#( 𝐢𝐜 ) / * thread .

[enruiinas]

@climatact asked:

She probably should have called. Or at least sent a text. Nami didn't even know if Law was home, or even in town... but the moment she felt their child's first movement, she was ordering a train ticket. Within hours she was standing in front of his door, unable to bring herself to knock on it. And talking to herself, of all things. "Okay, we got this. It's fine." A hand ran along the small bump, just at that point between barely noticeable under a flowy black dress and jacket. After several minutes, Nami finally found the nerve to knock on the door. All the while she chewed on the inside of her lip nervously. What if he never forgive her for leaving? What if he didn't want to have anything to do with her ever again? She wouldn't blame him if he took one look at her and slammed the door in her face.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Two hours and elbows-deep into a total laparoscopic renal bypass, nearing the end of of what had felt like one of the longer shifts of his surgical residency career a few blocks uptown, it would be several hours later before Law would know anything of the unexpected arrival of an orange-haired woman on his apartment doorstep.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Several hours before months of the desperate habit he'd formed in her absence proved themselves a good decision despite every long minute spent wondering why he was wasting his time writing those notes out. Every day, the same brief sentiment - Mikans in the kitchen for you. Your things are in the top right-hand drawer. Back soon. The only thing that changed were the hours scrawled at the top of the folded sheets of paper. Each time he left, whether on shift or out to run an errand, the note would be replaced with a new one, tucked beneath a loose brick near his apartment door along with the spare key he'd once told her about.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Several hours before he'd trudge his weary way past that very hiding spot, not bothering to check and confirm what part of him had long suspected would always be the case. The note and key would still be there: they always were. But they'd be there when he went to swap the sheet out in the morning, and at the end of a shift, the last thing he wanted was a reminder that another day had passed without her. He would face that in the morning, when he was on his way out and there was no choice but to get in his car and to keep on going. He'd learned that lesson the hard way - suffered one too many hangovers on shift the next day after checking on his way in in the evenings. Long hours of nights spent alone were not the time to think of the futility of it all; other than the disappointment, he knew if he thought about it too long on his own, he would eventually have to come to terms with reality and he knew he'd stop writing them.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ And when that time came - when he truly gave up on her... What was he supposed to do, then?

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ So, no. Law did not check to see if note or key had been disturbed in his absence. He strolled determinedly past it, the two bags of groceries he'd stopped to procure on his way home tucked under one arm as he fished in his pocket and slotted the key into the lock to let himself in. He didn't let himself think about the night he'd spend on his own tonight, or how he'd realize, as he always did, how quiet the space seemed when he laid his head down on his pillow a few hours later. These things would creep up on him as they always did, but he wouldn't give them a second of his attention until they were upon him. Every day, it was the same routine: get through the door, drop the keys on the counter on his way through to the kitchen, put the groceries away on nights he'd had to stop by the little corner market. A shower to rinse the day away, the water warm to soothe the aches that followed long shifts on his feet and hands that ached from hours of operations. Dinner: usually what he'd stopped to pick up on the way home; sometimes something he'd bothered to put together for himself - occasionally leftovers from something a friend or coworker had prepared for him for the week. Depending on how late it had gotten, he might read or turn the TV on and unwind as he scrolled through his notifications to see if he'd missed anything eventful throughout the day. More often than not, this was where the thoughts would find him. Somewhere along the way, he'd grown to favor early nights, though sleep rarely came easily or lasted long despite his best efforts.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ It was routine. Methodical. Habit. It had to be; that was what he'd clung to in the months since he'd awoken to the empty space beside him. Variation on that routine was highly inadvisable and never resulted in anything good. And it was for that reason that Law didn't notice anything was amiss until he was setting the bags down on the kitchen counter. It took a moment to place the strange feeling that crept over him - that sense that he'd missed a step in this rotation, but couldn't quite place what that step had been. Because it was one of the small things - the filler between those big steps he'd learned to focus on. He'd come through the door. Set his keys on the counter. Was moving to put the groceries away.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ What he hadn't done was turn the kitchen light on. Or the hallway light, for that matter. One by itself, he might not have thought of; methodic as he was, even Law forgot to turn a light off here and there. Two was unlikely. Three was unheard of.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Especially considering, as a glance at his surroundings revealed, the third light was the living room light. He didn't even bother turning that one on in the mornings; he certainly hadn't left it on that morning.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Law's pulse had grown suddenly deafening in his ears, his heart lodged somewhere in the general vicinity of his throat. The groceries lie forgotten on the counter behind him, for before he'd even realized what he was doing, the doctor found himself moving numbly through the open-floored apartment, turning the corner until the living room came into view in its entirety - coffee table, dark-screened TV, couch, and the woman asleep upon it.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ A woman he'd never thought he would see again and never stopped hoping might one day be there waiting for him.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ His breath caught in his throat.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Either Nami had come back for him, or this was both a dream and the cruelest trick the universe had ever played on him.

 ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Law froze on the threshold.

[disventura]

half - asleep and clutching a near - empty bottle of booze . not an unfamiliar sight , had it been her uncle fester or her cousin it . she had to admit , catching five , of all people , in such a state had took wednesday by surprise , despite the lack of change to her expression .

truthfully , she'd just been glad that she'd found him .

her question was asked rhetorically and without any greeting . however , it only held as much judgement as five's comments to her about knowing in such morbid detail the symptoms of deadly poisons ; very little . she knows what he'd been through , for better or for worse . and she couldn't blame him for trying to put it out of mind , even if it lead to this .

and so , he's pulled up , his arm draped over her shoulders while one of her own snakes around his sides . her gaze keeps flickering between their path ahead and his face , checking , to the best of her abilities , his awareness of his surroundings .

“ no need for apologies . ” but no mention as to why there was no need . and so little reaction to the grand finale made out of finishing the bottle ; nothing more than a slightly tighter grip to his side . “ this was bound to happen , with what i know you've seen . better to get the worst out of the way now , then keep it hidden . besides , i've seen worse . ”

@temp0rtal ― continued

[iceiclehorned]

Starter for @crimsononiarataki

The sun was shining valiantly outside, gracing the neighbourhood of tall, elegant houses, each clearly maintained to a standard above what would be considered normal. The streets were immaculate, with gold-plated doorknobs sparkling within view, regardless of the direction turned in. It would be the chirping of the birds that would stir a young woman awake, a slight headache blossoming into the circle of her awareness, enticing a groan to rumble in the confinements of her throat.

What time was it?

It was the morning after Kamisato Ayaka spent the entirety of the night attempting to get a few of her business papers completed, opting to get an advance on her schedule to indulge in some much needed time off, only to spend it obsessing over a celebrity she had accidentally stumbled across. Opting to turn the radio on for some musical encouragement, only to be enthralled with the sound of an angel. The irony striking that the voice was behind a rock band. Still, her curiosity had been piqued, with an eager, thudding heart staring at her ratio expectantly, awaiting the name to grace her ears.

Menace.

Crawling into bed, forgetting the work laid out on her desk, she finds herself lightly researching the band, coming to find that the lead singer referred to himself as Itto, and how on earth is it possible for somebody to look so damned refined? Long, white hair, facial markings that seemed to enhance every feature, and those muscles? In one night, the businesswoman had managed to find her type (a single man) and fall into a rabbit hole of his music. Spending half of the night memorising as many songs as possible, finding an enjoyment in something so broadly different to the tastes she had been introduced to since birth. After listening to countless songs across several albums, her fingers would be searching for his personal social media platform, basking in the glory of discovering it within a few struggled searches.

Somehow, within the realm of the night, when her mind was switching between shutting off and remaining determined in her searches of the band itself, Ayaka had sent Itto a few texts via the social media platform she mamaged to find him on. Even as the Kamisato lazily drags herself out of bed -- which was unlike her, even with the zombie status -- there would be no remembrance of it.

The texts would read:

'I love you so much feuwkdtgh'

'I'm so sorry, i'msoskeepy but you do madke some good music'

'ignoreme'

By this point, she would realise her phone is dead, placing it on charge before going about her shower, opting to pretend as if she had been awake all morning whenever she would bump into Ayato. Times like these almost required an ignorance, because the moment she learns that she texted Itto, much less with spelling mistakes from her half-asleep state, there would be a flood of humiliation hitting her full force.

[curseyou]

“   fuck me,   ”      peyton cuss, tapped fists   smacking   against the mat before shifting to her feet and standing up.      “   again,   ”      she says as she reaches up to pull out the loose hair tie. she could list things that   pissed her off   more than losing on   one hand.   particularly when it was it was with someone she typically  BEAT.   pretty evenly matched, sure. it was not the first time she'd lost to sophie. but it sure as hell  was  the first time she'd lost this many times in a row.

it was an off day, she was distracted. and   she was still recovering.   ignoring the way she could feel the sound down her thigh beginning to   bleed   through it's bandage. bouncing from one leg to the other a few times in attempt to   loosen up,   she refaces the other. quickly, she fastens her back up in the tighten bun before lifting her fists again and meeting sophie's eyes.      “   come on, thomas.   i don't have all day,   ”      she coaxes impatiently, an attempt to goad her into being a little more  reckless.   desperate for a win.

@artisanals   liked for a starter to   sophie   from   peyton.

[voxtagram8k]

      ❛     you resemble a fool,    though you're only just a man       isn't it best to give up and smile?     ❜  - @archorcist ♡'d!

[sheisthenorth]

@rathalascendant said : "Hi, pretty girl . . . !" She'd seen sketches and texts of canynes, but never had seen one in person before. This one had thick, gorgeous fur and a sleek figure that seemed suited to the cold. Did they normally have such features? Kneeling down, Mari watches from a safe distance, inviting the husky to come forward, but letting her decide on her own time. | hope you don't mind an impromptu ask!

Jenna's ears perk up, pointing toward the stranger. She doesn't know this person, nor their scent ━━ but the human is clearly talking to her ━━ and her voice sounds nice. It has that soft, inviting pitch that most humans use to indicate it's safe to approach. PRETTY GIRL. Jenna recognizes that name ; Rosie's mother often uses it around her. She knows this means : a friend. A gentle soul.

Jenna looks behind her, then beside her, and, finally, tentatively, she takes a few steps toward the other. She wags her curled tail, gently but shyly, as she approaches. When she is close enough, she leans forward, giving the others' forearm a sniff. The human smells unfamiliar, but not unpleasant. She's not from home. Full of adventure, perhaps ━━ like she's often operating metal over mountains? Jenna's never smelled this scent before. Wagging her tail again, she wants to indicate reciprocal friendliness anyhow, and she pins her ears slightly to make her eyes more visible. Looking up, she gazes into the others' , as if to say: hello; who are you?

[mythcaels-a]

𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 of a horror movie and Theo was not the biggest fan of horror movies if he was honest ( he'd giggle at the shitty ones but the real ones made him jumpy sometimes ). Those people were not human, they had foggy eyes and teeth dripping with blood and flesh. They had blood all over them, he now had blood on his favorite purple and black striped over sized sweater. He lost his shoes along the way, he couldn't run in them like he needed to. Everything was chaos on the way home but things got quieter as he got towards the home he shared with his Summie who was likely clueless to everything that was happening currently. 

The quietness would not last here forever, not after what he'd seen and heard and knew from watching too many movies. He'd heard screaming, he'd heard a gunshot even, he'd seen cars crash into one another and he was horrified beyond belief. He feels safe for a moment as he gets inside their house and slams the door shut, locking every single lock on the door and thinking it was a blessing that Summer liked having multiple locks on a door. He leaned back on the door, drenched in sweat, inky locks sticking to his forehead and then his legs gave out and he was on the floor as his sweet and surely confused boyfriend appeared in his line of sight. 

@coiins said boyfriends take on the zombie apocalypse.

[floraesky-a]

continued from here | @kinglyisms.

Arranged marriages were hardly uncommon when it came to royalty, though Thalien had been sure that his parents would let their children find their own partner in life rather than arrange something seeing as they were married based on true love. He was the youngest of all his siblings but the second to be married, his eldest brother and heir to the throne of their kingdom already married to a princess from another land.

Thalien had not married a princess, nor had he married a prince, Thalien had married a king. His wedding with his now husband had been beautiful and everything one can dream of and his spouse was . . . Well they hadn't really interacted enough for him to get a lasting impression of the other male ( though he seemed like he wasn't very pleased about the marriage between the two of them ).

There were pros and cons to this marriage, some good pros like being far away from home and away from half siblings that hated his guts. The cons were he wasn't going to see his mother or father daily and there was worries that he'd be looked down on by others with his ability ( or be stolen away for his power while in this new land ).

He at least wanted to be on good or friendly terms with his now husband. He was hesitant and trying not to take up much space in a room that he was to be sharing with the other royal. He has never shared a room with another person but seeing as they were married, this was supposed to be normal and it would be something he'd one day grow accustomed to surely.

Words had spilled from lips in shaky and unsure tone but there was an every friendly smile ( though that smile left his face rather quickly upon the words delivered to him from the other royal ). Expression crumbles but he recovers quickly, masking anxieties and sadness with another smile that simply did not make it all the way to pale blue eyes.

❛ I understand. ❜ voice is soft, genuine even because he does understand it. He also understands that he is unwanted in general but those are thoughts he does not voice at all, words that would never be voiced in the slightest ( forever under lock and key in his own mind ). ❛ I just thought I'd try but that is alright with me. I know this is . . . Probably not how you'd wish for yourself when it comes to marriage. ❜

People wanted to experience real love, he gets that, he wanted that too and there are cases where love can be found in arranged marriages but he's not so sure that it will be happening in his own from how things are going at just trying to befriend Hiroki. Gaze flickers to the bed and he nods slowly, looking at all the pillows before letting pale hues slide back to the other royal.

❛ Perhaps a barrier of sorts with the pillows would be best ? ❜

[stmulnts]

➥ @multiparked – kenny | meme “ you don’t want to kill me. you don’t want me to die. ”

˖ ✶ ˟ ─── of course he didn't. tweek had done his fair share when it came to threats of violence― hell, he'd even kicked quite a few asses in his day― but he never actually wished death on anybody.

well, there's his parents, but that's... that's a different story.

maybe he shouldn't have made plans after therapy. maybe he'd talked about too much and whatever emotions didn't get put away properly. maybe the topics they'd gone over were still bouncing around in his head.

hands came up to his head, fingers scratching at his scalp, eyebrows furrowed. kenny wasn't the problem, he was never the problem. kenny had nothing to do with the problem. just like his therapist said; neither of them were like their parents, neither of them were at fault for what their parents did.

“ i don't. i don't. you're right. ” there's a short moment when tweek's hands grip at his hair, squeezing tight, but he lets go before that long - ingrained urge to pull on it resurfaces. his fingers are persistent, though, and instead grab at and tug on the collar of his shirt. “ i don't want you to die. that would suck. uh. a lot. ”

[enruiinas]

@climatact asked:

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ "My, my, what big eyes you have." (You know what verse)

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Glancing up from the casual perch he'd assumed against the lobby's lone reception desk, Law made little effort to conceal his appreciation of the approaching woman's features, golden orbs blazing a path along her frame with each step she drew nearer. Admiring the swish of fabric along her legs. The wave of tangerine locks swept back into the bright red hood she'd donned for the occasion; the unassuming bottle of what he was sure was some sort of liquor in her little woven basket - and the way large, brown eyes glimmered with amusement as Nami studied him in his coordinating attire.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ As warily as he'd regarded her when she'd suggested the matching costumes, he had to admit they made quite the image standing there: him, the wolf, with a ring of dark "fur" she'd stitched to the neck of his dark t-shirt; Nami looking the part of a comically-convincing, innocent Little Red in her hood. Perhaps not as underwhelming a choice as Law had imagined - if the quiet looks the pair drew from the lobby's scarce inhabits were anything to go by.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ A low whistle escaped his lips as he took the few steps it took to meet her. ❝All the better to see you with,❞ he chuckled in response. And what a sight she made, said his second once-over. Even like this, with her hair tucked away and her thighs hidden by what was likely the longest skirt he'd ever actually seen her in, Nami was a vision. They didn't have to be dating for him to appreciate that much - though he took complete advantage of their status pretending otherwise to openly admire her. ❝Luckily for me, as it happens - you make quite the pretty, unsuspecting maiden,❞ he added with a smirk. With the arch of an eyebrow, he extended an arm in offering. ❝Ready, Little Red?❞

[disventura]

for a split second , wednesday gives nothing in response but a blank stare . it was her friends who had convinced her to do something for five to begin with , after she'd mentioned his birthday in passing . and frankly , she hadn't truly expected such a genuine appreciation , let alone a simple thanks .

sure , she's usually pretty good at thinking on her feet . but this is a social interaction , not sarcastic banter or hand - to - hand combat . here , she's visibly stiff , struggling to find some poor excuse for caring so much .

“ it was thing's idea . ”

not too far from the truth , at least .

@temp0rtal ― continued

[deathdirected]

the smell of cigarette smoke reminds him of jennifer.  it's a strange thing, the way old memories resurface with familiar circumstance. hell, the scent of blood in the bailey family murder-shrine by the time the carpenter sisters were done with them had brought back the memory of the taste of blood behind his teeth more strongly than he'd felt it in the last two and a half decades.

he watches sam closely for a moment, though much of the detail is lost by the darkening sky and the fact that she's backlit by the too-bright fluorescent lights of the hospital, looking for details, looking for billy. he'd seen the angry teenager he'd once known in that abandoned theater, albeit briefly. now, however, aside from the general cloud that reeked of troubled youth and trauma that hung over from her, it seemed that her heritage had retreated into the shadows.

the sensation of the cigarette filter against his teeth makes him cringe in displeasure, but it's a necessary evil, a plot device designed to get him closer without her throwing her guard up. after all, there's an inherent understanding when two people share a vice.

he steps out from behind a concrete column, looking somberly into the street, before making a show of patting down his pockets, before half turning his face to her,  "got a light?"

@faeryworlds

[sheisthenorth]

@wolfpackmuses said : ‘ i’m just so afraid i’m going to make a total fool of myself. ’

From a younger Steele for a younger Jenna? Had the brainrot set in of having a more fun and relaxed Steele after what we talked about, so-

❝ Why? You mean because of the race? ❞ Jenna knows it will be Steele's first one next week ; he hasn't been able to stop talking about it, in fact. This is the first time he's said something so vulnerable, though, and it's caught her off guard. Usually, he's joking, bragging, or playing it up for his team. Jenna's not used to a vulnerable Steele.

Over the past few months, they've become friends, somewhat, and she likes him well enough ; he's a joker ━━ a bit of a hothead, perhaps, but she suspects he'll grow out of it ━━ a lingering bit from puppyhood, perhaps ━━ and Jenna knows he's more than just what his musher wants. More than the athletic, useful CHAMPION sled dog he so desperately wants to emulate. At least, Jenna thinks he is. She hopes he is.

Steele, however . . . sometimes, truthfully, she doubts lately if he thinks he's more.

Taking a tentative step toward him, she frowns. She nudges his shoulder gently with her own. ❝ You won't. And I'm sure your human will understand if you don't win. ❞ She smiles, shyly, meeting his eyes. ❝ Humans understand. ❞

[mythcaels-a]

@coiins continued.

𝐇𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 the others attention until he felt it wasn't just his mind playing a trick on him and that he very much was seeing a pattern. He'd thought it wasn't something serious at first, had brushed it off as something that would blow over and hadn't put much thought into it, he wasn't the type to overthink after all ( that was more of summie's thing and he was the happy go lucky guy that didn't think too much about anything at all ). But it had started to spook him and it wasn't just blowing over so he was going to bring it to the others attention since that's what he was sure it was at this point.

Summie seems upset about it, then again that's a valid response and he'd be upset if it was the other way around too. The other seems to run a little medical exam on him and even takes a little exam fee which makes him laugh a little but his happy mood doesn't stick around too long and he ducks his head because he doesn't know how to solve this mess. He tilts his head back and stares up at the other, a warmth in his gaze that can only be described as pure love for the other when he suggests such a thing.

It was a good idea for him to get one or the other, both even if he was being realistic. He nods his head slowly and pushes the smallest of smiles onto his features as he moves to wrap his arms around Summie and give him a big hug.  ❝  You're so smart. I didn't even think about those things but getting one or both of them is a good idea. Can we go today  ?  ❞  

[floraesky-a]

❛ Okay, so what was it you needed me to help you out with, hm ? I'm off the clock now so I can sit here and chat as long as I want to. ❜

@solivcgant gets a one - liner.

[stmulnts]

˖ ✶ ˟ ─── sure, the blonde was cradling a large hot coffee from harbucks in his hands, but what he'd meant as hyperbole, exaggeration, had been seemingly taken as a serious issue. not that he could blame craig for making that assumption, of course. when he wasn't in class or at work, to catch tweek without something from harbucks in his hand was a rare event, practically something to celebrate; even he couldn't blame him for thinking that way.

“ tch― i drink water! ” but certainly not often enough, that much was true. blue eyes cast down from his friend's face to his coffee cup, fingers on one hand starting to fiddle with the lid. “ ...at least harbucks is better than that shit my dad used to make me drink. ”

his nose scrunched up at his own mention of his family. for a short moment, his mind started to spiral back down that path, a sneer crossing his lips.

until craig asked his question. like a light, grabbing his mind's hand and tugging him out of that little mental ditch.

“ oh, uh― ” he stumbled over his words for a moment, nails still picking at the lid. “ i usually just get black coffee, maybe some flavored creamer if they have it. or if i have the money for it. but i– i guess their caramel macchiato is pretty good... ”

@supercreig | continued