#Alt 2

[221beloved]

Rainy Day alt. prompt

(Link to ao3)

Sherlock was standing in front of the window when John entered the sitting room. He must’ve seen John hurrying through the thick drops of rain, must’ve heard him muttering and swearing on the stairs, fighting his way out of his dripping coat.

And yet he was standing there motionlessly, looking out on the street, almost as if asleep on his feet.

John tilted his head. Sherlock had always had these… dark phases, where his state of mind came dangerously close to depression. But since his connection with John became even deeper, since they’d become a “proper couple,” his dark moods were usually not that severe.

Yet they were still worrying John, making him ache.

He stepped closer to Sherlock, bumping into the table on his way, just in case Sherlock really was so deep in thought that he hadn’t noticed John’s presence.

Sherlock didn't move, but when John was close enough to feel the warmth radiating from the other man’s body, he tilted his head ever so slightly. It was a sign, and John let out a relieved breath. It meant, yes, I know you’re here, yes, I want you to be around me, yes, I will be fine.

Carefully John closed the gap between their bodies, pressed his chest flush against Sherlock’s back and wrapped his arms around his torso. He could feel Sherlock lean back into him, and his hands came up to cover John’s on his chest.

“What are you thinking about?” John murmured into the fabric of the dressing gown.

“Nothing,” Sherlock said after a long moment of silence.

“Everything.”

John hummed in understanding. He knew this feeling. Everyone experienced this from time to time. Yet Sherlock’s mind was nothing like John’s, and the man was probably ripping himself and the world apart with an accuracy John couldn’t possibly imagine.

John stretched up and placed a gentle kiss on the nape of Sherlock’s neck, then loosed his arms around his body.

“Come on,” he said, stepping back. “Let’s have a proper day in then. There is kind of an agenda to follow on rainy days.”

He sent Sherlock to light a fire in the fireplace, while he retreated into the kitchen, filling the kettle, placing cups and plates on a tray, together with some of the biscuits Sherlock had made a couple of days ago.

Sherlock was already sitting on the sofa when John re-entered the sitting room, looking at him expectantly, a blanket next to him.

John put the tray on the coffee table, got comfortable on the sofa and motioned for Sherlock to cuddle up to him, then spread the blanket over their bodies.

Sherlock sighed contentedly. “And what else is on that agenda of yours?”

John chuckled, running a hand through the thick, dark curls.

“That’s pretty much it, to be honest. Light a fire, drink some tea. Cuddle up under a blanket. Don’t move. Maybe talk, take a nap, read a book. Listen to the raindrops tapping against the window. Be warm and comfortable.”

Sherlock was silent for a long time.

“Can you tell me something?” he asked eventually. “Anything. About your day at the clinic?”

John lowered his head to press a kiss on Sherlock’s scalp.

“Of course love. Whatever you want.”

And he told Sherlock about Mrs. Gough, who was coming every week, telling the weirdest stories about her cat. He told Sherlock about the little boy who’d almost bitten him in the finger. He told Sherlock about patients and colleagues, until he dozed off in John’s arms, tea long forgotten on the table and the fire slowly dying out, leaving warmth and gently glowing embers behind.

--

Please tell me if you want to be added or removed from the list!

@flufftober @meetinginsamarra @a-victorian-girl @lisbeth-kk @topsyturvy-turtely

@keirgreeneyes @the-reading-lemon @totallysilvergirl @helloliriels @221bug

@quiscustodiet @willamholmeswatson

[plutodexay]

Rainy day w/Coryo

@flufftober, alt 2, Rainy day

Gen!reader

Coriolanus was seemingly deep into his book, sitting by the window covered in the pouring rain and unmoving for what felt like hours. Any attempt to move him has been futile. That was until he got to the last pages. You watched intensely as every minute caused him to turn another page, waiting for the moment the book closed.

Once it did, he set it down on the small table next to him. Standing up to stretch, his shirt moving up slightly as you heard his back pop in the silence. He looked over to you, a small smile was on his face before the stern professional look took over once again.

It caught him off guard when you walked over to him, deciding to take matters into your own hands as you grabbed his wrist tightly and started dragging him towards the closed door. Words of confusion started spewing from his lips but it didn't stop you, and he wasn't putting up a fight. That was until the door opened, he heard the rain hitting the sidewalk.

"Don't even think about it." Coryo spoke, trying to sound stern but the attempt fell on deaf ears.

"Oh I've thought about it, its happening." Before he could have any sort of rebuttal, you pulled him out of the threshold with a force he didn't know you possessed.

He let out a gasp as the rain started to hit him, immediately causing his hard to stick against his forehead. A scowl spread across his face but he didn't fight as you pulled him further into the puddled road. Instead he reached out his other hand to grab yours, opting to hold it which allowed you to let go of his wrist.

This time you were pulled into him, still under the torrential downpour, but now also pressed against his newly skin tight shirt. Even with the presence of annoyance he still went along with what was seemingly your plan.

It was a weirdly soft gesture from the man, he refused to let you go, holding you flush against him as the rain fell, swaying you two slightly. A moment of weakness even in the darkness

Idk how to end this one <3

queued 9/20/24

[odemayarts]

DAY 8 (alt prompt 2)!!! And of course you know I had to draw cherries :)

[becausebuckley]

we have each other | buddie | getting together | 1.7k

buck and eddie, waking up after they confessed their love for each other

written for @flufftober alternate prompt 2: rainy day!

Buck wakes up to the sound of rain falling down. The gentle pitter-patter on the roof grows louder, a rhythmic symphony that draws Buck from his slumber. His eyes flutter open, adjusting to the dim light filtering through the curtains. The rain’s melody beckons him, whispering promises of puddles to splash in and petrichor-scented air to breathe deeply. Buck loves the rain. He always has. As a kid, he loved going outside and jumping in puddles, stomping around in his little rain boots. It used to infuriate his parents to no end, at least until Maddie took over doing Buck’s laundry and their parents no longer had to deal with his wet, dirty clothes. Now, too, Buck loves the rain. He loves lazing around when it rains, loves going for jogs in the drizzle. If there’s not too much wind, he likes to open his balcony doors, let the smell and sound drift into his loft. His muscles twitch with the urge to climb out of bed and press his nose against cool glass, to watch droplets race down the windowpane and see the world washed anew. Maybe he’ll go downstairs, open those balcony doors. But as he shifts, he becomes aware of a warm weight across his torso. Eddie’s arm, strong and protective, holds him close. Eddie’s arm. Eddie, still asleep. Eddie, in bed with Buck, because Buck isn’t in the loft at all.

read the full fic on ao3 here!

[psychologeek]

Lab Rat (pt. 3)

FEBUWHUMP 2024 PROMPTS: DAY 5: rope burns DAY 6: "you lied to me" ALT 2: "i love you"

“You lied to me,” Jazz sounds at the edge of tears. 

“What?” He can hear Danny argue. “I did not –”

“You lied to me,” she repeats. “I asked you if you'll be okay. I asked you if you are safe, and you said that you were. You said that I don't need to worry. That it's okay.”

“It was–” the kid sounds confused.

“Being tied to a bed and tortured is not okay!” she nearly screams. 

“That wasn't torture–”

“I saw the ropes, Danny.” Her voice is soft and fragile. “I saw how they tied you up to your bed. Just because you told them you were different.”

“They were scared, that's all. You know how they can be. It didn't hurt me.” He still tries to protect them.

“Danny, sweetheart,” she says quietly. “You still had rope burns when I found you. And even if you didn't – even if it was silk ribbons, and you could open it at any time– even if you never got a single scratch – it's still wrong. They shouldn't do it. They should have never hurt you, kiddo.”

There's a long quiet.

Jason takes the chance and takes a quick look across the corner. Dannys sitting there, on the couch, hugging his legs. Jazz is sitting by his side, not touching, a soft expression on her face.

“It wasn't a big deal,” the kid finally whispers. “It wasn't like- well, at the end. You saw. It wasn't that bad. They just did it because they cared, and they didn't want me hurt or–”

He's shaking now.

“I love you,” his sister says and hug him. “I love you, and I care about you, and I promise I'll do my best so one day, you'll learn that love isn't supposed to hurt.” 

“Sounds fake, but okay,” Danny says with a cheeck and hugs her back.

He still has healing wounds. His scars are massive and easily observed. His hands are shaking, and he's jumping at loud noises.

He's got a long way to go.

But Jason can see a faint smile on the kid's lips, and something inside is quiet.

(There's still hope.)

(Like it? I have more mini-fics in this au. And full size fics on ao3. please vote in my update poll! And the one for next week! Bc I try to work ahead LMAO)

[siberat]

going for a ride alt 2

second alt for this piece- n/s/f/w- on my fa page. Sadly, can o ly really show a cropped version of his face here. lol.

[incorrectmarvelquotesss]

— flufftober (day 2) —

Warnings: fluff, alcohol consumption, some sexual content

Prompt: “You’ve told your parents?” (alt2)

Pairing: College!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Word Count: ~900

@flufftober

The beat of the music dropped, everyone going quiet with it before jumping in the air and yelling as the guitars and drums went on again. Drinks sloshed in their cups, some dripping onto the shoes of young adults who couldn’t bring themselves to care yet. They would complain about the stains littering their clothes, the headache that made their head spin, and muscles that burned in the morning.

For now they were trying to forget it all.

They wanted to party before midterm break was over and they would have to bury their noses back into their textbooks with caffeine stored beside them. Before the professors started droning on about a class that some of the students were forced to take and had no interest being in, but their grades were being accounted for. Even some of the highest ranking students were there, some keeping to their known groups while some let loose and ventured further to talk to new people.

Bucky looked down and sighed, turning to lean against the wall with his shoulder. He swirled his glass and took a quick sip of the cheap liquor inside. 

Maybe a year ago he would have been drunk beyond measure, ready to have some reckless fun. Maybe he would have already been adding new numbers to his phone, giggling girls hanging off of his arms and him trying his best to seem interested. He might have been letting some random girl he couldn’t remember the name of grind on him. 

But now his gaze was focused on you, standing beside him with a gentle grin on your face as you talked with exaggerated hand movements. Your eyes lit up when Bucky smiled softly—Steve was probably somewhere in the crowd telling Sam that he was making heart eyes at you. His eyes dropped to your lips for a second, just to see your pink lipstick still smudged from when he had kissed you in the kitchen while grabbing a snack.

His chest swelled with warmth and something close to pride, seeing the remnants of his sneaking around with you. He shifted his weight, eyes still on you, as he realized he should be listening to you. It wasn’t his fault that he was so hopelessly in love with you that he got distracted every time you were near.

“… don’t know if I should go home for the holidays. They expect you to be there, but I’m pretty sure you—”

“You’ve told your parents?” Bucky blurted out, looking at you with wide eyes. “About me?” His heart was beating faster with every second that passed, pounding against his ribs as if it was trying to jump out into your hands.

You laughed nervously, tucking a strand of loose hair behind your ear and then intertwining your hands together. You averted your eyes from him for the first time this evening, watching a couple sneak into one of the rooms, which happened to be Sam’s bedroom. Bucky thought it served him right for hosting this stupid party at the apartment they shared.

“I mean, yeah. Is that weird?” Your eyes trailed back to him slowly, nodding your head to answer his question. You lifted a shoulder to your ear, dropping it a moment later along with your smile. You looked at loss for words and Bucky wasn’t doing much better.

His ears were thumping with blood, cheeks scorching hot and his lips left parted with a breathy huff. He was spinning without moving from his spot, the room seemingly deciding to do cartwheels. When you seemed to dim and looked around as if searching for an escape, Bucky snapped into action. His lips spread into a wide smile, dimples and crinkles and all.

“Hey, honey, listen to me, ‘kay?” Bucky started, reaching out to you with his soothing voice and gentle hands. His hands cupped your face and held you to look at him. “It’s not weird. I was just surprised is all.”

“Why?” You looked dumbfounded, confused as his calloused hands and fingers from batting without gloves swiped across your skin. You were so soft and warm, making his heart ache sometimes with your beauty.

“‘Cause—‘Cause I—I didn’t know how much I meant to you, Y/N,” Bucky started, licking his lips when he saw your gaze soften in understanding. “I thought you might—I ain’t the best man in this room. I don’t have the best reputation with relationships, y’know?”

His Brooklyn drawl had started to become more apparent with his nerves. You merely smiled sadly at him, turning your head so you could place three delicate kisses on his palm. It was gesture he knew so well with how much you did it to show your love. You never said it out loud—neither of you did—because you both just knew.

“But you’re here with me, right?” You smiled up at him, more easy and bright. He nodded quickly and waited for you to speak again. But, instead of talking, you went up on your toes and kissed his lips, waiting for his hands to drop to your waist before locking your arms around his neck.

“I love you, James Bucky Barnes,” you murmured against his lips, only for his ears to hear. His heart stuttered at the proclamation, an adoring sigh escaping his lips as he exhaled.

“I love you too,” he whispered, ready to prove it to you over and over again.

[rainisawriter]

Enamored With You – Yuken (PSF #24)

PSF Ficography | H&F Flash Ficography

Genre: Fluff, magic, slice of life

Prompt: “You’ve told your parents?” (@flufftober) / Truth: Do you believe in magic? (@slumberpartybingo Halloween Flash)

Word Count: 5,141

Pairing: Reader x Yuken

World: High&Low

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

You shifted nervously from where you sat on the bullet train, brow furrowed at the glass. The world was passing by you in a blur of grey and brown with the occasional splash of orange. 

Yuken’s parents lived about thirty minutes outside of the city and they wanted him to come home for Halloween. He had convinced you to tag along with him because he wanted you to meet his parents.

When you told him you had no right invading on his family gathering, he gave you a wolfish grin and had proudly proclaimed, “I’m going to marry you, one day. They need to meet you first!��

How could you say no to that? Especially when he was giving you that puppy dog look that you simply couldn’t resist.

You could feel your boyfriend watching you and you scowled.

“I’m fine.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Yuken chuckled from where he sat across from you.

“You were thinking it.”

“Oh?” He quirked a brow at you, propping up his chin with his hand. “You never told me that mind reading was one of your powers.”

You sent him a look and he chuckled again, shifting so he was sitting beside you. He put his arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer.

“Stop worrying. My parents are going to love you.” He pressed a kiss to the top of your head and you smiled, reaching up to thread your fingers through his own.

You weren’t so much worried that his parents would hate you as you were worried about them finding out your secret. See, you were a witch, descended from a long line of witches. As far as most humans were concerned, your kind didn’t exist outside of movies and you had been taught to keep it that way.

Humanity simply wasn’t ready to accept that a different race had been hiding amongst them for so long. To be honest, you never planned on telling Yuken, at least not for a long while. That went out the window when he got into a huge fight with guys twice his size and age.

He had been pretty badly injured but refused to go to the hospital. You were scared of losing him so you used your magic to stop the bleeding, thinking he was unconscious. He wasn’t and, well… you had a lot of explaining to do after that. 

You were convinced that he was your soulmate so the last thing you wanted to do was scare his parents or make them hate you. It’s not like you didn’t have control over your powers, but there was always a slim chance of using them by accident when your emotions ran high.

You rested your head against his chest, calmed by the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. ‘This trip is going to be fine. Nothing is going to happen.’

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

You followed Yuken up the steps of his parent’s house, gripping the strap of your bag tightly as he pushed the door open, announcing that he was home. A short woman with permed brown hair came rushing out of the kitchen, a bright smile on her face.

“Welcome home!” She cupped his face. “Oh, look at you! You’ve gotten even taller than the last time I saw you.”

“Maybe you’ve just gotten shorter, kaa-chan~” he teased with a grin, earning a smack to his arm.

She turned to face you, offering a polite yet friendly smile. “Welcome to the Odajima home, dear. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

You bowed politely to her. “Thank you for having me, Odajima-san.”

“Oh, please, no need to be so formal! You can just call me Kao. Or, if you feel so inclined… you can call me kaa-chan,” she winked at you, making you smile. “Well, what are you waiting on? Take your things upstairs and get settled. Go on!”

“Yes, kaa-chan~” sang Yuken before he started toward the stairs, you close behind.

His bedroom was clean and minimalistic, just like his apartment in the city. A single bed sat against the right wall with a bookcase on one side and a table on the other. Across from the bed was a desk, though there was nothing but a cup of pens sitting atop it. A dresser sat beneath the window and the closet was to the left of the door.

You set your bags on the bed, unzipping them so you could unpack. Yuken came up behind you, hugging you softly as he rested his chin on your shoulder.

“Don’t bother. We’re only staying for three days.”

“I know, but we should still put them away.”

He hummed, pressing his lips to the skin beneath your ear. “I’d rather spend that time with you.”

You grinned, turning around in his hold, your arms finding their place around his neck. “Technically, we’d be doing it together so you would be spending time with me.”

“I can think of better things to do,” he mused before pressing his lips against yours.

You didn’t hesitate to kiss back, tilting your head to the side to deepen the kiss. His tongue brushed against your lower lip and you granted him access just so you could brush your tongue over his piercing. He groaned in appreciation, giving you a squeeze before pulling away.

His forehead rested against yours, a goofy grin on his lips. “I love you so much. You know that, right?”

You hummed, eyes flashing red for a moment before a smile came to your lips. “You’re telling the truth.”

He pouted, lightly pinching your hip. “Did you really just use magic on me? How rude.”

“I’m sorry,” you replied, trying to sound genuine but the wolfish grin on your lips and the amused glint in your eyes gave you away.

“You are so not sorry.”

“I am, I swear~” You reached up to kiss him but he turned his face at the last second so you planted a kiss against his cheek. “Now that is rude.”

“I don’t kiss liars.” He tried to sound annoyed but, just like you, he couldn’t keep a straight face. For a moment, the two of you just looked at each other before bursting into a fit of giggles. “Liars must be punished!” 

You laughed when he went slack against you, his weight forcing you back onto the bed. “You’re heavy, get offa me.”

“I refuse.” His face nuzzled into the crook of your neck, arms tight around your body. “You didn’t say it back.”

“Hm?” Your fingers brushed through his hair, tugging it free from the hair tie. “Say what?”

“You didn’t say you love me back.”

A warm smile came to your lips. “I love you, Odajima Yuken. I love you more than the moon loves the stars. More than the flowers love the sun.”

He slowly pushed himself up, elbows resting on either side of you as his eyes met yours.

You cupped his cheek with a smile. “I love you more than the wind loves the trees and more than the earth loves the rain.”

“You’re so cheesy,” he whispered, heart filled with warmth and love for you.

“You love it.”

“I really do,” he whispered, pressing his lips against yours again, this time in a slow, sensual embrace.

“Yuken! Your brother is home!”

The two of you broke apart and you furrowed your brow at him. “Brother? I thought it was just going to be your parents.”

“It was supposed to be.” His own brow furrowed as he pulled himself off the bed, holding his hand out to you. “I guess you’re meeting the whole family.”

You held back a groan as you followed him down the stairs. Standing in the doorway was a heavily pregnant woman holding the hand of a young little girl. When the child saw Yuken, her face lit up and she darted toward him, jumping into his arms.

“Ken-oji-chan!” She giggled when he held her up by the armpits, spinning her around.

“Look at you~” he cooed happily. “You’re getting so big!”

“Papa says if I eat my veggies, I’ll grow as big as you one day!”

“He’s right,” he tapped her on the nose, making her squeal in delight.

You couldn’t help but smile at the interaction and how cute the two of them were.

“Yuken,” called the woman, sending him a look. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

The tall male held the young girl against his hip with one arm, the other going around your waist and tugging you closer as he introduced you to them before introducing them to you. “This is my sister-in-law Midori and my adorable little niece Mikki.”

Milking smiled shyly at you, offering a small wave. “Nice to meet you.”

“You, too,” you smiled back.

“We’ve heard a lot about you,” grinned his sister. “Yuken talks about you constantly. It’s like he’s obsessed with you!”

“Nee-chan~” Yuken pouted, earning a laugh from the older woman. “I’m not obsessed…”

“Oh, you definitely are.”

His mom entered the room with a grin, tossing a dish towel over her shoulder. “There’s nothing wrong with it, Yuken dear. To love someone with all of your being is to be obsessed with them.”

Midori nodded in agreement. “That’s right. It’s so romantic!” Her eyes fell to you, cupping her mouth despite talking at a normal level. “He truly does love you. Make sure you don’t hurt him, okay? He’s surprisingly sensitive.”

“Nee-chan!” He scowled, pale cheeks dusting with pink.

You felt your own cheeks heat up the tiniest bit, butterflies fluttering in your stomach as a smile slid onto your face. You had been so afraid of meeting his family but you were realizing that they were the sweetest people. You already felt at home.

You felt eyes burning holes into you and you glanced toward the kitchen, spying Yuken’s dad lingering in the doorway with a blank expression. His dark eyes were staring directly at you and it felt as if he could see directly into your soul.

You shifted nervously, returning your attention to the siblings as they teased each other. You tried to ignore it, but there was a voice at the back of your head, repeating the same phrase like a mantra within your brain.

‘He knows you’re a witch. He knows, he knows, he knows. He knows you’re a witch!’

You shook your head to try and rid yourself of those thoughts. That simply wasn’t possible. You had only used your power once since arriving and it was just you and Yuken in the bedroom, the door closed. Though it was highly unlikely, there was a slim chance that he had somehow seen it or perhaps sensed it.

In your experience, finding a human who could sense a witch’s magic was incredibly rare, but not impossible. Could it be that he was one of those rare humans? Could it be that he really did know?

“Dear, are you okay?” Kao rested her hand on your arm, a worried frown on her face.

“Ah, yes, I’m fine,” you replied quickly, bowing to her in apology.

“If you’re sure…” She didn’t appear to believe you but she nodded anyway, taking the young girl from Yuken’s arms. “Who wants cookies?”

“I do, I do!” squealed Mikki.

“Let’s go get them, then, hm?”

The pair disappeared into the kitchen, Yuken’s father narrowing his eyes at you before following after them.

Midori offered you a comforting smile as she leaned closer, lowering her voice. “Meeting the family can be overwhelming, right? I was a wreck when I met them for the first time, but they truly are so loving and accepting. As long as you make their son happy, they will welcome you with open arms.”

“That’s good to know. Thank you,” you smiled gratefully at her.

Her lips parted but, before she could speak a word, the front door slammed open and a teenage girl came rushing in, carrying several bags. She had a scowl on her face and didn’t spare any of you a glance as she rushed up the stairs, knocking into Yuken on the way.

“Hey, Kaeli -” Yuken frowned when she ignored him, slamming the bedroom door a moment later.

Her father appeared in the doorway a few seconds later, a deep frown on his lips. He, too, was holding several bags.

Midori frowned at her husband. “Did you two argue again?”

“Yes,” he sighed. “She’s really not happy about the move.”

“It’ll take time, but I’m sure she’ll come around, darling.”

“I sure hope so.” He offered her a sad smile before taking notice of you. He quickly set the bags down, running his palm across his jeans before holding them out to you. “Hi! I’m Yuken’s older brother, Ran. Very nice to finally meet you.”

You slid your hand into his with a smile. “Nice to meet you, too, Ran-san.”

“Please, no need to be so formal. Just call me nii-chan,” he gave you a wolfish grin. “He talks so much about you, it feels as if I already know you!”

Yuken groaned, pressing his hand over his face and muttering under his breath about embarrassing siblings.

You laughed at this. “Hopefully all good things.”

“Yes,” he nodded. “He doesn’t have a single bad thing to say about you.”

Your hand found Yuken’s and you offered him a warm smile which he returned.

“I’m gonna take the bags upstairs and try to talk to Kae.” Ran picked up the bags and started toward the stairs but his wife stopped him, slipping in front of him.

“Let me talk to her instead, darling.”

“Probably a better idea,” he chuckled.

Yuken waited until they disappeared up the stairs before turning to you with a pout. “I’m sorry, my family is a bit eccentric.”

“Just like you,” you teased, bringing his hand to your lips. “They seem really sweet, though.”

“They are.”

You glanced at the kitchen door. Someone was clearly there but they pulled back so quickly that you weren’t able to see who. You thought about the blank stare his dad had given you and you frowned.

“What is it?” wondered Yuken, swinging your hand lightly between you.

“It’s just…” you looked at him with a furrowed brow. “Did you… tell your parents?”

“Tell them what?”

“About,” you waved your hand toward yourself for emphasis. “You know.”

“No, why would I tell them?” His brow furrowed as he glanced at the kitchen doorway. “You told me not to. I would never go behind your back like that.”

“I know. I know. Sorry,” you offered him an apologetic smile and he hummed, pulling you into a hug.

“Stop worrying so much, love. I won’t tell them unless you ask me to. We’re going to have a great weekend together without incident.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

“Kaeli, it’s time for dinner,” Ran called out, standing in front of the sliding glass doors that led into the backyard.

She glared at him over her shoulder before turning away and putting her headphones on over her head. The blonde sighed, closing the door before sitting back down at the table.

“She’s never going to forgive me, is she?” He pouted, stabbing the bread roll with his fork. “I’m a terrible father!”

His mother chuckled from the other end of the table. “She’s a teenager. I’d be more worried if she didn’t hate you.”

Yuken lifted his head, sending her a fake offended look. “I didn’t hate you.”

“Yes, dear, but I’m your mother,” she smiled, patting his hand. “And you’re a good boy.”

“What about me, ma?” wondered Ran, making her hesitate.

“Well… you were a bit more of a handful, dear.”

He groaned, hanging his head. “No wonder she hates me. I was the bad child!”

“The youngest is always the angel,” commented Yuken with a snicker, looking at the young girl sitting across from him. “Isn’t that right, Mikki-chan~?”

“That’s right!” She giggled, throwing her arms into the air. “I’m an angel!”

Midori slowly came into the kitchen, face scrunched up in displeasure as her hand rested over her large belly. Ran jumped up, rushing over to her. “Hun, you should be in bed.”

“I’m fine,” she forced a smile. “I want to be with my family. Where’s Kaeli?”

“She doesn’t want to come inside…”

“I’ll get her. She’s gonna get eaten alive by mosquitos!” Shaking her head, she approached the glass door and slid it open, peering out into the night. “Kaeli? Kaeli, where are you?”

Ran rushed over, heading out into the yard and yelling out her name, but there was no sign of the young girl. “Kaeli! Kaeli, you answer me right now!”

You and Yuken exchanged a look, getting up from the table to help him look. Something made you pause on your way, though, your eyes widening as they fell onto the puddle beneath Midori. 

She sent you a pained look, leaning against the counter for support. “I think… my water just broke…”

“Shit,” you cursed, rushing over to the door. “Yuken! Ran! Midori just went into labor!”

With wide eyes, the two males rushed back into the room, the air thick with tension and panic. Ran was fussing over her, trying to get her to do her Lamaze breathing despite the fact that she already was. Yuken gripped his hair, pacing back and forth with a panicked look on his face.

“What in the world is -” Kao entered the kitchen with a furrowed brow, brown eyes taking in the scene. She smacked her eldest child upside the head. “You’ve already had two children, what are you panicking for?”

“I don’t know!”

“Go get her bag.”

“Okay!” Ran rushed from the kitchen, his feet pounding on the stairs.

“Yuken, get Midori to the car.”

“Yes, kaa-chan!” Yuken carefully took her by the arm, helping her from the kitchen.

She sent you an apologetic look. “I hate to ask this of you, but will you try and find Kaeli? I’m sure she isn’t far. She’s a good girl, really.”

“I don’t mind at all. I promise to find her, so please don’t worry!” You gave her a determined look which she returned with a warm smile, bringing your hands into hers.

“I have no doubt, dear. Thank you.”

The way she said that concerned you but you didn’t have time to worry about whether or not she knew your secret. You grabbed your jacket, rushing out into the chilly autumn night and into the dense forest that sat at the edge of the property.

The sky was covered with grey clouds, blocking out the stars and the full moon. The ground was littered with orange and brown leaves, crunching beneath your feet as you ran. Unlike the city, the area was quiet and peaceful save for the occasional sound of an owl hooting from somewhere high above. 

“Kaeli!” You called out, your voice echoing through the tall trees. “Kaeli, please answer me! Your mom has gone into labor!”

There was no response, making you curse.

‘Calm down, breathe.’ You stopped running, taking a few deep breaths until you felt your heart rate slowing. You closed your eyes, focusing hard on the world around you.

Every single living object has an aura, no matter how faint it may be. Even things such as trees and plants have their own aura, though it’s hard to pick up on because of how faint it is. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a human’s aura was by far the strongest which made tracking easy, especially when they were alone in a forest.

With your eyes closed, you were able to see the forest in black and white within your mind. You could see the faint red aura of Kaeli in the distance,  but she wasn’t alone, surrounded by three massive wolves.

Panic gripped you as your eyes snapped open, your legs carrying you quickly in her direction. You heard them before you saw them – Kaeli begging them to leave her as they snarled and growled.

“Kaeli!” You cried, bursting through the tree line. Your sudden appearance startled the wolves and the one on the left lunged at you, teeth bared and jaw open wide. Your eyes flashed red as you issued a command, voice sounding as if it were layered. “Sit.”

The wolf whimpered, immediately sitting down and lowering its head, ears flat against its head. The other two charged at you.

“Sit!” you ordered, eyes flashing red. The brown wolf obeyed but you weren’t fast enough to use your power again as the black wolf jumped at you. You threw up your arm to block your face, wincing as its teeth sank into your flesh. With clenched teeth, you stared him directly in the eyes. “Retreat.”

The wolf slowly released its hold on you, whining in fear before scurrying off, his friends close behind. You waited until you could no longer sense them before you released the breath you had been holding, leaning back against a tree.

“Kaeli, are you alright?” you called out to her, a frown on your lips.

“Are you dumb?” She scoffed as she ran over to you, wide eyes set on the injury. “You just got attacked by a wolf but you’re asking me if I’m okay?”

You chuckled, taking her sass as a good sign that she was unharmed.

“I’m so confused,” she breathed out, eyes filling with tears. “Your eyes, they… were they glowing? And those wolves, they… they listened to you! How…?” She shook her head, wiping furiously at her eyes. “We have to get you to the hospital!”

“I’ll be okay.”

“You’re bleeding!” she cried in exasperation. “Yu-oji is gonna be so upset when he finds out…”

“Which is why we’re not gonna tell him,” you chuckled, knowing how protective your boyfriend could be.

“I think he’s gonna notice, oba-chan!”

Your heart warmed when she called you her aunt because it didn’t feel forced, it felt natural, as if you truly were part of her family. “Can you keep a secret, Kaeli?”

“I can, but -” she motioned frantically toward your bleeding arm. “He’s going to see it!”

“I guess we’ll just have to fix that, then, hm?”

“How?”

“Do you believe in magic?”

“Magic?” Her brow furrowed as she searched your gaze, realization slowly dawning on her. “No way…”

You smiled, holding your hand over the wound. Your eyes glowed red and your hand followed soon after, tendrils of red light shooting toward the wound. Warmth enveloped you as it slowly started to close, leaving not a single mark behind.

“Holy shit,” she muttered, eyes snapping to yours. “Don’t tell dad I said that.”

“Your secret is safe with me if mine is with you.”

Kaeli nodded frantically. “So, you’re a…?”

“A witch,” you admitted, watching her expression carefully for any sign of fear.

Rather than act afraid, though, her eyes lit up. “That’s so cool! Yu-oji is marrying a witch!”

Before you comment on the statement, you heard Yuken’s voice echoing through the trees, alternating between calling out your name and hers.

“Over here, babe!” You called out, peering around the tree so you could see him.

Relief flashed across his face when he saw you and he rushed forward, throwing his arms around your body. He exhaled sharply beside your ear. “I was so worried. I saw a few wolves and I thought…”

You patted his back gently. “Don’t worry, we’re perfectly fine. How’s Mikki doing?”

“Mom?” interjected Kaeli, voice trembling slightly. “Did something happen to her?”

“She went into labor, kiddo,” answered Yuken with a smile, ruffling the top of her head. “Do you want to stay here or go see her at the hospital?”

Kaeli bit her lip, shifting from one foot to the other. “Oba-chan?”

“Yes?” you looked at her curiously, ignoring the smirk that came across Yuken’s face when he heard what she called you.

“Do you think… they’re mad at me?”

“No. I think they’ll be happy to see you safe and sound, ready to meet your new sibling.”

She nodded, a smile coming to her lips. “I wanna go to the hospital, Yu-oji!”

“Then let’s go!” He slipped his hand into your own, starting toward the house. Kaeli ran ahead, pausing when she got too far so the two of you could catch up.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

You stifled a yawn as you stepped into Yuken’s bedroom, tossing your jacket on the desk. Yuken came in behind you, shutting the door behind him.

“Take the bed,” he mumbled tiredly, rubbing at his eyes.

“Not a chance.”

“I’m too tired to argue, love,” he groaned, trying to send you a stern look.

“Then don’t,” you grinned, lying down atop the air mattress that sat on the floor beside the bed. 

His eyes narrowed at you and he didn’t hesitate to follow, laying his body on top of your own. You huffed at his weight but said nothing, wrapping your arms around him as he buried his face in your neck.

Silence fell over the room and you thought he had fallen asleep until he spoke up, his voice soft. “I’m really glad you came with me.”

“You didn’t really give me a choice,” you teased, combing your fingers through his silky hair.

“You wanted to come and you know it.”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that.” 

He scoffed, arms tightening around you. “I love you so much. I’m happy we’re gonna get married one day…” His voice trailed off as sleep claimed him and you smiled, feeling warmth fill you.

“Yeah… I’m happy about it, too.”

Despite how exhausted you felt, sleep refused to come for you and you laid there for hours before finally giving up. Yuken slept pretty heavily, so you were able to slip out from beneath him without waking him up.

The house was silent, half the participants asleep while the other half were still at the hospital with Midori, waiting for her child to finally arrive. You slipped out into the backyard, breathing in the early morning air. It was still early so the sun hadn’t yet begun to peak its head over the horizon.

The clouds had disappeared and, though the stars were barely visible now, the full moon was still shining brightly as it slowly sunk lower across the sky. You fell onto the bench in the garden, exhaling softly.

Your body was sore from using your magic, though you weren’t surprised. Controlling magic was complicated, an advanced form of magic that required your own energy in order to pull off correctly. It was a tiring form of magic that witches tended to avoid simply because of how draining it was. You didn’t regret it, though, and would happily do it again.

The bench creaked as someone sat beside you and you glanced over, surprised to find Yuken’s father sitting there. You straightened up on instinct, feeling a bit nervous. The silence was heavy and uncomfortable so you forced yourself to speak.

“Can’t sleep?”

His dark eyes fell on you, narrowing. “I know what you are.”

You sucked in a breath, fingers curling around your pants. “I… I’m sorry?”

“Witch.”

Your heart fell to your stomach and you swallowed hard. You didn’t want to deny it because you’d be lying to his face – not a good thing to do to your future in-law. You couldn’t bring yourself to admit it either, though, terrified that he would tell you to break up with his son. Instead, you remained silent, trying to calm your nerves.

“I knew the moment I saw you. You witches have the same aura.”

You held back a groan. Of all the people to possess the rare ability to see a witch’s aura, why did it have to be the father of your boyfriend?

“I don’t like witches,” he stated, folding his arms over his chest.

You lowered your head, feeling ashamed despite having done nothing wrong.

“When I was a boy, a witch tried to kill me. Nearly did, too.”

“I’m so sorry,” you replied softly, feeling genuinely sad by this information. Not just because he was Yuken’s father, but also because witches who attack humans only make things worse for the race as a whole.

“Do you know how I survived?” he questioned, his gaze falling on you again.

You could imagine a few ways, none of them pleasant.

“My life was saved… by a witch.”

Your eyes snapped to his in surprise, having not expected that at all. 

His eyes flickered to the necklace hanging around your neck. It was a red jasper crystal in the shape of a pendulum, hanging from a thin, black rope. “The witch that saved me was wearing that.”

You lifted your hand to the pendant with wide eyes. The necklace belonged to your mother, passed down through your family for generations. It was tradition to pass it on to your child upon their fifteenth birthday because that’s when they become a full-fledged witch.

You didn’t know what to say, your lips parting and closing repeatedly.

“If you’re the child of that woman, then I have no doubt that you’re one of the good witches. My son seems enamored with you and, while I’m weary of your kind, I don’t want to hurt him.” He shifted so he was facing you, eyes narrowed. “If you hurt my son in any way, I promise you will regret it. Witch or not, no one will stop me from protecting my child.”

You nodded in understanding. “I promise, Odajima-san, I will never hurt him. I… I love Yuken more than anything else in this world. I would die for him happily.”

“While I admire your dedication,” he grunted. “We don’t die for the people we love. We live for them.”

Your eyes widened at the wise words. “Yes… yes, you’re right.”

He nodded, seeming satisfied that he had gotten all of that off of his chest. He stood up, turning to head back inside only to pause, glancing back at you. “Tell your mom thank you. I didn’t get the chance.”

“I will,” you promised, watching him re-enter the house. Your body relaxed against the bench, a wide smile on your face as you turned your gaze to the sky, fingers brushing the crystal absent-mindedly. As the sun peaked over the horizon, rays of light falling across your body, you couldn’t help but feel completely at peace.

You felt at home with the Odajima family, as if they were your own. They had welcomed you with open arms and, though only two of them knew the truth about you, they had accepted you for who you are. It gave you hope for the future, hope that the rest of his family would be just as accepting.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

-> High&Low/Rampage Taglist: @kiraaaeon, @simpforchuchu, @star2fishmeg, @thatpoindexterpixy @manhwabtch

-> General Taglist: @asterhaze, @mrskenpachizaraki

[rainbowfey]

27 Rainy Day

@flufftober

The weather had been stable for the longest part of his mission but now, it finally gave in to the temptation of soaking Giyuu to his bones. He glanced up at the sky when the clouds opened and sent a downpour like no other after him. He quickly jumped under a particularly wide tree, silently cursing to himself. The sky had turned dark grey a few hours ago, sure, but Giyuu had truly hoped he would make it back to his mansion in time before the downpour came.

Very obviously, he had been mistaken. And now he was stuck under a tree with a crown thick enough to veil the sky but apparently not thick enough to shield him from the rain. When the first raindrop ran down the collar of his haori, Giyuu shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself. Of course, this was not his first time getting caught in the rain but this one was particularly icy and since Giyuu had already fulfilled his mission, he was not keen on keeping on walking at all costs. In fact, he was rather displeased at the prospect of having to grit his teeth and bear the rain for another few hours until he finally reached his home.

With a sigh, Giyuu nestled closer to the trunk of the tree, hoping that the leaves would protect him from the worst of it. It was not even noon yet but the rain clouds covering the sky sucked up so much of the daylight that the world was bathed into a grey twilight. While he now indeed felt less raindrops hitting his head and shoulders, it was a rather uncomfortable position to sit in and Giyuu glanced around, trying to spot a better shelter. His eyes wandered over the trees and thickets lining the path and while he did spot an even more massive tree up ahead, its crown had already lost most of its leaves that now made for impressive piles around the foot of the tree. For a moment, Giyuu asked himself whether he should crawl into one of those piles of leaves but then he grimaced at the thought of what else might be scuttling through the leaves. He averted his gaze, suppressing a shudder, and instead looked at the path leading deeper into the forest. It was one of many paths leading back in the direction of the Ubuyashiki headquarters and Giyuu’s home but this path, Giyuu rarely ever travelled. And thus, he jolted up and hit his head on the tree trunk behind him, when he suddenly remembered something about this path.

“Ouch,” he yelped, rubbing the back of his head, distracted for a moment before he remembered his realization. “The house with the wisteria crest!”

Giyuu did not frequent it often as he usually did not travel through that region but if he remembered correctly, it was not far from where he was right now. And he was fairly sure it would provide better shelter than the tree he was hugging right now.

With this newfound resolve, Giyuu got up and pulled his haori over his head. Now, he probably looked hunchbacked and the haori was not rainproof either, but the warm cloth gave him a sense of security when he braced himself for his sprint through the rain. For the last time, he peered at the sky but the front of grey clouds stretched as far as his eye could see in every single direction. And since it did not seem like there would be a break in the rain any time soon, Giyuu took a deep breath and fixed his eyes on the path ahead.

Then, he broke into a sprint. He dashed through the rain, leaving the tree that had offered him at least some shelter behind quickly. The ground was covered in puddles, slowly but surely turning the path into a muddy bog and more than once, Giyuu felt the mud trying to swallow his shoe. Each time, he tugged at it and his foot came free with a squelch. He did not dare to look down as he could vividly imagine how his legs now looked. Instead, he sprinted through the ever green and brown trees, shielding his face from the rain with one arm. Within no time, his sleeve was soaking wet and the icy cold of the rain made him shiver. But he kept running since if he stopped now, he probably would freeze solid before he could decide to get moving again.

The path seemed endless and Giyuu’s legs started feeling heavier with each step. His skin felt cold and his haori was drenched, water slowly dripping down from it, sending shivers down Giyuu’s spine. His breath came ragged and he absentmindedly asked himself how a downpour could be more intimidating than any demon he had ever met. And finally, when he already contemplated just laying down somewhere and accepting his fate turning into a Giyuu-shaped puddle, he saw a light through the dim twilight of the forest.

He heaved a sigh of relief that came out more like an ‘eugh’ and headed for the silhouette of a house standing out against the darkening forest. He had given up on shielding his face in the meantime and thus, he stumbled more than he walked when he made his way to the house. He squinted, water running from his wet hair down his forehead and into his eyes. And while his legs started feeling like they would give in at any moment now, he finally walked the last ten steps to the house, nearly collapsing on the doorstep.

It took Giyuu all of his remaining willpower to knock at the door, once, twice, three times before his hand fell down. He leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath again. And when he heard footsteps from behind the door, he almost sank down to the ground in relief.

The door opened and an elderly woman popped her head out of it. She looked around and when her gaze fell on Giyuu, her eyes widened. “Oh, you poor thing,” she gasped and quickly took a step back, holding the door open for him. “Come on in, dear, quickly now.”

And with an overwhelming sense of relief, Giyuu followed her into the house. She quickly closed the door behind him and eyed him visibly concerned. A soft dripping sound caught his attention and when Giyuu looked down, he saw water and mud dripping from his clothes to the ground. He grimaced and bowed apologetically which only led to another cascade of drops sullying the ground.

“I’m very sorry,” he muttered timidly, staring at the puddle forming around his feet helplessly.

But the old woman only laughed and shook her head. “It’s fine, dear,” she said with a warm smile. “I’ll take care of it. But now, let’s get you out of those wet clothes.”

She motioned for him to follow her and Giyuu reluctantly walked along the short hallway she led him through, leaving a muddy trail on the floor tiles. The further they walked, the warmer the air grew and Giyuu sighed contently when the rain’s icy grip around his bones finally faded. The elderly woman stopped at a door and smiled at him. “Take a bath, dear, and when you’re done, I’ll bring you something to eat.”

Giyuu looked at her speechlessly, desperately trying to find the right words to express the gratitude filling his mind and heart at her kindness. “Thank you,” he whispered and when she smiled at him gently and shooed him into the bath, he finally felt warm again.

It took him longer than expected to feel clean again. Though it had taken Giyuu quite some effort, he had finally slipped out of his haori and reluctantly set it down with his other dirty clothes where the old woman had told him to. Then, he found himself slinking into the hot water of the bath and at the same moment, his hesitation was forgotten. The heat had warmed his body to the bones and when his teeth stopped chattering, he finally felt human again. Washing his hair had proven more of a challenge as he had somehow managed to decorate it with both mud and twigs on his way to the house with the wisteria crest. But finally, even this hurdle was overcome and his hair now flew freely down his back, not tied in the usual ponytail for once. When he got down bathing, he walked back to the anteroom, only to find a change of fresh, clean clothes waiting for him. Thankful, he slipped into them and a few minutes later he found himself trailing after a young man leading him to another room.

“Hisa-san told me to take you to our other guest,” the young man chattered happily while walking through one of the endless hallways.

Giyuu listened to him only with a half-ear as he was busy studying the paintings scattered along the walls. The most interesting ones of them showed who he thought to be the ancestors of the young man and the elderly lady called Hisa. Some of them were portraits but other seemed to show the history of the family with the wisteria crest. Giyuu only reluctantly tore his gaze off a giant painting showing a demon slayer protecting a frightened family from several demons when the young man came to a stop and gestured towards a door to their left.

“In there,” the young man said with a smile. “The food will be ready soon, we’ll bring it to you once it’s done.”

Giyuu bowed and thanked him. When the young man walked off, he opened the door, asking himself what the man had said while he was marveling at the paintings. If he was not mistaken, he had said something about another visitor. And while Giyuu still processed that thought, the door slid open and revealed a large, beautiful room facing the garden. On the other side, the door to a terrace was opened and sitting on the floor, staring out into the rain was …

“Obanai?” Giyuu gasped when he noticed the white snake wrapping around the man’s shoulders.

While the man did not move a muscle, the snake turned its small head around and hissed softly when it looked at Giyuu. Giyuu returned the gaze out of its ruby eyes, frozen in place. The words of the young man now finally sunk in and his legs almost gave in when he realized that Obanai had to be the other visitor the man had mentioned. And still, Giyuu did not entirely believe his eyes when he stared at Obanai’s back. He had never seen Obanai without his haori with black and white stripes, small but fierce and never relenting in his unwavering vigilance. And now, Obanai was dressed in the same white, fluffy clothes that Giyuu was wearing, making him look younger than he was.

Giyuu hesitated and uncomfortably shifted his weight from one leg to the other, unsure of what to do now. He had never been alone with Obanai before, at least not for longer than a few minutes. And he could not even remember if he had ever had a real conversation with him. He nervously glanced at the door behind him and contemplated whether he could just up and leave but he quickly realized he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he left, Obanai would surely consider this an offense. But if he stayed, he did not know what expected him, should he try and talk to Obanai. And since Hisa expected him to be in this room, it was not a good idea to just leave without telling anyone.

Giyuu swallowed hard when he made his decision. He felt Kaburamaru’s gaze still on him when he straightened his shoulders and slowly walked closer. Obanai was sitting on the floor facing the garden and, plucking up his courage, Giyuu slowly sat down next to him, keeping a safe distance between them. Instead of looking at Obanai, he chose to stare out into the rain as well.

“I didn’t expect to meet you here,” Giyuu said after a while when the silence grew unbearable. “Were you also caught off guard by the downpour?”

Obanai did not answer and after he had waited for at least a minute, Giyuu glanced at Obanai. He had turned his head away from Giyuu, his black hair falling into his face, veiling it from Giyuu’s view. But what really caught Giyuu’s attention was how tense his body looked. It almost seemed like Obanai was frozen in place, his whole body tensed up as if he was expecting Giyuu to jump at him at any moment now. Giyuu gulped and regretted his decision to stay, but now it was too late to get up and leave again. Helplessly, he looked at Kaburamaru whose red eyes looked almost concerned.

The snake looked up at Giyuu and then at Obanai before he softly hissed and nudged Obanai’s shoulder. And when Giyuu listened closely, he could hear the faintest sigh before Obanai quietly replied, “Yes.”

Giyuu hunched up his shoulders, unsure of what to do now. He turned back to the garden and silently watched the endless rain flowing over the trees and stones of the garden. The ever-calm pattering of the rain slowly got to him and he felt his shoulders relax. And when even the last bit of tension had left his body, he quietly asked, “Is everything alright?”

For a moment, Obanai stayed silent but then he heaved a deep sigh, his face still turned away. „Why would you care, Tomioka?” he asked, his harsh voice cutting through the silence between them.

Giyuu winced. He had not come to know Obanai as an overly friendly person but this seemed unnecessarily hostile, even for him. He slowly backed away, bringing more distance between them. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Kaburamaru hissed quietly and gave him a look that Giyuu could not quite place. For a moment, it seemed like Kaburamaru was pleading with him to show patience. And when Giyuu hesitated, unsure of whether to get up and leave or remain sitting, Kaburamaru lifted his head to Obanai’s cheek and gave him a fierce nudge. “Ouch,” Obanai said under his breath. “What do you want, Kaburamaru?”

The snake hissed, this time sounding more insistent. His red eyes seemed to burn holes in Obanai’s cheek. And after a moment, Obanai sighed again, his shoulders sinking down.

“Fine,” he murmured, more to himself. And then he said a bit more loudly, “Sorry. That was unkind of me.”

Giyuu froze, staring at him. The whole situation had been strange enough from the start but now it had taken on another kind of weird and he was not sure what to make of it. While wracking his brain for something to say, Obanai seemed to make a decision. His shoulders straightened and he took a deep breath. And then, he turned around.

The first thing Giyuu noticed was the pained look in Obanai’s eyes when he met his gaze. And while he still wondered about that, Giyuu realized why Obanai’s face looked so different. Where the lower half of his face was usually covered in a bandage, Giyuu was now met with a sight he had never seen before.

“There,” Obanai said bitterly. “And now you can tell me what’s on your mind.”

Giyuu’s heart fluttered in his chest as he helplessly stared at Obanai. He could hear the hurt in his voice, sensed that Obanai was provoking him because sometimes, offense was the best defense. And yet, all he could see was his face. This pale, slender face, the big, uneven eyes and the prominent scar around his mouth that Giyuu had never seen before. And the vulnerability in his eyes, the tension in his face and the way he pressed his lips together.

And suddenly, Giyuu saw another face before his inner eye. A different boy, on a different day, but the same vulnerable mix of anger and fear when he showed Giyuu his scar, awaiting a reaction that would hurt him. But Giyuu had never seen anything but kindness and beauty in Sabito’s face. His scar had always been a part of him and therefore, it was no flaw but rather another part of the person Giyuu cherished. And when Giyuu now looked at Obanai, he saw the same fear of rejection and disgust in his eyes that he had seen in Sabito’s face all those years ago.

“It’s good to see you,” Giyuu finally said quietly, holding Obanai’s gaze. And to his surprise, he realized that he meant what he said. For the first time, he had the feeling of seeing the real Obanai, the one that hid himself away behind his bandages and his coldness.

Obanai’s eyes widened and the shock on his face reminded Giyuu of Sabito’s reaction when he had cupped his face with his hand, gently stroking his scar. His heart felt warm at the memory and when he now looked at Obanai, he felt the same warmth spreading through his body.

“I …” Obanai stuttered, for the first time ever seeming unsure of what to do next. “Aren’t you … disgusted?”

Giyuu stared at him in disbelief. “Why would I be?” he asked and Obanai winced.

Kaburamaru gently touched Obanai’s cheek and when he looked back at Giyuu, it almost seemed like the snake was smiling at him. And when Giyuu did not look away, Obanai’s expression changed. His face softened and when his shoulders sank down, the tension leaving his body, Giyuu’s heart felt lighter.

“Thank you,” Obanai said quietly after what felt like an eternity. “I needed to hear this.”

And when Giyuu carefully smiled at him, the corners of Obanai’s mouth moved. Only slightly, of course, but noticeably enough to see the hint of a smile on his face. And for the first time ever, Giyuu felt like maybe there was the chance for a bond between them after all.

[littleseasiren]

You've told your parents?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: none, only fluff

Words: Approximately 700 words

A/N: Flufftober Alternative Prompt: "You've told your parents?" Thanks @flufftober for this challenge. Please let me know if you want to be added or removed from my tag list. Thanks for reading!

When Bucky told you to pack a bag for the weekend, you weren't too surprised. Today is a special day, your 1st anniversary as a couple. What surprises you is that you are on a ferry, departing NYC. 

In less than 10 minutes, you see your destination, a beautiful island with amazing green space in between small buildings. You're ecstatic, you've always wanted to visit Governors Island, but never had the opportunity to.

When you exit the ferry, you and Bucky grab your keys and head to your accommodations. 

The Outlook Villa was beautiful, wood surrounded the beautiful glass doors, making it feel like a cross between a cosy cabin and a spacious open-plan apartment. 

When the day starts to fade away, Bucky takes a seat on the Villa's porch and pulls you onto his lap, wrapping a blanket around the two of you to protect you from the light wind outside. 

"It's so quiet up here. I thought it might freak me out, but it's quite peaceful," Bucky admits as he pulls you closer. 

"It is, it's amazing. Thank you for bringing me here."

"Anything for you, my Luna." The two of you fall into a comfortable silence, listening to the soft pings and chirps of bats flying around in search of insects for their dinner. The bats are so graceful, turning around mid-flight in complete silence.

"I sometimes can't believe how much this island's changed. When I was younger, this island was a reminder of the war. There were barracks and training areas. There was even a railroad at a stage. Now, instead of being used by the Army, it's the perfect getaway for the public." His smile is beautiful, showing how happy he is at the change.

"It must be strange, remembering what it was then and seeing it as it is now." You rub your hand through his hair, softly massaging his scalp and making him sigh in happiness."Honestly?  Sometimes, it's a bit much, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Everything in my life led me to you. I wouldn't change that for the world."

"You're so sweet Bucky. Don't let the others find out you're so romantic. You'd never live that down."

When he laughs, you feel his whole body moving beneath you, making you giggle, too.

"You want romance?" He asks you, blue eyes twinkling with love.

"Uh-huh." 

At your answer, he cups your cheek, his thumb rubbing the underside of your chin. "You've always been my Luna, my moon. You're the light radiating in the ever-present darkness, leading me home, to you." His gaze is powerful like he's trying to stare into your soul. "But you've become more than that. You're the sun, and I'm a planet spinning around you, stuck in your orbit, unable to see anything but you. I never want to deviate from your orbit because I love you with everything that I am."

When a small tear runs down your cheek, he gently rubs it away with his thumb. It takes a moment for you to remember how to speak.

"Jeez, Bucky, that's..." you don't know how to reply to that without sounding like an idiot. "I love you too," you say as you reach up and kiss him. "When you meet my parents, you better bring this romantic side with you," you mumble as you lay your head on his chest. When he stills beneath you, you worry that you've said something wrong.

"You've told your parents? About me?"

You sit up so you can see his anxious expression. "Of course, Bucky. You're the love of my life. Someday soon, I want you to meet them too."

"Do they know who I am?"

You're unsure of where he's heading with this. "Yes..."

"And they're... okay with that? With... me?"

"Bucky, they know all about you. They know that what happened in the past wasn't you. They know that you're a good man. And most importantly, they know that you love me and that I love you."

"I... oh."

"l love you, Bucky. Now and for the many years to come." You lean back in his arms, the two of you watching the twinkling stars under the light of a full moon.

Tag List:

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@crazyunsexycool

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@midnightskyewolf

[rainyfunction]

My first post for @flufftober. I couldn't wrap my head around the first prompt, so I went with one of the alternates, "Rainy Day".

(The initial sketch ^)

[taruchinator]

☔ General Audiences

☔ 1.7k Words

☔ Day 1 | Rainy Day for @flufftober

It had only been a couple of weeks since everyone made it safe and sound to the Human Realm.

Leaving nothing but pain and destruction in the place they called home, Luz was determined to make her friends feel welcomed, and at the very least somewhat happy during their impromptu visit.

So when the opportunity of showing non-boiling rain to Hunter presented itself, how could she possibly resist?

Ladies and gents, I'd like to welcome you to something I've never done before, which is trying a challenge I've always been too scared to do: Flufftober! :3

I can't promise I'll do all the prompts, but I definitely have a few things already stashed for everyone's fluffy enjoyment! This one goes to you, Huntceda nation! 💜💛

“Man, I can't wait to get this to Amity when we get home! I really hope she likes it…”

Luz happily waltzed down the sidewalk past the bookstore she'd just come from, all the while never letting go of the paper bag that contained her precious treasure worth a good twenty dollars.

Hunter let out a chuckle, easily keeping up with the brunet’s brisk pace. “I doubt that'll be an issue considering you two go nuts over anything Azura related. Not sure what makes this book any different from the others, though.”

The human girl let out a fake gasp, already knowing her companion was just teasing and decided to play along. She lifted her bag and extracted the tome from inside, instantly waving it in his face as if that would be enough clarification. “This is no ordinary Azura book—It's the five year anniversary collector’s edition! It includes never-before-seen artwork, interviews with the author, and so much more! I got mine when it first came out, but when I heard it never made it to the Boiling Isles, I'd say it's the perfect gift!”

It had only been a couple of weeks since everyone made it safe and sound to the Human Realm. Leaving nothing but pain and destruction in the place they called home, Luz was determined to make her friends feel welcomed, and at the very least somewhat happy during their impromptu visit. Because of this, she prepared special gifts for everyone to hopefully cheer them up a bit.

Willow had gotten a new polaroid camera, seeing how her interests had grown into that of photography and capturing special moments in time.

Gus got the surprise of a lifetime when he awoke to a box set full of Cosmic Frontier novels, courtesy of the one and only Camila Noceda.

Hunter got a handmade birdhouse for Flapjack—albeit a bit smaller than Luz had intended, even though the blond told her it was fine—, along with a bird watching kit, with everything from binoculars to bird seed to even a notebook to document his findings. Maaaaybe she'd gone a bit overboard on his, but those were the boyfriend-girlfriend privileges!

So after today's purchase, that would knock everybody off the list. If early signs were any indication, the tokens of appreciation were working, at least for a little bit. It was the least she could do for them…

Trying to push herself out of the mental fog that wanted to trap her, Luz clung to Hunter's arm and snuggled into it with a content sigh. His warmth always seemed to soothe her no matter where they were, and the cold weather was definitely giving him extra points. “Thanks for tagging along, by the way. You could've stayed reading with Gus all afternoon…”

The blond pulled another paper bag from behind his back, all the while grinning from ear to ear in the way that made Luz's heart melt. “Are you kidding? And miss the chance of getting our own special edition copy of Cosmic Frontier? Gus is going to lose it when we show this to him! Although we might keep this to ourselves for a bit, right Flap?”

The palisman chirped in reply from his resting spot on Hunter's shoulder. Luz giggled at the display—this boy would be the death of her one of these days, and she was more than okay with that.

“Alright you bookworms, it's time to head back before—”

Cutting her sentence short, a low rumble emanated from the sky, and it was only then the duo realized how it'd changed from blue to light gray. It was definitely clear when they'd left the house earlier.

After a droplet landed on Luz's nose catching her off-guard for a moment, she finally realized what was going on: it was starting to rain. Now, it wasn't like she didn't know this would happen—the weather forecast mentioned the chance of light showers in the afternoon, hence the brunette hoping against all odds that they'd make it back before the sky decided to open up.

Hunter on the other hand, was a different story.

“L-Luz! We have to find shelter! Boiling rain's coming!” The teen reached for the girl's hand and didn't give her a chance to reply before he started bolting back to the bookstore. Despite her protests, the blond didn't stop until they were under the protection of the building’s roof. His voice was laced with concern as the grip on her hand never wavered. “You okay?”

As she was catching her breath, Luz gave him a warm smile and squeezed his hand in reassurance, hopefully conveying her appreciation through the simple gesture. “I'm fine Hunter, thanks. Although… you do remember that rain doesn't boil in the Human Realm, right?”

A beat of silence.

Flapjack chirped between them once more as he ruffled his feathers to rid them of the moisture. Hunter's ears turned a light shade of pink as he batted his palisman away in annoyance. “F-Flapjack, cut it out!”

Luz giggled once more and raised an inquisitive eyebrow while reaching into her backpack. “I'll take that as a no?”

“I-It's not really my fault, you know! Humans run from rain here too, so it's not exactly easy to remember it won't melt our faces off!” The blond pointed at the display in front of them in exasperation, most definitely trying to save any dignity he had left. It wasn't working as well as he hoped.

“Well, you're lucky you have such a resourceful girlfriend, then!” As she finished uttering those words, Luz revealed a medium sized umbrella she'd brought with her to their errands—a gift from Willow, sleek and black and designed after a cat, with little ears on top and everything. It quickly became one of her favorites.

After opening it up, the brunette walked away from the safety of the bookstore's roof until she could hear the relaxing sounds of water splashing above her head, yet it was keeping her completely dry. A hum escaped her lips as she turned to look at her surroundings, only then realizing the streets were completely empty. Maybe Hunter had a point about humans running away from rain, too.

Speaking of the blond, Luz turned back to find him staring at her in complete awe, as if she were walking through fire and not just a simple splash in the park. With a little spin that would most definitely leave her sneakers soaked thanks to the puddles underneath, the girl gave him a smile as she waved him over. “Come on! It's safe!”

Even though Luz knew Hunter believed her, the skepticism in his eyes was evident as he eyed his surroundings warily.

With a fond roll of her eyes, the girl walked back until she was face to face with her boyfriend, this time extending a hand towards him. Water splashed against her open palm, and it was nothing but refreshing. “It's okay… I promise your face won't melt off. It'll stay as cute as always.”

Another blush spread across the blond's cheeks, but this time determination seemed to shimmer in his eyes. His gloved hand began to slowly make its way outwards, trembling slightly but moving steadily in Luz's direction. With only an inch of distance between them—

“Ow!”

“W-Wah!!!”

Before she knew it, the brunette's back hit the concrete with a wet ‘thud!’, almost knocking the wind out of her if not for Hunter's hands reaching out to cradle the back of her head before impact. How he'd managed to do that in the milliseconds they'd fallen, she'd never understand. Golden Guard training was all that popped in her mind.

Speaking of which, they'd indeed fallen to the ground, with Hunter holding his weight with one hand to avoid crushing Luz, while the other slowly let go of her head to look at her with concern. “Are you okay?! I-I tried to stop but Flapjack got in the way so I could only kinda cushion the fall with my hand and—”

“Hunter! I'm fine, really! I mean aside from my back… oof, that's gonna leave a bruise in the morning…” As she sat from her position on the floor, Luz was finally able to see what happened. Flapjack was holding onto Hunter's noodle strand with what could only be described as a satisfactory expression that almost seemed to say ‘you're welcome.’

Despite Luz finding it amusing, the blond was not having any of it as he eventually tugged the palisman away and pointed a finger at his feathered chest. “You can't keep doing that, mister! Someone could've gotten seriously hurt!”

“Hey Hunter?”

“Not now Luz, he's gotta learn! You can't keep making excuses for him!”

“I was actually gonna ask if you've noticed where we're sitting.”

At that, the blond's eyes turned from his bird companion to look around. Water splashed against his clothes, leaving them completely soaked and exposed to the elements. But none of it burned. It was actually rather… peaceful?

Luz's umbrella lay discarded to the side as she opened up her arms in earnest. The smile on her face was infectious. “Told you you'd be safe! Maybe we cut Flap some slack since I'm sure he was just trying to help you get over your fear!”

The playfulness in her voice didn't go unnoticed to Hunter, and all he could do was sigh in defeat with a tired smile gracing his features. “You guys are lucky I love you. I swear I would've thrown you in a dungeon a long time ago…”

“Aww, see Flapjack? I told you he'd be forgiving!” Luz cradled the bird in her arms with a wide grin spread across her cheeks.

She was sure to get an earful from her mom once they got home—asking her how she could be so careless and that they'd catch a cold and ‘por esto no te dejo salir con tu a solas con tu muchacho!’

Still, her heart felt full and that was truly all she could ever ask for.

“WAIT LUZ WHERE ARE OUR BOOKS?!”

… Well, hopefully Amity didn't mind getting a kitty souvenir for Ghost from the pet store instead.

[ellies-enrichment]

gladiator today

Alexa play juno

[its-my-whump]

Medwhump May - Day 4 Alt 2

Flatline

@medwhumpmay

Tw: absolutely no medical accuracy, sorry, gore, cpr, resus

Part 4 (all others here)

Every time the assitent pushed his own weight into the young woman's chest a gush of blood was pumped out of her lifeless body through the fresh incision. Every time he craved her fragil ribs in, a spike appeared on the yelling monitor.

Every time his interlocked fingers pressed down on her sternum her shoulders left the operation table.

Nurse Amy was still unconsciously holding her outstretched arm down to the metal surface and prevented it from wiggling away, even though she had already emptied the syringe in her port.

The surgeon's assisting nurse had the aed going in the meantime and was now preparing new medication. Filling a syringe so it could be administered immidiately, when needed.

All vitals had fallen fast, some partly still existing. The young man giving her compressions managed to sustain a low bloodpressure. The anesthesiologist was able to keep her o2 level tolerable, but her chances were decreasing with every passing second.

2 minutes the nurse annouced. "Come on, hunny!" The assistent mumbled into his mask, when he pulled his hands from her ribcage. All eyes instantly on the monitor.

"We got v-fib! Paddles!" The head surgeon barked, already reaching over her bruised and bloody body.

->Day5

My masterlist

[sarcasticsciencefictionwriter]

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: Gen

Fandom: Sanctuary (Canada TV 2008)

Chapter Relevant Characters: Nikola Tesla, Helen Magnus

Chapter Relevant Tags: Fluff, Teasing, Found Family, Banter, Friendship, Humor, Car Accident

Prompt Alt 2: Rainy Day

Chapter Summary:

Nikola has been hit by a car. Helen is momentarily concerned.

[psychologeek]

Whumptober #20+Alt 2: Mashber

Mashber (breaking point): A crisis, birth, a wave

20: EMOTIONAL ANGST | Shoulder to Cry On | "It's not your fault." Alt 2: Communication Barrier

~

Janet's water breaks on July 18th, but her child doesn't come out until noon of the 19th. Part of her wonders hysterically if the child did it on purpose, knowing the date.

(She spends half her time bouncing on a big plastic ball, humming "Eyni Eyni Yorda Mayim". Part of her seriously considers naming the child Efrayim.)

Janet's child is seven weeks old when they welcome the new year, and despite it all she finds herself humming "Hayom Harat Olam".

At eight weeks old, she put her child to sleep with Un'tane Tokef.

At this point, she realises that her previous plans aren't going to work. Raising a rootless child is not a real option.

(There's an infantry version, a childish part in her that longs to pay it forward. The rhythm and melodies and every tradition she once swore to leave behind.)

And besides, she remembers bitterly, it's not like denying their heritage ever helped any of them.

~

Janet's child is five years old when they have This conversation. She is putting the final touches of her warpaint: eyeliner, sharp as a fresh Lulav. Her child is sitting on the bed, biting lips and serious.

"Mummy," her child asks. "Why did Mr. Smith say that you're a cake? "

Janet puts down her eyeliner.

"What do you mean, honey? Can you tell me exactly what happened?"

"Um," her darling child hesitates. "In the Chrismas party. At Caleb's parents? I finished- I said hi to everyone and. Umm. Caleb said they have sweets and he said I can't get the grown-ups cookies and I said I can and he said nu-uh and I said I do it. And there were a bunch of people stand by the cookies table and I couldn't go 'way and then they say mean things! They said that you're a cake and you killed someone and that dad only marry you 'couse you're escotic and-and-"

Jant's child is crying, and she closes her eyes and hate' for a second. Hate everything and everyone that got her kid to feel that way. That made her child feel hurt.

Janet takes a deep breath, and looks at her child. "some people lack the proper intellect to hide their small-minded brains. Don't let them know they got to you - but never forget who they are".

"But why they say you're a cake, mummy?" her kid isn't sobbing, but there's pain on the tiny faces. "I don't understand. You don't even like cake! you prefer biscuits 'cause they're smaller and less messy!"

(There's something pure and sweet in the innocence of childhood.)

And there are many things she can say. Many different ways to talk about hate and prejudice and decades of hurt and pain. There are many ways to talk about it, but she choses the way they always did it.

(She tells her child a story)

"well. Years ago, there were people who came from a distant land. And their clothes were different and their names and the way they spoke. Most of them didn't speak English when they came. And they were asked to write their names, they couldn't do it in the letters you know. The letters that the guards on the border wanted them."

"So why didn't the guards learn to read their language?"

"Because. Because sometimes, that's how people are. and so the weary people, the poor and tired who came from across the sea, were told to use an X."

"So they all signed with X?"

"No. Because, if you turn it over - the letter X looks like a symbol of the people that weren't kind to them. It looks like a symbol that, for many many years, was easy to rise and mark pain for their parents and kin. A mark that was a sign for hundreds and hundreds of years of pain."

"So they didn't use the X?"

"No. No, they didn't. They put down their name as a circle. a round shape, with no sharp edges to hurt others. And in their langauge, that shape was called Kayk. And ever since then, when some people try to be mean, they remind to this people and their kids where they come from: from the poor, weary people who came to a strange land - looking for a better life."

Mother's earrings are long, like teardrops. As the light breaks through, it almost looks like magic.

"And that's bad?" asks the child, still sitting on the bed.

"You should find your own thoughts," mother takes a second to point her soft brush. "What do you think? Is going far, far away, looking for a better chance in life, a bad thing?”

The kid's mouth opens, but the mother shushes them.

"No. Not yet. Don't answer me now. Think about it, and tell me about your thoughts when we'll be back from the gala."

And as she finishes the final touches, she can hear the child behind her take a deep breath.

"You said they call it to those people and their kids," the words are soft. "So why they calling you?"

And this is a long awaited conversation,  one she can't have right now. So she take her child, her only-born, her loved one. 

And as the weight of innocence is warm in her arms, she says, "because knowledge is power. And you will always be judged by things you can't - and shouldn't - change about yourself. Because small minded people are always out there. But at least you'll know the truth behind the words said."

"Is it the story of our family?" asks her too-clever child.

"Yes," she says. "And no. This is a story of Our People. This is a story of Our Kind. But this isn't the only one. Not even the most common. This isn't The Story of our family, but it's one of the stories of Us.”

~

Janet's child is only fourteen years old, and there are many things she regrets she never said:

(I'm sorry)

(I love you)

(I know)

(You are my child)

Janet is dying.

She is drunken, but not with wine;

And right in front of her:  this cup of staggering; the beaker, this Kos Tre'la.

There are many things Janet wishes she told her child, and one she'll never regret:

"You are part of a long, brave dynasty. Never forget who you are. Never let anyone make you feel bad for who you are." (We shall outlive them)

(Like it? I have more mini-fics Whumptober index | And full size fics on ao3. )