skeleton simp

Guidelines

Works must feature aromanticism in some way.

All fanworks & original works are welcome. (RPF is also fine as long as the subject is a public figure ❤️)

Prompts are optional and up to interpretation.

Works must be your own; plagiarism and AI-generated works are forbidden.

There are no content restrictions, but please include relevant content warnings on your work.

Cross-posting to other events is okay as long as the other event allows it.

Lastly, do not police other creators’ interpretations of aromanticism; it is a broad identity that can mean many different things to different people.

Prompts

aroace / aroallo

partnering / non-partnering

friendship / family

self discovery / coming out

non-monogamy / relationship anarchy

lovequeer / loveless

pride flag / green & white

Discussion Prompts

(Although the event is open to all, these are meant for arospec individuals specifically!)

What does aromanticism mean to you?

How did you discover your arospec identity?

Do you identify with any more specific labels, or "just aro"?

Tell us about an arospec headcanon.

The League of Villains headquarters was rarely quiet, but tonight it held a heavy, humid sort of silence that only comes with a summer storm brewing outside. The air conditioning in the crusty warehouse was struggling, and the flickering fluorescent lights hummed a low, hypnotic tune.

Dabi was sprawled across the sofa in the common area, his long legs draped over the armrest. He looked like he’d been poured there, languid, dangerous, and utterly bored.

That was, until you walked into the room.

The moment you settled onto the cushion beside him, his heavy-lidded gaze flickered toward you.

He didn’t say a word, but the corner of his stapled lips quirked upward just a fraction.

Before you could even reach for the book you’d left on the coffee table, a large, scarred hand snaked around your waist and hauled you backward.

You let out a small "oomph" as you were pulled flush against his chest.

Dabi wasn't just being affectionate; he was being a tether.

He tucked his chin into the crook of your neck, the cool metal of his staples pressing against your skin, providing a sharp contrast to the unnatural heat radiating from his body.

"You're late," he mumbled, his voice a low, gravelly vibration that rattled right through your bones.

You let out a soft laugh, leaning back into him. "I was only gone for twenty minutes, Dabi. Shigaraki needed help with the supply inventory."

"Twenty minutes too long," he retorted, his grip tightening. He began to nuzzle into your hair, inhaling deeply.

He smelled like ozone, expensive cologne, and just a hint of woodsmoke. It was a scent that had become your version of home.

He started to tease you then, his nimble fingers tracing light, nonsensical patterns over your ribs, dancing just at the edge of where he knew you were ticklish.

You squirmed, trying to swat his hands away, but he was like an octopus, limbs everywhere, pinning you down with the lazy ease of a predator who knew his prey wasn't actually trying to escape.

"Stop it," you giggled, your breath hitching as his fingers found a particularly sensitive spot. "I thought you were tired."

"I am," he drawled, his breath hot against your ear. "Exhausted. That's why you have to stay right here. You’re my pillow now. It’s a very important job. Very high stakes."

He shifted, sliding down until his head was resting in your lap. He looked up at you, his turquoise eyes glowing with a soft, mischievous light that he only ever showed when the two of you were alone.

He reached up, his thumb tracing the line of your lower lip, his expression softening into something so tender it felt like a secret.

"Look at you," he whispered, his voice losing its edge. "All soft and worried about a guy like me. You’re pathetic, doll."

"And yet, you're the one who won't let me go," you countered, running your fingers through his messy, coal-black hair.

Dabi hummed, a sound of pure contentment, and closed his eyes. He grabbed one of your hands and pressed a lingering, heated kiss to your palm, his staples grazing your skin in a way that felt more like a caress than a threat. He didn't just want you near; he wanted to be absorbed by you.

He was clingy in a way that felt desperate and devoted all at once, a man who lived in the dark finally finding a sun he could actually touch without burning.

"Stay," he commanded, though it sounded more like a plea. "Don't move until the sun comes up."

You smiled, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead, right between the scars. "I wasn't planning on going anywhere."

He let out a long, shaky exhale, his body finally going limp with total relaxation as he draped his heavy arm across your legs, anchoring you to him.

In the dim, gritty light of the LOV hideout, surrounded by chaos and villains, Dabi fell asleep with a small, genuine smile on his face, holding onto you like you were the only real thing left in the world.

The sun hadn't quite cleared the horizon when the heavy metal door of the common room creaked open, the rusted hinges let out a high-pitched whine that sounded like a dying bird.

Toga was the first one through, skipping with an energy that felt offensive for five in the morning.

She stopped mid-skip, her golden eyes widening as she took in the sight on the sofa.

Right behind her, Twice stumbled in, mid-sentence about how much he hated mornings or loved them, it was hard to tell, before he, too, froze in his tracks.

The sight was something none of them were prepared for.

Dabi, the man who usually looked like he’d set the world on fire just to watch it glow, was utterly incapacitated by sleep.

He was draped over you like a giant, protective shadow.

His face was buried in the crook of your neck, one hand still fisted firmly in the fabric of your shirt as if he were afraid you might evaporate if he let go.

You were pinned beneath his dead weight, blinking sleepily at the newcomers, your hand still resting habitually in his dark hair.

"Oh my god," Toga whispered, her voice uncharacteristically high and delighted. She fumbled for her phone, her fingers flying across the screen. "He looks so... squishy. I didn't think Dabi could do 'squishy.'"

"It’s disgusting! I want a turn!" Twice hissed, leaning over Toga’s shoulder to get a better look. "He looks so peaceful. He looks like a serial killer having a nap!"

The muffled voices and the shutter sound of Toga’s camera finally reached Dabi.

You felt him stiffen first, his muscles coiling under your touch.

He didn't jump or startle, Dabi didn't do anything that looked panicked but his eyes snapped open, sharp and lethal.

The soft, turquoise glow you’d seen last night was replaced by a cold, narrow glare as he realized you were being watched.

He didn't move away from you, though.

If anything, he tightened his hold, pulling you back against his chest and burying his face deeper into your shoulder for a second, letting out a long, frustrated groan that vibrated through your entire body.

"Get out," he rasped, his voice thick with sleep and irritation.

"Make us, Patchwork!" Toga teased, dancing just out of reach as Dabi finally sat up, though he kept his arm draped heavily over your shoulders like a possessive mantel. "I’m sending this to Shigaraki. New wallpaper for everyone!"

Dabi’s hand ignited with a tiny, warning flicker of blue flame, the heat momentarily warming your cheek. "I will incinerate your phone, kid. And then I’ll do your hair."

"He's so cranky when he’s cuddly!" Twice shouted, retreating toward the kitchen. "He's adorable! I hate him!"

As they retreated, still whispering and giggling, the room fell back into a temporary, fragile quiet. Dabi didn't let go of you.

He dropped his head onto your shoulder again, his forehead resting against your skin.

The terrifying villain who had just threatened his teammates with third-degree burns let out a heavy sigh, his thumb beginning to rub small, rhythmic circles into your hip through your clothes.

"Go back to sleep, doll," he mumbled, his voice dropping back into that soft, private register meant only for you. "Ignore them. If they come back, I'll actually burn the building down this time."

He pulled the discarded blanket back over both of you, tucking it around your shoulders with a gentleness that would have shocked the rest of the League.