FLUFF

BatEddie!!

Simon never really thought about getting you pregnant—if he’s being honest. He never wanted a family, and you can blame his old man for that. Sure, he doesn’t always use protection, but he’s well aware of the damage the morning-after pill could do to your body, and he’d never want that for you.

You didn’t even tell him. He figured it out on his own. The trash was missing your usual pads, and you hadn’t been complaining about cramps. He’s scared.

He waited, hoping you’d realize it on your own. He doesn’t know what you want to do. If you want him to be a father, he’ll try. For you. You’d be the mother of his child, after all.

“kei, do you ever think about how strange it is that we've never fought?” you ask, limbs tangled with his as you cuddle on his bed.

it’s 10:03 PM and you’re doing your best to fight against the chilling, icy atmosphere of tsukishima’s room. for some reason, he likes to sleep like a vampire.

“do you want to?” he offers with an arm wrapped around your shoulders. tsukki doesn’t even open his eyes when he responds, too sleepy to entertain another one of your late night overthinking sessions.

“no,” you say calmly, “but we’ve been together for 7 months. we must either be like, the greatest couple of all time or the exact opposite.”

you feel his chest rise and deflate against your head as he lets an overly dramatic sigh.

you knew tsukishima kei wasn’t one for pda. hell, it was one of the things you loved about him. he knew how to make you feel loved without having to scream it to the world.

like that one time on one of your first dates, when you had accidentally fallen asleep on the soft grass of the park while waiting for his weekend practice to end. you woke up with a hand massaging your scalp.

“how long have you been waiting there?” you giggle, rising from your slumber as you rub your eyes awake. he pulls away, casually avoiding your gaze. “why didn’t you wake me?”

kei only shrugs, “you looked peaceful.”

or that other time you got sick for a week and couldn’t make it to school, so he immediately visited you as soon as you got better and brought his backpack with him.

“i got two copies of all the homeworks due next week, so you don’t have to ask the teachers for them.” he unpacks his notes and fishes out two pens from his bag before turning to you. “come, i’ll teach you everything you missed.”

your teachers praised you for how responsible you were, and told you how much they appreciated that you took the initiative to study.

yeah, you totally did that.

or like right now, and all the other nights you’ve spent at his place. because unbeknownst to you, tsukishima kei sets up his bedroom every single time you visit. he tidies up, cleaning even spots that you would never think to look at. but most importantly, and tsukishima knows this routine by heart, he turns the a/c to the highest setting so you’d be forced to cuddle against him underneath his sheets.

“the former,” is all replies with, and you scoff, rolling your eyes.

“but seriously though. how lucky are we to never have fought even after seven months.”

tsukki sighs again, before reluctantly revealing, “we don’t fight because i make it a point to always agree with you.”

you’re taken aback by his words, sitting up slightly as you look him in the eyes, though his are still closed as he tries to focus on sleeping.

“...huh?”

“idiot,” he teases. maybe he thinks calling you names will cover up for how unbelievably sweet he’s being right now, “why would i want to argue with you?” he shifts, trying to subtly move his face away so you don’t see him fully.

“but i can’t always have my way, you know. a relationship should be 50/50, right?”

“not ours.” he presses your head back against his chest, and you hear his heartbeat fasten a little. “you’re the boss.”

BONUS: “and you’ve never paid in your life anyway. you don’t believe in that 50/50 bullshit.” “hey!” “i don’t even know what your wallet looks like.”

@kokokoula this one’s for u <3

Lousy T-Shirt

Just a dumb little goof-ball Eddie blurb I thought about while folding laundry.

Wc: 331

"No, no way, Eddie, absolutely not." you protested, arms crossed tightly in front of you.

"Pleeeeeease baby? It would be metal as Hell." Eddie pleaded, bouncing eagerly on the balls of his feet like an excited child.

You couldn't help but sigh at his relentless enthusiasm. "Where did you even get that?" you asked, eyeing the shirt warily.

"I made it!" he announced proudly. "We've been toying around with the idea of selling merch at our shows for a while now, couldn't help m'self."

"Merch?" you repeated, raising an eyebrow sceptically. “So there’s going to be more of these floating around then?”

Eddie's smirk faltered slightly, quickly replaced by a look of panic as he waved his hands around frantically.

"No no, I made this one especially for you, sweetheart, for you and you only."

Despite your reservations, you reluctantly stepped forward and accepted the shirt from him, examining it with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. The bold lettering emblazoned across the front made you grimace.

"I FUCKED THE LEAD GUITARIST OF CORRODED COFFIN AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT" you read aloud, shaking your head in disbelief.

You sighed, knowing Eddie was waiting for your reaction. When you looked back up at him, he was grinning like a Cheshire cat, already confident in his victory. You’d never been able to say no to him before, and he knew this time wouldn’t be any different.

With a resigned nod, you relented.

"Fine," you muttered, rolling your eyes. "I'll wear the shirt. But I swear to Ozzy, Edward Munson, if I see any other little bitches strutting around in one of these things, I'll eviscerate you with your own plectrum, you hear me?"

Eddie's laughter filled the trailer as he pulled you into a tight embrace, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead.

"I hear you, my feisty little psychopath, " he chuckled, his warm breath tickling your skin as you huff into his chest. "I hear you. And I love you too."

eddie munson who talks a lot when he’s in public and is quiet when at home 🤝🏼 partner who is quiet when in public and talks a lot when at home (aka me)

like think about it, when he’s out and about, he’s talking a mile a minute, entertaining people, jumping on tables, putting on the whole boisterous, comical act (that you love because you love him, but also because it means that you don’t have to say anything, he’s got all the talking covered)… but then, at home, when he’s at peace with the world and doesn’t have to put on his lil show, he’s silent (except when an interest is sparked duh). Then that’s when secretly-a-motor-mouth partner comes in, making it so easy for him to not have to speak. He just sits there, looking pretty, and listening to you ramble and yap about anything and everything all night long. It’s symbiotic and I need it and that is all <3

The Gift of Guido

Fluff

Guido Mista x f!reader

Mista can’t help but spoil you any chance he gets!

Warnings: translated Italian lol, slight cussing

Guido Mista was many things: laid back, fun loving, a bit too superstitious for his own good—he was also irrevocably, unconditionally, in love with you, and he made sure to prove his devotion to you any chance he got.

Ever since your first date, Guido would greet you with the most breathtaking florals anytime he was lucky enough to be graced with your presence.

“Un bel fiore per il mio bel fiore, (a beautiful flower for my beautiful flower)” he would say every time without fail, causing you to blush as brightly as the petals being presented to you.

“Guido, you’re too much,” you always replied, holding the stem gently between your fingertips, guiding the flower to your nose as you inhaled the fragrant scent. He would just gaze upon you, hand in chin with a dreamy look in his eyes, as if you were an angel sent down from heaven; for all he knew, you really were.

He would always take you on dates to the nicest restaurants in town, often asking Bruno or Leone for recommendations. While the men were partial to Libeccio, Guido was constantly on the hunt for newer, more exciting places to treat you to. He also hated that dining at a restaurant frequented by members of his team, especially the younger ones, meant being teased relentlessly throughout what was supposed to be a romantic outing for the two of you.

“Oooh I’m Mista and I’m in loooove with y/n!” Narancia teased from the table next to yours, shoving spaghetti in his mouth.

“You better shut it before I knock some sense into you,” Guido seethed, gripping the cutlery in his hand with white knuckles. Normally he would’ve immediately pounced on the boy but he tried his best to show self restraint in front of you. Narancia stuck his tongue out at Guido before diving back into conversation with Fugo, shoveling food into his mouth without a care.

“Please ignore him, Amore mio (my love),” Guido told you, “he’s being an idiot as always.”

“Huh?! You callin’ me names?” Narancia asked, standing abruptly from his chair. Guido’s eyebrows furrowed as he whipped out his gun from his waistband, waving it around in anger.

“I’m on a date, asshole! Leave us alone!”

“Knock it off, you two. Narancia, you need to study. You’re only getting stupider by the second,” Fugo interjected. Narancia huffed and sat in his seat once more as Guido tucked his weapon back into his pants and took your hand in his own, shooting you his suavest smile.

“Forgive the intrusion. Now, where were we?”

You just shook your head and laughed, finding the whole situation quite adorable. It was endearing how his team treated each other like family. In all honesty, you weren’t bothered the slightest by the interruptions, knowing you and Guido would be able to have plenty of alone time later.

Another thing Guido loved to do for you was treat you to expensive jewelry. Not having a steady income made it difficult at times to buy you the exact watch, ring, or whatever struck his fancy, but somehow, he always made it work.

You were sitting with Guido in your apartment, enjoying a rare quiet evening, when all of a sudden, Guido was wearing a grin that he didn’t bother trying to conceal.

“What? Do I have something on my face?” you asked, wiping at your skin.

“No way! The only thing on your face is beauty.”

“You’re such a womanizer, Mista,” you chastised, rolling your eyes playfully.

He brought his hand to his chest in mock hurt. “Womanizer? Il mio tesoro (my treasure), you’re the only woman that’s ever on my mind.” He reached into his pocket and procured a velvet drawstring pouch. “And that’s why I got this for you.”

“Oh, Guido, whatever it is, I couldn’t accept it-”

“I insist,” he said, his irises sparkling from the leftover sun filtering into your living room. You opened the pouch and gasped when you saw what was being held inside. Not believing your eyes, you pulled out a chain connected to a weighty, and quite large, diamond pendant.

“So? Do you like it?” he asked, his boyish charm on full display as he eagerly awaited your response.

“It’s breathtaking,” you managed to say in your utter disbelief. While you were grateful for his other pieces he had given you, this certainly took the cake. He must’ve saved up for a very long time to be able to afford the necklace.

“As are you.” He gestured to the chain. “Can I put it on for you?”

“Of course. Thank you,” you said, turning around. You shivered when you felt his fingers ever so slightly grace the skin of your neck as he began to clasp the necklace.

Tried to clasp it, that is.

“I’m trying to- it won’t- my fingers are too big-fuck!” He groveled, frustrated. Before you could even get a word in, he called out the Sex Pistols.

“You guys need to clasp this before I take the necklace back to the store and choke the salesman with it.”

A chorus of “sure Mista!”s and “anything for y/n!”s rang out as the bullets nimbly finished the job he started. Calling them back in, he wrapped his arms around you from behind and gave you a kiss on the cheek.

“You look amazing. Absolutely perfetta (perfect).”

“Thank you very much for the gift, Guido. I love it and I love you.”

“Anything for you, vita mia (my life),” he said sweetly, lazily slinging an arm over your shoulders with a lopsided grin. “Now, how about we go out and make some people jealous as you show off what it’s like to be dating mafioso such as myself?”

Hey so I really like your writing. Your fics are so inspiring...! Can I pretty please request a fic about Kita catching Reader off guard with a blunt love confession?? 🙏 I'd love to see what you come up with!

Aw inspiring?!! That is so sweet!! I love that I am what people were for me when I started writing (about 5 years ago!) so never give up and be proud of any work you make!! I hope you enjoy <333

--

Confessions: Kita

The thing about Kita Shinsuke is that he never does anything without purpose.

He speaks with intention, moves with care, and rarely—if ever—lets emotion get the better of him. He is dependable to a fault, calm even in the most chaotic situations, and as predictable as a rising sun. Which is why, when he turns to you one spring afternoon and says, "I’m in love with you," you nearly choke on your drink.

The two of you are sitting beneath the shade of a wide camphor tree near the back of the school, where the grass grows a little taller and the breeze feels like a secret only you two share. The breeze is soft, the air warm and sweet with the scent of new blossoms. You’d come out here to eat lunch together—something that had become a quiet ritual between you and Kita. No crowds, no noise. Just the two of you, sharing space, swapping stories, occasionally falling into long stretches of silence that never felt awkward. He always brings homemade bento boxes, neatly packed, and you bring snacks or something small to share.

You blink at him, unsure if you heard right. "Sorry—what?"

Kita is still looking at you, expression as steady and unreadable as ever. He’s holding a rice ball in one hand, his bento sitting neatly in his lap. "I said I’m in love with you."

There’s no hesitation. No blush. Just the plain delivery of truth—as if he’s pointing out the weather, or commenting on the quality of the rice today.

You nearly drop the bottle of tea in your hand. "Kita," you breathe, searching his face for a trace of humor or a tell that he’s messing with you. But he’s not. Of course he’s not.

Your heart stutters. "You can’t just say things like that out of nowhere, you know."

He tilts his head slightly. "Why not?"

"Because—" You flail for a second, grasping for something clever to say, something to make sense of the heat rising to your cheeks. "Because it’s—surprising."

Kita hums, thoughtfully chewing. "I didn’t think it would be. We spend time together. You bring me pickled plums even when I don’t ask. You save the last piece of tamagoyaki for me, even though it’s your favorite. You walk me to the gate every day, even when you’re running late. I thought maybe you felt the same."

You sputter, caught between the instinct to deny and the overwhelming realization that he’s right. You do all those things, and more. You always look for him in a crowded room. You always listen when he speaks, no matter how quiet his voice. You think about him in between classes, after practice, before bed. He’s right.

He continues, voice soft but sure. "You don’t have to say anything right now. I just thought it was time I told you."

And with that, he turns his gaze back to the tree branches swaying above you, like he didn’t just tilt your entire world on its axis. He takes another bite of his rice ball, completely composed, like he hadn’t just carved a confession into the air and left it hanging between you.

You sit in stunned silence for a moment longer, the breeze tugging gently at your sleeves. Everything feels quieter now. The breeze, the rustling branches, the distant sound of other students laughing in the courtyard—it all fades into a soft, blurred background. Your fingers tighten slightly around the tea bottle in your lap.

You steal a glance at him. He’s not looking at you. He’s perfectly calm, patient, and somehow that makes your chest ache more than if he’d confessed with nervous laughter or flushed cheeks. There’s no doubt, no need for reassurance. He meant it.

You reach over, plucking a stray leaf from his shoulder. You don’t know why—it just gives your hands something to do.

"You’re unbelievable," you mutter, shaking your head.

He glances at you, eyes curious but unbothered. "Is that a good thing?"

You let out a soft laugh, one that feels lighter than it should considering your heart is still racing in your chest. "I don’t even know. You really just said that like you were telling me we had PE next period."

He shrugs. "I meant it. I don’t think it needs to be complicated."

And you know he’s right again. Kita doesn’t dress things up. He doesn’t make things harder than they need to be. He doesn’t hide behind games or fear or doubt. He just is.

You look down at your lunch, your appetite forgotten. You can’t stop thinking about the things he said. The way he noticed your little habits. The way he didn’t need you to answer right away. The way he didn’t waver.

When you finally meet his eyes again, there’s a warmth blooming in your chest—slow and full, like sunlight rising through clouds.

"I’m in love with you too, you idiot," you say, and your voice is so quiet, so soft, that you almost expect him to miss it.

But he doesn’t.

Kita Shinsuke turns to you fully then, and for the first time all afternoon, he smiles.

Really, truly smiles.

And just like everything else he does, it’s quiet, intentional, and completely disarming.

He reaches for your hand—not suddenly, not dramatically, but gently, deliberately—and your fingers lace together like they were always meant to. You sit that way for a long time, the afternoon stretching endlessly before you, the breeze curling around your ankles, the scent of spring growing thicker with each passing minute.

Neither of you says much after that. You don’t need to.

Some things are better left to the quiet.

And Kita, as always, knows exactly what silence means.

Love is Embarrassing

Summary | You and Eddie embarrass yourselves in front of each other a lot, but that’s okay, it only seems to make your relationship stronger

Contains | Fem!Reader, Established Relationship, Embarrassing Moments, Cursing

Word Count | 1.8k

Currently, You, Eddie, Jeff, Gareth, and Grant, all stand outside the fence surrounding one of the abandoned houses in Hawkins. It’s not a very tall one, but it did slightly ease you, putting distance between you and the sketchy house.

“Do you guys really think this is a smart idea?” Jeff asks, looking over to you and the boys.

“No, actually. I think this is really fucking stupid.” You answer in return, agreeing with Jeff on the fact that this wasn’t the one of the smartest ideas your boyfriend has had. You’re not entirely sure what good could come from this.

“It’ll be fine… It’ll be fun.” Eddie reassured you, lightly putting his hand on your shoulder and giving it an affectionate rub. You only side eye him.

Grant is already making his way closer to the fence when he asks, “Who’s going first?” And when no one answers you narrow your eyes at your boyfriend.

“Wasn’t this your idea?” You ask

He rolls his eyes, “Fine, whatever…” He approaches the fence. And in an attempt to impress, he begins climbing over the fence with ease. Trying to be all slick and suave about it, he’s about to jump off the fence, and be successfully on the other side. But once he does, his jeans catch on the fence… and they rip.

And you cringe once he’s back on the ground, having unfortunately ripped his go-to jeans. His face falls immediately when he notices, but the boys behind you are giggling.

“Dude…” Is all Jeff mutters out between giggles, but Gareth has always been one to make it worse.

“Are those Bats?!” He’s now cackling at his boxers, and even though Eddie's glare would usually make him shut up, the fence between them has made him brave.

“Shut up.” he doesn’t dare look at you yet, cheeks aflame. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, so you’re not sure why he’s so flustered.

“Maybe it’s a sign.” You shrug your shoulders, looking over to your boyfriend, who’s now currently trying to get a better view of his ass, trying to make the rip less noticeable.

Without looking up at you he says, “We’re going in.” You roll your eyes and make sure way over to the fence. Climbing up carefully as to not be in the same predicament as Eddie. He holds his hands out for you, helping you get down safely.

“Let me see…” You say, now that you can get a better look, hand on his back to turn him so you can see. The other boys begin climbing over the fence as Eddie lets you examine the rip in his pants.

“Is it fixable?” He asks softly.

“Oh, Yeah. We’ll have these fixed right up…” You pat his shoulder, “But for now…” You place your hand on his ass right over the rip with a smirk, “This will have to do…”

Last night was the first night sleeping over at your boyfriend's house. It was a domestic night of bliss, dinner was eaten at the table together, skin care was done, and you both brushed your teeth as you looked at each other through the mirror with a smile.

It was perfect, and the night was concluded by snuggling into his side, head resting on his chest as you both passed out, faster than you ever had. It felt right.

But the next morning was a different story.

You were woken by a soft shake to your shoulder, with eyes scrunched almost closed, you lifted your head from Eddie's chest and felt a stickiness on your cheek. Cracking your eyes a bit more open you’re able to see a wet patch on his shirt. You now know what the stickiness was as you violently tried to wipe the embarrassment off your cheek, then the same to the patch of drool on his chest.

“Shit, I’m so sorry…” You grumble, and Edide can’t help but smile at the pleasant sound of your morning voice.

“No, don’t worry about it, I just was wondering if you were hungry? I thought I could go get some breakfast…?”

“Yeah, that sounds nice…” You say softly, cheeks a little flushed.

“K, let’s go get dressed and brush our teeth and get rid of that morning breath.” He says with a smile, and your eyes go wide and to your mouth in an instant.

“Oh my god.” You whine out turning away from him, and he chuckles, following right behind. Pushing himself up against your back.

“Hey! Don’t be embarrassed, at least it’s not as bad as mine…” He says, lifting himself onto his elbow to get a better advantage on you as he begins blowing his breath into your face. You can’t help but giggle as you squirm away, cause yeah, at least it’s not as bad as that.

“Eddie, stop!” You now move your hand to cover your nose, a smile evident on your face now.

“Let’s go brush our rats' nests out and our morning breath away together, Baby…” He smiles cheekily as he takes your hand to pull you up with him, as he attempts to rake his other through your hair.

He then leans in to try and kiss you, and you pull away with a scrunch of your nose, “Is that really a good idea right now?” You tease.

“I can’t think of a better one.” Giving you the sloppiest kiss you had the honor of receiving.

You and Eddie had been in his bedroom when he acted upon his urges. He always thought it was so much fun to wrestle and play around with you, and he was happy to find out you had just as much fun.

But today, he took it to another level. An unfair level.

He had you pinned down on the bed, and he was tickling you relentlessly. And after having a pretty fulfilling dinner that wasn’t really going well with your stomach.

Giggling as you beg him to stop, losing your breath as he continues, the unfortunate happens. And a small fart escapes you.

You freeze under him, and he’s frozen too as he hovers over you. You can only imagine the shade of your face as Eddie stares down at you. He’s not even laughing, honestly that would feel better than the intense staring he seems to be doing right now.

Wanting to get out of this vulnerable and embarrassing position faster you sit up quickly and shove him off of you.

He’s falling onto his butt on the bed, with a slightly offended, “Hey!” And he’s pushing you back down so he’s on top of you again, moving down to kiss you fiercely.

He pulls away with a teasing smirk, “That was your first fart with me, Babe. Feel proud.”

You roll your eyes, but feel the blush rising to your cheeks again, and he’s leaning back down to kiss you again.

Tonight was special. Usually when Eddie invited you to his shows it consisted of his band playing covers of they’re favorite artists and bands. Lately, they’d been feeling bold enough to start playing some of Corroded Coffin's originals.

Those were your favorites.

But tonight Eddie wanted to do something special for you.

He had made the guys practice ‘Head Over Heals’, he knew it was your favorite. He hoped you’d think this was a romantic gesture, cause he’d never play such a song for anyone else.

He was putting his metalhead dignity on the line for you.

The guys had tried to tease him about it, but he was quick to remind them that he was the only one who actually has a girlfriend and that shut them up pretty quick.

That Tuesday as he saw you sat in the record breaking crowd of 10 drunks, he felt his nerves start getting the best of him. There was a small pit in his stomach at the thought of making a fool of himself.

And when he starts playing the song that has had him worked up since he started practicing it, his eyes find yours, widened and surprised. That doesn't help his nerves much as the first words he sings are slightly high and scratchy, and he cringes to himself slightly. Pulling himself together for most of the song, but unfortunately a few more voice cracks and off tone notes were sung.

After they had finished and went backstage, he plopped himself down on the rickety couch with a loud groan.

“That was totally shit man.” Gareth said as he made his way backstage too, earning a punch to the shoulder from Jeff, big eyes signaling him to shut up. But Eddie was feeling too distraught to give a single ounce of a shit about what Gareth thought.

“I think you sounded sweet…” Grant admits, trying to make him feel better.

“Yeah, don’t listen to Gareth, he’s a dipshit.” Jeff glares over at the boy.

Eddie, only wanting to be romantic for you, but who would swoon over a nervously high pitched, scratchy rendition of their favorite song?

He lets out a groan into his hands. “Eddie…?” A soft voice causes his head to snap up. There you stood, a sweet smile on your face, and he watched the other guy scramble out of the room as you approached the couch he was sitting on.

You sat yourself down next to him, so close, your bare thigh pressed to his denim clad one. “You sang my favorite song…?” At your words he looks over to you, and your eyes somehow are able to hold the most affection that's ever been directed to him. He knew you would never judge or make fun of him for something like that, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a humbling experience for him. “I thought you said you’d never stoop so low?” You smirk.

“Yeah well, look what that got me…” He scoffs and looks straight forward, and you can tell by his tone this might be a bit more serious.

“I thought it was great…”

“I sounded like an idiot.” He looks over to you.

“No, you didn’t. I thought you sounded sweet…”

“Sweet? I sounded tone deaf.”

“Well, we both know that you aren’t, I think you were just nervous, Eddie. But, just because it was a little pitchy doesn’t mean I didn’t think it was the best thing I’ve ever heard anyone sing.”

You’re smiling so sweetly at him, and he can’t help but chuckle, “Don’t be a suck up…”

“I’m not, like really, that was the sweetest and most romantic thing anyone’s ever done for me. I loved it… I Love you…” You admit, feeling your own rush of nerves. It was the first time either of you had said it, but it felt fitting. He was vulnerable for you, you can be vulnerable for him.

He stares at you for a second too long, and you look away nervously, “Sorry, that was weird.” You say, but he vigorously shakes his head.

“No! No, it’s not weird… I just didn’t expect that shitty performance to pull an ‘I Love you’ from you…” He chuckles again, “I Love you too…” And he’s leaning in now, kissing your lips softly.

Eddie as an old man: (like, 60)

Curmudgeonly. Lots of grumbling about lots of things. He can't help it, the dramatics only get worse with age. He can't knock back the beers like he could when he was younger, and he's learned that his body needs fiber to keep his guts moving on the regular.

His ass can't handle the long bike rides anymore. He won't let his body win the battle, he refuses to consider replacing the seat with a more comfortable one. A more age appropriate one. That's admitting defeat. He's sure that the day that he does that, the clock will move faster. He'll age 20 years overnight.

Eddie's belly is soft. He doesn't mind that, especially not when you rest your head on his lap and kiss it. He likes the way his skin gives, the way it molds to your form. He also really likes the way that your sweaty bellies slap together when you make love. The extra pounds on both of your bodies has added layers of comfort.

The gray in his hair doesn't bother him either. He likes the way it looks. He likes the soft texture of those fine and colorless hair. He likes it when you brush it out and braid it for him. There's nothing like the way your fingers feel on his scalp, he could close his eyes and never open them again. Perfect in his contentment.

The years leave their marks on his body, and yours too. He knows that. He sees the way your legs move in stilted steps after sitting for too long. He thinks about you, years ago, in a string bikini and smiles at the thought of you trying to shove your breasts into one now. He knows better than to tell you why he's smiling - he's learned that not every thought is worth sharing.

Yes, he is a curmudgeon. Grumbling and sighing. He remembers being young, and he remembers what it felt like to wake up in the morning without feeling that persistent ache in his lower back. But he wouldn't trade it, because he can roll over and put his heavy arms around your soft waist. Pull you in, kiss your neck. He can rest comfortably in the knowledge that you are here, and together you will see what happens next.