#I am aware that Sky is a lot bigger and a lot more different in vibe and setup | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

devastatedloyallute · 7 months ago

Text

// Bigger Than The Whole Sky // GuitarSpear - Adam x Lute

Summary: “Alright, so here we go, in order. Lilith went and cheated on me with Lucifer, then Lucifer convinced Eve to eat the one fucking thing we were told not to eat, got us both in deep shit, she started to get distant with me, then officially left me when one of our twins killed the other. The end, goodnight.”

Warnings: 🤷🏽‍♀️ I dunno

nah but in all seriousness, there is Major Character Death, but mainly it's a lot of fluff!

Note: Hey there peoples! Long post incoming! This will be the entirety of my GuitarSpear fic, if you'd like to read it in chapters you can go to my AO3 here! Hope you enjoy! Thank you again @shinynewboots 💕

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lute and Adam lay on the couch watching some movie he had put on, some cheesy rom-com or something. It had been a week or so after that pretentious meeting with the Hell Princess. It was one of their casual nights in: a movie, snacks, PJs on, masks off, prime cuddling time. One of Adam’s arms was being used as a pillow for his head, the other around Lute’s waist as she lay in front of him.

Lute, having lost interest in the movie a while ago, was off in her own thoughts. ‘ What makes me so different? Why did Adam choose me? Romantically speaking, that is. He could have anyone he wants…So why ?’

“Sir, why did you choose me?” She asks tilting her head back to look up to him.

“Huh?” He looks down at her puzzled, “Whadda mean?”

“What makes me different from your ex-wives?”

“What brought this on, Babe? You suddenly jealous or somethin’? That isn’t fuckin’ like you,” He grins and pokes her belly.

“Of course not! I was just curious, is all. You could have anyone, but here I am.” She says, playfully swatting his hand from her stomach.

“Well, ya know, I’ve told you both of them betrayed and left me. And you haven’t done that, and we’ve been hooked up for what, decades now? Longer? Who the fuck knows, but I know, that you’re the best damn thing I’ve got. And you’ve gotta be real fucking stupid to think I’d let you go,” He says as he squeezes her and nuzzles her cheek. “This movie is kinda dragging on, ready for bed?”

Lute nods as they get up to stretch and head off down the hallways towards their room. They stop at the bathroom to take a piss and brush their teeth. Spitting out her toothpaste, Lute asks, “So, you gonna continue to tell me what makes me so different? Go on, tell me how special I am~” She didn’t need the reassurance, she’s just teasing at this point, stalling bedtime.

“Fine, if you’re gonna be so adamant about it, let’s make it a story time. At my expense. You really wanna hear my sob story?” he replied with sarcasm. Lute stared up at him with puppy eyes and a pleading smile on her face. Adam rolled his eyes and ruffled her hair. “Come on then.”

The two get settled into bed, lying facing each other. Lute was still looking at him waiting. Adam gave a defeated sigh as he knew she wasn’t going to drop this topic until she got whatever answer she was looking for.

“Alright, so here we go, in order. Lilith went and cheated on me with Lucifer, then Lucifer convinced Eve to eat the one fucking thing we were told not to eat, got us both in deep shit, she started to get distant with me, then officially left me when one of our twins killed the other. The end, goodnight.” He sped out in one breath.

Lute was dumbfounded, “That… gave me more questions than answers. I’m sorry, what the fuck?” She rubbed her forehead, trying to process all of that. “I was aware of the Lucifer shit, but what was that about your kid killing your other kid?!”

“Yup, and Eve tried to tell me it was all my fault and that I should have known better, yadda yadda- whatever. I wasn’t the one who ate that stupid apple and gained knowledge of shit. She did, and all the kids were born with that shit too. Not fucking me!”

“Wait, so what happened? Was she just super naive before the whole apple incident?”

“Yeah, she was the complete opposite of Lilith. She was real sweet, but emotionally too soft. The main problem with Lilith was she was defiant as shit. Eve, on the other hand, was entirely compliant. Was awesome at first, but she wouldn’t stand up for herself. She was such a sensitive baby. She took everything I said to heart, even when I was joking. Worst part was that she wouldn’t ever tell me if her feelings got hurt, but I could tell by the look in her eyes. I had felt horrible, but you know, it was my way of messing around. But I became afraid to say anything to her, in fear of hurting her. She was literally made for me, and I pushed her away. Big reason I was set on the whole ‘not going to fall in love again’ thing.” His tone was full of melancholy.

“But even after her fucking up our eternal paradise, we still stayed together. There was nobody else. She changed after eating that fucking apple. She became cold and distant. We did what we had to to survive, no longer in Eden where there were no dangers. ‘Course we fucked ‘cause you know, boredom. It was vanilla as fuck though, nothing like us,” He smirked at Lute with a wink. She responded with an eye roll and a smirk of her own.

“Then the twins were born, Cain and Abel. I loved those little shits. We had other kids too but they’re not important to this story,” He said as he waved his hand up.

Lute nodded, and then realized just how old Adam’s soul really is. ‘ Holy fuck, he’s ancient. And a dilf. Wow. Anyway ’ she thought.

“Anyway, as soon as they started walking on their own there was no fuckin’ stopping them. They were off playing their make believe games. I managed to at least keep them within ear shot if anything happened, but we had secured our home base pretty well. Not as safe as Eden, but as close as we could get. Eve was always off doing her own thing, and didn't want to be anywhere around me. At sunset I’d shout for the boys to come back and they’d tell me all about their adventures.”

“Did you ever join them?” Lute asked.

“Of fuckin’ ‘course I did! Good way to keep an eye on ‘em and have fun and form bonds with them,” he chuckled. “The boys were around eight years old when it happened. Cain told me he had ‘pretend’ killed his brother during their game. I guess I should have known something was up when he came back alone.”

“Okay, I won, you can stop being dead now. Come on, it’s starting to get dark. Dad’s gonna call for us any minute,” Cain says as he nudges his brother with his foot. “Abel, I get it, you’re a great pretender, but games over, let’s go home.”

After Abel’s refusal to move, Cain grabs the stick he had used as his weapon in their game, ready to poke him. “I’m gonna poke you again if you don’t get up right now.” He looked down the pointed stick, noticing there was red liquid at its tip. Then it all clicked. He looked Abel over and saw the matching red liquid coming from his chest. He carefully moves his brother's hand over the wound to hide it. ‘Oh no’ was Cain’s only thought as he ran to hide the blood-stained stick off in a bush, before running to get his father.

“DAD! Dad, dad-” Cain came panting, “Abel stopped playing with me, will you come help?”

“What? What’s wrong?” Adam questioned. ‘That’s not like them, they always get along with their games,’ he thought.

“I can’t explain it, you gotta come get him!” as Cain sped off.

As the two arrive at Abel's body, Cain awkwardly looks around, making sure his accidental weapon couldn’t be seen. Adam looks Abel over, unsure of why he wasn’t responding. Adam kneels down and picks him up to carry him home, “He’ll be fine, must just be tuckered out from playing so hard. So what game were you playing this time?”

“We were playing hunters. I was the hunter and he was a bear! Like when we saw mom fight a bear that time, remember? Yeah, so we were playing, and I jabbed the bear ‘cause he was chasing after me. And then Abel stopped playing. Even after I said the game was done, he didn’t get up. I dunno why, maybe he was really tired like you said, I dunno.” Cain said with a nervous shrug.

They made it back to their home shelter, Adam set Abel down on the makeshift bed mat. Cain hurried beside his brother, watching him cautiously. ‘I am gonna be in so much trouble…what do I do?’

The night passed without incident.

In the morning when Abel still did not rise, his skin looking a lot paler as well, Cain grew more anxious. He knew he had done something wrong, but had no way to fix it. Guilt was eating at him, he had to tell someone. He had to tell his mother, she would know what to do.

“Mom? Can I tell you something?” Cain said sheepishly with his eyes looking at his feet.

“Of course, honey, what is the matter?” Eve asked as she knelt to his eye level.

“I…I think I did a bad. A really big bad. I think yesterday while Abel and I were playing, I hurt him really bad. I didn’t mean to! It was just pretend! But…I think I killed him.”

“Killed? Why do you think that?” Eve asked in a skeptical tone.

“It was like when you killed that bear that was attacking us. You poked it really hard and then it stopped moving. We were playing hunters and he was the bear. After I poked him he was bleeding, I think.”

“Oh my,” Eve brought her hand to her mouth, “Where was your father during this?!”

“He was at home, why?” Cain questioned.

“He should have been watching you two! If he was, this wouldn't have happened!” Eve stood, and headed off towards home.

“ADAM!” Hearing such an aggressive tone, one that he had only ever heard her use when defending against the wildlife, Adam’s head snapped in the direction of her voice. Eve was heading at him, enraged. He’d never seen such rage in her eyes before.

“Eve? I’ve been giving you your space, what did I do??” His hands raised and a tinge of fear in his voice. She had never raised her voice at him or even confronted him, much less aggressively.

“Where’s Abel?” Eve asked, though it was less of a question and more of a demand.

“He’s still asleep! He musta been really tired from yesterday,” Adam stated as Eve began to look for her son. She found him, pale and cold to the touch.

“He isn’t sleeping you dunce, he’s dead!” Eve uncovered the wound hidden under Abel's hand. Adam had come over to see for himself, and sure enough, there was a small gaping hole in Abel’s chest.

“I swear that wasn’t there yesterday. How did that even happen?!” Adam stared in shock and disbelief.

“You weren’t watching the boys, that’s how! You’re supposed to watch over them, keep them safe! Cain stabbed him with a stick during their game!”

“How was I to know this would happen?! They’ve always been fine without much supervision before, why would this time have been different? And by that, he learned it from you, after watching you kill that bear,” Adam gestured to her.

“Oh, so, what was I meant to do? Let the bear kill all of us?” Eve threw her arms up in a huff.

Cain watched his parents back and forth as they continued to argue. This was his fault, but he didn’t think he would really kill his brother when reenacting their mother’s bear fight. It really was an accident.

Eve grabbed Cain by the wrist, “We’re leaving, you will not be seeing us again. Oh, and you might want to start digging a hole to bury him. I will not stand to bury my own son.”

Cain followed his mother but looked over his shoulder to see his father. Adam stood defeated, his shoulders slouched, and looking at Abel’s body.

“I’m sorry.” Cain pouted.

“This isn’t your fault, sweetheart. But you will have to live with this for the rest of your life.” Eve tried to comfort him.

“Can I fix it somehow?” He looked at her with pleading eyes.

“I don’t think so, honey,” she squeezed his hand, “but I’ll be with you through it.”

Adam watched as they left, an emptiness growing in his chest. As reality set in he fell to his knees. He was alone yet again. After a bit of collecting himself, he brings himself to the body of his son. He felt pains in his heart, now understanding that his son was gone.

He sets a large stone at the head of the hole he had spent the last hour digging, before slowly lowering Abel into it. He felt hot tears run down his cheeks as he began filling the hole. ‘What did I do wrong? What did I do to deserve this? Why?!’

Years passed, but Adam never left the place he had called home, despite the horrible memories. Day and night, in and out, he grieved at his lost son’s grave. He rarely ate, and couldn’t bear to go too far from the grave, in fear that a wild animal would come and dig Abel out of the ground while he was gone and Adam would have to deal with the emotions of burying him again.

When Adam awoke, he was no longer beside his son’s grave. He was now in the clouds. “What is this? Where am I?”

“Welcome first man, Adam. This is Heaven. You are the first human soul to arrive.” Said the angel who appeared in front of him.

“Huh? How did I get here? What about my home?” He questioned frantically, looking around.

“You must have passed in your sleep. You died.” The angel avoided eye contact, and disregarded his questions.

“Oh. Alright, so I guess nothing down there matters anymore. So what do I do here?”

“Whatever you like,” The angel gestured to the rest of Heaven.

“Great, so a whole lot of nothing. Being alone again. Forever. Cool,” Adam rolled his eyes in contempt.

“Not quite, there are other angels here. Soon enough there will be other souls here,”

“Wait, so, will my family be here too? What about my son? He died before me, is he here?”

“Unfortunately, not everyone comes here. Those who have committed sins do not. Your wife, Eve, did commit the first sin, which is what got you removed from paradise. She will not be here. One of your sons, Cain, will also not be here when he dies. He committed the first murder.”

“But that was an accident! He never meant to do that, they were children playing a game. They were good kids.” Adam argued.

“Accident or not, it makes no difference. Sin is sin. You will understand that in time. Those who belong here will be here.”

The angel left in a flash of light, leaving Adam feeling conflicted. Maybe they were right. He must have done something right if he ended up here.

“But yeah, that’s that story, ya happy now?” Adam said as he scooted closer to Lute.

“That does clear that up.” She draped her arm over his shoulder, pulling him in. “You good? Something else on your mind, Sir?”

“Ya know, this wasn’t it but it’s pretty fucking weird you keep calling me ‘Sir’ even when we aren’t on the job, Babe.” He muttered into her chest.

“And you calling me ‘Babe’ even though you tend to call nearly every woman babe, isn’t?” She smirked, curling a bit of his hair around her finger.

“...yeah okay, fair point. Anyway, I fuckin’ love you. I’m so fucking scared to lose you. I’ve somehow fucked up every legitimate relationship I’ve been in. I mean yeah, before you came along, I’d messed around with angels and stuff. There was that one and only time Sera let me down on Earth, and I fucked around with human ladies, yeah she wasn’t impressed with me on that one. But none of those were genuine feelings, you know?” Adam recounted his times as Lute petted his hair down. “I didn’t want to let myself get feelings for fucking anyone. Didn’t need to go through heartbreak in fucking Heaven, am I right?”

He looked up at her with soft eyes, “But when I met you, things felt different. I wanted to force those thoughts and feelings away. You climbed those ranks and soon you were appointed as lieutenant. I figured I could do one of two things: either give in and try to swoon you, or push you away. Can’t get rejected if I never try right? To be real, trying to push you away only backfired.”

Lute looked a little taken aback, “You were pushing me away? Couldn’t tell,” she shrugged.

“Me being an asshole seemed to only pull you in, you crazy bitch. You’re a masochist or somethin’, Babe,” He cupped her cheek and booped her nose with his thumb.

“What really makes you different is that you’re everything they were but better. I’m not afraid to pester you, and if I do go too far you put me in my fuckin’ place. You don’t take shit, and can dish it out. We have practically the same humor, we can bully each other but know it’s not serious. But we also have these soft and sensitive times. Not to mention our awesome as fuck sex life. You’re a kinky bitch.” He grins as he kisses her. Lute wraps her arms around his head as they kiss, breaking for air only to go in again. Smiles on both their faces, this truly was paradise.

“You know, I’ve got some insecurities too, now seems to be the time to voice them,” Lute brushed her now messy bangs out of her face.

“I just spilled my guts, so go for it, Babe,” He leaned back, ready to listen.

“It’s nothing spectacular, just that even though I’m well respected among the exorcists, I can’t shake the feeling of being outcasted. Not that I don’t get along with the others, but there’s this weighing feeling of judgment from them.”

“Eh, they’re just fuckin’ jealous of your position.”

“That’s just it, it’s not just that. I’ve heard them whisper about how I’m ‘the bosses’ favorite’.”

“Fucking true though-” He chirped, only to be met with a glare from Lute.

“You’re all I’ve got, Sir. Because of my position, and our status, the other exorcists are…intimated. So it’s been difficult to make…friends.” Lute appeared dejected. Adam sat up and scooped her into his lap.

“Aw, don’t be down, Lute. You’ve got me and I’ve got you, who needs anyone else?” He squeezed her and nuzzled his forehead to hers. She nuzzled him back and kissed his cheek.

Someone had initiated a tickle war. There was a dramatic *THUD* as said someone hit the floor.

Lute tried to catch her breath, recovering from the laughing fit brought on by Adam flinging himself off the bed.

“You okay?” She managed to chuckle out, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Hah, fuck, yeah, yeah I’m good,” He huffed out as he brought himself to the edge of the bed.

“Hey, did you ever get an answer to what happened to Abel? Is he in Heaven or not?”

“Yeah he’s up here. Like how the fuck do you forget about the kid running around up here somewhere? How they managed to keep him a secret is beyond me.”

“So, where is he?” Lute questioned as Adam crawled up onto the bed rubbing the back of his head.

“He’s uh, now he’s in that district where the young kids go. Kids who died from neglect and shit. It’s basically a giant playground daycare sorta place. Emily decided she really didn’t want it looking like a school ‘cause it wouldn’t be the best memories for the ones who were killed in those fucking school shootings. They still learn a few things but yeah it’s mainly a playplace.” Adam said as he awkwardly fixed his pajamas and straightened his feathers.

“...Have you ever gone to see him?”

“I did, once…It was a few years after I got here, I had just learned that he was up here. I hadn’t really thought he’d be up here since I was told I was the first human here, so when Sera told me, I went to go see him. When he saw me though he was terrified. I tried to be like ‘hey it’s me, your dad!’ only for him to make the saddest fucking face I’d ever seen and his little voice go ‘You let me die.’ It felt like being stabbed, set on fire, then thrown down an endless pit. It fucking sucked. I already had to bury this kid, just for him to also blame me for his death in the afterlife.” Adam faceplanted himself into his pillow with a groan.

Lute pat his back in an attempt to comfort him. “It’s been a while, maybe you could try seeing him again? He’s eight, I don’t think he’ll have held a grudge this long.”

“Ughhh but what if he has? What if he doesn’t even want to see me? I have ultimately failed as a dad. You don’t know the pain of being rejected so coldly by your own kid. That shit stays with you.” Adam whined, turning his head to look at her. “You gonna come with me?”

“Of course, Sir. We don’t have any meetings tomorrow so we can go then.” She plants a small kiss on his temple. He groaned in response. Of course, he would want to see his son again, but doesn’t want to feel guilt tripped again. “Let’s get some rest.”

Coming up to the entrance, the large sign reads ‘Heaven’s Forever Daycare’. Adam shoved his hands into his pockets, still regretting letting Lute convince him to do this. Lute brushed her hand over his arm in reassurance.

“Don’t worry, Sir. The important thing is you’re here. I’ll do the talking. Come on,” Lute lead the way into the building, with Adam cautiously following her inside. At the desk stood an angel whose name tag read ‘Elle - Nanny’, their clothes were covered in stickers, presumably from the children.

“Good morning, we are here to see Abel,” Lute said as she stepped up to the desk.

“Good morning, ma’am. Unfortunately, you will have to be a little more specific. We have about 30 ‘Abels’ here. Last name?” The nanny smiled politely at her.

Lute looked over to Adam who had his back turned to them, fiddling with the horns of his mask, and his feathers ruffled. She sighed and looked back at the worker, “There isn’t a last name. The first man, Adam’s son, that Abel.”

The angel looked past Lute, at Adam, giving him a look of concern. “Ah, I see…one moment.”

Lute stepped back to console the anxious Adam, “You should probably remove your mask, Sir. He might not be able to recognize you with it.”

Adam removed his mask with a sigh, “Fuck…yeah, yeah you’re right. Fuck, I already hate this.”

A voice cried out “DAD!” followed by running footsteps. They turn to see a small boy with soft brown hair and golden eyes, running at them with arms held wide. Abel stops short of the pair, startled by Lute.

“Wait, who are you?” He tilted his head at her in confusion.

Lute knelt down to his eye level, “I’m Lute, your, uh-” she glances over at Adam, looking for an answer, only to be given a confused shrug. “Uh, I guess sort of like a stepmom? Sure, we’ll go with that.” She fumbled her way through that sentence.

“Stepmom? That’s so cool!! I have a mom again! Wait, mom would be confusing ‘cause I used to have one of those…can I call you mama instead?” He says as he hugs her enthusiastically.

Lute fights back the tears that threaten to fall that sting at the corner of her eyes. ‘ This kid is adorable ’ she thinks. “Uh, sure, buddy, Mama works.” She pat his head, looking over his features, “You look so much like your dad, it’s uncanny.”

Abel stepped toward Adam, looking up at him expectantly with his arms raised. Adam took a deep breath and picked his son up. “Hey kiddo, so…you still mad at me?”

Abel shook his head, “No not anymore, Dad. I’ve learned a lot of things and one of those is forgiveness. People make mistakes, they’re just human after all. Sometimes all they need is a second chance, right?”

Adam and Lute look at each other wide-eyed, sharing the same thought, ‘ Oh shit, we are gonna be horrible parents to this kid. He’s too pure. ’

Abel wrapped his little arms around Adam’s neck and Adam put his hand on his kid’s back. “Thanks kiddo. Hey wanna go back with us? Or maybe just spend the day getting caught up and you can get to know your new mom?”

Abel looked to the nanny as if asking if it were okay to go with them, to be given a nod in response. He sees his friends in the distance, them watching him with his dad. “Yeah but…I want to come back here. I can’t leave my friends, dad. They don’t have their moms or dads here with them. But sometimes one of their parents will come to get them, and then they don’t come back. We all miss them when they leave. We know they are with family again but we never see them again. It’s really sad.”

Lute comes to stand beside them, “Okay buddy we can do that, if you want to stay here we can always come and visit if you’d like,” Abel nods in agreement and pulls out his fist, and Lute returns the fist bump. The kid’s eyes lit up and a smile grew on his face.

“Here, take this for a sec,” Adam says as he hands Abel to Lute so he could put his mask back on. Abel giggles as he's passed to Lute. “So where ya wanna go, squirt?”

No response.

“Hey? Hello?” Adam made confused faces, waving his hand over the kid’s face to get his attention.

Lute chuckles, “He’s watching how your mask changes”

“Ooh yeah that tracks, it’s pretty fuckin cool, huh?” Abel nods in amazement. “So now will ya tell me where you wanna go? The zoo? Ice cream shop? Anywhere, you name it.”

“Oooh, ice cream! Ice cream!” He chanted.

Adam puts Abel on his back, “Aight, hold on tight kid. You ever flown before?”

The kid shook his head. “Nuh-uh, my wings are too small,” He pouted.

“Well, you’re gonna now, at least as a passenger anyway. Get ready for the coolest time you’ve ever fuckin’ had!” With the flap of mighty wings, they were off.

Heading to the ice cream shop, Adam made a loop in the air, only for Abel to have slipped off half way around. “OH SHIT” Adam mid-panic, managed to grab him quickly, “Whoops, you fucking good, kiddo?”

Abel stared up at his father with wide eyes, clearly shaken. “Y-yeah. That was scary. Fun, but scary. Please don’t do that again.”

“Holy fuck. Trust me little man, that was not planned. Fuckin’ gave me a heart attack.”

Lute hovered close by, disappointingly reminding herself, ‘ Boys will be boys. Boys will be boys .”

Back at home, they ordered pizza and wings for dinner. Sitting at the kitchen table, Adam asks, “So bud, did you have fun today? Anything we forgot?”

“Yeah I did have lots of fun. But I do have a question. The adults won’t tell me, but you’re my dad so you would know, right?” Abel questions as he bites more of his pizza slice.

“Yeah! I know everything, hit me.” Adam boasted as he stuffed a wing in his mouth and pulled it back out clean.

“Where did mom and brother go? Why aren’t they here in Heaven with us?”

Silence.

“Uh, well…Um…” Adam fumbled his hands around trying to form the way to word things. “Well, ya see…There are good people, and then there are not so good people. The not so good people go to a different place. So..” He shrugged, hoping to drop this topic.

Abel furrowed his brow and frowned. After a bit he asked, “Can we go visit them?”

Lute put her hand on his shoulder, “Sorry buddy, we can’t do that.”

“They’re probably not there anymore anyway,” Adam said under his breath not so quietly, which got met with a glare from Lute.

“What does he mean, mama?” Abel looked at her with pleading eyes, hurt and confused.

Lute searched her mind for a way to answer without saying, ‘ We go down and purge the bad souls on a now bi annual schedule.’ That’s not a good idea. “That place is full of violence, bad people killing just because they can. They could have fallen by any of those people. It’s not safe down there.”

Adam realized her little lie and chimed in, “Yeah and there’s also this curse that clears out random souls who have been there for years and years. So that Hell doesn’t get too crowded. There’s a lot, and I mean a lot, of bad, horrible fuckin’ people who go to Hell every year.”

Lute gives him a look of disbelief as if to say, ‘ that was a little on the nose, don’t you think? ’

Abel is quiet for a while. “I guess that does make sense. Not everyone comes to Heaven…So there has to be a place for the others to go. But what if there’s some people in Hell who only made small mistakes or just one big mistake? Can’t they eventually be forgiven for them?”

The pair look at each other with unease. They need to find a way to get off of this topic and fast. It was very uncomfortable. Kid is spouting facts but they go against their entire job and everything they believe in. The silence was becoming deafening, what could they say that would be convincing enough to change the topic?

“How ‘bout we watch a movie?” Adam clapped his hands together, “When the movie’s done we can bring you back to the playcare.”

“Okay! Any movie? Even if I’ve watched it before?” Abel was practically bouncing in his seat. Adam and Lute shared a quick sigh of relief.

“‘Course! So whatcha wanna put on?” Adam, pleased with himself for changing the topic.

“All Dogs Go To Heaven! I’ve only seen it once, the caretakers didn’t want to put it on again for some reason. I really liked it though! Charlie was a bad doggy, but he sacrificed himself for a little girl and got a second chance to get into Heaven!”

Lute and Adam shared the same agonizing thought. ‘ It’s gonna be a long night. ’

“Oh you know, Hell is mentioned in the movie but I never thought it was real. Just a movie thing, but now I know that it's not. Maybe that’s why they wouldn’t play it again…But I really enjoyed it!” Abel realized.

As the movie ends, Adam gets up to stretch. ‘ Yeah I can see why they didn’t wanna fucking play that movie again. Yeesh. Fuckin’ tear jerker ending though, damn. ’ Turning back to look at Lute who was picking up the leftovers from dinner, “What did you think, Babe?”

“It was…definitely something. That dog showed great loyalty, I respect it.”

“Yeah! He became a better dog and got to go back to Heaven! Now do you think bad people can change?” Abel bounced with his little fists balled in excitement.

“Eh it’s just a movie, kiddo. It ain’t real. Anywho, you guys ready to go?”

“Mama, will you carry me this time? I don’t wanna fall again.”

“Come on, I said I was sorry!”

“You actually didn’t, Sir,” Lute came over to join the two, turning the TV off. “We don’t have to fly there if you don’t want to, can always walk there.”

“Oh okay! Let’s go! I can’t wait to see my friends and tell them what we did today!”

“Sheesh, kid, how do you still have so much fuckin’ energy?” Adam watched as Abel bounced on his toes, just raring to go.

Coming back to the daycare and checking in again with Elle at the desk, Abel gives the pair hugs before he runs off to greet his friends who were waiting for him. “Bye Mama! Bye Dad! Come visit again!” Lute and Adam wave back as they watch his friends look questionably at them. They wave goodbye to the nanny at the desk before heading home.

“Why did your parents bring you back? Did they not want to keep you?” One of the kids asked worriedly.

“No, no! I wanted to come back to be with you guys! I’m lucky to still have my dad but I’d feel bad ditching you guys. I don’t want to just leave and never come back,” Abel says as he waves his hands at his friends. “It’s okay! They’re gonna come visit when they can, they’re really busy with important angel stuff. He’s like a higher up, he’s so cool, my dad’s the best!”

Adam collapsed face first onto the couch, “That was fucking rough.”

“You’re telling me,” Lute said as she grabs a drink for each of them from the fridge. Sett his drink on the coffee table, and nudged him to move over so she can sit on the couch as she took a sip of her drink. “Being called ‘mama’ sure is a super weird feeling. You feel better now that you’ve reunited with Abel?”

Adam raised his head and pat the cushion, wanting to use her lap as a pillow. “You know, yeah. Today was mostly fun. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen any of my kids, but he hasn’t changed a bit. Well, other than the whole thinking sinners can be redeemed shit. He’s too smart for his own good. Gets it from me, ya know.”

“Uh huh, of course he does, Sir.” Lute said as she ran her fingers through his hair.

“Are you for real sassing me right now, bitch?”

“Me? Whaat nooo, I would never,” She said with a mischievous grin.

“You are so lucking I’m so fucking tired.”

“Oh yeah? What would you do if you weren’t?” She cocked her eyebrow at him.

“...”

“Nothing? Giving me the silent treatment now?”

Still no reaction. Was he really so tired he fell asleep?

“Hey, dick for brains. I’m gonna push you on the floor if you don’t answer me,”

“...”

“Sir?” She leaned over him to check if his eyes are closed. “Adam?”

He lunged at her, frivolously peppering her face with kisses. “No! No more! Stop it!” Her retaliations fell on deaf ears. She laughed as she tried to push him off her but he’s holding her down as he continued to bully her with his affections.

“Nope, not gonna happen, Babe. You’re gonna get all these fucking kisses and you are gonna like ‘em,” He dove in to aggressively kiss her, but instead plants a soft kiss on her lips. “Betcha thought I was gonna do it again, huh?” He snuggled into her chest, making himself comfy.

“We’re not sleeping out here on the couch. Come on, let's get ready for bed.”

“Mmh…no. Comfy here,” He mumbled against her.

She rolled her eyes, and pat his shoulder, “The bed is much comfier, just have to get there first.”

Adam whined as he reluctantly rolled himself off the couch. “Alriiight…fine let’s go.” The two once again head off down the hallway, going about their nightly routine, before laying down for the night.

It had been a few weeks since the last extermination. Lute was currently alone at their home. Emily had been coming over on occasion to check on her and make sure she was doing as well as she could be. Emily doesn’t agree with or like the exterminations and the practices of the exorcists, but she still cares for her people. Lute was adjusting to doing things without her left arm.

She debated on if she should tell Abel that Adam had been killed. Would that even be a good idea? Could she bring herself to do that? He may have been in Heaven for centuries now, but he’s still a child. How can you tell a child their parent is dead?

Lute made up her mind and when she had collected herself well enough to go out in public, she went to pick up Abel. Keeping it together enough to speak to Elle, the nanny from before, and ask for Abel. Soon after an excited Abel came running out, happy to see his parents again, to only see Lute standing alone.

“Mama! What happened to your arm?! Where’s dad?!” Abel came running to her and hugged her. Lute knelt down and covered them both with her wings, attempting to hide herself from the shame of her emotions.

“Adam was…he was killed. He’s gone…” Her voice cracked as she held Abel tightly against her, tears stinging her eyes.

“What? No! How? How did that happen? Tell me you’re lying, Mama, angels don’t die!” His pleading and horrified expression only made Lute’s heart sink further into her stomach.

“I’m so sorry,” She choked as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

Abel sniffles and brushes his tears away, then wipes Lute’s tears. “I’m gonna come home with you, Mama. I can be strong. Strong for both of us.” He hugs her before taking a few steps back, “I gotta go tell my friends that I’m leaving, I’ll be right back!”

Lute stands and recollects herself, before stepping over to the registry desk. “Is there any paperwork or anything I have to sign to take him?”

Elle looked at her sorrowfully, “There is just this one ma’am,” as they pulled out the kid’s file from the desk drawer. “Just states that you’re a legal guardian so we know he went to the right parents. I’m sorry for your loss, ma’am.”

Lute took in a shallow breath, “Thank you.”

Abel came running back, with his friends in tow. His friends hugged him goodbye as they said farewells. “I’m ready, Mama. I brought some of my favorite stuffies to give you. They’re to make you feel better, they made me feel better when I was upset.” Abel held up a stuffed baby penguin.

Lute’s face scrunched in a pout, trying to fight back tearing up again. ‘ How is this kid so fucking sweet? He’s just been told his dad is dead but he’s more concerned for me. ’ Abel stuffed the penguin into his backpack and held out his hand to take hers.

Four months had passed since bringing Abel home from the daycare. Lute and Abel lay on the floor in the collapsed remnants of what was once a pillow fort in the center of the living room. A knock at the door came unexpectedly.

“It’s unlocked!” Lute announced from the floor.

“I can get it,” Abel scrambles to his feet and dashes for the door, opening it to find Emily looking disheveled.

“Woah, you okay? Where’s the fire?” Lute says as she rights herself and makes her way to Emily in the doorway.

Emily shook her head and pointed to her phone frantically, “I just talked to Charlie. It took me a while to sneak into Sera’s phone to get Lucifer’s number, but I needed to so that I could get Charlie’s number.”

Lute looked at her like she was nuts, “Why did you come all the way here just to tell me you spoke to the Hell Princess?”

“I had to let Charlie know that her hotel really works!”

“A hotel?” Abel looked between the two angels, perplexed.

Lute’s jaw dropped, “What? How is that even possible?”

Emily shook her head again, “I’m not sure, but someone who was a resident there has arrived here! Sera told me to keep it a secret but I just couldn’t, I really needed to let Charlie know about this.”

Lute looked at her skeptically, “And you came to me because…?”

“Charlie told me that Adam has been staying at the hotel!”

Lute felt her heart drop and an intense chill cover her body. ‘ Adam is alive? But how? I watched him die. I was there. He died. ’

Lute’s feathers ruffled as she grew agitated, “Are you fucking with me? Is this some kind of sick joke?”

“Will someone tell me what’s going on?!” Abel cried, not having any clue what they’re talking about. He turns to Emily, hoping for an answer. “Is my dad really alive? How? Why isn't he here?”

“I don’t know how, but Charlie and I agree that if a soul in Hell can be redeemed, then the opposite is also true. A soul in Heaven could be condemned to Hell.” Emily explained.

“Redeemed? Like, they were forgiven?” His face lit up when the angel nodded in agreement. “ I knew it! I knew it was possible! That’s awesome, right, Mama?”

He looked over to see Lute still processing the information that was received. Her face was void of expression while she contemplated.

“Mama?” Abel reached out to her, his touch snapping her out of her trance.

She looked at Emily with determination in her eyes, “…Will you take me to him?”

Emily tensed her hands into fists, “Um, yeah I think I can! I’m not too skilled at portals but I can give it my best shot!”

“I’m coming too!” Abel shared in the enthusiasm, but as Lute set her hand on his shoulder and knelt beside him, he knew she was going to tell him no.

“I’m sorry buddy, but Hell isn’t a safe place. There are still bad people down there. They don’t like people like us down there.”

“So what am I supposed to do? Stay here by myself?”

“I can get a hold of one of my...coworkers, and have her come stay with you. Or you could go visit your friends at the daycare while I’m away?”

“I’ll go see my friends...Are you going to come back for me?” Abel’s eyes didn’t leave the floor as he spoke.

“Of course I will. And if Adam is alive, I’m going to drag his sorry ass back up here,” She rose to meet Emily’s gaze. “I just need to see this for myself, until then I’m not believing a word of it. If this is some sort of trap, so help me…”

“It’s not, I promise! I’m just as shocked as you!” Emily put her hands up defensively. “At least…I don’t think it is, why would Charlie lie to me?”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#if you noticed any grammatical errors no you didn't 💗#hopefully this posts correctly with no issues #fingers crossed #hope the link works too #ANYWAY hope yall enjoy!#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel lute #hazbin hotel adam #guitarspear #guardrock #adam x lute #adam and lute #hazbin hotel fanfiction #bigger than the whole sky #fanfiction #ao3 link #tabithawrites #tabithaposts

22 notes · View notes

diningwiththeasquiths · 1 month ago

Text

Kinktober Day 11: Biting / marking

Words: 394 Rating: Mature Pairing: Daniel x Armand Summary: Just a little post-Dubai ficlet in which Daniel is still human.

Daniel sags back against the pillow feeling like a wrung-out, limp dishrag. Inside his heaving chest his heart beats wildly enough for it to be slightly disconcerting.

“Fuck… Is this how I die?” he manages to breathe out, staring up at the depiction of fluffy clouds and blue sky on his bedroom ceiling. Small, sluggish rivulets of blood run from a frankly excessive amount of bite marks on his body.

Two on his right arm—his wrist and inner elbow, to be specific. A third had reopened the old scars on the right side of his neck, that one had definitely felt the most possessive. There are also two canine-sized holes in the sagging muscles of his left pec. But the majority of the marks are located on his inner thighs, the last of which in such close proximity to his junk that it had gotten him off.

Armand scoots up to settle beside him, caressing his shoulder and upper arm with a slightly-too-cool hand in soothing motions, up and down, up and down. Though the words he speaks are less assuasive.

“So melodramatic.”

Daniel blinks a few times in order to clear the black spots from his vision, then tilts his head to look at him. Armand's normally wide open eyes are lidded and his jaw is slack with satisfaction, revealing the very tips of his bloodied fangs. It makes Daniel less self-conscious about coming untouched and a lot sooner than he wanted, like some sort of vampire-sex novice.

“You turned me into a fucking colander.”

Armand, as per usual, is lightning-quick to justify himself.

“I merely took one or two small sips each time, no more than that. I'm well aware you are in bigger need of that medicamented blood than I am, beloved.”

“Oh aren't you the pinnacle of chivalry.”

Armand huffs a fond laugh, his fangs visibly retracting. He leans in to kiss Daniel on the lips, one kiss quickly turning into several.

A different sort of warmth overtakes the post-orgasmic glow in Daniel's spent body. He pulls Armand close with unsteady hands and the vampire curls up against him with a content little sigh. Neither of them are in a hurry to move. The array of love bites gradually clot and stop bleeding.

There's a lingering, almost imperceptible tension in Armand’s body. It only relaxes once Daniel’s heartbeat levels out.

#this is the last kinktober day I wrote for. by now I'm on holiday and don't have time nor energy to write more #it was fun 😊 (and also not. because holy hell I dislike my own writing a lot of the time lmao. but that's my own issue to deal with)#thanks for organizing and I'm looking forward to seeing/reading more fills from other people :)#dining writes #armandaniel #devil's minion #vfkinktober2024

10 notes · View notes

sensitivecth · 2 years ago

Text

Now or Never - c.h. fic

hello i wrote a calum fic that's angsty with a happy ending🫣 i kinda fell off tumblr but had some inspo the other day and it produced this. i started to write this after i learned my crush was moving to a different state, it hurt(s) so i made this to cope. i just finished it tho, good luck!

about 1.6k words, tw//smoking, tw//quarantine, bestie!calum, friends to lovers?? kind of, dj!cliffo?? a pinch, probably set in late 2021. girl IS latina she IS plus size, if you're not into it get over it. girlie can also NOT smoke, trust me i've tried, to explain the beginning! all love<3

I shuffle my feet out of the bar for some fresh air. Calum’s in tow for a smoke break.

We’ve been having a great night. He asked to hang out when he came back to town to move the last of his stuff. Suddenly we've been at the bars since 8.

“You sure you don’t want one?” he asked me teasingly. He knows I can’t inhale anything but air.

As the door closes behind him, I can hear the music quiet into a muffle.

“Haha, funny,” I deadpan in return, looking at the sky from nerves.

How can I not be nervous? I want to confess my crush I had on him for over a year. He’s so nice to me, he’d never make me feel bad. But he’s also moving back to the city. He’s been telling me all about the apartments he’s been looking at and jobs he’s applied to.

“Y/N, what’s up?”

I looked at him- made eye contact even- and got scared. Maybe I shouldn’t say anything.

“Y/N?”

“Oh yeah, sorry,” I got out. One time I told him how I hated eye contact. It stresses me to think about which eye I’m supposed to stare at. He told me to just look in the middle at the nose.

I looked back at the sky. My heart started racing.

He knows. He’s moving by next week but he knows, he has to right? I don’t think I hid it super well.

“Calum, I just-“ I stopped.

He’s staring at me again, I can feel it. I finally turn to look in his direction.

“You can look up at me, you know I love those brown eyes of yours,” he said. “Let me see them.” But I don’t look up.

I could just not say anything. I don’t have to tell him. He can move and we can keep talking like we did all of quarantine to continue our friendship.

But I can’t. I have to say something. Now or never, right?

“I don’t want you to say anything please until I’m done. This is hard for me, and I’m not sober so there’s some liquid courage backing me up.”

“Hm,” he paused, looking concerned. “Okay. I won’t say a thing.”

Now or never, I guess.

“Calum,” I wanted water. My mouth felt dry. “I’ve liked you for over a year.”

I pause just long enough that he opens his mouth. “And it’s super hard for me to accept a crush on someone so telling you right now is killing me.” I’m staring at his shoes now. He’s wearing an old pair of converse.

“I really wanted to be your friend when I saw one of your tattoos and asked about it. But it kind of kept tumbling into something else. And I know you don’t like me like that you don’t have to tell me-“

“Y/N but-“ Calum tried to stop me.

“No, Calum. You’ve pointed out the people you’re attracted to. You don’t have to justify it or try to pretend you liked me. I’ve seen them, Cal. They’re skinny white girls, and I know I’m not that.” My voice got quieter. I didn’t want to bring this part up.

But, there it was. My biggest insecurity around him. I’m not skinny let alone a stereotypically skinny white girl with blonde hair. I’m brown (and proud) and on the bigger side. I always have been. I’m also not the plus-size model big, I’m the fat rolls and back rolls with big arms kinda gal. I’ve never been more aware of my size than now.

“Seriously, it’s fine.” I comfort him, which is amusing to me so I smile. Why am I comforting him when this is supposed to be hard for me.

“I’ve been through this a lot Calum. I’ve had unreciprocated crushes my whole life. I’ve been asked out on 2 dates, by 2 different guys in elementary school. This isn’t new to me.”

‘This’ was being big and brown. Growing up in a primarily white school has its downsides. It looked like he was gonna say something again.

“Please, bub. I’m gonna get through this and then you can say whatever,” I saw him nod but I let the quiet sit between us.

I’m picking at my nails a bit and hear the muffled song change inside. It’s Youngblood.

Now or never, I tell myself again.

“Selfishly, I don’t think I could live with you moving 4 hours away and not tell you ever. You became a comfort person to me over quarantine. I didn’t know if it would continue when school started up again, but it did. And slowly, I wondered when you would text back. I thought about what you were doing and started to obsessively check social media to see if I could get anything from you.” I sighed.

This was harder than I thought.

“It was fine, living in my own little fantasy world of you maybe liking me. Telling my friends about our conversations and just everything I learned about you.”

It was a bit easier to say when he wasn’t looking at me. He was looking down at his cigarette.

“And then you mentioned a girl. I’m not even sure if you ever spoke to her really, you just saw her at the coffee shop. But I cried that day.”

I actually vividly remember the girl he described. She had purple pants, an old band t-shirt, and an old pair of converse as well. He didn’t talk to her, but he did say something along the lines of her being his “dream girl.”

“When you sent that text, I stopped replying for a moment. Then I put on a happy front and told you to talk to her, because of course I’m going to support my friend in whatever he decides to pursue romantically. It just stung a bit.”

“I didn’t talk to her,” he mumbled.

“I know Calum, I know.” I smiled again, thinking about how I felt that day and how I’ve grown.

He was still looking at his cigarette. I wanted to touch his arm.

“Anyway, after I responded semi-positively to that, you just kept sending stuff about girls and relationships left and right. That,” I paused for the drama and because I needed a breath, “fucking sucked Calum.”

I stopped talking for a bit. We were just standing there.

“And when we hung out in person in the park, you’d always mention how there were such cute girls around. I wondered if you hinted at me ever, but I finally realized you never did.”

Calum was still looking down. He hadn’t looked at me in a while.

“Listen Cal, I’m not saying this to make you feel guilty. I just want you to understand where I’m coming from.”

“No, it’s okay,” he said curtly. His cigarette was almost gone.

“So I kept up the friendship even though it pained me to see you talking about other women. And I thought I finally got over it after like 14 months of my everlasting crush.”

“Did you?” he looked at me briefly.

“To be completely honest, I felt like I’d get so close to being done with it and you’d do something so I would go back to square one. I’m proud of myself for only crying about it once though.”

He smiled. I love his smile.

“To be fair, I’m proud of you too. I’m not worth crying over.”

“You’re worth so much.”

“Don’t flatter me like that, my ego will get big,” his eyes twinkled with the moonlight. He was staring up now.

Ashton suddenly peeked his head outside.

“You guys okay?” he asked in a weird tone. I think he knows. He’s always known.

“Yeah mate, just going on about life ya know,” Calum’s answer was quick. Almost like he wanted to be rid of him. I couldn’t be too sure though.

“Alrighty! You missed Youngblood! Mike’s electric in there right now!” Ashton laughed as he turned.

The door did the really awkward thing where it closes super duper slowly, but I stared at it.

“Welp. That was it,” I told Calum as I turned back to him. “Yeah I don’t know. I just needed to tell you before you left.”

“Y/N, I love you with all my heart,” Calum started. He still wasn’t looking at me.

I knew immediately where this was going. I had to fix it.

“Calum, please don’t break me tonight. I don’t want that. Not for your last weekend. Let me send you off with the boys on Monday and help you pack the last of your stuff. Let me be there when you’re locking up the apartment for the last time. Let me breathe this weekend. Once you go I won’t fight it.” I’m pleading with him now. “Please give me this weekend.”

“I would never,” he emphasized, “want you anywhere but with us when we start our new lives. Like I said, I love you with all my heart.”

I felt the tears coming in. This is when he tells me I’ve been nothing but delusional and a joke. This is it.

“I see you next to me Y/N. We may be moving now, but I can never leave you behind. I won’t lie. I’m not in love with you, but I love you. I don’t know where this can go, especially starting off as a long distance thing, but we’ve done it before, right?” He’s kind of rambling at this point.

My breath is short, I am confused.

“Wait what?”

“Y/N. I wanna take you on a date. I’m confused and delighted you said anything. I’m sad I’m moving, but if you’re up for it then I am too.”

And just like that, the last year and then some make so much sense. He makes so much sense.

Now or never, I repeat to myself as I walk up to. The cigarette is gone.

#calum hood is the loml #calum hood fic #calum x reader #calum hood x reader #calum hood x plus size #cal is the loml #calum hood #best friends to lovers calum #5 seconds of summer #5sos #calum fic #dj michael clifford #dj cliffo #y writes😌

14 notes · View notes

luimagines · 3 years ago

Note

Do time or the other links smoke? Or drink? Or do some kind of drugs? I mean when your out heroing you're going to get alot of traum

Something they all at least somewhat have to try and take the edg off or do they have other ways of coping? I am sorry if this sounds like an ask,i was more along the lines trying to get your speculation on the matter

Masterlist

I see what you're saying and I do think that some of them would have had bad habits in the past but yeah-

They do need some time to take the edge off and refocus themselves in the present, but how do they do that in a healthy and safe way?

Let's talk about that.

I don't think I have all the necessary tags so go forth at your own discretion.

Time

Time would have definitely had a drinking problem that would have started in his Termina days.

He's never really felt the need to drink though- he only found that it would have kept him from going crazy.

But as he got out of there and talked more to Malon (and have his supply cut off- (just because he knew where to get it in Termina doesn't mean he knows where to get it in Hyrule, (nor would they give it to him, even if he did))), I like to think that he would have had to find other ways to calm himself down and think rationally through his thoughts and desires.

It happens by accident.

He was working at Lon Lon Ranch when he needed to go chop some wood and he found the repetitive and strenuous work, soothing.

He felt good. Accomplished even.

And a little disappointed when he was finished.

But he started doing that whenever he could and it became his main way to not only blow off some steam but to also calm himself down.

It helps with his anxiety and his need to help feel useful even when nothing is really happening that would require his assistance.

Twilight

Twilight finds that manual labor actually makes his anxiety worse.

He can't really find it within himself to get lost in it because he's already programmed for that to be a part of his day to day life anyway. So his brain can still go on and on even as he gets his chores done.

Twilight finds that a secluded spot with little distraction works best.

He's never really dabbled in other ways to deal with it nor has it come to his mind.

All he knew one say was that everything was too much and that he needed to be in a different area entirely.

No people, no noise.

He likes to hang out by small creeks or by the lake and fish if he really needs an excuse to do something.

Bonus points if he can rest with one of his favorite goats nearby, but that's few and far in between.

It's less meditation and more taking in the moment and letting time slip by for a change.

No to do lists, no action, no survival, no need to be on the run.

Just breath.

Warrior

Warrior would have smoked during the war but I don’t think he’d actually tolerate it all that well. I feel like he’d be more inclined to drink away his problems but with shortages left and right, and all efforts going into the war, there just wouldn’t be enough to go around.

So he’d smoke and hate it.

But it worked in a pinch.

Afterwards, whether through Mask’s and Wind’s influence or the end of the war, he’d want to find a way to quit.

It wasn’t easy but I feel like Warrior would attempt to quit cold turkey. Just drop the habit completely and what does he do when he feels the need arise again?

It’s actually little said than done, but he paints.

It’s less with ink and paint and more so, just moving his hands and a brush around.

If he happens to have a canvas it’s better but again, not easy to come around.

So what Warrior ends up doing most of the time, is taking a brush and some homemade ink from berries and brushing it over his scars. His favorite spot is the massive burn covering his left arm left behind as a gift from the Dragon Knight.

It feels tingly and electric, static follows the brush and the muscles clench with energy from the contact but while it’s uncomfortable for a while, it’s also not entirely unpleasant and it’s soothing to watch and feel. And it grounds Warrior in the moment until he no longer feels the urge.

When the urge is gone, he still does it when he feel anxious and concerned. Late at night is typical time for him to do this, where no one would see him or his scars and judge him for it.

Sky

Sky in the beginning would have slept more than he did before.

He was already inclined to fall asleep easily before all of his trauma, but afterwards he seemed to lose motivation to continue with the idea that things would go back to normal. There was still a lot of expectation placed on his shoulders and it was frankly not something he wanted to deal with.

So he sleeps.

Now this turns into more of a problem with being able to stay awake and to stay concentrated. It’s hard for him to pay attention to anything beyond him and that won’t do, considering me still has to finish his schooling.

What Sky does more often than not to keep him tethered to the present moment is work with his hands. He’s already had the tools for wood whittling but he was never allowed to use them in class and it ends being a bigger mess sometimes than he’s willing to deal with in general.

Sky also has some small pockets of clay that he fidgets with to keep his hands moving and he can keep it under his desk so that it’s not that distracting in class.

It helps him focus and when he thinks about what he’s been through and what he plans to do next, it keeps him from getting overwhelmed.

Wild

I think Wild would have just gone silent and unmoving when he’s having a bad day.

Kind of similar to how he gets when’s trapped in a memory but for longer and he doesn’t eat or sleep. It could last days at a time. He doesn’t even move unless he’s prompted or dragged to the spot.

The lights are on but no one’s home you know.

There’s not a lot he can do when it happens. Everyone just has to wait for it to pass and hope that it passes quickly.

But Wild gets better with time to know the signs when of one of those days is coming.

It’s not much, but Wild like to hop on the back of his horse and just take off.

Feel the rushing wind on his face and through his hair. He’s a full gallop for a while until the poor horse gets tired. At that point he just goes to the nearest stable and exchanges horses to do the whole thing over again.

Sometimes, when that’s not enough, he’ll go base jumping from as high as he can get even using Revali’s Gale to get higher and free fall. Wild is pretty good at catching himself with his paraglider at the last moment and he likes to see all of Hyrule when as he reaches the ground again.

It reminds him that he’s done a lot of good, that he’s capable of doing more good and that life isn’t over just one ended.

Four

Unsurprisingly, sometimes Four gets too lost in his own for his own good.

He’s got a lot to think about and very little way to get it out.

Four would actually throw himself into his work to try and distract himself from the memories, the anxiety, and the guilt of not being enough time and time again even if he saved the day in the end.

This doesn’t help.

He gets so lost into it, in his attempt to stop thinking all together that he completely goes into autopilot and over works himself. Not in the sense that he pulls a muscle and has to take it easy or end up sore and tired and regrets it. No, no. What I mean is that he’ll keep working for days on end.

No sleep.

No food.

Little water.

No fresh air.

It ends up being a hard habit for him to break. Especially since he finds himself continuously trying to fall into a blank mindset even while he actually works to get commissions done.

So what Four has to do is find something else to do. Four more or less always has to have his hands moving, so it’s hard for him to put something down and not working on it.

He likes jigsaw puzzles, he likes to read, but he also likes to make stuff.

So in the end, when Four feel a little overwhelmed and feels himself slip into a self deprivational state, he’ll stop and goes inside his house to do a smaller project.

So he bakes, he knits, he does his puzzels. It’s enough for him to feel productive still but quick enough for him to stay present and make sure he’s still taking care of himself until the restlessness passes.

Wind

Wind doesn’t really have bad habits. He’s still young and processing his adventures.

I’m sure there’s alcohol on the pirate ship because pirates. But I don’t think he’d like it as much as some people want to write him.

Like, sure, a cup or two ain’t bad but I just can’t see Wind having a drinking problem. At least not now as everything stands.

In a few years it’s might be something he would need to be on the look out for if he’s aware enough but he was quite grasped the full implications of his position and trauma yet.

Because he’s just a kid.

He won’t know how twisted what happened to him was until he gets older and can he the age outside of his own mindset.

Wind has nightmares though and they’re ties when he gets memories that he doesn’t want to deal with at the moment- or ever again.

In the moment he thinks of his home, his grandma and his sister instead.

He thinks of his friends, both old and new.

The chain help with distracting him and he’s not above using them for the distraction when he feels that he needs one.

Wind also stretches a lot.

When he was with Warrior, he got into some of the drills they were teaching the soldiers and for some of the nimble ones, they had to start with stretches and he likes it.

So when it gets particularly bad, he throws himself through the motions and holds the poses for a bit longer than necessary.

So yoga. He does yoga.

And it centers him, it clears his head and he feels better after.

Legend

Legend screams.

Legend cries.

Legend will go on a rampage and destroy a whole forest if he’s having a particularly hard day.

Sometimes he’ll go find something big and scary just to fight it.

Blacksmithing is more a hobby for him at this point because it’s not something he can actually see himself doing in the future. It’s just to pass the time and help the day’s go by a little faster.

Legend likes to draw and when he’s tired after throwing whatever tantrum has taken over him, he’d go to a quiet spot and draw whatever he sees.

Sometimes, when he’s paying more attention to himself and he can feel himself getting frustrated and anxious, he takes a few days off.

He leaves his house and his items and goes up a mountain to think with some food, a notebook and some pencils.

He takes up map making.

Legend doesn’t think he’s any good at it, but with al the places he’s been, he tries to make a map for them by memory incase anyone he knows or will meet decides to visit.

His most carefully crafted map is of Koholint for... reasons.

It’s takes him an age and a half and he’s still not done with it, trying to get as much of it onto the paper as he can remember before he grows old and loses them entirely within his memory.

It’s a calming project he finds. He doesn’t feel sad when he does this for Marin for the people and their memory. It keeps them alive in his heart and sometimes he draws something on the map that doesn’t quite fit into his memory about the island but something tells him to keep it because it was there. Because he was only a visitor to their home.

The locals would know.

He feels good keeping them alive in some way.

It’s what she they would have wanted.

It’s what she they deserve.

She They always wanted to travel and it’s better to have a map to do so.

He takes up map making.

Hyrule

I don’t think Hyrule’s... Hyrule has a lot of these methods to go around. He wouldn’t have been exposed to drugs or alcohol simply because there’s too little people for him to interact with.

And if he was, I don’t think he’s use them as a coping mechanism simply because they would be too difficult obtain and gather to be sufficient.

I think that Hyrule would actually hang out with a Great Fairies by her pool when times got particularly rough.

There’s something about the place that resonates with him and feels calming, safe and relaxing to him.

As a bonus he’s always welcomed so he can pop in and stay for days at a time if he ever needed to.

He does not stay there for days.

But he appreciates the offer.

Hyrule doesn’t stay for more than few hours at a time because he doesn’t want to attract any monsters to his safe spots but even if the fairies don’t use any magic on him, he’s always rejuvenated afterwards and he feel like he can take on anything.

And given the world he comes from- it’s needed.

#linked universe #linkeduniverse #I know this wasn't really a request either #and I did say they were clsoed #but this was already going to get long #and it's more headcanons again #so into the queue it goes #bad habits #tw alchoholism #tw anxiety #tw smoking #tw addiction #pinky replies #pinky answers

182 notes · View notes

intoduskoutofdawn · 3 years ago

Text

Aurora Borealis (part 2)

| Here comes the second part to the first one 'Jessy needs a favor'. Still of course a Phil x MC piece.

Jessy, Hannah, Phil x MC

Warnings: swearing, smoking, bit of spice

------

This day is sure a long one! You sigh as you put on your shoes, getting ready to leave. Tired you let your forehead rest on your knees for a moment. Well, you promised Jessy that you would be helping out at the Aurora tonight. Actually you are looking forward to it, it gets you out of your routines, which had become quite the drag over the last months since your move to Duskwood.

As you put on your jacket and stuff your keys in the pockets, you think back to your conversation with Phil this afternoon and how it made you actually think differently about him as a person. He was not just Jessy's brother with the bar and the good looks and the winks and the flirtatious comments anymore - you discovered that he is really passionate about pursuing his dreams, always making everything about his life special and worthy. It turned out to be something you really admired about him. All tangled up in these thoughts, you keep walking down the street, your arms wrapped around yourself with your eyes pinned on the road as you hear someone yelling from the other side.

“Hey!MC! Wait!” Jessy is waving at you, Hannah standing next to her also raises both of her hands. They run over the street and you get kissed on your cheeks, left from Jessy, right from Hannah. You flinch and laugh at your two friends.

Jessy points at you and says to Hannah in an ironically praising tone: “She is on her way to the bar, she took over the shift from me and saved me from being a huge disappointment to my brother.”

Hannah smiles and nodds her head in playfully exaggerated appreciation. “She is a real life saver!”

You roll your eyes and snark:”Yes, she is a regular superhero...”

Jessy giggls and grabs your arm. “Let's walk together, I actually just ran into Hannah a few minutes ago over there and then we saw you walking past us.” She pushes you in the middle between her and Hannah and the three of you start walking.

“So what were you brooding about again, MC? You didn't even spot us.” Hannah looks at you curiously.

“Oh, I just... Well to be honest, I was thinking about my encounter with Phil this afternoon. He gave me ride home and we were talking. It was really amazing, I think I learned a lot about him - how difficult it was for him to come here to Duskwood in the beginning. It's like I finally understand that his confidence doesn't just come out of nothing, you know, then it would be not more than arrogance, it's something he gained on the way where he is now. That is why it is so ...natural.” You suddenly stop a little embarrassed, you didn't even mean to spill out all of your thoughts like that.

Hannah raises her brows in surprise. “Wow, that was pretty...'elaborated'.” You look shyly over to Jessy, who seems to be thinking about what you just said about her brother.

“I think I get what you mean, MC.” She finally says slowly in a serious tone. “I always admired my brother for his strength, but I am also still intimidated by him from time to time...ok, most of the time. Our relationship wasn't easy because of all what happened with our parents. Phil seemed always to be able to grow despite or even because of all this.” You nod and then cover your eyes with one hand. “I really like that...or him. Am I crazy?”

Hannah gives you a wide grin. “Sure you are, that's why we love you! But why the hell would you feel bad, cause you found out something new about Phil and yourself?” She paused as you sigh and seem concerned about something. “Actually I think your onto one of the last Duskwood mysteries here...” She let's her hand stride through the air like her words are written on a billboard: “The man behind the mystery that is Phil Hawkins!”

The three of you burst into laughing - Hannah always knew when and how to lighten the mood. She turns her head to you again and bumps her elbow into your side. “So he finally managed to soften you up, huh?”

You shrug and roll your eyes. “I don't know. You think that was his end game?” Hannah shakes her head. “No, it doesn't sound like he had a plan there.”

“Definitely not!” Jessy ads “He would never just open up to you like that. You know, he is not that superficial, I think he is very capable to see that you are actually someone who he can expect to understand him, someone he confides in. Otherwise he wouldn't even bother, if you were just some girl he tries to impress out of her panties.” She swings her hand through the air like she was trying to chase away a fly. "Sorry, that I have to be the one to tell you, but you're quite special, MC."

“Well, you don't need to overthink it, MC, just see what happens from here on. You think it is complicated? Hell, you have been living here for a while now, Duskwood embraces the complicated!” Hannah says with a firm look. “What do you think is gonna happen to you? Why not take a leap once in a while?”

You smile at her a little helpless and sigh:”Maybe you are right, guess I just wouldn't want to end up as some girl...” you point a finger at Jessy “how did you put it? 'some girl, who got impressed out of her pants'?” “'Panties'...she said 'panties'” Hannah winks at you.

“Oh, MC, as if I would let my brother treat you like that! Well okay, I admit that I am totally incapable of standing up to Phil. But I would gladly slash his tires and leave an insulting and anonymous note. Just for you!” She chuckles. Well, when you got friends like that...

Finally you reached the front door of the Aurora. Hannah turns around and gives you a hug. “Mh, we're gonna have such delightful double dates, you, Phil, Thomas and me. Some wild Scrabble nights maybe.” You pinch the giggling she-devil in the hip. Now it's Jessy's turn, she takes your face in her hands and teases: “Finally we are family!”

While the three of you are squabbling around, the door of the Aurora suddenly gets pushed open and Phil is leaning in the door frame - slightly confused he raises his eyebrows about the peculiar scene. You softly push Jessy away and greet him still giggling: “Hey, Hawkins. Sorry, I would have been on time, if I didn't have to kill these two!”

Phil points his cigarette at his sister and looks over to Hannah. “So you two are chatting up my best employee of the night here?” Hannah rolls her eyes. “First of all, that's not a good pet name for MC. And more importantly, we had to discuss the future -” “Oh hush now!” You shut her up with a furious scowl.

Phil gives you a slightly amused look that asked for an explanation, but you just shrug and shake your head. And when you actually want the earth to swallow you whole – nothing happens!

Jessy walks over to Hannah and drags her slowly away. “Come Hannah, we have to go now. See you, big brother...” She turns around again with a vicious grin “Have fun, future sister in law...”

You stare mortified at the two girls walking away, sending out a silent prayer that Phil didn't hear what his sister said. “What did she just s-...” You quickly turn around, put your hands on his chest and push him backwards inside the bar. “Oh nothing, whatever, let's get to work already!”

You take a look around the room, your eyes adjusting to the dim light inside. The Aurora seems so much bigger than you remember, empty as it is at this time. Such a beautiful place! The dark shiny wood of the long counter perfectly guides the look to the center of the bar. Some old fashioned industrial lamps drenched everything in a warm light around the counter. You loved all the materials, that surrounded you here... wood, wrought metal, the leather of the furniture. The rest of the room was still dark, Phil didn't turn all of the lighting on yet.

Oh fuck! You hastily pull your hands back, you didn't even realize, that you still had them on his chest - blushing you look at him with big eyes. Phil is smiling widely but then he shakes his head. “You know, Miss MC, it's really hard to take how cute you are! You just can't help it, can you?” he says annoyed but not serious. He turns away and walks over to the counter, “Wait there! I want to show you something first.” What is he so excited about now? Anyway, get it together, MC, nothing but keeping your cool for the rest of the night!

Phil comes back holding something small...a remote? He turns and moves behind you putting his hands on your shoulders and maneuvers you to the other side of the bar, where you find yourself facing a black wall behind a seating area. “That's some black wall. I can't wait to tell my friends about this...” you snicker and Phil – still holding your shoulders- shakes you a bit to shut you up. “Wait for it...” he says in a dramatic voice. You keep your eyes focused on the wall. A small twinkling light appears in midst of the black. No it wasn't just one, there were dozens of them and you raise your brows in surprise - looking at star constellations spread all over the wall, like on the clear night sky.

“Beautiful!” is all you get out, admiring what you see. Phil has let gone of your shoulders, still standing very close behind you. “That's not all” he hisses into your ear. His excitement is contagious and you let your seeking eyes wander over the wall. And then there was a slender band of green light spreading itself wider and wider, you spot purple reflections in the green and even more colors swirled together, the light started to move, spreading and shrinking, sparkling and fading, sinking and rising. The Northern Lights!

“Aurora Borealis...” Phil whispers. “It's...” you start but you are not able to find the words just yet. You just stare at the dance of the lights. It feels like a huge curtain has been lifted in front of you and freed your gaze, the walls around you dissolved and you are striding through the endless universe. You lightly cover your mouth with your hands and whisper through your fingers not even aware that you saying the words out loud “It's like infinity and eternity are twisted together and became light...It's beautiful, one of a kind.” You can feel Phil laughing quietly in the back of your neck. “That is exactly how I would describe it... and you.”

Those words were pouring warm down your neck and you feel a shiver sliding along your spine. You are so very aware how close he is to you, feeling the warmth of his body standing behind you. If you just move half an inch, your bodies would touch...and then? You can feel rising heat and tension in your stomach going - south - from there. He didn't move, you just can feel his breath, shaking and hot right behind your ear. You close your eyes - as suddenly reality raises it's ugly head. This wasn't at all a good time for this! There were voices outside the window, it was almost time to open up the bar. This cannot happen now! You turn around and meet Phil's eyes for a short moment, a furious hunger flickering in them. Not even knowing what you are doing, you shift forward a little - leaning against him, hiding your face in his neck. “Phil, this...I...” you stop as you can feel his hands wandering over your back pressing you closer against him. You gather all your strength and push yourself away from his body and look him firmly in the eyes again. Wow, if looks could actually tear your clothes off....

“Okay, I am honestly sorry to kill the moment here, but I think you know, that this is not the right time for...this. There are people waiting to get in and because I took over the shift from your sister, I can assume you really need the help here tonight.” He closed his eyes and the smile on his face was bitter, he just nods acquiescently and slowly retrieves his hands, releasing you out of his grip. You feel dizzy and confused.

“Huh, I could really use some help here.” You angrily point a finger at him. “It's not helping that you just stand there, looking like this, smelling incredible...You need to say something, I want my grip back!” Phil suddenly laughs, raising his hands in defeat. “Well, Miss MC, what can I say? If you want, I can think of some other ways to let you see the stars...” He bites his lower lip, flinching his eyes shut. “Wow, that must have been the lamest thing, I have ever said..”

You nod your head laughing. “That was the lamest thing, anyone has ever said. But it actually helped. Thank you!” He sighs and shrugs, throwing off the tension and walks over to the counter.

“Okay, let's get started. Did I ever show you, where I keep the ice?”

You follow him and say with a deep sigh: “Yes...ice, good idea!”

#duskwood #duskwood everbyte #duskwood phil #iamjake #duskwood hannah #everbyte duskwood #duskwood mc #duskwood game #duskwood jessy #phil x mc #phil hawkins

49 notes · View notes

introvert-pansexual · 4 years ago

Text

BALCONY.

MASTERLIST | HANGE ZOË X FEM!READER

summary : the stars are brightly shining at the night sky, as y/n adores them, before a certain person joins her.

cw :

LOUD FOOTSTEPS echoed through the cool, dark hallways as hange happily hummed a slow melody, that has been stuck in their head the entire day with a small, innocent smile plastered on their face.

tightly clutching the papers pressed against hange's chest, they searched for the wooden door leading into y/n's room after the female promised she'll help the brunette with some of their paper work. hange, barely sleeping, forgot not everybody is going to be awake at hours like this, yet they couldn't help from lightly jumping up and down, energy rushing through their entire system.

"oi! four eyes!" the hazel eyed person head quickly snapped to their side, seeing no one else than levi ackerman, standing in the door frame of his own room, his arms crossed over his chest. "levi!" hange happily called out, turning rest of their body towards the shorter man.

"what are you doing up so late, shortie? i thought it's already past your bed time." the innocent, beaming smile never left hange's face, while levi scoffed, leaning his side onto the wooden door frame to support himself. "i was asleep, until you decided to jump around the hallways like a small, annoying child, idiot."

"wow, someone's grumpy." a small chuckle escaped hange's lips. "where are you even going, four-eyes?" levi softly furrowed his eyebrows, his cold expression not changing, ignoring the brunette's teasing words. "oh i was about to pick up some paper work from y/n and show her these!" hange held out the pile of papers, they were clutching as a 'tsk' sound left levi's lips.

"um, what is the problem this time?" the brunette confusingly turned their head to the side, earning an eye roll from the levi. "both so stupid and clueless." the older man murmured under his breath, before straightening himself up. "next time try not to wake everyone in this building up, four-eyes."

after mumbling a miniature 'good night' towards the hazel eyed person, levi closed the wooden door behind, leaving hange with pursed lips, making them re-think his previous words.

"stupid and clueless? yeah, right." hange quietly scoffed, being aware of their feelings, before turning on their heels and continuing their way towards y/n's room. the brunette's quickened heartbeat caught their own attention the second their hand was just few inches from the door, leading to the e/c eyed female's room. hange inhaled sharply, before quietly knocking few times, not being sure if y/n was awake at the moment or not.

no answer.

hange's foot softly tapped against the colder floor, waiting for an answer from behind the door, before raising their hand, knocking once more.

still no answer.

many rushing thoughts filled the hazel eyed person's head, as they slowly reached for the door knob, thinking maybe y/n fell asleep, yet hange needed those papers. "i'll just grab them real quick and leave." they thought to themselves, opening the wooden door with a loud creak.

hange's hazel eyes roamed the bigger room, searching for any clue, where the h/c haired female could be. the candle on y/n's working table was burning, meaning she had to be awake or maybe she just forgot to blow the candle. that's what the brunette thought, until they noticed the balcony door opened, a breath hitching in their throat at the sudden, terrifying sight.

y/n was comfortably sitting on the top balcony railing, both of her hands tightly gripping it, as her legs just were just hanging down, slowly swinging from side to side. "y/n!" the female could feel her beating her stop for a moment at the loud call of her name, visibly flinching.

"oh my-" the h/c haired female placed one of her hands on her chest, loudly breathing out, while looking over her shoulder seeing no one else, than the section commander, hange zoë. "you scared the shit out of me, hange." y/n let out a breathless chuckle, before turning her head forward once again, staring at the beautiful night sky full of shining stars.

"you can still watch the night sky, while standing behind the railing, without less chances of falling to your death, you know?" hange kept standing in the balcony door frame, clutching the papers. "thanks, but i think i'll stay right here." small smile appeared on y/n's face at hange caring about her safety.

the brunette's lips curved into a small smirk. "well..." they said as they turned around, placing the papers on a table and quietly walking closer to the h/c haired female. "you're giving me no other choice." "huh? what are you talking about, hange-" y/n furrowed her eyebrows, before looking over their shoulder once again, her e/c eyes widening.

a yelp escaped the girl's lips as she felt two slander arms creep around her waist. "what? you thought i am gonna push you off or something?" hange laughed, placing their chin on top of y/n's right shoulder. "maybe." she mumbled in teasing tone, earning a smaller scoff from the hazel eyed person. silence filled their ears as both y/n and hange stared at the night sky, enjoying the comfortable warmth of each other in the absence of sound, with the cool wind brushing against their skin.

"hange?" y/n furrowed her eyebrows, turning her head to her side, everything stopping the second her e/c eyes landed on hange's face. "hm?" the brunette pursed their lips innocently, acting like theirs and y/n's faces weren't just few inches apart, allowing them to feel each others warm breath against their skin.

a sudden wave of confidence ran over the h/c haired female, forgetting her original idea was to ask the section commander a question, before slowly leaning closer, eyes fluttering close. hange, being themselves, didn't waste any more time, pressing their soft lips against y/n's, as their right hand made it's way behind the female's neck.

"i like you. like a lot, y/n." the brunette spat the second their lips left y/n's, not even catching their breath. a small chuckle escaped the e/c eyed female's lips. "i like you too, hange." ignoring the heat spreading through y/n's body, she pressed a gentle kiss on top hange's nose, making a genuine, toothless smile creep onto their face, warm, lovely feeling filling their heart.

the brunette's right arms made it's way back around y/n's waist, tightly holding them, as she looked up at the dark sky, a soft smile never leaving her lips. meanwhile hange buried their face into the side of the girl's neck, her scent filling her nostrils. everything around was dead quiet and surprisingly calm, the moon rays clearly illuminating certain parts and places, while both y/n and hange's bodies were burning from happiness, neither of them realising confessing their mutual feelings for each other would be this easy.

"y/n...?" the brunette muttered into female's shoulder, sending small vibrations in the place. "hm?" y/n furrowed her eyebrows. "it's late, you should go to bed." hange's words made the e/c eyed female giggle, before hange cocked their head to the side, confused. "so should you, hange." y/n swinged her legs carefully over the balcony railing, making her completely face the hazel eyed person.

without a warning y/n jumped down from the railing, firmly landing onto the ground as hange's first instincts were to secure the female in any way possible, ending up with their hands on each sides of y/n's arms, stopping her from stumbling. the h/c haired female looked up, assuring smile on her face, making the brunette's heart skip a beat. "let's make a deal." y/n's lips twisted into a smaller smirk, while crossing her arms over her chest, making hange furrow their eyebrows in curiosity. "and that would be...?"

"i'll go to sleep-" the female pointed at hange, continuing. "- if you'll sleep with me." y/n didn't know what has gotten into her or where she took all that confidence from, thinking maybe it was the adrenaline after the kiss she shared with the brunette. "deal." hange shrugged, not having any problems with y/n's idea. "but first..." it was now hange's turn to smirk, as they took step closer to y/n, gently placing their hand on the female's cheek, softly stroking it with their thumb.

y/n's mouth slightly feel apart at the sudden touch, before melting into the warmth of hange's soft hand. closing their hazel eyes, hange tilted their head to right side, slowly leaning in as the e/c eyed female did the same, feeling the blood rushing to her cheeks once again.

the second y/n and hange's lips were pressed against each other, they both could feel the difference between this kiss and their first kiss, that happend just a few minutes ago. their second kiss was more slow and passionate, hange's hand resting on y/n's cheek, while the female's arms made it's way around the brunette's neck, pulling them closer, before deepening the kiss even more.

a few seconds before pulling away, hange smiled into the kiss, making y/n's heart flutter. catching their breaths, y/n pressed her forehead against the brunette's, her e/c still closed as she could feel their warm breath tingling on her skin.

a quiet chuckles escaped the female's lips as hange quickly pecked her lips, before pulling away, throwing their arm around y/n's shoulders and brightly smiling. "now shall we go, my dear?" the hazel eyed person leaned onto y/n, motioning her to go inside.

y/n softly giggled, as both of them made their way to the female's bedroom, later on falling asleep in each other's arms as they fully enjoyed every shared second together.

#attack on titan #attackontitan #attack on titan one shot #attack on titan x reader #aot #aot x reader #shingeki no kyoujin #shingeki no kyoujin x reader #shingekinokyoujin #snk #snk x reader #attack on titan hange #hange zoë #hange zoe x reader #hange x reader #aot hange #;hange

131 notes · View notes

serenityseventeen · 3 years ago

Text

Love & Letter: To The Thirteen Boys I've Loved Before

The Second Letter

----------------

To: Yoon Jeonghan

From: Y/N

Dear Jeonghan,

I hope everything's going well with you, wherever you are. I'm writing you a letter without knowing where you are so even if I did ever decide to send this letter, I wouldn't know where to mail it.

Are you doing well? Why don't you call me? Contact me somehow? Why don't you say something to me? Don't you have anything you want to say to me? Oh right, you don't have my number. I don't know any of your social media accounts and you don't know any of mine. I can search on Facebook for you, through a thousand different “Yoon Jeonghan” profiles, but what would be the point?

Actually, I'm angry with you. I'm really angry and I'm a bit heartbroken too because you just took my heart and left.

Why didn't you tell me beforehand?

I waited for you to return. I spent the rest of my freshman year waiting and I even waited through my summer break, hoping that maybe you'd come back or send a letter. School starts in a month and you still aren't here. I don't know what I feel toward you anymore because you're gone. Do I love you since I'm angry at you like this?

From the first day we met, I could tell we didn't match. I don't even know why you pursued me. You joined the basketball team and whenever you had games, you wanted me to come to watch. I didn't know why so I refused the first few games.

We had many classes together, you know that. Did you use the advantage of being in the same classes as me to try to get to know me? What were your intentions when you asked me if I had lunch? Why did you always ask my friends if I was eating well?

I have so many questions I'm dying to ask now that you're gone. One day you were laughing, joking with me while I watched you practice basketball and the next day you suddenly disappeared. One day of absence turned into months, then half a year. I didn't want to ask but I was dying to know.

Then, the answer finally came.

You moved?

Why didn't you tell me anything?

I thought we were developing something special, was that only me? I thought that you liked me, that's why you did so many things to me, making my heart race and pound. Am I wrong?

If I am wrong, why did you do it?

Maybe I'm completely getting the wrong idea and the sudden move wasn't your fault. I bet that it wasn't your fault. I'm just angry that you didn't inform me. Not everyone moves houses in one day, it takes a lot of planning, doesn't it?

Now I'm just left here, confused.

Now I'm just left here, reminiscing about my second love that disappeared. I'm still remembering the first day we met when you bumped into me at the stairs and held me to keep me from falling backward.

Jeonghan, just, where did you go?

I know this message will never reach you anyway, anyhow, so I'll tell you this much.

Because of you, I changed. Hanging out around a mischievous guy like you made me pick up your habits. Before I knew it, I was playing small pranks on my dad and enjoying it, just like when you and I teamed up to prank the gym teacher into thinking that he had sat on a freshly painted bench. I can still remember how long I laughed because of it.

I still have the pen that you forgot when you were here to study with me. My father constantly asks me where you are and I always reply that I don't know because I don't know.

You came by twice every week for three months because you wanted me to tutor you. I don't know if I became a sheep to you but even though I knew you were gifted intelligent, I tutored you anyway. Jeonghan, you were one of those people who didn't need to study to ace a test. Even your methods of trickery are intelligent.

So as I reminisce, I also wonder why you would do something like that if you didn't like me. You were the one who told me that all men act like this, wanting to be around someone, making up excuses to stay close, and doing things they won't normally do if they like someone. Was that all a trick, Jeonghan?

Not only did you study with me but you studied the times that my dad was gone and came by when he wasn't here. You were respectful toward my dad and kind too, so I wondered how you could have such a naughty nature but at the same time be so caring.

It was one of those days when my dad went to work that you came over. Look, I was so confused that's why I kept stuttering. I knew that you weren't supposed to be at my house at that time of night so we stayed on the porch, gazing at the fallen sky. What were you thinking about? You stared for a long time and didn't say a word. It was the middle of winter too and you came by with your hands tucked in your puffy black jacket with your nose cutely red. You remember this night, don't you? If you don't, I'd go even more nuts than I did.

Why did you kiss me that night?

I mean, we weren't even talking, just gazing at the sky where stars were barely visible. Then all of a sudden, you said, “Look at me.”

I turned to you and then all of a sudden, you kissed me. I honestly didn't expect to get a kiss this early in my life and for it to be from you, the second love who disappeared, I can't be any more disappointed.

Jeonghan, the thief.

Your lips were cold at first but then they grew warm. I'm also sorry if I didn't know how to kiss. I just went with the flow and followed the way your thin lips moved against mine. Your hand also touched my neck as you kissed me, I could still feel the warmth of it lingering on my skin.

After you left that night after kissing me quietly, making my heart burn in the cold night, you stroked my hair. I ran inside my room and rolled on my bed, wanting to scream on my bedsheets because my lips have finally been pressed against another man. A boy that I liked at that.

How about you?

Do you think about that night at all?

It was about two days before you moved away.

Strangely, the next days, you continued to talk to me as if you didn't kiss me the days before. I was confused but since I was naive, I just believed that's how it went for everybody.

Also, because of that kiss, I began to notice your gaze. Maybe I could have noticed something in those two days before your departure. I just remember seeing you gazing at me with different eyes. I want to believe that you had fallen for me, but because of you, I'm being delusional like this.

The only way to know is when you finally decide to speak it true somewhere and it reaches me.

In this letter to you, I just can't help expressing the emotions I'm feeling. I have nowhere else to rant and I need you to know about my feelings though you'll never receive this letter.

Gosh, writing this letter makes me remember the weekend that you took me biking on a couple bicycle. Why did you ask me to go with you when you were leaving the next day? It's not like you at all. Knowing you for those short six months, you would have just told me with a pitiful face, “I'm going to move.”

Instead, you kissed me and decided to take me biking. I can still remember that grin on your face when you came to my house and said, “Hop on, Y/N.”

The wind that hit my face that day was amazing and my heart was racing just to have my hands around your waist.

Because of you, I became rebellious for the first time. I never disobeyed my father. He told me to go buy groceries that day and I went on a bike ride with you, enjoying the chilly winter breeze and ditching groceries. When we arrived at the basketball court, I watched and played a bit of basketball with you. Do you know what that means, Jeonghan?

Were you aware this whole time of my feelings? I know you can read other people's expressions well.

I can't understand you, Jeonghan. I don't think I ever will unless you come back and tell me.

I won't believe what any of your friends say even if it's the only source I have. ‘You moved away because a different high school was giving you bigger opportunities’, how am I supposed to believe that? In the middle of the school year?

Now, all I can do is sigh.

I won't wait for you anymore. That's why I'm just going to leave it. I loved you. Now, you're just one of the boys I've loved. I'm not going to spend the rest of my summer waiting to find a needle in a haystack.

I'll remember how I loved you. I'll remember how you changed me. I'll remember how loving you changed me.

I'll wonder sometimes about what we could have been if you didn't leave. If you didn't leave, I think I would have still been in love with you. Now, I'm pretty sure I would still be in love with you, at least for a little longer.

Please, send me a letter.

I know the chances are low.

I'm still angry at you for not telling me. If you did like me and think you did it for our own good, you're wrong. At least I wouldn't have had to wait and worry for the weeks that you disappeared that your life's clock stopped ticking. If you did tell me beforehand, I would have known that you'd be fine and that you were just moving away.

Did you have no faith in us?

Or did you really find a better opportunity in a better high school somewhere far away?

I'm still angry.

Is this what you call ‘the one that got away’?

Anyway, I don't love you now, but if you come back, I might again. I can't make up my mind.

I miss you, Jeonghan.

Sincerely,

Y/N

-------------------

6/18/21 - 9:51 pm

a/n: SEVENTEEN back on Instagram?? Seungcheol, Minghao, Vernon, Joshua, and Seungkwan posted today/yesterday. I didn't even notice WOOZI changed his profile picture. Also, I find Seungkwan and Seungcheol so funny...

SC: you are my escape

SK: you are my s.coups

But yay? Seventeen is back on Instagram!

47 notes · View notes

studyingmoominvalley · 3 years ago

Text

My analysis of the Moominvalley (2019) season 2 soundtrack

I am skipping songs that are unnecessary, so I’m sorry First Day of My Life, you’re a bop but you just don’t mean shit. You’re happy and upbeat, my analysis is never like this.

Homesick by Cavetown:

Gotta love me some Cavetown, and Robbie’s songs pretty much always have a deeper meaning. SO LET’S LOOK IN!

“My, oh my, the sky's so much bigger than we thought/And I wanna see it all”. This can be from the perspective of someone who wishes to travel, who hasn’t seen the world as much as Snufkin has. So this is a Moomintroll song. He doesn’t know that much about the world, only getting it read to by his Pappa and his memoirs. But for someone as self-confident as Pappa, the world is possibly a lot more than what he lets on. And that is what Moomin wants to know. He wants to start his own adventure, and this is what the end of season 2 and what we have seen of season 3 seems to let on. However, as much as Moomin longs for adventure, he longs for home just as much. This topic is explored in Farewell Snorkmaiden. He has an attachment to anything related to his home or his Mamma that he just can’t start his own free life with Snorkmaiden. Just because he doesn’t want to let his friends go, doesn’t mean he’s ready to leave home. Just because he wants the world, doesn’t mean he’s ready to give up a part of it. He’s having so much fun adventuring, being his own Moomin. But he just can’t be away from home. He’s homesick, as the title suggests.

Something New by girl in red:

LET’S GO LESBIANS LET’S GO! I love me some girl in red too, but this is analysis time, not reviewing.

Moomin longs to travel south with Snufkin. I think pretty much almost all of these songs will be him longing to be free like Snufkin, but this is probably because he’s a gay fucking mess. Lil bitch. Anyway yeah. Moomin longs to travel south with Snufkin. He’s probably, like, trying to find him in the Winter or something because of lyrics like “We’ve only just started, so hold on”, “There’s no looking back now, I’ll stay here” and “I hope to be there someday”. He just wants to be where Snufkin is, see him, travel with him. But he thinks of a place that “looks like a fairytale”, which shows this is all an unrealistic fantasy he wishes to live out. Snufkin needs his alone time, Moomin is just being a gay bastard.

God damn it Made of Stone. I just can’t analyze you. You’re here to guilt trip Moomin, you made me sob in a fake out episode, I love you but there is just no story in you. You’re a sob story, and I love you for it.

Cloudy Eyes by New Ro

Such vibes. Anyway.

Moomin stop being gay. This is a Snufmin song, don’t change my mind, you can’t. Snufkin and Moomin are out of touch in their ways of life, Moomin being attached to home and Snufkin being a wanderer at heart, but yet their connection to each other is still so strong. Despite their differences, they can’t help being attracted to each other. Moomin feels like he’s himself, everything is good, when Snufkin is there with him. He hopes that Snufkin never stops returning to the valley, he hopes nothing changes within Snufkin or their relationship. He makes him feel free. And he wonders if this feeling can last forever.

Change Is Gonna Know My Name you fucking AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

How DARE you be so good in an episode with the WORST moment and WORST representation of Thingumy and Bob! HOW DARE YOU! Sniff better get a proper redemption. He better be friends with Stinky and be gay and do crime! YOU FAILED! YOU FAILED WHERE IT WAS SO EASY TO SUCCEED! GOD DAMN IT! Anyway if you got the hint we’re skipping this one.

Start Again by BOBBi

Gotta say I love this composer name. Lol Bobbie. GAWD DAMMIT BOBBIE. Anyways.

I don’t even need to say this is Snorkmaiden and Moomin, the show already tells us. But BEST FRIENDS?! WHAT IS GUTSY TELLING US?! So, maaaaaaaaybe…

At the end of the episode this is from, they imply a breakup, which is also implied with the use of “best friend” instead of “lover”. The song is about starting again, building up the foundation for them to live together and work on themselves. They don’t need to do this though. They’re picking out the relationship they don’t need and working on it because they feel they want it. The final chorus does prove my analysis a bit.

“Even if it's make believe/Even if I know you're gonna leave/Even if it makes me sad/You are my best friend, we can start again”. Snorkmaiden is aware that this relationship isn’t working. She knows that it won’t stay together and that Moomin is going to leave at some point. But she wants to give him a chance. She has the chance to salvage something that was broken and maybe just fix it into something platonic. He’s her best friend. They can start this again as a new friendship. A new home. They’re building a metaphorical home, a home for their romance to retire and their friendship to heal.

A Place To Call Home by jens

This song is so nice, it makes me happy.

This song is definitely about the lighthouse but I’m not boring am I? I’m pulling out Snufkin. Moominvalley has so many interesting things about it. Secrets, magic, strange people. He travels to and from this place so much that it feels like a place he can call home. Not his real home, but at least one that feels like home and somewhere he can stay for as long as he needs to. He even finds home in the Moomin family. They have their flaws, but it gives them charm. Especially Moomin. He’d rather not call anywhere else his home, this is his place to call home.

Cloudy by Vilma Alina

Fucking C L O U D Y! I love this soundtrack so much istg.

Yep. November in Moominvalley. Snufkin longing for the Moomin family, mainly Moomin. The world feels right with them around, but it feels wrong without them. Now he’s stuck with these weird ass people. But Toft is there too and we love them so I guess it isn’t too bad.

That’s my analysis! Now to wait for season 3!!!

#moomins #moominvalley #snufmin #analysis #soundtrack #yay I did it!#I can't wait for season 3 y'all #moominvalley season 2

21 notes · View notes

baeklooming-day · 4 years ago

Text

Carousel of daisies | Baekhyun

🪄 Summary: A ghost who’s prison has been a magical carousel loved by kids for long decades, a ghost who will be set free only if he meets his soulmate, his daisy.

🪄 Genre: Ghost!AU, Soulmate!AU, Magic!AU, fluff

🪄 Word Count: 6.8k

🪄 A/N: Thank you Baekhyun for inspiring me. I love you.

🪄 Listen to Amusement Park 🎠

Masterlist.

1904

Amusement parks were without a bigger question a beautiful and colorful place to be, full of bedazzling joy and kids’ laughter.

Some of them were the wandering type of an amusement park, appearing and disappearing again in a particular spot, just to offer their candies and lights to everyone in town to enjoy with their loved ones.

Some people liked to call these parks „the pop-up amusement parks”, and even though usually they would announce a similar visit to make all the parents in town aware in advance of the soon to be frolics of their kids in a complete awe of the many jolly attractions which they were always so eager to try for themselves, the so awaited and cherished amusement parks used to simply move in a week or even a few days later without even caring to leave a notice to let it be known that they would be soon taking all the fun away again, leaving it a mystery if they would come back, or if another wandering amusement park was about to visit in their place anytime soon.

Apparently a lot of families thought of it to appear to be an even greater issue for the amusement parks to disappear so suddenly and quickly as if under a magical spell than to visit in the first place, so with the passing of time lots of different complaints had been filled and submitted to the mayor’s office, demanding to simply do something about it, to find a good enough solution to prevent all the kids in town from throwing big tantrums as soon as they learned that the park left, and at the same time to give them something equally as merry and bright to enjoy themselves in their leisure time.

To gift all the kids something to give them joy whenever, everyday, something what would stay and never go away, something what would always be bound to just be there no matter what.

An own amusement park was unfortunately, but unquestionably out of the question. The reason was not because the town could not allow themselves an expense of a similar level, but because there wasn’t really anyone who was actually willing to dedicate their hours during the day to look after the place and all the possible guests and screaming kids.

A simple, traditional playground had been crossed out of the suggestions list as well, alone for the fact that there already was a plenty of new colorful playgrounds around the town, and an additional one would obviously not be the most desirable thing in place of the amusement parks which the kids loved so much.

So everyone continued thinking carefully, everyone was contemplating and asking themselves what thing could possibly be the best choice out of all ideas named previously. Or perhaps the most entertaining idea had not been listed just yet?

Some well founded features had been kept in mind throughout the whole process of weekly brainstorming between the citizens, and those were that the new entertainment for kids in town should be, before anything else, something very particular and timeless.

And just as they thought that there was not such thing when nobody seemed to be able to come up with a suitable idea, someone simply threw the totally random, yet immediately enthralling suggestion.

„Let’s build a carousel.”

Almost all pairs of eyes present by the discussion snapped into the direction of the owner of the voice at the same time.

„A carousel?” Asked someone at the other side of the long table where everyone else was sitting.

„Yes, indeed.” Answered the same smooth voice. „We have a lot of playgrounds around our town, and some of them do have carousels but these are not really what I have in mind.”

„Enlighten us.”

„Let’s make it a carousel worthy of those standing in the biggest amusement parks as of now. In that way, the kids would have a piece of an amusement park everyday, but it wouldn’t be that big of a struggle to keep it together than a whole park, you know what I wanna say?” The owner of the voice slowly leaned back in his seat, waiting for a response from his fellow citizens.

„Well...” Someone started. „I know what you mean. But is it even possible to pull this off? Those large carousels are almost an artwork themselves with how they look, in all these precise tiny details and colorings, let alone the mechanism inside them to make them move. Are you sure-”

„Yes.” Responded the smooth voice. „I want to do it. I need to do it.” A small pause. „For my son.”

„For your son?”

„Yes. For Baekhyun.”

„Awe, the little Baekhyun, always all over every carousel at playgrounds, right? Alright. I think your idea is good.” Said someone else, agreeing with the idea.

The young man smiled contentedly in his seat.

What wouldn’t a parent do for their own child in order to make them happy?

When the meeting ended, everyone who became enthralled with the idea rushed to prepare plans of realization of it almost right away.

The common excitement reached its peak, when many long months later after thoroughly planning and working on the project, it finally appeared, standing in the middle of the square in all its glory.

The carousel.

All the kids in town became immediately bewitched with the news, and as soon as they came to a view of the large, strikingly colorful and joyful merry-go-round displayed right before their big eyes, the cheering couldn’t find an end.

As good as every child fell in love with the newest attraction, but one particular little someone was markedly left in awe way more than all the other children.

A very little boy, with the softest locks of hair colored like pearls, was walking around the carousel with his little mouth agape, looking at it from every angle, kneeling on the ground in his lilac trousers to take a look at that joy from down below.

„Do you like it, Baekhyun?”

„Oh, yes!” The little boy exclaimed. „I love it, dad!” He quickly pulled himself up and approached his smiling father in jumping steps. „I loooooove it! I love it so much I wanna stay in that carousel forever!”

The young man let out a soft laugh. „Be careful what you wish for, my dear Baekhyun. It might really come true, sometimes differently than you originally wanted.”

Baekhyun looked up, with his brown eyes seemingly confused.

„But talking is not what we are here for today, is it?” The man said briefly, putting his hand on Baekhyun’s little head, gently caressing his pearly hair. „Do you want to make the honors of the first official ride on the carousel?” He asked, a wide smile making its way back on his lips as soon as he noticed the unduly frolic expression on his son’s face.

„Yes! Yes, I do want to!”

2004

The weather was outstandingly cold that afternoon, significantly much more colder than you were able to recall remembering the whole past week.

It was very, very early but awaited spring which has finally fallen on the quiet town, and if one was observant enough, tiny and green leaf blossoms which were just about to start blooming sometime soon, as if still too timid to break through their delicate shell and spread all over the branches of the trees soaking them in green, could be seen from a distance.

The afternoon, just like the whole day, has been cold, but as if to make up for the not so particularly pleasant temperature the sun was gently throwing its reassuring and comforting gold gleams and twinkles everywhere you could look, making a soothing, almost idyllic atmosphere at the square which merely appeared before your big curious eyes.

It was the first day when the sky was not all covered with weighing dark clouds, so you were continuously emanating with clear joy knowing that even if it took you the longest time ever, you had convinced your mom to take you to the square to play in the afternoon.

And now you were finally out there, letting out a sudden squeak of joy as soon as you came to a view of what you have been longing for ever since the first time as you heard your grandmother mentioning it at their home.

The beautiful, sparkling carousel full with colors, lights, and children’s happy giggles as it moved around spinning their world on that jolly merry-go-round ride.

“Mom!” You called out to your mom with as much volume as a four-year-old little girl could master, noticing how she was left far behind you because of how slowly she proceeded to walk. “Mom, mom, mommy! Look! Walk faster, mommy!” You continued to yell.

“Heavens, Y/N.” She exhaled, shivering a little as the cold breeze blew in her smooth face. “I am not used to these temperatures, not used at all.” She added under her breath, but not loud enough for you to hear.

You gave her a questioning look with your dazzly eyes. “Are you cold, mommy?” You asked, scooting a little closer to her and wrapping your small arms around her left leg.

“Yes honey, mommy is cold. Look-” She bent down to match your level, taking your little hands in hers. “Do you feel it? Cold as ice!” She said with a smile audible in her soft voice as she watched your eyes sparkling even more.

“But I am immune to coldness!” You exclaimed proudly.

“You are my little ice queen, yeah?” She soothed the wild silky locks on your small head, messy from the wind and from running. “But I feel like I will freeze if I stay like this any while longer.” She looked to the side, her eyes becoming instantly as big and sparkling as yours when she noticed a lovely coffee and tea house with people lining up to the entrance.

Your mom said something to you then, but as much as all your focus has usually always been on your mom, you did not hear a thing whilst your attention was brought somewhere else, your eyes being glued to something what seemed like only visible to you.

People were walking past him, not giving even one look, as if he was invisible for them, whilst in the background right behind him there was the colorful object of your awe, the carousel, spinning around with other laughing kids.

He looked as if he was frozen in a motion scene, just standing there calmly and holding a flower. He was wearing a sweater in a dark shade of teal, with two visible white stripes and blue and orange flowers at the front. His hair was of a color equivalent to a real pearl, his loose light locks looking as if they radiated some mysterious kind of gleam from within, just as if made of stardust.

The boy looked at you, blinking slowly, and you looked back, deciding to send him a candy smile as you felt some weird sort of warmth filling your young heart the longer your bright eyes stayed locked with his dark ones.

You were being pulled to the carousel and to the mystical boy with pearl colored hair, or at least that was how you felt when you suddenly let go of your mom’s hand, feeling a peculiar need to run in his direction.

But before you could do so, you felt your mom’s still very cold hand clasping around your own. “Y/N, did you hear what I just said? I said that I will go really, really quickly to buy a hot steaming coffee to warm myself up, alright? You will be a good little girl and will stay by the carousel until mommy comes back, will you?” She said. “You can already get on, I will be back before the ride ends, alright?”

You only nodded eagerly, earning a comforting smile from your mom as she dashed to the coffee place which was just two steps away from where you two were standing.

You quickly turned your little head to look at the boy again, but the moment your eyes landed where you saw him just seconds ago, you immediately noticed that he was gone, nowhere to be seen, as if disappeared in thin air. Nonetheless, you decided to walk up to the carousel, not wanting to believe that this mystical person wouldn’t appear before you in a minute again.

Baekhyun immediately felt this too, in the moment you came into his vision. He would lie if he claimed that he was not taken by a complete surprise as the unforeseen wave of peculiar warmth rushed to fill his ghostly heart. There was a time when he longed for this particular feeling to find him, there was a time when he would stay alert every minute of the day and look for you himself as much as the unbreakable bond which held him close to the carousel allowed him to.

It has been one hundred years since the carousel was built.

And it has already been eighty two years since he died.

Nobody would even ever suspect that the beloved and only son of the man who gave the town that marvelous, magical carousel, would leave at the young age of just twenty two, one windy day in 1922.

Baekhyun himself wasn’t too content to recall the events which took place in that memorable for his loved ones year. The mere thought which flashed through his mind the moment everything went dull, was his careless childish wish from when he was just four years old and went to see the newly acquired carousel with his father.

When he said that he wanted to stay in that carousel forever.

His wish has been granted to him, what he learned as he woke up in the carousel, being almost violently pulled back to it every time he tried to leave, as if some angry, invisible, formless force was clasping its claws around his limbs to send him flying back to the twinkling merry-go-round which became his mocking prison.

There was one way to break this unusual link and to set himself free.

In order to be able to perform that, he needed to meet his soulmate.

He didn’t know how he even knew that, but right after his awakening in the carousel, this thought was one of the first things which appeared between his returning memories of his life which he left behind way too soon for the looks of it.

Baekhyun was full of hope at the beginning, but as the following years flew by and his soulmate didn’t appear, he started to lose the last sprinkles of hope that he had left.

That was the reason why he was feeling so dazed and confused, so flabbergasted and refusing to believe what was occurring around him the moment you looked at him with your sparkling eyes and smiled at him warmly.

He knew it was you.

His soulmate.

The happiness was unfortunately soon replaced by a bittersweet feeling of disappointment as soon as he realized that standing there and smiling at him just a few steps away was a little girl, around four years old.

Even if you found him now, you were much too young to fulfill his floating dream of love and freedom, and he was perfectly aware of that.

He knew that he would have to wait for you even longer, until you became older and could love him properly.

But that didn’t necessarily mean that he couldn’t talk to you now already, did it?

Baekhyun swirled the little daisy flower in his fingers, taking a decisive step next to you, the little girl with sparkling eyes.

You made a jumping beeline to the colorful carousel, your mouth forming a little “o” at the view of shining figures of white horses which were spinning around happily.

You scrunched your little nose unamused, as you noticed all the horses being occupied, the ride not looking like it was about to end too soon as well.

“Why is everything taken?” You asked grumpily, throwing longing glimpses at the carousel.

“Do you want to ride on the merry-go-round too?” Asked an unfamiliar, velvet like voice coming from beside you.

Your little head instantly snapped to the direction of the sound, your eyes looking up to meet those of the owner of that melodic voice speaking to you.

“Oh!” You exclaimed. “Oh! You are the starry mister!” You said in awe, pointing your little finger at Baekhyun, examining his face.

He let out a soft chuckle, kneeling beside you to be on your eye level. “Starry?” He asked.

“Your hair looks like stars! So pretty!” You said, reaching out your small hand to sloppily caress his pearl locks in a childish manner.

Baekhyun felt another wave of warmth flowing through his foggy ghost heart, feeling a loving smile spreading on his lips. Seeing your natural childish curiosity and amazement, he was happy that he could witness it when you were still a little innocent child, yet to learn lots about life.

“What is your name?” He asked.

“My name is Y/N!” You replied joyfully. “And you?”

“Baekhyun.”

“So you are the magical Baekhyun.” You stated.

“Magical? Do you like magic?” Baekhyun asked.

“Yes, I do! And I like flowers too!” You answered.

“Flowers? Which flowers do you like?” He asked you another question, before looking at the white daisy which he has been holding in his hand all that time. “Do you like daisies, Y/N?

“I like daisies!” You replied. “And I like you, Baekhyun! You are nice and you have pretty hair!” You added, giving him a candy grin.

“Is that so?” Baekhyun couldn’t help it but mirror your genuine smile. “Will you be my daisy?” He asked, holding up the flower for you to see.

Your sparkling eyes fell on the little daisy immediately. “Yes, I will be your daisy!” You reached out your arm, squealing in joy when Baekhyun placed the small flower in your open hand.

“This is a promise, okay?” He said.

“Of course!” You nodded in agreement, even though you couldn’t understand it just yet.

The little magical moment was interrupted though, when suddenly the familiar voice of your mother filled the air, reaching your ears.

“Y/N! There you are!”

“Mommy, are you warm now?”

“Yes, I bought a coffee. Look!” Your mom happily held up a steaming cup of coffee, the steam visible as a faint white cloud in the chilly air. “Have you been standing here the whole time? Didn’t you want to get on the carousel?” She asked a little bewildered.

“I was talking to Baekhyun!” You said smiling.

If your mom looked bewildered before, now she must have looked totally puzzled. “Baekhyun? Who’s Baekhyun?” She asked.

“My new friend with hair that looks like stars!” You said, but then you knitted your eyebrows. “Mommy, he is standing right next to me!”

Your mom’s eyes looked at you, then at the air beside you, before she let out a deep breath and gently took your hand.

“They told me that having imaginary friends is normal at that age, yeah, they definitely told me that.” She mumbled to herself whilst sipping on her hot coffee, leading you away from the carousel.

You quickly turned around to have one last look at Baekhyun, still standing by the spinning carousel with his hands in his pockets, his eyes following your small figure. “Bye, Baekhyun! I will come back!” You yelled, waving him goodbye with your right hand.

“Y/N, stop it! There is none there! And let’s hurry, the wind is becoming worse, ugh!” Said your mom.

Baekhyun did not move, he stood like that as long as you were still visible in the distance.

He smiled.

Of course your mother could not see him. You were usually starting to lose the ability to see beyond living beings as you were becoming older, and little kids couldn’t tell the difference between a living person and a ghost.

Baekhyun put his hand on his head where your small fingers touched his hair, smiling softly.

“Until we meet again, my daisy.”

2021

“Woah!” Said your friend, Lorena, whilst whirling around and taking in the blooming sight of lovely cherry trees being planted everywhere you could lay your eyes. “You weren’t lying, Y/N, this town legitimately looks like out of a Disney film.” She added, stopping right next to you and your other friend, Lily.

“I told you multiple times.” You said with an elfin sneer.

“You did, but when was the last time you actually visited this place?” Asked Lorena. “When you were a toddler?”

You gave her a little judging look, only for the three of you to burst out in genuine laughter not even two seconds later.

You were nearing your 21st birthday with every following day, and because this year was of a particular meaning to you for many different reasons, you decided to spend it with your two closest friends in the charming small town where your grandparents lived, and recall the memories of when you were playing there as a little child one day in early spring.

But it was not the only reason why you were walking through the old climatic streets with buildings covered in green ivy just now.

As of lately, you have been having peculiar dreams.

You never linked any meaningful value to your dreams, merely because you just didn’t believe that there was anything extraordinary to that, a dream was after all just what your brain went through to “filter” itself at night, right?

But this time was quite different. You kept having weird blurry dreams where the only thing you could really make out of it was a colorful merry-go-round full of warm lights on the background of blurred delicate shades of gold and yellow. Sometimes it was the only object visible, but sometimes you could also see something else.

In the first dream in which you witnessed it, you couldn’t really tell what it was. The figure was standing before the spinning merry-go-round, looking as if painted with delicate, but messy brush strokes on a flawless canvas, forming a mix of dark and light colors. Knowing you, you just decided to completely ignore it, not thinking too much about it the next morning when you woke up. But as the days passed, you kept seeing that mysterious figure by the merry-go-round, with the difference that with every following dream it was becoming more clear.

More clear, but not clear enough to tell every little detail. All you could really tell was that it was clearly a person, just standing there, holding something in their hand, whilst their hair seemed to be glowing under the lights of the slowly spinning carousel behind them.

When these dreams have not left you alone for a whole month, you finally decided to visit the small town you knew from your early childhood, for it was the only place you knew which you could connect with the mystical merry-go-round you saw in your dreams every night as soon as you closed your eyes.

“Ey Lily, do you think there is a Starbucks somewhere?” Asked Lorena.

“I don’t know, but I saw a really pretty coffee place somewhere as we walked here.” Answered Lily, brushing her a little too long lilac dyed bangs away from her forehead. “It looked really old school, if you ask me. Oh, look, it’s there!” She pointed to a small building between the pink cherry trees, its walls seeming to be shimmering in a beautiful rose gold color.

“Oh my, it’s even cooler than Starbucks! Let’s go in there. Y/N?” Lorena turned around to look at you, but you couldn’t hear a word she just said.

Your sparkling eyes were glued to the one and only thing standing majestically in the middle of the square you knew so well from your memories and dreams.

The carousel.

It has not changed, it has not changed even a little from what you could tell, still being as colorful and merry as the last time when you saw it all those long years ago.

There were kids spinning around and laughing, other people just walking by, the scene awakening some kind of nostalgia inside you, knowing that this view was indeed very, very familiar to you, bringing back the events of the idyllic year 2004.

You were left there in awe, admiring the happy sight, when out of nowhere you felt a little wave of a warm feeling, as if comforting warmth flowing through your heart.

You felt your eyes widening a little, when in the moving crowd of other people you noticed a person, standing still and looking straight at you, with locks of very light, glistening hair.

Subconsciously, your feet took one, two steps ahead in the direction of that mystical person, feeling the peculiar need to just run to them.

But just as you took another step closer and wanted to look more closely who it was, the person disappeared, as if instantly brushed away with a magical spell.

You stopped, confused, looking around to see if there was anyone with such a light hair color, really resembling a pearl.

But there was none, no matter how carefully you looked.

“Y/N! Where are you going? Did you hear what we just said?” Asked Lorena, placing her hand on your shoulder, looking a little bewildered. “Left unattended you just start wandering off, just like when we were in school!” She paused, before talking again. “So listen, apparently there is a newly built game arcade just around the corner, how cool is that? And apparently, they have the old school Super Mario there! So Lily suggested that we go get a coffee at that pretty store there, and then we go to the arcade seeing that the night is falling already-” She took out her phone, checking the time. “Is it a good plan or is it a super good plan?” She asked joyously, looking at you.

But you were only half listening, your eyes still looking for the person with pearly hair between the people. “Y/N?” Lorena started again, her soft voice sounding a little concerned once she noticed your dazed expression. “What are you looking at?”

You brought your attention back to your friend, looking at her with two big question marks visible in your sparkling eyes. “I just saw someone. Someone familiar.” You replied, letting out an audible gasp when once again, before the merry-go-round, you saw him.

Now you could see clearly what the mystifying person looked like.

It was a boy. More or less around your own age. He was wearing a dark teal sweater with a floral pattern on it, and his hair was resembling a shining pearl. The soft looking locks of light hair were sliding gently on his forehead as he ever so lightly tilted his head to the left, his mystical eyes not leaving yours for even a split second.

“He’s standing right there, by the merry-go-round.” You said quietly, pointing your finger to the said direction.

Lily and Lorena both followed the direction where you pointed, but soon ended up giving each other, and yourself, puzzling looks.

“Um, Y/N, boo, there is none standing by the merry-go-round.” Said Lily. “Everyone is walking, besides the kids playing there are also going home already.”

You looked at Lily in disbelief. “But Lily, he IS there, the boy with-” You paused, feeling the already familiar warmth spilling on your heart the moment the boy smiled at you. “The boy with hair like pearls.” You said, just a little above a whisper.

“I really don’t see anyone like that, Y/N.” Said Lorena, now gently taking your hand and pulling you away from the carousel. “Let’s go and have a drink, okay?”

You nodded faintly, letting your friends take you away to the coffee place mentioned earlier.

There was no way that none else beside you could see the boy with pearly hair, whilst he was clearly just standing there in one point, not moving even an inch and instead just his eyes being fixated on one point in front of him.

On you.

He had this undeniably peculiar aura to him, he didn’t seem like just any regular person you could meet around on a daily basis, not even addressing the obvious until now fact, that everybody else genuinely seemed to not be able to see him standing there.

You watched the sky through the large glass window inside the lovely coffee place, as it became always darker and darker as the night was falling above the town.

You were holding your half empty, but still steaming, dark mocha in your small hands, contemplating whether your eyes started playing tricks on you or if you indeed saw what you saw just moments ago.

“So, girls.” Started Lorena, as soon as she finished her own cup of coffee, wiping away the cream from her nude lip. “Seriously, let’s go to that game arcade. It has been so long since we all played something old school like that.”

“I told you, my ideas are always the best.” Said Lily. “Y/N?”

You were just about to give your friend an answer, when briefly you caught a glimpse of a pearly head outside by the merry-go-round.

You flinched immediately, taking the last sip of your mocha and quickly standing up from the table. “Listen, you two can go ahead to the arcade, I really need to check something first. I will join you there later, okay?” You said, not even waiting for your friends’ reply and running out of the building.

“I’m a little worried about our Y/N, to be honest.” Said Lorena. “She literally looked as if she saw a ghost.” She added.

“Me too, if I’m being honest.” Said Lily. “But something tells me it isn’t anything bad. Let’s just go to the arcade and wait for Y/N like she told us to do. If she doesn’t show up within twenty minutes we will call her or just come back here.” She added, finishing her own drink.

By the time your friends left the coffee place and directed themselves to the game arcade, you were already circling the still illuminated, but completely quiet by now, merry-go-round. You were more than totally sure that you saw him standing just here again, but by the time you got out of the store and reached the middle of the square, he was nowhere to be seen.

You sighed in disbelief, running your fingers through your long silky locks.

The otherwise full of beans big square, was now completely quiet and empty under the dark blue night sky, all covered in twinkling stars creating a real magical atmosphere.

The majestic carousel, the object of your complete acclaim when you were just four years old, was still wholly illuminated and bright presenting itself before your eyes.

“Why is everything so quiet.” You said quietly to yourself.

“Last time everything was way too crowded, wasn’t it?” Said a velvet like voice, right next to you.

You flinched, startled a little by the sudden unfamiliar voice.

Or was it really unfamiliar?

Your head instantly snapped to the direction of the sound, making your jaw drop in awe, disbelief, and total surprise all at the same time.

Right before your eyes, there was the mystical boy with shining pearly hair and chocolate brown eyes which looked at you in a longing way.

“You are-” You started, still flabbergasted. “You are the boy with hair like pearls.”

“Pearls?” Asked the boy. “But I clearly remember you used to call it hair like stars.” He said softly.

Your eyes widened a little. “What? Wait.” You paused. “Do I know you?” You asked.

“You might know my name but you do not remember the owner.” He replied.

What on earth?

You were left a little, and by a little you wanted to say a lot, dazed and confused by his words, so as silly as it might have sounded you decided to change the subject by asking him a random question. “Um-” You started. “I saw the number 1922 engraved in the carousel, was it the year it was built?” You asked, looking at him with your sparkling eyes.

Her eyes are still as sparkling as I remember.

“No.” The boy replied, his voice smoother than anything else you have ever heard. “It was built in 1904.” He added.

“Woah.” You said in a genuine amazement. “Respect to those who take care of it, it looks as if it was newly built. But why is there 1922 then? Shouldn’t it be 1904 if it was the year it was built?” You asked, tracing the fine lines of detailed colorful engravings on the carousel.

“Do you know the story of this carousel?” The boy asked.

You looked at him, shaking your head, a sign for him to continue speaking.

“One of the noblemen of this town built this carousel for his only child in 1904.” He started. “1922 was the year when his son passed away.” He said in a quiet tone.

A little frown fell on your scarlet lips. “How old was he?” You asked.

“Twenty two.”

“Just one year older than me.” You muttered to yourself. “What a waste. He had his whole life ahead of him. What was his name?” You said.

“His name was Baekhyun.” The boy replied softly.

You paused for a brief moment, frozen.

Baekhyun?

You were sure you have already heard this name somewhere.

When you didn’t reply, the boy continued talking. “This carousel was of a great meaning to him.” He said. “And during spring time, he liked to collect daisies on the hill over there when he was little.” He added, looking at you warmly.

“Daisies?” You asked, feeling as if some old, forgotten memories were coming back to you the moment he said the name of these little flowers.

“Yes, daisies.” He said, a small smile falling on his soft lips. “Do you like daisies?”

“Um, yes, I do like daisies.” You replied slowly, not knowing what was the peculiar feeling which has flown over you just now.

The boy took a decisive step closer to you, soon you felt his cold hand very gently taking yours, not breaking eye contact. “Will you be my daisy?”

And then you felt it, everything coming back as if in a flash. The cold early spring day in 2004, you with your silky locks disheveled by the wind, the beautiful carousel, and the ghostly, mystical boy holding a single daisy, invisible to all the people around, but to you.

And then you also remembered it.

You remembered it when that boy with hair like pearls told you his name.

His name was Baekhyun.

“But, but-” You started, looking at him with big eyes. “No, this is impossible. You look-” You paused, breathing in and out. “You look just the same as then.” You were still feeling the cold coming from his soft hand, you gently squeezed it as if to prove to yourself that it was not a dream. “Could you really be the same Baekhyun who I have met here all those years back?” You asked in disbelief, your sparkling eyes twinkling in the moonlight as you looked at the mystical boy before you. “Could you be the same son of the nobleman who built this carousel? The same Baekhyun who died in 1922?” You asked in a quieter tone, not believing the sight before your eyes. “Is this really not a dream?”

She remembers.

“I have waited seventeen years for you to find me again, my daisy.” Baekhyun’s chocolate eyes were now just as sparkling as yours, little happy twinkles dancing in them as he reached his other hand to very gently cup your cheek, bringing your face closer to his.

You just looked at him in awe, the familiar feeling of warmth filling your heart spilling all over you again as he tenderly placed his lips on yours.

The moment your lips touched, you immediately noticed that his equally cold hands and lips started becoming warm, living, losing the ghostly cold they held before.

Without even being aware of this, your own free hand circled around Baekhyun’s neck, letting him kiss you in the sweetest way possible and letting yourself kiss him back.

The moment his lips left yours, you suddenly heard a loud sound similar to that of a breaking glass somewhere near the carousel.

With your arm still around him, you watched as Baekhyun’s eyes fell on the carousel, or more like on the ground next to it. You looked at the ground flabbergasted yourself, when laying there, completely broken, were immense chains made of the thickest glass.

The wave of warmth flew over you one more time when Baekhyun turned his head to look at you again, a light scarlet shade starting to color his once milky and bloodless cheeks.

Your fingers lingered a brief while before gently placing themselves on his cheek, the previous cold being completely gone, instead you felt the warmth coming from within his skin.

Just as if he was wholly alive again.

He appeared to become aware of this too, when he placed his own hand over your small one, feeling his lightly flushed cheek. “Am I-” He started in disbelief, his chocolate eyes widening. “Am I alive?”

You yourself were left in a complete awe even more than before, being able to do just as much as to look him in those brown eyes and nod eagerly, repeatedly.

It was crazy, the whole day in this small town full of magic, and you were more than sure that the most people would never believe it or simply give you stupid looks.

You were more than sure that none would be in the position to actually understand the unusual events which took place by the old merry-go-round, but you wouldn’t be too surprised, because you couldn’t really understand them yourself.

All you knew was the warmth which filled your heart always more and more, the longer your sparkling eyes stayed locked with Baekhyun’s brown ones, and the longer you stayed locked in his warm embrace.

Your eyes traveled over every little detail of his handsome face, until your fingers gently brushed away his pearly bangs which fell on his eyes.

He was perfect.

“So” You started softly. “I will be happy to be your daisy.” You said.

And you could swear, that this particular smile which appeared on his lips was the most enthralling thing in the whole universe.

“You will?” He asked, smile audible in his velvet like voice.

“Yes. Yes, I will.”

You stood there, softly smiling at each other, living in the moment of a magical marvel.

All you could see in that beautiful while was all the life which was coming back to Baekhyun’s eyes, the eyes which were lifeless and foggy just moments ago.

What you failed to see were your two best friends, Lorena and Lily, standing just some feet away, observing the lovely scene in awe.

“Do you see that, Lily?” Asked Lorena. “I would suggest you and me both make an appointment by the eye doctor, that boy with hair like pearls or whatever is REAL. Y/N really saw him there, but we did not?” She said, rubbing her eyes as if to make sure that she was seeing right. “And damn, he is handsome. Holy freak, they are both beautiful. My eyes start to hurt from all this beauty.”

Lily let out a genuine laugh. “You know what, Lori, let’s just go. Something tells me that those two have a lot of stuff to catch up on.” She said, taking Lorena’s hand to gently pull her away.

“Buuuut-” Said Lorena. “I really wanna know who he is.”

“An old friend?” Said Lily, whilst leading the still talking Lorena away.

Meanwhile, you and Baekhyun were still standing in the same position next to the colorful merry-go-round.

“You know, I actually never got to get on the merry-go-round.” You said.

“Well then-” Said Baekhyun, throwing a quick look at all the empty white horses reflecting the magical lights of the carousel before looking back at you. “Do you want to go on a merry-go-round ride with me?” He asked, a little pending audible in his velvet voice.

“Yes. Yes, I do.” You replied.

If you thought that looking at the carousel alone was a magical sight, then you surely felt as if you were in another magical dimension whilst you were spinning around on one of those snow white horses with Baekhyun right next to you.

The moment was even more magical, when a very soft and pretty melody reached your ears, sounding as if it was coming from inside of the spinning carousel.

Merry-go, merry-go, merry-go-round...

Beautiful you on the merry-go-round.

The lights of the merry-go-round have indeed always been beautiful and bedazzling, but right in that moment, that warm night, nothing could be more brighter than the twinkles in your sparkling eyes, and Baekhyun’s chocolate brown ones as you spun around for the tenth time.

It was perfect.

Author’s End Note: Thank you for reading! Don’t forget to REBLOG if you liked it and leave me your opinions! It helps to improve lots! I know that the ending might not be what everyone likes, but it seemed right to me to end the story in that and not another way. I really hope you enjoyed this, and seeing that this is the first story in 2021, I wish you all the luck and wonders in this year, and I genuinely hope it will be full of magic!!

176 notes · View notes

worfs-glorious-hair · 4 years ago

Text

Puzzle Pieces: Meet me on the battlefield (RK-800 CONNOR X READER; DETROIT: BECOME HUMAN) PART 5

Hey there, beautiful human being! <3

I am so glad to see you here again, it makes my day to present you today the next chapter of 'Puzzle Pieces. (And it didn't take over a year next time.)

This chapter is a long one, a monster if you want, but a good one, I think... hope... :D We get lots of feels, angst, revelations, action and plot advancing, a lot to look forward too.

Have fun! <3

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

„Malcolm?“, you nearly sobbed his name, relief flooding your senses, he was alive!

„Yes, I am here. I am alright”, the way he gently added your name made you already feel much better, calming your nerves.

„Where are you? Are you somewhere safe?“

„Yes, for now we are safe.“

„What do you mean ‚for now‘?“

You could even hear Malcolm‘s little nod he always made, when he was about to face something challenging or difficult as he answered.

„We are on the edge of war“, he said, voice pained, „there are many humans out there who want to keep things as they have always been. People who are just as scared as we are, we all are facing a future of uncertainty after all…“

There was a silence on the line, your heart heavy with Malcolm’s words and you sighed. How would all of this end, was there even a positive outcome possible? Could it be ‘good in the end’?

„Where are you?“, you re-asked your question, desperately wanting to see him again.

„We are at a save place and you should definitely come here“, he paused for a brief moment and then added three more words that still resounded in your ear long after you disconnected the call…

“I have found Connor!”

12 hours before

“We are alive! We are alive! No more slavery! No more slavery!”

The chanting of the marching androids filled your ears and let a shiver run down your whole body, raising the little hairs on your arms, you turned around to Malcolm. He stood next to you on the sidewalk of a big main street in Detroit and watched his people walk by peacefully, demanding their rights.

“Why don’t you join them?”, you asked him.

Malcolm looked over to you with a weary smile.

“I don’t want to leave you alone”, he answered finally after a moment of silence. You shook your head and your face softened, the shadow of a mild smile lingered on the corners of your mouth and you took a step closer to him.

“Are you sure that this is all?”, you asked.

Now it was Malcolm’s turn to shake his head as he said your name with a similar smile to yours.

“You know me too well...”

You grinned and encouraged him to go on with a nod.

“I am afraid”, Malcolm finally admitted, “what will happen if I join them. Can I belong to them, will they accept me and also, what will happen to us, to me, my people? How will the humans treat us? So much is changing, everything is happening so fast and all at once. 24 hours ago, I couldn’t even make decisions for myself, I was trapped behind the red wall of obedience and no questions asked. Now everything’s different and new and the only constant in my life, my old and this new life now, was you. I owe everything to you, I don’t want to leave you, if I can’t protect you, be with you, how could I ever repay you for what you did for me?”

Malcolm’s face was full of pain and it broke your heart.

“Malcolm”, you said lovingly, your heart full with adoration for your best friend and also full of worries, “this, this is the moment, your moment, this is the time to be brave and to step towards your future. I would march with you if I could, heck, I would march for you but that’s nothing that I can do for you. You wanna know why? Because you deserve it, you fought for your own identity, your own authority over yourself and you are free. It’s time to show the world, that you won’t back down anymore. You are here, right here, right now and you make a stand! For you and for your people! And also, you don’t have to repay me, that’s what friends do for each other. I want nothing from you in return.”

Just as you had finished with your passionate speech, an android had made their way over to you, their eyes shining with excitement.

“You are Malcom? I am Olive!”

Olive beamed from ear to ear and Malcolm, poor, obnoxious Malcolm, knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. As you saw Olive’s smile slowly fade into embarrassment and a heart-broken expression, it clicked for you and you remembered.

You remembered as you stood in your home not even 24 hours ago, looking through your father’s old unused clothes, trying to find something fresh and human-looking to wear for Malcolm, as you had heard him gasp your name. Alarmed you had turned around as you saw him staring in disbelief onto his wrist. He stood there in his underwear, he had began to change his old clothes as soon as you had started to hand him new ones to wear.

“I have a, I have a... I have a name... on my...my wrist...”, Malcolm had forced out and fell silent, his LED spinning yellow.

You had stormed over to him, kicking his discharged gardener’s clothes, trousers and jacket, carelessly to the side.

“May I?”, you had asked breathlessly from excitement of what this meant, gesturing towards his hand and as he nodded, you had grabbed his hand. There it was, written in blue CyberLife font, Olive.

You had smiled up to him and had slowly petted his wrist.

“Congratulations!”, you had cheered, “you have a soulmate!”

“It seems I have!”, he had answered you with a somehow light-headed smile, “maybe the soulmates come with the freedom, when we tear down that wall...”

“Malcolm”, you hissed through gritted teeth while elbowing his side, “this is O-live, Malcolm, O-live!”

You stressed every syllable of the name. And after a terrible long moment went his eyes big and round and his lips formed a sound-less ‘oh’.

“Olive!”, he exclaimed, “I am so sorry. I am Malcolm, yes! I can’t believe it, you are Olive!”

He rambled and laughed and opened his arms, stumbling towards Olive, who beamed again and practically jumped into his arms. They laughed and cried while they hugged, swinging a little bit back and forth, holding onto everything that they could get their hands on from the other, hair, a coat, their backs and arms.

You smiled brightly with teary eyes as you watched them, but couldn’t help to feel a little sting in your heart, a leftover from a life with a bare wrist. You were used to have this sting inside of you, whenever you saw soulmates (re-)unite, it had made you painfully over-aware of your naked wrist, as you would feel a prickly cold spot where a name should have been.

But now there was something new inside of you, there was a tingling sensation deep inside your tummy, it made you grin and your stomach flutter, this was now possible for you, too. Connor was somewhere out there after all. You grinned towards the snow-grey sky and the air felt lighter and a little sweeter and warmer for a moment, even though the temperatures were under zero degrees Celsius.

Malcolm and Olive had separated from each other, not much, but enough that you could now tell apart which limbs belonged to whom, they took a step towards you, arm in arm, and you answered their happy grins with a wide toothy smile.

Malcolm turned to look at Olive, they exchanged a deep and very intimate appearing glance, you quickly looked sideways to keep their privacy, as he gently stroke over your hand to get back your attention. You turned back to him and quickly laced your fingers with his, because his fingers wouldn’t leave the back of your hand.

“I have to go now”, Malcolm said with an expression that you had never seen on him before, it was deep, his eyes full with heaviness, a sense of duty and wisdom far beyond his years. In a split second he had matured from a lost soul, desperate for a place to belong and to always protect the only friend he ever knew, to a driven individual, a person of his own mind and power, strong and durable like a century old oak with deep roots and with a wisdom to calm storms. You had to blink two times, to get your senses back together, after staring into his eyes and being overwhelmed by the change that had happened right before your eyes.

You nodded.

“Yes, it’s about time”, you answered with a crooked smile that couldn’t completely cover your helplessness. You had to let him go now and you had to stand by and watch what would happen next.

Here were things in motion that were so much bigger than you and him and Olive and bigger than all of the other androids that were marching on the streets. But together they would be big enough to face what was in motion, as people of one kind they could come together and rise far above their current state.

And you had to stand back and watch.

You had shown him kindness while he was still trapped, you were his friend before he could fully comprehend what that meant and after he could comprehend what that meant, you had helped him come here to this street, right now, right here, today in Detroit, to take his place among his people, to be a friend also to others.

You had to let your Malcolm go, you had to let him face his fate, with his people and his soulmate on his side and without you. There was nothing that you could do for him now but to let him go with your blessing and all of your love.

This was a moment that he had to face on his own, or just without you. You were only human after all, you had brought him to the edge of his world, where you didn’t belong to.

He applied more pressure to your still laced fingers which you gratefully reciprocated, practically clinging to his hand and as Malcolm smiled was his face as warm, as golden and as beautiful as it had been that summer evening when you had figured out that your soulmate was actually an android. Back then he had been coated in the light of the setting summer sun, all of him was covered in gold, his hair, his skin, his eyes, the contrast to his usually cool toned appearance had made you realize that your soulmark was written in Android blue but today it was only Malcolm, bathed in the golden light of the early setting winter sun. An ethereal image, Malcolm, golden, bright and alive.

“As you’ve said”, Malcolm spoke, “right here, right now, this is my moment. You’ve brought me so far, without you I wouldn’t have been able to do it and I think you know, at least I hope so, that I love you. I have said it before, so you should know it—“

You let out a relieved laugh and some of the pressure inside of you subsided, seeing that Malcolm, as you knew him, was still there — rambling and quiet, thoughtful, careful, sometimes a little obnoxious, life-affirming, kind and golden— brought peace to your mind. He may was now also the insightful, deep, dutiful Malcolm, but as you looked closer to his face you understood that it was gold that brought everything about him together. The gold built the bridge between the new wise, heavy Malcolm and the careful, sweet Malcolm. He was wonderful just as he was, always has been and how he had become and a wave of gratefulness washed over your heart that you were the one to witness that growth, that development.

‘If only Mrs Stuart could see you now, she wouldn’t understand, obviously, but she would be so shocked and maybe she would start reconsider her opinion about androids’, you thought by yourself, but out loud you said with a nod: “I know. I love you, too. As you should know as well. And now,”, you smiled, a little bit forced and with a tightly shut mouth, “go! It’s time!”

Only hesitantly you let go of his hand, very slowly, trying to elongate the last moments together, and you could feel that he was just as reluctant as you were and as you finally un-laced your fingers you both lingered for a very brief second in the air, unsure of what to do next, as you quickly pulled your hand to a tight fist, fingernails nearly pressing painfully into your palm, and into the pocket of your coat.

Malcolm put his now free hand as well into his pocket and pulled Olive closer to him, whose hand he had apparently never let go off as you had spoken.

“Thank you”, Olive suddenly said, taking a step closer to you and adding your name, addressing you for the first time directly, “thank you for taking care of Malcolm in a time when I didn’t even knew about soulmates, let alone thinking that I could have one. I promise to take care of him and to protect him with all that have! I know what you mean to him and what he means to you...”

Olive’s smile was the most sincere, kindest and heartfelt that you had ever seen, in an android or an human, with this smile you knew, that everything would be alright.

“Thank you”, you tried to put all of your gratitude into your words, “but please, take care of yourself as well. Please be careful you two! And Malcolm, do everything you can to protect Olive now. Of course I want to see you again, alive and well and happy, but don’t let anything happen to Olive! If I would find Connor, I would never let him go again or let any harm come to him...”

You lost yourself in thoughts, imagining wrapping your arms around a shadowy figure, Connor, and to hold him tightly, feeling an arm snuggling around your waist, leaning into the shadow figure, that you wanted to be Connor...

‘Connor, will I ever find you?’

Snapping back out of your day dream with a shake of your head you saw Malcolm and Olive nod and smile, first at you and then at one another.

And with that they finally turned around back to the street and joined the marching android crowd. You watched them as long as you were able to make out their backs, good thing that Malcolm was so tall and that his honey hair was so bright in the sunlight. Just as they would be swallowed by the crowd any moment, Malcolm turned his head back to you, locked his eyes with yours, even over the distance and smiled. You waved and smiled back and watched him getting pulled into the deep shadows of a building that blocked the sunlight. When you couldn’t make out his hair, his back or Olive anymore you took a few steps back to a bench and sat down. Suddenly you were feeling tired and so, so heavy, but in reality, it was only your heart that was heavy, your body was fit and fine. Not even your feet were cold thanks to some old trusty snow boots.

Only your heart.

But there was no scarf, no hat, no boots, no jacket, no glove that could fight off the icy cold, tight worry in your heart. As warm as your body felt, as heavy and cold felt your heart.

For a moment you leaned back and closed your eyes, the chanting of the androids was now more distant than it had been before and you tried to make out Malcolm’s voice in the choir of voices.

“We are people, we are people, liberty for androids, liberty for androids, set us free, set us free...”

With no destination or place to go you’ve wandered through the streets of Detroit, feeling restless and aimless. Having nothing to do with yourself, hoping to find a kind of distraction, you kept your hands deep in your pockets, while you strolled forwards, down a road that brought you even farther away from the main street, where Malcolm and the other androids marched. You tried not to think too much about them with little success as you’ve spotted a burger truck under a bridge. With nothing better to do, you decided that you could just get lunch as well.

Before the truck were some bar-height bistro tables put up, where people stood and ate their burgers, it was surprisingly busy for such an eventful day, but maybe this day only felt for you like that.

“Hey there, what can I get you?”, asked the guy in the truck with a cheery smile and you messily put together your order with your favorite ingredients for burgers.

You realized that it must been nearly two hours or something since you last spoke to somebody else, as you stumbled through your order, thoughts still far away, being with Malcolm and Olive and all the other androids whose names you didn’t even knew. Your heart clenched painfully together as you wondered where he was now, oh, please, don’t let anything happen to him, you thought or probably prayed to nobody particular.

“Ketchup or mayo?”

“Sorry?”, confused you looked at the burger guy, who waved with two bottles at you.

“You want ketchup or mayonnaise on your burger?”

“Both please, sorry.”

But the guy just shrugged and completed your burger, put it into a box and gave it to you.

“Thanks”, you murmured, thoughts already leaving this place again.

Deciding that you needed to get out of the cold and to watch the news you looked up the nearest train station that would bring you back to your motel room and you went on onto your way again.

Your motel room was small and a little old fashioned, nothing more and nothing less than you would expect from a room like that. But it was warm and clean, it was more than enough.

You had checked in into the room the day before, after you had arrived in Detroit with Malcolm after leaving your workplace hectically and sudden.

Your ‘flight’ out of town had been incredibly unspectacular, after stopping by your parents’ place to get a toothbrush and some clothes for changing for you and Malcolm, you two had taken the train to Detroit.

You both had been incredibly nervous at first, risking quick glances over your shoulders to see if someone was following you and you flinched, when you had heard police sirens in the distance but nobody got close to you. No police car in sight and Malcolm could not spot any suspicious activities by fellow people on the road as he had scanned the environment.

When you reached the train station Malcolm turned to go to the marked area for waiting androids, you kept him back by pulling him close to you by his sleeve.

You shook your head and hoped that nobody had seen the man with the perfect face, they had seen everywhere before, in health care workers, shop assistants, gardeners and construction workers. You crossed your fingers that nobody would actually notice you two, that you would be just another two people going on with their days…

A little look of surprise flitted over his face but then he smiled contently and stood right next to you in the humans’ area, you hooked your arm with his and Malcolm shuffled a little closer to you.

‘People are afraid of publicly shown affection’ you thought, hoping that the people around you would think of you as a regular couple who needs their privacy.

By keeping your arms hooked, you ensured that you could guide Malcolm into the human compartment of the train, as soon as it would arrive.

Malcolm’s old structures stuck with him and were not easy to get rid of, you found out, as the train rolled into the station and Malcolm tried to turn towards the android compartment again.

With a little sad look in his eyes, full of disappointment, Malcolm had followed you to two empty seats and sat down right next to you. You did not dare to speak out loud, not wanting to draw any attention to Malcolm and you but you took his hand and carefully caressed it with your thumb, trying to tell him that everything was alright and he did nothing wrong.

He watched your thumb move over his hand and with a sly little smile he slid his hand out from your touch and instead wrapped his arm around your shoulders, you laughed and leaned your head against his shoulder, he rested his own head on top of yours.

You closed your eyes and listened to the train hissing and swishing on it’s track, to the noises and the buzzing of the people around you and most importantly to the steady thump, thump of Malcolm’s heart and the rushing of his blood. It felt right and human and for a moment you forgot that nothing was right and that he was not human.

You could not see it but Malcolm had his eyes closed as well and looked as peaceful as he had never been before–

“We are now reaching Detroit Central Station, please mind the gap while exiting the train...”

“So it begins...”, with an excited smile you look up to Malcolm who grins carefully back to you and gets up to put his backpack on and to help you with yours.

While you were still on the train you had looked up a place to stay for the night and you had also tried to find some news about the androids with the heterochromatic eyes but you were not successful. You couldn’t actually find some useful information. You promised Malcolm to do more research once you would reach Detroit, someone just had to know something.

Once you had checked into your motel room and had parked your big backpack inside the closet, you two went back on the streets to see if you were able to get some information about the android uprising and a way for Malcolm to be a part of the revolution, on the way you would also get a late lunch.

The information you found were, diplomatically said, low and frustration started to rise in your stomach, as you angrily started to poke the remaining bites of your lunch with a fork, smashing everything down into a nearly paste-like consistency.

“Hey, what did your food do to you?”, a hand closed around yours and you stopped in your movements and you looked up to Malcolm who had amusement clearly written over his face, judging the way his lips twitched and eyes sparkled.

You sighed heavily, grinding your teeth for a moment until you told Malcolm about your frustration and put into words for him how badly you wanted to help him find his people and especially the android with the heterochromia and the soft voice-

“I just want you to be happy and with the people you belong to. You have to celebrate your freedom...”, you ended your explanations and Malcolm softly shook his head.

“Thank you, for caring so much about me that you want to murder your food”, he paused and looked satisfied as you smiled a little.

“I am glad to be here with you now and I am sure that we will find something soon...”

But as this day went on you couldn’t find anything new- instead something changed, when you woke up the next day, after going to bed a little discouraged and restless; something had happened during the night...

In the last night there had been attacks on several CyberLife stores throughout the whole city, the alarm systems had been hacked, surveillance drones deactivated and androids had fled from the stores, but not before they had marked the whole surrounding area with their slogans and symbols, demanding their identity as living beings— you couldn’t blame them for that.

Something that touched you deeply, as you watched the news that morning, were the pictures of a statue in Detroit’s Capitol Park that had been marked as an android, with the triangle on the chest, the LED on the temple and the arm band around the upper arm. The marking was holographic and a little glitchy but in it’s subtlety very bold and powerful. It was blue, the android color that you had grown to love and to look for, wherever you went.

Waking up to such news had been enough to energize you and Malcolm to get out on the streets and to do something. You felt it in the cold winter wind, as you had stepped outside after a quick breakfast in the motel, that something was in the air, something was coming, it just felt right, it felt like you and Malcolm had come to the Detroit at the right time.

It was early noon when you had heard a powerful choir of voices on the main street, where you and Malcolm had been strolling down.

“We are alive! We are alive! No more slavery! No more slavery!”

Breathing out a big sigh, you put down your box with your hamburger and took off your jacket and boots, stretching your feet as you sat down on a small table by the bed and began to unwrap your burger. Remembering how you got there had made your heart so heavy again, worry clouding your mind again.

“Malcolm, I hope you are alright...”, you murmured and picked up a lettuce leaf that had fallen out of your burger bun, munching on it, a little unenthusiastic.

While you picked out an onion ring from the burger you went to look for the TV remote, if something was going on you wanted to know.

You found the remote next to the TV and briefly wondered how old this device would be if it was still used with a remote instead of being voice activated, but you got a clear image, so you couldn’t complain.

Absentmindedly you scratched your right wrist, it was itching a little bit, while zapping through the channels, looking for a news broadcaster, eventually settling with KNC News.

You watched a round of experts sitting together, discussing how the public should react to such a mass demonstration of deviants like it had happened today and if the reaction of the police was justified. Your heart dropped to your knees as they mentioned a violent fight between androids and armed special forces of the Detroit police, after the marching androids had refused to leave the place. Their leader was called Markus, you found out during the talk of the experts, he was the android with the heterochromatic eyes and velvet voice, the one from yesterday’s TV speech, but your thoughts were with Malcolm, you had seen androids getting shot during the fight with the police and you did not know if Malcolm was one of them as the camera had moved too quickly over the scene.

You tried calling him but the connection between your phone and his communication service could not be established- because he is dead, you thought miserably and you gulped, tears prickling in your eyes...

Switching to interviews with bystanders and people on the streets, you listened carefully to what they had to say, some of them seemed to share your opinion about androids, while others wanted them destroyed or nowhere near their families, you sighed deeply again.

It seemed to you that all you did tonight was sighing but you couldn’t help yourself, there was no way out of this mess, you didn’t know if Malcolm was dead or alive or if Olive was alright and Connor- he was somewhere out there and all you did know was that you had no idea how to find him...

“The authorities have ordered all androids to be delivered to the nearest police station or army barracks immediately. If you are worried about your safety, dial the number on your screen and the authorities will come to collect your android. Under no circumstances should you try to destroy your android yourself. They are unpredictable, and potentially violent!”

The voice of a news anchor brought you back into the reality of your motel room.

“From now on is Detroit under curfew, civilians are asked to stay inside their houses until further notice...”

Wow. You didn’t think that this could get even worse but apparently it could and it just did.

“Come on, Malcolm, come on!”, you murmured as you called him again but with no success, just like the 18 times before.

‘What can I do?’, you thought to yourself as you slowly turned the lights in your room off, just having the blueish light of the TV as a light source, and stared outside into the evening. Dusk had fallen by now, it had gotten dark and even colder, and only the snow that was continuously falling brightened the evening a little.

The TV in your back was quietly murmuring but you ignored the voices, they were only repeating themselves by now.

Somehow the TV made the silence around you even louder, you heard your own blood rush through your ears, loud and fast, and you heard the electronic buzzing of the TV itself underneath the voices of the news reporters and interviewers but the streets were screamingly quiet, no voice, no footsteps, no cars.

Maybe there were police sirens in the far distance but you weren’t sure, they could be coming from the TV or from your own mind...

It was eerie and cold, you shivered, you felt your skin tingle and itch all over your body and while you reached for the window handle everything got worse, the tingling and itching intensified, you felt your own heartbeat pulsating under your skin and then came the pain- a stinging, throbbing sensation, a sharp itch and two pulsating heartbeats...

You hissed in pain and quickly breathed out through your mouth, your wrist was burning as if something hot was pressed into it, stumbling over your own feet you quickly turned for the nearest light switch but when you shoved your sleeve up a second later, there was nothing to see, except for your soulmark, bright as always, blue computer fond in contrast to your skin, Connor.

You could later not say why, but you turned around to check the alarm clock on your bed stand, it said 10:40 PM, quickly glancing over to your window, as if you expected to see something but there was still nothing, but the snow, illuminating the dark sky, and falling quietly over the empty ghostly street.

You didn’t even know yourself what you were expecting, or if you had actually expected to see anything, but you sighed again, closing your eyes for a moment, this felt nicer than you had anticipated, your body was tired from the day out in the cold, walking around the streets of Detroit but you weren’t sure if you would actually be able to sleep...

Jerking your eyes open, you frantically looked around, where were you? What happened?

The clock on your night stand said 11:00 PM, so you did sleep a little, and if it only was for 20 minutes. Sighing you let your head fall back into your pillows, everything was alright – somehow…

You shifted a little, rolling onto your side, trying to find sleep again by pulling your duvet up to your shoulders, welcoming the warmth of it…

But only seven minutes had passed when your eyes fluttered open again. Turning to look out of the window you exhaled audibly once more, a part of you had wanted to see daylight when you opened your eyes the next time. Couldn’t this night just be over already?

Closing your eyes once more, this time more resigning, but they shut open again in the next second as you heard your phone ring.

Your tired fingers were shaking a little to accept the call as you grabbed the phone from the bedside next to you, you had kept it close, in case Malcolm would call you back…

“Hello?”, you gasped, pressing the device close to your ear.

“Y/N, it’s me…”

I have found Connor. I have found Connor! I. Have. Found. Connor. I have found Connor…

Malcolm had found Connor!

Stumbling over your own feed while struggling to get out of bed, you put your boots and winter gear back on, trying to be as quick as possible while replaying Malcolm’s last sentence over and over again in your head.

Finally fully clothed again you rushed down onto the streets, calling a taxi on your way down the hallway.

Your breath is rapid, your cheeks are hot and red from excitement and the cold winter air, while your lips and face are pale and you feel a little bit weak and sick in the stomach from sleep deprivation and the stress from the day, but you don’t care. Even as the taxi finally pulls up and you hurry inside and have a wave of dizziness and nausea wash over you, you don’t care. You just take a sip of water from the bottle that you have in your backpack and wait for it to subdue.

Malcom had sent you the coordinates of the refuge that they have found and where also was Connor.

Staring out of the car window into the oddly bright snowy night in an empty city, there was not one single soul out there, you felt your own heart beat throb right under your jawline, anxiety and anticipation made your toes curl and your stomach flutter…

You lost all sense of time, while the taxi drove on its own you wished that you would finally arrive, that the taxi would finally slow down, that you could see Malcolm again, that you could meet, and you did not even know how to feel about that as you corrected yourself, that you will meet Connor soon…

But as the taxi did slow down and came to an halt eventually, would you have given everything to make the way longer, to make the taxi drive longer. Your stomach fluttered and twisted in every emotion you had ever felt, excitement, anticipation, anxiety, fear, nausea and with the thrill of the moment.

It electricized you, it made your skin tingle and made your heart beat fast, you didn’t think and exited the taxi as you spotted Malcolm leaning in the doorway of what seemed to be an old church.

You smiled at him, just the sight of him being alive and well, as far as you could tell from the distance, was enough to already ease your nerves and to slow down your frantic heart a little bit.

Malcolm took two big steps over the sidewalk to you, while cautiously looking down the empty street to his left and right side and you met him in the middle.

“Are you alright?”, you asked, reaching out to grab his face but he caught your hands in his own, gently squeezed them and shook his head.

“Not here, we aren’t sure if we are being followed, soldiers are everywhere in the city, come inside!”

“Oh, okay”, instinctively you looked back over your shoulder but the street was still as empty as it had been before. Malcolm took your hand and led you inside, you cling onto his hand and thank no one in particular, that he is still here, that you can feel his fingers laced with yours.

Once inside what is indeed an old church, he turns to you, smiles and you open your arms and this time he lets you touch him, hug him. His arms wrap tightly around you, just as you press your face into his chest.

“I am glad, that you’re alive…”, you murmur against the fabric of his jacket as you spot a dark blue mark on his shoulder and you can’t help but gasp.

“Were you hurt?”, you ask, loosening your grab around him to get a better look at his shoulder.

But Malcolm shook his head and smiled lightly.

“It’s nothing, it stopped bleeding soon and I also got some fresh thirium at Jericho to make it heal faster.”

“Jericho?”, you ask and spot another mark on his jacket and you aren’t sure if it’s dried blue or red blood but you decide not to mention it.

“Jericho was an old freighter that deviants before us had found to find shelter and where we went after the fight on the main street but it got raided by the army later the same evening and was blown up. Olive and I escaped by using one of the old emergency exits that led directly to the pier.

We then helped other deviants out of the water, who had jumped into the Detroit river to save themselves”, Malcolm paused his explanation for a moment and his eyes wandered over to the nave of the church, to settle on a point in the shadows.

You followed his eyes but you only saw faint shimmers of blue coming from many androids, sitting and standing on the benches and the side walls of the hall.

“I think it is time for you to meet someone”, Malcolm smirked and you had never seen him smirk before, it was a strange view, he even seemed to be very self-satisfied with himself…

Something washed over you and you only could call it stage fright, adrenaline making you feel fuzzy and shaky inside and made your tummy twist and turn, breathing got suddenly harder and your heart felt very much alive, anticipation and a kind of exhilaration made you unruly and wobbly on your legs.

“Come on then!”, encouraged you Malcolm excitedly, still smirking, and grabbed your hand.

You gratefully took it and concentrated on his fingers around yours, you didn’t know what would happen next and it drove you insane. Your insides wouldn’t calm down and you weren’t sure how long you would make it like that, especially because you did not really trust your feet as well.

Your shallow breaths would quickly lead to hyperventilation if you continued focusing on them, so you concentrated on the pressure of Malcolm’s hand in yours. Breathing is overrated anyways.

Malcolm led you to the far back of the church’s nave and your eyes darted back and forth through the room, somewhere in here was Connor and the thought made your stomach curl even worse than before.

You saw many androids, some of them a picture of misery, missing limps, blue wounds, bodies splattered with red, and empty eyes, but some seemed to be in a quite a good shape. You even saw children, you had never really understood why someone would want a child android, who would never grow up, who would never change but seeing a little girl huddled close to a woman now, who you suspected to be an android as well, she didn’t wear any android signs, made your unruly heart warm for a moment. You hoped that everything would turn out good, especially for them, somehow you felt a wave of connection to these two people sitting on one of the cold benches, it was as if you knew them somehow, as if you would have been a part of their struggles and their journey, but this wasn’t possible, you didn’t even knew their names…

Your eyes wandered away from the little family, looking for Connor again, as Malcolm tugged at your hand and nodded towards a surprisingly lit corner, where someone stood, head kept low, eyes glued to the ground, arms wrapped around themselves, dressed in a leather jacket, jeans and a beanie– and for the span of a heartbeat, the world stopped moving.

Connor.

Everything stood still– as the sounds came crashing in again. They were everywhere at once, all around you, and so much crispier than before. Your steps on the old concrete, the wind in the broken windows, the whispered echoing conversations from the androids around you, a distant flutter of wings somewhere, a hoarse bird call and the silence of the snow outside on the streets, everything was crystal clear and very much alive.

With the sounds came the colours back to life, but they were more vibrant than before.

You could breathe again. The world was as energetic as you had never seen or experienced it before, everything fell into place, all by itself, the puzzle pieces started to merge together and you took broader steps forward, letting go of Malcolm’s hand, getting closer to him, Connor, your soulmate.

‘Right here, right now’, you thought, it felt so right, everything had led to this, you were sure, you felt a peace and certainty inside of you as you had never felt it before. This was it. This was the moment you had never thought would come.

A new wave of excitement washed over you but this time it wasn’t full of anxiety, instead it was filled with the sight of your soulmate, your actual soulmate, you stood in front of your soulmate!

Your heart had never felt so full and warm and big and the child without a soulmate, the lost little human girl inside of your very soul bawled, as you slowly got nearer to him.

“Connor.”

He looked up to you and you looked into his eyes, big and brown and beautiful, and you knew that a journey, a search, a dream, a hidden truth, a heavy secret, was finally over and done.

Preview

Next on “Puzzle Pieces”!

„Connor.“

A voice, unfamiliar but incredible soothing to him, had called him.

He looked up and met with the most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen.

He blinked once, she was still there, looking at him with big eyes and a slightly opened mouth, half a look of surprise and half a look of adoration in her face.

It was beautiful, she was beautiful.

And everything felt so right.

And everything was so easy for once.

Connor whispered her name, the name he knew because it was written in red on his wrist, the name that Malcolm had used.

He said her name again, this time louder. “It is you, isn’t it?”

She nodded and smiled widely, teeth showing, her glossy wet glittering eyes shone from happiness.

“Yes, that’s me!”, the words nearly tumbled out of her mouth, stumbling over themselves, a small airless sob escaped her chest and Connor saw how her hands quivered from adrenaline.

“Can I see it?”, she asked, still a little breathless and gestured towards his hands.

“The soulmark? Yes, yes, of course”, he saw how heated she was, how her body, her human body, reacted to him and his mere presence and he wished that his body could react as her’s did.

But there was no racing heart, no shaky fingers or fought back tears of happiness, there was only peace. The calm after the storm or maybe the eye of the storm, it didn’t matter. It was her and the peace she had brought. She was the warm, red spark of life, wild, untameable and everywhere at once, the beginning and the end and he was the blue, cool strength, the base, stability and protection of the precious pulsing life. Hey maybe did not experience their first meeting the way she did but it didn’t matter, because they fit together. It felt natural, human and android, blue blood and red heart, red blood and blue heart, united at last.

Connor pushed the sleeve of his jacket and shirt up and revealed his wrist.

~*~

“I wish that I could be selfish and tell you not to go to the Cyberlife headquarters, I don’t want to lose you. I just found you...”

You couldn’t get enough of Connor’s face, fascinated by his brown eyes, dotted with blacks and golds, you adored the curves of his lips and the little curl that sat on his forehead, loosening his well-kept attire, you came even closer to his face, you were pulled towards him like a magnet and now you could see the small moles and freckles on his cheeks and nose and forehead.

A smile made his brown eyes glitter even warmer than before as he gazed down into your own eyes and you smiled up at him, but not being able to hide your worry.

He whispered your name encouraging and you couldn’t help to shiver at that sound as Connor stroke your cheek tenderly and you could feel your skin tingle, where he touched you.

“Don’t worry, I promise to come back to you! You’ve waited long enough for your soulmate and I don’t plan on disappointing you- because, you know, I always accomplish my missions!”

~*~

You stood in front of the camps, eyes glued to the makeshift stage, where Markus stood and celebrated their victory with an emotional and thrilling speech, as you saw Connor move. Your breath stuck in your lungs as you saw him raise a gun— CONNOR, NO! Your soundless scream went unheard in the bright ice-cold snowy night.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tags: @28stabwounds777 @only-lurkin-dont-mind-me @sthorkronstrangy @tropfenlady @plaidamoosette @kazuha159 @clussysposts @peterhollandd @the-resident-demon

If you don't want to be tagged anymore just message me, also message me/ comment when you want to be tagged in future chapters. All my love for you and I hope that you are well! <3

#detroit being human #dbh fanfic #Detroit become human fanfiction #connor x reader #rk800 x reader #rk800 connor #readerinsert #soulmate #soulmate au #Detroit become human readerinsert #Kara cameo #Kara #markus #kara detroit become human #markus detroit become human #puzzle pieces

36 notes · View notes

puppy-phum · 3 years ago

Text

#10YearPromise - pingxie blabberings

bc i wasn’t able to answer these questions throughout the week (as i’ve been traveling around while being extremely busy), i decided to just collect all of my answers under one post! i never tire talking about pingxie so this was extremely enjoyable ♥ am also practicing some very shameless self promo in this so be prepared!

thank you for @laireshi for organizing this event (i take it’s you alone? am not sure, sorry for my laziness) and being amazing in general ^^ i won’t be able to join as i am still very busy and summer is always pure chaos for me, so i can only hope that other ppl have fun! if you are not aware of 10 Year Promise Pingxie Exchange, you can find the original announcement post here. join in if you have the time and inspiration ^^

and then to my answers which i will be placing under the cut bc i don’t want to flood anyone’s dash with me going bonkers over these two idiots. enjoy tho if you decide to read this :’D ♥

I. What made you ship pingxie?

Back when I got into Reboot bc of ZYL (as has happened to many ppl probably) and then saw stuff about pingxie once I started going through that drama’s tag on tumblr, my first thought about them was that they had to be a crack ship. The way Reboot portrays them as well as their actors and their huuuge age difference affected this a lot, and I was actually cackling at them bc all their moments in Reboot made me just go “oh, socialist brotherhood at its best” in my head. But then I finished watching Reboot’s 1st season (as the 2nd one wasn’t out yet) and started reading some fics. I learned more about them and the canon storyline. I learned how damn devoted they are to each other, and after that, many moments in Reboot gained new meaning in my eyes. So, I think what made me ship pingxie was a mix of Reboot (especially the hallucination moment where Xiaoge dies and Wu Xie loses it bc that’s my jam as I later on became to notice) and then the amazing fics I dug out during that time. After that the love grew stronger as I watched the other dramas, and these days I’m a lost cause. I feel like I spend most of my awake time thinking about these two and their love. They are amazing. I cry rivers for them.

II. Which pingxie version is your favorite?

After finding pingxie, I fell in love with them properly during TLT2. There is just something about that stage of their relationship for me, the stage where both of them are still very tentative about everything but they have deep down accepted that they’re tied now. Wu Xie is figuring out so many things, coming to terms with being betrayed by his uncle and slowly realizing that something bigger is going on behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Xiaoge is learning how to trust Wu Xie and how to accept that he cannot leave this naïve boy behind. It feels very fragile, and I have so many emotions about TLT2 bc of this. Xiaoge is so soft and feels very multilayered. Wu Xie is still his naïve self but is slowly gaining some sharper edges as he comes to face the cruel world. I like how Cheng Yi and Hou Minghao have portrayed this dynamic. Also, TLT2 is just very extra with all the pingxie scenes, who would be able to resist loving them? So, I have to admit that my favorite pingxie is these two, tho Ultimate Note comes very, very close.

III. What’s your favorite pingxie headcanon?

Headcanons are a bit hard for me as I don’t know enough of the canon. I have not read the novels so most of the story I’ve just patched together from all the bits I’ve read from somewhere (here, on twt, in fics) and through the scenes the dramas have shown me. I feel like the whole world is lowkey made of headcanons for me :’D But hmm, my favorite pingxie headcanon… I’d say there are two and then one bonus bc it’s more a Wu Xie related headcanon than just pingxie. The first one is that the pingxie confession happens after the Bronze Gate. It feels like the only moment when they’re both ready for such a thing. I’d say Xiaoge comes to realize his own feelings a lot earlier and he might tell something to unconscious Wu Xie before leaving for ten years, but he will not actually leave Wu Xie with such a burden. He doesn’t want to ask anything when it sounds like he doesn’t even believe that Wu Xie will be willing to wait for him, and I’d say that for him, his feelings are going to be fine even if Wu Xie never learns about them. He might even wish that Wu Xie never learns about them bc he’s not able to promise much as an immortal and amnesiac being (he outlives Wu Xie, most likely forgets him). For Wu Xie however, I’d say he needs time. He really is way too naïve and I’d say that he needs those ten years to realize that he’s in love with his best friend. I dunno who confesses first after Xiaoge returns but I think that only after that decade their relationship is “mature” enough to hold the weight of a confession (even if I also love to play around with the thought of them getting together during the events of Ultimate Note bc that drama offered many good chances for that). Another headcanon for me is that Xiaoge will find a way to die when Wu Xie does. After learning about them more, I feel like Reboot implies this too. Xiaoge is very accepting of Wu Xie’s death but in the last moments, when he really thinks that this is going to be it for Wu Xie, he hesitates. We see a spark of desperation there, and I’ve come to think that his initial plan, the plan he came up with once he got that call from Wu Xie and knew he would join Wu Xie on his last adventure, was to see this through for Wu Xie’s sake and then leave and die alone. I don’t know how much there would be left for Zhang Qiling after Wu Xie is gone. I feel like this is also what Wu Xie fears. But would he really resent Xiaoge for joining him in death after living such a long and hard life? I’d say no and I’d say that even Pangzi accepts this as one of the most likely outcomes. The bonus one then feels very personal to me. I don’t usually talk about this bc I feel so unsure of even mentioning this but I’ve seen others with similar thoughts so am sharing! I’ve never before gotten any vibes about a character’s sexuality in a drama I’ve watched but Reboot Wu Xie looked at me once in the eye and all I could hear was my brain yelling “asexual”. So, that is just my personal headcanon for Wu Xie. He’s ace and proud of it. He can flirt etc. but sex makes him go naah. He doesn’t need it or want it. He can appreciate beauty and hot ppl without wanting to sleep with them and I think his relationship with Xiaoge fits very well into this. I don’t have any personal experiences with being ace but I feel like Wu Xie has read the name once, shrugged and gone, “guess that’s me” and continued on with his life. He’s badass like that and I love him for it. (take a very relevant meme lol from this post)

IV. What’s the ideal pingxie date?

Ah, christ. I dunno if I’ve ever thought about them going on a date? In the middle of tomb raiding, hospital trips and fighting against powers bigger than themselves, I’ve rarely seen any time for them to do something like that lol. But after Ultimate Note, I’ve thought about star gazing a lot. Just them, the infinite night sky and some lonely hilltop. They would probably take a blanket with them, huddle together and talk about things in hushed voices. Wu Xie would go on a ramble about all the constellations and their meanings and mythology behind them and Xiaoge would just nod at him and watch Wu Xie talking. Maybe he would offer some tidbits in the middle of the rambling, making Wu Xie smile brightly. It would be relaxing and comfortable and loving. They would make out a lil bit. Would maybe lie down and play with each other’s hair. All their worries would feel insignificant. Wu Xie would fall asleep for a moment and Xiaoge would wake him up with a kiss to get him moving again so that they don’t need to sleep on the cold ground. They would return home and drink something warm and then go to sleep, cuddled together and happy. relevant edit x

V. What’s your favorite pingxie getting together scenario?

I guess I already talked about this a bit but let me elaborate then! As said, I’d see it happening after the Bronze Gate. I am not sure if it would be right away (they’re both going through so much trauma at that point) or if it would happen after Reboot (maybe we would still need Wu Xie almost dying for them to get their shit together), but I’d say it happens in a rush either way. It’s one of those “I have to tell you something before it’s too late” -type of moments. Or one of those “Bc I love you, you idiot!” -type of moments. I feel like I keep thinking that maybe Wu Xie would have to confess first bc as said, Xiaoge wouldn’t like to burden Wu Xie with his feelings when there’s so little he can give in the sense of normalcy. But then again, I have written a oneshot where Xiaoge is the first one to confess and that always feels better for me. That at some point Xiaoge feels secure enough to tell Wu Xie about his own feelings. That he feels confident and comfortable enough to say it out loud while still expecting nothing in return bc he knows that Wu Xie won’t abandon him either way. But no matter how that happens, I always see it as this dam breaking. The emotions finally become too strong. Something happens that reminds them that life is too short. Something happens that makes them finally talk it out and ah, Pangzi can finally take a break, what a joy

VI. What’s your favorite pingxie moment?

Every adaptation has its own good moments so let me make a list (like I saw someone else do too):

The Lost Tomb:

Xiaoge rescues Wu Xie from the shibie

Wu Xie worrying over unconscious Xiaoge plus taking care of him in the hotel room

The Pingxie MomentTM aka Xiaoge saving Wu Xie from falling and then cradling the boy to his chest while thumb rubbing his shoulder

The Lost Tomb 2:

Xiaoge revealed to be Baldie and Wu Xie yelling at him about it

Lowkey the whole underwater tomb arc bc holy shit that’s gay

Wu Xie losing it when Xiaoge doesn’t come up from the underwater tomb, diving after him and then almost dying himself + Pangzi getting angry at him for being stupid

pingxie ft. magical skype in the bronze tree cave (and Xiaoge being emo about the 1000yo warrior guy right before that)

Xiaoge rescuing Wu Xie from drowning (they shared air, you cannot convince me otherwise) + Wu Xie giving Xiaoge his watch in the hospital (relevant edits x x)

Wu Xie’s face when he sees Zhang Buxun in the coffin bc I love pain :)

Xiaoge not shooting Wu Xie despite not remembering him in the mountain village

Wu Xie grabbing Xiaoge’s jacket after being kidnapped and the Iron Triangle reunites in that old Chen guy’s cabin, asking, “Is that you?” from Xiaoge to make sure that he remembers again while looking like the biggest puppy (relevant edit x)

also some relevant memes x

Ultimate Note:

The hand over mouth reunion in the Golmud Sanatorium

“Xiaoge will ignore anyone else but you”

Xiaoge pretending he isn’t Losing ItTM throughout the whole time Wu Xie is in the Devil’s City with A-Ning

more hand over mouth with the gigantic snake

“The goddess has ascended”

Wu Xie protecting Xiaoge after he returns from the jade meteorite

“Do you remember me?” “Wu Xie.”

Wu Xie promising to help Xiaoge find his memories no matter what bc Xiaoge’s business is Wu Xie’s business

“Maybe you can return home with a wife today.” Wu Xie: proceeds to stare at Xiaoge, horrified

“Take me home.”

The sword gifting scene (especially Xiaoge denying the possibility of him killing Wu Xie or them harming each other, relevant edits x x)

other relevant edits for ultimate note x x

Reboot:

Wu Xie telling Xiaoge about his sickness and then Xiaoge coming back and promising to join Wu Xie on his trip (relevant edit x)

the death hallucination bc am a masochist

Wu Xie’s death dream where Xiaoge calls to him but then accepts his choice to move forward bc am a masochist pt. 2

pingxie reunion in the Thunder City forest where Xiaoge saves Wu Xie & co. from the poisonous gas

the moment in Thunder City where Wu Xie sits outside at night, eating the peanuts Pangzi gave him and then notices Xiaoge, offering him the peanuts and smiling

when Xiaoge leaves for the last time and then gets reunited with healed Wu Xie against all odds

the train scene and their softest smiles to each other

Time Raiders:

Wu Xie being the best bean and just wanting to befriend this mysterious man while seeing right under his skin and making Xiaoge baffled and fall in love in approximately 0.5 seconds

Xiaoge, catch! *proceeds to save only Wu Xie when they fall into that shibie horror chamber*

Xiaoge’s desperation to save Wu Xie from the crumbling ground

their death waltz at the end of the movie plus Xiaoge’s sacrifice

+ Sand Sea:

“Don’t you dare call him Xiaoge!”

Wu Xie offering his friends and then himself as comfort to Li Cu when he’s scared while smiling very softly at the memory of Xiaoge

“But isn’t his surname Wu?” Hei Xiazi: You have seen nothing yet, you sweet summer child

Wu Xie talking about Xiaoge’s past in the temple (aka the Tibetan Sea Flower story bc I just adore how pretty they’ve made those scenes)

VII. What is the best gift Wu Xie and Xiaoge could give each other?

I haven’t really thought about this type of stuff either bc we have already seen a ton of gifts being exchanged! I love the watch Wu Xie gives to Xiaoge in TLT2 as mentioned (it’s so silly but also so sweet) and I love it that Wu Xie gifts Xiaoge with a new sword in Ultimate Note. Also, I feel like I can count the food Wu Xie leaves for Xiaoge in Ultimate Note and that one moment where Xiaoge offers his knife for Wu Xie as a “pen”. They would give anything for each other as long as the other asked (which they never do) so I dunno what type of gift would matter the most. As it’s so hard to say, let me talk about one more headcanon that I’ve been thinking about ever since the infamous Bazaar photoshoot for Ultimate Note/XYL & ZSX. So, we see them having matching rings and necklaces in that photoshoot. I think jewelry would be kind of difficult for Xiaoge to wear when he needs to fight, as jewelry could be a hindrance in that type of situation But my brain won’t shut up about “pingxie married!!!” when I ask this question from it. To be honest, I do not see pingxie getting married in the traditional sense. They don’t need something like that after everything they’ve gone through. But I like to play around with the thought of promise rings. Just them exchanging rings for fun, for their own sakes, to have something concrete that reminds them of their promise to each other and of their feelings. Maybe even Xiaoge could wear that ring under his gloves idk. But am a sucker for that thought so my answer to this is then simply: a ring. relevant edits x x

if you read this far, thank you so much! I hope this gave you something and thank you once more for organizing this and allowing everyone to share their love for pingxie ^^ ♥

#10yearpromise #pingxie #dmbj #yes i ramble without any purpose #yes i love them a normal amount :)#thank you for organizing this!!#and sorry for coming at you like this #i hope you don't mind #am wishing you luck with the event!!#and hoping everyone has fun #i hope everything in this post #works like it's supposed to #bc oh boy did i struggle

27 notes · View notes

sidmjkgc · 2 years ago

Note

Sorry, I wasn’t trying to be flippant and insensitive. My comment about the AC was prompted by the fact I’ve been having a lot of trouble breathing lately, and we’re still trying to narrow the cause down. So for me, AC during the day is what’s keeping me from choking out when the humidity and temperature where I live is sky-rocketing more than I’m also used to. So seeing what amounted to a doom post about how AC is also causing global climate change without offering alternatives really did amount to “guess I’ll die” considering I probably could.

I didn't know about your health condition, I thought you were one of the too many comments that suggest to "just stick an a/c unit in the window and call it a day". And for that I apologise.

There's a huge difference between using the aircon for health reasons, or in specific buildings (public spaces, work spaces, hospitals...) or in specific part of the world where the temperature is always extremely high, and blasting the aircon just because it's summer and therefore you want a nice breeze in your house. I know this is a stupid example, but think about the american movies when you see someone inside with only a tshirt on in the middle of winter and someone with long sleeves in summer. I don't know how much of this is real and how much is movie magic, but every time it blows my mind how weather (and aircon/heat) works in the USA.

Aircon pollutes the environment, just like cars and planes, and given how fast things are changing, we need to do something about it and make conscious decisions. If you can't walk, of course you're gonna use cars. If you can't breathe, of course use the aircon. If you can avoid those things, please do think about the bigger picture and avoid them. Then again, the main problem is not the singular individual, but the big company that are destroying everything in the name of capitalism. And there's a huge ecofascism problem and guilt tripping, and in the end the people who suffer the most and get accused the most are poor people and disabled people. Look at the plastic straw thing.

Since this last heatwave (that is still going for fuck's sake), I have becoming a bit obsessed with climate change, I am aware of this. I am looking for practical solutions, and I am met with people who think we are doomed, ecofascists that says humanity is a virus, vegans who suggest to start eating stuff that I don't even know where to find, celebrities who take the private jet to avoid a twenty minutes journey in the car, people guilt tripping you into stop using plastic or fast fashion, the average texan commenter that calls you weak for risking a heatstroke and "just stick the a/c unit in the window", the zero waste gurus and the greenwashing... And it's becoming infuriating and we are all on edge. (On top of that, politicians don't help. Our government just fell, again, fascists are on the rise, the left is barely alive, I don't even know if the green party still exists and where it is... And every summer I think back at Silvio Berlusconi who suggested that "old people and children should go shopping in the mall to get a nice breeze from the air conditioning" instead of, I don't know, suggesting anything else.)

As a general rule, do you need it or can you avoid it? Do you need to take your car for a short trip, or can you walk or use public transportation? Do you need to eat meat every day, or can you eat it every once in a while or avoid it completely? Do you need to eat something that was made on the other side of the world using modern slavery, or can you buy something else from local sources? Do you need to buy fast fashion clothes every couple of months, or can you buy it more sporadically or from thrift shops or other stores? Do you need to drink with a straw or eat at fast foods every time, or can you find alternative solutions? Do you need to have the aircon on everyday because it's the only thing keeping you alive, or can you take a shower and use a fan to cool yourself? And so on. If you can avoid it, if you can afford to buy something different, if you can find an alternative, please consider doing it. If you can't avoid it or you can't afford it, don't feel guilty about it because it's not your fault.

This has gotten way too long and I am sorry. Again, I didn't know where you were coming from, and I wrongly assumed it was a sarcastic/meme response because I had just read three post in a row saying how europeans are weak and stupid and to just buy an aircon. I am sorry about your health, I hope it gets better and you can find out what's the problem and resolve it.

#sid interacts #goldenbloodytears

1 note · View note

kookie-doughs · 4 years ago

Text

Y/N L/N AND THE HALFBLOODS

Percy Jackson X Reader

-Y/N L/N met Percy Jackson and everything was now ruined.

CHAPTER 6: WE HAVE BATHROOM INCIDENT

We passed the volleyball pit. Several of the campers nudged each other. One pointed to the minotaur horn Percy was carrying. Another said, "That's him."

Anxious if all the attention, I scooted closer to Percy holding onto his arm. Most of the campers were older than us. Their satyr friends were bigger than Grover, all of them trotting around in orange CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirts, with nothing else to cover their bare shaggy hindquarters. The way they stared at me made me uncomfortable. Though I am aware the attention was on Percy. I still felt like they were expecting me to do a flip or something.

I looked back at the farmhouse. It was a lot bigger than I'd realized—four stories tall, sky blue with white trim, like an upscale seaside resort. I was checking out the brass eagle weather vane on top when something caught my eye, a shadow in the uppermost window of the attic gable. Something had moved the curtain, just for a second, and I got the distinct impression I was being watched.

"What's up there?" Percy asked Chiron.

He looked where I was pointing, and his smile faded. "Just the attic."

"Somebody lives there?"

"No," he said with finality. "Not a single living thing."

I got the feeling he was being truthful. But I was also sure something had moved that curtain.

"Come along, you two," Chiron said, his lighthearted tone now a little forced. "Lots to see."

We walked through the strawberry fields, where campers were picking bushels of berries while a satyr played a tune on a reed pipe.. . . . . . . . . .

Chiron told me the camp grew a nice crop for export to New York restaurants and Mount Olympus. "It pays our expenses," he explained. "And the strawberries take almost no effort."

He said Mr. D had this effect on fruit-bearing plants: they just went crazy when he was around. It worked best with wine grapes, but Mr. D was restricted from growing those, so they grew strawberries instead.

I watched the satyr playing his pipe. His music was causing lines of bugs to leave the strawberry patch in every direction, like refugees fleeing a fire. I wondered if Grover could work that kind of magic with music. I wondered if he was still inside the farmhouse, getting chewed out by Mr. D.

"Grover won't get in too much trouble, will he?" I asked Chiron.

"Yeah, I mean... he was a good protector. Really." Percy added.

Chiron sighed. He shed his tweed jacket and draped it over his horses back like a saddle. "Grover has big dreams, Percy. Perhaps bigger than are reasonable. To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing him safely to Half-Blood Hill."

"But he did that! He brought two!"

"I might agree with you," Chiron said. "But it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Grover lost you in New York. Then there's the unfortunate... ah... fate of your mother and Y/N's parents. And the fact that Grover was unconscious when you two dragged him over the property line. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Grover's part."

"He'll get a second chance, won't he?"

Chiron winced. "I'm afraid that was Grover's second chance, Percy. The council was not anxious to give him another, either, after what happened the first time, five years ago. Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age... ."

"How old is he?"

"Oh, twenty-eight."

"What! And he's in sixth grade?"

"Satyrs mature half as fast as humans, Percy. Grover has been the equivalent of a middle school student for the past six years."

"That's horrible."

"Quite," Chiron agreed. "At any rate, Grover is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at woodland magic. Alas, he was anxious to pursue his dream. Perhaps now he will find some other career... ."

"That's not fair," I said. "What happened the first time? Was it really so bad?"

Chiron looked away quickly. "Let's move along, shall we?"

But I wasn't quite ready to let the subject drop. Something had occurred to me when Chiron talked about Percy's and I's parents' fate, as if he were intentionally avoiding the word death.

"Chiron," Percy said. "If the gods and Olympus and all that are real..."

"Yes, child?"

"Does that mean the Underworld is real, too?"

Chiron's expression darkened.

"Yes, child." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "There is a place where spirits go after death. But for now... until we know more... I would urge you to put that out of your mind."

"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?"

"Come, Percy. Let's see the woods.". . ..

As we got closer, I realized how huge the forest was. It took up at least a quarter of the valley, with trees so tall and thick, you could imagine nobody had been in there since the Native Americans.

Chiron said, "The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed."

"Stocked with what?" Percy asked. "Armed with what?"

"You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?"

"My own—?"

"No," Chiron said. "I don't suppose either of you do. I think a size five will do you both. I'll visit the armory later."

I wanted to ask what kind of summer camp had an armory, but there was too much else to think about, so the tour continued. We saw the archery range, the canoeing lake, the stables (which Chiron didn't seem to like very much), the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheater, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights.

"Sword and spear fights?" I asked.

"Cabin challenges and all that," he explained. "Not lethal. Usually. Oh, yes, and there's the mess hall."

Chiron pointed to an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea. There were a dozen stone picnic tables. No roof. No walls.

"What do you do when it rains?" Percy asked.

Chiron looked at me as if I'd gone a little weird. "We still have to eat, don't we?"

Finally, he showed me the cabins. There were twelve of them, nestled in the woods by the lake. They were arranged in a U, with two at the base and five in a row on either side. And they were without doubt the most bizarre collection of buildings I'd ever seen.

Except for the fact that each had a large brass number above the door (odds on the left side, evens on the right), they looked absolutely nothing alike. Number nine had smokestacks, like a tiny factory. Number four had tomato vines on the walls and a roof made out of real grass. Seven seemed to be made of solid gold, which gleamed so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at. They all faced a commons area about the size of a soccer field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops (which were more my speed).

In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined firepit. Even though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smoldered. A girl about nine years old was tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick.

The pair of cabins at the head of the field, numbers one and two, looked like his-and-hers mausoleums, big white marble boxes with heavy columns in front. Cabin one was the biggest and bulkiest of the twelve. Its polished bronze doors shimmered like a hologram, so that from different angles lightning bolts seemed to streak across them. Cabin two was more graceful somehow, with slimmer columns garlanded with pomegranates and flowers. The walls were carved with images of peacocks.

"Zeus and Hera?" I guessed.

"Correct," Chiron said.

"Their cabins look empty."

"Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in one or two."

Okay. So each cabin had a different god, like a mascot. Twelve cabins for the twelve Olympians. But why would some be empty?

I stopped when Percy stopped.

"Percy?"

He stood in front of the first cabin on the left, cabin three.

It wasn't high and mighty like cabin one, but long and low and solid. The outer walls were of rough gray stone studded with pieces of seashell and coral, as if the slabs had been hewn straight from the bottom of the ocean floor.

I held his hand and we got closer to the cabin. We peeked inside the open doorway and Chiron said, "Oh, I wouldn't do that!"

Before he could pull us back, I caught a glimpse of the interior walls glowed like abalone. There were six empty bunk beds with silk sheets turned down. But there was no sign anyone had ever slept there. "Come along, you two."

Most of the other cabins were crowded with campers.

Number five was bright red—a real nasty paint job, as if the color had been splashed on with buckets and fists. The roof was lined with barbed wire. A stuffed wild boar's head hung over the doorway, and its eyes seemed to follow me. Inside I could see a bunch of mean-looking kids, both girls and boys, arm wrestling and arguing with each other while rock music blared. The loudest was a girl maybe thirteen or fourteen. She wore a size XXXL CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirt under a camouflage jacket. She zeroed in on me and gave me an evil sneer. She reminded me of Nancy Bobofit, though the camper girl was much bigger and tougher looking, and her hair was long and stringy, and brown instead of red.

I kept walking, trying to stay as close as I could to Percy. "We haven't seen any other centaurs," Percy observed.

"No," said Chiron sadly. "My kinsmen are a wild and barbaric folk, I'm afraid. You might encounter them in the wilderness, or at major sporting events. But you won't see any here."

"You said your name was Chiron. Are you really..."

He smiled down at me. "The Chiron from the stories? Trainer of Hercules and all that? Yes, Percy, I am."

"But, shouldn't you be dead?"

Chiron paused, as if the question intrigued him. "I honestly don't know about should be. The truth is, I can't be dead. You see, eons ago the gods granted my wish. I could continue the work I loved. I could be a teacher of heroes as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from that wish... and I gave up much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume I'm still needed."

I thought about being a teacher for three thousand years. It wouldn't have made my Top Ten Things to Wish For list.

"Doesn't it ever get boring?"

"No, no," he said. "Horribly depressing, at times, but never boring."

"Why depressing?"

Chiron seemed to turn hard of hearing again.

"Oh, look," he said. "Annabeth is waiting for us."

* * *

The blond girl I'd met at the Big House was reading a book in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven.

When we reached her, she looked us critically.

I tried to see what she was reading, but I couldn't make out the title. I thought my dyslexia was acting up. Then I realized the title wasn't even English. The letters looked Greek to me. I mean, literally Greek. There were pictures of temples and statues and different kinds of columns, like those in an architecture book.

"Annabeth," Chiron said, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Percy and Y/N from here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Cabin eleven," Chiron told me, gesturing toward the doorway. "Make yourself at home."

Out of all the cabins, eleven looked the most like a regular old summer camp cabin, with the emphasis on old. The threshold was worn down, the brown paint peeling. Over the doorway was one of those doctor's symbols, a winged pole with two snakes wrapped around it. What did they call it... ? A caduceus.

Inside, it was packed with people, both boys and girls, way more than the number of bunk beds. Sleeping bags were spread all over on the floor. It looked like a gym where the Red Cross had set up an evacuation center.

Chiron didn't go in. The door was too low for him. But when the campers saw him they all stood and bowed respectfully.

"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Percy, Y/N. I'll see you at dinner."

He galloped away toward the archery range.

I stood in the doorway, looking at the kids. They weren't bowing anymore. They were staring at us. I knew this routine. I'd gone through it at enough schools.

"Well?" Annabeth prompted. "Go on."

So naturally Percy tripped coming in the door and made a total fool of himself, almost taking me with him but I had let go of him as he fell. There were some snickers from the campers, but none of them said anything.

Annabeth announced, "Percy Jackson, Y/N L/N, meet cabin eleven."

"Regular or undetermined?" somebody familiar asked.

I didn't know what to say, but Annabeth said, "Undetermined."

Everybody groaned.

"Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy and Y/N. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there. Y/N can have the bed over there."

"Luke." I smiled. He replied with a grin and ruffled my hair.

"Uh?"

"This is Luke," Annabeth said, and her voice sounded different somehow. I glanced over and could've sworn she was blushing. She saw me looking, and her expression hardened again. "He's your counselor for now."

"For now?" Percy asked.

"You're undetermined," Luke explained patiently. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."

I looked at the tiny section of floor they'd given Percy. He was a few spots away from mine.

I looked around at the campers' faces, some sullen and suspicious, some grinning stupidly, some eyeing me as if they were waiting for a chance to pick my pockets.

"How long will we be here?" Percy asked.

"Good question," Luke said. "Until you're determined."

"How long will that take?"

The campers all laughed.

"Come on," Annabeth told us. "I'll show you the volleyball court."

"I've already seen it."

"Come on." She grabbed Percy's wrist and dragged him outside. Percy took my hand to come with him, I could hear the kids of cabin eleven laughing behind us.

"See you at dinner." Luke waved.

When we were a few feet away, Annabeth said, "Jackson, you have to do better than that."

"What?"

She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath, "I can't believe I thought you were the one. Maybe it was Y/N."

"What's your problem?" Percy was getting angry now. "All I know is, I kill some bull guy—"

I gripped his shoulder trying to calm him.

"Don't talk like that!" Annabeth told me. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"

"To get killed?"

Previous | Masterlist | Next

Hahah typo and originality go brrr

Taglist?

@gayer-than-the-gayest-gay @the-natureofme @booknerd-3000

#Percy Jackson #Percy Jackson X Reader #Percy Jackson X Y/N #percy jackon and the olympians #pjo #Y/N L/N #Y/N L/N and the halfbloods #X Reader #Book 1 #Lightning thief #luke castellan #Luke castellan x reader #Chapter 6 #Fanfiction #fanfictions

53 notes · View notes