#maple posts!

r. sukuna x girly f!reader... Where Sukuna can't keep his eyes off his dirty little secret-- the receptionist at his auto shop.

notes: suggestive dialogue, cussing, and Sukuna being whipped

series masterlist

The neon light of Itadori Auto Shop flickered as Hikaru walked in. It was a misty morning; he took a cold shower, kissed his wife goodbye (she couldn’t make him lunch today, she was in a rush for a job meeting), and listened to some jazz music on the way here. When he entered the shop, the smell of motor oil and acetone greeted him like an old friend, and he spotted some of his fellow employees. Touya, Yohei, and the rest of them were all together, in the middle of a big conversation with Sukuna.

Sukuna was the head, as well as the owner, of the auto shop. His father, Wasuke, was a very stubborn man, and would’ve kept working if it weren’t for an accident he had involving a particularly heavy part nearly crushing the old man’s ankle. Sukuna had still been working then, but now he had taken over his father’s responsibilities on being owner of the place. Sukuna was definitely unlike his father, Hikaru noticed. Wasuke might’ve been an old cranky man, but he was all bark compared to Sukuna; towering over everyone at the shop at 6’2 with tattoos and piercings littering his body, Sukuna Itadori definitely screamed trouble. Hikaru always tried to maintain his distance from the guy (although he was usually friendly with his coworkers), because when he got upset, it was terrifying. Yohei  told him once that a customer was so rude to the point that he spat in his face, in which Sukuna knocked his front tooth out in response. 

“Now look who’s here!” Touya exclaimed, getting up to pat Hikaru on the back. “We were just talking about heading over to the bar tonight. All of us are down, but the boss over here isn’t too keen on going,”

He jerks a thumb toward Sukuna, who rolls his eyes and merely grunts. “I told you idiots, I’ve got plans for tonight—“

“Like brooding around in your house?” Yohei snickered, and everyone else broke into laughter. It was true, Sukuna was usually bitter, and these days, he’s been more reserved than ever.  

Sukuna glared at his coworkers, wondering why his father had ever hired them in the first place. “Very amusing. No, I’m going out to dinn—“

The door suddenly burst open, and everyone went silent as you walked in, heels clacking on the floor. You were the receptionist, always taking calls and orders from the customers. Everyone at the shop respected you, but they had to admit your personality was very… different from the rest of the guys. Your desk was littered with little My Melody figurines and fashion magazines, and you were always playing some pop song. 

Sukuna had hired you about 3 years ago because the old receptionist had quit. Yohei had told Hikaru that from the day you walked in with your flare jeans and high heels, you were certainly trouble for everyone. A lot of the employees found you attractive, but no one’s ever dared to make a move, because you simply wouldn’t let them. Hikaru has noticed that you looked like a ditzy bimbo, but you were actually very witty and didn’t let men walk all over you. In fact, you sort of kept everyone here into shape. 

Well, everyone except Sukuna. 

You were both very stubborn people, and Hikaru has noticed that the two of you bantered more than often. Usually, the fights ended with you getting your way, and with Sukuna muttering a string of curses under his breath. The rest of the guys thought that Sukuna was probably only keeping you because your beautiful face and your nice ass kept the customers rolling, but Hikaru didn’t think that he hated you at all. 

“Good morning boys,” You beamed, waving at all the employees. Today, you were wearing a plaid skirt and a pink blouse with some high heels. But the men weren’t looking at your outfit; like ravenous dogs, they immediately started crowding you as soon as they saw the box of donuts in your hand. 

Touya smirked, taking the box from your hands like the gentleman he is. “You’re such a blessing, sweetheart. Just what we needed in the morning.”

You watched as the men each snatched a donut (some even snatched two, greedy bastards), until the only one left was a pink donut with sprinkles. One of the men was about to snatch it when Sukuna barked at him. “Kaito, what are you, a pig? This is your fourth fuckin’ donut.”

Sukuna looked up at you, pointing at the donut. “Eat.”

You furrowed your brows, knowing Sukuna is a man of few words, but still appreciating his weird way of showing kindness. You picked the donut up, taking a bite of it. Everyone stared at you, then at Sukuna, and began to laugh. Yohei smirked, “Someone’s gotta a soft spot for the little secretary.”

Both you and Sukuna rolled your eyes at the same time, and Sukuna spoke up, “I’m not being soft. She bought you all donuts, it only seems right that she gets the one that looks like she threw up on it.”

You felt the corners of your mouth tug when he began to speak, but as soon as he made that comment about your donut, you narrowed your eyes at him. He smirked back. 

What a bastard. 

With your donut in your mouth, you sauntered back to your desk, taking out your pink agenda and reading out the itinerary for today. “Okay boys, so we got Mr. Nakamura coming by for his monthly checkup, that call yesterday from those teenage boys which I still haven’t figured out if it is a prank or not, but I guess we’ll find out today. Teenage boys can be such idiots, wow. Were you guys ever like that? My brother certainly was— he was a real piece of work, that guy. Still is,” You rambled on, and the guys shared a look with each other. 

Sukuna merely just rolled his eyes before interrupting you. “You’re going off on a tangent.”

“Whoops,” You sighed, looking back down at the agenda. “Oh, and Ms. Aoshima needs her brake fixed. That’s all.”

“You heard her boys,” Sukuna said, getting up from the workbench. “Let’s get to work. Touya, go fetch me a spare brake pad from the storage.”

Touya grinned, turning on his heel before saying, “Not if you say the magic word.”

“Go fuck yourself,”

12:30 eventually rolled around, and it was lunch time. Most of the guys always ate out in the diner that was just 2 blocks away, and since Hikaru didn’t have any lunch, he decided to join them. While everyone was putting on their jackets, he noticed Sukuna sitting at the workbench’s taking out his lunch. “Hey boss, you’re not gonna join us at the diner? You don’t gotta order anything, just at least keep us company.”

Sukuna grunted, “Nah, I think I’m gonna keep working on this Honda. It’s givin’ me more trouble than I initially thought.”

“Okay,” Hikaru nodded, heading out the door. “See ya later, boss.”

Once the door closes, Sukuna puts his lunch down before heading towards the bathroom. His father never bothered to put a female restroom because he’s never had a female employee up until you, who has been in the bathroom for the past fifteen minutes. Sukuna banged on the door, “Can you hurry up, woman? I need to take a piss.”

“Sorry, boss. Lemme just finish putting on my gloss.” You replied, and a few seconds later you opened the door to a very upset Sukuna. 

“The bathroom isn’t your personal vanity,” He said staring down at you. He couldn’t help and admit how cute you looked with that pout on your face and your lips coated with that pink sparkly gloss that you always kept in your pocket.  He stepped forward, “It’s for everyone to use, and I can’t have you acting ridiculous and putting on makeup at every hour when we have to use the bathroom.”

He paused before slipping his arms around your waist and pulling you closer. “Stupid woman. You don’t need all that shit anyway. You looked beautiful this morning, and you look beautiful now.”

Before you could respond, Sukuna crashed his lips onto yours, which caused you to drop your makeup bag and instead focus on the hot man in front of you. He cupped your face as he tasted your mouth, his piercing feeling cold against your tongue. God, you were always a sucker for his tongue piercing and the way it felt in your mouth. You pulled away and wiped the lip gloss off his lips, “You’ve got a little something there, Kuna.”

Sukuna grunts (but he secretly loved tasting your strawberry flavored lip gloss), leading you to the workbench where your lunch was also waiting. You sat next to him and both began to dig into your meals. You continued, “I wonder how long this charade will take. I mean, it’s been two years and none of them have a clue about our marriage. Not that I want them to know, I like having this as a secret.” You leaned your head on his shoulder, rubbing your free hand over his tattoos. 

“Hikaru definitely knows something,” Sukuna pointed out, feeding you some of his salmon. “The guy is always maintaining his distance from you, and he looks at me like I could snap is head in half.”

“You do look like that,” you said giggling, and he glared at you. “Honey, it’s true. Didn’t you actually knock someone’s tooth out because they were being super rude to you?”

Sukuna scoffed, “That’s a just a story I say to entertain these bafoons. I like seeing how scared they get.”

Then, in a lower voice, he said, “I actually knocked both his front teeth out.”

You looked at him wide-eyed, and Sukuna couldn’t help but give a smirk. “Don’t worry, doll. I’m trying my best for you. Although I can’t make no promises if someone tries to hurt you.” 

“Please, Kuna. You were barely holding yourself back when you saw Touya hanging by my desk.” You take the last bite and put your bento down. “I saw the steam coming out of your ears. You looked so adorable, like an angry kitten.”

“I’d prefer if you didn’t refer to me as that, woman.” Sukuna grumbled, even though his ears were bright red. 

You couldn’t hide your snicker as you noticed how flustered he was. “Aww, you look so adorable right now. I just wanna pinch your cheeks.”

You got up and pinched his cheeks, and he merely glared at you. Secretly, he was enjoying all this affection from his wife considering that he didn’t get to be affectionate with you for half of the day. But he would rather jump off a cliff before admitting to you that your affectations were his soft spot. 

The two of you spent the rest of the lunch break doing the usual— sharing childhood stories, gossip about coworkers, and having Sukuna indulge in your fashion addiction. Currently, he stood over you as you were shopping at some online boutique, showing him all the outfits that you wanted to buy. So far, he’s approved more than half of the items, and he knows he’s in deep trouble if you keep finding any more. You click on a light pink lacey set that includes a camisole and shorts. “C’mon, Kuna. I have to get these. Can’t you imagine me getting out of the shower in these?”

Yes, Sukuna can imagine it very vividly, and if he doesn’t stop thinking about you in that set, he’s probably going to do something stupid. He raises an eyebrow. “Let me see the model. I wanna see how it would look on you. “

You click on the next slide, and Sukuna’s eyes widen. “You need more PJ sets. Go buy that one,”

You grinned happily, “Thank you. Now about the lingerie—“

Your shopping spree was suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door opening, where the rest of the me walked in. Sukuna immediately pulled away from you, and you pretended to read from the computer screen. “That part is probably coming in tomorrow, so we’d have to delay Mr. Gojo’s appointment.”

Sukuna nodded before looking back up at the men. “Took all of you long enough. Let’s get back to work.” 

He left your desk, but not before subtly giving your ass a smack. You bit back your squeak and glared at your husband before returning to the computer. You supposed the conversation for lingerie could wait a couple of hours. 

Hikaru squinted when he noticed the glare you gave Sukuna. He nudged Yohei and whispered, “Do you think the boss is hooking up with our secretary?”

Yohei stared at his coworker in disbelief. “Are you kidding? Sukuna hates her guts. He’d always talking about how irritating she is, prancing around in her miniskirts.” 

“I think I just saw him slap her ass,”

Yohei cackled at that. “You must be seeing things, man. I don’t even think Sukuna’a her type. No way a sweet girl like her would ever get with such a grumpy man like him.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Hikaru muttered, stealing a glance at Sukuna, who was trying not to stare at you working hard on your desk.

But still, opposites do attract…

a/n: not edited as per usual, but hey this is my first time writing for sukuna. he's an itadori in this blurb, because i might honestly continue writing this series and include yuji and choso (i'm a sucker for uncle!kuna). also this is probably ooc, i haven't watched season 3 yet and i'm not that far in the manga

xoxo,

j.todd x f!reader- After a rough night of patrol, Jason comes across a blind woman who's walking home and befriends her.

notes: just some fluff, based on veil manga by kotteri

The first fall of snow in Gotham City was always so beguiling, at least to Jason Todd; by the next day, the streets would always be filled with snow salt and sludge. But the first snowfall was picturesque, similar to  a scene that Jason would read out of his favorite novel. It reminded the man of simpler days, where he’d spend his days at Wayne Manor having snowball fights with his older brother Dick, afterwards going inside to curl up by the fireplace and read.

Nowadays, snow days aren’t as magical as they used to be. Instead of laughter and warmth, Jason was met with the blood-stained streets and the bitter cold pricking at his skin. He also figured that as you grew up and started to see the horrors of life, that sort of magic disappeared (and believe it, Jason has had his fair share of horrors in life). 

Tonight wasn’t different than any other night; there was the smell of weed enveloping a group of hooded men near the corner store deli, the sounds of screams piercing through the night, and the coppery tang left in Red Hood’s mouth when he swiped his tongue over the cut on his busted lip.

He looked down at the crook who was trying to sell some illegal substances to teenagers earlier, now with a mangled face and busted up ribs (courtesy of Red Hood himself). The bastard thought it’d be a bright idea to try to get a couple of hits on Red Hood, and although he held up a pretty good fight, Jason basically bashed him into the ground. 

“P-please, Mr. Red Hood, I was just trying to make some money.” the crook begged, trying to get up. The man’s eyes screamed for mercy, and Jason couldn’t help but think how pathetic he looked. That man knew what he was doing when he sold those drugs to the kid, and Jason made him pay the price.  

“Stay down,” Red Hood’s modulated voice came out threateningly as he put his boot over the man’s torso and began to slowly apply pressure to his chest. The crook began to wheeze, and Jason heard a crack coming from the man’s ribs. A shriek pierced the night, but they both knew that one would come to rescue him. Jason pulled his foot back, and the man had seemingly relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. He coughed up some blood and he gave a little smirk at Jason, his smile stained with red. “Oh, thank fuck, man. I really thought I was a goner— what are you doing?”

The crook watched as the Red Hood took out a handgun from his thigh holster and pointed it to him, the fear he had only a few seconds ago settling back in. Jason, on the other hand, was smirking inside the helmet. He stepped closer, the sound of his boots echoing in the alleyway, until he loomed over the bastard and held the gun to his chest before pulling the trigger. 

Red Hood wasn’t one for pleasantries; once he found his target, he never hesitated to put a bullet through them. 

The man’s screams were swallowed by the sound of the gunshot ringing through the air, and the cold breath had stopped coming out of his mouth. Red Hood could see the blood spilling out of the man’s upper torso and onto the  cement, where the red had stained the beautiful white snow from the previous night. He smirked to himself in satisfaction, knowing that the bastard got what he deserved and that the children were safe from those dangerous drugs. He couldn’t bear to see any of these promising young kids become just like his mother; battling with addiction while making empty promises to the people you loved. He looked over the scene one last time before getting his grappling hook, throwing it to the nearest ledge and soaring upward to the Gotham night.

Some nights he’d be working alongside Nightwing or Red Robin or Batgirl, but for the most part, Jason was alone. He was told often that he was bad at communication with his fellow vigilantes, and his ideologies weren’t exactly similar to the Batman’s.

But it wasn’t like he minded being alone. In between his familial affairs and his job at the fire department, there was just too much in his brain throughout the day, but the serenity of night allowed for Jason to be alone with his thoughts. 

He landed near Broad Street, in the alleyway next to a coffee shop he often frequented with his friend Roy. He slumped against the wall, trying to catch his breath before he could continue to grapple. Just a few more blocks, and he’ll be back at his place, where he could spend the rest of the night indulging in classic literature and drinking hibiscus tea. 

When he looked around to spot anyone watching him, he didn’t expect to see a young woman walking the streets at this hour. The first thing Jason noticed was the beautiful clothing  she wore; a red pea coat and a pair of designer heels he’d seen Steph wear once. It was something so simple, yet the woman made it look so elegant with how she walked so gracefully. 

Jason’s eyes narrowed when he saw the cane in her hand, curious as to why a blind woman was out so late at night when it was so dangerous. Before he could wonder any further, Jason noticed that something fell out of her pockets, and he straightened up and walked outside of the alleyway to pick it up.

It was a light blue handkerchief, neatly folded and clean, but now smudged with a little grease that was on the sidewalk. He carefully walked up to the woman, making sure not to startle her, and turned off his voice modulator to sound less like a threat. “Excuse me, ma’am?”

You turned around, looking up at him with a curious expression. He noticed immediately how you clutched your purse and reached for something in your pocket (perhaps pepper spray?). “Yes?”

Your voice was soft and melodious, unlike the usual booming voices that cut into the Gotham atmosphere like a looming threat. You didn’t belong here, and no less in a place like the Bowery. Jason nodded, “Yeah, uh, you dropped your handkerchief.”

He held it out near your hands, and you took it, brushing your fingers against his palm. You held the handkerchief close to your chest before smiling, “Thank you. What are you doing here so late at night, may I ask? Are you a policeman?”

Jason chuckled at the thought of being a part of the police force. He had little respect for the GCPD, seeing that their methods of enforcement were often ineffective and did not help the crime rate in this city go down. “Yeah, somethin’ like that. You know, you shouldn’t be out this late either. What’s got you strollin’ around here so casually at this hour?”

“Well, Mr. Policeman,” You began, and Jason felt the corner of his mouth tug slightly upward at your nickname. “If you must insist on knowing, I work at a clothing shop here.”

You pointed past his shoulder, and he turned around to see a small clothing shop nestled between his favorite coffee shop and a tattoo parlor. He raised an eyebrow, “The Nifty Thrifter, huh?”

“Yes. It’s a really silly name, don’t you think? That’s what I told my coworker, but she wouldn’t listen to me.  It isn’t even a thrift shop. Most of the clothing are designs of mine from a couple of years ago, so it should really be more of a boutique.”

Jason looked down at you, noticing how your face turned into a pout when you began to criticize the shop’s name. It was cute. “Yeah, it’s a little ridiculous, alright. Where’s your coworker anyway?”

“Oh, she’s long gone if you wanted to catch her.” Jason’s brows furrowed when he saw you clutch at your jacket as a breeze came in. “She’s a mother and wife, so she’s gotta leave earlier to pick up the kids and all that. It’s my responsibility to close up shop.”

“She leaves you to close up shop alone?” Jason asked, his voice a little sharper. It was an irresponsible decision on your coworkers' part; having you close up shop and walk home alone this late at night. 

You furrowed your brows, lifting your chin a little higher. “I’m perfectly capable of closing up shop myself, if that’s what you’re sounding so doubtful about”

“No, sweetheart, that’s not what I was worried about.” Jason shakes his head. “I just don’t think it’s very safe for you to be out late at night in this area especially. You don’t have anyone to drive you home? No friends or family or anything”

You paused at the man’s question. You didn’t go out much besides for work, so you didn’t have many friends. Since moving here, you haven’t had any friends, really. Your family was out of the question; you could never go back to your home. “No, I don’t have anyone.”

Jason saw the way you were lost in thought for a second before answering, and he found himself wondering what had happened to your family or what would make your friends so busy to not even pick you up from work. He stepped closer to you, and you felt the heat emanating in his body. “Can I walk you home? I mean, if that’s alright with you.”

“I would appreciate that, thank you.” You held out your hand for him to take it. Jason stood there for a second, not really sure on why he was hesitating. It felt wrong to have his blood stained gloved hands intertwined with your soft, manicured ones. You chuckled,  “Don’t be so afraid, Mr. Policeman. I don’t bite.”

Jason smiled at that before taking your hand in his. Your hands were freezing cold, and he couldn’t help but hold your hand a bit tighter. “It’s just Jason, sweetheart.”

“Jason it is,” You mused, telling him your name and where you lived. “We must hurry, though. I don’t want to miss the new episode of this new soap opera. Oh, I must explain it to you.”

“I’m all ears,” Jason said as he led you further down the block.

As Jason listened to you ramble on about love triangles and cancer diagnoses, he found himself smirking softly. It was true that he wasn’t expecting to cross paths with anyone tonight, but as soon as he gave you that handkerchief, he couldn’t help but feel drawn to your presence like a moth to a flame. He supposed his hibiscus tea and Madame Bovary could wait an hour; there were bigger problems at hand now, and she was probably the most endearing problem Jason’s ever come across.

a/n (not edited!): I'm so excited for this. Since Veil is basically a series of blurbs, I would continue writing some random blurbs about Jason and Reader. I also didn't want to make the Reader exactly like Emma, so I based more of her fashion sense to a bit more modern times (since I think Veil is more 20th century based), so she's 'modeled' after Nanny Fine from the Nanny.

Also the title is based on Harry Styles' song. I just always thought it reminded me of Aleksander and Emma :)

xoxo,

dick grayson x pregnant wife! reader

notes; none

Friday night was arguably the best night in the Grayson household, as declared by you and Dick. On this fine evening, you were cooking some lobster risotto (a fan favorite), and there were some brownies in the oven. In the background, you had some cheesy rom com playing until your husband got home. With your twins coming underway, everything was harder for you to do. But that didn’t deter to you; being pregnant only served as motivation to not be and prevent your husband from burning down the kitchen. 

Speaking of which, you spotted Dick from the corner of your eye sneaking into your apartment through the window. “Hi, honey,” 

Dick, all sweaty and gross, did not hesitate to envelop you in a hug. “Hey baby. I thought I told you that I had dinner handled.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Dick, the only thing you know how to make is cereal. And even you burn that sometimes. Besides I made lobster risotto.”

Dicks face lit up at that, shortly before giving you a big fat wet kiss. When he pulled away, he said. “Babe, I love you so much right now.”

He bent down  to the level of your stomach. “And how are our babies doing?”

No one’s been more excited than Dick about your kids, especially since you guys found out about having twins. Ever since you guys have started dating, he’s told you about when he was a kid, he wanted to be a father, and a good father like his dad and Bruce. It was heartwarming to see your husband passionately ramble about parenting tips and baby names. “Not much activity going on down there today, no. Maybe cause they missed you.”

“Oh, I think they definitely missed me..” he murmured, kissing all over your belly and eliciting  giggles from you. “Missed their mama too.”

He was on his knees now, looking up at you as you couldn’t help but smirk. “Did you, really?”

“Yeah,” he said breathlessly before getting up and squeezing your ass. “So, when’s this risotto ready?”

“I just put it on, why?”

“Because we,” he said before picking you up effortlessly and walking. “Are gonna take a well deserved shower. We’re both aching and need relaxation… and release.”

You rolled your eyes, but didn’t complain as your husband carried you all the way to the shower, where all future worries about the babies disappeared

warnings: none

<3

All of your kids being injured was a nightmare to most moms, but for you it was just a regular Tuesday. It didn’t mean that you enjoyed seeing them hurt, but you had to live with it.

“Hey mom, you don’t gotta worry about us.” Your eldest, Dick said as he stitched his own gunshot wound. You immediately frowned after seeing how deep the wound was. The Manor was in chaos after Bruce rallied everyone in after a pretty hectic patrol, and basically everyone was hurt to some extent, and you were so gonna kill your husband… right after fussing over your babies.

You did a once-over on Dick before moving on to the next victim: Jason. His gash was more bloody than Dick’s, but you weren’t surprised at all. Jason has more of a tendency to get into trouble than his siblings. You murmured before taking out the gauze from Alfred’s hands. “Jason, baby, what the hell happened out there?”

Jason just frowned, letting you do your work. “S’nothing, ma. Just a bunch of Penguin’s goons ambushing us. It was unexpected, but we’re all alive.”

“Yeah, barely.” You scoffed, accidentally tightening the gauze.

Jason winced, “Hey, ma watch it! I’m hurtin’.”

“Sorry, baby.” You huffed. “I’m just a little stressed on how your dad could let this happen.”

You left Jason’s grumbling mess to check on Tim, Cass, and Stephanie who were all in discussion. These three had their own mothers, but their mothers weren’t really present at times, so you made sure that you would spoil them to death.

“Okay, please tell me you’re better than your brothers,” 

Cass was the first to reply, showing off a fresh new cut, which wasn’t too deep, and signing, It’s just one cut. 

“Well, I’m glad it’s just that.” You pressed a kiss to her head before turning to Tim, who was jut a little bruised. “Timmy, are you—“

“Yeah, I am, mom. Just a little bruised up. But see, unlike those two idiots, I didn’t step headfirst into danger and was aware of my surroun—“

“Shut the fuck up, Replacement!” Jason yelled over his shoulder.

Tim scoffed, “Only saying the truth.”

“Boys!” You yelled, causing everyone in the room to shut up. “This isn’t a badassery contest of some sorts, these are your lives.”

Everyone seemed to understand that your worry wasn’t just something to brush off, and then they continued to patch themselves up and mutter. Oh, you were gonna have a talk with Bruce, alright.

Speak of the devil, the man had entered looking like absolute hell, with Duke supporting him on one side. Your jaw had dropped when your husband had a cut up face and what looked like several bruised ribs. “Oh, Bruce, I’m so gonna kill you!”

Bruce just muttered under his breath, “Hello to you too, darling.”

You frowned, softening your expression before gingerly pulling him in for a hug. ”You’re lucky you’re hurt, or else I would’ve hit you into oblivion. I came in from work to see all my children  injured.”

Duke smiled, “Not me, momma. I came out fully unscathed.”

You smiled, then glared at Duke. “Baby, I’m not an idiot. I see the blood seeping through your suit.”

“It was Bruce’s fault.” He pointed to the man before leaving him to face the fury of an overprotective but loving momma bear. Boy, was this going to be a long night. 

BONUS:

Later that night, after helping Alfred cook dinner, yoy had checked in on Damian, who was MIA the entire night. Bruce had told you he was the only one who didn’t get injured (just a few scrapes), and that gave you such a relief. You knocked on the door “Damian?”

“Enter,” the boy had said before you did.  He was lying on the bed, a book next to him. 

“I see you’ve taken a liking to Miss Austen.” You smirked , sitting on the bed

Damian rolled his eyes, “Tt.  It’s not terrible. I don’t understand what Todd sees in this book. I do not trust this Wickham character.”

You snorted, “You got that right.”

“You’ve read it?” Damian asks. 

“No. But I’ve seen the movie 6 times.” 

“A waste of 12 hours,” He retorted, giving you a little smirk. Oh, you  knew this kid was messing with you. 

You frowned, “Don’t  talk to me like that, I’m your mother.”

“You aren’t.” He simply said. 

“Yeah good point.” You rolled your eyes, wanting to continue this little gossip session with your youngest. “Sooo, how was patrol?”

Damian sighed, beginning the whole story (plus the parts Bruce didn’t tell you. “It started when Todd and Drake were bickering…”

a/n: a little batfam blurb for today, i listened to the voices for once

mechanic! sukuna x girly! reader-- hanging out with your adorable nephew and his friends, and one especially takes a liking to you

series masterlist

“Kuna!” You called out to your husband, taking out the tray of cheesecake out of your oven. You set it down next to the surplus of food on your kitchen counter, which ranged from chicken skewers to teriyaki burgers. “C’mere, honey, I need you to try this cheesecake.”

This afternoon, the two of you were heading out to your brother-in-law's place for a family barbecue, and you had gone all out with the food. You usually loved making food, but ever since your adorable nephew practically inhaled your chocolate cake from Christmas dinner, your sole mission was to spoil him with more and more sweets (his dad never approved).

Your husband walked over to you, eyes widening at the variety of foods. He knew that you were crazy about baking, but this was overkill. He muttered under his breath as he rubbed your shoulder, “You must be out of your mind, woman.”

“What?” You shrugged, cutting the cheesecake into small slices so that there would be enough for everyone. “You told me that the Fushiguro’s were coming, as well as Yuji’s other friend from school. I just want there to be enough for everyone.”

“You don’t need to worry about my family. Seriously, you could deep fry a spoon and the old man would eat it. And the brat is a walking garbage disposal.”

You scoffed, slapping his arm. “Sukuna! Don’t talk about Choso like that. He’s a teenager, of course he’s going to want to eat more.”

“I was talking about the smaller one,” Sukuna muttered.

“That’s even worse!” You said, offering him a small piece of the cheesecake, and he grumbled at you before putting it in his mouth. You noticed how his expression changed just slightly– perhaps in satisfaction? “So?”

“Are you seriously giving all this to my family, woman?” Sukuna says, snatching another slice from you. “I’ll buy you that evening dress you’ve been talking about if you keep the cheesecake home.”

You laughed, planting a kiss on his cheek. “You’re too late for that, Kuna. I already bought it. And I am not keeping this cake home. My nephew specifically requested that his auntie make him strawberry cheesecake.”

“You spoil him too much,” Sukuna rolls his eyes before pulling you closer and closing the gaps between your mouths. You hummed in pleasure, letting him explore your mouth as his hands reached for your ass, giving it a squeeze. He pulled away, murmuring. “You smell delicious. What is that scent?”

You blushed, because yes, your husband still had a big effect on you even after four years of marriage. Whether it was small compliments or moments in the bedroom, Sukuna drove you crazy, and you could say the same for him. “It’s the cinnamon one you bought me for my birthday. Thought I’d use it today, switch things up a bit. Smells good, right?”

“Mmm, smells more than good,” He says as his nose brushes against your neck. You shivered, his breath fanning across your skin. “You know, angel, I can always call Jin to cancel. We can eat this wonderful food you cooked, and then I can devour you on the couch.”

“Tempting,” You smirked before pulling away from him and going off on a tangent. “But I actually do want to see your family today. I really enjoyed that Christmas dinner, Kuna. They made me all feel so welcome, which really helped me warm up to them and all. And of course, Jin’s kids are such sweethearts. Seriously, I can’t wait to pinch Yuji’s cheeks… and I hope Choso is more willing to talk to me this time. C’mon, I thought you were excited to see Jin.”

“Oh yes, I’m elated.” He deadpanned. 

“You’re so ungrateful,” You scoffed, checking on the time. “I’m putting you on packing duty. I’ve got to change.” You started heading to the staircase to go to your bedroom, but not before you caught him rolling his eyes. 

“As you wish, wife.”

“Auntie!” You heard your nephew before you saw him run outside to the backyard at full speed, crashing headfirst into your legs. You smiled as you picked up Yuji, giving him a kiss on the cheek as he giggled.

Since last you saw him, he must’ve grown an inch and has accumulated a small collection of scars on his face and arms.  Your nephew was quite the adventurer, according to his father; he spent most of the time in his backyard climbing trees and digging holes, which has led to some very minor injuries. Jin told you once that Yuji had broken his arm trying to balance on a tree branch, and he barely shed a tear at that. 

You spun him around before putting him down and crouching to his level. “Well hello there, my brave warrior. I see you’ve gained more battle scars since I last saw you. What’d you fight this time, a dinosaur?”

“No, silly auntie. Dinosaurs aren’t real.” Yuji giggled, then whispered in your ear. “I fought a beetle! It was all shiny, but it was scaring my friend away, so I slaughtered it”

“Well, look at how courageous you are.” You said, before taking out a plastic container from your bag.  “For your brave efforts, I’ve made you the strawberry cheesecake you asked for last time.”

Yuji lit up as soon as he laid his eyes on the strawberry cheesecake, engulfing you in a hug. “Oh, auntie, you’re the best! C’mon, I have to introduce you to Nobara. She also really likes Hello Kitty!”

You felt a small hand tugging you, and you couldn’t resist but be led by the small child (who surprisingly was very strong). You looked back at Sukuna, who was carrying the rest of your bags, and smiled. You managed to see him give you a small smile before he got intercepted by Jin. 

A few steps later, you were met with two children who were currently crouched on the floor, examining the grass. You recognized the boy with the black hair; he was Toji Fushiguro’s kid, Megumi. He’s come over to your house a few times as his father was friends with your husband, but he didn’t speak much and just liked to play on his DS by himself. You looked at the girl right next to him, who was currently watching a snail move in awe. 

“Guys!” Yuji yelled out, which caught both of the kids' attention. “This is my auntie. She’s the nicest person alive! It’s true, even Uncle Kuna calls her an angel!”

You blushed at your nephew’s comment. You crouched at their level and waved at them. “Hi Megumi. And you must be Nobara, it’s so nice to meet you. “

Megumi waved back, “Hi, Mrs. Itadori.”

“You’re beautiful,” Nobara whispers, looking at your starry eyed. You appreciated compliments from your friends and your husband, but when a kid compliments and looks up to you? It was the sweetest. “Is that glitter eyeshadow? My mom wears that sometimes for fancy nights, and I’ve always wanted to wear it.”

You lit up at the mention of your eyeshadow. It was a gift for your birthday given by Sukuna, and you couldn’t stop using it because of how sparkly it was. You dug into your purse and took out the palette, showing it to the young girl. Yuji and Megumi just stared at you with disinterest while Nobara’s eyes widened even more. “This is my favorite makeup item ever. Well, maybe not ever, but it’s definitely up there. Do you want me to put some on you? A little color never hurt anyone.”

“Really? Oh, I’d love to get a makeover from you, Mrs. Itadori!” She grabbed your hand before turning to the boys. “Later losers!”

Yuji pouted, stomping his foot on the ground. “Hey, Nobara! She’s my auntie, don’t forget about that.”

He turned to Megumi, kicking at the dirt. “It’s just you and me now, Megs.”

j. todd x ex-vigilante f!reader ... headcanons for when it's time to settle down

notes: lots of fluff, established relationship, you both are ex-vigilantes, reader and jason have known each other since robin days

✮ Jason loved having you as his girlfriend, but he had always dreamed of building a life with you, and having children... and he couldn't have that without popping the ring.

✮ He didn't follow Dick's advice— no boring ass sunset proposals or dinners. He proposed at home, while you both were reading (well, re-reading) your favorite romance novel. He knew that you were homebody like him, and that you didn't care for grand proposals. (and yes, it took him days to actually do it)

✮ The wedding is small and intimate; you two were lucky that your lives aren't as publicized like Bruce Wayne's. It was only really the Batfamily and a few other of your superhero friends (and of course, Lian as the flower girl <3)

✮You guys moved away from Gotham, because Jason didn't want to raise his future kids in a city that reeked of crime. Your new home was in a suburb about 45 minutes away from Gotham, just in case there was ever an emergency with the Batfamily

✮ The first thing you guys do right after moving in is buy a kitten. You didn't want to fuck up the whole parenting thing, so you guys decided you would take it in baby steps (that was the excuse you told him)

✮ Inside jokes are a big thing in your relationship. Come on, you guys have known each other since you were fourteen. Even years later, Jason will still find a way to reference Alfred's hidden toupee you guys once found 11 years ago in the basement.

✮ Leaving the vigilante life was hard at first, especially for Jason. he was so conditioned to think like a detective, to move like an assassin, and it was hard to turn his brain off.

✮ So he gets a job, and he does the only other thing he's ever known: fixing vehicles. The pay is nice, he supposes, and the rest of the guys are pretty friendly. You scold him when you see him doing background checks on all of his coworkers (you had tried, but you couldn't take the Red Hood out of him)

✮You were pretty much the same; once you had got your job as secretary at the HR office (Jason urged you to put your psychology degree to good use); you had turned over every electronic device in your office to see if it had been tapped.

✮ You both still had your vigilante costumes stored safely away in the basement of your home. Jason had always kept a gun under the floorboard of the bedroom (you didn't know), and you kept your stash of knives under the floorboard of the living room (he didn't know)

✮Your touch had grounded Jason, and that still hasn't changed. Even when you were out grocery shopping, his hand was always latched onto yours, a silent display of his affection

✮ You two have two little girls, named Elizabeth and Imogen, because you two are avid literature fans, and Elizabeth Bennet was one of Jason's favorite characters.

✮Jason dad is a girl dad to the max: he loves spoiling his little girls, to the point where you have to play bad cop because your husband just turns to mush when it comes to those two

✮He loves reading them books (even when they were in the womb), and I think he'd buy those classic literature books that are simplified for younger audiences

✮ Like just imagine Little Women or The Secret Garden being on your bookshelves, and having nightly readings where your daughters get to ramble about all the March sisters or wonder who's the boy that Mary keeps hearing in Mistlethwaite Manor

✮Bonus that when little Lizzy grows up, she ends up loving Pride and Prejudice

✮ Jason also loves to tell his girls stories about adventure you both had when you were both vigilantes, even pulling out the Red Hood helmet

✮ Your daughters idolized you even more when they found out you two were heroes, and started wearing your old outfits on the daily, playing "hero vs villain".

✮Jason recorded the entire thing, of course ;)

✮When your girls start elementary school, Jason loves to make a whole entrance when picking them up. He loves to pull up to the school in his motorcycle

✮Of course that leads to a herd of kids waddling over to him, admiring him and the motorcycle. He's pretty much earned street cred from a bunch of 5 year olds

✮You two also make sure to be affectionate in front of them, because he read once that it helps shows the kids what a healthy relationship should look like, and he doesn't want any of his girls ever being in any future toxic relationships

✮Both of you swear like a sailor, but you've learned to tone it down after the girls were born. Jason, however, has not.

✮ It's gotten to the point where Lizzy would call her Uncle Roy "asshole" just because that's what her daddy calls him

✮And Imogen is even worse: she once said 'fuck' out loud after tripping and falling in class, which had earned a phone call to you.

✮ "I don't know where she picks that stuff up. We don't swear here," You said into the phone as you glared at daggers at your husband, who just rubbed the back of his neck nervously

A/N: (not edited)

hey guys, i had sm fun writing this! i felt like writing jason some more, and i really believe that jason deserves his happy ending and i just don't think he would stay in gotham if he ever hung up the red hood mantle.

anyways should i write a part 2? i can't think of anything else to write rn but i'd love to write more about this

k. nanami x flight attendant!reader— You love your job, but saying goodbye to your husband is painful.

notes: a bit of smut(not explicit), pure fluff

“Sweetheart,” You heard your husband’s voice whisper in your hair. You could hear the sounds of your record player blasting smooth jazz. The sun hasn’t even risen, but you knew that Kento had to commute to his job early. Which, unfortunately, meant that you also had to wake up for your job as well.

You’ve been having the time of your life these past few weeks. Since you’ve come home, you’ve caught up with your girlfriends, gotten some errands done, and spent a lot of time with Kento. He’s taken you on several dates, ranging from dinner to pottery, and you’ve been trying to savor every moment before you have to leave.

Even while he was making love to you last night, pressing down on you while you cried for more, you kept thinking in the back of your mind how you weren’t going to see him for a couple of weeks. His soothing touch afterwards somehow only made you miss him more already.

“Just five minutes more,” You buried yourself further into your pillow, but you still felt your husband hovering over you. “I’m too tired, love.”

Kento smiled, pushing some of the hair out of your face. Now, you could finally see his face. He looked a little worn, his dark circles a result of your nighttime activities this past week. Nevertheless, Kento Nanami was still your handsome boy. “Perhaps it wasn’t the best that we made love last night. Your flight is at 7:30, sweetheart.”

Being a flight attendant was one of the best choices you’ve made; you’ve gotten to see the majority of the world, you’ve talked to people of all backgrounds (and even befriended some of them), and you met your husband on the job.

During your second time in Japan, it was thundering heavily the night you landed. You were ordering a taxi with your best Japanese (even though you were failing), and Kento swept in to save the day and ordered one for you. On the walk to the taxi, you told him about your experience in Japan before and asked him what spots are worthwhile in Tokyo. He gave you a few tourist spots, a couple of hidden gems, and recommended a great restaurant, where he then proceeded to ask you on a date there.

You said yes, and the rest was history.

Since getting married, you’ve noticed how much of an inconvenience your job was to your relationship. What once was free trips and fun drinks internationally quickly turned into weeks of despair separation (and still, fun drinks). You have both made it work, with nightly video calls and less work days.

You groaned, slowly getting up and swinging your feet over the bed. Kento followed you to the bathroom, where you both began brushing your teeth. You decided to start the conversation. “Don’t forget to pick Yuji up from school. Jin called last night and said he’s working overtime.”

“Yes, I’ve made plans to leave work early.” Nanami said, washing his face. “Should I take him out to a movie? He’s been bothering all of us with his newest movie obsession. Human Earthworm 3. How do Jin and Kaori let their 6 year old consume this kind of content?”

You laughed softly, “He’s always liked horror movies, Ken. Takes after his godmother, huh?”

“I don’t understand your fascination with that genre of horror. It’s vile and gory. I don’t think it’s even good for your brain.”

You grinned, stepping closer to him. “And fun, Kento. You forgot to mention fun.”

“My wife is a future psychopath,” He mutters to himself before pressing a soft kiss to the corner of your mouth. “But you’re distracting yourself. And me. You should go get changed, sweetheart.”

An hour passed, filled with a cold shower, shared kisses, and a delicious breakfast made by your husband. Eventually, you made it to the front door, dressed in your uniform with your hair done nicely. Your suitcase— the same suitcase you had when you first met Kento. “Remember, Cairo is six hours behind. I’ll get there at around 1:30 a.m.”

Kento nodded. “Call me when you land. Or text me. You would probably be too tired to talk to have a conversation. Do you have a safe ride to your hotel?”

You nodded, fixing your rings nervously before looking up. “Listen, Ken. This has been the best week ever, and I’m so happy that I got to spend it with you. Gosh, I don’t really want to act like a sappy wife, but… I’m really going to miss you again. I mean, who’s going to cook me that delicious breakfast you make, or put up with my horror movie nights, or—“

You were interrupted when Kento closed the distance between the two of you, your lips colliding. In truth, he’s been dreading this moment just as you have. The moment you set foot in Japan last week, he couldn’t help but think about this moment, how he won’t feel your embrace for about another month. Your lips felt soft against his, the scent of your cupcake perfume filling his senses.

Why couldn’t you stay here forever?

He pulled apart, his eyes heavy-lidded but remaining on your lips. “I wish you could stay too. I don’t like waking up to an empty bed, or without a giggle monster.”

“Hey!” You scoffed.

“However, I do think that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Each time you leave, you consume more and more of my thoughts, and when you come back, we make the most of our time together. Next time you come back, I bet we’d probably do something reckless like skydiving.”

“I’ll take your word on that.” You smiled, before giving him one last kiss. “Bye, honey. I love you.”

“I love you more, sweetheart,” He said as you walked out of the front door to your car, already missing your lingering warmth.

It was going to be a long three weeks.

a/n (not edited): Hey guys… long time no see.

It’s my husband Nanamin’s bday, so I decided to do a small blurb about him. I was just randomly thinking about how hard being a flight attendant must be if you are raising g a family/have a partner, and here we are LOL. I will probably cross post on AO3 later

Also Egypt mention because they played wonderfully yesterday! Congrats to all my Egyptian girlies😘

I promise y’all I will update Love Reflects, I’ve been trying to find inspiration but it’s too hard to finish LOL

xoxo,

knight!j. todd x princess! fem reader— in a world where you must rule and jason must lay his life down for you, two find solace in each other.

notes: slightly medieval and fantasy based (I tried but I like using my imagination), gets suggestive in the later parts, mentions of arranged marriage and age gaps :(

next chapter

The sun was just barely on the horizon when Sir Jason headed to the church. It was rare for him to go, but his mind was restless, and he felt the need to talk to someone. 

He had stopped believing in the Lord a long time ago, when he kept calling out His name and heard no answer as the evil court jester beat him to death. However, he still felt compelled to talk to Him at least once a month, something and that he and his mother would do the last Sunday of every month. It was tradition, and he just couldn’t bring himself to break it. 

So here Sir Jason Todd is, sitting in the confessional, listing to the Father the things he’s not so proud of.  He’s only nineteen, but he’s got more mistakes than he can count. Letting his brothers in knighthood fall in battle was the first thing that came out of his lips, and then everything else just started spilling out. 

Disobeying Lord Wayne constantly as a kid, letting himself get killed by the court jester, not being forgiving to many, many people. Hurting and killing others. He was glad the Father couldn’t see him, because his palms were just sweating thinking about the amount of blood on his hands. 

So many sins, and it was all his fault. 

Jason paused, thinking about his last mistake and whether he should tell the Father about it. It wasn’t a sin, but in the Kingdom of Thornvale, it might as well be. 

He decided to hold his tongue, just for this time. Surely next month he will be able to tell the Father about his secret, even though that’s what he promised last time. 

“Thank you, Father.” He murmured before standing up and exiting.  

Despite admitting to killing people, loving you might have been the biggest mistake he’s ever made, and he means it. 

After returning from his death, Jason was assigned by Lord Wayne to you, the crown princess of Thornvale, as your personal knight. He knew you once, when you were kids and Lord Wayne visited your father. It was a once in a while occasion, but he anticipated it. He would follow you around like some sort of lost puppy as you rambled about the fairytales your teachers have been showing you, while he would teach you some combat skills. That was when you two were pre-teens, young and unaware of the woes of adulthood.

He wasn’t scared of the job itself; he was well trained by Lord Wayne himself and was carved into the perfect weapon. 

You, however, saw him as more than a weapon. And that was truly what scared him, because he liked being seen as more than a weapon. 

It wasn’t just that. As soon as you greeted him by the castle doors that first day, he was bewitched by you. Your kind demeanor, your intellect, and of course, your beauty.  It didn’t help that he was to be by your side at all times, and he couldn’t help but indulge in conversation about poetry with you. He couldn’t help but be your dance partner when it was time to practice for balls, and he obviously couldn’t help but visit your chambers at night to make sure you were safe.  He knew that deep down, that he was just setting himself up for failure and rejection by just being in your presence, but he couldn’t help it. You just pulled him into your wicked spell.

The clock struck seven, and he knew that the castle was waking up right now, which means that he must head up to your chambers and wait for you at the door. These days, it takes more than just the clock tower to wake you up, having your royal duties and all that. you were exhausted, and Jason could tell from a mile away.

He knocked gently at the door, calling out, “Princess? I’m here to escort you to the dining room.”

“Is that you, Jason?” Your voice, still groggy from sleep, replied. “Do come in,”

He let himself inside the room, closing the door behind him as he approached your bed. You were just in your nightgown, but seeing you so bare yet so beautiful made him blush. He turned away, clearing his throat. “G’morning, my princess.”

“Good morning, my dear knight.” You said in response, getting up. “I’m very exhausted, but I have to get dressed before my maids come.”

You rushed to change behind the room divider, while still talking to Jason. “I spent all night reviewing my French for the exam today, and I’m really nervous. You know that if I don’t pass this, I have to relearn the material all over again and take another exam, and I really don’t want to.”

“After that, I have my archery lessons.” You continued, stepping out of the dividers to reveal a simple light blue dress. “And then dancing, and then embroidery, and perhaps maybe I can finally convince Father to allow me to go out to the kingdom and talk with the commonfolk.”

Jason raised an eyebrow, trying to look anywhere but your dress. “You suggested that to him last time.”

“That was months ago,” You smirked, looking in the mirror. Your eye bags were beginning to show, and your hair was all disheveled from falling asleep on your desk. “He might have a change of heart.”

Jason walked over, grabbing a hairbrush nearby and starting to run it through your locks. He had learned to braid hair when Lord Wayne’s daughter Cassandra would always come back to her chambers with her hair looking like a crow’s nest. “I suppose he might. But your father is very persistent.”

“What about you?” You ask, resisting to shiver when his fingers reached your scalp. You loved when he ran your fingers around your hair, which is why you secretly let him braid your hair sometimes. “I assume you must be very busy as well.”

Jason hums, nearly finished with braiding your hair. “Well, if you must know, I have training for four hours, then I must visit the general to discuss our plans for our journey next week.”

“You’re going on a journey next week?” You raised a brow. “I didn’t know.”

“Well, it’s sort of an urgent journey. The kingdom of Pannira, our ally, needs our help with a battle. They’ve run out of supplies, barely have enough men to defeat Pheba.”

You get up, standing up to your full height next to him. You knew that the kingdom of Pannira had a long history with the kingdom of Pheba, and that Thornvale was always there to support Pannira in times of need. But Pheba had more advanced weapons, more men, more power. It was your father who made the decision to back Pannira up and send some of the men to help with the battle. You insisted that it was too risky, that both kingdoms will eventually make a treaty and realize that this battle isn’t worth losing thousands of lives, and possibly their power. It was a common pattern in the books that you read for history lessons, so there is no reason to believe that it might be a possible outcome in this instance. 

However, your father had turned you down, saying that the battlefield is no place for a lady to make decisions, and dismissed you not too long after. You had walked away, your legs shaking in embarrassment, and your fists clenched in fury. You wished your father didn’t treat you as someone who is delicate and to be sheltered from all the bad things in the world. You had read tales of terror in the library when the moon was high, you had learned of the history of the kingdom, with wars that caused too much bloodshed.

“I tried to convince him to not go through with this plan.” You said, your eyes tracing over the ‘J’ scar on his cheek. “I told him it was foolish. But he would not listen to me. How long will you be gone?”

Jason sighed. The thought of leaving you alone for so long scared him. He didn’t want to leave you to the vultures that were your family and the Parliament. You said it yourself once that he was the only one who stood by her side through thick and thin, and that warmed his heart. “I cannot tell you how long the conflict will last, but the journey itself is a month.”

You bit your tongue. In truth, you didn’t want Jason to go. You wanted him by your side, not just because it was his duty, but because he was the only one who stood by your side all these years. He spent nights with you reading stories, afternoons practicing archery with you. “That’s a long time, still. Who will be at my side to drive me away from trouble?”

“I’m sure one of the first years will be assigned to you,” He cleared his throat, stepping away from you. You were too close, and he liked that, but he couldn’t allow it. “You will be in safe hands.”

At least, he hoped so.

“Still,” You murmured. “I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to while I’m walking.”

“I know,” He said.

You looked at him, trying not to focus on how the sunlight was on his eyes right now, and how it revealed his bluish-green eyes, eyes that you’ve stared at too many times. He was looking too, at your amber brown eyes, and suddenly the room felt too hot for the both of you. He stepped forward, a small smile on his face. “I’ll miss you, princess.”

“Me too,” You said. “I didn’t really want to admit it, for the fear that I would look like some sap.”

“No, don’t worry,” Jason reassured you, because how could you ever be sappy over him? “All I wanted to say is that I’ll miss my friend.”

Friend. That’s all you are to him. Of course, it was foolish to think otherwise, considering you were born to be married to royalty. But deep in the pits of your soft, cursed heart, you still liked the idea of Jason being yours. “Friend.”

The door had suddenly flung open, with your personal maids rising to be by your side. “Good morning, your Highness!”

“We must powder you up!”

“This dress is way too worn.”

You smiled as they tried to fix you up, looking at Jason, who received the message that it was time to go. “I’ll see you later, my princess.”

“Bye, Jason.” You said, watching him walk away.

You didn’t know where your silly crush with Jason started.

You supposed that it started while Lord Wayne was visiting your father, and you two were sneaking out to the top of the castle. You were only a year younger than he was, but you were so curious about the little world that was your castle. Jason decided that you must visit the top of the castle, so he took you by the hand and let you touch the sky.

At least, that’s what it felt like, being so high up. You felt that if you stood on your tippy toes, you could use your fingers to stir the stars as if they were hot chocolate. You told Jason about the constellations, pointed at Draco and Perseus, and he listened to you all night. It was the first time in your twelve years of life where someone listened to you without a comment or criticism.

And then when he came to visit Thornvale again, he showed you how to hold a knife the way Lord Wayne taught him, and to this day, you still hold it in that manner. He kissed your hand each time he greeted you, and although it was only showing courtesy, butterflies erupted in your stomach. 

When he came back from his death, he was different. Of course, he was no longer the lanky boy that you knew at twelve; instead, the man was built like one of the castle doors, all bicep muscles and bulky thighs. But it also was his demeanor that changed; he was more reserved, with a glare that could burn whole right through you.

It took a while for you to get him to talk to you, and what started with a simple ‘hello’ became full-fledged conversations about poetry, just like old times. You tried to find out more about his death, but he didn’t like to talk about it that much, so you respected it. Mentions of an evil jester would come out of your father’s mouth when Jason was near, and the scars on your knight’s body told you it was a painful death.

These past few months, you’ve been getting odd tingling sensations whenever you’re near Jason. It’s more than mere butterflies, though; a simple hand on your back would just set your entire body on fire, and as much as you wanted to push that feeling away, you loved it. You wished secretly that his hands were on you all the time if it meant feeling like you were on fire. Sometimes, he would come to your chambers after getting a particularly nasty gash (where it came from, he never would tell you) and ask you to tend to him. Seeing all the hard planes of his body, having his muscles only for your eyes, made you really desire  him.

Above all, Jason actually listened to you, unlike your family and the government. He always encouraged you to talk to your father about the proposals for the kingdom that you wrote in your journal, even if your father would turn them down. The two of you exchanged a lot of knowledge, mainly about literature, on quiet nights underneath the stars. 

You respected him as a knight, admired him as a leader, and loved him as a man. 

Except you couldn’t admit that aloud, to him or to anyone else. Which is why you were staring outside the window of the library at Jason and the other knights  in practice, away from the prying eyes of the castle staff. Your hands remained on the page of the book you were reading, but your eyes were glued to Jason’s form, swinging at the fabric dummies with ease.

You couldn’t wait to see him after practice and tell him how you passed your French exam with flying colors, and about the wonderful apron you made for one of the maids. You couldn’t wait for him to tell him all about his day, about all the arrogant and cocky knights he had battled (and won), and about the new strategies he was going to use for the upcoming mission.

Your daydreaming was interrupted when you felt another presence in the room, and your eyes shifted quickly to Beowulf. It was your father, and another man around his age. You had seen him before; he was the King of a nearby kingdom, and a close ally of your father. You stood up, giving a curtsy to both men. “Good afternoon, Father.”

“Hello, daughter.” Your father and the Duke bowed. “I’d like you to meet my friend King Roland of Vandabar. He’s a very close ally. I’m sure you’ve seen him before at the balls.”

King Roland had surveyed you up and down before taking a step close and kissing your hand. “A pleasure to meet the beautiful princess.”

You didn’t like his eyes. They were cold, and distant, and full of mystery. You nodded and smiled politely. “The pleasure is all mine, King Roland.”

Your father grinned, putting his hand on your shoulders and guiding you back to your chair. “My dear, I have wonderful news for you!”

Translation: I have a piece of information that may or may not ruin your life.

He continued, giving the King a pat on his back, “Roland has been searching for a beautiful maiden for ages, and we have agreed that it would be best for both kingdoms to have some sort of political alliance, with a union that must strengthen the bond.”

Your mind was already screaming to the Lord for some sort of miracle, that somehow, this whole conversation was a dream and that you’d surely wake up in your chambers any minute. As much as you wished and wished, however, your father’s voice still rang in your ear like a banshee’s howl, only his words were way more painful.  

You were going to get married. You had only turned eighteen about a month ago, but here you were, your life being sold away to a man that you barely know. Glimpses of the future flashed before your eyes; disapproving glances when you spoke up about political issues, a loveless marriage, and a kingdom that you were unfamiliar with. You looked at the King, who had visible wrinkles on his forehead, and you tried not think about the fact that this man was closer to your father’s age than yours.

“Wow,” Was all you could managed to say, your throat dry. “That’s... quite interesting news.”

Your father put his arms around your shoulder again, squeezing you close. “Quite interesting indeed! My son, the future king, and my daughter, Queen of another kingdom! I feel so much pride for my children. Oh, dear, you were reading… I’m quite sorry, we will leave now. Your mother just wanted me to spread the news.”

He turned around, the King following him but not before giving you one last look of hunger. You shuddered, and turned back to your book, trying to push away your fear and anxiety. You remembered what one of your teachers once said; it is very unbecoming for a princess to show any emotion other than happiness. She told you that even then, you must not smile too hard, or else you would get smile lines, and you wouldn’t be beautiful any more. 

You forced your face to relax, even though the tears were threatening to spill.

When the sun fell below the horizon, casting red and orange hues on the skies, you had retired to your chambers. 

You couldn’t bring yourself to eat so you’ve told your parents you weren’t hungry. They were definitely relieved at that, because ever since you were a child, you’ve always been on the more… plump than the other ladies in court. Your parents were ashamed of course, and had tried every possible remedy to make you lose weight, but nothing has worked. You are forced to forever wear the fat on your cheeks with shame. 

So here you were, lying in your bed, staring at the ornate ceiling. You’ve been doing this for about an hour— trying not to think about the engagement with Roland but failing. You knew how common it was for princesses to get married as young as possible, but the possibility of you getting married had never come to mind. You supposed it’s what all your teachers have been setting you up for; sewing your husband’s garments, speaking French in front of foreign royalty, and learning courtesy in order to submit to your husband.

The thought of that made you want to throw up.

Your despair was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Princess? Are you in there?”

Jason. You didn’t reply at first, letting him continue. 

“I brought some bread for you. You weren’t there for dinner, and I suppose you are hungry.” He said. “Can you let me in, please?”

“I’m indecent.” You said. “It’s not proper for a knight to see his lady like this.”

Jason frowned, “Princess, I’ve seen you countless times like that. I’m coming inside.”

You watched the door open, Jason there with concern all over his face and a plate of bread in his hands. He approached you, sitting next to you on the bed. “I’ve heard the news. Tell me, my princess. Is it true?”

You sighed, looking up at him. “Yes. I am to be betrothed to King Roland.”

Jason’s face fell. When he first heard the words from one of the rookies today, his mind didn’t want to believe it. King Roland was way older than the princess, and to set you up for marriage with him would be downright sickening. “My ears must be deceiving me. ”

You shook your head, “I’ve told myself the same thing multiple times today. My father once promised me that I’d be able to live the life I desired. Yet my future isn’t something I desire, it’s something he’s planned.”

You suddenly shot up, a wave of anger coming over you. You didn’t care whether it was unbecoming or not to show emotion, because all these rules were just plain foolish. “I listen to my mother and my father. For years, I’ve listened to them when they say I must take lessons. I listen to the teachers, and I remain silent when they strike me across the face, even though I am the princess in the room. I’ve perfected French and Latin, yet I am silenced when I try to speak it with foreign dignitaries. I have this spacious chamber all to myself, yet I can never have a moment to myself without being watched.”

You stop in front of him, your hands shaking. You want to stop, but all the pent-up frustration comes out of you like a vicious serpent. “I know everything about this kingdom, from the geography to the laws, yet when I speak about issues I’d like to resolve to Parliament, they shut me down. Why do they show me the history of this… this damned kingdom, if I cannot participate in ameliorating it?”

You turned to look at yourself in your vanity mirror, your tear-streaked face that revealed all your true colors and your sentiments towards your life. You spoke softly now, “They tell you that you’re the fairest maiden in the kingdom, yet they make you eat less. You tell them you feel sick and they don’t pretend to hear you. They give you remedies that make you feel even more sick. Even when you do feel pretty, everyone around you is leering at you like a wolf who wants to take a massive bite of its prey. And now, some man wants to use your beauty for a political stunt, and you have to go along with it, but you don’t. And I won’t.”

Your sobs are now uncontrollable, and you can’t even look at your knight in the face anymore, so you went to your canopy and cried in one of your pink silk pillows. You looked up, but didn’t meet Jason’s eyes. “Please leave. I’m very ashamed, and I’m aware you will tell my father of my troubles—“

“I don’t respond to your father.” Jason interrupted, which caused you to look at him directly now. The sadness in his eyes mirrored yours, and you wanted to reach out for him. “Your father hired me to protect you, my princess. That means, I only listen to you. Not him, not your brother. Only you.”

He continued, inching closer on the bed to you and putting a hand over your shoulder. “That being said, I’d never be ashamed of you, princess.”

You allowed Jason to wrap his arms around you, and you immediately felt like you were safe. He stroked your cheeks to wipe your tears aways, and you immediately melted into him. You were being selfish, but at this moment, you didn’t seem to care. “I don’t think I’m made for this life, Jason. For keeping up appearances and having elaborate balls while everyone else in the kingdom is dying of starvation. Sometimes, when I’m lying awake, I think of my life if I wasn’t a princess. Perhaps, I’d be some seamstress in a humble town… and I have a beautiful, loving family with a man that I truly love.”

“Alas, it is selfish to say that, don’t you think?” You turned to Jason.

He shook his head, “I don’t think so, and I am not agreeing just because I’m your knight. Sometimes I also with to be born out of this fate. Being your knight is a pleasure, of course. But the life I lead by being a knight… the things I’ve done, it’s sometimes agonizing to think about. Being a locksmith would’ve been fitting for me, and less painful.”

“I suppose The Lord will damn us both, for saying such selfish things,” You chuckled.

As long as we’re damned together, Jason thought, looking at you. Too close, that’s what he was. “I should retire to my own chambers. Are you sure you’ll be alright on your own, princess?”

You nodded, although every part in you wanted to shake your head, maybe even take his hand and let him sleep next to you. “Yes. I apologize for my outburst earlier. But thank you, always, for listening to me.”

“You’re such a great friend, Jason.” You said, the word ‘friend’ having more of a questioning tone that you intended it to. The word hurt the both of you. 

Jason smiled, getting on his knees and taking your hand to plant a kiss on your palm. The feeling of his lips on you was comforting yet butterfly-inducing, and you couldn’t help but lean closer to make this moment more intimate. “Anything for you, my princess. Just let me know if you still are having troubles. I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

You watched as he stood up, leaving your chambers, and once again, the world around you felt cold and dark.  

a/n (not edited):