything?”
You shook your head, “Already took a painkiller. That should hold me over till school’s done. Thanks, though.”
She keeps her hand on your thigh for the whole drive, as she always does. You especially appreciated this little gesture today. It comforted you. Capri stops the car right near the school, knowing that you’d get off here and walk the short distance to school on your own, rather than together with her. You appreciated your anonymity and would rather have it for as long as you could, Capri didn’t mind that and just went along with what you wanted immediately.
You two were in homeroom then trig class together, after that she went off to home ec while you were in social studies. Anyway, you tended to see her a few times throughout the day in classes. But that depended on schedule so some days, you saw her more often, other days…not so much.
Today was one of those days where you ran into her more often. Not because of classes but because at lunch, while the cheer squad was practicing, the football team was also practicing in the field right near them. You walked onto the field with the team, settling down on the bleacher. The team gathered in front of you, awaiting your instructions.
“Okay, guys— since coach will only be here in the afternoon, y’all are stuck with me.” You started, “Line up. Start with: Calf stretch, walking lunges, side steps. Stay hydrated! Let’s go, let’s go!” There was some chatter, but the team got right to it. You didn’t care if they chatted while doing warmups or not. At least they were still doing what you said. You watched them in the meantime, making sure they weren’t completely goofing off or if someone were to get injured. Your eyes wandered a little bit, landing on the cheer squad. Capri spots you, her face lit up just a tad, a small smile on it. You smiled back, quickly resuming your task on hand.
Lunch was forty minutes, and when the sports teams had games or tournaments coming up, they’d spend about twenty minutes of their break practicing. Everything was going well until right at the end, the team lost focus because a guy told two of his buddies to check out that cheerleader’. You bit back a scoff, it was typical of them sometimes to ogle at the cheerleaders. You couldn’t care less. Because you’d tried telling them to stop, but they never listen.
“Dude! You should totally ask her out, Brett!”
“Totally, you’re a football player, Capri’s a cheerleader. You guys would be perfect together.”
Wait— Capri? Your Capri? Your eyes darted to Capri’s direction and saw the trio of boys jogging up to her. Capri didn’t seem to really react. You blew your whistle, screaming, “Brett, Marcus, Ray! Five minutes to go— what the hell?!”
“Yo, chill out, y/n. We were just gonna be gone for a minute.” Brett laughs, throwing his hands up in mock defeat.
You rolled your eyes at them, glancing at Capri again. She didn’t even pay any attention to you, already tumbling across the grass. You sigh, plopping back down on the bleacher, recounting the number of water bottles in the crates.
For the rest of the day, the image of Capri being hit on by Brett and buds kept running through your head. It annoyed you to no end, more so right now as you were on your period. Capri knew you saw her, she didn’t even acknowledge you in the slightest. Heck, she didn’t even acknowledge that that’d happened. You didn’t even get a text from her to assure you that it didn’t mean anything to her. Not that you didn’t trust her, you did. Your mind was just racing right now and you hated it.
Staring at the whiteboard in your American History class, you started seeing double. Then, your hearing gets muffled and the volume amplifies. You hear laughter, snickering…you clasped your hands together, fingers intertwined as you pulled at them irritatedly. When your breathing got heavy and laboured, that’s when you couldn’t take it anymore and bolted out of the classroom and to the bathroom. A hand was on your wrist as you pulled it away with your movement of standing up from your desk— Capri’s.
————
You stayed in a stall until you calmed down, well, you stayed in there until you heard footsteps outside the stall.
“y/n?”
“Uh— Darby…?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” She says back, “Are you…alright?”
“I guess?” You sniffed, standing up and unlocking the stall door.
“Are you sure? Do you need anything?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I uh— my mind just drifted and I started thinking about just…everything and got really not good. But thanks for checking on me.”
She walked back to class with you, without saying another word, but you could feel her gaze on you constantly. She was worried, and so was Capri. You could feel her staring too, but you didn’t want to look at her.
When school was over, you didn’t have a ride home and walking home would take you truthfully an hour. So, you had no choice but to go with Capri. You waited near her car since her last class for that day wasn’t with you. Once she got in, you quickly did so as well and she started to drive in silence.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“We both know something happened.”
“So then why do you have to ask?” You snarled, looking out the window while your head leaned against it.
“Fine, don’t talk to me then. Just keep everything to yourself.”
Shit, that hurt. The cramps, and what she had just said to you. You didn’t mean to snap at her, you were just feeling irritated by the cramps that were returning now that the pain meds have been wearing off, and whatever happened at lunch.
You notice her driving right by your house, but you couldn’t be bothered. When her car stops in the familiar garage, you got out right when she did. “I don’t know what you want from me.” You grumbled, side stepping her to enter the house via the garage door.
Capri takes in a deep breath, chewing on her bottom lip to stop herself from scoffing. Or screaming. Or both. You ran up to her room, and she catches up so quickly. “What’s with this whole thing going on right now, y/n?” She asks after closing the door behind herself.
Your eyes flicked up to meet hers. Her tone was harsh but her gaze was soft. “What’d I do? Did something happen in the classes I’m not in?”
You wanted to tell her, you wanted to so badly. But instead, what happened first was you bursting into tears. With the pain and the hormones in a rage, you couldn’t control your emotions too well. “Shit.” Capri mutters, sitting down beside you. You fell against her, head on her chest as she held it. And you, close. “It’s okay.” She hushed, “You can tell me anything, baby.”
“I saw you— at the lunch practice. Brett asked you out and you didn’t even react. You acted like it was the most normal thing, not even acknowledging that I was there. I definitely overreacted because I was the one who asked you if we could not go public—”
“y/n, I didn’t react so he couldn’t react. He wouldn’t have anything else to say to me. I didn’t look at you, because if I did, that would be giving them hints to who I was seeing. And that I was seeing someone. Which isn’t something you wanted. But maybe now you do.”
You sigh shakily, “I’m sorry, I’m just in a terrible mood and I can’t control it.” You cried quietly, “And it hurts— so I just blew up. I’m sorry, I should’ve just talked to you when I got to instead of keeping things to myself. You’re right.”
“No, I also shouldn’t have been so snarky. You didn’t need that, any of that tone. It was wrong of me, I need to remember that I’m talking to my girl and some musty ass boy that only wants to see me naked.”
“I’m sorry— I—”
“y/n, please. Stop that, I get it.” She presses a kiss to your head, “Don’t keep saying sorry. You don’t need to apologise over and over again. I hear you, it’s okay. We’re good.”
“I love you.” You told her, eyes meeting hers once again.
“I love you too, baby.” She says, stroking your hair, “Your painkiller must’ve wore off. I’ll go get you another. Okay?”
“Okay.” You agreed, she carefully manoeuvres herself to get out from behind you and then off the bed.
She comes back a minute or so later with the pill and a glass, well a mug— your favourite mug, of water. You took it without hesitation and set the mug down on her nightstand. Curling up comfortably under her covers. She was still standing, and watching you. “Want me to cuddle with you?” She asks cheekily. You nod, face pressed against the pillow, “Yes please.”
“Could you make me pasta for dinner?” You asked meekly as her arms wrapped around you.
“Mhm.” She agrees in a heartbeat, “Of course.”
“Yay.” You let a chuckle slip. She plants a kiss on your shoulder, “I know you’re sleepy so just rest for a while, alright?”
You nod, she was fully pressed up against you as you shut your eyes.
————
You’d spent the night at Capri’s, and once you two got to school, you and Capri walked into the building together— hand in hand. And you, were even wearing her clothes. Clothes that she’s worn before, and recognisably hers. Not comfy loungewear that she’d only be donning at home.
“Capri!” Brett exclaimed, happily running over. She intentionally swung your intertwined hands a little bit exaggeratedly.
“Yesterday at practice I asked if you’d like to go out with me Saturday? But you didn’t say anyth—”
“Exactly.” Capri smiled sweetly.
“Oh, who’s this?” He asks.
“Oh, her? I dunno. Who do you think she is, Brett?” Capri chuckles, fingers still linked with yours. She raises that up briefly then put it down, letting your hand go. Smoothly, she cups your cheek and gave you a kiss. Right in the middle of the hallway. “Thought I’d show you since you guys seem to be such visual learners, hm? Her telling you all to stay focused on warmups wasn’t clear enough? Want her to show you guys how to do them? Even though she’d already done that months ago?”
“I— I— uh…”
“Stop it. Don’t look at her. Look at me. I’m gonna say this once and if you forget it, that’s not my problem. Don’t you ever look at her, don’t look at me, most importantly, don’t talk to me. And definitely not her. Stay away from us.”
How do you imagine a scenario plays out in which Keith (most beautiful red boy ❤️❤️❤️) is being flirted with by some aliens, what would Keith do? More importantly what would Lance do 🔫😠💙?
pleASE I lost it over 🔫😠💙
-----
Keith was getting tired of all of these parties he was forced to attend. He knew having allies was important in defeating the Galran empire but no matter how many times he told Allura he wasn't cut out for social situations she told him to just "smile and nod."
So that's what he did. Party after party, event after event he just smiled and nodded. He frankly didn't care what people said to him, the jokes they said to him, he just didn't care.
He took a sip of his drink, he wasn't even sure how to describe the taste of it; kind of fruity but bland. He quickly scanned the room, Shiro was chatting with the council members with Allura and Coran.
Pidge was talking excitedly to the couple of engineers that surrounded them. He had no doubt that were brainstorming how to upgrade their weapon systems or something similar.
Hunk was kept company by a couple of people wearing matching uniforms. Keith had noticed them going in and out of the kitchen, he figured they were chiefs of some sort.
His eyes found the Blue paladin; naturally, he was in his element. The aliens that surrounded him laughed loudly at whatever he was saying. One of them even touched his arm briefly; to which he quickly moved his arm in a polite way.
Lance met his eyes from across the room, sending him a quick smile that Keith found himself reciprocating.
He wasn't sure what he and Lance were at this point. Keith had kissed him after a particularly rough mission. He didn't really mean to, he didn't even realize he liked Lance like that until Lance didn't come back to the castle.
Blue was knocked offline and Lance couldn't get her back to the castle. Keith found him first and as soon as he saw Lance he just kissed him. Before he could really understand what he just did Lance was kissing him back.
They quickly pulled away as Hunk entered the atmosphere with the yellow lion.
Lance came to Keith's room that night, asking if they could talk about the kiss. They both came to the conclusion that maybe this rivalry was a bit of a cover-up for more intense feelings. Neither of them knew they liked each other past a friendship until they kissed.
So they weren't officially dating but they obviously had feelings for each other. They hadn't told the team yet either, they were still trying to figure out what to do with these feelings.
“Now that is a nice smile if I do say so myself.” A taller alien stepped closer to him. His skin was pastel pink, decorated with gold designs. His eyes were pitch black, and his baby blue color hair was tied up in a braided bun.
Keith looked at him, “thanks,” and he took another sip of his drink.
“So red paladin, you don’t seem to be enjoying yourself tonight.”
“Parties aren’t my thing.”
The alien released a small chuckle, “I can tell.”
Keith didn’t respond, he just wanted to be left alone.
“So does the red paladin have a name?” The man asked in a sultry voice.
Keith cleared his throat, trying to shake the discomfort he was feeling. “Keith.”
“Keith,” the man repeated it a couple of times, trying to get his tongue used to the name. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Dreknill.”
Keith fought the urge to roll his eyes, I didn’t ask. “Pleasure.”
Dreknill kept talking, it was small talk and Keith found himself replying. Not so much out of any interest more because it was passing the time. He wanted to know about Keith's life, what it was like being a paladin, how many planets he had saved, things like that.
Keith kept his answers short, very aware of how the taller man found every opportunity to step closer to him, touch his shoulder, things of that nature. Keith knew he was flirting with him, he wasn’t that socially obvious. He just didn’t know how to escape the situation he found himself in.
“Keith, the night is slowly coming to an end.”
Keith gave a small nod, finally.
“Would you care to share a dance?”
Before Keith could turn down his offer, Dreknill's hands were on his lower back, pushing him towards the center of the room. “I-I can’t dance,” Keith tried to turn away but the other man grabbed his arm, pulling him closer to his chest.
“I guess I’ll have to teach you.”
Keith frantically looked around the room as Dreknill twirled him around the room. He stumbled a bit under his feet and Dreknill lifted him up slightly, supporting most of his weight.
Keith held his breath, trying to think of his best route back to his room, or just out of the ballroom. He could tell the song was coming to an end and he silently begged for it to end faster.
Dreknill stopped twirling him, finally setting him back fully on the ground. “That wasn’t so bad was it?” He gave him a smile.
“Oh yeah, thanks but I think I’m going to turn in for the night.”
“Oh but Keith the night is so young! One more dance?” He leaned closer, his lips an inch or so apart from Keith’s.
Keith‘s mind was in an all-blown panic and he felt himself freeze. Move body! Come on! He could fight the Galra but freeze in this situation?
“Keith! What are you still doing up, you need your beauty sleep.” A familiar voice rang in his ears, his savior. An arm was wrapped around his waist, pulling him onto his teammate's side.
Dreknill straightened his back up, “Oh the Blue Paladin.”
“Please, call me Lance. I don’t mean to interrupt but Keith does have a strict bedtime routine.”
Dreknill squinted his eyes a bit at Lance, seeming to size him up, his eyes lingering on Lance’s hand on Keith's waist. “I see.”
Lance flashed him a wide smile, “it was a pleasure to meet you.”
“I can escort the red paladin back to his room,” Dreknill reached for Keith and Lance tightened his hold on him.
“Don’t worry. I can take care of him.” Lance looked down at Keith, “ready to leave love?”
Keith felt himself blushing, nodding a bit at Lance’s words.
“We both hope you get home okay,” and with that Lance turned around, dragging Keith with him, and quickly left the room. He didn’t stop walking until they were in the space between their bedroom doors.
Lance dropped the hold he had on Keith. “Sorry, you looked uncomfortable.”
“It...wasn’t pleasant. Thanks for getting me out of there.”
Lance gave him a tense nod.
Keith scanned his face, trying to decipher any emotion he could. “Lance?”
Lance grabbed his face gently and brought their lips together.
---
Lance wasn’t really a jealous person. He had his moments, who didn’t? But he had a very small list of things that would actually make him feel jealous. When his mama would call his siblings by his nickname. When his eldest brother got a dog and he didn’t. And apparently seeing Keith be flirted with was another one.
He had kept his eyes on his fellow teammate the entire night. He wanted to be by him, keeping their shoulders touching, maybe holding his hand, just be close to him. But he knew he needed to mingle, needed to help this alliance go smoothly. Plus he didn’t want to get integrated by the team because they were both suddenly joined at the hip.
So he chatted with the aliens that surrounded him, quickly dodging their flirting attempts or invitations back to their respective rooms. None of his guests seemed to take offense to his friendly decline which he was grateful for.
But then that...that guy strolled over to Keith, and Lance told himself to keep breathing, that Keith was just mingling like they all were. But then he put his hand on Keith's arms and Lance almost stormed over to him right then and there. He was stopped by a councilman stepping in front of him, quickly pulling him into a conversation.
Lance couldn’t keep his eyes off him, he kept nodding his head, giving half-ass responses to whatever the councilman was saying. A tight feeling bloomed in his chest the longer he watched Keith. He knew that they weren’t dating or anything but Lance wished they were.
He forced himself to remain where he was, forcing his breathing to remain even. Keith did look uncomfortable, he clearly wasn’t enjoying the conversation he was having and Lance did whatever he could to try to end the conversation.
He managed to slip away as Keith was being twirled on the dance floor, looking too uneasy on his feet. Lance stared at the two, stared specifically at Keith who was nearly being lifted off the ground by the other man.
Lance couldn’t control himself anymore, he couldn’t stop his advancement toward the two men even if he wanted to. He reached Keith in a couple of strides, immediately pulling him to his side with one arm. “Keith! What are you still doing up, you need your beauty sleep.”
Lance eyes the other man, trying to silently tell him to back off. The man, Lance didn’t care to learn his name, seem to take it as a challenge, which Lance was not going to lose.
“I can escort the red paladin back to his room,” the man reached for Keith, and Lance tightened his hold on his teammate, silently apologizing for how tightly he was grabbing him. He didn’t want that man to pull Keith out of his grasp.
“We both hope you get home okay, “ Lance didn’t think he could walk any faster. Each step put him further away from that man. He kept walking till they both reached in-between their rooms.
Kissing Keith was not something he expected to do tonight, be he felt like he was going to explode if he didn’t. Keith kissed back with a sense of hunger and Lance quickly pushed him back against the wall.
“Sorry I couldn’t get you out of there sooner. You looked in pain most of the night.” Lance mumbled against the other boy's lips.
Keith nodded and Lance pulled away, looking into his galaxy eyes. “I guess I don't like when others flirt with you.”
Keith blushed at the statement, “I only want you flirting with me honestly.”
Lance grinned, “I’ll make sure to be the only one,” he connected their lips again.
-----
I don’t really know why I went in this direction but why do I do anything?? I guess I just needed some jealous Lance in my life
Just fluff I thought of while doing exams; platonic, slow burn. Reader is from Earth, and I just really enjoy nature. Might make a series of this? Feedback is much appreciated! btw Printemps is French for Spring. Reader doesn't know Mando's name. GIF: @oliviajdjarin
Printemps
The Mandalorian: Din Djarin/AFAB! Reader
This was an easier hunt than he thought. Good.
His last bounty on Kashyyyk put up a fight, and while he'd gotten good pay for it, he absolutely hated when his bounties put up such a fight and in so many stages it got hard to track whether it was genuine or a ruse; to him it could matter little as everything could have been a ruse as far as he cared, all that mattered was that he didn't fall for it. But the violence to the bargaining, then pleading for mercy, then taunting him with the child as if the kid wasn't so sacred to him that he'd kill anyone who spoke of him with such an ill mouth, to struggling and cursing while he was being dragged after causing so much of a scene on the way to the ship, it wore him down and he was all too happy to slam him into carbonite, placing his slab on the rack, glad he didn't have to deal with that pathetic man anymore. It wasn't a hard fight (the pathetic man was pretty weak and not good at fighting), but Maker did it drain his energy.
Din sighed, flexing his shoulders in order to relieve the tension that the bounty had caused. He was definitely going to take a quick warm shower, he needed it.
But first, to get the kid and his babysitter.
Din turned round, walking back down the ship's open ramp, not fearing anything coming for his ship from the Wookies' home planet as he descended back down towards the forest clearing near the open hill where he'd parked the Crest.
He'd met you not long after meeting the kid, finding your skills with tools something extremely helpful to someone with a ship that breaks something almost every trip, and the fact that the baby liked you was something that he knew was too good an opportunity to pass on. He was initially wary of you, as you were a stranger in his ship and therefore on probation to him, but within a few weeks into your recruitment you'd managed to become the baby's favourite person and his most trusted mechanic when he'd found you repairing a part of his fresher that he didn't even know was originally wrong with the Crest when he'd gotten injured, taking care to adjust the sonics so that it wouldn't put too much pressure on his wound. You'd done him a world of good while he was healing from a nasty cut at that time, and he'd been indebted, grateful to you ever since.
That had been months ago.
You and Din had reached a sort of understanding of one another of shared duties, and your conversations were amiable, never pushing buttons but always pleasant. Now, he could honestly say he'd come to see you as a friend, trusting you with his most precious thing, and knowing you'd listen to him and respect him when the rest of the world seemed to want to fight him. He was thankful for that.
Din's boots hit the grass of the hill, walking down the gentle slope of the hill towards the trees that bordered the clearing. The sky overhead had greyed while he was getting the bounty into carbonite, meaning that the day might end soon, and he had another bounty to catch on Corellia. He walked past the first few trees, their leaves whispering by his pauldrons and helmet as he traced your footsteps: you told him you'd sit and play with Grogu in the forest while he went on the hunt, so he rationalized it was where he'd find you since you weren't on the Crest.
The crunch of leaves underfoot accompanied him as he walked through the forest, the darkness from the tree canopy opening up to light further inside. A coldness settled onto his skin through his flightsuit, and through his visor he could see mist coming in. It would rain soon.
He walked up to the light, where there was a smaller clearing in the forest, and grass rushed up to his ankles, flowers brushing soft petals around his calves as they grew tall in the temperate climate. His audio receptors picked up the soft birdsong in the air, the fluttering of leaves in the breeze, and he could hear the distant rush of water.
He found you in the centre of the open glade, sitting atop a boulder that sat on the edge of a small stream, water flowing at your feet where you sat as the Child was in your arms, cradled in your lap and loving hold. Your hair was let down, waves where you'd have braided your hair back, some of it in tangles where flowers had made a home for themselves; mist fell onto the strands, and whatever light there was in the clearing reflected off the droplets, a gentle veil of light.
Din watched you tilt back your head, look up into the sky, and breathe deeply; you exhaled, your breath turning to mist as the air cooled, and he knew it must have felt amazing. You kicked up your feet, splashing some water, and he could see your body fully relax.
You looked so...content.
His feet moved towards you, and he knew you could hear him when you turned your head to greet him. A smile as soft as a cloud graced your face, your eyes gazing at his visor in a way that sent a shiver down his spine. He came and stood close to you as you leaned back once more to look up at the overcast clouds.
The warrior looked up into the clouds, wondering if you could see something he couldn't, only to hear you breathe deeply once more, sighing. What could have made you so wistful, he wondered?
Your eyes looked up at him, pinning him to the spot with your gaze as your voice drifted to his audio receptors.
"Do you ever think of how beautiful so many of the places we visit are?" you asked, a voice as far away as other planets. Your eyes glazed over, as if distant, before continuing: "Do you ever stop and just...breathe, and live in the moment?"
This question you seemed to want an answer to. Moments passed and you continued to stare at him, waiting for an answer.
"No. I just hunt bounties, I don't have time to stop or absorb sights that aren't necessary to the hunt" he said, the modulator of his voice giving the answer a more biting tone than he'd intended.
You gave a low hum, as if disappointed, looking away from him, and for a moment he wanted to apologize; he didn't mean to take whatever joy you and the kid could find in constant travel away from you.
"Want to try now?" you offered, and he was about to turn you down and remind you there was a bounty waiting, but you seemed to beat him to the punch, saying: "It'll only take a moment, I promise". You patted the flat boulder, inviting him to sit. "I know that bounty hunting takes a lot out of you, some relaxation might do you good, Mando".
Din sighed, too exhausted to argue, not that he truly wanted to; he did need a break. He unclipped his jetpack and set it down on a smaller rock, before sitting himself on the boulder, his armoured back to you.
Getting to experience smells under the helmet wasn't easy, but this time, in a safe, open space, Din could feel the air travel under his helmet and fill his lungs with fresh oxygen, notes of flowers, rain, and water filling him up with their delicious scents. It felt...good. Better than that. He was enjoying it.
His audio receptors filled his ears with the rustle of leaves, the trickle of water, and distant birdsong, accompanied by the gentle humming of a wordless song you were giving the baby. He could physically feel himself relax, his body, his mind, his soul taking a moment of much-needed rest, his tense shoulders loosening just a tad.
He couldn't remember the last time he did something like this; maybe he'd never done it. But it was definitely worth it.
Din could feel additional weight on his back, and he knew it was you leaning back on him a bit, just a touch, as though to make sure you weren't making him uncomfortable. He leaned back as well, his head resting against your own as you both basked in the misty afternoon in the glade.
He found himself thinking about you. You've been wonderful to the child, taking to him as though he were yours. He knew you loved the baby a lot, but he wondered what you thought of him, your employer. You were kind to him, respected him and helped him whenever you could, fixing things and easing his jobs as father and hunter, but was that simply because you were hired to do it? Did you like him at all, or just tolerate him as an employer for the sake of the baby you adore? Did you consider him a friend, like he thinks of you?
A quiet plink! sounded against Din's helmet, the noise so sudden it prompted him to sit back up, unbalancing you both. You sat up as well, knowing that Mando probably had things he needed to do, and your moment was up anyway. You carefully tugged your sock on with one hand, before slipping your shoe back on, moving the baby to the crook of your neck as you worked with one hand.
A droplet landed on your head, and you understood: he wanted to go because it would rain soon. He confirmed so when he outstretched his hands for the Child, cradling him as he took him from your arms. "We need to go, it's going to rain". You agreed, nodding as you hurriedly donned your shoes.
You slipped off the rock, following Mando as he walked back towards the ship, the baby tucked into his side, enjoying his father's presence. You three walked under the canopy towards the hill where the Razor Crest sat.
"Do you feel better?" you asked him, your voice quiet, but the open space echoed towards him.
Din caught your wistful gaze as he pressed a button on his gauntlet to open up the ramp. You glanced over your shoulder towards the forest before turning back to him, you eyes seeming to want an answer.
"I did. It was...good" he found himself saying, earning another of your soft, understanding smiles that never failed to make him feel like the world was not as heavy as it felt sometimes.
He smiled back at you under the helmet as you climbed aboard after him. A gust of wind ruffled your child-mussed hair entangled with flowers as you took the child from his arms, while he set to closing the ramp.
Din found himself looking back at the forest, a drizzle of rain already falling into the glade and nearly clearing the canopy. One last drop of water hit his pauldron as the rain came, the mudhorn looking as though it were crying.
He'd be sure to return here sometime. He really did enjoy spending a moment in nature, and you...Your smile suited you, and he would do what he could to make sure you kept smiling.
