#(Its not raining here right now so we seemed to escape the worst but if I predict too far all of a sudden we'll get some other storm)

[koushirouizumi]

Me: (*wakes up*) Me: {PleaseDontBeA5} {PleaseDontBeA5}--

[fanfic-gallery]

hahaha got it! 😆 so may i request a poly!gn!mc x the demon brothers, where mc is acting moody (like, one second they’re happy, then they're crying, then they're mad, etc) and the brothers have no idea of what's going on, till they figure out mc is on their period? and then all of them start pampering mc or something like that? 😊 feel free to ignore this if it makes you uncomfortable. take care!! 🥰🥰

a human secret

who knew that the worst combination during the time of the month was a mixture of cramps and good ol’ mood swings, they surely didn’t think so [or even knew so—]

✎ demon brothers x afab! reader

|| poly, [slight] hurt/comfort, fluff

|| cw : mentions of blood

✎ manager's note : when can we get lovely bois like these to take care of our every need? sigh.. jk lmao, still, super superrr cute idea anon! actually if this post gets enough likes, i might even make a part 2 with the dateables??? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) who knowsss, guess you gotta give a like to find out ˋ( ° ▽、° ) 

“..p-pardon, pfft—” his response bounded in laughter, lips quivering with a smile as pearly white lashes fluttered with bits of tears. asmo huffed a pout; cheeks puffed, amber hues alongside several others behind him lurking, staring daggers at the fellow sorcerer, who show barely much signs of tuning down his approach to the brothers whole situation. day after night after day of just booking in and out of your sorry state of a room with remedies, snacks, anything after lucifer had deemed you sick from your agonizing whines of bitter pain from the pits of your stomach.

nothing seemed to work however.. most lost in the little out breaks of emotion you would rain down on them when things turn to shit. mammon had been the first; half empty glass of iced juice splashed and spilled over your bed dresser, your arms curled against your abdomen harder than before, annoyed groans turned to full on whimpers muffled under thick sheets. “mammon.. just- just leave.. your help, is.. much appreciated—” your tone morphed to sobs, your stuffy nose as clear as day in the ears of the greedy demon; his heart ached, head sinking in self pity.

yet no sorrowful gratitude can compare to a moment with beel; his ass landing right on your carpeted floor with a pillow laying right beside him, bits of it’s feathers dancing along the tense air, the perfectly sculpted sandwich laying in pieces right before his very eyes. the pupils of your eyes stormed in irritation, rage, utter bitterness, ones that only satan or lucifer themselves would hold. for the first time, he felt every sort of fright towards you, fingers steady yet hesitant to drag across your cheek, to comfort you within his arms.

“what’s so FUNNY?!” thumping footsteps making their way towards solomon only for a hand to stop them in its place; lucifer glared, red irises burning holes into mammon’s own, who in turn, creeped back with hands raised to his chest as a sign of surrendering. “solomon, darling, this isn’t the time for one of your jokes- this is serious- this is about our dear Y/N here!?” with a last huff, he flashed back a smile; eye lids closed into a grin. “do you all truly want to know the cause of my laughter~?” impatience nibbled at the eldest’s flesh, a lowly growl escaping his lips. “if you wish to live to see another day.. i expect you to get a move on..”

“of course, hahah~ you see in the human realm...”

“mmm..” you groaned, head still mushed into the confines of your now flattened pillow. you had barely rose from your bed since morning; your stomach running a rampage underneath your skin; heat set blazed as your sex was squished between the warm cotton surface of your pad from a few minutes ago. drip, drip, drip. fluids of your own making seeping into the absorbent fabric of your bottoms.. and your sheets.  “nonononoNO— uGHHH, just my fucking luck..” crimson red stained a patch of your mattress (your freshly, dressed mattress you had cleaned a few days before), it’s colour spreading the longer it stayed.

“stupid period cycle.. well, might as well get a snack while i’m at it—” you mumbled, dragging another pair of clean undergarments and comfy sweats before tugging at the bedcover of yours and heading to the kitchen. silence filled your ears after the door clicked closed, only the sounds of your humming was heard through the halls and down the stairs; your feet stumbling slightly with your vision barely visible from the unfolded white cloth in your hand.

“where are the others anyway.. it’s been at least a few hours since they left..”

you flicked at the light switch. essence of brewed congee flooding your senses; snacks, from sugary to savoury, stacked on top of one another piling up in a mountain. beside it, a gigantic tumbler alongside heating pouches used to warm one on a cold winter’s day. “what.. is all, this?” you muttered under sniffles, taking steps forward to breath in the sweet porridge. “surpriseee!” a sudden grip of arms wrapped around your waist, their scent laced in in favours of strawberries and cherry.

“a-asmo! everyone..” cheeks flared up as hands brought up the nick knacks from across the table before you, some even butting heads with one another for your slightest attention; yet, none can compare to what drew you in the most. standing before the kitchen doorway, blues and purples blended in black leaning against the doorframe; shimmering silver disappearing back into the shadows with a smile plastered on his lips. “solomon..”

“we do apologies for not realising your condition sooner— ” lucifer started yet ended with your subtle chuckle echoing the room of painted cement. “no need to be! i should be the one saying sorry for lashing out at the stupidest reasons— ” you continued only to be stopped by the many other voices within the kitchen, all deny your claims out burst except for one..

“munch, munch.. mmm~ so good!”

“bEEL— cut that out, we bought all this wasn’t for you to stuff your face in!?”

“Y/N.. i heard warmth mellows out the pain, why don’t we go cuddle in the attic to make you feel better?”

“oH NO YOU DON’T— ”

“sigh, hahah~ what am i ever gonna do with them..~”

[darksigns-exe]

Sweet Like Honey - Caught In The Rain

Warnings: None Word Count: 715 Note: I wrote this at the beginning of the month with the intention of of churning out little fics all month. Evidently that didn’t happen. But here’s a little Sweet Like Honey bonus content for your entertainment. It’s basically unedited so don’t come for me and my bad punctuation. Regular chapters continue this week she’s been a bit busy <3

-

Under normal circumstances, PDA isn’t his style but he also knows that Bee loves a good romcom and if he can give her that cheesy, cliche kiss in the rain moment, he’ll do his damndest to make her knees buckle.

Noah has a whole day for them planned. It’s their one day off for the week and Bee’s time off is nearing its end, meaning that they’ll be separated again way too soon. The first half of the day goes as planned, they look at sights, have a nice little lunch, do some more sightseeing. It’s surprisingly normal, if someone spots them they don’t make contact for which Noah is more than grateful. He luxuriates in her presences, allows himself to just be Noah the boyfriend who gets dragged around Boston so that his lady can look at all the pretty things. It’s nice enough. He takes her picture whenever she asks and even when she doesn’t. He keeps the candids to himself for the most part, pretty little reminders of his girl when she goes back home. 

She’s dragged him into some little shop with little handmade trinkets. He doesn’t know how many of these shops they’ve already been to, but it makes her happy so he trudges along no matter how much he’d rather slip beneath the sheets of their bed right now. The twinkling in her eyes when she holds one of the little things she’s found up to him makes it worth it. 

By the time they leave the story he’s a good fifty bucks lighter, but Bee has that little spring in her step and so he forgets about it. Fifty dollars doesn’t hurt his wallet anymore. He barely notices that the air has a significant chill now and if Bee notices it, it doesn’t seem to bother her. 

When the first drop of rain hits his forehead they’re still a solid thirty minutes away from their hotel. Within no time one drop turns into a full on downpour that soaks them down to the bone in mere moments. He tries to shield her from the rain as best as he can while they maneouver the packed streets.

Noah pulls them under an awning, hoping that they’ll be able to wait out the worst of it. They’re soaked anyway so it doesn’t matter too much, but he doesn’t need either of them getting sick right now. 

Bee’s hand is still wrapped firmly around his when they find a free spot between the other soaked bodies trying to escape the rain. Her fringe sticks to her forehead, droplets of rain trailing along the strands of hair and down her face. She looks gorgeous, even wet as a dog. 

He brushes some of the wetness away from her cheek. Sometimes he still can’t quite believe it. Their start had been rough, but now that they’re through what he hopes to be the worst it’s absolute bliss. His fingers linger against her skin. It’s awfully cold. 

“Whatcha thinking about, pretty boy?”

The nickname forces the blood to rush up into his cheeks, it always does. 

“What I’m gonna do to you once we’re out of the rain and these clothes.” His reply comes low, whispered against her ear. 

He bites back the rest of what he wants to say. 

Bee squeezes his hand “Filthy.”

“Gotta use what time we have, don’t we?” He presses a kiss below her ear “What kind of boyfriend would I be if I sent you home without a souvenir of my own.”

He doesn’t know if the shiver that runs through her comes from the cold or his words. He likes to imagine that it’s the latter. 

He shifts his hand behind her neck and pulls her in for a kiss. Under normal circumstances, PDA isn’t his style but he also knows that Bee loves a good romcom and if he can give her that cheesy, cliche kiss in the rain moment, he’ll do his damndest to make her knees buckle. He brings a hand behind her back so that he can lean into her a little more. She lets out a little gasp when he draws his tongue against her lip. The hand that still holds his squeezes tighter still. 

She’s breathless and flushed bright pink when he pulls away from her. If she wants romcom, she’ll get romcom. 

He leans back in, once more whispering against her ear so that only she can hear him “Soaked as you are, we might as well brave the rain.”

[duckietiewritestoo]

Told You (J. R. Oppenheimer x Reader)

Gee, I don't know what I was doing with this. It's not romantic, but it had horrible attempts at being funny. I really hope the actual Oppenheimer doesn't come back to haunt me. I'll freak out. It's just something I had in mind requested by a friend. Also, take this very cursed screenshot I took.

Warning: CHEESY, short, and I haven't seen Oppenheimer yet so I'm basing things off of clips and what I've read from the book.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Late nights were always the worst. They were always too cold and dark. That’s why I loved sleeping nights away into the morning. A draft of wind came over me. I hated the cold, absolutely despised it. Yet, I was lying down in the short grass atop of a hill. I was on my back, watching the clouds drift over the moon, covering its beautiful light. I didn’t understand why I was out here anyway, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nature I enjoyed being in. His hand brushed against mine, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned my head to the sighed, my eyes meeting piercing blue ones. Right, I forgot I was with him.

For once it was strange seeing him without a cigarette in his mouth. He was in a foul mood lately. He seemed peaceful now. I chuckled, ready to crack a wise comment.

“Ah, so I was right. Cigarettes really do sour your mood,” I said. “Maybe you should lay off them for a while. It’s for your health, I mean it. I don’t want to see you cough up your own blood, you know.”

“I don’t plan on stopping, (Name).”

“So it seems,” I replied, watching Robert’s hand move towards his pocket. He produced a spare cigarette and a lighter. “Do you always carry that around? For emergencies?”

“Why do you ask?” he answered, glancing up at me. His face was lit up by the orange hue of the flame and his blue eyes flickered like the fire from the lighter. I propped myself up on an elbow, resting my hand under my chin. “What do you want?” he asked.

“Nothing, you greedy chainsmoker.” That was intended as a joke. Robert never liked it when I made fun of him, though. He had to rain on my parade. I hadn’t seen him smile, not once in the time I knew him.

“You want something. What?” Robert replied. “I’m not helping you break into the lab, not after last time. I refuse to be mocked again. It’s humiliating, (Name).” I laughed, shaking my head. I definitely did not want to relive that experience.

“Oh, I don’t want anything but to see you stop smoking for a minute!” I exclaimed. “All you do is smoke, smoke, smoke! I can’t breathe when I’m around you, you always reek of cigarettes. You’re suffocating, absolutely suffocating!” His eyebrow curved as he raised it. A small giggle escaped my lips.

“I assume that’s supposed to offend me?” he asked.

“Not at all, Oppie.”

“Then what;s it supposed to do, hmm?” 

“I wanted to point that out, that’s all,” I answered. He sighed, putting out his cigarette. The darkness came back, but it had never disappeared. It was always there. His cigarette simply chased it away for a brief moment. 

“Let’s just talk, then,” he answered in a soft voice. His mood changed instantly at that moment. Something felt different, so my mood changed as well.

“What do you want to talk about?” I whispered. I rolled onto my side and tucked an arm under my head. We stared at each other in silence, like our eyes were doing the talking for us. A small chuckle escaped my lips. “What are we doing?” I asked.

“We’re just staring into each other’s eyes,” he answered quietly. “What is so wrong with that, (Name)?”

“There is nothing wrong,” I breathed, blushing. His hand brushed against mine. I felt his fleeting heat from his hand. 

“Should we head back to the campus soon?” he whispered, chuckling lightly. His eyes were begging to stay out here. He loved  nature, he was a nerdy cowboy if you had asked me. He never shut up about his beloved New Mexico.

“No, I want to stay here with you for a while longer,” I whispered back. “I don’t want to go back.”

“Why not?” he whispered.

“I just don’t think I’m meant to be cramped up theorizing rather than making it happen,” I said softly. Robert went silent, his gaze returning to the stars. I knew he felt the same. He didn’t have the best relationship with one of his teachers. I never asked what he was dealing with, I felt like he’d be scared to open up, but I was here. I sighed, taking his hand. “We don’t have to go back,” I whispered, smiling. 

“Then let’s stay out here longer.”

“Yeah,” I mumbled, looking back at the stars. They twinkled, like always, and showed off their beauty. We were silent for a moment, just admiring the stars. And we’d steal glances from each other every now and then. It was incredibly peaceful. I could breathe. And so could he. 

But then I had to glance back at Robert after an hour and caught him rummaging through his pocket for his cigarettes. “Seriously?” I asked. The lighter returned in his hand and illuminated his blue eyes again. The cigarette started burning. The smell of tobacco filled our nostrils.

“What? I can’t help myself,” he said, his teeth biting the cigarette.

“Can you go at least one night without smoking?” I scolded, narrowing my eyes. He shrugged his shoulders. “You ruined the atmosphere, Oppie!” I playfully smacked his shoulder, giggling as I did. He grunted.

“And?”

“You ruined it! I was at peace for once!”

“And so what?” I frowned.

“Jerk.” He scoffed, exhaling the smoke. It must’ve been a strong inhale, because the next moment he started coughing. I laughed out loud, rolling onto my back. I hoped that was the universe’s way of punishing him for wrecking a beautiful moment.

“I told you those cigarettes were bad for you, Oppie.”

“Oh just shut up and let us enjoy this moment.”

[multistoty]

The moon is a loyal companion.It never leaves. It’s always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it’s a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human.Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections.But there’s something about the darkness, the stillness of this hour that creates a language of its own. There’s a strange kind of freedom in the dark; a terrifying vulnerability we allow ourselves at exactly the wrong moment, tricked by the darkness into thinking it will keep our secrets. We forget that the blackness is not a blanket; we forget that the sun will soon rise. But in the moment, at least, we feel brave enough to say things we’d never say in the light. The sulking vampire had always wondered about raindrops.He wondered about how they’re always falling down, tripping over their own feet, breaking their legs and forgetting their parachutes as they tumble right out of the sky toward an uncertain end. It’s like someone is emptying their pockets over the earth and doesn’t seem to care where the contents fall, doesn’t seem to care that the raindrops burst when they hit the ground, that they shatter when they fall to the floor, that people curse the days the drops dare to tap on their doors. He was a raindrop.His heart was still a little heavy, but he’d decided carrying it around would only maker him stronger. Most of the bodies in his past had now gone back to dust and shadow. This journey to Mystic falls would be a new story and a search for a better ending. After all, she had a few mansions and unchecked heirlooms to take her anywhere. For now, he would torture himself with middle America..Every story has four parts: the beginning, the middle, the almost-ending, and the true ending. Unfortunately, not everyone gets a true ending. Most people give up at the part of the story where things are the worst, when the situation feels hopeless, but that is where hope is needed most. Only those who persevere can find their true ending.Happy endings can be caught, but they are difficult to hold on to. They are dreams that want to escape the night. They are treasure with wings. They are wild, feral, reckless things that need to be constantly chased, or they will certainly run away.He loved the feeling of doing something bold enough to make his future hold its breath while he closed his eyes and reveled in the sensation that he’d made a choice with the power to alter the course of his life. He had come here searching for someone who wore his lover’s face though this was an entirely lovely survive. His survivor and his tormenter. Katherine had the kind of odd beauty like a knife flashing under the light of a full moon that spoke to magic. Her smile the kind the devil would have pulled before he fell. Stefan remembered thinking falling for her would be like falling in love with darkness, but now he imagined he was more like a starry night: the constellations were always there, constant, magnificent guides against the ever-present black.Gold shimmered no matter what, but few people could make darkness glitter the way she did.Hope is a powerful thing. Some say it’s a different breed of magic altogether. The salvatore vampire had come searching for a new future and found himself in the fragments of his past. Katherine had been the one to create his shards while also arranging them into a stained glass window. People feared her for her ability to love the monsterous part of herself. to often people who wore many masks were more honest than those who wear only their own. For so long, he thought loving her had made him tainted. But now, looking like a freaking possum with a drive through cup and a dead rabbit in the rain, all he wanted was to run to her. To let his mouth claim her own before words could fall without parachutes from those same gates. A blood tinged hand rang through the length of auburn hair already mussed upon his head. Most ghosts had claws. This was the scab of a wound and a balm to it all at once. her coffee stained orbs like a kiss directly to his heart. “I’d like to say that I am surprised, but I should know you by now, Kat. In fact, you could say I am quite fluent in every aspect of you- not that that was at all an inuendo. What sorry soul have you left to die in the woods?”

@survivingpierce​

[itismissswann]

@conjurerandking || Continued from here

Sometime during the night, Loki had drifted asleep. Against his original thought of staying up all night. The fire had burnt out just as the sun began to rose, he knew it would be time to go soon. Her voice coaxed him awake, and he stretched on his back, yawning hugly before closing his eyes again and laid there for a moment. “Mmm.. you’re right.” He muttered.

Loki eventually opened his eyes again, sitting up to see her next to him, and he smiled warmly at her. Oh to wake up to her in a sunlit room, white linens that just felt like clouds upon their skin. What did she look like under all of that heavy cotton and leather? He bent his leg before thinking too long about it, and moved to stand, offering a hand down to her. “Come, we should go, now. And hopefully the crew made it through the night…” He said softly, helping her to her feet. “My magic will hide us, so long as you stay by my side. They still have sight of the other illusions I created, right now that is using all of the energy I can muster. They are a far ways from us.”

Loki began to climb over the rocks, getting them out from behind the waterfall, first and back onto the trails leading through the jungle.

Elizabeth trailed behind Loki, following his footsteps like a lost puppy, her mind clearly in far-off places. One minute she was thinking about her past and the other minute praying they would be fast enough. But what seemed to trouble her even more was the fact that the arrow had pointed towards the man before her, now carefully taking calculated steps through the jungle with such elegance. Was she starting to develop feelings for him, or did she, just like he suggested, needed to see it as a fleeting thing. Her fingers traced the veins of the wooden exterior of Jack’s compass, contemplating if she misread its directions and perhaps, if she took another look, it would lead her towards the tribe’s prisoners. That got her wondering, did she actually need to rely on the compass? The God of Mischief seemed to know perfectly well which path to follow.

“You seem pretty confident about where we should go.” She finally stated in a hushed voice. Though, after last night she was certain more surprises would follow.  She released a deep breath then sucked in the humid air.

The heat today was tempered by a cool breeze, an unworldly rain most likely approaching. The rest of their walk she was alert. Focused eyes observed her surrounding, like a deer looking out for predators. She almost didn’t noticed how the tall man had halted his steps so abruptly. She followed his gaze. There they were. The pirates captured in a cage and not too far away a huge campfire was blazing brightly, lighting up the nearby branches of trees, painting them in shades of orange and yellows. Horror crossed her features when she realized what the cage was made of. Skulls and bones, human bones. Instinctively she held on to the back of Loki’s shirt, either to maintain her cool or her balance. How many of them were gone? Who was sitting on that throne? Jack, Jack was sitting on the throne. Why was he sitting there? His face painted in a peculiar way, but that wasn’t what managed to capture her attention. The necklace with six different colored stones did. They were mesmerizing. 

She took a few deep breaths, trying to understand the situation. “I think, they worship him?” she whispered in disbelieve. Nobody, besides Loki, the remaining crew, Jack and herself were present. Was this a trap or should they consider it cheer luck? However, nobody made an attempt to run away, not even Jack, the master of escaping unfortunate situations. Her gaze shifted towards Loki. “Please, do tell me, you have been planning a miraculous rescue plan.” Ow, they were treading on dangerous ground. They barely survived last time, if they didn’t move with caution, this entire situation could change for the worst.

Elizabeth turned around when she heard leaves rustle. She caught her breath and pressed her back against his when she took a step backwards. The same people from last night stared at them so intently. “I do recall, you telling me, nobody could see us... correct?” She whispered barely audible. “We’re not going to be overly fond of what follows” She said while unsheathing her sword. “I suggest you focus on setting free the crew while I keep them at bay.” 

She prepared herself for battle, but unlike their first encounter, this time they showed no aggression. They simply walked closer and closer until there was no distance left between them. They started to communicate in a language she couldn’t understand, exchanging looks and after that they started to touch their hair, their skin, inspect their clothes, the weapons they were holding, like they needed some kind of confirmation that they were really there. They showed special interest in the half god. It was almost like they could sense that he was different from the rest of them. “Loki?” Elizabeth whispered hesitantly, silent enough so the others couldn’t hear her pronounce his actual name. She tried to meet his eyes, hoping to read some kind of approval to start a fight. 

[jungle321jungle]

Sleeping In The Woods: Nine

It was never in Virgil’s plan to be a camp counselor, he had never been a fan of kids.

It was never in his plan to learn to enjoy each of the boy’s company, he had never wanted to learn the truths behind their fake smiles.

It was never in his plan to get wrapped up in things he didn’t understand, he had always preferred to keep to himself.

None of it was ever his plan, but he’d do whatever he’d have to save everyone- even if it means risking himself.

Ao3 - Masterlist - Other Chapters

Nine

Virgil was functioning on pure adrenaline. He had been tired and out of breath ages ago, so truly he shouldn’t be even able to run as fast or as far as he was, but he could hear the three chasing after him. He didn’t dare look back, or focus on the pain of his sprained or possibly broken wrist as he ran forward. He just kept moving, his mind barely registering where he was or what he was doing- that’s probably how he missed the existence of the ridge. A shout of surprise escaped him, before ones of pain replaced it as he tumbled down the drop. When he finally rolled to a stop, he was in more pain than before and he had definitely done something to one of his legs, but he couldn’t really pinpoint anything anymore. He opened his eyes as the world kept spinning around him, before he shut them tightly again, and it’s then that he heard loud footsteps, and Virgil chose to lie motionless and keep his eyes shut. 

“It’s too steep!” Came a woman’s voice, he didn’t care to decipher which. “We’ll have to go around.”

“That’ll take too long!” Trenton complained. 

“Looks like he knocked himself out. We have time to go around.”

There were grumbles and complaints before; eventually, the voices faded from earshot. And when they had, Virgil slowly pulled his aching body to his feet and stumbled on. The adrenaline had kept him moving before, but now it, too, had faded out. But he had no choice but to keep moving. He needed to find… find someone else. Someone who would listen to his side of the story. Someone who would actually go find the boys… The boys… were they okay? If whoever had taken them truly wanted money, then they likely wouldn’t hurt them, right? They were probably keeping them hidden somewhere until the money came in. Then they’d let the boys go. And that couldn’t take too too long, could it? Patton can’t sleep without a stuffed animal, and Virgil had dropped the creepy doll when he ran. But they probably kept the kids together, right? Logan and Janus could surely calm Patton. And the twins would be okay as long as they weren’t separated. They’d be okay. They’d be okay. And once they were home they’d tell the story of what happened, and then someone would come looking for Virgil. He just needed to keep it together until he reached that point. 

He wasn’t sure how far he had gone or how far he had walked when it started to pour. Because, of course. Virgil scanned the area, searching for anything that looked moderately dry to avail. Because why would there be? Only the worst for him after all. He needed to find somewhere to stop. His body hurt at every movement, and he was already getting soaked. He kept moving, searching just for a large tree where it was drier close to its trunk, and after a while he succeeded. The spot wasn’t completely dry, of course, but he was being hit by fewer rain drops here, so that was enough. 

Virgil didn’t recall falling asleep, but when he woke, nothing from his situation seemed vastly different. Well, except for what had woken him. A woman was hovering over him with a glare. Virgil’s gaze opened wide and he tried to speak- to say something, but he didn’t get the chance before a hand was clamped over his mouth. Panic rose within him, but thankfully, it also rooted him in place, so he didn’t move and possibly anger whomever this was. In the strange pause that followed, Virgil noticed the woman holding an umbrella in one hand, and she certainly didn’t look like he had been out here hiking. Her clothes are casual like he had been going quite literally anywhere but the woods. It didn’t make sense, but Virgil didn’t ponder on it too much as she spoke. 

“Do as I say, and I won’t kill you. Simple, right?”

Virgil gave a quick nod. 

“Good. Then I’m going to let go of you, and you’re going to stay quiet unless I ask you a question. Okay?”

Another nod was all he could respond with. 

Seemingly pleased, she removed her hand. “Did you make a deal with Marcel?”

Marcel? How did she know him? Part of him wanted to ask, but he also didn’t want to press buttons. “N-no,” Virgil answered. 

“Then why didn’t he kill you?”

Oh. That’s why she knew who Marcel was. Because she was working with him… didn’t that mean she’d kill Virgil either way? “I don’t know.” 

She gave an annoyed hum as she pulled her phone from her pocket, and checked something. Then, after a pause, she replaced it and stood. “Follow me.”

He was slow to do so, given his body’s protests, but he obeyed. Even if she did want him dead, maybe she’d keep him alive a bit longer if he followed orders. She walked at a brisk pace, complaining about being late as they went. He moved slower than he’d like, both based on his body’s condition and also the fact that the forest floor was now slippery. And yet she moved about like she owned the place. She only looked back now and then to ensure he hadn’t run off or something, not that he could’ve if he wanted to. Virgil truthfully felt ready to pass out or throw up. Maybe both. 

After a tiring fifteen minutes or so, Virgil was greeted with the wonderful sight of what looked like a cave—some place dry. She walked in it casually, closed her umbrella, and shook it off as Virgil slowly caught up. 

Once inside, the cave seemed to curve, and the moment she rounded the curve, he heard her speak. “Guess what I found, guys! A ghost!”

Virgil rounded the bend himself and was at once filled with fear. About six people were sitting around a fire- all of them clearly armed. Including a familiar-looking ranger- who did indeed look like he saw a ghost. 

“You can’t do anything right can you!” A man shouted at Marcel. 

“I can’t kill a kid!” The ranger shouted back. 

“Why did you bring him here?” Someone groaned to the woman Virgil had followed. 

“I could just kill and leave him this close to our camp. That’s asking to be caught.”

Arguing erupted amongst the crew of seven, and as it did Virgil’s gaze scanned the rest of the cave wondering if there was anything at all here which would make a wieldable weapon… not that he knew how to use any weapons. But something was better than nothing. But Virgil’s mind came to a grinding halt as he noticed familiar forms towards the back of the cave. Five of them. They were lying on the floor seemingly asleep- no four were asleep- and the fifth was staring at him with eide eyes and his hands were pressed to his mouth to keep quiet. They were okay. They were okay. A long rope tied each of their waists together in a long string. The long end then snaked back to the group by the fire, where it ended up beneath a rock a man sat on. But they were okay. That was the long and short of it. 

Despite his situation, relief coursed through Virgil as any remaining steam he had within him ran out. He gripped the wall for stability, trying to stay conscious- when the bickering kidnappers all stopped at once. 

“What’s done is done,” one man said standing. He then lifted the rock he had been sitting on, and grabbed the rope. “Tie him up. We’ll figure it out later.”

Virgil made no sound nor motion of protest as his wrists were bound behind his back. He even bit his tongue to hide the pain in his left hand as they moved it. When he was a satisfactory prisoner Virgil was marched over the five little boys who lay on the ground, and he was quick to lie beside them. 

Dee’s eyes scanned him up and down a few times before the child frowned. “You look really bad.” He whispered. 

Virgil gave a slight smile in response. “You okay?”

It was a stupid question. But even so, Dee nodded. 

And that was good enough. 

Virgil closed his eyes, oddly feeling more comfortable and at peace than he had since this had all begun. 

~~~~

All Chapters

[chasingstardustandmoonbeams]

Chocolate Kisses

Repost from my original blog: sohoneyspreadyourwings.

Word count: 1.3k

Summary: Joe Liebgott, you knight in a shining yellow cab.

This was, quite possibly, the worst date you had ever been on in your entire life. You had been sitting at a restaurant table for nearly an hour as Tom, your date, drolled on and on about whatever popped into his head.

You’d tried, more than once, to turn the conversation around into something you both could talk about, but he managed to make it all about him every time. You found yourself finishing off the last of your drink before making eye contact with your sympathetic waitress, Doris.

As nonchalantly as you could, you wrote down a name and number on a napkin and handed it to her, as she walked over to refill your drinks. She gave you a curious look, but took the napkin and made her way back towards the bar. You could only hope that she would do you the favor.

“Don’t you think that’s just the funniest thing?”

You plastered on a smile, and let out a laugh. “Oh, just the funniest,” you remarked, though you were more than sure you had house plants funnier than him.

“Excuse me.”

You looked up at your waitress who was giving you a knowing smile.

“You’ve had a call, it seems that there has been a minor emergency, and you’re needed. A cab’s been called for you. It should be here any minute.”

Nearly jumping out of your chair with glee, you mustered up the most regretful face you could manage.

“Oh, Tom, I’m so sorry,” you said softly.

“Don’t worry about it,” Tom grinned at you in a way that only made you want to gag, “We can just take a rain check.”

Standing up quickly, you stood up and gave him one last smile, not bothering to acknowledge his last statement.

Practically running towards the door, the waitress, Doris, caught up with you.

“Here, it’s on the house. Anyone who had to suffer through an hour with him more than deserves it. Your fella should be outside by now,” Doris placed a small box in your hand, giving you a wink before she left.

You glanced down at the box for only a moment, before stepping outside. A cold breeze blew past you, though you never shivered. Years of being in the Bay area had numbed you to its colder weather.

Stepping onto the curb, you found yourself smiling as a familiar yellow cab made a stop in front of you.

“You going my way, Doll?” Cigarette dangling from his lips, Joe gave you a boyish smile, that made you forget all about the cold breeze nipping at your skin.

You couldn’t help the laughter that tumbled from your lips as you watched Joe lean over the passenger seat to open the door.

“Always the charmer,” you teased as you buckled into the car.

Joe shrugged at you, giving you a smile that set your heart a flutter. “You love it,” he drolled out. “Besides, if you called me that means I gotta make up for the shit show that went on in there.”

“Joe,” you warned half heartedly.

“What?” He took a drag of his cigarette before glancing at you. “I told you it wasn’t a good idea to go out with that putz.”

“He wasn’t-” you tried your best to deny Joe’s statement because your date was horrible, but Joe didn’t need the ego boost at being right. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“Oh, really? Should I turn around then? ‘Cause I could -”

“Don’t you dare.”

Joe let out a loud laugh, his thumbs gleefully drumming along the steering wheel.

“You were right, okay? It was God awful,” Joe’s eyes met yours and you didn’t bother to stop the laughter that escaped you. “Fuck, it was bad,” you managed to say through your laughter. “Thank you though, for coming to get me.”

“Couldn’t just let you suffer could I? ‘Sides, I gotta better plan.”

“And what exactly is this plan?”

“Would you just have a little trust in me? Have I ever led you astray?”

You opened your mouth to refute his statement when he cut you off, “Don’t answer that. Just trust me will you?”

Making a show of clamping your mouth shut, you enjoyed the way Joe playfully rolled his eyes at you.

“That’s more like it,” he muttered before turning on the radio. Music softly played in the car as you enjoyed the drive.

Things were always easy with Joe, before and after the war. Being with him was like coming home. It was safe, comfortable, something you always looked forward too. He was wrong about one thing, you did trust him implicitly.

“Alright, we’re here.”

You sat upright, peering through the windshield to see the Golden Gate bridge in all its glory.

“Joe -”

“You’re always goin’ on about how much you like it, so I figured, ya know, why not give you a better view?”

Joe was anxiously drumming his fingers along the steering wheel as he looked off towards the bridge. He pulled out another cigarette from his shirt pocket, letting out a sigh when the lighter wouldn’t work.

“If ya hate it, I can turn the car around -”

“I love it, really, Joe. Thank you.” You reached over, taking his hand in yours. Joe ducked his head down, trying to hide his smile.

“So, you gonna tell me what’s in the box?”

“Hm?” You looked down at the box sitting in your lap. “I dunno actually. The waitress handed it to me before I left. Here,” you said handing it to him.

Joe eagerly took the box from you. “Ooh! Chocolate!”

You peered over to see a thick slice of chocolate cake. “Well, go on, eat it,” you laughed as he dug around the box for a plastic utensil.

“You want some?” Joe asked you before stuffing his face with a large piece of cake.

“You eat it. There’s only one fork anyways,” you reasoned.

“I could always feed it to ya,” he teased. Joe was smirking at you in a way that made his statement feel like a dare.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Feed it to me then,” you challenged.

Nearly choking on a piece of the cake, he looked at you in an astonishing way. He recovered quickly, tongue poking at his cheek as stuck a piece of the cake with his fork.

“Open wide, sweetheart.”

You rolled your eyes at his comment, but did so nonetheless. Joe’s eyes never left your lips, as he delicately fed you the cake. If it had been anyone other than him you would have felt mortified, but with Joe, you felt at ease - confident even.

Licking your lips, you hummed in appreciation. “You’re right that is a good cake.”

Joe’s hadn’t moved, instead his eyes stayed on you.

“What?”

“Nuthin’. You just, you got a piece of chocolate there,” Joe reached over and wiped a piece of chocolate from the corner of your mouth.

You felt frozen in your seat, hyper aware of Joe’s movements. His face drew closer to yours, and you swore you could hear your heart hammering away in your chest.

“Did you get it?” You asked breathlessly.

“Almost,” he whispered, his lips dangerously close to yours. With one fell swoop, he kissed you. Kissing Joe was had you always imagined it to be, intense but playful, charming yet sweet, the epitome of Joe himself.

When he pulled away, you couldn’t fight the smile that had infectiously spread across your face. You licked your lips, relishing in the way Joe was left uncharacteristically speechless.

“If you don’t finish it, I will,” you teased.

“We still talkin’ ‘bout the cake here?” He smirked, shifting in his seat a bit to get a better look at you.

“You tell me,” you drolled.

Joe let out a laugh, before leaning forward once more capturing your lips with his.

[skyborn-reads]

🎆 Message From The Universe

“...for when you hear thunder, it's only the Universe clearing Its throat to drop more tea on you.”

Pictures source

Sky 1 — Pathways

Cards drawn: Eight of Swords, Four of Pentacles

There are mainly three groups who choose this pile. Some of you want to escape the current rhythms of life. Some of you want to stay. Some of you don't know whether you should stay or leave. You stand right where you are but your eyes are darting here and there. I hope this reading helps all of you in your quest, whichever way you wish to go or remain.

To people who want to break free from the past rhythms of life — no longer will you be bound to stagnancy. The worst has passed and you have bore witness to its trials and tribulations. Now the Universe is asking you if you dare to make that one choice to free yourself from the burden. Be aware, as the crossroad is nigh.

To the ones who want to stay — there's something you're holding onto. You won't want to leave because you still feel there's gold to be mined where you are, metaphorically speaking. You still see the benefits of staying where you are, and you're right, but it would take a struggle to mine the gold, and you won't always get what you want. The Universe trusts you to make the best decision for yourself. So whether to charge towards the next stop or lay low in wait, the choice is up to you, always up to you.

To people whose eyes are darting around looking lost — ask yourself what you want and what your priority is. You have many options and it seems like every path bears fruit, but there is one path that is meant for you, and you're the best person to decide which one it is. Good luck, because you might meet challenges on your path that will strengthen you and help you become stronger and wiser than you are now.

To all of you — the next months will be an eye-opening experience for you. You'll see the true face of many people, see your situation from different viewpoints. You'll understand the rhythm of things and even be able to predict how it would eventually lead. You're safe and guided. You'll land where you want to land, but first as already mentioned there will be tests, and fortunately luck will be at your side 🍀

Your journey will be easier if you know what to hold onto and what to let go. You seem to want to hold onto more than you can but some of those things no longer serve you. Do you see their true value? Do you know what's good for you and what will ultimately cause you more sorrow? Release them now. It will be painful, but it will be worth it in the long run. There is an end to everything. By releasing them you will see joy and freedom as never felt. I wish you guys a lot of love and a lot of happiness 💚🍀💚

Sky 2 — Gifts

Cards drawn: Ace of Wands (reversed), Page of Wands

You lose something, you gain something. You've recently let go of something, but you'll be a lot grounded from your experiences and will have an inner knowing of what's good for you and what's not. Imagine waking up from a restful sleep to a cool relaxing morning. You'll feel recharged, there's nothing in this world that you cannot accomplish. You'll gain true inner strength, my dears, but not overnight. The next coming months of your life will be one that your future self will look back to and smile, for you'll transform a lot, you're the mountain in the woods — grounded, serene and wise.

Also, some new opportunities are coming your way 💚 For some of you you'll meet new people who bring you fortune, some of you will receive money, or a new investment. For some of you, your future partner will be stepping into your life in the coming months 😁💕

You'll also have a new goal. This goal will make you feel hopeful and giddy. There's a lot of love vibes here so the goal can be in the romance apartment. Some of you will be going on a date! You'll find your heart overflowing with love and the ecstacy of new love 💖 Congratulations to you!!

For others of you, your heart will be a desert no more and the warmth of self love will flow through you. By showing love to yourself, you're manifesting your future lover into your life. Take it step by step and don't rush. They will enter your life surely, and if you practise self love you will be on your best state to welcome them.

Sky 3 — Blocks

Cards drawn: Eight of Swords, The Star

This pile shares the swords card with the first pile, but unlike the first pile which is active in their quest, there's a very oppressed and stagnant energy here. I hope you guys are okay. Someone doesn't want to move forward, I feel this someone is you. You might fall victim to your limiting beliefs, believing that you are restricted, but your current situation will not improve if you don't actively make a move. I hear “make a different choice”. If you feel stuck in the same situations over and over again, it's time to make a different choice. Stop being passive. Choosing the same doors every time won't bring you to new destinations. I feel you already know that, but there's no action from your part that affirms that you want a change.

I'm sorry to say that nobody will be able to help you if you choose to remain where you are. You must first make a move. When you do, even if the road ahead might be rocky, you'll encounter people who will help you. For some of you you have kept something in your heart for a long time. You want to say it but you fear what would happen if you do. Your current situation is what happens when you don't. You're called to make a decision — which way will you choose?

You might have also recently left a toxic part of your life, be it environment or people. Your heart has tears flowing, but the Universe congratulates you on your decision to leave this situation. Soon flowers will blossom from your tears, and you'll see that they lead you to a happier place, one where you'll feel you finally belong, one where happiness resides deep within your soul ❤️ Pile 3, are you ready to welcome this change into your life? Lick your wounds for however long you need. When you're ready, the stars will shine bright for you, and you'll know where to go.

“Be it rain or blizzard, my heart stays with you.” — someone who loves you.

Sky 4 — Pillows

Cards drawn: Death, Ten of Cups

You feel tired, dears, worn out. What you've been through must be rough. Please take a rest before you continue on your path, and don't argue with me. You need the rest.

You've seen lots over the past few months of your lives, things that made you question loyalty of people who you once loved. You are starting to have doubts whether you've made the right choices all along. You have, you're just going through setbacks but the sun still rises at the darkest times. Tomorrow we'll rise and try again, shall we?

The Universe advises you to spend time in solitude to reassess your life. Don't take everything in one go, try to adopt a slow and peaceful eye to your inner thoughts. Immerse yourself in your hobbies, this time not to make money or stress yourself out, but to take the time to enjoy them as only hobbies that are meant to bring you joy. They will make you feel so loved, and you'll start to see that there's warmth to every melting candle, there are things to appreciate in every low point in life. The Universe will be gifting you a change of perspective, my dears. Because in order to grow one must first see that there is more to life than how it used to be. Soon, you'll grow wiser in mind.

But a change of perspective isn't all that the Universe will offer you. You'll soon receive an offer, an invitation if you will to make a choice. This choice will pave the way to your future family, a loved one who will adore you like the diamond you are, and most importantly, true emotional connection. For some of you this person is a soulmate. Please note that this is only the beginning towards meeting them. This path will have its own challenges, challenges on you, on your future spouse, and on the connection between you two. So take my advice and rest up first my loves, you'll need it for what's next 💖💤💖

[wonderwomanfantasy]

melting point

a part two to snowfall

Werewolf! Bakugou x Deaf!Reader

warnings: none? some suspenseful stuff that's about it

word count: 1,000 (about)

summary: what a sweet little thing you are, perfect for some big bad wolf to come to snatch you up, luckily Bakugou is there to protect you. 

As the snow settled, and the trade fair came to an end several things changed about your little town, where change so rarely occurred. The first was a foreseeable change, your family came into a bit of money after selling you wears, assuring your family would have a comfortable winter and spring. The second was that the blonde man you’d happened to run into decided to settle on a plot of land previously unoccupied. The last change was the wolf attacks. 

As far as you knew there was never a problem with wolves before, but now chickens and even cattle were being found half-eaten. It was horrible really, the thought alone of some bloodthirsty dog stalking somewhere nearby. 

Even with how scared you were, at least you kept your head about yourself. Some other townsfolk went as far as to say that it wasn’t a wolf, but a monster. You burst out laughing when you first heard that. Monsters were things for kids, tall tails that served as a warning to stay out of the woods at night. You were surprised at how seriously some people were taking that idea. 

You watched as two old women talked, catching bits of their conversation as they turned to you. 

“- I tell my kids to stay in at night- once the sun sets they have to be home,” 

“-with that beast out there- Carlson lost two sheep last week,” 

You shook your head and continued on your way. There were plenty of hunters in town, you felt safe knowing one of them would catch the animal responsible. 

You turned your head up to the glacious sky. It was the cold bitter part of winter, no snow or cheer, just waiting for spring to come. 

Luckily for you, you looked down at where you were going before you started walking again. Bakugou Katsuki was standing right in front of you. You gasped and stumbled back almost falling, luckily he wrapped an arm around your waist catching you. His smirk seemed to say  “we really should stop meeting like this,”

You squirmed and he released you “watch where you’re going,” he signed you felt your face heat up with embarrassment. 

“I could tell you the same,” you shot back, He just smiled at you and brushed past you. You glowered at him as he passed until you realized that he was carrying a stack of logs over one of his shoulders, then your face soffened. Just how strong was he? 

You couldn’t seem Bakugou, you supposed that it had been so long since anyone had moved into town that any new fae stood out, but it seemed like he was everywhere. He seemed to frequent the butchers at the same time you did, you found him buying thick woolen sheets from your mother one day then had to buy firewood from him the next, and of course, he was always there to catch you when you tripped. 

And even though he was cocky, arrogant, and angry, you found yourself falling for him. There was just something that drew you to him and you found you didn’t mind seeing him so often. 

“A defenseless girl like you shouldn’t be in the woods this late,” bakugou signed to you, appearing out of nowhere as he so often did. You straightened quickly and crossed your arms. The worst part is you knew he was right. Your parents would have a heart attack if they knew that you were lost in the trees this close to sunset.

The truth was your father had asked you to set some simple snare traps in hopes of catching a rabbit or two as a test of your independence and well, you’d gotten a little turned around. A completely understandable mistake. 

The harsh January wind whirled around you, biting at your face and piercing your clothes like knives. “Don’t you know there’s a monster in these woods? What if he caught you and gobbled you up?”  he was teasing you. And you didn’t much appreciate it, but still, he probably knew the way back to town. 

“But you’re here to protect me aren’t you?” you signed taking a step closer and putting your hand on his broad chest. For a moment he just stood there in awe, you had to admit it was pleasant seeing him so caught off guard. 

He mouthed something that looked like “that’s right” and took your hand leading you out of the darkening woods. He even stayed back so you could show up at home unoccupied sparing you your pride. You thought, not for the first time, that Bakugou Katsuki would make an excellent husband. 

It was a bitterly cold night when you saw the beast. A storm of hail and sleet beat down on your roof as wind raced around you causing the very boards of your house to shift. You were held up in the barn laying on a soft bed of hay wrapping your two goats in blankets and tucking their ears into woolen hats so their ears wouldn’t freeze. Your mother swore they would be fine, they were tough old things after all. But you had grown up with these goats, and it broke your heart to think of them succumbing to frostbite. 

When you came into the barn they had been shivering and huddled in a pile of hay, reaffirming your decision to come here in the first place. You rested with them for a moment, building up the courage to brave the elements again. 

The barn door shuddered as the rain beat down on it before it burst open. You jolted, falling backward into a pile of straw. Your sweet goats cowering behind you. And as the hail pelted your face, you saw it in the dark of the night. A set of glowing eyes and a hulking massive body creeping towards you. 

You’d never seen a wolf, but surely this was too big to be a wolf, four times the size of a normal dog. The creature bore his teeth in a horrid snarl coming to the entry of the barn filling the doorway. You trembled and prayed that someone would come to save you. There was no way you could escape. 

But suddenly the wolf shifted, tilting its head to the side and dropping the intimidating sneer. His approach seemed much less intimidating, but that didn’t stop you from crying as he came face to face with you. His hot breath beating on your face. He snorted and turned leaving the barn. You stood on shaky legs and ran as fast as you could back to the house, shaking your father awake to messily sign to him what had happened.

 It only took a day for the news of another attack to spread through the town like wildfire, and this time you didn’t feel like correcting anyone when they called it a monster. 

“I heard you fought the beast,” Bakugou teased, you had heard that too, the story had been tweaked along the way that you had bravely managed to escape instead of the monster simply leaving you alone. 

“You really are a handful, always getting yourself into trouble aren’t you?” he teased. You were used to his teasing by now but it still made you heat up with embarrassment

“And I suppose you could do any better?” you signed angrily

“I could,” he stated matter of factly. You deflated a little, of course, he was right. He was so strong and self-confident you knew he could have done much better in your shoes. 

“And if you married me, I could protect you too,” he signed leaving you stunned, had he really just proposed to you in the middle of teasing you for being a weakling?

Bakugou smiled to himself as you gingerly walked into his embrace, placidly accepting his marriage proposal. You were such a scared little rabbit, he almost felt bad. Of course, he would never hurt you or scare you like that again, you were his mate after all. He wouldn’t have even come to your barn if the rain hadn’t been obscuring your delicious smell. 

Now that he had your heart all he had to do was win over your father, and with how well he’d ingratiated himself to your family that shouldn’t be hard at all. What a sweet little rabbit you were, trapped in the arms of a wolf.

[itstheendofthegoddamnworld]

Infected/Undead Boyfriend (Ryan Chen) 3 (FINALE)

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Part 1  -  Part 2

Warning: some language. Long chapter ahead!

When It Rains, It Pours Part 3 (FINALE)

It was always raining in November-– or was it now December?

It was hard to tell: the rain had turned harder and harsher, solid ice and snow fell across what was desolate and overgrown lands, where the city life grew smaller, a distant reminder that they still hung in an area. The coating of snow grew harsher the more the days passed, and bitter was its storms and winds to you and your surroundings.

How you managed to get out before losing yourself was an amazement to you and those of your rescuers.

"Hey, five minutes before we depart—you good?"

You blinked lazily, back to the surrounding sounds that were not of the dead crawling and walking on the grounds, of laughter and joy that you had missed and forgotten the sounds of. You remembered where you were: the warmth of the fire spreading across your limbs as you looked up from the floor, a hand in reach for you to take.

Justin was the first and the only one you had really spoken and befriended who wasn't a relative to you, a friend you shared rum and morbid chats with when the two of you were on night duties, staring up at nothing by the sky. He was cute: brown hair and eyes, pretty smile, but he was just another hole filled.

'Okay, okay, humour me with this,' He asked you when the blizzard was raging outside of your camp, the howling winds rattling against the iron doors. 'If you could take anyone with you, in the world, where would you go and with who?'

There was only one name that came to mind that night, the lines of your face creasing as you smiled sadly. 'You'll have to let me think about that one.'

"You good, tiger?" You took his hand as he hauled you up to your feet, dusting away the snow from your worn jeans. "You seem... out of it. You can tell me, I can get someone else to do this if you're not feeling up to it."

"No, it's fine, I'll be out in five." There was a haunting, dreadful pause from Justin, observing you silently when time didn't seem to go any faster, before he nodded, heading out of the hall, his distant figure fading through the groups of crowds waiting.

You gathered your things slowly, fumbling with the leather jacket, dipping your fingers into the deep pockets, fumbling with the smooth edge of the card still occupying it. Never did it seem to lose its feel, thankfully. Get a grip on yourself. You sighed, securing your knife into your boot. Three years... three fucking years and you still mourn.

The snow had settled once you had been brave to face it, crunching satisfyingly under your boots each step you took to the stables, waiting there was Justin and a few others you didn't take time in memorising their names.

"You ready?" Justin asked, strapping more ammo into his backpack. "Help yourself to some more. Heard there's infected up north from here roaming. Potentially they could come down."

"Yeah, thanks." You grabbed a large bar, stuffing it away before paying attention to the black stead you had named Diamond. "Hey, girl. Ready to stretch those legs?"

The beauty snorted almost in reply, a genuine smile gracing your features when you had clamoured up, mentally and physically preparing yourself for the arduous journey that would take place. An hour away from the Jackson base was the Crow's Nest: the barren hub used to scout the area, to keep eye on roaming hordes.  

"The snow has settled, but with it, the dead grow. Watch out for yourselves, keep close to the path and don't stray." Justin gave final warnings before you all set off, the large electric gates of the once well-known powerplant creaked open, a vast, vicious cold greeted you the moment you stepped out.

The journey left you frozen and missing the heat from indoors, reminding yourself why you had gone out in the first place was to get away from everyone, but now you had dearly missed the sweet sight of civilisation creeping back to normal. I can be back and everything will be fine. You told yourself, and you foolishly believed it.

When you finally arrived, there were little dead who had managed to get through the other side of the pen, and taking them out was no issue. The base on top was all but a cosy place: desolate, reeking of decay and too cold. When you finally reached the windows that showcased the cast white outside, did you finally breathe out in somewhat respite.

"See that out there, that's the city you came from, right?" Justin pointed out to what looked like nowhere, but even where the sky and snow met with vast starkness, there was still an outline of a desolate and barren city, broken and crumbling skyscrapers still reaching to the chilling sky.

It was miles out, you realised, but the routes out were like a maze on its own.

"Don't tell me you're thinking of going in there for fun?" You asked, the man beside you rolling his eyes exasperatedly. "You would have to be fucking insane to want to go back in there."

"Even so, what kept you sane?"

The name you so missed to say was on the tip of your tongue, memories that swept through your mind nearly brought you to tears. Maybe, in some reality, the two of you could've been that couple, living out your days in a decaying city, filled with dead, going down as the world would never miss you. But in some ways, it was for the good. You blinked the tears away before any could fall.

"Faith, a hell of a lot of it." The winter sun was dead as well as the last of those memories. "I'm done with it, done for good."

In the distance, when the snow settled quietly, a dull, thunderous cry, followed with the faint sounds of bangs going off, a chorus that never seemed to quieten, only did its cries grow louder and louder, until-

"Infected have made their way into the bunker!"

You turned with Justin in surprise, the thuds of gunshots and its chambers thudded in time with your heartbeat, rousing the adrenaline as you moved like clockwork to make your way back down, back into the darkened, gloomy hallways so narrow it barely fitted enough, but now stood with both humans and dead.

Even war has never looked like this. There were bodies already, a mixture of dead taken down and those who had fallen, bleeding to the ground in puddles, eyes frozen and bodies stiff. "Come with me down to the east wing." Justin guided you away from the onslaught, away from the crowded corridors as the two of you run further away from the noises.

"You know how many they'll be?" You rasped, trying to steady your breathing, the grip on your knife straining your fingers.

"I don't know," Justin answered. "But whatever you do, don't think recklessly. You're a strong fighter, so don't think about dying."

"I could say the same with you." You stopped when you stopped outside the double doors, slightly ajar and smeared blood wiped across the handles and door. "You ready?"

No. You thought. I don't even want to be here. "Yes."

The door was opening wider before you could realise: the noise loud and shrilled, as were the following, inhumane cries and shrieks that followed. Through the darkness of the room: the boiler room, you could see, maybe four or five dead, twitching and grotesque.

And two of them charging towards you both.

Justin made light work of the largest one, leaving you to deal with the other, all snarling and baring its mangled, blackened teeth. You reared back as it did too, causing you to collapse into the wall but not fall, supporting yourself and keeping its head from coming any closer to the flesh of your face or neck.

You struggled for what felt like forever, until you kicked it as far away from you, shoving it into Justin's grip as you charged, using your knife to lodge it into the jellied head, one final cry came before its head slumped, black blood seeping through.

"Good job," Justin let it drop against the wall. "A bit quieter would've been better though."

"Yeah, thanks though." You caught your breath, iron in your throat when you exhaled, feeling like knives stabbing you a thousand times, not helping with the cold of the room. "Shall we continue onwards?"

"We could take down the rest of these- Hey, watch out!"

You turned in time to hear the raucous grunt of something collide into the side of you, causing you to stumble, crashing into the boiler behind you, the wind knocked from you with such force, your vision dotted. "Shit!" Justin shouted from the darkness, and you could hear the struggle, gunshots and more animalistic roars. "Justin! Are you okay?"

"Go! I'll distract it!" You heard his retreating voice, the heavy footsteps follow before you had time to catch the large creature leave, a dreadful smell of mildew and rotting flesh filled your nostrils, almost making you gag.

"Fuck." You grunted to stand, head dizzy, aware that the noises and clicks were coming from the rest of the dead in the surrounding area you shared with them. "Shit!" Quickly, you picked up the blade fallen, dodging the remaining dead as you continued in a haze through to the back of the room, hopping over the wall to get through to the bunker. The sounds of the dead never faltered, sounding all around you and nowhere at all, limbs shaking, clothes drenched not with water.

I'm going to die, I'm going to die—I'm fucked, I'm fucked. You tried to keep moving, but you kept running into dead ends and parts cornered off, leading you to believe that there would be no way of escaping.

Something scampered in your peripheral, large and skinny, you braced for the worst when its shadowed body crawled around in the dark, closer and closer. You pulled your gun out, trying to steady your breathing and keep an eye on it. It didn't move like any of the other dead—perhaps a new one you weren't aware of.

You decided to try and take a shot, the bullet ricocheting off a pipe and exploding with gas, letting out and creating a thick, never-ending mist that you found hard in trying to see through. There was the sound of shoes scraping against the floor, someone running towards you and grabbing you, and you screamed, their face guarded as you tried fighting them off you, away from the floor so they wouldn't have full control over you.

Your fingers gripped the gun, reminding yourself to not let go of it, and you finally- after some struggle- kicked the creature in the stomach, letting it stumble back as you finally tried to take another shot.

In the mist that was fading slowly as you tried to focus, the legs of the figure finally appeared, a full body appearing like someone of a horror film, head turned from you as you squinted to whatever was standing in front of you, your time to take the shot faltering.

"Ryan?"

The lithe humanoid figure was as dishevelled as you could recall once he twisted his torso to look back on you. A distant memory that floated in your mind, of peace and tranquillity, it now stood in front of you as some bitter, warped illusion. He was everything you remembered of him, the same clothes but now wearing a different jacket to the one you still wore in honour, his hair seemed longer, more messy and unkempt, strands pulled out from the bun, guarding his soft, unsteady dark eyes. He looked thinner from the last, a walking apparition whose skin was washed pale and bruised black and blue, his cheeks hollowed and eyebags darkened.

"Oh, god," the grip on the trigger loosened shakily, eyes dotting with sudden tears. "It's you, isn't it? I'm not fucking dream, am I?"

The man didn't seem responsive at first, playing into the belief he was some sort of hallucination after all, but his mouth opened, a quiet voice answering. "Yes, it's me."

The noise that left your parted lips was shaky and warbled, a string of tears flowing down your cheeks when everything slowly fell apart. "Why," your words were twisted and you fumbled clumsily. "Why... why did you leave?"

He was silent, the hard struggle in understanding what he was thinking. He seems… ashamed. You thought, watching his shifting eyes. You watched the pain that didn’t seem to be hidden beyond his eyes, even when he spoke. “… You belonged with them, not me.”

“How would you know that? I—you could’ve come with me, Ryan. We’re an open community, we can help you-”

“No,” his voice was strained, his eyes more red than usual. “I can’t be fixed.” He lifted his black t-shirt, the skin bruised as his face had been, inflamed and almost maimed. “I was bitten.”

“But you didn’t turn.”

“No,” his smile was soft, downturned. “Perhaps turning would’ve been the better option. But I live with these decisions. You need people, not me.”

“Ryan,” you took a hesitant step towards him, still, the tears fell. “Do you know I still think about you? Even after all these years.”

“No,” he laughed silently, his eyes glassy and cold. “I did too. A lot.”

“Please, please come with me. I promise you, we can help you—we could fix you.”

Ryan watched, not showing signs of moving away from you as you slowly made your way to him, outreaching your hand for him to hold. Just… just to hold once more, to feel him again. How you craved it like it was a lifeline.

“I—I can’t describe how I’m feeling right now.” His words were hushed when you were close to him, feeling his breath fan against your wet cheeks. “You don’t have to describe anything,” you murmured. “Just… let it happen.”

He leant into you first, his lips were warm and memories swarmed in your mind like you were drowning. His being, his smell: so sweet and inviting, your memories were swelling and rising, bringing a feeling of levitating, back to a time when you felt loved and needed. Back in his arms in an excluded room, forgotten altogether but in each other’s arms.

When you pulled away, he leant his forehead against yours, warm and damp from cold. “I missed you so.” He muttered softly. You had so many thoughts, too many emotions that everyone argued with things they wanted to say before the other. But the same thing was in your mind, replaying over and over again.

It plagued you, as you took his hand into your own, squeezing as if your life depended on it. “Ryan, I-”

Your words were there, masked and clipped from the noise that came from in front of you, a large reverberating noise that was sharp and rung, smoke appearing as Ryan stumbled forward, allowing you to catch him. He was limp, colder than usual and not from the cold. He was shaking, muttering something in a quiet, weak voice, but you couldn’t hear him, even when you flipped him carefully, seeing his mouth open and close, you looked up in time to witness the devastated eyes of someone you wanted to forget.

“Get away from it,” Justin’s words were followed by him stepping closer between the two of you, gripping your shoulder. “You’re lucky I came in time. I heard gunshots, I got worried-”

“You shot him.” You weakly said, frozen and still holding Ryan, the grip on him still tight and there for him to know you were still holding onto him, keeping him safe.

Justin seemed as confused as he tried lifting you off the ground, “I’m trying to help you, that thing-”

“Stop it. Stop it!” You swatted his hand away sharply, reaching around to hold and stabilise Ryan, the shot to his stomach was bleeding profusely, soaking through your fingertips. “He’s dying, he’s fucking dying.”

“Hey, hey, what—” he said your name, shaking you out of the breakdown. “It’s infected—look at me, what do you mean?”

“I love him, Justin! I know him, I know him! Ryan Chen, he’s not one of them!” You were blubbering and muttering constantly before your eyes landed on Justin’s, wild and red and sore. “Help me, please, I can’t lose him again.”

Justin hesitated once more, before he urged himself forward, peeling the heavy bag from his back to bring out the gauze and wrappings, whilst you sat and remained rigid, and you wished you could’ve stayed where you had been, to begin with.

-

You noticed now, how quiet things could be when you were left with just your thoughts, alone in the world when you pushed so many away. Your fingers were knotted together tightly, wrung together in a tangle when you fidgeted, nothing to distract you from the unknown time ticking.

“Hey, you’re the girlfriend of “Ryan”?”

You looked up to the woman who had come through to greet you in the small waiting room, blinking away your thoughts to be back with the present. “Yeah, yes… how is he doing?”

“He just came out of surgery and is in a stable condition.” Relief was one of the emotions you were feeling, but it was hard to explain anything else at that moment. “You can go in to see him shortly.”

“Thank you.” A gentle hand pressed into your shoulder, squeezing encouragingly. “Hey, he’s gonna be okay. He seems strong.”

“He is,” you uttered sadly. “He’s a fighter.”

-

“Ryan! Take it easy! We’ve got all night!”

Your laughter was bubbling, easy and light, as you were led down the long path, where the trees grew in size and foliage, grew thickest, hiding your bodies as you ran beneath the moonlight. “You’re gonna hurt yourself.”

“We’re almost there.” He was not as out of breath as you had been, but his smile was bright and blooming, skin radiant as if he was reborn. “I’m not dragging you back to get more stitches.” The two of you stopped eventually, continuing at a brisk pace until you reached the end of the hill, watching over the once city the two of you had resided in, distant yet glooming.

“It… it still looks like shit as I remember it to be.” You exhaled, looking over Ryan from your right side. “That place still holds a lot to remember, don’t you think? The outbreak, the deaths, the burning of bodies.”

“I got to meet you.”

“You did,” you squeezed his hand encouragingly. “After I fell through the ceiling. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.” You shared a laugh, all thoughts aside when you stared across the distance. That city did hold some darkness and pain to you, but you knew that you would get out of there, not as one, but as two.

[chockfullofsecrets]

Critical Role: The Opposite of Cuddling

(Read on AO3)

Rating: Gen

Summary: And maybe it wouldn’t be too bad, but - “That’s not gonna work,” he says, feeling a little bad as her face falls. “I’m way too ticklish for that.”

Jester’s expression rebounds at lightning speed. “Caduceus! You’re ticklish?”

“Oh. Yeah,” he grins.

Dome cuddles don't quite work out, but the Mighty Nein make do.

Wordcount: 1.8k (it would be short if it wasn’t supposed to be a snippet fic aaa)

A/N: maybe i am just in the mood for cuddly gang tickles. maybe so. 

---

“So,” Jester is proselytizing, brandishing a diagram from her sketchbook into dubious faces, “if we cuddle up around Caduceus just like this it’s going to be super soft and comfy and warm until we get out of this stupid weather! Any questions?”

Caduceus puts his teacup aside and leans down to peer at the sketch. It’s really good, especially the faces. She must have drawn it while watching them sleep last night.

And maybe it wouldn’t be too bad, but - “That’s not gonna work,” he says, feeling a little bad as her face falls. “I’m way too ticklish for that.”

Jester’s expression rebounds at lightning speed. “Caduceus! You’re ticklish?”

“Oh. Yeah,” he grins. It feels good to see her happy, tail flicking as she clutches her sketchbook in clear delight - after two days of nonstop freezing rain, even her forceful cheer has been wavering. “It’s nice, sometimes, but not when we’re, you know. Sleeping.”

“So I could tickle you right now and you wouldn’t be, like, really mad at me?” Jester presses. She’s scooting towards him as she asks, practically trembling with excitement. It’s awfully cute.

Well, it’s been a while, but he can’t say he’s not a little eager for the contact. He ignores the looks from the rest of their group and flops back onto his bedroll, wriggling a little to get comfortable. “Yeah, that’d be good.”

“Um,” Beau says from somewhere behind him, a little strangled. Oh, right.

“We’re not keeping people awake, are we?” he asks, craning his neck to the various edges of the dome people have settled in. “Anyone set on sleeping right now?”

Beau makes a face. "That's not the weird part, Duceus."

“They can help!” Jester chirps, and then she’s cuddled into his side and wiggling tiny tiefling claws above his belly. “Oh, Ca-du-ceus!”

She’s pitching her voice as deep and scary as it can go. It’s not very far. “Yeah?”

“Where’s your very worst tickle spot?”

He laughs. “Telling you that feels like a bad idea.”

“Then I’ll just have to fi-ind it!” She tugs his shirt up with one quick move, and he barely has time to feel the cold before she’s latching onto his sides and burying her entire face into the downy fur on his belly. “Ooh, you’re so soft and warm! I want to cuddle you forever, Caduceus.”

It tickles, but just a little - honestly, he’s more amused by her. “Can’t say I’ve heard that before,” he chuckles, reaching out to poke gently at her side. “You’re not bad yourself.”

She squeaks, pulling her head up just enough to gasp at him. “Oh my gosh, Caduceus, did you just tickle me back? Guys, you have to come help me!”

“Nah, I’m good,” Beau snorts.

Jester lets out a massive sigh and flops back down onto him, and for a pleasant minute or two it’s just her nuzzling into him as he watches raindrops pelt off the amber dome overhead.

Then there’s a rustle, and some clinking, and before he can do anything more than lazily twitch one of his ears in the direction of the sound Yasha’s upside-down face pushes into his field of view.

“Do you mind if I join?” she asks in her quiet way. “I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

Jester springs upright, grabbing happily for her hands. “Yes! Join us!”

Caduceus echoes her, snorting out a quiet laugh as Jester regains some of her energy and starts to scribble her way up his sides. He doesn't have any quiet siblings - Yasha reminds him a little more of the mourners, so it’s always nice to see her reach out. He's good at appreciating that sort of thing.

Yasha smiles shyly down at the both of them as she pulls his head into her lap and starts to play with his ears. “These are so soft,” she marvels. “Are you ticklish here?”

His ears have always been one of his siblings’ favorite spots to tease him with, and apparently they haven’t gotten any less sensitive in the last ten years. “Yeah,” he gasps. “Heh - just - hehe - a little bit.”

There's a frustrated groan off to his right. “Okay, I’ll bite.” Footsteps track around to his side, fleet and quiet, and he waits patiently for a flash of blue cloth to cross his gaze. “But only ‘cause ears are a fucking weird spot and I want to see if this works on you.”

Beau crouches by his side and curls her fingers loosely. “I’m gonna punch you,” she warns. “Probably not that hard, but don’t tense up.”

He nods as best as he can while tilting his head to better let Yasha worry her fingernails at the backs of his ears - he’s not sure if he could feel more boneless if he tried, right now.

The heel of her fist strikes him right in the middle of his chest, fingers clutching around something intangible - that something scurries its way down every nerve he has, and he coughs out a startled laugh before he can help himself. “What was that?”

“Payback for growing lichen on me back at your house,” she quips, but her eyes are narrowed in clear concentration. “Okay, ears, ears… wrists? And knees? And - fuck, man, your entire back? Really? Jes, let’s flip him over, this is going to be good.”

Well, that’s unexpected.

“Wait - ha!” Caduceus yelps, squirming as fingers start to pry their way underneath him. “Hold on now-”

He’s bigger than both of them by far, but they’re strong and not above tickling the backs of his ribs until he starts to squeal. "You're so thin, Caduceus!" Jester exclaims, hooking a finger into the tender gap between two bones and wriggling it mercilessly - his back arches entirely without his permission, letting Beau pry him another inch off the ground, and he whines defensively. "We have to feed you more!"

They get as far as rolling him onto his side before Beau loses patience and starts prodding smugly at his spine. “Your ki is pretty shivery around here, Duceus,” she teases. “Trying to hide your worst spots, huh? Bet you thought we weren’t gonna take this seriously.”

Caduceus is too busy laughing to deal with - any of that, really, especially when Jester slings herself over him so she can reach his back too. “I’m - ahaha! aaa! - oh, that tickles!”

As if in direct response to his babbling, a small weight bundles into the back of his knees. He curls up reflexively with a strangled shout - it’s Nott, cuddling up to him with a shivery sigh as an invisible hand starts to pinch at his kneecaps. “You’re right,” she crows to Jester. “He is soft.”

It does feel nice, being buried under this many people and tickled till the marrow of every bone in his body shivers, happy and helpless, and when Fjord finally sits in front of him and presses a questioning hand to his shoulder Caduceus doesn’t resist the impulse to clutch his hands and pull him in closer.

Fjord comes easily, huffing in quiet amusement as Caduceus buries his face in him and Yasha and wriggles like a freshly surfaced earthworm. “You alright there?” he drawls. “You sound like they’re trying to kill you.”

Nott snorts from somewhere near his belly. “We should stop, then, we’ve only got the one cleric.”

“Hey!”

Everything abruptly derails as Jester launches herself towards Nott and, from the sound of it, kicks Beau right in the face - there’s wheezing, and then shouting, and then the telltale sugar-sweet scent of Jester’s healing magic.

Caduceus holds very still. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah," Beau confirms, mangled. He can practically picture Jester frantically squishing her cheeks around as she checks for damage.

A typical tickle fight, as far as the Clays are concerned, just with a different smell - the Wildmother's healing tends more earthy. Even though they’ve stopped tickling, Caduceus can’t help but laugh.

He’s not sure if he imagines Fjord fluttering light fingers along the insides of his wrists as he catches his breath, but by the time he wheezes out one last fit of giggles and rolls himself back over everyone seems to be keeping a respectful distance, if a good deal closer together than they were at the beginning of the evening. “I think that went pretty well,” he says, pleased.

“...so you’re stupid ticklish,” Beau says dryly, scrubbing a bit of dried blood from her lip. “No cuddling Duceus while he’s trying to be unconscious, message received.”

There’s a chorus of agreement from all but one - Caduceus looks around and spots their final member for the first time since they sat down for dinner, nose buried in a book and ears suspiciously red.

He hasn’t moved an inch all night, even to escape the noise, which leaves him only a few feet away from the rest of them. Caduceus gets the feeling he’s about to regret that. “Oh, I’m sure there are those that have it worse,” he grins. “Right, Mr. Caleb?”

Caleb’s gaze snaps up over the edge of his book. “Ja,” he rushes out, strangled. “I mean - nein - of course I am not - I am just trying to read here-”

Jester doesn’t wait for him to dig his grave any deeper. “Oh my gosh, Cay-leb, are you super ticklish too?”

Caleb stuffs his book back into its holster and holds a hand out preventatively, reaching with panicked precision for a strip of leather tied just above his knee with the other. “No, I am not-”

“Oh, no you don’t.” Fjord rocks backward and reaches out with one broad hand, latching onto Caleb's wrist, and Caleb promptly abandons all spellcasting to kick at him like a startled rabbit.

Despite that, he reels Caleb in gently, scooping him into a neat little ball before he heaves him into the middle of their little circle and squarely on top of Caduceus. “I think we owe you a nice, long thank you for this lovely dome, don’t we?”

There’s a moment of silence as Caleb presumably thinks about how easy it would be to kill them all in this enclosed space. “This,” he says, as severely as he can with his feet in the air and hair in his eyes, “is the opposite of cuddling, and if you do not leave me alone then tomorrow night I am going to make all of you sleep in the rain.”

Even the seasoned homebody in Caduceus knows that’s the exact wrong thing to say to a group of damp and grumpy adventurers - if the mood in the dome was mischievous before, it takes a steep dive into outright evil.

Beau cracks her knuckles. “Yeah? Let’s see what you have to say when we tickle you again tomorrow.”

And if Caduceus laughs as Caleb gives one startled owlish blink and then scrambles to hide as much of himself behind Caduceus as possible - well, that’s not from the tickling at all.

[korra-the-red-lion]

TOH s2e8: an character analysis.

Omg, that episode of the Owl House. That was just outstanding, start to finish. There’s a couple of major things I want to talk about in terms of Eda, Luz, and Amity. There will be spoilers ahead, so you’ve been warned.

When we first met Amity, she was bullying Willow. Quickly after that, Luz wormed her way into the little witchling’s heart and got her to open up. Throughout season 1 and 2 so far, Amity has faced a lot of her trials as a character already. In Understanding Willow and Wing It Like Witches, Amity finally choses for herself the people she wants to hang out with. She likes Luz, and she never stopped liking Willow, but her parents forced her to end the friendships they deemed unworthy of the Blight name. In Escaping Expulsion, we see Amity finally stand up to her mother. In the episode Through the Looking Glass Ruins, Amity takes further control of her life by cutting her hair and dyeing it a different colour than the green that her mother always makes her do. Amity has become dorkier and more true to herself as the series has progressed. She’s no longer hiding behind the façade of a mean girl to protect herself from getting hurt by her parents. She’s goofy, nerdy, and kind. But there was one thing that Amity hadn’t overcome yet until this episode:

Her fear of being rejected.

You can see Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on Hooty’s Door how more heartbroken she becomes as Luz destroys all the goofy Tunnel of Love stuff, because again, Amity is a huge nerd and she actually likes these kinds of things. But it’s at the very end when Luz (understandably, more on that in a bit) just derails the entire date due to her own insecurities that we see:

Utter heartbreak, because she thinks that Luz doesn’t feel the same way after all. She ends up tearing up when she says, “Us? Dating? That is stupid, right?” Amity never wanted to face that rejection, but since Grom, Luz seemingly (obviously she was) giving signs to Amity that perhaps she felt the same way. After agonizing about it, Amity decided to be brave enough to give it a shot. She finally faced that fear that held her back at Grom and thought that it all crashed and burned, like she feared it would after giving Luz that kiss. It all turned out in the end for the better, but Amity was so scared that it wouldn’t.

Next up is Luz.

One of the consistent traits of her character has been the fear of letting those around her down. Luz agrees to go to the crappy summer camp her mom wants her to go to because she doesn’t want to let her down. She is so scared to face her mami when the Grom beast turns into her because she was afraid of letting her down. She goes to steal the Witch’s Artifact because she wants to help Eda and it ends up backfiring horribly. So, Luz had finally let someone down. It was Eda, and it was heartbreaking for her. She blamed herself for everything that happened at the Owl House after that, which is why she behaved do recklessly in Separate Tides. The fear of letting someone down stems from the fear of messing up. Because when Luz thinks she messed something up, it relates back to her letting someone down. She messed up at school because she was “too weird” and end up letting her mom down.

So, Luz wanted to ask Amity out in the perfect way that would leave no room for failure. She needed everything to go as smoothly as possible because she didn’t want to mess up and have Amity not think the world of her. Luz is harder on herself than anyone has ever been on her. 

Amity says “if we could just forget about the whole thing...” and Luz instantly starts to panic because “no no no this can’t be happening I need this to go well” is probably racing through her head as she stumbles to get the proper words out. Of course, there is the disaster of the Tunnel of Love and Luz realizes afterwards that she (thinks, because again, she is her own worst critic) messed up, and she is shattered:

Because now her chances are gone. Luz probably thinks there is no hope left after this. Remember that kiss on the cheek? Luz reacted by staring at Amity before her eyes flickered to her lips, and Amity left in a hurried panic after that. Luz isn’t reading the signs wrong, but I suspect that past experiences left her burned on Earth and she is trying to be extra careful in expressing herself. But Amity likes the chaos that Luz brings. Luz thinks outside the box and is her own person, something Amity really wants for herself. So here, Luz faces her personal demons of the fear of messing up (again in her mind). But she didn’t really mess up at all, she was just so embarrassed that Hooty did this for her and reacted as she normally would, by doing everything she can to take back control of the situation.

Then we get the beautiful confession scene from the two of them and it really was beautiful to watch. I loved it, every second of it. Amity blurting out first before Luz could finish, the little hand hold at the end with Luz wondering why it felt so scary, it was so amazing. Also shout out to Sarah for voicing Luz with little voice cracks for the highly emotional moments for Luz.

Then there’s Eda.

So what is Eda’s character arc? Well, it’s a lot of things but I think the major one we see in play for the most part is the fear of her curse. But more specifically, the effect it has on Eda and her loved ones.

Eda never told Luz and King about the curse until she was forced too. King mentioned in the Intruder that he’s never seen Eda like that before. In Echoes of the Past, King was found by Eda when he was very young and she was a lot younger too. I think it’s been 8-10 years since Eda found King, so that’s a long time to hide something from someone you live with. But, Eda has always been ashamed of her curse (and the curse itself is a disability or a chronic illness, which a lot of people are ashamed to admit sometimes they have). Eda doesn’t want to burden people with that knowledge and goes to get lengths to manage it. But something that I think is important is in some way, Eda never learned to accept it herself. She tells her mom off for trying all these stupid pyramid schemes that were never going to work for her. The elixirs are the medication, but Eda knows it’s not going to stop her from hurting people if she loses control. She has hurt people she cares for, which is why she won’t tell Raine how bad it is. Eda’s curse gets worse the more she’s stressed or upset or startled.

The moment Eda realizes she hurt her dad because of the curse, she most likely made the decision to not let people get too close to her again. Raine breaks up with Eda because Eda won’t be entirely truthful with them about the curse. Raine is aware of it, but it seems like Eda never told them the extent of how bad it was. Eda blames the curse for hurting her dad, Eda blames the curse for pushing people away. But that wasn’t the curse who did those things, that was all Eda. Eda pushed people away because she was scared of what would happen to those she loved if they got too close, so it was easier for her to live her life out in solitude and away from everyone else because no one would get hurt by her. But once Eda finally realizes that she can’t only blame the curse on its own, because it is a part of her, she finally is able to accept that this is a part of her now. The curse isn’t something to be feared and ashamed of, it’s something that is a part of Eda and she must learn to live with it fully. Now that Eda has done this, she can finally start to live in a healthier way that allows to her to interact with people she cares about again. Because having a disability isn’t something you should ever been ashamed of. Using medication (like the elixir) is helping manage it, but you have to make lifestyle changes to accommodate the disability as well. 

Also she looks amazing. 

All three of these women have finally faced major fears that were holding them back. I never would have expected it from this episode, honestly, but that goes to show what an amazing writer and director Dana Terrance is. This episode pulled off some amazing feats and really brings home a lot of the development we’ve seen for them. I’m really looking forward to the rest of this season. It’s been pretty stellar from the start so far. 

[yandere-sins]

Hey there^^ Haven't done a request for quite a while but I'm pretty stuck myself and I could really use something to lift my mood, too, and your writing always does that :) So, I thought of Satan or Lucifer with prompt 3 and 34, maybe? If it's not too much it'd be nice if the reader could be rather anxious (my anxiety is really acting up these days .-.) but that's not that important

Have a nice day and stay healthy ^^

Blue

Hi Blue! Thank you for requesting ^-^ I decided to do some Satan bc I have another Lucifer request and this way we can have some variety :D Please enjoy! ^-^

Pills - “Be a good girl and sit still. You don’t want me to be unhappy right?”

Stickers - “One more time. I’m giving you one more chance to stop fucking resisting.

»»———————— ♡ ————————««  

“Be a good girl and sit still. You don’t want me to be unhappy, right?”

His demand sounded reasonable, and his voice was calm. Still, the hand clutching your thigh was too rough with your skin, the fingers digging into it painfully. Immediately, you stopped bopping your foot, a nervous habit you hadn’t even noticed you started.

How long had you been sitting in his lap for now? An hour? Two? It felt like the whole morning and was probably more like the entire day, but through the partially hidden window in Satan’s room, you couldn’t make out the time of day, even if the Devildom had varying daytime-lightning outside. But this way, you could only count the pages Satan had already read as any indications of time, even though it wasn’t a reliable source.

Clenching your fists on top of your legs, you wondered what else there was you could do. Perhaps it was one thing to read the day away, but it was an entirely different one when you were just the lapdog to someone doing it. Even if you showed interest in books, Satan preferred to keep you close to him, and unfortunately, his favorite reading chair didn’t allow two people to read comfortably. That, and the constant fear you might actually find something useful to slip out of his grip, made him decide that you could read only with him or not at all.

It was just a problem that the language of the book he was reading wasn’t one you could understand.

All you were reduced to was a stiff, anxious, warm body sitting on top of him, hoping that soon Satan would decide to do anything else. You couldn’t live with his suggestions of taking baths together or being left alone for hours to no end while he took care of daily business, but this was the third day in a row where things were simply... too calm.

You had been quick to cease bringing up arguments. Satan had scared you once when he grew angry before your life took this turn by his side. Still, it was nothing compared to the violent and oppressive force he used on you now when you acted ‘unsuitable’, as he called it. Part of you wanted nothing more than to scratch his face, bite and kick, but when you brought up the courage to stand up for yourself and your rights, his exuding magic alone made you crumble to your knees in primal, inferior fear, knowing all the bad things he would do to you if you pushed it any more than you already had.

Wherever he took the patience from, it was wearing thin regardless of its masses.

That, and that alone, was the reason you even listened to what he said.

Looking down at yourself, you might not have been able to see any bruises left on you, but you felt them in every flinching of your muscles. The soreness, the pain - they never disappeared, and Satan wasn’t going to help you forget by applying magic to heal them.

Instead, he caressed your thigh with his hand, fingers circling over your skin menacingly. Perhaps from an outside view, it looked almost sweet, but you felt nothing short of a warning from his touch. Every touch was calculated. A game. Maybe he truly wanted to help you calm, but you wouldn’t have put it past Satan to actually try and provoke you to do something stupid. It was his way of forgiving the bad things he did to you, much like an eye for an eye. He disapproved of many things, but he couldn’t quite justify his actions if you didn’t act up. Satan swore up and down that he preferred cats over dogs, but god beware you’d behave like one. Unknown sadistic tendencies seemed to ride him when it came to you, and from what you understood, you were his place of comfort and peace when you were in his arms and his punchbag if you made his days worse than they needed to be.

But arguably, you were just his; all he needed, either way.

Worse thoughts crossed your mind than this. Ideas of how similar he was to Lucifer when it came to oppressing, but you would have taken the eldest brother’s help without even a moment of hesitation. At the same time, you wanted nothing more than to get away from Satan. 

Encountering a sudden change of mood was what you feared the most. It happened too often. Satan wasn’t that hard to please, but he unexpectedly and sharply changed moods for no apparent reasons, just like a teenager.

What if he read a passage in his book he disliked? What if your foot began to bop again? What if your breathing was too loud? What if he decided you were too heavy... When would it stop? When would the worries finally go away?

He loved you. He told you he loved you, so why were you a prisoner in his room? Why did he refuse to let you go? See other people? Sleep in your own bed for a change? And why was he enraged every time such a wish crossed your mind?

The book in his hand lowered as you sunk deeper and deeper into your panicked thoughts, wondering what you should do from now on to stay on his good side and maybe regain your privileges. So many emotions fogged your senses; you didn’t even hear him take a deep breath as his eyes narrowed while they focused on your leg, nervously bopping up and down again.

However, you did notice the sudden jerk as he threw you off his lap, pain shooting through your body as you scrapped your knees on the floor. You hit the stacks of books Satan threw you into, hardcovers falling down on you, making you yelp as they felt like bombs raining down onto your body.

“What’s the matter this time?” he asked, standing up and closing the book. It took a lot of courage to look up at him, Satan’s pretty face and perfect posture as intimidating as the waspish shine in his deep green eyes. You perceived it as cold and belittling as he looked down on you, standing over your legs.

“I want to go home--” you whispered, close to tears as you averted your eyes from his, unable to look at him when he glared back at you so resentfully.

“[Name],” he called out to you in the most condescending way you could imagine someone speaking your name. However, you no longer could bear looking him in the eyes, and so, you let your head hang low, expecting the worst but hoping it was over soon.

“How long will you keep complaining. I was so good to you the last few days, wasn’t I? It’s all because you said you were unhappy with me, so I bettered myself, yet, you behave just the same. When will you realize this is home?”

Hearing this from him, you felt your heart break. Hearing that this dangerous, painful situation should be a norm and comfort for you made you want to throw up. But at the same time, it rose your spirits, and before you knew it, you were back on your wobbling feet, the pain being suppressed by adrenaline as you grabbed Satan by the collar. In retrospect, you realized you had been just like a frightened animal and snapped as he came too close for comfort.

“THIS ISN’T MY HOME! YOU ARE KEEPING ME HERE AGAINST MY WILL! WAKE UP, SATAN!” you screamed at him as loud as you could. Perhaps you wished for a stunned realization overcoming him, or maybe that someone else could hear you outside this little, private room. But it wasn’t like anyone came running to help anyway.

Instant regret flooded your mind as you felt his hands grip your wrists, the book he had held onto falling to the ground with a loud thud. A zip of magic sparked from where he grabbed you, burning through your body like venom. It was no question who was the stronger animal in this struggle, your body falling back and down into the pile of books with just one step Satan took forward. But with your hands still anchored in his clothes, you pulled him with you, and on top, giving him a chance to pin you down on the uncomfortable bed of books.

Though it felt like your bones were breaking under the pressure and awkward position, your will hadn’t been affected as much yet, your body instinctively pushing against him, even though it was futile.

“One more time. I’m giving you one more chance to stop fucking resisting.” The words escaped him through clenched teeth, a hostile fire flickering in his eyes that you were forced to stare into. You knew you had it coming for you. His rage. His anger. There was no way out now, and once again, you had made the situation worse for you than needed. Finally, as you felt your ragged breath fill your lungs unreliably, you calmed down, tears shooting to your eyes while the sobs escaped from your mouth.

For a minute or two Satan merely let you bawl it out, the streams of tears falling down your cheeks and onto the books beneath you, but it was of no concern to either of you. At least now, he didn’t tell you to cease your sadness too, and you realized all he wanted was for you to stop attacking him, even if it was unfair when he apparently was allowed to.

Instead, you found yourself being scooped into his arms, face pressed into his shoulder as you hugged him instinctively. His hold was right out of a book about how to console crying children, his hands perfectly falling to your head and back, calmingly rubbing over the hurt part of your body.

“Please...” you sobbed into his shirt.

“I love you. I will always love you, even if you do this to me,” he assured you. You didn’t want it. Not his love, not being held by him like this, not him playing the victim in this scenario. As if it was your fault he had to do these terrible things.

“Just... please...”

“Forever. We will stay together.”

His words did nothing to help you, even more crying ensuring as they laid down heavily on your mind.

“You’re all I have. All that only belongs to me,” Satan whispered while you shook your head softly, rubbing in the wet stains into his clothes and wishing it was all just a nightmare that you could wake up from.

“That’s why, from now on, I will be the only one for you as well.”

But you never woke up from it.

[You can find the prompt list here]

[rvmmm21]

Would you comsider a steamy wenrene where irene is gentle with her wannie? you can make it yandere but please I just need to see irene be nice to wendy for a change 😢😢😢😢

considered. written. how does it feel to get a whole bunch of NOTHING. hahaha. i tried, but what am i if not a frustrating pit of maybes. have your 50%. 

tw: wendy’s LIES.

– – – – –

“Wan–ah, don’t be ridiculous.” Joohyun calls back as Seungwan’s hand reaches for the door, patting the mattress beside her in that totally–not–demanding–but–demanding voice of hers. “I know you’ve been having nightmares. Sleep with me tonight.”

Seungwan freezes, then dips her gaze. Damn, the duvet on Joohyun’s side suddenly looks ten times fluffier than hers. It… can’t hurt, right? Just one night. After a visible deliberation, Seungwan edges her way over and gingerly settles down, lifting the duvet and artlessly snuggling under it with a nervous chuckle. Gosh, it’s even warmer than she’d expected. Or… wait, is that just her own body heat from how fast her heart is going? She has no idea. And it’s not like she can think of much other than the whiffs of that crisp fabric conditioner Joohyun loves to use. 

“Night, Wannie. Sweet dreams. I hope you—”

“G’night unnie,” Seungwan accidentally interjects Joohyun while she’s bidding her goodnight. She half expects an eye-roll for that awkward timing but Joohyun simply huffs fondly and turns to face away from her.

Wow, good job. No, seriously. Way to go, Seungwan. Jesus.

The older is out like a light, leaving the other sweating in the dark with a racing heart and an embarrassingly explicit reel of thoughts.

It’s fine, it’s not like she’ll know, right? I’ll just stay up, Seungwan thinks, pulling the duvet up under her chin. For a good two minutes, all she can hear is the sound of the soft snoring next to her. She focuses on her own mechanical breathing, staring up into the darkness. 

The gentle draft from the ceiling fan is drying her eyes out. That’s fine, though. Because she has no intention of sleeping.

As much as Seungwan is determined, so is the fatigue. And it isn’t long before she’s drifting off into the first proper sleep she’s had in forever. Thank god they established the mandatory ten inches of space between them before Joohyun knocked out. There’s no way Seungwan’s crossing that boundary anytime soon; invisible as it may be, and as loudly as Joohyun may have laughed at her when she suggested it.

What was it Joohyun called her? A weirdo? Whatever, she isn’t about to take any chances. Especially not when she’s almost four hundred percent sure Joohyun doesn’t know about the… little crush she’s harbouring.

A little later on into the night Seungwan feels a distant tapping on her shoulder, and then she’s opening her eyes to a gentle smile nudging her awake. It’s only her side profile, but Joohyun’s beauty is dazzling, even through the filter of the night. Seungwan unconsciously licks her lips. 

“Wan–ah, it’s nice but—” the older woman pauses for a soft yawn, “bit looser please… hard to breathe.”

Once Seungwan shakes herself awake enough to make sense of what she’s hearing, she barely manages to keep from having a heart attack right there and then. She is— to her absolute horror— curled right into Joohyun’s back, practically nuzzling into the nape of her neck with her arms wrapped (breath–takingly snugly, apparently) around her waist, like a little puppy snuggled up to the warmth of its mother.

“Oh!” she yelps, reeling back in shock and doing her best to let Joohyun know she’s repulsed at herself, not her. 

I— I thought you were my bolster, unnie?! She wants to scream.

Too bad she’s so preoccupied in berating herself to notice the look on Joohyun’s face. The one that screams she anything but minded. Seungwan tries to detach herself from Joohyun’s back, but to her surprise, Joohyun stops her with a firm— “It’s okay. Stay.”— and an arm on top of hers, holding it there. 

Guess they’re spooning tonight.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

They’re kissing. Joohyun’s kissing her. Electrified dewdrops on grass blades catch between Seungwan’s prying fingertips, cool and wet. One by one, they’re absentmindedly plucked out of the soil when Joohyun connects their smiles in the humid summer air, murakami flowers embroidering their hearts together. 

The scent of vanilla–mint shampoo is cloying her nose. She’s tasting her, fingers are tangling in her hair, tilting her back slightly… 

“J–Joohyun unnie…” 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“W—Wannie?”

A perfect voice cuts through her dream, a hand on her shoulder already gingerly rousing her from her sleep.

Again.

“Wan—ah… you said my name.” And of course, Joohyun’s groggy voice sounds good enough to kiss, damn it. “Are you having a bad dream?”

“Mm… sorry unnie, sorry…” Seungwan mumbles softly, rolling onto her back with a huff and palming her eyes, trying to adjust to reality. 

Joohyun shimmies closer. Her vision is fuzzy, but she can still see Seungwan. Gosh, she thinks, giving her a once over, that dream must’ve been horrible. The poor thing is sweating. 

If only Joohyun knew the truth, the warmth in Seungwan’s cheeks might’ve been raised several degrees… alongside the warmth below her waistband. 

Suddenly the room is far, far too hot. Suddenly, Seungwan wishes she wasn’t trapped under Joohyun’s incredibly comfortable duvet with the most attractive woman on the planet. She tries to stretch her legs, tries to create a small air pocket to let some of that suffocating heat escape, but it does little to cool anything down. Ironically, it garners more of Joohyun’s attention, feeling the other girl shift so uncomfortably like that. After a couple of tense, silent moments, Seungwan’s tolerance snaps and she moves to get up. But Joohyun catches this instinctively and snakes an arm around her waist, tugging her down, stopping her from leaving again.

Seungwan seems adamant this time, though. “Unnie… I should go back to my room—”

Joohyun isn’t listening, choosing instead to press her with a question of her own. “Aren’t you going to tell me what you were dreaming about?” 

Whatever, Seungwan thinks, just give her the sparknotes version. There’s no need for her to know everything.

“We…” she admits slowly, “… we were in the grassy patch under the tree… you— you know, where we usually…?”

She pauses to make sure Joohyun is following. Sure enough, that patient nod gives her the answer she needs to nervously clear her throat.

“And it was raining but it stopped, and then… and then. Ahh, I don’t know. I think I need to cool off, unnie, I need to pee anyway,” Seungwan lies. She barely manages to pull the covers off her and push her hands into the mattress before Joohyun is gently holding her down to it, hovering over her in a way that has her airways clogged and her heartbeat an irregular mess.

“You’re sweating,” Joohyun points out the one thing Seungwan’s trying to hide. “You’re overheated. Are you feeling alright?”

Seungwan wants to say yes. So, so badly. But she shakes her head. It’s not a definitive shake, but it’s one vague enough that Joohyun remains inquisitive. Seungwan curses herself for being so honest. Why couldn’t she just push her out of the way? And did she have to agree to sleeping with her tonight? Why couldn’t she just have said it was a nightmare?

Why can she never lie to Joohyun? Even if it’s to preserve her own dignity?

“I’m going to the bathroom. I really have to pee.” Seungwan insists, and Joohyun is all but convinced. She looks down at the girl under her with such gentleness. And then she leans over, supporting herself on one elbow beside Seungwan’s head while she brings her other hand up to caress her cheek.

There’s a tiny gasp from the girl at the sudden (but not entirely unwelcome) closeness. “... unnie… you— you’re too close.”

Joohyun gracefully ignores her, moving her fingers from Seungwan’s face to trace the loose neckline of her t-shirt, showing her exactly what she means. “I think you want me closer, don’t you, Wannie?”

“You’re blushing all over. Look, here…” Joohyun starts with a cold finger on Seungwan’s lower abdomen, sending a heated chill up her spine. She sucks in a sharp breath when Joohyun folds the hem of her sleep shirt up, exposing the flushed skin on her stomach. “... and here, too…”

“U-Unnie… please…” 

But her unnie’s hand wanders wherever it pleases, ignorant to Seungwan’s helpless pleas. It strays further and further south and the younger girl isn’t even aware of what’s going on until there are fingers teasing at the waistband of her shorts. 

“Seungwan?” 

— who has been subconsciously licking her lips, stops as soon as she realises Joohyun’s eyes have been following the movements of her tongue the entire time. 

“Seungwan,” Joohyun repeats, resting a hand on her thigh, “what happened next, in your dream…”

Ah, what’s the worst that could happen? Seungwan tells Joohyun the truth and spontaneously combusts. That, or they never speak or look each other in the eyes ever again. Joohyun’s already gotten this far, Seungwan thinks she has nothing else to lose.

Her voice is hardly louder than a whisper. “We… kissed. You— you kissed me.”

She isn’t sure if the older woman is actually paying attention to the highlight of her dream anymore, because the feathery touch that had been resting on her hip bone is now skimming down, seeking the heat emanating from between her legs. She lets out an embarrassed squeak that dissolves into a strangled whimper when Joohyun strokes over her panties.

“And did you like it, Wannie? Was I good?” 

“Wha— huh? Unnie, what do you m—”

Joohyun doesn’t wait for a coherent answer. She leans down and shushes Seungwan’s stutter with a kiss, and a fierce new blush scribbles across the blonde’s cheeks as her eyes instinctively flutter closed.

Right now, Seungwan can’t deny it no matter how much she wants to.

“You’re amazing, unnie.”

Joohyun smiles. “Don’t worry Wannie, everything’s going to be alright. Let me take care of you now, okay?”

With bashful eyes, Seungwan nods. If Joohyun says it’ll be okay, she has no doubt that it will.

[dianapana]

SH Day 9 – Never Have I Ever

@sasuhinamonth

Rated T, Modern AU, OOC

Oof , for this one ideas just wouldn't come to me, so once again I looked through older stories I never finished and found this one which I thought fit to a certain degree. I didn’t really wanna go the normal route of the game itself, so I just interpreted the prompt as a new experience. I hope you enjoy, ~Love, Dia

It wasn’t uncommon for people to randomly sit down at his table, especially if those people were girls. They’d stumble onto the seat and act like it was all an accident, like they didn’t see him and thought the table was empty, or that they tripped and ‘landed’ on the seat. Other times they’d ask if they could sit because there were no free tables anymore, granted this last excuse happened to be true once or twice, but usually, it was just a lie and the two would sit in awkward silence for a few moments staring at each other with a number of empty seats all around.

However, the person sitting across from him was a girl he saw around the diner quite often, urgency written all over her face. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her, but the situation didn’t faze him at all, thus he continued eating, putting 2 French fries in his mouth and slowly chewing, waiting for her to state her reason and purpose.

“I need you to pretend we’re here together” Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her. “My ex just walked in and I’m not in the mood to deal with him. If I’m here with someone, in this case you, he’ll either leave me alone or he’ll at least leave sooner.” His eyes moved to a guy that was just walking to the counter still obvious to his ex-girlfriend. “Please…” her eyes were begging him to help.

Sasuke sighed and pushed his milkshake her way. “It’d be strange if we were here together and I was the only one that had ordered something” Her pale eyes lit up like Christmas trees.

“Thank you so much. I’m Hinata by the way” She gave him a genuine smile. He nodded her way.

“Sasuke. I’d shake your hand but that would look strange since we’re supposed to be here together.”

For a second, silence fell over their table but Hinata started giggling at what he just said, her laugh could have also been intertwined with nervous laughter for it was a little too loud for Sasuke’s own liking, either way, he couldn’t help but smirk her. Naruto would freak if he saw Sasuke talking to a stranger, a girl no less, and not only that, but he was actually putting in the effort to help her and maintain a conversation. He had never willingly had a conversation with a stranger before.

Sadly Hinata’ sudden laughing fit turned the attention of a white-haired guy, also known in Sasuke’s head as the girl’s ex, to them. The said guy looked their way, moment in which Sasuke noticed the myriad of feelings showing onto his expression, he seemed to go from hopeful to confused to slightly irritated and then settle for putting on a fake smile and strolling their way.

“Hinata, long time no see, how are you?” The ex-boyfriend looked at her and gave Sasuke a not-so-subtle glare. He took in their table before raising an eyebrow and immediately asking another question, essentially cutting Hinata off before she could answer his first question. “Matcha milkshake? I thought you hated those”

“Oh, I used to yea, but I think they changed the receipt here. I tasted one sip from when Sasuke ordered one last time and it was pretty good, so today I wanted to see for myself” She said smoothly and took a big sip of her, well…his milkshake. “And I’ve been pretty good. How about yourself?” She smiled way too sweetly at him.

“Uh…can’t complain” He took another second to examine them again. “Well, I was actually thinking maybe we can get together and have dinner sometime next week?”

“Dude, you don’t ask out a girl when she’s already out with another guy, that’s just fucking messed up” Sasuke said, without actually meaning to his voice got deeper and he glared at the ‘ex-boyfriend’. He didn’t care that he and Hinata weren’t there together for real, it’s a universal rule you don’t ask out a girl if she’s there with a date, that’s just a douchey move.

Hinata was grinning at him from behind her hand, her eyes glittering with amusement. Sasuke had to admit something to himself, the strange girl was pretty, but she was even more beautiful while she smiled.

“Chill dude. I didn’t think this was a date” he said raising his hands as if trying to say he meant no harm. “I mean who the fuck brings a date at this shitty diner” He whispered under his breath, but both Hinata and Sasuke heard him and their moods turned pretty dark. Sasuke’s instinct was the punch the guy’s lights out, another new feeling he hadn’t experienced, at least not because of a girl. He is usually in control of his emotions and rarely loses his cool.

“Sasuke wanted to go have a sweet picnic in the park near my house, which was so thoughtful and sweet, but sadly the weather didn’t agree with him because it started raining. That’s when I remembered how I wanted to taste the milkshake, so I proposed we came here to wait for the rain to stop.” Sasuke had to admit, her lying skills were top-notch, her story had a natural flow to it, she composed a strong and believable narrative with pretty much no holes, her delivery too added to its credibility, fot she spoke with such ease. Hinata reached for his hand that was on the table and squeezed it while spreading her web of lies. Sasuke noticed the ex-boyf rolling his eyes, and a part of him felt utter satisfaction from the jerk’s annoyance.

“Whatever. I gotta bounce anyway. See you around” He turned and started walking out the diner without waiting for a reply. Sasuke snorted when he noticed that the ex didn’t even purchase anything. He was lost in his own world of trash-talking the guy but was got distracted by the petite girl in front of him that whispered not so quietly “I fucking hope not.”

“Well, that was fun.” He smirked at her. “Let me guess, bad break-up?” Hinata sighed and ran both hands over her face.

“The worst. It was a set up and we went on a few dates which were fine I guess, but I just didn’t really want a relationship at the time, or at least not with him. Either way, the break-up itself took like 3 hours cuz he just wouldn’t accept it.” She took another sip of his milkshake and gaged. “Oh god, I forgot how awful this tasted.” She said more to herself, it didn’t take her a full second to turn beet-red.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry this is yours. I d-didn’t mean to drink from it, it just happened. Let me buy you a new one” She got onto her feet but Sasuke grabbed her wrist and forced her to sit back down.

“Don’t worry about it. You barely drank any”

Had he been in his right mind he’d tell the girl to buy him extra fries too for the trouble and then he’d tell her to scramble. But for some reason or another, he didn’t want her to leave just yet. He pulled the glass back to him and drank from it just to prove to her everything was fine.

“I don’t understand how you can drink that. It’s not even sweet” Her nose wrinkled in disgust, Sasuke didn’t throw the world ‘cute’ around easily but she looked adorable.

“I hate sweets. So, this is perfect” Her jaw dropped, she looked like he had just said he hated puppies and his mother. Hinata blinked a few times, closed her mouth and opened it to say something, closed it back again. She looked genuinely confused, like someone that hated sweets wasn’t meant to exist.

“I-I don’t understand. How can you hate sweets? T-They make the world a better place. Don’t tell me that after a shitty day you don’t go home to eat a gallon of ice cream with a dozen of cookies because I will not believe you”

Now it was his turn to gag just thinking about the amount of sugar in the ‘snack’ she described. His reaction repulsed her.

“Oh wow. I’m perplexed. I had no idea people like you existed”

The fact that she said it with straight face made him believe she honestly didn’t think that what he said could be true, which for some reason he found extremely funny.

“Huh, you learn something every day.” She said with a smile, it seemed she had gotten over her confusion and found the whole conversation quite as amusing as he did.

A waitress came over to take Sasuke’s now empty milkshake glass.

“Would you like anything else?”

“Could you please bring me a veggie burger and a blueberry lemonade? And some fries too” She ordered and it relieved him that she did, he hadn’t had a lunch companion besides Naruto in a while.

“I’d also like some fries and another matcha milkshake”

“I’ll be right back,” The older woman said and left right away. When he turned back to the girl before him, she was staring at him with a small smile on her lips so he raised an eyebrow at her.

“I was sure you’d tell me to leave, or tell the waiter you’d like the bill and left yourself.” She put both of her hands on the table and played with her bracelet. “I’ve seen you around the diner. You’re not the…most welcoming face here and I’ve also saw you get up and leave on multiple occasions when someone sat at your table”

Her cheeks were a shade or two darker and she didn’t look at him but rather looked at her fidgeting hands. She was embarrassed for admitting she noticed him way before this encounter, she was nervous that she had crossed a line. What she said was true, he knew he wasn’t the nicest person but he did genuinely enjoy her presence, also he’d been in a number of situations where he would have liked someone to pretend to be there with him so he’d escape an acquaintance or a fangirl. Plus, the very same day Naruto told him he should do an act of ‘kindness’ a day or his karma would turn bad. He didn’t believe in the nonsense his blonde friend talked about, but when she sat down she looked in so much distress even he didn’t have the heart to tell her to leave.

“You’re right, But, you looked frightened, I’m not heartless,” He said in a neutral voice and Hinata blushed even redder. His lips twitched upward. Where did her confidence and acting skills go?

“I-I-I didn’t mean you are heartless…just…umm, uh” she was at a loss of words.

“It’s fine. You didn’t offend me” Hinata looked up at him relived.

“I didn’t? Oh, that’s really good, because I didn’t mean anything rude by what I said” her shoulders relaxed and her blush faded, not completely she was still a bit flushed but not quite as red as before.

“Since you knew there was a chance, I’d leave why did you sit here?”

Her smile softened a little. “Have you ever seen a person and had the urge to talk to them? For them to be your friend? I don’t mean to sound creepy, but every time I saw you here, I always wanted to talk to you, I just never had the courage. I guess the situation gave me the opportunity to do so. And I’m quite glad because, I don’t know about you, but I’m having a pretty good time talking to you” her cheeks flared even redder with each confession, for some reason admitting her thoughts in front of him was embarrassing. “Oh, just so you know, I’ve never done this before. I just had a pretty bad day and didn’t want it to get worse by having to be in his company for long.”

Their talk continued for a while longer until finally, their food arrived. The older waitress placed their orders on the table.

“There you go. Enjoy your food”

“Thank you” Hinata nodded at the waitress with a smile.

“I have one more question.” Sasuke said as Hinata took a sip of her lemonade, but gestured with her hand for him to go on. “What happened? When he was here you were a very smooth talker, but when you thought you offended me you seemed to be drowning in your own words”

Her blush came back and Sasuke decided he quite liked how she looked with it. She played with the tips of her hair, rolling it onto her finger. “W-when I was little, I was extremely shy, I couldn’t even look at strangers, my parents entered me in acting classes in hopes that I’d get over it. It didn’t really go as planned. I’m a lot better now, obviously but I still get anxious easily. Even so the acting classes did help me, when I’m in a crisis I seem to calm down and I’m able to collect my thoughts” She looked a bit over his shoulder in deep thought. “It’s like a defence mechanism but it doesn’t always work. Case in point when I o-offended you, which I’m sorry about again”

“I see…also you didn’t offend me, I told you this before. You only stated your opinion, which was true by the way”

She smiled at him once more and they started eating, it wasn’t complete silence, they made small talk asked about normal things, hobbies, friends, school and all that. Once they were finished and Sasuke asked for the bill since it was getting pretty dark and the rain finally stopped, he noticed her playing with the bracelet again.

“Something wrong?”

“Huh?” she looked up at him confused.

“You were fidgeting your hands like you did before when you were nervous. Is something bothering you?”

Hinata opened her mouth. They had spent about 2 or 3 hours together and he was able to pick up some of her habits already. He did seem like the type of person that paid attention, he was quiet but observing. Without meaning to she associated him with one of those old people from the park that sit on a bench and watch everyone pass by, like they don’t belong to this world, they just witness it, they are watchers that see the smallest details.

He didn’t know what she was thinking about, but her smile was beautifully tragic, she seemed sad, or at least contemplative.

“I was just thinking how much I enjoyed our…lunch? Dinner? And was wondering how awkward it would be to…a-ask for your number m-maybe?”

He also liked when she stuttered a little. “I don’t see why not. I enjoyed myself as well”

If only Naruto saw him give his number to a girl, the blonde would never let this slide, which was also why he’d never tell his blonde best friend about the petite blue-haired girl that made his ordinary day a little bit extraordinary, she proved that sometimes doing things you’ve never done can have a good end result, in this case talking to a stranger and pretending to date led to a pleasant evening and hopefully a friend and maybe more.