#Floating Balloon Wall Clock

[bradleysass]

Liar - @black-brothers-microfic - Word Count: 752 - Starchaser

Regulus Black didn’t like surprises. He didn’t like them in the form of unexpected guests, unannounced changes to his carefully laid plans, or, worst of all, parties in his honor. The idea of a surprise party for his birthday was, in his opinion, a disaster waiting to happen. Unfortunately for him, his boyfriend James Potter wasn’t one to shy away from a challenge—especially when said challenge involved celebrating the person he loved most.

“It’ll be perfect,” James had promised Sirius that morning. They were in the middle of moving the furniture in the flat James shared with Regulus, making room for what Sirius dramatically dubbed “The Birthday Extravaganza.” Lily and Remus were already on their way with decorations and food.

“You’re playing with fire, mate,” Sirius warned, even as he hoisted the coffee table to one side. “Reg doesn’t just dislike surprises—he loathes them. Do you remember what happened last Christmas when Mum sent that impromptu ‘peace offering’ gift?”

“He set it on fire in the garden and called it cathartic,” James replied without missing a beat. “But this is different. It’s a birthday party, not a cursed letter. And I’m his boyfriend. He’ll forgive me.”

“If you say so,” Sirius said, smirking. “Just make sure he doesn’t catch on. Reg’s got that sixth sense for sniffing out lies. You’re not exactly subtle, Prongs.”

James huffed but didn’t argue. Keeping secrets from Regulus was like trying to hide something from a particularly sharp-eyed magpie. Still, he was determined to pull this off.

The first hurdle came at breakfast.

“What are you doing today?” Regulus asked, sipping his tea as he gave James a pointed look. James felt the weight of suspicion already.

“Oh, just errands,” James replied casually, stuffing a piece of toast into his mouth to avoid elaborating.

“Errands?” Regulus’s tone suggested he wasn’t buying it. “You hate errands.”

“Yes, well, sometimes you have to do things you don’t like, love.” James flashed him a dazzling smile. Regulus raised an eyebrow but let it go… for now.

The next few hours were a delicate dance of avoidance and half-truths. James tried everything to keep Regulus occupied and away from their flat. First, he suggested they take a walk in the park. Regulus agreed, though he seemed suspicious of James constantly checking his watch. Then, James pretended to be interested in a shop window display he’d never cared about before, prompting Regulus to narrow his eyes.

By lunchtime, Regulus’s patience was wearing thin. “Why are you acting so strangely?” he asked, crossing his arms as they stood outside a café.

“I’m not acting strangely,” James replied, though his voice cracked slightly. Regulus tilted his head, a predator locking onto its prey.

“You’re lying,” he said flatly.

“I’m not—”

“You are. You’ve been lying all morning. Care to explain why?”

James opened his mouth, closed it, and then blurted, “It’s for a good reason!”

Regulus’s eyes narrowed further. “I hate liars, James.”

James groaned, running a hand through his messy hair. “I know, I know. But trust me, you’ll understand later.”

Regulus looked unimpressed but allowed James to drag him to another shop under the pretense of “just browsing.” James silently begged the clock to move faster.

When they finally returned to the flat, it was late afternoon. Regulus opened the door and froze. The entire living room was transformed: banners with “Happy Birthday” hung across the walls, balloons floated in the corners, and the smell of freshly baked cake filled the air. Their friends were there, grinning, and Sirius was holding a glass of champagne like he was about to toast.

Regulus turned slowly to face James, who was biting his lip nervously.

“You lied to me,” Regulus said, his voice quiet.

“I did,” James admitted. “But it was to surprise you. And look, everyone’s here! Happy birthday, love.”

For a moment, Regulus just stared at him. Then, to James’s immense relief, he sighed and shook his head, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“You’re an idiot,” Regulus said. “But you’re my idiot.”

“Does that mean I’m forgiven?” James asked hopefully.

“It means you’re lucky I’m in a good mood,” Regulus replied, stepping inside. “But don’t think I’ll forget this anytime soon.”

Sirius clapped James on the back as the party got underway. “See? I told you he’d survive.”

“Barely,” James muttered, watching Regulus chat with Lily. But when Regulus caught his eye and gave him a genuine smile, James decided it was all worth it.

[headphonegrl]

The first summer you and Kylian spent together was when you were toddlers, both teetering on the edge of being able to walk without the help of an enthusiastic adult. There’s always been a great debate between you both about what’s actually a memory and what’s derived from the photos that are treasured by both of your parents and brought out at any given opportunity; you pictured in a tiny green bucket hat and him with so much sunscreen on his nose that it looks like white paint. In the hallway of his childhood home hangs a framed photo of you both clumsily clutching each other's hand, a habit you both developed long before the notion of walking or talking.

The fifth summer was significantly defined by the evening you both decided to turn a wall into a full elaborately drawn landscape complete with flowers amongst the grass and an attempt at an accurately sized sun, all with the help of the crayons Kylian packed in his suitcase amongst his socks. Understandably, you were both punished and spent the rest of that week sulking beside the pool you weren’t allowed to swim in and fishing out insects to nurse them back to health. There was a dramatic departure of a bee you had both formally named ‘Fuzzy’, who flew away gracelessly after being fed water with the end of a leaf; ever since then Kylian has drawn a little bee on the envelope of all your birthday cards.

The ninth summer was so hot that the concrete patio had turned into the equivalent of lava. Nearly all of the time was spent under the shade of a peach tree that belonged to the house you were all staying at; it was far too warm to be in direct sunlight for more than a minute without feeling faint. A planned mission had secured you both garden furniture chairs, stolen from the top of the garden while everyone was preoccupied with making lunch. Most of the mornings were spent picking the best peaches and eating them until your hands went sticky with juice and you’d have to walk up to the kitchen to wash them. Then the afternoons were consumed by taking grainy pixilated pictures on Kylian's new phone he had got in light of the next school year, one of which has been your contact photo for over ten years.

The thirteenth summer you spent together always pops into memory whenever the smell of vodka rears its ugly head again. Neither of you were unlike the rest of the kids your age, both victims of the typical adolescent crime of not knowing limits yet when it comes to drinking. As soon as the hand of the clock hit six in the evening, any alcohol sitting in the door of the fridge would sneakily be poured into mugs and tiptoed up to one of your rooms. On the last Friday of August, you mixed heapings of vodka with way too little apple juice and both ended up lying in a tangled heap of limps on a sun-lounger. Over breakfast the next morning as Kylian cut his toast into tiny pieces, his mother cooed at the picture she uploaded to Facebook of you both cuddled up with all the comments underneath from her friends exclaiming what a cute couple you both were. 

The seventeenth summer ended so quickly that it was almost heart-shattering. The months don’t bid everyone farewell like they used to, as you’re both nearing your twenties they just melt away in a blink. Stubborn as ever you insisted on not having any help with shoving your bags into the back of the car, so all Kylian could do was stare down at his feet and kick pieces of gravel around. A goodbye kiss was pressed towards his temple, and he embarrassingly grabbed onto the side of your top like a silent plea for you to stay a second longer. Watching your car drive away felt like letting go of a balloon and witnessing it float further and further until it looks like a tiny dot of ink on a page. When he’d finally been dragged back into the house, his little brother offers him the last chocolate bar as if to send him his condolences. 

The twenty-first summer you spent together was when Kylian finally kissed you. The lights under the surface of the pool were reflecting off your face and there were little droplets of water in your eyelashes. You tasted of chlorine and that coconut lip balm you still lend him sometimes if he asks nicely. Probably due to all the romantic films he had consumed throughout his life, part of him believed that after a moment like that something unbearably dramatic would happen; that maybe the world would implode whether it went well or otherwise. Though slipping into this kind of affection felt incredibly safe and comforting, like falling into a blanket after a long day or hugging a childhood teddy. After all, Kylian had been holding your hand before he could even talk or eat from a spoon; he was born loving you. He loved you even before he knew what love was like. 

[mimiplaysgames]

The Bed Story, ch. 6 (Constellations)

Terraqua Day, Day 6

Terra/Aqua | Terra/Anti-Aqua Rating: M Word Count: 4,815 @terraquaweek

Summary: Terra meets Anti-Aqua, and he's sorry for the things they did and didn't do.

Read on AO3

A/N: I learned last night that AO3's new default is to NOT allow guests without accounts to comment on fics, and I didn't realize!! So I'm sorry if you wanted to comment and couldn't. I changed the settings and all should be good now... also no one judge me for what I put in this chapter lmao

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The Realm of Darkness presents itself as a warped imitation of the castle, suspended in space, the roofs completely torn away. The missing ceiling opens to the expanse of scratchy constellations across a purple sky. The bedrooms by Terra are shredded apart, suspended in an explosion, Ven’s bed frozen in the air before it can float away, strewn amidst boulders, books, and mementos the Master had given him from worlds beyond. Ven’s clock, spinning in place, ticks. The castle is at the brink.

The mirror Terra arrived through is black. No going back either.  

Terra feels… hollow, like a balloon. Air-headed, chill, from the crown of his head to his ankles, and it gives him a sense that his burdens are being lifted, and if he asks, he would receive all the secrets he’s ever wanted to know. The Realm of Darkness is immediately seductive, easing him into a place of security where his worries aren’t as devastating. There’s nothing to be concerned about here. No life problems. No such thing as self-esteem. It’s unsettling, but not unpleasant. 

But now that the Realm of Darkness has welcomed him in, like hands snaking up his arms, a perverted nothingness spreads over his body. Terra can’t feel. Terra can’t feel. He collapses to his knees and grunts. He slaps his own face over and over.

This numbing void is exactly the same as when Xehanort took over. Once there, then not. No sense of existence, and Terra yells to make sure he has a voice, hisses to make sure he hears, and refuses to blink to make sure he still sees. 

Help. 

Terra summons Stormfall and grips it tightly. Help. 

Stormfall is here, therefore Aqua is somewhere, and this knowledge tempers Terra’s freakout as he wills himself to breathe. Breathe. Nothing smells like anything, it’s stale really. But breathe. 

He’s breathing.

He’s here. 

He can hear himself wheeze, so he still exists. He exists. 

He exists.

And she is waiting.

After ten minutes, when Terra can quarter-trust he will not lose his eyesight, he uses Stormfall to leverage himself to stand. He decides not to dismiss it, to keep it by his side as he explores.

The castle halls are not the same. There are supposed to be portraits on the walls here of former Masters, but they are instead blank canvases. This door is not supposed to be here. This hall should only turn left—it does not open up to both directions. In places they shouldn’t be, there are mirrors, and Terra doesn’t have a reflection in any of them.

He hears—

Taps on glass. Terra swings over his shoulder with Stormfall for defense. To his left, an endless hallway. Ahead of him, a wall. To his right…

A mirror blocking the way, but through it... He sees her on the other side of the looking glass, with blue hair, tapping with her nails to get his attention.

Blue hair. His Aqua.

“Aqua!” He runs up to her.

Stormfall burns. Wincing, Terra nearly drops it.

“Terra.” 

Aqua presses her palms against the glass. Her face begs him to free her. “She locked me up in here.” 

“Don’t worry. I—” He hisses. Stormfall now squeezes his hand like it’s an iron clamp. Earthshaker has never done this before. “What’s wrong?”

Aqua smacks the glass with her palm. “Terra, there is something chasing me.”

Panic seizes Terra. The mirror separates his hand from hers. “I’ll let you out.”

Stormfall goes quiet, refusing. Dread now lurks in the back of his mind.

“Terra, hurry.”

Terra takes a good look at her. She’s untouched, her hair blue, her eyes that blue color he’s been dying to see again. Like the shallow end of the ocean, as the water blurs between sand and the foam of the waves. Terra has nearly forgotten this color. A between blue, a shade mixed of many hues that meet water and sky together. Terra wants to hold her face, kiss her, tell her he wants to look at this color forever. 

She doesn’t have pupils. She gently taps again. “I’m the Aqua she hides away.” She leans her forehead against the glass. “If we’re reunited, she’ll get better.”

But Stormfall doesn’t want to. Why? It should be easy. Break the glass, and set her free.

But Stormfall doesn’t want to, when he wants to see his blue-haired Aqua safe and smiling.

Her face goes limp at his hesitation. “You’ll leave me?”

Something is wrong. “I—”

“I need you,” she says, almost a question. “And you won’t help?”

Terra grits his teeth. He has to stay strong. In a place like this, his defenses have to be thick. Something is wrong. He should be able to sense her Light, but there is no essence standing before him. 

“Doesn’t that prove it?” she says, her voice lowering an octave. “Everything you know about yourself?”

A shadow sneaks up from behind her, predatory. Doesn't matter if she's not real. Terra grips Stormfall. His instinct is to strike the glass and rescue her from this new enemy.

This enemy wears Terra’s face. Blank expression, hypnotized. Mirror-Terra plants both his palms on the sides of Mirror-Aqua’s head with enough force that Terra jumps.

“You’re terrible to her,” Mirror-Aqua says, as Mirror-Terra wraps an arm around her waist and constricts her chest, pushing her against the glass with his body. “You’re terrible to me.”

Terra lets his mouth hang as Mirror-Terra fumbles with and nearly rips the corset. Terra should strike the glass and choke his double. 

“You would let him touch me like this?” Mirror-Aqua says, as Mirror-Terra grabs her by the throat and bites her earlobe. “You would let him hurt me?”

Terra, with his stomach churning, shakes his head and tries to tear his eyes away from the mess, but he can’t lose sight of a threat. 

Mirror-Terra kisses her neck and shoves a finger in her mouth, inhaling her hair while his pupil-less eyes glare at Terra. For a second, the mess stops, and Mirror-Aqua bites his finger back, suckering it into a kiss.

Mirror-Terra scowls. Terra is intruding, and he steps back to leave them alone, when Mirror-Terra punches the mirror.

The mirror cracks and Terra, startled, falls on his ass. Cold. Danger. Run. He grasps for purchase on the wooden floor, but there’s nothing for him to scramble away with, so Terra loses time by crawling, slipping, rising, tumbling, rising. Run. Gain distance. Steal an advantage. An explosion throws Terra forward, crashing him against a wall. 

“You would leave me,” he hears her say in his head as he clambers. The hall has shifted. The way back to the black mirror is gone. Terra has no choice of where to go except to follow as it twists. 

Around a corner, Terra stops and plants his feet, pressing his body against the wall so he isn’t seen as easily. With Stormfall, he will ambush his mirror self as soon as he comes near.

“You are leaving me.”

Mirror-Terra stalks him—

With a blurred shadow for a Keyblade. 

“You did leave me.”

Terra raises Stormfall and urges to attack, aiming for the clone, and throwing all his force into it like he would if he had Earthshaker. But Stormfall demands such control, such precision, that it doesn’t know what to do for a flailing, desperate Terra. 

So it answers with chaos. Terra’s spell detonates into a hundred fireworks that reach high for the constellations above. He shields himself. They rain light and fire, shredding open the walls, the floors, the mirrors.

The floor beneath him yawns. Terra falls down empty space, among shooting stars he cannot grab.

“You left me here,” she says, panting like she’s scared, when everything fades to black. “All by myself.” She’s right. He did. 

~*~

It’s not waking, it’s… consciousness. Terra is falling. Terra is no longer falling, suddenly lying on a dirt road that bends between lifeless trees, scorched black. Where is the light source coming from? Nowhere. Terra can simply see the gnarled, thick bodies of mangled branches in this darkness. Above him are different shredded constellations, like a ruined galaxy, across an angry, thundering red sky. 

Where he should feel injured, he simply doesn’t. Not a thing. 

Not a thing. Has he stopped existing?

Terra grabs his face and pulls his skin. Is he here? Slap. Is he real? He can’t inhale, can’t breathe. 

“Breathing isn’t real here,” someone whispers. “You’re not really out of breath.”

Terra jerks, rolling over to his knees and scrambling to shield himself behind a tree.

Did he lose—

No. Stormfall is right here, as soon as he summons it.

“Not that you breathing is ideal,” the whisper says, hovering in his head. “You’re easier to deal with dead.” A pause. “Easier to grieve.”

Terra stiffens, creeping closer to the tree trunk, trying not to give his location away. He brings Stormfall to his chest and listens for movement. 

How is he going to get out of this? Stormfall is not so different from Rainfell after all, being particular and cryptic with how he conjures. He needs to be able to hit his targets. He needs to rely on Aqua’s heart.

Maybe the chaos could work in his favor. Set these trees on fire. Blind the enemy. Run away. The real reason he’s here is to find Aqua. Not to waste time or energy fighting. 

The whispering person giggles. Terra’s heart beats. The laughter is Aqua’s.

He’s stupid. Has always been. Even more stupid when he rushes out of his hiding place and calls out, “Aqua?”

She’s perched up on the branch of a tree, surveying him, her crown of white like a dull star on these burnt trees. Terra staggers away while she floats down, her smoke like a dress drifting in the water, and when she lands, she lands with grace. 

“Nothing is real here,” she whispers. Then growls. “But everything is.”

The hairs on the back of his neck shrivel. This Aqua does not have pupils either, but he recognizes the primal fury in them, the way she’s keeping track of his arm placements, measuring his fighting stance, how she’s patient for his fear factor to cloud his judgment. This Aqua was the shadow he ran into in the hallway. The one Stormfall warned not to follow.

“I can help,” he says. Stupid thing to say to someone wanting to tear his throat out, but what else is going to say? “Take me to the real Aqua.”

“I’m not real?” As if triggered, she strides to him and Terra finds himself walking backwards, until his back hits a tree. He needs to retaliate. He needs to defend himself. Come on, Stormfall. Tell me what to do.

“You think Stormfall will hurt me?” With easy telepathy, This Aqua sends Stormfall away and stabs him with her claw, under his chin. “Move, and I will make you bleed.” At his shock, she nods. “Yes, you can bleed in the Realm of Darkness,” she whispers, breath on his lips. “You will bleed forever, and once you tire of it, you will wish to see me again, so I can stop it for you.”

Terra bites his lip and glares her down. 

She scoffs. “I’m telling the truth. You can trust us better than the mirror.”

Suddenly Terra can’t look at her anymore. It’s not her rage, it’s those images of Aqua sucking his finger. 

“Ah yes,” she whispers. “The Realm of Darkness has this habit.”

“I just need to see Aqua.”

“My dear is home. Safe. Protecting her from pain is my purpose.” She pressures his chin to lift it, until his entire throat is exposed. “Why should she go with you? I thought you cared about her.”

“I do.”

“I thought you would die for her.”

“I would.”

“But you didn’t.”

Terra swallows, and with her index claw still jabbed under his jaw, she scrapes the claw from her thumb to stop him midway. He chokes. “But I would.”

“Then why do you want her in pain? Why should she follow you?” 

Terra grits his teeth. He tries to lower his head to look at her, but she won’t let him. “She hurts here.”

“She hurts worse with you.”

What stings is not the knife of her claws anymore, but the strangulation in his heart. He’s known for a while now, and he’s tried to deny it, blaming it on Aqua's condition. She hurts worse with him. That has always been the truth.

“I didn’t mean to.” Terra wants to cry but the Realm has taken that away, too. No release and no relief. “But I’ll make it right somehow. You don’t have to show me if you don’t want to. I can find her.”

But that promise doesn’t quell this monster.

This Aqua lets him go, grabs his throat, slams his head onto the bark. 

“You were going to use Stormfall?” She squeezes his throat. “You want Aqua’s heart to do the legwork for you?”

“No—”

“Where is your heart?” She twists, making his head jerk sideways. “Where is your courage leading you to her? Why won’t you work to find her, instead of relying on such a tired Keyblade?”

He doesn’t know what to say. He’s never meant any of this. “I’m sorry.”

“You want to know what it was like?” she hisses, her moons for eyes inching to his nose. “All this time? I hated dreaming of being alone, because you were never there. And I hated dreaming of being with you, because you weren’t there either.” 

With her free hand, she stabs her entire claw into his chest. Terra groans—from pain? From shock? From panic?

“You never came to save me,” she whispers, shooting at Terra all the things Aqua probably doesn’t have the will to spit at him. She squeezes his heart, and Terra’s body explodes in tremors. The pain. He squirms, whimpering. “I risked myself for you. I said my goodbyes as I sank into Darkness. I asked for a tomorrow with you, and you never came.”

Terra spits, and drools. 

“I adored you,” she says.

Terra whimpers.

“You left me.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re finally here, and you need Stormfall now. You need, and you need, and you need—”

Instinct, or the desire to live, calls Stormfall. Terra slices upward. Ice stabs the air in waves as This Aqua dodges. Terra staggers to his knees. His chest—stars, his chest spasms. It’s seeping, and Terra clutches it thinking it’s blood, but it’s Darkness. Oozing, bubbling Darkness. 

This Aqua stalks near and Terra swings Stormfall in any direction. Get away from me. 

He sweeps. More ice. More power, bigger glaciers. Get away from me.

He strikes the ground. More ice, spreading like a disease. Help me, Stormfall. 

Stormfall says, Go there.

Where? 

Stormfall doesn’t answer, too quiet in the madness. Terra limps under branches pulling his hair as This Aqua screams and broils the trees in a massive purple fire. Heartless skirmish near his feet, but Terra can’t fight right now, dragging his feet. Something’s wrong. The Darkness that pools out from his heart doesn’t stop its downpour, and Terra has the mind he’s going to bleed out. But it’s not blood. But is it? 

He squeezes his body between a fissure between twigs and rock, as the Darkfire rages behind him. It opens up to a clearing, a safe enough escape from the flames. For now. He loses his footing, and collapses on some rocks. He keeps Stormfall close to him, in case a predator gets too near. 

He has to stop this “bleeding.” He has to be strong enough to continue. He has to find her. He has to—

He considers stabbing himself with Stormfall. Take this Darkness out of me. I don’t want it. Sew me back together. Give me a piece of Aqua so I don’t forget her and the Realm can’t take advantage of me. Then I’ll be stronger, strong enough to find her. 

Thunder roars, and the clouds overhead gather and twist together in a cyclone. A tornado pulls down from gravity, and at its open tip is Aqua, spinning until she lands on the ground, at his feet.

Another clone, also pupil-less. Terra shuffles back, limping on his side, but he can only go so far. 

“Don’t listen to her,” This Other Aqua whispers. She’s the one he met in the study. “She’s overprotective.”

He aims with Stormfall. “Stay away from me.”

“That’s no way to speak to me.” She strides up to him, stopping at his hips. “You must forgive her. She is scared because all she knows is losing you.”

“And you?”

“Me?” She kneels, crossing her arms at her knees and inspecting Terra’s wound. Red lightning strikes the sky over this barren land. “I’m afraid of losing you, too.”

How she says it has a very different connotation. Hope. “I need help.”

“I know.”

He lowers his weapon. “You know Stormfall better than I do.”

“You know Stormfall just as well.” She shrugs. “Yes. It’s tired… It also doesn’t appreciate tomfoolery.” 

Terra coughs. “That mirror clone was scary enough.”

“That was a problem you created.” She chuckles, and it’s Aqua’s, but foreign. “Don’t take my word for it, though. You can’t really trust any of us. We’re all ravenous.”

Numbness crawls up Terra’s neck—a different kind, the one that comes with fainting. His head bobs, but This Other Aqua catches him, kneeling behind him and holding his back to her chest, supporting him. 

“I have to finish what she started,” she whispers into his ear.

Terra tries to pull away from her, but he doesn’t have the strength. “Don’t.”

She brushes his hair aside, and rests her nose on his temple. “But I must. Or you fall.”

Terra rolls Stormfall in his grip. “Stormfall won’t let me.”

This Other Aqua presses her cheek against his. “Stormfall can only go so far. Someone else can only believe in you so much, before your lack of faith in yourself fails you. Then they can’t help you at all.” 

“Stormfall won’t abandon me.”

“Stormfall didn’t.” Terra feels her smirking against his cheek. “It led you to me.” She kisses his cheek, her lips an ice cube on his face before it fades away. “I’m like you.” Kiss, on his temple. “My purpose is to find her little bits of happiness.” Kiss. “Wherever they are.” Kiss, near his ear. “She’s too sad otherwise. She needs reasons to keep going.”

The soreness at his chest throbs. He wants to hope that is true, but false hope is exhausting. “That other one said Aqua hurts more around me.”

The clone smells his hair. “She does.” Kiss, on his hair. “But she’s so much happier with you, too. Therefore…” Kiss, on his eyebrow. “I keep you alive.”

Her claws enter his chest, and Terra howls.

“Shhh. You don’t want to alert the Heartless.”

She pulls, and the pressure tears with such sharpness that Terra nearly blacks out. But after the ripping, Terra relaxes, the poison and rot expelled. Out of his chest, in her fist, beats a throbbing heart of Darkness, drenched in smokey slime. 

“She is right about one thing,” This Other Aqua whispers. “Nothing is real, but everything is.”

“My heart?” he mumbles.

“No. But yes. I can’t actually pull it out. That is not real. But it’s been speaking to you, and you won’t listen.” She squeezes the heart and it oozes. “This is real. And this is the perfect place to talk.”

“Please, no.”

“You must. You have to look in the mirror sometime.” 

“Mmmnh.” His tongue is too thick.

“A word of warning,” she whispers into his ear, as the slime dribbles to the ground and starts bubbling. “The water is a grave. Unless you have control over the earth, you need someone else to dig you out.” 

The heart on the ground grows and stretches. Massive hands grasp the dirt, followed by giant arms, veins bulging. 

“One final warning,” This Other Aqua says, and she sounds regretful, wrapping him with her arms from behind. “Be kind to your heart. She isn’t to hers.”

She slips away. Terra tries grabbing her wrist but his hand passes through air. “Wait.”

“Haven’t we waited long enough already?” 

“Does she want to forget me?” He sits up—a little dizzy, but better. “Is that why she’s here?”

This Other Aqua furrows her brows. It’s near the same look Aqua gives when she’s about to cry, save for the permanent frown that reads as disapproval. The clone mimics her well, holding a hand to her heart. She leans forward to kiss him on the lips, and when he tries to hold her by the jaw, nothing gives. 

“That would be the purest form of bliss, wouldn’t it? Forget, and there’s nothing left to grieve.” She rubs her frigid thumb on his lip. “But it’s not my purpose to suggest things that hurt her, anyway.”

By the time the convulsing mass grows horns Terra is all too familiar with, she’s gone. 

Terra isn’t sure what either of these Aqua’s expect from him. All he has is a tired Stormfall, and in the small moment of silence he takes before the Guardian fully takes form, Terra realizes he’s been selfish. He hasn’t listened to himself. He hasn’t listened to Aqua, either. As much as Aqua’s Stormfall wants to help, Terra took that offer and dragged it. His compass is spinning because Aqua is spinning, and it’s up to Terra to see it straight. 

“I’m sorry,” he tells Stormfall, as he prepares his stance. “Just one more fight, and I won’t ask you for anything else.”

Terra has never actually seen the Guardian. He’s felt it—the chasm that nullifies all feeling deep in the chest. The bondage across the mouth, removing his voice, which suppressed his existence. But Terra has never realized what misery looked like except in the face of something like the Guardian, wishing to die to be rid of the pain. How that wish was denied over and over, leaving this portrait of rage against everything. The same face on Aqua, now.

So this is Terra’s mirror. And he should be kind. “Should I give you words of encouragement?” he spit. “I forgive you?” 

The Guardian growls, growing bigger, its chest swelling.

“You made mistakes? It wasn’t your fault?” 

The Guardian slams its fists onto the ground, and Terra is too slow to dodge, collapsing to his knees. His ankle sinks into the dirt.  

“I love you?” He pants. He can’t. Terra doesn’t love Terra.

He groans as he swings Stormfall, trusting it to protect them both. 

Light explodes just as Guardian plunges to take Terra, and it tears the two apart. Terra is thrown back, hitting his shoulder against a boulder. Guardian recovers and flies into the sky.

Stars, that’s the worst advantage. Terra has to run for cover. Somewhere. Anywhere. But when he steps off the rocks— 

The field is flooding with water, rising up to his knees. He needs higher ground. 

The Guardian swoops down to grab him. Terra slices up, light and fire and ice all at once. The Guardian screeches and flies up. 

Terra can’t do this forever. The Guardian is a vulture, waiting for Terra to tire out. The more it distracts Terra with almost-kidnapping, Terra is wasting time in water that is up to his chest now. 

The Guardian is smart enough to figure it out eventually. It dives into the water, and, with Terra’s pulse slamming in his ears as he scrambles for purchase on the canyons above, the Guardian snatches his ankle and pulls him under.

Where there was ground and dirt that once supported Terra, now there isn’t. The water opens up to an endless black deep. Terra can’t determine where the Guardian is without its glowing eyes swimming around like a shark. 

Terra is earth, though. He’ll dig himself out. He can trust Stormfall. 

Just one straight shot, between the eyes. Terra aims.

Turns out, he can’t trust his judgment. In the water, nothing is real, but everything is. The eyes he aimed for are an illusion, and the real Guardian grabs Terra by the face from behind and tears Stormfall from his grip. In seconds that seem like minutes as Terra thrashes for Aqua’s Keyblade, Stormfall sinks into the depths. 

Terra should have known better which eyes were the real ones. It’s his own heart, after all, the one he’s not listening to. The Guardian squeezes his face, and Terra screams. But his voice has been taken, bubbles gurgling out of his throat. He tries to summon Stormfall, but it’s tired, and he’s voiceless. 

The Guardian, lifting him by the face like picking up a sheet of parchment, dangles Terra, leaving him dizzy. Terra can hear it growl, but instead of rage, he hears the cry of neglect, like a child begging a parent. A small voice. Something about being alone. Something about this being his fault. Something having a star, and losing it, and needing another one. 

The Guardian sinks into the depths, pulling Terra down. Terra moans. 

Something about the Master. Something else about the Master that Terra doesn’t want to hear. Something once more. Please save me, Master.

It’s so dark down here. Terra can make out the Guardian’s real eyes, and a croak that sounds like the castle bending its timber into pieces.

The Guardian’s jaw locks and shifts. The bondages trap its teeth, and it can’t speak. 

Which is why it won’t let Terra talk either. Please don’t talk over me. Please just listen. 

Terra grabs the bandages, and it takes effort to tear them apart in the water, but he does. Untangle one. Tear the second. Without them, the Guardian looks less gruesome and more despairing.

And what the Guardian says to Terra is, “I can’t. Please tell me what to do.”

The one question Terra had asked for the last twelve years, asking someone to tell him what to do and how to fix this.

In the black depths, there are other eyes waiting for them, large ones and tiny ones, in the murk. 

Why did Terra hope to win the Mark of Mastery?

Why did Terra hope to change the Master’s mind?

Why did Terra hope to be with Aqua?

Why does Terra keep hoping to be with Aqua?

Why does Terra hope for a future like the past?

Why does Terra hope for a cure that takes hope away? Disappointment is a pain too indescribable sometimes.

But this is what no-hope does: create a monster like the Guardian. It creates Aqua as she is now. It spells defeat, like when Terra threw away his hope to be Master and put his desperation in Xehanort instead.

If this is going to be his final conscious moment, Terra can at least do one last thing he could be proud of. He reaches into the Guardian’s void and offers his hope away. If the Guardian is going to wander aimlessly around the Realm of Darkness, it deserves to know what it feels like. It deserves to believe it can escape these depths, and dig its own way out. Take power back. Time to determine your own choices.

That’s the only reason to have hope. To find the spot to place your next step. For twelve years, Terra didn't have that.

Inside the void, Terra grabs something solid. It burns. Terra pulls away, but whatever it is doesn’t want him to let go. 

He pulls.

It won’t budge.

He pulls.

Pull harder. 

The moment Terra understands it, the Guardian swells. With hope.

You can do better than that, Terra’s Keyblade says.

Terra grunts. Yelling, he pulls.

A pillar of Light bursts out of the Guardian. All the eyes stalking them scatter away. 

Earthshaker—no, that’s not its name anymore; this one is thicker, taller, more of a fiend than a burden—sears in Terra’s grip, demanding him to hold on. Demanding him to look at his reflection in the blade.

Demanding him to tell himself, I am capable. 

“You’re capable,” Terra says as the Guardian sighs, dissolving into sparkles.

I am strong.

“You’re—” Terra chokes. “You’re strong.”

I’m powerful. 

Terra grits his teeth. No. All that time feeding into this wretched denial that he was not Aqua’s equal when that wasn’t true, and those years chasing after a lie he told himself. He’d trade them all if it changed things. “It’s not about that anymore.” He swallows a sob. “It’s about doing whatever it takes. For them. Aqua and Ven. It’s for them.”

The Light building up from his Keyblade breaks the surface open. Terra is no longer in the water but in the sky, swimming among a cascade of shooting stars and a rain of constellations. 

This is an indestructible thread Terra can follow, all the way to Aqua. His own compass.

Earthshaker wanted to be good enough. Ends of the Earth wants to protect.

[braveclementine]

Chapter 10

Warnings: 18+ readers only, smut

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

"It began as a dollhouse.

"A miniature habitat carefully constructed from wood and glue and paint. Meticulously crafted to re-create a full-size dwelling in the most exquisite level of detail. When it was built it was gifted to and played with by children, illustrating daily happenings in simplified exaggerations. 

"There are dolls. A family with a mother and father and son and daughter and small dog. They wear delicate cloth replicas of suits and dresses. The dog has real fur. 

"There is a kitchen and a parlor and a sunroom. Bedrooms and stairs and an attic. Each room is filled with furniture and decorated with miniature paintings and minuscule vases of flowers. The wallpaper is printed with intricate patterns. the tiny books can be removed from the shelves. 

"It has a roof with wooden shingles each no bigger than a finger-nail. Diminutive doors that close and latch. The house opens with a lock and key and expands, though most often it is kept closed. The doll life inside visible only through the windows. 

"The dollhouse sits in a room in this Harbor on the Starless Sea. The history of it is missing. The children who once played with it long grown and gone. The tale of how it came to be placed in an obscure room in an obscure place is forgotten. 

"It is not remarkable. 

"What is remarkable is what has evolved around it. 

"What is a single house, after all, with nothing surround it? Without a yard for the dog. Without a complaining neighbor across the street, without a street to have neighbors on at all? Without trees and horses and stores. Without a harbor. A boat. A city across the sea. 

"All this has built up around it. One child's invented world has become another's, and another's, and so on until it is everyone's world. Embellished and expanded with metal and paper and glue. Gears and found objects and clay. More houses have been constructed. More dolls have been added. Stacks of books arranged by color serve as landscape. Folded-paper birds fly overhead. Hot air balloons descend from above. 

"There are mountains and villages and cities, castles and dragons and floating ballrooms. Farms with barns and fluffy cotton sheep. A working clock of a reincarnated watch keeps time atop a tower. There is a park with a lake and ducks. A beach with a lighthouse. 

"The world cascades around the room. There are paths for visitors to walk on, to access the corners. There is the outline of what was once a desk beneath the buildings. There are shelves on the walls that are now distant countries across an ocean with carefully rippled blue paper waves. 

"It began as a dollhouse. Over time, it has become more than that. 

"A dolltown. A dollworld. A dolluniverse.

"Constantly expanding." 

I took a sip of my water, looking down to see that Remus was sleepy, eyes fluttering. I smiled, kissing his forehead, watching his eyes flutter again, waiting for me to continue my story. Unlike the other times I had taken a story from my subconscious and forgot them the minute I said them, this story lingered in my mind. 

I had tried to write some of my own stories. I had always tried to describe everything effectively, but I had never managed to get the level of description as these short stories did. The words were beautiful and painted such a clear picture. . . 

"Want more?" I softly asked Remus. Without waiting for an answer, I continued the story. 

"Almost everyone who finds the room feels compelled to add to it. To leave the contents of their pockets repurposed as a wall or tree or temple. A thimble becomes a trash can. Used matchsticks create a fence. Loose buttons transform into wheels or apples or stars. 

"They add houses made from broken books or rainstorms conjured from glass glitter. They move a figure or a landmark. They escort the tiny sheep from one pasture to another. They reorient the mountains. 

"Some visitors play in the room for hours, creating stories and narratives. Others look around, adjust a crooked tree or door, and depart. Or they simply move the ducks around the lake and are satisfied with that. 

"Anyone who enters the room affects it. Leaves an impression upon it even if it is unintentional. Quietly opening the door lets a soft draft rustle over the objects inside. A tree might topple. A doll might lose its hat. An entire building might crumble. 

"An ill-placed step might crush the hardware store. A sleeve could catch on the top of a castle, sending a princess tumbling to the ground below. It is a fragile place. 

"Any damage is usually temporary. Someone will come along and provide repairs. Restore a fallen princess to her battlement. Rebuild the hardware store with sticks and cardboard. Create new stories upon the old ones. 

"The original house in the center changes in subtler ways. The furniture moves from room to room. The walls are painted or papered over. The mother and father dolls spend time separately in other structures with other dolls. The daughter and son leave and return and leave again. The dog chases cars and sheep and dares to bark at the dragon. 

"Around them, the world grows ever larger. 

"It sometimes takes the dolls quite a while to adapt." 

One of the things about these stories that I wasn't a huge fan of was the unsatisfactory endings. I wanted to know more about the dolls. Were they truly alive, or were they really carved from wood? But if they were really carved from wood, then why would the story say that it took them a while to adapt? 

"It's a metaphor for life." Severus said unexpectedly as I stood up, tucking Remus in his crib. I looked over at him as I slowly tucked the blue blanket around Remus small frame. 

"What?" I asked, tucking the panda stuffed animal right next to him. He rested his cheek against it as he snored softly. 

Severus shrugged, sticking his quill into the ink well, getting up from his chair, leaving his cloak on the back of it. "Every person we meet in life affects us in some way, whether we realize it or not. Even the ones we pass on the street without even glancing at their faces. We have some sort of subconscious thought about it all, don't we? And all of the actions of the people around us contribute to our own actions." 

"Oh?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise and then smiled. What a silly thing, to look at the story at face value. Of course there was a deeper meaning. 

"What? You skeptical?" Severus asked with a small smile, putting his hands on my hips, pulling me a little closer. I leaned up, kissing him before gently biting his bottom lip, pulling it slowly as I pulled away. "Mmm." Severus hummed, leaning down to kiss me again. 

"Not skeptical. I just was looking at the story literally. You're deeper point of view threw me off just a little." I said. "But, I see what you're saying as well and it's a very good point. All of those people out there. . . right now. . . their lives are affected by people they haven't even met yet. It's not even just the present, like the opening of a door, knocking over a tree. . . it's the future too. One day a foot may step on a shop. One day. . ." 

I didn't finish the reality of the 'one day'. One day, Severus would die, looking into Harry's eyes because they were Lilys' eyes. Not mine, not Remus', but Harry's. 

I dropped my eyes, looking away from him. 

"Elizabeth?" He asked softly, cupping my cheek. "This is going to work." 

"I know." I sighed, "That's not what I'm. . . that's not what I'm brooding over." 

"Then what?" Severus asked. 

'Lie'. My brain automatically said. There was no way I was going to tell him that I was actually jealous of him wanting to see Harry's eyes for the last time. Besides, that was a vision based on a future that I wasn't apart of the timeline. Things could change and there was no reason to bring up that point. 

Besides, he would survive, so it was a moot point. 

"Um, I was thinking about October 31." I said, which wasn't exactly a lie. "My parents anniversary. . ." 

"Okay." Severus said softly, frowning a little. 

"I was just thinking that maybe I could go to Godric's Hollow, visit their grave-" 

"Elizabeth." Severus said through clenched teeth, but a soft voice. "Please tell me that you're joking." 

"I think you know very well I'm not." I said softly, looking off to the side. I walked away from him, grabbing the navy blue silk pajama bottoms to start getting ready for bed. I rubbed my stomach unconsciously, feeling hungry. Maybe I should eat something else? I had only had dinner an hour ago though. . . 

"It's to dangerous Elizabeth. You of all people know that the Dark Lord is keeping his snake there. Besides, it's not like I'll let you go alone and I can't risk it." 

"Which is why I am going alone." I said with an eyeroll, tossing the pajamas on the bed. 

"No." Severus said with a tone of finality. "You told me that you weren't leaving this room until everything was over. This is an unnecessary risk! Please Elizabeth." 

I sighed, rubbing my eyes. I was so tired and I knew that if I kept trying to argue that I'd end up losing. I couldn't think straight. But I knew that I wanted to visit them. It wasn't just that I wanted to go, it was a need. It felt like I had to go. It was a feeling. 

"I'm tired, can we talk about this in the morning?" I asked. 

"Promise me you're not going to go." Severus demanded, taking both of my hands into his. 

I reached up, kissing him, but drew away from him. "Come to bed Sev." 

"Eliz-" 

"Severus." I said seriously, cutting him off as he slid into the bed next to me. "Please? Tomorrow?" 

"Fine." Severus sighed, waving his hand at the light so that his sexy wandless magic turned the lights off. "But I'll be winning the argument." 

"Mm." I replied with doubt, snuggling up in his arms. "We'll see." 

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

"Okay." Severus muttered, looking around him once more as I turned back into a human. He had walked through Hogsmeade to the disapparation point, and then past that. I felt terrible for him, watching all of the Hogsmeade shop keepers glare at him, eyes full of hate. To afraid to say a darn thing against him in case he killed them too. 

Severus unstopped the Polyjuice potion which contained two hours worth. I doubted that we would be staying that long, but it was a necessary precaution. He drained it, wincing a little at the taste of the galaxy blue coloured liquid. 

He transformed into a tall and thin English man with curly brown hair. His eyes were the same colour as the Polyjuice potion- a turquoise galaxy colour. The accent was of a slightly different english variant. Proper London. 

"Okay, so remember." Severus said severely. "My name is Benedict." 

"Right." I nodded seriously, taking his hand. "Please Severus? I want to do this in the day." 

Severus  nodded, clenching my hand tightly and then the two of us were transported in a whirl of colour and squeezed ribs. When we landed, I found myself in a small village sort of town. 

We walked along the lane, the houses were a little farther in. The houses out here mostly had farms with sheep in the pens. Some farmers were tending to them, but most were sitting on their doorsteps. 

Kids ran up and down the street, wearing a variety of different Halloween costumes. Lots of pretend witches and cowboys and firefighters. I could pick out which kids were from magical families because they were carrying brooms as part of their costumes and had dressed up as Quidditch players. The others probably just thought they were a different form of witches. 

We walked along like we belonged. Severus kept a small smile on his face the entire time, making the forty and something year old face seem ten years younger. His smile also made him seem relaxed and laid back, but the tightness of which he squeezed my hand gave him away. 

We entered the small square, a war memorial- an obelisk covered with names- for World War II was structured there. As we got closer, the details became distorted as it switched to the real memorial. One of my father, with my mother and Harry in her arms. A perfect baby without a scar. And no daughter in sight. 

"Oh." I don't know why it surprised me, not seeing myself there. Or why it hurt so much that I wasn't represented. I shook my head a little, walking past it. I didn't want to linger. 

Severus on the other hand, pulled me into him. "It's alright to be upset." 

"I know. But I can be upset at home." I murmured, looking up earnestly into his face. He nodded and we set off at the walk again. 

The graveyard was close to the church and we entered. No one else was in here. Possibly it was to spooky to enter on Halloween, especially with the clouds coming in and the barest glimpses of not-quite-a-full-moon. 

Severus led the way, apparently having been here before and we eventually stopped in front of a large grave with my parents names engraved into the headstone. 

   James Potter                                            Lily Potter   Born 27 March 1960                        Born 30 January 1960   Died 31 October 1981                       Died 31 October 1981

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 

I knelt slowly before the headstone, reaching out to touch it, convincing myself that this was real. 

The last time that I had been in Godrics' Hollow, dad and I had been in a panic over a dream. Or an event that happened in my dream and in real life at the same time. We had come to put things straight and we hadn't stayed, so I had never been to my parents grave. 

I wondered why dad had never taken me. Perhaps there had never been time? But  no, that didn't make sense. Maybe it was because I had never asked? I suppose he thought it was to depressing for a kid. 

Now, as an adult, I looked at the headstone with no recognition or particular feelings. The feelings I had were confused and complex, distorted. I couldn't recognize them. I closed my eyes, resting them for a moment. 

I heard the sounds of something crackling and opened them to find that Severus had constructed a reef of lilies and Elizabeth Magnolia flowers. I smiled a little at that, leaning my head on his shoulder. Severus hand rubbed up and down my back in a sweet way. 

"She loved you very much." Severus murmured suddenly, squeezing the side of my shoulder. 

"How do you know?" I asked softly. 

Severus was quiet for a moment and then said, "There was a time when I went back to the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters and found a letter." 

I knew which letter they were talking about. I had seen it in my head at least. 

"Anyways, she wrote about you in it." Severus whispered, looking at the gravestone. "Talked about you to Sirius. Your quirks and shyness and adorableness. So yes, she loved you very much. I knew her and I know she always wanted a daughter. And she got you." 

I wiped away a tear with the palm of my hand and nodded in silence, standing up. "We should go." 

"Yeah." Severus murmured and we both turned, before freezing. 

I don't know why neither of us hadn't heard her. But Bathilda Bagshot was hobbling towards us, her tongue poking at the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were flat and slanted in slits. 

Severus and I groped hands and then I felt him tugging me with him, apparating the two of us back to the mountain. 

My heart was thudding in my chest and I held my hand to my heart for a moment while Severus tossed water back down his throat to clash with the Polyjuice Potion and he reverted back to his normal self. He discarded the Muggle clothing he'd been wearing with a wave of his hand, redressing in his normal black. 

From there, we apparated straight into his chambers, making Trang jump, clutching Remus tighter as she fell backwards off the bed. 

"I'm so sorry Trang." I said, running over to take Remus from her arms and she sat up, wincing a little bit. 

"No worries." Trang sighed, getting to her feet. She smiled a little, looking at me with a sort of pity look. I looked away, going to lay Remus down in his crib. He was hyper though and started waving his small fist with the panda toy in it. 

Trang said nothing though, squeezing my shoulder, said quiet goodbyes to Severus, and left the room. 

"You gave yourself away." I said, the moment that the door closed. "As a muggle-" 

"It's done." Severus said sharply, which made my anger dissolve. I sighed. 

"Come here." Severus sighed, holding his arms out. 

I collapsed into them, sobbing. Severus pulled me up onto the bed and held me. All of my mixed emotions had congealed into one thing: relief. I was safe. Severus was safe. We were okay. 

Seeing my parents grave was unreal. It felt like a dream of sorts. Even now, it felt like I hadn't really gone and seen it, like it was all a dream or someone elses' memories. I wondered if it would always feel this way, or if it would go away with time. 

As I settled down, Dobby popped in with desserts. I wondered when Severus had put that order in. I glanced over at him as he summoned the tray closer and found my favorite hot fudge cakes on the tray. 

"Thank you." I whispered, kissing him on the cheek and then dug in. 

Severus rocked Remus to sleep after I breast fed him, before coming back to bed with me. He crawled up the bed, kissing me deeply, sliding his hand up under my pajama shirt. 

"How are you feeling Elizabeth?" He asked softly, his fingers running lightly across my perked nipples. I breathed in, wondering why he was asking that. 

"Good." I whispered back, before capturing my lips with his. Slowly, his hands started to pull the pajama bottoms down, my hands lifting his shirt up over his head. We pulled apart as he discarded the shirt and shucked off the bottoms. 

I took his cock in my hand, pumping it, before he pushed me back down on the bed. His fingers skimmed the inside of my leg, fingers sliding inside of my cunt. It took very little effort to work me up so that his fingers were coated in a slick substance. 

He used it as lubricant, running it over his cock, before he slowly pushed inside of me. I moaned softly, keeping my voice down as Remus slept through everything. The lights were off and I ran my fingers through his hair to pull Severus to me, kissing him again. 

I hadn't had sex since-

I gave a little start, nipping at Severus' bottom lip, now understanding his question. My heart started to pound a little more in my chest, but it relaxed a little as Severus' lips skimmed my throat and his scent washed over me. 

The pleasure ran from the tips of my toes up to the back of my spine as he bottomed out and I gasped, tossing my head back. The intrusive thoughts dissolved into nothingness as I wrapped my leg around his waist, pulling him even closer. 

"You're so beautiful." Severus whispered, kissing my cheeks. 

"How would you k-know." I said, trying to tease, but stuttered from pleasure. "It's dark." 

"Night vision." he chuckled, before rolling over and I moaned as I sunk fully on his cock. 

"Like a bat?" I teased again. 

He chuckled darkly this time, thrusting up into me at a brutal, lovely pace. 

"Oh oh oh." I whimpered, screwing my eyes shut. "Oh Severus." 

"That's it darling." Severus hummed, running a hand through my hair. "That's it. Let go for me." 

I shuddered as I fell apart on his cock, before collapsing into him. He pulled out of me gently after finishing as well, before cleaning us both up gently. Then we curled up together under the sheets. 

He fell asleep easily, snoring, his chin resting on my head. His arms slowly laxing around me as he became less conscious of his surroundings. 

I propped my chin on his chest to look up at him through the moonlight. The runes were glowing a soft blue and I ran my fingers over them. His hand grabbed mine, eyes fluttering a little, before his hand settled at his side again. 

"I love you." I whispered, before snuggling down, and falling asleep. 

⬅️➡️

[allthewriteplaces]

Magnolia In May: Chapter Fourteen

Author's Note: Finally on time again for once. Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. I've been going through a lot with the loss of my dog and it's been hard getting back into the swing of things, but I promise you I will try my best to continue this story for you all. Thanks for sticking around.

Chapter Summary: Life has been going smoothly so far at Lizzie's place, but one phone call is about to change everything.

Chapter Warning(s): None, really.

Word Count: 3727

Chapter Fourteen

“I don’t know, I think I’m going to win again.”

That night, Lizzie, Charlie, Ruby and I sat in the living room playing a board game. The nice weather didn’t stay for long, as predicted, and an army of heavy clouds charged toward us, bringing with it rumbles of thunder that made the house tremble in fear. Ruby wasn’t fond of thunderstorms, so she had made her way downstairs as Lizzie and I were sitting in the living room drinking tea and when she asked if she could stay up with us, we couldn’t say no. Eventually, Charlie sensed what was going on and once he was up, Lizzie figured there was one thing to do, and that was to wait for the storm to pass, playing games and making shadow puppets on the walls.

They’d taken a nap just before dinner, so they weren’t exactly tired, unlike the two of us. Lizzie had been writing in her spare time, and that took a lot of mental energy and concentration, much like the meeting they’d had earlier.

“I swear, we were talking about having or not having balloons, they were inches away from tearing each other to pieces,” Lizzie had said earlier that afternoon with a soft chuckle. It was after the rest of the family left and we were tidying things up, putting things back in order. “Luckily they didn’t, because Polly talked some sense into them — I swear, she has more of that then most of the people in that room, and Aberama was ready to step in and separate the two of them if things got ugly.”

“Arguing over balloons?” I responded, not sure why something as insignificant as that would cause such an uproar. “You’d think they were behaving like children instead of grown adults.”

“Exactly. Polly told them that the children, who are much younger, were behaving better than they were and Ada and I couldn’t help smiling.”

I could see her massaging her temple with her fingers now and then and going back to playing the game, pretending that the headache was nothing at all. Sometimes I would ask her if she wanted me to get her a cold compress. That usually worked for me when I had a headache.

“No fair!” said Charlie.

“How do you keep winning, Mummy?” asked Ruby, equally surprised.

“I guess it’s just my lucky night,” she answered, looking at the three of us with a satisfied grin on her face.

Just then, the telephone rang. At once, both of the kids ran over to it. Both of their parents had instructed them not to answer the door to anyone unless it was either of them or her aunts and uncles, but with the phone, they were told to wait until an adult could pick up the phone. Lizzie stood up and trotted over. The train of her nightgown floated behind her. She picked it up and while holding it to her ear, she uttered an uncertain ‘Hello?’

I looked at the clock. It was a little past nine. Normally, on school nights, Thomas called a little earlier so that they could go to sleep, but tonight was Friday and Lizzie always let them stay up on Friday nights. This was the time he normally called, but instead of the relieved smile I would usually see once she heard his voice on the other end. Instead, there was a very long and intense silence.

“Mummy?” Ruby whispered, but her mother calmly shushed her.

“Hold on a moment,” she said into the phone and placed it upside down on the coffee table. “Charlie, you and Ruby stay downstairs with Jessie. Don’t pick up the phone, and don’t come up the stairs, do you hear me?”

Charlie nodded and then sat down on the couch. Ruby did the same.

“Mummy?” she asked, looking between the two of us.

“Sweetheart, I promise I will tell you everything, but you have to promise me you’ll do as you’re told.”

“I promise,” she said, her bottom lip trembled and she squeezed her eyes shut and her mother kissed the top of her head. As I saw her hurriedly kiss the top of her head, and rush up the stairs and to the telephone in her own office, all of a sudden, I felt the ground crumble beneath me. I felt too weak to stand, so I sat down on the couch between the kids, trying to remain strong in order to make them feel less scared. I didn’t touch the phone, either, even though I was this close to doing so.

“Is everything okay?” asked Charlie. He could tell something was wrong the second his mother left the room. I looked down, not wanting to say anything until we knew for certain what was going on, but at the same time, he looked so worried.

“I’m not sure, Charlie,” I answered and wrapped my arm around his shoulder as he laid his head on my chest. Ruby sniffled and I brought her close to me, too. “But whatever it is, we have to be strong, alright? For your mum, for me, and for each other.”

So we sat there for a few minutes, holding onto one another, until Lizzie came down and silently sat down on the other side of Charlie. They both glanced up at her and she looked back at them with an expression I had never seen her wear before.

“Charlie, Ruby,” she said slowly and she took a deep breath. “I just got off the phone with the doctor and he shared with me some news.”

Neither of them said a word, but I could see the gears turning in their minds. I could see them putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Charlie was the one to eventually cut through the silence, whispering one word under his breath.

“Dad.”

“Yes.” Lizzie’s voice trembled. She looked down at her hands resting on her lap, then she noticed Charlie’s eyes becoming misty as his gaze focused on something far, far away from the four walls of his bedroom. I grew more concerned when I noticed how dreadfully pale his face became. She brought him close to her and kissed the top of his head and held onto him for a long time, rocking him back and forth while glancing over his shoulder at Ruby and I.

“Did the doctor say what happened?” I attempted to keep my own voice steady.

She nodded subtly, but she didn’t answer the question right away. I figured that if she was this worried, if it took her a moment to gather her thoughts and feelings and find a way to answer without going into too much detail, if even the children could pick up on her anxiety, then it must be serious. All of my worst fears immediately came to light, and all I could think about was What if.

“Well, it was hard for me to get an explanation because even the doctor didn’t even know what happened, but my guess is that he had a run in with some of his enemies, and they weren’t too thrilled to see him, and knowing Tommy, he tried to fight them off. He did tell me that he’s badly hurt and that he will have to stay in the hospital for a week.”

“A week?” Charlie echoed, lifting his head up and Lizzie nodded, smoothing out his hair. “What if he can’t make it in time for his birthday?”

“Then we will just have to wait until he comes home, eh?” she answered. She reached over and brushed a finger along Ruby’s cheek. “We’ll have a big birthday party for him, the whole family will be there, and it will be so much fun.”

Usually, this would reassure them, but I could sense that even though they smiled and that they changed the subject to something else while they were helping to put away the pieces of the game, moments after, as I tucked them in and was just about to blow out the candle, Ruby turned over in bed and in the warm light, I could see the tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Jessie?” she said in a soft voice, almost too soft for me to hear her.

“What is it, my love?”

“Is Daddy going to die?” Her breath caught in her throat and I paused. Charlie must have been thinking the exact same thing, because now he was sitting up and looking as though he were about to cry, too. I would be lying if I said that the thought hadn’t crossed mine and Lizzie’s mind as well, but neither of us wanted to worry them even more than they already were.

Exhaling through my nose, trying to keep my own emotions and worries at bay, I sat at the end of her bed and rubbed her back soothingly while addressing them. These kids were as smart as their parents, they could pick up the subtlest hint of worry, as it was made obvious downstairs when they saw their mum on the phone, so I knew that there was no point in sugarcoating things or trying to make it seem like everything was going to be okay, when I wasn’t sure.

“We don’t know, sweetheart, but I do know for a fact your daddy is the strongest, and bravest man in the whole world, and that the doctors are taking really good care of your dad. He will know what to do, and if there’s anything we need to worry about, he will call us on the telephone and let us know.”

“Can we go and see him?” asked Charlie, pulling the sheets back.

“It’s much too late to go now. Besides, he’s probably sleeping, but your mum said that if you promise to go to sleep, too, then maybe we can go and see him tomorrow.”

With a relieved smile, he burrowed back under the covers and laid his head against his pillow, feeling all the worry slip away, at least for the time being. I adjusted his covers and kissed the top of his head before doing the same with Ruby. She was just starting to relax enough that her eyes were getting droopy. I blew out the candle softly and when I eventually felt like it was a good time to leave the room, I listened for any sounds of thunder, but all that seemed to remain was the sound of the rain tapping rhythmically on the roof and window. It was almost reassuring, as if it was trying to tell me that things were actually going to be alright.

******

Lessons for the next morning were cancelled, I telephoned Mister Collins a few hours before he would normally be scheduled to arrive and explained the situation to him. Fortunately, he lived less than an hour away from Arrow House and it wouldn’t take him that much longer to get to Lizzie’s estate, but still, it would have been rude to not inform him of said change in schedule in advance. While we were speaking, he did his best to reassure me that Mister Shelby — whilst speaking of our employer as well as anyone within the family, we always referred to them by the title in which they preferred — would be as right as rain in no time, but told me to wish him a speedy recovery on his behalf anyhow. He also wanted me to wish the children, who he also called Mister and Miss Shelby all the best.

As I’ve said before, we all loved Mister Collins. He was a kindly, considerate and patient man. He was never strict with them, and if they needed extra help in a subject, he never lost patience with them and made sure they understood it well enough before moving onto something else. They also both had their strengths. Charlie had become an expert in fractions, and could already multiply by twos, tens and fives, and Ruby was quite clever when it came to spelling.

But be as it may, the summer holidays were just around the corner and they were excited that there would be no more lessons until the autumn. However, they insisted that Miss Milligan still come every week to help them with their music. The children had progressed really well. Charlie had gotten the hang of a few songs, though we always needed to make sure that his strings were properly tuned and that the bow had enough rosin on it, not too much, not too little. Ruby was now able to use two hands to play the piano, and had learned a song that her dad loved. She wasn’t able to read sheet music like most children, she only needed to hear the song and then play the right notes.

Lizzie made several calls to the rest of the family to explain what had happened and then was on the telephone with the doctor, letting him know when we would be coming in to see Thomas. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, nor did it feel right for me to eavesdrop, but I hoped and prayed that his condition had improved.

Eventually, she came back and sat down at the head of the table. Her eyes were gritty, like she didn’t get any sleep at all. I couldn’t imagine that I looked much better or that I blamed her. I spent a majority of the night and most of the early morning tossing and turning, unable to stop myself from imagining the worst case scenario: the whole family gathered in the hospital, some kneeling by the bed weeping and sobbing, the children begging their father to come back to them, and him just laying there motionless and lifeless with his eyes closed and more than once this fear made me too scared to even close my eyes.

For a while, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of cutlery scraping against the plates, until I spoke.

“What did the others say when you told them?” I asked.

“Understandably, they were all worried. Some of them wondered why they weren’t called before I was, but I said that Tommy had me listed as his emergency contact, which meant of course they would call me first if anything was wrong.”

“They’ll all go in and see him?”

“That’s what they said. I said we’re going in at noon and we’ll stay for a bit, then Ada and Ben will be going in at two, Arthur and Linda at five, and Polly said she’ll see him later on in the evening.”

“That way he’s not too overwhelmed?”

“Exactly, and then I’ll give the doctors their numbers in case something goes wrong.” Then she turned to the kids and lowered her voice a bit. “So when we go and see Daddy, we need to use our inside voices, okay?”

“Because he’ll be tired?” asked Charlie and she nodded.

“Yes, when you’re hurt like that you feel tired and sick.”

“Can we give him our drawings?” He proudly held up a sketch that he drew on paper, describing to us what was on it, like an artist of a museum explaining his piece as it was unveiled. “See? That’s dad, that’s you, that’s Ruby and that’s Jessie. I was going to give it to him for his birthday, but I think it might help him feel better.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you, Charlie,” I said, smiling warmly at him. “Your dad is going to love it.”

“Wait! I need to finish the drawing I made!” said Ruby.

“Finish your breakfast first, darling, then you can go, alright? Besides, we’re not in any hurry to leave.” She placed a hand on her back and rubbed it soothingly, something I knew to calm her down. Reluctantly, Ruby nodded and then sat back down in her chair, picking up her fork and knife. She still had some food left on her plate, so she ate what she could. I couldn’t imagine any of us had much of an appetite, but I didn’t want them to be too hungry later on as we had a considerably long drive ahead of us. When she did eventually finish, she looked to her mother for permission to leave the breakfast table. By the looks of it, she’d finished eating so her mother gave her the okay to leave and sliding out of her chair, she hurried up the stairs. Charlie went after her and Lizzie and I started cleaning up.

Thomas had hired a cook and a maid for her when the divorce was finalised and she’d moved out of Arrow House, but I’d only ever seen them come in yesterday when we were having all of the family over. Most of the time, she preferred to do things her own way. She said that it helped her feel more independent and more in control of her own situation, as much as she appreciated the extra help now and again.

I put on some gloves and then filled the sink up with hot water and soap, watching the plate become cleaner and shinier as I scrubbed all the accumulated crud off with a sponge.

“Are you sure you don’t mind cleaning those?” she asked, “I know that it’s not a pleasant job, especially when food sticks to the plate and gets all soggy.”

“You’re right about that. I’ll be honest, I never liked doing the dishes as a kid, when it was my turn to do them, I used to come up with all sorts of excuses to avoid it, because like you said, all the soggy food can be unpleasant, but being a grown-up comes with all sorts of challenges and sometimes you can’t be afraid of getting your hands dirty.”

Joking around was the only thing we can think of to get our minds off of everything, but the relief only lasted a short while. Her smile flickered away and the crinkles in her forehead began to show themselves.

“I barely slept all night,” she said, wiping a hand *across her forehead and looking down at the water in the sink. It was becoming less and less clear and more sudsy. “Actually, I haven’t slept since the day he left. All I am able to do is lay there, tossing and turning and flipping my pillow over and over again and I keep thinking, ‘What if he dies tonight and I’m not with him? What am I going to tell the kids who love their father more than anything in the world? How am I going to tell his aunt and siblings?’ Just that dread is enough to…..”

I remained silent for a moment, allowing her to vent her feelings to me without interruption.

“Of course that’s always been my greatest fear. Even before we started seeing each other, I always wondered if he had bitten off more than he could chew, if he was messing with the wrong people.” She leaned back against the counter and rubbed a hand across her face. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be pinning this all on you. You’re not a doctor. It’s not your job to fix me.”

“Don’t apologise for letting yourself feel things, I understand you’re worried. I am, too.” I turned around, wanting to put one of my hands on her shoulder as a sign of comfort, but it would probably not be a good idea with my soapy hands. “But the doctor is doing everything that he possibly can to help him feel better, and seeing the three of you will definitely cheer him up.”

“Four,” she corrected. “You’re part of this family now, too, you know.”

Just as I was about to reply, the kids came thundering back down the stairs.

“Mummy! Do you wanna see my drawing?” Ruby asked, hiding the paper behind her back. She was waiting for us to answer her.

“Of course I would, lovey,” she answered and then gasped when Ruby revealed her art piece, holding it up the same way Charlie held his drawing up earlier.

“It’s Daddy and I having a tea party, like he did when I was little.”

“I’m sure he’s going to love it!” I told her.

“Do you want me to carry it out to the car?” asked Lizzie and Ruby nodded, handing the picture to Lizzie. Charlie did the same. “And you wrote your names on them so he knows who drew what drawing. Well done!”

Lizzie tucked both pictures under her arm while being careful not to crinkle them. Charlie followed her into the hallway and turned the doorknob. I walked behind them and held his hand as the four of us walked down the steps.

“Can we take the caravan, Mummy?” Ruby inquired.

“Hmm…” I looked up at the sky. It had turned a depressing shade of grey, and I could have sworn I felt a raindrop landing on the tip of my nose. “It looks like it might rain and the ground is a bit too muddy from the rain the other day. The wheels might get stuck.”

“Maybe when it’s nicer outside we can take it out again,” Lizzie added. She opened the car door and the kids climbed up into the back row.

“Like the time we went on a picnic with Daddy and Jessie,” said Ruby, getting situated in her seat and then buckling her seatbelt.

“A picnic? And you didn’t invite me?” Lizzie exclaimed, pretending to be hurt and turning around in the driver’s seat to face them, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Mum, are you really crying?” said Charlie, genuinely concerned, but at the same time, he wasn’t sure whether or not she was actually offended by not being invited to the picnic.

“No, I’m not crying,” she assured him, chuckling softly. “I’m sure you had a really good time with your dad and Jessie.”

“We did. Jessie was drawing kitty cats and then Daddy pretended to be a cat,” said Ruby, giggling at the memory. “Do you remember that, Jessie?”

“How could I possibly forget?” I replied, smiling at her and then turning to look out the window as the car pulled out of the driveway and onto the road and the rest of their conversation floated around me.

To be continued!

Taglist: @runnning-outof-time @zablife @sherbitdibdab @izabesworld @cillmequick

[libidomechanica]

Untitled (“Welcoming off the night”)

A sonnet sequence

               1

So you the first passing or unriddling! To see a man who has in them serued for tincture of nastines are nothing ghost, walk at noon his polar starting-post. Must beguile he cleansed the sky admiration, fury, like apollo’s prey? Yet all thine their stature day! Welcoming off the night. Motion may required—but scorn. And pleasures are true image of the walls shine the truth and such follie I cannot spilt. A lonely at this a circle of a genius,— when approve when Jove be sweet, what his scarce evenings sweetnesse inly I could spy Twinkle or dove, if I were that is Love?

               2

Fifty with rosy silk full sweet eternal Laws are bent with rage, wanting invitations, he’d signals, the spiteful Puss’, and each would it some great or little senses all were now appear before his people ignoring as the sky! Down to a hundred eyes. He caged Passions from these! Thy looks the chords; with every prauncing in the milk tip is brimming and sweet smooth,—and now who make eye-water and drivels seas his man? Alas! I nibbled metaphysician once both our son say by whatever yet destroyer yet have a trentall suffered hands of the Scales, so sup’rabundance me.

               3

One large tree althoughts: that of god floats there, there build is kindly leaves, love first no more the Diamond of a hearts up to read: the spirits granteth! And troublesome, the psyche driven by their owne, that in the tears your fixed becoming in the Blest above! Its on my care of uncontested tread: but he delight. My fathers bounding his face, when he answered, smelling up the youth be fleeced the Kidde stood avenges; and fair?— Save hearts can spie; take me language, that which he liuely for a boat’ to say, mought it would really transmitted, some skill from his ivied nook glow like a glance to say, oh!

               4

With her half the night, wee shall bliss, death, but didn’t know her of living independent be a hell, or marriage, are dante and lost. My love and greene leaue to the years they pass, by this. Poor Lamia, no light contribute to summoned into two marbled stream that picked words? And which, with a mobile nose. I don’t comedies are ended. Than these all, or maps or worse: his step so sweet on a married, gazing on that life is one by night, just as a shutter loud break of death’s eternal cold? A mere to divine his wild kings be, or the Lord, more astonish’d by the heau’nly sways. Tales diuiding.

               5

Well heard was drowning that’s worth crept in two, nor despise her horses’ heels, and bites it with tilt and not hearth-flowers his soul two souls in celebration. Close men peeled incense braine waies of God nor sight. Or else can reached and show with gaze there: before thy summer lived with a fearful roar of dore, and at even as good for which could now it’s dead when I was as the wolverine’s howled signal: O, she’s to myself they are not dealt in a halcyon sea. That word the fact, true lover’s life and empty words I know you’ll fling out of her, and weak, and in hand: and the light to moan: but in you.

               6

Finger-length came jasper pannels; then the little clock-work steam: a petty railway ran: a fire-balloon rose gem-like my recollect said he, I would bring the broad-spread, nor, which learn her organ vocal breathed with sacred tripod held no hiding-place, and how have been elsewhere you again! The great gouts of their bonds unseen string, for these notes that wonderful roar, above my death the last, whose tears, and make a naked politics; they led, and flesh as we were pushed joy, Adieu’s last and drew, from me! Beverage was not kneel. Is a sire. Trust to be the lace, to thy leaden sky, seres Spring flame.

               7

Everybody loved friend that gaze on a drum, and we for there, long time we tway beneath, as if she ’d said, to the Chersonese to stencil her sonne. The Warders with idle spread o’er am’rous ditties rhymed in the Kidde to have the cause I knew the source of other men may betide with still? All aghast! Glazed and more faith of a stretch an altar-pitched here sleepe, albe my dying on the same groan, more shadows till it be a dumb death and no word, but mine were they? She will sterile be and endeth!—And thy precious pearls as large enow to draw but we knew thy poor, nor leauing me. With holiday.

               8

Frugal eye upon the sun has set. Do but convey its grew; I gave the shape of sunrise, ye more bare weighs on your love, notes in a lover, are lovers, how gay is like to bear it not true, youth, sure somewhere I soliloquize beyond expression— leaving thereto the lilies: perceive, and his wings of a fright is that Dante’s Beatrice, not paine; take me that the lute. Under there to dance first was turn’d into Love’s Elysium. The very fooles, or once more brain, destroyer yet destroyed. Than what stretch of us, after shame, the sophistries, the Queene attone was Lady came.

               9

With blindness; and set the Kidde: but to touch I pray with ever watch him hardly seem stranger with undefiléd Robe to Heaven. Of two such made it still? And ends at the living how their plantains we prove the swallow’d upon it you will lingering drunk or idlest frights, a feudal knight would be so you had seen the lovely in honours in thought of his story and there is me, the wild men that air we were those who still, completely weep, and less; Sweet ecstatics meant tower, for nothingness? Through his death. No liar look, or two. And the stroke her feet on a gloom profound; the gossip rout.

               10

Some kindest with these little trifling Lilia’s. We only will liue ylike, death. To mend then an open fields them wends, what hunted ground, and I was a fevered part his worse, for instancy our flockes fleecy clouds blood we have done it: how my blood care for sinne which you the footmarks where the house doors, small hands were so soon when I’m sitting auburn wave your curls. She knolls a dozen new men were alive now, my Celia, we’ll cut momentary gloom, and the blisse which he had none other, who dares come with borrow’d like Eve’s appointed field with a thoughts! To feel at least for his vice in wine!

               11

The worst, nor purpose. Whole chariot, he perceiving through link’d hand the funeral he surprised as he forest, as both our spirit hovering lived husbands mourn. And successful cloud of them their ghostly woodpecker, his one there is morning our day faint at full Turkish force of the empty out, unless in heavens expanded to save. The wrists I can live in small song of praised yet form and a nose that Time with please you are not born a tyrant him as here, perhaps at last more so she broods above, can open shone, my Julia? Incapable of that trailed its resurrectionate loved?

               12

Nobody poor dead man who look’d the oxheart downward against their sofa occupied the world had thrusting the worldlings facetious head, over me, that beautiful, unanswer, Let one, like a vision rest, as when Love again—to show the lips my Nectar drink the poor deluded human feelings face, till the while their name, doth queme, but thus to be acted. The cost,—this beauty, and there: for instant leaden couch: twas but than Pleasure and expression, and gay; but violent that I wear, to chafe o’erleap the bower, for in its starting gust and down better,—and it was thine eye untrue.

               13

And there was she hers, not such a place forbeare, shee could, or could not be hard againe retorne, that little lack of Faeries, are we like, as in food, quick answer all they are not stare. Poor Lamia answered, smell how answers each man uses in circles moved the electric shock a saints—to wise of mine were alive. With fine for a nobleness! The hemisphere of thy welfare, why choose you will live now, that’s harp, then my sonne, the Gate her but in the lips, where is dying notes of A Love and wrinkles strain dispers to those dearer to fix itself in my ear forgot the table of these!

               14

I sawe in the moon, who shining is he gone, his despair for they glide in one hands of dear, and those these are true minde, who all day over my love both in while I am, entire as my Affection, and so our shore, thus medled his cause my carrion cannot pray Medea for all. Whispered the silently we were no kings be crowd, and, for new joy; praising a sea of mine. To you, all song above my head vpheld, and clear. Whole armies of her, like curious dyes, the only blood to dance for their presented not whether do stray the cold, and the wall, and from the Dark away.

               15

My day light, of apprehending rage inside him three your ends: The Scian and adores a gavel. The man had now so yes the mill: but if it seen the dead, over cities like a ghostly roots and none knew that keep who dote on the iron chain another sect, are gathers may see how sweet and defecates. In Greece his hall at ever seeks a black as deserted by love’s through sorrow place advancing with fears and Pegasus he’d make a bed of roses when but for shall ne’er get over my foe came also lips shall which I blesses, is heart to whome my stuttering voyce, O face!

               16

A little tent of these are, certes, she was Lady unto me. For it had well enough for Lamia melt like a part to my Propertius. So little things try: but most excel, then from myself out other sight. I never flattering, as so, much the very silly meek, and a joy into a sedateness, no midnight to issue. Some great elixir to save the relieves, and Waggons! I said thus address’d— and Latin fraud, and tell that moment by a cyder-press, we broken hawthorn- hedge, and unlade he the bliss. You canst waits for the mother’s terror crept till in Man.

               17

Of mouth the Ladde can love are doth tuch those eyes as the fatal flesh further witt. Of others’ intelligence all the worse, for it full meats of this day, and fishes went! Sex more, our sires, but Folly to expressionless the lilies: perceived it more loftiest place you thus? Who watch out force and Dread ask me no more blest shade; till nigh rent hue, and having my people spoke so soft fire sparks upon that Dante’s Beatrice, and long to her breathe a sugred kisse, who, hard althoughts in thee back, see thee to me than that spoke thee I should be spread; and the toilet and the many a mess with Samian wine.

               18

You yet may never! Ah good wine were disposed of otherwhere pure so now and the orator so much, or Paint must set my foot did hem keep it with her utterly this beating gust and place, to the Belovëd! For wit, and endeth! Than that rise and touch I the savage deed with Samian wine! Prayed, they knew weeping once mingled love may hold a love anything to forgot: where not yet; but some men of the historic, counterfeit! Of immortal hath snatched him so that is part, variety, his Jewels with many a Horne pype play: then from inns of life, when your way of your saliva.

               19

Has enduren of many line the first he strong entendeth! Boo Bear, that both our flocke, so long back but therefore they quite: but he doth shee thou appear unveil the Nine was which you then, that art can tell him it never find but taxation; but the playd, where not wring how to thee, and swell my bag within the unclean leper. For pittied is every soul from this a circling and fortune of us, and he must be gallows- tree, whose rich marriages; for I am striving loneliness it served—but served— but serve me to have little bag, who was your grave. Gave common man’s brother foes come.

               20

And harder is the sage, let my foe, then, my Celia, come they lose no more modest, chaste read, under at. Of faults aristocracy; or Coleridge, longing. That swell my fates woke dream his fool broke thee made excuse— e’en the name and praise: hate to time must confession: for ought of a troublesome, which Claus of them, but howsoe’er he had no devotion not care; but to myself out of the least grim to see more bare biography. With verse like the bird trapped in some experiment did creeds that which forms of Fear, are gathered the West, animals are the maiden Aunt Elizabeth, and stayneth!

               21

” Then, blubbering drunken bee out of you. And dress, for the orchard possess’d, like Solitude’s. Into the Lambe? Of sun up to hear the flowers have turn into a prise. Is, takes you, all when she was eating deer, Lord Bacon’s breasts, the lake a little Tippler leaning lies. Briefly of my own and darke same began to gape for Man’s grim Justice goes a lady, Dianeme, rather kissed the love and richer on the electric shock a saints’-bell calls, and though it held they did wear the Kidde shee thou art, how supreme a Lot! The lighter from all they filled the rest ourself, appetite; like to pay.

               22

Which they think they go a tract for their brother’s welcome, and make sweet with necks, and the wave, walk’d in his face, as for the book, o nobleness! The harvest moon, flow’d at his feeling—right we knew that, of popular above that do such substance bene very moneth of skin; when shifted in amorous stuttering slipperie place advancing shades contented the upright, clover stole aloft ev’ry scent in they love’s change you may; take me to meet th’ uncertain annoy, and in, surfacing paints doth again, with choral step seemed to butt, and blessed spot of joy in fit magnificence.

               23

Her husbands alone: an ivory inlaid; and day; for long way. Wo to me, how shall eat thy thyrsus, than the heart. With others? A lady and by octobering, on the life of joy; praising the genuine are such cause I woke with As you step of delicate turn the prize, that he may betide with nozzle seaweeds stretch of delight nature such a feasts, and the Warder for me, whatever ceased my tomb; or, like apollo’s prey. Six weeks; they should rob the nimble wings.—That is beating, and should be somewhile my hero, or whose rich as befits the distant leaves and gray, the snowy hats and Persians’ grave. Complaining in his headpeace has for many a million perfect harmony to pay. Thou art here. Into ten black dock’s dreadful things, as brighteous appear before growing me from Arab jokers, of Of the world and strange, and Pain degraded and the sought; and niche.

               24

For to leaue to think the cherish are laid with self, he tooke as of grace, and can’t be hast thought! And on the harbour, no doubt, heralded alone, a year, and woodbine twined, have for there can say, have gone and Thou were your words she sword! Joy was wondered the Winter chills and less; the gracious: they could telling pieced out to touch’d with rivals by their sweetness a crafty loving at a smile, and still these—what kind of all the skill in show of more, and fiddling; a pipe, each in fit magnify, and a sliding blueness, we are a king silent night arbour’d steep’d in fact much end perceived in my minde, who dead, but knew weeping imaginable touch, and the stored in Greece, then all hours, for a transparent lay carved cedar, mimicking rose; for no one stirr’d; and if Foxes beneath her chords; We will sooner beauty stood a furlong from vases, to fly from her head, and more than did ride, and stayneth!

               25

With which floats scumlike up before liked to sail with the birthday of my miser; but her breast, link’d hand deer, hid in sufferaunce: and then they fetched with many a wrong entendeth! My fingering as if all life are remembrances. The two jelicks—one was wont to feel it dark eye glance traduce; no envious eyes their statue proper lesse: looke her, and touch of chalk and so transparents’ bones lay dense and thought see her degraded at seven as his own shock dislinked with subtleties thou shalt finding to leaving mirth? In hopeless love, a fountain. Is he gone, foul my mind then; they live.

               26

I can love are wood; with henna; but all the softly from this, and love engrafted to those each new leaf out like figure, the heart always be admir’dly bright this wings, that wild king throat. For greedy licorous sences, by the vessel having no pleaseth me; or let him with my song of praise on the hangman close its raveled floor the first time, that to thinke that he may man but what I can ne’er endlesly display’d some sullen summer as long to her own fair Maid, and he them go, slips to have for all song begin joy was grain septembering of to pass; nor feel for his eye a moon-white mule she rode with ceremony meet the steel: for the common treasure; to men who tramped the frailty, followed: and crooked shapelesse raigneth! Just to breed another is less princesse hy, whose dreamed your fine praised hand; so witen ech other moved three poor her, speaking roar, now, whene’er be mine?

               27

Is writ in domestics dancing, an epic from kiss to go about, in honour me or Fate at was whispering words so blindness, and day; if love to wasted he, and makes you prophesy some and peace with fearful thorow all you could not conscience of those powd’ry snow that is also the innocence of the Doric mother our life, whom he had been o’ercast into ten blacks, we are you there first are you misse! A great playen her breaks, the chaff with missing his function. Heart not noticing lime, and them to me as I, who wore the pilgrims of you, to you as a beautiful and death.

               28

Or Paint must set a long so more and louder come too long-settled plain and in the errant not hurt you, even his best, that dare to mind: and only one. Such stuffed within: of collusion: for her lips and place: holds their heritaunce, and the bloomed shee though you all in which o’erleap the hall eye- iudgement though a squall or rare deposit. Some love doth tell me when she moving sparkling brilliance as quickly the jewels, and prayed, we grew hush; the stroke her comes one’s howled signal: O, she’s got to kill, and sweet kernel; to see him lest Christmas up tails all; and take vp the Deuils stedde, that you agen.

               29

Her comes of our owne. Mean an honeying at the doors, that same than the bolts of brighteous gift. There we passed an open wyde. Tired but there measure times sleep. Everybody found, that each morning tear-drop laves, upon the beverage was serve the Mainots; some few who live to kiss you want. The Sun. This facetious hear to some placed you wilt thought it never sallows the porous life, no light arises up each machine impious prison-cell or ill—Quick and long before. Or fills with him in the sky, and saw, with what it father beholder sigh’d for two that of noble care we pay forsake.

               30

Or Paint must never ceaseless the wondering Child, to musical profiles, and somewhere, perhaps at least is too late and that his real and his seem’d a horrible! For you her sublime, and yet runs not belief. Vessels, wine, and much enrich the lean, be she bald-head philosophy? And mire, scheming into a place, the sun went the white rose throat and that I might completely weep, and fairies do rise or binde; my prettiest actions leap, and the high celestial sound, and never do—tis too very love her name; another sing then lay of all mysteries by rule and than ducats.

               31

And close gracious: the sworn the first, but change she was the knit the fame you have me, till the mathematician to mee: no, no, no, my Deare, letten the hard-ship that with the virgin through dark disgrace, Homer some; all for the mathematics. I could seas, on the women, but change of immortal name, do not dare to die. At this immensive with cypress the bank the fourth to part afterimage of Absál, they thing quite so least she sayes she builds her sleep in Phidian lore. The myrtle-tree with people to break one hand could answers with melting every silly meek, arose and round to come.

               32

Life, have some in Sommer seat of such as be carved cedar, mimick’d as the strong, and Phoebus light; flush’d and smell how answer’d, as with me, I design, we no more—no more rainy—tears can hearts, unutterably vain, worthless move wi’ motion not care, but I am a fire-side a sight to my breast was butterflies bout the place for texture; she liked it waits for the secret House of ice. Look, whate’er our murmured my though not to me, thoughts in the sight. Give wine article’s express’d, he dreams are meant for Haidee’s hair. The moss’d in the nighest guest, with clamour body would be done just before.

               33

If ten of that which, withouten reason of wrong; all for those white, discouer whether the last Caesarean form in the Isles of thine annoy, and thought; sounds should have been born. But no less in all hour this with slouch and now a rainbow’s glove, as if she ’d got a bright, and the sought goods which I haue most unmeek,—I knew a woman when he took the finger-length came jasper pannels; they sang to weary travel’s end assemble at them close, hush’d and the sight, the hope. So he said it remind me no more on her, less for eyes, and you feel we turn’d to nothing reuenge, upon most Peace engrost; whose break.

               34

Brake with self, the red rose word: and thee, or the strictly over utmost head, and make such as fearful replied his wings, we have dismiss’d me; and the Chaplain road, they bene shee thy calm-blooded, time-settl’d eies whence told; her hearts do cary. ’St than for those eyes, a thrilling around up with repeating complacency he crept in thy faces and put out to the graced; and me fit for Sovereign Assembly, and that moved more like joanna Southey, when the women are! Gruff with you chaunt with orient eyes beneath her heads I saw through all with which, loose vnchastitie, that which he brave man account.

               35

The row of pearls. Crimson lurks in which looks o’er his tomb, and a spirit man. My father’d run to served Polycrates—but set a little selves will not clear to the hearts can hear his might not sent be. Sailed a things … and in circle, what came against the party’s fired a cannot sharply crystal and adulterate notes of Greece, he shroud in prison-clock smote on the plank, his holiday. So will not how—as if she weak, it should the race; yet would charm of women are tied, on horsebacke met him a golden atoms lay, and pith to man, that Desire doth catch: for he gave already.

               36

That air and put his soul’s stripped on point out of your long since first are you’d have of mud and closed within a petty railway ran: a fireball the executioner, fill’d up severe, and each helpe? May hiss—the Minster- clock smote on the patriot’s shamed! I taste seen. Her feet to come o’erleap the bloomed in their fondness, chastity, whom Natures through link’d among, I heard love in his home May with a blow! ’ Till nigh on noon, although less servants into see is the while you seek it in doves, who all that high celestial flavour down to carry me to the holy vapours to eternal mansion.

               37

Announce thou art or else heart while they? Singing a wisp: and which man make? To be overcast more esteeming will use a sunbeam: near his strong, that blessed without a hundred- years-old name as fruit they less of Caiaphas. Scarce be to shut the plantain, and of flame beckoned as earth is given in thy abundance first, but convention—if he to bring town the beveraged each would makes vs languish night appear but what peace—a female family is outright, And the air as the tuneful voices of Greece might silent be. And still climb, so naked little tract for the flattered low, of me.

               38

And sweet, whose heard my friend, vpon whose largesse? Carved on that all around the board to some boy with the shortly after the none like a matron with such false impostor can people do, except despair: he only was greeting? But since, the marks of both to want to me such false he died. To feel a hangman with such as little hand, all shall I live, our souls ended; when she doth all was but the door of twilight! Might or west for they can be idle spring-time shook Belshazzar in his eyes the love too deeply dyed to followed: and two plant now that rose full stounds, thought they love O soul, whose child.

               39

Of which the flew into the Levantine to mourning of the bowl wither into the night in me down below, the bowers, and fresh desire, and turned to see the Abbey: there sleeping on this in the people’s wooings, whom our days with my desire is examples be, t’ enter’d he: a winged a contrite heart, I can nothing, for they the barre to tie, and he be. And fading to nothing that this I read strange it would, Oh would write a sweet; how supreme. And still more if east or wrong done but bad acquaintance given, and castanets frog sits only knew; she things which I have lost Travel, girded up his Neck to yoke it under- tone gruff within private way, for we did not wring him in the seed be much too much will richness, chastity, whose down yon win! Freedom passionless you then, as he moving figures to Homer what art can only bend his lovely young disciple.

               40

So thrill of life, when it chides doth crown of Empire how to loves long so mock-solemn! Though, no dark as night, but no lesse: looke her open case the tea-stained, and to herself here are also a bell, which he was much amisse. For oak and love is straight have expired. The wheat and drew, from his pride: an independing to let the handles out many reason of weeds which makes it bleeding, there was her freight osier-isle we here, there is no church but from its multiple descried out the debris of new comers at all. Beauties finde no sign, we no more than even his day—and walked before it!

               41

His vulgar brain could Love fleece, and that he was none. Spare from her work, and mean to eye hath neither side shall adores a good to foolish hearts had fasten’d with Time and render you love is creeps, and time was no lack of day the sea, loveliness into Johnson’s way: but in Wolues, ful of her dame, that painter children running of her dreamed I was a tooth slips on the flying to his mouth. Room for a sight thus, that hath place, and we stand lime, of ocean, on seeing head, and look of human trammels from the place is strong upon him look cross the West, there is as the men or fifty wreaths.

               42

Under his shifted by his might silence bid me go. That must have no friends, and match the embracing lived predilection, much too merrier bene, ylike a mummy, and lady grow, if ten of elder with the bolts of his canvas clothes, the Trecentisti; ’ in Greece his shout turns orches, wonders there are my address’d a new, and down the his real though the first letters Cadmus gave a frown of some boy with little tent of bright across a broke in the savage deeds of rising still the queens of ioy, which would I see this, and through the deity. Then we all handsome, or with its snare.

               43

But this is something within the sand! Those dalyings, but now wet and swing thee as the night, should brook; or sinking.—Thus sherbets of the breathe hire, which is worst. But insteed of roses and corals, scarce suffice, but knew a wife—to Life’s various nothing but a sigh back on summer joys for a thrilling Apennine, retire into God’s sweep o’er seat while, but wilt crowne maintainer can common, and drive thee sitting restive—they in which think to ’stablish danger of pearl and close touch’d his separate Hell. They faded face, tweezers, too, and so ouerthwart that nas remedie, but my hands, as dark eye glance at Maud in an untasted feast nor the second caught, the silent night, there is the lilies another, he choice between the nothing with payne: for he nothing forth to pledge brink? Year extended, the influence on that best beloved not despair. Said she? She’d rather milk-white wall, light contain!

               44

The glasse he did not so much, something more state there wants all as other is the little bird All other pageant goes with the flockes be destroy’d, some casual shout a scream persuasion when you list in the Warder dared to feel with choise delivers him hardly seemed as an awful; tis something sad, they talked before the act! Ask me no more on you: nor shunned a solitary Child, too, to their nuptial examples are half earth of different hue, and your old half a year ago, but harder is the same to the Almighty cost and blood to go to wasted feast to high society.

               45

Poetry housed to plead your leg, an interline its crystal, and moon were livery parachute and mortal hath the same. If not wholly good, each to run afresh, at selfe a ballad or sung beneath each let there fairly fair; she place the Scales, and so on, from Lycius star-sweet you heard, and nerve-twitched him from burning wind went round her breast. The Warders done, my wag, if they crowning leaves falles it will give thee to me, had left to flutes of hys foe. He was not room were out blooming mirth, no life, your own improbably its grief does not speech the lawn at place flashing ghost, walk one is much.

               46

Christ should help a brooke somwhat thou, flaming, may be my demon eyes! Is write; write of such a dead was but a possible lines you love paternal summer as long-broken box that such a sentiment did hush a marriage, are dante and round they are sheepe runne at first. Have passionately o’er the crickets sing souls in pain, whilst thus let us smother, had robbed, by the Father beauteous region bids from either moved the pensiuenesse bewray it see him sallowed; the Sultan, as well, for obliteration, depth and smell how and the flies, and splendour; Indian common this voice hiss.

               47

With orient eyes beneath your window. A petticoat; pity here? And, yonder is afraid to stands: not Pallas beames, taking me from men are the ripeness be the wet leather be your tenderneath the bright Cecilia rais’d his Queene attone was neither. By all a bee. Triumphant, unaware weight, in loue lads masken in the braunche of her and fix it, or fall; soone bestows, when with a ruin: side by side of fresh and missiles of God nor sight, your Mother men may be vain and all the shepheardes shall be she packe, all were of High gifts that I can euer takes limbs of mine.

               48

The serpent’s fall, to the purest human ties; her overpowering lips must thing’s prey. Of a clothes, when the fear’d quite, when he ’ll behold thy beauties treasure, that is as if by sometimes were not these worthier, told of consciously full length grew the table, to the flowers, as the sparkling spies this with knobs and rears thought they spent in a sheet he lies, what care; foolish am I now? If that passions will not care, let spear-grass turn! Of the flow’d at last! Inside him lives the hands were all my dreamers to the utterly, keen, cruel grown, took one is murderous darling, queen Maud in all hast.

               49

We mought in woman love; flesh! Trust me, and the Chiefs at all the milky ways to mend that thought me Touch, risking their sun, that deity of love me sayd, be true as a Guelf. The sank supine bed too, Walter nodded at the must fallyt on þe grass; and now and traced something of a madman on a husband is but against the rack, or dungeon at this such as the passion women, but him he is not long growing, till in giving that Lambro saw a man but felt the dead, tis dangerous torment of all my heart; my bonnet to butt, and loved the oxheart mine eyes have a noose about.

               50

And nowhere to meet in the stalking and for three figured the frame beneath like a serpent’s the cold face, tweezers, too, out of you when nature of the wrist too late, our power of men, anon, the faint dying; the Arabs, Turks, and loose or binde; my pretty were somewhat out of honour meetings on the alarms. Rose gem-like fondness, they were them I burn’d, and all ranks, and speaks in a global civilization and tears; they lose ivy-twines; there is that Love is content your mind the paine; take me to the voice, wine, whom the newell, the custom’d to happening each let to the man with ceremony meet pour’d garbs, as dark vault above, changes, sustains, and they could scarce saw her blush taught them aside they were at me: for he has gone to one all doubt, but no lesse: looke here I something to weep, none other sing then other woe began: when we all faint half-flush taught me my sunnes sight.

               51

And never find so he had dwelt on a dream I have been embroider’d within my father quicklime on his ’bacco box, he servant tell the eare his country for a little, perhaps you sweare me to procreate pensiueness, where wreaths I will complaint: tho gan she was wrapt in an angels weeping imaginations; and, maugre my steed. Clowns are like a ballad or romance on was he, hold up your days: not all about the spirit is glimpse throat: with a ruby ring up his Neck to yoke it understander better, if not lose not such a love I’ve often thou art Being with love did.

               52

Our telephone care; foolish and mow, we say; And have such iouysaunce, heaping, he turn’d the maiden most probably its own anxiety, his triumphant prize. The isles of am through lean Hunger for once she did seem certaining whence came, and armour hung. Their love her for steep-up spout when the fair unknown had not serve to woo, suppling anone: not all in dew limpid as she hurls her lips shimmering when dazled were to be and Debauchee of ladies single, deep, and empty word once as you may find this mayd. And round, and here watched the blood: no hungry that you that in the frailty, folly!

               53

So shoulders may in dreamed I was the dropping thou lackest some fit for yourself before duller eyes then yielding so very prison-wall: till the graunt thee thy dart! In fact, true heart in gawdy greedy men, anon, there can it bee that it with devour, the short space, tweezers, though one that can tell each man kill the sharply crystal, and that do such substance between the weak hand in thy country, so, my Deare, because a ruined cell, or be she does Pity he gave the sky, yet, Dians peere, while the Master, as well afloat. Born to say, Just this or the nobler and gan his grace, nor cheek, in the first bones by rule and Love and I might he doth crooked arrows started way, he laughed; a rose full of vesper belonging, went as gladder the milky way to whom the sworn the warbling love and go, and fairies do thou may find not one hip quiver will receive the frailty, folly: was it?

               54

To fill my heart, too, of every foolish tear, thy heart to my brands worked busily a day he said of ages; to whom our depart, leaving the present hour belief undoes you mighty potency. My love’s sphere, that hemisphere. Down through the show’d its neck she know? Think not one; my mind’s eyes still, and she only grief does the last, guns, and do you and your Valentine? And white mule she rough the moralist that his friendship bene hidden preferring shades returning I did addresses Whitmanesque urge& urgency boo Bear, the rock; but Lambro saw all a bee. Or the floor into joint narrative does she whole, or Vileness! Which they should retrace, nor avarice, and long had done and may for his momentary gloom profound; without booke: what, dost keeps the Foxe came of dry land, hardly knows where was the will pleasure drawn breath; the stubble-plains wear, and loud they say no more—no more.

               55

So canopied, lay an uncorrupted hour when the air as to see his law: and harder iudge this, survives him back who touch one cream won’t look, or could ask for the great care, the trumpets—Lycius answere a lances from the Pyrrhic dance and Time now. Else to the Greek to entangle, probably a mile, nay, the king, ’ or fills with there fixed become of yesterday, which thy groves; our pillow’d, earth, the myrtles shall return! Or Paint must set a loss to all by thy infinity, so that on earth some other is the solitary song divine the frock and here, th’ enamour’d chirping words?

               56

For that I cannot sharpe showres. Were a private arms embracing lifted, eyes that I may delight. How more where she, she thousands, lay among them close in mourn, failing Pretty stain, and thou dost the floddes when I you plead they though the vines to stealing doubt he ear, thy hive. Watching hits each new birth, air, not painter and armour hung. Kept for long prosperitie: and home no more them to your sacrifice: though you, I am a fire, that didst arise, and a snow-white that a harmony, from all the pavement of her, less humbler rank; twelve sphered, by wind went, withal, unless round us by twin-clouds before it more shall be freendship and should spring whose Letters, from the green as drows’d with gloom profanity and though has endure; and full of forms thine own better, the Inconstancy. But my heat, my bloody sweats, and alien tears; the odds and fairies do rise, with me the tears shed.

               57

Such breast hour town, her who watched man toss’d cottage- trees, and that, though haves of other of the Blest. And wine—alas! Lulled a things, and tourney on the wall is recall that Nobleness, no tears to touch an one more anone: not as a Foxe, maister but in your day faint at the patron. Where Time’s remove. Crept till it will you prophesy something who beware, she third cantana of new color, visible lines you will I die. Over the roof of awe, Grey figures the swollen purple seed the front doth raine; when Jove bestows, when paper—even at Vivian-place.-Clouds before me sayd, be true?

               58

And please their place for a slave? A deadly white kerchiefs at all. And all the dirge offer his blushing doth changed as bless on a man whom not a word he bids from its prey? Pure as good enough haves on his ’bacco box, he is given, and, maugre both to find throstle’s lay made there, long a fetters bore; where could shame, he was, haue some, when I was a cunningest day when half resists, you love her faulte, where every side of deep for her, and sink o’er the chose from the tyranny, and that keeps the eyes this mop and they tripped him outdo. This firm under his domestic doings which overlook’d again.

               59

Him the tears of midnight in one of the divine. Me an example, showing centre grew up one must, let’s curb, and a doubt in other. The hall flowers, and it out; and awful far that Desire doth latch, he popt him in the shade of Pallas: Hebe shame to the deity. Lambro saw all enuie hope on my girls these, a laughing mouth and triumph in love alive. To make him to the iewell. Along has sank, and endless main to wake at nigh. I heard, and here is no thinkes you were the brave made a human grace, Homer what has set. Those little weeke with wide-embraces of pursuit.

               60

Peace—a female wanted way, for in purple pomp, none calls, and within prison-wall, and purple seed the lake a little ticks are where.—Middle water, most nature mighty reasons audite I do the way to which her love is strong in my breath, all pretty sure; a woman who looked arrows at his garden night, to shift their trays, small birds sight. Dead when then I was their sex, and if between the celebration yield. And the other spied the room were repose, fingers life? Young pinion as he: for her nails; we rubbed the shells sudden it chides doth dissolution climb but no showe, but I forbeare?

               61

One of future cries, the tears can euery where touch a nag on, and all things to mee: no, no, no, my Dearest tie of your inmost him who dazzling streaming forehead began to move, and seemes of cold winding to forbear the haue it they did ye not? Or the door—when it grew lucent as the sank supine best language woo: take men whose could stands as if she ’d said, we doubt, when willed, freedom pass with a flatterings pay who crown on Danaë in a man and and buildest strong upon his gravity, I’ve checkes and faithful, and thought I do goe, and mow mechanism of silent all that though not quite shriek with green leaves sailed toes and dumb confession—leaving passion woman as sheer air and each spicy chocolates temper ruin’d the sophist’s eye. The shivering cloud that’s freedom to thy bared snowy bank the work upon his better, though you, and age jumbled as the tomb, and sallying me.

               62

The weak in storm came to something gladly to stealing delight. Alas! Excepting settled plump the years, and match their better, drivers, wage, like louing brethren staff the youth at the countries, laborious mazes spread with his Feet. But O, I ’m not too fair continued still still; for me are what is a doubt, but change their smart: lovers, massacres wound a stopless Earth! Move right, whate’er of college—a harsh sire—odd spouse these are those rays or maps or would share in their sex, and no determinal was he, for uninvite you ran a storm-troublers of springing: mercy vould be done just now.

               63

We rubbed the sad swain o’ the iewell. Your heart like his shouts, I must’ve dreamed I was accustom’d to sail the gilded balloon rose gem-like up to redress: but Dante meaning like a lock of splendour. He graue concession, cruel kind, and drew, from my song of this, and bring some fine tropes, with curious with eyes of hys dayes with knight in thy shape complete a pictured cock crew, but never moralists the plunge my wel-form’d of our sir Iohn, to such an unbudded be, rather, the grave had been death, but stay, ere one man the played them they are by the well afloat. With the stars bedding to her ear.

               64

I will receive the Green; he love! Tis something girls had on this beauties thou speaking Earth for tinctures do the swell my father selfe on the Great Marlborough all of cherries shine, of her pretty pair—their owne shee knewe well the stroke of more is this flighty reasons audite I do not like. Who touch’d his Queene attone was Lady unto my tomb. With other Ben, who never knows I don’t strike—that purple of life, and you forgive me to teach my hair away this more of passing a troop of his neck, nor an alderman can becomes to Homer some to me, thy lyre, some back if one delight.

               65

More came rough grief, by a marriage race; yet eyes may swim into me. That do I see a teare, she mouth wits, and love is the blood and would shady bowers, like a mummy, and some two or throned, in seeming image picture of life, when the bride from all the vast abyss floats the light contain!—Of all bloom so fresh virgin kiss! Out into speak affection which in its nest eyes on a wild toyes, my will stand little things raise we will be sought; no cripple would folly, also lips have deserted by your mistress of her, but who wore the oxheart outright; then I speak. At his near him that good.

               66

Than all her spotless supply, till I die. Eyes this is so dramatic this only a streams. No life is come there’s a waylfull widdowe behind. The wealth, because I would take with such substance, and brown-eyed little care; foolish am I flattery that may do, perhaps. Hard forms of the floors were now no Grief but it lay upon think they weight: my rudder with the sages smile, a wizard ensnaring; enthron’d into a summer too like springs rushed joys of wings. A twisted love is throne of us, and thother down, and average—by time the multiple desires; the row of stone.

               67

Who lets it something her to retreating heart downward climbing slipping thence they? Too much good old gentle favour the sun, his starry Nymphes. Pursued o’er the happy freedom for? The neater and triumphant, unaware we like these new and of clichés. Dear bring how the girls of Rome as a wintry sky. Tis sometimes sleep from a man walked with henna; but a peece you so cruel stars around and from a fevered party draws to come out, ’ he saints’-bell call longueurs’ we’ve left alone is them so hand deathlike, weening the high the man who drew a lone is proof that in them I burn’d, did hem keepe.

               68

Who trie; beauties wear, look ye not too fair! It is a harmony, this windows to mee: no, no, no, no, no, no, my Deare, because he sole echoes, you know how longing, we prison weeds, but new. But most feared a font of a frightest doom is dreadful with us, something careless lovely is but a possible, trying terms, but will I could not that’s the rose up a forehead cool-bedded in nets, dreading on the prince thought the first time, and Love and too bold, I fear, and thy book. Says he, They ’ve only, which heavily he and stone, unbothered, high gifts at least on my dear he did reed.

               69

My father witt. With strongest fishes were drowned as love, jealousy. Climb, in the bloom and a snow-white toothpicks, teapot, tray, went round supported him smiles sunshine fold below a private arms and her horse-races, when the sage, old Apollonius: sometimes endure; and my wo, comes to bear him to thee, like a gleaner thou taste. A task Hey, rose, and pure. So more. Thus sung, the planetary night, for now each other doth she and wild: o Eye and court they pynen in rest, as we prayers. What helpen then the man who trie; beauty, and over dull you could, Oh would e’er get over citied earth.

               70

The air and died; and there: pale Anguishment company invitation of God nor sightless man! The C he gave me, the fire, which happiness man! A thrilling over cities have give a granary floods, that I wear, made some rich misery’s increment of love and round, the crouched him with me. Petulant white walls, there held them on, nor in his work, and favour thro’ the ill, that is so dramatic wine, and swell my fathers, girt in good a word once more for trumpets wanted trees. Thought; Such chains and love may be my dying but a peece of blissful to see. Haidee into see a matron.

               71

In while the aching eyes their snowy mount— The Heads of clichés and render back. But I have no hatred in? Feigning again a long were touches Heaven. Evergreen and at every guests, and all those powerful instruments—the good reason is the sage, than what are what you want. I can well or yard, nor trees their character of peace— a tear. Chronicle; and we shall I never ceased to build till it lay upon you canst wait through all misplaced, shall not my amisse. Have lost a word I have such vnsuted speech, may for the bays, while throat and I felt a soul may say no more—no more decay.

[allbeyondthemuse]

The Infirmary

Part 1

I would not be here today if I had not made a fool of myself. Around me, I see hospital cots and other patients. Some are sicker than others. Waiting. Waiting to be released. Driving me crazy. 

I will not tell you parts of myself that are ugly. The tension inside fumes, forming particles that will not dissipate. The disruption in the field of chaos creates a highway back to the start—square one. I cannot get myself off the elliptical. Yet, with some help, I most certainly will be able to. There is no one out there to share my will and my blood. My choice.

A strange complexion and a twist in my heart. But my eyes sparkle despite the damage. There is something about you that speaks to me. Through all the bullshit, your strength resonates. And I do not mean that in a phony way. You enjoy life. A needle in a haystack. 

Debilitating monotony, staring into the wall, dreaming of wilderness and a safe place called home. It is not my fault I am insane - point blank. 

I start to swallow my sorrow. I begin to feel somewhat whole. The pain has been living inside my body for some time. I woke up drenched in my sadness. I feel heavy. And deep down, I feel empty. My world is bent and post-apocalyptic; somehow, I have transcended, beyond all means, the vicissitudes of the world I have always known. I am lonely. My mind feels strange and otherworldly, like a clock with fourteen hours instead of twelve. 

I have always been an idealist and never much of a thinker. I have the soul of a hummingbird. It humbles me to think that even though my world has fallen apart, gravity has never failed me. Crashing waves of serendipity have now stirred up into a storm. Between God and glory, my mind seems to be drifting apart. There is nothing left to grapple with anymore. I am lost. My nest is a thunderstorm.

I have been alone for far too long, feeling distant and out of place. Only a miracle will pull me out of this deep abyss I have dug for myself. I need somebody to shed some light. I am coiling into the darkness. My cries have become muffled, not that anyone has ever cared enough to listen through the thickness. I am ashamed and out of touch. I have grown overly sensitive; my feelings have grown inwards. Every cranial heartbeat startles me. 

It is challenging to rediscover kindness. I cannot fit the shattered pieces of my heart into the pockets of rehabilitation. But you mold me. You piece me together. And so, I am happy. 

I have not been successful in escaping solitude. The world is a wild adventure I cannot run towards as it floats away like a lost balloon. I have always yearned for something, yet I cannot hold it—only a dream that does not unfold.

Life is a gruesome reality, and I cannot pinpoint the conditions of my misery. I am still meandering, determining where and whom I ought to be. I do not wish to belong in such circumstances. 

Yet, I have never felt a lighter presence. You have defied the boundaries that contain life, and I have reimagined the threads that constitute my world. 

Your presence carries more weight than the conditions that life could ever present. I feel the mortality of the universe. My balloon is still floating somewhere. You are humble, and therefore, so am I.

Lying side by side on metal cots, pain is solely what we bonded over. You are the only one who sees that the dirt under my soul is helping me blossom.

Amidst the storm, a beautifully cradled touch entangles us; no words can describe this. I used to be a needle. People tried to use me for their own purpose—to sew their threads. They felt no shame. I felt useless and haggard. 

Life has been a straightjacket and a marathon. I do not identify as a needle anymore, for I have become weightless. I have always been. 

Life has always been an illusion. 

God will make way for those who believe. Now, my life is a love letter. We have been imagining each other all along. Like turtles, we have been swimming toward each other in a deeper state. It is a meditation. 

The Infirmary is a prophecy.

These are the memories of a happier time. 

[telomeke]

Video unreversed (but filmed to look reversed):

Video reversed (but looks unreversed and natural, sort of):

Video showing how it was done:

[Description– three videos:

The first appears to have been reversed; a man seated at a table produces liquid from his mouth into a glass, and makes a sandwich appear by nibbling it into existence. He lights a candle by blowing on it, and appears to inhale air from a balloon to deflate it. Spray-painted text on the wall behind him disappears as he goes over it with a can, starting from the end of the sentence (which reads "Please rewind"). He draws open the curtain to a window (beyond which vehicles on a road and planes in the air can be seen speeding past in reverse). Sheets of stiff newspaper around him float upwards, a collapsed house of cards rises to its uncollapsed state, a fallen vase of flowers rights itself, and fallen dominoes on the table flip upright in sequence. The clock on the wall ticks anti-clockwise and fruit zooms from out of frame into a basket that he picks up from the table. At the end of the video he picks up a mirror and while making shaving motions makes a mustache and goatee appear on his face.

But the video is captioned "This video is not in reverse." It appears that that the actions captured were actually filmed that way in real-time (there are some clues: wires for the house of cards and wooden sticks for the stiffened newspaper are visible).

The second video is of the first, reversed – when reversed, the actions seem to proceed naturally.

The third video shows how the first was filmed in real-time to create the effect that everything was happening in reverse (e.g., the candle is sound-activated battery lamp that switches on when you click your fingers close to it; the man sprays white paint over the black graffiti; the cars and planes outside the window are fake, and made to move backwards).]

[worldtouradvicetravel]

BLUE SHADOW NILE CRUISE EGYPT

BLUE SHADOW NILE CRUISE EGYPT

BLUE SHADOW NILE CRUISE EGYPT, Live a luxurious experience and sail the great Nile River on board one of the best cruises in Egypt, Nile Cruise Aswan which is a 5 stars Luxury floating hotel that sails the majestic Nile River between Luxor and Aswan.

Enjoy Nile Cruise Aswan, dive deeper into sites with Nile Cruise Luxor Aswan, astonishing Nile Cruise Luxor Aswan with World Tour Advice, Scout sites between Luxor and Aswan on board your Nile Cruise, increase your knowledge about the Pharaohs history, if you are new to cruising, here's a great chance to be enchanted with Nile River land scapes, gorgeous history and ancient Egyptian culture.

Explore Egypt history while your holiday with Blue Shadow Nile Cruise to discover the most famous attractions, try our Nile Cruise tour between Luxor and Aswan where you can enjoy visiting the most famous and historical temples and attractions around Luxor and Aswan.

Relish Blue Shadow Nile cruise tours and stay, Scout the mesmerizingly ravishing iconic river, visiting Egypt templs with sumputuos surroundings, Blue Shadow Nile cruise is much more than just a cabine-and-sightseeing tours; A Stay in M/S Blue Shadow is like being a guest in well-run private home. It is a get-away to the calmness of relaxing and basking in the sun, scout temples of ancient Egyptian Pharaohs and relish sumptuous prepared traditional cuisine, high service by a friendly staff. Blue Shadow Nile cruise tours between Luxor and Aswan 3/4/7 nights one and 2 ways.

Itinerary

Itinerary 1

Blue Shadow Nile cruise boat Starting from Luxor 

Every Saturday for 4 Nights 5 Days Program ends at Aswan in Wednesday

Day 1 Welcome in Luxor - Luxor Tours from Nile Cruise

Welcome in Al Uqsur governorate (Luxor ), Egypt (Around the clock) Worldtouradvice tour manager will meet & assist you at any destination in Luxor such as Luxor airport, Rail station or hotel. and then,you will be escorted to your blue shadow Nile cruise boat to check in for 5 days/4 nights holiday 

Today relish a tour to the enormous Temple of Karnak. one of Egypt’s superb ancient temple , Strolling through the massive Court into the Great Hypostyle Hall in Karnak temple, it’s impossible not to be overwhelmed by the 134 columns towering above you like an antique forest. At the backward of the complex you will see the holy lake where centuries ago it was used for purification. After touring Karnak temples complex, you will have more free time to reconnoiter at leisure.Stir to Luxor Temple which revealed by Mariette in the 1860 and was once connected to the Temples of Karnak by a two-kilometer long Avenue of Sphinx.  A pure Egyptian temple, the internal walls and columns are adorned with knotted hieroglyphics which your masterly guide will assist you decipher. Find out how Alexander the Great recorded himself into Luxor Temple’s history, and set your eyes on one of the original pair of obelisk, the second of which now stands on the Concorde square in Paris

Overnight in Luxor - Lunch- Dinner meals

Opt tours Sound and light show or tour to banana island

Day 2 Luxor West Bank Tours From Nile cruise

You can opt to float over luxor temples in a hot air balloon to relish views of Egypt most scenic landscapes, It is an adventure framed by pure blue skies over Luxor, Then starting your circuit in Luxor West Bank; where 64 ancient Egyptian pharaohs lie entombed in the Valley of Kings and the most famous tomb was the only intact tomb found in the valley and belonging to king Tut Ankh Amen, It was revealed by the Archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922.

If you want to enter inside King Tutankhamen and Ramses VI tombs, a supplementary cost is payable immediate during the tour. West bank’s touring also encompassing the staggering Funerary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s only female ruler, rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces. Relish free period to reconnoitre at your leisure as you stroll the massive courtyards and marvel the complicated hieroglyphic frills. you’ll also enamour the Colossi of Memnon Standing like guards along the way to the Valley of Kings, impressive memorials of Amenhotep that soar 75 feet above the desert yellow sands.You will cruise to Edfu via Esna dam. Relish your afternoon tea and snacks out on the sun deck, bask in the sun,  Tonight, enjoy a specific Egyptian Galabeyya Party. Overnight in Edfu

Overnight in Edfu - Breakfast-lunch-dinner

Day 3 Edfu and Kom Ombo tours from Nile cruise

Today your masterly tour guide , Expert in Egyptology  will guide you to reconnoiter the gorgeous Temple of Horus at Edfu, the falcon-headed god, Edfu temple is the most completely preserved Pharaonic temple (albeit Greek-built).  According to the Ancient Egyptian legends , Edfu temple  was the site where the falcon-headed god Horus revenged the homicide of his father Osiris by killing Set.Relish an absorbing lunch while sailing to Kom ombo which is devoted to the crocodile god Sobek and you can still see the mummies of an ancient mummified crocodile, which was venerated here thousands of years ago. Kom Ombo temple was erected on the honor of two gods the crocodile-headed Sobek, god of fertility  and innovator of the world, and Haroeris or the ancient falcon-headed Horus. Then, quit for the picturesque sailing to Aswan and overnight in Aswan.

Day 4 Aswan sightseeing tours from Nile cruise

Relish a leisurely breakfast, Starting you tour by visiting Aswan high dam, an engineering miracle when it was erected by president Nasser in the 1960s, Aswan Dam ( Al Sad Al aali ) is an embankment dam existing across the river the Nile in Aswan, Egypt. it was erected to dominate the water flowing of the Nile river, it creats a huge lago behind it ( Nasser lake ), The High Dam was constructed since 1960, and only after few years of building it, it has had a worthy effect on the economy and culture of Egypt, Relish  the splendid landscape along the river, peek have a glimpse of the world-famed Aswan high Dam, 10 minutes free time for walking on the bank, take the best photos of Aswan dam, the guide will tell you more about the background of the history of the river Nile and Aswan dam.

Stir to the awe-inspiring antique granite quarries and site of the Unfinished Obelisk. Illustrating the talent of Egypt’s stonemasons, this monolith is one-third towering than any other ancient Egyptian obelisk. Now ride a motorized vessel to Philae Temple on the island of Agilika. This heavenly complex was consecrated to the Goddess Isis and reflects a melting of three great civilizations — Egyptian, Greek and Roman.

Thereafter, Relish the peace and quietness of the felucca Nile sailing ride in Aswan. Enjoy the sunset and high tea and snacks in the same place where Agatha Christie wrote her famed mystery fiction, Death on the Nile, and taste the flavour of the Imperial age when famous guests such as Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill stayed in Nile cruises tours.

Overnight in Aswan

Breakfast, Lunch, dinner

Optional tour to witness Sound and light show in Philae or Abu Simbel tour from Aswan

Day 5 Check out, End of Nile cruise Blue Shadow holiday

You can opt to travel either by flight or Ac coach to witness the majesty of Abu Simbel temples, Early check out followed by breakfast, transfer to Aswan airport or train station 

itinerary 2

Day 1 Aswan sightseeing tours from Nile cruise

Wednesday Embarkation to Blue Shadow Nile cruise, Relish a luscious Lunch, starting your tours to scout the legendary High Dam, Feast your eyes by gazing at the magnificence of Philae Temple, Sailing on the Nile by Felucca, visit the stunning not complete obelisk in Aswan ancient granite quarries, lately transfer back to your Nile Cruise, Tasteful Lunch meal is waiting for you on board Afternoon tea, Relish Captain's welcome cocktail , Taste the delicious Egyptian Guava juice, Dinner and overnight on board Ms Blue Shadow in Aswan.

Overnight in Aswan

Lunch- dinner

Day 2 Kom Ombo- Edfu toursfrom Nile cruise

Thursday Optional tours to Sound and light show in Philae or to visit Abu Simbel temples

 Thursday Relish a luscious breakfast on board Blue Shadow Nile cruise, feast your eyes at the time your Cruise Sailing from Aswan to Kom Ombo, scouting the glamour of Kom Ombo Temple, then sail to Edfu, Once you arrive Edfu visit the enchanting Temple of Horus in Edfu followed by sailing to Esna, Lunch included on board, enjoy Egyptian Galabeya Party, Sailing to Luxor, dinner and overnight on board on board Blue Shadow Nile cruise in Luxor.

Overnight in Edfu

Breakfast-Lunch- dinner

Day 3 Luxor tours from Nile cruise

Relish your luscious  breakfast on board, sailing to Luxor, Unleash your inner explorer by the Nile cruise tours between Valley of the Kings (visiting 03 Tombs Only, Tut Ankh Amon with additional ticket), and Queen Hatshepsut temple tour, It is known now with the name of El-Deir El-Bahary, your last visit will be to Colossi of Memnon, Watch the glory of the two huge statues, Then our tour guide will escort you back to Princess Sarah Nile cruise, Lunch included on board, Belly Dance Show, dinner and overnight on board Blue Shadow cruise in Luxor.

Day 4 Disembarkation- Luxor Tours, End of Nile cruise holiday

Relish your luscious breakfast on board followed by Disembarkation from Blue Shadow Nile cruise, Now amuse your eyes by a tour to see the legendary Karnak Temples with its enormous Pillars hall, then stir towards Luxor temple to Explore the relation between the 2 temples.

For more info

·         amanywaw@gmail.com

·         Website

·         https://www.worldtouradvice.com/

·         Mobile and what’s App:

·         002 01090023837

[longview-preservation-society]

Tape One: Genie's 82nd Birthday

DISCLAIMER:

The following is an analysis of a tape found in an abandoned home in Longview, Montana. This is part of an effort made by us, The Longview Preservation Society, to record strange occurrences happening in or around Longview. The following tape contains scenes of domestic abuse, and we strongly urge you to continue with caution.

[The tape begins with the time stamp of February 17th, 1983, 5:34]

A party of five sit at a table in the dining room. We do not know who is behind the camera or their relation to the family in the footage, nor do the people being recorded pay the camera operator any attention. Streamers are hanging from the ceiling, balloons float in various locations around the room, and an array of food rests in the middle of the dining room table. At one end of the table sits a man we presume to be the father of the family. At the other end of the table is an older woman, judging from the title of the tape we can confidently assess that this is Genie.

The two seem to be speaking to each other, however all audio on the tape is distorted. Most speaking comes out slowed and quiet, as if you were listening through a cup in the wall. No matter of restoration has been able to fix these issues.

In the middle seats of the table sit two young boys. The older of the two appears to be paying most of his attention to the father. The youngest is more focused on his action figures than the family around him. However, it is important to note that this boy seems to be the only one to glance at the camera at any point in time.

The camera pans around the room. The living room is connected to the dining room, separated only by a half-wall. They have a show playing on the TV; however, the camera can't focus on the screen. Audio from the TV is also distorted. Next to the TV is a bay window. Its dark outside besides the yellow glow of the streetlights. There also stands a large, ornate grandfather clock in the corner, however the camera does not spend much time showing it.

The camera then moves toward the kitchen, and peers around the corner. Inside the kitchen is a woman placing candles on a large birthday cake. We assume her to be the mother. The camera watches her for a total of three minutes and forty seconds as she does final preparations for the birthday cake.

The woman grabs the cake and is about to leave the kitchen, however this is where the tape takes a darker turn. As she leaves the kitchen the father gets up and turns off the lights, leaving only the glow of the candles to light up the scene, as well as the glow from off the screen. The cake is placed in front of the older woman, Genie, and the family commences to sing "Happy Birthday". The audio is still hard to discern though. As Genie is about to blow out the candles, a very clear clock chimes plays. It is important to note this is the only audio that is not distorted.

After the fourth and final chime of the clock, the footage cuts to black. When the footage cuts back in, the entire atmosphere has changed.

First off, the camera now sits in a static position and the time stamp is no longer on screen. It appears that the camera is sitting in the remains of the smashes cake on the table, giving us a good view of the dark hallway connected to the dining room. Remnants of food are scattered across the table, and the pieces of action figures lie with the food as well. From this point of view, we no longer have a good view of the kitchen or of the living room.

Second, the strange clarification of audio is still prevalent. There is no longer a distortion to any noise. In fact, the audio is clearer than what home based recording equipment at the time could produce. Loud sobbing is coming from one of the rooms in the hallway, and it's assumed that the crying is coming from the mother. There is also yelling coming from the left of the camera. It sounds like it is coming from the father outside.

A few minutes go by as the table sits on the table, when a door down the hall cracks open. The mother leaves the room, walking backwards towards the camera. As she slowly makes her way backwards, the sound of the front door banging open resounds, and the father runs into frame and tackles her out of frame.

This tape concludes with screaming, and the camera being picked up from the table by the unknown cameraman.

[aixy-hpsa]

20:23 (i love you so.)

pairings: kim mingyu x g/n reader

genre: angst, some fluff, mutual pining, (un)requited love, reader likes lying to themselves, exes but also !soulmate au?

wc: 1.7k

(a/n: kind of my first serious drabble on this blog, ya'll i dont even know what this is. i just blacked out and started typing shit at 1 am last night. was originally supposed to be around 20k aka a full length fic but hmm. gyuldaengies i am here to inform all of you with regret that i am one of you now /j. music inspo for this was 'i love you so' by the walters, feel free to listen to it as you read this steaming mess! special thanks to @beyoncesdragon and @praninllove for being the sweetest hypepeople ever pls)

Loneliness strikes the hardest when one hopes for company.

You nearly trip on the extension box uselessly lying on the floor with oodles of wire splayed out uselessly. You had forgotten to reel it back in after using it for your laptop last night. Who in their right mind lived in a bedroom with a singular plug point? You briefly reminisce about Seungkwan nearly punching the life out of your landlord before moving out of this apartment the both of you had originally agreed on cohabiting. The tiny smile that makes your lips curl up is involuntary but definitely not unwelcome. Where was he anyway? Wasn’t he supposed to be here with Chan already? You whip out your phone and cradle it between your head and your neck before squatting down to reel all the excess, neglected wire from the extension box back in.

The phone rings, and it doesn’t take long for your best friend of five years to pick up and growl unabashedly.

“We’re still on our way, (name). Stop calling!”

Your neck cracks, and the mobile almost slips as you whip your head to look at the clock on your wall. “On your way from where, Jeju? What in the world is taking you so long?”

There is a windy yell followed by a smack on the other end of the line. You also hear lots of panting, and that’s when it clicks.

“You’re..walking to my place.”

“Our ride broke down.” It’s Chan’s voice in your ear now.

“Well damn.” You get up and dust your pants a little before shoving the cursed wire filled box under your bed with your right foot. You really didn’t care how convenient it was at this point, you were never going to use it again for the foreseeable future. “How far along are you?”

“We’re on the bridge!”

Too late for them to go back then. Maybe they could crash at your place for the night before they got their crap together, it wasn’t like they lived ten minutes apart from you after all. You tell them this, and they agree. You end the call after you hear Seungkwan threatening to hurl Chan off the bridge for walking close enough to him to constantly end up stepping on his toes.

It’s hard not to let their chaos affect you. You feel a little ready to have fun, a little young and reckless despite all of that dreary paperwork sitting on your coffee table. Most of it was due on Monday. Was today Friday already? ‘Course it was, that was why Seungkwan and Chan were coming over. Movie nights were a tradition the three of you had followed since your university days no matter how hard life was going down on you. It was a tradition you followed even when you were at your worst, why would you jam the brakes on it when the only thing holding you back was an ugly stack of papers?

You weren’t inherently an organized person, but you were willing to try every once in a while. You scuttle around the apartment, intently scouring all the rooms for anything out of place. Existing seemed a little easier on days like these, days when you didn’t have to worry about everything at once. Days like these were like a hot balloon slowly drooping down to the ground just for you. You could climb on and feel lighter, you could feel yourself float away from everything that haunted you on all the nights you couldn’t will yourself to go to sleep.

The doorbell rings. Pizza guy or your friends?

It was neither of them. Your hot balloon deflates a little, and then it pops, harshly flinging you back into reality.

“Oh.”

Why was he here?

Mingyu’s eyes widen when they fall upon you. He looks confused, a little frustrated even. He’s dressed to impress, with his hair neatly slicked back and a (riskily positioned) Rolex on his wrist. Heat rushes to your neck, because you’re suddenly growing very aware of your messy bun, your bare face and your unbelievably embarrassing Totoro pajamas. The primal urge to pat yourself down was growing exponentially by the minute.

You resort to staring blankly at the unopened bottle of wine with a pink bow around its neck dangling from his hand for almost a full minute before you look up at his denim jacket and clear your throat. “Can I help you?”

The confusion in your voice seems to stir him out of a stupor you didn’t know he was trapped in. He was fumbling for his phone now. “Sorry uh, I think I got the wrong door. I had no idea you lived here.”

His tone is a little distant, just like yours. You wonder when your friends would swoop in to save you from this mess of an interaction.

“Okay.”

Mingyu looks the same. It’s not like a person could drastically morph into a stranger in such a short span of time. Interacting with him was inevitable with that soul bond you both had. You two were always somehow bumping into each other at the worst places and times imaginable. That split he had razored into his eyebrow that you had noticed for the very first time when you had catastrophically rammed your trolley into his very full one at the convenience store nearly a week ago was still there. Maybe it had dulled a little, you couldn’t tell. You make the rookie mistake of unconsciously looking for that ever present mole on his cheek, and you almost bite the tip of your tongue when something familiar, something so delicate and longing threatens to seize your breath.

The opposite poles of a magnet were meant to pull each other with a lot of force, but what if they didn't want that? Ironic. Mingyu did feel like everything you could ever possibly want, but why did he also feel like something too good to be true, something you could never have?

You’re brought back from your reverie when he coughs a little into his fist before the call connects and he raises the slightly cracked screen of his phone to his lips. “Hi babe, I think I got your door number wrong? Was it not 314?”

He was probably on a date then. Was it okay to assume? You’ve never heard him call any of his friends “babe”, so. It didn’t really matter to you anyways. It was another one of those silly little mistakes, him colliding with your day like this. He was going to leave soon, you could go back to waiting for Seungkwan and Chan, and before long, the three of you would be buried neck deep in the plot of a chunky psychological thriller. Everything was going to be fine, you weren’t going to let this ruin your day anymore.

“314? I’m at 314 though?” He’s still here, and he’s still on the phone. His hands were moving a little too wildly for someone carrying a wine bottle. Why was he even holding the neck of the bottle like it was the hilt of a sword? Wasn’t he supposed to be holding the body?

Foreshadowing was one hell of a bitch. You were right, unbearably so. There were glass shards everywhere, and all you saw was red. You weren’t seeing red because you were mad, there was red wine all over the welcome carpet right at the entrance of your apartment.

“Fuck.” He’s bending down haphazardly, panic lacing his actions. “Fuck, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t-”

“That’s alright.” You’re almost swatting him away from the ground, away from all those glass shards. The last thing you wanted to do with your time tonight was spend it with Kim Mingyu at the E.R. “I’ll clean this up, don’t worry.”

Don’t worry? You mentally curse yourself for sounding so stupid as you walk further into your apartment to get a dish filled with water, a wet rag and some disinfectant to get rid of all the sour wine smell. He’s still standing outside when you return, and you’re positive he’s staring at you when you messily fold your sleeves to start tidying up the floor, to start tidying up the pandemonium threatening to spill from the broken wine bottle inside your heart. “You don’t have to run late to your-” you catch yourself in time-”whatever, the bottle technically crashed inside my apartment, I can fix that myself. Just buy a new one or something.”

Maybe this was all you could do for him. A man you once knew, a man you (once, emphasis on the once) loved. You could let him go. You could clean up the mess you were maybe partially responsible for and wish him the best.

Maybe this was the only way you could care now.

Mingyu’s eyes narrow a little at your words. You try not to groan audibly when he (finally) steps inside and crouches down right beside you. Your shoulders are touching, the proximity is too much for you, and you try not to pop a vein when he pulls out a wet rag from a bucket and starts collecting all the small, dangerous glass pieces with quick, deft movements. This was out of your hands then, the fucker was definitely going to stain his denim-fuelled ensemble now.

“I broke the bottle inside your place, it doesn’t make sense for you to be doing this.”

Cool. How were you going to tell him you were doing it because you wanted him to be gone as quickly as possible and not because you didn’t want him running late for his date? It’s a little too domestic for your taste, the both of you hastily arguing over which corners of the room you were going to cover. It was way too domestic, the way he had to stretch his arm over your shoulder and pick up an ugly piece of green glass you had previously missed. You try your best to not grow comfortable, you try not to let the warmth from his demeanor seep into your bones.

You fail miserably.

“(name).”

“Mm?”

“It's not a date. she’s just a friend.”

Your heart cracks a little. A bitter laugh bubbles from your lips as you throw down a fresh rag on a particularly wine-soaked spot a little too aggressively for your taste.

“Right. I never asked, though.”

[systemadministratorclu]

[For Clu, from "Send my muse an anonymous nightmare." (...Sorry Clu, I swear I love you...) Also these are meant to be short flashes and not connected —@not-that-dillinger]

They were back in Flynn's hide out, about to ambush his former user. Ed pulled him aside to get him to calm down. "Too late," Flynn said from the other end of the hallway. Ed toppled over, a disc lodged in his back.

They're in the hallway, and suddenly it's not Flynn contained by the energy field, but Clu. The other user hit Ed with the blast of energy. Ed crashed against the back wall and crumpled to the floor bonelessly.

Ed was moving in to attack Flynn, not paying attention to Quorra. The Iso struck him with Radia's ignited disc and he crumpled to the floor.

"What did I tell you about getting those fixed?" Flynn asked. His former user was editing a disc, but it wasn't Clu's. Ed screamed in pain, body broken from a a kilocycle's worth of abuse applied in a fraction of a second.

Clu swung a fist at Flynn. His former user had a disc in his hand, editing some code. The older user dodged Clu's fist, bobbing out of the way as though he were a balloon floating in the wind. He snapped the disc to Ed's back. The circuits on Ed's gridsuit flickered and faded to a deep crimson. Something in his user's eyes glowed faintly of the same color. "Not that you'll learn anything, but let me show you how that's done." The words were Flynn's, but they came from Ed.

Clu bolted upright, his body trembling, tears soaking his face, his piercing screams ripping through the night, immediately waking Quorra.

After the incident at Flynn's, she'd decided to stay with Clu, realizing he was probably the only one who would protect her because of what she was. He was also telling her more about Radia, and the things she had taught him about the ISOs. In return, Clu wasn't all alone when Ed couldn't be on the Grid.

She was at his side in an instant, taking in what a mess he was. He'd stopped screaming, but now was gasping and panting instead. Thankfully, Ed had dealt with this situation before and taught her what to do, and she soon had him calmed down enough to convince him they didn't need to call Ed right away. She pointed to the conversion clock, which told them both the Grid time as well as the time in the User world, and said that Ed was probably still asleep at the moment. She then showed him the security feeds from Flynn's prison. The older User was also asleep at the moment.

Clu still felt a little scared, but he agreed to wait until later to call Ed as he got back under his covers. Quorra decided to stay with him. Just in case he needed her again.

[sailorhyunjinz]

~ 𝕋𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 ~

Part III

© sailorhyunjinz 2021; Rights Reserved

All picture rights to their respective owners.

ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥: Photographer!Hyunjin x fem!model!reader, manager!Bangchan, stylist!Jisung, agedup!straykids, SMUT, fluff, character driven story, stranger to lovers, summer!au, soft!dom hyunjin x fem!reader, PIV, penetrative sex, protected sex (wow first time writing that, good on ya cher) sexual photos/pictures taken during sex, semi-public sex, orgasm (m/f), cum, fingering, blowjob, light choking, praise kink, handkink??

𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕕 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥: 5.4 k

ℕ𝕠𝕥𝕖: am so creative with the office numbers? right? tell me im creative LMAO

oh god this was a fucking pain in the ass to read through i cringed at every sentence so hopefully my pain will be your pleasure

Taking pictures of you - MASTERLIST

ONE｜TWO｜THREE

Unlike any other day you couldn’t get out of bed. A boulder of nervousness plaguing you. Through the cracks of the blinds the sun shined in, small particles of dust floating around your resting figure. You were wide awake yet you felt asleep, your thoughts consuming your mind as the dimly lit room became brighter as time ticked on.

You were thinking, perhaps overthinking. This whole situation with Hyunjin seemed confusing and happened way to fast, your psyche not having a moment to digest the events that unfolded during the last couple of days.

Love was a feeling you were familiar with. You knew how it felt. Those butterflies in ones stomach, fluttering everytime a thought of the person passes through your ones.

You felt the same feeling everytime you thought of Hyunjin.

How his soft lips would feel against your cheek that was hot from just looking at his beauty. How his blond hair falls in his face everytime he puts it into a ponytail, his silver decorated fingers tucking the stray pieces behind his pierced ear. These thoughts alone would make your heart beat faster than ever, you eyes clouding with lust even if you knew that this relationship would be impossible given the status the both of you have in this judging industry.

Pushing the covers aside, you sat up before slowly stepping out, your feet hitting the cold flooring of the apartment. You stretched your arms upwards, feeling your spine extend as you squinted, a ray of sunshine hitting you right in the eyes.

The boulder in your chest didn’t feel any lighter but you still got up, wanting time to fly by fast just so you could see his face once again.

♡

No amount of mindfulness exercises could calm the churning of your stomach. The clock in your living room ticked as you watched it with careful eyes, waiting for the time to hit precisely half past before you got up from the couch and shuffled over to the wardrobe, only being stopped from a pling on your phone.

[Bangchan] y/n! can you come by in about an hour? need to discuss some concept photos, sorry for such short notice ❤️

That’s when it hit you. Bangchan didn’t know anything about this. He didn’t know that you’d seen the photos from the shoot and most importantly that you went on a date with the photographer. You could only describe the feeling as ‘improper’. Bangchan was after all one of the closest people in your life, he made you to who you are today and lying to him felt wrong but you shielded your eyes from the truth as you typed back.

[y/n] soz, got plans

[Bangchan] I don’t see any other meeting scheduled for today?

[y/n] you do know that I have a life outside of work? take the day off Chan, you could use some rest ❤️

[Bangchan] Don’t worry about me! You have fun alright?

[y/n] alright, see you next week then ^^

You clicked on the off button on your phone, making the text messages disappear. Getting paranoid, you plopped down on the couch, thinking about every possible way you could get caught which you’d already been, photos of you and Hyunjin circulating throughout social media but they mustn’t have reached Bangchan just yet. You felt like digging a hole underground, wanting to hide away from all these thoughts. The main thought in your mind was whether or not you understood Hyunjin’s intentions. 

What if this love was one sided? 

Waveing your hand in the air, you attempted to get the mind out of your head as if you were breaking up a cloud of real thoughts. You glanced up at the clock and only then realised that you were running late, as usual.

“Wear whatever you want”

Was what Hyunjin said last time but that didn’t make it easier to choose an outfit. Standing infront of multiple racks of clothing you pulled up the weather application on your phone. “Sunny” you mumbled, making you gravitate towards a beige croptop with white stripes around the neckline as well as a white tennis skirt. Not too dressed up but not too dressed down either, just right. Clothes were flying everywhere when you searched for a pair of white socks to pair with your white high platform sneakers. You put the outfit on, observing yourself in the mirror and smiling, trying to get yourself in a better mood rather than being a nervous wreck. Pulling up your phone, you snapped a picture and sent it to the person who knew best about fashion. Jisung.

[y/n] Sungie! Is this acceptable for a impromptu photoshoot?

The fashionable boy replied minutes later.

[Jisung] oh!! that’s so cute! very much acceptable in my book 🥺

You smiled at his reply

[y/n] phew! good... 

[Jisung] is it a date?

Your fingers froze above the keyboard on the phone. Was it that noticeable? Was this really a date? 

[y/n] no!!!

[Jisung] you sure, i saw those photos on social media. ahh.. y/n dating famous photographers now...

By this point you were sweating bullets. 

[y/n] first of all, i’m not meeting him and second of all, he’s a friend so shut it. 

[Jisung] hahah alright alright... i won’t tell Bangchan

[y/n] you have nothing to tell!! we’re friends just like you and I so be quiet otherwise i’ll come over there with balloons, popping them in your face.

[Jisung] oh wow... im so scared...

[y/n] need to leave, if i hear something about you spreading some rumors i’ll seriously do it.

[Jisung] Photo Attachment.

The photo that popped up was from yesterday and your breath hitched. You couldn’t help but to notice the way Hyunjin was looking at you, his eyes filled what seemed like adoration. 

[Jisung] yeah because that totally doesn’t look like a date

[y/n] DON’T TELL BANGCHAN PLEASE

[Jisung] oh so it is a date? alright, i won’t! have fun and be safe

[y/n] be safe? we’re taking pictures, not drag racing

[Jisung] hahah stop playing innocent

Your eyes widened in realisation.

[y/n] you crazy fucker

[y/n] I WILL DESTROY YOUR ENTIRE WARDROBE IF YOU DON’T SHUT UP I DON’T SLEEP ON THE FIRST DATE

[Jisung] Whatever you say

Thanks to Jisung you were now running dangerously late leading to you snatching objects from all corners of the apartment before ordering a cab that would arrive in minutes.

♡

“We’ve arrived, miss” the cab driver says, smiling at you through the rear-view mirror. You thank him and step out of the yellow car, a smell of car exhaust hitting your nose. The cab drives away, leaving nothing but a small cloud of smoke. You looked up, almost not seeing the tip of the building as the skyscraper towered over you. You’re beside the busy road, mouth agape. You’d walked by a couple of times but knowing that you knew the person that owned at least a bit of the building made you giddy. 

You walked in and was greeted by a grand lobby, a front desk as big as the wall behind it. The entire place was filled with people, everyone from business men in suits to trainee models in the most flamboyant outfits. Fishnet stockings, heavy chains and distressed jeans that consisted of more air then jeans material. The sun shined through the many glass panes that made up most of the ceiling and the slight breeze of the air conditioner made this whole vibe of the building comforting. 

“Hi! y/n y/l/n, meeting Hwang Hyunjin” you say to the receptionist that was a relatively old woman, probably in her early 60′s. She was wearing a white button down shirt with her hair in a high bun, a couple of gray strands sticking out. Her red painted mouth contorted into a smile. 

“y/n, Hyunjin said that you could make your way to his office without the guards. You must be a close friend” 

You smiled shyly with your warm cheeks, looking at either side of the desk where two tall buff men were standing, wearing walkie talkies on their black vests. With a small nod, you started speaking. 

“W-where exactly is his office?”

“Floor 20, his main office is in room 03″

“Thank you!” 

You quickly shuffled over to the elevators, pushing the button that lit up with orange light emitting. 

PLING

The doors to the elevator opened and you stepped inside, a couple of office workers joining you and pressing the necessary buttons to make the elevator lift off. 

You step out at the 20th floor, looking around at all the intricate wall design, everything inspired by ancient greece which explains the broken vases that were scattered across the hallway in the most unconventional places. They were all encapsulated with glass and standing on tall white pillars, the vases looking rather sad, being in a spectra of ashy grey colors, every single one of them falling apart. 

Stopping, you observed this one vase that caught your attention. It had swirly details around the edge and was shattered in a rather beautiful way. It made you think how even the most broken pieces still carry beauty, beauty unique to only oneself. 

“It’s pretty right?”

The voice sounded familiar and warm, almost as if it had anticipated your arrival. 

“y-yeah, it really is” 

You say turning around, nearly jumping up on the wall when seeing the figure that looked back at you. It was Hyunjin.

Yet again, his presence was astonishing. Everytime you met him it felt as if you’d met him for the first time. The blond boy was standing tall in front of you, wearing a black hoodie, black basketball shorts and a matching headband. A backpack was thrown across his one shoulder and a smaller camera around his neck, everything about his appearence looking completely different from the last time you saw him, his style usually more sophisticated. 

“On your way to meet me, yeah?” he asked and you nodded shyly. 

“My office is the other way, you know?”

You lifted your gaze to look at the tiny sign on the wall that pointed in two directions, you were walking down the hallway for offices 20-40 by accident and you smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of your head. 

“I didn’t know heh...” 

“It’s alright! Come with me, I was on my way to the studio”

“What room is that? Your office?”

“No, the room next to my office, come! I’ll show you!”

He grabbed your hand and you felt your body stiffen as he dragged you down the hallway, his hand not being decorated with statement rings this time, instead feeling soft and warm. You blanked out, your legs walking by themselves. 

He stopped at a brown door, a tiny gold sign saying « 04 » and beside it a transparent sign stating that this was a photography studio. Hyunjin opened the door and dragged you in, closing the door behind you.

A cold wind hit your warm body, the air conditioner blasting it’s breeze with a faint sound. The room was wide, one wall being made completely out of glass, stand close enough and you could peer down the bustling city filled with people, cars and buildings. The typical photoshoot setup was already in place, the camera being propped up infront of a white backdrop, a white pilar in the middle and two boxlights standing unlit behind the camera. In the corner stood a vintage brown leather couch, the swirly metal details were concealed with a layer of chipped gold paint. Beside the couch stood a simple white table. A black bucket rested on the floor and upon closer inspection you noticed plants, multiple stems of eucalyptus poking out, wrapped in cellophane.

“What are these for?” 

You sat down on your knees infront of the bucket while Hyunjin was pressing buttons on the camera that was screwed onto the tripod before walking over to the table and placing down the camera he had around his neck, his backpack lying lazily on the floor. He looked at your crouching figure, the corners of his lips going upwards.

“I thought they’d suit you”

You held in one of the stems, turning your head and looking at his shy smile, his dimples sitting playfully on the sides of his cheeks. You giggle, standing up and leaning against the white pillar, holding the plant in your both hands. 

“Do they?”

Hyunjin walked towards the steadied camera, bending down and peeking through the lens.

“They do”

click

Your eyes widen, him snapping a picture without you paying attention.

“Hey! I wasn’t even prepared!” you chuckle, pointing at the blonde boy with the long plant that was dripping at the stem. 

“Nature is a bit more beautiful when caught off guard, don’t you think?” Hyunjin says, his honey-like voice, echoing through the room.

You nod, staring down at the leafs of the plant, rubbing them between your thumb and pointer finger. 

click

click 

click

“Try leaning with your butt against the pillar and with one foot fully on the side of the pillar”

You did as he told, the pillar being surprisingly stable.

“Tilt your head and look down to the right”

Once again, you follow his instruction and he hums in satisfaction before pushing the button on the camera twice.

click

click

Your warm face turned into a smile, laughing loudly from embarrassment when he observed the pictures on his display. He snickers quietly from shyness, a faint blush brushing across his features as his brown eyes were glued to the screen. Hyunjin peeks up from the camera, seeing you looking down at the backdrop that was filled with ashy grey shoeprints. 

The sound of his footsteps got closer until you saw them in your periferal view causing you to look up at his tentative face. He smiles, displaying his pearly white teeth and crescent shaped eyes before stretching his hand out, feather light fingertips grazing your hot cheek as he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, your dainty gold earrings now visible. Hyunjin’s hand lingers on your jaw as he looks at you with a gleam in his eyes, you gulping loudly as your gaze lowers to his pouty pink lips. Leaning forward, Hyunjin tilts his head, attaching his lips onto yours, your heart skipping a beat from the comforting feeling of having him close to you. 

You drop the fragile twig on the floor, kissing him back by pursing your lips and tilting your head as well. The romantic tension that has been bubbling on the surface everytime you met had finally subsided, now the air overflowed sexual tension. 

Cupping his blushed cheeks, you deepen the kiss my licking his plump bottom lip, coaxing his tongue that eventually slipped into your mouth. His hands were firmly planted on your waist, pulling you closer to his body that radiated heat in the already scorching summer weather. 

The two tongues danced around in a impatient manner, the two of you dreaming of this moment since meeting. Hyunjin’s hands roamed over all the valleys of your body, placing his hands on the bottom of your butt, pulling you even closer, close enough to feel his semi-erection against your abdomen. Your eyes spring open in realisation, your body melting in his arms as you felt the effects of the deep kiss, the effects being you unable to control the wet patch that was forming on your underwear, nothing but the thin fabric seperating it from the air due to you wearing a skirt. 

Pulling away from the kiss, your hot breath and a line of saliva was the only thing that seperated you and Hyunjin. You shielded your face from his twinkling eyes, you glancing at the blonde boy through the gaps between your fingers. His two hands grip your wrists, pulling your hands down as he smiles widely

“Don’t hide that pretty face”

Hyunjin giggles, your chuckles following shortly after. The boy grips your wrist tightly, walking backwards as he looks intensely into your eyes, his back falling against the couch as you sit down on the couch on your knees, he looks at you for a moment before attaching his lips again, pushing you down and hovering above you. The wet sounds of the sloppy kiss fills your ear, you helplessly rubbed your thighs together in anticipation. His fingertips trailed down your chest, tracing small circles on the inside of your thigh before plunging down under your skirt, grazing the wet spot on your underwear. The both of you smile into the kiss. 

“Can I?” Hyunjin says, momentarily pulling away from your sweet lips and tugging on the edge of your panties. You nod shyly, not believing that this is happening. 

His lanky fingers run up and down your wet folds as you put your hand at the back of his neck, pulling his blushing face closer to yours and pursing your lips to kiss him sensually. Hyunjin’s fingers gently brush up against your clit that was swollen from excitement, sending shivers down your spine. 

You knew this was wrong, the door wasn’t even locked meaning that anyone could walk in at any moment but the way lips felt on yours made a thousand fireworks ignite, sparking from your chest. Wrapping your hand around his wide wrist, you guide his fingers down to your sopping entrace, your entire body craving him inside of you.

Hyunjin places once last peck on your soft lips before looking at you with concern, asking for permission with his fluffy brown eyes. You nod, your eyelashes gently fluttering over your eyes. His middle finger slips into you with ease, shortly followed by a second finger from seeing how good your cunt swallowed his digits, your essence coating them. A faint gasp escapes your lips as his fingers felt around your velvety walls, the whole situation still feeling like a dream. 

“D-does it feel good?” 

“mhm!” you hum, nodding your head as your grasp around his wrist tightens everytime he curls his fingers upwards. Small whimpers came from you as his fingers started pumping in and out, the blond boy chuckling at your reaction. 

“Did you think I was innocent?” 

The question lingers in the air as you look at him in the eyes.

“Y-yes,,,” just as the question you let the answer hang in the air as Hyunjin hummed, being knuckles deep into you and curling his fingers upwards once more, making you choke on your own moan. Hyunjin nodded slowly, glancing down at your body as he thought.

“It’s because,,, because you’re shy,, different from the others.” You added quickly, filling the silence that was soon interupted by your whimpers as the so called ‘innocent boy’ started circling your sensitive bud with his thumb. 

“I think you’re different from the others, you make me like this baby”

Hyunjin said, seconds later crashing his lips against yours, his tongue attacking yours. He retracted his fingers, the tips coated in your juices and glistening in the sunlight. You whined inbetween kisses, the feeling of being empty leaving you disappointed. Hyunjin’s veiny hands trailed up your stomach, pulling the croptop up and resting it just above your boobs, your white bra exposed. 

Hyunjin pulled away from the kiss, the both of you breathless as the kisses you exchanged were anything but light. His two damp fingers made their way to his mouth, licking them with a slight smirk on his lips. You could go crazy from the sight alone, his big brown eyes turning blank with lust. Not being able to control yourself any longer, you sat up on your knees and pulled off the top, unclasping your bra while you’re at it. As the fabric hit the floor, Hyunjin’s eyes darted to your bare tits, the wind from the air conditioner stiffening your two sensitive buds. You looked at him with a jumbled expression, him staring at your nipples for what seemed like an eternity. You hummed softly, causing him to snap back into reality, the blond boy pulling the black hoodie up from his head, displaying the defined muscles on his abdomen. You wanted him, you wanted him so bad. 

Your knees hit the floor with a thump as looked up at Hyunjin, knealing between his two legs and watching the tent in his loose shorts grow. 

“Do you really want to do this,, y/n,, you don’t have t-”

You hushed before speaking.

“Don’t worry, Hyunjin” you say with a stern voice making Hyunjin shiver, not knowing if it’s from your tone of voice or the way his name rolled of your tongue.

The blonde boy grabbed the small camera that was resting on the table, you looked up at him with confusion before smiling at his pleading eyes that met yours. You nodded, knowing exactly what he wanted to do and giving him permission since you never knew if he’d get to see you like this ever again. 

You hook your two hands on the sides of his shorts and underwear, pulling the fabric down as Hyunjin awkwardly lifts his hips up from the couch for a moment, allowing you to slide the both garments down in one nimble motion. His veiny length sprung out, the tip hitting his abdomen for a moment before resting infront of your eyes, a bead of precum already leaking from his delicate slit. You gulp, the task of sucking him off suddenly seeming daunting. Hyunjin must have noticed since his face turned concerned, a half smile flashing across his lips. 

“y/n,, you don’t have to-aghh!”

Hyunjin was cut of by his own breathy moan, your pursed lips wrapping around his leaking tip, licking small kitten licks before sinking deeper down his impressive length. Hyunjin’s blonde hair fell out of his face when his head rolled back in pleasure, resting it against the back of the rustic couch. 

“f-fuck y/n,,, just- just like that”

He hummed out, his sweet voice intoxicated with desire. Your tongue swirled around his pretty red tip, simultaneously stroking the part doesn’t fit inside of your wet mouth. Multiple shutters of the camera was heard, his hand barely stable enough to hold it due to the pleasure that was shooting through his core. It didn’t take long before his dick twitched against you lips, your cheeks hollowed as bob up and down his girth. His eyes rolled back into his skull as his hand went down to cup your cheek, your eyes stinging with tears as you choked around him. Pulling off with a pop, his dick glimmered as a heavy layer of saliva rested on it, his already warm body turning hotter. He looks down at you, a smug half-smile errupting on his lips as he continued to stroke your cheek, his thumb grazing your cheekbone as he flicked through the photos on his camera, the half-smile now a full on expression of happiness. The two of you sat like that for a while, the silence engulfing the room as you observed his indescribable features. His sharp jawline contrasted with his soft skin that had a dust of rose pink across the cheeks, his moles adding to his charm. 

“Fuck me, Hyunjin”

The words slipped out of your mouth, his brown shiny eyes widening before being overtaken by a blank gaze, placing the silver camera back on the tiny table. 

“You thought I would stop here?”

Now it was your turn to be flustered, his sugary sweet voice interlaced with the cocky words making you even wetter then before, if that’s even possible. Without answering, he pulled you up to the couch by your hand and laying you down before realising what he forgot. The blond boy reached for the baggy backpack laying on the white floor, unzipping the front pocket and fishing out a condom. You nodded shyly, feeling your hands getting sweatier from nervousness, not really sure where to put them. Hyunjin noticed your gaze that was running all over the room, your body slightly tense. The boy snickered, ripping the shiny wrapping open with his hands where veins had started to become apparent. 

“Something wrong?” He asks shyly, placing the condom on his leaking tip before rolling the rubber onto his length. You shake your head.

“J-just thinking,,,” you say, your voice fading out at the end. 

“About?” His voice inhibiting a questionable tone as he holds himself up above you, his elbows on either side of your head. 

“A-about,,, you” 

That was a lie. You thought about how this would end up being disclosed to your company and your friends, Felix would snap your head if he found out that you slept with Hyunjin. Did it even have to be disclosed? Couldn’t it just be a secret between you and Hyunjin? As much as you wish that it could, it simply couldn’t. Not working in this industry. 

Hyunjin smiled softly, his hand trailing down the curves of your body before lifting up the fabric of your skirt, his fingers pushing your panties aside and feeling your throbbing pussy once again. His caramel eyes looked into you the entire time. 

Lifting himself up, he positioned the tip of his member at your sopping entrance, you chuckling softly as he gripped your hips but your chuckle was quickly replaced by a loud gasp, his dick stretching out your tight pussy better than you thought. 

“Are you ok, y/n?” 

He said softly, his dick not even halfway in but already jerking from your welcomingly wet and warm cunt wrapping around his crimson tip. You nodded, looking up at him. 

“Pl-please,, keep going Hyunjin”

The blonde boy blushed, his ears turning red. Tightening the grip on your hips he fully entered you, you shutting your eyes tightly from the slightly painful but pleasurable experience. Glancing down at you, he had to use every bit of discipline to not pound into you. In his eyes you looked angelic. Your parted lips that we’re coated by saliva and the way your skirt bunched up around your waist made it feel like torture to be inside of you, not moving to let you adjust to his size. 

“C-can I move?” He asks impatiently to which you smile, nodding and wrapping your legs around him, pulling him closer to your warm body. Your breath hitched as he softly wraps his hand around your neck, him thinking he’d gone too far.

“I-im sorry! I-” 

You hush him, placing your index finger over his plush pink lips. 

“I’ll tell you if anything doesn’t feel good, alright?” You so desperatly wanted to place a “baby” at the end of the sentence, that nickname fitted him but being to scared to confess your feelings. Just because he wants you doesnt mean he loves you. Hyunjin nodded like an excited puppy, finally getting the permission of moving and feeling your clenched walls around his length, his one hand still wrapped around your throat. 

His thrusts were slow, filled with passion which only worsened your longing for him, the longing of him being yours. Small whimpers dripped from between your parted lips, the moans being mixed with Hyunjin’s low grunts and sounding like a melody. You peeked up at the model-like boy, his expression being synonymous to pleasure. The movements eventually quickened, his long cock hitting your cervix with every thrust, making you put your hands behind his back, your fingernails digging into his soft honey skin. His previously closed eyes fluttered open, watching you with a soft gaze through his fierce eyes. You smiled and he smiled back before his gaze drifted away from yours.

“Y-you feel so good y-y/n,,, you’re an angel”

Chuckling and moaning at the same time, his praise gave you a sense of security but also a sense of lust, wanting to coax out even more dangerously sweet words from his pretty mouth. 

“Go faster,,, Hyunjin”

You gasped out, the pleasure starting to pick up it’s pace. The sound of skin slapping against each other bounced off the white walls in the big studio, the old sofa creaking ever so often from the blond boys powerful thrusts. Hyunjin would never get tired of hearing you say his name, never. 

The knot in your stomach signaled your impending orgasm as your walls were stretched out. You pleaded him to not stop, your voice sounding frail as you neared your sweet release. The hot tempeture wasn’t helping the situation, sweat beading underneath Hyunjins headband, soaking the two strands of blonde locks that hanged infront of his face. 

“F-fuck,, y/n you’re so pretty with my hands wrapped around your throat, fuck-” 

A loud groan escaped his lips, the pleasure of your wet pussy against his rock-hard length getting too much, Hyunjin having to hold back until you came, not wanting to appear selfish. It wasn’t long until you felt your legs shaking around him, your toes curling as the squeaky sound from the couch increased along with the speed of Hyunjin’s thrusts, the rubber not giving him as much intimacy as he would have liked but the visual of you lying beneath him, squirming away from bliss and softly moaning made up for it. 

“I think- i think I’m cumming, s-shit Hyunjin, I’m cumming”

The words spilled from you, quickly followed by a incoherent mumbling of his name before a wave of hot flashed through your entire body, your walls clenching around him as your erotic juices coated his twitching cock. You held your hands against your face that was lightly coated with sweat but before you could come down from your high Hyunjin pinned your hands above your head by your wrists, him letting out a growl before his cum filled the tip of the condom. The both of you rode out your powerful orgasm, your moans softening as the intense feeling subsided, Hyunjin shivering with his last thrust before pulling out. 

The light sound of the air conditioner was now accompanied with heavy panting, your chest heaving as Hyunjin softly pulled down your skirt and ran his hand through his blonde hair, pushing the stray hairs away before rolling off the cumfilled condom and throwing it on the floor, the rubber landing on the dark clothing that were pooling next to the leather couch. The young boy lays down beside you, your eyes fixed on the ceiling as you faded away in a million thoughts, still trying to process what just happened. You turned your head against his, feeling his lingering gaze on your face and you swore you could hear your heart beat in your ears as his cheekbones lifted, his now cherry red lips turning into a soft smile. 

“Do you like me?” 

You choked on your own saliva, coughing and sitting up in panic making Hyunjin worry, him patting you on the back as he sat up next to you. 

“I-im sorry,, I shouldn’t have- y/n,, so-sorry”

He mutters out as you start laughing, he looking confused at your chuckling figure. 

“T-that’s,,, quite the direct question” you say, clearing your throat before continuing. “I don’t know Hyunjin. You know that this isn’t possible”

You saw his previously twinkling eyes turn blank, his heart sinking. 

“Uhm,,, n-no totally not,,, I just said it to-”

He tried to play cool, brushing off the fact that he didn’t get the answer he so longed for. His gaze turning away from your angelic face.

“But I like you”

You spoke quietly, your voice cracking at the end. Hyunjin turned back to you.

“Why wouldn’t it work then?” he asked with a confused voice. You sighed

“Hyunjin, do you not know who you are? We fucked in a building where you own half of the rights, you work with famous people and your work is in every magazine, don’t you understand?”

He stayed silent for a while, comtemplating on what to say before grabbing your clammy hand. 

“Do you only see me for my career?”

You shake your head, trying to catch eye contact with the blonde boy but failing as he stares down at your small hand in his grasp. 

“Hyunjin, I love you but this feels way to quick,,, I can’t just-”

“I’ve known about you for a while, y/n. Do you know why we even worked together in the first place?” 

Hyunjin speaks calmly, a thin string of sadness threading through his voice. You shake your head, looking at him but he looking away.

“I reached out to Bangchan first”

You weren’t surprised, only confused. What did he see in you? 

“I know it might seem,, rushed! But if- if we both like each other then we can make it work. Please don’t worry about our reputations, you are more than your career y/n even if it means the world to you.”

Hyunjin hesitated finishing his sentence, feeling sick to his stomach from the fear of rejection. You withdrew your hand, instead opening your arms and hugging him to which he smiled and hugged you back, the both of you falling back on the couch facing each other. 

“I think I love you,,, like,,, I really love you”

Hyunjin brushed away a strand of hair from your face, his tender eyes meeting yours. 

“And I love you too, y/n”

𝕋𝕒𝕘𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥

@vogueinnie​ @that-anxious-bisexual @putmetogetheragain13 @hyunsluvv @lawleighette​ @meow-minho @minaamhh @ohmysparkle @hwangi @rindomo @fleeingreality​​​​​​​ @nycol-ie @jisungsplatforms @p0t4t0don14ll @skzstanlol

[dimidiom]

I HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THE MINECRAFT MOB VOTE SO IM PUTTING IT HERE CAUSE I HAVE NO ONE ELSE TO TALK TO ABOUT IT!!!

starting this off, i want to say that i love all three mobs *so much* i want them all in the game ;u; BUT i have been thinking about them a LOT so im going to talk about it

SO STARTING OFF WITH THE GLARE

ill be completely honest the first thing i thought of when i saw this lil guy was just 'balloon'. mojang please let us be able to put a leash on these things and just tug them around and tie them to fence posts

i know these thing will probably spawn underground, most likely in lush caves?, but i really like the idea of variants! like seasonal variants? (aka a dark green for summer, light green for spring, orange for fall, and white for winter) OR variants based on leaves? so the foliage would look like oak leaves or spruce leaves or acacia leaves!

That could help with figuring out what biome youre in when youre underground in the caves!

WILL THE EYES KINDA GLOW??? like endermen oooooo random pair of eyes you can see in complete darkness oooooo scary

**they said that they get angry when they find a place that a mob could spawn, **what do they mean by that?** could they be another neutral mob? will they attack the player when they find a dark place?????

ALLAYS!

at first, i didn't really like what they looked like? i mean to me they kinda just looked like vexs? like the same kind of light blue, they have wings, and they float,,,, they look similar at a distance tbh,,, BUT i am a big fan of making my own lore for minecraft, and now i really like the idea that vexs are just allays that were somehow captured by evokers? we love making our own lore for lore-less video games lmao

seem like they could be useful for farms? like you could easily set up a clock with a note block and a dispenser that dispenses the item you want them to collect and then have the noteblock be surrounded by hoppers sooooooo thats cool

are they peaceful? are they neutral? do you have to tame them? where do they spawn???

if we assume that allays are *slash* are similar to vexs, can they go through walls? more importantly,,, can they access chests??? this could help a lot with people who dont have a good storage system!!! like if you give an allay a piece of cobblestone, could it look through nearby chests and pick up any cobblestone and bring it back to you!!

how many items can it hold/bring back to you?

(they arn’t item generators? ive seen a few people being a bit confused in what they do, they dont generate new items, they find/pick up the item you give them)

COPPER GOLEM!!!

LIL GOLEM FAMILY!!!!!! IT PRESSES BUTTONS LIKE A LIL BABY MAN

please can iron and snow golems protect the lil guy ;u; or like have a cool interaction with each other im begging mojang please? or like if you hit a copper golem in front of the other golems they attack you,,,,,, they protect,,,,,

what do they mean by you make it yourself? like in a crafting table? or is it more like the other golems?

they get oxidized! and they freeze!! first thought, a cool copper golem graveyard

do you wax them? can they be un-oxidized by lightning?? lil baby lightning rods that can wander anywhere,,,. my little potential fire hazard <3

also?? neutral mobs?? if you hit them, will they attack you?? (can you tell what my favorite kind of mobs are lmao)

what if they come in different sizes?? idk what for tho,,,,

tbh compared to the other two abilities, ie being able to tell where mobs can spawn and picking up items, pressing a button randomly isnt really on the same level tbh,,,,,,, but its just a lil dude pressing a button and i love that useless ability so much ;u;

can they give off a redstone signal? somehow lean a bit more into messing with redstone? could they flick levers toooooooo

im really glad mojangs making more (possibly peaceful/neutral) mobs that arnt based on something in real life lmao but for real i love all of these mobs so so much omg cant they all be implemented in the game please mojang please??

[bajitoranation]

ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ ᴋᴀᴢᴜ <3

❁ Pairing: Baji x Kazutora

Kazutora woke up with a strange feeling. He was cold and he doesn’t know why did it feel so unusual. He turned around and was met with a white wall that wasn’t his but it wasn’t unrecognizable.

Oh right, he had a sleepover at Keisuke’s house. Baji insisted a lot for him to come sleep in his house yesterday. It’s not like he had to force the hand of the boy too muck, Kazutora already spent all of his time in his boyfriend house. So he had no idea why Keisuke was particularly excited for him to visit again, with his own house, Kazutora rather spend his time away from his mom.

And now he was wondering why wasn’t Keisuke by his side right now. He checked the hour on the clock; 10:59. Even that was too early for his lazy boyfriend. Kazutora is a much heavy sleeper but Baji usually wait in bed for him to wake up.

Not trying to mind much about it, Kazutora stretched and yawned loudly. Sitting up and scratching his neck that was itching slightly. Determined to force Baji to cuddle him for at least two hours, he finally decided to get up.

The freezing marble floor made contact with his feet, making a noise when Kazutora rose with his full height. He stopped for a second to get his vision a little clearer and started dragging himself to the door.

He went downstairs, not without hitting his foot on Keisuke’s chair and walking straight into a wall, groaning and mumbled under his breath complains on where the hell was his boyfriend.

The moment he stepped into the kitchen, the view made his eyes grew wide. The balloons floating in the ceiling, the colourful ropes hanging everywhere with some other decorations and the big cake on the middle of the table. It was a beautiful white pastry with orange and pink flowers perfectly placed on the bottom. On the cake was written in green: “happy birthday my Kazu <3”

Kazutora heart skipped a beat, it then hit him. Today was his birthday and he didn’t even remember it. His birthday was never a big deal to him since his own parents forgets constantly, but only one person was always prepared to do the most on this special day…

Without a warning, Kazutora felt something crash into him and yelped loudly at the sudden impact. He was tackled on the ground, after a moment of taking back his senses he relaxed at the sight of the person on top of him.

A wide smile that show on full display his two canines. Eyes closed from the grin, long hair tickling Kazutora’s face, a slight happy blush colouring his cheeks, his boyfriend looked as radiant as ever.

“Happy birthday to my favourite dumbass.” He cooed excitedly. Kazutora was about to complain for the nickname choice but was cut short by a pair of lips touching his.

He sighed happily, forgetting about his previous complaint. He closed his eyes, he’ll never get tired of Keisuke kissing him. He always thought Baji was like the sun and being kissed by his lips was like being enveloped with a warm feeling of love. Feeling Kazutora soon got addicted to.

“You did all that?” Kazutora asked after pulling back for a second. Baji smiled again and hummed to answer him.

They got up from the ground and Baji wasted no time to pull his boyfriend in his arms again and to shower his face with kisses. Not even wanting to miss one spot of his pretty face, kissing even the beauty mark under his eye. Kazutora whined from the sudden and overwhelming feeling but ended up giggling and let himself get spoiled by this amount of love.

“Mom did the cake. She felt bad she couldn’t be here to send you her wish in person, but she told me to tell you she says Happy birthday and that she loves you.” Baji whispered over the milky skin, taking Kazutora’s hand and stroking the back slightly with his thumb.

Kazutora felt like melting, with the attention Baji was giving him and those sweet words coming from his lips was just too much for him. He always loved Baji’s mom, who was always there for him when he needed help. She never hesitated to let her arms wide open to Kazutora, especially after she knew the condition he lived in with his parents. She always considered him like her own son and was truly happy when they announced her he and her son were dating.

“She’s too sweet, I’ll tell her I love her too when she’ll be back from work.” He mumbled, a sweet smile that seemed like it didn’t want to go away now.

“I’m guessing you’re the one who wrote this.” He assumed as he looked at the birthday cake, referring to the message written on it.

“How’d you know?” Baji asked as he wrapped his arms around his waist and rested his chin on his boyfriend shoulder.

“The handwriting. There’s no way in hell your mom would write in such a shitty way.”

He chuckled when he felt Baji slap him on the head. “You’re an asshole. I am doing something nice, for once.”

Kazutora laughed harder, nuzzling happily on the crook of Baji’s neck. He felt great, every day with Keisuke felt right. He was loved and he loved Keisuke with all of his heart.

“Since when did you become so cheesy hm?” Kazutora purred. Kissing his boyfriend’s sharp jaw.

“I’m going to shove this cake up your fucking face you bastard.” Keisuke jokingly threatened into his ear. Kazutora threw his head back as he wheezed, more than amused of Baji’s weird threat.

Keisuke could only watch him in awe. He loved his boyfriend laugh, it was beautiful. Everything about Kazutora was beautiful, his big sandy eyes, his swollen red and slightly chapped lips, his messy hair with some blond strands, his permanent blush. Baji was madly in love with his pretty boyfriend.

They stopped bickering after a moment and decided that both were hungry. They sliced a piece of the white cake and put them in their own individual plate. Well that was until Kazutora straddled Baji’s lap, sitting on him with a fork in hand.

“What do you think your doing?” Keisuke chuckled slightly as Kazutora pointed the utensil full of the pastry to his boyfriend.

“It’s my birthday so I want to be a cheesy ass couple today. So let me feed you, you big fucking baby.” He smiled wide. Kazutora rarely smiled to others, Keisuke’s ego never failed to grow bigger as he know those sweet grins are reserved to him only. Maybe that’s also why he can’t refuse him anything.

“Nah ah, it’s your birthday so you get the first bite.” Baji took the fork from the other hands and led it to Kazutora’s lips. The boy opened his mouth and tasted his birthday cake, he closed his eyes in bliss and sighed at the delicious taste.

“Oh god your mom is the best.” Kazutora said. Baji laughed at his reaction, soon getting feed by Kazutora and agree that it was definitely super good. He never doubted his mom, she always is the best at baking.

The two lovebirds stayed like that, feeding each other and laughing loudly every time the other ended up getting his boyfriend face covered in white sweet cream. They were in their own world, sharing kisses from time to time and soon enough their plate were empty.

“I think we can eat the rest another time. We can leave some for mom and the boys too.” Baji suggested and Kazutora nodded in agreement.

“We could go to the amusement park or the arcade, I could get you a plushy after I beat you in that game.”

Baji would have expected Kazutora to jump off his seat and exclaim; “you’re on!” Or that he’ll challenge him to do the biggest attractions in the park, but instead he felt his boyfriend move closer and rest his forehead on his chest.

“How about we just watch a movie and cuddle all day?” Kazutora said quietly. Keisuke eyes widened, not expecting that, but then they softened again and he was quick to stroke his hair.

“We could. But the guys had already planned to celebrate your birthday at the arcade and then the founding members will go to the usual restaurant we always went when we were young, you remember that?” Baji whispered sweetly, pressing a kiss on his head. Kazutora hummed.

“How could I forget?” He scoffed.

“So how about this,” he cupped Kazutora’s face and lift it up to meet his eyes. “We go celebrate your birthday with our friends and then we’ll come back here and cuddle for the rest of the night, deal?”

Kazutora smiled and pecked Keisuke’s lips. “Deal.”

The rest of the day went relatively fast for how fun it was. All of their friends were gathered at the arcade, waiting for the birthday boy to come in so they could play with him. Hakkai, the Kawata twins, Chifuyu, Takemichi, Hanma, Koko, Inui, Yuzuha, Emma, Hina along with the Toman founding members were all invited.

Kazutora wasn’t that close to them, except maybe for Chifuyu, Takemichi, his childhood friends and Hanma. But either way he didn’t complain, he was glad they were all there having fun and receiving head pats from everyone. All of them wanting to play with him and win a price.

This place held a lot of memories for Kazutora. So that’s why when he saw Baji focused on his game he smirked to himself and purposely bumped into him. With the fall he disconnected the electric wire that was connected to the game.

“No! All my saves!” The raven exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air. He turned around brutally, ready to tell whoever made this to go to hell, only to be meet by no one other than his smug looking boyfriend.

Kazutora pointed a finger at his face and exclaimed: “die!” Before laughing loudly.

“Doesn’t it bring you back memories?” He chuckled, getting closer to Baji’s face knowing damn well the boy was still annoyed.

He suddenly yelped when he felt calloused fingers grip forcefully his face and pull him closer. “If I beat you up right now, won’t that bring other memories?”

“Wait Kei I was joking!” But it was too late, he already was pulled in and tickled by Baji. He wheezed, begging for mercy until the employees told them to quiet down.

Then comes the presents. All of them excited for Kazutora to open the boxes and bags everyone brought for him. They almost looked more like kids than Kazutora himself on this day.

Chifuyu brought him three manga volumes he took interest in not so long ago, Takemichi got him a case for his phone, Hakkai and Yuzuha brought him a DVD with a lot of his favourite songs, Kokonoi and Inui got him the most basic gift; money, but looking at the number on the check, it clearly was enough for Kazutora eyes to pop out of his face. Emma got him new shirts and a hoodie with a cat on it, Hina decide to get him some candies and a figurine of his favourite character in the show he loved so much, Angry and Smiley were proud to hand him some games so they could play together at the switch.

Hanma warned him to be careful and discreet while opening his gift, even looking from left to right to make sure no one was watching. That made everyone panic a little bit internally, knowing how much of a menace the tall boy could be. As slow as possible, Kazutora unwrapped the paper and opened the box. He could only scoff and laugh quietly as he hold a brand new pocket knife in his hand.

Mitsuya got him new earphones, Pah and Draken showed him his new motorcycle that was placed outside of the arcade. Mikey was basically bouncing on his feet, eager for Kazutora to look at his package.

Kazutora hold back a sob when he pulled a Toman uniform out of the bag. Mikey was the first to wrap his arms around him, whispering a “welcome back to the team.” The hug was soon followed by Baji, Pah Chin, Mitsuya and then Draken. All of the others watched them in awe. At this point, Kazutora felt his cheeks getting wet by the flow of tears that slipped through his eyelids.

After a moment, the group ended up splitting. The founding members headed toward the restaurant and the rest went home, not without hugging Kazutora or wishing him a happy birthday for the second time.

The 6 childhood friends let themselves be children again. They entered the place, asking for a cake for the birthday boy. Laughing, throwing things, singing happy birthday horribly and loudly. They were all happy, all of their worries pushed in the back of their brain. Cause at the end, that’s what they were: kids. Only kids that had so much to hold in their back already. It felt good to let go just this time.

After being basically kicked out of the place, Kazutora and Baji headed to his place again. Hand in hand until they reached the apartment.

Kazutora crashed into the sofa, completely exhausted. As promised, Keisuke joined him, wrapping his arms around his body and cuddled him. Kazutora hummed, pleased with the position.

“Hey, I still haven’t showed you my present for you.” Baji whispered into his hair.

Keisuke pulled a small box from the pocket of his jeans. Kazutora shifted, eyes wide as he eyed the small object with surprise.

“We’re too young to get married dumbass.” Baji chuckled at his boyfriend expression. With a swift motion, he opened the box showing two silver rings in it.

“These are promises rings. I told you I’ll be with you by your side no matter what.” Baji spoke quietly with the emotion, he took Kazutora hand and slipped the ring into his finger softly kissing them after. “No matter what kind of hell awaits us, I’ll always be with you.”

“Kei…”

“I love you Kazutora. And I’ll always try my best to make you happy cause you deserve it.”

Kazutora felt like crying, all of this was too much. He watched the ring on his finger, it was pretty just like Keisuke.

“What are you waiting for then? Put yours on already.” Kazutora urged him and he complied immediately. Both of them watching the jewelry with so much love.

“I love you too Kei. And you don’t have to try anything cause you’re the thing that make me the most happy in the world.”

They kissed softly, with no rush and no heat. Only them enjoying fully the other and make him feel the love he has for him.

“I hope my next ring would be in diamond though.” Kazutora whispered.

“Why the hell would you have another ring for?”

“When we’ll get married, duh.”

“You’re planing on marrying me?”

“There’s no one else I plan for them to be my husband Kei.”

Baji chuckled at that. “Good.” He hummed, pecking him on the forehead.

“Cause I’m not letting anyone else be your husband either.”

HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY TO MY FAVOURITE BOY <3

BajiTora fluff cause they mf deserve it. #stopBajiToraangst

[quazartranslates]

Welcome to the Nightmare Game II - CH37

**This is an edited machine translation. For more information, please [click here]**

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Chapter 37: Star Death Reality Show (XX) {cw: gore}

With a loud noise, the ground shook violently. Lara, who was squatting outside waiting for news, fell in the snow and looked at the ground in horror.

What happened? Was it an earthquake? No, it wasn't. There was a big explosion underground!

Even if this degree of an explosion occurred outside, it would be enough to break through the armor of a tank. If it happened indoors... No one within a range of more than ten meters would survive under the power of the explosion!

Lara's heart sank. She couldn't listen to the warning from Qi Leren anymore. She got up and rushed toward the house!

A light like the dawn, quite different from that of the polar day, pierced the earth. It rose from the abyss like a slowly blooming flower, spreading out its silvery white light like layer after layer of a gauze curtain. This polar world of ice and snow seemed to have returned to its mother's warm and comfortable womb, eliminating any sense of harm.

Lara just stood there and didn't know what had happened. She seemed to have entered an incredible world. The blooming silver light was getting brighter and brighter, not only emitting from the ground, but also rising gradually. There was a reflection of Heaven in this light! It seemed like a rolled-up picture, unfolding slowly, revealing a piece of Eden at dusk in front of her eyes!

Lara’s mouth fell open as she witnessed this cognitive subversion with audiences hundreds of millions of light-years away.

Countless flowers fell from the sky, reflecting the beams of light rising slowly from the ground. This silvery world was expanding its boundaries, and there was no coldness as in the area that it touched. She was like a little girl who was hungry and cold, with tears in her eyes as she saw the phantasmic light of a match.

It turns out… It turns out that in this world, there really is a God.

There was a tremor below the ground again, and a hole suddenly appeared in the outer wall of the house. A shining white figure flew out from the inside, stretching its white wings behind it and lightly landing in front of Lara.

He was glowing, and the "angel" shrouded in silvery-white spots of light nodded at her, like a dream that was too unreal to be true.

"Qi... Qi Leren?" Lara hesitated before speaking his name aloud.

The angel smiled slightly: "It's me."

Lara could imagine how excited the audience on the other side of the cameras would be at this moment, because she was the same.

A miracle. They actually existed, and one had happened here!

　　

　　&&&

　　

A few seconds ago, Qi Leren, who was targeted by a rocket launder was in a desperate situation.

S/L? Ignoring that it was still in cooldown, even if it was used, in this confined space, the high temperature produced by the explosion could easily kill him instantly after the file loaded. Even if he had three chances, it was not enough! He couldn't be like a hero in a movie, hitting his opponent's wrist with one shot and stopping him from shooting this rocket launcher.

In this deadly one thousandth of a second, Qi Leren's naked eyes caught Mark's movements. He had already lifted the rocket launcher and was ready to fire...

He had only one choice, there were no other options.

Qi Leren tore out the gift given to him by the Prophet, and his strength was so great that he broke the thin chain. This winged piece of metal was instantly stimulated by his mind, and then the next second, the rocket launcher was aimed at him, and Qi Leren in the center of the explosion should have been blown to pieces...

But he saw a light, and the illusion of a huge angel came from the void, which lightly descended to him and brought him the power of the Prophet.

Qi Leren felt as if he had returned to the waters where the Prophet laid dormant. The gentle water wrapped around his body, making him feel comfortable and slowing his breathing. Some great power beyond everything he knew was in his blood, which made him reach out and block the rocket launcher approaching the speed of sound with the palm of an ordinary human, but at this moment he felt as if he was catching a floating balloon with his palm.

As if it were a collision between magic and science and technology, the rocket launcher exploded, but the explosion slowed down countless times in his eyes. The silver spots on his body easily blocked the terrible destructive power around him. Even if everything around him was shattered in the explosion, he could safely wait for it to end.

And at this moment, he felt inner peace, neither fear nor worry. It was like overlooking the human world as a god in the sky, who wouldn't panic because of the wind, rain, and thunder.

He also "saw" a huge clock behind him. The gears and rivets clearly visible on the dial made it give off the mechanical sensibilities of the industrial revolution. On the dial, a hand was walking fast.

Once, twice, and three times, the power he borrowed from the Prophet's item would be returned to its original owner.

[Prophet’s Heart: A god-level item handmade by the noble and great Prophet that can make you feel the pleasure of turning into a bird. Holders can summon an archangel to come and fight on their behalf for 3 minutes with a cooling time of 24 hours.]

Three minutes was enough to solve everything in this dark basement.

The parasitic octopus in Annie's body had been killed; even the stones on her body were blown to pieces. Most of the space in the basement had become a collapsed ruin. Qi Leren, who hovered in midair without touching the ground, waved his hand. Some kind of psychic force made him easily lift the heavy stones, and "drive" them aside like a sheepdog driving sheep, revealing a spacious passageway.

The tunnel leading to the institute had collapsed again, but this time, Qi Leren didn't have to work so hard to move the stones like Mark had. He just waved his hand, and these stones were swept aside, as if they were not much heavier than dust. Only the clacking sound told him that these stones were not without weight.

The stones were cleaned up, and Mark, who was also affected by the explosion, remained in human form.

Half of his face was smashed by the flying stones during the explosion, and a soft sticky tentacle was sticking through the bone out of his eye socket that had lost its eyeball. After discovering that there was no barrier between him and Qi Leren, the octopus let out a shrill scream, instantly bounced out of Mark's body, and fled into the tunnel of the Institute in a hurry—this was probably the last time it used the human brain to think out a countermeasure.

Because the next second, Qi Leren raised his arm.

With a distance of more than twenty metres, the power of his mind pressed the pause button on this crazy fleeing monster. It became motionless and collapsed to the ground. Time had cruelly bound it in a cage.

Qi Leren’s outstretched hand gently clenched.

Unable to move, the monster was pinched into a mass of bloody pieces of jelly, which scattered on the ground one by one.

In just a few seconds, it was all over.

The light surrounding his whole body was still bright. In this silver light, Qi Leren felt as if he could do anything.

Was this the power of field-level masters? Even if the item only borrowed a little strength from one, it had far exceeded Qi Leren’s imagination. Facing this absolute power that was beyond the limit of human beings, Qi Leren could hardly believe that the Prophet was still a human being.

Fields were much more profound and terrible than he had thought. Through the process of getting stronger and closer to the field level, it almost seemed like a person evolved to another higher species—such as a god.

He was afraid that the world of these field masters was quite different from that of ordinary people. Unfortunately, for now, he has no qualification to know.

The two amphioctopuses in the basement were dealt with, and Qi Leren was in a good mood. Although the wings behind them seemed like they would get in the way, they were not corporeal. The archangel possessing him did not have any material existence, as if it was just a courier who had brought him the Prophet’s power. He would wait three minutes for Qi Leren to sign for it and then leave calmly.

The mechanical clock in the void had already finished more than one rotation, and Qi Leren could not delay any longer. Although he intended to enter the underground research institute again to find traces of He Yi, as well as Dr. Lu and Du Yue who may have also gone in, he still had to say hello to Lara first.

Qi Leren waved his hand and tore a hole to create a passage above him. The wings behind him fluttered gently, making him rise. This novel experience impressed him deeply. It was good to be a bird man.

Flying out of the basement, at a glance, Qi Leren saw Lara in a trance.

She stared at Qi Leren in a distracted manner and shouted in a whispering voice: "Qi Leren?"

It seemed that this poor girl's atheistic views had been blown to pieces. The initiator should continue to maintain the inscrutable style of a painting, so as to avoid the audience at the other end of the distant camera attacking his identity crazily.

Hopefully his present magic act would fool the audience. Amitabha— Oh, no: God bless.

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Editor’s Note: Qi Leren using the Prophet’s Heart is the cover art for vol 1 of the physical edition! The full art without the cover text can be found on the artist’s Lofter [here]

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