No matter what they say

[shyestfairy]

wormed their way into your heart meme


You have to look out for them. There's no other option, really.

No matter whether you're gruff, as sweet as can be, an asshole, morally bankrupt, the straightest arrow, kind, socially awkward, or just a normal person, you never expected for someone to come into your life and take up residence in your heart so quickly and so completely. You could be denying their impact, even still, but you can't explain away your desire to protect them. See, they may not be smaller than you - though they could possibly be - and they may not be younger, yet you have to look out for them. They just need it, their own strength or weakness be damned.

And, on some level, you need to do it, because it seems like each other are the only ones you've got.

Life-or-death post-apocalyptic world, dangerous adventure, or even something like making sure they know how to navigate everyday life, you just don't want them hurt. They could be a pain in the ass, but they're your pain in the ass and you'll

...they're looking out for you, too? Now, don't get too crazy...

♡ This meme is for people who have someone important in their lives, whether it be a peer, someone younger, or even someone younger, that they feel responsible for. The inspiration for it is all those badass action dudes who get a child companion who tears down their walls, but there are so many options and different ways to take it!
♡ There's also a romantic option because why not?
♡ Reply with your character, canon, their information and where they'd fit in the meme. You may also want to pick which angle, romantic or platonic, you'd prefer if you have a strong preference, as well as any age restrictions for certain options and scenes.
♡ Reply to others. Have fun, be creative, make up AUs, what have you.

PROMPTS

PLATONIC: Family is who you choose, and that's what you view them as...begrudgingly or not.
ROMANTIC: It began as protection, but feelings caused it to be something more.

Comments

[magikally]

[ There's no denying that Illyana isn't always the greatest with comfort, but here she at least tries. Her eyes stay on him as he crushes the bumper and sympathy flickers across her face. For a moment she's not entirely certain what to do, if she should move even closer or give him space.

Obviously she lands on moving closer and once he's close enough for her to reach out to, she does. Her hand goes to his shoulder in a way that's so much more gentle than one would expect from her of all people. ]

That doesn't sound like a mess, it just sounds like you were trying to save his family.

[ But she could understand why he of all people would feel guilt over killing someone out of anger like that. ]

[style_bringer]

[Gathering every mistake he thought he'd made that day into a ball, he'd shoved it in his chest and held onto for hours and hours. Illyana peeled away one layer just enough that he could hear her again over the list he'd been rattling through. He'd slowly begun to ease the twist of his fingers, not wholly relaxing but still clinging to his anger. Squeezing his eyes shut, he'd not realized how tense he was in the shoulders.]

I recognized the stuff he was using. The guy was using stuff from Agnus'--

['Agnus'. If there was ever a time for venom to wrap around a word coming from Nero, it was when he had to say that asshole's name out loud.]

Out of fifty, only five survived Agnus' bullshit. Wrote their numbers-- not their fucking names-- down like he was taking inventory at a warehouse and this guy just-- his wife, his kids-- that fucking asshole!

[magikally]

[ She squeezes her hand on his shoulder a little harder, trying to give him something even more solid to feel. It's so odd seeing him be that tense and just...angry. Can she even recall another time she's even seen him more than mildly annoyed? ]

Sounds like he didn't deserve mercy. Anger isn't always bad, Nero. What matters is what you do with that anger. People like them deserve facing your anger.

[ Really, what better way is there to unleash anger than on people who really deserve it? ]

[style_bringer]

[Almost hesitantly, Nero lifted his chin so he could look her in the eye. When even an ounce of that anger waned, he'd start feeling his exhaustion creeping up on him. It faded, little by little, until he'd finally found it in him to raise his voice.]

If I'd waited longer, I could've made him close his portal. Me getting pissed--it could've gotten people killed.

[He'd finally realized hearing her and listening were two different things. It would've been nice if he had something sweet to say in return to thank Illyana for the push but he'd only just managed to turn, facing her and bowing his head so he could rest his cheek on her shoulder.]

Spent all night getting it closed.

[magikally]

Maybe. Or maybe you couldn't have forced him to close the portal. You can't know for sure either way and nobody can really change the past.

[ Just the future and even that's always a struggle. Hearing him raise his voice raise is definitely unusual, shocking almost. Not nearly as shocking as him resting his cheek on her shoulder. Uncertainty flashes in her eyes and she tenses for just a moment before she adjusts her arms to wrap around him. That's what it seems like people usually do in moments like this and it feels right.

The tension that had previously caused her to stiffen up lessens and she tries to rub a gentle circle on his shoulder. Comfort like this isn't something she's used to giving, but it's something she's seen others do and she can copy as good as the next person. Maybe it'll help? ]

You closed it. That's what really matters so there's no reason for you to be so hard on yourself.

[style_bringer]

[He'd tried to not think of her throughout the night. If he let her name through his head too much, he'd give himself away and she'd say what she said. For him. A few minutes ago, he hadn't wanted her to make him feel better.

Then, she'd done something he hadn't expected her to. Nero hadn't known what to think of it other than that it was something heavy. It was something that made him want to wrap his arms around her, except for the fact that she'd already done that for him. He draped his hands on Illyana's, loosing a sigh that betrayed his furious mood. Instead, he'd leaned against her and shut his eyes, running out of anger little by little.]

Sorry for not texting you. [He'd already forgotten about the melted plastic brick he'd thrown in his toolbox.]