Shout out to all the Black ppl that can no longer participate directly in the fandom they love because of the stresses of racism ๐๐พ you contain multitudes of value and I'm sorry that the color of your skin and the power of your voice makes people not want to acknowledge that.
blinkie template by @pawpr1nc3 โค๏ธโ โน
Thomas Howell โค๏ธโ โน
Best touchstarved fic so far YUHHH
Vere x Reader: Reincarnation AU Part 2! I really need to come up with an official name for this, shouldn't I? Anyway, this ended up being much longer than I was planning, so it looks like there will be a part 3 before I start getting to the endings. I currently do not have access to my laptop, so I had to depend on someone else's playthrough for dialogue, so if the MC in this one feels v=catered towards the Hound origin, that's why and I apologize in advance.
Content Warnings: Vere-typical swearing, innuendos, and death threats. Also, there's a brief mention of a dead body.
Other: Yet another brief Undertale reference, but it only pops up once. Vere might be OOC. Hopefully better usage of italics and semicolons (English is my first language, but I am a victim of the American Education System). Trying to avoid using a name for MC/Reader during two scenes where the use of their name was very deliberate and important to the game (because I forgot that "y/n" is a thing). Word Count: 3k words.
This work may be edited in the future if I discover any previously missed typos or content warnings. This work will not be cross-posted anywhere and I will make a direct announcement if that ever changes.
The memory of your face was both a blessing and a curse to him.
Sometimes it was a bittersweet sight from his sweetest of dreams; a reason for him to get through the motions every day just so he could see you again once sleep came for him.
Other times it haunted his worst nightmares: the look of fear, pain, and betrayal being the last thing he saw in your eyes before the life vanished from them completely.
He tried to forget that face, but he clung to any memory of your other faces the way a web clung to a spider's prey.
Many of the pages in his sketchbook were dedicated to those faces of yours. Many lives were taken from poor fools foolish enough to be curious about them.
None of your faces---or bodies, for that matter---were exactly the same; there was always some small difference.
Eye color. Hair length. Freckles. Height.
There was always something different.
But despite that, it was always you.
So imagine his surprise when it was you---or at least, a particularly familiar stranger---he spotted strolling out of the Wet Wick and through the streets of the Amaryllis district as he waited for the Senobium cleric given the unfortunate task of having to deal with him today to finish her business.
Whatever was left of his heart froze for a moment and his lungs felt as if they were filled with dread instead of air.
Surely it wasn't you.
It couldn't have been you.
He easily could've just ignored them; let them walk past without any knowledge he was there.
But he had to know. He had to be sure.
He needed them closer---needed them to turn and look him in the eyes so he could get a proper read on their soul; it would put any and every question to rest.
Besides; if it wasn't you, then they'd make a good distraction for the night before he inevitably killed them by the next morning.
But if it wasโฆ
As he pondered on what exactly he would do if it really was you, the stranger strolled further down the street. He had to act quickly.
It wasn't much of a hassle; just a little trick with the shadows which loomed from the walls of the surrounding buildings.
The stranger froze, the smell of their fear permeating the air as he nabbed a key from their cloak's pocket.
They reeked of blood, death, sweat, and cheap booze. The latter two scents weren't unexpected; they did just leave the Wick, though he did let out a brief, rumbling snarl when he smelled that damned hound on them. The former, however? Neither of the two scents were uncommon in this shithole; just earlier today he watched as a few locals stepped over a partly rotted corpse that had been left in a walkway because nobody could be bothered to clean it up.
But the scent clinging to the stranger was a bit different---as if it was the stench of their own death and blood clinging to them instead of someone else's.
How curiousโฆ
He retracted the beastly shadow once he noticed they were going to turn around; finally allowing him to see their face.
It looked startlingly similar to the face you the day of the incident. The only immediate difference he could spot was that their hair was off a shade.
They surveyed the area, panicked and confused, before finally spotting him, sitting on a stoop and lounged against a wall.
While he was able to see their eyes now that they were looking at him, he wasn't able to get a good view of their soul just yet.
He needed them closer.
He baited them with their key---claiming that they had dropped it, but he didn't want to toss it to them, just in case some urchin ran by and stole it while it was still in the air.
They didn't trust it. If it weren't an inconvenience to him, he would've laughed at how they were smart enough to be cautious of him right off the bat despite getting all close and personal with Leander.
But with some teasing and flirting, he eventually managed to urge them closer---even if it was just to snatch up their key and move away from him as quick as they could.
Unfortunately for them, he was faster.
As they made to grab their key from his palm, he snatched their wrist and pulled them closer; finally giving him the chance and view that he neededโฆ as well as a good whiff of the smell of that fucking doctor.
His suspicions on that note were proven to be correct, but there was something elseโฆ
Something not quite Human, but also not quite Monsterโฆ How inter---
"VERE!"
And of course the fucking cleric chose right then stop taking her sweet time. Gods-fucking-dammit.
He managed to trick the woman into believing he was just chatting with a friend and sent the stranger off with some free advice before the cleric dragged him off on his leash.
As he listed to the sound of their footsteps as they walked away---at an insultingly yet understandably brisk pace---he made a mental note to go visit the Wick once he was let off his leash for the night.
He'd get another chance there.
-=-=-=-=-
The Wick was suficatingly filled with the usual regulars; the stench of sweating, unwashed bodies watered-down booze clouding the humid air.
Vere sat by Ais---who had only just showed up less than an hour ago---towards the end of the bar, watching the crowd.
He still hasn't spotted the stranger yet. At this point, he was starting to wonder if he was wrong about their lodgings. He was close to just leaving---the mixture of annoyance at his incorrect guess and at Leander's joyful chitchat making a truly dangerous combination.
"Pardon me."
No human being would've been able to hear the soft-spoken request from where he was sitting, but Vere could hear the doctor perfectly well as he parted his way through the crowd.
His exasperation at his appearance was just enough for him to almost get up and leave---until he spied two heads trailing behind Kuras's towering form:
Mhin, who apparently formed a habit of following Kuras around like a lost kitten whenever they needed something to do with their timeโฆ
And the stranger from before.
About damn time.
He watched as the trio approached Leander, who was just putting the finishing touches on whatever abomination of a drink he was trying to kill Ais with this time. He was momentarily distracted at the glowing green liquid in the glasses that Leander slid down to them, which was followed by Ais downing it in one go.
"It's chewy."
"Chewy? Wait, let me try againโฆ"
"I told you this place was a nest of degenerates."
Vere's attention was drawn back towards the three at the sound of Mhin's grumbling. As Mhin and Kuras quietly spoke to each other, the stranger observed the bar; seeming surprised to see him and Ais there.
He noticed that their gaze lingered on him for a moment longer than it did for Ais before they returned their attention back to their companions.
"Ah, if it isn't Kuras and Mhin!" Leander exclaimed, finally taking notice of them.
Either he didn't see the stranger, or they haven't been introduced yet.
"Good evening, Leander. Ais. Another drinking competition?" Kuras said, approaching the bar and ignoring him entirely.
Good. He didn't need another annoyance on top of everything else already.
Vere just turned to Mhin. "I almost didn't see you there, Mhin. Looking for your booster seat?"
It was petty and entirely unprovoked, but he needed to take the edge off somehow.
The white-haired mercenary pushed back their hood. "I though Ais wasn't allowed to bring his pets in here."
Oh this little---
As Vere's ears flattened against his head and his tail twitched angrily, Leander vaulted over the bar, slotting himself in between Ais and Kuras, snaking an arm around the latter's shoulders and offering him one of his horrible drinks---effectively preventing a fight.
"I'm afraid not. We were merely escorting them back to their lodgings." He responded, gesturing to the stranger, who reluctantly stepped out of the shadows at their acknowledgment.
Leander's face brightened---indicating that the two of them had, in fact, been acquainted. He immediately waved them over and introduced them to him and Ais.
(The name was different than the last one he remembered you bearing, but that didn't mean much of anything. They were almost always different---except for that one time, but even then, the spelling was different.)
Once again, they were still too far for him to get a good look at their soul. At this point, he almost believed they were doing it to be spiteful.
Leander starts talking again, and Vere tunes him out as he orders a flute of champagne---the only drink that doesn't taste too much like rat's piss.
Everyone's attention turned towards him when the bartender popped the bottle.
"They serve champagne here? Since when?"
"You don't mind, do you?"
"No, be my guest. I know you've got expensive tasteโฆ"
Vere sipped from his glass as Leander shot the bartender a frantic look and Ais offered to buy a drink for the stranger---calling them "Sparrow" as he did so.
Leander interjected and offered to buy them a drink instead.
It's their first night here and they've already got these two in a dick measuring contest over them. He was almost impressed.
Either way, they get their drink and Leander holds a toast to their arrival---much to their own dismay. Vere was finding himself more and more peeved by the minute, but still, he lingered.
They'd move towards him eventually; he was sure of it.
The conversation moved---Vere learned that the outsider apparently already managed to find themself on death's door twice today. Clearly, they had not taken his oh-so generously offered advice earlier.
Vere just turns to speak to Ais for a moment. Once he tunes back into what the rest of them are doing, he notices that Kuras, Leander, and Mhin have all disappeared somewhere; leaving the poor outsider all on their own.
"Lost your tour guide?"
They turn to him and Ais, their expression going from indifferent to mildly irritated.
Guess Ais left a bad impression on them as well. Or he was just particularly successful in his earlier ploy to annoy them.
He tried to offer them the seat next to Ais, but they were still hesitant.
Ah. The song and dance continues.
"How about we start fresh, hm? Begin with proper introductions, get off on the right foot and whatnot. I'll startโฆ" He readjusted himself on the counter, resting his chin on the back of his hand, "The name's Vere. Hunter extraordinaire."
They were quiet for a moment. "I'm sure you already know my nameโฆ"
"Hard not to when Leander's shouting it every other second. It's a pleasure to formally meet youโฆ"
His tone when he spoke their name was slow and deliberate, savoring every syllable; earning him yet another flustered reaction.
They were far too easy. If they weren't who he thought they were, they'd be fun to toy with for the night.
They glance over Ais's shoulder, then they start heading towards the entrance. "I'll be back."
He just hummed and waved his fingers at them. As they stepped away, he considered ordering another drink, but chose not to. It would be easier to plan a way to get them closer if he were at least somewhat sober.
Then he heard a grunt behind him. "Out of my way, shitstain."
Turning, he saw that the outsider had apparently bumped into some drunken roughneck. Or maybe it was the other way around.
"You watch it!"
Probably the other way around, then.
That was enough to piss off the roughneck, who shoved a bloodhound out of the way as he angrily stalked towards the outsider. Once he makes it over, he shoves them down to the floor.
Well, that's certainly an issue for his plans.
Fortunately, before he can start throwing punches, a few bloodhounds circle the two of them; sizing him up as the outsider was still stuck on the floor.
Ultimately, the roughneck was smart enough to back off at that point. He spat at them, barely missing their cheek, and started to walk awayโฆ
Only to find himself face to face with Ais.
Ais smiled. "You'll do."
Then he punches him square in the jaw. Chaos follows in the form of shouting and cheering as the outsider scrambles to their feet.
It doesn't take long for Leander to yell at the two of them to take it outside and distract the rest of the bar-goers with a free drink; immediately followed by the bartender throwing him an annoyed glance as everyone else started cheering.
Ais left out a back exit, dragging his quarry out with him.
Kuras lingers near the door, surveying the bar for any wounded people before departing.
Mhin drew up their hood and slipped through a side door, apparently separated from Kuras during the brief fight.
Leander made his way to the bar opposite of where Vere sat, frantically apologizing to the bartender.
Vere just leaned over and grabbed a glass of wine from behind the bar, watching the outsider through his peripheral vision.
They stand still for a moment, surveying the bar. Then, they move towards him; their steps hesitant. Eventually, they slide into the seat beside him as he sips from the wine glass.
Finally.
He didn't turn to them just yet; souls were easier to read when their bearer was vulnerable. He wanted them to let their guard down, first.
"I didn't think you planned on sticking around."
"A free drink's a free drink, even if it tastes like rat piss."
"Didn't you say you wouldn't be caught dead slumming in this shithole?"
He sips from his glass, tail thrashing below the bar. "You've caught me red handed." He peered at them over the rim of his glass, "How ever will you punish me?"
"I figured my company's punishment enough for you."
Vere felt a small smile form on his lips. "So, you survived the night. Are you here for praise or would a headpat do?"
"About that. Turns out you were right; I did run into trouble---"
He knows. He could smell the Seaspring's lingering odor on them, as well as the stench of a Soulless.
"---Now I don't know if you're and oracle, a threat, or just completely full of shit."
He scoffed. "Most people would buy me a drink before insulting me."
"After the way you jerked me around? If anyone's owed a drink, it's me."
He didn't dignify that statement with an immediate response. Then, he propped his chin on his wrist. "I don't think you understand how things work around here. Information is a luxury; one you flung so carelessly aside."
"I'm not following."
"If you valued my words, you'd have taken them seriously. I gave you free advice---warned you of the danger you were in, and still you went parading off to the Seaspring. Small wonder the Soulless didn't tear you to ribbons."
"How did you know---"
"I have a very sensitive nose, remember?"
They glared at him. "Right how could I forget. Do you normally greet people by shoving your nose into their laps like an overeager Labrador?"
Vere glared at them for a heartbeat; a warning. Then, he laughed under his breath.
He'd let them get away with that one. After all, they only just got here. It's not like they knewโฆ
"Only the ones I like." He sets aside his now empty wine glass and reaches for a long-abandoned tumbler of whiskey. "But the truth is, I despise most people."
His eyes flickered over their shoulder as Leander's boisterous laughter erupted from the other side of the bar, as if proving his point.
"What about me? Now that we've started off on the right footโฆ"
At last, he turned to face them fully. His gaze slowly glided over them as he sized them up, before finally ending on their eyes.
He could see the faint flickering of an agonizingly thick layer of suffering. An enticing sight, but still an inconvenient one. The suffering that one has gone through during their life always clouded the true nature of their soul; especially if it was left untreated.
"I haven't made up my mind about you, yet."
He turned back to the bar. Neither of them said anything for a moment.
"Have I done something to piss you off."
He let out a short sigh. "No. I'm just disappointed. People like us can't help but attract danger. Yet you seek it out, and for what? Cheap thrills?"
"I wasn't trying to get eaten by Soulless! There's something I'm looking forโฆ"
"And you think Mhin can help you? Leander!? Are you really willing to risk your life with those dipshits?"
"What life? You've got no idea what I've gone through--- Oh, forget it."
They made to get up from their seat, but Vere stopped them by softly placing his hand on their shoulder; little more than a brush, but apparently enough to get their attention.
He said nothing, for a moment---simply searching their eyes; trying to glean whatever information he could from the suffering which marred their soul.
Now that he actually had a moment to read it, the answer was clear as day: betrayal.
Yet there was somethingโฆ different, about it. There were many forms of betrayal, and each one left its own distinct mark, but whatever form this outsider faced was new.
No, not new. Not quite. Instead, there appeared to be two different type of betrayal there: one dealt recently, and one that seemed moreโฆ ancient.
The outsider simply continued to become more and more interesting by the hour.
"They couldn't even begin to understand you. But I could. I could help you, if only you'd listen."
"โฆHow do I know I can trust you?"
"You don't. But I'm slightly less inclined to waste your time with empty flattery and insults than those two."
They didn't respond to that.
"Is what you desire truly worth risking your life for?"
"If you knew what kind of life I've live, you wouldn't be asking."
Vere considered their response for a long moment before speaking again. "Will you trust me?"
"โฆFor now."
Vere ignored the oddly familiar pinprick of satisfaction in his chest. "Good enough for me." He raised the tumbler to them, then he snapped back the dregs. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand once he finished. Let's talk. Outside. If I have to smell Leander's skunky aftershave for much longer, I'll hurl."
He slipped away from the bar, leaving the outsider to trail after him, out a side door and into and alleyway.
< Part One | Part Three (WIP) >
Characters: Masato Aizawa, Akira Nishikiyama, Reina, Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, Taiga Saejima & GN!Reader
Genre: Fluff with just a hint of suggestiveness here and there
A/N: A short little self indulgent thing I originally started for a friend and I but I thought maybe others might enjoy it a bit too?
Falling asleep with MASATO AIZAWA is almost guaranteed to result in you waking up in his arms. Hopefully youโre not too sensitive to heat because he doesnโt care what temperature the room is, heโs not going to be able to shut his eyes until heโs got you in his arms. Heโs a living, breathing space heater. So, either heโll be keeping you warm or heโll be the reason you wake up drenched in sweat. He sleeps in nothing but a pair of trunks and a single sockโ the second sock almost always manages to slip away at some point in the night. Heโs a big fan of skin to skin contact. So he encourages you to come to bed dressed as scantily as possible. Heโs already a heavy guy but he transforms into a boulder once heโs asleep, making it sort of difficult to pry his arm off. He understands that you have things to do and places to be, but that wonโt stop him from snaking his dominant arm around you and guiding you back into bed if he manages to wake up when youโre trying to sneak away. His eyes would barely be open as heโs pressing sleepy kisses against your skin and mumbling, โMm, noโฆ Not yet. Just a bit longer.โ And โa bitโ could mean anywhere from 5 minutes to an entire hour, if youโre not careful. Youโd have to be firm with him, otherwise youโre not getting up til heโs ready to part with you or until heโs gotten his fill of kissing youโ whichever comes first. Morning breath be damned.
If you think AKIRA NISHIKIYAMA is handsome after heโs gussied himself up for the day, you must have lost your mind the first morning you woke up next to him. He often wakes with his head resting above his pillow of folded arms, his actual pillow somewhere behind him. Some of the hair that heโs pushed out of his face, falls across his cheekbones, sways with the steady breath he pushes through his nose and tickles his forearms. He peeks at you through heavy slits, blinking until his vision is clear enough to notice you staring at him. His lips are puffy when he first wakes. Itโs like heโs pouting at you. Itโs not often that he sleeps well but he realizes that the nights he has is when heโs often sleeping next to you. If heโs gotten decent sleep, he wakes in a slightly playful mood, placing his chilly fingers over your eyes as he teases you for staring. Heโs a light sleeper though, so if you toss and turn, so will he. Even so, no matter how tired he is, he wonโt waste too long in bed after grumbling, โUgh, what time is it?โ Doesnโt matter what time you say, if he sees sunlight peeking through the curtains, heโll stretch and roll out of bedโ not without stealing a few kisses of course. If youโre creative (read: handsy) enough, he can be convinced to stay under the covers with you a little longer.
It took being loved by you for REINA to realize that it was perfectly okay to rise and fall as she is. When she was growing up, her mother taught her to wake before her partner so that theyโd โhave something nice to look atโ first thing in the morning. In the beginning, she did that with you. She woke up before the sun to freshen up, make her face and fix her hair then slink back into bed with you until you were ready to wake up. It took a lot of convincing for her to rid herself of that habit but now, she sleeps until sheโs well rested and wakes with nothing but a layer of her favorite night cream on her face and the straps of her cute little night slip sliding off her slender shoulders. Her dark hair is often pulled back into a loose, low bun but by the time sheโs awake, lots of it has freed itself and is strewn about her pillow. Sheโs immensely affectionate first thing in the morning and so one habit that hasnโt died is her slipping out of bed to at least brush her teeth. Once sheโs done that, sheโs cuddling you, pressing peeks against your cheek and whispering about the day ahead, and more. โWell, good morning, you. Sleep well? Ahh, this is nice, isnโt it?โ The woman is needy as all hell in the morning. The best prescription for that ailment is your affection.
Unless youโre an equally early riser, waking up to KAZUMA KIRYU often means waking to a half empty bed, his side of the covers tucked haphazardly beside you to keep you warm in his place. He hardly ever waits for you to wake to get started on breakfast. If you donโt rise to the familiar aroma of your favorites swirling past your nose or his fruitless attempt to muffle his heavy footsteps throughout the house, then heโll wake you personally just before breakfast gets cold. His big warm hand is cautious when he taps you, not wanting to startle you. His voice is even deeper in the silence of the morning when he says, โBreakfast is ready. Youโre welcome to join me but I donโt mind if you need more sleep.โ You canโt count on him to stay in bed and cuddle with you unless you practically hold the man hostage. After all, he wouldn't even stay in bed when heโs ill. Heโs not gonna do it if heโs got no excuse to.
If you ever wanted to know when you could catch GORO MAJIMA in his most vulnerable state, look no further. Waking up next to him is a rare privilege that one shouldnโt take lightly. Heโs lying there practically naked, nothing but a thin pair of briefs. Heโs either just fallen asleep a few hours ago or heโs lying there with his one eye barely open as he takes you in, contemplating if it's a good time to try to sneak out of bed. Sometimes, heโll simply lie there, eye smiling at you as you sleepily reach to brush the stray strands of his bedhead from hanging over his scarred eye and the cute mole just below it. Although heโs annoyed by not getting much sleep, heโs pretty much grown used to it at this point. He sees getting to watch you get enough shut eye for the both of you as a perk. Any time he catches you stirring, he shushes you and tries to lull you back to sleep. When that doesnโt work, heโll smile at you as he curls his pointer under your chin and whisper, โStubborn, ainโtcha?โ As if heโs one to talk.
(BTW have you guys seen this Majima art??? Absolute perfection!)
Early to bed, early to riseโ TAIGA SAEJIMA sees little pleasure in lounging around in bed in the mornings. In his mind, bed is either for sleep or a certain extra curricular activity. So, unless your fingers are slipping beneath the waistband of his pajama pants, expect him to roll out of bed shortly after he wakes. There is a benefit to this! As long as youโve slept next to him, you never have to worry about oversleeping for anything. Heโs got a natural, internal alarm clock that never fails. While heโs probably not going to lie in bed until youโre ready to wake, he does allow you to use his broad chest as a pillow all night if thatโs what you want. Heโs pretty versatile in that way. He can either hold you all night or sleep on opposite sides of the bed with your backs facing the other. After all, for him, just having you near him is more than enough. This is why he prefers to wait for you to get out of bed before he starts his morning tea. He likes to quietly share a cup with you before you go about your day.
Please do not reupload/repost/rewrite but likes and a reblog go a long way! Thank you for reading!
If you enjoyed this, you're welcome to check out more of my work! I have a masterlist to save you browse time!
I'm back with my Cliff x adult mc ideas, I just love this man so much. On the idea of mc also being a single parents, what if mc has either a newborn baby or a very young toddler, and after dating Cliff for a little while the baby's first word is 'dada' and directed at Cliff?
LOL I should really know better than to check tumblr while I'm working because it was a STRUGGLE not to stop and write all this, I love him so much, please keep the Cliff requests coming if you like this because I love it and him forever and ever amen
I couldn't do baby's first words, not with my idea of Cliff lol, but it's the same gist!!!
For years, Cliff had figured that he'd spend the rest of his life alone. Well, not alone, not truly -- he had Cove, and he was all he really needed. He had Kyra, who had become a dear friend, and he had Pam and Noelani who had always been there for him. But he'd always known that when his son grew up and moved out, he'd be, most of the time, alone.
Then he met you. And you proved him wrong.
He thought about that as he gently stroked your hair and listened to your breathing getting deeper as you fell solidly asleep, your head on his lap.
Looking back on it, Cliff couldn't figure out if he'd fallen in love with you slowly or if had happened all at once. There was an attraction the first time he met you, but it wasn't unusual at all for him to recognize that a person was attractive and then do absolutely nothing about it. But the deeper connection he felt, the overwhelming affection he had for you -- that was definitely unusual.
You'd met at his shop, over a year before. You'd just moved to the area, it was your first time living by the beach, and you'd wanted to appreciate it fully. He didn't learn all of this the first day, but you'd gotten out of a bad relationship and wanted a fresh start for you and your son, who was just about six months old at the time.
"I was thinking about taking scuba lessons, and I saw online that you offered them?" was what you'd told him that first day.
He'd smiled at you, a wide, friendly grin like he gave all his customers. He gave you the schedule of when the lessons were offered, and his smile faltered a bit when you frowned. You couldn't make any of these times, you'd explained.
"Here's the schedule for next month's lessons," Cliff had said quickly, pulling out another flyer. But those wouldn't work either. You could only take lessons on certain weekdays, and only during the mornings, you'd said. You had a baby who was in day care and you were trying to fit in a few hours for something you'd always wanted to do, but you could figure out something else.
There was the smallest hint of sadness in your voice, and it hit him hard. He remembered those early days when Cove was a baby, the sheer exhaustion, the desperation to do everything right and how hard it was to find the time to do something to take care of himself. It was hard then, and he'd had Kyra. You, it seemed then, and later on he learned, had nobody.
Before Cliff could even think about it, he said, "We could do a private lesson. What time works for you?"
"Oh no, that's all right," you'd said, shaking your head, "I couldn't --"
"My treat," he interrupted, cranking his smile back up to its full power. He could be charming when he wanted to be, and right then, he really, really wanted to be.
And he was, charming enough that you ended up agreeing to a free private lesson. Then you agreed to another. After that, you agreed to dinner.
He thought about all of it as he watched you sleep. How it took so long for you to come together, to conquer your respective fears and hang-ups and admit that you wanted to be with each other. How he wouldn't trade a moment of any of it for anything.
Cliff glanced at the clock, then back down to you. After taking a listen to the baby monitor that sat on your coffee table to make sure your son was fast asleep, he slid a hand down to your shoulder and gently shook you awake.
"Time to get in bed," he said quietly, leaning down to plant a kiss on your temple.
Knowing how sleepy you must be if you'd passed out on his lap during movie night, he carefully slid out from under you and stood. He grabbed your hand and helped you up, despite your protests.
"You can go right back to sleep," he laughed lovingly, placing a steady arm around your waist. "But let's get you more comfortable first."
He grabbed the baby monitor then led you to your bedroom. A quick peek in your son's room showed him that the little boy was sleeping soundly on the new toddler bed he'd assembled last week for him. He smiled at the sight, placed another kiss on your head and continued down the hall.
When you were inside your room, nearly asleep on your feet, he softly shut the door behind him and started undressing you. He'd undressed you plenty of times with more impure thoughts in mind, and though he couldn't help but land little kisses on your skin as he uncovered it, this wasn't that. When you were down to your underwear, he grabbed your pajamas from a drawer and put them on you.
Cliff was so focused on the task that it surprised him when he you wrapped your arms around his shoulders when he was done. You pulled him in for a kiss, on the lips this time finally, and he readily accepted. He let you pull him in closer, and he kissed you harder. Every time you kissed like this, no matter how many times it had happened, he made sure to be completely in the moment, to appreciate how lucky he was. To take you in and savor every single second that you shared yourself with him like this.
He was slipping a hand under the bottom of your shirt to feel the warmth of your skin when you pulled back to look at him.
"Stay?" was all you asked.
How could he say no to that?
He kissed you again, slower this time, happy to have the night to take his time. Before he could really get to work, he heard a little thump coming from the baby monitor.
You stopped kissing him and dropped your head against his chest, letting out a sigh. Your son had been having a hard time sleeping, which is why you'd been so tired. Before Cliff could offer any words of encouragement, the door flew open, and there was your little boy, wide awake and grinning.
"It's supposed to be bedtime," you told him as you scooped him up in your arms. He laughed and hugged you tight, his little fists bunching in your hair, and you smiled.
"I wanna play," he told you. You told him that you'd played all day and now it was time to sleep, and then the boy said something that nearly stopped Cliff's heart.
"Not with you, I wanna play with Daddy."
You froze, then Cliff saw your eyes dart to him. There was concern there, he saw, but before he could say anything else, your son twisted in your arms and started making little grabby hands at him.
"Wanna play with Daddy," he repeated, reaching for Cliff.
"I don't know where he heard that," Cliff heard you mutter -- or he thought that's what he heard, he couldn't be sure because he had burst into tears. The boy looked at him quizzically, then made a dive for him. Cliff caught him easily, and the tears came even faster when it was his turn to receive a hug.
"It's ok," he said, looking back at you. "I don't mind at all."
You started crying as well, which only made Cliff cry more. He reached his free arm over and pulled you into the hug. You buried your face into his chest, and he kissed your head. He'd never pass up an opportunity to kiss you.
After a moment, you pulled back and looked at your son and offered him a smile, telling him, "We'll talk about this in the morning, ok?"
"Don't wanna talk, I just wanna play."
You laughed, then gave Cliff a nod. Knowing what you meant, he hoisted the boy over his shoulder, bringing out a flood of giggles, and took him back to his own room.
For the next little while, Cliff put his all into playing. He lifted your son high in the air, then carefully tossed him down on the bed, earning more giggles. And when the toddler was finally tired out again, he watched you put him back into bed and pull his blankets over him.
Raising Cove was the best thing he'd ever done. It was the most rewarding experience of his life, watching his own son learn and grow and become a person he was so unbelievably proud of. When he'd met you, Cove was almost grown, and part of Cliff was sad that that chapter of his life was coming to an end.
But when he was like this here in your home, with you and your son, he thought he just might get lucky enough to do it all over again.
"I really don't know where he heard that," you told him when you were back in your bedroom. He took his clothes off while you got into bed, and after turning the light off, he joined you.
"I really don't mind," he said as you turned your back to him and scooted backwards up to his chest. Cliff was a big guy, and although it had been ages since he slept with anyone, it didn't take him long to remember how much he loved being the big spoon.
"I understand if you do, of course," he continued, wrapping an arm around your waist to pull you closer against him. "But I don't want you to think it's going to scare me away."'
"It's not?" you asked, so quiet he nearly missed it.
"Nothing would," he said truthfully. He heard your breath hitch as he moved his hand under your shirt again, placing his large hand flat against your bare stomach. He brought a kiss to your shoulder, thinking in passing about how he could never, not for the rest of his life, take being able to hold you like this for granted.
It would have to be a conversation, Cliff knew that. Your son couldn't just slip into calling him "daddy" without one -- he knew at this point that he wanted to be with you for the rest of his life, that he would be honored to be your son's dad one day, but his own life experiences had taught him to be careful. He knew now to go slow and take all the right steps when it really mattered.
But for now, as he felt your breath slow down again under his touch and with the soft sounds of your son's light snores through the baby monitor, he could let himself appreciate this feeling of bliss.
Request: ย ย Ooooo, Benzo tells Vander โIf you donโt make a move on Reader, I will.โ Vander canโt tell if he is bluffing or not lol. + I love the idea of the kids picking on Vander cuz he has a crush on reader. Maybe even does the โWhy are you acting weird?โ While reader is at the bar. โOooooooo Vander likes her.โ Ugh so cute.
Requested by: โAnon, and Anon
Summary: One slowburn fic, mostly detailing the actions of Vanderโs family upon discovering he has fallen for you.ย
Warnings: None, I donโt think
Words: 10.4K
Notes:ย This is the longest thing I have ever written. Itโs somewhat a slowburn. Enjoy. My requests are currently open! My pinned post (found here) contains both a list of characters I write for, and a masterlist! Original character list - please request for these too!
Not my gifย
Like most days during the week, business at The Last Drop had been somewhat slow โ steady but slow. It had been enough to bring in profit to pay the bills and clear the ledgers, but it hadnโt been enough to keep Vanderโs mind occupied. His mind kept wandering away from the tasks had been provided with by his patrons, and to you. A mysterious new face that had started appearing more and more frequently amongst the faces of more regular patrons, not that he would complain about that. You were a nice sight โ especially when he was having a rough evening. In some ways, you calmed him โ your mere sight alone just made himโฆ Relax. He wasnโt entirely sure how to explain the effect, or the warmth that spread through his chest when you came up to order drinks, the smile that started to occupy his face more and more as your number of interactions increased. You had been coming for something near three weeks now, almost every other day. Vander knew that your primary reason for visiting the establishment was for drinks, business or both, like everybody else, but part of him wanted to believe that it was for him, too, for his brief amount of company. Though the rational side of him tried to dismiss this โ there was little point in trying to give hope to someone like him, when there was none. There was no need to disturb the status quo, or to change things from the way they were. Though, Vander supposed, in some senses, he was lonely. Of course he had his four children, and they could indeed keep him company through long and restless nights, by distracting one another by talk of imaginary chases or dreams โ but as much as Vander adored spending time with his children, there were other areas of his life that had sat long neglected, almost forgotten. Parts that, he vaguely hoped, you would be able to help him tend to โ if he were able to strike up any kind of conversation with you.
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As a rule of thumb, don't reblog donation posts or people asking for donations unless they've been vetted and reblogged by Palestinian bloggers. We usually go to lengths to verify this shit because we know scammers have been faking to get people to send them money, using the urgency of our genocide as bait.
It's disgusting this is what we're dealing with, but people are losing money because of some truly evil people out there.
Accounts don't just randomly spring up on tumblr without gofundmes while asking for someone to help them create a campaign. Fuck out of here with that shit.
i am begging you all to stop treating this site like instagram if you dont want it to be content free by next year
Grace finally has a Magicam account, and what better use for it than immortalizing their friendships?
โค๏ธ 630 ๐จ๏ธ 43 ๐ 22
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ I finally made an account!! First pic, tea party preparations with housewarden of Heartslabyul! ๐น๐ซ
โค๏ธ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ_๐ผ๐ณ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ LMAO? HE'S SUCH A PRUDE LOLL
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌโ ๏ธ ๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ_๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ @ace_ofhearts dude you're aware that housewarden Rosehearts owns a magicam account right?
โฆ๏ธ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ_๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ totes adorbs!! but kinda bummed u didn't pick me for such a cute pic idea... (ใ โธใ )
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ @diamond_mind Oh I'm so sorry!! I got so busy with preparations that it slipped my mind u_u; I'll save you a spot next time, promise!
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โโ โ.๐หหณยทห ึดึถึธ โโ โ ึดึถึธหยทหณห๐ ึดึถึธ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ
โค๏ธ 450.2k ๐จ๏ธ 130.1k ๐ 130k
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ....okay so this MIGHT turn into a series. I pray to the Seven that Leona isn't active on magicam or else I'm migrating (he looks so peaceful tho, doesn't he?!)
๐บ ๐ท๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ต๐ผ๐๐น__ Grace.
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ @jackhowl__ Jack...... 5 replies
๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ด๐ด_๐ฏ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ฏ๐ต๐ณ you owe me a deluxe cutlet sandwich now btw ๐
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ I don't recall that being on our TOA?? 1 replies
๐ฐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ_๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ ????? LEONA KINGSCHOLAR???? ISN'T THAT THE PREFECT WHAT. 1435 replies
๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ด๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บ_๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ด๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ Sevens you narrow minded idiot.
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ is that literally fucking leona kingscholar 34572 replies
โปoh, except.... maybe they forgot one little detail...
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โโ โ.๐หหณยทห ึดึถึธ โโ โ ึดึถึธหยทหณห๐ ึดึถึธ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ
โค๏ธ 23.2k ๐จ๏ธ 2.3k ๐ 442
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ Decided to pay our octobuddy a little visit at the @mostrolounge this afternoon ๐๐นWhat a face! (also, wow where did all of you come from?? Was Leona's sleeping visage that baffling of a prospect? รนแดu,, actually, I'm now realizing that I hadn't even set this account to private...oops.)
๐ฌ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐.๐ฎ.๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ahahah!! oh man look at his face! little shrimpy's got guts~
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ thanks for being the cameraman buddy รนแดu อกออโ 7 replies
โค๏ธ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ_๐ผ๐ณ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ I'm surprised you didn't get ptsd just from walking into that room LMAO
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ @ace_ofhearts hm okay how about you join me next time
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌโค๏ธ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ_๐ผ๐ณ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ @yuur_grace no thank you <3
๐ฌ ๐ท๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ.๐น๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต. hahah. how swift. perhaps i may join you one day to capture such riveting images. 3 replies
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ ok no I'm actually so invested we can't just move on from the fact that this guy showed up all of a sudden and just KNOWS Leona kingscholar personally?!?? 200 replies
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โโ โ.๐หหณยทห ึดึถึธ โโ โ ึดึถึธหยทหณห๐ ึดึถึธ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ
โค๏ธ 530.5k ๐จ๏ธ 221k ๐ 138k
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ Another face cradled! And a dear friend hugged! Had a blast at this wonderful get-together in Scarabia dorm โ๏ธ๐ฎ๐ I think I'm ready to sleep for a week though hahaha ^^;
โ๏ธ ๐ธ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐บโช I'm so glad you came! I don't think I've had that much fun with friends in a while! You're always welcome whenever you feel like visiting ๐โจ
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ @kalimalasim always!
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME 1240 replies
๐ ๐ท๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น_๐ There's still some leftovers if you'd like to take some for Grim. Or yourself, really. 2 replies
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ oh okay so there's even MORE. why not. SURE. 212 replies
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โโ โ.๐หหณยทห ึดึถึธ โโ โ ึดึถึธหยทหณห๐ ึดึถึธ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ
โค๏ธ 970.6k ๐จ๏ธ 596.3k ๐ 502k
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ Nothing better than a long evening spent with the beauty queen himself @vilshoenheit. And look, he reciprocated! How sweet~ ๐โจ A wonderful idol, an even better friend.
๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ฒ๐ป๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐โช How precious. Do take good care of that manicure.
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ฒ๐ป๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ Wait, Grace, is this a private post?
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ will do! ๐ค 2304 replies
๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐น_๐ณ๐ฒ๐น๐บ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ man you're better than me, i can't stand a second doin any a this balderdash
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ your loss,, it's sooo relaxing ๐โโ๏ธ
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ YOU GUYS I CANT COPE ARE YOU KIDDING MEEEEEEE 784 replies
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ is this guy some sorta undercover cop or sum?? how's he got all these crazy ass ties??
๐น ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ต๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ oh, lร lร ... quelle beautรฉ, the calm before the storm~
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โโ โ.๐หหณยทห ึดึถึธ โโ โ ึดึถึธหยทหณห๐ ึดึถึธ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ
โค๏ธ 60.3k ๐จ๏ธ 43.4k ๐ 22.5k
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ Seems like I've been graced with this nice little picture from @0r1h0_shr0ud2 during a visit to Idia's dorm! No face hold unfortunately, but it's quite cute!๐ฉต๐ค Very rare, it seems Idia has yet to realize the photo being taken ^o^. Peep the adorable little PreMo gacha figure I got for him...? ๐
๐ฉต ๐ฌ๐ฟ๐ญ๐ต๐ฌ_๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ฌ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ I was so happy that you decided to stay and keep my brother company, Grace Alexander-san. Idia doesn't show it, but you really made his day!
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ @0r1h0_shr0ud2 awww! I'm always happy to spend time with you both! ๐ค 3 replies
๐ ๐ด๐น๐ฌ๐ฌ๐บ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ woah when was this?! you can't just spring such a rare event out of nowhere! delete, delete!!! 5 replies
โฆ๏ธ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ_๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ oh my Seven!! you both look so dope! truly inspiringโ and can we talk about how *adorbs* you look with that biscuit hanging from ur mouth?? (หต โขฬ แด - หต ) โง
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ @diamond_mind brothaaaa keep this up and you'll be fighting off rumors for days LOL รนแดu ahuahu
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌโค๏ธ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ_๐ผ๐ณ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ @yuur_grace OH U WANNA HEAR ABOUT RUMORS??? HAHAH
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ Am I tweaking or is that like. *The* Idia Shroud from the family Shroud part of the largest technological pioneers in Twisted Wonderland. Or am I insane.
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ this HAS to be a social experiment atp?? What in the world is this guy's power??? 467 replies
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โโ โ.๐หหณยทห ึดึถึธ โโ โ ึดึถึธหยทหณห๐ ึดึถึธ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ
โค๏ธ 2.1m ๐จ๏ธ 740.3k ๐ 680k
๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ it felt almost special, leaving my vest off. Maybe it was the winter breeze. Tsunotaro helped me with his cape, though, despite my insistence. What a sweet personality! ๐๐ We took a long walk through an abandoned woods, found some gorgeous gargoyles. To end my little series, I asked to hold him as well. He doesn't own a magicam account so I can't tag him... But at least he can keep the pictures :) Hurray! It ends! ๐คโจ
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ THERE IS NOOOOO FUCKING WAY I REFUSE NO NO ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THIS IS AN EVIL PRANK WHAT WHAT WHATTTTATSYSYTHJDHJ WHO IS THIS GUYYYYYY 1204 replies
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ป๐ฝ๐ฐ OH YES DROP THE BOMB ON US WHY NOT. OKAY. THREE OTHER CELEBS WEREN'T ENOUGH I GUESS. 762 replies
๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ฒ Grace, you must know I have never been so entertained in my long life. Why, Malleus himself sits beside me and stares down at the screen in bafflement!
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ @vanrougee ???? Explain?? ToT
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌโฆ๏ธ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ_๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ @yuur_grace you sweet summer child ๐ญโ
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โยฌ ๐ ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด.๐๐ถ๐ด๐ฏ๐ผ๐น๐ @yuur_grace YOU ARE ENTIRELY UNCONNIVING. YOU PLACE MALLEUS UNDER INTENSE SCRUTINY FROM THE MASSES AS WELL AS LADY MALEFICIA! YOU SHOULD BE MORE MINDFUL, HUMAN!!
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ยฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฟ_๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ OH my god.
HEHEHE I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS AS MUCH AS I DID THIS WAS SO EXHAUSTING BUT SO FUN TO MAKE !!! ๐ฉท๐ค๐ฉทโจโจ Also pls don't look too hard at the numbers ik a lot of them are wrong I'm sleep deprived and high on 3 monster cans ๐ค
20 <3, Tokio hotel <3, Marina <3, The Outsiders <3 Horror <3
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