Let’s Make It Happen 😍😍

from the gaps

── ♡ BLADE

❝ you'll admire him from this distance, even if he doesn't care. even if he doesn't want you to. ❞

for @prtgasluv ♡

Blade is the only man you know who can sit at a luxurious bar lounge with heavy shoulders and crossed arms.

From where you sat on plush red seats, painted under romantic golden hues, you can see the clench of his jaw and the tenseness of his muscles under his formal suit. This is not your first infiltration mission, having become your area of expertise over the years as a Stellaron Hunter. However, it’s your first time being ordered to bar any disguises. The reasoning behind Elio’s scripts hardly makes sense in the present moment, but they always fall into place later. Hence, you coincide when you were informed to discard your usual espionage tools in favour of fancy dressing and minimal makeup. You were grateful for Blade’s presence, at the very least. In case of events going south, he was your safety net in escape.

It is after observing the party attendees that it dawns on you why Elio didn’t insist on any drastic costumes. It is a small-scale event by sponsors of the IPC’s newest project. Sheltered, adult children of esteemed figures who were clouded in a drunken haze and completely unaware of the infamous faces attached to wanted posters on the streets. The scenario is a goldmine for you.

Beside you, you notice Balde’s vermillion gaze fall on the side of your head, and while the neutral frown on his face doesn’t fall, you know from his hardened stare that he is questioning your inactivity. You lean closer to his side when a pair of businessmen pass by you, and you stretch forward to speak in a hushed tone.

“Sorry,” You say, “I just needed some time to look at what I’m working with.”

The most crucial and taxing part of your line of work is observation. Their behaviours, their clothing, and what drinks they hold in their hand for the night are all essential to the personal profile you build of them. It’s how you’re clued in on what angle to approach them from. As you scan the room, your eyes land on a man. He wore a white suit, flashy and not entirely appropriate in the sea of black and blues. He has a small crowd formed around him, and you don’t find yourself surprised. Despite his… overwhelming confidence, he had a charming face and his smile was kind as he seemingly preached to his mini-entourage. With how animated his movements are, you can gauge that likes the sound of his own voice, and that finalises your decision.

“I’ll be back,” Is all you whisper to Blade, who merely raises a brow in response. You pick at any invisible dust from your outfit, before sauntering over in the direction of the mystery man. He doesn’t notice you at first, which works to your benefit as you manage to fit yourself into the group of people passionately listening to what he says. He seemed to be recounting a recent journey to the Edo Star, describing his experience with dramatic pauses as those listening in “oohed” and “aahed”. It’s a bit obnoxious, but you won’t deny the charm he has. He seemed to be a vivacious and humourful person, a rarity amongst a crowd so used to stifling formalities. Handsome to boot too. Yet, your type seemed to align with the exact opposite.

Unconsciously, your turn to spare a glance at Blade, only to find him missing from where you last were. You feel something uncomfortable swirl in the pits of your stomach, but you force your worry away. Blade is a grown man, who can move around whenever he wants. If you both were in danger, he wouldn’t have left without you. You force your attention back to your target ahead. His story seemed to be reaching its conclusion, and you make sure to make the occasional noise in surprise and amazement, louder than the rest of the crowd. You had to grab his interest before he could continue on another story. He finishes off with flair, sending the audience into chatter and comments. It’s your cue.

“What a time you’ve had. I’ve been to Edo Star as well,” You almost shove your way past the front line of people, hands exaggeratedly clasped together. At your words, bluebell eyes meet yours and a pleased smile dons his face.

“Have you, now? It’s such a beautiful place. I almost regret not being born there,” He takes the bait, inciting conversation and you ignore the stares at your back as you move forward. Limiting the physical distance will make the conversation seem one-on-one, drawing away the attention of prying ears. Over the years of studying human behaviour, one thing that remains factual is that humans power on such instinctive little behaviours. Nobody would even realise what you’re trying to achieve here.

“I feel the same way. Of course, I love my hometown but Edo Star can’t be beat when it comes to its ballads.”

“Absolutely! Have you perhaps heard of the classic Idle Sun?”

You nod enthusiastically to his quips, batting your eyes at him as you watch his ego practically inflate under your attention. It’s not long before the conversation has drifted from Edo Star, and the lounge. You manage to move him to the bar counter, and you bite back your smile when you see his drinks pouring in while he broaches on his line of work. You later learn his name is Bartholomew, and his father runs a global business that functions in close relations with the IPC.

“My father,” His words begin to slur, “Keeps hiding his work from me. Even though I’m the heir to our company, he doesn’t allow me to attend any of the meetings. How can he expect me to take over if I do not know the business!”

You sympathetically nod along, dropping a comment about how unfair the situation is to him. He perks up at your affirmation, continuing as his voice picks up a pitch.

“Well, he doesn’t know that I eavesdropped on his last meeting with the IPC,” His voice drops to a hushed whisper and you have to reel in your excitement as you lean closer to hear, your elbow grazing his. He opens his mouth, but immediately closes it and that’s when you notice that he’s not looking at you, but past your shoulder. Confused, you turn only to find Blade standing a few feet away. His arms are crossed in his usual position, and his jaw is set.

Blade is not a man made to be understood, but you like to believe that your doomed affection for him helps you pick up on his subtle behaviours. While all seems normal, he is missing his usual blank stare. His ruby eyes, normally dulled, have a gleam to them that you can’t decipher. Beside you, the young man purses his lips.

“Do you know him?” He asks you and you aren’t sure who you are more annoyed at; Blade for unabashedly blowing your cover, or your target who is still painfully observant despite the amount of drinks on him. Before you can conjure up an excuse, a melody breaks the tense atmosphere and the room is caught up by the orchestra stationed at centre stage.

“Oh, a dance,” You point out with a weak laugh. There is a pregnant pause before Bartholomew extends his hand. With a second’s worth of apprehension and a distracted glance at Blade, you take his offer and allow yourself to be pulled into the consonance of the music. Maybe after this dance, you can still recover your chances of sleuthing more information from him later. Thus, you tolerate his hand in yours as you disinterestedly sway to his movement. Thankfully, your dance partner hasn’t picked up on your ambivalence, his attention diverting from you to the orchestra and to another pretty lady at the lounge. If this had been a real date, you would have abandoned the ship by now.

There is a sudden shift Bartholomew freezes as if he had been shocked. At his sudden jerk, you almost trip on your feet, but recover only to find Blade behind him, a heavy hand on his shoulder and a look of deep disinterest marring his features.

"I believe it’s my dance,” Simple words are matched with a frosty tone, and you’ve only heard Blade speak like this to his adversaries. Bartholomew’s face goes pale before his cheeks flush a tinge of pink, as if caught in a compromising position.

“M-my apologies,” He stammers, unlike his usual demeanour, “I hadn’t realised you were already courted.”

What?

Before you can recover from your surprise, Bartholomew has already rushed away from the dance floor, successfully making his escape through the sea of bodies. You watch his disappearing back with wide eyes before you sharply turn to Blade who looks on as if he’s completely uninvolved from the scene.

“What the hell was that?” You splutter indignantly, but further complaints die at your throat when he takes your hand, pulling you close to him as his other falls on your lower back. You think you stopped breathing when he leans in close, his nose almost grazing your neck as he harshly mutters in your ear.

“Silence. You are drawing attention,” In this position, an outsider would think it’s a passionate embrace between two lovers. In reality, you feel like ice has been poured on you from the suddenness of it all. What reason would he have interfering with your mission, ones you’ve been doing almost your entire life? A hopeless part of you entertains the idea that perhaps there is a deeper meaning to Blade’s sudden intervention. That his stalking around, that his glare, that his distaste towards Bartholomew could have been jealousy. It felt like a small spark of hope, but your focus landed on the new presence of a guard and commander in the room, wandering around the lounge and speaking to different people. Blade didn’t intervene because he was jealous. He was attempting to warn you. You felt so small and insignificant in his arms.

“We have to get out before they reach here,” You hiss, refusing to meet his eyes in case he notices the tremble of your lower lip. He doesn’t respond and you let the gears in your head turn as you subtly look around the room. You spy an elevator a little ways away, the path leading towards it wide-open. It’d be an effective, temporary escape, but the guards on patrol would notice conspicuous people attempting to leave the lower floor. You survey the mass of people around you, finding that if you manage to sneak behind the orchestra, you’d have enough time to be securely inside the elevator before anyone can make chase of the both of you. You repeat your plan to him in a low voice, and he only grumbles in agreement. Suddenly, Blade drifts you closer to the centre of the floor, and you're caught up in the surprise that he knows how to dance. His movements are fluid, almost like second nature and it serves as another reminder that you don’t really know Blade, and there is an abyss that makes up the distance between the both of you. However, you refuse to let your heart be broken in the middle of a critical moment, and you attempt to follow his speed as he cooly weaves between drunken adults.

Just as you inch closer to your agreed escape point, you are suddenly tripped, and you cannot conceal your yelp when you feel Blade’s hand on your back shift to hug around your waist, your upper half tilted closer to the ground. That’s when you realise Blade dipped you, and you only stare up at him incredulously while he rewards you with blank eyes. The longer strands of his hair graze your face and you think if you could reach up just a little more, lips can touch. It feels so intimate, and you can’t understand the pit in your stomach that wanted you to pull him closer, and shove him away. You banish the thought quickly when he finally lifts you back in your standing position and that’s when you take note of the guard who had been eyeing you suspiciously. He must have found it odd that you and Blade were moving around so much and so quickly. Another near save.

You hadn’t realised you’d been gripping Blade’s arm until he shrugs and you sheepishly let go with a mindless apology, but he pays you no mind. With the guard gone, your exit is wide and clear and that’s all it takes for you both to step over, before breaking into a run. You almost crash into the back wall of the elevator while Blade swiftly presses the doors shut, shunning the yells of “It’s them!” and the shocked gasps of the audience. However, by the time they catch the next cart up, you and he would have long since disappeared into the night.

“Such an annoying night,” You begin, breaking the terse silence of the quiet ride up, “All of that and I didn’t get any valuable intel.”

Blade has his back to you, not a word uttered from him and you wonder if he’s even listening to your complaints until he speaks.

“I found all the needed information,” He states simply and you wonder just how many surprises he has in store for you tonight.

“You… do?” You question, suspect. You try to imagine the sight of him wandering around and socialising with people, merrily.

“There was a girl, and she spoke of it. I was passing by,” He keeps his version of events curt, and you sigh in relief that the mission did go as planned, just at the expense of your wasted effort. Your mind wanders to the dance, and the feeling of his strong arms around you. How for that split second, you could his every eyelash and see the colour of his lips. You hide the shaking of your hand behind your back, releasing a puff of air. The bell chimes and the elevator doors slide open, and you both begin swiftly traversing through the empty floor before security has time to catch up.

“Say,” You begin, huffing through the exertion. “Where did you learn to dance like that?”

He does not lose his momentum, but there is a long pause. You’ve come to realise that Blade is someone who likes to take his time before he speaks, thinking carefully over the sparing words he uses. Now, however, the stretch is too long and you begin to worry you have poached a forbidden subject. The syllables of his name leave your lips in concern and he finally replies shortly.

“From someone, a long time ago,” From where you were, you could see his jaw clench and shoulders tighten. “It is not worth remembering.”

You don’t push the conversation further, silently following after Blade with your matching footsteps echoing through the halls. You watch his skin catch the glint of the moonlight from an open window, and you can’t help but think he almost looks like he’s made of porcelain under the shine of the night. Such an odd descriptor for a hardened man like him, but sometimes you feel as if it were possible. That one day if he’s pushed far enough, he too will break. For now, while he is still intact, you admire his beauty and ignore the wild thumping of your heart. You will take what you can from him, even from this distance.

*Swaps your captains*

I re-drew this a little better.

⭒ 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑯𝑶𝑳𝑫𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑨𝑭𝑭𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵

gn reader x blade, dr ratio + moze ( separate ) ; fluff - sfw. you prank them by withholding affection. i’ve already written a similar drabble for sunday here. stoic men who have become too attached to affection unwillingly. ₊ 𓂃 masterlist.

⭒ BLADE

As much as Blade may not be the type to cling to your side or shower you in kisses— he was the type who got used to it. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy your displays of affection, it was actually quite the opposite, it came more from a stoic place than one of distaste.

He’d found himself silently enjoying the farewell kisses you’d give him before a mission— followed by the welcome home ones that would be waiting for him coming back. You were more familiar with the acts that he was, but he’d gotten into a habit of seeking them out as he’d grown used to you and your relationship.

Which is why Blade can’t exactly hide his frown as he rests beside you now— holding his sword in one hand while you bid him farewell, holding onto the other.

You’re wearing the same cute expression as always, but you’re not leaning up to wrap your arms around him like you normally would be right now. Your lips aren’t on his cheek, then on his own and he can’t help but grumble at how much colder his skin feels in the absence. It makes his hand squeeze where it holds yours.

“What’s wrong? Are you nervous about the mission?” You ask innocently, though you know exactly what Blade’s waiting for as you try hard to not let your sly smile show.

“Not at all.” His response sounds as more as huff than anything else, and despite the way you know he’s due to leave in a few minutes, he makes no attempt to leave your side as he stands there silently— staring at you. Though he only seems to last a few extra moments of silence before he’s grumbling again.

“Alright. That’s all then.” Blade groans, yet he remains still besides the way his eyes seem to narrow ever so slightly. The act always makes you smile as you fight hard to resist the temptation to just give him his goodbye kiss— but you want to see when his breaking point is. Even if just out of curiosity.

And he looks quite cute when he frowns.

“Hurry home.” You’re smiling now but the Stellaron Hunter looming over you only seems to find himself sighing despite the bright response. His patience doesn’t appear to last much longer when his next movement is to suddenly lean down beside you, as if to give you a better angle to press the kiss he’s waiting for onto his cheek.

Even when you don’t immediately, Blade just waits there as you gape at him.

Though ultimately you do decide to give in eventually when he seems to make no attempt to stand back up straight again. Seeming quite content to lean over and wait for your lips to press against his skin, and you find yourself giggling when you finally give him just that.

Your arms wrap around his broad shoulders and his arm quite quickly comes to wrap around your waist as he holds you there, feeling you press quick kisses against his features before he’s turning to meet you with the next. It’s deep the way Blade kisses you, pressing his tongue between your teeth as he twists into your mouth, and it makes you feel suddenly unsteady on your feet— though thankfully steadied by his strength as he presses himself into you.

But just as you find yourself melting into him, he pulls away. Leaving you a kiss-drowsy mess as you make a feeble attempt to pull at his jacket. The look he gives you afterwards is quite unreadable as you send him a pout of your own— it seems your positions have switched quite quickly now.

Blade turns to leave you as you feel your cheeks burn,

“I don’t understand your games. But for now there is another matter, so you should consider that a good thing.”

⭒ DR RATIO

It had become a sort of routine for you to come into Ratio’s quarters to find him resting on the couch, flicking through a book most likely on natural theology, mathematics… anything of the sort as he offers you a mere glance in acknowledgment.

Your routine normally consisted of you making your way into his side and he’d make space for you much like he always does as you push your way beneath his arm. He’d grown to enjoy the gentle moments between you both— though he’d never openly admit it (because there was no reason to), it was quite obvious given the way he seemed to be ready for you.

So much like always, your routine begins much the same as your footsteps sound softly along the floorboards and you make your way closer to Ratio. You even watch him adjust himself briefly, as if allowing you a route to push your way into his chest but you seem to stop short of doing just that.

Instead, your figure drops down onto the opposite side of the couch and the next look he gives you seems more of a curious glance than anything. You bring your feet up to rest on the cushions, pulling them into your chest as your back rests against the arm of the couch, and you look at him.

“Something the matter?” Ratio’s voice sounds only a few seconds later, though he doesn’t look at you again when he asks. He says it in such a way where it come across as a mere innocent question rather than an accusation as to why you’re not in your usual spot.

So because of that, and who he is, you decide not to jump the gun thinking it’s a reaction too soon.

“What’re you reading?” You respond innocently, not exactly answering his question but he doesn’t seem to pry any further into that for now. Instead, Ratio seems to readjust himself on his seat again as his bangs seem to fall handsomely— framing his features as his eyes continue to linger on the pages.

“If you’re so curious, you need only come closer to see for yourself.” Though it’s subtle, you do pick up the implication in his words. A means to bring you closer to him, though he’s assuming it would bring you up against his chest rather than just close enough to take a quick look. And maybe he’d be right about that, you’d be acting well within his calculations.

So uncharacteristically, you opt to shrug instead, “Yeah but i’m kind of comfy here.”

“Hm, very well then.” There’s a twitch to Ratio’s features as he responds, though he still doesn’t look at you so it’s quite hard to pick up on otherwise. But you can hear the tighter sort of tone his voice takes, he only lets the silence rest between you both a few more seconds before he asks again.

“And you are certain nothing is bothering you?”

“Is something bothering you?” You tilt your head at Ratio and that seems to garner his attention enough for him to turn his head to meet you. There’s something akin to a frown on his handsome face, and as much as he seems to try his best to mask it when he realises— you still can’t help but find yourself feeling like this may actually be affecting him more than he lets on.

He tuts at you, as if he can read your mind. “Not at all. I’m merely questioning your uncharacteristic choices, as one would. And as much as your little game seems delightfully amusing, we’ll see how much longer you can keep it up.”

Ofcourse Ratio would be able to pick up on the fact that you’re no doubt playing a prank of sorts, but that doesn’t mean that he’s able to go completely unaffected by it. Because as much as he may never admit it, it seems he really has become quite accustomed to your close proximity.

You only appear to follow his statement with a hum, feigning your innocence as you press your back a little harder into the arm of the couch behind you. And the man opposite turns his attention back to his book as he sighs, propping up his head on his fist as his brows narrow back on the pages.

A few more quiet seconds pass before you’re smiling, “Are you pouting?”

And Ratio replies almost too quickly, “How laughable. Ofcourse not.” Actually, he hasn’t even turned his page since you arrived so you know he’s not reading, or taking any of it in atleast. Though he seems to be tapping his finger quite impatiently against the sturdy exterior of his book instead.

His tongue clicks again when he notices the way your lips seem to be unable to hide the playful little curl of your grin, before ultimately he opts to give into your little game— only so he can focus on his reading obviously. “Enough of this nonsense. Just come here then, won’t you?” He grumbles as he sends you another frown, sighing. “Subtlety isn’t exactly a strength of yours.”

Despite your game, you waste no time in making your way closer to Ratio with his invitation. Though, not without teasing him a little as you push yourself beneath the muscle of his bicep as he lifts it for you— squeezing it around your waist as you find yourself pressing up against his chest.

“Grown used to me?” You hum, voice taking more of a whispered quiet tone with how close you both seem now.

Ratio turns to face you as you do, well aware of the closeness of your faces, were he to lean in a few mere inches his lips would be against yours. He’s well aware of that, but still— he keeps his space. “Oh please. I just couldn’t bare to see you in such a state of unrest.” Yet his eyes do trace down to admire them as he blinks, covering it up with a scoff.

“Though, one might argue that you were the one who was so easily swayed, were you not? I need to say no more.” Your fingertips rest gently on the muscles of his chest as you smile at his response. Allowing him to have this despite the way you can still quite clearly see the frown he was wearing only minutes ago.

You feel Ratio’s arm squeeze affectionately around your waist as he moves to finally turn the page of his book.

“Okay then. I’ll admit defeat only because you’re far too comfortable, Veritas.”

⭒ MOZE

Your displays of affection when accompanying Moze around the streets while off-duty were subtle but they were something he held quite dearly. Whether that be holding onto his coat or squishing yourself into his side to make sure you don’t get lost— he had become particularly used to the way your hand felt interlocked tightly with his.

Maybe that is exactly why he feels a little out of sorts as you both walk around now, enjoying the quiet atmosphere together side by side. He’s hyper aware of the way your hand hasn’t reached out to intertwine with his yet, and you’re hyper aware of his realisation considering how often he seems to be casting it glances.

It’s like Moze wants to reach out for it, but doesn’t want to make you feel like he’s forcing you to. He wants you to want to hold his hand too.

So in the meantime, he seems to be getting as close to you as he can with every given opportunity. Even in ways that could seem unnecessary— such as ushering you through groups of people with his hand tightly wrapped around your waist, until you’re squishing into his side and he’s covering it up with a “Careful. Stay close to me.”

But then as soon as you’re both in the clear again, you seem to break away from his side and it’s quite hard for Moze to hide the almost disappointed crease in his brows. It almost makes you feel bad for withholding your affection from him, even if it is a prank. Though you must admit he does look quite handsome when he’s lost in thought like this.

You hum to yourself as you feel the man to your side close the distance ever so slightly, he even goes as far as to brush his hand against yours. But then you’re pulling it back to readjust the fabric of your blouse and it’s almost immediately that you find yourself being lured into a quiet alleyway by your lover.

Moze’s expression looks almost pained and he all but looms over you as soon as you both come to a halt, it seems to make you sway when you look up to meet his gaze. Though he finds himself reaching out to steady you quite quickly, as if by instinct. “If I may ask, is there something on your mind?” He asks earnestly and it makes you pout as you offer him a soft blink.

He continues, “You seem different is all.” His voice seems to have taken a softer sort of tone— like he’s making sure not to upset you further. Be that the case as to why you’re acting this way.

But you only shake your head as he lets his lidded gaze hone in on your features, “I’m fine, I promise.” You smile as you respond and Moze finds himself only wanting to come closer.

So he takes another step. “That’s good.” He hums, though he doesn’t seem quite convinced— he opts not to pry as to not make you uncomfortable. So instead, he reaches out to let his fingers graze along yours again and you don’t pull away this time.

“Then is there any way I can be of help to you?” It’s quite sudden the shift in the atmosphere as Moze asks, and you’re not sure if it’s the longing way that he’s looking at you or the deep growl of his question. But suddenly you want nothing more than to be closer to him, and the realisation makes you shuffle on your feet.

You take a half step, “I don’t think so..” And then you pause like you’re thinking. “Do you want something from me?” You’re smiling when you ask, which is proof enough that you were teasing him but even so— he doesn’t seem to have much to say on that.

Instead, Moze’s hand only seems to reach for yours— finally letting his fingers encompass your own before he’s bringing them up to his face. “Hm,” He murmurs as he lets your fingertips rest against his cheek, and he almost looks content when he lets his eyes rest closed with his next blink, leaning into your touch.

Though it’s only for a second before he’s intertwining your hands together and letting them fall by his side this time. He wouldn’t want to let his guard down when you’re together— anyone or anything could be watching you both. (That’s what he’d say anyway if you were to ask about his own almost affectionate display).

So instead you just smile as Moze gives your intertwined hands a satisfied squeeze. “That feels better.” He admits, almost softly and you can’t help but find yourself moving quickly to take your usual spot pressing up into his side with a giggle.

“You’re so cute, Moze.”

“Is that so? Well, then stay close to me.”

line dividers by @ saradika-graphics

—reject me not!

in which : when your sudden confession catches blade off guard, his response comes across as a rejection. though he realises his mistake, and tries his best to make things right. (...it gives the whole hq a headache)

slight humor, idiots in love, mutual pining, misunderstanding, you tease him w/o realizing (n he gets back at u hehe), reader is a stellaron hunter, stellaron hunters wingwomen!!!, art by @/kkuekkue on x. reblogs are appreciated! please enjoy <3

wc: 4.2k // hm secret santa? HOHOHO @mikashisus, rayray!! u might pull ur hair out at some parts idk :joy: happy reading n merry christmas my little elf xx

"i think i like you."

the words leave your mouth quicker than your brain can second-guess them. 

blade freezes mid-step, his back visibly stiffening. when he turns to face you, his sharp, cold eyes betray a fleeting glimmer of surprise, perhaps, or confusion —but it disappears as quickly as it came.

he stares at you, his eyes widening just slightly, the faintest crack in his carefully maintained composure.

but then, his lips part, and all he gives you is a single, flat response.

"i see."

two short, dismissive words. not a smile, not a frown —just two clipped words. you tilt your head, expecting some form of elaboration, but instead he just turns on his heel, his coat swishing behind him as he starts to walk away.

(what you don’t see is the way his hands curl into fists as he walks off, how his steps falter just around the corner, or the way he presses a hand against his chest to steady the sudden, overwhelming ache blooming there.)

…must this guy really be so blunt?!?!!

you sigh, a little laugh escaping despite your current situation. of all the possible responses you could’ve imagined, ‘i see’ definitely wasn’t one of them. you shake your head, a part of you wonders if elio is watching, silently laughing at your predicament right now.

it’s fine. really. you should’ve known better than to think he’d say anything different.

though the big problem now is, blade knows about your silly crush on him, so facing him in the future is going to be a total nightmare that you’re not ready to accept. you can already feel the embarrassment creeping up like it’s going to suffocate you.

“where's [name]?” 

blade steps into the base. silver wolf, tucked in the corner, engrossed in her console, raises a hand in greeting without looking up. blade nods in acknowledgment, before replying to kafka, "i went ahead of them," his voice sounds a little more strained than usual, before quickly turning to make a beeline for his room.

but kafka, ever perceptive, senses something’s off. she tilts her head with a smirk, "bladie, did something happen?"

he denies it with a quick shake of his head before slipping past her. having no other option, she resorts to… unconventional methods. 

with a flick of her wrist and a soft, almost melodic whisper, she purrs, "listen to me.”

the moment those familiar words hit his ears, a wave of calm washes over him, and against his will, he halts mid-step. "now tell me what happened, will you?"

he sighs and he rubs the back of his neck. “take your time, bladie.” after a long pause he speaks again, "[name] said they... they liked me."

kafka watches him closely, a grin slowly spreading across her face. "and then what happened, hmm?" she teases.

out of the corner of his eyes, he sees silver wolf perk up at his words, but he pays her no mind as his thoughts are too tangled in what he’s about to say next, the words barely scraping past his throat.

...

the next hour consists of him being ‘lectured’ by his fellow coworkers.

he tries to tune out the barrage of teasing, but something about  “bladie, that's not how you reciprocate,” to “ain’t no way bro fumbled that badly,” managed to stick with him, unfortunately. (he looks over to firefly standing to the side, but she only giggles and shakes her head at him.)

but really, how was he supposed to tell them that he panicked? that he was so stunned by your confession, so overwhelmed, that he could barely form a coherent sentence? that his awkward, dismissive reply wasn’t rejection, but a pathetic attempt to mask his own vulnerability?

the thought of you avoiding him, of thinking he doesn’t care, makes his chest ache with a pain he hadn't experienced for the past few centuries. 

blade makes a mental note to find you as soon as possible. he doesn’t know how to explain himself, not entirely; words have never been his strong suit, but somehow, some way, he’ll make it up to you.

later, you return to the base, your steps hesitant as you walk in. the moment you enter, the group falls silent, all eyes snapping to you. there’s an awkward stillness in the air, like they were caught in the middle of something. your gaze sweeps over the room, and it lands on blade. when you lock eyes with him, a flush creeps up your neck, and you quickly avert your gaze.

"excuse me!" you blurt out and almost sprint to your room.

...do they all know?! this has to be the most embarrassing day of your life.

you agreed to meet kafka at a bar near your current mission to discuss your next task. the magenta haired woman had mentioned it casually when you’d asked, cryptic as usual, only revealing that the task was important but leaving out certain key details —such as conveniently leaving out the part about blade being there too, of course.

(“bladie,” kafka’s voice took on a singsong lilt, her playful smile unmistakable as she glanced at him. “you’re going to use this chance to make it up to them, ‘kay?” 

blade only kept his eyes trained on the entrance, silently waiting for you to arrive.)

running late, your prior mission having dragged on longer than expected, you found yourself hurrying to the bar, weaving through the sparse but lingering foot traffic of the evening.

after what feels like hours, you finally make it to the bar. stepping in, your eyes scan the room for kafka, when suddenly, a man steps right into your path.

the man smiles warmly, though you could tell he’s had a few to drink tonight. his tone is friendly, with just a hint of flirtation as he strikes up a conversation, casually asking if you’d be interested in grabbing a drink sometime.

he’s polite, respectful even, and there’s nothing about him that feels overly forward or aggressive —just a man who’s trying his luck, that’s all. still, you can't help but feel a slight annoyance at the timing.

as you try to figure out a way to decline his invitation, you remain oblivious to blade’s gaze —specifically, how it's fixed on you, or rather, more pointedly on the back of the man’s neck.

“you’re going to snap his neck if you keep looking at him like that.” kafka’s voice cuts through the tension, her tone teasing as she watches the exchange from the side.

“i don’t like what he’s doing,” blade mutters, his voice low and filled with an edge that suggests far more than just mild annoyance.

kafka chuckles softly to herself, already knowing where this is headed. it’s not an outright confession of jealousy, of course —he would never admit to something as petty as that, and she knows better than to push him on this one. 

nevertheless, she still catches it, her lips curling into a knowing smile. even if blade would never call it jealousy, it’s enough to push him into doing something completely out of character —something he’ll never, ever do (until now).

kafka notices immediately. her eyes widen just a fraction before she sets down her wine glass with a graceful motion, amusement dancing in her eyes. and perhaps to make sure he doesn’t look too foolish, she decides to play along and help him act the part.

a sharp clang of glass hitting the table catches your attention. your brows knit in confusion; you glance over instinctively, your eyes meeting kafka's for a brief moment. her expression is unreadable, but the faint curve of her lips makes you wonder what’s really going on.

curiosity pulls your gaze lower, to the drunk figure slumped over at her table, seemingly drunk, his head resting heavily on his arm. the spilled drink pools on the floor beside him, glinting under the dim light. 

at first, you only catch a glimpse of dark, tousled hair, streaked faintly with deep crimson at the ends —so strikingly familiar it makes you pause. then, as your eyes trace over the sharp line of his jaw and the stiff set of his shoulders, realisation dawns on you. 

wait a second.

your jaw nearly drops as you piece it together. the man lying there, seemingly drunk out of his mind, is none other than the last person you would want to see right now.

blade.

your gaze darts between him and the polite man still standing awkwardly in front of you. blade, on the other hand, never lets his guard down, so this... state of his? unprecedented. 

apologetically, you offer a small smile to the man before rushing to blade’s side, urgency in every step as you push past the tables, heart hammering in your chest.

blade’s eyes subtly flicker over to you as you approach, and you can almost sense the slightest shift in his demeanor, the thought of you giving your time to someone else, especially someone so... ineffectual —grates at him.

he swallows the ugly feeling down his throat. perhaps he’s let this irked him more than it should. but it’s too late to back out now that you’re standing right beside him, the weight of your presence making the tension in his chest only more pronounced.

as if on cue, kafka’s voice breaks the silence, “as you can see, [name], our dear bladie here has gotten himself a bit... roughed up,” she says, casually catching the wine glass that had been teetering on the edge of the table.

her lips curl into a playful smile as she glances at blade, whose jaw tightens almost imperceptibly. “drinking doesn’t seem to suit him, wouldn’t you agree?” kafka continues, her tone light but unmistakably amused. her eyes flicker between the two of you, as if she’s thoroughly enjoying the situation unraveling before her far more than she should.

you blink, momentarily thrown off by the unexpected scene. your worry only deepens as you shift your attention back to blade, who remains uncharacteristically silent, his head now resting on his arm as though he really had overindulged. 

“blade,” you say softly, your voice carrying just the slightest edge of concern. “what happened?” 

before he can answer —or before he’s forced to lie —kafka chuckles, waving a hand as if to dismiss your worry. 

“oh, nothing serious. he just got a little too carried away with his drink.” she leans back in her chair, a sly glint in her eye that you’re too preoccupied to notice. your gaze falls back to blade, his hair slightly tousled.

without thinking, you reach out, gently brushing a strand strand from his forehead. his eyes flutter open at the contact —those striking, sharp eyes you’ve always found yourself drawn to, dark yet you can’t bring yourself to look away from. 

you notice the faint redness creeping across his cheeks and the line of his jaw, down to his neck. his skin hot to the touch under your fingers. “you’re warm,” you murmur softly, assuming the alcohol is to blame.

if only you knew the warmth searing through him has nothing to do with alcohol and everything to do with you. 

“ah,” kafka hums, pulling you out of your thoughts. “it seems something urgent has come up that needs my attention.” there’s an unmistakable glint of mischief in her eyes. “i’ll leave you two to it.”

you glance at her, startled. “wait, what about—?”

“don’t worry about it,” she interjects, already getting up from her seat. “the bill is already on my tab.” 

well, that wasn’t what you were about to ask anyway! 

a sly smile curls her lips, and she tilts her head ever so slightly. “hmm, it’s rare to see him like this. [name], you’ll take good care of him, won’t you?” her tone is light, but the underlying implication is clear, leaving you flustered as she turns on her heel, striding off, leaving the two of you alone.

blade leans heavily against you, his tall frame making it an awkward challenge to keep him upright as you guide him out of the bar. one arm is slung over your shoulder, while his other hangs haphazardly against his side.

his head is tilted forward, strands of his dark, crimson-tipped hair brushing against your cheek, and you can feel the warmth radiating from him —whether from his predicament or his proximity, you’re not sure.

you shift your grip, looping an arm around his waist for better support, and his body tenses slightly under your touch. for someone playing the part of drunk so convincingly, he’s strangely aware of your every movement, his hand tightening just faintly on your shoulder when you stumble over a crack in the pavement.

“blade,” you murmur under your breath, trying to shift his weight more evenly as you inch forward. “you’re not making this very easy, you know.”

casting a glance his way, you’re met with a low, almost lazy hum in response. his expression is nothing short of a hazy indifference, though you swear you catch a flicker of clarity in his eyes —a brief, focused intensity that seems out of place, before he looks away.

you can feel the heat of his breath against your temple as he wavers with every step. the night air is cool, but the warmth radiating from his body is undeniable, pressing against your side in a way that sends an unexpected shiver down your spine. the closeness between you feels almost intimate in a way that will surely have you screaming into your pillow later that night. 

as you continue down the empty street, blade’s mind races; this is his chance. he knows it. he should say something now, anything, to make it clear —to tell you how he feels. (and how it’s been eating at him for longer than he cares to admit.)

this is it, the moment he’s been waiting for, but all he can do is breathe in the scent of your skin and the warmth of your touch. the sensation is all too familiar, like the pounding in his chest —but this time, it’s not from the heat of battle.

just how much longer he has to deal with this utterly insufferable feeling?

it’s worse now, because as you navigate through the halls of the base, he’s beginning to wonder if this is what it means to care for someone —to be vulnerable. 

“here,” you say softly as you stop in front of the door to his room.

he doesn’t want this moment to end. 

you glance at him then, finally meeting his eyes, and the look in them knocks the breath from your lungs. they’re hazy, yes, but there's a sharpness beneath the mask of drunkenness, a quiet intensity that makes your heart beat a little faster.

you clear your throat, breaking the silence. "do you need anything else?"

"no," he answers, almost reluctantly. "i’ll be alright."

a twinge of disappointment surges through you. right… it was foolish to expect anything different. he’s already rejected you, and you can’t help but feel a bit ridiculous for thinking it would be any other way.

you stand there for a moment, the silence between you growing thicker with each passing second, before you force yourself to nod, your voice soft as you try to mask the heaviness in your chest.

“goodnight then."

just as you turn to leave, you feel a sudden pull on your hand, your wrist tugged back with surprising gentleness.

"wait," blade suddenly says, and this time, there's no mistaking the sincerity in it. "thank you.”

his bandaged hand rests over yours, and a soft breath escapes you; flustered, you open your mouth to respond, ready to brush it off.

"oh! It's no pro—"

but you’re cut off before you can finish. he raises your hand, pressing his lips to the back of your palm in a soft, lingering kiss.

"—blem..."

your voice falters slightly as a rush of warmth spreads through you. every nerve in your body seems to spark awake all at once, making you hyper-aware of the spot from where his lips brushed against your skin. you freeze, your breath caught in your throat, unable to do anything but stand there, your hand still resting in his.

then, as if nothing happened, he steps back into his room and shuts the door behind him, leaving you standing there, still processing the unexpected moment.

safe to say you got little to no sleep that night. you roll over, staring at the ceiling, a soft smile tugging at the corners of your lips. it feels ridiculous, embarrassing even, how many times you've replayed that scene in your head every time you close your eyes.

you couldn’t help but smile to yourself like a fool. 

(“so bladie, how’d it go?” / “...”) 

you hadn’t even planned on leaving the base today, let alone stepping foot into the brightly lit chaos of an arcade, but silver wolf had insisted —no, nagged, until you caved. and somehow she’d managed to drag blade (of all people) along, her smug grin all too telling as she pushed the two of you together and skipped off to “go play some gachas”

now, you stand awkwardly by blade’s side, the flashing lights casting a colorful glow over his impassive face. it’s hard to ignore how out of place he looks, his dark coat, sunglasses, and the mask covering his lower face a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere. 

yet, somehow, he doesn’t seem to mind the sharp sounds of arcade machines beeping nor the kids screaming in excitement. he just stands there, hands in his pockets, watching you fumble with a stack of game tokens.

“you look thrilled,” you mutter, a sarcastic tone in your voice as you glance at him.  it’s strange, though —there’s something oddly endearing about the way he’s standing there, the dark lenses of his sunglasses reflecting a faint outline of your own face. you catch yourself staring for just a moment too long, wishing you could see beyond the lens, wishing you could read his eyes—

you shake the thought off, it’s all just wishful thinking.

behind the shield of his sunglasses, blade’s eyes tracked your every subtle movement, almost unconsciously. he caught the way your expression softened as you turned toward the claw machine, how your lips curved ever so slightly when your gaze settled on that… thing.

it was maddening, how effortlessly you held his focus, how even a trivial moment like this could stir something deep in him. he told himself it was nothing, but the tightening in his chest said otherwise. 

he wasn’t one to indulge in sentiment, yet something about the way you stared at that silly plush made him restless, made him want to do something about it, if only to keep that smile on your face a little longer.

would your smile grow brighter if that plush were in your hands? 

“let’s go.”

“to where…?” you asked, glancing back at him, the curiosity evident in your voice.

he didn’t answer immediately, but you felt the familiar tug at your hand once again, gentle and insistent, as his gaze slips toward the claw machine where you had been staring earlier.

it’s not hard to imagine the scene as a sweet little moment, with him focused on the claw machine, trying to win you a plush like a doting partner would. 

with a soft click, the claw tightens around the plush, and before you can react, it’s being lifted out of the pile, swinging toward the prize chute. you can't help but stare as he pulls the soft toy from the machine with a sense of quiet satisfaction.

(you pocket the rest of the tokens. guess he won’t be needing those…  for a first-timer, he sure got lucky —must be beginners' luck, huh?)

you blink, slightly impressed. “wow, you’re good at this,” you remark, unable to hide the surprise in your voice. 

without a word, he hands the plushie to you. 

you tilt your head slightly, a bit unsure. “for me...?”

“it's yours. take it." he looks to the side; suddenly thankful for the mask —if it weren't for that, you'd surely see the crimson tint creeping up his cheeks right now.

you hesitate for a second longer before reaching out to take it, your fingers brushing against his, a tingle of heat pulses through you, leaving your hand feeling strangely warm.

“th-thank you," you manage to spit out, and your eyes dart away, suddenly very aware of how close he is. surely, this isn’t good for your heart!

the twilight sky stretches wide, the clouds are heavy, and you’re looking oh so earnestly at him. his heart beats a little faster, louder now, as if his body knows exactly what he wants but refuses to let him act on it.

but then, he blinks —once, twice; snapping himself back to reality. he can feel the space between you growing smaller, your presence growing closer.

his eyelids flutter shut instinctively.

and then, the soft press of your lips against his cheek.

a soft sigh escapes him, and his eyes crack open. if you could see his expression right now, you'd catch the vulnerability that flashes in his gaze. he swears he can feel the warmth of your kiss in his very bones.

though not quite the kiss he imagined… it was something. (re: you got his hopes up)

the shock of your own actions hits you like a wave. you swallow thickly, “sorry —i'll go find silver wolf.” avoiding his gaze as you fumble with the tokens in your hand. "i… i’ll pass the extra tokens to her."

without waiting for a response, you turn and hurry off, your pulse pounding in your ears, praying that the ground would swallow you whole.

that night, you lay in bed, the plushie clutched tightly in your arms. the softness of it contrasts sharply with the rush of confusion filling your chest. 

why was he being so kind to you? after everything, after the way he rejected you just a few days ago, it made no sense. his actions felt contradictory.

you try to push the memory of the kiss out of your mind; impulsive decisions… often lead to mortifying outcomes. though when you glanced at him afterward, you could’ve sworn his ears were tinged with red, just peeking out from beneath his hair. nevermind, it’s probably your mind playing tricks on you.

blade, who’s as cold as the frost-kissed dusk, walks beside you through the lively festival, his dark coat a striking contrast to the vibrant reds and greens around you.

the faint scent of roasted chestnuts and spiced cider fills the air, mingling with the sound of distant carolers. he doesn’t say much, but there’s something about the way his gloved hand brushes yours, intentionally or not —that makes the chill in the air feel less biting.

you swallow, focusing on the festive stalls ahead, the decorations glittering in the night. “you don't have to stick around, you know. i can manage by myself.”

his steps slow just slightly, and he turns his head toward you, finally speaking. “you think i’d just leave you here?”

the words catch you off guard, and you fumble for a response. “i-i just meant—”

“relax.” he interrupts, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his lips; his hand grazing yours again. this time, his fingers linger for a moment longer, almost as if testing the waters, before retreating back into the safety of his pocket.

your cheeks flush, and you pretend to be deeply interested in a nearby stall selling hand-knit scarves. just then, his voice cuts through the festive hum. “last week… when you said you liked me,” he starts, and your breath catches.

you whirl back to face him, your heart pounding. “don’t worry about it! really, i—”

“i wasn’t rejecting you,” he says, with an unexpected gentleness in his gaze. “i like you too, [name].”

blade removes his coat, the fabric warm against the cold air as he drapes it around your shoulders, pulling you closer. you stumble, your hand instinctively pressing against his chest to catch your balance.

you look up at him, your breath quickening, as his face draws closer, his eyes locked on yours with that familiar intensity. you let your eyelids flutter shut, lips trembling, heart pounding in your chest as the space between you narrows.

but instead of the kiss you were anticipating, you feel the gentle warmth of his lips brush against your forehead.

your eyes snap open in confusion, only to meet his smirking face. oh... this asshole!

“what?" he teases, his tone deceptively casual. “you seem pretty eager,” his voice drops an octave, hand gently tilting your chin as he leans in just close enough for you to feel his breath against your skin.

you glare up at him, your cheeks flushed with embarrassment. the way your lips quiver, unable to hold his gaze for long; the fact that he actually adores that flustered expression on your face... well, that’s when he realises. he’s too far gone.

what a dumbass lmfao

MASTERLIST.

FANCY SEEING YOU HERE

- DANTE SPARDA (DMC)

Riding that bandwagon, don’t ask me about my dmc credentials.

It had been a simple induction process, a quick cash grab of a job opportunity. Nothing too hard about a receptionist job, right?

Wrong.

What your boss failed to tell you is that he had no fucking idea what he was doing. Or really, he did, but then too many contracts started rolling in for his system to continue working. Which is where you came in, it took a few months but everything has finally been streamlined. Clients rolled in, and you assigned them to the relevant hunter.

It had been a quiet morning, as far as quiet can be when you got a text from your boss, Enzo. Enzo didn’t contact you much, you pretty much had everything handled, as he would say, so he would only check in when there was a major change or someone returning to the roster. This was no different.

Dante is dropping in. Major mission wrapped up. Look after yourself he’s a handful.

You squinted, Dante is a new name you haven’t seen before meaning he’s a new, or old, hunter you haven’t met yet. You’ve met plenty of hunters that were a handful, so the text didn’t throw you off that much, you just made a note of it and moved on about your day.

It wasn’t until late afternoon that your door burst open abruptly, door handle smacking loudly into the wall. Now this pissed you off, because you had just finally got the message across to all hunters that you did not appreciate their barbaric manners, and it seems one hunter missed the memo.

Before the hunter’s red leather trench could settle, you flicked your finger towards the door, “Out.”

The hunter paused, frozen in his place. You watched as he scanned his surroundings, taking in the new office which you have basically personalised to your tastes considering Enzo never really did anything with it. After a cursory glance to disarm his scepticism, he looked at you. Taking your features and finally registering what you said.

“What?” He blurted.

“Get out.” You repeated, sterner.

“Do I have the right place? Where’s Enzo?” He swung his head behind the door as if checking a hiding place.

You pointed at the door once again, before looking back at your computer, “You must be Dante,” you could see him perk up from over the frame of your glasses, “I can answer all your questions, but not until you enter my office with some respect,”

“Your office? This isn’t—”

You glanced up at him momentarily, refusing to humour him any longer. Having sense this, he laughed in disbelief.

“Listen doll, I just came back from a long ass mission, I am not in the mood for mind games,”

You leaned back in your chair, and smiled, “Manners aren’t a mind game, and I don’t feel like fucking around with your attitude just because you’re tired,”

As if bitten by your response, he stepped back and crossed his arms, really staring you down now. It was only about a minute but it felt like ten before he started retreating. You watched him walk back out of your office, the door clicking in place as he left. You crossed your arms over your chest, a full moment passes before you hear it.

A knock at your door.

This makes you smile, finding it almost impossible to consider that a knock could hold an attitude. You make him wait, shuffle a few papers around before sitting back, crossing one leg over the other.

“Come in,” you chime.

The white haired hunter steps through once again, with careful grace this time, he keeps his eyes glued to you as he softly closes the door behind him. Making a sarcastic demonstration of it, yes, but most certainly looking for your approval as he does so.

Finally you stand from your chair, even with the desk separating you, the height difference is stark. You outstretch your hand, “You must be Dante, Enzo told me you’d be arriving today. How was the mission?”

He looked at your hand, then back at you, “Successful, if a bit boring,” he accepts your hand, holding on long enough to make you a tad uneasy. “Who are you?”

You pull away but only because he loosens his grip, “Enzo’s receptionist,”

At this, Dante bursts into laughter, clutching onto his stomach as if you have said the most hilarious thing in the world. This grates on your nerves slightly, not seeing humour in your statement.

After a moment he stands, wiping a tear, “A receptionist? Enzo’s receptionist? I’m sorry sweetheart, it’s not funny. Are you sure we’re talking about the same Enzo?” He sniffles, “Sleezy, short little man Enzo? The same guy that can barely manage himself let alone staff.”

You point to the chair in front of your desk, he follows your gesture as you walk around to meet him, sitting on the corner adjacent to him.

You smile, humoured, “The very same if you can believe it,”

“I can’t,” he interjects, looking around the room once more, “I can see you’ve done a lot with the place, maybe I was away longer than I thought. Is Enzo respectable now?”

You snort, “Not at all,”

He chuckles, taking a deep breath before relaxing back into his seat. You watch as his shoulders unwind, leg crossing over his knee as his hands clutch together in his lap. It’s now that you can finally see him without obstructed view. He’s wearing fingerless leather gloves, a long red leather trench, by all means should be uncomfortable with how it hugs his biceps, but makes it seem like the most comfortable thing in the world. This thighs fill out his heavy black pants, honestly, it’s hiding nothing.

A cough breaks you out of your trance, only to bring you back with a knowing smile, “Do I get an introduction too?”

You smirk, crossing your arms over your chest, “Already? I was starting to get used to the pet names,”

His eyes seem to spark, something igniting in him. He leans forward inquisitively, “Really? That do it for you, doll?”

Before you can respond, your office phone starts to ring, it’s an old dingy landline because Enzo refuses to upgrade something unless it’s disintegrated. You lean back to reach for it behind you. Dante zeros in on your outstretched thighs before him at your distraction, he almost drools at the way your skirt rides slightly up your stockings as you grab the phone off the hook.

He can faintly hear you talking as he watches the way you absently rub your thighs together, “At seven? Where? Do I get paid overtime?” He watches as your fingers wrap around the cord, a playful smile on your lips, “Alright, just checking. Yeah I’ll be there.”

You look over at him, only to see him already looking back with a quirked eyebrow, “Yeah, he’s here,” a frown creases your eyebrows, “Yes, here, as in sitting in my office, what else could I mean? Alright give me a sec.”

Dante watches as you pull the phone away from your ear and stretch it out towards him, “For you, sweetheart,” you wink.

Oh, he’s going to have so much fun with you. He smirks, standing up in the minimal space between you and the desk. Only because he’s concerned the phone line won’t reach, thighs bumps together as his hand envelops yours, bringing the receiver to his ear.

You frown in confusion, your hand caught like a fish on a line as he makes you hold the phone against his ear. He’s staring at you with a smile, you’re so close that you can hear the conversation.

“Dante! How’s my favourite son? Back from the mission in one piece I hear,”

Dante hums, adjusting closer as he speaks, “Yep, all pieces are accounted for. The important ones anyway,”

Enzo cackles at the sleazy joke, “Have you met my new receptionist? That’s right, I’m moving on up in the world, a real business man I am Dante,”

His eyes flick towards yours, holding contact as he responds, “Yeah, she’s a real doll, a stickler for hospitality,”

You roll your eyes, kicking his shin in retaliation, without flinching his hand rests above your knee to cease your jerking like a parent would to a child.

“ Treat her well Dante, she’s the only person holding down the fort for me, if you scare her away I won’t forgive you until I see you grovelling for forgiveness,” he threatens, “Her forgiveness.”

This warms your heart, you’ve come to like Enzo in all his incompetent ways, it’s nice to hear him talk about you so fiercely towards others.

Dante sighs, his hand moving from your knee to the desk beside your thighs. You’re caged in now with your hand against his ear, and his body leaned in close. You can only lean so far back without compromising your position.

“No getting rid of her then huh? Guess I’ll have to get comfortable.”

You’re only half listening to the conversation now, having been distracted by the amulet hanging in front of you. Its ruby gem swings gently in the open space of Dante’s shirt, when he leans forward you catch a glimpse further underneath. He’s built, from what you can tell even with his heavy layers, but he’s not the biggest hunter you’ve seen. Something under the surface has your senses on edge though, like there’s more to him that you’re not seeing, yet.

A gentle pinch to your thigh has you clueing back in. Dante is looking at you with a knowing smirk, as he hums into the receiver, “I’ll be there. Can’t believe you’re putting me to work already, I should call Human Resources. This is an unfair workload.”

“Yada, yada, yada. You know you’re my favourite, now make papa proud, I’ll text ya later.”

Dante straightens up as the call ends, letting you put the phone back on its hook. You look up at him from your seated place on the desk, thighs still pressed against each other, in an act of misplaced confidence, you reach up to flick a piece of imaginary dust off his jacket.

“Guess I’ll be seeing you in action tonight,” you muse.

Dante hums, “You can see me in action a lot sooner if you’d like.”

You shove him back before he can place his hands on you, “Don’t be crude,” you hop off your desk, shifting your skirt back down your legs, “I’ll meet you there? 7pm sharp at the front doors,”

He nods, “7pm sharp at the front doors,” he reiterates, walking towards your office exit, before he leaves he looks over his shoulder at you, “Wear something nice, something that will make the other men jealous of me. Can’t be that hard right?”

You roll your eyes. When the door clicks shut behind him, you exhale deeply. You had a feeling this mission was going to get way out of hand.

love her

just normal guy behaviour 👍

ASL Cowboy AU

I figured i should give the other two designs since i made Ace pretty cowbish in this post o' mine. You guys really liked that post, i didnt expect so many people to rb my rough doodles lol i'm so glad so many of you see Dream Whery's vision :D

additional lore/design discussion 👇

I feel like pirates to cowboy is a pretty 1 to 1 translation, so this au follows the same plot-line that the original property does (sorry, that does mean that Ace passes away in it. Hate to see him leave but we also hate to watch him go)

Much like Ace's knife (or whatever tf that green thing on his hip is) in his original design, Ace doesnt actually use his gun at all. Its just there to make him look cool.

I like to imagine in this version tho, Sabo just has just So Many Weapons. Just So Many. He will never be caught lackin'

In the first draft i had for Luffy, i gave him a gun, but it just looked... wrong. I think a very important part of him and his crew is that none of them wield guns (except Sanji that one time). I think its especially important they don't because of how so many of them have been traumatized with firearms. Especially Robin.

The design for luffy in the first image is pre-timeskip him, and the one in the third image is his post-timeskip design.

I gave luffy a longer nose and higher cheeks than i usually do to make him look a little more Native American, I felt leaning a little more like his father would be the way to go overall in this case, too. He looks like such a cutie patootie in this version though.... i might have to keep drawing him like this....

i honestly dont have much for this au so far, i just wanted to dress these guys up like little dollies, an impulse that has never been lost on me.

Ive drawn so many asl hugs. But not these two before. Because. They make me sad.

HOWEVER ☝️

I am a completionist.

So here we are.

Close up pics 👇

cw: love triangle. hurt/comfort.

Your heart pounds rapidly in your chest still as you fumble your keys into the ignition of your car, your pulse probably fast enough to fuel the engine on its own. Tears that only pricked at your eyes earlier as you stormed out of the Fortuna branch Devil May Cry van now run freely down your cheeks, and you hate that you look a mess for something so stupid, but you feel stupid overall.

You’re nothing more than a passing distraction after all. Harm to a sweet girl, temptation to an otherwise good man. You knew better, you’ve known since you were very young, and here you are, crying and trying to get as far as you can because you let your guard slip just once.

The engine finally thrums to life despite the delay, as if providence itself wants you to slow down and think about what you’re going to do next, but as you step on the ignition, you find yourself lurching forward, the rev of the engine loud and clear, but the car going nowhere. In fact, it appears to jerk briefly backwards, destabilizing you - you should really put on your seatbelt - before its wheels settle back in place.

Stunned for just a second, you step on the gas again, until the same thing happens, and then it occurs to you. Your head snaps back to the rear view mirror, and there he is, glaring right back at you, sky blue eyes red rimmed themselves to match yours as one hand grips tightly on the rear bumper of your car, willing it to stay in place, while the other hangs loosely by his side.

You grip the steering wheel, then stick your head out the window.

“Are you fucking crazy?!”

Nero doesn’t respond, and as you stomp on the gas one more time, the engine roars again, but the car continues to make absolutely no distance forward. Overwhelmed with frustration, you find yourself groaning loudly, then shout again.

“You can’t stop me from leaving!”

You stomp on the gas again, but he’s rock steady, and you lay onto the horn, a cry of aggravation not for help - you don’t need help, but you need him to know that you can’t stand him right now.

“Grow up, Nero!”

At this, Nero does flinch a little, enough that the flame of your anger flickers just a little, and he averts his eyes so that he’s looking off in the distance in the night. This clearing is relatively empty save for your two vehicles - Nico is off to sleep in a real bed at a nearby inn several hundred feet away, and the two of you had aimed to talk for a few moments longer under the stars, but of course, that devolved into the current scene.

How could he not have told her?

The softness still retained in his voice as he reassures Kyrie over the phone that he and Nico are okay, the very passing mention of you being around as well. It all makes you feel disgusting and impure and pathetic, especially when the taste of his lips is still so very present on your tongue.

You’re not built to not care.

Nero inhales deeply and lets out a visible exhale, still not letting go in case you attempt to speed off once again.

“Just let me explain it to you. Please. Once I’m done, if you still want to leave, I promise not to stop you.”

Biting your lip enough that you almost draw blood, you contemplate this for a moment. The steering wheel you grip tightly feels safe and grounding. You squeeze, then press your forehead onto it, letting the coolness seep through your skin. A few moments pass, and you can feel Nero watching you from behind, growing concerned, but you turn the ignition off, then raise your head. Before you can open the door he’s beside you, almost a bit too fast, but he senses your intent and opens the door for you, stepping aside as it swings open.

His eyes are still teary red. 

“Listen, I’m not trying to hurt you.”

Your posture is closed and impenetrable, arms crossed over your chest. You raise an eyebrow, and you don’t have to say the words before he understands them, pronounced clear as day in his head.

You’re doing a terrible job of it.

“It’s just-” he runs his hand through his hair, distressed, pleading. There’s a hunch in his back that’s unnatural for such a proud man but you say nothing, open to hear whatever excuse he has to offer before you can ridicule him. 

“I can’t end things on a phone call.”

“Then don’t touch me,” you snap. He opens his mouth in protest, but closes it immediately in resignation. 

“Right.”

He bites his lip, before letting his loosely held fist rest against the hood of your car as he stares at the ground.

“Don’t play games with me,” you murmur.

He looks at you again - really looks - and you almost feel bad for calling him a coward just moments ago as you gathered your things. You can imagine the insult is replaying in his head even now as he stands before you. 

He’s a lot of things, but he’s not a coward. In this, he’s more careful than anything, unwilling to hurt his loved ones.

“It doesn’t have to be me,” you know. Your arms tighten around your own body again, keeping you safe and warm and together. “I’ll get over this… whatever this is. As long as you give me time.”

He quickly interjects.

“It has to be you,” he insists. “I… I know it feels different when I’m with you, something more than just…” he trails off.

He’s being careful with his speech, out of respect, out of love. The words a soft landing place come to mind. Home, peace, sanctuary… those are the things Kyrie is for him, and you should never intrude upon that. You can’t offer him that. You’re tumultuous and moody and you’ve only softened down your rough edges over time, you’re not a natural, unblemished smooth surface.

“She’s what you need,” you admit, even if your voice breaks at the end.

“Please,” he starts, reaching for your hand before thinking better of it. “Just… just let me be the one to tell you what I need.”

Someone has to pay for the upset roiling in your chest, you feel, but it’s not solely his fault, nor even your own, really and definitely not hers.

“Please don’t run away from me,” he asks of you, in a voice, softer and more desperate. “I won’t-” he pauses, then regains his voice, “touch you again, not until I’m face to face with her and tell her the truth.”

Your lips press into a thin line, and he tells you what you’ve always wanted to hear from him.

“I need you. I want you.”

You think of Kyrie again, guilt eating away at you.

“I don’t really want to make you choose, Nero,” you admit, your voice croaking. The tears you hold back start to make their way back to the surface. “I kind of wish we’d never met.”

“Don’t say that.”

An edge in his voice returns ever so slightly until he recomposes himself with a deep breath.

“Please, don’t say that,” he reiterates, the hurt vibrating in the thrum of his voice. “You’re not making me choose. I already did choose, and I promise to do a better job of following through.”

You can sense the longing in his hands that move towards you but never quite reach, based on the invisible barrier of your consent (or lack thereof). You’ll allow him just this once, reaching for his right hand first, and placing it where he wants it to be, on the curve of your right cheek. His lips fall open gently, and his thumb wipes away an escaping tear.

“I’m a bad person,” you whisper.

He’s not supposed to touch you so the most he allows himself to do is open his arms as you step in closer, tucking you under his chin.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

You want to argue, but instead you hold him closer, letting your selfishness win at least for just a few more moments.

Maybe you won’t run away, not just yet.